Who is my Neighbour?

In the parable of the good Samaritan found in Luke 10:25-27, Luke emphasised the humanity of Jesus; many of the teachings recorded by him shows us how to live a human life in union with God. This gospel contains some of the best known stories of Jesus’ life eg. the parable of the good Samaritan and that of the prodigal son.  Before we get into the story proper, let’s understand what parables are. 

He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that, “‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’”   Mark 4:11-12 NIV

Depending on the context, parables (or riddles) used by Jesus has the twin purpose of concealing and revealing.  To hearts that are hardened, the meanings of parables are hidden from them.  To hearts that are open, they are a means to draw them into the kingdom of God.    

Except for a few parables whereby they are interpreted in a semi-allegorical manner (eg. parable of the sower), most parables are simple enough for hearers to understand.  The parable can be considered the parable of the soils whereby the different hearers are being typified.  So many during Jesus’ days when they heard it would recognise the enormous wastage a farmer will go through to reap a harvest.  Little did many realise, Jesus was talking about them – how they would respond to His teachings. 

Parables – do you get the point?

There are different kinds of parables

1.    Similitude: Jesus used illustrations taken from everyday life to make a point

“The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”  Matt 13:33 NKJ
Like yeast, the kingdom of heaven starts small but it will have a great impact on the world eventually. Here it is used as a symbol of growth rather than evil.

2.    Metaphor: figure of speech; used of objects to personify something

“You are the salt of the earth …”    Matt 5:13a NKJ

Salt is used for flavouring and preserving.  The disciples of Christ are to arrest the corruption of humanity and season its lack of flavour (or distinctiveness). 

3.    Epigram: concise saying used to illustrate a point

“You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?”   Matt 7:16 NKJ

The answer is obvious; every tree bears its own fruit.

4.    Story: that calls forth a response from the hearers eg. Good Samaritan, Prodigal son, ten virgins, rich man and Lazarus etc.

One of the most deeply ingrained human notions is that a person must do something to merit God’s favour.  A lawyer (expert in interpreting the Law) asked Jesus a question: “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Notice his question was not motivated by a personal sense of need but a way to trap Jesus; to gauge Jesus’ ability as a teacher.  In keeping with his status as a lawyer, Jesus asked him how he reads it in the Law or Torah.  His reply is similar to the great commandment Jesus gave to another lawyer (Mk 12:29-33) – love God completely and love your neighbour as yourself.

Jesus commended the lawyer for his answer and said he should do this and live.  This of course is the problem.  “Do all that! Put all self behind; love God purely and perfectly. Love others as you love yourself.  Do all that and you will live.”  Feeling convicted and wanting to justify himself (his lawyer disposition coming to play), he further asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbour?”  He didn’t want to think that he must love everybody.  You see, Jews interpreted neighbour very narrowly to exclude Samaritans and Gentiles.  That’s when Jesus told a parable to illustrate a point that demands a response.

The journey from Jerusalem to Jericho was about 30 km, descending from about 700 m in altitude.  It was known for its danger because the road ran through areas of desert and caves where robbers hid.  The lone unidentified traveller was attacked and stripped of his clothes and left half dead; he was most likely a Jew.

Let’s look at how various people would treat the (injured) traveller:

·    A) the lawyers – a topic for discussion; legal experts split hairs over interpretations in the Law, trying to absolve oneself from responsibility. In today’s context, there are many discussions and video presentations over the net with regard to prophecy and end time events.  If they do not move us to draw closer to God and help our fellow men, then it becomes an intellectual exercise very much like what the legal experts would do.  However, we thank God for apologists of the Christian faith who are able to debate intellectuals and the scientific community (many of whom are atheists or agnostics) in academia; presenting God as the Creator of the universe and One who wants to have a living relationship with us.   

·    B) the thieves – a person to exploit for personal gain; taking advantage of the weak and vulnerable.  In our context, we are to be wary of false prophets and teachers who could sweet talk us into parting with our wealth or do things which could have disastrous effect on us eg. Jim Jones (leader of Peoples’ Temple).  The apostle Paul warns us in 2 Tim 3:5-6 (NLT) regarding religious phonies:

They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! They are the kind who work their way into people’s homes and win the confidence of vulnerable women who are burdened with the guilt of sin and controlled by various desires.

C) the priest/Levite – a person to avoid in case of being contaminated by an unclean (dead) person; they were probably returning from temple duties (we are told the priest was going down the same road); we were told that “it so happened” or ‘by chance” both saw the man but passed by the other side.  Nothing happens by chance.  There’s always a purpose why certain things happen.  They were so task or religious focused that they forgot the people whom they are to serve outside their temple duties. 

