FOMO, FOMOMO & JOMO

With today advance usage of smartphone and easy access to internet, social media is almost an essential tasks to many of us. Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Wechat, TikTok, You tube are common household name. And with this resources at our fingertips, we begin to live a life that is dependent on our phones. The fear of missing out what are happening around us arfe very real. We want to stay up to date with the latest trends and technologies. You see your friends getting promotion, travelling, celebrating another achievement, expanding their business and you start to wonder where have you gone wrong. Then, you scroll through an endless stream of pictures, ,videos, and memes, liking, commenting, until you feel uneasy and thought, "Am I living the best life I can give?"

FOMO - The Fear Of Missing Out is described as the "anxiety arising from the belief that other people are leading more active and fulfilled lives. FOMO is a serious social issue now.

But there is a more serious of FOMO. It's FOMOMO - Fear Of the Mystery Of Missing Out. This occur when you do not have your phone, or connection to the internet. When your phone is broken, out of battery or have it taken from you. You wonder what are you missing. It is not that you are adraid of missing out, or what you see on the social media, but it's what you don't see that's causing you real angst. The anxiety deepens.

So in the attempt to counter FOMO. a new trend call JOMO- Joy Of Missing Out emerged. It advocates that we look for pleasure gained from enjoying one's current activities without worrying about the other people. This sound very nice and just how many people can do that? I believe the real problem is that it is all about self. It is self centred. When all we think about is ourselves, we start comparing ourselves. Either way, FOMO, FOMOMO and JOMO will be the problem. Being focus on oneself usurps the Blibical commands to love and care for our neighbours (John 13:34-35) and to bear others burdens (Gal 6:2). Being self centre is directly opposed to the clear command, "No one should seek their own good, but the good of others." (1 Corinthians 10:24). Jesus set the best example for us to follow. All that he did was never for himself. When we indulge in ourselves, we will miss the point - to always honor others and God,

David's psalm of Repentance

David was an important figure in the Judaism. In the Jewish tradition, and so it was told. Adam, the first man was supposed to have lived longer than any man, a thousand years. One day Adam begged God to let him see the future and God led him through the celestial chambers, where the souls that were to be born awaited their turn. Each soul was a flame. Adam saw some flames burn purely, some barely flicker.
Then Adam saw a beautiful flame, clear, strong, golden orange, and healing. Adam said. ‘Oh Lord, that will be a great human being. When shall it be born?’ The Lord replied, sorry, Adam, but that soul, as beautiful as it is, is destined not to be born. It has been pre-ordained that it will commit sin and tarnish itself. I have chosen to spare it indignity of being besmirched.’
Adam pleaded, ‘But Lord, man must have someone to teach and guide him. Please, do not deprive my children.’ The Lord gently answered, ‘The decision has been made. I have no years left to allocate to him.’ Then Adam boldly said, ‘Lord, what if I am willing to bestow on that soul some of the years of my life?’ And God answered Adam, saying, ‘If that is your wish, then I will grant.’
Adam, we are told, died not at 1000 but at 930 years. And eons later, there was a child born in the town of Bethlehem. He became ruler over Israel. After leading his people and inspiring them, he died. And the Bible concludes; ”Behold, David the King was buried after having lived for 70 years.” (2 Sa 5:4; 1 Ch 29:26-28)

No Christian can testify that when he became a Christian, sin was erased. The tendency to sin is still as real as before the conversion. Even though we are save we still sin and worst is that we still derive pleasure from our sin. We still struggle with sinful habit. Sometimes we fall into shameful scandalous sin. Our thoughts and our words are always not what they are supposed to be. Our minds and affections are set on things that will pass away. Our hearts grow cold to things holy and evangelistic.
David was such a person.

David was one that really walked with God and he clearly always had God in his mind. At the time of facing Goliath, he cried out who dare to defile the name of the Holy God. He would not touch Saul for he believed he was God anointed. Of things that he said and done, you would have thought that there is no way he can sin against God. On the plus side, he was a Sheppard, a war hero, an inventor, a worshipper, a giver, a building designer, a true friend, a song writer, and a musician. On the minus side, he was an adulterer, a murderer, a lousy husband and an over indulgent, yet unconcerned father. He broke 6 of the 10 commandments. With a passing mark of 40%, you can hardly call him a man after God’s own heart. Yet he was.

We are also imperfect like David. We too sin. Don’t ever think that we will never commit a sin like David. Jesus said in Matthew 5:28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Malcolm Muggeridge, the famous British journalist, author, Christian convert and writer was a fascinating man. His influence in journalism as well as Christianity was quite powerful. He was particularly well known for making Mother Theresa known throughout the world. At the age of 79, together with his wife, they converted to Catholics.

In his autobiography as told by Ravi in a recent sermon, Malcolm Muggeridge recalled a time when he was in India. He was there living some years at the school of journalism as a young man. One day he came out of the building in the early hour for a morning swim. The building was by a river. Way out in the distance, he saw an Indian woman beginning to disrobe and get into the river to take her bath. Malcolm began to eye her and wonder if this is the moment for him to cross certain line. Seduction became stronger and he began to swim towards her. He says his mind is telling him this is wrong, this is wrong, yet on the other hand he can give her a meager offer. She would take his proposal after all she is a village woman and he is a rich man from another country. He swam harder and harder. He knew this was wrong but he persuade himself this is the moment to cross the line As he came closer, she became fearful because she wonder who this person was coming to violate her privacy. As he came close to her, she raised her hand to cover herself. To her own shock, saw this white gentleman emerged from the water, Shocking as it was to the woman, it was even more shocking to him when he came within a foot of her.. As the woman raise her hands to cover herself, he realized that he was looking at the face of a leper. The fingers were all worn away and the nostril were all gone with the eye brow and eye lashes. He said it was like looking at an animal peering out from her cheek bone. And he said I look at her nauseated for the moment and thought to myself .what a lecherous woman. When I hung my head in shame and realize it wasn’t the lecherous woman that was the problem, it was my own lecherous heart with which I was living. For the first time he saw his heart under God microscope for him.

David was a great worshipper. He was a great writer and singer of psalms. He had declared the blessedness of God. But he had a problem. He was a sinful man even though he had been forgiven by God. He had problem with woman for he can take anyone no matter who she belongs to.

It was at the height of his power and blessing under the goodness of God that he was infatuated with a beautiful Bathsheba, who was the wife of one of his military officer named Uriah. Bathsheba was not innocent as much as David as she put herself in the scene of David. Neither was David innocent as he also placed himself in a position where he was tempted. He should be out fighting with his men. We were told he sent for her and later found out that she was pregnant. He now had a dilemma. So he arranged for Uriah to come back so that he can claim to father the Child. When that plan failed, David conveniently arranged for Uriah to be killed in the battle. It was cold blooded murder. David later gave a honor military funeral for Uriah and proceeded as if it was a noble act to marry his widow. But the child died and they have other children.

For David when confronted by Nathan, the whole scene began to weight him down and he became obsess with the burden of the sin. It preyed on his mind until he got the relief through confession. This is what we see in Psalm 51.

We can learn from David. A total acknowledgement and take full ownership and repentance from whatever sin in our lives will make us men and women after God’s own heart. Someone once asked a preacher that you said the unsaved people carry a great weight of sin, but I don’t feel anything. The preacher answered if you lay a 400lb weight on a corpse, would he feel the load? Only a Christian has the capacity to feel the weight of sin. The guilt of disobedient interrupts the fellowship with God. That’s why confession of sin needs to be the ongoing thing in our life.

Psalm 51 is the true confession of a broken and contrite hearted person. It sums up how David feels after he realized his sin has put him separated from God. This psalm bears the mark of deep guilt. It was written in remorse out of pain, anxiety and fear. It reveals the essence of a true confessor.

Sin had made him dirty and he wants to be clean. Guilt had made him sick and he wants to be well. Disobedience has made him lonely and he wanted to be reconciled. Rebellion had made him fearful and he wanted to be pardoned. A man who feel dirty, sick, lonely and fearful. The consequence of sin. Out of that, he poured out his confession.

His confession brings out the 3 components. Firstly, he sees the sin as what it is, secondly, he see God for who He is and thirdly he sees himself for who he is.

David knew his sin deserved judgment and is against God (v 4). Sin also removes joy and gladness (V8) and cut off fellowship with God (V11). But he appealed to God’s grace and mercy (verse 1). He pleaded for God’s compassion. He knows his guilt and he asked God to blot out his transgression. David acknowledged his sin – my guilt, my sin, my rebellion (verse 2,3). He blames no one else and took full responsibility. Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the serpent. He knows that he cannot blame God in his judgment. (Verse 4,5) Acknowledge that you can only appeal to God’s grave because you cannot merit God’s mercy and restoration. This is a broken and contrite heart. And that the Lord will not despise.

