Spirit of Truth

When he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth.  He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

John 16:13

Jack Nicholson, in one of his most famous roles as Colonel Nathan R. Jessup in the movie, A Few Good Men, screams at the top of his lungs at the young upstart lawyer played by
Tom Cruise, “You can’t handle the truth!”

Nicholson, in his role of defending the country in Cuba, makes the point that most people would like to be ignorant of the difficulties that go on around them.  No matter how much they proclaim that they might like to be given brutal honesty, in practice, most people cannot, in fact, handle the truth.  So, they accept the convenient lie.

Sometimes these lies are subtle and devious.  Our culture speaks in serpent-like hisses, “If you try hard enough, you can do anything!  You are the most important person in the universe; go and grab the world by the horns!  If you just eat right, exercise right, live right, you will never die!  If you have to believe in a god, make it the one that offers you the most freedom – graceful, self-absorbed living, from the confines of your spiritual armchairs.  Just change the channel if the god (idol) you’ve chosen doesn’t give you what you want.”

But the Holy Spirit, the living Breath of God, is the Spirit of truth and speaks a vastly different message to the disciples of two thousand years ago, and the disciples of today.  The truth of the matter is, every breath that you take is a gift of God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.  ‘Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.  Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves.’  (Philippians 2:3)  You will all experience death, and the odds are, you will not like it.  And, the truth of the matter is, there is only one God, and we believe in his Son, Jesus Christ, who promises us that the cross is planted squarely in the middle of our personal Gardens of Eden.

As we look at the closing verses of the third article of the Apostle’s Creed this week, we’re going to look into the painful truth that the Holy Spirit brings to us in God’s word to the Apostle John.  Please bring your Bibles this week, because we’ll be looking at passages from Romans and the book of John.

Come, ready for transformation in truth.

Pr Reid Matthias

Bible Reading: John 16:7-15
Podcasts of weekly messages are available at www.paravista.org.au

Prayer Request
Prayer requests are not included in the weekly news. If you would like to view the current requests refer to the email that alerted you to this weekly news. If you have a prayer request please email churchenquiries@paravista.org.au with your request.

Support for Family Hub
This Sunday at the combined service will be the monthly food collection in support of the Family Hub.  This support is invaluable to allow the Family Hub to support families in need especially in the cold winter months.  Thank for your generous support for the previous months’ collections

Good Shepherd Ladies Fellowship
ANNUAL FUNDRAISING LUNCHEON 2nd July at 12 noon.  A celebration of 50 years of the fellowship.  A delicious three course meal with glass of wine will be offered to guests.  Special guest speaker Julie Krause from Lutheran World Service.  Venue: Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Hall  Cost: $20ph  Anyone is welcome but there are limited numbers .  RSVP 15th June to Ragna ph 7325 8016 or Dorothy 0403 967 943.

From the Office

Replacement of Cafe Floor
Due to issues with the cafe flooring, which in future would be expensive for the congregation to rectify, the cafe flooring will be replaced at no cost to the congregation.  This will occur between the 3rd and 12th of July.  During this time access to the hall and worship centre via the cafe will not be possible.  The kitchen can be utilised by access through the hall.

Noticeboard

“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.”

John 16:13

The Universal Church

In the year 325, a gathering of bishops (a flock? a pod?  I don’t know what that would be.) came together in Nicea to draw together the unifying beliefs of the church.  Over the first centuries of Christianity, various groups and individuals were divided on all sorts of things, even about the divinity of Jesus, so the council introduced the Nicean Creed which was supposed to decide once and for all the things that are basic to the faith.

And yet, throughout millennium to follow, groups and individuals persisted to have differing ideas and thoughts about the scriptures and how they were interpreted with regards to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Eventually, during the Reformation, new denominations were born which each believed that they were the ‘true church’ – the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church.

Today, we’re going to take an in depth look at this piece of the Nicean Creed.  As the Holy Spirit gives us life, he then moves us toward the Church.  But what is this Church?  What is the role description of the congregation?  How does the Church make a difference in the universe?
Make sure that you bring your Bibles this week (and the weeks to come) as we peer into Ephesians, chapter 3 and the revealed mystery in the Church and in Christ Jesus.

Pr Reid Matthias

Bible Reading: John 17:13-18, Ephesians 3:7-11
Podcasts of weekly messages are available at www.paravista.org.au

Prayer Request
Prayer requests are not included in the weekly news. If you would like to view the current requests refer to the email that alerted you to this weekly news. If you have a prayer request please email churchenquiries@paravista.org.au with your request.

