Living the Great Life | Pr David Yeow

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

will light up your day. So Matthew twenty eight, verse eighteen to twenty,

if you're in ax Church long enough, you should be very familiar with

this, and by pray that you don't get over familiarized with it. Amen.

So here we go, and Jesus came and spoke to them, saying,

all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go

therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of

the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. And then verse

twenty, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. And

Lo, I am with you always. Anyone here surname, your surname is

law. Anyone no, No, this is Jesus has a spirit shout out

for you. So if you any of you here and lo, lo we

are you lo no no just joking and no loss or English world, say

and indeed, and a I am with you always, even to the end

of the age a man. Amen. The great life is not found in

another country. The great life is not found in having a promotion. A

great life is not found in having wealth and health. The great life is

found when you are in God's presence. That's the great life. It doesn't

matter where you are at. As long as God's presence is there with you,

that's the great life. It doesn't matter if if, if, whether

you're in Malaysia, because you know, sometimes you think that the grass is

always greener on the other side. And I'm here to tell you no.

Every country is absolutely extremely flawed in its own way. Trust me. We

have been serving the Lord in the UK for some years now, and it

is as this function known as Malaysia. It's just everything's painted white. That's

the main difference. You know, it's just white dysfunction. This this,

you know, it's it's not a greener pasture. It has its own challenges.

Every country has its own God given blessing and strengths. Right and also

for example a Malaysia. Uh, you know, we we have great food.

We have almost unlimited supply of public holidays, hallelujah. You know I

heard that tomorrow is a public holiday, God bless the king. Uh and

and and and you know, my my wife would notice how many how many

public we call them bank holidays. That's that's how boring they are. It's

it's it's like a holiday for banks. You know anyway, how many bank

holidays we have in a whole year, eight eight eight? How many do

they have in Malaysia? Minimum fourteen? So, so of course it's gonna

be right. Advantages and disadvantages. Some of you might say it, but

they caught me. There is better and I might say kind of sort of

maybe a little bit in in contrast to Malaysia. But the taxation is very

high, and so you know, you can get a high page on paper

on paper. Only you know why on paper, because they take a lot

of your papers away. And at the end of the month, after they

had done this and done that, you get and go like, oh wow,

I have only this and so and every every country has its own long

and shortcomings. But the most important thing is this is the presence of God.

It's the presence of God. You know, you can be in some

of the most persecuted countries, but if God's presence is there with you,

that's the great life, that's the God life. Amen. And I want

us here to also understand because I know sometimes in acts and I'm not sure

how many times this Passages of Scripture has already been preached this year alone.

Because I know this year's theme. I shall not repeat it because you'll be

throwing stones at me now. But it's evangelistic in nature. But I want

us to also understand that, you know, Christianity, you know, evangelism

is not something for us to do. You know the passion of Scripture that

we just read the context of this, that this is the kind of the

last few big statements by Jesus, the last few big commands by Jesus before

he ascended to heaven. And Christians, we have another name for it.

We call it the Great Commission. And I'm here to remind us that the

Great Commission is not just mission for a few, but it's a new way

of living for all, and and that the great life that God wants us

to live is the Great Commission life. But the Great Commission is not about

doing, It's about living. And it's a beautiful, beautiful thing. You

know. First of all, it's a it's a beautiful message. You know

some of us hear you. You might or might not be a Christian,

but it's okay, we love you while come to God's House. But the

message of Christianity is this that the Christian faith is not a faith that's about

pursuing uh uh, you know, the right moral values so that we can

please God. The Christian faith is this that that because of what Jesus has

done, you know, God now loves us. And so we're not working

hard so that God will love us. We're working hard because God already loves

us. It's totally different. One is a motivation to be accepted. One

the starting point is acceptance. And that's what Christianity is. God wants to

put us at the right starting point, a place of acceptance. And and

the Christian message is not about chasing after God's blessing. Is is spreading God's

blessing. It's it's telling people that, hey, the good news is this.

You know, God has a really do it all. You just need

to believe in him and just him and and and and and and and lean

on him. And that is the Christian message. It's a it's a message

of based on the scripture that we just read, it's a message of equality,

unity and humanity. Equality. How because it's this here that you'll go

into all the nations, you know, it's it's equal God doesn't say go

into some nations, go to the first world countries, or go to the

third world countries. You know, it's very funny here in the West people

think of Christianity as a first world country religion, a Western man's religion,

and then in the West they think that, oh, Christianity, only only

people from third world countries believe because in first country was so enlightened. We

don't believe in this so called fairy tales anymore. But that's far from it.

You know, God loves every nation, and every nation is full of

ordinary but also flawed, broken people who all need God. It is a

message of unity because as God says, go to all the world and then

baptized them all into one big family in the name of the Father's Son and

the Holy Spirit. So it's a message of God spreading his arms white to

all nations, gathering all nations and all peoples to himself. And it's also

a message of humanity because it says here that that he doesn't ask you to

be less Chinese. He doesn't ask you to be more Jewish, It doesn't

ask you to be more Western, It doesn't ask you to be more Middle

Eastern. He just asks you to believe in Jesus. And in other words,

it celebrates the uniqueness that God has made us to be. But not

only is the message something that's really beautiful, but even it's something really powerful

for the messenger. What do you mean by this? Okay, sometimes we

take for granted, right, we live in modern world, and today we

have a lot of modern values that we take for granted. But actually a

lot is modern values come from the word of God, and the word of

God in the Great Commission has this right involves? First of all, it

says here that this is this is a this is a new way of living,

that that that is for all. He doesn't say, hey, men,

go into the nations. It says, all of you go into nations,

man, woman, young, old. If you are a believer of

Jesus Christ, there is something for you to do. It is an equal

and common mission. It's a beautiful thing, you know it, and and

and and it's not only that, but it's a uniting mission. It's saying

that around the world, every Christian will live for this purpose, to make

the name of God known, so that more people can know Him and be

known by him. Amen. And of course you know it's it's a beautiful

picture of humanity because again, you know that the message of Jesus is this

that all you need to do is believe in him, you know, put

your trust in him, be his disciple, be baptizing him and everything else.

