What's In Your Basket? | Pr Steven Soon

You're listening to a message to go from AX Church.

We hope this message will light up your tea.

And we're here together to worship the Lord. Amen. Amen,

all right, So we're gonna do a little something. And

you guys may recognize this setup. It's been a while

since we had this setup. But I want to take

a moment to interview and hear a testimoney from a leader.

And we've been going through a series of leaders already,

and right now we came to the last one. All right,

and I would like to invite Sharon to come on up.

We're gonna hear a little bit from her, all right.

Can we have a mic for her? Yeah, maybe we

can get the chairperson mic somewhere somewhere. In no way

is it's gonna come in a bit. So while the

team sorts it out, let me just share again because

we have new people in our mid to yours, and

share why we are doing this. We're doing an interview

with the leaders because we realize is that many times

as a congregation we may not actually know the leaders

beyond their leadership role in church. We forget sometimes that

leaders are humans too, and leaders also go through difficult

times just the same as everyone else. And actually we

are all the same We're all the same boat. It's

just that we took a greater step of courage and

faith to serve the church.

Right.

So today we want to hear from Sharon, who is

also my fiance. Yeah, we want to hear from her

and to hear her journey. And this is in a

bit She's gonna share something that is very personal, very real. Uh,

and it may not be something that you have heard before,

or may not be something that you have openly shared.

All right, but before we start off, let's let's just

start with a little bit of an eyesbreaker. Sharon, might

not you introduce yourself and share a little bit about

what you do? What is your job? What is your career? Yeah?

Hi everyone, it's actually quite not racking the be up here.

So my name is Sharon. I am a teacher. I

teach and help International school in church. I'm a leader.

I also serve in the PC capacity. I lead the

PC team. I also helped with Extreme as a singer

and also worship leader and a guitar I.

Mean, yes, guitar guitarists maybe. Yeah.

I'm from Sarah by the way, and it Stara Watkins here. Yeah.

Yeah, so PC stands for program coordinator. It's the people

that you see making sure that things flow well. Just

now in so Victa going around making sure the mic

is there is a mind, making sure time is okay,

making sure all the teams are going well. So Sharing

leads the program coordinated team.

Uh.

She also is She's also what we call a shepherd

uh with a capital as as in it's a role

actually in ex church. If you see us using the

word showing the word shepherd around, uh, just to just

to share a little bit. Actually, it's a it is

a position and role in ex church. The shepherd's role

is to look into the health of our small groups.

So we currently have small groups called homes with four

of them in x Banaodama. How many of us are

part of homes? Yeah, yeah, all right. So so the shepherd,

which Sharon for XBU, is the one that looks after

the health of our homes. So she will see her

visiting every once in a while to different homes to

to see how to further support the homes, how to

get the homes to to become go to a better place. Right, Okay,

So that's Sharon Okay, Sharon, why not you share with us? Also,

how you came to know the Lord?

Well, uh, I'm from a Christian family. I was brought

up in church, and I think I personally personally came

to know the Lord. When I was twelve, we had

a Christian youth camp called oh forgot what is it called?

Something about Life? So basically I was revived there. I

came to know the Lord personally there because previously it's

more of like, oh, oh the Lord is good, the

Lord is your savior, the Lord is etcetera, etcetera, but

it never really sinks in to my heart.

It's always in my head.

So I think it was true the camp that I

actually experienced the Lord.

Yeah, yeah, all right, and here you are serving the Lord,

loving the Lord. We want to get to know a

little bit about your leadership journey, right, So it became

when did you become a leader?

If I'm not mistaken, I think it's twenty twenty, twenty twenty, Yeah,

twenty nineteen, twenty twenty okay.

Yeah, all right. And then and then of course in

twenty twenty three we planted XBU and you're part of it.

You were part of XPJ, right, part of the leadership

team of XPJ and then the team came together. We

came together, we planted x Banda al Tama and then

from there you became a homes leader. Right, but it

wasn't an easy journey choosing to be a homes leader.

I'm just gonna start off by sharing a little something.

So of course, now Sharon and I we were getting

married soon, pray Scott. The lot has letters and letters. Well,

but it wasn't a kind of a smooth journey. There

was a time where we actually broke up. Right, There

was a time went we actually broke up and in

the same I think, Okay, I just paint that picture,

just give a little bit of context while XBU was running.

In fact, it was maybe about six months in and

then we broke up, right. We we things weren't working out,

and we felt best that we break up. Okay, that's

a story for another day. But we want to hear

more of her faith journey because it must must not

been easy with me. CPC saund John introduced me as

a CPCCPC stands or Church Plan Coordinator, So I oversee

this church plan expand al tama uh and of course

Sharon and the rest of the leaders you know, I

take care of them as the CPC. So after the breakup,

I'm pretty sure it must not have been easy for

you to be under my leadership, having to see me

every week at least twice a week because it's either

homes or Sunday or prayer service and Sunday and sometimes

worship practice and then we have Saturday after x leadership training,

so sometimes four times a week, and we still have

to talk, we still have to discuss, we still have

to be in meetings together. And then yeah, Sharon, why

not you share with us a little bit of how

that journey.

