Binhi sang Pagtuo
June 29, 2009
Dear Centralians and Friends,
Greetings from the Chaplain’s Office!
Our reflection for this week comes from John 9. This chapter narrates the encounter of Jesus with a blind man who is a beggar. Jesus saw a man with congenital blindness.
The result of the encounter was a miracle. The blind man can now open his eyes after Jesus put a mixture of saliva and mud into his eyes. Why saliva and mud? Yuck! I don’t know of the medicinal value of mud and saliva but this is the underlying meaning: we are all made from dust, from mud.
Jesus used this incident to differentiate a man who was once in “darkness” but is now in the “light.” The bringer of the “light” is Jesus who declared “I am the light of the world” (v.5).
In the Half-moon drive, there is a big globe with a picture of Jesus Christ inside it. The words “I am the Light” are also inscribed on top of the picture. This is a visible reminder in the campus that Jesus brings light to our darkened world.
The interesting part of the story is on how this man responded to the miracle that happened to him. We can learn three things from his responses.
First, the man testified courageously. The healing experience of this man was challenged not only by his neighbors but by the Pharisees as well. At first there was some hesitation in his testimony but later on when he was cornered by a lot of people, he courageously declared that Jesus is a prophet. He responded with great logic and reasoning (vv.26-34) that even the Pharisees were caught off guard.
Second, his testimony was brought about by his accountability to become the “bringer of light.” He “let his light shine” (Matt. 5:16) to other people. He knew what it is to be in “darkness”, thus, this propelled him to bring the “light” (Jesus) to those who are in the “dark.” He wants others to experience the metanoia – of being transformed.
Third, he became a disciple of Jesus with the mission to “open the eyes” of other people. In his second encounter with Jesus, this man was taught that there are people who can physically see but are spiritually blind (v.39).
This lesson became his commission to help “open the eyes” of those who are spiritually blind. His desire to reach others was intensified with his awareness that God will judge each person according to their response to the message of the “light” (Jesus). He wants others to “open their eyes” also.
The three responses of the former blind man present to us three questions that we need to ask ourselves. First, are we testifying courageously for the cause of Jesus Christ? Second, do we let our light shine so that others may experience metanoia? Third, are we continuing the mission to open the eyes of those who are spiritually blind?
May God bless us all!
Sincerely,
Pastor Francis Neil G. Jalando-on
Assistant Chaplain
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Chaplain's Office Website: http://www.cpu.edu.ph/chaplain
Audio Sermons of Binhi sang Pagtuo: http://binhi.4shared.com
Blog: http://cpuchaplain.blogspot.com
Monday, June 29, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Is God still our Father?
Binhi sang Pagtuo
June 22, 2009
Dear Centralians and Friends,
Greetings from the Chaplain’s Office!
As we celebrate Father’s Day, our reflection comes from Malachi 2:10-16.
The question of Malachi is relevant to us, “Have we not all one father? Did not one God created us? Why do we profane the covenant of our fathers by breaking faith with one another?”
Malachi was a minor Prophet but he had a major message. His message was: Remain in your covenant with God. Malachi was telling them that God should be their Father and they should act as children of God.
The story of the Bible is a story of a covenant relationship of God to his chosen people. The covenant is this: “I will be your God and you will be my people.”
Through Jesus Christ, we can now be called sons and daughters of God, and we can call God our Father. Christians are called the New Israel. Jesus gives us this new covenant: Love God and Love your neighbor. This is the commandment that all the laws, the prophets and writings are based.
The obvious question for us today is – Is God still our father? Do we still consider ourselves as children of God? I hope God will hear our resounding yes.
I would like to share two attributes of our God the Father that are found in our passage.
First, God is a caring father. The people of Israel in that time were careless in their attitudes. In spite of that, God was still the father who cares. He was still reminding the Israelites through the prophet Malachi to turn from their careless attitudes. God, as Father, cared so much that he sent prophets to always warn the Israelites and turn from their wicked ways.
Second, God is a sustaining father. We see in the passage that Israel became unfaithful to the covenant to the point of divorcing God. He still sustains his part of the covenant even if it is one sided. He is like the father in the parable of the prodigal son who keeps on waiting for his son to return.
