Do you love Jesus? (Social Concerns 4)

26th September, 2010

Written By Rev. Law Hui Seng

Posted By Teresa Han 

John 21:15-19

Main Idea: To love the sheep of Jesus

Objectives: a. To stir awareness in the congregation to make disciples of Penans b. To inspire the congregation to love Jesus by loving Jesus.

A. Introduction

- The social principle we are dealing with today is on Human Rights and Responsibilities.

- You can do so many missions by defending the rights of humanity in our society. It is a tendency everywhere to neglect the weak or to easily push them aside. Owing to our sinful nature, the strong tends to get stronger in every aspect of life; the weak tend to get weaker and so, there is a place to defend the rights of the weak.

- Let us read the shorter principle today on Human Rights and Responsibilities. Read it with conviction and do what it says. Do not just provide the lip service.

- I pray that you will understand why we need to defend the rights of those mentioned in the principle. These are the people who have no chance to voice out; may have nobody to pay attention and fight for their rights; the physically weak; may not receive as much human love or the love of Jesus through you and me.

- Today, I just want to focus on the rights of ethnic minorities. What is stated in the book of discipline is very challenging. You and I need to make a lot of sacrifice to make it happened in our society. It says, “We affirm the rights of those who belong to ethnic minorities. They should be given equal treatment in employment, promotion, remuneration, compensation, education, voting, in positions of leadership and all other citizenship privileges, including freedom of religion. They should not be marginalized, intimidated or discriminated by any party in whatever way.”

- The ethnic minority I want to focus on is the Penan tribal group. My dealing with Pastor Tom Gatum of Pa Adang, Lawas, tells me that there are about 15,000 of them throughout Sarawak. They could be more as many of them do not have identity cards yet.

- Why Board of Evangelism wants to do missions among them? It is not only because they are the ethnic minority; also very much because they used to be nomads who lived in jungle and now they tried to settle down in long houses. They still struggle very much to survive as a human race despite the government effort to help them. Many of them still struggle to find food; most of them who live in jungles and long houses, they do not have the knowledge and skill of farming. I hope I am not underestimating and degrading when I tell you their problems and struggles. On the other hand, my purpose to teach you to do missions among them.

- Some examples of their behavior, they may chop down a tree that bears fruit; as a result of lack of knowledge of danger of drinking alcohol, they love to drink and get drunk; owing to lack of knowledge on family, they get married very early, even in their teenaged years; some long houses located near the timber camps, majority of their men do not go to work; I am sorry to tell you that in most cases their children are not going to school like our children; they do not have the means to do it because they do not how to plan to use their money which they get from the timber companies; many of them do not even have the primary school education, etc.

- You see why the social principle says we must affirm the rights of the ethnic minority in education and other citizenship privileges? Do you hear the cry of the Penan people? Do you see why we need to offer the love of Jesus; Jesus to them?

- Do you see Jesus has to ask Peter 3 times, “Do you love me?”

B. Jesus also asks you, “Do you love me?”

- Each time Jesus expected apostle Peter, “Feed my lambs; take care of my sheep; feed my sheep.”

- Jesus asked Peter in verse 15, “Do you truly love me more than these?” What are these? It could be his love for fellow human beings; people’s love for him; the fishing career.

- Why repeatedly 3 times like that? You could see that Peter was impatient in answering Jesus. He answered in 3 responses, “Lord, you know I love you.”

- Probably Jesus wanted to reinforce Peter’s love for him after the great denial (3 times) before the crucifixion. Jesus understands our human weaknesses, Peter’ weakness. Probably Jesus is preparing him for martyrdom in preaching the gospel. This is indicated in verse 19, “Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

- Each time Jesus wanted Peter to pay attention to “my lambs; my sheep.” I strongly believe that Jesus desired Peter to express his love for Him by taking care of the lambs and the sheep.

- Today, as disciples of Jesus, we are expected to do the same. The Penans are the lambs and the sheep of Jesus. We need to feed them with the word of God through education and the gospel.

C. Applications

- What you can do for the ethnic minority Penans? First and foremost, you need to pray for the missionaries to go there and serve long term in the area of education and preaching the gospel. then, when you have a chance, you must go in to visit them and love them through social concerns. Go and read more about Penans in the internet and develop your compassion for them. You may even write article about them in the connection. Will you?

- Win the Penans today, their future generations will be disciples of Jesus.

