Sermon Text: Psalm 119:1–16
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 31st August 2025
Sermon Text: Psalm 119:1–16
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 31st August 2025
12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
Possessing Christ, the Son of God, is to possess life eternal. Conversely, rejection of Christ means to live under the sentence of death, without having the eternal life that Christ alone offers. The Son of God Himself proclaimed in John 3:36, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” He again said in John 5:24, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
There is no reason to doubt if those who have Christ, the Son of God, have possession of eternal life. Those who have Christ are those who live by faith in Christ. Their lives show that they do possess Christ by faith. They do not behave like those who reject or have no knowledge of Christ. Their faith in Christ will be evident in their lives. If they ever fail to express their faith, being overcome with temptations, they will repent and renew their faith and walk again in the ways of Christ. Their repentance and renewal will prove their possession of life which the Son of God has given to them.
Those who have Christ will have the life that He gives, not the life that the world and the devil have prepared for those who seek to possess the world. The present lives of those who have Christ will certainly manifest all the characteristics of the life that is in Him.
The apostle John has given us much evidence of the spiritual life possessed by those who possess Christ. Let us consider some of the proofs mentioned by John. The first proof is that they obey His commandments (cf. 1 John 2:3-4). Secondly, they live a righteous life (cf. 1 John 2:29). Thirdly, they do not habitually commit sin (cf. 1 John 3:9; 5:18). Fourthly, they love the brethren (1 John 3:14; 4:7). The fifth, and by no means the last, proof is that they overcome the world (1 John 5:4).
The life that Christ gives to those who receive Him is not just life in heaven, but also a present life of Christ-likeness. While a Christ-like life proves that one has Christ, a worldly life demonstrates that one has rejected Christ. Let us delight in the life which Christ gives and dismiss the deadness of worldliness and sin.
11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
In the previous verses, the apostle John wrote about several records or witnesses concerning Christ and His gift of eternal life. In verse 7, the apostle mentioned a set of three heavenly witnesses – “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” Those witnesses are the three Persons of the Trinity. John here referred to the Triune God Himself as the heavenly witness.
In verse 8, he mentioned the second set of three witnesses on earth – “And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.” These witnesses are: first, the Holy Spirit’s witness, whether at Christ’s baptism or through His miracles or by His resurrection; second, the water baptism of Christ by John the Baptizer; and third, Christ’s own blood shed in His death.
Those two sets of witnesses are divine witnesses, and hence the firmest and most faithful witnesses concerning Christ and His gift of eternal life. Referring to those divine witnesses, John said in verse 9, “If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.” If man’s testimony can be accepted when adequately attested to (Deuteronomy 19:15), God’s testimony, being greater, must be accepted without hesitation! In other words, to spurn the testimony of God is to reject His mercy and redemption that He has sent to us through Jesus Christ.
In addition to all those witnesses, according to verse 10, there is also a witness within every believer concerning the gift of eternal life – “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself”. As a result of believing all the witnesses of God concerning Christ and His gift, one will receive assurance within oneself. The external witnesses of God, when faithfully accepted, become internal assurance.
These witnesses of God are immutable and everlasting. Nothing else can be a greater witness than those that John had already mentioned. If we have accepted the testimony of God and believed on Jesus Christ, His Son, we have eternal life. Christ Himself is life eternal. God has appointed no other but Christ to give us eternal life.
27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
Martha, the bereaved sister of Lazarus, spoke those words to the Lord Jesus. Though word was sent to Jesus about Lazarus’ sickness, He arrived only four days after Lazarus’ death and burial. When the Lord arrived at their home in Bethany, Martha expressed profound faith in Him. She expressed neither bitterness nor sadness that Jesus did not prevent her brother’s death. She only affirmed her faith in the Lord Jesus, saying, “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee” (John 11:21-22). Yet it is apparent that she did not perceive that Jesus had come to raise her brother, despite Jesus saying unto her: “Thy brother shall rise again” (v. 23). She could only respond, saying, “I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day” (v. 24). Martha could not see that Jesus had come to raise her brother from the grave. Oh, how we need to pray that the Spirit of God will illumine our minds to perceive His assurances in His Word for our daily needs and troubles!
