Volume. XXIII, No. 25
Sunday, 14 December 2008


Christ Will Come Again


The Bible contains many of God’s promises. Many have been fulfilled and some are waiting to be fulfilled. We know that the God of the Bible cannot lie for He is faithful that promised. So will this promise “I will come again” proclaimed by our Lord Himself.

About two thousand years ago, our Lord came into the world but the world rejected Him. His chosen people the Jews rejected Him. They hailed Him on Palm Sunday but nailed Him on Good Friday. Scripture reveals to us that He resurrected and dwelt among men for another forty days before He ascended to heaven. Scripture also tells us that He is now in heaven and He will come again.

He will come again. He will come in a cloud. The trumpet will sound. The dead in Christ will rise first to meet Him and the living (only those who know Christ) will meet Him in the air as He descends from heaven. What a glorious wonderful day it will be? Aren’t you excited about His coming? Are you looking forward to this day?

Some of you might ask why I am so sure that Christ is coming. Didn’t the Apostle Paul preach this message to his church in Thessalonica about two thousand years ago? Yet, after two thousand years nothing has happened. Christ is still to be seen. Are you sure He is coming? I will reiterate. Christ will come again. As sure as the sun will rise tomorrow morning from the east, Christ will come again.

The pertinent question to ask is what must we do before He comes? For the unbelievers, please accept Christ as your Saviour. Don’t leave it till it is too late. Hebrews 10:13 tells us that, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hand of the living God.” Look forward to His return and enjoy the blessed hope of eternal life. If He comes today, will you be with Him in paradise? If you are still outside His Kingdom, acknowledge that you are a sinner. Receive and believe in Jesus Christ. Confess the Lord and repent. You will be saved.

To those who have believed, Paul reminded us to be watchful and sober. Paul warned us not to be complacent and fall asleep, but to be watchful and continually be on our guard against sin and temptation for they abound like the days of Noah and Lot in this world rule by Satan.

Our Saviour also instructed His disciples of the necessity to watch, pray and remain sober. “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharaged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares... Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all those things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” Luke 21: 34, 36.

Apart from being watchful and sober, we must all be well armed “because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” 1 Peter 5:8.

During the end time, Satan will use his power, eloquence, false teaching and miracles to deceive believers and unbelievers alike. True believers must put on the whole armour of God for protection. We must remain spiritually awake and morally alert. We ought to pray without ceasing so that we can abide in the presence of the Father, having a continual cry from our heart for His grace and blessing.

Lastly, we must always anticipate our Lord’s return. We must do more to promote God’s work and to save more souls with the very limited time that we are left with. Evangelise. Tell it to all nations that the Saviour is coming soon. Let us occupy till He comes. The Master is on His way. Serve Him today. Tomorrow is not ours to say.

How far can the Lord’s return be? Are you ready to receive Him?

2 Peter 3:9,8 “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”

“I will come again and receive you unto myself: that where I am, there ye may be also” John 14:3b. God’s unfulfilled promise will come to past. BE PREPARED FOR HIS COMING.

Dn Tony Law


More Lively Hope

 

Announcements

Announcements

Kitchen Rosters - Team Leader: Bro Daniel Volvricht

Invites for the Sunday School Christmas Party is on the foyer table.

Service Roster for Jan-Mar 2009 is being prepared. Please let Dn Edwin D’Mello of your availability or otherwise ASAP.

RPGs for Jan-Mar 2009 available on the literature table.

There is no Joy Neighbourhood Bible Study on Sat, 20 Dec.

Helpers needed for this evening’s BBQ dinner. Please come at 3.30pm to help with food preparations.

 

Looking Ahead

Sunday School Teachers’ Training Video on 18 & 25 Jan 2009, 7.30pm.

Christmas Day Worship Service, Thurs 25 Dec at 10:00 am.

Watch Night Service, Wed 31 Dec at 7:30 pm.

 

Praise & Thanksgiving

Journey mercies: Ps Ki; Dn David Yeo & family; Bro Leonard & Sis Susanne Teo; Bros Daniel & Samuel Ki (Adl); Rev George van Buuren (Qld); Bro Raymond Ang (S’pore); Sisters Shu Ai Cho (Gold Coast); Helen & Tabitha Heah, Michelle Lee (Adl); Suzane Lim (Vic/Adl/S’pore) & Mr Laurie Brown (Perth).

Pastor Ki’s fruitful preaching ministry in South Korea.

Church activities: E-Ministry; Shorter Catechism Class; Ladies’ Fellowship Share & Prayer; Senior Citizens’ Fellowship & Choir Practice; Wed Bible Study; YAF Camp Echo & Quiz.

Abundant rain in the past few days.

 

Prayer Items

Health & God’s healing - Rev George & Sis Nan van Buuren; Rev John & Mrs Christine McKenzie; Rev Peter Chua, Rev Peter Clements,  Rev Stephen Khoo, Rev Timothy Tow, Dr S H Tow, Preacher Zhang, Dn Yaw Chiew Tan; Bros Tommy Brooks, Yew Shing Chan, Colin Creaser, S Dhamarlingam, Makoto Kobayashi, Raphael Ng’s father, Richard Pearson, Winston Selvanayagan, & Hans Ziegelmann; Mr Yeom. Grandpa Ki; Auntie Oei; Sisters Mabela Booth, Annie D’Mello, Myung Ki, Alice Lee’s father, Fiona Paauwe; Margaret, Dianne, & Sarah Pearson; Aranka Rejtoe, Susan Veradi, Irena Kurek-Braden, Giok Yeo’s sister-in-law; & others in affliction.

Missions - Cambodia (Rev Stephen Choi & Glory BP Church in Phnom Penh; Sis Kin Bopha & family in Sihanoukville)

Sketch n’ Tell Ministry - Pr H S Lim

Pastor Ki: future ministry

Journey Mercies: Dn Mark Heah (Life BPC); Bro Vincent & Sis Carol Sim; Bro Jason Tan & parents; Sisters Shu Ai Cho & parents; Purdee Yeo (Adl); Bro Winston & Sis Christabelle Selvanayagam (Perth); Bro Leonard & Sis Susanne Teo (S’pore/Canada); Sisters Lydia Fan (S’pore/UK); Vanessa, Felicia Tan & parents (Vic/S’pore) and all others who are travelling.

Pastor Weng: ministry in Hope BPC; application for permanent residency in Australia.

Outreach to Mandarin speakers in Adelaide.

Job - Bro Cong Pham; Sisters Tabitha Heah & Judy Li.

BPCWA (Perth) - God’s guidance & wisdom.

Ebenezer BPC (Melb) - Cambodia Missions.

Hopefuls & regular worshippers away during the summer vacation.

 

 

© Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church
14 Bedford Square, Colonel Light Gardens, South Australia 5041