They Built Their Houses with Paper and Gingerbread

If we were yet another spore in the mushrooming indie bandwagon (cheesy mixed metaphors due completely to all that Christmas cheese), we would call ourselves "The Paper Houses". Our eponymous debut album would contain the hit singles "People In Paper Houses Shouldn't Light Fires" and "Oh! My Soggy Foundations!".

Fascination with Anna Torborg's paper house templates over at Twelve22 led several happy hours singing carols while trying to deflect attention from poorly wrapped presents with tiny personalised houses.

I liked the tension in the window of the music cafe best with its black cat eyeing a platter of cupcakes, a picture of feline self-control.

The minature home-making continued with gingerbread houses that perched on the rims of mugs of hot tea (until the heat got to the icing) (cheers notmartha).

When the neighbours weren't busy being traumatised by the singing and the smell of burnt gingerbread, they might have caught snippets of podcasts from St. Matthew's Unichurch, Perth.

Thanks to Hayao Miyazaki's Howl's Moving Castle, Rory Shiner's exposition on Romans 6 brought to mind the image of Jesus as a flying home (interestingly The Flying House was a Christian anime series).

It is commonly said in some circles of living the Christian life that, well, the ceremonial law has been abolished but the law is still useful for holiness now that we've understood the gospel and that actually, grace and salvation are conditional on our morals and good behaviour.

But Paul says that the reason that Christians will not and cannot continue in sin because in Christ, we died to sin.

When a Christian puts his trust in Christ to save him from God's judgement on his sins, he does not sign a contract to perform services to God in exchange for salvation. But neither does he merely agree to abide by the terms of membership of the Christian club to follow Christ or be under the rule of Christ, nor is it only that the Spirit comes to live in him to enable him to live as a Christian. Far more than that, the Christian is in Christ - he is crucified with Christ, buried with Christ and raised with Christ (Romans 6:3-5); he is united with Christ.

Christ is a place and the Christian is in him. Christ is like the plane that goes from Singapore to Helsinki (SIN-HEL, haha) and if we are in that plane, we too go from Singapore to Helsinki. What happened to Jesus also happens to the Christian. The Christian participates in the full benefits of what Jesus has to offer and all his blessings, regardless of whether he is quivering in his seat or if he has taken off his shoes and started snoring even before take off.

Christians coming into Christ have, in fact and not as a metaphor, had their old selves killed and buried. Our old selves are not things that have to be beaten into submission so that they will one day; give up the ghost; they are already dead and buried.

If our old sinful selves are dusty history, then because this is true, we must live out the reality that we are dead to sin (Romans 6:11). The imperative is not to pretend for the purposes of the exercise that we are free, but, because our minds are so used to being enslaved to sin, to keep reminding ourselves that we are now, in fact, free from having to obey our sinful thoughts and desires. To return to sin would be as absurd as an emancipated slave running back to be chained to a galley with little food and water and to be ill-treated and then die a painful torturous death because "I can't help it, I just need to do it. My family background and genes compel me to do it." or "I cannot be happy and satisfied in life until I return to slavery" (Romans 6:12-23).

Organically, something has changed in the Christian. The Christian life is then about reckoning to ourselves what God has reckoned to us: freedom from the slavery of sin and freedom to fulfil our full potential as human beings - as slaves of God (Romans 6:15-23).

Monty, the cliché from 2009, says "Know the truth and the truth will set you free".

Churlish Christmas Cookies and Celebrating Christmas

Christmas cookie baking with Karl Richter is always a FAIL

The time came for the Christmas cookies to be baked, and they were baked to Karl Richter's Handel's Messiah, because there was no Masaaki Suzuki in the music stash.

But the burnt and leprosy-ridden butter snowflakes and head-losing gingerbread people were depictions of the real reason for celebrating Christmas.

Jordan (from Jordan), who is wintering hereabouts following an unfortunate accident, says: discover Christ, rediscover Christmas.

Even discounting the gift-giving red-and-white Santa/St. Nicholas popularised by Cocoa-Cola, the real spirit of Christmas isn't ultimately about cultivating a mindset of peace and goodwill to all, love for one's fellowmen and generous hospitality featuring family-togetherness, good friends, roasts and spuds, mixed fruit desserts, mulled wine with cinnamon stick stirrers, consumed in the midst of a heavy cloud of citrus studded with cloves; it is celebrating the birth of the man who did not come to bring peace on earth but a sword, who divided families (Matthew 10:34-36), who demanded absolutely everything (including their very lives) from his followers (Matthew 10:37-39), who condemned those who did not acknowledge him as Messiah and Christ.

