Christians and the Burmese Crackdown

Just an interesting link to an article on the state of Christians in Burma.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/octoberweb-only/140-52.0.html

Something I wish for this Christmas, is the granting of good leaders for that country, just think of the potential for the needs - gospel, physical and social - that could mean generations of benefit in the future!

Interestingly, there are so many Christians in this persecuted country. The figures of 8% (some Roman Catholics and ecumenicals) is impressive, and is probably as high as Australia's church going community.

In God I hope this Chrismas and the seasons beyond, W.

Thank God for Parking Ticket Officers

Who said that they are always out there to get you?

I had sleepily missed the 2P sign of a prime parking spot at Crows Nest tonight. Sleepy is what working nights do to people. Lo and behold, after our quick dine at Thai Tucker Box and browse at the bookstore, a parking ticket officer working OT was taking down my little, innocent Echo's number plate!

I sheepily said, "Oh, we're leaving now... and I didn't realise we had to pay after 6pm..."

A pause.

He nicely smiles back and said, "OK, this is a warning. See that ticket machine over there, you must pay if you park here." And he walks away. If we had stayed in that bookstore one minute longer, $79 would have been blown, and all because I didn't 3rd of 4 signs on the pole, that read,

"2P 6-10pm Mon-Sun".

I am reminded that our brains choose to see what we want to see, often times. I only saw the sign that read "1P 6am-6pm Mon-Sun". In hind-sight I did see the second sign when I parked the car, but I could not register it. In so many circumstances, in experience, and in reading people's writings, I observe that often we only see what we set out to see, what we want to hear.

Not always do our "ears itch to hear what our hearts desire", even in so called scientific observations, in application of world-views on other cultures, we only see what we set out to see. We simply love our types and stereotypes.

But I heed the warnings. Both from my friendly parking ticket officer from the Pacific Islands, and from our God, in the coming of His Son and of course, in His Word today: to know that the heart of man deceives even himself, and we need an External Guide to point out our obvious blunders.

I'm just thrilled that I wasn't fined! So is me missus : )

Crusaders Business Breakfast at the QVB Tearooms

I've never been to a Business Meeting, let alone a Christian Business meeting.

This one was held by The Crusader Union of Australia, or simply known as "Crusaders". I knew of their youth outreach at schools, school camps and holiday camps; but I only saw their vision and the fruits of their work at this Crusaders Business Breakfast.

Roger Corbett (AM), the recently retired CEO of Woolworths Ltd, Australia, spoke. He's a Christian too, and has personally benefited from the work of the Crusaders from his youth. He challenged us, a group of professional and business Christians this morning to know the need for God in our work, and see the need for God in our world. He saw that a living God in the lives of business men was the key to their personal integrity in the workplace. By leaving God out of the picture or thinking that "God is dead", we have left the Australian business world with weak, self-gratifying leaders, and a pervasive cynicism in the Australian public towards many businesses. Sadly, many of those leading the business world, have also become cynics.

But there is a different type of business in our world. The vision of this business is a world with changed lives. Crusaders aims to bring the living God through living relationships to youth whilest at schools today. The organisation and team are Bible based, meaning, they believe that God's living word changes lives, especially because it is a word speaking of His assuring, unceasing, amazing love for us. Many lives are changed, mostly in their youth, by the Christian message.

The short interviews with the youth from non-Christian backgrounds who have attended Crusader camps are inspiring. Individual lives, through Christian leadership coming from Christian youths, have been changed. Many trust in this living God and have found His love real, stabilising and motivating, such that these individuals have grown, impacted their school friends, and even moved onto Christian youth work themselves. At the very least, many youth have heard the gospel message, and many of them decisively commit their lives to God in their formative years.

I work with sick people, out in Western Sydney. I see many youths and families presenting with their physical needs. I can only begin to imagine the spiritual need of these families for this message, that changes their youths' lives. They will form future families, they will do business, they will shape our future Sydney. I can see how such a message to our youth will not only bring social productivity, an unmeasurable statistic in our societies, but also spiritual hope to families, who have suffered for years in broken relationships, not because of poverty, but because of their rejection of God.

