Dear Hope family,

Thought for the Week

Being Fruitful where you are

2 Corinthians 5v20 “ So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”.”

The last few Sundays, we have been thinking about how God works through us on our “Frontlines”. By frontline, we mean wherever we are during the week whether we are among family, friends, work colleagues, customers, etc. We have been picking up 3 key principles for what we do wherever we are:

• Modelling Godly character – We show the fruit of the Spirit in the world in every situation. Galatians 5v22 says “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” They are called fruit of the Spirit, because it is the work of the Spirit in us. Galatians 5v22
• Making Good work – We recognise that the basis of both paid and voluntary work is service. In particular, for us, this is service to our Lord Jesus who will reward us at the appointed time. Colossians 3v23 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.”
• Ministering Grace and love – Jesus has so loved us that he has given us what we do not deserve even when we were his enemies. So we are to show the same grace and love to those we find difficult. 1 John 4v19 says “We love because He first loved us.”

Just imagine what the places you go to during the week would be like if everyone exercised godly character, made good work and treated people well irrespective of what they deserve. Wouldn’t they be a fantastic place to be. You and I get to make a difference. We are salt and light in the world. We are ambassadors of Christ. We get to show the world a better way to live and to work.

You and I may not be able to change the whole world, but in the words of the old song “Jesus bids us shine, with a pure, clear light … you in your small corner, and I in mine.” We can each change the world for the better in the places we are. In the words of a very modern children’s song, “We are world changers”! – How exciting!

With love and blessing,

Roland

Dear Hope family,

Thought for the Week

Knowing the Future

Acts 1v11 “This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Our final “Statement of Faith” is, “We believe in … The personal and visible return of Jesus Christ to fulfil the purposes of God, who will raise all people to judgment, bring eternal life to the redeemed and eternal condemnation to the lost, and establish a new heaven and new earth.”

This statement determines our purpose and direction. We have said from the start that real belief is reflected in actual practice. So the question is, ‘Do we express this belief in the way we operate as a church?’ As I reflect, I am mindful of the following:

• Firstly, our underlying motivation in all that we do is an eternal one. We are not motivated by present successes or rewards, but the eternal promise of God. This has a huge impact on how we think about things and what concerns us.
• Secondly, our hope for the future is not something that is “airy fairy”, but is rooted in the personal and tangible, the real and the certain. It is not a matter of imagination, but of truth. This is the ultimate reality – the personal and visible return of Jesus!
• Thirdly, we are accountable. At the end, we will all be raised to judgment. We will all stand before Christ to give account. That is worth meditating on. It is both exciting and challenging. This calls for absolute integrity. What will I say? What will he say?
• Finally, we belong to somewhere else. There will be a new creation. It will be an ideal place for us to reside. Perfect in every way. This world is so corrupted and spoilt. There, there will be no more suffering or crying or pain. I live for eternity and I look forward to it!

Lord, guide our thoughts and motivations, so that they would all be set in the reality of what is to come.

“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come Lord Jesus.” Revelation 22v20

With love and blessing,

Roland

Dear Hope family,

Thought for the Week

Christ’s Church

Ephesians 4v3-4 “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit.”

Our tenth “Statement of Faith” is, “We believe in … The Church, the body of Christ both local and universal, the priesthood of all believers – given life by the Spirit and endowed with the Spirit’s gifts to worship God and proclaim the gospel, promoting justice and love.”

This statement is so important with regards to church life. We have said from the start that real belief is reflected in actual practice. So the question is, ‘Do we express this belief in the way we operate as a church?’ As I reflect, I am mindful of the following:

• Firstly, we are the body of Christ. This biblical expression of who we are expresses both our close connection together and our relation together with Jesus. This is expressed in both our mutual love and holiness. As a believer, I belong to something that both transcends this world yet is in this world.
• Secondly, the priesthood of all believers. No one of us is more a “priest” than the other. We all have equal access to God, equal relationship with him, and equal opportunity to engage with God on behalf of others. The “priesthood” is not exclusive to “leaders”, but it is exclusive to “believers”. As believers, we have both phenomenal privilege and mutual responsibility.
• Thirdly, life. We have life. It is given to us. It is not of ourselves, but by the Holy Spirit. Yesterday evening, some of us watched “Breakthrough” which is based on a true story. In a real life interview, mother Joyce says she prayed over her son John as he lay dead, “Holy Spirit please come and give me back my son.” The Holy Spirit came and restored physical life. As the Holy Spirit can breathe in physical life, so he is also fully able to breathe full spiritual life into all of us – life in all its fullness. Do I need more of this Spirit-life today?
• Finally, the enabling of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives gifts to us each and to us as a whole. These gifts are for godly purposes – for worship, for evangelism and for the expression of love in different forms. Do I need more of this gifting? Do I need more faith to exercise these gifts? God, bring  glory to yourself by working through me by your Holy Spirit. It is going to require stepping out in faith. It is going to require mutual encouragement.

Lord, lead and equip Hope Community Church by your Holy Spirit, may each and every one of us be able to bring your gifts to the church family and the world.

