The Mustard Seed

The Mustard Seed Miracle - the Moving of Mokattam Mountain

 

'And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek him.' Hebrews 11:6

Every year, on 27th November, the Coptic Church in Egypt celebrates the Mustard Seed Miracle - the moving of Mokattam Mountain. The miracle took place between 975 and 979 AD during the papacy of Pope Abram Ebn-Zaraa, the 62nd Patriarch of the Egyptian Coptic Church. Yaqub Ibn Yusuf Ibn Killis, a Muslim convert from Judaism went to the Caliph reminding him of what Jesus had said and recorded in Matthew 17:20 "Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

They both contrived a plan to expose the church and find an excuse to persecute the Christians by challenging them to a test of their faith, to move Mokattam Mountain located at the outskirts of Cairo.

When the patriarch received the challenge, he conveyed the congregation to the Church of St Mary to prayer and fasting, supplicating God. On the third day, the virgin Mary appeared to Patriarch Abram and told him of a holy man named Simon the Tanner, at whose hands the miracle will be effected. The entourage led by Simon met with the Caliph El-Muizz and all the government officials and nobles at the foot of the mountain.

The Coptic Christians knelt to pray at the foot of the mountain. Every time the congregation said, 'Kyria-Layson' Lord have mercy and lifting up their bowed heads, the mountain would be lifted up. When they bowed down, the mountain was lowered down.

The Caliph and his men, stood in awe and trepidation at the sight. Finally he said, "Great is your God and blessed is His name. You have proved that your faith is the true and living faith." From then on the Coptic Christians were free to worship in Egypt and they built many churches. 

How many of us believed that the miracle did take place? Can a mountain be moved. Whatever we believe, the miracle ignited the faith of the Coptic Christians and they strived notwithstanding centuries of persecution.

This week the Coptic Church will be celebrating this miracle. Many of us are impressed, enamored, by spectacular miracles. BUT the central focus of Jesus' comment is not the miracle to move a mountain but the faith in Him, the faith that provided the miracle of salvation for those who believe. We should draw our attention not to quantity, amount or strength of faith but the object of our faith, the person of Jesus Christ. 

The Mustard Seed is only 1 to 2 mm in diameter. It should not have taken much faith to believe, yet it does even to doubting Thomas, who having lived with Jesus and heard all His teaching still insisted to verify the facts of Jesus' resurrection before he would believe. Thomas insisted on touching Jesus hands and sides, His wounds before he would believe. John 20:29 recorded Jesus remarks to doubting Thomas, "Because you have seen you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and believed."

So little faith is required, yet it is so hard for many to believe in Jesus.

What is faith? The Bible defines faith as

'Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do  not see.' Hebrews 11:1

This was the lesson that Doubting Thomas learned as the resurrected Jesus appeared to him in that upper room. Even a mustard seed size of faith will do but Thomas did not even have that.

Jesus often chided the disciples for their lack of faith. Once a storm broke when they were in a boat. Jesus was asleep and the disciples were afraid that they would drown. They woke Jesus up and he quietened the waters of the Sea of Galilee. 

'A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke Him and said, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" he got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to His disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" Mark 4:37-40

There will be times when our faith, yes even the foundation of our belief in Jesus Christ will be tested. We will come through these trials brilliantly by the faith of our beliefs. St Peter wrote from his experience,

'So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold - although your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world ' 1 Peter 1:6-7

Our faith will anchor our salvation

'You love Him (Jesus) even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see Him now, you trust Him; and you rejoice with a glorious inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.' 1 Peter 1:8-9 

   

Indeed let us celebrate the joy of our salvation, there are '10000 reasons' to worship and rejoice with exceeding great joy. Bless the Lord O my soul.

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

O my soul, worship His holy Name.

Sing like never before, O my soul.

I’ll worship Your holy Name.

The sun comes up, it’s a new day dawning;

It’s time to sing Your song again.

Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me,

Let me be singing when the evening comes.

You’re rich in love and You’re slow to anger,

Your Name is great and Your heart is kind;

For all Your goodness I will keep on singing,

Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find.

