Are you a joyful disciple? | Eld Rosalind Ang

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Philippians, Chapter one. I gave you the context. Ready, right, Okay?

Are you there?

Philippi and chapter one? Okay, I'm reading from the NLT version.

I don't know whether Daniel, you're able to project, but

it's okay if you don't write so NLT.

Philippians Chapter one. This letter is from Paul and Timothy.

So it's a letter from a father and a spiritual son.

Slaves of Jesus Christ. Wow, slaves, that's how they call themselves.

Do you consider yourself a slave?

No? We call us as servants. But slave is too much.

You mean you want me to be slave? Do you

wash your toilet every day? Okay? This is a position,

he says.

Is I am writing to all of God's holy people?

Wow? All you know?

In other versions, he says, the saints of God. So

can I turn to your neighbor and say hello, saint? Yes,

and that is who you are. If you are a

believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you are a saint

because that's your identity in God. Amazing right, wowes off

to a very good start. Okay, I'm writing to all

of God's holy people or saints in Philippi who belong

to Christ Jesus, including the elders and the deacons. So leaders,

this is for you as well. May God, our Father

and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and grace

and peace. Do you know that when I was in Nepal, right,

one of the greetings that they have for us is

grace and peace nice. Right, instead of just saying hey,

good morning, straightway, grace and peace nice?

I like that.

Grace and peace according to scripture. Right, God, grace and

peace be upon you. Okay, let's move on verse three.

Every time I think of you, So this is Paul

writing to the church in Philippi.

Every time I think of you, I give thanks to

my God. Wow.

Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of

you with joy, for you have been my partners in

spreading the good news about Christ from the time you

first heard it until now. And I am certain that God,

who began the good work within you, will continue his

work until it is finally finished on the day when

Christ Jesus returns.

Amen. Amen, Let's continue on.

So it is right that I should feel as I

do about all of you.

For you have a special place in my heart.

Wow, you share with me the special favor of God,

both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the

truth of the good News. God knows how much I

love you and long for you with the tender compassion

of Christ. Jesus, I pray that your love will overflow

more and more, and that you keep on growing in

knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what

really matters.

Church.

Listen, am, what really matters, so that you may live

pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ's return.

May you always be filled.

With the fruit of your salvation, the righteous character produced

in your life by Jesus Christ.

For this will bring much glory and praise to God. Amen.

Amen, I want to stop there for a bit and

unpack that a little bit now. Can you see that.

This letter is full of the good stuff right, all

the positive feelings.

There is so much thankfulness and I love how elther

terans let us in our prayer for Malais, let's come

with thanksgiving.

In our hearts. Are you thankful this morning? What are

you thankful for? Name it? One by one?

Because there's so much to be thankful for. So my

title for this message is this. You know, are you

a joyful disciple?

Because we can.

Go around being the most papia faced disciple anyone can see, and.

That is not God's heart at all. Are you joyful

or not? Is there a spring in your step this morning? Right?

Are you? Are you all flowing with the joy of

God this morning? The first song that we sang and

I think it.

Was really led by the Lord. Joy of the Lord

is my strength? And what does that even mean?

Right?

It's not just a feeling that you have. It's a assurance.

Assurance not based on your circumstances, and assurance.

Based on what God has done for us. Amen. So good.

You know that when you have the joy of the Lord, right,

nothing in this world can phase you, Nothing in this

world can knock you off. Like today I feel like

I'm happy, or tomorrow I'm not happy. That's not joy,

you know, that's just a happy feeling. Because when you're happy,

and you can be unhappy. But all those are based

on external things. This joy comes from within. And you

know what this letter is written from prison? Remember I

told you the story that because the business people didn't

like Paul casting out the demon from the clairvoyant girl.

What did they do?

They brought accusations against Paul. And now Paul is in prison.

What kind of letters would you write from prison?

Please? Help me get a petition.

Set me for a bail, quick, help me? Right, those

are probably the letters you're thinking, Oh, why me? Why

you know these people also bad? Or why put me

in prison? I didn't do anything wrong. Actually you didn't

do anything wrong, right, whoah, oh my? All these bad

people in my life, you know, But this letter has

nothing like that.

It's like, I praise my God.

I think when I think about the church, I'm filled

with thanksgiving and joy. Well, enjoy is something that you

can see evident in this letter, in the whole letter, right,

and it comes from that, how cana? What is it

about you, Paul that gives you so much joy? So

we want to learn, amen, We want to learn now.