Have a look at the Crusaders' website http://www.crusaders.edu.au/, or click the Title, and pray for our youths at school, that through these types of outreach ministries, they will hear the life changing Christian message.

An Age Old Excuse Revisited: Generosity

"I'm going to earn lots of money, so I can be generous with it." I've said it, I've heard it, but I can't agree with it as a Christian.

The formula of the argument is:
1) If I have a lot of [X], then I will use [X] for good.
2) I don't have [X].
3) Therefore I should have [X].

But of course, it's not just related to having money: we can replace X with power, time, blessing/gifts, opportunity, beauty, etc. So we keep telling ourselves,
"if only I was given this position of leadership, then I can make a big difference," or
"if only I could go to that place, then I could serve properly," or
"if only I was good at public speaking, then I would be able to persuade people."

I think God has warned us not to have evil or selfish desires to spend on our own pleasures from the letter by James.

A few good questions to ask in order to test ourselves would be:
"Am I generous with what I have now?"
"Am I using what I have now for serving and helping others?"
"How has my pattern of life been like? Generous, thoughtful and considerate?"

If we lack what is good, then God will provide. I am sure He is more than happy, if James was right in his letter, to grant me a generous heart. I'm going to ask for that right now, and I'm going to ask for that gift for anyone reading this blog at all. It'll make me feel better.

Back at blogging, for the common good?

Starting a new habit?

Nowadays, I'm always hesitant to start a habit or custom, which I'll have to continue. Should I waste precious time on trying to do hip-hop, keep up the guitar skills, run again? Things like spending more time with Danielle on short trips is never a doubt; but time again lets me down, or more correctly, I haven't made the time.

Still, I thought I'll start publishing things written, said or done that might have a use for anyone out there.

Just last Sunday, I was at NSCCCS (http://www.answers.com/topic/nscccs) talking on Proverbs 8-9. The youth are always a joy to meet. They have a great bunch of leaders as well. I felt like the father in the proverbs, who'd luckily found an attentive, wise, young man to bore.

Here's the Link: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=df75wq87_9hgnm69

I loved preparing for this, God's wisdom is made for us living in this world. Not only is it relevant, His wisdom goes beyond just getting by in this world: it, through Jesus, sets me up for eternity. But most of all, His Wisdom is best shown in the whole life, death and resurrection of Jesus, and it is astounding. I didn't make much of this in the talk though, there wasn't enough time.

BTW, David Atkinson's commentary from the BST series is very nice.

God's Wisdom: a Talk

Proverbs 8-9 NSCCCS Talk 2007-10-21

William Ng

"The Blue Pill or Red Pill? AKA: Wisdom or Folly?"

Outline:
1) Wisdom's Beginnings (Proverbs 8)

2) Wisdom versus Folly (Proverbs 9)

3) Wisdom in Practice (Proverbs 6; Choice Words 10:20; Beauty 11:22; Sober Minded 12:9; Taking Criticism 13:18; Real Labour 14:23; Worldly Pleasure 15:17; Planning 16:9; Home 17:1; Loose Speech 18:19; Fair Trade 20:17; Wife 21:9; Children 22:6)

4) Wisdom in Eternity of Ecclesiastes

Wisdom: Knowing and fearing God by living with spiritual and practical intelligence. Its characteristics are seen in 1:1-7

Main Point: Live in Wisdom because God’s world is made by God’s Wisdom and Wisdom is practical, useful and joyful.

Sub-Points: Wisdom leads to a full life and favour with God.

Folly leads to ruin and death.

Jesus is God’s Wisdom and His Life & Work shows God’s Wisdom best.

Wisdom is in Fearing and Obeying God.

Ecclesiastes: World cannot be completely understood by wisdom for this life.

This world – Death, brevity of Life and cyclical Time – seem to contradict living wisely, but the eternal God’s Judgement makes wise living meaningful.

1. Wisdom's Beginnings

8:22-31 Creator, Eternity, Joy of God.

Jesus is God’s Wisdom .1Cor. 1:30-31 and Col 1:15-17.

