Sunday Mesage 22/7/07 - The Power of The Gospel

Text: Acts 3:1-10

"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile." - Paul in Romans 1:16

Reading Acts 3:1-10 in NKJV......
Fresh from their Pentecostal experience in Chapter 2 of the Book of Acts where the HS came upon the Apostles, they spoke in tongues of other nations. All the pilgrims from distant lands gathered at Jerusalem for the Pentecost heard their native tongues being spoken by the Spirit filed apostles! Then Peter gave a sermon….

When the presence of God is there, there is always “presents”
Now, there was another incidence – the disciples were still Jerusalem and they were still very Jewish in outlook and lifestyles. They would go up to the Temple to offer prayers and sacrifice still - 3 times a day. Day break, Afternoon and Sunset.

1. A man lame from birth (literally means from mother’s womb) - such a picture of us all. We all have an inborn defect in us – the sinful nature. The self-centeredness and selfishness.
2. Fix his eyes on him – concerned and compassion – Dallas seminary – a test of 10 pages 3000 words assignments on Jesus’ teaching on compassion. Yet they failed to see a homeless man planted by the professor en-route to their class on the next day! Compassion in theory is useless. Compassion without the power or resources to deliver is just as frustrating!
3. Eye contact - And perhaps to let the lamed man recognize who they were. He would have heard Jesus’ teaching some time before as well as Peter’s preaching the day before. From the perspective of the beggar – “hey! There is hope – eye contact! But there is an unexpected twist in the story.
4. After meeting the resurrected Lord, Peter was endowed new found power and unction of the holy Spirit – Perhaps Peter’s spirit was reminded by Jesus who said in John 14: 11Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. 12I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.
5. “Silver and Gold I have none” – now listen, Peter was not that poor. He would have a few coins. But he had some thing better and greater - A power of the Holy Spirit.
6. According to Cornelius a Lapide, the great theologian Thomas Aquinas once called on Pope Innocent II when the latter was counting out a large sum of money. “You see, Thomas,” said the Pope, “the church can no longer say, ‘Silver and gold have I none.’” “True, holy father,” was the reply; “neither can she now say, ‘Rise up and walk.’” You see, we have turn the power and miracles of God into some theory and speculation. My heart desires is that we would reclaim our heritage, reclaim what is due to us. Reclaim what God desire for us to have.
7. A Doctor’s record – details - leg bones and then angle bones. So no ignorant country bumpkin or fisherman’s tale.

3 MAIN POINT AGAIN–

1. We are all inherently Lame – in so many ways lame in deed, lame in love, lame in faith

2. We need the power of God manifest – so that e may have power to cause a stir – jumping & leaping

3. A Good Name and good tradition is never Good enough, we must have the manifestation of God’s power. - Now let me tell you the irony and paradox in this simple record of healings of the lame

1. The place where this happen is called – the beautiful gate – but nothing is beautiful until God’s presence is around. I don’t care what you call a church. What’s pt of a Powerless church with a nice name?
2. The gate belongs to ands entrance to the Temple of God – but why? Human has the tendency to go on the routine – they have great scholars, theologian, traditions and rituals. But do not have God because all these good things have taken the place of God!
3. Every wave has become the staunch opponents of the new move of God.
Do we want a more tangible presence of God?
Then we must admit we are lame!
Do you agree that we are lame? We are lame because we cannot even get out of bed for God this morning!
We must not rely on our human resources or knowledge or cleverness alone.

Having a good name is not enough; we want to see God show up! And when God show up, people will notice.
They would Not just hear about God they should always see the signs that follows.
And when this happens, you will upset some people. – eg the Sanhedrin – the Jewish council – they have all the human power, they have their gold and silver, But they cannot get the lame to walk or the dead to rise!

Prayer & Conclusion:
Come Lord Jesus! We are not satisfied with just theories and principles of how to be good.
Because we cannot even change our old mind set or our bad habits or addictive behaviors.

Come Holy Spirit! In the Names of Jesus make us strong and make us walk, skip and praise!

Let us not pass man’s test and fail God’s test. So help us God.