Secondly, True confession brings out the view of God. He move from the view of sin to the view of God in Verse 6. God desires holiness. True confession recognizes that I am sinner and appealed to God to clean on the inside. God look in the heart and you don’t want a superficial change (V10). David not only recognizes the holiness of God, but he also sees the power of God. God can clean him and God can purify him (Verse 7). More importantly, God is willing to forgive. He wants restoration and reconciliation (verse 8,9). David sees that His God can purify and clean his sin because He is powerful, merciful and full of compassion (V2,7)

David continues his prayer in verse 10 to verse 12. He had seen sin as it is and he knows who his God is. He asks for clean heart, steadfast spirit, not isolation from God. David also see how his forgiveness impact others. (Verse 13) The fact is that if my life is not pure, I cannot be useful to others. What is at stake here is our usefulness to the church.

So, in summary: After David sinned, when he failed miserably, he took the blame and repented. He did not try to put blame on anyone else. He repented and seek forgiveness from God. A God who is full of grace and mercy. Most importantly, his repentance is genuine as it was from his heart, he completely turned away from the sin. Bathsheba was his last wife and there were no more adulterous affairs. Even at his old age and on his death bed, his servants brought him virgin girl to lie with him to keep him warm, he did not touch her.

This is where I believe lies the greatest truth revealed in the God that we trust. He is a God with a very big heart. Compassion and full of grace, ready to forgive. We learn it from this from the Psalm of David. Our God will not cast you away when you go to Him in repentance after you have sinned.

There is a saying among the Sages that we are to repent exactly one day before we die. But how do you know it’s the day before you die? Exactly. Now is the time. Everyday.

Let’s go back to the third point. Ie How does the forgiveness of God for us impact others? We need to cover 2 issues here. First, we must trust God and really surrender and know that He can relieve our sin and secondly, we must transfer that forgiveness to others who may have sin against us.
There are many Christians who feel defeated because they cannot get rid of guilt or feel forgiven. C.S. Lewis says Satan's strategy is to get Christians preoccupied with their failures; from then on, the battle is won.
Many are only sorry for the consequence of a sin. A lot of people are going to church today without real repentance. According to John Macarthur, the mistake we make to day is to treat sin in 3 ways. First we hide it. Adam and Eve did it immediately when they realized that they have sinned against God. They sew fig leaves to cover and hid themselves from God. The second way we treat sin is we try to justify it. This is exactly what David did. Today we don’t even want to use the term sin. We call it mistake and find excuses for it. And finally we make light of sin.

Eugene Peterson, who paraphrased the Bible for his children, known as the message edition today, was a pastor in New York. In his book, running with horses told of a story about a man who was the janitor at his church. Willie Orser was a hard working but difficult to reach person. Although working as the janitor, he was actually a good artist. Eugene Peterson came out with a brilliant idea that he will ask Willie to paint a portrait of him. He will spend 2 to 3 hours a week for him to paint and he will have the chance to reach out to him. Willie started work on the portrait but will not allow Eugene to look at the portrait until it was finished. Finally the portrait was done and Willie’s wife came in to take a look. Suddenly she shrieked and uttered in her native tongue that it did not resembled Eugene Peterson. Eugene rushed over to look at the portrait. The portrait depicted a very sad looking Peterson. There was no compassion in the eyes. No pathos in his expression and there was no tenderness in his smile. Eugene asked Willie why had him painted him in such a manner. Willie slowly answered, ”Mr. Peterson, I have painted you the way I picture you the love of God had departed from you.” Eugene Peterson said that he had kept the portrait in the closet and every now and then he will take a look at the portrait to remind himself the love of God and how important it is to maintain the fellowship with our God.

In 1969 Simon Wiesenthal penned his thought-provoking book, The Sunflower, which captured the agony he personally experienced in one of history's darkest moments. Relating one encounter with the Holocaust, Wiesenthal described how he had been taken from a Nazi death-camp to a makeshift army hospital. He was ushered by a nurse to the side of a Nazi soldier who had asked to have a few private moments with a Jew. Wiesenthal warily entered the room and was brought face to face with a fatally wounded man, bandaged from head to toe. The man struggled to face him and spoke in broken words. Wiesenthal nervously endured the anxious monologue, finding himself numbed by the encounter. At the hands of Nazi soldiers like the one now dying before him, Wiesenthal had lost 89 of his own relatives. Here, the soldier confessed to the heinous act of setting ablaze an entire village of Jews; at his whim, men, women, and children were burned to death. With great anxiety, he described his inability to silence from his mind the screams of those people. Now on a deathbed himself, the man was making a last desperate attempt to seek the forgiveness of a Jew. The man begged him to stay, repeating his cry for forgiveness, but Wiesenthal could only walk away.

Yet even years later he wondered if he had done the right thing. Should he have accepted the man's repentance and offered the forgiveness so earnestly sought? Had he neglected a weighted invitation to speak or was silence the only appropriate reply? Seeking an answer, Wiesenthal wrote to thirty-two men and women of high regard—scholars, noble laureates, psychologists, and others. Twenty-six of the thirty-two affirmed his choice to not offer the forgiveness that was sought. Six speculated on the costly, but superior, road of pardon and mercy.

I don't know what it would take to absolve anyone of so monumental a crime. I don't know if it is possible to offer forgiveness for something so far beyond our moral reach. But I know that even in the most unfathomable places the God of Scripture somehow carries the burden of grace. Who can fathom the Son of God on the cross pleading with the Father to forgive the guilty for killing him? Who can conceive of a God who comes among his people, trusting himself to the hands of a fallen world, even knowing the troubling outcome? Who can grasp the heart of a God who chooses to love an undeserving people? To live as one marked by this disruptive grace is not easy. The command to forgive is thoroughly unsettling; in fact, it is sometimes haunting. To persist in love when we are tired or overwhelmed, or even rightfully angered by injustice, is a massive and costly request.

I have often found it easier to fit into shoes of the prodigal son than the shoes of the remaining older brother. Yet in this well-known parable of Jesus, both sons are invited to celebrate and rejoice. To the wayward child who has squandered and defamed, God's grace is lavish. It is extravagant and poured out on those who neither expect it nor deserve it. The celebration is thrown in the honor of the run-away, in honor of the return of just one lost sheep. When these shoes are ours, we are both humbled by the Father's attention and compelled by his mercy.

Yet to the child on the other side of justice, the Father's grace is jarring and disruptive—indeed, prodigal, reckless and wasteful. His invitation to the feast is both awkward and demanding, a seeming call to overlook the potential of our reckless brother to strike again at our expense. These shoes are much harder to walk in. The Father's call to forgive the one whose sincerity is questionable is often agonizing; his command to love the habitual prodigals in our midst is both costly and exhausting.

But it is his request. "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" asked Peter. But Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven" (Matthew 18:21-22). God's grace disrupts our sense of righteousness and summons us to respond in similar kind. Whether we find ourselves in the shoes of the prodigal or treading the difficult ground of the older brother there is good reason to rejoice and celebrate the unveiling love of the Father. His unfathomable grace and mercy shatters our sense of who is worthy to enjoy the benefits of God's kingdom, inviting us to the celebration regardless of where we stand.

Conclusion

DL Moody once said that You and Christ cannot be one until you and sin are two. We need to come clean before God to confess and repent of our sin even if it is habitual sin as we do not want the fellowship with our God to be interrupted. In the same way, we must live to forgive others who may have sin against us.

Jesus Christ, Our Rock

Bursa Malaysia is the stock exchange of Malaysia. But in Turkey, Bursa is a city located in the north western province of Bursa. She has a population of slightly less than 3 million. Although not directly, it is almost surround by sea of water. On the north east is the Black sea, on the north is the Marmara Sea, and on the East is the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. The body of waters and the mountains are the factors which create strong wind in Bursa. Throughout the year and peak in December, extremely strong wind will blow through the city. The wind locally named as Lodos is so strong that if you are less than 100 pound, you would be blown off the street when it hits.

Because of this phenomenon, houses and building are built with strong foundations and mostly of brick and stone. A few years ago, when Lodos made one of its many visits, a school collapsed and killed 6 school children. Imagine the horror when they discovered that the school was not built to the standard and that the builder was under the illusion that it is ok and that nothing will happen.

Another incident in Taiwan is that a building had collapsed and the authority found out that the builder had used empty drum and even paper and paper boxes to fill in the gap between bricks.

Story like this is not new and not news to us for we in Malaysia also experienced many instances of collapsed building because of poor foundation and building that was built not according to the standard. The stadium in Terengganu, a mall in Johor and so on.

Our life is also like a building. If we do not have a firm foundation, when Lodos comes our way, we will not be able to withstand the trials and tribulations and we will crumble easily under the pressure.

