What’s our greatest blessing as Christians?

If I were asked that question my first answer would be this: justification by faith.

And in the year of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation my answer would come all the more readily. But I’d be wrong.

I can still remember first reading Knowing God by the famous theologian J.I Packer where I discovered my mistake.

There he explains the greatest blessing we have as Christians is this: adoption as sons.

“Adoption is the highest privilege that the gospel offers, even higher than justification. Justification is the primary blessing of the Gospel because it meets our primary spiritual need. We all stand condemned under God’s judgment. So we need forgiveness of sins and assurance of a restored relationship with God before we need anything else in the world.

But this is not to say that justification is the highest blessing of the Gospel. Adoption is higher, because of the closer relationship with God that it involves.

Justification is a forensic idea conceiving God as judge. Adoption is a family idea conceived in terms of love and viewing God as father. In adoption God takes us into his family and fellowship and establishes us as his children and heirs. 

To be right with God as judge is a great thing. But to be loved and cared for by God the Father is a greater.” (p187)

Packer immediately goes on to cite Galatians where justification leads to the greater blessing of adoption:

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”  Galatians 4:4-6.

And so next time you are thinking of what the greatest blessing we have as Christians is, remember that we are adopted as children of God and we are able to call him our Father.

Simon Chaplin

Coming up this weekend 27th – 28th May 2017

This weekend we continue our series on Galatians. In the next talk, Simon Chaplin will be speaking on the topic, “Freedom Fulfilled”, from Galatians chapter 3 verse 15 to chapter 4 verse 7.

During our service, we’ll have our weekly question and answer time, and Simon will be answering these questions:

  1. Were those who preached a different gospel not really Christians? Are they then condemned?
  2. Why do different versions of the Bible differ so greatly?
  3. If the case for Christ’s death and resurrection is so strong, how come there aren’t more people using these facts to convert people?

At our 5pm Saturday service we will have an opportunity to meet one of our church members, which is always a great encouragement to us all.

Our 8am Sunday service will be a Holy Communion Second Order AAPB service.

If you’re wanting to check out our church we’d really love you to visit us on Saturday at 5pm for a contemporary service with kids’ program and dinner afterwards, or come along on Sunday at 8am for a Prayer Book service.

Church news for the week beginning 20th May 2017

Galatians series continues

This weekend we continue our series on the New Testament book of Galatians as Simon Chaplin preaches from chapter 3 verses 1 to 14 with the title, “Freedom Distorted”.

Mission of the month: CMS

CMS (Church Missionary Society) is our mission of the month. Support this ministry through the ‘Mission Table’ in the Hall.

Jodie and Mandy away

Jodie and Mandy will be on leave from Thursday 18th May, and will return on 11th June. Graham will be leading our church during this time.

Parish Council

Our Parish Council meets this Monday, 22nd May at 7.00pm at the church. Please remember them in your prayers.

Giving update

Each week we need to receive $6300.00 in order to meet our commitments. In the last calendar month, our average weekly giving was $5513.00, leaving a gap of $787.00.

Olimometer 2.52

Up to the end of the last calendar month we needed to have received $54,600. Compared to that total we received $48,216, leaving a gap of $6,384.

Olimometer 2.52

Electronic giving is a great way to give! It helps us prayerfully plan our giving, and then the bank will help us keep that commitment, even when we may be unable to attend. To give by direct transfer then these are the details. Account name: Church of England Jamberoo. Account number: 10081274. BSB: 062562 .

A budget response to disabilities

Scott Morrison’s budget has been praised (mostly by the more right wing) and rubbished (ditto left wing). One of the issues Mr Morrison has tried to address is paying for the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Under this scheme Australians with a permanent and significant disability are to receive the financial support they need. The scheme was begun by the Gillard government in 2013, but we are now told it never had enough money set aside to fulfill its aims.

Should we all pay an increase in the Medicare levy so that the scheme can have sufficient money? Or should the higher income earners pay a higher percentage than others, or even contribute all of the funds needed?

Certainly I myself would be way out of my depth if I were to try to figure out a budget for all Australians. But Scripture teaches that the strong should take care of the weak.

In this debate it means that those who work for remuneration should see it as their responsibility to share with those who are limited in their income because of a disability.

In our sermon on Galatians 2:1-10 we saw that the Jerusalem apostles added nothing to Paul’s gospel, but they asked Paul to do one thing in addition to preaching this gospel …

all they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along.” vs 10.

Graham 

Coming up this weekend 20th – 21st May 2017

This weekend we continue our series on Galatians. In the next talk, Simon Chaplin will be speaking on the topic, “Freedom Distorted”, from Galatians chapter 3 verses 1 to 14.

