The True Test of Discipleship | Elder Peng Hoe

You're listening to a message to go from at church.

We hope this message will light up your day.

Sermon on the mounta sermon on the Mound. I want

to go again. I want to go back to the message.

The Gospel of Matthew. I've said this before, is actually

a discipleship manual, because that's where the commission comes from,

the great commandment of going and making disciples of every nation,

tongue and try, the commandment in which we are supposed

to take it and make it our first priority as

Christians and as believers. And so there are so many

things in the Good News or the Gospel of Matthew

that we can learn from because Jesus talks about so

many things, okay, and it has his whole sermon in it, Okay.

One full sermon five chapter five to chapter seven is

known as the Sermon on the Mound. He covers so

much details in it that you know, I don't think

I will ever be able to do it in one setting.

I do one chapter in one setting, and so all

of your brain going to explode. But can you imagine

back then, he was just going He's just going for it.

He's just sharing and speaking, no mind, No, nothing, no

standing on the maybe maybe he was on an elevated point.

I think different ones have tried to study some archaeological

UH facts to see how is it that Jesus could

speak and so many could hear him the place in

which he chose. They say there was a very likelihood

that it could project. He could project his voice, and

then the voice could go far? And why, I mean,

are all these things but whatever it is, I know

it's nothing short of something supernatural and amazing that as

the Lord spoke and shed uh.

Someone wrote it.

Not just someone, Many people had accounts of the sermon uh.

And we are grateful today we have it on record.

Right.

If people didn't take notes back then, then we've got

no sermon, no Jesus semon.

In fact, we've got no Bible to begin with.

And so we are so grateful that people were listening

back then.

And No five to seven so much.

No, if you talk about chapter five, what was he

talking about chapter five? He was highlighting the character needed

to follow him. What are the character retistics that you need?

What kind of character that's where you get the be attitudes? No,

blessed are those who are like this blessed or are

those who are like this and you inherit this, and

you'll be like this, and you'll be like that. That

is the character that we need to take on. So

Jesus started off with that. Imagine just the be attitude,

so our brain can explode it because there's so much.

But they were listening to the entire message in one sitting,

I believe.

I don't think Jesus went on for days preaching.

He was just teaching and teaching, and teaching and teaching

covered everything. He also reminded the followers, whatever it is

if you want to follow me, you have to witness.

You have to be a witness. You cannot remain silent.

So in chapter five he highlights character, He highlights how

important it is to be a witness. In chapter six

he focused on our devotion as followers.

What do you need to be devoted to?

So he goes into it's very important for you to pray,

It's very important for you to fast, It's very important

for you to trust God. Your daily walk and your

daily devotion until the Lord must be reflected in the

actions and the things that you do. So chapter six

is talking about how do we live our lives for Jesus.

And then chapter seven, now the emphasis comes into this

place where he is talking about relationships with one another

and our obedience to him. Okay, relationships with one another

and our obedience to him. I know I'm speaking fast,

i know I'm trying to cover quite a fair bit.

But I'm just going to tea as the scriptures are

laid out, and so your can always go back and

refer to the scriptures again.

Is that gonna be okay? So chapter seven is about this.

No, it's about doing what is right, doing what is

right again, relationships with one another, and obeying God.

It's not about performance.

Sometimes we think our Christian calling is all about performance.

God give us a KPI, and you're supposed to meet

the KPI. We just need to make sure that we perform.

But God is talking about the transform heart. He's not

talking about how well you're performing. He's saying that if

your heart is transformed, then you will live, and you

will love God and you will love arthers. So no

point trying to pretend to love God and love others.

But if your heart is transformed, you will automatically love

God and love others. And so Jesus actually calls his

followers to live differently. He's calling them essentially to live

the values of his kingdom in every area of his life.

So the Sermon on the Mound, Jesus is telling people generally,

this is how you are to be citizens of my kingdom.

He started talking the whole Gospel of Matthew. You see

the word kingdom of God or is the kingdom of Heaven.

I can't remember which reference is in Mathew, but you see,

I think you know a God or kingdom of Heaven,

repeated over and over again. For some of us, we'll

be like, what's he talking about his kingdom come ready

or not? Or his kingdom not yet come? Or his

kingdom is coming soon. I believe his kingdom has already

been established, and one day it will be fully established. Okay,

So we are all subjects of his kingdom, which means

that he is king.

Okay.

His kingdom is not so much just one of territory.

It is, and he will eventually be even clearer in

terms of his demarcation, because one day there will be

a new heaven and a new Earth, and all this

will be fully and firmly established. But right now Jesus

has already come, He has already begun the world, He

has already been inaugurated. His kingdom is not something that

is far far away in the land that he is

so completely detached from his people. Know, Jesus is the

only God that can claims that I truly understand what

you have gone through, because no other God can say

that I feel you, I know what you have gone through,

I know what pain and suffering is. And if we

think that we worship a God that is completely aloof

and a part and so this oriented from us and

so detached from us, that's not true, because we worship

a God who actually has gone through every single thing

you can.

