HOPE EFC JOURNAL

Christian Hope: New Heavens and Earth

2009-07-28T22:49:00.000-07:00

26 July 2009
SPEAKER: Dr Tan Kang San

What is heaven? A place we go to after we die? Are Christians wrong in our thinking about heaven? In his book,"Surprised by Hope", N.T. Wright wrote that the Bible does not talk so much about going to heaven as the coming down of heaven to earth.

In the Gospel of Matthew, the phrase 'kingdom of heaven' is equivalent to 'kingdom of God' used by the other three Gospel writers, and indicates a situation when God reigns, not a territory. Luke 10:25, the phrase 'eternal life' also has to do with 'kingdom of God'. Jesus Himself talked about the kingdom of God being 'at hand' or 'near'.

Some say we are living in the 'in-between' times, between the already and the yet to come.

Peter wrote about "an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you" (1 Peter 1:4) and Paul said that "our citizenship is in heaven" (Philippians 3:20). During Roman times, the idea of Roman citizenship meant that wherever a Roman citizen was, Rome would come to protect him from his enemies.

In Romans 8, Paul wrote that "the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time," and that we "who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies". We, the church, are God's means to prepare for a new creation, hidden inside, unseen, like the presence of the Holy Spirit who also groans with the world and with the church: "the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express".

In 2 Kings 6, the story of Elisha and his servant is told:

15 When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. "Oh, my lord, what shall we do?" the servant asked.

16 "Don't be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them."

17 And Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes so he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

The heavenly reality all around us is hidden from the eyes of most of us, like the servant. The fact is that heaven has come and is near, God is not far removed in His heaven, as in the teaching of Deism.

Thus for us, our Christian hope is not an individual thing, but an integrated view of future hope for the world, for the healing of creation, and for the establishment of the kingdom of God on earth.

Second, our view of mission is an integration of creation and heaven, the practising of heavenly values here on earth. Thus we pray and work for political justice and care about issues of poverty, environmental pollution and all social concerns, to build a world order in line with God's reality.

Our view of God: He is not just out there, but He is a good God who is actively involved in our world today.

This is our Christian hope, a hope that is both future and present, a hope for ourselves and for the whole world.

Servanthood

2009-07-23T22:42:00.000-07:00

19 July 2009
SPEAKER: Chris Teoh
TEXT: John 13:1-17

Two days before His crucifixion, just before starting to eat His last Passover meal with the 12 disciples, Jesus "now showed them the full extent of his love", and He did this by getting up from the meal, and beginning to wash His disciples' feet one after another. The disciples must have been stunned into silence by this unexpected and startling act of servanthood and lowliness by One whom they called "Teacher" and "Lord". It was only Peter when it came to his turn who found voice to ask, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?" and object, "No...you shall never wash my feet."

Then, "(w)hen he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."

Jesus could do this lowly act of a servant to His disciples because He was secure in His relationship with His Father: He knew the Father's love for Him and He knew who He was, and as such He was able to love all His disciples, even the one who was going to betray Him. "Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal..."

If we are to follow Jesus' example,to serve others in humility, we need to have that same strong relationship with our Father God and to be secure and confident in His love and wisdom.

Jesus "took off his outer clothing" in order to bend down to wash the feet of His disciples: it is a picture of Jesus stripping of Himself and laying aside His royal garments and rights to become a man and a servant even to die a criminal's death. As Paul put it in Philippians 2:

Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!

We too need to strip ourselves, putting aside our rights and wants, to die to self, in order to serve and bear fruit in our lives, for as Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." John 12:24

"The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus." Jesus knew this, and yet He also washed Judas' feet. It is hard to serve those whom we know will hurt and betray us, but Jesus could do it because He is not only truth but grace: as John testified, "We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14

After Judas left the room to betray Him, Jesus said to the remaining disciples:

"Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.

"My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:31-35

So we need to be light, be salt and be the aroma, as Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 2:14-16,

"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task?"

As someone wise put it, we need to preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary use words. Too often, we use a lot of words, and don't preach Christ at all!

So let us preach the Gospel and glorify God by our acts of service to others done in love and humility and grace.

Building Bridges

2009-07-14T19:38:00.000-07:00

MESSAGE: Building Bridges
TEXT: Matthew 4:17-25
SPEAKER: Ps Barnabas Boon

Hope EFC is a church with a myriad of ministries. There are Burmese migrants among us and we have a thriving ministry among them. There is also ministry to the Orang Asli where much developmental work has been carried out through Pastor Chong Keng Sen. In all these ministries, we need to know how to build bridges so that we can strengthen relationships and when the time is right, to invite them to know who Jesus is

.

Building bridges for us is guided by three vital concepts.

First is the importance of location. We need to understand that God has placed us where we are. In Matthew 4:19, 21 and 23, we read of Jesus going on from where he was to another place to preach and to teach. The Lord went out of his comfort zone to reach the least, the last and the lost. Jesus took the gospel to people rather than wait for them. We are always waiting for people to come to church. Although this is not wrong, the right approach is that the church must go to where the people are. When we are with the people we will be able to grab opportunities to share the gospel. We need to ask our selves the question. Have we shared the gospel lately? If not, why? Are we keeping to our Christian friends only and not breaking out to meet others. Are we just occupying areas where we are comfortable? In the great Commission, Jesus rightly pointed out to his disciples that they must “go”. The word "go" here is a command and is in the tense which has a finality about it. You are not to turn back. The act of going and sharing the gospel is a command and if we turn back or rescind the command then we are disobedient.

The second concept important to bridge building is relationship building. Bridge building involves building relationships. Matthew 4:18 and 21 shows us that when the Lord called his disciples to himself, relationships played an important part. Andrew’s brother was Simon and the father of John was Zebedee. The spread of the gospel from the earliest days followed relational lines. An examination of the relationships between the disciples and in the family trees of Jesus and others like Simon and Cyrene all showed the gospel spreading through relationships in the family or through friendship clusters. We need to remember that as it was in those days so it will be in ours that the gospel will spread through relationships. Hence it is imperative for us to build relationships and to follow relational lines as we share the gospel.

On a practical level, there are five basic steps when we build relationships. These are first, we must be helpful. Doing a kindness is a good basis for a relationship to begin. Second, learn the art of conversation. Make the mundane interesting by indulging in creative chit chats. Third, listen patiently. When friends share their life issues with us, let us show genuine interest in what they are saying to us. Fourth, be ready to share a Christian perspective when asked. Learn to engage with the world through Christian values and always be ready to share that perspective. And finally, at an opportune time, share the gospel. Discipleship is not about the transmission of skills and information alone, but it is about deep, strong and lasting relationships. Gospel sharing is not just about sharing the gospel elements but it is sharing your life and making friends because you want to be friends and to love them for who they are. You make a friend not just to share the gospel but because you are interested in him or her.

The third important concept is the vital invitation for people to cross over the bridges we have built. In Matthew 4:17, 23 and 24, we have the sense of urgency in the preaching of Jesus as well as his personal touch of healing and love in the midst of his preaching the Kingdom of God. We invite people to trust in Jesus because he has the words of life. He came and died for us so as to remove the hindrance of sin that separates us from God. He has come to free us from the bondage of sin and from the wiles of the evil one. It is therefore imperative on our part to invite people to come to him, to hear him and then to accept him as Lord and Saviour.

In conclusion we must go to people, and to get out of our comfort zone if we are to share the gospel widely. We need also to strive to build long lasting and deep relationships with people. We must reach out and touch people through our lives and our witness to the word. Only then can we begin to share the gospel in an effective manner.

Now that faith has come

2009-06-30T04:45:00.000-07:00

28 JUNE 2009
SPEAKER: DAVID TAN

Psychologist Dr Carol Dweck in the book MINDSET wrote that the view we adopt for ourself profoundly affects the way we lead our life. The writer suggests that in general our society is made up of two types of people – those with a fixed mindset, and those with a growth mindset.

Now in a slightly different context you could say that Paul’s letter to the Galatians was addressed to these 2 different groups of people: those with a fixed mindset were locked in the demands of the Old Testament laws (the letter kills), and those who were in a growth mindset – believers who have been set free by faith and growing in the grace of Jesus Christ (the Spirit gives life, 2 Cor 3:6)

Strangely we who are followers of Jesus Christ who believe we are saved by grace do not always evidence this changed mindset. Instead due to mistaken notions or teachings, our lives as Christians often lack passion and power, and there is little growth. We'll take a look at what Paul has to say to us:

1.Faith in Christ grows out of God’s promise (vs 15-18)

Believers and followers of Jesus Christ stand as direct descendants of Abraham, inheriting the blessing that came from God’s historic promise (3:6-9). Abraham’s faith was counted to him as righteousness – and this was hundreds of years before Moses was given the Law. Today it follows that our faith in Jesus' finished work is counted to us as salvation as well - in both cases, the promise of the blessing of salvation came by the grace of God.

Our salvation comes out of a promise that God made – God’s initiative. God’s salvation to us is a gift and it comes not because we have earned it, but because Jesus has paid for it The Christian life will be filled with many challenges and temptations. There will be many occasions when we fall. During those times, it is good to know that our security and confidence rest solely upon God's promise and gift of grace: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast." (Eph 2:8,9)

2. Faith in Christ sets us free (vs 19-24)

In v23, Paul said we were captives under the law. God’s law exposed sins. In v24, Paul also said the law was our guardian (NIV “put in charge” or, a disciplinarian).

The Law of God was essential in showing us what God’s standards were and how far we had fallen short of His holiness. Woe is me, as Paul says: “Who can save me from this body of sin?” How then did God’s laws which were meant to serve righteousness and holy living turn us into prisoners?

As an illustration consider what happens when traffic lights fail: the roads get terribly jammed and it’s every person for himself. He who dares wins! Once the traffic lights go out, everything we know about responsible driving, etc is forgotten. After years of submitting to traffic lights, we do not become better drivers. What this shows and what Paul agrees is that laws are ineffective in making people better – it maintains order but does not change us inside out. But without the law, without knowing how far we fall below God’s holy standards, we will not understand nor appreciate the need to be saved.

