PASTORAL CHAT
My Dear Readers
We welcome to our pulpit Dr. S.H. Tow this morning. He has just returned from London, Toronto and Vancouver taking care of churches he has founded without let up. Why? He believes Jesus is at the door to return to earth. This is precipitated by the last World War, identified as WWIII by Dr.Walvoord, President-Emeritus of Dallas Seminary, USA.
I totally agree with Dr. Walvoord, who has just gone to be with the Lord. If I repeat this statement, some Church leaders will say I am scaring you. The fact is that whenever Jesus talks about His Second Coming He wants us to be ever ready at any moments’ notice. Are you ready to be “raptured”, i.e. to be caught up from a burning earth to meet Him in the air?
Rev. 9:13-16 says the final World War will break out from the Euphrates River which is Iraq. Two wars have already occurred, the first in 1990 and the very recent one with Saddam still alive and fighting back. The third is still to come involving 200 million and the whole world. It can come in another ten years!
Do you know that between end of WWI and beginning of WWII the interval of peace was only 21 years, i.e. 1918-1939? From end of WWII, 1945, up to now it is already 58 years, long overdue. How short is the remaining time when this gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in all the world for a witness to all the nations, and then shall the end come!
As to spreading the gospel on our part, FEBC continues to press on with the training of new students, semester by semester. There are four from Cambodia and one from Batam, some Koreans and how many more to add up by Jan’ 04? Dr Jeffrey Khoo goes once a month to preach at Roska’s third church and administer the Lord’s Supper, Mr and Mrs Francis Sng also once a month at another church, Mr Yiew Pong Sen at another. Mui Mui and Helen Eio visit Kuantan to help out the Sunday School, Mr Tee Chung Seng and young people to Jemaluang, 13 miles south of Mersing. Mr and Mrs Chong, new members, go to Kota Tinggi.
I have an appointment with Tanjong Pinang where I began a ministry from 1973. Why do we go? From Jesus’ command of accelerated missions. We have a brother Chua who distributes tracts stamped with RELC address and he supports us every week.
While worshipping at RELC we are reminded to look up skyward for our redemption draweth nigh!
Your affectionate pastor
T T
HOW JESUS TAKETH PUNY MEN IN THEIR OWN CRAFTINESS
XXI. Did the Scribes and Pharisees Believe in the Miracle of Jonah which Jesus quoted as a sign of His Resurrection?
“Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.”
(Matt 12:38-42)
Commentary
The Scribes and Pharisees, like today’s modernist and liberal theologians reject Jonah’s testimony of his being swallowed by a big fish and coming out alive after three days and three nights. A Methodist Bishop who taught me English at the Senior Cambridge Class was reported to have uttered in his Sarawak preaching such blasphemy, “If you believe Jonah was swallowed by the whale, you can believe that Jonah swallowed the whale also.”
The Pharisees did not believe Jesus’ miracles with their own eyes, how could they believe Jesus’ resurrection after His resurrection? But doubting Thomas did and he believed, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20)
XXII. Healing of the Impotent man at the Pool of Bethesda
“After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole. And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day. But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.” (John 5:1-18)
Commentary
Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.” (v. 19-32)
Fourfold Witnesses to Jesus:
1. John the Baptist (v. 33-35)
2. The Works (v. 36)
3. The Father (Matt. 3:17)
4. The Scripture (cf. Lk. 24:27; 44-47)
