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Beloved in Christ,

I warmly exhort you to make every effort to attend the upcoming seminar, “Zechariah: The LORD Remembers”, organised by Gethsemane Adults’ Fellowship this Saturday. This study of an ancient prophetic book will help us to behold the faithfulness of our covenant-keeping God, who never forgets His people nor abandons His promises.

The Book of Zechariah was given to a discouraged remnant who were small in number, weak in strength, and surrounded by opposition. To awaken them from discouragement and lethargy, the LORD spoke words of comfort, correction, and glorious hope. As the prophet’s name itself declares, “The LORD remembers”, which is the meaning of the Hebrew name Zechariah. He remembers His covenant, His city, His people, and His redemptive plan for the nations.

In this seminar, you can expect a clear and reverent overview, coupled with a brief exposition of Zechariah’s visions, symbols, promises, and eschatological prophecies. We will explore how God calls His people to repentance, assures them of His presence, and points them forward to the coming Messiah, who is portrayed as the Branch, the Stone with seven eyes, the humble King, and the pierced Shepherd. From a premillennial perspective, we will also consider how Zechariah unfolds God’s future purposes for Israel, Jerusalem, and the nations, culminating in the visible reign of Christ over the earth. These prophecies strengthen our confidence that history is moving steadily towards God’s appointed end, even as it passes through seasons of natural catastrophes and human chaos.

Why is learning Zechariah so important for the church today? Because we, too, live in days of weariness, moral confusion, and spiritual opposition. Zechariah teaches us that God’s work is accomplished “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD”. It lifts our eyes from present struggles to future glory, and anchors our hope in the certainty of Christ’s coming kingdom.

Come, then, with a teachable heart. Come to be comforted, corrected, and encouraged. May the LORD use this seminar to deepen our faith, renew our hope, and stir us to faithful service until He comes.

Testimony of Penitence

“And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar” (Genesis 8:20). By God’s sovereign mercy, Noah and his family found favour in His sight and were preserved. In like manner, as I reflect on the year 2025, and my past years as a Christian, I stand before my Creator and Redeemer, with deep thanksgiving for His longsuffering and enduring mercies towards me, which I do not deserve.

For quite some time in my years of confusion and fear in the past, I had lacked full trust in His saving work, and relied on my own strength and failed grievously. Like Lot, I sought to serve, yet stumbled through my own folly, disobedience, and unbelief. My sins were heinous and hateful in the sight of God, rightly deserving both His displeasure and the reproach of men. The shame and sense of unworthiness that accompanied returning to the LORD for restoration are not easy to endure. I blame no one but myself. To all brethren who have loved me in the LORD, and whom I have stumbled, disappointed, or grieved by my errant ways, I offer my sincere apology. In particular, I’m thankful for my beloved wife, in whom there still abides a gracious trust in Christ and a spirit of forgiveness towards me.

Truly, once breath ceases, there is no second chance. Though a wretched soul as I am, the LORD has mercifully chosen to forgive and save me, therefore I cannot remain unchanged. I need to be transformed by the living Word, and be prepared to go through continual and just chastening, be it through painful correction, pruning, or cleansing, that the filth of the world and besetting sins may be removed. The spiritual battle is real and intense. Despite my misguided concern for my family’s needs (enticed by worldly temptation and a desire for quick solutions), yet I thank God that, through the timely preaching of His faithful servants, He graciously exposed my sin and led me to forsake it—to flee again to His mercy seat, seeking forgiveness and restoration. My Lord knows my frailty and failures; my life is in His hands. His loving chastening assures me that I am His—mercy upon mercy, utterly undeserved (cf. Hebrews 12:6–8). May the divine Potter mercifully placed me again upon His wheel to shape me according to His will.

The year 2025 was marked by painful and discouraging trials, as well as moments of grace. It was sadly a season of repeated failure and repentance—I lost count of how many times I cried out to God for forgiveness. Satan knows my weaknesses and relentlessly attacks my faith and trust in Christ. Yet I thank God that He did not pass me by. I do not presume upon His mercy, but trust that when I came in sincere repentance, He would forgive me and hold me fast in His gracious and mighty hands.

