Dec 12-13, 2020
From the Pastor’s Desk: Rev. Simon Lee

Dear brothers and sisters of RCAC,

It is the worst of times. It is the best of times. This is inspired by a quote from Charles Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities that I remember from my secondary school days: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness…“  Christmas 2020 is a Christmas that is not “normal,” like no other that we had previously experienced. Also, we have been talking about expecting a “new normal” because of the pandemic. But with Christmas, I think we are in fact going “Back to an ‘Old Normal’,” or at least we will be more able to rethink what the first Christmas was really like. Yes, let’s start with the bad news and then go to the good news, after looking around us.

Right now, with the renewed lockdown a few weeks ago due to the second wave of the COVID pandemic, many people will no longer be able to celebrate Christmas like they used to do in the past. The usual rush in travel to be “home for Christmas” will not be possible for a lot of people as they will have to go into a quarantine of 14 days before they can see their folks they want to visit, and have to do the same when they return to their home. Many vacations will become staycations. The annual Christmas lights seem to be strangely dim and less people on the streets and in the malls; they will not be able to create the usual festive mood. The usual Christmas carols that fill the air will sound hollow. Can we really sing “Joy to the World?” There will not be the usual Christmas services, and there will be no Christmas caroling. The mall will not be filled with people all frantically trying to shop for the best Christmas gifts for their loved ones in the last minute. Many Santa’s will be out of a job!  After the Christmas holidays, there will be probably a lot of shops that will be closed declaring bankruptcy, as too many people will resort to buying online. Everyone (at least most people) will be going around with masks like they did in the many plagues pandemic in past history. Yes, this will not be the “joyous” Christmas that we have always anticipated at this time of the year. We are in the worst of times!

But maybe this is in fact a good thing. I like to think of our Christmas this year with COVID as an opportunity to really “go back” to what it was like in the first Christmas, before all the church traditions and commercialization made it into a “holiday season” that leaves “Christ” out of “Christ-mas.” Maybe when all these trappings of Christmas are removed, we will be able to rediscover and truly celebrate the real “reason” for the “season.”  Let us therefore go back to rediscovering what it was like in the first Christmas when Christ was born in Bethlehem:

 1.  The first Christmas was a time of political unrest and social tension in society

First of all, the Jewish people in Israel were governed by the Romans who were conducting a census at the time that forced the people to leave their home to go back to their birthplace (Lk 2:1-7). As a result, people were travelling here and there, not because they were happy to do so, but reluctantly because they had to. In fact, that was what happened to Joseph and Mary who had to travel from Galilee to Bethlehem, even though Mary was ready to give birth to Jesus at any time, they had no option but to take the journey. Maybe because they waited till it was too late and so many people were also travelling, “there was no place for them in the inn!” (Lk. 2:7)

Another picture of the hideous time can be seen from the story of the visit of the Wise Men from the east, sometime after the birth of Christ, recorded for us in the account by Matthew (Mt. 2:1-18). Herod the “puppet” king was so fearful of what might happen to his rule, that he plotted to follow the info of the wise men when they find “he who has been born king of the Jews” so as to do harm to Jesus with the pretense of “that I too may come and worship him.” (2:8b)   The story ended tragically with genocide, the slaughter of all male children under two years old in Bethlehem. Joseph and Mary with the baby Jesus became refugees to Egypt!

So we can see the first Christmas was totally devoid of any festive mood, it was instead filled with fear and anxiety, the people lived amidst the brutal and tyrannical rule of a very insecure “puppet” king that served the Roman Empire. Today we find ourselves similarly in our war-torn, poverty-stricken, politically-racially-divided and morally-decadent world. The COVID 19 has only made the situation worse by adding a viral infection pandemic that has also resulted in a global economic crisis. So though the causes of our distress are somewhat different, we are nevertheless definitely in a similar time of unrest, even despair. Every year we have come to expect as “normal” a festive and peaceful Christmas holiday, but the truth is that was not the case in the first Christmas and has never been the case down through the ages. We are indeed in the worst of times. That is the bad news. But we also have good news.