And on that day when my strength is failing,

The end draws near and my time has come;

Still my soul sings Your praise unending,

Ten thousand years and then forevermore.

Bless the Lord O my soul.

Lionel

Ref 1: The Coptic Cross https://sawwaf.blogspot.com/2019/12/the-mokattam-mountain.html

Ref 2: https://contemplation-lionel.blogspot.com/2010/11/upon-this-rock.html A related article in Contemplation 

A Time To Mourn

© Amy Nielsen

'He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.' Psalm 147:3

Our dear friend and beloved Christian brother, Chin Leng, died in the early morning hours of 15 Nov 2023. He fought a long, arduous and heroic battle with pancreatic cancer. He died peacefully, his young wife and daughter by his side. He fought courageously against the cancer, inspiring many others by the strength of his faith, the stamina of his body and the fortitude of his mind. 

Chin Leng recorded a personal testimony from his hospital room of how he came to know Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour. In his cachexic state, he presented the gospel and urged the hearers to receive Jesus Christ. He exuded a confidence in God who comforts him and Christ, his companion, as he entered the final path of his earthly journey. His testimony is and will be an inspiration to many.

The Lord Jesus Christ is Chin Leng's shepherd.

'The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

 He leads me beside the still waters.

 He restores my soul; He leads me in the path of righteousness for His name's sake.

Yea, even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil;

For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.' Psalm 23:1-4 (NKJV)

I tried to comfort the young widow and daughter with these words, "Even though you both will grieve and mourn your loss, yet take heart that the Lord is always by Chin Leng's side and they now spend eternity together. In time all of us will be reunited with Chin Leng for we too share his faith and love of Jesus. May the love of Jesus Christ and the comfort He brings be with you both and give you joy in this time of sorrow."

But no word of comfort will soothe the grief. This is a time to mourn. Jesus said that those who mourn will be blessed.

'Blessed are those mourn, for they shall be comforted.' Matthew 5:5 (NKJV)

In declaring a blessing on mourning, Jesus is saying that grief will be everyone's experience but the blessing that comes with mourning is the blessing of being comforted. That morning when Chin Leng died the verse of the day given me was

'He heals the broken-hearted and bandages their wounds.' Psalm 147:3

• Jesus will heal us. God is saying that mourning is inevitable, it may even take a long time but it is still temporary. It is temporary because the Lord will begin to heal us and tend to our wounds.

'...weeping may last through the night but joy comes with the morning.' Psalms 30:5b (NLT)

• Jesus will carry our burden

'Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.' Matthew 11:28-30

• Jesus will comfort us

 'Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.' 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

• Jesus will stay with us 

'For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.' Romans 8:38-39 

Chin Leng always had hope, the hope of glory. It is because of God's great love for him, as he shared with me recently from his hospital bed

'Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” 

The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young. Let him sit alone in silence, for the Lord has laid it on him. Let him bury his face in the dust— there may yet be hope. Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him, and let him be filled with disgrace.

For no one is cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone.' ‭‭Lamentations‬ ‭3‬:‭22‬-‭33

Though the grieving will last through many nights, yet the morning will break and a new dawn, a new hope will appear. Even 'when the world has plunged me in its deepest pit, I find my Saviour there. 'There is a hope that burns within my heart.' 

There is a hope that burns within my heart,
That gives me strength for every passing day;
A glimpse of glory now revealed in meagre part,
Yet drives all doubt away:
I stand in Christ, with sins forgiven;
And Christ in me, the hope of heaven!
My highest calling and my deepest joy,
To make His will my home.

There is a hope that lifts my weary head,
A consolation strong against despair,
That when the world has plunged me in its deepest pit,
I find the Saviour there!
Through present sufferings, future’s fear,
He whispers ‘courage’ in my ear.
For I am safe in everlasting arms,
And they will lead me home.

There is a hope that stands the test of time,
That lifts my eyes beyond the beckoning grave,
To see the matchless beauty of a day divine
When I behold His face!
When sufferings cease and sorrows die,
And every longing satisfied.
Then joy unspeakable will flood my soul,
For I am truly home.