The first thing, the first thing that we can see,

what is Paul so joyful about?

Right?

There are three things that I can pick up from

the Letter of the Philippians, and the first one is this.

Let's move on to the next slide. Paul's heart of Joy.

Okay, letter to the Philippians, We've got this already. Let's

move on joy.

Okay, Where did his joy come from? What is the

source of his joy? Can you think about what could

be the source of your joy?

What is it? Is it? Cat? Yeah?

Okay, is very funny because I was talking to princess

and then what gave us so much joy was being

a cat mom. Okay, if you don't know what that

is me, she's mom to cats. That's one source of joy?

What else? What else gives you joy? Food? Okay? How

many of you love food? Here? You enjoy food? Yes? Yes,

I know? Yeah, so food gives you joy? What else

gives you joy? Holidays? Okay? So when there is no holiday,

then all of you got no more joy? Right? So

when the food is bad and it's late and you're angry,

there's no more joy in you? Right?

Can you see how sickle we are as Christians? Is

that what God wants of us? That's that's a hard

question to ask. If let's say somehow that day my

friend you know, didn't forgot my birthday. Alama, that's the

worst thing gone.

No more friends really, no more friends for life? Right?

What causes us to have joy? Uh, And what is

the secret to Paul's joy?

And so you can see now it's not based on

external circumstances, it's an internal one.

So let's move on. Let's move on. What is the

first part of Paul's Joe's first one?

So I tital it as joy is possible even in prison. Correct,

think about it, if you're in some sort of prison.

I know many of you you're not in prison, obviously

you're here, but some of us could be.

In some prison. In our minds and in our hearts.

There are some traps right in our lives, circumstances that.

We cannot change. But I want to tell you that

it's possible to have joy.

The first one is because of this the apostle.

Paul was joyful because of the support that he's been

given by the church. Do you know that some of us,

right when we go on a mission trip, we have

to raise our own funding.

You know that?

And in those days, do you think how did Paul

raise funding for his own mission trip?

He worked.

He was called a tan maker, so he actually made

tends to sell. That's what a ten maker is. He

literally made tens and then half the time he goes

on preaching and the other half of the time he's

making tends to sell to support him. But it was

the only one church, which is the church in Philippi,

that actually sent him monetary support.

Do you know that?

So, church, you know, when we give into missions, when

we give into our Titan offering, that's what we do.

We are sending people out to do the work right.

And so this is good and it's worthy, and that's

that's Paul's joy. You know, it's like, Wow, I don't

expect this of you, but I commend this because this

is good for you. He's not He's not saying that

I need your money, you know, He's saying it's good

that you give, because giving is an exercise of faith.

Amen.

So that's number one. Number two, let's move on to

what else is.

The source of Paul's joy? Okay?

So number one, you remember when you read in verse seven,

it says you share with me the special favor of

God both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming.

The truth of the Good News.

Do you know that the source of the joy from

Paul is because he said, you, guys, when you give

to me, you're saying Continue on, Paul, continue on preaching.

It doesn't matter whether you're in prison or not. Continue on.

You are support to me. Now I want to backtrack

a little bit. Right, Let's go to verse Where's this

a special place in my heart?

Okay, let's go to verse five. Go back to verse five.

It says that some of your versions will read this

for you have been in fellowship with me?

Yes? Do you see that? Now?

This word fellowship, right, I want to just talk a

little bit about this because our idea of fellowship, right

is tea time with biscuits, it's coffee time, it's express

all time.

Fellowship right.

Fellowship means supper after homes or dinner before home.

That's fellowship.

But do you know that's really shallow because the original

word of this word fellowship is koinonia. Do you know

what cornonia is? Have you heard of it before? I

never mind. It's a Greek word. You learn one Greek

word today, kinonia?

Say h okay? Quinonia?

In another word, it's not just fellowship or friendship, it's partnership.

Do you know that?

And partnership means I have a share, I am contributing

to something. So when we talk about church, fellowship. Right,

it's not talking about having a meal together. It's talking

about are you partners in this work?

And that's why in acts we.

Don't call people, you know, we don't call our members members.

We call you partners because you soul and you believe

in together with the vision of the church. Right, we

are in partnership together when you give your partnering the work.

You know that right when you serve, you're partnering the

work of God. And that's how deep koinonia is and

coidonia is, like saying right, the word they actually use

is for simus twins. You know what Siamu's twins is

twins They are joined together. Right, Maybe they have two

hats but one body. And it's saying that if you

split the coin onia, both will die. If you split

fellowship in church in the truest sense of the meaning,

if you split.

