Easter - Jesus died for YOU! Get to know him!

Whew! What a whirlwind that Easter was! Pete & I had opportunity to share a Good Friday "preview" at Sunrise last Thursday (Chapel). Pete laid the "Jesus died for you" message right out there on the line, answered a bunch of questions the guys had and challenged them to take Jesus as their life-saver... The classic line used to preach the gospel was "God is like KFC, we can't just walk up and take the chicken, there is a person we need to go through to get to the chicken (Jesus as a check-out chick with a difference!). The guys really connected with that one!

That night (Thursday) we went to a Passover meal at Darwin Corps, more than a hundred people rocked up! It was awesome to explore that last meal Jesus had, which he celebrated as a Jew and we can now recognise as a way to celebrate Jesus himself as the promised Messiah! (Messiah=a saving leader the Jews have been expecting for thousands of years, many recognised it was Jesus, others are still waiting to this day!).

Friday saw the kick-off of the NT Youth Easter Camp, we went to church (the Drama was awesome! that couple who were acting... second to none! hehe), then stayed out at Howard Springs at "Camp Beazley" (really a big property where the Beazleys live, they were great hosts). Camping out in tents during the wet season was a huge experience - we had two ridiculous rain storms, one which blew a big marquee tumbling across the yard! Only one person's bed got wet in the storms (guess who! grrr).
I spun-out at the go-karts (going too fast), Pete looked hilarious in his full-face helmet and one of the girls crashed while she was too busy waving! The Beazley's pool was well-used by all, especially the Melbournians! (it was HOT!). During the camp we learnt about prayer, justice and were challenged in our understanding of Jesus death and ressurrection - what did that mean personally?
The Camp Leaders had a rocking prayer meeting where the power of the Holy Spirit fell - everyone was amazed by God as leaders knelt, faces to the floor in prayer for the campers. The last night we sat round a campfire and shared about what camp meant to each of us, talked about Jesus' impact on our lives and how life from now on could be different, we could feel the Holy Spirit was there and active!

Where to from camp? We've invited the kids to our Sunday night Revolution Group, an opportunity to go deeper in learning and experiencing what it means to be a Revolutionary for God.

Monday Pete and I hung out at home, caught up on some sleep and reading, then Tuesday slept in some more and after lunch spent some time praying with one of the Sunrise guys that God is really working on (*please pray for him*). Afterwards we did the afternoon shift at Sunrise Homeless Mens accommodation.

Only a week to go here at Sunrise, then on to Darwin Corps... time is really flying by!

A final thought (as shared at Sunrise devotions today):

We can know OF people, we can know ABOUT people and we can KNOW people.
Do you know OF Jesus? Know ABOUT Jesus? or KNOW Jesus?

Because Jesus KNOWS YOU!!! - see Psalm 139!

This Easter...

I'm an "easter person" - I love that Jesus died for my sins and was risen from death - bringing an opportunity for everyone to experience his saving love! Our TC ('Jimmy' Knaggs), spoke tonight about being 'easter people' and living not for dead things, but for the real life found only in Jesus. Today is Easter Sunday and we celebrate Jesus' being risen from death, its the most awesome day of the year for Christians to celebrate the joy and the hope we have for the future, Jesus is alive and working in our lives today!!!! (Yipee, Hooray!)

"Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!"
Luke 24:5-6 (Angels speaking to the women at the tomb)

It wasn't really part of the sermon, but while I was listening to TC Jim, I began to think about how I'm always on about the Salvation Army becoming a powerfully passionate movement once again, its a pretty awesome thing to think about, because we need to challenge the status quo when the Holy Spirit prompts a change...
BUT... life's all about JESUS! If I become engrossed in the systems and politics of the Salvos as an organisation, I'm kinda of missing God's calling for me! God wants me to bring focus and glory to him, not to people. The Salvation Army is great in the vision it provides, but without Jesus, it is also a dead thing, because life is found in Christ alone.

In the mish-mash of Easter events I went to this year (Rosebud corps, MCD Easter Camp, Divisional Youth celebration @ Waverley), I've been blown away by something I've seen and heard...

Jesus is alive (YAY!) and at work in the Salvation Army!!!
Young adults, youth and children have a vital part to play in the next 'chapter' of Jesus' mission to the world. I'm seeing more young people, more fired up, more passionate, more equipped than ever before... they are being handed the tools for the work openly and being truly trusted with the responsibility of bringing the gospel to the streets (Hallelujah! thanks Jim!). The people of the world see our young people actively loving the community and they LOVE it!!!! What an opportunity for us to bring the gospel back to where it belongs, out in the open, free for all!!!!

A 'force' of young people is rising up for Jesus.... I say its a REVOLUTION!!!!!!!

Thank you Jesus!