mgpcpastor's blog

See Part One here.

David Jones was formally elected Moderator by the Assembly and then was led into the house by the Moderators of the State Assemblies and the Former Moderator Generals (the ghosts of General Assemblies past).
Robert Benn led David through his installation as Moderator General which culminated in his signing a Bible which has been signed by some of his predecessors.

David then preached from the sixteenth chapter of Acts a sermon titled “A Gospel Centered Church”.
Acts 16: how the Gospel came to the western world.
Christianity comes from the east, here it crosses over. Philippi, the Roman colony, a meeting of Greece and Rome.
Philippi is crying out for the Gospel.
It was the Gospel they needed. This is the crying need of the world, even today.
Help in Jesus.
How the Gospel came and transformed the western world.
Why we need to raise up an army of Gospel preachers, the
Five things:
Firstly, it makes the rich generous. vv13-15.
Lydia. Rich. Rich people are not always known for generosity.
The Gospel comes, her heart opens, she opens her home which becomes the headquarters for the evangelisation of the west.
Often the first sign someone is converted when the pocket strings loosen.
Secondly, it sets slaves free. vv 16-18.
A girl dominated by owners and evil spirits.
The girl speaks of the identity of the Paul and Silas.
Still in the grip of Satan, Paul is troubled and confronts the evil spirit in the name of Jesus. It is not Paul, it is the gospel which delivers her.
Jesus died on the cross to destroy the works of the devil. It breaks the power of sin and sets the prisoner free. The truth will set you free. Why aren’t we seeing people set free.
Third, it causes sufferers to sing. vv 19-25.
Paul and Silas thrown into jail. Feet in stocks.
In the early hours, when human spirits sink to their lowest, they sing hymns of praise.
Christians suffer with joy.
Rejoice in their tribulation. What would the other prisoners have thought?
The power of Christ.
Fourth, it makes the guilty glad. vv 26-32.
The jailer: what must I do to be saved? Not from the earth quake, it’s gone. Not his superior officers, the prisoners are still there. What does he need saving from. He’s more afraid now than when the earthquake struck and when he thought his prisoners were gone.
These men are servants of the most high God. A rough and ready Roman soldier realises he needs to be saved from God. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved.
And he was filled with joy.
Fifthly, it makes the cruel kind. vv 33-35.
Just doing his job, jailing and torturing. In the wee small hours of the night he washes their wounds and takes them home, a good Samaritan.
Australia needs this Gospel.
Don’t people today need this power. Cruelty, brutality, injustice and suffering and brokenness. Where in Australia does not need that power.
What about us, meeting in General Assembly? We who profess the power of the Gospel.
We want to be that sort of person: generous, free, joyous, glad and kind.
We’re not seeing conversions on a widespread scale. That should be a concern.
Does joy characterise our meetings. Are our meetings characterised by godly laughter?
The last verse in chapter 16 describes the first church in Europe.
Three converts representative: a woman, a slave and a gentile soundly and joyously converted and sharing the table of the Lord together.
The gospel forms communities.
John Knox: Give me Scotland or I die.
Us: Give us the place we live or we die.

It was a most encouraging message. A model exposition, opening up the truth of God’s Word and applying it in challenging and encouraging ways.
Should a recording be made available I highly recommend it.

We sang ‘Lord Be My Vision’, then some other business was performed before the Service closed with ‘Go Forth In His Name’.

A really good night.
And I finally got to meet Alistair and his wife Rachel.