Sermon Text: Hebrews 7:24–25
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 20th April 2025
Sermon Text: Hebrews 7:24–25
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 20th April 2025
9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
There is, of course, a sense in which Jesus has always been Lord, for He is the Creator, Governor and Provider of all things. By virtue of His divine nature, He is indeed Lord of all. But Paul is not talking about that. He is referring to His Lordship in view of the atoning work that He accomplished through His death and resurrection. Some theologians correctly call it “the lordship of redemptive relationship”. In a very special sense, Christ is Lord of those to whom He brought salvation through His death and resurrection. Christ secured the indisputable right to exercise Lordship over both of those believers who have already died and those who are still alive on earth. By means of His substitutionary death, followed by His intercessory life in heaven (Hebrews 7:25), Christ as their Lord sees to it that whatever He has merited for His people is bestowed on them, whether dead or still alive.
The connection between the Lordship of Christ and His death and resurrection is emphasised here. He is no doubt Lord over all mankind, but what is asserted here is a Lordship which only true believers acknowledge. Paul depicts both the dead and the living as under this Lordship of Christ. Christ died and rose again as a representative character of all His people, both dead and alive. As the Mediator between God and men, He had gathered up all the interests of all His people. Dying and rising again, He stands before all His people as their Lord.
Let us consider the implications of the Lordship of Christ over His own people who are now dead. As one who died and rose again, He gives to all His people who are now dead the assurance of victory over the sting of death. In due time, their mortal bodies shall be fashioned like unto His own glorious resurrected body. He would lead them to the many mansions of His Father’s house, and there He shall live with His people as their Lord and King forever and ever. Now unto all His people who are alive, He is their Lord. They should submit their lives to Him to do His will. Self-surrender to His Lordship is expected of all His people while they live and serve Him here on earth. It is a most wonderful blessing for all His people (both the living and the dead) to have Him as their Lord. It is a source of confidence and joy to the living and the dead in Christ alike.
6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee.
This was the angelic declaration on the day of Christ’s resurrection. Thus they announced the grand truth of Christ’s resurrection to the women who went to His tomb on the third day of His burial.
The angels indisputably announced, “He is not here, He is risen!” Though He is not there, He assuredly was once there in the tomb, for He was crucified, dead, and buried. These women had been there at His tomb when He was buried (Luke 23:55-56; Matthew 27:61; Mark 15:47). They were the last to leave His tomb after His burial, and the first to arrive at the risen Christ’s empty tomb. What great delight it must have been for these godly women to be instructed of their beloved Master’s resurrection! May our hearts also rejoice in His risen glory.
Christ Jesus the Lord, who died for our sins, is risen for our justification. With His great resurrection miracle, His work of our redemption was triumphantly consummated! By springing up from the grave to life, Jesus became our Great Saviour. Oh, what a glorious victory He has achieved for us by His resurrection! Sin and death no longer have power over our souls.
We also notice a gentle reproof in the words of the angels to those pious women. It was apparent that they lacked conviction about Jesus’ prediction that He would resurrect on the third day. Though it was the third day, they arrived at the tomb with spices to embalm His body. They appeared to have disregarded the fact that He would rise on that day. Thus, the angels reprovingly reminded those holy women, “remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee”. It was indeed a vain effort to search for the living Christ in the abode of the dead!
May we live in the joy and blessings of our Lord’s resurrection. Let us not conduct ourselves as though our blessed Master is not alive. He is certainly not among the dead. He lives! So let us live to know Him who is risen and lives today. Let us follow our Risen Saviour to know the power of His resurrection. May the empty tomb of Christ drive away all our gloom and anxieties. He is risen, and He is able to save to the uttermost all who come unto God by Him. The Lord is risen! He now lives and prepares a place for us in heaven. He is coming soon again for us. Oh, let us rejoice for our Lord Jesus Christ lives today. He is not among the dead. Hallelujah!
Daniel Svasti
I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour in the early 70’s. It was a time of much confusion and change concerning many doctrines preached in the local churches. Particularly in the doctrine of eschatology and the study of Revelation, where many lessons were being aired and shared in Sunday Schools and various Christian Fellowship groups. But many of these views were incorrect, in the light of what I’ve been enlightened by years later, through faithful Scriptural teachings from Pastor Tow Siang Hwa, Pastor Quek, and Pastor Koshy (cf. 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 4:16-17; 5:9-10).
