Are You Robbing God?

17th January, 2010

Written By Rev Law Hui Seng

Posted By Teresa Han

Malachi 3:6-12
Main Idea: Do not rob God.
Objectives: a. To teach the congregation not to rob God. b. To teach to do tithing and make a plan to do it.

A. Introduction
- In the whole bible, the word of God, with all teachings that exhort disciples of Jesus to do many things, and you learn today, in the Old Testament, the old covenant, in the book of Malachi, there is such a thing as robbing God.
- Everything on earth belongs to God, whether you possess it or not, everything belong to God. It was so in the OT and also, the same today.
- Why God still said to the Isralites in verse 8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.” I shall tell you the answer after I explain to you how Israelites robbed God.
- Let us see how Israelites robbed God.

B. How Israelites robbed God?
- In the book of Malachi, the prophet was speaking in the context where lots of Israelites had come back to Israel after exiles in foreign countries after 500 BC. They came back after the prophetic activity of prophets Haggai and Zechariah, the returned exiles were under the governor Zerubbabel.
- In 433 BC, Nehemiah, the cupbearer of the Persian King, after rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem returned to the service of the Persian King, and during his absence the Jews fell into sin once more. Later, Nehemiah came back to Jerusalem to discover that the tithes were ignored, the Sabbath was broken, the people had intermarried with foreigners, and the priests had become corrupt (Neh 13:7-31). Several of these same sins are condemned by Malachi. And not tithing and gave offerings were one of the sins.
- When prophets Malachi condemned the sin of Israelites, he put it as robbing God in verse 8. This is all to do with God’s requirement in Leviticus 27:30-33, where it says, a tithe of the grain, the herd and flock is holy and belong to God. And then, it verse 34, it goes to say that they are commands given by God to Moses to the Israelites on Mount Sinai. The basis of tithing for the OT is that tihing is something designated by God. It belongs to God. This answers my question on whether we rob God or not.
- So, when the Isrealites did not do tithing, they robbed God.
- That is the big deal about OT tithing Another big deal about not tithing is found in verse 9, the whole nation of Israelites was under curse. It was the discipline of God for them.
- However, as an encouragement to them, prophet Malachi who was inspired by God also said that they could test God in tithing to see if God would bless them with opening of floodgate of heaven (verse 10), it refers to blessing in terms of supply of God. God would also take care of their crops and prevent them from the attack of the pests and make sure that they had good harvest.


C. Applications
- Now, you may like to ask if the same teaching of the OT apply to us or not.
- I believe that we are not at all free from the OT covenant that God made with Abraham. We are binded by it. If God required His children in OT to take care of the temple by submitting their tithes and offering, today, we have the church, we are required to do the same.
- In fact, Jesus in his rebuking of Pharisees he affirmed the tithing. He condemned them for doing it for show and it becomes very superficial. As a result, tithing was not done from their heart.
- You can see if you are not careful, you may rob God also. Whatever you earn, you must realize, even before it belongs to you, it actually belongs to God, at the end of the day, what you earn belongs to God and it is for your stewardship. So, whatever you get, God says 10% belongs to Him; designated to belong to Him. So, if you do not give to Him what he requires, then, we are answerable to Him. We rob God.
- What it takes to tithe? For the Israelites, it takes repentance to tithe again. Prophet Malachi said they need to return to God in verse 7, “...Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord Almighty.”
- For us to tithe, it takes repentance also. We must confess our sin of not tithing to the house of God despite the prophet’s challenge to test and see God would open the floodgate of heaven. I have 4 children, me and my wife practised tithing, we have tested the faithfulness of God’s provision for our needs.
- In order for repentance from not tithing to happen, you must be convinced to tithe. Now, I believe you have to be spiritually becoming more matured, only then, you will tithe. In other words, your relationship with Jesus has to be good, in order for you to obey God’s teaching in the Bible.
- If you are not tithing, I pray that you will pray and work out a plan to do it. I encourage you to set outside an amount in your monthly salary for the purpose of tithing. The amount may not be 10% at first. You may like to increase it as the months go by and in the end you will achieve tithing, do the heart desire of Jesus.
- Remember, do it willingly and not reluctantly.
- This can be your new year resolution.

