Discipleship Is Not Costly | Elder Wong Kien Yiak

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

We hope this message will light up your day.

This morning.

I just wanted to share about discipleship really now before

you go to a discipleship again. And you know, while

those like it's going to bashes because you're not being

discipled and stuff like that, well, I won't do the bashing,

but really, it's not it's not it's not about bashing,

but just really why discipleship.

Is so key so important for us?

Uh. You know, sometimes when we accept Christ and I'm

not sure whether your journey or not, but I've seen

a lot of times when people accept Christ and after

a couple of weeks, right, we assume presume that the

person really know how to pray, right, you know, automatically

once you accept Christ, you there's the resisting that you

know how to pray really or you know the read

God's word, or you know how to understand.

His message.

And if we're not careful after that, we are building

on the foundation a real lot of presumption, meaning have

you not sure have you been to a gym before

or not? If you've ever been to a gym before

side of membership, before you realize that you know, you whatever,

if you have learned from other peoples, only fifty percent, right,

and it gets passed down and passed down. Right. So

I've seen before people who are excited for gym. They

they are tenmount of too classes, they know how they live,

weights a bit, and the with that limited amount of knowledge,

they decide to pass it down to someone who's.

Newer than them.

Now, nothing wrong with that, it's just that they have

not sort of put themselves through a process yet fully

to understand and whatever they pass on, it's not full

one hundred percent. If you understand what I'm trying to say,

it's normally about seven sixty percent. It gets watered down

after a while if we don't go for a class

or refresher And just why disciples should be so key

doesn't mean that you're in church after all for some time. Uh,

that you understand and maybe you know. Uh, that's why

we encourage people that when you go out into the field,

you actually apply what you know. And maybe you don't

like the worship leader today, maybe I say I used

the word maybe.

All right, I'm sure you'll love for so much, right, right?

And man, tell Louis your prais love shoe.

Uh maybe perhaps you don't like and you maybe and

we grew up by watching a lot of YouTube, right,

nothing wrong with that. It's just that we build a

false expectation what worship is and we encourage people to

go to the field because that's where you apply, that's

where you understand, all right, So discipleship, a lot of

people say it's it's it's it's costly, it costs your time,

that's the time you're a bit of your treasure. Maybe

buying a Bible now one encourage you really, if you

don't have a Bible, try to buy one Bible. Please,

please don't rate your parents bible. Please don't go to

your parents a library just because they stopped reading. Really

decided to take it, right and you know, say, hey,

then you're not using right, since you got five, I'll

take one.

You can start off with them.

But buy one Bible at least on you with your

own resources, with your money, because it's it's it's never

it's life changing when.

You buy your first Bible.

I'm not sure if you've known back then that we

have this shop cost salvation, right U. If you live

in the eighties early nineties, there's a shop cost Salvation

that we frequent.

If you have a discount card, it's called praise.

I d I believe you get present the Scout or

sabers any discover Christian or not. But yeah, so they

they're carrying bibles. By at one point in the time

when people you know used to buy and remember the

cheapest Bible ever in the shop because I bought, mind

was five in gits five only because it's King James version.

You buy.

Really you don't really know to read because of the language.

But yeah, the days are coming where by Christian shops

are coming lesser, right, uh, and the physical bibles are

coming a bit more lesser.

Uh.

And uh these days recently we heard and maybe passed

out bibles to young people, ask them to flip to

the chapter and to the worses. They do not know

how to flip to the chapter and versus. But if

you give them a handful and the Bible app they

know how to press. So we see the days are

coming whereby maybe perhaps one day the Bible app who knows,

one day may not appear.

On a phone anymore.

It could have I know China has tried to implement

it that they have perhaps removed the Bible app So

we encourage every believer to at least buy a physical Bible,

and not just bring one, but just buy one. If

you go to hotels, please please don't take the Gideens

Bible right, it's for someone else who have not heard

the gospel yet. But if you have return it next

visit to the hotel right by, or study Bible. Okay, Now, discipleship,

this is costly. I want to let you know. Well,

it's true. It does cost your time, right, it does

cost your time because you you need like going for

a class, you need to spend time to be discipled

number one. But I thought about it and think about

the costs and the other cost of not being discipled,

for example, not wanting to be discipled. I think the

price of not being discipled is even costlier. It's even

a higher price to pay if we are not being

discipled because many times we build on for example, so

we talked about discipleship.

