Over the years people have asked me what church I attend or what church do I point people to? Generally I do not say, especially online. But if someone asks to come along I will tell them.
My reason for this is that churches in different countries are not the same. If I say I belong to a particular denomination online, it may be very different in Australia to the USA, Asia, Africa or Europe.
My heart is to always point people to Jesus. Jesus is the way we find salvation. Jesus died on the cross for our sin. First and foremost we have to come to Him. Then I encourage people to read the Bible and learn to pray and find a local church.
I came to Jesus through some friends I worked with. They talked about Jesus and the Bible, prayed for me and gave me a tract to find salvation. Then they asked me to their church. I attended for about a year, but as it was a 30 minute drive, I found one closer to my home.
I have found in a smallish country town where I live this works best in my context. People will talk about God, the Bible, prayer and ask questions, but are reluctant to attend church at first. Walking in to a church in a small country town is a big statement. Everybody has a way of finding out.
So I do not really point people to a particular church, I point them to Jesus. I want people to be saved, discipled and to follow Him. Then I point them to the main church denominations in Australia. I encourage them to find a local one.
This is why I include an alphabetical list of denominations on my links page. I want people to find a church where Jesus is held up as Lord and Saviour, the Bible is preached, prayer happens and they can grow in their faith.
Another reason I do not recommend a particular church is one person might like a relaxed house church style and another might like a high church or liturgical style of worship. We are not all the same, we have different tastes, we have to find our own place in the church.
So this is why I do not talk about my church or push a particular denomination. My heart is to point people to Jesus, not a church.
I was reading the early church fathers recently and I saw two interesting things.
They told followers of Jesus to fast twice a week.
They told followers to pray the Lord’s Prayer three times a day.
I fast occasionally when I feel I have something on my heart to bring before the Lord. But I do not fast twice per week.
I do pray the Lord’s Prayer several times per day. It has become my practice over the last six months. Especially since I have been using prayer beads.
I do wonder how my life would change if I followed the prescription of the early church fathers and fasted and prayed as they suggested? How would your life change?
Prayer and Fasting
Do not have your fasts with the hypocrites. For they fast on Mondays and Thursdays; but you should fast on Wednesdays and Fridays. Neither are you to pray as the hypocrites, but as the Lord commanded in his gospel, “Pray in this way: Our Father who is in heaven, may your name be holy, may your kingdom come, may your will be done as in heaven, so also upon earth; give to us today our daily bread, and forgive us our debt as also we forgive our debtors, and do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from the evil one, because yours is the power and the glory forever.” Pray this way three times a day.
In those days: Peter opened his mouth and said: ‘Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.
As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ – he is Lord of all – you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power.
He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem.
They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him on the third day and caused him to appear, not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.
To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.’
Second Reading
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Philippians
Brothers and sisters, our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
Gospel
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John.
Glory to you, O Lord.
When Jesus had revealed himself to his disciples and they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’
He said to him a second time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Tend my sheep.’
He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.’ (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.)
And after saying this he said to him, ‘Follow me.’
I always like discussing my faith. In particular Jesus, the Bible, salvation, following Jesus, prayer, heaven, evangelism and discipleship.
My faith in Jesus is the most important thing in my life, so it feels normal to talk about it. In situations where I cannot talk about these things, I do not really feel I can be myself. It feels like I have to wear a mask.
So what do I like to discuss? My faith in Jesus and following Him.
The title of my Easter message today is “The Greatest Intervention of ALL Time”. As you can probably guess being Easter it is about Jesus intervening in this world and His actions we celebrate each year at Easter.
If we think about God for a moment we realise God is a God of intervention. Throughout history or His-story, He regularly stepped in to help His people.
When the people were captive in Egypt under Pharos harsh rule He sent Moses to tell him to “Let my people go”. When Pharos army chased them with murderous intentions, God intervened by parting the Red Sea. When the people wandered in the desert God intervened and provided Mana and Quail for food. When the people were in dispute, God intervened to provide judges to make wise decisions. When the people were off track spiritually, God intervened and sent Prophets to call the people back to Himself. When Daniel was in the lion’s den, God intervened. When Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego were in the fiery furnace, God intervened. When Saul was hunting down and killing Christians, God intervened and spoke directly to Saul and his life was changed forever. History tells us he became the Apostle Paul and went on to be a great church planter and leader to the early church.
Jesus is the ultimate intervention
So how does this idea of intervention tie in with the Easter message? I believe the ultimate and greatest intervention of all time is found in the Easter story. Right now I want to share four reasons why Jesus intervened into our lives.
