Category: Jesus

Posted on

SHOULD CHRISTIANS OBSERVE THE SABBATH DAY?

christians-sabbath

In the Old Testament the Sabbath Day was a significant part of Jewish religious experience. The idea of setting aside one day as holy to the Lord was a pattern set up in the creation story in Genesis. Observance of the Sabbath Day is then written into the ten commandments found in Exodus.

How should 21st Century Christians relate to the Sabbath Day? Are Christians bound by the Old Testament law? Should Christians observe the Sabbath Day?

In Luke 6:1-11 some Pharisees rebuke Jesus because his disciples have apparently done what is not lawful on the Sabbath. This sermon [player below] considers Jesus’ response to them and what we can learn about the Sabbath.

The sermon finishes with 5 ways that Christians should apply the Sabbath principles to their life:

1) The Sabbath is about the heart
2) The Sabbath is for worship
3) The Sabbath is for our good
4) The Sabbath acknowledges that God is sovereign
5) The Sabbath looks forward to eternal rest

Continue reading “SHOULD CHRISTIANS OBSERVE THE SABBATH DAY?”

Posted on

NEW MORNING MERCIES // BEGIN EACH DAY WITH GLIMPSES OF GOD’S GRACE – #NewMorningMercies @PaulTripp

A new year has begun. Looking for a new Bible reading plan? This epic list might help you to read, remember and pray the word in 2015. My plan? I’ve just begun a new year-long set of devotionals by Paul Tripp.

New Morning Mercies

New Morning Mercies: A Daily Gospel Devotional is a new collection of 365 daily bible readings from Paul Tripp. I’ve loved reading his tweets, hearing his sermons, and reading his books. In each case, he oozes with the gospel of God’s grace shown in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Here’s the blurb from #NewMorningMercies:

Mornings can be tough.

Sometimes, a hearty breakfast and strong cup of coffee just aren’t enough.

Offering far more than a rush of caffeine, best-selling author Paul David Tripp aims to energize Christian readers with the most potent encouragement imaginable: the gospel.

365 devotional readings lead off with a compelling, gospel-centered thought, followed by an extended meditation for the day. Focused less on behavior modification and more on helping people encounter the living God, this resource equips readers with the good news that they need to trust in God’s goodness, rely on his grace, and live for his glory—day in and day out.

Each day has a gospel nugget at the top of the page, devotional reflections from Tripp, and then a Bible passage to read at the end.

Try Before You Buy

I’ve read and journaled for January 1. But I’ve also read ahead to get a feel for the style. It’s excellent! If you’re not ready to buy the book, why not try before you buy.

You can download a month of readings from Paul Tripp’s website (PDF).

You can also download January’s readings for free via Apple iBooks.

Buy It Now!

New Morning Mercies is an excellent way to begin each day with the good news of Jesus… buy it now:

Get it from Amazon (including Kindle for less than $10) | Get it from Koorong | Get it from Book Depository | Get it from Apple iBooks

Are you keen?

During the #BibleStott reading plan, I found great encouragement from others reading at the same time. So let me know in the comments if you’re going to join in, and use the hashtag #NewMorningMercies whenever you share quotes on social media.

Posted on

LOVING AND CARING FOR THE HOMELESS OF MELBOURNE // #MANYROOMS

One of my roles at City on a Hill is Mercy Director. That means I’m seeking to help our church to be people who show comfort, care and compassion to those in need. I oversee the different mercy ministries across our 3 sites: Melbourne, West Melbourne, and Geelong. Many Rooms, our ministry to the homeless of Melbourne, is a significant part of that ministry.

I love what God is doing through the people of City on a Hill in and through this ministry. You can learn more about Many Rooms in the excellent video above.

I wrote an article on our website this week about our Kitchen in North Melbourne and our plans to begin a new kitchen in the CBD in January 2015. Here is an extract:

City on a Hill is a church established 7 years ago in the heart of Melbourne that seeks to Know Jesus and Make Jesus Known. From the beginning our desire has been to serve the city and help care for the most vulnerable.

