Costly praise

Costly praise

by General John Larsson (Retired)

STUDY PASSAGE: MATTHEW 21:6–11

SOMETIMES when we look at a Bible narrative it is a small detail that can catch the eye. In the story of the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday there is a notable example of this.

We know the scene. When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey he was met by a large crowd that praised God, shouting: ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!’ (v9 all quotations from New International Version).

Here is the small detail. We read that some in the crowd ‘spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road’ (v8). We are so familiar with the story that it is easy to miss the small detail that praise was offered in two different ways.

Those who cut branches from the palm trees and spread them on the road did their praising on the cheap. The trees were not theirs, and cutting off a few branches was no problem to them. Praising the Lord cost them nothing.

But for those who spread their own cloaks on the road it was a different story. Their robes would be trodden on not only by the donkey and the colt, but also would be trampled on by the crowd that followed. At the very least the cloaks would be dirtied and might even be torn. This was praise at a price – it was costly praise.

I think that Jesus would have noticed the difference. He had an eye for costly praise, for costly devotion.

Just the previous evening, when he was dining in Bethany, a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town brought an alabaster jar of perfume and poured the perfume over him. ‘Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly. “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me… Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her” (Mark 14:4–9).

Jesus honoured her costly devotion. The critics thought it a waste of money. But not Jesus. He knew the power of deep devotion, and called what she had done a beautiful thing. He honoured her costly thanksgiving and praise. And the next day, as he entered into Jerusalem, he would have known the difference between those who cut off palm branches from the trees and those who were prepared to lay their robes on the road.

It has always been so. Jesus honours devotion and praise that are costly. The world may say, ‘Why this waste?’ – as they did to the early Christian martyrs when they prepared to die rather than give up their faith.

The critics may say, ‘Why this waste?’ – as they did to Father Damien, when that brilliant young Belgian priest announced that he would be devoting his life to serving the needs of people with leprosy on a remote Pacific island.

And some may ask, ‘Why this waste?’ – as they asked young Samuel Brengle, when he abandoned the prospect of a glittering ecclesiastical career to join with the early-day Salvation Army. But not Jesus. He understood the meaning of costly devotion and knew that what each was doing was a beautiful thing.

It is still so today. I once preached about costly praise on a Palm Sunday, using as my text this difference between praising the Lord with a branch or a robe. Many years later a woman Salvationist said to me: ‘I was a visitor in your meeting that Sunday. My own corps officer had just asked me to take over the youth group. I didn’t want to do it. I enjoyed simply coming to the meetings on Sunday and worshiping and praising the Lord. But when I heard that message I knew that my praise was costing me nothing, and that the Lord wanted more from me. So I said yes to the request – I placed my cloak in the road, and took over the running of the youth group.’

I have no doubt that, as her praise became costly, it became a beautiful thing in the eyes of the Lord.

What kind of praise will we be offering to the Lord this Palm Sunday?

Good Friday Service 22 Apr 2011 - Photos

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Youth Fellowship - 24 Apr 2011

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Easter Sunday 24 April 2011

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Announcements

1. Helping Hand Project
Latest update, RM 1,935 was raised for PNG, thanks to all.

2. Adult Cell Group
Date: 6th May 2011 (Friday) Time: 8:15pm Venue: Bro Tan home.
All are welcome.

3. SAFE Committee Meeting
Date: 1st May 2011 (Sunday) Time: 12:30pm Venue: Corps

4. Mother's Day Celebration
Date: 7th May 2011 (Saturday) Time: 7:00pm Venue: Corps
Lots of food, fellowship, games, prize and fun awaits you.
Men are welcome to cook for competition, please give your name to Capt Tan and Lieut Fiona

5. Youth & Women's Camp
Date: 1-4 June 2011 Venue: Eagle Ranch, Port Dickson
Registration date has closed.

6. Children Holiday Day Camp
Date: 6-10 June 2011 Time: 8:00am - 5:00pm Venue: Penang Corps Fees: RM60.00
Open for register now. Please contact Capt Brenda for more details.

7. Senior Citizen's Fellowship
Date: 14 May 2011 (Saturday) Time: 8:00am Venue: To be inform
All senior are welcome to join us in this fellowship.

8. Corps Sport and Outing
Date: 17 May 2011 (Tuesday - Vesak Day) Time: 7:30am Venue: Sungai Sedim, Kulim
Please let Jacinta know your attendance. Ladies please help with food and drinks. Thank you.

9. Penang Open Day Committee Meeting
Date: 22 May 2011 (Sunday) Time: 12:30pm Venue: Corps
Committee members please be reminded.