Possibly go through in life.

Disappointment, Yes, he's gone through pain, suffering, Yes he's gone

through death and she none of us can say, can

claim that we went through right, but he has and

he has still overcome that.

Amen.

And so Matthew seven is basically the test of true discipleship.

The teachings is really ultimately for us to reflect and

look at it as the test of what a disciple

really is. And the test of true discipleship is marked

by a heart that accepts God's values and follows God's ways.

So you have to.

Accept Jesus' sermon he's teaching, and then not just accept

because a lot of us can accept and pay leap service. Okay, okay, okay,

got it God, it just means God it until you like, hey,

I'm not I'm going to do it is a whole

different thing. A lot of us can get it, but

a lot of us don't do it. But now if

we're reading his sermon, we got to not just get it,

we have to do it as well. We have to

follow his ways. God's values and ways. His actions are consistent.

He doesn't do anything that is uncharacteristic, he doesn't go

anything that's against his character. And so a follower of

Christ requires inward transformation, not just outward appearance. You know,

there's enough here for us to sort of make ourselves

look Christian because we sort of know. Okay, we do,

but that's not what the focus is on. It's not

about how we're going to make ourselves look good on

the outside, because ultimately that is what Hippocrates do. A hypocrate,

the word hippocrate just means an actor. We are just acting,

We are not truly behaving in a way that we

believe we should be. They're just acting, so don't be.

Hypocrates is the reminder here as well, don't just act out,

but live out, and so obedience to Jesus becomes the

foundation of a life that really endails for us to

continue to be faithful. Okay, this is sound the general world, teams,

because when I start going into what Jesus said, uh,

it's going to look like it's everywhere here, there, everywhere.

Okay, but just stay with me.

Okay, I'm just gonna I'm going to teach it as

the word is presented. Because again, remember scriptures never had

chapters and versus. Okay, it is what you see. This

is the entire sermon. Okay, it wasn't supposed to be

broken down. But sometimes an entire sermon may not have

the flow that we like. Sometimes we like, why don't flow?

I must flow properly. You know, if you talk about

one thing, stick to that one thing. Don't suddenly change

topic a Lord, change topic here. But it's okay, we

will cover all the change topic all comes back together

and hallelujah, praise God. Right, that's what the whole Bible,

the whole Bible just tells you be good.

Hallelujah, praise God. Okay, be good.

Let's go into the first verse of chapter seven.

Are we there? Are we? Okay? Okay?

Reading from the NLT, and it starts off like this,

do not judge others. Huh okay, Let's see what he says, sir.

It says this, do not judge others, and you will

not be judge, or you will be treated as you

treat others. The standard you use in judging is the

standard by which you will be judge. And why worry

about a spect in your friend's eye when you have

a lock in your own? Actually, this is Jesus telling

a joke. If you all don't get it, it's supposed

to be quite funny. One as he says this, how

can you think of saying to your friend, let me

help you get rid of that spec in your eye

when you can't see past the log in your own eye.

Hippocrate, First, get rid of the log in your own eye.

Then you will see well enough to deal with the

spect in your friend's eye. Don't waste what is holy

on people who are unholy. Don't throw your pulse to picks.

They will trample the pulse then turn and attack you. Wow, okay,

as we read it, so all scratch, Hey, what's he

trying to say? So the question is this, do not judge? Okay,

do not judge? Does this mean? Does this mean that

we can never exist? That mean one another's life, that

you must never come to a conclusion about another, because

anything like that is judging. Ever thought about it? What

does do not judge mean? Do we believe that there

is actually judgment even within society? Do you believe that judgment?

I'm a trained lawyer, and one of the arms of

the nation is the judiciary, which is there to judge.

And so if you think about it in society, it

is actually God's will that there is judgment. Romans chapter

thirteen is actually a good example.

It's a classic passage on this.

Everyone must submit to governing authorities, for all authority comes

from God, and those in position of authority have been

placed there by God.

That's what the scripture actually tells us.

I'm not going to go into a teaching of Romans

Chapter thirteen is actually very fascinating. Maybe one day I'll

do it, but suffice to say, that's what the scripture says.

And so the main purpose of a minister of the

state is to control, is to restrain, and is to

punish evil doers.

All those are actually a form of judgment.

Is judging, and so things have changed nowadays because a

lot of times when we think about government, we have

switched our thinking from a government that is out to

promote justice to a government that is supposed to promote welfare.

Times have changed. You think about governments of the older,

it's all about justice. A you you mester that means

you meet the guilitiny gullittin is rush.

But now it's different.

