To Bangalore with a Gospel Soul Saving and Encouragement Mission

Transcription

1 MARANATHA MESSENGER Weekly Newsletter of Private Circulation Only MARANATHA BIBLE-PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 21 December 2008 Present every man perfect in Christ Jesus (Colossians 1:28) Address: 63 Cranwell Road, Singapore Tel: (65) Fax: (65) Website: * Sunday School: 9.45 am Worship Service: am Wednesday Prayer Meeting: 8.00 pm Pastor: Rev (Dr) Jack Sin (HP: ) Introduction To Bangalore with a Gospel Soul Saving and Encouragement Mission The prophet Isaiah, in Isa 43 :1-3 says, 'But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.' These are comforting words as we are still mindful of the deadly Mumbai terrorist attack of 26 Nov 08 where about 180 people were killed (including a Singaporean lady who was a lawyer) and more than 300 injured when we think of India. The last country one probably wanted to go during these tumultuous times is India but the Lord providentially led us to Bangalore, India with fear and trembling in our hearts. Francis Goh (who nearly could not get his overseas leave due to the terrorist incident in India but the Lord answered our prayers and his leave was approved in the end by his superior), May, Jane and Daniel, Angie and pastor were there in Covenant BP Church, India from Dec 08 to minister the word and encourage the brethren of CBPC, India that was established through the auspices of Maranatha BP Church missions with Dr George and Bessy as our commissioned missionaries three and a half years ago It was an insightful and stimulating trip that is unforgettable as we witnessed the sovereignty and power of the Almighty God to His covenant people in the midst of great testings and tribulations and the hearts of men turned towards God. Children Christmas Outreach Programme and Special Sabbath Service It was a short but eventful time, as we achieved much within 4 days. We arrived before midnight and Dr George and Praven, our staff were there to receive us at the airport with the church van amidst tight security. We thank God that we went through the customs with our Tamil translations of the gospel tract, The Christian Perspective of Life and Death and many booklets, pamphlets and other materials for CBPC, India. We brought some useful teaching materials that were kindly provided by Vera for the starting of the kindergarten in next June 09, God willing with Bessy as the principal and other teachers as well. The next day, 13 Dec 08 we were ready for a 2-hour programme with 33 of both English and Kannada speaking children who came for the pre-christmas outreach programme. The children sang hymns of praise to God and May Goh led them in a Christmas message on The Birth of Christ followed by games by our efficient Warrant Officer, Francis Goh with military precision and the children (including Jane and Daniel who connected well with the children) enjoyed the fun time of interaction and sharing together. Angie completed it with creative craft and the making of a gift box and a

2 postcard. Some of the children were newly brought in by an English and Kannada speaking pastor Babu (he was beaten up for sharing the gospel in the villages some time ago) from a village 15 km away. Dr George fetched another 15 from JP Nagar as well. They left joyfully with a goody bag each lovingly prepared by May Goh and precious and memorable spiritual lessons in their hearts on the true meaning of the first advent of Christ. On 14 Dec 08, the Lord's day, we had our morning devotion and we prepared for the evening service where more than 30 came and heard the testimony of Francis, the mission team s song item and the message on how 4 groups of people commemorated Christmas (Lk 2:8-38). We also observed the Lord's Supper in remembrance of His life and death for us at Calvary Cross to save us from our sins. We were especially encouraged by the group of 6 young people in their mid 20s from Manipur (a northern Indian state) who have been coming faithfully over the past one year and they remembered the message clearly and had a zeal to study God's word and to serve in due time. There was even a new friend in Gresshma who is a Hindu but she had been attending CBPC, India for the past 3 Sundays. She is very receptive to the gospel when we shared with her and she was given a bible and one of her friends and Dr George will follow up on her. It is also good to see old faces in the congregation. There were also Mr Xavier and his family, our faithful supporter who brokered the land deal for us, Dr Mary, one of our trustees and auntie Neela and her friend, Dr Vijay, Paul, Rose and Pravena and Dr George's relatives as well. A sumptuous fellowship dinner followed after the service lovingly prepared by Bessy, Rose and other helpers. Constructing God's house in the midst of obstruction We had a most edifying and blessed time with Dr George, Bessy and Abigail during our sharing and devotions though Nathaniel was sick with chicken pox and had to be quarantined for a few days. Do pray for Dr George and the family as they will be visiting Kerala, their home town after 2 years this coming week, driving there over 10 hrs. The missionary family had persevered and laboured hard especially over the last 4 months to build God's house in the midst of great spiritual testings when they shifted into the church building in Aug We are reminded by Paul in 2 Cor 4:8-10 which says, '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; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. Dr George shared of the sovereign hand of God in protecting and preserving him and his family despite opposition from the Hindu neighbour but God over rule in His own good time. After a brief delay, (when he complained to the authorities about CBPC, India but God had sent His 'angels' to help us through Mr Xavier and others) the hindrance was greatly reduced and the building went on smoothly over the past 2-1/2 months and much was accomplished. We prayed for either the salvation of our neighbours or for the hindrance to be greatly reduced or removed if it is the Lord's will and God answered our prayers in His own good time. God is able to do the impossible when we trust Him fully, pray fervently and wait upon Him patiently while doing our part responsibly as well. Romans 8:31-32, 'What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?' The compound wall that surrounded CBPC building was finally completed (it reminded us of the walls of Jerusalem built by Nehemiah during the post exilic era) with the gate and the church office will be ready before the end of the year. The exterior of the church

