North Ryde Christian Church

For most Australians today literal darkness isn’t much of a problem. We have artificial light at our finger tips and as such can do almost any activity we wish day or night. But the metaphorical darkness of evil still plagues us. We witness political leaders using their power for their own gain at the expense of others, civilians being killed for disagreeing with authorities, money being siphoned into leaders pockets while populations are hungry and homeless. The rich protect the rich without reference to truth or justice. Self service, corruption, greed, deception, violence, this is the kind of moral darkness we can feel powerless to repel.

As Martin Luther King, Jr. famously preached “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” This  is the  tragedy  of the unfolding events in the USA. When I see images of understandably angry crowds verbally abusing ICE agents I feel their anger with them. However, I also see hate fighting against hate and doubt it will bring positive change.

The problem is, if we are honest with ourselves, we aren’t full of the love and light needed to drive out evil. If we are really honest with ourselves, we are also guilty, at least to some degree, of self-service, deception, greed, hostility…

Jesus speaks into this when He says,

“I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” John 8:12NLT

When we despair of the evil in the world, the pain and suffering humans are causing other humans, and feel powerless to change, not only the system that has allowed it, but our part in it, Jesus’ promise brings us real hope.

Jesus doesn’t fight the evil in the world, or the evil in us, with hate but with love, self-sacrificing, pure, unfaltering love.

This is further explained in this Bible passage: “God is light, and there is no darkness in Him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood [death] of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from all sin..”1 John 1:5-9

The light of Jesus–His sinless life, His sacrificial death, His triumphant resurrection from the dead, is the only thing that can truly repel the darkness in the world and the darkness in ourselves. Eradication of evil won’t come to full fruition until Jesus comes back to earth to consummate His eternal kingdom. Until then moral darkness will always plague our world. Yet we can walk in His light, we can confess our sins and be forgiven. We can repel the darkness within us with His pure light, and shine that light to those around us.

Step into the light of Jesus and repel the darkness today.

Prayer: Dear God, I look at the state of the world and grieve the evil I see. Yet I confess there is also sin within me. Forgive me. Purify me through the death of Jesus on my behalf. Help me to walk in your light and repel the darkness around me. In Jesus name I ask this. Amen.

Acknowledgement: This article was sourced from Outreach Media, Sydney, Australia.
Images and text © Outreach Media 2026

There have been four shark attacks in NSW this week. A boy died after he was attacked at Shark beach in Vaucluse in Sydney harbour. A man was bitten at Manly beach. The other incidents were at Dee Why beach, and at Point Plomer near Port Macquarie. This follows fatal attacks at Sydney’s Long Reef and near Taree in late 2025.

There have also been six drownings recently. Two at Kaluna Creek near Townsville, two near Bellingen, one at Fraser Island (or K’gari) in Queensland and one at Lake Cargelligo in central NSW. Because of this danger, a new system of video cameras and AI is watching rock fisherman at Blowhole Point at Kiama and Little Bay in Sydney.

Water activities and aquatic life can be dangerous. But that’s nowhere near the biggest drowning tragedy that has occurred. According to the Bible, millions of people were drowned when God caused a global flood when Noah was alive about 4,500 years ago (Gen. 6-9).

The flood was sent because of the widespread evil and wickedness across the world. Noah built a large barge (it only had to float) and warned people for 120 years of the coming judgment. Only eight people survived because they were on the barge. Did you know that this event was a pattern prophecy of how God would save people from their sinful ways? Such hidden prophecies of the Messiah, which are only evident in hindsight, are also called “types” or “typology” or “shadows” or “figures” or “pictures”.

Explanation

The floodwater depicts the judgment of God (1 Pt. 3:18-22). The barge depicts Jesus Christ. In particular, His death and resurrection. The barge was the only way of salvation. When the devasting flood came, only those who were onboard were saved; all those outside drowned. So, this teaches us that through His death and resurrection, Jesus is the only way of salvation. There is no other way to be rescued. There is no plan B.

The flood’s fury fell on the barge, but it did not sink it. It floated because of the water. This is an illustration of Christ’s death for our sins. At the cross, Jesus endured the wrath of God on the sins of mankind. When it looked as if it was a disaster, He rose from the dead! Judgment came upon Christ on the cross, but He rose from the dead.

The same water that floated the barge drowned those who rejected the message of Noah. The difference was whether they were inside or outside the barge. As the barge saved Noah’s family from God’s judgment when the earth was flooded, Christians are saved from God’s coming judgment through trusting in Christ’s death and resurrection on their behalf.

