“And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha.”

—John 19:17

He was “delivered… to be crucified” (John 19:16). They placed on His shoulder the cross upon which He would be crucified. Bearing His cross, He went with His cruel and violent adversaries. He, who was to be crucified, first bore the cross for Himself. (Later, they compelled Simon the Cyrenian to bear His cross.)

His bearing of the cross, first of all, manifests the severity of man’s sin. Christ had already been cruelly violated by sinful men. Consider Matthew’s record of what they did to Him before making Him bear the cross: “And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him” (Matthew 27:28-31). The violence of sinful men against the blameless Son of God was dreadful. Both the Jews and the Gentile soldiers were involved in shaming and inflicting pain on Christ. The atrocity of man’s sin could not be any worse than its appalling expression on that day of Christ’s crucifixion. Making a cross and forcing the sinless Christ to bear it so that He might be later crucified on it were the most heinous acts that ever occurred on the face of the earth. Oh, the vileness of our sinfulness!

His bearing of the cross, secondly, manifests the serenity of Christ’s love. Though sinful men were unjustly and cruelly torturing Him, it was with great calmness and meekness that the Lord met their cruelty. Apostle Peter, who had watched the forbearance of the suffering Lord, later wrote, “when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously” (1 Peter 2:23). Oh, the longsuffering of our Lord towards wicked men such as we are! He meekly accepted all the cruelties of sinful mankind. He did not allow Himself to be provoked by their actions, for He was committed to suffer by their hands that He might give His life for the redemption of sinners. As the Scriptures predicted in Isaiah 53:5, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” He suffered quietly that our sins and condemnation may be removed, so that we may thus be reconciled to God. Love was never so greatly and perfectly manifested on earth as when Christ bore the cross and later died on it for our redemption. As the apostle John wrote, “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us” (1 John 3:16). His cross is an emblem of His perfect, redeeming love.

By the cross of Christ, we know the gravity of our sin and the greatness of His love towards us. Our sinful hands gave Christ the cross on which He would be crucified; on the other hand, Christ, after His loving hands had first borne it, allowed His hands to be nailed to it as He hung from it, that by His death we might be delivered.

His cross is the reason for our worship today. Without the cross of Christ, we would not have the hope, let alone the privilege, of acceptable worship. If you have come, but without believing Christ as your Saviour and Lord, we plead that you look, by faith, to the cross where Christ died to save sinners who come to Him. His cross saves! We preach to you Christ the crucified, for He alone is our Saviour from sin and condemnation, that we may have eternal life. The preaching of the cross is the centre of our faith and practice. We declare the truth of the cross of Christ that you may be saved.

In the epistle to the Philippians, the Apostle Paul expressed the deep feelings that he had for Christ. His love for Christ was unbridled. He confessed, “For to me to live is Christ” (Philippians 1:21). Life itself was dedicated to Christ. He desired nothing that is incongruent with Christ’s purposes and glory. He would not pursue anything else other than that which pleases the Lord. His life was wholly committed to Christ. He was single-minded about the purpose and goal of his life; and it was to glorify Christ. What a rebuke it is to Christians who are lost in their pursuits of worldly pleasure, gain and fame!

Below, I would like to share with you two of Paul’s confessions that bear further witness to his undivided, steadfast commitment to Christ. May Paul’s testimony stir your heart to live your life for Christ with enthusiasm and zeal.

NOTHING MATTERS BUT CHRIST

“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.”
– Philippians 3:7

Once Christ becomes the most cherished desire of a soul, everything that was dear and profitable till then would quickly fade in its appeal and significance to his thoughts. The Apostle Paul was such a person. Since his soul has embraced Christ as his Saviour and Lord, he has been totally captivated by the glory of Christ. Nothing has ever fascinated his soul as much as Christ’s love, grace, truth, glory and His person. Everything he once considered “gain” became worthless and unappealing. And all that impeded his single-minded devotion to Christ were utterly repulsive and rejected right away as “loss”. The word “loss” (zēmía) was used in Acts 27:21 with reference to the valuable goods which the mariners threw out into the sea, for the sake of people on board the ship who were imperilled by a great storm. Like those mariners, for the sake of his life with Christ, Paul cast off everything that was once utterly important to him.