D. Conclusion
- Be a good steward of God what God has blessed you with. Do not rob God and begin to tithe and make a difference for Jesus.

Exercise Your Spiritual Gifts

10th Jan, 2010

Written By Rev. Law Hui Seng

Posted By Teresa Han

Romans 12:1-8

Main Idea: Need to exercise your spiritual gifts

Objectives: a. To explain how to present our bodies as living sacrifice. b. to teach the congregation to identify their spiritual gifts and exercise them.

1. Introduction

- When we become christians and disciples of Jesus, we are given by God many blessings and privileges. But a lot of times, we do not know the word of God/ the bible well, so we are unaware of blessings and privileges. So, even though has given us a particular blessing, example, a spiritual gift, we do not know and of course we do not use it to build up the body of Christ.

- 1Corinthians 12:7, “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” Apostle has put it so clearly that every christian or disciple of Jesus is given the manifestation of the Spirit. Then it is followed by verses 8 to 11, where it lists the spiritual gifts like message of wisdom, message of knowledge, gifts of healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues, etc.

- Do you know what spiritual gifts God has blessed you with?

- Apostle in his wisdom and revelation of the Holy Spirit, he taught the Roman Christians and disciples of Jesus at that time how to present their bodies as living sacrifices and in the process, he exhorted them to exercise their spiritual gifts.

2. How can you present your body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God?

- Apostle Paul, in the first 11 chapters of Romans spoke very much about Christian doctrinal beliefs and how Christians should relate to Jews. Then he went on in chapter 12 today, he taught them to live as a christian, as disciple of Jesus.

- I am always amazed by the teachings of Jesus, Paul and all the biblical writers of God’s word. One thing I notice about our Lord Jesus and apostle Paul is this: they always teach us to surrender our life totally to God.

- You see in verse 1, he exhorted us to offer our bodies as living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. And you do it, he says this is your spiritual act of worship.

- Apostle Paul went on to teach us how to present our bodies as living sacrifice.

- He taught in verse 2, for us not to be conformed to the pattern of this world.

- And then, in verse 3, he taught us not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to, but rather think of yourself with sober judgement, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given us. So, you see whatever spiritual power we are given by God, we need to use it in all humility. We have no basis for a superior attitude or self righteousness.

- After dealing with our attitude, then, he went on to mobilize the Roman Christians and all christians today, in the context of offering our bodies as living sacrifice, he exhorted us in verses 4-8 to exercise our spiritual gifts.

- Basically, in these few verses, he exhorted us to see that we are different parts of the body of Christ, and like different body parts, each one of us has different functions. We need to exercise our God given functions, in this case different spiritual gifts.

- That is why in verse 6-8, he says, “We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging; let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.”

3. Applications

- Part of the process of offering your body to Christ is exercising your spiritual gifts to build up the body of Christ.

- And so, my first point of application today to you is you need to identify your spiritual gifts in order to exercise it. If you do not you possess it, then, you need to find out. I have a 125 questions test to help you to identify your gifts. You may like to get it from me or brother Tien Cheh Onn.

- Secondly, use the spiritual gifts according to God’s purpose of building up the body of Christ; strengthening it; making it more matured; at the end of the day, we all become stronger disciples of Jesus.

- Thirdly, we need to help one another to find out our spiritual gifts. You need to test your ability in various ministries. Example, by coming for prayer meeting; leading worship or singing in worship; praying for the sick; counseling or helping the troubled; giving to the needy; teaching in Sunday School, GB, BB, MJYF, small group bible studies, etc. If you see someone who is effective in doing something for the Lord; affirm him or her by encouraging him or her, or go to him to tell him you have been ministered by him or her. Also, we all can pray to God to seek for the spiritual gifts.

4. Conclusion.

- Be a good steward to spiritual gifts which God has blessed you with.

Jesus the Lamb of God, the Focus of Our Ministry

3rd Jan, 2010
Written By Rev. Law Hui Seng
Posted By Teresa Han

John 1:29-34
Main idea: Jesus, the centre of focus of your ministry
Objectives: a. To teach the significance of allowing Jesus to be the centre of focus of your ministry b. To preach so that the congregation will know how to let Jesus to be the centre of their life.

