THE RELEVANCE OF EASTER MESSAGE - Indonesian Evangelical [PDF]

Selamat merayakan Hari Paskah kami ucapkan kepada para pembaca yang dikasihi oleh Tuhan Yesus Kristus. Biasanya anak- an

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Idea Transcript


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editorial —————————————————————————————

Selamat merayakan Hari Paskah

kami ucapkan kepada para pembaca yang dikasihi oleh Tuhan Yesus Kristus. Biasanya anakanak Sekolah Minggu sangat senang menyambut hari Raya Paskah, karena pada Hari Paskah anak-anak akan mendapatkan telur-telur ayam yang disepuh dengan warna merah. Kalau kita menelusuri asal muasal kenapa pada setiap perayaan Paskah selalu dilambangi dengan telur-telur ayam dan juga ternak kelinci? Kalau Anda pernah membaca Alkitab secara keseluruhan mulai dari Perjanjian Lama sampai Perjanjian Baru, maka kita tidak akan menemukan Firman Tuhan yang mengatakan bahwa setiap perayaan Paskah harus disertai atau dimeriahkan dengan telur-telur ayam yang berwarna merah dan juga gambar-gambar atau boneka-boneka kelinci. Kalau memang semua itu tidak alkitabiah kenapa kita orang Kristen masih terus melaksanakan tradisi ini? Sebenarnya manusia pada dasarnya suka pelupa atau senang dengan simbolsimbol yang akan mengingatkan mereka akan sesuatu, atau dengan simbolsimbol tersebut akan menambah semangat mereka atau memacu dedikasi mereka akan sesuatu. Kalau hal ini menjurus pada hal yang negatif maka ini akan dinamakan “Pagan” atau “Berhala”. Tetapi manusia itu mempunyai pikiran yang kompleks dan fleksibel, karena simbol-simbol Paskah ini mengandung unsur-unsur atau image yang positif maka tradisi Paskah ini berlanjut sampai saat ini. Mungkin banyak yang sudah tahu akan arti dari semua simbol-simbol Paskah ini. Tetapi marilah kita sekali lagi membahas semua itu sambil kalau ada yang belum mengerti sama sekali. Mereka paling sedikit akan mengerti arti dari telur-telur merah dan boneka-boneka kelinci yang banyak terlihat di mana kalau menjelang Paskah. Telur adalah lambang kehidupan, karena di dalam telur itu mengandung sesuatu yang hidup, yang akan hidup kalau telur itu menetas. Di dalam Paskah simbol telur mengingatkan kita akan Juru Selamat kita yang telah dibangkitkan dari kematian oleh Kuasa Allah. Telur ini sesungguhnya lebih tepat kalau dilambangkan sebagai “Lahir Baru” buat seorang Kristen. Karena Juru Selamat kita telah bangkit dari kematian dengan Tubuh yang Baru, Tubuh Surgawi. Lalu warna merah diasosiasikan dengan “darah”—darah ini juga lambang kehidupan, karena di dalam sesuatu yang hidup akan mengandung darah, tanpa darah tidak ada mahkluk yang bisa hidup.

AGAPE — Easter 2006

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Lambang kelinci, adalah mengingatkan kita bahwa kelinci adalah salah satu jenis ternak yang kalau beranak, akan beranak banyak bisa lebih dari lima, tujuh atau sepuluh. Maksud baik dari lambang kelinci ini adalah orang Kristen harus seperti Kelinci, mudah “Bergenerasi” atau mudah berkembang. Mengingat Amanat Agung Tuhan Yesus sebelum naik ke Surga, Sang Juru Selamat mengatakan untuk memuridkan orang-orang yang belum percaya. Mereka yang percaya itu akan diurapi oleh Roh Kudus dan otomatis akan memperoleh “hidup baru.” Sudahkah kita mempunyai hidup yang baru dan sudahkah kita melahirkan orang Kristen? Ataukah kita cuma menjadi telur-telur imitasi atau telurtelur plastik yang tidak ada kehidupan di dalamnya? Apakah kita juga merupakan kelinci-kelinci yang tidak melahirkan orang-orang Kristen yang baru melalui kesaksian kita atau P.I. (Pengabaran Injil) pribadi kita? Kalau benar demikian maka kita atau kerohanian kita mati dan ini mungkin juga merupakan suatu tanda kalau kita belum diselamatkan oleh Sang Juru Selamat. Kita tahu kini, bahwa meskipun telur dan kelinci cuma lambang Paskah yang tidak Alkitabiah, akan tetapi bisa mengajar kita atau mengintropeksi kerohanian kita. Tuhan bisa memakai apa saja untuk mengingatkan kita akan tugas kita sebagai orang Kristen dan Tuhan bisa memakai “telur dan kelinci” Paskah. Sekali lagi redaksi mau mengucapkan selamat merayakan Paskah dan selamat menjadi “Telur” dan “Kelinci” Paskah, semoga di tahun ini atau di tahun yang akan datang kita bisa berbuah yang banyak seperti kelinci dan bisa memuliakan dan menyenangkan hati Tuhan.

