Now this morning I’d like us again to look into the series of the look of love and in particular about the issue of vengeance. A person who is filled with the Gospel of Jesus Christ does not react in vengeance but he expresses his life in love. And before we start our message today, I just like to give you a little video clip to introduce a scene that may be familiar in your home.

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I wonder if this is your family? You know arguments, quarrels, fightings, animosity, retaliation, these are words that can destroy a very happy home. And the sad thing is, often quarrels start with very trivial, minor things. I forgot the milk! Why is it that your socks are always all over the place? Why can’t you just help out in the family? How can you be so useless? You never seemed to be able to do anything right? And if you trace your arguments, it is often over very minor, trivial things. But you see, one hurt generates another hurt that generates another hurt and the whole thing escalates into a shouting match. And so what was supposed to be a very happy family, turns out to be a war zone where blood is shed.

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Can I tell you a secret? You… don’t tell any one alright? But I want to tell you a secret but don’t go and tell anyone, alright? I’ll say very, very quietly. Your pastor quarrels with his wife. (Laughter from congregation) I do. I do, I quarrel with my wife. And it’s not only one time. Many times in my life. Much more than I wish. It is, that I do quarrel with my wife. And therefore when I watched this video, I… I can totally identify with it. I could… I could picture the exasperation, frustration, anger, that both of us would experience when we go into quarrels. And if we were to trace our quarrels, most of the time, 99% of the time, it’s over very trivial, minor things.

And when I quarrel, when we get into an argument, I’m not proud about it. Because I realise that’s the way the flesh reacts. Someone, one of us may say something insensitive, do something insensitive and we hurt each other and the hurt generates further hurt and further hurt and we escalate. Thankfully, your pastor has never beaten his wife. But please don’t go and tell people your pastor beats… ah no… your pastor quarrels with his wife. But that’s the reality! That’s… that’s what the flesh reacts when it’s hurt. When I’m bruised, I react in retaliation.  Maybe you are like me? I’m sure you are like me. Just that you don’t want to say it. But maybe you grew up in a home where there is a lot of abuse. You grew up in a home where there’s fightings and quarrellings, and eh… you see your parents fight. And you hear your parents take it out on you when they are unhappy and you don’t like the way your family operates. Or maybe you have just quarrelled? This week you’ve quarrelled with your wife or your husband? Or last night over 团圆饭(tuan yuan fan) (Mandarin words meaning reunion dinner) you quarrel with your wife, with your husband. Or on the way to church this morning: “Can’t you be faster?” “I’m already very fast ok!” You’re not proud of the way you responded. Maybe young people here, you quarrelled with your classmate, your boyfriend, your girlfriend, your colleagues and you’re not proud of the way you have handled the matter or you have carried yourself. Therefore in this series, we are looking at how a man, a woman, like you and me, when we suffer hurt and betrayal and insults and slander, how is it possible that we can respond in blessings, praying, healing and forgiving? It’s difficult! If you’ve ever been in a quarrel, you know it’s really difficult to move from here to here (pointing to banners on stage).

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How can we do that? And you see that’s the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the life changing work of Jesus in our lives that enables any man to be able to respond in blessing and praying, forgiving and healing when he’s suffered hurt and bruising and betrayal. It’s the power of God and as you go deeper into the Gospel, the Holy Spirit works a greater work in your life. That this reality will be seen. So that when you go through the trials, go through the pains, go through the betrayals of life, what comes out is something amazing and beautiful.

You may be wondering why I’ve placed one stalk of lemon grass on all your seats? This… this time I don’t want to put under your chair already. Might as well just tell you the secret. But I want to share with you about the lemon grass. I was thinking about this. I was thinking about what God has to say for us and I was thinking about this little vegetable or plant or stalk that you have. This lemon grass is amazing! I… I like you to do a little experiment with me now. Just take that lemon grass and… and smell it, alright? Smell it. Can you smell it? I was thinking, like Christians we are… or like the lemon grass. Christians are… we’re like lemon grass. We… we have this smell about us. But this smell as you have done it. Some of you can’t smell… I know like myself, blocked nose… er… what ah? What smell is this huh? It’s very faint. It’s not very obvious. But if you want to smell it very clearly, what you do is you go back home, take a big cleaver and whack it. You bruise it! You crush it! You smatter it and after that the smell becomes very obvious.

