Easter and the Holy Spirit

For many of us, it is easier to pronounce "Christ is risen" when things are going well, or when we are experiencing the happiness of life. We think of the resurrection as a message of victory; therefore, we think of it as a reason for celebration. But this means that celebrating the Easter can be a bit awkward when life is not turning out very well. This is especially true right now that the world is facing a pandemic that has already claimed thousands of lives and continues to bring anxiety to the heart of everyone.

Today, as we think of Easter--which is about life--we are being confronted by the reality of death. As Christians, we face the paradox of believing in the God of life while surrounded by forces of death. We audaciously proclaim victory while struggling with a powerful enemy. Today, at Easter, we express the joy of the past while living in a painful present.

So, what is it about Easter that makes us so confident and bold in the here and now of April 2020? 

First, we must realize that most of the New Testament books were written during the time of persecution. The biblical writers were not writing in the context of wellness. Their situation was actually very bad. The Roman empire sought for their cruel and undeserved deaths. The threat to their life was even more imminent--near--than our struggle with the coronavirus today! They were living in a period where homing missiles were invented to obliterate Christians!

This means that the New Testament writers were writing the message of resurrection to a group of people whose love ones have been killed and were themselves in great danger of dying. This means that the message of Easter is precisely for a world of death, suffering, turmoil, fear, and anxiety.

This 2020, I would like to highlight one specific aspect of Easter that is most often neglected: THE LIFE-GIVING WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. Easter is not just about Jesus Christ; it is also about the Holy Spirit who made the first Easter possible. Let us look at two verses: "The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you" (Rom 8:11, NLT), and "[Jesus] suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit" (1 Peter 3:18, NLT). The work of the Holy Spirit is to give life.

This is the message of Easter: The Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead is active in the world today to give and sustain life! In the same way that God breathed life into Adam's nostrils (Gen 2:7) and in the same way that He breathed life into the vast army that stood at the valley of dry bones in Ezekiel's vision (Ezek 37:1-14), He is sustaining life on the planet right now! If the Holy Spirit is not in the world, we all would have already died: "If God were to take back his spirit and withdraw his breath, all life would cease, and humanity would turn again to dust" (Job 34:14-15, NLT). This means that although there are deaths in the midst of the pandemic, there are also many recoveries. Yes, there are deaths, but majority still keep their lives.

Samuel Rayan wrote: “The Spirit’s outpouring is there on all struggles against oppression, on all movements for justice, equality and freedom, on all strivings for a sane, human and gentle history” (Renew the Face of the Earth, 32). What does this mean? This means that if the Spirit is the life-giving Spirit, then he is actively working precisely where there is death, oppression, struggle, pain. Because the Spirit's work is to give and sustain life, He is active where and when forces of anti-life are active and evident!

This further means that the best way to celebrate Easter--when the Spirit raised Jesus from the dead--is not to gather around and sing celebration songs to remember a glorious past. The best way to celebrate Easter--as the people of God--is to participate in the life-giving work of the Holy Spirit in the world. So what we must be asking today are these: How can I participate in the Spirit's work of sustaining the life of babies who have no access to milk? How can I participate in the Spirit's work of sustaining the life of the poor who have no food? How can I participate in the Spirit's work of sustaining the life of the elderly who has no one to rely on? How can I participate in the Spirit's work of sustaining the life of the vulnerable, the oppressed, the abused?  In short, what are the implications of the fact that "the Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you" (Rom 8:11, NLT)?

Today, we celebrate Easter. We celebrate the fact that the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead and whose work is to give and sustain life is actively working in the world today. Yes, the Holy Spirit is at work! This is our message of hope. But Easter, is not just an event that reminds us of hope. It is an event that demands us to participate, in our puny capacities as humans, in the life-giving work of the Spirit. This is our responsibility as worshippers of the risen Christ!

He is risen! Let us worship Him responsibly.

Persecution to Proclamation

Paul was born in Tarsus of Cilicia (Acts 22:3; Phil 3:5). He was a Roman citizen by birthright (Acts 22:28). At the age of 12, he became the disciple of Gamaliel (Acts 22:3), a Pharisee “who was honored by all the people” (Acts 5:34) and had considerable influence among the Sanhedrin (Acts 5:38-40). Even the Jewish historian Josephus lauded Gamaliel for his knowledge. Under his tutelage, Paul became an expert in the Hebrew Scriptures.

As the disciple of Gamaliel, Paul was also a Pharisee (Phil 3:5). This fact is very important if we are to understand who Paul (Saul) was and what he did before his conversion. The origin of the Pharisees may be traced during the intertestamental period (the in-between 400-year period between Malachi and Matthew) or the so-called Second Temple period, referring to the time when the temple rebuilt under the leadership of Zerubbabel stood since the end of the Babylonian exile to the end of the Jewish revolt in AD 70. After the Babylonians conquered Palestine came the Persians, then the Greeks, then finally the Romans. The Jewish people were under colonial oppression for a long time. The Jews, having realized that they were being punished by God for their sins, desired to return to the covenant that God instituted by obedience to the Law. In short, they learned from the errors of their ancestors and wanted to live holy lives.

Along with the Sadducees, Essenes, and the Zealots, the Pharisees emerged as a holiness movement in Israel. The Pharisees were unique in that they devoted themselves to a detailed observance of the Law and brought it to all spheres of everyday life. They were so religious in keeping the Law that they would rather die than disobey. Because of this, they were very legalistic. They imposed the Law to its every letter. This was why they questioned Jesus about not washing His hands before He ate (Mark 7:1-5) and attacked Him when He healed on Sabbath day (Mark 2:23-26). Moreover, they tended to separate themselves from sinners for fear of contamination. Their whole agenda includes political aspirations. They believe that the Romans (or Gentiles) occupying the promise land were polluting or defiling it. Hence, they wished for the defeat and expulsion of the Romans so that the land would be holy again.

All of these values were inherited by Paul from Gamaliel. Since one of the goals of the Pharisees was to obey the Law to the letter and to expel contaminating powers in the land, Paul was very zealous in persecuting New Testament Christianity. He believed with all his heart that he was doing God a favor by uprooting a new blasphemous group in Israel. He allowed (or maybe even instigated) the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:58; 8:1). He admitted that he was a persecutor of the church (Phil 3:6). According to Luke, “a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria… Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison” (Acts 8:1-3). Again, for Paul, he was doing the right and godly thing. He hated the gospel for godly reasons.

