Posted on 14 Jun 2012 by Jerome Leng
I preached Haggai on the last 2 Sundays of April.
This was my first time preaching a mini-series and writing bible studies for the church. It was a rather daunting experience because it would reflect all that I’ve learnt from my last 2 years of apprenticeship.
Preaching is always bittersweet for me. As the preacher, it is important that I teach the bible as accurately as I can and knowing my limitations in technical ability, I worry that I will misrepresent God’s word. Also, I have to confront my own sin first as I read the text.
I remember being in earnest prayer as the prophet’s word challenged me to consider God’s Lordship over our lives. The Jews in Haggai wanted the best of both worlds. They were supposed to build God’s House (the Temple) but they procrastinated for 18 years. Instead, they were busy building their own houses (cf.1.2-4).
This, I think, is the main struggle of the Christian. There is a difference between living under, for and with God and alongside God. The former has God at the centre of life, while the latter has God at the periphery, with the Christian at the centre. It is obvious that the latter is not Christianity because Christianity is God-centered. Every Christian needs to consider their relationship with God carefully, for whether or not God is trivialized in their lives. And we can know this by our disobedience in the big and small decisions that we make.
This was an important point of reflection for me as a future pastor. In regards to preaching, I may be tempted to please the congregation. As Paul says in 2 Tim 3.12, “all who desire to live a godly life will be persecuted”. I am a coward in this respect. Nobody likes to be treated badly, especially me! What might begin to shape my future sermons is the congregation’s response rather than what God wants to say to his people. So, I need to remind myself, that when I stand at the pulpit, whether there are 10 or 100 or 1000 people, whether they hate or love me after the sermon, I must remember, I preach for God.
But I love preaching because I get to spend time listening to God through his written Word. To use the analogy of an action movie, all the action happens during preparation time. I have an impossible mission to decipher the hidden code of God’s word and deliver it to his people to save them from hardened hearts. Racing against time as I juggle my responsibilities and regular ministries to prepare a sermon is like a car chase. I face many ‘battles’ throughout the week as I fight against my own sins and temptations. And finally, on Sunday, I either fail or succeed in the mission. Point is: preaching is exhilarating.
During this period, I was constantly reminded of a simple yet powerful truth about God. In Haggai, we see God enduringly move his people to obedience. He is the Faithful Covenantal Lord of his people and knowing that God keeps his promises to an unfaithful people is humbling (cf. Hag 1.13, 2.4-5). I lack the vocabulary to describe this love God has for his people!
Although ministry presents many challenges, my clarity about doing FTPM has increased since I left medicine. The gospel is, still, the best news that anyone can hear. And I have given up my life to this ministry of preaching and teaching this gospel. My goal is to raise godly men and women dedicated to Jesus Christ and his work of growing his church at the present time until he comes back again.
The gospel is sufficient to motivate anyone to serve God. God has saved his people and will save his people. Jesus echoes the words of the prophet Haggai 1.13 in Matthew 28.20b when he said “I am with you always, to the end of the age”. What wonderful news that Christ is WITH his people! And at present, what we have to do is to obediently carry out His work.
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
(Matthew 28.18-20a)
My prayer and I hope it will be yours too, is for God’s work to continue to grow through the preaching and teaching ministry of CERC. I feel the weight of this responsibility that I have to carry out but I trust in these eternal truths that God has revealed to me. My prayer is also for God to provide us with the support we need to do this, whether by prayer or monetary support from our brothers and sisters elsewhere.
We are struggling financially to send our future pastors for theological training and I may have to postpone my studies for another year. Please pray for us in these matters.
Your partner in Christ,
Jerome
