T3 – (Transcending Transitional Turbulence)

Good morning/afternoon!

I would like to thank you, family, for welcoming my family and I so warmly into your midst, and allowing me to be a part of this wonderful redeeming community of faith…

Sermon Title : T3 – (Transcending Transitional Turbulence)

Occasion : English Sunday Service

If you’re new to our church and are here the first time, and don’t know what I’m talking about, let me explain…

You see, I’ve just been appointed to PLMC slightly more than a month ago, and so if you’re new to this church, you’re not the only one… you’re in good company… I’m new too…

Location : Paya Lebar Methodist Church

So, just as I have been welcoming you to our church, I am in the process of being welcomed into our church as well… perhaps we can go down to the welcome corner and chat over a cup of coffee…

MPP : We have victory over our circumstances in life in God

<Pause>

Good morning/afternoon!

Over the last one month or so, as you can tell there had been many changes in life…

I would like to thank you, family, for welcoming my family and I so warmly into your midst, and allowing me to be a part of this wonderful redeeming community of faith…

If you’re new to our church and are here the first time, and don’t know what I’m talking about, let me explain…

I went from being a theological student and serving a church that I had been going to for most of my adult life… to being a pastor, serving in a new church…

You see, I’ve just been appointed to PLMC slightly more than a month ago, and so if you’re new to this church, you’re not the only one… you’re in good company… I’m new too…

These are changes that take time to adjust and because of habit patterns, on days that I am not paying attention, I may find myself driving towards my previous church, or even greet you by saying “welcome to Ang Mo Kio Methodist Church”…

So, just as I have been welcoming you to our church, I am in the process of being welcomed into our church as well… perhaps we can go down to the welcome corner and chat over a cup of coffee…

If I were to do that, please don’t take offense, and don’t be angry with me ok? Just laugh along with me ok?

<Pause>

Well, just for the record, I’ve actually done something similar, by referring to the wrong hymnal once in my former church and only one person realised my mistake…

Over the last one month or so, as you can tell there had been many changes in life…

The point is… with changes in our lives, somethings we get disorientated because of the turbulence in our lives, with all the different changes… we find it hard to find our footing amidst all the changes…

which reminds me of the time, a few years ago, I was in a ferry, on the way to Bintan on a holiday with my travelling companion (I shall not mention that she’s my wife so as not to embarrass her)…

I went from being a theological student and serving a church that I had been going to for most of my adult life… to being a pastor, serving in a new church…

I’m joking… I already had permission from her to share this story with you…

These are changes that take time to adjust and because of habit patterns, on days that I am not paying attention, I may find myself driving towards my previous church, or even greet you by saying “welcome to Ang Mo Kio Methodist Church”…

If I were to do that, please don’t take offense, and don’t be angry with me ok? Just laugh along with me ok?

The time of travel was during the December holidays, and because of the monsoon winds, the conditions of the sea was pretty bad…

Well, just for the record, I’ve actually done something similar, by referring to the wrong hymnal once in my former church and only one person realised my mistake…

However, I wasn’t paying much attention to it, and just enjoying the view outside looking forward to spending sometime away from my work…

Then I turned back into the cabin and saw that my wife wasn’t enjoying the trip as much as I was…

The point is… with changes in our lives, somethings we get disorientated because of the turbulence in our lives, with all the different changes… we find it hard to find our footing amidst all the changes…

which reminds me of the time, a few years ago, I was in a ferry, on the way to Bintan on a holiday with my travelling companion (I shall not mention that she’s my wife so as not to embarrass her)…

Her face was pale and had the “do not disturb me” look on her face… then I realise what was happening…

I’m joking… I already had permission from her to share this story with you…

I quickly realised that she was suffering of seasickness and while I was enjoying the scenery outside and actually enjoying the bumps as the ferry was navigating the troughs and crests in the sea, my wife was trying to keep what she had for breakfast down…

And what is the cause of this seasickness?

The time of travel was during the December holidays, and because of the monsoon winds, the conditions of the sea was pretty bad…

It’s because of turbulence in what waters below the ferry…

However, I wasn’t paying much attention to it, and just enjoying the view outside looking forward to spending sometime away from my work…

As some water particles that are trying to go in one direction and others going in another directions and as the water particles interact, they influence each other causing very erratic movement which in turn causes the ferry to move about erratically…

Then I turned back into the cabin and saw that my wife wasn’t enjoying the trip as much as I was…

Her face was pale and had the “do not disturb me” look on her face… then I realise what was happening…

As a result, your inner ear creates havoc to you as the fluid in your inner ear is constantly trying to keep up with the motion that it is subject to, always being slightly behind the motion that your eye sees and because the picture painted by your ear and your eyes do not telly with one another and that’s when you start to get nauseated and dizzy…

And when the age-old advice comes in handy… and what does it say?

I quickly realised that she was suffering of seasickness and while I was enjoying the scenery outside and actually enjoying the bumps as the ferry was navigating the troughs and crests in the sea, my wife was trying to keep what she had for breakfast down…

And what is the cause of this seasickness?

