The Corinthian Agenda (1982, 2004) by Michael Green, Summary-Review

 The Corinthian Agenda (1982, 2004) by Michael Green

“The apostle [Paul]’s love for his wayward church at Corinth is very obvious,” concludes the late Dr. Michael Green, an author, evangelist, and theologian. “He had after all found it. He had visited them at considerable inconvenience on numerous occasions. He had poured out his heart in letters to them and sent colleagues to help them. They were very dear to him. And yet, like any good father, he has to correct their failures and weaknesses. I am thankful he did. For what he has to say is of enormous value for the contemporary church, if only we will heed it.” I agree. God’s church in Corinth was very privileged in the early New Testament times. Paul testified: “I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts He has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus. Through Him, God has enriched your church in every way…” and “you have every spiritual gift you need…” (1 Corinthians 1:4-5, 7).

But with all of these gifts, it doesn’t guarantee that the church is all well. The issues within the church in Corinth were very serious and yet it is a blessing for us today. Why? Because without them, we won’t know how to think theologically and handle practically based on the Scripture the same issues facing the church today! So we should thank God for using Paul to give us these two sacred letters - 1 and 2 Corinthians. These letters (the scholars suggest that perhaps Paul have written at least three or four letters to the Corinthians, two of them completely or partially lost) are a remarkable record of the relations “between the greatest of church planters and one of the most influential communities [Paul] founded and cared for.” In the period of reading this book, I also took time to read 1 & 2 Corinthians in the New Living Translation (NLT) and listened to audio Bible in King James Version (KJV) read by the legendary voice of Alexander Scourby. In this way, I can get the most from the Scripture and the book. I recommend this practice especially if you’re reading Bible commentary!

In this book, Michael Green (1930 - 2019) selected some very important issues or major themes and devoted a short chapter for each. This is not a verse by verse commentary but the author just wants to show how “Paul speaks directly to us over a broad range of issues in the Christian life, and speaks with an incisiveness, clarity, and authority that are rare.” There are 3 parts (The Church, The Members & Authority) and 17 short chapters on Mission, Baptism, The Lord’s Supper, Body Life, Love, Worship, Prophecy, Intellect, Freedom, Giving, Sex, Suffering, Death, Leaders, Women & Apostles. As you can see, some of these themes are still hot issues nowadays and very much debate between and within the Christian denominational circles. Of course, I don’t agree with everything Dr. Green writes but if I only read books that I agree with, what benefits will I get? For sure, he was very passionate for the word of God, always trying to provide a balanced view on difficult issues, making sure that important points have Scripture references, and aim to be as plain and practical as possible so that we can apply these truths or principles in our everyday life. The Corinthian Agenda (first published as To Corinth with Love) is a good overview of these sacred letters. But if you want to study in-depth I suggest getting a set of 1 & 2 Corinthians MacArthur New Testament Commentary and those from The Bible Speaks Today commentary series.

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #GrowingLeaders #MichaelGreen #TheCorinthianAgenda #GodsChurch #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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Ashamed of The Gospel: When the Church Becomes Like the World (2010, Third Edition) by John MacArthur, BOOK REVIEW

Ashamed of The Gospel: When the Church Becomes Like the World
(2010, Third Edition) by John MacArthur

Our Lord Jesus Christ reminds the disciples: "Whoever is ASHAMED OF ME and OF MY WORDS in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also BE ASHAMED when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels" (Mark 8:38). The apostle Paul reminds the church: "I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16). And almost at the end of his life, he reminds his timid protégé, Timothy: "Therefore DO NOT BE ASHAMED of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God... which is why I suffer as I do. But I AM NOT ASHAMED, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me" (2 Timothy 1:8, 12).

John MacArthur argues that the American Church is heading - in fact here and now, even worst - back to the Down-Grade Controversy* during the time of Charles H. Spurgeon. Progressive theology, liberalism, (post) modernism, pragmatism, seeker-sensitive, and the worldliness of the churches today are getting worst and worst. Shocking but not surprising since the Scripture already warned us in 2 Timothy 3. I figure whatever happened to the churches in America will eventually happen here in Malaysia. I have observed it here already. Instead of God-centered, our churches become human-centered. Instead of Word-saturated, the pastors preach on self-motivated. Instead of the Gospel of Christ, the people crave entertainment and organize miss world a.k.a. ratu cantik di gereja. Sometimes I cannot see the difference between the church and the world. Generally speaking, we are ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL.

As usual, MacArthur tackles these issues with grace and firmness, the balance between exposing the falsehood and the exposition of the truth of God's Word, outlining the bankruptcy of show-time religion and the power of God unto salvation. I've read this book once and now that I read it again, I found many unnoticed treasures. It encourages, reminds, and warns me if I ever compromising the truth (Lord, am I ashamed of your Gospel?). I can finish it earlier but I deliberately reading it slowly and sometimes repeatedly to savor the nuggets of truth found in this finely written classic. Read it! 📖💪😊 #ServeToLead #1Book1Week #LeadersAreReaders #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain #AshamedOfTheGospel #JohnMacArthur #CharlesHSpurgeon

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BOOK REVIEW: Origin (2017) by Dan Brown, a novel

Robert Langdon, symbologist professor at Harvard University attended one of his ex-students, genius and futurist, Edmond Kirsch's discovery that "will change the face of science [and religion] forever." With a story that can stir up as much controversy as 'The Da Vinci Code', Dan Brown continues to invite us into a journey with Langdon to solve one of the greatest mysteries of the universe!

