Hello!
Our Youth Ministry is being led by:
Youth Worker: Ps. Fui
President: Kendra Ang,
Vice-President: Jolene Tan,
with a group of Senior Leaders: Clement Eng, Doreen Soon, Chia Xin Pei, Suzanne Tan, David Soon, Teoh Ling Hui and Ding Ming Hui
led by Gabrielle See (Secretary) & Wong Xin Hui (Treasurer)
Led by Woo Hui Qi
Led by Doretta Soon
Led by Jessie Ma and Jonathan Lim
Led by Shannon Low
Led by Rachel Ma
Led by Chia Xin Hui and Kendrick Teo
Updates!
A New Temple
John 2:13 - 22
13When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16To those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!"
17His disciples remembered that it is written: "Zeal for your house will consume me."
18Then the Jews demanded of him, "What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?"
19Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days."
20The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?" 21But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.
If we are not careful, the things of the world tend to find their way into our holiest moments and places. Even temples can become cluttered and corrupted.
The anger of Jesus in ridding the temple of all those who were turning it into one large shopping mall can be understood in what He said: “(Do) not make my Father’s house a house of trade” (v16). Else where He admonished that they had turned God’s House of Prayer into a den of thieves (Mt 21:13). The temple authorities had allowed the Court of the Gentiles in the temple to become an “obstacle course” crowded with money-making ventures. They made lucrative profits from “religious business”, turning the worship of God into a highly profitable enterprise. Not only were they corrupting the temple with their greed and shady business practices, but they were also making it difficult for God-fearing Gentiles to visit the temple.
In so doing, the mafia that was running this business in the temple had totally distorted the sacred theological truths about worship and mission represented by God’s Temple. Hence, the anger of our Lord.
The corrupting influence of the world and the quest for wealth and power that is deeply embedded in the human heart the Lord were to visit our churches, what or who would He throw out? The more we institutionalize our churches, the more we have to be careful that we don’t turn them into obstacles to or substitutes for true worship and mission.
Jesus introduces us to a new Temple – He Himself (v21). We can enter Him without being deceived or distracted for He is the heavenly Temple – fully God and without corruption. Here we find true encouragement and hope.
Bishop, The Methodist Church in Singapore
Lord, I surrender the things of the world that I have been bringing into your holy Church. Lord, I surrender all the corrupt and sinful things in the sanctuary of my heart that bring grief to your holy heart.
Prayer:
Lord of the Temple, cleanse, with your precious blood, our churches and our hearts of all that is deceived and deceiving, and make us holy sanctuaries, fit for your eternal purposes. Amen.
All Lent Devotion materials are taken from 'Take Up Your Cross' - Daily Devotion for Lent 2009 by Bible Society of Singapore.
Labels: Lent
Shout It Out!
Links and Archives
Upper Room
Our Daily Bread
Our Daily Journey
Love Singapore
TPYM Facebook Group Page
TPCMC Facebook Page