Empower Christian Church

Selah

4:23 pm - May 5, 2013 Posted by Paul Gallagher 0 Comments

The essence of Christian living

Pastor Nicholas Tsakis shared with us on Sunday 28 April 2013 during
our morning service. Here, below, is a summary of that message.

Christian living is so important to us today. How do we live out our
Christian life nowadays, holding to our convictions without being
judgmental?

‘Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present
your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is
your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this
world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you
may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable
and perfect.’ (Romans 12:1, 2 NASB)

The use of the word ‘therefore’ is critical. It tells us there was
something first before moving forward. We also read that it is in the
light of God’s mercy.

Read also what these verse look like in The Message version: ‘So
here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday,
ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around
life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does
for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so
well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even
thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from
the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly
respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down
to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops
well-formed maturity in you.’ (Romans 12:1, 2 MSG)

Embracing what God does for you is the best thing we can do. Take the
completeness of your life and offer Him glory for it. Paul wants us to
take everything you know from before these verses and make it action.

We learn from this that we should not become so well adjusted to the
world’s culture that we fit so easily into it.

Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down its level of
immaturity, God lifts us to a level of maturity in Him.

The world is giving us a lot of information. It is the enemy’s plan to
dull us to the plans and purposes of God. He will try to prevent us
from reading the Word of God. That makes us sharp and renewed. It
stops us from being dragged into the suction of the world.

We are not in the Dark Ages, and don’t be told that. The Word of God
transforms lives.

‘But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by
which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not
in oldness of the letter.’ (Romans 7:6 NASB) ‘For the death that He
died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He
lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive
to God in Christ Jesus.’ (Romans 6:10, 11 NASB) That is Christian
living!

We deserved punishment, but because of Jesus and His mercy, we are
righteous where He is.

Read the book of Romans this week. You will see how we are freed from
the power of sin, and yet we always need Christ’s forgiveness.

We try to solve human issues with human concepts. You cannot do it.
Let us love as God loves because He sent His Son so people could be
forgiven.

You are freed from the power of sin.

We have the Holy Spirit living in us.

You just cannot live a Christian life without the Holy Spirit living
inside of you. Do not conform to the pattern of the world any more.
The world wants you to accept this pattern so it can accept you. But
we know faith in Him pleases God.

You are the head and not the tail. It is not our job to convince people.

‘For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.
The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in
fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your
adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit
himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if
we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with
Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also
share in his glory.’ (Romans 8:14-17 NIV)

Do not fear.

Be aware that the mind is the battleground. There was a former life,
and now a new life. Christ has renewed our lives now, and renewed our
minds.

You don’t need all the answers but you need to have an experience with
Almighty God. People cannot dispute the experience we have with God.

The world just wants you to fit in.

We are equipped by reading the Word of God.

If you read the Word of God daily, He will be true to His Word. You
will hear from God and receive His strength.

‘For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any
double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit,
joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is
uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give
account.’ (Hebrews 4:12, 13 NIV)

Understanding the power of God and His Word takes pressure of us.

The essence of successful Christian living is the renewing of the
mind. Put into practice God’s will in your life, for every situation
you face.

Obedience may not feel natural if your mind is not in the realm of the
Spirit. When you are in the realm of the Spirit, obedience becomes
natural and spontaneous. It enables you to respond quickly from the
Word. You can be in the Word at work, in the toilet, in the shower.
When faced with a challenge anywhere, you have the Word of God to
meditate on.

Remember, again, what we read earlier from The Message: ‘So here’s
what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary
life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and
place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is
the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to
your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix
your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily
recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike
the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of
immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed
maturity in you.’ (Romans 12:1, 2 MSG)

* Scriptures quoted in these notes are from the New Living Translation
(NLT), Amplified (AMP), New International Version (NIV), New American
Standard Bible (NASB), The Message (MSG), and/or the New King James
Version (NKJV) as shown.

