Joy

I search the word "joy" on the internet and here is what it comes up:

"the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying" (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/joy)

Something exceptionally good or satisfying? What is it?

I guess after two years of studying psychology, the most important term I have learned is "individual differences". Although we do classify people into categories, we are still unique and no one is the same.

If we put this into the context of joy, does it mean that everyone finds different things that bring them joy? Is there one thing that leads us ALL to be joyful?

I couldn't find one except in one baby. The baby whose birth is celebrated every year. Indeed, in Him, we find true joy - joy that never fades.

However, humans are paradoxical. We constantly seek pleasure/happiness (and yes I am thinking about Freud's ideas but I am not going to explain them since he is hated by a lot of people) yet we tend to remember sad things. Imagine yourself lying on your bed finding hard to sleep at 3am in the morning. You are alone in your room and it is raining outside. I can guarantee that your brain will be very active and starts to think about a lot of things. Would you be thinking about the happy times that you and your friends are having fun, or would you be recalling some traumatic memories? I don't know about you but I would definitely be the latter case. That is us. We constantly thinking about negative things. Even if we had a good time, we would have that "post-fun syndrome" and feel pretty upset afterwards. It seems like we forget about the happy things quite a lot of times but sadness is hitting us all the time. It is usually the case where sorrow overshadow joy.

But behold! It is Christmas! The birth of the Saviour who brings us true joy. This good news just "out-joy" all the misery because in Him we have hope. This baby (well, he did turn into a man eventually), who chose to come to this world for OUR sake, is the biggest and best gift a man could ever receive. We have every single reason to be joyful in Him.

But let us forget not that we can still feel sorrow when we have joy in our heart. Joy and sorrow are inseparable. The very sentence that hit me on Sunday is that "we don't know the heights of the mountain unless we start from the bottom".

So, whenever you are down-hearted and feeling blue next time, you don't need to search anywhere for joy - just simply think about this present. As Christmas is near, let's be joyful together and celebrate the birth of the Greatest.


Joy to the world, the Lord is come.


Peace.

T



p.s. The reason for the cat picture is because of the video that Brad showed us on Sunday.

The Waiting Room

Hey everyone, it's me again, being late again!

Matthew 24:22-24.

This passage is all about being ready for when Jesus returns. Here, Christ is referred to as a thief, something unexpected and undesired for the housekeeper. It's true that Jesus' return will not be good news for everyone, some will not want it, for some it will be salvation and for others it will be the end. But for those who are saved, what must you do?

I know that I always struggle with sin as we all do. Sometimes keeping squeaky clean (or our uniforms tidy, as it may be) is hard, it's an uphill battle and all this waiting is such a burden. I just want to share something I've learned this week. All the time that we are here on this earth is a time of waiting, we are essentially sitting in the waiting room in the hospital, waiting for all of our hurts and aches to be completely removed. God has revealed Himself as a God who loves, a God who sacrifices, a God who is in the dirt with those who are at the bottom. The teenage girl who has had an abortion, the husband who struggles with infidelity, the bully in the playground...these are the people who God is with. These are those who Jesus died for.

If we are to get to the standard God wants us to be at, we need to look to Jesus. We need to be more like Him. So how do we do this? This isn't something you can learn about, it isn't about reading the big fat theology books or thinking it away, giving all the best arguments or having the most logical answer. No, God never said that is how we find Him. Instead, we find God by doing, by rolling up our sleeves and getting in the dirt because that is where He is.

If we just stop trying so hard to be ready and just go out and show this world what Christ showed, then the wait won't be so hard. Once this has become second nature to you, just like riding a bike, you will be ready. We should stop trying and trying, straining to be ready for when Christ returns but just be ready.

~Sck

Life in a Stump

Apologies for this entry being EXTREMELY late but here it is. A couple of weeks ago Brad spoke to us on Isaiah 11:1-10. At the time Israel was in a mess and like a stump, there was no life, it was rock bottom, hit the floor, right there in the dirt. Often I find myself thrown into that position, to feel surrounded by darkness, engulfed in my own sin and sometimes seeing no way out and sometimes even not knowing where I am.