2. Wisdom versus Folly

9:1-6 Attractive Opportunity

(Also 8:1-21 Invitation to Wisdom and Treasures in Wisdom; 3:1-12 Fear of the Lord)

9:13-18 Attractive Lies

(Also 8:32-36 Death for the Foolish)

3. Wisdom in Practice

Adultery 6:20-35

Repaying Debts 6:1-5

Miscellaneous Wisdom

Choice Words 10:20; Beauty 11:22; Sober Minded 12:9; Taking Criticism 13:18; Real Labour 14:23; Worldly Pleasure 15:17; Planning 16:9; Home 17:1; Loose Speech 18:19; Status 19:10; Fair Trade 20:17; Wife 21:9; Children 22:6

4. Wisdom in Eternity of Ecclesiastes

1:1-2 Meaningless

1:16-18 Wisdom brings Frustration

3:9-22 Time for death for all, so enjoy the present. NB Eternity in Man’s heart 3:11.

4-10 Meaninglessness of Wisdom: injustice, fools in world, frustrations of the wise)

11-12:8 Rejoice in One’s Years before Death

12:9-14 Fear of the Lord and His Judgement gives Meaning.

1) Wisdom’s Beginnings

Have you been really attracted to a person who excites you? Or mesmerized by a scene in a movie? Or fascinated by a new idea? Or have you been to a place that frees your mind and gives you a buzz whenever you walk into it? Well, Wisdom in the Book of Proverbs is that person, place, time and event that is trying to attract you and me, Wisdom is parading her best and finest wares in front of our eyes, Wisdom is singing a lovely tune that is teasing our ears in Proverbs 8.

Wisdom first blows us away by telling us when she began. Wisdom was with God before the Creation. Have a look at 8:22-23. Verse 23 says Wisdom was there from Eternity and given a special position in God’s grand plan, that’s what appointed means. Verse 22 may seem to say that Wisdom was the first of God’s work, but the verse is better understood as saying Wisdom was brought forward before the first of God’s work. Certainly this emphasis on Wisdom at God’s side before He made the world reads well with the other verses.

Wisdom was with God during His powerful production of the waters, springs and oceans, the mountains and the hills, the Earth and the fields. Wisdom witnessed the incredible separation of vast spaces in verses 27-29, the heavens above from the waters below, the clouds from the oceans and the continents and the seas. Isn’t this saying that Wisdom was there in the days of Genesis, the beginning of the universe?

But Wisdom was also in the creation process with God, she was not standing back. By Wisdom God did every one of His incredible feats, by Wisdom God made the world¹; Wisdom was “the craftsman” getting His hands dirty besides God. That’s why God had a great time with Wisdom as they shared the work and took pride in the work they’d done together, Wisdom in return gave God much pride and joy.

So we know that Wisdom has a big CV. Wisdom was there before the creation, during the creative process of Genesis and was the means by which God made the World: so great is God’s Wisdom we are taught to think of Wisdom as a co-creator along side God.

[Aside on Jesus as God’s Wisdom: Colossians 1:15-17; 1Corinthians 1:30-31; Romans 16:5-27]

2) Wisdom versus Folly

Wisdom is not the only one calling or attracting us. There is an equally attractive and alluring person called Folly. Wisdom and Folly are both calling for our attention, our vote and our personal choice. Just like an election, we are asked to make a definite choice between two parties, we have to choose John or Kevin, we can take the blue pill or the red pill, and we either choose Wisdom or follow Folly. Each party has their attraction, but each choice is followed by a set of consequences and fruits.

Wisdom continues to blow us away by giving us understanding and life. Look at the way she calls. She spares no expense at inviting any passers by, and willing travellers. You cannot miss Wisdom’s calls because she is shouting at the top of the mountain and you cannot miss her because there are a host of other maidens at the hilltop. Wisdom has a great feast prepared for those who are willing to come in to dine with her. Actually she has been planning for this feast with such enthusiasm she has built a whole new diner to seat her guests. What she offers is prime. The food is fine, and the wine supreme. Wisdom offers a full and fruitful, blessed life to her followers. Her ways educate, prepare and discipline the simple and naïve, so they are experienced and prepared for the living in this world. She is like a TAFE course geared to preparing people for trade and a “hands on” training degree that actually prepares someone for work after they graduate. She educates people on how to live and live life to the full. [Invitation and Rewards 8:1-21]

