Christ Is Risen!

One of the biggest pleasures in life is to see the start of dawn. As the sun gradually moves up the skyline, the solar light floods the land with brightness. The seas reflect the radiance to make the sky blue or white, depending on the colour of the waters. For Christians, the third day after Good Friday is a significant day. The Apostle Paul writes:

"And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith." (1 Cor 15:14)

 Like the sun that is risen, history records through hundreds of witnesses that Jesus has risen from the dead. He said it. He lived it. He demonstrated that Truth prevails. Jesus is risen from the dead. It is because He lives, we can face tomorrow. Life is worth the living just because He lives.

Put away the sackcloths used for mourning. Set aside the bad news of the day. Gaze into the beauty of the Risen Christ. There is none holy, none more beautiful than our Lord who has risen from the dead.

"It is not easy to defined what we mean by an 'essentially human body.' The records show that Our Lord's Risen Body could pass through closed doors, which human bodies can't: but also that it could eat. We shall know what a glorified body is when we have one ourselves: till then, I think we must acquiesce in mystery." (CS Lewis, The Collected Letters of CS Lewis, Vol III)

In the meantime, enjoy once again, the Resurrection of Christ, depicted via a beautiful dramatization of CS Lewis's "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe."



It is because Christ has risen, we have assurance that He will come again. Maranatha!

conrade

Hanging On to His Words

"It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two." (Luke 23:44-45)

Main Thought: When tough times come, what can we hang on to? On the day before Resurrection Sunday, think about how the early disciples, especially the women hang on to hope.

A) Stormy Night Outside, Gloomy Mood Inside

It was a stormy night last night. Throughout the lower mainland and in several parts of British Columbia, Canada, strong winds raged throughout the night. Many smaller boats were damaged. Some marinas were destroyed. Boats were kept at bay. Even large vessels like ferries had to have their sailings canceled. Many areas were without electricity, many because the cables supplying power to them were damaged by fallen trees. I heard howling winds even though my windows in the house remain shuttered through the night. This morning, I saw a tree branch lying in my backyard. Inside my house, our kitchen tap failed to function properly. It was a day of strange events. For anyone who is feeling down, these things can be crushing to the soul.

[Photo Credit: The Province, April 3rd, 2010]

Normally I would not read too much into these natural events. Things do break. Weather does turn for the worse occasionally. There is no predictable pattern. However yesterday was Good Friday. It was a day to remember the death of Jesus on the Cross. It was a day to remember that it is because we who are sinners refuse to repent, and to lay aside our idols, that Jesus has to come to die for us. God loves us that He sent Jesus, a perfect man, to bear the sins of the whole world, that all who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

I am still grappling with the demise of a loved one, since hearing about his death two days ago. He is one of my favourite uncles, and the only medical doctor in my paternal side of the family. He was the pride of my grandparents. Now he is gone. What is more baffling is that no one knows how, where and why he died. Police are still investigating. He left nothing for any of the family members to hang on to, except for memories from long ago. Memories of pride in him being admitted to medical school and opening his own medical practice. Memories of how he asserted himself. Memories of how he enjoyed eating and having a good time. Memories of long conversations through the night. Memories of him teaching me how to apply for a job, and memories of how he advised me not to take religion too seriously. Other than that, he left nothing else behind.

B) Hanging on to His Words
As I ponder on Jesus's death, I cannot help but be comforted by the words He left behind. He did not leave this world without first supplying us a baton of Hope. He did so many things, performed so many acts, and taught so many people about the kingdom of God. He gave us words to hang on, words that give us hope, not despair.

• "Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” "(Matthew 26:31-32)
• “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Mark 14:62)
• "... I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (Luke 10:10b)
• "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

This is the heart of our Lord Jesus. He knows that we are frail outside and fragile inside. He understands our design. He is our Creator in the first place! Like a loving Father, he gives us words to give us hope. Like a gentle Shepherd, his words are like Moses's rod and staff to guide us in our journey. Jesus goes to the Cross without leaving us helpless and hopeless. He fills our cup with hope, so that we will be filled. He gives us His words to eat, so that we can be satisfied. He did not leave us without anything. He has given us a rich reserviour of teachings and truths to keep and to cherish.

