Balance is so necessary in all of life, even and especially our theology which leads to daily practice. If our witness for Christ is to be effective and fruitful, 2 John 1-13 reminds us that truth and love need to be balanced. If not, the world will never hear what we have to say, nor will they notice the reality of Christ in our lives.
Author: Philip
‘Dealing with the consequences of the king’s sin’ (2 Samuel 12:15-31)
When David sinned in 2 Samuel 11, he set of a chain of events that would prove to be disastrous for his family, including the son born as a result of his alliance with Bathsheba. The text of 2 Samuel 12:15-31 records how the child died, but also how God’s grace was revealed in the midst of the mess that his sin created.
‘Righto’ (Rev Keith Bell, Acts 1:1-11)
The book of Acts is clear. Not only did Jesus leave this earth (as recorded in Acts 1:1-11), before he left He gave some particular instructions to His disciples to carry out. There were to be His witnesses in ‘Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth.’ That was a long time ago, though. Do His words still mean anything for God’s people today?
‘The wonder and depth of the King’s grace to the king’ (2 Samuel 12:1-15a)
One thing that the world constantly fails to understand is the seriousness of sin. It is rarely spoken of as something serious and usually only spoken of as if it were something light and easily cast off. The text of 2 Samuel 12:1-15 indicates that sin is not something that can be laughed at. David’s sin was terrible, but equally so, God’s grace to him was amazing. The more we understand how serious sin is, the more we will appreciate the wonder of the gospel.
‘The tragedy and anatomy of the King’s terrible fall’ (2 Samuel 11:1-27)
History tells us that a multitude of people have fallen into temptation and sinned. Some in small ways. Others in big ways. King David was one of the latter. The story of 2 Samuel 11:1-27 makes it abundantly clear that his fall was tragic and terrible. There are lessons to be learned from it. But thanks be to God, there is also grace for the repentant.
Welcome Wednesdays set to begin!
We are grateful to the Bendigo Weekly for their willingness to follow up our story on Welcome Wednesdays in their paper last Friday (if you missed it, you can see it here on their website).
Since then we’ve had this A-frame redone (see left) thanks to a local signwriter, made some changes to the meeting room interior, purchased some new equipment and have sought to get the message out as much as we can.
Thanks for your prayers for this new venture which begins on Wednesday June 13th.
‘That James & John moment! Eyes on the right prize!’ (Mark 10:32-45)
Contrasts in the Bible abound. When Mary broke her alabaster jar of perfume over the feet of her Saviour, Judas was quick to criticise her actions. When one thief railed against Jesus, the other turned to Him and begged for salvation. When Jesus had his eyes set of his approraching death in Mark 10:32-45, James & John had their minds on other things. But…they will not be alone. Often, our eyes are on the wrong prize.
Quarterly Prayer Gathering June 2nd 10am
It’s good to pray! It’s even better to pray together as a Church family! We try to do this on the first Saturday of each quarter and we have been greatly blessed in doing so. Our next gathering is Saturday June 2nd from 10am in the Upper Room. Join us as we pray for God’s people all around the world, for missions and missionaries, and for those known to us in need. If you are reading this and would like us to pray for you or someone else in need, feel free to drop us a line!
Motor Isaac Yat (Nehemiah 1:1-11)
In Nehemiah 1:1-11, the Scriptures reveal how Nehemiah responded to the news that the walls of Jerusalem had been destroyed and his people were languishing. The news cut him to his very heart and the urgency of the situation drew him to go back to his people. There are many ways in which Nehemiah’s story is a parallel to Motor’s. The need of his people in Sth Sudan, who are now mostly refugees in Ethiopia, continues to be paramount and a challenge waiting to be responded to with the kind of compassion that Nehemiah displayed.
Return visit of Motor Isaac Yat, APWM Missionary in Ethiopia
It’s nearly been 5 years since Motor Isaac Yat visited us at St John’s. During that tuime so much has changed in his homeland of South Sudan. Civil war has torn it apart and continues to make it a very unsafe place to live and minsiter God’s Word. Much has changed and Motor’s service has changed too. He now serves with APWM’s newset partner church, the Presbyterian Church of Ethiopia, working among the 500,000 South Sudanese refugees who have fled across the border into Ethiopia for safety. Motor will be sharing his story and preaching God’s Word this coming Sunday May 27th at 10:30am. Join us and hear what God is doing among His people in a terrible time of crisis.