Was, Like, yeah, yeah, sure, this is something that y'all

have been waiting for, right, so it has been it

wasn't It wasn't a smooth journey. Uh, it has been

really difficult. So just a little bit of context. I

actually wanted to uh lease XVU because it was really

really hard. So so we broke up planting, so we

planted XBU. Of course it's not because we wanted to

be together, so we planted XBU. But it's really got

called uh us individually.

And it was really hard to.

Be honest, Uh, every week, day in day out, I

don't know, seeing him and then it's really really hard

to be under his leadership.

Okay, you know, like with the person that you broke

up with.

But I think it was a journey that the Lord

was molding me to become a better person, to become

to have a better character. And it was interestingly through

working together that we actually saw each other in a

different light.

I think.

At that time I wanted to leave church live here

per se, not I mean not not leave church, but

go to another church.

Plant. Maybe I can help you with that a little bit.

So actually the leadership, the senior leadership of ex Church

actually told Sharon, hey, why not just go to another church?

Plan first serve there so that you can heal. So

it was offered to her actually because it's not easy,

and this something that we have done before as well

as in as ex Church, we've helped different ones to

heal and recover by you know, allowing them to serve

in an a church man temporarily. So, uh, but what

was your response at that time?

I really want to take up that offer, but I

wrestled very much. I wrestled a lot because I remember

the call uh to you know, plan XBU. And I

know that I didn't come here to because of us Stephen.

I came here because the Lord called me.

And I think at the time God God also told

me in a sense where you know, Sharon, if you're

gonna leave church, if you're gonna leave to another church,

you better leave because I called you too, not because

of a boy. So I was like, okay, uh, let wrestle.

Then I kind of sort of gave God like a timeline, like, Lord,

I'm going to give you about three months. Can you

show me whether I should still be here or should

I go?

Yeah? And after that.

Faster just had through very nice tay, Sharon, you can

you be homest leader. So there was a need and

I believe that there was also the Lord uh calling

me to you know, Sharon, I think I've placed you here,

and I've placed you here for a purpose. And not

long after that, after a few months, we had a

leader's commissioning as well. It was a week before the

leader's commissioning that pastor actually approached me. Oh, Sharon, actually

on I was thinking about about the shepherd role and

I actually had you in mind. I was like, what what?

So it was it was very difficult. It was like, uh,

wearing a hat and and later on like another hat,

so kind of basically solidifying my position here uh in xbu.

But I wouldn't have it any other way because I

think during that time the Lord was actually growing us

as an individual, and very interestingly, we saw each other

in a different light as well.

It's like it's like when before you break up, right.

There was a lot of you know, I don't know, misunderstanding,

different things going on, but then once we worked together,

it was like, hey, oh, actually he never actually meant

it that way. Oh, very interestingly, you will just see,

we just saw how each other matured and grow.

Yeah. I just want to dig in a little deeper

in terms of you saying yes to take up these

roles because you didn't have to, and to be honest,

on my part, I was ready for you to say

no because I understand it's not right. And and it's

very interesting because the week before the leaders commissioning this

was two years ago, I believe, I think, so, Yeah,

two years ago, the Lord revealed to me that Sharon's

going to take up the shepherd role. I was playing

the shepherd role at that time, but the lot revealed

that Sharon's going to take up the shepherd role and

actually asked, God, God, are you sure? Is she going

to say? Yes? It is just a few months ago

she took up Home's leadership and it wasn't easy for her.

And I still remember we had a call to talk

about the expectations and her heart. The leader was in

the call just to talk it through. I remember, just

to share a little bit of detail that had the

leaders say. After we finished the call, shared the expectation

and all that her had the leader, which is Jessica Kings,

Elvin's wife jad. So Stephen, can you stay in the

call for a little bit, uh, you know, just there's

some things I want to talk to you. And then

Sharon left the call and then she told me this,

you know, per I just wanted to be very honest

with you. Sharon is likely go and they say no

because she's still healing, it's difficult. So I was ready

for it, you know. When she say that, I'm like, okay, okay,

I'm ready for it. A few days later, I'm gonna

probably get a know. But I still remember it was

either a Tuesday or a Wednesday that Sharon texted me

and say I'll take up the role of shepherd. In

my mind, I was like, this girl is crazy because

she's healing. I mean, think for a moment if you

are in her shoes, right, Like I think about that often,

like what I have responded, But to me, I felt

that it was really powerful that for her it wasn't

an emotional decision, but it was a decision out of

faith and conviction, and she took on that role with

fear and trembling because when she took it up, she

was also I actually don't know what to do. I said.

