Where are you looking? | Dr Daniel Kong

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

We hope this message will light up your day.

I got a bit lazy, Okay, I had to admit. Uh,

for those of you who are here early this month,

you recognize that photograph or rather that that diagram is

the same one because it's so cute, right, it's so

cut I just changed the title spun it around. Oh

my wife is away. So I didn't get much help

with this support no no, but joxuicide jo aside for

those of you who just give some context for those

of you who are not here. I think about a

few weeks ago I spoke about an unlikely loyal messenger

in the form of a donkey. I want to say

that the other word, but anyway, but but we've learned

this is we've learned about how to be loyal, how

to be stubborn to the nextent, just like the donkey, uh,

towards a certain vision, and also to be loyal towards

how towards gods will. Okay, so if if you pluck

like it, but really what at the end of it

is really about testing, testing the vision and also not

to beat up the donkey. The messenger Okay. So today

I come humbly to you guys as a donkey, uh,

to just deliver what God has in store for you,

for all of us rather, But it's also a continuation

from something of what I spoke about earlier, and that's

why I lazily use at least the cute donkeys there.

Everything else is new, okay, by the way, everything else

is new. But today the topic today will be where

are you looking? Okay, where are you looking? And I'm

quite sure at the end of it, hopefully by the

end of it, you have a better idea what I'm

talking about, But just bear with me for now, okay.

And it's to do also about shifting our perspective because

you know, looking literally is where we gaze. Uh and uh.

You know a lot of these things will make more

sense at the end of it now because I want

to do something a bit differently. If you have your

Bibles with you today, we are gonna only be looking

at Matthew Okay, say Bible, so you turn to Matthew twenty. Okay,

leave it there. X TV also help me with this.

That's my Matthew twenty. My book mark fell off somewhere, okay, anyway,

Matthew twenty and I'm gonna do something a bit different. Okay,

I'm gonna get the kids to come and help me

out with this. You know, Jesus like to use parables.

I'm gonna butcher this parable a bit. Okay, I'm gonna

get the kids in. I'm gonna step aside a little bit.

I'm gonna give a different rendition of it. But what

what x T will do? You just try to I say,

move this side better. You just try to keep up

l as in. Just just down to the section that's relevant.

Why do I say this because I'm gonna change it

up a little bit. I'm going to invite Actually, my

son is supposed to be up here. He's not well,

So I'm gonna get Lindy up instead. See I said kids,

I said kids. I didn't say one age. I'm just skidding.

I'm just skiddy. Okay, go the site. Go to the site.

Stand as a first, okay, God first. Okay. Now I'm

gonna get other kids up as well. Don't worry. Why

can you not introduce them one? Maybe I can get

Anderson right and listen, and would you come up and

join Lindy Arlene Arlene, you're just joining. Don't say anything.

But no worry, no worry. It's just a short thing.

If you're not comfortable, that's fine. Just stand next to

your cook four hour okay, Okay, Okay, I'm just gonna

okay again. I'm just gonna narrate and you guys just

play a long ah. Okay. It was a cool and

clear morning. Nothing to do with the scripture, okayorady Noora.

You know, morning's right, generally tends to be quite cooling,

Alicston nomolition context coolest lot. And then, of course, you know,

as the day progresses, it gets hotter and hotter. Okay,

so uh supposedly, zach okay, but it's okay, Lindy, Lindy. Uh.

You know, stood there with a couple of other kids,

let's say, in downtown s S fifteen, the central hub

of Subang, Okay, hoping to find some work. Okay. Uh

here I put here that I put the script here

to say that there wasn't much work. She stood there

for a while, or he's there for a while, but

it was patiently looking for some work to do. Of course,

some pocket Manila, and it has been a week since

she has done any work. Okay, And I wrote there

his candy supply was getting low. He must understand this

is from Zech's perspective, kids perpective. Lat So they work

for candy. Okay, all right, garde gardea. Okay, that's the

motivation over there. So for the first time, Lindy was

re a bit desperate. No no, no sugar in the

system ready, okay, So all of a sudden, then she

saw a car drive past. Okay, I'm gonna get Charles

to come and help me out as well. He's been

preempted as well. Yeah, yay, okay, Charles, what can you drive? Charles?

What car do you driver? Mai okay, mive okay, Okay,

Let's change you a bit. Okay, Let's make it a

buskey lung. Okay. So Charles is driving a buskey lung, driving, driving, driving,

and then go and pick up your your passengers okay,

driving then okay, So everyone here, just in case you

don't know this person, Charles, the man Charles here is

going to be hiring the kids sniff child laborer, child

labor Okay, Charlie, I don't know, okay, Hi, okay. And

because and of course they want to do this because

it's good. It's good pay. By the way, it's a

hundred bucks a hundred ring it for a kid, it's

a lot hundred ring it to do the work, to

do the world. Okay, So pick them up, and then

Charles would then bring them to this uh, to this factory. Okay.

The job is very easy. Okay, the job in that factory.

Just the full paper okay, full paper and maybe just

staple in the corner. Okay, simple for kids, Okay. So

then they they came, they arrived. Then of course Lindy

was very excited. Ah, yes, I can finally get to

work this sort of work, right, can be enough candy

for three months, right, you know, sweets for three months,

because Hunter Bucks goes a long way. Then then Charles

sort of left them there. He went off for a while. Uh.

