An Amazing Great Political Breakthrough Election – Pastor Law Hui Seng (Taiwan, 21/10/18)

What do you think of the recent just concluded Malaysia once in five years parliamentary election on 9^th May, 2018?  I call it amazing because I strongly believe God is involved.  I call it great because for the first time in 61 years the majority of the different races and even the people of different religions could be so united in saying no to the former ruling party coalition, despite the odds of gerrymandering in the newly drawn constituencies for the national election and mighty machinery and resources available to the last ruling party coalition.  I call it a breakthrough because ever since independence there had not been any change of ruling power.   Most importantly, it is in every sense a breakthrough as so many people said it was impossible for a power change but it happened on the 9^th May.  A much awaited smooth transfer of political power had happened.  A change that we are so proud of as it will bring hope for a better future.  A change that gives birth to a new Malaysia that inspires the rakyat to move on with a greater confidence.  Malaysia becomes new not only because a new batch of leaders with new mentality and mindset has taken over the ruling power, but more so, these new leaders will bring about changes in substance.  Especially changes in fundamental systems and policies which are more just.  It definitely brings about new hope and direction for many years to come.

The Surprising Element

The long awaited breakthrough finally came about.  Most of us could not believe it for many reasons.  Even a lot of us Christians had prayed for God to do justice, remove corruption and greed, cleanse our nation from the power of darkness, and lots of other things, we did not think the power change would happen.   Privately, I even told people the chance of changing the ruling power is at least 80% to 90%.  In my circle of friends, most of them disagreed with the percentage.  I always told them this time round, the whole political scenario in the country was very different because of the Mahathir factor.  He would unite most of the former opposition parties.   I even said in private to these close friends, if there was a change in power it had to involve the surprising element.  That was the top leadership of the last ruling power did not expect the power change would happen.  They had made all the efforts to counter every expected attack and arrow shoot at them from all sides. I tend to believe that in view of the extreme old age of Mahathir, they did not expect him to be such a powerful factor (you may disagree).  What could such a 93 years old man do? (This was very much a prevailing general comment in the newspaper in the months leading up to the election) How could he make a difference in the national election as to the effect of bringing down the ruling party?  I believe this was one of the most unexpected elements.  May be they just expected Mahathir and his new party would just win a few seats only and that was all.

Another Surprising Element: Tremendous Negative Effects of GST

I believe another very unexpected factor that brought down the last ruling power was the deep negative effects of GST.  When it was first materialized, most sensible people commented that it was something necessary and most countries are practicing it and our country needed it.  Most people, especially economic experts, bankers and the like said it was well justified. However, my argument was if the government could survive with all kinds of taxes before the introduction of GST, how she could not survive without it.  There must have been a lot of abuse of power and mismanagement of peoples’ money.

When GST was introduced, my common sense told me it was a political suicide for the ruling power.  It would become such a powerful factor that it would be a straw that brought down the ruling power.  It would make most of the citizens in Malaysia to feel the deep pain in financial limitation.  We suddenly found that our monetary value shrunk and our purchasing power was reduced significantly.  Everyone was hit by it. We felt the economic pain which touched our ‘nerve’.  It awakened us to vote for change and went for an alternative ruling coalition which might be more responsible. 

GST made the poor suffered even further and even the most uneducated could experience the economic pain.  I felt the pain too.  I even took steps to buy less things and exercised my thriftiness.  I tightened my belt.   May be the last ruling power expected the economic pain the rakyat would experience.  However, I think they miscalculated in the fact that the rakyat felt the pain so deeply. The pain was so deep that it overcame all the good measures taken by the previous government to counter the negative effects of GST.  The pain was a great uniting force to mobilize a great majority of the voters to vote against the ruling power.

Other Factors

Other factors such as the hot  national issue of corruption (the number 1 enemy of Malaysia); 1MDB mismanagement of fund; the great unequal treatment of different races owing to unjust government policies; no freedom of religion (the forbidden usage of the word Allah; and etc); nepotism and cronyism; the rich got richer and the poor got poorer; safety and security of peoples’ lives (the missing pastor Raymond Kho was unaccounted for) and property are stake; harder for people to find jobs and made ends meet owing to slow economy and countless number of other issues, are affecting the voters and caused the great majority of us to say no to the previous ruling power.  I personally believe that all these voice down to a national leadership crisis.  We were not confident with the politicians and government at different levels.  As the top level leaders did not set a high level of integrity and honesty and of great moral characters, there developed a great confidence crisis.  The great majority of the rakyat saw the nation was heading no way if the last leadership were to continue.

Sarawak Parliamentary Election Analyzed

In Sarawak, beside the above factors, the indigenous people are very much bothered by the issue of land acquisition, though the land is under the management of Sarawak government.  A lot of lands were acquired for personal gain.  Indigenous people were very unhappy as they lost their court cases on the disputed acquisition of lands. More and more lands were acquired and passed on to the rich entrepreneurs at a low price in the name of development.  A lot of empty promises were made and not fulfilled.  I heard from the long house folks that building of roads and supply of electricity were promised but it took the ruling power many long years to fulfill. Some were not fulfilled at all.  I also observed that the internal strife, tensions among the leadership and struggles in certain ruling parties had caused eroded support for the ruling power.  Disunity was a heavy price for these parties which lost their seats.  Sarawak rights as a nation forming Malaysia were greatly eroded (throughout the last decade) was also a great factor that contributed to the dissatisfaction towards the ruling power. Of course there were a lot of other accumulated factors which contributed to the Chinese and indigenous people not voting for the last ruling power. (I believe the political tsunami that happened among the indigenous people and the Chinese in Sarawak will continue to reach its height in the coming Sarawak election, which will be held in about 2 years’ time). All these combined factors had caused the ruling power to lose 12 significant parliament seats from Sarawak and this had contributed to the change of power to the Harapan Coalition.

God’s Factor

As a disciple of Jesus, I pray for Malaysia and really asked the almighty God to come in and intervene and restore peace, justice and prosperity.  I prayed for God to remove all the corrupted politicians in His timing for more than 15 years.  I prayed that every since before year 8^th March, 2008 parliamentary election.  In the 5^th May, 2013 parliamentary election, a lot of us were disappointed as there was no change of ruling power though the opposition front at that time scored a greater number of voting percentage than the ruling power.  I even told  a  Yang Berhormat after the 8^th March election that it was not God’s timing yet.  God being sovereign, He knows what is best for every human being and every country in this world since He is the creator of the universe and He created the earth.  Apostle Paul even said in the letter to the Romans in chapter 13 that God put the kings and ruling power (the government) at the throne and the people were to obey the government of the day. Then, the implication is God can also remove the ruling power if He put it there.  Nobody, no king, no military might, no government is more powerful than God.  God has the sovereignty and control over all things and beings He created.  He is the King of kings.   Who dare to challenge God? Therefore, if we are the politicians and the governing power of the day, we need to be answerable to God in the usage of the political power which is entrusted by the people.   Politicians need to be humble before God, whether they are Christians or not.  Only fear of God can empower him to distant himself or herself from greed and corruption, dishonesty, hypocrisy, self-centeredness, and all kinds of immorality.  Only fear of God can empower one to rule with justice, peace and compassion.  If one is not afraid of God’s punishment for one’s mistakes, sins, or unrighteousness, one can do anything when one has the power.  We are familiar with the term ‘absolute power corrupts absolutely.’  On the other hand, when one fears God, God will bless one with wisdom, like King Solomon to rule a country.