 2.  The first Christmas was a time of great anticipation and hope being realized

The best way to describe the “good news” is found in the declaration of praise by the angels as they announced the birth of Christ: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and good will among men!” (Lk. 2:14)  This was declared, amidst the turmoil and tension of the time, to the shepherds, simple folks who were keeping watch over their flock by night. The angels said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.” (Lk. 2:1­0-11)

The first thing to remember is that the birth of Christ is first and foremost to bring glory to God. This happens when the divine plan of God’s redemption that was in fact began at the fall of man after the creation, was to be fulfilled in the incarnation of the Son of God. This will bring “peace and goodwill” but it is rooted in Christ the Saviour and Lord, as His kingdom is not of this earth. Christ’s birth would therefore “bring good news of a great joy that will be for all the people.” This is demonstrated after the shepherd had visited Jesus in the manger, they returned “glorifying and praising God for all they have heard and seen, as it had been told them.” (Lk. 2:20) This was also similarly shown in the reaction of Mary (in the Magnificat) and in the words of Zachariah, the father of John the Baptist. The divine encounters with Jesus the Christ (messiah) or the news of his birth, first of all lead to the utterance of praise to God. Indeed we need to put “Christ” back into “Christ-mas” and bring glory to God.

The “good news” is qualified by “a great joy” which refers singularly and directly to the joy of the birth of Christ who is both the Saviour and Lord, the Saviour who delivers us from the bondage of sin, and the Lord (and master) who is sovereign over our lives whatever happens around us and to us.  It is “for all people,” starting with the lowly shepherds on their night watch, and includes us all in the second line of blessing that was first promised and given to Abraham and his descendants. Dr. Luke emphasized in his well-researched “gospel” document of the life of Jesus that Jesus came for all those who know they are lost, even those who do not (e.g. The three parables of the lost in Luke 15.) Therein lies the “good news.” The celebration of joy is “before the angel of God over one sinner who repents.” (Lk. 15:7, 10, cf. 32)

Yes, we have bad news as we are in the worst of times. But we also have good news, and we are indeed in the best of times. May this Christmas that is not normal be the Christmas we really go back to the old old story of the birth of Jesus Christ the Saviour and Lord at the crossroad of history (from BC to AD) and crown Him with many Crowns in the New Year.

Your servant in Christ

Pastor Simon

Dec 12-13, 2020
李耀全牧師

親愛的列宣家弟兄姊妹，

這是最糟糕的時代，這也是最美好的時代。我借用我中學時期所讀的查爾斯·狄更斯（Charles Dickens）的《雙城記》的第一句：「這是最好的時代，這是最壞的時代，這是智慧的時代，這是愚昧…」。2020年的聖誕不是「常態」的聖誕，有別於我們從前所經歷的。由於新冠疫症大流行，我們一直掛在口邊說我們需要接受活在「新常態」中。但對聖誕來說，我認為我們實際上是必須“返回「舊常態」”。我的意思是盼望我們將能夠重新思想第一個聖誕的真實情景。讓我們先從壞消息開始，環顧我們周圍，然後再回到好消息。

不用說由於第二波新冠疫症大流行，限聚令重新啟動及延長，許多人將不能夠像過往一般慶祝聖誕。以往許多人都會從外地趕回家過聖誕，但現在他們必須自我隔離14天才能與家人朋友見面，並且當他們回到自己的地方又必須同樣隔離14天。假期(vacation)實質成為本地渡假(staycation)。一年一度的聖誕燈飾似乎黯然失色，街上和商場裡人流稀少，無法營造以往的節日氣氛，原本充斥著歡樂氣氛的聖誕歌聲都變得冷清孤寂。我們真的能夠高唱「普世歡騰」麼？我們不會有以往的實體聖誕崇拜，也不會有報佳音。更不會見到商場裡人頭湧湧爭取在最後一刻瘋狂地搶購禮物送給摯愛的家人和朋友。許多聖誕老人將會失業！聖誕假期過後，可能會有很多商店關門倒閉，因為實在太多人轉向在網上購物。每個人（至少大多數人）都會像歷代的疫症大流行時期一樣配戴口罩。這確實不是我們每年在這個時候一直期待的「歡樂」聖誕。我們正處於最糟糕的時代！

