2 Corinthians 5:17

FINDING THE BEST CHRISTMAS GIFT

(December 12, 2023) Richard Winter challenges…

It’s the Christmas season… many stores are playing carols, advertising specials, sales increasing through the selling of Christmas gifts or seasonal tucker.

Churches are preparing, or have already prepared, expected Christmastime presentations centring on God’s greatest gift – the birth of His Son Jesus who would redeem the world from sin freeing people from guilt and eternal punishment when they genuinely repent and accept Christ as Saviour… and freedom from Satan’s clutches.

Our attention will be on that special day regarded as when Jesus came into the world – but let me remind about some other interesting, important happenings linked with God’s great gift…

  • Jesus and His parents participated in three traditional Jewish ceremonies –

(i) Circumcision
Every new-born Jewish male was circumcised: So scared a rite that the day was controlled… eight days after birth and on this day the name was officially given.

When pregnancies are confirmed we usually choose birth names. Sometimes it’s not until enroute to the hospital on the day of birth. Or in the hospital after the birth… but Mary the chosen young virgin was given Jesus’ name by the angel Gabriel way before she conceived!

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THE CROSS: CENTREPIECE OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST

(April 03, 2023) Richard Winter highlights the deeper meaning of Calvary’s cross…

Anyone who has ever attended a wedding should be familiar with centrepieces. They tend to be the focus or centre of attention… it is the central or most important feature. The centrepiece of the wedding is the bride; the centrepiece of the reception is the couple.

In other arenas of life we can see that the centrepiece of –

  • Philosophy is the love of wisdom.
  • Science is knowledge
  • History is facts.
  • Most religions is works.

God’s centrepiece
The most important centrepiece of all time is the centrepiece between the Old and New Testaments – the cross of Calvary where our Saviour Jesus hung between two thieves.

That cross is the centrepiece of the gospel. And why? It focuses our attention, especially on Good Friday, on Jesus who alone is our salvation!

In Jesus’ day crosses were seen as death and defeat. But Jesus wasn’t defeated! The blood that spilled from His wounded side –

  • Drowned death,
  • Extinguished the flames of hell, and
  • Completely covered the accusations of our enemy the devil!
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LOOKING BACK… OR AHEAD?

(March 26, 2023) Maureen McQuillan brings great encouragement … 

It’s almost April and in a couple of weeks with joy and thanksgiving we’ll remember all that our Saviour Jesus did for us to assure our salvation.

April 2023 already!
And still the world is one of uncertainty for many! Crime increases, Ukraine is still suffering from Russian attacks, speculation about China’s intentions, covid is still here, scams, hacking, life savings losses, higher interest rates, more earthquakes… and other bad news that we hear about daily!

For many life has had its disappointments: even today some tragedy could befall even a Christian. It’s a time when so many people need encouragement, even a simple but meaningful thank you!

Are you perchance looking back with regrets? Wondering what’s next, or what to do about some issue? Today’s scripture was Hebrews 11:2 and good news – ‘Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.’

Now there’s a different way to spell faith! C-o-n-f-i-d-e-n-c-e! It’s the key to getting through each day, whatever comes along.

Shattered dreams
Currently Robert and I are re-watching that brilliantly produced Foyle’s War series set in England during the terrifying days of WW2. We were only babies quickly becoming children back then, but we can recall the sirens warning of German bombers, of being hurried by our parents to shelters. (Would you believe that my family’s hidey hole was the cupboard under the stairs! Not that that would have protected us!).

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WHAT’S IT WORTH?

(January 07, 2023) Richard Winter challenges…

Many have said to me that all they want to do is get to heaven, that ‘Life is tough and I’ve had enough.’

As a pastor, I want everyone to go to heaven. Indeed every Christian should want this, remembering Jesus’ Matthew 28:18-20 great commission!

Two issues here…
a) Heaven!
All that heaven is and means is a sermon in itself!

