Introduction1 Love God:Faith in God – God our FatherFollow Me – Jesus our LordFilled with the Spirit – God’s Spirit our Helper
2 Love Others:Love one anotherServe one anotherEncourage one another
Conclusion
*
Introduction *
Jesus was wholly obedient in different ways at different times as a child, a student, a carpenter, a teaching rabbi, a healer, a sacrifice. We can obey in our different situations.
The Great Commission is a call to obey everything Jesus commanded. That’s not easy! But Jesus reminded us that he now has all authority in heaven and on earth and he is with us to the end of the age:‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’ (Matthew 28:18-20)This book is about learning to obey Jesus as we love God who loves us totally. Jesus said, “If you love me you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15, 23). The greatest commandments of all are to love God and love others. …
We encourage Christians, especially leaders, to obey what Jesus told us to do. All Christians love to speak and sing about Jesus but we may not follow his instructions. So I wrote a mission book about how Jesus trained his followers: Jesus the Model for Short Term Supernatural Mission.It’s the first in my Great Commission Series and this is the second book in that series.Jesus taught his followers to do what he did. He commanded them to love one another as he loved us. He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God, to heal the sick and to cast out unclean spirits. I hope this book will help you do what Jesus told us to do. Jesus said that all the commandments could be summed up in two: loving God and loving others.‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it:
‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 22:37-40).Jesus described our neighbour as anyone, especially those in need. He said that we would keep his commandments because we loved him.Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. (John 14:23)God our loving Father expects us to believe in Jesus, his Son, to trust him and to obey his teaching and instructions.And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave us commandment (1 John 3:23).
What is obedience?Jesus told a parable about two sons whose father told them to work in his vineyard (Matthew 21:28-32). One son said he would go but he did not. The other son said he would not go but changed his mind and went. The one who said ‘No’ but then went was more obedient than the one who said ‘Yes’ but didn’t go. The story shows how we can repent, change our mind and obey.Jesus’ parable of the two sons encourages us to repent, turn around, and obey even if previously we did not.
Often we may feel guilty that we are not obeying Jesus fully and wholeheartedly. When we pray we may remember how we disobeyed or were half-hearted or reluctant to obey. We can repent, and obey.Some of Jesus commands seem hard for us to obey: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you; whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me; carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; sell your possessions, and give alms; those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples (Luke 6:27-28; 9:23; 10:4; 12:33; 14:33). And that’s just a few of his instructions!
We’re not all called to be Saint Francis or Mother Teresa. But we are called to follow Jesus – and that’s a challenge. Jesus’ instructions can shape our attitudes and actions. We may live it out in different ways in different places, but his commands will always guide us as we are led by his Spirit. Jesus was wholly obedient in different ways at different times as a child, a student, a carpenter, a teaching rabbi, a healer, a sacrifice. We can obey in our different situations.
Our obedience springs from love and flows strong in God’s love. We love Him because he first loved us (1 John 4:19). Jesus reveals himself to those who obey him in love: “The person who has My commands and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I [too] will love them and will show (reveal, manifest) Myself to them. [I will let Myself be clearly seen by them and make Myself real to them.]” (John 14:21 Amplified)
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Holy week, from Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to his death and resurrection, is by far the greatest week in history. Jesus, the Lamb of God, the Son of God, the Saviour of the world, chose to be crucified in Jerusalem at the Passover festival. He became our Passover Lamb, slain from the foundation of the world. The Old Testament points to Jesus, the Messiah, God’s Anointed One. Those prophecies are fulfilled in Jesus. The New Testament tells his story and calls us to respond in faith to his gift of salvation and eternal life.
Key Passages
Holy Week: the last week of the earthly life of Jesus may be summarized this way as a general guide. The different Gospels record different events, each one telling the Gospel, the good news, in their own way. So this arrangement is an estimate of the sequence of the momentous developments in Holy Week.