I also witnessed the shift of many Bible-believing churches turning Charismatic and falling away. Debating with many of my classmates and schoolmates on what the Bible taught was in vain, and I am thankful that our LORD has looked after me through His divine providence all these years. And I am glad that I have received Jesus Christ – the Living One and only begotten Son of God, who was crucified, died, and was buried and whom God raised from the dead on the third day – as my personal Saviour. I take great comfort in God’s continual care and guidance for us: “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. Amen” (Hebrews 13:20-21).
As the days on earth are dwindling to the end, I want to walk circumspectly and redeem the time, for the days are evil (Ephesians 5:15-16). We must be good witnesses to our children and to all whom we meet, and reflect Christ’s love through us. At the same time, we must be vigilant. There will be many false Christs and false prophets (Matthew 24:24). We need to watch out for them as listening to them will lead to death. And I feel strongly that I must earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints (Jude 3), and that the KJV Bible is a faithful translation of God’s true and preserved Word. “For the prophesy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:21).
Truly, thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift (our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ) [2 Corinthians 9:15]!
Stella Svasti
As I reflect on my journey of faith and how God has redeemed me with His precious blood and saved me from my sins and the curse of the law, I humbly give Him all the praise and honour and glory (1 Peter 1:3).
I was raised in an idol-worshipping home. But God, in His abundant mercies, moved my mother to send me to a Methodist school, where I started to learn about the Lord Jesus Christ. Then it was a daily affair to have morning devotion, reciting the Lord’s prayer daily and attending weekly ‘Ethics’ lessons, where the love of God was shared through Christian teachers. I realised that the Gospel seed was sown through those devoted teachers, and I am still thankful to the Lord for them. The school had a tradition of devoting 3 days in a year to conduct Religious Emphasis Week (REW), where pastors were invited to preach the Gospel. When I was in Secondary Two, at one of those REW sessions, ending an altar call, I surrendered my life to the Lord, my gracious Redeemer.
I then searched for churches to attend. Most of my friends attended Methodist churches, and I followed suit. But I did not grow as I did not understand what it meant to follow Christ, and I was not motivated to read and search the Scriptures regularly. After my marriage to Daniel, we attended Wesley Methodist Church, but we found the doctrines diluted, which did not promote Christ of the Bible.
We subsequently attended the Sunset Gospel Hour (at Calvary Pandan), and heard Pastor Koshy’s preaching. We decided to find out more about Gethsemane BPC, and the Lord guided us to various materials and resources, which we thoroughly enjoyed for our spiritual growth and learning. The teaching and preaching from Gethsemane’s Pastor and preachers are biblical, sound and faithful. Through the teachings in the BP churches, we learnt that the Bible is a divine, personal and meaningful Book, the Greatest Book of all times and ages (Psalm 119:105). When I face challenges, struggles, fears, doubts, or sin and temptation, I will seek the Lord’s wisdom, strength, and help in His Word to overcome them. What joy and privilege to appropriate God’s wonderful promises to help me cope through all the changing scenes of life. He is moulding and guiding me moment by moment, till I see Him face to face.
I am truly grateful to the Lord for this church, for Pastor Koshy and the preachers, the elders, as well as the deacons and staff. Particularly for Eld Choy, Eld Francis, and all those who labour for Christ behind the scenes, in ensuring the Catechism class to be conducted smoothly for our spiritual learning and benefit. The materials of the Catechism class were so well prepared to help us understand the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith, and to motivate us to read the Word more deeply. May I have the spiritual discipline to love and read His Word, and be a faithful servant. I thank God for this church family’s warm fellowship and kindness. I pray that the Lord will continue to help me to love Him with all my heart, and with all my soul, and with all my mind and also, to love my neighbour as myself (Matthew 22:37-39). Blessed be His Holy Name!
Joan Cheah
I grew up in a Buddhist extended family, where we practised ancestor worship. When I started secondary school, a classmate introduced me to Christianity, and I attended church once. One day, while working overtime, I received an invitation to a Sunday school Bible study. After attending for several months, my life began to change. Through God’s mercy, I became aware of my sinfulness and recognised that only by grace through faith could I find forgiveness and the gift of salvation from God. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
I was longing for something deeper than what the world offered, despite my efforts to find fulfilment in friendships and activities. I started attending church regularly and was inspired by the faith of others. I was baptised on December 25, 1992, marking a turning point in my life. I began reading the Bible, joined various ministries, and found support in my faith journey. I’m immensely thankful to God for His blessings over the past decades. My priorities shifted as I began to value relationships, service, and living out Christ’s love. Though I faced challenges, especially when I got distracted by investments instead of godly pursuits, God’s grace again helped me to refocus and regain my direction, and I held onto His promise in Matthew 6:33, which encourages me to seek Him first. It is only by His grace and mercy that I have experienced growth and learnt to trust God during difficult times.
