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

Mercy in the Floods

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The floods this week are totally different to the flood that the Lord sent at the time of Noah.

That flood was a specific act of judgement by God on a world that had become “consistently and totally evil” (Genesis 6:5) and was “corrupt and filled with violence (Genesis 6:11).

But, even as he acted to wipe out a generation of humans, he showed mercy upon Noah and his family, giving him a warning and a way to be saved.

But after that flood, God promised that, “Never again will floodwaters kill all living creatures; never again will a flood destroy the earth.” (Genesis 9:11)

But, humans have continued to rebel against God, but the solution is different: God shows his love for us by placing his anger upon Jesus instead of his followers who seek his mercy:

“For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever.” (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10)

Which means that devastating floods are not to be considered as an act of judgement upon our world, but instead, a warning to repent.

For, when his followers asked him to explain why a disaster had struck, Jesus said:

“Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?… Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God.” (Luke 13:2-3)

Whether it’s drought, bushfire, flood or pandemic, these disasters are an important time for us all to consider Christ in the crisis.

As we pray for the recovery of our land from these devastating floods, let us also pray that through this disaster might be a fresh opportunity for people to find eternal comfort and security in Christ Jesus.

JODIE McNEILL

(Credit: delphic via flickr.com)

Who Needs a Confessional?

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During my truck driving test during the week, my examiner helped me relax by asking lots of questions about what I believe as a Christian and what my church does.

He asked me if my church had a confessional, where members of the church could go to a special meeting with the minister, to confess to him their sins so that he could then present those sins to God.

My answer was simple: we don’t have a confessional because we don’t need one: we can go straight to Jesus and tell him our sins, knowing that he will hear us, and will forgive us if we ask him.

I explained to my examiner that in the Old Testament, before Jesus, there were special people called priests who would act as go-betweens to God on their behalf.

But when Jesus came along, he replaced the priests so we now can confidently speak straight to Jesus, because not only is he the priest, Jesus is also the temple and the sacrifice… and, of course, the king!

Here’s how the writer to the Hebrews puts it:

And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:19-22)

I was pleased to pass my truck driver’s licence test, but even happier to have another opportunity to talk about how good Jesus is!

JODIE McNEILL

(Credit: Emilio Labrador via Flickr.com)

God is Patient

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Justice is very important to us all, and we can’t bear to see a guilty person get away with their crime… especially when their victim continues to bear the impact.

And it’s also very important to God… who made us, and gave us that sense of justice.

The Bible tells us that all of us, by nature, have committed a crime against God.

We’ve enjoyed the good things of this world he’s made, and we’ve chosen to live like he’s dead.

We’ve tried to kick him off his throne, and we’ve formed a coup to overrule him.

And in all that, we’ve committed a grave injustice.

But if God is there, and if he’s coming to judge, then what’s he waiting for?

If he really wants justice, then why doesn’t he deal with this rebellion and bring justice and judgement now?

Because God is patient.

We read in 2 Peter 3:9: The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.

God hasn’t yet brought judgement because he’s giving you more time for you to get off his throne, and to say, “sorry”.

He’s patient because he loves you, and he doesn’t want you to be destroyed by his judgement.

But the offer stands right now: believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.

God took out his judgement on Jesus, in our place, on the first Good Friday.

Jesus takes God’s judgement upon himself, so that you and I can receive mercy if we ask.

God is being patient for your sake, but Judgement Day will come as unexpectedly as a thief.

God is patient, but one day his patience will run out.

Are you ready for that day?

JODIE McNEILL

(Photo Credit: Du Truong via Flickr)

The Ultimate Temple

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As I’ve been preaching on the building and fitting out of the temple in Jerusalem by King Solomon, I’ve been reminded afresh of my visit to Israel with Mandy in 2018.

One of the most memorable experiences was visiting what’s known as the Temple Mount (or ‘Haram esh-Sharif’), which is the large, flat area where all this construction took place.

It was amazing for us to stand at the very place at which the detailed descriptions in 1 Kings 5-7 occurred, and to feel such a strong connection with the historical events.

When we visited Israel it made so much of the Bible feel even more real, as we had a physical experience of the actual places we had only read about in God’s word.