Jesus then affirmed His power to bring the dead to life, and also His power to give eternal life to everyone who believes in Him. He said, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” (vv. 25-26). It is in response to this assertion of Christ that Martha said, “Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world” (v. 27). Martha fully concurred with what Christ has said of His power to give life to the dead, whether physical or spiritual.
Martha also readily and resolutely confessed that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.” She accepted Jesus as God’s Messiah whom He has promised in the Old Testament Scriptures. Martha’s confident persuasion concerning who Jesus is led her to such solemn confession of Him as the Son of God. Will you not, like Martha, also make your own bold confession of faith in Christ? If you steadfastly believe in Christ, you will be able to grow in your understanding and knowledge of His person and power more and more. As you pursue Christ by faith and confess your allegiance to Him, you would find yourself, like Martha, being led to know His greatness more and more.
68b Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
These were the words of Simon Peter to the Lord Jesus Christ at a time when “many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him” (John 6:66). The Lord Jesus then confronted the twelve: “Will ye also go away” (John 6:67)? It is in answer to this query that Peter, with his characteristic fervour and promptness, declared: “Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.”
Many followers of Christ had been offended at His doctrine. They used their own feeble sense, without the aid of the Holy Spirit, to judge His wondrous words of life. So they ended up saying, “This is a hard saying; who can hear it?” (John 6:60). They were not saying that His saying was hard to understand, but that it was hard for them to agree with or accept. His words were displeasing to their unbelieving hearts. They took offence at His statement: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life, in you” (John 6:53). They misrepresented His doctrine by critically looking at the “letter” of His profound saying, without perceiving the “spirit” of His words. How rash and foolish of them to choose to leave Him immediately! If only they had a little more patience to tarry with Christ!
Upon their departure, Jesus turned His attention to the twelve. The sudden departure of the multitude must have troubled the disciples. However, Jesus asked the bewildered disciples a probing question: “Will ye also go away?” He tested the genuineness of their decision to stay with Him. He wanted them to affirm their faith in Him and renew their allegiance to Him. The Lord compelled none to remain with Him against their will. He wanted each of them to make his choice whether to follow Him or not. Yet even among the twelve, there was one who would leave the Lord in order to betray Him (cf. John 6:70, 71).
When faced with the departures and betrayals of nominal Christians, we should not be unduly alarmed. Like Peter, we should seize the opportunity to reaffirm our faith and commitment to Christ. We too must boldly make our confession: “Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.” Let us also have a firm resolution to adhere to Christ, our only Saviour and Lord. We ought to follow our Lord even when others leave Him. We seek no other companion more than our Saviour and Lord.
25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
The psalmist, by using a very persuasive Hebrew device of a question and an assertion, here expresses his profound and firm love for God. He is supremely satisfied in God. He desires no one more than the LORD whom he has been trusting. Such should be the sentiment of every child of God towards God.
By asking “Whom have I in heaven but thee?”, the psalmist exalts God above all the angels and the souls of the departed who are in God’s presence. None of the angels – not even the archangel – is worthy of such complete trust and adoration which the psalmist has for God.
Similar sentiments of affection and adulation towards the matchless greatness and glory of the exalted God of heaven have been confessed by many of His servants. Moses said, “O Lord GOD, thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand: for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might” (Deuteronomy 3:24)? King Solomon testified, “LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart” (1 Kings 8:23). Similarly, Job affirmed in the face of mistrust and false accusations, “Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high” (Job 16:19). The psalmist also openly sang, “For who in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the LORD” (Psalm 89:6)?
Truly, “great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared above all gods” (1 Chronicles 16:25). May we, too, “praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven” (Psalm 148:13).
The unparalleled greatness and goodness of our God also cause the psalmist to unequivocally declare, “there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.” He would go to no one but his God for the help he needs. He is assured that the God of heaven is very gracious and will condescend to aid him in all his difficulties and struggles. The matchless greatness and goodness of God make His child crave for His presence and support. May we truly say, “The Lord is with me; I am satisfied in Him.”