 “Whoever touches a human corpse will be unclean for seven days. They must purify themselves with the water on the third day and on the seventh day; then they will be clean. But if they do not purify themselves on the third and seventh days, they will not be clean.  If they fail to purify themselves after touching a human corpse, they defile the Lord’s tabernacle. They must be cut off from Israel. Because the water of cleansing has not been sprinkled on them, they are unclean; their uncleanness remains on them.”  Num 19:11-13 NIV

Priests were supposed to be ritually clean, exemplars of the Law.  Otherwise, they would bring immediate shame and embarrassment to themselves at the expense of the people and their peers.  Having completed his mandatory two weeks of service, he would then need to return and stand at the eastern gate along with the rest of the unclean.  In addition to the humiliation involved, the process of restoring ritual purity was time consuming and costly.  It required finding and reducing a red heifer (cow) to ashes; this ritual takes a week.  The priest cannot approach closer than 4 cubits (abt 1.8m) to a dead man without being defiled.  He’s in a dilemma; likewise for the Levite.   To avoid inconvenience and trouble, it would be easier to walk pass him on the other side. 

The Levites rallied to the side of Moses (the Lord’s side) to avenge God's honor in the episode of the golden calf when the general population was influenced by evil promptings. They were rewarded with the spiritual service lost at that time by the firstborn of the other tribes. The Levites were tested and proved worthy of their elevated spiritual status. They carried the Tabernacle and its vessels on its wanderings in the desert, served as the honor guard, gatekeepers and musicians of the Temple. They also assisted the priests in preparing offerings and other aspects of the Temple's work.

Then Moses told the Levites, “Today you have ordained yourselves for the service of the Lord, for you obeyed him even though it meant killing your own sons and brothers. Today you have earned a blessing.”   Ex 32:29 NLT

The priest and Levite are representatives of all believers; as we are all priests & Levites of God who offer the sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving to God. We often return from the house of God or oikos meetings having worshipped and/or served Him.  We have also heard the word of the Lord being proclaimed.  What is our attitude towards people who are lost, hurting and in need? Do we turn a blind eye towards their needs like the priest & Levite in the parable? Can we also be so task or religious-focused that we neglect the people whom we are to serve?

With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?
Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.   Mic 6:6-8 NIV

·    D) the Samaritan – a person to love; the relationship between Jews and Samaritans was one of hostility. Jews viewed Samaritans (Jews who intermarried foreigners during the period of captivity) as apostates since they worshipped idols as well; when the Jews returned from captivity, the Samaritans were prohibited from helping in the rebuilding of the temple in Ezra days. This resulted in them erecting their own temple in Mt Gerizim.  Jesus broke taboo by speaking with a woman and a Samaritan (Jn 4:9).  Samaritans are not Gentiles but they do observe the Torah.  The Samaritan would not be naturally from that area, so the half dead man would not qualify as his neighbour.  The first thing to note about the Samaritan is that he had compassion on the man when he saw him lying there naked.  At the risk and inconvenience to his own life, he stopped to help the man; risking defilement and being robbed himself and being accused of harming a person which he is seeking to help. At his own expense, he poured wine to cleanse the wounds and oil to sooth the smartings; he took him on his donkey to an inn to take care of him and paid for his expenses – two days’ wages – and promising the innkeeper to pay for any additional expenses.   He is a picture of our Lord Jesus Christ, who had compassion on the lost; clothed us with His garments of righteousness and poured out His Spirit upon us.  But that’s beside the point where a parable is concerned. 

The expert in the Law had come in pride, trying to trap Jesus.  Now he had to respond to Jesus’ rejoinder: “Which of these three do you think was neighbour to him who fell among the thieves?” The lawyer couldn’t bring himself to say ‘the Samaritan’ but rather he who had mercy on him.

Jesus then challenged him: “Go and do likewise.”   Meaning, go and be a neighbour to others. Go and be like the Samaritan.  Jesus didn’t answer the lawyer’s question but turned the table around: “Don’t go about justifying who your neighbour should be but be a neighbour to the people in need.”  Jesus’ idea was to get the lawyer to feel a personal sense of need or loss.

And when you realise that you cannot possibly do all things that are required by the divine law of love, then perhaps you will realise that relationship with God (having eternal life) can never be based on human works or accomplishments!  Life with God begins with confession and forgiveness.  Life with God begins when we abandon our works and throw ourselves on the overflowing mercies of our God.  Then and then only, can we receive His agape love to love others as God would love us.  Those of us who professed to be Christians, yet are insensitive to the needs of others, give evidence that we do not have eternal life. 

Three lessons we can learn about loving our neighbour

1.    Lack of love is easy to justify – we don’t want to inconvenient ourselves nor be a busybody; we would like to keep things private

In a recent Straits Times article (10 Jun 2014), entitled Most neighbours just say ‘hi’ and ‘bye’, a sociologist mentioned, "The more densely packed we are, the more we value privacy. Modern society prides itself on being independent. As a result, we don't make the additional effort to reach out to our neighbours. Unlike the olden days in a kampung, when neighbours needed each other to borrow rice, for instance.”

