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

Destruction at Easter

This Easter is a time to reflect upon the fragility of life (CREDIT: Wandrille de Préville)

As news broke of the fire at Notre Dame, the world united in shock and sadness.

This Parisien icon had towered over the landscape for 850 years, and yet it now had succumbed to the power of fire.

Some might say it’s only a building, but there is a good reason why the citizens of Paris wept over its destruction.

For many, it was a place where they came to meet with God, and for others, it was a symbol of European Christianity.

For me, I was reminded of another, impressive place of worship that also suffered enormous destruction.

The Second Temple of Jerusalem was deliberately destroyed by Romans in 70AD, yet decades before, that Temple had become redundant as a place of worship.

For, at the very moment that Jesus died, the Bible records that the giant curtain of that temple was torn in two.

No longer was that stone building in Jerusalem to be the place to meet God, for now they would meet him in Jesus Christ.

For Jesus once said, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” […] But when Jesus said, “this temple,” he meant his own body. (John 20:19,21)

It is natural for us to feel sentimental about our buildings, and it was right to be sad when Notre Dame and the Temple of Jerusalem were damaged or destroyed.

Yet, the greatest destruction was on the first Good Friday, when the Son of God was executed as an innocent man on behalf of those who trust in him.

However as promised, Jesus was raised from the dead on Easter Sunday, and with his resurrection comes a certain hope that can never perish, spoil or fade.

This Easter, as you reflect upon the fragility of life and the certainty of our own passing, it is a great time to trust in Jesus and enjoy the forgiveness he offers and the hope he promises.  

JODIE McNEILL

Why won’t Folau be quiet?

Israel Folau clearly believes in Hell, and wants to warn everyone about it.

Australian Rugby Union player, Israel Folau, has lost his job this week after posting a picture on social media that said “Warning: Drunks, Homosexuals, Adulterers, Liars, Fornicators, Thieves, Atheists, Idolaters: Hell awaits you. Repent!”

In the comments he said “Jesus Christ loves you and is giving you time to turn away from your sin and come to him”, as well as quoting from the Bible.

Folau clearly believes in Hell, and he wants to take every opportunity to warn people to find safety in Jesus.

The response from Rugby Australia and the media is that his comments are “homophobic” and that he has “vilified” people by how he’s expressed his religious beliefs.

To be honest, I wouldn’t post that image on Instagram, even though I agree that we need to warn people about Hell.

Yet I, too, want people to know that no matter who you are or what you’ve done, Jesus loves you so much that he died to forgive you.

Everybody is guilty of disobeying God in all sorts of ways, but no matter what you’ve done, Jesus offers unconditional forgiveness if you truly follow him.

I love Izzy’s courage and conviction, and I share his passion for people to come to Jesus and be rescued from Hell.

And I think he’s right when he says that God considers homosexual activity to be one of many things that are immoral.

But whether you agree or not, surely it’s un-Australian to sack someone for publicly saying something that’s in the Bible.

We used to think, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it”, but now our society silences views that are unpopular.

Nobody likes to be told that their behaviour is wrong, yet all of us are guilty in Jesus’ sight for all we’ve done to offend him.

At the same time, all of us can enjoy forgiveness in Jesus because of his self-sacrificing death on the first Good Friday.

JODIE McNEILL

What’s so bad about Hell?

It’s worth being scared out of Hell into the safe arms of Jesus. (CREDIT: Peter Thoeny via Flickr)

One of the greatest lies of the Devil is that Hell is not nearly as bad as its reputation.

You might have heard people say that they want to go to Hell because they want to party with all their friends that they expect meet there.

Jesus spoke more about Hell than anyone else in the Bible, and he made it very clear that a person should do anything in their power to avoid this horrible place.

In one part of the Bible, Jesus said that if a your eye causes you to sin, “gouge it out and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.”

And another time Jesus spoke of a man who had been sent to Hell who was in so much agony that he pleaded that someone simply drip a few drops of water on his tongue to somehow relieve his anguish in the flames.

What’s more, given that relationships are a good gift from God to enjoy, we can be confident that Hell will be like solitary confinement, with no human contact for forever and ever.

And contrary to another popular viewpoint, God will be present in Hell, but only as one who is bringing judgement and punishment for eternity.

There are better reasons to follow Jesus than just to escape this horrible, eternal punishment.

After all, the joy of having life to the full with Jesus is mind-blowing, even if we don’t experience it fully until we go to be with him in heaven.

But even so, it’s worth being scared out of Hell into the safe arms of Jesus, knowing that you can fully escape God’s anger by simply trusting in Jesus and experiencing his full forgiveness for everything you’ve ever done.

So what are you waiting for? Why would you risk eternal punishment when you can have certainty for eternity with Jesus?