Look at something far away… why? Because it’s far away, from our point of view, it’s not moving and rather than having both your eyes and your ears sensing movement at different speeds, you have a fixed point and suddenly everything is able to take reference from this fixed point and things start to make sense, and your body is able to now find stability…

It’s because of turbulence in what waters below the ferry…

That was what made the difference between my wife and I…

I was looking outside all the time and my wife was not…

As some water particles that are trying to go in one direction and others going in another directions and as the water particles interact, they influence each other causing very erratic movement which in turn causes the ferry to move about erratically…

Though we were in the same location, the ferry, both being rocked by turbulence, but she had nothing to fix her eyes on, while I had… that made the difference for us…

As a result, your inner ear creates havoc to you as the fluid in your inner ear is constantly trying to keep up with the motion that it is subject to, always being slightly behind the motion that your eye sees and because the picture painted by your ear and your eyes do not telly with one another and that’s when you start to get nauseated and dizzy…

So, this month is for me, a time of adjustment and adapting… it is a time of transition…

And when the age-old advice comes in handy… and what does it say?

Look at something far away… why? Because it’s far away, from our point of view, it’s not moving and rather than having both your eyes and your ears sensing movement at different speeds, you have a fixed point and suddenly everything is able to take reference from this fixed point and things start to make sense, and your body is able to now find stability…

And when there’s transition, there’s turbulence, because there are parts of you that remains the same… and there are parts of you that are being changed….

There are parts of you that wants to go in this particular direction and other parts of you which want to go in another direction and as they interact with one another, just like water or air, they create a tension within you, some sort of a dissonance… so there’s a level of instability and uncertainty and while you are being thrown about with all the winds of changes and you’re trying to make sense of it all…

That was what made the difference between my wife and I…

I was looking outside all the time and my wife was not…

In fact, this is studied quite a bit and according to just one study done, there is a scale called the Holmes-Rahe Life Stress inventory which plots out the likelihood of someone falling sick, with respect to the cumulative stress as a result of changes in one’s life…

I thought it was quite interesting to point out that even seemingly happy things in our lives can cause stress… take a look at serial number 7, 16, 41, 42…

Though we were in the same location, the ferry, both being rocked by turbulence, but she had nothing to fix her eyes on, while I had… that made the difference for us…

The point is that our life is in a constant flux, sometimes, there’s more changes, and sometimes, there’s less and coming back to our text for today, it was a time of great changes…

So, this month is for me, a time of adjustment and adapting… it is a time of transition…

And when there’s transition, there’s turbulence, because there are parts of you that remains the same… and there are parts of you that are being changed….

You see, 1 Peter was a letter Apostle Peter wrote during the first century which was needless to say, a very turbulent time for the Christians…

At that time, the people of the Roman empire, as Paul pointed out in , were very religious… What he meant was that they had many, many gods, in fact they had patron gods and goddesses at major street and buildings and the residents are known to offer sacrifices to theses gods and goddesses who in turn grant them good fortune and protection…

There are parts of you that wants to go in this particular direction and other parts of you which want to go in another direction and as they interact with one another, just like water or air, they create a tension within you, some sort of a dissonance… so there’s a level of instability and uncertainty and while you are being thrown about with all the winds of changes and you’re trying to make sense of it all…

In fact, this is studied quite a bit and according to just one study done, there is a scale called the Holmes-Rahe Life Stress inventory which plots out the likelihood of someone falling sick, with respect to the cumulative stress as a result of changes in one’s life…

So you can very well imagine, if something goes wrong in the neighbourhood, you can be assured that they will be most happy to blame the “weird” people in their midst … for either they really think so, or they just want somebody to take the blame, they will rationalise that because the gods must be angry with their neighbours who are not participating with the rituals which is why misfortunate is upon the people…

I thought it was quite interesting to point out that even seemingly happy things in our lives can cause stress… take a look at serial number 7, 16, 41, 42…

this is probably more stark because the people in this letter were converts from paganistic beliefs to Christianity and so you see suddenly the very same people who partook of temple sacrifices, office blessings (not Christian blessing, but pagan blessing), worshipping those mini-deities suddenly no longer doing so, and the reason they gave was because they now can only worship one God… thus they were persecuted by the people, ostracised by their former friends and outcast in their society…

The point is that our life is in a constant flux, sometimes, there’s more changes, and sometimes, there’s less and coming back to our text for today, it was a time of great changes…

sounds very familiar right? I’m sure you’ve heard of kitchen deities, door deities etc…

You see, 1 Peter was a letter Apostle Peter wrote during the first century which was needless to say, a very turbulent time for the Christians…

This is like what many of those even within our community face when they become new Christians, when they are the only Christian in the family and they do not quite know what to do when it comes to occasions such as Qing Ming Jie, or mid-Autumn festival…

Or in companies where the bosses are idol worshippers and they have the altar in the carpark of the businesses and when the boss leads the staff in offering sacrifices to the idols, and if you don’t participate in the rituals… then when the company does not do as well that year, sometimes they get pointed out as the cause of the poor performance in the business…

At that time, the people of the Roman empire, as Paul pointed out in , were very religious… What he meant was that they had many, many gods, in fact they had patron gods and goddesses at major street and buildings and the residents are known to offer sacrifices to theses gods and goddesses who in turn grant them good fortune and protection…

What about the Jewish people? Surely having the similar heritage, those Christians would be accepted by the Jewish people right?