Recently, I was unable to get into my flat as the gate was locked and I brought only the door key.  While waiting for my family to return, my next door neighbour (whose door is usually opened) saw what happened and offered a drink and her phone to me to make a call.  Ever since they’ve moved over, we have given each other gifts (CNY, Christmas, return from overseas trips).  She has even cooked dishes for us.  My wife has also invited her family for some evangelistic meetings at the Chinese service.  Do we know our next door neighbour?

2.    Our neighbour is anyone (regardless of race or social background) in need

Jesus expands the definition of a neighbour.  Whether it is a physical need (cleaning house, carrying things), an emotional need (providing a listening ear or encouraging word) or a spiritual need (minister the word or prayer), we can offer a helping hand within our capabilities.  The good Samaritan met the physical needs of the injured traveller without expecting anything in return.    

                    

3.    Love means acting to meet needs of people around you

This parable is about loving God and loving our neighbour.  We if claim to love God, then it must be evident in our interaction with our fellow men.

Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.  1 Jn 4:20-21 NIV

Look around you – are there people you can help?  The good Samaritan shows us that love is 

demonstrated through meeting the felt needs of people.  Let us be good Samaritans!

---

Timeless Counsel to Live By

There are forces which seek to bring discouragement, doubt, despair and death to Christians since time immemorial.   The writer to the book of Hebrews tells the believers then that their faith in Christ is built on better promises because Christ is superior to angels, Moses and the Aaronic priesthood.  Furthermore, the writer went on to list down the heroes of faith, including those who suffered greatly for their faith.  In concluding his letter, he gave us some timeless counsel which we would do well to take heed, especially in these times we’re living in.

¹Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. ² Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. ³ Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.   ⁴ Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. ⁵ Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

⁶ So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”    ⁷ Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. ⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:1-8 (NIV)

In an age where people’s love for God will grow increasingly cold, the counsel to love the brethren cannot be overemphasised.  Why should love for brothers and sisters continue?  Simply because love is the hallmark of Christians: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”   (Jn 13:35 NIV)  And love is the greatest human force that can counter the schemes of the devil, who is bent to steal, kill and destroy the life and joy in the human spirit. 

   

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. ² People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, ⁴ treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.   2 Tim 3:1-5 NIV

There is a tendency for us to be self-absorbed in our own work and to fulfil our own lusts at the expense of others.  We are more concerned about ‘what’s in it for me?’-mentality when it comes to societal involvement.  We look for hand-outs rather than lend a helping hand.  The growing secularisation of society is something we have to contend with – they promulgate the notion that physical world is all there is and everything can eventually be explained scientifically; hence there is no need for God and as such no moral accountability is needed, so they can do whatever they like to fulfil the desires of their flesh. 

   

The writer to Hebrews tells us that love for the brethren should continue as during that time people were already prone to neglect meeting together  (Heb 10:24-25) and has to be encouraged to see how they could spur one another to love and good deeds.  I note with great joy the efforts by an oikos and church members to encourage a brother to return back to Christian fellowship and worship. That’s the power of love in action – picking up the phone to call or sending him a sms to find out how he’s getting along and to encourage his return.      

This love can be further demonstrated in our actions in relation to how we treat other people, in particular – strangers, prisoners, spouses, spiritual leaders – with a special mention on personal attitude towards money.  A lot of problems or progress in life comes from our relationship with people. Life would have been much more pleasant and productive if we learn to relate to one another in the spirit of Christian love.   I would like to give you some of the attributes people of all cultures expect of one another in order to have a harmonious living relationship. 

1.       People like to be treated with Kindness 

Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it (v 2)

This alludes to Abraham entertaining 3 visitors (looking like humans) but who turned out to be angels.  The other example is Manoah & his wife; they prepared meals for them.  The angels came bearing news of the birth of a son for Sarah (Isaac) & Manoah’s wife (Samson); both were initially barren.  

Strangers represent a group of people we may not know intimately.  It could be our neighbour, the man in the street or in the public transport or possibly people in church; you’d be surprised that many people may not know one another in church, except maybe those in their oikos or ministry groups.   

When we show kindness to people, they may take advantage of us.  And there are times when our kindness may be misinterpreted or not reciprocated.   Remember the words of Mother Theresa: “If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; be kind anyway!” 

 “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”    Mt 7:12 NIV  [This is the golden rule of living]

When we are kind to others, we invite kindness in return; sometimes in unexpected form.

I want to mention something about angels (mentioned 300x in the Bible). They are God’s secret agents sent to minister to us rather than to be ministered to (Heb 1:14).  All of us have a guardian angel to watch over and protect us (Mt 18:10).  I was recently protected from serious harm to my head when I fell during my jog on a wet day. 

