Signs of The Apostles: Observations on Pentecostalism Old and New (1973, 1976) by Walter J. Chantry

After I read the first four (of eleven) chapters, I realized that Mr. Chantry is a Reformed cessationist. This explains a lot about how he interprets the Scripture. I first heard about 'cessationism' when I listened to Grace To You's Strange Fire Conference 2013. What is cessationism? It is a view that early on in the history of the Church, the charismatic gifts of the Holy Spirit - such as healing, prophecy, word of knowledge, and tongues - ceased to be practiced. Cessationists typically hold that the miraculous gifts were only given for the Church's founding, between the arrival of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost in Acts 2 and the accomplishment of God's purposes in history, which is typically referred to as either the conclusion of the final book of the New Testament or the death of the last apostle. I understand the main arguments for cessationism but I just can't see it clearly from the plain reading of the Scripture, records from Church history, stories from missiology, and personal experiences. I believe the Scripture - the written word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit - is final and sufficient but this doesn't mean that the saints cannot be used by God to be equipped with the charismatic gifts of the Holy Spirit for His glory. Misuse of these gifts (which are many today!) cannot invalidate them.

To be fair, most cessationists like this author, believe that while God can and still does perform miracles today, the Holy Spirit no longer uses individuals to perform miraculous signs. Mr. Chantry writes: "The question of our inquiry is not, 'Should God be working miracles today?' It is rather, 'Should men be doing miracles on behalf of God?'" From here he explores the primary purpose of miraculous gifts in the Scripture, namely, to attest to the commission of the spokesman of God. In the New Testament, they are signs of the apostleship. He also argues that since the canon of Scripture is complete, the pursuit of all the charismatic gifts of the apostolic age can only proceed upon the basis of failure to recognize the sufficiency and finality of the Scripture. "The lack of complete confidence in the Bible on the part of neo-pentecostal is to be greatly deplored," he wrote. He then expands his arguments through biblical exposition such as on 1 Corinthians 13, 2 Corinthians 10-13, Psalm 85, and selected quotes from preachers and authors that 'prove' his points. I learned so much from this book and I agree with most of what he said about the misuse and abuse of God's words and gifts among the Pentecostals today. His high view of the Scripture is also recommendable. But at the end of my reading, I was not convinced by his exegesis leaning on this subject and of his cessationist case. God will never cease to show signs and wonders, He is the supernatural God!

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #SignsOfTheApostles #Pentecostalism #Cessationism #SpiritualGifts #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

To read my other book reviews/summaries, CLICK HERE

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

 

The Coming Chinese Church (2013) by Paul Golf, Book Review

The Coming Chinese Church: How Rising Faith In China Is Spilling Over Its Boundaries (2013) by Paul Golf with Pastor Lee

While I'm away for an Instagram break (https://www.instagram.com/legasi.tv/), I finished three other books but didn't get to share it. It’s okay, end of this month I will write a short summary for each book 😉

Now about this book: Wow! God really works in China as more and more people are turning to Him for salvation and hope. In the past, the West send missionaries who were willing to sacrifice themselves (even die) to preach the Gospel to the Chinese people. The minorities that become Christians were being persecuted and just like in the Book of Acts, they strive and prosper during hardship. As they grew in numbers, God moved their hearts to bless other nations too by sending missionaries to preach the Gospel back to the West and to the rest of the world. They do this to honor their spiritual heritage and driven by the vision that God has called them to, namely, Back to Jerusalem.

As always, I'm inspired by how simple and trustful their faith is. Admittedly, their knowledge of the Scripture (in the past) was not that good but with what they know, they really believe in God with all their hearts and souls. Two main weapons of the Chinese Church are 1) praise & worship and; 2) strong prayer life. No wonder God can do so many miracles in their midst! ⚡ (Personally, I think the coronavirus pandemic that started in Wuhan last few months is both natural and spiritual warfare. Just like how people are 'programmed' to hate the Jews in the past and even today; in the same way, this pandemic causes people to stigmatize the Chinese from China)

The believers work hard, the Devil works even harder, but God's will always win 💪 Are you ready? The Chinese Church is coming! #ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #GrowingLeader #1Book1Week #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Book Review: Manuscript Found in Accra (2013) by Paulo Coelho

Manuscript Found in Accra (2013) by Paulo Coelho

Since I first read The Alchemist, I've always loved Paulo Coelho's books. I think this book is the most spiritual of all. No doubt you can sense Catholic influence in all of his writings (he once attended Jesuit school); New Age mystical and philosophical ideas in every sentence; and obvious syncretistic* beliefs permeated in his narrations [*combining or blending all religious belief systems into a new system or doctrine]. With this awareness, as an evangelical Christian, I read this novel as frictional, fantasy and to some extend – inspirational. A solid Biblical (Christian) worldview is needed to filter some of these ‘unbiblical’ ideas and a gift of discernment should be applied when reading this book.

