MARANATHA MESSENGER Weekly Newsletter of Private Circulation Only MARANATHA BIBLE-PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 16 December 2012 “Present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Colossians 1:28) Address: 63 Cranwell Road, Singapore 509851 Tel: (65) 6545 8627 Fax: (65) 6546 7422 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.maranatha-bpc.com Sunday School: 9.45 am Sunday English Worship Service: 10.45 am Sunday Chinese Worship Service: 6.30 pm Wednesday Prayer Meeting: 8.00 pm Pastor: Rev. Dr. Jack Sin (HP: 9116 0948) Doubters Become Believers (John 20: 24-29) Having doubts is common. We have all had doubts concerning God and faith. Having doubts is not a sin. But allowing doubts to develop into continual unbelief is. The story of Thomas is of help. Thomas had doubts but he was restored. Doubters can become believers through an encounter with the living Lord. It is important that believers testify to non believers of their living faith in a living Christ. This is what the disciples did. They told doubting Thomas “We have seen the Lord.” How shall doubters come to faith unless believers talk to them about the living Lord? Then again, do believers truly have an experiential faith or is their faith merely intellectual? Note Thomas’ initial unbelief. Unless he saw the print of the nails and put his finger into the print, and put his hands into the side of Jesus he would not believe. He was swayed by sight, not faith. The fact is, even if people saw signs from God they would not repent of their evil works (Rev. 9:20,21). Note the response of Thomas. Eight days later he was with the rest of the disciples. Despite his earlier doubts Thomas at least was now present with the other disciples. If you are having doubts the place to be is with believers not doubters. Going to other doubters will not help you. Do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together (Heb 10:24). When in doubt, join believers, not doubters. As the disciples assembled Jesus passed through closed doors to be with them. His resurrection body is a mystery to us. Jesus can go through closed doors. Just as he penetrated closed doors so he can penetrate closed hearts and minds. Jesus had nothing against his disciples even though there was one in their midst who had doubts. Significantly, Jesus said, “Peace to you”, that is, peace to the entire group. The disciples were chosen of God. There can be no condemnation upon such people. Before the Lord even confronted doubting Thomas he bade all the disciples, including doubting Thomas, peace. Jesus now confronts Thomas. Thomas is chastised for his unbelief. But chastisement is not condemnation. It is correction. Jesus chastises and restores. The devil accuses and condemns. Jesus invites Thomas to reach forth with his finger and his hands and touch him, the very things Thomas said he wanted to do before he would believe. Jesus knew what Thomas had said. Jesus hears all that people say. Jesus now holds Thomas to his words and challenges him. Thomas has no answers. He breaks down and says “my Lord and my God.” What is there to say when Jesus confronts us? We are full of words but when Christ draws near our words are shallow, indeed, we are silenced. Thomas is convinced. The doubter is now a believer. According to tradition Thomas travelled as far as India preaching the gospel. Among the disciples, the one who doubted the most travelled the most for the Lord. Let us be encouraged. Doubters can become believers through an encounter with the risen Lord. How do we encounter Jesus today? It is not through meeting him physically in his resurrection body. It is through reading the Bible and experiencing the Holy Spirit who has been sent to bring us to faith in Christ. Jesus told Thomas because he had seen he had believed but blessed are the ones who do not see but 1 who have believed in him. You are blessed indeed if you have come to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Be like Thomas. Serve him all the days of your life. Get rid of all doubts this day. Jesus is a living Lord and Saviour. He proved this to his disciples. He will prove this to you also. Believe in him. Rev. David Yan Emmanuel Church Auckland, New Zealand +++++++++++ Yoong Moke Kam Life BP Church When we departed on the night from Singapore, my wife asked me whether I was able to go through with this pilgrimage but I was certain that with the Lord's help and with all our brothers and sisters in Christ we would be able to achieve. We reached safely at Amman Airport early that morning and proceeded to the 2000 years old ancient city of Petra. According to the Arab guide, immigrants who came to this hilly city of desert sandstone were able to survive because they were able to find water. When we were midway to this valley, Pastor Sin shared the devotion to our group of pilgrims. At last we reach the Treasury, a magnificent stone structure I looked at the Treasury built in the 14 century where the people were able to crave this huge storey building It is considered quite an achievement in spite of the lack of machinery tools to carry out the works at that time. At that time we had trouble walking back so Calvin Chan and I sought the Lord's help to supply transport for us. Otherwise without the Lord's help, we can do nothing. TO ISRAEL After we crossed the southern border to Israel and at the Checkpoint, one of our brothers in Christ was held up and we all prayed for him. He managed to join us and together we proceeded to Timnath National Park in the Negev. TABERNACLE At the desert site, they erected an actual model of the tabernacle of the Lord according to the measurement as stated in the bible where different types of furniture were put inside the Tabernacle for the burnt offerings to the Lord (Exo 36-40). After that we watched a film show of the ancient Egyptian Empire exporting, the slaves from Egypt to excavate deep into the desert soil to extract copper ore and to refine to copper metal. The finished products were shipped back to Egypt in the ancient time. Sand stone sculpture of Solomon appeared all over the desert. KFARHA-NORDIN When we arrived at this place, our group had a ride on the camels but because most of us had no experience, the ride was rather uncomfortable. We stayed here in the Bedouin tents under the starry sky in the desert just as Abraham did a few thousand years ago. Pastor Frank Low and Pastor Sin shared with us from the bible from Hebrews 11:23-28 regarding a stranger on a pilgrimage and he thanked the Lord that our Singapore group enjoyed the stay till the next morning. MASADA This ruined mountain top fortress built by the Herod the Great was where Jewish people protected themselves against the Roman soldiers but in AD 73, after a period of 3 years they all killed themselves when the Romans soldiers finally overcame them. 2 QUMRAN CAVES The famous Dead Sea Scrolls were found in 1947 by a shepherd in the caves. How it was well preserved in caves was quite a mystery in Qumran. This ancient manuscripts (all books of the Old Testament except Esther) which the Bible manuscripts dating back to about 1000 years ago is now restored and preserved in the Shrine in Jerusalem. DEAD SEA Our group of the pilgrims managed to float in the Dead Sea but I was afraid to do so. Hence, I immersed myself near the edge of the sea (stated 400 m below sea level). JERICHO We reached this place late in the evening and we did not see much of the sites mentioned in the bible except the ruined old stones within the surrounding area. We also saw the Sycamore tree where Zachaeus climbed up to look at Christ as he passed on the way through the city. JERUSALEM That morning we went to the top of Mount Olives where Christ ascended to heaven. From here we looked far across to the Old City of Jerusalem. We walked along the road to the Golden gate of Via Dolorosa where Christ walked through the 14 stations carrying the cross in his final journey in Jerusalem passing through so many gates such as the Golden gate, Zion gate etc. Our last stop was to the church of the Holy Sepulchre. It is here that one of our brothers in Christ got lost in the huge crowded place. We managed to find him later in one of the entrances of the gate in the Jewish and Arab quarters. The cross is one of my highlights that traced the footsteps of Christ who suffered so much at the hands of the Jews, beaten by Roman soldiers and condemned by Pontius Pilate of the Roman government. Christ suffered and died on the cross (Mt 27:11-24; Mk 15:1-15; Lk 23: 1-25) GARDEN TOMB Pastor Sin shared the devotion and the served the Lord’s Supper after we visited this empty tomb where Christ was buried and rose on the third day witnessed by more than 500 disciples. He lives, Christ lives today (Jn 11:25-26). DOME OF THE ROCK We visited the Temple Mount where the Dome of the Rock was restored by the Arab under the Islamic administration.