READ | SERMON NOTES
Summary l Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world (James 1:27).
God’s heart and plan for redeeming the world includes the least, the last and the lost. The Church is God’s instrument of grace to bring this to those who have yet to know Him. Through the approach of blessing, belonging and believing, the COSC (Christian Outreach and Social Concerns) ministry aims to build authentic relationships of trust and care, affirm dignity and worth of each person and ultimately share Jesus. Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). As his disciples we continue his work for God’s glory and live out his teachings in the power of the Holy Spirit. There is joy in heaven when new believers are brought in and followers obey.
An encouraging testimony:
- A lady was asked by a neighbour to sign up for the church food delivery programme with assurance that there was no need for her to be a Christian to sign up. Two months into the programme, the lady was very troubled by noise coming from another neighbour. She confided to the volunteers who came to care for her and her husband. They invited her to attend the mandarin service in church. Eventually she agreed to prayer, received Christ and found peace. The couple attended the Alpha course. Though the husband has only primary school education, he now reads the Bible twice a day and attends the traditional service in church.
- Befrienders took the step of faith to share God’s message in Mandarin even though they rated their Mandarin as not up to mark.
- The volunteers who reached out to people in Jalan Berseh in the past 20 years received invitations from community agencies from other areas to partner with them in the much larger Jalan Besar area. COSC will also expand their Youth Centre and Active Aging Centre to respond to the growing needs of the people.
The church may not be what it is today if missionaries had not come. They could have dismissed Singapore for many reasons- too small, too far, too insignificant, language too difficult, culture too diverse take too many years to bear fruit. What if we think on similar lines? Would we have missed out on God’s plans and blessings?
May we be instruments of God’s grace to be informed and involved. Service to the poor is not an option or obligation but a step of faith in obedience to Jesus.
Building relationships is key to sharing Jesus, especially with the poor and marginalised e.g., the elderly who are isolated, ex-offenders who are rejected and avoided by society. In the process, the volunteers bring Jesus’ love to them and there are opportunities to learn more about their families and needs, bringing opportunities for divine conversation and prayer. The church provides holistic care to meet their physical, emotional and spiritual needs. There may be ups and downs in the journey but God becomes real to them and they open to prayer.
What kept the volunteers going?
1) They see God’s hand growing the ministry and pushing them forward. Serving is putting Scriptures to practice. It helps them to know God at a deeper level, understand their calling and grow in their relationship with God as they learn to trust God and surrender to Him.
2) Joy of seeing God in action
They marvel at the things God brings to His service.
It is challenging when after journeying with ex-offenders for some time they go back to their old habits. God is faithful to give volunteers opportunities to reach out to the same people. We remember that we too sin and go back to God. We receive them because of the love of God.
3) Seeing lives changed and volunteers grow in the Lord.
There are numerous opportunities to serve but they do not exist forever. We are in different seasons of life. Not all can go but we can still pray for the ministry and support the ministry in other ways.
The sharing today is not a recruitment exercise but a call for discipleship. The heart of COSC is discipleship. How do we as a church or individual go forth to be a blessing? May we look beyond our own lives to see the desperate need for help and take a step of faith, relying on the Holy Spirit to be God’s hands and feet to reach out to them.
(Sermon notes by Woo Choi Yin)
PONDER | REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- What random act of kindness can you do this week for a friend, colleague or stranger?
- If authentic discipleship and holiness before God includes looking out for the marginalised and the vulnerable in society, how does this transform your worship? (James 1:26-27)
- Please take a minute to pray for the vulnerable, marginalised, those who do not know Christ. Pray for open doors, open hearts and the Holy Spirit to open eyes and remove the veil that is blinding many from Christ.
