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READ:

Matthew 11:29

²⁹ Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

EXHORTATION:

The Lord Jesus has just invited all who “labour and are heavy laden” to come to Him so that He may bless them with rest. But now He tells them to “take my yoke”. A “yoke” is a wooden bar that is fastened over the neck of an animal and attached to the plough or a cart with heavy stuff that it ought to pull. It is often used to symbolise submission to authority of some kind. How would a yoke placed on the neck of those who are already “heavy laden” grant them rest?

Jesus immediately explained what he meant by “Take my yoke upon you”. He said, “learn of me”. It was a familiar Jewish saying that a pupil “took the yoke of the teacher” when he submitted himself to a teacher. The Jews of old would talk about the yoke of the law, the yoke of God, etc. It was a similar thought, namely the yoke of instruction, that Jesus wanted them to grasp. So He said to them, “learn of me”. In other words, Jesus wanted all those who come to Him for the rest that He has promised, to submit to His teaching. It is a “yoke” that implies obedience.

When we turn to Christ to receive salvation and rest from sins’ weariness and desperation, there must be a willingness to have Him take control of our lives. We must come to Jesus not only as our Saviour, but also as our Lord. The exhortation “learn of me” was basically a call to discipleship.

Everyone who genuinely comes to Christ must be willing and ready to be a disciple and, therefore, a learner and follower of Christ. To be a follower of Christ is to be committed to learn from Him. Christ is not a taskmaster like the Pharisees and rabbis of that time. Jesus assured all who would come to Him, saying, “I am meek and lowly in heart”. He is gentle and humble in heart. In Him, there is no unreasonable sternness or ruthless demands. He is willing to receive the poorest sinner. He is also ever ready to instruct and guide even the most ignorant.

None who sincerely comes to Christ shall be disappointed. He affirms, “ye shall find rest unto your souls.” The Lord Jesus leaves no room for doubt concerning the certainty of spiritual rest that He has promised to all those who learn of Him. Without Christ, our lives would be marred with futile labour, heavy loads and hopelessness. So, let us hurry to Christ and hesitate no more. Follow His voice and learn of His gracious words.

READ:

Matthew 11:28

²⁸ Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

EXHORTATION:

Herein is a special invitation from the Lord Jesus Christ to those who “labour and are heavy laden”. The Greek word for “labour” (kopiao) suggests “working hard to the point of fatigue”. It is also a present active participle verb, which indicates that those involved are in the process of wearing themselves out with toil. The words “heavy laden” translate a present passive participle Greek verb (phortíz?), which means “being overloaded”. Together, the words “labour and are heavy laden” convey the idea of people’s weary search for relief from the crushing load of sin and guilt, together with all the problems of a sin-laden life. Many are frantically and exhaustingly wearing themselves out, trying to earn their own salvation and find lasting peace to their troubled souls.

Jesus kindly invites to Himself all who have worn themselves out to find relief for their sin-plagued lives. Recognising their utter inability to find rest for their souls, Jesus tells them that their salvation is not by their hard work but by coming to Him, the only Saviour and Restorer of their souls.

Have you been distressed and worn out by your inability to find joy and peace for yourselves? Have you been overwhelmed by your sins, foolishness, anxiety, fear? Jesus here tells you that you should no more “labour” to find rest, but to go to Him at once, acknowledging your utter inability to deliver your weary soul.

You should not remain obstinate and rebellious any longer. Do not wander from the merciful and gentle Saviour who calls out to you, “Come unto me”. Let not your pride and folly cause you to despise His gracious call any more. Let us bid adieu to our false confidence, vain pursuit of worldly glory, self-righteousness, self-justification, etc. Let us draw near to the most compassionate Lord who beckons us, so that we may be comforted and our souls find the rest that they desperately need.

Jesus promises the weary ones who would come to Him: “I will give you rest.” This is not an offer of a life of idleness or inactivity or leisure. Instead, it is the promise of divine peace and tranquillity that come through the application of His pardoning grace by His Holy Spirit, the Comforter. The spiritual rest that Jesus promises is the gift of salvation, with all its accompanying blessings that restore and rejuvenate our souls.

