Pentecost Today?

Ini khotbah yang saya sampaikan tahun lalu di hari Pentakosta. Mudah-mudahan berguna.

Refreshing Dew

I am in the season of dry; Winter season of my soul. I guess I am frustrated, discouraged, and disappointed. So from today onwards till any season that may come I am going to record, Lord willing, anything that God is doing to my soul in order to restore it.

This evening I came across this beautiful song by Wendell Kimbrough through Advent meditation. Not my typical song, but it happened to speak to me personally. Just like that. It made me cry. It reminded me of God's strong promises.

Take a look at the lyrics, my friends. And here's how it sounds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPj3Kf7Dorw

Your labor is not in vain,

though the ground underneath you is cursed and stained.

Your planting and reaping are never the same,

But your labor is not in vain.

For I am with you, I am with you.

I am with you, I am with you.

For I have called you,

called you by name.

Your labor is not in vain.

Your labor is not unknown,

though the rocks they cry out and the sea it may groan.

The place of your toil may not seem like a home,

but your labor is not unknown.

The vineyards you plant will bear fruit,

the fields will sing out and rejoice with the truth,

for all that is old will at last be made new:

the vineyards you plant will bear fruit.

The houses you labored to build,

will finally with laughter and joy be filled.

The serpent that hurts and destroys shall be killed,
and all that is broken be healed.

Tanpa Pamrih

Hari ini saya hanya ingin menulis singkat. Biasanya saya malah nggak pernah menulis apa-apa, haha. Ok, ok. Saya merasa perlu menuliskannya hanya supaya saya tidak lupa.

Begini lho kawan-kawan. Saya belajar dari pengalaman kalau kita mau berbuat baik sama seseorang, jangan kita mengharapkan balasan apa-apa darinya. Jangan deh. Karena nanti kita kecewa, atau “kuciwa” (Japanese). Kita bisa kecewa karena orang itu gampang lupa sama kebaikan yang pernah dia terima. Kalau kerugian, bakal dia ingat seumur hidup bahkan sampai masuk ke liang kubur. Kalau kebaikan, besok juga lupa. Nggak usah besok, sejam lagi juga lupa. Yang diingat hanya enaknya, bukan yang memberi enak.

Tunggu dulu, saya tidak berbicara soal kapasitas memori. Tapi sikap hati. Orang itu suka merasa… Apa ya? Entitled. Merasa memang sudah sepatutnya dia mendapatkan perlakuan spesial.

Jadi, misalnya, kamu berbuat baik sama seseorang secara konsisten selama bertahun-tahun. Dia butuh apapun kamu sediakan. Nanti di akhir tahun ada orang lain berbuat baik sama dia, maka kamu akan dilupakan, kamu akan ditinggalkan. Pernah kan diperlakukan seperti itu? Percaya deh, kamu juga begitu sama orang lain. At least, pernah. Pada dasarnya, kita semua begitu.

Ini namanya “habis manis sepah dibuang.”

Karena itu, saya sempat berpikir begini, supaya kebaikan saya selalu diingat sama orang yang saya layani, tunggu saja sampai urutan terakhir. Kapan tuh? Tunggu sampai orang itu hampir mati. Waktu itu kebaikan saya pastilah akan diingat dia sampai mati. Benar nggak? Tapi ya tidak bisa lama-lama. Soalnya kan dia sudah mau pamit, alias meninggal dunia. Hehe.

Setiap kali saya ingat pelajaran hidup ini, saya lantas bersyukur sedalam-dalamnya sama Tuhan. Karena Dia sabar banget, setia banget. KasihNya tanpa syarat. Padahal sama Tuhan, seringkali saya juga cuma ingat yang terakhir. Tapi Tuhan tak pernah berhenti berbuat baik sama saya. Setiap hari, pagi-siang-malam-24/7, Dia berbuat baik sama saya. KasihNya tiada berkesudahan.

Makanya, kalau kita mau berbuat baik sama seseorang, berbuat baiklah dengan hati gembira, temukanlah kesenangan dalam memberi. Ingat terus Tuhan dan kasihNya sama kita. Jika kita terus-menerus ingat Tuhan dan kasihNya, kita bisa kasih terus tak berhenti.

