Date: SUN 7:00pm 10th August 2025
Preacher: Rev. David McLaughlin
Bible Reference: Isaiah 37:35
For I will defend this city to save it
for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.
Sermon Summary: Spiritual Lessons from the Siege of Londonderry
The sermon, delivered on the 336th anniversary of the Siege of Londonderry, draws spiritual lessons from the historical event, using Psalm 5:11 and Isaiah 37:35 as scriptural anchors. The preacher frames Psalm 5 as a morning prayer, focusing on trust in God for protection and joy, and uses the siege to illustrate themes of faith, courage, betrayal, and divine deliverance.
Introductory history video
1. Historical Context of the Siege of Londonderry
The preacher begins by providing a historical overview of the Siege of Londonderry (1688–1689), described as the longest and most significant siege in British history. Key details include:
- Location and Significance: Londonderry, located in the northwestern corner of Northern Ireland on the River Foyle, is the province’s second-largest city. Its walls, completed in 1618, have never been breached, earning it the title “Maiden City.” The siege, lasting 105 days, shaped British history by securing the Glorious Revolution, the Williamite settlement, and the constitutional monarchy that underpins modern parliamentary democracy.
- Key Dates:
- 7th December 1688: Thirteen apprentice boys shut the city gates, preventing 1,200 Roman Catholic Scottish mercenaries (“Red Shanks”) from entering, prompted by fears of a massacre as warned in the anonymous Comber Letter and the 1641 rebellion’s memory.
- 18th April 1689: The siege formally began when King James II’s Jacobite army arrived, and the city’s defenders, under the battle cry “No Surrender,” refused entry.
- 1st August 1689: The siege ended when the ship Mountjoy broke a Jacobite boom across the River Foyle, allowing relief to reach the city.
- Background: The siege occurred during the Glorious Revolution, sparked by King James II’s attempts to re-establish Roman Catholicism in Britain and Ireland. When King William III landed in Torbay on 5 November 1688, many Protestant officers defected from James’s army, prompting James to flee to France and seek support from Louis XIV. In Ireland, Richard Talbot, Earl of Tyrconnell, a Roman Catholic loyal to James, restructured the Irish army and administration to favour Catholics, heightening Protestant fears. The Comber Letter, warning of a Catholic plot to massacre Protestants, and the approach of the Red Shanks, led to the apprentice boys’ decisive action.
- Key Figures:
- Thirteen Apprentice Boys: Led by Henry Campsie, these young men defied the Anglican bishop Ezekiel Hopkins and shut the gates, preventing a potential massacre.
- Colonel George Phillips: Warned the city to close its gates against the Red Shanks.
- Colonel Robert Lundy: Initially fortified the city but later advocated surrender, fleeing in disguise on 16th April 1689, earning him the label of traitor.
- Reverend George Walker: Co-led the city’s defence alongside Phillips.
- General de Rosen: A French general under James II who cruelly placed Protestant women and children at the city walls to pressure the defenders, relenting after they threatened to execute Jacobite prisoners.
- Outcome: After 105 days of starvation, disease, and bombardment, the Mountjoy, shielded by HMS Dartmouth and Phoenix, broke the boom on 1st August 1689. The city’s bells rang, bonfires were lit, and the defenders’ courage secured the Williamite cause, preserving Protestant liberty and cultural heritage in Ireland, Scotland, and England.
2. Spiritual Lessons from the Siege
The preacher draws five spiritual lessons from the siege, connecting historical events to biblical principles and contemporary challenges.
a. Dates to Be Remembered
The sermon highlights the importance of remembering significant dates, akin to personal milestones like birthdays or anniversaries. The three key dates (7th December 1688, 18th April 1689, 1st August 1689) mark moments of courage, resistance, and deliverance. The preacher urges the congregation to recall these dates as reminders of God’s providence, just as Psalm 5:11 encourages rejoicing in God’s protection.
Application: Believers should commemorate God’s interventions in history and their lives, fostering gratitude and faith.
b. Deception That Is Rotten
The sermon identifies Colonel Robert Lundy as a traitor whose actions mirror Judas Iscariot’s betrayal. Lundy’s marks of treachery include:
- Operating in Secret: Lundy held a secret council of war, excluding key defenders, and proposed abandoning the city to save himself.
