Chen Chao-qiang: God cherishes the Hakka people

Global Hakka Gospel Conference Bible Study Morning Prayer Meeting

   God called Jonah. Even though Jonah repeatedly tried to flee, he ultimately still responded to the call. Pastor Chen Chaoqiang, using the themes “An Inescapable Calling” and “You Must Understand God’s Heart,” drew from the story of the prophet Jonah during the two-day Bible study morning prayer meetings of the Global Hakka Gospel Conference, reminding all the brothers and sisters present.

   First, Pastor Chen asked the congregation to look at the Bible to see who Jonah was. Jonah was a prophet of God (2 Kings 14:25), and also a man from Gath-hepher, the son of Amittai (2 Kings 14:25). His prophecies were accurate (2 Kings 14:25), he was learned and able to express himself in poetic form (Book of Jonah chapter 2), and he was also a powerful evangelist (Jonah 3:4–9).

“FOUR ‘NOs’ CHRISTIANS”

   Pastor Chen said that God greatly wanted to use Jonah (Jonah 1:1–2), so He sent him to the land of the wicked, because human wickedness had come before God. “Missions means going to the ‘land of the wicked’. The ‘wickedness’ of the wicked is because they do not know God. Therefore, you must rise up and go to evangelize among the Hakka people.”

   He pointed out that today’s church has many “four NOs” Christians, namely those who respond with “cannot,” “dare not,” “unable,” and “do not want.” They are like Jonah, who fled from the calling of the Lord (Jonah 1:3).

   “Actually, all these are the work of Satan, causing us to have hundreds of reasons when we refuse God’s calling.”

   Regarding Jonah’s reasons for fleeing from the Lord, Pastor Chen explained three main reasons. First, the journey was far and the language was unfamiliar, because Nineveh was the capital of Assyria, located in the Mesopotamian plain, thousands of miles away from Israel. Second, strong patriotism and racial prejudice, because Assyria had invaded Israel’s territory, and Israel would eventually be destroyed by Assyria. Assyria was also cruel, and Jonah’s life would be in danger because Assyria mistreated prisoners of war.

   From this reflection, the more one considers evangelism, the more faith and courage are weakened, and in the end one chooses to give up. When people try to escape God’s calling, there are always thousands of “self-justified reasons!” The real reason is self-centeredness and not understanding God’s heart. In the end, when the heart has too many concerns, it gradually grows cold.

“THE FOUR ‘NOs’ OF JONAH”

   However, Jonah could not escape the omnipresent God, because in heaven and on earth, God can find you everywhere (Psalm 139:7–8). Jonah could not escape, and neither can you!

   God could find Jonah, who was asleep in the midst of the world’s suffering, but Jonah, who “feared God,” responded to God with a “four NOs” attitude: when God sent a great wind, he ignored it; when the ship was about to break apart and sink, he did not care; when the sailors were terrified and cried out to God, he did not pray; when he was thrown into the sea to be swallowed by a great fish, he was not afraid.

   Pastor Chen emphasized that such “four NOs” servants of God and believers, who are “without heart,” not only have storms in their own hearts, but are also the center of storms in the church.

   God arranged for a great fish to “swallow” Jonah. What seemed to be the end of life was actually the beginning of a new life. Pastor Chaoqiang said that spiritual growth is not like instant noodles; rather, it is experienced inch by inch through God’s shaping (suffering), step by step through God’s guidance. Although the shaping is painful and following is difficult, your image and likeness have been changed, and your steps become more firm.

   Jonah also called out to God in his suffering (inside the fish) (Jonah 2:2–9). Jonah, who did not die after three days and three nights in the belly of the fish, finally repented after experiencing God’s salvation. Then God commanded the fish to vomit Jonah onto dry land. Today, are you in deep sleep, facing being thrown into the sea, in the belly of the fish, or being vomited onto dry land?

   “Remember, evangelism is an inescapable calling. Will you choose to obey now, or only obey after going through suffering?”

WE MUST HAVE A “FOUR-SAME” LIFE

   On the second day’s early morning Bible study, the theme was “You Must Understand God’s Heart.” Pastor Chen believed that Jonah’s experience of three days and three nights in the belly of the fish was like death, and afterward he was resurrected; similarly, Jesus also experienced three days and three nights of death in the tomb and then rose again. Believers must also experience death and resurrection in Christ, which is the “four-same” life: co-crucified, co-death, co-burial, and co-resurrection life.

   God called Jonah a second time, giving Jonah a second chance to go to Nineveh to proclaim His word (Jonah 3:1). Although Jonah was disobedient, God does not change people through violence; instead, God moves people through unceasing love. Because violence only restricts people, but love is incarnation.

   “To win the Hakka people, you must first love the Hakka people; to love the Hakka people, you must first experience the love of the cross. To love, we must be prepared to be hurt; we cannot rely only on our own enthusiasm, but must also have sacrificial love of the cross.”

   Jonah finally set out on the road to Nineveh, which is the path of mission. And after the conference, will you go to “win the Hakka people”? Or will you continue to sleep? Pastor Chen urged global Hakka brothers and sisters to rise up and preach the gospel to their fellow people, neighbors, and relatives.

HOW CAN I NOT PITY THEM

   Afterwards, the entire city of Nineveh repented (Jonah 3:5–9). In the end, God saw that they turned from their evil ways and did not bring disaster upon them. This shows that God’s word has great power; how can we not preach it? At the same time, repentance is not just words or feelings, but actions consistent with a repentant heart—fasting and prayer, turning from evil ways, abandoning violence, and turning the heart to God. These are the marks of repentance.

   The revival of believers will influence leaders; the revival of leaders will influence the whole church and nation. Because the merciful God always gives many people opportunities for repentance and new life.

   However, because of the salvation of the wicked, Jonah was greatly displeased and angry with God’s decision. So Jonah went out of the city, sat on the east side of the city, made a shelter for himself there, and sat under its shade, waiting to see what would happen to the city (Jonah 4:5).

   “People themselves rebel against God, yet hope to quickly receive forgiveness and salvation; but when they see ‘wicked people’ receiving forgiveness and salvation, they become resentful! Today, do we have the same attitude as Jonah?”

   Pastor Chen pointed out that a person who serves God without fully dying to the old self will become angry, discouraged, and cold-hearted whenever things do not turn out as he wants, and eventually become indifferent and stand aside, hoping that “bad things” will continue to happen.

   Later, God wanted Jonah to understand His heart, so He used the withering of the plant (castor plant) to tell Jonah: “You have pity on the plant, which you did not labor for nor make grow; it came up in a night and perished in a night. And should I not have pity on Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot distinguish between their right hand and their left—and also many animals?” (Jonah 4:10–11)

   Pastor Chaoqiang said with deep emotion: “How can I not have pity?”—this is the voice of God’s heart, but have we heard it?

   Finally, he shared the church planting story of St. John’s Methodist Church in Batu Kawa, Kuching. Batu Kawa is an area with many Hakka people. More than 40 years ago, a young girl was sent to a primary school in Batu Kawa as a dental nurse. As a Christian, while serving as a dental nurse, she also told Bible stories to children and began a Sunday school.

   Forty years later, St. John’s Methodist Church was established in Batu Kawa, and now has more than 100 believers. This church has trained 2 pastors, 1 missionary, and 2 pastor’s wives. They are the pastors of two districts in Kuching—Pastor Moh Rong Fatt, Pastor Chen Shixing, and missionary Chen Lanjun. This sister is a Foochow woman, and she is Sister Zheng Xiaomao.

Provided by Sarawak Methodist Methodist Messenger