| Previous Sermon | Next Sermon | List of Sermons | Ebooks (v 7.0) | Related links | Download |
In 1935, when I was ten, I was brought to hear God’s servant Dr John Sung. In two weeks of meetings, three times a day each meeting of two hours, I came under the convicting power of God’s word. There my entire course of life was set, to follow the Lord Jesus and none other. "My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise" (Ps 57:7 ). Four years later, in 1938, God’s servant gave the challenge: “Who will surrender his life to serve the Lord? ” The call to service was accepted. God’s servant laid his hands on my head and sealed my promise with prayer. Since that day, the Lord has led me all the way, along one unswerving pathway of servanthood: no turning back, no turning back. Now in my eightieth year, it is my special privilege to testify for my Saviour: there is joy in serving Jesus, no greater joy. To some younger persons reading my story, may God speak to you and may you heed His loving call. “Behold I stand at the door and knock. ” Will you open your heart’s door and invite the King of Kings to come in, and to take charge of your life? What He did for me, He will do for you.
In 1969 four years after being appointed to the chair of obstetrics and gynaecology, I handed in my resignation. Questions were asked: Why? What a waste, what a pity. The department had just risen from obscurity to global prominence. Medical researchers and graduate students from some of the top medical schools of the United Kingdom, Australia, and America had found us a profitable centre for study and research. The chair of obstetrics and gynaecology was one of three major academic appointments in the University of Singapore. Aspiring candidates devote a good part of their working life to strive for this prize, and once that objective is attained, they spend the rest of their life reaping the fruits of their labour.
But here was a man in the prime of life who had built the department from nothing to world fame, “throwing in the towel, ” and getting out.
“What a waste, and a loss to the world of academics. ”
In normal thinking, one would tend to agree. But the course of action transcended normal considerations. In fact, the decision of 1969 traces back to that consecration promise of 1938, sealed by the prayer and laying on of hands of God’s servant.
In the world’s reckoning, surely it was loss and folly. "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ" (Phil 3:7 ). The call of Christ my Lord made all the difference.
Ever since that two-week experience in 1935, there was no doubt what life direction I should take.
Once I was asked: “Have you had any after thoughts or regret? ” My answer is plain and simple. No, not for one moment. Am I sure? "Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ" (Phil 3:8 ).
Since that fateful exit from the University, thirty-six years have slipped by. These have been years of inexpressible pleasure in God’s service and fruitful productivity for God’s Kingdom. Today, by normal reckoning, the end for me should not be far away, and the apostle’s words in 2 Tim 4:7,8 seem appropriate to express my own feeling:
"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing."
Since the happenings of the past thirty-six years have issued from the events of that two-week encounter with God’s servant, one would naturally ask: what actually happened.
My two wonderful weeks in August / September 1935
My story begins in Kluang, a small country town in Johor State, South Malaya. There Father had his clinic and dispensary. There we attended the Chinese Presbyterian Church.
One day in early 1935 came a certain lady from Amoy, South China, to join the Church staff. She and Mother struck up an instant friendship. Her name: Miss Leona Wu.
From her first arrival, Miss Wu spoke of a certain Dr John Sung, an evangelist whose preaching had revived churches throughout the length and breadth of China. Everywhere he went churches and meeting places were filled to capacity. Every time he preached, men and women turned in repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Thousands upon thousands of souls were won to the Lord Jesus Christ. Even the most hardened of sinners had come forward, repenting of their sins-sins of every kind-and to receive the Lord.
“The best news, Dr Sung is coming to Singapore! Everyone in your family, should take time off to hear this man of God. ” Meantime, she got the whole church to pray. And pray we did!
When the time came Father and Mother gathered all the family--as many as were old enough, to go to the meetings at Telok Ayer Methodst Church, Singapore.
Dr Sung’s preaching was of a kind never heard before.
1. His preaching was alive
His words were the words of Holy Scripture, spoken by a man of God, one who was wholly given to prayer and the word, in constant touch with the Lord, fully separated from the world.
Therefore his words were “quick and powerful” and penetrating, like a twoedged sword.
This Spirit power was augmented by the congregational singing of Bible choruses based on the message theme.
2. He rebuked sin
Like John the Baptist, John Sung openly and forcefully rebuked sin by naming each one as mentioned in God’s word. Thus he would identify each individual sin and challenge the hearer to search himself, and confess every sin without fear or shyness.
3. By the Spirit’s convicting power, men and women awoke to the seriousness of sin, and its deadly consequences; they realised the worth of the soul, and the reality of eternity. After death it was either heaven with the Lord, or hell with the devil and his demon spirits, for ever and ever.
4. By the power of the Spirit, men and women saw the urgent need for forgiveness, and that sin would send the sinner in the unforgiven state to an eternity in hell. This caused many to openly confess their sins and seek forgiveness with tears of repentance.
5. The same power of the Spirit imparted faith to repentant sinners, leading them to come to the cross, and to look to the Saviour Jesus Christ, bleeding for them, and to plead for cleansing in the precious blood.
6. Forgiven sinners, filled with the joy of salvation, and sin burdens falling away at the foot of the cross, stood up and openly testified before the whole assembly to their newfound joy.
7. The forgiven sinner, by the Spirit’s working, began spontaneously to witness for the Saviour, to acknowledge publicly their newfound peace, and to share the joy with others.
8. The newborn babes in Christ, with newfound love for God’s word, began to read the word with relish, as the Psalmist says in Ps 119:97 : "O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day." There was joy in fellowship with other believers.
The two weeks were a life-changing experience. It was like “Heaven on earth. ” Meeting three times a day, two hours each time, transported us, as it were, to the very outskirts of heaven.
The reality of eternity and the infinite worth of souls were brought into sharp focus.
At the end of the two weeks my spirit was fully convinced: firstly, there was no greater blessing than to be saved, and secondly, there was no greater blessing than to be part of the soul-saving business for God.
Dr John Sung pressed home time and again the imminence of the return of Christ and the need for every believer to be ready for that momentous event.
All of these Bible truths and precious doctrines so gripped my heart, they became part of my system-my thinking, my planing, my doing.
When the two weeks were over, there was a looking forward to “next year’s return visit. ” How precious was the thought of God’s servant coming again!
When Dr John Sung began his wider ministry in 1930, the Lord revealed to him that he had fifteen more years to live. This knowledge caused him to redouble his efforts, blazing an unremitting Gospel trail to evangelise his fellow Chinese. He made five visits to the countries of Nanyang. His last to Singapore was in 1938. Shortly after, his health waned and his outward man began to crumble, as cancer invaded his body.
Dr Sung died on August 18, 1944 in Hsiang Shan (Fragrant Hill), North China. He had fought a good fight, he had finished his course, he had kept the faith. Henceforth there was laid up for him a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge shall give him at that day ( 2 Tim 4:7,8 ).