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

Power and Compassion

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As I prepared the lesson for my Scripture class this week, I realised that I had an extra degree of connection to the events in the Bible.

The story was about the government official in Capernaum whose son was very sick (John 4:46).

This man had great power and influence over others, and yet he was powerless to do anything to bring health to his gravely sick son.

In his desperation he submitted to a greater power, even though it showed his weakness.

So, when he went to Jesus, he begged him to come and heal his son.

This man knew he had no hope in his own strength and that all he could do was depend on Jesus to help him and his son in this time of trial.

In this moment of need, Jesus showed his power and his compassion.

With a simple word, Jesus immediately healed the boy, even though he was located a long distance away.

Jesus showed great power over sickness, which came from his great compassion over those who are helpless and sad.

I shared with my Scripture kids about how my own son had a serious injury, and I showed them the X-rays of the masterful work of the orthopaedic surgeon.

And I told them about how I, too, was powerless to heal my injured son.

Like the government official, all I could do was ask for assistance from the person who was able to help my sick child.

And like Jesus, the amazing medical staff showed great power and compassion over Oscar and his crushed foot.

It is such a great comfort to be able to come and seek comfort and mercy from someone who is both powerful and compassionate: Jesus Christ.

JODIE McNEILL

Too young to believe?

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The faith of a child (CREDIT: Eric Ward via Flickr)

It’s easy to look down on young people in our society, especially given that they don’t have the strength or skills to earn a living, nor the maturity to cope with independence.

Yet, when it comes to following Jesus, the model believers are children.

Jesus famously said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children.” (Luke 18:16)

Ironically, Jesus highly regards the simple and naive faith of a child, as they demonstrate a deep dependency on others, with little claim to their own ability.

They are too young to say “I did it my way”, and they are too new at life to point to their successes, abilities and strengths.

However, this is the very attitude that Jesus wants of adults and all people: the ability to discount personal achievements, and instead to humbly accept the grace of God without any personal merit.

That is why children provide the perfect model of a true believer: a humble dependence on God.

And this is why ministry to children can create true and genuine followers of Jesus.

Children are not the church of the future, but the believers of the present… and an inspiration to the grownups who easily let their achievements cloud their need for salvation from Jesus.

This is why our upcoming Holiday Kids Club is such an important ministry to the children of our village and valley.

We want our kids to meet Jesus, knowing that their simple faith is precisely the kind of attitude that is so highly regarded by God.

We want kids to follow Jesus so that they will meet him now, and follow him for life.

And our week-long Holiday Kids Club in October is the perfect way to help kids meet Jesus and experience the joy of knowing his love and forgiveness.

JODIE McNEILL

Standing Firm

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From the moment my foot was run over, I was in a world of pain, both physically and mentally.

I was rushed to hospital and later I found out that I had crushed and fractured more than fifteen bones in my right foot.

As I awaited news about my injury I was sad because I realised that it would be some time before I could again walk, and that I would miss the mountain bike competition I was so looking forward to racing in.

I was also sad that I couldn’t go back to the church camp on which I had the injury, and I felt sorry for the driver who was at no fault.

But while I was on that hospital bed, I prayed that the sadness would go away and that everything would soon be sorted out.

The next morning I was taken to St George Hospital for more scans and to prepare to hear about the treatment they planned.

I stayed up there for a couple of days whilst living the dream with the free food and chocolate milks.

But soon I was told that after major foot surgery I’d be in a plaster cast for three months, and that it would be ages before I could run again.

I was pretty sad and I prayed in this time of struggle that God would give me strength to keep on going during the hard and intense times. 

During this time my faith has helped me to be more reliant on God in the rough times and in the easy times.

At this time I hold onto these words from God in the Bible:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6).

OSCAR McNEILL

Building the Church

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If you’ve seen our church this week then you’ll know that we’re under construction!

We’ve made the lawn at the front of our hall into a level area, and we’ve also built some built some new gardens and have improved the driveways and car parking.

We’re praying that the new lawn at the front of the hall will be even better for our weekly Saturday night dinners and Sunday morning teas, as well as our kids and youth programs and other events in the life of our church.

We’re also praying that the new trees, shrubs and flowers will help make our grounds look even nicer and inviting.

But the ultimate reason we’re doing this is because we want everyone to feel welcome and comfortable visiting our church.

Our church is a church for everyone in the village and valley of Jamberoo and beyond, and we want the whole community to feel at home with us.

