Israel Regains Her Nationality, Christian Countries More Converted

(Message delivered by Pastor at the True Life Church 10.30 am Service, June 5, 05)
Text: Zechariah 10:6-10; 8:21-22

 

We have been talking about the return of our Lord from the Tsunami of Dec 26, 04. Now we have another two  fulfillments according to Zechariah 10:6-10; 8:21-22.

As to Israel regaining her nationality, she has been a people without a country for 2,000 years until May 14, 1948 and she had to fight 5 wars against the Arabs from her independence to 1982–5 against Lebanon. So we have The War of Independence, 1948. There were 2) The War of Suez, 1956, 3) The 6-Day War, 1967, 4) The Yom Kippur War, 1973 and 5) Against Lebanon, 1982–5.

Not only has Israel regained her nationality, she has become a super power in the Middle East in fulfillment of Christ’s Coming. The second sign in conjunction with Israel is many Christian countries from around the world will visit Israel and becoming more converted. “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” (Matt. 24:14) We of True Life Church must win more souls for Christ before He comes.

Do you know all the countries increasingly visiting the Holy Land are Christians? And as they visit the Holy Land and learn of Him and His wonderful presence at every spot He walked, to Golgotha where He was crucified and to the Empty Tomb when He rose from the grave. Practically all have believed and are saved. During my last 11 trips to the Holy Land, I had over 500 followers. Practically every one of them were saved. They have seen and they have believed.

Let me witness to you how our Lord has mightily blessed the Bible Presbyterian Church in further converting many in the Holy Land itself to our Lord. The Bible Presbyterian Church in USA through The Independent Board for Presbyterian Foreign Missions sent Dr. Lambie to open a T.B. Hospital here at Choir Gathering, May 22, 2005 Baraka, 10 miles south from Bethlehem. He had 80 Arab employees who were converted, so he built a Baraka B-P Church in Bethlehem.

A male nurse, George Awad after Dr. Lambie was gone was called and ordained over the Church. His wife and four sons became zealous Christians and the youngest son Danny Awad was called to study to be a pastor. He spent 4 years in a Bible College in the Philippines where he graduated and he married a Filipino classmate and she gave birth to two children and returned to the Holy Land with her husband to minister.

We who went to the Holy Land in 1987 bought them a piece of Land to build a Church and now in the Shepherd’s Field stands another B-P Church for the Arabs, a youth Church under Rev Danny Awad. O the joy of seeing 200 of them come for the Christmas Service.

Since the founding of True Life B-P Church I have reported the Shepherd’s Field B-P Church asking us for US$200 a month to support Rev Danny Awad and our Church has done our bit for the furtherance of the Gospel.

The Lord’s Coming is very near and may be in our lifetime. We have no excuse to take things easy. We must rather convert every True Lifer, including our children and loved ones in the spirit of our going to the Holy Land and seeing them believe as they have finally seen Golgotha and the Empty Tomb.

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Rom. 10:9, 10)

 

THE GOSPEL OF LIFE: Chapter XII

John 12:20-22
Rejected by the Jews, Welcomed by the Greeks

It is John who lets us into an interview of certain Greeks with the Lord during Holy Week. These were devout Gentiles coming from various countries to attend the Passover feast in Jerusalem. (From Romans 1:16 it appears the word Greeks is taken to mean Gentiles broadly).

Apart from the conjecture they might have come from Galilee, we have concrete examples of their devoutness. Read the story of the good Centurion of Capernaum (Matt 8:5-13). For his great faith and worship of the Lord Jesus he is made a forerunner of many who shall come from the east and west, and shall sit with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. Luke tells us further this Centurion had built a synagogue for the Jews (Luke 7:5).

These Gentile Greeks figure greatly in the Acts of the Apostles as “fearers” or “worshippers of God” – earnest heathen, who turned from idolatry to the Jewish faith in one living and true God (I Thess. 1:9). The “Greeks” while not taking part in the ceremonial, nevertheless, joined with worship of the Synagogue and Temple. One of them was Cornelius, a Centurion of the Italian band, a Roman.

Other than these “Greeks”, we can think of the Ethiopian Eunuch (Acts 8:27) who also came to Jerusalem to the Feast (Acts 8:27).

So when those Greeks asked to see Jesus, they were seeking for the Truth. While the Jews had rejected Him here were Greeks who received Him. These are the other sheep that must be brought into the fold (Jn 10:16). And when Greeks, Romans and Ethiopians are converted to Christ they will sing –

“In Christ there is no east or west,
In Him no south or north,
But one great fellowship of love,
Throughout the whole wide earth”

The Greeks represent the cultured and educated Gentiles. Our ministry must not neglect the educated (Rom 1:14). The Barbarians, those who speak uncultured dialects, are their counterparts to whom Paul is indebted in the Gospel. Hence the importance of missions to far off islands and heartlands of continents. They are also crying, “Sir, we would see Jesus.”

Do you, like Philip, bring them to Christ?

John 12:23-47
Glorification through Crucifixion

In answer to the inquiring Greeks Jesus talks of the glorification of the Son. What does this mean? Calvin says this glorification “refers to the proclamation of the Gospel, as if He had said that soon the knowledge of Him would be spread throughout every region of the world”. Ellicott says, “This is to be accomplished in His ascension and return to Heaven. But the immediate connection implies that He regards the extension of His Messianic work, and the acceptance of His truth by the nations of the earth, as part of the glory of the Son of man.”

But the way to this “glorification” is one, only one – the way of the Cross. Jesus once again announces His death, the heavenly corn of wheat falling into the ground of humanity to die. He is optimistic about His death because out of it will come the Resurrection and the bringing in of countless souls as fruits from His death. In v. 25 He exhorts once again the fearful disciples to follow Him to the end. They who will suffer with Him will reign with Him. (v. 26) This theme He has been harping upon ever since Caesarea Philippi (Matt 16:21) in order to strengthen His followers.

But Jesus is both God and Man, fully God, fully Man, yet without sin. As Man He has also the weakness of the flesh. “The Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matt 26:41). Suddenly, a dark cloud from Gethsemane, as it were,  overshadowed Him, “Now is my soul troubled, . . . . and what shall I say? Father save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.” O, the mystery of Godliness and the mystery of humanity united in one Christ. The mystery of human tension in Godliness and the mystery of Godly tension in humanity.

Who can enter into the mystery of those days before crucifixion? Let us say with Paul, “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death” (Phil 3:10). Memorise this verse.

 

 

The Good Word

by John Tow

Let us therefore with one accord,
With billions hail our Savior’s Word
His Counsel stands on its record
So always let us heed His Word
And not forget: “Thus saith the Lord!”
His will is that He will be heard!