Genesis 1 ~ The Evolution Confusion

The age old question on the origin of the universe can sometimes be misconstrued to be a conflict between "modern science" and "outdated Genesis". While the book of Genesis is to be read literally, it should not always be read in a literalistic fashion as it utilizes metaphors as well.

God was right there in the beginning (verse 1) and He made this world from chaos to order. The earth was without form and void (verse 2) and lacked structure. It was empty save for darkness. Yet the Spirit of God (verse 2) was there - where you have the breath of God, the word of God is present as well and so God spoke from verse 3 onwards.

Certain phrases are frequently repeated in the first chapter of this first book in the Old Testament, such as "And God said" (10 times), "Let there be" (8 times), "and there was" or "and it was" (7 times), "And God made" (7 times), "God called" (5 times), "God saw that it was good" after each of the creation day as well as "And there was evening, and there was morning, the _____ day" (after each of the 6 days). Such repetitions show a very structured or orderly account of creation itself.

The pattern of creation is of complementary form and filling: day and night (day 1) and sun and moon (day 4), expanse separating waters (day 2) and birds and sea creatures (day 5), and vegetation (day 3) and beasts and man (day 6). A word can be very powerful if it brings things into existence and such is the power of God's Word and His sovereign design, which is all summed up in verse 31 where God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good. This is a personal, purposeful God who made everything, fulfilling His plan. Passages like John 1:1-3, John 1:14, Colossians 1:16-17, and Hebrews 1:1-3 demonstrate that God is personally involved with creation throughout all of time. Jesus is the one who sustains the world and He is in sovereign control of all.

The evolution confusion is that science is in conflict with Genesis. The reality, however, is that evolution does not necessarily contradict Genesis. These are two different fields of studies or disciplines in that science provides the mechanistic explanation while Genesis asks the "bigger questions" of "who made it", "what is it made for", and "where are we going". In fact, it is Genesis 1 that gave rise to modern science for the only way you can do science is if you appreciate orderliness (exemplified in Genesis 1 that proposes the clockwork model). The real conflict lies where people argue for accidental evolution (e.g. the Big Bang theory that hypothesizes that creation happened by accident, purely all out of chance) whereas Genesis has explicitly made it clear that creation is of purposeful design.

How did you get here? Are you a purposeful creation of God or a product of atoms that randomly gathered and interacted by chance and accident?

John 6 ~ Jesus or Who Else?

Our world today perceives religion in many distorted ways including religious relativism and pluralism. According to religious relativism, truths are relative, depending on different individuals. As for religious pluralism, it proposes that all different religions lead to God anyway.

In John 6, miracles were performed by Jesus that people may believe as they were reminded of events in the Old Testament. For instance, the feeding of the five thousand was a reminder of God’s provision of manna while Jesus walking on water could draw its parallel to the setting apart of the Red Sea. Verses 26-27 implied that the crowds were seeking the wrong kind of food. Jesus showed that He can provide food for a day (i.e. food that spoils) but He can also sustain them with food that does not spoil.

The question on our lips will then be, “What do I need to do to gain eternal life?” Sometimes we make the mistake of telling God, “Well, God, I’ll tell you what I’ll do that will make You happy.” Our self-centredness makes us tell God what He should accept as we set the bar that is high enough for us to jump over. Verse 29 tells us instead that God wants us to believe in the Son that He has sent to die for us. The subsequent verses 30-31 described how the crowd wanted to see a sign as they made the mistake of comparing Jesus with Moses. They should instead compare Him with the bread of life (verse 32).

Jesus is the bread of life that has come down from heaven (verses 33, 38, 46, and 51). John 6 also records seven occurrences of the phrase “I am”, a metaphor of the identity of Jesus and what He has been sent to do. And the purpose He was sent was to give life (verses 40, 44, 47, and 51). Jesus Christ gives eternal life by raising the dead. He offers us the resurrection of life.

What follows next in this passage can be perceived as an offensive imagery, especially to the Jews. Verses 53-54 paint the confronting idea of cannibalism and drinking of blood, which are forbidden in the Old Testament. But if one carefully reads the passage, verse 40 should hint that this imagery is a metaphor for believing in Jesus, as the idea of “eating” and “drinking” can mean to fully take something on board (e.g. “an opinion that is hard to swallow”, “thirst for knowledge”).

Christians also need to beware that John 6 is not describing the Lord’s Supper as it has not yet been instituted till a later time in this chronology of events. Also, thinking this way may potentially pose the dangerous idea that the way to gain eternal life is by partaking in the Lord’s Supper. John 6 is not about the Lord’s Supper but the Lord Supper is to remind us about John 6 that we may come and believe.

Our Saviour may appear offensive and it is easy to see how followers may be lost, as exemplified in verse 66 where many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with Him. It is tempting for us to lose the bits that are hard to accept and lower the bar to lure people into Christianity. But as verses 67-69 pointed out, where else have we to go if Jesus has the words of eternal life? The offensive thing to people today is that Jesus Christ is the only way to eternal life (i.e. exclusivity of Jesus) and not any other religion or guru.

Will we love people enough to tell them the hard truth, to say that this is the truth and everything else is a lie?

Ephesians 2:1-10 ~ The Meaning of Life

The starting point of Ecclesiastes says that all is vanity yet towards the end, we find there is meaning in life for God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil (Ecclesiastes 12:14). We know there is judgment because when Jesus died, He didn't remain dead but rose to life - it doesn't all stop at just death. Acts 17:30-31 reminds us that when Jesus rose from the dead, we don't just know that judgment has begun but also that He is the one appointed to judge. Daniel 12:1-3 points out that while the Book of Life exists, not everyone's name will be listed. Some will be judged and raised to life, to everlasting life. The question that should then be asked is what Jesus will think of us. This is all the more so when John 5:21-22 and John 5:26-27 tell us that God the Father has given the Son the authority to decide who gets to enter heaven and who goes to hell.

