MY EDGE MAG
WINTER 2015
Kingdom of Heaven Living Happily Ever After—Starting Today My Dream Destination Heaven Starts Now FAQ: Heaven On My Mind
ARE YOU About MYEDGEMAG is published quarterly by the Youth Ministries Department of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (AUC) Limited. While all content is subject to copyright, permission is nevertheless granted by the publishers for content to be copied and reproduced by churches, schools and individuals for the express purpose of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. We simply ask that you credit MYEDGEMAG as your source. Executive Producer > Jeff Parker Editor > Tony Knight Layout/Design > Jessica Symes Editorial Team > Jeff Parker (Chair) > Amy Pitt > Bryan Roberts > Derek Rippingale > Ellesha Knight > Julie Catton > Nathan Brown > Tony Knight Printed by Signs Publishing Company www.signspublishing.com.au
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The cover photo was taken by Mahalia Hope and modelled by Gilson College students.
SERIOUS? by Tony Knight
Y
OU ACTUALLY BELIEVE IN HEAVEN? Are you serious?” The words of one of my non-believing buddies rang in my ears, along with his next comment. “I’ll never understand you Christians with all your imaginary friends!” By “imaginary friends” he was referring to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, along with the heavenly angels, and if I understood him correctly, Satan and his crew as well. My friend is ordinarily very respectful of my beliefs and worldview, but on this occasion, at a social gathering and with a few beers inside him, he was a little more uninhibited than usual, and I got a glimpse into his true feelings. He’s a great bloke and I love him to bits, but he has no need for “all that God stuff” (his words). Still, he made me think. “Heaven? Are you serious?” Good question. How serious are we about Heaven? Do we really believe, and better still, do we live as if we believe? Or do we just regard it as another fairy-tale, a bit like Santa and the Easter Bunny (sorry, a belated spoiler alert there). Does our belief in heaven as a real place inform and influence our choices and behaviours in the here and now? We might be ambivalent, but the Scriptures are not. The Bible Do we really believe, contains more than and better still, 720 references to heaven using do we live as if some 11 different we believe? words to describe it, in at least three languages. Jesus calls it His Father’s house (John 14:1-3). The writer of Hebrews calls it a “better country” that God has prepared for His people, while Paul declares that “our present sufferings” are not worthy to be compared with the glory that awaits us. Heaven’s centre piece is the great city—the New Jerusalem. I went to New York once and it’s a big city—one of the biggest. London, too. I’ve also been to Paris and Mumbai and Johannesburg. All huge cities. But
visit www.myedgemag.com
this city is massive (you can read a full description in Revelation 21-22). The Bible says it’s laid out in a perfect square and is 12,000 stadia around the base. A stadia is a unit of measure equal to about 183 metres, which means that the circumference of this city is about 2200 kilometres, or 550 kilometres to a side—that’s like driving from Sydney to Coffs Harbour or from Perth to Kalbarri just along one side. It would stretch inland to Kalgoorlie, and get this .. . it’s as high as it is wide. Experts estimate that around 39 billion people could comfortably live in just the city, and that’s assuming that these measurements are even literal and not some spiritual or figurative measure used in the Book of Revelation. The point is it’s big enough for ALL who want to be there, and that’s really the point, isn’t it? Do we want to be there? Do we believe enough, and love enough to really want to be there? Someone once told me that everyone who wants to be in heaven will be. And anyone who wouldn’t be happy there won’t be. So which are you? Are the things of this sin-damaged world calling to you so strongly that you’d prefer to stay here? Or do you hunger for Heaven, and a new, re-created earth after that? Your choice. Your call. Seriously…! Tony Kn ight Victoria lives in Melbo , and urne Centre M is the Resource , anage Australia n Union r at the Confere nce.
by Amy Pitt
a Bachelor studying Amy Pitt is Melbourne, and of Arts in od story. loves a go
1. Literally—the sky, a vault in which the sun, moon, stars, and planets are situated p s: ity C ym on the Syn
short
e
sold
H3 v( )n
ar
of
I
the way heaven is presented in our culture is based on our limited understanding and experience.
Sounds like heaven, yeah?
and will never again carry the pain of loss (Revelation 21:4).
Heaven is referenced constantly in popular culture as the place where your dreams come true. However, when these dreams are just the fantasies of sinful human beings, we have a problem. Heaven becomes nothing more than the thinly veiled worship of pride, greed and lust. The version of paradise that filters through our society is so different from what is offered by our heavenly Father.
As The Black Keys talk of paradise as “heaven on earth in her embrace,” and Hosier begs to “let me worship at the shrine of your life,” the Bible tells a different story, where instead of worshipping selfish human love, every creature in heaven will joyously praise our Saviour (Revelation 5:13).
T’S AN ULTIMATE WONDERLAND, IT’S eternal pleasure, it’s indulgence without ceasing, gratification without ending. It’s the place in which your every desire is realised without you having to lift a finger.