So you can very well imagine, if something goes wrong in the neighbourhood, you can be assured that they will be most happy to blame the “weird” people in their midst … for either they really think so, or they just want somebody to take the blame, they will rationalise that because the gods must be angry with their neighbours who are not participating with the rituals which is why misfortunate is upon the people…

this is probably more stark because the people in this letter were converts from paganistic beliefs to Christianity and so you see suddenly the very same people who partook of temple sacrifices, office blessings (not Christian blessing, but pagan blessing), worshipping those mini-deities suddenly no longer doing so, and the reason they gave was because they now can only worship one God… thus they were persecuted by the people, ostracised by their former friends and outcast in their society…

Well… not really… in fact, initially, the Roman authorities thought of Christianity as just one of the Jewish sects and thus receive the same protection as the Jewish people, being the ancestral religion of the land…

However, after a while, the Jews rejected the Christians because the Christians do not adhere to the Kosher food law, do not circumcise their sons and do not observe the Levitical law…

sounds very familiar right? I’m sure you’ve heard of kitchen deities, door deities etc…

So, the people were seen to be strangers to the people around them… neither belonging to the general population who follow the paganistic sacrifices nor the Jewish people… the people of the land… they do not belong to any group of people and was thus rightly described by Peter as strangers or aliens in the land…

This is like what many of those even within our community face when they become new Christians, when they are the only Christian in the family and they do not quite know what to do when it comes to occasions such as Qing Ming Jie, or mid-Autumn festival…

Or in companies where the bosses are idol worshippers and they have the altar in the carpark of the businesses and when the boss leads the staff in offering sacrifices to the idols, and if you don’t participate in the rituals… then when the company does not do as well that year, sometimes they get pointed out as the cause of the poor performance in the business…

which is why in verse 12 of our text today, which reads “as though something strange were happening to you,” the word that is translated as strange is the word ξένου (xenou) should probably be better translated as “alien” or “foreigner” (meaning foreigner, not ET) and is where we get the English word xenophobic (or fear of people from other countries) from… and while it is not so obvious in the English translation, if I bring out the Greek, you can see that it is the same word here, ξενίζεσθε (xenizesthe), that is translated as surprised here… as you can see, the core of the word is the same…

so Peter was actually playing with the word to bring home the message that being foreigners, they should not to foreign to the trials they face, because the people around them see the as foreigners…

What about the Jewish people? Surely having the similar heritage, those Christians would be accepted by the Jewish people right?

Well… not really… in fact, initially, the Roman authorities thought of Christianity as just one of the Jewish sects and thus receive the same protection as the Jewish people, being the ancestral religion of the land…

in fact, in verse 13, Peter went on to tell them to rejoice in the sufferings because they are participating in the suffering of Christ and finally, in verse 14 and 15, Peter tells them they are blessed because they are insulted for the glory of God is resting on them…

What does that mean?

However, after a while, the Jews rejected the Christians because the Christians do not adhere to the Kosher food law, do not circumcise their sons and do not observe the Levitical law…

Does it mean we should look for rejoice that we are suffering? Looking for chances to suffer just to identify with Christ? Should we go out and antagonise people, look for trouble so that we can be insulted and let the glory of God rest on us?

So, the people were seen to be strangers to the people around them… neither belonging to the general population who follow the paganistic sacrifices nor the Jewish people… the people of the land… they do not belong to any group of people and was thus rightly described by Peter as strangers or aliens in the land…

which is why in verse 12 of our text today, which reads “as though something strange were happening to you,” the word that is translated as strange is the word ξένου (xenou) should probably be better translated as “alien” or “foreigner” (meaning foreigner, not ET) and is where we get the English word xenophobic (or fear of people from other countries) from… and while it is not so obvious in the English translation, if I bring out the Greek, you can see that it is the same word here, ξενίζεσθε (xenizesthe), that is translated as surprised here… as you can see, the core of the word is the same…

Of course not!

V16 is the key to understanding for it is stated that “if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name” meaning that the focus is not on the suffering but on the your identity as Christians… in fact, other than the book of Acts, the word Christians is only other placed in the bible that is used is here… to designate their unique status as being followers of Christ…

so Peter was actually playing with the word to bring home the message that being foreigners, they should not to foreign to the trials they face, because the people around them see the as foreigners…

in fact, in verse 13, Peter went on to tell them to rejoice in the sufferings because they are participating in the suffering of Christ and finally, in verse 14 and 15, Peter tells them they are blessed because they are insulted for the glory of God is resting on them…

In other words, they should rejoice that they are Christians and not that they are suffering…

They should rejoice that they are no longer bound to the things of the world, and the clutches of the enemy, but are now secured in the hands of God…

What does that mean?

