Title: Let Us Go To Bethlehem
Scripture: Luke 2: 1 – 21
Preacher: Rev Jerry Eng
Christian Copyright Licensing International (CCLI)
Account #: 464937
* Copyright License – 31/07/2021
* Song@Select Advance – 31/07/2021
* Streaming License – 31/07/2021
CANDLE OF LOVE
This candle is also known as the Angel candle.
We see the other candles representing a part of the Christmas story in addition to virtues.
• Week One – The prophecies about the coming Messiah
• Week Two – Bethlehem, birthplace of Jesus, the Prince of Peace
• Week Three – The shepherds who came to see Jesus
• Week Four – The angels who proclaimed the good news of Jesus’ birth to the shepherds
Love plays a vital role in the Christmas story. Because of Joseph’s love for Mary, he didn’t stone her when he found out she was pregnant with what he thought was a child out of wedlock with another man (Matthew 1:18-19). Mary had a natural motherly love for Jesus, and ultimately, we see God’s love for everyone by sending His Son for us (John 3:16).
Jesus focused on preaching love throughout His ministry. Two of his greatest commands involve love: Love God, love your neighbor (Matthew 22:36-40).
Love is the greatest of all virtues and encompasses Jesus’ entire purpose for being on earth (1 Corinthians 13:13).
What does the Bible say about Love?
Not surprisingly, the Bible has a lot to say about love.
The word appears about 500 times throughout Scripture. It makes sense. God is love (1 John 4). They know we are Christians by our love (1 Corinthians 13:1). Love sacrificed Jesus for our sins.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 alone tallies off a number of characteristics of love: it’s patient, kind, it does not envy, etc.
We cannot walk with Christ without love, and we cannot have the Christmas story without it. Love is what Christmas is all about.
The Christ Candle
In addition to the Love Candle, churches will also light the larger white candle at the center of the wreath on Christmas Day or Christmas Eve. This is the Christ Candle, and it symbolizes that Christ is the reason for the hope, the peace, the joy, and the love that we have. Jesus is the reason for the season. The white also symbolizes Christ’s purity, showing Christ’s blamelessness.
Some churches, on Christmas or the Sunday after Christmas, will remove the other candles and leave the Christ Candle, showing that the old has passed away and the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17). In other words, the law the Jews followed in the Old Testament, the sinful nature of man, all of it has passed away and Christ has brought the new covenant, a new promise of salvation.
Why does this Matter?
We cannot be Christians without Christ and without His love. Otherwise, our works and our purpose on earth are for nothing. We need Christ and Christ’s love to share the Good News of salvation throughout the earth.
Christ connects all the Advent candles. It is only through Him that we can have real hope, real peace, real joy, and real love. Christ steps down into darkness to light the world (John 8:12). Because of Him, we can be a light unto others, showing them the true meaning of Christmas.
There is another part of the Christmas story that we do not often hear or tell. It is the part of the story when the angels stop singing and go back into heaven and the shepherds return to the fields. At some point Mary and Joseph will gather their things, pick up Jesus, and left for Egypt to escape Herod’s murderous wrath. That is the part of the story that is often left untold. It is that part when everything looks like it did before the birth; when the manger is again empty, the night sky is again dark and silent, and the shepherds are again living in the fields keeping watch over their flocks. That does not, however, signal the end of Christmas. It is, rather, the beginning. Christmas really begins when we quit talking about the story and allow our lives to become the story.
The miracle of Christmas is not in the virgin birth, the heavenly light, the angelic appearances, or the songs of heavenly host. The miracle of Christmas is in you. The invisible God is now seen in a human face. The eternal Word is now spoken by a human tongue. Sacred touch is now given by human hands. Yours is the face. Yours is the tongue. Yours are the hands. The glorious exchange of gifts has been completed in the birth of Jesus. God has given us divinity and we have given God humanity.
All of this happens, Luke tells us, in the most ordinary of places and circumstances. It happens even as a government orders a census and taxation. It happens in the midst of travels, crowds, and over-booked motels. It happens in the darkness and fear of an unknown future. It happens with the birth of a Baby. It happens while working the night shift.
Jesus’s birth did not take the shepherds out of the fields or away from the sheep. Before Jesus was born, they were shepherds living in the fields keeping watch over their flocks by night. After Jesus was born, they were shepherds living in the fields keeping watch over their flocks by night. Jesus’ birth does not allow us to escape the reality of our life and world. It is just the opposite. Jesus is born into the circumstances of our life and world. There is no place you go or circumstance you encounter in which Jesus is not being born. Look at your life. What do you see? Name the reality, whatever it might be, because that is a place in which Jesus is being born, a place where God’s divinity meets your humanity.
