Motherhood revived !

Title: Motherhood Revived! From Life to Life
Text: 2 Kings 4:8-37; 8:1-6
Ms Beh

The speaker admitted she still has many struggles as a mother and still has a long way to go and grow as a mother. Today's message is not only for biological mothers, but also for spiritual mothers and fathers too, because the same principles apply. Going through difficult times as a mother is normal and expected. But that is not where we start, because we have God who can bring new life and new hope into our lives. As a former nurse, the speaker had witnessed diseases draining away the lives of many ER patients in the past. In the same way, many challenges and struggles can drain away our life as a mother.

The Shunammite's Son Restored to Life 

V8 One day Elisha went to Shunem. And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat.

2 Kings 4:8-37 - God is gracious to revitalise motherhood with His life-giving power when we choose to put our faith and trust in him. If we look to God in the midst of our difficulties and struggles, we will see God's grace unfold and at work in our lives. 2 Kings Chapters 2 to 8 record a series of miracles that Elisha had performed in Israel in the midst of a spiritual decline. The northern kingdom of Israel had fallen away from God and worshiped Baal under the reign of King Ahab who changed the spiritual direction of Israel.

Setting: The ministry of Elisha against the backdrop of Israelite kings
- Ahab was the king that introduced Baal worship
- Thus, judgment was pronounced on Ahab and his household

*Unifying thread from 2 Kings chapters 2-8:
- obedience leads to blessings
- disobedience leads to curses such as: desert/famine: failure of crops, defeat: failure of military power, death: failure in life.

Outline
1. When we depend on our own strength and wisdom to nurture the next generation, motherhood leads to despondency and disillusion (4:8-17).

Self-sufficiency brings Despondency and Disillusion (2 Kings 4:8-17)

*Comfort in life has the potential to cultivate a self-reliant outlook (4:8-10)

*Self interest can lead to misuse and abuse of our God-given gifts and efforts (4:11-18).
- The promise DID NOT involve God
- The promise was a result of self- directed effort (observed by Gehazi and reported to Elisha).

When we depend on our own strength and wisdom to nurture the next generation, motherhood will lead to despondency and disillusion. When we raise children based on the influence of the world as to what is important, we will lose track of our priorities in raising children. When we take the future of our children and steer it in our own hands; when we set the course of their lives based on what we think is right, we are setting ourselves up for despondency and disappointment down the road. Children are gifts from God. They are like arrows in our hands; they are to be aimed and shot to the target, not our target but God's target.

2. When we lean upon God in endurance and trust, motherhood is revitalised and life giving (4:18-37; 8:1-6).
Reliance on God gives Revitalisation and Life

*Crises are God-ordained opportunitic moments that lead us from self-centredness to God (4:18-25a)
- The joy of motherhood was very quickly replaced by pain,
 heartache and suffering of the child's death (4:18-20)
- The crises in motherhood drives us to God (4:21-25a)
The turning point of the whole story comes in Verse 33 - "Elisha prayed to the Lord."

*God's grace in the midst of life's many sufferings is the beacon of life-giving hope (4:25b-38: 8:1-6)

Where do we go from here? 3 things to help us to navigate through motherhood, whether we are biological or spiritual mother.

God is not mentioned in the passage. 

32 When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his couch. 33 He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the LORD. 

The turning point of this story was Elisha prayed to God. First time, God was involved in this story for the first time. 

A revived motherhood
Recognise the gifts and strength that have been given to us (e.g. biological mothers, spiritual mothers)

Realign our priorities in raising biological or spiritual children:
- What is important to God in this child?
- What is the priority in each season of life?

Rely on God and His wisdom and power for things that are within and beyond our human control.

Release the control.

Relationship as a path of suffering. "The deepest things that I have learned in my own life have come from the deepest suffering. Out of the deepest waters and the hottest fires have come the deepest things that I know about God..... I would add this that the greatest gifts of my life have also entailed the greatest suffering. The greatest gifts of my life for example have been marriage and motherhood. And let's never forget that if we don't ever want to suffer, we must be very careful never to love anything or anybody." - Elizabeth Elliot.

Our deepest experience as human beings revolves around relationships, especially family relationships. There will be times when our journey together as mothers and children, or as fathers and children, that we will bear scars and tears but all of these God can revive. Our scars can become marks of God's victory and God's grace in our lives when we centre our hope in Him. Our hope for the future is not in our children. Our hope for the future and for their future is in God. He alone can bring life.

Conclusion: As we struggle through the difficulties in raising children, choose to trust in God and believe in Him as the centre and the source of motherhood.

Questions

1. Share one joy and one challenge of motherhood. It can be your own joy/challenge or the joy/challenge of your mother in raising you.

