Tupu Whakarangi Magazine Issue 247

I S S UE 247 / PAE NG A-WHĀWHĀ 2023

Tupu Whakarangi

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ISSUE 247

SCRIPTURE PRESENTS CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE OF THE RESURRECTION. PG 5 ______ MĀORI POSTAL IN OUR COMMUNITIES. PG 8 ______ TESTIMONY BY EMARINA DERMANT. PG 14

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AS LION & AS LAMB As Lamb he came us seeking He called us to believe As Lion, comes collecting His jewels to retrieve

Contents Pg 5 Resurrection Scripture presents conclusive evidence of the resurrection.

As Lamb he was rejected Scorned unto the grave As Lion we’ll receive him As him who sought to save

Pg 7 Aranga - Ko te katoa mo Ihu!

As Lamb he let us question His true identity As Lion we will ponder Our own eternity

Pg 8 MPA in our Communities

As Lamb he stood in silence Before his enemies As Lion he the victor And they on bended knees As Lamb we should receive him And harden not our heart As Lion he will judge us And doubters must depart As Lamb he came in meekness As Lion he returns His wheat he always gathers The chaff he always burns

Easter - It's all about Jesus!

From Northland and the Bay of Plenty.

Pg 12 False Teachers Test them by their character, creed, and converts.

Pg 14 A Hunger for God’s Word

Testimony by 90 year old Emarina Demant.

- John Janzen

Pg 16 Movie Recommendation

MĀORI - ENGLISH WORDS

The Case for Christ is a 2017 American Christian drama film.

Aranga - Easter Aroha - Love Atua - god Hara - Sin Heahea - Foolish Ihowā - God Ihu Karaiti Jesus Christ Kai - Food Kōrero - Story Manaakitanga Generosity

Manawa - Heart Matapō - Blind Motu - Island Ringa - Hand Paipera Tapu Holy Bible Pono - Facts Te Ao - The World Whānau - Family

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Pg 18 Cyclone Gabrielle Where was Ihowā during Cyclone Gabrielle?

Pg 20 Tamāriki Corner

From our Tamāriki Ihowā magazine!

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FAQS ABOUT THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS

Did Jesus Really Die? The “Swoon Theory” - Jesus never died from crucifixion but instead fainted from exhaustion. Assuming He was dead, He was placed in the tomb and while laying there He gained enough strength to roll the stone away from the inside, defeat the Roman guards and set himself free from the tomb.

Is this possible? Jesus’ death by crucifixion is not only recorded in all four gospels but is also found in other ancient non-Christian manuscripts. Jewish historian Josephus and Roman historian Tacitus both confirm that Jesus of Nazareth was crucified under the reign of Pontius Pilate. When discussing Roman crucifixion, we need to realise there is not one reported case of anyone ever surviving a full-blown crucifixion. The Romans were professional executioners. They were experts in torturing and killing people and they had to be, for if a prisoner escaped, they paid with their own life. It was their job to make sure the prisoner was dead. In John 19:34 we are told that Jesus, before being removed from the cross, was pierced with a spear through His side and blood and water poured out. From modern medical knowledge we now know this is confirmation of death by asphyxiation or suffocation. Jesus no longer had the strength to push on the nails through His hands and feet to breathe and died from suffocation due to pure exhaustion. He committed His spirit to His Father and died.

Was Jesus’ Body Placed in the Tomb?

The tomb was found empty because Jesus’ body was never placed in there. This theory says the Romans didn’t allow for Jesus’ body to be placed in a tomb but instead He was thrown on the “dead pile” like most of the others who suffered the death penalty under the Romans.

Is this possible? This theory falls apart when you realise the corrupt religious leaders were aware of Jesus’ statements that He would rise from the dead (Matthew 27:63). If Jesus’ body was thrown on the dead pile, the Jewish leaders or even the Romans would have quickly pointed out to the disciples the fact that His body was right there … with the rest of the deceased. But it wasn’t there, nor was it in the tomb. Jesus’ body was missing.

Was the Tomb Empty Sunday Morning?

