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This letter gives us another secret to growth and change to those of us who are feeling a little bit complacent. Maybe we feel a little more bored than blessed when we connect with church … Perhaps we feel a lot more attached to this world than we’d like - (who doesn’t struggle with that?) and looking us straight in the eye Jesus says - “I want you to see your need as you never have before. Then I’d be able to meet your need as I never have before.” John writes this way to the church in Laodicea - “To the angel of the church of Laodicea write, ‘These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds that you’re neither cold nor hot … I wish that you were one or the other … But you don’t realise you’re wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you get from me gold refined in the fire so you can become rich and white clothes to wear so you can cover your shameful nakedness salve to put on your eyes so you can see.” (Revelation 3:14 ff) Not easy words from Jesus but they end with his remarkable promise - “Look! I am standing at the door and I'm constantly knocking. If anyone opens the door I will come in and I’ll fellowship with him; I’ll relate to him, I’ll dine with him and he’ll fellowship with me.” (Revelation 3:20 – Message)
Episodes
Monday Apr 09, 2018
Monday Apr 09, 2018
Easter Sunday has just been celebrated. “Not dead” Jesus! Resurrection Sunday. And if Jesus truly is resurrected, then maybe the only question we can ask is, “who is this Jesus”.
Of course, there are many ways to begin to answer that question. Matthew, when he writes his gospel, starts with Jesus’ family tree – “an account of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham …” (Matthew 1:1). It’s like even before Matthew introduces us to the birth of Jesus, he wants to locate him in the Scriptures. He wants us to see something of Jesus before his birth.
Matthew wants us to know that there’s more to Jesus than meets the eye, and the Old Testament tells the story which Jesus completes.
Tuesday Apr 03, 2018
Tuesday Apr 03, 2018
Message by: Rev. Peter Godwin
First, we watched movies in black and white, then colour and now 3D. Each advance brought a deeper and more rewarding experience than the one before.
Easter, and faith in the resurrected Jesus, can be the same for us.
We can see Jesus’ resurrection as simply a proof that he was uniquely who he claimed to be – the Son of God. At a deeper level we can believe that Jesus’ resurrection is the promise, and the key, to life lived always, life lived eternally, in God’s presence. Then, we can know 3-dimensional living - not just the proof, not just the promise but also the power of the resurrection.
Baptism is the Christians ID card, the mark of 3D living. Baptism says I accept the proof and believe the promise and count on the power that was evident in Jesus’ resurrection.
Tuesday Mar 27, 2018
Tuesday Mar 27, 2018
Message by: Peter Godwin
It’s said that “attitude is everything” and we know what that means. We’ve all felt the impact of “attitude” in our own lives.
We have a choice about our “attitudes” every day of our lives. We can’t change our past and we can’t stop the inevitable. But we can choose our “attitude”.
The story of Palm Sunday and Jesus’ entering Jerusalem is a great opportunity to think about our “attitude” to him.
Monday Mar 19, 2018
Monday Mar 19, 2018
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Over a million angels are singing in heaven ‘worthy is the lamb who was slain.’ Heaven is singing all about Jesus. And many of us here on planet earth sing our own song and we make it all about us. We cannot be in harmony with both heaven and the world. As we examine our lives what song do we sing?
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Tuesday Mar 13, 2018
Tuesday Mar 13, 2018
Christianity is in many ways a paradox.
We are encouraged to go out into the world and make disciples yet it is obvious from our experience and the scriptures that we are aliens or strangers in this world.
We reach out with our Easter buns and Christmas farmyard activities on the mall in the hope that at least someone will respond. Our gifts are either politely received or impolitely rejected by the public.
As to our Christian message and what it represents, for most people it is “thanks but no thanks”.
Rejection, persecution and suffering are the indelible marks of a true individual Christian or Christian community.
1 Peter is the New Testament letter “par excellence” on rejection, persecution and suffering.
How did Peter recommend the Christian communities of his time deal with such responses ?
How do we, in our day and age, deal with them ?
Tuesday Mar 06, 2018
Tuesday Mar 06, 2018
“Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious – the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse”. (Philippians 4:8)
Philippians is sometimes called “the letter of joy”; which is strange because Paul’s letter is also filled with things like imprisonment, jealousy, sickness, betrayal, spiritual danger and betrayal. Joy, it seems, isn’t having perfect circumstances but rather enjoying God’s presence, love and power in our imperfect circumstances. Even there, we can experience incredible joy.
In Philippians 4, Paul encourages us to nurture our relationship with God (and find joy) with joyful thinking. He gives us some clues about dealing with anger, abolishing anxiety and focusing our thoughts on what’s positive and true.
Tuesday Feb 27, 2018
Tuesday Feb 27, 2018
By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward – to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.
Philippians 3:12-14 (Message)
Every one of us is rushing into the future at a rate of sixty minutes an hour, whether we like it or not. And our attitude towards tomorrow, has a powerful effect, on our joy today. So, how are we going to live out our future?
In Philippians 3 Paul describes how we can have a healthy attitude towards the future. He talks about –
not being content with the present (“forgetting what lies behind”),
having a clear commitment (“straining to what is ahead”), and
defeating discouragement (“we must be transformed into heavenly bodies”).
May God help us to have our eye on the goal, to press on and not turn back
Monday Feb 19, 2018
Monday Feb 19, 2018
Sometimes, it’s easy to think of all the things we’re not proud of and the things we wish could be changed. But maybe it’s more important to recognise the things we do believe in and are proud of; to recognise our accomplishments. Our accomplishments play an important part in determining our joy in life.
In Philippians 3 Paul describes how he was focussed on all the wrong accomplishments in his life; how he was living with a lot of energy, a very successful and powerful life, but it was completely without joy.
He finally comes to reveal that his greatest accomplishment was knowing Christ. And it’s true for us! The accomplishment in life that will bring us joy is to know the one who gave his life for us.
As we move through the time of Lent, towards Easter may you more deeply know Jesus.
Monday Feb 12, 2018
Monday Feb 12, 2018
Matthew 5:48 says - “Be perfect therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Now that sounds like a high bar to get over! “Be perfect”! How is that even possible if it means “sinlessly” perfect for the rest of our lives.
I think Matthew means for us to understand that God wants us to grow, for the rest of our lives, to become more and more, like the God who made us; to realise our God given potential.
In Philippians 2:12f., Paul helps us understand how we go about reaching that potential.
We’re to work out (practice/rehearse it), we’re to be patient and we’re to work hard.
Sounds easy!
May God help us to do it, to do those things that help us grow in Christ Jesus.
Tuesday Feb 06, 2018
Tuesday Feb 06, 2018