And then they continue and then He's like, Okay, there's

so much to be done here. This place has so

much to do, and therefore that's why I think I

can I can do this. So Lindy's very excited. Okay.

Then Charles when uh and then he was happy. And

then suddenly you went to pick up some of the kids.

The kids are uh, oh, get o kids if they're

if they're okay, no oh this in get this the

d jal anger jalanger Okay, okay, so came came back. Okay,

came so of course came. And then uh and then

it's already like halfway through the day, mid day. Already

I came mid day, so some of the scriptures may

make sense. Okay, mid day ready, yeah, in the morning,

then do the Okay, it's like how Lindy is like,

you know, I mean, there's let's hoop for me to

do because more people maybe had to spread the load,

you know, or let's let's what to do or panning

a bit. Maybe I cannot stretch my thing anymore. That

doesn't matter. So anyway, in comes h the new child labor. Uh.

And then and then okay, that's fine, and then later

okay another Uh, they continue to work through the evening.

They can then Chiles went off again and then brought

maybe more kids and get three kids in front of air.

That doesn't matter. Uh. Actually, sure, that's sure. Come you

come here, go get involved. Yeah, get esure. And now right,

it's getting more and more ridiculous because it's already like

late and now not only did he pick up the

local bum in fifteen, the one that's not very hard working,

so he knows as Lindy recognizes that this guy is

not a heart worker. Only one hour left, you know,

but it doesn't matter. That's so. So anyway, once at

the end of the day, Lindyre like, okay, it's very

happy about this whole situation because she feels like, oh

what is this meant? Something's not right? So one to

confront Child's like, hey, what gives man? What's wrong? And

this is where the story begins, because he gets paid.

You pay her a hundred bucks as promised, I've got

give you a cash, give you a hundred bucks, okay,

and she's okay with it for a while. Then as

they were going away, Lindy actually realizes that shure us

one hundred bucks in your pocket, you know what in

the world and everybody's got a hundred bucks. Something is

not right here. So what didn't to do? Didn't they

go in confront the slave, labor, the slave, the safe

driver rather literally and then say okay, this is not fair, okay,

and this is where our story begins. Okay, thank you everybody. Okay,

I can I can milk it. You can milk it.

You can milk it, you can milk it a bit more,

you can make it. Yeah, okay, So of course I'm

totally butchering the original text there, but you get the idea.

It's somewhat like this, Okay, somewhat like this. Okay. So

the reason why it's uses so that you can visualize

a little bit. Okay. So let's pick up where the

conversation would have begun, okay, would have begun here. Let's

read from versus twelve. Okay, so these who were hired

last worked only one hour, just like how actually just

came in just what one went and done? Okay, worked

only one hour? And what is it? What does you

say here? They said, and you have not even made sorry.

You have made them equal to us who have borne

the burden of work and the heat of day. So

you must understand, even in context, are actually the desert

all So it's not in some I forgot to say,

it's poorly ventilated, key lang, but it doesn't matter. You know,

out in the sun, it's also equally as bad. Okay.

So they were toiling. So the person naturally the first

person lin. They worked all the way, many hours right

under the hot sun or heat in the ski lung

doing the same thing, and the person who came last

got it a lot easier to an extent. Right, So

then what the what the what the child's answer? He answered,

Child's actually the person in this context, right, he answered,

I'm not being unfair to you. Friend. Didn't you agree

to work for a Dinaris? So you look through the

initial scriptures over there. That was the agreement of the payment,

just like how we say earlier, hundred bucks, just agreement

really right from the very start. Okay, take your pay

and go, and I will give you the one who

was hired, uh last, the same as I gave you.

Don't I have the right to do what I want

with my own money? Or are you envious because I'm generous? Okay?

So of course we also know this famous line here,

so the last will be first and the first will

be last. Okay, But it's not the main focus here now. Okay,

So question is what are this? How did you feel?

Indy by the way you young? Again? H hh exploited right?

A bit unfair, you know, though? What is this? Yeah?

Of course of course you can also hear the owner's

side as well, he's got his own point something. Maybe

it's on this a bit on the fence. Not sure. Okay,

let's let's let's let's let's bring this back to maybe

more relatable to the adults here. Okay. Let's say imagine

a company you know, has gone through some restructuring. They

took away the office spaces and they changed it to

a co working space HR HR kind of thing. What

was the term that the cutting costs cutting costic size Okay,

not downsizing, but cutting costs is realizing the space a bit. Uh?

And then he tries a bright idea. Okay, let's say

HR does this by saying, okay, because of inter space,

we want we need to get everybody in. But maybe

they come in different times of the day. Okay, so

let's just come in a system. They go by alphabetical order.

Everybody's coming in one one hour day. The rest of

the work still very hard remotely, but you come in

one hour days just so they can occupy the space

and you know, you can have the interestion et cetera.

