This is the latest blurb that is published on the front of our weekly bulletin

Satan and the Olympics

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Last Friday night’s Olympic opening ceremony was quite unlike any other in history, which is no surprise given that it was performed in front of a stadium crowd of less than a thousand people, all of whom were wearing masks.

It felt more like a funeral than a festival, with a greater focus on death and isolation than on life and community.

At the heart of the night was the singing of the atheist anthem, ‘Imagine’, where the ‘congregation’ was encouraged to conceive of a world without possessions, war, and religion.

Instead of enjoying a moment of unified and triumphant humanity, there was sober reflection upon the disappointment that Covid-19 has brought to the Olympic festival.

The world normally rejoices in the ‘higher, faster, stronger’ mantra of the Olympic spirit, but this year humanity was frail and weak in the face of the coronavirus.

If Satan’s aim in life is to distract people from the realities of life and death, then Covid-19 is the last thing in the world he’d want.

For as C. S. Lewis once noted, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”

The global suffering of SARS-COV-2 is a much-needed wakeup call to a world that has been numb from prosperity and triumphalism.

The pain of Covid has rained on the parade of atheistic humanism and it has created fertile ground for speaking of Christ Jesus and the one-and-only way to find certainty for eternity.

As we pray for relief from Covid, let us also pray that this crisis might lead many people to know Christ Jesus, who is the greatest human of all time, whose victory over sin and death brought us peace with God.

JODIE McNEILL

(Credit: France Olympique via Flickr)

Australian Anglicans Ahead

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On Monday night our church at Jamberoo was privileged to host a special online event for Gafcon Australia, at which the Chairman outlined the new way that Australian Anglican churches can be supported when they wish to keep to the faithful teaching of the Bible, even if their bishop wants otherwise.

This is not a problem that we face in our Sydney Diocese because we are blessed to have bishops and other leaders who love to listen to and obey what God says in his Bible about all matters of life.

The way that it will work is that Gafcon (Global Anglican Futures Conference) will provide what’s called an ‘Extra-provincial Diocese’, which is another way of saying that these churches and ministers will be able to be remain Anglican churches that will sit under the leadership and authority of a Bishop who is not formally part of the Anglican Church of Australia.

This is a significant, and most-likely costly step for any church to take, although it is one that would only be taken in extreme situations.

For, our prayer is that the dioceses of the Anglican Church of Australia would be united in following the clear teaching of the Bible about how God wants his people in his church to live for his honour and glory.

Please pray for the board of Gafcon Australia as they work to provide the necessary infrastructure to support any new churches that will take advantage of this rescue plan.

Pray also that we might have unity in the truth of the gospel, so that together we might be able to proclaim Christ faithfully to the nations!

JODIE McNEILL

Are you willing to wait?

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Are you the kind of person who is happy to wait for downloads, or couriers, or public transport, or phone calls?

In the instant-gratification world in which we live, we seek immediate results, and get frustrated when things don’t happen as fast as they can.

And when we’re impatient, it can easily lead us to act in a way that is unwise or ungodly.

In 1 Samuel 13, Saul chose not to wait for Samuel the prophet to perform a sacrifice, but instead he took matters into his own hands.

As God’s king, he was supposed to follow God rule, but as he faced the threat of war, he grew impatient, which resulted in him losing the kingdom to King David, the man after God’s own heart.

When God’s king, Jesus, was under great distress in the Garden of Gethsemene, he chose to patiently and obediently follow God’s rule, even though it would cost him dearly.

King Jesus patiently and obediently followed the Lord in his time of trial and distress… and in doing so, he went to the cross, where he died for our sin, and from where he rose to bring us the guarantee of eternal life.

As we get frustrated with waiting for answers to prayer, we can be tempted to take matters into our own hands, disobeying God’s word and acting independently of his rule.

But we must model ourselves on Jesus our Lord, who cried out to God, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” (Mark 14:36)

Praise God that Jesus was not impatient and that he was willing to follow his father’s command, even when to do so would bring him pain.

Praise God that his perseverance and obedience led to the glorious tragedy of the cross!

JODIE McNEILL

(Photo credit: Heiner Engbrocks via Flickr)

Surprise Lockdown?

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This second lockdown has taken many of us by surprise, especially after the optimistic steps in the past few months towards a return to some sort of normal.

But now with as the press conferences from Gladys and Dr. Chant grow in intensity, it is clear that we’ll be needing to work out how to manage the pandemic for a whole lot longer.

Whilst there is no doubt that our reduced freedoms and changed plans are causing us frustration and heartache, we must never forget that our Lord God remains fully in control of every small and large thing in the universe.

God has known about Covid-19 since the creation of the world, and that is why we can be thankful to him for both the good bits and the bad bits of this global pandemic.