I'm not going to tell [spoil] what happened in the novel, but I want to share with you 5 Lessons... Eh, no... 5 Discoveries that I Learned from this book. Enjoy!

______________________

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Book Review: C. H. Spurgeon and the Modern Church: Lessons for Today from the ‘Downgrade’ Controversy (1985)

C. H. Spurgeon and the Modern Church: Lessons for Today from the ‘Downgrade’ Controversy (1985) by R. J. Sheehan

I’ve read many biographies of Charles Haddon Spurgeon and I love this man of God. His faith, zeal and tenacity are admirable (not to mention his genius and productivity in one lifetime). He was respected among the Independents, converted under the Methodists and ministered primary among the Baptists. He holds Calvinistic beliefs, committed evangelical and nonconformist. He loved the Lord Jesus Christ and the Scriptures to the core. He was the leading preacher of the 9^th century and one of the greatest preachers of all time… in my opinion.

In summary, let me explain the background of this controversy: During the last 8^th to 9^th century, England and the world was in fluxed by modernism – “the age of reason” – that penetrated into theological institutions and churches. Human reason was put primary at the heart of Christian theology. The historicity of Christianity slowly being attached and denied. Mysterious doctrines such as the Trinity, the divinity of Jesus Christ, and supernatural events in the Scripture were dismissed as irrational. Errors were treated lightly and the fundamentals of the faith were doubly questioned. Thus, it was called the ‘Downgrade’ Controversy. At the end of this book, I concluded that modernism, rationalism and scepticism were the three major “ism” behind Satan’s evil schemes that weaken and paralyse the church during that time (How about now?).

While unorthodoxy, religious tolerance and doctrinal compromises were occurred rampantly in many churches, and when most evangelicals remained cowardly silent or at best raised feeble objections, Spurgeon led a courageous attack on the new heretic. At the time when humanism dominates all the major denominations (especially in the Baptist Union, where he first warned the leaders), it is necessary for Spurgeon to stand firm in the faith and defend the truth. He became the “prophetic voice” of his generation while many ministers kept quiet in the name of ‘unity’. I believe that love and truth must come together. Without love, truth is cold; without truth, love is empty. Love and truth are essentials to true unity in Christ. Spurgeon believes this too.

At the heart of the controversy, Spurgeon called on the preachers – most are practical to all of us Christians today to take heed – to: #1 Have as their chief end the glorying of God; #2 Have an intense desire to build up the church; #3 Be better men; #4 Get clearer views of what they believe; #5 Have more faith; #6 Have more love for souls; #7 Have a more thorough spirit of self-sacrifice; #8 Go over the fundamental truths with their hearers very carefully; #9 Labour distinctly for the immediate salvation of their hearers; #10 Inculcate with all their might the practice of holiness; #11 Be careful about the admission of members into the church; #12 Separate entirely from those likely to cause spiritual injury; #13 Bind themselves together more closely; #14 Remember that past bad times have been followed by good times; and #15 Make the most of prayer.

In the end, Spurgeon fight with all of his God-given strength and seem ‘losing’ the battle. He was misunderstood and rejected even by his own brother. He continued to preach and write about the ‘Downgrade’ but he did so as a man with few real supporters. He died with little success (not as preacher of God’s Word but as defender of this controversy). But for me, his boldness and firmness are forever become my inspirations to do the same. In my mind – oh, in God’s opinion – he won the battle! “I have raised my protest in the only complete way by coming forth,” Spurgeon writes, “and I shall be content to abide alone with the day when the Lord shall judge the secrets of all hearts.”

Even if you stand alone, fight!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus Read, Believe and Taught the Old Testament. How about You?

This is an excerpt from late Dr. John R. W. Stott’s Students of the Word (2013) published by IFES. Christ was a controversialist. He engaged in constant debate with the religious leaders of his day. They disagreed with him, and he disagreed with them. And in every question or conflict, he regarded Scripture as the final court of appeal. In particular, Jesus criticized both the Pharisees and the Sadducees. He criticized the Pharisees for adding to Scripture the traditions of the elders. And he criticized the Sadducees for subtracting from Scripture – subtracting its supernatural element. So to the Pharisees, Jesus said: “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandments of God by your traditions” (Mark 7:9). And to the Sadducees, he said: “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God” (Matthew 22:29).

It is beyond question that our Lord Jesus Christ submitted to the Old Testament as the word of his heavenly Father. The decisive factor for him was what was written. That settled every uncertainty. And there is no example of Jesus contradicting Scripture, only of his submitting to it and fulfilling it. You may ask: “What about the six antithesis in the Sermon of the Mount, recorded in Matthew 5? (“You have heard that it was said, but I say…”). There are some liberal scholars who imagine that Christ was contradicting Moses. No, he was contradicting the scribal misinterpretations and distortions of Moses. He didn’t say: “You’ve seen that it was written, and I say something different.” He was not contradicting what was written in the Scripture, but what was said (in the oral tradition). So the Gospel evidence is incontrovertible. In heart and mind and life, Jesus humbly submitted to the Old Testament as to God’s word written. And because Jesus did, so must we.

