Bible-Presbyterian Church

G e t h s e m a n e Bible-Presbyterian Church Not my will, but Thine, be done (Luke 22:42) Order of Worship Call to Worship Dn Kelvin Lim *Great Is Thy Faithfulness (47) * Invocation & Gloria Patri * Responsive Scripture Reading (Acts 11:19-30) The Lily of the Valley (91) Collection of Offerings Doxology & Prayer Saviour, Like a Shepherd Lead Us (532) Scripture Memorization & Children's Sermon Pastoral Prayer Sermon Rev Wee Eng Moh "Barnabas - a faithful and Spirit-filled Servant" (Acts 11:19-30) Make Me A Blessing (454) * Benediction & Threefold Amen * Congregation Standing Welcome to all worshippers Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.o let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Psalm 67:3-4 Scripture Memorization Bitterness Ephesians 4:31 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice Volume 24, Issue 2 13 th March 2011 Pastoral Exhortation Parenting the Teens Rev Dr Prabhudas Koshy The main purpose of this article is to reiterate the importance of a firm, uncompromising, biblical mentality in parental instruction and guidance of the teens. Biblical firmness against the ungodliness of the world The words of the Lord in Deuteronomy 7:1-6 remind all Christian parents to be insistent that their children will not conform to the ways of the world around them. The Lord said, "When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee,... and when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them: neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly. But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire. For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth." These verses instructed the Israelites about how they were to deal with the pagan nations that occupied the land God was giving to His people. Israel was to destroy the pagans and make no covenant with them. Especially, they were to avoid having their children marry the pagans - "For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods." The clearest spiritual lesson of this passage for the Christian parents is that they should aim to raise their children with a mindset of a warrior who seeks not to Our Pastor: Rev Dr Prabhudas Koshy (M: 9001 1119, H: 6788 1721, Email: gethsemane@pacific.net.sg) Our Office: 510 Geylang Road, #02-06, Singapore 389466. Tel: 6741 1910, Fax: 6741 1016

Pastoral Exhortation accommodate the enemies of God. Unlike the time of ancient Israel, God has not given the physical sword to the saints so that they may conquer God s enemies by outward force, but to win them by the proclamation of the Word, which is "the sword of the Spirit" (Ephesians 6:17). "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). Christians are called to confront the world with God s revealed truth and thus conquer His enemies by making them disciples of Jesus. Through the firm teaching of God s Word, our children must be taught to recognize falsehood so that they may not succumb to it. As they are busy counteracting the lie, it will be more difficult for the lie to influence them. Children who are trained to be spiritual warriors are more likely to remain faithful as they become adults. Avoid intimate associations with the enemies of God The second lesson of the passage above is that God s people must avoid intimate associations with God s enemies. If the Israelites married the pagans, they would be led to forsake the true God and worship idols (and this happened repeatedly throughout Israel s history). 2 Corinthians 6:14 is generally applied to this matter of avoiding marriages with unbelievers: "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?" But marriage is just one example of an intimate association. Surely the point of this verse is that any compromising connection between believers and unbelievers must be avoided. What constitutes an intimate association? It would be any relationship in which a heart-bond is created. If the mind is persuaded, the affections are kindled, and the will is drawn; it is an intimate relationship. Examples of such relationships are marriage and relationships that include those between pastors and members of their flocks, teachers and their students, counsellors and those being counselled, employees and his co-workers, etc. Close friendships are among the most intimate of human associations. Actually, of course, there are a myriad of other ways in which people may be connected such that a heart-bond is created. Any relationship that involves spending considerable amount of time with another person may become an intimate one. Christian parents often fail to guard their children against forming intimate bonds with unbelievers. One of the greatest threats to the spiritual health of Christian children is the influence of friendships and even godless teachers in schools. The overall intellectual and spiritual atmosphere is unbiblical and godless. When we consider that the best hours of our children are spent with unbelieving and immoral classmates, we realise how severely they could be influenced by the negative environment around them. Parents should be careful about who their sons and daughters spend time with. Hours of teaching, conversation and modelling by parents can be undermined by the hours a child spends with a friend, with co-workers at a job, or even with someone on an Internet chat room. Many a child has fallen away from faithfulness due to the failure of parental diligence when it comes to association with those who do not follow the Lord. Of course these negative influences need not be personal. Impersonal influences can also effectively undermine faith in the heart of a child. By "impersonal", we refer to things like music, television, movies and magazines. A child in a Christian home who is not in a public school, who has no non-christian friends and who does work outside the home can still become a casualty if he spends hours watching television or listening to 2 Our Church Session: Rev Dr Prabhudas Koshy (9001 1119), Elder Mah Chin Kwang (9675 4031), Elder Alan Choy (9853 9556), Dn Arvind Pawa (9642 8954), Dn Daniel Lim (9385 0371), Dn Lok Kwok Wah (9022 5508) & Dn Kelvin Lim (8268 2828).