Partners, the church will die. Serious one.

Do you know why I say this is because churches

die more from internal fights than external fights.

I am saying it as it is.

I'm gonna be real and honest with you because remember

what we're trying to tackle, dealing with difficult people and

tell your neighbor You're not difficult, You're not difficult. Honestly,

we're all difficult, right, Honestly, we're all difficult. Lah A, Yo,

don't lie to yourself. Okay, okay, okay, so so so,

but you see what gives Paul knowing that people are difficult,

and what gives him the satisfaction and the joy is

knowing that it doesn't matter about you anymore, guys, because

it's not about you.

What matters to Paul is that Christ is preached.

Amen, let's go to that. So partnership in the Gospel

and preaching Christ. I want to read verse twelve. Let's go,

and I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters,

that everything that has happened to me, which is him

being in prison, has helped to spread the.

Good news.

For everyone here, including the whole palace. God knows that

I'm in chains because of Christ and because of my imprisonment,

most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly

speak God's message without fear. And it goes on to

say some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry, and

some are preaching out of honesty. It doesn't matter that

Paul says it doesn't matter whether their motives are false

or genuine. This is in verse eighteen, and he says,

either ways, the message about Christ is being preached. And

so I readjoice, I rejoice, and I will continue to rejoice,

for I know that as you pray for me and

the spirit of Jesus helps me, this will lead to

my deliverance.

Amen.

Do you know that the Book of Philippines has many

quotes that we all like to quote, but you just

don't know that it's from here? Another one that is

very famous. I'm gonna read on it says right verse

twenty one, chapter one. For to me, living means living

for Christ, and dying is even better.

You know.

The NKJV version says, for to me, to live is

Christ and to die is gain.

Wow, you'll know that. Excellent. It's from Philippines.

Is written by Paul, and he's writing from prison, and

he's saying what to me every day I live? Now,

it's only for Christ. Actually, I read to die, Paul says,

I read to die because dying is gained to him

is profitable.

Why, because he's gonna be with Jesus. Do you long

to be with Jesus or not? Yes?

I think as you get on in life, the more

the more you long to be with Jesus, you know,

because the more challenging people you have to deal with,

and you go, ah, enough, I just want to go

back with Jesus.

It's better to be with Jesus. Yeah, but you know

what he says. Okay, I'm not I'm not making this up.

This is just reading from the word. He says.

But if I live, right, So Paul is resigning this

is his mine, he says, But if I live, I

can do more for Christ. Yes, I know it's better

that I go and be with Jesus forget all this

problem and all these difficult people. But he says, but

if I live, I can do more fuful work for Christ.

So can you see his heart?

He's saying, I don't want to be here when actually,

but I think I can get more things done here

being alive. So I really don't know which is better

for I'm torn between two desires. I long to go

and be with Christ, WHI should be far better for me,

But for your sakes, it is better that I continue

to live.

Wow. Amen, I wonder if that's our perspective in life?

Do we one? Do we long to be with Jesus,

you know, you know.

So there's this saying, are you eager to be with

Jesus but willing to stay back?

Or are you willing to be with Jesus or and

eager to stay back? Think about it.

Okay, I give you a riddle, a la. Are you

willing to be with Jesus but you're.

Eager to be here? That's number one?

Or are you eager to be with Jesus but willing

to be here?

Which one? Are you? Second one? Because that's Paul's mind.

He is eager to be with Jesus, but I'm willing

to stay back. Many of us are willing to go. Ah, yeah, okay, life,

it's time, then I go. But we are more eager

to stay on earth because there's so many things you

want to do, new cafes to try, places to travel to.

Haven't seen the world yet, right.

We are eager. We're like, hey, there's so much going

on for me in life. But Paul's mindset was different.

He says, yes, as I'm here, but I'm not here

for pleasures. You know, what is it here for? To

do the work? For full labor? That's his mindset.

I wonder if all of us, if we say we

are true disciples of Jesus Christ, we would think about

our life that way, that every day now that as

I live here on earth, I'm doing full labor for

the Lord. It's just that, right, because why God gets

the glory you read that earlier. God gets glory when

you do fruitful labor for him. And it's not so

much that, oh, so that I can enjoy pleasures in life. Yes,

God will grant you pleasures in life. That is also

something to be thankful for.

