Reason for the Season
I've labelled this title as "reason for the season" not because I had something to say, but because I haven't updated for almost a month again and if I'm to talk about something then talking about Easter has to be included in my little update.
So I'm back from Dunedin for a few days. Rebecca came and picked me up and drove me to EasterCamp. Something was very different about Eastercamp this year. I guess it was probably due to no longer having an active part in OBY as well as being 18 now (feel more like I'm there for the youthgroup rather than me).
The speakers were really inspiring though and I think when they talked it wasn't just intended for the youth.
I met up with a lot of people from Christchurch that I haven't seen for a long time. I even was told by a non-christian friend that his sister went to Eastercamp. One thing that annoyed me though was that the lincoln youthgroup doubled its numbers to 90 odd this year from 45ish last year, yet though Opawa is growing, the youthgroup is reasonably stable. I can't complain, I'm not doing anything about it, I'm not even in the same city, and Lincoln is near a university, but I do think Opawa Baptist Youthgroup needs prayer so that God can use it to bring so many people into His kingdom as well as growing those already in it to become more and more disciples of Christ.
And here's where the title comes in... Eastercamp is important because there are so many people out there that don't know God and they don't know what Easter is really about. As simple as it is, people need to understand that Jesus is God's son; that He took the weight of our sins, our wrong doings, on His shoulders; that He hung to a cross, innocent; that on the Third day after His death, His payment for us, His disciples were turned away from His grave by angels telling them, "why do you seek the living among dead?", because Jesus not only died for what we do wrong because He loves us so much, but that He rose again and sent His spirit to live in us, to mould us, change us, into the children we were always meant to be. It's the Lord Jesus Christ that makes us whole, that makes us people, that makes us alive! That's what people need to hear about Easter, not some message about how you can treat yourself to a holiday, a break filled with sweets and relaxation. You're relaxing because your heart no longer has to worry about trying to become whole. Jesus has already made you whole!
It's called the good news because it is! I've talked to people who aren't Christian, they only want to be happy in life, to find something that fillfulls them. Maybe getting a good job will make them happier, maybe finding friends that will always be there, can always be counted on, maybe money, maybe holidays. Well the truth is, the job will never change your heart, you work until you no longer can anymore and you always work to get higher, the sky is endless; your friends have their own lives, and they're looking out for number one foremost, as soon as the situation becomes you or them, they'll look after themselves; money only ever makes you want more money; holidays have to end, or they become permanence!
Nothing in life fulfills you like Jesus. Don't forget the reason for the season!!!
I spent the weekend before Eastercamp in a little town out of Dunedin. We talked about Evangelism and the need to actively talk to people about God. Before Christ left the disciples and ascended into Heaven He said to them one more thing (perhaps the most important thing Jesus had to say [ie, if someone is about to die and can talk to their son one more time, won't they say the most important thing they can think of?]). Jesus told the disciples to go and make disciples of all nations. That means that we need to show people who He is, and show them how to live His life! So on Saturday, we went into Dunedin and talked to students about God. Because I know that I cannot give up God now, I can't walk away, because I know He is real! There is something inside me that knows this and I can't ignore it. Nor should I contain it, because it wants to get out and tell others what I've got. It's something in me that wants to see places like OBY grow, in numbers, in love, in support, and discipleship.
Every Christian is called to evangelise. And we should do that by living a life that follows Jesus, and by telling people who He really is, and taking them to events like Eastercamp, Greg Laurie, Impact World Tour, Parachute, etc so that they can hear other Christians talk of what an exciting life living for God really is!
I think one of the most important things for Christians is to live humbly. To not boast about how good we are at things. "What have we got that we haven't been given, and if we've been given it how can we boast?" Money, power, wealth, possessions, abilities. We're all only stewards of God's things. So why fight between ourselves, why show off, why cause pain and grief to each other? If we all just lived to serve God foremost, and to serve others (so they can grow closer in their relationship with God), then there won't be problems. You want an answer to world peace? Turn everyone Christian! Please note I'm using the world Christian by it's actual meaning, to be a follower of Christ Jesus! This has nothing to do with religion - that causes wars or acts as the scapegoat. No, If people lived lives to actively "make change contagious", to bring about a revolution that demands peace, that demands humility, that demands love - the things Jesus demanded. Then there will be peace, and humility and love, and it will spread throughout the world like a bush fire in 40degree (celsius) heat. Come on people, let's make change contagious!
So I'm back from Dunedin for a few days. Rebecca came and picked me up and drove me to EasterCamp. Something was very different about Eastercamp this year. I guess it was probably due to no longer having an active part in OBY as well as being 18 now (feel more like I'm there for the youthgroup rather than me).