You know, you you you can continue to be who you are.

It's it's this beautiful picture of God involving humanity in this uh, you know,

cooperative work of outreach. You know, God is not a helicopter parent.

God is not a micro manager. Uh. You know through the passage

that we just read, he is basically painting the big brush strokes or just

you know, uh, the boxes that there's a saying among people who work

with young Juday it's like color within the lines, right, color within the

lines. Uh. And and God is basically drawing the lines. But he's

not dictating the color doesn't make sense. He's saying that, hey, this

is the line right going to all the nation. The line is all all

the nations. The line is baptizing them in the name of the Father,

the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Lion is teach them to observe

all that I have commanded you. And the line is that they need to

know that I am with them always, and this thing that that you are

doing, they can one day do as well everything else. Color it yourself.

And that's why, you know, in Christianity there's there's no limitation.

That's when may because many times we think of you know, the theme like

you know they all may know, or or the Great Commission or going for

missions. We tend to know think that there's only one way we can do

it. You know. We we tend to only think, oh yeah,

yeah, yeah, I know, I know I need to know God's word.

I need to pray more, I need to go for overseas mission.

I need to go for local community outreach. Uh, maybe there's an event,

you know, I invite people to church and and and and that's wrong,

that's completely wrong. The Great Commission is not for the professionals. Sometimes

we think that this mama easier, easy for pass Kenneth to do. You

know, it's a really full time he can talk about. You know,

he got all sorts of funny testimonies. You know, you can make young

people or people laugh and cry. Let him do it. Let the pros

do it. I'm not a pro. So I'm I'm and so the more

you come to church, and the more people say, hey, we gotta

Richard Lass, you become more and more I don't know, annoy it.

And it's interested because you'll be like, you're just reminding me something that I'm

not good enough to do. But it's not something for the professionals. It's

also not a program. A lot of times we think that, oh,

it's a program, and then we go like, oh, so, okay,

so I'll let doctor Kong do something, plan something, you know.

Okay, No, doctor Daniel, you go ahead and team, go ahead

and do the one thirty bizarre, one thirty coffee hour, one thirty healing

hour, and then I will bring my friends, you know, I'll just

bring my friends and that that's that's so it's not a program. It's not

a program. You know, it's just not a post. Someone's going like,

I don't know, okay, maybe once it's about a post, some

scripture, you know, you know, count to my church, you know,

but it's not. It's not for the professionals. It's not a post.

It's not a program. It's for every person. Every person. Our

response to the Great Commission should be this, I am contributing to the Kingdom

of heaven by being I don't know. Let's let's go what job starts with

A an accountant? Any accountants here? An accountants here right by being accountant

right? B. I don't know, BBB business owner right C. That's

a community worker, D doctor, any doctors in the house, maybe one

or two, you know, E. Educator, G, grab driver,

F, freelancer, H, housewife. You know, the list goes on.

You know, sometimes we think that you know, no God, I'm

just accountant. Uh. And and maybe once a year I do a little

bit of great commission. You know what I'm saying that that's how most critious

are you know, I'm I'm just a student. And so once a year

when my church has a big event, invited speaker, then I will do

some great commission work like inviting my friend. Uh you No, I'm just

I don't know a business owner. I'm all about the money. And and

and once a year maybe I do some great commission work like giving to the

mission fund. No. No, it's the way around. Do you know

that the the you know, let me put this way right. God reveals

himself right through three many ways. But if I can quantify, God reveals

himself to all of humanity through his works, his word, and his witnesses

his works. What does his works mean? The creation of nature? Right?

Uh? You know how many of you here you love hiking, and

and you you love scuba diving or whatever it is. You know, I

know this side of the world is really hard. So most people's exposure to

nature is either going deep under the sea or going to climb Mount k K

or something uh and and uh and and and why those of you who I

don't know have dive before scuba dive or snarkling. It's beautiful, It's beautiful.

You look at that and go like wow, all of creation, you

know, or those of you who who climb I don't know, Mount k

K or if you're not showing, to come up Mount kay K Puttrong Hill

uh and and you know, anywhere you go and and when you look at

the sunrise, there's just something that really makes you feel so small and so

you realize there's there's bigger things in motion. You know. Nature is one

of those things that reminds us of our smallness and the bigness of God.

And the more you look at nature, and and do you know that the

consensus among more and more scientists today is that there are more and more scientists

are actually now being open to the idea of God. They might not fully

say that I believe in the Christian God yet, but they will say that,

you know, I'm not an atheist anymore. I'm a theist. Because

they go like, even if you can calculate the Big Bang, at most,

it explains how matter came about, but it cannot explain how biological life

comes from because matter can't just jump to biological life. Things are just too

complex. And then they're looking at the universe and says everything is too fine

tunes you know, we we you know, and I love it about God.