Is it conclusive that the tomb was empty Sunday morning or did the disciples make this up? Maybe the women went to the wrong tomb and assumed He had risen from the dead? There is absolutely no doubt that Jesus’ tomb was empty Sunday morning. If it was not empty, then it would have been very easy to discredit the resurrection story by simply pointing people to the fact that His body was still in the tomb. If the corrupt religious leaders or Romans knew the whereabouts of His body, as stated earlier, they would have quickly presented publicly the body of the crucified Christ. It would have been a trouble-free, straightforward end to Christianity. Did the Disciples Steal Jesus’ Body? This is the only probable theory that makes sense outside the miracle of the resurrection. It is also the TUPU WHAKARANGI

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theory the Jews propagated the day the resurrection took place, as recorded in Matthew 28:11-15.

Is this possible?

Firstly, how did they get past the guards? These are trained Roman soldiers. The theory in Matthew 28 states that the guards conveniently fell asleep, and that’s how the disciples got by. This creates more questions than it answers: 1. How did the disciples manage to roll away the heavy stone and carry the body out without waking the guards?

2. Why would the disciples leave the grave clothes in the tomb – and not only leave the grave clothes, but fold them up? With guards sleeping outside, they would have been in a hurry and quickly grabbed the body – not taken the time to unwrap it and fold the grave clothes.

3. If the guards were asleep, how did they know it was the disciples who stole the body? Secondly, what motivation would the disciples have to steal the body? Assuming the disciples did take the body, another question arises “What would motivate them to do it?”

By saying Jesus Christ had risen from the dead, they were inviting imprisonment, beatings and eventually death. Not only would they have been thieves, they would’ve been liars also. Lies, and the nature of lies, especially when it involves a large group of people have a tendency to be exposed. If the disciples lied about the body, it would be reasonable to assume that at least one would have cracked under the threat of the death penalty? And thirdly, history tells us that none of the disciples ever denied the resurrection. They all went to their graves proclaiming that Jesus Christ had risen from the dead.

Did Anyone See Jesus Alive After His Death?

A missing body doesn’t prove a resurrection occurred, but the Bible records that the risen Jesus appeared to people on at least ten separate occasions proving that he wasn’t just a missing person but that He was alive and well. 1 Corinthians 15:6 states that Jesus appeared to more than 500 people at once.

This also confirms He was real and couldn’t have been a hallucination as 500 people don’t hallucinate the same thing at the same time. In John 20:26-28 the Bible also states that those to whom He appeared, also touched Him and some ate with Him (John 21:12-14). Another theory is that the resurrected Jesus was an imposter – someone who just looked like Jesus. However, this theory doesn’t explain the empty tomb and having spent so much time with Jesus, at least one or some of the disciples would have noticed if he was being impersonated.

The Commitment of the Disciples After the resurrection of Jesus the disciples turned from being cowards, denying Christ and deserting Christ into courageous preachers - boldly proclaiming the truth that Jesus was alive! But why? Would they do this for a lie they knew to be a lie? It is one thing to lie; but it is quite another thing to die for a lie. Yet, the disciples sealed their testimony of Jesus in their own blood.

They lived and died for the Lord Jesus Christ because they knew the truth - HE IS ALIVE!!!

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ARANGA - KO TE KATOA MO IHU! EASTER – IT’S ALL ABOUT JESUS!

JESUS freed us from the power of sin by taking upon himself the punishment that was ours. “God made

Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 In Genesis, we read how God created a perfect world, and how Satan deceived Adam and Eve into disobeying God. This disobedience bought sin into the world and destroyed the relationship man (the human race) once had with God. Sin is an offence to God and brings with it the punishment of death. Sin separates us from God. Jesus provided a way that we could be freed from the punishment of sin, by taking upon himself the punishment that was ours.

EVERYONE

who trusts in Him alone has eternal life. “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9 “For everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13 Jesus paid the price for our sins. All we must do is repent and receive His gift of forgiveness through faith. When we believe Jesus died in our place and accept Him as our Lord and Saviour, we have passed from death into life.

SATAN gained a foothold when he tempted Adam and Eve to disobey God. This is why the Bible teaches “… that the world around us is under the control of the evil one”. 1 John 5:19 Through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and victorious resurrection, the work of Satan was defeated, and we have been gifted the opportunity to be in a right relationship with God.