- Breaking Oaths: Despite swearing loyalty to King William III, Lundy sought surrender terms with James II and fled, disguised as a common soldier.
- Self-Preservation: His actions were driven by fear and unbelief, abandoning his duty as governor.
The preacher warns against modern equivalents—preachers who dilute the gospel, politicians who break promises, and leaders who operate covertly or prioritise self-interest. He cites John 3:19–20, contrasting Judas’s secrecy with Jesus’s openness (John 18:20), and Ecclesiastes 5:4–6, which condemns unfulfilled vows.
Application: Christians must beware of betrayal within their ranks, whether in the church (e.g., clerics embracing ecumenism or liberalism) or society (e.g., politicians undermining cultural heritage). Integrity and fidelity to God’s truth are paramount.
c. Danger That Is Real
The sermon portrays the siege as a time of real danger, with the Jacobite army and the Red Shanks threatening physical and religious annihilation. The Comber Letter and memories of the 1641 rebellion (termed a “Protestant Holocaust” with 100,000 deaths) heightened the defenders’ fears. The preacher parallels this to contemporary threats to Protestant faith and culture, including:
- Cultural Erosion: Attacks on Christian morals, education systems promoting atheistic mindsets, and calls for a united Ireland.
- Spiritual Ignorance: Many lack knowledge of the Bible, justification by faith, or God’s role as Creator and Judge, partly due to “Protestant clerics who sit on the fence” and embrace ecumenism or modernism.
Application: Believers must recognise the real dangers facing their faith and culture, standing firm like the apprentice boys against external and internal threats.
d. Dependence That Is Right
The defenders of Londonderry relied on “the mighty God of Jacob” (Isaiah 37:35), trusting in His sovereign grace for deliverance. The preacher credits God’s providence for the apprentice boys’ courage and the city’s survival, noting that Londonderry and Enniskillen were the last Protestant strongholds in Ulster. Had they fallen, the Williamite cause might have collapsed, altering British history.
The sermon references a pageant in Londonderry, where a minister-soldier’s prayer for strength exemplified dependence on God. Psalm 5:11’s call to trust in God is echoed, urging believers to rely on Him alone, not human leaders or institutions.
Application: Christians should depend on God for salvation, strength in trials, and preservation of their faith, especially in perilous times.
e. Deliverance That Is Royal
The sermon concludes with the “royal deliverance” of Londonderry, attributing the victory to God’s intervention. The breaking of the boom on 1st August 1689 brought joy, with bells ringing and bonfires lit, as celebrated in the song “No Surrender Derry’s Walls,” which credits God’s aid. This physical deliverance points to a greater spiritual deliverance from sin, death, and judgment through Jesus Christ, echoing Psalm 23:6’s assurance of God’s goodness and mercy.
Application: Just as God delivered Londonderry, He offers salvation from sin’s power and penalty, transforming lives and securing eternal hope. Believers should trust in this ultimate deliverance.
3. Contemporary Relevance
The preacher connects the siege’s lessons to modern challenges:
- Cultural and Religious Threats: The sermon warns of attacks on Protestant heritage, Christian morals, and biblical truth, citing examples like atheistic education systems and calls for a united Ireland.
- Call to Action: Christians are urged to stand firm like the apprentice boys, reject betrayal, and depend on God. The preacher references a recent Londonderry parade with “tens of thousands” of apprentice boys, affirming the enduring “No Surrender” spirit.
- Personal Faith: The congregation is challenged to know the Bible, embrace justification by faith, and prepare for judgment, avoiding the ignorance that destroys (Hosea 4:6).
4. Conclusion
The sermon uses the Siege of Londonderry as a powerful metaphor for spiritual warfare, urging the congregation to learn from history. It calls for remembrance of God’s providence, vigilance against betrayal, recognition of real dangers, dependence on God, and trust in His ultimate deliverance. The preacher prays that these lessons will be applied, fostering steadfast faith and commitment to God’s truth in a challenging world.
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