Christmas 2022 message from Dr Peter Barnes, Presbyterian Church of Australia

Posted on December 14, 2022 
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“In the din and distortion of a modern Christmas, it can be easy to miss the claim that the Child in the manger is the Saviour, the Messiah, and the Lord. …”

– See the full Christmas message from the Rev. Dr Peter Barnes, Moderator General of the Presbyterian Church of Australia.

The Coming of the Holy Spirit — new book from Phillip Jensen

Posted on December 14, 2022 
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From Matthias Media:

“When we seek to understand the person and work of God’s Spirit, we are often so concerned with personal theories or current controversies that we fail to listen carefully to what God himself teaches in the Scriptures.

The Coming of the Holy Spirit begins with the very centre of what the Bible teaches about the Spirit: Jesus will fulfil the Old Testament prophecies and pour out the Holy Spirit on his people.

The book explores the five promises of Jesus about the Spirit in John 14-17 and then traces the fulfilment of those promises through the rest of the New Testament—in the Pentecostal outpouring of Acts 2, the progress of the Holy Spirit’s world mission throughout Acts, and the ongoing work of the Spirit in initiating, continuing and completing the Christian life in all its dimensions (personal and corporate).

In this important and unique work, Phillip Jensen draws on a lifetime of biblical exegesis and preaching to unfold not only the depth and richness of the Bible’s teaching about the Spirit, but its centre and emphasis. Having done this important work, he then goes on to deal with many of the secondary issues that have often dominated our discussion of the Spirit.”

– Read more here.

The Stable & Cross

Posted on December 14, 2022 
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Joshua Bovis at St John’s Tamworth shares this Christmas message, written for his parish newsletter.

________

There are certain words, certain objects and certain things that at first glance don’t seem to work when they are combined. For example, my older brother Colin, who is a chef in England, once worked at a lovely pub called The Axe & Compass. For the life of me I cannot work out what an axe has to do with a compass nor how one points to the other.

Christmas reminds me of The Axe & Compass. Not because it is pub where much drinking will happen, but because the essence of Christmas contains two words, two objects that at first glance, also don’t seem to work when they are combined, and those two things are the stable & cross. 

Perhaps your response to these two things is the same as my initial reaction when I heard about the Axe & Compass, what does the stable have to do with a cross? How does one point to the other? After all we all know the Christmas story. We have all seen the nativity scene in our local shopping centres. Ok, so the traditional nativity scene has taken some liberties regarding the number of wise men, wherever there was actually an inn or an upper room, a stable or a cave. But we all know the basics, there a young very pregnant woman, her concerned husband, a birth, a healthy newborn baby boy, a star, Bethlehem and Angels. 

So what does the cross have to do with a stable? Why is that part of Christmas? How does that fit with a stable? A cross is about Easter isn’t it? And wait a second…the stable is about a birth, Easter is about a death, how can the stable and cross go together?

The answer is not as way out as it seems. The stable and the cross go together when we ask the question ‘why’? Why was Jesus born? Why did he come to this earth? Why did Jesus leave his throne in heaven to become vulnerable flesh and blood? Why did God become one of us?

The wonderful thing about these questions is that they are questions that have an answer, and even more wonderful, Jesus himself answers the question. 

In his Gospel, Mark records an event where two of Jesus’ disciples, James and John had plans, big plans. They were ambitious and wanted great things – for themselves. And they thought the key to greatness was Jesus, so they asked him to make them great. Jesus turns their worldview upside down (or is it the right way up?) by telling them that the key to greatness is serving others. Then Jesus gives them the example of himself and, at the same time, answers the question of why he was born. He says:

“FOR EVEN THE SON OF MAN CAME NOT TO BE SERVED BUT TO SERVE, AND TO GIVE HIS LIFE AS A RANSOM FOR MANY.”

A sad fact of Christmas for many of us is that we often receive gifts that don’t last, that are not that useful and (let’s be honest) that we don’t like. To me, gifts like this could be described as hollow. The stable and the cross are the ultimate gift from the God who loves us, for it is the person of Jesus who links them both together and He is the point of both.

Christmas is a wonderful opportunity to spend time with family and friends, it is wonderful opportunity to eat food we don’t normally eat, (and to eat more than we would normally eat), and it is often a time of connecting with others. The stable and cross is God’s way of connecting with us and the stable and cross is the only way that we can connect with him. 

The Stable & Cross words seem like words that don’t go together – but to have Christmas without them makes for a Hollow Christmas. No-one likes hollow gifts at Christmas, so when we see the Stable & Cross, why settle for a hollow Christmas? Why would we want to?

Have a blessed Christmas!

Pastor, Don’t get cute this Christmas

Posted on December 13, 2022 
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“I know the feeling.

Christmas comes around every year. The same songs. The same texts. The same story. Most of the time I love the familiar rhythm of Advent and the comforting routine of tradition.

But as a pastor, I also know that sense of desperation: “How many more Christmas sermons and holiday homilies can I possibly come up with?” And I rarely do a full four-week Advent series. The poor brother who does an Advent series every year for 40 years is going to preach at least 160 sermons on Christmas. I sympathize with the temptation to novelty.

But don’t do it, pastor. …”

– At The Gospel Coalition, Kevin DeYoung has wise advice.

