Elements of A Growing Church | Pr Stephen Kong

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

We hope this message will light up your day.

The Lord of trouble world within me and to say that,

you know, there are these three elements of in the

church that needs to exist and this and it comes

in three piece, you know. And the three pieces people,

presence and power. We shall go deeper. So people, presence

and power. So that's how the Lord speaks to me,

you know. You know, as I prepare the message on

a week sometimes I'm driving and then the thought just

comes and then I know that it's from the Lord.

I sometimes I have to park my car right down first,

got driving, you know. And so you know, that's how

the Lord speaks to some of us. And so I'm

just gonna go deeper as I as I studied and unpacked,

I pray that you'll be blessed this morning. And then okay,

so let me begin by saying. The word church in

Greek is ecclesia. Okay, some of you may be very

familiar with this. For the longest time of a day.

You know that a church, the Greek word is ecclesia,

and it means a gathering or an assembly or a

call out once. Okay, So if you've been in church

long enough, you'll know that church is not a building, right,

It's not a building. You know, if it really was

a building, if you burned a building out in the

church will not exists.

But that's not the case.

That is why we are doing something called worship at

homes this this year. Actually we do it every year, alaha,

every year we do it, and I'm sure your homes

eider may have explained it to you.

It's called a fire drill. We call it a fire drill.

Why, because we believe that the church is really the people.

Did you get that the church is the people? So

we don't exactly We don't to be confined by a

single building or space that we need to meet here, okay,

because the day may come, the day may come that

you and I can no longer meet in this kind

of place, in this guy setting. Right, Let's just say,

like when COVID happened, you could only travel I don't

know how how many meters?

Uh, let's say, what's a honey comedy? Clumeters?

They say, I don't know, five clumbters, radios, I don't know,

thanks clumb the radios. Let's say, and you can no

longer travel to church as a physical building. You can

no longer go to a physical building to worship. Like this,

what do you do? Just get to your neighbors, right,

Just get to your neighbors and friends. That is where

church is. Because the church is the people. It's not

a building. It's the people. And in fact, in those

early early days, the early days of church, right, there

was so much persecution, right that churches actually met in homes.

You know, they met in they meant houses. And they're

still a church. Right.

You don't executly need a physical building ideas, although yes,

there are benefits of meeting ideas in unity. You know

that there's benefit to that, and that's good, you know,

as the Lord is here and he ministers to us

as a church. About all I'm trying to say is

that we're not confined by a space or a building.

Remember that, okay, And to have you remember that in

the word church, ce h, you are c H right

in the middle is the two letters you are, So

you are the church. Remember that said to you, neebor,

you are the church because it's the people that mix

up the church.

Amen. So Romans sixteen to five I.

You know, there's this one verse in the Bible in

Romans sixteen five that say, it's likewise, create the church

that is in their house. You see the word create

the church that is in their house. Now, if the

church really was the building, this is a this is

a bad englander, you know, it's it's a grammatically wrong.

If the church really was a building, this is wrong.

Okay.

But clearly when you read this verse, likewise, greet the

church that is in the house. They didn't even say

the house. No, it is in the house. Let me, sister, people,

the church is living. It's the people, it's the people

of God together, and that is what the church is.

And Christ is the head of the Church. We the Church,

we are the body of Christ. Somebody say, amen, So

Christ is the head of the Church, and we are

the body of Christ. If you need a scripture for that,

Ephesians one twenty two to twenty three. And he put

all things under his feet and gave him, gave him Christ,

gave him to be the head over all things to

the Church, which is his body. So we you and

I the Church, we are his body, the fullness of

Him who feels all in all.

Amen.

So we are the church the people. That's my first point,

p people. So now let's look to the main passage

that I was drawn to that's found in the Book

of Acts X chapter two.

Okay.

So if you have your bibles, I encourage you to

bring a Bible to church so that we can flip

the pages together. X chapter two, verse let me see

verse forty. Okay, X Chapter two, verse forty.

Rights.

As you're turning, I hope that you've been joining us

on this forty days of prayer and fast along with

this necf fair and fast and also an ex church.

We are also reading the Book of.

X for these forty days, uh, and we will finish

the Book of Acts, you know, in these forty days.

So I pray that you will also join us and

read the entire of the Book of X. Because act

Church got the name from the Book of X. So

we need to see how the early churches used to

live and how they you know, they praise and where

you got so X chapter two, verse forty okay. And

the title of my passition my Bible artists. Sometimes the

writer's add the peer of title. It says a writer

church grows okay, Verse forty says, and with many other words.