There are two things that I don’t like about this book. Let me tell you up front: 1) Some of the languages is too spiritual and mystical – too deep – that I couldn’t really comprehend what Coelho is really saying. I feel the same way when I read Henri Nouwen’s works. Sometimes I think I’m too worldly-minded and logical. And 2) Syncretistic belief is really confusing. I couldn’t pinpoint what Coelho really believes about God or god, Love, and Humanity. But these two reasons don’t stop me from liking this book. I love his concept of question-and-answer that he borrowed from the Greek method of learning. I appreciate his brieflessness and simplicity. I admire his ability to capture the imagination of his readers, his wisdom and story-telling power. Officially, Paulo Coelho is one of my favorite novelists together with James Rollins and Nicholas Sparks. Oh yeah!

About his book: In the year 1099, the people of Jerusalem awaits the invasion of the crusaders who have surrounded the city’s gates. There, inside the ancient city’s walls, men and women of every age, race and faith gathered together to hear the wise words of a mysterious man known only as the Copt. He has summoned the townspeople and the religious leaders around him and said: “None of us can know what tomorrow will hold, because each day has its good and its bad moments. So, when you ask your questions, forget about the troops outside and the fear inside. Our task is not to leave a record of what happened on this date for those who will inherit the Earth; history will take care of that. We will speak, therefore, about our daily lives, about the difficulties we have had to face…” With that, the people begin asking questions and the Copt answers them kindly and briefly.

There is no chapter division, so, I will divide this book into topics and include quotes that I underline throughout the pages of this book:

#1 Defeat. “Does a young man, rejected by his first love, declare that love does not exist? The young man says to himself: ‘I’ll find someone better able to understand what I feel. And then I will be happy for the rest of my days’… Ever since he fell in love for the first time and was rejected, he has known that this did not put an end to his ability to love. What is true in love is also true in war”; “Only he who gives up is defeated. Everyone else is victorious”; “Learn three important things: Wait patiently for the right moment to act. Do not let the next opportunity slip by you. Take pride in your scars”; “I here to tell you that there are people who have never been defeated. They are the ones who never fought”; “Woe to those who were never beaten! They will never be winners in this life.”

#2 Solitude. “If you are never alone, you cannot know yourself”; “In solitude, they will learn that saying ‘No’ does not always show a lack of generosity and that saying ‘Yes’ is not always a virtue”; “At life’s most significant moments we are always alone”; “Just as Love is the divine condition, so solitude is the human condition.”

#3 Usefulness. “Don’t try to be useful. Try to be yourself: that is enough, and that makes all the difference”; “A life is never useless. Each soul that came down to Earth is here for a reason”; “The people who really help others are not trying to be useful, but are simply leading a useful life. They rarely give advice, but serve as an example”; “Do one thing: live the life you always wanted to live.”

#4 Change. “It’s nice to dream… [But] dreaming carries no risks. The dangerous thing is trying to transform your dreams into reality”; “The angles say: ‘Now!’… Nature is telling us: ‘Change!’; “The Unwanted Visitor visits those who don’t change and those who do. But those who did change can say: ‘My life was an interesting one. I didn’t squander my blessing.’ And those who believe that adventures are dangerous I say, Try routine: that kills you far more quickly.”

#5 Beauty. “People always say: ‘It’s inner beauty that matters, not outer beauty.’ Well, that’s not true. If it were, why would flowers put so much energy into attracting bees?... Because nature longs for beauty, and is only satisfied when beauty can be exalted. Outer beauty is inner beauty made visible, and it manifests itself in the light that flows from our eyes”; “Beauty is present in all creation, but the dangerous fact is that… we allow ourselves to be influenced by what other people think”; “The world is what we imagine it to be”; “Beauty exists not in sameness but in difference.”

#6 Direction or Guidance. “Like the sun, life spreads its light in all directions… But, if we want to make a fire, we have to focus all the sun’s rays on one spot”; “He focuses not just on the goal to be reached, but on everything happening around him. He often has to stop because his strength fails him… Rest a little, but as soon as you can, get up and carry on. Because ever since your goal found out that you were travelling towards it, it has been running to meet you; “Only the person who accepts God’s plan with humility and courage knows that he is on the right road.”

#7 Love. “True Love, however, is the love that seduces and will never allow itself to be seduced”; “Love is an act of faith, not an exchange”; “It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all”; “Love is only a word, until we decide to let it possess us with all its force. Love is only a word, until someone arrives to give it meaning”; “Don’t give up. Remember, it’s always the last key on the key ring that opens the door.”

#8 Choice. “I am going to think of this day as the first day of my life”; “I will look at everything and everyone as if for the first time, especially the small things that I have grown used to, quite forgetting the magic surrounding them”; “For the first time, I will smile without feeling guilty, because joy is not a sin.”

#9 Sex. “Sex goes far beyond pleasure”; “For most people, generosity consists only in giving, and yet receiving is also an act of love. Allowing someone else to make us happy will make them happy too”; “See sex as a gift, a ritual of transformation”; “[In sex] time will cease to exist, because in the land of pleasure-born-of-true-love, everything is infinite.”

#10 Respect. “Respect those who grew up and learned alongside you. Respect those who taught you”; “You will only be loved and respected if you love and respect yourself. Never try to please everyone; if you do, you will be respected by no one.”