It was God’s plan to let the Law steer us towards holy living until Jesus came to fulfill it perfectly and save humanity from its curse. Therefore as we share the gospel, share the severity of sin. And now that faith has come - now that Jesus is come - see how Jesus is the perfect Saviour.

Gal 3:23-25 Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

Therefore now that we have been set free, we are free to draw near to Jesus. We ought not fall into sin and false ideas like those taught by the Judaizers.

3. Faith in Christ makes us one (vs25-29)

This is one of the great passages of Scripture. What happens now that faith has come? What happens when people put our faith in Jesus as Saviour and Lord? V26, says they become sons and daughters of God!

1Jn 3:1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

Christianity celebrates the person, our identity for we are created after God’s image. Faith in Christ restores our personhood, our identity, our relationships. And this relationship goes on – we belong to God as sons and daughters in Christ. It fulfills the deepest human needs of belonging, of being loved.

And Paul says this is true for all people. Indeed when we become followers of Jesus, our race (Jew nor Greek), our gender (male or female), our status in society (slave or free) will no longer separate people or divide society. Christians need to demonstrate this mindset of the unity of God's people. It does not mean that we no longer have race or gender, etc, for in heaven these distinctions remain. But in Christ, we see everyone without prejudice and we no longer judge people on the basis of colour, their gender, or their class in society. This is why as a Church, God’s people are committed to reach out to all people, love all people, and serve all people. More than that it is also our calling to keep unity as a people united in one faith.

Eph 4:3-6 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit-- just as you were called to one hope when you were called-- one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Conclusion

Now that faith has come...we must see a dramatic change in our mindset. The confidence in the security of God’s salvation, the freedom we have in Christ, and the new identity as sons and daughters of God should put us in a place of growth and positive action. Above all it should move us to review how to remain in faith and find satisfaction in God alone. When we move from a fixed mindset of self-condemnation and sin, into the growth mindset of life in Christ, our lives will change. This church will change. Our neighbourhood will change.

As Paul also wrote to the Romans, this changing of our mindset and renewing of our faith is an ongoing process. And in the process of renewing and transforming, God will reveal his good and perfect will to us.

Rom 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

May God help us to hold on fast to what we have gained in Christ.

Father's Day Message

2009-06-21T00:25:00.000-07:00

MESSAGE: The Prodigal's Father
TEXT: Luke 15:11-31
SPEAKER: David Tan

There was a man who had two sons. (v11)

The Bible has much to say about fathers and children. On the occasion of Father’s Day, we’ll look at the familiar parable of the Prodigal Son and take the father’s perspective.

Lesson 1: God is honoured when fathers are honoured

The Bible places high regard on the role of fathers. In Exodus 20, the fifth of the 10 Commandments requires that we honour our father and mother – meaning, respect and prize them highly. Just as God our heavenly Father gave us life and sustenance, He has dignified fatherhood and placed earthly fathers to provide, nurture and bless families. Therefore respect for one’s parents is commanded, and is not dependent on whether they are superior or well regarded by their peers, or whether they have done well as exemplary parents.

Of course respect is mutual –parents also have to respect their children, and all of us are to respect one another. As persons made in God’s image. Fathers especially are warned not to “exasperate your children (but)…to bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4)

The younger one said to his father, `Father, give me my share of the estate.' (v12)

What made the son to behave like this? To have a son demand his inheritance is a rejection of one’s father, as if the son could not wait for the father to die. How would this father feel then?

Lesson 2: Fathers exercise spiritual leadership

In the Jewish home, educating one’s children in their spiritual, religious and social responsibilities was the job of the father. When a child was younger, it was the mother who was his primary educator. But as the child grew into puberty (13), fathers were always their primary tutor in very important spheres of life – from circumcision, redemption (in the case of the first child), marriage, to professional training as apprentice to the father.

Few fathers today consider the importance of being their child’s primary mentor and educator. Yet this practice is not merely true for the Jews, but something that expected of the head of the household, the father who is to provide spiritual leadership in the Christian home (Heb 12:7-11 talks about discipline). In Deut 6:2-8, the command to instruct children as God instructed their fathers, that they may “fear the Lord and keep His laws.”

Pro 4:1-5 Listen, my sons, to a father's instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching. When I was a boy in my father's house, still tender, and an only child of my mother, he taught me and said, "Lay hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands and you will live. Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them.

So when a child turns out the other way, there was great shame, and Jewish fathers consider their children’s failures as their personal punishment.

God faces rejection as well, yet He respects the decisions of His rebellious sons and daughters even if it leads to hurt and destruction. But it is a testimony of God’s grace that He welcomes the prodigal sinner - with open arms, with compassion. Which was what the prodigal’s father did in this parable.

Lesson 3: Fathers’ authority should be tempered with mercy

"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. (v20)

The father saw him from a long way off and ran to welcome him. In those days it was undignified for an elderly Jewish man to gather his clothes and run in public. The father was filled with compassion. How does a disappointed father respond to a son who has turned his back on his family and has broken his heart? Perhaps the father may have felt he had failed his young son – much like Marcus Aurelius said of his son Commodus in the film Gladiator: “Your faults as a son is my failure as a father.”

Remorse may be the first emotional response of someone who comes to his senses, but it is repentance that must follow. As CS Lewis has said, “Sometimes in order to go forward, we have to step backwards,” which was what the prodigal did as he made his way home. The father ran and embraced the son first before he could express regret and ask for forgiveness. The father accepted the son first, before forgiveness was asked. The father did not wait for proof of repentance before embracing the remorseful son. This kind of compassion is grace. And more than mere acceptance, the father showed that reconciliation is the heart of forgiveness.

Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. (v22,23)

There was a celebration. The son who was once dead was now alive! The prodigal son is welcomed home in style; the best clothes is put on him, as if to cover his rags, his sins; he is given a ring and sandals for his feet. The ring on the finger was a symbol of sonship and position; while the sandals showed that he was accepted as one of the family, for slaves did not normally wear shoes.

Lesson 4: Our Heavenly Father is the model for all fathers

Henri Nouwen in contemplating Rembrandt’s painting (The Return of the Prodigal Son 1662) noticed something in the work of the Dutch painter. The father’s left hand had fingers spread open hard, strong, while the right hand was almost elegant, like a female hand, soft, caressing. Nouwen was struck as he believed God displays grace and love as both father and mother.

Deut 1:31 There you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place."

Isa 49:15 "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!

Ultimately, at various times in our lives we are a mix of repentant prodigal and jealous brother. But the prodigal’s father stands in front and in the midst of all these conflicting emotions. In his gracious acceptance of 2 quite different sons, we are all invited to be like this father, whose grace mirrored our God. In so doing, we consciously model after our Heavenly Father who loved us and welcomed us.

Conclusion: The example of Dick and Rick Hoyt

The Powerless God

2009-06-18T01:45:00.000-07:00

7 June 2009
Speaker: Ps Barnabas Boon
Texts: Mark 6:1-6, Matthew 17:14-21, Mark 11:22-25, Luke 18:1-8, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Often in our lives, we have unanswered prayers. At such times, we may ask, "Has God abandoned us, or is He powerless to act?" Scripture gives us a number of reasons why God seems to be powerless.

First, there are situations where God seems powerless to act. In Mark 6:1-6 we read of Jesus at his hometown and marveling that he could not do any miracles there because of their lack of faith or unbelief (vv5, 6). It is not that Jesus would not do works of wonders, it was that unbelief on the part of the people, tied his hands so that he could not do any miracles there. He was one of them and thus a local 'boy' and a prophet in his home town is without honour. The principle is clear with respect to powerlessness. We are powerless when unbelief, skepticism and faithlessness rule our hearts. We will have the powerful God on our side if we have faith and believe in His sovereign rule over our lives

Second, we experience being powerless because of our own prayerlessness. In Matthew 17:14-21 we read of the disciples being powerless to cast out a demon. In the privacy of their meeting with Jesus, the disciples inquired of this phenomenon and was rebuked by Jesus for their lack of prayer (21). The disciples could not heal because they had not been in touch with the One who could. They were relying on their own strength instead of seeking God's power through prayer and the spiritual discipline of fasting. Herein lies a very important principle. We should not be too quick to blame the unbelieving and skeptical sick and needy. There is great responsibility on the part of those who minister and who do ministry. Let us remember then that in order for us to minister in power we must also get in touch with the God of power through prayer and fasting.

Third, we are powerless because there are obstacles within our hearts which impede the power of God in our lives. One of the greatest obstacles to the flow of power from God through us is our own unforgiving spirit. In Mark 11:22-25 we read of the power available to the disciples and the issue of unforgiveness in the heart. These two ideas which occur side by side in Mark is not found in the other gospel accounts of Matthew and Luke. The occurrence of these two ideas side by side is no accident as some commentators have it. It points to a very important principle of ministry in the power of God. Should there be any unforgiveness in our hearts or any impediment which obstructs the flow of power from God to us, we would not be able to minister in power.

Fourth, we are powerless because we do not persevere in prayer. Persevering prayer indicates to God our seriousness and in persevering for what we ask, He will so grant that request. In Luke 18:4,5, we read of the persistent widow against an unjust judge. Jesus teaches us that God is more than and better than this unjust judge. In the face of our persistent cries for help God will act powerfully on our behalf. Persevering prayer is powerful. When we persevere in prayer God is pleased. Are we powerless? Is God powerless to act. No, we persevere in prayer to a powerful God who will act.

Finally, we experience powerlessness in the midst of God's purposes. There is such a thing as the thorn in the flesh. Paul experienced it and taught us valuable lessons. Life is not about being triumphant in everything. There is the dimension of humility and patience which is very much part of the life of power and worship. In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, Paul speaks of the grace available when the thorn in his flesh was not resolved. God had allowed the thorn to torment him because it was in the purposes of God to keep him humble and powerful in Christ. Hence, instead of despairing, Paul rejoiced in his weakness and in his suffering of insults, persecutions and difficulties. And therein lies the wonderful paradox of power in God for Paul. When Paul experienced such weaknesses, he was also experiencing the surpassing greatness and power of God. We too must learn of God’s grace in this manner. God's grace also comes through from the side of humility, humiliation, failure and difficulties and not just through blessings and honour and wonderment. Oftentimes God allows a thorn to come into our lives and at such times we must learn to submit to God. And then we shall in a strange way experience his power.