And so farewell for now, dear friend and brother, Chin Leng. We shall meet again.

Lionel

Fill My Cup Lord

Created by Carole Weaver

'You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.' Psalms 23:5 (NKJV)

Ever so often we need times of refreshing. In the hot noonday sun of Samaria a Jesus Christ sat by the well. By and by a Samaritan woman came to fetch water and to refresh herself of thirst. Jesus Christ engaged her in conversation of thirst and much quenching water. Jesus requested this Samaritan for a drink, which surprised her because Jews would have nothing to do with Samaritans. 

As she delivered water to Him, Jesus told her that He will give her living water and after drinking she will never thirst again.

"Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I will give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling stream within them, giving them eternal life." John 4:13-14. (NLT) 

Like this woman, we are at times physically and spiritually dehydrated. Those of us who have gone for long route marches, know what it is to feel thirsty. We long for the water bottle decanter of ice cold water. That is physical thirst and in a way it indicates to us what it feels like to be profoundly deprived. 

But there is also a spiritual deprivation and a profound craving, a spiritual thirst. That spiritual thirst, only God can satisfy. 

'As the deer longs for streams of living water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God.' Psalm 42:1-2a (NLT)

'When the poor and the needy search for water and there is none, and their tongues are parched from thirst, then I, the Lord, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will never abandon them. I will open up rivers for them on the high plateaus. I will give them fountains of water in the valleys. I will fill the desert with pools of water. Rivers fed by springs will flow across the parched ground.' Isaiah 41:17-18 (NLT)

This is the living water that Jesus said He will give that Samaritan woman, the living water that will quench us until we will never thirst again. 

 

 'Jesus replied, "If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water." John 4:10 (NLT)

That living water will satisfy us in two ways. Firstly, it will be our salvation, the forgiveness of our sins and the restoration of a broken relationship between God and us. We will have streams of living water deep within us.

'Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, "Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, 'Rivers of living water will flow from his heart." John 7:37b-38 (NLT)

After the miracle of the loaves and fishes, feeding five thousand, Jesus said to believe in Him and He will give us the bread of life and living water. Jesus is our enduring satiation from hunger and thirst.

'Jesus replied, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." John 6:35 (NLT)

Secondly, the living water will be our spiritual refreshment. In this earthly life, we will face trying and difficult times. In times like these, we can be physically and spiritually drained, sapped of our energy and there can be no inspiration for living. Sometimes we feel as though we are an empty tank, depleted of vitality.

Spiritual refreshment is the restoration of strength, vigour and liveliness. It is a relief after suffering and grieving. We need the living water to refresh us! 

'I will pour out water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams.' Isaiah 44:3-4

Our strength will be renewed,

'But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.' Isaiah 40:31 

An unknown writer (Ref 1) wrote this poem, 'Fill My Cup Lord.'

When I am tired and weary

And I have lost my zeal,

Fill my cup Lord;

For I long to do Thy will.

When I get discouraged,

And my spirit needs to be renewed

Fill my cup Lord

So my soul may be rescued

When I am tempted by

Satan and one of his schemes,

Fill my cup Lord

So that I may see Your light as it brightly beams.

When sickness and sorrow

Comes my way,

Fill my cup Lord

For I know you're in control and they'll not forever stay.

Now, when I've resisted any

Temptations to do wrong,

You've filled my cup Lord!

For you abide in me and I in you; You've made me strong.

Like the woman at the well

I was seeking

For things that could not satisfy

And then I heard my Savior speaking

"Draw from My well that never shall run dry"

Fill my cup, Lord

I lift it up, Lord

Come and quench this thirsting of my soul

Bread of Heaven, feed me 'til I want no more

Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole

There are millions in this world

Who are craving

The pleasures, earthly things of gold

But none can match the wondrous treasure

That I find in Jesus Christ my Lord

Fill my cup, Lord

I lift it up, Lord

Come and quench this thirsting of my soul

Bread of Heaven, feed me 'til I want no more

Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole

Here's my cup, fill it up and make me whole 

So my brother if the things that this world gives you
Leave hungers that won’t pass away,
My blessed Lord will come and save you
If you kneel to Him and humbly pray— 

Fill my cup, Lord

I lift it up, Lord

Come and quench this thirsting of my soul

Bread of Heaven, feed me 'til I want no more

Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole

Here's my cup, fill it up and make me whole 

'Fill My Cup, Lord,' fill it to the brim and overflowing. May my cup 'runneth' over.  