3 and the pathway will be also spruced up in due time. Praise the Lord for all these provision and protection to His glory! Psa 127:1 reminds us, 'Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.' Fast Forward to year 2009 As for future plans, if the Lord tarries, there will be the inception of the kindergarten next June 09 which will be a major thrust in our outreach to the children, (and we will need to equip the place with the necessary cupboards, school materials, employ teachers and other staff) there are also plans to start a new NBC (home based bible study) in the nearby HSR layout (a housing estate for civil servants) in the home of Paul and Rose, evangelistic outreach to the neighbourhood by Dr George and his team, an evening vernacular service and the youth ministry as well. God willing, another mission team led by Dr Ram Rao of the USA, our supporter, and his church members will come in May 09 to support the work. The Maranatha BP Church mission team will be there in end June 09 to celebrate the 4th Thanksgiving Anniversary of CBPC, India and conduct a series of workshops and seminars for training of our staff and members in the knowledge of God's Word (2 Tim 2:2). Let us continue to intercede fervently and support this God centred and gospel based mission work and the continued growth and progress of its evangelistic outreaches to the glory of God. Let us all if possible, make a conscious effort to come for the next mission trip (25-30 Jun 2009 God willing) and be a vital part of the life changing ministry of touching souls for Christ in these last days before it is all over and eternity shall begin. Conclusion Finally, what more can we say but to echo the infallible words of Holy Scripture recorded in Heb 11: saying, 'And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.' We remembered the words of the song we taught the Kannada children to sing 3 years ago at the old mission house when we started and we sang it again with them. It goes like this : Our God is so good, So strong and so mighty, There is nothing my God cannot do We say amen heartily to these sound and faithful words as we echo these same words in our hearts when we left them for God's mercy and grace endures forever. As the spiritual leader, Nehemiah who challenged the Jews, we, His covenant people will continue to rise up and build, teach and preach His glorious gospel of salvation till the day of His glorious soon return to rule and judge the world. Rev 14:6-7 says, 'And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.' In these last days, we are to watch, pray fervently and be vigilant and yet industrious in

4 the work of the Lord for we know that our labour is not in vain in the Lord (1 Cor 15:58). We thank God for your prayers and partnership with us all these years and we will continue with greater zest as the Lord leads and guides us. Soli Deo Gloria! Jack and Angie Sin Q & A Q. Can you elaborate on the star of Bethlehem and the practice of giving gifts during Christmas? Is it acceptable and sound? A. That is a good question. The Star of Bethlehem is associated with the visit of the magi (wise men) from the East as recorded in Matthew 2:1-12. From this passage we see three things of interest. First, the text implies the star appeared only to the magi in the East (the "East" most likely being the area of Persia, or modern-day Iran or possibly even China). The magi observed something in the heavens that no one else observed that alerted them the Jewish Messiah was to be born (Matthew 2:2 refers to the star as being "His star"). Second, the Star prompted them to travel to Jerusalem, the Jewish capital to look for the birth of the King of the Jews. Third, when the magi were told that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, not in Jerusalem, they left. Upon their leaving, the star had that appeared to them in the East re-appeared and led them to Nazareth, and stopped once it was over the place Joseph and Mary were then staying (Matthew 2:9). There is strong evidence to suggest that what we see in Matthew 2:1-12 is not a natural stellar phenomenon, but something unexplained by science. That evidence lies in the three things noted above. First, the fact that the star only appeared to the magi indicates that this was no ordinary stellar phenomenon. Furthermore, what led the magi to travel to Jerusalem was the fact that they were looking for the sign of the Messiah. How would Persian magi know about the Jewish Messiah? They would have been exposed to the ministry of the Jewish prophet Daniel who was the chief of the court seers for Persia. In Daniel 9:24-27, we see a prophecy that gives a timeline for the birth of the Messiah. Second, they would have been aware of the prophetic utterance of the pagan prophet Balaam (who was from the town of Pethor on the Euphrates River near Persia) in Numbers 24:17 (a prophecy that specifically mentions a "star coming out of Jacob"). Finally, celestial bodies normally move from east to west due to the earth's rotation, yet this star led the magi from Jerusalem south to Bethlehem. Not only that, but it led them directly to the place where Joseph and Mary were staying; stopping directly overhead. There is no natural stellar phenomenon that can do that. It should not surprise us that God would use a miraculous sign to signal the advent of His Son, the Messiah, into the world. Now about gifts. Many people take the idea of gift giving at Christmas back to the scripture in Matthew 2:10-11 which talks about the Magi (wise men) giving gifts to Jesus at his home which says, "When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh." The Bible gives a wonderful fact about the greatest gift God gave us in His Son, Jesus

