I WILL GO AHEAD OF YOU

The chosen text is taken from MK 16: 5 – 7; but the theme I have selected for this short reflection is taken from MT 26:31 – 35 which parallels with MK 16:5ff, where we found the phrase – “I WILL GO AHEAD OF YOU TO GALILEE”

Prayer: 'He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it'....may His faithfulness be revealed in you, through Christ our Lord Jesus Christ i pray...AMEN!


Do not forget to take note that the theme chosen above …is the first message given on the resurrection day to untrustworthy persons who failed to keep their words.

Before the same message was given to the disciples after resurrection, Jesus foretold the same massage repeatedly to his disciple as found in MT 26:32/MK 14:28. Then after Resurrection, the same message becomes the first message given to his disciples and particularly to Peter.

So, these occurrences in various passages convince me to ask few questions like;
1)    Why does this message play a significant role in the life of disciples?
2)    What theological significance does this message has in the life of Peter?

Therefore in order to give appropriate answer to these questions, we need to ponder the chosen text carefully;

In MK16:7: when the message was given, the speaker has focus/addressed to a particular group of people as well as particular individual – i.e. disciples and Peter.

Therefore by examining both the life of entire members of disciple in general and the life of Peter in particular, we can clearly get to know the message behind this message. However this limited space does not permit us, so we will have a brief look only on the life of Peter.

PETER:
-    Mt 4:19 tells us that he is among disciples whom Jesus deliberately calls out from the crowd.

-    So, he becomes the main speaker among the inner circle.

-    Mt 16: 21-23 tells us how much Peter loves Jesus. When Jesus told them, what would happen to him in a short future, Peter replied, “May God forbids it, Lord! This must never happen to you” (V22).
-    Mt 26:31 – 35 & MK 14:29 here, Jesus foretold them that all of them would betray him. At this moment, Peter was the one who earnestly replied saying – “Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you”.
-    But even though, Jesus is so important in the life of peter, and in spite of the affectionate behavior he repeatedly has shown towards Jesus; what we see in the last discourses and the moment when Jesus face trouble and is being arrested;

-    MK 14:50 says – All of them (including Peter) deserted him and fled away.

-    MK 14:54 says – Peter had followed him at a distance.

-    Mk 14: 66ff – here, he repeatedly denied Jesus (3 times, as foretold).

Therefore, one thing we need to take notice from this story is – from this time onward (after betrayal of Jesus until Resurrection) no record about the disciples is found.

From our imagination we may recollect what would happen during this time of crisis or uncertainty; the situation when no record about the disciples is found.

I would say – this is a time of self-reflection and doubtfulness for the disciples, particularly for Peter where and when he might have gone through the feeling of fear, distress, insecurity, doubtfulness, and certain kind of stressful situation, emotional and psychological crises, and in edition - dysfunctional problems within the inner circle, etc and many more.

He might also have the feeling of self-hatred for what he has done and what he has not done.
With all what he has done, do we think that Peter would freely or peacefully or eagerly would go back to the town of Galilee, the town from where he belongs?

We all rather may think that Peter would not return to Galilee for he has so many weaknesses, failure in life, disloyalty to his master,  etc, And in addition – people of his village/town may also put their blame on him for the crisis situation he has undergoing, if he return without Jesus.

But, the amazing fact is that – at this point or during the situation when he face difficult situation, the message given away on the resurrection day for him was – “He will go ahead of you to Galilee”

As already mentioned, Galilee may not be a beautiful place for Peter without Jesus, without his successful story. Galilee may not be a rightful place without getting what he expected in life. Rather it would be a place where he received unexpected, and a place which he does not like to visit anymore.

In the same way, when beautiful and handsome men and women engage themselves in God’s ministry and begun to start their theological journey; the same is likely to happen many a time to many. They usually come with high expectation or in another word – we often come with our own expectations thinking that men of God living together in a beautiful community will have produce every good thing, every upright one and blameless things.

But, when we see the reality and after experiencing the life of unexpected community where we may get and receive so many unexpected things, we rather think that – am I engage with the wrong one? They also may reconsider their near future thinking that – if I want to become a successful man and woman, this cannot be the rightful place/choice for me.

These are only few examples we are giving.

There will be a time when we need to go through certain  - difficulties, trial and temptations, health or financial crisis, emotional and psychological problems, failures, weaknesses, blame, emotional hurt, and many more difficult situations.

But, one thing I would like to tell you is that – don’t lose heart, do not be dismayed. The same and faithful God as Peter has is your God.

If he is faithful to a man of betrayal, promising that – I WILL GO AHEAD OF YOU TO GALILEE, his promise to unfaithful man on the resurrection day will be still alive and powerful.

We may loose confidence on people/ ourselves for certain reasons, we may feel unwanted and forgotten by someone, we may meet and engage with a person whom we considered as a wrong one,  we may not receive the treatment we expected for, we also may become a loser in various circumstances, etc. But this point of time is the time and moment when we will receive and experience the faithfulness of God.

I WILL GO AHEAD OF YOU… is the message given on the resurrection day for you and for me.

May the Lord God Bless....

KRISTA THUHRETU - KHAWVEL DANGLAM ZELAH

( BCM - Mahanaim, Lungsen chuan 2018 hian Centinary an lawm dawn a. Chumi puala Souvenir an buatsaihah thuziak thawh ve turin min lo sawm a ni. Tichuan, WITNESSING CHRIST IN THE CONTEXT OF POST-MODERN CULTURE tih Sermon Dt. 12.03.2018 a ka sawi behchhanin he article hi ka ziak ta a. Ennawn leh her danglam hlek a, KOHHRAN BENG-a chhuahte pawh ka rilruk a, chuvang chuan lakchhawn phal loh a ni).

Bul tanna:
Ni 12.03.2018 Pathiani tuk khan ‘Witnessing Christ in the context of post-modern culture’ tih thupui hmangin kan College ah thuchah ka sawi a. He thu behchhan bawk hian article hi ziah ka tum a ni. Saptawng a nih avangin a ngai ang ang a he thupui hi kan hman chuan chhiartu tam tak a hnar sain ka ring a. Tin, mizo tawng ngialngan a dahin a nalh fahran lova; chuvang chuan a thu awmzia hnaih thei ber tur ngaihtuahin KRISTA THUHRETU - KHAWVEL DANGLAM ZELAH ka han ti ta ngawt a ni.

Kan tunlai khawvel danglam chhoh dan chanchin hriat belh turin POST-MODENISM kan sawi fiah ang a. Tin, post-modernism thuken (ideology) sawi fiahin, post-modernism pawmtute ngaihdan leh khawvel thlir dan tharin culture thar (mihring khawsak leh sukthlek dan thar) a rawn thlente kan tarlang ang. Tichan, chutiang khawvel-ah chuan Krista thu hriatpuitu atana Pathianin leh a Ramin (Pathian ram) a mamawh em em chanchin kan sawi ang a; chu mi hmang chuan kan thuziak hi zial fel kan tum dawn a ni.

Post-modenism:
Tunhmain kohhranin Camping chungchang a relin, ‘a hma ni hnih thum vel hi pre-crusade in tan ni se’ kan ti thin a. Pre-crusade (a thu) hi hmang dik chiah lo mah i la, camp neih hma (pre-) a beihpui (crusade) tih hi kan hriatthiam dan a ni. A dik zawk tura ngaih ‘Pre-camp/ing’ tia vuah erawh inhmeh lo deuhin kan hria a ni awm e. Saptawng thumal hma lam a ‘Pre-‘ a awm chuan ‘hma/hma lam’ tihna a ni a, ‘Post-‘ a awm thung chuan ‘hnu/hnu lam’ tihna a ni. Tichuan, ‘Modern’ tih chu ‘tunlai’ tihna mai a ni a, ‘Post-modernism’ kan tih chuan ‘tunlai (moden) hnu lam’ chanchin sawina a ni ta a ni. Tunlai (moden) ni na-na-na ‘tunlai hnu lam’ a awm thei dawn em ni?

Historian te chun khawvel hun hi hlawm lian tak takin a hnuai ami ang hian an then a, an then dan erawh a inang vek lovang.
-    Ancient Period (hman lai hun)     B.C 60,000 – 600 AD
-    Medieval Period (hun laihawl)     AD 600 – 1500 AD
-    Reformation period (Siamthat hun)     AD 1500 – 1700 AD
-    Modern Period (Tunlai hun)     AD 1700 – 1980 AD
Tichuan historian thenkhat chuan ‘Modern period; AD 1700 vel atang a intan tawh kha AD 1980 bawl a lo nih khan a tawp a. Kum 1980 atanga tun hun inkar hi chu Modern period hnu lam POST-MODERN hun a ni ve tawh’ an ti a. Tichuan, history hunpui then nga-na atan;
-    Post-modern period (tunlai hun hnu lam) AD 1980 – 2018 AD  tiin tunlai khawvel kan tih hi ‘post-modem period’ a ni tawh an ti ta a ni.

