BY PR DR JEREMY CHEW

When I was growing up, it was common to hear people greet one another by asking “Jiak Ba Buay?”  (Have you eaten?)  Back then times were tough, I was told, and that’s why people asked whether you had eaten even though you obviously still had the Char Kuay Tiao that you ta pao from the hawker centre in your hand.  While the obsession with food has not declined over time, the use of the phrase “Jiak Ba Buay?” is slowly disappearing from the scene.

BY PR DR JEREMY CHEW

It was the day after Sabbath, John’s Gospel tells us. It was still dark when Mary Magdalene came to the tomb with spices to anoint Jesus. We were not told if her devotion to Jesus had kept her awake the whole night. But we were told of her grief when she could not find Jesus. Mary wept. Deeply grieved at heart, she did not know what to do except to stand outside the empty tomb crying.

By Nancy Lim

As we enter into the Holy Week, it is a timely to remember Jesus’s suffering and the sacrifice which He made in order that those who believe in Him, may receive salvation from His finished work on the cross. 

Jesus is the Son of God. Yet Hebrews 5:8-9 (NIV) tells us “Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.” 

REV DR FOREST KOH

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,    which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. – EPHESIANS 2:10

Every Sunday, when the onsite service comes to an end, the worship leader would gently announce: “We seek your cooperation to leave the church premises immediately.”

We have no time to say hello to each other, to exchange peace, or to share our lives. We can only smile and wave with our masked faces from a distance. We have encouraged brothers and sisters to meet at the hawker centre to catch up physically, but we know that not many responded – partly because the hawker centre is so crowded on Sundays. We are so near yet so far. I don’t think this is the outcome God would have desired for us in this pandemic.

REV DR FOREST KOH

And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers... . And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes,

they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 

praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

ACTS 2:42-47

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit during Pentecost in Acts 2 transformed the Jews in Jerusalem, as well as the devout men from every nation. This transformation is evident in how the believers worship God and fellowship with one another. (Acts2:5, 42, 46) The traditional venue of worship in the temple and the synagogues is now extended to the homes of believers. When the early church faced persecution from the Roman authorities, they mostly gathered and worshipped in homes.  

BY REV DR FOREST KOH

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God,

what is good and acceptable and perfect. - ROMANS 12:2

“Don’t fall into the trap, don’t fall into the trap, don’t fall into the trap!”

When someone says this,  nothing will change, it has been like that all the while, don’t believe what they said because they are trapped!

I heard of an interesting story...