The Hesitant Prize Fighter

Just for the people who missed it Heres the Youtube of it

I have not really been writing here for sometimes as lately I have been feeling a bit tired looking for a job in the midst of the economic crisis. Although they keep saying that “We are out of the recession”. “Citigroup – Beat wall street expectation AGAIN!” .

It seems to me that everyone is trying hard to find good news headlines, and it made me wonder, yes, it is good to hear many good news in the market. But I wonder really, what does these news have to do with the real situation around you? Or does people used the business headlines for marketing reason? Haha i guess only the companies who are featured there will know. Sometimes it kind of puzzle me why certain companies need to forecast and hit the headlines with news that really had no meaning to the others except for themselves… Maybe we are all desperately trying to find a life buoy to hold on to I guess.

Today I would be sharing on the topic, what does it really mean to be a Christian?

This is an old sharing I did for this years theological course with the students, it seems that although the truth found here is something that every Singaporean student there could recite, sometimes I wonder how many of this is actually done by all of us? Although some may say this is boring but heres it.

Today I would like to take the opportunity to get all of us to read some of the verses that will attempt to answer the following questions.
1. What does it mean to be a Christian?
2. What does God wants us to do?
3. How can we prepare to perform the work God wants us to do?

The Christians are only given this name by the people in the Roman empire around the time of Acts 11:26, in a place called Antioch. In the past I believe, being called a Christian certainly isnt sometimes as glamorous and it is often used as a derogatory term for worshipers of Christ. Many people views Christianity as a sect of Judaism commonly known as “The way” Acts 24:13. These people in the churches
knew the commission and the commands of Jesus

Matt 28:19-20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

They also knew that God called them out specially to be the Salt and Light of the world. Matt 5:14-15.
The Light of the world because God wanted the Christians to shine in their deeds and actions, to direct people to where God is and to bring salvation to them, leading them away from the darkness of sin.
The Salt of the world because God wanted them to be like salt, to help man reconcile themselves with God and to help prevent the moral decay that is happening to the world.

Knowing that this is a tough job to do, God gave his Holy spirit to the church to counsel and help the church members to accomplish these difficult task. The effects of the Holy spirit can be seen in the early believers like this
1. The holy spirit moved the members to have one soul and one mind, sharing everything that they had and to love one another
2. They studied into the word of God daily, and having fellowship daily, with the help of the Holy Spirit.
3. As the crowds was watching this, the Holy Spirit moved many others to join in, so God added to their numbers daily those that are being saved
4. The holy spirit move the church with compassion, and the church takes care of widows, orphans and the people who are in need. They have regular distributions to the poor and needy.

So, as we are gathered together here, reading this verses about Why are we called Christians, and what does God want us to do.as well as how the church was like in the past…. How are we to prepare for this daunting task ahead?

1. We should put in all our heart and mind into prayers, as it is the holy spirit that moved the early believers to accomplish many of the task.
2. Love one another, as we are staying together in the group, learn to accept each other faults and differences. help our fellow classmates who needs help to handle tough assignments. Serve each other, encourage each other whenever possible.
3. Focus on the bible studies, remember that we are searching the scriptures not because we wanted knowledge. But because we know that through the scriptures God talks to us, and we can use the lessons we learnt here in our daily lives. 2 Tim 3:6
4. Most importantly, we must continue to guard our hearts, even after the course when we return to our respective lives Prov 4:23

Now we would pray to ask God to help us remember our commission as well as to give us the strength to carry out what we had learn here.

Finally i was thinking of ending this with a hymn which i believe everyone knows how to sing. Rethink about what the early church is like, and sing this with
conviction and rededicate ourselves to God once again.

Lord, I want to be a Christian in my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be a Christian in my heart, in my heart.
In my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be a Christian in my heart, in my heart.

Lord, I want to be more loving in my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be more loving in my heart, in my heart.
In my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be more loving in my heart, in my heart.

Lord, I want to be more holy in my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be more holy in my heart, in my heart.
In my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be more holy in my heart, in my heart.

Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my heart, in my heart.
In my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my heart, in my heart.

Background to Gen 24

Gen 24 talks about how Abraham got a wife for Isaac. In this chapter, you can see that Abraham’s faith is not just passed to his family only, but it influence his servants as well.

Questions

1. How can we see the faith of the servant of Abraham?
2. How can we see the faith of Rebekah?

Answers and Thoughts

1. When Abraham servant first receives the assignment, he was well aware of the many difficulties he would encounter. He asked Abraham questions such as “What if the woman refuse to follow him?” (Gen 24:5-6). When Abraham told him that God. When Abraham said God will send his angels before him. The servant believed and he got on with the business.Upon entering the city of Nahor, the very first thing he does was to pray. And God lead Rebekah to the servant.
2. Rebekah must be the person that is taken by surprised in this chapter. As suddenly she was told that she would marry Isaac whom she had not met. She would also leave the city of Nahor and to stay with Isaac in the land of Canaan. The fact that Rebekah left her house was very surprising to me. Sometimes God would lead us to places that we may not know very well, would we have the courage to follow God? Abraham took that step when he first left Ur of the Chaldeans. Rebekah took her step when she left the city of Nahor. How about us?