Remember we had those conversations, and of course as a leadership,

we supported and help her as the shepherd, help her

to grow into her role. So sharing, maybe you can

share a little bit more of why you say yes

and how what was going on inside because it wasn't

something that you were naturally excited for, So what was

really going on for you to say yes.

Before even we even go there?

Yeah?

I never actually wanted to be a leader to say.

Right, But I think as we progress, we are called

to lead people right because whatever principles and values that

you have caught from the Lord, naturally you really want

to share that to others, and when the Lord grows you,

you will grow in a bigger capacity and then you will,

you know, have that heart, grow that heart for other

people as well. So I think for me for saying

yes to the shepherd role, uh just just.

Just uh do I say?

Just so you know that I was never a person

who actually wanted to be in the limelight, Like I

don't even want to. I don't even want people to

notice me. Those of you who were in XPG, you

would know there was actually kind of I was actually

kind of like a mouse, you know. But I think

it was really just being convicted to do the Lord's

work and.

It was difficult to say yes.

But I know that since that the Lord has placed

me here, and you know, I should obey. I should,

I should obey, and I should have faith as well

that the Lord is going to turn all of this

for good. And I needed to trust in the process, Like, Lord,

why am I still in XPU and I'm hurting?

Lord?

Why am I still leading people when I'm hurt? Right?

But you know, it is actually through that process that

the Lord will.

Reveal himself.

I have a verse that I hold very very closely

to my heart.

It is from Isaiah forty three, verse.

Three, forty five Verse three. Sorry, it says, sorry, give

you a moment, it says, and I will give you

treasures hidden in darkness, secret riches that I will do

this so that you may know that I am the Lord,

the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name.

So even though I was in darkness, there was a

really dark period in my life, the Lord will reveal

secrets in darkness, and that will be, you know, my mana.

That will be the thing that actually strengthens me and

pulls me through each and ivery day.

And the Lord is good. Every time.

When I feel down wherey or sad, he just encourages me.

It is something that if I explain it to you,

you might not resonate or understand, but it is really

something that you have to go through that to know that, hey,

the Lord is actually really good.

Yeah. So I went through that.

And you know, when that period of time when you

don't really have anyone to hold to, you know, not

even my family, My family's not around here. The only

thing that I can really hold on to was was God.

And that really made me walk closely with God as well.

So yeah, yeah, I think different ones here, especially the

leadership team. We've seen how Sharon grew even in that season.

And and I think one interesting fact for you guys

to know is the day of our breakup. On the

day of break remember it was a Friday morning. It

was I believe third of February. Don't need only four

I think, yeah, yeah, I'm very good if they I'm

the guy with the dates. Usually I remind the dates. Yeah,

but but yeah, it was that morning we broke up,

and in the evening she texted me ready to say, hey,

Grace approached me to be her hard leader. I remember that,

reculary Grace. I even remember the day you got into

a hather relationship. Yeah, but that was her first disciple,

right there is the first disciple. And it's it's quite

crazy how God works. On the day that brokenness happened,

there was God still moving in the midst uh and

and I admire her for still saying, Okay, I'm going

to disciple this person on the day of a breakup.

And I thought it was quite crazy that she texted

me about it. She probably switched off some parts of

her brain and emotions. She just to talk to the

CPC about this and that happened. And I think we've

many of us have have journeyed with her, seen how

she's grown as a leader, and and I know that

many of you are also blessed by how she has been,

you know, in putting into your life. And and now

you know that it's not smooth setling, I won't. I

would spare the details and leave for her to share,

you know in other times of you know, there are

times that during that year of our breakup, that she

disappeared in the middle of service. I didn't know what

was happening.

Uh.

Later I found out that she was crying, yeah, in

the toilet and she had to pick herself up, wipe

the tears away, and come back in with a smile

to serve the people. Wasn't easy.

Uh.

And and I think those videos were spared for the next time. Okay,

But sharing, I think it's just as we as as

we read. But thank you for sharing, and just it's

not easy. It takes a lot of faith, It takes

a lot of putting what we want a side and

trusting God. It takes a lot of conviction, a lot

of steel. I would say to hang on, uh, and

sharing what would you. What is one encouragement would like

to give to everyone here.

I think you just need to be prepared and be

expected and be expected that you know there are there

there will be down days, there will be and you

will go through uh valleys. But the Bible also promises

you know, like though sorrow may creep into the night,

but there will be joy in the morning, and you

will not always be in that deep valley uh stuck

there in the first ration, because the Lord is a

really good and merciful God and he will pull you

out from the pits.

So just rely on God.

Just have faith even though there are times that we

don't understand. Just trust that the Lord is good and

then he has your best interest in his heart and

the Lord is your portion forever.

Yeah.

Amen, Amen, aren't you guys blessed by what Sharing has shared?

