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READ:

1 Peter 1:15

¹⁵ But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.

EXHORTATION:

Christians, as children of God, ought to imitate their Father in heaven. If we are God’s children, then we ought to be like our Father. Peter’s exhortation here is: “as he… is, so be ye…” We, being His children, must exhibit His virtues. How wonderful it would be if the familiar saying, “Like father, like son” be true of every Christian!

We are to look to God as our Pattern, because we are told that “he... hath called you”. God calls His people to be holy because He is holy. The Scriptures emphatically speak about God’s holiness more than any other attribute of God. God is sinless and He cannot be influenced by sin. Being perfectly holy, He hates sin. So, we who are called must strive to be holy as He is. God calls us out of a world of sin to a life of holiness. He expects all that we do and say and think to be holy.

Peter knew the greatness of God’s call. Decades before he wrote this epistle, Peter and his brother Andrew had heard Christ’s call – “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). When he responded to that call, his life was completely changed! He left his boat and net, and followed Christ. This marvellous epistle is one of countless evidence of the wonderful things God will do through those who faithfully follow His call.

The blessing that comes through God’s call can be ours only if we follow Him like Peter. That is why we are here challenged to be “holy in all manner of conversation”. In every aspect of our lives, we must follow the holiness of our God who called us. Our every behaviour (“conversation”) must reflect God’s holiness. In other words, holiness must characterise our daily conduct. All those who responded in faith to God’s call must strive to be holy like Him. Let us make holiness our trademark.

Since the word “holiness” suggests “being set apart”, we must keep ourselves from all that are inconsistent with God’s holy character so that we may become more and more like Him. There should not be anything that is ‘secular’ in our lifestyle; everything we do must be sacred. We should not participate in anything our Lord would not have participated. As a matter of spiritual guideline, it is good for us to always ask: “Is this thing agreeable to God’s holy will?” If the answer is not a clear “yes”, then do not commit yourself to it.

READ:

1 Peter 1:14

¹⁴ As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance.

EXHORTATION:

Here Christians are urged to be God’s obedient children. True faith produces obedience. According to Paul’s description in Ephesians 2:2, before our conversion, we were “the children of disobedience”. The Gospel of Jesus Christ, according to Romans 16:26, is “made known to all nations for the obedience of faith”. Christians’ grand principle for their life on earth is: “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).

The apostle Peter’s advice is that as obedient children of God, we should not be fashioning ourselves according to the former lusts. The Greek word, translated as “fashion” (susch?matíz?) here, appears only twice in the New Testament – here and in Romans 12:2. In Romans 12:2, the word is translated as “conform”. In both occurrences, they indicate a prohibition.

Our past conformity to lust must be broken. Our lust must not be allowed to fashion our lives. Peter calls us to be stringent and unrelenting non-conformists. Scripture repeatedly admonishes us to be unyielding to the promptings of lust and worldliness so that we may live in holiness and unto God’s glory. Pay attention to the following Scriptural admonitions, which echo Peter’s advice:

• “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof” (Romans 6:12).
• “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof” (Romans 13:14).
• “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” (Galatians 5:24).
• “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts” (Ephesians 4:22).
• “Flee also youthful lusts” (2 Timothy 2:22).

The lust-filled life before conversion was evidence of our ignorance about God and His commandments. But now we who have believed in Christ to become God’s children have no excuse for living in lust, because we are no more ignorant of God’s Word. Christians are called not only to grow in the knowledge of God’s Word, but also to obey it and thereby to overcome lust.

READ:

1 John 3:3

³ And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

EXHORTATION:

Every genuine Christian possesses a certain hope in Christ concerning his future restoration to the image of Christ. The apostle John mentioned it in an earlier verse – “But we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (v. 2). This hope of being made like unto Christ at His coming has a great influence on every Christian’s thinking and practice.

What impact does the certainty of the Christian’s future transformation to the image of Christ have on him? The apostle John says that everyone who has this hope in Christ purifies himself. Being encouraged by the promise of his complete restoration at the coming of Christ, every Christian daily seeks his purification. The possession of this hope promotes personal holiness in every Christian. Being enthused by the hope of meeting Christ and of being like Him, the cultivation of personal purity is not an unpleasant obligation, but a delightful pursuit of life.

