Written By Rev. Law Hui Seng
28th June, 2009.
Parents Sunday
Posted By Teresa Han
Deutronomy 6:1-9
Main Idea: To teach your children to fear God.
Objectives: (1). Explain the purposes of fearing God. (2). To teach children how to fear God.
A. Introduction.- What gift you can give to children so that these children can stand the test and trials of all kinds when they are adults?
- Your answer must be something that can be counted for eternity.
- I strongly believe that the one gift that all parents/ adults must give to their children is this: Teaching your own children to fear God or teach children to fear God.
- Oswald Chambers says, “The remarkable thing about fearing God is that when you fear God you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God you fear everything else.”
- Now, teaching children to fear God is something that is deep down in the heart of God. Today, God is still very much expecting us to do it.
- God expected the Israelites in Moses time to do it.
B. Background and Context- During Moses day, he was preparing a new generation of Israelites to enter the promised land, which was just over the Jordan River.
- Now, remember, it was something very difficult. The challenges were great because it was full of uncertainties, dangers from the attack of the enemies; mobilizing thousands of people to move along...
- How Moses prepared them? Normally, you would expect the writer of Deutronomy to at least mention about how Moses train the Israelites to fight. What a surprise? Fighting the enemies using warfare was not the emphasis in entering the promised land.
C. Explanation of text.- Instead, God used a very different approach. He wanted Moses to proclaim to the Israelites that He wanted them to observe all the commands, decrees and laws in the promised land.
- Take a look at the middle prat of verse 1, it says, “...God directed me to teach you to observe...” To observe what? The commands, laws, etc.
- And what was the ultimate purpose of obeying?
- The answer is clearly found in verse 2, “... so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God...”
- This was how Moses, and God prepared the Israelites to face the challenges ahead after crossing the river Jordan. Reminding the adult parents to teach their children and grandchildren to fear God.
- Now, in our context, the challenge is not to take on the physical promised land like the Israelites?
- Our challenge is how to help/ teach/ nurture/ train the next generation or the next next generation to face temptation of all kinds/ temptations that will bring them away from God; uncertainties of economic crisis that will come any time; challenge of illness; political uncertainties like a civil war or war between 2 countries....
- Our failure to prepare our children and grandchildren to face the world, a slight challenge that comes along, your children will give out their faiths; stop going to church, stop praying, stop practising christian values....
D. Applications/ Challenge of fearing God.- The best way to prepare our children and the next next generation is like the way Moses or the way of God. Now, in the first place, do you yourself fear God or not?
- (1). The first point of application is you yourself needs to set an example of fearing God when your children were still small; when they still depend on you. When you have done your best, if your children, or children who are under you still grow up to become gangsters, practise immoralities, not fearing God and not obeying God’s command, then, I believe God will understand you. But if you fail to give a good example, then, God will of course discipline you and hold you accountable.
- Do you yourself fear God? Do you desire to worship God? Do you desire to read bible and obey God’s word? When God says no, do you say yes? Do you consult God when it comes to decision making? All these show whether you fear God or not. Obedience to God’s commands show your fear of God.
- If you do not, then, you cannot nurture your children to fear God.
- Now, let me show you what are the differences of not fearing God and fearing God.
- People who do not fear God will say, “Where is God?” People who fear God will stick to the bible and believe in Psalms 14:1, “The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
- People who not fear God believe, “Death is the end of everything.” People who fear God will understand and believe Hebrews 9:27, “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgement.”
- People who are not fearing God believe, “All good people can go to Heaven.” People who fear God believe what Jesus says in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
- People who do not fear God believe, “I follow my conscience. My conscience will guide me.” People who are God fearing, they stick to Proverbs 16:2, “All a man’s ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the Lord.”
- People who do not fear God complain, “How come I have had such a streak of bad luck?” People who fear God believe with all convictions what is written in Romans 8:28, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”
- People who are not fearing God, they easily say, “The devil made me do it!” People who fear God will depend on God and believe in James 4:7, “Submit yourself to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
- (2). The second point of application is that you must know the purpose of fearing God. In verse 2b, it says, “so that you may enjoy long life” (health). In verse 3a, it says, “so that it may go well with you.” (it means a smooth life in making a living) In verse 3c. it says, “that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey. (you will have acquisition of health and wealth, food production) Fearing God gives you all these benefits and rewards, do you want to fear Him now? I pray that you do.
- (3). The third point of application is that you need to know how to fear God. Verses 4-9, we see how the writer of Deutronomy teaches the Israelites how to remember the commands so that they could obey them and fear God.
- The 2 commands “The Lord our God, the Lord is one” in verse 4 and “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” In verse 5 are even quoted by Jesus.
- The 2 commands show God is very particular about how we use our heart, soul and strength. We need to use our everything to focus on Him. He desires to govern our heart, soul and strength. Do you allow God to do so in your life? This is what He required Israelites to do.
- What the Israelites were to do with the 2 commands? You find the answer in verse 7, impress (teach)... talk... walk...lie... get up from sleep... (the commands are meant to govern the Isrealites’ homes.
- Then, in verse 8, it says the Israelites must tie them as symbol on hands and bind them on foreheads, write them on door frames, house and gates. All these efforts show that God desire the Israelites to allow the 2 commands to govern their habits and conducts, personally, privately and publicly). These are ways and means to fear God.
- For us today, God expects us to do the same thing as Israelites as we are believing in the same God of Abraham. We may not do exactly the same things as Israelites, but we need to fear Him. How?
- You need to be consistent in your word and action. When you nurture your children, does your word match your action? Do as I say or do as I do?
- Some of your may drop your children for Sunday School and not come to church. This is do as I say? If your children come to church and you also come, then, you practise do as I do. You set an example for your children to fear God. If not, they see your inconsistency, after primary 6, they also say bye-bye to Sunday School. By then, they have an independent mind, they choose not to come anymore.
- When you are inconsistent, you will be a confusing model to your children.
E. Conclusion
- How do you teach your children to fear God?
- Consistency is the answer.
- Decide to fear God now, the highest value of your journey of faith and that must be the way forward, the only way forward, in raising up your children. In helping your children to fight against all kinds of temptations and secul
The Descending of the Holy Spirit
Written By Rev Law Hui Seng
21th June, 2009
Posted By Teresa Han
Acts 2:1-13
Main Idea: The great impact of the Holy Spirit among the early disciples.
Objectives: a. To show the great impact of the Holy Spirit among the early disciples. b. To show that we need the impact of the Holy Spirit as well in GMC.
A. Introduction
- Oswald Sanders says, “A great deal of our ineffectiveness can be attributed to ignoring the Holy Spirit.”
- From Acts 12:2 we know that Herod beheaded the apostle James, brother of John, but do you know the rest of this story? According to tradition, James was the first apostle to suffer death after the martyrdom of Stephen. Although Herod was the authority that took his head, James’ fate started when a nameless individual brought charges against him before the tribunal. When the case was over and James had been condemned to death, the man who had instigated the trial was deeply moved by the behaviour and continence (the ability to control oneself especially the bodily desires and feelings) of the apostle. James was so filled with the Spirit of God that on the way to the place of execution the one who had initiated the charges against him made a confession of faith in Christ. When he asked James to forgive him, the apostle said, “Peace be to you, brother.” James then kissed him and both men were beheaded for their faith in 36 A.D. A spirit-filled life may lead to physical death, but more importantly, it always leads to eternal life.
- D. L. Moody, the American evangelist, once used a glass as an object to teach that the love of God overcomes our evil nature and controls lives. He asked his audience, “How can I get the air out of this glass?” One person said, “Suck it out with a pump.” But Moody insisted that this would create a vacuum and break the glass. He listen to a couple of other suggestions and then picked up a pitcher of water and filled the glass. “There”, he said, “all the air is removed. We cannot overcome evil and enmity, bitterness and temptation, simply by fighting against it. We must let the Holy Spirit fill our hearts, let Him pour in love until it overflows.”
- To all these disciple of Jesus, the person of the Holy Spirit is very real. Is He real to you? To the early disciples the Holy Spirit was very real to them. In fact, the Holy Spirit was so real to the early disciples that you can see the work of the Holy Spirit all over the pages of the book of Acts.
B. How real was the Holy Spirit to the early disciples?- The passage today really opens our eyes to see that the Holy Spirit was so real that the disciples could see and feel Him. This is recorded in verses 1 to 5.
- When the days of waiting called by Jesus were over, the Holy Spirit came upon the assembled group of disciples in a new way, accompanied by supernatural signs and causing them to burst out into the praise of God in languages other than their own.
- It is also fufilling the prophecies of prophet Isaiah 32:15, “till the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the desert becomes a fertile field,...” and prophet Joel also said in 2:28 -32, “I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions...And evryone who calls on the name of Lord will be saved...”
- The promised “Holy Spirit” by Jesus and the prophets of Old Testament came during Pentecost. Pentecost is the New Testament name for the feast of weeks, when the wheat harvest was celebrated by a one-day festival during which special sacrifices were offered (Ex 23:16; Lev 23:15-21).
- Now, how real the Holy Spirit to the disciples then? The Holy Spirit was like the blowing of a violent wind (verse 2). It was something they could feel. Then, in verse 3, it says that they saw with their own eyes what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of the disciples.. Not only that, they experienced something spectacular, in verse 4, we were told they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Holy Spirit enabled them. The sound of the violent wind and the tongue speaking must have been so loud that they caught the attention of the God fearing Jews nearby their place of prayer. In verses 5 and 6, they say they come in a crowd in bewilderment.
C. The impact of the Holy Spirit (verses 6-13).
- Personally, I see it the amazing power of the Holy Spirit at work. The work of the Holy Spirit was so powerful; and we cannot explain how He worked then. I think nobody can because it is such a mystery. In verses 6 and 7, we were told that these God-fearing Jews discovered the disciples were speaking Galileans and the crowd understand the message of the disciples in their own language, native language.
- I believe the author Luke really wanted to show the power and impact of the Holy Spirit in evangelism for all nationalities, he deliberately spell out the list of nationalities in the crowd who were present.You can find the list in verses 9-11, it began with 3 countries to the east of the Roman Empire in the area known as Persia or modern Iran, and then moves westward to Mesopotamia, modern Iraq, and Judea. Next come various provinces and areas in Asia Minor, (modern Turkey), and then Egypt and the area immediately westwards, followed by Rome.
