Revelation

We could stay here for the rest of this day till midnight and not be able to chase all the themes

and all the scriptures that have been alluded to in the reading we've just heard.

We're obviously not going to be able to do that, but let's stop and pray and ask the Lord to

minister to us by his spirit so that we might capture this incredible vision

that really is what we've all been waiting for.

Let's pray.

Dear Lord, we thank you so much that we come and it is so easy for us to come in a way that

we feel that just getting in the doors, we've done enough.

We've ticked the box.

And yet, Lord, as we have sung these amazing truths, as we have heard this amazing passage

from your word just read, we are reminded that we are on the verge of something quite incredible.

that you are indeed taking us forward to be part of something that no eye has seen, nor

ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, that you have prepared from before the foundation

of the world.

And we ask that by your spirit you would strip away the distractions, the weariness, and that

you would allow us to focus on what you have in store.

That you would minister to us so that our minds and hearts might be gripped and thoroughly

convinced by not just who you are and what you're doing, but of the part that you have

called us to play in it.

Dear Lord, we are not spectators here tonight.

We come as worshippers to hear and receive from you that you might indeed send us forward

into all that you have purposed for us to walk in, for your glory.

Amen.

Guys, I have been given an incredible privilege to come and share with you on a passage that

has just been read to us that reflects the climax of this amazing book.

The revelation of what will be for those following Jesus in these last days.

We have just heard about the end of every tear.

The answer to every prayer.

Think about that.

The answer to every prayer.

And you think, oh, gee, I had a very different shopping list of the things.

No, trust me.

The answer to every prayer, everything you have ever come to the throne of grace with is ultimately

answered here.

The healing of every hurt.

I spoke to a group of older people this morning.

There are not as many older people here.

And yet we can't be so naive as to think that it's only the older people who have lived enough

in this world under the curse that hurt.

I come from a place where out of the funerals I do, up to two or three a week, up to a third of them are from suicide.

I'm going to tell you a story shortly about a young boy, eight years of age, who's just seen enough hope in Jesus that he might not take his own life as an eight-year-old.

And he is not uncommon.

That says there is pain.

And we have just heard about the healing of every hurt.

Whatever your hurts are, whatever they have been, whatever binds you, whatever you long to be free of, whatever you just say, Lord, I want to live for you.

He speaks of this here.

And while, yes, we are speaking of a time that is hence, that is still future, he catches us up in it now.

There is an incredible liberation for those who realise and live as the kids of the kingdom.

And just like the building project next door, we will see that this is not going to be the goal.

The completion of this is not the goal.

The slab out the front is not the end of it.

Even the opening day, it's not the end.

It's the beginning.

We're getting ready to start.

And this is probably the hardest thing for you as young people to grasp.

That you think, this is it.

I'm in the prime of my life.

I look at this guy out the front and I just go, he is so not in the prime of his life.

But I am there.

I am there.

If you want to truly suck the marrow from life, in other words, get all the riches that God has purposed for you,

you must stop listening to the world out there.

You must stop listening to what it says will define you.

And you must listen to this.

You must live for this.

Because in the previous chapters to this, you have heard that the battle is over.

That evil has been swept away.

You know that you haven't been following a calendar or diarised set of things that starts from chapter one and the seven churches.

You're following something that is like layers.

Anyone watch Bathurst yesterday?

No one?

Today?

Was it today?

Oh, I lose track.

I haven't watched Bathurst today.

I used to love watching Bathurst.

You know?

You know how they do Bathurst?

Bathurst.

You know, like, Bathurst was just gold for guys that make technology little and use it with cameras.

You know?

Because, you know, Bathurst, you know, one moment you have that standard camera view and then the next moment you are, you know,

you're looking at this same race out of a camera that is down in the ground.

And the cars are going straight over the top of you.

And then the next moment you are on this pulley that is being pulled down the length of Pitt Street as fast as the cars go.

And you feel like, well, you are going as fast as the car.