The hope of being like the Saviour stirs the Christian’s heart to hate every besetting sin. He not only confesses his sins and seeks the forgiveness of God, but also fights off the temptations of sin. Overcoming his evil propensities and maintaining purity are his chief pursuits of life. He then makes every effort to become pure. The apostle Peter exhorted in 2 Peter 3:14, “Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.”

Purity of thought and imagination are very crucial to every Christian who lives in the hope of Christ. Purity of word and purity of conduct are also pursued with uttermost diligence. With prayer, Christians exercise themselves unto godliness. The apostle Paul says, “For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come” (1 Timothy 4:8).

The standard of purity for all Christians is Jesus Christ. So they strive to be pure, “even as he is pure”. John earlier exhorted every Christian that he “ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked” (1 John 2:6). Christ is pure, so all His followers strive for purity as they await His sudden appearance in the clouds. Hence Hebrews 12:14 exhorts us, “Follow … holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord”.

READ:

1 John 3:2b

^2b But we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

EXHORTATION:

Referring to Jesus’ return, John says that “when he shall appear, we shall be like him”. “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation” (Hebrews 9:28). Jesus shall appear again for His people, in order to take them to Himself.

Paul described Christ’s appearing in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 thus – “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

It is revealed to us that at Christ’s appearing, we shall be made like Him because we shall see Him as He is. Philippians 3:21 declares that the Lord Jesus Christ “shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 also reveals how glorious we shall be at His coming – “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

According to 1 Corinthians 15:49, “As we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.” Our body that is like unto Adam, who was made from the dust of the earth, shall be changed to bear the image of the heavenly, even Christ. Even though we die, we shall rise at His coming and put on a new celestial body. Concerning our resurrection body, Paul wrote that “It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: it is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body” (1 Corinthians 15:42-44).

To be like Christ in character and appearance is our grandest hope. As we live, toil and endure our trials on earth, we cherish a supreme hope that we shall be like the glorified Son of God, sharing His image and honour. We shall delight in the appearance of our glorious Saviour.

DVBS 2024 (to be held 27-29 Nov) is just around the corner, and we’re thrilled to host an exciting and enriching vacation programme designed to help our children grow strong in their understanding of the Gospel and Scriptural truths of our Lord Jesus Christ. With only two weeks to go, it is high time for you to invite and register children for DVBS 2024, which is an excellent opportunity to let them hear and learn of the Biblical promise of “Joy Unspeakable”!

DVBS’s Theme: “Joy Unspeakable”!

In recent years, an increasing concern about the mental health of children and youths in Singapore has been reported. A report in 2020 read: “In just under three years, there has been a fivefold increase in the number of children between the ages of five and nine calling in to their (IMH’s) hotline to seek help.”¹  Another very recent report mentioned: “A significant proportion of youth in Singapore has experienced severe or very severe symptoms of depression, anxiety or stress, the first nationwide survey on youth mental health by the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) found. Nearly a third of young people aged 15 to 35 reported symptoms that included feeling empty, tense or upset most of the time, according to the National Youth Mental Health Study.” 

Our children need to know how they can be joyous amidst life’s complex and challenging experiences. There is nothing more vital than that they grow with ‘joy unspeakable’ that God alone provides. Let us pray and bring our children to grow in a close, joyful relationship with God, which He offers to all who come to Him through His Son, Jesus Christ, the Saviour of all who trust in Him.

No level of academic excellence, worldly achievements, comfort, wealth, luxury, entertainment, or recreation can free our children and youth from the grip of sin and its resulting guilt, frustration, fear, and sorrow. Only a life grounded in God’s truth offers true liberation from these burdens. Only when our children grow with the assurance of salvation and a loving relationship with God can they be strong and tenacious overcomers of sin and the trials of this life.

The words of Scripture testify of the divine, supreme, unmitigated joy that God gives to all, both young and old, who trust and walk obediently with Him.  

• Jesus promises, “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full” (John 15:11).
• The apostle Paul testifies in Romans 15:13 – “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost”; and in Galatians 5:22 – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith”.
• The apostle Peter affirms the early Christians’ experience: “Whom (Jesus) having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Peter 1:8).
• The ancient saints of the Old Testament also spoke of the exuberant, divine joy they enjoyed: 
• “Thou hast put gladness (joy) in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased” (Psalm 4:7); 
• “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11); 
• A forgiven sinner said, “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Psalm 30:5); 
• “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels” (Isaiah 61:10).