Bruno Mars sings of the fleeting and fickle pleasures of an earthly paradise in “you make me feel like I’ve been locked out of heaven,” showing that it can be yours one day but gone the next. In contrast to this, the Bible promises an eternal home, one that will never be destroyed (2 Corinthians 5:1)
While Led Zeppelin tells of “a lady who’s sure, all that glitters is gold” who is “buying a stairway to heaven,” Jesus points in a different direction as He instructs His
2. A place regarded in various religions as the abode of God (or the gods) and the angels.
ad i se ,n . , Go irva ven som na, t d, he kingdom of hea o the b ’s cele ham s ti a l c i ty, Zion, Abra
followers to seek after a different kind of heavenly treasure, one that thieves can’t steal or moths destroy (Luke 12:33). He promises a heavenly inheritance awaiting, one that is “imperishable, undefiled and unfading.” How much more valuable must these treasures be in a place where gold is only concrete! The way heaven is presented in our culture is based on our limited understanding and experience. We’ve been sold short. How much more can we expect from an allpowerful God? “What no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has imagined” (1 Corinthians 2:9) . . . that’s what!
aim at heaven
Hollywood Hogwash nothing is
farther than
earth from heaven;
and you will get
earth thrown in.
Only 35% of Americans say that Hollywood is fair in its depictions of religion.
aim at earth and you will get neither.
(Source: Pew Forum on Religious and Public Life)
—C.S. Lewis
nothing is
nearer than heaven to earth. —Augustus Hare
Weird Religions influenced by popular culture
heavenly tourism A 6-year-old boy who claimed to have gone to heaven while he was in a coma—and wrote a book about his journey that sold more than 1 million copies —has now retracted the story. He says he only did it for some attention and states that people should “read the Bible” instead of his fiction.
1. Jediism—Jedi Religion (The force is real?)
1
2. The church of Ed Wood (notoriously bad film director) 3. The Prince Philip Movement (The Vanuatu Yaohnanen tribe believe that Prince Philip is a divine being) (Source: http://matadornetwork.com/bnt/ 7-really-weird-religions-you-havent-heard-of/) (Image source: http://en.wikipedia.org, http://altreligion.about.com)
2
3
(culture watch) #THESTREAM | 03
Heaven Starts now by Nick Kross
S
EVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS ARE KNOWN FOR their focus on the Second Advent of Christ and belief in a heavenly future. As a church, we have spent a lot of time focusing on when Jesus will return to take us to heaven. However, in our attempts to understand the nature of heaven, have we missed something vital? If Jesus was preaching at the Sydney Opera House or the Melbourne Cricket Ground you might hear Him say things like, “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven has come near” (Matthew 3:2) or “The Kingdom of God is within you” (Johnn 17:21). Jesus didn’t waste words and He doesn’t lie. If He says the kingdom of heaven is near, or in fact within you, what exactly does He mean? For Jesus, the kingdom of heaven wasn’t just a faraway place, but a state of being; a particular way of doing life. Elsewhere, He said, “Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the
04 | PLUGIN (feature article)
world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me” (John 17:21-23). It appears that for Jesus, the notion of the kingdom and His presence are very similar. Could it be that heaven is a lot closer to us than we think? Have we missed something Jesus was trying to tell us? Is it possible that we can experience elements of heaven now? What would that look like? Paul the Apostle may have some insights in this respect. Paul seemed to understand the presence of Christ in his life when he wrote, “For me to live is Christ” (Philipians 1:21). Elsewhere he says, “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me”, (Galations 2:20). Paul seemed to live in a very close connection with Christ. His life was inspired by Christ and His kingdom agenda became Paul’s life goal.
Often we think of heaven as a place where we will play with wild animals, walk on streets of gold and rip around the universe defying the laws of gravity. However, these things in and of themselves would not really be that amazing if it weren’t for the presence of Jesus and the absence of sin. So what really makes heaven “Heaven”? I believe it’s the presence of Jesus and the absence of sin. While sin is still a predominant theme of our lives, we can be in the presence of Jesus NOW! We can be the one who shines the light of Christ’s love to people around us. Jesus put it this way, “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:3). When we live in such a way that people see Jesus in us, we’re living in the reality of the living Christ—and we are bringing
His kingdom into our classroom, lecture theatre, work place and friendship group.
The kingdom of Heaven is wherever the Spirit of God dwells.
Jesus once said, “I saw the devil falling from heaven like lightning” (see Luke 10:18). Interesting words from Jesus who can see behind the veil into the spiritual realms. He sees the kingdom of heaven prevailing in every soul who has God’s Spirit dwelling in them. The kingdom of heaven is wherever the Spirit of God dwells. This is why the fellowship of our friends in Christ is so powerful. Our friends help to keep focused on Jesus who gives us our kingdom life daily. So what are God’s kingdom agendas? I believe God’s most important kingdom agenda is bringing His lost sons and
daughters back into a faith relationship with Him before it’s too late. Amazingly, we can enter God’s heavenly kingdom right here right now. The moment we allow Christ to rule in our lives, we have entered into His eternal life plan. Think it through for a moment. What sort of kingdom agenda could you become part of? Heaven starts right where you are. The moment you are transformed by the grace of Christ Jesus and embrace His kingdom agenda for your life, heaven prevails. It’s visible in any act of kindness that is motivated by a kingdom agenda— for example, the benefit of humanity, without any kickback for you in any way. You’re breathing the aura of heaven. Any thought or act of genuine care, concern or compassion engages the spirit of heaven. Heaven isn’t defined merely by its location and it’s not just bonded by the walls of
the New Jerusalem. Heaven is primarily defined by the presence and passion of Christ. As C S Lewis once said, “Aim at Heaven and you will get earth ‘thrown in’: aim at earth and you will get neither.” So what are you waiting for? Starting living each day with the eyes, heart and hands of Jesus and watch as heaven unfolds in the lives of your friends. Maybe this is what Jesus meant when He said, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
Nick Kro ss of Youth is the Director Min South Pac istries for the ific Divis ion.