I'm talking about believers right.

Now that we go to a cycle of church life, right,

church life, and we grow and we get excited, then

we go to allow then we get revived again towards

a year end. Because it's Christmas. Then after they go

to allow something in the middle of the year. But

the thing here is this is that we built on

foundation which is not the word is not strong. So

for example, like we hear messages alone. Only messages alone

on a Sunday is not enough. I've heard Christian before,

and I would say that although I don't like to

read the Bible, because the Bible I don't really understand,

I mean.

Shoot to the extent.

However, therefore I like to listen to messages because the

preacher explained the way I could understand. I said that

I have to explain whether just to let you know

that hearing messages alone is not enough.

You have to read God's word for your own.

So there will come a time whereby reading the word

is reading the Word is going to be lesser and

lesser just hearing in terms of preaching and this stuff

like that. So if you have a Bible with which

you turned to mark chapter eight, mark chapter eight, worse

thirty four March was thirty four, and we see how

it works.

Can do all right?

Much of day was study false starts off with this

when he had called the people to himself with these disciples.

Now Jesus were addressing the crowd and the disciples. I

want to let you know that discipleship is for everyone,

not just a selected feel not just want to be

called for leadership. There is no such as a believer

who's not being discipled back in those days, if you

believe Jesus called them. If anyone desires to come after me,

first of all, he has to take up his cross.

He has to deny himself, take up the cross and

follow me. For whoever desire to save life and losing,

whoever loses his life for my sake, and the Gospel

will save it. Our first and foremost commitment is to

follow Christ. Our first and foremost commitment is to follow Christ.

It starts with this. Whoever desires to come after me?

I think many times now, journey friends, we have a

desire but no action, good intentions but no production, And

many times we just the word is that. Oh I

want to seek the Lord. I want to be changed, transformed.

I want to do it's real, but no application. The

power is in the application, friends, and I truly find

that many times in our journey for your journey as well,

we have this Lord. I want to be more like you.

For example, And we always have this picture about wanting

to be more like Christ. Is Jesus holding the sheep right,

And we've seen people selling the image of Jesus is

always Jesus with the shepherd style, with the sheep and

this nice, nice lit right. If we are not careful,

we really have one image of Jesus only, which is

Jesus being nice. What about Jesus forming the wee and

clearing out the temper. I'm not seeing any pictures like

that in people's house whereby there was a picture of

Jesus cleaning out the temper. And you should you shall

not make my house be a house of merchandized by

it should be a house of prayer. And if you

ask a self true enough, our desire causes us to

have this image of Jesus that appeals to us.

Come on. It appeals to us, meaning to.

Say that this Jesus that we desire friends, appeals to

our lifestyle.

These Jesus that we have SIPs flat white.

Right, urban missions only, not rural missions right where nice

sneakers only. These Jesus that we desire to follow friends

because of the way we from him in our hearts

and our minds.

Appeals to us is because it's our lifestyle.

And the Bible here says is that you can't follow

Christ if there is no denying of yourself.

You can't move.

Forward there if there's no follow So Christ is the

one we are following, friends, not the lifestyle of a

believer of what we see other believer. Christ is the

one we are following, not the lifestyle of other believer.

I was, I was, I stumble upon the question by

one preacher was just.

Preaching what put Abraham.

Abraham didn't get a brick to for Isaac, and he

offered Isaac up at the altar, and Isaac right was

a spect abrahams to follow God. Many times in our

lives we want Isaac to be written to us. We

go all the way offer Isaac and the altar, knowing

it's a test praise God and God written.

By Isaac to us. But why God takes away Isaac

of our life? Will we still follow the Lord?

Not?

Or will we say that this is not the Lord?

And many times in our life we have this imageon.

I say again a lifestyle that we are following state

of Christ. And first and foremost our commitment is to

the Lord Christ is the one we are following. Every

desire must be led to an action closer towards Christ.

And that's the encouragement. That's why I want to encourage you.

If we have never again, never go for missions, try

one time and you will understand fallowing Christ. Sometimes it's

out from our comfort zone, out from what we are so.