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– You and I. “God showed His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 We were created to experience a full and lasting relationship with God our Father. This is why Jesus died in our place. “Christ suffered once for our sins …. that He might bring us to God.” 1 Peter 3:18

SALVATION is a gift from God. “God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so no one can boast about it.” Ephesians 2:8-9 TUPU WHAKARANGI

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MPA IN OUR COMMUNITITES NORTHLAND

“...E kore tētahi mea e taea e koutou” Hoani 15:5 Jesus said,”...apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 Cyclone Gabrielle delayed the start of our trip around Northland visiting small churches and sharing Maori Postal resources, but the Lord was waiting to open doors for us and blessed us with His love and care and fine weather wherever we went.

Our first stop at Moerewa was to see if our friends Dean and Ngārui Karaka might be around. They serve in an Iwi Trust which helps rehouse people but, ”by coincidence” they had been told not to come in that day so we had a good catch up.

When we reached Kaitaia we visited St

Saviour’s Anglican church. Rev. Dino Houtas took calendars to share at a regional hui taking place the following Sunday. The people at the Saturday market were also keen to receive the calendars and children’s magazines.

Our friend Hope and her friends have MPA materials on their stand each week.

Our next stop was at Totara North where Mike and Janet Fleming run several programmes for tamariki and rangatahi using MPA resources. While there we met another lady who took resources to share with the chaplains at Ngawha Prison.

At Kerikeri the Lord led us to the Baptist church and Sarah Angus who is involved in the King’s Daughters ministry. She was very pleased to learn about MPA resources, and took samples to share with other Te Tai Tokerau ministry leaders.

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That comes from the Bible?

Everyday expressions you MAY NOT know come from the paipera tapu.

“The blind leading the blind” “Ki te arahina te matapo e te matapo, ka taka tahi raua ki te waikeri.” Matiu 15:14 “If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”

Matthew 15:14

In Whangarei we attended Raumati Crescent Chapel and God also took us to Te Karaiti Te Aranga Anglican church in Kamo. They were hosting a hui for people training for Christian service and were very interested in the resources, particularly Te Tino Korero comics, posters and childrens resources.

In Dargaville we visited Warwick and Paula Savage who often promote MPA. Paula has a stall at the local market selling hand-crafted cards and giving away MPA literature, and at Matariki they have a stand for MPA. Our last visit was to Ellerslie Bible Chapel where we meet Joe and Lorraine Heta, and shared childrens resources with them.

We are so thankful to God that He led us to new people who were keen to learn about the work of MPA. We pray they will use the resources to reach many whānau with the aroha of the Lord and to His glory.

- Liz Silcock TUPU WHAKARANGI

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If you were completely matapō, would you allow another matapō person to guide you? That person may assure you he knows the way and can find the way, but you would be heahea to trust him.

We may be able to see well and yet we can be matapō in other ways; for instance, being matapō to the truth.

Social media is full of information and opinions which may or may not be pono. We should check out the facts before we accept it as pono.

The same applies when we are looking for spiritual truth. A person may appear to be sincere but they could be wrong, and to follow what they teach could lead us away from the pono that Ihowā reveals to us through His kupu, the Paipera Tapu and His Tama, Ihu Karaiti.

"Ka mea a Īhu ki a ia, 'Ko ahau te huarahi, te pono, te ora; e kore rawa tētahi tangata e haere ake ki te Matua, ki te kāhore ahau.'"

Hoani 14:6.

If we are walking in spiritual darkness, we can trust that Jesus will lead us safely into the light of ora tonu.

Bay OF PLENTY I am a voluntary Community Chaplain in the Bay of Plenty. I started a facebook page under the name of Chaplain Maree as a means of outreach into the Community after moving here from Auckland two years ago. The chaplaincy side of things is ticking along, but not knowing anybody here (and after praying that the Lord would open up doors to outreach) I saw an advertisement for Jesus Reigns NZ on a local facebook community page.

Every Saturday from 12pm to 1:30pm a team of volunteers from different churches meet together in a Tauranga park to worship, pray, give testimonies, hand out tracts, chat with and pray for people in the park.

The team usually set up in either Memorial Park or the Strand Downtown Tauranga, and if wet in a local school that has cover. The set up is in a park beside a childrens playground, as many parents bring their kids to play, and have family picnics. Outreach is every Saturday of the year.

This year the team went to Auckland

for a week, and more recently Tokoroa - at the request of Disciples of Christ.