Right, but that's not the the all and be all

and and all the end all is like Jesus, I

long to be with you because it is far better.

Okay, now let's move on. Let's move on. I want

to cover this because this is so so important. Now

let's move on to verse twenty seven. We're gonna cover

a lot of scriptures today because you know it's so good.

So he's saying that this joy that he has is

because Christ is being preached and all that. So let's

read this. Above all, he says all these things. You know,

it's good that you learn to live like me. It

is better to be with you. And he says above all,

you must live as citizens of heaven. Are you citizens

of heaven? But not sure what it looks like? Right,

So he says, what this means is to conduct yourself

in a manner worthy of the good news about Christ.

Then whether I come and see you again, I will

know that you are standing together with one spirit and

one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the

good news.

This is what I'm saying.

You know, too many times we get caught up living

as citizens on earth fighting each other.

Yeah, we're fighting. I don't like this. I don't like that.

You know, the band was off today. I don't know.

Whatever it is.

As long as you have contact with another person, that's

bound to be disagreement. It's bound to be. Hello, we're

all humans, are Christian or not. You were bound to

have conflicts, disagreements. It's bound to happen. Why, because we

are imperfect beings. We are broken beings. And that's why.

The good news is we have a savior, a savior

that came two thousand years ago to come so that

he can redeemers from ourselves, from our sinfulness, from our brokenness.

And God says, I'm transforming you into.

A new being. Amen, We are not there yet. Hello, folks.

No matter how good the person is, we are not

there yet. But the good news is we are being

transformed and changed and we are growing.

And that's what of Paul's joy.

He's like, yes, you guys are growing and that's good, right,

we celebrate that. We're not aiding perfection, but progress. Imen,

Tell your neighbor are you progressing?

Really? No? Serious? Have you believed more than last week?

Have you served more than last week? Oh? Yes? Then

next week less? All right? Got your off schedule? No?

No, it's a good hard check for us to say,

are we really growing in our spirit? Are we growing

in our faith or not?

Because if this becomes just a routine for you, then

you will spiritually die.

And once you die, that's it, right, But never mind,

God can revive you also, amen, Amen, God can revive you.

All right.

So it says, but you you know, what is this

about conducting yourself worthy of the manner? What is this

conducting yourself worthy of the manner? What is it like

to be a.

Citizen in heaven?

It says, When we stand together, hello, are we united

or not?

Right? Are we one?

He says, we stand together with one spirit? And one

purpose some translations says one accord. We need to fight together.

Church. We don't fight each other. We fight together for

the faith. Amen. We fight together for the faith. Amen.

He says in verse twenty nine. For you have not

only give.

For you have been given not only the privilege of

trusting in Christ. Many of us they believe, believe, we believe, right,

let's trust in God, but also the privilege of suffering

for him. Oh, how many of you can think of

suffering as a privilege?

A Noah. You know. Sometimes a prayer is like, Lord,

remove my suffering, remove this person from my life. Are

you right? If not, I will remove myself. But pouls

is to suffer for Christ. It's a privilege. Wow.

So now you can look at your suffering and say, Wow, God,

you allow me to suffer. You allow me to go

through this pain, this brokenness.

It's a privilege. You know why, Because our Lord Jesus

Christ himself suffered. Do you know if you say we

really follow our lot?

Right, He's a man marked with suffering. And that's how

the beauty of the Gospel is. He did not just

sit up high in the throne of heavens. I say, okay,

you do this, you do this, You'll do this right?

And sometimes like, okay, you must worship me. And then

I give you all the commandments you might just obey.

And the good people, some of you know, the religions

of this world, will teach that right. Okay, do well

and behavior. But the beauty about the Gospel is God himself,

Jesus as fully the son of God.

He came down to earth right and suffered for us.

And let's go now in to the crux of the letter,

which is, how do we count.

Suffering as a privilege? How do we do this? How

can we do this? Chapter two gives you the answer.

Are you ready God? Chapter two? Okay?

So it starts off by saying this, is there any

encouragement from belonging to Christ?

Amen? Are you encouraged or not that you belong to Christ? Okay?

Some of you? Yes?

Any comfort from His love? Have you received comfort from

His love? Any fellowship or coinonia or partnership.

Together in the spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Ah?

This is really, really, really deep. Then make me truly happy.

And another version says, complete my joy, Complete my joy

by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other what you ask me

to agree with each other, loving another and working together

with one mind and one purpose.

Do you know this one last thing? Right?

