El Monte Vietnamese SDA Church

     I had an interesting conversation with some friends over the weekend on the topic on the topic of baptism.  We have been working with some of the youth at our church for the past few years in Sabbath school and afternoon Bible study.  We were debating on what it takes to be "ready" for baptism.

     Our church has previously had a history of "premature" baptisms, where people were baptized either didn't fully understand what they got into or still had sins or things in their lives they couldn't let go of at the time of their baptism.  As a result, quite a few of these people ended up leaving the church altogether.

     A couple of my friends actually got re-baptied several years later beause they realized they were prematurely baptized and despised their first baptism experience.  Hence, they believed most of the young people in the group are not ready to be baptized and need more lessons.

     While my friends make several valid points, I urged caution against the other extreme - waiting until people are "perfect" to get baptized.  If that is the standard, then that day will never come.

     I suppose there is a fine line in pressuring people to get baptized when they do not feel ready yet versus giving those who are already ready but hesitant a little push to get baptized.  In my view, we should always encourage people to get baptized when they have received enough truth.  After all, didn't the Ethiopian eunuch ask Phillip in the book of Acts to baptize him after learning and accepting that Jesus Christ is the Messiah?

     Ultimately, though, baptism is a choice that the individual must make on his or her own.  It is not that you have reached a certain "spiritual level" and it is time to get baptized.  Baptism is a symbolic gesture that you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and you sincerely want him in your life and you want to have a relationship with Him.  In getting baptized, you want to start a walk with Jesus wherever that takes you and the church you get baptized at is where you will begin your walk with the help and fellowship of your brothers and sisters in Christ at that church.

      I do not believe you have to be perfect to be baptized.  I even believe it is okay that there are certain truths you may be struggling with (lifestyle and eating, for example), but you trust Jesus to work on you and guide you to accept those truths.  Jesus receives you as you are, but He does not leave you there.

      Baptism is not an end after you have spent enough time learning church doctrines and empirical truth, but rather it signals the beginning of a new race where you give your life to Jesus and enter into the field as one of His laborers, growing and helping others to grow as you share with others what you have been taught.  You may stumble and fall at times, but you are always looking and moving forward to Jesus.

Bible verses to consider:

• 2 Corinthians 6:2
• Mark 16:16
• Philippians 1:6

     Ever hear of the phrase "out with the old, in with the new"?  It seems to me there are many Christians with this attitude towards the Old Testament in the Bible.  I hear preachers talking on the radio about the "stern" God of the Old Testament while at the same time emphasize the "loving" God of the New Testament.  I was left with the same feeling when I finished watching "The Bible" series on the History Channel, where God was portrayed as harsh and sometimes even merciless in the Old Testament stories, whereas Jesus was preaching love and mercy in the New Testament stories.  I even had a high school student at a Christian school tell me that her religion teacher tell her that she didn't have to worry about the Old Testament anymore!

     We should not be so quick to discard the Old Testament, just because we have the New Testament in the Bible.  The Old Testament is not merely about following rules and regulations.  Revelation 14:6 mentions the everlasting Gospel.  If this statement is true, then the Gospel message was actually present in the Old Testament also!  While it is true that today we are (or at least should be) all New Covenant Christians, the Old Covenant in the Old Testament must have had elements of grace, mercy, and salvation.  Otherwise, everyone in the Old Testament times would be lost!

     We need to remember that the Old Testament pointed to Jesus.  The story of Noah's ark, while a historical event, points to us the importance of accepting the call of salvation.  The call in Noah's time was to "get on the boat!" while today the call is to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  The story of Abraham and Isaac (another historical event) points to us that God loved us so much, that He gave His only begotten Son to die for us so that we could have everlasting life if we would only believe in Jesus.  All the feasts in the book of Leviticus were symbolic acts to prepare the Israelites of the coming Messiah.  The feasts pointed to Jesus!  The sanctuary and all its services illustrated the plan of salvation through Jesus!  Note that Jesus and Paul quoted extensively from the Old Testament in their teachings on grace, love, mercy, and salvation.  (There was no New Testament yet at the time!)  

