Bible.com.au: Reading Plan - The Bible for all Australians

Reflection:

Australia has entered a post-Christian era. For the first time, persecution for Christians is becoming real in Australia, and it takes real courage to stand up amongst the crowd and speak biblical truth to an increasingly anti-Christian audience.

In 2009, I worked in a summer camp in Pennsylvania with the Salvation Army and was shocked to meet children who did not know a single story from the Bible. How could a country like the USA have children who knew nothing about Jesus? After opening up the Bible with them and reading stories straight from the Bible, this was enough for some of them to commit their lives to Jesus. In 2015, I worked with a mission organisation in Ireland, running Christian incursions in high schools. I was, again, shocked to discover that almost an entire generation of students had been warned away from the Bible by their parents (because of scandals they heard within the Catholic Church). Yet, in the same breath as telling us they won’t read the Bible, they asked us what it said, eyes wide with curiosity. This generation that had seemingly been inoculated against the gospel were still drawn to Jesus through the Bible.

Now, in 2024 Australia, I am increasingly hearing stories from SU camps and programs of young people who have never heard a single Bible story in their life. A little girl at an SU beach mission came to the kids’ program and heard stories of Jesus all week, for the first time. When she learned that these stories all came from one book, her eyes lit up. Later in the week, the team spoke to the little girl’s father, asking if he would be ok with SU gifting her a Bible, he responded readily with a resounding ‘yes’ because she had talked his ear off about wanting a Bible all week long.

I could tell you stories all day long of the results of simply reading the Bible with people. It is not just words on a page, it is The Word, living and active, speaking to the hearts and minds of those who read it. The Bible will never go out of style, it will remain true, even to the ends of the age, and it is our job to share it with the masses.

Society can change all it likes, but God and his Word will be ever constant.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank you for your Word and the hope it brings to us on a daily basis. Please grant me the knowledge and wisdom to tell others the stories written in your word. Speak to me through your Spirit and show me those around me whom you have prepared to hear the truth of your Gospel. Amen.

Hebrews 4:1-16

A Sabbath-Rest for the People of God

1Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed. 3Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,

“So I declared on oath in my anger,

‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ”

And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. 4For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.” 5And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.”

6Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, 7God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted:

“Today, if you hear his voice,

do not harden your hearts.”

8For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. 11Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

12For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Jesus the Great High Priest

14Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

The Bible for all Australians

Day 3 of 6

NIV

Hebrews 4:12

Days

Hebrews 4:1-16