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How do you know if you are a Christian? How do you know Jesus lives in your life? How do you know the Gospel has a deep work within your soul? Well, this is how you know. When you are bruised, what comes out is something beautiful. And so this morning, I’d like to share with you: ‘Beautiful when Bruised.’ It’s a beautiful thing. It’s a beautiful thing. This is how I know I’m a child of God. How I know God has a deep work in my life. Not because I wear a necklace. Not because I carry a big fat Bible. Not because I’m born in a Christian home. But when I am bruised, there’s a beautiful aroma that comes out of my life. And it’s natural. It’s here. It’s real. A Christian may not be so aromatic until he is bruised. You realised that? The real test of your Christianity is when you are hurt and betrayed. When you are insulted and slandered, you come out with blessing and praying and healing and forgiving. So when the Gospel has a deep work in your life, this is what will happen. This is what Jesus does for us. He came to redeem us from sin. He gave… He came to give us the power of a new life. So what does this smell, what is this aroma exactly like? Can you describe the lemon grass aroma? Lemony, very clever! Alright? (Laughter from congregation) Lemon grass aroma is lemony, ok? Any other words? Not always easy to describe. But let me describe to you the aroma of a Christian when he is bruised. It’s found for us in Romans chapter 12, in verse 17 and 18. It says here: “Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honourable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” Now, Paul here in the book of Romans is saying, when you know the Gospel and when you surrender yourself now to Jesus as a result of the Gospel, this is what you will do in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. You will not repay anyone evil for evil, you will give thought to do what is honourable in the sight of all and you will live peaceably with all. So this is the aroma. This is the style of living. This is the way of your life. He says first of all, repay no one evil for evil. In other words, you don’t return an evil deed for… to someone who has done an evil deed to you. Er… some of you may say, “Well Pastor, isn’t this what the Bible is saying: we ought to give an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, doesn’t the Bible say that?” Well, the Bible absolutely says that. But the Bible doesn’t apply to us as individuals to carry out an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. It’s given in the Old Testament to Israel and to the judges. It’s the way your jurisdiction is to be practised. When someone litters, you don’t kill him. But when someone murders, you don’t just fine him $50. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth is the standard, a principle given to judges. But not to individuals to exercise vengeance.

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Jesus later corrected the wrong understanding of the Jews. You thought it’s an eye for an eye but no, you never exercise this for personal vengeance! The Bible says repay no one evil for evil. Now it’s Chinese New Year, so let me test you with some Chinese idioms, alright? Er… David, Kelly, you want to try? Hehe… he… (laughing)… um… what will be an equivalent for an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth? (Response from congregation) That’s too easy lah! Another one? Sheng Siong? (Laughter from congregation) Wah… what Sheng Siong? What’s another way of er… an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth? 你做… 初一, 我做十五 (ni zuo chu yi, wo zuo shi wu) (Mandarin words meaning an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth) The Chinese mentality… every culture alright,  almost every culture, embedded in them is this belief: If you do this to me, I have every right to return the ‘favour’ to you.

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But the Bible says no. You don’t repay anyone evil for evil. Why? It’s very obvious. Two wrongs don’t make a right! Hehehe…just because someone did evil to me, doesn’t justify me doing evil to him. Two wrongs don’t make a right! You don’t fight fire with fire! Or in the words of James, chapter 1, he says, “The wrath of man does not work out the righteousness of God.” It’s not God’s will at all. You remember how this man Peter, saw his master being grabbed and captured by the soldiers? He was angry! How could you do this to Jesus, my master! He took out a sword and he chopped off Malchus’s ear. Wow, very ‘jun’ though!  (Hokkien dialect meaning very accurate) I mean you must have surgical precision to chop the ear, it’s not easy! But he did it! Ccchhop! He wanted to use violence to counteract violence. And Jesus, his master says, “He that takes the sword shall die by the sword.” You don’t fight violence with violence; you don’t repay evil with evil!

