Friday, March 21, 2014

My Reflection on MH370

It's almost two weeks since the disappearance of MH370 and our hearts and prayers go out to those suffering through the anxieties of not knowing exactly what happened and the fate of those missing. I wrote this article in DUMC's latest issue of Floodgates magazine as a reflection.
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Ending Well by Pr Chris Kam (Issue 79 of Floodgates magazine)

In my last year’s article entitled “The Future is Now”, this was what I wrote: James 4:14 ‘What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.’ I was reminded that life is short and whatever we do, for most things, we have only one shot at doing it right and the consequences, good or bad will have a rippling effect for years to come, not only on us but affecting many others as well.”

The buzz around the world while writing this is the tragic disappearance of flight MH370. It has certainly been much on our minds and prayers. What saddens our hearts even more is that amongst the victims of this tragedy are people that we know. The feeling of helplessness can only drive us to our knees to intercede for those who are missing and for their family members whose greatest anxiety is that of not knowing what exactly happened and their whereabouts. Apart from coming alongside to provide comfort and help where we can, the next best thing we can do during this time is to reflect upon our own lives and how we should live it better as we ponder the elephant in the room, of our own earthly mortality and its brevity. It is not a question of “if” but “when” and this certainly reminds us to cherish our loved ones and be certain of why we are here. The greatest good we can do is not to leave behind a trail of brokenness but the glory and grace of God in our lives and others.

Just last weekend, a young man in his early twenties, came forward for prayer at the end of our church celebrations. He asked me whether there is something wrong with him because he kept thinking about death, but not in a suicidal way. While a morbid subject, I assured him that Apostle Paul himself thought about his death often. I die every day. (1 Cor 15:31a) What Paul meant was that he no longer lives only for himself but every day he becomes closer to God by doing God’s will and not his own. He is also referring to the daily possibility of martyrdom.

Hence it is a reminder that we are living on borrowed time and that life is a gift. It is not a question of how long but how well. I followed a plan set forth in my early thirties by asking this question. “What will my funeral be like?” For many, it was strange to think about death at such an early age. But it was not a joke. I was thinking about death seriously. Not that I was flippant about life and death, but rather by thinking about how my life will end, I can live my life intentionally from that point on so that I can end it the way I envisioned it.

Do not get me wrong. It is not about me. John the Baptist succinctly puts it: “He must become greater; I must become less.” (John 3:30 NIV) or in ESV “He must increase, but I must decrease.” It is about living responsibly and intentionally so that through our lives, His grace may be prominent. I thought about what people would think of me at my funeral? Would I be leaving a trail of broken lives? Or would I leave behind a legacy of transformed lives centred in Christ? Will I be history or will I be a history maker?

While working through my funeral program, I wrote down what I would like my wife and sons to say about me. Those eventually include my closest relatives, some friends, colleagues and even our domestic helper. Of course I am not suggesting that it is my desire to have them speak publicly these things about me. It would not matter anyway as I would already be in the Presence of the Lord! However, if these are what I wish their thoughts will be at the point of my departure, I need to live out that kind of live henceforth. I don’t know how else to be more intentional and purposeful than that.

It is a strange exercise 20 years ago but as I look back now, I thank God that He prompted me to do what I did. I did “die every day” and I echoed the heart of Apostle Paul which desires to be with the Lord but willing to stay for the sake of the Gospel (2 Corinthians 5:8). I finally understood why he wrote what he wrote in 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 6For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. 7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Cohesive Family through Truth & Faithfulness

Scriptural Text: Ephesians 5:15 - 6:4
Preached at DUMC 15/16 March 2014 by Pr Chris Kam
The state of marriage today in Malaysia

The national rate of divorce in 2012 was 26%
The propostion of Muslim divorces is about double that of non-Muslims


















1. Biblical Theology of Marriage and the Family

The permanency of marriage.

Mark 10:6-9 “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ 7 ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, 8 and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” 


2. Biblical Template for the family

Biblical pattern for marriage:

Ephesians 5:21-33 
a. Wives, submit to your husband as to the Lord (v22-24)
23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. 

b. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her (v25-28) 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

Ephesians 6:1-4
c. Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” (v1-3) 

Luke 2:51-52 51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

d. Fathers, do not exasperate our children, instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. (v4) 



The Roles and Responsibilities in a Household according to Scripture
ROLES
RESPONSIBILITIES
TEXTS
Fathers
Love your wife*
Eph. 5:25
Provide for family, children
2 Cor. 12:14
Ensure proper nurture and discipline
Eph. 6:4; Col. 3:21; Heb. 12:6
Mothers
Submit to your husband*
Eph. 5:22
Raising of children, motherhood
1 Tim 2:15
Managing the home
1 Tim. 5:14
Children
Obedience to parents
Eph. 6:1-3; Col. 3:20
Care for parents in old age
1 Tim. 5:8


Reference: 
God, Marriage, and Family: Rebuilding the Biblical Foundation
By: Andreas J. Kostenberger,David W. Jones
* Added by author of blog

Click here for detail of book.

Verses:

Ephesians 5:25

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
  
2 Corinthians 12:14

Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.
  
Ephesians 6:4

Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
  
Colossians 3:21

Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
  
Hebrews 12:6

because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”
  
Ephesians 5:22

Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.

1 Timothy 2:15

But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.
  
1 Timothy 5:14

So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander.


Ephesians 6:1–3

1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”
  
Colossians 3:20

Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
  
1 Timothy 5:8

If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

The foundation of a cohesive family must be built therefore through: 
TRUTH – Biblical truth rooted in scripture about our roles in marriage
FAITHFULNESS – Faithfulness rooted in scripture about the permanency of marriage and family.


3. Biblical Transformation through the Family


How do we build a cohesive family? I want to suggest an IDEA.

Eph 6:4 Bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord

Instructions 

Discipline 

Encouragement 

Affection 


Luke 3:22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” 

3 things our children need to hear from us. 
I love you (Affection), 
I am proud of you (Acceptance
You are good in what you do (Affirmation). 

Appreciation to all our super mothers! Here is one who can do 10 things at one time:
Emily Lee - mother to Maya and wife to Paul Sebastian

To the singles looking for a life partner:
If you want to get married, you must make sure your marriage will give you a greater love for the Lord, the things of the Lord, a greater prospect of ministry. If not stay single. ~ Josh McDowell


APPRECIATE YOUR FAMILY WEEK!
Don't take your family for granted. Appreciate them in a creative way this week.