Now it's all about welfare, not how we think primarily

of them as ones who government. You're supposed to give

me money, You're almost to help me, you almost make

me more happy. You are supposed to be there, make

sure that you you don't do anything else, but make

sure that my welfare is taken care of. That's how

we view governments right now, and that's why we exercise

the vote based on that. But if you do that,

you will overlook the fact that governments are actually primarily

there to control evil, to restrain, and to punish those

who are evil, and basically to seek to neutralize sin.

In society. Really, what do you think laws are there for?

How do you neutralize sin in society? Basically you throw

them into prisoner. That's why there's a prison system. It's

a rehabilitative system helping people to change their ways, to

repent and to become better. And so if God had

not appointed and allow for governments, police officers, justice systems,

can you imagine how society will be?

Like, you'll be free for all? Right?

Basically things will become bonkers or just go hey wire.

So one way of looking at it is the state

is a channel of God's wrath and anger and his righteousness.

If you think about God as a god who is just, basically,

he'll be a God who will again reward those who

do what is right and punish those who do what

is wrong. So the government is like they are God's ministers,

the minister in the cabinet.

Okay, think of it. There's a difference.

There's a difference between a cabinet minister and a church minister,

but they both have quite similar functions of portraying who

God is. Because cabinet ministers are ministers of God to

restrain evil by force, and they are basically a channel

of God's wrath and righteousness. The church minister, hey, which

is me, basically is the minister of God to promote

good by love. Basically, we are the channel of God's grace.

Different function, different office, but both equally important. Therefore, it

will actually be wrong for a minister of the state

to impose the gospel by force. That's why it's not

right if the government goes out and tries to impose

God's grace by force. Amasa, all of you all must

be Christian. Media government does that, you'll behave wire. Just

like it is also not right for the minister of

the church to go and restrain evil by force. I

don't do like, Hey, you sinner, straight away, I restrain you,

I throw you out.

You know, we don't do that.

We always as minister of the church, we promote God's grace.

The state promotes God's justice. Both are ordained by God.

So there is some level of judgment.

Of course.

The next question that we were asked is is that

judgment in the church really If you study Corinthians first

Corinthians Chapter five us to have actually state something like this.

You are not to judge outside this, but you are

to judge those in the church. If there is someone

who is not living in a court to the gospel,

the person should be out of the fellowship until there

is repentance. Actually quite strong, and we don't use terms

like this nowadays. Ex communication. I never hear of ex communication.

Right back in the older days of the church. You

do you keep doing what is wrong, the church can

actually come together and basically ostracize you completely.

The means ask you to leave the fellowship.

We don't do things like this because now this you'll

just leave freely by bye, I go to the other

church down the road. But back then, No, once they

are in a church, they stay until they do something so.

Wrong that the church has to judge.

And then why suntiss You have the scriptures that say

that no, if you keep reminding them and they keep

doing what is wrong, there eventually you just have to

submit the person to the Holy Spirit. For the Holy

Spirit to deal with a person stronger. But is there

judgment even within the church? There actually is? So what

does this scripture mean when it says do not judge?

Ever thought about it?

I know I ran around about way to explain this,

but do not judge just means this we are not

to make ourselves the judge, but technically we are to

be the jury. You know what the difference between the

judge and the jury is. Anyone knows. We don't have

a jury system in Malaysia, no longer. Once upon a

time we used to have. I think some nations still

have juries in their legal system. But basically, what a

jury does is a jury examines. The jury is not

out to condemn and sentence on. The jury is there

to examine, examine. Where else, the word judge actually means

to condemn, to write off, to sentence. It does not

mean to try or to weigh out or to balance things.

That's what a jury does. A jury takes in all

examines and then weighs it out, balance it out. Therefore,

judging actually refers to a critical attitude of always writing

people off.

That is what judging is.

That means you look at a person motaka and you'll say,

cannot say go one case. That is actually judging a

very critical attitude, and that is not a Christian value.

It definitely does not mean that we are to never

examine and assess another person. If it is the case,

then the Lord will contradict himself in the next few

verses because the next few verses he talks about throwing

pulls to the swine. The next few cases verses he

talks about beware of the false prophets.

How do you determine if it's a false prophet?

It's almost like having to judge, and he tells you

to still do it. How are we to be careful

of false prophets if you are never to examine and

assess another person's life, So we need to be ready

to exercise discern But it does refer to the attitude

of condemning everyone. That is the part that Jesus is

trying to teach us. Okay, that part you shouldn't do

because if you are to not access, assess, and examine

a Basically, I can't even write reference letters for people

because I have to be a judge of a person's

character when I'm writing reference letters. Right, anyone ever wrote

written a referral, You have to, I mean, unless your

whole referral is all lies on a it's not a

very good everything very good, very very very good.

Not good, so you say good.

No, Usually I write quite honest reference letters on like

whatever strengths weaknesses.

You have to put it in.

I think it's only being fair with other employers as well.

Amen.