There will be some people who will look back on this year and recognise that the crisis has led them to Christ, and that the trials and traumas of this pandemic have been the very things that have shaken their outlook and drawn them to become reconciled with Jesus as their loving ruler.

This also makes prayer seem all the more powerful, knowing that the one we humbly bring our prayers to is the same person who rules the universe: he listens to us because he loves us.

For this reason, we must keep praying to our Lord, asking that his will would be done, and that his kingdom would come.

What are you praying to the Lord during this latest lockdown? What are you asking your sovereign and gracious Lord in this time of trial?

In these troubling times, let us never lose sight of our saviour, as we fix our eyes “not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18)

JODIE McNEILL

(Re)considering Christianity

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This week on holidays I read a short book called ‘Seven reasons to (re)consider Christianity’ by musician, minister and author, Ben Shaw.

As I read it, I was struck again by how much sense it makes to be a Christian and to follow Jesus.

For his seven chapter titles, he says that people should (re)consider Christianity because:

  • it’s worth thinking through what life is really all about;
  • Christianity is a lot more intellectually credible than you might have assumed;
  • Christianity is about life to the full;
  • Christianity gives a compelling answer to the question, “What’s wrong with the world?”;
  • Jesus is arguably the most influential person in history’;
  • the death of Jesus is surprisingly very good news for you, and;
  • if Jesus really did rise from the dead, then it would confirm everything.

Each of the chapters give a simple and powerful explanation of why those facts are true, and in particular, why the resurrection of Jesus is the foundation for everything we believe.

Yet, whilst I think his arguments powerfully defend Christianity, the words of the epilogue bring a real, human dimension to his passioned plea to follow Jesus:

“Having death on my very own doorstep has forced me to do a serious reassessment of my faith, including everything I’ve said in this book. […] Yet in the end, far from having been shaken, I can honestly tell you that having this life-threatening illness has actually sharpened and increased my faith. As I stare at the possibility of an early death, I am, in fact, more confident than ever in these things.”

Last week Mandy and I watched the livestream of his funeral, as Ben passed away aged 52, having died from cancer of the jawbone.

Now he is with Christ, which is better by far, and his faith has now been turned to sight.

And the book he leaves us is a wonderful legacy that we pray will lead others to know the hope that has led him to paradise with his saviour, Jesus.

JODIE McNEILL

Growth Groups

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Even though we are blessed at our church with great gatherings around God’s word each Saturday night and Sunday morning, there are still many excellent reasons to be a part of a small ‘growth’ group.

Most obviously, a weekly or fortnightly group offers the ability to sit down with a few other people to carefully examine God’s word, looking deeply into the scriptures and sitting under his loving leadership by his Spirit.

But another, important reason to join a small, midweek group is that as our church grows in size, it becomes harder to know everyone really well.

And so being a part of a growth group means that you can get to know a small number of people a lot better… and be known and loved by them, too.

It’s a hub in which you can listen to others and pray for them, as you also show genuine care and community, and a group you can be a part of, even at the other times of the week when it’s not actually meeting.

It’s also a terrific ‘front door’ for people who are interested in finding out more about Jesus but perhaps don’t feel ready to come to a main service on the weekend.

The groups are also places where we can all show practical, genuine care for each other’s needs, as we hear from each other as we gather in Christ’s name.

These groups are great for growing personally in our knowledge and love of God, and growing together as a community around his word… and all this happens as our church and our small groups grow bigger in number.

These ‘growth groups’ are great connections for both believers and unbelievers alike to grow in their understanding of God and to prayerfully encourage each other in glorifying God through our humble service of him.

And as our church grows, may our growth groups help us grow in many small communities, as our larger community keeps growing together.

JODIE McNEILL

Confirming Faith

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Confirmation is a special event in our church which gives people an opportunity to say as a grown up what was promised on their behalf as a baby.

Our church believes that the promises of God apply to whole households… which means that babies of Christian parents are also Christians.

My kids have been Christians since they were in Mandy’s womb, and we baptised them as babies as a way of showing our trust in God’s promises.

But there comes a time in our life when we need to grow up and take responsibility for our own decisions, and that’s what confirmation is all about.

It’s about offering people who were baptised as infants the opportunity to answer for themselves about their own belief in God.

So, if you were baptised as a baby, and are now old enough to answer for yourself and own your own faith, then you should get confirmed.

Normally it’s around Year 9 that this happens, although exceptions are possible for people a little younger, if appropriate.

So, if you’re keen to be confirmed then let me know, and we’ll sign you up for a short course in July, which will be followed by a special service with our bishop on Wednesday 18th August at 7pm.

