Dearly Beloved in the Lord Jesus Christ,

A fresh start or new beginning comes with a certain attraction to refresh the mind and to motivate the heart. But on the other hand, after fourteen years in a familiar place and to uproot and relocate, may take time for adjustments and getting used to. A new beginning for us in terms of a new location for worship and fellowship, may be of man’s choice but ultimately it is God who directs His people according to His perfect will.  Perhaps up in our minds, it is a fresh start to change things along the way or to start new ministries, setting new priorities for the future and the need of an under-shepherd for the flock.

For Tabernacle BP Church to have stationed in one place for fourteen years, may be much longer than any period compared to the perpetually moving Tabernacle in the wilderness in the Old Testament, which had a span of 300 years. However, the taking down of the Tabernacle in the wilderness at one place and reassembling at another place would be things of the past when a permanent house of worship was built by king Solomon. The Temple took seven years to build and after all the hard work and money spent, (in today’s dollars and cents, would have cost billions) it was to be dedicated to God. And as far as Solomon’s Temple was concerned, so grand and magnificent that there was none like unto it near and far. Upon completion, it was a house fit only for the KING of kings, the living and true God. On the dedication day of the Temple, Solomon offered 22, 000 cattle and 120,000 sheep as sacrifices but in eyes of many, it may be a waste of money. Why did Solomon do what he did? His answer is in his prayer in 1 Kings 8:58,

“That the Lord may incline our hearts unto Him, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments, and His statutes, and His judgments, which He commanded our fathers.”

We are once again reminded that coming to the new premises we are still tenants and we do not have place of our own but thankful to God that He has led us to where He wants us to worship Him. What have we done to deserve all these? And what have we done even to deserve a new location and place? We can only say that we are unworthy and undeserving people. And we can only say with Solomon in 1 Kings 8:56,

“Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.”

Will we be moving again? When is the next move? Your guesses are as good as mine. Our future is not in our hands but as long as the Lord sees fit to have us here, to Him be all glory now and forever more. Amen

Elder Douglas Ho

WHY CALL IT “GOOD FRIDAY”?

Have you been to a funeral? Which funeral you attended have you ever heard of a death as “good”?

Have you then ever wondered, “If Jesus DIED on ‘Good Friday’, why do they call it ‘good’”? There probably would be no “official” answers, but the following are a few possibilities why …

First, Jesus’ act of dying on the cross was “The Act” that opened the door between God and man. In fact, was the only act that could! All of Jesus’ miracles were great, His obedience to the Father wonderful, His casting out of demons amazing, and His resurrection glorious, to say the least! But it was by Jesus’ death on the cross alone – His work of atonement – that we were enabled to enter into sweet relationship with the Father.

Second, it had to have hurt the Father tremendously to see His Son die on the cross. But yet Jesus’ death had to have been “ultimately good” by the Father’s definition of the word, or He would not have asked it of Jesus! Nor would He have allowed Jesus to actually go through with it once Jesus said “Not my will, but Thine.” For Abraham, being asked to sacrifice his son was “just a test.” But this was not a “test” for Jesus OR the Father! It was the only way the Father could get us – sinners – back1

Lastly, if we focus on the death of Jesus alone, it is very gloomy. But we have to remember that Jesus chose to be obedient to the Father, even unto death! It was for the sole purpose of His life – restoring the lost relationship between humans and God the Father!

(Adapted from Junior RPG, July – September 2008)