Historian, a bikin social scientist te chuan ‘he hun thar (tunlai hnu – Post-modern period)  hian tun hma hun pui then hrang hangte ai khan danglamna nasa tak a nei’ an ti a. Entir nan; Modern period ( a bikin kum zabi 19-na leh kum zabi 20-na tir thleng) khan mihring ngaihdan leh thil thlir dan tlangpui chu;

i)    ‘Thudik tluantling (absolute truth) hi a awm ngei a, chu chu mihringin a zawn chuan a hmu chhuak thei’ an ti a.

ii)    ‘Science leh reasoning (mihring ngaihtuahna fing tak hmang a thutlukna siam thinna) hi mihring tan innghana tlak a ni’ an ti a.

iii)    ‘Sakhuana thil emaw, sakhuana pawn lam rin dan leh pawm dan eng thilah pawh mihringin thutlukna siam dawn se, tehfawng rintlaka a ngaih tlangpui chu – science, Bible/sakhaw thurin, tradition, kohhran hotu te thu chhuak(reformers/church father/leaders), communitarian values ( thawh hona tha, zalenna, tlawmngaihna, inpumkhatna, inhritthiamna, mi dang zahna, etc),adt. te a ni’ an ti bawk.

Tichuan heng thil (entirna thenkhat tlemte) hi modern period a khawvel mihring ten inang tlang a ‘mihring rilru kaihruaitu’ ngaihdan tlanglawn an pawm chu a ni.

Amaherawh chu, khawvel danglam zelin, ngaihdan leh thil thlir dan thar a pianpui zel a; chu thil inthlakthleng leh danglam zel chuan ‘Modern period’ kha titawpin ‘Post-modern’ hunah min hung ta a.  Thomas C.Oden-a, The Death of Modernity & Post-Modern Evangelism Spirituality tih lehkhabu ziaktu chuan – “Tunlai (Modern) hun kha a tawp tawh a, tun hnu lam (Post-modern) hunah kan awm tawh. He hun thar avang hian khawvel thlir dan thar nasa tak a chhuak tawh a, tunlai (modern) mi ten thil an ngaihtuah dan leh pawm dan hmang a khawvel mihring thununtu (dominate) ber kha a tawp fel tawh” tiin, post-modenism hrilfiahnaah a sawi a ni.

Tawngkam hnih khat mai a Post-modernism hi hrilfiah theih a ni lo va. He thu hman tan a nih dan phei chu Art leh architect lam a thil thlir dan thar chher chhuah atang a lo chhuak a ni. Discipline hran hran-ah hman a nih hnuin a huam chin, a thu ken, leh hrilfiah dan a dang hlek hlek zel a, chuvang chuan a hrilhfiahna tawngkam hnih khat a awm thei lo. Kil hrang hrang atanga thlir a post-modernism thuken leh ngaihdan (ideology) leh thil thlir dan (wordview) atangin he hunin thil a lo her chhuahpuite hi kan hriat belh zel dawn a ni.

Post-Modernism Thuken:
Tichuan he ‘thunlai hun hnu lam emaw khawvel thar’ (Post-modernism) lo inher chhuakin thir thlir dan, ngaihdan leh pawm dan a herchhuahpuite chu;

i)    ‘Thudik tluantling (absolute truth) a awm thei lo a, rational truth (chhan bul tha tak leh kawnghmang nei tak atanga thutlukna siam hnu a thudik a pawm thil) erawh a awm thei’ an ti.

He ngaihdan hi sakhuana leh thlarau lam thil tan thil hlauhawm tak, mi tam tak hmin a an ngaihtuahna thununtu a ni. Mite an rinna kawng atanga a hruai peng a, Pathian awm rin lohna hial neih tirtu a ni. Pathian thu dik lo thei lo (infallibility) chungchang  thuah mi tamtak ringhlel a awm tirtu a ni a. He ngaihdan pawm laklawh tawhte hi chu hneh let an har em em thin. Mihring hriatna leh khawvel thiamna hian an nunah zung a kaih thuk tawh avangin “Pathian hi a awm ngei tih, dik takin ka hria” ti pawh ni i la, heng ho chhanna chu “ I tan chu chu a dik maithei, ka tan erawh a dik lo” an ti a, chu tak chu Pathian awm leh awm loh chungchangah absolute truth a tling lo an tihchhan pawh  a ni.

ii)    ‘Thu dik leh thil tak tak’ (fact and truth) mihringin a tih hi  thlir dan tlanglawn leh kawng hmang nei tak (observation leh logic) hmang a teh a nih lohva, mihring ngaihruatna (assumption) mai atanga lo piang a nih chuan ‘a rintlak chuang loh’ an ti.

A chung ami ang thoin, sakhuana thilah he ngaihdan hi a tha lo hle a. Bible thu leh kristian thurinte a ‘thu dik leh a tak-tak’ (fact and truth) kan tih hi, ‘Tehna tlanglawn leh kawnghmang nei tak (observation and logic) hmang a thutawp siam theih loh, mihring ngahruatna (assumption) atang mai a lo zi chhuak a nih avangin rintlak a tling lo’ an ti a. Entir nan – Genesis a thilsiam thu te, mihring sual a a tluk chhiat dan te, adt leh Bible thu tam tak hi ‘mihring ngaihruatna atang a thu phuahchawp an ni a, observation leh logic hmang a a dik leh dik loh, thutawp siam dawl lo’ a ni an ti a ni.

iii)    ‘Vantlangin lungdum taka an pawm tlan thil a nih loh chuan mihring tan ‘nun dan’ (life style) dik leh dik lo a awm tawh lo’ an ti.

Post-modern period a awm tih takah, he ngaihdan hian tunlai thalaite hi a hneh takzet a. Tunah chuan mimal nun dan inkhak sak pawh hi hmun tam takah thil ngamawm a ni tawh lo. ‘It’s my life’ culture ah kan awm tawh avangin, nundan mawi leh mawi lo hian kan khawsak phung hi a thunun tlem tial tial tawh a ni.

iv)    Bible thudik (biblical truth) kan tih thin, mihring nun siamtha a, khalh ngil thintute kha post-modernism hnuaiah chuan – mihring nun phung nen a inhmuh rem theih loh chuan hnawl zel a ni.

He ngaihdan hrula nung hi kohhran huang chhungah, pathian rawngbawltute zingah leh tui taka rawngbawl hna thawktute zingah hian kan tam hlein a rinawm. Pathian thu lem nuam kan tih zawng hi chu kan lem duak duak a, mahse kan khawsak leh nun phung nen a inhne rem thei lo “PATHIAN THU’ kan dawng a nih thung chuan kan hnawl mek zel zawng a ni e.

v)    ‘Kristiante Pathian chauh ni lo, pathian dang leh culture dangte hian ‘thlamuanna tluantling (ultimate peace) min pe thei’ an ti.

He ngaihdan lo zi chhuak hi, Pathian ram leh kohhran mission tana hmelma lian berte zing ami - religious pluralism thurin leh zirtirna nen a inmil viau awm e.

vi)    Mimal zalenna leh dawhtheihna (freedom & tolerance) hi nasa taka chawi vul a ni.

Post-modernist te chuan mimal zalenna hi an ngai pawimawhin hmun sang takah an dah a. Bible thu, kohhran thuchhuak, sakhaw dan leh dun pawh ni se, chu thilin - human right emaw individual right leh freedom a khawih che ni a an hriat chuan; ‘mihring/mimal zalenna’ hum sak theihna tur changchawiin thil an ti vak a; freedom fighter nenau-ah an indah deuh nge ni dawn (?); tupawh, eng thil pawh, adt. do, sawisel leh hmachhawn hreh an nei ngai meuh lo. He mi hrulah hian, mihring zalenna an dah chungnun avangin ‘dawhtheihna’ pawh hian mihring nunah hmun pawimawh tak a luah ngei turah an ngai.

vii)    Mihring mihrinna (human sexuality) leh identity hi ngaih pawimawh a ni.

Sexuality leh identity ngaih pawimawh a nih dan hi, a chung a ngaihdan leh thil pawm dan hrang hrang kan tarlan tawhte hrin chhuah hi a nih duh hmel hle(?).  He tiang zirtirna leh thil thlir danin mihring nun a hneh deuh deuh avangte hi a ni ngei ang(?) Tunhma a kohhran leh hnamin a enliam mai theih loh LGBT (tuai/patil, mawngkawhur,etc) chungchang pawh, tunah chuan sakaw thenkhat leh ram tamtak chuan an lo pawm (compromise) ta reng mai.

viii)    Media/technological messiahnism.

