Underground Church

Yay! We just finished our Barnabas Sanctification Camp. Haha. During the camp, the kids were playing a game called underground church. For those who don’t know what the game is like, well, it’s like everyone is in this ‘land’ where we’re all farmers and our task is to collect beans, which can be exchanged for money to buy REAL stuff. So most of the children were really excited to collect beans to buy stuff. But at the same time, there will be some chosen to be Christians (with a sticker on shirt)… who can choose to go around sharing the gospel with their friends. One can choose to be an open Christian (sticker on front of shirt) or a hidden Christian (hide sticker). The game has 8 shifts. And as each shift progresses, Christians face many more oppositions.

Shift 1: Christians are free to share Christ.
Shift 2: Christians are not allowed to share Christ openly
Shift 3: Christians are not allowed to congregate.
Shift 4: Christians are not allowed to buy stuff in the market
Shift 5: Those who turn in their sticker will be given 50 dollars and will not be caught.
Shift 6: Those who are open Christians will be caught
Shift 7: Those who turn in friends who are Christians will be given 200 dollars.
Shift 8: Public trial where those who are Christians are paraded and publicly accused.

Those who are caught by the secret police will be tortured in the dungeon.

So well, many Children began the game wanting to be Christians. However, as the game progressed, many gave up their stickers. The way they gave up their stickers was really scary. It just made my hair stand when they said, “ok, I give up my sticker.” Especially during shift 6, many couldn’t wait to give up their stickers just to get the 50 dollars.

Actually, the game is an analogy of what really happens in real life! During Ps Linda’s preaching, she shared that many a time, we all look down on Judas, because he betrayed Jesus for 30 shekels of silver. But are we really any different from Judas? The truth is we are not very different from him. Many of us choose to make Christianity part of our lives but not the centre of our lives. Ask ourselves, what is our motivation for being a Christian? Will we give up our faith easily when persecution comes? If your answer is ‘yes’ or ‘dunno’… I pray that today, you will encounter the love of God in a mightily special way. Don’t let this life pass by without knowing the perfect love of God.
Also, many of us are just like the children playing the game. We are distracted by the “beans”, the things of this world that attract us and distract us from following God. Will we continue to be preoccupied with advancing our career, pursuing our dream to be the top student or the prime minister or make lots of money etc… and leave God aside? What if today is the last day I have on earth? Will I be able to say that I have lived my life purposefully and intentionally and not wasted it away?

[Matthew 24:42-51] “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come… So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him… Who then is the faithful and wise servant whom the master has put in charge”

You know, the game underground church really gave me a glimpse of how it will be in the end times. Many will give up their faith so so easily, because of distractions or persecution. But are we of those that will lose heart and are destroyed? Or will we endure to the end and run the race for God? I want to be like Paul in 2 Tim 4:7-8. At the end of my life, I want to be able to say “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”

My friends, are we really fighting the good fight? Or have we totally given up fighting and have just given in. In this season when most of us are facing many many challenges, choose to fight the good fight! But before we start fighting, we must first sit tight (Our POSITION in Christ), walk right (Our POSTURE in Christ)… then only can we stand and fight! =)