Horatio Spafford, is an example of a malleable soul completely surrendered to God. After the loss of his children, he found great comfort in God and out of that sorrow and loss wrote the hymn “It is well with my soul”. The words of the hymn illustrate for us the wonderful experience of grace in the midst of sorrow, loss and pain. And out of this thorn in the flesh, Horatio Spafford and his wife would build a ministry to the Jews and Muslims in Jerusalem.

Pentecost Sunday

2009-05-31T11:16:00.000-07:00

Speaker: David Tan
Text: Acts 2:1-21

Pentecost Sunday falls on the 50th day after Easter. It was this day that the Holy Spirit fell upon God’s people causing tremendous excitement resulting in 3,000 saved in one day.

Interestingly, the NT Pentecost happened on the same day as the Jewish Pentecost. Celebrated on the 50th day after the Passover, and subsequently observed as the day Moses came down from Mt Sinai with God’s Law, we can draw very interesting reflections from these important events as they contrast and mirror God’s work in history.

Pentecost Sunday however has more to teach us than mere historical facts. What are they?

The Presence of the Spirit

Acts 1:8. Just before Jesus ascended into heaven, the disciples were told to expect the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 2, the Holy Spirit fell upon the disciples in tongues of fire, and they began to speak in various foreign languages to the surprise of all the onlookers. That day marked the real birth of the church.

What has this to do with us today? On the simplest yet deepest level, it reminds us that God’s people and His ministry are spiritual in nature. We must remember that what ultimately drives us - the work we do, the life we live, the Church that we belong to and serve in – is not management skills (although there is a place for it), not human excellence and intelligence (although these too are gifts from God), but the presence of the Spirit, and his enabling power.

John 14:15,16 – the promise of the indwelling Spirit within believers. He is both Counselor or Helper in the absence of Jesus’ physical presence.
Eph 1:13,14 – the Spirit is the seal of guarantee of the believer’s salvation
1 Cor 19:20 – the Spirit is the mark of God’s ownership of the believer.

There is therefore a spiritual dimension to our lives. The presence of the Spirit within the believer is testimony that we are no longer our own. God owns us; the Spirit possesses us. If the Spirit does not possess us - our thoughts, deeds, habits, ambitions, dreams, recreation, etc – it will show in His absence. And if the Spirit is absent, what or who is in control of the driver’s seat?

The power of the Spirit

Firstly, as Acts 2 reveals, the Holy Spirit’s work is to empower. Unless He empowers, we are finished. “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). The Christian life and the life of the Church are undeniably supernatural. So we should expect miracles, divine intervention, and works of deliverance, great revival in the church, which point to the reality of the Spirit’s power in our day.

But as the NT shows us and as church history records for us, these spectacular displays of power are also not as common as we want them to be; that’s why they are called miracles. People still die of diseases; not all Christians are healed; many do fall into spiritual oppression; Christians get killed every day and churches get burnt. Where is the power of God, we cry?

This leads to the second aspect about the Spirit’s power:

We read in John 14:26 that the Spirit is to make Jesus real to believers. John 16:13 further elaborates that it is the Spirit who leads people to the truth, and convicts them of sin (John 16:8). What is often missed is that often this work of conviction, transforming and sanctifying of believers is unseen, and usually slow and plodding. Yet this is very much the power of the Spirit at work.

The primary display of power that the Bible talks about, is seen in a believer’s faithfulness, growing in holiness, transformation of character, persevering through trials, running and finishing the race. Like reading the Bible one verse at a time, page by page, book by book. Nothing glamorous, but this is normal method employed by the Spirit to advance God’s plan.

We need to see both aspects of the Spirit’s power in our church today – the dramatic acts of power, as well as the slow abiding work of sanctification.

The purpose of the Spirit

The work of the Spirit cannot be separated from his purpose.

In Genesis 11, we hear the proud men of Shinar say: "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth."

God struck down their work on that day and the people found themselves speaking in different languages, and were scattered. The Tower of Babel testified to humanity’s natural instinct to glorify the human spirit. God’s instinct on the other hand is to scatter us (physically and metaphorically) to extend the boundaries of His kingdom on earth. And He did this in Acts 2.

As the Spirit fell on those gathered in the upper room, we saw another scene of people speaking in foreign languages. As in the plains of Shinar, the coming of the Spirit led to a scattering of people – not as a punishment but as a means to spread the good news of salvation throughout Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth (Acts :8) This time, the dispersion was not to subvert human ambition, but as a means to point people to Jesus. (John 15:26)

The Spirit’s work is to glorify Jesus (Jn 16:14). You do not read in the NT about glorifying the Spirit or instructions to magnify His gifts and miracles. They are first and last about Jesus and it is always so that Jesus is lifted up and glorified.

Conclusion

The progressive revelation of God throughout history points to dramatic periods of preparation and fulfillment. The Old Testament was about the 'old creation.' In the 'new creation' of the New Testament, the focus is not us, not a place or possessions, but a Person - Jesus. All that we are, all that we do, all our desires will never satisfy unless we are satisfied in Jesus. It is the Spirit's work to nudge us, challenge us, empower us, sanctify us, inspire us, so that our passion for glorifying God will be the most satisfying thing in our lives. May we allow Him to accomplish that in us in the days ahead.

God is the Potter, We are the Clay

2009-05-25T19:40:00.000-07:00

24 May 2009
Speaker: David Wang
Text: Isaiah 64:8

John Williams (1796-1839) was an Englishman trained as a foundry worker and mechanic. When God sent him to the Polynesian islands in the South Pacific as a missionary, he was able to use his training and skills to help build strong ships of 60 feet long to ease travel between the many islands there, and extend God's kingdom successfully. His was a life that was much used by God, till the end when he and another missionary were killed by some islanders and eaten by them.

In the same way, God has His purposes for our lives, as we can see from the texts in:

Isaiah 64:8 - Yet, O LORD, you are our Father.
We are the clay, you are the potter;
we are all the work of your hand.

Psalm 138:8 - The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;
your love, O LORD, endures forever—
do not abandon the works of your hands.

Principle 1

God has a purpose for each of us who are created unique individuals by Him. We are not here by chance or accident.

Psalm 139:13-16 - ¹³ For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

¹⁶ your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

Principle 2

God is in the process of moulding our lives for His purposes.

- He will complete His work. Paul is confident that "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6

- He is doing a good work in us: making something beautiful of us, to become like Christ in character and doing the things He does -

Ephesians 2:10 - "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

2 Peter 1:5-8 - ^"5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; ⁶and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; ⁷and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. ⁸For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Principle 3

The steps we need to take to make God's purpose a reality in our lives:

1. Submit to and obey God in everything. We need to submit and cooperate with God our Potter and allow Him to mould and shape us by discipline and hardships sometimes in order to smoothen our rough edges and cleanse us from our sins.

2. Seek to discover and develop our God-given gifts and ministries, and use them to serve Him.

Pastor Hsi (1836-1896) was an opium addict who became a Christian and a leader, and then ran a ministry to opium addicts in many locations over a considerable area, establishing clinics and churches.

God will use us for His kingdom and His glory, if we will let Him, submitting all our selves, lives, gifts, abilities, experiences, whatever little we have (like the little boy with 5 loaves and 2 fishes), into His loving and wise hands.

Beautiful, beautiful, Jesus is beautiful,

And Jesus makes beautiful things of my life,

Carefully, touching me,

Causing my eyes to see

That Jesus makes beautiful things of my life

Tithing, Giving and the Grace of God

2009-05-17T21:53:00.000-07:00

17 May 2009
Speaker: Ps Barnabas Boon
Text: 2 Corinthians 9:6-11

Why talk about tithing and giving? Tithing and giving in church is very important and we should learn what the Bible says and teaches about giving and tithing.

Giving in the OT
In Genesis 14:18-20, we read of Melchizedek who received a tenth of all that Abraham gained in the battle with Kederlaomer and his allies. The reason that Abraham gladly gave of his tenth or tithe was that he was grateful that God had given him victory and that his giving to God a tenth of all that he earned was a sign that he submitted to God and his purposes. Hence giving in the Old testament right from the beginning teaches us that tithing is a voluntary action and is a sign of personal submission to God in gratitude for all his blessings

In the book of Leviticus 27:30-34 , God gave a specific command to the Israelites that they should a give a tenth of all that they owned viz: land, soil, fruit and flocks. Furthermore when they gave they could not choose which portion to give of their possessions. Hence the principle of giving in the Old Testament is clear. God was clear what he wanted. The Jews were to give him a tenth of everything and this was a command.

In Deuteronomy 14:22-23, the command to give to God a tenth of all that the Israelites owned was reinforced. But in this portion of scripture, the way that the giving was made clearer. After the tenth was given to God, they were to consume them together with the family at the temple. In this way they were to enjoy God's presence and grace even in the midst of their sacrifice. The principle taught here in this portion of scripture was that even as the Israelites gave of their tenth they were to receive back what they gave and to enjoy it in the presence of the Lord. This finds an echo in the teachings of Jesus in Matthew 6:33 where Jesus reminds us that we must “seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given (added) to you as well.”

In the final pages of the Old Testament in Malachi 3:8-12, the Old testament teaches us that giving a tenth would see a return of great blessing. Malachi the prophet challenged the people of God to bring the tithe into the temple and to supply God's house and he promised from the word of God that the floodgates of blessing from heaven would open and that the blessing of God will inundate them like a great torrent. The principle taught here in the Old Testament is clear. Tithing is for God’s house to be supplied, and when that happens, God promises blessings from heaven.

In the New Testament, giving is taught in many places.

In 1 Corinthians 16:1-2, we are taught that giving should be a regular event with the people of God giving a portion of their income. Here the standards pertaining to giving is a higher one. There is no more stipulation of a fixed amount but that giving is a free will event. The reason why people gave to God was that they had experienced grace. Hence the principle of giving in the New Testament was this: The standard of giving is higher in the New Testament because grace always goes beyond the law

2 Corinthians 9:6, 8, 11 teaches us that we are to give give generously. And that those who put God to the test will never be disappointed.