One hour day. So let's say one day has about

it working hours, so one okay, So alphabetical order based

on surname Okay, so Bong has to come in at eight. Uh,

Wong has to come in made the tail end of

the day five or six o'clock, and Kong is like,

I don't know, some in the middle lunchtime or maybe

even earlier. Okay, but you get the idea, right, So

something random is that now you know that this would

probably cause a little bit of uneasiness, even though technically

that one hour is the same for all across the

board in terms of the working hour and maybe the

actual work itself, right, but the experience can be a

bit different, at least in a Malaysian kale contexts. You know,

you leave in the morning, and you leave in the

tail end of the day, and somewhere like myself walks

in in the ten o'clock, eleven o'clock. It is a

bit different, right, And this is exactly the sentiment that

the person is going through because again the agreement is

you you just do that whatever your task the douma.

But somehow the conditions are a bit different, right, conditions

are different. And so today it's a very simple message

because it's meant to be a family friendly kind of

a thing, but it's meant to look at some learnings

from this particular few verses that we are going to

be reading. True, Okay, now are okay so far? Okay,

let's look through this again. So I'm going to start

with the first slide again. We will not make any sense.

Don't worry about it. It will make sense a little

later on. But I've written here lower our pride, okay,

and then don't look down. Don't look That will make

sense a little later on. Okay. Now, let's come back

or maybe even go back one particular a few verses

before the verse that we read this is chapter twenty.

We go to nineteen. That's earlier. I say, it's nineteen

twenty tail end nineteen talem twenty Okay, now nineteen verse

nineteen over there, oh sorry, chapter nineteen. Just at the

tail end, there is a story of the rich young men,

sometimes called the rich young Ruler. Okay, different which which

version you read? Okay, let's look at some of the

context of you. So this is Jesus talking to his

or you know, telling a parable to his disciples, very

similar to what we've sort of done earlier. Parable Okay,

it's not maybe not be an actual thing. It's just

a story so that they can relate certain learnings from it.

So the rich young man in this chapter, the rich

young man comes to Jesus and what else he trying

to do. He's trying to seek or by the way,

if you don't know where I'm gonna start from, is

I'm gonna start from the very top of over there? Okay.

He's trying to seek eternal life. Okay. Eternal life means yeah,

live forever, go to heaven. They can't think what okay,

so or if not, perhaps some assurance there's going to

have eternal life. So it's trying to find out. Okay,

what they're to do, literally, Jesus, tell me what they're

to do to attain this, to achieve this? Okay, so

let's read from scriptures again sixteen. Just then the man

came up to Jesus and as teacher, what good thing

must I do to get eternal life? Okay? Why do

you ask me about what is good? Jesus replied this, sorry,

there is only one who is good. If you sorry,

if you want to enter life, keep the commandments also,

naturally as Asians will keep commandments. Tell me what the

comments are, right, So Jesus actually said that which ones

to be muscle to say, you shall not murder, you

shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall

not give false testimony, Honor your mother, father, et cetera,

et cetera, love your neighbor as yourself. Okay. So so

the young men then said, all these I've kept, check, done, accomplish, accomplished, right,

the mission accomplished. But what do I still like? And

then Jesus went on an extra I say, if you

want to be perfect, or this perfect thing is next

level one hundred and ten percent, go sell your possessions,

and not just sell possessions, no, because sometimes you say

you liquidate, right, technically, still have the cash in hand. Right?

What else did he say? Give liquidate and give okay, buggie, okay,

give it to it, and then you will have treasures

in heaven. And after that then come follow me. Oh

it This guy's response, they're not bro Oh, I can't

do it. I cannot do it.

That.

In fact, if you read on in verse twenty two,

he went away said, because he had great wealth. Okay,

now what's the problem here. It's the problem. Great wealth

maybe could be maybe sometimes harder, because maybe it's easier

to liquidate smaller value or than you know, millions. I

don't know, but maybe it's also the refusal or the

more challenging to do this. And you can you can

see that in verse twenty three. The next slide, J

just city. I will truly I tell you it is

hard for someone who is rich to enter the Kingdom

of heaven. So if somebody is blessed with earthly riches,

will he also be cursed to a certain extent. This

is the question that we're asking here, okay, right, or

Jesus is trying to illustrate here or tell his disciples

it's actually very tough for Richmond and to heaven in

the surface, on the surface lat Okay, that's why the

guy's like ah, so said okay. So then after that

you read let's Rihanna twenty four, sorry twenty four Again,

I tell you it is easier for a camel to

go through and eye of a needle. Now anyway knows

what a camel is. What's the size of a camel?

But sagular? The vet The vet says big, crazy, crazy large.

For those of you are not relais I'm so sorry. Large, okay, needle,

thank you, small, very small yeah. Now to give you

some context as well, during that time, the Persians who

always express this concept of the impossible by using an

elephant going through the eye of a needle, that's the expression.