During the COVID years, I experienced a sudden awakening and understood the true significance of biblical worship. I felt a burden to pray and began visiting various churches, including ARPC @ Bishan, Life BP Church, and Gethsemane BP Church. I thank God for leading me to worship alongside my son, Jeremy, in GBPC. “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).
By His grace and mercy, I was able to visit GBPC twice in 2023. I began worshipping there from January 2024, where I received a warm welcome from Pastor Koshy, the elders, preachers, deacons / deaconess, and brothers and sisters in Christ. I was further edified through my involvement in Lions Home ministry and Ladies Fellowship. At GBPC, God’s Word is held in great reverence, encouraging us to respond with a filial fear of Him. I embrace the lessons from the sermons that inspire me to be vigilant to prepare for Christ’s return, and to continually live in a way that reflects His teachings. As His sheep, we follow Him (John 10:27). May His grace sustain me until we meet Him face to face. God willing, I hope to deepen my spiritual life through worship, obedience, studying the Word, prayer, fellowship, and evangelism, in my journey of faith alongside God’s people at GBPC. All thanksgiving be unto God the Father.
Danielle Lim
I am privileged to be born into a Christian family. From young, I learnt about the Lord Jesus and His Word. My parents raised me with love and support, and I am truly grateful for everything they’ve done for me and how they’ve raised me with the Lord’s help. It wasn’t easy, but the Lord has blessed and guided my family through the ups and downs in life. I’m very grateful for this church, which holds many special memories and moments as I grew up here since I was a baby.
Proverbs 31:30 – “Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised” – resonates with me as I constantly remind myself what my name means: ‘the Lord is my judge’. Thus, I should not only love Him, but fear Him. I will forever be thankful and grateful towards Him. When I was 9 years old, I asked the Lord to be my Saviour and from then on, He has guided me through thick and thin. He has granted me a good school environment, guided me in selecting my various school activities, and provided me with good Christian friends. Words cannot describe my gratitude for how much He has led me as His child. May God help me to be strong and do my best. I look forward to serving Him with the gifts He has bestowed me with.
Lim Jorim
I thank God for giving me the privilege of growing up in a Christian family. It’s a blessing to be surrounded by Christians since childhood. I thank God for His mercy and grace towards me, to save me from my sins (Ephesians 2:8). Having grown up in Gethsemane, I have been truly blessed to be constantly exposed to the preaching of God’s Word. I also grew in faith and learnt many valuable lessons from GCM, JW and Children’s Bible Study (CBS) as a child, as well as in youth fellowship, in church camps, missionary conferences (and even Tuesday night prayer meetings), from my teenage years. Being in the youth choir also helps me to understand the songs that I sing and to spread the Gospel.
When I was about 7 years old in primary school, I often broke down due to the fear of being alone in an unfamiliar environment. However, I am thankful for my parents’ constant reminder and encouragement that although they may not be able to be with me every minute of my life, God is always with me, and I should not be afraid. Whenever I feel afraid or alone, I would constantly be reminded of Deuteronomy 31:6. As I matured over the years, this verse was a constant reminder and assurance that God is always with me and will take care of me (even when I am alone), every step of my life. I thank God that I can trust and see His mighty hand working in my life.
As I continue to grow in my faith and learn from God’s Word, it is my prayer that I will continue to walk closely with God and also be a good testimony for Him. May I be a blessing to others in my life, and remain steadfast in my faith. All glory be to God.
Anna Chong
By the grace of God, my parents have been attending worship services in Gethsemane, which has led me to be able to come to this church since I was a little child. Although I have always participated in the Children’s Ministry classes, and have trusted Jesus Christ as my Saviour and Lord, there were always some things I still did not understand. However, I’m blessed to be able to attend the Catechism Class, which has helped me to have a deeper understanding of God’s Word. I have learnt many Biblical truths concerning God – His wonderful creation, His Holy Book, how we are all born sinners, how we can rely on Him through all difficult circumstances to live a godly life, etc.