     Friend, I call upon you to read the Old Testament again with fresh eyes.  Dig a little deeper and read each passage with Jesus in mind.  You may be surprised by what you find.  You may see that the "stern" God of the Old Testament is actually the exact same God as the "loving" God of the New Testament without any contradictions.  You may see that the God who spoke "let there be light" is the same Jesus who spoke "Rise, take up your bed and walk."  You will find that the God who spoke to Mount Sinai and gave him the Ten Commandments is the same Jesus who answered a question on the greatest commandment.  The Son of God whom King Nebuchadnezzar perceived in the burning furnace is the same Jesus on the cross who gave words of comfort to thief next to Him.  

     There are so many passages in the Old Testament that I could share that speak of God's love, grace, and mercy.  However, I leave them for you to find.  Don't throw away the Old Testament just yet!  You can find Jesus inside.

Bible verses to consider:

• Isaiah 53
• Numbers 24:17
• Deuteronomy 30:19

     The History Channel debuted a new 10-hour miniseries based on the Bible, from Genesis all the way to Revelation, a few weeks ago.  The producers were promoting this miniseries as a gateway to get young people interested in reading the Bible.  Their goal was to make a Christian movie, but with the slick Hollywood production values modern movie-goers are accustomed to.  The producers have admitted that they did not make a literal adaptation, but took a few artistic licenses to give the stories they presented a more dramatic flair.  They did say that they hired some theologians as consultants, to make sure that their presentation is essentially "true" to the source material.

     I have started to watch the miniseries.  Setting aside the dramatic license (and the resulting Scriptural inaccuracies), I have to say that the producers have failed in keeping with the spirit of the stories they presented in the Bible.  For example, there is an emphasis on the destructive power of the Flood and the struggle of Noah's family inside the ark, but no mention that the ark was designed for people to get in the boat.  There is no mention of how Noah preached to people for 120 years to repent and that they can be saved if they would just get in the boat before its too late.  Likewise, there is an emphasis on the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, but a downplaying of Abraham's intercession with God on behalf of those cities.

     While I cannot completely assess this miniseries until I have watched the whole thing, it seems to me that the producers have missed all the stories of grace in the Old Testament.  Instead, the producers focused superficially on all the violence and drama, reducing the story of the Bible to a mere summer popcorn action movie.  Is this how professed Christians view the Bible?  Is it any wonder that there would be agnostics and atheists who reject the Bible?

     We need to read the Bible for ourselves and be able to see that it is a book not of action and drama (although action and drama do happen in the Bible), but as a book about Jesus.  The Old Testament points to Jesus, who will save us, and the New Testament confirms that He indeed came and saved us, if we would only come to Him in faith and accept Him as Lord and Savior.  We need to share with others the truth that the Bible is a book of love and grace.  We need to point people to Jesus and the Bible is a better gateway to Truth than any movie ever could be.

Recommended reading:

• 1 Corinthians 1:23
• 1 Corinthians 2:2
• Galatians 2:20

     It was to my great embarrassment that I realized it took over three hours to completely clean my room recently.  Now, my room wasn't messy per say and it was vacuumed weekly, but I had been very neglectful in dusting in my room.  There was dust on my window blinds, dust on the drawer, dust on the corners of my desk, and even dust on papers and magazines I have been planning to read, but haven't had a chance to yet.

     As I sat in my chair looking around my room, I marvelled how much brighter it looks now.  I also realized I have been breathing unhealthful air in my room without even noticing.  I had been harming my health all this time.

     I thought of the Bible verse in Mark, where Jesus admonished his disciples to shake the dust off their feet in areas where people would not be willing to hear the Gospel message.  It was a symbolic act Jewish people knew very well.  The Jews would do the same thing after traveling through a heathen country, act if the very dust from the ground defiled their bodies.  I wondered to myself if I have been lax in this duty myself.

     Are there impure things in my life that I should shake off, but I still allow to cling to me?  Are there things in my life harming me spiritually, yet I act if nothing is wrong?