Lastly, let me share a survey of 10 appreciated qualities of a father by his children:
1. He takes time for me.
2. He listens to me.
3. He plays with me.
4. He invites me to go places with him.
5. He lets me help him.
6. He treats my mother well.
7. He lets me say what I think.
8. He is nice to my friends.
9. He only punishes me when I deserve it.
10. He is not afraid to admit when he is wrong.
May God bless us all!
Sincerely yours,
Pastor Francis Neil G. Jalando-on
Assistant Chaplain
June 22, 2009
Dear Centralians and Friends,
Greetings from the Chaplain’s Office!
As we celebrate Father’s Day, our reflection comes from Malachi 2:10-16.
The question of Malachi is relevant to us, “Have we not all one father? Did not one God created us? Why do we profane the covenant of our fathers by breaking faith with one another?”
Malachi was a minor Prophet but he had a major message. His message was: Remain in your covenant with God. Malachi was telling them that God should be their Father and they should act as children of God.
The story of the Bible is a story of a covenant relationship of God to his chosen people. The covenant is this: “I will be your God and you will be my people.”
Through Jesus Christ, we can now be called sons and daughters of God, and we can call God our Father. Christians are called the New Israel. Jesus gives us this new covenant: Love God and Love your neighbor. This is the commandment that all the laws, the prophets and writings are based.
The obvious question for us today is – Is God still our father? Do we still consider ourselves as children of God? I hope God will hear our resounding yes.
I would like to share two attributes of our God the Father that are found in our passage.
First, God is a caring father. The people of Israel in that time were careless in their attitudes. In spite of that, God was still the father who cares. He was still reminding the Israelites through the prophet Malachi to turn from their careless attitudes. God, as Father, cared so much that he sent prophets to always warn the Israelites and turn from their wicked ways.
Second, God is a sustaining father. We see in the passage that Israel became unfaithful to the covenant to the point of divorcing God. He still sustains his part of the covenant even if it is one sided. He is like the father in the parable of the prodigal son who keeps on waiting for his son to return.
Lastly, let me share a survey of 10 appreciated qualities of a father by his children:
1. He takes time for me.
2. He listens to me.
3. He plays with me.
4. He invites me to go places with him.
5. He lets me help him.
6. He treats my mother well.
7. He lets me say what I think.
8. He is nice to my friends.
9. He only punishes me when I deserve it.
10. He is not afraid to admit when he is wrong.
May God bless us all!
Sincerely yours,
Pastor Francis Neil G. Jalando-on
Assistant Chaplain
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Freedom in Jesus Christ
Binhi sang Pagtuo
June 15, 2009
Dear Centralians and Friends,
Greetings from CPU!
Last June 12, 2009, Philippines celebrated its 111th year of independence with the theme of “Kagitingan, Kagalingan at Kasipagan Tungo sa Tunay na Kalayaan.”
In the light of this event, let us reflect on the freedom that God gave us through Jesus Christ.
Let me share with you a portion of a beautiful book entitled “Joshua” written by Joseph F. Girzone. This passage is a critique on how we oftentimes missed the message of freedom that was so essential in the life and teachings of Jesus. We are frequently guilty of building theological prisons in our strict devotion to church doctrines. We have failed to grasp that “fidelity to the teachings of Jesus cannot be forced by threat of punishment…Jesus wanted the human spirit to find him in freedom and to embrace him joyously and spontaneously.”
“God never intended that religion become what it is today. Jesus came to earth to try to free people from that kind of regimented religion where people are threatened if they don’t obey rules and rituals invented by the clergy. Jesus came to teach people that they are God’s children and, as God’s children they are free, free to grow as human beings, to become beautiful people as God intended. That can’t be legislated.
“Jesus gave the apostles and the community as a support to provide help and guidance and consolation. Jesus did not envision bosses in the worldly sense. He wanted his apostles to guide and serve, not to dictate and legislate like those who govern this world. Unfortunately, religious leaders model themselves after civil governments and treat people accordingly. In doing this they fall into the same trap that the scribes and Pharisees fell into, making religion a tangible set of measurable religious observances, which is legalistic and superficial…it is their endless rules and their rituals rather than love of God and concern for others that occupy the people’s attention.