When Peter wrote about “joy unspeakable” (1 Peter 1:8), he was talking about the joy that comes from knowing Jesus, even though we can’t see Him with our eyes. Although we haven’t seen Jesus face-to-face, we believe in Him wholeheartedly. We know He loves us, saves us from our sins, and is always with us, no matter where or what we go through. This faith in Jesus brings a joy that is so deep; nothing else in the world can compare to it!

When we love and follow Jesus, His Spirit lives in our hearts and fills us with His joy. This joy shines through us like a light in the darkness, showing others that God is real and His love is incredible. It is the kind of joy we desire for our children and youth as they grow immersed in God’s Word, devoted to prayer, consecrated to His praise, and serving others according to His will.

The teachers of God’s Word in the DVBS will explain to children how to experience “Joy Unspeakable”, and how to “Overcome Sadness” through stories of God’s saints in the Bible. Please pray for the teachers of God’s Word to the children during the DVBS to be guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit to minister to them effectively.

DVBS’s Activities

The Gethsemane Children’s Ministry (GCM) has been planning and actively working for several months to organise DVBS 2024. The programmes are designed for children to explore Biblical truths in an engaging and interactive way. They will include a unique blend of creative lessons, singing of spiritual songs, fun activities and meaningful fellowship to help children grow in their faith and build friendships.

Please pray for and cooperate with the GCM committee, that their efforts to nurture our children in a joyful relationship with God may be fruitful.

¹ https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/1-3-adolescents-depression-anxiety-only-1-10-parents-spot-symptoms

² https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/depression-anxiety-stress-1-in-3-youth-in-s-pore-had-had-very-poor-mental-health-says-imh-survey

Sermon Text: Psalm 94:1–23
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 10th November 2024

READ:

1 John 3:2a

^2a Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be.

EXHORTATION:

Christians’ present glorious right is that they are “the sons of God”. To be regarded by God as His children is an immense privilege of eternal proportions. It means that God Himself has chosen us to be in His family. The apostle John emphasises this present reality of our sonship in verse 1, “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God”. It is in love that God has called us His children.

In his Gospel, John has explained how we received this privilege of being God’s children. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12). In other words, to all who receive the Son of God, Jesus Christ, by faith, divine authority is given to become children of God. We are able to receive Christ by faith only because God has bestowed upon us His love. As the apostle John has said, “We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Our present reality of sonship assures us of God’s love towards us. We are loved by God today as His own children.

No matter how the world would treat us, God loves us as His dear children. No experience of hostility in this world can change the fact that we are God’s beloved children. Our being called as the children of God is a present reality. We can approach God at all times, as a child would run to his loving father. Paul says in Romans 8:15, “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” Paul further tells us in Galatians 4:6, “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”

Our present privilege of being God’s children is also a token of great and wondrous things that are yet to be our experience. John further says, “and it doth not yet appear what we shall be”. There are glorious and wondrous things that await every child of God, hence Paul’s declaration in expectancy as he faced death: “For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better” (Philippians 1:23). Though the exact details of our glorious experiences in heaven are still a mystery, our glorification is, however, guaranteed (Romans 8:30; Colossians 3:4).

READ:

3 John 1:4

⁴ I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

EXHORTATION:

The overriding sentiment with which the apostle John wrote this epistle is joy. From the outset of this epistle to Gaius, John was not hesitant to convey to Gaius his joy concerning him. He wrote in verses 1-3, “The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.” The apostle’s joy was immense, for he said, “I rejoiced greatly”.

The apostle John’s joy reminds us of a father’s joy mentioned in Proverbs 23:24 – “The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.” Proverbs 10:1 also mentions that “a wise son maketh a glad father”. Such familial joy should also exist in the church, which is the “household of faith” (Galatians 6:10; Ephesians 2:19), where pastors and elders function like “fathers” to the congregation. In Hebrews 13:17, members of the church are told how they can bring joy to their spiritual fathers who care for their souls. It says, “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.”

It was Gaius’ obedience to the truth of God that caused the apostle John to greatly rejoice. Gaius had been careful to “walk in the truth”. To “walk in the truth” means that one has the truth constantly in one’s mind to influence one’s life, so as to always act according to its counsels. Besides embracing the Scriptural teachings mentally, one ought to live by them.