It's because God hits us at every level, you know. So let's

say, for example, when where me and my wife we go hiking in

some hills in the UK, and then we're there going like wow, that

there must be a God so beautiful. So this so that uh, and

some of us here, if you have children, you don't need to look

up the hill. You look at your try to go that there must be

a God because this is this, this, this is a gift. This,

this is not just two cells that smushed together. That there's there's a

soul here, there's intelligence here, there's love here, there's adventure here,

there's a future here, you know. And and and yet the scientists,

you know, so whether you look at children God's creation, you can see

that there's there's a there's a clue that there's a God. When you go

hike and explore and appreciate nature, or just turn on animal planet, you

go that this is a clue that there must be a creator God. And

the scientists who go deeper, and and and whether doctors who study the human

body going like this is too complex. The DNA is just too complex for

it to come out of nothing. The universe, that the laws of gravity,

everything is too fine tune for just to come out of nothing. His

words. Secondly, God also reveals himself to us through his word, that

the living Word of God. Through it, we know that God has his

son, and his name is Jesus, and that he died for our sins.

And he roams again the living Word God. And and and it's a

beautiful, beautiful thing. That's another message for another day. But the other

thing that he also uses to share and give clue and reveals himself to all

it's true his witnesses. And that's the tricky part because many times the world

has also been hurt by His witnesses because we are all imperfect as well,

and yet God chooses to use us as his witnesses. Even though we're so

flawed, we're so broken, he still chooses to use us because the truth

is this, It is our life. It is our rubbing our shoulders with

other people that most impact us. If I ask you this right about your

high school life, all of us care assume have been through high school or

maybe still in high school or going to high school. You know, let's

be real, not remember what was taught. You should, but we might

not. I definitely don't remember everything that my teachers said, but I remember

every interaction with my friends. Are you Are you understanding where I'm getting at.

One of the most powerful ways for us to witness for God is true

daily interaction with the world around us. That's why the Great Commission is not

just something you speak and you preach by something you live out. Because talk

is cheap in the world that we live today, talk is so cheap.

Love is so cheap. You know, you go to every concert, you

know the Taylor Swift says, she loves you? Does she does? She?

And even if she does, you paint a lot of money. It's

not I don't want to you know, Okay, Pop, you know,

like, well, you know, what what is this? What is this

too? You know? The world's smallest violin. I don't know, it's

just like you know, like come on, man, you know, and

and and so you know, talk is cheap, but but you know,

the proof is in the pudding that it's all about action. That's why James

in the Book of James says that faith without action is dead. And so

why am I just this is just me laying down the groundwork, right?

Why am I saying that God wants us to live a great life? Because

it is true living a great life that we make important impacts to the world

around us. It is true our life, not just through the message that

we say, but it's true our life. And and if we live a

consistent enough life, people will begin to pay attention to what we have to

say, right, you know. That's why you know, in high school,

it's it's the the teacher that is most consistent and consistent, the kind

or consistently fierce pick. But is there consistency that makes them memorable. That's

why we don't remember our substitute teachers. We don't remember our pe teachers,

at least not in my school, because the pe teachers come and go like

work justin, deary, you know, do your homework or buggimian balla,

and then he goes and smokes unedy for tree, you know, like,

but we remember the the the you know, what do you call it?

Like? Remember like the the main teacher, what, what's what's the I'm

losing what? You know? The the what's that? Farm teacher? Home

teacher, the main the main one? Right, your your your primary caregiver.

Uh and and and remember that because that person hopefully was consistent, right

and and and for yours. It could be an old lady, but remember

this old videos every time, very kind, like you know you must study,

you must study, you and and and and and even though you lie

through your teeth that oh I forgot to bring my homework, I left it

under school bus. This this lady was consistently kind and gracious and and ens

true this person's consistency, that you begin to remember that person. And so

God wants us to live the great commission life. He wants us to live

the great life, and he wants us to go out there and and again

the great commission work is not about again. If you're incountant, be the

best accountant or let me put this way, great commission right you if if,

if you are countant, be not just a good accountant, be a

great accountant. If you're married, have a great marriage. If you have

a business, have a great business, great business practices. You know,

treat all the people you work forward with kindness. Uh, you know,

if doesn't matter if if your hairdresser be a great hairdresser. If your housewife

be a great housewife, if if, if, I don't know, if

your community will just be great? And and it's true all those things that

people actually impacted by the gospel more than what you have to say. I'm

not saying you don't say anything. But I'm saying that our actions at end

of the day will speak louder than our words, and and and and But

I don't want us to also feel like, you know, all great life.

But plus there's nothing really great happening in your life. It's okay,

that's great too, you know. In fact, I formulated today's message to

three points and and and I hope you understand where I'm coming from and so

uh and no matter where you are in your station in life, I hope

that you remember to do these three things as you live, and as you

interact with the world around you, and in so doing, in a way,

I hope that you're living a great life that pleases God and loves your

neighbor. Okay, Point number one? Is this all right? How to

live the great life? Point number one, Be humble about things you are

great at. Be humble about things you are great at. Efficient. Chapter

two, verse ten, tells us that God made all of us here unique

custom made, you know, hand crafted works in Christ Jesus for good deeds.

In other words, all of us here we are gifted one way or

the other. Some of us here, you know, we're great at singing.