Which is why Handel's Messiah isn't all Hallelujah chorus without context - the rejoicing in that popular Christmas chorus is actually in reaction to God's final and terrible judgement on those who do not worship his Son as Lord and Saviour*.

Handel's Messiah was originally written for Easter but surely any Easter song is interchangeable for a Christmas one because any celebration of Jesus' birth must encompass his antagonistic claims that all of history has been awaiting his birth, his exclusivist insistence that salvation from the fallen-ness of this world and its ultimate destruction comes solely through him, his shameful crucifixion, his lonely death and his triumphant resurrection.

Christians can celebrate Christmas because they alone can sing Part Three of Handel's Messiah:

I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. (Job 19 : 25-26)
For now is Christ risen from the dead, the first fruits of them that sleep. (I Corinthians 15 : 20)

Since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. (I Corinthians 15 : 21-22)

Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. (I Corinthians 15 : 51-52)

The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality. (I Corinthians 15 : 52-53)

Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory. (I Corinthians 15 : 54)

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. (I Corinthians 15 : 55-56)

But thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (I Corinthians 15 : 57)

If God be for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8 : 31)

Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is at the right hand of God, who makes intercession for us. (Romans 8 : 33-34)

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and hath redeemed us to God by His blood, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. Blessing and honour, glory and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 5 : 12-13)

They can rejoice because they have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus and need no longer stumble under the burden of the condemnation of their sin; they can die without fear because Jesus' resurrection is proof that they too will be raised on the Last Day, not to face God's wrath and then everlasting death but to everlasting life, to live in perfect relationship with God forever in a world where things more important than gingerbread people have been made whole again.

* Messiah - Libretto

MAJORA CANAMUS (Virgil, Eclogue IV)
And without controversy, great is the Mystery of Godliness: God was manifested in the Flesh, justified by the Spirit, seen of Angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the World, received up in Glory (I Timothy 3 : 16)
In whom are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge (Colossians II : 3)

PART ONE : The prophesy and realization of God's plan to redeem mankind by the coming of the Messiah

Sinfony (Overture)

Accompagnato (Tenor or Soprano)
Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplish'd, that her Iniquity is pardoned. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness; prepare ye the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. (Isaiah 40 : 1-3)

Air (Tenor or Soprano)
Ev'ry valley shall be exalted, and ev'ry mountain and hill made low; the crooked straight, and the rough places plain. (Isaiah 40 : 4)
Chorus
And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see together; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. (Isaiah 40 : 5)

Accompagnato (Bass)
Thus saith the Lord, the Lord of Hosts; Yet once a little while and I will shake the heav'ns and the earth, the sea and the dry land: And I will shake all nations; and the desire of all nations shall come. (Haggai 2 : 6-7)
The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the Covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, He shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts.
(Malachi 3 : 1)

Air (Alto)
But who may abide the day of His coming, and who shall stand when He appeareth? For He is like a refiner's fire. (Malachi 3 : 2)
Chorus
And He shall purify the sons of Levi, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.
(Malachi 3 : 3)

Recitative (Alto)
Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call his name Emmanuel, GOD WITH US. (Isaiah 7 : 14; Matthew 1 : 23)

Air (Alto) & Chorus
O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up into the high mountain. O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, behold your God! O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, Arise, shine, for thy Light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. (Isaiah 40 : 9; Isaiah 60 : 1)

Accompagnato (Bass)
For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people; but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. (Isaiah 60 : 2-3)

Air (Bass)
The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; and they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. (Isaiah 9 : 2)
Chorus
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9 : 6)

Pifa (Sinfonia pastorale)

Recitative (Soprano)
There were shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night. (Luke 2 : 8)

Accompagnato (Soprano)
And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. (Luke 2 : 9)

Recitative (Soprano)
And the angel said unto them: Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2 : 10-11)

Accompagnato (Soprano)
And suddenly there was with the angel, a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying: (Luke 2 : l3)
Chorus
Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth, good will towards men. (Luke 2 : 14)

Air (Soprano or Tenor)
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, thy King cometh unto thee; He is the righteous Saviour, and He shall speak peace unto the heathen.(Zecharaiah 9 : 9-10)

Recitative (Soprano)
Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing.
(Isaiah 35 : 5-6)

