Eeditorial. AGAPE Christmas

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NATAL, diakui atau tidak diakui telah membentuk dunia di mana kita

tinggal sekarang. Betapa tidak? Lihatlah, beberapa bulan sebelum kita merayakan Hari Natal, di mana-mana kita akan mendapatkan toko-toko menjual atribut-atribut Natal, lagu-lagu Natal, hiasan-hiasan Natal. Bukan itu saja, dunia ini tahu bahwa Natal itu sendiri baik adanya dan membawa kabar baik, suka cita kepada setiap manusia, bahkan dunia ini ingin ikut campur dan menjadi bagian dari Natal itu sendiri. Buktinya ada tokoh-tokoh atau icon-icon yang tampil pada hari Natal, karakter yang kita ketahui bahwa mereka bukanlah tokoh-tokoh yang menjadi bagian dari Natal yang asli, dan tidak ada sangkut pautnya dengan kedatangan Sang Raja Damai di dalam dunia ini. Tokoh-tokoh tersebut adalah: Santa Claus dengan kereta dan reindeer-nya, lalu Zweiter Pit yang berkulit hitam legam (untuk Zweiter Pit lebih dikenal di kalangan benua Eropa, terutama Belanda dan Jerman). Lalu muncul pula tokoh Jack Frost dan Snow Man. Percaya atau tidak, anak-anak terutama percaya lebih dari 100% bahwa St. Claus dan Elf-Elf-nya itu exist di dalam dunia ini. Semua karakter-karakter khayalan itu diciptakan karena dunia ini ingin menjadi bagian dari Natal yang membawa sukacita dan kebahagian pada semua orang di dalam dunia ini. Tidak terkecuali orang-orang jahat pun mereka merayakan Natal. Lihatlah, menjelang Natal mereka selalu mengadakan pesta-pesta Natal, tukar menukar kado, dan bahkan mengirimkan kartu-kartu Natal kepada orang yang mereka cintai. Tetapi kita sebagai orang Kristen yang telah menerima Sang Bayi Natal itu menjadi Juru Selamat kita, kita tahu bahwa mereka yang turut merayakan Natal dengan cara mereka sendiri adalah sangat perlu dikasihani. Kenapa mereka patut dikasihani? Jawabannya adalah karena mereka cuma membuang-buang waktu, uang, tenaga, dan melakukan kesia-siaan. Karena mereka tidak sungguh menerima Sukacita yang Sejati dari Yesus Kristus Tokoh Natal yang tunggal yang disembah oleh semua bangsa pada akhir zaman nanti. Dunia ini boleh merayakan Natal dan boleh mendapatkan “Bayangan” atau “Refleksi” dari Sukacita yang Sejati itu. Tetapi selama mereka tidak mengenal dan tidak percaya kepada Anak Allah yang tunggal itu, mereka tetap saja tidak akan selamat dan binasa di dalam dosa-dosa mereka, biarpun mereka melakukan amal jariah dan sumbangsih mereka kepada fakir-fakir miskin ataupun memberikan bantuan dan uang mereka kepada organisasi-organisasi Kristen, mereka tetap saja tidak akan di selamatkan oleh Tuhan Yesus.

AGAPE — Christmas 2006

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Kedengarannya sangat kejam dan sadis, bahwa orang-orang yang melakukan kebaikan mereka karena mereka menghormati dan menghargai Natal itu tidak mendapatkan upah sedikit pun dari Allah Bapa atau keselamatan sama sekali. Kita sebagai orang Kristen tidak usah heran karena kita tahu bahwa jawaban yang benar adalah begitu adanya, bahwa perbuatan baik tidak akan bisa menyelamatkan kita. Setiap orang Kristen yang percaya bahwa orang-orang yang melakukan kebajikan pada hari Natal atau orang-orang yang merayakan Natal ‘mungkin’ akan diselamatkan juga oleh Tuhan pada akhirnya, maka orang Kristen tersebut belumlah ‘diselamatkan’ dan belum ‘mengenal’ siapa Juru Selamat mereka yang sesungguhnya. Sekarang apakah yang harus kita lakukan? Jawabannya adalah kebalikan dari apa yang diuraikan di atas. BAHWA KITA SEBAGAI ORANG KRISTEN ITU JUSTRU HARUS MELAKUKAN KEBAJIKAN SEBAGAI AKIBAT DARI KESELAMATAN YANG KITA DAPATKAN. Kitalah yang bertanggung jawab untuk memberitakan KABAR KESELAMATAN kepada dunia ini sehingga mereka tahu bagaimana seharusnya mereka merayakan dan mendapatkan Sukacita yang Sejati dari Sang Natal itu sendiri. Semoga kita orang-orang Kristen di dalam dunia ini tahu dan sadar akan hal ini dan mau menjalankan tugas mereka, sehingga kita sendiri pun yang meng-‘klaim’ diri kita sebagai orang Kristen pada akhrnya tidak akan ditolak oleh Sang Raja Damai, yaitu Tuhan Yesus Juru Selamat satu-satunya bagi dunia yang gelap ini. Amin.

Merry Christmas '06 & Happy New Year '07 redaksi 2


AGAPE

CHRISTMAS 2006

Penasehat Ev. Wilson Suwanto Daniel Loe Editor Debbie Wang Evelyn Sunarko Janice Atmadja Linda Zheng Merisa Halim Rachel Atmadja Ilustrator & Fotografer Buddy Yusuf Eva Leony Joshua Adidjaja Layout Alvin Sugianto Buddy Yusuf Eva Leony Rachel Atmadja Tjandra Afandi Kontributor Ev. Wilson Suwanto DR. Ferry Yang - and contributing members for st Baby's 1 Christmas and Choir Interview articles 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


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focus:

Spiritual Blindness 11 HERODES: Mempunyai Mata namun Buta Ev. Wilson Suwanto 14 Out of Blindness: A Spiritual Awakening DR. Ferry Yang 18 A 20/20 Christian Evelyn Sunarko 22 Hidup! (puisi) Daniel Loe

05 Renungan: Unto Us A Child Is Born (Rev. Billy Graham)

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 —————————————————————————

09 Puisi: Natal Yang Suci (Daniel Loe) 25 Cerpen: An Angel or Repentant Evil (Daniel Loe) 35 Book Review: Captivating (Janice Atmadja) 38 Interview: Opinions About Our Church Choir 44 Parenting: Grace-based Parenting (Tim Kimmel) 47 Bible Fact: Were The Magi Astrologers? (Richard Bewes) 49 Sharing: Two Babes In A Manger 51 Event: The Origins of Christmas Traditions (Linda Zheng & Merissa Halim) 57 Liputan: Baby's 1st Christmas 60 Resep: Gingerbread Men & Tom Yum Goong (Linda Zheng) 62 Children's Corner 63 Humor

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AGAPE

! e n i nl tml o e 'r agape.h e w at /iec_web/ h t et -usa.org g r o f lax.gii t ' Donvisit us @

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Unto Us a Child Is Born

>> Many people ask, “What is there to be merry about?” With wars and terrorism, crime at an all-time high, marriages breaking up, drugs—no wonder some people question whether we should say, “Merry Christmas!” Magazine http://www.billygraham.org/DMag_Article.asp?ArticleID=501

December 2004 “Decision” Magazine http://www.billygraham.org/DMag_Article.asp?ArticleID=501

renungan

Yet it was at such a time that our Lord Jesus Christ came into the world some 2,000 years ago. And it will be at such a time that Jesus Christ comes back to this earth. << A message by Billy Graham

The angel on that first Christmas and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingnight said, “For there is born to you dom, To order it and establish it with this day in the city of David a Savior, judgment and justice From that time who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11, forward, even NKJV). If we believe this, then it Lord of hosts will forever. The zeal of the makes all the difference in the world Lord of hosts will for us. Life takes on a new dimension. perform this” (Isaiah 9:6-7, NKJV). There is one particular passage of Scripture in the Old Testament to which I often turn, not only at this time of the year but also at many times other than the Christmas season: “The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined” (Isaiah 9:2, NKJV).

Scripture goes on: “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government

Wonderful Wonderful

When these words were uttered by the Prophet Isaiah, prophetic thunders were heard and the lightning of divine vengeance was seen as the clouds of judgment were gathering. With a trumpetlike voice this great statesmanprophet had declared with certainty the calamity which was soon to fall upon Judah as a judgment from God. Judah‛s alliance with evil and her departure from God called forth predictions of dreadful disaster. Isaiah had proclaimed with accuracy the Assyrian invasion. All around him were clouds of wrath and desolating darkness. AGAPE — Christmas 2006

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But Isaiah saw far away at the horizon a rift in the clouds and a clear light shining from heaven. He saw that while the people were walking in darkness, a light also shined upon them. He looked through the next 800 years of time and talked about the “garments rolled in blood” (Isaiah 9:5, NKJV). Then he declared, “Unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given” (Isaiah 9:6, NKJV). There is not a shadow of a doubt in our minds as to whom Isaiah refers in the words “A Child is born. ... A Son is given.” He is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. The invasions that Isaiah predicted did take place, but God promised that someday the King would come and set up His Kingdom. The promise given was that God‛s covenant with David will stand and that someday a King will sit upon that throne.

Counselor Counselor

Centuries later Jesus asked the religious leaders this question: “‛What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?‛ They said to Him, ‘The Son of David‛” (Matthew 22:42, NKJV). Jesus responded: “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,‛ saying: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”‛? If David then calls Him ‘Lord,‛ how is He his Son?” (Matthew 22:43-45, NKJV). Jesus was quoting from Psalm 110:1. The religious leaders were baffled, 6


bewildered and completely silenced. They were not “able to answer him a word” (Matthew 22:46, NKJV). There was a conspiracy to entangle Jesus in this question. But His accusers were frustrated, as they had been many times before. What is the answer to the riddle that the religious leaders could not answer? The “Child born” establishes the fact of Christ‛s humanity. The “Son given” establishes the fact of His deity. Jesus is the God-man. The “Child born” and the “Son given” is called “Wonderful” because He is wonderful. We must never lose sight of the fact that as a Child He was born, and that as a Son He was given. He is a “Child born” with reference to His human nature and His being born of the virgin. But He is also a “Son given” with reference to His divine nature and His being God‛s Son.

Mighty God Mighty God

The government is to be placed on the shoulders of the infinite Man, not a finite man. We see, therefore, in the “Child born” an infant. But He also is the “Son given.” And so we see in the manger at Bethlehem an infinite Infant. The Bible says, “Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:5-7, NKJV). The two uses of the word translated as

“form” in these verses refer to the preincarnate and the incarnate existence of the Lord Jesus Christ. The word “form” connotes reality. For Christ to be equal with God was not a thing to be grasped. We do not have here an independent god of rival power and glory but the Christ of God who is as truly and fully divine as the Father is. Here is the New Testament counterpart of the Old Testament revelation of the Messiah. This is the “Child born” and the “Son given.”

The Bible teaches that “He became poor” (2 Corinthians 8:9, NKJV). Jesus shared in our hunger, thirst, weariness and pain. In this way He gave evidence to the reality of His manhood.

The Bible also teaches that “He was crucified in weakness” (2 Corinthians 13:4, NKJV). But we must not think that this weakness implies any incapacity such as ours when we are unable to withstand the onslaught of death. Our weakness is a condition of our frailty. Christ‛s was the weakness of a voluntarily accepted capacity for suffering. He voluntarily took on “But made Himself of no reputation” His weakness in the self-emptying when (Philippians 2:7, He came to that manNKJV). The personal ger in Bethlehem. pronoun “Himself” is emphatic, bringing “Unto us a Child before us the volun- is born” (Isaiah 9:6, NKJV). He was not not bornborn according to the NKJV). He was according to the tary aspect of Jesus‛ laws and the processes of natural generacondescension: “He took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the tions. The nature of His birth was superseed of Abraham” (Hebrews 2:16, KJV). natural. The “Child born” was born to a Christ swept through the realm of angels virgin: “The virgin shall conceive and bear to lay hold on the nature of man. a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14, NKJV). He did not empty Himself of His deity, as some people have suggested, but He But “Unto us a Son is given” (Isaiah left the realm of glory and condescended 9:6, NKJV). Because He is the God-man, to earth for our salvation. He emptied He was able to bear our sins on the cross. Himself of the outward manifestation of And God raised Him from the dead as an the glory of His deity. indication that He had accepted Christ‛s atoning work on the cross. He was the only There is no doubt that He was the One in the entire universe qualified to “Child born,” but with equal certainty we bear our sins, and He did it voluntarily. need to declare that He was the “Son given.” So when He was here in the flesh, Therefore, at this Christmas season, “all the fullness of the Godhead” (Coloswith our trust and faith in Christ, we hear sians 2:9, NKJV) continued to dwell in Him the angel saying, “Do not be afraid” (Luke 2:10, NKJV). The psalmist said, “The Lord bodily.