We have a very talented you know, worship a team. You know,

like like Joel today is on kwhan, but earlier on he was some

guitar you know, his pink you know, like you look at him and

like, wow, he's gifted. He's great. Some of us here we

have great talents. Some of us here we have great wealth. Don't be

shy. You've got great wealth, thank God for it. Be gracious about

it. No, be humble about the things you are great at. You

know why, because the world hates prop people. But we always remember people

who were generous and gracious to us. Remember the first week at work and

when you're totally clueless. You graduated at university, you landed the job.

You thought you were the next big thing until the first day at the office,

and then you realize the tea lady has more authority than you. They

collect, you know, a birthday gift for the teld your birthday, you

know, forget about it. You know what I'm saying, Right, if

the tea lady goes to hospital, there's a card and a love gift for

her. You go to the hospital, they go like remember the bringing the

MC And yet in our I don't know, when we first start out,

we felt so clueless, we felt so humbled, and yet it was the

people, the colleagues who came along and showed us a rope, The people

who are gracious to us, the people who are very good at what they

do and still found time to help us. We remember them. We were

blessed by them. We in a way we are made by them, for

better for worse, we're made by them. And in the same way,

God is saying that, hey, you know, go into all the world,

make disciples, and and and if I managed to give you extrake grace

in certain things, be humble about those things and shadows things. So,

for example, if if God has blessed you with great wealth, I know,

wealth is subjective because nobody believes they got great wealth. That's why the

richest person is still working and still wants more money. Right us, as

the richest person in the world, whether he's he's he wants more money,

he'll say, yes, you know, But let's just put this way right.

Great wealth is just you know, you know you're blessed. You know,

at the end of the day, you don't have to worry about rent.

You know, and day that for example, if if for some reason

you count word for the next six months, you know that your covered rent,

everything cover. Praise God, Praise God, and I'm happy for you.

But the truth is this that not everyone is in the same position as

you. And so what do we do as Christians? How do we live

at the great commission life? When things are going great, be humble,

be generous. Don't just think of where can I invest my extra money?

But think of who can I bless with my extra money? You know what

I'm saying, you know, like like like, don't get me wrong,

invest do whatever. Right. I'm not a finance person, But but praise

God. If God's give you more than enough, When God's give you more

than enough, when God has blessed you that we got to ask ourselves.

God, you blessed me to be a blessing, So who can I be

a blessing to? You know? I you know, maybe more of us,

you know, And this is how the gospel can be preached. Maybe

the gospel can be preached by by by some of us. If this,

if God has blessed you in finances, I don't know, every month,

go to the ATM and withdraw some cash and put it in and envelope and

keep it with you, you know, and and and when the Lord prompts

you to it could be someone you just met. The Lord prompts you to,

could be the security God doesn't matter. And know the Lot prompts you

to bless them. Maybe that's another way we can preach the gospel. That's

another way we can I don't know, you know, because what is teaching

them to observe all that have come und you? What did Jesus teach about

money? Be generous? What did Jesus teach about our neighbors love them?

What did Jesus teach about our enemies? Love them even more? And so

you know, once you have more money, you know, maybe the law

say that, hey, you know that person, Yeah, but I don't

like that person. That person's very rude. Every time we try to be

generous, the devil tries to stink in the thought said, no, no,

if you give to that random stranger, he might use it for something

evil. Or why if you use it for something evil, doesn't matter,

that's between him and God. As far as I'm concerned. If the law

asks me to help that person, I'm going to help that person. En

of story, And then what do you do? You're living out the gospel,

because the gospel is God's gracious, free gift to us. Jesus healed

and preached, even though many of the people he healed didn't end up following

him. And so when you give with no expectation receiving back, you're living

out the commands of Jesus. Your you're role modeling out what a modern day

Jesus would do. You know, maybe someone's here, you got a great

marriage, praise God talking to some people some newly words in church house everything,

and they go like, man, tell you're great and hope is truly

great for them, you know. But if you have a great marriage,

great, don't flaunt it. Don't go on Instagram or whatever social media you

use and go like, oh you know heart wife, great life, haa.

You know it's like just like no, no, If God has blessed

you with a strong marriage, great, but be humble about it. But

maybe think of like, who can I help God has blessed me, you

know, bless our marriage, Who can we help you know, to be

a listening ear to. Who can we help to to half like, you

know, to be their shoulder to cry on? You know, some of

us here, I don't know why other examples of great you could be.

I don't know. You you have you're great at work, and and and

you just you know, just great at a favorite from your boss, favorite

from colleagues. Then then then be humble, be gracious, be generous,

gift time to the new guy, and and and and I don't know,

you know, inspire new people. You know, we we live in a

dog eat dark financial world. Maybe it needs less dog eating dogs, it

needs more nurturing. So so if the Law has given you a great gift,

use it for his glory. Amen. Philippius, chapter two, verse

three to eight instructs us to do it exactly this. Philippines two three to

eight, sis, Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but

in loneliness of mind. Let each esteem others better than himself or herself.

Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also

for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you, which was

also what in Christ, Jesus. Do you see that right? Let's come,

do you reading who, being in the form of God, did not

consider robbery to be equal with God. Past for a second, then some

of you might be the home robbery. It's just all Greek saying of this,

right, He did not see being in the same level as God as

something to be grab and held onto. So the Greek work here for Robbie

was like, you know, just snatch and grab because it's something that you

want so so desperately. Just grab it for yourself. And so you know,

Apostle Paul is saying that Jesus, even though it was God, he

didn't see his holy status. It's something to cling onto, like how Golum

clings on too, the one ring, but instane he lets it go.