redaksi 2

AGAPE — Easter 2006

AG APE Easter 2006

Penasehat Ev. Wilson Suwanto Daniel Loe Editor Evelyn Sunarko Janice Atmadja Merisa Halim Rachel Atmadja Ilustrator & Fotografer Buddy Yusuf Eva Leony Layout Buddy Yusuf Eva Leony Rachel Atmadja Tesia Trisnadi Tjandra Afandi Kontributor Rev. Billy Lim Ev. Wilson Suwanto Fairlyn Soetojo Printing Semiwaty Oei E-mail Redaksi [email protected] Produksi GII Azusa 539 N. Sunset Ave. Azusa, CA 91702 Telp: (626) 812-0326 http://lax.gii-usa.org

Gereja Injili Indonesia Azusa 539 N. Sunset Ave, Azusa, CA 91702

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Gembala Sidang: Rev. Kristianto Hosea

Minggu Pk. 09.00 Sekolah Minggu Dewasa Pk. 10.30 Kebaktian Umum (IndonesiaN & English) Sekolah Minggu Anak-anak Pk. 16.00 Chinese Service (diterjemahkan ke bahasa Indonesia) Jumat Pk. 19.30 Kebaktian Doa (Indonesian & English) Bible Study Anak-anak Sabtu Pk. 18.30 youth fellowship (Indonesian & English)

GII San Jose

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6656 Park Riviera Way Sacramento, CA 95831 (916) 692-3756

GII San Francisco 400 Brussels St. San Francisco, CA 94134 (415) 656-0886 AGAPE — Easter 2006

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focus:

Rediscovering the meaning of Easter 05 The Relevance of Easter Message Rev. Billy Lim 07 Perjamuan Kudus Ev. Wilson Suwanto 11 Sikap Orang Percaya Terhadap Krisis Rev. William Liem 11 Time Rev. DR. Stephen Tong

Anda punya usul, kritik, saran, atau apapun yang berhubungan dengan Agape atau GII Azusa? Silahkan mengirimnya ke [email protected] atau memberikannya kepada redaksi.

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content —————————————————————————

17 Sharing your faith: God’s presence in the workplace Pat Flood 19 Cerpen: One Life to Live (part 1) Daniel Loe 24 Parenting: Good Manners for Kids Ellie Kay 27 Sharing: The SOMPA Method Rachel Atmadja 31 Children's Corner: Crosswords Challenge 32 Humor

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AGAPE

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're agape.htm e w t eb/ a w _ h c t t sa.org/ie e g r fo lax.gii-u t ' Donvisit us @

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THE RELEVANCE OF EASTER MESSAGE SCRIPTURE: MATTHEW 28:1-10

by: Rev. Billy Lim

On this Easter Sunday, churches around the world are packed with people celebrating Easter, a celebration of our Lord Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead. Unfortunately, many of those people worshipping will not return next Sunday.

W HY?



Barna Research Group gave these reasons at a recent study; they said: 74% There is no value in attending church. 81% Churches have too many problems. 48% I don’t have the time. 42% I’m simply not interested. 34% The church is irrelevant to the way I live. Can you apprehend what these figures are saying of our generation? For the most part, people think the church and its message is irrelevant. I find that staggering for I can’t think of anything more relevant or more important than the issue of life after death and our preparation for it. Therefore, let us then think and meditate. I want to show you a few of the Easter Message’s relevance to our lives. In Matthew 28:1-10 we can see how the fact of Easter can change us today. Twice Matthew and many times in other gospels, we see the command— “Don’t be afraid” (v. 5 & 10). AGAPE — Easter 2006

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It’s very clear that the message of Easter is one that says to all of us – You no longer need to be afraid. Yes, fear of all kinds run rampant in our lives. We can be so afraid that we never risk commitment. We can be so afraid that we never get beyond our “comfort zone”. We will never try anything new, never risk reaching out, and never dare to express ourselves. However, we must also admit that FEAR has its place. Fear is an emotion that is designed to alert us to possible danger. Fear properly dealt with can energize us. Most of the time, though, fears paralyzes us. That’s where resurrection comes in. 1. The resurrection of Jesus means we no longer have to worry about the future. The greatest threat we face in life is the fear of DEATH. The fear of death controls our life much more than we realize. This fear can dictate what we eat, what activities we engage in, and where we live. The fear of death makes us fearfully attentive to every ache and pain in our body. The resurrection of Jesus tells us how it will all end for the child of God. Knowing the ending help us deal with what comes in between. The future may not be pleasant but we will overcome it IF your faith is in the One who rose from the dead. There is no need to be afraid of the future. 2. The resurrection of Jesus means we no longer need to fear the PAST. Does your past haunt you? Do you worry that people will discover who you really are or what you’re really like? Do you fear that they will discover what you said or did in the past? Do you fear that some of your past decisions will come back to haunt you? Do you fear some of 6

