March 7, 2015 at 3:38pm
Tomorrow marks the 1st anniversary of the MH370 disappearance, apart from the usual International Women's Day and some Malaysian political event that happened 7 years ago.
But for me, tomorrow is a personal day, because it marks the 9th death anniversary of my late paternal grandfather.
On my grandfather's gravestone, it is written, "Jesus said: I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live - John 11:25". I don't know whether my fellow family members would understand this cliche verse commonly seen on Christian gravestones. But I pray they eventually would.
"Though he were dead, yet shall he live". Faith and belief could not spare a believer from the physical death (as clearly shown in the verse above), "yet shall he live" - the believer shall live thereafter, where the believer would not experience spiritual death (eternal separation from God), but eternal life spiritually (eternal union with God). All of this is akin to a resurrection, and this can only be made possible by the author of the resurrection - "I am the resurrection, and the life": Jesus.
When Jesus spoke the verse above, I suppose that there is difficulty upon the listeners to comprehend or believe His claims of being "the resurrection" even though He had raised two persons prior to Lazarus (Jairus' daughter in Mark 5 and a young man in Nain in Luke 7). But now we have this blessed assurance and confidence on this truth for the fact that He was raised to life after the death on the cross 3 days prior.
While the fact that He is the author of resurrection is important, we cannot ignore the other half of his claim: "and the life". In fact, there are multiple times in the Bible that the claim was reiterated. John 14:6 says "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, but by me."; in John 6 two times a few times Jesus has said that He is the "bread of life" (v. 35, 48); John wrote in 1:4 "In him was life". He is the source of life, be it natural (in the case of birth and a physical resurrection like Lazarus and the other two persons) or spiritual (as mentioned earlier).
Jesus, the Author of Resurrection, the Source of Life, the Creator Almighty, fully man and fully God, was sent by the Father to redeem us from our sins by His death on the cross of Calvary, and through the Spirit He was raised to life; and now He is in heaven, which in due time will come to earth again to take us back to our home in Heaven; and whosoever believes in Him will receive eternal life - the eternal union with God. Would you acknowledge this author of resurrection, the source of life?
Saturday, May 30, 2015
Saturday, May 23, 2015
The Sharing Series: Better and Necessary
March 1, 2015 at 12:01pm
"...mallon kreisson | to de..." - Excerpt of Philippians 1:23-24 in Greek, which means "...far better | nevertheless..."
The Apostle Paul mentioned here that to depart and be with Christ is far better than to live in this world, but the real dilemma is not that of whether to live in this world or to live in heaven; but to serve Christ in this world (and in the context of Philippians 1, to meet the needs of the fellow believers in Philippi) or to be with Him. But as how Matthew Henry in his commentary put, "those who have most reason to desire to depart, should be willing to remain in the world as long as God has any work for them to do". Therefore, Paul has put aside his personal desire for the more important and necessary item: the needs of the people in Philippi, and to continue living for Christ. While acknowledging the personal "mallon kreisson", there is still the "anankaioteron (more necessary)" to be addressed, hence the "to de".
No guesses on who is Paul's inspiration though. Look no further than the following chapter in Philippians, where the Lord Jesus Christ, "being in the form of God...made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Philippians 2:6-8). I suppose that the "mallon kreisson" would be His heavenly throne, but the "anankaioteron" would be the salvation of all mankind. And thus, he is the ultimate example of putting others' interests ahead of His own like "the form of a servant".
And that this act of ultimate humility was the "kreittosin thysias" - the better sacrifices (Hebrews 9:23), which was "ananke" - necessary (Hebrews 9:23).
"...mallon kreisson | to de..." - Excerpt of Philippians 1:23-24 in Greek, which means "...far better | nevertheless..."
The Apostle Paul mentioned here that to depart and be with Christ is far better than to live in this world, but the real dilemma is not that of whether to live in this world or to live in heaven; but to serve Christ in this world (and in the context of Philippians 1, to meet the needs of the fellow believers in Philippi) or to be with Him. But as how Matthew Henry in his commentary put, "those who have most reason to desire to depart, should be willing to remain in the world as long as God has any work for them to do". Therefore, Paul has put aside his personal desire for the more important and necessary item: the needs of the people in Philippi, and to continue living for Christ. While acknowledging the personal "mallon kreisson", there is still the "anankaioteron (more necessary)" to be addressed, hence the "to de".
No guesses on who is Paul's inspiration though. Look no further than the following chapter in Philippians, where the Lord Jesus Christ, "being in the form of God...made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Philippians 2:6-8). I suppose that the "mallon kreisson" would be His heavenly throne, but the "anankaioteron" would be the salvation of all mankind. And thus, he is the ultimate example of putting others' interests ahead of His own like "the form of a servant".
