O Worship the LORD in the Beauty of Holiness

	8.00 am	11.00 am
Call to Worship	Eld Peter Koy	Eld Peter Koy
Opening Hymn  +Invocation-Gloria Patri	I Will Sing of My Redeemer (HGG 264)	I Will Sing of My Redeemer (HGG 264)
Scripture Reading	Luke 9:57-10:16	Luke 9:57-10:16
Hymn	We Plough the Fields, and Scatter (HGG 704)	We Plough the Fields, and Scatter (HGG 704)
Offertory Hymn	Rescue the Perishing (HGG 570)	Rescue the Perishing (HGG 570)
Doxology & Prayer
Pastoral Prayer
Sermon	Our Mission-Minded God (Acts 13:1-12) by Rev Ho Chee Lai	Our Mission-Minded God (Acts 13:1-12) by Rev Ho Chee Lai
Closing Hymn	O Zion, Haste (HGG 697)	O Zion, Haste (HGG 697)
Benediction
Announcements

 

Gossip and the Christian

I am not sure if you have ever heard someone say that they will not want to share personal matters in the church. If you are close to them, they may share that their reason is their fear of gossip. They think that once their private matters are shared, the whole church will know.

I also had a student who suggested in his homework that we should have a B-P church counselling center. In this way, church members who need help can keep their personal struggles away from their church. His reason for the suggestion is again the fear of gossip.

Please allow me to make this statement: It is an open secret that Christians gossip and that Christian men and women are just as guilty.

What is Gossip?

You might find it interesting to note that the word ‘gossip’ is not found in the KJV Bible, just like the word ‘trinity’ - that GOD is Father, Son and Holy Spirit - is not found in the Bible. Yet there are many references for the meaning of both words. We can find relevant teachings on these two subjects all over the Bible, from the Old Testament to the New Testament.

Maybe it is because of this lack of a direct Bible reference that this destructive behaviour is not addressed and properly dealt with. Can we do something about it?

Gossip, as a noun, is defined in the Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary as “a person who habitually reveals personal or sensational facts about others.”

With this description, let us see what the Bible has to say.

The Busybody

Unlike the word ‘gossip’, which is not found in the Bible, the characteristics of a gossiper can be observed in the word ‘busybody’ as found in 2 Thessalonians 3:11, 1 Timothy 5:13 and 1 Peter 4:15.

Some people are told to “mind their own business.” These words are usually said to someone who is a busybody. Such people go around meddling in other people’s lives on matters that do not concern them.

In the Bible, GOD teaches that there is a very close relationship between the busybody and gossip. (We will see this especially in 1 Timothy 5:13.) These teachings about the busybody are from the apostles Paul and Peter. 

In their letters to the Christians of the early church, they wrote about the busybodies present in their churches. It seemed obvious to Paul and Peter that these busybodies were a problem in the church!

So, with these three verses and the understanding that they are a problem in the church, we will get to see what GOD is saying about the busybody and gossiper and what we should be doing about this problem.

2 Thessalonians 3:11

“For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.”

What stands out here is that busybodies are disorderly Christians who are not busy at work. Rather, they are busy with other people’s business. Their disorderly behaviour shows that they are people who are a law unto themselves. A busybody practices lawlessness, just like the devil.

The busybodies mentioned here are not disciplined and do not submit to authority. They do not care whether their actions will hurt someone. They just want to meddle into other people’s lives. Even rebukes will roll off them like water on the back of a duck, because they are a law unto themselves, and they will justify their actions. They are the self-righteous people of the church.

Does this mean that they gossip? Yes, that is what the following verse says.

1 Timothy 5:13

“And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.”

The busybody is a tattler who indulges in empty and foolish talk. This person is not concerned whether what comes out of his mouth is true or not. All they use to spread their stories is just a shade of the truth. With only a small piece of the bigger picture they will spin a story. They work on perception and assumption. It does not matter whether the word of their mouth is the whole picture or whether it will hurt someone.

1 Timothy 5:13 also tells us that they say things that ought not to be spoken. As the fool has said in his heart that there is no GOD (Psalm 14:1), so busybodies will not care whether or not their behaviour is GOD-honouring and loving towards others. They do not practice what is taught in Matthew 22:34-40 in their motivation and speech. And because of self-righteousness, they will think they are saying the right things and speaking out for GOD. This self-deception is so strong that we often give up on them and say things like, “Let GOD deal with them”. Then we wash our hands of them and their bad behaviour.

The final advice is from the apostle Peter.

1 Peter 4:15

“But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.”