So what Jesus is talking about is condemning. It means

that you have decided that this person is beyond redemption

that we shouldn't do If you think like I said,

I cannot say one beyond redemption. This players hop bliss

no matter why, we can't do anything with him. So

better not to do anything at all. Only God has

the right to do that, not us. And you see,

one of the most frightening things that Jesus ever says

is actually right here. He says, with what measure you judge,

you will be judge oh strong. In other words, on

judgment Day, when you stand before Jesus as our judge,

all Jesus has to do is play back some video recordings.

I'm sure there's some nice video recordings. And then it's

not your faults. No, he'll be playing. He'll be playing

all the faults that you found in someone else, and

then he will judge you based on that. I don't

know whether any of us can stand before God if

that is how he's going to judge, because all of

us has have condemned other people in our hearts. In

our minds, not like cannot says lost cause, lost cause.

So we've got to be very careful not to write

people off. Instead help each other to remain in Christ.

Because Jesus is still now our savior. The first coming,

he comes in the function of a savior to save

sick and save those who are lost. He will return

again in a different role and a different function to

judge us, but right now is to sek and save

those who are lost. So in other words, we are

to share the gospel and share it with everyone, how

many of us. Sometimes you look at the person you're like,

dot need to share the gospel to this one, this

one lost cause.

I have been like that as well.

I used to think my dad or impossible and impossible

this one if if my dad become Christian means or

I don't know, Jesus come back.

Jesus come back here. So it was almost like no.

Point, no point trying to leave it right in front

of him because he's so against So I mean the

Lord had to teach me as well that don't write

a person of because sometimes we look at societies, we

look at certain people, we look maybe you look at

a group of people and like this one is impossible

for them to ever be safe and cannot Everything is

against them, everything's tacked up against them. So our partner,

don't bother a lost cause, lost course, let's move on.

No until unless you truly examine the situation. Because there

will be times, definitely when you keep sharing, and you

keep sharing and a person just rejects, and then, of

course the scripture actually.

Does say then you does off and you move on.

You just have tous off and move on. So our

role is to share. Our responsibility is to share the

good news.

Our responsibility is not for people to respond to the

good news, but we still need to share a lot

of times we come to this place where we don't

even bother to share, because again we have judge. We

have written a group of persons people of oh this

this relative canno and this relative kung fu shouling mon

no point gone, No, don't ever give up, don't ever stop,

because we need to share the gospel until and unless

they refuse to listen, and they make it very clear.

So this is the test of the first test of

what true discipleship is.

Are we practicing humility, humility in a way where we

will continue to share God's word no matter how challenging,

how difficult it is, or how impossible we think of

it in our mind. Or will we just pretend to

be good Christians? That is the hypocritical life in which

we will and we can find ourselves living and see.

Jesus is the most humble and the most genuine person

you can ever find, because he never put up an egg.

And he says this, if you desire to follow me,

then I want to grant the desires of your heart.

And this is when he moves on to the next part,

because he says, this is how you must express your

desire to me. Okay, And he goes on in verse

seven to say this, this is still part of the

Sermon on the Mountain. No, he just continues from judging,

and then he says this, keep on asking and you

will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking and

you're fine. Keep on knocking and the door will be

open to you. For everyone who asks receives, everyone who

seeks fines, and to everyone who knocks, the door will

be opened. Your parents, if your children ask for a

loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead?

Or if they ask for a fish. Do you give

them a snake? Of course not so.

If you sinful people know how to give good gifts

to your children, how much more will you, heavenly father.

Your heavenly Father gives good gifts to those who ask him.

He moves on to this.

Basically, the principle here is persistence in prayer, because the

literal translation, and I have thought this before, the literal

translation is go on asking and you will received. Go

on seeking and you will fine, and it will be

open to you. In Luke chapter eighteen we see a

parable in there which talks about persistent prayers. We've ever

heard of the parable of the persistent widow? Heard of

the parable of the persistent widow? You can reference it

in Luke chapter eighteen. Basically, there was a judge, and

the scripture says that he is an unjudged judge, whether

the English very good or not, but unjudged something like that,

unjust judge.

Sorry, yeah, basically a bit naughty like this judge.

So he was sleeping, okay, and then came this persistent

widow and now you know, banging on his dog no no,

nong nong until he drove him crazy.

And then eventually what you do.

He gave in to her constant requests because she was

there just persistently.

Nagging him.

You see, an even unjust judge responded to persistence. How

much more will a generous God respond to those who

go on us? King ever thought about it? Basically, God

responds to persistent nagging. But do you truly do you

truly ask him? Do you truly seek him? Do you

truly knock on the doors of his heart? Are you

truly responding to him? Because He will respond to you.

And that's why the comparison is this.

No, parents, as evil as you are, so you will

try your best to give your children good things. And

all of us as parents, none of us can say

that I'm good, I'm a good parent, the one very

bold statement to make I'm awesome. No, my daughter will

be like, yeah, right, all right. But evil parents know

how to give or at least try to give our

best to our kids. What more a good God? What

do you think a good God will do? But there

is a part for us play. If we really desire

for something, we got to really ask, really sick, and

really knock at the doors of heaven.

