How do we define greatness?
There are some amazing people in the world who many would call great – great athletes, great musicians, great leaders, great designers, great parents, great students, and the list could go on – often times we look at greatness and aspire to be like those people, but why?
I’m sure God sees greatness in those people, and actually in all of us – but He has a different criterion for those He considers the greatest.
Jesus says in Mattew 23:11, “The greatest among you shall be your servant.”
But sometimes the role or a position of a servant isn’t always the most appealing position; it often isn’t the type of position or lifestyle that someone aspires to be like.
There’s got to be something special though about being known as a servant; something that sets us apart in God’s eyes. Jesus also said, “If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also”. John 12:26
And there we find the secret, the power, and the reason behind choosing to posture ourselves in the role, lifestyle, and decisions to be a servant – we’ll be where Jesus is. It will be the position or role in life that we’ll be most able to identify with Jesus. It’s the secret to developing a heart like His and be great in His eyes.
Pastor Steve
On Monday, Our Blessed Lord came and took Remy home. Remy was the grandson of Kak Indra, and the great nephew of Cynthia. He was 24. And it was his birthday. We do not know the cause for his death pending further examination; what we know is that he slipped into eternity while he was asleep. No wonder he looked so peaceful, as if he was still asleep. We are grieving with the family.
The day before Remy still went to church near his home where he’d attended for quite some time. And that day Cynthia and the family were going to have dinner to celebrate his birthday, which he so looked forward to. But God had a different plan; the birthday party was moved to His Eternal Home where those in attendance were all the saints and the angels of the Lord. It was Remy’s best birthday!
One of the questions we often ask when faced with a sudden death, especially the death of one who is relatively young, is “Why now?” We do not know the answer and we’ll only know it after we get to Heaven and meet our Heavenly Father. But this we know: It is in the plan of God. You see, one of the paramedics that administered aid to him was from the church that Remy attended. So, he knew Remy. And one of the nurses at the hospital’s ER was also from the same church. She, too, knew Remy. You see, God put them there to be with Remy on his last day on earth. Long before Monday, God had already known and made preparation for Remy’s homegoing.
Losing a child—and burying him at such a young age—is very hard. Knowing that this is in the plan of God gives us comfort. On Sunday, Remy sang praises at the house of God on earth; on Monday he sang praises at the house of God in Heaven. On Sunday with his eyes closed, Remy prayed to God; on Monday with his eyes opened, he spoke to God. In God’s good plan, all is for the better. Always.
Pastor Paul
At age 73, after 20 years of ministry around the world, Corrie Ten Boom’s body began to weaken, she’s tired and in need of rest. The doctor who cared for her health suggested that she take a year off, to stay put in one place and to stop travelling. So, she followed the advice; she went to Uganda to a place prepared for missionaries for a retreat and lived there for a year. She did not stop ministries; she still went to church in and around the city she lived in, but she did not travel far. Every night she could sleep in the same bed.
After one year of rest, it was time for her to resume her ministries, so she began making plans: a few months in Africa, a few months in America, and a few months in Eastern Europe. However, something happened during the planning process: she did not want to go! She felt tired of sleeping in different beds and living out of her suitcases. So, she changed her plan; she’d continue writing and speaking but only in the area. She’d settle down and she’s happy with the plan.
But God was not too happy with her plan. Not long after a minister from Rwanda came and shared the struggles that Christians faced there due to civil war and invited her to come to Rwanda. Corrie wasn’t too happy, but she still asked the kind of message that those in Rwanda needed to hear. The minister then opened his Bible and read from Revelation 2:1-5. When he came to this part, “But I hold this against you that you have lost your first love” Corrie knew that the Lord was speaking to her; she had lost her first love for Jesus.
The story of Corrie Ten Boom was the story of one who whose life was aligned to the life, the work, and the interests of Jesus Our Lord so much so that she had no life of her own. But in having no life of her own, she received the honor of infusing life into so many around her, not only in her lifetime, but also till today. It is still flowing.
Pastor Paul
On Tuesday Our Lord Jesus came and took Tante Yohanna home. She was 96. The Saturday before she slipped into her new home in heaven, Cie Ima called to let me know of her mom’s condition. So, I came and prayed for her. At the time she was still alert and able to respond. When Cie Ima told her that I was there, she turned around and gave her hand to me. When I asked her to pray, she extended her arms and cup her two hands together in the position of prayer. But when Santy and I returned to see her on Tuesday, she was no longer responsive. But her countenance was peaceful, as if she was sound asleep. Later that evening she left her earthly home and moved to her heavenly home. See you again, Tante Yohanna.