There's so much more, but we just don't have the time.

But I just wanted to pray for your sharing and church,

can we just search our hands and let's just pray

and bless sharing. Thank you Lord for the Lord. We

thank you God, Lord, just for your grace over her life.

He has not been smooth sailing. That a lot of

things that has happened. But Lord, you have always been present,

and just as how she has shared that you are

her portion forever. So Lord, we pray for double portion

of your blessing and annoying thing to be upon her.

Lord at moments she feel like she said last time,

she felt like in those moments, we know, God Lord,

that you give a courage. You give a courage. And Lord,

even as she leads out of a place of humility,

out of place of recognizing, Lord, you are the one

that is leading her. You're the one that gives her

wisdom and strength to lead others. I pray, God Lord,

that you continue to just expand and extend her influence,

that her life will continue to be a blessing to

those that are in touch with her. Use a mighty leo,

God Lord, and we believe, God Lord, that she will

continue to experience your goodness like never before. And Jesus Name,

we pray. Amen. Amen, Thank you so much, Sharon. Let's

share on. Amen. Amen. All right, Okay, we're gonna go

into time of the word. Now, are you guys blessed

by just just the testimony and the interview just now?

We may have this again. We don't know when and

it may go extend to some of you as well

when we hear some of your testimonies. I mean, we've

been journeying with each other for a while. I know

some of your journeys as well. That will definitely be

a blessing and inspiration to the rest of us. So yeah,

we'll see in the future we may do this again.

All right, Okay, let me start with a word of

prayer and we shall dive right into the world. Thank you, Lord,

your Father God. We thank you Lord for today. Lord, truly,

today is the day that you have made, and we

shall rejoice in it. Lords, soften our hearts as we

hear from you this morning. Allow your truth for God, Lord,

to really seep in deep into our hearts, and allow

our hearts to be good ground. No God, Lord, to

receive your truth this morning. Thank you Lord in Jesus name,

We pray. Amen. Amen. Okay, how are we doing? We say, okay,

doing all right, Okay, So yeah, we're here in Banyan room.

This is a sort of not common. We usually meet

in Ruba lte room. But right now there are a

lot of other events opending. Interestingly, it's church camps happening

from other churches and mainly in Singapore. Is holidays now

in Singapore, so there are a lot of church cams happening.

And so today we're here. We actually got a free upgrade.

Actually this is an upgrade from our usual hall. So

just a note. We're meeting here today and also here

next week, all right, so we'll still be here next week.

Then the second half of June will be back in

robo light room in level you see. Okay, all right,

So let's just keep an eye out for those around us,

right if they are lost and all that, just get

our phones ready or like get ready to go and

bring them in. Okay, all right, okay. Also, just great

news ex stream Bangan Bahasa just launch today. Today is

the first day we have a full on Bahassa worship

service that is happening. Pasa Kenev is ministering there and

preaching food on in Bahasa as well to the congregation.

Keep them in prayer. It's really our latest church plan,

our latest worship service planted out to reach the Basa

speaking community, especially the East Malaysians. Right, so that is

the heart and mission of the Bassa Church that keep

them in prayer. Pass Andra Pasa kind of sense their

love and regards to all of us here. They're keeping

us in prayer and we hope to see them soon

here as well. Okay, all right, it's awfully quiet today.

We all right?

Is it too cold? Is it okay? Are we all right? Awesome?

I don't know how your weekend was. I had a

rocking weekend, a rocking weekend, all right. Yesterday a bunch

of us were playing frisbee. We're playing freehbee. Say, I

got a call uh, and it was passed away. It

goes like, stun, why are you doing a like playing frisbee? Oh?

So office is flooded? Like what again? Yes, it has

happened before. Again It's like yeah, yeah, yeah, you free

not We just I don't know what's happening. We just

heard from bus CenTra that the office is flooded. We

just need to sort things out and make sure everything

is okay. Uh, and so sharing it was also with

me at the time, and sharing we took a car

and she drove me and we went to uh immediately

to the office. It's cool that we are already in

sportswear for the work that was laiter ahead of us.

Because the man the office was flooded, not just the

office level five, so if you guys know the peak,

the school area was also flooded. Basically a pipe, a

major pipe in summit burst and it just rained into

level five and also into the office.

Uh.

Damage was quite extensive, thankfully not on the electronics. I

was quite worried. So I'm part of the video team,

the media team, so our servers were all there that

miss all our files through the years since the two

thousands were there. Thank god that the area was dry.

Our electronics, our cameras, all those things were safe. But man, furnatures,

some of it are gone because of water. You know,

wood and water don't go well, all right, And we

had also documents that were gone, so that was probably

the biggest cost, the documents that we had, the important documents.