By God’s grace and providence, Paul was transformed. He was given a new beginning by the Lord Jesus Christ. He was converted on the road to Damascus, recorded in Acts 9:1-15, NIV

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest ² and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. ³ As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. ⁴ He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

⁵ “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. ⁶ “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” ⁷ The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. ⁸ Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. ⁹ For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

¹⁰ In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. ¹¹ The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. ¹² In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” ¹³ “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. ¹⁴ And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” ¹⁵ But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.

God asked Paul, “Why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:4). This question can be asked of us as well. Notice that Saul’s life was transformed on the road to Damascus. He was given a radically new beginning. He was a persecutor, but God called him. God referred to him as: “This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel” (Acts 9:15). This was what he had truly become! After his eyes were opened, in just a few days, “at once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God” (Acts 9:20).

The change was so sudden that even people did not believe it! “All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” (Acts 9:21). Even the disciples did not believe him: “When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple” (Acts 9:26). They probably that it was a conspiracy so that he can further penetrate the church.

Here are few observations about the transformed life of Paul:

First, from being a persecutor, he now became the persecuted: “the Jews conspired to kill him” (Acts 9:23); “they kept watch on the city gates to kill him” (Acts 9:24); and “they tried to kill him” (Acts 9:29). Change in Christ does not guarantee a life in a bed of roses. Godly transformation upsets the world and its ungodly rulers. There are no magical protection properties when we live the life that we are called to have. Paul’s life bears testimony to this. He was threatened, arrested, imprisoned, beaten, flogged, tossed by winds and waves, persecuted, oppressed by his fellow Jews, falsely accused, and so on. He did not get wealthy. He no longer enjoyed a great position among the religious leaders. He did not even have a home for his own. He worked as a tentmaker in order for him to eat. He experienced a lot of suffering because he was transformed. His new beginning was from a life of socio-political favor to hostile marginalization. The same goes for us. As Mark 4:35-41, we will face frightening and deadly storms even when we have jumped on the boat with Jesus.

Secondly, the transformed life may contain years of silence or inactivity. Immediately after his conversation, Paul evangelized (Acts 9:20). But he was met with violent opposition too, so he fled to Tarsus. This was not a shameful thing to do. No one accused Paul of cowardice. Sometimes the best response is to retreat in order to be come back later for more fruitful work. According to scholars, the length of time between Acts 9:20 and 11:25 is nine years! He was mightily introduced in Acts 9 only to fade to almost non-existence until Acts 13. We may have these years too. Perhaps we are even in these years right now. We have started as passionate workers of the kingdom, then because of oppositions and personal doubts, we have fled to our own Tarsus, the place of our births and comfort zones.

Thirdly, even transformed men and women need an encourager. Paul fled to Tarsus, and he stayed there until someone looked for him. This was the role of Barnabas, “the son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36): “Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch” (Acts 11:25-26). Even God’s called servants can be discouraged. Even the most zealous church worker can run away. Paul needed someone to bring him back and assist him as he re-integrates himself again in the community. Not all of us are Pauls in the church. Not everyone truly love to go out and evangelize. But we can be Barnabases to the Pauls that we know. Instead of stifling their passion with our criticisms, would it not be better if we tap their backs once in a while?

Fourth, people who encountered Jesus become proclaimers. This was the life of Paul. He was a passionate proclaimer of the gospel. He braved winds and forests, angry mobs and protesting opponents, dangerous seas and open roads, because he took upon himself the task of making Jesus Christ known. The New Testament offers many stories in which the first response of the people to their encounter with God is proclamation: the shepherds who spread the word about the birth of Jesus (Luke 2:17), the Samaritan who spread the word about Jesus (John 4:28-30), the healed leper who praised God in a loud voice (Luke 17:15), and the disciples filled with the Spirit “declaring the wonders of God” (Acts 2:11). Our encounter with God, the transformation we experience, and our proclamation and witness of the gospel are interrelated. God forbid that the transition we experienced in life are from alienation from God to a gradual detachment from God, from a passionate rejection of God to an impassionate relationship with God, from opposition to neutrality before God, from being recipients of the gospel to being further recipients of the gospel, or from a critical observer to an appreciative observer.

We should all have Paul’s attitude: “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile” (Rom 1:16). We proclaim the gospel to our own Jews, our own people and family members; then to the Gentile, our neighbors and schoolmates and workmates. We do this together, as a church. Peter’s description of the church is apt: “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9). This is who we are as believers and what we are as the body of Christ.

We may conclude this article by highlighting the three stages of Paul’s life after he was given a new beginning by God, and evaluate ourselves and see where we are right now in our Christian lives. The church is filled with people in the different stages. First, some are in the Acts 9:20 stage. These are the newly transformed and are on fire to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. There are probably only a handful of these in our churches. Secondly, some are in the Acts 9:30-11:25 stage. This is the stage of silence and inactivity. Because of fear or just plain disobedience to the call of God, we have run away back to our Tarsuses, where we are comfortable and safe. These are the nine years of fading into non-existence, as if God has never called us in the first place. Majority of church goers are in this stage. Thirdly, some are in the Acts 11:26 stage, where people begin to be involved back in the mission and ministries of the church. Because of a Barnabas who encouraged us, we have renewed our commitment to God and His call. My hope is that all of us come to this stage. However, this stage is only temporary. Our goal is to be at the Acts 13:2-3 stage, where we are sent from and by our local churches to proclaim the gospel of salvation with boldness and authority in our Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).


(This is the fourth manuscript in the New Beginning sermon series. The first, second, third, and fourth are also available in this blog.)

Easter: Mary's Transformation

Christ is risen! As Peter said, “It was impossible for death to keep its hold on him” (Acts 2:24). Death is unable to have a grip on Him.

The resurrection is a huge part of the doctrines of the Christian church. We make a big deal out of it every year. But why? What’s the big deal about the resurrection? There has got to be an if/then relationship. If Jesus rose from the dead ... then what? What are the implications of the resurrection? Of course, from a wider perspective, the resurrection has a huge implication to our salvation and future hope. As Paul eloquently wrote, “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith… And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins” (1 Cor 15:14, 16, NIV). However, considering the fact that 1 Corinthians 15 deals with the resurrection of the body, which will happen sometime in the future, Paul’s hopeful message seems so far away.