The next moment you're actually looking from a camera that is up in the helicopter that is following around the mountain at, you know, nearly 200 miles an hour.

The next moment you are in the car, you are looking at the guy's feet going up and down on top of you as he changes the gears.

The next moment you are, let me think of another one, you're in the pits.

All of these different camera angles are all giving you the same view, sorry, a different view of the same event.

That is what Revelations do.

It is layer upon layer.

It keeps giving you different views of the same event of the last day, the period between Christ's first coming and his second coming.

So that you might be secure in the knowledge and the assurance of what he is doing in your midst.

And so having come through these previous visions and seen that the battle is over, evil has been swept away.

We now have three pictures of incredible glory.

The glory of a new day that we thought would never dawn has come.

And these three pictures are all seen in the first couple of verses.

Indeed, I'm going to focus on the first four verses of this chapter and leave the rest of it to you.

We will unpack a few things, but you see that it begins and he says,

Then I saw a new heavens and a new earth.

And we read of something that is referred to in Isaiah 65 and in many other places,

this promise of a new heavens and a new earth.

And he goes on and indeed says,

For the first heaven and the first earth had passed away and there was no longer any sea.

And I'm sure you've been told not only not to view it as a timeline and all of that,

but not to take these pictures, these Old Testament allusions literally, right?

To make sure that even as, if you're anything like me,

you hear that passage read and you close your eyes.

And in one sense, you're picturing.

But remember, you're still picturing a vision that then has to be interpreted.

Never take the vision as literal.

You remember, it probably began with Steve preaching on the glorious vision of the risen and ascended Lord Jesus.

Right?

And if you take that vision literally, then of course, you will be ducking and weaving

when you stand before the Lord and get ready to give him a hug.

Because as you know, there is a sharp two-edged sword coming out of his mouth.

And if you are not careful, he will slice you in two when you give him a hug.

Do not worry.

This will not happen.

It is an image to be interpreted.

Right?

We know that it means that he speaks truth.

Every word is truth.

And similarly here, when we speak of the new heavens and the new earth,

just go back if you can,

for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away,

we actually need to interpret the image.

Because I'm going to call,

I'm going to call an elephant in the room.

that in fact,

if you are anything like me,

there is a bit of a worry about heaven.

There is a bit of a feeling that,

Lord, how can I be?

Look,

am I really going to want to be there?

When it really boils down,

that's the elephant in the room.

Am I really going to want to be there?

And this passage,

I've got to tell you,

does not give me any encouragement whatsoever.

Who here likes to surf?

Anybody?

Right?

Sorry, Sam.

I'm sorry, mate.

Who here likes to fish?

Yep,

a few more of those.

Who here likes to walk along the beach?

Oh,

lots of people.

Well,

I'm sorry,

you're just going to have to suck it up

because there is no longer any sea.

It's not a laughing matter.

And yet,

of course,

if we in fact receive as we need to,

every part of this revelation

as something that must be interpreted,

don't stop when you get to the millennium,

don't stop interpreting

and translating these images,

whether they be numbers,

time frames,

pictures,

whatever it be.

And similarly with this,

I'm just going to use this

no longer any sea as an example

that in fact,

we need to recognize,

as you see,

and you can go right back

to Genesis chapter one

and see that in the beginning,

God created the heavens and the earth.

The earth was without form and void.

Darkness was over the face of the deep

and the spirit of God

was hovering over the face of the waters.

So as the Lord moves out to create

and as we know in what flows

in the narrative there of chapter one,

the seas and the oceans

aren't created till later

and yet there is this image

in God creating out of nothing

that there is still this picture given us

that chaos

and that which is not of God

is reflected by the deep,

by waters that we don't know

what lurks beneath.

And so there is this picture of chaos

and he's not going to be

but of the Lord presiding.

He presides over it.

He rules it

and he conforms it to his purpose

and his plan.

And indeed,

as we go on through the prophets

and we could pick many others,

but just looking at Isaiah 57,

he says,

the wicked are like the tossing sea

for it cannot be quiet.

