We could stay here for the rest of this day till midnight and not be able to chase all the themes
and all the scriptures that have been alluded to in the reading we've just heard.
We're obviously not going to be able to do that, but let's stop and pray and ask the Lord to
minister to us by his spirit so that we might capture this incredible vision
that really is what we've all been waiting for.
Let's pray.
Dear Lord, we thank you so much that we come and it is so easy for us to come in a way that
we feel that just getting in the doors, we've done enough.
We've ticked the box.
And yet, Lord, as we have sung these amazing truths, as we have heard this amazing passage
from your word just read, we are reminded that we are on the verge of something quite incredible.
that you are indeed taking us forward to be part of something that no eye has seen, nor
ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, that you have prepared from before the foundation
of the world.
And we ask that by your spirit you would strip away the distractions, the weariness, and that
you would allow us to focus on what you have in store.
That you would minister to us so that our minds and hearts might be gripped and thoroughly
convinced by not just who you are and what you're doing, but of the part that you have
called us to play in it.
Dear Lord, we are not spectators here tonight.
We come as worshippers to hear and receive from you that you might indeed send us forward
into all that you have purposed for us to walk in, for your glory.
Amen.
Guys, I have been given an incredible privilege to come and share with you on a passage that
has just been read to us that reflects the climax of this amazing book.
The revelation of what will be for those following Jesus in these last days.
We have just heard about the end of every tear.
The answer to every prayer.
Think about that.
The answer to every prayer.
And you think, oh, gee, I had a very different shopping list of the things.
No, trust me.
The answer to every prayer, everything you have ever come to the throne of grace with is ultimately
answered here.
The healing of every hurt.
I spoke to a group of older people this morning.
There are not as many older people here.
And yet we can't be so naive as to think that it's only the older people who have lived enough
in this world under the curse that hurt.
I come from a place where out of the funerals I do, up to two or three a week, up to a third of them are from suicide.
I'm going to tell you a story shortly about a young boy, eight years of age, who's just seen enough hope in Jesus that he might not take his own life as an eight-year-old.
And he is not uncommon.
That says there is pain.
And we have just heard about the healing of every hurt.
Whatever your hurts are, whatever they have been, whatever binds you, whatever you long to be free of, whatever you just say, Lord, I want to live for you.
He speaks of this here.
And while, yes, we are speaking of a time that is hence, that is still future, he catches us up in it now.
There is an incredible liberation for those who realise and live as the kids of the kingdom.
And just like the building project next door, we will see that this is not going to be the goal.
The completion of this is not the goal.
The slab out the front is not the end of it.
Even the opening day, it's not the end.
It's the beginning.
We're getting ready to start.
And this is probably the hardest thing for you as young people to grasp.
That you think, this is it.
I'm in the prime of my life.
I look at this guy out the front and I just go, he is so not in the prime of his life.
But I am there.
I am there.
If you want to truly suck the marrow from life, in other words, get all the riches that God has purposed for you,
you must stop listening to the world out there.
You must stop listening to what it says will define you.
And you must listen to this.
You must live for this.
Because in the previous chapters to this, you have heard that the battle is over.
That evil has been swept away.
You know that you haven't been following a calendar or diarised set of things that starts from chapter one and the seven churches.
You're following something that is like layers.
Anyone watch Bathurst yesterday?
No one?
Today?
Was it today?
Oh, I lose track.
I haven't watched Bathurst today.
I used to love watching Bathurst.
You know?
You know how they do Bathurst?
Bathurst.
You know, like, Bathurst was just gold for guys that make technology little and use it with cameras.
You know?
Because, you know, Bathurst, you know, one moment you have that standard camera view and then the next moment you are, you know,
you're looking at this same race out of a camera that is down in the ground.
And the cars are going straight over the top of you.
And then the next moment you are on this pulley that is being pulled down the length of Pitt Street as fast as the cars go.
And you feel like, well, you are going as fast as the car.