It could not be that the importance of the resurrection is only found in the future, when we die. It could not be that the victory of the resurrection is only for the dead. Surely, the resurrection has something to say about how I am living right now. What are the effects of the resurrection to someone like me existing now? If Jesus Christ rose from the dead, does that affect what I plan to do every time I get up in the morning? If Jesus rose from the dead, does it affect my situation at school or what’s going to happen at work tomorrow?

My interest in the here and now prompted me to ask: “What immediate transformation miracle the resurrection of Jesus had in the lives of the disciples?”

Reading the resurrection narratives, particularly those that happened early in Easter morning, one of the people in the gospels whose life was immediately transformed by the resurrection was Mary Magdalene. Her story can be read from John 20:10-18. Considering the fact that Mary Magdalene came to visit the tomb “while it was still dark” (20:1), the events in the passage may have unfolded at the same exact time when many Christians are still at church during a Sunrise Service. So what was the impact of the resurrection of Christ to His followers on Sunday early morning? We are well-aware that the disciples were disappointing in this aspect, because we read in John 20:19 that on the evening of the day of Jesus’ resurrection, even after hearing from Mary Magdalene that Jesus has already risen (20:18), the disciples remained in their fear (20:19) and doubt (Thomas, 20:24-25). Although the transforming power of the resurrection was experienced by the twelve disciples in the evening, there was still twelve to fourteen hours of lag time.

So, what transformation did Mary Magdalene experience in the light of the risen Lord? John 20:11-18 narrates Mary Magdalene’s mutation akin to a caterpillar wrapped in her own cocoon, bursting forth forth as a beautiful butterfly.

Mary the Mourner

The first portrayal of Mary Magdalene is not actually exemplary. The record says: “Then the disciples went back to their homes. But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb” (20:10-11). Basically, Mary Magdalene was portrayed as a mourner, weeping her heart out while standing outside the tomb (20:11). The disciples already left (20:10), but she remained, not to do anything grand or helpful, but only to cry (20:11). The disciples probably left her there because she was a bit hysterical and her cries have become annoying to the ears. No one was able to console her, so it was best to leave her alone.

It is obvious that Mary Magdalene loved Jesus very much. In fact, she was among the earliest followers and supporters of Jesus Christ. Luke 8:1-3 talks about women who followed Jesus in His ministry, which included Mary Magdalene: “Soon afterward [Jesus] went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means.” Mary Magdalene loved Jesus very much because she was a recipient of Jesus’ healing and deliverance (8:2). Jesus was her savior from a life of bondage, suffering, humiliation, scorn, and marginalization. Because she was demon-possessed, she was not able to live a good life. She was looked down upon. People suspected that she was a great sinner, which was why she was possessed by demons. She lived a miserable life, with no one showing attention and love to her. So when she encountered Jesus who took notice of her, and helped her, she was full of gratitude. She was used to a life with Jesus. So when Jesus died, she was absolutely devastated. She was a mourner who lost a beloved.

Mary the Muddled

Perhaps due to her emotional turmoil, Mary was not able to recognize Jesus in 20:14-15: “She turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. ¹⁵ Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away’.”

Jesus question to Mary was profound: “Why are you weeping?” The point of the question is simple: the Lord has already risen, but she was still crying. She was still a woman of the past, still grieving because of what happened to Jesus Christ. She still did not get and understand the words of Jesus Christ when He was alive. She was not yet transformed by the resurrection. Her mind was still in disarray. She even thought of Jesus as the gardener who hid the body of Jesus Christ. For her, the only logical explanation for the missing body of Christ is because it was moved, either by friends or enemies. The possibility that Jesus has risen from the dead never crossed her mind.

People who have not yet heard the story of the resurrection are still mourning and muddled. Mary Magdalene was both grieving and confused. This is also the story of people who have no faith in Jesus Christ and in His resurrection. They are trapped in their sorrow over death and are still full of questions. Without knowing the resurrection, our lives remain unchanged by its reality.

Mary the Magnet

Like a sudden twist in a movie, the story says that Mary Magdalene finally recognized Jesus: “Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ She turned and said to him in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means Teacher)” (20:16). This part of the story is a major turning point. Her knowledge that Jesus has risen from the dead immediately changed her. She was no longer weeping. She was no longer muddled. There was such clarity and confidence in calling Jesus, “Rabbi!” Her first response was not a confused, “Who are you? Why do you know my name?” It is amazing that Mary knew with absolute certainty that it was Jesus who called her. This is a story that is in stark contrast to the story of the calling of Samuel (1 Samuel 3:1-9). It took three times for the priest Eli to recognize that it was God who was speaking to Samuel (3:5, 6, 8). Mary Magdalene, on the other hand, immediately knew it was Jesus in the first instance.

Big change: Mary was no longer muddled. But what happened next? Apparently, Mary was so excited about the resurrection of Jesus that she held on to Him. This is why 19:17 says: “Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father’” (20:17). For Mary to cling to Jesus is quite understandable. In fact, since she met Jesus Christ, she has been clinging to Him. For several years, she followed Jesus Christ and had never left His side (Luke 8:1-3). Even when Jesus was at the cross, when the disciples were nowhere to be seen, Mary Magdalene was among the women who were around Jesus: “standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene” (John 19:25). Mary was a clinger! She was a very needy person. When she lost Jesus Christ in His death, it was hard for her, so when she realized that Jesus was alive, she literally clung to Him. She was a magnet who attached herself to Christ.

Mary the Missionary

Mary’s plan was to never let go of Jesus again. However, Jesus had another plan. The story continues: “Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’—and that he had said these things to her” (20:17-18). Mary’s plan was to remain with Jesus; but Jesus’ plan was to send her. The resurrection turns Christians into missionaries, not magnets. There is a time to be Mary, but the resurrection calls us to be Marthas (Luke 10:38-42). This was precisely what Mary Magdalene did. It was probably with great difficulty, but she still left the presence of Jesus Christ and announced the good news to the disciples (20:18).