Who you know did not come, say Robbie, to be equal with God,

but instead he humbled He made himself off what no reputation, taking the

form of a bond servant and coming in the likeness of men and being found

in appearance as a man. He humbled himself and became obedient to the point

of death, even the death of the Christ. That's the Jesus we serve.

How do we preach a message that my God humbled himself and came in

the form of man and served humanity. He who deserved to be served came

in state to serve. How how do how do we teach that we live

it out? We live it out? So, friends, are you you

know, in the in the great positions that God has placed you, in

the blessings that God has passed you, are you grabbing onto them like like

like robbery, your job, your relationship, your children. I don't know

what else you're you're a great at. But the Bible teaches us this God

will definitely He's made us all you need, made us all gifted. We

all have different giftings. Praise the Lord. Hey man, turn to your

neighbor, says you have your gifted. You're gifted, right, You're gifted.

No matter what you're doing, you're gifted. The question is what are

you doing with your giftedness? Are you like Jesus humbling himself and serving others,

not doing anything out of selfish ambition, but esteeming others as higher That's

the way of Jesus. That's great living. Point number two b If the

first point is this, be be humble about things you're great at. Point

number two is this, be honest about things you are not great at.

Do you know what the world needs. The world needs more real Christians,

not fake Christians. Unfortunately, I don't know, you know, we we

think that, oh, to be a Christian, I need to be ready

perfect. No, no, no, you know, if you're perfect,

you don't need Jesus. We need Jesus because we're imperfect. And and you

know, and I think the world needs some honesty. The world needs some

authenticity and I'm not saying that, you know, just air out what you're

weak at and just go I'm not that oh and and so forth. You

know, boss, I'm I'm I'm not very punctual. So I just want

you know, so I'm a Christian, But no, okay, do you

know what one of the apostles that that I I feel connected to the most,

even though I'm sure when I like the grace of God see him in

heaven one day, he's gonna be much more impressive. Is the Apostle Peter

Right, Apostle Paul Great. I can't connect great, great, great mind,

great theology. I can't connect too too smart, too tough, you

know, like like you know, you know, like like you know if

you were in the room. You know. I know now nowadays in the

UK that I actually remember when when Can and I first went over to the

UK to do, you know, church planting and church building, we were

still kind of like young enough I did an official had back then, and

and and the people still go like, what, you're a pastor, but

it looks so young. I'll like yeah, yo, uh and uh.

Now if I go around going like hey, you know, what's up,

I'm like just trying too hard. They cringe. And not only that,

you know, they say that I've got super strong pastor energy now, you

know. So so when I when I walk in the room, you know,

the sea parts, you know that the people, the people go away

up You're like, no, come back. And then I'm I'm like,

what's the opposite of magnito. Magnito attracts, you know, this repello.

So I feel like I'm just there. And and the more I run towards

before, the more people go up pasta coming you know, uh, and

and and and you know, you know, and I feel like pause to

me, like that, if Paul walks the room, I want to walk

out. But the postal Peter, the postle Peter, right, we read

the Gospels. The postal Peter. You know, he's one of you know,

one of the closest to Jesus. But he's also the most human.

He's the guy that that that you know is known for, you know,

just saying things. And once one moment he can say something really right,

you were the Christ, you were the son of God. And the second

is going to Jesus. I'm not sure sure about this crossing. You know,

your your your your you're very good. Young man's got lots of young,

long future ahead of you, you know. Uh uh. And then

Jesus gore him getting behind me say that you don't know. It's the same

guy who go like, Jesus, if that's you call me to walk on

water, and also the same guy who drowned after walking water. Uh.

He's the one that that you know, you know, uh, was so

I don't know, love Jesus, I want to protect you so much that

he cut off people's cut you and you know, like, don't touch my

city, cut the person and goes there, stop it, and and and

then kind of like hours later, was there at the court yard denying Jesus

hung you with him. No no no, no no. We got the

same accent. No no no, no, no, no no no,

it's him no no no no, no, no no no. And I

go and and and we find him so relatable because I think he was very

honest about things he wasn't great at. But being honest about things that you're

not great at. It's also the starting point for testimonies. You see,

if if you carry your life like you know, uh, I'm you know,

prayer time, brother, Can I pray for no, no, can

I pray for you? You know, like, then then where's your testimony?

One day you're gonna stand here gonna praise the Lord I got in creement.

People will be like, oh, I thought you're already rich, you

know what I'm saying. But but but if you're the guy who goes like,

oh, man, Harry, really tough time at work and boss hates

me for no reason, I feel like quit thing, Can you pray for

me? And and then you pray, and then you come up here and

they go like, well, praise the law. You know. Now you

know I'm bad that my world. You know, I'm reconcilet with my boss.

No, we went up for lunch and we had a heart to heart

praise the law. And then who gets glorified? God gets glorified the person

who prayed for you. Guys encouraged go whoa pray for that? Oh no,

no, and all like you know, and then and then that encourages

the person to go and next time I can pray too, right, you

know what I'm saying. Sometimes as Christians, we we we we we care

so much about being perfect, But I brought here Jesus can turn our great

weaknesses into great witnesses for him. I'm gonna say all my time, Jesus

can turn our great weaknesses, the things were not good at into great witnesses

for him. Right. I don't know why, but I was preparing this

quote last night. The Lord even drop it in Malay, says, no,

you can change your al mahn into Kasaksian. It's you know, maybe

I should save it for the sirrikm balance service exime, like and uh,

they probably don't understand their like why is this being bahsad with an English accident?