- In verse 11, Luke told us that all these nationalities heard the wonders of God in their own language. Brothers and sisters, I do not doubt at all the record here is for the purpose to show that God made use of this great miracle to bridge the language barrier in order for these different nationalities to go back to their hometown or countries to witness to their own people so that at the end of the day the gospel will spread.
- The wonderful impact of the tongue made people amazed and perplexed (verse 12) and some people eve made of it and commented that it was drunkenness (verse 13). Of course, people who did not understand the work of the Holy Spirit will interpret as such. Including like us today, sometimes, we do not understand the work of the Holy Spirit, we may even be scared when it happened.
- However, for me today, in the name of Jesus Christ, I preach to you today that when the Holy Spirt moves, God works through the channel of language. It was impossible for anybody to understand the phenomenon. How can the Galilean disciples speak in the language understood by other nationalities? The Holy Spirit must have converted the original language into their own native language. It was a great miracle to ensure that the Gospel.
- That is why I preach to you with all conviction, as far as mission, evangelism, are concerned, helping people to understand God is concerned, we do not need to worry about the language. We can use our limited abilities in Chinese dialects, Iban language, Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin, etc; we can invite the Holy Spirit to fill us and empower us to use our limited language abilities to preach the gospel. The Holy Spirit will convert whatever language you speak into the language your audience can understand. It is all God’s idea for people to be saved and become Jesus disciples. Otherwise, we cannot make disciples of all nations.
- However, I do not rule out the need to learn the language and master it in order to give long term attention to a group of people, like the Penan people in Belaga. Sister Elsie Wong Hia Ching must polish her broken Bahasa Malaysia in order to make disciples among the Penan people.
D. Applications.
- Now, with this understanding of the great passage about the descending of the Holy Spirit, can we now see how the descending must impact us in a real manner.
- (a). How real is the Holy Spirit to you? Now, please do not get me wrong. We cannot make the Holy Spirit real to us. In other words, you cannot force the Holy Spirit to behave like you request. You cannot say to God that you want to speak in tongue now; and you ask him to fill you with the Holy Spirit to do it. Just in case, you misunderstand me, you must understand today’s passage in the context of the bible or at least the New Testament. Speaking in tongues is a gift, it is given by God to individuals for spiritual purpose. So, it is not for everybody. However, what is more important is, have we been experiencing the reality of the Holy Spirit? Yes, you cannot make the person of Holy Spirit real to you. But, have allowed the holy spirit or appropriate the Holy Spirit to work in you. If you do, then, the Holy Spirit must be real to you. When you receive the prompting of the Holy Spirit to do something like to say sorry to someone; to greet someone you do not like; to help someone; to say a prayer for someone; to sign up for a mission trip; to come for prayer meeting; to give to support church ministries; to love your children, your wives, your husband, etc, do you respond? If you do, you experience Holy Spirit. If not, then, you miss His work.
- I am very sure that these are the works of the Holy Spirit, because the person of the Holy Spirit always guide you into the truths, into obeying what is taught in the scripture. John 16:13, “... the Spirit of Truth, comes, he will will guide you into all the truth...” This is the greatest task of the Holy Spirit.
- (a). How has the Holy Spirit impacted your relationship with God? We cannot carry our bible us all the time. We do have mentor, pastor, or strong Christians beside you all the time. Praise the Lord, for Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinitarian God, He is with us all the time. Because He is a person, God the Holy Spirit can be personal to you; and you can build a personal relationship with Him. Because the Holy Spirit is a person, He can speak to you (Acts 28:25); teach you (John 14:25); convicts you of your sin; comforts you (Acts 9:31); helps you in your weakness (Romans 8:26), etc.
E. Conclusion: Don’t seek the Holy Spirit for experience sake.
21th June, 2009
Posted By Teresa Han
Acts 2:1-13
Main Idea: The great impact of the Holy Spirit among the early disciples.
Objectives: a. To show the great impact of the Holy Spirit among the early disciples. b. To show that we need the impact of the Holy Spirit as well in GMC.
A. Introduction
- Oswald Sanders says, “A great deal of our ineffectiveness can be attributed to ignoring the Holy Spirit.”
- From Acts 12:2 we know that Herod beheaded the apostle James, brother of John, but do you know the rest of this story? According to tradition, James was the first apostle to suffer death after the martyrdom of Stephen. Although Herod was the authority that took his head, James’ fate started when a nameless individual brought charges against him before the tribunal. When the case was over and James had been condemned to death, the man who had instigated the trial was deeply moved by the behaviour and continence (the ability to control oneself especially the bodily desires and feelings) of the apostle. James was so filled with the Spirit of God that on the way to the place of execution the one who had initiated the charges against him made a confession of faith in Christ. When he asked James to forgive him, the apostle said, “Peace be to you, brother.” James then kissed him and both men were beheaded for their faith in 36 A.D. A spirit-filled life may lead to physical death, but more importantly, it always leads to eternal life.
- D. L. Moody, the American evangelist, once used a glass as an object to teach that the love of God overcomes our evil nature and controls lives. He asked his audience, “How can I get the air out of this glass?” One person said, “Suck it out with a pump.” But Moody insisted that this would create a vacuum and break the glass. He listen to a couple of other suggestions and then picked up a pitcher of water and filled the glass. “There”, he said, “all the air is removed. We cannot overcome evil and enmity, bitterness and temptation, simply by fighting against it. We must let the Holy Spirit fill our hearts, let Him pour in love until it overflows.”
- To all these disciple of Jesus, the person of the Holy Spirit is very real. Is He real to you? To the early disciples the Holy Spirit was very real to them. In fact, the Holy Spirit was so real to the early disciples that you can see the work of the Holy Spirit all over the pages of the book of Acts.
B. How real was the Holy Spirit to the early disciples?- The passage today really opens our eyes to see that the Holy Spirit was so real that the disciples could see and feel Him. This is recorded in verses 1 to 5.
- When the days of waiting called by Jesus were over, the Holy Spirit came upon the assembled group of disciples in a new way, accompanied by supernatural signs and causing them to burst out into the praise of God in languages other than their own.
- It is also fufilling the prophecies of prophet Isaiah 32:15, “till the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the desert becomes a fertile field,...” and prophet Joel also said in 2:28 -32, “I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions...And evryone who calls on the name of Lord will be saved...”
- The promised “Holy Spirit” by Jesus and the prophets of Old Testament came during Pentecost. Pentecost is the New Testament name for the feast of weeks, when the wheat harvest was celebrated by a one-day festival during which special sacrifices were offered (Ex 23:16; Lev 23:15-21).
- Now, how real the Holy Spirit to the disciples then? The Holy Spirit was like the blowing of a violent wind (verse 2). It was something they could feel. Then, in verse 3, it says that they saw with their own eyes what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of the disciples.. Not only that, they experienced something spectacular, in verse 4, we were told they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Holy Spirit enabled them. The sound of the violent wind and the tongue speaking must have been so loud that they caught the attention of the God fearing Jews nearby their place of prayer. In verses 5 and 6, they say they come in a crowd in bewilderment.
C. The impact of the Holy Spirit (verses 6-13).
- Personally, I see it the amazing power of the Holy Spirit at work. The work of the Holy Spirit was so powerful; and we cannot explain how He worked then. I think nobody can because it is such a mystery. In verses 6 and 7, we were told that these God-fearing Jews discovered the disciples were speaking Galileans and the crowd understand the message of the disciples in their own language, native language.
- I believe the author Luke really wanted to show the power and impact of the Holy Spirit in evangelism for all nationalities, he deliberately spell out the list of nationalities in the crowd who were present.You can find the list in verses 9-11, it began with 3 countries to the east of the Roman Empire in the area known as Persia or modern Iran, and then moves westward to Mesopotamia, modern Iraq, and Judea. Next come various provinces and areas in Asia Minor, (modern Turkey), and then Egypt and the area immediately westwards, followed by Rome.
- In verse 11, Luke told us that all these nationalities heard the wonders of God in their own language. Brothers and sisters, I do not doubt at all the record here is for the purpose to show that God made use of this great miracle to bridge the language barrier in order for these different nationalities to go back to their hometown or countries to witness to their own people so that at the end of the day the gospel will spread.
- The wonderful impact of the tongue made people amazed and perplexed (verse 12) and some people eve made of it and commented that it was drunkenness (verse 13). Of course, people who did not understand the work of the Holy Spirit will interpret as such. Including like us today, sometimes, we do not understand the work of the Holy Spirit, we may even be scared when it happened.
- However, for me today, in the name of Jesus Christ, I preach to you today that when the Holy Spirt moves, God works through the channel of language. It was impossible for anybody to understand the phenomenon. How can the Galilean disciples speak in the language understood by other nationalities? The Holy Spirit must have converted the original language into their own native language. It was a great miracle to ensure that the Gospel.
- That is why I preach to you with all conviction, as far as mission, evangelism, are concerned, helping people to understand God is concerned, we do not need to worry about the language. We can use our limited abilities in Chinese dialects, Iban language, Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin, etc; we can invite the Holy Spirit to fill us and empower us to use our limited language abilities to preach the gospel. The Holy Spirit will convert whatever language you speak into the language your audience can understand. It is all God’s idea for people to be saved and become Jesus disciples. Otherwise, we cannot make disciples of all nations.
- However, I do not rule out the need to learn the language and master it in order to give long term attention to a group of people, like the Penan people in Belaga. Sister Elsie Wong Hia Ching must polish her broken Bahasa Malaysia in order to make disciples among the Penan people.
D. Applications.
- Now, with this understanding of the great passage about the descending of the Holy Spirit, can we now see how the descending must impact us in a real manner.
- (a). How real is the Holy Spirit to you? Now, please do not get me wrong. We cannot make the Holy Spirit real to us. In other words, you cannot force the Holy Spirit to behave like you request. You cannot say to God that you want to speak in tongue now; and you ask him to fill you with the Holy Spirit to do it. Just in case, you misunderstand me, you must understand today’s passage in the context of the bible or at least the New Testament. Speaking in tongues is a gift, it is given by God to individuals for spiritual purpose. So, it is not for everybody. However, what is more important is, have we been experiencing the reality of the Holy Spirit? Yes, you cannot make the person of Holy Spirit real to you. But, have allowed the holy spirit or appropriate the Holy Spirit to work in you. If you do, then, the Holy Spirit must be real to you. When you receive the prompting of the Holy Spirit to do something like to say sorry to someone; to greet someone you do not like; to help someone; to say a prayer for someone; to sign up for a mission trip; to come for prayer meeting; to give to support church ministries; to love your children, your wives, your husband, etc, do you respond? If you do, you experience Holy Spirit. If not, then, you miss His work.
