Church Billboard
At the front of St Mark's building there is a billboard which normally gets changed each month.
People may wonder what the meaning of particular posters are.
Every month we will provide an explanation so there is no confusion.
Can you remember what you got for Christmas last year? How about 5 years ago? How about 2000 years ago?
The magic and excitement of receiving gifts at Christmas has somewhat diminished for me as I’ve gotten older. Like most Australians I am blessed with having everything I need and a lot of what I want. Throughout the year I am my own expert self-gifter. I can search and click, and have exactly what I want delivered to my front door within days. It kind of takes the shine off receiving a gift from someone else who may not really know what I like.
Yet some gifts can not be bought for oneself. Money can’t buy genuine friendship or love. Forgiveness and hope can not be ordered online. Spiritual healing and true peace isn’t a product we can purchase. These things, we all really long for more than anything else, are priceless and unpurchaseable.
The Bible says these precious gifts are on offer to us through Jesus. When Jesus was growing in virgin Mary’s womb over 2000 years ago, he was named by an angel Immanuel meaning “God with us” and Jesus meaning “God saves,” because he is God come to earth to “save his people from their sins” (see Matthew 1:18-24). Jesus is the original, or OG, Christmas gift that offers all who would receive him that which we long for most… unconditional love, genuine forgiveness and the deep spiritual peace of being in right relationship with God. Nothing bought from Myer or Amazon can compare to that!
Have you received the OG Christmas gift? What could be better than the peace, love, and eternal hope Jesus brings us? This Christmas why not unwrap the gift prepared for you over 2000 years ago? Call out to God and receive Jesus.
Prayer
I want peace. I want forgiveness. I want to know I matter to you and have purpose. I receive Jesus as the gifter of these things. Help me to trust and follow him. Amen.
What would you be willing to do or sacrifice if it meant having the cure for death? The shadow of death looms over all our lives - rich or poor, young or old. It is the great inescapable equaliser that cuts across nationality, social status, physical ability, gender, sexuality, and belief.
It is therefore not surprising that the pursuit of everlasting life has been a perennial quest over the millenia. The Times Magazine article Extreme Ways Man Has Tried to Cheat Death (2017) gives the
entertaining highlight reel of 3500 years of immortality seeking including drinking the blood of young men, sleeping next to young women, eating monkey brains, and transplanting animal testicles into men. The quest continues today with longevity research and trends such as drinking alkaline water, intermittent fasting and stem cell injections - not to mention the multi-billion dollar beauty industry with its anti-aging agenda.
There is one ancient tradition that promises eternal life that has endured over the centuries and is practised by over 2 billion people today - faith in Jesus. As that famous Bible verse goes:
“God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
In contrast to all the time, money and effort we put into evading death this seems a simple fix. Trusting in Jesus and his sacrifice is the cure for death we are all seeking.
Of course we will still age and die physically but after this death we are promised resurrection and eternal life. Death, the Bible explains, is the consequence of sin; Jesus Christ and the sacrifice of his sinless life, is the remedy to sin and therefore death.
What an amazing cure! It doesn’t require our effort or sacrifice. We don’t have to drink young men’s blood or diet and exercise our way to immortality, simply trust Jesus. Perhaps it sounds too good to be true. Perhaps it’s a hard pill to swallow for another reason. Giving up on our own efforts, trusting another rather than ourselves, is a humbling experience. Faith, belief, trust, all mean dependence and that is not a popular attitude in our hyper-individualistic, pro-independent society.
But when it comes down to it, who is more trustworthy? Who is more reliable to depend on? Ourselves, with perhaps a few decades of life experience? Or the eternal God who created all things, knows all things, can do all things and loves us beyond understanding? Will you humble yourself to accept Jesus as the cure for death for you? Or will you continue to strive for immortality yourself?
Prayer
Dear God, I accept I can not escape death on my own. I accept the amazing gift of eternal life you offer me through Jesus. May I humble myself before you and depend on you in my life. Amen.
The sound of a father’s footsteps approaching the front door - the same thing can mean different things to different people. For the two year old that sound may be the most exciting noise she’s heard all day. For the teenager who has just crashed the car it may elicit dread. For a child feeling scared and alone it may be the sound of comfort and relief. How we feel and respond to someone’s return depends on our relationship with them.
The Bible declares Jesus Christ will return to earth. Jesus’s return is described as a universal, unavoidable, world altering event like none before. He will return to earth as the king, the judge and the saviour of every nation and people. How each of us will feel at his return depends on our relationship with him.
“Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” Hebrews 9:27-28
Trusting that because of Jesus I am forgiven for my sins and at peace with God means his return is something I look forward to. Jesus’ return is when my salvation will be fully realised, when I will meet my kind king face to face and share in his splendour. It will be a time of happy face emoji.
However, for those who have rejected Jesus, who have denied their wrongdoing and lived life without regard to the heavenly king, Jesus’ return will be a dreadful occasion. It will be a time of giving account of their life to the one who gave it to them and a time of punishment and fear.
Right now we have the chance to get to know Jesus as king, judge and saviour before he returns - to be the toddler excited for dad to come home and not end up before the judge without excuse. Which emoji are you when Jesus returns?
Prayer
Dear Jesus, I believe that one day you will return as almighty king, judge and saviour. Help me now to know you, trust you and look forward to that day confident that I am forgiven and right with you because of your sacrifice. Amen
I’m in deep, deep trouble again. I’ve cried my eyes out; I feel hollow inside. My life leaks away, groan by groan; my years fade out in sighs. My troubles have worn me out, turned my bones to powder. To my enemies I’m a monster; I’m ridiculed by the neighbours. My friends are horrified; they cross the street to avoid me.
These words are a good picture of what it feels like to “hit rock bottom” - exhausted, hopeless, scorned by friend and foe. This desperate self description is actually a paraphrase of Psalm 31: 9-11 and the sorrowful prayer of King David of Ancient Israel (The Message version).
Have you ever felt this way? People or things you have depended on have failed you, your expectations have crumbled, who you thought you were or could be has become a quick sand of doubt. What can you stand on when all life’s props fall away? When you feel you’re free falling fast to nowhere? When you hit rock bottom?
King David called out to his “rock” God. When nothing else came through for him, God was there: “he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.” (Psalm 40:1-2)
The New Testament explains that Jesus is the rock, the firm place to stand on when everything else collapses. When we trust in Jesus and build our life on his promises “though the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea” we will never be left free falling or alone (Psalm 46:2). Do you want the security and significance of having Jesus Christ as your indestructible foundation and refuge?
Have a read of these passages to know more:
• Matthew 7:24-29
• Luke 7:46-49
• Ephesians 2:19-22
• 1 Peter 2:4-8
Prayer
Dear God, I’m in deep, deep trouble. I’ve cried my eyes out. I feel hollow inside. Turn to me and hear my cry. Show me Jesus Christ is a firm place to stand on. May I build my life on his rescue and promises. Amen.