The next moment you're actually looking from a camera that is up in the helicopter that is following around the mountain at, you know, nearly 200 miles an hour.
The next moment you are in the car, you are looking at the guy's feet going up and down on top of you as he changes the gears.
The next moment you are, let me think of another one, you're in the pits.
All of these different camera angles are all giving you the same view, sorry, a different view of the same event.
That is what Revelations do.
It is layer upon layer.
It keeps giving you different views of the same event of the last day, the period between Christ's first coming and his second coming.
So that you might be secure in the knowledge and the assurance of what he is doing in your midst.
And so having come through these previous visions and seen that the battle is over, evil has been swept away.
We now have three pictures of incredible glory.
The glory of a new day that we thought would never dawn has come.
And these three pictures are all seen in the first couple of verses.
Indeed, I'm going to focus on the first four verses of this chapter and leave the rest of it to you.
We will unpack a few things, but you see that it begins and he says,
Then I saw a new heavens and a new earth.
And we read of something that is referred to in Isaiah 65 and in many other places,
this promise of a new heavens and a new earth.
And he goes on and indeed says,
For the first heaven and the first earth had passed away and there was no longer any sea.
And I'm sure you've been told not only not to view it as a timeline and all of that,
but not to take these pictures, these Old Testament allusions literally, right?
To make sure that even as, if you're anything like me,
you hear that passage read and you close your eyes.
And in one sense, you're picturing.
But remember, you're still picturing a vision that then has to be interpreted.
Never take the vision as literal.
You remember, it probably began with Steve preaching on the glorious vision of the risen and ascended Lord Jesus.
Right?
And if you take that vision literally, then of course, you will be ducking and weaving
when you stand before the Lord and get ready to give him a hug.
Because as you know, there is a sharp two-edged sword coming out of his mouth.
And if you are not careful, he will slice you in two when you give him a hug.
Do not worry.
This will not happen.
It is an image to be interpreted.
Right?
We know that it means that he speaks truth.
Every word is truth.
And similarly here, when we speak of the new heavens and the new earth,
just go back if you can,
for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away,
we actually need to interpret the image.
Because I'm going to call,
I'm going to call an elephant in the room.
that in fact,
if you are anything like me,
there is a bit of a worry about heaven.
There is a bit of a feeling that,
Lord, how can I be?
Look,
am I really going to want to be there?
When it really boils down,
that's the elephant in the room.
Am I really going to want to be there?
And this passage,
I've got to tell you,
does not give me any encouragement whatsoever.
Who here likes to surf?
Anybody?
Right?
Sorry, Sam.
I'm sorry, mate.
Who here likes to fish?
Yep,
a few more of those.
Who here likes to walk along the beach?
Oh,
lots of people.
Well,
I'm sorry,
you're just going to have to suck it up
because there is no longer any sea.
It's not a laughing matter.
And yet,
of course,
if we in fact receive as we need to,
every part of this revelation
as something that must be interpreted,
don't stop when you get to the millennium,
don't stop interpreting
and translating these images,
whether they be numbers,
time frames,
pictures,
whatever it be.
And similarly with this,
I'm just going to use this
no longer any sea as an example
that in fact,
we need to recognize,
as you see,
and you can go right back
to Genesis chapter one
and see that in the beginning,
God created the heavens and the earth.
The earth was without form and void.
Darkness was over the face of the deep
and the spirit of God
was hovering over the face of the waters.
So as the Lord moves out to create
and as we know in what flows
in the narrative there of chapter one,
the seas and the oceans
aren't created till later
and yet there is this image
in God creating out of nothing
that there is still this picture given us
that chaos
and that which is not of God
is reflected by the deep,
by waters that we don't know
what lurks beneath.
And so there is this picture of chaos
and he's not going to be
but of the Lord presiding.
He presides over it.
He rules it
and he conforms it to his purpose
and his plan.
And indeed,
as we go on through the prophets
and we could pick many others,
but just looking at Isaiah 57,
he says,
the wicked are like the tossing sea
for it cannot be quiet.