Conclusion
In giving we can commit two extremes. One extreme is that because we are so fixated on the giving of a tenth, we never move beyond that of giving more than we can afford. The other extreme is that since scripture in the New Testament does not spell out an amount we do not give anything at all. We must not be legalistic. We must heed the teachings of the New Testament and give as grace would teach us to give. In the end we must trust God and try God and his promises

A Worthy Woman

2009-05-10T21:14:00.000-07:00

10 May 2009
Speaker: Ps Barnabas Boon
Text: Proverbs 31:10-31

We are all called to be worthy people and the Bible is replete with examples of worthy men and women. In Proverbs 31:10-31, we read of the Jewish epitome of a worthy woman. In verse 10, it praises her as a worthy woman whose price is far above rubies
The bible teaches us that the worthy woman is characterised by a number of wonderful characteristics.

First, she has faith.

Proverbs 31:30 Grace is deceitful, and beauty is vain; But' a woman that fears Jehovah, she shall be praised.

Here we see a number of qualities that gives us insight into her faith. She knows Jehovah, the name of God revealed specially to Moses. While the Jews never speak of the name of God as Jehovah, the writer of the book of proverbs specifically mentions that she knows God as Jehovah just as Moses knew God as Jehovah. She does not major in the minors. There is no “Deceitful grace”. The outer aspects of faith such as grace can be faked.

However a worthy woman who has Jehovah God will be less likely to deceive. Her faith marks her as one who “Fears God”. It is written in the word that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The worthy women fears God and is on the way to have wisdom. She is mature spiritually. Vain beauty is faked beauty. But beauty that emanates from within is that which comes from the worthy woman. So let us cultivate true godliness. Beauty and grace is alright but all these must be subservient to a God-given beauty and grace.

Second, she is a woman of substance.

Proverbs 31:26 She opens her mouth with wisdom; And the law of kindness is on her tongue.

The words of “Mouth and tongue” establishes her personality. What we say reveals who we are. The tongue is a great revealer of our beings deep down. She also has the law of kindness in her words. What this means is that kindness that emerges from all that says is is consistent and just. The worthy woman ministers out of her being. There is no put on but a grown in. She is who she is and all that she says is consistent with her identity.

The next thing about this woman of substance is that of diligence and forethought. This woman of substance is a thinking woman. Proverbs 31:16 She considers a field, and buys it; With the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. In considering to buy a field and planting it as a vineyard, the worthy woman shows us that she has brains. There is careful consideration and forethought before a commitment to commit large resources like buying a field. Planting a vineyard signifies a woman who has the ability to generate and sustain an income. One thought before we move on. Are we using all that God has given us so that we can apply ourselves to fruitful labour?

One more thing about this woman of substance. She is a diligent woman. Three verses describes her so:

31:14 She is like the merchant-ships; She brings her bread from afar.
31:15 She rises also while it is yet night, And gives food to her household, And their task to her maidens
31:18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable: Her lamp goes not out by night.

These give us a picture of toiling into the night while yet getting up early in the morning. She is diligent not only for herself but with those whom she manages. She toils to gather the right knowledge so that she is able to deal with the outside world of merchants and ships. Thus, are all the work that we do effective? Do we have enough of outside knowledge other than what impacts us in the home and family that helps us to navigate our way successfully in the world?

Third, the worthy woman is characterised by the quality of her relationships.

To her husband, she is one who trust in him and cooperates with him in his work outside. Proverbs 31:11, 23 and 28 reminds us of the proverb...that for every successful man there is a quiet diligent woman behind him who supports him and prays for him.

To her children, she is the epitome of love and a caring heart. Proverbs 31:28 Her children rise up, and call her blessed. Her children thrive because they are the recipient of her kind ministrations.

To others, she is the hand of mercy and compassion. Proverbs 31:20 She stretches out her hand to the poor; Yea, she reaches forth her hands to the needy. Those who come to her gates for help and succour will find they are never turned away.

Conclusion

This worthy woman has strength and dignity. She lives well in the present and triumphs in the future. Proverbs 31:25 Strength and dignity are her clothing; And she laughs at the time to come. Indeed she will reap the reward of all who know her.

The Righteous Live by Faith

2009-05-04T10:12:00.001-07:00

3 May 2009
Speaker: David Tan
Text: Galatians 3:1-14

The letter of Paul to the Galatians represents one of the most important books in the Bible, describing how humanity is justified by God, or put right with God. In Chapter 3, Paul continues his defense of this key teaching in Christian theology. The focus here is how a Christian attains righteousness.

The cross of Christ

At the heart of our Christian faith is the cross of Christ – not the baby in the manger, not the Virgin birth, not even the resurrection (because there can be no resurrection without Jesus’ death), not answered prayers, and not even the 2nd coming of Jesus or the final defeat of Satan.

1 Cor 1: 23 “… but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.”

Gal 6:14 “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which* the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”

So important is the centrality of the cross that Paul reprimands the Philippians for rejecting the accomplished work of Jesus on the cross. In buying into the Judaizers false teachings, these Christians had dismissed Jesus' sacrifice as nothing. This is because the faith that saves does not rest in keeping the Law and its rituals, but in believing that Jesus’ death on the cross had done what the Law could not do, and made us right with God.

What is the significance of the cross and how does it save us?

Christ redeems

The imagery used by Paul tells us that Jesus’ death on the cross was a price paid in blood to buy the world out of slavery to sin (Gal 3:22): Jesus has redeemed us. In order for God to forgive, a price had to be paid. Just because God forgives does not make sin disappear – either humanity pays or God pays. Thankfully, Jesus the Son of God paid the world’s debt of sin on the cross.

The act of forgiveness involves bearing someone else’s wrong. Jesus spared us from paying the debt of sin by bearing it upon Himself. Jesus has demonstrated what forgiveness means and we are called to follow His example. In the words of Bonhoeffer, “…the call to follow Christ always means a call to share the work of forgiving men their sins. Forgiveness is the Christlike suffering which is the Christian's duty to bear.”

Law condemns

In 3:10 Paul says again that the Law cannot help us – it merely condemns us. It is like a curse, exposing our sin. None is righteous before God. Arguing from Leviticus 18:5, Paul stresses that unless one keeps God’s law perfectly, there cannot be favour with God. But out of God’s generous mercy, He forgives our sin by taking our place on the cross, bearing our punishment, taking the full force of holy wrath on behalf of the whole world. As John Stott puts it so clearly:

“The essence of sin is we human beings substituting ourselves for God, while the essence of salvation is God substituting himself for us. We…put ourselves where only God deserves to be; God puts himself where we deserve to be.”

This is what Scripture means when it says, "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Cor 5:21).

The generosity of Jesus displayed on the cross, is what Paul calls ‘grace’ (Eph 2:8). As Abraham himself was counted righteous simply by believing in God, the Christian too is justified by the simple act of faith in God’s promise.

What does the cross of Christ mean for us today?

In 2:16, Paul uses a legal term to describe justification – how God declares sinners innocent. More incredible still, using accounting imagery, Paul says in 3:6 as God counted Abraham as righteous, Jesus’ righteousness has also been credited unto us on the basis of our faith. Our debt has been paid in full on the cross. God presses the reset button – we start clean and fresh.

The promise in Habbakuk 2:4 that “The righteous shall live by faith” anticipated Jesus’ finished work on the cross. To be made righteous is to enjoy God’s favour. When we have favour with God, we’re able to live in fellowship with God. (Stott) The blessing that comes to us through Abraham (referred to in v9) is our justification. All we need to do to be saved is to accept it in grateful faith.

If God does not justify, all humanity stands condemned. That Jesus has made it possible for us to enjoy both favour and fellowship with God gives a Christian’s new purpose in life – the pursuit of holy living to the glory of God.

A Vessel Fit for His Purposes

2009-04-27T00:33:00.000-07:00

26 April 2009
Speaker: Ps Barnabas Boon
Text: 2 Timothy 2:15-26

In our quest to please God, we need to ask these questions: “How can we obtain his approval as workmen for the Lord? What should we do in order to win his approval for our lives? How can we be fit vessels for his purposes?"

2 Timothy 2:15-26 teaches us that in order to be fit vessels we must satisfy three conditions. They are:

• A vessel fit for God (15-19)
• A vessel fit for oneself (16-22)
• A vessel fit for others (22-26)

A vessel fit for God

In order to be a vessel fit for God, we must first gain his approval (15a). There is a need for us to cultivate a lifestyle that gains the approval of God. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved (15a). To be one approved of God, one must be one who is loved and accepted by God. Our one aim is to seek for his approval. He is the father who would approve of our conduct and our behaviour. Our actions are to be geared so that we will please him and him alone. How can we know what is pleasing to God? The answer is to read the bible. It contains all that is sufficient for us to win his approval.

Secondly, we must be his people and gladly bear his name and mark. (19c). We must seek to cultivate a lifestyle that honors his name. “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness”19Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness." His name is the basis of God’s approval over our lives. There is no other name except that of Jesus that we are saved. (Acts 4:12…And in none other is there salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven, which is given among men, wherein we must be saved.). Also, we must turn away from wickedness. If we confess and is branded with his mark which is his name, then it is imperative that we should turn away from wickedness. His name must mean something.

Thirdly, there is a need for us to cultivate a lifestyle which is a testimony to the truth and power of his word. A workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. A workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 16Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. 17Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. 19Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his,"[a] and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness." We must not be ashamed of his word. Our relationship with God must impact our attitude to his word. We must not be ashamed of his word. If we are then we are ashamed with God. Not only must we not be ashamed of his word, we must also learn how to correctly handle his word. This is particularly important to all preachers.

A vessel fit for oneself

First, An inward look (20 & 21). We need to have an inward gaze to know where we came from and where we are going. In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver but also of wood and clay; some for noble purposes and some ignoble 21 If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. We are articles made of gold and silver, as well as of wood and clay. It does not matter where one comes from. Our origins do not matter in the eyes of God. What matters is how we put your bodies to use. If a man cleanses…Even if one has put one’s body to ignoble use, if there is cleansing, there is still the possibility that the body can be redeemed for noble use. We will be an instrument useful to the Master. Let us remember that it is the Lord who will use us. He will be the one who will make us his instruments. The important role for us then is to be available to God and that is all.

