Category: Jesus

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Viva la Revolution #3 – Take up your Cross

Jesus is the Revolutionary King who suffers and dies in the place of sinners. He did the unexpected. What does it mean to follow Jesus? Doing the unexpected. Jesus says, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Taking up your cross is radical and unexpected.

To take up your cross is to die. Die to self. Die to the world. Taking up your cross in this life involves losing your life here and now, but gaining life for eternity (Mark 8:35). Jesus suffered and it’s normal for his followers to suffer. When you understand the cross of Jesus and the big picture of eternity, you won’t just endure suffering but will rejoice in it!

Wanna “Live the Revolution”??? Then take up your cross.

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Viva la Revolution #2 – Deny yourself

Jesus is the Revolutionary King who suffers and dies in the place of sinners. He did the unexpected. What does it mean to follow Jesus? Doing the unexpected. Jesus says, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Denying yourself is radical and unexpected.

Our culture, teachers and hearts tell us to look out for ‘Numero Uno’, but Jesus says to deny yourself. Part of denying yourself will be denying the pleasures of this world and giving up the world and its desires (Mark 8:36-37). Denying yourself is putting Jesus first. Denying yourself is putting the needs of others ahead of your own. Denying yourself is loving Jesus more than yourself and loving Jesus more than the world.

Wanna “Live the Revolution”??? Then deny yourself.

Pic from here

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Viva la Revolution #1 – King Jesus

Who is Jesus? Is he an Action Figure? Bobble Head? Ninja? When Jesus did a survey asking who people thought he was, some thought he was John the Baptist, others Elijah and others one of the Prophets. Jesus did some incredible things: He taught with authority; healed the sick; fed the hungry; calmed the storm and even brought a dead girl back to life! The question on everyone’s lips throughout Mark 1-8 was: Who is this man?

Peter’s answer: The Christ. What’s a Christ? It’s a King. Jesus is God’s chosen King. What does it mean for Jesus to be the King? Jesus says he must suffer, be rejected, killed and then rise again. Peter wasn’t expecting King Jesus to die. Jesus says he ‘must’ die. (Mark 8)

Jesus is the Revolutionary King who suffers and dies in the place of sinners. Jesus is the Servant King who lays down his life. This is radical. What does it mean to follow such a radical King? Stay tuned…

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Still my Dream Girl

Rowena and I celebrated 5 years of marriage yesterday with a lovely dinner at Ripples, Chowder Bay. I’m not sure if it’s because we’ve been married for 5 years, or because we’re now closer to 30 than 25, but we have started to enjoy listening to VEGA 95.3. If you’re not familiar with VEGA, they define themselves as a station for 40s and 50s!!

Marriage is about Jesus. I pray ours would reflect this reality.

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Jesus Life Culture Design #4

This post comes to you live from Rooty Hill! Had an awesome time with NFC Youth last night – the youth and their parents really got behind the bring a friend night – the numbers doubled… and a number of young guys prayed to become Christian and a whole bunch recommitted their lives to following Jesus!! Matt, Tash and their team are doing an incredible job in reaching Western Sydney teenagers with the goodnews of Jesus. Praise God.

Latest del.icio.us bookmarks. You can subscribe to them via RSS or just keep an eye out on the left sidebar. Here are the latest 10:

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Responding to Child Porn

Big news broke last night with the arrest of 70 people in a child porn bust. I’m glad when things like this happen. I’m not glad that they have committed terrible crimes, but I’m glad when justice seems to be done. I don’t delight in people being busted – Isaiah suggests that not even a perfect and holy God delights in judgement.

I need to be careful that I don’t look down on them as if I’m better than them, but see that but for the grace of God, I’m capable of terrible evil. Praise God that the blood of Jesus can cleanse even the vilest of sinners! At the cross, Jesus becomes sin for us, so that in him we become the righteousness of God. What a great Saviour!

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Self-harm and the Cross

ABC News has reported that Youth self-harm is up 43pc in the last decade: “In the most recent statistical year, more than 7,000 young people were taken to hospital because of self-harm. The two main causes were poisoning and cutting.” (UPDATE: expanded article)

Self-harm isn’t new, even Job was a cutter! How should Christians and Youth Pastors respond to self-harm? I don’t think there’s an easy answer, but I think that the cross of Jesus helps us to think it through.

Mark Driscoll made a great comment on teenage girls and self-harm in a recent sermon on the Cross of Jesus:

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