     As I ponder these, I suddenly have a better appreciation for Peter's exchange with Jesus about foot washing.  I was never the biggest fan of foot washing at my church (I didn't mind washing other's people feet, though), but as I look at all the dirty rags in my trash can, I think I finally understand now why it is so important.  When you have your feet washed, you are acknowledging that you have dirt in your life that needs to be washed away, dirt that you cannot completely remove on your own.  It is only in looking to Jesus and asking Him to cleanse you that you can shake off the dust clinging to your feet.

     Friend, don't let the dust sit in the room of your life.  Shake it off and don't look back.

Bible verses to consider:

• Mark 6:11
• John 13:6-10

     Just recently, famous athlete admitted to using steroids to enhance his performance and win racing championships in an interview with a famous talk show host.  This athlete had been cheating for years, covering up his deeds, and shutting down those who would dare blow the whistle on him.  The athlete might have gotten away it, but a comprehensive report compiling allegations and circumstantial evidence of his misdeeds surfaced.

     What is heart-breaking about this story is that so many people were inspired by this athlete, who seemingly conquered illness and adversity to become a racing champion several times over.  This athlete lent his name and support to charities for cancer research and awareness.  This athlete seemed to symbolize the power of human endurance and willpower.  This athlete gave hope to many people across the world that they, too, can overcome adversity and succeed like he had.  Yet, apparently this athlete was only presenting a clever facade the entire time.  How do these people now feel about their hero?  Betrayed?  Angry?  Heartbroken?

     Whether or not the athlete confessed because he wanted to sincerely repent or because he was finally caught is an issue I will not comment on today.  However, this story reminds me that people can fail us, even people everyone holds in the highest regard.  As humans, we can only see the outside, but only God knows what is truly inside a person's heart.

     Who can we turn to then?  The answer is Jesus.  Unlike many so-called heroes, Jesus has never and will never fail us.  He knows all the difficulties and trials in our life.  We can safely put our trust and hope in Jesus.  

     However, following Jesus does not guarantee you an easy road in life.  On the contrary, you may find at times you face even more intense adversity and obstacles than in the past.  Yet in the end, Jesus promises to all who give up all to follow Him, that they shall overcome as He had overcome.   No chemical enhancements, no steroids are necessary.  All we need is Jesus. 

Bible verses to consider:

• Psalms 146:3
• Job 15:31
• Psalms 73:26
• Psalms 9:10

     It's January and once again the NFL playoffs are upon us.  It has been an exciting football season and all eyes are on the final four teams competing for the chance to go to the Superbowl championship game.  As always, there was a lot of interest in teams with flashy players who make spectacular highlight plays, but in the end, it usually comes down to teams who can consistently move the ball when it counts.

     How has your Christian life been lately?  Are you still waiting to make that one big splashy impact for God?  If you had the chance, but failed, did it discourage you from trying again?  Are you punting away the seemingly insignificant opportunities while you wait for that big shot?

     We are all called by Jesus to share the Gospel around the world.  We can't do that if we are sitting on the sidelines biding our time.  Jesus calls us to move that ball now.  Sometimes, that means we will go up and face heavy opposition, whatever form it may take.  Sometimes, we will try to move forward, but get taken down for a loss.  However, we should not lose heart and lay down on the grass.  We need to get up, dust off those dirt clouds and dive back into the fray.  

     We are only asked to move the ball forward.  All praise to God if we can make that occasional big play for His kingdom, but He only asks us to faithfully move forward for Him.  We are not asked to throw that 50 yard pass or to try to return the ball 95 yards, only to carry the ball in the name of Jesus.  It's game time, and the ball is in your hands, my friend.

Bible verses to consider:

• John 1:12
• Nehemiah 8:8
• Acts 8:30-35

     A horrific act of violence took the lives of twenty innocent schoolchildren and six adults in Connecticut last week.  As our stunned nation mourns along with those grieving families, many questions started arising.  How can we prevent this tragedy from happening again the future?  Could stricter gun control laws have stopped this from occurring?  Where was God when this happened?