This week, I've been listening to sermons on the beatitudes and the first one especially hit a chord within me. Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. I've heard so many people say that this is about the poor, those who have no money or that it's about the humble...something to be attained. But that is not the case, being 'poor in spirit' is not a good thing, it refers to those who are lacking, those who are steeped in sin. The poor in spirit are the people who struggle with what they look at on the internet, those who have a desire to get to the top and will step on everyone to do it, those who see a homeless guy on the street and kick him. Jesus says blessed are these people, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

This is exactly the message in Isaiah. Israel was poor in spirit, just as we are. Israel was dead, all hope was lost, just as we are. But God promises new life, God promises change, peace, salvation. Just as it is promised to us. This is the gospel, the good news of Christ. It's not about having to attain a certain standard before you can meet God but He will meet us where we are. However low we've shrunk, even if we have hit rock bottom. God's blessing is not for those who have it all together, for those who believe themselves to be righteous, but it is for you and me, in all of our flaws and struggles. God will meet us where we are and there is always hope, there is always life, even from a tree stump.

~Sck

Philippians 2:12-13

Imagine yourself in a sailing boat, would you set off without knowing where you are going? Probably not.

You would probably consider where to set off, where to go and the supplies you have on board. No sensible person would sail without considering these facts. Similarly in life, would you like to sail into the open sea without God's guidance, God's provision or God's way? God continues to work in us, and He does this by giving us power (wind) to push us along. As you would probably imagine sailing would be very hard without wind, and even harder if you are "sailing" on the wrong surface ("sailing" on grass wouldn't get you very far!). Only trusting God would put you on the right surface, but this does not mean no storm is going to come along. He will "act according to his good purpose" and all you need to do is trust. Obeying the rules is part of trusting God, you would trust the sailor if you have no idea how to operate a boat. Obedience is when you comply with someone else's wish ;but real obedience does not come from fear. Real obedience only comes from true love, and it is a response to love.

Sail on the right surface trusting God knows the way.

Bonkie :)

Reflection of the sermon on 08/11/2009

Let's begin with a "potentially-real" (well, you'll never know) story:

Once upon a time, there was a flock of doves that flew in search of food led by their king. One day, they had flown a long distance and were very tired. The dove king encouraged them to fly a little further. The smallest dove picked up speed and found some rice scattered beneath a banyan tree. So all the doves landed and began to eat.

Suddenly a net fell over them and they were all trapped. They saw a hunter approaching carrying a huge club. The doves desperately fluttered their wings trying to get out, but to no avail.

The king had an idea. He advised all the doves to fly up together carrying the net with them. He said that there was strength in unity.

Each dove picked up a portion of the net and together they flew off carrying the net with them. The hunter looked up in astonishment. He tried to follow them, but they were flying high over hills and valleys. They flew to a hill near a city of temples where there lived a mouse who could help them. He was a faithful friend of the dove king.

When the mouse heard the loud noise of their approach, he went into hiding. The dove king gently called out to him and then the mouse was happy to see him. The dove king explained that they had been caught in a trap and needed the mouse's help to gnaw at the net with his teeth and set them free.

The mouse agreed saying that he would set the king free first. The king insisted that he first freed his subjects and the king last. The mouse understood the king's feelings and compled with his wishes. He began to cut the net and one by one all the doves were freed including the dove king.

They all thanked the mouse and flew away together, united in their strength.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Well, it is pretty obvious what the moral of the story is - unity is the strength. But I want to point out a very interesting part towards the end of the story. The dove king wanted to free the rest of the doves first. It reminds me of the word in the sermon: humility.

"...in humility consider others better than yourselves...look not only to your own interests, but also the interests of others." (Phillipians 2:3-4)

The leader of the doves would like to see his subjects to be out of trouble before he was freed. I was preparing the sharing for the uni fellowship in Mark chapter 9, where Jesus was talking about who the greatest is. He said,

"If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all." (Mark 9:35)

Here, Jesus talked about the idea humbling ourselves if we are in the leadership position. The point of a leader is "to serve, not to be served". Jesus himself is a great example of a servant leader, or a servant king. Therefore, humbling ourselves to reach to the least is vital. Sometimes when we are up in the hierarchy in whatever situation, we tend to forget about the people under us who are in need. When we look at Jesus, why did He come down from heaven to Earth? He could have stayed up in heaven enjoying whatever He is doing. But because He loves us so much, He died for us on the cross and reached to us the sinners. If we are the followers of Christ, shouldn't we, quoting from the sermon, "have the same mindset of Christ, that is, the same love"? When we love one another in Christ, unity just comes naturally.