In Matthew 16, Jesus asked his disciples, 13 “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”. 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” But most importantly, Jesus wants to know what do they think. In verse 15, he asked 15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

When Jesus, the Son of God asked a question, I think we better pay attention. Who do you say I am?

In Genesis 32, there is a story of Jacob wrestling with God. Now let me just refresh your memory on Jacob. Jacob and Esau were the sons of Isaac and Rebecca. Jacob stole his brother’s birth rights and had to flee to stay with his mother’s brother, Laban, his uncle. He then had to work additional years just to married his love, Rachel having being duped into marrying the eldest daughter Leah first. Anyway, From Jacob, we have the 12 tribes of Israel.

Now in Genesis 32, Jacob is returning and prepared to meet his brother Esau and that night, he met God alone face to face and it is here that we read he wrestled with God. I want to bring to your attention on verse 27 The man asked him, “What is your name?”
“Jacob,” he answered.

Let’s just pause for a second here. Why did the all knowing God ask the question, what is your name. Of course He knows. God is reminding Jacob that remember who you are, you are the cunning deceiving brother who stole your brother’s birth right. But listen, you will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel 28 Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”

So it is with you this morning. Never mind your past. Never mind your struggle. Jesus is wants you to answer the questions he asked his disciple “who do you say I am”. Now listen to the answer given by Peter. Matthew 16: 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” And here is Jesus respond to Peter: Yes on this confession about me, on this rock, I will build my church. Jesus is saying that we are sinners, cunning and untrustworthy. But he is also saying that he is the Rock that we can build on.

1 For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.

Paul in his letter to Corinth as recorded in 1 Cor 10:4 reaffirmed that the Rock was Christ. The passage that Paul refers to is about the children of Israel wandering through the wilderness, God caused water to flow from a rock. Moses reflected on this miraculous event when they are about to enter into the promised land in Deut 8:15. He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock.

Moses also said in Ex 33:22 that God hid him in the cleft of the rock and covered him with His hand for protection.

With these background experiences, Moses was the first to use the word Rock when he describe God. He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. Ex 32:4 .

Other speak of God in this figurative way are Hannah and David. Hannah prayed “There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. (1 Sam 2:2)

The word Rock is used no less than 20 times in Psalm when the writer describes God. It is almost synonymous with fortress, shield and refuge.

From all these scriptures, we can find a few of God’s attributes related as Rock.

Jesus is our Rock of:
1) supply who quenches our thirst (Exo 17; Deut 8:15, Phil 4:19)
After the children of Israel left Egypt and wandered in the desert, they grumbled to Moses and the Lord for water. The Lord asked Moses to strike the rock and water come out of it. Paul took a Christology interpretation of the story and reminded the Corinthians again that Jesus Christ is the Lord who will quench our thirst when he wrote in 1 Cor 10 3 They all ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.

2) safety who protects us (2 Sam 22:1-7; Psalm 18:1-4; 62;2)
When the Lord delivered David from his enemies and from Saul, he sang praise to the Lord and described Him as the Rock who provide safety for him to take refuge 1 I love you, LORD, my strength. 2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 94:2 also speak of the Lord Rock who provide safe refuge in time of trouble. 22 But the LORD has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge.

3) ages who is eternal (Isa 26:4; Heb 13:8)
We are all familiar of the hymn Rock of ages. Isaiah 26:4 Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb 13:8). He eternally exist and promise to be with us all the time.

4) strength whom we can stand on (Psalm 40:2; 62:2)
Another favorite hymn we always sing is On Christ the solid Rock I stand,, all other ground is sinking sand. Psalm 40 1 I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. 2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. And in Psalm 62: 2 Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
I heard a very interesting interview of Dr James Dobson with Michele Bauchman, the congress woman from Minnesota and the presidential candidate for the Republican party recently. She and her husband, a doctor are devoted Christian who have 5 biological children but raised 23 foster children. She said that she came from a broken family. The parents divorced and her mother who made $4800 raise them all. She found Christ when she was 16. Over the year, through all her difficulties and facing all the challenges, Jesus Christ is the rock that she cling to for support and for strength. She said you can read it all in her just released book, Core Conviction, My Story. You see, Jesus Christ is real. He is our solid strength. I am not saying she is the right or wrong candidate for the President. But her testimony is worth paying attention to.

Rock solid – this is what God’s gift to us, in Jesus Christ. He promised to be with us, secure and stable, providing and supply our needs for all times. In just one week time, we will be celebrating Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ. What will be our gift to him?
May I suggest that you offer yourself as a gift to God. Remember that Jesus is only a rock to those who put their trust in Him. But to those who rejected him, He will be a stumbling rock. A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them (1 Pet 2:8) But if you are to reject him. Jesus is a stumbling stone. Peter made it very clear, that when Jesus became a stumbling block, we will fall (1 Peter 2:8)

Conclusion
There is no middle ground. If we believe, Jesus can be our rock upon which we can build and face the Lodos of our lives or he can be our stumbling stone over which we will fall.

Salvation and Rewards

Eph 2: 1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.


Let me begin by asking how many of you have been in court before? I don’t mean as a spectator or a lawyer. I mean as a subject under the scrutiny of the lawyer or judge. I can tell you it is not presence. I was witness for 3 cases and appeared in court for at least 5 times and each time, it is upsetting and uncomfortable. The lawyer will try to put your character to the test and you almost have to defense yourself. In fact it was like I am the one on trial.

But there is another even more important court case that all of us have to attend. For everyone of us, there is no escape as at the end, everyone will have to face God in one of His two courts. Those who are believers who follow Him will have to face Him in the court call the judgment seat. For the unbelievers, you have to face God in the court call the Great White throne. It is in this court that all of us have to answer to him. It is the final judgment.
These two future judgments are very different from each other. At the Great White throne, unbelievers will face God’s final judgment for eternal condemnation. On the other hand, believers will face God one on one at the judgment seat and be rewarded for the services rendered to Him. One is total utter tragedy while the other is sheer jubilation.

To avoid in the court where the Great white throne is, you have to be a believer. This salvation is given to you free. You only have to accept it. You do not have to work for it but you do have to work for the rewards at the judgment seat.

In short, the great white throne is where we are judged for being not saved and the judgment seat is where we are judged for being saved.

There are clear distinctions between work for salvation and work for rewards. Let’s look at salvation and rewards now.

Salvation

Many years ago, one of my guests complained that my receptionist was rude to him. I apologized to him and got the details from him. Apparently, he was asking for some free added things from the receptionist and my receptionist, Edwin was upset after his badgering and told him straight to the face that “Free things are not good and good things are not free”.

Is it true that “Free things are not good and good things are not free”? In a sense it is true when so many shops and sales throw in worthless freebies just that you will buy the thing. But as far as salvation is concerned, it is the best free thing one can get. Even better, it is from God.

Eph 2:8 & 9 are the two verses which we shared a lot with our friends and one that we that comfort in. Salvation cannot be earned and provided free to all of us. But the problem is that we stop reading and did not continue to verse 10. Verse 10 is very clear that we are created to do good work. There is life after salvation and we must not just sit back and relax. God requires that we produce fruits and give an account at the end of our life when we meet him in heaven.

The first thing we see is that salvation is provided by God for all sinners. (Eph 2:3) It does not discriminate and because all of us, black or white, yellow or red. Young or old, short or tall, fat or thin, male or females are sinners, it is for all of us. In John 3:16, it says who so ever will.

Don’t miss the second point here: salvation is for our sins. (Eph 2:1) We read through the Bible and we know we human are fallen creatures who rebelled against God. But God has a plan to redeem His people to Him. His plan is through payment of a ransom. The ransom is through His own Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Verses that talk about God’s redemptive plan are Rom 6:23; Gal 3:22; John 1:12; Rom 5:8-9; 1Tim 1:15; Luke 19:10. Jesus came to die specifically for our sin. Jesus shed His blood specifically to bring about salvation of mankind.

And thirdly, once we accepted Jesus Christ’s payment for our sin, God says He will choose to remember our sins no more. In Hebrews 10:17 we read “Their sins and lawless acts, I will remember no more.” What it is saying here is not that God forgets our sin, but that He chooses not to remember. God is perfect, He cannot forget. In Samuel, there are 2 full chapters on David’s sin with Bathsheba (2 Sam 11,12). But when you come to Chronicles, you read all about David but none about with Bathsheba. You see when God forgive. He does not remember the sins anymore.

The next observation is that although not all sinners are the same, salvation is same for all. Salvation does not depend on us. It does not matter how far we came along, salvation provides the same rescue. Although the experience of coming to Christ may differ from one to another, once we are saved, we all become a new creation (2 Cor 5:17). Whether you accepted Jesus at a young age or in your dying moment like the thief at the cross, both are saved. Look at Saul/Paul, Lydia and the jailer. They all came from different back ground yet they are all came to the same faith.