Aria (Soprano)
He shall feed His flock like a shepherd; and He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. (Isaiah 40 : 11)
Come unto Him, all ye that labour, come unto Him that are heavy laden, an He will give you rest. Take His yoke upon you, and learn of Him, for He is meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (Matthew 11 : 28-29)
Chorus
His yoke is easy, and his burden is light. (Matthew 11 : 30)

PART TWO : The accomplishment of redemption by the sacrifice of Jesus, mankind's rejection of God's offer, and mankind's utter defeat when trying to oppose the power of the Almighty
Chorus
Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1 : 29)

Air (Alto)
He was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. (Isaiah 53 : 3)
He gave His back to the smiters, and His cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: He hid not His face from shame and spitting. (Isaiah 50 : 6)
Chorus
Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows! He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him. (Isaiah 53 : 4-5)
Chorus
And with His stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53 : 5)
Chorus
All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53 : 6)

Accompagnato (Tenor or Soprano)
All they that see Him laugh Him to scorn; they shoot out their lips, and shake their heads, saying: (Psalms 22 : 7)
Chorus
He trusted in God that He would deliver Him; let Him deliver Him, if He delight in Him. (Psalms 22 : 8)

Accompagnato (Tenor or Soprano)
Thy rebuke hath broken His heart: He is full of heaviness. He looked for some to have pity on Him, but there was no man, neither found He any to comfort Him. (Psalms 69 : 20)

Arioso (Tenor or Soprano)
Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto His sorrow. (Lamentations 1 : 12)

Accompagnato (Tenor or Soprano)
He was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgressions of Thy people was He stricken. (Isaiah 53 : 8)

Air (Tenor or Soprano)
But Thou didst not leave His soul in hell; nor didst Thou suffer Thy Holy One to see corruption. (Psalms 16 : 10)
Chorus
Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is this King of Glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is this King of Glory? The Lord of Hosts, He is the King of Glory. (Psalms 24 : 7-10)

Recitative (Tenor or Soprano)
Unto which of the angels said He at any time: Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee? (Hebrews 1 : 5)
Chorus
Let all the angels of God worship Him. (Hebrews 1 : 6)

Air (Alto)
Thou art gone up on high; Thou hast led captivity captive, and received gifts for men; yea, even from Thine enemies, that the Lord God might dwell among them. (Psalms 68 : 18)
Chorus
The Lord gave the word; great was the company of the preachers. (Psalms 68 : 11)

Air (Soprano)
How beautiful are the feet of them: that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things. (Romans 10 : 15)
Chorus
Their sound is gone out into all lands, and their words unto the ends of the world. (Romans 10 : 18 / Psalms 19 : 4)

Air (Bass)
Why do the nations so furiously rage together, and why do the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth rise up, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord, and against His Anointed. (Psalms 2 : 1-2)
Chorus
Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their yokes from us. (Psalms 2 : 3)

Recitative (Tenor)
He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn; the Lord shall have them in derision. (Psalms 2 : 4)

Air (Tenor)
Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. (Psalms 2 : 9)
Chorus
Hallelujah! for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. (Revelation 19 : 6)
The kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 11 : 15)
King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. (Revelation 19 : 16)
Hallelujah!

PART THREE : A Hymn of Thanksgiving for the final overthrow of Death
Air (Soprano)
I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. (Job 19 : 25-26)
For now is Christ risen from the dead, the first fruits of them that sleep. (I Corinthians 15 : 20)
Chorus
Since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. (I Corinthians 15 : 21-22)

Accompagnato (Bass)
Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. (I Corinthians 15 : 51-52)

Air (Bass)
The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality. (I Corinthians 15 : 52-53)

Recitative (Alto)
Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory. (I Corinthians 15 : 54)

Duet (Alto/Tenor)
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. (I Corinthians 15 : 55-56)
Chorus
But thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (I Corinthians 15 : 57)

Air (Soprano)
If God be for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8 : 31)
Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is at the right hand of God, who makes intercession for us. (Romans 8 : 33-34)
Chorus
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and hath redeemed us to God by His blood, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. Blessing and honour, glory and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 5 : 12-13)

from here

God Does His Own Work at a Youth Camp

The presumption might have been that youth camp would be easier now after all the years of running such camps. And what with all the detailed planning months in advance this time round

and the overnighters (fuelled by Chocodates from Dubai) for last minute stuff just before camp.

But the parable of the sower (Luke 8:9-15 via William Taylor's Midweek at St. Helen's city podcast) scoffs at such dangerous complacency. For Jesus warns us that wherever God's work is done and where the word is preached, Satan waits to snatch it away. So Christian gatherings - church or such youth camps are particularly vulnerable.

