RevWrites- Dec 21

Someone joked last week about it being wedding season at NAC. We have had an unusual number of marriages in the month leading up to Christmas. It is good to be part of a church where so many young people belong and then reach the time to marry. Please remember to pray for those you know as they settle into their new relationship.

BUT, it’s really the season to celebrate the birth of the Christ child.

Last week I wrote about the fact that God is love. Individuals may love. Jesus loves. But no individual person can be described as “love” as only God is love. Because God exists as three persons in one being, the Trinity, only he can in essence be love.

The doctrine of the Trinity is one of the most profound and practical doctrines. It explains our experience of God and his love.

Christmas is all about the incarnation – God becoming a man. It’s about as difficult to understand as the Trinity. But it’s also amazingly practical. So let’s think about some of the practicalities.

First, it reveals that deity and humanity are not incompatible. Both God-ness and humanity can exist in the one being. That is good news for us humans. Although, of course, Jesus was perfect so he can co-exist with God the Son. Unlike us who are sinful.

Jesus is able to die in our place because he is human. The penalty for sin was death of a man. But because Jesus is also God his death can take the penalty for all people. Then, those who trust in Jesus’ death are reckoned perfect by the Father and can be in his presence, like Jesus.

Second, Jesus never stops being a human. When he was resurrected he was a human. When he ascended into heaven he was a human. When he sits at the right hand of the Father interceding for us, he remains a human. So he is able to intercede so effectively because he is human. (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 5:2)

So humans are able to be in eternity, in heaven!

The Trinity and the Incarnation are both important doctrines. Previous generations of Christians (more than 100 years ago) seemed to have less problems than we do in talking about these doctrines, although we are much more educated  people(?). Perhaps it doesn’t have much to do with education?

Perhaps it has more to do with knowing and enjoying these practical doctrines and more readiness in society to interact with ideas. Then again, society today is becoming much more willing to interact with ideas.

So, over Christmas, chat to friends about these two very practical doctrines. You never know where you might end up!

Robyn and I wish you all a very blessed and joyful Christmas and thank you for the joy of your fellowship in the gospel. You are very precious to us. Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

RevWrites - Dec 7

Two very able ministers have resigned recently. Both resigned because their marriages have collapsed. One is alleged to have developed a relationship with another woman. The other’s wife simply left him. I know both of them and admired the way they ministered.

But it makes you think. It made me think about how important prayer is. There are people who pray for me regularly. Some even pray every day for me. I thank God for them because they ask our Heavenly Father to protect me and watch over me. So when I’m tired or stressed or whatever, I don’t make really unhelpful choices that result in disaster.

Our Father is only too keen to answer the prayers of his people. He always desires what is best for us and is always for us and our good. So I am always thankful for those who pray for me. Some of them, I don’t even know about! But that doesn’t matter. It’s not knowing that someone is praying for you or “thinking about you” that makes a difference. (Except it makes you feel good.) It’s asking God to do something that makes a difference.

I’ve told you a couple of times that I’ve been praying for our neighbours. I’ve tried to pray for them several times a day. I’ve prayed specifically for those I know and generally for those I don’t. I’ve asked our Father to soften their hearts to his gospel. I’ve asked him to prepare them for our visits.

On Sunday afternoon, when the 5.00pm congregation went to visit our neighbours for “G’day Sunday,” a couple of members (in their 90s) stayed at the church and prayed for us all.

Even so, when Robyn and I knocked on their doors on Sunday, it was still a little surprising that every one of them received us well, even some who have a long history of antagonism towards our church. I should not have been surprised at all. Our Heavenly Father actually answers our prayers – sometimes by making visiting easier, like on Sunday, and sometimes by using us as his agents who bring the message of judgment.

But it raises the question: Do we expect God to answer our prayers? And what if he does? Are we ready to have many more members of NAC next year? What if just 1% of the community came to church. That’s more than another 100 people. We could fit them in at 9.00, 9.30 and 5.00. But that would leave no more room for growth.

If we pray and expect God to save people, then surely we must plan for the growth! The Parish Leadership is doing this. Please pray that our father will give us wisdom.

Neil

P.S. There are some Sundays when I go home really impressed with what God is doing at NAC. Last Sunday was one. As I mentioned above, we went visiting to say “G’day” with the 5.00pm congregation. The 9.00 congregation had already said “G’day” to their neighbours. A bunch of Young Adults came at 11.00 to say “G’day” to more streets. Then 5.00pm went out to say “G’day.”

Finally, on Sunday night the 6.45 congregation were asked to pledge support for Tania for next year. This congregation understands the value of specialised youth ministry. They pledged $34,000 towards Tania’s costs. I went home really impressed – with both God and his church.

645 Church Appeal (Tania) 09

On Sunday 30th November

We pledged $34,359

$3149 - From Club Reg and Senior High Youth
$31210 - From Young Adults and Older Adults

We expect to have raised $6470 by the end of the week.

We expect $17249 on February 1 2009

There is $10640 of periodic payments being given from Jan 1 2009.

There are 2-3 couple/individuals still to finalize their gift towards this great project.

Praise be to our God who has challenged our hearts to be generous with our stuff.

e