Lord's Day August 20 2017

We were in Alfred Place, Aber, again yesterday, as planned. Originally, one of the elders was to have preached in the morning and Rhodri in the evening but the elder was not well so Rhodri preached, am, and I stood in, pm. Rhodri preached very well on Romans 6:11. It was a delight to be there. In the evening I decided to go for Hebrews 13:8. I had preached that text at the beginning of the year in Childs Hill and was able to adapt it for yeseterday evening. I recalled a story from A W Pink's The Seven Sayings of the Saviour on the Cross worth repeating, which I did.

“It is finished.” Do you really believe it? Or, are you endeavouring to add something of your own to it and thus merit the favour of God?

Some years ago a Christian farmer was deeply concerned over an unsaved carpenter. The farmer sought to set before his neighbour the gospel of God’s grace, and to explain how that the finished work of Christ was sufficient for his soul to rest upon. But the carpenter persisted in the belief that he must do something himself. One day the farmer asked the carpenter to make for him a gate, and when the gate was ready he carried it away to his wagon. He arranged for the carpenter to call on him the next morning and see the gate as it hung in the field. At the appointed hour the carpenter arrived and was surprised to find the farmer standing by with a sharp axe in his hand. “What are you going to do?” he asked. “I am going to add a few cuts and strokes to your work,” was the response. “But there is no need for it,” replied the carpenter, “the gate is all right as it is. I did all that was necessary to it.” The farmer took no notice, but lifting his axe he slashed and hacked at the gate until it was completely spoiled. “Look what you have done!” cried the carpenter. “You have ruined my work! ” “Yes,” said the farmer, “and that is exactly what you are trying to do. You are seeking to nullify the finished work of Christ by your own miserable additions to it!” God used this forceful object lesson to show the carpenter his mistake, and he was led to cast himself by faith upon what Christ had done for sinners. Reader, will you do the same?

Nice to meet friends old and new, including family members.