Tunah chuan media leh khawl changkang (technology) chhuak zel hian a tuate mai pawh hi nasa takin min nghawng vek a ni ta a. A pawi zual ta chu –  kan ip lum luahtu leh nitin a kan ban phak, awlsamna min thlen a, min hual veltu atan a kan hman ‘rentin daih khawl’ (gadgets) te hi ‘mihring duhaisam leh thinlung mamawh zawng zawng thlentu ang hrim a kan ngai ta leh, a bawih a kan lut thuk lutuk ta hi’ a ni ang.  Eng pawh ti dawn i la khawl thil awlsamna a innghah vekna (technological dependency) hian min thunun ta a. Heng thil leh a chung a kan tarlan point hrang hrang ten, mihring nun leh kan rinna thleng a a nghawng dante hi tawite talin kan tarlan belh dawn a ni.

Post-modernism nghawng thenkhat:

i)    Kan rinna chungchang thu leh khawsak thil a tehna rintlak a kan ngaih (bible, kohhran/sakhaw thurin, tradition, adt) kha a lo inthlak tan ta a. Tunah chuan – mimal ngaihdan, individual right leh zalenna, adt hi mi tin deuhthaw hian kan dah lal ta viau mai. Mimal zalenna leh dikna ti derthawng a, nghawng tel thei thilah phei chuan inzah leh thil dang pawisak nachang hre lo ang hrimin kan sa chhuak phat phat zel tawh thin. Vantlang leh kohhran-in tehna rintlaka a ngaih aia kan nunin a dah pawimawh zawk thil hi a tam tawh avangin, Pathian thu, kohhran/sakhaw thurin leh chin dan (tradition), adt. hlutna hi kan hriat loh karin a tla hniam mek a ni.

ii)    Communitarian values (zonun ze mawi?) kan tih – tlawmngaihna, mi dang/ai upa zahna, mitmei inven tawnna, impumkhatna, thawhhona tha, inlungrualna boruak (spirit), adt ngaih hlutna hian mi tamtak nun a kaihruai nep ta hle.

iii)    Social media tuipuiah kan inchiah a. Kan hun hman dan, kan nitin khawsak phung, rual kan kawm dan, leh kan thil ngaihhlut zawng nen lam a danglam zo ta. Heng hian mimal nun tisa leh tlarau thilah nasa takin a nghawng a. Chhungkaw boruak, Nupa inkar, khawtlang, kohhran a kan inhman dan nen lam, adt. a nghawng a; tunhma zawng a kan thinlungin a pawm theih loh leh duh loh thilah min hnuk min hnuk ta mai niin a lang. II Tim 4: 3-4 a kan hmuh ang khan – Kan bengte hi THUTAK lamah chhut ngawnin a awm mek a. Thawnthu lam (media content) panin kan tleh hum hum ta a ni ber e.

iv)    Kan pathian thu khel leh ngaihthlak duhzawng pawh a inthlak mek a. Mimal hamthatna thlawp lam (prosperity theology?) kan lem duak duak laiin; mahni inphat leh ral zel lam (theology of self-denial?) erawh zawrh kal lo zing ami a ni tan ta reng mai. Kan nitin hun hman dan leh, kan thil chin thin nena inhne rem thei lo, Pathianthu leh kohhran program chu hnawksak kan ti tan a. Kan thil ngaihhlut zawng a inthlak danglam nasat tawh avangin Pathian tana kan inserh dan (devotional life), Pathian rawngbawlna leh Pathian rawngbawltute kan hmuh dan nen lam a inthlak danglam mek kan ti thei bawk ang.

Post-modern culture a Krista Thuhretu:

Post-modernism thuken leh a nghawngte hian khawthlang (west) rama awmte bak pel lo a ngai kan awm maithei. Heng thilte hian zoram kil tin hi a hawl ve mek a. Sakhaw huang chhung leh pawn lam thil chi hrang hrang kan hmuh leh thlir dante hi nasa takin a inthlak mek a ni. He tiang tak a kan nun a hneh a, nasa taka kan rinna nen lama a sawi chet lai hian, chutiang khawvelah chuan Krista thuhretu rintlak engtin nge kan nih zel theih ang? tih hi zawhna pawimawh kan chhan tur a ni ta a. ‘Chhanna’ tamtak awm thei zingah uar tak a tarlan duh bik thil pakhat ka nei a, chu chu – RINAWMNA hi a ni.

RINAWMNA

Rinawmna hi mi tin tana thil pawimawh em em a nih laiin, mi zawng zawng ngaihnawm tih leh bengkhawn zawng erawh niin a lang lo. Kohhran mipuite ngaimawh zawng a nih theih nan kohhran huang chhungah pawh, kan rawngbawltute emaw kan thlarau mite ‘thu tuipui ber’ pawl pawh a tling phak lo fo a. Chutiang chu ni mahse, khawvel danglam zel a – mimal, kohhran, khawtlang, ram leh hnam mamawh a nih avang leh; Kan rawngbawlna leh PATHIAN RAM hian a mamawh em avangin tawite tala tarlan ngei a tul a ni.

Kan bible-ah hian Pathian thu laimu bik deuh a ngaih ‘thu hlawm’ (theme) tha leh thuchah duhawm tak tak keng tel a awm nual a. Entir nan – hmangaihna tih te, simna te, ngaihdamna te, siam thar lehna te, Pathian Ram te, kross emaw khenbeh thu te, leh a dang tam tak kan nei a ni. Heng hi a pawimawh a; thlarau nun chawmtu leh thanlen nan a thil pawimawh ber ber an nih avangin a sawi pawh kan sawi zel tur a ni ang.

Amaherawh chu, heng Pathian thu laimu kan tih takte hi kan tuipui takzet lai a, miin RINAWMNA  a tlakchham hlauh thung chuan amah leh a thu tuipui ber chu ‘engmah lo vek-ah’ a chang thei tih kan hriat thar a tha hle mai. Bible-in thupek roprui ber a tih chu – ‘hmangaihna’ a ni a. ‘Dan zawng zawng khaikhawmtu’ ti hial a sawi leh zirtirna pawimawh a ni. Amaherawh chu, miin rinawmna a tlakchham hlauh chuan hmangaihna pawh hian awmzia a nei thui chuang lo. Chuvang chuan Pathian thu laimu dang tluk (zawng ai ni lovin) zetin ngai pawimawh i la; ‘thlarau mi’ kan tehna key pui berahte hian nei hial i la, khawvel danglam zel leh a tui fawn avang a kan nun sawi nghin a awm thin pawh hi ‘mi Pathian leh a hmanraw dang lak a a rinawm miau chuan’ awmzia a nei zual ngeiin a rinawm.

Pathian leh a thutakin hmun laili ber (centrality) a chan tlat thinna nun-ah hian rinawmna hi a awm a. Pathian tana mi rinawm chuan - “Khawvel mawinate lo vul mahse, Ka tan zawng i mawi ber lal Isu” a ti zel dawn a. Chutiang mi chu Post-modern culture-a Pathian leh a ram tulnain a mamawh, duapkai ve lo; khawvel danglam zel a Krista thu hretu atana Lalpa Pathianin a mit a len thinnate an ni.

WITNESSING CHRIST IN THE CONTEXT OF POST-MODERN CULTURE

{A sermon delivered by me on 12.03.2018 at Morning Worship Service, Serampore College (CLRC)}

Prayer:

Introduction:
When i was preparing a sermon for today, there are three important topics that occupied my mind; among those themes “Witnessing Christ in the context of Post-Modern Culture” is the theme that captured my inner thought and has remained in my mind. But the theme/phrase seems like too complicated for me, it is not simple as i believe to prepare a sermon for the concern is too vast and philosophical. But when I came to know the theme chosen by final year students in the first day of their creative worship which went along with mine, therefore, the chosen theme somehow encouraged me and then finally I also agreed and believed that God may also approve and may use it for his glory.

Therefore, “witnessing Christ in the context of postmodern culture” shall be our chosen theme for today.

However, to begin with this theme, I would like to mention a bit concept and understanding of post-modernism, including certain ideological concept and challenges posed by post-modernism. Then we will move on to the main focus by mentioning one area of concern through which one may find a suitable answer to become responsible Christian, for witnessing Christ in the context of post-modern world. However, the theme may require little further investigation of the present situation of our society; and this will also be done as we deal with certain ideological concepts and challenges posed by post modernism.

