Alexandra Baptist Church

When we look up at the night sky awe can marvel about how big creation is and how small we are as a tiny created being. When we look inside ourselves we can marvel that we are created in the image of God and are therefore intrinsically valuable. When we then look at Jesus we can marvel that He as creator of the universe cares about us.

When we die our spirit will go to be with Jesus. We will recognise people in heaven and be given exciting tasks to due as we reign with Jesus. However, we have to endure, to complete the race, in order to win the prize of eternal life in heaven where there is no sin, no pain and no tears.

The term 'redemption' has its origin in the practice of freeing a slave by paying a price.  The Bible introduces the concept of kinsman redeemer and the greatest redeemer is Jesus who rescues us from the slavery to sin by paying the ultimate price.

We instinctively know when something is bad because we have an innate sense of what is good. However, ever since mankind's disobedience in the Garden of Eden when mankind rejected God and tried to be their own god, sin entered the world. This explains why, despite the progress in culture and technology, mankind still has an inherited predisposition to be selfish and evil. Only faith in Jesus' atoning death on the cross can free us from the power of sin.

The evidence that God designed the universe, our planet, our environment and the incredible creatures we discover, is overwhelming. But as humans made in God's image we sometimes become so busy that we don't see the wonder of God's creation all around us. However, if our eyes are truly opened we will see and be amazed.

A little boy gave his lunch to Jesus who multiplied it by 5,000 times.  When we commit out resources and service to God, He can multiply it too.

We don't know the hour or the day that Jesus is going to return but we can know the season and we can read some of the signs of His return.

Jesus' rebuke of Peter was because He saw past His growing popularity and the temptation to succumb to wordly success. Real success is found in serving God. By doing that we store true treasures in heaven, treasures that last.

Jesus threw a wobbly in public? Yep, because He cared that the foreigners, the poor and the marginalised were obstructed from approaching God. Do we have a blind spot which causes us to overlook people? If so, then maybe we need to ask God to open our eyes.

Jesus' miraculous stilling the storm evoked reverence and holy fear amongst His disciples as they grappled with concept that the incarnate Jesus was far more than a man. If we approach Jesus as a member of the holy godhead, we too can expect dramatic, divine intervention our own lives.