It's probably one of the prayers of Jesus that it

has not been fully answered yet, because if you look

at the churches today, are we united?

Maybe far from it? Right? Even within one church? Are

we united?

Had to say, until you're being tested. I know we

can say yeah, yeah, one, but until you're tested, then

you say, oh no, this one not for mela. Let

me go to another place. Let me look for this

one thing. You know one of the verse, you know,

one of the phrase that the Holy Spirit drop on me.

And I'm like praying, like God, shall I share this

or not? But he says, just say, okay, are you

ready for it? So one of the quotes that the

Holy Spirit gave me was this, And I don't know

whether actual we can help me with this. If you're

looking for a friend in this place, you may or

you may not find it. But if you're looking for faith,

this is the place. Think about that. Some of us

come to different settings looking for community, looking for friendship, right,

and sometimes you're like, I cannot find community here. Let

me look for community somewhere else. But do you know

that the church is not built on community. The church

is built on faith. So you can be here and

you might think that, yeah, it's been difficult finding my community.

Yeah it's true, right, But if you're looking for faith,

this is the place because church is in the business

of faith.

It's here every time.

We are not in the business of making you feel

just like welcome and walm Yes, that's all part and

parcel of it.

But the most important thing that we want to give

you is faith. Faith believing that next tomorrow when you

go and meet different challenging people, you have more faith

because you say, God, you are with me.

And I have joy because my joy is not based

on what you say to me. My joy is because

what God has done for me. I'm safe, I'm redeemed.

You know I have a place in heaven, citizens of heaven.

So why I let all these small petty things rob

me of my joy? Do you know? That's what the

devil does.

He puts all these conflicts, disagreements in the church.

So that it robs you of your joy. That's what

the devil does. Steals, kills and destroy your joy.

If you are not joyful nowaday, you say I need

to take back Terrectorymen, come on, I need to take

by my joy, because the joy of the Lord is

my salvation, Amen is my strength.

The joy.

Have you lost the joy of knowing that you have

been saved by our Lord Jesus Christ, a god who

reduces everything that he has.

And let's go now to the word of God. Philippians.

Chapter two.

It says, working together, now this one. I actually the

lot told me to memorize this during the COVID time.

And he says, memorized chapter two.

And I did. And when I did that, I had

to meditate on it. I had to eat the word.

It's hard, you know this versa not very nice, but

very good for the soul. It says this, don't be

selfish first three, Chapter two, Verse three, don't be selfish,

don't try to impress others or in another version, it says,

do not have selfish ambition or vain conceit. Right, that's

some of your version. Be humble, thinking of others better

than yourself. Well, this one I cannot, man, you know why,

because I'm a proud person. I mean I not bad

like right, not bad looking right?

Quite smart?

Also, yeah, yeah, not bad athletics also, right, I mean

I know more, I got double degree, I got now

you know.

There's a lot to like. Whoa? And then working together

with people? Can I tell you they're working with Christians?

You're like why Christian? Also like they are?

You know?

When I first joined full time, right, my husband has

longer been in full time rediala. And then when I

first joined full time, like whoa, why Christians? So that

one corporate people better you know, culture shot hi yo.

And then God's work, you know, came to mind. He says,

be humble, think of others better than yourselves. What I

tell you God, that was really God's work for me,

you know.

And I I took it because I know that I'm.

In the danger of being prideful.

And you know, pride is the first sin in the Bible,

and I'm going to fall into the first sin. And

so I took all of this and say, Okay, I'm

gonna always try to think of others better than themselves,

even though we disagree. No, there must be a pointed

I can see. There must be a perspective. There must

be a reason why you say that. There must be

a different thing that I don't know yet, So I

humble myself and say, okay, INSI want to let her

and then say also my scene nicely right, first four,

don't look out only for your own interests, but take

an interest in others as well. Don't only look at yourselves.

Are we looking at others? Do we look at what's

important to them? And so that's become my motives of

parandi when I'm dealing with difficult people who have to

think of them better than me, you know, and what

is their interests?

Why do they behave that way that they do? Right?

And he says this, you know, you must have the

same attitude that Christ.

Jesus has, and other versions which is a better translation.

He says, you must have the same mind as Christ Jesus.

Yeah, do you want to have a mindset change? People

of God?

