Archives for

Sermon Audio

The stand of the Free Presbyterian Church

Preached by Rev Ivan Foster at the 40th anniversary of Armagh Free Presbyterian Church on 15th October 2005

Scripture: “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage,” Galatians 5:1.

Stream or download The stand of the Free Presbyterian Church

The words “stand fast” in our text and in other exhortations of Paul which are similar to this, simply mean “to maintain one’s position, to persevere.”
That is something that those who profess to possess the everlasting truth of the gospel would certainly be expected to be engaged in.
The position of a church on current issues and matters of importance should be known. In order for that knowledge to be kept before the minds of both the friends and the enemies of the FPC, it must be stated clearly and often.
I would wish to do that tonight.

I. THE PEOPLE OF GOD ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE A STAND.

The Christian is not like Gallio. “Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things,” Acts 18:17. He was indifferent to matters relating to the kingdom of Christ having no interest in them whatsoever.

1. The debt we owe to Christ should stir us to take a stand for Christ. “If Jesus Christ is God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him.” That ought to be our motivation in life.

2. The desire to disassociated ourselves from His enemies requires us to take a stand for Christ.  “Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD’S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him,” Exodus 32:26. “In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them,” Obadiah 1:11. 1 Kings 18:21.

3. The grace of God within us will require that we stand. Gen 3:15. Gal 5:17.

II. THE STAND THAT MUST BE TAKEN IS CLEARLY SET FORTH IN GOD’S WORD.

1. HOW – It is a one of complete separation from sin, the world and the devil. “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,” 2 Corinthians 6:17. A touch brought contamination under the law. It is still so today.

2. WHEN – It is required whenever the standards of God have been violated. Ephesians 5:11; 2 Thess 3:6, 14-15; 2 Tim 3:1-5; 2 John 10-11.

3. WHERE – It is required that we stand unashamedly with Christ. That means upholding His teaching on the matter. Hebs 13:9, 13. “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them,” Isaiah 8:20. “Who is on the LORD’S side? let him come unto me,” Exodus 32:26.

III. SUCH A STAND WILL BRING REPROACH
It cannot be avoided. Hebs 13:13. “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake,” Matthew 5:11. “It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?” Matthew 10:25. Acts 5:41; 1 Peter 4:4, 14, 16.

IV. TO STAND FOR CHRIST HERE MEANS THAT WE WILL STAND WITH CHRIST IN GLORY.
“Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels,” Mark 8:38.
“If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us,” 2 Timothy 2:12.
“Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.” Hebrews 11:25-26.

The Unsearchable Riches of Christ, Pt25

But God….Pt3

Scripture: Eph 2:4-7.

Stream or download the unsearchable riches of Christ, Pt25

IV. WHAT A GLORIOUS HONOUR IS THUS CONFERRED UPON THE CHRISTIAN.
And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus, Ephesians 2:6-7.
1. Not merely made alive but made to share in Christ’s glory. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne, Rev 3:21. We are citizens of heaven. For our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, Philippians 3:20. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people, Psalm 113:7-8. And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen,  Rev 1:6. And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth, Rev 5:10.
2. In us will be displayed God’s grace. As the glory of Solomon display God’s mercy to the king, so it will be with us, I Kings 10:6-9.
3. The glory of which the Christian is a partaker cannot be imagined.
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is, 1 John 3:2.
4. Humbly, thankfully we must say now what our enemies will one day acknowledge. Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought! Num 23:23.

The Unsearchable Riches of Christ, Pt 24

But God…, Pt2

Scripture: Eph 2:4-7.

Stream or download The unsearchable riches of Christ, Pt24

III. GOD’S SALVATION CAME TO US THROUGH CHRIST.

Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, Eph 2:5-6.

Please note that Paul speaks in the past tense. Hath quickened; hath raised. This is our present position and possession. Remember 1:18-20. Paul would have them know that this is what they have, where they are. The phrase by grace ye are saved means literally, by grace ye have been saved.

1. God’s grace is conveyed to us through Jesus Christ. You know nothing of God’s grace until you are united to Christ. Woman with issue of blood, Mark 5:25-29; the dead and the bones of Elisha, 2 Kings 13:21.

2. Every Christian has a real and vital union with Christ. We were joined to Christ in the covenant of grace before the worlds began but there came a time when experimentally, I was brought into union with Christ and was made spiritually alive.  But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit, 1 Cor 6:17; But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his, Rom 8:9. This uion is represented under different analogies, planted, Rom 6:5; “glued, cemented” 1 Cor 6:6:17; partnership, Hebs 3:14.

3. As the branch partakes of the life of the trunk, even so we are partakers of Christ’s life. John 15:5. We live off Christ. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me, Galatians 2:20. If you are not united to Christ the life then you are dead in your sins.