C) Hanging on to the Counselor: Holy Spirit
Amazingly, Jesus did not simply leave us with words. There is something else far more personal: The Holy Spirit.

“Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. (John 16:5-7)

The human race has been blessed to be able to see God in three persons. Beginning with the Old Testament, God showed Himself as the LORD God, the Loving Father. In New Testament times, people get to see Jesus the Son, in person. In our contemporary world, we get to commune and be personally guided by the Holy Spirit. God is Trinity. The Triune Godhead is Father, Son, Holy Spirit, eternally one God, but in three persons.Here is an excerpt of the Athanasian Creed which is written to state the doctrine of the Trinity clearly for the Church at large.

...

The Father was neither made nor created nor begotten; the Son was neither made nor created, but was alone begotten of the Father; the Spirit was neither made nor created, but is proceeding from the Father and the Son.


Thus there is one Father, not three fathers; one Son, not three sons; one Holy Spirit, not three spirits.


And in this Trinity, no one is before or after, greater or less than the other; but all three persons are in themselves, coeternal and coequal; and so we must worship the Trinity in unity and the one God in three persons.

... [excerpted from the ELCA website of belief.]

D) Hanging on to Hope
Even in dark days, or tumultuous periods of life, it is necessary to hang on to hope. We hang on to the words of Jesus, as we remember the dark days and stormy nights of depression, repression or suppression by external forces. We hang on to the guidance of the Holy Spirit even as we struggle with understanding our calling, our purpose in life, and the meaning of our existence on this earth. We hang on to the hope that the kingdom will come soon, that Jesus will come again.

Let us prepare ourselves. Let us work faithfully. Pray steadfastly. Hope constantly that the day will come, where we will see God, fully in all His glory, Father, Son, Holy Spirit. When that time comes, all the saints of the past, the present and the future will stand together and shout: Holy Holy Holy! LORD God Almighty!

Where there is doubt, remember Jesus' words. Where there is despair, remember the presence of the Counselor with us. Where there is desperation, remember the sayings of the wise man in Ecclesiastes that there is a time for everything. Above all, remember that the time will come, where we can all say that death has no sting, and that the new world will come in God's glory. Maranatha!

conrade

Three Scattered Thoughts on Good Friday

Today is Good Friday. I wake up reflecting on Jesus and thinking about the Cross, the World's continued ignorance of Jesus, and how the Church continues to be under unfair labeling by media.

1) Thinking of Jesus and the Cross
It is a time to remember Jesus being captured, cursed, and crucified at the Cross. As we enter the last week of Lent, that climaxes in Easter Sunday or Resurrection Sunday, it is good to remember the work of Christ. It is important to know where our faith, our Christian belief centers on. It is Jesus. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. It is because of Jesus' willingness to go to the cross, and die for all mankind, that we have hope. The Apostle's Creed says it poignantly, which is a summary and uniting statement for the vast majority of Christian denominations and quarters.

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
Born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, dead, and buried:
He descended into hell;
The third day he rose again from the dead;

2) Thinking about the World Ignoring the Cross
Good Friday is a significant event for Christians all over the world. I know of some friends who would rather forget Christmas, instead of forgetting Good Friday. It is significant because, it is not Christmas, but Jesus's death on the cross that is the act of dying to give this world a new hope and opportunity to be restored back to God. About 2 billion people in the world have adopted Christianity as their faith, almost a third of the world's population. That is a significant number.

