Loving God. Loving People.

XGT Youth – Even Deeper

Guest speaker, live worship, games and much more…

XGT Youth – Even Deeper

Guest Speaker, Live Worship, Games and much more…

Joseph – Anything to declare by Pete Lockhart

hope, freedom and reconciliation

2pm local time on August 5th marked the beginning of a 65 day ordeal that was later to ignite a united sense of hope around the world. As two groups of Chilean miners went about their working day a landslide caused a mining tunnel 1,700ft down to collapse. One group escaped unharmed but a larger group of 33 miners were trapped 2,300ft underground.

Whilst contemplating the line ’Now set the captives free’ during the worship on Sunday an interesting thought process was triggered.

Last week saw the release of two high profile cases of people being held captive against their will. Firstly, Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Peace Price winner for her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights was freed after serving a staggered 15 years under house arrest in Burma. Then the following day, news came of the release of a British couple that spent over a year in captivity following their kidnap by Somali pirates. Two sets of different people, detained for very different reasons who are now both enjoying their new found freedom. Yet before the week was over we heard of yet another mining disaster in New Zealand; 29 miners trapped after an explosion on Friday.

As these thoughts drifted around my head there came a moment where these real life stories became powerful imagery depicting the hope, freedom and reconciliation made possible through God’s rescue plan for us.

As the world’s media gathered amongst the relatives and workers at Camp Hope – the aptly named settlement for everyone involved – to capture the moment of jubilation as the Chilean miners safely appeared to the surface one by one; scenes of ecstasy transcended across the globe as the sirens and bells rang out to welcome the loved ones home. The lost had been found.

Yet this scene, one many will never forget, couldn’t have depicted more of a contrast in emotion felt by the miners the moment the tunnel collapsed. As I dwelt on this, it dawned on me that we actually all face this daunting prospect. The tunnel has collapsed, our passage to God has been blocked, ingrained in our inherent fabric we persistently neglect God, whether we know it or not. And we find ourselves trapped in a deep dark hole and no matter how many rocks we try to move in our own strength and ability it will never be enough to dig our way out of the situation we find ourselves in.

Completely buried, the 33 miners could do nothing to hasten their rescue. They could only pray and trust, for their freedom lay solely in the hands of the engineers on the surface. Similarly, it is God’s initiative to rescue us. The bible says we were dead in our transgressions. A dead man cannot cry for help, let alone have the ability to save himself. The opportunity for salvation had to stem from the only one who could save, Jesus Christ. The bible claims that Jesus defeated death, for He raised Himself from the dead.

It was through this that we can have hope. The rescue plan was carefully orchestrated and executed to perfection. A passage was created; a way home has been made.
Less than a month after emerging from the mine Edison Pena, in response to knowing what it was to be free, ran the New York marathon.

A story of hope, freedom and reconciliation. The true hero is the rescuer.

By Pete Lockhart

Living Stories wk 4: Forgiveness by Pete

Pete Lockhart spoke this week on forgiveness, as a part of our Living Stories series, on ‘The Unmerciful Servant’ from Matthew 18 v21-35.

2010-08-15 LS – Fogiveness – Pete Lockhart

XGT Youth Social – BBQ

7:30-9:30pm

Pete & Cheryl’s House

BBQ & games.

Youth Small Group Social

Small group socials this coming friday. Please contact your small group leader for more info… Rock and roll!!