So these Jewish people they adapt to camera because camera

was the largest animal of their time. Again, the camera

is not the main star here, Okay, it's meant to

just illustrate something impossible. They find the biggest animal and

then just tread it through contextually. Okay. Then in that

time Israel, the biggest animal was a camera. I've got

some funny photographs over there, and of course we are

just in case you're wondering. It's not literal. By the way,

Jesus often uses these figure of speeches or you know,

ways to emphasize or exagger certain things. Very much like

my wife like the exaggerate thing. Okay, anyway, let's not

get Yeah, I mean, you've heard of a scripture saying, like,

you know, the plank in one's eye, the plank, the

plank cannot go into one's eye. You know, listen, Matthew, sir,

maybe you can, but if you're painful or you're swallowing

a camel in Matthew training two Jesus said as well,

swallowing a camera. How is it impossible? Right? So this

is the equivalent of that to describe, to dramatize something

impossible otherwise quite putting right. Other scriptures, of course, you

know the first few chapter sorry, the first few books

will cover some of them main bits. So all this

expression of the eye of the needle camera going through

it is also available in some of these other scriptures,

so we can look it up as well. Now again

back to this, imagine the disciples when they heard this impossible, bro,

how expression will be shocking? How how do you even

do that? You know, you can enlarge the the needle,

or you can shrink the camel. I don't know. That's

only in the physical sense. So it's really Jesus telling

the expectation and this is the reality. How how Okay,

So that's the context. Okay, So if anyone rephrasing her,

if anyone would come into the Kingdom of God, right, uh,

and if he is rich, then is no gorilla because

it's as difficult as that, okay. So because when they

are blessed by God sometimes we believe they are. When

you're blessed by God, then yeah, everything will check out,

we'll go to heaven, et cetera. But also correcting that

a little bit. So why it's important, it's because really

that time, the context is they believe those that know

the wealthy, those that know the law, the pharisees, the scribes,

et cetera. They may not be fully worthy to go

to heaven to the next ten, but they were definitely

very blessed during their time. Okay. So then the other

context is that what then, so the poor people hooray? Right?

I mean, technically if you just follow blind need their lives,

it's okay, but one prying to stay here is uh.

There's also other scriptures to back this up. Right in proverbs,

let's just read problems ten. Okay, lazy hand make for poverty,

but diligent hands bring wealth. So it's a promise you

are hardworking, you get wealth.

Okay.

Next one, humility is the fear of the lord. It's

wages are riches and honor and life. So people back

then right, more or less right, the focus or the

blessings KPI will come whenever you you you do all

these things. That means if you're heart working, you know

you do all the right things. You're obedient, you're wise,

you'll be let's use the word materially blessed. Okay, material

can be other forms as well, will be health, et cetera. Okay,

but let's just use the simplistic wealth. Okay, what type

of thing? So, and this is not just unique to

that time, you know, I mean a lot of other

religiouiss say that you do good, naturally you be blessed. Right,

that's a raasily understandable thing. So the question is one

of the first question is if that's the case, it's

blessings not the endgame? Is it not the target? That means,

if you see somebody blessed in the way we understand it,

doesn't that mean that you're going to have it. I mean,

technically you should be right because you do good. Ma.

So it's kind of conflicting if you think about it right,

think about it right. So then the question would be,

why then would God reward medience to something that is

that makes it hard for salvation? Have you thought about that? Right?

Bless you? I mean, we do pray for blessing, right,

so are you telling you circular heavens not for realizes

or whatever? But but again, this is an interesting thing. Okay,

I don't know the full answer to that, really, but

Jesus has some clue about it and worried a little

bit about it more. But there is a also, you know,

your wealth does not necessarily have a positive, uh linear

relationship with with with salvation in even that time. Okay,

I don't why I'm talking all these mathematical terms. Stereo

reading is right, in fact right, the relationship is actually

in verse, okay, opposite. So the wealth there you are

the less likely are safe, just as what Jesus trying

to use explain the parable, and on the basis it

is on a basis of the gospel. We read this

in the next few vers can go back to the

actual scripture, as in twenty six say, then Jesus looked

at them and said, with men, this is impossible, but

we've got all things are possible. And this is where

the part there's Sometimes we use it different context, but

you get the idea. It's impossible. It's like putting a camel,

torturing the poor camel to go through a needle. It's impossible.

It's not possible at all, But with God somehow it

wor Okay, okayeah, so let's move on. So again, Jesus'

answer is actually to correct some false understanding dunt of time. Okay,

because most people during that time thing that wealth is

a proof of God's approval. They see someone blessed in

whatever shape or form is. Rabbis taught that as well,

rich people means blessed by God, and there for the

most likely candidates to go to heaven. That's what they thought.

But Jesus straight away, uh, you know, destroyed that that

that notion to say, no, not true, not the case,

this idea is not true. I will correct you straight away. Okay.

Uh one most like after Uh yep, so impossible for anyone.

This is actually the true meaning. You know. It's actually

talking about that you're you can't be saved from a

salvation context of going to heaven based on his own merits,

because that's people eventually you get there. No, it's correcting that.

So it is impossible for anyone to be safe on

his own merits. Men are safe true God's gift of grace,

and we know that right, his mercy, his faith. Right.

If you don't know where it comes from, it efhicients

really nothing we can ever, ever, do earn us that

right of salvation. That's that's why he's trying to say here. Okay,

Now there's also some other scriptures are so it is

poor in spirit who inherit the kingdom of heaven. This

comes from Matthew Okay, five to three, the second one

at the bought them move there. Okay. So here we

talk about a different kind of wealth or poverty, depending

on which spectrum we look at. Okay, we're talking about

the spiritual sense, not the material materialistic sense. Okay. So

what we're trying to say here is that God is

okay with somebody who's poor in spirit, right, because why

it's down there and it's actually too and enable us

to understand that firstly, everything comes through Christ, right And secondly, secondly,

when we are too materialistically blessed, there is a tendency

not saying that it's always the case, but there is

some tendency for pride to kick in. Okay, And you

see that sometimes in la I'm blessed, I'm okay, I

don't need God, et cetera, et cetera. You get the idea.