This summary uses NKJV. The Mounce translation (www.biblegateway.com) of John 19:30 is ‘It is accomplished.’ Traditionally, these seven statements are called words of
This order of service for Passover is an attempt to be as true as possible to the historic one Jesus had with his disciples. The present day Passover as celebrated by millions of Jews is in the same order, and contains everything in this service (except for references to what Jesus did with it) as well as many additions that have been made, particularly since the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD.
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In addition, the JESUS film, released in 1979, is added here first, the most translated film in history, now in over 1700 languages, with over 500 million viewers indicating their desire to follow Jesus.
They’ve been making films about the Son of God for over a century. Here’s one man’s list of those that ascend to the top of the cinematic pack. By Peter T. Chattaway/ April 11, 2006.
Of the making of movies about Jesus, there is no end. In the first three months of 2006 alone: Son of Man, which casts a black man as Christ and sets his life in modern South Africa, got positive reviews at Sundance; the makers of Color of the Cross, which also casts a black man as Christ, established a website with trailers for their work-in-progress; and New Line Cinema announced that Oscar nominees Keisha Castle-Hughes (Whale Rider) and Shohreh Aghdashloo (House of Sand and Fog) will star as the Virgin Mary and her cousin Elizabeth in a new movie about the Nativity, to be released in time for Christmas (2006).
Some of this activity can be credited to The Passion of The Christ, which shattered box-office records and sparked interest in religious films when it came out in 2004. But movies about Jesus have always been popular, especially in times of heightened spiritual interest—the counter-cultural craze of the 1970s, the millennial anxiety of the late 1990s, etc.
No interpretation of the life of Christ can ever tell the full story. That is, indeed, one of the reasons we have four Gospels; each one paints a unique portrait of the Savior and emphasizes a different set of themes. Similarly, no mere movie about Jesus can capture the fullness of his divinity, or the fullness of his humanity, no matter how sincere its makers are; but the better films can help us to see a small part of the bigger picture.
This list is limited to those that focus mainly on Jesus’ life story as told in the Gospels; thus, it does not include films about characters who are only peripherally connected to Jesus, such as Ben-Hur (1925, 1959). Also, because each film has its strengths and weaknesses, they are listed in simple chronological order; no ranking is implied.
The Life and Passion of Jesus Christ (1902-05)
Film was a new medium, only a few years old, when the Pathé company in France produced this series of short tableaux illustrating scenes from the Gospels. Like a series of icons brought to life, or a passion play enhanced by the odd special effect, The Life and Passion of Jesus Christ never pretends to be a drama; instead, it is a uniquely visual work of art which underscores the supernatural context within which Jesus’ life and ministry took place. At times, the film borrows from later, post-biblical legends, but it also emphasizes Jesus’ place within the Trinity, and it concludes with a fantastic (if a tad rickety by modern standards) shot of the Ascension and Jesus seated at God’s right hand in the heavenly court.
The King of Kings (1927)
All of Cecil B. DeMille’s best and worst instincts are on display in this, his last silent movie. Fortunately, he gets the tawdry stuff out of the way pretty fast. The ludicrous opening sequence features a scantily-clad Mary Magdalene hosting a banquet and asking what has happened to her lover Judas Iscariot; but once Jesus casts the seven demons out of her—one of several biblical details included here that most films omit—the film relies on the Gospels for most of its content. That said, DeMille also rearranges episodes from the Bible in ways that are startlingly original yet quite effective. Re-issued in the 1930s with a music and sound-effects track, The King of Kings was such a big hit that no Hollywood studio would make another life-of-Jesus movie until the 1960s, after DeMille had passed away.
The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1964)
Right from its very first frames—when a visibly upset Joseph beholds a very pregnant Mary—this film challenges the soft-focus piety that affects many adaptations of the Gospels. Director Pier Paolo Pasolini, a gay Marxist atheist who was famous for his poetry before he turned to film making, certainly wanted to confront the conventional spirituality of his day, and his Jesus is more aggressive than most. But nearly every single line of dialogue comes from Matthew’s Gospel (a pattern that would be followed decades later by Campus Crusade’s adaptation of Luke and the Visual Bible’s adaptations of Matthew and John), and the film’s gritty, down-to-earth realism underscores the revolutionary nature of Christ’s message; you can believe the authorities would want to crucify this guy. While the film is often hailed for stripping the story down to its basics, it also reflects Pasolini’s belief in finding transcendence within the everyday—an effect that is especially achieved on the eclectic soundtrack, which includes Bach, Negro spirituals, and the Missa Luba.