Therefore the area of concern I would like to bring forward to draw our attention and to take heed for this moment is/are;

- What challenges does post-modernism has brought to us?

 - As a theological student / being a disciple of Jesus, what responsible are we going to take-up to witness Christ in this context?

So, in order to give an appropriate answer to these questions, I think, we need to have a little more insight to the concept and understanding of post-modernism and various challenges posed by post-modernism which is one of the appealing challenges confronted by churches today as well as individual Christians.

Post-modernism: By the late 1960’s the term post-modernism began to appear in journals and magazines, but this was first used as a description of a new movement in art, particularly painting and architecture. But as time went on, the term was applied to describe changes in many other areas of human endeavor. The term, however, literally means “after modernism”. And it is used to philosophically describe the current era which came after the age of modernism. Therefore the term ‘Postmodernism’ indicates ‘the end of the modern period, which began with the enlightenment in the eighteenth century and extended into the latter half of the twentieth century, reckonings (by some) into the 1980s.

Thomas C. Oden, who wrote “The Death of Modernity and Postmodern Evangelical Spirituality, ” (in The Challenge of Postmodernism), makes a definite statement - He said – “By postmodern, we mean the course of actual history following the death of modernity. By modernity we mean the period, the ideology, and the malaise of the time from 1789 (i.e the year of awakening and great revolution) to 1989, from the Bastille to the Berlin Wall.”

That means, by this time frame, the postmodern era has already begun. And a new way of viewing the world has emerged. The “modern” way of thinking that dominated the nineteenth and twentieth centuries has become obsolete. Or in another words - the modern ideas are no longer relevant for all.

Therefore, as a result of this drastic change; great numbers of new concepts, worldviews, affirmations and claims holds by modernists have come up and were developed. For example - Philosophy of Postmodernism affirms that there is no objective or absolute truth, especially in matters of religion and spirituality. Therefore, when confronted with ‘a truth claim’ regarding the reality of God and religious practice; postmodernist may response saying - “that may be true for you, but not for me.” Therefore, this kind of mind-set is very dangerous when it is applied to reality because it confuses matters of opinion with matters of truth. And moreover, this further culminated in a philosophy of religious pluralism that says no faith or religion is objectively true and therefore no one can claim his or her religion is true and another is false.

Apart from what have been mentioned, there are also good numbers of examples that may characterize postmodernism. But for sure, since my knowledge is limited in this regards, I would like to mention only certain areas that may characterize the main feature of postmodernism. For example; Along with this new phenomenon, certain ideologies or new concept of understanding have emerged and Simultaneously convinced and deeply penetrated many people of this contemporary world;

Therefore, according to postmodernists;

1. Fact and truth are created by assumption not by observation and logic.

2. They strongly hold spiritual pluralism – which says all religions require assumptive reasoning and are therefore equal.

3. For them- there is no right or wrong lifestyle except those agreed upon. That means everyone has right to choose for his/her lifestyle. It is probable that because of this new affirmation, one of the sayings “It’s my life” is very common among the youth today.

4. Biblical truths are no longer relevant, and they dismissed whatever doesn’t feel compatible with personal journey. In this regards – some postmodernist celebrated what they called it – the death of God (God has no place in their lives, God does not own their life, it is meaningless for them).

5. They also believed that - other gods and culture can also produce ultimate ‘peace and oneness’ to their believers.

6. For them - there can be no moral absolutes. Freedom in all aspects of human life and tolerance is strongly adhered/ supported.

7. They also believe that humans are free to choose their own sexuality and identity. As a result the issue of LGBT becomes a social issue which is compromised and accepted by many people and nations.

8. Judgement of right and wrong is made upon agreed standard.

As a result of these new ways of thinking and perceptions/viewpoints:

- Christianity, the scripture, doctrine, church tradition and practices, etc which in the past strongly held by the church as the best standard for individual moral and spiritual life are no longer used for the best standard to judge and to make decisions on what is right and wrong, good or bad. As a result the best standard of living is now in danger.

- Individualism is promoted extensively, therefore as a result, certain communitarian values (unity, cooperation, participation, tlawmngaihna, respect for others/elders, etc) are no longer put valued in their minds of many people; therefore the ‘values’ become declined and deteriorated.

- People begun to misuse their individual rights and freedom, by overlooking or forgetting the beauty and significance of the same communitarian values.

- Technological messiahnism is spreading and rampant everywhere, as a result; laziness, slothfulness, easiness, too broad-mindedness, permissiveness, and many other negative mind-sets, etc. become our new way of life.

- Our value system and the way we perceive things become totally changed.

- And moreover, changes in our lifestyle are another consequence of this new phenomenon.

- Liberalism and Religious pluralism which according to me is one of the greatest threats and enemies for evangelism and mission of the church is promoted.

- Lastly, the danger of postmodernism is that – as already pointed out; it denies the very existence of truth. This core principle of postmodernism has been called a philosophical earthquake that is causing a radical shift in thinking about the world and reality.

In addition, many people now have put up the lens of postmodernism; they also clothed themselves with the new concepts and worldviews which they considered it as ‘more intellectual thinking and perception’ than anything else. But frankly speaking, the consequent result, we see is - many people now are turning away and have been blown away from the truth, from the sound believed and the core teachings of the scripture, etc for human minds are being controlled and governed by the spirit of materialism, liberalism, individualism, spiritual nominalism, intellectual reasoning and thinking, and other principalities including diverse form of forces.

Paul has rightly said in II TIM 4:3-4: "For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths."

Therefore, one of the undeniable facts, we can see now is - changes have been taken place not only in this temporal world, but in human minds, affecting our spiritual outlook. And this is the reality that the present society is facing or confronting.

Therefore, a part from what have been mentioned, another challenge which is more appealing for God’s people we still have is; - In what way we shall witness Christ in this scenario, in this context?

I would like to propose only one suggestion in and through which one may find the best quality of Christian life to help him/her strong and to witness Christ in this context. I.e FAITHFULNESS which is one of the key defining qualities of God's own character; which is so important to God as well as for man; for it is also listed as one of the fruits of the Spirit in the scripture (Galatians 5).

According to me, Faithfulness is the best quality by which we should measure our spirituality. In academic and Christian circles as a whole; and in our scripture as well – we have seen so many important biblical themes without which our doctrine, our faith, our spiritual growth, as we believed, cannot be completed – for eg: love, transformation, being crucified in Christ, faith, praise, worship, etc and many more. No doubt, and fairly speaking – the themes we mentioned have their own significant importance for our spiritual and temporal life.

But despite of the fact that without ‘faithfulness’, such biblical themes which we considered as prerequisite for Christian living have no meaning at all. We may talk about ‘Love’ – which is one of the core teachings of the scripture, but without faithfulness love does not have meaning.

Therefore, what i mean here is; above all other biblical themes– the imperative and greatest quality that a person need to acquire and ought to emphasize is faithfulness.

However, faithfulness, what I would like to emphasize is – Faithfulness;
- To God, to ourselves, to the scripture, to the call in which we engage ourselves, to the small/smallest thing, Faithfulness in the midst of trails and temptations, Faithfulness which has dependable quality that cannot be broken /shaken even within as well as after crossing the boundary of our comfort zone. And lastly, a faithfulness that will endure/withstand under different pressures and circumstances.

Whenever I think of the term –faithfulness; one biblical figure that often occupied my mind was DANIEL whose charter is outstanding and has convincing power.

As we most often remember Daniel as the one who is in the lions' den, and a lot more to his life – like how they thrown into a furnace of blazing fire . Throughout the first six chapters, we learn about how to remain faithful in all circumstances. He ran into several trying situations that may have caused him to lose faith or bend from his beliefs, but Daniel stayed strong.

- His new environment along with the new culture, he (Daniel) experienced including different forces

- Trails and temptations

- Danger, Prison and other life threatening situations

- The decree of the Persian court

- Principalities and power

- Philosophy and intellectual thinking of his time, etc

All these things could not enable him to shake his loyalty to God and to his standard. He was remaining faithful all the time.

In Dan. 3:16-18 we find very convincing and powerful commitment of expression which say, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to present a defense to you in this matter. If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire and out of your hand, O king, let him deliver us. But if not, be it known to you, O king; that we will not serve your gods and we will not worship the golden statue that you have set up.”

His honesty and loyalty to his masters never led him to compromise his faith in the one true God. He remained steadfast in his commitment to God.

As already mentioned to us, he faced far more pressures and problems than we are ever likely to face. There were also many temptations, and opportunities for him to become proud or corrupt or to compromise, but he never did. He was remarkably faithful to God, to the Kings he worked for, and to everybody he ever met. Therefore not even his enemies could find any fault in him, even though they wanted to.