He testified and exhorted them, saying, be saved from this

perverse generation. Let me stop that for a while. This

was Peter the he refers to Peter. Okay, I'll give

you the context of the story. This was on the

day of Pentecost, and Pentecost actually stands for fifty panther fifty. Okay,

So the fiftieth day after Passover, or in this case

we call it the Easter fifty fiftieth day after Easter.

That's where the promise of the Holy Spirit was given. Okay.

And so the back god of the story, to help

you give you some context, is that they were speaking

in tongues, okay, tongues of understanding. They miss they miss language, okay,

not just not not the spiritual tongues that we say

unto the Lord, that we pray unto the Lord, or

singing unto the Lord.

These tongues is language people understand, okay.

So there were many people gathering that in Jerusalem at

the time, and they heard them praising God in their

own language.

There was a tongue okay.

And then so they thought they were drunk, and Peter

stood up and gave a sermon, So Peter preached, okay.

And after Peter preached.

Then we get to this verse in verse forty are

follow me okay? So this heverse to Peter and the

disciples are basically okay. So he says, and in many

other words he testified and exalted them, saying, be saved

from this perverse generation. Then those who gladly received his

word were baptized, and that they about three thousand souls

were added to them.

Wow, where's the Lord? Three thousand?

And they continued steadfastly in the apostle's doctrine and fellowship,

in the breaking up bread, which we did just now,

and in prayers.

Man.

Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and

signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed

were together and had all things in common, and sold

their possessions and goods and divided them among all as

anyone can need. So continuing daily, we want a court

in the temple, and breaking bread from.

House to house. There go house to house.

They ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,

praising God and having favor with all the people. And

the Lord added to the church daily those who were

being saved. Amen, the Lord bless the reading of his word.

And so we consider that the Lord added daily to

his church those who are being saved, and salvation truly

belongs to the Lord a man. It is him who

really changes heart and transforms heart. All we need to

do is just to preach the gospel, preach Jesus and

is the work of the Holy Spirit. So we can

see in this potional scripture that there were people who

were gathered. Okay, Actually, if you read verse one, you know,

if you actually read verse one, it says the day

of Pentacosts had fully come. They were all within, they

were all with one accord in one place.

Okay.

And when they're all together in unity, the Bible actually

tells us that God commands a blessing when there is unity.

You know, how good is evens and doll together in unity,

you know, for the Lord commander of blessing. And we

can see that the people were involved. You know, they

continue to steadfastly in the pastus, doctrine and fellowship.

So when I read the verse.

Clearly, we can tell that when we come to church,

we're not meant to just be there to check an

attendance list. And by the way, I don't take attendance. Okay,

don't take attendance. But we're not there to take attendance. Okay,

We're not there to be pill warmers. I say pill

warmos because the church I used to attend back home,

in my hometown, traditional church, there have pills. I'm not

sure there's some of you younger ones know that. Not okay, okay,

you go and google. Okay, those long chairs, I wouldn't

long chairs. Okay, so we're not We're not called to

be pill warmers, or we're not called to be seat warmers.

I know the chair, the qushions were comfortable, but we're

not men to warm just the chairs. We're not ment

to just check in attendance. We are caught to be

disciples because when I read the scripture this verse, clearly

they continue steadfastly in the apostles, doctrine, and fellowship, and

the Bible actually tells us to make disciples of all nations.

So clearly we are not called to just have to

just be believers, but to be disciples. And if you've

been in church for long enough this year, you hurt

us preach by discipleship time and time again.

I'm not going to go there again.

But really, as disciples, we are called to be devoted,

you know, committed to the Lord and building the House

of God together and ready to be mobilized. So I

pray it every single person Exchang will continue to be

disciples that you will say yes to to discipleship. You know,

you'll say yes to being submitted, to the leadership, to

the vision, to the directions of the house. Uh, and

to run readers, you know, to build God's House and

his kingdom and then all day uh. In acts, we

every time say that we are not after church transfers. Yes,

that's not something that we want. Oftentimes, when I meet

some people who are new and ask them, uh, you know,

we said you go to and they tell me, oh,

I go to these church, I'll be like, Okay, you know,

if you're there and you're.

Rooted there, please go back to your church.

Please don't join us, you know, uh, you know, unless

for some reason you need to transition. Okay, for some

reason it does happen. But we're not after church transfers.

We're after those who are new, those who have not

heard the gospel. You know, you want to get them,

you know, want to preach the gospel to them and

pray that they will be saved.

Amen.

So we're not after just you know, believers or changing

from one church to another, but we're looking for new believers,

those who have not heard of the gospel, and so

that we can continue to add on to the Kingdom.

Is God who adds unto the Kingdom of God to salvation.

Yeah.

So I'm not saying that church transfers is bad. I'm

not saying that it's wrong. But I pray that if

we be a pace of honor, even as you transfer church,

there's got to be a place of honor. But I'm

trying to say that you're not after church transfers, but

after new believers.