Second, An outward look (16). Our outward behaviour very much concerns how we deal with others. And how we deal with others often is through the use of words from our mouths. How we control our mouths and the words that come out will do so much to order the inner part of ourselves. Our mouths are like springs of water. A fresh water spring has fresh water that comes from the earth. A fresh water spring cannot yield brackish water (James 3:11-12… 11Can both fresh water and salt[a] water flow from the same spring? 12My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.) Avoid godless chatter because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Our mouths cannot be openings from which comes blessings and godless chatter. We need to remember that there is a link between indulging in godless chatter and becoming more and more ungodly. John Wesley observed, “They who babble will grow worse and worse”.

A vessel fit for others

First, Hand to hand (22b). In order to grow a vessel approved of God we must join with like minded others who are on the same journey of faith. This is something one must do. (Join) along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart (22b). We must come together with those who are pure in heart and who call on the Lord. Like coals with dim fires they will soon ignite a roaring one.

Second, Mouth to mouth (23-25). We must not join with others in fostering stupid and foolish arguments because they produce quarrels. Do not have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments because you know they produce quarrels And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth. We must avoid the quarrelsome ones. The jaw to jaw response of those who are contentious must be strenuously avoided. Our efforts must be directed rather to their salvation not through arguments and quarrels but through gentle, patient and kind engagement. We must never be resentful even when they try to hurt us.

May the Lord cleanse and sanctify us, and make us vessels fit for his purposes, to the glory of his name. Amen.

Life in the Power of Prayer

2009-04-22T20:18:00.000-07:00

Sunday Worship 19 April 2009
Speaker: Ps Barnabas Boon
Text: 1 Timothy 2:1-8

1. What is prayer?

1I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone

Prayer is talking to God with all these meanings and connotations. There are four things about prayer.

* Requests (Prayer is begging). We come to God with a sense of need and insufficiency . The word "supplications" ([@deesis]) means "requests," or "entreaties" (cf. Phil. 4:6; Matt. 9:38). It is like the word "beg," and is much like saying a fervent "please." So prayer is begging.
* "Prayers“ (Prayer is worship) . We come with devotion in mind. The word prayers ([@proseuche]) is a word always used of requests addressed to God (cf. Rom. 15:30). Prayer is also worship.
* "Intercessions“ (Prayer is intimacy). We come to God with childlike confidence, generally in behalf of another. The word intercessions ([@enteuxis]) combines two great ideas: the verb form means "to have an intimate talk with someone"; the noun was also used of petitions submitted to a king or governor. Thus, it signifies to the Christian the high privilege of having an intimate talk with the ruler of the universe. Prayer is having an intimate talk to the great God above.
* "Thanksgiving“ (Prayer is gratitude) . We pray as if we have received in a grateful manner. The word ([@eucharistia]) means "gratitude." The phrase "for all men" suggests that gratitude, as well as supplications, prayers, and intercessions, should be expressed for all men. There were some in the church who did not have this feeling for all men, especially for the uncircumcised Gentiles. Prayer is also about gratitude.

2. Who do we pray for?

1I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—2for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. As an overview, we pray for 1) everyone, 2) Kings and rulers and 3) those in authority over us. However corrupt and evil they are we must pray for them.

* Be made for everyone…Jew and gentile alike. No one is exempt from our prayer. We must never discriminate in prayer whether it is in terms of time ie. Time for prayer and when we are not in a time for prayer we do not pray for people. In terms of circumstance. We must pray at all times and in all places. I always pray for my fellow bikers who may be driving dangerously. Pray for them and do not curse them with a death or injury wish.
* For Kings…For rulers. The word "king" ([@basileus]) is also translated "ruler" or "sovereign." 1 Timothy 6:15 uses the word sovereign or dunastes which is an earthly power. The word basileus is a word for the king of kings, the emperor. At this time Emperor Claudius and the Nero were in power. These were terrible tyrants and yet Paul urges Christians to pray for them.
* All those in authority…The lesser officials of the government especially what we would term the little Napoleons who literally have power over our life and death and well being.

We must pray for all in our prayers. No one is exempt. We must also pray for our enemies because we are called to love them. Matthew 5:4…But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you. The fundamental law of Christ's kingdom is to love your enemies. Jesus’ example is in itself a study of this application. Our enemies are to be conquered by love

3. What should we pray for?

2for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. We pray for peaceful and quiet lives as well as for godly and holy lives

* Peaceful and quiet lives… The word "quiet" ([@hesuchia]) is used also in 1 Tim. 2:11 urging women to be "quiet" and submissive in their relation to men in the public services of the church. It is descriptive of the Christian's life under the rulers of civil affairs (cf. 1 Pet. 2:13-17; 1 Thess. 3:12; 4:11). Luke uses it more than anyone else, especially in Acts where Paul's ministry is disturbed by noisy riots and confusion stirred up by those who opposed the truth. The word "peaceful" ([@eremos]) suggests tranquillity and contentment.
* Godly and holy lives… The word "godly" ([@eusebeia]) may be translated "piety," "religion," or "godliness." "Respectful or holy" ([@semnotes]) implies reverence, dignity, holiness, and seriousness.

4. Why should we pray?

3This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

We pray because it is a good thing, it pleases God and we also pray for the salvation of the world

* It is good…The language here is almost identical with Paul's words in 2 Cor. 8:21, where "good" ([@kalon]) is translated "honorable." When we say we are praying for you we are doing something good and honorable. It honors God and it honors man.
* It pleases God… The word means "acceptable" or “pleases”. Those who live as such has the promise of God to accept him and to view him as one who is fit for the Kingdom of God.
* For salvation and knowledge… Unless God accepts a man, he cannot be saved. Our prayers will be part of the way in which God accepts a man. Sharing the gospel and prayer are vital partners..
o For knowledge…Prayer ensures proper follow up and teaching and the growth of a soul through right knowledge. What is this knowledge? 5For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. 7And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles. For knowledge…Prayer ensures proper follow up and teaching and the growth of a soul through right knowledge.
What is this knowledge? 5For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6who gave himself as a ransom for all men the testimony given in its proper time. 7And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles. This knowledge encompasses four things.

1. There is one God
2. One mediator between God and man
3. Jesus Christ is the man
4. Jesus gave himself as a ransom for all men

5. How should we pray?

8I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.

* Want…The word for "desire" ([@boulomai]) means a wish or intention. It is much like the word [@thelo] which is used to express God's desire in 1 Tim. 2:4. Both [@boulomai] and [@thelo] suggest not only desire but also a desire that directs one's energies and shapes his decisions. Jesus used both words with much the same meaning (Matt. 6:10; Luke 22:44).
* Lift up hands…The expression "lifting up holy hands" is most appropriate in conjunction with the word for "pray" ([@proseuchomai], see comments on 1 Tim. 2:1). It was also a common gesture for prayer in the ancient world as shown by Christian art and sculpture. It dates back to Hebrew usage (cf. Ps. 141:2; 63:4; 28:2). Men are to plead, beg, and entreat. The hands lifted toward God suggests the hands of a dependent child lifted toward a father who has the power to grant what the child needs and desires.
* Holy hands.. These lifted hands must be "holy hands". The word "holy" ([@hosios]) means "devoted" and "pleasing to God" (cf. James 4:8, Ps. 24:3,4). They must also be helping hands (Eph. 4:28). The man who gives the back of his hand to his brother cannot open palms of requesting hands to the heavenly Father.
* No anger or disputing… The word "anger" ([@orge]) suggests violent emotions or wrath (compare Titus 1:7). The word "quarreling" ([@dialogismos]) has been translated by some to mean "doubt," suggesting that one who prays should not do so with doubt in his heart. But it seems that "quarreling" or "disputing" goes better with "anger". In Rom. 14:1 it is translated "disputes over opinions." The word is used in the New Testament with a bad connotation. It is derived from [@dialegomai], which is often used with a good meaning in reference to Paul's "arguing" in the synagogues (Acts 18:4; 19:8; 20:9). It is also used often to describe the kind of doubt and questioning that the Scribes and Pharisees engaged in as they argued with Jesus

Challenge:

Let us then pray, brothers and sisters, privately and publicly, alone and together with others, at set times and at all times, for everyone, in faith and humility, in submission and obedience to God, for then we shall have peace and joy in Him always who does all things well and for His own glory.

The Power of the Resurrection

2009-04-12T20:56:00.000-07:00

Easter Sunday 12 April 2009
Speaker: David Tan
Text: Philippians 3:7-11

Php 3:7-11 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

In contrast to some of our uncertain grasp of the historical significance of Jesus’ bodily resurrection, Paul had no such reservations. A single encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus changed Paul around. He became a believer, an apostle, a writer of much of our NT (13 out of 27 books), a church planter, and one of the greatest living missionaries in the spread of Christianity.

So central was this experience of Jesus that Paul called Jesus his Lord, and himself Jesus’ humble slave. His whole life was completely overturned, and a new life was reconstructed to hold a new centre, a new purpose, a greater reality – Jesus the risen Lord.

Paul went on to declare in his letter to the Philippian Christians that he not only counted knowing Jesus of greatest worth, he wanted to identify with Him in every way – and he wanted to know the ‘power of his resurrection’ pressing on to experience it in increasing vitality and in greater depth, with all-consuming passion.

What does the power of Jesus’ resurrection mean to us?

1.The promise of salvation

In 1 Cor 15:2-5, Paul said that the gospel that saved came from believing that Jesus died for our sins, and that he was buried and was raised from the grave. Unless this forms part of our confession, we dare not call ourselves Christian. Salvation also includes being rescued from death. If we think our salvation only comes after death, our bodies decomposing in the ground while our spirit lives on somewhere, then we have not been rescued from death. This is why for us to be truly saved, death our last enemy (1 Cor 15:26) had to be meaningfully defeated. Jesus defeated death by his physical resurrection.