Everlasting Father

Prince of of Prince Peace Peace


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is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Psalm 118:6, NKJV). This is the Christmas message to you

today. You, too, can appropriate the words to believers, words that are used all the way through the Scriptures: “Fear not, for I am with you” (Isaiah 43:5, NKJV). A Child was born and a Son was given for our salvation. We have complete assurance that Jesus Christ is not only the Son of Man but also that He is the Son of God. And God has accepted what Jesus did on the cross and in the resurrection for our salvation. We trust in Him—and Him alone—for our forgiveness and for eternal life.

source: http://home.att.net/~velvet-hammer/christmas.html

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The Phillipines (Tagalog):

Merry Christmas Selamat Hari Natal Happy Christmas

Feliz Navidad Joyeux Noël

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Frohe Weihnachten Natale Allegro Christmas Alegre メリークリスマス (Merii Kurisumasu) Vrolijke Kerstfeest Maligayang Pasko

Natal yang SUCI Natal yang Suci pertama kali terjadi Hampir puluhan abad yang lalu Natal yang Suci pertama kali terjadi Sederhana, alami namun Illahi Natal yang Suci pertama kali terjadi Ditolak oleh kebanyakan manusia Namun, Natal yang Suci pertama kali terjadi Terkenal dan dikenal sampai masa kini Natal yang Suci pertama kali terjadi Berkuasa, megah dan jaya Karena Dialah Raja atas segala raja Tuhan di atas segala tuhan Namun, Natal yang Suci pertama kali terjadi Memilih orang-orang miskin, sederhana Bahkan kambing domba dan gembala Sebagai saksi-saksi yang hidup Titik awal Keselamatan untuk seluruh umat manusia AGAPE — Christmas 2006

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Setelah ribuan tahun berlalu Umat manusia pun lupa akan Natal yang Suci pertama kali terjadi Dan menggantikan ‘natal’ ciptaan menurut selera mereka Namun, Natal yang Suci pertama kali terjadi Tiada jemu menyapa dengan lembut dan cinta Supaya manusia tidaklah lupa. Semakin disapa Semakin menggila dunia dan segala isinya Menyia-nyiakan kesempatan dan tawaran dari Natal yang Suci pertama kali terjadi Menimbun Sang Natal yang Suci pertama kali terjadi Dengan pesta pora, glamour dan nista. Namun, Natal yang Suci pertama kali terjadi Tetap di sana, tetap suci, tetap sabar Dengan tangan terbuka, menanti Natal yang Suci pertama kali terjadi Menyapa lagi Menyapa hatimu dan hatiku Menyentuh jiwamu dengan belaian lembut hembusan angin senja Meninggalkan kesejukan bagi jiwa-jiwa yang gersang karena Keganasan dunia. Natal yang Suci pertama kali terjadi Tetap di sana, menanti

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Menolong jiwa yang tak berdaya Tak perduli walau kau pernah menghina, menghujat Nama AgungNya Namun bagi DIA kau adalah permata hatiNYA yang ingin diselamatkan dan ditebusNYA. Wahai kau manusia yang berdosa janganlah engkau lupa Natal yang Suci pertama kali terjadi Tak akan selamanya di sana Saatnya akan tiba Dimana kesudahan dari segala waktu, dan Akhir dari segala kegiatan dan putaran bola dunia Akan tiba Kesempatan pun lenyaplah Air mata darah pun tiada guna Segala ratap tangis dan rengekan hanya kesia-siaan belaka Harapanmu pun punahlah Kesempatanmu pun habislah Natal yang Suci pertama kali terjadi Menyapa hatimu dan hatiku lagi Apakah sekali ini engkau mendengarNya? Apakah kau sudah menerimaNya? Natal yang Suci pertama kali terjadi Menyapa lagi Menyapa hatimu dan hatiku. by Daniel Loe

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Natal

adalah saat yang dinantinantikan umat Israel. Selama ratusan tahun, mereka hidup dalam kegelapan, dan kelahiran Yesus membangkitkan pengharapan bagi mereka. Mulai dari kaum termiskin (para gembala) sampai kaum kafir (orang Majus), mereka menyambut kedatangan Juruselamat dengan sukacita. Tetapi, tidak semua bersukacita. Ada seorang raja yang bernama Herodes, yang tidak bisa ikut bersukacita. Bahkan ia berencana untuk membunuh bayi Yesus yang baru lahir itu (baca Matius 2:1-12). Ini merupakan sesuatu yang tragis. Berkat terbesar diberikan Tuhan untuknya, namun ia tidak bisa melihatnya. Bahkan ia menganggapnya sebagai sebuah ancaman untuk kedudukannya sebagai raja. Ini disebut dengan kebutaan rohani (spiritual blindness).

HERODES mempunyai mata namun buta oleh Ev. Wilson Suwanto Kenneth Riegel as Herod, in Salome, by Vienna State Opera (www.operastuff.com/kennethriegel/rev.html)

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APA YANG MENYEBABKAN KEBUTAAN ROHANI? 1. Cinta kedudukan atau kuasa. Herodes takut kehilangan posisinya sebagai raja. Mengapa? Karena bayi yang lahir itu akan disebut Raja diatas segala raja. Lebih jelas lagi, Yesus disebut raja orang Yahudi. Herodes tidak menerima hal ini. Baginya, dirinya adalah raja orang Yahudi. Padahal, Yesus lahir bukan untuk menjadi raja dunia atau politik. Ia lahir untuk menjadi raja di dalam hati manusia. KerajaanNya bukan dari bumi, melainkan dari surga. Karena cinta kedudukan, banyak manusia tidak bisa melihat anugerah Tuhan atau penderitaan sesamanya. Seumur hidupnya, mereka hanya sibuk mengamankan kekuasaan atau kedudukannya. Inilah kebutaan rohani. Bukannya Tuhan tidak menyatakan diriNya, tetapi sang manusia yang membutakan dirinya sehingga tidak bisa melihat. 2. Cinta akan kesenangan duniawi. Herodes menikmati kesenangan duniawi di dalam istananya. Kalau Yesus adalah Raja atas segala raja, maka ini berarti ada seseorang yang lebih tinggi dari Herodes. Ini dianggap sebagai sebuah ancaman bagi kesenangan hidupnya. Yesus berhak menyebut Herodes sebagai “serigala” (Luk. 13:32). Sebaliknya, Herodes mau membunuh Yesus karena takut kehilangan kedudukan dan kesenangan duniawi. Tuhan menyediakan berkat rohani yang begitu besar bagi kita. Sukacita, 12


damai, kasih, pengampunan, dan sebagainya, adalah berkat rohani yang besar. Orang yang mengerti hal ini, akan menganggap kesenangan duniawi sebagai sampah. Kesenangan duniawi menyeret kita kepada dosa, dan upah dosa adalah maut. Kita harus menolak kesenangan duniawi agar mata rohani kita tetap terbuka. Dengan demikian, kita dapat melihat, menghargai, dan mensyukuri berkat rohani dari Tuhan. 3. Dikuasai oleh ketakutan. Herodes menjadi ”paranoid.” Ketakutannya membuat dia menjadi buta sampai-sampai ia membayangkan bahwa Yesus yang masih bayi itu akan mengambil takhtanya. Karena ketakutan inilah, ia memerintahkan agar semua bayi di bawah usia dua tahun yang ada di Betlehem dan sekitarnya dibunuh (Mat. 2:16). Mengapa ia melakukan perbuatan keji ini? Karena ia ketakutan. Ia terlalu mencintai kesenangan dan kedudukannya sampai ia takut kehilangan dua hal ini. Karena ia sudah dibutakan oleh ketakutan atau paranoid-nya ini, ia tega melakukan halhal yang tidak berperi-kemanusiaan. Seperti Herodes, jika kita membiarkan diri dikuasai oleh ketakutan, kita akan melakukan hal-hal yang berlawanan dengan kehendak Allah. Bahkan kita bisa melakukan hal-hal yang di luar batas akal sehat. Tidak sedikit kita mendengar kisah kekejaman manusia terhadap saudaranya sendiri, atau suami terhadap istrinya, anak terhadap orang-tuanya, dan sebagainya. Semua hal ini terjadi karena manusia dibutakan oleh ketakutan.

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BAGAIMANA KITA MENGATASI KEBUTAAN ROHANI? 1. Senantiasa memeriksa diri. Kita perlu bertanya pada diri setiap hari: apakah saya melakukan sesuatu karena cinta akan kedudukan, pujian, kesenangan duniawi? Apakah saya melakukan sesuatu karena ketakutan, dan bukan karena iman pada Tuhan? Pertanyaan-pertanyaan yang ditujukan pada diri sendiri ini, akan menolong kita menghindari kebutaan rohani sejak awal. Di hadapan Tuhan, kita tidak bisa menyembunyikan apapun. Kita harus jujur di hadapan Dia, dan itu mulai dengan jujur pada diri kita sendiri. 2. Senantiasa memikirkan akan kehidupan Yesus. Dalam Filipi 2:5-11, kita belajar bagaimana Yesus, sekalipun mempunyai kuasa dan kemuliaan, tidak menganggap semuanya itu penting. Ia merendahkan diriNya sebagai seorang hamba dan taat sampai mati. Jika kekuasaan dan kemuliaan duniawi adalah sesuatu yang bernilai, mengapa Yesus tidak mengejarnya? Bahkan kuasa dan kemuliaan surgawi yang Ia miliki pun, dilepaskanNya. Berarti ada sesuatu yang lebih bernilai daripada kesenangan hidup ini. Melihat pada hidup Yesus, kita akan belajar melihat betapa rendah dan fana hal-hal di dunia ini. Dengan demikian, kita bisa mempunyai nilai-nilai yang berbeda dengan dunia. Inilah langkah yang harus kita ambil agar kita tidak dibutakan oleh dunia ini.

3. Senantiasa bersyukur di dalam segala keadaan. Sama seperti Herodes, banyak manusia tamak akan kekuasaan, harta, kesenangan, dan kemuliaan duniawi. Sekalipun mereka sudah punya cukup, namun mereka tidak pernah merasa cukup. Mereka selalu ingin lebih dan tidak pernah puas. Mereka tidak bisa menghargai apa yang Tuhan telah berikan. Belajar mengucap syukur akan menolong kita menghindari kebutaan rohani. Belajar bersyukur akan membantu kita untuk “melihat” segala kebaikan dan berkat-berkat Tuhan setiap saat. Bukannya Tuhan tidak memberkati, tetapi kitalah yang seringkali tidak melihatnya.