Plus you should be aware that we’re not able to run this every year, so sign up this year or miss out for a few years.

One more thing… if you’re the age to be confirmed but you’ve never been baptised, then if you trust in Jesus we really should organise for you to get baptised soon.

It’s such a great thing to do, and we’d love to offer this great, Biblical way to show our trust in God’s wonderful promises to us.

JODIE McNEILL

(Photo Credit: Jay Hsu via Flickr.com)

Know Domestic Abuse

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When a newspaper article this week ran with the headline, ‘Scripture used to justify violence’, it was a sad reminder that some Christians have distorted the meaning of the Bible to serve their own sin.

The Bible is very clear: we are to love one another, and that there is no place for any abuse of anyone, in any situation.

In the letter to the Galatians, there is a stark description of the results of the life that come from the sinful nature: 

“sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:19b-21)

Furthermore, the clear word from God is that husbands are to love their wives as sacrificially as Jesus loved the church, which means:

“…husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church.” (Ephesians 5:28-29)

It is only in this context that Christian wives are told to submit to their husbands (Ephesians 5:22) in recognition of the weight of the responsibility given to the man to sacrificially love and lead his wife and family.

And, again, it is vital that we hear God’s word clearly: the husband’s role is to love his wife sacrificially… which means there is no place, ever, for any abuse, whether physical, verbal, or otherwise.

I strongly encourage all of us to visit the website knowdomesticabuse.church which has been produced by our own Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney, and in particular, please have a read of the ‘Use and Misuse of Scripture’ booklet.

And if you, or anyone you know, is experiencing domestic abuse of any form, please act to bring safety immediately… seeking the help of a trusted Christian leader or friend.

JODIE McNEILL

(Credit: Nenad Stojkovic via Flickr.com)

Comforting Silence

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In most situations it’s distressing when we hear the sound of silence when we call out for help… or see if a loved one is OK after a major incident.

Rescuers at a recent tragedy reported hearing the sounds of mobile phones ringing in the pockets of unconscious victims… no doubt the calls of concerned and fearful friends and family.

In 1 Kings 19, Elijah waits to hear what the Lord will say about the sorry state of the kingdom of God… with great numbers of faithless followers, and enormous persecution.

Then, as he stands at Mount Sinai, the place where the Lord revealed his Ten Commandments to Moses, Elijah waits to hear a new word from the Lord about this difficult situation.

The Lord then sent a windstorm, an earthquake, and then a fire… but it was only in the silence that he ‘spoke’.

He didn’t give Elijah a new promise, because the old one was still living and active.

The great promises made to God’s people at the time of Abraham and the forefathers is still the same promise that applied to Elijah in that time of great trial.

For us, we sit on the other side of history, having seen the fulfilment of God’s great promises in the Lord Jesus… but we still endure times of pain and trials.

Yet, the fresh ‘word’ that the Lord gave to Elijah is the same ‘word’ he gives us today… silence… that points us to the living and active word of God that already speaks loudly to us and to our world.

He doesn’t need to give us new revelation, because we know all his promises, and we know what we’re waiting for when Jesus returns soon.

So, for us as followers of Christ, we must keep hearing the ‘old, old story’, and keep hoping and waiting for the return of Jesus, when he will bring justice to this world that rejects him, and display his full mercy to those of us who trust in Jesus, by faith.

JODIE McNEILL

(Photo credit: timlewisnm via Flickr.com)

Great Leadership

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What does the Bible tell us about leadership? 

In Luke chapter 7 we meet one of the great leaders of history.

He was a centurion, a well-paid, well-respected Roman officer who led a company of a hundred soldiers.

But sadly, one of his slaves was about to die, and so he sent some religious leaders to go and get Jesus to come and heal his slave.

But as Jesus approached, the centurion sent a message to tell him, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honour.” (Luke 7:6)

Why would the Roman centurion call for Jesus and then turn him away?

It was because he recognised that he was in the presence of a truly great leader, for he said, “I am not even worthy to come and meet you. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed.” (Luke 7:7)

The centurion recognised the greatness of Jesus, and he knew how unworthy he was in comparison.

But he also knew that when a commander makes a command, then it happens.

This impressed Jesus greatly, for, “when Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, “I tell you, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!” (Luke 7:9)

The Roman officer recognised that Jesus was Lord of the universe, and he also knew that he would use his power to perform an act of great mercy and kindness.

And the trust in Jesus paid off, for, “when the officer’s friends returned to his house, they found the slave completely healed.” (Luke 7:10)

The centurion knew the true leader, and he trusted the true leader… and his trust in Jesus paid off.

Great leaders submit to greater leaders… and the greatest leader is Jesus.

JODIE McNEILL

(Photo credit: Hans Splinter via Flickr.com)