Amen.

And so it is the Lord himself who adds them

to the church. You and I we are just laborers

who labor. And the Bible tells us unless the Lord

builds the house, the labors for labor in vain. So

if we have a part to play, all of us,

you have a part to play. And I want to

say to you, if you're seated here this morning, you

know you're not here by coincidence. Really, I don't. I

never believe in coincidences. It is by divine appointment that

you are seated here and you have joined us, And

so I encourage you to continue seek the Lord and

ask the Lord where he has called you to to root.

Down or to unpack.

And when you are sure and certain, I pray that

you unpack your backs. You know, think of it this

way when you travel to go for a holiday. If

you're staying a hotel for just three nights and your

bag is there, right, all your stuff will still be

in your back. Why not anybody who is staying three nights,

You will take out all your clothes, put it on

in the wardrob hang your shirt.

You weren't right, You won't.

But if you moved into a house and you paid

your renter for one year or two years contract, or

you bought a house. After you move your house with

your luggage, you won't keepr stuff in your luggage, right,

you will unpack your bags.

So I prayed it.

If you're new here today and you're looking for a church,

I pray that you unpacked and you will route down

here with us. Because our desire and ex shirt is

that every person is to be mobilized, is to be discipled.

We want to take you on a journey, you know,

from from being a new believer and to a seasoned believer,

to a disciple you know, and to become a partner

and eventually to become a pioneer or a planter. We

want to take you on a journey, and I'll let

you know. Church planting is a strategy God has given

to X church, and that is how we have grown

over the years. Church planting, in fact, Exeminyon was birth

out of the spirit and the strategy of church planting.

It was birth nine and a half years ago. Rafter

nine and a half years ago. By February next year we'll

be celebrating our ten year anniversary. Let's keep God praise

ten here anniversary. So, by the grace of God, myself

to get with my twin brother. Yes I have a

twin my brother and two more other girls. By the

grace of God, we started this church that time I

was how was I can't remember?

Twenty three I think.

Started this and we have come a long way only

by the grace God.

Amen.

And so I pray every one of you here will

be invested in the House of God, and that you

will grow you know, not just as a believer, but

you would grow as a disciple, as a partner, you know,

eventually as a leader, and to become a pioneer and

a planter.

For the Lord. Amen.

So people are very important. And without the people, the

church woudn't exist. It's just a building. So that's the

first thing. People, we are the people of God. You

are the church. Remember that wherever you are gethered, you

know where two or three are gathered. The Bible actually

tells us where two asuere gethered, He's there in their midst.

Amen. And that's my second point, which is presence. Presence.

Now, his presence makes all the difference in whatever they

we do, makes all the difference because his presence, we

will just be here for fun. And every Sunday we

pray and ask the Lord to visit us. In fact,

I actually say we don't just want God's visitation, we

want him to dwell among us, because when you visit,

you go in for a little while and you leave.

In fact, I would remind us in a quiet time

that even as we pray and seek the Lord, sometimes

I catch myself, when I'm very busy and rushing, I

catch myself coming to a place to the Lord. Right,

I just pray a simple player. I read, read a

few chapters, and I'm done, and and I'm running and

I'm off. You know about encourage us that to just

linger in his presence. You know, we want to We

don't just want to visit him. We want to linger

in his presence. We want to dwell in this presence.

And so that's why even in our service, we in

our worship services, we try to do a little of

free worship. And during those moments, I pray to you

you wudn't feel awkward about it. Don't feel awkward about it,

because there is power in the lingering. There is power

in the lingering, you know. Or rectually this is not

part of my message, but if you actually read the

story of the Resurrection of Jesus, you know when the

disciples went to the tomb, and I think it was

Peter who went in first. And then so I can't

remember the sequence because I didn't be paid. This part

just came to me. One of the disciples actually lingered.

So actually was Mary who lingered, And when she stooped down,

she actually saw inside the tomb and she saw two angels.

So what I'm trying to say, is that Mary actually

lingered longer than Peter and John. I believe who left

who went in.

In a harvey. They were like raising each other.

One went in first, one way the outside, then both

went in, go and see, and then they left right

and then Mary lingered. Okay, And because she link she

had an encounter with Jesus himself, she thought with a gardener, Okay,

that's not part of my message.

Just came to me. I can go there and read it.

