Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church
500 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore 678106
2 Kings 5:20-27 (KJV)
20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.
Let the gospel be preached to all men with no distinction of race. And all who will hearken to the gospel’s call shall be saved. Christianity is man’s only hope. As the late Dr. Martyn Lloyd observed well, “I say that because this gospel is the only hope in the world today. Everything else has been tried and found wanting. Everything else has failed. You will not find hope with the philosophers or with the statesmen, and you will not find it in the so-called religion of the world. Here is hope, and here alone.”
There were no modern transport or communication system during Paul’s days like the ease of transportation and communication we have today. He went mostly on foot to preach the gospel, having to cover large distances amidst physical toil and weariness to preach the gospel to the Gentile world.
The Apostle Paul was moved by the Spirit of God to carry the gospel to the Gentile world. He was empowered by the Holy Spirit to bring the message of the gospel from Israel to Asia Minor and to Europe.
Acts 9:15-16 (KJV) 15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.
Matthew 28:1-15 (KJV)
1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
This is a blessed day for the people of God as they remember Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday. Death is conquered. Hell vanquished. Sin is a defeated foe. Salvation grace came upon all who are willing to call upon the name of Jesus. In the evening, I receive the confirmation of God’s grace in the heart of an elderly gentleman above the age of 90. His family members including spouse and children have accepted that the father is now a Christian. They were willing to honour his choice to be a Christian and baptism has been requested for their father. What rejoicing!
The most significant day in human history is the day when Jesus Christ, the Son of God, rose from the dead. Harold W. Hoehner in his book “Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ”, gave the date to be 5 April A.D. 33. On that glorious morning, death is conquered, hell is vanquished, and heaven won!
One of the two criminals that hung on the cross with Jesus Christ at the execution ground of the Jews outside Jerusalem called Calvary, confessed with his mouth and believed with his heart that Jesus is the Christ, the Saviour of the world. He was gloriously saved in the last moments of his physical life.
Luke 23:32-33, 39-46 (KJV)
32 And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.
33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.
Jesus Christ is Lord to all mankind. There is no distinction between the Jew and the Gentile. God’s plan was to bringing the riches of His blessing to all mankind through the nation of Israel. More specifically, through Jesus Christ, Israel’s Messiah. The blessing of God’s salvation will go forth from the Jews to all the nations of the world.