The focus on their rejoicing is the fellowship of Jesus, not the suffering…

Does it mean we should look for rejoice that we are suffering? Looking for chances to suffer just to identify with Christ? Should we go out and antagonise people, look for trouble so that we can be insulted and let the glory of God rest on us?

Of course not!

And if I may go back to the analogy of the ferry, they should rejoice in the fact that they are no longer on the shore, but are now in the ferry of salvation…

They are now part of the community that is already redeemed, having already been saved by Jesus Christ’s salvific work on the cross, and they know that they are no longer simply on a rudderless sampan or plank of wood, floating aimlessly in the waters…

V16 is the key to understanding for it is stated that “if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name” meaning that the focus is not on the suffering but on the your identity as Christians… in fact, other than the book of Acts, the word Christians is only other placed in the bible that is used is here… to designate their unique status as being followers of Christ…

In other words, they should rejoice that they are Christians and not that they are suffering…

But they are now, part of the redeemed community, having the power and love of God with them, knowing that there will come a day where we will no longer be subject to the sufferings once again… that’s the promise, that’s the reality, and when we keep our eyes upon what Paul calls the prize at the end of our earthly race, just like how I was less affected (though not completely unaffected) by the turbulent sea, the things of the world will seem that much more tolerable…

“Turn your eyes, upon Jesus, and look in His wonderful face… and the things of earth will grow strangely dim… in the light of His glory and grace”…

They should rejoice that they are no longer bound to the things of the world, and the clutches of the enemy, but are now secured in the hands of God…

The focus on their rejoicing is the fellowship of Jesus, not the suffering…

In other words, there will still be trouble in your lives, things will still seem overwhelming sometimes, even when you’re a Christian, and sometimes, perhaps because you are a Christian, but do not give up!

Are you being ridiculed at work or at home because of your faith? don’t give up on God… God has not given up on you!

And if I may go back to the analogy of the ferry, they should rejoice in the fact that they are no longer on the shore, but are now in the ferry of salvation…

They are now part of the community that is already redeemed, having already been saved by Jesus Christ’s salvific work on the cross, and they know that they are no longer simply on a rudderless sampan or plank of wood, floating aimlessly in the waters…

Are you grieving because you have lost a loved one because of sudden illness and death? Are you grieving because of a sudden lost of relationship? Are you grieving because of a sudden lost of income? Are you grieving because of a sudden lost in bodily function or health?

But they are now, part of the redeemed community, having the power and love of God with them, knowing that there will come a day where we will no longer be subject to the sufferings once again… that’s the promise, that’s the reality, and when we keep our eyes upon what Paul calls the prize at the end of our earthly race, just like how I was less affected (though not completely unaffected) by the turbulent sea, the things of the world will seem that much more tolerable…

Jesus says come to me… I know what you’re feeling and the pain you’re going through, I’ve suffered too… You are not alone…

Take your eyes off the instability in your lives, but look upon me, your point of stability…

“Turn your eyes, upon Jesus, and look in His wonderful face… and the things of earth will grow strangely dim… in the light of His glory and grace”…

In other words, there will still be trouble in your lives, things will still seem overwhelming sometimes, even when you’re a Christian, and sometimes, perhaps because you are a Christian, but do not give up!

Take your eyes off the turbulence in your lives, but look upon me, your destination, your hope, your source of peace…

Are you being ridiculed at work or at home because of your faith? don’t give up on God… God has not given up on you!

Are you grieving because you have lost a loved one because of sudden illness and death? Are you grieving because of a sudden lost of relationship? Are you grieving because of a sudden lost of income? Are you grieving because of a sudden lost in bodily function or health?

But then you may think.

Jesus says come to me… I know what you’re feeling and the pain you’re going through, I’ve suffered too… You are not alone…

What did Jesus mean when He said, “It is finished?”

If Jesus had already completed the work on the Cross, then why do we still have suffering?

Take your eyes off the instability in your lives, but look upon me, your point of stability…

Why do we need to go through all these when He had conquered the grace and has dominion over all principalities? Why do we need to suffer? Why can’t we bring end times right here, right now and just end it all? Why can’t we go straight to the times where the Bible described as being in a place of heavenly banquet where we can be involved in the heavenly feast with our Lord, the Host? And why must we make do with the Holy Communion, the earthly representation of this heavenly banquet?

Take your eyes off the turbulence in your lives, but look upon me, your destination, your hope, your source of peace…

The short answer is that because we are in a period of grace… and we are still here where as describes as the place where the enemy the devil is prowling around looking for people to swallow, so that we can redeemed those who are in danger of being swallowed…

Coming back to the analogy of the ferry once again, just now, I mentioned that we are a redeemed community…

But then you may think.

What did Jesus mean when He said, “It is finished?”

That is true, but that is just part of our identity in Christ…

Once again, looking back at the our church belief, we are also a redeeming community…

If Jesus had already completed the work on the Cross, then why do we still have suffering?

