Pastor Peter Simpson was preaching the gospel in Aylesbury, the county town of Buckinghamshire, with Mrs Lesley Pilkington handing out leaflets and engaging passers-by in conversation.
These conversations included one with a younger woman who stopped to take a tract. She seemed depressed, and said that she does sometimes go to church. She was willing to listen when the gospel was explained to her. By God’s grace she was receptive, and acknowledged that she was a sinner in need of the Saviour. Mrs Pilkington then prayed with her about her salvation, which she took gladly part in. So this was a most encouraging encounter. The lady went on her way with a John’s Gospel and other Christian leaflets.
A more difficult conversation took place with a woman who confronted the witnessing sister about the abortion issue, which Pastor Simpson had briefly referred to in his preaching as being a prime example of the nation’s deep rebellion against God. A long and difficult interaction followed with this lady very determined to take a pro-abortion stance. She sadly became somewhat irate at Mrs Pilkington’s arguments, which included the fact that all human beings are created by God, their existence is ordained by Him, and all are precious to Him. She also refused to take any literature. May the Lord be pleased to remove her hardness of heart.
Mrs Pilkington also spoke at some length with an older man who had experienced much personal tragedy in his life, to such an extent that he felt that he wanted to just give up on living. Some discussion then ensued on the reality of heaven and hell, as the man was not a believer, but had been searching for ‘meaning’ to his existence. The sister gently explained the gospel to him, and he did appear to be genuinely interested and even moved. He was then prayed for, and took a gospel of John and some other literature. May the Lord continue to speak powerfully to him.
Two Muslims on separate occasions came up to Pastor Simpson and told him that God is One and that Jesus was just a prophet, which comment is of course a direct repudiation of the doctrine of the Trinity and of the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. The minister responded by asserting that we cannot subject the nature of God to feeble human understanding. The incarnation of God is a deep mystery, he told the Muslim, but God became a man for you personally to save you from your sins. There was no other way for men to be saved.
When people walk by and there is some eye contact, Pastor Simpson quite often tries immediately to ask the question “Are you a good person?”. He does this as an on the spot challenge as it were to employ to good effect the fleeting moment of the eye contact to get people to start thinking along gospel lines.
He did so on this occasion and a young woman responded that she was indeed a good person. The minister responded by telling her that the Bible says that no one is good by nature, for all have sinful hearts and all have broken God’s laws. So how do we deal with this stark reality? The young woman sadly carried on walking by, and then gave the preacher a vulgar hand gesture, as he carried on looking towards her. Pastor Simpson’s comments of course were not personal but applicable to all (and the young woman was also in a group of people), and the desire behind asking the question was naturally to bring an ultimate help and blessing.
An even younger girl who could only have been in her early to mid-teens when challenged in a similar way responded by saying that she was gay. The minister immediately replied that the Bible teaches that homosexuality is sinful. It was so sad to see one so young believing that she inevitably had such an immoral inclination controlling her life, and one which represents a total rejection of the authority of her Maker. It was so sad to see the way in which fashion and the spirit of the age had made her think that her conduct was totally acceptable. What is our society doing to its children?
As Pastor Simpson was preaching, he asked a group walking past as follows,
Pastor : Have you thought about your personal sin? Can anyone claim to be without sin?
Passing girl : Yes I can.
Pastor : What? You are without sin?
Passing girl : Yes!
Pastor : You are guilty of pride, then, which is a sin!
The girl regrettably did not stop to continue the conversation, which is a real shame, as this was a good opening, but may the Lord cause her to think seriously about her guilt before the holy God. Indeed, may many others who heard the gospel in Aylesbury upon this day likewise be moved by the power of the Holy Spirit to serious consideration of their dire spiritual predicament and their urgent need of coming to the Saviour.