In Tokoroa thirty youth made a decision for the Lord. Due to this, and also recently leading a couple of Maori Mums to the Lord, the Lord put on my heart to reach out to Maori Postal Aotearoa for tracts, Bible studies, and the marvellous resources they have in both Te Reo and English.

We’ve had some wonderful conversations with people in the park some just having a korero about life in general, and others have an interest in knowing more about Jesus. Either way, it's a real privilege listening to people and sowing seeds for God's kingdom.

A recent testimony is of a man I used to see sitting in his car with his window wound down, listening to the worship in the park. I decided to ask him if he would like to join us, after giving him a tract. This middle aged man said he was too shy to get out of his car, but after some gentle encouragement he came and stood at the back with us.

Since this time he joins with us each week, and recently made a decision for the Lord.

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This Ministry is vital in reaching those in the park, who might not venture into a church - for one reason or another.

On making a decision for salvation, each new Christian receives a Bible and a New Christian booklet containing foundations of the Christian faith. We encourage new Christians to attend a local church, and will go with them if they would like. We also follow them up to see how they are doing. Every week we hand out dozens of tracts.

The Lord is moving in our beautiful land, and we have seen quite a number come to the Lord in Tauranga lately. In the last month or so there have been sixteen decisions for the Lord that I know of - there may have been more...

In the photo to the right you will see a young man being baptised in the fountain at the park by two of our team.

This young man was at the skate ramp when he heard the worship music, came and listened, and felt led to make a decision for salvation, and be water baptised.

Saturdays outreach highlight of my week!

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“Nā, me pēhea tā rātou karanga ki a ia, ki te kāhore i whakapono ki a ia? Me pēhea hoki tā rātou whakapono ki a ia?

Me pēhea hoki e rongo ai, ki te kāhore he kaikauwhau?” Rōma 10:14 “How can people have faith in the Lord and ask him to save them, if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear, unless someone tells them?”

Romans 10:14 - Maree TUPU WHAKARANGI

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FALSE TEACHERS

The following is an excerpt from The MacArthur New Testament Commentary on Matthew 7:15-20.

Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? (Matthew 7:15–16) It is possible for real Christians to be taken in by false prophets. When believers are careless about their study of and obedience to the Word, lazy about prayer, and uncritical about the things of God, it is easy for them to be deceived by someone who pretends to be orthodox - especially if he is pleasant, positive, and permissive.

When that happens, they are in danger of becoming grapes on thorn bushes and figs on thistles.

Judging the fruit of false prophets, of course, is not nearly so easy as judging fruit in an orchard. But from Scripture we discover at least three primary tests we can apply. They are in the areas of character, creed, and converts.

A person’s basic character - his inner motives, standards, loyalties, attitudes, and ambitions - will eventually show through in what he does and how he acts. John the Baptist told the hypocritical Pharisees and Sadducees who came to be baptized to first “bring forth fruits in keeping with repentance” (Luke 3:8). Their manner of living belied their claim that they loved and served God. When the multitude then asked John what good fruit was, he replied, “Let the man who has two tunics share with him who has none; and let him who has food do likewise” (v.11). To the tax-gatherers who asked what

they should do, John said, “Collect no more than what you have been ordered to” (v. 13). John was saying that the person who is genuinely repentant and who truly trusts and loves God will also love and help his fellow man (James 2:15–17; 1 John 3:17; 4:20).

A person who belongs to Jesus Christ and who is called by God and given God’s message will give evidence of good fruit both in his attitudes and his actions. A person who does not belong to God, especially a false prophet who claims to be God’s messenger, will sooner or later manifest the bad fruit that the bad tree of his sensual life inevitably produces.

It is nearly always the case that false prophets will attract unbelievers as well as nominal and carnal believers.

He appeals to the natural man and carefully avoids anything that is offensive to man’s proud, fallen nature.

He makes a point of being attractive, likeable, and of giving no offense.

A second area in which a false prophet can be judged is that of doctrine.

Superficially what he teaches may seem biblical, but careful examination will always reveal ideas that are unscriptural and the absence of a strong, clear theology. False ideas will be taught, or important truths will be omitted. Frequently there will be a combination of both.

The creed of false prophets never has a narrow gate or a narrow way.