(feature article) PLUGIN | 05
My Dream
Destination
LOVE TRAVEL. I HAVE DREAM PLACES that I really want to visit and enjoy. The Seychelles Islands is one of them. I can remember as a kid seeing images of its white sand, blue water and tropical palms. One day I want to go—I’m so keen. When blustery winter days hit, I look at my screensaver of the Seychelles Islands and wish I was there. How good would it be to just wipe out the day-to-day stuff and relax on a tropical beach, hammock swaying in the breeze, the scent of hibiscus on the air? Ever pictured Heaven that way? We are told it’s even better than any dream destinations. Let’s check out the Bible’s picture of heaven.
I
What about while I’m waiting for heaven? Read: Matthew 24:14 Matthew 25:34-40, Matthew 5:8. We are challenged to be active while we wait. We are asked to tell the world about Jesus and His gift of eternal life that is available to everyone. We are also challenged to step up with acts of social justice, look after those who don’t have what we have on this planet, show care and compassion, and live the love that Jesus did while He was on earth. God desires that we live lives with pure hearts—a gift that only Jesus can give us.
by Jeff Parker
Jeff P of Yo arker is th Austr uth Minis e Direc to alian tr Unio ies for th r n Co nfere e nce.
Fact or fiction? Read: John 14:1-3, Hebrews 11:16, Genesis 1:1, Isaiah 45:18. Jesus actually verbalised to His disciples that Heaven was real. Then He followed with the promise, “I am coming back to take you there.”
i am coming back to take you there.
It’s beyond your wildest dreams! Read: Revelation 22:1-5, 21:22-27, 1 Corinthians 2:9.
Can I get a VIP pass? Read: John 3:16, 1 John 5:11-13, John 10:28. Heaven is accessible by a connection to Jesus. Because of His death, we have access to eternal life. If we have a daily connection with Jesus, we are promised that we have eternal life. It’s a gift He wants to give us right now: “He or she who has the Son has life.” If we have a connection, there is “no one” who can snatch us away from His gift of eternal life.
Firstly, and most importantly, there will be nothing cursed in heaven. Evil, suffering and pain are gone. LIFE will be the new theme in heaven where death has reigned so strongly on earth. The river of life and the tree of life are prime examples of this life that flows from God Himself. Darkness has has been replaced by Jesus—who is light. The Bible directly tells us that no matter how good the things are that you have seen or even dreamed about doing, Heaven is better! The simple fact is—we can’t imagine how good it’s going to be. Your best moments on earth will be nothing compared with what heaven will be.
Heaven—restoration for humanity Is Entry conditional? Read: Revelation 21:27, John 15:5 Evil can’t enter heaven. The only way to rid evil from our lives is to have Jesus pour into us every day through a life-giving connection with Him. That connection is vital and, if we have it, the evil will melt out of lives. 06 | RECHARGE (Bible study)
Read: 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18. When Jesus returns to earth, the final restoration will take place. Corinthians calls this a wonderful secret, and it will remain so if we don’t read and discover the truths that God has placed all through His Word to inspire us and others. When pain, suffering and death hit us on this earth, we can be assured that this was never God’s plan and He has a final restoration planned for us. This sometimes seems too good to be true, but it will happen. The good news is that it’s not a dream or fantasy. It’s a guaranteed reality!
s itor at Sign n is book ed Nathan Brow mpany in Warburton, Co g e in Publish ener of th d a co-conv Festival. Victoria, an eative Arts Manifest Cr
SYNC: The Beginner’s guide To living happily every after —Starting today by Nathan Brown
CONVERSATION SPARKS Ask your family and friends for their responses to these questions, and share and compare them with your answers. What seems the most important aspect of heaven to you? If you grew up going to church, what most attracted you about heaven as a child? Is it wrong to look forward to heaven as a “reward” for those who follow God? Why or why not? How can we do better at sharing the hope of heaven with those unfamiliar with the Bible? How important—or helpful—is heaven to understanding God’s plan for our world and our lives individually? What does the kingdom of heaven look like as a reality today?
The Kingdom of heaven is like . . . MEANING HUNTER How would you explain “heaven” to a friend who is not familiar with the Bible but has seen the cultural stereotypes and cartoon depictions of fluffy clouds or friendly lions? Why do you think the Bible seems to primarily describe heaven by what it is not (for example, see Revelation 21:3, 4)?
The kingdom of heaven was Jesus’ favourite topic in His teaching and stories but much of His teaching sounds quite different to what we might first think of when hear the word “heaven.” Read Matthew 13:1–52. Many of the stories begin with “The kingdom of heaven is like . . .” Why do you think Jesus used stories and metaphors, rather than simply saying “The kingdom of heaven is . . .”? From your understanding, what contemporary parable might explain something of what “the kingdom of heaven is like . . .”? What do these stories tell us about heaven’s presence today and here in our world? How is this related to the promise of heaven as a future place or experience?
FAMILY
What is your first memory of imagining heaven? Does heaven sometimes seem like only a nice idea to you? What can we do to make it real? Do you wish we talked about heaven more—or less—in church and worship? What does it mean to you to live as a citizen of the kingdom of heaven in your life today?