In the previous verses, Paul listed the things which were once of great importance to him. He placed all his confidence in them in the past. “Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless” (vv. 5, 6). Seven advantages were listed. The first four in the list constitute his prestigious heritage which the apostle inherited by birth – circumcision he received as the sign of the covenant, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, and a Hebrew son of Hebrew parents. Those things were very important to him, for they gave him great confidence about his rights, position and prominence.

But he tells us in our text that he has renounced all those fleshly confidence in order to gain Christ. Once he thought of them to be of gain, for they brought glory to him personally. However, they were of no profit in the spiritual realm; they did not bring glory to God who sent His son to be the Saviour of His people. Hence he counted the past gains as loss so as to gain Christ, who alone could grant him the righteousness of God. Nothing else really mattered to him any more. Having Christ as his Saviour and Lord far surpassed the reputation and everything else he derived in Judaism.

Jim Elliot, a great missionary, once said: “He is no fool to give what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

NOTHING LESS THAN THE UTMOST FOR CHRIST

“I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
– Philippians 3:14

Paul’s Christian life was characterized by an unstoppable zeal for Christ. He did not want to be weighed down by his past experiences or distracted by the present issues. This he testified in the preceding verse, “but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before” (v.13).

Paul was determined to pursue with earnestness and diligence “the mark” he aimed at. He would not yield to any dissuasion or opposition that would come before him. His mind was genuinely and firmly set on the goal. Why was Paul so resolute in his Christian life? Because he was captivated by “the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”. His foremost desire was “the prize” or the reward which God had called him to attain. He regarded it as “the high calling of God”, far superior and nobler than any earthly goal. It was above all other human agendas and persuasions, for it was God’s appointment for him. As a Christian, it was his highest, greatest, grandest and utmost passion.

The certainty of the mark of the high calling that God has given him is grounded “in Christ Jesus”. As Paul said in 2 Corinthians 1:20, “For all the promises of God in him (Christ) are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.” The prize that God gives in Christ Jesus to His people is imperishable. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:25, “And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.” So, all his life as a Christian, his heart was fixed on that celestial, eternal prize; he never let anything distract him from it. When he approached the end of his earthly life, he exclaimed with great expectancy, “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8).

Our eternal inheritance in Christ demands our maximum exertion all through our life for His glory. As Hebrews 12:28 exhorts us, “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.”

In a local congregation of believers, a variety of experiences may be found at a given time. While some people experience severe afflictions, others are presented with reasons for jubilation. It is also true that all alike are subject to afflictions and happiness. Both those types of experiences can be in different persons or in the same persons at the same time. And sometimes, change from one extreme to the other can happen suddenly.

Extreme circumstances, occurring among people whom we love earnestly, can affect our thinking. With varying events, our emotions will also rise and fall accordingly. Such divergent experiences in our congregations would make us wonder who we should attend to and how we should respond to those situations. As a matter of fact, such extreme situations can happen simultaneously or successively in our church or personal lives.

Christians are urged to carry out their corresponding duties in those varying circumstances. Appropriate spiritual responsibilities, which are mentioned in our text, have to be discharged readily. If we readily carry out our biblical duties, we can minister to people in varying circumstances in the most befitting manner.

Afflicted? Then Pray!

What should we do when we find others or ourselves in trying circumstances? The apostle James advises us to pray. “Is any among you afflicted? let him pray.” We should pray, asking God for the wisdom we need to understand the situation and manage it to bring glory to His name (cf. James 1:5). We can pray for His grace to endure troubles (cf. 2 Cor. 12:7–10). We can also pray, if it is His will, that He will remove the troubles. Through prayer we not only communicate to God our needs, but also commune with Him. One of the major divine purposes of our afflictions is that we may draw closer to Him in prayer.

God has designed our afflictions to lead us to the throne of grace. Is there a better experience than drawing near and communing with God? From “broken cisterns, which can hold no water”, to “the fountain of living waters”! From gloom and sorrow to peace and exultation! What a happy outcome of trials, if we are led by our trials to seek God in prayer.

Happy? Then Sing Psalms!