Used to doing worship.

I was just putting out some thoughts here and I

was just thinking of the life of Joseph, especially in prison.

In prison France, there is no such thing as promotion.

Even though you're promoted in prison, you're still in prison.

It's like couple were even though you're on it's like

you're going to the world every day for do you understand, right?

I mean even could you imagine prison prison? Right?

Even though you're promoted, you're still in prison. And after all,

I'm not sure whether or not that would be encouragement.

Yearly promotion, It wouldn't give you the best of cell

your but you're still in prison. And it done upon

me about Joseph's life, and I just wondering, like what

would his preer life be in prison? What would his

heart crime be? In prison? God break me out? From

this prison cell like prison break like that? Give me

a cell made with that too, that shows me out

from from this prison?

I will what what?

What do you think that Joseph will have prayed for

in the prison cell?

I would just imagined that.

You know, the Bible says that he did so well

in prison that it wasn't the prison that held him in,

but he was God. What do you want me to

do in this prison? What do you want me to

do in this person? Because if we are following Christ, friends,

everything else doesn't really matter as much as Him.

So the way we read our.

Bible, the way we pray or we worship, the way

we live our life is a reflection of how much

we know of Him.

Say it.

The way we read our Bible, the way we pray,

the way we believe, and the way we do missions

is a reflection of how much we know of Him.

And many times, our journey friends, we think that we

know God, but our true house action doesn't reflect that.

And God wants this, wanting just to remind us. Okay, now,

falling Christ is always we always lead to transformation Metria

chapter fourwards like they say, follow me and I will

make you fishes of men the Bible.

Here is it.

When you follow God, he will make us. But many

times our journey said, I will follow you God, But God,

would you make me to be the hit and.

Not the tail?

Come on, always have prayed the prayer before God we

make the make me the hit, is not the tail,

because he is always nice server, carry fish hit. Have

you seen a carry fish tail? Sorry leave Joe, right,

I mean true worried, carry fish hit. Make me the

hit and not the tail.

Right? And we pray prayers like that.

Although it sounds nice, but sometimes it's our house, it

our flesh, our the way we see life leads less.

God make me the hit.

Always like to be the hit, always like to be

the hit. Nobody likes to be the tail. If we

being the tail, friends, you know you're the bed. You

have the bed. For almost half an hour I was

talking to John as we grow older, one of the

one one of the signs and confirmation that we aging

it's not our bag.

It's always so our bag.

Even though what used to be what used to be

very common for us, like five kilo, five or six

kilos right now five or six kilo, that you feel

a bit of tightness and soreness right now, and it's

it's the confirmation of aging. And sometimes if you think

about it, when you're at the back anything, sometimes that

you are always bending down, caring and it's not the easiest. Friends,

I want to let you know, God says, if you

follow me, I will make you. That's why discipleship transforms,

transform friends. Many times we say that we are following Christ,

but the key evidence is transformation, transformation. You're once like

that and now you are different your once what appus

you back then and now you're a bit more restrained.

You you're once maybe perhaps impatient, now you're a bit

more patient. And many times now journey friends, our Christian

war all knowledge but no transformation. And a lot of

people say, you know, hashtag blessed, hashtag faith, friends God,

you don't came to that across the hashtags, Well, nothing

wrong with that, or friends and those of your mad

praise God, Hallelujah, we need you. But hashtag doesn't trans

translate and transform people's life.

It doesn't.

It's a desire to wanting to follow Christ. And at

the end of the day, people do know one. So

if you follow Christ, I'll make official of men met

you chapter four vers.

Nineteen.

It's also says it look chapter four twenty four, verse thirteen,

and just try to look chapter twenty four, look twenty four.

I was in the actually combanga, and I asked them

to look twenty four. Right, they say, they give us

some time. You're flipping the pages of the Bible. Luke

chapter twenty four, verse thirteen. All right, let's see how

we go from here. All right, Now, behold two of

them were traveling on the same day to a village

called Emirs. There were seven miles from Jerusalem. They were

talked together these things which happened. So it was verse fifteen.

They converse and reason that Jesus himself junior and went

with them.

Friend.