Support for Family Hub
• Next food collection will be Sunday 30th June at the combined 10:30am service.  In next week's Weekly News and via email there will be a list of items that will assist the Family Hub in supporting the needy families in the area.

• Our major Fund Raiser this year in support of the Family Hub is a Karaoke night in the hall on Saturday 17th August.  More details will be provided as we get closer to the date.  Part of the evening will be a wine auction.  Any donations of wine would be appreciated.  These can be left in the church office or given to one of the Team - Joan McCarthy, Eric Hofmanis, Sonia Hulme, Lorraine Johns or John Dolling.

Good Shepherd Ladies Fellowship
ANNUAL FUNDRAISING LUNCHEON 2nd July at 12 noon.  A celebration of 50 years of the fellowship.  A delicious three course meal with glass of wine will be offered to guests.  Special guest speaker Julie Krause from Lutheran World Service.  Venue: Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Hall  Cost: $20ph  Anyone is welcome but there are limited numbers .  RSVP 15th June to Ragna ph 7325 8016 or Dorothy 0403 967 943.

From the Office

Replacement of Cafe Floor
Due to issues with the cafe flooring, which in future would be expensive for the congregation to rectify, the cafe flooring will be replaced at no cost to the congregation.  This will occur between the 3rd and 12th of July.  During this time access to the hall and worship centre via the cafe will not be possible.  The kitchen can be utilised by access through the hall.

Noticeboard

Friends of Lutheran Archives
Glen Auricht, who has lived in the Centre for most of his life and is a fluent Arunda speaker, follows with his camera the path taken by Missionary Carl Strehlow on the dash for medical help which ended with Strehlow’s death at Horseshoe Bend in 1922.  Glen’s stunning images of the landscape bring to life one of the most dramatic stories in Lutheran mission history.  Come along to the next Friends of Lutheran Archives (FoLA) meeting on Monday June 24th, Bethlehem House, Sudholz Place in the city, 7.30pm.  Gold coin donation and supper.  All welcome.

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Hebrews 10:24-25

The Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life

Witnessing the birth of a baby reminds us of the miracle of life.  New babies are “people magnets” – drawing people around them wherever they go.  We want to take a look so we can share in the joy and wonder of the parents.  We marvel at the tiny hands, fingers and toes.  We look at the face to see if the child has any of mum or dad’s features.

With a new baby is the reminder that only life can produce life.  With a humble awe, we realize that the living God is The Creator of life.  No amount of science, biology or technology can create new life.  Life is a gift from God.

When Jesus told Nicodemus that he needed to be born again (born from above), he could not fathom what Jesus was saying.  Jesus explains: “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.  Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.” (John 3:5-6 NIV)

Every time a baby is born, we witness physical life made possible through the parents.  But spiritual life must come from God above: the Spirit gives birth to spirit.

Through the Good News of Jesus, the Holy Spirit opens our hearts and minds to Jesus and brings us into a relationship with God.  By joining us to Jesus in baptism, we receive God’s forgiveness, entry into the kingdom of God, adoption into God’s family and the promise of everlasting life.  By the Holy Spirit we are born from above.

Last Sunday we celebrated the anniversary of Pentecost.  As Jesus promised, the Holy Spirit filled his followers.  As a result, they proclaimed the life giving message of Jesus to people in Jerusalem.  As the Spirit gave birth to spirit, about 3000 people came into the kingdom of God.

It’s the same Holy Spirit we need today to make us alive in Jesus and continue his work in this world.  Over three Sundays, we’re getting to know the Holy Spirit.  This Sunday we will unpack the prophecy of Ezekiel to a valley of dry bones.  We will see that the Holy Spirit is indeed the Lord and Giver of Life.

Pr Rolly Stahl

Bible Reading: Ezekiel 37:1-14, John 3:1-8
Podcasts of weekly messages are available at www.paravista.org.au

Prayer Request
Prayer requests are not included in the weekly news. If you would like to view the current requests refer to the email that alerted you to this weekly news. If you have a prayer request please email churchenquiries@paravista.org.au with your request.

Good Shepherd Ladies Fellowship
ANNUAL FUNDRAISING LUNCHEON 2nd July at 12 noon.  A celebration of 50 years of the fellowship.  A delicious three course meal with glass of wine will be offered to guests.  Special guest speaker Julie Krause from Lutheran World Service.  Venue: Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Hall  Cost: $20ph  Anyone is welcome but there are limited numbers .  RSVP 15th June to Ragna ph 7325 8016 or Dorothy 0403 967 943.