Why do we need to go through all these when He had conquered the grace and has dominion over all principalities? Why do we need to suffer? Why can’t we bring end times right here, right now and just end it all? Why can’t we go straight to the times where the Bible described as being in a place of heavenly banquet where we can be involved in the heavenly feast with our Lord, the Host? And why must we make do with the Holy Communion, the earthly representation of this heavenly banquet?

Yes, the work of redemption is done insofar as the future is secured, the infrastructure is in place, the ferry has already left the dock and is well on the way to the destination, but we have not quite reached the destination…

The short answer is that because we are in a period of grace… and we are still here where as describes as the place where the enemy the devil is prowling around looking for people to swallow, so that we can redeemed those who are in danger of being swallowed…

We are still in the choppy waters and this journey is a journey of grace because we are not called to be a community to sit happily on the deck of the ferry looking out into the choppy waters, and sipping our drinks and enjoying our food…

Coming back to the analogy of the ferry once again, just now, I mentioned that we are a redeemed community…

We are called to be a community to be hanging on the side of the ferry reaching out to those people who are still on the rudderless and aimless boats out there, pulling them into our ferry and getting them into our community of the redeemed…

We are not called to be a community to seek comfort in our holy ghettos, thinking, wah… thank God we are redeemed… not like those poor people out there…

That is true, but that is just part of our identity in Christ…

Once again, looking back at the our church belief, we are also a redeeming community…

We are to call out to those in the waters… Come! Come!

Yes, the work of redemption is done insofar as the future is secured, the infrastructure is in place, the ferry has already left the dock and is well on the way to the destination, but we have not quite reached the destination…

Be saved!

This ferry is safer than your rickety little boat… the tidal wave is coming… come into the ferry!

We are still in the choppy waters and this journey is a journey of grace because we are not called to be a community to sit happily on the deck of the ferry looking out into the choppy waters, and sipping our drinks and enjoying our food…

That’s the crux of verse 17 which The Message Bible translates as “It’s judgment time for God’s own family. We’re first in line. If it starts with us, think what it’s going to be like for those who refuse God’s Message!”

We are called to be a community to be hanging on the side of the ferry reaching out to those people who are still on the rudderless and aimless boats out there, pulling them into our ferry and getting them into our community of the redeemed…

We are not called to be a community to seek comfort in our holy ghettos, thinking, wah… thank God we are redeemed… not like those poor people out there…

In other words, we are the privileged ones who have heard the Gospel, have been redeemed, and our future is already secure…

And if our future is secured and already having a close relationship with God, and having received what Ps Christopher described as PHD ministry, and enjoy what Bishop Wee described as being empowered by spiritual disinhibition, what Ps John mentioned by the relentless working of the Holy Spirit in our lives, what Ps Wendy described as the continuous encouragement of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and yet not able to overcome the difficulties the world throw at us, and not able to have the capacity to reach out our hands to those around us, then what hope do those who do not have a relationship what God have in this broken world?

We are to call out to those in the waters… Come! Come!

In fact, the word judgement in verse 19 is the word κρίμα (krima), which has a nuance of recognising or acknowledging someone’s rights…

Be saved!

This ferry is safer than your rickety little boat… the tidal wave is coming… come into the ferry!

And this significance I think is very great, for remember that all of us, whether Christians or not are created in the image of God and all of us having רוּחַ (ruah) in us…

That’s the crux of verse 17 which The Message Bible translates as “It’s judgment time for God’s own family. We’re first in line. If it starts with us, think what it’s going to be like for those who refuse God’s Message!”

And our calling, being members of the redeemed and redeeming community is to point out this truth to those around us…

It is to point out the rights of those that are out in the waters that they are a child of God, the creator of heavens and earth and point out their rights to be within the ferry and not having to make do with their little sampans outside…

In other words, we are the privileged ones who have heard the Gospel, have been redeemed, and our future is already secure…

And to think that this is limited to spiritual aspects, this is to think too little of our God…

And if our future is secured and already having a close relationship with God, and having received what Ps Christopher described as PHD ministry, and enjoy what Bishop Wee described as being empowered by spiritual disinhibition, what Ps John mentioned by the relentless working of the Holy Spirit in our lives, what Ps Wendy described as the continuous encouragement of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and yet not able to overcome the difficulties the world throw at us, and not able to have the capacity to reach out our hands to those around us, then what hope do those who do not have a relationship what God have in this broken world?

In fact, the word judgement in verse 19 is the word κρίμα (krima), which has a nuance of recognising or acknowledging someone’s rights…

Our God is not just the God of our spiritual health, our God is the God of our physical, emotional, social, intellectual aspects of us!

And when we are called to redeem people, we redeem them holistically!

And this significance I think is very great, for remember that all of us, whether Christians or not are created in the image of God and all of us having רוּחַ (ruah) in us…

And our calling, being members of the redeemed and redeeming community is to point out this truth to those around us…

On the 19th of August, there was a report in the straits times about this Christian couple that took it upon themselves to take in strangers into their homes who do not belong in the society…

They are usually from abusive or dysfunctional family, either single-parents which no family to turn to, students or young adults who are abandoned by their family…

It is to point out the rights of those that are out in the waters that they are a child of God, the creator of heavens and earth and point out their rights to be within the ferry and not having to make do with their little sampans outside…

And in their church, they launched English classes at their church to help people in the Myanmarese community[1] so that they will be able to break out of their poverty cycles and gain a better job..

And to think that this is limited to spiritual aspects, this is to think too little of our God…

Helps from our God is not just for Christians, but for those outside our walls as well…

Our God is not just the God of our spiritual health, our God is the God of our physical, emotional, social, intellectual aspects of us!

A few weeks ago, Ps Christopher shared about the certificate of PHD in which a Hindu lady received healing and while lame initially, was able to walk…

And when we are called to redeem people, we redeem them holistically!

Our God is not confined to our religiosity my family…

On the 19th of August, there was a report in the straits times about this Christian couple that took it upon themselves to take in strangers into their homes who do not belong in the society…

They are usually from abusive or dysfunctional family, either single-parents which no family to turn to, students or young adults who are abandoned by their family…

Our God is not a God of Paya Lebar Methodist Church, our God is not a God of Methodist Church in Singapore, our God is not even a God of all the Churches around the world…

declares “O Lord our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens”

And in their church, they launched English classes at their church to help people in the Myanmarese community[1] so that they will be able to break out of their poverty cycles and gain a better job..

Our God is the creator of Heaven and Earth and all that’s within…

Helps from our God is not just for Christians, but for those outside our walls as well…

Do you get it?

A few weeks ago, Ps Christopher shared about the certificate of PHD in which a Hindu lady received healing and while lame initially, was able to walk…

God is God over all! Don’t put Him in a tiny box!

Our God is not confined to our religiosity my family…

Our God is not a God of Paya Lebar Methodist Church, our God is not a God of Methodist Church in Singapore, our God is not even a God of all the Churches around the world…

He has perfect dominion over all things and He is working through us… His servants… Bringing healing into our community… and asking us to call forth to our community…

Come! Come!

declares “O Lord our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens”

Our God is the creator of Heaven and Earth and all that’s within…

Come into the ferry and find refuge from the turbulence… and come join us in looking towards the destination, where we can rest from our toils!

It is my believe in this openness of our God that I really love the open concept of our fellowship hall…

Do you get it?

Not many places in Singapore can you find a sheltered area where you have sinks and water dispensers and nice clean chairs to seat on…

God is God over all! Don’t put Him in a tiny box!

He has perfect dominion over all things and He is working through us… His servants… Bringing healing into our community… and asking us to call forth to our community…

And what’s more at a very major junction and I think it is a very practical symbol of our openness to people and the community where they can come and take refuge from the hustle and bustle of life, symbolically represented by all the cars and trucks that zoom by just next to the church, and the MRT that scuttles along in the tunnels below…

Come! Come!

Here, we hope that people will find refuge from the turbulence of their lives and if they decide to join our activities and come in here, find a community that loves them…

And have their right to be child of God to be restored holistically…

Come into the ferry and find refuge from the turbulence… and come join us in looking towards the destination, where we can rest from our toils!

It is my believe in this openness of our God that I really love the open concept of our fellowship hall…

To expand on this calling of us to be a redeeming community, I would like to share that this is not to be confined to church activities… or the walls of the church…

Not many places in Singapore can you find a sheltered area where you have sinks and water dispensers and nice clean chairs to seat on…

You know as I stand here looking at the congregation, I’m looking at a sea of potentials here…

All of you here have different spheres of influence which you can bring God to that even with the whole pastoral staff team combined wouldn’t be able to do so…

And what’s more at a very major junction and I think it is a very practical symbol of our openness to people and the community where they can come and take refuge from the hustle and bustle of life, symbolically represented by all the cars and trucks that zoom by just next to the church, and the MRT that scuttles along in the tunnels below…

Here, we hope that people will find refuge from the turbulence of their lives and if they decide to join our activities and come in here, find a community that loves them…

Out there where in the marketplace where you are working, or the families that you are part of, or the clubs and societies and the different organisations that you are part of, you can make a difference…

And like I alluded to earlier, you do not have to preach all the time with scriptures per se, but with your decisions and your interactions and with your behaviour…

And have their right to be child of God to be restored holistically…

St Francis of Assisi said “It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching.”

To expand on this calling of us to be a redeeming community, I would like to share that this is not to be confined to church activities… or the walls of the church…

Perhaps you’re more familiar with the paraphrased version “preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary use words.”

You know as I stand here looking at the congregation, I’m looking at a sea of potentials here…

All of you here have different spheres of influence which you can bring God to that even with the whole pastoral staff team combined wouldn’t be able to do so…

In other words, your actions and decisions speak louder than your words, and no matter where you are, you do not stop being a Christian…

Out there where in the marketplace where you are working, or the families that you are part of, or the clubs and societies and the different organisations that you are part of, you can make a difference…

You do not stop being a Christian after leaving the sanctuary later…

And like I alluded to earlier, you do not have to preach all the time with scriptures per se, but with your decisions and your interactions and with your behaviour…

I know this is hard to believe sometimes, especially in the carpark…

St Francis of Assisi said “It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching.”