The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)
Some will say that this expensive flop, produced by the devoutly Christian George Stevens (The Diary of Anne Frank, Shane), represents everything that is wrong with Hollywood adaptations of the Gospels: it’s too pretty, it’s too stilted, it’s too American, it’s too lavish to be an authentic depiction of first-century Galilean peasant society, and it’s got too many distracting cameos, culminating in John Wayne’s brief, out-of-nowhere appearance as the centurion at the crucifixion. And they would have a point. But the cinematography is gorgeous, and many of the performances are quite good, especially that of Max von Sydow (as Jesus), whose austerity is leavened with moments of deeply felt emotion. Note how he cries outside Lazarus’s tomb, or the warm, robust smile he gives when he meets James the Lesser.
Godspell (1973)
Prepare ye the way of the Lord! In some ways, Godspell, one of three musical Jesus movies released in 1973 (the others were Andrew Lloyd Webber’s agnostic, angst-ridden Jesus Christ Superstar and Johnny Cash’s The Gospel Road), may not belong on this list. For one thing, it’s set in modern New York—or rather, it uses modern New York as a backdrop; one sequence even takes place on the roofs of the then-brand-new World Trade Center towers. It is also less concerned with the life of Jesus than with his sayings, especially the parables and the Sermon on the Mount, and how they resonated with the countercultural mood of that time. But it is precisely this focus on the teachings of Christ that makes the film unique. Its comical approach to the parables, and its depiction of Christ as a clown in make-up, were controversial at the time, but that debate seems quaint now in the age of VeggieTales. The giddy, and at times prayerful, music is by Stephen Schwartz (The Prince of Egypt).
The Messiah (1976)
Roberto Rossellini was one of the pioneers of post-war Italian neorealism, in films like Open City (1945), and his controversial film The Miracle (1948) prompted a landmark American court case which ultimately led to movies being recognized, for the first time, as an art form protected by free-speech laws. Toward the end of his life, he made a series of “didactic” historical biopics focusing on characters like Socrates, St. Augustine, and Blaise Pascal, and one of his very last films was this portrait of Jesus. Rossellini did not believe in “seducing” the audience with dramatic effects, so he downplays the miracles and the violence—all the stuff that other filmmakers revel in—even while he acknowledges that they occur. His version of the story emphasizes the brotherhood of men more than Christian faith, per se, but in doing so it also underscores the fact, often ignored by films in this genre, that the disciples went out and spread Jesus’ message even while the Master was still alive.
Jesus of Nazareth (1977)
Some would say this is the best Jesus film; it is certainly the most. At six and a half hours, Franco Zeffirelli’s mini-series gets to explore the Gospels at greater length than usual, and it fleshes out the supporting characters in ways that convey the breadth and depth of the impact Jesus had on his contemporaries. The film alternates, somewhat awkwardly, between everyday naturalism and pious theatricality; this may be the first film to show the Virgin Mary going into labor, but after her pains have ended, some shepherds arrive and speak portentously about their encounter with the angels, finishing each other’s sentences as they do so. Also, as Jesus, Robert Powell has the British accent, blue eyes, and John Lennon hair that have become something of a cliché. Still, this film is supported by a fine cast (no distracting cameos here!), as well as some stirring music by Lawrence of Arabia‘s Maurice Jarre, and it emphasizes the Jewishness of Jesus like few others—not only to remind us of his ethnicity, but to underscore the prophecies that he fulfilled.