What should we do when we find others or ourselves in a situation of joy and gladness? James says, “Is any merry? let him sing psalms.” Psalms are thanksgiving, worshipful songs to the Lord. Singing psalms to the Lord is the most preferred way of praising and worshipping God for all His benefits in our lives. Joyful experiences are given to us so that a worshipful spirit may be built up within us. While afflictions are sent to teach us to pray, happiness is bestowed that we may learn to praise Him.

In times of joy, we must exercise much care not to conduct ourselves irreverently before the Lord. Excitement should not result in mindless, unholy celebrations. In our joys, we should not be like the worldly people. We should not be singing and dancing to worldly music. Our hearts and lips should glorify the Lord with psalms. Our mirth must not be the unbridled expressions of a godless mind. The right response to our joys is the praise of God, who blesses us with all good things.

What if you can’t sing well? Learn from an old saint, Thomas Fuller, who had a defective voice and yet did not refuse to praise the Lord. He said, “Lord, my voice by nature is harsh and untunable, and it is vain to lavish any art to better it. Can my singing of psalms be pleasing to Thine ears, which is unpleasant to my own? Yet, though I cannot chant with the nightingale, or chirp with the blackbird, I had rather chatter with the swallow than be altogether silent. Now what my music wants in sweetness, let it have in sense. Yea, Lord, create in me a new heart, therein to make melody, and I will be contented with my old voice, until in due time, being admitted into the choir of heaven, I shall have another voice more harmonious bestowed upon me.” So let it be with us. Let us ever sing in the same spirit and in the same joy and hope.

Another Gospel Door in Kuching, Sarawak

Early on Monday morning, I set out on my very first journey to East Malaysia. It was an opportunity that came through Rev Lee Kim Shong (Calvary Jaya BPC, KL). Our initial plan was to travel together to Kuching and meet with a Bro Jeremy Teo, who has been calling for reinforcement to start an English worship service in his home city of Kuching. However, a couple of days before our journey, Rev Lee informed me that because of the sudden demise of his father-in-law, he would not be able to go with me. Though I was a little disappointed that Rev Lee could not go with me, I plucked up courage to strike out on my own, believing that if it is the Lord’s business He would be with me and guide me. What also helped in my decision to go ahead with the planned journey was that our host, Bro Jeremy, was someone I had met in 1991 in Hope B-P Church, Adelaide, Australia. Jeremy was then a young overseas university student worshipping in Hope BPC, during which he also attended a youth camp in Adelaide, where I ministered God’s Word. I was glad that I could meet him again after 23 years. Jeremy also made a special effort to encourage me by email to follow through with the planned visit to Kuching.

Jeremy was at the Kuching airport to receive me. He then drove me to his house, where I stayed for two days. Jeremy is married to Nikki and they have three young boys. Jeremy’s brother, Terence, is also a believer. When I met Terence, he appeared very familiar to me. Then he told me that he had been in Hope BPC, Adelaide, in 1995 when I was their church camp speaker. Both of them are keen to see an English service begin there, and are praying for the same. In our conversation, it was very clear that their doctrinal convictions are just like ours. Like us, they too whole-heartedly stand for Reformed, Pre-millennial doctrines. They also believe and confess the verbal, plenary inspiration and preservation of the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures underlying the King James Bible.

Let us pray that the Lord will help us to co-labour with Calvary Jaya BPC (KL) to start an English ministry in Kuching. Let us also pray for a faithful preacher to labour in this place. Presently, under Calvary Jaya BPC’s supervision, a Chinese preacher, Pr Ling Soon Ing, conducts Chinese ministries in Kuching, and the nearby cities of Sibu and Miri. Pastor Lee Kim Shong and Elder Chan Wan Fook from Calvary Jaya also frequently visit to minister to the Chinese congregations in those places.

Some facts about Kuching

Kuching is the capital and the most populous city in the state of Sarawak, East Malaysia. The city has a total population of 681,900. The state of Sarawak has a population of over 2.4 million. Miri, the next biggest city in Sarawak, has a population of 358,020 (source: the official portal of the Sarawak government: http://www.sarawak.gov. my/en/about-sarawak/demographics).

Twenty-six years have passed since the inception of Gethsemane B-P Church. How graciously and wonderfully our loving Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, has nurtured and strengthened us! We must recollect His goodness towards us and praise Him. To help us to reminisce His goodness towards Gethsemane BPC, I have prayerfully written the following liturgy for today’s Thanksgiving Worship.

• Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1).
• We rejoice in the truth that “the church of God” is “purchased with his own blood” (Acts 20:28).“The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
• “For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls” (1 Peter 2:25). “So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations” (Psalm 79:13).
• “I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD” (Ezekiel 34:15). “It is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture” (Psalm 100:3).
• Jesus said, “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom”. (Luke 12:32). “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young” (Isaiah 40:11).
• The Holy Ghost hath made some overseers, to feed the church of God (cf. Acts 20:28). Help us “to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among (ourselves)” (1 Thessalonians 5:13).
• “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever” (Hebrews 13:20-21).
  Amen.

“Do all things without murmurings and disputings.”
Philippians 2:14

We are dissuaded from engaging in two evils, namely murmuring and disputing. Interestingly, the apostle is concerned that some may engage in spiritual activities with murmuring and disputing. In other words, they practise religion without sincerity and joy. When God-given duties are done with murmuring and a disgruntled spirit, such service will be unacceptable. So, all Christians must guard themselves against such evil conduct. Both of those sins must be abhorred and avoided, if our services are to be effective and helpful.

True religion is never merely external observance of duties. Hence, Paul admonished, “Do all things without murmurings and disputings.” All our activities must be rendered cheerfully and willingly. Everything God has given us to do must be carried out with enthusiasm and readiness. Whether one does God’s work alone or with others, one must perform it with a genuine spirit of compliance to His will, coupled with diligence.

Some murmur against God and His servants, like the Israelites in the wilderness when experiencing a time of scarcity. In Numbers chapter 11, we read about them: “And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes” (vv. 4-6; cf. Exodus 15:24; 16:7-9).

Others murmur because they are discontented with and envious of the godly men and women whom God uses (cf. Numbers 14:1-4; 16:41; Mark 14:5). There are also some others who murmur because of their unbelief and their bigoted desire to spread their sedition (cf. Luke 15:2; Jude 1:16).

The spirit of murmuring is perilous. The Word of God cautions us, “Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer” (1 Corinthians 10:10). Murmuring is often the result of envy, discontentment, bitterness, pride and unbelief. It results in much evil deeds such as gossip, backbiting, slander, usurping of authority, defiance, sedition, dissension and schism. Murmuring is not just a dispute with man, but also with God! So serve the Lord without any murmur or dispute.

By the time you read this Pastoral exhortation, I expect to have been in Ethiopia already, to visit our mission churches and Rev Ephrem Chiracho, who has been unwell for some months. I am accompanied by my son, Andronicus, and, God willing, we plan to be back in Singapore by Tuesday (18 March) evening.

Today, I would like to report to you some of the Gospel mission outreaches we might be able to undertake in the near future. Just as Paul wrote to the Corinthian church, “Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 2:12), I am also glad to bring to you some tidings of new Gospel missions.

Bro Dennis Kabingue will share with you later in this bulletin his upcoming Gospel endeavours in the Philippines. He will be accompanied by some of our Filipino brothers and Preacher Donald from Pangasinan. But, first, I would like to share with you of a new Gospel frontier in Kuching, Malaysia, that we are invited to consider.

OPEN DOOR TO KUCHING?

Recently, I was invited by Rev Lee Kim Shong (Calvary Jaya B-P Church, KL) to consider the possibility of starting a Bible-Presbyterian Mission Outreach in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. There is already a Chinese mission outreach by Calvary Jaya. But now there is a desire to have an English outreach.

With our Church Session’s approval, I will be heading to Kuching on a two-day (31 March – 1 April) recce trip with Rev Lee. Our contact is Bro. Jeremy Teo, a brother whom I have met in 1991, when I was sent to Hope B-P Church, Adelaide, Australia, by the late Rev Timothy Tow for a two-month preaching stint. I received an email from Bro Jeremy a few days ago, welcoming me to Kuching; and it is published below.

Dear Rev Koshy,

Greetings in our Lord Jesus’ most holy Name.

My name is Jeremy Teo from Kuching. I heard from Rev Lee of Calvary Jaya that you will be coming to Kuching with him at the end of this month on 31 March. Welcome.

I remember you as I have met you many years ago at Hope B-P Church in Adelaide. You were a student at FEBC back then and I remember you were invited to preach at the church services and YAF camp.

