Lithgow Baptist Church

Greetings Everyone

Do you ever read children stories or fairytales to kids (or yourself)? More often than not they end with the phrase “And they all lived happily every after”. It’s the dream ending isn’t it? Lots of the movies we see these days also end with the same type of sentiment, while they might not say the words they certainly imply them.

The stories and movies are popular because they touch something within us, a deep desire we all have for things to be different. This need comes to the surface every time we cry out against the pain, sorrow and injustice we feel. We cry out the most whenever pain or death invades our world, because deep down we know that this is not right, not the way things should be.  While the movies and fairytales take our minds away from the realities of the everyday, the problem is they end. We need something more and we have it in and through Jesus Christ.

In Revelation, one of John’s final visions is that of a new heaven and earth, John says:

Revelation 21:1-4 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4He 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.”

This not a fairytale but a definite reality made possible by the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. God through Jesus offers the very thing our hearts desire; peace, an end to the pain and   suffering and freedom from the fear of death. Next time you read a fairytale or go to the movies may you be reminded of the ending that God has in store for us all, for it is more than our hearts and minds could possibly imagine, and best of all it’s real and will be a reality.  Jesus’ final words are worth remembering, “I am coming soon, and my reward is with me” (Revelation 22:12 NLT)

Pastor Ian

At Cafe Church on Sunday we focused on Communion and the extent of Jesus’ love for us, His death.

“This is my body” said Jesus, “broken for you”.  Jesus death was personal, he did it for you and he still offers himself to you personally.

To help us focus on Jesus’ love we used a song by Leeland called “Carried To The Table”, I hope you find it helpful.

Good Friday

There is a question I would ask
When face to face the Lord I see
about Jesus on a cross
just how could that be?

why did he have to suffer pain
did He do this for me?

The diadem of pain
which sliced your gentle face,
three spikes piercing flesh and wood
to hold you in your place.

The need for blood I understand.
Your sacrifice I embrace.
But the bitter sponge, the cutting spear,
the spit upon your face?

Did it have to be a cross?
Did not a kinder death exist
than six hours hanging between life and death,
all spurred by a betrayer’s kiss?

“O Jesus my Lord and King,
my heart is stilled at what could be,
“I have to ask, I long to know,
did you do this for me?”

With scared hands extended
His loving eyes I see
softly he spoke and said
” yes, I did this all for thee”

While we were still sinners Christ died for us
Romans 5:11 

I Need Thee….

This is an old hymn written by Annie Hawks in 1872 set to a mordern tune.  In writting these words Annie said:

One day as a young wife and mo­ther of 37 years of age, I was bu­sy with my reg­u­lar house­hold tasks. Sud­den­ly, I be­came so filled with the sense of near­ness to the Mast­er that, won­der­ing how one could live with­out Him, ei­ther in joy or pain, these words, “I Need Thee Ev­e­ry Hour,” were ush­ered in­to my mind, the thought at once tak­ing full pos­sess­ion of me.

I hope this song and the words encourage you as much as they do me

Pastor Ian

The Father Who Sings

When my children were younger I use to threaten them with ‘singing’ if they wouldn’t go to bed. I would say: “If you are not in bed by the count of three I will start to sing!” It was a very real threat because I would sing a silly song about smacking. They would scream, “no don’t sing” as they ran to bed, but I would sing anyway. It was a fun game we use to play till one night my daughter asked me to sing her a song to help her go to sleep, “but not the smacking song” she said. So I made up a new song with these words:

You’re my angel
My darling angel
Just close your eyes
And go to sleep my baby

Nothing to fear
For mum & dad are near
So close you eyes
And go to sleep
My baby
Just close your eyes
And go to sleep
My baby.

I would sing the song almost every night. Sometimes my daughter would yell out “dad, you haven’t sung the song yet”. If I was out, she would often wait up or refuse to go to bed till I had come home and sung the song.

After singing the song, my daughter would say, “good night dad, I love you” and gives me a kiss. As a father, they are the best words you can ever hear and I will never get tired of hearing them.

One of my favourite verse comes from Zephaniah 3:17. Good old Zeph is one of the minor prophets of the Old Testament.

Zephaniah 3:17
For the LORD your God has arrived to live among you. He is a mighty savior. He will rejoice over you with great gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will exult over you by singing a happy song.

I don’t know what picture you have of God, but I bet that not many people picture the creator of heaven and earth singing a happy song over them. Have you thought that?

I do, I have no doubt that the God of the universe wants to relate to us as father and for us to see him as our father. I have no doubt because Jesus encouraged us to. In essence, Jesus said that when you speak to God, when you address the creator of the universe do it like this, say; “our Father in heaven” (Matthew 6:9). Don’t call him sir, don’t come in fear, don’t ask to be heard or try to get his attention, don’t address him as a slave addresses his master, simply say “abba, father’ which literally means ‘daddy’. That’s what God wants to be, our father in heaven.

Just as I have sung over my daughter, I suspect that God longs to do the same for us if we let him. I also suspect that like any father, God longs to hear his children say; “good night dad, I love you” have you said it lately?

Maybe tonight as you go to bed you might imagine your father in heaven singing over you, or holding you tight, calming your fears, or just being present. And as you go to sleep will you say to our heavenly father; “good night dad, I love you”, I know he’ll just love it.

Have a great week

Pastor Ian