Finally, salvation is a gracious gift from God. Eph 2:8-9 says “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. There is no prior condition and there is no string attached. Salvation is not under point system that you need to accumulate your work and sacrifice and then redeem it when you have gathered enough points. You cannot earn your salvation but it required your faith. It is God who tell us that the work is Done.

About a month ago, I asked my secretary what had happened to her as she looked rather pale. She told me that she is fasting. Puzzled as Ramadham is not even close, I asked her why she is fasting. I am doing it to pay back what I missed last year. She was trying to make up for the missed day that she was to fast last year. The next day, she came to me looked even more sick and handed me a medical chit. The doctor had given her a day sick leave.

After about a couple of weeks, I was able to ask her if her God will be happy to see her suffer just to please Him? There are indeed many, even among Christians who will go a long way to torture, to suffer in order to gain the peace with God. “If this is your God, will you think again?”, I asked her. Jesus had done it all and there is no more doing in our part in order to be saved. Salvation cannot be earned.

Rewards

In contrast, rewards are quite different from salvation. Firstly, while salvation is provided by God for all sinners, rewards are provided by God for all saints. The Bible addresses all believers as saints once they become believers. God has work in mind for you the saints who is the living people after salvation. “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Eph 2;10)” and in 1 Cor 9:24, Paul said that he wants to be qualified for the prize.
The next contrast we will see is that salvation is for our sins but rewards are for our service. Heb 6:10 says God is not unjust, He will not forget your work. What a contrast in that He does not want to remember our sin but wants to remember our work.

Earlier we said that salvation is same for all, it does not matter how far and where we came along. But rewards are very different. Rewards depend on our works. In fact, rewards are proportionate to our service to Him. Everybody gets the same salvation but not everybody gets the same rewards. We will receive our wages according to our labor. (1 Cor 3:10-15). And in 2 Cor 5:10, we read “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. “ Also in Matt 16:27, it says that “For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done. “

Our ability to do work is God’s gracious gift to us. His rewards to us are also His gracious wage paid to us for the work we are able to accomplish for Him. Jesus declares in Rev 22:12 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.” That is why Paul said he wants to fight a good fight, he wants to finish the race, and keep his faith. (2 Tim 4:7).

Rewards require our faithfulness. We need to continue faithfully for the work we carry out for the work. At the end, it is God who will tell us, “Well Done”.

Conclusion

The contrast for salvation and rewards are very clear and distinct. 1) Salvation is for sinners. Reward is for saints. 2) Salvation is for our sin. Rewards are for our service to Him. 3) God will not remember our sin and not forget our works. 4) Salvation is same for every sinner. Reward is different for every saint. 5) Salvation is a gracious gift from God. Rewards are gracious wage from God paid to us. 6) Salvation requires faith. Rewards require faithfulness. 7) Salvation is when God said Done. Rewards are when God says Well Done.

So the question is what should we do? Think of the 3Rs. In our environment awareness world, the 3 Rs of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle are known to all. For us the believers, having believed, should also practice the 3Rs of believers. Receive, Reflect and Response. Don’t be an RC. No, I am not saying don’t be a Roman Catholic. Don’t be a retired Christian. Respond and live up to the expectation. Deliver the good work that God has promised for us.

A pastor was talking to a man at his death bed. The man seem sad and the pastor asked him if he is afraid to die. He said, ”No pastor. I am not afraid to die. I am just ashamed to die.” You see, not everybody will earn rewards. God has a program for us who are the living people after our salvation. The real life begins immediately upon salvation. Any work before salvation will not be acceptable by God but our work after salvation will be encouraged and rewarded.

Remember that salvation is now and that rewards are in the future. You cannot earn your salvation but you must earn your rewards. We all must get ready for the journey : we need to get to know the savior and start our work. You must be saved first before your work will count because that will be your service to Him. Once saved, you and I have this short life to work and earn our rewards that we can enjoy forever. What are we waiting for?

Jesus responds to our Needs

In psychology class we learn about Maslow's hierarchy of needs. According to him we human have 5 level of needs. It starts at level 1 with the physiological needs that are vital to survival, such as the need of water, air, food and rest. Level 2 is the security needs which are important for survival. This include a desire for steady employment, health insurance, safe neighborhood and shelter from the environment. Then it goes on to social needs, Esteem needs and self-actualizing needs. While this is only a secular interpretation of human needs and even then, there are many other authors who advocates different needs. It is true that we all have needs, tons of needs. But it does not matter how you categorize these needs, Philippians 4:19 says it all: “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”. Plain and simple, the source that meet our needs is the Lord Jesus Christ.


Indeed Jesus understand and care about us. He will respond to our needs because in 1 Peter 3:7 we read : Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

We can study the four gospels and look at how Jesus responds to all who have came in contact with him,. From these encounters, you will notice that many times, it is Jesus that probed them before they even realize and asked for their needs.

There are no less than 125 incidents of Jesus meeting and talking or teaching to people. From total strangers to his disciples. From Pharisees to the rulers. Each time, he always give them new insights. On top of this, he performed 35 miracles of healing, 9 miracles such as turning water to wine, feeding of multitude with simple food, walking on water and catching of fish. You will see that He cares for the physical as well as spiritual needs of the people.

Jesus has no hesitation to call the religious authorities a “brood of vipers,” “blind fools,”, or “hypocrites”. He insulted the nation king by calling him a “fox”. He said to the face of his good friend and disciple, Peter, “Get behind me Satan”. But at the same time, he showed his compassions to the people in many occasions and tenderly calling the people, “my child”, “daughter”, and said things like “I feel sorry for these people”. Throughout the gospel we read that Jesus has compassion for children (Mk 10:13-16), for women (Lk 7:36-50; 8:42-48, John 4:1-40) and for the marginalized members of the society (John 8:1-11; Lk 19:1-10) and most significantly, Jesus has compassion for the spiritual needy. We will not have time to go through all the encounters of Jesus , but we will look at a few examples and look into the response of Jesus when he encountered the various people’s needs.

1. Jesus responds to our needs when we place our faith in Him

a. Jesus Calms the Storm (Mark 4:35-41; John 8:22-25)

35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” 39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. 40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” (Mark 4:35-41)

22 One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. 23 As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger 24 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. 25 “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.” (John 8:22-25)

b. Jesus Raises a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman (Mark 5:21-43; John 8:40-55)

21 When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22 Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. 23 He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” 24 So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. 30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” 31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”

32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” 35 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?” 36 Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” 37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” 40 But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). 42 Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat. (Mark 5:21-43)

John 8:40 Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. 41 Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house 42 because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying. As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. 43 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. 44 She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. 45 “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.” 47 Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. 48 Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” 49 While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.” 50 Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” 51 When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child’s father and mother. 52 Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.” 53 They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” 55 Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. 56 Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened. (John 8:40-55)

In the first incident, in their fear, the disciples cried out to Jesus. Of course, they blamed it on Jesus that he does not care. But instead Jesus asked that “Why are you afraid? Where is your faith?” In the second story, why did Jesus insist on pointing out that someone had touched Him. Jesus is showing all the people that ‘Your faith has healed you. Go in peace’. He said the same thing to Jairus. “Don’t be afraid, just believe”. Of course he meant what he said, the girl was healed.

Jesus did not ask for more. As long as we put our faith in Him, he responds.

2. Jesus responds to our needs so that we can see our real needs

a. A Blind Beggar Receives His Sight (Luke 18:35-41)

35 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36 When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38 He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41 What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,” he replied. 42 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” 43 Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God. (Luke 18:35-41)

b. The Healing at the Pool

1 Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesd and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 3 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed 4 5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” 7 “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” 8 Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” 9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.(John 5:1-9)

c. Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man

1 Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. 2 Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” 3 At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!” 4 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? 5 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 6 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” 7 Then the man got up and went home. 8 When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man. (Matt 9: 1-8)

In the first 2 cases, why did Jesus ask a question that has such an obvious answer? Jesus did not ask the question because he did not know the answer. He asked the question in order to let the man know what their real need is. He asked them so that they realize their need and what He can do for them. What is obvious is that we think we know our need is but what is not obvious is what Jesus thinks our need is.
In the third case, Jesus did not ask the man “what do you want me to do?” Jesus first told him that his sins are forgiven thereby telling the teachers that they too are paralyzed like the man and need to have their sin forgiven (v6), In the end, the first 2 men received from Jesus what they think was their greatest need: physical healing. The paralytic, however, received what Jesus perceived as the greatest need: forgiveness of sins. He gives more than their needs.