5 Christ as a ransom for our souls, to redeem us from sins that we may be saved forevermore. We can use it as an opportunity to present the glorious free gift of the gospel and to show love to others. Giving and receiving gifts are seen also in what Paul says about giving in 2 Corinthians 8:7-8 which says, "Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love." Paul was talking to the churches who were giving him gifts (financial) so that he could use it for the ministry for the Lord (like giving to support gospel missions in Covenant BP Church, India) and the sustenance and the building of His church. We can apply this same lesson to our own lives by giving to the Lord first and then to others, not just at Christmas, but the whole year round as well. Remember Rom 12:1-2 to give of ourselves first as living sacrifices to serve the Lord in the new year in Maranatha BP Church or any ministry, and not just by our substance alone which is our reasonable service. Pray about it. We need to also focus on the wonderful gift of salvation the Lord has given us (Isaiah 9:6). Giving to the Lord is a joy and privilege and we are to do it in our Sabbath Worship with ourselves, our time and offerings and tithes. Remember that it is God who gives us power to get wealth (Deut 8:18) and "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights..." (James 1:17). Hope this helps and have a holy and God-honouring Christmas in the Lord. Jack Sin (for deeper studies on the subject, read The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel) Testimony by Sunarto Wiwin On Children Christmas Gathering Dec 2008 The hand of God was with us. He had blessed our Children Christmas Gathering. My heart was truly uplifted to see everything smooth going, the arrangements were tackled very well by Dn. Daniel Tau and by everyone who was involved in this ministry. I was very encouraged to see the hardworking teachers and helpers. Last but not least, I felt very happy to interact with the children in one way or another. The feeling to be part of the children's lives (as if I have known them for years... I am talking about those whom I met first time), it was a wonderful feeling. I miss the children! I was looking forward to this CCG. We have been praying for this event and not only that, behind the scenes there were many people who have been preparing hard. I am blessed to be part of this "God's blessing event". I was so excited that I could not sleep well. I woke up very early and I arrived early in the church to turn on the fans and lights and prepared my songs for singspiration. About 8.20 am, Dn. Steven Ng joyfully arrived in the car with Lily Oh, Joanna and 5 of her friends (next year they are in secondary 1!) I opened the main gate and as they made their way in, I asked their names. As they gathered near the piano, I asked them to help me sort the songs in order and put them back in the file, filing them and asked one of them (a boy) to help me set up the projector, help me with clicking buttons on the laptop, while Lily Oh took care of the certificates and so on. Meanwhile, Dn. Steven