In the Old Testament, I notice that whenever Israelites and kings sinned against God of Yahweh in idol worship, moral decadence, and after countless warnings by prophets that went unheeded, God’s discipline and punishment would come on them in the form of downfalls for both the Northern Kingdom and Southern Kingdom in the hands of the foreign empires and being put in exiles in the foreign lands like Babylon and Assyria.  I strongly believe that it is the same today if any ruling power does not fear God.  God will send His messengers to come and correct the repeated mistakes, sins and unrighteousness, after repeated corrections that yield no repentance, then, God will remove the power.  For those of us who do not subscribe to this belief, you may like to produce your own analysis for the downfall of the ruling power.

This time, on the 9^th May, this year, God heard the great cry of His children in Malaysia and also His children in other parts of the world for Malaysia, and He decided to intervene and brought down the ruling power by a peaceful election.  This is God’s timing.  Whatever theology you may subscribe to and you may choose to disagree with me, I strongly believe that Christian prayers from all denominations had really contributed to the almighty God hearing our prayer.

What Can we contribute to the New Malaysia?

The most unexpected political breakthrough is very precious to all of us citizens of all races and religions.  We must treasure it like a new baby being born (a new Malaysia) and it is to be nurtured with love and care and grow into maturity in all aspects of its life.  Do you agree?  How to help this baby to grow? I strongly suggest that, since we voted in the new ruling power, we must do our part to empower this new Malaysia to grow.  I pray that you agree with me on this.

I call this new Malaysia a new born baby because in many aspects the new government needs to start all over.  We need to start all over because some of the present public institutions have been damaged and much neglected owing to human weaknesses and moral decadence.  The new government needs to work extra hard with great sincerity in these important institutions of democracy and national life.  I believe the following institutions and national life aspects need to be given top priority.

Firstly, one of  the most fundamental aspects of democracy, that is the separation of powers needs a redress; the institutions of judiciary, government and the parliament need to work independently.   It is a tough issue as the independency of each institution has not been honored for too long and the whole Malaysian constitution does not seem to advocate separation of the 3 powers.   Tedious tasks that involve amendments of laws will take a long time to achieve the ideal. 

Secondly, as a nation which makes up of different races and people professing so many different religions and living with such different cultures, we need to be united and move forward together.  At the moment, unfortunately, when it comes to major social, political and economic considerations, race and religion factors are still rated as very high in priority in the political agenda for party politics and even national life.  When it comes making policies, race is still a major factor of consideration.  For example, a certain group of politicians which belong to a certain race still feel insecure about the government recognizing Unified Examination Certificate of a certain community in the public education institution. Our politicians of all races and religions must work hard to pursue interest of all races, not just a certain politician of a certain race pursuing the interests of his or her own race. We are still divided along racial and religious lines.  How can we be more united is a great challenge to our new government.

Thirdly, our natural resources like our lands and rivers, mineral resources, and the air space need more thorough and far-sighted planning that involve equal distribution of wealth among all races and people from all strata of our society so that our economy is sustainable and self dependent in long term.  We can do a good job if we work harder at practicing meritocracy as widely as possible.  Our neighbor, Singapore, is good example in this respect.

Fourthly, since manpower and intellectual ability will determine how well we are going to survive as a nation, we really need to look into doing education that will produce the brightest people (and keep them) to run our country.  By all means, curb the brain drain.  When it comes to education, our politicians should not compromise on giving our people the best quality and resources.

Fifthly, steps need to be taken to return the original rights to the nation of Sarawak and Sabah.  The agreements signed when these two nations participated in the formation of Malaysia need to be honored.  I believe these two nations, given the rights to manage our own resources; we can eventually become an advanced and prosperous country like Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan.  I had been to the first three countries in the last twenty odd years and I see prosperous they are.

Bearing all these important aspects in mind, as disciples of Jesus, we can play important roles in nurturing this new Malaysia.  I would like to propose the following suggestions and ideas.

Nurturing a New Malaysia

In Malaysia, Christianity is only made up of about 9% of 33 million populations.  Islam occupies about 60%.  Muslim population is growing not only biologically but also in terms of conversion.  It means Islam propagates and converts the non-Muslims.   For Christianity, all efforts of all the different denominations combined in our outreach and missions, our growth is always between 9% and 10%.  It has been maintained in that range for more than 20 years now.  At least, ever since I became a pastor back then.  Even in Sarawak, with a population of 2.7 million, the only state with Christian majority of about 42%.  The percentage is maintained between 40% and 42% also for more than 20 years.

In such a religious environment, what can 9% Christian population do?  We must thank God for the great effort of our former missionaries coming from all over the world.  They had done their best and left a great spiritual heritage with us.  I can say it most passionately for the case of Sarawak.  For most denominations here, with the political climate we have now, we are growing stronger in terms of many new churches from all denominations which have been built. Be it at the national level, or at the state level, we can definitely make a difference for Jesus in terms of nurturing a new Malaysia.  I pray that God in the person of Jesus Christ, in His mercy, will empower us to do the followings:

Firstly, as united prayers from all denominations have made such a powerful impact, we must persevere and pray for the above good changes to happen in His timing.  Let us pray that no changes will happen at the expense of another race.  Let us pray that our politicians both from the ruling power and the opposition to become more and more matured; and they always focus on the needs of the rakyat in particular and the national interests in general.  By all means, our prayers pursue God’s will be done in Malaysia for all races.

Secondly, though different denominations have different doctrinal stands, we must by all means work together through our top leaders like bishops, archbishops and presidents to express our Christian stands on religious, social, economic and political issues and matters on improvement of our national policies.  There can be unity in diversity. The present inter-denominational platforms like the Council of Churches Malaysia, National Evangelical Christian Fellowship, Sarawak Association of Churches and Sabah Association of Churches can be further enhanced and mobilized to come together to pray and building a close relationship among the top spiritual leaders so that they are united to build bridges with the government to participate in the nation building in terms of proposing holistic policies.

Thirdly, I suggest the respective denominations to form their fellowship of elected state assembly men and women, and the members of parliament to sit down with assigned pastors for bible studies and prayer so that they are trained in discipleship and grow in Christian maturity.  They are equipped intentionally to stand against temptations of greed, corruption and all forms of immorality.  They will become great models for the rakyat to emulate.  Eventually, through the close relationships among the top spiritual leaders, they can use the above platforms to call for an annual convention for all our elected Christian politicians.  One of the important purposes of this convention is definitely to find ways and means to contribute to our national building. The other purpose can be for sharing of common ideas and interests, mutual support and understanding, and working towards a greater solidarity among all elected Christian parliamentarians and state assembly men and women.

Fourthly, churches of different denominations must look into producing scholars who are well-versed in Islam so that we can have meaningful cooperation with Muslim scholars and their top spiritual figures to work on both Muslims and non-Muslims to live together peacefully long term.   Scholars and top spiritual figures of both sides must build bridges with one another so that we reduce our misunderstanding about each other’s religious teaching and religious conflicts among our followers to the minimum.  If we do not do this preparation now, when there is a religious conflict, it might be too late.  When damages are done, repairs may be difficult to do. 