If we look at the gospel narratives, that Jesus sends people out from His presence to become witnesses is a part of His grand design for those who encounter Him. Throughout the gospels, Jesus did not gather a lot of people to Himself. Instead, He sent people away. He sent the man He healed of leprosy away: “Go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them” (Matt 8:4, NIV; Luke 11:14). He sent the healed paralytica man away: “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home” (Mark 2:11). He sent the forgiven adulterous woman away: “Go, and from now on sin no more” (John 8:11). In all these passages, Jesus did not want the people to cling to Him. Instead, He sent them away as a testimony to Himself. Even the Samaritan woman at the well was not invited to follow Jesus Christ. She left the company of Jesus in order to tell others about Him (John 4:28-30).

Conclusions

We can be petrified in our sorrows. We can be muddled because of our circumstances. But we can be transformed by the resurrection of Christ and become missionaries. We are not called to stay in or around the tomb. We are not called just to stay with Jesus Christ. We are called to be sent to tell others the good news of Jesus Christ. This is an important resurrection transformation. The problem with us is that we can become clingy, emphasizing our daily devotions and alone time with God. But let us not forget that the first resurrection miracle of transformation resulted in a follower of Jesus Christ turning into a missionary.

Water from the Altar

Ezekiel 47:1-12

Ezekiel 47 is a part of the visions God enabled the prophet Ezekiel to see, which started in chapter 40 through the guidance of “a man whose appearance was like bronze” (40:2-3). The man took Ezekiel to different places and gave instructions to him about the east gate (40:5-16), the outer court (40:17-19), the north gate (40:20-23), the south gate (40:24-27), gates to the inner court (40:28-37), rooms for preparing sacrifices (40:38-43), rooms for the priests (40:44-47; 42:1-20), and the altar (43:13-27). Ezekiel says that he was brought back to the entrance of the temple (47:1), because he already came to the temple before (40:48-41:26). But this time, what Ezekiel was made to see was way more exciting. In his first visit, he only saw measurements of doorframes, jambs, and other parts of the temple. But in his return, the man showed him the contents of the heart of God.

Now he brought me back to the entrance to the Temple. I saw water pouring out from under the Temple porch to the east (the Temple faced east). The water poured from the south side of the Temple, south of the altar. He then took me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the gate complex on the east. The water was gushing from under the south front of the Temple.

He walked to the east with a measuring tape and measured off fifteen hundred feet, leading me through water that was ankle-deep. He measured off another fifteen hundred feet, leading me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another fifteen hundred feet, leading me through water waist-deep. He measured off another fifteen hundred feet. By now it was a river over my head, water to swim in, water no one could possibly walk through.

He said, “Son of man, have you had a good look?” Then he took me back to the riverbank. While sitting on the bank, I noticed a lot of trees on both sides of the river. ^8-10 He told me, “This water flows east, descends to the Arabah and then into the sea, the sea of stagnant waters. When it empties into those waters, the sea will become fresh. Wherever the river flows, life will flourish—great schools of fish—because the river is turning the salt sea into fresh water. Where the river flows, life abounds. Fishermen will stand shoulder to shoulder along the shore from En-gedi all the way north to En-eglaim, casting their nets. The sea will teem with fish of all kinds, like the fish of the Great Mediterranean (Ezekiel 47:1-10, MSG)

In the vision, Ezekiel saw water flowing from under the Temple, most probably right from the Holy of Holies, to outside the Temple down to the valleys. The water was gushing forth, and quite strongly, because the water from the Temple has formed a river 2 kilometers away from the temple, where its waters are over Ezekiel’s head: “water to swim in, water no one could possibly walk through.”

This is an amazing picture of what happens when the glory of God descends upon the church, because the church will not be able to contain the Holy Spirit’s presence and power. If the church is filled with God’s glory, an overflow is to be expected. The temple is situated in Jerusalem, and Jerusalem was on a mountain. Jerusalem is neither situated on a great river nor is it beside a river. So where did the water come from? The answer is… I don’t know. But the Bible is clear that water can come out of rocks (Exo 17:1-5; Num 20:1-11). When the glory of the Lord is in the church, nothing is impossible. The vision of Ezekiel tells us that God plans for water to gush out of the mountain where God dwells down to the valleys where life need to grow.

Outpouring for the World

It must also be noted that the water did not come to the temple, as if the temple needed to be cleansed. The water goes out from the temple. Although it is necessary that the church experiences the cleansing and transforming power of the Holy Spirit, that is not all there is for the life of the church. We can all be occupied with the need to be cleansed and sanctified, and we can spend all our lives pursuing these desires—and this is good. But we must remember that we are called not solely to focus on our own spiritual needs. There must come a point when the church is a water-giving station, and not just a bottle that wants to be filled over and over again.

Sometimes we can be too concerned about our own filth and needs that we only pray for water for ourselves. As we mature in our Christian lives, we must learn to get rid of the mentality that Christ died for me and that the Holy Spirit is sent for me. The Bible is clear: Christ died for all and the Spirit is poured out on all flesh (Acts 2:17). The vision of Ezekiel is very refreshing. He envisioned a moment when the church becomes the source of water, when the church is the one that gives, not asks. The church is not a pool that gathers all the water to fill itself; the church is an irrigation system that supplies water to fields. We must go beyond the act of asking, and proceed to the act of giving.

Transforming Effects of Water

Ezekiel’s vision tells us what happens when water overflows from the temple. First, wherever the water from the temple goes, there is healing and transformation. Ezekiel wrote: “This water flows east, descends to the Arabah and then into the sea, the sea of stagnant waters. When it empties into those waters, the sea will become fresh” (47:8).

This is a beautiful picture. The Dead Sea is very salty. When my wife and I went to Israel in 2009, we went for a dip in the Dead Sea. Because of the density of salt in the sea, you would literally float. No matter how much you want to stay underwater, the water will push you upward. The Dead Sea is very salty. When you step on the seabed, you feel as if you are stepping on big rocks, but they are actually big chunks of salt. But because it is also very salty, no marine life is capable of surviving there. It is literally a Dead Sea. But the vision that God gave Ezekiel was that even the worst and most useless sea in the world is transformed when water from the temple flows to it. This is the transforming power of God.