What is your first memory of imagining heaven? Is there a time in your life that the promise of heaven seemed particularly important? Does heaven sometimes seem like only a nice idea to you? How has your understanding of heaven changed over your life of faith? How do you keep the promise of heaven as a real part of your faith? What does it mean to you to live as a citizen of the kingdom of heaven in your life today?
Duelling Ideas PARENT
young person
Dynamics
“This world is not my home / I’m just a-passin’ through,” as the old gospel song puts it.
vs
“This is my Father’s world / He shines in all that’s fair,” as the old hymn puts it. (discussion q&a) SYNC | 07
He av en can’t
wait
H
EAVEN IS LIKE EDGES OF light from the morning sun pushing around closed curtains into a darkened room.
Recently two brothers, who are friends and work colleagues of mine, unexpectedly lost their much loved mother, Audrey Harrington. For Paul lives in le a g toria, Rippin and Mark it was Derek g Place, Vic aging in n h a c n m Lau der/ just another day in pany. o-foun c m o is c d IT an r of an the office until they directo received the shock news. There are two groups of people in the world; those who have lost someone close and those who haven’t yet. For Paul and Mark, this was the first time death had got so close. 08 | LIFE IN HD (interview)
by Derek Rippingale
there are two groups of people in the world; those who have lost someone close and those who Near Death haven’t yet. Paul shares, “When Mark first told me, I was numb with the shock of the news. I tried to process the news in my logical way. There was nothing I could do about it, so life would just go on. I would finish my day’s work as my brother and sister were at the house dealing with everything, but that thought only lasted 15 minutes. So I went to where Mum, Mark and Sheryl were and just waited while things happened around me. Talking and functioning normally —I think—interspersed with tears.“ “The three of us talked a bit about when was the last time we had seen Mum, but there was a lot of silence. It was good that we were together. When they came to pick up Mum’s body and we said goodbye, even though it was to me a body that I believed no longer held Mum, it was the hardest thing
I had to do that week. When we left Mum’s home about 6pm, while composed, I was completely emotionally empty.”
“The next week was an emotional roller coaster. For whatever reason each new day brought fresh energy to be sad—if that makes sense. By the end of the day you are too drained to feel anything. I relived the time I said goodbye, but with slightly less intensity each day.”
The Business of Burying “We all busied ourselves with the business of burying. There was a fair bit to do as we wanted not only to bury Mum but honour her as well. Some of the more difficult times were when all the jobs around the funeral process were done, but I could not make myself do ‘normal’ things; it didn’t seem right somehow.”
. . . The stronger our belief in heaven, the more death and life in this world is transformed.
“For me, over the next two or three days through the sadness, the belief we shared—that Christ has died for us and that we will see him together again, started to ease the ‘numbness’. I was not looking forward to the day of the funeral at all, expecting it to be the worst day of my life. I thought that saying goodbye again when we left the coffin would be very difficult.”
Mum had a great sense of humour so making jokes during her service was to be expected. The service wasn’t about saying goodbye rather it was about remembering a life. It was not an end, it was a pause.”
“However, the day was much better than I had expected. While saying goodbye at the gravesite was painful, it was mainly so because I would not be sharing any new experiences with Mum. I was saying goodbye to a body, not to a person. Mum was not there, she had just stopped and we would be picking up again later.”
“Three weeks later the belief that we will see each other again is more real to me than it had been before she died, and has had a calming effect. I think it helped that most of the people at the service shared this view.”
“The memorial service, which included public speaking—normally very difficult for me—was not so because it was not about me, it was about honouring Mum.
Everything Changes
When you lose someone that means so much, all you are left with are your memories and beliefs. Paul and Mark believe differently than their sister, and so experienced their mother’s death in a different light. Did I say there are two
groups of people in the world? No there are really three. The third are those who have lost someone close and for whom heaven has become more real. In the darkest of rooms light can shine the brightest. Heaven isn’t some invisible future place that passively awaits us. Keeping our eyes on heaven, like Abraham (Hebrews 13), is a faith that changes things now. One day heaven’s curtains will be pulled back for the living and the dead. Until then, the stronger our belief in heaven, the more death and life in this world is transformed. Heaven can’t wait.
(interview) LIFE IN HD | 09
What is
Vox
Pop: heaven
Heaven to you? “A home that I haven’t been to yet.” —Kacey from Toowoomba, 21. “A place where sin is non-existent. Where evil does not hold a leash over us all.” —Jacob from Perth, 16. “Heaven is everything earth isn’t. A place we hope for where we will spend our lives with our wonderful Maker whom we love.” —Annelise from Adelaide, 21. “Eternity with God.” —Kirah from Perth, 17
When you
imagine heaven, what does it look like? “It will have big golden gates and everything will be on soft white clouds.” —Tori from Cooranbong, 19. “Glorious—richer than earth, and twice as beautiful. A mixture of familiar and unfamiliar, city and nature and beautiful.” —Kacey from Toowoomba, 21. “I don’t really imagine what it looks like, it’s more what it feels like. . . happy, peaceful, full of joy.” —Mikki from Melbourne, 19. “Probably Australian bushland, being a country boy, I’ve always identified heaven with sweeping wheatfields, open forest and rugged mountains.” —Tim from Bairnsdale, 17. “I see a perfect lawn of soft grass and giant ponds where I can swim with dolphins and whales in crystal clear water. I see golden high-rises that look much like the old version of the city of Oz. Fruit trees are dotted all over the grass lawns, overloaded with apricots the size of my head and mangos the size of pillows.” —Sarah from Burnie, 18.