The story of the route to Emirs is about two

disciples were disappointed because Jesus was crucified across as Jesus

himself junior to them. The Bible says the eyes were

sixteen the eyes were restrained, so they did not know him,

and worse seventeen. Then he say, what kind of conversation

this is that you are having with one another as

you walk? And are said and many times discipleship, friends,

we think we are doing disciples ship. But actually we

are swaying to the fleagh. Think about it. And God

is saying to you. As Jesus is walking alongside with

the two disciples, feeling said this courage and stuff like that.

The eyes weren't open, friends, because they weren't falling Christ.

This discouragement and disappointment were leading the conversation. As God

comes alongside with them and begin to converse with them, Friends,

I wanted you to look at the scripture for the

odd and and he goes, there, are you the only it?

Are you? Then?

The one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to him,

are you the only stranger in juicalem that who did

not know these things which happened there these days? And

he said to them, what things that things concerning Jesus

of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in the world

before God and all the people, and now the chief

priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to

death and crucify him verse twenty one. But we are

hoping that he who's going to be to redeem issue. Indeed,

besides this today is the third day. Seeing these things happened,

they were disappointed discourage. They're hoping that Jesus was a messiah.

And many times our journey as well, we follow the Lord,

get disappointed, get discouraged. We were hoping and pray for deliverance.

It happened, and because of that we push everything aside.

I'm not sure how many have ever been there before,

just because of things happened in our life, and we

say God doesn't work. Maybe because we pray for something.

Maybe you like.

Somebody and you begin to pray, God give me a

sign and sign. You thought that was a sign, but

then the person like someone else. Then you get discouraged. God,

you give me a sign. This kind of thing right,

mes see here, But God is not messy. But you know, well,

flesh mess it up. And just like the disciples, I

thought you were the one. You were the one you

say you got to be resurrected, but they really I

didn't even see you, right you thought you go to

redem Israel. But you know, but the rest issue right now,

we felt there were a bunch.

Of losers like that.

And as they begin to try to explain the feelings

to Jesus, friends try to explain the feeling to Jesus.

When you look at worse study two. Then they say

there one another. Did not our heart burned within us

when he talked with us on the road and a

while he opened the scripture to us? They didn't our

heart burn within us. Friends, Discipleship it's not just another

time whereybody you spend time with what you do last

week of badminton. No, friends, discipleship is the type of

you open God's words and our hearts is supposed to burn,

meaning to say, get excited, to get revived. The word

is that He is all that really matters at the

end of the day. You see, we want Jesus to

be the shepherd, right, and you know that Jesus is

the shepherd substran tree.

Right.

The Bible says that if Jesus is the shepherd, every

like the second portion of the scripture said, I shall

not be in one. You know how good it is

to feel that we don't have this feeling of lack.

Right you wake up in the morning, there is no

feeling of lack. It's an amazing feeling.

Friends.

She don't have to worry about your breakfast anymore. You know,

breakfast is there. You don't even think the word we

go for us, because you know, lunch is prepared already,

So the feeling of not being in lack is amazing.

But the Bible also this says that the Lord is

my shepherd, I shall not be in one.

Therefore he leads me frids.

Have we ever tried leading people before? Some people say,

wherever you lead, I will go right. Fantastic, But there

are some wherever you lead you say a I'll go

be right. You say, God, penang, I want the tour

to tap out first right and many times now you

n we are the same.

God has you?

He mixed me. He leads me by steel waters friends,

got me thinking you no friends? Whereby sometimes we want

to find our own steel waters. When God said I

will lead you, do you know how changing it is

in a person's life whereby when you lead someone? Then

the Bible used the word he makes me light down

green pastures. Even though you see green pastures, friends, you

may not lie down because you don't like this ship

of green. He used the way he makes me light out,

which missed I got just got me thinking that maybe

because I don't like this green pasture, and God something

that has to just what forces?

Hey, come on, these grip lie down now, right, he

leads me.

Besides steel waters us the way he restores our soul,

he leads, he guides, He restores right and discipleship.

We need to allow him to do that in our lives.

That's why the two disciples walking too emirs disappointed discourage,

said God was beside them, opening the scripture so that

the heart could be ministered too. And many times in

our discipleship moment, the Bible.

Is hardly used.

