I Found It - Discipleship

'Jesus said, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.' Luke 9:23

In 1976 the Campus Crusade for Christ (CCC) launched a world evangelism campaign, 'I Found It.' CCC, Singapore, partnering 200 churches used this theme to bring the gospel to as many as 71,841 persons. Of these 36% indicated decisions for Christ and more than 5000 enrolled in follow-up classes. It was a very successful campaign perhaps the first of its kind to use the mass media extensively.

On 24 May 1738 an earlier I Found It moment occurred. John Wesley felt his heart strangely warmed and recorded in his journal, "I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins." The Methodist Church was born that day and today there are 40.5 million of 'the people who call themselves Methodist' in 138 countries.

Why the name Methodist? Bishop Solomon explained, 'the word "Method" comes from two Greek words - meta (after) and hodos (way). It means "following after a way." In this regard it is noted that in the Gospels, our Lord described Himself as 'the Way' (John 14:6).' Ref 1. Methodists, so to speak, have found found the Way, Jesus.

Finding Christ is not just a simple slogan of I Found It. Finding Jesus in Jesus' time meant to go with him, observe him, study him and follow him by imitation and obedience. My brother Quek Koh Eng, in contemplating Luke 9:23 wrote "the challenge is for all who are called by God to take their faith seriously, grow as disciples of Christ, and not be content to be merely pew warmers but true believers who know and serve the will of God." Like a true army Colonel, Koh Eng said "God’s order has always been that every believer should be a witness; "you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). 

Of this John Wesley said “we are all at it and at it always.” It means having a desire and  making a decision to be a follower of Christ. Dietrich Bonhoeffer in his book the cost of discipleship, pointed out that one cannot be a disciple of Christ without forfeiting things normally sought in human life. On the other hand, Dallas Willard wrote that the cost of non-discipleship will be much more than what a disciple might forfeit. Willard wrote, non-discipleship costs 

• abiding peace, 
• a life penetrated throughout by love, 
• faith that sees everything in the light of God's over-riding governance for good, 
• hopefulness that stands firm in the most discouraging of circumstances
• power to do what is right and withstand the forces of evil.

Willard wrote, "non-discipleship costs you exactly that abundance of life Jesus said he came to bring (John 10:10)." Ref 2

During the 'I Found It' campaign many found salvation in Jesus Christ but they stopped there. No doubt, it is a very important first step; the Chinese have a saying, 'A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.' However there are innumerable more steps to take. The Christian journey will go on through eternity, so we cannot stop there, congratulating ourselves. The 'I Found It' campaign was not just to get people a ticket to heaven but to bring them to God.

Salvation alone does not define a Christ follower and does not lead to Christian witness and testimony. The last imperative Jesus gave whilst on earth, is recorded in Matthew 28:19 and 20 "Therefore go and make disciples....teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."

Being a disciple is a inner transformation of our core being in such a way that the we take on the character of Christ. This inner transformation is the work of the Holy Spirit aptly described by this hymn, Breathe on Me, Breath of God

1. Breathe on me, Breath of God,
   Fill me with life anew,
   That I may love what Thou dost love,
   And do what Thou wouldst do.
2. Breathe on me, Breath of God,
   Until my heart is pure,
   Until with Thee I will one will,
   To do and to endure.
3. Breathe on me, Breath of God,
   Till I am wholly Thine,
   Until this earthly part of me
   Glows with Thy fire divine.
4. Breathe on me, Breath of God,
   So shall I never die,
   But live with Thee the perfect life
   Of Thine eternity.

There is a the car decal that states, 'Don't Follow Me. I'm Lost.' This is terrible testimony but articulates the pathetic situation of the modern society. On the other hand, the transformed Christian disciple lives by the example of St Paul the apostle, "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ." 1 Cor 10:34. In other words, 'Follow me. I'm Found.'

Lionel        

  

Ref 1: Robert M Solomon. Following Jesus in a Fallen World. Chapter 20, Beyond Method; Rediscovering the Heart of Methodism. Genesis Book 2009

Ref 2: Dallas Willard. The Great Omission- Reclaiming Jesus' Essential Teachings on Discipleship. Chapter 1, Discipleship, For Super Christians only? HarperOne, 2006

You Don't Know Me

' Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.' Psalm 46:10

In 1956 Cynthia Walker and Eddie Arnold wrote this song You Don't Know Me set to a rather haunting and lamenting a melody. It is a song about unfulfilled relationship, a man was too shy to approach the woman he loved, too afraid to start a relationship. He stood in the shadows and watched as the woman walked away with another man. 

