Speaker: Ps. Chia Beng Hock
Ephesians 5:1-21
1Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, 2and live in love, as Christ loved us£ and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 5:3But fornication and impurity of any kind, or greed, must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among saints. 4Entirely out of place is obscene, silly, and vulgar talk; but instead, let there be thanksgiving. 5Be sure of this, that no fornicator or impure person, or one who is greedy (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes on those who are disobedient. 7Therefore do not be associated with them. 8For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light—9for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. 10Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. 11Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly; 13but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
“Sleeper, awake!
Rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
15Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, 16making the most of the time, because the days are evil. 17So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, 19as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, 20giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 21Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.
As Christians we are to walk in love.
“Walk”
· the way we conduct ourselves & lives: “Be imitators of God, as beloved children.” (verse 1)
· “Be” is a command
· “as beloved children” – dearly loved by God.
· there’s progress when we walk
“we are to walk in love”
· Because our God is love and we’re God’s children.
1. How do we walk in love?
· Giving – love is about giving (to build others up)
· Serve one another – give time to God
· Don’t take advantage of others
· Show little kindness to people to let others know that you care.
· Love is not a chemistry but a choice to choose to love those who are unlovable.
1.1 What does it means to walk in darkness?
Verses 3 – 7 says: “5:3But fornication and impurity of any kind, or greed, must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among saints. 4Entirely out of place is obscene, silly, and vulgar talk; but instead, let there be thanksgiving. 5Be sure of this, that no fornicator or impure person, or one who is greedy (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes on those who are disobedient. 7Therefore do not be associated with them.
· Sexual immorality
· Course jesting
· Greed / Covetousness
· Impurity in our lives
· Empty words
2. How do we walk in the light?
Verses 8 – 11 says: “. 8For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light—9for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. 10Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. 11Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.”
· Let the Spirit of God to work in us.
· Find out what pleases God and do those things.
· Do not be partners with Gentiles
3. Walk in wisdom
Why?
Because the days are evil:
· meaning of the words changed (eg. gay used to mean happy but now homosexual people)
· morals changed (sex before marriage is accepted; pre-nuptial contract; no commitment in
marriages, etc.)
· blame others when you do wrong things (eg. a sex offender when being charged told the
judge why he commit the crime was because someone sexually abused him when he was
young and grew up with a psychology defect that cause him to commit crime. Because of
this reason, he was let off or got a lighter sentence).
We walk in wisdom by:
· Taking responsibility of our weakness or sin, recognize it, seek help (talk to a Pastor) and
overcome it.
· Know the season of the Lord and take opportunity to do it. (Eg. CCIS)
· Know what the will of the Lord is.
· Let the Holy Spirit take control of our lives.
· Speak to one another in Psalms, hymns & Spiritual Songs.
· Submit to one another – respect them because everyone is being made in the image
of God.
Monday, October 08, 2007
Sunday Sermon Notes dated 23 Sept 07
THE ETHIOPIAN PRINCIPLE – REDISCOVERING EVANGELISM
Ps. Nicholas Choo
Acts 8:26-40
26Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go toward the south£ to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a wilderness road.) 27So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28and was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to this chariot and join it.” 30So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31He replied, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him. 32Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this:
“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter,
and like a lamb silent before its shearer,
so he does not open his mouth.
33In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth.”
34The eunuch asked Philip, “About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” 35Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus. 36As they were going along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?”£ 38He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. 40But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he was passing through the region, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
The greatest reviva Al in the New Testament is when God sent a great persecution. (Acts 8 & after). Where the church members brought the church to the people (non-believers).
The Four-Fold Framework:
1. “Get-up” (Arise)
· If you don’t get up, you do nothing.
· The Bible talks about it 160 times (in NASB)
· When you get up, it will lead to the call of destiny (Gen. 12 shows us that Abraham left his comfort zone)
3 key terms associated to the word “arise”
a. Call of destiny
b. Call of miracle (Mark 12) – the four men who carried the sick men and broke into Peter’s house and ask Jesus to heal their friend.
c. Call of commission (Matt. 28)
2. “Get out and Go”
· Some need the alarm to wake up
· Some need the ALARM to wake up
· Never hear ALARM
· But God wants us need no alarm to get-up and get out.
· In the midst of what we’re doing, our ears must be sensitive to God’s voice. As God is the One who sets the opportunity for the saints to meet the sinner.
“Behold” (verse 27) – close enough for Philip to see
3. “Get Near”
· Only when Philip get close he saw a stranger, who is a seeker, a sinner with an eternal soul, who needs to be saved.
4. “Get Into”
Verse 30b says: “…“Do you understand what you are reading?”