Its waters toss up mire and dirt.
If you've ever been down after a cyclone,
you've seen it can be literally towers of foam
and it is literally all the dirt
that has been tossed out of the sea.
So there's this picture of this chaos.
But what we are reading here
when we read
of the sea being no more
is not meant to discourage anybody
who would like a walk along the beach in eternity.
I can't tell you
what heaven will be like.
And you say,
what do you mean you can't tell me, Richard?
I mean,
we're just reading the book that is full of it
and I want to tell you,
no, we're not.
That's actually not the purpose
of the book of Revelation.
Its purpose is not to give you
a literal idea
of exactly what heaven will be like.
Test me.
Go back and read it.
Every picture is just that,
a picture to be interpreted.
The idea of this
is not to discourage surfers,
fishermen,
or walk along the beaches.
It is to actually
encourage those
who need to know
that will there be a day
when there is no longer,
not just that which is wrong
and bad
and unjust
and the root of pain,
but even the causes of sin.
I need to know
it will end.
And when he says
the sea was no more,
in that image,
that is what he's picking up.
in this new heavens
and new earth
there will be nothing
of that.
I can't tell you literally
what heaven will be like.
But I guarantee you
of one thing,
that while there's not
a single thing here
that tells you literally
what it will be,
it tells you
that God is there
and so are you
in complete love
forever.
And that is what
the rest of this unpacks.
That's what he goes on
indeed in the next
of these three
glorious pictures.
As we see,
he then says,
verse two,
I saw the holy city,
the new Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven
from God,
prepared as a bride,
beautifully dressed
for her husband.
So we see this
bringing together
of these two pictures,
this second and third picture,
a holy city,
new Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven
from God.
It's a picture
that you could follow
right through.
Right through.
I read from Isaiah 12
this morning,
Isaiah 11,
sorry,
about the time
when the lion
will dwell with the lamb,
when the child
won't just play
on the drums,
he will play
over the adder's den.
And dad will not
have to worry.
For no one
shall hurt
or steal
in all my holy mountain.
This is the holy city,
the new Jerusalem
that we now see
in this picture.
is coming down
out of heaven
and then,
bam,
we're into the next picture
which is
prepared as a bride,
beautifully dressed
for her husband.
I went to a wedding
on Friday,
my daughter's getting married.
My daughter's getting married
in three weeks' time.
Lots of lace
and tulle
and all of that,
I'm not allowed
to see the dress.
It's a secret.
But it's going
to be great.
But here are these
put together.
You see one moment,
Lord,
will you make up your mind?
What's coming down
out of heaven?
A city or a bride?
I need to know.
No, you don't.
Interpret it.
Translate it.
Understand it.
Consider the images
and then understand them.
Because as you do,
you are caught up
with something astounding.
And I want us
to quickly move forward
and move past
as we then look on
at verse 3
because these three images,
new heavens,
new earth,
holy city,
new Jerusalem,
bride adorned
for her husband.
What does it spell?
Verse 3.
No,
verse 3.
Golly,
Jay!
Sorry
for that tantrum.
And I heard a loud voice
from the throne saying,
look,
God's dwelling place
is now among the people
and he will dwell with them.
They will be his people
and God himself
will be with them
and be their God.
Every one of the three
pictures of glory
that you've seen
in verses 1 and 2
spells that.
Just like I said,
none of what you see
in Revelation
about heaven
is to be understood
literally.
That is what
you're to understand.
That is what
has always been in view.
When the Lord
promised to the people
through Moses,
both of his presence
at the tabernacle,
of his presence
at the temple,
of them in the promised land,
of his promises
to David,
it was all
that they will be
his people
and God himself
will be with them
and be their God.
Is that not what it is?
And then verse 4,
he will wipe
every tear
from their eyes.
