Hope of the nations | Brian Doerksen

Jesus, hope of the nations
Jesus, comfort for all who mourn
You are the source of heaven’s hope on earth
Jesus, light in the darkness
Jesus, truth in each circumstance
You are the source of heaven’s light on earth

In history, You lived and died,
You broke the chains, You rose to life

Chorus: You are the hope, living in us
You are the Rock, in whom we trust
You are the light, shining for all the world to see
You rose from the dead, conquering fear
Our Prince of Peace, drawing us near
Jesus our hope, living for all who will receive
Lord we believe

Brian Doerksen © 2002 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music

Jesus hope of the nations
Jesus comfort for all who mourn
You are the source
Of Heaven’s hope on Earth
Jesus light in the darkness
Jesus truth in each circumstance
You are the source
Of Heaven’s light on Earth

In Bethlehem a lowly birth
The dawn of grace
And peace on Earth

Chorus: You are the hope
Hope brought to life
Here to reveal
What God’s really like
Light of the world
Shining for everyone to see
You are the Christ
Christmas is You
Our servant King
Faithful and true
Jesus our joy
Filling our hearts
As we receive
Our Prince of Peace

Brian Doerksen © 2018 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music

Bless the Lord, O my soul | Psalm 103

Return of the Son | Luke 24.44-53

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6bP6hMJFSqhkJY2QAcy9nX?si=55ca4198102c4970

Slides here.

To Know Christ | Philippians 3.4-14

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7dziUQ1jSnls3XFFzdgZty?si=a7858679bad441c9

Key points:

• Put no confidence in the flesh (vv. 4-6)
• Seek to know, gain & be found in Christ (vv. 7-11)
• Forget the past; press on (vv. 12-14)

_{Special shoutout to @jedsmiley for giving permission to share about her experience meeting #TaylorSwift & her baptism.}

Slides here.

Salvation in no one else | Acts 4.5-22

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2FrGXbVdnUxWtTghi87fNj?si=f70715e6cb28417a

Key points:

1. Do versus done – rest in God’s love & salvation
2. Being before doing
   • Be repentant; be forgiven
   • Be with Jesus; be like Jesus
   • Be obedient; be compelled; be prepared

Slides here.

Created for God’s Purposes | Psalm 139

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5sFLzwjMQi03jPhdAbn6TF?si=e221e7fd43ce4d5b

Key points:

1. God knows you
2. God is with you
3. God made you (for His purposes)

Response/Application

• Do you know God?
• Is Jesus in your life?
• Do you know, are you living for God’s purposes?

Slides here – bit.ly/createdps139

Gospel Power | Romans 1.16-17

I preached my first sermon at Grace church today, entitled “Gospel Power” (Rom. 1.16-17), which I wish to dedicate to the memory of the 5 missionaries – Jim Elliot, Pete Fleming, Ed McCully, Nate Saint, & Roger Youderian – who 66 years ago this weekend, on 8 Jan. 1956, were martyred in Ecuador, killed by the Huaorani Indians.

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.

#JimElliot

Slides here – bit.ly/gospelpowerRom1

Key points:

1. The gospel is … the power of God.
2. The gospel is … for salvation.
3. The gospel is … to everyone who believes.

Response/Application

• Be unashamed
• Live out the gospel
• Be strong & courageous

Main idea – The church/Christian life is all about the gospel; the gospel is all about Jesus.

#gospelpower #romans1 #powerofgod

Beyond our bubbles

I came across this outside a local restaurant recently – Covid-safe dining in isolation. Is this indeed the new normal? It also made me wonder if as Christians & the church, are we guilty of living in our isolated bubbles? Another way of putting it is, do we exist in our own echo chambers? 2 Tim. 4.3-4 warns us that a time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but gather teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear, suiting their own desires, turning away from the truth. May we instead heed Jesus’ instruction to be salt of the earth & light of the world, not hidden, but to shine our light before people that they may see our good works & glorify God our heavenly Father (Matt. 5.13-16).

Christians & the Metaverse | Dr Alex Tang

Christians and the Metaverse

An amazing article by Dr. Alex Tang across the bridge, describing the new Metaverse (or Web 3.0) & its implications, following the Facebook Corp’s name/concept change & rebrand to “Meta.” Summary below.

Main components of the Metaverse

• Augmented Reality
• Lifelogging
• Mirror Worlds
• Virtual Reality

Christian concerns

• Artificial Intelligence (A.I.)
• Identity
• Worship
• Hospitality
• Gospel

Read full article here.

Throwback to this helpful article describing Web 3.0 already back in 2019.

Serve Asia | OMF short-term missions programme

Serve Asia is OMF International’s short-term mobilisation programme, something that I had the privilege to be part of as the Serve Asia Co-ordinator (SAC) for OMF’s Singapore National Office (SNO) some years back. In a nutshell, it’s about mobilising people, especially youths and young adults, toward short-term missions (in OMF terms, anything less than 1 year), in technically any mission field that any of OMF’s missionaries are based in or have ministries/mission work. I also had the opportunity to serve in the International Centre (IC) under New Horizons when their co-ordinator was on sabbatical, a newer initiative bridging unconventional home and field sides where OMF has no or little presence, experience – from anywhere to everywhere!

If you have a few weeks, month or even 1 year off or a gapyear, time in between studies, career, etc, and are considering missions or serving in East Asia, do prayerfully consider joining Serve Asia. If you are located internationally, out of Singapore, visit the international link here.

Serve Asia (SNO design v.1)

A big shoutout to our best SA boss Andrea, and a throwback to our original SNO Mob team – bosslady Yong Hong, Carolyn, Lee Peng, Jie, Samuel

https://omf.org/singapore/get-involved/serve-asia-short-term/
#ServeAsia #OMF