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READ:

John 15:1

¹I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

EXHORTATION:

The metaphor “vine” that Jesus used to refer to Himself was not an unfamiliar one. Since the land of Israel abounded in vineyards, the illustration was very striking and comprehensible. Moreover, the Old Testament Scriptures on many occasions used “vine” as a metaphor for the nation of Israel. The Jewish people were referred to as God’s vineyard or God’s vine which He had planted (Isaiah 5:1-7; Psalm 80:8-16; Jeremiah 2:21; Ezekiel 19:10). In those passages, God was the Vinedresser who cared for the vine, Israel. So, Jesus was not introducing a new idea by using the metaphor of a vine and its branches.

But God’s vine, Israel, degenerated and bore no fruit. God, the Vinedresser, grieved over the tragedy of Israel’s fruitlessness. According to Jeremiah 2:21, the Lord God lamented Israel’s corruption, saying, “Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?” Israel had forfeited its privilege as God’s vine to bear fruit for God’s glory.

No longer does blessing come through a covenantal relationship with Israel. Now there is a new vine, and it is the true vine. Jesus proclaimed that He is that “true vine”. Jesus used the word “true” to describe what is spiritually authentic, and thus eternal, heavenly, and divine.

The figure of a vine was chosen to depict a close, permanent, vital union between the vine and the branches. In the rest of John 15, Jesus referred to the believers as the “branches”. He said in John 15:5, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” Like the branches that depend on the vine for nourishment, support, strength and vitality, believers ought to completely and continually depend on Christ to bear spiritual fruit.

Many who claim to be Christians are fruitless because they fail to depend on Christ. Instead of being attached to the “true vine”, they are tied to a bank account, education, popularity, fame, personal skills, possessions, relationships, carnal pleasures, etc. But none of these things can sustain believers in their spiritual life in order to be fruitful.

The true vine is Christ, and we must live in Him to be always fruitful.

READ:

John 14:6b

^6b I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

EXHORTATION:

These words were spoken by Christ as the answer to Thomas’ question, “Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?” (John 14:5). Thomas raised that question upon Jesus’ statement that He was going to prepare a place for them in His Father’s house, and that He would come again and receive them to be with Him where He would be. Thus Jesus, with these words, intended to drive away any doubt in the disciples’ minds as to how one could get to the Father in heaven. That was where Christ said He would be going.

The Lord Jesus Christ does not merely show the way to the Father in heaven, but is Himself the way. There are not many ways to God, as many claim in these days. For Jesus not only exclusively said, “I am the way,” but also emphatically declared, “no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Not for a moment did Jesus give the notion that there are several ways to God. Christ is the exclusive and perfect way to God. It is the clear teaching of God’s Word that Jesus Christ is the only access to the Father because He is the only One from the Father who has given His life to redeem us from our sins and reconcile us unto God (cf. Acts 4:12; 1 Timothy 2:5).

According to Jesus, He is the way to God because He is also the truth and the life. Jesus is the truth because he reveals the Father and His will unto us (John 1:18). His words and His deeds show us in an exclusive way what the Father has given Him to say and do. Jesus had said in John 5:19, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.” In John 8:29, He said, “I do always those things that please him.” He alone is the truth that leads us to God.

Christ is also the life that God promises. Only Christ offers us eternal life in heaven. In His prayer to God, Jesus made this exclusive statement: “As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:2-3). Christ is the Way which we ought to follow; He is the Truth which we ought to trust; and He is the Life which we ought to hope for. Christ is the sure way, the infallible truth and the everlasting life.

READ:

John 11:25b

^25b I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.

EXHORTATION:

Oh, with what great authority Christ spoke those words! Take note that He said “I am”, and not “I will be”. No human being could speak in such a manner, except the One who came down from heaven. Those are the words of the self-existing God, the Great “I AM”. He alone has the power to give life and to bring one back from death unto life.

Jesus spoke those potent words while he was conversing with Martha, whose brother Lazarus had been dead for four days already. When Jesus said to her, “Thy brother shall rise again”, she replied, “I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day” (John 11:23-24). At this juncture, Jesus wanted Martha to realise that resurrection, whether future or present, occurs as He wills. Martha had not yet fully perceived that the power of resurrection is with Him. Therefore, Christ here specifically told her that He is “the resurrection”. In other words, Christ is the principal cause of resurrection, i.e. the power unto resurrection abides in Jesus Christ.

In John 5:28-29, Jesus said, “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice. And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”

Not only is Christ the resurrection, He is also the life. Here the word “life” refers to the life which the dead shall have upon the resurrection, even the eternal life which shall follow. Note the order: first resurrection, then life. This is because resurrection opens the door to eternal life in heaven. Both the resurrection and the life are rooted in Christ.