2. The hope of new creation

1 Peter 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

2 Corinthians 5:15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again…… Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation

The day a person puts his trust in Jesus, the old familiar way of life is interrupted – and something new takes over. What the Bible calls ‘new creation’ also means in the words of John Piper, a new taste. The child of God finds new hunger and new thirst for the things of God. God’s people need to remember that this new creation starts here and not after we die. This new creation is part of God’s Kingdom project, and therefore Christianity cannot be merely a private faith.

When we live outside this framework of God’s new creation, which is also the inauguration of God’s Kingdom, we miss the fullness of Christ – much like a musician performing alone is deprived of glorious music that’s only possible in a full orchestra.

The church of God is at the center of this new creation framework (Eph 1). This is why the early Christians met on the first day of the week – Sunday – to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus and to mark the renewal of faith in their risen Lord. On this day of worship, symbolic of Easter, they met and anticipated God’s renewing power at work in their lives.

3. The key to endurance

1 Peter 1:6,7 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Philippians 3:13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

One reason why conflict and pain are to be expected is because we live in the framework of Jesus' resurrection, while in the world, Jesus' victory is denied and rejected. However, the power of Jesus’ resurrection is a great source of divine strength in the face of such trials and suffering whatever their cause. Meanwhile, like Paul, we have a race to run. The prize is in heaven. But here on earth, we are called to finish the race. Easter gives hope of salvation, motivation to participate in God’s Kingdom, and power to overcome the past and complete the race.

The Power to Serve

2009-04-09T02:39:00.000-07:00

Sunday Worship 5 April 2009
Speaker: Ps Barnabas Boon
Text: 2 Timothy 2:1-13

How do we serve effectively? Where do we get our power to serve effectively in Church, in our workplace and in our families? How do we sustain the effort of service? Our meditations on the passage of scripture 2 Timothy 2:1-13, gives us an insight into how we are enabled by Jesus to serve him in a manner that will glorify and please God.

Our starting point for committed service is always the gospel. V8 reminds us that it is the death and resurrection of Jesus for the sins of a hurting world that will enervate us and our service for the world. His resurrection reminds us that there is a supernatural power that is the source of our power to serve the world. Paul also reminds Timothy (v1) that even when he is in chains, the gospel is not chained and as such, the power to share gospel is not limited by the circumstances of the preacher. In whatever circumstance, the gospel will be preached, not for self aggrandizement but for the world and for the elect.

Next, our power source comes from grace. It is from the grace of Jesus that we draw our power and strength to serve. The command “be strong” referred to in v1 is a word in the Greek from which the word dynamite is derived. Hence “be strong” is a command to serve with great power. And the source of this power is the grace of Jesus. Hence whoever comes to him and asks of this grace, Jesus will give freely and gladly. 2 Corinthians 12:9 teaches us that our complete dependence on Jesus for all our needs will also be another means whereby Jesus makes the power of his grace freely available to us. Our total dependence on him arising from our total weakness will be the means whereby Christ’s power and grace will be made available to us.

We are also empowered through hardships. Like a good soldier who endures hardship for the sake of obedience so we shall endure, for the sake of Christ and his commands. Hardship toughens and gives character. It teaches us perseverance. It strengthens us. We are always afraid that hardship will discourage. Rather the opposite is true. It should strengthen our resolve. We must not be afraid of hardship. We should use it. We must not be afraid to subject our children to the hardships of ministry. It is by this they learn endurance. It is wrong to portray service for God as all of fun only. There is fun, no doubt, but it is also hard work, hardship and perseverance.

Finally, Paul challenges us to serve in the manner of the soldier, the athlete and the farmer. All three examples are obedient to an authority. To the soldier it is his commanding officer that he must obey. The athlete is bound by the rules of the competition. The farmer is constrained by the environment and seasons. Hence we too must be bound by one authority and this authority is the word of the Lord Jesus Christ.

All three examples have a singular goal. The soldier’s goal is victory. The athlete strives for the victor’s crown. The farmer looks to the crops as his harvest and reward. So too must we have our goal in service. Our goal is none other than the sharing of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the entire world.

Our challenge therefore is to learn to serve him in power, and in whatever circumstances we are in. The Lord reminds us through the words of Paul to Timothy, that the end of it all is indeed glorious for all who serves him. If we endured the ministry of service we shall reign with him forever. If we were to die during our service for him, we shall get to reign with him. Even when we are faithless, perhaps due to the difficulties of our service, we shall find him faithful. However, if we disown him, he will disown us. May we be found faithful in the places where God has placed us to serve him.

Life in the Powerful Word

2009-04-09T02:27:00.000-07:00

Sunday Worship 15 March 2009
Speaker: Ps Barnabas Boon
Text: 2 Timothy 3:10-4:5

When Paul urged Timothy to continue in what he has learned, to be convinced in what he has received and then to conquer the evil one with the good works with which he was taught (v14), he is in effect also challenging us to continue and to be convinced of the power and efficacy of scripture. Our meditations from this passage will seek to teach us to do the same.

Paul reminds Timothy of his long association with scripture from infancy(v15). The place of memory is important. Our first contact with scripture will make an impact when we begin to earnestly study scripture. What we say and do in front of our infant children matters. Live a godly gospel-led life and our infant children will recall that. Timothy’s life bears witness to this important truth. If our children see us reading the Bible in our quiet time daily as well as in times of crisis and see us turning to the Lord, they will form a strong impression of the efficacy of the word and will live according to it.

Second, in bible study, the ‘who’ is important. We do not study the bible solely with ourselves. Sometimes it is good to band together to study the bible together. When we are mentored by another as we study the word together, we must be mindful that the life and purposes of the mentor matters. V10 is all about Paul’s life of faith, patience and love. Bible study is all about life touching life through the word. Paul reminds Timothy about his life when they were together. Is Paul egoistic? No. Bible study is very much a teacher-student relationship. Hence what is conveyed is more than a set of instructions and facts. Paul the mentor reminds Timothy that his life was devoted to the word. The mentor's faith in Jesus also matters. Paul shares his purpose in life and the struggles he went through for the sake of the gospel (v11). And as he shared his experience with the Lord, Paul shares his secret of life. Paul’s secret of success is that the Lord always comes through for him.

Thirdly, life in the powerful word entails the practical and four practical considerations may be derived from this passage.

First is that of observation (vv3,4) In Paul’s day as well as ours, people will turn away from sound doctrine and will hanker after the esoteric and exotic. In such a time, we must live a life in complete obedience to his word as a counter to the prevailing philosophies of the world.

Second, we must keep our heads (v5). Ministry and life in the word will always invite persecutions and hardships. As Paul would remind Timothy, do not lose control. Be faithful in all you do. If you are sharing the word do so with courage. Continue in the work of the Lord. Where you have a ministry, be faithful. God will reward and give strength to continue. The word will feed us and inspire us and refresh us. Cling to the word of God and he will empower us for the task.

Third we must be prepared to share the gospel in all circumstances(v2). In whatever times we are in, we must be prepared to encourage, with great patience and careful instruction those that are the least, the last and the lost. We expect life to change when we encourage people to read the bible.

And fourthly, consider the witnesses who look down on us (4:1). As we prepare and teach the word, God is looking, Jesus is looking and the Holy Spirit is looking. The whole host of heaven is looking down on us. And when he comes back, he will judge us.

So as we live in his powerful word, let us do so with all of the resources made available to us. Our childhood first experiences with the word, our mentors and the supreme realization that God and all in heaven is looking down on us, all of these should drive us to our knees, with the word of God before us.

What does God know and when does He know it?

2009-03-05T23:01:00.000-08:00

Sunday Worship 1 March 2009
Speaker: Chen Boon Tai
Text: Isaiah 40-48

What do men say:

"Throughout the history of the church, Christians have discussed the nature and content of God's foreknowledge.... But now the debate is taking place not only in elite theological circles, but also in churches, on campuses, at denominational conferences and in popular Christian magazines (such as Christianity Today)," so wrote Beilby and Eddy in their book Divine Knowledge: Four Views (2001).

1. The Open-Theism View

This view states that God, by His own self-limitation, has no complete knowledge of the future; He is the God who takes risks, a God who learns, reacts, makes mistakes, regrets, changes His mind, as He interacts with men who are free beings and whose decisions God has no control over. All this is based on scriptural passages.

God has made Himself vulnerable by empowering others to make decisions that may grieve Him, but at the same time He has not given away more power to creatures than He can handle. Thus in the end, God is still sovereign and will still triumph over all. His sovereignty is a sovereignty of love rather than control.

2. The Simple-Foreknowledge View

God simply knows the future, because He can see everything including the future, and this is wholly compatible with human freedom, divine agency and enhanced providential control.

3. The Middle-Knowledge View

God's knowledge of the future is not based on his "looking' ahead and "seeing" what lies in the future. Rather God's knowledge is self-contained; it is more like a mind's knowledge on innate ideas.As an omniscient being, God has essentially the property of knowing all truths, including truths about future events. He knows what every creature would freely do under any circumstances.

4. The Augustinian-Calvinist View

God know everything, but this is not inconsistent with human accountability.

What does God say:

Isaiah 44

⁶ "This is what the LORD says—
Israel's King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty:
I am the first and I am the last;
apart from me there is no God.

⁷ Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it.
Let him declare and lay out before me
what has happened since I established my ancient people,
and what is yet to come—
yes, let him foretell what will come.

⁸ Do not tremble, do not be afraid.
Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago?
You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me?
No, there is no other Rock; I know not one."

²⁴ "This is what the LORD says—
your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb:
I am the LORD,
who has made all things,
who alone stretched out the heavens,
who spread out the earth by myself,

²⁵ who foils the signs of false prophets
and makes fools of diviners,
who overthrows the learning of the wise
and turns it into nonsense,

²⁶ who carries out the words of his servants
and fulfills the predictions of his messengers,
who says of Jerusalem, 'It shall be inhabited,'
of the towns of Judah, 'They shall be built,'
and of their ruins, 'I will restore them,'

²⁷ who says to the watery deep, 'Be dry,
and I will dry up your streams,'

²⁸ who says of Cyrus, 'He is my shepherd
and will accomplish all that I please;
he will say of Jerusalem, "Let it be rebuilt,"
and of the temple, "Let its foundations be laid." '

Isaiah 45

⁷ I form the light and create darkness,
I bring prosperity and create disaster;
I, the LORD, do all these things.

