PASTORAL CHAT
My Dear Readers
Praise the Lord, 25 July 04, you first read the new name of our Church gazetted True Life Bible-Presbyterian Church. Today, 8 Aug 04, the new name of our Church True Life splashes across the top of the page of the Weekly (RELC Auditorium 10.30 am).
Hitherto the affairs of our Church are run by the pastor with the help of Elders Mahadevan, Han Soon Juan, Wee Chin Kam, Dr Jeffrey Khoo and Deacon Tai Mern Yee (Treasurer).
Mr Tan Kian Sing, pastor of Berean B-P Church is under examination and will be ordained by Rev Tow, Dr Jeffrey Khoo, Rev Quek Suan Yew and Rev Prabhudas Koshy representing Far Eastern Bible College.
Eduardo Morante has now 8 Filipino maids for teaching and Febian Siregar 6 Indonesian maids after the 10.30 worship. While they are given their Sabbath to study God’s Word blessings will spread to your family.
Our I 1th Pilgrimage to the Holy Land will bring a love gift to the Palestinian Baraka Bible-Presbyterian Church now building at the Shepherd’s Field and to be finished by Christmas. A medical doctor is sending their members brand new clothing of a famous brand.
While the Pastor is away to the Holy Land from Aug 26 to Sep 11, 04 there will be no prayer meeting. 47 True Lifers and FEBC students will be away. Before leaving for Holy Land we shall have special prayers at Miss Tow Soon Ai’s house before her second operation at NUH.
Lastly, Deacon Tai Mern Yee and Lok Kwok Wah have recently launched their HDB flats Evangelism by distributing tracts block by block. Our whole Church must hasten for Christ is coming soon!
Your affectionate pastor
TT
THE GOSPEL OF LIFE
Chapter V
John 5:8-16
Jesus saves the Sabbath from the Sanctimonious
One law that God has given man for his spiritual and physical wellbeing in a life of ceaseless toil is the Sabbath. One day in seven to rest from his menial labours, that he may keep it in holy rest and worship.
The Pharisees who were zealous to keep God’s laws became so extreme in their demands that they would not allow you, in today’s context, to switch on or switch off a light during the Sabbath hours. This is argued from the man who was stoned under Moses’ law for gathering sticks on the Sabbath day (apparently to light a fire) Num. 15:32. For the man invalided for thirty-eight years now healed to carry his “bed”, or bedding, and walk away from the sick bay was considered a near-unpardonable sin.
Thus when the hungry disciples plucked ears of corn to eat on the Sabbath Day the Pharisees accused them of breaking the Sabbath. They were wise in their sterile thinking, never considering there’s the higher law of human necessity that overrides the law of sabbath keeping. “The sabbath was made for man and not man for the sabbath” (Mk. 2:27). And He who is the giver of the Sabbath law is Lord of the Sabbath! If Jesus heals on Sabbath Day so that physical work is involved, then it is sacred work that “breaks” the Sabbath for good!
The Larger Catechism says, “The Sabbath or the Lord’s Day is to be sanctified by an holy resting all that day, not only from such works as are at all times sinful, but even from such worldly employments and recreations as are on other days lawful; and making it our delight to spend the whole time (except so much of it as is to be taken up in works of necessity and mercy) in the public and private exercises of God’s worship…” What are some of the works of necessity and mercy that can exempt us from Sabbath keeping? (The Lord’s Day is called the Christian Sabbath).
John 5:17-18
A Higher Work by a Higher Personage
Inasmuch as Christ has declared Himself Lord of the Sabbath elsewhere, He now discloses that His work is God’s work. Calvin says, “What Christ insists on is that God’s works do not disturb the holy rest commanded by the Law of Moses. And for this reason He excuses not only His own action but also the man’s carrying his bed (bedding), which was a supplement, and as it were a part of the miracle, in that it was simply proof of it. Moreover, if thanksgiving and the proclamation of His glory are reckoned among the works of God, it was no profanation of the Sabbath to bear witness to God’s grace with feet and hands. But Christ is speaking chiefly of Himself, for the Jews were more hostile to Him. He says the health He restored to the sick man is proof of His divine power. He declares that He is the Son of God and asserts that He acts in the same way as His Father….”
“His defence irritated rather than calmed their fury By His example He taught us never to yield to the fury of the wicked but to try to defend the truth of God when need arises.”
In v. 18 we see the fury of the Jews flaming in their faces as John the author of the Fourth Gospel had beheld that day. “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.” This verse is one proof text on the equality of Jesus Christ with God the Father that refutes the Jehovah Witness’ heresy against the full deity of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity.
On the persons of the Holy Trinity, the Larger Catechism says: “There are three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one true, eternal God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory; although distinguished by their personal properties.”
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