- I am very sure that these are the works of the Holy Spirit, because the person of the Holy Spirit always guide you into the truths, into obeying what is taught in the scripture. John 16:13, “... the Spirit of Truth, comes, he will will guide you into all the truth...” This is the greatest task of the Holy Spirit.
- (a). How has the Holy Spirit impacted your relationship with God? We cannot carry our bible us all the time. We do have mentor, pastor, or strong Christians beside you all the time. Praise the Lord, for Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinitarian God, He is with us all the time. Because He is a person, God the Holy Spirit can be personal to you; and you can build a personal relationship with Him. Because the Holy Spirit is a person, He can speak to you (Acts 28:25); teach you (John 14:25); convicts you of your sin; comforts you (Acts 9:31); helps you in your weakness (Romans 8:26), etc.
E. Conclusion: Don’t seek the Holy Spirit for experience sake.
Evangelism series Pray to Choose Matthias
Written By Rev. Law Hui Seng
14th June, 2009
Posted By Teresa Han
Acts 1:12-26
Main Idea: To teach that we must involve God (Jesus) in decision making; all the more during crucial moment.
Objectives: a. To teach how the early disciples trust God to find a successor to replace; b. To teach that we must pray to seek God during crucial moments in life.
A. Introduction.- Most of us have not realized the power of prayer. I say this because we have not prayed as much.- Our problem is we try to get God to answer our prayers according to our ways and desires; and after we pray for a while , and it does not happen the way we want, we will stop praying. Furthemore, we see prayers like saying grace before meals, before a journey, before we go to sleep, after we wake up as something like a mundane, there is no use or power in it. We do not feel the difference and so we do not pray much. Are you like that? Not to mention praying constantly; prayer in decision making.
- Let us look at these quotes, they are very insipiring and they really encourage us to pray and not give up.
- Robert McCheyne says, “God will either give you what you ask, or something far better.”
- In October of 1996, Yankelovich Partners survey 269 doctors at a meeting of the American Academy of Family Physicians. The results showed that 99 percent were convinced religious belief can heal. That’s 20 percent higher than the figure gleaned from the general public. In response to the question, “ Why do doctors feel this way?” Dr Herbert Benson said, “ Because we’ve seen the power of belief. We see it all the time, and we can’t deny it.” He went on to note, “The real breakthrough is the acceptance of these approaches by modern medicine.”
- Names such as Martin Luther, John Wesley, David Brainerd, Geroge Fox, Adoniram Judson, and John Hyde are well known to those who have studied church history. The impact of these men has been very significant and can be traced to their practice of prayer. Martin Luther said, “I have so much business I cannot get on without spending three hours daily in prayer.” Wesley declared, “God does nothing but in answer to prayer.” His daily devotion of two hours in prayer demonnstrated the depth of this conviction. David Brainerd wrote in his journal, “I live be alone in my cottage, where I can spend much time in prayer.” William Penn said of George Fox, “Above all he excelled in prayer.” The most awful, living, reverent frame I ever felt or beheld, I must say was his in prayer.” Adoniram Judson withdrew from business and company seven times a day for the purpose of prayer. He began at dawn, then continued again at 9 o’clock, 12 o’clock, 3 o’clock, 6 o’clock, 9 o’clock and mid night. John Hyde was so characterised by prayer that he was nicknamed, “Praying Hyde.” It is so small wonder that these prayer warriors wielded such powerful influence for the kingdom of God.
- Raymond McHenry says, “May we never experience success without prayer.”
- Oswald Chambers says, “Prayer does not equip us for greater works... prayer is he greater work.”
- I give you so many quotes on prayer in order to convince you that prayer is a very important part of our christian life. You miss a lot as a christian; as a diciple of Christ.
- The early disciples and all the apostles knew the value and power of prayers.
B. See how the early disciples spend time to pray constantly (verses 12-14).
- That is why after the commission of Jesus and the promise of the descendance of the Holy Spirit, 120 of them, including the 11 apostles who were used to be with Jesus; the women and Mary, the mother of Jesus, the brothers of Jesus all joined together constantly in prayer in Jerusalem in the upper room.
- What is so important about praying constantly after Jesus’ commission to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth and to make disciples of all nations; and the promise of descending of the Holy Spirit? 120 of them meeting together to pray? Later on in chapter 2, you see the descending of the Holy Spirit.
- I would go to the extend of teaching you that the 120 disciples must have realized that if they did not pray constantly, the Holy Spirit might not have the channel to fill and empower them. Before the descending of the Holy Spirit, in verse 4, Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem. The disciples knew it could not be just waiting without praying.
- May we learn one precious lesson today? Watch out for the pattern here. If the Holy Spirit is the divine gift which empowers and guides the church, the corresponding disciples’ or christians’ attitude toward God is prayer. It is as the church prays that it receives the Spirit.
- Brothers and sisters, if we do not pray as a church, then, our church will not receive the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
C. The Critical Moment.
- Next, with the homework of prayer, and when the disciples were most sensitive to God, apostle Peter, the leader of the group, he claimed that David had prophesied for the betrayal of Judas. He must have quoted from Psalm 109:8, “May his days be few, may another take his place of leadership.
- He exerted his authority to choose a leader to replace based on the Old Testament scripture. Then,he expressed the need to choose another person to replace Judas.
- I call this the critical moment. The moment of decision to choose a new leader. Peter did his homework, he did not want to simply choose one person. God must have put in his mind the criteria of the candidate. He must have 3 qualifications (verses 21 and 22). It is found in verses 21 and 22. (1). The person must be with Jesus the whole time; (2). He must be one of those who was with the disciples all the time; and (3). He must be there from the beginning of John’s baptism and he witnessed the resurrection of Jesus with the disciples.
D. How the early disciples made decision to choose Matthias to replace Judas.- The critical moment came to choose a new leader, so they have to propose two names, Joseph called Barsabbas and Mathias, for the the purpose of election.
- You see how they elect their leader in this critical moment. The answer is found in verses 24 and 25. They prayed as a big group and told God what they wanted. Take note the prayer was speficic, to take over the apostolic ministry of Judas. This person is to become an apostle.
- After they prayed, they still had to make a decision on how to elect among the 2. They must have discussed and felt that the best way was to cast lots.
- I want you to take note everything was done in the context of prayer. When it came to important decision, the early disciples prayed.
D. Applications.
- (a). How can you pray constantly? For those of you who are in the ministry, like the early disciples, the 120 of them, you cannot afford not to pray constantly. This is because the devils are always on the look out to attack you and make sure you fall, and you do not become effective for Christ. Let me say this to you in the name of Jesus, when you serve God, the devils will make us of your bad temperaments, watching of pornorgraphy, pride, greed, selfishness, immorality, stubbornness, etc. Somehow, when you have the sins of your life, the devils know them and they make sure that people do not cooperate with you in ministry; people do not respect you; people feel uncomfortable with you. Mind you, the devils know what is the standard of holiness and purity of a disciple. Do you know? Also, mind you, God is very particular about whether you are living a holy life inside out or not.
- To sure that you are coming more and more alert of the devils’ attack, you need to pray constantly. Especially those who are in leadership position, you need to pray constantly by attending Thursday night prayer meeting. We also welcome you to come to pray constantly every Saturday morning at 6-7am.
- Those of you who are not leaders, but you are in ministry, you need to come also, you need to pray more in order to maintain a strong relationship in Christ.
- Those of you who are not in position of ministry, you must pray 5 times a day. You should at least match the muslims who pray 5 times a day. The 3 times are before meals; 2 times are before you to sleep at night and after you wake up in the morning.
- (b). The need to pray during the critical moments of your life. The early disciples prayed much in the critical moment of choosing an aposlte to replace Judas, you must do so in the critical moment. For those of you who single and plan to find a life partner, you have a critical moment; who are married and have no children; rebellious children at home; marital problems; financial problem; choosing where to go after Form 5; having illness; our chruch is choosing leaders again; recruitment for missionaries to do short term missions; evangelism rally, etc, you need to pray.
E. Conclusion.- Prayer is one most neglected means of grace to ask God for blessing by Christians. Not many put a lot of faith in prayer. Not many felt the need to pray for more because we do not believe God is powerful. Unless we spend more time in prayer and build up our faith, otherwise, our faith is weak and shallow.
14th June, 2009
Posted By Teresa Han
Acts 1:12-26
Main Idea: To teach that we must involve God (Jesus) in decision making; all the more during crucial moment.
Objectives: a. To teach how the early disciples trust God to find a successor to replace; b. To teach that we must pray to seek God during crucial moments in life.
A. Introduction.- Most of us have not realized the power of prayer. I say this because we have not prayed as much.- Our problem is we try to get God to answer our prayers according to our ways and desires; and after we pray for a while , and it does not happen the way we want, we will stop praying. Furthemore, we see prayers like saying grace before meals, before a journey, before we go to sleep, after we wake up as something like a mundane, there is no use or power in it. We do not feel the difference and so we do not pray much. Are you like that? Not to mention praying constantly; prayer in decision making.
- Let us look at these quotes, they are very insipiring and they really encourage us to pray and not give up.
- Robert McCheyne says, “God will either give you what you ask, or something far better.”
- In October of 1996, Yankelovich Partners survey 269 doctors at a meeting of the American Academy of Family Physicians. The results showed that 99 percent were convinced religious belief can heal. That’s 20 percent higher than the figure gleaned from the general public. In response to the question, “ Why do doctors feel this way?” Dr Herbert Benson said, “ Because we’ve seen the power of belief. We see it all the time, and we can’t deny it.” He went on to note, “The real breakthrough is the acceptance of these approaches by modern medicine.”
- Names such as Martin Luther, John Wesley, David Brainerd, Geroge Fox, Adoniram Judson, and John Hyde are well known to those who have studied church history. The impact of these men has been very significant and can be traced to their practice of prayer. Martin Luther said, “I have so much business I cannot get on without spending three hours daily in prayer.” Wesley declared, “God does nothing but in answer to prayer.” His daily devotion of two hours in prayer demonnstrated the depth of this conviction. David Brainerd wrote in his journal, “I live be alone in my cottage, where I can spend much time in prayer.” William Penn said of George Fox, “Above all he excelled in prayer.” The most awful, living, reverent frame I ever felt or beheld, I must say was his in prayer.” Adoniram Judson withdrew from business and company seven times a day for the purpose of prayer. He began at dawn, then continued again at 9 o’clock, 12 o’clock, 3 o’clock, 6 o’clock, 9 o’clock and mid night. John Hyde was so characterised by prayer that he was nicknamed, “Praying Hyde.” It is so small wonder that these prayer warriors wielded such powerful influence for the kingdom of God.