Like you know mahan. Anyway, we gotta be honest about the things

we're not good at. Church is a place where the sick meet the physician,

where where where they're broken meets the savior. You know, this is

not the great commission. Living is not just outside, but it's also inside

the house of God and and and it's only when we're there to open up

about what's really going on. You see. This is how point number one

and point number two can connect. Go like, doctor Daniel, can you

pray for me my marriage is not doing great? And prays for you?

And then maybe he goes you know, what's there's a there's a couple that

you know went through something similar. Hey, why don't I lick you guys

up? And then those are great, have a great testimony. Now can

sew into this couple and together walk them into healing and walk them into testimony.

And guess what, Now this person has a real testimony. Do you

know why we get excited about Acts chapter two? Because the Peter that stood

up to preach, it's the same Peter that we know did all those things

and and and now he's so bold and so brave. And that's why we

go like, wow, there must be a God, only a god who

have turned Peter from from from this version to that version. And if we

go around daring to be a little bit more open, a little bit more

transparent, a little bit more humble with things that we're not good at,

you know, maybe asking for help, asking help from our colleagues. And

as our colleagues start seeing our growth and improvement, they start to also go

that there must be a god. Oh, you know better who you know?

And guess what, when you improve, God's get glorified. Your neighbor,

your colleague, your friend gets encouraged. And then maybe they go like

maybe, wow, or maybe there is a God. Wow, what is

this? What do you just do? Oh? You just help me?

Help you? Yeah, and pass off our Christian faith. God helped us.

We're helping other people. Just what being a Christians because they think of

being Christians. I don't know. No, all that do not do not

do not know. Man, times we think being a Christian is you can't

do this, you can't do that. Do you know? In the Bible

there's only really just ten things you can't do, but there's lots more hundred

small things you should do. And yet we mantize people focus on the things

you can't do. We need to show them what is possible in the name

of Jesus. Amen In the officials of the Fall, verse twenty five to

thirty two saysters, right, let's turn to Efficient four. We're gonna read

from verse twenty five to days two if you're holding a Bible, and then

after that, because thirty two is the last verse of chapter four them,

we're gonna read two more verses of chapter five. Is that okay? So

Efficients for twenty five thirty two says, is therefore put away lying. Let

each one of you speak truth with his neighbor for we are members to one

another. A bit of context here, Okay, No, this apostle palm,

the one that I ran away from. Okay, do you know he's

not writing to non believers, He's writing to believers. He's writing to believers.

So the next time you go like I feel like such a lousy Christian,

welcome join the club. You're in the Bible, you know, because

man times to go like my church is so imperfect, I will go for

a more happening church. The the church in the Bible have people who are

lying, sleeping one another like like you know, and yet God didn't give

up on them. So just think about that. Right, Oh sorry,

let's go back, put it away lying. Let each one of you speak

truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. Speak truth,

be honest, be angry, and do not sin right. Do not

let the sun go down on your wrath. Give no place to the devil.

Let him who stole still no longer, but rather let him labor work

with his hands. What is good that he may have something to give to

him who has needs. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth,

but what is good for necessary radification encouragement and building up that it may impart

grace to the hearers. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom

you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath,

anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice.

And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even

as God in Christ forgave you. Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.

One last verse, and walk in love as Christ also has loved us,

given himself for us, and offering and a sacrifice to God for sweet

smelling aroma. This is the instruction to the early church. Get real,

you know, improve on the things that you're not great at. Some of

you, you know, I'm paraphrasing a possibly some of you here. You're

not working, you're stealing. Stop it, get some help and they improve,

and and and and and then when you do that, everyone celebrates.

A thief gets to say that. Yeah, but at first on your church,

you know, the ushers didn't let me in because I was always stealing

her. Praise God. Today I'm all the ushers, you know. You

know what I'm saying, like, like we need to be honest and work

on the things that we need to work at and allow God to turn our

evident witnesses to become witnesses for him. You know, when, for example,

let's you something more harmless, like you're not the best at timekeeping,

and so you're late to work, you're late to class or whatever it is,

you're late, and you reach out for help, and you go like,

man, I've got an issue of this. Can you help me?

Brother, sister? Can you help me to wake up in time for church?

Can you help me you know? Can you teach me? You know?

Can you challenge me sleep earlier? Can you hold me accountable? Be

honest about things you're not great? And then when you improve, guess what,

it's not just your Christian birth sisters who helped you through that feels encouraged

God, guess glorified Your workplace boss will start seeing a change. What happened

to you, Hey, Chong? You know last time you you're the last

to come, first to leave. Now you're one of the earliest people to

come, and you're very helpful. What happened to you? No, And

then you can say, Jesus happened to me. The Holy Spirit changed me.

Now I'm not a morning person by any chance. By the Holy Spirit

made me value the importance of showing up for work and being a good testimony.

And it is certainly now your boss is interested because it's not just hearing

another person speak about spiritual mumbo jumbo. He's hearing a person who he know

was once late now early talk about how he found the secret to breaking that

habit. And his name is Jesus. That's great living, that's great communicating

of the Great Commission. Part number three is be faithful even when things don't

look great. All right, be humble when things are going great, be

honest and the things you're not great at, prove yourself by the girds of

God. And be faithful even when things don't look great. Do you know

you know when when times are good, you know, everybody thanks God.