Its waters toss up mire and dirt.

If you've ever been down after a cyclone,

you've seen it can be literally towers of foam

and it is literally all the dirt

that has been tossed out of the sea.

So there's this picture of this chaos.

But what we are reading here

when we read

of the sea being no more

is not meant to discourage anybody

who would like a walk along the beach in eternity.

I can't tell you

what heaven will be like.

And you say,

what do you mean you can't tell me, Richard?

I mean,

we're just reading the book that is full of it

and I want to tell you,

no, we're not.

That's actually not the purpose

of the book of Revelation.

Its purpose is not to give you

a literal idea

of exactly what heaven will be like.

Test me.

Go back and read it.

Every picture is just that,

a picture to be interpreted.

The idea of this

is not to discourage surfers,

fishermen,

or walk along the beaches.

It is to actually

encourage those

who need to know

that will there be a day

when there is no longer,

not just that which is wrong

and bad

and unjust

and the root of pain,

but even the causes of sin.

I need to know

it will end.

And when he says

the sea was no more,

in that image,

that is what he's picking up.

in this new heavens

and new earth

there will be nothing

of that.

I can't tell you literally

what heaven will be like.

But I guarantee you

of one thing,

that while there's not

a single thing here

that tells you literally

what it will be,

it tells you

that God is there

and so are you

in complete love

forever.

And that is what

the rest of this unpacks.

That's what he goes on

indeed in the next

of these three

glorious pictures.

As we see,

he then says,

verse two,

I saw the holy city,

the new Jerusalem,

coming down out of heaven

from God,

prepared as a bride,

beautifully dressed

for her husband.

So we see this

bringing together

of these two pictures,

this second and third picture,

a holy city,

new Jerusalem,

coming down out of heaven

from God.

It's a picture

that you could follow

right through.

Right through.

I read from Isaiah 12

this morning,

Isaiah 11,

sorry,

about the time

when the lion

will dwell with the lamb,

when the child

won't just play

on the drums,

he will play

over the adder's den.

And dad will not

have to worry.

For no one

shall hurt

or steal

in all my holy mountain.

This is the holy city,

the new Jerusalem

that we now see

in this picture.

is coming down

out of heaven

and then,

bam,

we're into the next picture

which is

prepared as a bride,

beautifully dressed

for her husband.

I went to a wedding

on Friday,

my daughter's getting married.

My daughter's getting married

in three weeks' time.

Lots of lace

and tulle

and all of that,

I'm not allowed

to see the dress.

It's a secret.

But it's going

to be great.

But here are these

put together.

You see one moment,

Lord,

will you make up your mind?

What's coming down

out of heaven?

A city or a bride?

I need to know.

No, you don't.

Interpret it.

Translate it.

Understand it.

Consider the images

and then understand them.

Because as you do,

you are caught up

with something astounding.

And I want us

to quickly move forward

and move past

as we then look on

at verse 3

because these three images,

new heavens,

new earth,

holy city,

new Jerusalem,

bride adorned

for her husband.

What does it spell?

Verse 3.

Verse 3.

No,

verse 3.

Golly,

Jay!

Sorry

for that tantrum.

And I heard a loud voice

from the throne saying,

look,

God's dwelling place

is now among the people

and he will dwell with them.

They will be his people

and God himself

will be with them

and be their God.

Every one of the three

pictures of glory

that you've seen

in verses 1 and 2

spells that.

Just like I said,

none of what you see

in Revelation

about heaven

is to be understood

literally.

That is what

you're to understand.

That is what

has always been in view.

When the Lord

promised to the people

through Moses,

both of his presence

at the tabernacle,

of his presence

at the temple,

of them in the promised land,

of his promises

to David,

it was all

that they will be

his people

and God himself

will be with them

and be their God.

Is that not what it is?

And then verse 4,

he will wipe

every tear

from their eyes.