Peter makes it very clear in chapter 4 of his first epistle that Christians will be persecuted, but he emphasises that they should suffer only for the sake of righteousness and for Christ (1 Peter 4:12-14). His instruction is that we do not make ourselves worthy to be condemned for sinful behaviour, and one example he gives is the behaviour of a busybody or meddler.

So, there is the need to beware of committing this personal sin and to make sure that we are not part of the problem of gossip in the church. If we become aware that we are part of the problem, we must not walk away from what the Word of GOD has shown to us. Rather, let us confess our sins to one another, ask the brethren we have wronged to forgive us, and promise to repent.

Those who are Christian friends of a busybody or gossiper need to do something to help him. Do not allow this brother in Christ to continue in this sin. 1 Peter 4:15 is very clear that gossiping is unchristian and something that is not permitted in the church of Jesus Christ.

Will we stop being a busybody and gossiper since such behaviour is condemned by GOD?

Conclusion

The good news that we are saved from sin and from GOD’s wrath must also mean that we do not continue in this sin of being a busybody and gossiper.

Let us pray for the day when we will have great confidence to share our deepest hurts and struggles with one another in church. And then we will be able to truly love, pray and help each other because we can be trusted with any private and sensitive information shared by other brethren in Christ.

May the people around us see that we are different from the world and turn to trust in the LORD Jesus Christ. And may the Lord help His people change from being busybodies to become a people who truly care for one another and help one another.

– Joel Seah

 

Appointments for the Week

Monday, Jul 10

        7.30 pm     ERBL: OT Poetic Books (Rev Charles Seet)

Tuesday, Jul 11

        8.00 pm     Prayer Meeting (Dn Aaron Khoo)

Wednesday, Jul 12

      10.00 am     GAF Meeting

Thursday, Jul 13

      10.00 am     Ladies’ Prayer Group

        7.30 pm     ERBL: The Theology of Prayer (Pastor Tan Soon Yong)

Friday, Jul 14

        7.30 pm     MM BS

        8.00 pm     LF Meeting

Saturday, Jul 15

        3.00 pm     LTF / YF / YAF / MM BS

Sunday, Jul 16

  8.00 am Not Ashamed of the Gospel Acts 13:13-52 (Rev Charles Seet, with Holy Communion)

  8.00 am Choir Practice

  9.15 am Library (Sanctuary Balcony)

  9.40 am Sunday School / Catechism Class

10.15 am Coffee Corner

11.00 am Not Ashamed of the Gospel Acts 13:13-52 (Rev Charles Seet)

11.00 am Children’s Ministry

11.00 am Chinese Service (MPH)

11.00 am Filipina Service (Rm 1-6)

12.15 pm Library (Sanctuary Balcony)

  2.30 pm Thai Service (LMH)

  4.00 pm Indonesian Service (Rm 1-6)

 

Announcements

Survey

Tell us your preferred choice for a Church Anniversary gift at .https://lifebpc.com/survey/index.php/775286?lang=en

The most popular choice wins. Survey closes on 9 July 2023.

 

WITH ONE VOICE (Evening of Praise 2023)

Date:  7 Oct 2023 (Sat)

Time:  7pm to 9pm

Venue: Church Sanctuary

Form your groups to present item of praise unto the Lord! Registration will open soon.

 

Gospel Sunday

30 July 2023 “God has a message for you” by Pastor Wei En Yi.

 

Door to Door Evangelism 16 Jul 2023 (Next Sunday)

Meet in Beulah Room 2-11, 12.30 pm Contact: Desmond  or Amos 

 

Traffic Wardens

Lifers are invited to serve our Lord as Traffic Wardens on Sunday. Kindly contact Bro Yeo HS if you are available.

 

Ladies’ Tea Fellowship

Forum on God-Centred Relationships (Family & Workplace). 22 July 2023, 2.30pm @ Beulah Rm 1-6. Please contact sister Sally 

 

MM 7^th Anniversary

“Rise Up, O Men of God” by Eld Chia Ah Lak. 29 July 2023, 4-7pm @ Beulah MPH. Dinner will be provided

 

Exploring Christianity

What is the meaning of life? Why am I here? If there is a good and powerful God, why do we have global pandemics and unrest in this world?  The answers to these questions can be found in the Bible, which is God's word to man.

Exploring Christianity is a course that looks at how the Bible addresses these pertinent questions about life. It is a 5-part series and is suitable for (1) Non-Christians seeking God and (2) Christians who would like to learn how to evangelise.

The first session will be held on a Saturday, 22 July 2023, from 3-6.30pm at Beulah Centre, Room 2-1. Dinner will be provided. Kindly note that the other 3 sessions will be held on Sunday mornings. All Lifers are encouraged to bring their non-Christian friends and family members to this introductory course on the Christian faith. 

Register at https://tinyurl.com/ECJul2023