He is born in the joys, celebrations, and thanksgivings of your life. He is born in the sorrow, losses, and griefs of your life. He is born in times of hopes and fears, in your words and in your silence. He is born in your successes and accomplishments as well as your failures and disappointments. He is born in times of heavenly transcendence as well as earthly immanence. The salvation of God’s presence, love, and healing fills every aspect of your life.
So let the angels depart and the shepherds return to the fields. Let the sky become dark and silent. Let the Holy Family go home. Let Christmas become real. The manger of His birth is not in Bethlehem. Your life is the manger of Jesus’ birth and that, as the angel says, is “good news of great joy.”
(MICHAEL K. MARSH)
THE CHURCH CLOSED
The church is closed during CMCO. If you need to contact the office staff, these are the contact numbers:
Pastor Ashok @ 012 524 0061
Yap Chee Kai @ 012 2360 457
Pelita Chuah @ 016 625 6188
Jane @ 017 622 7226
Cheng It @ 012 915 3640
ADVENT REFLECTION
This Sunday is the last Sunday in Advent. Please check the church website for this Advent reflection.
UPCOMING WORSHIP SERVICES
(ALL ONLINE)
1. CHRISTMAS DAY (live-streaming) @ 10am
2. Worship Service on Saturday, December 26 @ 5pm (live-streaming)
Preacher: Rev Ashok Amarasingham
Parting Words [Part Two]: The Blessings of Unity
Scripture Text: Psalm 133: 1-3 &1 Corinthians 12: 12-27
3. Watchnight & Holy Communion Service
Preacher: Rev Gaurri Maniam
Date: December 31, 2020
Time: 10:00 p.m.
MIDNIGHT PRAYER VIA ZOOM
Date : Friday, January 1, 2021
Time : 12 midnight-1:00am
Kindly contact church office staff for the zoom link.
MORNING WATCHES (HYBRID)
Dates : Sat-Thurs, January 2-7, 2021
Time : 6:30 a.m.-7:30 a.m.
Venue : MPH in church
The morning watches will be both in person and virtual meeting via zoom. Kindly contact church office staff for the zoom link.
SMARTPHONE FOR CHURCH USE
The church has a smartphone with its number @ 016 618 2698. Kindly save this number into your mobile phone index now. This is necessary because when the church office broadcasts (over whatsapp) important church information, you will then receive the messages. Currently the smartphone is switched on during office hours only.
2ND OFFERING & CHRISTMAS OFFERING
Both the 2nd Offering for December and Christmas offering will go towards the Building Fund of Living Hope Methodist Church, Bukit Rimau. You may give your donations during the entire month of December via Online to Wesley Methodist Church Klang Bank Account No: UOB 171-315-561-1
CHRISTMAS GATHERING EVENTS
All CGs and individual families are reminded to observe the physical distancing & other SOPs when planning to invite people over for Christmas events in individual homes. Any violation of the SOPs may result in the authorities taking action against the host and people invited.
APPRECIATION BUT NO FAREWELL MEALS
Pastor Ashok and his family wish to thank all of you who wanted to invite him and his family for farewell meals. He asks to defer these to 2021 only when God willing, the pandemic would have died down.
ONLINE BANKING
While we acknowledge that many people are affected by the current CMCO situation, we encourage you to continue giving your tithes/offering during this time through online banking, The details are below:
Pledge Payment can be done via Online to Wesley Methodist Church Klang Bank Account No: UOB 171-315-561-1
CHURCH CAMP DATES IN 2022:
(ADVANCED NOTICE)
1. The Church Camp speaker:
Pastor Dr Philip Lyn
2. Dates: May 14-17, 2022
Please keep the dates free in your calendars.
There will be no Church Camp in 2021
Sunday, (Dec 20) – Praise God for the miracle of Jesus’ birth, for living among humanity as one of us. Praise Jesus that He is so majestic, and yet so accessible, and thank Him for drawing near to us when we could not draw near to Him. As God chose the shepherds – lowly outcasts and poor, to be the first people to receive the greatest news the world has ever known, pray that we will worship Him in humility and meekness of heart. Pray that we will remember many who are less fortunate than ourselves in this season of giving, and in response to God’s gift of love in Christ Jesus, we will give to those in need of financial aid, and also give of ourselves to those in need of love and friendship.
Monday, (Dec 21) – Pray that this final week of Advent will help us focus on the magnitude of the love that was made manifest in Jesus. Pray that we will take time to reflect on God’s “indescribable Gift” that came wrapped in the flesh of a Baby and laid in the rough wood of a manger; and that this perfect Gift would later be rewrapped in the scars of our sin and nailed to the rugged wood of a cross on Calvary, all because of love. Pray that God will fill our hearts and minds with the significance of this truth. Pray that we will respond to this agape love by learning and choosing to love God and others the way He loves us – unconditionally and sacrificially.
