in tiny, noisy and crowded Singapore
4 comments March 30th, 2008
Archive for March, 2008
Mt Kinabalu Youth Adventure 3 (March 7-11, 2008)
3 comments March 25th, 2008
God’s answer to man’s timeless needs
I. SERMON OUTLINE:
Introduction: A philosopher and theologian said there are three timeless needs of man, and they are: a. anxiety b. meaning of life c. fear of death.
Today as we think about Good Friday and Easter, the death and resurrection of Christ let us reflect on how the text for this morning John 20:19-23 shows how Christ meets these three pervasive needs of man.
A. CHRIST GIVES US PEACE (VERSE 19,21)
In Singapore context there is a lot of anxiety with working people, with students, and with inflation. Jesus disciples were anxious for Jesus was just executed and they wondered if they would be rounded up next. “the doors were shut for fear of the Jews.” However Jesus entered the locked situation of tense fear and spoke peace and brought gladness. If we can see the Lord in the midst of our anxious situation, and hear his voice, we will indeed have peace and joy in our hearts.Christ meets our need for peace.
B. CHRIST GIVES US MEANING (VERSE 21-23)
We grapple with many questions regarding our exitence. What was I born for? What is the purpose and meaning of life? People may end in wild reckless living or deep depresion or futile existing without true meaning or purpose.
The disciples were confused, felt lost and directionless after their leader Jesus was taken from them. Their hopes were dashed and they were feeling uncertain about the future. Jesus understood that and so he not only gave them peace but he also said,”As the Father has sent me, so send I you.” He’s telling them that Jesus leaving would mean that the vision of seeking and saving the lost world is now handed on to them. They would now have to reflect God to the world, that would be their new mission.” Christ meets man’s thirst for meaning and purpose.
C. CHRIST GIVES US ETERNAL HOPE ( 1CORINTHIANS 15:20-27)
Easter invites us to believe that just as Christ was raised from the dead never to die again, so will we who put our faith in him. The hope of eternal life fills us with a deep assurance about the future both ours and our loved ones.
The greatest anxiety of Japanese and American student when asked “What is your greatest fear?” was the loss of a friend or parent. Singapore students greatest fear was about failing to get good enough grades! People fear because death and the afterlife is fraught with mystery and specutlation. No research or theory is conclusive as to where a person goes after death. But we Christians know better because we are informed by the resurrection of Christ himself and his promises to us of resurrection.
B. DUSCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. Of the three timeless needs that were mentioned, which are you most able to relate to and identify with personally? What about people you know who do not know the Lord?
2. Since Jesus came meeting the needs of those around him, how can the church, the cell group, or the Christian seek to meet the needs of people who the Lord opens their eyes to?
3. How can the cell group use the May Day holiday to create an opportunity where non-Christians will feel comfortable and more likely to visit and engage in meaningful actiovities? Brainstorm some ideas.
4. What would you fear most about death since it is no longer eternal destination that we are ignorant or uncertain about?
5. If someone else were to look squarely your weekly schedule and deduce from there your life purposes what do you think he will come up with? Do you feel that your life is purposeful and well directed towards meaningful investments with eternity in view?
Add comment March 25th, 2008
selah
So much to blog about - the holy land tour, holy communion and other things on my heart but will take a blogging ’selah’. If you want to read some heavy stuff about this musical notation you see in the Psalms you can read a friend’s post in PERICHORUS. And if you want some lighter stuff, may I introduce a lovely couple working among children and youths in Kathmandu, Nepal. Read PASANGJASMINE. The blogroll on my right are good Asian Christian leaders’ blogs. Enjoy, while I hibernate; my blogging winter has come, and I go to sleep and dream……
…..and by the way you must read this 13 year old students poem. Go HERE.
Add comment March 15th, 2008
step by step together
The first thing Sam the tour guide told me was, “It has been raining everyday this past week.” It confirmed what we had checked on the internet. Peter had informed us to pray, and hearing him made us anxious and made us pray further. God was gracious and he heard the cry of his children. He answered our prayers beyond all we could ask or imagine. The day before our climb it rained. The day on our climb it did not rain but was misty even at noon beyond Layang Layang when the vegetation changed to montane. From the Laban Rata resthouse, the sunset was spectacular. At 2am the next morning the sky was clear and we could see the stars; and the weather became wonderfully clear and bright. The sunrise was calm and accompanied by beautiful clouds and we were praising God aloud and unashamedly. Descending the mountain, there was an occasional misty drizzle or two, thats all.
The hallmark of our MKYA 3 was this: we stayed together throughout the climb- both the swift and the slow stayed together. The speedy were held back and it helped them to conserve energy and adjust to the altitude. The slow were encouraged and strengthened as they could see they were not far, far behind from others. Together and in unity we moved up. We began at about 8.30am and reached Laban Rata at about 3.30 pm.
The early morning ascent to the summit, we naturally broke up into two groups as the path was too narrow and there were too many others trekking up at about the same time in the early hour of 2.30am. The swift, mainly the youths, reached Low’s Peak at about 5.45am led by our overall leader Peter Lim, and climb leaders Gabriel and Zephaniah. The other group, mainly adults, reached there about 6.20am, with Daniel in front and me in the rearguard. This group stayed together and helped each other- great teamwork. Without it some may not have made it. It was a real lesson in the power of teamwork.