#11 Elegance. “Elegance lies not in the clothes we wear, but in the way we wear them”; “What is simplicity? It is the coming together of true values of life”; “Elegance transforms complex thoughts into something that everyone can understand.”

#12 Work. “A poet: I fell asleep and dreamed that life was only Happiness; I woke and discovered that life was Duty; I did my Duty and discovered that life was Happiness”; “There are two types of work… The first is the work we do because we have to… The second type of work we call the Offering… The person making the Offering is always rewarded. The more he shares out his affection, the more his affection grows”; “The Offering is a wordless prayer. And like all prayers, it requires discipline – not the discipline of slavery, but of free choice.”

#13 Success. “People who seek only success rarely find it, because success is not an end in itself, but a consequence”; “Real success means: enriching your life”; “What is success? It is being able to go to bed each night with your soul at peace.”

#14 Miracle. “Each time we see the humble exalted and the arrogant humbled, we are witnessing a miracle”; “Miracles do not go against the laws of nature; we only think that because we do not know nature’s laws”; “Give us this day, Lord, our daily miracle.”

#15 Anxiety. “Anxiety was born in the very same moment as mankind. And since we will never be able to master it, we will have to learn to live with it – just as we have learned to live with storms”; “Although anxiety is part of life, never let it control you.”

#16 Future. ‘Our soul is governed by four invincible forces: love, death, power and time”; “When you are going through difficult times, remember: you may have lost some major battles, but you survived and you’re still here”; “What the future holds for you depends entirely on your capacity for love”; “The greatest gift God gave us is the power to make decisions.”

#17 Royalty. “What was broken will never be the same again”; “Royalty can never be imposed by force, fear, insecurity or intimidation”; “Where there is loyalty, weapons are of no use”; “True here is not the man who was born for great deeds, but the one who has managed to build a shield of loyalty around him out of many small things”; “The most terrible of all weapons is the word, which can ruin a life without leaving a trace of blood, and whose wounds never heal.”

#18 Enemies. “We will always meet rivals in everything we do, but the most dangerous are those we believe to be our friends”; “Beware of anyone who tries to please you all the time”; “Only fight with a worthy opponent…”; “Your enemies are not the adversaries who were put there to test your courage. They are the cowards who were put there to test your weakness.”

There are more topics that Coelho (or ‘the Copt’, the main character) covered in this book. But these 18 topics are the most obvious ones. Do you like these quotes? If you do, don’t settle with my summary-review – buy the book!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Young Men and Women, Consider the Power of Jesus

“[I am] glad to boast about my weaknesses,

so that the power of Christ can work through me”

(2 Corinthians 12:9, NLT)

It is a truth of Scripture that whatever Jesus is, He is for us by virtue of our union with Him. His power works through me or dwells in me. He is the “reservoir of divine omnipotence from which we can constantly draw for our ever-recurring needs.”

It is good to know that the Greek word dunamis, or inherent power, is different from exousia, or authority. The writers of the Gospel never used the word dunamis together with our Lord while He was on earth nor in the Bible does Jesus ever exercise His dumanis. There is only one occasion on which both words are used of Him: “What authority (exousia) and power (dunamis) this man’s words possess! Even evil spirits obey him, and they flee at his command!” (Luke 4:36). But these were the words of neither the comment of the Gospel’s writers nor of Jesus Himself, but of the people, the spectators. Elsewhere, only exousia (authority) is used of Him. “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth…” (Matthew 28:18).

Jesus was the Son of God but He completely identified Himself with the human race – us. Therefore, in fulfilling His earthly ministry, He never exercised or draw on His inherent power (although He could!) but exerted only the authority delegated from His Father.

There is much comfort and encouragement for us redeemed-sinners in this fact. When we read of Jesus’ miraculous works of power, it seems like it does not help us much. We say, “Yes, that is wonderful but He was the Son of God. I am just a weak and sinful man. Christ had powers and resources that are not available to me. He was sinless and I am sinful.” But that is just where we are wrong.  Although Jesus possessed limitless inherent power, He voluntarily refrained from using it (He can but He won’t). In order that Jesus might be made “in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters” (Hebrews 2:17), He renounced that privilege and restrict Himself to exercise only the authority His Father had delegated to Him. Jesus claimed: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself” (John 5:19).

His miracles were not performed by innate power, but in dependence upon the Holy Spirit’s dunamis. In the same way, the miracles done by the apostles were done by the authority He delegated to them. So, instead of being discouraged by the fact that Jesus was the Son of God, we can be encouraged that He chose to be continually dependent on His Father for power to do His will. We can do the same!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus Says We Will Do Even Greater Works than His'

“[Jesus said] “In solemn truth I tell you, anyone believing in me shall do the same miracles I have done, and even greater ones, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask him for anything, using my name, and I will do it, for this will bring praise to the Father because of what I, the Son, will do for you. Yes, ask anything, using my name, and I will do it! If you love me, obey me…”
(John 14:12-15, The Living Bible)

When I read this, I wonder, what does Jesus meant when He said that the disciples “shall do the same miracles I have done, and even greater ones”? After I continue reading the next chapter then I understand that it was referring to the task of spreading the Gospel (see John 15:7-8). The “greater ones” would have two parts: 1) Quantity, greater number of converts, and 2) Geography, greater scope for the conversions. Jesus remains the Greatest Miracle Worker.