KONKLUSI Herodes, kaum Farisi, Ahab, dan orangorang semacam itu merupakan contoh klasik “kebutaan rohani.” Alkitab sengaja menceritakan riwayat hidup mereka agar menjadi pelajaran untuk orang-orang Kristen zaman kita. Melalui contoh mereka yang negatif, kita dapat melihat dimana jebakan yang bisa membuat kita buta. Melalui kehidupan Yesus, sebaliknya, kita bisa belajar bagaimana menghindari jebakan itu, dan senantiasa berjalan dalam jejak kaki Yesus. Natal adalah saat yang penuh sukacita dan ucapan syukur. Marilah kita membuka mata selebar-lebarnya dan mulai melihat serta menghitung segala anugerah dan berkat Tuhan bagi kita. Kita akan kagum dan terkejut melihat betapa limpah dan murah hati Tuhan kita. Biarlah ini boleh menjadi semangat kita dalam merayakan Natal tahun ini. AGAPE — Christmas 2006

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out of blindness    by DR Ferry Yang

JESUS

heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.” Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?” Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains. John 9:35-41 ► 14


I believe that most of us have watched one famous and stunning movie, The Matrix. In the Matrix, there are two worlds, one is the real world and the other is the matrix, or the virtual world, or the fake world created by the machine especially to keep humans asleep so that the machine can generate energy through the human brain for their survival. Morpheus, Trinity, and the rest of the Nebuchadnezzar’s crew were trying to free people from the matrix to realize the truth about the real world. After freeing the man believed to be the savior of Zion, Morpheus has to convince Neo that the life he was living was a lie. Even after tasting the real world, Neo could not readily accept that he had lived in the fake world his entire life and only recently his eyes are About the Author open to the truth. What happened to Neo’s DR Ferry Yang is a scholar in disbelief is perhaps the same Educational Ministries and Studthing with the stage of spiriies. After he got his B.A. in Artual blindness. Not many people chitecture from Petra Christian would believe that the matrix is University, Surabaya, he received just a system designed to fool his M.A. in Educational Ministry them, although eventually Neo from Calvin Theological Semibelieves. Cypher, on the other nary, Michigan, and his Ph.D. in Educational Studhand, would rather choose to ies from Trinity International University, Illinois. live in a life of lie than to live He taught at Petra Christian University, Sekolah in the real world. In the movie, Teologi Reformed Injili Surabaya, and Sekolah Cypher, sacrifices his friends for Teologi Alkitab Surabaya from some time, and he the sake of being inserted back led seminars in the area of Christian Education as to the fake world. well as General Education. In light of this Matrix movie, people who still live in the matrix He is married and has a daughter, and lives hapare those who are spiritually pily in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Currently he works blind. They don’t know the truth. as a parttime student assistant on Master's Thesis In the same way, the Pharisees in Writing in Trinity International University. John 9 are considered spiritually For more information/correspondence, please blind by Jesus because they do contact Tjandra Afandi via Agape's email address not believe in The Truth (cf. John ([email protected]). 14:6). People who have been Trying to grasp the meaning of the title might require us to ask first about the explanation of what blindness is. It is common knowledge that blindness means the inability to see. In other words, blindness is directly connected to sight. Being sightless constitutes blindness. It is easier to understand in the physical realm what the meaning of blindness is. And it is much easier as well to explain what the disadvantage of being physically blind. However, like some of us have already guessed, it is not that simple to explain the blindness that is attached in the spiritual realm. The question is, of course, “what does it mean by spiritually blind?” The answer might be well illustrated in the following.


15

freed from the matrix and then live in the real world are those who have come out of blindness. They now know what the truth is and what the lie is. We, Christians, are those who have been freed by Christ and thus awakened spiritually to see the truth. Paul’s spiritual journey is a personal testimony of how a person comes out of spiritual blindness and sees the truth. Paul, or Saul at first, started his career as a true Pharisee. His devotion brought him to the state of zealously persecuting and killing the followers of Christ. He thought that what he did was a service to the God of Israel. Instead, Jesus Christ himself came to him and showed him that what he did was persecuting the God of Israel. The Lord confronted Saul and then “Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything” (Acts 9:8-9; emphases added). Sometimes the Scripture is so striking. Although one cannot be completely certain on why God made Paul blind for three days, but for me it seems that God sent a message to Paul concerning the meaning of spiritual blindness. After God made Paul see again, then Paul was also able to see with his spirit as well. “Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord―Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here―has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength” (Acts 9:17-19). After that shocking experience, Paul’s missionary 16


journey is one of the greatest stories in the Bible. In many instances, there are a lot of similarities between physical blindness and spiritual blindness. For blind people, there are a lot of things they can’t understand, let alone be described accordingly. For example, how can someone explain the color red to a person who is blind from birth? Or, how can one elaborate the difference between two dimensions and three dimensions to the blind? The blind also faces many dangerous encounters simply because of their inability to see. The blind usually relies on a lot of other things in order to avoid physical dangers, that are usually not required of the people who are not blind. For example, when a blind man tries to cross a busy street, he must rely on others in order for him to be able to cross the street safely. In other words, the blind needs to trust on something that will aid him. Ignoring the reliable witness or information or judgment will result on the blind to be hit by a car. In the same way, the spiritually blind cannot see the danger without trusting a reliable witness or information or judgment. Paul was spiritually blind when he murdered Christians. He didn’t see that what he did was actually a great disservice to God. Only by trusting on the Lord’s warning that he stopped persecuting the believers. Only after his eyes were opened, then he could see how bad his service was. Only after he was awakened spiritually that he could serve and please God (read Acts 9). In John 9, the Pharisees did not want to be called blind. They considered themselves to have a perfect capability to see. They are like Cypher, who thinks he has seen the truth. The truth is they think

they have seen the truth, but their decoding tool is not valid, and that makes them as good as blind. Even after Jesus gave them warning, they did not believe in Jesus’ reliable, valid, and sound judgment. This is worse than the blind man who realizes that he is blind. The Pharisees are blind but they believe they can see. Imagine the danger of a physically blind man who sternly believes that he can see perfectly. Imagine that he boasts to the other blind people that he can see. Imagine that those people believe that this blind man can actually see without knowing that this man actually cannot see anything at all. Can you guess the result if those blind people trust that blind person’s judgment on crossing a busy street in Los Angeles? Jesus said: “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6). The call is to believe Jesus for He is reliable. Just like Paul believed in Jesus when He confronted him on the way to Damascus, we are called to believe in the Lord. When God opens our eyes, it is only necessary to use the right decoding tool, or otherwise we will end up just like Cypher that is able to see but yet blind after all. The Pharisees and Jesus read from the same scripture, but they have different conclusions. In the end, this article can’t exhaust the discussion for this topic, however, through this article I want to call us to reflect on our spiritual life and open our eyes to the truth presented to us in the scripture. Amen.

Steps to Peace with God

www.billygraham.org/SH_StepsToPeace.asp (summarized) STEP 1: GOD’S PURPOSE: PEACE AND LIFE God loves you and wants you to experience peace and life―abundant and eternal (Romans 5:1, John 3:16, John 10:10). Why don’t most people have this peace and abundant life that God planned for us to have? STEP 2: THE PROBLEM: OUR SEPARATION God created us in His own image to have an abundant life. He did not make us as robots to automatically love and obey Him. God gave us a will and a freedom of choice. We chose to disobey God and go our own willful way. We still make this choice today. This results in separation from God (Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23). People have tried in many ways to bridge this gap between themselves and God (Proverbs 14:12, Isaiah 59:2), but no bridge reaches God ... except one. STEP 3: GOD’S BRIDGE: THE CROSS Jesus Christ died on the Cross and rose from the grave. He paid the penalty for our sin and bridged the gap between God and people (1 Timothy 2:5, 1 Peter 3:18, Romans 5:8). God has provided the only way. Each person must make a choice. STEP 4: OUR RESPONSE: RECEIVE CHRIST We must trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and receive Him by personal invitation (Revelation 3:20, John 1:12, Romans 10:9). WHERE ARE YOU? Will you receive Jesus Christ right now? Here is how you can receive Christ: 1. Admit your need (I am a sinner). 2. Be willing to turn from your sins (repent). 3. Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the Cross and rose from the grave. 4. Through prayer, invite Jesus Christ to come in and control your life through the Holy Spirit (Receive Him as Lord and Savior). AGAPE — Christmas 2006

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F

focus

a

20/20 christian by Evelyn Sunarko

galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

►

are you a healthy christian?

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I'm sure we all heard about this socalled fruit of the Spirit, the importance of it and how Christians should have it. Unfortunately, the fruit of the Holy Spirit is one of the most neglected aspects of the biblical teaching on sanctification. There are various reason for this:

the interpretation of tongues). We seem to be far more interested in the gifts of the Spirits than the fruit, despite the clear biblical teaching that one may possess gifts while being immature in spiritual progress. Paul’s letters to the Corinthians make that abundantly clear.

1. Preoccupation with externals. Though students often murmur and grumble when facing tests in the classroom, there is a sense in which we really want to have them. Test that measure skill, achievement, and knowledge are even standard fare in magazine. People like to know how they rate. Have I achieved excellence in a certain endeavor, or am I mired in mediocrity? Christians are not different. We tend to measure our progress in sanctification by examining our performance against external standards. Do we curse? Do we drink? Do we go to movies? These standards are often used to measure spirituality. The real test, evidence of the fruit of the spirit, is often ignored or minimized. This is the trap the Pharisees fell into. We recoil from the real test because the fruit of the Spirit is too nebulous. It is far more demanding of personal character than superficial external are. It is a lot easier to refrain from cursing than it is to acquire a habit of godly patience.

3. The problem of righteous unbelievers. It is frustrating to measure our progress in sanctification by the fruit of the Spirit when the virtues listed among the fruit are sometimes exhibited to a greater degree by non-Christians. We all know nonbelievers who exhibit more gentleness or patience than many Christians. If people can have the “fruit of the Spirit” apart from the Spirit, how can we determine our growth in this manner? There is a qualitative difference between the virtues of love, joy, peace, patience, etc., engendered in us by the Holy Spirit and those exhibited by nonbelievers. Nonbelievers operate from motives that are ultimately selfish. But when believers exhibit the fruit of the Spirit, they are exhibiting characteristics that are ultimately directed toward God and others. Being filled with the Spirit means that one’s life is controlled by the Holy Spirit; nonbelievers can only exhibit these spiritual virtues to the extent of human ability.

Christians are supposed to know and live exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit. That's 2. Preoccupation with gifts. The same Holy Spirit who leads us how people can see how different Christians into holiness and bears fruit in us also are from unbelievers―and that's how we gives spiritual gifts to believers (such can personally measure how healthy we are as wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, as we grow in our Christian lives. miraculous power, distinguishing between spirits, speaking in Now, let us zoom in on different kinds of tongues, and

the fruit of the Spirit.

►

In his letter to the Galatians, Paul is trying to contrast between the natural productions of the sinful nature and Spirit, which he began in v.19. Regarding the sinful nature, he lists out “acts” or works of which the sinful nature is capable. The terms “acts” already has definite overtones in this letter. It refers to what a human being can do, which, in the case of the works of the law (2:16, 3:2, 5, 10), has already been shown to be inadequate. The fruit of the Spirit (using both a new term and the singular form), on the other hand, suggests that which is a natural product of the Spirit, made possible by the living relationship between the Christian and God through Christ (cf. 2:20; Jn 15:1-17). The singular form stresses that these qualities are a unity, like a bunch of grapes instead of separate pieces of fruit, and also that they should all be found in all Christans. In this they differ from the “gifts” of the Spirit, which are given one by one to different people as the church has need (1Co 12). The nine virtues that are the Spirit’s fruit hardly need classification, though they seem to fall into three categories of three each. The first three comprise general Christian habits of mind; their primary direction is Godward. The second set primarily concerns Christians in their relationship to others and are social virtues. The last three concern Christians as they are to be in themselves. It is appropriate that “love” (agape) should head the list of the Spirit’s fruit, for “God is love” (1Jn 4:8), and the greatest of Christian qualities is love (1Co 13:13). In biblical texts it is the association of agape with God that gives the world its distinctive character. Divine love is unmerited (Ro 20


5:8), great (Eph 2:4), transforming (Ro 5:5), and unchangeable (Ro 8:35-39). It is this love that sent Christ to die for sinners and that perseveres with them in spite of their willfulness and desire to sin. Now because the spirit of Christ is living within them, believers must show love both to other Christians and to the world. By this, people will know that Christians are indeed Christ’s disciples (Jn 13:35). “Joy” is the virtue in the Christian life corresponding to happiness in the secular world. On the surface they seem related. But happiness depends on circumstances, whereas joy does not. In the NT a form of the word “joy” becomes a typical Christian greeting (Mt 28:9; Lk 1:28; Ac 15:23; 2Co 13:11; Jas 1:1). Joy is particularly full when what was lost spiritually is found (Lk 15:67, 9-10, 32). The second of the two most popular Christian greetings is “peace”. Above all, peace is God’s gift to us, achieved by him at the cross of Christ. It is peace with God (Ro 5:1) and expresses itself both in peace of mind (Php 4:6-7) and in a practical peace between all those who know God. This latter peace should be seen in the home (1Co 7:12-16), between Jew and Gentile (Eph 2:14-17), within the church (Eph 4:3; Col 3:15), and indeed in all relationships of believers with other people (Ro 12:18; Heb 12:14). Moreover, Christians are to strive for it (1Pe 3:11). The importance of this word is evident in that it occurs in every NT book and eighty times altogether. “Patience” is the quality of putting up with others, even when one is severely tried. The importance of patience is evidenced by its frequently being used to describe the character of God, as in the great text from Joel: “Return to the LORD your God, for

he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity” (Joel 2:13). “Kindness” is the divine kindness out of which God acts toward humankind. It is what the OT means when it declares that “God is good,” as it so frequently does. Christians should show kindness by behaving toward others as God has behaved toward them. “Goodness” is hard to define. Though it is related to “kindness,” it differs from it in being a more active term. The primary idea seems to be generosity that springs from kindness. The last three virtues are concerned with Christians primarily as they are to be in themselves. They are to be characterized by “faithfulness,” a word that also means “faith,” but undoubtedly here means that which makes a person one on whom others can rely―i.e., trustworthiness or reliability. This word describes a faithful servant (Lk 16:10-12), including servants of the Gospel and of Christ (1Ti 1:12; 2Ti 2:2). It describes the character of those who will die for their confession of Christ (Rev 2:10; 3:14). It goes without saying that it is also descriptive of the character of Christ, the faithful witness (Rev 1:5), and of God the Father, who always acts faithfully toward his people (1Co 1:9; 10:13; 1Th 5:24; 2Th 3:3). “Gentleness” describes those who are so much in control of themselves that they are always angry at the right time and never angry at the wrong time―e.g., Moses, who is praised for being the gentlest or meekest man on earth (Nu 12:3). This is the spirit in which discipline must be applied and faults corrected (Gal 6:1). It is also the virtue for meeting opposition (2Ti 2:25) and for giving a Christian witness (1Pe 3:15-16).