I came back to Kuching in 1993 after my studies and joined a then-Sarawak government start-up computer company. I worked there for more than 2 years before my dad asked me to work for him in his auto parts company. I have been working here since 1996. I met my wife Niki in 1998 and we got married in 2001 at a local Methodist church. We have 3 children, Daniel, Samuel and Gabriel.

We started serving at Calvary B-P Church, Kuching, about 3 years ago, after being introduced to it by a friend, David Chua, who is also serving at Calvary Jaya. The church is supported by Calvary Jaya PJ and Calvary Sibu.

We look forward to meeting you and Rev Lee in Kuching.

May God bless and keep you.

Jeremy

My dear brethren, we rejoice always in every opportunity that God gives to preach the Gospel and to establish Christ-honouring, Bible-believing churches. Let us pray for God’s guidance and help in our exploration and eventual decision-making concerning a mission outreach in Kuching. Please pray for Rev Lee Kim Shong and me. “Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ” (Colossians 4:3).

More Open Doors in The Philippines?

A Gospel team, comprising Bro Julius Del Rosario, Bro Jomart Tindaan and myself, is leaving tonight for the Philippines on a one-week Gospel trip. Our first stop is Davao City, where we hope to evangelize the siblings, relatives and friends of Sis Juvy Baybayanon and Pr Donald dela Cruz, who are residents there. Pr Donald dela Cruz will make his way from Pangasinan and is expected to arrive there just before lunchtime on Monday morning. We plan to stay there from 17-19 March 2014.

The Gospel meetings will be held at the home of Mr Joel Baybayanon (brother of Sis Juvy). Pray that God may gather His elect and open their hearts to the Gospel of His Son Jesus Christ. Pray that this visit will pave the way for more Gospel meetings in the future. Truly, the need in this city is great. Davao City is the Philippines’ third most populous city and the largest in terms of land area, which is three times bigger than Singapore. It is located in the southeastern side of the Mindanao archipelago and is home to more than 2 million people.

After Davao City, we plan to visit three more places. We will drop by Cebu City to visit Gethsemane B-P Church, Cebu, as well as the 3-yearold nephew of Bro Norefel Resuma’s wife, named Raja Villagracia (who is currently undergoing treatment for leukaemia). Pray for God’s grace to share the Gospel with him and his parents. Pray for their salvation and his healing.

The following day (20 March), at about 6am, we are scheduled to take a domestic flight to Tacloban City, Leyte, where I came from. I hope to visit my relatives and friends who have survived the super typhoon Haiyan. Pray for opportunities to preach the Gospel. The main objective of our visit is to exhort the church where Rev John Pagliawan is pastoring. God willing, I shall be preaching on the Lord’s Day (23 March) on the theme “The Grace of God Wherein We Stand”, taken from Romans 5:1-5.

After the worship service, we will fly to Manila for our final stopover. Some of our brethren in the Gethsemane Filipino Fellowship are from Manila. Others may come from other provinces but most of them have relatives and friends living in Manila, which is the capital and home to more than 12 million Filipinos. Pray that God may provide opportunities for us to get acquainted with and talk to some of them during our few hours there. May the Lord bring us back to Singapore safely, on 23 March.

First of all, we are warned of the danger of covering our sins – “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper.” But how does one cover or conceal his sins? One may cover his sins by putting the blame on another, like Adam who pointed his finger at Eve, or Eve who pointed her finger at the serpent (Genesis 3:12-13; cf. Job 31:33), or Saul who blamed the people (1 Samuel 15:24). Some hide their sins by pleading ignorance and dissociating themselves from any responsibility, as Cain did after killing his brother, Abel (Genesis 4:8-10). There are those who impersonate someone else when committing a crime and then run away from the scene quickly, like Jacob who fraudulently snatched his brother’s blessings from his blind father (Genesis 27). There are yet others who use religious involvement and zeal to cover their sins, like King Saul who claimed it was for sacrifice that he brought back the Amalekites’ cattle which God had expressly commanded to destroy (1 Samuel 15:13- 23; cf. Matthew 23:25-28). There are also those who deny their sins outright with an impudent face (cf. Jeremiah 2:22-23). More stories of man’s inclination to cover his sin are found in the Bible (e.g. Rachel, Joseph’s brethren, Peter, Ananias and Sapphira).