Prayer

Father God, we thank you for your great creation of the world and the perfect environment that Adam and Eve enjoyed. But we realize that it didn’t stay that way when they disobeyed and rejected your leadership. And this evil grew until you decided to judge it by replacing it with a new creation.

But you saved Noah’s family in a way to show us how you would save your people from their sin. The barge was like the death and resurrection of Jesus – both were the only way to salvation.

We thank you for His sacrificial death that enabled our sin to be forgiven in the new creation. And we thank you for His resurrection back to life which was a great victory over death, sin and Satan.

As those who have trusted in the good news about Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins, we offer thanks and praise for all that you have done through Jesus. Amen.

G Hawke

Each cricket series against England in Australia Glenn McGrath predicts Australia to win 5-0. And he is usually right! So, if you told me that in the Boxing Day test England has had their first win since 2011, I wouldn’t believe you. That’s 14 years without a win! If you showed me a report, I would think it was fake news. And if you showed me a photo or video, I would think it was generated by AI. How can I check if the report and photo or video was true or not? I could ask Sarah’s father Mark. He was an eyewitness yesterday at the MCG. That’s the kind of evidence I need.

The Bible says that the foundation of Christianity is that “Christ died for our sins …He was buried, and He was raised from the dead on the third day” (1 Cor. 15:3-4NLT). The resurrection of Jesus is described as an historical event in each of the gospels (Mt. 18:1-10: Mk. 16:1-8; Lk. 24:1-12; Jn. 20:1-9).

Did you know that the Bible provides plenty of evidence for the resurrection of Jesus? It describes at least 10 physical appearances of the resurrected Jesus in different situations.

Resurrection Sunday

The first witnesses of the risen Lord were women including Mary Magalene who visited His tomb in Jerusalem (Mt. 28:1-10; Jn. 20:11-18). He spoke to them and they worshipped Him.

Two men on the road to Emmaus walked and talked with Jesus (Lk. 24:13-35). When He explained what was written about Him in the Old Testament, their hearts were on fire and they hurried back to Jerusalem to tell the others that Jesus was alive.

That evening, ten disciples in the upper room in Jerusalem were visited by Jesus (Lk. 24:36-49; Jn. 20:19-25). He reassured them, ate some fish and explained the Old Testament to them saying that they were witnesses of His death and resurrection. And He sent them into the world like He had been sent.

The following Sunday

Eleven disciples in the upper room at Jerusalem were visited by Jesus once again. He reassured them and challenged Thomas who acknowledged Him as “my Lord and my God” (Jn. 20:26-29).

An angel told the disciples that Jesus would meet them up north in Galilee (Mt. 28:7, 10; Mk. 16:7).

Before His ascension

When six disciples were fishing at the sea of Galilee with Peter, Jesus helped them catch 153 fish (Jn. 21:1-23). He also helped them with fish and bread for breakfast. Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him and told him to “feed my sheep (His followers)”.

Then Jesus sent the eleven disciples to a mountain in Galilee (Mt. 28:16-20). There they worshipped Him and He gave them the great commission to make disciples of all nations.

Paul said that more than 500 people saw Jesus at the same time (1 Cor. 15:6). We don’t know where this was. Most of these witnesses were still alive when Paul wrote to the Corinthians (about 23 years after the resurrection), which means that people could ask them about it.

At His ascension

Finally, Jesus led the 11 disciples to the Mount of Olives (Lk. 24:50-53; Acts 1:3-8). He ate with them and blessed them and told them to wait for the Holy Spirit who would empower them to be His witnesses across the world. Then He ascended back to heaven. They were told that Jesus would come back. And they worshipped Him and kept praising God.

Lessons for us

So, the Bible provides plenty of evidence of the resurrection. The evidence is strong with over 500 witnesses! That would win any court case. This shows that Christianity is evidence-based and not blind faith or unreasonable.

Another evidence of the resurrection is the actions of those who personally saw the resurrected Christ. They had a life-change. They were transformed. They left Judaism to spread Christianity. And they were willing to suffer persecution and martyrdom. No one dies for what they know is a lie.

Prayer

Father God, we thank you for your great plan of salvation as revealed in the Bible. We have just remembered the coming of Jesus into the world as a baby who would grow up to be man who rescued us from our sinful state. We thank you for His sacrificial death that enabled our sin to be forgiven. And we thank you for His resurrection back to life which was a great victory over sin, death, and Satan.