Selfishness divides, but humility unites.

Peace.

T

Lost

The scripture reading is from Philippians 1:20-21

This week’s sermon blog starts with a story =)

A computer “dude” (CD) won a holiday. To get to his destination he had to travel by boat. He got on the boat and it was a beautiful day, but little did he know that there were pirates on board. Half way through the journey the pirates took over the ship and threw CD off.

As he got up, all he could see was yellow and sunlight…

“Am I dead?” he asked himself.

He got up and realised he was on a deserted island. With nothing to do, eat or drink he decided to look for food. For many years he survived by eating wild food and drinking wild juice. Everyday he refused to give up and would always spend the brightest part of the day on the beach, looking for a boat.

One day, to his surprise, he saw a rowboat!

“Over here! Over here!” he yelled. The people heard him and rowed over. To his astonishment he found that they had a well constructed boat. As they spoke to each other he learnt that the family on the boat had also been thrown off by pirates and the father had made the boat.

“Tools?” he asked

“I used sharp rocks” the father replied.

They spent the rest of the day speaking about each others experiences and slept on the beach. The next day they used the boat and took CD to the other side of the island. They asked him “Would you like a drink?”

“No thanks, another drink of coconut juice and I’ll puke!” he replied.

“Pina colada?” the mother asked.

CD’s jaw dropped and looked at her with amazement. “Yeah sure”

The mother then asked him “Is there anything else you need? shaver? Clean clothes? Food?”

“No thanks, do you have a PC? I’m dying to check my email” he replied.

Now what do we learn from this story besides my bad writing skills?
Well to be honest the first thing I thought of was “Lost”.

But the main point of the story was to show us that sometimes we are so focused on something that our sense of priority goes out of the window. I know I am guilty of that.

We hear about many examples of this in the media through news etc.

A few examples are:

Athletes so focused on winning that they would be willing to take drugs.

Video gamers so focused on playing that they do not do any work whatsoever.

People so focused on their work that they do not spend time with their family.

But what if the focus was Jesus?

A true story which demonstrates this is about a woman who was told “If you do not deny Jesus, we will kill you”. The woman would not deny Jesus, even if it meant she would have to die. When the men heard this, they decided to take her son in and tell him the same thing. The son hesitated and asked his mother, “What do I do?” She told him

“If you deny Jesus, you are no son of mine.”

This resulted in the mother and son dying for their will not to deny Jesus.

Does the story sadden you? Or encourage you?... Or does it do both?

Paul was a great example of someone who was totally focused on Jesus. He did and said thing for Jesus, just as we should. However, dying for Christ, that’s a scary thought! But from Philippians it says “To live is Christ, to die is gain”.

Whether by life or by low marks
Whether by life or by losing mates
Whether by life or by losing a match, through not cheating.

These things, if we think about it, aren’t actually a lot to ask. Do we live a life that counts for something? We can get invited to something that is bigger than us.

Live with purpose.

Ady

Hope

Checkmate

Two men were in a museum and were looking at a painting of a chess game. In the painting, one character looks like the devil and the other looks like an ordinary man who is down to his last chess piece – the king. The title of the painting is ‘Checkmate’. One of the men looking at the painting is an international chess champion and something about the painting intrigues him. He becomes engrossed and transfixed by what he sees. All of a sudden he looks at his friend and says, “We must find the person who painted the picture and tell him that he must change the picture of change the title. I’ve studied the board and I realise this, that it is not checkmate, but the king still has one more move.”

Whatever we face there is hope, for the King always has one more move. God is in control.

Christians should always have hope: hope in God’s forgiveness, God’s Word, God’s love and God’s promise of eternal life. If we lose hope it is easy to become desperate, as it is vital and a reason to continue living. Let’s do our best to let this hope shine through our daily actions and attitudes, so the world can see the importance of it. God understands our hurts and we can have hope that he will help us carry them.

The next time life seems to say “checkmate,” don’t forget that the King always has another move.