From the Office

Replacement of Cafe Floor
Due to issues with the cafe flooring, which in future would be expensive for the congregation to rectify, the cafe flooring will be replaced at no cost to the congregation.  This will occur between the 3rd and 12th of July.  During this time access to the hall and worship centre via the cafe will not be possible.  The kitchen can be utilised by access through the hall.

Noticeboard

Friends of Lutheran Archives
Glen Auricht, who has lived in the Centre for most of his life and is a fluent Arunda speaker, follows with his camera the path taken by Missionary Carl Strehlow on the dash for medical help which ended with Strehlow’s death at Horseshoe Bend in 1922.  Glen’s stunning images of the landscape bring to life one of the most dramatic stories in Lutheran mission history.  Come along to the next Friends of Lutheran Archives (FoLA) meeting on Monday June 24th, Bethlehem House, Sudholz Place in the city, 7.30pm.  Gold coin donation and supper.  All welcome.

“The Spirit of God has made me;

the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”

Job 33:4

The Day of the LORD

Since the Great Deception, when Satan whispered the words into the ears of Adam and Eve, and the world changed from perfection to less than so, all of creation groaned in anticipation of what most of the Old Testament prophets called ‘The Day of the Lord.’

For the Israelite prophets, this day, ‘Great and dreadful’ as the prophet Joel wrote, was one that the people longed for and dreaded at the same time.  The Day of the Lord symbolised a hopeful anticipation that God would explode onto the scene and destroy all of Israel’s enemies.  The Lord’s anointed, the one promised, would take up the throne in Jerusalem and re-establish the Davidic covenant that there would always be a descendant of David on the throne.

At the same time, though, the dreadfulness on the Day of the Lord, was that as God would punish Israel’s enemies for their deeds, so would God unharness his discipline on Israel to clear out the idolatry that had been pervasive in separating the people from God.  This was the painful promise.

Joy and dread.

But the people of Israel never expected that the Day of the Lord would appear like something else.  They never expected that the Day of the Lord would start with the Lord of Hosts being crucified and raised from the dead, and then continue fifty days later as the Spirit of God was unleashed in all His power on the unsuspecting hordes that gathered in Jerusalem for a festival.

Certainly Joel didn’t expect it.

Certainly Peter couldn’t have known, and yet he uses the words of Joel to help us see the great and dreadful day of the Lord – Pentecost – as it seared the hearts and minds of all who heard the name Jesus Christ.

This Pentecost, open your hearts to the Revealing Spirit as He is poured out once again into the unsuspecting world.

Pr Reid Matthias

Bible Reading: Joel 2:12-16  Acts 2:17-24
Podcasts of weekly messages are available at www.paravista.org.au 

Prayer Request
Prayer requests are not included in the weekly news. If you would like to view the current requests refer to the email that alerted you to this weekly news. If you have a prayer request please email churchenquiries@paravista.org.au with your request.

Good Shepherd Ladies Fellowship
ANNUAL FUNDRAISING LUNCHEON 2nd July at 12 noon.  A celebration of 50 years of the fellowship.  A delicious three course meal with glass of wine will be offered to guests.  Special guest speaker Julie Krause from Lutheran World Service.  Venue: Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Hall  Cost: $20ph  Anyone is welcome but there are limited numbers .  RSVP 15th June to Ragna ph 7325 8016 or Dorothy 0403 967 943.

From the Office

Replacement of Cafe Floor
Due to issues with the cafe flooring, which in future would be expensive for the congregation to rectify, the cafe flooring will be replaced at no cost to the congregation.  This will occur between the 3rd and 12th of July.  During this time access to the hall and worship centre via the cafe will not be possible.  The kitchen can be utilised by access through the hall.

Noticeboard

Friends of Lutheran Archives
Glen Auricht, who has lived in the Centre for most of his life and is a fluent Arunda speaker, follows with his camera the path taken by Missionary Carl Strehlow on the dash for medical help which ended with Strehlow’s death at Horseshoe Bend in 1922.  Glen’s stunning images of the landscape bring to life one of the most dramatic stories in Lutheran mission history.  Come along to the next Friends of Lutheran Archives (FoLA) meeting on Monday June 24th, Bethlehem House, Sudholz Place in the city, 7.30pm.  Gold coin donation and supper.  All welcome.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 1:8