God calls His children home at different ages and in different ways. I wish we all would go like Tante Yohanna—at a full age and without many physical ailments. But we know that is not always the case. What is always the same is that it is He, Our Blessed Lord, who will come and take us home, as He promised, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:3). In other words, we will not wander off somewhere; no, He will come and take us home.
It does not matter how satisfied we are with our lives, we cannot be totally satisfied. There is always something that is missing or makes us unhappy or dissatisfied. C. S. Lewis has an explanation for this phenomenon, “If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.” The fact that our bodies will decay and one day perish shows that we are only here on earth temporarily. Life on earth is a like a sentence with a coma, we will only have the sentence end with a full stop after we leave this earthly dwelling. It is Jesus Our Lord who will come and put that little dot called REST.
Pastor Paul
Every year we wish each other a happy new year knowing full-well that it may not happen. In fact, we know that it will not happen. At its best this year—like the years before—will only be a mixture of happy times and gloomy times. Nonetheless we still say it; and this shows that not only is there a longing in us to see something better but also a belief that there will be something better. God has really put eternity in our hearts, just like what is said in Ecclesiastes 3:11.
I just received news from a colleague of mine in the Bible school that his condition has ameliorated significantly. Going into his third year of living with Stage Four lung cancer, he is somehow getting stronger after suffering setbacks that were considered close calls. There were moments when he thought he would not live another day but by the grace of God, he lived another day and still lives till today. God wants him to live and there’s nothing that can stop Him.
Living in and with Jesus Our Lord does not only give us hope for a better life in heaven, but it also gives us assurance of a better life on earth. Not perfect, but better. It is better because we know that He cares for us and is with us every step of the way. It’s better because of the promise made, “He has made everything beautiful in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11) and that promise is not only to be fulfilled when we go to heaven but also while we still live here on earth. There is something beautiful that He is making through situations we face.
So, what is to be our attitude as we enter this new year? I think you already got it. When I saw you have a good time—singing, laughing, and dancing on New Year’s Eve—I knew that you already got it. You already live by Matthew 6:34. “. . . don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.” Amen!
Pastor Paul
The other day there was a heart-warming article in the Times about the Weingarten couple who have been married for 82 years. Jack is 105 and his wife Carla is 100; and they are still holding hands. What is their secret? Well, jokingly Jack used to tell their two sons that the key to a healthy marriage is, “the man always having the last word: Yes, dear.’ “ Funny, but there is truth to it, isn’t it? We both must be willing to give in; we must let go; and we must hold hands.
By the grace of God, Santy and I celebrated our 39th years together. It has not always been easy; we have our share of struggles, just like anybody else. But it has been a blessing and growing time after all. We have been together not because life is always easy; no, on the contrary, we have been together despite the challenges we face. We both say amen to the words of Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:10, “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” We are strong because, as Jesus Our Lord assured Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
As we all look back on 2023, we, too, can say amen to the words of Paul and the assurance given to us by Our Blessed Lord, “My grace is sufficient for you.” Perhaps there were times when we wondered whether we could get through certain hardships we were facing but somehow, we managed to. Perhaps there were times when we did not even know whether we would have enough to go on or have another day to live, but somehow, we managed to. Through it all we say, “Your grace is sufficient. Thank you, Jesus for Your grace.”
Jack Weinstein told his caregiver that the secret to a happy marriage is, “making sure that when you go to bed at night with your wife, things are settled. Don’t go to bed upset.” A good advice! God’s grace is sufficient but to receive it, we must first clean our hearts.
Pastor Paul
There is nothing like walking with your grandchildren, holding their hands, and listening to their chattering about things they want to buy for Christmas while walking through the toy isles in Walmart. And at the end of it to hear them say to you, “Thank you for giving us Christmas gifts, Kung Kung.” It made me feel like the happiest and the luckiest man on earth. It made me smile for hours!
Christmas makes us—at least most of us—smile, but I doubt that Mary and Joseph were smiling when they had to travel about 94 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem either on foot or by donkey for four to five days. And I doubt that they smiled when they learned that there was no inn for them to rest that night. And I doubt that they smiled when they found out that the Baby could not wait and wanted to come out right away. Wrong time at the wrong place!
But I am certain that Mary and Joseph smiled when they saw the face of the Baby and heard His first cry. Maybe they too cried along. The long-awaited promise was finally fulfilled: Jesus the Savior was born. And their smiles were made perfect when out of nowhere came the shepherds. An angel of the Lord had appeared to them to bring them “good tidings of great joy” and directed them to go to the City of David where they would find “a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.” Now it was the shepherds who smiled.
Not everybody smiles at Christmas. Perhaps there were unpleasant surprises or problems at home. The wrong time, the wrong place, and perhaps, the wrong person. Whatever it was, it just zapped our spirit and joy. There is nothing to smile about; there is everything to frown about. But do not give up; God is not done. Yes, He did not give us a place to rest in an inn; instead, He directed us to a stable. But there in the stable, we will see Him and hear Him speak to us.