AGAPE — Easter 2006

your past deeds will disqualify you from Heaven? If so, you join a large company of people. The resurrection of our Lord Jesus delivers good news for you. When Jesus returned from the dead, He proved that the sacrifice of His life was acceptable to God. His resurrection shows that the debt for sin has been paid. God’s wrath has been satisfied. We are assured that “everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through his name” (Acts 10:43) Sure, our past my embarrass us. Our past may lead other people to think differently of us, but ultimately, our past is dealt with. It is erased in the blood of Christ. We’re forgiven and we know it is true because of His resurrection. What a wonderful liberating news this is to every believer. Praise the Lord. CONCLUSION When Jesus rose again from the grave, He told us that He would give His Spirit to lead us. This Spirit He promised would guide us into the truth. This Spirti would give us the words to say when we are in difficult situations. This Spirit would give us courage when our knees would buckle. We do not fact our present difficulties alone if we are trusting the One who has risen from the grave. The Lord promises that nothing will separate us from His love. He also promises that in all things, He is at work in our lives for the good. These are promises that can calm the most anxious heart. When we face fearful times of the present and look at the Lord, we realize that He has promised to give us strength and the resources to get through whatever comes. [JA/TA]

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focus ——————————————————————————————

perjamuan

kudus by: Ev. Wilson Suwanto

APA ITU PERJAMUAN KUDUS? 1. Perjamuan Kudus adalah perayaan yang diperintahkan oleh Tuhan Yesus Kristus pada waktu Ia menghadapi saat penderitaan dan kematianNya. 2. Perayaan ini mencakup: memecahkan roti dan meminum anggur. 3. Tujuannya adalah untuk mengingat dan mensyukuri pengorbanan Tuhan di salib bagi dosa-dosa kita. 4. Dalam Perjamuan Kudus, setiap orang bersekutu dengan Kristus dan dengan tubuh Kristus, yaitu: gereja. 5. Perjamuan Kudus adalah perayaan yang istimewa dimana Kristus hadir di hati orang percaya sehingga mereka kembali dikuatkan dan diingatkan akan kasih Tuhan yang telah menyelamatkan mereka. Baca: Yoh. 6:54, Kis. 2:42; 20:7,11, Rm. 15:16, dan 1 Kor 10:16; 11:23-26.

Perjamuan Kudus (Holy Supper) juga sering dikenal dengan Perjamuan Tuhan (Lord’s Supper). Ada beberapa hal yang perlu dijelaskan dalam Perjamuan ini: 1. ROTI DAN ANGGUR Roti melambangkan tubuh Kristus dan darah melambangkan darahNya (Mat. 26:26-28). Roti bukanlah tubuh atau daging Kristus, dan anggur bukanlah darah Kristus. Keduanya ini hanyalah Simbol tubuh dan darah Kristus. Ini berbeda dengan penafsiran Gereja Roma Katolik yang percaya bahwa roti itu berubah menjadi daging dan anggur berubah menjadi darah (ajaran Transubstansiasi). AGAPE — Easter 2006

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2. MAKAN DAN MINUM Waktu seseorang makan roti, apa yang terjadi? Apakah berarti ia menjadi lebih sehat rohaninya? Bukan itu artinya. Makan dan minum adalah bentuk persekutuan. Dalam zaman Yesus, makan dan minum bersama berarti bersekutu bersama-sama. Dalam zaman sekarang pun, makan dan minum sering menjadi kesempatan kita berkumpul dan berbicara dengan saudara atau teman. Demikian pula dengan zaman dulu. Maka, bukan soal makan dan minum, tetapi soal bersekutu. Waktu kita makan dan minum, kita tidak melakukannya sendirian. Kita melakukannya bersama-sama karena ini adalah sebuah persekutuan. Waktu itu terjadi, kita sedang bersekutu dengan Kristus dan kematianNya di salib. Saat yang sama, kita juga sedang bersekutu dengan saudara seiman yang adalah orang yang diselamatkan oleh pengorbanan Kristus. 3. BERSEKUTU DENGAN KRISTUS Yesus berkata, ““Inilah tubuh-Ku, yang diserahkan bagi kamu; perbuatlah ini menjadi peringatan akan Aku!” (1 Kor. 11:24). Waktu kita makan, kita sedang mengingat peristiwa Yesus makan perjamuan terakhir dengan para muridNya. Pikiran kita akan dibawa kembali ke saat-saat kesengsaraan Tuhan kita. Melalui ingatan/memori ini, kita bersekutu dengan Dia dalam kematianNya. Seolah-olah kita dibawa kembali menyaksikan segala pengorbanan dan penderitaan Yesus, dan manusia lama (dosa) kita dipaku di salib bersama Kristus. Sudah lunas terbayar!