On the surface their message may sound difficult and demanding, but it will always rest on the foundation of man’s works and will therefore always be accomplishable by man’s own effort. They never reveal the depth or danger of sin and depravity, 12

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the need for repentance, forgiveness, and submission to the Lord, or the destiny of judgment, condemnation, and eternal destruction for those away from God. There is no brokenness over sin and no longing after righteousness.

They have a ready hearing among most people, because they say only what people like to hear. Just as did ancient Israel in Jeremiah’s time, people today like it that way (Jer. 5:31). They want to hear illusions, not truth. They have a liking for pleasure and fantasy and resent being confronted with anything disquieting and condemnatory.

They want encouragement but not correction, positive words but not negative truth. They will accept grace as long as it is cheap grace and does not reflect against their own sinfulness, inadequacies, and lostness.

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False prophets can also be identified by their converts and followers. They will attract to themselves people who have the same superficial, self-centered, and unscriptural orientation as they do. “Many will follow their sensuality:” Peter tells us, “and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned” (2 Pet. 2:2). They have many followers because they teach and promote what the majority of people want to hear and believe (2 Tim. 4:3).

Their followers will be like them egotistical, proud, self-centered, self-indulgent, self-willed, and selfsatisfied, while being religious. They will be both self-oriented and grouporiented, but never God-oriented or Scripture-oriented.

A HUNGER FOR GOD’S WORD Testimony by 90 year old Emarina Demant

Kia ora koutou katoa. Ko Emarina Demant taku ingoa. Tena koutou katoa.

Ko taku iwi ko Ngati Awa, Whakatane me Whakatohia, Opotiki.

I was 15 when I came to know Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I became a member of the British Commonwealth Covenant Church in Whakatane. My sister Vena Ratima, came to the Lord first and went on to be a missionary throughout NZ. My

Mother,

Meriana

Ratima,

had

become a believer at 50 and was a staunch Christian. She had met some old dears in Tuhoe, who led her to Jesus. My Mother died at 60 years and Vena returned from her mission work in Lower Hutt to care for my Dad. I do pray that my Dad came to salvation through her.

I had seven siblings, and my Mother encouraged us all to become Christians. All eight of us were baptised in the river at Poroporo at the same time. Also baptised was the whānau 14

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“All eight of us were baptised in the river at Poroporo at the same time.”

of Ihaia Iraia, from Poroporo, and we fellowshipped with them. They were a great encouragement to us.

I worked at the telephone exchange at Whakatane Post Office. I came to know the Lord with great eagerness - so much so that I took my Bible to work and read it during my breaks. I didn’t understand it at first, but was eager to learn. I loved my Lord, and took the Bible very literally, looking for the good bits. I realised that I had a lot of growing up to do in the spiritual world.

About 1953 the Kawerau Mill was starting up, and many young men came in to Whakatane. I didn’t realise then how insecure I was spiritually. I was a lost sheep really.

I met Dave Demant, who’d come over from Devonshire, England to help build the Mill. We married at Ruamoko marae in Opotiki when I was 21, and got a home in Kawerau. After our daughter was born, the real turmoil started. I thought I had married someone who loved me but despite his unfaithfulness, I stuck with him, mainly because of my insecurity. I loved him and didn’t want to leave him.

Nine years later we had a son. I always mentioned the Lord to Dave and although I was sad that he didn’t join me, at least he did not stop me from following Jesus. It was by the grace of God that I kept on with my marriage, largely for the sake of my children.

Later I learned that a Christian should TUPU WHAKARANGI

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never marry a non-Christian, but now it was too late!

In 1972 we moved to Te Kaha on the East Coast, and that is when I really got to know the Lord. My husband had come from a fishing village in England, and now started a fishing business at Te Kaha. I worked at Opotiki Post Office and then at Te Kaha Post Office until it closed.

In the 1960’s my mother-in-law and brother-in-law came out from England.

Later my mother-in-law came to live with us.

Dave became very unwell, and I can only trust that the words I shared reached his heart. My husband died on 19 December 2019.

I have a 28 year old granddaughter, Erina Demant who teaches locally, living with me and caring for me. In my early years I longed to learn more than the basics of repentance and baptism.

Praise the Lord He led me through the waters of baptism along with quite a group of others in Opotiki in 2013. Now my dear Lord and I have very intimate times as I study His Word. I have plenty of time in His presence these days. He answers my requests and has given me great revelations from His Word.