Mindset change and have the mind of Christ Jesus. And

this is the verse verse six. Though he was God, Jesus,

Though Jesus was God, he did not think of equality

with God as something to cling to. You know, many

of us cling to our positions of titles. All right,

my experience, I'm in this twenty years already. What do

you know he did not cling to it Verse seven. Instead,

he gave up his divine privileges. He took the humble

position of a slave and was as a human being.

And when he appeared in human form, he humbled himself

in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on

a cross. This is the gospel, my dear friends. If

you're new to church today and gospel is to you,

I'm telling you the good news is we have a

real God who did not just sit in heaven and

waiting for us to trip up. But he said that

because all of you have sin, you cannot save yourself.

Are you when you're drowning, can you save yourself? Yeah,

if you're drowning, you're like, oh, let me try and

say myself. You know, I can do good works. I

can give money to charity. I can do all these things.

And you will still drown.

And God is in heaven and he says they need

my help. You think about Jesus himself, right, Why would

someone who was only present, omni potent, having all power,

why would he reduce himself to a man? A man

you and I now for three over years already lick pain?

Or okay that my Jesus died editary. He didn't go

through that we identified sufferings with us, pain, betrayal.

Why would Jesus go through the trouble of.

Becoming a man who would experience pain, suffering, betrayal from

the very creatures that he created.

It was because he loved us.

That is the extent. Parents, you will know this a

bit better if you have children. You know to what extent,

to what sacrificed you would give to your children. That

is just a little bit of what Jesus has done

for us, you know, and.

You think about it right.

Firstly, he came not as a semi god or demigod

with power human. Do you know that Jesus had no

power until the Holy Spirit came? A good news for us, meaning,

we have no power as our human form unless the

Holy Spirit comes upon you. Amen, and therefore we can

do our ministry because of the Holy Spirit the power

remember pantacast Sunday, the power of the Holy Spirit. Why

would he choose to be married to be born in

Joseph and Mary's household?

Are they very rich? Were they kings? He chose the

lowliest position.

God had a choice lost right, you got choice on

all which family you want the born in though no

choice lot, sorry, Jesus had a choice, and yet he

still chose the most humble family who did not have anything.

He was born in a manger.

Right, not in.

Prince Court hospital. He chose to be born and he

chose to die. Do you know that Jesus chose to die.

We all cannot control, Ah, you and I, we will

die when God determines it. But Jesus had a choice

because at the cross when he hung there and he.

Was thinking about all of us.

Do you know in Hebrew's Chulth he says for the

joy joy he you mean, Jesus knew joy, for the

joy that was set before him. He endured the cross,

despising the shame.

This is all Jesus.

You know, Jesus knew what joy was. And it wasn't

because hanging on the cross was very fun. It wasn't

because it was you know, he was gonna get recognition.

He was despised, shamed, naked, and that's how they crucify people.

But he said, for the joy that was set before him,

he endured it. What are some of the things that

you need to endure church? That's what carrying your cross means.

Carrying your cross means there are some things. I think

there is a picture that we need to learn.

How to yield, right, j or why joy? The oneness

that Paul was talking about and the yielding and this

is not far from submission. Right.

When you yield, you submit, You submit to the authority,

You submit to God's will, and you submit out.

Of your place of humility.

Amen, that's the only place you can submit. You know

that the only way you can yield is when you

are humble. Am I making this up? I guess not,

Loue right? Because it's in the word of God?

You know?

Is it because I'm more special and better than you know?

It's because I chose to follow. And that's why I

say that. You know, relationships are very very complex. It's

very very difficult making disciples. Wah, so difficult? Well, it's

so difficult, but God has given us the better way,

and this is you know that.

Can you imagine if you.

Still have browsers and dispute with one another, how you're

going to be neighbor with each other in heaven? Hey,

think about it, La, I don't want to be next

to Elder Maible Lah she makes better cakes than me right.

In heaven. No, no, think about it.

Every person that you have complaints against, if this person

believes in Jesus, you will meet him or her in heaven.

You know then, how like, oh, God, you know I cannot.

So God is saying, no, you work it out, now,

you work it now on earth, work out.

And what this is says? He say, says, let's go on.

Therefore God elevated him. And this is another verse that

we always quote, verse nine. Therefore God elevated him to

the place of highest honor. Who is this Jesus and

gave him the name above all other names that at

the name of Jesus, every nation of bow.

Amen. So it does matter. You know who, every niche about,

every tongue confessed that Jesus Christ is Lord. This is

the reality. This is the truth to the glory of

God the Father. Amen. Hallelujah. Are you with me? Ah?

So Church, how do we move on from here?

