The story is told that there was once a son of a wealthy family who was about to graduate from high school. It was the custom in this affluent neighbourhood for the parents to give their graduating children a car, but in this instance – the father – on the eve of the boy’s graduation – handed his son a gift wrapped Bible. The boy was so angry that he threw the Bible down and stormed out of the house and vowed never to speak to his father again. Not long after, the news of his father’s death brought the boy home again. As he sat one night going through his father’s possessions that he was to inherit, he came across the Bible his father had given him. He brushed away the dust and opened it to find a cheque, dated the day of his graduation – for the exact amount of the car he had told his father he would have loved to own.

That story perhaps highlights how many people treat God. The world constantly bombards us with the thought that, ‘if it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t.’ So the result is that many are suspicious of anyone who promises anything. We view them and their words with the thought ‘what and where’s the catch?’ The good news of Easter Sunday is that Jesus is alive! And there is no catch! When they went to His tomb – they found nothing. Never has there been a more important discovery of nothing!

The story is also told that an eight year old downs syndrome Sunday school boy was given, with the rest of his class, a special project to complete for Easter. The teacher gave each child a plastic “egg” (the kind that pantyhose used to come in) and explained that they were to find a symbol for new life and put it into the egg. A couple of weeks later, the eggs were opened and in the first was a pretty flower; in the next a butterfly, while green grass was in a third. In another was a rock, which prompted laughter, then finally the last egg was opened with nothing inside. “That’s stupid,” said one child, ‘someone didn’t do it right!’ The teacher felt a tug on his shirt. It was the downs syndrome boy, who whispered, “That’s mine, and I did do right! It’s empty, ‘cause the tomb was empty.” (He was right – see Luke 24:3)

The good news of Easter is too good to simply let pass by – because if the tomb of Jesus was empty and if He is alive as He said He would be, then the only ‘catch’ will apply to those who will not come in faith and bow the knee to Him.

Join us on Easter Sunday at 10:30am!

When the rescue of miners Brant Webb and Todd Russell was unfolding in Beaconsfield, Tasmania, back in May 2006, the whole world held their breath! After having been given up for dead because of the thick rock that kept the men from freedom, in the course of time, they were rescued from their captivity and the watching world sighed with relief! Throughout the whole ordeal and after, tribute was rightly paid to the rescuers who toiled tirelessly to reach the men in extreme circumstances and at great risk to themselves.

The mine rescue story reminds us of another rescue story, an even better one. The Bible tells us that ‘all men have sinned’ (Romans 3:23) and that because of this we are unable to save ourselves. All of us are ‘trapped’ in the cage of our own sinful natures and all are in need of a Rescuer. Jesus Christ is that Rescuer. At great cost to Himself and to rescue His people, He died upon a cross and was buried. Then to prove that His work was sufficient and accepted by God, and that He was and is the Son of God, He was raised from the grave after three days.

We all need to be rescued. At Easter we are reminded that only Jesus Christ can do this completely. Through faith in Him, all who believe are granted full and free salvation. He said, ‘If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed’. (John 8:36). Seek Him. Great joy will follow your rescue too.

Join us this Easter! Good Friday 9:30am, Easter Sunday 10:30am. All welcome!

Reading God’s Word out loud is a very important aspect of our worship. Why? Because whenever His Word is read, He speaks to us! It’s for this reason (and some others) that we want to do the public reading of God’s Word to the best that we can. After our 4th Sunday lunch on March 22nd, we’re aiming to do some training in this very area, so that we can all, literally, be ‘on the same page’.