Psalm 71:14
¹⁴ But as for me, I will always have hope;
I will praise you more and more.

Partnership

Philippians 1:3-6
We are all part of a huge puzzle.

I actually never thought of our church in that way. The image I always have had is like how Paul described it, we are all parts of the body . However, you can always train your body to do something else, e.g some people can write with their feet because they don't have hands. But being a part of the puzzle you cannot replace one another (unless you purchase another box!). You are unique. Without you, the picture is incomplete. GOD sees the whole picture and we are only very small part of it, but nevertheless important. Being partners in gospel we complete the picture with our very own role. We cannot fake our roles, nor we can pretend to be someone else because ultimately-the puzzles won't fit.

As a church, we are only a very small piece of the big picture-the kingdom of God. It changes my prospective on my role as a leader in the EM. The question I should be asking myself is are we playing our role in the bigger picture, not just in the piece that we see. With other fellowships and churches we are working together in the harvest field. Live knowing God has made you perfect for your job, so come join us in the harvest field. The picture is incomplete without you.

Be a farmer!

Bonkie :)

What is Love?

Philippians 1:9-11

Love, it's a word which is thrown about all over the place nowadays, it seems to have lost its true meaning and value. Perhaps the most profound views of love come from the examples Brad used at the beginning of his message, from the young children. The little things that make up love, the little sacrifices we make for those who love.

In the passage, Paul talks about our love abounding more in knowledge and insight. I've often asked how this can be, how can our love abound more, how can our love grow? I have found that the key to love is to first understand what it is and what it truly means. Many will say love just happens, it's that feeling you get that you love someone, the warmth, the feeling, it just feels right. When I hear the word love I am reminded of William Blake's poem, the clod and the pebble:

Love seeketh not Itself to please,
Nor for itself hath any care;
But for another gives its ease,
And builds a Heaven in Hell's despair.

So sang a little Clod of Clay,
Trodden with the cattle's feet:
But a pebble of the brook,
Warbled out these metres meet.

Love seeketh only Self to please,
To bind another to Its delight:
Joys in another's loss of ease,
And builds a Hell in Heaven's despite.

Here we have two very different views of love, a selfish one and a selfless one. It is true, often we might opt for the latter version, to seek gain for ourselves, to love others to reap the benefits of it. We can see from the poem that the pebble is hard, it is stubborn and does not change itself. whilst the clod is soft, it is forgiving, it is able to change and give things up for love.

For me, I still struggle between the two, but I know that God's love is perfect love. That love is a choice, love is to give something up. When you love, you open up, you become vulnerable. You see, God gave up His life for us, God made himself vulnerable, made His heart vulnerable. "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. " If we are to learn to love, this is the point where we must begin.

This is love.

~Sck

Sevants under grace?

Phillipians 1: 1-2

Two things struck me from the sermon:

1) Who (or what) is my master?

2) Cheap grace versus costly grace

As Brad elaborated on how Paul so humbly referred to himself as a 'servant' (for better translation: slave) of Christ Jesus (vs 1), it made me realize the impact of the meaning of that word. A 'slave' does not have his or her own rights, they belong to their masters and have to obey their masters.

Sure, in my own life I have often thought about 'serving God' or being in the 'serving team', or even how I want to 'serve' God in university and later in my career. But what about day-to-day living? My attitudes, my thoughts, my actions toward others.... who or what really is my 'master'?

'If we are not slaves to Christ, we are slaves to other things.' (Brad)

In examining my heart, God has showed me that instead of Christ being my master, very often myself is my own master. In making decisions, I admit that I first consider my own desires ('Do I want to go to this event?' /'Will I enjoy the event?'/'Will my friends be there?') rather than asking God ('Do you want me to go?'/ 'is there something you want me to do there? Is there someone I can invite along with me? Or someone I should speak to?'). Being a slave to Christ is definitely not easy. It means I no longer live under my own desires, but the desires of God.

The first question served as a timely reminder for me, as I was just preparing to move back to uni for my final year. The beginning of a new term is a perfect time to make a new start! I know I cannot do this on my own: may God give me a teachable heart! Show me how to be a slave of Christ Jesus :) Please take over the driving seat of my life.