Worst part about evil or retaliation in vengeance is not only is it wrong, it can get very excessive. Because when someone hurts you, this is what you think alright? I’ve got to hurt you back. Because someone’s got to pay. And when you want someone to pay, you want them to pay with interest. You did this to me! I’m going to do much worst to you! That’s… that’s how it is. That’s why when people drive… those who drive, someone cuts in front of you, what do you do? Huh! I’m going to get you! Zehhhhhhh(car speeding sound)… jam brake! (Laughter from congregation) So that he may bump into your back. But that guy is smarter than you, so he will go again ahead in front of you. And you do this kind of a chase, until he overtakes the police car. (Laughter from congregation) You see, you want him to pay and often it gets worse than the one before. And therefore a trivial matter like a husband forgetting to bring home the milk will escalate and escalate and escalate beyond reasonable degree. Someone said this, he said: “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.”

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You just go crazy because you are driven with vengeance. Again another Chinese proverb I used last week, what is it? When you take vengeance on each other, it’s a never ending cycle. Chinese New Year lah, humour me. Ah?  冤冤相报, 何时了? (yuan yuan xiang bao, he shi liao) (Mandarin words meaning when you avenge wrongs to each other, when will it end?) It never ends. Because someone’s got to pay, someone’s got to pay, someone’s got to pay… and it’s a vicious cycle. Therefore Jesus and apostle Paul says, “Repay no one evil for evil.” Don’t do it! In fact Jesus give us a very radical principle, when someone slaps you, you turn to him the other cheek. It’s not to say you really literally do that. But it’s saying to you don’t repay evil for evil but repay evil with kindness, with goodness, with favour; with blessing and praying; with healing and forgiving. So this is the way a Christian reacts when he is bruised.

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Is that in your life? Wow! You know what? That is supernatural living. There’s a lot of people who believe supernatural living is: oh, heal me! Give me this money. Let me tell you what is supernatural living. When you are able to live such a life when you are severely provoked. That is real Gospel living in Jesus Christ!

But a second way to describe this aroma of a bruised lemon grass Christian is: he will give thought to do what is honourable in the sight of all. It’s a very interesting word, interesting statement here. The words ‘give thought’ are in the Greek is just one word – pronoeo which means to consider beforehand. So, the English translation does not really bring out its essence. But it is what this means. You don’t repay anyone evil for evil but you will think beforehand. You will think in advance what is honourable in the sight of all. Why? Because when you react immediately or when you respond impulsively, what comes out always is the tendency to repay evil for evil. Think about when you quarrel with your wife, your spouse, you didn’t think and the immediate thing is ‘buay song’ one lah. (Hokkien words meaning pissed off or not happy) You say that to me ah… ok lah… and you whack him or whack her straight away. But Paul is saying when he is a child of God, when he is so transformed by the Gospel, there is a perspective about him. He… he doesn’t… he doesn’t say: 不管三七二十一 (bu guan san qi er shi yi). (Mandarin words meaning you don’t care about the consequence) Oor… today a lot of numbers, Chinese words… but he will 三思而后行 (san si er hou xing). (Mandarin words meaning think thrice before you act) The brethren from China, you’ve come in the right day lah. (Laughter from congregation) This is the only day I use so much Chinese I supposed. You will三思而后行 (san si er hou xing), you will think before you jump. You will think before you speak. You will think before you respond because the Gospel life person does this. He considers beforehand. To do what? To do what is honourable. Very interesting again, Paul is very precise – the word ‘honourable’ here is the word ‘kalos’ which is something beautiful, handsome, excellent, eminent, commendable, admirable.

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You say why do I give you all these words? Because in the Greek there is another word for ‘good’ or ‘honourable’. The word is ‘agathos’. You know the Agatha Christie? Agathos, it means good. What is the difference between ‘kalos’ and ‘agathos’? ‘Kalos’ is what is on the outside, especially. ‘Agathos’ is what is on the inside, especially. Now Paul is not saying do something fake, that’s not the point. But he’s saying, be very watchful! Be very careful when people insult you, when people slander you, when people hurt you. Be sure to think about what is… going to be done to them. So that it appears also well to all who are watching your life.