In line with this, we need to correct our view of sin, heaven and works and this is where the first half of Ephesians 2 comes into the picture. The first 3 verses reveal our identity as being dead, followers of Satan, and children of wrath. It is not whether we sin more or less or how much good we do, it is a matter of who we belong to. If we belong to Jesus, we're on the winning team. The "good" that some may do are not for Jesus, so it is not a matter of how good a player we are but whose team we're playing for. When we belong to Jesus' team, no matter how poorly we play, we're still on Jesus' side. Even if we cannot score or perform up to expectations, we're still on victory's side because Jesus scores and wins. Jesus has victory even over death itself. The questions to then ask ourselves are: Are we followers of Jesus? Which team are we playing for? Are we making decisions that will make our team captain happy?

Verses 4-7 seek to correct our view on heaven. Some people may not want to follow Jesus just yet. They may even see Christianity as an insurance policy for the unforeseeable future where they'll cash in when they start to think they need it. Often, our view of heaven is shaped by our greed and sinful desires. Romans 1:24-32 tells us that it is a judgment from God to allow us to indulge in lusts. Hell is here now and it happens when God gives people over to their sins. We need God's mercy now as a salvation from our slavery to sin, which is hell. The correct view of heaven is to be free from our slavery to sin and to see that the best way to live now is by following Jesus. In heaven, we approach God now as Father for we are fellow heirs with Christ. I Corinthians 15:55-57 assures us that there is certain victory through our Lord Jesus Christ that even death cannot snatch away from ourselves. Our struggle with sin as Christians is an indication that we're alive. We can look forward to a final day judgment that we need not fear but will have life fully instead.

Last but not least, we also need to correct our view of works. Verses 8-10 serve to remind us that salvation has nothing to do with the tally of our good works but it is the gift of God. It is God's grace that saves so we should never boast. Heaven is God's Kingdom, not ours - Jesus is at the centre and at the top of it all. We should avoid reverting back to being slaves of sin when we have been saved from sin. It is instead good to be slaves of God (Romans 6:20-23) because our heavenly Master actually cares for us. It is this Master who has qualified us to be co-heirs with Christ who redeems us from sin (Colossians 1:11-14). God raises Jesus back to life so that we can have a life that worships Him (Philippians 2:8-11). Matthew 7:21 advises us that it is the one who does God's will who will enter heaven. Indeed, passages like Titus 2:11-14 provide us with great encouragement to leave hell and be in heaven now as we renounce ungodliness and worldly passions.

Do you find your meaning of life in Christ?

M.O.N.E.Y. (May Our New-life Exalt Yahweh)

Imagine this: the only grandson of a wealthy tycoon decides to devote himself to full-time Christian ministry and so, forsakes an inheritance of financial riches and luxuries as his family disowns him. How would you respond to this piece of news? Would you think this man crazy or stupid for making such a decision?

Thus began the first main talk delivered by Pastor Joshua (who would rather be addressed more casually as simply Josh) in this year’s FOCUS Easter Conference (i.e. church camp). Talk 1 on “Rich Dad… Rich Kids” served to remind us that whatever family background we may come from, we were first willing children of Satan. The devil is our father from the start and his lies lead us to the ultimate murder: an eternity in hell. God, however, provides us a solution out of this situation. By the ultimate sacrifice of Christ on the cross, we are saved by grace through faith and are so adopted to become sons of God and heirs with Christ. God is now then our heavenly Father who promises us a future inheritance, which is eternal life itself, and He guarantees and seals this promise with the Holy Spirit. Such blessings illustrate the immeasurable riches of our “rich dad” in heaven. God never forsakes us and as He disciplines us, He is gracious towards us without spoiling us. We are then to learn contentment and free ourselves from the love of money as God has already blessed us with an inheritance that far surpasses that of temporary material wealth.

Talk 2 on “Greedidolatry” warns us against idolatry, which is spiritual adultery. Baal tempts us to worship materialism as we pursue material happiness and try to keep up with the Joneses, fooling ourselves into thinking that we are in control of our own future. As Christians, the lies of Baal become more attractive as he seeks to deceive us by dressing up in YHWH’s clothing. Examples of this include the false teachings of “God’s blessing” by those who preach the prosperity gospel, the illusion of God “calling” someone to a particular profession thus propagating the paganistic idea of career, and the half-truth command to “honour parents” by striving to achieve financial success in order to please them. We are to remember that all these are Baal’s lies and he never delivers, unlike God who always keeps His Word.

Talk 3 on “$tipend, $pending, $haring & $aving” teaches us the attitudes to adopt as God’s stewards in balancing out the different ways we use God’s money that He has entrusted us with. Financial income is a monetary reward for our diligent work but we need to be wary of how much we seek to earn, which may result in us dishonouring God’s name when we resort to sins like theft if we earn too little, or which may cause us to puff up with arrogance and confidence in our own self-efforts if we earn more than needed. As we pray “give us today our daily bread”, so then are we to seek to earn just sufficiently to live on. Our spending would first need to focus on our responsibilities. For some, this includes caring for children and using money wisely in furthering their education, especially their Christian education as the Bible teaches us that parents need to train and raise their children up to be godly. On the other hand, repaying our parents would involve us looking out for their needs but not helping them keep or increase their current standard of living. Since we have also received spiritual food, we are then to give material food in return by giving to the church. This should be seen as part of our responsibility and not merely an act of generosity. Spending money on luxuries is neither sinful nor wrong but God’s Word does warn us of the potential consequences of over-indulgence in riches and pleasures, which can choke us out. The value of generosity is emphasized in the virtue of sharing, with the priority for those who are Christians as they are part of our spiritual family. Saving for a rainy day is wise but how does one balance this with being rich towards God? We are called to use money now well so as to gain friends who will welcome us into eternal dwellings. This is in context of gospel ministry, in terms of helping others become and grow as Christians that they will be people in heaven who has benefited from this way that we have used money.

Talk 4 on “Desiring the Good Life” tells us that there are things in life that are far better than wealth, such as faithful and genuine relationships with other people as well as fearing the Lord. A life of true repentance is a life to be envied. It is indeed a blessing to be part of God’s Kingdom, submitting ourselves to God the Maker and having Him as the King who tells us what to do and who rules over our lives. Judgment Day itself gives us the right understanding of what to live for in this present age. As missionary Jim Elliot put it, “he is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose”. Following the sound doctrine that the Bible presents to us will help us realize that the world is real but not all there is, and that there is heaven and hell that gives us meaning in life. Our desire should be shaped to first seek God’s Kingdom and His righteousness. As people for His own possession, we should strive for attachment to God’s wisdom that leads us to the zeal and jealousy to do good works. We are to pursue the shadow of greed for the Kingdom of the one who is our real rich Father, God.