There are only two possible ways to escape this logic. That is to conclude Jesus was mistaken or was pretending. It’s important for us to reflect on these alternatives.

Was he mistaken? The argument goes like this: “Jesus was imprisoned by his incarnation in the limited mental reach of a first century Jew. He believed in the authority of Scripture, as did all his Jewish contemporaries. But like them, he was mistaken.” This is commonly called the theory of kenosis – from the Greek for “he emptied himself” (see Philippians 2:7). In short, he emptied himself of his supernatural knowledge, so would make mistakes. And among these mistakes was his erroneous view of Scripture. It does seem to be true that Jesus, during his life on earth, was not omniscient, for he asked questions, which suggests that he didn’t know the answers. He specifically said that he did not know the day or hour of his return (Mark 13:32). Only the Father knew the date of the second coming. On the other hand, he knew what he didn’t know. He wasn’t ignorant of his limits. And knowing the limits of his knowledge, he stayed within those limits and never strayed beyond them. While he was not omniscient, he was inerrant. He taught only what his Father had given him to teach and hence he made no mistakes. So this teaching of the Old Testament was not mistaken. It was true.

Was he pretending? The argument goes like this: “Jesus knew perfectly well that Scripture was not infallible. But because his contemporaries believed it was, and because he didn’t want to upset them, he went along with their error. He pretended to hold it as well.” This is the accommodation theory: that he deliberately accommodated himself to their view. This theory is equally intolerable. To attribute to Jesus Christ a conscious deception is a slander upon him and upon his integrity. It is derogatory to him. He never hesitated to disagree with his contemporaries if he believed them to be mistaken. He criticized their views on tradition, on the Sabbath, on fasting, and he rejected their political notion of messiahship. So why should he not dissent from their view of Scripture if he didn’t agree with it? The accommodation theory would make Jesus guilty of the sin he most detested, and that is the sin of hypocrisy.

Here are two attempted escape routes both of which declared his teaching to be mistaken. According to the first, Jesus’ mistake was involuntary, he couldn’t help it, he was imprisoned in the mentality of a first century Jew. According to the second, his mistake was deliberate. He chose to pretend that he agreed with his contemporaries when he didn’t. According to the first, he was deceived, according to the second, he was a deceiver. Both kenosis and accommodation must be firmly rejected. They seriously discredit the honesty, integrity and authority of the Son of God. Against these slanderous speculations we hold that Jesus knew what he was saying – and he meant it – and it is true. So we must believe and teach it as well.

Here are my (Richard’s) challenge to you:
Our Lord Jesus Christ read, believed and taught the Old Testament Scripture.

How about you? Do you read the Old Testament like Jesus does?

Do you believe that the Old Testament (together with the New Testament) is the Word of God?

Do you studies it diligently and taught it to the people of God?

If you’re a Christian, follow the commandments and the example of Jesus.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

  

Jesus mends Broken Lives (A Real Warrior)

A man with a deformed hand was surrounded by the Pharisees

“Then Jesus went over to their synagogue, where he noticed a man with a deformed hand. The Pharisees asked Jesus, ‘Does the law permit a person to work by healing on the Sabbath?’ (They were hoping he would say yes, so they could bring charges against him.) And he answered, ‘If you had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you work to pull it out? Of course you would. And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath.’ Then he said to the man, ‘Hold out your hand.’ So the man held out his hand, and it was restored, just like the other one!” (Matthew 12:9-13, NLT).

We don’t know if the man in the synagogue was born with deformed hand or had acquired it by an accident or disease. Whatever the cause, the hand was useless, and the man’s condition would have greatly affected his ability to live a normal life. Although the man didn’t ask Jesus for anything, he needed healing.

After Jesus announced that doing good on the Sabbath was lawful, he did exactly that. Jesus told the man to hold out his hand. In response and with everyone watching, the man stretched his hand in front of him. In faith, the man, submitting his will to Jesus, obeyed. The moment he did so, the hand “was restored, just like the other one!”

Think about this: Jesus sees, and he acts. Bringing the man to the front of the assembly, Jesus healed his hand. As with the leper (Matthew 8:3) and the paralyzed man (Matthew 9:6-7), Jesus gave this man his life back. The man would be able to work again and no longer have to face the embarrassment of his deformity. Yes, Jesus mends broken lives – physically, emotionally and spiritually. And he stores us. Jesus told the man to stretch out his arm. In faith, the man, submitting his will to Jesus, obeyed.

Friends, Jesus still heals. He still sees us as individuals and asks us to trust him, to give him our deformities, our sorrows. Jesus forgives our sins and restores our relationship with him. And he can heal our hands, legs, minds, and hearts. Jesus didn’t heal every lame person in Palestine, but he healed this man. Whether or not he makes whole our deformed hands right now, eventually he will – we will be made new. Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus, the Man whom Nicodemus was willing to Risk his Reputation

“After dark one evening, [Nicodemus] came to speak with Jesus, ‘Rabbi,’ he said, ‘we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you’”

(John 3:2, NLT).