We appreciate the overwhelming eyewitness evidence of the resurrection. It was not just one person or a few, but over 500 people saw the Lord before He ascended back to heaven. Like the eyewitnesses, we offer worship, praise and honour to our Lord and Saviour. As those who have trusted in the good news about Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins, we offer thanks and praise for all that you have done through Jesus. Amen.

G. Hawke

I remember Christmas eve as the peak of childhood excitement. I could say it was about family or feasts or celebrating Jesus’ birth, but the truth is it was all about the anticipation of presents. It was a magical feeling falling asleep on Christmas eve… the scent of Christmas pine, the glow of twinkling lights, the promise of presents.

But as the years pass, the excitement declines. As a teenager getting gift cards is preferable but not quite as exciting. As a young adult Christmas starts to hold more responsibilities and less magic.

As the excitement of presents dim over the years and the awareness of stress and conflict grows, that little figurine of baby Jesus in the manger starts to seem more important.

I want to take you back for a moment to the first Christmas evening. It was an ordinary night. There were no Christmas preparations, no gifts bought and wrapped. Ordinary shepherds were doing their ordinary thing watching their sheep. Then something truly remarkable happened. An angel in dazzling light appeared to them. The angel announced that the promised saviour had just been born in Bethlehem. And to highlight the magnitude of such news the whole sky was set ablaze with a multitude of shining angels singing glory to God. Read the original account in Luke 2:8-15.

That first Christmas the ultimate gift was given – the gift of peace with God. Jesus Christ came into the world to reconcile God’s rebellious children to their loving heavenly Father. Jesus was born, lived and died to be a peace offering between us and God. This ultimate Christmas present, given over 2000 years ago in a little town over 14,000kms away, is still available and being received today.

What would it mean to you to have peace with God? To know through Jesus’s life and death you are completely forgiven and accepted by God; you are completely known and loved by God, you are right with the author of all creation and even after death you are going to enjoy peaceful friendship with Him forever.

Forget battery operated toys and giftcards, the gift of peace with God is like all our Christmases have come at once.

Prayer: Dear God, I accept the gift of peace with you through Jesus Christ. Thank you. Please show me how to live in this peace from now on. Amen.

Acknowledgement: This article was sourced from Outreach Media, Sydney, Australia.
Images and text © Outreach Media 2025

Mark Taylor told Sam Konstas to ditch the ramp shot and go back to basics to force his way back into the (Australian) Test team. The basics are the foundation of whatever you are talking about. Builders know that if the foundation isn’t right, the whole structure will fail.

When Paul changed the topic from “spiritual gifts” to “the Lord’s resurrection” in 1 Corinthians 15, he went back to the foundation of Christianity. He wrote: “I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and He was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said” (1 Cor. 15:3-4NLT).

He is saying, “Here’s the news that matters most: Christ died for our sins. He was buried. He rose again on the third day. And this was predicted in the Old Testament”.

The three aspects of the gospel (good news about Jesus) are: Jesus died for our sins, then Jesus was buried, and then Jesus rose back to life.

Looking at each of these in turn.

First, Jesus died for our sins. He substituted for us; He took the punishment that we deserve. Second, His burial confirmed His death. And third, His resurrection showed His victory over death and that God had accepted the price Christ paid on the cross. God was pleased with Christ’s sacrifice for sin.

Paul says that all this was predicted in the Old Testament (it was “just as the Scriptures said”). First, His death was like that of the suffering servant (Isa. 53:5-6, 11-12). “But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all” (Isa. 53:5-6).

Second, He was buried in a grave – “He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave” (Isa. 53:9).

Third, Peter and John said that He rose from the dead as predicted in Psalm 16 (Ps. 16:8-11; Acts 2:24-28; 13:34-35). “No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety. For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave” (Ps. 16:9-10). God would not allow His physical body to decompose.

The gospel message is that Christ died for our sins. He was buried. And He rose again on the third day. And that’s the foundation for Christian living.

If Christ did not rise from the dead, then the Bible is a hoax and fake news. And our Christian faith is futile and useless (1 Cor. 15:14-19), and we are deluded and our sins have not been forgiven.

But Paul asserts, “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead” (1 Cor. 15:20NIV).

Prayer

Father God, we thank you for your plan of salvation that was not understood in the Old Testament and revealed in the New Testament.

