Luke 20:19-26: Jesus view of God and Politics
OUTLINE Rendering to Caesar Rendering to God INTRODUCTION What is the relationship between God and politics? That question will open up a can of worms. And right now in this moment in time when we have been two years under government mandates that have affected various freedoms many are asking this question. We have seen the recent Canadian Truckers Convoy that sparked off other convoys around the world. In our own country we have just seen the end of a 23 day protest outside of parliament. As long as there have been humans who have power over the lives...
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Luke 2:10-12: Joy to the World
INTRODUCTION Christmas time is supposed to be a time of great joy. But many people are sad. You have heard of S.A.D., seasonally affected disorder. This usually describes people who react badly to winter weather because there is less sunshine, but many are affected by the approaching Christmas season as well. There are the usual reasons for feeling sad, maybe it is separation from loved ones, or the loss of a loved one. Maybe it is coming to the end of a rough year where many expectations went unmet and many hardships surprised us. There are added troubles this...
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Being the Local Church and the Government Restrictions
Introduction It has been announced that on the 3rd of December all of NZ will enter the new Traffic Light situation. Along with many mandates affecting all areas of society, the church has not been left unaffected. We have been locked down and unable to meet; we have been told who can and can’t enter our buildings with and without vaccination certificates, and recently it has been mandated that all church staff who are not vaccinated will make the church liable for a $15 000 fine, whether you are asking for certificates or not. Our ability to meet, who...
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