How would you teach the value of wisdom to a six- or seven-year-old student in a Scripture (SRE) class?

That was the challenge this week as the syllabus required us to explain and celebrate the great gift of wisdom given by God to King Solomon.

For starters, it was tricky to try and simply explain what wisdom was, and why it was of value.

I said to them that wisdom is about knowing that it’s a good idea to use an umbrella on a rainy day with no wind, but it’s a bad idea to use an umbrella on a windy day with no rain.

The same action can be wise or unwise, depending on its context and situation.

This is why wisdom is such a good thing to have, especially as we are faced with things that are new and uncertain.

To that effect, the wisest thing that Solomon ever did was to ask for wisdom in the first place, for not only did the Lord supply that in spades, he also gave great riches to this king as a blessing for all who lived in God’s land.

The Scripture lesson wisely avoided discussing the details of the most famous example of Solomon’s wisdom, in which he was able to discern who was the true mother of a baby.

You can read the story for yourself at 1 Kings 3:16-27, but here is the response to the King’s actions: 

When all Israel heard the king’s decision, the people were in awe of the king, for they saw the wisdom God had given him for rendering justice. (1Kings 3:28)

Yet the most wise thing that anyone can do is recognise the need to have peace with God.

In our Scripture class we sang together these words (as accompanied by my trusty ukulele):

 “The greatest treasure in the whole, wide world is peace with God. It’s the only treasure that can never fade, even death can’t take it away.”

JODIE McNEILL

(Photo credit: Alon via Flickr.com)

On the 26th of May, this country recognises Sorry Day and it remembers that over 100,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were taken from their families, many to pass, never to meet any of their loved ones.

Many are still walking on this earth looking to find their families. 

So it is still a raw thing and the trans-generational trauma is passed down through generations upon generations.  

It’s still a real thing in the lives of Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders.

We can all say ‘sorry,’ but it is not the word we say, it’s the actions that we do that show that we recognise and show respect to one another and we mourn with those who mourn.

It’s important because you need to understand the past to know where we’ve been. 

One, that we don’t repeat it and, two, that in order to be reconciled we have to make amends and deal with it. 

So, I love when I think of God’s message, that he sent his Son down to deal with our sin, that his Son died upon the cross, that through the blood of Jesus, we are reconciled to him, and he rose in three days.

I love that image, that true reconciliation is done and is seen through the blood of Jesus Christ.

As God’s people, and as his church, we have the responsibility to be ambassadors of reconciliation. 

So I want to encourage us … that we would be bringing the true message of reconciliation to this country.

MICHAEL DUCKETT

The Chair of the Sydney Anglican Indigenous Ministry Committee

(This is an edited extract of the original post at sydneyanglicans.net)

For the first time in five years, the national body of the Anglican Church of Australia met this week to discuss many matters, including its teaching about marriage.

In this first gathering since the marriage plebiscite in 2017, the members of this so-called ‘General Synod’ were asked to agree to a statement that simply reaffirmed what it had always declared, namely that marriage is between one man and one woman, exclusively, for life.

In the end, the decision was made to separate the vote into three ballots, and whilst the lay and clergy votes were firmly in support of the orthodox statement, the majority of bishops in charge of dioceses around Australia did not vote in favour, with 12 against and 10 for.

Because the statement was not passed, the Synod simply maintains the previous, orthodox position from 2017, although relationships within our national church continue to deteriorate.

For us in Jamberoo, this has very little impact, because our own Diocese of Sydney strongly affirms the Bible’s teaching on marriage, and is not required to adopt the theology of the national church.

Yet, for Anglican churches in dioceses where their bishops reject the Bible’s teaching on marriage, it becomes increasingly difficult for orthodox ministers to submit to the leadership of their progressive bishops.

That is why Gafcon is so important, as it provides support and encouragement to those who are seeking to faithfully teach the word of God in a hostile environment.

Furthermore, recent developments in Gafcon Australia have begun to provide a pathway for individual churches to leave the Anglican Church of Australia and join a new diocese, in fellowship with over 70% of orthodox Anglicans around the world.

Let us pray that those who have strayed from the orthodox position will repent and believe the clear teachings in the Bible, and resist the temptation to conform to the world.

Let’s also pray that through these challenging times that the Lord will give us fresh energy to proclaim Christ faithfully to the nations!

JODIE McNEILL

(Photo credit: 19melissa68 via Flickr.com)

Last weekend, 30 youth and leaders from Jamberoo Anglican headed up to the Blue Mountains to attend KYCK, a conference for high schoolers.

From Friday night until Sunday lunchtime, we gathered together with over 2000 other young Christians.

We ‘enjoyed’ the famous Blue Mountains cold and rain for the purpose of meeting together with youth from churches around the state, sitting under God’s word together and singing praises to him.

Over the 6 sessions of the weekend, we looked at the book of Philippians, and particularly thought about the theme of ‘Joy’.

We were encouraged by Paul’s words and example of joy, writing about being confident in the supremacy and love of Christ, even as he penned those words from a prison cell.

Philippians 3:6-7 reads ‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.’

Joy according to Philippians looks like having confidence in Christ, and being ‘stoked on Jesus despite circumstances.’

For a Christian, we can always have joy in Christ whatever situation we find ourselves in.

Joy exists alongside day-to-day emotions like happiness or sadness.

Paul’s situation in a Roman prison was hardly a happy experience, but he was so joyful in Christ.

Paul knew his eternity was secure with Christ, so he could remain full of joy.

Nearly 2000 years later, that truth remains the same for us.

If we have a relationship with Jesus, Romans 8:31-39 reminds us that nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of Christ.

My prayer for us is that we keep leaning into our relationship with Jesus, and keep discovering the peace of God, which transcends all understanding.

That’s something to be joyful about.

BRAD VIDILINI

How confident are you about the future?

There are so many unknowns right now, aren’t there?

At a time of escalating war in Europe, and an ongoing global pandemic, it’s harder and harder to make plans about anything.

Sometimes it’s hard to be confident in the future when there’s so much uncertainty, but there’s actually something in which we can have total confidence.

We can have total confidence in our eternal future, if we personally follow Jesus.

The Bible tells us that if we personally follow Jesus, then we can be totally confident about Judgement Day.

In Romans 8 we read that, “If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?” (verse 31 and 32)

We can have certainty for eternity because God gave up his Son Jesus for us.

But what’s more, we are spiritually bulletproof if we follow Jesus, verse 33:

33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honour at God’s right hand, pleading for us.

That means that on Judgement Day there will be no condemnation for those who personally follow Jesus.

Furthermore, because Jesus rose from the dead, it means that we’ve got more than enough evidence for our confidence.

We can have “right standing” with God, because Jesus took our place.

If you personally follow Jesus as your loving ruler, then he will take care of you on Judgement Day, and you will have nothing to fear.

That’s a future we can have confidence in!

JODIE McNEILL

(photo credit: Dr. Matthias Ripp via Flickr.com)