That's why you know, when we watch oscars or American sports stuff. You

know when when a person wins the NBA Championship, they just I like to

thank God, my Savior and go like, you know, you're a Christian.

You know, the way you were fouling that person there wasn't definitely wasn't

very christ like. But then when they want you know, they go like,

oh wow, praise God. I know all you you you you watch

the oscars and then the person goes up the oh wow, No, I

think I like to thank Jesus. They go like all your movies very questionable,

you know, lots of sex scenes, sort of saying, but now,

because when things are growing great, easy easy for us. You know

when it's hot, you know when it real. Faith is shown when times

are tough, when times are tough, because tough times is the great equalizer.

And I'm not being insensitive, but let me just use this example.

Right, I say, a health problem, a health problem like cancer.

Do you know, whether you're rich poor, you suffer the same. But

how you respond set you apart. And in life. Jesus never promised a

great life, but I promise that no matter where life brings us, he

will be with us. That's the promise of the great commission. I will

be with you. I will be with you whether you have cancer. I'm

gonna be with you when your promotion. I'm gonna be with you. You're

married, I'm with you. You're not. When I'm with you you just

had a miscarriage, I'm with you. You just I don't know. We

got five more months to live. I'm with you. You're jobless, I'm

with you. You just got a job. I'm with you. I'm with

you. But especially when things are not looking great, be faithful because that's

when all eyes will be looking. Pain is God's loudspeaker. Sometimes you go

like, oh, I want to push your gospel. Be careful because God

will use anything and pain. Pain is not just the lost feel for other

people. It's the last speaking for yourself. That's why you can go to

pain. The first thing. You go like, God, I repair,

I repair right, doesn't matter what it is. Someone stat your handphone.

You go like, Lord, sorry, is it because I spent too much

time in the phone. I never spend time with the word of God.

Is that what you're statch? You know, we get all kind of psychological

self analyzing, you know, whether that's God or not, but we it's

it's tragedies and when things are not great, somehow it grabs our attention.

It grabs our attention. The richest person certainly being told that they've got one

more year to live, suddenly they are Their perspective gets put back in order

and and the same way pain and tough times, grab people's attention and people

will be to sing. How are you responding? And when you respond in

faithfulness, it gives not only people hope, but it gives proof that what

you believe is real. We hear all these testimonies of churches being persecuted in

some countries that are very anti Christian. We hear pastors willing to give their

lives. I actually remember a story that was told by underground church members in

China. That church was arrested for spreading the gospel, and then they say

that to make an example, we will have to execute one of your leaders.

Do you know that church? The leaders were fighting among themselves on who

to be executed. The oldest elder goal like, I will die because I'm

already old. You are the young people, you have the future, you

carry the touch forward. The young ones say no, no, no,

I will take the bullet. Because you're the older you have withh them you

can pass on to know you no more theology you can pass off. We

need your knowledge, we need your deciple. Shit, I'm still young,

take my life, and and and and it's in all these kind of things

that the prison guards are touched. I remember reading one chapter of The Heavenly

Man written by this underground Christian brother un and it says that you know,

they were all arrested, they were all kept in isolation, and they don't

get showers every day. I don't know. Once a week they get to

shower. And it's the once week when they get to shower that they also

all get to meet together. They all meet in the shower room. And

it so happened it was cold December winter, and it so happened that the

day all the prisons were released from their soldiery confinement to go shower and and

and and do whatever, it happened to be Christmas Day. We all realize

that. And then all the Christians there they go like, wow, not

every time we get the shower of all day is Christians Day? Hey,

before with shower, maybe that's not even about shower sins. We're out here

and say that's all kneel and pray because it's in their understanding. They say,

this is the birthday of our savior. Right. And then as they're

all knew, the gods were like, what are you doing? You only

have like, you know, ten minutes to shower, do your business,

you know, And they go No, we're gonna kneel and wrote the book,

wrote that as they now, they're now in like you know toilet,

right some you know prison toilet, don't don't you know high school toilet already

haunted? You know, prison toilet is you know what I'm saying. You

know, like like it's prison toilet. And they said they're kneeling there with

like urine and feaces just whatever. And they're kneeling there. And then the

God says that if you don't get up, I will shoot you guys.

And then the all the Christians that will saying, no, we we must

kneel. This is the day of our lot's birth. Not only that,

why don't you kneel with us? And long story shot the prison God got

saved. It is your faithfulness in tough times when things don't look great,

to speak the loudest of God's reality, the truth of your faith. James,

Chapter one, verse two to three. Let's read this right, James,

one two three. My brethren counted all joy. Sometimes we forget that

this is the Bible we're reading from. The Bible never promises a health and

wealth and not saying no, count it all joy. When you fall into

some trial. No, various trials. Some of you here, you know,

you have a tough thay at work, you feel like giving up your

faith. Various trials. Work's not doing great, health is not doing great,

finance is not doing great, family not doing great. Various trials.

And you know what the Word of God says, re Joice knowing that the

testing brother sister, what's happened to you is not that God is punishing you.

No, no, no, You're being refined. You're being tested.