11:18 am - April 28, 2013 Posted by Paul Gallagher 0 Comments

Let faith arise

Elizabeth Martin shared with us on Sunday 21 April 2013 during our
morning service. Here, below, is a summary of that message.

‘A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and had endured
much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had
and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse- after hearing
about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Him and touched His
cloak. For she thought, “If I just touch His garments, I will get
well.” Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in
her body that she was healed of her affliction. Immediately Jesus,
perceiving in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone
forth, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My garments?”
And His disciples said to Him, “You see the crowd pressing in on You,
and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” And He looked around to see the woman
who had done this. But the woman fearing and trembling, aware of what
had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the
whole truth. And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you
well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction.”’ (Mark 5:25-34
NASB)

As Pastor Nicholas shared last week, our foundations are in Him.
Declare God’s faith in your life.

We need to let faith arise. They are words we often say. Let us get
our minds out of carnal thinking but into a place of faith. We need to
be transformed by the renewing of our mind and back to the place of
faith in our mind.

Remember, also, how we have been hearing recently about how anointing
breaks the yoke. There is such power in the name of Jesus – all of
Heaven is brought behind us, in the name of Jesus. That is more
powerful than all powers in earth.

God can use dry bones and turn it into a miracle.

We need to get back to that place of faith. We need to be, as a
church, that light on the hill that shines. People would then see our
congregations as a place where the presence of Jesus is.

Faith is pivotal, not a buzz word.

That scripture passage above shows how the woman’s faith had preceded
the flow of healing. Faith came first. Faith unlocks the anointing,
and anointing breaks the yoke. If you want to see breakthrough in our
lies, our families, our workplaces, then have faith.

Anointing requires a stepping out in faith. And we are anointing
carriers because of Christ.

You will see change, back in that place of faith.

The woman had actually gotten worse, which would have meant even more
reason for no change. But she still had faith.

It is not by might, nor power, but by faith.

The woman was actually facing a crowd, and there were many touching
Jesus as they converged. Yet He noticed this woman because of her
faith.

Importantly, it is not just faith for faith’s sake. It is the One we
have faith in. Faith fixes and directs our eyes to Him.

1) Faith causes you to hunger for the touch of Jesus. This woman was
so keen to just be near Him. She went to bed with this issue, also
what she woke up with. She had endured so much. She knew about
brokenness and being an outcast. The woman was unclean and could have
made Him clean. But Jesus flipped society’s expectations by saying she
was clean.What do you live with? What do you need change in? Let us be
desperate for the touch of Jesus. Be thirsty and hungry for Him. Let
our hearts beat for you, Jesus. (See also Hebrews 11:6 and 2
Corinthians 5:7.)

2) Faith fastens you to Jesus. From verse 27, she literally fastened
her hand to Jesus. She was committed to Jesus. She took a firm grasp,
fastening herself to Jesus. See Zechariah – ‘Thus says the Lord of
hosts, ‘In those days ten men from all the nations will grasp the
garment of a Jew, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that
God is with you.”‘”’ (Zechariah 8:23 NASB) The word here also means to
‘fasten’ and ran a hold of. Let us do that too. Grab hold of Jesus.
Fasten yourself to Him and you will receive His healing.

3) Faith in Jesus brings redemption. Jesus said to the woman that her
faith made her well. He even called her ‘daughter’. Think how lonely
she must have felt, being unclean socially. Her family would not have
been able to connect with her. She needed a home and He said
‘daughter’. He wanted to give her a home. Being ‘well’ literally being
redeemed.

God is saying, this morning – Daughter, Son, I have a home for you in
Me. He can bring redemption, healing, comfort, and more.

God will exceed your expectations.

He will save.

Let us get back to that place of faith and let faith arise.

11:12 am - April 21, 2013 Posted by Paul Gallagher 0 Comments

The immutability of God

Pastor Nicholas Tsakis shared with us on Saturday 13 April 2013 during
our evening service. Here, below, is a summary of that message, kindly
provided by Denae.