In Isaiah 44:3, God said, “I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground.” If in Isaiah what is transformed by water is dry ground, the water in Ezekiel transforms an entire sea. But the core thought is simple: a barangay or town or country pervaded by death and lack of life can be healed and transformed by the blessings overflowing from the church. We are all aware that we live in a world of death, poverty, injustice, and everything that is anti-life. This does not need to lead us to despair, because no matter how dead the world can be, water from the temple is sufficient to bring healing to it.

The Lord heals.   

Life-giving Water

The man who accompanied Ezekiel went on to say that “swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large number of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live… the fish will be of many kinds” (47:9-10). The picture again is stunning. The overflow of God’s work in the church brings life to everything it touches. Out of the church comes the power to bring life into a once lifeless barangay or city. Where previously there was only sin and death, when the Spirit overflows from the church, these areas are transformed as an oasis of life. The same vision was given to John: “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations” (Rev 22:1-2).

The vision of Ezekiel teaches us that the church has a lot to give to the world. The church is meant to give. We cannot just release trickles of water and be satisfied. We cannot be content with ankle-deep results. We must pray that our ministry drowns the world with abundant grace. The church is not like a sprinkler, but is like a dam, which needs to open its floodgates wide.

When the floodgates of heaven open up and transforming water erupts from our church, we will not only see knee-deep and waist-deep spiritual floods around us. The vision of Ezekiel teaches us that when God makes His move, a mighty river is formed.

Christian Plumbing

Ezekiel’s vision was extraordinary, and the church must ask herself if this is happening and is true to her experience today. If not yet, when will it ever happen? Is the church an instrument of radical transformation, healing, and life to the world? Is our local church a source of living water flowing from our sanctuary to the outside world?

If we want these things to happen, then we must do something first. If God’s transforming, healing, and life-giving water is not yet flowing through us and our church in a magnificent way, then it is probably because our lives are clogged. It is probably because we are like wells filled with dirt, stones, trash, and vines that hinder the water from gushing out. The water wants to erupt, but there is so much garbage in our lives that the water simply cannot pass through.

This is something that I do not understand with God. I am a theologian, but I could not understand why God would need to rely on me to accomplish something that He wants. Why do I need to be clean to be a vessel of grace? He is God, and He can do anything He wants to do, regardless of my obedience or disobedience, or my strength or my weakness, or my existence or non-existence. But the mystery of the gospel is that God requires willing and sanctified people to be His vessels. He requires people to be His channels of grace. He requires holy people to be the irrigation through which His transforming, healing, and life-giving work flow.

This is a lot of pressure. This is a lot of responsibility. But the truth will never change no matter how much we ask or no matter how much we disagree: God’s cleansing, transforming, healing, and life-giving water flows out of the church. The world needs the church to do the right thing, otherwise the world will remain a Dead Sea. The church needs to be unclogged because it has been waiting the world for years for its healing and renewal.

Awakening

Ephesians 5:8-14

The Apostle Paul was a great missionary, but the churches that he established during his missionary journeys were somewhat problematic. One such problematic church was at Ephesus. Paul spent two or three years in Ephesus (Acts 19:10; 20:31), probably the years AD 52-54, and he was successful in establishing a Christian community there, especially among the Gentiles (Acts 19:17–2-0, 26; 1 Cor 16:9). After he left, he lost contact and communication with the believers there. In fact, he had been gone for more than seven years when he wrote the letter. It was probably written towards the end of his two-year imprisonment in Rome, along with the writing of Colossians and Philemon, in AD 62 (Eph 3:1, 13; 4:1; 6:20), and he may have been awaiting a judicial hearing. He called himself “an ambassador in chains” (6:20).

The epistle reveals some of Paul’s concerns for the Ephesians: (1) that they might have a better understanding of what God has done for them in Christ (1:18-23), (2) that Christ might dwell in their hearts (3:17), and (3) that they might understand the massive size of Christ’s love for them (3:18-19). Paul heard that the Ephesian Christians who knew him were discouraged by his suffering and their lack of contact with him (3:13), so he also wanted to encourage them.

So Paul’s letter can be said to be a letter of encouragements and admonitions. So today, we will look at one of his most important admonitions to the church. Let us read Ephesians 5:8-14,

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said:

“Wake up, sleeper,
    rise from the dead,
    and Christ will shine on you.”

The phrase “you were once darkness” is interesting because it is used as a description of the non-Christian life. It does not say “you were once in darkness.” Being in the dark means that you are surrounded by evil, and because of this, your life is influenced by the darkness that surrounds you. There is a lot of sense in which this is the description of our world today. We are surrounded by dark agenda. Television shows promote promiscuity, and turns evil things into funny comedies. Even movies that are supposedly for general audience and for children contain violence, dishonesty, non-submission to parents, and other rebellious attitudes. Things are so bad that my 5-year old child is learning bad manners by watching children reality shows on YouTube. Being in the darkness means that the world around you influences you.

But the passage does not say “you were once in darkness.” Paul actually said: “you were once darkness.” It was not the world that surrounded them that was dark. It was them. Paul was basically saying that they were the bringer of darkness. Their society was dark because of them. There was evil in society, in their families, in their homes, in their schools, and wherever they went because they were the ones bringing darkness and vile deeds wherever they went. They were the cause of the darkness of the world.

This is a shocking description of their previous lives. And we may be able to resonate with what Paul was saying to them. When we were in sin, we were the cause of many evils. People were hurt—physically, emotionally, psychologically—because of us. Our families suffered because of us. Our parents and teachers cried because of us. Innocent people experienced discomfort because of us. Our communities were not orderly because of us. The darkness of our hearts brought upon evil the world and to those around us. Our choices were the ones that really contributed to the darkness of the world. We were not victims of the darkness; we were the heralds of darkness.

But these are all in the past. Paul says that “they were once darkness.” Paul describes what happened to them in Ephesians 2:1-5,

You were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

And again in Ephesians 4:22-24, Paul speaks about the fact that they are no longer the same: “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

It would seem that all is well. They have been made new already. In the first two chapters of Ephesians, Paul celebrates the spiritual gifts that they have received. But it seems that something is still wrong with the Ephesian believers. Ephesians 5:14 admonishes the Ephesians to wake up!

Here is the common problem of Christians: We have already been saved. We have been set free from darkness and have joined the light. We are a new creation, where the old is gone and the new has come (2 Cor 5:17). We have already put off our old selves and identities, and have put on Christ (Eph 4:22-24). But we are dormant and sleeping. Many Christians are professional nappers. They do not sleep at church, and in fact it is when they are at church that they appear to be most alive. But the moment they are outside the church, they are asleep in their faith.

