50 Years on - Aberfan is still remembered!

50 Years on - Aberfan is still remembered!

By John Thorn, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9146083

The Aberfan disaster was the catastrophic collapse of a colliery spoil tip in the Welsh village of Aberfan, near Merthyr Tydfil, that killed 116 children and 28 adults on 21 October 1966. The collapse was caused by the build-up of water in the accumulated rock and shale tip, which suddenly slid downhill in the form of slurry.

More than 1.4 million cubic feet (40,000 cu metres) of debris covered a section of the village in minutes. The classrooms at Pantglas Junior School were immediately inundated; young children and teachers died from impact or suffocation. Many noted the poignancy of the situation: if the disaster had struck a few minutes earlier, the children would not have been in their classrooms, and if it had struck a few hours later, they would have left for the half-term holiday.

By John Thorn, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9146083

There is no easy answer to the question as to why such a thing should be allowed to happen. What had these children done to deserve to die so young? Nothing, apart from living in world where tragedy and sin exist and where disasters are unavoidable due to the fact that we live in an imperfect world. 

Often children suffer because of what adults do. The so called innocency of youth camouflages the fact that they have the same gene pool as each of us - they are also sinners and subject to death. The bible is clear when it states that 'all have sinned and come short of the glory of God'. There are no exceptions to this rule. Even our little darlings are sinners - time proves this to be the case. 

But what happens to a child who dies so young? Are they condemned for being a sinner without the opportunity to repent and believe the gospel. You have the opportunity to consider God's offer of salvation and may choose to reject it but what of the child who dies without this opportunity?

I believe that the bible teaches that a child, who dies before they are able to understand and accept or reject the gospel automatically goes to heaven. The death of Jesus Christ covers them. If you are interested I can send you details of why I believe this to be the case but I feel this is the teaching of scripture. 

But remember that is not the case for you. You have the capacity to believe the gospel, to understand the seriousness of your sin and repent and trust Christ for salvation.

Have you ever done this?

To access podcasts and videos explaining the good news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ visit www.seekthetruth.org.uk

This site will give you access to Bible Teaching Audio's and Video's as well.

What's so special about Sunday's?

Today is the day of the week when early followers of Jesus met together. People know this day as Sunday but in the New Testament is became known as the Lord's Day, Revelation 1:10. 

This special day is observed by most Christians as the weekly memorial of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is said in the Gospels to have been witnessed alive from the dead early on the first day of the week.

According to some sources, Christians held corporate worship on Sunday in the 1st century.^[1] The earliest Biblical example of Christians meeting together on a Sunday for the purpose of "breaking bread" and preaching is cited in the New Testament book The Acts of the Apostles chapter 20 and verse 7 (Acts 20:7). 2nd-century writers such as Justin Martyr attest to the widespread practice of Sunday worship (First Apology, chapter 67), and by 361 AD it had become a mandated weekly occurrence. 

I am looking forward to today. It will be my privilege to remember and worship the Lord Jesus Christ. I am in Coleford, England, UK for the week speaking at a Holiday Bible Club. It will be a thrill to tell children about the love of God and explain that the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ was to provide salvation and blessing that has an eternal effect  

All in all this is an excellent day. How was your day?

1. ^ Roger T. Beckwith (2001). Calendar and Chronology, Jewish and Christian: Biblical, Intertestamental and Patristic Studies. BRILL. pp. 47–. ISBN 0-391-04123-1.

The Tragedy of Human Existence!

The Bible states that 'it is appointed unto men once to die'. This most obvious of facts is among the most distressing things that we human beings face. I have a friend who committed suicide just before Christmas a number of years ago - why I can guess but I do not really know. One day one of my friends in Liverpool found that her partner's nephew has been found dead in his flat. Death comes to us all but why?

The Bible tells us why. It is because of sin. 

The Bible states that we die because we were born into a fallen race. The first man, Adam, brought 'sin into the world and death by sin'. 

We also are all in the habit of sinning and the Bible states 'sin, when it is finished bringeth forth death'. We all sin (fail, hurt, lie, disobey etc etc) and therefore the moral and physical result is death.

But Jesus said 'I am come that they might have life'. 

But we all still die - why? That is true physically but when a person comes to Jesus (in faith, by praying) and asks him for forgiveness they receive eternal life. The Bible says 'He that hath the Son hath life'. God promises in his word (The Bible) that 'he that cometh to me I will no wise cast out'. The Lord Jesus said 'come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest'.

This is actually only possible because 'Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners'. The Bible puts it like this 'The Father (God) sent the Son (Jesus) to be the Saviour of the world'.

Amazing as it is God has intervened to solve the human tragedy of death but his only course of action legally was for someone else to die in my place. The only person who qualified was Jesus. His death was voluntary because death had no claim on him (He could not sin and therefore death had no claim on him). The Lord Jesus willingly died to save me from eternal death in hell and the lake of fire.

What about you will trust the one who can deliver you from the 'fear of death'?

For more information and further explanations of the message of the bible via videos, blogs and podcasts please visit www.seekthetruth.org.uk

Wriggle Room?

The greatest thing that you can give to God is your respect. I don't mean a vague acknowledgment that He exists but your worship, praise and obedience. The Bible says that we should love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind, Exodus 20. This is the first of the 10 Commandments. 

Jesus taught that the 10 Commandments could be summarised in two statements. The first one being the one we have already quoted and the second is that we should "love that our neighbour as our self", Matthew 22:39. 

I think if we're honest we would all have to admit that we fall short on both of these counts. I know of no one who loves God with all their heart. I also don't know anyone who loves their neighbour the same way as they love themselves. 

To be blunt I feel that the words of Jesus clearly prove that we are all sinners!! You may want to disagree but you'll find it hard to wriggle out of this conclusion. 

If you understand what the Lord Jesus is teaching then I think the next step will be very clear to you. You'll need to look for a solution to this problem of sin and death. The solution is the Lord Jesus. He is your accuser and is willing to be your Saviour. He came into the world "to save sinners", 1 Timothy 1:15. He clearly claimed to come so that we could have life, John 10:10 (being currently dead in sins, Ephesians 2:5). 

Your response will determine your future standing before God - what will you choose?