rock music every day. The lies of the devil become his meditation as he absorbs them through these media. Avoid intimate associations with compromising Christians Some years ago, a research group announced that in the United States, "A minority of born-again adults (44%) and an even smaller proportion of born-again teenagers (9%) are certain of the existence of absolute moral truth" (www.barna. org). Among those who claim to be born again, less than half of the adults and less than a tenth of the teens are certain that there is such a thing as absolute moral truth. Today, the situation is more or less the same in churches around the globe. Is it any wonder, then, that exposure to church people is not much better than exposure to the world? Actually, it is worse - parents should not assume that some kind of Christian association will provide positive input into the lives of their children. Another finding by the above research group shows that: "Only a minority of born-again teenagers (44%) claim that they are absolutely committed to the Christian faith. " The simple fact is that hanging out with the average youngsters from an evangelical church is likely to undermine a firm commitment to Christ and to God s revealed truth. It has become necessary that we must guard our children against hanging out with not just the compromising evangelical Christians, but also the leaders of such churches and Christian groups. So it is important that as much as possible we worship in fundamental, Bible-believing churches. Even in a fundamental church like ours, there can be youths or leaders who are compromisers and worldly. So godly parents must still be vigilant in watching over their children s friendships even within fundamental churches, such as ours. Here I am not advocating total isolation of our children from others. I am calling for parental involvement and vigilance in limiting children from careless interaction with compromising Christians. It is an extraordinarily difficult thing for serious Christians to prevent their children from having too much exposure to the personal and impersonal influences that may lead them astray. Nor is it desirable or reasonable to eliminate all contacts with those who do not believe and live as they do. Some exposure to the lie can be appropriate and even necessary for training purposes if there are also heavy doses of training to recognize the antithesis. But it is not necessary or wise to immerse oneself in evil in order to learn about it. As Paul wrote, "... yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil" (Romans 16:19). Too much exposure or unguided exposure to evil leads to tolerance, then to accommodation and eventually to an embracing of the lie. It is easy to believe that our children will be able to stand strong in the midst of alien world view, to think that the people in question are not all that bad. Vice does not usually present itself right up front as a "monster", and we hate to be too restrictive. Christian parents have a strong inclination to be optimistic concerning their own children and their associations. "Our local public school is not as bad as most others." "The youth group leader is a godly young man. I m sure he will set a good example for my daughter." "My son knows that we don t endorse the values that he sees and hears on TV." But Scripture is clear in its warning: "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners" (1 Corinthians 15:33). Our tendency is indeed, as the apostle notes, to be deceived about these things. We so easily lose sight of the antithesis ourselves, and everything begins to blend together so that we have a hard time taking a stand and risking the disappointment or even the hostility of our children when we say "No". It is so much easier to believe that our children won t be negatively affected by "evil company" or that the company is, after all, only a little evil. We have to remember that Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light (cf. 2 Corinthians 11:14), and yet, he is a roaring lion seeking someone to devour (cf. 1 Peter 5:8). Many godly parents have seen their precious ones devoured by the enemy because they have failed to remember how devious and determined he is, and thus how discerning and diligent they must be in response. 3