Tuesday, (Dec 22) – Pray for the Nation: Pray that God will cleanse the dark spiritual atmosphere over our nation, expose that which is hidden, and cause human darkness and demonic agents to fail and flee at His name. As the government’s narrow majority in passing the Budget 2021 implies persistent uncertainty about future policies in the midst of the lack of political stability, pray that God will restrain the political infighting in the nation’s leaders. Pray that we will not be anxious, cynical, embittered, defeated, apathetic, or be tempted to trust in human political solutions, but continue to trust in our sovereign God, and consistently and persistently seek Him in intercession for our land.
Wednesday, (Dec 23) – Pray that all churches will adhere strictly to the SOPs with regards to their Christmas Services, especially the churches in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Sabah which are under conditional MCO. Pray that Christians will show a good example, and follow all the SOPs regarding Christmas gatherings and activities. With Covid-19 outbreaks in a number of hospitals in the Klang Valley, pray for wisdom for the health authorities so that the outbreaks will be contained and not spread to the community. Pray also for God’s protection upon the healthcare workers and their families, as more than 1,300 healthcare workers have been infected with the Covid-19 virus since October 2020.
Thursday, (Dec 24) – The closing of our church during Christmas because of the conditional MCO is a painful and difficult time. Praise God that we are still able to have an online live-stream Christmas Service tomorrow. Pray for the Lord’s anointing and protection upon all those involved in the service tomorrow, and that it will be a blessed and meaningful time for our church members as they worship and celebrate Jesus’ birth at home. Pray that God will teach us to simplify our activities and traditions this Christmas so we will focus on the simple, yet profound miracle of Christ’s birth. Pray that the Lord will use our disappointment to build endurance, character and hope in us.
Friday, (Dec 25) – Pray for TRAC: Pray for the health of all TRAC pastors, as of late, some have fallen ill. Pray that God will protect the pastors and their families from all diseases. Pray that they will be able to be part of the Christmas Day services (whether online or in the church building) and celebrate together with their congregations (in persons or virtually) this Christmas.
Saturday, (Dec 26)– Pray for the World: As the world celebrates Christmas in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, pray for people throughout the world to find hope in the Christmas Baby, and thus experience peace and joy in their hearts, and embrace His love to extend forgiveness to those who have wounded them. Pray that God will bless all people, and many will turn to Christ during this season, and find strength and reason to live in Him.
Title: Parting Words (Part #1) – The High Calling of a Shepherd Leader
Scripture: 1 Peter 5: 1 – 7 & Hebrews 13: 17
Preacher: Rev Ashok Amarasingham
1) INTRODUCTION
1.1 Parting Words (Part One) “Tell Us What Is on Your Heart, Pastor, Before You Officially Leave Our Church”.
1.1.1 No vested interest – “Say it as it is…”
1.1.2 Today I share on the High Calling of a Shepherd-Leader (specifically: pastors but also generally: church leaders)
* 3C’s: Calling, Character & Competence.
* The image of a pastor has eroded over the decades.
1.1.3 Blind Spots & The Lack of Sensitivity.
* There needs to be a healthy balance between being insensitive and being overly sensitive.
* I unequivocally apologise for my wrongdoings to you over the past 12 years and ask for your forgiveness.
1.1.4 Final Aim: Try to Smoothen the path for the new pastor to come here in 2021.
* May God bless Rev Gaurri Maniam and her ministry in WMC Klang in the years ahead.
1.2 Focus for Today
As the Chief Shepherd (Jesus) will reward you one day, remember your calling by Jesus as a shepherd leader and be faithful to serve Jesus and others.
2) WE HONOUR PEOPLE THAT GOD HAS CALLED IN THE LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE…THE PASTOR IS OVERALL IN-CHARGE OF THE LOCAL CHURCH BUT JESUS IS SUPREME (PASTOR) OVER ALL CHURCHES.
2.1 Peter was called by Christ to be the head leader of the church.
2.1.1 Peter was specially called by Jesus and Jesus never “let go” of Peter.
* Peter only saw his wretchedness but Christ saw beyond his wretchedness. Christ saw God’s grace being poured out abundantly upon Peter (Luke 5: 1-11).
* Peter was restored and “re-called” by Christ and on Pentecost, Peter boldly preached that Jesus is both Christ & Lord.
2.1.2 The New Testament era sees a leadership structure emerging in the early church: Overseers, Elders & Deacons (1 Timothy 3: 1-13 & Titus 1: 5-9).
2.2 We honour and obey our leaders and submit to their authority (Hebrews 13: 17)
2.2.1 Why honour them?
Because God called them into leadership and they must be accountable to God for pastoring the people.