Benarlah kata Abang Paulus, “Apapun juge nyang ente perbuat ame orang lain, perbuatlah dengan bulet ati kayak buat Tuhan dan bukan buat manusie” (Kolose 3:23).

How Do You Define Sacrifice?

Hello prens,
Hari ini saya mau diskas sedikit soal sacrifice. Saya mulai dengan pertanyaan. Ketika kita berbicara mengenai sacrifice, apa yang ada dalam benak kita? Apa yang kita sacrifice bagi orang lain, bagi Tuhan?

X bilang, saya sacrifice waktu hiburan saya buat anak saya.
Y bilang, saya sacrifice bonus saya buat relative saya yang sedang butuh uang di Indonesia.
Z bilang, saya sacrifice makan di restoran minggu ini buat persembahan khusus di gereja.

Saya kok jadi wonder, sadarkah kita kalau sacrifice yang kita bicarakan ini bukan sacrifice yang dibicarakan dalam Alkitab? Karena yang kita maksud dengan sacrifice tidak lain adalah letting go (melepas-merelakan) kelebihan kita, yang boleh ada, boleh tidak, yang kemungkinan kalau tidak ada malah lebih baik buat hidup kita.

Lalu, apa yang Alkitab katakan mengenai sacrifice? Baca Kejadian 22:9-10! That’s one example.

Sacrifice memang bisa berarti macam-macam bagi masing-masing kita. Tapi satu yang tidak mungkin tidak ada dalam sacrifice yang biblical: it hurts.

What do you think? How do you measure sacrifice?

Celestial tourism

Berikut ini diskusi dengan Pak Armin tentang Rev. Park Yong Gyu yang konon pernah diangkat ke surga dan neraka.

Armin:

Dear Pak Agus,

Ini linknya kesaksian Rev. Park Yong Gyu, semoga bermanfaat.

http://www.divinerevelations.info/documents/pastor_park/index.htm

Salam,

Armin

Saya:

Dear Pak Armin,

Will God forgive me if I don't forgive my offender?

Berikut ini diskusi saya dengan Pak Armin tentang pengampunan Tuhan dan pengampunan manusia.

Armin:

Dear Pak Agus,

Ngomong2 soal kita harus mengampuni orang karena kita sudah diampuni oleh Tuhan, saya setuju sekali dan sangat alkitabiah. Tapi seperti saya dua kali sebutkan waktu memimpin liturgi tentang kita harus mengampuni untuk bisa menerima pengampunan dari Tuhan itu sangat jelas di Alkitab dan diucapkan oleh Yesus sendiri:

Matius 6:12 dan ampunilah kami akan kesalahan kami, seperti kami juga mengampuni orang yang bersalah kepada kami; 6:13 dan janganlah membawa kami ke dalam pencobaan, tetapi lepaskanlah kami dari pada yang jahat. (Karena Engkaulah yang empunya Kerajaan dan kuasa dan kemuliaan sampai selama-lamanya. Amin.) 6:14 Karena jikalau kamu mengampuni kesalahan orang, Bapamu yang di sorga akan mengampuni kamu juga. 6:15 Tetapi jikalau kamu tidak mengampuni orang, Bapamu juga tidak akan mengampuni kesalahanmu.

Salam, 

Armin

Saya menjawab:

Dear Pak Armin,

ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED

Percakapan dengan Bp. Armin di bawah ini terjadi setelah saya mengirim link ke artikel Matt Slick: http://carm.org/scriptural-proof-christians-cannot-lose-salvation

Email dari Bp. Armin:

Dear Pak Agus,

Yang kita bahas ini memang hal sangat ruwet dengan pemikiran kompleks. Matt Slick mengatakan kalau tidak semua kehendak Bapa terjadi. Tetapi kehendak Bapa di dalam Yesus itu pasti akan terjadi. Dia berpikir tentang kepatuhan Yesus saja dan tidak melihat keterlibatan manusia sama sekali.

Saya berpikir ketika Yesus menjalankan kehendak Bapa itu, Dia mengemban kehendak Bapa sebagaimana Dia sedang menjalankan kehendakNya sendiri karena Yesus dan Bapa adalah satu. Jadi apakah semua kehendak Yesus terjadi di bumi yang melibatkan manusia? Kalau kehendak Bapa saja tidak semua terjadi?

