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

Wise Men Indeed!

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After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? (Matt 2:1-2a)

Oh! We heard about that two weeks ago – it’s all part of the Christmas story, isn’t it? Well, actually, no, although it often gets confused with it. Those Christmas card pictures of Jesus in a manger with shepherds and wise men gathered around are a bit of poetic licence. In the gospels, Luke tells us all about the birth of Jesus, with stable, shepherds and angels and Matthew tells us only that Jesus was born and then writes of the Magi

The Magi probably came a year or more after Jesus’ birth, when he was described as a ‘child’ living in a ‘house’ (Matt 2:11). The Christmas card, with everyone gathered around the baby, obscures the point. Jesus’ birth is revealed to those who are not Jews! Gentiles – despised by most Jews! And whilst many Jews failed to recognise their Messiah, Gentiles worshipped him! 

Although God promised Abraham that “all the families on earth will be blessed through you”, Jews still thought of themselves as the only ones who could receive God’s blessing.

The earliest Christians were mostly Jews but, as more Gentiles became believers, Christian Jews struggled to know how to relate to them. Matthew probably wrote his gospel for these Jewish Christians and gives the Magi – the first Gentiles to acknowledge the Christ – a prominent place in his account. And from the fourth century, Christians have acknowledged God’s revelation to them by celebrating the feast of “Epiphany” on 6th January – last Friday.

Most of us are Gentiles who can be ever thankful that God sent his Son to bring us into a relationship with himself. To him be all glory and praise!

Trevor Lucas

Recognising the New Year

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In Old Testament days the new year was recognised by a trumpet blast and a day of rest (modelled on Lev 23:23-25). Originally Ram’s horns were used, probably in time they were replaced by silver trumpets. The trumpet blast was a ‘memorial’ — a reminder of God’s goodness & faithfulness for the year past, also for the year to come. A holy assembly was called (a renewal of covenant obligations to God).

Of course, the modern way of ushering the new year is through parties and fireworks.

But the trumpet blast of Old Testament days has it counterpart in the trumpet call of New Testament days – but this trumpet announces the coming of the Lord, not for a new year, but for the beginning of a new age (1 Thessalonians 4:16).

And so a good new year’s resolution is to be ready for him. Christians now listen for the trumpet call which will announce the end of the age when the Messiah will come to judge the word and establish his reign.

And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame …… Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure. 1 John 2:28 and 3:2-3.

Graham Errington

Truth overcomes in a post-truth world

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The Oxford English Dictionary has named ‘post-truth’ the international word of the year.

This is not surprising given that the Brexit vote and US election were enmeshed in what is being called post-truth politics.

Let’s face it – there is so much ‘post-truth’ around.

The rise of social media has been fuelled by people who claim to write the truth – yet there are so many lies and untruths in social media.

In the Bible, God is called the God of truth. The apostle John describes Jesus as ‘the Word become flesh’ who came to earth and lived among us. He said, “We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

From politics to personal life, what more do we want for Christmas than people who will tell us the truth?

There is much in our world which is post-truth – but remember at Christmas time we celebrate the truth of Jesus – the God of truth, who declares ‘I am the way, the truth and the life’.

Happy Christmas!

Dr Glenn N Davies, Anglican Archbishop of Sydney

That’s Retailtainment

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If you’ve ever chosen to ‘go to the shops’ in order to occupy your time, then you will have experienced some ‘retailtainment.’

George Ritzer defines this as the “use of ambience, emotion, sound and activity to get customers interested in the merchandise and in a mood to buy.”

Retail has been mashed up with entertainment, and now it’s hard to separate the two activities.

In our hunger for more retailtainment, our shops are open for longer hours, which means that it’s harder than ever to synchronise the leisure time for our families and friends.

Yet, this has been a reality for many people involved in the ‘shift work’ that keeps our country running.

Whether it’s enforcing the law, nursing patients, or baking bread, many people work when the rest of us are sleeping.

This makes going to church as a family even harder.

The good news is that God never sleeps, and we can meet with him any time of the day.

That’s why it’s great to get into a rhythm of daily Bible reading and prayer, even if it’s just a short verse and a quick prayer.