Jesus also said: “he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live”. Only those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ can have the hope of eternal life beyond the grave. Death is a grim reality to anyone who rejects Christ’s claim as the resurrection and eternal life; he has no hope of the glorious life in heaven. One’s death ends all opportunities one can have to be sure of one’s eternal blessedness. So, as Jesus said in the next verse, “And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” (John 11:26). While a man is alive, he should believe on Christ; then he shall have the hope and power of heavenly life in him.

READ:

John 10:14

¹⁴ I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

EXHORTATION:

The Lord Jesus Christ, for the second time in John 10, refers to Himself as “the good shepherd”. It is His joy to repeatedly affirm that He is “the good shepherd” of His people, the church. He is also referred to as the “great shepherd” (Hebrews 13:20), and “the chief shepherd” (1 Peter 5:4).

The church, the body of believers, is tenderly attended to by the Lord Jesus Christ. He guides the church through His voice in the Scriptures. All Scriptural commandments, promises, rebukes, corrections, instructions, doctrines are for their protection and guidance. John Calvin, the great reformed theologian, remarked in his commentary: “Hence it follows, that they who reject the guardianship of so kind and amiable a shepherd are exceedingly ungrateful, and deserve a hundred deaths, and are exposed to every kind of harm.”

As “the good shepherd”, Jesus knows His sheep. His knowledge extends to all genuine believers. Not one of them shall be overlooked or lost in the crowd. Each one of them is individually known and named. In John 10:3, He spoke of the true shepherd as one who “calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out”. Our omniscient Shepherd knows us. No matter where we live in the world, He knows us and deals with us as His sheep. He recognises and cares for every sheep of His flock.

The word “know” here is used in the sense of affectionate regard or love. It implies His knowledge of their characters, their conditions and their circumstances. He knows their needs, their dangers, their fears, their struggles and their infirmities; as such, He knows how to attend to them according to the riches of His grace. His loving kindness as their Shepherd will defend and aid them at all times.

This assurance of His loving knowledge of His people is not a temporary one. It is a permanent assurance. He will lead His people now and forever. Even if it be through the valley of death, He will be with us and lead us into the eternal home He has prepared for us (Psalm 23:4).

Furthermore, Christ’s sheep know Him as their Shepherd, for He said that “I … am known of mine.” His sheep are happy to acknowledge Him and follow Him always. Let every believer joyfully say, “The Lord Jesus is my Good Shepherd, and I will follow Him all the days of my life.”

READ:

John 10:11

¹¹ I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

EXHORTATION:

Whenever Jesus Christ refers to Himself as the Shepherd of His people, He takes ownership of them and undertakes to see to their care Himself. He is not like the hireling, who does not feel responsibility for the sheep and whom Jesus contemptuously spoke of in John 10:12, “But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.”

The life of a shepherd was a very difficult one. He had to endure the heat of the day and the cold of the night. There were many dangers too. In Bible times, lions, wolves, jackals, panthers, leopards, hyenas and bears were common in the countryside. We read in 1 Samuel 17:34-37 of how David fought with a lion and a bear while tending his sheep. Furthermore, we also read of how Jacob experienced much labour and toil as a shepherd, according to Genesis 31:38-40.

Admittedly, some shepherds were very careless in the discharge of their duty. Because of their neglect, the flock was greatly ruined. In Zechariah 11:15 and 17, they were referred to as “foolish” shepherds and “idol” (i.e. idle) shepherds. But the Lord Jesus is not like any other shepherd of the people. He is “the good shepherd”. As the Good Shepherd, He tends to His people with love, mercy, concern and faithfulness. Above all, the reason why He is “the good shepherd” is that He “giveth his life for the sheep”.

When the Lord Jesus Christ came to this world to seek His lost sheep, He foresaw that He would die for the sheep. Jesus spoke those words prior to His death on the cross. His death to be the Saviour of His sheep was neither accidental nor unforeseen. The Lord Jesus could have saved Himself, but He entertained no thought of and made no attempt at escape. He asked for no legion of angels to rescue Him. Instead, He gave Himself willingly to die for the sheep. He died in the stead of the sheep.

So Christ died a vicarious death, the just for the unjust, which saved the sinner from the doom he deserved. It was not for His own but for our advantage that He died. By His sacrifice, He not only redeemed us from the curse of the law and the power of sin, He also secured for us eternal life. Thus, He is “the good shepherd”, and there is none like Him.