但這也許實際上是一件好事。我嘗試將今年我們的聖誕與新冠疫症一起反思，回顧真正「返回」第一個聖誕及其當時的景象，現今所有的教堂傳統和商業化使聖誕成為一個「節日假期」，將「基督」(Christ) 摒棄出「聖誕」(Christmas)。也許拆毀這些聖誕外表的裝飾，我們才能夠重新察驗並真正慶祝這「節日」(season)的真確「原因」(reason)。因此，讓我們返回和重新體驗基督在伯利恆城降生的第一個聖誕的情景：

1. 第一個聖誕是一個政治動盪和社會局勢緊張的時代

首先，當時以色列的猶太人是處於羅馬政府的統治下，羅馬政府要進行戶口登記，迫使他們要返回自己的出生地（路2:1-7）。他們雖不願意但也不得不照樣遵行，他們就各歸各城去了。這也是約瑟和馬利亞要從加利利往伯利恆的經歷，儘管當時馬利亞的產期已到而耶穌會隨時出生，他們仍迫不得已也要踏上旅途。他們到達伯利恆的時候已不早，兼且有許多人同時在旅途路上，故此「客店裡沒有地方！」(路2:7）。結果耶穌便降生在馬糟裡。

使徒馬太（太2:1-18）為我們記錄了另一段可怕的事件，基督降生後不久，有三位博士從東方前來尋找耶穌的故事。「傀儡王」希律非常害怕自己的政權會發生什麼變化，他密謀關心三博士的消息，聲稱他們尋找到「那生下來作猶太人的王」時，就「好叫我也去拜他。」（2:8b）其實是要謀害耶穌。故事以滅絕慘劇結束，伯利恆所有兩歲以下的男童慘被屠殺。約瑟和馬利亞與小耶穌被迫逃亡到埃及暫住！

因此，我們可以看到第一個聖誕不但完全沒有任何節日歡樂的氣氛，而且是充滿了恐懼和焦慮，當時羅馬帝國由一個非常沒有自信的「傀儡」王執政，人民生活在他的殘酷和暴虐的統治中。今天，我們同樣生活在戰亂，貧困、政治動盪、種族分離和道德墮落的世界；新冠肺炎疫症使情況變本加厲，病毒感染大流行導致全球陷入經濟危機。雖然第一聖誕與今日造成困擾的原因有所不同，但我們絕對是處於同樣的不安，甚至絕望的時代。每年我們都期待著一個「常態」的節日和平安的聖誕假期，但事實上第一個聖誕並非如此，至今也一直陷於不同的動盪中。我們確實處於最壞的時代。那是壞消息。但我們也有好消息。

2. 第一個聖誕是充滿期待和盼望的時代

描述「好消息」最好的方式是天使宣佈基督降生時的頌讚宣言：「在至高之處，榮耀歸與神！在地上，平安歸與他所喜悅的人！」（路2:14）。正當政治動盪和緊張的時代，天使向那些在夜間看守羊群的牧羊人宣告說：「不要怕！看哪！我報給你們大喜的信息，是關於萬民的：今天在大衛的城裡，為你們生了救主，就是主基督。」（路2:10-11）。

我們要切切緊記基督的降生是要榮耀上帝，這是首要的事實。上帝救贖的神聖計劃實際上是在創造之初人類墮落時已展開，由上帝之兒子耶穌基督完成。這「平安與仁愛」是源於救主基督上帝，因為祂的國度不在這個世界。因此，基督的降生是如此宣佈「我報給你們大喜的信息，是關於萬民的。」，牧羊人在馬槽裡拜訪耶穌之後，就證實了這一點，「牧人因為聽見的和看見的，正像天使對他們所說的一樣，就回去了，把榮耀讚美歸與神。」（路2:20）。馬利亞的回應（尊主頌）和施洗約翰之父親撒迦利亞的說話也證明了這一點。與耶穌基督（彌賽亞）神聖的相遇或宣告祂降生的消息，首要的是讚美神。確實，我們需要將「基督」(Christ)放回「聖誕」(Christ-mas)裡面，並將榮耀歸給上帝。