3. Jesus responds to our needs by showing us it is the wrong need

a. The Request of James and John

35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” 36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. 37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” 38 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” 39 “We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40 but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”

41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. 42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus will not necessarily respond positively to all our request. Yes He will respond but He still may respond negatively. The request of James and John is selfish and lack understand on the whole purpose of God. Yet we see that Jesus did not rebuke them but merely corrected them of their misunderstanding. In addition, Jesus taught them a great lesson in humility, not only to James and John but also to the other disciples who were indignant.

We need to know the priority in our life so that we will see the real needs. Jesus does not necessarily have to respond positive to you if it does not fall into his will.

Application

Now that we have seen how Jesus responded to the needs of the people around him, our next question is how do we apply it to our lives. Do we have the attitude and mind of Christ to handle our own needs.

1. Realize our needs and that Jesus can fulfill these needs for us

2. Know the "right" needs

3. Put our faith in Jesus

What about the needs of those around us? We too can share the same insight to them.

But while we are pointing Jesus to others, let us remind each other that while it is nice and biblical to say that Jesus meets all our needs, we have to be careful that we do not intentionally make him our slave. Very often, we make the mistake of treating Jesus like the genie in the bottle. It is as if he is at our commands anytime, anywhere and he will respond to any of our request. When our needs become ambiguous, and its range cover our selfish desires, and that the gospel promise a fulfilled life, we may present salvation as a mean of receiving what Christ offer without obeying what he commands, we shifted our focus from God’s glory to human’s benefit. Don’t make the mistake of what William Willimon says that in the church today, we have an almost exclusive focus upon Jesus as the one who feeds, loves, and heals and as almost complete neglect of Jesus as the one who saves.

Christmas 2010

I read in an article recently that this Christmas, President Obama can expect to receive numerous Christmas cards urging him to end the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. A group called CMEP, churches for Middle East Peace is waging a campaign calling thousand of Christians and non Christians across America to send the card to the President.

Many people would like to seek world peace. In fact there is a movement call COEXIST. I am not sure if you have read or seen it, but you can look it up on the internet. The word COEXIST is drawn such that the C is a crescent representing Islam, O is the symbol of peace, the letter e is attached with the symbol of + and -> which shows males & females. Then the letter X is the star of David and the letter I is drawn to represent the pagan symbol. The letter S is cleverly drawn to show the Yin & Yang symbol to represent Taoism and Confucianism and finally the letter T is drawn as a cross to represent Christianity. The movement is advocating the co-existence of all people, males & females, of all races and religions. The problem is that to co-exist, every one is always playing the waiting game of you first. I can co-exist with you but you have to move first to accept me. And so, we have the Palestinians Arabs tell the Jews to respect and follow their belief and the Jews are saying to the Arabs, no you accept my belief first. Since no one is willing to make the first move, COEXIST foundation is only a nice concept, a nice belief.

Christmas is a wonderful and joyful season and indeed many people would like to associate peace with Christmas. Make no mistake about this, we are talking about real peace. This is not a concept but a relationship.

The bible tells us that Jesus Christ is the only begotten son of God. Well, Have you ever wonder how come God has a son? Do you know? I don’t know. I don’t know how and why God has a son but one thing I do know, God’s son is the savior of the world. In Luke 1 we read about the birth of Jesus. The angel told Mary that she will give birth to a Son and she is to call him Jesus, the Son of the most high The child to be born will be called holy, the son of God. (Luke 1:31,35).

Continue reading in Luke 2: 7 “She gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” And then the angels told the shepherds: But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." (Luke 2;10-14)

This is in fulfillment of the prophecy by Isaiah written hundred of years before Jesus was born. Isaiah wrote: For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isa 9:6).

Isaiah did not say a son is born. But a child is born, and a son is given. The Son is with the Father from the beginning.
The scripture is very clear that a Saviour name Jesus is born. He is among many things, Mighty God, the prince of peace.
Even though the Term "Son of God" occurs 47 times in the King James New Testament. Even though in reference to Jesus, it is a title as the heavenly, eternal Son who is equal to God the Father (John 5:18-24). He possesses all authority in heaven and earth (Matt. 28:18), and Jesus had glory with the Father before the world was made (John 17:5).

During his ministry on the earth for about 3 years, Jesus taught and he preached and he performed many miracles. He walked on water, healed the sick. He calmed the storm and raised the dead. You name it. The teaching of Jesus Christ has been passed down to us until today and if you are to ask anyone, most people likes his teaching and most do not dispute his philosophy of love, forgiveness and justice. You know, love your enemy, turn the other cheek and protect the poor and the under privileged. He was harsh towards the hypocrites, the rich who were uncaring and the leaders who only looked after their own interest. Well who would dispute that? But if you are to mentioned he is the son of God, most would dispute. Many today question the identity of Jesus. This is the problem. If we do not accept the identity of the Prince of peace, can we expect peace in the Middle East? In the Korean peninsula? In Pakistan? In Africa and even in our country Malaysia.


One pastor make it very clear:

There will never be peace in the world until there is peace in nations.
There will never be peace in the nations until there is peace in communities.
There will never be peace in communities until there is peace in families.
There will never be peace in families until there is peace in individuals.
There will never be peace in individuals until we invite the Prince of Peace to reign in our hearts.
Jesus is the Prince of Peace.

So when you have the Prince of Peace reign in your heart, you have peace with God. This peace will bring the peace of God so that you can have peace with each other. It all begins with your relationship with God through His Son.

Ravi Zachariah told of a story that happened recently. With a few evangelical Christians, they were having a dialogues mediating between the Palestine and Israelites, trying to stop the bloodshed that killed so many innocent children and women. . In attendance was Syed Ala,one of the founder of Hamas. This is what Ravi Zachariah told him. “Syed Ala, your son is in prison, You have being in prison. 5000 years ago, Abraham took his son up to the mountain not far away from here. We don’t have to debate if it is Isaac or Ismael since the Muslim believe it was Ismael. But Abraham was about to sacrifice his son. As the axe is about to come down. God spoke to him. Do you know what God said. Sheik shook his head. Ravi continued. God spoke to Abraham “Stop. Do not lay a hand on the boy. For I myself will provide a lamb”. 2000 years ago, God took his son to another mountain, this time the axe didn’t stop. His son, His only son was sacrificed. Until you and I are willing to receive the son that God has provided for us, we will be offering ourselves as the sacrifice for the offering of power and land. Our sons will continue to fight.” You can hear a pin drop in the room in at the moment.

In March later this year, Ravi was in Damascas for the follow up meeting, In the meeting was a leading Cleric name Syed Hussein. In the midst of the discussion and translation, Ravi said that this gentle cleric bend over and spoke to him.. He said “May be it’s time for us Muslim to stop questioning if Jesus died on the cross and to start asking why he died.” Ravi said he never heard this in all his dialogues with other Muslims. He asked the cleric if he can quote him and got the permission that he even wrote an article about it.

Ladies and gentlemen, we are asked to get into the relationship with the son of God. He is Jesus. He came to died for sinners and then he rose from the dead and reign forever.

A story was told about a man in the Louvre looking at the famous painting of Mona Lisa. As he looked and looked, then he shook his head and said something like this painting is nothing special\. It’s not a nice painting. Then guard who was standing near by said to him. “Excuse me, sir. This painting is no longer on trial.” Mona Lisa is already established as a master piece and no one is asking your opinion.

So is Jesus Christ. The Bible has spoken and Jesus Christ has lived and proved He is the Son of God. He is no more on trial. Many today would like to question his identity but the fact is whatever your opinion is, He is still the Son of God, the prince of peace.

Jesus Christ born as a child into this world is not a knee jerk response by God to a tragic world that is plummeting towards destruction. It is not a last patch-job or a stop gap measure. This is a grand scheme of plan. It is a calculated choice. CS Lewis says it well: The Son of God becomes man so that men can become sons of God.

The Iphone is run with many small application programs call Apps. This Apps is very easy to use and can be customized easily. If you don’t like it, you just delete it. If you like it, then you can change the setting and run it the way you like it. We treat God like this Apps. We think we can customize God to fit our liking. We delete the part we do not like and squeeze or bend the part into our liking. But we need just to receive the gift from God, His Son, the prince of peace. Let the prince of peace reign in your heart. We don’t even have to customize it. Just receive him as you are and as He is. Once you have this relationship with Him, you can then have peace with Him.

The news gets so much better when you trust the Lord Jesus Christ with your whole heart. The Scripture promise that he who have the Son have the life, but he who does not have the son, does not have life. And if you are without Christ and have not placed your trust in the Son of God, just follow this simple prayer. Dear Heavenly Father, I acknowledge that I am a sinner and I realize my sin separate me from you. I need your forgiveness and I thank you that Christ died that I may be forgiven. I believe He died for me. I believe He is alive today having been raise from the dead. I take Him as my Saviour and Lord.