I love to sing praises to my Lord with my ukelele. I’m so grateful for Christian friends Winika Tuira, and Frank and Zoe Grant to fellowship with, as there is no church near where I live.

MOVIE RECOMMENDATION THE CASE FOR CHRIST

Based on the 1998 book by Lee Strobel

The Case for Christ is a 2017 American Christian drama film directed by Jon Gunn and written by Brian Bird, based on a true story and inspired by the 1998 book

by Lee Strobel. The film stars Mike Vogel, Erika Christensen, Faye Dunaway and Robert Forster, and follows an atheist journalist who looks to disprove his wife’s Christian faith. The film was released on 7 April 2017, by Pure Flix Entertainment.

In 1980, Lee Strobel is an atheist journalist and investigative reporter for the Chicago Tribune. He and his wife Leslie have a daughter named Alison and are expecting their second child.

After getting a very special recognition, Lee and his family go out to celebrate with dinner, where Alison chokes on a piece of candy. One of the patrons, a nurse named Alfie, intervenes and saves Alison. She credits the event to God’s will, which Leslie takes to heart.

Leslie and Alfie become friends and start attending a Christian church together. Irritated, Lee unsuccessfully tries to dissuade Leslie. Due to advice from his mentor, Lee sets out to find evidence that proves the resurrection of Jesus did not happen. Meanwhile, Leslie gives birth to a son, Kyle.

Lee starts gathering information and evidence. Next, he tries to prove that the witnesses were hypnotized, but a psychologist proves him wrong.

Lee then tries to gather evidence that Jesus may have not actually died on the Cross, or was taken off, but again, a physician proves him wrong, saying TUPU WHAKARANGI

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Jesus had to have died on the cross.

Meanwhile, Lee’s estranged father tries to reconcile with him, but Lee brushes him off. His father dies soon after, and then Lee learns that his father truly loved him, which surprises Lee. Simultaneously to Lee’s pursuit to disprove the resurrection of Jesus, he is also investigating a case of a shooting of a police officer. At first, it looks like the convicted man is guilty and an informant for a gang, but Lee proves that the cop shot himself with a secret gun disguised as a pen, and the convict is freed.

Lee tries to get more evidence for his religious investigation, but his mentor explains that whether he chooses to believe or not believe, the last part of proving Jesus’ real existence is faith.

When a colleague gives him a speech, Lee decides to take the leap of faith and believe. When he tells Leslie about it, they have a happy reconciliation and pray together.

CYCLONE Gabrielle: where was IHOWA? “The most severe weather event this century” Prime Minister Chris Hipkins stated, declaring a state of national emergency when Cyclone Gabrielle raged over Aotearoa mid-February.

For those of us in parts of the motu which have been little affected, the plight of those who were struck down by the cyclone causes us grief.

We can’t help but feel anger and frustration as we see the images of broken whare, roads and bridges, slips, ruined orchards and farms. As we hear of loss, broken lives, narrow escapes, power outages for days, isolation, fear and despair, our manawa are touched.

The affects of the cyclone are going to be felt as a nation for years to come, and healing and recovery are going to take a long time for so many.

So where was Ihowā during Cyclone Gabrielle? Isn’t He supposed to be a loving Atua? A ka pai Atua? Why does He allow such natural disasters?

The Paipera Tapu tells us that Ihowā created te ao, and put in place natural laws such as day and night, seasons and weather (Genesis 1). Sometimes, there is a natural disturbance. When two weather patterns collide, this can cause storms or when two of the

earth’s structural plates shift, there is an earthquake. The Paipera Tapu tells us that He controls the seasons and raises the sun every morning (Psalms 104:19). He causes the wind to blow (Luke 8:24-25), and lunar eclipses (Job 26:8-9). Why therefore does He not prevent these natural disasters?

Many disasters are caused by mankinds sinfulness, eg. greed leading to deforestation which results in mudslides that kill people, or unethical business or construction practices that lead to building collapses or mining disasters, and the desire for mana that leads to wars and famines, disease and death.

So where is Ihowā at these times?

He is there among those who are suffering. He is there in the manawa and the ringa of the rescuers, of those who send aid in various forms.

