Jesus

Family

At the end of Genesis 2 we are told that man and woman were designed to join together to be one, and that although they were naked, they had no shame. There was ultimate intimacy. There was nothing to fear or hold back from one another.

Of course, by the end of Genesis 3 everything has come undone. Husbands would rule over their wives, relationships would be confused through guilt and shame, and we would learn to blame each other, rather than face responsibility for what is ours.

Many years after Genesis, Jesus came. He highlighted the brokenness of family relationships (Matt 10:34-36), and that through him we could have real family (Matt 12:46-50).

1 Timothy 5:1-16 reminds us that through the foundation of Jesus we have family, as it was originally designed to be. We have the opportunity to relate to each other, without the confusion of guilt and shame. Our family does not need to look like an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond!

May we all learn to relate to each other in the shadow of the Cross. May we learn to treat each other as true brothers and sisters, looking to the example of the one who died so that relationships could be restored and renewed.

– Dave

The Mystery of our Faith

Does religion make a difference? Or is it like so many other things in life, like fad diets, wealth schemes, relaxation techniques and personal organisers that fail to deliver what they promise?

Ultimately, a fad diet, or a technique to organise your busy schedule is going to rely on you to see it through. It will only ever be as good as your self control.

If religion comes down to my self control, then it will never deliver. In 1 Timothy 3:16 Paul talks about the great mystery of our holiness—or as some translations say, the secret of our religion. The secret or mystery is Jesus. God in flesh, witnessed by many, believed throughout the world and taken to heaven.

But how does Jesus make a difference? How does he succeed where our self control fails?

There are several answers to this question which respond to different levels of the question. Jesus pays the price for my sin, making me holy. Yet, Jesus does more than that. Through His Spirit I am empowered to have better self control. Yet, even more than that, the reasons behind much of my sin (guilt, shame, insecurity) is also done away with.

May we rest more on the secret of Jesus so we might be Holy!

– Dave

Taking care of business!

Our church mission statement claims that we exist as a church to help all people draw closer to Jesus. This mission statement is important. It reminds us of the importance and centrality of Jesus to the church, and to the world. It reminds us that we are partnering with Jesus in His work. It is a mission that relates to believers and non-believers.

Sometimes we forget our mission. Some times we allow our mission to be side tracked or even hijacked.

Paul asked his young helper, Timothy, to stay in the church in Ephesus and make sure they stayed on task. He was to deal with false teachers who undermined the centrality and person of Jesus. They wanted to major on issues such as myths and genealogies.

Paul reminds Timothy what their mission was, to have a “love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith”. Paul concludes the letter with the words, “O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you… Grace be with you”.

May we be active in each playing our part to help all people draw closer to Jesus. May we go about it with a pure love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith.

– Dave