Pak, mengenai doa Bapa kami tentang pengampunan dosa yang kelihatannya jauh lebih sederhana dibandingkan masalah keselamatan bisa hilang atau tidak, kita masih berbeda pendapat, kok kelihatannya sangat sulit ya untuk belajar Alkitab.

Salam,

Armin

Saya menjawab:

Dear Pak Armin,

Berdoa bagi orang yang kita kasihi

hari pertama // kepuasan dalam Allah yang menetap

Engkau memberitahukan kepadaku jalan kehidupan;
Di hadapan-mu ada sukacita berlimpah-limpah,
Di tangan kanan-Mu ada nikmat senantiasa. (Mazmur 16:11)

Hal terutama yang dapat kita doakan bagi orang yang kita kasihi adalah agar mereka dapat dipuaskan dalam Allah selama-lamanya. Di tangan kanan-Nya ada nikmat senantiasa, dan di hadirat-Nya semata ada kepenuhan sukacita. Minum dari mata air lain hanya akan melipatgandakan kesedihan (Mazmur 16:4). Karena itu, kita harus berdoa agar orang yang kita kasihi memperoleh kepuasan yang terdalam hanya di dalam Allah.

Bapa, aku berdoa kiranya Engkau menolong (suami/isteri/anak/orangtua)-ku untuk memperoleh kepuasan yang terdalam hanya di dalam diri-Mu. Selamatkan ia dari mencari kepuasan dan kenikmatan dalam hal-hal lain, tolong aku membimbing ia dalam kesukaanku akan Dikau. Di tangan kanan-Mu ada sukacita berkelimpahan. Tolonglah aku untuk sungguh percaya ini dan hidup seturut dengannya. Dalam nama Yesus, Amin.

Voting on Election Day

Dear IRECTers,

Pada June 12 nanti - btw, hari ini due date for registration - beberapa dari kita (Canadian citizens) akan melakukan vote dalam provincial election. Berikut ini beberapa hal yang saya pikir baik untuk kita pertimbangkan.

1. Keterlibatan Kristen dalam politik sangat penting. Kita dipanggil untuk menjadi warga negara yang baik. Oleh karena itu, marilah vote dengan serius, hati-hati dan bijak. Sebelum memilih, pelajari parties dan candidates yang akan kita vote. Perhatikan juga isu-isu yang terkait. Yang paling penting bukanlah pengalaman votenya. Yang paling penting adalah apa yang sesungguhnya vote kita usahakan.

2. Ketika memilih, penting untuk kita ingat bahwa kita tidak berjanji atau bahkan mengikat hati nurani kita pada siapapun atau partai apapun. Kita tidak sedang membuat deklarasi bahwa kita mencintai kandidat tertentu dan setuju dengannya luar dan dalam. Sebaliknya, kita memilih untuk KEBAIKAN UMUM (Common Good).

Sebagai pendatang dan perantau di dunia ini (istilah Petrus), kita mendekati setiap Election sebagai kesempatan untuk mengusahakan kesejahteraan kota di mana kita berada (Yeremia 29:7).

Jadi, ketika kita memilih kita mesti bertanya: “Bagaimana saya dapat, dengan vote saya, mengusahakan apa yang saya percaya merupakan peran dan tujuan pemerintahan terbaik sesuai dengan Firman Tuhan?” Vote yang saya lakukan hanyalah salah satu cara untuk membuat pandangan saya akan pemerintahan dan hidup yang baik (the good life) dapat diusahakan dan direalisasikan.

3. Ketika kita melakukan vote kita memilih kandidat yang tidak ideal. Selama Yesus Kristus bukan kandidatnya, setiap Kristen pasti memilih orang yang tidak sempurna. Saya tidak mengatakan kita harus vote Jesus for MPP or even premiere.

Yang saya hendak katakan adalah kita tidak boleh ignore soal karakter dan moralitas kandidat kita. Jika ia korup atau tdk tepercaya, jika kompas moralnya selalu kacau dan pengertiannya mengenai benar-salah sering keliru, kita tidak seharusnya menaruh percaya pada kemampuannya memerintah dengan bijak dan adil.

4. Kita tidak harus selalu memilih partai yang sama. Mungkin ada occasions di mana kita dapat menyimpulkan bahwa partai tententu lebih sesuai dengan visi kristiani kita in the long run.