“Self-control” is the quality that gives victory over sinful desires and is therefore closely related to chastity both in mind and conduct. This quality enables a person to live and walk in this world without getting one’s garments spotted by the world. These are the qualities of the life that has been claimed by Jesus Christ and is led by the Spirit. “Against such things there is no law” (v.23b). The last clause is most likely an understatement used for rhetorical effect. The law, as Paul has said, was given to restrain evil; but these qualities do not need to be restrained. Hence, no law opposes them. There may also be a sense in which Paul is suggesting that law cannot be against those who live in this manner because by being so led, they are in principle fulfilling all that the law requires. Paul lists the fruit of the Spirit in his letter to the Galatians: “The fruit of the Spirit is love joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, selfcontrol” (Galatians 5:22-23). These virtues are to characterize the Christian life. If we are filled with the Spirit, we will exhibit the fruit of the Spirit. But, of course, this takes time. These are not superficial character adjustments that happen overnight. They involve a reshaping of the innermost dispositions of the heart, which is a lifelong process of sanctification by the Spirit. Sources: * R.C. Sproul. Essential Truths of the Christian Faith. * Zondervan. New Bible Commentary, Vol. 2: New Testament.


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focus ——————————————————————————————

Hidup...! Hidup....! Aku mendapatkan diriku secara tiba-tiba Hidup..! Aku tidak tahu dari mana aku datang Akupun tidak tahu kemana aku akan pergi Aku hanya tahu bahwa sekarang aku sedang hidup Apakah yang akan terjadi kalau aku tidak hidup? Aku tidak tahu..... Apakah itu akan senyap, hampa, tanpa rasa, tanpa daya? Apakah akan sama seperti sebelum aku mendapatkan diriku hidup ? Aku tidak tahu... Aku tidak ada kenangan atau ingatan apapun sebelum aku mendapatkan diriku secara tibatiba hidup... Aku tidak tahu dimana hidup yang sedang kuhidupi ini Kalau aku sudah Danielloe tidak hidup lagi? akhir October 2006 Siapakah yang mempunyai hidupku itu kalau aku sudah tidak hidup lagi? Siapakah yang membuat aku tiba-tiba mendapatkan diriku itu hidup? Aku tidak tahu...

hidup!

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Apakah aku menyukai hidup yang kuhidupi ini? Aku tidak tahu Karena aku tidak bisa membandingkan dimana dan bagaimana rasaku sewaktu aku belum mendapatkan diriku ini secara tiba-tiba hidup, atau apakah rasa ku kalau aku sudah tidak memiliki hidup yang sedang kuhidupi ini? Karena itu aku tidak bisa berkata apakah aku menyukai hidup yang sedang aku hidupi ini!

Siapakah yang aku percayai dan aku dengarkan didalam hidup ini? Aku pun tidak tahu akan hal ini Karena terlalu banyak yang bisa dipercayai sekaligus semuanya bisa dicurigai... Karena setiap orang yang ingin kita percayai atau dengarkan semua seolah-olah cuma memproklamirkan bahwa mereka lah yang patut di percayai atau di dengarkan... Semakin aku banyak mendengarkan dan mempercayai Semakin bimbang hati dan hidup ini...

Apakah rasa ku akan hidup yang ada di dalam aku ini? Secara jujur aku hanya merasakan bahwa hidup ini “susah” Terlalu banyak pilihan tapi hanya bisa memiliki satu saja yang benar-benar menyenangkan hati. Tapi itupun tidak bertahan lama karena pada saat hati sudah memiliki yang di ingini.. hati ini tergoda lagi akan yang lain. Apakah yang aku pelajari didalam hidup ini? Aku tidak tahu juga Karena terlalu banyak yang ingin di pelajari, tetapi terlalu sedikit kesempatan yang ada di dalam hidup ini. Kalau aku salah mempelajari sesuatu maka sudah terlambat untuk berpura-pura seolaholah aku tidak tahu apa yang telah aku pelajari, Karena itu sudah melekat didalam hidup ini dan meracuni hidup ini kalau yang kupelajari itu yang tidak aku sukai.

Itulah kesanku terhadap hidup ini Tiada yang bisa membahagiakan Tapi terlalu banyak yang memberikan kesusahan Kesanku akan hidup ini adalah Hidup hanya untuk susah... Hidup ini hampir tidak ada kebahagiaan... Yang ada Cuma kebahagiaan semu Sementara itu kesusahan tampaknya abadi Memberatkan hidup ini semata-mata. Aku berteriak untuk apa aku hidup Kalau hanya untuk bersusah-susah sepanjang masa? Siapakah yang Empunya hidup ini... Rasanya aku ingin berjumpa dan bertanya Mengapa KAU berikan aku hidup Dan untuk apa KAU berikan aku hidup? Ada yang berkata bahwa TUHAN lah yang menciptakan hidup ini Banyak juga yang berkata MAUT lah yang berkuasa akan hidup ini Jikalau Sang Maut datang, Diambilnyalah hidup yang di miliki oleh orang yang di datangi Sang Maut tsb. AGAPE — Christmas 2006

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Jadi apakah TUHAN itu sama dengan Maut? Jikalau TUHAN yang menciptakan kenapa DIA harus mengambilnya atau merusaknya? Aku yakin TUHAN tidaklah sama dengan Maut. Karena di dalam satu badan tidak mungkin ada dua kuasa yang bertolak belakang. Seperti halnya yang biasa aku alami, banyak pilihan Cuma satu yang bisa di genggam dan di miliki. Kalau pun kita memiliki dua yang kita sukai Namun tetap Cuma satu yang akan sungguh-sungguh kita cintai Karena nature ini Cuma satu Dua kuasa didalam satu badan Cuma melambangkan kelemahan dan gejala kehancuran. Jadi aku rasa TUHAN lah menciptakan hidup ini Dan punya DIA lah hidup ini Dan MAUT Cuma oknum yang tidak menyukai TUHAN Dan menjadi musuhnya TUHAN Karena itu Maut ingin membinasakan semua yang di ciptakan oleh TUHAN. Kini kepada TUHAN lah aku ingin bertanya Untuk apa DIA memberikan aku hidup? Kini kembalikan lah aku pada kehampaan dimana sebelum DIA memberkan aku ‘kehidupan’ Tapi itupun tidak mungkin karena TUHAN tidak mungkin menyangkal PRIBADI nya sendiri Dan tidak pernah menyesal dengan apa yang DIA telah ciptakan.

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Kalau begitu Ambillah aku Dan simpanlah hidupku bersama MU Karena adalah lebih baik Diam bersama MU Dan menyatu dengan Mu Sebelum Sang Maut datang Dan merusakkan hidup yang aku hidupi ini. Mungkin bila aku bersama-sama dengan MU Aku tidak lagi mengingini yang lain yang Cuma membawa kesusahan Mungkin bila aku bersama-sama denganMU Aku tidak ingin mendengarkan dan mempelajari yang lain Karena mereka yang bukan menciptakan hidup ini Cuma membingungkan dan menyesatkan. TUHAN AMBILLAH HIDUP INI KARENA AKU TAHU PADAMULAH TERDAPAT SEMUA YANG AKU INGINI PADAMULAH TERSIMPAN SEMUA JAWABAN ATAS SEMUA PERTANYAAN-PERTANYAAN YANG TIDAK PERNAH AKU DAPATKAN JAWABAN NYA TUHAN AMBILLAH HIDUP INI KARENA AKU SUDAH TIDAK SABAR LAGI INGIN MELIHATMU SANG PENCIPTAKU DAN PADAMULAH AKU AKAN MENDAPATKAN DIRIKU SECARA TIBA-TIBA MENDAPATKAN ‘KEHIDUPAN’ KEKAL.

VICTOR

tidur sudah sejak siang tadi dan

dia tidak mempunyai niat untuk bangun

ataupun menggeserkan badannya kekiri

atau kekanan sedikitpun dari tempat

dimana dia berbaring tsb. entah apa

yang menyebabkann hari ini dia menjadi

pemalas seperti itu. Mungkinkah karena

hari yang dingin dan berangin kencang

seperti biasanya hari hari dimana AGAPE — Christmas 2006

25

pertengahan musim gugur di pinggiran

dan besi yang tebal yang

kota New York yang terkenal dingin dan

mungkin sebutir pelurupun

membeku menjelang akhir tahun? Atau

tidak bisa menembusnya.

mungkinkah hari itu perut Victor belum terisi

Victor sedang bermimpi indah,

sepotong makanan apapun atau seteguk

bermacam-macam mimpi indah

air sama sekali sehingga membuat Victor

sudah terjadi di dalam tidurnya

menjadi pemalas, bahkan lebih malas dari

sepanjang hari ini. Didalam

hari hari sebelumnya? Atau mungkinkah

mimpinya

Victor sedang sakit? Jawaban dari semuanya

mengakui bahwa belum pernah

adalah salah dan tidak benar. Victor telah

dia hidup sebahagia hari ini. Inikah

bertahun-tahun menjadi urban di NYC tsb.

yang di namakan Surga? Victor

dan sudah terbiasa dan kebal dengan

bertanya dalam hatinya. Atau inikah

segala musim dan cuaca yang terburuk

yang dinamakan Surga dunia? Victor

sekalipun. Soal makanan, Victor pernah

merasa seolah – olah dia sedang

tidak mencicipi sepotong makanan apapun

berlari diantara lapisan pelangi yang

di musim dingin tahun yang lalu toh dia

berwarna warni, sementara berlari

masih bertahan hidup dan tidak jatuh sakit

tangannya direntangkan nya lebar

sama sekali. Percaya atau tidak sejak kecil

lebar agar dia bisa menyentuh awan

Victor tidak kenal dan merasakan apa itu

yang ada disekitar pelangi tsb. pertama

sakit, segala macam sakit penyakit seolah-

kalinya dia pernah menyentuh awan.

olah enggan dan takut untuk hinggap di

Terasa begitu lembut dan meresap di

badan Victor, badan Victor seolah-olah di

pori-pori tangannya. Hawa dingin dan

lapisi dan di bungkus dengan lapisan baja

sejuk dirasakannya mengalir ke seluruh

26


sekalipun

Victor

penjuru tubuhnya dan membuat pikirannya

Tuhan kenapa Tuhan membiarkan dia lahir kedalam dunia ini. Secara tiba-tiba, mimpi

menjadi jernih dan bersih. alangkah

indah Victor pecah berkeping- keping

nyamannya...... biarkanlah aku hidup

ketika suara gaduh, tangisan dan teriakan

“Ooh...Tuhan...........

memekakan telinga nya. “HELP!.......HELP.......

seperti ini terus menerus....!” Victor mendesah didalam mimpinya, desahan yang seolah-olah menjadi

SOMEBODY HELP

MEEEE!!!.” “AWW!!.....