“Customs and practices and traditions then replace true service of God, and these become a serious obstacle to real growth in the love of God…People become rigid in their thinking and afraid to think for themselves…when even ceremonies and mere customs change they panic, because they have been lead to believe these things were their faith. With that kind of mentality all growth stops… If a person is not open to the inspirations of the Spirit, because it goes beyond what the (religious traditions) allow him, then even the Holy Spirit cannot work in him and he remains stunted. What is worse, he frustrates the work that God wants to accomplish in him.
“That’s why the prophets of old were such great men. They had the boldness to see beyond the limitations of human religious traditions and provide guidance to God’s people. They had the courage to break out of the sterile rigidness of religious forms, and incurred the wrath of religious leaders who hated them for this, and persecuted them, even killing some of them in the name of religion.”
May God grant us the freedom to think and see beyond the “four corners of the church.” Jesus was once asked, “where is the proper place of worship, in this mountain or in the temple?” Jesus answered, “you must worship God in spirit and truth.”
Sincerely,
Pastor Francis Neil G. Jalando-on
Assistant Chaplain
June 15, 2009
Dear Centralians and Friends,
Greetings from CPU!
Last June 12, 2009, Philippines celebrated its 111th year of independence with the theme of “Kagitingan, Kagalingan at Kasipagan Tungo sa Tunay na Kalayaan.”
In the light of this event, let us reflect on the freedom that God gave us through Jesus Christ.
Let me share with you a portion of a beautiful book entitled “Joshua” written by Joseph F. Girzone. This passage is a critique on how we oftentimes missed the message of freedom that was so essential in the life and teachings of Jesus. We are frequently guilty of building theological prisons in our strict devotion to church doctrines. We have failed to grasp that “fidelity to the teachings of Jesus cannot be forced by threat of punishment…Jesus wanted the human spirit to find him in freedom and to embrace him joyously and spontaneously.”
“God never intended that religion become what it is today. Jesus came to earth to try to free people from that kind of regimented religion where people are threatened if they don’t obey rules and rituals invented by the clergy. Jesus came to teach people that they are God’s children and, as God’s children they are free, free to grow as human beings, to become beautiful people as God intended. That can’t be legislated.
“Jesus gave the apostles and the community as a support to provide help and guidance and consolation. Jesus did not envision bosses in the worldly sense. He wanted his apostles to guide and serve, not to dictate and legislate like those who govern this world. Unfortunately, religious leaders model themselves after civil governments and treat people accordingly. In doing this they fall into the same trap that the scribes and Pharisees fell into, making religion a tangible set of measurable religious observances, which is legalistic and superficial…it is their endless rules and their rituals rather than love of God and concern for others that occupy the people’s attention.
“Customs and practices and traditions then replace true service of God, and these become a serious obstacle to real growth in the love of God…People become rigid in their thinking and afraid to think for themselves…when even ceremonies and mere customs change they panic, because they have been lead to believe these things were their faith. With that kind of mentality all growth stops… If a person is not open to the inspirations of the Spirit, because it goes beyond what the (religious traditions) allow him, then even the Holy Spirit cannot work in him and he remains stunted. What is worse, he frustrates the work that God wants to accomplish in him.
“That’s why the prophets of old were such great men. They had the boldness to see beyond the limitations of human religious traditions and provide guidance to God’s people. They had the courage to break out of the sterile rigidness of religious forms, and incurred the wrath of religious leaders who hated them for this, and persecuted them, even killing some of them in the name of religion.”
May God grant us the freedom to think and see beyond the “four corners of the church.” Jesus was once asked, “where is the proper place of worship, in this mountain or in the temple?” Jesus answered, “you must worship God in spirit and truth.”
Sincerely,
Pastor Francis Neil G. Jalando-on
Assistant Chaplain
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Give of your best to the Master
Binhi sang Pagtuo
June 8, 2009
Dear Centralians and Friends,
Greetings from CPU campus!
Our reflection for this week comes from II Corinthians 8:1-9. This scripture text tells us how Paul challenged the church in Corinth by way of illustrating how the church in Macedonia helped in proclaiming the gospel.