[…]

In November 2009, Many Rooms opened its doors for the first time with The Kitchen in North Melbourne. Our vision: “as God has loved us in Jesus, so we aim to love and care for the homeless of Melbourne“

In the past 5 years we have seen close to 20,000 meals served. Since starting that first Saturday, we have served lunch every week. And 2 years ago we began serving breakfast every Saturday as well.

What Many Rooms provides is more than just food for those in need, but community in a city where it’s easy to be disconnected and on the margins.

Continue reading “LOVING AND CARING FOR THE HOMELESS OF MELBOURNE // #MANYROOMS”

Posted on

ADVENT: THE DAWNING OF INDESTRUCTIBLE JOY // #ADVENTJOY READINGS WITH @JOHNPIPER

full_advent-the-dawning-of-indestructible-joy

Last year, THIS was excellent. John Piper has put out another excellent book of daily devotions in the lead up to Christmas:

Advent: The Dawning of Indestructible Joy

It’s available as a Free PDF or you can pick up a Kindle version for super-cheap.

I’m planning to share a highlight each day on social media using the hashtag: #AdventJoy

It’s called The Dawning of Indestructible Joy, “because the joy Jesus was bringing into the world was like no other kind in history. Once we have it, it cannot be destroyed. Jesus said, “No one will take your joy from you” (John 16:22).”

It starts on December 1 and goes through to Christmas Day.

Let’s go!

Read my post from last year for a little more context on what Advent is.

Posted on

WHY AM I HERE? #SIXQUESTIONS #SCHOOLIES

why-am-i-here

This is part 1 in the 6 Questions Every 18 Year Old Must Answer series

Katy Perry is one of the most famous people on the planet. In fact, she is the most popular person on the internet with 144 million followers collectively on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram! 

With legions of online fans, she has the world at her fingertips. When she sings, stadiums listen. What she wears, defines fashion. When she performs, Sasha and Malia Obama join in. When she campaigns for a cause, people donate. When she uploads, people download (she has the most digital sales of all time).

Fan or not, you can’t deny her influence.

But fans, fame and fortune don’t keep you immune from troubles. Katy Perry hit rock bottom when her husband, Russell Brand, broke up with her on New Years Eve 2011… via a text message. In an interview, Katy revealed that this heartbreak caused her to ask the deeper questions of life.

It’s often at moments of transition, change or loss that we get reflective. We ask, “What’s the deal with life?”

Continue reading “WHY AM I HERE? #SIXQUESTIONS #SCHOOLIES”

Posted on

6 QUESTIONS EVERY 18 YEAR OLD MUST ANSWER // #SCHOOLIES

Six Questions - Intro

So, you’ve finished school? Well done. It’s a massive achievement to stick at anything for 13 years. This may not have occurred to you at the age of 5 when you began school, but it’s a big achievement nonetheless.

Now what? 

Make or Break

The first few months after you finish school can be a make or break time for your Christian faith.

For some who have grown up in a Christian family, there’s a risk that as they graduate from the church youth program, they’ll keep walking straight out the door and graduate from Jesus too. It’s heart-breaking when that happens.

Conversely, it’s massively encouraging to see young people graduate from high school and make godly decisions to keep following Jesus into adulthood.

Blog Series

This blog series is all about the “now what?” question. Most of your life has probably just happened up until this point. I’m not suggesting you have been totally unreflective in how you’ve lived your life. But, in Australia at least, school is compulsory, so you just roll with it until it’s over.

Now what? For some time now, the trajectory of your life has been moving away from your parents’ authority, as you increasingly taking responsibility for yourself. Now is a great time to stop and ask yourself some honest questions. Here are six questions every school leaver should ask and answer:

1/ Why am I here?
2/ Who are my real friends?
3/ What do I want to do when I grow up?
4/ How can I make a difference?
5/ What will I fight for?
6/ Where can I find happiness?

How you answer these questions will shape how you live your life. The answers to these questions will answer the “now what?” question.

Now What? Jesus.

I’ll be upfront. I believe Jesus should be central to each of these answers. So please follow along if you are a follower of Jesus, or if you’re simply curious to see why Jesus really matters.

—–

Follow the series via this tag or check back to this post. I’ll also tweet and facebook when new articles go live.