What are you going to
miss about earth? “The people who aren’t there.” —Chantelle from Adelaide, 25. “I guess man made things, like rollercoasters and fast cars.” —Mikki from Melbourne, 19. “Nothing at all.” —Josh from Cooranbong, 21. “Marriage . . . as a physical-touch person I worry that ‘being like the Angels neither marrying nor giving in marriage’ may not be enough for me.” —Sarah from Burnie, 18. “I am obsessed with cars, so all of the beautiful cars we have.” —Kyle from Adelaide, 25. “Spiderman movies.” —John from Cooranbong, 16. “I imagine everything will be the best of what we have here but on steroids—so once I’m there, I probably won’t miss anything,” —Micky from Paddington, 17.
What are you most
looking forward to about Heaven?
“I like the idea of not getting old.” —Tim from Bairnsdale, 17. “Chillin’ with the people I love. Mos def Jesus my homie!” —John from Cooranbong, 16.
“As I’ve got older I’ve begun to look forward to and yearn for the moment when I will be reunited with loved ones once again; as the years pass by this list is coninually growing.” —Sarah from Burnie, 18. “Invincibility, flying and hanging out with all the interesting people.”—Kyle from Adelaide, 25. “Not having a scrap heap or leftovers.” —Chelsea from Melbourne, 25. “Having an endless amount of time to spend with people and our closest friend, Jesus.” —Chantelle from Adelaide, 25. 10 | VOX POP
What do you want to
eat in heaven?
“I am looking forward to eating all the different kinds of fruit that there will be! I’m sure that it will be more delicious than anything I could ever possibly imagine!” —Josh from Springfield, 20. “Coconut buns.” —John from Cooranbong, 16.
“Chocolate . . . nah. I’m looking forward to the fruit—think cold watermelon on a hot day, but ten times better.” —Tim from Bairnsdale, 17 “A blueberry the size of my fist.” —Samuel from Warwick, 20. “Zero-calorie chocolate cake! And nachos—lots of nachos.” —Kyle from Adelaide, 25. “The forbidden fruit! Just kidding, I would like to try manna. I mean the Israelites ate it for years before getting sick of it.” —Michael from Perth, 21. “Mangostieen.” —Rebeckah from Townsville, 29. “An endless supply of fruit salad.” —Tori from Cooranbong, 19.
“To him who sits on the throne and
to the Lamb be blessing and honour and gloryand might forever and ever!” —Revelation 5:13
Do you have any about
questions heaven ?
“Will I have Spiderman powers?” —Jan from Cooranbong, 16. “Will God recreate all of the species of animals that have gone extinct?” —Joshua from Springfield, 20.
What
Bible Character are
you going to hang out with first &what will you
Do togetheR?
“Ruth would be awesome, and Damaris. I’d love to chat about faith, and how life was.” —Kacey from Toowoomba, 21. “Jesus . . . and I think we are just going to do a lot of talking.” —Mikki from Melbourne, 19. “Mary the mother of Jesus, I’d love to know to how she felt knowing she was carrying Jesus. Was she scared, excited, happy or sad? It would be a very interesting conversation.” —Sophie from Canberra, 20. “Esther. I want to find out how to be courageous.” —Kirah from Perth, 17.
“If fruit are part of the cycle of birth, growth, decline, dying, rebirth and new cycles of life, why would there even be fruit if nothing dies? And will we poop in Heaven?” —Micky from Paddington, 17. “If there will be a new earth will we be like Adam and Eve and go forth and multiply? Or will there be no new people?” —Samuel from Warwick, 20. “Can we hurry up and get there?” —Craig from Murwillimbah, 19. “Is there a physical end?” —John from Albury, 18. “Will we sleep or even need sleep?” —Sarah from Burnie, 18. “Does time pass in Heaven?” —Michael from Perth, 21. “Will we speak English?” —Kirah from Perth, 17. “Will we know and understand/remember our earthly relationships?” —Chantelle from Adelaide, 25. “How do we experience its joy now?” —Chelsea from Melbourne, 25. “Will people age in Heaven? Or stay the same age they get to Heaven as forever?” —Tori from Cooranbong, 19.
“King Solomon. I’ll ask him to solve a rubix cube!” —Michael from Perth, 21. “Jehu. We’d go drive chariots or anything we can go really fast in.” —Kyle from Adelaide, 25. “Jesus. I will learn, He will teach. —John from Albury, 18. “David. We’ll have a mad jam/worship session.” —Samuel from Warwick, 20. VOX POP | 11
Ready or not
by Lachlan Harders
I
HAVE OFTEN FOUND THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS to be quite a daunting proposition. It somehow felt like Jesus’ return would actually stop me from achieving some of my personal goals. For example, I am a young worship songwriter and I really want people to be touched by my music, and to be honest, I have always wanted my music to be able to bring people toward God. Until recently, I have not had the skills, tools or knowledge to allow me to release my music. And even though I released my first EP in January this year, I feel as if the coming of Jesus could jeopardise the possibility of my music bringing other people toward God. After being approached to write this article though, I have begun to think about how I can truly live a life of God here on earth, and also how a 17-year-old kid from Perth can impact the world with only a guitar and his voice. I slowly began to realise something: that by using my gifts to empower others to share the word of God, I could indirectly have an impact on thousands of people because evangelism is not a solo job. So while it would be nice to become a famous musician and worship leader, I know that the industry is extremely competitive, so achieving my goal of reaching out to millions of people with my music might not become a possibility for another 20 years, if ever. So I made a conscious decision to begin making small choices that could influence others to share God’s word. By looking at taking on mentoring roles for younger members of my local church, running music lessons for young kids who are keen to use music to worship God, and taking up a leadership role on the worship team, I have been able to start to influence and hopefully empower others to share the good news of Jesus Christ.