Amen.

And then now Jesus again done there's nothing more I

need to explain.

He moves on.

Now he talks about the golden rule, revolutionary golden rule.

And it's a simple, simple rule. He says, this, do

to others whatever you would like them to do to you.

This is the essence of all that is taught in

the law and the prophet's war. It's part of his sermon.

Or we can take this one line and make it

into ten sermon's way. He just say yes, it is

palm after he actually moved on, and so, but you see,

by nature, we always think negatively about our responsibility to manual.

Usually the statement that comes to our mind is a hey,

I've never done anyone any harm, and so other people

so shouldn't do me any harm. Now, I have never

done anyone any harm. A lot, this whole golden rule.

You actually see in a lot of other religions to

talk about it in one way or the other. But

many of them, either philosophies or religions or understanding, they

talk about it in the negative. In the negative is

I have never done you any harm. I have never

done you any harm, and therefore don't do any harm

to me. So it's usually in the negative is don't

do what you don't wish to be done to you.

But the reality is, our Lord is interested in what

we have done that is good. He's not interested in

what you have not done. He has changed the emphasis

what you have done and the good things that you

have done. Whether we have positively loved God or whether

we have positively loved one another, that is the emphasis.

And so the law and the prophets taught this, love

your neighbor as yourself. It is all in the positive.

It is actually a reminder that we naturally we think

of ourselves. I have never done anyone any harm. The

focus is actually not on other people. The focus is

on me, not doing anyone any harm. But that's how

we usually think, because we think about us. Where else

God is saying do and to others. God is teaching us.

Jesus is teaching us to look beyond ourselves. He's teaching

us to look at other people. He wants us to

treat other people, not based on what we like, but

based on what is loving and right. It's a whole

different emphasis and a whole different focus. If you study

and you sit down and meditate on this golden rule.

But it is powerful because the Golden Rule actually helps

us obey God and grow in empathy. And a lot

of times when I say I've never done anyone any harm,

I'm actually focusing on myself.

I'm a good person.

But if it's do untol is what you want them

to do to you is focusing on other people's helping

you to identify with other people. And that's what God

constantly wants us to do, not just think of ourselves,

love Him and love one another.

Does it make sense the Golden rule? Okay? Now then

he moves on again. I'm moving on like how the

scripture is moving.

I'm not trying to mess with your minds and like

teach you too many things, but I'm just gonna say

it as it is.

Okay.

Now he comes to this place where he's saying the

mystics we can make in discipleship. Okay, he's gonna start

talking about some of the mystics that we can make.

Because the sermon actually ends and he draws it to

an end, and it ends with three serious warnings and

also an appeal to make the right choice. That's what

every test is there for auma. You have to make choices.

One MCQ is the way we live our lives. Actually,

every day God multiple choice questions.

Do I do this, do I do that? Or do

I do that?

Then we've got to figure out. But the appeal is

make the right choice. How to make the right choice? Mastadila, right? Okay,

let's study a So he is highlighting the mystics that

we can make in disciple ship. And this is where

he actually starts to preach and teach about two roads,

two trees, and two houses.

Okay, I'm not making this up. Is in the scripture.

Okay, let's read about two roads, two trees, and two houses,

verse the thin. Everyone still with me? Yeah, I still

go half an hour? Okay, let's do this. You can

enter God's kingdom only through the narrow gain. The highway

to Hell is broad who and its gate is white

for the many who choose that way. But the gateway

to life is very narrow, and the road is difficult,

and only a few ever find it.

So sa verse fifteen.

Beware of false prophets who come disguise as harmless sheep

but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by

their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can

you pick grapes from thorn bushes or fix from thistles.

A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree

produces bad fruit. A good tree can't produce bad fruit,

and a bad tree can't produce good fruit. So every

tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down

and thrown into the fire.

Very strong.

Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit,

so you can identify people by their actions. Not everyone

who calls out to me, Lord will enter the Kingdom

of heaven. Only those who actually do the will of

my father in heaven will enter on judgment day. Many

will say to me, Lord, we prophesie in your name,

and cast out demons in your name, and perform many

miracles in your name. But I will reply, I never

knew you. Get away from me, you who break God's

laws Verse twenty four. Anyone who listens to my teaching

and follows it is wise like a person who builds

a house on solid rock. Though the ring come in torrents,

and the floodwaters rise, and the winds beat against that house,

it won't collapse because it is built on bait rock.

But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn't obey it

is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand.

When the rains and floods come and the winds beat

against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were

amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority,

quite unlike their teachers of religious law. The Lord blestered

reading of his word. So this is the first warning.