And what about this business of “using my name” or “asking in my name” (NLT) means? When I read the context of this text, it means – in my observation – that every prayer or asking must be in agreement with Jesus’ person and purpose according to God’s character and will. That was why Jesus added “If you love me, obey my commandments” (v.15, NLT). God will not grant requests contrary to His nature and desires, and we cannot use His Name as a magic formula to fulfil our selfish desires. As the Apostle John reminds us that “he will listen to us whenever we ask him for anything in line with his will” (1 John 5:14).

Here also Jesus reminds the disciples to obey His commandments. When the disciples had Jesus with them, they could watch Him and listen to Him carefully. If they had questions, they could ask Jesus (What a privilege! The Word Alive speaks the Word of God). During those about three years, their understanding of Jesus was expanding and deepening. Eventually, they would carry the responsibility of taking His message to all the world. Jesus was preparing the disciples for life without His physical presence. The Holy Spirit “Comforter,” will be with them and “he will never leave” them all (v.16). Ever. They would have to pray (“ask”), live (“obey”) and tell (“greater ones”).

I think these three words summaries the Christian life: Pray, Live, and Tell. Pray give the idea of relationship, communication and worship. God loves it when we pray! Live means joyfully doing what God wants us to do. This involves studying His Word to discover His commands and principles for living; then we obey. The Holy Spirit is in us to teach us – even when we fail. Tell means sharing with others the Good News of Jesus Christ – what He did at the Cross and how He has changed our lives (but first we must live). Like the disciples, with the power of the Holy Spirit working through us, we can change the world!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Young Men and Women, Consider the Love of Jesus

“[The] love of Christ… this love that surpasses knowledge”
(Ephesians 3:18-19, NIV)

Love expresses itself in a seemingly contradictory way. Parental love expresses itself in a wholesome and loving discipline, not in the indulgence of a child’s every whim. But not every child appreciates this expression of love. It is the same with the Lord’s children. In the gospels, three expressions of Christ’s love are recorded for our instruction. In each case it is stated that the Lord loved the person involved.

We learn first that Christ’s love corrects the one whom He loves. Speaking of the young ruler, Mark says, “Jesus looked at him and loved him” (10:21). And what did His love move Him to do? Jesus saw that the young man had many attractive qualities, but he lacked the greatest essential. He discerned the fatal flaw in the life of the ruler and dealt faithfully with him about it. The young man clinging to his great possessions, he sacrificed the greatest Possession. So will our divine Lord put His unerring finger on our fatal flaw, the thing that will rob us of His highest blessings? Shall we ask him to show us what that thing is?

Next we see that Christ’s love allows suffering by His loved ones. “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister [Mary] and Lazarus” (John 11:5). Jesus spent more time in their home than in any other. Was He soft and indulgent with this favoured family? No, He was not. He did not intervene to prevent Lazarus from dying. He did not spare the sisters the heartbreak of seeing him slowly slip away. Rather, He waited two days before responding to their appeal for help. Did He not care? He cared so much that He permitted their suffering.

And what was His purpose? “So that you may believe” (John 11:15). The cultivation of faith was the object of the discipline. After their trail, they had an immeasurably greater Lord, and their suffering has been used to impart comfort and insight to succeeding generations of believers.

Last, Christ’s love cleanses us. “Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end… [He] began to wash his disciples’ feet” (John 13:1, 5). At that moment, He was on His way to cleanse their defiled souls with His blood, but He paused to give a matchless demonstration of the humility of love. No task is too menial for love. Jesus washed their feet with water, and then with blood from the basin of the cross.

[Edited, modified and modernized from Consider Him (1976) by J. Oswald Sanders]

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Young Men, Consider the Ascended Jesus

“[Jesus] left them and was taken up into heaven”

(Luke 24:51, NIV)

The ascension of our Lord directs attention to the fact that He is not only risen, but enthroned. It is that event in which the risen Christ finally and visibly withdrew from His disciples and passed into the heavens – a fitting climax to His life of perfect obedience on earth. His glorious ascension was the necessary and appropriate complement to His resurrection, and the manner in which it took place was consistent with His miraculous life and achievements.

He did not vanish out of sight as He did at Emmaus (Luke 24:31) leaving a question as to whether there might be yet further appearances. He walked away from them, and then He was carried up into heaven, there to sit at the right hand of God. It took place as they were looking on, in broad daylight (Acts 1:9). There was no possibility of mistake. He was really and finally gone.

He ascended bodily, and carried His glorified human body into heaven. He left the disciples, with His hands outstretched in blessing. As soon as His nail-pierced feet left the earth, He commenced His ministry as their Advocate and Intercessor. They exchanged His physical presence for His spiritual omnipresence.