Fifthly, Christian spiritual figures and Muslim spiritual figures must be encouraged to sit down and fellowship with one another on different religious occasions.  We are doing this now. It can still be further enhanced so that it is practiced as often as possible, and at a greater scale.  They must be seen to do so, so that our followers can see the fellowship before their eyes, be it through media publication or life telecasts through televisions and internets.  When the top spiritual figures of both religions are seemed to relate to one another in harmony, our followers will emulate.  If we can visit one another and share our lives together, the chances for religious conflict to happen in Malaysia will be reduced to the very minimum.

Conclusion

How this new Malaysia is going to be does not depend absolutely on those elected politicians only.  They are elected to serve the rakyat and the nation as a whole, in a parliamentary democracy like Malaysia.  They are flawed human beings, they are not perfect, and they will make mistakes.  No matter how brilliant, capable and powerful they are, their ideas are limited, their influence cannot penetrate every corner and society in Malaysia.  They need the rakyat to support and cooperate to implement their national policies.  They may devise laws to check on us but they themselves are also very much under laws.  Therefore, the church as a whole can complement the government by obeying her in implementing all the just policies.  Areas where the government goes wrong, the church must be courageous enough to voice out for the betterment and well being of the overall rakyat.  The government, on the other hand, should be humble enough to listen to the voice of the church.

Abundant Blessings of Moving out of Comfort Zone

Abundant Blessings of Moving out of Comfort Zone

I have been obeying Jesus and learn to move out of comfort zone.  By end of November 2013, I was posted to Sibu and moved out of Miri, my comfort zone.  I had ever written that I was so well received and loved by Miri brothers and sisters. I could also just live in my own newly purchased home at Lutong, Miri. However,  I chose to obey Jesus and move to Sibu.

Prices to Pay

Deep down in my heart, I knew, then, I would have to pay a price for such a move.  My dear wife would have to separate with her close friends in Grace Methodist Church (which we served for 9 long years) and other Miri Methodist churches.  She had to let go of all the familiar home, church ministry (especially Girls’ Brigade), doctors (who took very good care of her and my family) markets and shopping complexes, roads, etc.  She had to start to build new relationships all over again.  She had to face the stress of finding new friends and building up ministry.  She has to face the challenge of doing it with a not so good heart condition as she is having heart valve leakage.  She cannot be overstressed.

My children would have to pay a price for me to obey Jesus.  They would miss their classmates in schools.  They grew up in Pujut Primary School right from primary one to primary six.  They finished Form One and Two in Miri Chung Hua Secondary School. They were actually very used to Chung Hua School.  They were used to the teachers, principals, classmates, environment and the expectations at the school.  They were at a point of building wonderful relationships and enjoy the friendships.  They also began to like the ISCF.  They also wanted to study hard to do well in their studies.  However, for the reason of my posting and obedient to Jesus, they needed to let go of all the relationships, the familiar and hopes.  I may not be able to understand how much they did not like my move.  I had tried to prepare them for my move and yet, the shock, the hurt, the disorientation, the disappointments and the damages they faced were something I might not fully grasped.  I did explain to them about the technicality of posting and my obedience to Jesus.  It was hard still for them to understand.  They were reluctant to move to Sibu.  They lost their zeal and motivation to study and do well in studies.  Especially my twin boys used to study harder and kept improving in their studies, but now, they felt it was pointless to do so in the new school.

How we Responded?

My wife and I did not force the twin boys to study and took up tuition as they used to in Miri.  They did their PT3 this year and yet we did not send them for tuition.  We were patient with them and tried to understand how much they were disoriented and disappointed.  We made sure that they finished their homework. We prayed very much for them to adjust to the new school (Methodist Secondary School).  We prayed for them to realize the importance of education.  They did not throw their tantrum but they just refused to study hard to face the PT3 (Form 3 Government public examination)!  We parents were anxious at first, but we learnt to let go; and trusted Jesus that He would open a way for them.  We prayed much and really expected Jesus to intervene.  Things did not get better in the sense that they would study harder as the examination was getting nearer last year.  They did not really put in more effort except going for 2 to 3 times of Science tuition before PT3 as they were invited by their Science teacher. Also, I observed that they did study harder only the night before the examination of each subject.  I expected them to fail most of the subjects!

The twins also did not adjust well in church life though the youths of the church tried hard to relate with them.  We also encouraged very much to be involved in the youth activities but they were not keen to attend.  We were careful not to force them to take part.

Deep down in my heart, I did not blame Jesus for such reaction in my twins.  I took it as they had to learn this life lesson of adjustment everywhere we go.  Honestly, I knew Jesus would open a way no matter what.  We prayed and we never gave up on our twins.  We believe He would help us to overcome the obstacle and the twins will be studious again.

Mercy, our youngest daughter did miss her friends and school in Miri but she adjusted quite well in the same Methodist Secondary School as the twin brothers.  She was able to find good friends both in the new church and school much faster than the twin brothers who tended to keep to themselves.  She was put in a good class and competed well with her classmates.

Our eldest child, Grace finished her A level at Kuala Lumpur Methodist College and came back in the middle of last year.  She started work at Sibu Methodist Care Centre among the children with special needs in early July last year.  She plans to pursue a qualification in special education as she has a burden for them.  She adjusted quite well in the new church and work environment after six months though she hardly made any friends in church at first.  Now she has a few friends at the work and in the new church especially after she decided to participate in more activities.  She enjoys her work.  This year, she committed to join the church youth choir.

Owing to the fact that I believe it is God’s will for us to move out of Miri, I had also prepared my wife and children for it.  I am willing to face all the prices my family has to pay.  My wife and I believe after twelve months, Jesus is blessing us tremendously.

Blessings that Come with Moving out of Comfort Zone

Willingness to pay the price for being obedient to Jesus also comes with tremendous blessings.  I cannot help but keep thanking God for He moved me to move out of my comfort zone!

When PT3 results were released, Tobias and Elliot did not fail many subjects as we had expected.  Each one of them scored three to four As and they obtained B, C, D, and E for the rest of the subjects. They only failed one subject.  This is a blessing and a big surprise for the whole family.  In terms of the new church environment, they started to relate to other youths lately.  The youth fellowship is also active in trying to get them involved in church ministry like choir, family group and fellowship.  In terms of school, before the end of Form 3, they started to mention about their friends and building up relationships with their classmates!

Mercy did well in her Form Two.  She took the studies seriously.  She studied much harder than she was in Miri.  She even managed to win a reward from me and flew to KL with her mother for a year end holiday.  She found new friends both in school and church quite soon. 

Grace has also made quite a few new friends both in church and at work.  She is now exploring the possibility of pursuing her special education degree.

My wife tried her best to help me in the ladies’ fellowship.  She would conduct bible studies during my absence.  She is slowly getting used to Foochow and Hinghua Chinese culture.  She is also involved in the Sunday School ministry in terms of leading the committee for the year end children bible camp.  This year, she is involved (with a few other ladies) in teaching and caring for the children while the adult fellowship is doing meeting every Friday night.  I am so encouraged to see her involved in ministry in her own way without pressure from me.  Last year and this year, I really do not want to ask to do much because I afraid that she might be overstressed and develop heart trouble.  She is actually undergoing half yearly medical follow up a Kuching Samarahan Heart Specialist Centre.  Praise the Lord, despite her heart condition, she can serve in her own way.  I believe she takes risk (of heart trouble) when she decides to serve brothers, sisters and children.

