Unbelief shrinks our vision, but trust sharpens it. Hebrews warns against hardened hearts and invites us to fix our thoughts on Jesus. Magnifying Jesus means choosing trust over striving, obedience over comfort, and learning to live from a place of faith-filled rest.

Hebrews 3:1–4:13

Hebrews: Jesus in sharp focus

When faith becomes blurry, Hebrews adjusts the lens. This series magnifies Jesus so we can see him clearly, trust him deeply, and make him visible to others. As Jesus comes into focus, our worship deepens, our confidence grows, and our lives point more clearly toward him.

No matter where you’ve come from, you’ll find a spiritual home, great friends and a church family with us. Our church community is here to love people and invite them to join us in a growing relationship with Jesus. Connect with us anytime at https://www.thelakes.church

The post Jesus is our rest (Brian Paris) appeared first on The Lakes Church Cairns.

Have you ever read something in the Old Testament and thought; “What does that even mean?” or “I can’t believe that’s in the Bible!” Starting on February 15 we’ll have a Study Season in the church hall on Sunday nights for six weeks

We’ll have in-depth teaching and discussion on strange and difficult passages in the Old Testament with the goal of becoming more comfortable with the stories that seem strange or that challenge us. 

This first study covers one of the darkest stories in the Bible found in Judges 19-21. These chapters contain a graphic description of violence against a woman so please review the material in advance to decide if this is something you would like to spend time understanding better. This isn’t a topic for young children though could be good for older kids or young adults, as they will find the story themselves if they simply read through the Bible.

The post Study Season – Darkest chapters of the Bible (Judges 19-21) (Brian Paris) appeared first on The Lakes Church Cairns.

Jesus does not save from a distance. He steps into our humanity, our weakness, and our suffering. Hebrews reveals a saviour who is not ashamed to call us brothers and sisters. As we magnify Jesus, we are invited to bring our real selves to him, trusting the one who truly understands.

You can find the discussion guide here: https://www.thelakes.church/hebrews

Hebrews: Jesus in sharp focus

When faith becomes blurry, Hebrews adjusts the lens. This series magnifies Jesus so we can see him clearly, trust him deeply, and make him visible to others. As Jesus comes into focus, our worship deepens, our confidence grows, and our lives point more clearly toward him.

No matter where you’ve come from, you’ll find a spiritual home, great friends and a church family with us. Our church community is here to love people and invite them to join us in a growing relationship with Jesus. Connect with us anytime at https://www.thelakes.church

The post Jesus became like us (Laura Snook) appeared first on The Lakes Church Cairns.

Hebrews opens by declaring that Jesus is not one voice among many. He is God’s final and fullest revelation. Greater than prophets. Higher than angels. This week invites us to decide where Jesus truly sits in our lives. Magnifying Jesus begins by giving him first place, not leftover attention.

You can find the discussion guide here: https://www.thelakes.church/hebrews

Hebrews: Jesus in sharp focus.

When faith becomes blurry, Hebrews adjusts the lens. This series magnifies Jesus so we can see him clearly, trust him deeply, and make him visible to others. As Jesus comes into focus, our worship deepens, our confidence grows, and our lives point more clearly toward him.

No matter where you’ve come from, you’ll find a spiritual home, great friends and a church family with us. Our church community is here to love people and invite them to join us in a growing relationship with Jesus. Connect with us anytime at https://www.thelakes.church

The post Jesus is greater (Geoff Snook) appeared first on The Lakes Church Cairns.

Our focus for 2026 is simple: to magnify Jesus.

Magnifying Jesus will make him clearer, closer, and more visible in our lives. We will see him for who he really is. Like adjusting a lens, magnification can bring Jesus into sharp focus which will help us magnify him to others. We want Jesus to be clearer in our worship. More visible in our lives. More central in our decisions. More evident in our love for others. When Jesus is magnified, our faith deepens and our invitation widens. A magnified Jesus draws people toward him.

You can find a summary of our focus for 2026 here.

No matter where you’ve come from, you’ll find a spiritual home, great friends and a church family with us. Our church community is here to love people and invite them to join us in a growing relationship with Jesus. Connect with us anytime at https://www.thelakes.church

The post Magnify Jesus: our focus for 2026 appeared first on The Lakes Church Cairns.

Jesus storms into the temple, clears out the noise and drives away the distractions. His passion is jarring, but it reveals his deep desire for people to have a clear path to God. Jesus removes whatever gets in the way of people encountering his presence.

John 2:13-22

Strange things Jesus did.