If you have make this decision today, congratulation because you have found true peace and I would encourage you to get hold of any of the church members or oversight. Let us help you as you begin your walk with Christ. It will not only transform every Christmas from now on. It will change your life.

Building God’s House (1 King 5-8; 2 Chr 1-7)

The God whom we worship does not need a house to dwell in. Since He is all presence, He can be anywhere. Yet, after years of guiding the Israelites through the desert, God would one day gave instruction to Moses to build a tabernacle for him (Exodus 25). And when the tabernacle was completed, we read that the glory of God filled the whole tabernacle. Then came David who started the initiative to build a magnificent house for God. This was however, only to be realized by Solomon, his son.

And so after many centuries, we see God's house, which in the term of the world, we call it church, was built. Small church, big church, beautiful church, not so beautiful church, simple church, not so simple church are literally being built all over the world. Some of these churches are even national monument or heritage property. In fact if you are to visit some of these countries today, such as Italy, UK, a visit to church will be included in the itinerary but unfortunately not for the right reasons.

The building of the temple was recorded in details in 1 King 5-8 and 2 Chr 2-7. Let's turn to 1 King 5 and read concerning the temple preparation. In one of Moody's daily devotion, we read that Solomon's building of God's house were centered on

1. God's peace (1 Kings 5:4,5)
   

David had wanted to build a temple but his kingdom had been in a constant state of inner turmoil and wars with external powers. God had given Solomon peace - the right time for building the temple.

But now the Lord my God has given me peace on every side; I have no enemies, and all is well. So I am planning to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord my God, just as he had instructed my father, David. For the Lord told him, 'Your son, whom I will place on your throne, will build the Temple to honor my name.'

2. God's promise (1 Chr 17:10-14)

We read in 1 Chr 17:11-14 that God promised David that his son would build the temple. The building of the temple was not Solomon's own vision.

" 'I declare to you that the LORD will build a house for you: When your days are over and you go to be with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever.I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne will be established forever.'

3. God's purpose (1 Kings 5:5; 2 Chr 2:4)

Solomon's project was directed to the purpose of God. It is for His name and to worship him. 2 Chr 2:4 Now I am about to build a temple for the Name of the LORD my God and to dedicate it to him for burning fragrant incense before him, for setting out the consecrated bread regularly, and for making burnt offerings every morning and evening and on Sabbaths and New Moons and at the appointed feasts of The LORD our God. This is a lasting ordinance for Israel.

In the building of the temple, there were many parties involved: King of Tyre (V10), Sidonian loggers (V6), Gebalite craftsmen (V18). Gentiles were an integral part of the project foreshadowing the words of Jesus in Mark 11:17: 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations'.

4. God's Glory (2 Chr 7)
After the temple was completed, Solomon brought the ark into the temple and held a big dedication ceremony. The people came and Solomon offers thousands of animals (22,000 cattle, 120,000 sheep & goats), prayer and feast for 14 days (1 King 8:65). Then we read in 2 Chr 7 that the glory of the Lord filled the temple. (Also 1 King 8:10) Indeed, the temple itself reveals the glory of God. Compared to the earlier tabernacle, the temple was vast in design. The tabernacle (Exodus 26) was only 675 square feet while the temple recorder here (v2) is 2700 square feet – four times bigger. And while the tabernacle was mostly curtains and dirt floor, the temple was covered in costly material. We have so much detail description on the floors, walls, ceilings – cedar, pine, gold as well as the carvings of cherubim, plants and flowers. In short, it tells us the God loves beauty and design. He is a God of splendor and glory.

We see that indeed these principles indeed continue for the new church building. Bigger and more beautiful churches were built as we just seen from the slide show earlier. Indeed many churches were built based on these principles. Although it is sad that many churches has ceased to bring before God the purpose and the glory today. In fact many churches are either turn into museum or even mosques today.

But wait, that's not all. For us Christians, the definition of church is well defined and well understood. We know that the true church is not God's building. It is a community of those believing in Jesus Christ also known as Christians. All the Christians, no matter what their nationality is, belong to God's people, to his Church. Through the Lord Jesus Christ, the church is the dwelling place of God. It is the church that come together that bring out the purpose of God and glorify him. The Church is not a mere human invention. She is the Church of the Living God (1 Tim 3:15). She is his building, his field (1 Cor 3:9), his household and dwelling place (Eph 2:19,22) and his flock (1 Pet 5:2). He chose her before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4) and gave her to his Son (John 17:6,12) who came to this world and purchased here with his own blood (Eph 5:25-27).

If we are to study church history, we will see that indeed the church shaped the western culture from the first century. The church defended the right of human being, stand up for the poor and afflicted. Humanitarianism starts with the early church. The Christian community of the era started orphanage, hospices and hospitals. When the plague hit Rome, only Christians went into the infested area, feeding soup, caring for the dying. It puzzled so many why would they do it. But because of this, the church spread dramatically because the Christians stayed in the city caring for the sick while everyone else left. The women were treated like human being which was not true for the then society. This has impacted the culture so much that within 3 centuries, Christianity became the dominant religion. Constantine was forced to declared Christianity as the religion for the Roman empire because the Christians had taken over the society. It was a glorious era as the church shared the good news of God's love and mercy.

So we ask : the church today – Do we live up to this calling and purpose?

I know it is disheartened to see church do not grow. It is even more saddened to see our brothers and sisters being persecuted and we see the church suffered. Sometimes, we are discouraged to see some churches wiped out completely.

The seven churches in Revelation is nowhere to be found today. What is left in the 7 churches of TRelevation is only a pile of stone or a few pillar structures. Likewise, our church today may not last also. None of us can presume the continuation of any given congregation. In the past, churches had been extinguished, and it is possible it can happen again today.

The Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey was once the biggest church. Emperor Constantine built it in 360 and it was a church until 1453 when the Ottoman Turk conquered the city and Sultan Mehmed converted into a mosque. It remained as a mosque until 1935, when it was converted into a museum by the Republic of Turkey. They cannot worship there since there are too many Christian symbols. Even though they have covered it, many marks still visible.

We do not know what our Grace Chapel will be like in 50 years. The fact that we have lasted 50 years does not guarantee that we will last another 50 years. We all pray that under our watch, Grace Chapel will always be a place where God's purpose and His glory will be revealed. That it is a house where the gospel will be proclaimed and that God is honor and worship faithfully. I want to believe that all of us here will be willing to die for the faith if needed be.

There are indeed lessons for us and warn us that we will disappear if we are like some of these churches in Revelation.

Ephesus church is like our mega church today. When the church grows, instead of giving God the credit, we take credit for it. And so we see mega churches after mega churches and at the end the glory went to the people and not God. And God gave the warning to the church at Ephesus as recorded in Revelation 2. They were successful and Jesus even commented them on their hard work and perseverance. But unfortunately they forgotten their first love.

The Thyatira church is a universal church of toleration. In the name of toleration and peace, the truth is compromise and so the church preached that all ways lead to heaven and Jesus is only a way. In one recent interview in a church in USA, a pastor was asked if the church would accept homosexual member. The pastor said of course they do, just like they have overweight people and people was love chocolate. If we are to put homosexual into the same category as chocolate lovers or those who are overweight, there is no more ground on moral distinction.

The Sardis church, on the other hand is a dead church. Some commentator describe it as a morgue with a steeple. Full of programs and lots of activities tie to Easter and Christmas. But in actual case, the church forgets about the purpose it exists.

And then there is the church of Laodicea where Jesus Christ himself cannot even get into the church.

Indeed, We need to stand guard today. All of us and especially the Youth among us today must realize this foundation. If there is no peace among us, members fight against members, if we forget the purpose and the glory due to God. Grace Chapel will become Race Chapel. When we abandon the gospel, we abandon the means that God has for us. Other means may build the Church in numbers and in dollars, but only the means God has appointed can impart spiritual life to dead sinners and truly make them part of God's Church.

But don't want to paint a bleak picture. Instead, let me encourage you all.

First and foremost, we have to realize one key point here. And that God is the builder of the church. So many times, we forget that God is the author. He is the architect and we are only the contractor to carry out His job. It was Jesus who said "I will build my church". In Acts we read about God add to the church the numbers.

Let us turn our attention back to building of God's house by Solomon. Even though Solomon was the wisest and most intelligent man that ever lived, and even though he was the one who was going to build God's temple, yet God gave the plan of the temple to David and not to Solomon. It is really amazing to read in 1Chronicles 28:11-19 that the wisest man in the world had to be told how much gold he should use for the lamp stand and how to make forks!

You will notice that principles lay down by God for building the physical church, the temple is applicable to building the people church today. God does not reveal His plan for building the church as the Body of Christ, to clever people with good planning or management skills. What is needed is humble obedient heart.