     While the first two questions are very valid, it is the third question that captures my attention.  Where was God when this happened?  If God is love, why would He allow such horrible tragedies happen?  Why didn't He do more to stop this?

     These are difficult questions indeed.  If God is all-loving and all-powerful, then why didn't He prevent innocent lives from being taken away?  On one hand, if God couldn't prevent this tragedy, then perhaps He isn't all-powerful.  On the other hand, if God could prevent this tragedy but He didn't, then perhaps He isn't all-loving?  How can a good God allow pain and suffering happen to good people?

     However, we have to understand that this tragedy did not occur in a vacuum.  The governor of Connecticut said in a statement later that fateful day that "evil has visited this community."  If anything, this tragedy reminds us that we are all caught up in a conflict between good and evil.  Sin has infected our entire world and Satan will do all he can to turn people away from God.  He will use lies, violence, disasters and blame it all on God and try to distort's God's character in people's eyes.

     The reason God doesn't zap evil away right now is that He gives us all free choice in this world, to do good or evil.  Even if God decided to wipe evil off the face of the earth, He would have to wipe us out too, both you and me.  We are all sinners.  In His love and mercy, God allows us to choose how we want to live.  God will not and cannot force us to follow Him and live holy selfless lives.  We have to decide this for ourselves.  Unfortunately, some people will choose to commit evil and as a result, good and innocent people will get hurt and even killed as a result. 

     We are all caught up in the middle of a spiritual war between good and evil, in a controversy between Jesus Christ and Satan, on a cosmic scale.  As long as this battle is going on, there will still be pain and suffering in the world.  Try as we might, we cannot completely prevent more tragedies like what happened last week in Connecticut from happening again in the future.

     The good news for us is that it will not be like this forever.  God hears our cries.  God knows of our pain.  Jesus promises to return for us and to take back the world from Satan.  He will give us new life and re-make the world into how it originally was intended to be.  All we need to do is accept Jesus Christ into our lives as our Lord and Savior.  Until that day comes, we need to endure and prepare for His soon coming. 

Bible verses to consider:

• Romans 8:38-39
• Ephesians 6:12
• Revelation 12:17

     I had the opportunity to participate in an event hosted by a local church this Thanksgiving, where we passed out free Thanksgiving dinners to people living in motels.  There was a team at the church assembling Thanksgiving meals in to-go trays early Thursday morning.  All the food - turkeys, stuffing, bread, mashed potatoes, drinks - were donated by church members who volunteered to cook the food the day before.  I was part of one of the teams that actually drove the food out to the motels to deliver to people who signed up to receive the food.  (Apparently, church members visited the local motels a week or two prior with sign-up sheets for anyone interested.)

     It was an eye-opening experience to say the least.  The people receiving the food were genuinely happy and thankful to get a home-cooked meal, something you and I would take for granted.  I could tell by a quick glance at the motel rooms that many of the recipients were living week-to-week, if not day-to-day.  A few of the appreciative motel managers even asked for extra meals to give to the maids that clean the motels. 

     I went home realizing how rich and blessed I am.  Having a home, a car, and food readily available to eat are ordinary blessings you and I may overlook, but they are indeed blessings from God.  As I changed out my clothing, I looked into my closet and realized that I had quite a bit of clothing in there.  I decided to clean out my closet and donate what I didn't need to local charity.  Even though I cleaned out about half my closet and filled out four trash bags worth of clothing, I still had plenty of clothing left for my own needs.  Now ask yourself, if you had to give away half your wardrobe, how many weeks of clothing would you have left?  Probably a lot more than the people living in those motels.

     Jesus once said in the Bible that we always will have poor people.  I had always wondered why He said that.  I think I'm starting to understand now.  When we see those in need, we should not harden our hearts and turn away.  Rather, we should open our hearts and generously give and help them out.  Jesus also said in the Bible that what you do for strangers who are hungry, thirsty, sick, or in prison ("the least of these"), you do also to him. 