READ:

Psalm 68:5

⁵ A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation!

EXHORTATION:

These words declare the infinite mercy and tender compassion of our gracious God. Though God is all powerful and great in His glory, He does not despise those who are poor and needy. Though He reigns in heaven in His holy habitation, He does not forsake His children who are afflicted and abused by cruel and wicked men in this unjust world. With pity He will attend to His suffering children, and be their help and defence. The fatherless, the widows, the persecuted – all will find Him to be their solace. To all those who trust Him, He proves Himself to be an all-sufficient God. He glories in that He is the Father of the fatherless. He magnifies Himself as the Defender of the helpless.

Scripture bears consistent testimony to the prayers of the helpless and their resultant deliverance. “… the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless... LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear: to judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress” (Psalm 10:14, 17, 18). Psalm 146:9 declares, “The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow”.

God not only declares Himself to be the Defender of the afflicted, He also urges His people to do the same. The LORD spoke to Israel through Moses, “For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward: He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment. Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Deuteronomy 10:17-19). He even commanded the possessors of agricultural land to leave behind grains and fruits for the poor (cf. Deuteronomy 24:17-22). It must also be mentioned that Christians had been sharply rebuked for negligence of the poor in the church: “If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?” (James 2:15-16). Let us unite with our God in relieving those who are in great need. “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27).

READ:

Proverbs 15:23

²³ A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!

EXHORTATION:

This saying is set in the context of having wise counsellors. There is great profitability in listening to men who can provide wise advice about matters of life, including both spiritual and mundane matters.

God wants His people to cultivate wise speech. It is unquestionably God’s will concerning us that we be wise in speech to exhort and edify one another. In His Word, God has expressed His great expectation concerning our communication with one another – “The lips of the righteous feed many” (Proverbs 10:21). Also, “the tongue of the wise is health” (Proverbs 12:18), i.e. wherever wise speech is maintained, the affairs of life will be healthy. Moreover, “A wholesome tongue is a tree of life” (Proverbs 15:4); thus when the tongue is guided by the Spirit of God and by the words of Holy Scripture, it will elicit wise thoughts that nourish the hearers.

In every Christian home, godly conversation must always be maintained. Parents are expected to be wise teachers of their children at home. They must teach their children God’s truth (Deuteronomy 6:6- 7; 11:19). Furthermore, children are warned against swearing against the parents. “Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness” (Proverbs 20:20).

The Christian’s duty to exhibit gracious, wholesome speech is repeatedly exhorted in the epistles of Paul. In Ephesians 4:29, he admonished, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” By the same token, he said in Colossians 4:6, “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” The provider of an apt answer will indeed have great joy. His own conscience will rejoice that his words have been helpful; on top of that, the gratefulness of the hearer will also be a reason for his joy.

We should be careful not only about the content and manner of our speech, but also about the timeliness of our speech. “A word … in due season, how good is it!” Our words should befit the situation. A piece of advice, given at the right moment and in the most suitable manner, will be very profitable to the hearers. So before we speak, let us examine whether our words are truthful, edifying, gracious and appropriate.

After last Tuesday night’s prayer meeting, we learned of a severe earthquake (magnitude 6.9) that struck Cebu Island, Philippines. I contacted Pastor Reggor and was assured that brethren in Cebu City were kept safe, though information from other parts of the island was then unavailable.

Early the next morning, Pastor Reggor informed us that Bogo, in the north, where our two mission churches serve under Elder Eliezer Ortega, appears to be the worst-hit area. Many homes were damaged. With deep sorrow, we read the report that Bro. Julito, a long-time and faithful member, has fallen asleep in Jesus after being pulled from his collapsed house. Sis. Josephine, his wife, was preserved without serious physical injury; it pleased the Lord to take her husband to be with Him in glory. 