The second thing that struck me was my attitude toward grace.

Maybe it was because I have been Christian for so many years... as Brad said, the word 'Grace' is thrown around so much in Christian circles, that we can forget the real meaning behind the word. So often I myself have turned it into something cheap, by serving myself, following my own selfish nature and doing what i want to do rather than what God wants me to do. I have forgotten (or rather, become hardened) to how costly it was for grace to be given to us: Jesus on the cross- all the suffering, torture, humiliation, pain, insults, the crown of thorns on his head... with the burden of all sins on his shoulders. It was costly.

Each time I sin I nail Jesus on the cross again. And recently I listened to a sermon that talked about sin is falling short of the glory of God. I may not have gossiped/ slandered/stolen/ done anything to harm others.. but if I deliberately failed to do something I know God wanted me to do (such as answering my flatmates' questions about God/ being kind to someone/helping my mum wash dishes after she had a long day) that is sin as well. Woah... the number of times I sin each day... mind boggling! Yet Jesus willingly took on the suffering because He loves us, in order that we could be made right with God again.

Do I really appreciate and comprehend how costly grace is? I can't say I fully get it. I am still learning everyday and asking God to help me to appreciate the real meaning and cost of grace. I really pray that as a Christian, I can have a genuine deep understanding of the gift of grace, so that I can live with God as my master, and not myself.

Let us not throw grace around carelessly, let us not keep on sinning and then confessing half-heartedly.

I came across a very thought-provoking quote yesterday, and I will end my reflection with this:
'God loves us the way we are, but He loves us too much to leave us that way' (Leighton Ford).


God-is-not-finished-with-me-yet:)
CY

What is Joy?

What is joy?

Now that a new year of school has begun, people from other schools have joined. My day is filled with cracking jokes in order to make the new students laugh and feel comfortable, and it brings me great joy when they do so. How is that joy different from Paul's joy, which is seen in his letter to the Philippians?

1.) The joy that I experience does not last very long.
Paul's joy lasted his entire letter and entire life. The Christian joy is an adventure which deepens as the years go by.
2.) My joy was centred on myself.
A joyful Christian heart is rooted in Christ, and the assurance of salvation.
3.) My joy is not confident - i don't know whether people will laugh or not
God's promise of Heaven gives us joy that is confident.
4.) My joy isn't always shared with others
We share joy with other believers.
5.) My joy could be superficial
A Christian sense of joy comes from a deep awareness of life which is meaningful.

Joy is not about putting on a happy face, and distracting ourselves from the troubles we face. But in the midst of trials and sufferings, as Christians we should always remember that God tests us in order for us to grow in Him and act out our faith.

James 1:2
2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

So let's have joy in Christ during times of hardship and suffering, have joy in the good results which will come out of it and have joy which will radiate from our insides out.
JTx

Choosing Sides

Joshua 5:13-15

The 'Fall of Jericho' is a familiar story to me, having heard it countless times in my life: the incredible tale of the collapse of a city by just marching around it seven times and giving a loud shout. But so often I missed the scene BEFORE the action. I never really gave attention to the strange exchange between Joshua and the 'man standing... with a drawn sword in his hand'.

Facing this mysterious character with unknown intentions ('is he an enemy? Is he a bad guy or a good guy?!') Joshua asked the man 'Are you for us or for our enemies?' (vs 13).

Strangely, the man answers 'No'... and reveals his identity as 'commander of the army of the Lord...'.
Why did he give this answer?

The question was not whether the man was on Joshua's side.

The real question was whose side was Joshua on?

There is a difference between the two.

Instead of asking... 'God are you on my side?'

It's 'Am I on God's side?'

This morning as I reflected on the sermon... A phrase came in my mind-
'Are we praying for God to work according to our own agenda? Or are we praying to GOD to help us live according to HIS agenda?'

Joshua didn't use his own wisdom to think of a plan, didn't use his own way or his own strength to attack Jericho and then asked God to bless his plans. Joshua obeyed God and chosen to do things God's way. He was following and doing God's agenda.

For me, this was a very good reminder for me to reflect in my own life. Am I living according to God's agenda? Am I willing to step out and take risks for God and do things God's ways (unconventional it may be!)?

