Minister’s message: Lord, Lord

Rev James Gatherer writes: The Lord said, ‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord”, will enter the kingdom.’

They said, ‘Lord, Lord! We performed miracles in your name! ‘ And they said, ‘Lord, Lord! We have the Gifts of the Spirit! ‘ Again they said, ‘Lord, Lord, we believe in the Bible!’

But the Lord said, ‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord”, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only one who does the will of my Father in heaven.’

They asked,’ Lord, Lord! What is the will of the Father?’

The Lord replied, ‘Love the Lord with all your heart; love your neighbour as yourself; you also should love one another.’ Also, the Lord said, ‘Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock.’

Ah, me – the world is full of false prophets, noisy gongs and clanging bells – ‘you will know them by their fruits.’ As another Christmas season approaches so we will be flooded with the words of false prophets offering us noisy gongs and clanging bells.

This Christmas, may you seek the words and promises that come from the lips of the Lord Jesus, because they bring the real Gifts of the Spirit – Life, Grace and Rest.