¹¹ "This is what the LORD says—
the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker:
Concerning things to come,
do you question me about my children,
or give me orders about the work of my hands?

¹² It is I who made the earth
and created mankind upon it.
My own hands stretched out the heavens;
I marshaled their starry hosts.

¹³ I will raise up Cyrus ^b]">[b] in my righteousness:
I will make all his ways straight.
He will rebuild my city
and set my exiles free,
but not for a price or reward,
says the LORD Almighty."

Isaiah 46

⁹ Remember the former things, those of long ago;
I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me.

¹⁰ I make known the end from the beginning,
from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say: My purpose will stand,
and I will do all that I please.

¹¹ From the east I summon a bird of prey;
from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.
What I have said, that will I bring about;
what I have planned, that will I do.

Isaiah 48

³ I foretold the former things long ago,
my mouth announced them and I made them known;
then suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.

⁴ For I knew how stubborn you were;
the sinews of your neck were iron,
your forehead was bronze.

⁵ Therefore I told you these things long ago;
before they happened I announced them to you
so that you could not say,
'My idols did them;
my wooden image and metal god ordained them.'

⁶ You have heard these things; look at them all.
Will you not admit them?
"From now on I will tell you of new things,
of hidden things unknown to you.

⁷ They are created now, and not long ago;
you have not heard of them before today.
So you cannot say,
'Yes, I knew of them.'

⁸ You have neither heard nor understood;
from of old your ear has not been open.
Well do I know how treacherous you are;
you were called a rebel from birth.

⁹ For my own name's sake I delay my wrath;
for the sake of my praise I hold it back from you,
so as not to cut you off.

¹⁰ See, I have refined you, though not as silver;
I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

¹¹ For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this.
How can I let myself be defamed?
I will not yield my glory to another.

And now, what do you say?

Ecclesiastes 5

2Do not be quick with your mouth,
do not be hasty in your heart
to utter anything before God.
God is in heaven
and you are on earth,
so let your words be few.

Ecclesiastes 12

¹³ Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the whole duty of man.

¹⁴ For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil.

Justified!

2009-03-01T08:07:00.000-08:00

Sunday Worship 22 February 2009
Speaker: David Tan
Text: Galatians 2
Message: Justified

The morning’s message was framed by 2 stories: the first, regarding Peter and his vision, and the other illustrating the extent of God’s justification of sinners.

We were first introduced to Acts 10 which provides a little background about the spread of the gospel after Jesus’ ascension (to people other than Jews), and a comment on Paul’s public disagreement with Peter in Galatians 2.

In this story, a devout and generous centurion by the name of Cornelius is visited by an angel. The centurion is commended for his devotion and kindness and is told to send for a man called Simon. The implication is clear that God does notice the good that all people do, regardless of their religious persuasion. In this case, God arranges for Cornelius to hear the gospel.

Meanwhile, Peter who was praying on the roof at midday falls asleep and has a strange vision and learns an important lesson as events unfold and he meets Cornelius. Peter says:

"I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.” Acts 10:34-36

Defending freedom in Christ

In what has been called the ‘Incident at Antioch’ Paul rebukes Peter who had withdrawn himself from fellowship with Gentile believers when influential Jews sent by James arrives. These influential Jews were Judaizers who insist that all Gentile believers submit to Old Testament customs - such as circumcision and dietary laws - if they wished to be recognized as genuine followers of Jesus.

At the center of the disagreement was the key issue regarding salvation: If salvation comes to us on the basis of Jesus’ death on the cross, should not Old Testament rituals be set aside by now as incompatible with God's grace? People who insisted on such conventions were contradicting “our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus,” said Paul.

Justification by faith alone

Galatians 2:15,16 spell out Paul’s convictions:

"We who are Jews by birth and not `Gentile sinners' know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.”

Paul’s challenge of the Judaizers’ Faith + OT customs (works) formula for salvation would surface again in the days of Martin Luther (1483-1546). The great protestant reformer once struggled with God’s holiness and forgiveness until the letters of Paul opened his eyes to the truth. As Luther put it, today the church stands or falls on the doctrine of justification:

“This doctrine (justification by faith) is the head and the cornerstone. It alone begets, nourishes, builds, preserves, and defends the church of God; and without it the church of God cannot exist one hour...” Martin Luther

Back in the days of Paul, the apostle objected to legalists who demanded adherence to OT customs as prerequisite for salvation. Instead he referred to the language of the courts on one hand to explain how God by his grace declares sinners righteous. Elsewhere in Romans 10:10 Paul also wrote:

“For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”

Crucified with Christ

There is nothing humanity can do; there is only that which God has done – by sending Jesus to die in our place on the cross. We were identified with Jesus in his crucifixion, and Jesus became sin in our place. When Jesus died and rose again, his righteousness was 'imputed' on undeserving sinners. Such grace offers forgiveness freely to all Jew and Gentile, canceling out any requirement for performance good of works or legalistic rituals.

But if such forgiveness brings justification, does that mean Christians are free to live as they like? No, because the Christian who is justified is also one who has been crucified with Christ.

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Gal 2:20

The person who has truly found forgiveness enters into a new relationship with the living Christ, and will desire nothing more than to let Jesus live in him. It will mean a new sense of direction – new ambitions, new desires, new passion, new priorities.

In conclusion, the story of Duch was told to illustrate the depth of God’s grace and how it justifies even the worse among us. Duch was the jailer and executioner at Cambodia’s infamous Toule Sleng Prison. According to reports Duch was personally responsible for the deaths of between 16,000 and 20,000 prisoners. But in 1995 he became a Christian, and became a lay pastor and was working with World Vision for a time before he was arrested in 1999.

The recently convened UN supervised Genocide trial saw Duch stand accused for crimes against humanity committed during the Khmer Rouge’s rule in Cambodia. Duch was the only Khmer Rouge officer to admit guilt and express remorse. He reportedly said:

"I have done very bad things in my life. Now it is time to bear the consequences of my actions. I thought that God was very bad. I did not serve God, I served communism. I feel very sorry about the killings. We killed them like chickens. . . . I guess I will go to jail now, but it is OK. The killings must be understood. The truth should be known."

God freely forgives and freely justifies. Whether Jew or Gentile, an ordinary person or a notorious criminal, God’s salvation is free, with no conditions attached - even for men like Duch. But the evidence of transformation will be seen in the life that is lived “by faith in the Son of God.”

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Romans 5:9,10

More on Duch: Is there anything God can't forgive?

From Zero to Hero

2009-02-17T18:30:00.000-08:00

Sunday Worship 15 February 2009
Speaker: Pr Lim Soon Hock
Text: Judges 7:1-25

Lesson from a parking meter: we lose money standing still!

There is a place for resting and renewal in order to gain strength, to move forward, but standing still perpetually will cause us to miss out on opportunities and our destiny.

God means for us to move forward for our own inward good and for an outward goal.

Who was Gideon? He was a farmer, full of fear, lacking in self-esteem and faith in God. The success of Gideon was more about God than about Gideon. It started with Gideon's first encounter with God. How did God greet Gideon? "When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior."(6:12)

God saw past Gideon's weaknesses and saw his innate strength and potential. After all, God made Gideon. He spoke and awoke the warrior in Gideon: a prophetic word to Gideon's spirit.

If we are to become who we are meant to be, we must:

1. Let God speak into lives.

God may speak directly to us, or sometimes through people, as Paul did to Timothy: 2 Timothy^"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline."
However, we need to be careful to check every word with the Holy Scriptures, whether we are the speaker or the recipient of the prophetic word.

We must also practise affirming other people's potential and giving encouraging words.

2. See what God sees in us.

Do we know who we are in Christ? Paul in Romans 8:37 wrote that, "... in all these things (trouble, hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, sword, or death), we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

We need to read the Holy Scriptures, and believe what it says.

3. Believe what God sees in us and act upon it.

In the end, it isn't so much about ourselves or our ability, as it is about God.

Before God gives a man a task, He first makes the man.
Before God gives a man a message, He first makes the messenger.

We can see how God worked in Gideon's life as well as in other figures in the Bible: Abraham, a man who did not have much faith was made a man of faith. Gideon was changed from a coward into a mighty warrior. It takes time to develop a man, by a process of training and testing: each test passed leads him to a higher level, for one needs to be proven faithful in little things before one can be given greater things to do.

Gideon responded well to each test and so moved on to the next level. God's question to him as to each of us is not "Can you do it?" but "Can I trust you?"

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Psalm 118

2009-02-12T20:44:00.000-08:00

Sunday Worship 8 February 2009
Speaker: David Wang
Text: Psalm 118

This is a song of celebration for God's deliverance from exile and oppression.

v 1-4 The Lord's enduring love

The psalmist gives thanks in the midst of trouble. He begins with giving thanks for the Lord's goodness and enduring love. How do we receive this love? According to Galatians 2:20, by living by faith in Christ. His love is enduring or never ending: He will never forsake us, as Jesus explained in the parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15).

v 5-9 The Lord's answer to prayer

In answer to a cry in anguish, the Lord sets the psalmist free: free from the grip of fear. He then affirms that his security is in God alone: the safest place to be on earth is to be in God's will and protection. God hears and answers our cries, and is our refuge and security.

v 10-14 The Lord's deliverance

"in the name of the LORD I cut them off" - there is power in the name of the Lord. We can pray with authority in His name, for with God all things are possible.

v 15-21 The Lord's mighty hand

"The LORD's right hand has done mighty things!
The LORD's right hand is lifted high;
the LORD's right hand has done mighty things!"
The Lord's power in the affairs of all nations and in our lives has been revealed: Exodus 15:11,12.
We need not be fearful; we can hold on to His right hand and be led by Him, and accept and submit to His discipline and chastening of us because of His love.

v 22-27 The Lord's wisdom

This is a messianic psalm which prophesies about Jesus the capstone. If we compare with the world's wisdom, we will find that it is only in God that we can find true success: 1 Cor 3:18-19, James 3:17, Matt 22:15, James 1:5.

v 28-29 Doxology

In times of trouble, we can turn to God in prayer and experience His enduring love, know His presence and right hand holding us, and ask for His wisdom.