We live in a material world where we can see, touch and sense in our physical beings.  But just beyond a thin veil is the spiritual world where angels are very real and very busy.  Occasionally, the physical eyes are opened to see the reality of angels – as in the case of Elisha’s servant (2 Kgs 6:15-17) – but often angels do their work undetected by the human eye.  Many have reported seeing angels sent to help those in need.

In worship services, we can often sense the manifest presence of God.  In the natural, this happens all the time where the natural ‘presence’ is evident together with a person.  When you return from a holiday, you bring a sense of relaxation and refreshing along.  Or the opposite can happen, your spouse can come home from work, bringing along all the tension and anxiety of a terrible lousy day.  The angels of God, who spend so much time in God’s presence worshipping Him, cannot but bring the fragrance of heaven with them.  God’s holiness supercharges the atmosphere and that affects His angels, who would bring an extra wave of His holiness wherever they go. 

We are connected to the spiritual world through the agency of prayer.  Prayer is usually the catalyst for enlisting the assistance of angels.  All prayers are to be directed to God, never to angels.  Abraham, Daniel, Cornelius and the Jerusalem church all prayed to God, and He answered through angelic intervention each time.

2.       People like to be treated with Empathy          

Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering (v 3)

Whether it’s showing kindness to a stranger or visiting those in prison, Jesus mentioned that such deeds are in fact done to Him.  God sees the motivations and attitudes of our heart.

³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’  ⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’              Mt 25:34-36, 40 NIV

Empathy is a great virtue to have.  It means the ability to identify ourselves with the experiences of people in dire straits, whether they be sick or in want.  Without this virtue, it would be very difficult to meet man’s basic need for food, clothing and shelter as well as minister to their felt needs – when they are sick or in prison.  This has spawned Christian ministries like Jesus Heals & Prisons Fellowship ministries, reaching out to the sick and prisoners (and people connected with them).  In our church, the Pastor’s Prayer sessions and Social Concerns ministry go in some way to meet the felt needs of our community.

In one of the 7 habits of highly effective people, we are told “Seek first to understand then to be understood”.  How often times have conversations ended in misunderstanding and quarrels when people do not see things eye to eye?  By clarifying and trying to understand where a person is coming from, rather than thinking how to rebut the person, a lot of heartaches and frustrations can be avoided, especially pertaining to relational conflicts and breakups.   I believe that is in keeping with the spirit of genuine conversation. 

We live in a world where the entitlement-mentality is so prevalent – worshipping the unholy trinity of I, Me and Myself.  When we empathise with others, a lot of issues can be resolved in an amicable fashion, without allowing pride to rear its ugly head.  

 

3.       People like to be treated with Respect 

Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral (v 4)

In this case, our spouses deserve our respect through the keeping of the marriage vows.  For the unmarried, it is to avoid fornication – sex outside of marriage – respecting the person whom you are going out with.  Sex is hallowed and created by God, and is to be consummated within the confines of marriage between a husband and wife.  This definition of marriage is increasingly being hijacked by the gay community nowadays.   

“pure” (hagnos, Gk) – free from all taint which is lewd; acts/thoughts that incite desire not in accordance with one’s virginity or marriage vows.  There’s a need to avoid all sexual actions and excitements that would defile one’s purity before God.

“sexual immorality” (porneia, Gk) – wide variety of sexual activities outside the marriage relationship, including touching intimate parts of body or seeing another person’s nakedness.  Technological advancements have made sexual immorality so rampant on the internet/social media.  Nowadays our young are so bold as to take naked pictures of themselves and send it to their so-called girlfriend or boyfriend.  Little did they realise that their pictures can go viral to their shame and detriment.  Also, some of them are having sex under the age of 16.  

When we don’t respect others – their worth as a human being – a lot of vices will ensue, as mentioned above.  We will demean them through words and actions that could possibly cause grievous harm to them.   When students do not respect teachers, they show it through their defiance and rebellious acts.   When we don’t show respect to people, we will ignore what they say.  This would result in hurt and resentment against one another.     When we respect others, we accord them the dignity and worth that is befitting a creature created in God’s image. 

  

Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. 1 Pet 2:17 NIV

4.       We are to be Content with what we have  

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (v 5)

There’s no denying that we all need money to live and sustain ourselves physically.  For many of us, we earn our keeps by doing decent work, either as an employer or employee.  In fact, Paul gave the Thessalonians this command, “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” 2 Th 3:10 NIV
Depending on our expectations with regard to living standards, we will keep on working or making investments to make ends meet, unless we have a benefactor who constantly provides for us.  Material wealth is often associated with God’s blessing.  However, there is a dark side to money which we should not be ignorant about.  In fact, Jesus mentioned that we cannot serve both God and money (Lk 16:13 NIV).  Money is placed as a rival to God, competing for our affection.  This can be seen in Jesus’ response to the rich young man (who claimed to have kept the commandments of God), “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”  Mk 10:21 NIV

Jesus saw the bondage he’s being held under; hence the injunction to sell everything and to give them away.  The young man became crestfallen and walked away from Jesus.