In the 70s and 80s, Romania was ruled by the dictator Ceausescu who hated the church. He is known for demolishing churches as well as synagogues. One day he was driving through a section of the country and came across a beautiful church. He ordered his staff to have the church removed. The staff then told him that it was not a good idea as the people would revolt. He told the staff to hide the church. Now how do you hide a church? So the staff proposed to build tall building around it so that the church will not be seen. Work began and the government started to build tall apartments and office building surrounding the little church so that it is hidden. What happen is that when these buildings were completed, people living in the area began to attend the church and it grew. Remember, when it is dead end for us, God opens the way.

Another recent story that I heard was on Back to the bible radio broadcast by its President, Woodrow Kroll. For years, Back to the Bile would like to reach out to the Maldives which is 100% Muslim country. The country did not allow them to broadcast there so they broadcast from the nearby Seychelles. Because of this, it caused a diplomatic strain between this two countries and Back to the Bible has to pull out their broadcast. However, after a few months, BTB begin to broadcast and really aiming at the islands and the government of Maldives was so angry that they begin to publish in the local newspaper a full page ad that tell their people not to tune to this particular frequency. God is working behind the scene and indeed only He knows how many in Maldives actually have a chance to listen to the gospel and response to it.

After the devastating earthquake in Haiti, many building tumbled and even the church buildings were not spared. But one very encourage news reported all over the world is that among the many bodies that came to aid, the church and Christian organizations were one of the most actives. From Catholic to SDA to the many different denominations in the protestant church, help was almost non-stop. Newsweek reported churches were helping churches. Same stories were reported by Times herald, Fox news and so on. This is a picture of the church building is down but the real church is standing up.

So Let's not be discourage but be encouraged. As long we involve God (Psalm 127:1 Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.) We just have to plant the seed and God will grow it. (1Cor 3:6-7) I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. so neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. Our responsibility is such that we STAY FAITHFUL and be weary of the pitfalls.

Thank God, It's Good Friday

A young girl step into the elevator and with the biggest smile said to the gentleman in the lift “TGIF”. The man looked at her and replied “SMIOT”. She looked at him with a very puzzled look and said, "TGIF" again. He responded once again by saying, "S-M-I-O-T". The girl then put up the biggest smile and say it slowly, “T-G-I-F” but without hesitation, the man replied equally slow, “S-M-I-O-T”. The girl was a little exasperated and decided to explain things; Thank God, It’s Friday, get it? The man answered, "SMIOT. Sorry Miss, it’s only Thursday".

Friday! it’s the day of the week the world all look forward to and so the term “TGIF” is synonymous with party and relaxation. But today is Good Friday and we all can say TGIF. Good Friday – The Friday before Easter, when the crucifixion of Jesus took place. TGIGF. Thank God it’s Good Friday.

Of course to many people, What’s so good about Good Friday? In fact, it is a day of remembrance and more appropriate to call it Mourning Friday since the disciples were grieving over their assumed loss. In some churches, for Good Friday, they cover all of their statues, pictures, and crosses with black cloth to symbolize the mourning they’re remembering. What’s so good about that? The problem with many of us Christians is that we live in a Good Friday World. By that I mean we are caught in the depressed and hopeless world. It is hard to accept suffering, illness and hardship. Some of us may have relationships problems, financial difficulties and shattered dreams. The trials of living on this fallen planet make this mourning Friday seem long. This is true isn’t it for the disciples. The Lord is crucified. They moaned and they were despaired. Their dream of ruling with him is shattered. In fact they gave up completely and went back to their fishing.

The story was told about Martin Luther deep depression. One day he woke up to find his wife dressed in black and look like preparing for a funeral. Thinking that one of their relatives has died, he asked his wife, who has passed away. She answered him, “God!”. “Don’t be ridiculous. God is not dead”, He said. To this, his wife answered, “Then why are you living as if God is dead!”

This morning I believe we can look at the cross and get some things good out of it and ask the question what does the cross mean to me? After all, the heart of the cross is the gospel (ie good news) and the heart of the gospel is the cross. There must be something good for us. But don’t just see Jesus hung on the cross from afar. Lets come closer to the cross and listen to Him. Jesus did say something. Was He cursing? Was He condemning His enemy? Or was it a self-pity cry?

When we put the accounts of the crucifixion together from the 4 gospels, we see that Jesus uttered 7 sentences which are known as the 7 last words or expressions of Jesus. We will take a look at 3 of them this morning.

But first, let’s set the stage back to Jesus betrayal at the garden. Jesus was in much agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, so much anguish that he actually sweats blood. Then came the betrayal, Judas with his band of people to arrest him. He is taken to Sanhedrin Court but not before meeting Caiaphas and also the kepo, busy body Annas, the Father in-law of Caiaphas. While standing before his accusers, they question and probe in hopes of discovering false evidence so that they can take action against him. When Jesus responded that he is the Christ, the Son of God they were quick to accuse him of blasphemy and he is condemned to death. They spit in his face, strike him with their fists, slap him and mock him with the words prophesy to us, Christ who hit you. Since the Chief Priests and Elders cannot administered capital punishment, they bound Jesus and led him before Pilate. When asked are you the King of the Jews, Jesus answered it is as you say. That was enough, they wanted Jesus crucified but they still need to put on a show to release a prisoner during the Passover, they choose Barabbas as opposed to Jesus. The crowd was in no mood of forgiving and they shouted crucify him; crucify him even though Pilate could find no fault in him. Remember, earlier Peter had denied him and all but one of the disciples were seen nearby (only John hang around) to even lend a moral support. When Pilate realized that Herod is in town, he wanted to wash his hand and push the matter into Herod’s hand. Herod, too was in no mood to help Jesus except that he had hoped to see Jesus perform a miracle. When nothing happened, Jesus was led to the Praetorium by the governor’s soldiers, he is stripped and they put a scarlet robe on him along with a crown of thorns on his head. They then proceed to put a scepter in his hand and repeatedly begin striking him over his head again and again, after which they took off his clothes, he was scourged and flogged. Imagine the physical and psychological torture Jesus endured the whole night until the morning. Then, they forced the beaten and battered Savior to carry his own cross down the way of the cross (Via Dolorosa) to Calvary hill. There they crucified Him together with another two thieves.

1st observation:
One of the very first word Jesus said as recorded in Luke 23 was 34"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." But who was the one who was wronged and suffered here? Who is the one got spat on? Who was the one that was whipped? Who was the one having crown of thorn pricked on his head? It was Jesus. He was sneered, “save yourself”. He was mocked and gambled with his garment. He experienced pain and insult and at the very point when the pain is fresh and the nerve not yet dull, Jesus prayed for his enemy. Hard to believe, yet it is true. Remember, during his early ministry, when Jesus healed people, he said “Your sin is forgiven”. But yet on the cross here, shouldn’t he had said “I forgive them all” but instead he was asking the Father to forgive. Do you really think the people do not know what they are doing? Judas knew he was betraying his good friend. Pilate couldn’t find anything against Jesus and still sentence Jesus to be crucified. The Sanhedrin had to produce false witnesses and trumped up the charges against Jesus. The soldiers knew he was innocent. Of course they know. What Jesus meant is that these people do not understand the enormity of the charges they are doing. They have no idea of the implication of their crime. But even then, it does not mean that they do not need forgiveness. Observed two things here: First by asking the Father to forgive, Jesus is telling the people he also forgave them. Because Jesus forgives, we also need to forgive those who wrong us. Jesus left us a model to forgive. There is no need to carry that burden of unforgiving spirit with us. Secondly, Jesus is saying that he had made it possible on the cross for us to repent of our sin and to receive forgiveness from the God, the Father . Jesus is the bridge that links the repented sinner to God. He is the mediator between man and God. He brings the two warring parties together. He is the channel that brings forgiveness to us. It is here on this cross that Jesus provide a substitutionary atonement where he took our place. Because of Him, a repent sinner is forgiven by the Father. For us today, we cannot claim innocent like those people that Jesus prayed for. We know, for the Bible give us a full account of what happened. We must response to this invitation from Jesus.

2nd observation:
Jesus said: “Today you will be with me in paradise.” What a pleasant confirmation. The two thieves that flank the sides of Jesus represent our world today. We have believers and unbelievers. The believers as opposed to the unbelievers are repented sinners who recognized the state we are in and acknowledge to Jesus as “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom”. The gospels recorded that initially both thieves insulted Jesus (Matt 26:44) but here in Luke 23 we read that 39One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" while the other thief had a different attitude. 40But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? 41We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." The first thief show no faith and no respect. He thinks Jesus is like a good luck charm, to be called and used as he wished. Hey, save yourself and save me lah! But the second thief showed us a few attitudes: 1) He feared God. Don’t you fear God, he asked his companion. 2) He admitted his wrong deeds. He said we are punished justly. 3) He accepted the punishment as deserved. For we are getting what we deserve. 4) He acknowledged Jesus as righteous because he knows Jesus is going to heaven 5) He also acknowledged that Jesus is the king because he believes Jesus is going to His kingdom and 6) he pleaded for help and called Jesus to save him- Remember me.