Jesus says that if you compare the roads again, two roads, right,

he was talking about two roads. He say, if you

compare the roads are you will make the wrong decision

because you will look at the road that leads to

destruction and hell. And he tells you that the road

is very nice and white, and that is the truth. Ah,

the road there you go. So basically this road. Now

you can take a luggage to you and no can

take so white man can can drag more things. You

can take a lot of all your ideas, any ideas

you have bring along, no problem.

You can stroll.

No steep hills, no sharp bands, nice smooth, wide road.

It's an easy road to take. In fact, if you

want a road with a lot of company, a lot

of people. That's the road to take, the nice and

white one, because it says more people will be on

that road if you want the world we rich people,

clever people, rational people, eloquent people, happy people, good people,

or so anyone.

Most of them are on that road.

The wide road, the other road that leads to heaven,

is not a very attractive road. It is narrow that

you have got to live behind a lot of things,

predominantly your sin. Can I bring your sin along? Can

I bring all your ideas, all your ways of life?

Cannot bring along? Have to leave it behind, And sometimes

you may find yourself leaving behind your friends, your family.

Do you want to try and bring all of them

with you? And that is our sincere desire as believers

bring everyone along. That road not the easiest road to travel,

but that is where we know we have to go.

But you will have to leave behind a lot of

your ideas and your concepts. It's like remember Abraham. Abraham

had to make some choices in life. At the start

of it, he was living in a comfortable place. I

can't remember where it's Abraham from. Suddenly the name Abraham

of something. He was in a particular place where actually

it was very, very moderan. It had house with heating.

It was a nice place. And then the Lord called

him out, Now leave your nice comfortable house and then

follow me from something that is certain, something that is comfortable,

to something that is uncertain. And what the Abraham do?

He chose the unknown instead of the comfort of the

known comforts. And then same thing Abraham again and Lot.

Remember Abraham and Lot had the choice to make. I

love watching the vegetails cartoon that depicts this. I don't know,

you'll watch vegetails. Okay, vegetails.

How do you do?

Prace got vegetails is awesome? All y'all never watched, okay,

my era vegetails. Of course, Lot and Abraham had to

choose the land. And Abraham saw the land, and man,

the land was so promising. And then Lord also saw

the promising land. And of course Lord chose the promising land.

But then Abraham had to choose the promise land, which

didn't look very promising. Lord chose the promising land, Abraham

chose the promise land. It's a big difference. But the

promising land was everything was it was fertile, everything was growing.

I remember that the cartoon was depicting everything growing, and

then Lot was like, I want this land, and then

Abraham's wanted all dark valley shadow, but eventually he chose

that because that was the promise land. Eventually, eventually that

he was hating the direction of the promise left. So

it's actually hard to be a Christian. The entrance fee

is nothing, but the annual subscription is everything. Do you

realize that our Christian walk no entrance fee, in free

God's grace by annual subscription. How we live our lives

is everything. We've got to continue to do what is right,

and that is why this road sometimes is empty. You

may be the only Christian in the place of your work,

any of your You're the only Believer in your workplace

or at least your department. Sometimes it's quiet, it's lonely.

You may be the only person, only Christian, only believer

in your classroom. Many of us can understand or have

gone through there, because it is a lonely road that

we must face. Not everyone is on it, but you

have Christ. You may have Christ, but you don't have

a lot of other people with you, so you've always

be in the minority. And Christians sometimes are very lonely,

but it is the only religion. You think about it,

we can't be born Christians one. If not, the road

will be a lot of people on it. Right, if

you're all born Christian Christians, then then really, really I

got nothing to do.

I don't have to share it or not.

Just make sure that everyone is born Christian, which actually

some religions do that to enlarge the population, but that

is not the Christian faith.

The Christian faith.

Always tells every child that you got to believe. Doesn't

matter where you come from, but you got to believe.

And that is the difference. And so the difference is

in the destination. One leads to destruction, one leads to life.

So Christianity is the way to life as well as

the way of life.

We need that.

It's not going to be easy, and that's what Jesus

is trying to say. If you, if you just look

at the roads, you make the wrong choice.

Be careful. What is it that how is it you

are perceiving and how is it you are looking at

the road? Be careful?

Okay, Then he comes to the second danger, which is

not making the wrong road choice, but he's making the

wrong choosing the wrong guide. Okay, I'll explain why I

say this, because you need guides along this journey, someone

who will guide you to the right path. And this

is where he's talking about two trees. Hey, just now

he talks about two roads. Now he talks about two trees.

And so from the very beginning of God's revelation of

his word to man, there has always been those who

claim to reveal his word profits and of course profits.

You have the real prophets, and you have the false prophets.

And now the law is actually warning people about the

false prophets. He's warning people about those who will guide

them false prophets. You want to identify them, the Scripture

is saying, it's not easy, actually very difficult to identify

because their teaching seems right. One, they say nice things.

They talk about peace. They talk about peace when there

is no peace. Straight away you're like, oh, I need that.