When Jesus surprises us, he shows us what God is really like. Jesus said and did things that often left people confused. But every time he acted in a strange way, he was revealing something true about God and about us. This series invites us to look again at five moments where Jesus behaved in ways no one expected. Jesus’ strange actions will lead us to trust him more deeply, follow him more closely and see his power at work in our ordinary lives.

No matter where you’ve come from, you’ll find a spiritual home, great friends and a church family with us. Our church community is here to love people and invite them to join us in a growing relationship with Jesus. Connect with us anytime at https://www.thelakes.church

The post Jesus made a whip (Laura Snook) appeared first on The Lakes Church Cairns.

When Peter stresses about paying taxes, Jesus sends him fishing and provides a coin in the most unexpected way. This strange provision shows that Jesus sees our needs, meets them in surprising ways and reminds us to trust his care and sovereignty.

Matthew 17:24-27

Strange things Jesus did.

When Jesus surprises us, he shows us what God is really like. Jesus said and did things that often left people confused. But every time he acted in a strange way, he was revealing something true about God and about us. This series invites us to look again at five moments where Jesus behaved in ways no one expected. Jesus’ strange actions will lead us to trust him more deeply, follow him more closely and see his power at work in our ordinary lives.

No matter where you’ve come from, you’ll find a spiritual home, great friends and a church family with us. Our church community is here to love people and invite them to join us in a growing relationship with Jesus. Connect with us anytime at https://www.thelakes.church

The post Jesus paid tax with a fish (Brian Paris) appeared first on The Lakes Church Cairns.

When a woman is dragged in front of a crowd for judgment, Jesus doesn’t join the angry mob. Instead, he kneels down and writes in the dust. His quiet, unusual action exposes hypocrisy and lifts shame. Jesus chooses mercy when everyone else wants condemnation. His grace has the final word.

John 8:1-11

Strange things Jesus did.

When Jesus surprises us, he shows us what God is really like. Jesus said and did things that often left people confused. But every time he acted in a strange way, he was revealing something true about God and about us. This series invites us to look again at five moments where Jesus behaved in ways no one expected. Jesus’ strange actions will lead us to trust him more deeply, follow him more closely and see his power at work in our ordinary lives.

No matter where you’ve come from, you’ll find a spiritual home, great friends and a church family with us. Our church community is here to love people and invite them to join us in a growing relationship with Jesus. Connect with us anytime at https://www.thelakes.church

The post Jesus wrote in the dust (Laura Snook) appeared first on The Lakes Church Cairns.

From a distance the fig tree looked healthy, but it had no fruit. Jesus uses this surprising moment as an example of spiritual emptiness and religious performance. Jesus wants more than the appearance of faith – he wants genuine growth. He calls us to a life that bears real fruit, not just leaves.

Mark 11:12-14, 20-25

Strange things Jesus did.

When Jesus surprises us, he shows us what God is really like. Jesus said and did things that often left people confused. But every time he acted in a strange way, he was revealing something true about God and about us. This series invites us to look again at five moments where Jesus behaved in ways no one expected. Jesus’ strange actions will lead us to trust him more deeply, follow him more closely and see his power at work in our ordinary lives.

No matter where you’ve come from, you’ll find a spiritual home, great friends and a church family with us. Our church community is here to love people and invite them to join us in a growing relationship with Jesus. Connect with us anytime at https://www.thelakes.church

The post Jesus cursed a fig tree (Geoff Snook) appeared first on The Lakes Church Cairns.

Jesus heals a man born blind using spit and mud. It is unusual and intimate, but it reveals the heart of a Saviour who steps right into our mess to bring sight and hope. While the disciples wanted to debate the cause of the man’s blindness, Jesus wanted to show them God’s work. Jesus does things in ways we do not expect, but his actions always lead us toward wholeness and trust.

John 9:1-12

Strange things Jesus did.

When Jesus surprises us, he shows us what God is really like. Jesus said and did things that often left people confused. But every time he acted in a strange way, he was revealing something true about God and about us. This series invites us to look again at five moments where Jesus behaved in ways no one expected. Jesus’ strange actions will lead us to trust him more deeply, follow him more closely and see his power at work in our ordinary lives.

No matter where you’ve come from, you’ll find a spiritual home, great friends and a church family with us. Our church community is here to love people and invite them to join us in a growing relationship with Jesus. Connect with us anytime at https://www.thelakes.church

The post Jesus spat in the dirt (Brian Paris) appeared first on The Lakes Church Cairns.