What’s missing from the Opening Ceremony?
The opening ceremony of the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games was a spectacular piece of stadium art, filled with all the light, colour, sound and dance that you would expect.
Opening ceremonies have definitely carved out for themselves their own genre – it is a chance to tell the narrative of a nation and the distinctives of their city.
The opening scene was the dawn of time, where our world was united as one land. A traditional dance showed that from the birth of our continent, our land has been looked after by the indigenous people.
The shift was then made to the distinctives of the Gold Coast – the stadium was turned into a spectacular scene of our fun-filled beach culture.
It certainly captured aspects of out past and current culture. However, was it a true narrative of Australia?
Imagine if we put God in the picture, how would that change things? It’s hard to imagine that in secular Australia.
Romans 1:18-19 says “what can be known about God is plain to us” but “we suppress the truth.”
When we deny the truth of our maker for long enough we can then no longer even remember him at all.
Imagine an opening ceremony where God was on display – where it was his hand that formed our world, our continent, our beaches – where we remembered that God created us all in his own image, so that all people should be treated with care and dignity.
Indeed, it was these very Christian beliefs that helped form the social and justice systems of Australia that have allowed us the freedom to enjoy our beautiful country.
At the end of the opening ceremony, without God in the picture there’s not much response to make. But with God in the picture, as the creator of all those wonderful things the response is one of thankfulness to Him.
Why don’t you take a moment this week, to notice what God has given us and give thanks to him.
Simon Chaplin.
Coming up this weekend 7th – 8th April 2018
This weekend we continue our series ‘Jesus is___’ as Jodie preaches on the topic ‘Jesus is… alive’ from John chapter 21 verses 1 to 14.
We will share the Lord’s Supper at 5pm Saturday, so be sure to join us for this important reminder of the death of Jesus.
It’s the right time for us to recognise many of the needs of our missionaries, so at both our services, we will have a special update about Bush Church Aid (BCA) which is our Mission of the Month.
Also during our 5pm Saturday service, we’ll have our weekly question and answer time, and Jodie will be answering these questions:
- What does the Bible teach about Christians dating non-Christians?
- Could Judas have chosen not to betray Jesus?
- Since Sunday is two days after Friday, why do we say Jesus rose on the third day?
- Why does John call himself “the other disciple” and “the disciple Jesus loved”?
- Does the Bible tell us if mankind has ever left Earth?
- How can some Anglicans have a woman bishop when 1 Timothy 3 prohibits it?
- Would it be possible to run a marriage teaching weekend?
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. Our youth group ‘Alive’ runs straight after dinner on Saturday night. Or come along on Sunday at 8am for a Prayer Book service.
If you can’t make it in person, you’re welcome to jump online to watch the service (with the same sermon and many other items) at www.oakflats.tv.
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