2. As a disciple of Jesus Christ, how can we be a "mother" to someone? What are the roles and responsibilities of being a "mother" in this context?

3. Share with your Connect Group a breakthrough moment when you choose to trust in God in motherhood (or fatherhood).

Following Jesus all the way

Following Jesus all the way

John 6

7 May 2017

Ps Renny Khoo

John 6.66 Turning point - disciples leaving Jesus

The illustration of two sisters fighting over a pair of slippers and how they ‘handle’ the situation where both are satisfied with the outcome brings us too to the question of how we will handle questions or situations that challenges us in our Christian walk.

John 6: 66 “From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.”

As we have decided to follow Jesus, there will be many situation and temptation and many may find it easier to leave and not follow Jesus. It is in these situations when we learn to handle the challenges post will we be able to continue to follow Jesus.

John 6 recorded two accounts that the disciples faced which is considered as challenging situations.Capernaum to Bethsaida is a short trip on the lake - Sea of Galilee. On that day / night, there was a strong wind.

1. Tough situation John 6: 3 - 21

 a.     Impossible task

 When Jesus decided to take time to rest and pray in Bethsaida a little way from Capernaum, the multitudes followed him and Jesus seeing their needs had compassion and decided to minister to them. As the day went into the late evening, the multitudes were still present and there were no nearby convenient stores for them to address their physical needs. Jesus being aware of this asked the disciples to feed them. The disciples were at a lost to address the multitude needs as it will cost much to do so (eight months’ pay) and they do not have the financial means nor resources nearby. It was an impossible task. In the midst of all this, Philip was able to find a boy who has 2 fish and 5 loaves which was meant for his lunch. This meagre resource was multiplied by Jesus to feed the multitude of 5 thousand.

The lesson learnt is that Jesus is able to multiply whatever resource that we have to meet our unsurmountable task/ need that is before us. In the area of church ministry, the little that we can give and offer matters to the work of the Kingdom of God. It is in God’s hands the multiplication of our little that we offer happens and it affects people lives. 

b.     Unpredicted storm 

 What supposed to be a routine trip to pick up Jesus in the shores of Capernaum became life threatening when a storm met them in the sea of Galilee. Even the disciples of Jesus encounters storms in their lives but Jesus came to them when the disciples were afraid and were struggling to control the boat in the midst of the storm. Likewise, for us in the midst of our struggles with a death threat, relational breakdown, fragmented relationship, financial struggle, a wayward child or just generally in a tough position, we press in until the Lord say “it is I, do not be afraid” John 6: 20. Push by the strong wind and hard press, anxious of the days ahead, take comfort as we strain at our oars of life, we must ask and welcome Jesus to come on board. As He comes on board, He will take charge to bring to conclusion our life struggles.

 2. Trying questions 6. 22 to 71

a.     What should I do to be saved
 Jesus was asked “Is it by good works we can be saved?”

Jesus answered that it is not by one’s works but in believing in whom God had sent, which was Him, Jesus. Other religion may claim otherwise but Jesus claim was exclusive for it is only through Jesus we find God the Father.

b.     Who should I believe

 Up till the feeding of the five thousand, they only saw Jesus as the prophet Moses in Deuteronomy 18 where another   prophet will be raise like Moses but cannot understand Jesus as the Son of God as in Isaiah 61.

c.      What sign or work is God performing

 Despite the miracle of Jesus feeding the 5,000 they still wanted more sign for in their mind Jesus is still a prophet who like Moses gave manna to feed the people. However, Jesus corrected them in John 6: 32, 33 by teaching them that the manna came from God, the Father and now He has given Jesus, the bread of God who comes from heaven to give life to the world. Jesus was declaring that He is the living bread v51 and whoever who eat this bread and drink of this blood, he will have no life. At that time, the Jews did not understand but Jesus was referring to His death on the cross. It is a wonder for through the Son of Man our guilt is removed, our search for truth satisfied, our security made complete and we can live a life based on hope.

Conclusion

Tough situations are not without reason, but we must be prepared to grow stronger

Trying questions are not without answers but we must be prepared to search for the truth. Many are unwilling to accept the above and chose not to continue to follow Jesus as in John 6: 61. But the 12 stayed on for they have come to believe the Jesus has the words of eternal life, they believe he is the holy one of God and they followed Him all the way.

The challenge for us is that in our journey, we too will have to make a commitment to Jesus to follow all the way and not just believing of his existence or what he has done. His presence is always with us for he is a good shepherd and he will guide us and hold our hand be it in the mountain or in the valley, high or low time, in good or tough situation, with answers or searching for it, in confronting tough situation or embracing trying questions, we press on to hear the God’s voice say “it is I, do not be afraid”.

Questions :-

Who is my healer?