Paul challenges us to give six things. If we sum up these six things, we will know that what God is asking of us is our whole being.
First, let us give of our material resources. How is our offering nowadays? Are we faithful with our tithing? Or are we finding it hard to give our materials resources to the church and in the mission of spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ?
Second, let us give our faith. Let us not just keep the faith, we must spread it. Our faith is enriched if we share it with others.
Third, let us give our kind words. We cannot catch our words the moment it left our mouths.
Pastor Acosta once told of an illustration about a little girl that shouted “buang” in the mountain. The mountain echoed back “buang” to her. She was infuriated. Her mother told her to shout “gwapa.” When the mountain echoed back the word “gwapa”, she beamed with joy. Let us watch our mouth.
Fourth, let us give our knowledge. Let us train second-liners. Like Jesus, we must have disciples.
Jesus had his full-time ministry for about three years. But he trained not only 12 disciples but also 70 and then 120. The gospel reached all of us because of discipleship.
What about us? Are we training someone to someday replace us in our leadership positions, or are we holding our positions until we die?
Fifth, let us give our availability to serve. We give a lot of excuses to God. Although we really felt that God is calling us to serve Him, we still refuse to listen. We say things like – I’m still young, I’m old, others are better than me, I’m shy, I’m busy, I’m afraid and many more.
Like prophets of old, let us say, “Here I am, send me.”
Sixth, let us give our loving attitude.
Dr. Feliciano Sombito, first President of Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches said in 1935, “Dapat naton usisaon kag suklon ang aton kusog kag kaluyahon… magamitlang sang mga defectos, sa espiritu nga dili pag padiutay apang pagpadaku, dili pagmusmus apang pagbatak, dili paghikay apang sa higugma, kag dili pag patay apang sa pag hatag kabuhi.”
May God bless us all!
Sincerely,
Pastor Francis Neil G. Jalando-on
Assistant Chaplain
June 8, 2009
Dear Centralians and Friends,
Greetings from CPU campus!
Our reflection for this week comes from II Corinthians 8:1-9. This scripture text tells us how Paul challenged the church in Corinth by way of illustrating how the church in Macedonia helped in proclaiming the gospel.
Paul challenges us to give six things. If we sum up these six things, we will know that what God is asking of us is our whole being.
First, let us give of our material resources. How is our offering nowadays? Are we faithful with our tithing? Or are we finding it hard to give our materials resources to the church and in the mission of spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ?
Second, let us give our faith. Let us not just keep the faith, we must spread it. Our faith is enriched if we share it with others.
Third, let us give our kind words. We cannot catch our words the moment it left our mouths.
Pastor Acosta once told of an illustration about a little girl that shouted “buang” in the mountain. The mountain echoed back “buang” to her. She was infuriated. Her mother told her to shout “gwapa.” When the mountain echoed back the word “gwapa”, she beamed with joy. Let us watch our mouth.
Fourth, let us give our knowledge. Let us train second-liners. Like Jesus, we must have disciples.
Jesus had his full-time ministry for about three years. But he trained not only 12 disciples but also 70 and then 120. The gospel reached all of us because of discipleship.
What about us? Are we training someone to someday replace us in our leadership positions, or are we holding our positions until we die?
Fifth, let us give our availability to serve. We give a lot of excuses to God. Although we really felt that God is calling us to serve Him, we still refuse to listen. We say things like – I’m still young, I’m old, others are better than me, I’m shy, I’m busy, I’m afraid and many more.
Like prophets of old, let us say, “Here I am, send me.”
Sixth, let us give our loving attitude.
Dr. Feliciano Sombito, first President of Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches said in 1935, “Dapat naton usisaon kag suklon ang aton kusog kag kaluyahon… magamitlang sang mga defectos, sa espiritu nga dili pag padiutay apang pagpadaku, dili pagmusmus apang pagbatak, dili paghikay apang sa higugma, kag dili pag patay apang sa pag hatag kabuhi.”
May God bless us all!
Sincerely,
Pastor Francis Neil G. Jalando-on
Assistant Chaplain
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