Pastor Paul
Peter Torry, our guest speaker at our latest church’s anniversary, wrote a book, based on his life, which he titled, Out of The Ordinary, Living an Extraordinary Life. Through the book he wishes to convey a simple message: Out of the ordinary life of an ordinary person, God wants to make extraordinary things happen and provide a remarkable life.” Amen to that! In the book he also includes a letter that he wrote to his grandchildren and one of the advices he gave them is this, “School is important. Friends are important. Sports and hobbies are fun. But more important than anything else is your life with Jesus and spending time with Him by reading and memorizing the Bible and praying.” Another Amen to that!
If we look at the biblical figures, we will find that most of them were ordinary men and women used by God to do extraordinary things. They’re just like anybody else; they did not possess special qualities or talents. What they had, which we might not have, was faith and obedience. You see, they followed God’s direction wholeheartedly. As a result, they led remarkable lives and made indelible impacts.
God chose the simple shepherds and ordinary Simeon and Anna to be the witnesses to the birth of Jesus Our Savior. God chose them not because they were special; on the contrary, God chose them for being ordinary. In his book, Peter Torry shares the trips he made to countries in Asia and Africa, bringing the Gospel of Jesus to those who do not know Him. You see, he had never dreamed of the life he had, but God had a greater plan for him. For that he’s thankful.
The extraordinary part of Peter Torry’s life was the privilege to do something for Our Blessed Lord. To others, the extraordinary part is not doing something but rather seeing something about the Lord. The shepherds, Simeon, and Anna saw Jesus, the Son of God.
Pastor Paul
The other day, in the morning hours, while I was preparing this message, my phone rang. From the caller ID I saw our neighbor’s name. Immediately, what came to mind was that she was again in the bus station in need of a ride home, just like what happened a couple of months ago. I took her call anyway and to my surprise—and shame—she called to tell me that she’s coming over to bring me a cake! She baked it herself and wanted to share it with Santy and me. I learned that I am not as kind and generous as I thought.
But there is something else that I learned, at least about myself: I’m more ready to help if the timing is right, meaning, if it fits with my schedule. If she had called and asked for help, I still would’ve done it, but I would have done it begrudgingly because it didn’t fit in my schedule. I was busy preparing this message, while all along, I knew what Jesus Our Savior would have done if He were in my shoes: He would have dropped whatever it was He was doing and helped her.
The Gospel of Mark is the Gospel of Jesus, at work and on the go. At first glance it seems like Our Blessed Lord just responds to whatever need that comes His way. But that is not so; He responds to needs based on a guiding principle of His ministry which is His Father’s will. Whatever His Father’s will is, that He will do. And one of them is “people over anything else.” He always prioritizes on the spiritual needs of those He serves, and He always follows love. Wherever the need for salvation is and wherever love leads, He will follow.
God sent His Son Jesus to the world because this is where the need for salvation is and because this is where His love leads Him to. So, always follow this principle: Go where the need for salvation is and follow love, wherever it takes us. Christmas—the birth of Jesus—is where these two meet: Our need for salvation and God’s love.
Pastor Paul
Today marks the first Advent, the four weeks that lead to Christmas. It behooves us then to fix our hearts and minds to the birth of Jesus, Our Blessed Savior. God’s willing, beginning from today I will preach on this topic from the perspectives of the four Gospels. You see, each Gospel is unique in presenting the incarnation of Jesus, the Son of God. While Matthew and Luke zero in on the birth of Jesus in the world, Mark and John focus on the coming of Jesus to the world.
While Matthew looks at the birth of Jesus through the perspective of Jewish Messiah—thus, highlighting the role of Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus, Luke views the birth of Jesus through the lens of the Savior of the world—thus, underlining the role of Mary, the earthly mother of Jesus. While Mark underscores the divinity of Jesus in its relation to the Holy Spirit as a powerful and transformative agent, John homes in on the divinity of Jesus in connection with God the Father as the eternal and creative Logos or the Word.
These four Gospels uniquely bring to light the different aspects of the coming of Jesus and its impact on us, mankind. There is nothing ordinary about His coming and yet, there is something ordinary—yet glorious—about His life on earth, as beautifully captured by Eugene Peterson’s plain translation of John 1:14, “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, generous inside and out, true from start to finish.”
The Son of God became a Son of Man and lived among us, so we could see Him and touch Him. Most importantly so we could love Him as a person—in flesh and blood—not only as a God in spirit. Not only did He become a part of world history, but He also became a part of our history—our ups and downs journey through life.
Pastor Paul