So again not saying not not cursing the blessed, but

the rich man can be often blinded by his status

in terms of the spiritual side of things. So he

can be blessed material materialistically, but he can be poor

in poverty in the spiritual sense. And we know that

all of us are spiritually so at least from the

race start. Okay, So this is exactly what you're just

trying to say, you know, because if you're not careful,

you can be proud of your say, your man's accomplishment,

you gave me contented, if your wealth right, and the

likelihood of him or her moving away further away from

eternity is high, just like how it's as low a

chance as the camera will go through the needle, the

irony needle. That's what he's trying to say here. Okay,

So what's what does all mean? Again? Very simportant going

be done any really, the first principle is do not

look down. Okay, even if you have wealth, even if

your positioned, even if you have authority, remember where they

all come from, your talents, your possession, use it. Don't

ever bury them, okay, don't ever also feel that you're

more superior, at least in that blessing side of things

then the others. Your peers. And that's what I mean

by do not look down, right, because when you start

to look down, even if your fellow peers or you know,

men in general, that's when pride was to kicks in. Okay,

So you gotta be very careful. So don't or used

to word, never ever look down on others because the

Lord has blessed you. Okay, just a warning. I mean,

that's just just wanding my warnings. Warning. Okay again, blessings

a loons are Okay, blessings alone are fine. We're not

saying that it shouldn't be. But you just say to

be mindful of the dangers, be watchful of the blessings

and pride combo. Okay, second point from what we've read, Okay,

obey with contentment. Okay again, it makes sense a little

later on. Uh, look, don't look up or why don't

look up? Look up? What? Yeah, naturally you look up.

But let me explain. Let's move to the second point now. Okay, Now,

after the rich young Men's incident, as we read earlier,

Peter was still recovering from the short learning that the

rich men will not get to heaven. Right. That was

what we read early in nineteen. Right, chapter nineteen. So

let's move on to verse twenty seven and read here, Uh,

we have left everything to follow you, what then will

there be for us? Okay, think about it, God, I

give you everything. I gave my life to you. No, no,

I saw I was not like the rich young man

or ruler. I actually did all that. I followed you.

But one then will it be for us? You know

what's he looking at? He's also looking for a reward.

He's capitalizing as well, say hey, that guy didn't do it,

but I did it, so what was it for me? Right? Again,

he's also missing the point here right. In fact, he

is actually starting to sound more and more like the

first Carrea that we read about the rich young man.

Why because he's more focused on what he can get

from the work even as he's doing the work, whether

it's selling his possessions or doing ministry, et cetera. Right,

remember the time, you know, some of the disciples argue themselves,

you know, who get their first et cetera. I may

I have no time to go through it, but if

you want to go through it, you can look at

X chapter one. I'm just gonna maybe pick up from

versus six in chapter one, I think second slide for

you gave it records here that they've asked him if

he was going to set up when is he going

to set up his kingdom? To restore his kingdom here

on earth? Okay, I'll just give you some contexts. This

is where the disciples has no doubt that Jesus over

through you know, all the the rest of the Empire,

the Romans, et cetera, and he's ready to re establish

you know, the Israel and set up his kingdom again.

And naturally back then the disciples will always think that

naturally when you say restore, you restore back all the

people that are in power, people that are top. Another

word for it's blessed. Okay, why because when you do that,

you'll bring the influence. You also bring the wealth through

the nations. And I always we say in this blessed

nations like this in the human sense okay, okay, So

then they are they also in danger of not going

to heaven. We'll talk about that later on. But definitely

he was okay in this temporary state, or they were

okay in temporary state. They were okay to be in

poverty because they know the blessings are coming, okay, and

and and I mean, just as we say, how can

anything like that? Aren't we all like that as well?

Sometimes we also say, ah, you know, victories around the corner.

You know, success is around the corner, hanging there. Again,

nothing wrong with that, nothing wrong with that. But you

must also understand the I guess where what we focus

on when we actually say those things as well. And

again it will make sense once I hopefully once I'm

done with this. Okay, they don't mind being in that

poor mindset or state. And even at that point they

were parading a little bit because just like how he say,

I've done all that idea, I saw all my possessions.

What is it in for me? Okay? So Jesus then

amazed Peter by telling him what, in simplistic English, you

don't have to be rich or be content with your

current material possessions. Okay. So this comes to my second point,

which is, don't always look up for things to drop

from the sky. Literally. Okay, Yes, we don't mind getting blessings,

but don't just don't. Don't make that just be the

only reason why you look up. Right when we obey,

there needs to be an expression of how we align

with God. Not so much because there is what's it

in for me? That's why it obey, And that's why

we need to obey with contentment. And what you mean

by contentment is if we are spiritually poor, is when

your blessings can pour it empty, right, can pouring? Right?

