02 Jun Dates of note…more than just history
2 June 2026
I’m not sure if you noticed a couple of important commemorative dates this past week…? One, perhaps we all knew was coming, June 1st is technically the first day of Winter, and the current weather conditions seem to agree wholeheartedly!
The other may be a bit more obscure. Last Friday, May 29th, was the 573rd anniversary of the fall of Constantinople. Finally conquered in 1453, Constantinople was perhaps the last remaining fortress of the Roman Empire & had been fought over many times in its long history; often by competing Christian armies. It marked one more advance of the warrior ideology, Islam, against the Christian West. Probably more than anything, Constantinople’s loss marks how poorly Christians of different (yet faithful) theological beliefs have treated one another or cooperated in Christ’s mission together over the millennia.
What we are intended to be, rather than competitors in the “religion market” is this: Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved & by those who are perishing. To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death & doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this? – 2 Corinthians 2:15-16 How we are received as follower of Jesus says more about the other person than it does about us…BUT our job is to make sure we’re giving off “Jesus” vibes. The church of those middle centuries was racked by internal strife & division between East & West. Into that chaotic scene, the armies of Islam marched boldly & victoriously…not a lot of “Jesus vibes” there.
In the next part of this letter, Paul gives the diagnosis & answers his own question…To the charge to “smell like Jesus” he writes: And who is adequate for such a task as this? … It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life. – 2 Corinthians 2:16B & 3:5-6A Our only competence in living lives that give off the air of Jesus & suggest to the watching world that we live in Christ & are learning to be like him is to actually anchor our lives daily in him. It is crucial for each of us to steep ourselves in his Word, to engage deeply in worship among his people, & to develop the practice of naming him among our not-yet-Christian family & friends as the object of our hope & the source of our strength & every blessing…to demonstrate the life of Jesus & the abundance of life he provides in our lives.
We have ample opportunity for that in the days ahead…
- Sunday June 7th – our worship & teaching theme this week: What if God really could…Forgive you? Jesus does not simply heal bodies or improve circumstances — He restores people to life with God & invites them into a completely new way of living. Forgiveness is not just a “Get out of Hell Free” card in the great game of life. Jesus’ forgiveness transforms us in the here & now. His authority is not just to heal or even just to wipe the “slate of sin” clean, but to gather the broken lives & disjointed hearts of all people into a Kingdom of people who gather others into the feast of restoration. No one is beyond God’s forgiveness or outside God’s welcome.
- AND Sunday June 7th – Biggest Morning Tea & Giving Beyond Ourselves for the Cancer Council! Thank you in advance! This is always a fantastic morning together!
- Saturday June 13th – LWF Prayer Morning at our house. Starting at 10:00 .a.m. I’ll have the coffee pot fired up & ready to pour, and we can pour out our hearts to God for his great blessing & grace.
- Saturday June 20th – We’re hosting a Regional Gathering for our gospel co-workers in the CrossLink Christian Network. From about 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. we’ll have about 20 people from around NSW gathered to pray, worship, learn & catch God’s vision for his church moving into the next years of life together as a Network. We’ve been asked to provide morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea. I’ll say “Thank you” now…Some of our guests will be staying over & worshipping with us on Sunday the 21stwhich is our 13thbirthday! I still marvel at how God continues to bless us! And it looks like he isn’t finished yet!
Looking forward to seeing you all Sunday!
John
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