5. Sebagai warga negara Canada “temporer” kita menanti Sang Raja yang sudah bangkit dari kematian datang untuk membarui langit dan bumi di mana kasih, kebenaran dan keadilan berkibar-kibar(2 Petrus 3:13). Apapun hasil election nanti, kita dapat tetap tenang dan percaya penuh pada kebaikan Sang Bapa yang berdaulat, yang duduk bertahta di surga dan yang dengan mulia dan misteri melakukan apa yang Ia pandang baik.

Sekian dulu dari saya. Selamat memilih!

In Christ,
Pastor Agus

Justification of War

Christians throughout the centuries have formulated specific criteria for the justification of war. The list of these criteria may vary, but in its most essential form, the classical just-war doctrine consists of seven points which can be classified into two categories: (1) The choice to go to war, (2) the proper actions during war.

(1) The choice to go to war

Just cause. The right to self-defense against an aggressor has consistently been regarded as fundamental. Only defensive war is legitimate.

Last resort. War may be waged only when all negotiations and compromise have been attempted and have failed. In his “Commentary on the Sermon on the Mount,” Luther remarks that “anyone who claims to be a Christian and a child of God, not only does not start war or unrest; also he gives help and counsel on the side of peace wherever he can, even though there be a just and adequate cause for going to war.”

Formal declaration. Since the use of military force is the prerogative of government and not of private individuals, properly constituted procedure for declaring and waging war must be followed. As Thomas Aquinas commented, “it is not the business of a private individual to declare war ... as the care of the common weal is committed to those who are in authority.”

Just Intention. War must be carried out to secure a just peace, not for territorial conquest, economic gain, or ideological supremacy. The only legitimate intention of war is to secure peace.

(2) The proper actions during war

The principle of proportionality. The weaponry and force used should be limited to what is needed to secure a just peace and attain better conditions after the conflict than existed prior to it.

The principle of discrimination. Since war is an official act of government, noncombatants and civilians should be immune from attack.

The principle of limited objectives. Since the purpose of a just war must ultimately be peace, unconditional surrender or the complete removal of the social or political institutions of a nation is unwarranted.

Resource: John F. Johnson, "Can War Be Just?"

ONLY ONE LIFE, TWILL SOON BE PAST - A Poem by Charles Thomas Studd

Two little lines I heard one day,

Traveling along life’s busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart,
And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one,
Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet,
And stand before His Judgement seat;
Only one life,’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, the still small voice,
Gently pleads for a better choice
Bidding me selfish aims to leave,
And to God’s holy will to cleave;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, a few brief years,
Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;
Each with its clays I must fulfill,
living for self or in His will;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

When this bright world would tempt me sore,
When Satan would a victory score;
When self would seek to have its way,
Then help me Lord with joy to say;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Give me Father, a purpose deep,
In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;
Faithful and true what e’er the strife,
Pleasing Thee in my daily life;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Oh let my love with fervor burn,
And from the world now let me turn;
Living for Thee, and Thee alone,
Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;
Only one life, “twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one,
Now let me say,”Thy will be done”;
And when at last I’ll hear the call,
I know I’ll say “twas worth it all”;
Only one life,’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last. ”

— extra stanza —

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
And when I am dying, how happy I’ll be,
If the lamp of my life has been burned out for Thee.

Q: How do we know who to believe when there are so many interpretations of the Bible?

A: Unfortunately or fortunately, there is no infallible interpreter of the bible, nor is there infallible denomination or church. Therefore, no one is able and qualified to be the judge of biblical interpretations. Even after we are regenerated by the Holy Spirit, we are still tainted by sin, aren't we? We all make mistakes. But the key is that all the essentials of our faith are clear in the bible. We don’t need infallible interpreter to determine that God is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, that Jesus atoned for our sins and was risen from the dead, that Jesus is the one and only way to salvation, that salvation is received by grace thru faith, that there is heaven and hell.

What I mean is that the core/essential truth a person needs to know in order to be saved is clear in the bible – is summarized in the creeds (Apostles, Nicene, Athanasian). Even on the non-essentials, if the principles of sola scriptura were consistently applied, there would be unanimity. One of the principles, as the Westminster Confession states, is that in order to understand unclear passages of Scripture, one ought to examine clearer passages to understand the more ambiguous ones.