There will be no

more death

or mourning

or crying

or pain

for the old order

of things

has passed away.

and it's hard

for me to read that,

to sing

those words

and truths

so beautifully

expressed in that song

without contemplating

what it's meant,

the journey

that the Lord's

caused me

to travel

over these 52 years

to consider

what you are going through,

what I have no idea of

but which the Lord knows,

which Jesus

carried to the cross

when it said,

when he said,

your sins

were laid upon him

and that by his wounds

you would be healed,

that he bore

the punishment

that would make you whole.

When I think

of those

over in Wickham

and this

desperation,

I want to tell you

the story

of two friends

of mine

who are in fact

brothers and sisters

to you,

Bob and Pauline.

They were never married,

there's very little

marriage

that has gone on

over the last

30 years

in the Aboriginal

community

and the tribes

of the Pilbara

and we're just

starting to see that

there are four

Aboriginal couples

that have asked me

to marry them

just in the last year

and Bob and Pauline

I know

wanted to head that way.

Many of them

feel they can't

because the way

they've been taught

in the past

is that they've got

to get their

lives together

before they can

actually come to God

and accept Jesus

and sadly

we have those same

misconceptions

and stereotypes here

rather than the

realisation

that I have

no resources

in and of myself.

Who am I kidding

to think

that I can fix

the things in me

outside of the

unction of the

spirit?