「好消息」被表彰為「極大的喜樂」，直接指向基督的降生帶來之喜樂，基督既是救主又是上帝，救贖我們脫離罪惡的捆綁，上帝（和主宰）擁有我們生命一切的主權。這是給「萬民」的，從夜間看守羊群卑微的牧羊人開始，並將我們所有人都包括在祝福的行列裡，這是最初應許給亞伯拉罕和他的後裔的。路加醫生在他的「福音書」記載有關耶穌生平裡強調指出，耶穌來是要尋找那些失喪的人，甚至那此不曉得的（例如，路加福音15章三個迷失的比喻）。這是「好消息」。歡喜快樂的慶祝是「因為一個罪人悔改，神的使者也必這樣為他歡喜。」（路15:7,10,參32）。

是的，我們有壞消息，因為我們處於最糟糕的時代。但是，我們也有好消息，而且我們確實處於最好的時代。讓我們真正返回那古舊的故事，救主耶穌基督降生的歷史交叉點（從公元前到公元後），使這個聖誕成為不一樣的聖誕，並在新的一年擁戴祂為王。

主僕

李耀全牧師

Nov 28-29, 2020
From the Pastor’s Desk: Rev. Simon Lee

Dear brothers and sisters in RCAC,

In the past, every time I concluded a ministry, be it at a church where I have served or at the seminaries where I have taught in Hong Kong, I have always struggled to know what to say in my farewell speech (臨別贈言). Should I speak my mind or should I just say some nice things. It is not that I ever left with grudges or bitterness, but since I knew every time that it would be the last time I have the mic, I was always tempted to at least leave “some words of wisdom.” As far as I can remember, I was able to resist, mainly because I realize that was not the purpose of the occasion. I usually end up with thanking everyone for supporting me and working with me so harmoniously. This is why I marvel at Paul for his true wisdom in his final words, or his further final words to the Christians at Philippi, which was consistently again and again “Rejoice in the Lord always!” which is a theme he had repeated about 11 times in 4 short chapters of his letter.

Paul in countering those who took pride in “proper religion,” had just briefly shared his “resume,” only to dismiss it by saying his credentials have absolutely no value to him anymore, saying, “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (3:8) He further added any righteousness he may have comes from God that depends on faith – ‘that I may know him and the power of his resurrection.” (3:10) That is why he himself “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (3:14) For in the end, his ultimate joy was in seeing the Christians serving in unity as we have seen in his words to the Philippians: “complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. “ (2:2) Thus he urges the Christians to stand firm in the Lord for they are to him “my joy and crown.”(4:1)

This theme to “rejoice in the Lord always… and again rejoice” (4:4) is carried through to Paul’s “final” exhortations, not to the Church in general, but also to different individuals personally and publicly in the open letter to the Church, including Euodia, Syntyche and Clement, “true companion (yokefellow)” and other coworkers. For Paul, these are all coworkers who had struggled and laboured side by side with him.
This joy should be practised by the Christians together, with “forbearance” (gentleness) knowing that the day of the coming of the Lord is near. For the same reason, they should not worry about anything, for why worry when you can pray (with thanksgiving). By some doing, “the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (4:7)

Furthermore, Christians should let their minds be filled with godly and spiritual things, as they practise applying the apostolic teaching of Paul to their daily lives. The amazing message was that in so doing, they will experience the constant presence of the God of Peace (9) and not just have the peace of God (7) when we need it! What a blessing! What a joy!