JODIE McNEILL

It’s Costly to Come Alive

There’s a cost to following Jesus, but it’s truly worth it! (CREDIT: 20th Century Fox)

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)

How to respond to Christchurch

This is a time to show our love and support. (CREDIT: Farrukh via Flickr)

Last Friday afternoon, I came across the horrific news from Christchurch, where two shootings saw at least fifty people murdered… and all by the hands of an Aussie. 

I watched as thousands of Australians spoke up and responded to the tragedy, laying flowers in mosques and showing support for our neighbours in Christchurch.

However, I was left wondering about the best way to respond to this tragedy.

I read an article by Samuel Green and he had three helpful reflections.  

Firstly, it’s important to address the seriousness of the issue.

This was an act of pure evil and we cannot excuse or justify it in any way: this mass murder was driven by racism alone.

However, we know all people are created in the image of God, and that Jesus’ death was for all people who turn to him in repentance.

This leaves us with no excuse for any acts or thoughts driven by racism. 

Secondly, we want to reach out to the Muslim community and assure them of our love and support.

This is a great time to meet with our Muslim friends and listen to their concerns and worries.

We can attend community events standing against these acts of violence as people who promote peace, just like our Saviour Jesus, the Prince of Peace. 

Finally, we can be praying.

As the families of the victims mourn their losses and the family of the shooter grapples with this tragedy, we can pray that God would be glorified, and that through this horrific event, the good news of Jesus would be spread. 

Despite the sinfulness and cowardly acts of violence in our world, God still rules as king, and remains in control.

We have a God in whom we can bring all our worries to and trust in him alone.

JEMIMAH McNEILL

Is ‘Sex’ a Good Excuse?

Is ‘sex’ the reason some people choose not to follow Jesus? (CREDIT: freestocks.org via Flickr)

I’ve known Jesus for a long time, and to be honest, I find it hard to understand why someone wouldn’t want to accept his love and forgiveness?

But I wonder if sex is the excuse people give for why they don’t want to follow Jesus and enjoy a relationship with their loving creator?

Perhaps people don’t want to follow Jesus because they think that it will mean they have to give up their sexual freedoms in order to be constrained by the Bible’s rules?

They don’t want to give up having sex with their boyfriend, girlfriend, fiancee… or the person they’re having an affair with.

They don’t want to stop having homosexual sex or visiting prostitutes, or doing all the kinds of things that they know God forbids.

Or maybe people don’t want to follow Jesus because they feel that their sexual sins will somehow disqualify them from being a Christian.

After all, it would seem impossible that Jesus would accept someone who’s had the kind of sex that is prohibited in the Bible.

But both of those excuses don’t work.

When Jesus chatted to a woman who was drawing water from a well, he promised her spiritual water that would fulfil her forever.

And even though this woman had been in a series of sexual relationships, Jesus was willing to accept her and to give her the kind of satisfaction that sex couldn’t bring.

So, no matter what you’ve done, Jesus will forgive you if you seek him.

And even though your sexual practices will be restricted to the maker’s instructions, it will actually provide the true sex that was designed for the greatest enjoyment.

As Jesus promised the woman,

“…those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” (John 14:4)

JODIE McNEILL

Does God Hate Sex?

If you think God hates sex then you’ve probably never read ‘The Song of Songs’. (CREDIT: christiancrush.com)

Have you ever thought that God hates sex?

Maybe it’s because the Bible has lots of rules that seem to restrict our freedoms and that cause us to miss out on the ‘fun’ and ‘naughty’ side of sex?

Well, if that’s the case, then you’ve probably never read ‘The Song of Songs’.

This book of the Bible talks openly and unashamedly about sex, and its mention of private parts and private acts is enough to make anyone blush.

Throughout history some people have thought that the intimate love portrayed between the husband and wife was only just describing the love between Jesus and his church.

These people couldn’t cope with thinking that this saucy sex was in the Bible.

But God is pro-sex, and he made sex to be celebrated and enjoyed.

But like any good thing, it can easily be damaged if it’s not used according to its maker’s instructions.

And that’s why we learn in Song of Songs that true sex is wonderful, honourable, secure and committed.

It’s designed to be between a married man and a women, who together preserve this remarkable gift from God.

So instead of seeing God as some sort of spoil sport, we should see his words in the Bible about sex as the kind of wisdom that is worth a fortune.

The Song of Songs shows sex to be mind-blowingly good, but it also makes it clear that this powerful tool has the potential to cause real harm when it’s not used according to its maker’s instructions.

We carry this glorious love poem around inside our Bibles, so it is good for us to read it, and understand it.

And so, over the next four weeks, we’re going to study this remarkable book of the Bible, and whether you’re old or young, married or single, male or female, this will be a spiritual journey not to be missed!