There will be no
more death
or mourning
or crying
or pain
for the old order
of things
has passed away.
and it's hard
for me to read that,
to sing
those words
and truths
so beautifully
expressed in that song
without contemplating
what it's meant,
the journey
that the Lord's
caused me
to travel
over these 52 years
to consider
what you are going through,
what I have no idea of
but which the Lord knows,
which Jesus
carried to the cross
when it said,
when he said,
your sins
were laid upon him
and that by his wounds
you would be healed,
that he bore
the punishment
that would make you whole.
When I think
of those
over in Wickham
and this
desperation,
I want to tell you
the story
of two friends
of mine
who are in fact
brothers and sisters
to you,
Bob and Pauline.
They were never married,
there's very little
marriage
that has gone on
over the last
30 years
in the Aboriginal
community
and the tribes
of the Pilbara
and we're just
starting to see that
there are four
Aboriginal couples
that have asked me
to marry them
just in the last year
and Bob and Pauline
I know
wanted to head that way.
Many of them
feel they can't
because the way
they've been taught
in the past
is that they've got
to get their
lives together
before they can
actually come to God
and accept Jesus
and sadly
we have those same
misconceptions
and stereotypes here
rather than the
realisation
that I have
no resources
in and of myself.
Who am I kidding
to think
that I can fix
the things in me
outside of the
unction of the
spirit?
And so
Bob
was
they had
heritage
of faith
and had been
taken
by grandparents
to church
as kids
but Bob
asked me
to visit him
in prison
to give him
a Bible
and we read it
and he put
his trust in Jesus
and even while
he was doing
his stint
in prison
which I think
was his 12th
I would talk
to Pauline
and we were
starting barbecue
church
and I would
visit everyone
in the community
each month
and I would
talk to her
and she would
say I don't
need Jesus
and if you knew
what had happened
in her life
you'd understand
why she says
that
and yet
it came to
the point
where she would
say to me
I don't
come to
barbecue church
but I want
you to know
that I'm
listening
see all the
drinking houses
would listen
to what was
sung and said
from their houses
as we turn up
the amp
a bit more
and the Lord
the Lord
I know
is working
not just in
those who come
but in those
who don't
and she said
I think this
Jesus is good
and then a
while later
months later
she said
she would
start saying
to me
I need
Jesus
and as you
can see
she started
coming to
barbecue church
and this
photo was
taken when
Bob was
out of prison
he's back
in for another
stint now
such are the
cycles of
dysfunction
and how
tightly they
bind us
they bind us
as tightly
as you might
find yourself
held by
consumerism
or held
by pride
or held
by the
need to
control
your life
or held
by whatever
it may be
and yet
she began
to come
to barbecue
church
and she
I know
that she
has said
yes to
Jesus
and we
would have
these amazing
conversations
and yet
still
she was
in the grip
of the things
to which
she had
been bound
and the
last time
I saw
her
a couple
of barbecue
churches
ago
she
came away
from the
group she
was drinking
with and
she spoke
to me
of having
been raped
recently
she spoke
to me
of the
fact that
she had
to get
off the
grog
and
if there
was to
be any
hope for
her
or for
Bob
when they
got out
when
Holmes
West
gave
them
a
house
and
she
said
you have
to pick
me up
for church
and I
thought she
meant barbecue
church
but she
like we've
had an
increasing
number of
aboriginal
people starting
to come
on Sunday
morning to
church
the first
year we
virtually
had no
one
there was
not an
aboriginal
person
in Wickham
that was a
Christian
and now
we probably
have up to
a dozen
that will
come
and to
realise that
she wanted
me to pick
her up
even for
morning church
and we
arranged and
I went
we went
round to
her place
to pick
her up
but after
inquiries
discovered
that she
had gone
to family
in Robben
and two
nights later
after an
argument she
took her
life
and at
her funeral
in front
of about
five to
six hundred
people
family
I was able
to speak
to them
because the
aboriginal
pastor asked
me to do
all the
teaching of
the bible
now at
these funerals
and he
asked me
and said
sorry I
shared with
them from
Matthew 5
blessed
are the
poor
blessed are
the poor
in spirit
for they
shall inherit
the earth
blessed are
those who
mourn for
they should
be comforted
I was able