O, how I wish I had listened more carefully, and obeyed my dear Pastor’s godly counsel, and be guided wholly by the Word of God! Had I done so, my path would have been far more firmly established in the Lord. Though I do not deserve it, I thank God for opening doors for me to serve at the Lions Home For The Elders, at St Luke’s ElderCare and within our Gethsemane Seniors’ Ministry. These are solemn responsibilities (particularly sharing God’s Word or assisting through interpretation), which I can fulfil only with God’s help. Even as I press on in service, may God continue to teach, correct, and humble me, through the loving encouragement and fellowship of Pastor, the elders, and preachers, for the battle against sin remains real and intense.

I thank God for placing me in this church, a true “spiritual hospital”, where His Word is faithfully preached, and where the deeply rooted sins and corruptions that so easily entangle me are continually exposed and purged for the good of my soul. I thank God for the Watchnight Service—a time to pause, to examine myself, to consecrate and re-dedicate my life, and to be soberly reminded of the wrath that is to come. Just like in Noah’s time, where Noah witnessed firsthand God’s righteous judgment on the people of his generation (who persisted in unbelief and disobedience), my heart is burdened for my children and my newborn grandchild, who remain outside God’s Ark, even Christ. May God, in His sovereign mercy, bring them to the saving knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Proverbs 17:13—“Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.”

This proverb addresses everyday conduct, especially within close relationships. It assumes a setting of received kindness, good freely given, and also exposes the moral disorder of responding with harm. Such ingratitude is not merely discourteous; it tears apart the fabric of faithful relationships.

At heart, this proverb reflects God’s own moral order. God Himself is the supreme giver of good, and to repay good with evil is to act contrary to His character. Scripture consistently portrays such behaviour as a mark of deep moral corruption (cf. Psalm 35:12; Romans 1:31). The warning is judicial: evil is not random but retributive. When goodness is met with evil, God permits that evil to become a persistent presence—“it shall not depart from his house.” Sin, once welcomed, it can become a resident with all its malice.

This verse speaks soberly to homes, churches, and communities. Gratitude nurtures peace; ingratitude breeds unrest. Those who habitually repay kindness with suspicion, resentment, or harm should not be surprised when relational fracture follows them. Yet for the wounded believer, this proverb also offers comfort: God sees unjust treatment and does not ignore moral wrongs.

Examine your responses to the grace received. Where God has shown you good, especially in Christ, let gratitude govern your actions, lest evil gain an unwelcome foothold in your life. Let that same gratitude shape the way you respond to others, returning kindness for kindness, and good for good, as those who live under God’s gracious rule.

Numbers 23:19—“God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?”

This declaration comes from the mouth of Balaam, a reluctant prophet hired by the Moabite king, Balak, to curse Israel. In a striking display of divine sovereignty, God speaks one of Scripture’s clearest affirmations of His unchangeable faithfulness through the mouth of a man marked by covetousness, spiritual treachery, and deliberate malice against His people. At the same time, Israel stood in the plains of Moab equally exposed—unfaithful, murmuring, and wholly undeserving—yet the LORD, faithful to His own Word, refused to reverse the covenantal blessing He had graciously spoken over them.

The verse contrasts human fickleness with divine faithfulness. Humans lie, regret, and revise; God does not. His purposes and promises are never compromised. What God says He will do, He does. His covenant is not governed by emotion or manipulation but by His holy and truthful nature.

This does not deny that God responds relationally in history. God’s responses in history do not mean that He changes His mind in the way humans do, or revises His eternal plan. Instead, His relational actions are the outworking in time of what He has eternally purposed.

For weary believers, this verse is a strong consolation. When conscience trembles over personal failure, this text reminds us that salvation rests on God’s Word, not ours. In seasons when prayer feels unanswered or promises delayed, faith clings to this truth: God has not changed His mind.  When circumstances accuse God of forgetfulness, Numbers 23:19 declares to us His reliability.

Let us rest today in the God who cannot lie. Every promise spoken over His people in Christ will be made good, fully and faithfully.

Mark 5:19—“Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.”

Jesus’ compassion does not end with restoration; it extends to the calling and future of the restored life. He turns a delivered man into a commissioned witness, showing that restoration is never an end in itself. The man who had been possessed by a legion of demons is now clothed, in his right mind, and sitting at Jesus’ feet (vv. 1-16). Naturally, he desires to remain with the One who delivered him (v.18). Yet Jesus gently but firmly redirected that desire, for “Jesus suffered (permitted) him not.” True discipleship is expressed not only in closeness to Christ but in obedience to His sending.