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So he’s saying this, before any man is saved, he really lives his life like不管三七二十一 (bu guan san qi er shi yi), he doesn’t care what people think. He doesn’t. But when a man comes to Jesus, he recognise he has a new position in life. He’s an ambassador for Jesus. He’s a representative of the Most High and therefore when people insult him, he’s very careful about the way he responds. Suppose you are an ambassador for Singapore. And you go to an international conference. In an international conference, people talk badly about your country, they laugh at your country, they insult your country. As an ambassador, what do you do? Do you return an eye for an eye? Oh no, you know it’s all filmed on Youtube and it will be remembered for a long time. Therefore you say, “No matter how, 我要忍 (wo yao ren).” (Mandarin words meaning I must tolerate it). (Laughter from congregation) I must tolerate it. I must think in advance that this is going to be difficult and I will try my best to do what is ‘kalos’ in the sight of all, to do what is honourable, admirable. I will carry myself because I am an ambassador. And a Christian thinks like that.

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Peter says the same thing. Er… let me just put it so that you are clear. It says, “Repay no one evil for evil but consider beforehand to do what is commendable in the sight of all.” The whole world is watching you  folks! What God is saying here, what Paul is saying here is, as you live your life in this world, the world is watching you! They watch how you react. They don’t look at the car you drive, the house you live in, they look at the way you react. How do you respond when you are betrayed and slandered and hurt. Peter says in essence the same thing. He says, “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles.” He says, be very careful that it is honourable so that when they speak against you as evil doers, they may see your good deeds. So Peter is saying as a stranger, as a pilgrim, as a representative of Jesus on this earth, the world is watching. Be careful about the way you live your life. Therefore as a servant, this is what you need to do: Be subject to your masters. To your IBM boss, to your Pizza Hut boss, whatever, with all respect. Not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust, the crooked, the wicked. When the wicked treats you bad, be sure you respond with respect. Wah… why? Because the whole world is watching you. Because if you return evil for evil, you are like the world, you are no different. And the name of Christ is in a sense, dragged through the mud. But when you give thought, think in advance, you glorify Jesus.

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Some of you have spouses who are unsaved. And they may be terrible to you. They may treat you bad. And you say I want to… I want to just return evil for your… I want to give him an eye for an eye!  给他好受 (gei ta hao shou) (Mandarin words meaning let him suffer)! Well, the Bible says to you wives, be careful how you live your live so that your husband may see and one day be saved. Wives, be subject to your own husband, even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives. When they see your respectful and pure conduct. Does the Bible ever give the spouse a right to say an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth? No! But won’t I be taken advantage of? Maybe… maybe. But Jesus knows. God knows. You are not left on your own. He is with you. But this is your responsibility, to think beforehand what you will do. And overall this is the principle, this is the will of God. That by doing good, you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.

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So, this is the will of God. That we will consider beforehand to do what is commendable in the sight of all. That’s the aroma of a lemon grass Christian. We live in an age where it is very digital. I know you… very few of you actually talk to people. Am I right? And I think thirty years down the road, your kids right now will talk even less to people and their kids will talk even, even less. Why? Because we are all on… computer! And everything is SMS and Whatsapp and emails. Can I say this principle is also very important in the way you communicate via SMS, email, Whatsapp. We live in a day full of social media and it is very sad when Christians don’t think in advance what they are going to post. I tell you, one day you may be Prime Minister. And then someone will throw your internet records thirty years ago and say, “You look at him! You look at him! Look at what he said!” It’s just not wise. Even if you are not Prime Minister, you are the representative of the Most High. And so think twice, thrice, before you post anything out of anger and hatred on Youtube, Facebook, Whatsapp, Twitter. Just think it’s common… common sense but the Bible does tell us, think beforehand. Do that.