But that was us. It was We reached about six fifteen,

six twenty pm and we were then moving furniture, moving cabinets, cleaning,

keeping documents aside, putting things aside to dry areas and

cleaning as much as we can. And we finished it

about what timer it is, Yeah, we finished somewhat about

it's something you want the pictures pass I cannot post

us some of it up in terms of the damage

and all that, but thank God, everything was more for

the most part all right. The team came by really fast.

Different ones were able to just came drop by and

were just helping to clean and make sure everything was okay.

You know, I really believe that God really preserve us

from further damage because the leak when it happened, equally

happened in other more like how I put it, more

important areas where there are more like for example, the

electronics and all that. The church on the on the

peak thankfully was not flooded, so thank God because today

there's church, so it wasn't flooded. Everything was okay there.

It was just some of the classrooms in the schools

were flurded. So really, thank God for preserving. So I

had a rocking weekend. I hope you guys are rocking weekend.

But through it all, we were all still all smiles.

At the end of it, we were smiling. Past the center,

I was smiling. I was like just joking around, but

in my head, like baster your office was the most flooded.

Her office was so flooded, like it was right above

her desk. We had to move a lot of stuff

out and to try to dry a lot of stuff.

But she was smiling. She was still joking. Uh, Elda Kenya,

I was joking around. But really, God is still good

even in the midst of all this. And I think

that's a reminder to me as well. Over the weekend, Hey,

things happened. Things happened, but let's not forget it. God

is still good. Right, tomorrow, we're gonna head back into

the office to clean, but hey, God is still good.

I think we're gonna have a bit of a fun

so instead of free. See yesterday we had water spots.

But it's okay, it's okay. It was still fun. Thank

god it wasn't sewage water because a few years ago

it happened about two three years ago, it was sewage water.

You can't imagine the smell a blessing in these guise.

As well, yesterday when we were cleaning, we found a

date red. Yeah, we found a date red. Thankfully we

found it. If we didn't, that didn't happen. We didn't,

we wouldn't have known as a date red. That's on

top on top of the I don't know the corders

it's near the ventilation area. Yeah, so we were breathing

in day Caucus probably for god knows how long, but

thank god, we found it. We found it, it was removed,

it was all good. For some reason. There was a

sleeper on top as well, so I don't know if

somebody joked that probably the red needed a pillow, so

it brought the sleeper up. So yeah, that was all happened.

But yeah, yeah, I had I had a long, long,

long weekend. But it's a fun weekend. Is still good.

I hope you guys had a good weekend. But even

if it's not so good, hey, it's okay. It's okay.

Not every weekend it's all shiny and sunny. Right, we'll

have down days, but know that God is always good. Amen. Amen,

All right, let's go into the world. I want to

start off with a story I won't take on too long,

maybe for another twenty minutes to day. We'll probably be

one of those shorter messages because of time. I want

to share a story of Hetty May Wyatt. All right,

I don't know if you guys heard this name before.

Hatty May wired from Philadelphia in the States, right, So

this is eighteen eighty four. Just imagine eighteen eighty four, right.

I don't know what kind of imagery you have in

your head for eighteen eighty four United States. But this

is eighteen eighty four, Heady May Wired. I don't have

a picture of her. They have sort of like a wrath.

They don't really have photographs back then, so it was

portraits of painting. You can actually google her name and

you may actually see her portrait. But Hetty May Wired

was five years old in eighteen eighty four. She was

on her way to Sunday School X kids. When she

was on the way there, she noticed, oh my, it's

so packed. Back then, you were so crazy that they

actually needed to have admission passed to go in, prepared

to book tickets because it was packed. That church was packed, right,

So five year old Heady May Why wanted to go

Sunday school, but it was packed right at that time.

After Sunday school ended, after church ended, the pastor, Reverend

Cornwell came out and saw Hetty may whyatt and he

said to Hetty, hi, good morning. What's your name? My

name is Hetty, said the little girl, and then Reverend

Cornwell said, wow, how was Sunday school, and then she said,

I'm quite scared of coming back again. Oh can you

imagine a pasta hearing that from a five year old child, right,

what you're afraid of coming back to Sunday School? Why

it's so terribly packed inside and I'm quite scared to

be in the midst of such a packed room. And

then there's where Reverend Cormell said, Hey, we're gonna build

a bigger space for Sunday school soon. Would you believe

and pray with me? And then Hatti Maywhi said yes,

I would like to believe for a bigger space for

hours for all the kids, and that was what happened.

Two years later, Hatty fell really sick. She was seven

years old at that time, and during that time, Reven

Cornwell visited Hatti multiple times ministered to the family. Of course,

the families had broken. Hatty was only seven, but unfortunately,

at the age of seven she passed on because of

her sickness. This was eighteen eighty six. During the wake

service hatty Is Wake service, Hatty's mom came to Reven

Cornwell and passed him a little pouch he passed him.

