I love talking to people!

17 Dec I love talking to people!

You probably didn’t know that…that I love talking to people. Or did you? Well…I do.

So…I’m in the checkout line & my cart is overflowing (we have a house-full next week) and the woman in line behind me has one of those little carry-on-your-arm baskets with about 8 things in it. Of course I told her to go ahead of me. And that, of course, gave her a chance to comment on my alleged accent. And that, of course, led her to ask my opinion on the latest US election.

Now…I’m not afraid to share a political opinion, but I gave her my standard, “Oh…look. It’s probably not the apocalypse, & in 4 years we’ll do it all over again & that won’t be the apocalypse either. We’ve lived through the worst of presidents, who I won’t name, and we’ll live through President Trump just like we did a few years back. It’s all going to be fine.” She probably sensed I was avoiding her question… politics in the checkout is not my idea of a good time. I’ll tell you about Jesus anywhere, anyplace, anytime (and I did give her an invite to worship), but politics requires large quantities of coffee or other adult beverages. So we talked about other things…and I did invite her to worship.

But what struck me in our brief tap-dance around opinions about the President-Elect was that it seemed she reflected the same sense of distress or anxiety “the sky’s falling” that I see in many in today’s world. Whether it’s US politics, the varied wars & rumours of wars overseas, the Australian economy or social/cultural scene, what’s afoot in the world of technology, the domino-like collapsing of overseas governments, the latest war of words in Canberra, or some new complication in family life under our own roof…the new buzz-word in the leadership around the globe is: VUCA. It’s an acronym that points to our current climate of Volatility (things happen quickly & the shifts are huge) Uncertainty (predictions, polling & modelling are often inaccurate) Complexity (there are no quick fixes or easy answers) Ambiguity (it’s become hard to discern between the “good guys & the bad guys”).

But I’ve been reading the book of Revelation. If you want VUCA…Revelation can give it to you! But Revelation is often a sorely misrepresented Word from God to us as his people. It’s not all crisis & calamity & judgment & punishment. It is genuinely a book of encouragement and at some level, comfort. Plot spoiler: Jesus wins!

My point is…Revelation is written to Christians living in a world that reviles them. The Roman empire in the first 300 years of the church’s existence tried hard to quarantine or kill faith in Christ or failing that, his disciples. So it’s a book of encouragement & comfort for the fainthearted or faltering…It’s for all of us who at times are just overwhelmed by the unrepentant nature of the world around us.

For instance…I learned today that on a per-capita basis, more people die in Canada by Medically assisted suicide than are killed in the USA on a per-capita basis by guns. Neither of those circumstances bring joy, but for a government to get really good at legally killing its own citizens sends a shiver up my spine!

Anyway…in Revelation 14:12 we read, This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently, obeying his commands and maintaining their faith in Jesus. Even when the world is reaping the whirlwind of its sinfulness, is in free fall, or pursues persistent rebellion, our call to endurance, perseverance, obedience, & faithfulness remains. We don’t get a “pass” to hide in our homes, avoid our neighbours, or handball our call as “light of the world,” (Mt 5:14-16) to someone else. This world needs to experience Jesus…and WE are how he chooses to show himself wherever WE are.

Moving into this week…and of course the weeks beyond that…

1. NO Zoom Bible Study Catch-up this week…We’ll resume in the new year.
2. Are you ready for Christmas? Well…the best preparation is to invite someone to join you!
   • Christmas Eve is Tuesday, 24th December – Worship is at 7:00 p.m.
   • Christmas Day is Wednesday, 25th December – Worship is at 9:00 a.m.
3. Into 2025…
   • Prayer Morning to kick-off the new year! Saturday, 4^th January @ 10:00 a.m. @ the Guilfoyle Home. I’ll have the coffee pot going! I’d like us to start a pattern of praying ourselves into each new season. Let’s fill the house!
   • UnEarthed: Uncovering stories of Faith in Australia – Thursday 27th February 2025 – This citywide multi-church evangelism event will be a FREE event for you, your families, and friends held at the Range Function Centre. Please note that date! It’s going to include Karl Faase, Colin Buchanan (and his adult country repertoire) and special guests from the Faith Runs Deep documentary interview series. All-Australian stories of faith in Christ from the length & breadth of this sunburnt country…the Great Southland of the Holy Spirit.
4. Starting Sunday you’ll be hearing a clear call to find a way to dig more deeply into Scripture this year. We’ll be offering you a few different options for good old fashioned Bible reading. There are apps you can put on your phone & we’ll have people who can help you do that & teach you how to use them effectively. Whatever you choose…maybe this year is the year to try something different from years previous. If you’re curious…ask Leonie or me or someone you know is growing in their faith.

Looking forward to seeing you Sunday!

John