to say to
them this
is not
talking about
those who
don't have
much money
getting this
reversal of
being rich
or those who
attend lots of
funerals like
you guys
you'll be the
ones that God
will comfort
it actually
speaks about
those who
realise that
they are
absolutely
bankrupt in
life without
Jesus
a realisation
that they
need to
come to
just as
much as
we need
to come
to
or should
I say
that we
need to
come to
just as
much as
they need
to come
to
that those
in plain
dysfunction
open and
evident to
all
need it
just as
much as
we
with our
hidden
dysfunctions
desperately
need to
know the
sufficiency
the all
sufficiency
the lavish
resources
that Christ
brings to
us from
the Father's
hand and
to actually
see and
to know
and to
sing those
words
no more
tears
no more
crying
no more
mourning
no more
pain
no more
death
to know
that that
is hers
gives me
such a
comfort
but it
also creates
this prayer
where I
asked you
before
to pray
with us
that the
Lord indeed
will keep
people alive
long enough
another third
of those
that I
laid in
the ground
this year
died from
asbestosis
the public
face of
asbestos
related diseases
is
guys
white
Australians
that worked
in factories
you know
where it
was produced
or sent
out but
they missed
the people
who actually
had to
endure
the results
of having
played
on their
on the
sacks
as they
sat on
their dad's
truck
as he
drove it
from
Robben
out to
the
wharf
at
Point
Samson
as they
played
in the
tailings
one guy
who's got
cancer
a funeral
I took
for him
for his
brother
it was
the second
last
brother
apart
from him
left out
of seven
brothers
I need
to tell
you more
of the
situation
of the
Aboriginal
people in
the
Pilbara
for you
to understand
so that
you can
pray in
an informed
way
I'll do
that on
Wednesday
night
I've been
given
permission
to share
with you
indeed the
story of
the last
Indyabundi
elder to
die
normally
you're not
allowed to
do that
to share
his name
but his
elderly
children
have given
me
permission
to share
that
he died
at the
age of
107
and his
testimony
is one
that I
think
enters my
mind
and informs
my prayers
as I
ask the
Lord
his plans
for me
there each
day
and I'd
love you
to be
aware
of it
on
Wednesday
night
but
as we
move on
we then
hear this
interjection
this word
from the
throne
that comes
and says
I am
making
everything
new
says the
one seated
on the
throne
write this
down
for these
words are
trustworthy
and true
trustworthy
and true
this is
reliable
God
is your
God
you are
his
child
you will
be with
him
forever
and
nothing
not the
sin
of you
or the
sin of
others
can take
him away
from you
or you
away from
him
whatever
you battle
with
whatever
deep down
in the
recesses
of your
heart
or through
the
accusations
of the
accuser
says it's
too late
it's too
late
your file
is marked
no
the cross
stands
as long
as the
cross
stands
do you
know one
day
as you
sing an
amazing
grace
when you've
been there
10,000
years
can you
imagine
when the
here and
now is
becoming a
distant
memory
when the
eternity
that we
have been
just getting
ready for
has begun
and you
are in
full swing
in the
purpose
of the
father
and you
will look
back
and the
foreshortening
of looking
back almost
along the
line
everything
will recede
into the
past
everything
will level
the pain
will become
a distant
memory
I don't
believe it
when people
say you
know time
heals
all wounds
only the
cross does
but let me
tell you
when you
look back
in thousands
of years
you will look
back and there'll
be only one
thing that rises
above the horizon
and that is the
cross
everything else
will recede
but the cross
you will never
forget where you
came from
as blood
bought children
but as much
as that will
be the case
therefore live
each day
now defined
alone by
that and
by him
he goes
on and he
says it is
done I am
the alpha
and the
omega
the beginning
and the
end
I govern
all from
go to
woe
and we
need to
just go
back just
that previous
slide because
down in the
fine print
and it's
not fine
print in the
bible don't
worry God
has no
fine print
hidden things
stuff that
you know
he didn't
really want
you to know
but it's
down there
you know you
should have
checked
it's just I've
got it in a
smaller font
but down the
bottom where it
actually speaks
of the fact
that this is
open to all
who will come
it does of
course say
but the
cowardly the
unbelieving the
vile the
murderers the
sexually immoral
those who
practice magic
arts many of
those are
reflected among
the people I
work with