Verse twelve, it says, it's dear friends, you have always

followed my instructions when I was with you. Wow, are

you gonna follow this instruction or not?

I don't know. I cannot say. Paul can say because

he knows them. He says, dear.

Friends, you have always followed my instructions, and this is

not easy instruction now to always think about each other,

to love them, to think of others better than yourself.

To think of their interests.

And he says this, now that I'm away, it is

even more important work hard to.

Show the result of your salvation. Another version says, work

out your salvation. So guys, for you, you have to work out.

That's it. You have to work out.

You have to work out your salvation obeying God with

deep reverence and fear. Do you know that when you

do this, you're obeying God? And it's as simple as this.

If you do this, you obey God. If you don't

do this, you're this obeying God. I'll put it as

simple as that. For God is working in you, giving

you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

Don't worry, You're not alone. When you depend on the

Holy Spirit. He's the one who's going.

To help you do the right thing. Do you know

at the end of the day, right the letter is

talking about righteousness.

Righteousness? Do we have right living with one another? Do

we have right conduct with one another?

It doesn't matter how the other person treats us when

we answer God, God, I conducted myself worthy of the

gospel wordy God, it's okay. You know Jesus, when you're slept,

he just done the other way. And he says, you

slapt me again. Okay, I turn the other When the

accusers are saying, why don't you defend yourself, he just

kept silent. Hey, Jesus cannot rain down stones and boomstorms

and all these accusers can. But he showed us his way,

his way of humility and submission. And he says, it's okay.

At the end of the day, we will see.

Who's laughing true or not.

So if we take on this attitude and this mindset

of Christ, can you imagine how much better our working

relationship with each other will be? Can you imagine that

a world where everyone is always humble, right, a group

where I'm always thinking about you. No, no, so I'm

thinking about you. It's not about me anymore. This heart

of serving right. And he says this, Wow, this is

not the worse four thing, Luggie. I had to memorize

this right, God told me. So I memorize worse for.

Do everything without complaining, or are aye, shore sure not God?

Is this written in the world of God.

But since the Word of God is you know, setal

means I just have to obela do everything you know,

if you pick up rubbish, okay, no complaining, if I

come early, no complaining, do everything, not everything, not not

some things, Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that

no one can criticize you. Wow, live clear, innocent lives

as children of God, shining like bright lights in the

world full of crooked and perverse people.

Guys, we need to.

Get this right because if you don't get this right outside,

they will look at us and say no different. Now, Christian,

you're also saying like them, or so what what's the difference?

We need to shine.

So that no one can criticize us a man or

conduct worthy of the Gospels, our lives worthy of the

Gospel or not. And he says this verse sixteen whole

firmly to the Word of Life. Then on the day

of Christ written and this is our hope, dear friends,

Christ is coming back, no matter how terrible or challenging

your life is.

Christ is coming back. That is the truth. And when

he comes back, he's gonna bring his judgment and his

grace and his mercy to completion, and then we can

truly rejoice because we will be perfect.

Then, Amen, are you looking to a perfect you? Are

you looking to the perfect you?

I am? I'm like whaw, God, I can't wait until

I'm perfect.

I'm not yet. I'm not yet there. But never mind,

he says. But I will even rejoice. He says in

verse sixteen, its whole firmly to the Word of Life,

that on the day of Christ's return, I will be

proud that I did not run the race in vain

and that.

My work was not useless.

You know things that we do in church right now

is disciple. You know it's not going to be useless,

and God's gonna use it.

Amen, But I will rejoice.

Oh can you see how he's saying verse seventeen, I

will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it

out like a liquid offering to God. Just like your

faithful service is an offering to God. So for everyone

who serves the Lord, thank you. Your faithful service is

an offering to the Lord.

And God is pleased with that.

And I want all of you to share that joy.

Do we have the joy, and yes, you should rejoice

and I will share.

Can you see this letter is full of joy? Is this?

There's not one else was saying, Oh you know, whoe

is me? You're my life is so difficult, there's no more.

This letter is just full of joy, man, because the

joy that was said before Paul was it's I'm bringing

all of you to be more like Christ. And on

the day of Christ written, we will be all stepped

up together in the First Resurrection. Amen, we will stand

before God. And God says, yes, Quan Chin, You're redeemed,

You're justified.

Yeah, Chris, you too, because you continue hanging onto the

faith even though your life is difficult.

