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Altricial life

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26 April, 2026Pastor John Strelan

The Australian Brush Turkey (Alectura lathami) never sees its parents. When a chick hatches, it digs itself out of a mound of decaying vegetation and immediately fends for itself.

 

Even more extreme, baby Labord’s chameleons (Furcifer labordi) never get to meet any other adult chameleon’s because all the adults die before the next generation is born. Baby Labord’s chameleons are truly on their own.

 

By contrast, human beings (homo sapiens) are born helpless, blind, and defenceless. Without extensive care from birth life would not be possible. But, human life is more than just been fed and protected from harm. In the story of human origins told in Genesis we hear God say, “It is not good that humans are alone”. Life for human beings is a life of relationships. Without relationship human life is not what it could be. So, when Jesus says that he has come that human beings might have life and have it abundantly he is promising that we will never be alone. In relationship with him life reaches its full potential.  


~ Pastor John


Click here for a link to our new spotify podcast containing the latest sermon recordings.

If you are unable to access spotify, 2026 sermon recordings can be found here

John 10:1-10

1 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.

Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

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