To be honest, I think I still very much live according to my own agenda and use my own wisdom rather than trust in God's plan and God's way:

''Lord, this is what I want to happen in this situation; and this is how I want this problem to be solved. Lord, I want You to do this, and Lord, I hope you will hurry up and do this other thing.''

Sometimes I even presume I know what the Lord thinks is best!
''Lord, I know you would not want this to happen to me; or Lord, I know You would not want me to be unhappy.''

Joshua made a decision very early on that he will do things God's way, and to center his life on God. In the same way, I'm praying that I too, can let go of my own agenda and take a risk to live by God's agenda. I've been challenged this week to not just pray, but to listen more. In the same way that Joshua was quick to listen to God's voice- 'What message does my Lord have for his servant?' (vs 14) I pray that I too, can be sensitive and attentive to God this week.


God-is-not-finished-with-me-yet:)
CY

Talents

In the Parable of the Talents, the first two servants are commended for what they did, for their work, for their risk. I'm not really one to take risks, to step out of my comfort zone and in many ways, I am like the third servant, the one who played it by the book, played it safe. But this servant was thrown out with the rubbish and took no part in the future glory which God gives us. The message really challenged me to step up, to step out. We find from the parable that it is not about knowing the teachings as the third servant did...but our spiritual growth comes from obeying our master.

The message really reminded me of Peter in that boat. He wasn't afraid of what the others around him thought, he wanted only to obey and go to his master. He took a step of faith, stepping outside his comfort zone, stepping out of the boat and onto the water. If this doesn't shock you very much, the next time you are in a boat, try walking off the edge! As a result of his faith and willingness to take a risk, he walked on water! God does wonders when we take risks and trust in Him!

May taking risks for God be our worship to Him. Just as He gave his life for us, just as He took a risk so that we might find Him, so too, let us step out of our comfort zone, step out onto the water and walk with Him.

~Sck

Treasure and Pearls- 23/8/09

Perhaps i should start with this song by Marc James.

Today when we looked at the passage of the parable of hidden treasure and the pearl ( Matthew 13:44-46), a lot of thoughts and emotions were stirred up in my heart. Brad emphasised the point- are we willing to give up EVERYTHING, not something, but EVERYTHING for Him? As many of you know apart from making Jesus famous , I have a goal, a dream, a vision in becoming a successful food scientist. For many years my eyes were fixed onto the goal, doing everything I could to make sure my dream will turn into reality.

"I'm giving You my dreams laying down my rights

I'm giving up my pride
For the promise of new life"

This was the promise I made to God back in March 2008, during my baptism service. It was so hard for me to sing those lyrics, but I knew I had to give Him my dream for the promise of new life. Back in 2007 when university application started, I wouldn't have imagined in picking Biology nor Imperial as my first choice university. Food science was what I want to do, and Surrey was where i want to go. Wrestling with God in giving Him my dream was heart aching, tiring and perhaps, little prideful too in thinking I could win at the end. God knew my eyes were fixed onto my dream, not on Him. God knew this was the one thing I would not let go. God knew my everything, was this. I have found the great pearl a long time ago, but God knew I am not willing to sell everything I had for this pearl. Of course, I lost in the wrestling after a couple of months. Not because God forced me to, but I knew this was hindering me from being closer to God. Giving Him my dream, at that point, was everything to me. But this is not a one-off lesson; as life goes on giving Him everything will become harder and harder. Replacing my dream with His was difficult, but it is all worth it for the treasure of heaven. Nothing, absolutely nothing, can compare to the value to this pearl I have found.

Trusting in Him,

Bonkie :)

Who Is My Neighbour? - 16/08/09

Who Is My Neighbour?

My brother? The couple next door? The postman? Or the homeless guy at the corner of Mcdonalds?