These above blessings are just few major ones.  The blessings I experienced are just tremendous.  I cannot help but keep thanking Jesus for all the serving opportunities and discipleship making that come my way.  It is not only Jesus is extending my ministry territory, He very much teaches me to serve people with depth.

I am  very overwhelmed by the ministry opportunities that come along my way.  Invitations to preach in other Methodist churches are quite many and I had to turn them down throughout last year.  I need to focus on my own church and serving in the Board of Evangelism.  They invited me to preach on reaching out the indigenous people and deliverance ministry.  End of last year and at the beginning of this year I need to turn down many invitations again!  I find the needs here are so many.  Yet, I have to humbly turn them down for I only have 24 hour a day in my life.  I really need to learn how to focus and not do so much that I end up not pleasing Jesus.  In all my life ministry I have not rejected so many opportunities to preach.  Each time I reject, I learn to be humble and be pleasing to Jesus.  I believe I am limited in my time, energy and health.  In the process, I am praying about how I must train others to multiply what I am doing.  In short, I experience the blessing of how to be humble by admitting my own limitations.

I learn to minister a group of sisters in the ladies fellowship.  I teach and serve with them every Tuesday night.  I am the only brother in their midst.  Most of them are older than me.  I feel it is such a privilege to disciple them and build them so that they can be strong wives, mothers and grandmothers, and disciples of Jesus to serve their family, the church and the world outside.  Quite a few of them are zone leaders.  It is such a privilege to see their progress in their spiritual growth.  I witnessed that their relationships with one another are reconciled.  They learn to let go of their anxiety.  I put in special effort for cases that requires special attention; meeting them individually and counseling so that they are freed from bondages.

I am able to preach regularly in Mandarin again!  I am trained theologically in English but praise the Lord, I am confident to preach in Mandarin.  I only studied Mandarin until Primary 6 but I can do it over the pulpit.  Thank God for blessing me with the Mandarin bible and the newspaper which I read every now and then.  It helps to train and equip me to be competent to preach and minister in Mandarin.

I am able to minister at Iban long houses.  My church is tasked to teach the Iban children at three long houses.  I am also given opportunities to preach there from time to time.  Compared to the past, I only get the opportunities during mission trip to long houses.  There are numerous long houses both near Sibu and outside Sibu.  Many long houses are yet to be reached out.

I also find that there is a big space in Sibu town to do Bahasa Malaysia ministry.  Praise the Lord I could conduct a BM seminar at a Sibu town church and eventually, they started the BM ministry.  They have thirty over people meeting weekly now.  I am always very excited to see more BM congregations planted in the town.

In terms of ministering in a deeper way, I find that Jesus bless me with the knowledge and skill to differentiate sharply between mental problem and demon possession.  I really do follow up and counsel the cases faithfully and study each case with patience and prayers.  I really give each case the proper attention he/she deserves.  At first, my skill of discerning the difference is not sharp at all.  Praise the Lord, after the two three cases, I am so empowered by the Holy Spirit to do it more accurately.  I really come to know more accurately what are bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, for example.  I even personally accompanied 3 persons to see psychiatrists.  For most cases, I am called to see if they are demon possessed or not.  Most of the times, I discern that they are hit by mental problems.  Now, Jesus has blessed me with the opportunities to ask the questions like what are the causes of mental problems and how to avoid them.  I now have the desire to read more about the mental illnesses.

I also had the great opportunity to use my Master of Theology knowledge to teach five Iban pre-theological class.  I taught them spiritual  warfare and evangelism at Sibu Methodist Theological School.  I pray that I will be able to teach a subject in BM on cross-cultural pastoral care for the Chinese Theological students this year.  It is something that Jesus has put in my heart all this while.

I also have the great blessing of serving and making disciples with Sibu West District pastors, church leaders and lay people.  I come to know so many new faces and I am so privileged to cross path with them.  Each new face I meet, I always try to remember them by taking their photos and telephone contacts.  Each new person whom I come to know brings me new opportunities of disciple making.  I just feel that because I know the person before, now I can serve him/her better.

My mind is greatly challenged to think and see things (areas of need) that challenged me to be even more visionary in Sibu.  I am here only for one year and I am so blessed!  I pray that I will be in this present church, En Tao Methodist, for at least another five years.  I have been working on a five year plan for this church.  Though I do not serve here full time as I have to serve the Board of Evangelism, I enjoy the ministry with the brothers and sisters (fellow disciples) here so much.  My family is greatly loved and supported.  We are so blessed here in this church.

A Disciple of Jesus - Pastor Law Hui Seng

(En Tao Methodist Church, Sibu, 3/1/2015)

Abundant Blessings of Moving out of Comfort Zone

Written by Rev Law Hui Seng

Posted by Teresa Han

Abundant Blessings of Moving out of Comfort Zone

I have been obeying Jesus and learn to move out of comfort zone.  By end of November 2013, I was posted to Sibu and moved out of Miri, my comfort zone.  I had ever written that I was so well received and loved by Miri brothers and sisters. I could also just live in my own newly purchased home at Lutong, Miri. However,  I chose to obey Jesus and move to Sibu.

Prices to Pay

Deep down in my heart, I knew, then, I would have to pay a price for such a move.  My dear wife would have to separate with her close friends in Grace Methodist Church (which we served for 9 long years) and other Miri Methodist churches.  She had to let go of all the familiar home, church ministry (especially Girls’ Brigade), doctors (who took very good care of her and my family) markets and shopping complexes, roads, etc.  She had to start to build new relationships all over again.  She had to face the stress of finding new friends and building up ministry.  She has to face the challenge of doing it with a not so good heart condition as she is having heart valve leakage.  She cannot be overstressed.

My children would have to pay a price for me to obey Jesus.  They would miss their classmates in schools.  They grew up in Pujut Primary School right from primary one to primary six.  They finished Form One and Two in Miri Chung Hua Secondary School. They were actually very used to Chung Hua School.  They were used to the teachers, principals, classmates, environment and the expectations at the school.  They were at a point of building wonderful relationships and enjoy the friendships.  They also began to like the ISCF.  They also wanted to study hard to do well in their studies.  However, for the reason of my posting and obedient to Jesus, they needed to let go of all the relationships, the familiar and hopes.  I may not be able to understand how much they did not like my move.  I had tried to prepare them for my move and yet, the shock, the hurt, the disorientation, the disappointments and the damages they faced were something I might not fully grasped.  I did explain to them about the technicality of posting and my obedience to Jesus.  It was hard still for them to understand.  They were reluctant to move to Sibu.  They lost their zeal and motivation to study and do well in studies.  Especially my twin boys used to study harder and kept improving in their studies, but now, they felt it was pointless to do so in the new school.

How we Responded?