[JESUS film (1979)]
Jesus (1999)
Produced as part of Lux Vide’s “Bible Collection” series, this two-part TV-movie is kind of like The Last Temptation of Christ without the heresy. That is, it presents Jesus as a haunted and vulnerable human being who struggles with romantic attractions (to Mary of Bethany, this time) and a growing awareness of his destiny—but instead of fleeing God, he always chooses God’s will for his life. Some viewers found Jeremy Sisto’s interpretation of Christ a little too casual and buddy-ish, but this is one of the few Jesus films to understand that being human is about more than having emotions and dancing at parties; it is about finding God’s will, and following it to the best of our ability. Note also the scene where Satan visits Jesus in Gethsemane and, taunting him with visions of nations and churches committing atrocities in Jesus’ name, tries to convince him his death on the cross will be in vain; this is a far more sobering “last temptation” than anything imagined by Martin Scorsese.
The Miracle Maker (2000)
Shown in theatres in Europe and on television in North America, this follow-up to the Welsh-Russian TV series Testament: The Bible in Animation was the first major animated cartoon about the life of Jesus. Like the series that preceded it, The Miracle Maker employs a mix of animation techniques, and in a very purposeful way. The day-to-day experiences of Jesus and his followers are depicted with stop-motion puppets, while the parables, flashbacks, memories and spiritual encounters are depicted the traditional, hand-drawn way; the scene in which Jesus casts the demons out of Mary Magdalene is especially striking, as it segues from one style of animation to the other. Co-produced by Mel Gibson’s Icon Productions and written by Christian author Murray Watts, the film stars the voice of Ralph Fiennes, whose Jesus is by turns tender, humorous, exasperated, and above all very, very engaging.
The Passion of the Christ (2004)
Mel Gibson’s highly controversial, and highly personal, meditation on the death of Christ is a work of profound Catholic devotion, inspired by sources as diverse as the Stations of the Cross and the visions of Sister Anne Catherine Emmerich, a stigmatic German nun; it is also possibly the boldest, starkest portrayal of evil, both human and supernatural, since The Exorcist. The Latin and Aramaic dialogue now seem like a merely Gibsonian conceit, given the all-Mayan script for his upcoming follow-up Apocalypto; but they do contribute to the film’s otherworldly and at times shockingly surreal tone. The violence aside, Gibson makes strikingly effective use of objective and subjective cinematic techniques to convey the divinity and humanity of Christ, respectively; and, more than any recent director, Gibson captures the grand supernatural conflict which gives the death of Christ its meaning.
Permission: you can freely reproduce and share these resources and books, including printing (just include the source). You can print, distribute, and market your edition of any of my books – “by all means save some” (1 Cor 9:22)
A Mysterious Month: A month that changed the world
and
Our Month in Israel: We walked where Jesus walked
Part 1: A Mysterious Month, gives the full eye-witness accounts of 12 resurrection appearances.
Part 2: Our Month in Israel, gives my reflections on walking where Jesus walked, with photos of those locations.
Angel quote on the door of the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem
A Mysterious Month
Most people who were involved at the beginning of that mysterious month thought the unbelievable rumours were impossible and said so. Loudly.
Only a few, very few at first, thought it may have happened. Even after a month some still doubted that it actually happened.
They saw the awful, brutal execution. Jesus had been severely flogged and tortured early that morning before his execution. The conquering Romans made sure their victims suffered maximum agony and humiliation on thousands of crosses, suffering publicly and slowly in excruciating pain to their last agonized breath. That’s how we got our English words excruciate (ex-crux – out of the cross) and agony from the Greek word agon (struggle or contest).
Romans crucified their victims along the main road just outside a town or village. They lopped trees and their victims carried the crossbar to the dreadful execution site where they were nailed to the crossbar and hoisted onto a tree trunk or stake. Peter later wrote that Jesus bore our sins in His own body on the tree (1 Peter 2:24). The execution place just outside Jerusalem’s city wall was called the place of the skull, with graves nearby. There are many graves just outside that city wall even today.
Eye-witnesses saw and heard the horrendous spectacle, a few like John from nearby. Spectators taunted the central victim: And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!’ The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!’ (Luke 23:35-37)
The three struggling victims gasped out brief cries, one with angry accusations: One of the criminals hanged there kept deriding him and saying, ‘Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ (Luke 23:39).