On a more personal note, the long weekend away at camp was indeed a priceless experience to understand what the Bible has to say about money and wealth. Through the four talks, I am challenged by the fact that it is not my money but God’s money that I am using and so, I am called to use it wisely, all for the glory of God. The reminder that there lies an ultimate inheritance of eternal life in the future rings a bell for me to give thanks for God’s providence and to learn contentment with what He blesses me with in this present age. Being assured that God is faithful in His promises, trusting in His goodness subsequently extends to a response to share the goodness found in the gospel of Christ with others as well as to mutually encourage others belonging to this spiritual family to strive after the Kingdom of God, knowing that this is what gives meaning to life.

Luke 5:12 - 6:11 ~ The Maverick Messiah

What makes a person maverick? He is unorthodox and unconventional, demonstrating independence in his thought and behaviour.

Jesus Christ Himself is a maverick. Instead of saying, "Be healed", He chose to say, "Be clean" in cleansing the leper in Luke 5:12-16. This shows that there is more to the event than just plain healing of a sickness. Cleansing is important in this context as one cannot approach God if he is unclean. Even more maverick was the touching of the leper when the Old Testament laws stated that such an act will cause one to be unclean. But Jesus, being the Son of God, cannot be made unclean - instead, He is able to cleanse others. His command to the cleansed leper to tell no one (Luke 5:14) indicates that He came primarily to preach, not heal.

Jesus' healing of the paralytic in Luke 5:17-26 once again displayed His maverick side as witnesses glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, "We have seen extraordinary things today." (Luke 5:26). The maverick line of "Man, your sins are forgiven you." (Luke 5:20) shows that Jesus has come to deal with the problem of sin. This is in line with His further claim that He has not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance (Luke 5:32). In the incident where He was questioned about fasting (Luke 5:33-39), Jesus' reply implied Himself to be the bridegroom of the people (i.e. God) in the Messianic banquet foreshadowed in Isaiah 25:6. In a further occasion, Jesus identified Himself to be the Lord of the Sabbath, drawing parallels with King David, when accused of allowing His disciples to pluck grains on a Sabbath (Luke 6:1-5). On another Sabbath when Jesus healed a man with a withered hand (Luke 6:6-11), it is interesting to note the turn of events as the scribes and Pharisees plotted to do harm to Jesus on the day (Sabbath) that they were meant to save and do good.

In summary, the 'outside-the-box' Jesus is a preacher, the Messiah, the ultimate bridegroom, and the Son of Man. He has come to deal with the root of the problem i.e. sin itself. More astounding is the fact that He has come for us who are sick and sinful. His death on the cross, as hinted in Luke 5:35 and Luke 6:11, is indeed a maverick way of rescuing us. Our faith in Christ is then a call to repentance in leaving everything and following Jesus, allowing Him to run our lives instead of our vain self-centred attempt. Indeed, the maverick things we do in following Jesus is simply because we are following a maverick Messiah.

Will you be maverick for His glory's sake?

Luke 4:14 - 5:11 ~ Jesus: The Liberator

When Jesus professed that "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing" (Luke 4:21), He claimed to be the one sent to proclaim liberty to the captives (Luke 4:18). This then begs the question: what kind of liberator is Jesus?

Jesus brought with Him a complete power revolution. The power of the Spirit was involved as Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit (Luke 4:14) and it was also reflected in how the Spirit of the Lord was upon Jesus (Luke 4:18). There was also people power as demonstrated by how people were gathered to follow Him with much love and respect (Luke 4:14-15, 20-22, 37, 40-43). Jesus, however, faced home rejection as He recognized that no prophet is acceptable in his hometown (Luke 4:24). The Old Testament examples of Elijah and Elisha were also quoted, further irking the Jews to the extent of trying to kill Jesus albeit a failed attempt (Luke 4:29-30).

The power revolution continues with Jesus having power over demons (Luke 4:35-36) who acknowledged Him as the Son of God (Luke 4:41). He too had power over sickness as He healed many including Simon's mother-in-law, where interestingly, He rebuked the fever (Luke 4:38-39). His healing boasted a 100% success rate as every one of them on whom He laid His hands were healed (Luke 4:40).

Despite all these various powers, the kind of liberator Jesus is was revealed in Luke 4:43 where Jesus explained that His mission and purpose was to be a preacher of the good news of the kingdom of God (Luke 4:43). The fishing miracle He performed in Luke 5 was but a foreshadow of how He exhorted His disciples to be fishers of men (Luke 5:10).

Jesus has come not to bring about a political regime change. Neither was He delivering people out of poverty and hunger. Instead, He confronted the devil himself. In His power to liberate those falling victims to captivity under demons / devil, Babylon or Rome (with ensuing poverty and oppression), and sickness / disease, Jesus echoed the sentiments of Isaiah 59 that ultimately, He is delivering people out of captivity under sin itself.

We live in a world riddled with the problem of sin but we have a powerful liberator in the perfect man, the Son of God, Jesus Christ. He has died on the cross that we may be freed from the bondage of sin and have life anew in Him. May the mind of Christ transform the way we think, speak, act and live that we may give God all the honour and glory He truly deserves.

Will you be a fisher of men, calling them to join God's family in His Kingdom?

Luke 4:1-13 ~ The First Temptation of Christ

Temptation seeks to lead one astray from the framework of life. Since God sets the right framework of life itself, temptation has the potential of leading one to sin. That said, temptation itself is not sin for Jesus Himself was tempted but still remained sinless and perfect. And it is here in the first half of Luke 4 that we see the first temptation of Christ right at the start of His ministry.