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John MacArthur… he said, “I’ve tried to do that through the years.” In other words, to consider beforehand to do what is commendable in the sight of all. “For example, when I received mails from people who had been angry with me for things that I’ve said from the pulpit. I’ve learned to pre-meditate (Eh…that is the word ‘pronoeo’, to think beforehand, to consider beforehand) my response so that I can reply in kindness to those who are hostile.” And he says, “Usually, I respond with something like, ‘Thank you for your concern. If I’ve done anything to offend you, forgive me. Please pray for me that I might be the man that God wants me to be.’ ” Now let me say this, I don’t think he is doing this like a surface cover-up. 表面功夫 (biao mian gong fu)  (Mandarin words meaning superficial act) No, I don’t think so. I think he genuinely means it. He wants this. But he does say to himself, “I’ve got to premeditate.” I’ve got to prepare myself because when the emails comes, when I respond immediately, it is likely to be bad. So I help myself. I follow the Scriptures. I say, “Repay no one evil for evil. I give thought to do what is honourable in the sight of all.”

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Now the last angle to this fragrance of a lemon grass Christian I want to bring to you is this: If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Now, this again is very different from what the world is thinking. The world is thinking this: “Well, you don’t like me, I don’t like you! Let’s quit! Let’s split! I don’t have to do anything with you. I don’t have to bother you. We just quit!” The world is very fast to disengage. You realise that? They disengage in marriages very quickly, very easily. But the Christian adopts a different approach. As far as it depends on you, if possible, live peacefully with all. In other words, he doesn’t disengage quickly. He tries his utmost best. He proactively, he exhausts every opportunity for reconciliation and for healing. Now this is difficult. Because when you argue with someone, you would want to go into cold war. Isn’t it? You just want to ignore him. You just want to give him the silent treatment. You may leave your family, you may leave your job, you may leave your church. But this is the way the flesh will respond. But a Gospelised person says “No.” As far as it be possible. Now, by the way, it is not always possible, obviously. So what this verse is saying is: it’s not always possible to be at peace with all men. Jesus himself, the ultimate peacemaker, was not at peace with all men or not all men were at peace with him.

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But this verse does say, you must try your utmost best. Exhaust every opportunity to make peace. Do your best. What it means is this: if you are a child today, you are a teenager, you are in a school, you have friends, don’t be like me when I was young. I don’t friend you already! You know how it is? They say something like: “I don’t friend you!” And forever, ever you never talk to this friend. No, no, no! A Gospelised person says, “Alright, you did that to me but I’m going to try my best to reconcile with you.” By the way, it’s not just about the church alright? It’s with all… all men. Your classmates, your colleagues, anyone. It means this: if you today are facing a marital problem, don’t quit from your spouse quickly. Please don’t. You may think it’s the easiest way out. You may think that you have enough of this rubbish. But try your utmost best to live peaceably.

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Reconcile. Even if it is a case of adultery. I don’t think the Bible is saying if there is adultery in the family, straight away you say I divorce. No. There is forgiveness. You know that God or… God gives us examples in the Bible where adultery takes place and yet it can be healed. It can be restored. Don’t just quit! In the family, in the church. In fact, the church… there are people who just… just leave for the slightest of reason without even attempting reconciliation. And you know what, that is unbiblical. The Bible tells you that if you know your brother has something against you, go… go reconcile with him even before you come to worship. He’s saying this is of utmost priority. Don’t just quit! A Gospelised person emits such an aroma. You know this is radical living. It’s not… it’s not normal in this world! It may be just 2 verses, short lines but to live this out requires the Gospel to go deep into our hearts. That our lives will be so changed, that we’ll be like lemon grass.

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It begins right here. He has a deep commitment to restoration and not to hurt. And then it will be expressed in the ways he thinks, he premeditates, he… he considers beforehand, so that when the provocation comes, he will not respond to anyone with evil for evil. How do you get here? How do you get to live this life? Let me say this again. You’ve come… you’ve got to come to the cross. I hope this is not a moral lesson, alright? I… I think this can be taken as a moral lesson where you say, “Ok, this is what I’ve got to do. I’ve got to grit my teeth, put on a plastic smile and things will be fine.” No! The argument and the reasoning of Paul is, this does not come in Romans Chapter 1. This only comes in Romans chapter 12, after he shared with you, after he explained to you what God has done for you in Jesus Christ. And only in response to the Gospel will you be able to present your bodies a living sacrifice that lives in such a way.