In the midst of challenges, uncertainty, things unplanned, embarking
on miracles… While waiting, things may change BUT our God doesn’t
change!

People can change, for the better. We can recognize growth and
adaptability. We must always change to become more like Christ but God
cannot change – the same yesterday, today and forever, the beginning
and the end.

Therefore, whatever He speaks into being or declare cannot be changed.
The word of God is irrevocable. He keeps his promises!

Psalms 12:6 – And the words of The Lord are flawless

Psalms 19:89 – Your word, O Lord is eternal and stands form in the heavens.

It doesn’t change – God spoke them exactly as they should be. We can
feel disappointed when things don’t happen in our timing, but if God
said it, it’s irrevocable!

Prov 30:5 – every word of God is flawless. People take shield in Him!

He reassures you and will fullfil them! Come back to the word of God,
feed and be encouraged by Him!

Romans 11:29 for God’s gifts and call is irrevocable!

Have confidence that God will do what He said He will do. Once you’ve
been called and touched, it’s irrevocable – over His people and His
church! Even in the midst of challenges.

Once God speak his will, it cannot change! We trust God and love
people! That’s why we worship in spirit and in truth.

Joshua 1:1-
This time is when Moses had died an Joshua becomes his successor -
around 1405 BC. Joshua is about 80 years old, already spent 40 years
in the wilderness. It’s about the call and promise God gave to Abraham
and his descendants about 2000 yearsBC. Even Joshua, who was militant
in his outworking, still needed to be reassured.

I will give you every place where you set your foot. No one will be
able to stand against you all the days of your life. I will never
leave you not forsake you.

God spoke through Abraham years ago, Moses had died, but the spirit of
God had not! Joshua had to align himself with that promise.

Joshua wasn’t a young man, 80yo and wandering for 40years already, but
he waited for God and never forgot the promise! It’s coming…

God speaks his words, and there is a prophetic process to follow.
David was an anointed king 25 years before he was crowned king!
Prophetic process. God is the most stable God we could have in our
lives.

God knew Joshua was about to face challenges. It’s those challenges
that actually build our lives into the area that will help us all that
we can be in the will of God. It didn’t change the call or the gift
though.

Moses is dead and it was sad, BUT my purposes remain! Joshua knew God
was taking them across the Jordan to Canaan. God was saying I have
anointed you for this task, but Joshua still needed reassurance!

Eph 6 – be strong in The Lord and in His mighty power.

God encouraged, go forward in faith and I will give you every place
you set your foot (promise), no one will stand against you (promise),
I will never leave you (promise)…

Joshua was the leader who would take God’s children into the promised
land, but what do you need assurance for?

Rest in His promises and go forward!

Someone’s we need to shift from what we know so God can do what He
needs to do, so we can do what He has called us to do!

It wasn’t his strength, his ability, or anything to do with him that
moved him forward. It’s God’s promises! It was His intention to
fullfil the Word of God!

We no longer have to stay in the wilderness because Jesus came to give
life and life abundantly. Obey the word of God and you will be
prosperous and successful! Faithful with the few and HE will cause it
to increase! No matter how long, some are just around the corner from
the miracle. God is Unchanging an Unaltering. The Lord doesn’t change
his mind!

God will never let you down! Don’t let that thinking get in your
head! People will falter, not God!

Numbers 23:19 God is not a man that He should lie nor a son of man
that he should change his mind -God is Unchanging, He will do it! Does
He promise and not fulfill? He has blessed it and I cannot change it!

God cannot change his mind about you! For God so loved the world, that
He gave, so no one should perish but have everlasting life!

If it were based on a nything else, we would stuff it up, because at
times our behaviour stinks!

Have I not commanded you? Rhetorical question that emphasizes the
speaker. God gave the full authority!

Be strong and courageous. Have I not commanded you? Do not be
terrified or discouraged, for wherever you go!