We want this to be a place where everyone can gather with us to listen to God speak through the Bible, to speak to him in prayers, and to encourage each other as we sing, share and support each other in the loving community of Christ Jesus.

The building works around our church are very visible and exciting, but the greatest building works are happening as people hear the word of Jesus and accept his invitation to follow his loving leadership as their Lord.

That’s the kind of church building that matters the most, for the Bible tells us that God’s people “are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple.” (1 Peter chapter 2 verse 5).

So, when you see the awesome new landscaping around our church, remember that it’s a personal invitation for you to come along and be a part of the biggest building project in the universe!

JODIE McNEILL

None of our Business?

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Over the past week my Facebook feed has been filled with Christians stating that the abortion bill should be defeated so that all citizens in NSW should be subject to the ethics of the Bible.

But what right do Christians have to influence laws that affect people who don’t share our religious belief?

At one level it is simple: Christians are citizens like anyone else, and we have a right and responsibility to voice our opinions and influence the decisions of the politicians who represent us.

However, some argue that the Biblical worldview does not apply to those who are not followers of Jesus, and therefore Christians should focus on the behaviour of believers, not the wider population.

Yet, the reason we get involved in social ethics is ultimately out of love for others, and in particular, love for those who are unable to protect or defend themselves.

The Bible makes it clear that unborn children are as valued to God as those who have successfully made it out of the womb, and that this applies to all people, not just Christians.

And therefore if some people believe that it is acceptable to kill another person who is unable to defend him or herself, then the loving response of Christians is to try and stop that unloving and immoral behaviour.

This is why we are passionate in pursuing ways to try and protect unborn children from being killed by immoral decisions made by politicians.

What’s more, this is why Christians have been so vocal and active in trying to prevent any changes to law to make it easier to kill an unborn child… and why we weep at the decision this week that will make it easier than ever to abort healthy babies in the moments before they were due to be naturally born.

JODIE McNEILL

What About Me?

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This week several NSW politicians introduced a bill to try and change our abortion laws.

The bill proposes that when two medical practitioners agree, a termination can occur right up to full-term after they have considered “all relevant medical circumstances, and … the person’s current and future physical, psychological and social circumstances…”

In other words, a doctor can cause the death of an unborn child if he or she believes that the mother’s psychological or social circumstances might be affected now or in the future if the child is naturally born.

There is no question that raising a child can be hard when everything is ‘normal’, let alone when there are difficult psychological or social circumstances for the parents.

But this debate would never happen if we were discussing the plight of a child who was already born.

Imagine if politicians were proposing that a three-month old infant could be euthanised if they were causing psychological and social difficulties for her mother?

Yet, a child who was four months younger and still in the womb could be killed by two doctors if this bill is passed.

The only reason we’re having this debate is that some people think an unborn baby is not human, and therefore can be removed and disposed of from the mother’s body.

What is it that makes a politician or doctor so sure that a foetus is not worthy of medical care and protection, simply because it hasn’t been able to have the opportunity to be safely delivered?

The reality is that God, who created us all, says that an unborn child is to be valued as much as a child who has been safely born.

The Bible is clear on this, but some of our politicians confidently believe that what God says about this matter is to be ignored.

Please pray that our politicians will listen to God and their consciences and vote to defeat this bill before more babies are killed by the very medical practitioners who made a vow to protect human life.

JODIE McNEILL

Launching the Church

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Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to have been a follower of Jesus at the time of the very first Easter?

The feeling of emptiness with Jesus’ crucifixion… and then the surprise and elation at his resurrection… and then the bizarre period of time with his frequent appearances… and then the witnessing of his ascension into Heaven.

So much happened in such a brief time, and what looked like failure for Jesus’ kingdom was instead a time of excitement and anticipation.

It is with this in mind that the Bible’s book of ‘Acts’ was written for us, providing a powerful witness to how the message of Jesus led thousands to become his followers, which then led them to send that message to the ends of the earth, like ripples in a pond.

Given the shape of Jesus’ earthly ministry, it should have been no surprise to us that the ministry of his Holy Spirit brought great highs and lows to the first Christians.

At times, there was a great buzz as people finally understood that Jesus was the Messiah, which was accompanied at times with some miraculous displays of the power of the Holy Spirit.

At the same time, there were many moments of deliberation, as the Jewish believers in Jesus tried to come to terms with the challenges of including non-Jewish ‘Gentiles’ in the kingdom of God.

