What is something you’d love to have a front row seat to?
Is it an All Blacks game? A beautiful symphony at the Michael Fowler Centre? A VIP table at a fancy restaurant? Or maybe just watching your friends or family succeed in their various endeavours?
For me, just a few weeks ago I had a front row seat to watch Eva (one of my daughters) perform at the Michael Fowler Centre. She was part of a combined schools’ choir of about 300 kids from primary schools across the Lower North Island. It was a spectacular evening - watching Eva sing her little heart out, accompanied by a beautiful orchestra. For me the tears were flowing as I was so proud. And in that moment, there was no place I’d rather be than sitting and watching her sing.
I wonder - what would it be for you? What event or situation would you long to have a front row seat at?
Well, for us as God’s people - as good as an All Blacks game or a live musical performance is - we have something far greater that we get to witness. We get a front row seat to watching God bring people from death to life. The angels in heaven rejoice at this, and we get to see it firsthand.
There is nothing more precious and beautiful than seeing God draw people to himself, and that is exactly what he is doing among us at City on a Hill. This year alone we have seen 8 people put their trust in Jesus. We’ve seen 8 people go from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of Christ. Praise God!
What a joy and privilege it is to see God at work among us - but this shouldn’t surprise us.
Paul says in Romans 1:16:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.
You see, as we proclaim the message of Jesus - his life laid down for us - God works to soften hard hearts and save lost souls. Through the gospel, God brings new life and hope to everyone who believes.
So let’s keep boldly and unashamedly declaring the gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus, just as Paul did. Let’s keep bringing our friends to the Life Course and to church - because it is in the name of Jesus that salvation is found.
And this Sunday we’ll have a glorious glimpse of the salvation that God brings as four people from our church whānau declare their love and trust in Jesus by being baptised. This Sunday at 1pm at Oriental Bay Beach, Dylan, Nick P, Kendall and Nicky will be baptised. Come down and join them in celebrating the new life and hope they have because of Jesus.
Grace and peace,
Paul