But even in the marketplace, as a civil servant or a leader or owner in your company, or when you are in the military or statutory board, when you make policies and decisions, you affect lives and we should be careful that the decisions we make do not affect people negatively… the decisions we make can have powerful effects on our staff, on our community, on our families…

In our history, there are tons of stories where Christians, by choosing to do what is right are able to make amazing impact on the world.

Perhaps you’re more familiar with the paraphrased version “preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary use words.”

A case in point is Dr. Chales Malik a member of a Lebanese Christian Church. Dr. Malik was key in the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was the first element of the international Bill of Rights, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948, which was in turn ratified by most member states, and hence became the international yardstick of human rights.[2] This is an example of how God can work through us as individuals in our various places to make a difference in our lives… In other words, an redemptive community is not just confined to the activites of our church, but can also be realised through the everyday and ordinariness [of our lives][3] whether it is the crafting of policies in the HR department of our companies or the discussion of national policies in the parliament.

In other words, your actions and decisions speak louder than your words, and no matter where you are, you do not stop being a Christian…

An also, you, having an intimate relationship with your area of influence, makes your witness to your family members or friends much more effective than hundreds of evangelistic posters… you are the living posters of evangelism that are much more effective than the paper posters…

You do not stop being a Christian after leaving the sanctuary later…

I know this is hard to believe sometimes, especially in the carpark…

Finally, the third and final aspect of being in a ferry is that we are all part of the crew…

But even in the marketplace, as a civil servant or a leader or owner in your company, or when you are in the military or statutory board, when you make policies and decisions, you affect lives and we should be careful that the decisions we make do not affect people negatively… the decisions we make can have powerful effects on our staff, on our community, on our families…

And a crew means we are all an intrinsic part of the team that makes the ferry work…

In our history, there are tons of stories where Christians, by choosing to do what is right are able to make amazing impact on the world.

, we read “To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed”[4]

A case in point is Dr. Chales Malik a member of a Lebanese Christian Church. Dr. Malik was key in the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was the first element of the international Bill of Rights, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948, which was in turn ratified by most member states, and hence became the international yardstick of human rights.[2] This is an example of how God can work through us as individuals in our various places to make a difference in our lives… In other words, an redemptive community is not just confined to the activites of our church, but can also be realised through the everyday and ordinariness [of our lives][3] whether it is the crafting of policies in the HR department of our companies or the discussion of national policies in the parliament.

An also, you, having an intimate relationship with your area of influence, makes your witness to your family members or friends much more effective than hundreds of evangelistic posters… you are the living posters of evangelism that are much more effective than the paper posters…

This verse is not confined just to leaders of the church, but everyone of us…

And I would like to bring your attention to the word here…

The word here is “appeal”, and the Greek word is παρακαλῶ (para kalew), and is made up of two words… para… meaning alongside and where we get the word parameter, and kalew, which means to talk or to call…

Finally, the third and final aspect of being in a ferry is that we are all part of the crew…

So this is a very beautiful picture here…

And a crew means we are all an intrinsic part of the team that makes the ferry work…

It is a picture of someone who comes alongside you and shouts encouragement to you…

, we read “To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed”[4]

This verse is not confined just to leaders of the church, but everyone of us…

There was once I was jogging on my off day and I was just feeling a little tired…

And I would like to bring your attention to the word here…

I was thinking to myself… why am I doing this… and wanted to make an early u-turn and finish the run early…

The word here is “appeal”, and the Greek word is παρακαλῶ (para kalew), and is made up of two words… para… meaning alongside and where we get the word parameter, and kalew, which means to talk or to call…

Then out of the blue… a stranger that was running in the opposite direction said this to me “don’t give up buddy… press on!”

So this is a very beautiful picture here…

That really gripped me…

And I finished the run as I had planned…

It is a picture of someone who comes alongside you and shouts encouragement to you…

There was once I was jogging on my off day and I was just feeling a little tired…

The word Peter used here has the same picture…

I was thinking to myself… why am I doing this… and wanted to make an early u-turn and finish the run early…

It is like you’re running a race and feeling tired and want to give up… and someone running along beside you, shouting encouragement to you… “Come on, buddy! Don’t give up!”

Then out of the blue… a stranger that was running in the opposite direction said this to me “don’t give up buddy… press on!”

Friends, our Lord has blessed us with each other as a redeeming community… we are told not just to be redeemed community, having already been saved, we are not just told to be a redeeming community, to redeem those who are not within our community, but we are also told to be a redeeming community, encouraging one another… telling one another “come on, buddy, don’t give up!”

Friends, sometimes in our lives, a confluence of events get make it so overwhelming that you feel like you don’t have the resources to overcome them…

That really gripped me…

Sometimes, if feels like you are the only one who is feeling these things and you question yourself, why are all these things happening to me?