And at the same time, there were many moments where the leaders of God’s church were inflicted with horrible wounds as they were persecuted for speaking the truth about Jesus.

The story of Acts is the story of the launching of the church, with all its highs and lows, and it helps us understand the place that we have in the storyline of the building of the church of Christ.

What a time to be alive!

JODIE McNEILL

Too Busy to Rest?

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Will you rest with the lamb? (CREDIT: Ninian Reid via Flickr)

Our world is a busy world. People are constantly speaking about the “life-work balance”, and desiring to find ways to rest efficiently and effectively amongst education, work, sport, hobbies, and time with family.

I know more than a few of us are thankful for a good ebb and flow to the year, which includes school holidays and summer.

Even in our churches, we take a bit of a break from programs and school Scripture.

Yet though life looks very different for the Godhead, and looked different here on earth for Jesus, we see examples from the Almighty of rest! 

God rested on the seventh day after he made the world we live in (Gen 2:2-3), though I am sure for him it was not tiresome work.

And Jesus we have seen sleeping in a boat (Matt 8:23, Mark 4:38), taking time to pray in solitude (Luke 5:16, 6:12-13, 22:39-4), and directing his disciples to take time away from crowds and busy days of ministry to rest (Mark 6:31-32).

Often we look at rest as time to watch TV as a family, to sleep in, get a cuppa, or maybe take a surf.

Qoheleth in Ecclesiastes reminds people in a world where all is vapour to eat, drink, and be merry (Ecc 8:15) so we can know that it is good and right to take time to do these things, for they are part of enjoying life, which God really wants us to do.

But we not must forget where ultimate rest is found: in Christ (Matt 11:28-30).

If we are turning to Christ for rest, we must also be sure that we are turning towards his word, for we know that Jesus is the word of God (John 1:1) and that he has gifted us with his scriptures to assist us in living holy lives.

And of course we can look forward to perfectly dwelling with Christ in eternity as we enter his final rest when he returns (Heb 4).

RAYNE ORANGE

Hope for the Heavy Hearted

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There is hope (CREDIT: James Wheeler via Flickr)

It is so easy to get down considering the world we live in today.

We can reflect on the several tragic youth suicides in our region, the health diagnoses of those we love, and the attempts to publicly oppress free speech and make those who believe in the Bible out to be fools.

There is plenty of sin in the world to rightly feel sorrow for.

However, we cannot let the calamity of a fallen world weigh us down when the Bible tells us to have confidence and to persevere, because the hope we have in the sacrifice of Christ is a great hope indeed! 

Let us reflect on the words from the Bible:

Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. (Hebrews 10:23-25)

We are called in this passage to steadfastness, not being overwhelmed by our anxieties. 

We are called to keep meeting together as a church, so that we can be encouraged by each other’s consistency in striving towards Christ, being dedicated to the Bible and the glorification of God. 

Jamberoo Anglican is fortunate, for we work to act on these words.

We are a body who trusts the Lord when the world seems dark, who is consistent and committed, and greatly anticipates the return of our king.

Let us be encouraged and remember the words of Paul to the Philippians:

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7).

RAYNE ORANGE

The Wall of Hostility

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On Monday, the leaders of the United States of America and North Korea met at the Demilitarised Zone that sits precariously on the border between the divided Korean nations along the 38th Parallel.

It was described as a last-minute event, and the impact was strongly symbolic.

These two nations have been apart since August 1945, when the North was controlled by Communists installed by Russia and later influenced by China, and the South was controlled by the US.

This division greatly impacts the people of Korea, but it is indicative of a conflict that stems from the Cold War.

Any future reunification would be a powerful sign of peace between warring factions, and would bring some comfort to the world that tires of the nuclear sabre rattling of global powers.

In the Bible, there was another wall of hostility that powerfully divided two, warring factions.

These were the Jews and the Gentiles, separated from early human history due to the clear commands from our Lord God for his chosen people to be pure and holy from the world that rejects him.

Yet, even in the time before Jesus there were hints that this division would not remain forever, as some well-known Gentiles came to trust in the Lord and be welcomed into his people.

When Jesus died, the final barrier was destroyed, and now people from all nations can come together as the new people of God, united as one in Christ.

As we read in Ephesians, 

For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. (Ephesians 2:14)

This is true, lasting peace that will survive into eternity.

JODIE McNEILL