4 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:58

Junior Worshipper s Devotion Lessons From the True Vine (I) by Pr Kelvin Lim I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. John 15:1-2 In the above-mentioned passage, the Lord Jesus Christ introduces Himself as the true vine, and God the Father as the husbandman. The word husbandman means farmer. Jesus then gives a description of the works that a husbandman does. There are three major lessons that we can learn from this passage: firstly, the reasons for Jesus proclamation, I am the true vine ; secondly, the works that God the Father does and thirdly, the fact that two groups of people exist: one produces no fruit while the other does! In our devotion today, we will focus on the first major lesson taken from Jesus statement: I am the true vine. There are four things to learn from it: 1. The word vine simply means a climbing or creeping plant. In this passage, the vine refers to the grapevine. The vine is expected to be a productive plant that bears fruit in its season yearly. Therefore, a vine is a fruitbearing plant. 2. The adjective true implies that there is another kind of vine. The Bible does speak of a wild vine (cf. 2 Kings 4:39). This wild vine deceives those who gather from it. Its fruit cannot be eaten! Such a vine is not a blessing to man. Therefore, the wild vine can also be called a false vine; false in the sense that its fruit may look edible but cannot be eaten. 3. Jesus uses the definite article, the to proclaim that He is the only true vine. There is none else! He wants to emphasize that He alone is the source of salvation and blessings. Remember, a real vine blesses people with its fruit continually. As a climbing plant, the vine is able to reach over to those blocked by the wall of sin, and to extend its blessing of salvation to them. 4. Jesus uses the present tense, I am to emphasize that He is the true vine at all times. The phrase I am is also the name of God. This was the name God gave Himself, and He told Moses to tell it to the children of Israel (cf. Exodus 3:14). This name is powerful. When those who came to arrest Jesus in the garden of heard the name I am, they went backward, and fell to the ground (cf. John 18:6). Dear children, we learn that I am is Jesus name and it is very powerful. We also learn that Jesus is the true vine, the only true source of salvation, and He is ever ready to bless every man with it. Therefore, you must turn to the Lord Jesus Christ in faith! Combined Youth retreat BPC & Calvary Tengah BPC Theme A Passion for Christ by Rev Dr Prabhudas Koshy Morning Devotions by Dr Paul Ferguson Date: 6 th - 8 th June 2011 (Mon- Wed) Venue: Calvary Tengah B-P Church Registration forms are available from GYBH committee members. REGISTER NOW and submit the form with payment to Elder Alan Choy Our Staff: The Care Ministry Bro Jerah 9337 2337, Chinese Service Dn Daniel Lim 9385 0371, Filipino Service Pr Dennis Kabingue 9648 0004, Children s Ministry Pr Kelvin Lim 8268 2828, Seniors' Ministry Pr Jeremiah Sim 8333 9483 Church Office Diana Koh, Bible Witness Dn Kwok Wah, Kenneth, John, Melissa Mah, Eric & Ruth 5