She passed him a little pouch. In this pouch. So

she said this, Reverend Cornwell, I found this pouch underneath

had this pillow, and this little pouch contained fifty seven

cents in change. And alongside this pouch it was a

note in her own handwriting that said that road to

help build bigger church so that more children can go

to Sandaysco. The Hetty had fifty seven cents, which is

a lot back then, by the way, eighteen eighty six,

remember that she saved up fifty seven cents and the

mom passed to Reven Cornwell. You know the amazing thing

that happened after Reven Cornwell took this pouch of fifty

seven cents, changed it to fifty seven pennies, and this

is what he did. He offered each one for sale.

Two hundred and fifty dollars was raised, and the fifty

four pennies was given back to Reven Cornwall. And this

two hundred and fifty dollars was itself changed into pennies

again and sold by the newly formed in honor of Hetty,

the Wyatt Might Society. In this way the fifty seven

cents kept multiplying. And let me tell you what has

happened from these fifty seven cents. Today a church with

a membership of over five thousand, six hundred people. Let's

imagine the Sunday School for a little bit. The happy

soul wish to go. A hospital was built where tens

of thousands of people had been treated. A university was founded,

Temple University in the States, eighty thousand young people going

through university and two thousand people going out to preach

the gospel full time. This came from Hetty May Wyatts

fifty seven cents a little pouch that she had with her,

with the desire of Lord, this is to build a

bigger Sunday school so that more children like me can

come to Sunday School. There are more details you can

actually so this was shared in the nineteen hundreds by REVN.

Conwell himself in a message. You can actually find the

full sermon on nine. If you like, you can ask

for me. I can send it over to you. And

he honored Hetty in that message. We're gonna look at

John chapter six, verse one to forteen names if you

would kindly flip open scripture, We're gonna go through a

similar experience. Hatty gave what she had, and there's another

person that did exactly that as well. I'm imagining the

person probably a little bit older than Hatti, doing the

same thing. Are you guys there all right? You're there, Okay,

I'm gonna go through this scripture with us, all right,

John Chapter six, verse one to fourteen. I'm gonna read

from the NLT translation. After this, Jesus crossed over to

the far side of the Sea of Galilee also known

as the Sea of Tiberius. A huge crowd kept following

him wherever he went because they saw his miraculous signs

as he healed the sick. Then Jesus climbed the hill

and sat down with his discamples around him. It was

nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration. Verse five. Jesus

soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look

for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, where can we

buy bread to feed all these people? He was testing

Philip for he already knew what he was going to do.

Philip replied, even if we worked for months, we wouldn't

have enough money to feed them. Then Andrew Simon, Peters's brother,

spoke up, there's a young boy here with five bally

loaves and two fish. But what good is that with

this huge crowd. Tell everyone to sit down, Jesus said,

So they all sat down on the glassy slopes. The

man alone numbered about five thousand. Then Jesus took the loaves,

gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward,

he did the same with the fish, and they all

ate as much as they wanted. After everyone was full,

Jesus told his disciples, now together the leftover, so that

nothing is wasted. So they picked up the pieces and

filled talk baskets with scraps left by the people who

had eaten from the five baldly loaves. When the people

saw him do this miraculous sign, they exclaimed, surely he

is the prophet we have been expecting. Today's message. I

titled it as What's in your basket? What's in your basket?

See in John chapter six, we see an impossible situation.

Five thousand hungry men, And how many of us know

that women get hungry to and women say amen, five

thousand men. Imagine with me maybe about five thousand other women,

maybe about two thousand young people. Now how do I

know there are young people there? Because there's these young

men there, so conservative number twelve thousand, It could fill

an arena for a concert. Twelve thousand people following Jesus,

and then Jesus gave an impossible task. Let's feed these people.

Let's feed this now, don't quote me on this, It's

just a rough number. I'm imagining taking some creative license here,

Let's feed these twelve thousand people here. Then came the

disciples Jesus, where where to get food for twelve thousand people? Now?

I asked you, guys, where God answer not twelve thousand?

When you next, all can I you also feel it's

kind of hard, right, even with our resources in that moment,

to get twelve thousand people fed. But that was the

impossible situation presented by Jesus see John sixty seven. H Okay,

I'm not gonna entertain that. Do you know what date

is today? I'm gonna stop it there, all right? First point?

First point? Is this right? The impossible situation? John chapter six,

verse seven says this, Philip, one of the disciples, say this.

Philip replied, even if we worked for months, we wouldn't

have enough money to feed them. Philip did the math,

oh in the world, not never mind finding the food

money how Jesus, how are we gonna buy food for

this twelve thousand people? This five thousand men, maybe five

thousand women, maybe two thousand children. You see the verse

after that, say this, right, Jesus was testing Philip. I

think Jesus would very well know the reality of the situation,

don't you think even know? And everything Jesus did always

had that intention behind it. And you know why Jesus

said what he said. It was a discipleship moment. Jesus

wanted to test the disciples response. In the same way

Jesus tested Philip many times, God also wants to test

our response. Many times. God presents us with seemingly impossible situations,

a dead end, no open doors, in fact, no doors

at all, no solutions. We are at our wits end.

