Where: City North Baptist Church

When: 18 & 19 May 2013

What can God accomplish in the world through our church?

• a basic issue of our identity
• a divine perspective for our life
• a clear foundation for our partnership

Dr Rev Bruce Dipple, former SMBC Director of Cross Cultural Mission will be joining us on 18 and 19 May to challenge us with a three part message on God’s role for our church in His world.

Saturday 18 May

International pot luck dinner from 6:00pm

Followed by Bruce sharing from 7:00pm

Please bring a dish to share.

Sunday 19 May

Bruce will also be sharing at both services on Sunday 19 May. There will also be the opportunity to hear from others who are reaching the nations and to chat with representatives from different mission organisations.

For more information, please contact Kerri B.

Dr Rev Bruce Dipple

Life for Bruce has involved some years as a NSW Baptist minister, some years as Principal of a French Bible College in Niger, West Africa, ten years as Australia/East Asia Director of SIM, and fifteen years lecturing in mission at Sydney Missionary & Bible College, where he continues his association as a Ministry Associate. His ministry over the years has taken him to more than 35 countries. He is a graduate of Glasgow Bible College (Scotland), Morling College (NSW), and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (USA). Writing, preaching, lecturing & consulting fill his time at present. He and his wife Sylvia live at Waterfall, NSW.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

So let’s remember to do these events with purpose! Spurring one another on and encouraging one another in Christ! These events are about far more than filling a calendar and giving us something to do.
Let’s be a group of YAs that are serious about seeing one another grow in Christ!

April:
Saturday 13th AM – Men’s breakfast (S. Schroder)
Saturday 20th PM – Gospel Feast (J. Lean)

May:
Saturday 4th AM – Jump Start (W. Henderson)
Wednesday 15th PM – A Night with Rob Benson (J. Lean)
Saturday 25th PM – Drive In Movies (M. Higgs)

June:
Saturday 8th PM – Prayer (D. & S. Fyfe)
Friday 28th PM – Possible event coming…stay tuned

July:
Saturday 13th AM – Jump Start (W. Henderson)
Saturday 20th PM – Prayer (D. & S. Fyfe)
Saturday 27th PM – Women’s dinner
Wednesday 31st PM – Training Night (W. & C. Klein)

But there’s something that puzzles many of us who think a bit more seriously about Good Friday.  Why should a day that marks the martyrdom of Jesus Christ, the only perfect man who has ever lived, come to be regarded as “good”?  You’d think that it should be the opposite.  The answer, however, goes to the very heart of the Christian message.

The enemies of Jesus at that time thought that they had scored a crushing victory over him, once and for all.  Nailed to a cross….pronounced dead….body wrapped in heavy bandages…..buried in a tomb guarded by Roman soldiers…..it was all over for Jesus.  But it wasn’t!  Not for Jesus and not for us!

Some time prior to his death Jesus said:  “I am the good shepherd …….and I lay down my life for the sheep……No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.  I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again” (John 10:14-18).   The death of Jesus was not simply an unfortunate accident of history but an event in which God was always in control.  When Jesus died, God was placing upon his own sinless Son the sins of the world.  “Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God” (1 Peter 3:18).

Do you see it?  What seemed to be a tragedy, God turned into a triumph.  The death of Jesus actually became the very means by which people can be brought into a personal relationship with God.  Jesus died in our place.  He paid in full the punishment for our sin.  Do you really believe that?  Because if you do, the message of Good Friday is the very best news you could possibly wish to hear.

If you are a Christian, take time out today to personally thank the Lord for his saving death on the cross.  If you are not yet a believer, why not take the step of putting your trust in Him today.  What better way to celebrate Good Friday 2013?

Happy Easter!

Pastor Murray

PS.  Though truly dead on that Friday afternoon, God raised Jesus back to life the following Sunday morning.  He is alive today and is coming back again one day.  Will we be ready to meet him when that day comes?  Now that’s a question worth thinking about.

Good Friday March 29 at 9:00AM
Easter Sunday March 31 at 9:00AM and 6:30PM

Right across the Roman Empire people with no previous knowledge of God were rapidly being made aware of His existence and His merciful offer of forgiveness through the preaching of the gospel.  But as this message of salvation spread like wildfire across the land, there came a growing need for the newly formed churches to come to terms with exactly what their conversion meant to them.  When the Apostle Paul wrote his letter to the church in Ephesus it was for this very purpose; to give new believers a vivid image of their new identity as Christians.

The result is one of the most spectacularly profound texts ever written.  Paul paints a stunning picture of the cosmic plan of God to unite all things in His only Son Jesus Christ.  He calls believers to recognise that God has graciously included them in His cosmic and eternal plan of salvation. He did this by uniting them to Jesus; the source of all life, the head of the church and the One who is triumphant over all powers and authorities.

Ephesians invites us to stand in awe of the new identity we have received in Christ, to marvel at His glorious grace and to rejoice at His immeasurable love.  Ultimately Paul wants you to see that your identity has been dramatically changed… you are no longer dead but you are alive!

“Ephesians is the most sublime and majestic expression of the gospel”

– Lloyd-Jones

FREE BIBLE READING GUIDE

There is a Bible Reading Guide available that will help you read through Ephesians as you follow this series!  It is in a format that is compatible with smart phones and tablets for ease of use or printed as a hard copy if this is your preference.

Click Here to access the reading guide

Time: Saturday 16 February @ 7PM

Where: Chermside Bowls Club, 468 Rode Road, Chermside

Cost: $10 (+ the cost of any other food or drink)

RSVP: On Facebook, or to J. Lean