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Here we have a description that can only fit genuine Christians. Firstly, they are described as “they that are Christ’s”. Christians are chosen by God even before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). Christ has shed His blood for their redemption (Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:18, 19; Revelation 5:9); they are His people now and forever. So Paul said to the Corinthian believers, “ye are Christ’s” (1 Corinthians 3:23). Again in 2 Corinthians 10:7, Paul said, “If any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s.”
Oh, what a privilege it is that we belong to Christ! Oh, what unspeakable mercy we have received! As Paul said in Colossians 1:21, we “were sometime alienated and enemies in … mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled”. Now we can say with all assurance like Paul, “whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s” (Romans 14:8). Oh, what a glorious assurance that we are Christ’s!
The second description that Paul makes here about genuine Christians is that they “have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts”. Crucifixion of the flesh is every true believer’s deliberate and decisive action in life. By uniting with Christ by faith, they have put all their sinful desires to death. This is what Paul said in Romans 6:6, “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” Christians live as servants of Christ, and not as servants of the sinful cravings of their body.
Fleshly lusts constantly wage war against the souls of Christians (cf. 1 Peter 2:11). Yet they must remember they are servants of Christ, and yield to His Spirit rather than to the impulses of the flesh (cf. Galatians 5:16, 17). If they have yielded to the flesh, they must repent and yield themselves to Christ. No assurance is given to those who live after the flesh. When the Spirit prompts us to godly disciplines of prayer, fasting, repentance, self-control, separation from worldly activities and godly exercise, we must yield to Him at once. This way, the flesh will not have control over us. As Romans 6:11-12 says, “reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.”
Prayer is not merely the lifting up of requests to God, but an act of confessing who God is. In fact, all our prayers must have confessions about who our God is, and how God saves and acts, acknowledging His nature, sovereignty and goodness.
We must learn to engage in prayers that are wholly devoted to adoring and praising our God. In such prayers, we confess the truths of Scripture about His nature, His glory, and His works. This is prayer at its purest—adoring God for who He is, not merely for what He gives.
David teaches us this posture: “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name” (Ps. 103:1). Here, prayer flows as worship, an outpouring of awe and love towards the God of covenant mercy. Likewise, when David prayed before the congregation of Israel, he exalted God’s majesty: “Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty” (1 Chron. 29:11).
Such adoring prayer magnifies His supremacy, acknowledges His sovereignty, and rejoices in His eternal attributes—holiness, righteousness, love and truth. These prayers echo the worship of heaven itself: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come” (Rev. 4:8). To pray in this way is to join the heavenly chorus, giving God the honour due unto His name (Ps. 29:2).
Prayers of adoration cut us off from earthly concerns and lift our hearts above earthly needs, and direct us to God’s eternal glory. They remind us that true prayer is not first about us, but about Him, the One who alone is worthy.
Such prayers humble us before the Creator, glorify Him as Redeemer-Shepherd, and deepen trust in His promises. Such a confession shapes our hearts, aligns our desires with His will, and reminds us that prayer is worship, not just mere request.
The Bible itself provides many beautiful prayers of adoration, prayers that focus solely on praising and confessing who God is, rather than asking for anything. Here are just a few examples:
David’s Song of Praise (1 Chronicles 29:10–13): “…Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.”
Moses’ Song (Exodus 15:1–11): This is a prayer-song exalting God’s uniqueness and majesty. “…I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him. The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name. Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea… Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy. And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble… Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?”
See also Daniel’s Prayer (Daniel 2:20–23), and Paul’s Doxology (Romans 11:33–36).
This kind of prayer is pure worship, where God is honoured not merely for His gifts, but for His glorious nature, eternal attributes, and mighty works. They confess His holiness and majesty above all. Let all our prayers be worshipful theology in action.
Blessed be the name of the Lord, who is full of grace and mercy, being the God of providence and the supreme Sovereign over all His creation and events.
