By Bishop Dr. Ong Hwai Teik

Pelita Methodist is publishing Bishop Dr. Ong Hwai Teik's message at the rededication service in Port Dickson.

I. INTRODUCTION: ACKNOWLEDGEMENT and HISTORY

THANK YOU to all for being present, especially those of you from our Methodist Churches in Port Dickson, Seremban and Jelebu. We also appreciate the many who have come from outstation to join us.

We are of course thankful to our PD MC Redevelopment Committee chaired by Mr Daniel Lim Hin Soon and Co-chaired by Mr Chiew Toh Hee. They have worked tirelessly, not only in planning and attending meetings, but have shown commitment and dedication to the task through their personal involvement, as testified by their multiple site visits and dealings with a stream of trouble-shooting incidences.

We are most grateful for having able, competent and committed staff like Ms Jenny Qua and her team who have gone beyond the call of duty to facilitate the physical transformation of this beloved PD Methodist Training Centre of ours.

Our grateful acknowledgement, of course does not end there, or else our thanksgiving to the Lord would not be complete. As we trace our records, we read that the original PD MC cornerstone was laid by Bishop Hobart H Amstutz on 13 Dec 1958.

In the Methodist Message of June-July 1957, we read of Bishop Hazen G Werner calling on the Ohio Methodist Youths to raise USD 25,000 to help develop a Youth Center in PD, Malaya. It goes on to say how that sum was used. Bishop H Amstutz informed them: “As we see now, the $25,000 contributed by the Methodist youth of Ohio will be used for building a combination dining hall, kitchen & auditorium. There should be a very large veranda along the entire length of the lodge building, which could be used for social purposes & for lounging. Any money available after building the lodge might be used for building 2 dormitories.”

In our records we further read of how God’s servants of an earlier generation, key among them were Revds CH Fang, Carlton Foss, C N Fang, Mr GS Arumugam, Mr T Appadurai – they were in the pioneer Seremban Committee in 1957 who supervised the building of the original PD MC.

Bishop Theodore Doraisamy wrote in The March issue of Methodism in Singapore and Malaysia 1885-1980: “The dream of many generations for a conference and camp site was realized in these years (of 1956-1964) at Port Dickson. The moving spirit was MR GS Arumugam, who for his vision for great things and his experience in securing school sites, worked for several years till it came to be a reality.... The PDMC opened for use in 1958 after protracted negotiations and there were yearly additions to its facilities. In 1963 Mrs Lorrine Reinoehl was appointed the residential superintendent and the Methodist Asia Consultation was held there. The Reinoehls made it popular for conferences & retreats.”

Before we had this present redevelopment: we had a capacity of 158 beds, with a 2-storey house, 3 chalet units, 6 units of rooms, 6 units of dorms, 1 assembly hall for 220 persons, 1 chapel, 1 football field, 1 campfire area.

Then on Oct 2006 – we managed through the assistance of Dato Dr Tan Kee Kwong, to sell about half of our 20 acres to FELDA so that we had the necessary funds to redevelop and upgrade this place. This was supplemented by the sale of the Jln Mayang land in Dec 2008.

When Bishop Emeritus Hwa Yung called for an inter-Annual Conferences leadership meeting to map the way ahead for the Methodist Church in Malaysia, 13-14 Dec 2004, I remember having the opportunity to verbalise the common thought that many in the Methodist Family, especially the leadership in W Malaysia, had felt for some time. Many had felt that the PD MC needed to be redeveloped so that one day in the near future – it would become “The Home of our Annual Conferences in W Malaysia”. That was the tag-line I had used then.

So in APRIL 2009 – the planning process began as a PDMC Re-development Committee was established. Then came the Ground Breaking ceremony on 2 July 2011; followed by the Topping Up/Capping of the Cross on 18 July 2012. Today, 23 March 2013, we dedicate this new PD Methodist Training Centre to our Lord’s GLORY & KINGDOM PURPOSES.

On this auspicious occasion of celebrating God’s gratuitous favour , I am reminded of David and Solomon, who were responsible for the beginning and ending of the building of the magnificent and unforgettable 1st Temple in Jerusalem dedicated to Yahweh, the God of Heaven and Earth in 2 Sam 7:1-17.