[CLICK HERE to read the context of this verse] Instead of asking a question, Nicodemus offered a compliment to Jesus. We don’t know if he wanted to make a good impression or whether he simply wanted to get to the heart of the matter. But as we see, Jesus responded with an answer to the question that Nicodemus was really asking but hadn’t put into words (John 3:3).

The Scripture mentions that Nicodemus came to Jesus by night. The setting tells us Nicodemus wasn’t eager to be seen. He didn’t approach Jesus at high noon because he was a man trying to make up his mind about Jesus. He knew what many of his fellow Pharisees were saying about Jesus, but he wasn’t sure who Jesus was. (The “we all know” hints that he was not the only Pharisee who felt this way.) Nicodemus was close to the Kingdom, but he hadn’t stepped over the border yet.

Nicodemus used two phrases to describe how he understood Jesus: “God has sent you” and “God is with you.” This was about as far as an Old Testament Jew could allow himself to go in acknowledging divine approval over someone’s life and work. For devout Jews the question was, “If I believe in you, Jesus, how does that change my view of God?” Nicodemus was willing to recognize that Jesus’ words and works originated with God, but he wasn’t sure what to do with Jesus himself. Jesus responded to Nicodemus’s compliment by giving him an unexpected message from God (read John 3:1-21).

Think about this: Contrary to most of us, Nicodemus, the Pharisee, was risking his reputation and perhaps his life by being with Jesus, the Controversial Preacher. Our standards of privacy protect our freedom to believe, but they also make it very easy to hold beliefs that fail to change us or to change our lifestyles. Nicodemus knew that what he did about would change everything else. He just didn’t know how – yet.

But two things are sure of Nicodemus the Pharisee;

He wanted to know the truth about Jesus,

and he was willing to risk his reputation – his life to see Jesus in person.

Are you willing to be like Nicodemus?

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Is Singing All that There is to Worship?

Not at all. Joining with God’s people to proclaim the wonder of Jesus is important. But probably the most sincere worship is how we live our life after we disperse from the church building.  Romans 12:1 makes this point: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” Apostle Paul tells us to use our bodies to do latreia, worship or service. The word can mean doing religious rituals, but it is also doing acts in the world that make God’s character concretely visible. The word is used to refer to a monetary gift that was collected for the Jerusalem Christians when famine hit, and also for Epaphroditus’s delivery of the gift for Paul from the Philippians. So when you serve people out of compassion or grace or love or kindness or justice, you are doing worship. You are glorifying God, making God’s glory, his character, visible.

In the Book of Isaiah chapter one, the Lord got angry with Judah. They were going to church, singing songs, spreading their hands in prayer, even giving tithes. But the Lord wouldn’t receive their adoration. The rest of their life wasn’t glorifying to him. They needed to do whole life worship and not just a few hours one day a week. So God commanded them to remove the evil of their deeds from before his eyes, cease to do evil, learn to do good, seek justice, correct oppression, bring justice to the fatherless, and plead the widow’s cause as acts of true worship. God is right – serving people in the name of Jesus and in the character of Jesus is the most satisfying form of worship ever.

From Vintage Jesus: Timeless Answers to Timely Questions

By Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears

(Crossway Books: Wheaton, Illinois), 2007. Page 178

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Christians and Environmental Issues (8 Practical Ways that Will Make a Different)

Why Christians must act on environmental issues? Dr Rowan Williams said, “Living in a way that honors rather than threatens the planet is living out what it means to be made in the image of God. … What we face today is nothing less than a choice about how genuinely human we want to be.” “Our responsibility is to cultivate and care for the earth in accordance with God’s command (Gen 2:15),” write Pope Francis, “we are called not only to respect the natural environment, but also to show respect for, and solidarity with, all the members of our human family. These two dimensions are closely related.” Patriarch Bartholomew I asserted, “To hurt the Earth is a sin.” Rev. Nicky Gumbel, Pioneer of the Alpha course also said, “We should care for God’s creation – not out of fear about what is going to happen, but out of love… so Christians should be at the forefront of the environmental cause and movement because in our care for creation we reflect our love of the Creator.”

Environmental and ecological problems can make us wonder ‘what on earth can I do?’ But living in a way that respects what God has made is part of our joyful discipleship and, by inspiring others to join us, we can begin to change the world. These are just 8 simple habits to implement in your everyday life (which I also practice) which will make a difference. There is nothing new here but if you follow at least some of these tips, you can be proud of yourself participating in the protection of the environment.

1)     Donate. You have tons of clothes or things you want to get rid of. If they are still usable, give them to someone who needs them. You may also choose to give them to associations. These associations may sell them and collect a little money. Not only will you protect the environment, but you will also contribute to a good cause.

2)     Turn off your devices. When you do not use a house device, turn it off. For example, if you don't watch TV, turn it off. Turn off the light when you leave a room (even if you intend to return.) It's an easy habit to take up which will help you save a lot of money.

3)     If possible, walk or cycle. Driving is one of the biggest causes of pollution. If you want to use your car, ask yourself the following question: do I really need my car? Walk or use your bike if the journey is a short one.

4)     Recycle. Simply separate rubbish or waste into four separate categories: plastic, paper, aluminum and unrecyclable stuffs and send it (or sell) to recycle center. We have this in our FES office.