And this is where I think, if you align yourselves

with the right motive, it's it's it's okay. But you know,

Peter thought that because he is qualified, he made that

certain B forty criteria and therefore he's here. Blessings are coming. Now,

what's the most important thing here at the end of

the day, right, you still again to Charles car you know,

to get the work done. That's the bottom line. Charles

is a very big bust. Now, okay, anyway, you have

to still get the work done. The blessings will come.

But don't get into the car just because there is

blessings involved. Right then, day, I'm so sorry. It's not

just because of the candy, but yeah, because Peter here

is missing the boat again he started to sound like

the rich young men. Right, what was it in for me?

Get to work is what I'm trying to say. Get

to work. As long the bottom line is you will

get paid anyway. Everybody get hundred bucks, doesn't matter. You'll

get paid. So what if the mode is a bit different,

or the the work may be a bit different, So

you have to take notes getting the child's card? Yeah,

and why is it important us? Peter and supposed that time? Right?

They worked long and hard. They were the ogs, you know,

they were working very hard, and they were going to

work even more to the end of the day, right,

long and hard for the rest of their lives. And

therefore they think that that is the way, even for them,

that is the way. So what I'm trying to say is, yeah, yes,

focus on the work, but not for the wrong reasons.

It's another way to put it. As long as the

workers are willing to get the work done, that's the

most important thing, all right now, So I put some

of the things up there. At the end of the day,

it's not about sorry earlier, it's not about being unfair

to your friend. Then you agree to work. Isn't that

what we promise you earlier? Right? Because it's not about

how long, how hard, it's about your motive. It's alo

trusted the next one. But it's about the heart little bit, Okay,

don't look at the material successes. Be content with the work.

Be happy with the work. Right, even if you give

monetary says you give, you give cheerfully. It's the heart right.

And now way to put it is motive trumps the work.

So find contemning to him because otherwise how can you

find how can you motivate? Right? You have to find

content with him, Okay, So don't just look up for

material success. Be content with what you have and you

have that perspective, that is the starting of true, true contentment.

Now next light, we're on this whole thing about talking

about DISCIPLESI I think we've even started talking about this

early this year, and this whole thing right, just in

case I forgot to mention, it's all in line with

a change of how we look at different things. So

this true discipleship is really about not striving for material gain,

but finding content in Christ. And this is how we

also to disciple at this in the process. And one

point say is that we are emphasizing the discipleship hard

why because a true disciples follow a Christ finds joy

from obedience, not material gain, not any arterior motive. You

actually enjoy and it's a bit strange, but enjoy the word. Okay,

So what's our role we are to disciple? Help this

another way to put it, so that our or their

faith isn't dependent on just external blessings. Right, and then

as where all the other stuff, the faith, the trust

and all that will come in, blessings will follow and

don't worry. So they promise it, but it's not your

only reason why you're doing it, like it's probably I'm

trying to stay here, okay. Let the focus be right,

let the heart be right. So we do good works

and we serve because of correct motive. Look at King David.

He messed up with Sola, but it's always the right heart,

the right motive. And this also or less my third point,

observe examine the heart. I say, don't look out, okay,

I'll explained, okay, but it's mainly the herd issuer. Don't

rely on just the length, the timing, how much you're done,

but really examine, because God values that. Are you really willing?

Are you really is there really a real outward expression? Right?

This is why I'm trying to say, trying and say

I encourage a bit of self reflection. Uh, and why

why you looking out? Because the necessariden we look out.

It's not literally just to look out, you know, but

we look out and see the reflection on us. Again,

that's the that's usually how we look out. We look

I see how people see us. But my question is

how does God see you? Right? People can't see inside there,

you know? Right? Are you being authentic? Are you living

it out like real for real? Or you just looking

out and seeing what people seeing you? Okay, So examine

the heart, your heart, our heart. Are you serving to

really honor God? Or is it just for people for recognition?

Keep it real man, right, keep the heart pere Okay,

very funny because I was watching F one yesterday. Just anyway,

if you ever do watch some of these live shows, right,

whenever the audience notices that the cameras on them, they

will actually behaved a bit differently because they want to

be captured again a bit our context now, But it's

something like this, what do people see and they want

to portray something different, But that's not an important thing.

So again, don't just look out and see what others

seeing you. Focus on the heart the unseen. Okay. Last point, Deity, correct, Yeah,

keep our focus on. Jesus needs to say, don't look around. Now.

What I mean I don't look around is also looking out,

but a different kind of look looking around them, looking

at your different one peers and all that. Now again,

nothing wrong with that. Sometimes we do benchmarking, right, but

again back to the first few points. It has to

be the right context of why we went benchmark If

you're benchmarking from a perspective of envy or jealousy, and

then don't look out, don't don't look around, right, I

think one or two years back when I was sharing,

I always believe sharing that. You know, we always we

are like one big highway. Everybody has got their own

uh I guess uh mission in life we are to

stick to our lane and not worry about the next

person in the next lane, or even try to be

impatient and then go and merge into somebody else's lane.

And and of course sometimes we know that we get

accidents and all that th but that's not the main

thing here. Don't look around too much. Okay, Now, when

you think about it, that the suppos they don't have

a problem. The rich young men, Okay, they had chosen

Jesus they fall. They are following Jesus. They willing to

give up already, so they checked the first few boxes today.