Unfortunately, I feel that many are not willing to take into consideration this number. Take Google for example. As a search company, their algorithms work on the basis of popularity and numbers. The more people links to a particular site, the more 'important' and 'relevant' this information is. On special days, on their plain white background search page, there will be special pictures to commemorate a significant event on the day itself. For example, when the Winter Olympics started, there was this:

Winter Olympics - Feb 20th, 2010

For special days like New Year's Day, it will be like this:

Happy New Year - Jan 1st, 2010

Not Good Friday. While many countries with a Christian presence declare Good Friday a national holiday, the giant search corporations prefers to remember the birthday of Hans Christian Anderson, the story teller. Even Halloween gets to have their icon on Google. Not Good Friday. Not Jesus. It is another example of how the world conveniently ignores Jesus, in favour of other gods.

Good Friday - Apr 2nd, 2010

So Hans Christian Anderson is more significant than Good Friday. Mmmmph. Either someone is a big Hans Christian Anderson fan, or he is plain ignorant of the significance of Good Friday. Come Easter Sunday, what do you think you will see? I think the Easter bunny and the chocolate eggs will dominate the headlines. Again!

3) Thinking of the Church Carrying the Cross
A thought provoking article was written by Dr David Horn of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He has recently returned from some humanitarian projects in New Orleans. He makes a sharp comment asking: "Where is Brad Pitt Now?" When the Katrina crisis first blew over, many people pay attention. The media swarm the place for coverage. People give generously to various agencies to help the hurricane victims. That was back in 2005. Now, about 5 years later, where are the famous movie stars? Where is popular media? What happens to the rebuilding projects that began with so much fanfare?

Not the movie stars. Not the big-time media. All they are doing right now is to look for the latest and the greatest excitement happening in town. Katrina is no longer exciting. Horn further observes that the real people picking up the pieces left behind, the ones who are faithfully and quietly helping are the religious groups, like Churches and many other faith based organizations. Where are the stars? What is the media portraying religions, especially Christianity?

Horn makes a stark contrast of the difference, and the injustice that is inflicted on Christianity.

"Which brings me back to Brad Pitt. Where is he now? One of the unsung songs in the national media, now that the television cameras are gone after five years, is that it is almost solely faith-based organizations—churches, Christian schools, and other religious organizations-- that are still packing their bags and heading down to New Orleans to patch the city back together again. Where did everyone else go? But why should the national media care? They already have their story. And the story is that apparently the church is full of hypocrites who think about little else but heaven." (Horn)

So while the Church continues to pick up the pieces, and be faithful to help in little ways, the mass media in general continues to portray the Church as a bunch of hypocrites only concerned about heaven. What kind of reporting will that become?

conrade

A Worshipful Album That Begins Rightfully with Adoration

Album: Adoration
Artist: Brenton Brown
Distributed by: EMI Christian Music Group, 2010.
Reviewed by: Conrade Yap

About the Artist

Brenton was raised in Cape Town, South Africa; studied in Oxford, England, and now resides in Malibu, California. This work is done even as Brenton and his wife goes through the painful loss of their baby girl, Gracie. With an incredible need for healing and recovery, Brenton shares his profound emotions with a re-focused mind toward God, trusting that God will always be faithful. They were rewarded with a healthy baby girl, Bella eventually. Brenton, most well known for his hit song, "Everlasting God," has given the Christian public an authentic gem for worship.

About the Album: "Adoration"

Brenton Brown’s latest album can be summed up in one word: Worshipful. Entitled ‘Adoration,’ every song is written to capture that state of admiration and an adulation of our Creator God. The songs capture an image of God, that intentionally directs the listener to focus on God. Led masterfully by the signature piece, ‘Adoration,’ Brown and company boldly proclaims God’s beauty and awesomeness, letting God increase, and man decrease. The first four songs introduce the listener to give God the praise and honour, to be ushered into the Presence of God. The next four songs lead us to enjoy and dance in the Presence of God. The last two give a glimpse of God’s eternal promise to be with us forever. Interestingly, the final song, ‘A Thousand Times’ is a declaration of faith in God, regardless of good or bad times. An album that helps the listener progress from a dependence on human emotions, to a willingness to worship God, regardless of emotional fluctuations, deserves to be called worshipful. This is the essence of worshiping God in Spirit and in Truth. Brenton Brown and company should be commended for contributing another beautiful addition for one to adore and to worship God, in Spirit and in Truth.


