It was another beautiful day at the Gold Coast and I was excited to be joined by Bekk, Yarran, Blake, Matt, Ryan, Dez and his wife. Also two Christian people from Norway met up with us, liked what we were doing and so stuck around for the entire outreach handing out tracts with us.
One of the conversations I had was with a man in his thirties who had no belief in God or the afterlife. His job was to put up signs. After showing him some reasons about why we can know there is a God, I knew that he wasn't open to the things of God. So I asked him whether he thought there was any ultimate meaning in life. He responded by saying, "No, we're here to just enjoy ourselves." So I asked, "For what purpose though? Those good memories you might have in your brain are simply going to disappear once you die. So living to enjoy your life is meaningless too." He answered, "I guess so, but that is alright." I said, "Is that not depressing? For just say you had the job of hanging up this one sign that no one ever saw every single day because every night it would fall down again. And that is all you did; it would take you the whole day to do it. After a number of months or even weeks of doing this one job every single day, you would be so frustrated and annoyed. For what you have been spending your days doing has had absolutely no meaning, it has had no lasting impact on anything. You would undoubtedly quit that job because it is completely meaningless. So in the same way why would you be content with knowing that no matter what you will do in this life, it has no lasting impact; it serves no purpose?" At this point I think the man understood frivolousness of his position, but for the purpose of his pride he didn't want to admit it.
After this we went to have lunch and had a great time of fellowship with one another. Once returning to our usual spot, I got up to preach. I started on Luke 12:15 - Jesus' warning against coveteousness and his statement that a person's life does not exist in the abundance of his possessions. For just in the news the past week or so, the stock markets across the world had had a massive downturn. Billions of dollars was wiped off the markets in a single day. I spoke about this and spoke about how so many people put all their trust in money for their security. So many live their lives with the main aim of trying to get more and more money. To get a bigger house. Or to get another car. Or to get a bigger share portfolio. But none of these things can stop death. And so after this I read the parable of the man who had such a great crop one year he decided to tear down his barns and build bigger ones, but that very night his life was taken from him. He thought he was secure; he had lots of food to eat for years to come, but he died suddenly. So I spoke about how our trust should be in God because there is a coming judgment. Then I went through the commandments to show that we're all sinners deserving of God's wrath. Then I spoke about Christ and His atoning sacrifice on the cross for the sins of those who would believe.
After I got down from the preaching block, the other Ryan got up to preach. It was his first time doing it and he did a very good job. He had a few people heckle him as well and so he was able to answer their questions. Another first time preacher was up after Ryan, and this time it was Matt. He too did an execellent job in proclaiming sin, Christ's death and resurrection, repentance and faith. And Yarran did a great job concluding the preaching for the day.
To God be the glory for another wonderful day of outreach!
View previous Gold Coast (QLD) report (8 May 2010)
Gold Coast Team (QLD)
Meets 7:15-10pm Friday nights at Surfers Paradise on Cavill Avenue.
Contact Ryan Hemelaar for more information.