So if you want to be a person who is like a lemon grass, when you are most beautiful and bruised. It’s got to be a work from the inside out. And you’ve got to go to the cross. You’ve got to work the Gospel deep into your heart, not just your head. But into your heart!

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You’ve got to read and meditate on Scripture! You’ve got to pray, “God, make this so real to me your Gospel, so real to me that when I’m bruised, I’m beautiful.” It means this: consider Jesus and pray that the life of Jesus would be seen in you. Not your life, but His life. This is the verse we looked at last week. It’s a great verse. I show this again: “For to this you have been called,” To what? “… because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you might follow in his steps.” Oh, this is what He wants you to live in. But He doesn’t want you to live in, without knowing that He has done it and you are to follow Him. To look at the cross and see His example. How Judas and his disciples and the Jews forsook Him and yet He could say, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” It means when you go to the cross, you see the magnitude of your sins that Jesus had to pay for you. And you see such a forgiving, loving God and in the light of His great grace and mercy, you say, “Lord, I find grace to forgive those who have trespass against me.” It’s going back to the cross. It’s going to the cross and recognising that in Jesus, you are secure! You don’t have to fight. You don’t have to win. Jesus has already won. You don’t have to! You’re secure in Him! And as you root yourself in the cross, in the Gospel, in Jesus, you can live that victorious life.

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My friends, this morning I come back to the lemon grass in your hand. I want to give you an object lesson. Something you hold, something you see, something you smell and even something you taste. That you’ll remember that this is what Christianity is all about. This is what Gospel living is all about. That when I’m bruised, I’m beautiful. You know what? When you respond in a way Paul described it in Romans, you make God look glorious. You do. Because they look at your life and say, “Wow, how come you’re so different?” You’re like Jesus. When you suffer, you don’t retaliate. When you’re threaten, you don’t respond in vengeance. You’re following Jesus. He must be dear to you. You’re following Jesus because He has forgiven you so much.  Jesus is glorious because obviously Jesus has changed your life and you make God look glorious as you are beautiful when bruised! And you know what? This is worship.

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I fight this mentality… we always think worship is what we do here. Once a week, for one hour or so. No! Real worship is everywhere you go. After Chinese New Year, you’ll go back to your office. Right? Probably Wednesday. And when you go back to your office, your boss may scold you again. I pray you will be like a lemon grass. When he pounds you, you’ll… eh… how come so fragrant ah? (Laughter from congregation) Wah… that’s… that’s amazing ah? I can… I feel like having curry chicken. Or when you go back to your home and… and your husband abuses you. And he’s surprised how come over these months, you seemed to be changing. How come? God must have done something in your life. And that makes God glorious. That’s worship! That’s living a life of worship. It’s not here only when you sing a few songs. And sing real… loudly, just to impress people around you. But you go back and you repay an evil for evil. That’s real life!

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That’s real worship everywhere we go. And let me tell you that when you live such a life, you are most like God!

Again, I say, a godly man is not who he is when he wears his er… necklace and T-shirts and… and wristbands. A man who is most like God is this, the Bible says: “Love your enemies.” Huh… what? Love your enemies. Even when he hurts me, betrays me, slanders me? Yes. And what… pray for those who hunt after you so that you may be sons of your Father. This is family-likeness. I’m like my Father when I respond with good for evil. Why? Because your Father makes the sun to rise on the evil and on the good and send rain on the just and the unjust. This is our Father who loves His enemies. The rain in Singapore doesn’t fall unto my house and not my neighbour’s house. And not, not on my neighbour’s house is it? It falls pretty much on the whole area together. It does not come down in shafts. And every day as you look at the sunshine, every day as you look at the rain, remind yourself of the love of God. And remind of yourself the way you treat your enemies. This is the way you mark yourself as His child.