MOMMY... HELP!!!” “BRITNEY...!! HEY! DON’T

karena

TOUCH HER..! LEAVE HER ALONE..!” “HUAA

sepanjang hidupnya dia tidak

HAA HAAA.... YOU MAY MAKE A WISH

sebuah

doa

baginya

pernah menyebut nama Tuhan.

LADIES... HUA HA HA."

Malah sebaliknya betapa sering

lalu terdengar pula dengan kasarnya

dia selalu menghujat Tuhan.

pakaian yang indah yang dikenakan oleh

Banyak alasan yang membuat

wanita – wanita ini di koyakan dengan

dia suka sekali menghujat Tuhan,

paksa dan tangisan sedu sedan dari wanita

karena keadaan hidupnya,

ini akhirnya menusuk telinga Victor dan

karena lingkungannya, karena

membuatnya bangun dari tidurnya dan

orang tuanya yang pernah

meninggalkan mimpi indahnya. Victor

melahirkan dan tidak pernah

membuka matanya dengan malas, lalu

di kenal sepanjang hidupnya,

dia bangun dari berbaringnya dan duduk.

dan banyak hal – hal

Ketika mata Victor mencari dari mana

lainnya yang membuat dia

suara teriakan minta tolong itu berasal,

bertanya-tanya didalam

maka didepan matanya Victor melihat

kemarahan nya kepada

dengan jelas tampaklah dua orang wanita


27

cantik sedang ingin di aniaya dan di perlakukan tidak senonoh oleh segerombolan orang yang biasa

di lihat

oleh Victor mangkal di alley di pinggiran kota New York. Tampak wanita yang lebih tua yang berusia kira-kira empat

puluh tahunan sedang di tampar oleh laki-laki yang bertangan kasar ketika wanita itu berusaha melawan dan mencakar pria yang memaksa ingin menodai wanita tsb. Lalu tidak jauh dari tempat itu Victor melihat pula pemandangan yang lebih mengerikan dimana tampak gadis yang berusia relatif muda, kira-kira lima belas tahunan sedang di kerumumi oleh banyak lelaki-lelaki yang berangasan dan kasar berusaha menjamah, menyentuh tsb.

gadis cantik

Victor melihat betapa gadis muda

ini tampak telah kehabisan tenaga untuk

28


penjahat belum pernah menganiayai apalagi menodai seorang gadis remaja, terlebih lagi berusaha mengerumuminya sekali gus dalam waktu yang bersamaan, seperti semut yang sedang berbondong – bondong mengerumumi gula atau makanan yang di temuinya. Melihat hal ini hati nurani Victor tiba-tiba tersentuh dan marah

meronta-ronta dan melepaskan

terhadap lelaki-lelaki kurang ajar ini.

diri dari kerumuman

para

“HEY... LEPASKAN WANITA WANITA TSB.....

laki laki jahanam tsb. Victor

DAN PERGILAH KALIAN...”!!! mendengar

sendiri bukanlah orang baik

teriakan lantang dan suara yang di kenal

baik, pemandangan seperti itu

oleh mereka, para lelaki hidung belang

tidaklah mengherankan bagi Victor

ini berhenti dan menoleh kepada Victor

bahkan yang lebih sadis lagi dari

dengan herannya.

pada itupun hampir tiap hari dilihat

“HEY...VICTOR..... ADA APA...? APA KAU

olehnya. Meskipun Victor sendiri

MAU IKUT AMBIL BAGIAN..., HUA... HA

adalah seorang kriminal yang suka

HA HA... CEPAT KEMARILAH.... HAA HAAA

menodong dan menjambret tas-tas

HAAA......!”

ataupun pria yang di

mereka tertawa dan mengira Victor ingin

curigai oleh Victor adalah orang kaya dan

bergabung dengan mereka untuk berpesta

mempunyai banyak uang di tas mereka,

pora menikmati wanita –wanita cantik

tetapi Victor sendiri sebagai seorang

yang menghampiri mereka, karena wanita

wanita-wanita


29

wanita ini meliwati ALLEY yang menjadi

segerombolan sampah masyarakat yang

pangkalan dan sarang para pencopet,

berperan sebagai penjahat di daerah

perampok dan pemerkosa yang di takuti

tsb. mulai naik pitam terhadap Victor

di daerah tsb. “AKU BERKATA.. LEPASKAN

dan telah siap sedia untuk berbaku

MEREKA DAN TINGGALKAN TEMPAT INI

hantam dengannya kalau Victor masih

SEKARANG JUGA.. TAHUKAH KALIAN,

bersikeras menyuruh mereka pergi dan

BAHWA KALIAN TELAH MENGGANGGU TIDUR

meninggalkan wanita – wanita cantik

NYENYAK KU....!” “APA KAU SERIUS VICTOR..?

yang siap untuk menjadi mangsa

KITA KAN SAHABAT....!!”

mereka.

“AKU TIDAK ADA MOOD UNTUK BERCANDA,

“AKU BERKATA TINGGALKANLAH

SEGERA LAH TINGGALKAN TAMPAT INI DAN

TEMPAT

BIARKANLAH WANITA- WANITA YANG TAK

KESABARANKU DAN SEBELUM

BERDAYA INI PERGI DAN JANGAN GANGGU

KEMARAHANKU MELUAP- –LUAP.....

MEREKA LAGI.......!”

AKU BERI KALIAN KESEMPATAN

“TIDAK BISA INI ADALAH REZEKI KAMI, KAMI

SEPULUH DETIK UNTUK SEGERA

LAH YANG MENEMUKAN MEREKA, DAN

ANGKAT KAKI... AKU TIDAK

KAMI AKAN BERBUAT APAPUN TERHADAP

MAIN-MAIN LAGI!!!”

MEREKA, DAN KAU TIDAK BERHAK UNTUK

“KURANG

MELARANG KAMI TAHU....! APA KAU KIRA

SIALAN.. APA KAU KIRA

KARENA KAU BERBADAN BESAR DAN KAU

KAMI TAKUT PADA MU?

MAU BERTINDAK SEPERTI BOSS TERHADAP

AYO KAWAN KAWAN KITA

KAMI? HUH!! JANGAN HARAP KAMI AKAN

BUNUH SI BIANG KEROK

TURUTI PERMINTAAN MU...!”

INI DAHULU SEBELUM KITA

30


INI

SEBELUM

AJAR,

HABIS

ANAK

MENGGARAP WANITA-WANITA

Dengan kepalan kedua tangannya yang

INI.”......HYAAAAATTT...!!

besar dan keras, serta tendangan-

Lalu mereka beramai-ramai berusaha mengeroyok Victor yang

tendangan kaki Victor yang secepat kilat, bagaikan seorang yang memiliki

sudah berdiri dengan tegapnya

kepandaian martial arts tahap mahir dalam

dan siap menyambut serangan dari

sekejap mata penyerang- penyerang tsb.

para gelandangan- gelandangan

jatuh bergelimpangan di tanah kota yang

dan penjahat-penjahat kota New

kini di penuhi dengan sampah – sampah

York tsb. “HYAAAT...!” “BRAAAAGHH!”

yang bertebaran dan daun daun kering

“CIIIIAAAAAT!!” “BOOOOM!” “BRAAAAGGGH!!”

“HYAAAAAAAT!”

yang berterbangan oleh tiupan angin

“DHHAAAAR!”

kencang musim gugur saat itu. Sementara penyerangnya pada mengerang kesakitan dan banyak pula yang pingsan karena terkena tendangan kaki Victor, maka Victor menghampiri wanita yang tak berdaya tsb. “PERGILAH CEPAT – CEPAT, KALIAN TELAH SELAMAT KINI..., SEGERALAH KALIAN MENINGGALKAN TEMPAT INI.!” Si wanita dan anaknya yang cantik jelita tsb. segera merapih kan diri mereka kembali dan dengan suara terputus-putus karena takut, kaget dan sekali gus kagum melihat


31

penyelamat yang di kirim oleh Tuhan

PENJAHAT TSB.....!” Belum selesai penjelasan

untuk melepaskan mereka cari celaka

si wanita tsb. tiba-tiba terdengar letusan

yang hampir menimpa mereka. “TERIMA

senjata dari belakang. Dan secara tiba-

KASIH KAU TELAH MENYELAMATKAN KAMI,

tiba darah segar menyembur dengan

SAYA ADRIANA DAN INI ANAK GADIS SAYA

segar nya dari badan Victor yang

BRITNEY......, AYOO BRITNEY BERTERIMA

besar dan tegap tsb. Victor sempat

KASIHLAH KEPADA PENYELAMAT KITA....!”

limbung dan hampir terjatuh tapi dia

“TERIMA KASIH KEMBALI SEKARANG SEGERA

bisa menguasai dirinya dan berbalik

LAH MENINGGALKAN TEMPAT INI SEBELUM

kearah dari mana letusan senjata

MEREKA MENYERANG KALIAN LAGI...!”

itu terdengar dan Victor dan kedua

Victor berusaha membuat mereka segera

wanita tsb. melihat salah satu dari

meninggalkan lokasi yang membahayakan

bajingan yang di lumpuhkan

tsb. di samping Victor merasakan firasat

oleh Victor sempat kabur dan

yang tidak baik karena dia tahu orang

menuju sarangnya yang tak

orang seperti apa bajingan-bajingan yang

jauh dari tempat itu dan

baru saja di lumpuhkannya. “KAMI BARU

mengambil senjata. Melihat

PULANG DARI GEREJA, DAN APA DAYA

Victor

MOBIL KAMI MOGOK DI TENGAH JALAN

mereka maka si penembak

BESAR TSB. KAMI BERUSAHA MENCARI

tsb. gentar dan gemetar

BANTUAN DAN KAMI SENGAJA MENGAMBIL

karena tidak menyangka

JALAN ALLEY INI SUPAYA KAMI TERLINDUNG

Victor tidak segera jatuh.

DARI TIUPAN ANGIN YANG KENCANG, TAPI

Lalu si penembak tsb.

APA DAYA KAMI BERTEMU DENGAN PARA

menjatuhkan pistol dari

32


berbalik

kearah

genggamannya. Dengan cepat Victor

tsb. Victor sesekali membalas mereka dan

memungut pistol tsb. dan menembak

setiap peluru yang di tembakkan oleh Victor

dengan tepat di bagian kepala dari

pasti akan mencapai sasarannya. Namun

bajingan yang telah menembak punggung

biar begitu badan Victor juga terkena

Victor. Lalu Victor menembak penjahat

tembakkan yang lain. Victor terus bertahan

lain yang di lihat nya telah siap untuk

dan dengan tidak sabar Victor menuntun

menembaknya pula. Setelah peluruh

kedua wanita tsb. sampai akhirnya mereka

senjata api yang ada di tangannya

tiba di jalan 48th street. Jalan utama yang

habis maka dia merampas senjata

tidak terlalu jauh dari keramaian jantung

api yang lain, lalu dia berlari dan

kota New York. Bersamaan dengan itu pula

menuntun kedua wanita tsb. dengan

terdengar suara sirene mobil polisi yang

gesitnya dan membawanya pergi.

meraung – raung dengan lantangnya. Polisi

“AYOO CEPAT IKUTI AKU, AKU AKAN

mendengar suara tembakan yang beruntun

MENUNJUKKAN DAN MEMBAWA

dari Alley dimana pertama kali peristiwa itu

KAU KEPADA JALAN YANG AMAN

terjadi. Ketika tiba di jalan raya dan ramai

SEBELUM MEREKA MENEMBAK

tsb. Victor telah kehabisan darah, dan

KALIAN....!”

akhirnya dia jatuh terjerambab ke jalanan.

Mereka bertiga berlari dan Victor

Hujan turun dengan rintik rintik. Curahan air

di belakang kedua wanita tsb.

hujan telah membersihkan muka Victor yang

dari belakang para penjahat

penuh dengan debu sekali gus membuat

serta

tanah di sekitar Victor terjatuh menjadi

menembakan pistol mereka

lautan darah, karena air hujan yang berbaur

kearah Victor dan kedua wanita

dengan curahan darah yang mengalir dari

menguber

mereka


33

badan Victor. Orang-orang yang lalu lalang

yang sangat di cintainya,

di jalan tsb. berhenti, Adriana dan Britney

seorang yang sudah sangat

menangis meratapi Victor yang sedang

lama di kenal oleh mereka.

mempertahankan nafas nya yang terakhir.