Essentially, the nature of the temptations can be summarized as: (i) fending for yourself for your physical needs (verses 3-4), (ii) gaining own kingdom through false worship (verses 5-8), and (iii) testing God's protection (verses 9-11). From verse 2, we can see that it is the devil who tempts. What makes it tempting is that his lies are half-truths. Temptation (i) contains the half-truth that it is not wrong to meet our own physical needs but the lie is that it is the be all and end all, and that there is no need to rely on God. Temptation (ii) tells the half-truth that the devil is the prince of the world but the lie that he has the sole authority to give the world to whoever he wants. Temptation (iii) quotes lots of Scriptures but lies in the misuse of the Scriptures, presuming miraculous protection based on our own terms.

It should not surprise then that Jesus would counter the temptations put forth to Him by using Scripture as well. He quoted Deuteronomy 8:2-3 that the Word of God is the word of promise and that we are to trust God's promised word in response to temptation (i). Temptation (ii) was countered using Deuteronomy 6:10-14 in which we are reminded that God is the one who gives us His Kingdom and it is Him and Him alone whom we should worship and serve. As for temptation (iii), Deuteronomy 6:14-16 was quoted to remind us of a past example to not test God where the Israelites questioned if God was really with them despite Him just only providing them with manna. It is thus important for us to know the Scriptures in our hearts so that when temptation arrives, we can rely on God's framework for our life.

The devil has tempted Jesus by first saying "If you are the Son of God" (verses 3 and 9) - the temptation that comes to Jesus is then precisely because of the fact that He is the Son of God. What then is Jesus' role as the Son of God? Luke 3:38 tells us that Adam is the son of God. Jesus is then the representative or second Adam. However, unlike the first Adam, Jesus is not going to fall but is instead the obedient Son who lives by God's Word.

Jesus is also not just the representative Adam but a representation of Israel, with Israel being referred to as the firstborn Son of God in Old Testament (e.g. during the time when Pharaoh refused to let God's people go). Just as how God's people were led to the desert for 40 years during the exodus, Jesus was led to the wilderness for 40 days. He is indeed the true Israelite who does not give in and who will take us into the promised land and salvation. Where Israel failed, Jesus succeeds.

Jesus is also the Messiah described in Psalm 2. He is God's superhero who has to suffer first before attaining victory. The temptation is then to take the shortcut to attain victory without the suffering. Matthew 26:52-54 describes how Jesus has the power to call on all the angels so that He didn't need to be arrested but He didn't. All the temptations were then to lead Jesus away from the cross.

The phrase "until an opportune time" in verse 13 tells us that this is not the last temptation. We see an example of this in the same temptation of having the Kingdom without first going to the cross in Peter's rebuke where Jesus then rebuked back saying, "Get behind me, Satan!" (Matthew 16:21-23). In Luke 22:42-46, we see how Jesus prayed that His disciples would not fall into temptation. Similarly, we need to pray for God's will to be done first and foremost.

In order to understand victory over sin, we need to identify three things: the real enemy, the real temptation, and the real Son. There is a very real spiritual dimension in which Satan himself is the real enemy who wants us to fall - he is a liar and murderer from the very beginning. There is indeed a real temptation that Jesus did go through. Luke 22:44 describes the anguish that He experienced while Hebrews 4:15 describes Him as a high priest who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses for He is one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. In not giving in, He knows the depth and strength of the temptation as well as the pain that comes along after it, especially the temptation to not go to the cross.

Jesus represents us as the real Son of God, not just Adam or Israel but representing all of humanity. He is the Messiah who went through the real temptation but did not give in for us. If He did give in, He will not be perfect and as a consequence, we will be in hell for not being able to overcome the real temptation. Christ is not merely our example but our Saviour.

Hallelujah, what a Saviour!

Luke 3:1-37 ~ Clearing the Way

What does it mean to repent? Is it merely the act of apologizing and saying sorry? Or perhaps changing from bad behaviour to good behaviour?

So when the desert voice of John the Baptist called out for repentance in the wilderness (verses 2 and 4), he recognized that Israel was still a nation in exile. Theologically and spiritually, God's people were still in Babylon and not "home" despite the great physical exodus through the desert. The baptism of repentance (verse 3) is more than just an issue of heritage - it is not merely for the Jews alone, as implied in verse 8. Everyone is called to bear good fruit (verse 9) as the concrete evidence of the change in one's life, through various deeds including the act of sharing and generosity (verses 10-11). Even the tax collectors and soldiers were instructed on how they were to apply this in their profession (verses 12-14).

Question is, what is the motivation for this repentance? The answer lies in God's righteous anger and just condemnation and punishment. Verse 9 warns us that every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Wouldn't you do anything to flee or escape this wrath to come?

While John is the forerunner of Jesus (think of how the bridesmaid marches down the aisle before the bride does - and when she does, all eyes are on her now, not the bridesmaid!), verse 16 explains a different kind of baptism that Jesus will bring: a baptism of Spirit and fire. This paints a picture of judgment itself where the one baptizing will also be the one bringing in the judgment day.

More than just a baptist or a judge, Jesus is also heralded as God's Son in verse 22, when the Holy Spirit descended on Him. Psalm 2 reveals the wisdom of being on Jesus' side, who is the anointed Messiah. He is also the suffering servant (Isaiah 42:1, 52:13, 53:1-6, 53:11-12) who needs to suffer first before attaining victory. The way to kingship is through the people's rejection but He is going to win in the end. The genealogy recorded for us also implies that Jesus was not conceived as a natural conception with the tag "as was supposed" in verse 23. We can tell that He descended from the line of the great King David (verse 31) and father Abraham (verse 34) but Luke, unlike other gospel authors, went back further to point out that Jesus also descended from Adam himself (verse 38), illustrating that salvation is not just for the Jews but for everyone whom Jesus represents.

Genuine repentance is then a change of mind and will that bears fruit in one's life in one's actions. We are called to know the times where both salvation and judgment are certain, to know the Saviour King and change from "self-government" to "Jesus-government", and to know real baptism where baptism is the outward sign of the inward repentance that leads to bearing real fruit.

Who drives your life? Will you let Jesus take the wheel?

Luke 2:1-52 ~ The One

Many infamous trilogies (e.g. Star Wars, The Matrix) usually have a similar plot where certain oracles are prophesied, looking for 'The One'. What about the oracles of the Bible? 'The One' is one who is filled with righteousness and wisdom (Exodus 13:15, Leviticus 12:7, Proverbs 3:3), bringing peace and light (Isaiah 8:13, Isaiah 9:6, Isaiah 49:6, Isaiah 52:9), and hailing from Galilee and Bethlehem (Isaiah 9:1, Micah 5:2).