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AGAPE — Easter 2006

THE HOLY COMMUNION

(Translated article by Janice Atmadja) WHAT IS THE HOLY COMMUNION? 1. The Holy Communion is a ritual commanded by the Lord Jesus Christ when He faced His agonizing moments near death. 2. It is composed of: breaking bread and drinking wine. 3. Its purpose is to remember and appreciate Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for our sins. 4. In the Holy Communion, everyone is communing with the Lord Jesus Christ and the body of Christ, which is the church. 5. The Holy Communion is a special celebration where Christ resides in the hearts of the believers to empower and remind them of the love of God that has saved them. Read: John 6:54, Acts 2:42; 20:7, 11, Romans 15:16, & 1 Corinthians 10:16; 11:23-26 The Holy Communion is also recognized by another name name, the Lord’s Supper. There are some things that need to be further explained about the Supper: 1. THE BREAD AND THE WINE The bread symbolizes the body of Christ, while the wine symbolizes His blood (Matthew 26:26-28). The bread isn’t the literal body or flesh of Christ. The wine is also not literally the blood of Christ. They are just symbols of the body and blood of Christ. This is different than the Catholic belief that the bread actually becomes or “transubstantiates” (the Catholic terminology) into the flesh of Christ. Likewise the wine does not transubstantiate into the actual blood of Christ. 2. EATING AND DRINKING What then happens when a person partakes of the bread? Does it mean that the person will have a healthier spiritual life? No. Eating and drinking are only forms of togetherness and fellowship. In the times of Jesus, eating and drinking with one another means

Dalam peringatan/memorial, ada persekutuan/fellowship dengan tubuh Kristus yang tergantung di salib. Pikiran dan hati kita terpusat pada Yesus, inilah arti persekutuan dengan penderitaanNya. 4. HUBUNGAN DENGAN PERAYAAN PASKAH DALAM PERJANJIAN LAMA (KELUARAN 12) Waktu kita merayakan Perjamuan Kudus, kita melakukan hal yang sama seperti orang Israel zaman dulu. Orang Israel diperintahkan Tuhan untuk merayakan Paskah (Passover) sebagai ucapan syukur sebab Tuhan menyelamatkan seluruh anak sulung mereka sementara Ia membunuh semua anak sulung orang Mesir. Maka Paskah orang Israel adalah peringatan bebasnya mereka dari perbudakan Firaun. Hal yang sama juga terjadi ketika kita melaksanakan Perjamuan Kudus, kita memperingati pembebasan kita dari perbudakan Dosa. Peringatan ini harus selalu dilakukan dengan hati bersyukur atas segala kasih Tuhan bagi kita. KESIMPULAN 1. Perjamuan Kudus harus dijalankan di gereja untuk selalu mengingat pengorbanan Kristus. Tanpa salib Kristus, tidak ada Gereja. 2. Perjamuan Kudus merupakan persekutuan setiap orang Kristen dengan Kristus dimana mereka menjadi satu dengan kematianNya. 3. Perjamuan Kudus hanya berlaku untuk mereka yang sudah percaya pada Yesus. Yang tidak percaya berarti tidak menerima pengorbananNya. Bagi mereka, perjamuan ini tidak ada gunanya.

fellowshipping together. Even today, eating and drinking are the activity of choice when “catching up” with our relatives or friends. Today’s culture is not much different from culture of the past. Therefore, what is important to highlight is not the activity of eating or drinking, but fellowshipping. When we eat and drink, we are not alone. We eat and drink together because this is a form of fellowship. When this happens, we aren’t only communing with Christ or joining in His death on the cross. We are also, at the same time, bonding together with other believers who are also saved by Christ’s sacrifice. 3. FELLOWSHIPPING WITH CHRIST Jesus said, “This is my body, which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me!” (1 Corinthians 11:24). When we participate in the Holy Communion, we can imagine the incident of Christ eating His Last Supper with His disciples unfolding in our minds. Our thoughts are ushered back to the times of Christ’s suffering. Through this memory, we are fellowshipping and remembering Him in His death. It is as if we are brought back to witness all the sacrifice and suffering of Jesus Christ. Our “old, sinful selfs” are going to be crucified with Jesus. It has been paid! In our memorial, there is a fellowship with the body of Christ that was hung on the cross. Our minds and our hearts are focused on Jesus. This is the meaning becoming one in His suffering. 4. THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PASSOVER IN THE OLD TESTAMENT (EXODUS 12) When we celebrate the Holy Supper, we go through a similar routine as the Israelites of the past. The Israelites were commanded by God to celebrate Passover as a thanksgiving because God saved their eldest sons while killing all of Egypts’ oldest sons. And AGAPE — Easter 2006