They talk about heaven, but they don't really talk about hell.

They talk about God being someone who is very merciful,

full of pardon, but they don't talk about him who

punishes people.

They talk about his mercy, but they don't talk about

his justice.

So usually false prophets are not someone who tells you

an outright lie, it's actually someone who tells you half

the truth, and that is what makes the person a

false prophet. You think about it, half a truth is

not the whole truth, and that is what is more

difficult to spot. To spot the full truth from half truth,

and it requires very careful analysis. That's why the scripture

here says you must examine, don't judge, but you must examine.

You must wait out.

And furthermore, you cannot tell from his appearance one because

in Revelations we know that the devil will come as

an angel of like wah, how to tell the different

angel of light?

No, if you are not discerning enough. Everyone is telling

the truth.

All things are truth, which is not true, which is

how the world is living today.

Everything is true if it's true for you, it's.

True, for it's true in your world, okay, and it's

true for everyone cannot be.

We actually have truth, and it's the truth that will

set us free. Amen.

The Antichrist will have the appearance of a lamb. That's

why it's stated in revelations. So how do you tell

the difference, Because it's very easy to be misled by

someone who is apparently a very caring person, someone who

is nice, someone who could even look so Christian in appearance.

But the fact that he doesn't tell the full truth,

it is essentially perverting the truth and leading people astray.

I say that for myself as well. Don't think what

I have to say as the food truth. Please again,

you must study it for yourself, very very, very important,

because the false prophet can do wonders and signs or no.

But the power is in the prophet. He's drawing people

to him. That's what a false prophet does. A true

prophet always draws people to God. That's how you actually

tell the difference between who is counterfeit and who is real.

That's how we discern. So the real test of a

prophet is actually the the fruit he bears. You must

study the fruit in the prophet's life, in his own

character is the fruit. So you have to see this

one the fruit of the spirit. No, it's not fruits,

it's fruit with nine characteristics. I'm trying to imagine. If

there is any fruit that you bite one time, you

can taste all the different flavors love, joy, pees, goodness, gentleness.

But this is the fruit, and this is the fruit

in which it will be evident in the prophet's life.

So you must examine, you must test.

The fruit is not just the sign is not just

in the fruit of the spirit.

It's also when it comes to other people's lives. It's

in how he attaches people to the Lord and to

the Church. Because a false prophet always draws people to himself. Come,

my ministry, My ministry is powerful. No, but a true

prophet always directs people to God and his people.

Amen.

So this is the test in which we need to

take and embark on. And it requires us to examine,

not to judge, but to assess and examine. And therefore

the question is does he leave people nearer to the

Lord and more dependent on the Lord? Or does he

simply attract his own followers and friends to depend on him.

We have to ask ourselves that question. Two trees is

the warning that Jesus talks about how we determine who

the guide is.

Amen.

And then finally the sermon ends with the illustration of

how houses are built. Two houses. Two houses basically is

to determine the choices that we will make. So Jesus

is teaching us that when you listen to preaching. You

are building something as you listen. This is me sharing

teaching preaching. You're building something. You can enjoy the sermon

some words are We're like, oh so good a sermon

power so much truth to it. But then you can

go away and do nothing about it. Then you have

built a structure that looks all right on the surface,

but when crisis hits, it will shake. So what do

we do with preaching, What do we do with sermons

that we hear. We must make sure that it has

a firm foundation.

That is what it's saying. If you build your house

on sand, it will shake.

If you dig deep, that means that you listen to

the word of God, you listen to a sermon, and

then you go away and you do something about it.

It's hard work, it requires effort. It requires you to

dig deep. But the deeper you go you will find

the bait rock. And the bait rock is the hardest,

most solid rock in the ground that allows you to

build something and not shake. And that is what God

really is like. So if you keep praying, just keep praying,

even if God is silent, that is you digging deep.

You know how difficult it is to do that. I

pray and pray and pray. I know some people who

pray for years for their family members who have yet

to respond to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Keep praying,

keep praying is my encouragement. Sometimes we read God's word

and doesn't make sense. God, I don't understand the England

very powerful. Then just finding in a language that works

for you. But we keep reading. We have to keep reading.

That means whether it makes sense or not, we believe

that that is the truth. And really it made sense

for fishermen. I'm quite sure it will make sense for us.

But don't give up reading it. We got to keep

on reading it no matter how challenging our life is.

We've got to keep on doing it. Then your Christian

life will stand firm because regardless of the crisis that

you may be facing, you believe and you keep on believing.

Amen.

That is what the Scripture is saying, the two houses,

where is it built on? How do we build our

faith and how do we build our Christian life? Because

this is the test of true discipleship before God. You

listen to his word and you do something about it.

Amen.

So in relation with others, the scripture says be concerned

for your enemies and refrain from writing people off. So

don't write people off, don't judge them. And our life

is to bear fruit that comes from having roots and

having foundation on the rock. We've got to dig deep.