The talks will run on 9-10, 16-17, 23-24, and 30-31 March 2019 at both our 5pm Saturday and 9am Sunday services at Jamberoo Anglican Church.

JODIE McNEILL

When The Church Fails

Even if you feel like giving up on the church, don’t give up on Jesus. (CREDIT: Jim, The Photographer via Flickr)

As news broke this week about the conviction of Cardinal Pell for child sexual abuse, I was deeply saddened.

It reminded me again of how the church has failed so many people.

Sexual abuse has occurred in churches of all denominations, and it is an overwhelming tragedy.

There have been many cases of abuse in the Anglican Church of Australia, and we remain truly sorry for the betrayal of trust and the harm experienced by so many people.

Whilst new systems now provide greater protection from abuse, it comes too late for those who have already been hurt by the leaders they trusted.

Indeed, the impact of sexual abuse in the church goes wider than the immediate victims: it affects everyone who has had faith in the church.

For those who see the church as the place to meet God and receive his grace, this news can create serious disillusionment.

After all, if the church is polluted, then it seems impossible to really know God and receive his blessings.

Yet, from the ashes of this tragedy rises a new hope.

The Bible says that every one of us can relate directly to God, without priest or sacrament.

God speaks directly to all of us in the Bible, and you can hear him for yourself.

Which means that when the church fails, God doesn’t.

Even if you feel like giving up on the church, don’t give up on Jesus.

You can meet Jesus directly by reading God’s word, the Bible for yourself.

And you can pray directly to Jesus, because his death on the cross brings the ultimate forgiveness.

Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28).

JODIE McNEILL

There is always hope

If you think someone may be experiencing suicidal thoughts, then it important that you ask them how they’re going. (CREDIT: Thomas’s Pics via Flickr.)

There are people everywhere who feel as though they cannot be part of our world any longer.

Sadly, some of those people have tried to take their own lives.

In 2015, over 3,000 people died by suicide, and it is presumed that for every death there were as many as 25 attempts.

Whilst this seems like a new phenomenon, we read in the Bible about people who have struggled with great fear, sadness and hopelessness.

The Psalmist even declares that God was the only thing that, “kept my eyes from closing [for he] was too troubled to speak.” (Psalm 77:4).

Yet even though these feelings of hopelessness and suicide are common, Christians believe that suicide is a great tragedy.

After all, God has knit each person together in their mother’s womb (Psalm 139) and made each of us in his image (Genesis 1).

It grieves God to see his children feeling so hopeless, especially when Jesus offers such hope.

If you think someone may be experiencing suicidal thoughts, then it important that you ask them how they’re going.

This is the message that Tim and I were taught in a recent seminar by Lifeline on this topic of suicide intervention.

We were encouraged to speak to people who seem troubled, and to say something like, “hey, you’ve seemed really down lately: have you been thinking about suicide?”

It’s a bold question to ask, but it will let that person know you care and give them an opportunity to talk about what’s going on in their lives.

For, in the same way that you’d run to help someone who was clutching their chest in pain, we need to assist people who are suffering emotionally.

We must care well for others and try to offer hope.

If you need to speak to someone now, contact www.lifeline.org.au on 13 11 14.

RAYNE ORANGE

Where is your faith?

Our only hope is in the man who could still the storm with a statement. (CREDIT: Phuket@photographer.net via Flickr)

If you’ve ever sailed on a yacht then you’ll know the exhilaration of submitting to the awesome power of the wind.

Yet when the breeze turns into a gale, it can be terrifying.

The Bible records a time when Jesus and his friends hit a fierce storm as they sailed across a lake, and it caused their boat to fill with water.

They were in real danger, and they feared for their lives.

And in their powerlessness, they woke up Jesus who was asleep in the boat.

They said to him “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” 

As he awoke, Jesus did not share their fear like any other human would, but instead he showed his sovereignty over the weather.

The Bible simply says “When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm.”

Like a parent rebuking a naughty child, Jesus rebukes the wind and the waves.

Can you imagine what it must have been like to be in the presence of a man who could truly control creation?

And as the roar of the wind was silenced, Jesus simply asks the disciples, “Where is your faith?”

On the one hand, it was a rebuke to them for not trusting that Jesus was in control.

But on the other hand, Jesus’ statement is a genuine question: “Where is your faith?”

For the people in the boat, fearing for their lives, they had to choose the place in which they would put their faith.

The only real hope is in the man who could still the storm with a statement.

In their wonder, they asked the question: “Who is this man?”

For before their eyes they witnessed the power of the man who created and rules the universe, and now offers true comfort and forgiveness when you put your faith in him.

JODIE McNEILL