Lewis Christian Conference 2016

Large numbers of people attended this Lewis Christian Conference held in Stornoway Free Church.

By Calum Maclean

23 August 2016

Speaker,Alistair Begg from Ohio, took the theme “Looking to Jesus.”

On Friday evening Alistair spoke from Mark Chapter 1: 14-39. Here he spoke on the theme “The king has come.” Despite the absence of fanfare there was authority in the word of Jesus – and still is to this day! The fact that not many of us are mighty but yet the King of the universe has chosen to take up residence in our lives is an overwhelming thought. It was good news for the Gallilean fishermen who left everything and followed Jesus when he said to them “Follow me” and it is still good news to those who today obey His voice!

On Saturday evening Alistair spoke from Luke 4: 16-30. Here his theme was “This Scripture is Fulfilled.” He reminded us that Luke was not dealing with feelings but with facts. Here, in this episode in the life of Jesus we see Jesus as The Great Preacher.

The preaching of Jesus was lively, well-organised, interesting – he engaged His listeners. He told His listeners that He had come to set people free and yet their reaction was to drive Him out of town. They took offence at truth. It showed the true heart of humanity – enmity against God!

The possibility that we become amazed, like the Pharisees, at the words of Jesus yet not accept Him personally shows the depth of sin in our hearts. Yet everyone needs to know Him personally. There is no salvation in any other!

On Monday evening Alistair spoke from John 4:1-45. He took the story of the Woman of Samaria to speak on the theme “I Who Speak to You Am He.” Interestingly, he began the discourse in Sychar where the onlooker would have found a buzz in the town.

The woman Jesus had met at the well had encouraged the townsfolk to “Come see a man who told me all things that ever I did” and they had done just that! The townsfolk had urged Him to stay and he had done as they had asked! How different from the Pharisees in Luke 4! Pastor Begg took us from the talk of the town to the talk at the well and here we were shown the art of the Great Communicator! Here was a man that “spoke like no other.”

She was an example of the contemporary woman – looking for love in all the wrong places! Yet in the providence of God she met the only One that could satisfy all her longings. He covered her that day so that she would be destined for glory. Her mission from that moment on was to tell everyone about “the Christ.”

She is an example to all others who have put their trust in Jesus, to go tell others that this same Jesus is the only hope there is for a lost world looking for peace.

The 2017 conference is due to take place between 23rd and 26th of June. The speaker, Dr Joel Beeke, is president of the Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, and a pastor of Heritage Netherlands Reformed Congregation in Grand Rapids, Michigan.