Growing up in the church, I do not remember any moment in my life when I did not love God. But there were countless moments when my love for God was really hibernating. It was there, but it did not make much difference with how I lived, how I made decisions, how I made plans, how I worked, or how I interacted with other people. I know in my head that I love God, but I was not really bothered by what this meant.

  

As Filipinos, we are familiar with the saying, “it is hard to awaken someone who is already awake: mahirap gisingin ang gising.” This applies to sleeping Christians too. I am sure that we are already half awake. It is not as if we are clueless about our own situations in life. It is not as if we have no idea about the very needs of our souls. But even when we know that we need to rise up, we choose to stay down. Paul was aware of this human tendency, which was why in 5:14, Paul was not pleading with admonishing tears. Paul was commanding the Ephesians to wake up and rise from their dead state. He was calling them, or commanding them to rise from the dead. The picture is that of Jesus commanding Lazarus, “Lazarus, come out!” (John 11:43) or commanding the little girl, “Talitha koum” (Little girl, I say to you, get up! Mark 5:41). The dead hear the voice of God, and they respond. They truly rise from the dead in obedience to God’s command. The promise is clear for us: “Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live” (John 5:25).

The consequences of our slumber as Christians is quite drastic. Let me present you some statistics. According to a speaker during the Manila Missions Conference in 2015, there are approximately 180,000 people saved in the world per day. There are 7.3 billion people alive in the world. If the global church reaches out to 180,000 people per day, then there are 65,700,000 people saved every year. If this continues, it will take 111.111 years for 7.3 billion people in the world to become a Christian. This will be achieved in 2127.

The problem is that by 2127, world population will not remain as 7.3 billion. By 2127, the projected world population, according to the UN, is about 19 billion. Thus, if we want the people of the whole world to be Christians by 2127, we need to reach out to 171,000,171 people every year during the next 111 years. This means reaching out to 468,493 people per day for the next 111 years. So, if we are reaching out to 180,000 people per day, then there are an estimated 288,493 who are lost per day for the next 111 years.

Of the 7.3 billion people in the world, 2,173,180,000 are Christians. If there are 180,000 people reached out every day, it means that it takes 12,073 Christians to reach out to one non-believer per day or there is only one in every 12,073 Christians around the world who bears witness to Christ to one person.

These numbers present a stark reality. If we, for a moment, think that Christians around the world are not sleeping, we are terribly wrong. This is why Paul’s admonition is very important. In fact, Paul commands us to awaken from our slumber not really for our own sakes. The purpose of awakening is not so that we gain blessings or gifts from God. Awakening is not an end in itself and for our sakes; it is for the sake of others. If we awaken from our moral slumber, the result is that “Christ will shine on us” (Eph 5:14).

If in the past we were once darkness, and we brought darkness into the world, now we should be light who bear the fruits of goodness, righteousness and truth (Eph 5:9). But we can only be the light of the world if we awaken. More than we care to admit, the church can be like the valley of dry bones pictured in Ezekiel 37. We are a group of dead bodies. We are there. We exist, but we exist in the form of scattered bones. We deceive ourselves by thinking that it is alright to be lying down, so long as we are Christians. But the fact is this: the church of Christ must not be composed of dry bones. We need to wake and rise up and become a living army (Ezek 10:10).

The prophet Isaiah paints a wonderful picture that we must all aspire.

Arise, shine, for your light has come,
    and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
² See, darkness covers the earth
    and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
    and his glory appears over you.
³ Nations will come to your light,
    and kings to the brightness of your dawn

(Isa 60:1-3; cf 2 Cor 3:18)

“Thick darkness is over the people,” says Isaiah. This is the picture of the world as it is today. But there is hope. If we awaken from our slumber, God’s glory will appear upon us. If we “arise, shine, for your light has come,” “nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.” We are the light of the word, Jesus said (Matt 5:14), and if we allow our light to shine, peoples and nations will know God.

Awaken. As in the valley of the dry bones, the only way to become alive is through the enlivening power of the Holy Spirit. Maybe what we need today is a fresh touch of the Spirit. 

Spirit of Prophecy II: Evangelism

Acts 2:17-18; Revelations 19:10

When the Pentecostal movement started in 1906 at the Azusa Street Revival, it has attracted a lot of criticism. Because the services were characterized by dramatic worship services, speaking in tongues, and other ecstatic spiritual manifestations, it was immediately labeled as outrageous and unorthodox. It was simply dismissed as fanatic movement. In a front-page story entitled “Weird Babel of Tongues,” a Los Angeles Times reporter described the revival in the following way:

They cry and make howling noises all day and into the night. They run, jump, shake all over, shout to the top of their voice, spin around in circles, fall out on the sawdust blanketed floor jerking, kicking and rolling all over it. Some of them pass out and do not move for hours as though they were dead. These people appear to be mad, mentally deranged or under a spell. They claim to be filled with the Spirit.[1]

If Pentecostalism had attention in its early years, it was definitely negative attention. But today, Pentecostalism is enjoying an elevated status within the Christian Church. In a 2014 statistics, there were 631 million Pentecostals in the world, which amounts to one fourth of all Christians worldwide. But in 1970, there were only 63 million Pentecostals. In 46 years, Pentecostal membership increased 568 million. In 2014, the Church of the Nazarene had 2.4 million members. In the Philippines, the Church of the Nazarene has been here for 60 years, and our total national membership is only about 30,000.

Because of the rapid growth of Pentecostalism, they are now taken seriously by the Christian Church. The question is this: Why are they growing and not us? Is there a relation between their emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit and their fervor in evangelism? Looking at the growth of Pentecostalism today and their growth, there seems to be a strong relationship between being filled with the Spirit and empowerment for missions.

In Spirit of Prophecy I: Encouragement, we started to look at Acts 2:17-18, particularly what it means to receive the gift of prophecy in the Holy Spirit. It highlighted that the gift of prophecy is the empowered and enabled ability to communicate the Word of God to people. It is the ability to utter comfort to the sorrowful, to light up the burdened, to encourage the weak, to edify the seeker. But the Word of God does not communicate itself. The Word needs to be spoken by the mouths of people who are filled with the Spirit. This is why it is crucial for the church to have people like Barnabas, the “son of encouragement” Acts 4:37). For people who are down-hearted and discouraged by the waves that assail their lives, we need people who can speak words of blessings. Going back to Balaam, who chose to bless Israel and not to curse them even if paid, we should always say: “I have received a command to bless” (Num 23:20).