2.2.2 The pastor-leader is happy and contended…it is a joy to lead the sheep.
2.3 Because Jesus is the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5: 4), the Shepherd-Overseer of our souls (2: 25) and walked the path of suffering before the glory (2: 21)…pastors and leaders can suffer in their ministry
3) CHARACTER & COMPETENCE: WHILE COMPETENCE IS GAINED FROM EXPERIENCE, CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN THE PASTOR/LEADER WILLINGLY FOLLOWS THE FOOTSTEPS OF CHRIST
3.1 Pursuing earthy gold and silver (wealth) has no value compared to the truly valuable items in God’s eyes.
3.1.1 The words to describe these items…
* inheritance in heaven that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading (1:4)
* genuineness of your faith that is more precious than gold (1:7)
* you were ransomed not with perishable things like gold or silver but by the precious blood of Christ (1:18-19)
* the unfading crown of glory (5:4)
3.2 Peter was willing to repeatedly put himself on the turntable of humility (Potter is Jesus) so that he became a worthy vessel of the Master
3.2.1 Peter passed with flying colours in servant leadership (read 1 Peter as the antidote to this pandemic year)
3.2.2 Peter understood that Jesus’ disciples are but sojourners (2:11) in a foreign land and suffering was a necessary process of developing godly character.
3.2.3 Character is so very important. The Christian can reach the giddy heights (on eagles wings) of maturity by…
3.3 PRACTICAL APPLICATION (Specific to a change of pastor)
3.3.1 Takeaway Item One:
Competence will certainly come with years of experience but all pastors need to be humble and willingly submit to Christ.
3.3.2 Takeaway Item Two:
Never compare one pastor with another. Why?
1) Every pastor is unique with a unique personality and giftedness
3.3.3 Takeaway Item Three
Please do not call or whatsapp me in 2021 to say how good a pastor I was compared to the new pastor. Why?
It is a useless exercise that will only inflate my ego.
However, do report to me how you see God’s grace working in the new pastor.
3.3.4 Takeaway Item Four
Maximise Relationship Building with the pastor especially in the first year of ministry. Why?
* Strong relationships are the foundation for strong working relationships
* It will help in the future with regards to conflict resolution.
3.3.5 Takeaway Item Five
If you have an issue with the new pastor…
1) don’t talk to me!
2) do talk to the new pastor (with a good listening ear)
3) do talk to the key leaders ie LCEC Chairman, Lay Leader or PPRC Chairman.
4) do talk to the colleagues of the new pastor.
5) never talk to “all & sundry” who have no idea of what is happening!
3.3.6 The fine check and balance system in the Methodist Church: The Pastor Parish Relations Committee (PPRC).
4) CONCLUSION
Christian Copyright Licensing International (CCLI)
Account #: 464937
* Copyright License – 31/07/2021
* Song@Select Advance – 31/07/2021
* Streaming License – 31/07/2021
THE CANDLE OF JOY
Also known as the Shepherd Candle, this candle reflects the joy that comes through Jesus’ arrival, and the salvation He has gifted us.
During this third week of Advent, this Sunday celebrates the passage Philippians 4:4-5, its verses extolling readers to “rejoice” for “indeed the Lord is near.”
In other words, this week celebrates the joy of Christ’s coming to earth. Churches want to highlight the importance of joy in the Advent season. During a time where depression is at an all-time high and people seem to be in the most despair, this candle offers a bright light during a dark time.
It is also known as the Shepherd Candle to highlight the joy the shepherds experienced when they received the good news about Christ’s birth (Luke 2:8-20). During the middle of the night, the darkest time, the shepherds encountered angels.
What does the Bible say about Joy?
Biblical joy goes far beyond momentary happiness, for example the happiness a child might experience when they unwrap a gift that they’d hoped for on Christmas day.
It is an extreme happiness that cannot be deterred by present circumstances. This type of joy comes from God alone. Joy can often be experienced when a Christian thinks about salvation, eternal life, or Jesus.
It is an eager anticipation about wonderful things to come. The shepherds experienced this as they ran to Bethlehem to see Jesus.
The Bible tells us that:
• God fills us with joy (Romans 15:13). We cannot will ourselves to experience joy. It comes from God alone.
• It’s a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). We experience more joy when we spend time with God. We have to keep in mind that joy only comes from God, and when we spend more time with Him, we allow Him to fill us with more of it.
• No one can take joy from us (John 16:22). Given to us by God Himself, no one has the ability to rob us of our joy. No matter what circumstances we encounter, no one can take this away.
• Joy rests in things from God such as salvation and righteousness (Psalm 51:12).
Joy appears more than 100 times in the Bible.
Why Does This Matter?
This matters because, while we wait for Christ to come again, we don’t have to despair. God has given us a joy that no one can take away. No matter what happens in this dark world, we can experience light. We experience difficulties differently than the world. We have light even in the darkest moments.
Joy is essential to the Christian experience. We cannot get far without it, and we need it as we, like the shepherds, anticipate the coming of our Savior.