If the lawyer mentioned in last Sunday’s sermon passage was living today, he (assuming it’s a guy, as women were unlikely to be educated that time) would probably have had these possibilities running through his head. As Jesus tells him the way to eternal life is to 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and, 'Love your neighbour as yourself.'’, he tries to justify himself by asking who exactly is his neighbour? And as Jesus never fails to do, He replies with the unexpected. Challenging the lawyer’s current beliefs/prejudice, He tells the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

Most of us are familiar with this story; where a man on his way to town comes across a gang who rob and leave him beaten to a pulp by the side of the road. Soon a priest and a Levite walk by and see the man lying on the ground. Instead of reaching out to help, they are quick to look the other way. Then along comes a Samaritan (known to be looked down upon and often detested by Jews), who decides to stop all he doing to carry the man to a sheltered place where he pays for medical treatment, food and shelter. The Samaritan, ‘the one who had mercy’, was a neighbour to the man, not the priest or Levite as you would expect. Brad reminded us that Jesus chooses to include those excluded by society. Those who are ordinary and unimportant to the world, God choose to do wonderful and extraordinary things.

Sometimes when I come across a brother, sister, friend or stranger in need I find myself coming up with reasons to look the other way. Perhaps it’s the easier option. I come up with excuses like, I’m not experienced enough, I’m too busy, I’m still young, someone else will do a better job. Sometimes it’s the timidity, fear of rejection or fear of burden.

However God reminded me that He chooses me.

Recently after my summer exhibition I was with a huge group of archi friends on our way to a celebratory dinner! Walking at the back of the crowd I was catching up with my gay friend who seemed a little down. I knew he was experiencing some financial problems as well as difficulties with passing the year. We were chitchatting, when suddenly he stops and turns towards the side of the road. First I thought he had dropped something only to realise he was looking for change in his pocket for the scruffy old man on a wheelchair. I felt a wave of guilt when I had hardly realised his presence when I walked pass. He had banjo resting on his remaining limb. Lacking confidence he played a familiar tune. He was smiling at us as we both empty our pockets of change. He had a small box of assorted pens neatly stacked and he offered one to us. My friend receives it as if it were a gold prize he had won and the man plays another tune to show his appreciation. This memory I will never forget. My friend who had a million struggles of his own, never hesitated to reach out with all he had to someone less fortunate than him. He’s not a Christian, an amazing student or a well off guy, but rather he was ordinary and often went unnoticed. He did not shout out his act of love for the whole world to see, but rather did it when no one noticed and without reservation.

God used a friend who knows almost nothing about the bible to show me what it is to truly ‘love my neighbour as myself’. Simply amazing and so refreshing. I am lead to a certain place at a certain time where there is someone in need, because God chooses ME in His ministry. It is not about what I have to offer, but it is about the awesome works He can do through me. All I need to be, is available.

I know it’s not easy, but a small act can go a long way. You are never too small to make a difference.

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’” Matthew 25:40

Serving for God’s glory,
-E-

Forgiveness - 09/08/09

So this is a new thing that the EM will be starting...blogging about the messages! Every week one of the leaders will blog about the message. I pray that this will help you all engage with them and apply them to your lives.

The passage for this sermon was Matthew 18:21-35, the parable of the unmerciful servant. Brad spoke about how Peter at the beginning of the passage wanted to get it right, how the other Rabbis would teach for you to forgive three times and so seven should have been enough...in his mind. However, Jesus gives this parable and basically says you should never stop forgiving because God forgave your debt to Him, one that you could never pay off.

The parables were supposed to shock you or give you some sort of uneasy feeling but they are too often explained away in today's society. The passage mentions that if we do not forgive, we are 'wicked servants' and that we will be 'tortured'. This puts into perspective how important forgiveness is, it is not trivial, it is significant. Forgiveness also always comes at a cost.

For me, I was reminded of a particular incident at school. It was lunch time and I was eating my pasta when some guy threw bread into it, being the sensible person I am, I just flicked it off and continued eating. My friend however, defended me and threw the bread back at the guy and in return, I got ketchup squirted all over me. We're not talking about packets here, it's those jumbo sized cheap ketchup stuff. One of the prefects caught him and spoke to him so I just went and cleaned off my blazer. Although I didn't do anything to that guy, I didn't speak to him or shout or whatever...it took a while before I could forgive him. I was completely innocent and he wronged me for no reason at all. It is the same with God, we wrong Him all the time yet He forgives us.

Now because God forgives us, we should also forgive each other because we are all under His household, what we do reflects on Him. If we can receive forgiveness, we have no right not to give it freely to others too. Our debt to God is so great that no wrong against us could ever compare, and that is the extent of God's forgiveness to us.

~Sck