God is encouraging us to remember this, He isn’t a man that He should
lie. He won’t change His mind about you, or the future you have for
His church! Unchanging! When God speaks, God fulfills it! The
promises are yes and amen!

God is unchanging! His promises stick, they will never change! The
uniqueness of our God!

12:40 am - April 21, 2013 Posted by Paul Gallagher 0 Comments

He’s talking to YOU

9:27 pm - April 20, 2013 Posted by Paul Gallagher 0 Comments

Do you hear the call?

Pastor Nicholas Tsakis shared with us on Sunday 14 April 2013 during
our morning service. Here, below, is a summary of that message.

God is unchanging, or changeless.

Think for a moment how our weapons are not carnal. And yet we behave
in carnality. We should never live, as Christians, in carnality. If
you do that, there is no separation. We are not talking about elitism,
neither is this abut religiosity or legalism.

‘No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which
rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage
of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says
the Lord.’ (Isaiah 54:17 NKJV)

God’s mind does not change. We change but He does not. Society does
change but He does not. Vocabulary changes, but He does not.

Your God, once He speaks, says words full or promise, majesty and
breakthrough. ‘For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but
mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.’ (II Corinthians 10:4
NKJV)

Are you thirsty, as Isaiah 55 details. If you are thirsty, drink the
good stuff that will rejuvenate you. You and I are the salt and light
of the earth.

Don’t compare too, because that is carnal.

‘“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have
no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and
without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on
what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and
you will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me;
listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with
you, my faithful love promised to David.’ (Isaiah 55:1-3 NIV)

We have a covenant with Jesus and with one another. We should stand up
and be counted, because Jesus will have His way.

We are tired of comment and opinion, and should be unfair to share our
faith. We are anointed and wise because of God, and no one can remove
the experience we have in Jesus Christ.

‘See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a ruler and commander
of the peoples. Surely you will summon nations you know not, and
nations you do not know will come running to you, because of the Lord
your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with
splendor.” Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he
is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their
thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon. “For my thoughts are not
your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As
the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your
ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’ (Isaiah 55:4-9 NIV)

Today, do not limit yourself by your own thoughts and your own ways.
Hear the call. Stop thinking in carnality. Our foundations are
anchored in Him, the Author and Perfecter of our faith.

You should declare God’s faith, and our covenant relationship with
Him, everyday.

Get your mind out of that place. Get back to that place of faith, or
worship, of promise.

God’s Word is unaltering and unchanging.

Stop waiting for the next prophetic word. He speaks to you all the
time with a Word for your life. You must have the foundation right
first before a miracle occurs. Jesus brings the miracle, not what some
other church or ministry is doing.

Don’t come to church just because of good worship. Don’t just come for
good preaching. The most important thing is Jesus. So whatever you do,
treat His Kingdom with your thoughts.

11:16 am - April 14, 2013 Posted by Paul Gallagher 0 Comments

The enemy is pathetic… But our God is strong!

Pastors Nicholas Tsakis and Simone Womersley shared with us on Sunday
7 April 2013 during our morning service. Here, below, is a summary of
those messages.

Pastor Simone began by reminding us how Easter involves considering
what happened next after the Resurrection.

Behind the scenes, there was a raging battle going on at the time of
the first Easter. We had a performance from our children here last
week, displaying a very grown-up portrayal of Jesus.

Let’s read from Isaiah Babylon: ‘How you have fallen from heaven,
morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth,
you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, “I will
ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights
of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will
make myself like the Most High.”’ (Isaiah 14:12-14 NIV)

We have seen in history incredible changes. The Berlin Wall came down.
Communism crumbled in the Soviet Union. The once great British Empire
of centuries ago is no longer the power it was.

Look at what became of Babylon: ‘But you are brought down to the realm
of the dead, to the depths of the pit. Those who see you stare at you,
they ponder your fate: “Is this the man who shook the earth and made
kingdoms tremble.’ (Isaiah 14:15, 16 NIV)

About 550 years after this prophecy, Jesus walked the Earth.