So I'm all I'm trying to say is that there

is power in the lingering a man. You want to

dwell in his presence, even as he also comes and

dwell in our midst. And I was reminded by this

story of Moses when he prayed to the Lord and said, Lord,

don't send us. If your presence is not gonna go

with us, don't send us. It's found in Exodus chapter

thirty three. Let me read it to you. Exodus chapter

thirty three. That's the bell for lunch, lunchtime. Okay, nothing

can clock really loud every hour you hear it? Okay,

all right, Exodus chapter thirty three, Verse chelf And this

is after the time when Moses was angry. It is

all lies, because they worshiped the golden calf, you know,

while he was receiving the Lord or the tablets, and

so Exodus the Retary twelve. Moses says, Then, Moses say

to the Lord, see you say to me, bring up

these people. You see people, bring up these people. But

you have not let me know whom you will send,

whom you will send with me. Yet you have said

I know you by name, and you have also found

grace in my side. Now therefore I pray, its Moses,

Therefore I pray, if I found grace in your side,

show me your way that I may know you, and

that I may find grace in your site. And consider

that this nation is your people. And he said, my

presence is here. God said, my presence will be with you,

and I will give you rest. Then he said to him, basically,

Moses said to the Lord, if your present does not

go with us, do not bring us up from here.

Do not bring us up from here, And I'll stop there.

You can continue reading it on your own at home.

And he says, if your presence, even the presences capital

p wow. He's saying, God, if you're not gonna go

with us, don't send us. And so in our worship

service or even at home, in your own present a

personal that worship, friends, is God's presence that makes all

the difference. And we want to be in his presence

for every time we ask a lot to fill this

place and feel every heart here, because it is really

all about his presence. His presence makes all the difference.

And how do we enter into his presence? Two more

peace for you, Praise and prayer. Praise and prayer. Where

do we find that? He's found in some chapter hundred,

very common sum that most of us will be familiar with.

It is the only sum that has been given the

name some of thanksgi the only okay, some of thanksgiving

some one hundred. It says, make a joyful shout to

the Lord. All you lends, come on, make a joyful shout.

Whoo. So if you're here, extra shouting to the Lord.

It's found here.

Okay, you didn't walk into a funeral, You didn't walk

into a boring Sunday Sunday service.

Actra.

She is alive and we are excited about things of God.

And it's not just any shout is a joyful shout

so believe me when I say that. You know, I

wish to people that look, I think on Earth we're

preparing for Heaven because I may I suggest to you,

I don't think so heaven is quiet, because we'll be

worshiping Him with the angels.

You know, so get used to it. You know.

In fact, I would say, don't wait to me, you

get to Heaven the experience Heaven. I believe that Heaven

kept the experience here Heaven on Earth gues we prayed

a lot. Spare your kingdom. Come, you will be done

here on earth, estidays in heaven. So make a joyful

shout to the Lord. Serve the Lord with gladness, a man,

anybody serving the Lord this morning with gladness.

Come on.

So every Sunday when you serve the Lord. I say

every Sunday, because some overs here serve every Sunday. You know,

we try not Toula. We try to give most of

our people who are serving at least one week break

per month. We try our best. We try our best,

but sometimes shorthanded. And many of our leaders are very willing.

Because we have served the Lord for many years. They

will say Sunday, man, I stop serving.

I feel weird. I don't know wady you feel.

I feel I perceived you're that, you know, uh, one Sunday,

and my leaders are very gracious to me.

They purposedly never scared.

You know, they will. They will allow me to have

one week break per month. They're so gracious to me,

and so I am very thankful for that. But on

the one big I said, now I feel very weird.

No I should, I tell you, honestly feel quite weird.

But yes, the Bible says, serve the lot with gladness.

And if you love serving the Lord, and if the

Lord has been good to you, which I believe he

is good to you, you will serve the love with gladness.

A man serves the love with gladness, rejoy on your hearts.

And he says, come before his presence. Come and say,

come before his presence with singing. That's why we're singing.

Church.

Know that the Lord, he is God. It is he

who has made us, and not we ourselves. We are

his people and the sheep of his passion. You can

see you see all the words their presence. People, We

are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter into

his gates with thanksgiving, and into his cords with praise,

be thankful to him and bless his name. For the

Lord is good, his mercy is everlasting, and his truth

and yours to all generations.

Amen.

So the Bible says that enter into his gates with

thanksgiving and into his courts with praise.

And so there's two elements of it. There's a praise element.

Actually, sorry, there's a thanksgiving element first, okay, which is

a form of prayer. We give thanks to the Lord

to our prayer. And the second part is praise. And

so if you you know, if you look at these

two words our gates and courts, right, gate is basically

the security gate outside the house, you know, or if

you go to a king, king spellers, uh, you know,

you need to pasture the gates first. And it's at

the court that you actually meet the king or whoever

it is, whoever whichever vip, or your neighbor or your

family or your friend. You meet them in the house

in ther courts.

Right.

