Young People's Group

Reflections Concerning the Recent India Missions Trip

by Mitchell Tan
January 15, 2016

THANKING GOD FOR HIS GRACE

We thank God for His grace during this recent missions trip to India. The Lord specially watched over the team from Bethany who went to Chennai. The Lord’s grace was there in keeping us and bringing us safely back to Singapore. One special moment during this missions trip was seeing the ordination of IP Titus. We give thanks for His grace in sustaining IP Titus to be faithful during his internship. His ordination service was held last Wednesday night. It was a poignant moment for me as I laid hands on him together with the other pastors during Pastor’s prayer for him. He is the first Indian pastor to be ordained who went through our seminary training at BTS Singapore. Other Indian student pastors had come to be trained with us but they failed along the way. We thank God that he is the first to succeed.

BEHOLDING THE EXAMPLE OF THE LORD JESUS

During the week at the India Family Camp, we were talking about servants of the Lord who failed and those who succeeded. Pastor explained that the perfect example of One who succeeded as a servant of the Lord was the Lord Jesus Christ. He challenged us to behold the example of the Lord Jesus.

“Behold My servant in whom I uphold,
My elect one in whom my soul delights!
I have put My Spirit upon Him;
He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.
He will not cry out, nor raise His voice,
Nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.
A bruised reed He will not break,
And smoking flax He will not quench
…
He will not fail nor be discouraged,
Till He has established justice in the earth”
Isaiah 42:1-4

The word “behold” has the idea of noticing carefully. Isaiah 42:1-4 is a prophetic word concerning the character of the Lord Jesus in service. The people of Israel had failed as a servant of the Lord. The Lord God would raise up the perfect servant with whom He would be pleased. The Lord Jesus would display gentleness and self-control in ministry. He would not raise His voice in the public places nor quarrel and argue with people as others did. He would attempt great things for God by bringing justice to the Gentiles. He would be most gracious to all especially those who are weak and those whom the world thinks should be written-off. The Lord Jesus would be diligent till He finished what He was called to do. What tremendous character demonstrated! The Spirit of God would fill Him to do this work. The Lord God would specially uphold Him. And He would indeed succeed in His ministry. The Lord Jesus would do His part in developing great character in ministry. The Lord God would do His part to enable and sustain Him with His Spirit. The Lord Jesus is our perfect example of One who succeeded in ministry.

FOLLOWING THE EXAMPLE OF THE LORD JESUS

One of the best followers of the Lord Jesus was the apostle Paul. He challenged the Corinthian Church to imitate his life and ministry as he imitated the Lord Jesus.

“Imitate me just as I also imitate Christ.”
1 Corinthians 11:1

The apostle Paul was a very good example of what it means to follow in the footsteps of the Lord Jesus. He must have had Isaiah 42:1-4 in mind even as he served the Lord and succeeded greatly in his ministry. Young people, let’s also seek to follow the example of the Lord Jesus by imitating the example of Paul. We can learn to do this by coming for the combined Sunday School and the YPG. As we commenced these activities again, come, learn and review these lessons that they may become part of our lives. Let’s seek to follow the example of Pastor Charles as he follows the example of Christ and Paul. Ultimately, let’s seek to be a servant of God like the Lord Jesus in whom God can delight.

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