GREG SPEAKING AT A ‘BIG SHED’ EVENING

The Big Shed movement in Australia involves men getting together in a shed (men love a shed!) where they have a B.B.Q. (barbeque) and some share their life and faith. I spoke to about 35 men in early September.

I have included an outline of the message I gave, the lyrics of the three original songs I sung on the night and a MP3 of a live version of “For Jesse’s Sake” which was recorded as I played to my year 12 students (seventeen olds) at the end of 2010. [Email us on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you would like a copy.)

At an earlier Big Shed Night, I shared my life story.

Read Greg's life story: Effect of Music / Overcoming Suicidal Thoughts / God is Supernatural

OUTLINE OF MY BIG SHED MESSAGE

1. AFTER SONG 1: God wants us to persevere in hard times

I read some sections from the martyrdom of Polycarp. Polycarp was a Christian who studied under the disciple John and who died for his faith in 155 A.D. Read the amazing excerpts from the historical record and a video about the Polycarp's death.

Below is Polycarp’s amazing response when he was threatened with being torn apart by wild beasts and death by fire if he did not reject Christ.

The proconsul then said to him, “I have wild beasts at hand; to these will I cast you, unless you repent.” But he (Polycarp) answered, “Call them then, for we are not accustomed to repent of what is good in order to adopt that which is evil; and it is well for me to be changed from what is evil to what is righteous” But again the proconsul said to him, “I will cause you to be consumed by fire, seeing you despise the wild beasts, if you will not repent.”

But Polycarp said, “You threaten me with fire which burns for an hour, and after a little is extinguished, but are ignorant of the fire of the coming judgment and of eternal punishment, reserved for the ungodly. But why do you tarry? Bring forth what you will.”

2. AFTER SONG 2: What about feelings? (A good thing to talk to ‘tough’ guys about in a shed!)

I shared how at one time in my Christian walk I ‘looked down’ on people who were emotional. (This attitude somewhat came from my upbringing which re-enforced; “Men who cry are weak”.) But one day I was reading a verse which I had read many times ... the shortest verse in the Bible which says; “Jesus wept”. It came home to me that if it is OK for Jesus to cry it is OK for me to do so!

For sure, truth (Jesus dying on the cross, what is sin and what is not or anything else the Bible says) can NOT be decided on how we feel about it. The objective truth that the Bible gives us is independent of how we feel. But once we come to know God (become a Christian) feelings WILL follow ... these include peace and joy. Peter says we should experience ‘inexpressible and glorious joy’! (1 Peter 1:8) We are to experience feelings ... feelings of peace and joy (the fruits of the spirit). If we don’t, it is an indication that there is something wrong and we need to change or work on something because we are naturally meant to experience these emotions.

3. AFTER SONG 3: All pathways do NOT lead to God

Hinduism would have us believe that all pathways lead to ‘god’. But Hinduism and Christianity totally contradict each other and therefore both Hinduism and Christianity cannot be correct.

If Hinduism is right, the Bible is wrong. If the Bible is right, Hinduism is wrong. One must be wrong!

Hinduism says that:

· reincarnation is true

· the historical Jesus of Nazareth is not the only way to God

· men should realise their divinity, people should worship other people (gurus)

· a person should bow down in reverence to a cow

· we can use astrology

· bathing in the river Ganges can wash your sins away

· idol worship is to be accepted with open arms and

· we should practise Yoga whose purpose is to get a person to realise their divinity (that they are God).

The Bible says the COMPLETE OPPOSITE to Hinduism in regards to these most important matters!

The Bible says that:

· reincarnation is NOT true

· the historical Jesus of Nazareth IS the only way to God

· man is NOT and can NEVER be God

· people should NEVER worship other people (gurus)

· a person should NEVER bow down in reverence to a cow

· we should NEVER use astrology

· bathing in the river Ganges can NEVER wash your sins away

· a person should NEVER worship an idol and

· a person should NEVER practise Yoga because its ultimate purpose is for you to believe the lie that a person is really divine (God).

The most important questions in this life

The thing that really made an impact on me when I was a sceptic reading the bible was Jesus repeatedly prefacing his important statements with, “I tell you the truth”. Jesus made some bold claims but, after thorough investigation, I decided Jesus was indeed telling me the truth.

We believe that Jesus showed through His life, death and resurrection that He is indeed the only way, the truth and the life. We think coming to the correct answers to the questions; “Who is Jesus?” and “What does this mean for my life?” is the most important thing in this life.

These decisions greatly impact the meaning and purpose of our lives here on earth and ultimately will determine where we will spend eternity.

Many blessings,

Greg and Dave

THREE ORIGINAL SONGS

SONG 1: His love turns me around

(C) Greg Reinhardt July 2011

Verse 1

Came forward; a blind man

And Jesus said; “what I can do for you?”

I want to be a new man

And see what everybody sees

It was His love that turned him around

Verse 2

Peter and John were on the water

And the storm came suddenly

Then they saw it was Jesus

Walking on the Sea of Galilee

And they knew His love that could turn them around

Chorus

His love turns me around

The sky shades of blue

But there’s snow on the ground

Everybody seems up when I’m down

But it’s His grace that turns me around

Verse 3

Just when they thought they’d beaten Him

And drove a crown of thorns in His head

The stone was rolled away

Beat the grave; rose from the dead

It’s His grace that turns us around

Refrain

Sit by the TV screen

Life; what does it mean?

Everything seems so shallow

When the road it seems too hard and too narrow

Repeat Chorus

 

SONG 2: For Jesse’s Sake

(C) Greg Reinhardt July 2011

Verse 1

See the wind it blows

See the storm it grows

I will fight and I will stand

And take it a like a man

For Jesse’s sake

Verse 2

Beautiful brown eyes

That cheeky smile

We will love you all we can

And when you grow into a man

You will see His face

Know His grace

On the hill, between two thieves

You’ll know that He took your place

Verse 3

In Christ we stand

In the palm of His hand

He’s what we want and what we need

On the cross we saw Him bleed

 

For Jesse’s sake

He did it for Jesse’s sake

He did it for Jesse’s sake

 

On the hill, between two thieves

You know that He took your place

 

SONG 3: Run the long highway

(C) Greg Reinhardt July 2011

Verse 1

I’m just a boy who needs a hand

Used to think I could make it but now I don’t think I can

Been to London and I’ve been to Rome

Man is lookin’ for love, he doesn’t want to be alone

Chorus

When you look deep in your heart

To make a new start

When you run the long highway

Don’t be a fool and go before your time

All paths don’t lead the same way

They don’t all go to the place you hope to find

What do you want? What are you hoping to find?

Is this all there is or could there be more?

Verse 2

There’s a fog in my mind I can’t see

The answer outside it’s not within me

I asked God to show Himself to me

He pointed to a man who hung on a tree

Chorus

He said it was Jesus His Son

Who would set me free

When you run the long highway

Don’t be a fool and die before your time

All roads don’t lead the same way

They don’t go to the place you hope to find

What do you want? What are you hoping to find?

Is this all there is or could there be more?