And I finished the run as I had planned…

The word Peter used here has the same picture…

reminds us that you are not the only one who is suffering by saying “now that your brother throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings”…

It is like you’re running a race and feeling tired and want to give up… and someone running along beside you, shouting encouragement to you… “Come on, buddy! Don’t give up!”

Of course by that Peter was not saying… O less us come together and have a pity party…

Peter was saying that you are not the only who is suffering and you have many others who are in the same ferry as you!

Friends, our Lord has blessed us with each other as a redeeming community… we are told not just to be redeemed community, having already been saved, we are not just told to be a redeeming community, to redeem those who are not within our community, but we are also told to be a redeeming community, encouraging one another… telling one another “come on, buddy, don’t give up!”

Friends, sometimes in our lives, a confluence of events get make it so overwhelming that you feel like you don’t have the resources to overcome them…

Come together and point each other to God who is described in verse 10 as being the One who will “restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast”

Sometimes, if feels like you are the only one who is feeling these things and you question yourself, why are all these things happening to me?

To borrow an idiom, we are “in the same boat together” and we are not place here by chance or coincidence, we are in the same ferry and the Lord has given us different gifts and talent and we are to use our gifts and talents to edify one another, point one another to God and run along one another to say “come on, buddy, don’t give up!”

We are told to come alongside one another to celebrate one another’s successes, and to mourn one another’s loses, we are told to come alongside each other to participate in each other’s good times and sad times…

reminds us that you are not the only one who is suffering by saying “now that your brother throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings”…

We are told to be a redeeming community to lift up one another, and offer to one another a helping hand, when things get too much for us to bear…

Of course by that Peter was not saying… O less us come together and have a pity party…

Peter was saying that you are not the only who is suffering and you have many others who are in the same ferry as you!

We are told to be a redeeming community of love to come alongside one another to offer resources whether emotional, social or physical when we run out of steam and feel as if we are no longer able to cope with life…

We are told to be a redeeming community of power to pray for healing for one another, to pray for God to lift one another up to pray for God to move mightily in each other’s lives….

Come together and point each other to God who is described in verse 10 as being the One who will “restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast”

To borrow an idiom, we are “in the same boat together” and we are not place here by chance or coincidence, we are in the same ferry and the Lord has given us different gifts and talent and we are to use our gifts and talents to edify one another, point one another to God and run along one another to say “come on, buddy, don’t give up!”

Where are the needs in the community around you?

We are told to come alongside one another to celebrate one another’s successes, and to mourn one another’s loses, we are told to come alongside each other to participate in each other’s good times and sad times…

Who can you come along to cheer one another by saying “come on, buddy, don’t give up! The destination is ahead!”

We are told to be a redeeming community to lift up one another, and offer to one another a helping hand, when things get too much for us to bear…

So my friends, what is T3?

It is Transcending Transitional Turbulence…

We are told to be a redeeming community of love to come alongside one another to offer resources whether emotional, social or physical when we run out of steam and feel as if we are no longer able to cope with life…

We are told to be a redeeming community of power to pray for healing for one another, to pray for God to lift one another up to pray for God to move mightily in each other’s lives….

It is about us already being a Redeemed Community that we know this turbulence we are facing is temporary or transitional…

Where are the needs in the community around you?

It is about us being a redeeming community to help those not yet in our community to transcend these turbulence…

It is about us being a redeeming community to help one another transcend these transitional turbulence…

Who can you come along to cheer one another by saying “come on, buddy, don’t give up! The destination is ahead!”

So my friends, what is T3?

But most of all, let us ever be looking to God who is in our community, as Jesus was in the boat in Galilee who will bring us safely to our destination… Amen…

It is Transcending Transitional Turbulence…

[1] Today Newspaper 12 Dec 2015 – Toh Ee Ming

We are sure to have sufferings in our lives… that’s a given…

That is the truth both in the first century as it is today… and will be the way until our Lord Jesus returns once again…

We are living in a time in which we already experience the salvation of God and we already have the gifts and this community in which we encourage one another and spur one another on…

[2] John R. W. Stott, John Wyatt, and Roy McCloughry, Issues Facing Christians Today, 4th ed. (Grand Rapids, MI, United States: Zondervan, 2006), 233.

We already have the opportunity to bring others who are not yet in the community in…

This is we know…

[3] Simon Chan, Spiritual Theology: A Systematic Study of the Christian Life (Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press, 1998), 47.

But the turbulence we experience while awaiting for Jesus to come once again is a present reality that we face…

But we need not frown in despair, for by God’s grace, we are able to Transcend the Transitional Turbulence… and is it in the 3 RCs I shared…

[4] The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), .

It is about us already being a Redeemed Community that we know this turbulence we are facing is temporary or transitional…

It is about us being a redeeming community to help those not yet in our community to transcend these turbulence…

It is about us being a redeeming community to help one another transcend these transitional turbulence…

But most of all, let us ever be looking to God who is in our community, as Jesus was in the boat in Galilee who will bring us safely to our destination…

May the Lord help us to be a redeeming community for those within the church and those outside the church till He returns in glory!

Amen…