Adriana dan Britney tak tahu

“OOH TUHAN SELAMATKAN LAH MALAIKAT

kenapa mereka begitu sedih

YANG TELAH MENOLONG KAMI INI... YAH

dan sangat kehilangan dengan

TUHAN TOLONG LAH VICTOR....!”

kepergian Victor, seorang yang

“SOMEBODY PLEASE CALL 911, SOMEBODY

tidak pernah di kenalnya, tetapi

IS DYING HERE...!” tak lama polisi pun tiba

juga seseorang yang seolah-

di tempat yang telah ramai di penuhi

oleh begitu dekat dengan hati

oleh orang yang lalu lalang yang ingin

mereka. Seolah-olah Victor adalah

mengetahui apa yang sesungguhnya telah

the “Guardian Angel”, atau paling

terjadi. Para penjahat telah di tangkap oleh

sedikit Victor adalah Malaikat

polisi yang mengejar mereka. Lalu polisi

Utusan Tuhan yang di kirim untuk

pun tiba di tempat Victor terbaring. Ketika

menyelamatkan mereka. Sementara

Victor melihat polisi di sekitar nya, maka

Adriana dan Britney menangisi Victor,

dengan lirih mata Victor melihat kepada

terdengar suara diantara orang

Adriana dan Britney dan berkata; “YOU...

yang mengerumumi mayat Victor

ARE ... .SAFE ... N..O..W....!”

berkata;

Lalu dengan senyum Victor menghembuskan nafasnya yang terakhir.

Adriana dan

Britney menangis terseduh seduh mereka seolah oleh sedang menangisi seseorang

34


“AH SAYANG SEKALI ORANG MUDA YANG TAMPAN INI HARUS MATI DENGAN CARA YANG TRAGIS SEPERTI INI....!” -- SELESAI --

B

book review ———————————————————————————

Captivating Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman’s Soul ISBN:

0785264698 (Hardcover) Publisher: Nelson Books (April 7, 2005) Dimension: 8.6 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches, 224 pages Reviewed by: Janice Atmadja

The author

of this book is also the author of the New York Times Bestseller Wild at Heart, the equivalent of Captivating for men. This book was written in exchange for those “books on Christian femininity” that the Eldredges deem formulaic; as if crossing off a numeric checklist on how to be “the woman you ought to be” (p.9 Introduction) will really only get you to satisfactory. These are “soul killing” and femininity is so complicated it can’t be described in a formula. Captivating, Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman’s Soul by John and Stasi Eldredge is definitely a book for the strong in faith. Its analogies of God as our lover and Father may be confusing and seem deranged to non-Christians. Lover itself already has a sketchy connotation. I have to admit even I was disturbed when I first read a couple chapters, especially AGAPE — Christmas 2006

35

the notion of getting God to “romance” you. Now do not panic. Am I going too fast for you? This is not a cultish book or anything like that. Letting God romance you simply mean letting Him work His magic in your heart so that you may dwell in contentment of God’s definition of “beauty” instead of the world’s. How will a non-Christian or someone unfamiliar with God’s loving and healing character understand this? There are many aspects of this book that I agree with and disagree with. There are also a lot of things I dislike―regarding style and portrayal of today’s women. Overall, it is a good read, but in all honesty it did not help me with my struggles to grow as a Christian woman. There is a difference between a book that helps a Christian grow to know themselves in Christ, and a book that only tells them it is okay to feel or think a certain way. I know all you women out there know what I mean by certain, a strange and guarded feeling of…femininity, the only word I find describable enough for this indescribable sensation. A book that paves a way to self-confidence and strength should also tell us how to grow instead of just giving us reassurance and psychiatric help (not to be harsh). Any other worldly book can do the same. I don’t understand how this book is a New York Times bestseller, not that its

36


contents aren’t meaningful. This book is not secular (even though the title seem appropriate for any other pop culture feminine mystery solver how-to book), and therefore must have been bought by mostly Christians, which comprise of not very many of us in America (if you mean the strong and fervent ones). Therefore, does this mean that this bestseller has reached out to the gentiles with its message of an answer in feminism through God? If so, why is the Gospel written towards the end of the book? Why was the Gospel not clarified first? Yes, the book talks of letting Jesus heal our shattered feminine hearts, but who is Jesus? A nonbeliever will want to be informed of Jesus Christ our Savior first. Moreover, knowing God’s character takes time and is necessary for understanding this book (refer to first paragraph). This book’s organization of things could be better as to help the nonbelievers find their answers. If they found their answer to their questions of womanhood in this book, how much more drawn to God and Christianity will they be? This is the book’s central idea: here is an essence of God in every woman. Women portray God’s desire for beauty and His want to be loved. We are also a reflection of God’s mystery. This is a claim I don’t completely follow. This is the Eldredges’ claim as to why God made us women the way we are: very “womanly” and conclusively very complicated.

This book is a contradiction to me. It encourages us to be strong, unashamed and Godly women, yet stereotyping women as largely needy and attentiongrabby. They claim an underlying feeling of guilt haunts us―the question if we’re too much or “not enough” made us feel unsought, unseen, and uncertain of our femininity resulting in Shame, the Eldredges deemed the “universal companion of women”. I don’t believe this is necessarily true in all women. Many women are confident and proud of their state. This book is biased against the “tomboy” women. However true the statement “all women desire love and beauty” may be, not all women are wrought in deep, frustrating contemplation over their womanhood. And not all “solitary, hard-working business women” are unhappy. I guess you can say I have the 20 th century feminist view and yes, as Christians we must seek out the role God has created women to fulfill, but all I’m saying is generalizing all women in a certain category of “complicated, mysterious, ‘beautiful’” women is wrong. This book glorifies “women” more than it needs to, with its choice of elaborate dictions and bible verses taken apart merely to support their cause. Even the most ardent feminist will blush at all the praise women receive for our

“womanhood”, a journey that is wrought with ‘questions, doubts, and fears’, it seems. How dangerous our lives as Women are. Women, the Eldredges claim, are created as reflection of God’s emphasis on people-to-people relationship. This explains women’s love of tea-time and strength in emotional connection to other people, but doesn’t this imply that a woman must be “sociable”? Many women are reserved and that is really who they are. Does that mean they must change themselves to be “social” to reflect God’s version of “woman”? And Women alone aren’t responsible for keeping up relationships, both friendship and boyfriend/girlfriend or husband/wife relationships. Both Men and Women are responsible in keeping a strong connection. To me this “reason” God has for creating Women gave me more confusion than clarification. I agree that our path to womanhood is filled with uncertainty. Can I still be a righteous as well as godly and yet still be woman? What does it even mean to be a woman? I don’t even know that yet. True I still have time to figure it out, but really, does anything provide an answer to our question of how or what is it to be a woman? The Bible does. If anyone finds a passage in there that is relevant to this, do leave a comment in the Agape comments and suggestions box. Thanks a lot.


37

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Choir di gereja kita telah mengalami kesulitan untuk mengajak lebih banyak jemaat untuk mengikuti pelayanan ini sejak tahun yang lalu. Sedikitnya anggota choir di gereja kita sekarang membuat choir grup kita susah untuk bertumbuh dan melayani Tuhan dengan baik. Jadi, Agape team menjalani interview berhubungan dengan choir di gereja kita dengan harapan untuk mencari alasan dibalik kiris dari choir grup ini. Dengan harapan yang lain, kami juga memperlihatkan lika-liku dari choir di gereja kita kepada jemaat semua. Dengan ini, kami sangat berharap untuk yang masih mempertimbangkan pelayanan yang akan mereka lakukan boleh medapat ide dan pengertian tentang pelayanan choir grup kita dan mungkin akan mempertimbangkan untuk mengikutinya.

Pertama-pertama, Agape team memberikan interview kepada salah satu jemaat di gereja kita sebagai penonton untuk memberikan umpan balik kepada anggota-anggota choir. Agape team juga memberikan interview kepada pemimpin choir dan salah satu dari anggota choir untuk memperlihatkan lika-liku dibalik choir grup di gereja kita ini.

Apakah tugas dari choir grup di gereja?

Bagaimana pekerjaan choir grup di gereja kita selama ini?

Apakah yang harus diperbaiki dari choir grup kita ini?

Bagimanakan anda akan merasa kalau tidak ada choir grup di gereja kita?


39

Apakah yang terdapat dalam pikiran anda kalau orang bilang dia tidak bisa nyanyi (kalau diajak untuk ikut choir grup)?

Kalau begitu, maukah anda ikut choir grup?


Apakah pandangan anda untuk choir di gereja kita di masa yang akan mendatang?

Bertapa sibukah choir di gereja kita?

Berapa banyakah usaha yang anda berikan untuk choir di gereja kita?

Apakah yang harus diperbaiki dari choir grup kita?

40



Apakah mengikuti choir grup telah menguatkan imam kepercayaan anda? Dengan bagaimana?

Bertapa sibukah choir di gereja kita?

Apakah pandangan anda untuk choir di gereja kita di masa yang akan mendatang?

Apakah yang harus diperbaiki dari choir grup kita?


41

Pesan-pesan untuk anggota-anggota choir dan pemimpin choir:

42


Setiap pelayanan untuk Tuhan membutukan kerelaan dan pengorbanan terutama pelayanan dalam choir. Choir adalah pelayanan yang sangat penting dan terpuji untuk Tuhan seperti yang Firman Tuhan telah katakan. Karena itu, sebagai satu yang mengikut choir grup di gereja sepatutnya melakukan tugasnya dengan serius. Jangan lupa, Tuhan selalu bersama dengan anda jadi kesulitan apa pun harus diselesaikan dengan berdoa kepadaNya untuk memberkati pelayanan anda ini. Kami sebagai Agape team sangat berharap choir grup di gereja kita ini boleh membuat satu kemajuan dan melayani Tuhan dengan baik.


43

GraceBased �� By: Tim Kimmel

If we are going to ask our self as parents, what are the fundamental, driving inner needs that your child was born with? Most parents would get one of these needs right (a need for love), but they would be hard-pressed to define what that needs looks like 44


once it’s fully met. The rest would offers answers like food, clothing, shelter (physical or intellectual needs, but not one of the driving inner needs). As a matter of fact, all children are born with three driving inner needs; they are the needs of love, purpose and hope. These driving inner needs are the ones that Adam and Eve were created with. They had them before what is traditionally known as “The Fall” – before they needed to be redeemed. These needs were the logical conclusion of being made in God’s Image. That’s why, when these needs are properly met, they are ultimately met in Him. Therefore, it is essential that these needs be the focal point of a wise parent’s efforts. 1) The Needs of A Secure Love Because we were made in God’s image, we have built into our basic

it. In Revelation 3:19 Jesus says, makeup an infinite capacity for love. Love starts at conception. Most moms, “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.” once they have found out that they are pregnant, begin to develop a love relationship with the baby inside them. 2) The Needs of A Significant Purpose Most children are received into arms God is a God of deliberateness. of love when they are born. He does nothing by trial and erBut desiring to love your children ror. His creation was not series of and actually loving them in such a chance accidents. From the moway that they develop a secure love ment He said, “Let there be light” of their own are two different things. (Genesis 1:3), He has been demYou’d have to search a long time to onstrating that He is working a Big find parents who would confess that Plan. He sent His son with a clearly they don’t love their children. Almost all parents love their children, and chil- defined purpose. What interestdren find clear evidence of that love. ing about this need is if we fail to But loving your child and even doing address our children’s need for a things to show your love do not trans- significant purpose, it doesn’t mean late into a secure love. What we mean they will necessarily end up living by secure love is a steady and sure useless and unproductive lives. In love that is written on the hard drive of more cases, our lack of deliberatechildren’s souls. It’s a complete love ness in grooming their sense of that they default to when their hearts purpose sends them into a future are under attack.. It’s the kind of love with a foreboding sense of irrelthat children can confidently carry with evancy and far more vulnerable to them into the future. Satan’s counterfeits. Children feel secure when they Children feel significant when know they are accepted as they are. they know they have our attention. Just as in our relationship with God, He may “Raising a child isn’t a march with a love us when we are distinct left-right-left-right cadence. sinful, but He doesn’t ignore our sin. Just the It’s a flowing dance where the rhythm opposite-He notices

changes all the time “

Just like what we see on Matthew 18: 5 - 6, Jesus noticed kids. He give His attention to children, He also offers a sobering warning to adults who doesn’t pay careful attention to children’s needs.

the only true God. They need to watch parents who place their full confidence in the only true God, Jesus Christ. Parents become the reference point that they cue off in learning how to trust God through the pain, confusion, or rejection that surely awaits them in the future. Paul taught this lesson as a principle for the church in Rome to follow. Here’s how he put it: “We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that sufferings produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us” (Romans 5: 2b – 5)

3) The Needs of A Strong Hope Anything minus hope equals nothing. Hope is the human equivalent of oxygen when it comes to a person’s ability to live effectively. Without hope, it is impossible to live a balanced life. Any parents who wants to raise his or her children into strong, confident and resilient adults has got to grasp the reality of children’s fundamental need for a strong hope. When our children receive something they know is given at a high cost, it bolsters their confidence that there are things in life worth hoping for. Ultimately, we “... suffering produces perseverance; want our chilperseverance, character; and character, hope.“ dren to place their hope in Romans 5: 3 - 4 NIV

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B

bible fact ————————————————————————————

100 Questions

The Top

By : Richard Bewes

Were the Magi astrologers? Over this past Christmas I've heard the wise men, who came to see the infant Jesus, described as astrologers. But I've always understood astrology and divination by the stars to occult in origin. Can you help?