Soldiers divided the victims’ clothes among themselves, gambling for some. Eventually, they smashed the legs of the two victims still alive so they died quickly, no longer able to push up from their spiked feet to gasp more breath. Religious leaders wanted them off the crosses before the Sabbath began at sunset.
But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out. (He who saw this has testified so that you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth.)
And when all the crowds who had gathered there for this spectacle saw what had taken place, they returned home, beating their breasts. But all his acquaintances, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things (John 19:33-35; Luke 23:48-49).
The mystery deepened rapidly. Matthew, the disciple who had been a despised tax collector for Rome, reported that the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people (Matthew 27:51-52).
Model of Jerusalem in Jesus’ time, Temple Mount left (east), Pool of Bethesda (sheep pool) and Antonia Fortress alongside, Herod’s Palace right (west), Golgotha just outside.
A Mysterious Month: A month that changed the world
and
Our Month in Israel: We walked where Jesus walked
Part 1: A Mysterious Month, gives the full eye-witness accounts of 12 resurrection appearances.
Part 2: Our Month in Israel, gives my reflections on walking where Jesus walked, with photos of those locations.
Angel quote on the door of the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem
A Mysterious Month
Most people who were involved at the beginning of that mysterious month thought the unbelievable rumours were impossible and said so. Loudly.
Only a few, very few at first, thought it may have happened. Even after a month some still doubted that it actually happened.
They saw the awful, brutal execution. Jesus had been severely flogged and tortured early that morning before his execution. The conquering Romans made sure their victims suffered maximum agony and humiliation on thousands of crosses, suffering publicly and slowly in excruciating pain to their last agonized breath. That’s how we got our English words excruciate (ex-crux – out of the cross) and agony from the Greek word agon (struggle or contest).
Romans crucified their victims along the main road just outside a town or village. They lopped trees and their victims carried the crossbar to the dreadful execution site where they were nailed to the crossbar and hoisted onto a tree trunk or stake. Peter later wrote that Jesus bore our sins in His own body on the tree (1 Peter 2:24). The execution place just outside Jerusalem’s city wall was called the place of the skull, with graves nearby. There are many graves just outside that city wall even today.
Eye-witnesses saw and heard the horrendous spectacle, a few like John from nearby. Spectators taunted the central victim: And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!’ The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!’ (Luke 23:35-37)
The three struggling victims gasped out brief cries, one with angry accusations: One of the criminals hanged there kept deriding him and saying, ‘Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ (Luke 23:39).
Soldiers divided the victims’ clothes among themselves, gambling for some. Eventually, they smashed the legs of the two victims still alive so they died quickly, no longer able to push up from their spiked feet to gasp more breath. Religious leaders wanted them off the crosses before the Sabbath began at sunset.
But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out. (He who saw this has testified so that you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth.)
And when all the crowds who had gathered there for this spectacle saw what had taken place, they returned home, beating their breasts. But all his acquaintances, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things (John 19:33-35; Luke 23:48-49).
The mystery deepened rapidly. Matthew, the disciple who had been a despised tax collector for Rome, reported that the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people (Matthew 27:51-52).
Model of Jerusalem in Jesus’ time, Temple Mount left (east), Pool of Bethesda (sheep pool) and Antonia Fortress alongside, Herod’s Palace right (west), Golgotha just outside.
This book is not only good for personal use but also GREAT for group study, even good for a Sunday School class. (Allen R Lancaster)
Information: Originally published as an 80-page book in 1987, and reprinted in 1990 and 1991, this personal or group study book is now enlarged to 127 pages, and greatly improved. Some new sections have been added, and each chapter now begins with a powerful example of that chapter’s theme.
Thousands of copies of the earlier version have been used for personal and group study, including its use as a small group study book. Many home groups, cell groups or student study groups have found this survey of living in the Spirit both informative and inspiring. It invites a response from the reader, whether read alone or studying in a group. It offers fresh and challenging perspectives on living in the blessing, power, and anointing of the Holy Spirit, who always exalts Jesus as Lord.
