Living Focussed On The Resurrection

Every moment we live we have been affected or influenced by someone, some event or some thing.

There are many things that affect our lives,

that change the way we look at life,

and how we approach life.

Sometimes these changes are the result of new discoveries.

One discovery that has affected just about all of us occurred in 1946.

As Dr. Percy Spencer was testing a component of a military radar called the magnetron tube he reached into his pocket to grab a chocolate bar that he had stashed for those times he felt a little hungry.

When he grabbed it he was surprised to find that the chocolate had melted.

At first Dr. Spencer thought that the enemy had sabotaged his food, so that he could not continue with his experiments. (remember this is 1946 when people thoug the communists were attacking everyone).

However later he thought that just maybe,

the military radar that he was playing around with had cooked his chocolate.

So to test his theory he took a handful of popcorn and placed it in front of the magnetron tube.

And to his amazement popped kernels of corn began shooting across his lab in all directions.

Imagine that some white coated science dude watching popcorn fly around the room.

Then like every big boy he began trying other things.

He blew up a few eggs and he literally ended up with egg on his face.

A little later he designed the first primitive microwave….

A 340 kilo, 1.6 metre tall machine, ladies how would you like one of those?

This changed the way restaurants served food.

They were able to serve fresher and hotter food and significantly reduce their waste.

And by 1976 more microwaves were being sold than any other oven.

And now just about every household has a microwave.

This certainly has affected the way people live and cook.

And when we,

when people discover the power of the resurrection of Jesus,

this affects how we approach life, how we live.

Many of us have heard of Darren Beadman.

His is one of the celebrity jockeys, in one year the horses he rode earnt $9.6 million dollars.

In 1990 and 1996 he rode Melbourne Cup winners.

However God was stirring in his heart a message that there is something better.

In an interview with the 7.30 report he said

"I can’t deny the power of God.

I’ve seen the workings of God, the miracles.

I’ve seen the blessings -- the word of God explains it all."

And in 1997 he announced to the world that he had retired from racing to pursue a calling as a pastor.

For two years he studied at a bible college in Sydney.

Then in 2000, to some people’s surprise he returned to racing as a jockey.

But he was a different person, a different jockey.

No longer was his life only about racing horses.

In fact horse racing was merely a way to involve himself in ministry.

He sees his return to racing as God calling back to horse racing,

so others in racing can share in the wonderful life God offers.

And he continues ministry not as a pastor but as a jockey.

He is currently a member of St Martin’s Anglican Church in Kensington,

which is very close to Randwick Racecourse in Sydney.

He looks for opportunities to connect people to Jesus and the church.

He is regularly introducing his pastor and other parish leaders to others in the racing industry.

He is regularly encouraging people who work in the horse racing industry to participate in on course bible studies and seek pastoral help when they need it.

The resurrection of Jesus makes a difference to the life of Darren Beadman.

And it makes a difference to us, to you.

And why?

Because the resurrection of Jesus means we are not stuck in this world.

That life gets better than this.

That death can not hold us back.

That because Jesus defeated death, we too have victory over death.

This is something that the Sadducees did not get.

The Sadducees lived a life focussed only on the here and now.

For them life was about earning yourself a future.

They did not believe in the resurrection.

And so their reality was determined by what was happening in the world around them.

And so they viewed everything based on their experiences and knowledge of their world.

They could not see outside their world.

Their question regarding marriage,

was totally based on their earthly understanding of life.

And because they couldn’t see an answer to this question from a heavenly perspective

heaven did not seem to make sense to them, they wanted to dismiss the entire possibility of heaven.

Do you anyone like that,

pray for them that they may see God’s perspective?