Y

ou are perceptive to have been thinking along these lines. The Scriptures are indeed consistent in their hostility to all occult activity (Isaiah 8:19). However, we may - in fact we must - investigate those things that God has chosen to reveal, and not least in prophecy. The birth of Jesus - and the star which herladed his birth - was the activity of God himself. This was nothing to do with horoscopes. At significant stages of Jesus' life, certain phenomena featured - the dove at his baptism, the light at his transfiguration, the darkness and earthquake at his death, the cloud at his ascension. These occurrences attested Jesus to those who had minds to understand. Similary then, at his birth, there was a star. The signifcance of the wise men - the 'Magi' as they have been termed - is that they were Gentiles, probably from AGAPE — Christmas 2006

47

Mesopotamia. They would not have benefited directly from the privileges of Judaism or its Scriptures. It is, however, very likely that they would have taken note of a prophecy that had been uttered centuries earlier - by a Gentile prophet, Balaam by name. In fact he was from their own area, Pethor, by the river Euphrates (Numbers 22:4,5). His words would have been remembered down the ages:

2. Their persistence in the search

I see him, but not now, I

3. Their reverence for the infant

behold him but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel (Numbers 24:17). The star stood for regal power and splendour; the second couplet here is a firm indication of kingship. Further lines point to the widespread rule of this coming individual. Consequently, when a special star came to the attention of the Magi, they decided to investigate further.

1. Their sensitivity to revelation Traditionally it seems that the Magi (who were a kind of priestly tribe) were to the Persians what the Levites were to Israel; they were respected instructors of the Persian kings. Their enquiring minds predisposed them to recognise and then follow the star, when it appeared. 48


On reaching Jerusalem, the Magi cause great disruption with their enquiry as to where the new king has been born. Herod's advisors look up the prophecies, and announce Bethlehem as the location (Micah 5:2). But none of them make the journey to Bethlehem. It is left to these Gentile enquirers to go and pay homage to Israel's king.

Worship - not power - was their aim. Simon Magus (Acts 8:9-11) was in a lower order altogether; through his exploits he wanted to be 'great' - and that is the approach of occultism. Not so, the Magi of Matthew 2. They were wise with the wisdom that seeks God, and were obedient to him.

: k o o B e h T

Two Babes in a Manger Author Unknown Source: “Stories For A Faithful Heart”, compiled by Alice Gray Edited by Debbie Wang In 1994, two Americans answered an invitation from the Russian Department of Education to teach morals and ethics (based on biblical principles) in the public schools. They were invited to teach at prisons, businesses, the fire and police departments, and a large orphanage. About a hundred boys and girls who had been abandoned, abused, and left in the care of a government-run program were in the orphanage. They relate the following story in their own words: It was close to the holiday season, 1994. It is the first time for the orphans to hear about the traditional Christmas story—when Mary and Joseph arrived at Bethlehem. Finding no room in the inn, the couple went to a stable, where the baby Jesus was born and placed in a manger. Throughout the story, the children and orphanage staff sat in amazement as they listened. Some sat on the edges of their stools, trying to grasp every word. Completing the story, we gave the children three small pieces of cardboard to make a crude manger. Each child was given a small paper square, cut from yellow napkins I had brought with me. No colored paper was available in the city. Following the instructions, the children tore the paper and carefully laid

strips in the manger for straw. Small squares of flannel, cut from a worn-out nightgown an American lady threw away as she left Russia, were used for the baby’s blankets. A doll-like baby was cut from tan felt we has brought from the United States. The orphans were busy assembling their mangers as I walked among them to see if they needed any help. All went well until I got to one table where little Misha sat. He looked to be about six years old and had finished his project. As I looked at the little boy’s manger, I was startled to see not one, but two babies in the manger. Quickly, I called for the translator to ask the AGAPE — Christmas 2006

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lad why there were two babies in the warm, will that be a good enough manger. Crossing his arms in front gift’ of him and looking at this completed “And Jesus told me, ‘If you keep manger scene, the child began to me warm, that will be the best gift repeat the story very seriously. For anybody ever gave me.’ So I got in such a young child, who had only the manger, and then Jesus looked heard the Christmas story once, he at me and he told me that I could related the stay with �� him—for happenings very �� always.” accurately, As �� until he �� little Misha came to finished �� the part his story, �� where his eyes �� Mary put brimmed the baby full of Jesus in tears that the manger. splashed down his little cheeks. Then Misha started to ad-lib. He Putting his hand over his face, his made up his own ending to the story head dropped to the table and as he said, “And when Maria laid the his shoulders shook as he sobbed baby in the manger, Jesus looked at and sobbed. The little orphan had me and asked me if I had a place to found someone who would never stay. I told him I couldn’t, because I abandon nor abuse him, someone didn’t have a gift. I thought maybe if I who would stay with him—FOR kept him warm, that would be a good ALWAYS. gift. So I asked Jesus, ‘If I keep you

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e h T ��

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Christmas Tradions with the masses and were at their prime in the Middle Ages CHRISTMAS CAROLING TRADITION Carol by definition means a fes- when they were almost always a part of the mystery plays. tive song, generally religious but There was a time when wandernot necessarily connected with ing minstrels and waits or watchchurch worship, and often with a men that guarded the old dance-like or popular character. Originally, music compositions and walled cities in the night used to pass their time by singing carsongs at Christmas were in the ols and also sang them to theform of chants and hymns. Caroling originally meant ‘circle dance’ people who used to pass them and the words to accompany this by. They would go from home to festive dance were later added to home, singing carols and entertaining people and may get a the tradition. Initially, in the countryside, many simple folk songs and treat in return. Later groups of musicians began singing carols Nativity carols were written and and playing them for gained popularity, too. In 1223, various events that Saint Francis of Assisi introduced were held during carols into the formal worship of the Christmas the church during a Christmas season. Today, Midnight Mass in a cave in Greccio, in the province of Umbria. That a number of night, the songs and music that ac- caroling events companied this sacred and formal are organized throughout the event were not hymns but carols. world during the Ever since then, carols caught on AGAPE — Christmas 2006

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festive season, especially on Christmas Eve.

depicting acts of Christmas charity: to the Ever since the first Christmas left, feeding the night when the angel choir sang hungry; to the of the coming of the Savior to the right, clothing shepherds, Christmas’ have been the naked. Underheralded with the singing of carols. neath appears the Although the words of carols may now familiar phrase vary, the essence of the message “A Merry Christmas is the same. The practice of caroland a Happy New Year to You.” ing from house to house nowadays Actually, cards were preceded is still one of the most treasured by “Christmas Pieces” written customs of all. Imagine yourself at by school boys in England as home, sitting in front of a warm fire- greetings to their parents and place, placing your favorite Christ- as proof of their progress in the mas decorations around the house art of writing. when soft sounds of singing come Nowadays, people are getin from the chilly outdoors. Why, it’s ting convenient with the techthe sound of carolers just for us. nology so the tradition of exCHRISTMAS CARD TRADITION changing cards on Christmas The Christmas card is a Victorian day evolved into exchanging creation, which began as a kind E-cards, which is more efficient of stationery. The first card was and attractive. Many business produced by Sir Henry Cole who people use this event to generworked for the British Postal Service, ate a better relationship with and an artist he hired named John vendors, customers, etc. For Horsley. This early card was a depic- families or friends, the tendency tion of a Christmas scene framed to exchange Christmas card is in three panels. In the center panel a symbol of a bond of care and was a homey table scene: children, thoughtfulness. parents and grandparents seated, and some raising their glasses for a toast. On either side were panels 52


CHRISTMAS GIFT GIVING TRADITION From the earliest times, the account of the Wise Men or Magi’s journey has been a tremendous part of the Christmas Season. It was through their love and desire to know the King of Kings that they traveled many miles, even risking their lives in encounters with King Herod, so that they might present their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. In our Christmas Season today we continue that gift giving tradition and in our Christian lives each week we practice the same spirit of the Magi in giving tithes and gifts to Jesus our King of Kings so His ministry may continue and expand.

a Christmas tree with candles. While coming home one dark winter’s night near Christmas, he was struck with the beauty of the starlight shining through the branches of a small fir tree outside his home. He duplicated the starlight by using candles attached to the branches of his indoor Christmas tree. The Christmas tree was not widely used in Britain until the 19th century. It was brought to America by the Pennsylvania Germans in the 1820’s.

The Tannenbaum itself is a symbol of peace and eternal life. The Christmas tree represents the Cross on which hung the light of the world, who, when CHRISTMAS TREE TRADITION He died, completed His union in love with His church. The Cross The Christmas tree originated in Germany in the reunited earth and sky, God and 16th century. It was com- humanity in love. The lights of the tree represent Jesus, the light of mon for the Germanic the world; the ornaments reprepeople to decorate Tannenbaum (fir trees) sent us, the fruits - the offspring of the union between Jesus and His both inside and out church. And thus did the Tanwith roses, apples, nenbaum (a family of fir tree) and colored paper. become the Christmas tree. It is believed that Martin Luther, the SANTA CLAUS TRADITION Protestant reformer, The original Santa Claus, St. was the first to light AGAPE — Christmas 2006

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Nicholas, was born in Turkey in the 4th century. He was very pious from an early age, devoting his life to Christianity. He became widely known for his generosity for the poor. But the Romans held him in contempt. He was imprisoned and tortured. But when Constantine became emperor of Rome, he allowed Nicholas to go free. Constantine became a Christian and convened the Council of Nicaea in 325. Nicholas was a delegate to the council. He is especially noted for his love of children and for his generosity. He is the patron saint of sailors, Sicily, Greece, and Russia. He is also, of course, the patron saint of children. The Dutch kept the legend of St. Nicholas alive. In 16th century Holland, Dutch children would place their wooden shoes by the hearth in hopes that they would be filled with a treat. The Dutch spelled St. Nicholas as Sint Nikolaas, which became corrupted to Sinterklaas, and finally, in Anglican, to Santa Claus. In 1822, Clement C. Moore composed his famous poem, “A Visit from St. Nick,” which was later 54


published as “The Night Before Christmas.” Moore is credited with creating the modern image of Santa Claus as a jolly fat man in a red suit. In Greek, St. Nicholas is known as Hagios Nikolaos, Bishop of Myra (in the present day Turkey), St Nicholas reportedly died about 350 AD. Today, this mythical character is still alive and well and is known all over the world as: Nicholas of Myra, Santa Claus or “Santa” in USA. His fame spread rapidly during the Middle Ages and thousands of churches are dedicated to him. He has been the patron saint of Russia, Moscow, Greece, children, sailors, prisoners, bakers, pawnbrokers, shopkeepers and wolves. His gift-giving role in Christmas rites probably follows from his fame as the friend of children. The story also tells that he used to give anonymous donations of gold coins to persons in need. Most

of the children imagine Santa as a merry old man with red and white clothes, ride an open sleigh with eight flying reindeer (including Rudolf), always entering houses through the chimney and doesn’t give presents to bad kids. His cult spread in Europe and Christmas presents were distributed on December 6th when the celebration of St. Nicholas took place. In many countries, this day is still the day of Christmas gift-giving although there is a mounting pressure everywhere to conform to the custom of 24th/25th December. The relics of St. Nicholas are in the basilica of St. Nicola, in Bari, Italy (they were stolen from Myra in 1087 AD). For this reason, he is sometimes known as St. Nicholas of Bari.

hung out to dry. Since that time children have continued to hang out stockings in hopes of finding them filled with gifts. Actually, the hanging of stockings by the fire supposedly dates back to the actual Saint Nicholas, a bishop in Lycia in Asia Minor (present-day Turkey) during the fourth century AD. According to the legend there was a poor man with three daughters who could not provide a dowry for them to be married. One night, Nicholas secretly dropped a bag of gold into an open window of the house. The oldest daughter was then allowed to be married. This was repeated later with the second daughter. Finally, determined to uncover his benefactor, the father secretly hid each evening by his daughter’s window until he caught the saint tossing in a bag of gold. Nicholas begged the man to not reveal what he had done, not wanting to bring attention to himself.