Paul was reminded of this good news about Jesus when he addressed the fact that some people in Corinth did not believe in the resurrection of the body – they valued the spirit/soul more than the body. So, he told them of the importance of the Lord’s resurrection.

We give thanks for Jesus offering up His life as a sacrifice for our sins. He was a substitute who took our place. And Father, we see this illustrated by the Jewish animal sacrifices and the suffering servant in Isaiah 53.

As those who have trusted in the good news about Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins, we offer thanks and praise for all that you have done through Jesus. In Christ’s name, Amen.

G Hawke

Do you know that throughout recorded history there has never been a period of complete global peace? Though some consider we have been in a state of “long peace” since the end of WW2 that isn’t the reality for the millions who have lived in Myanmar, Rwanda, Nigeria, Congo, Somalia, Libya, Vietnam, Sudan, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Ukraine, Palestine and so many more countries.

Then there’s our own homes. It’s rare to meet a family where there isn’t an estrangement, an ongoing conflict, or a renegade somewhere in the family tree or even sitting around the dinner table.

Getting even more personal there’s the conflict within us — the uncertainty, the arguments with ourselves, the double guessing and anxieties.

Peace… world peace, family peace, inner peace it all seems unattainable for any length of time. But Jesus said: “What is impossible for people is possible for God” (Luke 18:27).

When Jesus said this He was answering the question “who can be saved?” Another way the Bible speaks of salvation is having peace with God. With the wars around us and the conflict within us we often overlook our deepest need for reconciliation and peace – peace with God.

If we can’t garner peace amongst us or within us how can we possibly secure peace with God? We can’t! It is impossible for us, but is possible for God. That is exactly what Jesus came to earth to do, earn peace with God for us. He paid the penalty for our rebellion and warring with His undeserved crucifixion. His death bought our everlasting peace.

Can you imagine everlasting peace? Being in God’s beautiful, all loving presence for eternity in heaven. No more arguments or slammed doors. No more weapons or funerals. Nor more sickness or anxieties. Tranquility, contentment, everlasting peace. This is what God has made possible for all us through Jesus. It is everything you’ve ever really wanted. Accept this gift from God today.

Prayer: Dear God, I can not find peace on my own. I am distressed by the wars and conflicts around me and inside me and I know I don’t have the power to stop them. Forgive me for my own rebellion against you. I want the everlasting peace you offer through Jesus. Amen.

Acknowledgement: This article was sourced from Outreach Media, Sydney, Australia.
Images and text © Outreach Media 2025

When do you feel at your weakest and most vulnerable? Perhaps it’s when you’re experiencing financial insecurity or if a relationship isn’t going the way you hoped. Perhaps you feel weakest when you’re faced with uncertainty whether it’s uncertainty about your children, about your health, or about your future. Perhaps the everyday demands of life simply leave you exhausted and unsure how you will muster the energy to face another day.

When the world seems to be throwing more at you then you can handle it is natural to feel weak, insecure or under attack. Yet, in our weakness we can discover something beautiful. As the ancient King of Israel, David, declares during his own experience of vulnerability:

“The Lord is my strength and my shield” Psalm 28:7

The LORD, that is the God who is compassionate and all knowing and all powerful, is my strength and shield. The God, who sent His son Jesus to die for my sins to bring me forgiveness and new life, is my strength and shield. When what is coming at me is bigger and stronger than me, God is my strength and my shield. That doesn’t mean I won’t get hit or get hurt. We see from King David’s life and Jesus’ life and the Apostle Paul’s life that trusting in God doesn’t guarantee physical safety and comfort. What it does mean is that whatever is coming at me God’s got it. It also means that I am safe from the most horrifying and dangerous thing of all – God’s punishment for my rebellion against Him.

It is before God in our sin that we are truly at our weakest and most vulnerable. But… Jesus died to pay the price of our sins and bring us back under God’s protection. Through trusting Jesus we are protected, not merely from the perils of the world, but the punishment of God due us for our sin. Do you know the strength and protection of trusting Jesus Christ? However weak or tired or attacked you are, whatever the world throws at you, you can be safe in Jesus Christ.

Prayer: Dear God, I trust that I am safe from punishment from you through Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection. Thank you. I want you to be my strength and shield come what may in this world. When I feel weak or under attack please help me to depend on you. Amen.

Acknowledgement: This article was sourced from Outreach Media, Sydney, Australia.
Images and text © Outreach Media 2025