And so

Bob

was

they had

heritage

of faith

and had been

taken

by grandparents

to church

as kids

but Bob

asked me

to visit him

in prison

to give him

a Bible

and we read it

and he put

his trust in Jesus

and even while

he was doing

his stint

in prison

which I think

was his 12th

I would talk

to Pauline

and we were

starting barbecue

church

and I would

visit everyone

in the community

each month

and I would

talk to her

and she would

say I don't

need Jesus

and if you knew

what had happened

in her life

you'd understand

why she says

that

and yet

it came to

the point

where she would

say to me

I don't

come to

barbecue church

but I want

you to know

that I'm

listening

see all the

drinking houses

would listen

to what was

sung and said

from their houses

as we turn up

the amp

a bit more

and the Lord

the Lord

I know

is working

not just in

those who come

but in those

who don't

and she said

I think this

Jesus is good

and then a

while later

months later

she said

she would

start saying

to me

I need

Jesus

and as you

can see

she started

coming to

barbecue church

and this

photo was

taken when

Bob was

out of prison

he's back

in for another

stint now

such are the

cycles of

dysfunction

and how

tightly they

bind us

they bind us

as tightly

as you might

find yourself

held by

consumerism

or held

by pride

or held

by the

need to

control

your life

or held

by whatever

it may be

and yet

she began

to come

to barbecue

church

and she

I know

that she

has said

yes to

Jesus

and we

would have

these amazing

conversations

and yet

still

she was

in the grip

of the things

to which

she had

been bound

and the

last time

I saw

her

a couple

of barbecue

churches

ago

she

came away

from the

group she

was drinking

with and

she spoke

to me

of having

been raped

recently

she spoke

to me

of the

fact that

she had

to get

off the

grog

and

if there

was to

be any

hope for

her

or for

Bob

when they

got out

when

Holmes

West

gave

them

a

house

and

she

said

you have

to pick

me up

for church

and I

thought she

meant barbecue

church

but she

like we've

had an

increasing

number of

aboriginal

people starting

to come

on Sunday

morning to

church

the first

year we

virtually

had no

one

there was

not an

aboriginal

person

in Wickham

that was a

Christian

and now

we probably

have up to

a dozen

that will

come

and to

realise that

she wanted

me to pick

her up

even for

morning church

and we

arranged and

I went

we went

round to

her place

to pick

her up

but after

inquiries

discovered

that she

had gone

to family

in Robben

and two

nights later

after an

argument she

took her

life

and at

her funeral

in front

of about

five to

six hundred

people

family

I was able

to speak

to them

because the

aboriginal

pastor asked

me to do

all the

teaching of

the bible

now at

these funerals

and he

asked me

and said

sorry I

shared with

them from

Matthew 5

blessed

are the

poor

blessed are

the poor

in spirit

for they

shall inherit

the earth

blessed are

those who

mourn for

they should

be comforted

I was able

to say to

them this

is not

talking about

those who

don't have

much money

getting this

reversal of

being rich

or those who

attend lots of

funerals like

you guys

you'll be the

ones that God

will comfort

it actually

speaks about

those who

realise that

they are

absolutely

bankrupt in

life without

Jesus

a realisation

that they

need to

come to

just as

much as

we need

to come

to

or should

I say

that we

need to

come to

just as

much as

they need

to come

to

that those

in plain

dysfunction

open and

evident to

all

need it

just as

much as

we

with our

hidden

dysfunctions

desperately

need to

know the

sufficiency

the all

sufficiency

the lavish

resources

that Christ

brings to

us from

the Father's

hand and

to actually

see and

to know

and to

sing those

words

no more

tears

no more

crying

no more

mourning

no more

pain

no more

death

to know

that that

is hers

gives me

such a

comfort

but it

also creates

this prayer

where I

asked you

before

to pray

with us

that the

Lord indeed

will keep

people alive

long enough

another third

of those

that I

laid in

the ground

this year

died from

asbestosis

the public

face of

asbestos

related diseases

is

is

guys

white

Australians

that worked

in factories

you know

where it

was produced

or sent

out but

they missed

the people

who actually

had to

endure

the results

of having

played

on their

on the

sacks

as they

sat on

their dad's

truck

as he

drove it

from

Robben

out to

the

wharf

at

Point

Samson

as they

played

in the

tailings

one guy

who's got

cancer

a funeral

I took

for him

for his

brother

it was

the second

last

brother

apart

from him

left out

of seven

brothers

I need

to tell

you more

of the

situation

of the

Aboriginal

people in

the

Pilbara

for you

to understand

so that

you can

pray in

an informed

way

I'll do

that on

Wednesday

night

I've been

given

permission

to share

with you

indeed the

story of

the last

Indyabundi

elder to

die

normally

you're not

allowed to

do that

to share

his name

but his

elderly

children

have given

me

permission

to share

that

he died

at the

age of

107

and his

testimony

is one

that I

think

enters my

mind

and informs

my prayers

as I

ask the

Lord

his plans

for me

there each

day

and I'd

love you

to be

aware

of it

on

Wednesday

night

but

as we

move on

we then

hear this

interjection

this word

from the

throne

that comes

and says

I am

making

everything

new

says the