SOCKS HANGING TRADITION The custom of hanging stockings comes from England. Father Christmas (Santa Claus) once dropped some gold coins while coming down the chimney. The coins would have fallen through the ash grate and become lost if they hadn’t Word got out anyway, and landed in a stockwhen anyone received a gift ing that had been


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from an unknown source, it was attributed to Saint Nicholas. The stockings come into play in one legend, in that the third daughter had hung her stockings by the fire to dry them out after washing them, and when St. Nicholas tossed in the bag of gold it landed in one of the stockings. Thus the tradition began. Children write letters to Father Christmas listing their requests, but instead of dropping them in the mailbox, the letters are tossed into the fireplace. The draught carries the letters up the chimney and Father Christmas reads the smoke. Tips of what we as Christians should deal with the fact of the fictitious origins of Christmas tradition:

s a m t is r s h U C f o y rr All a e s u M om z Fr GII A at

Even though the origins of Christmas tradition seem so fictitious and not even biblical, today Christians all over the world along with non-Christians celebrate Christmas together. It is not wrong to celebrate Christmas by these tradition because we all have the freedom of how we would celebrate the birth of our Savior, but most importantly we 56


should not be the same as the non-Christians who sees this celebration along with these tradition only as a holiday. We need to remember that Christmas isn’t just an occasion of gift giving, or caroling, or the big and beautiful Christmas tree. And what we as Christians should remember on Christmas day is God’s love and mercy. God has the biggest grace and love for us. That is why He sent His one and only Son to come on to the earth as a human to sacrifice and redeem us, so that we can have an eternal life. Most of all, we, as Christians, should not celebrate these traditions excessively so that we forgot our savior, Jesus.

Maret 2005 papa Patsy meninggal secara tiba-tiba. Sebulan kemudian kami mendapatkan bahwa Patsy mengandung. Walaupun kehamilan ini direncanakan tetapi kami surprise juga. Kami sungguh merasa senang dan bagi Patsy ini sekaligus merupakan suatu penghiburan apalagi setelah kehilangan papa. Banyak yang bertanya kami ini ingin anak laki-laki atau perempuan? Bagi kami mendapatkan anak laki-laki atau perempuan bukan masalah. Yang penting anak yang dikandung ini sehat. Pada bulan kelima kami mengetahui bahwa kami akan mendapatkan anak laki-laki. Kami mendengar nama Tobias dari seorang teman. Kami suka sekali dengan nama itu. Tentunya alternatif nama yang lain juga dipikirkan tetapi karena makin banyak pilihan membuat kami makin bingung maka kami kembali pada pilihan pertama. Arti nama Tobias adalah “God is good.” Nama John diambil dari ayah Patsy. Arti nama John adalah “God is gracious.” Kami sungguh bersyukur mempunyai keluarga dan teman-teman yang mengasihi bahkan mendoakan kami. Tanggal 18 Desember 2005 Tobey lahir di Methodist Hospital di Arcadia. Perasaan senang dan asing bercampur menjadi satu. Kami telah menjadi Papa dan Mama. Kami sungguh bersyukur pada Tuhan telah memberkati kami dengan anak yang sehat. Terima kasih Tuhan Yesus. Irwan and Patricia Tanujaya


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Faith had her 1st Christmas last year at the hospital when she was 2 days old…J First of all, we praise and thank God for His graceful and miraculous works each day in our struggles and lives. We also want to thank our brothers and sisters in Christ who faithfully pray for us. We’ve prayed for a child in our live for quite some times and God answered our prayers when we least expected it. We believe that Faith’s presence in our live is only by His love and grace. She is really a blessing for us. Faith means Confident belief in Truth and Hannah means Grace of God / God has favored me. Our prayer is that she can be a God’s blessing wherever she is. Joshua and Wilis Adidjaja

Kami sungguh bersyukur untuk kelahiran anak kedua kami. Semoga Nadelyn menjadi anak Tuhan yang baik dan bisa dipakai buat pekerjaan Tuhan. Wilson and Ping-Ping Lee

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The meaning of Joshua is Jehovah Saves. Joshua is the Hebrew word for ‘Jesus’. Joshua succeeded Moses as the leader of the Israelites and led them into Canaan, the ‘promised land’. Fidel means faithful. Fidel = Fide (from ‘Sola Fide’, the famous doctrine formulated Martin Luther). And the last name reflects one of the greatest men in history. He was born at St. John’s Regional Medical Center Oxnard, California. Puji Tuhan proses kelahiran Joshua bisa berjalan dengan lancar, lahir dengan berat badan 5 lbs 2 oz, panjang 18,5 inchi. Kelahiran Joshua benar-benar di luar dugaan kami karena ia lahir sebelum waktu yang telah diperkirakan (lebih cepat 5 minggu dari jadwal perkiraan dokter). Namun walaupun lahir pre-term, Joshua bisa lahir dengan sehat dan selamat tanpa adanya hambatan yang cukup berarti. Kami benar-benar bersyukur atas hadirnya Joshua di tengahtengah keluarga kami, dan kami berharap ia dapat berakar, bertumbuh, berbuah sesuai dengan rencana Tuhan serta menjadi anak yang setia dan takut akan Tuhan. Amin. SOLI DEO GLORIA Heru and Riya Winarto

I was born at 1:30 am on Saturday; my mom was in labor for 11 hours. Finally, I was delivered successfully with weight 6 lbs 11 in and height 20 in. Since I am the second child, it seems much easier for my mom to deliver me. I was born in Baldwin Park, same place as my sister. Thank you Jesus for blessing my mom and me. Louis and Shiella Handojo


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R

resep ——————————————————————— by Linda Zheng

Christmas

Ginger Bread Men

Ingredients : 3 and 1/4 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 teaspoon ground cloves 1 cup salted butter, softened 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed 1 large egg 1/2 cup unsulfered molasses 2/3 cup confectioners sugar 1 - 2 teaspoon milk

Preparing Icing : 1) Whisk sugar and milk until smooth but still liquid 2) Add extra milk if seems dry 3) Place in a bread paper with a small spuit on the bottom, decorate the cookies as desired

Baking Directions : 1) Preheat oven to 325' 2) Whisk together flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, ginger and cloves 3) Cream butter and sugar. Scrap down sides of bowl. Add egg and molasses and beat on medium speed until smooth. 4) Scrape down bowl and add flour mixture, blend on low speed until just combined (do not over mix) 5) Separate dough into 2 balls and flatten into disks. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate approx. 1 hour. 6) On floured surface with floured rolling pin, roll dough out to 1/4 thickness. With floured cookie cutters cut into shapes. Gather scrapes and re-roll dough until all is used. Place on ungreased baking sheets about 1/2" apart. 7) Bake 9 - 11 minutes - do not brown. Transfer to cool, flat surface and let it cool. 60


Tom Yum Goong (Hot & Sour Prawn Soup)

Ingredients : 500g (1 lb) Raw Prawns 1 tablespoon Oil 2 litres Water 2 tablespoons Ready-Made Red Curry Paste 2 teaspoons Ground Tumeric 1 teaspoon Chopped Red Chilli, optional 4-8 kaffir lime leaves, whole or shreded 2 tablespoons fish sauce 2 tablespoons lime juice 2 teaspoons soft brown sugar 1/4 cup (7g 1/4 oz) Fresh coriander leaves / cilantro

Cooking Direction : 1) Peel and Devein the prawns, leave the tails intact. Heat oil in a large pan add the prawn shells and heads to the pan and cook for 10 minutes over moderately high heat, tossing frequently, until the shells and head are deep orange.

2) Add 1 cup (250ml / 8 fl oz) of the water and the curry paste to the pan. Boil for 5 minutes, until reduces slightly. Add the remaining water and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain the stock, discard the heads and the shells. 3) Put the drained stock to the pan, Add tamarind, turmeric, chilli and lime leaves to the boil and cook for 2 minutes. Add prawns to the pan and cook for 5 minutes until the prawns turn pink. Add the fish sauce, lime juice and sugar and stir to combine, sprinkle with coriander leaves. Ready to serve for 4 - 6 person


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h c r a e S d Wor

W a ng By D eb b ie

Instead of playing video games or watching TV all day for Christmas break, it is better to spend your time doing this puzzle. Look for the listed Christmas words between these letters. They are not necessarily from the Bible. The words could be backwards, vertical, horizontal, or diagonal. Good luck solving it! If you think you are done, show it to Ci Debbie from English Youth Service. Only the first ten kids who are done correctly will have the opportunity to show their pics (taken by Agape team) in the next edition” P.S.: This puzzle is for kids age 12 and under, if you are above 12, just do it for fun, not the prize! ▶ Angel ▶ Mary ▶ Bethlehem ▶ Naughty ▶ Jesus ▶ Nice ▶ Joseph ▶ Present ▶ Magi ▶ Shepherd ▶ Manger ▶ Snow 62


H

humor —————————————————————

These jokes are taken from www.gcfl.net and jokes.christiansunite.com "A cheerful heart is good medicine..." (Proverbs 17:22a)

.The Nativity. Lucy was sitting with her four-year-old son one night sometime around Christmas. They were reading a book on the nativity story. When they came to the part where Mary laid the baby Jesus in the manger, Lucy said, “And here‛s the baby lyin‛ in the manger.” Lucy's son stopped a moment then turned to her with the most quizzical look on his face and said, “But mommy, where‛s the baby lion?”

.At the Pearly Gates on Christmas Eve. Three men died on Christmas Eve and were met by Saint Peter at the pearly gates. “In honor of this holy season,” Saint Peter said, “you must each possess something that symbolizes Christmas to get into heaven.” The first man fumbled through his pockets and pulled out a lighter. He flicked it on. “It represents a candle,” he said. “You may pass through the pearly gates,” Saint Peter said. The second man reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys. He shook them and said, “They‛re bells.” Saint Peter said, “You may pass through the pearly gates.” The third man started searching desperately through his pockets and finally pulled out a pair of women‛s glasses. St. Peter looked at the man with a raised eyebrow and asked, “And just what do those symbolize?” The man replied, “They‛re Carol‛s.” AGAPE — Christmas 2006

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.The Gift. Thanks for the electric guitar you gave me for Christmas,” little Chris Cody said to his uncle the first time he saw him after the holidays. “It‛s the best present I ever got.” “That‛s great,” said his uncle. “Do you know how to play it?” “Oh, I don‛t play it,” the little fellow said. “My mom gives me a dollar a day not to play it during the day and my dad gives me five dollars a week not to play it at night.

.The Nativity Scene. A 7-year old child was drawing a picture of the Nativity. The picture was very good, including Mary, Joseph and, of course, baby Jesus. However, there was a fat man standing in the corner of the stable, that just did not seem to fit in. When the child was asked about it, she replied, “Oh, That‛s Round John Virgin.”

.Lost Purse. A lady lost her handbag in the bustle of Christmas shopping. It was found by an honest little boy and returned to her. Looking in her purse, she commented, “Hmmm.... That‛s funny. When I lost my bag there was a $20 bill in it. Now there are twenty $1 bills.” The boy quickly replied, “That‛s right, lady. The last time I found a lady‛s purse, she didn‛t have any change for a reward.”

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Eeditorial. AGAPE Christmas

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