Matthew 8:11-12
The danger of casting away our privileges is ever with us!
The spirit of the ‘Prodigal Son’ abides in every Christian and if not crucified will lead to an abandoning of the ‘Father’s House’ and a hastening to the ‘far country’ of worldliness and the abandoning of God’s Word.
Read sermon notes here
This is what the Saviour warns of in those well known words: “And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth,” Matthew 8:11-12.
This message was first preached at the Lord’s Day evening service in Kilskeery Free Presbyterian Church on 29th June 1986, by the minister, Rev Ivan Foster.
The Centurion, whose request to Christ brought forth these words from the Saviour, was a Gentile, a Roman soldier brought up in the darkness of heathendom.
His posting to Israel had been a blessing in disguise. You can imagine how his wife and family, if he had such, reacted to the news of his transfer. Now, however, they sing of the merciful providence that planned it so.
His approach to Christ and his forthright display of faith became the means of delivering a timely warning to a nation, Israel, greatly privileged and in danger of throwing their privileges away.
It has a very present and pertinent application to the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster for it is evident that there are those in pulpit and pew who are seeking a change from the path that the Lord led our founding fathers to in 1951, to new paths which are in conformity to the thinking of this world.
Such a departure will only lead to that crowded path, which the Saviour said “leadeth to destruction.”