Pastoral Letter 247
Dear Members of St. Andrew’s Uniting Church, Friends and Adherents,
Grace and peace to you all.
We are already in the third week of the month of January 2025 and soon we will commence the Lent season, to lead us to Palm Sunday, Passion week and Easter, when we will celebrate the victorious resurrection of Christ from the dead. This Easter will be the last that I will be celebrating with you, as the time comes nearer to the closure of my ministry here at St. Andrew’s at the end of May. Sadly, we are not sure what lies ahead but we are committed to continue our ministry by God’s grace and keep the flame of hope and trust, doing the best we can for His glory. The way ahead is not clear and will not be smooth and easy, but with God’s help we will navigate through the turbulent waters keeping the faith. Let us remind ourselves that Christ is the head and the Lord of the church, we are just His loyal agents performing the duties He has given us. We move forward helping and supporting each other, regardless of all the challenges we face. Just we have to remind ourselves that God is faithful, He is in control and will take care.
From the first week of February, we will be back to our normal programs and activities, starting with Movie Night on Tuesday 4 February and every first Tuesday of the month. The first movie of the year will be “Lion”. Come, join us, enjoy delicious Pizza and a good movie. Time4You will commence on Wednesday 12 February and followed by every second Wednesday of the month.
We continue to pray as our hearts go out for the people of California whose lives have been tremendously affected by the wildfires, which have ravaged entire neighbourhoods in the greater Los Angeles area. The fierce winds and the multiple fires that raged in Southern California impacted thousands of families, including Armenian families, who have been forced to evacuate their homes and institutions. Many of them are from the Armenian Brotherhood Church and some friends I know. Those who were greatly affected by the fires and have become homeless need support and much prayer. Let us continue to pray for them and for all those who need our prayers.
If you are not able to join us tomorrow, please light a candle and join us following the attached Order of Services.
Please let me know if you or anyone else has prayer points.
Here are some prayer points for this week:
- Pray for the people of Southern California who have been greatly affected by the fierce fires.
- Pray for those who are affected by natural disasters as well as the wild weather in Sydney and NSW.
- Pray for people of Middle East and Armenia, as well as the region, where the situation is uncertain.
- Pray for the displaced people, the homeless who need shelter.
- Pray for the poor, the sick, the hungry, the struggling, the stressed and those who are less fortunate.
- Pray for our church and our future plans as we seek God’s guidance.
In Christ
Krikor
MESSAGE
His Glory is Revealed
John 2:1-11
What an incredible story! It is the first episode in the three-year ministry of Jesus. After hearing this story one can say: “If you are going to have a wedding invite Jesus, then you will not run out of drinks”.
But in fact, the significance of Jesus’ miracle at Cana was and is much more than just having more wine at a wedding or any other social gathering. It displayed His glory and revealed Him as the Messiah and Son of God.
Jesus’ first miracle at the wedding brought joy andthe hosts of that particular wedding were so pleased and were not embarrassed before their guests.
Jesus can restore joy to the ones who have lost it in their Christian life. The joy we are referring here, is not just a joy at an event or for something good that happens in our daily life, but rather a joy of a different kind, a spiritual joy. Hence the Wine is a symbol of Spiritual Joy.
God wants to perform miracles, signs and wonders in the midst of His people. As He did for His people over the years. And He has saved the best for the last days, but we will only receive it if we prepare ourselves – believe in Him and pray.
As Jesus turned the water into the very best wine, what He does for us is even more spectacular; He gives us the best heaven has to offer.
As human beings, we constantly look for the best in our lives and in the things we do.
• We want the best doctor, the best friends, and the best in our children, the best education, and the best holiday.
• We want the best in everything.
Jesus always gives His very best to us, an example of which is in the story that we read this morning, the story of Jesus turning water into wine.
Jesus and His disciples, along with Mary His mother were guests at a wedding in the small town of Cana in Galilee. When the wine ran out, upon the request of Mary, Jesus turned six jars of water into wine.
The miracles of Jesus are never singular or meaningless, they are always pointing us to a greater reality. This story points two ways:
– To God’s overflowing grace and
– To the opportunities around us to be providers of that same joy and grace to others.
I believe that God wants to open the windows of Heaven and pour out blessings that we can’t even comprehend. The blessings poured out on us will bring blessings upon other people around us in our community, our state, our nation and around the world.
What kind of blessings could we bring if we had the finances and the resources to reach out to the needs of many more people?
However, it cannot be achieved, if we have not prepared ourselves to receive the miracles.
God wants to bring miracles of healing, but we have to prepare ourselves with the building up of our faith through abiding by the Word of God, for it needs faith to see a miracle of healing take place. God wants to do great things in us, but we must prepare ourselves to receive them before He can send them. We must have patience and faith to receive the best that is yet to come in our lives and even here at St. Andrew’s.
The best was saved for the last at the wedding of Cana.
The best was saved for last with Daniel in the Lion’s Den.
The best was saved for last with Paul and Silas in the prison.
There’s no doubt in my heart that the best is saved for last with you and I here at St. Andrew’s.
Just get prepared to receive the miracles.
The major theme of John’s Gospel is in fact John wanting the Jewish people to recognize that Jesus is the replacement of old Jewish rituals and institutions.
The old has passed and the new has come.
Here in the wedding story, Jesus metaphorically replaces the waters of Judaism with the wine of His blood. Christ was saying to His people, that their purification could not be achieved through water alone, but it needed His blood to cleanse them.
The replacement of water with wine represented the fact that Jesus offered “something more” than Judaism did. Jesus became the replacement of what Judaism offered.
On the cross of Calvary, Jesus became our replacement. According to God’s Law, what was needed to be done, He did it for us.
The nakedness that Adam and Eve felt after sinning against God was replaced by Jesus’ nakedness.
The sweat and suffering that was intended for all humanity was replaced by Christ when He shed His blood and suffered death. Our disgrace became His disgrace.
Our death became His death.
The question is:
Is there anything in our life that needs Christ’s replacement?
Should our attitude toward others needs to be replaced by the attitude of Christ?
Is our way of speaking need to be replaced by Christ’s way of speaking?
Is our priority in life need to be replaced by Christ’s priority?
Is our faith need to be replaced by Christ faith?
We should answer these questions personally.
Christ did everything for us, revealed His glory and gave us the assurance that the best is yet to come.
The best comes last.
At the end of the week is the weekend. At the end of dinner is desert. At the end of the day is rest. At the end of the year is Christmas. At the end of the New Year’s fireworks is the spectacular finale with the new symbol on the Harbour Bridge. At the end is always the climax and usually happily ever after ending.
1. In the Creation – The best came last.
The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. God created the heavens and the earth, and the best came last – Man and Woman.
2. In Christ’s Life – The best came last.
The cross, the agony, the shame and the best came last – His glorious resurrection. This best changed the world and the course of history and gave hope to those who believe and trust Him.
3. In the Unbeliever – The best came last.
Bitterness of repentance – followed by sweetness of forgiveness, the sadness of conviction is followed by the gladness of conversion. Total change of heart and the promise of a good eternal heavenly life, full of blessings.
The best comes last, no more sorrow – No more pain, no more tears, no more death. We only need to do what He tells us. “Do whatever he tells you.” (v.5)
Then have faith. “This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory; and his disciples put their faith in him.” (v. 11)
This is the reason we remember the Lord around His table. We remember what He did for us and that He has revealed His glory and prepared the best for the last.
Remember the best that is waiting for us and replaces our faults and condemnations – eternal and everlasting life through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To whom is the glory now and forever.
Amen!