The Philippines sex extortion syndicate exploited the vulnerabilities of people by enticing them to perform sexual acts (cyber-sex) online.  Little did such people realise that their acts were filmed secretly and they were able to hold them random for large sums of money, with the threat of uploading the video online.  One person has committed suicide due to this.  This is but just the tip of the iceberg where unscrupulous means of obtaining money is going on in this world today – human trafficking (people lured into prostitution, slavery, loan sharking activities, etc.)

Let us place our material possession in context – those of us who own a home are wealthier than 95% of all the people on earth.  God is certainly our help and provider; He will never leave us or forsake us.  Naked we came into this world and naked we shall return.  All our earthly possessions will be left behind. 

       

When we are content with what we have, a lot of social ills and evil can be avoided.  We will begin to relate to people with genuine love rather than what we can get out of them.  Our money would be used as a means to bless the lives of others and to extend God’s kingdom on earth.   

Paul says, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.”  1 Tim 6:6 NIV

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”  Phil 4:12-13 NIV

5.       People like  to be Affirmed or Appreciated

Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith (v 7)

Remember your spiritual leaders – those who have gone ahead and those still alive – how they spoke the word of God to you; imitate their faith in God.  The qualities of an overseer include the earlier 3 points mentioned (1 Tim 3:1-7). One of the major ways we can affirm spiritual leaders is to pray for them, recognising that they are still fallible.

“Pray for us.  We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way.” Heb 13:18 NIV

There is no denying that all of us need affirmation from time to time.  Affirmation is a love language that ministers to our soul (emotional part).  It is like an energy booster for those who are down or to encourage us in our work or labour for the Lord. 

“That was a wonderful timely message/work you’ve done, you must have spent a lot of time labouring over it.”

“You are so steady. I like the way you think before you speak.”

“One of the things I really admire about you is that you are dependable.  When you give your word, I can count on it.”  

These are but some examples of words of affirmation.

When we affirm others, we give them the strength and encouragement they need to carry on what they have been doing.   Affirmation can also be in the form of deeds – giving of food, treats, presents and sometimes cash.   

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (v 8)  

Above all else, we are to look to Jesus Christ – our unchanging God, whose moral standards are unchanging despite the changing circumstances of life.  He is the one who empowers and enables the leaders of old to walk by faith and He is the one who enables the current leaders to walk as Jesus did.    Because God is unchanging, His precepts and counsel are timeless and that’s why we would do well to follow them.

²⁵ In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth,
    and the heavens are the work of your hands.
²⁶ They will perish, but you remain;
    they will all wear out like a garment.
    Like clothing you will change them
    and they will be discarded.
²⁷ But you remain the same,
    and your years will never end.            Ps 102:25-27 NIV

Be a person who treats people with kindness, empathy, respect and affirmation, and not consumed by greed. 

Research done by Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching revealed that in technical jobs, like engineering, about 15% of one’s financial success is due to one’s technical knowledge and about 85% is due to skill in human engineering ie. To personality and the ability to lead people.   To be successful in life, we all need to learn how to have the human touch even in a high-tech world.

 

God is constantly moulding and shaping our lives – our attitudes and conduct – in the face of adversity or challenges, whether they relate to us directly or not.   When the Bible talks about us ministering to Jesus through the poor, weak, sick and helpless of society, the whole point of emphasis is about us and not them.  God wants to transform us into the character and image of Jesus Christ.  Would you allow God to mould you into the person He intended you to be?  Have you learnt how to love others more?

Problem of evil and suffering

⁸ “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.
⁹ “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.     Is 55:8-9 NIV

The advent of the internet has brought about the information age whereby knowledge is increasing at a very rapid pace.  It is said that 80% percent of the world's total knowledge has been brought forth in the last decade or so.  Despite all the knowledge and wisdom of the apostles, prophets and teachers, I believe we have only scratched the tip of the iceberg where the knowledge of God and spiritual things (prophecy) are concerned.  We may not exactly know why certain things happen the way they do.  Suffice to say that God’s ways and thoughts are far higher than ours.   The Word of God has given us sufficient signposts or truths to guide our lives in this world.   

Since the turn of the millennium, many calamitous events have taken place in this world, whether they be natural or man-made.