Folly on the other hand puts up an equally good show to get our vote. She is loud and speaks with a megaphone on the top of the mountain. She too is desperate to get people to come into her home. But Her way is distinctively different to Wisdom’s. She loves deceit, things done in secret, as if hiding the truth from God’s sight. She likes to tempt the simple and the naïve into the easy way, the morally dubious way, by enjoying stolen wine and shameful deeds done in the dark. She is a dodge. But the trick is that she seems to offer the same outcomes and fruits that lure people to Wisdom. So she is a dodge and an imitation of Wisdom and it’s easy to choose her because her offer seems equally attractive. But what’s inside the house of Folly? Like a dodgey Chinese Ferrari that you wish you’d never bought, Folly’s house is full of rotten corpses, blazing hellfire in 9:18. Those who dine with Folly, eat to their own death.

Wisdom is distinguished by her trademark: the Fear of the Lord and obedience to His commands. [Andrew Law has talked about this?

Key of Wisdom in Fear of the Lord:

Acknowledging He is the Creator, Lord and Ruler.

The only way to the Wise Life.]

So both Wisdom and Folly are polling for our vote and we must vote Wisdom, we must choose Wisdom and accept her invitation.

3) Wisdom in Practice

So it’s not surprising that Wisdom is practical. If by God’s Wisdom He made this world, if Wisdom was overseeing the making and running of this world then it’s no wonder that living by Wisdom leads to a full, fruitful² and joyful life. Wisdom is for living because life is designed by Wisdom. Wisdom is practical. So the rest of this talk, just like the rest of Proverbs 10-31, will be a short and sweet guide on how to live in Wisdom from reading Proverbs 10-31 and how to be practically Wise in God’s world.

Now we’ve gone through proverbs 1-9 briefly, I’ll bring in a working definition of Wisdom having explained Wisdom’s awesome credentials and her rewards: Wisdom is “knowing and fearing God by living in His world with spiritual and practical intelligence.” This is a working definition and is not perfect. We know that Wisdom begins with our right relationship with God, in fear and obedience to the Creator who wisely made this world and wisely saves us for eternity. That is knowing and fearing God. Spiritual intelligence is scattered throughout the Proverbs just as practical advice is laid out through the book. Spiritual matters include moral matters, matters of eternal consequences like the Judgement of God, matters of right living by God’s laws. Practical matters touch on all walks of life, from sex, to marriage, to economics, to trade, to ethics, to friendship, even to running a city or country. So when we read through Proverbs, especially 10-31, we see that God’s Wisdom is not only good for spiritual matters but also for practical living. Christianity is not only doctrine and knowledge of historical and eternal truths; it’s also living wisely in God’s world now. Doctrine and Living is a conversation, Theology and Christian Practice go hand in hand. Wisdom is practical.

Let’s take a couple of situations in life on which Wisdom educates us.

Firstly listening, paying attention, accepting Wisdom 9:7-12. The most practical question is do I want to listen to Wisdom. It’s a choice entirely, and God gives us an invitation to choose Wisdom or to reject Her. But Listening to Wisdom takes a bit out of our ego, because we have to admit that God is wiser. It is no easy for a lot of people, in fact for anyone. The difficulty may lie in receiving correction, rebuke, or criticism. Most of the world don’t like to receive rebuke, and certainly never publicly. Who wants others to know that we have made a mistake, we’ve been a fool, we’ve made wrong choices? Even fools have pride, and even the poor have egos. Our world oddly admires people who simply have a passion for things even if that person is passionately and stubbornly wrong. The scoffer is always around. But Wisdom calls us to humble ourselves, accept wise discipline and listen to good advice. Sometimes our parents may just know a little better than our friends, then what the movies tell us³. Our friend who spoils our fun at parties, might just be that person that saves us from committing mistakes of drunkenness. Our God who doesn’t grant us our desires, might be just trying to teach us what’s important. Wisdom calls us to listen, to pay attention and accept good advice.

