(CREDIT: Matthew Keefe via Flickr)

We don’t really appreciate power until we lose it.

Some of us have felt the powerlessness in retirement, where one day we’ve got power over people and processes, and then the next day, this power is given over to someone younger.

Some of us have felt the powerlessness during poor health, where one day we’re running around a field, or carrying bags of groceries, or just tying your shoelaces, and then the next day we’re confined to crutches, or bedrest, or told about the medical condition that will now define our future.

Some of us have experienced powerlessness through abuse, where one day we’re young and free, able to make choices about life and actions, and then the next day your spouse takes away your power to contact friends, or spend money, or make simple choices.

So, we cry out to God to ask him to fix this world that suffers so much from the powerlessness of loss and sickness and abuse, and as we pray, God shows us the very thing that has the power to change everything.

It’s the power that is summed up in the simple phrase, “Jesus is Lord”, and it’s the power that transforms lives in this life, and in the life that is to come.

Romans chapter 1 verse 16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.”

For, as people hear the gospel of Jesus, and believe in him as Lord and Saviour, then hope comes from the power of the gospel to bring true forgiveness and genuine reconciliation.

This side of Heaven we won’t enjoy the full peace that we await, but we will have real hope in the real Jesus as we await his return or our going to be with him.

An AS350BA Squirrel helicopter from 723 Squadron (CREDIT: Royal Australian Navy)

When I was in the Navy I learnt an important lesson: the ‘hurry up and wait’.

It usually occurred when we’d be told without much notice to be in the next place, that’s usually not very close to where you are, in less time then it really takes you to get there. This is called the hurry up.

Typically what would happen once we had arrived is that the hierarchy would then take another 30 minutes to figure out exactly what it was that they wanted us to do. We did plenty of waiting like this.

As Christians, we’re actually in the ‘hurry up and wait’ business, too. 

In the Bible, Jesus tells us to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19), but the Bible also tells us that the ‘time is near’ for Jesus’ return. (Revelation 1:3).

This time could even be today or tomorrow.

I want to challenge you to hurry up. Share your faith in Jesus with friends and family, the ones you’ve wanted to share the good news of Jesus with but haven’t quite gotten around to it.

I want to challenge you because, as the Bible tells us, the time is indeed near.

If you don’t trust Jesus, hurry up and investigate Jesus because without trusting in him there is no hope of the ‘wait’.

This is because Christians wait in hope of Jesus’ glorious return.

Whether he returns today, tomorrow or not until more generations have come and gone, Christians await his glorious return knowing we will finally be at home with Jesus when he comes.

So, what are you waiting for? Hurry up!

Mitch Herps (Moore Theological College student)

“Why don’t you come back to church this week?”

This is the question that we’re planning to ask hundreds of people this week as we connect with our village and valley in a big push to welcome people back into church.

Some people will respond by saying, “I’ve never been to church before… so why should I come this weekend?” This will create the perfect opportunity for us to share that people should come to church to come alive with Christ.

For others, they’ll say that they don’t feel the need to come to church. This should naturally lead to a great chat about how God created every person and longs for us all to know him and come alive with Christ.

Some might also respond to this challenge by saying that they don’t feel they’d fit in to church. This should lead us to talk about the many different kinds of people who are part of our church, from all ages and walks of life.

Finally, they might feel that it wouldn’t be right for them to come to church because of the bad things they’ve done. This will create a wonderful opportunity to talk about the rich message of grace that comes through the death of Jesus on their behalf.

It’s my prayer that over this week we’ll have lots of different opportunities to share the good news that ‘Jesus is Lord’ so that many people will hear his call to repent and believe, and then be saved.

That’s a great reason to come back to church! What about you?

The parliament of our church voted unanimously this week to merge Anglicare and Anglican Retirement Villages (ARV) to better meet the need for their services in the future.

Archbishop Glenn Davies told a special synod called to consider a merger that the landscape of aged care in Australia has dramatically changed.

“The future will see constraints placed on government funding of aged care services and development of the practice of consumer directed care. Users of aged care services will be required to pay more and will be given greater say in the way their services are delivered.” Dr Davies said.

“This is a dramatic shift in social policy by the Commonwealth Government, which has significant ramifications for both organisations. New players are entering the field of aged care services. These are large, international, for-profit organisations who are growing at a rapid rate. Scale will be vital for growth: scale is the new criterion for survival.”

Dr Davies said he was thankful for the strength of both Anglicare and ARV. “Strong financially, strong in reputation and strong in the foundation of their work on the love of Jesus Christ. I am thankful that we are able to look with confidence to the future and are able to plan that future from a position of strength.”

The Archbishop paid tribute to the 4,000 staff who work at Anglicare and ARV and the thousands of volunteers who he said ‘contribute greatly to our mission’. “I am excited about the prospect of one formidable agency working alongside our parishes to share the gospel by word and deed.” the Archbishop said.

Report from sydneyanglicans.net

Jerusalem (CREDIT: Cycling man via Flickr)

It’s remarkable to think that the person who created the entire universe would weep in anguish at the state of his people.

Yet, this is exactly what we saw of Jesus as he entered Jerusalem, as recorded in Luke chapter 19.

Of all the people who should have embraced Jesus as Lord, they instead chose to reject him and kill him.

And as Jesus reflected on this, it led him to weep tears of sadness.

As he cried for Jerusalem, Jesus also spoke of the coming judgement that the city, and in turn, the people would face.

When Jesus finally returns to judge the living and the dead, it will be a time when we will see more weeping as many people’s rejection of Jesus is exposed and punished.

Whilst Christians should long for the day when the universe will acknowledge him as true Lord, we should also long that more people might confess their sins and follow Jesus before that day.

This is one of the reasons we are eager to share the good news of Jesus to our community.

And, it’s why we’re focusing on a whole week of intense mission to our region from the 14th to 22nd May this year, in partnership with two dozen Moore Theological College students.

We pray that as the message of Jesus rings out in the region that people would come to him and accept him as Lord and Saviour.

Please pray with us, and get ready to see God do powerful things as his word goes out to the people of Oak Flats and Jamberoo!