· Convince
· Convict
· Confess
· Commit
Ps. Nicholas Choo
Acts 8:26-40
26Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go toward the south£ to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a wilderness road.) 27So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28and was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to this chariot and join it.” 30So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31He replied, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him. 32Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this:
“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter,
and like a lamb silent before its shearer,
so he does not open his mouth.
33In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth.”
34The eunuch asked Philip, “About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” 35Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus. 36As they were going along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?”£ 38He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. 40But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he was passing through the region, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
The greatest reviva Al in the New Testament is when God sent a great persecution. (Acts 8 & after). Where the church members brought the church to the people (non-believers).
The Four-Fold Framework:
1. “Get-up” (Arise)
· If you don’t get up, you do nothing.
· The Bible talks about it 160 times (in NASB)
· When you get up, it will lead to the call of destiny (Gen. 12 shows us that Abraham left his comfort zone)
3 key terms associated to the word “arise”
a. Call of destiny
b. Call of miracle (Mark 12) – the four men who carried the sick men and broke into Peter’s house and ask Jesus to heal their friend.
c. Call of commission (Matt. 28)
2. “Get out and Go”
· Some need the alarm to wake up
· Some need the ALARM to wake up
· Never hear ALARM
· But God wants us need no alarm to get-up and get out.
· In the midst of what we’re doing, our ears must be sensitive to God’s voice. As God is the One who sets the opportunity for the saints to meet the sinner.
“Behold” (verse 27) – close enough for Philip to see
3. “Get Near”
· Only when Philip get close he saw a stranger, who is a seeker, a sinner with an eternal soul, who needs to be saved.
4. “Get Into”
Verse 30b says: “…“Do you understand what you are reading?”
· Convince
· Convict
· Confess
· Commit
Sunday Sermon Notes dated 16th Sept 07
VICTORY OVER OUR HANDICAPS
Ps. Peter Chng
1 Chronicles 4:9-10
9Jabez was honored more than his brothers; and his mother named him Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” 10Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from hurt and harm!” And God granted what he asked.
3 things Jabez did to overcome his handicap
1. He faced his handicap
Ps. Peter Chng
1 Chronicles 4:9-10
9Jabez was honored more than his brothers; and his mother named him Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” 10Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from hurt and harm!” And God granted what he asked.
3 things Jabez did to overcome his handicap
1. He faced his handicap
- He didn’t live in self-denial.
- He didn’t run away from his handicap, problems or struggles (by running away does not help you but is killing you)
- He faced his handicap manfully by not pushing the blame to others.
- He faced it spiritually by crying out to God to bless him in his life.
- He faced it courageously
2. He fought his handicap
Verse 10 says: “10Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from hurt and harm!” And God granted what he asked.”
- Jabez called upon the God of Israel – fight it with real (relevant) prayer in his life. He didn’t beat around the bush.
3. He forgot his handicap
- By overcoming it and not sweeping it under the carpet.
- If sweep under the carpet it’ll surface one day through dust or smell.
- Refused to let others or the devil distract him (you).
God works through people with the following qualities:
Faithful
Available
Teachable
Sunday Sermon Notes dated 9th Sept 07
LOOSING TO GAIN or DYING TO LIVE
Ps. Peter Lui
John 12:20-28
20Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. 21They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor. 27“Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. 28Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
1. The Process: The Lesson of the grain
Verse 24 says: “…unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”
A grain (Kernel): a very small & insignificant seed.
- It must be willing to fall off from the plant to the ground and stay, even when it meant to be trampled upon (even death).
- Deny rights & own desires – “not my will but Your will be done.”
- The kernel must be buried (must be willing to be hidden completely from view).
- “Let go & let God”
2. Product
Verse 24b says: “…but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”
- At the end of death, is a product that is new and able to reproduce itself.
- Unless you follow this principle – “life through death” or “die to self”, you will not be fruitful.
3. The Proposition
Verse 25 says: “Those who love their life lose it (destroy), and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”
“Life” represents the desire of who you want to be yourself.
- Don’t be what you want to be but what God wants you to be. Surrender your life to God’s disposal, it will not be lost but will live.
- We must follow Christ’s example.
- Don’t selfishly hold it, but give it up for God to reproduce it, the things that please God.
4. The Promise
- On our part we need only to be willing to fall onto the ground, be buried (shows ourselves as the servant of God).
- Final destination: God is pleased with us.
- Only one life will soon be past, only what done for Christ will last.
- Don’t live as though earth is forever but heaven is about eternal, everlasting & forever.
Conclusion
Would you give up your personal desire to be who you are, who you want to be? Let go & let God make you to be what He wants you to be.
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