This man came from the region of the Decapolis (v.20), predominantly Gentile territory. Jesus sent him back, not to the synagogue or temple, but “home to thy friends.” The mission field begins with those who know our former condition. The command is simple and personal: “tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee.” He is commissioned simply to recount the great works of the Lord and the compassion he has received, bearing witness to Christ’s gracious deliverance rather than offering explanation or argument.

Jesus frames the deliverance in covenant language: “the Lord hath done” and “hath had compassion on thee.” Salvation is the work of the Lord alone, flowing from divine compassion. This compassion does not merely relieve suffering; it restores dignity, identity, and purpose. Grace transforms the delivered man into a witness (see v. 20).

This verse reassures believers who feel unqualified to speak. Christ does not demand eloquence, but faithful narration of His work of deliverance and restoration. Our calling is to talk honestly of God’s mercy in our lives. True discipleship listens for Christ’s direction and trusts that compassion received is meant to become compassion proclaimed. The gospel and glory of Christ advance as transformed lives bear witness to His mercies.

Mark 1:38—“And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth.”

Here, Mark records a decisive moment early in Jesus’ ministry. After a day of intense activity—teaching, healing, and casting out demons—the crowds sought Him eagerly. His disciples pointed to the growing demand, saying, “All men seek for thee,” subtly urging Him to remain where His ministry was already attracting attention. Yet Jesus responds with resolute clarity: “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also.” Popularity, visible success, and pressing need did not determine His course; His God-given mission did.

Significantly, this resolve follows a time of solitary prayer (v. 35). Jesus’ decision to move on was not impulsive, but the fruit of deliberate communion with the Father. In prayer, His purpose was clarified, and His path confirmed. The will of the Father, not the expectations of the crowd, governed the direction of the Son. His example reveals a life ordered by obedience rather than convenience. Jesus sought not what was easiest or most affirming, but what was most faithful to the mission for which He had come.

His priority was unmistakable: preaching the gospel of the kingdom. Although His many miracles (v. 34) authenticated His divine nature and the God-given authority of His message, they were never intended to replace the proclamation of the message in other towns. Jesus affirmed, “for therefore came I forth.” His preaching is not incidental but essential to His incarnation. He has come to announce God’s saving reign, calling sinners to repentance and faith.

As followers of Christ, let us share His perspective of ministry—to value proclamation over popularity and to move forward wherever God calls us, confident that we walk in the footsteps of the One who came forth to preach. Obedience to God’s purpose, not human expectation, defines faithfulness.

Psalm 119:163—“I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love.”

Psalm 119:163 reveals the moral clarity produced by a heart shaped by God’s Word. This verse stands within a section where the psalmist faces hostility and persecution, yet responds not with bitterness or compromise, but with deeper devotion to truth. His love for God’s law does not make him morally indifferent; it sharpens his discernment and strengthens his convictions.

The psalmist uses strong language, “hate and abhor”, to describe his response to lying. This hatred is not personal animus but a settled revulsion against sin and falsehood, formed by Scripture rather than sentiment. It is a principled rejection of falsehood in all its forms: deception, injustice, distortion, and unfaithfulness to God’s revealed truth. Lying is hated because it contradicts the character of God, who is truth and whose Word is pure. In contrast, the psalmist declares, “thy law do I love.” Love for God’s law is not mere admiration, but loyal affection that shapes belief and behaviour.

This verse teaches that true godliness involves both affection and aversion. Love for God and His Word necessarily produces hatred for what opposes His Word. To cherish truth is to resist falsehood. Scripture does not allow moral neutrality; it calls for a heart aligned with God’s righteousness.

The challenge given to believers is to examine what they tolerate. In an age where truth is often softened or reshaped for convenience, love for God’s Word demands courage. Yet this hatred of lying is not harsh or self-righteous; it flows from delight in God’s law. As believers grow in love for Scripture, their conscience is trained to reject what is false and cling to what is true, enabling faithful living in a confused and deceptive world.

Hebrews 6:1—“Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God.”