Calamity is defined as a great misfortune or disaster bringing grievous affliction (death or suffering)

2001: 9/11 attack on the NY twin towers & Pentagon killing almost 3000 people, with many others diagnosed with cancer due to toxic dust exposure

2003: SARS afflicted more than 8000 people worldwide, killing more than 700 people

2004: Boxing Day South Asian tsunami killing more than 200,000 people; result of an earthquake occurring off Sumatra

2011: Mar 11 earthquake-cum-tsunami triggering a nuclear meltdown in Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant killed more than 15,000 people

2014: Mar 8 disappearance of MH370 carrying 239 passengers & crew; the last we heard is the plane’s journey ended in the South Indian Ocean

The problem of evil and suffering will continue in this world as long as Satan and his cohorts are still roaming around.  Let’s look to God’s Word for truths concerning evil in this world.

1.      Evil originates in the heart of man and it would get worse.

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.  Jas 1:13-15 NIV

With more people on earth, evil activities will increase.

God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.  They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; …      Rom 1:28-30 NIV

2.      Believers are not spared from the effects of evil; the devil comes to steal, kill and destroy, both in the physical and spiritual sense

Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection.  Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.  They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated —  the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.  These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised,  since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.                      Heb 11:35-40 NIV

3.      The tragic suffering or untimely death of people is not due to the fact that they were worse sinners.  

Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed

with their sacrifices. ² Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the

other Galileans because they suffered this way? ³ I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all 

perish. ⁴ Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more

guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? ⁵ I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” Luke 13:1-5 NIV

Unorthodox Jewish belief is that the greatness of suffering is equivalent unusual wickedness.  Such is the case

with Job’s friends. Jesus' response to the two incidents is to get His hearers to repent, while they still have 

the opportunity to do so. 

4.      God can use natural disasters or sicknesses to be His instruments of judgment upon gods and men eg. Hail and fire in one of the plagues sent to Egypt (Ex 9:18-25), earthquake to swallow up Korah and his followers (Num 16:30-35).  In the seals, trumpets and bowls judgments, God uses both angelic (natural) and human means to execute His final judgments on non-believers.   The sad part of it all is that men still refuse to repent, just like Korah and his followers for their rebellion. 

The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk;  and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts.   Rev 9:20-21 NASB

5.      Death does not have the final word in life.  

Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd. ¹² And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her. ¹³ When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” ¹⁴ Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” ¹⁵ So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother.  Luke 7:11-15 NKJV

Two crowds met, one led by the Resurrection and the Life and the other led by the pallbearers.  Guess what, death gave way to life.  Jesus brought the child back to life; a picture of what Christ would do when He returns again to resurrect all saints.  In fact, when Christ rose again from the dead, He became the first fruit from the dead (1 Cor 15:20).  As believers in Christ, we should be the most compassionate people, following the example of our Lord.  

6.      God allows Satan to work his diabolical plans through His permissive will (Job 1:6-22).  

What is the common denominator in this story?  Satan preserved a messenger each to report to Job the bad news (4x).  God allowed Satan to strike everything he has – flocks and herds; servants and children – all destroyed within a day.  What would your response be if everything you owned was destroyed?  It’s like losing all your investments and going bankrupt; and your loved ones are taken away from you.  This was indeed a great calamity for Job!

What was Job’s response?  He worshipped God (v 20) and did not blame God for what had happened (v 22).  For us who may be suffering, this is easier said than done; but Job did it! 

The apostle John tells us that the whole world is under the hand of the evil one (1 Jn 5:19); this is because 

when man fell, he transferred dominion of the earth to Satan.

 

God has allowed evil to thrive in this world because the kingdom of this world has not become the kingdom of our God.  Jesus said that the wheat and tares will grow side by side until the Day of Judgment when they shall be separated. 

It is instructive to note that in the Lord’s Prayer, which is a model prayer for His disciples, He included this statement: And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.   Mt 6:13 NIV

Jesus recognised the power of the enemy to wreak havoc in His disciples; that’s why He prayed for               protection for His disciples:  My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.   Jn 17:15 NIV

7.      Satan is constantly accusing us before God (Rev 12:10) but Christ is always making intercession on our behalf (Heb 7:25).  Satan demanded to sift Peter like wheat but Christ prayed for him. 

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”  Lk 22:31-32 NIV

Because of Christ’s prayer, Peter became the apostle to the Jews.  Writing to the Christians scattered in Asia Minor for their faith, Peter wrote that they should expect persecution because Christ Himself suffered at the hands of lawless men; and when we suffer as Christians, we are bringing glory to God (1 Pet 4:14,16).  

   

8.      God will not allow us to be tempted (by Satan) beyond our ability to bear it (1 Cor 10:13).  Trials and testing come to prove and refine our faith.  Although God allows Job to be ravaged by Satan, He knows what Job can bear.  In the final analysis, God won the victory over Satan because Job remained blameless (but not perfect) before God.  Job also repented of his sins and was blessed twice over in terms of his wealth.   

Paul tells the Philippians that they have been given the privilege to suffer with Christ. And likewise for many other Christians.