Islam, Christianity and the World Cup in Qatar – with Sam Green

Posted on December 12, 2022 
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From The Pastor’s Heart –

“It’s World Cup Final week in Qatar and Muslims are using the event in a highly coordinated proselytizing campaign, or what they call Dawah, both in person and online.

Sam Green is a senior campus pastor with the Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students, and his special interest for twenty years has been on reaching Muslims for Jesus Christ.”

–  Watch or listen here. Very interesting and helpful.

Bathurst News: Archdeacon Jono Williams to Canowindra

Posted on December 11, 2022 
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From the Diocese of Bathurst Facebook page:

“Bishop Calder announced today with thankfulness to God, that Archdeacon Jono Williams has accepted his invitation to be the next minister of the cooperating Anglican Uniting parish of Canowindra.

Please pray for Jono and Cudgegong Valley parish in a time of transition.”

New ‘flying bishop’ for Church of England

Posted on December 11, 2022 
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From Church Society:

“We are delighted on behalf of Church Society to welcome Rob Munro as the new bishop of Ebbsfleet.

We have greatly appreciated serving with Rob in Church Society, and, as fellow Council member Amanda Robbie comments, ‘I am so pleased that Rob will be the new Bishop of Ebbsfleet. His wisdom, wide experience, and warm pastoral heart will be a great blessing to the many parishes he will serve.’

We look forward to working with Bishop Rob in the coming years.”

– Revd Dr Lee Gatiss, Director of Church Society.

And see the announcement from the Church of England.

The Status Quo Is The Only Option

Posted on December 8, 2022 
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“Following the last meeting of the College of Bishops to consider the next steps in the Living in Love and Faith process, it was reported that there was general agreement that simply restating the existing ban on same-sex marriages or blessings in church was not an option.

Sadly, I agree. It will not be enough merely to restate the ban. Clearly there are large numbers of people in the church, in General Synod, and even in the College of Bishops, who will need to have the biblical and theological basis of the ban explained to them. They will need what the Living in Love and Faith resources have consistently failed to provide: teaching about the historic, orthodox position of the church, as evidenced in Scripture, and outlined in the formularies of the Church of England itself. …”

– Ros Clarke at Church Society’s blog looks at what is needed in the Church of England.

The only qualification you need to speak about Jesus

Posted on December 8, 2022 
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“This Christmas, various officially qualified people will have messages for the season. Bishops and archbishops will get some airtime on the news channels and social media feeds. Preachers in churches nationwide will give sermons, reflections, messages, and kids’ spots. I thank God that in our nation, these great opportunities still exist every Christmas for people to hear about God’s grace in Jesus.

But what about you? Do you have any qualifications to speak about God’s grace this Christmas? …”

– Encouragement from ACL Communication Secretary Lionel Windsor – at The Australian Church Record.

Moore Matters Summer 2022 now online

Posted on December 8, 2022 
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The latest copy of Moore College’s Moore Matters (Summer 2022) is now available for download (a 35MB PDF file).

For your encouragement.

Hugh Latimer: Gospel Ploughman

Posted on December 6, 2022 
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For preaching of the gospel is one of God’s plough-works,
and the preacher is one of God’s ploughmen

“So proclaimed Hugh Latimer (c. 1485-1555) on a rainy eighteenth day of January during the winter of 1548. This sermon – the famous ‘Sermon on the Ploughers’ – was preached at Paul’s Cross in London, where renowned preachers drew huge crowds and prophetically proclaimed the word of God to the hearts of the hearers. Latimer had Romans 15:4 as his scriptural text, and having preached in the previous weeks on the subject of the seed which is sown in God’s field, he turned to the subject of the sower of the seed, the humble ploughman. …”

– The Australian Church Record has published a most informative and encouraging short biography of Hugh Latimer – written by Dr Mark Earngey.

The war zone of the Pastor’s Heart – with Peter Orr

Posted on December 5, 2022 
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From The Pastor’s Heart:

“Peter Orr says there is a crisis among pastors. He says a fight is on for our hearts, ministry and joy.

Pastoral work will only be a joy and sustainable if the congregation self consciously reciprocates the love and encouragement that is extended by the pastor to the congregation.

Peter Orr, who lectures in New Testament at Sydney’s Moore Theological College, is the author of a new book ‘Fight for your Pastor’…”

– Watch or listen here.

The Mothers’ Union & the ministry of lay women

Posted on December 4, 2022 
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At an event at Moore College last week, Jane Tooher shared something of the history of Mothers’ Union and its gospel service in 84 countries.

Great to learn about this quiet but important ministry which is growing today. Most encouraging,

– Watch or listen here.

Time to Rethink your Church Website?

Posted on December 4, 2022 
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“Our website is our most easily accessed 24/7 communication face to the world. Are we being wise in our use of it?…”

– At The Gospel Coalition Australia, Peter Adam has some thoughts on the plusses and minuses of church websites. Worth pondering.

Totalitarianism vs. Human Dignity

Posted on December 3, 2022 
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In his The Briefing for Thursday 1st December 2022, Dr Albert Mohler looks at current examples of Totalitarianism. What do they have in common?

And he explores what makes modern totalitarian states more totalitarian than their predecessors.

– Listen or read here.

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