But the gift of prophecy that the Holy Spirit gives to believers is not limited to our uplifting speech to one another. The gift of prophecy is the ability to communicate the Word of God to the world. This is extremely evident in Acts 2:4-11: “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. ⁵ Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. ⁶ When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. ⁷ Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸ Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? ⁹ Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome¹¹ (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 

Declaring the Wonders of God

Those who are filled with the Spirit declare the wonders of God! We do not know what wonders the disciples spoke of, but I am certain they are wonders that they have experienced. This verse reminds me the actions of the shepherds when they saw Jesus Christ in the manger: “The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told” (Luke 2:20), and the action of the healed leper: “One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice” (Luke 17:15). What is interesting about these verses is that they were declaring the praises of God not within a closed-wall sanctuary. They were praising God in public—with everyone to hear!

The scene in Acts 2 was probably quite chaotic, but imagine 120 disciples talking about the wonders of God! That would have been a mighty force. No wonder why the church during this time grew rapidly. People did not only experience God. They were also filled with the Spirit, and as a consequence, they declared the wonders of God in public!

We must remember that the disciples were ridiculed for declaring the wonders of God. But they were shameless. We need this sort of shamelessness! They were not ashamed to be labeled as fanatics, madmen, or even drunk. Out of the depths of their hearts, they declared the wonders of God for others to hear. Paul said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom 1:16). We sing this song, thanks to Hillsongs: “I’m not ashamed of the gospel Lord / Your power, Your love / that saved my soul.”

Let me ask you: when was the last time you shamelessly declared the wonders of God to someone?

The Spirit Testifies about Jesus Christ

So if the gift of prophecy is the empowered courage, authority, and ability to boldly proclaim the Word to others, how is this related to the Holy Spirit? Why is it that Spirit-filled people communicate the wonders of God? Why is it that Spirit-filled people are on fire in proclaiming Jesus Christ to others?

The answer is found in the words of Jesus himself. When Jesus promised the coming of the Spirit, He said that “when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me” (John 16:13-14). From this passage, it is clear that one of the appointed divine works of the Spirit is to glorify Jesus Christ. The Spirit, when He comes to the world and dwells among God’s people, will make sure that Jesus is exalted.

There is an inseparable relationship between being filled with the Spirit and a Christ-centered and Christ-glorifying life. The Spirit-filled is one who thinks of Christ, who breathes Christ, who makes Christ at the center of his or her life, who lives in Christ, who lives like Christ, who glorifies Christ, who serves Christ, who honors Christ, who obeys Christ, who worships Christ, who proclaims Christ, who promotes Christ. Because the work of the Spirit is to glorify Christ, when we received the Holy Spirit, our lives are meant to glorify Christ. It cannot be otherwise. To live a life that does not glorify Christ is a distortion of our Christian identity, a betrayal of our God-given calling, and a blatant disregard to the Spirit who is the seal of our salvation (Eph 1:13-14; 4:30).

One of the ways the Spirit glorifies Christ is by making His name known in all the earth. This is why the work of the Spirit in glorifying Christ is closely related to His work of testifying about Jesus: “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me” (John 15:26). The Spirit-filled is one who glorifies Christ by testifying about Him. We can now understand the growth of Pentecostalism. They are growing in number because they are living in accordance with the Spirit who empowered them to testify about Jesus Christ.

The logic is extremely simple. According to Revelations 19:10, “it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.” If we have received the Holy Spirit in His fullness, then we testify about Jesus Christ. This was precisely what Jesus also said to the disciples before His ascension. They will receive power from the Spirit to become His witnesses: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Every Monday since May 27, I have been going to Tandang Sora, Quezon City to teach a class to pastors of the I Am Redeemer and Master Evangelical Church. I leave at 6:30AM, teach 8:00AM to 5:00PM, then arrive home at around 7PM. It is a very exhausting day. Last Monday, because my car has problems, I did not drive. So I took the taxi on the way back home. My plan was to instruct the driver about the way home, and doze off a bit. After all, I feel very tired. But it seems that God had a different plan. As soon as I stepped in the cab and told the driver about my destination—a seminary—I had a very strong conviction that it is really wrong to just end the conversation like that. So I asked about him and we conversed. Jay is 43 years old, separated from his wife, no kids, and is living quite a life. I counseled him to serve God by faithfully serving people as a driver. I told him that I have received my call to full-time ministry as a teenager, and have never looked back since then. What was amazing is that he admitted that a strong conviction about God and his duties to God have been pressing upon him over the last few days. When I heard this, I immediately knew that our meeting was ordained by God. So I counseled him and gave him guidance about what to do. We talked about God, Jesus Christ, salvation, the means of grace, and many others.

It is shameful to admit that while waiting for the taxi, I originally planned not to interact with the driver. But as soon as I went inside the car, I knew deep in my heart that I am not meant to be silent for the whole trip. I experienced what Jeremiah experienced: “But if I say, ‘I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,’ his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot” (Jer 20:9). This was what I felt. I was unwilling to testify at first. I was already exhausted proclaiming the Word of God as a teacher for 8 hours that day. What more can God demand from me? But the Word of God is like a fire in my heart that I cannot contain. It needs to burst forth like pressured water trapped in a garden hose. 

Have you ever had this experience? The Spirit-filled person is one who declares the wonders of God, glorifies Christ, and testifies about Christ. Again, in the words of Jesus to His disciples:  “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning” (John 15:26-27). You also must testify.

Paul admonished the church in Corinth to “eagerly desire the greater gifts” (1 Cor 12:31), which he later reveals as the gift of prophecy: “Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy” (1 Cor 14:1). I make the same admonition today. Let us pray and seek for the Spirit’s gift of prophecy. Without this gift, our dream of harvest means nothing.

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[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azusa_Street_Revival#Criticism

Is there God?

