Hi Church,

It was a huge encouragement to Alix and I as we heard great reports from Church last week while we were away. Well done!

There is a big difference between just going off and doing something because you want to or you hope it might work, and being sent. Being sent has some authority about it; whether it was as simple as being sent to your room or sent to the shop as a child. Whilst memories of those experiences may be connected with quite different emotions, we were acting on the authority of our parents.

Captain Cook, who discovered and mapped the eastern seaboard of Australia, was sent. He was commissioned by the “The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge” and King George III, who financed a scientific expedition.

As you know, I recently decided to go and ride in one of Australia’s toughest bike riding events; no cover on my costs, I had to pay to suffer because I wasn’t sent or commissioned I just chose to go.

As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side.
They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! 21 Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.
then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
(John 20:20-22NLT)

Jesus was himself sent,
Everything he did was done with the authority of his Father.
Just as when Captain cook discovered the east-coast of Australia, he did it with the authority and the resource of King George III
We are sent by Jesus with his full authority, knowing its all paid for and resourced, because he died for us to pay for our short comings, and and our father owns the cattle on a thousand hills.
We can go with complete confidence because we don’t just go we have been sent!

See you in Church.
Ps. Dave

P.S. Pre-Service prayer side of stage at Hobart 9:30am.