You give your hand to me,

And then you say hello

And I can hardly speak,

My heart is beating so

You think you know me well

But you don't know me, 

No you don't know me.

You give your hand to me

And then you say goodbye

I watch you walk away 

Beside the lucky guy

Oh you will never know

The one who loves you so

Well you won't know me

What a missed opportunity! A relationship did not develop because one party was too afraid to commit. 

There is another man who could say to us, "You don't know me." Jesus warned that some may face that prospect. This revelation in Matthew 7:21-23 will be very devastating for some.

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me you evildoers.'

We think we know God but many nominal Christians miss the opportunity of really knowing because we cannot commit to a meaningful relationship. A meaningful relationship with God through the person of Jesus requires our undivided attention, our absolute obedience and our sincere hearts. 

King David had a special relationship with God, a longing to know God deeply. He expressed this beautifully in Psalm 139 with an opening sentence, Psalm 139:1

"You have searched me, Lord, and you know me." 

David realised that there was no escaping the presence of God Psalm 139:7

"Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?"

David recognised that God knew him thoroughly, Psalm 139:14-15

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you 

when I was made in the secret place,

when I was woven together in the depths of God."

David reconciled to the full exposure of his life before God, Psalms 139:23-24

"Search me, God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting."

When Jesus was on earth He told His followers, "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me." John 10:14. Knowing God and being known by God is an existential imperative. It is the highest goal for every Christian.

Lionel 

 

More Than Conquerors

The Covid-19 Virus

'Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution of famine or danger or sword? No for all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.' Romans 8:35,37

The whole world seems to succumb to the Covid-19 pandemic. Today on the 25 October 2020, 42,946,446 of the world's population had contracted the Covid-19 virus infection and 1,154,857 had died from the disease. For a protracted and unrelenting period, countries and cities around the world are in some form of lockdown, isolated from each other with borders closed and economies devastated. In our lifetime, we have not witnessed a scourge such as this which threatens to bring us to our knees.

This tiny virus may have wreaked havoc to our physical bodies, our mental health and our livelihood but yesterday, a small group of elderly Christians from my church, Charis Methodist Church refused to allow this virus to dampen our spirits. Yesterday, more than 50 of us decided to meet in the Zoom Virtual Meeting platform to lift up our spirits. Despite restrictions of physical meetings we felt we could still show that even the more elderly among us have found ways to keep active within the Covid-19 restrictions. 

We showed pictures and videos of our interactions, all wearing masks or using virtual platforms. The older members quickly learnt to use WIFI and the Internet. We shared how our younger church members helped the elders to shop for groceries and to deliver food. We were encouraging each other and learning the heartfelt lessons from the exhortation of the prophet Isaiah,

"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the Lord, who has compassion on you.' Isaiah 54:10

Indeed these are troubling times, the Corona virus has spun the world into a global depression. Many of us lost our jobs or took substantial pay-cuts. At such times, a long forgotten Christian chorus comes to mind, 'In Times Like These.'

In times like these you need a Savior,

In times like these you need an anchor;

Be very sure, be very sure,

Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!

This Rock is Jesus, Yes He's the One,

This Rock is Jesus, the only One;

Be very sure, be very sure,

Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!

 

In times like these you need the Bible,

In times like these, O be not idle;

Be very sure, be very sure,

Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!

In times like these I have a Savior,

In times like these I have an anchor;

I'm very sure, I'm very sure

My anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!

So, we decided that although the virus may affect our bodies and health, it shall never affect our spirit because we have Jesus as the anchor of our souls.

We are reminded that this experience of living under some form of oppression, even persecution was also lived by the early Christian church. Yes, the apostles and the early Christian churches lived through untold hardships, yet they were not downtrodden. St Paul wrote to the Corinthians (2 Cor 4:8,9)

'We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed. 

The early church under the Roman empire persevered until respite came with the conversion of Emperor Constantine to Christianity. Since then and down through the ages, the Church and God's people experienced periods of blessings interspersed with periods of great difficulties and through it all we have prevailed. We are more than conquerors.

Lionel  

Must Life be a Struggle? Count Your Blessings

"The steps of a man are established by the Lord; and He delights in his way. When he falls, he shall not be hurled headlong; because the Lord is the One who holds his hands."  Psalms 37: 23-24 

We used to have a small pond of Oranda goldfishes. Two of them in particular caught my attention. One red Oranda had a slice of its long broad tail bitten off. The poor thing was unable to swim properly. It was a struggle for it to stay afloat and to fight for food amongst seven other goldfishes. Yet it was feisty fish and was determined to have its space within the pond. For this red one, life is a struggle.

