Welcome!
We worship together as a congregation every Saturday morning. We welcome you to join with us as we worship and fellowship together.
Where are we?
Our church is at 34 William Street, Narrandera. (Please click on "Contact Us" to find a map and see how to get there.)
This week at church (Sabbaths 22nd August 2009):
Small group Bible study (Sabbath School)
10.00am – 11.15am
Join us as we study the Bible together and share the experiences of the week with each other. This quarter we are studying John's Epistles: Loved and Loving. The topic for this week is Loving Brothers and Sisters.
Note: On the fourth Sabbath of each month we take a program for the people in the Narranderra Nursing Home so Sabbath School does not commence until 10:30 and we dispense with our preliminary program on those days. This one one such day.
Children’s Sabbath School
10.00am-11.15am
After a preliminary program in the body of the church the children will separate for their own program. Your kids will be kept busy with songs, crafts, quizzes, games and Bible stories.
Main Church Service
11.30am – 12.30pm
Come and praise our Creator this week through song, prayer and an uplifting message. Our speaker for 22nd August will be Colin Richardson, our church pastor, and he will conduct the Communion Service.
Sunset Times:
Friday 21st Aug.: 5.45pm Sabbath 22nd Aug.: 5.46pm
Friday 28th Aug.: 5.50pm Sabbath 29th Aug.: 5.51pm
PASTOR COLIN'S MESSAGE
HARD HEARTS AND MIRACLES
In Mark 6:30-52, we read the account of the time when Jesus fed the 5000 men with only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes – a miracle. It was immediately after this, that something happened, which to get the full story, we also need to read what John (ch.6) and Matthew (ch.14) had to say about it. When we combine these accounts, we find that immediately after the miracle, there was a plot to make Jesus king – by force. It would seem that the disciples – all of whom wanted power in Jesus “new government” – were the ringleaders. What a chance to get rid of the Romans! With such a leader – and miracles on our side, no-one can stop us!
Jesus put a quick stop to that - he ordered the disciples into the boat first – then he sent the crowd away, before going into the mountain to pray.
The disciples had trouble crossing the lake Galilee – the wind was against them. Almost all night they struggled – and still only half way over. And then about 4am, Jesus came to them walking on the water. They thought He was an evil spirit and cried out in fear. Jesus calmed their fear, and when He stepped into the boat, the wind and waves became calm.
The scripture records that the disciples were totally amazed. Why? They had seen miracles before. They had just come back from their own missionary journeys where they had performed miracles. They had seen Jesus calm the sea once before. And they had just witnessed the miracle of the loaves and fishes. Why were they amazed?
“Because of the hardness of their hearts, they had not understood the miracle of the loaves and fishes.”
What did they not understand? They failed to understand Jesus’ mission. They had their own agenda. They wanted a human king – to rule the world – and for themselves to be important men. They wanted power. And when Jesus refused to let them do it, they were angry – their hearts were hardened. And they were afraid, and they forgot Jesus’ power and His love for them. They forgot what Jesus had done for them already.
Do we also put our plans in place of God’s, do we try to make God do what we want Him to do? Are our hearts hardened? Let us remember what God has already done for us – and allow Jesus to do things HIS way.