And that this act of ultimate humility was the "kreittosin thysias" - the better sacrifices (Hebrews 9:23), which was "ananke" - necessary (Hebrews 9:23).
Saturday, May 16, 2015
The Sharing Series: A Strong Worship and Of Chief
February 22, 2015 at 5:01pm
In Genesis 22, a ram that was caught in thickets was offered as sacrifice in the stead of Isaac's place in the first mention of worship. The Hebrew word for "ram" also refers to the meaning of chief, or strength.
In Matthew 27, the Lord Jesus, being the omnipotent Chief of Chiefs, willingly left His throne of glory to be in the form of man, wore a crown of thorns, and offered himself as sacrifice (as mentioned in Hebrews 7, 9 and 10) through His death on the cross of Calvary, in the stead of our place for the atonement of sins. This worship is a far better worship (than the offerings and sacrifices done by the priests): one of the reasons being that the offering is done once, yet more sufficient than the daily offerings done by the priests in the Old Testament, where there would be no more offering for sin after the remission of sins conducted by the Creator Himself (Hebrews 9 and 10). Feel free to read the other comparisons in the previous chapters in Hebrews.
In Genesis 22, a ram that was caught in thickets was offered as sacrifice in the stead of Isaac's place in the first mention of worship. The Hebrew word for "ram" also refers to the meaning of chief, or strength.
In Matthew 27, the Lord Jesus, being the omnipotent Chief of Chiefs, willingly left His throne of glory to be in the form of man, wore a crown of thorns, and offered himself as sacrifice (as mentioned in Hebrews 7, 9 and 10) through His death on the cross of Calvary, in the stead of our place for the atonement of sins. This worship is a far better worship (than the offerings and sacrifices done by the priests): one of the reasons being that the offering is done once, yet more sufficient than the daily offerings done by the priests in the Old Testament, where there would be no more offering for sin after the remission of sins conducted by the Creator Himself (Hebrews 9 and 10). Feel free to read the other comparisons in the previous chapters in Hebrews.
Saturday, May 9, 2015
The Sharing Series: Sight and Light
January 18, 2015 at 5:32pm
John 1:36,39a - "And (John the Baptist) looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith. B̲e̲h̲o̲l̲d̲, the Lamb of God!", "He (Jesus) saith unto them. Come and s̲e̲e̲..."
Two verses distanced 2 verses apart, both talking about seeing. As we have learned in Physics or Science class, the sense of sight is stimulated in the presence of light. Thus, it is so fitting that we should, in the spiritual sense, be able to see God, for God is light (1 John 1:5, Psalm 27:1, John 8:12).
However, there would be one condition if we cannot see God, and His glory: being blind spiritually (2 Cor 4:4). The fall of Adam and Eve caused the human race to be born with sin, and thus being in darkness (John 3:19-20). Because the deceitful nature of sin, it blinds us from knowing God from birth.
Thankfully, there is the "light of the glorious gospel" (2 Cor 4:4-6), in which Christ, the light of the world and light of life (John 8:12), came down from His heavenly throne to dwell on earth (John 1:14) as both human and God, and to die on the cross of Calvary, where He shed His blood to atone for our sins, and to redeem us, thus delivering us from darkness and translated us into His kingdom (Col 1:12-14). The Light of the world has brought us "out of darkness" (Psalm 107:14), and enable us to see God (Matt 5:8) by purifying our hearts from sin.
On our part in response to what Christ has done, we need to be born again (John 3:3), which is to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (John 1:12-13, John 12:46). We would then follow Him and walk in the Light (John 8:12, 1 John 1:).
My fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, let us rejoice in thanksgiving that by God's grace we can now see Him, and be in the light and out of darkness; at the same time we, now as children of light, should ensure our conduct is acceptable in the Lord (Ephesians 5:8) by the workings of the Holy Spirit within us, so that we as the light of the world can shine before others, and be a testimony to others, and at the same time, glorify God (Matthew 5:16).
For those who have yet to know Christ, reiterating John 1:39, "Come and see", because the Light has come to the world that was once in darkness, and allowing all to be able to "see". Would you, then, come, and to experience Him, to taste and see, that the Lord is good? (Psalm 34:8)
(Underline words and added parentheses are added for emphasis and context.)
John 1:36,39a - "And (John the Baptist) looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith. B̲e̲h̲o̲l̲d̲, the Lamb of God!", "He (Jesus) saith unto them. Come and s̲e̲e̲..."
