Foreword of Senior Pastor Christmas 2011 & New Year 2012

Shallom brothers and sisters of Christ Living Church Sydney in Christ,

We are already at the end of 2011. Our Christmas celebrations theme for this year is The Excellent Christmas with a sub theme: Immanuel, God with us. How important the meaning of this word is, reflecting the fellowship of God with His people which then causing a sense of security because we are always with Him and building relationship with God as He is not far from us. This ensures us as all problems always has a solution and certainly, we believe that His help is never too late.

In general, the more developed economy lifestyle encourages people to become more exclusive (self-isolation), believing that fellowship with others is not important.

In the world where selfishness and individualism increases, fellowship slowly fades. Fellowship is only left in the dictionary, and rare to happen in everyday life.

This phenomenon is contradictory to what God has done through Jesus' birth. While people deny fellowship, God became a man to stay with His people. The historical events of Jesus' birth changes the history. Not only it is known as the start of the Gregorian calendar, but also the beginning of the history of the fellowship of God with His people. While modern humans, who are full of sin, no longer consider the importance of fellowship with one another and prefer to live exclusive, the holy and glorious God chose to stay with His people to save them from eternal destruction caused by sin.

What about us? Do we without realizing ignore the fellowship because of our ego and our daily business? Do we have time to have fellowship with our husbands, wives, children, parents and our families? Do we spend time with our friends or relatives? Is there any time left for us to be offered to take part in the work of God? Are we still excited to pray with fellow believers to support the ministry in the church? Can we hear the voice of the Holy Spirit inviting us to have fellowship with Him in the Word, prayer and presence?

Brother and sisters in Christ, let us pause from our daily business for a moment. Take a moment before the end of this year. Take the opportunity of this quiet Christmas to evaluate and rewrite the resolution of our lives. What is the purpose of God letting us live up to this day (while some of our peers had already returned to Him)? To what extent do we love God and His Word? Has our dreams at the beginning of the year been achieved at the end of this year? Has our character become more like Jesus? How is our spiritual state (backward, forward or erratic static)? Are there important things that we delay due to our laziness?

In a few days before the New Year 2012 arrives, let us seize the opportunity to do something which has eternal value. Let us come to God and to build fellowship with Him (as God desires to save us and have a sweet relationship with us). Let's create fellowship with family (since they have long waited for our attention). Let's have deep fellowship with friends and relatives (because they need the love of God through us). Let us expand the bridges of fellowship with the people around us (because they have been neglected so far).

Not only as a church in Sydney, but also the body of Christ, let us sharpen our sensitivity to the fellowship needs of the community around us who need the love of God and the solution of their problems, because the world is lonely in this rush and is experiencing death in the midst of life. Merry Christmas 2011 and Happy New Year 2012.

Warmest regard,

Ir. Agus Rahardja DS, MA Mis.
Senior Pastor of Christ Living Church