1. Father, Son and Holy Spirit God is One
The Father’s heart shows God’s love
Jesus reveals God’s love
The Spirit imparts God’s love
READINGS: God is One
Mark12:28‑34 (the great commandment)
Matthew 28:18‑20 (the great commission)
Acts 1:1‑8 (the great compulsion)
Galatians 4:1‑7 (the Spirit of God’s Son)
Romans 8:9‑10 (the Spirit of Christ)
Luke 4:16‑21 (the Spirit of the Lord)
2 Corinthians 13:14 (the Trinitarian benediction)
Mele palm at place of martyrdom on Pentecost Island
TOPIC 2: Born of the Spirit
2. Born of the Spirit The Spirit creates
The Spirit re-creates
God acts
We respond
READINGS: The wind blows
Titus 3:1‑7 (the Spirit renews)
Genesis 1:1‑3; 2:4‑9 (the Spirit creates)
Joel 2:28‑32 (the Spirit for all)
Isaiah 11:1‑9 (a new kingdom)
Ezekie1 37:1‑14 (a new people)
Jeremiah 31:31‑34 (a new covenant)
John 3:1‑8 (a new birth)
Church at Pentecost Island near place of martyrdom
TOPIC 3: Filled with the Spirit
3. Filled with the Spirit The Spirit in God’s people
The Spirit in Jesus
The Spirit in the early church
The Spirit in us
READINGS: Baptised in the Spirit
John 1: 29‑34 (the Spirit and Jesus)
Acts 1:1‑9 (the Spirit promised)
Acts 2:1‑4, 38‑39 (the Spirit in Jerusalem)
Acts 8:4‑17 (the Spirit in Samaria)
Acts 9:1‑19 (the Spirit in Damascus)
Acts 10:30‑33, 44‑48 (the Spirit in Caesarea)
Acts 19:1‑7 (the Spirit in Ephesus)
Leaders praying for one another in Pentecost Island
TOPIC 4: Fruit of the Spirit
4. Fruit of the Spirit The fruit of the Spirit in us personally
The fruit of the Spirit in us communally
Growth in the Spirit personally
Growth in the Spirit communally
READINGS: Christ-like character
Galatians5:16‑26 (fruit of the Spirit)
John 15:1‑10 (bearing much fruit)
John 14:15‑26 (the Spirit teaches)
John 16:7‑15 (the Spirit guides)
2 Timothy 3:14‑17 (the Spirit inspires)
Romans 8:26‑27 (the Spirit prays)
John 4:21‑24 (the Spirit in worship)
International mission team in Brisbane
TOPIC 5: Gifts of the Spirit
5. Gifts of the Spirit Power for mission
Gifts for mission
Unity for mission
Love for mission
READINGS: Tools for the job
John 14:8‑14 (doing greater things)
1 Peter 4:7‑11 (gifts and ministry)
Romans 12:1-8 (gifts and service)
Ephesians 4:11-16 (gifts and unity)
1 Corinthians 12:4-11 (gifts and diversity)
1 Corinthians 12:27-31(gifts and authority)
1 Corinthians 13 (gifts and love).
South Pacific mission team at the Three Sisters, Katoomba, Australia
TOPIC 6: Ministry in the Spirit
6. Ministry in the Spirit Body ministry
Mutual ministry
Wholeness ministry
Freedom ministry
READINGS: We all minister
1 Corinthians 12 (body ministry)
1 Corinthians 14 (mutual ministry)
Isaiah 2:1-5 (vision for wholeness)
Micah 4:1‑5 (prophecy of wholeness)
Luke 5:17-26 (power for wholeness)
Luke 13:34-35 (yearning for wholeness)
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 (prayer for wholeness)
South Pacific ministry team visits churches in Australia
TOPIC 7: Led by the Spirit
7. Led by the Spirit The Spirit leads us
The Spirit leads gently
The Spirit leads personally
The Spirit leads corporately
READINGS: Hoist your sail
Genesis 24:1‑67 (led to find a wife)
Exodus 13:17‑22 (led to freedom from slavery)
Matthew 4:1‑11 (led to face trial)
Acts 13:1‑3 (led to send missionaries)
Acts 16:1‑10 (led to go westward)
Romans 8:12‑17 (led to live as God’s children)
Galatians 5:16‑26 (led to life in the Spirit)
Vanuatu mission team prays together in Brisbane
TOPIC 8: The Spirit of the Lord
8. The Spirit of the Lord The Spirit of the Lord in Israel
The Spirit of the Lord in Jesus
The kingdom of God
The king: Jesus Christ is Lord
READINGS: God is Spirit
John 4:24 (God is Spirit)
Isaiah 11:1-2 (the Spirit gives wisdom)
Micah 3:8 (the Spirit gives power)
Ezekiel 37:1‑14 (the Spirit gives visions)
2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (the Spirit gives freedom)
Isaiah 61:1‑3 (the Spirit gives mission)
Luke 4:18‑19 (the Spirit gives anointing)
Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives
Photographs in this book show international revival teams from the South Pacific, living in the Spirit together, involved in mission in the islands, in Australia and beyond.