Taking advantage of technological advancements like livestreaming church (like www.oakflats.tv) means those who work unusual hours can also still maintain some normality, even when they’re at work on weekends.

Yet, there’s no substitute for face-to-face ministry to each other, which is why it’s good for all of us to meet up one-to-one or in small groups to pray and read the Bible with each other.

But no matter if or when you work, let’s find our satisfaction in the joy of knowing God, rather than worshipping at the altar of retail.

“For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end.” (Daniel 6:26b)

Great growth through Year 13

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Life changing. Boldness. Deep joy.

These are some of the concluding words that come into mind about my journey with Year 13.

This year has been the best year of my life. Who would have thought that in only nine months, I would have grown so much.

I am so thankful to God for his growth in me through Year 13: theological growth, relational growth of life-long friendships and personal growth of my own faith. He is so good.

It has been a real joy to serve in our Oak Flats and Jamberoo church family.

Watching my high school Scripture kids explore Christianity, asking deep questions and regularly attending youth group has been a real encouragement.

I have also loved mentoring my youth girls and delving into controversial topics such as same-sex attraction, dating and abortion.

Thank you for the ongoing support you have shown financially and in prayer, and your partnership in our weekly ministries.

Our mission to Fiji brought deep growth. Witnessing the local people’s contentment and unwavering trust in Jesus exposed my own selfishness and need to live for him at the cost of popularity, money and comfort.

However, my greatest highlight has been my growth in boldness and theological knowledge. 

Being equipped to defend the gospel through our apologetics studies, it has given me more confidence to answer my workmates’ questions about the Bible.

As I graduated three weeks ago, I felt both joy and grief, yet I am excited for God’s plans in the future.

Please pray that I will speak boldly about Jesus at university next year, seeking to evangelise at every opportunity.

Also, that for all graduates, that God would remain at the centre of our lives.

Ultimately, may all glory be to Christ!

Are you scared of death?

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Last resting place.

It is quite unnerving to see a grown-man sobbing uncontrollably.

This is what I saw as I went to visit a gentleman in hospital who had been told that he had only days to live. He was in constant tears because he was scared about what would happen to him when he died.

Facing death without any assurance in salvation is dangerous and terrifying.

And yet so many people are in this very situation, numb to the reality of their coming judgement by Jesus as they will meet him at their death.

When I met with this man in hospital, I asked him if he believed that Jesus was the Lord of the universe, and if he had asked Jesus to forgive him. The man nodded his head and said, “yes.”

But he was crying because he didn’t think that believing this was enough to gain salvation from Jesus.

I then turned to one of my favourite parts of the Bible, where the two criminals being crucified with Jesus were in conversation with him, in Luke 23.

One of the criminals rejected Jesus, but the other simply asked Jesus to “remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus’ response was “truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

There was nothing that the criminal who followed Jesus could do except tell Jesus that he trusted in him as his Lord, and to simply surrender himself to Jesus’ rule.

And it brought an immediate and significant result: forgiveness, forever.

And with this, I told my friend on his deathbed that if he also had said these things to Jesus, then the assurance Jesus gave to that criminal was already his to enjoy.

And then the man stopped crying, and he never sobbed again. He enjoyed certainty for eternity.

What about you? Are you scared of dying? Why don’t you come to Jesus right now and enjoy true peace and comfort?

Should you be worried about things?

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One of the outcomes of industrialisation and globalisation is that we tend to be sheltered from the impact of success and failure on the land.

Whether it’s a time of peak or trough, we don’t feel the full impact of the success and failure of our primary industries, because we buy most things through supermarkets with global supply chains.

Yet when we lived off the produce of the land on which we lived, we sharply felt the impact of times of abundance and of scarcity.

And this intimate connection with the land meant that we were forced to connect with nature, and behind nature, to God himself.

We were reminded of this in Elihu’s final speech to Job when he pointed to the powerful impact of the weather upon those who work the land.