D. Conclusion

- Penans Jesus in every where. Will you be there for them?

Jesus Loves the Sick (Social Concerns 3)

19th Sept, 2010

Written By Rev Law Hui Seng

Posted By Teresa Han

Matthew 10:5-10

Main Idea: Reach out to the Sick

Objectives: a. To teach the congregation to reach out to the sick as Jesus loves the sick. b. To teach the causes of sickness.

A. Introduction

- The Methodist book of discipline has a big section on the social principle of the Church and General Welfare. Let us read it with conviction and allow it to influence our daily living.

- There are many answers to the issues we face in our society. Our stands for those issues are very clear. I pray that you will stand by them and promote them. Let us read them now.

- For my third social concern sermon today, I shall concentrate on the area of reaching out to the sick. The social principle on the church and General Welfare has a section on mental health and medical care. Let me quote the relevant parts. “…We strongly favor the healing ministries of the church… We believe that adequate facilities with professionally trained staff must be made available for the emotionally ill and the mentally retarded of every community. We also believe that churches may become spiritual centers of healing through worship, pastoral concern, and volunteer service for the emotionally ill.”

- How far have you reached out to the sick and lost? By the sick, I mean those who are physically, emotionally and psychological sick. Sometimes, they do not know God yet and they do not have proper life purposes on earth yet, and so they are lost. Have you grasped the opportunity to visit the sick and pray for them?

- It is Jesus’ priority to heal the sick. You can see that in today’s passage.

B. What can Jesus do with the sick?

- In Matthew 10 verse 1, we see that Jesus literally mobilized His 12 disciples and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. One implication for us here on this series of sermon on social concerns is this, the church needs to care for the sick. The church of Jesus is made up of disciples like and me, we need to heal the sick. That is the command that Jesus has given to disciples like you and me. Will you do it?

- And in verses 7 and 8 today, you see the clear command of Jesus for His 12 disciples and you and me, “As you go, preach this message: The kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, and cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.” And the ministry should be done with no expenses. In verses 9 and 10, the disciples were told not to bring along any financial means and facility to support themselves, for God will supply their needs through the people, “… for the worker is worth his keep.”

- Do you see the great priority that Jesus gives to the sick? I hope you do and you will reach out to the sick as commanded by Jesus.

- As I meditate on this passage, I ask why Jesus heals the sick. My answer is very simple. He loves the sick. He has compassion for the sick people. He does see the sick as people who are troublesome for him to deal to with him. He even gives special command to the disciples like you and me to heal them.

- As I reflect more, I just feel that Jesus is very down to earth, He desires to meet the deepest need of people. Brothers and sisters, this is the nature of our faith, our relationship with Jesus (God), our God desires us to meet the human needs of people. So, what people need, we must meet the need. When people are sick, they need healing.

- In our society, of course we have all kinds of sickness like cancer, sexually transmitted diseases, diseases caused by germs, bacteria, and viruses, etc. We are also at a stage where life is getting more and more stressful because we want to pursue a higher standard of living. We now also witness the fact that mental health problem is on the increase.

- There are more than ever, more and more people are getting depressed, emotionally ill and mentally ill. In most cases they need a lot of encouragement, support, and most important of all love, and attention. What can you do?

C. Applications

- When you see depressed people, do not do any finger pointing anymore. Do not condemn them any more. Let us reach out to them for Christ, whether they are Christians or not.

- In most cases, the causes of mental sickness could be due to unhealed hurts and the patients are depressed about it. They become very negative and depressed, even become suicidal. They just cannot come out of the negative thinking and I always believe it takes God’s intervention to happen. In serious cases, they need medication. But that is not all, they need lots of love and attention in order to recover. So, you need to do lots of listening, counselling, prayer, etc.

- In view of the need of the sick people of all kinds, God may be calling you to become counselors, doctors, dentists, nurses, pastors, etc.

- As an ordinary disciple of Jesus, can you express your love by visiting and praying for the sick? Most importantly, you need the compassion for them and then, you need to spend the time with them.

D. Conclusion

- Can you be Jesus to the sick?

Be a good tree (68) Social concerns (2)

12th September, 2010

Written By Rev Law Hui Seng

Posted By Teresa Han

Luke 6:43-45

Main Idea: To teach the congregation not to practice corruption.

Objectives: a. To explain the meaning of a good tree. b. To teach the congregation not to practice corruption.

