G'Day all!
I hope you managed to escape any serious concerns over the weekend?! I was encouraged to hear some stories of people in our church and beyond able to look out for others! If you need help, please REPLY now and let us know what your needs are.
In particularly tumultuous times, it's great to come back to the basics of our faith as individuals, families and as a church.
Jesus, the one we love and follow, gave us some pretty clear big-picture guidance when he physically departed this earth. We Christians call this, The Great Commission.
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
- Matthew 28:19-20
There's three main directives as we follow his call to go into all the world:
- Make disciples.
- Baptise these disciples.
- Teach them to obey all of Jesus' commands.
Every church I've ever been a part of is trying to (1) "make disciples". Every one of these churches (2) baptises people. However, few that I've been a part of have highlighted the importance of (3) teaching these disciples to obey Jesus' commands!
Some years ago a friend led me to reflect upon Jesus' words, "if you love me you'll obey my commands". I realised that there was something deeply missing in my faith. It wasn't that I didn't love God. It wasn't that I didn't want to obey him. I just hadn't been earnest enough to figure out, what were Jesus' commands that I was to lovingly obey?
Utlimately, I came to realise that loving obedience was about maximising the relational life God was inviting me into! In short, I was missing out!
This is the reason why we are, indefinitely, focusing our Sunday gatherings on simply teaching through the commands of Jesus. The goal is not to 'tick boxes' or simply memorise a list "commands".
Rather, the goal is two-fold. Firstly, that we each learn to lovingly obey Jesus in every area of our life. Secondly, that we follow Jesus in such a way that we can share the whole-of-life, "Fully Alive" message with those around us!
This is the simple 'strategy' Jesus laid out for making disciples who are capable of making other disciples.
This is also the reason why each week it's simple, rather short and entirely focused on Jesus. Not because there aren't other transformative messages in the Bible, but because in teaching Jesus' commands we're not just familiarising ourselves with Jesus and his gospel message, but faithfully responding to the task he laid out to "teach each other to obey all that I commanded you".
As I've studied and taught Jesus' commands I've noticed that every one of them teaches us something powerful about both ourselves and himself.
For example, when we engage his teaching to, "Love your enemies", we firstly learn about ourselves. We learn that we don't actually love our enemies like Jesus taught us to. This means we are imperfect sinners, and need God's grace. Secondly, we learn something about Jesus. He does actually love his enemies. Unlike us, he is sinless and perfect. Thirdly, we realise that it's his perfect love that enables him to love all people - including us!
I want to encourage you to take on board the teachings of Jesus each Sunday. While you won't have a transformational moment every week (no one can keep up with that!), I'm encouraging you to be listening for where Jesus is prompting you to submit to him in new ways. Furthermore, I want to encourage every one of us to model our lives around Jesus in such a way that we are prepared to share Jesus with those God brings across our path! As this continues to happen we can be encouraged that we are living out Jesus' plan for his church.
I believe that as we encounter Jesus each Sunday we will discover newfound joy and learn what it truly means to be "Fully Alive" in him.
Cheers, God Bless and see you Sunday!
BONUS: Keen to make disciples?
Last week I received this email from Exponential. The author, Tim O'Neill, is highly connected with people in Australia and beyond who are effectively making disciples. This article highlights 10 shifts for churches to become effective in leading people to love and follow Jesus.
Tina Silk
Coming Up
March
Sun 16 Mar - Beach Gathering at Moffats - Baptism anyone? Sun 23 Mar - Beach Gathering at Moffats Sun 30 Mar - Beach Gathering at Moffats
Our Mission
To help people find and follow Jesus.
Our Rhythms
Get to Know Jesus: how are you getting to know Jesus this week?
Invite people into your life: who can you intentionally open up your life to?
Gather and get involved: who can you connect, listen, share or pray with this weekend?
Our Giving
We are slowly being led to needs for our giving kitty! Please take time to ask God if there is someone in need around you whom God wants you/us to help!
Last month's giving: $10,217
Last month's expenses: $12,340
Balance: $77,510
Giving Kitty Oct 23- Feb 25: $5,000
Giving out Oct 23-Feb 25: $9,886
"Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed." - Proverbs 19:17
If you would like to support what we are doing and our giving to those in need, you can get started giving to Open Road to meet the needs of our church or get in touch with any questions you may have.
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