     As you spend the holidays enjoying with your family and friends, I encourage you to join me in thanking God for the abundance that we have and to consider helping out those in need.  Have a blessed holiday season this year.

Bible verses to consider:

• Leviticus 23:22
• Detueronomy 15:11
• Mark 14:7
• Luke 3:11

     YOLO.  That's an expression I've been hearing a lot more often lately from younger people (that is to say, people under 25 years of age).  I was scratching my head trying to figure what it meant when I first heard, but it's an acronym for "you only live once."  It has become an anthem or a motto of sorts for quite a few people, apparently.  Thinking about doing something adventurous, risky, or even crazy?  YOLO!

     The phrase may be new, but this type of attitude has been around.  Having a devil-may-care attitude, "just do it", "Live fast, die young, and have a good-looking corpse!", and even "carpe diem!" (seize the day) are all older phrases which mean essentially the same thing.  They promote an attitude to live for the here-and-now, never mind what will happen tomorrow.

     However, is the right type of attitude for a Christian to have?  People always talk about "living life to the fullest."  Is YOLO a proper way to experience "living life to the fullest"?

     Interestingly enough, this attitude even existed in Bible, in both the Old Testament and New Testament times.  "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!" was the phrase used in those days.  However, such an attitude is a sensual denial of God.  Jesus taught in the parable of the foolish rich man that storing riches for yourself (i.e. living for yourself in the here-and-now) will yield disastrous consequences.  Jesus counsels instead to store our treasures in heaven and look beyond the here-and-now.

     I once a heard preacher say, "You can live once and die twice.  On the other hand, you can choose to die once, and live twice."  Will you live for yourself or will you live for Jesus?  Friend, the choice is yours. 

Bible verses to consider:

• Isaiah 22:13
• Luke 12:16-21
• 1 Corinthians 31:34

     Pause. It’s such a necessary part of life (or at least, a sane one), yet it seems like it’s becoming a more and more difficult thing to do especially in these hundred-miles-per-hour lives we’re leading. This holds true especially for a college student – where there seems to be so much time and yet so little. Every minute of every day, there’s always something to do. Your color-coded calendar is screaming warnings that your research paper is due next Wednesday, which is the same day as that Chemistry midterm. And the day before that, you have a lab report due. Not to mention that club meeting from 6-8 on Monday. Time seems to run faster than you can keep up with, and pretty soon, there’s a big pile of stress just stacked up on your desk. “Pause” seems to be a nonexistent word in the college student’s dictionary.

     It’s the dreaded midterm season here at Berkeley. The prevalent belief is that midterm season means no sleep, studying overtime, and downright stressing out. Even your lunch and break times need to be scheduled.

     Then, the Sabbath came along. And I actually found myself thinking it was more of a burden than a blessing to have this day of rest. I see other students in the lounge, studying for midterms and getting an early start on that sociology paper and I felt like because of the Sabbath, I was going to fall behind. There’s this unspoken sense of competition among students, and I felt like because of the Sabbath I’ve already lost the race before I even began. I became frustrated and thought hours of precious study time are going to be wasted.

     It took talking with my brother to remember that if God was really who He said He was, He can provide. So that Sabbath, every time I found my mind drifting back to that thesis statement or those formulas, I reminded God of Manna – the Manna that He provided the Israelites with when they were in the wilderness. He instructed the Israelites to refrain from gathering Manna on the Sabbath, but He would provide a double portion of Manna on the sixth day. Of course some Israelites became greedy even after a double portion of Manna and decided to go out and gather some more. I was being just as greedy as these Israelites were with my time. If God told the Israelites to trust Him and rest on the Sabbath because He will provide them with a substantial amount of bread, then He meant it and He provided.

     The Sabbath is a time when we claim the promises of God and actually trust that He will provide if we obey. The Sabbath is also a time for physical and mental rest, something I really needed but was too busy and proud to admit. In the Sabbath, I already won the race before I’ve even begun.

     I was blessed with an A on that midterm.

• By Kristi Huynh