Our 8am Sunday service will be a Morning Prayer Sunday service and at both our services, we will have a special update about Church Missionary Society (CMS) which is our Mission of the Month.

During our service, we’ll have our weekly question and answer time, and Simon will be answering these questions:

  1. Are those who disagree with the concept of ‘faith alone’ going to hell since in Romans 10:9 it says that ‘All who proclaim with their mouth “Jesus is Lord” and believe in their hearts that he was raised from the dead will be saved.’
  2. Can Christians be organ donors?
  3. If only the men were circumcised to signify that they are God’s people, what about the women?
  4. How can salvation not require good works when in James 2 it says faith without works is dead?
  5. Why was Peter called Cephas?
  6. What is ‘The Law’ that kept getting referred to in Galatians?

If you’re wanting to check out our church we’d really love you to visit us on Saturday at 5pm for a contemporary service with kids’ program and dinner afterwards, or come along on Sunday at 8am for a Prayer Book service.

Church news for the week beginning 13th May 2017

Galatians series continues

This weekend we continue our series on the New Testament book of Galatians as Jodie preaches from chapter 2 verses 11 to 21 with the title, “Freedom Opposed”.

Mission of the month: KBECET

KBECET (Kiama Board for Employing Christian Education Teachers) is our mission of the month. Support this ministry through the ‘Mission Table’ in the Hall.

Ladies Dinner

You’re invited to join the ladies of Oak Flats and beyond this Tuesday 16th May to hear Alison Blake. Dinner is $7 payable at the door, and there is no need to RSVP.

Market Day

Join us on Saturday 20th May, 9am to 12pm as we host Market Day. Plants, cakes, antiques and old wares, household goods, tools, local produce, books, CDs, DVDs, children’s’ toys. And activities, craft, jewellery, coffee, tea & pikelets all on offer. A great day for the Jamberoo community.
What can you do to help on the day?  What do you have to contribute?  An opportunity to go through your surplus belongings and bring them along to sell. Contact Helen 4236 0158 or Graham 0430 043 765 for further information.
Contributions may be left on the stage or bring them along on setting up afternoon Friday 19th May at 2pm. 

Jodie and Mandy away

Jodie and Mandy will be on leave from Thursday 18th May, and will return on 11th June. Graham will be leading our church during this time.

New church carpet at Oak Flats

As part of their upcoming renovation, the church at Oak Flats has been donated some as-new, second-hand carpet tiles. However, they need to store three pallets of these tiles until they are ready to lay them after some renovations. Are you able to provide some garage space for a few months? Please let us know via the comment card.

Giving update

Each week we need to receive $6300.00 in order to meet our commitments. In the last calendar month, our average weekly giving was $5513.00, leaving a gap of $787.00.

Olimometer 2.52

Up to the end of the last calendar month we needed to have received $54,600. Compared to that total we received $48,216, leaving a gap of $6,384.

Olimometer 2.52

Electronic giving is a great way to give! It helps us prayerfully plan our giving, and then the bank will help us keep that commitment, even when we may be unable to attend. To give by direct transfer then these are the details. Account name: Church of England Jamberoo. Account number: 10081274. BSB: 062562 .

Are our generations too divided?

It’s hard to imagine, but it’s only a relatively new concept to have a separate demographic called ‘youth.’

It started after the Industrial Revolution had driven young people from their rural villages to assemble in the urban factories.

No longer was the whole family living, working and worshipping together, as they had for thousands of years.

What’s more, the efficiency of the assembly line found its way into the church, with a series of different cradle-to-the-grave ministries that focus on age-specific groups.

This specialisation has many benefits, especially as a way of ensuring that children and youth are taught in a way that recognises that they learn and relate differently than adults do.

It has also been a good way to help reach people who are not yet part of the church, as our focused ministries to seniors, men, women, parents, singles, youth, and children, help ‘like attract like’ in our community.

Yet, maybe we will have a bigger impact on those inside and outside the church if we focus more on intergenerational ministry?

This is the message that Simon and I heard this week at Youthworks’ House Conference, where we heard visiting speaker Timothy Paul-Jones, Professor at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

In his conference talk, he challenged us to keep developing a church culture, “in which segmentation and specialisation become exceptional instead of assumed,” and where these ministries and activities, “occur on particular occasions for clearly-defined purposes, but the typical pattern of ministry is multi-generational.”

For, he is convinced that “a generationally, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse church will exemplify a more powerful witness, a more resilient faith, and a greater reliance on gifts that the Holy Spirit alone can give.”

Let’s keep working together to explore ways we can minister together across the ages, as we seek to build Christ’s church as we await his return.

Jodie

Coming up this weekend 13th – 14th May 2017

This weekend we continue our series on Galatians. In the next talk, Jodie will be speaking on the topic, “Freedom Opposed”, from Galatians chapter 2 verses 11 to 21.