Secondly Wisdom in saving sex for marriage only 5:1-23. This is honest, Father to Son advice and it’s repeated with different imageries, many times in chapters 1-9. The lure of premarital sex, extramarital sex, sex with a strange but attractive lover is great. Our world cannot resist it: it knows how much we can be attracted by the idea free, non-contractual sexual relations. The ads we see are smooth, sassy and sexy. The scenes from movies are beautifully crafted, washed over with heart-throbbing music. Our own minds create fantasies of relations with others. But the Father’s advice is to stick to love, sex and relations within our marriages. Believe it or not, through the toil, work and commitment of marriage, you may actually find love in your wife or your husband to be. Here in chapter 5 are lovely images of fresh, sweet cool water that satisfies our thirst, and that of a lovely animal, pleasurable to look at and play with: such is the love of our own wife or husband. The pleasure of marriage and physical love in marriage actually outweigh the fun of promiscuity.

We’ll briefly sketch through a few more humorous practical wisdoms throughout 9-22, the Proverbs of Solomon.

[Choice Words 10:20; Beauty 11:22; Sober Minded 12:9; Taking Criticism 13:18; Real Labour 14:23; Worldly Pleasure 15:17; Planning 16:9; Home 17:1; Loose Speech 18:19; Fitting Status 19:10; Fair Trade 20:17; Wife 21:9; Children 22:6. NB 23-24 are longer Father to Son advices.]

Back to our working definition of Wisdom: Wisdom is “knowing and fearing God by living in His world with spiritual and practical intelligence.” God is Wise and through His Wisdom made this world, so we are called to live by this Wisdom in order to live a fulfilling, fruitful and joyful life in His world.

4) Wisdom in Eternity of Ecclesiastes

To Get a balanced view of Wisdom, we are meant to read Proverbs and Ecclesiastes together. We need to know the meaning God gives to living in the world now in light of His eternity, or else things seem meaningless, living wisely is pointless, and we’ll be unprepared for frustrations in this world. Briefly

Meaningless of Life and Wisdom

1:1-2 Meaningless

1:16-18 Wisdom brings Frustration

Frustrations of Life despite Wisdom

3:9-22 Time for death for all, so enjoy the present. NB Eternity in Man’s heart 3:11.

4-10 Meaninglessness of Wisdom and Frustration despite Wisdom: injustice, fools in world, frustrations of the wise)

Living Wisely because of God’s Judgement

11-12:8 Rejoice in One’s Years before Death

12:9-14 Fear of the Lord and His Judgement gives Meaning.

1 Creation by Wisdom, see Proverbs 3:19-20

2 See how Wisdom celebrates life in Proverbs 3:13-18.

3 Note how in Ch 1-9, advice begins with the words “My Son.”

1

ANZAC Day 25th April 2007

ANZAC Day 25th April 2007

I never knew the significance of ANZAC until I reached university. Surely we were taught in primary school and at SGS (my high school)? Yes, there were definitive knowledged-based teachings of the ins & outs of Australian Soldiers enlisted in the AIF to defend our then King and Country. But the day only took my attention when I started to realize what 'sacrifice' meant for me as a

1) beneficiary, and
2) imitator of the person of Jesus.

The first part probably had its roots in when I became a Christian in 1994: I could truly understand the amazing sacrifice of God's Son for me personally. Having known God's grace, it is much easier to appreciate and be thankful to those who willingly and generously sacrifice their own time, money, labour and even lives for you. So not only in relation to the ANZAC but to many around me, the significance of their sacrifice just seems to forever float onto my consciousness.

The latter part is very much an ongoing process, and I dare say for any serious disciple of Christ Jesus. Do you know the times when people say to you: "you won't know it unless you try?" Very much so with the meaning of sacrifice. When I try to follow the footsteps of Jesus, I guess in my own relationships with wife, brothers & sisters, patients, colleagues... the failings and short-fall of my own sacrifice are obvious. So it is much easier for me to stay interested and involved in ANZAC Day celebrations, for many of those men willingly put their lives out for others, who either didn't care or could do so, and as well for us today.

The Lord's Prayer: a talk

Matthew 6:1-18 God’s Secret Service Talk @NSCCCS 20070325
William Ng

Main Point: We only live to please God and not people.

Sub Point: God will justly repay what is done, whether in secret or in open.