This joy was felt by Paul (“I rejoiced in the Lord greatly”, 4:10) in very tangible and practical ways when the Philippians revived and extended their concern for the material needs of Paul. Paul did not speak out of need, as he said, “You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.”(4: 10-11) What a beautiful picture, for in his perfect contentment in God and His provision, he was able to have the Philippians “share” in his ministry and his needs. (4:14-16) He stated that it was “Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.” (4:17ff). By sharing and supporting Paul and his ministry, they were adding “capital increase” (dividend) to their own “spiritual account!” What a profitable investment! Paul describes such “sharing” (support) as “a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.” (4:18) In addition, all the needs of the Christians will be rewarded by God, as he says, “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (4:19)

As I have shared in an earlier sermon in this series, “There is joy in serving Jesus,” as in a hymn written by Oswald J, Smith (November 8, 1889 – January 25, 1986) in 1931. According to his biography, Oswald Smith was “a Canadian pastor, author, and missions advocate. He founded The Peoples Church in Toronto in 1928… Smith was ordained as a minister of the Presbyterian Church of Canada in 1918. However, he resigned from the Presbyterian Church, set up his own church in Toronto, which merged with a small Christian and Missionary Alliance congregation in 1921. In 1928, he started another independent church in Toronto, the Peoples Church.” He was a godly man mightily used by God, and served faithfully for nearly 80 years.

There is another hymn that Smith wrote, which was used at his ordination in 1918, named “Deeper and Deeper” (first line “Into the heart of Jesus”). Related to our theme here is verse 4:

Into the joy of Jesus
Deeper and deeper I go,
Rising, with soul enraptured,
Far from the world below;
Joy in the place of sorrow,
Peace in the midst of pain,
Jesus will give, Jesus will give –
He will uphold and sustain.

As a Canadian pastor and mission advocate, who also studied in Winnipeg and had served with the Alliance Church briefly in the early days, Smith has become an inspiration to me. A man of prayer and as a pastor with fire in his heart for mission, he is an excellent model for me to follow. Every time I visit Tyndale University (formerly, Toronto Bible College) in Toronto, I love to look at his memorabilia left there. The joy that he talks about is something I have deeply craved for in my 40 years of full time ministry, and continue to crave for in my present and future ministry.

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I say rejoice.

Your servant in Christ

Rev. Dr. Simon Lee
Senior Pastor

Nov 28-29, 2020
李耀全牧師

親愛的列宣家弟兄姊妹：

過去，每當我告別一個服事的時候，無論是在教會還是在香港我任教的神學院，我往往都好掙扎究竟我的臨別贈言要說些什麼話。我應該說我心底的話還是隨便說一些動聽的話，這並不是我帶著埋怨或苦毒離開，而是我每次都知道那將是我最後一次站在台前，我總是有衝動要留下一些「智慧之言」。依我所記得，我還是能夠抑制著，主要是我明白那不是該場合的目的。最後我一般會以感謝所有人的支持並與我同心合意一起同工而作道別。這正是為什麼我對保羅讚歎不已，他最後的話又最後的話充滿真智慧，他一直不斷說「靠主常常喜樂！」，在腓立比書簡短的四個章節中重複了大約11次這個主題。

保羅在抵擋那些以「正宗信仰」感到自豪的人時，也分享了他可引以為榮個人的「履歷」，保羅駁斥他們說他個人的資歷對他已絕對不再有價值，他說：「然而以前對我有益的，現在因著基督的緣故，我都當作是有損的。」（3:8）他進一步說，因信基督而得的義，就是基於信心，從神而來的義－「使我認識基督和他復活的大能，並且在他所受的苦上有分，受他所受的死；」（3:10）這就是為什麼他本人「向著目標竭力追求，為要得著神在基督耶穌裡召我往上去得的獎賞。」（3:14）。最後，保羅最終的喜樂是看到信徒團結合一，正如我們看到他對腓立比教會信徒所說的最後的話：「就應當有同樣的思想，同樣的愛心，要心志相同，思想一致，使我充滿喜樂。」（2:2）。因此，保羅敦促信徒要靠主站立得穩，因為他們對他來說是「你們就是我的喜樂、我的冠冕。」（4:1）