The birth of Jesus was indeed a humble one. Joseph was originally from the city of David (verse 4) and it was there in Bethlehem that Jesus was born and laid in a manger (verse 7) since the family had no place to stay, being 'nobodies'. That said, His birth was celebrated by a multitude of heavenly host praising God (verse 13) and the angels even gave the shepherds the sign of a baby lying in a manger as the Saviour who is born into the world (verses 8-20). Up to this point in Luke 2, here are the oracles fulfilled thus far:

- v4: Bethlehem (Micah 5:2)
- v4: Line of David (Isaiah 9:6)
- v10: Good news and joy (Isaiah 52:9)
- v11: Saviour born in city of David (Micah 5:2)
- v14: Peace on earth (Isaiah 9:6)

The rest of Luke 2 (from verse 22 onwards) describes Jesus' childhood. Various customs of the law (verses 22-24, 27, 39, 42) were observed and fulfilled by Jesus. Simeon the devout Jew and Anna the prophetess have both also praised God for Jesus, whom they knew would bring salvation and redemption (verses 25-38). It then comes as no surprise to note how Jesus grew in wisdom and favour, both with God and man (verses 40 and 52). The more significant highlight would be Jesus' own consciousness of being the very Son of God, even at so young an age, when he called the temple "my Father's house" (verse 49). The description of the childhood of Jesus has so far fulfilled the following oracles:

- v22-24: Sacrifice and redemption of firstborn and turtledoves for purification (Exodus 13:15 and Leviticus 12:7)
- v25: Simeon waiting for consolation of Israel (Isaiah 52:9)
- v29-30: Peace / salvation (Isaiah 9:6)
- v32: Light for Gentiles (Isaiah 49:6)
- v34: Fall and rising of many (Isaiah 8:13)
- v38: Redemption of Jerusalem (Isaiah 52:9)
- v39: Galilee their hometown (Isaiah 9:1)

God is indeed so sovereign that He should even control Caesar Augustus to make the decree that caused Jesus' earthly parents to move from one town to another, fulfilling some of the oracles made in the past. His salvation plan for mankind may have caused confusion in the past, experienced by different parties as wondering (verse 18), pondering (verse 19), marvel (verse 33) and the lack of understanding (verse 50). But unlike those living in Jesus' times, we are no longer 'short-sighted' as we now have the complete picture of God's salvation plan through Jesus Christ who fulfilled prophecies of the Scriptures by dying on the cross and resurrecting three days later that He may conquer sin and be ruler of not just Israel but the whole world (Luke 24:44-47).

Jesus Christ is The One.

Luke 1:39-80 ~ Songs of Hope

The second half of the first chapter of Luke's gospel records two songs of hope: Mary's Magnificat and Zechariah's Benediction. These are songs reflecting the fulfillment of the angel's words. In verse 39, we see Mary rushing to visit Elizabeth to confirm that Elizabeth is pregnant, as informed by the angel. It was at this point that the baby in Elizabeth's womb leaped for joy (verse 44). But more significant of this incident perhaps is Elizabeth's acknowledgment of Mary as mother of my Lord in verse 43. As for Zechariah, the foretelling by the angel that his wife would bear not just a child but specifically a son came to be fulfilled. It is with much wonder that Zechariah was suddenly able to speak after nine months of being mute the moment he indicated that his newborn son should be named John as instructed by the angel. In both cases, we see how Mary and Zechariah praised and glorified God as a God of promise through their songs.

On closer observation, the issue of salvation also surfaced through these songs. People are:

Saved from:
- v52: being 'nobodies'
- v71: our enemies and all who hate us
- v74: hand of our enemies
- v77: sins (forgiven)

Saved for:
- v74: serving God
- v75: living in righteousness
- v79: way of peace

Saved by:
- v47: God my Saviour
- v49: He who is mighty
- v51: He who has shown strength with His arm
- v52: He who brought down the mighty
- v69: He who has raised up a horn of salvation for us

Saved because:
- v54: of remembrance of God's mercy
- v72: to show mercy promised to our fathers
- v78: of God's tender mercy

God acts to fulfill His Word. While nationalistic Israelites may expect the Messiah to politically save their nation (and conversely, materialistic Gentiles may expect Jesus to bless them with physical riches and luxuries), the true way Jesus Christ saves His people is by dying on the cross and rising again three days later in order to forgive their sins (Luke 24:44-47). For all the promises of God find their Yes in Him (2 Corinthians 1:20).

What is your song of hope?

Luke 1:5-38 ~ Impossible is Nothing

For nothing will be impossible with God (Luke 1: 37).

Really? Absolutely "nothing"?! No wonder it is such a common misconception for Christians to think they can ask God for just about anything, expecting Him to fulfill all their prayer requests. Verse 37 essentially applies only to what God has promised. If He hasn't promised it, it is only presumptuous for us to assume that God will do whatever we want Him to. In the context of this passage, verse 37 is a reminder to Mary that since Elizabeth was pregnant, she should take that as a sign when the angel Gabriel foretold her what God has promised.

The miracle of barren women bearing children has happened before, as evidenced in Sarah (Genesis 18:10-14) and Rebekah's (Genesis 25:21) cases. But what is so special about Elizabeth falling pregnant that distinguishes her case from that of Sarah's or Rebekah's? Verses 10 and 13 tell us that both the people and Zechariah himself have been praying. And what would these faithful Jews be praying about? Fast-forwarding to Luke 2:25, we see another devout Jew, Simeon, waiting for the consolation of Israel. Zechariah and the people's prayers would then be one asking for the barrenness of Israel to be taken away, in light of God's former promises to Abraham back in Genesis 12:1-3 (and once again implied in Isaiah 54:1-5).

John the Baptist, who is then this "miracle child", was to be a forerunner, as prophesied in Isaiah 40:1-5. He was to make ready for the Lord a people prepared by turning God's children back to Him, going in the spirit and power of Elijah (verses 16-17), echoing the sentiments of Malachi 3:1, 4:5-6.