Nonetheless, nothing is hidden from the view of God. He, who refuses to acknowledge his sin before God, betrays his foolish thinking that God has not seen it. There is no wisdom in hiding one’s sin. He is also warned that he shall not prosper. Let not the one who conceals his sin think that he will progress. In Psalm 32:3-4, David spoke of the misery he experienced while he covered his sins – “When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.” What a dangerous thing it is to cover our sins!

Secondly, we are told of the blessing of those who would confess their sins to God in repentance. “But whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” One’s sin must be quickly confessed as an offence committed against God (cf. Psalm 51:4), and must be fully forsaken. Then he will be forgiven. Divine love and mercy are greater than all our sins. Confession of sin leads the contrite sinner to the refreshing and renewing mercies of God. Turning away from sin with repentance will direct a man to the wonderful experiences of God’s never-failing compassions.

I am very thankful to God whenever I notice the presence of children in our church. I see them on the Lord’s Day at our worship services; I also see them sitting on the front rows of chairs on Tuesday nights for our Bible Study cum Prayer Meeting. I always have a surge of joy in my heart when I see them. How pleasing is their singing of hymns! They are ever eager to sing their choices of songs with the congregation. Their close proximity to the pulpit gives me the pleasure of hearing their enthusiastic singing. I rejoice when they hurriedly come to join me to pray. I also thank the Lord that they listen to the preaching of the Word attentively. Whether it be on the Lord’s Day or other days, it is wonderful to see many parents making every effort to bring their children along to the Lord’s House!

Nonetheless, I am also concerned that some other children are afforded very few opportunities by their parents. Fathers and mothers must provide as many opportunities as possible for their children to be involved in the church activities. Do not let your undue concern for their secular education and other activities deprive these young souls of their great need of spiritual nurture.

Parents, have mercy on the souls of your children! They may be little ones, but they are precious souls. The care for their souls must far exceed the care for their bodies! Have compassion on their poor souls! They are drowning day by day into the “miry pit” of anxiety for worldly success. The world is always seeking to ensnare their souls. No Christian parent can afford not to be diligent in nurturing them with the most excellent Christian environment. Their participation in the church activities is far more important than their school or other extra-curricular activities. If you only care for their earthly success, you are being irresponsible of your God-given task to nurture their souls.

From my experience of bringing up three children with my beloved wife, and having given 20 over years of my efforts to the pastoral supervision of the children in our church, let me appeal to you sincerely and candidly that nothing is more helpful and profitable in the nurture of your children than providing them maximum (not minimum or occasional) opportunity to participate in soul-nurturing activities of the church. Whether worship services, prayer meetings, children’s programmes, evangelism sessions, camps or retreats, let us not second-guess their great profitability in the nurture and protection of their souls.

Regular participation in church events with children would mean concerted discipline and commitment on the parents’ part. Notwithstanding all the troubles of taking them to church activities, you would have done the most vital duty of guarding and guiding your children’s souls. Please do not fear weariness. The troubles that you bear to ensure the spiritual nurture and fortification of your children’s souls will not be in vain. With much prayer and thanksgiving, make every effort to bring your children to our church activities. Jesus admonishes us, “Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven“ (Matthew 19:14).

would also like to encourage all those who labour in the children’s ministry to remember that you are dealing with precious immortal souls. Children are priceless in the sight of our Saviour. Their salvation and sanctification are His concern, and therefore the concern of everyone who ministers to them on Christ’s behalf. Pray earnestly for their repentance, salvation, spiritual growth, fruitfulness, etc., for Jesus says, “Feed my lambs” (John 21:15).

Hear & Be Blessed

“But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.” (Luke 11:28)

Jesus spoke those words in response to a woman who loudly acclaimed the blessedness of Mary, His mother. Her words about Mary were, “Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked” (Luke 11:27). Jesus neither denies her words, nor reproves her for what she said. In fact, His words “yea, rather” infer that He agreed to the woman’s suggestion that Mary was blessed to bear and suckle such a child (cf. Luke 1:27–28, 42, 48), and also wanted to pronounce something more joyous than the honour and privilege of bearing and suckling the Holy Child. Jesus wanted them to possess the greatest, noblest and purest joy that transcends all other rejoicing of man.

