It was the standard Monday-Friday breakfast since it's so early - cornflakes + fresh milk. Got dressed up, put on my down-jacket, stepped out and boarded our church uncle's chauffeured vehicle.
Usually it's Uncle Coleman's and Aunty Jeh Ling's vehicle, but this time, it was Uncle Albert's vehicle...chauffeured as well. Haha. They're too high up in the senior management to be allowed to drive on the dangerous roads here.
It was a good day. I wasn't gloomy, and I wasn't all that excitedly happy. I carried no expectations to service. I just knew I'm gonna sing my heart and absorb the sermon. Little did I know what God had in store for me :)
Once again, Thanksgiving English Fellowship (TEF) service isn't like Heart of God church. TEF is a more reserved, contemporary, working-adult church.
Most of them are in service to receive, to try to get something. Worship sessions are not phenomenal. You can hardly hear the congregation...The worship leader's voice will be found reverberating across the room more than the passionate sound of worship from the floor.
It's like any ordinary adult church service in Singapore (at least for most that I've been to). Bogged down by work and worries in life. There's no longer the fire, passion and excitement in walking into God's presence, at least for most of them.
Of course there are those bubbly, inspirational and voluntary ones like those in my cell group. But they make up the minority.
Yup, we began singing worship songs. The songs sang are not all hymns but contemporary Hillsong and Jesus Culture songs as well.
This particular song really stirred my heart. I've heard it before and somehow, I know how to sing it. Haha! This awesome song's called "One Thing Remains" by Jesus Culture. Below's the YouTube lyric video of the song :)
Worship session ended and this Korean-American pastor, Pastor Jason Kim, whom I later found out is the senior pastor, went up to preach.
He's good, he's clear, direct and rather engaging...and I love his American accent. Haha! He preached on the prodigal son from Luke 15:11-32.
Yes I've heard this story a gazillion times...BUT, he pointed out MANY pointers which I never ever realized about this story.
As he dissected and expounded on each verse, gave the context, background and history of each line, the story became more and more real to me. Here's the few things he pointed out:
1) In middle eastern culture, for a son to ask for his father's inheritance is as good as asking his father to die. Because only upon his death, then can the inheritance be passed on.
So, for the prodigal son to make this request is an act of utter shameful dishonour and he could face the CAPITAL PUNISHMENT of execution in that day's culture!
So the dad actually spared his son the first time for asking him such a heinous request!
As the Pharisees were listening to Jesus' story, they must be rolling their eyes back and probably enraged at the father's reaction!
2) The father ran to the son! Once again, in the middle eastern culture, noblemen like him would be wearing a HUGE ROBE.
And nobleman in those days, NEVER RUN! They sort of "float" around in their massive robes with an air of pride and status!
So for the prodigal son's father to run to his son would mean...He'd have to TUCK HIS ROBE IN and run! THAT WOULD COMPLETELY HUMILIATE HIMSELF AS A NOBLEMAN!
That was how much a sacrifice he'd have made as he ran down the main street of the town to meet and hug his son! :')
Once again, to the Pharisees, they'd be totally angry because to them, the father would be playing the soft part of the fool!
To the Pharisees, there's no such thing as "grace". In their legalistic doctrine, all they had was rules, regulations and punishment!
3) How the story ended. The preacher then asked all of us "Did you know how this parable actually ended?"
He went on to tell us the true ending of the story "The older son and the fellow villagers were so outraged with the dad for continuously and relentlessly loving his son that they beat up the nobleman, the loving father TO DEATH"
My first reaction to that was "HUH?! Since when did the parable say that the villagers and his older son beat him to death? HERESY!" LOL!
But he expounded "That is the story of Jesus Christ. He came down to show relentless love and grace instead of exercising legalism. The Pharisees and leaders of that day couldn't stand Jesus' display of grace and love and they gave Him the capital punishment - Crucifixion"
At that moment, the weight of that truth dawned on me...My heart broke and tears began to flow down my un-moisturized face.
I got a vision of a Father who lovingly hugged his rebellious son as his neighbours hit him to death. WHY DID THEY KILL HIM?
Because He chose to love! He was killed for SIMPLY TRYING TO LOVE HIS SON!! To society, the son deserves death. But the dad didn't mete out that measure of punishment! For that, society got so fed up that they killed the dad!
WHAT INJUSTICE! WHAT AN OUTLANDISH NOTION OF "JUSTICE"!!!
I then realized, the grave injustice Jesus went through simply to love us! :') My heart was totally broken and the tears simply kept flowing.
The Spirit of God simply rested on me and reassured and reminded me that, that is how great His love is! His love is willing to go through such grave injustice to love a rebellious child like you and me!
That revelation totally shattered this strong heart of mine :') This is one of the chief reasons why I chose Christianity and not any other philosophy or religion.
NO OTHER RELIGION tells such a deep story of love! All other religions are like the Pharisees! They are teaching you how to live, they impose all their rules and regulations and punishments on you just like how the Pharisees did!
But Jesus came to show us the way to live - BY LOVE :') I don't know about you, but my heart is still really moved while typing this post :')
The service ended with the song "One thing remains" (the YouTube link is on top) and the lyrics of the song simply reinforced my fragile heart with walls of strength that no man can ever break...for I know I am loved by a King, by a God that is TOTALLY INTERESTED in me :)
Your love never fails
It never gives up
It never runs out on me...
I love you Jesus, with all my heart :) For you have wholly stolen this heart of mine :')
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