The real text, the real test for them, right, wasn't

a challenge our wealth, but it's whether they are willing

to allow God to be generous. Let me explain, Okay,

let me explain this now. I imagine this. I always

use waiting as an example here. Imagine if you're queuing

out to buy BTS tickets. Okay, maybe don't embarrass it, okill,

any of you here to buy Apple iPhones and all

that kind of things. You get the idea? Can you

get idea? Okay? You queue up for hours? Uh, you know,

maybe camp some people are crazy enough to camp overnight.

And then what if somebody just as opening or just

be five minutes for opening. You know, somebody escorts this

young Chico to come to the front of the queue

that you've killed overnight? If a tenth in the coal, yeah,

sweating your Yeah. Anyway, you get idea? How would you

feel no need that the person gets a discount on

those tickets. That's the story of our vision. Actually, sometimes

you feel right doesn't deserve it. He's done all this. Yeah,

I've been a goody two shoes for all my life.

So allowing God to be generous to us is always

very easy. We don't mind it. Come God, show me blessings,

no issue, bring it, bring it right. But it's always

harder to allow God to be generous to others sometimes. Okay,

so I put this next light up. It's easy to

accept God's generosity for others also ourselves rather, but sometimes

it's harder to embrace his generosity towards others. So how

do we improve this? Yesterday did this meeting. We were saying,

what is the practical step to to you know, to

to overcome this? Mh ye, see God spend time. Done?

You still remember, see God spend time. But really, you

know one way is to I mean that's why we

separate testaments as well, get you conditioned to people's blessings, right,

I mean maybe at the beginning, like, come we've got

the promotion. I didn't get the promotion. How come we

got this? It's okay? Like conditions self right, work on

the heart, work on the heart. I meant justice, you

didn't get it. I'm trying to say, uh, just like

in sports, you know, we do things until you can

muscle memory, right strokes, you know they hit the ball.

You don't think about it anymore. The beginning you think

over thinking why why why? But again the perspective is

how we are to do this to keep our eyes

more and more on Jesus. Eventually, and at the beginning

to be difficult. Life with envy and others are not

from Jesus love, but just accept it. Keep asking Jesus

and then it becomes easier see things through his lenses.

All right. And again it's very different from the third

point earlier because the point is looking out and with

the reflection, right, that's this one is talking about the

whole problem with envy and jealousy, okay, from my peers. Yeah,

so when it comes the blessings, when comes ourvation, et cetera,

et cetera, you clean the blanks. We can't look around

too much. Focus on Jesus, focus on what he has,

focus on us as well. We don't deserve it even

so why why why? Why? Why? Border benchmarking in a sense,

I mean some of us is uh have been around, uh,

you know this whole walk of Christianity for quite some time.

This is an age old thing, right. Here we go again, right,

but it's still I mean I sometimes overfeel that as well. Right,

Why let's bring it a bit closer again. Now, all

of us here, I don't think I haven't yet laugh

for sure, you're all reading here. So whatever investments that

you've made, we don't know what the salvation is checked

that you know to the next tent haven't cashed in yet, right,

So the idea you know for us is pretty abstract.

It's what you like or whatever you read. Okay, you

haven't really gotten paid you one hundred bucks yet. That

didn't below me know, Charles didn't give it to you yet. Again,

you haven't gotten your BTS tickets yet. Yeah, when you

get but yeah, when you get to heaven Arney, you

can be upset. Lie, it doesn't matter, but just focus

on really, don't focus on the person got it cheap.

Don't person focus on the person who did less work. Really,

I think we need to. I mean, this parable of

the of the workers, right, it may be very simple,

but there's a lot of layers in it, all those

why is it not happen? Why is it happening to me?

Why is it not happening to me? Why so and

so it's so difficult. Why so and so it receives this?

It's unfair, Lord, I think we should just focus on ourselves, right,

focus on what God has dis always get used to

praising la get used to also giving the glory. So

why you worked harder? Right? So what if you do?

You do more? Yeah? Okay, last one, last one. I'm

gonna bring it to another part of the Bible, okay,

John Chapter twenty one. Uh. And then and ready also

in line the last the last point. Now this this

uh just said the stage I'm going to start from fifteen.

But the earlier bits right talks about the miracle of

the hall of the one hundred fifty three fishes fish, sorry,

one hundred fifty three fish that they cannot try, just

to use some context, Jesus appeared to them. I think

this is the third time, right, I remember correctly. Uh.

And then they saw Jesus didn't recognize Jesus, and Jesus said,

going canton to the right. Inside they did, and then

they they haul they couldn't and they're like, oh this

is Jesus there, oh my lord. Literally okay. Then this

is a part where then they they chilled, they dine,

They some of the fish as well, and this is

where chapter fifteen or sorry West fifteen continues. Okay, when

they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon, Peter, Simon's

son of John, do you love me more than these? Yes? Lord,

he said, you know that I love you. Then you

just said free feed my lamb, sorry, free my lambs. Okay.