My wife and I did not force the twin boys to study and took up tuition as they used to in Miri.  They did their PT3 this year and yet we did not send them for tuition.  We were patient with them and tried to understand how much they were disoriented and disappointed.  We made sure that they finished their homework. We prayed very much for them to adjust to the new school (Methodist Secondary School).  We prayed for them to realize the importance of education.  They did not throw their tantrum but they just refused to study hard to face the PT3 (Form 3 Government public examination)!  We parents were anxious at first, but we learnt to let go; and trusted Jesus that He would open a way for them.  We prayed much and really expected Jesus to intervene.  Things did not get better in the sense that they would study harder as the examination was getting nearer last year.  They did not really put in more effort except going for 2 to 3 times of Science tuition before PT3 as they were invited by their Science teacher. Also, I observed that they did study harder only the night before the examination of each subject.  I expected them to fail most of the subjects!

The twins also did not adjust well in church life though the youths of the church tried hard to relate with them.  We also encouraged very much to be involved in the youth activities but they were not keen to attend.  We were careful not to force them to take part.

Deep down in my heart, I did not blame Jesus for such reaction in my twins.  I took it as they had to learn this life lesson of adjustment everywhere we go.  Honestly, I knew Jesus would open a way no matter what.  We prayed and we never gave up on our twins.  We believe He would help us to overcome the obstacle and the twins will be studious again.

Mercy, our youngest daughter did miss her friends and school in Miri but she adjusted quite well in the same Methodist Secondary School as the twin brothers.  She was able to find good friends both in the new church and school much faster than the twin brothers who tended to keep to themselves.  She was put in a good class and competed well with her classmates.

Our eldest child, Grace finished her A level at Kuala Lumpur Methodist College and came back in the middle of last year.  She started work at Sibu Methodist Care Centre among the children with special needs in early July last year.  She plans to pursue a qualification in special education as she has a burden for them.  She adjusted quite well in the new church and work environment after six months though she hardly made any friends in church at first.  Now she has a few friends at the work and in the new church especially after she decided to participate in more activities.  She enjoys her work.  This year, she committed to join the church youth choir.

Owing to the fact that I believe it is God’s will for us to move out of Miri, I had also prepared my wife and children for it.  I am willing to face all the prices my family has to pay.  My wife and I believe after twelve months, Jesus is blessing us tremendously.

Blessings that Come with Moving out of Comfort Zone

Willingness to pay the price for being obedient to Jesus also comes with tremendous blessings.  I cannot help but keep thanking God for He moved me to move out of my comfort zone!

When PT3 results were released, Tobias and Elliot did not fail many subjects as we had expected.  Each one of them scored three to four As and they obtained B, C, D, and E for the rest of the subjects. They only failed one subject.  This is a blessing and a big surprise for the whole family.  In terms of the new church environment, they started to relate to other youths lately.  The youth fellowship is also active in trying to get them involved in church ministry like choir, family group and fellowship.  In terms of school, before the end of Form 3, they started to mention about their friends and building up relationships with their classmates!

Mercy did well in her Form Two.  She took the studies seriously.  She studied much harder than she was in Miri.  She even managed to win a reward from me and flew to KL with her mother for a year end holiday.  She found new friends both in school and church quite soon. 

Grace has also made quite a few new friends both in church and at work.  She is now exploring the possibility of pursuing her special education degree.

My wife tried her best to help me in the ladies’ fellowship.  She would conduct bible studies during my absence.  She is slowly getting used to Foochow and Hinghua Chinese culture.  She is also involved in the Sunday School ministry in terms of leading the committee for the year end children bible camp.  This year, she is involved (with a few other ladies) in teaching and caring for the children while the adult fellowship is doing meeting every Friday night.  I am so encouraged to see her involved in ministry in her own way without pressure from me.  Last year and this year, I really do not want to ask to do much because I afraid that she might be overstressed and develop heart trouble.  She is actually undergoing half yearly medical follow up a Kuching Samarahan Heart Specialist Centre.  Praise the Lord, despite her heart condition, she can serve in her own way.  I believe she takes risk (of heart trouble) when she decides to serve brothers, sisters and children.

These above blessings are just few major ones.  The blessings I experienced are just tremendous.  I cannot help but keep thanking Jesus for all the serving opportunities and discipleship making that come my way.  It is not only Jesus is extending my ministry territory, He very much teaches me to serve people with depth.

I am  very overwhelmed by the ministry opportunities that come along my way.  Invitations to preach in other Methodist churches are quite many and I had to turn them down throughout last year.  I need to focus on my own church and serving in the Board of Evangelism.  They invited me to preach on reaching out the indigenous people and deliverance ministry.  End of last year and at the beginning of this year I need to turn down many invitations again!  I find the needs here are so many.  Yet, I have to humbly turn them down for I only have 24 hour a day in my life.  I really need to learn how to focus and not do so much that I end up not pleasing Jesus.  In all my life ministry I have not rejected so many opportunities to preach.  Each time I reject, I learn to be humble and be pleasing to Jesus.  I believe I am limited in my time, energy and health.  In the process, I am praying about how I must train others to multiply what I am doing.  In short, I experience the blessing of how to be humble by admitting my own limitations.

I learn to minister a group of sisters in the ladies fellowship.  I teach and serve with them every Tuesday night.  I am the only brother in their midst.  Most of them are older than me.  I feel it is such a privilege to disciple them and build them so that they can be strong wives, mothers and grandmothers, and disciples of Jesus to serve their family, the church and the world outside.  Quite a few of them are zone leaders.  It is such a privilege to see their progress in their spiritual growth.  I witnessed that their relationships with one another are reconciled.  They learn to let go of their anxiety.  I put in special effort for cases that requires special attention; meeting them individually and counseling so that they are freed from bondages.

I am able to preach regularly in Mandarin again!  I am trained theologically in English but praise the Lord, I am confident to preach in Mandarin.  I only studied Mandarin until Primary 6 but I can do it over the pulpit.  Thank God for blessing me with the Mandarin bible and the newspaper which I read every now and then.  It helps to train and equip me to be competent to preach and minister in Mandarin.

I am able to minister at Iban long houses.  My church is tasked to teach the Iban children at three long houses.  I am also given opportunities to preach there from time to time.  Compared to the past, I only get the opportunities during mission trip to long houses.  There are numerous long houses both near Sibu and outside Sibu.  Many long houses are yet to be reached out.

I also find that there is a big space in Sibu town to do Bahasa Malaysia ministry.  Praise the Lord I could conduct a BM seminar at a Sibu town church and eventually, they started the BM ministry.  They have thirty over people meeting weekly now.  I am always very excited to see more BM congregations planted in the town.

In terms of ministering in a deeper way, I find that Jesus bless me with the knowledge and skill to differentiate sharply between mental problem and demon possession.  I really do follow up and counsel the cases faithfully and study each case with patience and prayers.  I really give each case the proper attention he/she deserves.  At first, my skill of discerning the difference is not sharp at all.  Praise the Lord, after the two three cases, I am so empowered by the Holy Spirit to do it more accurately.  I really come to know more accurately what are bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, for example.  I even personally accompanied 3 persons to see psychiatrists.  For most cases, I am called to see if they are demon possessed or not.  Most of the times, I discern that they are hit by mental problems.  Now, Jesus has blessed me with the opportunities to ask the questions like what are the causes of mental problems and how to avoid them.  I now have the desire to read more about the mental illnesses.