It is an album of faith, hope and love, encapsulated in one word: Adoration. Knowing this song, will guide the listener to enjoy using the rest as building blocks to aid worship.


conrade



"Album provided courtesy of Kingsway North America and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available in stores February 23, 2010. More information on Brenton Brown can be found at: www.BrentonBrown.com"

Good Friday and Easter Sunday

"I'm so happy. We have a short week this week and next week,"she squeaks with delight.

I was walking with my daughter to school this morning. She was in a jovial mood as tomorrow is Good Friday, and Monday is Easter. So she has a four day school week both this week as well as next week. She was all excited about Easter eggs and bunny, and all the fun surrounding this very solemn Christian event. I thought to myself:

"How can I describe Passion Week to a little child? How do I share about the sufferings of Christ as He willingly walks to the cross, to be cruelly crucified? How do I be gentle about the dark side of humanity, and at the same time, present the bright hope of Jesus' resurrection?"

I decide to tell it simply and gently. Before Easter, there is the remembrance of Jesus' suffering at the Cross, willingly, and intentionally. I talk about Jesus being led by a lamb to die on the cross for the sins of the whole world. That act shows us how evil the world is. It shows us how bad things can happen to the most perfect human being ever to walk this earth. It shows us the depth of human wickedness, which is more than matched by the depth of God's love. What intrigues me is the fact that Jesus did not complain to others, except to plead with God. He feels alone, rejected and has all the reasons in the world to feel helpless and hopeless. He could have turned aside. He could have retaliated against the injustice inflicted on him. He could have claimed trial, and defend himself vigorously. He could also have organized a group of freedom fighters, the way that William Wallace did for Scotland in the movie Braveheart. Jesus did none of these. Instead, he keeps himself focused on fulfilling the will of God. He prefers the cloak of humility, forsaking the garment of power and riches. He chooses to obey, instead of envying and asking: "Of all people, Why me?"

Love is the reason. In fact, it is not the highs of Resurrection hope, nor the lows of the death on Good Friday. It is not even the journey to the Cross that is the highlight of Passion Week. It is the love that drives the actions, the thoughts and the deeds. It is the love that empowers Jesus to overcome all odds and doubts. It is this love that surpasses all human understanding. It is that deep deep love of Jesus, that enables him to suffer, to be bullied and to die on a cruel cross. Without this love, there is no Easter. Without this love, there is no holidays that we enjoy today.

I remember telling my daughter, that we need to remember Jesus even as we enjoy picking up Easter eggs and chocolate goodies. The world around may choose only the fun and happy times. We choose to believe that life is more wholesome than that. Good times or bad when seen under the lens of God's will is a lot more real. It is a lot more human. A wholesome life prevents us from entering life with rosy-coloured spectacles. It enables us to be realistic, that life is a roller coaster of ups and downs. More importantly, as Christians, life is a journey with Jesus, who promises that at the end of it all, there is victory, there is hope, and above all, there is love unlimited in Christ.

Let us remember Jesus through the week, and always. Let us remember that Jesus loves us, that is why He needs to die. Jesus loves us, so that we can live through Him. Jesus loves us, so that we can be resurrected with Him when the kingdom comes.

O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
Vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!
Rolling as a mighty ocean
In its fullness over me!
Underneath me, all around me,
Is the current of Thy love
Leading onward, leading homeward
To Thy glorious rest above!

[Words: Samuel Trevor Francis; Music: Welsh Melody]

Did my daughter get it?

I doubt it. I am not even sure that she understands 10% from her theologizing dad. Anyway, one thing is for sure. She knows Passion Week is not merely about Easter. It is about Jesus. That alone, is good enough for me. God, bless these little children. They may not know a lot of theology, but they sure can enjoy the simple things in life. If we can all rejoice at the sight on just one Easter egg, how much more can we delight at the sight of Jesus' Face one day?

conrade

Why Are We So Busy?