For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him.   Phil 1:29 NIV

“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”             C. S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

As much as we would like to avoid all pain and suffering, without them we would be shallow, self-centred creatures who would ultimately lose all sense of nobility or striving for the good of others.

Whatever happens in life, we who belong to God will never be separated from His love, if we cling on to Him.

³⁵ Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

³⁷ But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.                           Rom 8:35,37-39 NASB

The Year of the Lord's Favour

Jesus started off his public ministry in his hometown of Nazareth. In the synagogue, on a Sabbath day, the scroll of the prophet Isaiah (written abt 600 to 700 yrs BC) was handed to him to read.

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”         Luke 4:18-19 NIV

Chinese New Year follows the lunar calendar, unlike the Western calendar which follows the solar calendar and falls on 1^st January.  For believers, this is not the year of the wooden horse but the year of the Lord’s favour! In fact, it has been so since Christ mentioned to the synagogue hearers that this scripture has been fulfilled in their hearing.  He did not include the day of vengeance of God. 

The Chinese zodiac, steeped in legends & mythologies, relates each year to an animal and its reputed attributes, according to a 12-year cycle. The Western zodiac relates constellation to each month. Both are linked to astrology or fortune telling, the focus is usually on what will happen to people in various stages of their lives or on what people should do on a particular day or in a certain month or year.  Astrology has its roots in Babylon; king Nebuchadnezzar summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamt (Dan 2:2 NIV). Daniel and his 3 friends were tested and stood out amongst all in the dept of wisdom and understanding.  The king found them 10 times better than all magicians & enchanters in his realm. 

We live in a world whereby it is becoming fashionable to reaffirm culture (beliefs, practices and lifestyles of different ethnic communities) and to advocate a multicultural society.  The diversity of human culture is part of God’s creation.  God’s imprint is seen in the diversity of natural creation.  God’s original purpose was to have the human race scatter over the earth and develop into diverse cultures.

However, mankind decided to reverse the scattering process by building a tower in Babel (ancient Babylon). It was not any ordinary tower though.  Archaeologists tell us it was a typical ziggurat, a well-known ancient structure designed for occult purposes – “tower that reaches to the heavens” (Gen 11:4) in order to draw on satanic power for their desired one world movement.  God’s respond was swift.  In one stroke, He ruined their plans by confounding their languages and they proceeded to scatter as God had intended.  The human race ended up, “Separated into their lands, everyone according to his language, according to their families, into their nations.”  (Gen 10:5 NASB).

Cultures are designed to glorify God.  However, Satan has succeeded in corrupting them, to prevent God from being glorified.  He did it first by provoking Adam & Eve to sin against God, corrupting the very human nature that was created in the image of God.  Then using multitudes of depraved human minds, he has continued his perverse activities, starting with individuals and then society as a whole.  His influence can be subtle at first before becoming militant.

Much of human culture and heritage is inextricably linked with religious philosophies and beliefs that Christians should not embrace.  How can we maintain an active appreciation of our cultural heritage without compromising our faith? In particular, how are we to show filial piety at funerals or celebrate the various Chinese festivals without going against the teachings of God by engaging in unscriptural practices?  To be sure, many of these issues can be emotionally-charged as they involve family ties.  

The Bible tells us to “… contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.”  Jude 1:3b NKJV

How can we as Christians, living in a culture that is governed by humanism and paganism, walk as salt and lights of the world without compromising our faith?  Jude continues by giving three specific examples of judgment passed by God for rebellion and unbelief (Jude 1:5-7).

But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.  [cowered by giants despite God’s promises]

Giants can come from pressure by society to conform or from cares and worries of life; deceitfulness of riches.  

And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; [angels, closest to God, not spared]

as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. [immoral lifestyle not condoned by God]

Recently, Facebook has added a customizable option with about 50 different terms people can use to identify their gender such as transsexual, androgynous, etc.  I don’t believe this diversity in human identity beyond male and female is God’s intention but a corruption of human identity from the pit of hell.

 

Let’s read Paul’s famous address to the Athenians on Mars hill [Greek is Areopagus: hill of Ares, god of thunder & war; Roman equivalent was Mars] with regard to handling cultural practices that are opposed to God.        

¹⁶ While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. ¹⁷ So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. ¹⁸ A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. ¹⁹ Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? ²⁰ You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.” ²¹ (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)

²² Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. ²³ For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship – and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.”

²⁴ “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. ²⁵ And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. ²⁶ From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. ²⁷ God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ²⁸ ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

²⁹ “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone – an image made by human design and skill. ³⁰ In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. ³¹ For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”  Acts 17:16-31 NIV

Two principles to guide us in living under an open heaven and to experience God’s favour in our lives:

1.     Acknowledge God as Creator and renounce false worship (v 25, 29-30)

Athens is the centre of Greek culture, philosophy and education. No doubt, when Paul was addressing the people, they could overlook the city with its magnificent temples and many gods. They thought Paul was introducing 2 new gods – Jesus and the resurrection.