1. Fresh organization (Matthew 6:9-10; 5:1-10, 48)

2. For His eyes only (6:1-4, 5-8, 16-18)

3. Forgiveness, the essential response to God (6:12-15)

4. Our secret service

1"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

5"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

9"This, then, is how you should pray:
" 'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
11Give us today our daily bread.
12Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.^[a]' 14For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

16"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 17But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you…”

Matthew 6:1-18 “God’s Secret Service”

1. Fresh organization (Matthew 6:9-10; 5:1-10, 48)

Fresh Organization

We should always shudder with fear and excitement when we listen to Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount. Because Jesus is showing to His dearest friends and followers a fresh organization of our present world. He tells us what this organization, or God’s new kingdom looks like, feels like and what the people act like. And we see from the middle of this passage that the standard of God’s new kingdom is perfect.

It’s in verses 9-10:

“…'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven…”

What is heaven like? It’s perfect! God is bringing that heavenly world to our present earth. That’s a world being organized by God, a world under His rule with people listening to His ways. That is exciting news. But it is fearful news, because we as Jesus’ friends, we hear what we are to be like. The opening of the Sermon on the Mount called Jesus’ friends blessed, remember those poor in spirit, those who mourn, those who are meek, who thirst and hunger for the right, the merciful, the pure, the peacemakers and those persecuted for following Jesus. In summary, 5:48 tells us that Jesus’ friends, who are part of this new kingdom are to be “perfect, therefore, as [our] heavenly Father is perfect.”

God’s people will be willing

A massive part of our lives will be to respond to God’s teachings and be willing to be His people of the new kingdom and work out His teachings in our lives. Jesus wanted our active will and participation in this kingdom when He asked us to pray the Lord’s prayer:

“…'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven…”

But because it’s God’s kingdom, which He’s bringing, and we are weak humans who cannot meet His standards, we must ask for His help. So why don’t you pray with me:

[Prayer. Note this prayer is important as we bring the hearers to depend on God’s grace and mercy.]

2. For His eyes only (6:1-4, 5-8, 16-18)

Good works for His eyes only

Jesus wants us to be doers of good, but more than that, He wants us to have God as our only audience. We are to do all our work for His eyes only. And we do not want to please our peers, friends or even leaders or parents. Instead we please God alone and God is our only audience. 6:1 tells us clearly:

“Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.”

How to give, pray and fast

And Jesus mentions three righteous acts of giving money to the poor, praying to God and fasting, where we are to avoid a public audience.

Have a look at 6:2-4. In those days, the temptation was to boast in how much you could give to the poor. The synagogue was an organization that would have the role of looking after the needs of the poor. They didn’t have social services then. And on top of the tenth of what they earned given as offertory, people would give more to meet the needs of the poor. But it is easy to brag, to let the neighbours know how much you are giving, to ask the Rabbi to make a special announcement or to publicly shower food and coins to a blind man on the market street.

But Jesus says that when we give we don’t need to tell the whole world, we don’t even want the person sitting next to us to know how much we give, and if we could help it we don’t even want our left hand know what our right hand is doing. So secret is our giving that only God our Father, who sees everything we do, is to know! He is our only audience.

Similarly from vv.5-6, we don’t shout on top of our voices and kneel in the middle of our rooms to pray. We are to find a private room, close the door and pray to our Father, who is our only audience when we pray. There is no need either, in vv. 7-8, to use fancy words, complex sentences to manipulate God into giving us our needs. God sees our hearts, and He knows our needs already when we pray to Him. So our prayers can be short, straight to the point and we can use our own words to pray to God, our only audience.

And it’s the same when we fast. Now I know not many of us fast, but Jesus treats it as something that His disciples do normally. Fasting teaches us that we depend on God¹. But when we fast, it’s not public, we don’t mess up our hair, forget to wash our faces and write on our T-shirts “Holy Man Fasting”, but it’s a matter between us and God, because He is our only audience.

God justly repays

The reason to choose God as our only audience our friends, peers and leaders is that God rewards justly. Look at what happens when giving is done in secret, verse 4b: “…then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” It is repeated again in v.6, “Then [our] Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward [us].” And just in case we missed it, Jesus tells us again when we fast in v.18, “[so] that it will not be obvious to men that [we] are fasting, but only to [our] Father, who is unseen; and [our] Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward [us].”