READ:

John 10:9

⁹ I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

EXHORTATION:

Jesus was explaining His relationship with His people using the parable of a shepherd and his sheep. In the earlier section of this chapter, Jesus spoke of the sheep in the fold and the shepherd entering the fold through its door (vv. 2, 3a). Then He spoke about the shepherd and his sheep leaving the fold through the door (v. 3b), with the shepherd leading them into the pasture (v. 4). Now in our verse, Jesus describes a midday scene where the sheep had been led out from the village fold to the grassy slopes to graze and to the brook for a refreshing drink.

Now, we should not think of Jesus as the door of the fold, for in this parable, the shepherd had already left the fold and come to the pasture. Rather, we must perceive the door as representing the entrance to a wooded thicket somewhere in the pasture, where the sheep would enter to find shade and water. So here, when Jesus referred to Himself as the door, He is referring to Himself as His people’s provider and protector.

Perfect safety for the sheep lay in their being led into the pasture by the shepherd. Without him, they would not be brought into the safe pasture. The shepherds shouldered the responsibility for locating safe pastures for their flocks, a task not always easy in that semi-arid land with many wild beasts. Likewise, only through Christ can anyone enter into eternal salvation and enjoy all the subsequent spiritual blessings.

So Jesus said, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved”. When people put their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour, they are led into everything God has prepared for them in the realm of salvation. Christ becomes their Shepherd, and He assumes the responsibility for supplying all their needs. Thus, Jesus Christ is the door not only to salvation, but also to spiritual nourishment. So He said that His people “shall go in and out, and find pasture”, like the sheep. Their spiritual growth will occur when nourished by Christ through His Word.

That’s why Paul said in Acts 20:32, “I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.” If we “go in and out” along life’s journey according to His Word, we shall be spiritually well-nourished and strong all through our earthly journey.

Sermon Text: Psalm 42
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 4th June 2023

READ:

John 8:12b

^12b I am the light of the world.

EXHORTATION:

These words of our Lord Jesus Christ indicate that the world is in darkness. The darkness that covers the world is moral and spiritual darkness. Darkness symbolises ignorance, iniquity, error, superstition and everything that opposes truth and godliness. People are living in the darkness of spiritual ignorance and moral corruption. In John 3:19, Jesus said, “men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” People are said to love darkness more than light when they are more pleased with error than truth, more preoccupied with sin than holiness, and more enamoured with the world than Christ.

By his own cravings and passions, man is pushing himself further and further into spiritual and moral darkness. Though he tells himself that he is seeking the “good life”, he is falling further into the bleakness of a stark moral darkness. That darkness seems even darker today. Some sit in darkness of sorrow and fall into darkness of hopelessness. Others sit in darkness of loneliness for a long time and slip further into dark pits of emptiness and worthlessness. Their life seems to spiral down relentlessly into dark, bottomless pits. Many, in seeking better and brighter days, are sucked right into deeper darkness. They plunge headlong into the dark grip of alcohol, illicit sex, drugs, devil-worship and the ultimate darkness of suicide, which is nothing but a great plunge into eternal darkness.

But there is light as Jesus declares unto us, “I am the light of the world”. Christ came to this world to give us the light of His salvation, grace, forgiveness, righteousness, joy, peace and hope. Jesus assured us in John 8:12 that “he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” He will drive away the darkness that had filled our souls, and cast the light of His glory into our hearts.

When those who lived in darkness come to Him, their sins, ignorance, foolish thinking and suchlike shameful realities will be exposed. If they would humbly acknowledge their sins and repent, and turn fully to the light of Christ and His wisdom, they can be assured of a bright and cheerful life. As Luke 1:78-79 declares about Christ, “Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

My last trip to the Philippines was four years ago. Visiting our mission churches in the Visayas region of the Philippines had been a burning desire for some time. By His grace, after boarding a midnight flight last Saturday, my wife and I reached Cebu on Sunday at 5.30am. We were joyfully received at the airport by Pastor Reggor Galarpe. He took us to a small, cosy hotel near our church in Cebu City. We quickly freshened up and had breakfast. Bro Allan Ebarle came in his car at 9am to take us to church for the morning worship service, which starts at 9.30am. The congregation was seated and ready for worship when we entered the church. Soon, the worship began with Pastor Reggor leading the service, and I was called upon to minister the Word. After the worship, we had a wonderful time of fellowship with the Cebu brethren.

Praise God that most members have continued in the faith and service of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord also added some new brethren to the church. We are grateful for Pastor Reggor’s labour for the Master in the ministries of the church, TGCM and GBI.