The ascension was an important part of the Lord’s ministry on our behalf. It imparted the assurance that His death was effective and that all God’s claims against sinful men had been met. It evidenced the fact that the problem created by man’s sin had been finally solved. It enabled His disciples to give a satisfying account of the disappearance of Christ’ body from the tomb.

Further, it was the necessary prelude to the coming of the Holy Spirit as promised by the Lord. As the Scriptures says, “the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified” (John 7:39). Now the way was open for the Pentecostal effusion. By the ascension, the local Christ became the universal Christ whose personal presence was mediated by the Holy Spirit.

To Christ, it was the reward of His obedience unto death. “Therefore God exalted Him…” (Philippians 2:9). The ascension reversed man’s verdict on the Son of God. Had the Saviour not ascended, we would be without a representative in heaven, and without the Comforter to lead and guide us on earth. His presence in heaven makes heaven a blessed reality to us. Amen.

[Edited, modified and modernized from Consider Him (1976) by J. Oswald Sanders]

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Young Men, Consider the Crucified Jesus

“They crucified him” (John 19:18, NIV).

Jesus Christ was unique in His death as in His birth. In a perceptive and picturesque statement of a great truth, Martin Niemoller said, “The cradle and the cross of Christ were hewn from the same tree.” The incarnation was sole with a view of the crucifixion.

Our Lord’s death was unique in that it was the only death that fulfilled the millennia of prophecy. The sufferings and death of the Messiah were not only foreshadowed in meticulous detail in the Jewish sacrificial system, but they were foretold by the prophets. It has been stated that even in His tragic hours on the cross, thirty-three separate Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled.

He was the only person to whom death was not inevitable. “I lay down my life – only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord” (John 10:17-18). To Him, death was deliberately chosen. He “gave himself for us,” wrote Paul to Titus (2:14). He was not dragged to the cross but drawn by quenchless love.

To Him alone, death was not a result of sin. “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23); but as He did no sin, He did not need to collect its wages. This left Him perfectly free to assume the burden and guilt of the world’s sin and to provide deliverance from its bondage.

His was the only death accompanied by miracles. It was appropriate that a life replete with miracles should conclude with a series of miracles. There was the mysterious darkness which was no eclipse since the moon was then at its farthest from the sun. And it lasted not for a few minutes but for three hours.

There was the miraculous rending of the curtain veil, sixty feet long and thirty feet wide, requiring three hundred men to handle it. “At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom” (Matthew 27:51). A mighty earthquake accompanied His death. Rocks were split, and graves opened. “The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life… and appeared to many people” (27:52-53), conclusive evidence of His power over death.

Finally, His was the only death that made possible the forgiveness of sins – and experience to which myriads can testify.

When Thou didst hang upon the tree

The quaking earth acknowledged Thee

When Thou didst there yield up Thy breath

The world grew dark as shades of death

(Author unknown).

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus is Not Against Denominations But For Oneness in Him (Mark 9:38-42)

“’Teacher,’ said John, ‘we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.’ ‘Do not stop him,’ Jesus said. ‘For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward. If anyone causes one of these little ones – those who believe in me – to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea” (Mark 9:38-42, NIV).

I’m not sure which ‘John’ was talking to our Lord Jesus here. I assumed the young apostle John. I think John was really shook up. He saw someone else minister to people in Jesus’ name then he tried to shut him down because “he was not one of us” or “he wasn’t in our group” (The Message). ‘Hey, you can’t do that,’ I imagine John might have said today. ‘You’re not an ordained minister. Besides, you didn’t exorcise the demon our way; you don’t dress like we do and you didn’t sing gospel songs like we do.’ What I hear Jesus might saying in His reply is: ‘It’s okay John. Just because he’s not in your denomination doesn’t mean he isn’t one of My disciples. The important thing isn’t that he be in our group but that he minister in My name.’ Really, Jesus said: “Do not stop him.”

There are a lot of people around today who think as John thought. We know the Bible says that all believers are one in Christ, but we are pretty suspicious of anybody who doesn’t believe in Jesus exactly the way we were taught (Just like a young Richard). Here, Jesus pointed out two reasons why John and other disciples should not stop anyone to use His name: 1) No one doing miracles in His name will turn against Him (v.39); and 2) Anyone who isn’t against Him and His disciples are supporters not saboteurs (v.40).

Steven, Gibreson and Oliver are all Christians. Each confess Jesus to be the Lord and Saviour of his life and all three are filled with the Holy Spirit. Steven’s church (Catholic) has an altar and crucifix; the congregation sings anthems for worship; the bishops serve wine for communion and baptize by sprinkling. Gibreson’s church (Anglican) has a foyer and choir loft; the congregation sings hymns in worship; the ministers serve grape juice for communion and baptize by having water pour on head or fully immersed in water. Oliver’s church (BEM/SIB) meets in a simple-decorated room, the believers sing contemporary songs, and the elders serve apple cider for communion and baptise in a river by immersion. When these three guys attended Christian Fellowship as students, they could do one of two things: 1) Avoid each other suspiciously and seek fellowship with their own ‘kind’ only or; 2) Set their denominational distinctive aside and focus on their oneness in Christ. Jesus’ Word in Mark 9:38-42 leads me to believe that He preferred the latter.