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4. Tujuan Perjamuan Kudus adalah menguatkan iman setiap orang Kristen bahwa Kristus sudah mati untuk dosa-dosa mereka dan mereka sudah milik Kristus. Kadangkadang iman kita bisa lemah, sehingga Perjamuan Kudus berguna untuk menguatkan iman kita dan meneguhkan janji keselamatan Tuhan. 5. Perjamuan Kudus juga merupakan perayaan yang sementara di bumi sampai kita nanti merayakan Perjamuan di surga dengan Kristus. Pada waktu itu (akhir zaman), semua orang Kristen makan dan minum bersama dengan Kristus di Kerajaan Bapa (Mat. 26:29). [JA/TA]

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kulah roti hidup; barangsiapa datang kepada-Ku, ia tidak akan lapar lagi, dan barangsiapa percaya kepada-Ku, ia tidak akan haus lagi.

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AGAPE — Easter 2006

so, Passover for old Israel, is a celebration of the freedom they received from the Egyptians’ enslavement. The same can be experienced when we undergo the Holy Communion. We can remember the freedom we received from sins’ enslavement through the death of Jesus Christ.. We must always remember and celebrate the Holy Communion with a thankful heart because this blessing, in the form of grace. is just one of the tremendous blessings we receive from the Lord. CONCLUSION 1. The Holy communion must be done in the Church as a constant reminder of the sacrifice of Christ Jesus. Without His cross, there is no chuch. 2. The Holy Communion is a fellowship when every Christian communes with Christ and becomes one with Him in His death. 3. The Holy Communion is only valid to those who believe in Jesus. Those who are unbelievers do not receive Jesus’ sacrifice, His blessing. For them, this Holy Communion has no meaning. 4. The point of Holy Communion is to empower the faith of every Christian. It once again asserts that Jesus Christ already died for our sins and we are now His. Sometimes our faith falters or we are weary. During these times, the Holy Communion is absolutely essential in strengthening and rejuvenating our faith. It once again implants conviction in our hearts of the promise of God, the assurance of salvation. 5. The Holy Communion is also a form of “temporary” celebration on Earth until the day when we face Jesus in Heaven. At that time (someday in the future), all Christians will eat and drink together with Christ in the Father’s Kingdom (Matthew 26:29).

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SIKAP

ORANG

P E R C AYA

TERHADAP

k r i s i s

oleh: Pdt. William Liem (http://www.gkagloria.or.id/artikel/a01.php)

SETIAP MANUSIA yang ada di dalam dunia ini tidak bisa lepas dari kesulitan, tantangan, dan penderitaan. hal tersebut di atas merupakan bagian yang tak terpisahkan dari kehidupan manusia, maka kesulitan, tantangan, dan penderitaan harus disikapi dengan benar, karena kalau tidak, akan berkembang menjadi krisis. Norman Wright, seorang penulis dan psikolog Amerika yang ternama, mengatakan bahwa ke manapun ia pergi, ia selalu bertemu dengan orang-orang yang mengalami stres, depresi, sikap yang panik dan tak berdaya, dan ingin melarikan diri dari masalah-masalah yang ada, sehingga ia cenderung berdoa, “Tuhan, angkatlah segala permasalahanku.” Menurut Wright, semua gejala di atas merupakan ciriciri dari orang yang mengalami krisis aktif. ►

Karena halBagaimanakah seharusnya seorang percaya membangun sikap yang benar terhadap krisis, sehingga krisis tidak berkembang menjadi suatu kekuatan negatif yang merusak dirinya? Untuk itu kita akan belajar dari teladan Tuhan Yesus sendiri dalam menghadapi krisis. Lukas 22:39-46 menceritakan akan masa-masa akhir pelayanan Tuhan Yesus di muka bumi. Di dalam kemahatahuanNya, Dia tahu bahwa sebentar lagi Dia akan ditangkap, disiksa dan disalibkan. Walau Kristus mengetahui bahwa dalam menghadapi segala sesuatu Bapa di Sorga selalu menyertaiNya, tapi ketika waktu-Nya akan tiba, Dia tetap merasa gentar. AGAPE — Easter 2006