So, the Bible reminds us to enter into his gates

with thanksgiving. So we ought to be thankful for all

that He has done for us, for you and me,

And I'm sure if you really sit down and count

your blessings. Right, God has been actually very good and

gracious to us if you just actually sit down for

a moment and count. And sometimes we can take it

for grunted, you know. I think one one clear example

to give us a picture is that in Malaysia, we

are very grateful that we can worship God like this

because in some countries they get it underground. I think

it was a missions conference, uh you know, you know

they were sharing that. I won't mention the name, I

won't mention the place, but they worshiped right, and theyre

worshiped had no sound, you know, in the missions fueler

the worship had no sound because there's persecution. They gathered

in secret underground. The church was there, although there's no

physical building like this, there's no cost on it. It's

just the people gethered and they worshiped right. Try try

singing and worshiping without aftering a single word.

They basically worship with our mouth moving. But you don't

hear a sound.

You know why because if they worship loudly, they were

coming and catch them, there'll be they'll be persecution.

That oppression. So really a day, you know, what's my

main point again?

Presents it? Okay, Yeah, So we entered this gage with thanksgiving.

We take things for granted. Here in our church in Malaysia,

we are very blessed there also, I'm trying to say,

we're very blessed.

So entering the gates with thanksgiving.

And when I when I studied the temple, right, the

gates is the outer area where they walk in, and

when they walk in, they were coming to the into

the courts right, and the courts inside the courts, there

are two sides of it.

There is the inner court and the outer courts. Okay.

And not only do we enter into his gates and

into his courts, but under the new covernment covenant, the

holies of holies have now been opened.

And the veil was torn.

If we're actually go and look, and I managed to

watch a video of it, it's very interesting. If you

look at how the temple was made, and you will

see a veil and when Jesus was crucifying across the

veil was torn. And now you and I have direct

access to the Father. We don't need to go to

a mediator, you know, but we have direct access to

the Father. Of course, Jesus. Jesus is the one we

go to him. He is the way to the Father,

the way, the truth and a life.

Amen.

And so we today have a direct access to the Father,

you know, through the you know, because Jesus made away

all because of what Jesus had done on the cross.

He opened and made the way that you and I

can be reconciled back to the Father. And so I

told I told you earlier, where two or three are gethered,

God is there in the midst Matthew eighteen twenty For

where two or three are gathered together in my name,

I am there in the middle.

So listen to this.

Because I've been in church for a long time, and

some of you here also have been in church a

long time. There are days, there are days when I

go I as a Christian, I don't feel the presence

of God.

Have you been there before?

But may I suggest to you that we don't live

our lives by feeling. We don't live our lives by feeling.

And so it's important to know the word of God.

And when the world of God's planted in our hearts

and in our minds, I know for a fact that

it's a promise that where two or three are gathered,

God is there in their midst So there will be

days that we have when we are really down, when

we're really disappointed and we're frustrated.

Maybe I have changed challenges in our lives.

When I go into my coriet room and after I

finished praying right, it's like it was just quite flat. Okay,

there are days like that because I don't feel like it. Again,

I'm not. We're not meant to live by feeling, but

we are still creatures of feeling. We still have it,

you know, And so in those days we need to

be reminded again with the promise of God that He

is there in their meatst human So don't live by feeling.

Remember that God is there in the meats with two

or three together. He is there in your meads. You

don't need to come to a place where you need

to feel as a sensation. Ultimately, he is there, whether

you know it or not, whether you believe it or not,

he is there. And I liken it in a very

practical sense. You know, on a hot sunny day, sometimes

when it becomes dark and gloomy, the sun is too there.

They say you can't see it. You know, the sun

is still there, it's covered by the clouds. Is dark

in a bright day, you know, in in the afternoon

it can be dark. But yet you know that the

sun is there, not because you can see the sun,

not because you can feel the sun, because it's not hot, it's.

Covered by the clouds. But yet you know.

And many of us can quite easily trust signs.

But can we trust the word of God? Amen?

Can we trust the word of God When he says

he's there, he is there?

Amen. He never lies, and he never fails us or

forsake us. So he's there.

And so there is these two elements of prayer and praise,

which is thanksgiving and praise. So every Sunday when you

come to church, take the opportunity to praise the Lord.

Take the opportunity to give thanks to the Lord, because

that is what the Bible has called us to do.

And even as we do that, we will enter into

his gates and into his carts.

Amen.

And so every Sunday we pray early in the morning,

and even before we start our worships with a nineth

a TV we also pray at niney ten.

It's called a pre worship prayer.

You know, because we pray for all the other different

church plans in Malaysia and in the globe, and every

Sunday we also bless Malaysia. And if the church in

Malaysia doesn't pray for Malayia, who else to pray for it?