A. Introduction

- The second social principle of the social creed is about Christianity and the economic order. Let us read it with understanding and allow it to impact our lives. This second principle is very rich in its content. It is touching on political power, corruption, property and acquisition of wealth, poverty and employment, workers and bargaining powers, consumerism, rural and urban life, mission and Christian vocation!

- I shall focus on corruption on this series of sermon on Social Concerns. Let me justify myself. First and foremost, it is for the purpose of awareness and we must not become part of it. Secondly, it is a serious problem that affects the allocation of resources of our country. Take a look at the part of the social principle that talks about corruption:

- “We are gravely concerned about the seriousness of problems and threats posed by corruption to the stability and security of societies, undermining the institutions and values of democracy, ethical values and justice and jeopardizing sustainable development, the rule of law and the administration of justice. We are also seriously concerned that most of the time, the least privileged bear the highest cost of corruption when the state’s financial resources are inefficiently allocated and wasted. The church stands against all forms of corruption in her Endeavour to be the salt and light of the world. The church advocates and promotes integrity, accountability, and proper management of public affairs and public property and to this end the church rejects and will not participate in the giving and receiving of bribes. The church supports all comprehensive and multi-disciplinary approach to prevent and combat corruption effectively”. (Page 34, Methodist Book of Discipline, 2008)

- It is in the context of corruption that I use the scriptural text today.

- I liken a person who does not practice corruption to a good tree that bears good fruit.

B. How destructive is corruption in Malaysia?

- You may ask what is corruption or bribery. Its simple definition is to intentionally give a reward in monetary form or other forms with the understanding that the other party will give you the project , license, or any business deal the giver of bribe desires for. The bribe can be given so that you become the preferred candidate or it is done to speed up a process of application for a particular permit, approval, license, etc. Take for instance; you give a bribe secretly to one government officer so that you can a project to supply something to his department. It is a sin because both of you bypass the principles of transparency, justice and accountability. A small example will be to give a small amount to a traffic police so that he will not “saman” for your traffic offence. It is a sin because as a responsible citizen you have disobeyed a traffic rule which is designed for the safety of road users. You also have contributed to making the police committing a sin.

- What is so destructive about corruption in Malaysia? What is at stake is not only a sin. When everybody is doing it, when people from top to bottom are doing it, then, ultimately, wealth will concentrate in a few hands throughout the country. It results in very unequal distribution of wealth given by God to all the citizens in the country. It is what the book of discipline says, “the state’s financial resources are inefficiently allocated and wasted.” Eventually, the poor will get poorer and powerless and the rich will get richer and more powerful. In the end, the poor may not stand it any longer, they will not only commit crime, they will organize demonstration and violence!

C. Applications

- A good tree produces good fruit. Christians, in essence, by nature, after salvation, as we walk through our journey of faith, we must live a life of holiness, God fearing, a life of godly characters. Jesus likens us to a good tree.

- So, Jesus teaches in verse 43, “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.” When we are dealing with plant life, it is clear that each tree has its characteristic fruit. You cannot pick a certain type of fruit from any tree but its own. All other trees grow different fruit.

- Good people, good Christians, like good trees, produce good fruit. He produces his fruit out of the good treasure of his heart. It is what he has in his heart, in his inner life that determines what fruit his life will yield. So, also with an evil person, his inner evil can produce only evil

- The principle stated in the end is out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. Our words reveal what is in our heart.

- People whose hearts are filled with greed will no doubt produce words of corruption and leading to bribery. No greed in the heart, there will be no bribery. A good heart, a good tree will not practice bribery.

- How to fight against corruption? You need to ask your what good will you gain by bribery. You have sold away your Christian characters like contentment, honesty, accountability, etc. You put the name of Jesus to shame, you take on greed, dishonesty, hypocrisy, self-centeredness, etc. You distant yourself from God and the person of Jesus, you sin against him. You may be richer, but you may not have peace in heart, you cannot face Jesus; etc.

- Remember, your godly characters are at stake when you compromise your Christian values. You sold away dignity and identity as Christians. Can you face Jesus’ judgments?

D. Conclusion

- Be a good tree that is grounded in the word of God. When your holiness is rooted in the word of God, you will not bribe. You shall be a great testimony for Jesus. People will know Christians, disciples of Jesus will not both receive or give bribe.