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Dan kegentaran itu mencapai puncaknya pada malam terakhir, sebagaimana yang dicatat oleh Lukas bahwa di tengah pergumulan-Nya, Dia mencucurkan keringat darah dan tampaklah seorang malaikat memberikan kekuatan kepadaNya (ay. 43). Tentang pergumulan Tuhan Yesus yang dahsyat ini, penulis Ibrani juga menulis: “Ingatlah selalu akan Dia, yang tekun menanggung bantahan yang sehebat itu terhadap diri-Nya dari pihak orang-orang berdosa, supaya jangan kamu menjadi lemah dan putus asa. Dalam pergumulan kamu melawan dosa kamu belum sampai mencucurkan darah” (Ibr. 12:3-4). Bagaimana sikap Tuhan yesus dalam menghadapi krisis? Pertama, Yesus berdoa: “Ya Bapa-Ku, jikalau Engkau mau, ambillah cawan ini dari pada-Ku …” (ay. 42). Apakah doa Tuhan Yesus ini menyatakan bahwa Dia ingin menghindarkan diri dari misi-Nya mati di atas kayu salib? Atau apakah doa itu menunjukkan bahwa Dia raguragu untuk melanjutkan pekerjaan-Nya, sehingga ada kesan Dia ingin menyerah di tengah jalan? Sekali-sekali tidak. Tapi justru dengan berkata-kata seperti di atas, kita mendengar suatu doa yang jujur: Apakah kematian di atas kayu salib merupakan satu-satunya cara menyelamatkan manusia berdosa? Doa Tuhan Yesus menjadi contoh dari seorang yang jujur dan terbuka terhadap Allah. William Barclay berkata: “Bukanlah suatu hal yang salah bila kita mengungkapkan perasaan kita yang sesungguhnya terhadap Allah.” (It is never wrong to express our true feelings to God). Hanya mereka yang jujur terhadap Allah, baru

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dapat jujur terhadap diri sendiri dan sesamanya. Hanya mereka yang terbuka terhadap Allah, baru dapat terbuka terhadap diri sendiri dan sesamanya. Kedua, Yesus menegaskan kembali akan komitmen-Nya terhadap kehendak Bapa. “… tetapi bukanlah kehendak-Ku, melainkan kehendak-Mulah yang terjadi” (ay. 42). Walau Kristus mempertanyakan adanya alternatif lain dalam menggenapkan misi-Nya untuk menyelamatkan orang yang berdosa, namun pada saat yang sama, Dia menegaskan kembali akan komitmen-Nya terhadap kehendak Bapa di Sorga. Meski jalan salib ini sulit, tapi kalau itu kehendak Bapa, Kristus rela menerimanya. Ini adalah suatu ketaatan yang mutlak. Sikap yang demikian juga pula perlu kita perlihatkan terhadap Allah. James C. Dobson menulis: “Pertumbuhan dalam kehidupan orang Kristen terletak pada ketaatannya dalam masamasa krisis.” (Growth in the Christian life depends on his obedience in times of crisis). Ada banyak peristiwa yang menakutkan yang setiap saat bisa menimpa kita, tapi jika itu seizin Tuhan, kita akan belajar menerimanya dengan sukacita. Maka: “Janganlah berdoa untuk kehidupan yang mudah, berdoalah menjadi orang yang lebih kuat. Janganlah berdoa untuk tugas-tugas yang sesuai dengan kekuatan Anda, berdoalah untuk kekuatan yang sesuai dengan tugas-tugas Anda” (Philip Brooks). Lagipula, dalam mengizinkan berbagai kesulitan dan tantangan dalam kehidupan anak-anak-Nya, Tuhan ingin melatih kita supaya menjadi orangorang percaya yang kuat. Mensius, salah satu murid Konfusius yang terkemuka,

melihat kebenaran ini dan mengungkapkan demikian: “Jikalau langit memberikan tugas yang berat kepada orang tertentu, maka orang itu pasti diberikan kesengsaraan besar, dilatih sampai semua ototnya lelah, dan hatinya penuh kepedihan, barulah dia akan menuaikan tugasnya.” Bagi orang beriman, kita harus percaya bahwa tidak ada masalah yang lebih besar daripada Allah, dan tidak pernah ada problema manusia yang lebih besar daripada solusi Allah. Kesempitan kita adalah kesempatan bagi Tuhan. Oleh sebab itu, marilah kita belajar mempunyai ketetapan hati dalam dunia yang terus bergolak ini. Ketiga, Yesus diteguhkan kembali. Setelah berdoa, Dia berkata kepada murid-murid-Nya: “Bangunlah, marilah kita pergi. Dia yang menyerahkan Aku sudah dekat” (Mrk. 14:42). Di taman Getsemani kita melihat suatu pemandangan yang kontras: Yesus memasuki taman Getsemani dalam kegelapan; Dia keluar dari sana dalam terang karena Dia telah berbicara dengan Allah. Yesus memasuki taman Getsemani dengan pergumulan; Dia keluar dari sana dengan damai di dalam jiwa-Nya karena Dia telah berbicara dengan Allah. Maka betapa pentingnya doa bagi orang Kristen. Kebiasaan berbicara dengan Tuhan secara intim perlu kita kembangkan. Cho Yonggi, pendeta sejuta umat di Korea Selatan, berkata: “Bagiku doa sangat penting. Doa akan menjawab semua persoalanku.” Hal yang sama juga diutarakan oleh Martin Luther: “Doa adalah hal yang terpenting dalam hidupku. Apabila aku tidak berdoa, maka aku akan kehilangan api iman.”