The Bible says, “All have sinned” (Romans 3:23), and “There is none righteous, no not one” (Romans 3:10). This has made me realise that I must constantly go to the LORD, seek Him in prayer, and ask for forgiveness for my sins. I have also learnt that God’s Law helps Christians avoid committing sins, as it shows us the path of righteousness and enables us to walk by the Holy Spirit. Thus, I’m minded to do my daily devotion so that I may learn more through His Word daily. We must abide by His commandments, acknowledge our sin when we have done wrong, and stay close to Him always.
Truly, “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statues of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether” (Psalm 19:7-9). May I continue to cherish the countless blessings I receive from the Lord, and bear a good testimony for Him.
(More testimonies of new members next week)
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.
Redemption! What a glorious word! It belongs to everyone who has trusted the Lord Jesus Christ. Only through Christ can one inherit redemption. The Greek word for “redemption” appears about ten times in the New Testament. It depicts the freedom of a prisoner or a slave through the payment of money. The money paid to set the captive free is known as the ransom. This is the idea that Paul had in mind when he wrote, “In whom we have redemption through his blood”. The word “redemption” here refers to our deliverance from sin and from its eternal condemnation, which Christ has secured by the offering of His blood in His sacrificial death on the cross. The ransom or the price that the Lord Jesus Christ has paid for our redemption is His own blood.
The only means for our redemption is “through his blood”. If there were any other means for our redemption, why would Christ die? If a less costly price had been sufficient, Christ would not have poured out His blood. Nothing could have obtained our redemption, but the blood of Christ. The Father would not have sacrificed His Son on the cross, if there were other appropriate and adequate ransoms to be paid. So the apostle Peter said in 1 Peter 1:18-19, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot”. This also shall be the theme of the new song that the redeemed shall sing in heaven: “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation” (Revelation 5:9).
As a result of our redemption through the blood of Christ, we now have the forgiveness of sins. Forgiveness is one of the most important blessings of the redemption that Christ has achieved for us. When we have received the freedom from the guilt of our sins, God has also pardoned all our sins. Our redemption and forgiveness bespeak the riches of God’s grace towards us. It costs us nothing to have our redemption and the forgiveness of our sins, for God in His infinite grace has given them freely to us. We are redeemed, not by our merits, but by His grace alone.
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Oh, how amazing is God’s love towards us sinners! His love towards us was manifested through the death of Christ “while we were yet sinners”. No merit of ours has moved Him to love us. He was not reciprocating our love for Him when He manifested His love through Christ’s death. All about us was displeasing to Him when He acted to express His love towards us through the death of Christ. He loved us of His own accord. Never was there such an expression of love as the love of God towards us in Christ Jesus. His love is both unprecedented and unparalleled.
Everything we did warranted His wrath and complete exclusion of us from receiving any expression of His goodness. We were undeserving of His love. We were unworthy, wretched sinners who were guilty of provoking Him through our defiant actions, when He manifested His love towards us.
The greatest evidence of His love for us is that Christ died for us while we were yet sinners. God “spared not His own Son, but delivered him up for us all” (Romans 8:32). As Christ Himself said in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” To express God’s wondrous love, Christ died for us. When we consider the manner in which He died, we are dumbfounded by the greatness of His love towards us. To die for us, He stripped Himself of the glories of heaven and became a man. To be a perfect sacrifice for us, He lived a holy life. He then endured a most agonising death. It was no common death! He not only suffered the violence of man’s hatred, but also bore the curse of God that was against the sinners for whom He died. Such was His love for us that He died bearing our sin and guilt, and God’s wrath that was against us.
As the apostle John said, “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us” (1 John 3:16). Again John said, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10). Furthermore, Paul in Ephesians 5:2 said, “Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.” Oh, how He loves us! Christ’s death on the cross is the perfect evidence of God’s wondrous love towards us. May we love Him too, because He first loved us.
Sermon Text: Hebrews 9:11–15
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 18th April 2025 (Good Friday)
11 The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.
The LORD’s gifts to His people are recounted and affirmed in the text for our meditation. The LORD rejoices in blessing His people. As Proverbs 3:33 records, “he blesseth the habitation of the just.” So we join the apostle Paul to say in thanksgiving, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3).