5)     Bring your own thermos or water bottle.

6)     Think before you buy. Ask yourself this question, do I really need it? If the answer is yes, ask again, do I really need it?

7)     Borrow instead of buying.

8)     Bring handkerchief or small towel instead of using tissue paper.

You can make a different.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

A Muslim Perspective: "The Earth is a Mosque"

The earth is a mosque, and everything in it is sacred. I learned this basic tenet of Islam from my father. He was raised in New York City in the borough of Queens, spent summers in Virginia, and always loved and respected the natural world. He took it upon himself to share this appreciation with his children. I spent my early childhood in the New York boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn. My brother and I used to think the entire world was a sea of concrete buildings. My father upended that reality the day he took us to Bear Mountain. Just north of New York City, Bear Mountain is known as a hiker’s paradise. On that trip, we were Black Muslim city kids hiking in “the country” for the first time. What I recall from that day was moss growing on rocks, mushrooms on rotting wood, and drinking from my first juice box – the kind you poke a straw into.

When it was time for the afternoon prayer, my father stopped to pray. My brother and I asked him where he was going to pray. He pointed to the ground, to a small area he had brushed free of twigs and leaves. Until the day, prayer for us had always been something done at home or in the mosque.

Our mosque, Masjid At-Taqwa, was an oasis of Islam in the heart of the struggling Bedford-Stuyvesant neighbourhood (better known as Bed-Stuy) or Brooklyn. The imam of Masjid At-Taqwa, the respected Siraj Wahaj, later became the first Muslim to give the opening prayer in a session of Congress. My father was one of the first twenty-five brothers involved in building Masjid At-Taqwa. To us, the mosque meant proud black families creating community and praying together.

On Bear Mountain, as we prepared to kneel down in prayer, my father related a hadith, a saying of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): “Wherever you may be at the time of prayer, you may pray, for it (the Earth) is all a mosque.” At that instant, and I could not have been more than five or six years old, I understood for the first time: the Earth is a mosque; a mosque is sacred; therefore, the Earth is sacred. That moment of prayer on the mountain, thanks to the hadith my father relayed, transformed the way that I would see the world forever.

As an adult, my contemplation of the notion that the Earth is a mosque led to my discovery of the core message of this book – that Islam, the world’s second-largest religion, provides a helpful lens to prompt action among Muslims and anyone else concerned about saving the Earth. This lens encompasses a variety of principles – understanding the Oneness of God and His creation (tawhid); seeing signs of God everywhere (ayat); being a steward of the Earth (khalifah); honouring the covenant, or trust, we have with God (amana) to be protectors of the planet; moving toward justice (adl); and living in balance with nature (mizan). Each of these principles points to the same well-kept secret: that Islam teaches a deep love of the planet, because loving the planet means loving ourselves and loving our Creator. That is to say, Islam teaches that we are all One. “The Earth is the mosque” is another way of saying that we are all part of the same, wonderful fabric of creation.

Ibrahim Abdul-Matin

A policy advisor and writer

Quote from GreenDeen: What Islam Teaches About Protecting the Planet

(Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc, 2010) page 1-3.

I disagree with the core teachings, beliefs and theology of Islam. But I highly support and recommend the teaching of Islam (as the author portrait in this book) about environmentalism and protecting our planet Earth. This book is good.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Killing Jesus? No, Jesus was Willing to Die

Richard Angelus: It seems like everyone know about the National Geography’s Killing Jesus (2015) film. The movie is based on Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard’s book (2013). There are many critics, recommendations, opinions and thoughts about the film, that I feel both sad and happy. First, sad, because the book (and that lead to the film) is not based on the actual and reliable accounts of Jesus in the Bible but under the influence mostly from other external second-hand sources. But I do feel happy because with many movies and films like this in recent years and beyond – even though some are just for the sake to gain profits rather than ministry – have spark people’s interests to know more about the real Jesus and Christianity. I’m really excited! So, let’s get back to the main topic, who actually killed Jesus?

Jesus Christ: “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father” (John 10:17-18).

Jared C. Wilson: In his book Your Jesus is Too Safe (2009), he writes, “Nobody takes Jesus’ life from him. He’s the King of the universe. He had all the frailty of man, but if he so wished, he could have called legions of angels to his command. He could have hopped down off that cross, as the overlookers taunted him to do. When Satan tempted him in the desert to show his power in a way that might save him from the will of his Father, Jesus could have done those things. At any point, he could have said, ‘You know what? Forget this,’ and taken up a sword and laid waste to all who opposed him. He had that power.

But he choose to lay down his life. Nobody took it from him… the Jews had no authority to execute anyone, so in the end, the Roman government is guilty of actually murdering Jesus.

Regardless of the apparent players in the drama, we have to remind ourselves that nobody took Jesus’ life. He gave it of his own free will. Nobody took anything from him that he wasn’t willing to give. So focusing on who killed Jesus is the wrong question and winds up with beside-the-point answers. The answer to the question of who killed Jesus is found in three truths about his death: (1) Jesus himself said that he gave his life willingly; (2) Jesus forgave his executioners while he was on the cross; (3) the guilt Jesus took to the cross belongs to everyone.