Have you realised that there is no greater blessedness than hearing and obeying God’s Word? Jesus said, “Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it.” True happiness belongs to those who hear and obey the Word of God. This is a greater blessedness than being physically related to Jesus. He wanted all to know that more than an earthly relationship with Him, they should seek a spiritual relationship that leads to ultimate joy.

True loving relationship with Christ is one’s faithful allegiance to His Word. On another occasion Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). We must not only hear His words, but also obey them diligently. As James wrote in his epistle, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22, cf. James 1:25).

Where there is high regard for His Word, there His love, cheer and blessings will flourish. His promises of blessedness to those who hear and obey are repeated in the Scriptures. Revelation 1:3 says, “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.” Revelation 22:7 assures, “Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.”

Even if you give assent to His Word with your nods, it would be of no avail unless you hear, believe and put into practice. Blessedness belongs to those who hear and obey His Word. He who hears to believe, and believes to do His Word shall be blessed.

Pitfall #4: Self-pity that Excuses Worry, Bitterness and Other Sins

The struggles of a church leader are seldom fully understood by those who are around him. Paul has captured the troubles of the church leaders the best, when he wrote, “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).

Some in the ministry have been so plagued by problems that they allow their souls to plunge into self-pity and many other sins that accompany anxiety, worry and fear. Some leaders have used their needs, loneliness, problems to excuse their sins of greed, theft, sexual promiscuity, abusive behaviour, etc. They would say, “Nobody understands my problems. Nobody seems to care that I also have to take care of my family’s needs. It is such pressure that led me to steal.” Or “Nobody else seems to feel for me in my loneliness the way she does. If any of them knew what I was going through in this leadership role, they would understand why I need this kind of embrace, why I need this kind of ‘unconditional acceptance’. I have borne enough of the burden of being everybody’s spiritual example; I can’t take it any more. And I don’t care if they don’t approve.”

Self-pity is a subtle sin; and it is packed with deceptive power. It looks so meek and weak. But underneath it is pride. Self-pity is a blind leader of proud men, which guides them into pits of sins.

Every leader must learn to find his strength, wisdom, courage and provision in the Lord. The Lord—and He alone—must be our portion, or we will give in to self-pity and all the sins that accompany it. We must seek the presence of God where there is “fulness of joy” and “at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore”. Let us learn to draw near to God when all kinds of troubles arise before us. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea” (Psalm 46:1-2).

Pitfall #5: Falling in Love with the Present World

“For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica. . . .” (2 Timothy 4:10). Demas was a fellow labourer of Paul in the work of the Gospel (cf. Colossians 4:14; Philemon 24). Paul mentioned him along with the early church leaders like Luke, Marcus and Aristarchus.

Demas left Paul and the ministry after he fell in love with this present world. What is it about the world that leaders like Demas in particular are tempted to love?

In Luke 8:14, Jesus cautioned, “. . .when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.” Our Saviour mentioned three causes that could lead a man away from being fruitful in the kingdom of God. They are cares of this life, riches of this world and pleasures of this world.

Demas’ motive for forsaking Paul might have been his love for worldly ease, safety, comforts and disinclination to brave danger with Paul.

Anyone who sincerely serves the Lord would soon find that he needs to sacrifice all his desires for the comfort, pleasure and glory of this world. Anyone who entertains an immoderate love for this material world, its gain, pleasure and glory, will not be able to serve God fervently and faithfully. He will soon wilfully abandon the cause of the Gospel because of his love for this material world.

The best protection from this pitfall is to always set our mind on the glory of God and His kingdom. Paul said, “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Galatians 6:14). The spell of sin’s fascination is broken when the superior pleasures of God’s presence becomes the preoccupation.

If we love the Lord and His work, then we must also remind ourselves that “the friendship of the world is enmity with God” and “whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James 4:4). Think long and hard about those who have fallen so painfully and drastically, having drunk the deadly poison of worldliness.

Church leaders are not free from the temptations of sin. They need to be always on guard lest they be suddenly overtaken by the deceitfulness of sin. My prayer, as I write this article, is that the Biblical expose of the deceitfulness of sin that surrounds church leaders will further intensify our vigilance and prayer, that we might keep ourselves pure for the work of the Lord.