For, through displays of extreme weather, God “stops all people from their labour”, “so that everyone he has made may know his work.” (Job 37:7)

Yet, even through drought and flooding rain, we know that God sustains the land. For as we read in Psalm 145:

The Lord upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. (Psalm 145:14-15)

The Lord provides! He is reliable and he delivers as he’s promised.

So, whether we get our produce from the land or from the supermarket, we can be sure that God will provide our needs. For as Jesus said:

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? (Matthew 6:25-27)

What do you get out of church?

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jogging

Have you ever stopped to think about what you get out of church?

After all, we encourage people to carefully evaluate whether their investment of time or money or emotions is returning a good dividend.

So, if you had a membership with an organisation that didn’t give you sufficient benefits, then you might decide to leave and join elsewhere.

But church is very, very different.

That’s because the Christian church is the ultimate service organisation.

At its heart is Jesus, who is the ultimate example of the greatest servant of all, giving his life for those of us in his church.

And our response must be to serve, too.

Sometimes, when you’ve been coming along to a church for a while, it’s easy to start to feel less connected with what’s happening around the place.

My experience with joining a new church many years ago as a parishioner (not as the minister) was that it was only when I got myself ‘on the roster’ that I really felt that this new church was now my church.

If you’re new and you’re not yet ‘on the roster’ then we’d love you to be part of the action.

And if you’re a regular who has fallen off the roster for some reason, then you’re invited to jump back on, if you’re willing and able.

After all, as we read in 1 Corinthians 12, we are all members of the one body, and that one body has many different parts.

And as we look to the inspiration of Jesus as we seek to serve each other, we may well find that as we give to others we then get a whole lot more out of church than we did before!

For, we all have a part to play, and as we play that part, we all feel more a part of the place!

What does your future hold?

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If I knew with certainty what would happen to you in the next week, then this would put me in a position of great power and authority over your life.

The ability to tell the future is something that many people claim to possess, but clearly are unable to reliably demonstrate.

If they could, then they’d be banned from owning shares, placing bets, or from any other activity that relied on speculation.

And yet, God knows the future, and he is prepared to let us know some details about what will happen.

These words of prophecy can be found in the Bible, and they tell us the promises that God has for his people and for his creation.

He promises that he will be sending Jesus back soon to judge everyone for whether they’ve followed him as their loving ruler or not.

He promises that if we ask for forgiveness and if we trust in God, then because of the death of Jesus, he will not treat us like our sins deserve.

He promises that if we are his friends that this coming day of judgement is not something we should fear.

And he promises that in the meantime, he will continue to hear our every prayer, and to be with us through our times of personal trials and sufferings.

If you rely on Jesus as your loving ruler then you can know that he holds your future safely in his hands.

Which means that no matter what fears you might have for your own life or for the world, you can be sure that he is trustworthy and full of compassion.

And that’s the best fortune telling you’ll ever experience.

Who will lead the free world?

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Hillary Clinton vs. Donald Trump (CREDIT: DonkeyHotey via Flickr)

Hillary Clinton vs. Donald Trump (CREDIT: DonkeyHotey via Flickr)

Ever since the Cold War, people have described the President of the United States of America as the ‘leader of the Free World.’

It’s quite an awesome title to print on your business card.

And unless you’ve been blissfully enjoying a prolonged media blackout, you would know that this position has become vacant, and the successful candidate will learn of their fate this week.

Both candidates are somewhat controversial, to say the very least, and this has led some people to frustration and despair.

Yet, the good news is that no matter who wins the election, God continues to be the ultimate ruler of the free world.

In the Bible in the book of Daniel, God’s people were ruled by kings that were far from desirable.

They had sought to smash down the faith of God’s people by dragging them to Babylon.

Yet, even as these rulers ruled, God ruled over those rulers.

He brought them through much personal strife, and for some, it led them to recognise that the Lord is the ultimate ruler of all.

So much so that King Nebuchadnezzar could say this of God that, “his dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation.” (Daniel 4:34)

Yet, as this same King realised the hard way, God is able to make his rule clear to those who have positions of power in the world:

Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble. (Daniel 4:37)

No matter who wins this week, we must remember that God is still on his throne.

And given the choice that faces the citizens of the United States of America, this is a great relief.