July's Verse
17/07/08 10:06 Filed in: Bible
In 17th century
Scotland the King was forever sticking his nose into
the affairs of the church, seeking to strategically
place ministers who would support him and gain the
ear of the people. The people however, in many
instances wouldn’t have it, and resisted attempts to
have clergy foisted on them.
One such instance was in 1615, when a young man called Alexander Henderson was appointed as minister at Leuchars in Fife. He wasn’t a Christian, as the Bible would define ‘Christian’, and the people of Leuchars didn’t want him as their pastor.
On the morning of his ordination the people locked all the doors of the church so that no-one could enter. The presiding ministers and Henderson were obliged to break in by a window before they carried out the ordination. Few people came to hear him preach.
He wasn’t there long when a godly minister Robert Bruce came to the area to preach. Henderson was struck by how many would eager listen to Bruce’s sermons and set out himself to hear him. He donned a disguise and slipped into a dark corner of the church.
Bruce entered the pulpit, and after a solemn pause, in his usual manner, he read these words from John 10:1 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber”.
Understandably these words hit Henderson like a thunderbolt. The ensuing sermon was so searching and unsettling that his conscience was deeply convicted.
Where do you turn when your conscience is deeply troubled?
Just a few verses later Jesus says, “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved” (John 10:9). Henderson turned and put his trust in Jesus and found the truth of this promise, and found his ministry transformed because he had been. He went on to play a key role in the history of Christianity in Scotland.
That’s where we need to turn to, not just to ease your troubled mind so that you can get on with life—Jesus isn’t a headache tablet. The turning to Jesus is a personal thing, not a ritual thing—that’s what Henderson found. It’s about the whole person recognising that they’ve been going the wrong way, and turning Godwards looking for forgiveness and help to keep going in a Godward direction. That’s entering in at the gate. It denotes starting out on a new path—the path of a transformed heart.
(Based on the calendar given out by the church)
One such instance was in 1615, when a young man called Alexander Henderson was appointed as minister at Leuchars in Fife. He wasn’t a Christian, as the Bible would define ‘Christian’, and the people of Leuchars didn’t want him as their pastor.
On the morning of his ordination the people locked all the doors of the church so that no-one could enter. The presiding ministers and Henderson were obliged to break in by a window before they carried out the ordination. Few people came to hear him preach.
He wasn’t there long when a godly minister Robert Bruce came to the area to preach. Henderson was struck by how many would eager listen to Bruce’s sermons and set out himself to hear him. He donned a disguise and slipped into a dark corner of the church.
Bruce entered the pulpit, and after a solemn pause, in his usual manner, he read these words from John 10:1 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber”.
Understandably these words hit Henderson like a thunderbolt. The ensuing sermon was so searching and unsettling that his conscience was deeply convicted.
Where do you turn when your conscience is deeply troubled?
Just a few verses later Jesus says, “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved” (John 10:9). Henderson turned and put his trust in Jesus and found the truth of this promise, and found his ministry transformed because he had been. He went on to play a key role in the history of Christianity in Scotland.
That’s where we need to turn to, not just to ease your troubled mind so that you can get on with life—Jesus isn’t a headache tablet. The turning to Jesus is a personal thing, not a ritual thing—that’s what Henderson found. It’s about the whole person recognising that they’ve been going the wrong way, and turning Godwards looking for forgiveness and help to keep going in a Godward direction. That’s entering in at the gate. It denotes starting out on a new path—the path of a transformed heart.
(Based on the calendar given out by the church)