- Raymond McHenry says, “May we never experience success without prayer.”
- Oswald Chambers says, “Prayer does not equip us for greater works... prayer is he greater work.”
- I give you so many quotes on prayer in order to convince you that prayer is a very important part of our christian life. You miss a lot as a christian; as a diciple of Christ.
- The early disciples and all the apostles knew the value and power of prayers.
B. See how the early disciples spend time to pray constantly (verses 12-14).
- That is why after the commission of Jesus and the promise of the descendance of the Holy Spirit, 120 of them, including the 11 apostles who were used to be with Jesus; the women and Mary, the mother of Jesus, the brothers of Jesus all joined together constantly in prayer in Jerusalem in the upper room.
- What is so important about praying constantly after Jesus’ commission to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth and to make disciples of all nations; and the promise of descending of the Holy Spirit? 120 of them meeting together to pray? Later on in chapter 2, you see the descending of the Holy Spirit.
- I would go to the extend of teaching you that the 120 disciples must have realized that if they did not pray constantly, the Holy Spirit might not have the channel to fill and empower them. Before the descending of the Holy Spirit, in verse 4, Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem. The disciples knew it could not be just waiting without praying.
- May we learn one precious lesson today? Watch out for the pattern here. If the Holy Spirit is the divine gift which empowers and guides the church, the corresponding disciples’ or christians’ attitude toward God is prayer. It is as the church prays that it receives the Spirit.
- Brothers and sisters, if we do not pray as a church, then, our church will not receive the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
C. The Critical Moment.
- Next, with the homework of prayer, and when the disciples were most sensitive to God, apostle Peter, the leader of the group, he claimed that David had prophesied for the betrayal of Judas. He must have quoted from Psalm 109:8, “May his days be few, may another take his place of leadership.
- He exerted his authority to choose a leader to replace based on the Old Testament scripture. Then,he expressed the need to choose another person to replace Judas.
- I call this the critical moment. The moment of decision to choose a new leader. Peter did his homework, he did not want to simply choose one person. God must have put in his mind the criteria of the candidate. He must have 3 qualifications (verses 21 and 22). It is found in verses 21 and 22. (1). The person must be with Jesus the whole time; (2). He must be one of those who was with the disciples all the time; and (3). He must be there from the beginning of John’s baptism and he witnessed the resurrection of Jesus with the disciples.
D. How the early disciples made decision to choose Matthias to replace Judas.- The critical moment came to choose a new leader, so they have to propose two names, Joseph called Barsabbas and Mathias, for the the purpose of election.
- You see how they elect their leader in this critical moment. The answer is found in verses 24 and 25. They prayed as a big group and told God what they wanted. Take note the prayer was speficic, to take over the apostolic ministry of Judas. This person is to become an apostle.
- After they prayed, they still had to make a decision on how to elect among the 2. They must have discussed and felt that the best way was to cast lots.
- I want you to take note everything was done in the context of prayer. When it came to important decision, the early disciples prayed.
D. Applications.
- (a). How can you pray constantly? For those of you who are in the ministry, like the early disciples, the 120 of them, you cannot afford not to pray constantly. This is because the devils are always on the look out to attack you and make sure you fall, and you do not become effective for Christ. Let me say this to you in the name of Jesus, when you serve God, the devils will make us of your bad temperaments, watching of pornorgraphy, pride, greed, selfishness, immorality, stubbornness, etc. Somehow, when you have the sins of your life, the devils know them and they make sure that people do not cooperate with you in ministry; people do not respect you; people feel uncomfortable with you. Mind you, the devils know what is the standard of holiness and purity of a disciple. Do you know? Also, mind you, God is very particular about whether you are living a holy life inside out or not.
- To sure that you are coming more and more alert of the devils’ attack, you need to pray constantly. Especially those who are in leadership position, you need to pray constantly by attending Thursday night prayer meeting. We also welcome you to come to pray constantly every Saturday morning at 6-7am.
- Those of you who are not leaders, but you are in ministry, you need to come also, you need to pray more in order to maintain a strong relationship in Christ.
- Those of you who are not in position of ministry, you must pray 5 times a day. You should at least match the muslims who pray 5 times a day. The 3 times are before meals; 2 times are before you to sleep at night and after you wake up in the morning.
- (b). The need to pray during the critical moments of your life. The early disciples prayed much in the critical moment of choosing an aposlte to replace Judas, you must do so in the critical moment. For those of you who single and plan to find a life partner, you have a critical moment; who are married and have no children; rebellious children at home; marital problems; financial problem; choosing where to go after Form 5; having illness; our chruch is choosing leaders again; recruitment for missionaries to do short term missions; evangelism rally, etc, you need to pray.
E. Conclusion.- Prayer is one most neglected means of grace to ask God for blessing by Christians. Not many put a lot of faith in prayer. Not many felt the need to pray for more because we do not believe God is powerful. Unless we spend more time in prayer and build up our faith, otherwise, our faith is weak and shallow.
Jesus’ Commission for the Disciples
Written By Rev Law Hui Seng
7th June, 2009
Posted By Teresa Han
Acts 1:1-11 (Evangelism series)
Main Idea: Jesus’ Commission.
Objectives:To teach and challenge the congregation to take up disciple making ministry.
Introduction
- You can quote me in this statement I am going to make. With all humility, based on the teaching and authority of the Old and New Testaments, I called myself a disciple of Christ. I pray that you do also.
- It is for a very simple reason, Jesus called me to make discples of all nations. If I am not a disciple, how can I make disciples. If I do not obey the teachings of Jesus, I am merely a believer or a christian who believes and believes. Whatever I learn remain as belief and not more than that.
- I am very particular about how christians in this church are disciples of Jesus. All that Jesus expects you to do is are you working towards to be more and more like Him in the matter of life transformation to do His teachings.
- I emphasize much on life transformation because you can do what Jesus tells you to do but your inner life is not changed; take for instance, you can pray very well and do mission; you read bible but your inner life is still full of sin and darkness; unrepent, etc.
- Am I exaggerating if I say only one out of ten of us are engaged in discipleship in Jesus’ way. Our Lord Jesus is not looking for part time followers. He is looking for full time followers and disciples. It is not for me to judge who is a disciple in this congregation. Only God knows best and He will judge.
- I need to teach based on the word of God on Jesus’ commission on discipleship.
- Two quotes from Tiger Woods (a famous golf player) speak to the subject of discipleship. Of his earlier days in junior golf, Woods said, “I really didn’t know where the ball was going, except forward and a long way.” Discipleship is not about finding seasoned pros who have mastered the Christian life, but about helping each other refine and improve our lives so we can experience clearer direction and greater control. Discipleship is about encouraging one another with the reality that even though you might not be doing so well today, you may really excel in the years to come. When asked about improving his swing, Tiger Woods said, “I don’t believe that there is such a thing as perfection. But I have always been a big believer of professional excellence, and that is what I try to achieve.” Discipleship helps christians realize they are not perfect, and won’t be this side of heaven, but they can and should be moving toward spiritual excellence. Even though he was talking about golf, Tiger Woods said a lot about discipleship as well.
- Can we take on this challenge to be a disciple of Jesus? Only chrisitans (disciples of Jesus) have the privilege to be commissioned by Jesus to do this job.
- Discipleship is a huge ministry and it is dificult to define as a sentence. I pray that as you listen to my series of sermon on evangelism in the book of Acts, you will begin to see a good aspect of discipleship, mission and evangelism.
- To help you to understand the whole book of Acts better, let me help you to know the purposes of the book. Luke, the author, also wrote the gospel of Luke, must have written the document to present a church history; to give a defense for Christianity among Jews and Gentiles; to provide a guide for the rest of genaerations of disciples; and to depict the triumph of Christianity in the face of bitter persecution.
Jesus made sure His Disciples will continue his ministry of disciple-making (verses 1-5)
- As I examine this passage for today’s preaching, I find that Luke, being a disciple of Jesus, who was with Jesus one way or another, had really caught the vision of Jesus. He knew the burden and mission of Jesus on earth. His life was transformed by Jesus’ teaching and remembered lots of what Jesus said. He really saw that Jesus desired His disciples at that time and today all of us to continue the disciple making ministry.
- Luke must be one of those who had witnessed the resurrection of Jesus and how Jesus remained on earth for 40 days and tried to convince people about the kingdom of God.
- Luke knew that Jesus really desired His disciples to continue His ministry of disciple making when he quoted Jesus in verse 4 and 5, “...Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
- If not for the purpose of continuity of Jesus’ ministry on earth, there was no point to send the Holy Spirit whom He promised.
Jesus commissioned His disciples to witness for Him to the ends of the earth (verses 6-8)
- Some disciples could not understand the vision of Jesus for the whole world, they thought in a very narrow. They thought Jesus was only interested in restoring Israel.
- Jesus grasped this opportunity to correct and Luke was there to listen and put down the commission of Jesus to be witnessses in Jerusalem, all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. As you read the whole book of Acts, you will see the disciples did just that.
- The command is go to the ends of the earth to be His witnesses. Are you?
Jesus proved Himself to be the God who has the authority to commission His disciples.
- You may like to ask how come Jesus has the authority to command His disciples to witness for Him.
- After the 40 days, if Jesus did not ascend to the heaven and still remain around and eventually died again, there wiould be no Christianity. The ascension proved that whatever he said in past was and is the truth and He is God, He has the authority to command His discples and all of us today to continue His ministry on earth.
- But ascension will not make Jesus so authoritative also, Chrisitianity will not be as powerful as it is now if Jesus did say not He would come back again. He will come back to judge you and me and all the former disciples who have died, see how well we do in discipleship.
Applications
- (1). Jesus is also commissioning you today to make disciples of all nations. Take this as a privilege. And you need to make a stand whether you are responding or not. I love this commissioning. If Jesus did not issue this command, there will not be christianity either. What Jesus command has been taken very seriously by the churches throughout the world. Are you willing to pay the price to do the commission? Personally, I find that Christians can only respond if we have understood and really appreciate what Jesus has done on the cross for. Unless our lives are changed by Jesus, otherwise, we cannot respond. I pray that everyone of us who call yourself children of God will sense God’s calling to make disciples of all nations.