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12 | OPINION
Honestly, I believe that living a heaven perspective while here on earth is impossible because while we are still sinners, a life without pain and suffering is unattainable. However, I also know that people just like me have the potential to empower others to spread the word of God, and if Jesus was to come tomorrow, I could be proud to say that I did all that I could to grow His kingdom. Photo taken by Ryan Baronian, and modelled by Cory Ului in Invercargill, New Zealand. Check out more of Ryan’s work at <www.facebook.com/ryanbaronianphotography>.
FAQ:
heaven on my mind
by Tony Knight
Q: Is heaven a real place? Well, Jesus said it was. He called it His Father’s house (John 14:1-4) and described it as having real buildings in it. The writer of Hebrews describes a heavenly “country” (11:8-10) and says that God is it’s architect and builder. John in Revelation (21:12) describes a real city with streets, walls, trees and a river.
Q: Will my pets be in Heaven? People of all ages who have loved their pets have wondered about this, which is hardly surprising given what it ways in Proverbs 12:10: “A righteous man regards the life of his animal.” Still, it’s a tough question to answer since the Bible doesn’t specifically tell us what happens to animals after they die. What it does tell us is this: only human beings have been created “in the image of God” (Genesis 1:27). Because of this, only people (not animals) can look forward to being sons and daughters of our heavenly Father. But having said that, Romans 8:18-27 tells us that Christ came to earth to redeem all of creation, not just human beings. It’s not just people who will be “renewed” but also the earth and “all things” in it.
Q: So did Jesus die for animals? Not in the way He died for humanity. People are made in God’s image, animals
aren’t. People sinned, animals didn’t, so consequently they don’t need a Saviour. But in another sense, Christ died for animals indirectly, because His death for humanity purchased redemption for everything damaged by humanity’s sin, including all of creation, even the animals.
Q: Will we be real people? the idea of being some spirit sitting on a cloud playing a harp just doesn’t do it for me. Yep—real people with real bodies (heavenly bodies no less—Philipians 3:20-21); real solid flesh and blood bodies like Jesus after His resurrection (Luke 24:36-39), only better than the ones we’ve got now.
Q: What about marriage in Heaven? Ouch—tough question! Jesus says in Matthew 22:30: “For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect they will be like the angels in heaven” (NIV). Many have taken this to mean that marriage and child bearing have no place in God’s plan for humanity post-resurrection. I think a more likely scenario, especially given that marriage was one of the two institutions given to humanity before sin (the other being the Sabbath rest), is that when we rise, we will be like the angels are “in heaven.” It’s a question of the phrasing of the sentence and of timing. In heaven (during the millennium/1000 years described by John), we will neither marry nor give in marriage. We will have other very specific tasks to perform at that time. Marriage was part of earthly creation and in a sense has no real place in Heaven. Having said
that, marriage is very much a part of a perfect earthly existence, especially one in which sin is absent. In fact, the relationship between a man and wife is used frequently in the Scriptures to illustrate the relationship between Christ and His people. If marriage was a crucial part of God’s plan for humanity in the original newly created earth in all its perfection, I can see no reason why it shouldn’t be a part of the New Earth. If however, God has another plan for us next time around, you can be sure it will be even better than before!
Q: Will we age, and will we recognise each other? What about new babies? The Bible tells us clearly, that following the resurrection, we will “be like him [Jesus]; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). Paul agrees. In 1 Corinthians 15:47-53, he states, “And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.” The fact is many people recognised Jesus after His resurrection, so it follows that if Jesus was recognisable in His glorified body, we also will maintain our current identities but in resurrected and glorified bodies that have no infirmities or faults. Questions about our apparent age and other attributes remain unanswered. As for new babies? The Scriptures are silent. The one consolation prize perhaps is that King David clearly expected to see and recognise the son he lost soon after Bathsheba gave birth to him (2 Samuel 12:16), and Isaiah specifically points out a “small child leading the lion and the lamb” (Isaiah 11). Was this child born there or resurrected? Only God knows . . .
FAQ | 13
life shouldn’t be about ‘surviving’ until the day we get to go home.
live The
now
by Ellesha Knight
A
SK ANYONE TO EXPLAIN “LIFE” IN ONE SINGLE sentence and you can probably expect a long pause and a big sigh before getting an actual answer. It’s a well-known fact that this life is not exactly a walk in the park. One of the best parts of our belief in God is knowing that there’s something better waiting for us after this. Knowing that when all is done, we’ll be going to a place far greater than anything we could possibly imagine. But can this knowledge of Heaven make us lazy? Sort of like that one uni subject you know you’ve already passed regardless of the mark you get in your final exam. You might study a little bit, but in the back of your mind you’re not really trying because it doesn’t really matter anyway. In the same way, can we subconsciously put less effort into our present because we know this isn’t where it ends?
