Pastors John Sherwood and Peter Simpson were preaching the gospel in the centre of Slough on February 7th.
Conversations were had with two people who said that they were once Christians, but had now fallen away and were struggling. The sins fallen into included drug-taking and homosexuality.
Pastor Simpson emphasised how the strong temptation to these sinful practices can be overcome if one is truly born again, because the power of the Holy Spirit is greater than the power of the flesh. No true believer in Christ need ever be concerned that his temptations are too great to conquer. These two concerned people, who are certainly on the right path by wanting to talk to the ministers at all about these issues, were encouraged to focus on their relationship with the Lord by means of wholehearted repentance from sin and a trusting in Christ for cleansing and new life. The need to sit regularly under a sound Biblical ministry and to have fellowship with like-minded believers within the context of the local church was also greatly stressed.
At one stage as Pastor Sherwood was preaching, a middle-aged man got very angry with the preaching and sadly used foul language to express his displeasure. Pastor Simpson. Asked him why he need to swear in order to make his point. Was this not evidence of a heart naturally inclined to sin? The man also stated that ‘religion’ has caused nothing but wars.
Pastor Simpson endeavoured to explain that he was not defending religion as a concept, but rather the Lord Jesus Christ as being “God manifest in the flesh”. in contrast to the assertion about war, its prevalence throughout human history is actually proof of the basic starting point of the Christian message, namely that man is sinful and corrupted in his very nature, and so needs to come to the Lord Jesus Christ to receive a new heart.
The opposer was also challenged as to whether he was a good person, and he responded that he was. Pastor Simpson suggested to him that by saying this he may be guilty, apart from anything else, of the sin of pride. Sadly, he did not wish to stay after this to engage in reasonable discussion, but continued to be very angry.
May the Lord be pleased to speak powerfully to his heart about the truth of the gospel, and to the hearts of many others who heard the truth of the gospel in Slough upon this day.