- (2). Jesus equips you to make disciples. When Jesus issued a challenge like that, He was most practical and He did not leave everything to us. He equips us with the most powerful, most needed Holy Spirit to guide us, and empowered us; and to give us whatever we need to make disciples. You tell me what you need in order to make disicples. Money? Miracels? Skills? Facility? God will give all that, the only thing now left is are we now willing to take the step of faith to do it. Here in the church, at home, at work place, at long houses, at Belaga, Cambodia, etc.
- (3). We need to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. If whatever we do here is only limited to blessing those in the church, four walls of the church, then, we are still not completely faithful the commission of Jesus. I pray that we are strong enough to extend our territory, and believe the Jabez prayer, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory!” (1Chronicles 4:10). Any person who regards himself as a disciple of Christ will say, “That is God’s desire for me.” Unless we trust God to extend our territory, our discipleship will be limited to this small world of our families and church only. Then, of course we cannot do justice to the commission of Jesus.
- (4). We need to prove that Jesus is living in our lives. Jesus has resurrected and ascended to heaven and He is still living. But is he living in your life? If so, is Jesus real in your life? Has your life being changed by Jesus? Your darkest part of you life, has it being given to Jesus and allow Him to take over and cleanse it and repent? What is it you cannot let go and leave it to Jesus? You have to prove that Jesus is living in your life to Jesus, otherwise, your life on earth is only so so. You will be the same person as yesterday; 10 years ago; and 5 years in future: 10 years in future, etc. Unless you prove Jesus is living in you, otherwise, you can do nothing with the commission. You will sit on it only. You will only give lip service only. You will ask others to do it; and you are indifferent about it.
Conclusion
- I pray that you will be able to imagine this, one day, as you come to the end of your life, you will be able to say to Jesus, I have done my best in executing your commission, I have no regrets living on earth. I can face you now.
7th June, 2009
Posted By Teresa Han
Acts 1:1-11 (Evangelism series)
Main Idea: Jesus’ Commission.
Objectives:To teach and challenge the congregation to take up disciple making ministry.
Introduction
- You can quote me in this statement I am going to make. With all humility, based on the teaching and authority of the Old and New Testaments, I called myself a disciple of Christ. I pray that you do also.
- It is for a very simple reason, Jesus called me to make discples of all nations. If I am not a disciple, how can I make disciples. If I do not obey the teachings of Jesus, I am merely a believer or a christian who believes and believes. Whatever I learn remain as belief and not more than that.
- I am very particular about how christians in this church are disciples of Jesus. All that Jesus expects you to do is are you working towards to be more and more like Him in the matter of life transformation to do His teachings.
- I emphasize much on life transformation because you can do what Jesus tells you to do but your inner life is not changed; take for instance, you can pray very well and do mission; you read bible but your inner life is still full of sin and darkness; unrepent, etc.
- Am I exaggerating if I say only one out of ten of us are engaged in discipleship in Jesus’ way. Our Lord Jesus is not looking for part time followers. He is looking for full time followers and disciples. It is not for me to judge who is a disciple in this congregation. Only God knows best and He will judge.
- I need to teach based on the word of God on Jesus’ commission on discipleship.
- Two quotes from Tiger Woods (a famous golf player) speak to the subject of discipleship. Of his earlier days in junior golf, Woods said, “I really didn’t know where the ball was going, except forward and a long way.” Discipleship is not about finding seasoned pros who have mastered the Christian life, but about helping each other refine and improve our lives so we can experience clearer direction and greater control. Discipleship is about encouraging one another with the reality that even though you might not be doing so well today, you may really excel in the years to come. When asked about improving his swing, Tiger Woods said, “I don’t believe that there is such a thing as perfection. But I have always been a big believer of professional excellence, and that is what I try to achieve.” Discipleship helps christians realize they are not perfect, and won’t be this side of heaven, but they can and should be moving toward spiritual excellence. Even though he was talking about golf, Tiger Woods said a lot about discipleship as well.
- Can we take on this challenge to be a disciple of Jesus? Only chrisitans (disciples of Jesus) have the privilege to be commissioned by Jesus to do this job.
- Discipleship is a huge ministry and it is dificult to define as a sentence. I pray that as you listen to my series of sermon on evangelism in the book of Acts, you will begin to see a good aspect of discipleship, mission and evangelism.
- To help you to understand the whole book of Acts better, let me help you to know the purposes of the book. Luke, the author, also wrote the gospel of Luke, must have written the document to present a church history; to give a defense for Christianity among Jews and Gentiles; to provide a guide for the rest of genaerations of disciples; and to depict the triumph of Christianity in the face of bitter persecution.
Jesus made sure His Disciples will continue his ministry of disciple-making (verses 1-5)
- As I examine this passage for today’s preaching, I find that Luke, being a disciple of Jesus, who was with Jesus one way or another, had really caught the vision of Jesus. He knew the burden and mission of Jesus on earth. His life was transformed by Jesus’ teaching and remembered lots of what Jesus said. He really saw that Jesus desired His disciples at that time and today all of us to continue the disciple making ministry.
- Luke must be one of those who had witnessed the resurrection of Jesus and how Jesus remained on earth for 40 days and tried to convince people about the kingdom of God.
- Luke knew that Jesus really desired His disciples to continue His ministry of disciple making when he quoted Jesus in verse 4 and 5, “...Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
- If not for the purpose of continuity of Jesus’ ministry on earth, there was no point to send the Holy Spirit whom He promised.
Jesus commissioned His disciples to witness for Him to the ends of the earth (verses 6-8)
- Some disciples could not understand the vision of Jesus for the whole world, they thought in a very narrow. They thought Jesus was only interested in restoring Israel.
- Jesus grasped this opportunity to correct and Luke was there to listen and put down the commission of Jesus to be witnessses in Jerusalem, all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. As you read the whole book of Acts, you will see the disciples did just that.
- The command is go to the ends of the earth to be His witnesses. Are you?
Jesus proved Himself to be the God who has the authority to commission His disciples.
- You may like to ask how come Jesus has the authority to command His disciples to witness for Him.
- After the 40 days, if Jesus did not ascend to the heaven and still remain around and eventually died again, there wiould be no Christianity. The ascension proved that whatever he said in past was and is the truth and He is God, He has the authority to command His discples and all of us today to continue His ministry on earth.
- But ascension will not make Jesus so authoritative also, Chrisitianity will not be as powerful as it is now if Jesus did say not He would come back again. He will come back to judge you and me and all the former disciples who have died, see how well we do in discipleship.
Applications
- (1). Jesus is also commissioning you today to make disciples of all nations. Take this as a privilege. And you need to make a stand whether you are responding or not. I love this commissioning. If Jesus did not issue this command, there will not be christianity either. What Jesus command has been taken very seriously by the churches throughout the world. Are you willing to pay the price to do the commission? Personally, I find that Christians can only respond if we have understood and really appreciate what Jesus has done on the cross for. Unless our lives are changed by Jesus, otherwise, we cannot respond. I pray that everyone of us who call yourself children of God will sense God’s calling to make disciples of all nations.
- (2). Jesus equips you to make disciples. When Jesus issued a challenge like that, He was most practical and He did not leave everything to us. He equips us with the most powerful, most needed Holy Spirit to guide us, and empowered us; and to give us whatever we need to make disciples. You tell me what you need in order to make disicples. Money? Miracels? Skills? Facility? God will give all that, the only thing now left is are we now willing to take the step of faith to do it. Here in the church, at home, at work place, at long houses, at Belaga, Cambodia, etc.
- (3). We need to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. If whatever we do here is only limited to blessing those in the church, four walls of the church, then, we are still not completely faithful the commission of Jesus. I pray that we are strong enough to extend our territory, and believe the Jabez prayer, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory!” (1Chronicles 4:10). Any person who regards himself as a disciple of Christ will say, “That is God’s desire for me.” Unless we trust God to extend our territory, our discipleship will be limited to this small world of our families and church only. Then, of course we cannot do justice to the commission of Jesus.
- (4). We need to prove that Jesus is living in our lives. Jesus has resurrected and ascended to heaven and He is still living. But is he living in your life? If so, is Jesus real in your life? Has your life being changed by Jesus? Your darkest part of you life, has it being given to Jesus and allow Him to take over and cleanse it and repent? What is it you cannot let go and leave it to Jesus? You have to prove that Jesus is living in your life to Jesus, otherwise, your life on earth is only so so. You will be the same person as yesterday; 10 years ago; and 5 years in future: 10 years in future, etc. Unless you prove Jesus is living in you, otherwise, you can do nothing with the commission. You will sit on it only. You will only give lip service only. You will ask others to do it; and you are indifferent about it.
Conclusion
- I pray that you will be able to imagine this, one day, as you come to the end of your life, you will be able to say to Jesus, I have done my best in executing your commission, I have no regrets living on earth. I can face you now.
The Makings of A Saint
Written By Rev. Law Hui Seng
24th may, 2009(Aldersgate Sunday)
Posted By Teresa Han
Ephesians 2:8
Main Idea: Saved by grace, through faith
Objective: To teach the doctrine of salvation – justification by grace through faith.
A. Introduction
- Methodist Church – movement of Methodism in Sarawak for at leat 107 years now.
- Since John Wesley (28th June, 1703) began the movement in England, it is more than 275 years; at the Aldersgate Event (24th May, 1738), only then he was sure of his salvation. Ever since, he was a different person; he was on fire for Jesus. Can our church produce more John Wesleys?
- We need to be like John Wesley to be so down to earth in examining his own faith; he struggled a lot and doubted much about his faith.
B. Before Aldersgate
- After coming back from Georgia to England, in his journal, he entered 4 key observations, 1st February, 1738.
- (1). First observation is about his faith (spiritual state). It is now 2 years and almost 4 months since I let my native country in order to teach the Georgian Indians the nature of Christianity. But what have I learned myself in the mean time? why (I the least of all suspected), that I who went to America to convert others, was never myself converted to God.
