John 14:16-17

5 FIRST LESSONS FOR JESUS FOLLOWERS

(November 24, 2024) Dr Richard Winter challenges…

Imagine walking by the sea of Galilee and witnessing the following…

Jesus meets some fishermen and says, ‘Leave your nets, guys, and follow me.’ Then He gathers them with ten others to talk about something He’s going to start called ‘church’ and you overhear the first meeting—

First Disciples’ Meeting?
‘Meeting to order, please!’ Jesus declares adding, ‘I’ve called you gentlemen here today to assist me launch a new  enterprise. Of course, you must realise how difficult it is to get a new commodity on the market. Competition in our field is rather stiff these days and it’s going to take the best of our resources if we’re to be successful.’

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IT WAS HIS LIFE FOR YOUR LIFE!

(March 19, 2024) Wayne Swift calls it as it is, challenging us to reflect on a great truth…

Good Friday next week!

The day Christians remember the life of a great man who lived some two thousand years ago, and recalling His deeds and with affection and gratitude we extend Him our appreciation for the gracious way He gave up His life for us!

But… what was the background here? Let me share a eulogy to this great individual…

1. Beginning
Two young people, Mary and Joseph, were betrothed to be married – Joseph, an honourable man and his fiancée Mary, a young virgin with an outstanding reputation. Out-of-the-blue Mary claimed to have had a dream about falling pregnant to God Himself (Luke 1:35). Joseph must have thought she’d lost the plot! But then an angel appeared to him confirming Mary’ story (Matthew 1:20).

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OUR FATHER’S BUSINESS? IT’S THE BIGGEST!

August 20, 2023… some remembered thoughts of the late George Forbes, missionary spokesperson, that remind us to be about our Father’s business.

Jesus, the Saviour of the  world – a dark world now –  declared in Matthew 24:14, ‘And this gospel of the kingdom shall be proclaimed in all the world as a witness to all nations. And then the end shall come.’

‘The end’ is ultimate! But between now and the end with God’s enabling the gospel of Christ must be proclaimed in the entire world as a witness to all nations. Then and only then, will the glorious end come.

Then and only then will…

  • Christ appear in the clouds.
  • The dead in Christ rise!
  • We (who are still living) be caught up with them and together we will all meet our Saviour Jesus in the air to be with Him forever!

Meanwhile…
We must be about our Father’s business! With His guidance, enabling and power, there is much work to do that must be done!

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PENTECOST SUNDAY REFLECTIONS

(May 22, 2023) Dr Robert McQuillan recalls Pentecostal memories…

May 28 is Pentecost Sunday when it’s expected Pentecostal and charismatic churches will celebrate that Acts 2 occasion when the Holy Spirit fell powerfully on those first Christians.

Pentecost (pentēkostē – fifty) is the Jewish holiday festival of Shavu`ot.Originally firstfruits of the wheat harvest were presented to God 50 days after the Feast of Unleavened Bread (See Leviticus 23:16-17), celebrating the expectation of a great agricultural season ahead. Its theme became one of revelation – of God Himself, His power and His Torah (teaching, direction, guidance, law).

Reverberating
Traditionally where Jesus followers gathered in Jerusalem has been known as ‘the upper room.’ Acts 2:1 calls it a ‘place’, but interestingly this word is a reflexive pronoun linked with ‘a baffling wind.’ Little did those faithful believers image the roaring wind ahead!

That windstorm (NLT) blew through on that first Pentecost Sunday! Acts 2:2CJB records the ‘place’ as a home – ‘Suddenly there came a sound from the sky like the roar of a violent wind, and it filled the whole house…’ 

Act 2:3-4 records, ‘They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues…’ They were a changed, charged and challenged people!

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