The sermon for April 16th 2023 is now available on the New Life web site.
In this sermon, which is based on 1 Peter 1:1-9, I talk about the connection of Easter to our salvation.
Click here to listen in your browser, here to download the mp3.
Month: April 2023
Quote for the Day
Indeed, the way Paul understands it, to worship Jesus brings glory to the Father. Since God has exalted him and given him the name kyrios, we must see the worship of Jesus as being in full accord with the will and purposes of God. David Capes
Today’s Bike Ride
The cotton fields are white to harvest. A nice ride along Culgoora Road was terminated a little short because the road was dug up. #cycling #Narrabri
Quote for the Day
In a sense the cross unmasked the wise, the scribe, and the skilled debater and showed them to be what they are (compared to God): foolish and weak. At the same time the word of the cross has turned the world upside down—or should we say right side up—so that the despised, the marginalized, and the castoffs are revealed to be the chosen and truly wise of the new age.
Today’s Bike Ride
A great ride to Haire Drive this morning. A little bit cool and breezy, but that is #Narrabri in autumn. #cycling
Quote for the Day
Paul takes Isaiah’s oracle describing YHWH as the stumbling stone for both houses of Israel and transfers those words to Christ. He apparently has concluded that prophetic statements about Israel’s God can appropriately be used to describe the crucified and risen Messiah. David Capes
Reflection on Matthew 8: 14-22
Scripture
When Jesus touched her hand, the fever left her. Then she got up and prepared a meal for him.
Observation
Jesus goes to Peter’s house, where Peter’s mother-in-law is sick with a fever. Jesus touches her hand, and the fever leaves her. She gets up and prepares a meal for him.
Many people are brought to Jesus. He casts out all the evil spirits and heals all the sick.
A teacher of the law promises to follow Jesus wherever he goes. Another person wants to follow Jesus, but must bury his father first. Jesus tells him to let the dead bury their own dead, and to follow him now.
Application
A touch from the Lord is all it takes to be healed by Jesus. It is amazing how little it takes for Jesus to heal a person.
I struggle with this because I see so little evidence of the same quality of healing.
Matthew tells us that Jesus cast out demons with a simple command and healed all the sick people.
We need to learn a simple faith that takes God at His word. If Jesus has truly passed on his authority to us, His disciples, then surely we have the same authority to heal as He had.
It is time to touch the hands those who have a fever and command healing in the name of Jesus/
Prayer
Thank you Lord for your power power to heal. Help me to trust you and to know that you are sill in the healing ministry. Amen.
MapMyRide chucked a wobbly this morning so I had to make up my own numbers 😀 A nice ride to Jacks Creek and Gun Club Roads 🚲👍 #cycling #Narrabri
Quote for the Day
Earthly wisdom is devilish and hurtful and nothing compared to God’s. God will turn their wisdom on its head and use their cunning against them. David Capes
A New Heart
A few weeks ago, I glanced at my smart watch to discover it was showing my resting heart rate as 48 beats per minute. I went online and discovered that for my age, this low heart rate is associated with elite athletes!
As a young person, athleticism was not what you associated with me, and even now I would rather read a book than play touch football. But still, thousands of kilometres of bike riding over the last few years must have persuaded my heart that it needs to get in shape.
The human heart is a marvellous organ that faithfully pumps blood around the body without a pause every second of our lives. It automatically adjusts to the amount of work or exercise that we are doing, sending oxygen and food to every cell of our body.
The physical heart is so critical to human living that we use it as a metaphor for our deeply held values and beliefs. While, for most people, the physical heart is a reliable and trustworthy organ, the spiritual heart is quite the opposite.
People often say “Follow your heart”, but the Bible warns us that “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick.” No doubt Adolf Hitler followed his heart, with disastrous results for millions of people and for the whole world.
We are born into a world that is corrupted, and we quickly learn to live by that standard. Not even the most “saintly” or “righteous” of people are truly perfect. We all have our moments, days or years where we are not the people we would like to be.
Christians speak of being “born again”, which basically means allowing God to give us a new heart that is untouched by sin. To be born again means to recognise that I am a sinner, that I have offended God and I need forgiveness. From that place, I can ask God to cleanse my spirit and rule my life.
If you need a new heart, or a new start with God, say that sorry prayer to God right now. Reach out to a church, and ask them to help you start in this journey of faith.
New Life Narrabri 