The Bible is hardly used, and we we rely on

one scripture a day from the Bible. A hey, this

is my daily devotion. Friends, I pray to you at

least do at least two scriptures at more than one. Right,

but they didn't a heart burn? So following Christ to

transformation and hearts must burn?

All right?

Now number two here is this, friends, we cannot follow

Christ without the cross. Many people stop at desire, and

now I got never asked the story desire, but commanded

us to take up the cross. So therefore, what is

the cross? We heard the scripture if it took up

the cross and follow him, So what is the cross?

A lot of times you think the cross is you know,

commitment to church, saying yes to leadership, saying yes, would child, Okay,

I have to say yes, but will ask you yes, yes?

All right? And many times you think.

The cross is just saying yes to all the commitment

that comes your way. But friends, tack up the cross

also means pleasing God rather than men pleasing God, rather

than men pleasing God rather than men. Taking up the

cross also means victory over seed, victory over sin. Taking

up the cross also means suffering for Christ. We talk

about suffering in church. She has suffering for Christ. So

what is your cross so far?

Friends?

It also means the thrill of the spirit is everydent

in our life. A life without the cross is a

life without power. A life without cross is a life

without transformation or without impact. So the Bible reminds me

about profit of the man begins the whole world but

loses his own soul. What we we give in exchange

a soul. There's not a program in the world that's

close to the word this type of ship. I'm not

sure where you are with your journey and what challenges

you have with discipleship. Maybe you have put your faith

in the discipleship before you went through a bad experience

Joseph in prison had a bad experience. He put his

faith on someone to say a good word in front

of Pharaoh, but didn't stay in prison for another two

more years.

I mean two years. It's a long time can change.

Someone's heart from someone that's nice to beatter someone that

is carrying become unforgiving. Two years is long time, friends,

But Joseph did not allow himself or he has his

regular heart check to make sure that, friends, that his

heart is not contaminated all the time. Because if it

is that, he wouldn't have saved his whole family. If

it is that, you know, if could you imagine the

moment he stepped in to power the first day. Is

you wanted to get back at people that promised him

I didn't deliver. So what is your cross, friends, is

it is across you're letting go of revenge? What is

across church? It's is it suffering from Christ that you

cannot take it. That's why I look at Scripture again

and just thinking about people like Daniel in the lines.

Then but we sing the song for men in the

fire of friends, but truly being in the lines, then

it is not just about a song, but the moment

whereby your life is a stick. Whereby do you stand

to lose your life or not? And if you're not careful, friends,

that we have this Christianity whereby we're immune to some

of these things, immune to this. As I draw this

message to close the next ten minutes, I started off

with our first and foremost commitment is Christ. To follow

him and take up across is not optional. Yeah, and

what is across to you? It's not just about how

they are doing good works and everything like that, but

it's really victory over sin, suffering for Christ living a

lot of power. But it also friends, the word is

this that I want you, The word sacrifice, And this

last part I'm going to close. The power sacrifice is

not sacrificing what we want. If you sacrifice what you want,

there is actually no power in it. The Bible says

in John chapter Troubles Ready for most. Surely, I say

to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the

ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies,

he produced much. So the power sacrifice is not in

it sacrifices what you want.

Could you imagine right now?

Always are a grain of wheed and you just ship

one sight you knee, you keep two thirds and you

just wanted this give it up.

The true power sacrifice is this is that.

You have to do exactly why it is in order

to get much grain. It's a total surrender and not

pastial surrender.

There is a.

Way to live out for Christ. There is a way

to live out for Christ. There's a way to live

off for Christ. And many times you try to the

word is sugar coated? Done it before? Everything that it's

like that, But you know, excubia sis I let the

grain of weed falls to the ground and dies. And

this part here falls to the ground. Friends, speaks about

sometimes what we think life should be.

Speaks about purpose direction.

It really speaks about an individual being here on earth

in regardless of where you are, the potential is already there.

In the sea.

So when Jesus says that unless you deny yourself and

take up the cross, we won't follow. The power is

not in just following. The power comes by having a

heart that God, I want to please you. For example,

it's not about pleasing church or doing more for Church. No,

it's not that about pleasing you. So the next time

you go on a holiday for example, right, I know

Bible is not the one thing that you pack in

your backs. I understand for some of us, but some

of us you do pack. But if you only carry

a seven kg hen carry, will Bible be one of that?