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Charles Swindoll says this, I thought it’s really interesting: “We are most like beasts when we kill. We are most like men when we judge. We are most like God when we forgive.” There’s someone in your life today you need to forgive. Maybe it’s a husband who has done you wrong. A wife who has betrayed you. A parent who has failed you. You say, “I can never forgive him. I can never, never ever! Because you don’t know what he has done to me!” Let me tell you what Jesus has done for you. And what Jesus has forgiven you of. And let me say, “Look to the cross. Let the Gospel of Jesus be worked deeply into your soul that you may forgive.” I just want you to look at the cross. Because I want us to draw back to Jesus. What makes Jesus glorious? Think about it? Why is Jesus so beautiful to me and to you? Why?  Because of the cross. Because on the cross He was most beautiful when he was most bruised.

I was wanting to read to you the Bible, just the last scene of the Bible… er… on the cross. And how he was… he was put through a kangaroo’s court. There was nothing wrong. There was nothing wrong with what Jesus did and how He lived but the Jews just cried out, “Crucify Him!” when Pilate, the politician bowed down to public pressure and says, “Alright, I will set Barabbas free and you can have your man.” And all through the episode, Jesus never retaliated. They shouted at Him. They mocked Him. They beat Him up. They spit on Him. They crucified Him. And our Saviour did absolutely nothing! And He simply said, “Father, forgive them. For they know not what they do.”

0:37:36.9

He was now more marked than any man. He was the most disfigured person then. But when he died, the centurion, the soldiers, they looked at Jesus, now limped and dead on the cross and they said this: “This man was innocent. Truly he was the Son of God.” What makes Jesus, Jesus? It’s not the fact that he died on the cross. Many people died on the cross. Countless died on the cross before Him. But what makes Him Jesus and that marked Him as the Son of God is that He was beautiful when bruised. When He was betrayed and hurt and insulted and slandered, He had nothing but blessing and praying and healing and forgiving. He died for us! That’s what makes Jesus glorious.

0:38:41.0

This morning, come to the cross. Come to Jesus. And as you come to Jesus, you will be beautiful when bruised. Let’s bow for a word of prayer.  I know this is a pretty heavy going sermon for a Chinese New Year. I understand that. But I think there is nothing more beautiful, more glorious than to consider the beauty of Jesus, our Lord. Nothing more beautiful! And His beauty is seen as he rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. And there for the next few days, inspected and tried like a lamb that was ready for the Passover. And when He was surrounded by lions and wolves, the Lamb of God, threaten not when He was threatened, revile not when he was reviled. But in His heart when He was crushed, brought forth a sweet aroma that lasted till today. Our Saviour is the ultimate, ultimate lover of our soul. He’s the lover of your soul. And He says to you today: I’ve loved you. I still love you. I will always love you. I have given my life for you. Your future, your hope is all secure in me. Would you live your life for me?  Would you today be willing to share those burdens of unforgiveness, bitterness and hatred? Would you find grace from the cross to pray for those who persecute you and do good to those who hate you? Would you today have my heart as your heart? To live out the Gospel, so that the fragrance of my life will be seen in you, in your homes, in your offices. As a church today, I dream of hundreds of people living out the Gospel. 365 days as an act of worship, as a powerful proclamation of witness. The Gospel life is not just what we say, it’s how we live. May the beauty of Jesus be seen in us. And maybe today you are here for the first time, you know not Jesus as your Saviour. Can I say this to you? He was bruised and broken to save you from your sins. This morning, I’d like to encourage you to look to the cross. There, He suffered and die for sinners like you and me. Would you come to Jesus? Turn from your sins and be saved. So Father we commit these words to you. In this Chinese New Year, as we go visiting, as we meet with people, I pray the beauty, the aroma, the fragrant of Christ will be especially prominent. May we shine for you. May we glorify you. Teach us to live this week as an act of worship because you have first given to us, Jesus your Son. So bless us. We ask and pray all these in Jesus’ name.