In the past, God has caused kingdoms to crumble.

Jesus, however, rose from the grave and will never fall. We do not
have to rise and fall.

The prophecy we read from Isaiah spoke of another time as well in the
future when all of the enemy’s plans will come to nought. Satan will
fall. His time is limited and he knows it.

One day, all will be revealed for everyone to see. We want as many
people as possible to know it before that day.

We get to read the last pages of the book in our Bibles. We can see
how Satan is completely defeated. We are to live our lives in full
knowledge of what will happen.

Revelation tells us the end of the story: ‘“Look, I am coming soon,
bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their
deeds. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the
Beginning and the End.” Blessed are those who wash their robes. They
will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the
fruit from the tree of life. Outside the city are the dogs—the
sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol worshipers,
and all who love to live a lie. “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give
you this message for the churches. I am both the source of David and
the heir to his throne. I am the bright morning star.” He who is the
faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!”
Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!’ (Revelation 22:12-16, 20 NLT)

The enemy is pathetic and loses.

Stay alert and overcome, because that is our destiny in Christ.

‘A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on
all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all
strategies of the devil.’ (Ephesians 6:10, 11 NLT)

Pastor Nicholas continued, reminding us that we are weak in our
strength. We are strong in Him.

God has established His Kingdom from the beginning and is establishing
it in our hearts. Be strong.

David declared God’s strength because he was limited. The devil comes
at us it’s intimidation, fear, schemes, doubts, and shouts. But today,
we carry the full armour of God. Today, we are strong in the full
armour of God.

We shout out today – devil you are gone.

Put on the full armour of God so you can stand firm.

Be alert.

Stand firm.

Be strong in the Lord.

Human effort is inadequate but God’s power is invincible.

Today, you may have started poorly. But now you can stand firm and say
God is mighty in me.

W are in the presence of God, and miracles take place. Multiplication happens.

11:10 am - April 7, 2013 Posted by Paul Gallagher 0 Comments

His last command our first priority – therefore GO

Pastor Luke Martin shared with us on Saturday 6 April 2013 during our
evening service. Here, below, is a summary of that message.

‘Thinking big’ is a concept that we’ve been living out this year. It’s
been encouraging to see God doing amazing things throughout this
period in which we have also been praying and fasting.

Sometimes, challenges come that give an opportunity to think big.

How do we view coming to church?

‘What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a
psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an
interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.’ (1
Corinthians 14:26 NASB)

The concept in this verse is that EVERYONE brings something.

Church is place where we bring things to. It is not just a place to receive.

Thinking big, or differently, is a place to bring something, to give something.

Challenge helps us think big.

One example of challenge is evangelism. We welcomed Pastor Bib
Mendelsohn recently, who clearly has an anointing to evangelise. He
was so natural with his faith, so simple, not intrusive.

How do we deal with sharing our faith? How do we live out our
Christianity on a daily basis?

‘No one, after lighting a lamp, puts it away in a cellar nor under a
basket, but on the lampstand, so that those who enter may see the
light.’ (Luke 11:33 NASB)

Don’t miss what is vital in our Christianity. Think how we just
experienced the Easter period and what an opportunity it was to
demonstrate our faith.

We’ve got to remember that Christ’s light is in us.

Why did Jesus leave some 40 days after He rose? Imagine, for example,
if Jesus’ story had a Hollywood ending. The movie makers would have
Him rise again, then a building of momentum, and the Jews would then
take over the province.

Jesus leaving Earth is not so Hollywood.

So why did He leave?

‘But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which
Jesus had designated. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some
were doubtful. And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All
authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore
and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe
all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the
end of the age.”’ (Matthew 28:16-20 NASB)

Jesus left so you would go.

Go is an attitude, an approach to life.

Therefore go.

Go means looking for an opportunity.

Go is having a plan of what to say when someone asks a question, or
your testimony.