- (2). Second observation is this: He asked himself what it means to be a (real) Christian. 1st February, 1738, he wrote in his journal whether all his efforts make him acceptable to God? He said and I quote, “ ‘I know nothing of myself,’ that I am, as touching outward, moral righteousness, blameless? Or (to come closer yet) the having a rational conviction of all the truths of Christianity? Does all this give a claim to the holy, heavenly, divine a character of a Christian? By no means. If the oracles of God are true, if we are still to abide by “the law and the testimony,” all these things, though when enabled by faith in Christ they are holy, and just, and good, yet without it are “dung and dross.” You can see how he distinguished different levels of faith.
- (3). Third observation is this: ‘One most despairing all therefore the most inaccurate of all, I am a child of wrath, an heir of hell.’ He may not have realized the full extent of holiness that he had envisioned.
- (4). Fourth observation is this: Pointed observations in his journal, he indicated that the he wanted was “a sure trust and confidence in God, that through the merits of Christ my sins are forgiven, and I recounted to the favor of God.”
- On 7th February, 1738, he met Peter Bohler, a Moravian missionary and Peter really counseled him in his faith.
- Peter Bohler reassured Wesley and counseled him, “Preach faith till you have it, and then, because you have it you will preach faith.’
C. Aldersgate (events leading to it)
- In his spiritual summary, Wesley pointed out he realized there are 2 fruits inseparably connected with a living faith in Christ, namely: a. dominion over sin, and b. constant peace from a sense of forgiveness.
- Wesley wanted nothing less than a living faith in Christ which was “inseparable from a sense of pardon for all past, and freedom from all present sin.
- In the days just prior to 24th may, 1738, his spirit was by “strange, indifference, dullness, and coldness, and unusually frequent relapses into sin.”
- On 24th May, 1738, he confessed, “In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before 9, in the heart through faith in Christ, Christ alone for salvation, and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.”
D. After Aldersgate.
- 11th June, 1738, he gave evidence of his new found faith and delivered what can be called his “evangelical manifesto” before the venerable at St Mary, Oxford.
- His sermon, “salvation by faith” took Ephesians 2:8 as its text – By grace are ye saved through faith and he considered 3 questions.
- Firstly, what faith it is through which we are saved? It underscored the truth that saving faith is not only an assent to the whole gospel of Christ, but also a full reliance on the blood of Christ, a trust in the merits of Christ’s life, death and resurrection
- An old Indian, after living many years in sin, was led to Christ by a missionary. Friends asked him to explain the change in his life. Reaching down, he picked up a little worm and placed it on a pile of leaves. Then, touching a match to the leaves, he watched them smolder and burst flames. As the flames worked their way up to the centre where the worm lay, the old chief suddenly plunged his hand into the centre of the burning pile and snatched out the worm. Holding the worm gently in his hand, he gave this testimony to the grace of God, “Me…that worm!”
- Secondly, what is the salvation which is through faith? What is the effect of God’s grace on a person who is saved by Christ. Salvation of which Christianity speaks is a present salvation and it entails nothing less than redemption from sin here and now. This faith that is in Christ, they are saved both from the guilt and from the power of it.
- A woman attempted assassination of the first Queen Elizabeth of England. The woman sought to dress as an office boy and secreted herself in the queen’s bedroom, awaiting the convenient moment to stab the queen to death. But the queen’s attendant found her hidden among the gowns and brought her into the presence of the queen, after confiscating the pointed knife that she had hoped to plant into the heart of the queen. The would be assassin realized her case, humanly speaking, was hopeless. She threw herself down on her knees and pleaded and begged the queen as a woman to have compassion on her, a woman, and to show grace. Queen Elizabeth looked at her coldl and quietly said, “If I show you grace, what promise will you make for the future?” The woman looked up and said, “Grace that hath condition, grace that is fettered by precautions, is not grace at all. Queen Elizabeth caught the idea in a moment and said, “You are right; I pardon you of my grace.” And they led her away. History tells us from that moment Queen Elizabeth had no more faithful devoted servant than that woman who had intended to take her life. That is exactly the way of God works in the life in an individual – he or she becomes a faithful servant of God.. You see, unconditional salvation, owing to God’s grace, a person’s life is changed.
Main Idea: Saved by grace, through faith
Objective: To teach the doctrine of salvation – justification by grace through faith.
A. Introduction
- Methodist Church – movement of Methodism in Sarawak for at leat 107 years now.
- Since John Wesley (28th June, 1703) began the movement in England, it is more than 275 years; at the Aldersgate Event (24th May, 1738), only then he was sure of his salvation. Ever since, he was a different person; he was on fire for Jesus. Can our church produce more John Wesleys?
- We need to be like John Wesley to be so down to earth in examining his own faith; he struggled a lot and doubted much about his faith.
B. Before Aldersgate
- After coming back from Georgia to England, in his journal, he entered 4 key observations, 1st February, 1738.
- (1). First observation is about his faith (spiritual state). It is now 2 years and almost 4 months since I let my native country in order to teach the Georgian Indians the nature of Christianity. But what have I learned myself in the mean time? why (I the least of all suspected), that I who went to America to convert others, was never myself converted to God.
- (2). Second observation is this: He asked himself what it means to be a (real) Christian. 1st February, 1738, he wrote in his journal whether all his efforts make him acceptable to God? He said and I quote, “ ‘I know nothing of myself,’ that I am, as touching outward, moral righteousness, blameless? Or (to come closer yet) the having a rational conviction of all the truths of Christianity? Does all this give a claim to the holy, heavenly, divine a character of a Christian? By no means. If the oracles of God are true, if we are still to abide by “the law and the testimony,” all these things, though when enabled by faith in Christ they are holy, and just, and good, yet without it are “dung and dross.” You can see how he distinguished different levels of faith.
- (3). Third observation is this: ‘One most despairing all therefore the most inaccurate of all, I am a child of wrath, an heir of hell.’ He may not have realized the full extent of holiness that he had envisioned.
- (4). Fourth observation is this: Pointed observations in his journal, he indicated that the he wanted was “a sure trust and confidence in God, that through the merits of Christ my sins are forgiven, and I recounted to the favor of God.”
- On 7th February, 1738, he met Peter Bohler, a Moravian missionary and Peter really counseled him in his faith.
- Peter Bohler reassured Wesley and counseled him, “Preach faith till you have it, and then, because you have it you will preach faith.’
C. Aldersgate (events leading to it)
- In his spiritual summary, Wesley pointed out he realized there are 2 fruits inseparably connected with a living faith in Christ, namely: a. dominion over sin, and b. constant peace from a sense of forgiveness.
- Wesley wanted nothing less than a living faith in Christ which was “inseparable from a sense of pardon for all past, and freedom from all present sin.
- In the days just prior to 24th may, 1738, his spirit was by “strange, indifference, dullness, and coldness, and unusually frequent relapses into sin.”
- On 24th May, 1738, he confessed, “In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before 9, in the heart through faith in Christ, Christ alone for salvation, and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.”
D. After Aldersgate.
- 11th June, 1738, he gave evidence of his new found faith and delivered what can be called his “evangelical manifesto” before the venerable at St Mary, Oxford.
- His sermon, “salvation by faith” took Ephesians 2:8 as its text – By grace are ye saved through faith and he considered 3 questions.
- Firstly, what faith it is through which we are saved? It underscored the truth that saving faith is not only an assent to the whole gospel of Christ, but also a full reliance on the blood of Christ, a trust in the merits of Christ’s life, death and resurrection
- An old Indian, after living many years in sin, was led to Christ by a missionary. Friends asked him to explain the change in his life. Reaching down, he picked up a little worm and placed it on a pile of leaves. Then, touching a match to the leaves, he watched them smolder and burst flames. As the flames worked their way up to the centre where the worm lay, the old chief suddenly plunged his hand into the centre of the burning pile and snatched out the worm. Holding the worm gently in his hand, he gave this testimony to the grace of God, “Me…that worm!”
- Secondly, what is the salvation which is through faith? What is the effect of God’s grace on a person who is saved by Christ. Salvation of which Christianity speaks is a present salvation and it entails nothing less than redemption from sin here and now. This faith that is in Christ, they are saved both from the guilt and from the power of it.
- A woman attempted assassination of the first Queen Elizabeth of England. The woman sought to dress as an office boy and secreted herself in the queen’s bedroom, awaiting the convenient moment to stab the queen to death. But the queen’s attendant found her hidden among the gowns and brought her into the presence of the queen, after confiscating the pointed knife that she had hoped to plant into the heart of the queen. The would be assassin realized her case, humanly speaking, was hopeless. She threw herself down on her knees and pleaded and begged the queen as a woman to have compassion on her, a woman, and to show grace. Queen Elizabeth looked at her coldl and quietly said, “If I show you grace, what promise will you make for the future?” The woman looked up and said, “Grace that hath condition, grace that is fettered by precautions, is not grace at all. Queen Elizabeth caught the idea in a moment and said, “You are right; I pardon you of my grace.” And they led her away. History tells us from that moment Queen Elizabeth had no more faithful devoted servant than that woman who had intended to take her life. That is exactly the way of God works in the life in an individual – he or she becomes a faithful servant of God.. You see, unconditional salvation, owing to God’s grace, a person’s life is changed.
- How the unconditional grace of God for you changed your life for better?
- Have you tapped the incomparable riches of Christ’s grace for your life?
- Thirdly, how may we answer some objections?
E. The Need to reexamine your faith
- Do you have victory over sin?
- What and who do you really believe?
- Are you living consistently with the word of God?
F. Conclusion
- Work out your salvation. Philippians 2:12 “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed – not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence – continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.”
Submit Yourselves To God
Written By Rev Law Hui Seng
17th May, 2009
Posted By Teresa Han
James 4:1-12
Main Idea: The way to solve any conflict is to submit yourself to God.
Objectives: a. Help the congregation to understand the causes of conflict in church. b. Teach the congregation to overcome conflicts by submitting our lives to God.
A. Introduction
- How do you handle problems? Conflicts? If running from problems and conflicts are your style, pay attention to the plight of Patricia Christy. After Hurricane Andrew devastated Florida in 1992, this South Florida resident was standing in line waiting for food. She decided then and there that she was going to run as far away from this problem as possible. She boarded the first available flight and headed for a restful vacation on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. She just arrived in time to experience Hurricane Iniki. Running from your problems and conflicts usually just leads to more problems.
