Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church
500 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore 678106
Israel is precious in the sight of God. God created and chosen Israel to bear His name out of all the nations of the world. Israel was the apple of His eye. The privileges given to Israel were tremendous. They had God so nigh to them. Yet, they forsook their God by going after strange gods. This is Israel’s history. Time and again they rejected their God.
The Fruit of the Spirit is Joy
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Biblical joy is a cheerfulness, a calm delight and gladness in the heart of God’s children as the Holy Spirit’s fruit. It is the joy that comes with living a victorious Christian life according to God’s will. Jesus taught that obedience to God’s Word brings biblical joy in John 15:10-11 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
The Apostle Paul’s conscience is very clear that his heart was for the conversion of the Jews. Into every city the Lord directed him, he would first preach the gospel in the Jewish synagogue. When the Jews reject the gospel, he would then preach to the Gentiles. He saw that many of the Jews were not ready to receive Christ Jesus for they went about to establish their own righteousness (Rom. 10:3) although the Word of God has been sounded forth throughout the Roman Empire.
The object of the Christian’s faith is Jesus Christ. Whosoever believeth in Him shall not be ashamed but be saved. This faith to believe comes from hearing the Word of God. We need to hear the voice of God speaking to us through His Word. When we hear God’s Word, we get to know God and His Son, therein, we find salvation.
It was sad that Israel rejected their Messiah, Jesus – the Suffering Servant foretold by the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 53:1 (KJV) 1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? The people of Israel thought that Jesus the King will free them from being a vessel state of Rome and Israel will once again be strong again as a nation. When He rode on a donkey into Jerusalem on the Sunday before His crucifixion on Friday – His disciples shouted, “Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest” (Luke 19:38). The disciples understood this Jesus is the King prophesied by Nathan the prophet in the Old Testament who will sit upon David’s throne to rule forever! How can a man rule forever? Jesus Christ, dear friends, is not a mere man, He is the Son of God, the exact representation of God.
2 Kings 5:20-27 (KJV)
20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.
Let the gospel be preached to all men with no distinction of race. And all who will hearken to the gospel’s call shall be saved. Christianity is man’s only hope. As the late Dr. Martyn Lloyd observed well, “I say that because this gospel is the only hope in the world today. Everything else has been tried and found wanting. Everything else has failed. You will not find hope with the philosophers or with the statesmen, and you will not find it in the so-called religion of the world. Here is hope, and here alone.”
There were no modern transport or communication system during Paul’s days like the ease of transportation and communication we have today. He went mostly on foot to preach the gospel, having to cover large distances amidst physical toil and weariness to preach the gospel to the Gentile world.
The Apostle Paul was moved by the Spirit of God to carry the gospel to the Gentile world. He was empowered by the Holy Spirit to bring the message of the gospel from Israel to Asia Minor and to Europe.
Acts 9:15-16 (KJV) 15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.
Matthew 28:1-15 (KJV)
1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.