Dear BPCWAians, Today, Christians around the world rejoice at the remembrance of Christ’s triumph over sin and death in His resurrection. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to proclaim to unbelievers the finished work of Christ on the cross for our salvation. The completion and the fulfilment of God’s promised redemption for fallen man through His only begotten Son. We have heard many accounts of Christ’s work, and we faithfully proclaim that salvation is all of Christ, and not through the smallest iota of good works on our part. But dear Christian, do you realise that when Christ finished the work that His Father sent Him to do, He left you with work to do?

The Unfinished Commission. Aptly so called by Rev Timothy Tow, this is a reminder that is based upon Christ’s work, we now must go out to work for Him. As we enter BPCWA, there is a stone plaque that reminds us of why we were established – in obedience to Christ’s Great Commission. About a week after His resurrection, Christ left his disciples with this Commission: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matt 28:19-20) As fully relevant as it was more than 2000 years ago to them, it continues to be relevant to us today. Until Christ’s Return for His Church, this is an unfinished work for the Church to do. Because of Christ’s life, death and resurrection for us, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” (Matt 28:18) And so, our victorious King, Who has been given all power and Who reigns in heaven and earth, sends us on a heavenly mission to perform on earth. These Words of our Lord must be the thrust and heartbeat of every church. It must ring within the walls of BPCWA constantly. It must direct each one of our activities and be the focus of our efforts. Today, we celebrate a double commemoration – that of our Saviour’s Resurrection, and thanksgiving for preserving BPCWA since it was founded back in February 16th 1986 through the outreach efforts of Calvary Bible-Presbyterian Church of Singapore. BPCWA does not exist for itself, nor even for its members. BPCWA exists for the Living Christ, the Head of our Church, our Risen, Triumphant, Saviour.

The Commission to Make Disciples. Yet, at the same time, the Great Commission, is also often greatly misunderstood as merely a call to missions and evangelism. It is often thought of that the church’s call is to save souls. It includes that, but it is more than that. In these 2 verses, the Greek text gives us key focus of the Great Commission, which is to “teach all nations”. This verb is actually matheteuo, which comes from the root word often translated as “disciple”. Put another way, what we are to do is to teach, such that the learner becomes a follower – a disciple – of Jesus Christ. So, what we set out to do is discipleship – to teach, such that the sinner becomes an obedient Christlike follower of Christ. That is why Eph 4:13 says that the work is “unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ”. That is why the Great Commission concludes with “to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” In order to make disciples, the church is thus commanded to “go”, “baptise” and “teach them to observe”. Why do we go out for evangelism? To tell them about the gospel so that their lives can be transformed into Christlikeness and they can live for Him after they are saved. We go out to bring them into sound churches where they can be well taught. What do we do in church? We teach them so that they may believe, and after believing, identify themselves as belonging to Christ in the Sacrament of baptism. We teach them to observe all things that Christ has commanded. In BPCWA, let us remember that our efforts do not stop at salvation, but continue into discipleship. This is hard work. It is one thing going out to offer to someone the gospel that delivers them from eternal hellfire and that translates them into heavenly realms with no tears and with streets of gold. It is another thing to tell the person that salvation involves turning to Christ in repentance and thereafter following Him obediently on earth. But without this latter message, it is an incomplete gospel of salvation. This is the gospel that Christ preached: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” (Lk 9:23).

So as we celebrate Easter, and we think about His resurrection, let us consider if we are doing the work that He has left for us. When we thank Him for His cross, let us ask if we are bearing our cross daily, despising whatever shame that the cross may bring. If we choose to follow men or seek their praise instead of Christ, we cannot be considered good disciples of Christ. If we seek to turn man’s eyes and praise upon ourselves instead of our Saviour, we are no followers of Christ. When we sing the hymns of praise of His resurrection, let us ask ourselves if we have indeed “risen with Christ, seek(ing) those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God” (Col 3:1) May BPCWA and every worshipper that sits under the preaching of the Truth from God’s Word not be found to be a betrayer of the work Christ has entrusted to us. Discipleship begins with ourselves before we can disciple others. May BPCWAians be true disciples of Christ, so that we may disciple others.

Yours in our Lord’s service

Pastor