No one else. And as a church, we also bless

Jerusalem because that's what the Bible tells us to do,

you know. And sometimes we don't know how to pray,

so we just pray scripture very safe. You're not sure

how to pray, create the scripture, just read it. Create

a scripture. It can't go wrong because it's a word

of God. So we really believe in the power of prayer.

And maybe not not all all of us knew. But

last week, actually there was an accident that happened here

from one of our church members church partners. Sorry we

never call up people as members partners. But thank God

they were all safe, they were all all right and saved.

And then when I look back, I remember that last Sunday,

at the prayer time, I actually prayed for a h

of protection upon every family and upon all of us

in this room. And I really believe that that prayer

killed them.

And I want to remind us that prayer works.

Just because you don't see something happened immediately doesn't mean

God's not working because God has his wonders and the

way he does his things and may not be the

way how we imagine it to be. Because we can

never put go in the box. So prayer works, and

even Susannah shared Sisters. Susanna shared a story of how

when she needed a miracle for her visa for the kids,

and she sent a prayer request all the way here

from South Africa, South Africa to Malaysia. We prayed for

her here and she received a miracle a man. So

prayer works, So never forsake prayer. So I want to

encourage you to come and join us for prayer service

because that will be the only time you're awake you

spend one and a half hours praying, And can I

confess with you, it's only time in my week that

I spent one half hours also praying, because one half

hour is quite long. I'm talking about straight straight you know,

not many words can even pray for ten minutes, one

more one and a half hours. So I encourage you

to come join us in prayer. Even if we pray

for the different needs and even your needs as well,

even as you pray. I remember, you know some of

our pH students here. I think they had a presentation

the next day, and they still made it to prayer service,

and the story didn't stop there. They won first and

second place liners and when they prayer service the night

before next day they had a competition or presentation, they

still came for pay service went back.

I think they worked very hard.

I don't know what time they sleep, maybe they didn't sleep,

but they got first and second place and give got

all the glory. I think Line is supposed to share

that's me today, but because of the agenda was very packed,

a lot of a lot of announcements, so we thought you, okay,

let's get lineus to share two weeks later so you'll

hear it.

Okay, it's a teaser, all right.

Even so, pray, prayer works, and if you're still, you

know in a place whereby you're waiting on the Lord,

that I'll encourage you to push pee you as a pray.

Until something happens.

Amen, don't stop believing, keep on praying, amen, hallelujah. Okay,

let's go to our last slap, which is power. Now,

power comes because if some of us are seated here

and we are teachers, while we'll ask me, where does

the world of God come into play? Yes, actually, the

world God comes into play here in the power, because

there is power to the word of God and to

signs and wonders.

Power. Let's look to the scripture of us.

Let me see, okay, First Covencience, chapter two, verse four

to five. If you have a Bible, you can turn

into it. It will help you to follow me close closer.

First Corinthians, chapter two, verse four, the five first contents

two fort The five says, and my speech and my

preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but

in demonstration of the spirit and of power. Then your

faith that your faith should not be in the wisdom

of man, but in the power of God. That's what

first coinentence two four the five says. But let me

read the whole things for context. Let me read verse one,

verse one. To you, he says, and I vegian, But

the wait this is Paul for speaking to the content church.

And I regien.

When I came to you did not come with excellence

of speech or of wisdom, declaring to the testimony of God.

For I determined not to know anything among you except

Jesus Christ and him crucified. I was with you in witness,

in fear and he might trembling, and in my speech

and in my preaching, well, not with persuasive words of

human wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power,

that in your faith, that your faith should not be

in the wisdom of man, but in the power of God.

Some would say power. So he's saying that it is

the power of God. Your faith should not be in

the wisdom of man, but in the power of God.

And so when I read this verse right, if you

read it too quickly, you and I would think that

Paul is saying that the preaching is not important. But

he's talking about the demonstration of the power. It missigns

and wonders. But if you really carefully, that's not what

he's trying to say. Okay, there's two parts to it.

Okay.

The verse two says, for I determine not to know

anything among you except Jesus Christ and him Crucified. That

means Paul is saying he is not saying that preaching

is not important, or it's not saying that he would

not preach because clearly, you know, Paul has preached a lot. Okay,

if you read all the missionary journeys, he preached a lot. Okay,

the kings and gentiles and you name it. Okay, he

preaches a lot. So clearly he's not contradicting himself. But

what he's saying is that, you know, in another version,

he says, right, I will forget everything except Jesus Christ.

That's what the enerty vision says. So all he's trying

to say is that when he preached, right, it's.

All about Jesus.

It's all about Jesus and him crucifi his main objective.

Or his purpose.