Sunday Activities March 13 March 20 (9.15am) Chinese Service (10.00am) English Service (10.30am) Filipino Service (1.00pm) Adults' Bible Study & Sunday School Adults' Bible Study & Sunday School Worship Leader: Gan Chin Hwi Elder Alan Choy Preacher: Pr Daniel Lim Pr Kelvin Wong Pianist: Eunice Choy Sarah Yap Ushers: Cayson Chok & Robert Ooi Jerry Chan & John Peh Flowers: Roscelle Lim Zuo Bai Ye Refreshment: Jenn Lee Roscelle Lim Worship Leader: Dn Kelvin Lim Dn Lok Kwok Wah Preacher: Rev Wee Eng Moh Rev Dr Prabhudas Koshy Pianists: Chloe Pawa & Jollyn Low Chu Seong Yeng & Eunice Choy Ushers: Junior Worship: Danial, Francis Lim, Max, Jeremy Poh, Randy, Benny, Stephanie Lee (Greeter) Kamala (Cecilia Tan), Kian Seng (Cornelius), John Peh Chip Hung, Kee How, Donald, Johnny, David, Jason, Diana Chan (Greeter) Kim Lei (Eunice Choy), Annie Ho (Corliss Tan), Jenny Lok AV Ministry: Crew 2 Crew 3 Flowers: Mong Jee Pawa Jessie Ng Refreshment Duty: Catherine Choy, Mabel Lim & Ruth Low Cecilia Siah, Stella Tan & Serene Chua Worship Leader: Eric Delina Donald Dela Cruz Malayalam Fellowship (1.00pm) Lions Home Ministry (3.00pm) Preacher: Pr Dennis Kabingue Pr Dennis Kabingue Usher: William Maranan Arnold Diaz Pianist: Chu Seong Yeng Chloe Pawa Refreshment: Diane Maranan Emelinda Villardar Venue: SingPost Seminar Room Annexe Venue: 41 Toa Payoh Rise 487 Bedok South Avenue 2 English: Dn Arvind Pawa Pr Jeremiah Sim Chinese/Dialect: Pr Jeremiah Sim Pr Daniel Lim Mon - Sat Activities March 14 - March 19 Tuesday Prayer Gathering (8.00pm) Venue: SingPost Seminar Room #02-31 Wednesday Lunch Hour Bible Study (12.45pm) Venue: Bible Witness Media Ministry Bookroom (Tel: 6438 0578), Hong Lim Complex Thursday Seniors Ministry (11.00am) Venue: Please contact Pr Jeremiah Sim for more information at 8333 9483. Saturday Friday Morning Prayer (6.45am - 7.30am) Cancelled Young Adults Fellowship (Every 2 nd and 4 th Friday, 8.00pm) Please contact Sis Kamala for more information at 9026 0401 Church Choir Time: 1.00pm Venue: SingPost Seminar Room #02-31 Adults Every 2 nd and 4 th Saturday, 4pm. Fellowship Venue: SingPost Seminar Room #02-31 Annexe Time: 4.00pm Venue: SingPost Seminar Room Refreshment: Sis Melissa Neo Children s Ministry Song Leader Nursery-P2 P3-P6 Stephanie Lee Dn Kelvin Jenny Lok Time: 4.00pm Venue: SingPost Seminar Rm Annexe GYBH Chairman: Cornelius Koshy Speaker: Pastor Koshy Topic: Proverbs Gifts: Sunday Collection (March 06 - English Service) Tithes 3,289.50 Offerings 4,048.95 Maria Luz (Bogo) (PHP1,000); Bogo Church (air-con) (500.00); Imane (Ethiopia) (US$50.00); Kenneth (200.00 [Hadassah], 10.00); Max (10.00); Ruth (10.00); Kelvin (300.00, 10.00) Non-Sunday Collection Ethiopia Bldg Fund 300.00, 300.00 TGCM (local) 300.00, 250.00 Pastor Koshy 400.00 Bible Witness 20.00, 20.00, 100.00 Welcome We warmly welcome Rev Wee Eng Moh (Berith BPC) to our pulpit to minister God's Word this morning. Ladies' Seminar (organized by LPG) Topic: Women of Prayer Speaker: Rev (Dr) Prabhudas Koshy Chairperson: Sis Mah Lean Choo Date: Sat, 26 Mar 2011 Time: 9.30am 12.30pm Venue: Singapore Post Centre, Seminar Room on Level 2 Please register with Sis Annie Ho. All ladies are welcome. Home-going Bro Goh Eng Siew (Care Ministry's brother), aged 60, was taken to glory on Tuesday, 8 March 2011. Pray for God's comfort and the salvation of family members. 23rd Anniversary Thanksgiving B-P Church s Thanksgiving Service will be held on the Lord s Day, 27 March at 10.30am. Buffet Lunch is catered at $10.00/adult and $6.00/child (aged 6 to 12). We encourage all worshippers to sign up at the reception. 2010 Ethiopian Assignment New Building Fund Target: $500,000.00 Total (as of 06 Mar 2011): $449,414.22 Please give cheerfully! Let us rise and build! Hasten to complete the work! Strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God Ezra 6:22 6 Our Place of Worship: SingPost Auditorium (Level 5), 10 Eunos Road 8, Singapore 408600 Our Websites: www.gethsemanebpc.com; www.biblewitness.com