This is a re-edited and condensed version of my original article on SabbathWalk, "Too Busy With Our Own House."

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Why Are We So Busy? ""You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?" declares the LORD Almighty. "Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house." (Haggai 1:9) I wonder if Jesus will ever say that He is busy. Looking at his packed 3-year schedule, he touched lives, spoke words of wisdom and performed many signs to point people to God. What about our modern Church? I suspect that the reason why we are so busy, is because we have a sense of mixed up priorities in life. For those of us with multiple schedules, we juggle to meet the expectations of different people we work with. For those of us with less busy schedule, we tend to try to wait out 'for a better alternative.' Both of these situations reflect where our priorities are. Whatever it is, it is unlikely yo be the Church. The former tries to do as many things within a small span of time. The latter procrastinates. Worse, our state of busyness may reflect a messed up sense of priorities. For Haggai, his call to the Israelites is clear. He calls them to 'give careful thought to their ways.' He calls them not to neglect the temple of God that needs to be rebuild. He calls them to action, especially when the house of God is in ruins. Let us attend to the house of God. If the House of God is not in order, there is no joy if we have nice homes and comfortable roofs. If the community suffers, it does not benefit the individual house occupants. If the Church of God does not grow in quality and quantity, we will all suffer sooner or later. Let us be mindful of our priorities. As we try to make our own houses nice and comfortable, do not neglect the Church of God. Do not forget that Church is not a building made of stones, but a community of believers encouraging and growing one another in Jesus. Thought: "If we are too busy to help our brother or sister grow in the Lord, we're probably not busy. We're indifferent." conrade

Book Review: "Made For Happiness" (Jean Vanier)

I reviewed this book today and posted on Amazon.com.

Title: Made For Happiness
Author: Jean Vanier (translated by Kathryn Spink)
Published: Toronto, ON: Anansi Press, 2001.

===============================

Aristotle, the ancient Greek philosopher writes that the fundamental human quest is for happiness. In other words, man is made for happiness. He possesses an innate desires to do good, to enjoy life as well as to pursue happiness. This quest takes in the form of friendship, pleasure, and a search for truth, justice and freedom. It is based on Jean Vanier's doctoral thesis entitled: "Happiness as Principle and End of Aristotelian Ethics." In it, the author shares his insights about Aristotelian understanding of the fundamental makeup and purpose of man: Toward Happiness.

Vanier points out how messed up our contemporary world is, to find meaning in life through materialism, money and power. He argues convincingly that these things do not necessarily bring happiness. Instead, they only add more stress and pressure to an already frantic soul in an increasingly anxious world. More disturbingly, man has confused what true happiness is. Enters Aristotle. Enters hope. Enters the masterful guiding hands of the founder of L'Arche. Vanier helps us link together the many different expressions of being human. Marrying the psychological, the ethical, the morality and spirituality of being human, Vanier illuminates the Aristotelian observation that man is made to be happy through `logos,' `virtue' and `activity.' `Logos' as the reason, the initial impetus of how and why man does certain things; `virtue' being the desire to want to do good in this world, and `activity' as an outward expression of this happiness quest. This is all part of being human.

What makes this book particularly helpful is that it does not lock the reader into the metaphysical realm of philosophy or intellect as the author works through Aristotelian ethics. Using examples, anecdotes and frequent quotations from primary sources, the author applies ancient philosophy with contemporary applications. Thus, Vanier has helped to connect intellectual with the affectual, the head with the heart. This is the single most valuable reason to read this book. I especially appreciate the tribute Vanier renders to this great philosopher, especially after critiquing certain parts of Aristotelian Ethics.

"Aristotle is a wise man. He seeks to reinforce all the positive energies that might help the men of his time to become more human, more just, more open to others, and by virtue of this very fact, to be happier, or to rediscover the fact that they were made for happiness." (198)

Rating: 4 Stars out of 5

conrade