You see, when we live for other peoples’ praise, “Ooh, look how generous he is,” or “Hey, isn’t so and so a great prayer?” or “Did you know that this leader fasts 3x a week?”, God gives us what we asked for: the praise of other people. If we only look for boasting in this life time, that is what we will get and no more. The congratulations, the high from feeling great about ourselves and our paper certificates, will turn to dust and burn with the end of this world. Men’s praise will be forgotten, useless and empty.

But our Father in heaven loves to reward things done for His eyes only. He will say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant²,” when we see Him face to face at the coming of the new world. Because He sees right into our hearts and looks for the attitude that aims to please Him and Him alone.

Jesus isn’t talking about earning our favour with God, or pleasing our perfect Father so that He pays our good work with salvation. That’s blasphemous, contrary to Jesus’ teaching and His work. No, Jesus is saying that those who are already in God’s kingdom and saved, they are the ones who will want to please God alone, they are to say no to the temptation to gain earthly praise at the loss of God’s own praise³.

So when we work for God alone, He sees our hearts, and will justly reward us with the praise He so enjoys giving to His children. He is to be our only audience and the only audience that matters.

3. Forgiveness, the essential response to God (6:12-15)

Forgiveness is our basic need

Our Father, understands our deepest need and this is in the centre of the whole Sermon and in the middle of the prayer that Jesus modelled for us. We are ignoring the prayer as a whole because that is another challenging lesson by itself. Concentrating on vv.12-15, we see that our deepest need is the forgiveness that comes from our Father. Our most urgent prayer is that God will cancel the debt that we owe to Him as we sin against Him, fail to do His will, forget to honour Him, and even as we fail in our relationships with other people because He cares for the ones we sin against.

Once forgiven, we will forgive others

But Jesus told us to pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Why does Jesus expect that God’s people to have already forgiven others who owe them, who sin against them, who have hurt them? Because those, who experience the deep, wide, long and broad forgiveness of God, have the capacity to forgive other people. And an unforgiving heart is a sign that we have not tasted the forgiveness of God.

Try a little mental test with me. Think of someone who’s hurt, sinned against or mistreated you. Turn all your energy into hating that person with your heart and mind… do you notice what’s happening? We do not remember or feel the love of God, the mercy of God and His forgiveness whilst we are hating our sister/brother like that. It’s like trying to move and be still at the same time, to sleep and be awake in the same moment, it cannot be done.

But on the other hand, think now, and give thanks with your heart for the love of God shown towards you, freely and deeply. When you remember this, you can extend the same forgiveness toward your enemy. These two attitudes, thoughts and emotions are compatible, but an unforgiving heart, is incompatible with an understanding of God’s kindness to us. So we pray to our Father “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”

4. Our secret service

Today’s challenge to live with God as our only audience from Jesus’ lips is real in so many ways.

a) CLAY parallels: Giving, serving, leading

Empty Praise

Do all ministries for God, do them well,

Do not minister for our own good, own name, own reputation…

Face is not only big in Chinese cultures, it’s big in all earthly cultures…

Empty, useless rewards, waste of our lives…

Does not result in good ministries…

Godly Freedom [to serve God]

I think there is incredible freedom when we reject peer pressure, peer review and peer judgement…

Instead, use our freedom to serve God… because His reward and praise is best and sweet.

E.g. Unrewarding ministries, hard ministries, dangerous ministries, unwise ministries…

b) Private time = secret service to God

Not Sunday time, not fellowship time, but every other time…

Esp. in relationships with others away from home, away from Christian circles, away from CLAY because He sees all, delights most in our daily walk with Him.

c) Care in our study and work

School work, uni-work and work-work…

Work as though we are working for the Lord.

d) Attitude of forgiveness

Forgiveness…

Whom do we need to forgive?

1 Must find biblical support apart from Matthew.

2 Matthew 25:21-23.

3 Luke 17:7-10. Even when we do God’s will, God does not necessarily need to give us praise, yet He delights in praising His servants, cf. Matthew 5, 25.