The great power of the betrayal and execution of Jesus is that he went into it with his eyes wide open, with his heart ready to endure the agony submissively, willingly – like a lamb led to the slaughter. Do you remember what he said in the garden of Gethsemane on the eve of his crucifixion? ‘Father… not my will, but yours, be done.’ That’s Jesus saying, ‘I know what lies ahead, and I’m up for it.’”

Bill O’Reilly don’t know the whole truth, the Scripture have the Truth

Killing Jesus’ book and film is not based on reliable history, the Gospel does.

Who really killed Jesus? Nobody. Jesus choose to lay down his own life.

Why? Because Jesus loves us. Because Jesus choose to pay the penalty of our sins.

Because Jesus loves the Father. Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus and the GST Collector

“[Jesus] saw a man named Matthew. Matthew was sitting in the tax office.

Jesus said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And Matthew stood up and followed Jesus”

(Matthew 9:9, ICB)

Well, to better understand this wonderful story we need to know something about Matthew. Matthew or Levi was a dishonest tax collector driven by greed and materialism. He first appears in the Scripture in his tax office or booth on the main highway where he was collecting duties on imported good brought by farmers, merchants and caravans. Matthew is a Jew who worked for Roman Empire. A traitor. Matthew was protected by Roman soldiers. A bully. Matthew charged extra-taxes for his own profit. A corrupt officer.

In case you don’t feel angry when you read the word “tax collector” (as the Jews in Jesus’ day felt), then perhaps you can see it this way. Imagine Matthew was a nominal believer who living in contradict with the religious laws and rules. Imagine he worked for ISIS or Boko Haram. Imagine he was escorted by few religious fundamentalist soldiers with guns everywhere he go. Imagine, instead of collecting taxes as he should (say, 10%), he collects more than what is required (16%) and make wealth for himself with extra tax charges that he collected (6%). Okay, if you’re a Malaysian, imagine the implementation of GST (Goods and Services Tax) last 1^st April. What was your initial feeling toward GST? Are you angry with Matthew now?

From anger, I also want you to feel confuse. “Jesus had dinner at Matthew’s house. Many tax collectors and ‘sinners’ came and ate with Jesus and his followers” (Matthew 9:10, ICB). What was Jesus thinking? Jesus, considered by many as honourable rabbi or teacher or leader, came to Matthew, a sinner, the tax collector. Instead of Matthew should call him, he first called Matthew to follow him. He entered a well-known sinner’s house, ate with him and having food party with other traitors, bullies, corrupt officers, sinners and his own imperfect disciples. Jesus first welcomed Matthew. Now, Matthew welcomed others into his house so that they could meet Jesus too. This is amazing, instead of collecting tax money and GST, Matthew collected souls for Jesus. When people saw this happened, they were confused. “The Pharisees saw this and asked Jesus’ followers, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” (Matthew 9:12, ICB)

“Jesus heard the Pharisees ask this. So he said, ‘Healthy people don’t need a doctor. Only the sick need a doctor. Go and learn what this means: ‘I want faithful love more than I want animal sacrifices.’ I did not come to invite good people. I came to invite sinners’” (Matthew 9:12-13).

How can we miss this? Jesus mission to the world is to invite sinners to Himself. We sometime missed this crucial point by organizing activities among ourselves only – Christian concerts, Christian gatherings, Christian prayer revivals, worship seminars, etc. – and forget about others outside our Christian ‘bubble’ who need to encounter Jesus of the Bible first-hand for their lives to radically change like Matthew.

Matthew was a tax collector, now he became God’s writer (Gospel according to Matthew). Matthew was a materialist, now an evangelist (he brings others to Jesus). Matthew was a sinner, now a saint (who continues to walk with Jesus for the rest of his life). Jesus is amazing! I think Jesus’ interaction with Matthew should serve to remind us that we are never too sinful to be saved by Jesus. “Follow Me” is Jesus’ call to everyone who are willing to take a first step of faith toward him. You, me and even the GST collectors – are require to respond to Jesus’ call, “Follow Me.” No force. No string attached. No conditions. Just “Follow Me.”

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

God Loves the Homosexual

I have braved a few real-life conversations with homosexual friends. I distinctly remember how I felt on each occasion. Queasy mostly. Knowing that Christians often have a head start in the race of bigotry, I had no desire to win us any additional medals. In each conversation, my Christian affiliation betrayed me. Hence, my homosexual friends gestured knowingly at the back pocket of my soul where I had temporarily stuffed the fact that homosexuality does not fit with my faith.

On one rare occasion, I even initiated the conversation… only because my friend hoped our Christian group would embrace his homosexuality and faith and perhaps join him in championing homosexuality as a non-sin.

Fearing he might be emotionally stir-fried in group, I offered a gentler “CliffsNotes” of the responses he might encounter. This forced me to disclose the contents of my back pocket. To pull out, unfold, and display the wrinkles and stains on my evolving take on homosexuality and faith. There were dozens of tangible traits I cherished about my friend, and I told him so. But – in a voice trembling with nervousness and compassion – I confessed I was afraid my friendship might seem insincere if I couldn’t affirm what he held to be the central part of his identity: his sexuality.