one seated

on the

throne

write this

down

for these

words are

trustworthy

and true

trustworthy

and true

this is

reliable

God

is your

God

you are

his

child

you will

be with

him

forever

and

nothing

not the

sin

of you

or the

sin of

others

can take

him away

from you

or you

away from

him

whatever

you battle

with

whatever

deep down

in the

recesses

of your

heart

or through

the

accusations

of the

accuser

says it's

too late

it's too

late

your file

is marked

no

the cross

stands

as long

as the

cross

stands

do you

know one

day

as you

sing an

amazing

grace

when you've

been there

10,000

years

can you

imagine

when the

here and

now is

becoming a

distant

memory

when the

eternity

that we

have been

just getting

ready for

has begun

and you

are in

full swing

in the

purpose

of the

father

and you

will look

back

and the

foreshortening

of looking

back almost

along the

line

everything

will recede

into the

past

everything

will level

the pain

will become

a distant

memory

I don't

believe it

when people

say you

know time

heals

all wounds

only the

cross does

but let me

tell you

when you

look back

in thousands

of years

you will look

back and there'll

be only one

thing that rises

above the horizon

and that is the

cross

everything else

will recede

but the cross

you will never

forget where you

came from

as blood

bought children

but as much

as that will

be the case

therefore live

each day

now defined

alone by

that and

by him

he goes

on and he

says it is

done I am

the alpha

and the

omega

the beginning

and the

end

I govern

all from

go to

woe

and we

need to

just go

back just

that previous

slide because

down in the

fine print

and it's

not fine

print in the

bible don't

worry God

has no

fine print

hidden things

stuff that

you know

he didn't

really want

you to know

but it's

down there

you know you

should have

checked

it's just I've

got it in a

smaller font

but down the

bottom where it

actually speaks

of the fact

that this is

open to all

who will come

it does of

course say

but the

cowardly the

unbelieving the

vile the

murderers the

sexually immoral

those who

practice magic

arts many of

those are

reflected among

the people I

work with

daily over

there those

who I work

with at

cranebrook I

remember the

last life work

series I did

which was a

gift a tool

that the Lord

provided out of

here I had a

committed warlock

come along to

life works and

the same he

said to me at

the end of the

first one he

said look

wonderful I

just I'm so

amazed at what

you do he

said it is so

real and so

genuine it's

not for me but

look thank you

for inviting me

the second week

he came back

and he said

look would you

mind if I

came again

and he attended

all seven

weeks I don't

know what the

Lord will do

with him will

it be good

news for him

or indeed will

it confirm the

justice of God's

judgment against

him I don't

know the decrees

of the Lord I

just know that I

am called to

love you are

you are in a

world that

especially as

young people

tells you that

if you don't

get what you

want you

should kick

up a stink

you should be

upset you

should demand

I live in a

world and in a

place where I

realized that what

Jesus said to me

when he said

you've heard it

said love your

enemies and pray

for those who

persecute you

sorry you've

heard it said

you know you

know what I

mean

what am I

trying to think

of where he

says love your

neighbors hate

your enemies and

he says I say to

you love your

enemies pray for

those who persecute

you where he

says you know

pay back seek

justice every time

I get disrespect

over there I

know they are

standing in

solidarity with

their forebears

and I realized

that even though

people both black

and white said to

me Richard you've

got to stop this

they could have

said in brackets

small font

Richard you are

part of the

dominant culture

here you must

not allow this to

continue I even

said to the

aboriginal pastor

I said Marshall

you could do

that but I

can't if I do

I confirm in

them the stereotype

that they have

rightly held

for so long

about this

dominant culture

that has made

them submit

endlessly and

when they

complained said

sorry you've got

to suck this up

you don't like it

build a bridge

as the dominant

culture we don't

have to cope with

disrespect in an

individualistic society

you can conform

things to your

will and if you

are young you are

still possibly

convinced that it's

possible I want to

tell you give up on

it now give up on

it now it is not

cross shaped it is

not the way of the

cross put your

trust in the Lord

see the gospel it

is good news for

those who receive it

it is extremely bad

news for those who

don't and and as

we continue he

then does an

amazing thing he

says one of the

seven angels who

had the seven

bowls seven last

plagues said to me

come I'll show you

the bride the wife

of the lamb he

carried me away to a

high mountain great

and high and showed

me the holy city so

once again you have

this mashing together

of these two pictures

of glory right the

bride and the holy

city right don't get

confused understand

right the holy city

is you the bride is

you he is he is

secured he is

sanctified you you

can be no more

righteous than you

are in him right

now so let everything

else go what about

that great song all

the things I'm holding

on to so tight that I

won't let go Paul

says I count them as

excrement let it go

because this is you

I'm not just saying

it's yours it's you

you're the holy city

you're the bride and

and he reveals this