Josephus, sejarahwan Yahudi yang amat tersohor, setelah menyaksikan berbagai bentuk penganiayaan sadis yang menimpa orang-orang Kristen di awal kekristenan, menulis demikian: “Saya tidak bisa mengerti, pada waktu singa menerkam orang-orang Kristen, mereka tetap mempunyai wajah-wajah yang tenang, hati yang begitu stabil dan terus memuji Yesus Kristus. Sebelum mati, suara pujian tidak henti-hentinya keluar dari mulut para martir.” Kita dapat berasumsi bahwa jika orang-orang Kristen itu dapat dengan tabah menghadapi semua siksaan yang ada, ini dikarenakan mereka semua telah terlebih dahulu berbicara dengan Allah, dan seperti yang Tuhan Yesus alami, mereka juga memperoleh ketentraman yang amat besar dalam jiwa mereka dari Allah. Hanya orang Kristen yang mempunyai damai dari Tuhan, baru mampu dengan tenang menghadapi semua tantangan hidup. Karena itu, perlulah kita mengingat nasehat penulis Ibrani yang berkata: “Sebab itu marilah kita dengan penuh keberanian menghampiri tahta kasih karunia, supaya kita menerima rahmat dan menemukan kasih karunia untuk mendapat pertolongan kita pada waktunya.” (Ibr. 4:16). Berbagai krisis yang sedang menimpa negara Indonesia kelihatannya belum akan segera berlalu. Dan sebagaimana yang telah kita lihat dan alami bersama, krisis-krisis ini telah membawa berbagai dampak negatif dalam kehidupan anakanak Tuhan. Walau demikian, kita tidak perlu berkecil hati dan putus asa, karena seperti Bapa menyertai KE HALAMAN 18 ► Tuhan Yesus, Dia juga

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F

focus ———————————————————————————————

time

Summarized from a gospel tract by Rev. DR. Tong http://www.stephentong.org/time.htm

W

hen we think about Easter, we usually divide the emotion into two categories; the sad part and the gracious one. The persecution and the death of Jesus really can make us all cry. On the other hand the resurrection of Jesus can make us burst into tears of happiness. After that emotion, what remains in our thought is what matter. Jesus died around age 32. It’s a pretty young age. He only had that much time in the earth to do His job, which he accomplished very well. How about you and me? We never know when we will die. Let us learn together from this short message by Rev. DR. Stephen Tong about how we appreciate the time that we have. ►

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WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT TIME Psalm 90:12: Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. The westerners often compare time with money because they look upon time from a commercial angle. Thus, they say that ‘Time is money’. This definition is indeed shallow in nature. There is a Chinese saying that states that an inch of time cannot be bought with an inch of gold. This saying links time with money, but the emphasis is that although time is deemed to be as precious as gold, it is not possible for one to replace time with gold. Whatever the case may be, it is shallow for one to define time in terms of money. It does not take into account culture, and it is a definition far from any acceptable standard. I have given time 3 definitions. If you can remember these three, you would find them useful for the rest of your life. FIRSTLY, TIME IS LIFE Your life span cannot possibly be longer than the time you have. Thus, to waste time would be to waste life itself. To squander away time would be to squander away life. I have often asked others, “Do you believe in Jesus Christ? Have you heard the gospel of Jesus Christ? Are you willing to come to church to worship and listen to the gospel?” Their answers often would be, “I am willing, but I am just too busy. I have no time!” They live within time, and have been using time. Yet they say they have no time. Do you not find this contradictory? Why are they lack of time? They are too busy! Why can’t they make arrangement in their time schedule and set aside time