However, as people of the New Testament, we need to keep remembering that the Temple Mount, including the Western or ‘Wailing’ Wall, is now just a museum of the past with no spiritual value.

Jesus made it very clear that he is the temple, and that when we trust in Jesus, we too become part of that temple.

And what’s more, the New Jerusalem won’t have a new temple soaring above the horizon, but in fact there will be no temple at all, because “the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.” (Revelation 21:22)

But for now, as we read the amazing details of the physical temple Solomon built, we can learn so much about what it is like for God to “live among the Israelites and… never abandon my people Israel.” (1 Kings 6:13)

For as we explore the details of Solomon’s Temple, we understand so much more about what it means when in John 1:14 that “the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.” 

JODIE McNEILL

Failing the Test

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This week I went for my truck licence so I can drive a fire truck for the Jamberoo Rural Fire Brigade.

Everything was going really well until I turned left at a set of traffic lights and cut the corner a tiny bit… but just enough for the rear tyre to briefly mount the curb.

‘Bump’… FAIL!

Even though I’d done a good job of the rest of the test, that one, small, ‘bump’ meant I failed the test.

No matter how I went in the other scores, I just needed one little mistake in the ‘fail’ list, and it’s a long, sad trip home.

In many ways, this is what it’s like with God’s judgement.

All we need is one ‘fail item’ in our life-long test, and then God, the instructor, will put a big cross in the box next to the sentence ‘SORRY! YOU DID NOT QUALIFY’.

And the problem is that any one time that we live like Jesus is not our king, then this single ‘sin’ is enough to rightly disqualify us from eternal life.

As we read in Romans chapter 3 verse 23: “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”

It all sounds pretty hopeless!

But here’s the wonderful news that the Bible says straight after in verse 24: “Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.”

“Grace… freely… freed…”

Even though all of us have failed the test of life, God now makes us right in his sight… passing the test for us, and giving us certainty for eternity if we turn and serve Jesus as our loving ruler.

But even though Jesus has given me a ‘pass’ to heaven, I’ve still got to do that driving test again in three weeks!

JODIE McNEILL

What are you giving up?

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When people mention the season of Lent, they usually think of giving up things like chocolate, alcohol, or even social media.

But at the heart of this forty-day journey to Good Friday is giving up sin… thinking about specific areas of our life where we know that we give in easily to temptation.

This will vary from person to person, although the heart of the problem is the same: we all, by nature, disobey God, and do not naturally pursue holiness.

So, as we count down the days to Easter, it’s a good time to ask God to speak through his Spirit as we read his word so that he might identify to us any areas of sin we should give special attention to flee.

I’m reminded of the words by the writer to the Hebrews who spoke so sharply when he addressed the real struggle of the Christian life:

Heb. 12:1    Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honour beside God’s throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. 4 After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.

As we take this Lenten journey, let’s take encouragement from the cheering on of the faithful Christians who went before us, and let us focus on Jesus, who endured the cross for us.

JODIE McNEILL

(Photo credit: countrygirl0 via Flickr)

Doing Lent Right

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The church calendar didn’t feature much in my upbringing, but more recently, I’ve started to see that it’s good to synchronise my calendar with Christian brothers and sisters from all tribes, tongues and nations.

Because everyone needs to choose a calendar to follow each year.

It might be a school, college or university calendar… or you might shape your year by holidays, or sport, or even the financial year.

But as we live as foreigners and exiles, it seems a good thing for Christians to celebrate together the rhythm of our church calendar.

One of the most important seasons is Lent, when we focus on the temptation and suffering and death of our Lord.

When we think of those forty days and forty nights… the man of sorrows on the old rugged cross on the green hill, far away.

In some Christian traditions, people give up something for Lent, like chocolate, or alcohol, or even social media!

Whilst there is something powerful about doing a thing that reminds us of this important season, it’s unfortunately been hijacked as a way to display good works that some people think will win favour from God.

But the better way to think of Lent is to use this time in the annual Church calendar to count down the days to the high point of our year, the day we remember the crucifixion of Christ, then his resurrection from the dead.

And so starting with Ash Wednesday next week, we begin the countdown to the cross, as we follow an annual rhythm that brings us to the death and resurrection of Jesus.