You need to have that in your mind already to be able to share when
needed, when an opportunity comes up.

What are you doing? Are you being honest with yourself, and ‘going’?

Are you happy to just sit down with your Christian music in your
studies and shut out the world.

Therefore GO. That is the message we should be following.

Christianity is importantly about the ‘therefore go’ part.

In the West, it is easy to be in a comfortable Christian place. It is
a position of receiving more than giving. We can all take this
challenge. We can all do better in this. We can go in this.

Therefore GO.

Pray for people. Let people know about Jesus. Go into the world, not
just being closed off.

How can you live your Christian walk the way Jesus said?

No one hides a lamp. Instead, they put it on a stand so that those who
come in will see the light.

You, today, have a mission, a destiny.

Your school. Uni. Work. Family.

This is a part of God’s mandate for our lives – the last thing Jesus
said, making it so important. His last command becomes our first
priority.

It raises the importance level of His words to such a high level.

We all have to ‘therefore go’.

Let’s do this together, standing together, being the Church.

You have a destiny, and you have a mission.

Heaven is real. Hell is real. The truth is, they are real. What we say
or don’t say can change the paths of people’s lives.

5:10 pm - April 6, 2013 Posted by Paul Gallagher 0 Comments

Resurrection completes us – grace, forgiveness, hope and love

Pastor Nicholas Tsakis shared with us on Resurrection Sunday 31 March
2013 during our morning service. Here, below, is a summary of that
message.

You cannot have Resurrection Sunday without Good Friday, and vice versa.

Jesus died a gruesome death, but on the third day, completed the
process when rising from the dead.

Some of us may have come here today for various reasons. We may have
come to church to see children and take delight in them. We pray that
all of us would recognise Jesus today. When Jesus walked among the
living after rising, people did not recognise Him. Our prayer is that
our eyes and mind would be open to His Word.

His words are eternal and would change your life forever.

One your mind, your heart, your eyes – to Him. The weight of
humanity’s sin rested on Him. Jesus was not a man that became God. It
was God who became a man and walked among us. Divinity was already on
Jesus. There is no sin in Him. He was sinless.

The Bible said He would suffer, then rise on the third day.

Today, there is forgiveness in His name – that is what Easter is all about.

It is not just a nice narrative but the very purpose of redemption for our sin.

We are all sinners. We need Christ.

There is nobody who can claim having no sin.

We are all imperfect.

Only One is perfect. Only One can forgive us of sins: Jesus Christ.
That is why we share communion together. How powerful is that truth?

Jesus is God. The Bible declares and describes it. Otherwise, what we
are doing today is meaningless. It would make no difference if Jesus
was not God. But He is God. It is not a lie.

There is no other person who can make the same claim of Jesus.

Jesus said He can and will forgive sins.

Jesus died, rose and went to Heaven.

He now sits at the right hand of the Father, interceding for us.

Jesus is the Word, the Truth, and the Life. He is the Alpha and Omega,
the beginning and the end.

‘But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the
tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. And they found the
stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not
find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this,
behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing; and as
the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men
said to them, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is
not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was
still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into
the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise
again.” And they remembered His words, and returned from the tomb and
reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now they
were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the
other women with them were telling these things to the apostles. But
these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe
them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in,
he saw the linen wrappings only; and he went away to his home,
marveling at what had happened.’ (Luke 24:1-12 NASB)

Today, this message could offend you. Our prayer is that it offends
you for a response. Our lives are made perfect in Christ.

Today, He has the power to forgive you and me.

Jesus Christ is the only One who has the power to forgive us our sins.

Today, let Jesus come into your life. In His resurrection is
forgiveness, grace, hope and love.

Jesus loves you. He died for you and rose again for you.

10:12 am - March 31, 2013 Posted by Paul Gallagher 0 Comments

Jesus – putting the pieces of the puzzle together

Bob Mendelsohn shared with us on Easter Saturday, 30 March 2013 during
our evening service. Here, below, is a summary of that message.