When you know  about the incredible place ‘heaven’ is going to be, what our loving heavenly Father has planned for all who believe in Jesus, the alternative is not even a consideration! One can but think, ‘Who would want to go to hell?’

b) ‘Life is tough…’ 
This makes me think… have they had another bad year and merely ‘want out’? If so I understand, because we’ve all bad memories and are believing for a greater year in 2023!

But then I query if those ‘wanting out’ understand that every Christian will be going to the heaven with its perfection and peace – but only in the Father’s timing! Being a Christian doesn’t guarantee us an ‘automatic opt-out of life’! I can’t see that anywhere in scripture and I feel that many such ‘drop-out Christians’ are defining their lack of maturity!

Let me take that further…

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GOD DOESN’T HAVE A ‘TOO HARD WORK BASKET’

(June 17, 2021) Maureen McQuillan brings an encouraging reminder…

What joy we had yesterday afternoon when our darling granddaughter Bonnie-Jane called round with our latest family addition, little great-granddaugther Avaleigh Grace, soon to be three months old. Nice to see our son-in-law, now Grandda Steve, with them but, needless to say, the centre of attention was Avaleigh!

How she’s grown in only a few weeks… and those beautiful big dark-brown eyes taking everything in, as well as grabbing our attention with her warm grins. To our delight, it’s so obvious she’s a very intelligent child.

We joked with Bonnie-Jane… ‘She’ll soon be just like you were, crawling all over the place, into everything, opening cupboard doors and enquiring about this and that, question after question.’

Bonnie-Jane laughed as she too recalled early times. It really was a wonderful time together, especially as we’d been in lockdown for a couple of weeks and hadn’t got out.

After they left l remembered fun days with Bonnie, joyfully recalling many delightful happy memories that Robert and I have. We’ve always had an incredibly close relationship with Bonnie; throughout her childhood she would often spend much time with us and, she recently admitted, still loves to come ‘round the corner’ to us (that’s how far away she, husband Matthew and Avaleigh live).

‘Grandma, God must be pooped!’ memory
Like her keen-eyed little daughter, even when Bonnie-Jane was very young she too would always be quietly observing things. Even while enjoying a Maccas, she wouldn’t rush eating her food like some other kids but sit with us properly digesting her chosen burger, quietly observing both adults and children around her.

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‘GRANDMA, GOD MUST BE POOPED!’

(June 13, 2018) Maureen McQuillan brings an encouraging word…

What a wonderful day last Saturday was!

It was the wedding of our precious granddaughter Bonnie-Jane Phillips to Matthew Hoseini in The Farm Yarra Valley boutique venue in Victoria’s beautiful Warrandyte area and Robert had the privilege of marrying the couple.

Matthew is a handsome young man, very special indeed – and Bonnie looked the perfect happy, beautiful bride!

 

‘Romantic dinner with my husband!’ (Bonnie’s posting later on Facebook)


Happy memories
Some days before I was joyfully recalling many delightful happy memories we have of Bonnie – we’ve always had an incredibly close relationship with her; throughout her childhood she would often spend a lot of time with us and even this year – her 29th – she confessed that she still loves to come visiting us.

I reflected on how even when very young she would always be quietly observing things. Even while enjoying a Maccas she wouldn’t rush eating the food like so many other kids but would sit with us slowly and properly digesting her chosen burger and quietly observe people both adults and children around her. (more…)

UNDERSTANDING ‘THE NEW CREATION’

Jim McClure(January 11, 2017) Dr Jim McClure, esteemed theologian, shares on this great truth…

The apostle Paul mentions the term ‘new creation’ twice.  In 2 Corinthians 5:17 we read, ‘Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!’  And in Galatians 6:15, ‘Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation.’

To help us understand the phrase ‘new creation’, let’s consider a couple of things about God:

  • Only God is the Creator
    In the first chapter of Genesis we see that he created all things – the stars, planets, earth and all that is on it including the sea, rivers, all vegetation and every animal, finishing with his creation of humankind.

Nothing has come into existence apart from him. And nothing can exist unless it has been created by God.

  • God is concerned about making things new

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