Sunday Re Cap (23rd Sept 2012)

THE CHURCH ON THE ROCK by Richard Yeoh

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TEXT: MATTHEW 16:13-19

A Critical Turning Point:
Matthew 16 marks critical turning point in the ministry of Jesus Christ.
It was a time of Transition for Jesus ministry. He had to know whether the group of followers understood who their Master was. And in a spiritual sense, I believe our church is moving into a transition. As such we must answer the question personally and as a church: “Who do you say I am?”

1. A CHALLENGING QUESTION
In General: Jesus then asks the disciples, “Who do they say that I am?” This is where the rubber meets the road folks! The answer given: You are Elijah; others say John the Baptist, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. It’s always been this way; Jesus as seen by the people is seen in so many different ways.

In Personal: “Who do you say I am?” Jesus wanted his followers to acknowledge who He really was to them. Could they see beyond His humanity into His Divinity? That beyond their master was their Messiah.

2. A CRUCIAL CONFESSION
 And when Peter answers here, he is not speaking simply for himself, but for all the disciples. His answer is very, specific. “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”

Jesus knew that Peter didn’t come to this conclusion on his own; it took a supernatural revelation from God, Himself. It takes an act of the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth. He knew it was time for deeper training of the disciples.
Christians need to know precisely who Jesus is according to the Scriptures. And why is this so? It’s because the church can rise no higher than the level of our confession of faith.

3. A CHANGE OF NAME
Jesus renames Simon and calls him Peter. Notice Jesus changed Peter’s name from Simon to Peter the rock. Name changes in the Bible always mark very significant events and big changes in relationship with God. The change of name signifies of change of relationship, a commitment to a new life.

4. A CHURCH IS BUILT
· The church is the only thing God ever had to buy.
God created everything else, but the church cost Him dearly! We are privileged beyond measure to be part of the Church of the Living God!
· The Church shall ever be strong, victorious and eternal for it is built on sure foundation, Jesus Christ. He is the foundation, the Founder, the Author and the Perfector of our faith!

Sunday Re Cap (16th Sept 2012)

RIVERS IN THE DESERT

Is 43:18-21

As we celebrate the beginning of the Jubilee, we may feel that our nation is headed to ruin, wasted, destroyed and beyond recovery. However, if we would look again, with eyes of faith, we would discover that GOD IS DOING A NEW THING!

A TRANSFORMATION IS OCCURING IN OUR DESERT. This text makes the claim that GOD IS MAKING WASTE INTO WATERS, RUINS INTO RIVERS AND DESERTS INTO DELIGHTS.

In the Hebrew Text, the verb translated as “Make” here really means “To Turn Something into Something Else.” So the Lord is not saying that He will make rivers in the desert, but that He will turn the desert into rivers. HE WILL TRANSFORM IT INTO SOMETHING ELSE!!!

I. The More Desolate Your Desert Is, The More God Will Do; For God Operates On The Basis Of Need.

If God is to do more, there must be a Greater Desert.

We will not trust God without Need. If there are no problems, deserts, needs, then there would be no cause for us to be dependent on God as the Supply in every situation. GOD WILL SUPPLY THE TOTAL FULFILLMENT TO EVERY NEED HE ALLOWS!!!

Our desert may or may not necessarily be of our own making. In either case, the Good News from the Lord is that He is the God of Second Chances. He is going to transform that desert into delight!

II. There Are At Least Three Implications Of God Turning Deserts Into Rivers.

1. The First Implication of Turning Deserts into Rivers is that of RENEWAL. To Renew is to Bring something back to its Former State or Condition.

2. The Second Implication of Turning Deserts into Rivers is that of REVIVAL. To Revive is to restore or put back what has been depleted or used.

3. The Third Implication of Turning the Wasteland into Streams is that of REJOICING.

THE LORD IS IN THE BUSINESS OF TRANSFORMATION!

LET HIM TRANSFORM OUR DESERTS INTO DELIGHT.

God is able to turn the desert into rivers!!! He is able to make our wilderness way more than manageable. He is able to transform our environment!

Let the RIVER flow in this nation! Jesus said as we believe in Him, Rivers of Living Waters shall flow from our bellies. Jn 7:37-39.

Sunday Re Cap (9th September 2012)

Enter By The Narrow Way

Matt 7:13-23

Intro: In this portion of scripture, Jesus taught about choices and consequences. Many times we make the mistake of believing that life is about choosing between the good or bad. Many things in life appear good but they lead to bad. As we get a deeper understanding of grace, we may get this inaccurate understanding that God’s grace which is Christ working in and through us may allow us to continue living in a sinful lifestyle. However we need to understand that the choice to sin will also mean reaping its consequences.

 

This is part of the first block of teaching in the gospel of Matthew known as the Sermon on the Mount. In chapter 5 Jesus lays down the moral basis of life in the kingdom of God. Citizens of the kingdom then and through the ages will:

• Seek to please God.
• Trust God completely to meet their material needs.
• Express trust in God in prayer.
• Act on and obey the words of Jesus.

 

It results in a lifestyle free from anxiety (6:19-34), just treatment of others (7:1-12) and obedience (7:13-27).

 

The warnings are as follows:

1. There is a wide and easy gate that leads to destruction and there is a narrow and hard gate that leads to life.
2. A healthy tree bears good fruit and a diseased tree will bear bad fruit. “We will recognize a tree by its fruit.”

1. V13-14:

• Here Jesus shows us the first of the choices we need to make and gives us the consequences. The first gate is wide and easy but it leads to destruction. The interesting thing is that there are many who find it and enter through it. It is the path travelled by the majority; or what we call in today’s language “the norm”. What are some of the norms today?
• We have a moral responsibility to God to teach our children to choose the narrow way that leads to LIFE!

2. V15-18

• The warning is against false teaching. What is this section really about? It’s got something to do with choices and consequences AGAIN! The right connection will lead us to fruitfulness and the wrong connection will lead us to destruction.
• We thank God and honor prophetic ministries but our trust must always be in the MOST PERFECT PROPHET who is CHRIST. We need to stop looking to prophets as fortune tellers but our reliance must always be the greatest PROPHECY of ALL; THE WORD OF GOD! When we make THAT choice, The CONSEQUENCES are ALWAYS GOOD!
• When THE GROUND is good; even bad seeds that fall into it cannot survive.
• Whether we understand or don’t, just disinfect our heart by reading THE WORD. Ask The Holy Spirit to help us by giving us discernment and revelation!

 

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Continued Next Week…

MEN OF DESTINY - Winning at Work & Home