Ok, let me wrap this up with citing this adage, "In essentials, unity (we are united in the essential truth); in non-essentials, liberty (but we are all responsible to the LORD); in all things, charity (no hate or bitterness, but love)."

Q: Are we Christians because we were born into a Christian family?

A: Let me first ask you questions: How do you explain the conversion of Paul? He came from a very strong Judaistic family/culture/education, how did he become Christian? How do you explain the conversion of Muslims - who had been born and grew up in Iran - into Christianity? We Christians believe that we are saved by grace alone. And nothing is impossible for God.

But perhaps this question came from a relativist, or a pluralist. S/he believes that all truths are the product of social conditions, that we are conditioned by our upbringings, our families, our cultures, and so on. Ok. If that’s the case, I would remind him/her that that belief itself is socially and culturally conditioned. S/he won't even ask that question if s/he was born in China, say 60 years ago. I agree that social conditionedness of our lives is a fact, but it can’t be used to argue that all truth is totally (or absolutely) relative. Because that very argument refutes itself. As Peter Berger says, "Relativity relativizes itself."

I suggest you read: Tim Keller, The Reason for God.

If homosexuals are not supposed to practice homosexual tendencies, it is safe to assume that they are called by God to live single lives? So why does God call people to live single lives? Isn't everybody entitled to a spouse?

A: You have two questions here, and they are related to each other. First, are people with homosexual tendencies called to live single lives? People with homosexual desires are called to repent and live a holy life. According to the Bible, homosexual desires (tendencies) are sinful. People with that desires should struggle and fight against them. They can experience true change, healing and victory or live a single life.

Second, why does God call people to live a single life? Isn’t everybody entitled to a spouse? Singleness is a gift and call. Paul says, “I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another’ (1 Corinthians 7:7). In his writings, Paul always uses the word “gift” to mean an ability God gives to build others up. So being single is a gift and call. The call of being single is to bear fruit in life and ministry through the single state. When you have this gift, you might struggle with your singleness, but God will help you to grow spiritually and be fruitful in the lives of others.

The purpose of both singleness and marriage is to create communities (the church) which are a sign of the glory of the coming (and present) kingdom of God. To do that, every church needs a combination of both Christian married couples and Christian singles. Both couples and singles can minister to each other. Singles and marrieds both point to the hope of Christ in different ways. And the world needs to see both.

So isn't everybody entitled to a spouse? No. We should avoid idolizing marriage. Even the best marriage cannot by itself fill the void in our souls left by God. Without a deeply fulfilling love relationship with Christ now, and hope in a perfect love relationship with him in the future, married Christians will put too much pressure on their marriage to fulfill them, and that will always create pathology in their lives.

Christians are to choose between marriage and singleness not a) for the basic contemporary motive (idolatry) of personal fulfillment nor b) for the traditional motive (idolatry) that you aren’t ‘anybody’ unless you have a family and children. Rather, we marry (or not) on the basis of which state makes us best a sign of the kingdom of God.

Note: my response to the second part of the question is based on Tim Keller's article, "Gospel-Community: Singleness, Marriage, and Family".

Q: What happens to the people who die without being exposed to the word of God?

A: People who knows the Gospel but choose to reject it, they simply don’t get God. Paul made his points explicitly in Romans 3: 9-10. They are all sinners, and thus they earn the wages of sin, namely death (Romans 6:23). But your question is, What about those who haven’t heard the Gospel in their lives? In this case, my position can be designated as “agnostic” (I don’t know). That means all I can say about this as a minister of the Word is that I don’t know. I have never been told about it. All I can tell you is unless you get Jesus Christ, unless you are reunited with him sometime, there is no eternal future of glory for you. Therefore, if Jesus is who he says he is, then one needs to get Him to get God and to be saved. That’s the only thing I know: you need Jesus. I also certainly know that God is wiser than me, more merciful than me, and I do know that when I finally find out how God is dealing with every individual soul, I won’t have any questions about it.

So my answer is I don’t know. But I also want to add this: Although theoretically possible that those who have never heard the gospel could respond to God via general revelation (Romans 1:18-32), there is little biblical warrant to say that God ever does save anyone that way. J. I. Packer once said “we have no warrant to expect that God will act thus in any single case where the gospel is not known or understood.” Moreover, Packer asserts, “Living by the Bible means assuming that no one will be saved apart from faith in Christ, and acting accordingly.”

I hope it helps.