Sunday Re Cap (24th Feb 2008)

NO MORE DELAY by David Lai

Text: John 5: 1-9

This man had a “lifetime” membership of sickness. We need to get out of our “lifetime” membership of failures, sickness, poverty, etc. The LORD desires NEW BEGINNINGS for us. Jesus has made it possible for us to withdraw our membership from our past so that we can enter NEW BEGINNINGS.

1. We must move from being a “give me” Christian to a “make me” Christian.
1. The 9 lepers had a touch of God (give me) but one leper had an encounter with God (make me). Luke 17:12-19
2. The prodigal son started with “give me my portion” and ended up defeated. When he became a “make me” son, he had abundance. Luke 15:12, 19
3. OT: Israelites always demanded “give me, give me, and give me”. God still gave but it was not His perfect will.

2. If we give excuses, we will never experience breakthroughs.
1. John 5:7 “No one helps me, others get in before me..”
2. Abraham and Sarah made excuses that they were too old to bear children. Only when they believed, breakthrough came! Gen 16, 17

3. Do not complain or question God’s work in our lives.
1. Phil 2:13 Our WILL involves the MIND and DO involves ACTION and OBEDIENCE.
2. How can the world see a difference if we are complaining just like they are? Rom 12:1-2
3. We are a chosen generation called out to PRAISE HIM (NOT COMPLAIN) 1 Pet 2:9

4. We are a covenant people. Rev 10:1-7
1. Rev 10:6 That there will be delay no longer!
2. Rev 10:1 The rainbow speaks of the covenant that the OT saints had with God after the flood. For the NT believer, the rainbow speaks of Jesus our New Covenant.
3. The rainbow now becomes a powerful reminder of our justification in Jesus.
4. Even though Noah was exposed, yet he was justified by the covenant.
5. Abraham lied about Sarah but God never found fault with him because he was covenanted with God. Gen 12:13
6. Heb 11:39-40 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: (40) God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
7. The promise is not just healing, blessing, prosperity, its JESUS and His finished work on the cross that guarantees us the covenant relationship.

So delay no longer. Let’s enter our New Beginnings!