Sunday, April 26, 2009

Manchester United so far... (2008/2009)

Manchester United has again proved its strength by beating Tottenham Hotspurs by 5 - 2, after being left behind by 2 goals at the half time, last night.

Anyway, I just want to keep you updated with the progress of ManUtd so far...

Barclays Premier League : 1st (with a game in hand)
Champions League : Semi-Final (vs Arsenal)
Carling Cup : Winner
FIFA Club World Cup : Winner
Community Shield : Winner

ManUtd is still running for 5 trophies, out of 6 possible trophies, this season. Unfortunately, ManUtd lost to Everton in FA Cup Semi-Final in penalty shoot-out. If they did not lose to Everton, ManUtd might claim all the possible trophies by the end of the season. Anyway, getting 5 out of 6 is already a huge achievement.

Let me offer you the 'meaning' of winning all these 5 trophies :
1. Barclays Premier League : Champion of the World's Toughest Football League
2. Champions League : Best in Europe
3. Carling Cup : Best among all English Clubs (All divisions)
4. FIFA Club World Cup : Best Football Clubs in the World
5. Community Shield : Better than the previous FA Cup's Champion

What a great club, Manchester United is...

My ideals of the final part of the season will be :
1. Champions League Final : Manchester United vs Barcelona. And ManUtd win again.
2. Barclays Premier League : 1st

Why is it the best ideal (in personal terms)?
1. By beating Barcelona, you may say you have beaten the King of Football in Spanish League.
2. By winning Barclays Premier League, it proved that you are the best of the league. And have defeated all the rivals which often becomes personal matters, such as Liverpool, Chelsea, and Arsenal.

How great ManUtd is... ^_^

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Why is Easter an important day for Christians?

Easter celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is the center of Christian Faith, from the death.

Jesus came to the world to pay the price for our souls, so that we could come back to the Father (God). Why did Jesus have to do that? Since the eviction of Adam and Eve from Garden of Eden, humans fall short of glory of God and we deserved to die.

"... for all (people) have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..." (Romans 3 : 23)

"... For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6 : 23)

From the 2 verses above, it is quite clear that our given state are sinful and we deserve to die. But for God so loved the world, He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to save us. And through His sacrifice, we could have eternal life with God in the heaven. And only through His sacrifice on the cross, then the price for our souls were paid.

"... For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life, For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him..." (John 3 : 16 - 17)

In His early ministry, Jesus said several times to His followers that He would have to suffer and to die in the cross, and would rise after three days (Mark 8 :31, 9 : 31, 10 : 33 - 34, in parallels with Matthew and Luke).

"...He (Jesus) then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again..." (Mark 8 : 31)

"...because he (Jesus) was teaching his disciples. He (Jesus) said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be bertrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise..." (Mark 9 : 31)

"...'We are going to Jerusalem,' He (Jesus) said, 'and the Son of Man will be bertrayed to the chief priests and teachers of law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise..." (Mark 10 : 33 - 34)

As we all know, Jesus suffered and died on the cross, which has fulfilled what he had said before to their followers. But the great news does not end here. Jesus did not only fulfill His prediction of His death. But He also fulfilled His prediction of His own Resurrection from the death.

Indeed, Jesus rose from the death three days after His death on the cross. How can we be ensured that Jesus really rose from the death? Isn't it possible that His disciples stole His body from the tomb? Let's read the following passages.

"... The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 'Sir,' they said, 'we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver (referring to Jesus) said, 'After three days I will rise again.' So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.' 'Take a guard', Pilate answered. 'Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.' So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard..." (Matthew 27 : 62 - 66)

In the passage above, the chief priests and teachers of law are afraid that Jesus's disciples would steal Jesus's body and claimed that Jesus has risen from the death. Then they asked Pilates to secure the tomb as secure as possible, so that there is no single chance for the disciples to steal the body.

But the great news is... Jesus really rose from the death. He fulfilled His Prediction of His Resurrection. On the third day, when Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb, there was a violent earthquake and an angel of the Lord came down from heaven. The angel went to the tomb, rolled back the stone, and sat on it. The appearance of the angel really scared the guards. The angel told the women not to afraid, and told them that Jesus is not inside the tomb and He has risen from the death and commanded the women to spread the good news.

After witnessing all these, the guards went back into the city and reported everything they saw to the chief priests. The chief priests were very afraid and they bribed the guards with a large sum of money, not to spread the real truth (Jesus resurrection).

Isn't it a good news? Jesus resurrection from the death is indeed the foundation of Christians faith. If He did not rise from the death, everything He has ever said is meaningless. But because He rose from the death, He offers us everlasting Hope. He has proved whatever He has ever said.

That is why Jesus resurrection is indeed very crucial element in Christian Faith.

... Because He lives, We have hope... And Because He Lives, We can face tomorrow...