II. The Offering of David: Giving Out of DEEP/BEST OF LOVE

1. The 1st Temple of the Jewish nation, was the brainchild of King David.
By that time, the shepherd boy who had lived in a TENT had become a King, enthroned in his PALACE. Three times in vv1-3 he is referred to as “the king” not DAVID, emphatically pointing to his journey from obscurity to prosperity and elevation in life.

He began to realise the stark contrast between his own residence and that which was designated for the Lord. He was living in a luxurious palace, whilst the “ark of God” the symbolic throne of the Divine King (1 Sam 4:4) “remains” in a mere TENT!

2. There is now the added factor that the “Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him” [vv 1, 11]: He recognised with gratitude that he had no distractions then, no longer needing to fight for his throne; he could concentrate on larger things.

David had a DEVOUT HEART: which would NOT be content with personal comfort dwelling in a house of CEDAR (one of the most expensive and valuable of strong wood) while the ARK had but a tent for its abode.

For David, it was a most unacceptable and dreadful contrast, that he should have LUXURY at home whilst God’s Ark dwelt in an inferior tent!

However, God prohibited him from being the builder of the temple. This begs the question – “why?” Firstly, we note that the proposal came from the man David, to locate God’s presence in a specific place. But God had always “moved with His people” (vv 6,7) as symbolised by the Ark in a tent; the idea was good but it would mean the danger of making God static, an idolized monument.

It would seem that the less solid tabernacle corresponded better to the simplicity and spirituality of the worship of Yahweh; lest His people began to copy the pagans around them who seemed to think that by their elaborations, they could buy, control or domesticate their gods by their luxury. It might even lead to a wasteful and ostentatious competition with the pagan temples around them. Alexander Maclaren puts it this way:

“A gorgeous stone temple might easily become the sepulchre, rather than the shrine of true devotion.”

Another reason is given for the rejection of David for that task. This is found in 1 Chronicles 28:3 – “but God said to me, ‘You must not build a temple to honor my name, for you are a warrior and have shed much blood.’

A warrior perhaps stands in incongruity or inappropriateness to erect a house for the God whose Kingdom was in its essence one of PEACE. (Moreover - being a man of war who commands an entire army and its bloody campaigns – he cannot at times, control who he kills including innocent lives of children, women etc)..

We must remember that it is not everyone who is granted the CALL & PRIVILEGE to build for God , as good intention is NOT the ONLY consideration BEFORE A HOLY and SOVEREIGN GOD of LIFE and LIGHT. So David explained this to Solomon, his son in 1 Chronicles 22:7 David said to Solomon: “My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God. ⁸ But this word of the LORD came to me: ‘You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight. ⁹ But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign.”

3. We also see another great thing about David over the matter of his rejection as the builder. David was not JEALOUS of his son being accorded the HONOUR of building the Temple for God. Instead he made preparation for his son Solomon to fulfil that task that God had assigned to his successor.

Like MOSES – he was to bring God’s people and purpose towards a CONCLUSION or FULFILMENT – but only in a supportive role. David and Moses played that role without being consumed with bitterness and anger that stem-from motives of self-aggrandizement or selfcentred disappointment.

David went on to make abundant provisions and personal encouragement for his inexperienced young son to ensure his success in that task. This is recorded in 1 Chronicles 22:14 “I have worked hard to provide materials for building the Temple of the LORD-- nearly 4,000 tons of gold, 40,000 tons of silver, and so much iron and bronze that it cannot be weighed. I have also gathered timber and stone for the walls, though you may need to add more. ¹⁵ You have a large number of skilled stonemasons and carpenters and craftsmen of every kind. ¹⁶ You have expert goldsmiths and silversmiths and workers of bronze and iron. Now begin the work, and may the LORD be with you!”

We too are a “Solomon generation” – having received provisions from Bishop Amstutz, Mr G S Arumugam, the Ohio Conference Meth Youths some 55 years ago!