The Lord be praised for the recent mission trip by the Mission Team from Gethsemane BP Church, Singapore, headed by Eld Mah. All glory be unto the Lord for the presence of the Mission Team in our midst. It was such a great blessing to us and the brethren from the 2 mission churches of Bogo and San Antonio. The Lord truly has His way of expressing His love to these brethren of our mission churches here. Through the messages preached in each of the homes, as well as the practical expressions of love through the giving of groceries to each family visited, our brethren had truly felt the warmth, love and affection of the Lord. And they are very much thankful to the Lord for the blessings they have received. Notwithstanding the muddy pathway towards many of these brethren’s homes, the Mission Team had joyfully walked through the mud, much like a farmer who would not be deterred from nurturing and cultivating the crops.
All praise be unto the Lord also for how He has providentially allowed the Mission Team to minister to the whole campus of Cebu Roosevelt Memorial Colleges High School Campus, consisting of over 900 students and faculty. The Lord indeed works in a mysterious way. The initial plan for the school was to conduct an evangelism session there to give out Gospel tracts on the campus. As we asked permission from the authorities for such an endeavour, lo and behold, a great door of opportunity was opened for us. The school instead gave us the time to minister to them. What was envisioned as giving out tracts to the students turned out to be a Gospel rally for the whole campus. Praise the Lord for His providence!
Even on the eve of the Gospel rally, the Lord providentially led the Mission Team in preparing “giveaways” for the students and faculty. The men of the Mission Team were about to visit the home of the next family in the afternoon, before the next day’s evening Gospel rally. However, a heavy downpour prevented us from visiting the family, as it would be very difficult to travel to their place (which is situated some distance from the road), due to the thick mud that would be encountered on the way to their home. This subsequently led the men of the Mission Team to go back to Bogo Church, where they became helpfully involved in the preparations for the “giveaways”. With the willing and able help of the men, the preparations were done just in the nick of time, ready for the last home for visitation and for the Gospel meeting. Indeed, the Lord is the God of providence.
Once again, all glory and honour be unto the Lord God Almighty, who daily loadeth us with benefits. With all that the Lord has been pleased to work out providentially in our midst, a great challenge lies ahead for the missionary-in-charge and the brethren of the mission churches of Bogo and San Antonio. Truly, praise be unto the Lord for the members of the Mission Team, whom the Lord has used for our timely encouragement and example. May His gracious dealings manifested during the Mission Team’s visit, be our “impetus” for His continued work of the Gospel amongst us. Please uphold us in prayer, that we may be “stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord” (1 Cor 15:58), for the harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few.
Sermon Text: Psalm 118:1–29
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 24th August 2025
11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.
With sincere affection and compassion for his readers, who were in the midst of persecution and fiery trials (1 Peter 1:6-7; 4:12), the apostle Peter addressed them as “Dearly beloved”. Such an expression of sincere and hearty affection would have comforted and cheered their distressed souls. It also portrayed the apostle’s exhortation as a loving entreaty meant for their souls’ good and prosperity.
The believers were, first of all, reminded that they were temporary residents on this earth. In fact, some of his readers had been displaced from their homeland because of persecution. The apostle referred to them as “strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia” (1:1). Their experience of being treated as “strangers” gives evidence to the spiritual reality that they were not of this world.
Peter had already alerted the believers that they were “strangers” and “sojourners” (1:1, 17). This is the third time in this epistle he was reminding the believers that they were not a people of this world. Christians should never expect total acceptance by the world. Neither should they desire to live like the people of this world. Jesus described the believers as “not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:16). He also told His disciples that “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you” (John 15:19).
When He saved us, He was calling us out of all forms of worldliness. Our ambitions, aspirations and principles are no more of this world. Now we are a heaven-bound people. So as Peter mentioned here, we are “pilgrims”. The apostle Paul corroborated this truth when he wrote that “our conversation (i.e. citizenship) is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20).
On this earth, Christians are constantly under attack. They are often “ambushed” by the world! Peter further pointed out here that they also have an enemy within them by warning them to “abstain from fleshly lusts”. Lusts of the flesh are lurking about for opportunities to destroy us. If we give them a chance, they will conquer us. Christians must therefore be vigilant against their own carnal propensities. Christians ought to be self-conquerors. Let us be vigilant against the onslaught of fleshly lusts.