Of course/though, there are many positive sides or things that the world has brought in, but the world we live in on the other hand is no longer the world as we imagine – it is full of confrontations, doubtfulness, uncertainties, misleading/deceitful concepts and thoughts, liberalism, ungodliness, slackness/negligence, rebellious attitude, diverse forms of traps, and many more.

Many people now have been trapped and are being deceived by these powers and forces and are turned away from the truth, from the scripture, and from the sound doctrine, from the core principles and values of the kingdom of God. They totally fail to glorify God, neither were thankful to him, but become vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened (Rom 1:21).

2Chro. 16:9 says – “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Him-self strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.”

Friends, God is looking for people whose heart is fully His and are loyal to Him. If we are faithful to God, He will show Himself strong toward us in all we do. Let’s search our hearts and make sure it is loyal and faithful to God. Let us remain faithful in the midst of different circumstances as we live and engage ourselves within and in the context of postmodernism.

Let this song be our new spiritual song through which we may publicly confess and re-affirm our stand for the living and only true God.

1. I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold,
I'd rather b0e His than have riches untold;
I'd rather have Jesus than houses or land,
I'd rather be led by His nail-pierced hand.

Than to be the king of a vast domain
And be held in sin's dread sway
I'd rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

2. I'd rather have Jesus than worldly applause,
I'd rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I'd rather have Jesus than worldwide fame,
I'd rather be true to His holy name.

3. Than to be the king of a vast domain
And be held in sin's dread sway
I'd rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today...

RINAWMNA

THUHMA 1: Bungtlang Baptist Church (BBC), Bungtlang chuan 2018 hian an kohhran Centenary an lawm dawn a,  Centenary Souvenir a chhuah tur thu ziak turin, bialtu ka lo nih tawhna angin  min lo ngen ve a. Thupui pawh hi an thlan sa a ni. Ka blog hi ka kutchhuak hote te ka dah khawm vena a nih avangin kan dah leh ngawt mai a.  Blog tlawhtu hi an tam fahran lo thinin Ka hria a. An tih chhuah hmaa hetia lo post hi a pawi lo turah ka ngai.


THUHMA 2: Mihring mit a hmuh theih loh, mihringin a neih theih 'thil hlu leh duhawm berte zing a mi' chu RINAWMNA a ni ti i la, kan ti sual awm love. Mitam tak hmun sang a dah a, rinawm loh vang a hnuaihnung taka mite hnuk thla thei a ni. A hlutna leh pawimawhna hi tawngkam hnih khat mai a sawi theih pawh niin a lang lo.


He ti taka a mihring nun khawih danglam a nghawng thei - RINAWMNA THU hi erawh mitin deuhthaw hian kan ngaina lo a. Chuvang chuan, rinawmna chanchin kan ziah pawh hi 'a mit la' thei ber tur zawng a her remin; rinawmna avang a mi ten an Nun-a an thil tawn thenkhat kan lawr khawm ang a; chu mi kar-ah chuan, thu pawimawh tarlan kan duh zualpuite tawite tein zeh kan tum dawn a ni.

HUG LATIMER: Kum zabi 16-na lai khan, protestant reformer zing a mi, Hugh Latimer-a an tih hi England-ah a awm a. Thuhriltu ropui tak a nih avangin, a hun lai chuan a lar hle a ni. Thuhril tur a sawmna a dawng nasa hle thin a. Tumkhat chu England lal, Henry VIII telna hmun a thusawi tur a ni a. Pathianin sawi tur a a tuk sak thuchah nia a hriat erawh lal lawm loh zawng tak niin a hria a.


A sawi hma deuh chuan ti hian a ngaihtuah a, “Latimer, Latimer, lal ber - tan-in a khung thei khawp che leh, i lu tan sak thei hial khawp che a thuneitu hma a thusawi tur i ni tih i inhria em? Chuvang chuan lal tana hriat nuam lo sawi lo turin fimkhur ang che” tiin.


Rei lote-ah a rilru thlakin, ti hian a ngaihtuah chhunzawm a, “Latimer, latimer, Lal berte Lal ber, hotute Hotu, a Lalna hma a Henry VIII nen lam a la kun tur, eng tik ni emaw a i hnathawh chanchin i puanna tur hma a thusawi tur i ni tih i inhria em? Chuvang chuan, Latimer, i Pathian-in sawitur a tih chu sawi turin, i hotu tan hian rinawm phawt mai rawh” tiin.


Latimer-a ang lo tak hian, mi thenkhat chuan kan mi hmachhawn turte leh, kan bul hnai a mi-zahawm a kan ngaih te, kan thenawm te, kan hmelhriat thate, adt. avang hian kan rinawmna hi kan hralh fo awm e. Ka sa himna tur a nih chuan emaw, mi lawm lohna ka thlen ai chuan, he ka thil tih tur hi emaw, ka sawi tur hian mi a khak nat ai chuan, adt tiin 'dawt var atang a dawt muhlum' thlengin kan sawi zung zung bawk. Rinawmna a min hringtu, kan nun a lal ber kan van Pa hian, mahni kan inhum duh luatah‟ kan rinawmna zar hi a zo phak lo fo niin a lang.

Dr. F.B. MEYER: Tum khat chu thuhriltu tuaitirte pakhat hian Dr. F. B Meyer hi panin; 'Eng tik niah emaw chuan amah Dr Mayer ang a thuhriltu lar a la nih ve ngei a rin thu' a hrilh a. Dr. Meyer chuan, “A lo thleng ang nge, thleng lovang tih pawh i hriat hauh loh hun tha leh ropui tak nghak khan, i hun khawhral duh mah ta che, thil te-tak-te i kut a Pathianin a kawl tir che hi rinawm takin vawng tha la, chu chu i tan a tawk e” a lo ti a.


He chanchin hrulah hian, ti-hian sawi chhunzawm ta i la; Mizo kristian te hian rinawm hi kan a duh a, mi rinawmte pawh kan rilru chuan a ngaisang em em a ni. Mahse a bul thuta awm; ruam leh lung tawlhlawt lian pui puite zuan kanin rinawmna tlang a lawn hi kan tum fo niin a lang. Kan Pathianthu chuan “Tlemte chungah i rinawm a, tam tak chungah ka awm tir ang che…” (Mt 25:21) a ti a. Kan rinawmna hi sum tlemte kan enkawl dan (manage) danah te, kan hun hman ral dan leh, thil ho te te, adt. kan tih thin dan atangte a teh a nih avangin, 'thil te-tak-te' atang a tan a nih loh chuan „kan rinawmna hi 'fak phuin a thang lian ngai lo' tih kan hriat thar leh thin a va tha em. Mother Teresa chuan – “Thil te-tham te ah hian rinawm hle tur kan ni, a chhan chu chumiah chuan kan chakna a awm” ati a ni.

PASTOR PAKHAT LEH ROBERT MOFFAT: Tum khat chu rawngbawltu pakhat hian an pastor upa tawh tak hnenah tihian a sawi a, “Tun tum chu inkhawm tur a lo kal hma duh chhan ka nei a” tiin ti hian a sawi chhunzawm a, “I rawngbawl dan leh i thusawi-ah hian eng emaw dik lo a awm a ni lo maw? Hei lehchen hi kan kohhranah rawng i bawl tawh a, mahse mipa naupangte pakhat mai lo chu belhchhahtu pawh kan nei thei lo” tiin.

Chu thu Pastor-in a hriat chuan a hrilhai hle mai a, “I sawi zawng zawng chu ka hrethiam e. Mahse, ka tihtur zawng zawng ka tih zia hi Pathianin min hriatpui a, a rahchhuak tur beiseiin Pathian i rinchhan ngawt mai ang” a ti ta ngawt a.


Chumi tum a thusawi tur chu, rilru hah leh lungngai takin pastor chu pulpit-ah a lawn a, mittui nen a thusawi tur erawh a tlingtla ta tho a. Inkhawm ban, amah chauh lo chu, mi zawng zawngin biak in an chhuahsan tawh emaw a tih hnu chuan, biak in chhungah chuan naupang pakhat hi a lo la awm reuh a. Chu naupang chuan putar hrilhai hmel tak hnenah chuan, “Ka pu, zirnaah hian nasa takin bei ta i la, thuhriltu ka ni ve mai theihin i ring em?”. Pastor chuan, “Thuhriltu a?”. Naupang, “Aaa, missionary pawh a ni maithei…”. Hun eng emaw chen an ngawih dun vang vang hnu chuan putar mit atang chuan mittui a lo far a. “Robert, he thu hian tunah chuan ka thinlung natna a tidam ta niin ka hria. Tunah hian Pathian chet velna ka hmu a. Ka Pathian chuan malsawm che se la, thuhriltu i la nih ngei pawh ka rinpui a che” a ti ta a.


