This week, we all were familiarised with the word “umbrage”. It is not often that we experience something that unites us all. I was stuck in the army camp for my ICT, but even there - the jokes and comments were abounding. After this week, Mr Ng Yat Chung’s name will forever be tied to the word “umbrage” in the history of Singapore. I am not concerned here to write about the incident itself, but to ask us to consider, on this Sunday morning, the world we live in.
Read MoreIn this past few decades, the humble local church has been suffering a loss of prestige. For some time now, Christians are far more inclined to be associated with Jesus than the Church. Francis Chan the author of the book “Crazy Love” is a good and recent example of a high profile leader seemingly keeping to this trend.
Read MoreThe first is to observe the word “abide” - μένω. It’s a verb that means “to remain in a place”; “to dwell”; “to stay”. It is particular interesting because it contrasts from the other Gospels where we hear Jesus calling us to “follow” Him. To follow Him requires asking the question, where is Jesus directing us? Every day we wake up - we might ask, Jesus where are you taking me? Every time we come to a fork in the journey of our life, we might ask - which path does Jesus want me to take? Every time we come to a big decision, and we are concerned to ensure we are successful in our endeavours or we find favour - we ask, Jesus which choice should I make? How can I follow you?
Read MoreWhether we are long time Christians, newly baptised believers or non-believers, there has always been a sense of the reality and presence of God with us. As the old joke goes – even atheists under threat of death, end up praying. Whether our prayers are cries for help or cries with Job-like intensity – “why is this happening to me”, “how can life be so unjust and unfair” – throughout human history that is a basic recognition that we are not alone. The real question is not whether there is a God and is He with us, but how is He Present to us and how can we meet Him?
Read MoreThis week’s Gospel Reading ends with Jesus reminding His disciples - “You are witnesses of these things.” The word witness has been often confused for evangelism. ”Let’s be more evangelistic,” “Let’s do more witnessing to our friends and family,” “Let’s do some street-e,” with “e” being short for the word evangelism. This is the lingo I grew up with as a church going person in the 1980s and 90s. To “witness” to friends is “share the Gospel” with friends and hopefully, get them “saved”.
Read MoreWe are often focused on the benefits that Christ gives to us. He loves us. He gives us peace. He forgives us of our sins. He helps us in our time of need. And let’s be quite clear - He do all these things for us. But before we can speak about the ‘benefits of Christ’ or the blessings of Christ that are accrued to us through Christ - we must be clear about the Gospel. And the Gospel is no more or less, centered on the Person of Jesus - as the Risen One.
Read MoreWhat is the significance of Resurrection Sunday? What is the meaning of Jesus’ resurrection for us? An ancient tradition known as the “Paschal Greeting” developed especially amongst the pre-Reformation Church might help us capture the precise meaning of the Resurrection. Instead of the usual, “hello, nice to meet you” or “Shalom”… one person will say “He is risen” and the other will respond with “He is risen indeed!”.
Read MoreMoney may make the world go around, but in fact - everything rises and falls on leadership. It is leadership that moves the money that brings prosperity and wealth. And it is good leadership that brings prosperity and wealth to all with justice and without prejudice.
Read MoreThe English word Glory is defined as “magnificence or great beauty”. The Greek word has a broad range of meaning. In the classical Greek, it refers to “an opinion of”, with the nuance of “reputation”. In the usage of the Greek by the NT authors, it refers to “the appearance of” or the “radiance of” and “showing of”. Putting these ideas together, to consider the glory of someone is to consider - what do we think about this person? What is his/ her reputation? What does he/she radiate? What is the true form that makes him/her truly him/ her?
Read MoreThe World, and sometimes, ourselves too, have a tendency to ‘box’ Jesus up. We put him in the category of religious teachers and spiritual gurus - we believe in Jesus so we are Christians, not Buddhist or Taoists or Hindus or Muslims or Fa Long Gong. For spiritual and heavenly and life after death needs, Jesus is our Man. But for everything is, Jesus is not our man. For wealth management, experts at UBS or Citibank is our man. For our health needs, top medical scientists are our man. For advancement in life, we go to career guidance counselors and marriage and family experts, life coaches.
Read MoreIf you had to make a decision between building an Hospital or a a Temple - which would you choose?
Read MoreMark 8:31-38 is challenging to hear. Not only for the disciples of Jesus then, but for us now. At first glance, Jesus’ words sound crazy at best, and depressing at worst. To our ears, any talk about ’self-denial’ or ‘taking up our cross’ or even ‘following someone’ is vulgar. Nonetheless, these remain the words of the Light of the World, God’s Agent of Change in our world. So how can we comprehend the words of Jesus today for us?
Read MoreFor many of long time Christians, Baptism is an event in our long time past - at best just a wonderful memory, at worst a forgotten promise. I confess I can’t remember when exactly I got baptised and who was it that baptised me! And unlike some people I know, the heavens were not torn asunder during my baptism and I had no earth-shaking moment to speak about - In short, it was very forgettable.
Read MoreLuck is defined as “success or failure apparently brought by chance rather than through one's own actions.” Success and Prosperity and Health that comes from hard work has its own benefits. There’s a sense of achievement that comes from being in control. It’s the joy of being empowered as a person - our will is fused with our understanding and our ability. We feel good. But we don’t call that luck. Luck is to come to success, not through ourselves but through means outside of ourselves.
Read MoreWhere is Jesus? He is in our Homes. What is He doing? He is reviving and raising people - in order to restore them to the work of home-making, and to the joy of being at Home. For the sake of one another, and our homes, may we learn to move with Christ in 2021.
Read MoreJesus taught, not just to give us more knowledge, He taught to set us ablaze. To give us light within our hearts and mind and our souls - in order that we may gain wisdom and understanding for life. Teachers like this, do not just impact the person they teach, but their teaching echoes for generations because they concern principles that govern earthly life and human existence.
Read MoreJesus has come to fish us out of water because we were not meant to live in the water. He has told us, those who seek for our life will lose it. But those who follow Him, will find Life. We might have grown used to living in the chaos of the waters, but something tells us, we were not created to live like this. That something, is not a something but a Someone. And that Someone is calling us today to “Follow Me...” that we too may become fishers of Men, just like Him.
Read MoreHow well do we know Jesus?
Not how well do we know Christianity. Not how well do we know God. Not how well do we live up to our confession of faith. Not how well do we know our Bible. Not how well do we know the teachings of Jesus. But how well do we know Jesus?
Read MoreImmanuel is not just Christmas celebration or some religious truth to believe in. Immanuel is the name of a Person to know. Someone who desires for us to be with Him, to walk with Him and follow Him, as He develops the Will of the Creator, our Father in 2021.
Read MoreCan we hope for things to get better? Do things around us actually get better? Do our husbands become kinder and more generous towards us over time? Do honeymoon lovers naturally fall in love more and more over the years? Do we get more healthy and strong with each new year? The facts of life point to this - everything around us is subject to decay, corruption and ultimately death.
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