The Lord Jesus Christ declared: "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life." No one can come to the Father except through Me. - John 14:6 -

After the "Resurrection of Jesus" The Lord Jesus Christ came and stood among His apostles and disciples, and said to them, "Peace be with you" and showed them His hands and His side. The apostles and disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord Jesus Christ, and He said to them again, "Peace be with you."
       
                                             'As the Father sent me,
                                             so am I sending you.'

After saying this the Lord Jesus Christ breathed on them and said:

                                              'Receive the Holy Spirit.
                                              For those whose sins you forgive,
                                              they are forgiven;
                                              for those whose sins you retain,
                                              they are retained.' - John 20:20-23 -

Apostle Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, after becoming the disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, then met his brother and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" - which means "the Christ" - and took Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked hard at him and said, 'You are Simon son of John; you are to be called Cephas' - meaning Rock. - John 1:41-42 -

When Jesus put this question to His disciples, 'Who do people say the Son of Man is?' And they said, 'Some say Jesus is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.' 'But you (Simon)' Jesus said 'who do you say I am?' Then Simon Peter spoke up, "You are the Christ' he said 'the Son of the living God.'

Jesus replied, 'Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. - Matt. 16:13-18 -

In the New Testament, the "Gospel" or "The Good News" advanced on the wings of preaching and evangelizing. The zeal of evangelizing and preaching  are generated by "Pentecost" coupled with growing persecution of the Church, led the apostles, prophets, and disciples to evangelize and preach everywhere in the known world.

Those who had escaped during the persecution that happened because of  apostle Stephen ("First Christian Martyr") travelled as far as Phoenica and Cyprus and Antioch, but they usually proclaimed the message only to Jews. Some of them, however, who came from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch where they started preaching to the Greeks, proclaiming the Good News of the Lord Jesus Christ to them as well. The Lord Jesus helped them, and a great number believed and were converted to the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Church in Jerusalem heard about this and they sent apostle Barnabas to Antioch. There he could see for himself that God had given grace, and this pleased him, and apostle Barnabas urged them all to remain faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ with heartfelt devotion; for Barnabas was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith. And a large number of people were won over to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Apostle Barnabas then left for Tarsus to look for apostle Saul/Paul and when he found him he brought him to Antioch. As things turned out they were to live together in that Church a whole year, instructing a large number of people. It was at Antioch that the apostles, disciples were first called "Christians." While they were some prophets came down to Antioch from Jerusalem. - Acts 11:19-27 -

Now you together are Christ's body; but each of you is a different part of it. In the Church, God has given the first place to apostles, the second to prophets, the third to teachers; after them, miracles, and after them the gift of healing; helpers, good leaders, those with many languages. - 1 Cor. 12:27-28 -

And to some, His gifts was that they should be apostles; to some, prophets; to some, evangelists; to some, pastors and teachers; so that the saints together make a unity in the work of service, building up the body of Christ. In this way we are all to come to unity in our faith and in our knowledge of the Son of God, until we become the perfect Man, fully mature with the fullness of the Lord Jesus Christ himself. - Eph. 4:11-13 - Rom. 12:3-13 -

Literally, 'Evangelist' means, "one who proclaims 'Good News' or 'Good Tidings' and the 'Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.'" The evangelist was a gift of God to the early Church. They travelled over a wide geographical area, preaching to those to whom the Holy Spirit led them. All Christians today may continue the witness of the evangelists, so may Christians bring God's message to others.

Jesus was sent by the Father to proclaim the Good News of the kingdom of God to all peoples, and Jesus connected His ministry with that of the prophets and identified His mission as one of proclaiming deliverance. In fact, the New Testament mentions many prominent preachers. For example, both Jesus and apostle Paul regarded themselves as preachers-teachers and were so regarded by others.

"For everyone who ask for His help and calls on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved." - Rom. 10:13 -

But they will not ask for His help unless they believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and they will not believe in Him unless they have heard of the Lord Jesus Christ, and they will not hear of Him unless they get a preacher, and they will never have a preacher unless one is sent, but as Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible says:

The footsteps of those who bring good news is a welcome sound. Not everyone' of course, listens to the Good News. As Isaiah says: Lord, how many believed what we proclaimed? So faith comes from what is preached, and what is preached comes from the word of the Lord Jesus Christ. - Rom. 10:14-17 -

Before God and before Christ Jesus who is to be judge of the living and the dead, I put this duty to you, in the name of His Appearing and of His kingdom: proclaim the message and, welcome or unwelcome, insist on it.

Refute falsehood, correct error, call to obedience - but do all with patience and with intention of teaching. The time is sure to come when, far from being content with sound teaching, people will be avid for the latest novelty and collect themselves a whole series of teachers according to their own tastes; and then, instead of listening to the truth, they turn to myths.

Be careful always to choose the right course; be brave under trails; make the preaching of the Good News your life's work, in thoroughgoing service. - 2 Tim. 4:1-5 -

You call me (Jesus) Master and Lord, and rightly; so I am. Remember the words I said to you:

                          No servant is greater than his/her Master,
                          No messenger is greater than the Lord Jesus Christ who sent him/her.

The Lord Jesus Christ declared to His apostles, disciples, prophets, followers, and believers: "Take care that no one deceives you; because many will come using My name and saying, "I am the Christ" [Messiah or Anointed One] they will deceive many.

Brother/Sister will betray brother/sister to death, and the father/mother his/her child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all peoples on account of My name; but the person who stands firm to the end will be saved. Your endurance will win you your lives.

Or if anyone says to you then, "Look, here is the Christ" [Messiah or Anointed One] or "He is there" Do not believe it; for false Christs or false Messiah or false Anointed One, and false Prophets will arise and produce great signs and portents, enough to deceive even the 'Chosen.'

'If, then, they say to you, "Look, He is in the desert" do not go there; "Look, He is in some hiding place" do not believe it; because the coming of the Son of God will be like lightning striking in the east and flashing far into the west.

The promise of the Holy Spirit.......

                                                             Page 27
Faith . Hope . Love - Welcome donation. Thank You. God bless. 

By bank transfer/cheque deposit:
Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah
Bank: Public Bank Berhad account no: 4076577113
Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -