PASTORAL CHAT

My Dear Readers

Today is Reformation Sunday.It is nearest to Oct. 31, 1517, the day Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses on the door of Wittenberg Church in Germany against the dark practices of the Roman Catholic Church. After nearly 500 years the Protestant Reformation of the 16th Century has all been eroded. Protestants (Evangelicals) came back to the Roman Catholics and in an Evangelicals and Catholics Together Declaration stated they shared a common salvation in 1994. This was reaffirmed in 1997.

The truth in Luther’s declaration is “The just shall live by faith” only, whereas the RC’s is faith plus works. Spurgeon has declared, “If the garment of my salvation needs but one stitch from me, I shall be lost.” We are solidly with Spurgeon.

To keep the Protestant Reformation alive we need the holding of Reformation Sunday more than ever before.Today’s speaker is Rev Das Koshy of Gethsemane B-P Church, Editor of Bible Witness and Lecturer at Far Eastern Bible College. May he bring us a vital message to remind us of our precious heritage.

Your affectionate pastor
T T

 

What shall we have therefore?

(Message delivered by Pastor at the RELC 10.30 am Service, Oct 19, 03)
Text: Matt. 19:27-30

Here we have a contrast with the Rich Young Ruler. When challenged by Jesus to sell all he  had and give to the poor as a precondition to eternal life, he lost heaven, sorrowfully returning to the world. But not Peter. Peter was brought by  Andrew his brother to see the Messiah. Immediately our Lord pronounced him to be Cephas, a stone, a faithful disciple to be. When Jesus rewarded Peter with two shiploads of fish after he had caught nothing all night, he left his job to serve the Lord fulltime. Although he denied his Lord after His arrest, he repented and served Him faithfully till his martyrdom. It is the belief of the Church that all the apostles died a martyr’s death.

When Peter spoke to Jesus after the Rich Young Ruler left Him, he asked, “Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? Jesus said to the disciples, “You who have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” This brings us before the judgment seat of Christ; “that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad (II Cor. 5:10).” The apostles, not we, will reign with Christ during the millennium on earth for a thousand years (Rev. 20:4).

Furthermore everyone that hath forsaken houses,or brethren, or sisters,or father,or mother,or wife,or children,or lands,for my name’s sake,shall receive an hundredfold,and shall inherit everlasting life.In order to follow Jesus,Peter forsook his fishing boats and his house and wife at least for three years and probably his children also. He is promised everlasting life and a hundred times the earthly relations and possessions.

How about modern day missionaries, such as our faithful Korean missionaries.They have to leave their wives and children in Singapore for the sake of their education. Christians who have spare houses are happy to accommodate them. If members of the family are sick the church will take care of them. A hundredfold means they will be taken care of in every respect.

In the history of missions,there are outstanding missionaries who so love the people they have come to serve.One American Bible Presbyterian Missionary, Dr. A.B. Dodd by name, who taught me when I returned to China to study, served on Mainland China until it was overrun by the Communist. He had every right to return to America. Because of his love for the Chinese people he crossed over to Taiwan to serve until the Lord took him at 95. He never slackened.

But many that are first shall be last.There are those who once felt called to serve Him full-time but because of the
uncertainty of support has cooled off.These first who have become last may be revived by Jesus’ word to Peter and surge forward again.

We are now living in the last days. Jesus prophesied that at the end of the world before His Second Coming, there will be signs of false Christs and false prophets, wars and rumours of wars, famines and pestilences, earthquakes,betrayal and hatred of one another even in the church. But there will also be a resurgence of gospel preaching throughout the world, and then will the end come (Matt. 24:14).

Jesus can come in our short lifetime. Why won’t you rather serve Him than work your own way? As principal of Far Eastern Bible College we have graduated 450 during the last 40 years. The rate of success by God’s grace is high as many have been ordained and gone into field. Is this not a sign of His coming also?

And what shall we have therefore? As our Lord has rewarded Peter one hundredfold with everlasting life, so will He reward you accordingly.

 

 

HOW JESUS TAKETH PUNY MEN IN THEIR OWN CRAFTINESS

XIV. Jesus Warns of the Leaven of the Pharisees

“In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people,insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all,Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees,which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body,and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven. And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.” (Luke 12:1-12)

Commentary

The Holy Spirit will help us to prevail over the craftiness of the Pharisees.

 

XV. There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day. (Lk. 13:14)

“And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day. The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?” (Luke 13:10-16)

Commentary

And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him (v. 17).