Since the beginning of history, men and women from different places and fields of study have inquired about God’s existence. Is there God? Does God exist? The Bible assumes God’s existence. There is not one verse which directly states the existence of God, because for the Bible writers, the existence of God is a given fact—it is an accepted reality. In fact, to not believe that there is God, is considered ridiculous. Only fools who are corrupt and those deeds are vile say “The fool says in his heart” (Psalm 14:1).

But still, it is possible to ask the question of God’s existence as it relates to everyday practical human life. There are valid questions that people commonly ask, though silently. They are questions raised everywhere and every time by all kinds of people who encounter the realities of life. They are questions that transcend the boundaries of nationality or citizenship. They are not original questions, as they have already been raised in the past; but they will be recycled, as they will be brought up again today and in the future.

Was there God in the past?

Was there God during the Holocaust, when millions of Jews were murdered by the Nazis?

Was there God every time a bullet hits a body of a soldier during the World Wars?

Was there God when the World Trade Center collapsed, killing innocent lives?

Was there God when the tsunami hit Asia in December 2005?

Is there God today?

Is there God in the market, where there is cheating?

Is there God in the streets, where all you hear are jeepney horns and vehicles’ engines?

Is there God in the subdivision, where there is an atmosphere of individualism?

Is there God in the house, where the drunk father gets home late?

Is there God in the classroom, where the teacher is an atheist?

Is there God in the jeepney, where people sit in front of each other but do not talk?

Is there God in the mall, where what everyone wants is to have and buy?

Is there God in the office, where the boss is demanding and your co-workers are tired?

Is there God in the city, where everyone is busy?

Is there God in the barber shop, where talks revolve on senseless topics?

Is there God in the hospital, where everyone is suffering pain?

Is there God in jail, where convicted criminals abound?

Is there God?

Is there God in the traffic, when you are already late for an appointment?

Is there God when a mother is grieving over the death of her only child?

Is there God in your neighbor’s house when they don’t have any food?

Is there God when a friend comes complaining about his or her miserable life?

Is there God when your best friend is sick?

Is there God when your neighbor has cancer?

Is there God to a hungry old man begging on the street?

Is there God when a car just carelessly cut you through?

So we ask again: “Is there God? Where is He?

Is there God?

Is there God for a family living in the slum?

Is there God for a desperate unemployed fresh graduate from college?

Is there God for the drug addict, whose very life is death?

Is there God for the taxi driver, whose life is in peril everyday on the streets?

Is there God for the peanut vendor, whose earnings cannot feed the entire family of eight?

Is there God for the blind, who sees nothing but darkness?

Is there God for the sorrowful, whose heart is filled with grief?

Is there God for the orphan, who has no one to show him love?

Is there God for the street child, whose mind and heart is filled with fear?

Is there God for the oppressed, the outcasts, the society’s trash?

Is there God for the businessman, whose business is on collapse?

Is there God for the hungry, whose stomach is grumbling and in pain?

Is there God for the son, whose father loves beating him?

Is there God for the daughter, molested and sexually abused by his own father?

Is there God for the homosexual, who is living in shame and sin?

Is there God? Where is He? Why is there suffering in the world? Where is the good God in an evil world?

Is there God?

Is there God in politics, where greed and corruption abound?

Is there God in philosophy, where search for truth is never satisfied?

Is there God in economics, where having possessions is the ultimate aim?

Is there God in education, where intellectual activity dominates the practical sphere?

Is there God in science, which often times opposes the person of God and belief in Him?

Is there God in arts, where sensual beauty is idolized?

Is there God in technology, upon which humanity leans and depends for its existence?

Is there God in business, where love of money is both first and last?

Is God in the world? Why are there so little, if no evidence of His existence?

I do not see any wrong in asking these questions. Indeed raising them is inevitable. So long as we are living in this world, these questions will be asked by humanity. The questions I enumerated are indirect questions concerning God. They are in no way directed towards God. Most of the time, these questions just stay in the mind—we do not utter them, we do not say them—although they are deeply rooted in our consciousness.

It is part of our freedom to raise questions. Indeed we can utter these very questions to God. We can tell God and inquire of Him. But it is not fair, I think, if all the answers to these questions are left to God as His assignment. There are elements in the questions that are answerable only by God. This I affirm. Yet when we look back at the questions, we see that we already have the answers to the very questions we ask, especially us who are Christians. Let me illustrate my point by inversing the questions. This time, it is God who asks the questions—and they are directed to believers. GOD IS ASKING: WHO WILL BE ME?

Who will be Me in the market, where there is cheating?

Who will be Me in the streets, where all you hear are jeepney horns and vehicles’ engines?

Who will be Me in the subdivision, where there is an atmosphere of individualism?

Who will be Me in the house, where the drunk father gets home late?

Who will be Me in the classroom, where the teacher is an atheist?

Who will be Me in the jeepney, where people sit in front of each other but do not talk?

Who will be Me in the mall, where what everyone wants is to buy and have and buy?

Who will be Me in the office, where the boss is demanding and your co-workers are tired?

Who will be Me in the city, where everyone is busy?

Who will be Me in the hospital, where everyone is suffering in pain?

Who will be Me in jail, where convicted criminals abound?

Who will be Me?

Who will be My hands?

Who will be My feet?

Who will be My voice?

Who will be Me for a family living in the squatters area?

Who will be Me for a desperate unemployed fresh graduate from college?

Who will be Me for the drug addict?

Who will be Me for the taxi driver?

Who will be Me for the peanut vendor?

Who will be Me for the blind?

Who will be Me for the sorrowful?

Who will be Me for the orphan?

Who will be Me for the street child?

Who will be Me for the oppressed, the outcasts, the society’s trash?

Who will be Me for the businessman?

Who will be Me for the security guard?

Who will be Me for the student?

Who will be Me for the hungry?

Who will be Me for the son, whose father loves beating him?

Who will be Me for the daughter, molested and sexually abused by his own father?

Who will be Me for the homosexual?

Who will be Me?

Who will be My hands?

Who will be My feet?

Who will be My voice?

Who will be Me in politics?

Who will be Me in philosophy?

Who will be Me in economics?

Who will be Me in education?

Who will be Me in science?

Who will be Me in arts?

Who will be Me in business circles?

Who will be Me?

Who will be My hands?

Who will be My feet?

Who will be My voice?

We are the light and salt of the world. (Matthew 5:13-16)

We are the ambassadors of Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:20)