The exhortation, “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection,” must be read in its redemptive-historical context. The writer addresses Jewish believers who had learned of Christ through the Old Testament—its ceremonies, promises, types, and prophecies—and were still tempted to treat those preparatory forms as necessary practices. These constituted the “principles,” or elementary teachings, about Christ, given by God before His coming to prepare the way for the fuller revelation now accomplished in Him.

“Leaving” does not mean abandoning truth, but moving forward from shadow to substance. The Old Testament provided a true and God-given foundation: sacrifices pointing to atonement, washings symbolising cleansing, promises anticipating salvation, and prophecies foretelling the Messiah. All faithfully taught Christ in advance. Yet now that Christ has come, died, risen, and ascended, believers are not to remain bound to the forms that once pointed forward to Him.

To cling to ceremonies and types after their fulfilment is like lingering at the scaffold after the building is complete. The writer urges his readers to move beyond Christ anticipated to Christ revealed, beyond promise to accomplishment. This forward movement is what he means by “going on unto perfection”, pursuing the complete revelation of Christ unto spiritual maturity.

Thus, believers are warned not to lay again the foundation of repentance from dead works and faith toward God. These were foundational under the old covenant, but now find their true meaning in wholehearted trust in Christ’s finished work. What once pointed forward must never compete with what has been fulfilled. True progress in the Christian life means building on the foundation, not living forever at it, pressing on to a fuller knowledge, obedience, and enjoyment of the completed work of Christ.

Mark 1:15—“… The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”

Mark 1:15 records the opening proclamation of Jesus’ public ministry. Spoken in Galilee, immediately after John the Baptist’s imprisonment, these words announce a decisive turning point in redemptive history. “The time is fulfilled” declares that God’s appointed moment has arrived. Centuries of promise, prophecy, and expectation now converge in the person of Christ. History is not random; it moves according to God’s sovereign timetable, and that timetable reaches its fullness in Jesus.

Jesus also said that “the kingdom of God is at hand”, and that means that God’s work of salvation has drawn near in the King Himself. This is not merely future hope, but present reality. In Christ, God’s rule breaks into a fallen world with authority, grace, and power to save. The nearness of the kingdom demands response, not observation. Neutrality is impossible when the King stands before us.

Jesus’ call is twofold: “repent ye, and believe the gospel.” Repentance is a decisive turning, a change of mind and direction away from sin and self-rule. Faith is not mere agreement, but wholehearted trust in the good news that God saves sinners through Christ. These are not separate stages, but two sides of the same response. True faith always turns from sin; true repentance always turns toward Christ.

These words of Christ press upon every hearer the urgency of the Gospel of Christ. His call is not to be postponed until life is settled or circumstances improve. The kingdom is near us, now. The Redeemer-King, the Lord Jesus Christ, addresses us where we are, calling us to forsake false securities and rest in Him alone. For the weary sinner, this is good news: God has acted, salvation is offered, and the door of grace stands open. To repent and believe in Christ is to enter life under the gracious reign of Jesus Christ, both now and forever.

Sermon Text: Psalm 121
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 18th January 2026

CBS is a growing fellowship among our youths that is dedicated to reaching students in tertiary education with the life-giving Word of God. At a time when campuses are filled with competing voices (many of which are spiritually destructive), along with captivating ideas and pressures that draw hearts away from Christ, this ministry exists to anchor young hearts and minds firmly in the truth of Christ. Through faithful teaching, Q&A sessions, prayer, and fellowship, Christian students are equipped to grow spiritually and live out their faith with courage and clarity.

Our campus ministry meets online every Thursday at 6:00 pm, making it accessible to students, regardless of location or academic schedule – so they can meet together to learn God’s Word. Each meeting centres on the study of God’s Word, encouraging thoughtful discussion, mutual edification, and prayerful reflection. It is a safe and welcoming space where students can ask questions, strengthen their convictions, and be encouraged in their walk with the Lord.

We warmly invite all tertiary students from colleges, polytechnics, universities, and professional institutions to join these weekly gatherings. Students are also encouraged to invite their friends and classmates, creating opportunities for others to hear the Gospel and encounter Christ through the Scriptures.

Bearing witness to Christ in tertiary institutions is both a privilege and a responsibility. Campuses are mission fields for Christian students to live out their faith, speak the truth in love, and reflect Christ’s character. God uses their witness to shine His light in places of learning and influence.