Kum eng emaw zat a vei leh hnu chuan; tum khat chu Africa atangin missionary pakhat hi London-ah a lo haw a. Chu pa chu mi ten an ngaisangin, a hming pawh zah tak a an lam thin a ni. Mipui tam tak zing a a luhte hian mipui an lo ding suau thin a. Thu a sawite hian mipui an ngawi thup thin. Vantlang ngaihsan a nih avangin Nobel chhungkua pawhin chaw eiah an sawm a. Afican lal rawva tak leh a mipuite ti piangtharin, hnam hnuaihnungte tan bible hial a let bawk a. He pa, a hnathawh thatte avanga miin an ngaisang em em hi Robert Moffat-a, thlarau bo sang tam takte Pathian hma a hruaitu, hman a Pastor putar nen a inhmachhawn mipa naupang kha a lo ni reng mai.

HUDSON TYLOR: A chung a Pastor pakhat leh Robert Moffat-a ang deuh bawk a chanchin ngaihnawm tak nei, Hodson Tylor-a chanchin hi lo tarlang ve thung teh ang.

Zan khat chu thli leh ruah karah, Birmingham, England kawtthler a schoolroom pakhat a thusawi turin Hudson Tylor hi an sawm a. Chu tiang thli leh ruah karah chuan, thusawi ngaithla a kal peih an awm chu program buatsaihtu ber pawhin a ring lo a ni. Mahse, “Kawngkhar vengtu tih loh, mi dang tumah awm dawn lo pawh ni se, ka kal ngei tur a ni” tiin Tylor-a chu a kal lui ta tho a. Rin lawk ang ngeiin mi sawm bawr bak, chu hmunah chuan inlan an awm ta lo. Thlarau hnathawh erawh a alh tha hle a. Chumi tum chuan Pathian hnthawh an la chan zen zen loh changing hlim takin an tin ta a. Tichuan hun a kal zel a, an zing a a zatve zet chu missionary-ah inpein, a then an fate missionary lo ni tate an ni a. A bak zawng-te pawh 'China Inland Mission' tan a thahnemngai em em a sum a tanpuitu an lo ni ta a ni.


Heng chanchin ngaihnawm takte hian 'rinawmna hi vawi khat thilthu a rah chhuak kher lovin, a hunah chuan mihringte beisei ai thain Pathianin a thlen tir thin' tih a tichiang hle awm e. Rawngbawlna a mi rinawm nih te, mawhphurhna Pathianin a pek chung a rinawm te, adt. hi thil awlsam a ni lo. Mahse, rinawmna hian no hrin hun a nei a. A hrin tirtu pawh mi rinawmte lam a tang thin Pathian a ni. “A lama rilru dik tak pute (mi rinawmte) chung a a chakzia tilang turin, khawvel zawng zawngah lalpa mit chu a leng ruai thin…” (2Chro 16:9) tih thu hian hei hi a tidik em em a ni.

TUALTHATTU: Mi fel tak ni thin pa-khat chu tual a thah avangin a tlan bo a. Mahse a tlan bona hmunah chuan Pathian tirhna dawngin, a hnampuite zing a kir tur a tih a ni. Chak lohna tam tak nei nia inhre chungin, hna a huphurh em em chu a hmachhawn a ngai ta a. Mahse, Pathian tirh e ti lovin 'tih tur Pathianin a tukna hmunah chuan' vawi tam tak a hlawhchham tlat mai. Vawi kua zet a hlawhchham a, a tawpah erawh chuan a vawi sawmnaah hlawhtlinna a hmu ve ta a ni. Tichuan, mi sang tam tak, patling ringawt pawh mi nuai ruk zet-te chu, Aigupta bawih ata hruai chhuakin, zalanna kawng a zawhpui thei ta a ni.


Mosia khan duh ni se, rinawmlohna chhan tur a va hmu hnem dawn em. Pathinin a tirhnaah khan vawi lehkhatah a hlawhtling mai lova. Hlawhchhamna-in bul a tan a, a hlawhchham a, a hlawhchham leh thin a, mahse a kotu lak a a rinawmna chuan a tawpah hlawhtlinna a hmuh tir ta a ni. Rinawmna hi champion pui tur chuan thil tam tak hmachhawn leh paltlang a ngai thin. Tawrh chhel a ngai a, mahni inkalsan a phut fo a, nuihzat bur, mualpho, leh chan ngam huaisenna a mamawh bawk. Heng bakah hian hlawhchhamna tamtak karah thil eng pawh „a tawp thlenpui‟ a phut thin a ni. Joyce Meyer, thuhriltu lar tak chuan, “ Rinawmna hi thil eng emaw vawi khat tih dik a ni ngawt lo; tawp chin nei lova tih zel hi a ni.” a ti a ni.

TAWPNA: Kan rinna leh mihring nun peng tin tan a pawimawh RINAWMNA pawimawh zia hi ziah sen a ni lo. Pathian leh mihring inlaichinna phuar nghettu a ni a. Ringtu tha ni tur a mizo kristian te mamawh em em, Pathianin a mite zing a a beisei leh zawn a ni. Rinawmna tel lovin 'thlarau mi' a awm theih lova. Thupek ropui ber 'hmangaihna' pawh hian rinawmna tel lo chuan hlutna a nei lo. Bible a thu ropui, thlarau lam a sawt tlanna tur inzirtirna mawi leh duhawm tak tak – hmangaihna, thlarau mi, rawngbawlna, siam thar lehna, khenbeh a awm thu, sual thihsan, rinna, fakna, adt. leh thil dang tam takte pawh hi sawi uarin tuipui viau mah la; mi in rinawmna a tlakchham chuan, an thu leh hla hian eng ual ang thei lo.


Heti taka pawimawh a ni chung hian, mi tam tak chuan thawmhnaw inbel tlak loh ang main kan thinlung hmun kilah hnawl tawmin kan thehthang bo a. A hlutna hre lo ang maiin hmanraw chhawr tlak loh zawkah kan chhuah fo thin. He tiang duhthlanna felhlel zawng zawng dah kiang hian – 'Mi hnuaihnungte chawi kang a, mi ropuite ropuina belhchhahtu, zah phu hauh lote zahawm a siam a, mi zahawmte zahawm lehzual a siamtu, adt. RINAWMNA' hi kan incheina duhawm ber zing ami lo ni mawlh teh se.

THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINING OF WISDOM

(First sermon delivered in 2017 at his Sunday School session, serampore by my son - Jaira Lalnunpuia Khiangte, who is 11 years old)

First of all, I thank God and also thank to our Sunday school teachers – for giving me this opportunity to share the words of God.

I will begin my short sharing by reading the scripture which is found in Psalm 111: 10

Now, let me read Ps 111: 10 -The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom
_________________________________________________________________________________

According to the psalmist, beginning of the wisdom is – the fear of the Lord.

All of us will want to become a man of integrity who has the quality of being wise ( that is –wisdom). Therefore, if we want to become a wise man – we must fear the Lord.
But, how does ‘the fear of the Lord’ meant to us? OR what is the meaning of ‘the fear of the Lord’?

A number of suitable answers are provided by the scripture itself.

Ps 34: 11 says – “Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.” Then the following verse tells us how we shall become ‘a man who fear the Lord’ –

i)    Keep your tongue from evil, 
ii)    Keep your lips from speaking deceit.
iii)    Depart from evil,
iv)    Do good; 
v)    Seek peace, and pursue it.

To conclude my short sharing, I want to mention some ‘benefit of the fear of the Lord’
The benefits of ‘the fear of the Lord’ are found in Proverbs;

i)    Prov 10:27 says - The fear of the LORD prolongs life,  but the years of the wicked will be short
ii)    In Prov 19: 23, we also see - The fear of the LORD is life indeed; filled with it one rests secure and suffers no harm.
iii)    Prov 22: 4 also tells us - The reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honour and life.

May God bless us all through this short sharing.

2017 THLIRLETNA

Kum 2017 chu kan lo hmang liam leh dawn ta reng mai. He kum hi ka thlir letin ka tan kum tha a tlingin ka hria. Pathian hnen a lawmthu sawina chi khat atan he kum 2017 chhung a - rilru a lo lang hmasa sa; min fuih a , challenge min pe a, ka rilru tilawm-tu ka thil tawn thenkhat kan tarlang ang e.

1. BCM ah bial neiin kum 11 emaw lek rawngbawlin hun ka hmang tawh a. Chumi hnu chuan M.Th ziriin, zir zawh-ah Serampore College ah zirtir hna kum 5 ka thawhna a lo ni ve ta reng mai. BCM Zion, Chawngte L mi leh sa, he kohhran atanga chhuak hi ka ni.