Two verses distanced 2 verses apart, both talking about seeing. As we have learned in Physics or Science class, the sense of sight is stimulated in the presence of light. Thus, it is so fitting that we should, in the spiritual sense, be able to see God, for God is light (1 John 1:5, Psalm 27:1, John 8:12).
However, there would be one condition if we cannot see God, and His glory: being blind spiritually (2 Cor 4:4). The fall of Adam and Eve caused the human race to be born with sin, and thus being in darkness (John 3:19-20). Because the deceitful nature of sin, it blinds us from knowing God from birth.
Thankfully, there is the "light of the glorious gospel" (2 Cor 4:4-6), in which Christ, the light of the world and light of life (John 8:12), came down from His heavenly throne to dwell on earth (John 1:14) as both human and God, and to die on the cross of Calvary, where He shed His blood to atone for our sins, and to redeem us, thus delivering us from darkness and translated us into His kingdom (Col 1:12-14). The Light of the world has brought us "out of darkness" (Psalm 107:14), and enable us to see God (Matt 5:8) by purifying our hearts from sin.
On our part in response to what Christ has done, we need to be born again (John 3:3), which is to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (John 1:12-13, John 12:46). We would then follow Him and walk in the Light (John 8:12, 1 John 1:).
My fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, let us rejoice in thanksgiving that by God's grace we can now see Him, and be in the light and out of darkness; at the same time we, now as children of light, should ensure our conduct is acceptable in the Lord (Ephesians 5:8) by the workings of the Holy Spirit within us, so that we as the light of the world can shine before others, and be a testimony to others, and at the same time, glorify God (Matthew 5:16).
For those who have yet to know Christ, reiterating John 1:39, "Come and see", because the Light has come to the world that was once in darkness, and allowing all to be able to "see". Would you, then, come, and to experience Him, to taste and see, that the Lord is good? (Psalm 34:8)
(Underline words and added parentheses are added for emphasis and context.)
Saturday, May 2, 2015
The Sharing Series: On Assurance
December 24, 2014 at 8:16pm
Assurance. That's the word for my Christmas this year.
Nothing material can give you total assurance. Job security may provide some sort of assurance, but at best until retirement, not to mention the possibilities of the organisation failing for various reasons.
Money can't give you total assurance. Fiat money, or currency as we know it, is backed by promises from the government about its value, but just as we see in recent times, governments may fail, and so are those temporal promises.
What else seems to give you total assurance? Insurance? A reliable car? A safe house? Intelligence?
What could give you assured happiness-one that lasts more than a lifetime? It's definitely not something man-made, as explored earlier. That something must be both certain and not of our own creation. That something is the living hope of the fact-Jesus, whom His birth being cherished in this season; whom walk upon the earth as both fully man and God; whom upon His 33 years of sinless life upon earth tasted suffering and death, so that to those who believe in Him may obtain the assurance of eternal happiness lasting beyond lifetime on earth; whom has resurrected and will one day return to restore justice ultimatum. And most of all, He never fails, for He is not man-made. "The heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away," He said in the Gospel of Matthew.
This is the imperishable assurance, enduring time and age, across societies and generations. Do you have such assurance?
A blessed Christmas to everyone, and may this Christmas be filled with peace and joy stemming from blessed certainty and blessed assurance.
Assurance. That's the word for my Christmas this year.
Nothing material can give you total assurance. Job security may provide some sort of assurance, but at best until retirement, not to mention the possibilities of the organisation failing for various reasons.
Money can't give you total assurance. Fiat money, or currency as we know it, is backed by promises from the government about its value, but just as we see in recent times, governments may fail, and so are those temporal promises.
What else seems to give you total assurance? Insurance? A reliable car? A safe house? Intelligence?
What could give you assured happiness-one that lasts more than a lifetime? It's definitely not something man-made, as explored earlier. That something must be both certain and not of our own creation. That something is the living hope of the fact-Jesus, whom His birth being cherished in this season; whom walk upon the earth as both fully man and God; whom upon His 33 years of sinless life upon earth tasted suffering and death, so that to those who believe in Him may obtain the assurance of eternal happiness lasting beyond lifetime on earth; whom has resurrected and will one day return to restore justice ultimatum. And most of all, He never fails, for He is not man-made. "The heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away," He said in the Gospel of Matthew.
This is the imperishable assurance, enduring time and age, across societies and generations. Do you have such assurance?
A blessed Christmas to everyone, and may this Christmas be filled with peace and joy stemming from blessed certainty and blessed assurance.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)