Mike Paget and Erica Hamence explore what it means to be "poor in spirit" and how the empty-handed find fullness in the kingdom of God.
What does it look like to be makers of peace, and how do love and forgiveness open the door to see your enemy as your brother?
In today’s video teaching, Uncle Rev. Sealin Garlett and Jarrod McKenna share what it means to be a peacemaker, through Uncle Sealin's personal story of God graciously warming his heart towards those whose mistreatment had hardened it.
"Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God."
When Uncle Sealin was young, he was taken from his home and put on a mission. There, the circumstances and environment around him hardened his heart towards those who had brought him there. When he became a Christian later in life, he says he made that commitment on a condition that he was only being called to minister to his Aboriginal people.
But God called him to make peace through a dramatic encounter in 1988 – as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples were marching for justice – where God powerfully warmed his heart and invited him to "cross the line."
Soon after God placed Uncle Sealin to minister in a white parish where he faithfully served as a champion for peace for many decades. Today he is widely known and respected for his grace, compassion, justice and humility towards all people, and his example is a needed reminded to the church today of what it means to be a maker peace in a world of hostility.
Take time this week to hear Uncle Sealin's powerful story of becoming a peacemaker, and please SHARE his story widely so that others can be inspired by his example and celebrate his leadership in this country:
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Daily Readings: Mar 21 - Mar 27
This week, we're reflecting on what Jesus says about being "peacemakers" through the following passages:
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Wed, Mar 21 |
Matthew 5:9 (our Beatitude for the week) |
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Thur, Mar 22 |
Isa 51: 1-5 (what are God’s children told to expect?) |
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Fri, Mar 23 |
Micah 4:1-7 (what will peace look like?) |
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Sat, Mar 24 |
Ezekiel 37:24-28 (what was Jesus echoing?) |
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Sun, Mar 25 |
Matthew 21:1-11 (what did Jesus’ peacemaking look like?) |
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Mon, Mar 26 |
Zech 9:9-11 (what was Jesus echoing?) |
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Tue, Mar 27 |
Matthew 13:31-32 (what might being a peacemaker look like?) |
More readings will be provided with final video next Wednesday, March 28th.
Spiritual Practise: Confession
As Uncle Sealin has modelled for us to powerfully, one of the first steps to making peace is to acknowledge where our hearts have been hardened. Take some time this week to reflect on any areas you may feel your heart has been hardened, then you may want to consider practising confession either with between you and God, or with a close friend whom you trust. Through confession, open yourself up to allow God to warm your heart, and consider how you could walk forward as a peacemaker in those areas.
With Your Church: Celebrate the Grasstree Gathering
Last weekend, 85 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Christian leaders gathered together in Sydney for the Grasstree Gathering, to celebrate, encourage, equip and inspire an emerging generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Christian Leaders. This Sunday, make time in your service to pray for these Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Christian leaders as they go out from the Grasstree Gathering inspired to be peacemakers in this land.
To see what happened at the Grasstree Gathering, check out the Facebook page.
Uncle Rev. Sealin Garlett is a respected Aboriginal Noongar elder, and one of this land's greatest Aboriginal Christian ministers, whose life and ministry have impacted communities throughout Australia for many decades. Jarrod McKenna is a dear friend of Uncle Sealin, the co-founder of First Home Project, and a prominent Christian speaker on issue of faith, peace and justice.
This video was filmed by Braden Scott and edited by Scott Sanders, with music licensed from The Brilliance.
This series has been produced by Common Grace and Bible Society Australia.
