It is said that a man once asked people on the street if they would play ‘Russian roulette’ with a loaded gun for 10 million dollars. Most quickly said ‘yes’, but when offered the gun, all of them declined to participate! The results of this exercise are strange considering that many take huge risks with their lives day after day in so many ways.
But there is another gamble that’s even bigger. It happens whenever people live like God does not exist, or if He does exist, that He doesn’t see or care. This is nothing new of course. About 4,000 years ago, King David wrote, ‘The fool says in his heart, ‘there is no God’’. (Psalm 14:1) This approach to life has many risks. What if there is a God? What if the Bible really is true? What if there really is only one way of salvation through God’s Son Jesus? (John 14:6) What if Jesus really did rise from the dead? (The Bible says He did!) And what if all our eternal destiny hangs upon our response to God’s free offer of salvation through faith in Jesus? (John 3:16).
If these things are true, then life’s biggest gamble is to pay no attention to what God has said! And if at Easter, God has made the biggest statement He could ever make by raising Jesus from the dead, then the stakes are even higher. Are you paying attention? This Easter, there is no risk in finding out the truth about Him. Seek Him. You won’t regret it if you do.
Join us on Good Friday, March 29th, at 9:30am as we remember the Lord Jesus Christ who gave Himself for His people. We’ll be thinking about John 12:20-36 and sharing some morning tea afterwards.
We are pleased to be the hosts of the first ‘On the Road’ Women’s Ministries Victoria conference in 2024. It’s all happening at St John’s on 23 March from 9:30am-3pm (lunch included). The topic is ‘Discipleship’ and it will be led by Mrs Anna Harris (see video below), with workshops as well. Registrations are now open!
Yes, not long to go now before the first month of the year gives way to the second month… and with that, the resumption of our weekly activities and ministries. Like to find out more about something that you note from the pic below? Check out what you can on this website, or, contact us, and we’ll do our best to answer your questions!
Christmas 2023 has come around again with its usual rush of shopping, end of year functions, school speech nights and break ups. Every year Christmas seems to come and go so quickly that many could easily question whether or not the time spent is worth it? Surely there must be some who are thinking that this year they’ll just ‘give it a miss’? I wouldn’t blame them.
Some already know a sense of emptiness when it comes to observing Christmas, which a sad reality of the world we live in. The Bible even asks us this question, ‘Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labour on what does not satisfy?’ (Isaiah 55:2) Why indeed? If all that spending and shopping and scurrying just leaves an empty feeling, then why bother?
Perhaps the cause of the confusion is simply this – in our rush and hurry to observe Christmas, we miss the whole point of it! The ‘reason for the season’ is ‘Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners’ (1Timothy 1:15). Like it or not, Jesus is one huge question we must all answer. No longer a little baby in the manger, he is a returning King to whom we must all give account. He won’t ask how we spent Christmas, but what He will ask what we did with Him as the gift God sent for our salvation (see John 3:16-17).
As a Presbyterian church, and therefore of the Reformed tradition, we’ll be thanking God for the reminder that throughout the history of the church, men of God stood up and spoke up for the Word of God, the truths of the Scriptures, the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We invite you to read this excellent article reprinted here from Ligionier Ministries written by Robert Rothwell. (See https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/what-reformation-day-all-about)
What is Reformation Day all about?
“On October 31, much of the culture will be focused on candy and things that go bump in the night. Protestants, however, have something far more significant to celebrate on October 31. It’s Reformation day, which commemorates what was perhaps the greatest move of God’s Spirit since the days of the Apostles. But what is the significance of Reformation Day, and how should we consider the events it commemorates?
At the time, few would have suspected that the sound of a hammer striking the castle church door in Wittenberg, Germany, would soon be heard around the world and lead ultimately to the greatest transformation of Western society since the apostles first preached the Gospel throughout the Roman empire. Martin Luther’s nailing of his Ninety-Five Theses to the church door on October 31, 1517, provoked a debate that culminated finally in what we now call the Protestant Reformation.
An heir of Bishop Augustine of Hippo, Martin Luther is one of the most significant figures God has raised up since that time. This law student turned Augustinian monk became the center of a great controversy after his theses were copied and distributed throughout Europe. Initially protesting the pope’s attempt to sell salvation, Luther’s study of Scripture soon led him to oppose the church of Rome on issues including the primacy of the Bible over church tradition and the means by which we are found righteous in the sight of God.
This last issue is probably Luther’s most significant contribution to Christian theology. Though preached clearly in the New Testament and found in the writings of many of the church fathers, the medieval bishops and priests had largely forgotten the truth that our own good works can by no means merit God’s favor. Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone, and good works result from our faith, they are not added to it as the grounds for our right standing in the Lord’s eyes (Eph. 2:8-10). Justification, God’s declaration that we are not guilty, forgiven of sin, and righteous in His sight comes because through our faith alone the Father imputes, or reckons to our account, the perfect righteousness of Christ (2 Cor. 5:21).
Martin Luther’s rediscovery of this truth led to a whole host of other church and societal reforms and much of what we take for granted in the West would have likely been impossible had he never graced the scene. Luther’s translation of the Bible into German put the Word of God in the hands of the people, and today Scripture is available in the vernacular language of many countries, enabling lay people to study it with profit. He reformed the Latin mass by putting the liturgy in the common tongue so that non-scholars could hear and understand the preached word of God and worship the Lord with clarity. Luther lifted the unbiblical ban on marriage for the clergy and by his own teaching and example radically transformed the institution itself. He recaptured the biblical view of the priesthood of all believers, showing all people that their work had purpose and dignity because in it they can serve their Creator.
Today, Luther’s legacy lives on in the creeds and confessions of Protestant bodies worldwide. As we consider his importance this Reformation Day, let us equip ourselves to be knowledgeable proclaimers and defenders of biblical truth. May we be eager to preach the gospel of God to the world and thereby spark a new reformation of church and culture.”
Yes, the ‘John Drama’ happened and it was great! If ever you have the opprtunity to see it (even better than that, be involved in it…), grab it with both hands.
John wrote all that he did “so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:31). Our prayer is that all who saw and heard the drama will know this for themselves.
Here’s a pic of the happy cast and director (post-final performance) below!
After 12 months of planning and praying, we’re pleased to announce that the ‘John Drama’ is taking shape!
The ‘John Drama’ is a 90-minute, ‘theatre in the round’ production of the story of Jesus, as told by his close follower, John, as found in the Gospel of John.
Thanks to Wycliffe Bible Translators and Reforming Church, the Drama can be seen at Reforming Church on Saturday October 21 and Sunday October 22 at 7pm both nights. There is no cost involved.