主日信息 : 神在对你说话

主日信息 : 神在对你说话

A. 为什么神要对我们说话？

- 他渴慕与我们有交通

- 我们的生命需要他明确，有计划的指引

- 他知道我们需要有安慰和保证

赛30:20-21


B 神对我们说话的方式:
1. 藉著圣经 (提后3:16-17)

2. 藉著环境, 人物和挫折 (可14:27-31, 约21:18-19)

3. 藉著圣灵 (约4:24, 罗9:14-15)

- 异梦
- 异象和启示
- 圣灵的声音 (可9:2-7)

结论:
赛55:10-11


本周金句: 以赛亚55:11 我口所出的话, 也必如此, 决不徒然返回, 却要成就我所喜悦的, 在我发他去成就的事上必然亨通.

Nuggets from the Book of Jude - Message on 1/7/07

Slide 1 - 1/7/07

Message from the Book of Jude
Authorship: by the half brother of the Lord Jesus circa 40-80AD

Slide 2
1. A Most Neglected Epistle
• Reasons for the neglect:
• 1. Brevity
• 2. Citation of non-canonical Jewish writings
• 3. Strong language in denouncing errors – “MA rated”
• 4. Unique vocabulary – 13 unique words used

Slide 3
2. The Epistles’ Recipients were
 Influenced by false teachers and false prophets ( the Gnostics)
 Devaluing the salvation in Jesus Christ
 Having “Attitude Problems” Immoral, Rebellious, Complaining
 Your attitude determines your altitude

Slide 4 - 3. How to Spot False Teachers
• Denying the sufficiency of Christ’s salvation (v3-4)
• Rebel against authority (v8)
• Slander God’s messenger(v9)
• De-stabilise, Deceive and Divide (v16) – like Absalom

Slide 5

4. THE JUDGEMENT IS SURE!
• 1. Look at the nation of Israel (v5)
• 2. The Fallen Angels (v6) (Gen 6:4; Job1:6; 2:1)
• 3. Sodom & Gomorrah (v7)
• God loves his children but He also disciplines them…

Slide 6
5. Eloquent picture of Doom
• Read Verse 11-13
• Cain – DIY & self-centred religion
• Balaam – blinding greed
• Korah – rebelled against Moses (Num16)
• Verses 12-13 – poetic depiction of vanity – asteres planetai – wondering stars, meteorites, going off course towards destruction. Foaming like animals in heat.

Hey, the language may be strong – but we must be passionate about what really matters!!!
If you don’t have something to die for, most likely, you do not have anything worth while to live for.

Slide 7
Scripture, Tradition, Reason/Experiences (Wesleyan quadrilaterals )
- Truth is colorful spectrum


Slide 8
6. Path of Grace
• Concentrate on the imperative verbs in these verses
• 20But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.
• 21Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
• 22Be merciful to those who doubt; 23snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.


Slide 9
7. Finally – The Blessed Assurance

Not just surviving, but thriving!
• 24To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— 25to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

Last Slide – God will keep YOU!!!

Adullam & Hebron

1 撒母耳記上 22:1大衛就離開那裡、逃到亞杜蘭洞。他的弟兄和他父親的全家聽見了、就都下到他那裡。2. 凡受窘迫的、欠債的、心裡苦惱的、都聚集到大衛那裡．大衛就作他們的頭目．跟隨他的約有四百人。

1 Samuel 22 Adullam
1 David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and his father's household heard about it, they went down to him there.
2 All those who were in distress (kol is’ mar neres – all people with bitter spirit)* or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their leader. About 400 men were with him.(*Note; the same word used 3 times in OT –Judge18:25 Hannah, 2Sam 17:8)

2 Samuel 2 Hebron (Hebron means alliance or "join forces")

3 David also took the men who were with him, each with his family, and they settled in Hebron and its towns. 4 Then the men of Judah came to Hebron and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. (See Also 1 Chron 12:38)

Introduction:
There are 2 point in the lives of King David that can teach us many lessons both as a church and a Christian. When we chart our life, we will also have highs and low points.

A. The First is Adullam (about 160m 500ft ).
– Geographically Adullam is a low valley in Palestine. It has very rugged rock and dotted with caves that can accommodate 200-300 people. It is often a good place for fugitives and bandit to hide. It was during the low point of David‘s life when King Saul was after his life that he hid there. 1 Sam 21:11-15.
How low was David? David the fugitive had to play madman in fear of being killed.
May I draw your attention to one very interesting fact of life. That is - we always attract those who are like us. (The abusive daughter gets a abusive husbands) Here we note that those who gathered around David were about 400 needy people. The bitter type, the debtors etc. Generally A very discontented bunch. A fugitive attract fugitives. And often the vicious cycle continues.