That said, greater still is the one who came after John the Baptist and who is born of a virgin. It is the life-generating Holy Spirit that came upon Mary (verse 35) to fulfill the sign of Immanuel as prophesied in Isaiah 7:14. Jesus Christ, who is conceived of a virgin, is then the Son of God who will reign as King, as foretold in 2 Samuel 7:11-16. This is indeed good news borne by the angel as one who gives a message and is a bearer of God's Word.

With God, nothing is impossible and impossible is nothing for He is the one who writes the future. And the future has already come...

His name is Jesus.

I am Number Four

Had another great night out at the movies recently, watching a free preview of Dreamworks' latest I Am Number Four (once again thanks to Contagious Network). Blessed with extraordinary powers, John is a fugitive on the run. With the first three of his tribe murdered, him being Number Four is the next in line of the hunt. With stunning visuals and a nicely-packaged action-packed plot (with a lil romance thrown in), this film should do the trick in appealing to both genders (perhaps something the guys can suggest as a movie date instead of getting dragged by the girlfriend to sit through another 2 hours of chick flick?). Still not convinced? Check out the trailer below!

Luke 1:1-4 ~ Can We be Certain about Jesus?

How can we be certain about Jesus?

In the first 4 verses of Luke's gospel, the author tells us that he wrote to most excellent Theophilus, "that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught" (verse 3-4). Luke has previously accompanied Paul on his missionary journey but he was not an eyewitness since he was not present when Jesus was fulfilling His ministry. The question then is how can someone like Luke give us any certainty then?

The answer lies within verses 2-3. Luke has followed all things closely for some time past and has even consulted some of the eyewitnesses and ministers of the word. Cross-referencing from 1 Corinthians 15:3-6, we can see that during Paul's mission, some of these eyewitnesses have died but most were still alive, and hence accessible for Luke to conduct a solid investigation about Christ.

This is real history that Luke has recorded for us, only approximately 30-40 years after Jesus' ministry, which is relatively a very close time frame. It is a real factual account of eyewitnesses, many who died for what they believed in: the truth in Christ. Various figures such as Herod, king of Judea (Luke 1:5), Caesar Augustus (Luke 2:1), and Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate and Herod (Luke 3:1-2) are real historical figures that can be found in non-Christian historical texts. Even Josephus' "The Jewish Antiquities" lends veracity by providing a non-Christian historical account about Jesus Christ Himself.

Christianity is a historical faith based and rooted in history and person, not philosophy. The burden of proof on those who do not think the Bible is good history is to show that the Bible is not good history. This is a faith that centres around Jesus of real history. Some may use science to argue about the claims that Christianity puts forth. Science is great but it isn't the only access to the truth. After all, science is founded on repeated experimental truths itself. Christianity is "His-Story" for us, a historical truth. Faith is not a leap in the dark but relying, trusting and depending on something that's reliable, trustworthy and dependable. Historical truth is about what happened back then, not now, and so any excuse for not believing because one has yet to encounter some form of "personal experience with God" is not valid. John writes rightly when he tells us the gospel is written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name (John 21:30). Indeed, Christ's words Himself rings true: Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed (John 20:29).

Jesus' life, death and resurrection is a critical turning point, not just in human history, but more importantly in God's history. Verse 1 highlights that the gospel is a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, and who has accomplished or fulfilled this but none other than God Himself! Luke 24:27, 44-49 also illustrates how Jesus Himself uses the Scriptures to interpret the prophesies concerning Himself, a focus on His own death and resurrection. It is not just vital to know these things happened but the meaning and significance of these events.

Are you certain about Jesus? What does this certainty mean to you in light of your eternity?

Wasted on the Young

Thanks to Contagious Network, I recently had the opportunity to catch a free exclusive preview of local-made Wasted On The Young with dear Klement. Set in a private high school, this film cleverly focuses on the issues of teenage angst in coping with peer pressure, life's regrets and even the use of modern technology in executing revenge; all barely featuring any adults at all. Both Klem and I agreed that this can be a very dark movie to watch as we sometimes wonder what teenagers today are potentially capable of doing. If this kind of movie genre sounds like something up your alley, check out the trailer below and go catch it in the theatres!

2 Timothy 3:1 - 4:5 ~ All Scripture is All We Need

In these last days we're living in, Paul predicts difficult times ahead, filled with persecutions and suffering (2 Timothy 3:1, 12). It is a world filled with pagan love where people become lovers of self and have the appearance of godliness but love money and pleasure rather than God (2 Timothy 3:2-5). Already we can see for ourselves the growth of fake religion where people have itching ears and look for the message they want to hear to suit their own passions rather than to hear the truth itself (2 Timothy 4:3-4). But there will come a final judgment when Christ returns as judge and king (2 Timothy 4:1).

Paul charges or commands that the Word be preached with the readiness to reprove, rebuke and exhort, with complete patience and teaching (2 Timothy 4:2). We are encouraged to be sober-minded and to endure suffering as we persist in proclaiming the gospel instead of staggering around (2 Timothy 4:5). We are to continually be convicted in what we have firmly believed, learning from both Paul and ultimately the sacred writings of the Scripture (2 Timothy 3:14-15). All Scripture is breathed out by God (2 Timothy 3:16), indicating it is God-spirited and continues to be from God Himself. The main profit is to equip the man of God (an OT expression for the preacher; in this case it is Timothy that Paul directs this to) for every good work (which is essentially the job of preaching the gospel) (2 Timothy 3:17).

Depending on the job at hand, we all need the right tool for the job. You may use a screwdriver to disassemble a piece of furniture but you wouldn't get the job done properly (if at all!) if you expect to use the same screwdriver to change a flat tyre instead of using a spanner or a wrench. Similarly, the Bible is the right tool for preaching the Word, so use it!

All Scripture is indeed all we need!

1 Corinthians 9:19 - 11:1 ~ All Things to All Men

In 1 Corinthians 9:20-22, Paul informed us how he have become all things to all people, being Jew to win the Jews over to Christ and being Gentile to win the Gentiles. Such flexibility to adapt to the crowd he mingled with is not without certain limitations or parameters. Paul acknowledged that he became as one under the law (though not being himself under the law) - he was not subjecting himself to fulfill the Mosaic commandments to gain the right standing before God but rather to win those under the law (1 Corinthians 9:20). Similarly, in verse 21, he was not completely lawless or without rules but still recognized Jesus as Lord.