Pitfall #1: A Sense of Self-Glory and Self-Vindictiveness

The Apostle John wrote about an early church leader who walked into this pitfall. “I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not” (3 John 9). It is not at all uncommon that the behaviour of certain men in the church leadership degenerate into one of self-assertiveness and self-glory. A sense of immunity from accountability and authority fills their minds. They act as though they are above everyone, and even above the demands of morality and charity.

Like Diotrephes who opposed and sidelined the Apostle John and other leaders of the early church, some of the present church leaders also act highhandedly. They become domineering. They become bossy. These men love the prestige and power of leadership so much that they care for none but themselves.

They forget godly men whom God has used to nurture the church. They slander good men and promote those who are just like them.

Let us protect ourselves from this sin of pride by colabouring and submitting ourselves to godly men who love God’s truth and righteousness and serve before Him humbly, faithfully and diligently. The Apostle Peter advises the leaders, “Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:3). And later he wrote, “Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time” (1 Peter 5:5-6).

Submit yourself also to a council of Biblically-minded, spiritually-wise advisers. “Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established” (Proverbs 15:22). The Bible makes clear provision for rebuking an elder who persists in sin (cf. 1 Timothy 5:19-20). No one is above reproof. Everyone ought to be accountable. Let every one of us who serves in the leadership remind himself that God expects us to be humble, submissive and accountable to one another.

Pitfall #2: Succumbing to Itching Ears as Love of Truth Evaporates

The Apostle Paul cautions, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

Many who expressed a passion for God’s truth at the beginning of their ministry have succumbed later to the popular notions and expectations of the people around them. The love of truth is weakened by the love for recognition and admiration; and soon integrity has no leg to stand on. Every manner of rationalization and compromise to meet the demands of the expanding audience takes over. Doctrines are not emphasized; moral purity is not pursued after. The audience is to be entertained — the itching ears are to be scratched. Why? Otherwise, he would have to face the unhappiness of the crowd; and he is afraid that people would desert him. So immunity from objection and opposition is created with a heavy dose of relational ethics. The language of love, forgiveness and acceptance abounds — but for those who have eyes to see, it is a camouflage to cover up the abandonment of love for God’s truth.

In order to protect ourselves from such perilous compromise in the ministry, we should cultivate an unflinching commitment to “preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:2). Remain fully dedicated to proclaim the truth, even in its smallest details, and turn a deaf ear to the desires of men to have their ears scratched. Compromise with falsehood often begins in small things.

In order to be a brave and faithful preacher of the Word, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). In the ministry of many leaders, the Word of God has taken a back seat to storytelling, social analysis, family discussions, psychological diagnoses, etc., which begin to usurp the authority of the inspired and preserved Word of God. Loose and sloppy handling of the Scriptures eventually leads to loose and sloppy living of the leaders and the congregation. Let all leaders protect themselves and their congregations through a disciplined study of God’s Word and faithful preaching.

Pitfall #3: Disregarding the Family Life

The Apostle Paul very emphatically advised that leaders should “be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly (Titus 1:6; cf. 1 Timothy 3:2, 4, 12). It is tragic that many leaders have failed to give careful attention in the nurturing of their own children in the ways of God. Therefore, Paul challenges us, “For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?” (1 Timothy 3:5).

Our loving treatment of our wives ought to be the reflection of Christ’s wonderful love for the church. The Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:25-27, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Let every church leader remember that his treatment of his wife is reflective of how greatly he thinks of the Lord’s loving dealings with the church.

An adulterous church leader is a disastrous testimony before the church. He does not portray the Lord’s faithful and true love for the church. The Apostle Paul teaches us in Ephesians 5:31-32 that Christian marriage is a token of the mystery of the relationship that Christ has with the church. “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” Adultery is an appalling desecration of the image of Christ and His church.

Let every church leader remember that God expects him to prove his faithfulness as a leader in his own home first. Remind yourself repeatedly that your marriage is a living testimony of Christ’s relationship to the church. We simply must recover the wonder of this truth. Marriage has to do with Christ, not just two people trying to seek fulfilment. It is a mission whereby God’s love is to be portrayed to the world. It is an extraordinary calling.

(continued next week...)