Kinlochleven Church - the next service is on Sunday, 31 August at 11.00 am led by the Rev. Malcolm Kinnear. This is a combined service for South Lochaber Church.
Duror Church - the next service is on Sunday 14 September at 10.30 am led by the Rev. M Kinnear.
Nether Lochaber Church - the next service is on Sunday 7 September at 11.30 am led by the Rev. Malcolm Kinnear.
South Lochaber Parish :
Bible Study - meeting at Jeremy's house on 26 August at 10.45. Led by Jeremy.
Bible Study - Kinlochleven at 11.00 am. on Friday 11 September at 11.00 am.
Sunday 24 August 2025 South Lochaber Church - available on YouTube at https://youtu.be/l-YgtH09Hq4
Opening Verse ‘Strait is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life’ (Matthew 7:14)
Hymn Let us, with a gladsome mind,
praise the LORD, for He is kind:
for His mercies shall endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.
2 Let us blaze His name abroad,
for of gods He is the God:
for His mercies shall endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.
Prayer O God, you sent your Son to show us the way. Help us follow that way that leads to life with you, through Christ our Lord, Amen.
Bible Reading Luke 13:24-30 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ “But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, you evildoers!’ People will come from east and west and north and south and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. Those who are last will be first, and first who are last.
Message A strait or a narrow is a thin area of water connecting two larger bodies of water. The Ballachulish bridge is situated at the narrow of Caolas Mhic Phàdraig, the narrow of Peter or Patrick’s son. The name Ballachulish comes from Gaelic, Baile a’ Chaolais, settlement on the narrow. We have narrows at Caolasnacon and Corran.
Jesus was saying that people should make it their business to find the true way to life, to heaven, to enter by the narrow way. It is our responsibility to find, to enter the way that leads to the Kingdom of heaven. The way of life is before us. We do not fall into the Kingdom of God by accident. We should make our choice for God and for Jesus, make a personal commitment to Christ and know we are saved.
Jesus tells a story of a householder who discovers people banging on the door. He is unwilling to let them in. They are sure they had spent time with him, but he does not know them. The point being made is that a passing acquaintance with Christianity is not enough. So often Jesus pleaded in vain with people to hear his message, to turn away from their godless ways of life, to repent and believe the gospel. We know to do so and receive his forgiveness and his saving love.
Jesus often spoke to people who thought they were better than others because they religiously kept the Jewish law. But their hearts were hard. They were not practising love, kindness or compassion.
Jesus said that many would come from all the corners of the world, for the message of God’s saving love would be proclaimed to them and they would respond and enter the kingdom of heaven. There is one way to heaven, through faith in Jesus Christ. Many who the world considers the least and the last will enter his kingdom first. They will be first, being rewarded for the way they embraced the faith. The way to such a reward is through humility, through knowing our spiritual poverty, our utter need for God’s grace, through earnestly desiring God, through putting our entire lives at his disposal. It is being merciful. It is showing love and care for the poor and the forgotten. Some committed believers are overlooked in the world and in the church but will have their reward in heaven. My own experience of prison ministry and of Christian ex-offenders convinced me of this.
The important thing is that having heard of the forgiving love of God in Jesus, that we do not cut that love out of our lives. Not to accept the kindness of God is to refuse to acknowledge him as Lord. The believer knows to accept the invitation to serve him as King. If we do not that honour will be passed to someone else. The challenge of Jesus Christ forces us into a decision for him (or not), that binds for all eternity. A person might come to the point where it is too late for them to save their soul. We hear the Word of God and are summoned to decision.
Prayer Search me O God, and know my heart, try me, and know my thoughts. Lead me in the way everlasting, in Jesus’ name. Amen.