Elder Eliezer, who had returned to Cebu after ministering in Bogo on Sunday, immediately set out again to care for the brethren in distress. Though road damage made travel difficult, we thank God that he reached Bogo and has provided regular updates, even as aftershocks continued.

Our elders moved quickly to coordinate with Pastor Reggor and Eld. Eliezer to assist those in need. We have sent funds to help Sis. Josephine, the family of the late Bro. Julito and the congregation in Bogo. Additional funds were sent to procure food and essentials in Cebu and transport them to Bogo. A group of brethren from Cebu has already driven supplies to Bogo and spent time in fellowship with the saints there, comforting them. “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart” (Ps. 34:18).

Let us continue to pray for repentance, renewal, and salvation in that region. Remember also Sis. Josephine and family, the churches in Bogo and San Antonio, Eld. Eliezer and brethren who travel there with help and provision. Pray for God’s protection and wisdom amid ongoing tremors.

If the Spirit moves you to give, please designate love gifts to the “Disaster Relief Fund”. The BOE will consolidate the funds received as stewards of God—with and through our missionaries in Cebu—that none be overlooked, and that all things be done decently and in order (1 Cor. 14:40). “Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it” (Prov. 3:27). 

Food and essentials for Bogo brethren

Loading of supplies into church van

Distribution in tents pitched at Gethsemane BPC, San Antonio

Bro. Julito's collapsed house, circled in red

Sis. Josephine beside the casket of her husband, Bro. Julito, who died after their house collapsed on him during the earthquake

Brethren visiting the bereaved family

Sermon Text: Psalm 119:65–80
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 5th October 2025

READ:

Ecclesiastes 3:1

¹ To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

EXHORTATION:

God is in control of time and events. He has purposed what and how things should be as time moves relentlessly on. Every event has a definite place in God-directed history. There is a “season” (an appointed period) and a “time” (a predetermined occurrence) for all that take place under the sun. Man must humbly submit to God’s immaculate providence.

Times of life cannot be fully known to us. Whether we can bring any of our labours to fruition or not, is unknown to us. We cannot on our own achieve permanence or fulfilment of anything we pursue. Hence our efforts and endeavours are not forever. We must know that all our abilities and labour cannot change the seasons set by God. We are directed and controlled by His providential appointments of events and seasons. Man cannot be the ultimate decider of his destiny. He must align his thoughts and actions with God who is in control of time and events.

Verses that follow further demonstrate this truth. “A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace” (vv. 2-8).

This is a poem on 14 sets of opposites, each of which happens in its due, appointed time. Our lives in this world will experience a mixture of joy and sorrow, harmony and conflict, life and death. No permanent state of affairs exists in this world. Sudden changes of circumstances (especially when things turn for the worse) are a source of people’s frustration. But giving in to disappointment and rage will not help us. We must learn to live amidst the changing scenes of life by trusting in God’s unchanging goodness. We must patiently wait upon God by focusing on what we ought to do according to His will, knowing full well that God will accomplish His good pleasure concerning us in His own perfect time. For it is written, “He hath made every thing beautiful in his time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11a).

READ:

Ecclesiastes 1:2

² Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

EXHORTATION:

In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon speaks as ‘the Preacher’, not as the king of Israel. He uses the vast experience of his life as a wise, wealthy and powerful king to teach his listeners valuable lessons about life. The Spirit of God, in His infinite wisdom, uses Solomon’s failures and sinful ways to grant us object lessons about the tragedy of pursuing carnal pleasures. Ultimately, the lesson is that a life lived apart from God is vanity.

The word “vanity” (hebel) is used five times in this one verse. Four of those occurrences are in a twofold repetition of a Hebrew superlative construction, “vanity of vanities”. The Hebrew word for “vanity” can mean “vapour”, “breath”, “emptiness” or that which is “futile”, “fleeting”, “transitory”, etc. Throughout the book of Ecclesiastes, the word “vanity” appears about 38 times. It refers to something without real substance, value, permanence, significance or meaning. Generally, it appears to imply that which is both transitory and futile. It emphasises how swiftly earthly things pass away, and how little they offer while one is in possession of them. The concept is given greater stress by the repeated use of the superlative, “vanity of vanities”.