Kum 2017 a lo inher chhuah hlim khan, kan veng leh ka chhuahna, Chawngte L kohhran a Unit TKP te chuan ‘Pathian rawngbawl’ tura infuihna chi khat atan leh rawngbawltute ngaihhlutna thalaite zing a tuh a nih theih nan tiin TKP Group hrang hrang an thente chu tiang hian hming an vuah a;
i) Upa Dozamlova Group
ii) Tv Hrangnghilhlova Hroup
iii) Rev K.Lalzarliana Group
iv) Rev David Lalmalsawma Group...tiin.

Upa Dozamlova hi missionary, Chawngte L Kohhran tirhchhuah, an chawm; fak tlak a rawng a bawl laia thi ta a ni. Tv Hrangnghilhlova hi BCM missionary, Chawnngte L kohhran mi leh sa, BCM in chakma missionary a neih tawhte zing a chakma tawng thiam ber a a neih thin a ni a. A ni pawh hi Pathian ram tan a mi inpe leh tangkai tak, rawng a bawl laia thi bawk a ni. Tin, Pastor David Lalmalsawma hi BCM hnuai a Pastor fel leh tangkai tak, Pathian mi hman, Diltlang Bialtu ni mek a ni a. A ni nen hian BCM Zion, Chawngte L atanga pastor chhuak awm chhun kan ni.

Tling lo inti chung a rawng kan bawl vena leh inpekna-te ngai hlu a kan thalaipui ten TKP GROUP then hming atana kan hming hnaisai lo an hmang duh hi, ka hriat tirh chuan mak ka ti a. Unit TKP President ni thin Pu Hose Lalhmangaiha’n min hrilh hlim phei chuan ‘ka zak deuh’ tlat nghe nghe a. He, TKP te thiltih hian kei ni, a hming putu la dam laite hi min cho hle bawkin ka hria. Lalpa avang ni suh se chuan he tiang thil hi a thleng ngai lovang a; ‘an zinga thu sawitu leh infuihna’ chi khat atana an hman kha, hming putu leh neitute hnen a ring taka thu sawitu leh fuihtu a lo ni ta zawk hlauh erawh kan tan a hlu hle.

'A nachang an hria' hi fak an phu takzet a. Mi dangte tan entawn tlakin thil an ti tih loh rual a ni lo. Bungtlang S bialtu ni tur a chawlhkar khat emaw lek Bungtlang S a ka awm lai hian Bungtlang S Khaw thlang lam huap? Football match, Bungtlang S ah hian nghah a ni a. A tir a ka hriatpui sa lemlohin ‘Pastor Zartea Team’ an lo chhuak ve reng hi a ni a, an thleng sang ta lem lo nain, BCM Zion, Chawngte L Unit TKP thiltih nen hian damchhung a ka theihnghilh tawh loh turte zing a mi a ni awm e.

2. Dt. 15 – 19th, March, 2017 khan BCM rorelna sang ber Assembly chu Chanmari, Lunglei-ah nghah a ni.

He Assembly-ah hian pathian leh hotutte duhsakna in zing bible study hun khat ka chang ve a. He duhsakna ka chan hi ka ngaihhlut hle lain Kum 6 zet ka absent hnu a Assembly ka tel ve thei tur hi ka ngai hlu zual em em a (Assembly tel ziah hi deputation a hmun dang a awm ordain minister-te tan BCM hnuaiah hian compulsory a ni ve lem lo). Thlenkim zan kan inkhawm tum a ka awm dan kha ka la hre reng mai. Inkhawm hun zahve chhung zet chu ‘lungchhe reng’ ang ka ni. Lamtual a mipui lam hut hut zinga zuk inzeh ve kha ka chak em em a. Mahse, ka emotion sang lutuk kha control theih chhung control ka duh vangin lamna hmun em chu ka thleng zo ta lo a ni. Ka dam chhunga ka thil chhinchhiah tur Pathian leh hotute zarah ka experience niin ka hria a.

3. Kum 2017 chhung hian College Book-room enkawl turin mawhphurhna pek ka ni a. Kan College hian kum 200 na 2018 hian a lawm dawn tawh nain, College Book-Room hi hlawhtling taka an kalpui thu kan hre ngai lo thung.

Principal remtihnain Mizoram a ka awmtawhna Pastor Bial 3 ah BCM Hqrs remtihna in kut dawh ngawt mai teh ang tiin ruahmanna kan siam a. Thingtlang kohhran te an nih hlawm avangin rilruin a beisei ruk lawk chu 50,000/- vel bak a ni lo. mahse Kohhran leh mi thahnemngaite zarah Rs. 80,000/- chuang zet hmuh a ni a. Hei hi College in belhchhah hlekin Rs. 1,10,000/- velin bul kan tan thei ta a. Heng hi kohhran zara college-in kan thil dawn ‘TE-TAK-TE’ ang chauh a ni nain, College Book-Room erawh nasa taka tih changtlun a ni ta a. Pathian leh kohhran zarah pangngai takin a kal ve zel tawhin a rintheih hial a ni.

4. KA NGAIH PAWIMAWH BER: Pathian rawngbawltu tan chuan kan fel emaw fel lo emaw, kan tha emaw tha lo emaw, kan rilruin Lalpa hnen a beisei a neih reng pakhat chu – “ Lalpa aw hriat a, a pawlna thar a khat mawi tawk tal a chan thin” hi a ni.

Institution a awm a academic lama han inchiah deuh hian he tiang ‘chan theihna boruak?’ hi Pastor Bial aiin a lo tlem deuh nge, keimahni lamin kan lo zir tawk lo ve deuh thin hriat a ni law? Zep lovah chuan - khawhar taka kum kan chhiar liam chang a awm fo mai. Kum 2017 erawh thung hi chuan tum 3 zet experience duhawm tak Lalpan min paltlang tir ta niin ka hria a. Thlaler hmunah nen lam a a mite umzui a, Akor ruam (Hose 2:15) pawh malsawmna a chantir theitu hian A MITE – ngaihsak a, min kan thar a, min tihharh leh thin hi a lo duh reng thin a. Kan tan a ‘TAHNA RUAM’ ni thinah khan, ‘TUIHNA THAR’ kan dawn ve pawh min remtih sak thin a lo ni. Thisen zawmpui leh chhungkhat hnaivaite tan lo chuan ‘tukhaw-kha’ ngaihsak tlak lo hi, lei leh van Lal ber erawh chuan MIN HRE RENG thung a. A rinawmna tun thleng a mi hnaisai lo leh tling lote chunga a la lantir thin hi KA THINLUNG HIAN A NGAI HLUIN, LALPA CHUNGAH HIAN LAWMTHU SAWI SEN RUAL LOH kan ba a ni.

5. Kan kohhran Pastoral deparment chan, pastoral ministry hnuai a mi ka ni a. Kum 2017 hi kan tlingtlak chuan Serampore-ah kum 5 kan awm ve tawh dawn tihna a ni. Kum tir (2017) atangin chhuak ve ngei tawh tur a inbeiseina rilru-ah a awm reng a. Pastor bial hi kan thinlungin a thlakhlelh em avang leh, ka Nupui fanaute phei chuan kum 5 zet zoram an hmuh tawh loh vangin zoram chhuah hlan hi ‘khawiah pawh awm dawn i la’ rilruin a nghakhlel takzet a ni.

Amaherawh chu, College in kan service hi kum 3 chhung pawtsei turin BCM ah a dil teh tlat a. Chu chu Pastoral Committee hnuhnung ber chuan lo remti in, a kar lakah thil dang a thleng a nih loh chuan, kum 3 dang kan awm leh dawn tihna a ni ta reng mai. Heng thil vel chungchang a ka thawhna hotu-in ‘ka ngaihdan’ min zawh lai hian ‘Pathian hi a hlauhawm em avang leh, awmna tur a duhthu lo sam ve hi pastor tan thil tih chi ni a ka hriat loh avangin’ “ngaihdan sawi ngam chi ni ve pawhin ka inhre lo, hotu leh hotu inkara inbiak rem dan dan hi kan pawm ang” ka ti ve ngawt kha a ni a. Mizia, nihna leh thiamna avang pawh a ‘kan phak ve loh’ thil ni a kan hriatah khan keimah chauh ni lo, mi dangte pawhin min rinpui loh zawngin Pathian hruaina kan chang zel zawng a nih awm hi maw?