- Although Mary Carney and her husband arrived at church in the same car, they were miles apart. They had engaged in one of those arguments before church and did not get their conflict resolved. Humorously, God’s sovereignty was reflected in a secretary’s typographical error. As Mary sat feeling confused and anxious in church, she glanced down at her bulletin. She and Gary were scheduled to sing a duet during the worship service. Next to their name was typed the word “duel”. She smiled then looked at her husband. The decision was theirs to make a duet or duel. Through the quietness of that Sunday service she reached of his hand and the “duet” began. In all of our relationships, marriage or otherwise, we make daily choices to participate in either a duet or a duel. Those decisions will dictate whether build bridges or bombs.
- The passage today has a lot to teach us about conflict.
- James is no more addressing the tongue and teachers in general in today’s passage.
- He is speaking of the inner-community conflict.
- Let us study this passage to help us how to overcome conflicts in ourselves, families and church.
- Verses 1-3 (causes); verses 4-6 (causes of conflict); verses 7-10 (call for repentance); verses 11-12 (give concrete practical advice).
B. Causes of Conflict (verses 1 to 6)
- In any conflict, there must be causes to it. For the readers of James and possibly the church today, the causes are spelt out in verses 1 to 6.
- You find the answers strike you because this is what really happens in a conflict.
- James asked the question, what causes fights and quarrels among you in verse 1.
- (1). The first cause of conflict he listed is found in the second portion of verse 2 that says, “Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? And it further elaborated in verse 2 and 3. It simply explains that it is human nature that we want something and we cannot get it and we fight and quarrel. In fact, what we want, we can pray to God for it but the readers of the book of James and some Christians today pray with wrong motives (i.e., pleasures), then, God does not our prayers.
- (2). The second cause of conflict has to do with the spiritual adultery the readers commit. Verse 4 says, “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes a an enemy of God.” Adulterous people refer to spiritually unfaithful children of God, who love the world rather God. If you love the world, then, you are an enemy of God. What a strong warning we need to take heed. Then, James goes on to justify his claim based on the Scripture in verse 5. There is such a thing called adulterous people, spiritually unfaithful people, because in Exodus 20:5, Moses says, our God is a jealous God, He cannot stand his children loving and worshipping things other than Him. Now James says because of that justification, the Holy Spirit who is living in us is feeling jealous that we love things other than God. However, God gives us the grace to overcome the love for the world by God’s word quoted from Proverbs 3:34, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble”. You see, once we love the world, we become proud and no more loving God, depending on God. In fact we love ourselves, become self-centered and proud of our own power. We feel we can do it without God. Then, you have all the conflict in yourself, in your family and church.
C. Call for Repentance (verses 7-10)
- James is very down to earth, he does not just point out the problem and the causes of it but he also offers solution to the problem of the conflict.
- Brothers and sisters, if we want to be critical we need to give constructive criticisms with solution, then, people will listen and respect us. And we make a difference for Jesus.
- So, James list out the solutions to the inner community conflict in verses 7 to 10. I summarize the solutions into 2 points only.
- (1), Firstly, to resolve a conflict , one need to submit himself to God. James say in verse 7, part a, “Submit yourselves, then, to God…” To use my own word to help you to understand, you need to surrender your life to Jesus, our master. You know in a war, if the soldiers of one country are defeated by the opposing country, like the Japanese soldiers in the second War World, who were defeated by the Alliance Forces, they pull out their white flag and surrender lives. And they have to listen to whatever instructions Alliance soldiers. Their lives will be managed by the Alliance Forces, the new master. Similarly, to solve a conflict, even inner conflict in yourself, you need to let your life be managed by Jesus, God, then, you can solve the conflict.
- I believe James explain what he means by submitting your life to God by verses 8 to 10. Submitting your life to God looks abstract and the readers may not understand the meaning. So, he explains that it means come near to God for He will come to you; purify our hearts from sins; readers in the midst of conflict need to grief, mourn and wail, it means we need to repent; and then, we need to humble ourselves and God will lift us up.
- To submit our life to God means to come near to God, repent and humble ourselves before God; then, whatever conflict we face will be resolved.
- When you submit your life to God, you will let go of everything and anything that God does not want you to hold. When you let go of your pride, for example, a conflict is solved. In a conflict, if I humble myself, I let go of my pride, I confess I am wrong or I also contribute to the problem, do you think that helps to resolve my conflict with the other person or not.
- Please take a look at A. W. Tozer, in his book, “The Pursuit of God”, he said this very powerful prayer to submit his life to God. “Father, I want to know Thee, but my coward heart fears to give up its toys. I cannot part with them without inward bleeding, and I do not try to hide from Thee the terror of the parting. I come trembling, but I come. Please root from my heart all those things which I have cherished so long and which have become a very part of my living self, so that Thou mayest enter and dwell there without a rival. Then shalt Thou make the place of Thy feet glorious. Then shall my heart have no need of the sun to shine of it, for Thyself wilt be the light of it, and there shall be no night there. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
- (2). The second solution those who are in involved in the conflict must resist the devil. Why? Because you have to resist the devil, it is also very much in getting in into the conflict. How to resist the devil? You can find the answer in Ephesians 6:10-20.
D. Practical Advice (verses 11 and 12)
- Then, may be James knows their actual situation, so he advises accordingly, in verses 11 and 12. He advises that the readers must not slander one another; do not judge a person as it is equal to judging the law; and let the only Lawgiver and Judge judges.
- I take comfort in this as I see that in any conflict, we tend to judge the other person or group, but if we can let go and leave it to God to judge, then, the conflict will be resolved.
E. Applications for individual, family and in church.
- Let us apply this practical, exciting and challenging passage into our lives.
- (1). Application for your individual self. There are times when you have conflict with yourself. You are your own greatest enemy. You have an ideal and you cannot achieve it and you still insist on it. You have a conflict with yourself and you cannot let go. May this illustration wake you up.
- The captain of the ship looked into the dark night and saw faint lights in the distance. Immediately he told his signalman to send a message: “Alter your course 10 degrees south.” Promptly a return was received: “Alter your course 10 degrees north.” The captain was angered; his command had been ignored. So he sent a second message: “Alter your course 10 degrees south – I am the captain!” Soon another message was received: “Alter your course 10 degrees north – I am seaman third class Jones.” Immediately the captain sent a third message, knowing the fear it would evoke: “Alter your course 10 degrees south. – I am a battleship!” Then the reply came: “Alter your course 10 degrees north – I am a lighthouse.”
- Very often we make own life difficult by fighting against something we cannot change. We always want other people or things to change, except us, it causes only within yourself but with other people. In fact, when we change we solve conflict within us. If you are willing to submit yourself to God and repent and admit you have a problem, most of the conflicts within yourself will be resolved.
- (2). Application in the family. Submitting your life to Jesus is the answer to conflicts in your family. In a family situation, I must honest tell you that when there is conflict, our human nature always get us to condemn the life partner and accuse the other person for the mistake. But if we are willing to humble ourselves before, we are willing to admit our own contribution to the mistake and say sorry ask for forgiveness, most conflict will be resolved. And when others counsel you, you will be very willing to receive it.
- Nelson Mink in his book, Pocket Pears, he writes a prayer to God and it helps him to break down in his resistance to the counsel of others.
- Lord, I am willing
- To receive what you give
- To lack what you withhold
- To relinquish what you take
- To suffer what you inflict
- To what you require
- And, Lord, if others are to be
- Your messengers to me,
- I am willing to hear and heed
- What they have to say. Amen
- When you humble yourself like that you will resolve your conflict in your family.
- (3) Application in the church. It is the same.
F. Conclusion
- The best is to submit yourself to God.
17th May, 2009
Posted By Teresa Han
James 4:1-12
Main Idea: The way to solve any conflict is to submit yourself to God.
Objectives: a. Help the congregation to understand the causes of conflict in church. b. Teach the congregation to overcome conflicts by submitting our lives to God.
A. Introduction
- How do you handle problems? Conflicts? If running from problems and conflicts are your style, pay attention to the plight of Patricia Christy. After Hurricane Andrew devastated Florida in 1992, this South Florida resident was standing in line waiting for food. She decided then and there that she was going to run as far away from this problem as possible. She boarded the first available flight and headed for a restful vacation on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. She just arrived in time to experience Hurricane Iniki. Running from your problems and conflicts usually just leads to more problems.
- Although Mary Carney and her husband arrived at church in the same car, they were miles apart. They had engaged in one of those arguments before church and did not get their conflict resolved. Humorously, God’s sovereignty was reflected in a secretary’s typographical error. As Mary sat feeling confused and anxious in church, she glanced down at her bulletin. She and Gary were scheduled to sing a duet during the worship service. Next to their name was typed the word “duel”. She smiled then looked at her husband. The decision was theirs to make a duet or duel. Through the quietness of that Sunday service she reached of his hand and the “duet” began. In all of our relationships, marriage or otherwise, we make daily choices to participate in either a duet or a duel. Those decisions will dictate whether build bridges or bombs.
- The passage today has a lot to teach us about conflict.
- James is no more addressing the tongue and teachers in general in today’s passage.
- He is speaking of the inner-community conflict.
- Let us study this passage to help us how to overcome conflicts in ourselves, families and church.
- Verses 1-3 (causes); verses 4-6 (causes of conflict); verses 7-10 (call for repentance); verses 11-12 (give concrete practical advice).
B. Causes of Conflict (verses 1 to 6)
- In any conflict, there must be causes to it. For the readers of James and possibly the church today, the causes are spelt out in verses 1 to 6.
- You find the answers strike you because this is what really happens in a conflict.
- James asked the question, what causes fights and quarrels among you in verse 1.
- (1). The first cause of conflict he listed is found in the second portion of verse 2 that says, “Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? And it further elaborated in verse 2 and 3. It simply explains that it is human nature that we want something and we cannot get it and we fight and quarrel. In fact, what we want, we can pray to God for it but the readers of the book of James and some Christians today pray with wrong motives (i.e., pleasures), then, God does not our prayers.
- (2). The second cause of conflict has to do with the spiritual adultery the readers commit. Verse 4 says, “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes a an enemy of God.” Adulterous people refer to spiritually unfaithful children of God, who love the world rather God. If you love the world, then, you are an enemy of God. What a strong warning we need to take heed. Then, James goes on to justify his claim based on the Scripture in verse 5. There is such a thing called adulterous people, spiritually unfaithful people, because in Exodus 20:5, Moses says, our God is a jealous God, He cannot stand his children loving and worshipping things other than Him. Now James says because of that justification, the Holy Spirit who is living in us is feeling jealous that we love things other than God. However, God gives us the grace to overcome the love for the world by God’s word quoted from Proverbs 3:34, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble”. You see, once we love the world, we become proud and no more loving God, depending on God. In fact we love ourselves, become self-centered and proud of our own power. We feel we can do it without God. Then, you have all the conflict in yourself, in your family and church.