Life shouldn’t be about “surviving” until the day we get to go home. We were given an entire planet, with an entire race, handcrafted by the greatest Artist ever known. We were made to experience joy here. How do we do that? All you need to do is CLIMB.
Create Create your own happiness. I would slump on the couch after a long hard day at school, and complain to my family that I was in a rut. I was 15, and life was boring—I know, right? While I now know that this was just my teenage-self exaggerating, my parents would always say the same thing: “Find what makes you happy, and do it.” That was the exact problem though, I didn’t know what made me happy! So here’s how you fix it . . . do everything. Get involved in as much as you can, as often as you can, and when you find what you love, repeat. You’ll get a few hits and a lot of misses, but when you find where you fit, you won’t ever regret a single second of what it took to get there.
14 | REBOOT (life coaching)
Look We live in an incredible place and something tells me God didn’t create it purely for His own benefit. He could have put us on Mars where there’s nothing but fireballs and molten lava, but instead he gave us opportunity for adventure, exploration and discovery! My sister finds joy in travelling the world. Her experiences and the people she meets along the way give her a spark that lights up her world. For me, drop me off at your local beach and I wouldn’t want for anything else in my entire life. Find the places you love—and go there often.
INVEST People are designed to be with other people. While we have our introverts, extroverts and in-betweeners, we were all hardwired to be in the presence of the like-minded. Form friendships and make memories, be it with a roomful of people or just a handful. Look for those who lift you up and invest in them. They will give you value that’s indescribable.
we were made to experience joy here.
be move There is nothing much worse than becoming stagnant in life. The second we stop doing, we stop improving. Challenge yourself! Try new things! No matter how difficult the task ahead seems to be, hold your head up high, leave your safe place and keep moving.
We couldn’t possibly go through an entire article without talking about health—that would just be silly. So my final piece of advice is to care for yourself and learn how to simply be. While we naturally want to know everything all at once, this is not our job. Life may swing between easy and hard, and we will never know what’s coming next, so sit back, take a breath, and relax. Be kind, stay healthy and equip yourself to keep up with the life God has planned for you. It is going to be amazing, hold on to your hat.
Ellesha K Victoria night lives in M , and is studyin elbourne, of Occu g a Mast patio ers La Trob nal Therapy at e Unive rsity.
(life coaching) REBOOT | 15
Is heaven
Boring? by Julie Catton
W
E ALL KNOW THAT HEAVEN IS GOING to be amazing. We know it is a place where we can fall over and not be hurt (or maybe not be clumsy enough to fall over in the first place!). We’ll be able to pat lions and go for a ride on a hippo. We know all this . . . and yet . . . Sometimes we get to the place where we think, “What will we actually do in Heaven?” Or maybe we’re asked that question by a friend. The Bible says we’ll be there for 1000 years.That’s a long time by anyone’s standards. How long can we actually pat a lion for before we get bored? And worse yet . . . how am I going to survive without Facebook?! The Bible talks a lot about what Heaven will look like, but there seems to be little on what we’ll actually be doing there. Will we be playing harps, or will we be able to teleport to different places, different worlds? I really have no idea to be honest! And most of what we hear is speculation. But I do like to think of it like this . . .
Imagine that you are going on a holiday. It’s to a place that you find completely relaxing. Maybe the beach, maybe the mountains. And you get to go on this holiday with the most interesting person you know (or don’t know!). It could be a friend, a grandparent or a celebrity. All you have to do on this holiday is relax, rest and chat. You listen to them as they tell stories and you’re completely enthralled by what they have to say. Not only that, but this person takes a personal interest in you. They ask you questions and you find yourself laughing together as you share memories. You’re so happy and relaxed that you totally lose track of time. You’re not worried about what you are going to do next; you are totally in the moment. In fact, you are so caught up in the moment, you don’t even think about posting a picture of it on Facebook . . . horror!!!
. . . we will be completely caught up in the moment.
. . . How am i going to survive without facebook?
16 | BUMP (discipleship)
That’s how I imagine Heaven. While I doubt we will be sitting poolside for 1000 years drinking mock-tails and chatting, I do
Photo taken by Emma Thoresen (Nowra, NSW) and modelled by Naomi Brown.
think we will be completely caught up in the moment. And since the person we’ll be getting to chat with is actually Jesus, then how much more engaging and fascinating is that going to be?!
There are so many things to look forward to. I, for one am longing for a time without pain and suffering. There is just so much of it around—both globally and personally. We deal with heartbreak, cancer, death, divorce of parents. We read the news and see earthquakes, suicide bombers, tsunamis. It’s a horrible world we live in. And none of that bad stuff is going to be in Heaven! And I also figure this: if God has prepared a place for us as a reward for following Him on this crazy earth, it’s going to be better than any of us can ever dream or imagine! That’s my kind of holiday. Julie Cat to Victoria, n lives in Melbo urne, an who is cu d is a primary te acher rrently en joying st at home aying with her children .