He does that to test our response because in the

same way, Jesus would have known the reality of that situation.

Don't you think Jesus would know the reality of our situations?

Take a moment to think about some of these impossible

situations that has either happened before in your life or

it is happening now. Now this is an encouragement to you.

It is a test. And how many of you know,

when you are in a test, it's a controlled environment.

God knows what he's doing. God is in control. See,

when we are presented with seemingly impossible situations, it is

often a litmus test that reveals the true conditions of

our faith in our hearts. We're going to draw some

comparisons between a few people later, and one of it

is this Philip. True condition of his faith was revealed. Hey,

you saw scripture, right, Scripture just said Jesus just did

multiple miracular signs back to back, and yet you see

the true conditions of Philip's faith. How in the world, God,

are we going to feed these people? We work for months?

Also have enough money? God, you see that now? And

we Philip. Sometimes God just came true for us and

then boom, impossible situation. How can you God? But God

is there silent saying this is a death Majah's And

now your condition, the condition of your heart is revealed.

Don't you have faith? So there was a discipushing moment

Jesus had with Philip, and in many times and many times,

Jesus does the same for us as well, to see

where we are at. Because without impossible situations, if times

are always good. We will never see the true conditions

of our hearts. Now, enter the young boy. That's my

second point. Now imagine for a moment and you are there.

Imagine for a moment you are the young boy. You

have a basket of food, right, and you see the boy.

They didn't have much. You know, you may think like

five break Hey, friends, these are not five large breaker.

When you say, I know, we say five loaves. And

when we think of loas we think Gadina, we think

that that can probably one loaf a day. Well, I

got food for five days there. The reality is, I

think we have a picture John. He probably looks something

like this. Barley lows. Okay, barlely lows are staple food

for the poor back in the days it's cheap to make, right,

And this is probably the meal for his journey. You

know that the mom or dad probably prepared for him

this for you are to eat thry your whole old journey. Okay,

Oh you're gonna follow these, Okay, if you are going,

here's the food. I don't know if the parents are there,

I don't know, could be there, right, but this is

the food he had, probably for the whole journey. We

don't know how long the journey is it one day,

two days? Who knows? Right? Bible did not indicate. But

let's let's just be conservative and say this is one day. Okay,

food for one day, not a lot, right now that

you think about it, for a young chad, for youth,

not a lot. Okay. A lot of pictures always depict buguettes.

I don't know why. If you do at pictures, if

you google filroat to fish, you see buggets. It's not

accurate at all. Right, it's probably just one. All of

these five lows is probably the size of one bugget right.

But there was the food. He he didn't have a lot.

I just want to break that myth. All right, he

didn't have a lot. See, the parents gave you a

little bit more, a little bit more, maybe two extra. Okay,

Maybe the young chap didn't have much big of an appetite.

Maybe the parents I'm just imagining. Maybe the parents gave

him a little bit more to say, hey, if there

are others who need here's one or two extra, can

give it to others. Right, So imagine in that moment,

Jesus asks for food, and then the disciples are going

around anybody got food? Now? Do you have food? Review?

Haven not? Don't have everyone you got food with you?

Not?

Oh you got how much a little bit would you

want to give to us? Yes? Oh so nice? You're

that you're like that young boy. Right, so the disciples

are going around. Anybody got food? Anybody? Anybody? And imagine

you are that young boy holding your basket. I think

it's it's dinner. Then tomorrow I still have to go

back home. Breakfast fish. If I break into four, I

can eat four times, then lunch in another loaf. I

only have enough for me or I didn't expect Jesus

to talk so long. So the extra that Mamy Daddy

asked me to give, I may need it. Well, if

Jesus preach and the top am I'm hungry here? Hey,

imagine very real, right, I think all of us will

do that. And looking at our basket as the disciples

of shouting food, anyone of food, lilos, two fish, that's

entertaining a little bit of a moment. What are the

questions that he probably would have? He would probably say,

a young boiler, I'm sure there are adults here. They

have more food, they are more generous. I'm sure they

would understand that I'm just a kid and I need

to eat. Let others do eat. Maybe, or he may

think if I give, then maybe I don't get to eat.

Oh, Or.

For the Asians here, you will feel this. My mom

will kill me if I give this all away. Right,

Chances are others may have more than what I have.

Let others give, right. Or maybe looking at his balley,

bread staple food for the poor, he may even think,

how is this worthy to be given to others to eat?

This is food that is only good enough for me,

not for other people. I don't know how many of

us feel that way. Sometimes, huh, God, this is only

this is what I have, but not good enough, like God,

not good enough God. I'm wondering what the young boy

is thinking. But his response is what I want us

to pay attention to as the disciples go around. Anyone

God food, anyone got food? You there? Do you have food?