C. Call for Repentance (verses 7-10)
- James is very down to earth, he does not just point out the problem and the causes of it but he also offers solution to the problem of the conflict.
- Brothers and sisters, if we want to be critical we need to give constructive criticisms with solution, then, people will listen and respect us. And we make a difference for Jesus.
- So, James list out the solutions to the inner community conflict in verses 7 to 10. I summarize the solutions into 2 points only.
- (1), Firstly, to resolve a conflict , one need to submit himself to God. James say in verse 7, part a, “Submit yourselves, then, to God…” To use my own word to help you to understand, you need to surrender your life to Jesus, our master. You know in a war, if the soldiers of one country are defeated by the opposing country, like the Japanese soldiers in the second War World, who were defeated by the Alliance Forces, they pull out their white flag and surrender lives. And they have to listen to whatever instructions Alliance soldiers. Their lives will be managed by the Alliance Forces, the new master. Similarly, to solve a conflict, even inner conflict in yourself, you need to let your life be managed by Jesus, God, then, you can solve the conflict.
- I believe James explain what he means by submitting your life to God by verses 8 to 10. Submitting your life to God looks abstract and the readers may not understand the meaning. So, he explains that it means come near to God for He will come to you; purify our hearts from sins; readers in the midst of conflict need to grief, mourn and wail, it means we need to repent; and then, we need to humble ourselves and God will lift us up.
- To submit our life to God means to come near to God, repent and humble ourselves before God; then, whatever conflict we face will be resolved.
- When you submit your life to God, you will let go of everything and anything that God does not want you to hold. When you let go of your pride, for example, a conflict is solved. In a conflict, if I humble myself, I let go of my pride, I confess I am wrong or I also contribute to the problem, do you think that helps to resolve my conflict with the other person or not.
- Please take a look at A. W. Tozer, in his book, “The Pursuit of God”, he said this very powerful prayer to submit his life to God. “Father, I want to know Thee, but my coward heart fears to give up its toys. I cannot part with them without inward bleeding, and I do not try to hide from Thee the terror of the parting. I come trembling, but I come. Please root from my heart all those things which I have cherished so long and which have become a very part of my living self, so that Thou mayest enter and dwell there without a rival. Then shalt Thou make the place of Thy feet glorious. Then shall my heart have no need of the sun to shine of it, for Thyself wilt be the light of it, and there shall be no night there. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
- (2). The second solution those who are in involved in the conflict must resist the devil. Why? Because you have to resist the devil, it is also very much in getting in into the conflict. How to resist the devil? You can find the answer in Ephesians 6:10-20.
D. Practical Advice (verses 11 and 12)
- Then, may be James knows their actual situation, so he advises accordingly, in verses 11 and 12. He advises that the readers must not slander one another; do not judge a person as it is equal to judging the law; and let the only Lawgiver and Judge judges.
- I take comfort in this as I see that in any conflict, we tend to judge the other person or group, but if we can let go and leave it to God to judge, then, the conflict will be resolved.
E. Applications for individual, family and in church.
- Let us apply this practical, exciting and challenging passage into our lives.
- (1). Application for your individual self. There are times when you have conflict with yourself. You are your own greatest enemy. You have an ideal and you cannot achieve it and you still insist on it. You have a conflict with yourself and you cannot let go. May this illustration wake you up.
- The captain of the ship looked into the dark night and saw faint lights in the distance. Immediately he told his signalman to send a message: “Alter your course 10 degrees south.” Promptly a return was received: “Alter your course 10 degrees north.” The captain was angered; his command had been ignored. So he sent a second message: “Alter your course 10 degrees south – I am the captain!” Soon another message was received: “Alter your course 10 degrees north – I am seaman third class Jones.” Immediately the captain sent a third message, knowing the fear it would evoke: “Alter your course 10 degrees south. – I am a battleship!” Then the reply came: “Alter your course 10 degrees north – I am a lighthouse.”
- Very often we make own life difficult by fighting against something we cannot change. We always want other people or things to change, except us, it causes only within yourself but with other people. In fact, when we change we solve conflict within us. If you are willing to submit yourself to God and repent and admit you have a problem, most of the conflicts within yourself will be resolved.
- (2). Application in the family. Submitting your life to Jesus is the answer to conflicts in your family. In a family situation, I must honest tell you that when there is conflict, our human nature always get us to condemn the life partner and accuse the other person for the mistake. But if we are willing to humble ourselves before, we are willing to admit our own contribution to the mistake and say sorry ask for forgiveness, most conflict will be resolved. And when others counsel you, you will be very willing to receive it.
- Nelson Mink in his book, Pocket Pears, he writes a prayer to God and it helps him to break down in his resistance to the counsel of others.
- Lord, I am willing
- To receive what you give
- To lack what you withhold
- To relinquish what you take
- To suffer what you inflict
- To what you require
- And, Lord, if others are to be
- Your messengers to me,
- I am willing to hear and heed
- What they have to say. Amen
- When you humble yourself like that you will resolve your conflict in your family.
- (3) Application in the church. It is the same.
F. Conclusion
- The best is to submit yourself to God.
Two Kinds of Wisdom
Written By Rev. Law Hui Seng
10th May, 2009
Posted By Teresa Han
Posted By Teresa Han
James 3:13-18
Main idea: Choose wisdom that comes from Heaven
Objective: 1. Differentiate between the wisdom that comes from the evil and wisdom that comes from heaven. 2. Teach the congregation to choose wisdom that comes from heaven.
A. General Introduction
-Last Sunday I preach to you on controlling our tongue based on James 3:1-12.
Today, James helps us to go deeper into controlling or taming our tongue.
-He helped us to see that in order to control our tongue we must practice pure speech that comes from wisdom.
-Our tongue can be controlled by speaking words of wisdom.
-And there are 2 kinds of wisdom we can choose.
B What are the 2 kinds of Wisdom?
-James is teaching all teachers and others not to misuse the tongue.
-According to verse 18- James emphasized that their speech and actions lead to
community peace.
-Verse 18, “…its peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.”
-if teachers and Christians don’t speak and act to produce peace, then, the spirit inspiring us to speak is clearly not God’s spirit.
-Then, how do we know a certain wisdom is inspired by God or not.
-This is where James gives us instructions on how to differentiate whether a
Wisdom is inspired by God’s spirit or not.
-With certainty, we highlighted the fact that true wisdom will show itself in good deeds which flow from a proper life style.
-That is, he says in verse 13, “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deed done in the humility that comes from wisdom.”
-A person who is inspired by God’s spirit who is wise, who speaks words of wisdom, must produce good life, backed by good deeds done in humility that comes from wisdom.
-He elaborated this true wisdom that is inspired by God’s spirit to be----first of all pure: peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit impartial and sincere, in verse 17.
-You see, if you are inspired by God’s spirit, your life will be characterized by peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit: impartial and sincere; then you can control your tongue.
-On the other hand the opposite will happen if we are not inspired by God’s spirit, but inspired by devil.
-The second kind of wisdom is coming from the devil. How do you know?
-That is where it comes from; James says in verses 14-16, “…but if you harbor bitter, envy, selfish ambition in your heart, do not boast it or deny the truth. such wisdom does not come down from heaven but from earthly, unspiritual , of the devil for where you have envy and selfish ambition sure you find disorder and evil practice.”
-If our tongue causes denial of truth, then we are not inspired by God’s spirit, but we are inspired by the devil.
C Application
-So, we have to deliberately choose wisdom that is coming from heaven and we know it is there.
-Our lives will reflect the heavenly wisdom because of the good deeds and fruit produced in our lives – peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy, good fruit, impartial and sincere.
-Is your life producing these characters? If yes, then you are controlling your tongue.
- For those of you who are still struggling with anger, I pray that the following illustration will help you to develop the character of self control to over anger and control your tongues.
-James is teaching all teachers and others not to misuse the tongue.
-According to verse 18- James emphasized that their speech and actions lead to
community peace.
-Verse 18, “…its peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.”
-if teachers and Christians don’t speak and act to produce peace, then, the spirit inspiring us to speak is clearly not God’s spirit.
-Then, how do we know a certain wisdom is inspired by God or not.
-This is where James gives us instructions on how to differentiate whether a
Wisdom is inspired by God’s spirit or not.
-With certainty, we highlighted the fact that true wisdom will show itself in good deeds which flow from a proper life style.
-That is, he says in verse 13, “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deed done in the humility that comes from wisdom.”
-A person who is inspired by God’s spirit who is wise, who speaks words of wisdom, must produce good life, backed by good deeds done in humility that comes from wisdom.
-He elaborated this true wisdom that is inspired by God’s spirit to be----first of all pure: peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit impartial and sincere, in verse 17.
-You see, if you are inspired by God’s spirit, your life will be characterized by peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit: impartial and sincere; then you can control your tongue.
-On the other hand the opposite will happen if we are not inspired by God’s spirit, but inspired by devil.
-The second kind of wisdom is coming from the devil. How do you know?
-That is where it comes from; James says in verses 14-16, “…but if you harbor bitter, envy, selfish ambition in your heart, do not boast it or deny the truth. such wisdom does not come down from heaven but from earthly, unspiritual , of the devil for where you have envy and selfish ambition sure you find disorder and evil practice.”
-If our tongue causes denial of truth, then we are not inspired by God’s spirit, but we are inspired by the devil.
C Application
-So, we have to deliberately choose wisdom that is coming from heaven and we know it is there.
-Our lives will reflect the heavenly wisdom because of the good deeds and fruit produced in our lives – peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy, good fruit, impartial and sincere.
-Is your life producing these characters? If yes, then you are controlling your tongue.
- For those of you who are still struggling with anger, I pray that the following illustration will help you to develop the character of self control to over anger and control your tongues.
There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His Father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, 'You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. But It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound will still be there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.
-What is at stake now? The characters! Characters will decide the wisdom we have is from heaven or from the devil.
-In order to allow wisdom of heaven to prevail; to occupy the top priority in our lives, then, we need to consciously choose wisdom of heaven.
D Conclusion
-Wisdom of heaven is what we need.
-Don’t gamble away wisdom of heaven by missing the mark of characters.
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