The Power to Serve

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

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?

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.

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Justified!

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

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

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

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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