The two gifts from the LORD mentioned in our text are strength and peace. Oh, how we need them every day of our lives! He knows that we are weak and feeble, so He promises us strength. He who has strength, power, and dominion, will strengthen His people to meet their challenges and trials in this life. “The LORD is their strength” (Psalm 28:8). “The God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people” (Psalm 68:35). “He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength” (Isaiah 40:29).
When we feel weak and weary, let us call on Him for strength that He has promised. Those who wait on the Lord will have their strength renewed. In Psalm 138:3, David testifies, “In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.” Let us cast our weak frame into His mighty hand for His Word tells us, “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).
He will gird us with strength to fight against temptations of sin and overcome them. He will give us the power to resist the devil and overcome His schemes. He will empower and equip us to fulfil all our duties for His glory. In our troubles, the Lord will endue us with His strength. In Psalm 84:7, it is declared about His people that “They go from strength to strength”. So like Paul, each of us can also say, “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
The Lord also promises to bless us with peace. Because the LORD God the Almighty is our strength, we can be at peace even in the midst of great turmoil and battle. When we rest in His mighty arm, we shall have peace.
9 O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.
Fear of the LORD and saintly living are inextricably intertwined. All the saints of the LORD do fear Him. Doubtless, those who are truly His saints are evidenced by their fear of the LORD.
To fear the LORD is, first of all, to live in reverential awe, honour and worship of Him. It also means to live in dread of His wrath against our sins. So those who fear the LORD will not only render unto Him humble, childlike reverence and tremble to offend Him, but will also walk according to His holy laws, and serve Him to glorify Him.
Such fear of the Lord is expected from all the saints of God. Psalm 89:7 declares, “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.” The only people from whom the LORD expects reverence, honour, worship are His saints. It is for His worship that He has redeemed them from their sins, and it is for the same purpose that He sanctifies them daily by His Spirit and His Word.
God desires no worship from those who live in sin without repentance. He detests the praise of those who live without reverence for His holiness. Jesus expressed His disgust of the worship rendered by such hypocrites in Matthew 15:8-9, by citing the words of the prophet Isaiah: “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”
So we, who have been made righteous by God’s grace through faith in Christ Jesus, should now live our lives in the fear of the LORD. We should never conduct ourselves like those who live without the fear of the LORD. The fear of the LORD teaches us to shun sinful ways and rejoice in the pursuit of holiness. Proverbs 8:13 instructs us, “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.” The fear of the LORD also teaches us to live for the glory and honour of Him. Psalm 22:23 says, “Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.”
All who fear the LORD are further encouraged with an incredible promise that “there is no want to them that fear him”. All their needs will be abundantly supplied. It is His delight to bless those who fear Him.
6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
David refers to himself as a “poor man.” He also indicates that he was a troubled man. Certainly, he was feeling helpless altogether. So he cried unto the Lord. We see him here as a mournful man before the Lord. How miserable it must have been for David to feel like a distressed, despondent derelict!
He could only “cry”! The Hebrew word for “cry” (qaraʾ) is a very common word in the Old Testament which denotes a loud, intense shout. In great pain a man will cry out, he cannot help it. Many such cries of people are recorded in the Bible. For instance, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David” (Matt. 20:30); "Lord, save me" (Matt. 14:30); "God be merciful to me a sinner" (Luke 18:13 ); "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom" (Luke 23:42). Many such sudden, earnest, irrepressible cries unto God became prevailing prayers.
A cry would not be worded in eloquent, impressive language. It would not even sound soothing like a song. The cry of a man in great distress would be very disturbing to the hearer. It would rattle our hearts, and grieve our minds. It ventilates the pain felt deep within the soul. It cannot wait. It pleads its case at once; it never puts off its request for another second. It calls out, “O Lord, help me, O deliver me from my troubles! I cannot bear them any longer.”
David testifies to us that “the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles”. He who prayed was poor and helpless, but he prayed to the One who is rich in mercy and fully able to aid those who trust Him. David has already testified how God answered his cry in the preceding verses. “I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed” (Psalms 34:4-5). What great testimony does David bear to the blessing of prayer! He attributed his preservation and deliverance to his prayer, for he said, "and the Lord heard him." It gave him access to divine help in his misery. Prayer was an effectual means of help for David testifies that "And (the LORD) saved him out of all his trouble." Like David, may we also tell of His blessings we received through our prayers, and thus magnify Him before others!