Coming up 6-7 April 2019
Well having spent four weeks looking at sex (listen to the recordings here if you missed them), we’re now going to spend some time reflecting on the prayer that Jesus prayed to his Father on the night before he died. It’s from the New Testament Gospel of John, chapter 17, and our series is called ‘What would Jesus pray?’
For our first week, I’ll be helping us look closely at what Jesus prayed to his Father about his own glorification in verses 1 to 5, as he prepared for the most important part of his mission to earth. This is very important for us, today, as it shows us where Jesus’ priorities lie, and why it matters that this continues to be at the heart of what he desires for us and for the universe.
We also love to meet together to hear answers to the questions you asked last week, and here they are:
1. What place does dreaming have in the Christian life?
2. What does Mary’s headpiece represent?
3. Why didn’t Jesus have a wife?
4. Are there any relationships in heaven?
5. What does the Bible say about when it is permissible to remarry?
6. Why should a person give up the fun things in life in order to become a Christian?
So, we’d love you to join us at 5pm on Saturday (with a kids’ program, then dinner together, then youth group), or 9am on Sunday (for a classic Anglican service, followed by excellent espresso coffee).
Can’t wait to see you this weekend!
Grace and peace, Jodie McNeill.
It’s Costly to Come Alive
When we created t-shirts for our church four years ago, we printed the slogan ‘Come Alive!’ in recognition of our official title, ‘The Church of the Resurrection’.
Last year’s hit movie ‘The Greatest Showman’ featured a song with the same title, in which the singers celebrate their decision to leave their unhappy life to ‘come alive’ as members of the circus.
The song describes how each of them were once a “dead man walking” but that they have heard the call to “come alive, go and ride your light, let it burn so bright!”
They have experienced a transformation so they can be “dreaming with their eyes wide open.”
The movie is a delightful tale of how their life has gone from sadness to joy as they hear the call to leave the security of their past to experience a new life full of both excitement and uncertainty.
It struck me how the life of these circus performers is like the Christian life.
It is costly to follow Jesus, and we know it won’t always be easy.
That is why Jesus invited people to “take up their cross and follow me.”
Yet, even though the cross represented pain and death, Jesus showed that after his death, he came alive.
And because he came alive, it meant that he defeated sin and death, and brought a guarantee of eternal life to everyone who truly follows him.
And so as followers of Christ Jesus, we await his return or our going to be with him, and we look forward to when we will fully experience what it means to come alive in Christ.
For in Heaven we will be able to sing:
When the world becomes a fantasy
And you’re more than you could ever be
‘Cause you’re dreaming with your eyes wide open.
JODIE McNEILL
(The song ‘Come Alive’ was written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul)
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