These studies combine theological and biblical reflection with practical application. Many people have found these studies to be helpful and liberating.
Discovering ASLAN: High King above all Kings in Narnia A devotional commentary on Jesus, The Lion of Judah 7 chapters – a chapter on each of the 7 Narnia books.
This is a remarkable work and something quite unique that I’ve not come across before (and believe me I’ve seen most ideas). There is a huge appetite for devotional type books and I’m sure that this one will appeal to many people. Russ Burg (USA)
* Most wonderful devotional from Narnia
One of the most interesting devotionals ever! As a huge fan of all things Narnia, I am so grateful for this deeper aspect of the truths in C.S. Lewis’ stories. Geoff Waugh did a great job in crafting such a book as this. What a wonderful addition to any collection, and an inspiration to know Jesus more deeply. Belinda S. (Amazon Customer)
* Enhance your wonder and love of Christ
You can read the Narnia tales as just good stories, but CS Lewis wanted people to see more. This book will help you see the many links with Jesus, the Lion of Judah. Use this to enhance your wonder and love of Christ. Rev Dr John Olley (Perth, Australia)
* Best companion work I know of
Many people have fallen in love with the timeless classics of the Narnia series. Yet few stop to think how closely the story is a parallel universe to the real world in which we live. If you want a serious and detailed look at how this works in Lewis’s work then I cannot think of any other resource of this calibre. Either for a young person who is interested in exploring more, or as a resource on a pastor’s desk, it is an invaluable companion to the original series. (Amazon Customer)
* An unusual and fascinating book
Geoff Waugh explores fascinating layers of meaning in C. S. Lewis’s children’s classic. Aslan, the triumphant lion, is revealed as a reflection of Jesus. The book includes devotional meditations using Bible references. (Amazon Customer)
* Worth your time – rich teaching
Whether you are familiar with Narnia teachings, or this is new to you, Geoff Waugh faithfully puts together the many layers of meaning in the meanings of the Lion Aslan as portrayed in each of the books of the series. This is a great companion when you read, and is a stand-alone teaching on the depths of teaching that C.S. Lewis weaves into Aslan’s character. Definitely worth your time. Steve Loopstra (USA)
* A great devotional
This was a great devotional that I loved reading. It goes deeper into the parallels between the Bible and the Chronicles of Narnia series by C. S. Lewis. The book first starts with some back story about C. S. Lewis, then goes on to break down each individual book one at a time in order. This book was written very well. I think this was a great book that a lot of Narnia fans would enjoy reading just as much as I did. Caleb (Goodreads)
* A study of Aslan
This is a terrific comparison of Aslan, the Beloved Lion of Narnia to Jesus, the Lion of Judah. The author uses many passages of Scripture to point the reader to Christ. Every time I read The Chronicles of Narnia I fall in love with Aslan and long to know my saviour more intimately. This book is a help in that direction. Audrey (Goodreads)
The whole Narnian story is about Christ. … The whole series works out like this. The Magician’s Nephew tells the Creation and how evil entered Narnia. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the Crucifixion and Resurrection. Prince Caspian, restoration of the true religion after corruption. The Horse and His Boy, the calling and conversion of a heathen. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, the spiritual life (especially in Reepicheep). The Silver Chair, the continuing war with the powers of darkness. The Last Battle, the coming of the Antichrist (the Ape), the end of the world and the Last Judgment
Prologue
He is the High King above all kings, the King of kings and Lord of lords.