M.Th ka zir hma, Bial a ka la awm lai hian, “Lalpa, nangmah leh I ram tana kan tangkai ve theihna hmunah zel hian min dah la, tul taka i ram tana kan inhman ve theihna hmun a nih phawt chuan KA RILRUIN A PAWM THEIH LOHNA HMUN-AH PAWH NI SE min hung zel mai ang che” ti a ka tawngtaina kha Serampore experience hian min hriatchhuah tir leh thin. Serampore experience hi phek tam tak daih ziah tur ka nei nain heti chinah hian rek bung mai ang.

6. Kum 5 hma lam khan ka Unau pa Hmangaiha (Lalhmangaihzuala, lecturer HSS Serkawn) chuan Madurai ka awm lain BLOG min siam sak a, chu mi-ah chuan ka kutchhuak ho te te ka dah khawm ve thin. Sermon, article, bible study, etc leh thil dang mizo leh English-in ka tlar thla ve del a. Thu ziak 100 em pawh a la tling lo. Kum 2017 kum tir khan ‘thla tin thuziak pakhat tal dah leh ka tum ang’ tia ka rilruk kha ka ti hlawhtling niin ka hria. Ka testimony, Pathian hnathawh MAK ka tawn thenkhat te pawh a tir lamah ‘hai’ peihte tan a awm.

7. Kumin Krismas chu Kolkata Mizo Christian Service (CMCS) in ni 24, Sunday tlai thusawi turin min lo ruat ve a. He mi chungchang hi FB-ah ka dah tawh avangin hei chauh hi kan tarlang tawh mai ang e.

Kumin Krismas, CMCS zing a kan hmang thei hi rilru hlim takin kan haw niin ka hria a. Min tilawm zualtu point thenkhat te;

i) Kan kal hma deuh hian Pathian a lawman thuk tak Lalpan min pe.

ii) Madurai-ah kum 2 kan awm bakah, Serampore-ah hian kum 5 kan awm dawn ta a. He Krismas hi kum 7 hnu a krismas hla ka sak tam ber kum a ni.

iii) Chutiang bawk chuan kum 7 hnu a krismas thuchah mizo tawng a nuam ti leh zalen taka ka sawi hmasak ber a ni awm e.

iv) Kumin Krismas hian sum chuangtlai hman mai tur kan tlachham angreng a. ‘nei si, nei si lo’ in kan awm a ni. Kum thar (2018) ah haw ve ngei kan duh avangin Flight ticket book-na tur kan indah ve a, hman heu ngam a ni lo. January thla hlawh kan dawng tawh nain, thla hlawh (Monthly salary) hi kham ngawr ngawr, a chang phei chuan kham lo nasa tak…kan nih avangin lo hman lawk ngam a ni bawk lo.

Tichuan leh, kan Nu hriatpui vak lohin Krismas hmanna tur pawisa Rs. 11,000/- puk in kan chhuak ta rawih a. Amaherawh chu, a mite ngaihsaktu Lalpa hian kan mamawh hi a va hre tehreng em...

Kan rawngbawlpui, kan U Te -Rev Sangtea te chhung fin kan ni a. Pu Michael-a (Pu A-Puia) te chhung, Pu Sangtea te chhungte hnai tak, Pu sangtea te Krismas rawn hmanpui an awm bawk. Pu sangte te Nupa (Pi Chhungpuii) hian duhsak namen lova min duhsak bak-ah, Pu A-Puia te chhungkua hian, “Kan Pastor te hi Krismas present kan la pe ve reng reng lo” tiin kan Nu hnenah pawisa a hlan mauh mai a. A Nupui (Pi Aluri) hian kan kan fate leh kan Nu tan thil tamtak a lei sak tawh avangin ‘Ka inthlahrung takmeuh’ a ni. Rs. 2000/- a pe maw ka tih kha a lo ni tawp lo lehnghal....

Mu tur a room kan luh hnuin, kan Nu chuan, “Pa, an pawisa min pek hi a tam lutuk a, ka lung a chhe deuh tlat nia” a ti a. “Engzat nge?” ka tih chuan, “Rs. 14,000/- lai a nia…” a tih chuan – sawi tur reng ka hre lo. Ka ngawi reng a, ‘Lalpa min ngaihsak zia hi’ tiin mak tiin zing lam dar 3 thleng ka meng a, Pathian hnenah lawmthu ka sawi a. Lalpan min ngaihsak takzet a ni tih hi rinhlelh rual lovin a tilang leh ta niin ka hria.

Kan sum puk rulh leh dan thlengin ‘min ngaihsakna’ hi Lalpan a tilang zel a, min ngaihsakna tilang turin ‘amite zingah’ min hungin, a hun takah a mite hi kan hnenah a lo tir leh mai niin ka hria a. Lalpa rinawmna hi kan tan hian 'a mak' tih loh rual a ni lo.

TLIPNA: Heng bak pawh hi ziah tur ka la nei nual a, heti zawng hian a tlang kawm tawh mai ang.
Kan hmabak kum 2018 lo inher chhuak leh tur pawh hi eng tiang angin nge kan hmachhawn dawn tih kan hre hauh lo. Amaherawh chu, a mite dinpui a sawipui thintu, kan hriat mang loh lai nen lam pawh a, a mit kan chung a len a, ‘keini ang paltlang ve rual a ni lo’ kan tih kawng nen lama min zawhpui thintu Lalpa hi kan Pathian a ni. Chuvang chuan HE CHHUNGKUA hian kum lo thar zel turah pawh hian Lalpa hi a vuan ve reng dawn a ni.

MIN NGAIHSAK FO TIH KA HRIA

(Luangliam Post)

Tukin (Dt. 21st, Dec, 2017) chu hla thluk, a thu ka hriat fuh chiah loh - "Min hriat reng thin vangin?" ti a ka hriat tlat hian rilru a luah reng mai a. Ka hla ngaihthlak zen zen loh, a thluk leh thu dang pawh chhunzawm ngaihna ka hriat loh hi a ni a. Humm, Humm, Humm... tih bak chuan sak ngaihna pawh ka hre meuh lo.

YouTube-ah kan en a. TBC-a (See - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3nS_V3p-k4) leh Lalthlengliani ( See - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvDISP8-eNo) sak a lo awm reng a. An va thiam tehreng em.

'Min hriat reng thin vangin?' ti-a ka hriat kha MIN NGAIHSAK FO TIH KA HRIA tih a lo ni a.

Ka Lalpa hi, "tunge maw ka nih a, ka chhungte pawh hi tunge maw an nih a min hriat reng thin hi le...?". Min hre satliah mai ni lovin, lei leh van a thuneitu, engkim chung a roreltu hian kei 'engmah ni lo, chhuan tlak nei lo, mi ngaihsan chu sawi loh, ka chhungte tan lo chuan ngaihsak tlak pawh ni lo' hi MIN NGAIHSAK FO a lo ni tih he hlathu hmang hian min hrilh thar ve leh ta a ni. Halleluiah!!!.

A chang thenkhat hlathu hi chu tun a ka awm dan leh hun tawn mek nen inlaichinna a neih pawh ka hre hran lo. Ka lungngai lova, tun hnai a ka letter hmuh pakhat erawh chuan 'min tilawm lo hle' tih mai loh chu rilru nawm lohna ka neih pawh ka hre lo. Mahse, chuti-chung chuan MIN NGAIHSAK FO tih min hriat thar tir hi Lalpa'n a la duh cheu niin ka hria a, ka tan hei hi a hlu em em a ni.

A ngaitha ve duh tan a link leh a thu hi kan dah nghe nghe ang e.

MIN NGAIHSAK FO TIH KA HRIA
(Lungngaih Ni leh Lawm Ni... tiin an dah a)

Lungngaihni leh ngui changni te hian
Lungngaih ni leh lawm lai niah hian,
Lal Isuan min ngaihsak ngai em?
Buainaten min chim, ka kawng a sei lua,
Ka lo chau ta, phurrit tak nen.

Aw, min ngaihsak fo tih ka hria,
Ka lungngaihin a tina;
Ngui chang ni leh zankhua rei hlauhawm hnuaiah,
Min ngaihsak tih ka hria.

Ka kawng a thim, hlauhawmin min bawm,
Lal Isuan min ngaihsak ngai em?
Ni eng a lo chuai, zan thim a lo hnai
Min vengin a lo hnai ngai em?

Thlemna dovin, ka bei a lo dawng,
Lal Isuan min ngaihsak ngai em?
Lungngaiin ka chau, chhantu an awm lo,
Zankhaw tlaitluanin mittui nen.

Leia lungduh ber ka then laiin,
Lal Isuan min ngaihsak ngai em?
Tuar rual loh lungchhia, thinlai min run hi,
A hriain a ngainep ang em?