Title : Who is my Healer
Text: John 5
Brother Dr David Fung

30 April 2017

John 4:34 Mission statement of Jesus

Jesus often used physical items in the world to illustrate the spiritual realm. 

This is my Beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.

1) Background
The third sign in the gospel of John
The scene: A pool by Bethesda and many disabled people lying in wait for the waters to be stirred up so that they could be the first one to jump in and be cured of whatever disease they had.

The beneficiary of the sign. His miracle was healing of his lameness after 38 years

2) Did the man who was healed have faith in the healer for his miracle?
No. The cripple did not have faith that the healer could heal him. He did not know who the healer was. He just obeyed when told to pick up his mat and walk and he was healed.

When was the "work" of healing performed? 
On the sabbath day. According to the Jewish law carrying a mat on the sabbath day was work and therefore unlawful.

What are the reactions to the miracle?
Instead of celebrating with the lame man over his healing the religious leaders were infuriated that Jesus had broken the sabbath law and they began to pursue him and seek his life.

3) Who healed the lame man? Jesus
But who is this Jesus who healed him?
Jesus claims to be God's son and to be equal with God. To the Jewish leaders this is blasphemy punishable by death

What and how did Jesus answer?
Jesus claims equality with God as follows:

a) Equality in working: whatever the father does the son also do v19
b) Equality in knowing: Father shows the son all he does v20
c) Equality in resurrecting: father and son gives life to whom they please v21
d) Equality in judging: all judgement is entrusted to Jesus v22
e) Equality in honor: All who honor the father must honor the son v23
f) Equality in regenerating: All who hear my words and believe in the father has life v24
g) Equality in self existence: father and son have life in himself v25

What witnesses did he refer to support this answer of equality with God.
Jesus named 4 witnesses.
1) John the Baptist with his proclamation to prepare the way for the Lord
2) The witness of his works through his miraculous and supernatural works
3) The witness of the Father by proclaiming that Jesus is his beloved son during his baptism
4) The witness of the OT scriptures. The Torah long ago predicted the coming of the messiah.

Questions

1) Are signs and wonders important to you? Why?

2) Who is Jesus of Nazareth?

3) Who is this Jesus to you?

Psalm 29

Psalm 29

1 Ascribe to the LORD, O mighty ones, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due to his name; worship the LORD in the splendour of his holiness.

3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.

4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic.

5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, Sirion like a young wild ox.

7 The voice of the LORD strikes with flashes of lightning.

8 The voice of the LORD shakes the desert; the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh.

9 The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, "Glory!"

10 The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD is enthroned as King for ever.

11 The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.

http://redpilldisciple.blogspot.my/2016/06/

http://www.scatterthestones.co.uk/praise-the-lords-glorious-name/

John 4 - Christ and the Woman's Encounter

Christ and the Woman's Encounter
John 4
Elder Annie Wong
23 April 2017

I. Her attention was caught (vv1-15)
- Jesus because of divine impulse "had to pass through Samaria" (v4) despite Jewish aversion to Samaritans
- woman surprised by Jesus' request for water (factors of culture, gender, personal background)
- while Jesus began with a simple request for water, ironically His concern was for the woman's spiritual needs rather than water (Jn 4:32-34), because his top priority was her salvation
- from her physical need for water, Jesus introduced to her Living water (Jn 7:37-38) leading her to ask how she can have access to this water He was talking about

II. Her heart was challenged (vv16-26)
concerning her past
- Jesus commented on her honesty twice (vv17-18) yet lovingly called out her shameful past rather than not mentioning it
- we need to realise that ppl must be brought to a place they can recognise their sinfulness in order to truly be convicted and converted
concerning worship
- often-asked question: traditional or contemporary style of worship?
- external location (temple) does not determine true worship (spiritual act); worship is first and foremost an experience of the heart that leads us to Truth (Jn 17:17)

III. Her life was changed and caused results (vv25-42)
- her gentle yet clear invitation to the people to "come and see" led ppl to Christ
- interestingly Jesus' conversation with this woman is the longest dialogue recorded in the bible
- story of the woman on Japan trip with her daughter
- we must share about our experiences with Christ, for you never know the change it can bring to others.

An encounter with Christ is a glorious experience. It is not an experience you can keep to yourself. If you keep it to yourself, the fire it ignited within you will die.

- Ps Renny: in our own lives, what are the signs of Christ which leads us to revelation? How do we respond to those signs/revelations? How do we share these encounters with others to multiply the blessing of Life that God has given to us?


Questions:
(1) What can we learn from Jesus' conversation with the Samaritan woman that can help us in our witnessing?
(2) Where do we find true worship? What does Jesus mean when He says we will worship God "in spirit and in truth"? Share how to worship God in spirit and in truth.
(3) Share an encounter you had with Christ. What was the result?