6 rushed to Pasir Ris area to fetch a few more children. Brother Royce Yeo and Choon Pio with Anne and Luke, and Choon Pio's younger sister with her son and daughter who came next. Brother Royce prepared the sound system and microphones. Dn. Terence Tan and some other kids came. Dn. Terence helped them with their name tags (prepared by Sally Tan). Then I saw more kids arrive as well. Some brought their friends like Deborah's friend, Brittney & Bevan's neighbourhood friends (Doris had been calling her neighbours on Friday and a few responded! Thank God!). I hope I do not miss out those kids who brought along their friend(s) too. Dn. Daniel and Grace, brother Li Heng, Ivy Lim with Kristelyn, Heng Man Ee, Han Kin Hoong, Chan Kim Siu, Sally Tan, Kim Hoa were there too. At 9 am, I asked the children to introduce themselves one by one. Thank God it was a smooth introduction (thanks to Dn. Daniel who passed another microphone to them). Some were shy, they could not mention even their own names! Then after that we sang. The kids were seriously singing. A mother ed me to tell me that she thank God the kids still sang the songs when they reached home. It is not anyone's work. It is GOD'S WORK! Never rely on human charm and ability! God can use whoever He wants and desires as long as we are willing and following. We sang 2 songs, Joy To The World and Once In Royal David's City. Dn. Terence opened the CCG in prayer. We continued with another 3 songs, Angels We Have Heard On High, O Come All ye Faithfull and Away In A Manger. Royce Yeo took pictures too. Sally Tan prepared the last touch for the children's craft work. I could also see that outside the main sanctuary, they were busy and joyfully serving the Lord people. Hong Che Hwee and Hazel came, sat on the pew and sang with us. We sang like a choir. After the singspiration, the happy and busy teachers and helpers were sitting on the cosy chairs preparing for the art and craft under Chiang Mui Leng. The environment was very heart-uplifting as everyone enjoyed helping. I could almost say the CCG 2008 was a stress less event. Not because of we just busily working away; but the unity, the togetherness, the chatting that we could do while doing things, no one rushed one another. Everyone followed instructions of each person in charge and finished on time, ready to be used for art and craft session. Heng Man Ee bought for us nice ready coffee and milk-tea in bags. At 9.30 am, Sally Tan divided the 39 children into 3 classes. She asked those who had red name tags to line up and follow teacher Sherry See. Lily Oh and Becky Lum were in the pre-primary class that had 13 children in the Nursery Worship room. Kim and Ivy accompanied 14 children from lower primary to the Junior Worship room. Last class, 12 bigger kids for upper primary class under Han Kin Hoong. They headed to the "No Footwear" Youth Ark. Thanks to them all who obediently abided by the sign or else they would be fined!

7 After the story telling, the kids were ready for games led by Fong Li Heng and Jing Heng. The game of Grabbing the Bottle, the Act-Out game and then the Army game fun time. I guess the photos will speak louder rather than I describe it. The funniest of all, our CCG 2008 in charge, Dn Daniel, he was in the game. After the game, they came for the tea break! The menu? Sausage bun, one roll cake, one chicken nugget and soya milk drink. Yummy! Dn. Terence, Dn, Steven, Dn. Daniel, Li Heng and Jing Heng set up the table after being used for games. Everyone could enjoy their meal. Thanks to the teachers who distributed to them as well. Without good distribution, some children would end up with empty stomach instead. I personally had good time during games (not only because of Dn. Daniel!) especially cheering up the children. During their tea break, I sat down and talked to the new children, especially with Joanne's friends and also with Lisa (she is a foreigner from Taiwan but study in Singapore). We had a good time, chatting away, joking around and tried to invite them to church. After snack, we went for the last round of CCG,.art and craft. After the children washed their hands, the tables and chairs having been cleared and cleaned, then Chiang Mui Leng gave instructions to the children. All of them listened carefully (the same when I saw them hearing the stories in the class-thanks to our teachers!). The materials were ready and the children rushed to plan their own bookmarks, designed and wrote the memory verse and then laminated it! Fun time again for me because while doing this art and craft, we were giggling around and talking about their life. I got to know them better. One of Joanna's friend said she would like to attend our Sunday service. Well, after everyone was happy with their craft, we proceeded to the main sanctuary. They sang another more 3 songs, Angels We Have Heard On High, Silent Night and the closing song, One Way. I handed the certificates for Correspondence Course to Lily Oh. She spoke to the children and invited the new children to join. Dn. Daniel gave the certificate to the children one by one. Lily Oh was having her holiday but came home early because she wanted to be around for the CCG. Becky Lum also, supposed to go Bintan for holiday but cancelled it because she wanted to serve the Lord in CCG. Maybe others also, out of their love and strong desires to serve the Lord, had to make sacrifices. God knows and bless them.

8 After closing prayer by Dn. Daniel, we took photo as a big family. Then all the children were being brought home safely. Dn. Terence brought us lunch, we ate, cleared everything and we went off. PRAISE AND GLORY BE TO GOD ALONE. MAY HE SAVE THOSE UNSAVED CHILDREN BY HIS GRACE AND MERCY AND MAY HE BLESS MARANATHA CHILDREN'S MINISTRY. THANK GOD FOR EVERYTHING TODAY. MAY ALL OF US WHO SERVE CHRIST LIFT HIS NAME HIGH UP. Praise the Lord! At the Pulpit Theme for the Quarter: In the Footsteps of Faith Pr Mok Chee Cheong Epaphroditus - A Model of Sacrificial Service (Phil 2:19-30) [End of MM]

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