1. Jesus intervened to bring us life more abundant
John 10:10 KJV – The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
This verse is part of the passage that talks about the Good Shepherd caring for and protecting His sheep. Jesus as the Good Shepherd came to give us an abundant life. The NIV says describes this abundant life as a “full life”. The NLT describes it as a “rich and satisfying life”. The Greek word used here in this text is perisos. This means more abundant, superior, exceedingly above, beyond measure.
Jesus did not want us to live a dreary, ho-hum life. He came so we could experience abundant life. Jesus wants to give us a life with meaning and purpose; a life with that knows who you are, where you are from and where you are going; a life that has our sins are forgiven and eternal destiny sorted out; and as the Good Shepherd He wants to provide protection and provision; He wants to give us a life that brings us peace in knowing these things. Jesus wants to give us a life that knows that no matter where we go or what we do, He is right there with us helping us through.
For me I have known this abundant life. Since that Saturday night in July 1989 when I invited Jesus into my heart and life as Lord and Saviour, I have experienced an abundant life first hand. I know that in the good times and the bad times, God is with me. He holds me in the palm of His mighty hand. He provides for me and my family. He has given me a peace that surpasses all understanding. A peace that is not from this world.
Jesus intervened to give all those who trust in Him abundant life.
2. Jesus intervened to bring us hope
Romans 5:1-2 NIV84 – Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
One of the great messages of the Bible is hope. In the NIV the word hope is mentioned over 150 times. One of the greatest things we can have in this life is hope.
Hope according to the Bible is having “a certainty in the present and a firm expectation for the future”. This is what we have in Christ – a present certainty and a firm hope for the future.
We have been justified with God and we have peace with Him, because of what Jesus has done. As a result of this we know beyond doubt we are right with God and we can be confident on the day of judgement, because as we saw a few weeks ago, perfect love drives out all fear. We have a great hope for the future.
We know that Jesus has gone to prepare a place and one day He is coming back for us. John 14:1-3 says, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in Me. 2 There is more than enough room in My Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with Me where I am.”
Jesus intervened to give us this great future hope. He is coming back for us… maybe even today!
3. Jesus intervened to bring us victory over sin and death
Romans 8:1-4 NLT – So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 And because you belong to Him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. 3 The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent His own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving His Son as a sacrifice for our sins. 4 He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.
Jesus intervened to give us victory over sin and death. The Law of Moses with all of its rules could not save us, it only shows us we are sinners who need saving. Jesus’ death on the cross intervened and paid the price for our sin. He took our punishment; the price has been paid and God is satisfied (Romans 3:25).
Not only has sin been defeated, but death has too. 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 NLT says, “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? ” 56 For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. 57 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Death for us as Christians is not a scary thing. We need not fear it. Death for the Christians in not the full stop and the end of the story, but it is the full stop at the end of the first chapter. We have a great hope as we saw earlier.
Jesus intervened to give us victory over sin and death.
4. Jesus intervened to bring us salvation
The Bible has so many great verses that talk about salvation and what Christ has done for us. None greater than John 3:16-18.
John 3:16-18 – “For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him. 18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in Him. But anyone who does not believe in Him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.
These verses talk about a God who could not stand for us to miss out on spending eternity with Him. Jesus intervened in our world and in our lives so He could save us.
Jesus wanted you to spend eternity with Him so much that He left the glories of heaven to live amongst us. He came to show us what God is like, to show us how to live and love one another, and ultimately, He came to die on the cross for our sin. You were so important to Jesus that He stood before evil men and said nothing at His trial. He allowed Himself to be beaten, whipped and carry a cross through the streets. He allowed Himself to be nailed to a cross and left to die the most painful and horrific death that one could endure. He did this for you. He did this for me. He did this for everyone in our community, in our nation and in our world. He wanted everyone to be saved so much that He held back nothing… not even His own life. No price was too great for Jesus to pay for you. And He paid it gladly.
Jesus intervened to bring us salvation.
Closing Summary
So in closing today, on this Easter Sunday, I want you to remember the greatest intervention of all time. The intervention into this world of Jesus, who came and died on the cross for our sin and to open the door for us to find salvation and eternal life in Him.
Today let us remember why Jesus intervened…
1. Jesus intervened to bring us life more abundant 2. Jesus intervened to bring us hope 3. Jesus intervened to bring us victory over sin and death 4. Jesus intervened to bring us salvation and eternal life
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