If the Foundations are destroyed
Day conference
8 March 2014
Crawley New Life Church
HOW ARE WE TO RESPOND TO A TIME OF IMMENSE CHANGE? The Christian foundations of our society have crumbled and are being replaced by a new morality guided by secular humanism. What should be the Christian response?
A capacity congregation heard from two distinguished speakers who had been invited to address the conference (advertised in the February HEART OF SUSSEX) on the topic, “If the foundations are destroyed, what shall the righteous do?”
John Angliss, pastor of the South of Reading Christian Fellowship, and Chris Hill, who is widely respected for his Bible teaching ministry, took two sessions each. In his first session John spoke about the judgements falling on the UK due to our reversing God’s moral standards. We have become like those, who in the words of Isaiah, call evil good and good evil [Isaiah 5: 20].
He took up the theme from Matthew 24:37 where Jesus said that the period before his return would be like the days of Noah. What were the days of Noah like? There are seven reasons given in the Bible for the judgment of the flood. All, but possibly one, apply to today. He told his audience, “If you want to know where we are today, read the book of Jude.”
Chris Hill spoke in the second session on the strategy of Jesus in the last days. He looked at Matthew 16:13 – 20 where Jesus asks his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?”
This leads to Peter’s declaration, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”. The location of this conversation was Caesarea Philippi, which Chris explained was as pagan a setting as could be found! Surrounded by pagan temples, Jesus responds to Peter, that on the rock of faith in Jesus Christ (not on the rock of Peter himself) he would build his Church and the authorities of hell would not prove stronger than that revelation. This session served as a taster for the depth of teaching one could expect from one of the Bible tours of Israel which Chris conducts with his wife, Lindy.
After lunch John returned to the theme of the flood by using the ark as a picture of salvation. He read a prophecy from a while ago which said that the South of Reading Christian Fellowship was to be an ark, a place of safety for new “lambs” in the troubled times which lie ahead.
Just as the ark had no sails, no rudder, no motor; relying entirely on God to direct it, it also had only one door and there is only one way to God – through Jesus Christ. The ark was sealed with pitch, which means “atonement” in Hebrew and faith must be founded on the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
In the final session Chris looked at the transfiguration of Jesus and how Moses and Elijah prepared him for both suffering and glory, moving on to ways in which we are to be strong. One way is to confess our areas of weakness to one another. We confess so that we may strengthen and encourage one another. We also need to absorb the Word so that we have the authority of the word of God.
One message clearly came through each of the sessions. When the foundations are shaken, look to the foundation which cannot be shaken. Jesus Christ is the rock on which our faith is built. He will never be shaken.
Philip Wren
This is a summary of a full day’s teaching. The sessions were recorded and can be heard free of charge at the church’s website: www.cnlc.org.uk