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The Kingdom of Heaven Forcefully Advancing

2009-02-05T16:53:00.000-08:00

Sunday Worship 1 February 2009
Speaker: Dr Chan Ah Kee
Text: Matthew 11: 11-19

John the Baptist was praised by Jesus as the greatest "among those born of women", yet Jesus said, "he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."

How can it be? "Among those born of women" refers to the Old Testament saints, while those in the kingdom of heaven are those who have been born of the spirit and have been given new natures and become new creations. Only in Christ is there new birth.

In other words, each of us who have been born again by the Spirit is greater than all the OT saints! They did not have the privilege of new birth. Hebrews 11:13 says of them: "All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth."

Peter wrote: "Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things." (1 Peter 1: 10-12)

We have the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in us, as we live in these last days where the Holy Spirit has been poured out on all flesh as prophesied by Joel (2: 28,29):

"And afterward,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your old men will dream dreams,
your young men will see visions.

Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days."

V12: From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.

The Gospel is marching on throughout the world, and the church will always be victorious. There are revivals and fervent prayer all over the world (S Korea, S America, India). To enter into the kingdom of life, there needs to be repentance and change of lifestyle on our part (Matt 3: 8 - John the Baptist preached: "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.")

The Kingdom lifestyle is one of warfare, not a passive but an active life. Paul taught about discipline and hard work like a soldier, an athlete, and a farmer, about being deliberate, diligent and focussed.

"Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer. Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops." (2 Timothy 2: 3-6)

Peter, after describing the great salvation that God has given us, then tells us: "Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy.""Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him." (Matthew 13: 12, 25:29)

We need to respond rightly to God's grace: with goodness and faithfulness, as we can see in the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25: 14-30).

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CHOOSE GOD

2009-01-28T19:25:00.000-08:00

Joshua commanding the sun to stand still at the battle of Jericho (J. Shillipenteems, 1900)

Sunday Worship 25 January 2009
Speaker: Pastor Rawna
Text: Joshua 24:1-28

CHOOSE GOD

There are many accounts of God's covenants being renewed in the OT and in this passage, we read of yet another. Towards the end of Joshua's life, he challenged Israel and her leaders to follow God faithfully. He had seen much disobedience in spite of the numerous times that God had intervened and delivered them by His great power - from out of slavery in Egypt and then leading them to possess the Promised Land. Here then was his farewell message:

"Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." Joshua 24:14,15

Why was it urgent for us to respond to God in this manner? How should we choose?

Firstly, Yahweh is the one true God and there is no other. He will not stand for other gods and He deserves our loyalty as He alone is God. The test of belief and faithfulness therefore is seen in separation from every other gods. Pr Rawna believed that the present economic crisis was a good test of a Christian's loyalty as his or her true devotion may be demonstrated when times are hard, and when we risk losing our wealth or material possessions.

Secondly, to follow God is to take God as He is and not merely for the gifts or blessings He offers. In v19, Joshua expressed reservation that the people were only paying lip-service and therefore reminded them that if they truly trusted in God, they should know that any future disobedience would lead to severe punishment.

The challenge to faith is similar in our day: how have we chosen - Yahweh or other gods? Why did we choose Jesus? For material gains and blessings? If so, we need to remember that to follow Jesus is to deny ourselves and take up our cross (Mt 16:24) But we must choose one or the other sincerely and faithfully.

Finally, Chinese Christians were commended for observing traditions of family reunions. Joshua's address acknowledged his personal faith and that of his household, which is an encouragement for us to ensure that faith and obedience be found in our own households. While we uphold our faith, it should not be something we subscribe to or preach about in church alone. We may have taken the step to inculcate faith. Now we also need to take the next step - to seriously and purposefully instruct our children to choose God and obey Him sincerely.

One Gospel

2009-01-20T23:09:00.001-08:00

Sunday Worship 18 January 2009
Speaker: David Tan
Text: Galatians 1

Paul’s letter to the Galatians is one of the key books of the New Testament defending a pillar of the Christian faith, which is justification by faith. Addressed to churches in what is now modern Turkey, Paul wrote to denounce teachings that had perverted the gospel of Jesus that he had been entrusted to preach. In Paul’s mind, these new teachings were not only false teachings, but were really no gospel at all (I:7)

What were features of these false teachings that occasioned Paul’s letter?

First, Galatian believers – primarily gentile Christians - were told that in order to practise the Christian faith fully, they had to maintain Jewish laws such as circumcision. In other words, the Galatians were told it was not enough to believe or follow Jesus but also conventions of OT laws.

Second, Paul saw how such wrong thinking led to wrong expression of faith. Wrong thinking always results in wrong living, and ultimately takes a person farther from the God they wish to draw near to. So Paul wanted to explain what freedom in Christ looked like – how do you identify a Christian who has been set free from his old life.

These false teachings struck Paul as completely wrong as well as dangerous: they challenged the true gospel by insisting that salvation did not depend on faith in Christ alone. It also contradicted Paul’s teaching that justification – or being made right with God – rested on Jesus’ finished work alone.

What is the true gospel then?

The one and only true 'gospel' is the good news of how men and women are made right with God.

Ch1:1-5 spell out in a nutshell the one and true Gospel: It begins with God the Father. He sent Jesus to die to rescue us from “this evil world.” In v1 it also says that God raised Jesus from the dead. And by rescuing us, God has displayed his glory today and throughout all eternity (v5).

The Gospel is therefore the good news of salvation from evil and sin; it is NOT about higher standards of morality, it is NOT about self-knowledge or how to be a good person. As Paul wrote in Rom 5:10:

For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

What makes the good news 'good'?

The gospel is good news because it tells us plainly that salvation was God’s initiative; God took the first step. Salvation was God’s plan (1:4). It involved sending His son Jesus to offer it to us free with his nail-pierced hands - which is grace (1:3) - involving no human agency.

God has done for us what no human effort or enlightenment could ever do. It also tells us who this God is who saves because we cannot save ourselves. More than being saved or justified, the language that Paul uses here and elsewhere refers to salvation as ‘reconciliation’, which is ultimately a restoration of relationship with the living God.

When Paul referred to his conversion experience (vs13-18), he was not only defending his call to preach the gospel. It also served to contrast how Paul’s own self-righteousness - “advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers” (1:14) - did nothing to advance a personal relationship with God.

So what are we saved for?

Everyone who is saved is called by God. Everyone who has been called is saved for service. But he whom God saves, he first humbles. In the case of Paul, it meant a rejection of claims to being a faultless Pharisee (Php 3:4-6) and a call to a lifetime of missionary activity among the Gentiles. We are all not called to be like Paul, but we are certainly saved for service and good works (Eph 2:10)

The message concluded with a reference to the Church’s theme for the year as found in Jesus’ words: “As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you” (Jn 20:21) The purpose of our life is to live for others – just as Jesus did, as Paul did. The congregation was reminded that it is this life that is worth living. It is also the most important thing we can teach our children. It finds it fullest expression in people who have found peace with God through faith in the one and only gospel of Jesus Christ.

The End Before the Beginning of the End: Watch!

2009-01-14T19:44:00.000-08:00

Pastor Barnabas has begun the new year with "The End" - a series on what Jesus taught on the end of the Age in Matthew 24.

The message on the first Sunday was on the signs of the end of the world. The disciples had asked Jesus 3 questions: when will the destruction of the Temple take place, what will be the sign of His coming, and of the end of the age?

They thought that all these 3 events would happen at the same time, being as momentous and incredible as the destruction of the seemingly indestrucible and glorious Temple in Jerusalem was to them. But Jesus talked of 2 separate events: the destruction of the Temple which will happen in the disciples' lifetime and His second coming and end of the world which will happen at an unknown future time. He told them of the things that would happen in the world that they and we should not be alarmed nor be deceived.

The exact time of His coming again is unknown and cannot be known by us, as He said, "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." (v 36) We can only watch the events mentioned by Jesus unfolding before our eyes:

1. in the nations - the rise of technology and knowledge
Daniel 12:4 - till the time of the end, many do go to and fro, and knowledge is multiplied (Young's Literal Translation)
Wars and rumours of war: violence and anxiety
Luke 17:26 - Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man.
2. in the environment - famines and earthquakes, and pestilences (Luke 21:11)
3. in the church -
v 14 - world gospel outreach
v 11 - false Christs and prophets
v 9, 10 - persecution and apostasy
v 12,13 - Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

We can see the words of Jesus coming true, but we must also heed His call to "repent, for the kingdom of God is near." (Mark 1:15) We need to set our hearts and lives right before God, because we do not know when Jesus, the Lord and Judge of all the earth, will come again, and "Watch out that no-one deceives you" (v 4), that we will not be found cold or faithless when He comes or when we are called Home.

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We are sent...

2009-01-10T00:01:00.001-08:00

"As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."
Jesus (John 20:21)

There is no question at all about the call that Jesus has made to his church: it is to live as he has lived, in obedience to God his Father; it is to go as Jesus himself was sent into the world.

Not for the church the comforts of a holy huddle, or the pursuit of empire. It is to point the way to a satisfying relationship with the living God. The church is sent to feed the poor, bind up wounds, set prisoners free. She is to be an agent of transformation - filled with the Spirit, nurtured on the Word, and empowered by God's very presence.

In a time of so much darkness, the world needs to experience as much as to know the good news of Jesus - that he offers forgiveness in place of guilt, wholeness instead for brokenness, and hope where there is none.

Same journey, new journal

2008-12-26T00:05:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Hope EFC's new blog journal.

As many are you are aware, our church blog began enthusiastically enough in 2006. Alas, as with many good intentions, it fell into neglect and disuse. But in keeping with our name, we're making a new start. Hope springs eternal in the human breast, as they say. It is the same hopeful journey, in the footsteps of our Lord Jesus; only we are reporting it in a new blog journal. We shall to the best of our abilities record our milestones, things we are learning and doing, directions we're taking, and places we're going.

As a people - that's what church is - we hope and pray this journal will document God's faithfulness along the way. Life is hard, but God is good! It is our deepest wish to give Him glory in everything we do, and we hope our online meditation will also record our thanks and gratitude for journey's mercies.

Soli Deo Gloria.