“As far as I can tell,” I gulped, “the Bible only introduces one kind of sexual union, and that is between a man and a woman. So, I have to believe this is the course that leads to the fullest life – the life the Creator intended for us.”

When I spit out these defining sentences, I worried all my friend could hear was Blah-Blah-Christian-Blah-Blah. But he stared back at me kindly, so I continued, thankful there were no microphones or flashbulbs as I struggled forward in my statement about homosexuality.

“I want you to know I believe God loves every person deeply and equally. That includes the homosexual. It would be dishonest for me to pretend I agree with or understand the path you believe is right, but I accept that you are free to choose your own life course. That is not because I’m especially charitable or generous, but because God is.”

I think the conversation changed me more than my friend, because it forced me to acknowledge parts of God’s will I sometimes overlooked. To accept that God doesn’t want me to do things even he does not choose to do – to control or hijack someone else’s freedom. I am not asked to impersonate the Holy Spirit but to live a life that gives of God’s fluorescence. And I resolve to remember that God often allows us to learn just as much as we travel our chosen paths as we would have if we had walked only his lighted portions.

But wait, we protest, that is like saying that God allows learning even when we go the wrong way. But wait, we continue, now that we think about it, that sounds a whole lot like grace.

Sarah Raymond Cunningham

Author, Dear Church: Letters from a Disillusioned Generation

Quote from Unchristian by David Kinnaman and Fermi Project (Baker Books, 2007) pg. 113-114

As for me, Richard, I believes that God loves the homosexual

Yet, I also believes that God in the Bible disapproved homosexual relationship

But wait, God’s grace is big enough for homosexuality… it just take time to change

Jesus can do the impossible. He is able.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

The Wrong Messiah (Free Books Inside)

“You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple.

He was rejected by people, but was chosen by God for great honour” (1 Peter 2:4, NLT)

Introduction for The Wrong Messiah

Jesus came from the wrong social class, the wrong place and the wrong profession. He ate with the wrong people, championed the wrong causes and attracted the wrong kind of supporters. He even spoke with the wrong accent. In fact, everything about Jesus of Nazareth was wrong. Then, how could this odd-job man be God’s Messiah?

Jesus was barely fits into any of his people of his day thinking and expectations of Messiah. He didn’t fit any of their Messiah categories. He died (so people thought) a failed revolutionary leader. He was a peasant, not a king, and when people tried to make him a king, he ran away. Far from smashing Israel’s enemies to pieces, he said we should love them and not even call them rude names. After his death not much changed, except that the fishermen who followed him started a cult. There was no new age. Looked at dispassionately, Jesus was complete failure by any measure.

To his opponents, Jesus had none of the qualifications that a Messiah should have. To them, he was a wino who kept bad company, had no respect for tradition and who ended up dying the most shameful death possible. Just how wrong can a Messiah be?

And yet, despite that, those who followed him, those who, some fifteen years after his death got nicknamed Christians, came to see Jesus as the Messiah. They believed that the person who just didn’t fit – the cornerstone which the builders rejected – turned out to be the Christ, the Messiah, the anointed of God. They were convinced that he was right all along. And this book The Wrong Messiah: The Real Story of Jesus of Nazareth by Nick Page is an attempt to find out why.

Get You Copy of The Wrong Messiah

For this month of January 2015: Free Monthly Book, I would like to offer two new books (for serious students and disciples of Jesus & for the curious minds of Christian faith) if you just comment below “I want to read this book because…” (no less than 10 words). E-mail me your name, phone no. and postal address for me send the book. This offer is available until 30^th January 2015. May the Lord moves your heart to know Him more and more.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Isn't Jesus Really an Angel?

“In the beginning the Word already existed.

The Word was with God,

and the Word was God” (John 1:1, NLT)

The Jehovah’s Witnesses say that Jesus was not the creator God, but rather Michael, the created archangel who became a man. Speaking of Jesus, however, John 1:1 teaches that in the beginning (a reference to Genesis 1:1 when all created things were created), the Word was already in continuing existence. He was in face-to-face, personal relation with God when space-time, mass-energy, and the laws of nature were created. John 1:3 then tells us that the Word created all things. Paul says the same thing in Colossians 1:16-17. Throughout the Bible, it is clear that God is the one who creates. Passages like Isaiah 44:24 and Job 9:8 are very specific that it is only God who creates. So if the Word creates, as John says, he has to be God. He can’t be anything less without violating foundational teachings of Scripture.

In the final phrase of John 1:1, it says “the Word was God.” Now, a predicate nominative (noun + “linking verb” + noun) mean the two nouns share characteristics. For example, when someone says, “The guy is a stud,” it means he has studly characteristics. Likewise, when the Scripture says “the Word was God,” it means that the Word shares the same characteristics of God himself. Jehovah’s Witnesses wrongly translate the phrase as “the Word was god.” But if this were correct, the Word would be one of several gods, something no Jew would ever say. Further, the Jehovah’s Witnesses themselves do not believe that either. Simply, Jesus Christ the Word is God the Creator, not created angel.*

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

*Taken from: Vintage Jesus: Timeless Answers to Timely Questions by Mark Driscoll & Gerry Breshears (Crossway Books: Wheaton, Illinois, 2007), Page28-29.

