LOOKING FOR THAT BLESSED HOPE
(TITUS 2:13)
Reminiscences of Tabernacle BPC Camp 2016
How time flies! Church camp is now over. It was a blessed time of fellowship around God’s Word. One brother remarked towards the end of the camp that he wished the camp could be extended by one week. It aptly described my feelings too. The camp was like a foretaste of heaven above. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.” (Psalm 133:1-3 KJV)
Our good God provided for everything in this camp. The rooms were comfortable and well-equipped. Our cups “ran over” during meal times with the wide-spread of food at the buffet counters. More importantly, we were well-fed spiritually by the faithful preaching from God’s Word concerning the theme “Looking for That Blessed Hope”. Such biblical teaching is rare in an age of rampant apostasy. We must therefore thank God for the provision of Rev. Quek Suan Yew to expound the Scripture to us. May our ears never grow dull to the sweet notes of truth from God’s Holy Word!
It was frequently emphasised during the messages that “looking for” that blessed hope does not mean searching for a hope that is lost. Rather, this hope is already possessed by all true believers in Christ. As saints, we are in fact “looking forward” with great expectancy to the blessed hope of the imminent coming of Christ for the church.
However, God’s people do not “look forward” to that blessed hope by being idle. Looking forward to that blessed hope requires the church to have sound leaders who will teach sound doctrines. By learning sound doctrines, believers would possess sound minds, which would be result in sound speech, sound conduct and sound service for the Lord.
Looking forward to our blessed hope also requires patient witnessing. Our lives must reflect holiness and Christ-likeness. The speaker recounted humorously his struggles in maintaining a good witness while driving on the roads. I must say I have similar struggles too! The messages were thus a call for us to examine our lives to see how the blessed hope has impacted our witness for Christ at home, school, workplace or church.
Beloved brethren, the signs point to the soon coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Read Matthew 24. We must be ready for the coming of our Saviour! Therefore, it is most appropriate for us to have our traditional Watchnight Service on 31 December 2016. While the world is engaged in merry-making, we need to be reminded from God’s Word of the present evil times and “The Coming One-World Government”. The speaker for the service is Rev. Dennis Kwok. The Lord’s Supper will be served. Come ready to worship the Lord.
A SEASONAL REMINDER OF HUMILITY
Text: Philippians 2:1-11
We are entering the Christmas season when we commemorate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is also a seasonal reminder of His humility. Christ, “being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Philippians 2:6-8 KJV)
Christ’s humility is seen in both his active and passive obedience. As our Saviour, He became a man to keep the laws of God perfectly on our behalf (i.e. active obedience). He also endured suffering, and was obedient all the way to the cross, where He died and shed His precious blood for the remission of our sins (i.e. passive obedience). His humility led Him from Bethlehem to Calvary. “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Je-sus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11) The cross before the crown!
The saints are expected to have the same mind of Christ. They must be willing to be servants of all and suffer for Christ’s sake. “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” (Luke 9:23 KJV) Let us not act arrogantly and regard ourselves highly before the Lord. What are our “sacrifices” compared to the grand sacrifice of Christ Jesus? Recall the parable of the unworthy servant. “But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.” (Luke 17:7-10 KJV) God owes us nothing, but we owe Him everything.
It is thus most appropriate that Rev. Jeffrey Khoo is speaking to us on the topic “Cross-bearers or Crown-wearers?” (Mark 8:27-38). Let us pay good attention to the preaching of God’s Word.
Lovingly in Christ,
Preacher Clement Chew