It’s important for Jesus’ followers around the world to appreciate one another differences - their church traditions and methods – to link hands and hearts as one in Christ. As long as someone claims a relationship with the Father through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and committed to the truth of God’s Word, there are common ground upon which to build a relationship. We must not boast to have exclusive right to certain teaching and ministry methods. We are not to let modes of worship or denominational distinctive separate us as family in Christ. Let us enjoy and appreciate the variety of people who follow Jesus – our brothers and sisters in faith. Let us not cause anyone “to stumble” but together we must encourage one another. Amen.

*Of course, Jesus doesn't encourage denomination either.
For denominational is human invention. 

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus Challenges Us to a Deeper Level of Understanding (Mark 8:22-26)

“[Jesus and His disciples] came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, ‘Do you see anything?’ He looked up and said, ‘I see people; they look like trees walking around’”
(Mark 8:22-24, NIV, bracket mine).

The healing miracle of a blind man at Bethsaida is only recorded by Mark. In this case, Jesus took the man away from the crowd before performing the miracle. Why Jesus “took the blind man by the hand”? Why Jesus “led him outside the village”? Why Jesus “spit on the man’s eyes”? I’m not sure what’s really going on here. But for sure this miracle remind me that Jesus is always responded with compassion to people’s need; and based on the context of this text, Jesus wanted to show to his disciples that spiritual insight (they were lack of it, Mark 8:14-21) is similar to the man’s physical insight – it will be restore gradually and fully by faith (as in Mark 8:27-30).

Again, I don’t know why Jesus “took the blind man by the hand” personally, when one of His disciples could have done it. But like spiritual blindness, Jesus wanted to lead us because only He can show us “the way” (John 14:6) to all spiritual truth. Jesus “led him outside the village” probably because He desires the blind man – and even us – to have a more personal one-to-one relationship with Him. In Christianity, spiritual insight and truth will not be reveal in the form of doctrine or theology but in a Person – Jesus is “the truth” (John 14:6). When Jesus “spit on the man’s eyes”, it shows to me that Jesus doesn’t have a fix method of healing. In the same way, Jesus can use whatever method He wills to open our spiritual insight in order for us to see and to realize that He is “the life” (John 14:6).

From “blind” to seeing people “look like trees walking around” to see “everything clearly” (Mark 8:25), the man’s eyes were gradually healed. Why Jesus did the healing in two stages? It may have been because of the man’s lack of faith. His faith was there but it’s not enough; our sight was there but it was not complete. And just as there would be complete healing for the blind man, there is hope for us too. It’s not that Jesus is unable to heal our spiritual insight thoroughly the first time, but Jesus wants us to experience the process of learning the truth of God.

I wonder why after Jesus had done this great miracle, He said to the man, “Don’t even go into the village” (Mark 8:26)? Why not? Most commentaries explained that Jesus didn’t want people to know Him as merely a healer or miracle worker. He don’t want an immediate out pouring of sick people coming to Him for healing and hinder His ultimate mission which is the healing of people’s souls. This explanation is valid and reasonable. But I would like to suggest another additional reason, namely, Jesus wants the man to go home to his family members first and tell them how much He has done for him, and how He has had mercy on him (just like in Mark 5:19). After all, the most important people we want to share the Good News of Jesus Christ after we’re given spiritual insight are those who closest to us!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus left the Unbelievers Behind: Performing Miracle is Not the Way to Him (Mark 8:9-13)

“After Jesus had sent [the crowd] away, he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha. The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. He sighted deeply and said, ‘Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it.’ Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side”

(Mark 8:9-13, NIV).

Strange as it may seem, there were people in Jesus’ day – people who actually saw Him – who wanted more proof that He was the Son of God He claimed to be. Following Jesus’ miracle of feeding the four thousand as recorded in Mark 8:1-9, a group of Pharisees approached Him asking for “a sign from heaven” proving His deity. But Jesus knew that their request for sign was not to prove Him to be the Messiah or Christ, but rather “to test” or “to argue” with Him. They were still trying to find a flaw in Him in order to “kill Jesus” (Mark 3:6). The Pharisees were determined to ruin the ministry of Jesus. They are more eager to disapprove His claims than to be convinced. Perhaps, they thought that the Messiah’s coming was to be announced by some strange signs in the sky.