‘And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named
Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. And they were
talking with each other about all these things which had taken place.
While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and
began traveling with them. But their eyes were prevented from
recognizing Him. And He said to them, “What are these words that you
are exchanging with one another as you are walking?” And they stood
still, looking sad. One of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to
Him, “Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the
things which have happened here in these days?” And He said to them,
“What things?” And they said to Him, “The things about Jesus the
Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of
God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers
delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him. But we were
hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides
all this, it is the third day since these things happened. But also
some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the
morning, and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had
also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive. Some of those
who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the
women also had said; but Him they did not see.” And He said to them,
“O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets
have spoken! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these
things and to enter into His glory?” Then beginning with Moses and
with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning
Himself in all the Scriptures.’ (Luke 24:13-27 NASB)

Jewish people have often seen the world geopolitically, such as during
the Cold War when the enemy seemed so clear and easy to determine.

The ‘third day’ occurs just before the departing of the soul of a man.
In the wake of this time, it’s important to recognise that the Messiah
was actually the person of Jesus. He spoke from the books of the
Scriptures to show them all about Messianic prophecy.

Speaking of prophecy, the Bible indicates seeds of truth that identify
Jesus as the Messiah. Lets look at the verses from the Law, the
Prophets, and the Writings.

1. The Messiah will be the seed of a woman. ‘And I will put enmity
between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He
shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.’
(Genesis 3:15 NASB)

2. The bruising of the head of the serpent demonstrates conquest.

3. The serpent would bruise the heel of the Messiah.

4. The Messiah will suffer. ‘Now muster yourselves in troops, daughter
of troops; They have laid siege against us; With a rod they will smite
the judge of Israel on the cheek. “But as for you, Bethlehem
Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One
will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from
long ago, From the days of eternity.’ (Michah 5:1, 2 NASB)

5. The Messiah will be born in Bethlehem. Think, too, of how the Magi
came from the East to see the King born in Bethlehem. Think how Esther
laid a seed of faith in that place.

6. His goings are from long ago, or eternity – back before time.

7. The Messiah will die. ‘”Seventy weeks have been decreed for your
people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end
of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting
righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most
holy place. So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a
decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there
will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with
plaza and moat, even in times of distress. Then after the sixty-two
weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of
the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And
its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war;
desolations are determined.’ (Daniel 9:24-26 NASB)

8. The clock begins with the decree above, indicating death occurring
in the second temple period.

9. The purpose of the Messiah’s death was to forgive us our sins, and
cleanse all of humanity.

Trust the Bible because it is trustworthy.

‘And they approached the village where they were going, and He acted
as though He were going farther. But they urged Him, saying, “Stay
with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day is now nearly
over.” So He went in to stay with them. When He had reclined at the
table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He
began giving it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they
recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight.’ (Luke 24:28-31
NASB)

God opens eyes.

‘They said to one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us
while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the
Scriptures to us?” And they got up that very hour and returned to
Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were
with them, saying, “The Lord has really risen and has appeared to
Simon.” They began to relate their experiences on the road and how He
was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread. While they were
telling these things, He Himself stood in their midst and said to
them, “Peace be to you.”’ (Luke 24:32-36 NASB)

We can be similarly disoriented at Easter time. When disoriented,
focus on Jesus. You will find orientation in Him, transposed into a
new life.

‘But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were
seeing a spirit. And He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why
do doubts arise in your hearts? See My hands and My feet, that it is I
Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones
as you see that I have.” And when He had said this, He showed them His
hands and His feet. While they still could not believe it because of
their joy and amazement, He said to them, “Have you anything here to
eat?” They gave Him a piece of a broiled fish; and He took it and ate
it before them. Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke
to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written
about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be
fulfilled.” Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,’
(Luke 24:37-45 NASB)

5:20 pm - March 30, 2013 Posted by Paul Gallagher 0 Comments

Category Archives: Blog