Even before being faced with the discouragement that is the natural consequence of the sinfulness of others and of self, the modus operandi should have been prayer. John 17 (via this past Sunday's sermon at The Crossing Church) shows us that Jesus' priority when faced with the conclusion of his mission on earth was prayerful dependence on God, even though he himself was part of the godhead. How could we mortal men then have foolishly assumed that by planning better or trying harder, we might have more success in the doing of God's work.

But God was gracious so that even in our stupid relative/reluctant prayerlessness, he gave growth to the repeat speakers in their handling of God's word, the repeat scampers in their understanding of him, lovely scampers and campers, health and safety (other than a few funny tummies and a scrapped elbow), and fun to be had by all. He also brought us Rory Shiner from St. Matthew's Unichurch in Perth, who provided much refreshment in his talks on the resurrection ("THE resurrection, not necessarily Jesus'").

We had a bumper crop of boys this year so it was great that the ideas God had given were mostly rough and tumble, and slightly gross.

We started off with pingpong air hockey and ended with a rather wet dinner table that needed a wipe-down with disinfectant. It would have been grosser if the i/c for the game had agreed to go along with my variation of having the competitors chew on a crumbly cookie before each game. Pingpong dodgeball after featured some terrible strategies (sticking together in a bunch) and some slightly sneaky ones (pretending to be the wallpaper).

That afternoon, there was ultimate frisbee Aerobie flying ring and then, when a flying ring had been stuck up a tree, scoutball (which the professional PE teacher explained was really tag rugby and yes, they did play that in school).

It was gloriously sunny on the first day, and then on the second, when there was blind water volleyball complete with a temperamental net that got rather bored and decided to wander off at some point, leading to an all-out waterbomb fight.

While everyone was nice and wet, the flour game was introduced. It was meant to illustrate the importance of knowing which voice to listen to in the cacophony. Doing the really sloow commando crawl was probably the worst tactic evah.

The wide game, hastily put together to take into consideration the different proclivities of this year's campers, got everyone on a bit of a high so there were many incriminating photos of people doing rather strange things with the unofficial mascot, a rubber chicken with a loud squawk that I intended to use as a morning alarm (hereinafter known as "The Chicken"). There were very good imitation of animal noises, worrying You Jump I Jump scenes with The Chicken on the bumboat back from Pulau Ubin, and the horde arriving back at camp singing "When the Saints Go Marching In" at the top of their lungs. The Golden Chicken Awards after tummies had been stuffed with good barbie was a great way to round up the evening.

On the indoor games front, the usual camp favourites of Saboteur, Sleeping Queens and even Cranium fell by the wayside in favour of:


Blokus for the senior campers (scampers)


and Apples to Apples for all, to be blamed, no doubt, on the preponderance of ACS boys and other waffley types. ;-)

It was good fun making silly announcements at breakfast with loads of dressing up: there was a cute little leviathan, a surly pirate who kept giggling and a spartan dude who needed his six-pack drawn-on.

With all that was going on at camp - the talks, the studies, book club, cooking, games, chatting, singing, playing musical instruments with varying degrees of competence, it was good (and in fact necessary) that we started each day (at coffee-fuelled 7.45am) with 2 Corinthians 4 and prayer to set and/or straighten up our priorities with God's help.

Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.

Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written,"I believed, and so I spoke," we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4)

While the scaffolding (teacher-speak apparently) helps set the tone for camp, I pray that though now we strive with much sweat and tears, it will always be my prayer that in 5, 10, 20 years from now, the participants remember neither the fun they had nor the great brand name we've given the camps nor even the people who've told them the gospel but God whose glory we preach. For this ministry is his and sustained by him.

"May they forget the channel, seeing only him."

Bicycle Polo

Some Day, this will come to fruition.

It seemed a brilliant idea fished from the murky polluted-river-y depths of my mind: bicycles + upturned umbrellas as mallets + a ball = bicycle polo. Brilliant!

A google of the term revealed, of course, that the too-poor-for-ponies-much-less-a-pachyderm Indian commonmen invented it about a century ago when horse and elephant polo were the games of choice of British colonials and the Maharajah respectively.

And apparently the depths of people's minds are murkier than mine because real bicycle polo cycles come with no brakes. And even braking facilities did not prevent me from tripping over and almost impaling myself on the pointy end of the brolly, so probably vastly more refinement needed before throwing some youth at this game at camp.

Some Day...