I am thankful to Peter Lim for leading this adventure; and to climb leaders Daniel Chew, Gabriel Soo and assistant climb leader Zephaniah; and admin assistance Magdalene Chan for so ably helping him. Their efforts made it a successful and satisfying learning experience for all.
Add comment March 14th, 2008
Low’s Peak - the summit of Mt Kinabalu
1 comment March 12th, 2008
Malaysia elections 2008: Malaysia boleh!
Yes Malaysia boleh (can)!
I just came back from the Mt Kinabalu Youth Adventure 3 but even though I was climbing on the day after the polls, I was getting the unfolding results from the tour guide and Malaysians who were climbing down from the summit. What promised to be the most exciting of elections had proven to be earthshaking in its shift. The surreal results became substance when I returned to Kota Kinabalu and read the papers there.
Malaysia Boleh!
Malaysians boleh discern the difference between good and pathetic governance, and voice their protest against the latter.
Malaysians boleh vote across racial and religious lines.
Malaysians boleh distinguish between rhetoric and campaign promises and real delivery.
Malaysians boleh vote with courage and conscience for a better Malaysia.
Malaysians boleh form a viable alternative government in waiting.
In my opinion Malaysians have displayed real hope and courage. Semangat 2008!
To read how other Singaporean and Malaysian pastors and citizens view this sea shift election results read Bolivian Beat, and Revelation is Real, and Sivin Kit’s Garden, The Homilia, Old Testament Passion, and Jack Said.
3 comments March 12th, 2008
naxi folk dance
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This is my first attempt at uploading videos direct instead of through YouTube, thanks to instructions from Vee and just plain stubborn perseverence until I succeeded. Now I wonder if it can take a 5 or 10 minute video.
7 comments March 10th, 2008
back to back trips
Just came back last night from a nine days holy land tour of Israel with 38 Singapore and Malaysian pastors and their spouses. I woke up at noon today and had to rush to fetch my son from the airport who was returning from ns training in Taiwan. The rest of the day was packed with clearing e-mail and getting organized for the Mt Kinabalu climb. Its now midnight and I am almost done packing but there are energy bars to buy tomorrow and some of my socks and clothes are still damp. Never intended these back to back trips. When the holy land specially-discounted trip for pastors was offered, I felt the Lord had opened a door, and when the finances came in, I needed to walk through it. The church is in good hands and now I depend on the grace of God to help me focus on the climb. There is plenty to blog about when I return, that is for sure.
4 comments March 7th, 2008
more Catholics, fewer priests
The Roman Catholic Church in Singapore has been growing. It is now 200,000 strong. But the number of priests and nuns have declined by 10% from 2005 to 2006, and the average age of the “members of the consecrated life” is around 55. In fact there are about 100 priests in Singapore and the last ordination of a priest was 5 years ago.
There seem to be several reasons for this decline: the lure of materialism of young people; smaller families and reluctance of parents to allow children to join this vocation; the fear of candidates that they may not be able to live up to the vows of poverty, obedience and celibacy. Even with this shortage, the screening of potential trainees are more stringent following recent sex scandals affecting the R.C.C. at large.
One of the main ideas that has been around for a long time and gathering force is the removal of the vow of celibacy. Let there be married priests!
The R.C.C. arguments for the celibacy of priesthood are as follows: the example of Christ who himself was celibate; the total dedication a priest can give to the Lord and the church as one free from the additional responsibilities of family life; the fact that married life is not part of eternity and therefore the life of celibacy is a prelude to that anyway. I think their reasons are valid but is best worked out in the priesthood as a logical preference or choice or option for candidates, and not as a qualification or a mandatory vow for all priests.
After all the Bible does not explicitly declare that “priests” must be celibate. There are those who are called both to the “priesthood” and the married state. Furthermore, a pragmatic step towards allievating the shortage of priests is to enlarge the recruitment pool ( I will not talk about women priests!). And isn’t it psychologically unsound to require celibacy when a priest already faces so many other pressures in the ministry. Lastly making a decision to be celibate in the idealism of one’s youth may become extremely difficult to live up to as one gets older and more mature(already 70,000 priests in Africa have left the priesthood for breaking the vow of celibacy and I think it will be a growing trend). For all these reasons put together, I think there is good reason for the R.C.C. to move forward with such a progressive change. After all it is not a doctrine or dogma but a practice that the R.C.C. can change in response to changing needs and circumstances.
I wonder how much of the distinctiveness and effectiveness of the RC Church is dependent on the celibacy of its priests and religious? Would making the celibacy of priests optional, undermine the spiritual authority and total dedication of its priests? Would the RC Church have a “branding” problem, an identity crisis of sorts? Would it cease to be the RC Church that we knew, since only they and some of the Orthodox Churches are the only ones holding to the necessity of vows of celibacy in its priests?
Care to comment?
9 comments March 3rd, 2008