保羅「最後的」勸勉 -「要靠著主常常喜樂……要喜樂。」（4:4），他給教會的公開書信不單是泛指給教會，並且給個別每一個人，包括友阿嫡，循都基和革利免，「真誠的同道（同負一軛）」和其餘同工。對保羅來說，他們都是與他在福音的事工上一同勞苦的。基督徒應該一起活出這喜樂，同時要「忍耐」（溫柔），知道主再來的日子近了。同樣，應當毫無掛慮，為甚麼憂慮當知道可以藉著禱告祈求（感恩）；「這樣，神所賜超過人能了解的平安，必在基督耶穌裡，保守你們的心思意念。」（4:7）

此外，基督徒應當在日常生活中實踐使徒保羅的教導，敬虔度日，思念屬靈的事。這樣實行，就經歷 賜平安的神 常與你們同在（9），這是何等奇妙的信息，不僅是在我們需要時獲得上帝的平安（7）！是何等寶貴的祝福！是何等大的喜樂！

當腓立比教會一直都掛念和關心保羅物質上的需要，保羅切實地感受到這喜樂（「我在主裡大大地喜樂」，4:10）。保羅並沒有說他的需要，他說：「其實你們一向都在想念我，只是沒有機會表示。我並不是因為缺乏才這樣說：我已經學會了，無論在甚麼情況之下都可以知足。」（4:10-11）。多麼美麗的圖畫，保羅在主裡及主的供應裡完全知足，又為他能夠讓腓立比教會一同「分擔」他的事工和他的需要而欣喜（4:14-16）。他說：「我並不求禮物，只求你們的果子不斷增加，歸在你們的帳上。」（4:17ff）。腓立比教會分擔和支持保羅及其事工，他們在自己的「屬靈賬戶」大大增值「資本增值」！這是有利的投資！保羅將這種「分擔」（支持）描述為「好像馨香之氣，是神所接納所喜悅的祭物。」（4:18）。此外，神會親自滿足基督徒的需要，正如保羅說：「我的神必照他在基督耶穌裡榮耀的豐富，滿足你們的一切需要。」（4:19）

我在本講道系列較早前的證道裡曾分享奧斯瓦爾德·史密斯（Oswald J･Smith）（1889年11月8日至1986年1月25日）在1931年撰寫的詩歌《事奉耶穌真是快樂》。奧斯瓦爾德·史密斯（Oswald J･ Smith）是一位加拿大牧師，作家和宣教倡導者，他於1928年在多倫多建立了民眾教會(The Peoples Church)。史密斯於1918年被按立為加拿大長老會教會牧師(Presbyterian Church of Canada)。其後，他辭去長老會的職事，在多倫多建立了自己的教會，並於1921年與一小眾的宣道會會眾合併。1928年，他在多倫多建立了另一所獨立會堂，「民眾教會」。他是一個敬虔的人，被神大大使用，他忠心事主接近80年。

史密斯也編寫了另一首詩歌，並在他1918年按立時獻唱，名叫《進到更深處(Deeper and Deeper)》(第一句「進入耶穌心懷中」)。第四節與本主題相連：

進入耶穌大喜樂，不斷深入主愛裡
昇華心靈必躍出，遠離俗世眾煩囂
喜樂引進傷心地，平安充滿流淚谷
耶穌施恩無間斷，加能賜力常喜樂 (李譯)

史密斯作為加拿大牧師和宣教倡導者，還曾在溫尼伯讀書及早期在當地宣道會作短期服事，他成為我事奉的勵勉。他是一位虔誠的祈禱人，並且是一位熱忱於宣教的牧者，是我效法的典範。每次我探訪多倫多天道大學（前身是多倫多聖經學院）的時候，我都喜歡看他留在那裡的記念品。他談論的喜樂是我40年全職事奉中深深渴望著的，而在我現在和將來的事奉中，我仍然渴望得著這種喜樂。

靠主常常喜樂！再喜樂！

主僕
李耀全牧師
主任牧師

Nov 14-15, 2020
From the Pastor’s Desk: Rev. Simon LeeDear brothers and sisters in RCAC,

