“”
- book c:v
Ahoy Open Road!
Two weeks of beautiful, albeit rainy, arvos on the beach have been good for our souls! While the weather naturally keeps our group smaller, it's been beautiful to see moments like last Sunday, where Stephen + Alex go "all-in" for Jesus in a long-awaited moment of baptism.
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Last week I began a simple explanation of faith in Jesus, summarised as: forgiven, filled and following.
Forgiven by the Father.
Filled with the Spirit.
Following Jesus.
It just so happens that last Sunday was a brilliant example of following Jesus.
Part of the WHY behind Stephen + Alex's decision to be baptised was a desire to "go all-in" for Jesus and follow him.
Jesus doesn't offer a subscription service
Last week, we had several health challenges as a family. On Wednesday, one of the boys snapped their forearm while skateboarding. Given the fingers-to-bicep cast, he can't do much! With the rainy days and no chance to exercise, we reactivated an old subscription service to watch some movies while his arm heals.
It's tempting to do the same with faith in Jesus. Between January and April, the attendance at most churches on the coast will swell as people aim to "start the year well". When our world gets smaller and we have a chance to consider our lives, we often "reconnect with our faith". When circumstances become challenging, we look again to the one who offers love, care and guidance. While our intentions are usually to continue, it's often just for a season.
While Jesus is so kind to us and understands our human frailty, he invites us to abide with him through every season. In fact, it's in experiencing Jesus through a variety of seasons that our intimacy with him deepens.
Jesus doesn't offer upgrades
After a day of trying to get our new subscription working on our TV we realised we had the lowest-tier subscription and needed to upgrade to watch movies/shows on more than a couple of screens. So we went ahead and upgraded.
Unlike membership in earthly communities, Jesus offers all of himself to anyone who wants him. There are no membership tiers or upgrades ahead of following Jesus. You're a follower or not. You're in the family or not. While it's important for people to meet Jesus before they choose to entrust their lives to him, Jesus designed life with him to be without limits on his end.
Jesus invites us to go all-in
When we truly understand the extent of what Christ offers, the only natural response is to go "all-in" for Jesus. He gives all of himself, we give all of ourselves.
The trick, especially when considering baptism, is that when we give all of ourselves, we give our weaknesses, not just our strengths.
- We give him our faithfulness as well as our faithlessness.
- We give our wisdom as well as our foolishness.
- We give our good works as well as our sin.
- We give our selflessness as well as our selfishness.
That's the beauty of holding nothing back from Jesus. He takes all that is worthy of him along with all that is not. In return he gives himself.
- Perfectly pure.
- Perfectly holy.
- Perfectly faithful.
- Perfectly wise.
- Perfectly good.
- Perfectly selfless.
There is no one like Jesus in the heavens or on the earth. There's no gift in the world like Jesus.
If you're going to go all-in for anyone, make it Jesus.
He will take all of you. He will give you all of himself.
"Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!"
- 2 Corinthians 9:15
Much love,
Dan
Coming Up
November
Mondays - Emotionally Healthy Relationships, Kings Beach - Katie 0412 500 940
Mondays - Young Adults - Marcello + Mariela 0428 986 423
Thursdays - Dads Coffee, Bible + Prayer - Dan 0402 301 568
Fridays - 6am Men's Prayer - Fred 0431 437 080
Sundays - Home Church - Marcello + Mariela 0428 986 423
Sun 23 - 3pm Beach Gathering at Moffats
Sun 30 - 3pm Beach Gathering at Moffats
Our Mission
To help people find and follow Jesus.
Our Rhythms
Get to Know Jesus: how are you getting to know Jesus this week?
Invite people into your life: who can you intentionally open up your life to?
Gather and get involved: who can you connect, listen, share or pray with this weekend?
Our Giving
We are slowly being led to needs for our giving kitty! Please take time to ask God if there is someone in need around you whom God wants you/us to help!
Last month's giving: $12,796
Last month's expenses: $11,756
Balance: $78,518
Giving in : Oct 23-Oct 25: $5000
Giving out : Oct 23-Oct 25: $15,663
"Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed." - Proverbs 19:17
If you would like to support what we are doing and our giving to those in need, you can get started giving to Open Road to meet the needs of our church or get in touch with any questions you may have.
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