He is the son of the Great Emperor beyond the sea, beyond the world. He spoke and sang before the creation of the world and brought the world into being.
He commands legions of creatures and people in many worlds. Some creatures loyal to him may seem strange to us, and many of them fly. They worship him and serve him wholeheartedly.
His word is always true. You can depend on him totally. He never lies.
He appears unexpectedly and makes things right. He gave his life to conquer evil and ransom the guilty rebel. He rose again by dawn and appeared first to loving, caring young women.
He has enemies in this world and in other worlds but he defeated them and they are doomed. They tremble at the sound of his name.
All who trust in him are forgiven and set free. He breathes life into hearts of stone. His breath gives life.
He reveals himself to all who choose to follow and obey him, and the more they know him the more they love him. The more you know him the bigger he becomes to you. He loves with unending love.
He chose Peter to lead under his authority and to reign with his royal family. They failed him at times, as we all do, but he always sets things right when anyone asks for his help, trusts him and follows him.
He has all authority in this world and in other worlds. Multitudes love and serve him now and forever. You can talk to him now and always.
He is the subject of this book and many other books. He calls you to respond to him, to believe in him, to love him and to live for him.
One of the most popular Lion stories is about Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis.
The stories of Aslan illustrate in fairy tale the greater story of the Lion of the tribe of Judah hidden within the Narnia stories. Replying to a child’s inquiry about the lion’s name, Lewis wrote. “I found the name in the notes to Lane’s Arabian Nights: it is the Turkish for Lion. I pronounce it Ass-lan myself. And of course I meant the Lion of Judah.”[i] The Aslan passages echo and reflect the greatest story of all, the story of the Lion of Judah.
Aslan reminded the children that they would know him truly in their own world when they left Narnia: “But there I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little you may know me better there.”[ii]
Lewis encouraged readers to make that discovery. He replied to Hila, an 11 year old girl who wrote a letter asking about Aslan’s other name: “As to Aslan’s other name, well I want you to guess. Has there ever been anyone in this world who (1) Arrived at the same time as Father Christmas. (2) Said he was the son of the Great Emperor. (3) Gave himself up for someone else’s fault to be jeered at and killed by wicked people. (4) Came to life again. (5) Is sometimes spoken of as a Lamb (see the end of the Dawn Treader). Don’t you really know His name in this world.”[iii]
Most children did. Many adults did not.
Nine-year-old Laurence worried that he loved Aslan more than Jesus. So his mother wrote to C. S. Lewis, care of the Publishing Company. She received his answer ten days later. Lewis explained, “Laurence can’t really love Aslan more than Jesus, even if he feels that’s what he is doing. For the things he loves Aslan for doing or saying are simply the things Jesus really did and said. So that when Laurence thinks he is loving Aslan, he is really loving Jesus: and perhaps loving Him more than he ever did before.”[iv]
Lewis, replying to a girl, Ruth, wrote, “If you continue to love Jesus, nothing much can go wrong with you, and I hope you may always do so. I’m thankful that you realized [the] “hidden story” in the Narnian books. It is odd, children nearly always do, grown-ups hardly ever.”[v]
The Chronicles of Narnia can help you know Aslan better in the world of Narnia and to know and love Jesus, the Lion of Judah, better also.
Jesus promised to be with us always. He is with us now, caring for us and helping us, even though we do not see him yet. One day we will see him and really know how great and good he is. Meanwhile we can talk to him in our mind and heart anytime and get to know him better from the Bible, especially through the Gospels. Why not talk to him right now?
One of his last promises is ‘Remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age’ (Matthew 28:20).
[i]C. S. Lewis: Letters to Children, edited by L W Dorsett and M L Mead, Touchstone, New York: Simon & Schuster, 1995, p. 29.
Great Commission Mission 