for sermons and worship services? When are you going to have enough time? Are you going to wait till you are gravely sick before you can find time? You have considered your life and the Way of life as worthless, not willing to spend even a little time to think about the value of life, its meaning, purposes and the matters of life and death. You have not being thinking seriously about your life, which is why you time, life and time have been given to money. This is the type of life that many people are leading today. Are you one of them? SECONDLY, TIME IS OPPORTUNITY Obviously, we do not have opportunities in every second of time. But all opportunities are to be found in time. No one knows how much time he has left on earth. Some people made speeches plan and arranged for some work to be done, and suddenly leave the world that every night. I have a friend who would look into the obituary page first when he reads the newspaper, looking for familiar faces. I asked him, “Would it be possible that you will see your own obituary?” He answered, “No, you can only see the death of others, but never your own death.” Although we cannot see our own death, death will come upon us one day as well. If you were to leave the world this evening, are you prepared? Time is opportunity. Do you have the opportunity to repent? Do you have the opportunity to listen to a sermon? Do you have the opportunity to receive the grace of our LORD? Have you had the opportunity to see the filth in your own life under the moving of the Holy Spirit AGAPE — Easter 2006

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and the illumination of the Bible? Have you heard words of grace, telling you that your sins can be forgiven? What do you think about the many opportunities when you can come before the LORD Jesus? Why have you rejected them time and again? God is not to be taken lightly. He has been gracious and patient, giving you the opportunity to repent and submit to Him. Have you taken hold of these opportunities? THIRDLY, TIME IS A RECORD When I preach, the audio recorder would record every word I say. My thoughts have been recorded in time. I always remind myself that I have to be careful because even mistakes would be recorded as well. I hope that you will feel the same way, because heaven has a recording of you. Do not think that no one knows about your sins, and only your conscience is involved. Do not forget, time is a record! The Creator LORD is recording every moment of your life. CONCLUSION The prayer of Moses is great indeed, “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” He linked time with wisdom, and knew that he should seek direction from the LORD that transcends time. The wise man lives within time itself, and builds his life based on ethics. The foolish man however, wastes away his life in time with evilness. How are you holding on your time today? What sort of things makes up the content of your existence? Upon what foundation do you build your ethics? 16

AGAPE — Easter 2006

//quick reference TIME is: . Life . Opportunity . A record Moses' PRAYER OF LIFE: Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. PSALM 90:12 Are you guided and directed in life with wisdom, and the more important question would be from where do you get this wisdom? Do you know the God who has created time, yet transcends time? He is the only one who can grant you wisdom while you are living in time. I termed the prayer of Moses as the “Prayer of Life”. This is very different from the prayers of daily living, which essentially ask for a trouble-free life, and things like prosperity in business. The Prayer of Life asks for our life to be link with the will of eternal God. This LORD who created life, who gave us the breath of life, also pre-determined our sphere and span of life, so that we will seek after Him. You cannot treat the opportunities given to you lightly. You also should not waster away the time that He has given to us. We must learn to number of days and have a heart of wisdom. We should treasure the days He has given to us with the wisdom He has granted to us. May the LORD Jesus Christ grant you that heart of wisdom. [ES/TA]

SHARING YOUR FAITH

BE BOLD ABOUT FAITH ON THE JOB

By: Pat Flood | Chairman and CEO of HomeBanc Mortgage Corporation, in Atlanta, GA.

The Great Commission challenges all of us, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20, NIV).

warning and encouragement about our work.

The average adult is awake 16 hours a day: one hour to prepare for work, 30 minutes each driving to and from work, eight hours at work. That’s already 10 out of 16 hours. Let’s contrast that with the time we invest at church. For some people, it’s just an hour a week. The point? The majority of our life is invested in preparation for work and in doing it. That’s why God’s presence in the workplace matters. God knew the struggle we were going to face in the workplace, so throughout Scripture He gave us clear instruction,

INSTRUCTION “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:23-24, NIV). WARNING “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money” (Matthew 6:24, NIV).

ENCOURAGEMENT “Do not worry about your

life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?” (Matthew 6:25, NIV).

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The workplace offers great opportunities to encourage those who know Christ and to witness to those who don’t.

I have heard many arguments about why God does not belong in the workplace. There is the legal argument. The “it might offend someone” argument. The “what gives you the right?” argument. I have even heard the “it might scare off customers or employees” argument.

But Jesus said, “I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God.” (Luke 12:8-9, NIV). If I claim Christ, if I accept His offer of grace, I cannot leave Him in the car and spend the bulk of the day pretending I don’t know Him. Think of how Peter denied Jesus—is that any different from our daily failure to claim Him in the workplace? The marketplace matters because God offered us His Son, the greatest Gift in history. And our acceptance of that Gift came with instructions: Every one of us is called to participate in the Great Commission. Every day in the workplace we have the opportunity to share that Gift with others. Be bold. Live your Christian faith every day. If we do that, we will affect the lives of many in the great harvest field that exists in the workplace.

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