It speaks a lot of our faith that the world

of God is something that we can't live it out.

Seven kg.

All that you can carry is the world of got

one of them. But although you go bik true, I

understand right, I understand right. Bible could be can be heavy,

especially right now if you're studying old hu use lash print,

large spin, large pin. Right back in those days we

have this back in the crisis. That's the tinner biber

fall size number eight and sometimes those biblecoming magnifying glass one.

You'll never hear the Bible coming manifying glasses.

Oh man, I was in the Extracmaga one girl was

one lady was. She was using the Bible teen line

and ivy Bible with a flat one comes with the

magnifying glass one. And I thought we were so trending back then.

We were so cool to ever magnifying glass. Now we say,

oh man, just give me a lat prein Bible anytime.

But yeah, so Sarah, what would you carry. Unless the

grain was it falls to the ground and dies. And

we like the scripture that say produce much grain. Come on,

who will say that they do not want much green?

One can?

I have not met any believersy elder place to't pay

much green for me? Just I just need one ten percent.

We always say more than marrier, but it's not more

than marrier.

It's there is promise.

The prerequisite is surrendered. Prerequisite is that not just surrender,

but surrender.

What God wants. Now what we want.

I'm not going to share something with your it's quite

personal here, but being interest for almost twenty four years,

I've seen quite fabit, especially when you know parents dedicated

then to the Lord when the child income of age

and you know, maybe dedication friends, it is not one

of those blessing service protection for my child. When prother

Samuel's mom dedicated him.

To the Lord is to be used by the Lord.

It really got me thinking about sometimes we say, God,

if you come true for me, and I will serve

You'll come if you if you deliver me, I will

do this.

But God, I'm true for earth, whether without job.

And normally I find that God always get ashed out

the door first.

Unless the sea falls to the ground and die.

Friends, unless the sea and die, it's hard to produce

friends and much grain.

It is not think about it. How much grain can

a person eat? It is not for us.

In other words, we did earth right now, friends, as

I close and want to encourage you, the potential of

being a blessing to so many people around us, really,

the potential of being a blessing to so many people

around us. Our first missionary to Botswana was Quenching. We

send him off to Botswana without much knowledge.

We limited funds. Be dead. He tried to save it

was in the city that replanted the church.

But he say about twenty kilometers away from the city

because he wanted to manage to finance his want to

he wanted to be responsible, so he stayed really like

far up about twenty minutes taxi.

Right when I say taxi.

Is a comb when like twenty people in one vehicle

like that, and when he's their friends. You know a

Chinese in in Africa and you understand right standing out try.

And really they don't have a good some of them.

We don't have a good image because of China and

this stuff like that.

But with that he tried to grow to the church.

He gets so frustrated because over there is very lex,

very very lex. He asked people to come at ten

toity some reason to come at ten forty five something eleven.

When you serve them food, they they serve them food

like you know one time, remember we throw a KFC party,

right the guys who at least packed their plates with

four pieces of chicken thinking of it themselves. First they

finish eating, really write the bones live on the floor

for other people.

To clean up.

That that that kind of mentality some of them have

and is so frustrated. I want to come back. I

just I just like, can I score them? But please

can give you a chance? Would score them? I say,

if you and nobody come to Chain next week. He

was there for two two and a half years, like

two and a half years as I but half years. Friends,

it's not it's not just a church. But he has

grown so much in terms of capacity and right now

recently he went back to Botswana this year after five years.

One by one came up.

To him, those that he really chastised back then. Quai,

thank you so much for being strict with me. I

wouldn't be here, I wouldn't meet my wife, I wouldn't

be with my father, to my kids if not, because.

You spend time with me. It's like close right now.

I want to let you know that the grain within

earth is here right unless the grain falls to the

ground and dies, Friends, there is no produce.

The way the lot wants you to produce.

I just want to encourage you church, if you have

ever been disappointed, discapplsh it before, really give it the

second shot. It's not about folding a leader of friends.

It's really about fooling God, say God, and not just

a god of our lifestyle, as the God of the Bible.

Friends, we hope.

You've been blessed by this message. For more information on

our church, please visit as church do org. We are

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

week is going to be a good week. I hit

for you. God bless