I also had the great opportunity to use my Master of Theology knowledge to teach five Iban pre-theological class.  I taught them spiritual  warfare and evangelism at Sibu Methodist Theological School.  I pray that I will be able to teach a subject in BM on cross-cultural pastoral care for the Chinese Theological students this year.  It is something that Jesus has put in my heart all this while.

I also have the great blessing of serving and making disciples with Sibu West District pastors, church leaders and lay people.  I come to know so many new faces and I am so privileged to cross path with them.  Each new face I meet, I always try to remember them by taking their photos and telephone contacts.  Each new person whom I come to know brings me new opportunities of disciple making.  I just feel that because I know the person before, now I can serve him/her better.

My mind is greatly challenged to think and see things (areas of need) that challenged me to be even more visionary in Sibu.  I am here only for one year and I am so blessed!  I pray that I will be in this present church, En Tao Methodist, for at least another five years.  I have been working on a five year plan for this church.  Though I do not serve here full time as I have to serve the Board of Evangelism, I enjoy the ministry with the brothers and sisters (fellow disciples) here so much.  My family is greatly loved and supported.  We are so blessed here in this church.

A Disciple of Jesus - Pastor Law Hui Seng

(En Tao Methodist Church, Sibu, 3/1/2015)

Brunei Sermon Apostle’s Creed (4)

17th November, 2013 Written by Rev Law Hui Seng Posted by Teresa Han Main Idea: Holy Spirit and the Universal Church Objectives: a. To teach the roles of the Holy Spirit and the Universal Church. b. To challenge the congregation to be empowered by the Holy Spirit to serve Christ in the church. A. Introduction - This is the last part of my four parts sermon on Apostle’s Creed. I pray that as you recite the Apostle’s Creed every Sunday, you now become more aware of the meaning of it and you become very sure of your faith. - This part is concerning : I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life ever-lasting. B. I Believe in the Holy Spirit - Most Christians do not understand the doctrine of the Holy Spirit well. It is an irony because the most powerful Spirit of Christ in the universe in inside us and yet, owing to our lack of understanding of the Holy Spirit, we fail to be empowered by the Spirit. I believe the most fundamental reason for the lack of empowerment is due to lack of knowledge of the Spirit. It happens because we do not read the bible thorough enough to have the overall or holistic picture of the Holy Spirit. - In this sermon, I cannot preach much about the doctrine because of the time limitation. I can only preach on 3general roles of the Holy Spirit. - God the Father is concerning His creation of the new world; God the Son is about how He gave new life and its substance and possibility; and God the Spirit is about a new relationship. Through God the Spirit, we believers can build up our new relationship with God the Father and the Son. - One non-Christian has criticized Christianity that if there is only one God, then, this God is a lonely God. He could not accept this God. You see how he developed his human concept of God. To help him to understand more about our one God concept, I explain to him the relationship of the Trinitarian God. How they know one another and relate to one another; how God sent Jesus and how Jesus sent the Spirit; how only God the Father knows the timing of Jesus second coming and Jesus does not know; how Jesus was bearing the burden of sin and how on the cross at that dark moment, God the Father cut off His relationship with Jesus. And at the end of the day, I still told him, there is only one God. He seemed to nod his head slightly. I simply told him our God, Trinitarian, is in fellowship. - In the New Testament, we can understand the Holy Spirit in terms of the gospel, book of Acts and the apostolic letters. After Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit came upon Him. Then, the Holy Spirit and the acts and words of Jesus were inseparable. However, Jesus only mentioned two times in the gospel of Mark, one time when He taught that blaspheming against the Holy Spirit is an eternal sin (Mark 3:29) and the other time was when the disciples were witnessing for Him (Mark 13:11). Scholars believed that it has to do with Jesus’ initial reluctance to reveal His Messiah identity. Let us now take a look at 3 roles of the Holy Spirit. (1). The Holy Spirit empowers us to relate to God. - Apostle Paul taught that Jews and Gentiles were united in Christ to enter into personal relationship with God. Together they were the dwelling place for the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:22). - Apostle John in the Gospel of John 3:5 quotes Jesus in saying only those who are born of water and the Spirit can enter the kingdom of heaven. Through the work of the Holy Spirit a person enters into a close relationship with God. (2) The Holy Spirit empowers us to witness. - Take for example, in the 16th century, the Roman Catholic monks, formed Jesuit Order, and observed 4 vows, celibacy, poverty, evangelism (to the Muslims) and obedience to Christ. Their great sacrifice has advanced the mission of Christ in terms of education, medical care, helping the poor and winning many to Christ. - These institutions are made possible as the Holy Spirit empowers the disciples of Jesus to bear godly characters. With these godly characters (e.g., love and faithfulness), they persevere despite the odds. Galatians 5:22,23 ‘But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control…’ - In modern days, Churches are taking up the challenge to enter the society to serve the society as individual Christians and as churches or denomination, by setting up institutions like school, orphanage home, care for the poor and needy, mentally challenge children, kidney dialysis centre, counseling centre, giving tuition to the poor students, home for the aged, etc. (3) The Holy Spirit empowers us to do signs and wonders. - Denominational churches tend to have rigid liturgy, Christians who are secularized, hearts of believers grow cold, we need the Holy Spirit to empower us to worship Him in Spirit and truth. Our lives are empowered by the Holy Spirit to do signs and wonders. Believers are challenged to wake up to obey God’s call to make a difference for Jesus, both as individuals and as a church. - Like what Apostle Paul prayed for the Ephesians in1:18-21, ‘I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at the right hand in the heavenly realms, far above the rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.’ - The power that resurrected Jesus from the death is also inside us, so, the Holy Spirit is able to empower us to do signs and wonders. No wonder, after ascension of Jesus to heaven, for example, Apostle Peter being empowered by the Holy Spirit to heal a crippled beggar. Acts 3:6-8, ‘Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazereth, walk. Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and naturally the man’s jumped to his feet and began to walk..” - Apostle and disciples were indeed empowered by the Holy Spirit as taught by Jesus in Acts 1:8,9, ‘But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ - Are you convinced to do that we as disciples of Jesus are called to do signs and wonders because we empowered by the Holy Spirit? I pray that you do. C. The holy catholic Church - In the New Testament original Greek, the word for church is ekklesia, it is formed by 2 words, ek, which means ‘out’, klesis, which means ‘called’. Therefore, the word ekklesia means the community that is called out. The word is used in Mathew 16:18 when Jesus said, ‘And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church,…’ Mathew 18:17 when Jesus said, ‘If he refuses to listen to listen to them, tell it to the church…’ - Today, the meanings of the church is coming from the writings of Apostle Paul on metaphors of the church, the major ones are God’s people, body of Christ, communion and the spirit. - As God’s people, Christians’ most important responsibility is to proclaim the achievement of Christ on the cross. It says in 2Corinthians 5:19, ‘that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.’ Therefore, Christians gather and meet as a church is not only for fellowship purpose, but it is also for the purpose of going out to spread the gospel of kingdom. - As a body of Christ, she has her visible sign of mission, that is to love one another as commanded by Jesus. This is the centre of church life and it is also the whole purpose of fellowship. 1Corinthians 11:29 ‘For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.’ Colossians 1:13’For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.’ The fellowship of here is not because of the Christians’ nature which love it but it is because we belong to the same body whose head is the Christ. And Christ died a sacrificial death to for His body of followers. - This is the foundation for church existence. How can we believers be faithful to this foundation? This involves the recreation power of the Holy Spirit. The fellowship community involves the power of Holy Spirit who dwells in the body of believers. Apostle Paul talked about believers, ‘…bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of Spirit through the bond of peace.’ (Ephesians 4;3,4) This is the meaning of fellowship of the Holy Spirit. - The church is capable of mission, love and fellowship not because she is morally right or clean or perfect, because Trinitarian God is holy and living among the believers. - The church is catholic because throughout history we believe in the same doctrine. D. The communion of saints - This is about the relationship among all believers; believers and believers – the saints. Believers are called saints by Apostle Paul, John and Peter. 1Corinthians 1:2 , John 10:36 and 1Peter 1:2, the apostles addressed believers as saints. The common justification for the address is because the believers are made holy or sanctified (hoi hagioi) by the redemption of Christ, not because we are now morally right. We are now saints because Christ died a redemptive death, which results in the forgiveness of our sins. This can be done all because of the work of the Holy Spirit in the believers. This is why the communion of the saints has to be after the belief in the Holy Spirit. 1Corinthians 6:11 ‘…you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our Lord.’ - The communion of all the saints throughout the world is marked at least by freedom, equality and love. Communion of saints is marked by freedom. Apostle Peter said in Acts 15:10 ‘…why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?’ This is a concept that tolerates the freedom of choice. - If we want the saints to serve Christ, we need to remove our control over them, otherwise, they will serve human beings and not Christ/God. Unless we are freed from fear, we cannot have love, we also cannot have real ministry. If we fear punishment, death, guilt, losing position or interests, we will be enslaved by punishment, death, guilt, gaining and losing. And we are no more living as saints. - Communion of saints is marked by equality. Those who went to Antioch from Judea had gone against the principle of the Holy Spirit and did not treat all believers equally. Apostle Peter said in Acts 15:8,9 ‘God who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He make no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.’ - Recognizing the rights of others does not mean you forgo your own rights or opinions. Therefore, there can be differences in equality. It does not matter whether these differences are cultural, racial, because of skin, sex, or opinions or coming from different angles. To the Jerusalem believers, they see the gentile church this way because this is how God treats them. - Communion of saints is marked by love. Only after we can treat one another with freedom and equality, only then, we treat one another as brothers and sisters with love. E. The forgiveness of sins - We are in the church because of one reality, that is, our sins are forgiven by Jesus. Because our sins are forgiven, we become new people and we are united in Spirit. We need to remind ourselves of the forgiveness so that we do not yield to the temptations of all kinds. - Forgive in Greek is aphiemi, it is used 142 times in the New Testament. The central message of New Testament is Christ used His own life to exchange for the freedom of man, so that man do not need to be enslaved by sin. His preaching and actions show His willingness to forgive sinners. His forgiveness of man’s sins is not only reflected in His preaching but very much shown by His acceptance of sinners. His acceptance of sinners even costs His life. - In view of Christ’s forgiveness, we must forgive and accept ourselves, others and fear God more than anything else. F. The resurrection of the body - As Christians look forward, we see resurrection, and we see the hope of resurrection with Christ, new life in Christ. There are only 2 key passages in the New Testament: Mark 12:18-27; 1Corinthians 15 bout resurrection of Christ. - Concerning Mark 12, Jesus is answering the Sadducees who do not believe in the resurrection of the dead because they could not find the record of it in Mosaic Law. Jesus pointed out that resurrection is due to the power of God. Our body will be the glorified body, completely changed body. This body and this person will not continue the earthly relationships like husband and wife. - Concerning 1Corinthians 15, Apostle Paul addressed Christians who believed in resurrection of the soul and spirit of believers but not with their changed physical body. This was because of the influence of the Greek philosophy on the Christians. Apostle Paul emphasized that Christ’s resurrection was not His soul and spirit leaving the physical body, but His resurrected body is both soul and spirit and physical body altogether which is transformed into glorified body. He has defeated the power of sin, He is no more escaping from the body, but owning the victorious body, transformed body. This is the kind of body which we are going to acquire. G. And life everlasting - Eternal life is a life maintaining close relationship with God. This is why John said in 1John 5:12, ‘He who has the Son has life, he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.’ - Eternal life emphasizes the importance of present life. We treasure all the present opportunities because we who have eternal life live in the kingdom of God, live in the space of God. H. Conclusion - I pray that every time you recite the Apostles’ Creed you will do it with understanding and it strengthens your relationship with Jesus. Rev Law Hui Seng