In matters that do not affect our godliness, we have such freedom. That said, we also have a duty towards others. We are to win people over to Christ, not to cause offense so people can hear the gospel and not causing them to sin so they may join us in heaven. In everything that is not sinful, be like the others that they may be saved. While it may be difficult at times, we are also called to discipline ourselves, exercising self-control (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).

From passages like 1 Corinthians 8:4-13 and 1 Corinthians 10:14-22, we can understand that people in the past were instructed to flee from idolatry. Eating food offered to idols in the context of idol worship is considered a sin. Now in current times, 1 Corinthians 10:29 tells us that we are to avoid eating food offered to idols, not for the sake of our own conscience but for that of the unbeliever. We are not to lead them into thinking that we can be both a Christian and a pagan worshiper at the same time. In line with Paul's teaching in 1 Corinthians 8:1-3, it is not just a matter of knowing but using the knowledge rightly and not stumbling others. Knowledge is good but knowledge with love is what it's all about.

Paul exhorts us that in everything we do, we are to do all to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). In pleasing people, we are not to do so for our own selfish sake but for the sake of others, that they may be saved (1 Corinthians 10:33). Paul also encourages us to imitate him as he did of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). The example of Jesus Himself is indeed noteworthy: He had all the rights as Son of God and did not have to come down to earth. Yet, He did so for God's glory. In other words, He became all things to all men as He came down as man, dwelling among us as flesh. He, too, had discipline till the point of death on the cross itself. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).

Will you yearn to be all things to all men that they may be saved?

1 Timothy 3:14-16 ~ Christianity isn't a Cult

I had the immense privilege to join the brothers and sisters at FOCUS Mandarin for their first ever Mandarin sermon by Tim Hu this morning. And Tim certainly had a knack for kicking it off with the right foot - a gospel-centred sermon on what distinguishes Christianity from cults and religions, based on just 3 verses from 1 Timothy 3:14-16.

Verse 15 tells us how one ought to behave in the household of God. This bears the connotation that we are not merely guests in God's household but members. This sense of belonging to such a household is further affirmed by the address of God being God the Father in 1 Timothy 1:2. We also need to remember that it is not only when we gather as Christians that we are members of God's household but all the time regardless of the place. That said, it is when we are gathered together as His people that His household is better "visualized".

In this letter, Paul instructed Timothy to charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine (1 Timothy 1:3) and that prayers be made (1 Timothy 2:1). Men are also told not to quarrel while women are to adorn themselves respectably (1 Timothy 2:8-9). An overseer is also to manage his own household well (1 Timothy 3:2-5) for if he cannot do this, how then can he tend to God's household?

God desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4). God is a real God who does not take delight in the false. Similarly, He desires a real response from us. As members of God's household, the real response involves being a pillar and buttress of truth (verse 15). The gospel is to be defended and the church's faith will not be shaken but be strengthened instead. It is everyone's responsibility to ensure that the truth is upheld. And this truth is not secret but visible. Truth needs not fear to be compared for only the truth will remain standing in the end.

If Christianity is just a cult or another religion that teaches people to do good, the mystery of godliness mentioned in verse 16 will then be one of strict rules and regulations. This mystery, however, has got nothing to do with such rules and regulations but rather reveals the identity of Christ. He is the Word that was God (John 1:1), who became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). Romans 1:1-3 tells us that Christ was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God. At the crucifixion, the different parties of crowd present refused to believe that God's King should be crucified, but this is precisely how the Messiah operates: by dying on the cross as the ultimate sacrifice, as proof that He is the Son of God and the promised Messiah.

As such, it is only right that this mystery of godliness be proclaimed among the nations from Israel to the rest of the world, so as to be believed on in the world, taken up in glory since Christ's identity is now revealed (verse 16). A real response is demanded of us who have been saved. And what may this response be? To believe and to live a life reflecting this faith.

Do you have this real response?

Colossians 4:7-18 ~ Paul's Partnerships in Proclamation

The final greetings in Colossians list several different names of Paul's various gospel partners. Let us first understand the backgrounds of these partners...

Acts 13 and 15 help shine a light on the character or John Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. He was one of the partners who followed Paul on his first missionary journey but not being able to withstand the hardship, left for his mother's house in Jerusalem. Yet in Colossians, Paul asked that Mark be welcomed, implying that Mark has proven himself a worthy partner despite his initial act of deserting Paul.

Aristarchus and Jesus called Justus, being men of the circumcision (verse 11), were Jews. Acts 19:29 tells us that during Paul's third missionary journey, Aristarchus was Paul's companion. Being a Thessalonian himself, Aristarchus must have followed Paul when he was in Macedonia, in the region of Thessalonica.

Luke, a physician, would turn out to be the author of one of the four gospels. Being a Gentile himself, his style of writing would be influenced by his non-Jewish background. This was demonstrated by the way he traced Jesus' genealogy all the way beyond Abraham to Adam himself, showing God's plans from the very beginning of mankind and not just starting from the promised Jewish kindred descending from Abraham.

The story of Demas, however, is an unpleasant tale of how he fled Paul and headed towards Thessalonica due to his love with this present world (2 Timothy 4:10). This is sad, considering how Demas was Paul's partner at the times when Colossians and Philemon were written.

Nympha hosted a church in her house while Archippus was also a partner mentioned in Philemon. As Paul never visited Colossae in person, it was Epaphras who brought the Word to the Colossians and who was a fellow prisoner in Christ with Paul (Colossians 1:7, Philemon 23).

Onesimus, on the other hand, ran away as a slave of Philemon to Paul. Paul's letter to Philemon was then to ask him to release and free Onesimus, treating him as a fellow brother-in-Christ. Onesimus would then be the one who traveled with Tychicus, carrying all three letters to the Colossians, Ephesians and Philemon.