And you know, every sermon and this is Jesus' sermon

on the mound. Every sermon is a mirror sometimes to

show our true self. When we listen to a sermon,

when we read a sermon, we are actually looking at

ourselves and like, oh, got a lot of things that

I need to work on.

It puts you in a dilemma.

And I think a good sermon will put you in

a bit of a dilemma because all of us are

naturally have a propensity towards doing something that is not right.

And so when I read through the life and the

teaching of Christ, I know what is right. I know

it is the truth. I know that is the way.

I know that is the life. But I just cannot

do it ever feel like that all of us have

had we know it, we know it is all here.

It makes sense.

That is why all of us need a savior and

a lot because we are crying out. Essentially, God rescue

me rescue me, Save me. S os Is saved our souls,

save me. He can only live like this when Christ

forgives our sins, begins his work in our heart, and

then begins to live his life in our life. But

we got to allow him to do that. All the

good things we have read in this passage is so

far it's true. For Jesus, do you realize that? Do

you realize that when the people spat on him, the

people whipped him, the people mocked him, the people laughed

at him, the people nail him to a block of wood.

What was his respond? He said, Father, forgive them, for

they know not what they do.

Jesus didn't even write them off when actually, if it

was me, I think I would have called all Heaven's

fire on the people, speed on me too much, nail

me to the crow. I would have judged them on

the spot. But again, he's first coming. He came to

sick and save those who are lost. He came as

a savior, and that's why he could actually say, is

this even he did not judge at that point. It

wasn't his time to judge. That's why he says, Father,

forgive them because they don't know what they do. Not

too long after that we see an example in the

amazing Martyr by the name of Stephen, same thing the

first Christian matter. As he briefed his last he is

essentially telling God, God, forgive them as well. They don't

know what they are doing. It is possible to live

like this, but not possible to live by it yourself.

Because I believe Stephen really had all of Jesus in

him to be able to say and do the exact

same thing that Jesus did. Instead of judging them, instead

of hating those people who were stoning him, he could

actually say, Father, forgive them, for they don't know what

they are doing as well. Jesus is the sermon on

the mind. Remember that, because he preached not just as

one who had authority. He was the Word of God

and he lived it. And I'm going to invite the band.

I'm done, so I want to encourage us, you know,

if he there's anything anything that you can take home.

I know it's a lot of things that I covered today,

but I can't. I can't think of emphasizing more on

being persistent and consistent in our lives. We need to

do this, really, if it's anything daily. Read your Bible daily,

pray every day. Don't even go one day without doing that.

I want to encourage us. This is the part in

which I want to encourage all of us.

Here.

If there's anything that you can take back, take this

home with you. Read your Bible, pray every day. Doesn't

matter how challenging life is, doesn't matter whether it makes

sense or not, because sometimes we are trying to make

sense of things. Sometimes we are like God, is it

really worded?

No? I spend so many hours reading your word and

nothing is happening.

No.

I believe if you keep on reading God's word, it

will enlighten.

You, because it says in the Scripture your word lightens

our path, helps make things clear. It's not a word

that is arbitrary. It's not a word that it doesn't

make sense. It's a word that makes perfect sense.

But you got to read it.

You cannot straight away disqualifying, just like praying, don't disqualify

it because a lot of times we always you've got

some sort of a kpi. God, Your kpi in answering

prayer is not so good. Not so good every time

my prayer silence. No, like talking to the wall. God,

are you here? Are you there? Are you listening? But

you see God? I mean, this is the test of discipleship. Really,

Can we keep on praying even though it doesn't make

sense to pray anymore in our hates? Can we keep

on reading the Bible even though we may not fully

understand it?

It's the test. What is our choice today? And I

know the scriptures are clear.

It's telling us to be persistent, go on asking, go

on seeking, go on knocking. No, That's why it says

Jesus is the pioneer and the perfector of our faith.

That means he's there at the start. He is also

there at the end.

He sets you off with a pistol, okay on your mound,

gets set pound go, and then he's there at the

end to welcome you when you finished. He's the author

and the finisher. He wants to see it out in

our lives, not just live for the start and for

that moment. No, a glorious start means nothing. What's more

important is the glorious end. And we need to remember

Jesus is the pioneer and the perfector. And who is

it that cheers us on the cloud of witness? Is

that that's why we are all each other's cheerleaders. And

those who have gone before us, hallelujah, Praise God, rest

their souls. They are also cheering you on because they

can't finish the race. No, Hebrews says, they can't finish

it completely until you finish yours, because one day we

will all be together in paradise. But they are cheering

and rooting for all of us. That's why it's love

God and love one another. Because we are here. God

is cheering you on. Believers are cheering you on as well.

Together as a fellowship and as a family, we are saying,

let's continue to live out the way that Jesus wants

us to live in his sermon.

We hope you've been blessed by this message. For more

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for you. God bless