Both thieves wanted to be saved from death. But their approach to salvation is so different: 1) 39"Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!" 2) 42"Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom!" Guess whom did Jesus save!

While on the cross, Jesus continues to display himself as the selfless one. Even when the rulers sneer at him, “He saves others, but he can’t save himself”, they acknowledged that Jesus’ presence here not for himself. Jesus died with selflessness and compassion on the first Good Friday. Another observation is that Jesus’ answer is today. Not tomorrow, not after you have stayed in purgatory or after you have undergone some transition. Not after the rupture or in the millennium. We don’t understand it. And we cannot prove it. We can’t tell you where paradise is but Jesus promised. “Today you will be with me in paradise.”

3rd observation:
Almost towards the end when Jesus was about to take His last breath. He said “ It is finished” (John 19:30). When Jesus said “It is finished”, what did he mean? Did he mean it is the end of hunger? No we still have baggers. Did he mean his death has got rid of diseases? No, we still have problem of sickness. Or did he mean it is the end of all suffering? Definitely not. Then what does it means? Its means the end of the need for the sacrifice for sin. Never again will God demand another price to be paid. His Son, Jesus Christ was the perfect and sufficient sacrifice for all our sins. The penalty for sin was paid in full. The payment was finished. When Jesus said, “It is finished”. It is finished. You will subtract the work when you try to add something into it. There is nothing require from us except to place our faith in Him. In a recent interview, Tiger Woods was seen wearing a Buddhist bracelet and he said he will wear it for the rest of his life and this is what he said. "In the Buddhist religion you have to work for it yourself, internally, in order to achieve anything in life and set up the next life. It is all about what you do and you get out of it what you put into it. I am always continuing to work.” No. We don’t have to. By putting our faith in Jesus Christ, your eternal salvation is secured and settled once and for all in heaven. It is finished. This means that the cross is the final confrontation with sin. Its means that the old life is over and that we are brand new and there is a new life for us to live.

The cross presents to us the irony of thing. The creator was put to death by his creatures. It is the offended that offer forgiveness. It is the one being captured, offer us freedom. It is the one who give us living water cried out “I thirst”. It is the one who is sinless that was punish for other’s sins. But the beauty is that in this irony, we find love, mercy and hope.

Conclusion

Of course, the dying words of Jesus are not His last words. For Good Friday is only the beginning. Jesus may be dead on the tree on Friday but Sunday is coming. He will resurrect on Sunday. In fact, the very first words after His resurrection were “Why are you crying?” (John 20:15). Yes we do not have to be Good Friday Christian, because there is forgiveness, there is promise of paradise and there is resurrection. Best of all, It is finished. We do not have to do anything except to accept the provision. So indeed, TGIF, Thank God It’s Friday. Thank God it is Good Friday.

Claims of Bible - The arguements

I have been thinking how do we make Chinese New year relevant to us in the church today. Chinese New year, like most other festivals, calls for a time of celebration. Celebrate the new and discard the old.

Then I thought about what Alison shared with us a couple of month ago. If you still remember, she said that the God we worship is Chinese because like our parents, he provides for us everything (1 Tim 6;17). In most Chinese families, the parents pay for our living expenses, school fees and we can stay with them even after we got married. Alison is right and as Asians, we are aware of the close knit family that we all are. Not only the Chinese, even the Indian also practice the same principle of all living together and that the parents take care of all.
If this notion of a father who is the head of the family and take care of all affairs is not new to Asians. Then why is this God of the Bible who supplies all our needs is kind of alien to a lot of Asians? Why is it that it is difficult for us to relate this great God of ours to many other friends and relatives around us. While tradition and cultural barriers may be part of the reasons, most people reject the gospel because they think it is not important and salvation can wait.

The phone ring and the little boy answers. The caller recognizes the boyish voice and asks
“Can I speak to your dad?”
“No!”
“OK Can I speak to your mum then?”
“No”
“Why not? and why are you whispering?”
“I am inside the closet.”
“Why are you inside the closet”
“I am hiding inside the closet and they can’t find me. They are all looking for me. He He He. They even call the police and Bomba. They are all here looking for me”

You may be like the little boy thinking it is so much fun to play hide and seek. In this case, playing hide and seek with God. While all effort is out there to look for you, you think it is fun that no one can find you. But, Just one caution, time may run out on you.

There are two things that is 100% certain and you cannot avoid. These are death and income tax. You may be able to cheat on your tax but you will not be able to cheat death.

The Niagara fall stands at 170 feet high and many people performed amazing stunt by walking across on tight rope or plunge down the fall in barrel or similar device. In 1911. Bobby Leach, although not the first person, successfully plunged down the mighty fall in a steel barrel. He survived the stunt although his knee caps were damaged. Many years later, while on his daily walk in Christchurch, New Zealand, he slipped on an orange peel. He was hospitalized. His fractured leg became infected and had to be amputated. 2 months later he died. Even the greatest dare devil cannot escape death.

So the question is where will you be in eternity? The Bible has many claims. And many big claims. Jesus Christ himself had made several audacious claims. Among them are he is the only way to heaven and no one can come to the Father except through him. Jesus Christ also claimed that he will prepare a place in God’s house for those belong to Him. And then there is this awful news that all sinners will have to face God one day and be judged. The Bible is very clear that whoever believe in God’s son, Jesus Christ will be saved and spared from the punishment of sin. In short, Believe in Jesus and you will avoid hell and enjoy heaven. A serious consequence indeed. But what if this worst scenario is not true? seems like an important question to figure out what will happen to me eventually. This is probably why the question is still being debate today. But today we are not going to look into whether the claim is true or not. Instead, we will look into the argument whether we should act regardless of the claim. An argument that both the pro or anti Christian can agree on.

When faced with uncertainty about the future, it becomes useful to look at all the different possibilities in order to compare them side by side. So here we are, there are two possibilities with the claim. One is False and the other is true. But since you believe that no one in either camp is able to say for sure if the claim is true of false but let’s agree that both is a possibility.

The next thing we are to look into is on what action we are to take with the claim. We have two columns for taking action and taking no action. This gives us a grid with 4 boxes and each box gives us a scenario for the future.

The first box is wasted money, wasted time and wasted resources. You are conned but you still enjoy peace, love and you live moral life. You still enjoy life but you missed out the pleasure of sinful life.

The second box turns out to be a right choice. No action needed since the claim is false. Nothing lose. You are no different from a orang utan or a mosquito. No real purpose in life. Eat, climb to your tree top, sleep and wait to die.

The third box still involves cost and resources. But it turn out to be effort well spent. Because there is believe, you live a life fulfilled, happy, content and purposeful. Because it turn out to be true, you know you will be in heaven for eternity.

The fourth box is the worst case possible. You were wrong. The end result is you have no salvation. You live a life like the Orang utan as in the second choice above. No only you lack purpose in life, you were at lost for every struggle and worst of all, despite all your effort, you end up in Hell, the last place where Christianity warned about.

The argument can be broken down into row or column thinking. Your future roughly fall into 1 of the boxes. While the claim may or may not be real, we cannot tell which row our future holds, but we can know for certain what our future will be because we control our action in each column. So it is like buying a lottery ticket and waiting for the jackpot to fall.

From the above, we see that take no action when the claim is false and take action and the claim is true turn out to be the correct choice.

But there is a consequence when we take action when the claim is false as well as take no action when the claim is real. But it is clear that the cost of taking no action has a very serious consequence because its effect is far more significant than if you take action but the claim happen to be false.

So it is clear that the cost of not doing outnumber the cost of doing. It is your inaction that has far greater significant.

At this point you may ask “How could a loving God send people to hell?” Max Lucado clears the misconception.
No. 1 God does not send people to hell. He simply honors their choice. In fac if you think about it, hell is the ultimate expression of God’s high regard for the dignity of man. CS Lewis said : “There are only two people of people in the end: those who say to God “Thy will be done” and those to whom God says “ Thy will be done.” You choose hell, hell you go. No, God does not send people to hell.

The second misconception is that God does not send people to hell. People do not go to hell. Sinners do. It is the rebellious, the self centered sinners. So, how could a loving God send people to hell? He doesn’t. He simply honors the choice of sinners.

Make this Chinese New year special. Celebrate with a purpose. Start taking action by making the right decision because the choice is in your hand and you control your own future.