And he's determined to know, sorry to know, and to

make Jesus known Jesus and him crucified. But he did

it all with the power of the Holy Spirit. So

he's not ignoring knowledge, he's not putting preaching aside, but

he's saying Jesus is the singular and main focus of

all of his preaching. So friends, Jesus Christ, he's the

author and finisher of our faith. He is the hat

That's why I started by telling you he is the hate.

Christ is the heat of the Church. We are the body,

so it's important that we know that. And so he

starts by saying, I did not know anything except you,

anything among you, except Jesus Christ. And then towards the

end he says, and my speech and my preaching will

not be persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration

of the Spirit and of power. So he did not

come with human wisdom, but he came preaching Jesus and

demonstrating the power of the Spirit.

Paul knew that his job.

As a preacher was just to preach, and it's the

Holy Spirit that demonstrates the power.

Amen.

And so in church, I really believe that the power

of God needs to be evident in the church. The

power of God to heal, the power of God to

set people free, the power of God to break depression,

the power of God to heal marriages, the power of

God to heal broken families, the power of God to

help you in your studies, whatever it is, the power

of God has got to be evident in the church.

And man, I really believe it. And then that's why

we pray for healing in church.

That's why we pray for a break juice, We pray

for miracles because some of your friends out there really

need prayer, they really need a miracle bring them to church.

And the more hungry there there are, the more God

will move, will show show up and show off his

power because they are hungry and they want more of Him.

And so we don't ever want to be a church.

So I'm giving you a warning, a gentle warning, and lovingly,

we don't ever want to be a church that has

the form of Godliness but deny its power. So the

Bible says you can find it a second timoty three five.

Maybe never be a church that have a form of

Godliness but deny its power. So we will continue to

believe for the supernatural. We will we will continue to

pray the sick will be healed. We continue to pray

for your love wants to be saved because we believe

in the power. We believe in the power of prayer.

We believe that Christ is here with us. And so

we have a saying here that people will come to

church because of worship, they enjoy the worship. They will

come back because of the Word, they enjoy the Word,

and they will stay because of the of the warmth

or the community, and so preaching is important. And I

remember was telling us, you know that this is the

fastest going church in Korea. It's called I think Yoido

Full Gospel, the fastest going church in Korea, more than

a million. The pastor actually said, as Young show, the

late past Young Gicho said, the three most important elements

for church growth Number one good preaching. Number two good

good organization. Number three good administration. And so in the

days to come, you know, yesterday we did a training

with our leaders on the five four ministry. That's that's

the part of the good administration part. And so if

you want to know more about five four minute she

come and join us at get Away.

I let you know.

First to get Away, we will have one session. They

will be doing the five four ministry, because we really

believe that the church needs all five of this five

four minute tree, the apostles, the profits, the evangelists, the pastors,

and the teachers. And actually in this room we have

all five of them, okay, because we did the firefour

ministry gives out the test and we actually have all

of it. Okay, we have the gifts of this fivefold ministry.

So come and join us at the get away if

you want to also learn on the fivefold ministry.

So let me, let me, let me begin to close.

Colosion Street sixteen says, let a word of Christ you all,

and you richly in all wisdom, teaching and amonishing one

another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with

grace in your hearts to the Lord. And so the

Bible instructs us to make disciples of all nations. And

the words didn't stop there. It says, make disciples of

all nations, teaching them to observe all things that I've

commanded you. So definitely the preaching of the world is important,

coupled alongside with the demonstration of the power of God.

Amen. And so allow me to close right now.

Even as I want to make I want to give

you a bit of practical steps. Okay, So what should

you prepare or how should you prepare when you come

to check. So the beggard of it is that I've

grown up in church all my life. That means that

I'm a second Jean Christian. Second jen Christian means my

parents are Christians. I was born in a Christian family.

My name was given by one of the pastor. You know,

he's found in the Bible. Of course, Steven as a

martter in the Bible. So I grew up as a

Christian all my life, and I've always attended church as

a religious activity, you know, because my parents would never

allow me to sleep in on church, never, not even exams.

Only one condition I could sleep I could sleep in

when I'm sick, one condition. And even though my family

went on holiday, we're always still found in church. I

told you a funny story when we were in Russia

one of those uh, for for holiday and for my

sisters graduation for medicine in Russia. There was many years back,

not now, uh those days we went to a Russian

church and we had no idea what they were singing,

but we were there anyway, on a Sunday in the church.