Manifest
www.artsmanifest.info
Sign up for the monthly newsletter and connect on Facebook and Instagram (@manifest–au).
best in fest “We dance” by sand artist Tiani Page, a first-time filmmaking entrant, won the Hope Channel Prize at this year’s Manifest Creative Arts Festival. The five-minute piece (which you can view at www. expressionsinsand.com or by scanning the QR code below) uses the creation of one of Tiani’s artworks to explore “how we grow towards a moment in our Christian journey where we bloom and dance with God in a choreography written just for us.” More than half of the 65 entries in the Manifest competitions were vying for a different prize: two days’ recording in Psalter Studios. Manager Dale Willis is investing in artists and repertoire—he even presented a workshop called “From D chord to demo recording: a musician’s guide to making a great song demo.”
l Hobson.
Credit: Nige
Tell me a story Rediscovering the power of Storytelling by Joanna Darby Co-convenor, Manifest Creative Arts Festival ventist e Seventh-day Ad e Avondale Colleg tor Eddie Hypolit Pas r iste min ior Church sen celebration ll Me A Story”, a “Te ing dur e aks spe Creativ at the Manifest of spoken word bson. dit: Georgina Ho Arts Festival. Cre
A few years ago, on a wintry night, my husband Leighton and I invited a few friends over. We asked them to come prepared to share stories—personal stories—and an excerpt from their favourite book or author. Our lounge room was both silent and full of laughter. The words were mesmerising and devastating. The stories left us wanting more. Of course. That’s what great stories do. While we recognise great stories are told on canvas, in film, in song and through a plethora of other mediums, spoken word is the oldest form of storytelling. And probably the least employed in our current culture—in a formal sense. Indeed, most of us communicate verbally with our family, friends and colleagues every day. Much of what we say we say with stories. However, the idea of spending a Saturday
night together sharing stories and excerpts from our favourite authors is something the Darbys had never done before. After we began our storytelling nights and continued talking to others about them, we discovered other similar (much larger and more organised) events such as The Moth and various storytelling podcast series. It seems the genre is experiencing a revival. In a Christian context, we are—counter-culturally—used to listening to lecture-length orations in weekly worship services. But storytelling— in terms of its content, intention, pace and rhythm—is different. Stories don’t need explaining or have moral points drawn out. We experience them individually and draw our own meaning from them. Perhaps the appeal of storytelling is in its rarity. Hearing a person tell a story, with their own voice, facial expressions and gestures, is unique. Even if the story is not their own, the excerpt a person chooses and the inflections they use in its telling reveals a lot about them. For Leighton and I, the storytelling night was reminiscent of a different, slower time, when evenings were spent with loved ones around the hearth, when folktales were passed from generation to generation. Aside from connecting with our friends, and connecting with stories, it felt like we were connecting with something much bigger—an important aspect of being human we’d not placed enough significance upon.
North
BEach Youth Group
T
he North Beach youth group (Perth, WA) has taken an approach to serving others that uses a mentoring program to help deepen the sense of church community connection. The program aims to provide practical support and real friendships that extend way beyond the time spent at church on Sabbath. Flexibility in both time and method is key to allowing youth to both serve and also be supported with many creative approaches to mentoring happening during the week, such as talking over a hot drink at a café, praying for a mentee’s school exam over the phone. Kaunda, who is being mentored, describes the process this way: It’s “doing life together with an older person in a non-judgmental environment.” “The mentoring program has created opportunities for the many benefits of intergenerational relationships” says program coordinator, Stella Rose. Not only are the youth mentored by an older church member, but they have the opportunity to mentor a teen younger than themselves. Latisha, a young person who is also a mentor to a teen, explains the sense of purpose in being a mentor: “Being a mentor gives a sense of helpfulness. It’s like you are doing good in the world by connecting with others and helping them.” A member of the youth group, Layla, was recently baptised after doing Bible studies with her mentor, Laurina. 18 | STATUS UPDATE (youth group)
not only are the youth mentored by an older church member, but they have the opportunity to mentor a younger person themselves. The North Beach youth love to spend time together in small groups, socials and going on camps. The mentoring program provides another opportunity to grow spiritually and journey together as followers of Jesus. This happens as North Beach youth actively try to live out John 13:35, intentionally caring and supporting each other and new young people who come along. “This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” When new young people join the youth group there is already a process in place by which they can be discipled and become part of the church community.
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www.WA.adventist.org.au/youth www.facebook.com/wayouth 08 9398 7222
www.NNSWyouth.com www.facebook.com/nnswyouthministries 02 4951 8088 Coming up... Refueled Camp 19-21 June, 2015
www.youth.adventistconnect.org 02 9847 3221
Coming up... South West Youth Rally 27 June, 2015
Coming up... Impact San Antonio 2-11 July, 2015
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Coming up... Youth Winter Bible Camp 12-14 June, 2015
Coming up... Big Camp 26 June - 5 July, 2015
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www.NAyouth.adventist.org.au www.facebook.com/NorthQLDandNTsdayouth 07 4779 3988
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Coming up... Youth Rally & Leaderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lunch 17 July, 2015
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www.SQyouth.org.au www.facebook.com/SQyouth 07 3218 7777
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www.facebook.com/SAyouthministries 08 8269 2177 Coming up... Youth Bible Camp 12-14 June, 2015
www.AUCyouth.com 03 9871 7555 Coming up... Converge, 18+ Camp 12-15 February, 2016
THE WALL | 19
Hang out with Jesus & your Mates Australia-Wide 18+ Festival
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More information coming soon!