Say No to Abortion: Bring Back the Child

Below is an excerpted text from Mother Teresa’s speech at National Prayer Breakfast Speech, Washington, D.C. (5^th February 1994). I find that it is both inspiring and challenging speech on abortion that we have to address to the world or at least in our community today:

“… I feel that the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because it is a war against the child, a direct killing of the innocent child, murder by the mother herself. And if we accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another? How do we persuade a woman not to have an abortion? As always, we must persuade her with love and we remind ourselves that love means to be willing to give until it hurts. Jesus gave even His life to love us so, the mother who is thinking of abortion, should be helped to love, that is, to give until it hurts her plans, or her free time, to respect the life of her child. The father of that child, whoever he is, must also give until it hurts.

....By abortion, the mother does not learn to love, but kills even her own child to solve her problems. And, by abortion, the father is told that he does not have to take any responsibility at all for the child he has brought into the world. That father is likely to put other women into the same trouble. So abortion just leads to more abortion. Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love, but to use any violence to get what they want. This is why the greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion.

....Many people are very, very concerned with the children of India and with the children of Africa where quite a few die of hunger, and so on. Many people are also concerned about all the violence in this great country of the United States. These concerns are very good. But often these same people are not concerned with the millions who are being killed by the deliberate decision of their own mothers. And this is what is the greatest destroyer of peace today – abortion which brings people to such blindness.

....And for this I appeal in India and I appeal everywhere – ‘Let us bring the child back’ the child is God’s gift to the family. Each child is created in the special image and likeness of God for greater things – to love and to be loved.”

Do you love life?

Do you love God?

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus Welcome "Dogs" (A Reflection on Mark 7:24-30)

No human rules can control Jesus. He lived by God’s commandments. After he had just declared the Jewish outward laws of uncleanness as not valid (read Mark 7:14-23), Jesus went into Gentile territory – which the Jews regarded as unclean areas – “to the territory near the city of Tyre. He went into a house and did not want anyone to know he was there, but he could not stay hidden” (Mark 7:24, GNB). I watched TV news today about superstar diva Mariah Carey was spotted shopping at Kuala Lumpur. I’m sure she understand what Jesus went through: tired and couldn’t stay hidden (with the exception that Mariah intentionally want everyone to know).

Let me tell you first about the Jews’ arrogant attitude of superiority toward other peoples of the earth. They were proud as God’s chosen people. They regarded other races and nationalities as inferior to them. They treated everyone else as less than human. And as such, typically they think others as “dog.” (Familiar with this kind of thinking and discrimination?).

But contrary to what the Jews thought, God of the Bible love all people, and anyone can come to Him through faith in Jesus regardless of race, colour, creed or national origin. There was a Gentile woman – a despised Gentile “dog” – dare to meet and speak to Jesus, the Jewish Messiah. “A woman, whose daughter had an evil spirit in her, heard about Jesus and came to him at once and fell at his feet… She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter” (Mark 7:25-26, GNB). Wow! Notice the attitude of this woman. Again let me reminds you, the Jews referred to Gentiles like her as “dogs,” but that didn’t bother her. She was determined. She boldly come to Jesus and asked for His help.

Jesus reply may sound rude if you don’t understand His thinking and teachings. Jesus answer is not His assertion of superiority (btw, He is superior over all!), but a reflection of typical Jewish thinking. “Jesus answered, ‘Let us first feed the children. It isn’t right to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs’” (Mark 7:27). Jesus was saying that His earthy ministry was restricted to “the children” of Israel first then after that His disciples will continue the mission to the whole world. I think Jesus’ answer was partly serious-reminding and partly humorous-testing.

Regardless, the woman responded: “Sir, even the dogs under the table ate the children’s leftovers!” (Mark 7:28). I like her persistence! Commenter R.A. Cole writes, “She had not only persisted when the Lord refused to answer, she now accepted this humble position gladly, and showed that, even on those terms, she still claimed healing for her daughter. God’s abundance for His children was so rich that even the rank outsider could share in it.” The woman would not be turned away. She persisted in her request until she was rewarded. She knew she was not inferior in God’s sight. To Jesus the Son of God, she was not a “dog”! “So Jesus said to her, ‘Because of that answer, go back home, where you will find that the demon has gone out of your daughter!’” (Mark 7:29).

I know what it’s like to feel inferior. I once thought that I was God’s “secondhands.” I was mocked and make fun of when I was a kid. I was skinny, dark, pimply-faced, disfigured chest, poor, slow to catch up and unattractive. But as I grown up and knowing Jesus as my Lord and Saviour, I came to realize that I was (and forever) of value to God in spite of my feeling of inferiority. I no longer a “dog” but now “children” of God. Faith in Christ makes all the difference! God is not respecter of persons. “God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right” (Acts 10:34-35, NIV). That means God is not looking for those of noble births or perfect figures, high ranks or elevate positions, superior races or special nationalities – but looking for people like the Gentiles woman, me and you who will look past their obvious weaknesses, who “do what is right,” and to press on with faith come to Jesus and “fall at his feet.”

I mean, “dogs” are welcome to Jesus!

“She went home and found her child lying on the bed;

the demon had indeed gone out of her” (Mark 7:30)

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.