The other was a silver Oranda with a red cap which Pat called the Cardinal. In contrast it swam gracefully and effortlessly, spreading fins and its broad and long flowing tail. When I watched these two fishes, I long for that gracefulness of the cardinal and yet I best identify with the struggle of the red Oranda.

What has life in store for us? Is it one of struggle instead of graceful peace? What does God require of us? The Bible in Micah 6:8 answered this question "He has showed you, O man, what is good and what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." God requires from us, not just the usual outward show and outcomes of Christian witness but the depth of inner character. Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us, “I know the thoughts that I think toward you,’ says the Lord, ‘thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope”. God has our best interest at heart.

Kent Nerburn wrote a book entitled 'The Hidden Beauty of Everyday Life' which is a series of short essays of inspirational anecdotes of everyday experiences and seeing the sublime within each experience (Ref 1). Nerburn wrote:

To those who find God in the ordinary moments

Who know that life has meaning beyond the simple acts that make up our ordinary days

 Who feel the presence of God in the trees and the grasses and a baby's helpless cries,

in the loneliness of the elderly, the love of young couples, the good work of the labourers, in the silence of the night

Who are moved to tears by the kind act or caring word

Who stop to help the weak rather than seek the favour of the strong

Kent Nerburn is right, if we can see good in the simple acts including our own then we can live gracefully, treasure the times and the blessings. 

We were taught when we first became Christians that we should live our lives counting our blessings. There is an old familiar folk song call Count your Blessings which encourages us to go through each day with inner quiet, peace and strength

Count your blessings one by one

When dawn appears and day has just begun

They will light your heart with happiness

Make each hour bright and bring you gladness

Count your blessings one by one

When twilight falls and toil of day is done

And in sweet dreams they'll come again to you

If you will count your blessings each day through

Count your blessings while you may

For we are here with little time to stay

All around are hearts sincere and true

Lovely things abound just waiting for you

Count your blessings while you may 

The big or small which ever comes your way

For then you'll find this world a place of love

If you will count your blessings from above

To be sure, God has not promised skies always blue and there will be difficulties and challenges ahead. Whatever life may throw at us, we are asked to walk humbly with our God. In the overall scheme of things, life need not be a struggle.

Lionel

Ref 1. Kent Nerburn. The Hidden Beauty of Everyday Life. New World Library June 2006/

1st published 14 Jul 2007

Christian Hospitality - Thank You For Being A Friend

'For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.. Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you do for Me.' Matthew 25:35-36 and 40.

A Christian brother, Kenneth Lau, shared a story which left me with a lasting impression of Christian Hospitality and its positive influence on the recipient. Kenneth was a student in the USA and he related that one wintry day he decided to go on a cycling marathon. Unfortunately as it got dark, Kenneth cycled into snow storm. Soon he could no longer go further, whereupon he chanced on a brightly lighted house. He knocked on the door to ask for shelter. 

The host warmly welcomed him, sat him by the fire to dry and then invited him to join the family's thanksgiving dinner. There was Kenneth, intruding into this Christian family thanksgiving and yet, he was received as one of them and shared a happy meal. Perhaps the most memorable for Kenneth 

When the storm subsided, Kenneth cycled back to the University. He shared with us that at that encounter his Christian faith was strengthened for he had partaken of the love of God shared by this Christian family. This incident anchored his faith in Jesus Christ.    

What a fine example of Christian hospitality so wonderfully offered to a complete stranger! 

Hospitality was a hallmark of the early Christian church, the willingness to open up their homes to others, even to strangers. This was a major factor contributing to the spread of the gospel wherein itinerant preachers were offered accommodation in the homes of the early Christian families and shared meals. The early church was obedient to Christ's teaching in Matt 25, the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats. 

Hebrews 13:2 reminded, 'Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.' In 3 John 1:5 the apostle John praised his friend Gaius, "Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you."

The sharing of a meal is a commonplace practice in Asian families especially with the Chinese. This is not the easiest thing to do. It is a gift. When we extend hospitality to friends and strangers, we have to receive them in a free and friendly space in which they will not feel strange but welcomed, the same way that Kenneth was welcomed that wintry thanksgiving evening. 

So let us be willing to share our private spaces. We can invite people into our lives yet exclude them from ourselves and keep them at a distance. Discover the other person and be a true friend because     

• True friends are lasting.
• True friends are anchored by God's love.
• True friends dare to love.
• True friends provide mutual encouragement.

That's what friends are for.