During our service, we’ll have our weekly question and answer time, and Jodie will be answering these questions:

  1. Since Paul previously felt no need to consult with anyone about the gospel he received from Jesus, then why did he finally go to Jerusalem to check his message was legit?
  2. What is circumcision, and what does it mean?
  3. Are those who preach the need to strictly keep the Sabbath day like those who preached the need to be circumcised?
  4. Was Peter wrong because he taught that Jewish traditions were necessary, or because he withdrew from Gentile Christians when he was supposed to be including them?
  5. Which other countries did Paul spread God’s word to?
  6. Where are Cilicia, Galatia, and Antioch on a map?
  7. How did Paul die?

We will also be reviewing our Weekendaway from last month with a special presentation video.

Our 8am Sunday service will be a Holy Communion First Order AAPB service.

If you’re wanting to check out our church we’d really love you to visit us on Saturday at 5pm for a contemporary service with kids’ program and dinner afterwards, or come along on Sunday at 8am for a Prayer Book service.

Church news for the week beginning 6th May 2017

New Bible talk series continues

This weekend we continue our new series on the New Testament book of Galatians as Jodie preaches from chapter 1 verse 11 to chapter 2 verse 10 with the title, “Freedom Revealed” .

Mission of the month: KBECET

KBECET (Kiama Board for Employing Christian Education Teachers) is our mission of the month. Support this ministry through the ‘Mission Table’ in the Hall.

Ladies Dinner

You’re invited to join the ladies of Oak Flats and beyond on Tuesday 16th May to hear Alison Blake. Dinner is $7 payable at the door, and there is no need to RSVP.

Market Day

Join us on Saturday 20th May, 9am to 12pm as we host Market Day. Plants, cakes, antiques and old wares, household goods, tools, local produce, books, CDs, DVDs, children’s’ toys. And activities, craft, jewellery, coffee, tea & pikelets all on offer. A great day for the Jamberoo community.
What can you do to help on the day?  What do you have to contribute?  An opportunity to go through your surplus belongings and bring them along to sell. Contact Helen 4236 0158 or Graham 0430 043 765 for further information.
Contributions may be left on the stage or bring them along on setting up afternoon Friday 19th May at 2pm. 

ChurchBot

We now have a new integration with Elvanto called ChurchBot. ChurchBot provides a way to find out about what’s happening in our church using Facebook Messenger. You will be able to “chat” to ChurchBot to access the Elvanto system, and you can RECEIVE reminders of volunteering, TAP to easily find out about your upcoming rosters, and ASK questions like “When am I on roster next month”. For more information see our Facebook group.

 

Giving update

Each week we need to receive $6300.00 in order to meet our commitments. In the last calendar month, our average weekly giving was $5513.00, leaving a gap of $787.00.

Olimometer 2.52

Up to the end of the last calendar month we needed to have received $54,600. Compared to that total we received $48,216, leaving a gap of $6,384.

Olimometer 2.52

Electronic giving is a great way to give! It helps us prayerfully plan our giving, and then the bank will help us keep that commitment, even when we may be unable to attend. To give by direct transfer then these are the details. Account name: Church of England Jamberoo. Account number: 10081274. BSB: 062562 .

What’s better than winning?

What happens when God is removed from the centre of your life and replaced with achievement?

The ABC’s Four Corners recently ran a report on elite athletes who outlined their struggles once their career was over.

They struggled with depression, unemployment and emptiness.

Lauren Jackson, Australia’s most successful female basketballer, spoke of the end of her career like a second death and with no one there.

She also experienced the effects of withdrawal, both from the adrenaline highs of performance, but also from the mix of prescriptions drugs she took to help her body survive the wear and tear she endured.

Nathan Bracken, Australian test cricketer spoke of suffering from severe depression when he retired.

But what difference would Christ make to these athletes?

Eternity magazine asked a number of AFL players this question, including Gary Ablett Jnr., one of the greatest players to have ever played.

He has won AFL’s top award twice, and has two premierships, but he placed little importance on these achievements: “In my journey those things don’t bring fulfillment, my faith is everything.”

And because faith is everything, “it’s not about premierships, its about sharing Jesus.”

He shared his faith with a teammate who faced severe depression, injury, and addiction.

But when he heard about Jesus, he realised that, “football doesn’t define who I am, I get my identity from Jesus Christ.”

So when fame and fortune come to an end, when achievements fail, when they lose their spot in the team, when they are left with nothing, they’ll still have the number one thing, faith in Christ, and nothing can take that away.

And so next time you’re dreaming of what it would be like to be an elite athlete, remember, they are dreaming of something you already have: a rock-solid identity in Christ.

Simon Chaplin