daily over
there those
who I work
with at
cranebrook I
remember the
last life work
series I did
which was a
gift a tool
that the Lord
provided out of
here I had a
committed warlock
come along to
life works and
the same he
said to me at
the end of the
first one he
said look
wonderful I
just I'm so
amazed at what
you do he
said it is so
real and so
genuine it's
not for me but
look thank you
for inviting me
the second week
he came back
and he said
look would you
mind if I
came again
and he attended
all seven
weeks I don't
know what the
Lord will do
with him will
it be good
news for him
or indeed will
it confirm the
justice of God's
judgment against
him I don't
know the decrees
of the Lord I
just know that I
am called to
love you are
you are in a
world that
especially as
young people
tells you that
if you don't
get what you
want you
should kick
up a stink
you should be
upset you
should demand
I live in a
world and in a
place where I
realized that what
Jesus said to me
when he said
you've heard it
said love your
enemies and pray
for those who
persecute you
sorry you've
heard it said
you know you
know what I
mean
what am I
trying to think
of where he
says love your
neighbors hate
your enemies and
he says I say to
you love your
enemies pray for
those who persecute
you where he
says you know
pay back seek
justice every time
I get disrespect
over there I
know they are
standing in
solidarity with
their forebears
and I realized
that even though
people both black
and white said to
me Richard you've
got to stop this
they could have
said in brackets
small font
Richard you are
part of the
dominant culture
here you must
not allow this to
continue I even
said to the
aboriginal pastor
I said Marshall
you could do
that but I
can't if I do
I confirm in
them the stereotype
that they have
rightly held
for so long
about this
dominant culture
that has made
them submit
endlessly and
when they
complained said
sorry you've got
to suck this up
you don't like it
build a bridge
as the dominant
culture we don't
have to cope with
disrespect in an
individualistic society
you can conform
things to your
will and if you
are young you are
still possibly
convinced that it's
possible I want to
tell you give up on
it now give up on
it now it is not
cross shaped it is
not the way of the
cross put your
trust in the Lord
see the gospel it
is good news for
those who receive it
it is extremely bad
news for those who
don't and and as
we continue he
then does an
amazing thing he
says one of the
seven angels who
had the seven
bowls seven last
plagues said to me
come I'll show you
the bride the wife
of the lamb he
carried me away to a
high mountain great
and high and showed
me the holy city so
once again you have
this mashing together
of these two pictures
of glory right the
bride and the holy
city right don't get
confused understand
right the holy city
is you the bride is
you he is he is
secured he is
sanctified you you
can be no more
righteous than you
are in him right
now so let everything
else go what about
that great song all
the things I'm holding
on to so tight that I
won't let go Paul
says I count them as
excrement let it go
because this is you
I'm not just saying
it's yours it's you
you're the holy city
you're the bride and
and he reveals this
the bride is this city
that is just so
glorious incredible
jewels the
foundations later on
when you heard that
did you notice that
the foundations each
foundation was a
different precious
stone
and you think golly
the foundations out
there it's road
base the foundations
of this city go on
to the next slide how
big is this city
right we count all the
gates and you see all
the 12s remember
everything has to be
interpreted all the
numbers in revelation
show what the book
is about they are all
derivatives of 7 and
12 God and his
people that's what the
book's about you're his
people he is your God
right and so we read
that you know not only
are there 12 gates and
12 foundations and
whatever but when you
get down to verse 16 he
actually says he measured
the city with the rod
found it to be 12,000
stadia see 12 right it's
got 144 cubits 12 times
12 it's really basic right
the whole idea is it's
speaking about you because
you're the people of God
right but of course just
do the math just for this
image paint the image
let let the the picture
fully develop itself
because 12,000 stadia
roughly 2,200 kilometers
if you go as the crow
flies to Wiccan that means
from here you get more