A. Introduction
- What/ who is the centre of focus of your life? Your ministry? As you you make disciples among your children; in Sunday School; MJYF; BB; GB; Small Groups. Why is it so crucial?
- I have been meditating a lot these recent years. I even meditate about why Methodist churches and other church denominations closed down one by one.
- We may give a lot of reasons but I strongly believe that it has to do with the word of God, the gospel, the right theology, that the church has not been faithfully teaching, preaching and spreading it.
- In our church today, we may have done a lot of activities, programes, and a lot of money is spent but we may not have the kind of impact like the events that unfold in the book of Acts.
- I am of the strong belief that if our programes and activities do not glorify Jesus; if there is no Jesus in our ministry; if Jesus is not the main motive our ministry; if Jesus is not the motivation of our life as a disciple, then, we miss the whole point in Christianity. As disciples of Jesus, we miss Jesus, we miss everything on earth.
- You miss Jesus in your life, in your ministry, you miss the sacredness of the church. The sacred power of God that He bestowed on the universal Church, you miss. You will not have power and you will not godly characters; you will not morality. The church of God definitely loses its power and impact in the society.
- As we drive toward Spreading scriptural holiness and transforming the nation, you why we must not miss Jesus as the centre of focus of our life and ministry?
- After reading today’s message, I strongly believe John the Baptist is not very certain of his role as making the way straight for Jesus, but he also knows the centre of focus of his ministry is Jesus, the Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. (verse 29)

B. Jesus is the centre of focus of John the Baptist’s ministry.
- Why John the Baptist regard Jesus as the centre of focus for his ministry?
- The answer is found in verse 29, he comes to take away the sins of the world.
- Do you believe human sin is the greatest problem of mankind? And Jesus can overcome it. The Lamb of God can overcome it. If not, he is not qualified to be our saviour. He cannot be centre of our focus.
- Let us see how John the Baptist let Jesus be the centre of his ministry.
- You see in verse verse 31 how he confessed that he baptized in order to reveal Jesus to Israel, so that Jews will know Jesus is the saviour sent by God.
- Brothers and sisters, when you function as a disciple of Jesus, when you serve, do you present Jesus to people? Is Jesus being made known to your audience? Are people attracted to Jesus because of you? Because of your prayers? Your encouragement? Your help? ETC.
- Also, John the Baptist supported his argument that Jesus was the Lamb of God, sent by God, because God has allowed him to witness the coming down of the Holy Spirit like a dove from heaven on Jesus and that is the sign, that Jesus, the Lamb of God will baptize with Holy Spirit, the son of God in verses 32 to 34.
- You can imagine how he allows Jesus, the Lamb of God, to be the centre of his focus in his life and ministry. He witnesses with his own eyes, the Holy Spirit like a dove came down on Jesus. That divine encounter makes him feel that Jesus was really the son of God, the saviour and He is worth to be regarded as the centre of his focus both for his life and ministry.

C. Applications.
- Why is Jesus the centre of focus of our ministry so important? From my explanation just now, you know you miss Jesus as your motive, your motivation, your centre of focus, you miss everything in Christianity. You miss the sacredness of Christianity; the personal relationship with God, in the person of Christ.
- How to let Jesus be the centre of focus of our ministry?
- a. Be Christ-liked and so His missions. In your daily life, whatever you want to do, always ask the question, what does Jesus desire me to do? Am I pleasing him or not? Am I like Him if I do this.
- b. Define everything in your life in Christ’s term. Do not be like the rest of the world in this new year. Do not define everything in terms of money, fame, status, pride, standard of living and material wealth Be transformed by the word of God today to measure everything in terms of Jesus. Ask yourself is this or that for Jesus. What will Jesus gain through you? Ask Jesus what is the price to be paid if you make certain decision.
- c. Be prepared to make sacrifice and love like Christ. I am most excited about this point because you get this right, you get the rest right. When you count the price to pay that Jesus desires you to pay, you know how much you love Jesus; how much you are like Jesus in terms of Christ.
- In all these applications, you find that Christ’s word for you is all in the bible.

D. Conclusion.
- Define your life in Christ’s term.