Prayer Request

1. Pray for Captain Harry, Brother Chew Pong Hoe (Ah Boy) and Sis Rachel for speedy recovery.

2. Please pray for officers who has their additional appointment or appointment changed.

3. Pray for Corps Children's Day Camp, Territorial Youth & Women Camp.

4. Penang Open Day to be held on 3rd September 2011

5. Youth Hostel, to be run by Penang Corps.

Youth Fellowship 17 Apr 2011

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Palm Sunday 17 April 2011

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Open Day Meeting 17 April 2011

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Announcements

1. Prayer Ministry
Date: 22 April 2011 Time: 8pm Venue: Corps Worship Hall
Combine with Good Friday Service.

2. Helping Hand
Thanks to those who participated in this walkathon fund raising to help settlement villages in Papa New Guinea with Clean Water, Food and Education. RM1,800 was raised

3. Youth & Women's Camp Date: 1 ~ 4 June 2011 Venue: Eagle Ranch, Port Dickson
Youth please contact Capt. Tan and ladies please contact Capt Brenda for more information. Please take note of the closing date as limited seats are available.

4. Good Friday Service Date: 22 April 2011 Time: 8:00pm Venue: Corps Worship Hall
Jesus said: "Do this in remembrance of me!"

5. Sunrise Service Date: 24 April 2011 Time: 7:00am Venue: YMCA, Penang
All are welcomed. Normal Sunday service will be as usual at 10:30am at Corps Worship Hall. Easter lunch will be serve at RM6.00 for adult and RM3.00 for student, children below 12 is free.

6. Children Holiday Day Camp Date: 6~11 June 2011 Time: 8:00am~5:00pm Fees: RM60.00
Open for register now! Please see Captain Brenda for more details.

Prayer Request

1. Pray for Captain Harry and Brother Chew Pong Hoe (Ah Boy) for speedy recovery.

2. Pray for Rachel who admitted to hospital and now at home recovery from fall injuries.

3. Good Friday Service on 22 April 2011, 8pm

4. Pray for Corps Children's Day Camp, Territorial Youth & Women Camp.

5. Penang Open Day to be held on 3rd September 2011 (change from August 2011)

6. Youth Hostel, to be run by Penang Corps.

Helping Hand Project 16 April 2011

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A story

The Bishop of Chelmsford, the Right Rev Stephen Cottrell, continues his York Course series for Lent entitled Rich Inheritance… Jesus’ Legacy Of Love

I FIRST encountered the real impact of the Christian story when I saw the television film Jesus Of Nazareth as a teenager. I can still remember the power of the story – especially the Crucifixion. For the first time its meaning and relevance burnt its way into my heart and I found myself weeping uncontrollably. Embarrassed by this show of emotion, I ran from the room and threw myself onto my bed. After a while my mother came to see what the matter was. She comforted me, but told me – nicely – to pull myself together. But I couldn’t. Not then, or now.

The power of this story changes lives. The Christian faith is first and foremost the Christian story.

When Jesus sent out the first Christians to conquer the world with his message of love, they did marvellous things in the power of God’s Spirit – but most of all, they told a story. They told people what God had done in Jesus, and explained the difference this had made in their own lives. They declared that it could make a difference for the whole world.

On the Day of Pentecost Peter preaches his very first sermon. He simply tells the crowds about the things he has seen and experienced. He tells them that they have crucified the One sent by God, but who God has vindicated by raising him to new life. He tells them of the impact of Jesus on his own life. Later, when expressly forbidden from teaching in the name of Jesus, Peter responds: ‘We cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard’ (Acts 4:20 New Revised Standard Version).

A CITY OF TWO TALES
Peter is telling two stories – about Jesus and about his own personal experience. Essentially, we are called to do the same thing.

People need to know about Jesus. It is a tragedy that many young people are growing up without knowing even the basic facts about his life and ministry.

Paradoxically, it is often the telling of our own story that is the best way into telling the story of Jesus. We live in challenging times. Many are cynical about anyone who offers optimism and hope. Many still cling to a so-called rational and scientific world view that they fancifully imagine has somehow ‘disproved God’. Consequently, the whimsical speculations of Dan Brown and intemperate put-downs of Richard Dawkins seem to get a better airing than the gospel of Jesus Christ.

What people will listen to is the testimony of others. This is something that cannot be gainsaid or disproved. You may think that science has disproved God, or that the New Testament is unreliable, but you cannot dismiss the heartfelt experience and living testimony of a friend who simply tells you what faith means for them. This is how the gospel spread in the first place – and we can read about it in that actually very reliable book called the Bible!