Now that we know these ten partners of Paul a little better, how is all these knowledge relevant to us? Firstly, we may emulate Tychicus' example (verses 7-9). Although the proclamation of the gospel may be difficult and challenging, we can be encouraged by Tychicus' fervent passion for the gospel to further encourage and spur others on. We can also take note of Epaphras' struggle and prayers in verse 12. Prayer acknowledges the sovereignty of God and helps us to be united in this gospel partnership. To stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God (verse 12) is to put on the new self (Colossians 3:12-17) in the way we live our lives, opening doors to proclaim the gospel. And just as how Archippus was reminded to fulfill the ministry that he has received in the Lord (verse 17), we need to remind each other of what we are supposed to be doing, that is, to proclaim the gospel. It is not uncommon for us to get distracted from this primary purpose every now and then but this is where such reminders will help bring us back on track.

Last but not least, how wonderful it is for us to have Paul's example to follow: the example of the proclamation of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ through partnership with fellow believers!!

Ps. Blessed birthday to my dearest daddy... =)

Colossians 4:2-6 ~ Our Prayer, Conduct, and Speech

In this opening of Colossians 4, Paul instructed the Colossians not just to pray but to continue steadfastly in prayer (verse 2). In Colossians 1:9-12, Paul emphasized the importance of prayer and the contents of his prayer, that we may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, amongst other things. Verse 3 reaffirms the stewardship given to Paul to declare the Word (Colossians 1:25) - it is prayer that helped Paul understand that this is what God wanted him to do.

In the process of declaring the mystery of Christ (verse 3), Paul asked the Colossians to pray for him that he may make it clear (verse 4). Such clarity of speech is not to be confused with effective communication. Rather, Ephesians 6:18-20 helps paint the context that this clarity of speech is itself the boldness to preach the gospel without fearing persecution or imprisonment.

One should also be watchful in prayer (verse 2). James 4:3-4 warns us of unanswered prayers stemming from our own selfish desire, which is not God's will for us. Hope that is seen is not hope (Romans 8:24-25) but the things that are unseen are eternal (2 Corinthians 4:17-18). We may not see God's glory physically but should know it is within God's good will (for us as well). Therefore, let us pray according to God's gracious will.

When Paul told the Colossians to conduct themselves wisely (verse 5), a parallel can be drawn to Ephesians 5 (whereby Ephesians was a letter written close at the time when Colossians was written). Walking wisely is not to walk like the Gentiles in darkness, indulging in sexual immorality, lies, thefts or corrupting talk. It is not getting drunk but being filled with the Spirit instead. The phrase "making the best use of time" in verse 5 is not necessarily asking the reader to make the most of opportunities in being evangelistic to outsiders but more likely, it is the framework of Ephesians 5 in asking the reader to walk wisely, different from the outsiders.

1 Peter 3:15 tells us to always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks, setting the context for the gracious speech that is seasoned with salt in verse 6 that we may know how we ought to answer each person in defending the gospel. As such, we need to remember that evangelism is not to be limited to the most opportune time or be reduced merely to wise conduct or gracious speech.

Do we resort to passive evangelism to just merely resort to living rightly to convince others of their sins? Are we removing the less pleasant details when evangelizing (e.g. hell, God's judgment) to reach out to others? Paul did not have to wait for opportunity or favourable condition / time to preach (e.g. he was still actively preaching the gospel while imprisoned in Philippi) and neither should we.

In conclusion, Colossians 4:2-6 gives us 3 main instructions:

1. Reflect on our own conduct and speech, not merely for evangelism alone. Our speech should be gracious, showing God's common grace for everyone revealed in the gospel, and seasoned with salt, that we may build others up and care for them.
2. We need to see evangelism as an active task. It is essential for us to constantly read God's Word and reflect upon it while realizing that we are indeed living in these evil last days.
3. Last but not least, we should continue steadfastly in prayer and understand God's will through His Word. We should pray for Him to change us to become children of light, pleasing Him in the way we live our lives.

How's your prayer, conduct and speech lately?

Colossians 3:1-4 ~ United with Christ

New year was only less than a fortnight ago. Did you make any new year resolutions? If yes, how likely do you think you can keep them throughout the whole year? Or do you reckon that other priorities and preferences will soon take over like how you never managed to keep last year's resolutions?

Similarly, the Christian life can sometimes be analogous to new year resolutions. One may start out as a strong Christian, totally eager and keen to learn, grow and serve in every single way imaginable. But what may happen over time is a sad picture of declining enthusiasm as one begins to get lazier be it serving in church, reading the Bible, or praying.

The need for Jesus is then highlighted all the more. Colossians 1:21 tells us that we once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds while Colossians 2:13 shows us how we were dead in our trespasses and the uncircumcision of our flesh. We are helpless here because we do not acknowledge God. We sin and reject God instead of giving Him the glory He deserves. As such, it should not surprise that our due punishment is death itself.

Colossians 3:5-7 lists the various sins resulting from our rebellion against God: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. The "miraculous" thing that follows suit, however, is how Christ cancels our record of debt by nailing it to the cross (Colossians 2:9-15). When we submit our life under Jesus' kingship, we are given a new life under Him as we are made alive together with Him (Colossians 2:13).

With this new-found closeness with Jesus, we are then to seek the things that are above (Colossians 3:2). We are told to put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, as well as forgiveness; all of which can be summed up in one word: love (Colossians 3:12-14). How then do we apply this in our lives? More often than not, the way we use our time reflects our priorities. That said, we should also be careful not to make a show out of it like the Pharisees did but to use our time in a godly manner with a sincere heart that pleases the Lord above all.

Colossians 3:3 also puts forth the idea that our life is hidden with Christ in God. What this essentially means is that a Christian's life is secured in Christ. The word "hidden" is contrasted with the phrase "appear with Him in glory" in Colossians 3:4. This then begs the question as to why our life is "hidden" with Christ now - it is simply because the aforementioned "glory" has yet to appear, so we cannot see it physically face-to-face but it will eventually appear when Christ returns. There is assurance and certainty that our salvation is secure in Christ and Christ alone, not anything else.

With such understanding of our unity with Christ, different challenges are then posed to different groups of people. If you are not a Christian, will you consider acknowledging Christ and submitting your life to Him? If you are a Christian, will you put Christ first in all that you do?

Time to consider these challenges and make a stand...