Pastors Peter Simpson and John Sherwood were preaching the gospel in the centre of Uxbridge on July 23rd, assisted by Mrs Patricia Newman and Mrs Eve Hammond and some other local believers.
Pastor Sherwood had a valuable conversation with someone concerned about a serious alcohol addiction problem. The preacher showed how this was an essentially a spiritual matter, which the grace of God in Christ can wonderfully overcome. He pointed the enquirer to Proverbs 23:29-30, which brings home forcibly the destructive nature of excessive drinking.
“Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine” (Proverbs 23:29–30). May the Lord continue to help this troubled person, who responded positively to the Biblical message.
Mrs Newman had a useful conversation with a Jehovah’s Witness, and endeavoured to point him to the true divine nature of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In similar vein, Both Mrs Newman and Pastor Simpson entered into polite discussion with a Muslim man over the Person of Christ, Mrs Newman explaining that the Lord Jesus called Himself the First and the Last, a title, which belongs to God alone, as we know from Isaiah 41:4. Pastor Simpson also referred to the unique nature of Christ as the crucified Saviour of sinners. How impervious so many Muslims seem to these arguments. May the Lord be pleased to open their eyes by His sovereign grace.
Whilst the preaching made no mention of the matter, two people nevertheless came up to Pastor Simpson and expressed their concern to him about all the illegal immigration currently taking place across the English Channel, and the strain that this is putting upon national resources via the taxpayer, and especially upon the general stock of housing and accommodation, which is already in short supply.
The minister responded by asserting that it is the task of the Government before God to uphold the law of the land, and it must not allow the demands of cultural Marxism – with all its talk of poor refugees – to prevent it from properly dealing with this premeditated criminal activity, which requires a large financial outlay. He explained how the Bible upholds the principle of nations with defined boundaries and controlled borders.
A man walked by Pastor Simpson wearing a tee-shirt with a picture of a man lounging on a deckchair and saying, “No Job, No Girl, No Money, No Problem”. The preacher went up to him and said, “No God, Big Problem”. He then only had a few seconds in which to challenge the man, before he moved on, and so he quickly tried to impress upon him the importance of knowing one’s Maker.
A man who frequently criticises the preaching, working nearby, came up and tried to disrupt by standing in front of Pastor Sherwood, shaking his head and waving his arms, implying to the passers-by that it was simply not worth listening to such nonsense. He also argued that those witnessing are entitled to their beliefs, but should keep them to their selves, and not force them on others.
He was told in response that the gospel was so important, that it was criminal not to tell others about it, and Pastor Sherwood added, “If your house were on fire, would you not want someone quickly to warn you? Pastor Simpson also reminded the opposer that the nation’s schools, hospitals and universities owe their origins historically, not to the State, but to Christians who, motivated by their faith, founded them, long before the State took them over.
May the Lord be pleased to open this hardened opponent’s heart, and that of many others who heard the gospel of saving grace in Uxbridge upon this day.