the bride is this city

that is just so

glorious incredible

jewels the

foundations later on

when you heard that

did you notice that

the foundations each

foundation was a

different precious

stone

and you think golly

the foundations out

there it's road

base the foundations

of this city go on

to the next slide how

big is this city

right we count all the

gates and you see all

the 12s remember

everything has to be

interpreted all the

numbers in revelation

show what the book

is about they are all

derivatives of 7 and

12 God and his

people that's what the

book's about you're his

people he is your God

right and so we read

that you know not only

are there 12 gates and

12 foundations and

whatever but when you

get down to verse 16 he

actually says he measured

the city with the rod

found it to be 12,000

stadia see 12 right it's

got 144 cubits 12 times

12 it's really basic right

the whole idea is it's

speaking about you because

you're the people of God

right but of course just

do the math just for this

image paint the image

let let the the picture

fully develop itself

because 12,000 stadia

roughly 2,200 kilometers

if you go as the crow

flies to Wiccan that means

from here you get more

than halfway that's how

wide the city is and of

course he said that that's

it in length and it's as

wide and high as it is

long you could just fit the

city on the land mass of

Australia if you picture

Australia but of course

you're not meant to

picture it literally like

that are you because what

did he say in length as

wide as it is high so it's a

cube you didn't want high

rise suck it up baby no it

is a picture it's an image

to be translated and

understood all right the

idea is the people of God

the new Jerusalem the bride

of Christ is glorious

gloriously beautiful which

means all the things in you

that you know aren't they

will be passed consigned to

the cross it is big you

don't have to get worried

that there won't be room and

it is secure I think he

says the walls are 65

meters thick which back in

those days was huge right

you guys sit there and you

think about all your movies

and say what about just

germ warfare or something

wouldn't matter how thick

the walls you're missing the

point understand the image

so guys look I've used as

much time as I can but I

want to tell you one more

story as I finish up this

boy's name it's a good one

Richard and he's now 10 and

he has been he's been talking

about suicide for quite some

time at school and his mum said

yes to Jesus at the last barbecue

church just before I came over

here and said would you pray for

me that I would stop gambling

and after we'd laid hands on her

and done so I said I said

what's been happening and she

she told me about what had been

happening for Richard at school

over the last few weeks and and

the concerns and she said that

during the week Richard came home

and there is no Christian

ministry in the school I mean I

I've got such open doors I could

place someone in there with my

Wickham community chaplain shirt

as a full-time chaplain tomorrow

Rio will give me a house tomorrow

I believe the Lord will provide the

funding but pray that someone will

go someone that is equipped in

this hot house of ministry and

growth in the word of Sydney that

someone will go to the furthest

part of Australia because Richard

came home and said to his mum on

the Wednesday of that week mum you've

got to stop gambling because this is

a Jesus house now I think he'd heard

from a couple of other kids that had

actually come to my house and said

and are really struggling with the

bullying and all the crime they're

being pushed into by older kids and

said to me can we have Jesus in our

heart they'll have heard it from

grandparents say it right pastor

Marshall but they said can we have

Jesus in our heart and to see her

call call over her son from from

playing at the end of barbecue church

and tell him that she'd said yes to

Jesus and that she was going to stop

gambling to see the look in his eyes

that maybe there was hope there's a

reason to stay alive is a fantastic

thing and it makes me want to ask you

to pray to to indeed come on

Wednesday night and allow yourself to

be informed so that you can

understand the Aboriginal situation

indeed understand all that is going

on over there and continue to

support us in prayer in in an

informed way and and be aware of the

wonderful things that God is doing

that you can give thanks for let's

pray dear Lord we thank you so much

that in your powerful and great

mercy you have done what you've done

you didn't ask our permission you

didn't wait for our cooperation and

you have sent us out now with the

gospel I thank you so much that you

do not send us out and ask us to be a

behavior reformation a behavior

improvement society Lord you know that

we are bankrupt without you that just

like our sister Pauline there is no

hope for the things that we battle with

lest you by your spirit according to

your agenda for our lives powerfully

work to transform us to the likeness of

of Christ and so Lord we ask that

whatever age we are here that we will

entrust ourselves to that that we will

recognize that whether we are in

Wickham or whether we are this light on

the hill in Chatswood that we will

recognize the opportunity you have given

us in the place that you have called us

to serve

to be part of the preparations for the

greatest revelation and glory the

world has ever known we will never

forget the cross Lord when all this pain

is a distant memory we will never forget

the price you pay but we praise you now we

rejoice in your presence now and we

entrust ourselves to you body mind soul

in spirit in his name

Amen