than halfway that's how
wide the city is and of
course he said that that's
it in length and it's as
wide and high as it is
long you could just fit the
city on the land mass of
Australia if you picture
Australia but of course
you're not meant to
picture it literally like
that are you because what
did he say in length as
wide as it is high so it's a
cube you didn't want high
rise suck it up baby no it
is a picture it's an image
to be translated and
understood all right the
idea is the people of God
the new Jerusalem the bride
of Christ is glorious
gloriously beautiful which
means all the things in you
that you know aren't they
will be passed consigned to
the cross it is big you
don't have to get worried
that there won't be room and
it is secure I think he
says the walls are 65
meters thick which back in
those days was huge right
you guys sit there and you
think about all your movies
and say what about just
germ warfare or something
wouldn't matter how thick
the walls you're missing the
point understand the image
so guys look I've used as
much time as I can but I
want to tell you one more
story as I finish up this
boy's name it's a good one
Richard and he's now 10 and
he has been he's been talking
about suicide for quite some
time at school and his mum said
yes to Jesus at the last barbecue
church just before I came over
here and said would you pray for
me that I would stop gambling
and after we'd laid hands on her
and done so I said I said
what's been happening and she
she told me about what had been
happening for Richard at school
over the last few weeks and and
the concerns and she said that
during the week Richard came home
and there is no Christian
ministry in the school I mean I
I've got such open doors I could
place someone in there with my
Wickham community chaplain shirt
as a full-time chaplain tomorrow
Rio will give me a house tomorrow
I believe the Lord will provide the
funding but pray that someone will
go someone that is equipped in
this hot house of ministry and
growth in the word of Sydney that
someone will go to the furthest
part of Australia because Richard
came home and said to his mum on
the Wednesday of that week mum you've
got to stop gambling because this is
a Jesus house now I think he'd heard
from a couple of other kids that had
actually come to my house and said
and are really struggling with the
bullying and all the crime they're
being pushed into by older kids and
said to me can we have Jesus in our
heart they'll have heard it from
grandparents say it right pastor
Marshall but they said can we have
Jesus in our heart and to see her
call call over her son from from
playing at the end of barbecue church
and tell him that she'd said yes to
Jesus and that she was going to stop
gambling to see the look in his eyes
that maybe there was hope there's a
reason to stay alive is a fantastic
thing and it makes me want to ask you
to pray to to indeed come on
Wednesday night and allow yourself to
be informed so that you can
understand the Aboriginal situation
indeed understand all that is going
on over there and continue to
support us in prayer in in an
informed way and and be aware of the
wonderful things that God is doing
that you can give thanks for let's
pray dear Lord we thank you so much
that in your powerful and great
mercy you have done what you've done
you didn't ask our permission you
didn't wait for our cooperation and
you have sent us out now with the
gospel I thank you so much that you
do not send us out and ask us to be a
behavior reformation a behavior
improvement society Lord you know that
we are bankrupt without you that just
like our sister Pauline there is no
hope for the things that we battle with
lest you by your spirit according to
your agenda for our lives powerfully
work to transform us to the likeness of
of Christ and so Lord we ask that
whatever age we are here that we will
entrust ourselves to that that we will
recognize that whether we are in
Wickham or whether we are this light on
the hill in Chatswood that we will
recognize the opportunity you have given
us in the place that you have called us
to serve
to be part of the preparations for the
greatest revelation and glory the
world has ever known we will never
forget the cross Lord when all this pain
is a distant memory we will never forget
the price you pay but we praise you now we
rejoice in your presence now and we
entrust ourselves to you body mind soul
in spirit in his name
Amen