But the similarity stops here. David is a man of Destiny, impact & influence.
Are you the mould or the moulded? Do you allow the circumstances to press you in or you shape the people around you?. Like young people – all your friend have cool mobile phones must I? They have pierced navel or nose rings so must you?
David has a sense of destiny- he managed to change the fugitives into warriors.
Jesus is in the business of changing Victims into Victors! Losers into winners!

I want to die in my Destiny and not just history. David was such a man. In his pursue of the God of destiny, he found his own Destiny. And eventually, the destiny of all mankind – being the ancestor of Jesus the Messiah.

And because David was a man of destiny, we have the privilege to see the next stage of his life. This is recorded in 2Sam 2:3-4 when he arrives at Hebron. Or more precisely, The Lord told him to go there. His enemy King Saul is now dead. The people were of one mind to anoint him king!

The timing, the appointed time, the Chairos moment arrives!

B. Ascending the throne in Hebron
The purposes of God are for us not just surviving, but thrives, and fruitful!
Hebron means united or joint force
Hebron is a city on the hill top – 972 m(3050ft)above sea level. High and wide, you can see for miles on clear day!

Hebron people are keen to join Hebron Church.
What is a Hebron Church?
And who are Hebron people?
A Church whose ultimate goal is to anoint the King! To lift King Jesus High! We gather here this morning with many purpose and needs, But the one and only overriding purpose must be – to anoint the king Jesus? You see, the Lord name Jesus Christ actually means “The Anointed Saviour. He is the anointed! He need not be anointed again. But we must come with a heart of adoration to worship and adore him. Worship is not an option!, not a peripheral add-on! It is the core of our being.

The contrast of the Adullam and Hebron is that – Adullam is NEED driven but Hebron is PURPOSE(of God) driven.

Jesus said that when I am lifted up- I will draw all men unto me. (John 12:32)

Are we lifting the Lord up for the world to see? Are we walking a life of transformation? Not just in knowledge, but the grace and favour of Jesus.

But the contrast does not stop there. There is a great difference. When God is in the place there is always multiplication! In 1 Chon 12:38 it says that there is now more than 400,000 man from every tribe of Israel! 400 to 400,000. 1000 fold increase!

The principles of Multiplication = 1x0 =0
1x1 =0 but 1 x God is infinity!

The point is that when you are consumed with doing the purpose of God, consumed with exalting Jesus, God will draw people into your midst. Hebron people won’t come to Adullam churches. Yes, There is a time and place for meeting the needs of those in need. Even Jesus said. You will always have the poor. But there is time to anoint the Lord, like the Mary in bethany, quite a wasteful used of the expensive perfume to Judas' eyes. But there is time and season for everything. Get a right perspective.

I want this to be a Hebron church.

The same principle can be applies in our personal life. There is a time and place for valley experience. (Ps 84 Valley of Baca) Adullam season is valid. But don’t just KEEP STAYING there! Now may be the time to move on!

Aim to be Hebron peopleWhen we keep remaining in Adullum, the Hebron people, the people of destiny and influence will leave you.
If we persist in being
- Need centred, small minded and self –centred, we will attract only the people who are bitter in heart.
- Adullum is not a place for those whom God has redeemed, God intends that we grow up, Move on, move forward to Hebron!

Move on to the purposes of God in your life. Forget the past, forget the hurt and disappointment. As long as you have today, redeem it, use it to the full, expand on it, invest all you have in it. (Eph 5:15 Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise— 16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil. 17 So don't be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.”

Let us make full use of ALL the opportunities that God has sent our way.

When you are purposeful, God will bring those of like mind to you. Like 2 Chron 12:23-40 they will come to you and say. “Use me, I have my sword, my shield and bow and arrows”. “We are ready. We like what you are on about – the business of the King! “I do not want to attract people by our charisma or empty rhetoric, we must be here to build lives, and exalt the king!

Conclusion:
Are you in Adullam or Hebron right Now?
Do you want to remain in Adullam? Then Go to the king, He will lead you to Hebron.
Do you know that God want us to go on to Hebron. We are to live a life constantly exalting the King?
I am determined to be a Hebron people and build a Hebron church.
I want to see God sending people to help us build it.
I want to see Adullum people being transformed through obedience, shifting and changing our mindset by feed on the word to become Hebron people.
We want to see Multiplication – not just addition!

Let us sing the closing song “Jesus we enthrone you”