Solomon states most emphatically that “all is vanity”. He said this not in reference to the physical universe, but to all the activities of earthly life. This he explained in the next verse with a rhetorical question: “What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?” (v. 3). Solomon is not a complete pessimist; he is only driving home the point that people gain no ultimate advantage or profit from all their toil. Human effort to obtain satisfaction apart from God only produces a sense of vanity at the end. There is no discernible advantage to our struggle and toil in life when we look at life merely in terms of earthly values.

Whether he considers his wealth, his works, his wisdom or his kingship, Solomon comes to the same sad conclusion – all is “vanity and vexation of spirit” (1:14; 2:11). The Bible repeatedly reminds us that life without God is meaningless and full of vexation. So Solomon advises all his readers at the end of this book, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man” (12:13). The vanity and vexation of this life should lead us to the reality of the abundant life that God provides through Christ and His truth.

READ:

Psalm 23:6b

^6b And I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

EXHORTATION:

David was a man who always desired to be “in the house of the LORD”. In the house of the LORD, he rejoiced in the goodness and mercies of the LORD. Worship, songs, testimonies, meditation of His Word, prayers, and all suchlike activities in the LORD’s house granted him the greatest joy he had experienced in this world. In Psalm 5:7, he uttered, “But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.”

In his psalms, David often spoke about his desire for the LORD’s house. He prayed in Psalm 26:8, “LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth”. In Psalm 27:4, he wrote, “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.” His pious heart could not find a greater, nobler, sweeter experience than hearing the praise, honour and glory of God in the place of worship. No wonder the psalmist exclaimed, “How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God” (Psalm 84:1-2).

David counted being “in the house of the LORD” as the most blessed experience of a man’s life. So he wrote in Psalm 65:4, “Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.” In the same vein, he said in Psalm 84:4, “Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.” He also said in the same psalm, “For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness” (v. 10).

It was David’s irrepressible desire to rejoice in all the activities that were being done in the LORD’s house in worship of His name. Being with God’s people in His house to think of the LORD’s goodness and mercy and to serve Him was his heart’s most cherished ambitions. The desire for the LORD’s house was so great that he wanted to dwell there for ever. It is obvious that nothing would fully satisfy his longing heart except heaven, where he would dwell for ever with the LORD.

READ:

Psalms 23:6a

^6a Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:

EXHORTATION:

This saying of David teems with perfect confidence. What blessed assurance he enjoyed as a child of God! David understood that the LORD, being his Shepherd, would guide him all through his life by providing His divine “goodness and mercy” to attend to his ways. Having experienced the LORD’s “goodness and mercy” up till now, David boldly stated that they should also be his experience for the rest of his life.

Every true believer can possess the same conviction as expressed by David here. The LORD’s special providence accompanies every child of God all the days of his life. It is no delusion to claim that the good providence of the LORD is every believer’s inheritance.

The LORD is good and merciful in all His dealings with His people. Even when He deals with their waywardness, it is His goodness that chastises them to bring them back to His righteous paths. In Psalm 145:9, David said, “The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works”. In Psalm 65:11, he wrote, “Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness.” So he exhorted all God’s people, saying, “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him” (Psalm 34:8).

Concerning the mercy of the LORD, David has said repeatedly that “His mercy endureth for ever”. Streams of God’s mercy flow ceaselessly from God’s throne towards His people. In Psalm 86:5, David testified, “For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.” David also said in Psalm 100:5, “For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”

Do not the calamities and misfortunes that happen to believers disprove David’s claim that “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life”? David himself was subject to innumerable afflictions. Yet, through it all, he was sustained by the LORD’s “goodness and mercy”.

Believers’ afflictions are not indicative of the lack of God’s “goodness and mercy”. God may have allowed those dark experiences to serve as a means of chastisement or purification process in believers’ lives. At the same time, He will sustain them with His “goodness and mercy”, and help them to emerge from their trials with greater confidence in God.