It is now our turn in this generation to empower our NEXT GENERATION of Solomons – which we will do, captured symbolically by the act of planting “SEEDLINGS FOR THE FUTURE” in our liturgy afterwards.

May this redeveloped PD MTC – CONTINUE TO EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATION TO SERVE GOD ALMIGHTY and HIS CHURCH IN MALAYSIA and BEYOND.

4. If a house is to be built for the sovereign God, Maker of Heaven and Earth as a symbol of His DIVINE PRESENCE among His people, then He HIMSELF will name the time, the place and the builder [VV 5-7]. However, God commended King David for his noble and sincere intention in 1 Kings 8:18: “ But the LORD said to my father David, ‘Because it was in your heart to build a temple for my Name, you did well to have this in your heart.’”

III. The Building of the Temple by Solomon: Building with the BEST OF RESOURCES

1. ^NLT 1 Kings 6:37 The foundation of the LORD’s Temple was laid in mid spring, in the month of Ziv, during the fourth year of Solomon’s reign. ³⁸ The entire building was completed in every detail by mid autumn, in the month of Bul, during the eleventh year of his reign. So it took seven years to build the Temple. It took 7 years to complete this majestic 1^st Temple of the Lord.

Solomon either dedicated this Temple on the 12^th year of his reign i.e. c 958 BC; or after another 13 years i.e. at the completion of his own palace (in which case he took 20 years to complete the 2 buildings)

1 Kings 9:1 So Solomon finished building the Temple of the LORD, as well as the royal palace. He completed everything he had planned to do. ² Then the LORD appeared to Solomon a second time, as he had done before at Gibeon. ³ The LORD said to him, “I have heard your prayer and your petition. I have set this Temple apart to be holy-- this place you have built where my name will be honored forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to my heart. ⁴ “As for you, if you will follow me with integrity and godliness, as David your father did, obeying all my commands, decrees, and regulations, ⁵ then I will establish the throne of your dynasty over Israel forever. For I made this promise to your father, David: ‘One of your descendants will always sit on the throne of Israel.’

Solomon had dedicated the Temple to God, BUT ONLY GOD CAN CONSECRATE IT BY THE PRESENCE OF HIS GLORY IN THE MIDST OF THE TEMPLE.

Solomon was further told (1 Kings 9:4-9) that the “dedicators” i.e. those who dedicated the place to Him, had continuing roles to play i.e. to remain dedicated and faithful to GOD, never forsaking Him by turning to worship and serving other gods:

For us, the dedication of the PHYSICAL TEMPLE is inextricably linked to the SPIRITUAL TEMPLE of the heart.

In effect, GOD is saying: “Solomon, you cannot offer Me this Temple without offering Me your heart; you cannot dedicate this temple to Me without dedicating your LIFE to ME.”

We must beware that as “dedicators” today of the PD MTC, we must continually be faithful to our LORD so that He will not be absent from this place by our disloyalty.

2. To the interesting question of “ HOW MUCH DID IT COST TO BUILD THE 1ST TEMPLE?”,
William Deal (Pictorial Introduction) – quotes one source called the Architect Association of Illinois which made an estimate some 83 years ago (1930’s) – that in modern times it would cost about USD 87 billion primarily because it was overlaid with gold or have gold parts! It’s costs in terms of actual money, and actual time of 7 years – REFLECT the worthiness, the greatness of our GOD!

When one loves GOD as both DAVID and Solomon did – it is all worth it, it is never too costly in terms of time and money.

Conclusion
As we dedicate the PD Methodist Training Centre to the Lord this day, we do so with a DEEP LOVE for God that longs to put God’s interest first. As David said - “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.” [ 2 Sam 7:2] In the same way, we must have that attitude of always wanting to give God the best, in terms of our time and resources, because of God’s GREATNESS, and our GRATITUDE to HIM.

In any DEDICATION – the heart of the matter is a matter of our heart – so King David devotedly provided the dream and the drive, and King Solomon caringly, patiently and perseveringly laboured to honour GOD for 7 years.

A house after God’s own heart is a building offered from a continually and wholly devoted heart.