Lionel

Ref 1 https://slife.org/fill-my-cup-lord/

I Know That My Redeemer Lives

 

'I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand on the earth.' Job 19:25

Satan had struck Job down. God gave His permission in a challenge by Satan to test the veracity of Job's faithfulness. The devil claimed that Job's faith will falter and in the end Job would turn away from his faith. At the height of this testing; suffering and in the poorest of health, his skin was covered with sores, Job agonised and his laments are recorded in Job Chapter 19.

'My breath is repulsive to my wife.' Job 19:17a (NLT)

 'I have been reduced to skin and bones.' Job 19:20a (NLT)

But Job's faith never faltered. He remained steadfast in the most adverse of circumstances. Sitting on a dung heap, Job could still declare,

'But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and He will stand upon the earth at last. But after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God!' Job 19:25-26

Not only is this one of the greatest testimony of faith, it is also a prophecy, a prophesy of the coming of Jesus Christ and the eventual victory over Satan; over sin and death; over suffering and deprivations. 

This poignant song of victory 'I know that my Redeemer liveth' is composed by Handel in the cantata 'Messiah.' 

I know that my redeemer liveth
And that he shall stand
At the latter day, upon the earth
I know that my redeemer liveth
And that he shall stand
At the latter day, upon the earth
Upon the earth

I know that my redeemer liveth
And he shall stand
Stand at the latter day, upon the earth
Upon the earth

And though worms destroy this body
Yet in my flesh shall I see God
Yet in my flesh shall I see God

I know that my redeemer liveth
And though worms destroy this body
Yet in my flesh shall I see God
Yet in my flesh shall I see God
Shall I see God

I know that my redeemer liveth
For now is Christ risen from the dead
The first fruits of them that sleep
Of them that sleep
The first fruits of them that sleep
For now is Christ risen
For now is Christ risen from the dead
The first fruits of them that sleep

Until that day when Christ shall come again, Satan remains a pernicious influence on this earth. Have you ever wondered, when things go so right in the church and in your ministry and life and then suddenly serious obstacles and challenges begin to appear? The devil is in the thick of things. The Apostle Peter warned,

'Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.' 1 Peter 1:8

This reality struck home recently for several families in our church. We are looking forward to going back to our newly constructed church premises. After several years of being in the doldrums of reduced church attendances during the Covid and post-Covid pandemic and worshipping in temporary premises, we are looking forward to returning to worship in a beautiful church sanctuary with new facilities. We are hoping to become an attractive community to the Koon Seng and Joo Chiat neighbourhoods and then suddenly so many of our faithful and serving members are struck down by cancer. Makes us wonder whether Satan is up to his tricks again.

But like Job, we will not buckle under. Like Job even in the midst of difficulties and sufferings, we will stand firm in our faith. St Peter spurs us on with these words,

'Resist him (the devil), standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.' 1 Peter 1:9

'And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.' 1 Peter 1:10

We live in a different era from Job. We have Christ who takes our burden. He said,

'Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.' Matthew 11:28- 29

We live in Anno Domini, the year of the Lord. Christ has come once and He lives in our midst and Christ shall come again. 'He Lives.'

I serve a risen Saviour, He's in the world today

I know that He is living, whatever men may say

I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer

And just the time I need Him He's always near

He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Christ Jesus lives today

He walks with me and talks with me

Along life's narrow way

He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Salvation to impart

You ask me how I know He lives?

He lives within my heart

In all the world around me I see His loving care

And though my heart grows weary I never will despair

I know that He is leading, through all the stormy blast

The day of His appearing will come at last

Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian Lift up your voice and sing

Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ, the King

The Hope of all who seek Him, the Help of all who find

None other is so loving, so good and kind

Lionel