And so I grew up all my life in church,

and I never really looked forward to church on Sunday,

you know, Can I be honest with you, It was

very mundane. I went to church just because my parents

brought me to church. And doesn't mean that I wasn't

growing in my faith. Yes, I was growing, but I

just drank my feet to church when I was growing

up for at least seventeen years of my life. And

if some of you are in that place, I pray

that you will fine transformation and you'll find a renew

purpose to come to church. So my turning point happened

when I came to Act about fifteen years ago, when

I came to ask k Neelai, and I really really

look forward to church from that day onwards because it

was different. It was really different. The church believed in

young people, really very believed young people. Uh they sold

in my life. They gave me an opportunity and I

really grew in my faith a lot. And from that

time onwards, I really look forward to church. On a Sunday,

I could wake up on my own. My parents you

have to call me, you know, set my alarm. So

I want to encourage you to be expectant and excited

for church, because if you have expectation.

When you come to church, you will be excited.

Think of it that I was waiting for the latest

release of whatever it is.

iPhone or some song or a movie. You're excited.

You know, when a couple is getting married, they're very

excited for the marriage right there waiting in excitement. So

have expectation when you come to church, and if you

have an expectation good we see from the Lord.

I guarantee you were really.

And sometimes preconceived ideas and our minds can really rob

us from the blessing.

If you come to church.

Saying that today I'm feeling tired, I don't really feel

like lifting my hands, then that's what you're gonna get.

You know, the better is really in the mind instead.

The Bible tells us to we knew our minds. We

knew our minds, so be expecting, expect if we see

from the Lord every Sunday when you come to church,

expect to experience his power, his presence.

Be excited.

I want to encourage you to be excited about the

things of God, because sometimes we can be excited about

many other things, but not the things of God out

But when you have high expectation, you will look forward

to it. You will be excited for you. That's number one.

Be expected, be expecting and exciting and excited. Number two,

prepare physically so we encourage our partners. You know, on

a Saturday night, if you're a person who can't wake

up in on a Sunday morning, then sleep early, sleep early,

come on sleep earlier. I remember the days that I've

always slept before.

Yes, I have.

In the early days when I used to serve in

Exley Lie and I was serving on the sound. We

come at six air in the morning and I always slept.

It happens. It happens.

But my encouragement to you, if you really are a

person who will stay, who will oversleep, then sleep earlier.

It will help.

Very practical. No rocket science. You don't need to pray

about it. This is a very practical start sleep, you know.

Choose your shirt the night before. I ain't no shirt.

Prepare the night before. That's worship. Even before you come

on a Sunday morning. Set aside, you're offering. Set aside,

you're offering before you come to church. Number three, prepare spiritually,

Prepare your heart and your mind to received from the Lord,

even and you come on a Sunday. Number four posture

of surrender. I think line is talked about earlier because

our posture is very important. You will come to church

and your posture is in a place whereby you are

angry with God, or you are frustrated, or you're disappointed,

then your heart and your mind will be closed for me.

I want to encourage you.

Every Sunday when I come to church, I say God,

I'm ready to received from you. I want to surrender

my heart to you. I come in a posture of surrender,

not just in the physical sense, but also spiritually in

our hearts. Amen, lift your hands in worship. Don't be shy.

If you've never done it before. It will be awkward

for a start. I want to encourage you. It will

get better as you go along because you're lifting your

hands to the Lord to anyone else. So there's a

posture of surrender. And last, but not least belved you.

If you've been in as for long enough, I create

that you are wrote down. You unpack your bags and

be involved, because that's a saying right. Familiarity breeds contempt.

When you become too familiar with something, or you become

too used to something, we can become very comfortable and

becomes stagnan.

And one of the ways to grow is to continue

to be involved.

And as to continue to say yes to the Lord,

you will continue to grow. I told you when I

first joined, I just joined as a visitor like many

of you when you first started, and I became a disciple,

became a leader, and eventually the call came passed. I

can set me down and said, look, would you start

this church in ex the money? I said, I don't

know if I can do it, but if you believe

it nothing me. I'll try. But I said, give me

three years, just three years. In me, I can't remember.

You told me, just hang on for three years. And

after three years, if you really cannot, he will he

let me go. So we accounting it's nine years. It's

nine years. So I will say to you, a man,

praise the Lord, if you'll be willing to volunteer time

your treasure, telling to just give to the Lord and say, Lord,

I want to be involved, because that is the best

way that you and I will grow in the Lord.

And some people will say, look faster, you know what.

I will find my belonging then I will serve. But

may I suggest to you it's actually the away I

find my belonging when I serve. I find my belonging

when I serve. Because when you begin to serve the

Lord and be involved in a church, you will make

a lot of friends. Your rop shoulders. You have some

disappointments and there's normal, and that's where we grow. We

want another That's why we have excitement. Amen, so be excited.

Prepare physically, prepare spiritually, come with a posture of surrender

and be involved in the House of God.

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

information on our church, please visit as church org. We

are also active on Facebook and Instagram. We're believing that

this week is going to be a good week. I

hit for you. God bless