And again you said, Simon, son of John, do you

love me? And of course you read on it's the

same thing. Three times. He said, yes, Lord, I love you, Yes,

I love you. Okay, sorry, okay. So so let's read

from eighteen. So she just tells Peter there's going to

die for him, okay, and how he's gonna it's gonna

be a very pleasant way. Let's read from eighteen. Very true.

I tell you, when you were younger, you were dressed

yourselves and when when where you wanted. It means you

can do whatever you want. But when you are old,

you will stretch out your hands and someone else will

address you, lead you where you do not want to go. Now,

this talks about things that you have to go through,

maybe in courdent God's will, but maybe something that you

don't quite like. But when you're younger, you're like, yeah, whatever,

free reign, okay. And not only that, Jesus talks about

the kind indicated, the kind of death by which Peter

will glorify God, and what's the time, the kind of

way to glorify it's a yeah, they kind of yeah,

what gives men? Lord? Right? And he said follow me,

follow me okay. Then Peter turned and saw the disciple

whom Jesus loved and was following him. And then that's

just read true, Lord, who is going to betray? He's

trying to find out now what you're trying to do.

He's trying to find out straining knows Ela. Essentially, Hey,

I'm going to die, but it is the other person

gonna die as well? Right, Lord? What about him? Jesus answered,

if I want him to remain alive until my written

then what I mean perphrasing herela, what is it that?

What is that to you? Will it be a problem?

You must follow me? Mm hm the idea? Right. So

he's been a bit of a kpo trying to find out. Looking,

Jesus is saying, a minune business stick stick on your lane.

Don't worry about the guy next to you. It is

my business. Not your business. You are just told to

follow me and again, back to the same point earlier.

Keep your eyes in Jesus law, keep your eyes on

his word. After all, Peter did, and she sign up

for her right, just like how the ring, good example,

it was already agreed. Wasn't he willing to die for

the lore? So what if the Lord tells you you're

going to die, you will read sign up for idiot again,

same context. Right hundred bucks was agreed, You go one

hundred bucks right, get a right right? So fact check,

nothing has changed, but he's more worried about whether the

other person, who's doing something a bit different deserves the

same kind of endgame. Okay, And of course we know

that Jesus. Sorry, Peter denied Jesus right three times? Do

you you know he's three times? Do you love me?

But he still deny him what to do? But anyway,

I'm gonna end here. Really, when it comes to life,

when it comes to salvation, when it comes to what

you have to do, your mission, your purpose, your vision,

et cetera, you just have to remain focus, keep your

us in Jesus. Okay, don't look down, don't look up

in that sense, don't look out, don't look around you

as well, look to Jesus, look to Christ. That's it,

Pastor Kenneth. Yesterday at Eldo, he reminded us about our

next five years and where we're hitting. We are pressing

towards and goal at least, because life doesn't end there,

but there is a mission and is accomplished by that time. Okay,

and he reminded us again from this descripture. I'm going

to flash up descripture now, Philippines three twelve fourteen. Pressing

towards the goal is the title. I don't mean to

say that I've already achieved these things or I have

already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that

perfection for which Christ Jesus first possesses me. So God

has giving the promises at a very start anyway, So

just press on remember the vision. No, dear brothers, I

have not achieved it, but I focus on one thing.

Forget the past, look forward what lies to hit. I

press on to reach the end of the race and

receive the heavenly price for which God, True Christ Jesus

is calling me. So again, just to wrap it all

up to summit it all up. Focus on the most

important thing is a promise from God that you will

get there. Right, don't worry too much about the earthly

stuff too much that of course we know we need

to eat, live, etc. But it's not so important that. Okay, now,

when we get extreme to come up, we're going to

close very soon. But I'm going to flash up the

last slight just in case you didn't catch this earlier.

I forced it all in. Lie, don't mind me, you know,

I always do this as why as lower our pride,

obey with contentment, observe our motives, and then keep our

eyes on Jesus. Some key points are there, but really

humility is a big key. Right. We are caught to

be reflectors of Christ, and so sometimes for people see us,

they are not so drunk to us because maybe there's

a bit of pride there. And again nothing against blessings.

But you just said, be mindful. What positions do we take?

Do we look down on people? Salvation and salvation? You know,

don't compare with different forms of salvation. Don't look down

different forms of salvation as well. God gave us the grace,

He's given us the mercy be undeserving the first place

to begin, if any way. So what I'm trying to

say is that we're all the same level. So don't

let that get to your head, right, don't let pride

take over. Just be mindful of it. Obey with contentment,

don't look up. True discipleship isn't about striving for material gain.

Really is finding contentment in Christ He completes us. It's

just something as you see, right people do? I mean

those someone you wonder how can they do what they do?

There's no earthly rewards in the twistering thing, but that

is I guess the mark of a true discipleship of

how Jesus say, leave this, follow me. He'll provide a lot.

But you know it's it's it's different the earthly successes,

the wealth and blessings, those are all good. But let

us not pursue it crazyly that we forget our mission

in life. Okay, so be content. I don't want to

say much about the observing the motives. Watch out. In short,

let's be authentic. People can see right true and whether

it's real or not? Okay? And then if that doesn't,

if you cannot catch anything, the last one is the

most important. On right, just keep looking at Jesus. Focus

your eyes on Jesus, don't look around, fix your eyes

on him, and ultimately all will be well, All will

be good.

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