Yeah, I know some of your challenges right now. It

is not easy, not easy at all, But yes, you

hang on to the faith. How shall I end this?

I want to invite you to firstly, get a hold

of this letter for yourself.

Read it fully.

It's not long, it's not long, but it's so full

of truth. And you know what's the most important thing?

You apply? Lah? Can you do everything without complaining or

grumbling or not? Can or not? Hartla? Hartla?

That's why you need the Holy Spirit. Right and we

cannot say, ah, yeah, you know, I'm defeated. You know,

the thing about living victoriously is you must have a

mindset of victorious living.

Do you have the mindset on it? Do you have

the mindset of saying, no, Jesus, you have done it all.

I can overcome this, even if it means I have

to eat my words. I will overcome this. It doesn't

matter about you anymore. You know is God, you are

here to show off your glory throue my life, and

the best life that God can use is a humble

It's a broken one. We are all broken people, and

we the more we acknowledge that God, I'm broken, and

that's why I need a savior. I need saying I'm drowning.

I'm drowning. I'm drowning. God.

I meet you as my savior, and Jesus came as

our savior, and therefore we are safe now and we

are working out our salvation.

It's a journey, guys, it's a journey. Amen.

I'm gonna invite the band to come on stage as

I give you a final word of encouragement so you

can read chapter three. It's talking about righteousness. Chapter four,

now this is very interesting, and I wanted to give

you this. Okay, Now why part of the letter, part

of the reason why the letter was written, was because of.

These two ladies, ladies in the church.

Let's read a very real one, you know the letter,

verse chapter four, Verse one. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters,

stay true to the Lord. I love you and long

to see you, dear friends, for you are my joy

and the crown I received from my work.

Now watch verse two.

Now I appeal to you Dea and Syntike, anyone named

Udia and Syntike here.

Tada. Last time I used to have a Yudia. Do

you know what Yudia means? Uda? The name means the

good journey or a prosperous journey. Wow, quite good? Right?

And then the name Syntike is fortunate. Well, what a

name you want the name of your children? Sintike anyone baby?

You know, if you're thinking of a baby, SYNTHI key, fortunate,

good luck, good faith, Syntike. I can call it Syntike,

sindikey CYNTHIKEI Right now, what with with such a name

like this?

Right? You think that wha, everything's very good? Right? But

let's see what is the reality.

It says, here, please, because you belong to the Lord,

settle your disagreement?

Are you you see?

You see the church it has real people, and real

people has real disagreements. Right, And he says, no, don't leave,

just settle it. Settle it how how I told you already?

Chapter two, Chapter two, Be humble, be the first one

to say so, RelA and say, it's not about Mila.

It's about us standing together for that one purpose. What

is that one purpose? To fight together for? Fight together

for what the faith? Fight together for the faith. If

you want to fight, dear brothers and sisters, can I

encourage you to fight for the faith?

Amen? Don't fight each other? Like?

Enough of that? That's what the devil wants us to do, right,

spend all our energy, time, sleepless nights thinking.

About the fight. But it's the wrong fight. Why we

fight against each other? We should be fighting together for

the Lord. So this is the final verse. Chapter four.

Verse four. It says, always be full of the choice

of the Lord God. I need you a.

I say it again, rejoice? Can I say rejoicing is

a choice.

It's not based on how you feel when you rejoice,

you say, God I choose to rejoice.

It's not your feeling. I choose to rejoice. And how

do we do it? It says, let everyone see that

you are considerate in all that you do. Another verse says,

let your gentleness be known to all. Hey, I think

we can practice some gentleness with each other. Can or

notot practice some gentleness and grace with one another. Remember,

the Lord is coming soon. Don't worry about anything. Now,

this is the verse that we all like to pray.

Don't worry about anything. Instead, pray about everything. Tell God

what you need and thank him for all he has done.

Then you experience God's peace, which exceeds anything.

We can understand. His peace.

Will God your heart and minds as you live in

Christ Jesus Amen.

Now this is the crux of the method. Verse eight.

And Now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing, one

final thing, Ah, fix your thoughts on what is true,

honorable and right and pure and lovely and admirable. Think

about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep

putting into practice. All you learn is a practice. Right,

Keep practicing and receive from me everything you heard from

me and saw me doing.

Then the God of Peace will be with you. Amen. Amen.

So I let the word of God speak to you,

and I believe it has and that means there needs

to be a response from us.

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

information on our church, please visit aschurch do org. We

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this week is going to be a good week.

I hit for you. God bless