Apostle’s Creed (3)

BruneiSermon 25th August, 2013 Written By Rev Law Hui Seng Posted By Teresa Han Main Idea: Jesus’ resurrection, coming back and judgment. Objectives: 1. To understand the significance of Jesus’ suffering, crucifixion, death and burial in relationship to our life. 2. To understand the meanings of His resurrection; sitting at the right hand of God; His coming back; and the judgment of the quick and the dead. A. Introduction - In my last sermon on the Apostle’s creed, I preached to you on how God is Almighty; how we Christians believe in the person of Jesus; and His conception by the Holy Spirit. - Today’s sermon will focus on Jesus’ suffering, crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection, sitting at the right hand of God, and His coming to judge the quick and the dead - “suffered under Pontius Pilate,was crucified, dead, and buried; - He descended into hell. - The third day He arose again from the dead; - He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.” - I pray the works of Jesus will inspire you and challenge each of you to be His great disciples. B. Suffered under Pontius Pilate - Why the name Pontius Pilate is so significant in the Apostle’s Creed? What is the importance of Jesus’ suffering in the creed? What is the purpose of suffering of Jesus for our faith? - Nobody can deny the historical facts of the creed. - Pontius Pilate is a historical person who existed. - Jesus was crucified under his hand; He suffered, died and buried under his political rule. - To all us Christians throughout the centuries, ‘suffered under Pontius Pilate’ means the Son of God for the purpose of redeeming us, He entered history. He suffered and died under Pontius Pilate, a real human. Nobody can deny it. It happened in time and space. It was not made up story. It did not happen in some imagination or through some psychological effects. - Therefore, Jesus Himself embraced the world by becoming a human being. As He went through the motion of a human being and even suffered, we will be ever to find the meaning of our earthly suffering and a way out of it. This is the meaning of suffered under Pontius Pilate. - Jesus is word of God became flesh 2,000 years ago at Bethlehem, doing preaching, healing and deliverance all over the places at Galilee and Jerusalem. - At the age of 33, he suffered under Pontius Pilate. What He did can be seen, touched and measured. No wonder John said in 1John 1:1 ‘That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched – this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.’ - The suffering of Jesus. - If Christians/ disciples of Jesus like you and me can understand Jesus suffering, then, one can practice his or her faith in our life and society. It can help those who face trials and suffering in life. - Normally we understand Jesus’ 33 years of life on earth by focusing on his miraculous birth and His great suffering. We do this at the expense of not relating His process of life to His works of salvation. - As a result, because we focus on the supernatural and so we neglect His ordinary life and we do not relate His ordinary life to our ordinary life. For example, how we do not ask Jesus to empower us to forgive others or ourselves. - We always find it hard to relate His life long teaching to our lives. For most Christians, we do not dialogue with Jesus 33 years of life. - So we need to put Jesus life into its proper perspective. His whole life is very much linked and it is an integrated whole. We need to do this correction. - When we do that, for example, to understand the concept of forgiveness on the sermon of the mount, our method will not be to ask: How to love our enemies? Taking Jesus life as a whole, we should ask who is this person who teaches us to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us? The standard answer of course is the Jesus who died for us sinners. - The bottom line then is not whether I can forgive or not; or the heart of the matter is not whether I have the ability to forgive or not. The heart of the matter is what Jesus has achieved for all sinners, including our enemies or those who persecute us. Then loving our enemies become no big deal. - What has this kind of approach of understanding Jesus to do with the suffering of Jesus? There are 3 aspects of Jesus’ suffering. - Firstly, as long as we do not compartmentalize Jesus life, His whole life is a definition of suffering. For example, how He was denied a proper birth place; His nature of call or mission was not understood by His parents; when He was tempted in the wilderness, He was alone; living among the sinners, He experienced how sin brought about rejection; while healing the sick, He empathize with them; in His last days, He was rejected by different levels of leaders; and eventually He died a sacrificial death. In His last few days of earthly life, He was rejected by Judas, Peter and even God the Father on the cross. - Secondly, Jesus suffering is for a great purpose. He died for the great purpose of redemption. - Thirdly, as we understand Jesus’ birth till His death as suffering, we can see how He identifies with those who suffered in life. - Let us see how Jesus’ suffering is related to us. - Suffering and Christians. - Suffering does not only inflict on our body but very much on our inner hurts. Things like I do not deserve this. It causes people to be bitter, doubting our own values, self-condemnation, self denial is the climax of suffering. A lot of us because we have not overcome our inner hurts, we become more and more self-centered. In other words, bitterness appears in other forms. It is sin in every form; it is sin who causes us to distance ourselves from Him. - Good news today for you all, the suffering of Jesus ministers to our suffering. - Jesus’ suffering is for our deepest sins and inner hurts. He understands our deepest hurts because He has gone through it. C. Was Crucified - It was such a shameful thing for Jesus to be regarded as a criminal though He was without sin, but still sentenced to death. The punishment on the cross on those days was the most humiliating instrument of punishment .- Today, we use the cross as a symbol, the church uses it as a design, some hang it on our necklace, we sing about the cross, etc. Is there anything good about the cross? - In fact, His crucifixion was foretold in the Old Testament. In Luke 24: 26, 27, Jesus said, ‘Did not Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory? And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scripture concerning himself.’ - When Jesus was tried, He did not answer much but whatever He answered, it had to do with His identity. His answers caused Him death. And Jesus, for the purpose of mankind, He knew the consequence of His identity answers. - Mark 14:61, 62, ‘…the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” “I am,” said Jesus, “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” - Jesus’ death was the triumphant of the power of darkness but it is the turning point for mankind’s destiny. Now, people of all kinds have a hope of salvation. D. Dead, and buried; He descended into hell. - The consequence of crucifixion is dead, burial and descending to hell. It is an absolute consequence of all human death and now Jesus has successful redeemed it for us.- From God’s perspective, no matter how human beings try to go to God, it is absolutely no way because Christ has to do it for human beings. - It shows that the created human beings have no way to save ourselves. - Is dead the end of everything? To people who do not believe it, they say it is. But the Bible says otherwise. - The term hell here is not referred to as a place of punishment, it is equal to the Greek term Hades or the Hebrew term Sheol. It means a place of stay for the dead. - 1Peter 3:19 (Jesus preached to the spirits in the prison); 4:6 (gospel was preached to those who were dead). - Those who choose Jesus can be assured that we will not go there. For us we go to paradise.- All the more the next phrase of the creed talks about resurrection. E. The third day He arose again from the dead - 1Corinthians 15:4, says ‘that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.’- The creed has singled out a belief, which is real and a fact. - If it is a fact, then, it has these significance: 1. The date of its happening was the third day after the crucifixion; 2. The resurrection is proven by evidence, i.e., people saw Jesus who was alive, also the empty tomb; 3. The resurrection actually caused the formation of the church by first century Christians. - Jesus lived with disciples for 40 days. This gave them hope. In fact, before this, the disciples had gone back to their own profession and buried their faith behind their mind. - Acts 2:36, ‘…let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this, Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord, and Christ.’ - This is where we Christians believe we will resurrect like Jesus because He has the power to resurrect us. 1Corinthians 15:20 ‘But Christ has indeed raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.’ F. He ascended into heaven - How do we understand ascension? The resurrection of Jesus, does it refer to His bodily resurrection? How His physical body who lived with the disciples for 40 days disappeared?- Acts 1:9 says, ‘After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.’ - New Testament does not emphasize the resurrected body like it emphasizes the birth and death. - John 20:17, Jesus said to Mary, ‘Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father…’ And then in verse 27, Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, see my hands, Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” - How then Jesus ascended to heaven ?- Luke clearly recorded the independent incident of Jesus ascension. Luke 24:50-51, ‘When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.’ - It was a real event which happened in time and space and full of miracle and mystery. Mind you, when you read books by theologians like Macquarrie, Moltman, Kung, Barth and Tillich, you have to be careful as they do not believe in ascension of Jesus. This is because they do not believe in miracle. - Now, how does ascension relate to our life today? - Firstly, ascension is the pivotal point between word becomes flesh and Christ coming back again. We need to be accountable to Him for what we do on earth. - Secondly, it singles the end of a time period. It marks the beginning of another period, a time of faith. - Thirdly, it marks the beginning of a new relationship, where the relationship between human being and God is no more limited by time and space. G. And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty - An important reference that supports this part of the creed is Psalms 110:1, ‘The Lord says to my Lord:”Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your heart.” Jesus used this verse to answer the question of the great high priest about His identity. He said in Mark 14:62, ‘… “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” This is the famous Messianic text and because of this confession, He was sentenced to death. - Jesus’ disciples also a verse like to prove that He is the Messiah.- With that Messianic identity being proven from the Old and New Testaments, now let us move on to the meanings of sitting on the right hand of God. - Sitting on the right hand of God means the King who will judge the quick and the dead. He holds all the authority in heaven and earth. - It also means He is now the priest, interceding for us, redeeming our sin, representing God in pronouncing forgiveness of our sins and His acceptance of us. H. from thence he shall come - The past of Christ, His present work and future work all cannot be separated. - His coming back gives hope of salvation and eternal life; and we need to watch out for His coming back (like a thief) and be prepared to give an account for our life on earth. - This makes whatever He taught to the disciples meaningful. He can check on us every now and then whether we obey His word. Confuscious or Buddha cannot do it. I. To judge the quick and the dead - His coming back is to judge the world. Does this make us fear Him? His judgment is about eternal death in and eternal life in heaven. - The judgment is not the same meaning as the present court judgment according to the law of a country. - The standard used is the justice of God. It is not only a future event but it is also something immediate. Meaning to say after ascension, Jesus continue to judge us every now and then. - How? By whether we respond to His salvation or not. Whether we repent or not. By our conscience and the Holy Spirit who convicts us of our sins. J. Conclusion - Can you now explain your faith more clearly as you get to understand more of the Apostle’s Creed? - I pray that it will not be a mere knowledge to you but it is something that empowers your Christian life and holiness on earth.