For this is the greatest event in our Christian calendar, and a weekend that deserves our attention more than any as a moment of great and glorious thanksgiving to God.

How will you count down to Easter?

JODIE McNEILL

The Ultimate Wreath

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What’s round and goes on people’s front doors at Christmas? A Christmas wreath.

It’s a circle of flowers, leaves and twigs that form a ring.

Christmas wreaths are normally made of evergreen plants to represent everlasting life.

We also use wreaths when we remember people who have died, like when we lay a wreath on Anzac Day at a war memorial.

In the ancient world, wreaths were often used as a crown.

Back at the original Olympic Games, the wreath was used instead of medal to symbolise victory.

Did you know that Jesus wore a wreath as a crown? 

He had a crown that showed victory.

But his crown wasn’t made of evergreen plants, like a Christmas wreath.

And his crown wasn’t made of laurel like an Olympic wreath.

His crown was made of thorns.

As he died on the cross, people mocked him by placing a thorny crown on his head.

This is the ultimate wreath.

Because the way that we get the everlasting life of the evergreen Christmas wreath is from the death of the thorny Easter wreath… the crown of Christ Jesus.

God showed his love to us by sending his Son, Jesus, to be born at Christmas, and to die at Easter.

The father sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world.

And he sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. (1 John 4:9-10)

Is 2020 the year for you to put your trust in Jesus, and find certainty for eternity?

Is this the Christmas to trust in Christ Jesus as your personal saviour?

JODIE McNEILL

The Weary World Rejoices

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I’m surprised how many people tell me that 2020 has made them tired.

After all, weren’t we supposed to have had lots of time off in ‘lockdown’?

But the truth is that with all of the uncertainty and stress of this year, it’s made it difficult to have good rest.

The good news is that even though we might be weary, we are invited to find rest in Jesus.

This Thursday night at our Christmas Eve carols our theme is ‘The Weary World Rejoices’… a line from the wonderful hymn, ‘O Holy Night’ that we plan to sing, together.

It is a wonderful phrase that captures the sense of relief that we can experience as we come to Jesus, who at the first Christmas, came to us.

But the relief from our weariness comes more than just rest: it comes from forgiveness and hope, as the original lyrics capture:

Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appear’d and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

As our world struggles through this pandemic, the light of the hope of the coming of the Lord shines even brighter.

In our weariness, we have the hope of the life that is to come, but more than that… we can have the certainty of our forgiveness and our right relationship with our creator, who loves us and gave himself for us.

That is the miracle of Christmas: that our judge would be our saviour… and that it came through his condescension into our world as a man who would die for his creatures.

Which means that the right response is genuine worship:

Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born;

Because of the first Christmas, the weary in our world who trust in Christ can finally rejoice because of the life he gives us through his death for us.

JODIE McNEILL

(Photo credit: Varvara via Flickr)

We can sing!

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One of the things I’ll tell my grandchildren about 2020 will be that we were not allowed to sing in church!

From so many aspects of the management of this pandemic, we have grown in our appreciation for the activities that have been restricted for the sake of the health of others.

The reason that it’s been so hard and weird not to sing is that God’s people are singing people… we’ve done it since the start of time, and it’s something we find it almost impossible to stop.

One time in the Bible when God’s people found it too hard to sing was when they’d been dragged out of Jerusalem into Babylon:

Beside the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept as we thought of Jerusalem. We put away our harps, hanging them on the branches of poplar trees. For our captors demanded a song from us. Our tormentors insisted on a joyful hymn: “Sing us one of those songs of Jerusalem!” But how can we sing the songs of the LORD while in a pagan land? (Psalm 137:1-4)

Yet the next Psalm expressed what it was like when singing was a natural part of church life for God’s people:

I give you thanks, O LORD, with all my heart; I will sing your praises before the gods. I bow before your holy Temple as I worship. I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honour of your name. (Psalm 138:1-2)

We are truly blessed to be now allowed to gather in good number for church, and we are doubly blessed to now be able to sing.

May we never take for granted the joy and blessing of singing together, as we put to music what our hearts long to express about the greatness of our Lord.

JODIE McNEILL

(Photo Credit: Tony Stewart via Flickr)