The speakers were really inspiring though and I think when they talked it wasn't just intended for the youth.
I met up with a lot of people from Christchurch that I haven't seen for a long time. I even was told by a non-christian friend that his sister went to Eastercamp. One thing that annoyed me though was that the lincoln youthgroup doubled its numbers to 90 odd this year from 45ish last year, yet though Opawa is growing, the youthgroup is reasonably stable. I can't complain, I'm not doing anything about it, I'm not even in the same city, and Lincoln is near a university, but I do think Opawa Baptist Youthgroup needs prayer so that God can use it to bring so many people into His kingdom as well as growing those already in it to become more and more disciples of Christ.
And here's where the title comes in... Eastercamp is important because there are so many people out there that don't know God and they don't know what Easter is really about. As simple as it is, people need to understand that Jesus is God's son; that He took the weight of our sins, our wrong doings, on His shoulders; that He hung to a cross, innocent; that on the Third day after His death, His payment for us, His disciples were turned away from His grave by angels telling them, "why do you seek the living among dead?", because Jesus not only died for what we do wrong because He loves us so much, but that He rose again and sent His spirit to live in us, to mould us, change us, into the children we were always meant to be. It's the Lord Jesus Christ that makes us whole, that makes us people, that makes us alive! That's what people need to hear about Easter, not some message about how you can treat yourself to a holiday, a break filled with sweets and relaxation. You're relaxing because your heart no longer has to worry about trying to become whole. Jesus has already made you whole!
It's called the good news because it is! I've talked to people who aren't Christian, they only want to be happy in life, to find something that fillfulls them. Maybe getting a good job will make them happier, maybe finding friends that will always be there, can always be counted on, maybe money, maybe holidays. Well the truth is, the job will never change your heart, you work until you no longer can anymore and you always work to get higher, the sky is endless; your friends have their own lives, and they're looking out for number one foremost, as soon as the situation becomes you or them, they'll look after themselves; money only ever makes you want more money; holidays have to end, or they become permanence!
Nothing in life fulfills you like Jesus. Don't forget the reason for the season!!!
I spent the weekend before Eastercamp in a little town out of Dunedin. We talked about Evangelism and the need to actively talk to people about God. Before Christ left the disciples and ascended into Heaven He said to them one more thing (perhaps the most important thing Jesus had to say [ie, if someone is about to die and can talk to their son one more time, won't they say the most important thing they can think of?]). Jesus told the disciples to go and make disciples of all nations. That means that we need to show people who He is, and show them how to live His life! So on Saturday, we went into Dunedin and talked to students about God. Because I know that I cannot give up God now, I can't walk away, because I know He is real! There is something inside me that knows this and I can't ignore it. Nor should I contain it, because it wants to get out and tell others what I've got. It's something in me that wants to see places like OBY grow, in numbers, in love, in support, and discipleship.
Every Christian is called to evangelise. And we should do that by living a life that follows Jesus, and by telling people who He really is, and taking them to events like Eastercamp, Greg Laurie, Impact World Tour, Parachute, etc so that they can hear other Christians talk of what an exciting life living for God really is!
I think one of the most important things for Christians is to live humbly. To not boast about how good we are at things. "What have we got that we haven't been given, and if we've been given it how can we boast?" Money, power, wealth, possessions, abilities. We're all only stewards of God's things. So why fight between ourselves, why show off, why cause pain and grief to each other? If we all just lived to serve God foremost, and to serve others (so they can grow closer in their relationship with God), then there won't be problems. You want an answer to world peace? Turn everyone Christian! Please note I'm using the world Christian by it's actual meaning, to be a follower of Christ Jesus! This has nothing to do with religion - that causes wars or acts as the scapegoat. No, If people lived lives to actively "make change contagious", to bring about a revolution that demands peace, that demands humility, that demands love - the things Jesus demanded. Then there will be peace, and humility and love, and it will spread throughout the world like a bush fire in 40degree (celsius) heat. Come on people, let's make change contagious!
posted by Rayd at 5:34 pm
2 Comments:
That sounds awesum. I'm glad I stumbled upon your blog because I stumbled upon the blog of a Christian who isn't full of himself, and I actually ENJOYED reading what you had to say!
You have a way with words Radiance dude.
I'm glad too that you stubled upon my blog. I think the thing about being Christian is that I'm not full of myself, I'm full of the Holy Spirit! And everything I do, everything thing I have, is what God has allowed me. So I have no right to boast. (though in saying that, it is fun to get cocky in competitions so long as there is no shame in having your big-head blown off)
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