The testing of your faith produces patience. Testing. When you really love and

want to use something, you test it first. That's why we like that

car. We go for a test drive. We go like, wow,

that looks like that car all my research, I mean test drive. And

then when you test drive it, you bring the car tro you know,

you jammed the brakes whatever. And sometimes it feels like, you know,

God, what's happening. I'm trying to live my best life and then you're

jamming my bricks. You're not so smooth. Sometimes I want to go for

you put me on reverse. God, what was trying to make a fool

of me? I'm testing you because I want to see your balance and see

your response to sudden things, because I want to prepare you, I want

to set you up patience. Romans, Chapter five, verse three to five

says this, and not only that, we also glory in tribulations. Tribulations

is the opposite of jubilation. It's tough times, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance

and perseverance, character and character. Hope. This this is now hope that's

not disappointed because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by

the Holy Spirit, who has given who was given to us. Amen,

Let's let's read that one more time verse four, especially right, and perseverance,

character, character, hope. Right, it's saying that keep on add

it as to persevere. It's it's it's so that it can build character and

in character, it leads others to the hope that we have in Jesus.

The world we live in is very real. You know. Sometimes we don't

We want to have more time if our loved ones, But sometimes our loved

ones are snatched away before we have enough time to say goodbye. It's painful,

it doesn't look great. But in your pain, which you continue to

be faithful and go like God. It's painful. No, no, parents

should bury their child. It's painful. God, God, I love you,

But how come I'm you know, being persecuted for my faith. It's

painful, Lord, But despite the pain, I'm going to be faithful because

you know what else was painful, the cross, and Jesus was faithful to

the end. And when people see your faithfulness throue the pain, they're seeing

Jesus in action. I wrote here. God doesn't want or a curated witness.

He wants our character witness because perseverance produces character and character hope. You

know, the world we're living sometimes is so fake. We you know,

Instagram, whatever, everybody's curated everything is or the beauty filter that when we

take pictures, we say take again, take again, No, my my

double chin showing whatever, and we we curate this perfect image. Sure.

No, well, we're living full of so called Christian influences, curating the

perfect life. But God is saying that I don't need curated witnesses. I

need character witnesses. You know, I start, you know me and cant

we study law and you know cat' still practice as a lawyer. I just

pretend. Uh and uh, and but that is such a thing I remember

called character witness and you're trying to bring witnesses to to to proof that that

the person on trial is off a certain character, whether good or bad.

And when people look at that witness, they go like, okay, based

on your interaction, I believe now in his character. I believe he's a

good man. I believe he's not abusive. I believe it's this and God

wants to use us as his character witnesses. Would you allow God to do

that and say that you know, of course God is good in good times

on bad God is good. One last testimony and our clothes is okay.

In our church in London, we got to meet this girl. She's from

Hong Kong and she was sharing for us her life story. So she grew

up in a very broken family. The father one day in her early teenage

years, when she was maybe ten, decide that he had enough with the

marriage and he just walked out and the mother had to single handedly raise of

his girl and the brother and the dad moved out, moved in with another

woman and the family was in shambles. Just like that, one day decided

to just quit. The family didn't look great. The children were left with

our father that ladies marriage did look great, the family to look great.

Nothing look great. People will probably asking, oh, if you are Christian,

how come God allow these kind of things to happen to you. We

might not always know why certain things happen, but we have a choice on

how we respond. And the testimony is this that the lady who hasn't walked

out is a Christian and she was thinking how should have divorce? But the

law says that don't pray for him, don't sign any papers, pray for

him, And for ten years she faithfully refused to sign pray for him.

Then ten years later, one day the husband came crawling back. He had

been diagnosed with a severe case of brain cancer. And upon that diagnosis,

the mistress doesn't want him anymore. Why why should I be a guy who

only has a few more months to live? You crawl back to your family,

any crawl back, crawl back to find that the wife never signed the

papers, was praying for him. Of course, tension drama wasn't as simple

as hey, welcome back. But over time, God costs healing, and

you know, this person was slowly walking. The children had to wrestle with

you know, is he that dad walked out? Now dad is in tough

times walk back in. Not only that the father had become jobless, but

the mom still had a job, and the Lord led the mom to even

because the mom's job was a certain high position, her medical coverage was able

to cover his medical bills. And he got better, and by the grace

of God, the family got better. And maybe a year after that,

he passed away. And it's crazy, it's a crazy story. But when

I heard that story, when this girl was sharing her testimony, I couldn't

help but just go like, that's that's the gospel right there, We who

all of us once had a good thing with God, walked away. We

followed the enemy. We walked away, and God had every right to cut

us off. Didn't kept the door open. But the Christian gospel is even

better than that. Not only kept the door open, God sent his son

Jesus and say go and find the loss and bring them back. And then

when they came back, broken sick, got covered their shame, covered their

pain, nursed them back to Hell. When I saw that, I go

like, first of all, I can't imagine what that lady had to go

through. But secondly, I rejoiced in the fact that she went through that

pain so faithfully that in going through that pain, she basically preached the gospel

for all. Now, the divorced lawyers know that story, the doctors know

that story, the children know the story. The church knows that story.

Maybe even the mistress knows that story. Now what story is that of a

woman's unfailing love? No, of God's unfailing love. Because if not for

God, this lady would not have done things the way she did. But

it was God who says, don't give up, keep the door open,

pray for him. I'm gonna reconcile. You see, great living is not

about living a perfect life. Great living is about living the God life.

And when you live the God life, the Gospel is preached in your great

times, in your not so great times, in your very bad times,

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

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

on Facebook and Instagram. We're believing that this week is going to be a

good week, a hit for you. God bless