And this is how faith spreads today – once we begin to get the story out. First of all, our story of who God is for us, then the central story – that of Jesus himself.

A STORY, NOT A STATEMENT
The Christian faith was a set of stories before it was a set of statements. What God offers and desires is relationship. That is why in Jesus he sends us a man, not a manifesto.

A BEAUTIFUL TRUTH
The truth about God is multifaceted, like a beautiful jewel. Most of us will only ever see or appreciate a small part of it. Like every relationship, there will always be more to learn. But this also means that our story – our small glimpse of the multifaceted truth – is precious and important. We will see and experience something of the beauty and majesty of God that others are not seeing, and not experiencing. Therefore, it is all the more important that we learn how to share it.

JESUS THE STORYTELLER
Jesus often taught through a story. He knew this was the best way to communicate the sorts of truths you had to learn, inhabit and embody for yourself. The Bible is in actual fact a library – a collection of books, which are themselves collections of stories. Inspired by the Spirit of God, they don’t provide easy answers but are a gateway into our relationship with God.

Youth Fellowship - 3 April 2011

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Announcements

1. Prayer Ministry
Date: 8 April 2011 Time: 8:15pm Venue: Corps Worship Hall
Come and join us to intercede for others and one another.

2. Helping Hand
Date: 16 April 2011 Time: 8:00am Venue: Air Itam Dam.
Walkathon fund raising to help settlement villages in Papa New Guinea
with Clean Water, Food and Education.

3. Youth & Women's Camp
Date: 1 ~ 4 June 2011 Venue: Eagle Ranch, Port Dickson
Youth please contact Capt. Tan and ladies please contact Capt Brenda for more information. Please take note of the closing date as limited seats are available.

4. Good Friday Service
Date: 22 April 2011 Time: 8:00pm Venue: Corps Worship Hall
Jesus said: "Do this in remembrance of me!"

5. Sunrise Service
Date: 24 April 2011 Time: 7:00am Venue: YMCA, Penangl
All are welcomed.

6. Children Holiday Day Camp
Date: 6~11 June 2011 Time: 8:00am~5:00pm Fees: RM60.00
Open for register now! Please see Captain Brenda for more details.

Prayer Request

1. Please intercede for new world leader, General Linda Bond

2. Pray Sunny's family that will be traveling to India.

3. Remember the disaster victims in Myanmar, Japan and Christ Church.

4. Pray for Corps Children's Day Camp, Territorial Youth & Women Camp.

Glowing in Discipleship - Evangelize or Fossilize!

by Commissioner Lim Ah Ang

William Booth the Founder of The Salvation Army was asked to send a message to his officers around the world. Someone had offered to pay for the cost of sending this telegram. At that time, radio telegraph was this in its infancy and the charges were relatively expensive. William Booth, wanting to save costs, condensed his whole message into one word - 'OTHERS'. And that is still our mission today. The Salvation Army translated the mission of The Salvation Army into Chinese reads literally 'Save World Army'.

General John Gowans summaries the mission of The Salvation Army with a very succinct statement. We are "to save souls, grow saints and care for suffering humanity."

Jesus came into the world with a great and unique mission. The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. He Himself claimed. He came to seek and to save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10) No one else could accomplish this mission and cannot in any way compare our mission to His.

Christ Jesus,, Who being in very nature of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross! Phillippians 2: 5-8.

We who claim to be His followers are entrusted with The Great Commission. Go and make disciples of all nations., baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matt 28: 19-20. Mark has it: Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. (Mark 16:15).

Just prior to His ascension to Heaven, Jesus said to His disciples: You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you: and you will be my witness in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8.

John's gospel clearly states His mission. In His high priestly prayer to the Father Jesus sais As You sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. John 17:16. He made His mission the model for ours when in His prayer statement in the form of commission He declared, Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you. The authority and mandates comes from our Lord Jesus Christ.

Look at the life of Jesus. He not only preached and taught the values of the Kingdom, He also served suffering humanity. He fed the hungry, healed the sick, comforted the sorrowing and even restored the dead to life again.

Evangelism must partner our social and healing ministry. Bishop John V Taylor calls it, the "three stranded presentation of the Gospel". We, His followers are to be engaged in the threefold ministry as enunciated by General John Gowans mentioned earlier in this article. We cannot disconnect evangelism and social action in our ministry.

The apostle John writing to the church had this to say, If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but he has no pity him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts and rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 1 John 3: 17-20.

We have been emphasizing the Great Commission. This has been the theme of our territory for a while. "Go make disciples NOW". May we be intentional in our mission for Him to "save souls, grow saints and care for suffering humanity".