No food? Maybe hiding some at the back. No food.

Then the little boy goes, I have how much do

you have? Not much? Five pieces of bread, two fish?

Bring it Jesus, this boy, five bread, two fish. Imagine

you just messed up the carriage. Raise your head say

I got food. Then this is one of the disciples

who you look up to. Go ahead, trample over you

to say, how can these boys stuff feed everyone? I

would probably string back there, just okay, never mind, but

you know, the rest was history. Jesus took the five flows,

two bread, and multiply it, and the multitude, twelve thousand

of them conservatively were fully fed. I'm not talking about sharing.

You take a little bit of everyone until they were full.

It's in scripture. If you look at it again, they

ate till they were fool and guess what leftovers, twelve

baskets of them. I really believe that was Jesus teaching

the disciples a lesson, twelve baskets, one for each on

you to tell you are to go and feed people.

I believe Jesus was teaching them something there. But anyway,

that's not the focus of our message today. This young

lad with five flows and two fish saying this is

all I have. I really believe all of the twelve

thousand people there are probably people who had more food

than him. Take a moment to think sensible adults would

have probably brought food. We always read these scheme true

and think that only the young men food. I don't

believe so, I don't believe so. There may be families

there as well. Don't you think they were brought food

for their children as well? I wonder what they were

thinking when the discaples went around. Anybody got food?

Everybody porney socially, Hey we need it.

Don't you know how long of a journey we need?

We are? We have to go back? You want to

go hungry with there? There? Chinese say, I'm just imagining.

What were their responses at that time when Jesus again

they saw the miracles that Jesus did. But that evening,

the true conditions of every single person's heart, over twelve

thousand of them, including the disciples, were revealed in that

one moment. Litmus t has Remember I say that, but

how many of us here would like to be like

that young boy? Okay, I guess maybe I'll go hungry.

But it's all right, Jesus, Jesus. This is why I

have not much bally bred. As you see what happened

after that, how the Lord multiplied the little that he had.

I end with these questions the boy versus the multi

You can I just add another one versus the disciples.

Which one are you? I think the disciples learn a

vailable lesson from the boy that day. Which one are you?

It looks a little bit like Bradley h m hm manaha,

belly why right? Mhm mm hmmm. Which one are you?

And if your answer issus Stephen, I think I'm probably

like the multitudler. I need to keep for myself, need

conserve safe, reserve a bit. I don't know what tomorrow

will bring. I better save some for myself. Hey, can

I say this is natural and normal? Can I also

say Jesus knows the reality of his cuition? Jesus knows?

Can I also remind us not? Sometimes? Most times it's

a test to see where you're at. Do you think

God will leave you high and dry after thinking? Do

you think after feeding the twelve thousand the boy didn't

get to eat? I'm pretty sure the boy got more

than his fast share and more for his journey back

with your No, it's not written scripture, so I'm just

reading between the lines. Who are we today? Are we

the multitude? Are we the disciples? Or are we like

the young boy? Second question I have for us? It says,

what do you have in your basket. I'm not talking

about money, Okay, that's one area. But what do you

have with you right now? Either you feel this is

only enough for myself I'm energy, whatever resources, or maybe

you feel God, what I have is it good enough?

It's even good enough? If I can only offer two

mites two copper coins. How many of us remember the

lady that gave the two copper coins. Jesus honored that

lady over the many more than others have gave. What

is in your basket? For Hatty Hatty May wied seven

year old Heady May Wied? I believe she started saving

it five years old Hatty May Wied? For her is

the fifty seven cents in change. But God used that.

And the last question I have for us is this

when the when the Lord asks for it, whatever that

is in your basket, what is our response? God, you

don't understand. I need one body loaf of bread tonight

for supper. If not, I'll get guests straight. God, fish

fish is such a such a My mom paid a

lot for this fish. God, God, you don't understand. But

does he I think he does. I think he knows. Again,

I believe God is well and fully aware of the

reality of our situations. But how many of us today

we'll step up in faith to say God, if you ask, okay, God,

it's painful, Okay, God, I'll give see head may Wyatt gave.

Little did she know, and now she knows in heaven,

But little did she know back then how God was

going to use the fifty seven cents that she had

to impect tens of thousands if there hundreds of thousands

of people today. So what's in your basket? My friends?

What is it that you can offer to the Lord? Already?

Let me switch that question around. Why is it the

Lord wants you to offer to him? Is it maybe

a little bit more time in the morning with him?

Is it choosing to Okay, I think I better start

investing in the life of others. Is it discipleship? Is

it the Lord asking you to release control over situations

of your life? God, you don't understand, don't worry, you

won't go hungry, You won't You don't have to be

in control. Allow me, Allow me.

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

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

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this week is going to be a good week. I

hit for you, God bless