The Athenians were very religious but they did not have a personal knowledge or relationship with the Creator of the universe.  They were rather superstitious and just in case they missed any god, they erected one “to an unknown god” altar; for fear of deprived blessing or incurring punishment.

One legend had it that there was a terrible plague in the city of Athens, and attempts to appease the gods and stop the plague had no effect. One of the wise men of the day brought a flock of sheep to the top of Mars Hill and released them. Wherever these sheep stopped, an altar was set up to an ‘anonymous god’ and the animal was sacrificed. This course of action was allegedly effective and the city returned to health.

Paul took the opportunity to correct their ignorance by presenting God as the Creator of everything.  They were ignorant on 3 counts:

1. About where God dwells (24) – not in temples
2. About the kind of worship God wants (25) – not through offerings of man
3. About how God can be thought of or represented (29) – not made by human design & skill

This teaching, where God is the Creator, flatly contradicted both the Epicureans, who believed matter was eternal and therefore had no creator, and the Stoics, who as pantheists believed God was part of everything and could not have created Himself.

As believers in Christ, we are not to participate in the worship of graven images nor those of our ancestors.  We can respect our ancestors but we are not to worship them in the hope that they can grant us blessings from beyond the grave.  We should also not participate in rites and rituals performed by pagan religious people for the dead.  In many cultures, works of art glorifying the creature rather than the creator may become tourist’s souvenirs eg. Tiki (Polynesian carving of human form), tribal masks, lamps with beautiful works of art, statues of deities, etc. Some of these objects could attract evil spirits. When in doubt, don’t buy or get rid of them, if you have the authority to do so.    

Writing to the Colossians, Paul exhorted them, “Don’t let others spoil your faith and joy with their philosophies, their wrong and shallow answers built on men’s thoughts and ideas, instead of on what Christ has said.”  Col 2:8 LB

Our lives should be governed by God and not by the clever philosophies of men.  In particular, man has invented and dabbled in divination by looking at the stars and animals (horoscopes) to govern their lives.  As believers, we are not to participate in such things as palmistry or card reading, following our horoscope signs or almanacs, etc. We should get rid of anything associated with such signs.  You would have to pray over artwork depicting horses; what was its intent? Was it to glorify the created thing rather than God?

In the celebration of Chinese New Year, there are good cultural traditions that believers can observe such as coming together for reunion dinner and showing respect for the elders. However, Christians are not to fall into the trappings and trimmings of luck and prosperity symbolised by various practices such as exchanging of oranges, tossing of yu sheng, decorations with auspicious words in red paper and pussy willows, etc. as if these practices confer blessings.   To be sure, these are man-made traditions which serve to fill the coffers of lucrative commercial traders.  The same can be said of Christmas traditions.  Blessings, favour and prosperity comes from the Lord.   

2.     Seek Him, reach out for Him and find Him (v 27)

The Athenians believed they were racially superior to all other people groups.  So imagine the shock for them to learn that God has created ALL people from Adam and Eve alone.  No one race is superior to the other; we all bleed and are all equally corrupt, desperately needing a Savior.  God has apportioned each nation their inheritance in the hope that they would seek after and find Him because He is not far from anyone.  The Bible tells us to: “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.”   Is 55:6 NIV

God is a personal God (not an impersonal one).  Ever since the fall of mankind, He has been reaching out to men.  Firstly, by calling to Adam, “Where are you?” and subsequently, through Abram, by calling him out of Ur of Chaldees.

The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.  ² “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. ³ I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”   Gen 12:1-3 NIV

King David penned these wonderful words (a reminder of God’s holy intent for all nations):

All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations will bow down before him,
for dominion belongs to the Lord  and he rules over the nations.   Ps 22:27-28 NIV

God’s outreach to mankind culminates in the Person of Jesus Christ who came to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.  As if to preempt the Athenians’ thoughts: ‘If we are so wrong, then why is there no catastrophe, no plague?’  Paul declared: “That there was no catastrophe is not due to the effectiveness of your idol-worship, but rather to God’s mercy in overlooking your ignorance.”  He urges repentance while there is still time to do so, lest the day of vengeance or judgment comes, when it would be too late.  God’s final revelation to mankind is through the man, Jesus, whom God raised from the dead – a personal God coming in flesh to reveal Himself but also one who is going to judge the world.

God’s favour is tied in with atonement at the cross for all mankind.  As we proclaim the good news, we have the opportunity to set the prisoners free (salvation), bring recovery of sight to the blind (healing) and set the oppressed free (deliverance).  As believers, we can also lay hold of the promise that God's favour would surround us like a shield (Ps 5:12).  Have a favourable year in the Lord!