During Gabrielle He was there with the hundreds of civil defence people, firemen, police, army, linesmen, animal welfare agencies, ambulance drivers, medical staff, road contractors and others who have worked ceaselessly (and often at great personal sacrifice) to help those in desperate need.

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Ihowā was with the helicopter pilots who made over four hundred rescues.

Ihowā has been on the many marae with those who have provided kai and shelter, manaakitanga.

He aroha Ihowā.

Ihowā is compassionate, Ihowā can bring good out of disasters. (Rom 8:28) Right now, physical and emotional restoration are the immediate focus, but ultimately it is our spiritual wellbeing that is of most importance to TUPU WHAKARANGI

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Ihowā. He wants each of us to come to Him through His Son, Ihu Karaiti and to know the full extent of His wonderful aroha. Then we can be confident that no matter what the world throws at us Ihowā will never leave us or forsake us.

"The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD is enthroned as King forever. The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace." Psalm 29:10-11 - Liz Silcock

TAMARIKI

CORNER! IHU KARAITI IS ALIVE!

Search and Colour

The six frightened soldiers are hiding. Can you find them?

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TESTIMONIES FROM THE MOVIE: PASSION OF THE CHRIST

“Mel Gibson warned actor Jim Caviezel that playing the character of Christ was going to be very difficult and that if he accepted, he most likely would be marginalized by Hollywood.

Caviezel asked for a day to think about it and his response to Mel who was funding and directing the movie was: "I think we have to make it, even if it is difficult." And something else, my initials are J.C., and I am 33 years old.

"I didn't realize that until now."

Mel responded with “You're really scaring me you know.”

During filming, Jim Caviezel who plays the part of Jesus lost 45 pounds, he was struck by lightning, he was accidentally struck twice during the scourging scene leaving a deep  14inch scar, he dislocated his shoulder when the cross was dropped into the hole with him on the cross. He then suffered pneumonia and hypothermia from being nearly naked with only a loin cloth on the cross for endless hours. The crucifixion scene alone took 5 weeks of the 2 months of shooting.

His body was so stressed and exhausted from playing the role that he had to undergo two open heart surgeries after the filming production.

Jim explained, “I didn’t want people to see me. I just want them to see Jesus.

Conversions will happen through that.”

Pedro Sarubbi, who played Barabbas, felt that it was not Caviezel who was looking at him, but Jesus Christ himself, as he played that role he said of Caviezel, “His eyes had no hatred or TUPU WHAKARANGI

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resentment towards me, only mercy and love."

Luca Lionello, the artist who played Judas, was an avowed atheist before shooting began.

He eventually converted, and baptized his children.

One of the main technicians working on the film was a Muslim converted to Christianity.

Some producers said they saw actors dressed in white they didn’t recognize during one of the filming sessions, and when they reviewed the recordings they realized they couldn’t see them in that footage.

The Passion of the Christ is the highest grossing US religious as well as the highest R-rated film of all time, with $370.8 million! Worldwide, it grossed $611 million.

More importantly, it has reached 100’s of millions of people around the world.

Mel Gibson paid $30 million out of his own pocket for the production of the film because no studio would take on the project.

Today Jim Caviezel simply and boldly proclaims his faith in Christ, and the miracle it was for him to represent Christ as an actor and a greater believer of Christ because of this experience.

WHY COMMUNION?

Communion is a way for believers to remember the sacrifice that Jesus made for them. It was started by Jesus during the last supper with his disciples.

The Last Supper Prior to Judas Iscariot’s betrayal of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus gathered His disciples to celebrate the Passover. It didn’t take long for the disciples to learn that there was another reason for their gathering. Matthew 26:26–29 says, “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.' " What the disciples thought was going to be a celebration turned into a sombre prediction of the death of their master and leader.

Early Church Communion After the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, the early church obeyed the words of Jesus and practised the ordinance of communion, the eating of bread (symbolizing His body) and the drinking of wine (symbolizing His blood).

Can anyone take Communion?

Communion is for born-again Christians. Paul gives a warning to those who might approach communion flippantly or dishonourably: “Whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves” (1 Corinthians 11:26–29).

Conclusion The practice of communion is one of two commands in the church. Communion is a time for reflection, not only on an individual’s sin and need for forgiveness, but on the grace and love that Christ exhibited on the cross (John 3:16).

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