With love and blessing,

Roland

Dear Hope family,

Thought for the Week

The Empowering

Ephesians 2v8-9 “Instead be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Our ninth “Statement of Faith” is, “We believe in … The ministry of the Holy Spirit, who leads us to repentance, unites us with Christ through new birth, empowers our discipleship and enables our witness.”

This statement is so important in both our expectations of ourselves and our witness to the world. As I reflect, I am mindful of the following:

• Firstly, the whole of my Christian development is dependent on the Holy Spirit. Come Holy Spirit and do your work in me.
• Secondly, while we are called to play our part in sharing what we have experienced of Jesus, the fruit is up to the Holy Spirit working. It is the Holy Spirit who leads people to repentance and to new birth.
• Thirdly, witnessing is not just stating facts to people. It requires the enabling of the Holy Spirit to be sensitive to what, when and how we are to speak.

Lord, keep filling me with your Holy Spirit so that I may repent of sin in my life, follow Jesus and be a fruitful witness.

With love and blessing,

Roland

Dear Hope family,

Thought for the Week

Saved by Grace, Through faith

Ephesians 2v8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works so that no-one can boast.”

Our eighth “Statement of Faith” is, “We believe in … The justification of sinners solely by the grace of God through faith in Christ.”

This statement is so important in our witness to the world as it applies it to each person. As I reflect, I am mindful of how this guides our sharing the gospel:

• Firstly, we can only be made right with God (“justified”) by God’s grace. Justification is something we receive despite the fact that we do not deserve it, and because we cannot earn it. This means that the gospel is open to anyone that we meet however unworthy they may be or they may feel. In fact, the less deserving they feel and the more they recognise they are a “sinner”, the better as a person needs to depend on God, not themselves. Our witness therefore needs to allow the Holy Spirit to bring conviction of sin.
• Secondly, we can only receive by trusting in Christ. He is the One to put our faith in. The gospel always points to Jesus. Only those who have faith in Christ can be justified. Therefore our witness always points to Jesus as the solution.

May the Lord enable your witness to bring fruit as people realise their need of Jesus.

With love and blessing,

Roland

Dear Hope family,

Thought for the Week

Christ Risen as Saviour

Acts 4v12 “Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

Our seventh “Statement of Faith” is, “We believe in … The bodily resurrection of Christ, the firstfruits of our resurrection; his ascension to the Father, and his reign and mediation as the only Saviour of the world.”

This statement is controversial in some quarters, but it lies at the heart of the true Gospel message. As I reflect, I am mindful of why these truths are so important to us:

• Firstly, Jesus is personally, bodily, physically, really raised from the dead. This is not in our normal experience of life and death (though there are plenty of other testimonies of the dead being raised both in Scripture and since). I cannot explain how it happened, beyond “with God nothing is impossible” and surely the God who brought life into being in the first place can bring a person back to life.  But the truth is that Christ’s resurrection is the firstfruits of our own. This is our hope.
• Secondly, the physical ascension of Christ in his body raises a number of questions. Is he still in his physical resurrection body, and if so, where is he physically? These are hard to explain, but the truth to lay hold of is that Christ will one day return physically, and that right now he is our representative in heaven, acting in our favour.
• Thirdly, the Christian gospel is both inclusive and exclusive. All are invited (inclusive), but all have to come through Jesus (exclusive). Jesus divides the world into two – those who receive him as Saviour and Lord, and those who do not. He is the only Saviour. Some find this offensive; but it is like saying that if you sky-dive, you need a parachute. It remains with us to find ways to help people see.

An old song says “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace.”

With love and blessing,

Roland

Dear Hope family,

Thought for the Week

Christ on the Cross

Colossians 2v13 “He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”

Our sixth “Statement of Faith” is, “We believe in … The atoning sacrifice of Christ on the cross: dying in our place, paying the price of sin and defeating evil, so reconciling us with God.”

This statement lies right in the middle of the eleven. It is in fact the very crux of the gospel message and is represented in the Christian symbol of the cross. As I reflect, here are a couple of implications:

• Firstly, evil is defeated at a cosmic level. Yes, evil is all around us, but it is doomed and on its way out! The Devil, the ultimate evil person, threw his worst at Jesus as he entered Judas and sent Jesus to the cross. When the Devil threw his worst, Jesus could have called all the armies of heaven to prevent it. But he didn’t. Because in the evil conducted by Satan, God was performing a greater good, a greater victory. Jesus, going through it all and never sinning, made a way for human kind to return to God and for the kingdom of God to reign. Jesus is the solution to the world’s problems.
• Secondly, my sin is paid for. Jesus’ cross was not only of cosmic significance, it was also of personal significance. Jesus “paid the price”, he paid the penalty, for my sin. Jesus “died in my place” so that I do not die for my sin, but live. Jesus was an “atoning sacrifice” that enables God to forgive and call me His child. And so Jesus “reconciles me to God” and enables me to call him “Abba, Father.” Jesus is the solution to my deepest needs.

It is time to turn to Jesus. To receive the forgiveness and hope he offers. To thank him and give him praise.