By 1pm, Rev Reggor drove us in the new church van (from an anonymous giver) to our next worship service – San Antonio – where a combined service of the two small congregations north of Cebu Island was arranged by Eld Eliezer Ortega, who ministers God’s Word among them. On the way, we visited Eld Richard Tiu, who had undergone surgery to remove a tumour from his liver. Seeing that God has graciously given him much recovery and relief, I exhorted him to serve the LORD faithfully. After the warm fellowship extended to us by his family, we journeyed north with some brethren from TGCM, who joined us in the church van for the trip to San Antonio. Four other families from the Cebu church drove up in their vehicles to join the combined worship. All arrived safely by 4pm, and soon the worship service began. I ministered the Word during the service. We were much encouraged to see that the brethren have been steadfast and persevering in their faith and service amidst the many trials they face in life.

After a sumptuous evening meal prepared by the brethren in San Antonio and a blessed time of fellowship, we started our journey back to Cebu at about 7.30pm. Everyone returned safely to Cebu by 10.15pm. The Lord granted us a good night’s rest for our tired bodies.

The next day, Monday morning, at 9am, Bro Allan fetched us, together with Pastor Reggor, to the ferry terminal and sent us on our journey by sea to Bohol Island. Pastor Reggor joined Carolyn and me on this visit to Bohol. Though there was a gale warning (maritime weather warnings) due to a typhoon passing through that region, the Lord gave us a smooth journey to Bohol. We spent time in the mission church with Pr Edsel, his wife Sis Juvy, and their daughter Eunice (19 months old). We heard their testimonies and reports of the various outreaches in far-flung places like Anda, Candijay and Trinidad. We thanked God for sustaining and using them for His glory. Sis Juvy served us lunch, which she had so lovingly prepared. We were much nourished and refreshed! We then checked into a nearby hotel for a short rest and returned to the mission church at 5.30pm for the fellowship meeting. Almost all the members arrived by 6.15pm. In the meeting, I exhorted them from the Word to bear unashamed testimony for the Lord. We rejoiced in communing with one another, and enjoyed the post-fellowship meal with the brethren.

Early next morning, at 4.30am, we left the hotel for the ferry terminal to travel back to Cebu City, and then to the airport to return to Singapore. We were thankful that the ferry was allowed to leave as the previous night’s ferry was cancelled due to a gale warning. However, our ferry ride was not without incident. Soon after leaving the port, the boat ran into powerful waves. When huge waves kept slamming against the boat, it started to lean more and more towards one side. The boat was considerably slow and battered by the waves for a while. There was great fear in the hearts of many on board, from whom screaming and loud prayers could be heard. On the other hand, we thank God for the peace and safety throughout the several minutes (probably about 20 minutes) of tremulous experience during that voyage. Providentially, I was led to think of some experiences in our Christian life and ministry as being like the rough and violent period of that two-hour sea voyage.

Brethren, I urge you to continue to pray for God’s servants who lead the work, that they will remain prayerful and faithful to Him. Their life and ministry have been tested by many difficult circumstances over the past four years. Pray for the younger ones (children of the first generation of members) that they will resist the world and be overcomers. (By the way, our Youth Fellowship is looking into the possibility of having a retreat in Cebu or Bohol in December. Pr Cornelius and Eld Low will visit Cebu next week to recce for the retreat. Remember them in your prayers.)

READ:

John 6:48

⁴⁸ I am that bread of life.

EXHORTATION:

At the beginning of this sixth chapter of John, we read about Jesus’ miraculous feeding of a large crowd of five thousand men (besides women and children) with only five barley loaves and two small fishes. When some of the people who were fed by Jesus looked for Him the next day, and found Him in Capernaum on the other side of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus told them pointedly, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled” (v. 26). Jesus further admonished them, “Labour not for the meat (food) which perisheth, but for that meat (food) which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed” (v. 27). Thus Jesus alerted them to their greater need of seeking the spiritual food that will supply them with eternal life and pointed to Himself as the One who can give just that.

However, the Jews scoffed at Christ’s claim by arguing that He could not measure up to Moses who had given their fathers manna from heaven (vv. 30-31). To which Jesus replied that it was not Moses but God who gave them the manna from heaven (v. 32). He then declared to them that He is the true bread that God has provided for eternal life. In verse 33, He said, “For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.” To which they clamoured, “Lord, evermore give us this bread” (v. 34). Jesus then asserted, “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” The fact that He is the bread that God has provided for man to receive eternal life was reiterated by Christ no less than 6 times in this chapter of John (vv. 35, 41, 48, 50, 51, 58)!

“Bread” refers to the food necessary to satisfy our hunger, and to nourish and strengthen our bodies. We cannot live without food. No one, whether rich or poor, can live without it.

So it is with Christ. Without Christ, our souls will be starved to eternal peril! Without Christ, the craving and emptiness of our souls can never be satisfied. He alone can supply eternal life that will fully satiate the yearning of our sin-plagued souls. We feed on Him by believing in Him as God’s gift for our salvation and spiritual blessings. If we keep on believing in Christ, our souls shall be fed with the glories of eternal life.