The word “walk” also denotes progress or advancement; hence “walking in truth” also means that one is progressing or growing spiritually according to the Scriptural truths. The desire of every faithful pastor is that the church members advance in their knowledge, sanctification and fruitfulness. He prayerfully wishes for every member of the church to be like Gaius, whose life had been a cause of the joy of leaders and Christians who had come to know him. Testimonies of his commitment and obedience to the truth had been heard in far places. Christians who are committed to know and live by the truth will have the special privilege and “joy” of being the cause of their pastor’s and fellow Christians’ “joy”.

READ:

Titus 2:13

¹³ Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

EXHORTATION:

God’s grace, which brings salvation to us (v. 11), teaches us to live a sanctified life in this present world (v. 12) in anticipation of Christ’s glorious appearing (v. 13). As we live on earth in this present age, we anticipate our “blessed hope”, which is “the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ”.

The Christian’s hope of Christ’s return is called “blessed”. The word “blessed” denotes all the blessings of His divine presence (cf. 1 Timothy 1:11; 6:15). What a blessing it is to have such a hope! Eternal blessings await Christians at His coming. When He comes, we shall be eternally delivered from all the temptations and trials of this world, and shall enter into eternal sinless perfection, joy, bliss, rewards and glory. We live every day with that sure hope. So we long for His return. Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 4:8, “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.”

There has been some debate as to whether “that blessed hope” and “the glorious appearing” of Christ are two different events, namely Rapture (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:6-17) and His return to this earth at the end of the seven-year Tribulation (cf. Revelation 19:11-21). But there is little in this verse’s context to suggest that Paul was distinguishing those future events in connection with Christ’s return. Paul was simply saying that we are looking for the blessed hope, which is the appearing of the Lord. Although we understand those events of Rapture and His subsequent glorious return to rule the world for a thousand years (cf. Revelation 20:1- 10; Isaiah 2:1-4; 11; Ezekiel 37; Daniel 2:44-45; 7:13-14; Zechariah 14) as distinct, Paul is here referring to the return of Christ as a whole, and not its various stages. The blessed hope is a fixed historical reality which we long for.

Yet another great truth is mentioned by the apostle in this verse. It is Christ’s divinity. He is “the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ”. Jesus’ life on earth, His claims about Himself, His doctrines and His works – all prove Him to be God. If one rejects His deity, one can only think of Christ as a deceiver and demonic person, like the Jews who killed Him. One can have Christ only as the divine Saviour – or not have Him at all.

READ:

Hebrews 12:2a

^2a Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.

EXHORTATION:

In the previous verse, we were exhorted: “let us run with patience the race that is set before us” (v. 1). Now we are told the secret of running our Christian race well — “Looking unto Jesus”. The Greek word for “looking” (aphorá?) literally means looking away from one thing to some other thing in a steadfast or intent manner. It has been used to denote the fixing of the mind upon something. It expresses the mental posture that all Christians should maintain in relation to Jesus, as they run their Christian race. It should be a holy habit of our souls to keep the Lord Jesus in our view.

Looking at Jesus at the beginning of the race and then totally keeping him out of view, is not the right kind of faith that Scripture teaches us. We should never lose focus of Christ in our Christian race. The reality is, some of the people who started the race with us may drop out of the race altogether while some others may be distracted and refuse to keep up, thus leaving us disappointed and troubled. But we must not let our minds be affected by their quitting. We must look away and fix our thoughts upon Christ. Even if all around us are a constant encouragement to us in our Christian race, it could well be our own lethargy and lust that hinder our race. Only when our minds are steadfastly fixed on Christ can we then overcome all distractions and obstacles, and complete our Christian race.

We look away from all else to Jesus only, for He is “the author and finisher of our faith”. The Greek word for “author” was translated earlier as “captain” in chapter 2, verse 10. There it was said of Christ, “For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” Christ has set the path and He calls us to follow Him. It is Him, not the crowd, that we follow. The course of our race is shown by Him. He leads and we follow. He is our Guide, Strength and Motivation in our Christian race.

Jesus, the author of our faith, has entered the heavenly sanctuary as our forerunner (6:19-20) and has opened “a new and living way” for us that leads to this sanctuary (10:20). He is the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and the Omega (Revelation 1:17; 21:6; 22:13). He is our perfect Saviour and Captain who is able to perfect all who have placed their trust in Him.