With love and blessing,

Roland

Dear Hope family,

Thought for the Week

Jesus

John 1v14 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. … The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”

Our fifth “Statement of Faith” is, “We believe in … The incarnation of God’s eternal Son, the Lord Jesus Christ – born of the virgin Mary; truly divine and truly human, yet without sin.”

This short statement is packed with huge realities which are beyond our normal experience. This makes it hard to get our heads. However, the wider truth of the gospel gives us absolute confidence in these statements. As I reflect, these are some highlights:

• Firstly, Jesus is the incarnation (“made flesh”) of the eternal Son of God. Jesus did not begin at Christmas, but he was born as a human at that time. Jesus did not become God at any particular point, but he became human while keeping his divinity. Jesus became flesh in his mission to save the lost and, in so doing, sets an example for me as I too look to save the lost – for me to become like others, without joining in their sin, to reach them for their salvation.
• Secondly, Jesus was both truly divine and truly human. He experienced many of the normal experiences that any human encounters between his normal human birth and his death.  He experienced life as a toddler and a child, a teenager and an adult. He experienced hunger, thirst and normal bodily functions. At first glance he was perfectly ordinary, but his full divinity was seen in his authority as he taught and did miraculous signs. Jesus is to be worshipped and adored because he is, was and always will be divine.
• Finally, he was without sin. We struggle to go a day without sin! Jesus went a lifetime without sin. He suffered temptation, but was self-disciplined to overcome and avoid sin. This innocence of Jesus is vital to our salvation as it meant that Jesus did not suffer for his own sin, but for ours.

May the Lord fill us with worship to the Lord Jesus Christ for both who he is and his willingness to come among us.

With love and blessing,

Roland

Dear Hope family,

Thought for the Week

Humanity

Genesis 1v27 & 4v7 “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them…. ‘But, sin … desires to have you’”

As we continue in our “Statement of Faith”, our fourth statement is, “We believe in … The dignity of all people, made male and female in God’s image to love, be holy and care for creation, yet corrupted by sin, which incurs divine wrath and judgement.”

When it comes to understanding humanity, we hold to the fact that there are both positive and negative elements for each individual. Reflecting on this statement, I notice the following:

• Firstly and positively, all people, of every “protected characteristic” and other characteristics – that is of every age, race, language, gender, creed, sexuality, marital-status, disability, identity and worldly-status – carry the image of God as descendants of Adam. We, as God’s people, look for God’s image in each person and want to celebrate that image, and welcome each individual with dignity. This raises the question for me: Are there people to whom I fail to show full dignity as bearers of the image of God?
• Secondly and positively, God has a purpose for each of us. That purpose is not to climb a career ladder, or acquire the status of wealth, or even to experience pleasure. His purpose, common to us all is that we, “love, are holy and care for creation”. None of us are excluded from these universal purposes. God has a purpose for you, your neighbour, your work colleague. This raises the question: Am I living in line with God’s underlying purpose?
• Finally and negatively, as we know full well, the reality is that the image of God in each person is corrupted by sin. The result is that we no longer live out His purpose for us. We do not show perfect love, holiness and care. We fall short. This has consequences when we stand before our Creator and his wrath and judgment is cast on sin. This leads us to the Saviour to whom we will come another week. But this also leads to an important distinction in our dealing with people around us which is often couched in the largely helpful phrase, “love the sinner, but hate the sin.”

May the Lord fill us with a love for those around us that recognises their dignity in the image of God, but also a sensitivity to the sin in our own lives.

With love and blessing,

Roland

Dear Hope family,

Thought for the Week

God the Father’s Word

2 Timothy 3v16 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness ….”

As we continue in our “Statement of Faith”, our third statement is, “We believe in … The divine inspiration and supreme authority of the Old and New Testament Scriptures, which are the written Word of God – fully trustworthy for faith and conduct.”

Our God has not just created the world and left us to it. He has arranged for us to have a letter or manual that enables us to connect with him, and know how to live as his creation. I notice the following:

• Firstly, if we love God, we will want to hear his voice.  We will want to read and hear what he has to say in his “Word”. He has so much to tell us about who he is, what he has done and his purpose for us! Why wouldn’t we want to know? As Jesus says “He who has ears, let him hear” (Matthew 13v43). The on-going challenge is for us to find the ways which best connect us with God’s Word – and those ways may change in different seasons of our lives. It may be listening, reading or watching. It may be reading it alone or with others. It may be listening to it just as it is, or with some commentary and reflection. What works for you right now?
• Secondly, this is not the only way that God speaks to us, but it is the “supreme authority”. What we think we hear in other ways, we measure against what he says in his Word.
• Finally, the Word is for “our faith and conduct”. It is not academic, but practical. It is meant to impact both how we think about things and what we do. At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus defines the “wise builder” as the one who, “hears these words of mine and puts them into practice.” (Matthew 7v24). We need to apply what we read to our own lives and be obedient to it. This is only possible by the Holy Spirit working in us.

May the Lord fill us with a love for Him and His Word. And fill Let’s keep the whole story of God as revealed in the Scriptures in mind. There is a past, a present and a future. They all lie in God’s hands and he is both loving and sovereign. There is therefore grace for the past and hope for the future.

With love and blessing,

Roland