In the next few weeks leading up to Easter, we’re wanting to hear from everyone in the village and valley of Jamberoo about who you think Jesus is.

He’s the most famous person in history, and most people have got some sort of opinion about him.

Some think Jesus was a great teacher who told people about how to live in a wise and caring way.

Some think Jesus was a miracle worker who was able to help the sick and feed the poor.

Some think Jesus was a religious leader who divided his people and was executed because of his controversial teachings.

Some think Jesus was God himself, who lived, died and rose from the dead to bring eternal life to his followers.

Some think Jesus is no longer relevant and whose teachings stop fundamentalists from progressing in modern views.

What about you? Who do you think Jesus is? What do you think about his words and his works?

Jesus was a controversial figure when he walked on earth 2000 years ago, and he remains just as divisive today.

But if you’ve formed an opinion about Jesus without reading anything in the Bible, then its likely you’ve misunderstood who he is and what he’s like.

Because many of us think that he is the most amazing person who ever lived… and who continues to live, today, in Heaven.

If you’ve not given him much thought, then as we lead up to Easter you should spend a moment reflecting on who Jesus Is___

Our church is holding special ‘Jesus Is___’ talks during our 5pm Saturday and 9am Sunday services… and it’s especially relevant and welcoming to people who haven’t come along for a long time or for ever.

So what are you waiting for? Come and join us this weekend, and bring along your opinions… we’re interested!

JODIE McNEILL

(Photo: slimmer_jimmer via Flickr.com)

When I attended my initial first aid training, I was told that my job was simply to keep the patient alive until the ambulance arrives.

I needed to learn how to react automatically so that I could stop the bleeding, cool the burn, or keep oxygen-filled blood moving to the brain.

There’s no time in an emergency to consult books or watch ‘how-to’ videos… you’ve got to react fast so that you can keep someone alive until help arrives.

But what about spiritual first aid?

If someone wants to find out how to become a follower of Jesus, then what ‘gospel first aid’ would you administer to them?

As a young Christian I was trained in the ‘Two Ways to Live’ gospel outline, and it’s something that every follower of Jesus can benefit from.

But if you’ve got ten seconds to tell someone how to be saved from God’s judgement and receive eternal life, then what would you say?

Well, probably the simplest, most direct summary is, “Jesus is Lord”.

For we read in the Bible that:

If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)

So, just say, “Jesus is Lord”.

And then you can easily flesh that out a little bit by telling the person that they need to ask Jesus to be their Lord.

Then, when they come to follow Jesus, they can start to learn more about the amazing way that Jesus brought reconciliation through his death and resurrection.

But to give people the gospel first aid to help them survive God’s judgement, they just need to know and believe that Jesus is Lord.

And because Jesus rose from the dead, they can have totally confidence in him, for eternity.

JODIE McNEILL

(Photo credit: The NRMA via flickr.com)

In a year that has seen bushfire and flood emergencies, we are now bracing for a further escalation of the ‘Coronavirus’.

As fears grow that the COVID-19 virus will soon be declared a global pandemic, our Prime Minister has now announced the launch of a plan to respond to the rapid and uncontrollable spread of this disease.

Like the fire and flood emergencies, we are again facing an emergency that we are powerless to control in our own strength.

This is the same realisation that drove so many Australians to their knees in prayer, as we collectively asked the true and living God to send saturating rain to quench the flames and the drought. 

Now is the time for our world to gather to ask the Lord of the universe to miraculously stop the spread of this destructive disease, and to help restore communities crippled by the effects of this virus.

When we pray, we acknowledge our powerlessness and our need for a genuine, super-power.

For if Trump and Jinping, are unable to come up with a way to fix this crisis, then again it shows that faith in technology is no match for faith in Jesus.

And so, as we prayed for rain to fix the fires and drought, let us pray that God would stop the spread of this virus.

Yet above all, pray that this global threat might lead people to acknowledge their genuine need of Jesus, and bring them to genuine repentance and true faith in Christ.

For the same Lord who stopped the plague when King David repented of his arrogance (2 Samuel 24:25) is the same Lord who is also able to answer our prayer for our planet.

Let us pray that our planet might come in great number before the Lord in repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

JODIE McNEILL

(Photo credit: Alexander Mueller via Flickr.com)