Jesus in Kingaroy? Attaboy!?

Date May 20th, 2011 12:18 by Dave

Have you heard the news?  Jesus has returned!…or apparently so, and to nearby Kingaroy!   I learned of this by reading not the Bible but the newspaper!

John Miller claims he is Jesus Christ…only, his coming was not on the clouds  for all the world to see:

“as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matt 24:27; Luke 17:24)

And rather than return in glory with the glorified body he left with, he crept back onto the scene as a decrepit, decaying a 47-year-old.  Moreover, he claims to have returned with Mary Magdalene…not sure what she is doing on the scene?  Maybe reading one too many Dan Brown novels and not enough Scripture?

So here is a question for you:  what would YOU say to John Miller?  What would YOU ask him, to test him?

For starters, we might ask why the manner of his “return” contradicts what he previously promised (as above), that the whole world would see his coming?  Do you no longer keep your promises, Jesus?

Or we might ask him some questions in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek, since Jesus was fluent in all three languages.

We could simply watch his life and wait for him to sin in any way!

Finally, we might ask him to confirm his credentials with miracles of biblical standards, such as:  healing completely and healing instantly not a stranger but a local person known by other locals to be blind or paralysed since youth and having that complete, instant healing verified by the community!  Oh yes, and these miracles were not done by some huckster in a tent or on a stage charging money, but they were always done freely in the name of the true God, upholding the free Gospel of Grace.

Hopefully these questions (and more) will help you not only “test” nut-cases and antichrists, but also help you remember the REAL Jesus, who was hardly obscure hiding in an outpost when He walked the earth:  His teaching astounded the nation and convicted hypocritical religious leaders.  His miracles were awesome, over nature, disease and even death.  And He never sinned, not once, and He travelled the nation to seek and save the lost by offering up Himself as the only sinless sacrifice who can satisfy the wrath of God.

Worship the Real Jesus, living in light of His return, waiting expectantly for Him who said,

If anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For  false christs and  false prophets will arise and  perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. See,  I have told you beforehand. So, if they say to you, ‘Look,  he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.  For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be  the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matt 24:23-27)

“Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev 22:20)

Retirement Planning

Date May 7th, 2011 11:08 by Craig

A recent sermon I prepared on retirement brought many thoughts to mind.

We spend so much of our lives planning the financial side of our retirement – but so little on the spiritual side of our retirement.

First, let me remind us all that one day we will finally retire from this world to eternity. Let us ensure our eternal destiny is secure by examining ourselves to make sure we are in the faith (2 Cor 13:5).

But secondly, we need to plan for our retirement in this life. What will we do with those years of relative time and financial freedom.

Scripture describes age as a time of honour and respect. Proverbs 20:29:

The glory of young men is their strength, but the splendor of old men is their gray hair.

But the honour and respect of old age is earned by a life lived in holiness and devotion. That begins well before retirement.

When Jonathan Edwards was a very young man he began writing out a list of resolutions to live by. Most were written while he was a teenager. The last of his seventy resolutions was completed soon after his twentieth birthday.

Here is resolution # 52 which he wrote while still in his teens:

I frequently hear persons in old age, say how they would live, if they were to live their lives over again: Resolved, that I will live just so as I can think I shall wish I had done, supposing I live to old age.

Then when you have a lifetime of walking with the Lord – one of the tasks of retirement is to pass the wisdom of such a life on to the youth.

Titus 2:2-5:

Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.

Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

The Bible makes it very clear that one of the great tasks of the retirement years is to pass on wisdom. To disciple and teach the younger men and women.

Older saints should be the most mature, godly, Christlike members of our churches. They have made the mistakes and been shaped by trials. They have seen the goodness of Christ.

Pass this wisdom on. Go to homegroup. Volunteer at youth group. Invite the youth over. Find a way to get involved and teach them to love the Lord and their wives and their husbands and their children.

Another great task of retirement is prayer.

Luke 2:36–37:

And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.

In general, older saints don’t have as many responsibilities as they once did. They may or may not be able to do much labouring work for the church but they can pray. Every church needs praying godly older saints.

Another area to consider in retirement is missions – both short and long term.

Retirees can fund their own missionary service. They can go to the missionfield for a year or ten.

They can teach English, teach at a school – use their skills.

I know several Christian doctors who retired and now spend six months a year relieving missionary doctors – all self-funded.

I know of several teachers who have ‘retired’ to the missionfield. I know of several businessmen who now administer mission hospitals and schools.

What an opportunity – retirees have the time, the godliness, the money to serve on the missionfield in ways others cannot.

Then you have some many other options for service. Serve the church – visitation, crèche, the kitchen, babysitting, gardening, helping young mums.

This planning begins now – it moves to retirement in this life with the joys associated with this stage of life – and culminates in retiring to heaven.

May we all plan on having a godly retirement.