This text reminds me of how a friendly Ustaz tried to prove to me that Jesus is not the Son of God by pointing to me few verses in the Bible out of contexts. So I showed to him what; 1) Mark, the writer of the Gospel told us about who Jesus is, “the Messiah, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1); 2) John the Baptist said Jesus “the one who more powerful than I… he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (1:7-8); 3) The Holy Spirit pointed to Jesus when “the Spirit descending on him like a dove” (1:10); 4) God the Father proclaimed about Jesus from heaven, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased” (1:11); 5) The evil spirits feared Him and said, “I know who you are – the Holy One of God!” (1:24); 6) A paralyzed man was healed both physically and spiritually because Jesus said “Son, your sins are forgiven” (2:5); 7) Jesus Himself claimed to be God when He said, “The Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath” (2:28); 8) Again, the evil spirits cried out to Jesus, “You are the Son of God” (3:11); 9) The wind and the waves – nature – obeyed Jesus when He said, “Quiet! Be still!” (4:38); 10) One more time, the evil spirits begged Jesus and knees in front of Him, “Jesus, Son of the Most High God” (5:7); 11) Jairus’ daughter was dead, but when Jesus said “Little girl, I say to you, get up!” (5:41), she resurrected to life!; 12) The miracle of feeding the five thousand (Mark 6) and four thousand (Mark 8), Jesus multiplied and created bread and fish out of nothing like God; and many more. Only from chapter 1 to chapter 8 there are 12 proofs of Jesus’ deity! “Ustaz,” I said, “Let me pay for the food.” He was so kind, he paid it in advance.

Jesus “sighted deeply” when He heard the sarcastic remarks of the Pharisees. One commentator writes, “No matter what Jesus might do, they would not accept it as sufficient evidence because they did not want to believe.” Not because there were not enough proofs (I only pointed 12 proofs here) or because the proofs were unclear, but people – the unbelievers – don’t want to believe. They choose to reject Jesus. If you also a not-yet-believer, pray for the Holy Spirit to open your heart and convince you of the reality of the divinity of Jesus, the Son of God. Don’t harden your heart! Don’t be like Voltaire who said, “Even if a miracle should be wrought in the open market place before a thousand sober witnesses, I would rather mistrust my senses than admit a miracle.” To this kind of people, Jesus simply replied, “Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it.”

I like how Jesus responded. He simply won’t entertain the unbelievers (on the other hand, Jesus welcome even encourage truth-seekers who really want to know the truth), say “no” and “then he left them.” Cool! Jesus was not coming to earth to convince people to come to him by performing miracles; He can do much greater miracles! He came to invite people to come to Him in faith, and as a response to their faith, He performed great miracles. Do you doubt Jesus of the Bible because you haven’t seen a miracle? Do you require “a sign from heaven” to prove Himself to you personally before you believe? I believe in miracle. But the most accessible “miracles” of God are here for us to examine: the recorded miracles in the Old and New Testaments, the two thousand years of church history, and the witness of thousands upon thousands of true Christians around the world today (around you and from the Internet world). Don’t harden your heart! This is what Jesus said after His resurrection: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus does It Again! Yesterday's Miracle Not Necessarily Guarantee Today's Faith (Mark 8:1-10)

“During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, ‘I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.’ His disciples answered, ‘But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?’ ‘How many loaves do you have?’ Jesus asked. ‘Seven,’ they replied… They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them… About four thousand were present…”
(Mark 8:1-9, NIV).

I believe that this miracle is different from the feeding of the five thousand as described in Mark 6:33-45. Here are some difference: First, the miracles occurred in two different settings. The place here is seem like at the mountain; on the other hand, the 5,000 were fed near Bethsaida. Secondly, both miracles differ in the following details: number of men, number of loaves, and number of baskets. Thirdly, Hugh Anderson commented: “The twelve baskets in Mark 6:43 (Greek: kophinos) were Jewish provision baskets. The seven baskets in Mark 8:8 (Greek: spyris) were the type used by Gentile merchants, and were large enough to hold a man (Acts 9:35). The difference in baskets may indicate a difference in the composition of the crowds. The five thousand may have been mainly Jewish, and the four thousand mainly Gentile.” Fourthly, there is also an interesting contrast between the two crowds in terms of attitude: the five thousand complained about hunger, but the four thousand sat without any complaint in order to listen to Jesus. I like the crowd in Mark 8 more.

So, if the two miracles are different, then why the disciples still doubted Jesus’ ability to multiply and provide food for them? “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?” Well, yesterday’s miracle not necessarily guarantee today’s faith. Jesus was very patience with His disciples. How many times has God provided for us in the past, and we still have trouble trusting and doubt him for whatever we going through in the present? I’ve going through this situation myself. I remember how God has asked me to take a giant step of faith in quitting my job as assistant manager at GSC Times Square many years ago and move to student ministry. God has asked me to do some crazy stuff before and He never (I mean never!) failed me even once. He is faithful. He is patient. He can do – will do – miracles in my life and yours over and over again if only we have faith and continue to believe in Him. My point is: God has always proved faithful in the past, and so I know He will be faithful in this present one as well.

Notice what Jesus said here, “I have compassion for these people.” Why Jesus does miracles? Not because of money, or to show off power (maybe He is), or to gain more followers. He did it because of His compassion for the crowd. The word “compassion” indicates a feeling strong enough to prompt not only deep emotion (“Oh, I feel sorry for them”) but positive action (“What can I do to help them?”). Jesus’ miracles were a demonstration of who He was – the Son of God – but fundamentally, they were an expression of His love-action. The crowd was following Jesus for three days, hungry and weak, and never once complaint about it, so Jesus feeds them and satisfies their need before He “sent them away” (8:9) home. Jesus’ reactions make me think: there are still millions of people in our world who are hungry; what should our response as Christians be? What can I do to provide people’s needs around me?