Alex Trebek, host of ‘Jeopardy!,’ since 1984, passed away peacefully on November 8, 2020 from pancreatic cancer, surrounded by friends and family. He was 80 years old. Some of you may know that the Canadian-born host revealed publicly he was suffering from Stage 4 pancreatic cancer on March 6, 2019. This is what he said, “Now, just like 50,000 other people in the United States each year, this week I was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer,” he said. “Now normally, the prognosis for this is not very encouraging, but I’m going to fight this, and I’m going to keep working.  And with the love and support of my family and friends and with the help of your prayers, also, I plan to beat the low survival rate statistics for this disease.”

These were not actually his final words, but certainly can be regarded as the beginning of his final words to millions of his fans. As one, who since the mid-70 have followed his career off and on till now with fascination, beginning with Reach For the Top, his departure signals for me the end of a generation of enduring promoters of wholesome, entertaining and educational TV, at least for my generation.

At least two things strike me, first, that there are so many people who are suffering from pancreatic cancer, and two, how he vowed to fight on, “with the love and support of my family and friends and with the help of your (the fans’) prayers.”  The fact that so many are battling this disease of course reminds me that I have recently lost two very good friends and colleagues, one who was a friend and missionary from Calgary, and another who was my classmate at Regent and a fellow worker in theological education.  Also the other fact is that like Alex, they left fighting, with the staunch support and prayers of their family and friends around them.  May we remember to support those who are right now also fighting the same or other terminal illnesses.

For Paul, his frequent use of “finally” carries with them always a sense of finality and grave importance, even though they may not be the ultimate “final” words. But the theme is the same as it is always in his heart. Paul says, “Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord.”(3:1) From the letter to the Philippians, we know that Paul was in prison in Rome and was aware that he could depart any time from this world. Yet in such a critical time, Paul was always joyful, and kept urging the Christians in Philippi to “rejoice,” and he repeated that about 11 times in this letter! In fact, he stated that the one thing that could make his joy incomplete would be if the Christians were not united in Christ. (2:1, 2) He then used Christ’s humble servanthood as our model par excellence – “(Christ) though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant.” (2:6) There is joy in serving Jesus with humility like Him and be in unity with one another.

Paul then seems to have departed from the theme of joy to urge the Christians to “work out” (live out, katergauzesthe) your own salvation with fear and trembling.  Surely he is not preaching “salvation by work”!  Paul however is quick to clarify and point out “for it is God who works (bringing forth, energon) in you, both to will and to work (effort, energein) his good pleasure. It is God who brings about both our intention and ability to do that which pleases Him. When they do that and shine, then Paul says he can then say he has not run in vain, and he can rejoice with them again and again (2:16-18). This is also my prayer.

When Paul urged the Christians in Philippi to “rejoice,” his heart was actually heavy with burden, for he knew the Philippians were troubled by heretics (Judaizers) that taught they had to follow certain formalities and ways of doing things  (following strictly the Old Testament laws such as circumcision) in order to be saved. Also, as we have seen earlier, there were also people who served with impure motives, not out of love but out of selfish ambitions, seeking to bring pain and not joy. Paul explains in unmistakable terms that the antidote for him to such conflicts was his total dedication to live and serve “because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ my Lord,” so he can count all other things as “rubbish.” Apart from knowing Christ, Paul also talks about “knowing the power of his resurrection” which gives him not only a sense of purpose, but also the source of strength to stay joyful in adversities.

Now eight months since we officially are in the pandemic, we are seeing in BC another surge in the number of positive cases of people getting the Coronavirus, numbering around 600 every day. These are hard times for a lot of businesses and people who have lost their jobs, and also for people who are further shut-in because of the lockdown and restrictions in social gatherings. I know it has been hard for all who are in RCAC. But can we find joy in our Christian community because we follow the model of Christ as lived out by Paul, in loving and serving one another in unity.  May Paul’s “final words” remind all of us to “Rejoice in the Lord.”

Your Servant in Christ,

Rev. Dr. Simon Lee