Believers in educational campuses face constant pressure from ungodly ideologies, moral compromises, and spiritually destructive voices that challenge their faith. This Campus Bible Study provides encouragement through God’s Word, strengthening students to stand firm in Christ, grow in discernment and live boldly as faithful witnesses. “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ” (Col. 2:8).

If you are a tertiary student, join CBS’s online meetings. Come, learn the Word, grow in faith, and be a faithful witness for Christ where God has placed you.

Additional Testimonies of GYF Retreat Participants (Continued)

Valencia Hutagalung

Thank God for the 3 days of this camp, which has taught me many valuable lessons concerning sin and temptation. Thank God for all those who worked hard over the past few months to ensure the smooth running of the camp, and even those serving in the many different areas during the camp as well. Praise God for the time of fellowship and learning of God’s Word together. 

I’m thankful for the theme messages faithfully preached by Pr Cornelius, on the theme: “Fight the Good Fight Against Sin”. These messages have helped me to reflect back on how I’ve been living my life and on my personal walk with God. As I navigate the struggles against sin in my daily life, these messages serve as timely reminders for me to continue to watch myself and resist the devil (James 4:7). I’ve learnt that temptation can be either internal or external. Temptation is not sin when it is external and resisted against, but becomes sin when it is internal and embraced. I’ve also learnt about the functions and limitations of God’s Law, and about habitual sins and how we can break them.

One particular lesson which has impacted me most is the importance of prayer and asking God to help us resist temptations. Prayer is submitting ourselves to God, asking God to bend our will according to His, and not changing His will according to what we want. 

I pray that I will continue to remember and apply these lessons amidst all the temptations around me. May I will continue to grow closer to God, and yield myself to Him in my fight against sin.

Lorraine Yong

I thank God for seeing me through another year and for enabling me to come for YF. The messages in YF have moved me and drawn me (and my brother Max) closer to God. Furthermore, by His grace and strength, Max and I had also attended the Catechism class. I also thank God for the encouragement from Pastor, Pr Cornelius, Dns Diana, the Aux-Comm, and brothers and sisters in Christ. Their fellowship, as well as their love and support, have encouraged me greatly. 

I’m thankful for the privilege to join this YF retreat, which has allowed us to learn the importance of resisting temptation and surrendering all our desires to the Lord. The Lord has truly blessed me with so much, and I pray that in 2026 I will be a more contented Christian and strive to be a good testimony to those around me, especially my family. May I also be a good encouragement to the younger youths joining YF in 2026, just like how the older sisters and brothers have done for me.

Rance Laurencio

Thank God for seeing us through the recent youth retreat, and for the edifying theme messages. The theme was an answered prayer for me, as often I find myself stumbling due to yielding to temptations in my continual walk with the Lord. Indeed, “Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because (I) keep not thy law” (Ps 119:136).

I thank God for the aid of brothers and sisters who cared and looked after me, and for the recovery and sustenance God has given me, while I fell unwell due to sudden diarrhoea during the camp.

In particular, I thank God for the opportunity to use my God-given talent to serve Him by designing the cover for this retreat’s booklet. The concept I had in mind focused on the shield, inspired by Ephesians 6:16 – “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” Furthermore, when I was brainstorming and exploring ideas, I followed the idea of the sword – “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17).

Finally, I thank God for all of His blessings, and I pray that we may all be channels of God’s blessings to others.

Chloe Chan

I thank God for the opportunity to attend my first YF retreat, where I was richly nourished by His Word and blessed through meaningful fellowship. Amidst the many internal and external temptations I face in my daily life, the messages shared during the retreat served as a timely and much-needed reminder to continually fight the good fight against sin.

I was reminded of the importance of staying close to God and His Word, which serves as a mirror that reveals our sinful nature and our deep need for salvation. This spiritual battle requires conscious effort and steadfast faith. We must remain aware of the sinful lusts that dwell within us, willingly submitting and surrendering them to God so that they may be put to death.

Our struggle with sin will persist and may even intensify as we grow older. Yet, this very struggle is testament of our salvation, for it reflects a renewed heart that now hates sin and desires righteousness. Therefore, we must remain prayerful and watchful, yielding our bodies as instruments of righteousness and not of sin, as we rely wholly on God each day in this ongoing battle. “Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God” (Romans 6:13).