Trust God for His providence today;

and be compassionate for others of their need too.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus Freaks: Dominggus Kenjam of Indonesia, "It is Not Time For You Yet..."

Dominggus Kenjam - watch YouTube for testimony.

1999

“Allah-u-Ahkar!” (Allah is Almighty!) “Allah-u-Ahkar!”

Dominggus awoke with a start out of his bed as someone grabbed him and dragged him to the ground. His screams were muffled as they continued to shout and rain blows down on his body. He couldn’t see anyone of them, and he could see no means of escape. “We will allow the women to live, but the men must die!” someone shouted.

            As Dominggus struggled to escape, a sickle came down on the back of his neck, cutting deeply. He went nearly unconscious but sensed that his assailants had left the room, leaving him for dead. He felt ill as the growing pool of his own blood began soaking through his t-shirt.

            Rather than lapsing all the way into unconsciousness, though, Dominggus reported that his spirit left his body and was escorted up by two angels. As he rose, he could look back down on where his body lay huddled on the floor in the dark room. He was sure that he had died.

            Every feeling of fear and pain left him immediately as an indescribable peace flooded his being. I am going to be with Jesus, he thought.

            Then Dominggus heard the words, “It is not time for you to serve me here.” Then he felt himself floating back toward his body.

            Suddenly Dominggus could feel that someone else was in the room with him. They were discussing which morgue to take his body to, because they didn’t know if he was a Muslim or a Christian.

            “I am a Christian,” he was able to say weakly. The two emergency medical workers must have had quite a start when the “corpse” they were discussing answered their question for itself!

            Dominggus was back. His work on the earth was not through.

……………………………………………………

Today, Dominggus has fully recovered. He still bears the scar of the attack on his flesh, but not in his spirit. He has forgiven his attackers and has a deeper commitment to pray for Muslims in Indonesia than ever before. Not only that, he now knows he has a purpose to fulfil on the earth or Jesus would not have sent him back. His faith is now stronger than ever, and he is eager to follow God’s will daily as it is revealed to him.  

            And Indonesia gravely needs people with hearts like that if Dominggus. The government has promoted a belief called Pancasila – meaning that all may freely choose to follow Christianity, Islam, Buddism, or Hinduism – but in reality Muslims receive preferential treatment. The political strength of Islam has been used to limit evangelism and reduce Christian influence on public life. Islamists’ stated aim is the complete elimination of Christianity in the country. In recent years there has been an orchestrated jihad, or “holy war,” against Christians – with over six hundred churches destroyed by mobs. Some areas have been subjected to outright military attacks and killings.

            Over the last forty years, evangelicals have grown from 1.3 million to 11.5 million. The increase of Christian persecution has brought about a greater unity among the Body, the growth of a national prayer movement, and a commitment to outreach in Indonesia and beyond. The vision for the evangelization of Indonesia has grown despite the tremendous persecution.

[Taken from Jesus Freaks: Revolutionaries (2002) by dc Talk. Title mine]

“[Be] truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is necessary for you to endure many trials for a while. These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purified gold – and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold. So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honour on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world”
(1 Peter 1:6-7, NLT).

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus on the Impossibility of Men and the Possibility of God

Jesus and the rich young ruler in Mark 10

Max Lucado, my favourite author commended on Mark 10:17-31, in his book The Applause of Heaven (1990). Title above, mine. He wrote:

Jesus gets to the point. “If you wants to be perfect, then go sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.”

The statement leaves the young man distraught and the disciples bewildered.

Their question could be ours: “Who then can be saved?”

Jesus’ answer shell-shocks the listeners, “With man this is impossible…”

Impossible.

He doesn’t say improbable. He doesn’t say unlikely. He didn’t even say it will be tough. He says it is “impossible”…

Does that strike you as cold? All your life you’ve been rewarded according to your performance. You get grades according to your study. You get commendations according to your success. You get money in response to your work.

That’s why the rich young ruler thought heaven was just a payment away. It only made sense. You work hard, you pay your dues, and “zap” – your account is credited as paid in full. Jesus says, “No way.” What you want costs far more than what you can pay. You don’t need a system, you need a Saviour. You don’t need a resume, you need a Redeemer. For “what is impossible with men is possible with God.”

…You see, it wasn’t the money that hindered the rich man; it was the self-sufficiency. It wasn’t the possessions; it was the pomp. It wasn’t the big bucks; it was the big head…

Astounding. These people are standing before the throne of God and bragging about themselves. The great trumpet has sounded, and they are still tooting their own horns. Rather than sing His praises, they sing their own. Rather than worship God, they read their resumes. When they should be speechless, they speak. In the very aura of the King they boast of self. What is worse – their arrogance or their blindness?

…God does not save us because of what we’ve done…

And only a great God does for his children what they can’t do for themselves.

That is the message of the first beatitude.                                               

“Blessed are the poor in spirit…”

The jewel of joy is given to the impoverished spirits, not the affluent. God’s delight is received upon surrender, not awarded upon conquest.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.