The Message of the Cross (Part 2) | Pr Janaronson Nagarajah

You're listening to a message to go from ex Church. We hope this message

will light up your day. I'll do a very short recap then we're entering

into this message. Basically what we did last Sunday was we read from First

Corinthians and we spent a lot of time understanding the character or the person of

Paul mean by about how he evactually have my slight. How Paul was a

strong persecutor of Christians who later became a strong proclaimer of the Gospel. Just

about like She Highness told the Prayers Life, he was prosecuting Christian He was

arresting them, making sure that they don't preach the gospel through him. Many

Christians were arrested, some in fact, the Bible says that were and the

very first martyr, Stephen, was martyred to death. Paul was there waitnessing

the whole incident to n so, while he was on the road to the

Maskers, the Lord appeared to him in a shining light and Jesus spoke to

Paul, why are you prosecuting me? You can go back and read in

a book of X to ndicate. And after the encounter, Paul was blinded

for three days, the Lord told an Na Yas, who is another disciple,

to go and pray for Paul. So encourage you to put yourself last

week in the shoe of the early disciples, so you know what you around

me and Tantai and I said and something. And I was so afraid of

Paul that he told the Lord Lord, have you not heard about the reputation

of this man high? He puts it out taken than iron has more poor

and the quicker and evil things you have done towards people who believe in you.

I see, do you? I say, so something he doesn't have

so so and I said, tomorrow tred But nevertheless, and then I have

obeyed when I saw Paul say, brother Saul, Brother Paul, his only

needs to be sold. The Lord has sent me to pray for you.

Hy you can wait about And then I asked, prayed for Paul. Scales

came down from his eyes. He was then baptized. He spent a few

he spent some time with the disciples. The disciples took him in, send

him to the apostles. The apostles took him in, and then he learned

from the apostles. So then, not so has you down, So that

is a's a had you paid the beast hyper nor consols into moment ju Paul

was a devout Jew, so his understanding of the Jewish law it's of of

a higher level. So it has not been ba you tyrantly finances how who

So it's very knowledgeable in Jewish custom and Jewish law has a face. The

Jews never see Jesus as the Messiah. So now you told me about and

to call Jesus the son of God and to see him in equal with God

is blesh me Hamoni you traned so to go up by y sans Jesus.

I couldn't pronounce the word blesh me very well, right, So that's why

he was so zealous. He thought that he was zealous for God, but

actually he was zealous for the wrong thing. So had you natural has the

lisld sits right? So we spent a lot of time talking about Paul,

so going out about loaders. And why did we spend a lot of time

talking about Paul? It is because you need to understand that your Bible is

divided into two components, right, Old Testament and New Testament. From two

years, how many books in total sixty six books. How many books in

Old Testament thirty nine, while front Row always stop students thirty nine books in

the Old Old Testament and how many in the New Testament twenty seven? What

is the difference between Old Testament and New Testament? Old Testament is time before

Jesus. New Testament is time during Jesus and after Jesus. Did you out

your so men change that sing year suiticideer ohio way like the searching. In

fact, you actually can see Jesus from Genesis all the way to Revelation.

There's a saying that the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, and the

New Testament is the Old Testament revealed. So then okay, two youre the

town sing sing sence like two you don't. In other words, when you

read the New Testament, you see Paul also using a lot of scriptures from

the Old Testament to reveal about God, to reveal about Jesus. You're the

easy the searching. It's why you know, like you so both are important.

So why Paul is because why we need to understand the character and the

person of Paul is because he wrote thirteen epistols in the New Testament. That

is thirteen out of twenty seven, close to fifty percent of your New Testament

is attributed to Paul. So where's Sampans? So juicies cheap and has sampan?

And the cistos. He addresses the church. And when you see names

means he addressed to name. So for example, Romans he wrote to a

church that he didn't planted, right, Corinthians was a church that he planted

in colorn Therefore he wrote, Galatians is to the church in Glatia. Adficients

is to the church in Ephesus, Philippines is in the church in Philippi.

So it's actually does they say a map sooner and Loma, So just the

negamahaya girl Ina Jesus has sic a girl in tang dideren Collosians is to the

church in Colouse. Tessalonians is to the church in Theassalonica. Timothy is not

the church Timothy. It's Paul's closest disciple. In fact, Paul sees him

as a son. So when you read the book of Timothy, he is

addressing to Timothy. Likewise, Titus and Filammon, Jesus has turned Paul.

We had to do the t more title. So, although this was written

thousands of years ago, it is still very relevant and practical to our day

to day life today. Whi so it's Christian? Is important for you to

know your Bible face and some without which it will be challenging for you to

grow your faith in me run her so WHI she run Without wish it would

be difficult for you to even defend your faith Hawaii she runs. Christians,

we cannot just come on a Sunday listen to the word of God. We

cannot just go to the YouTube to listen to of God. We must have

the discipline to understand the word of God and study the word of God for

ourselves. Okay, not actually inhai? So may I appreciate you sings that

you're actually into sohai you mean person. So from the life of Paul,

we also learned that God can turn lives around to be his chosen vessel for

his glory. Next, like Paul, woman, it's okay, can't do

her. You don't take the chiming like she in the room. So it

doesn't matter if your life is like Paul back then, also consider caused a

lot of heavoc in church thinking you did the right thing, but actually you

did the wrong thing, arrested family members, prosecuted them, bid them,

hit them, happen due to that grena people you do too. So God

can turn Paul's life around. Surely he can turn your life around. So

thinking about a certain okay, like she talked about all the means and we

had it's okay. And from the life of Paul, we also learned that

God's forgiveness is beyond human comprehension. Cannow cern question as it's how who run

means in our human mind we will think that you know, Paul doesn't deserve

to be forgiven by God for the murder, for the different things he have

committed. She pay you in now. But we learn that God's forgiveness is

beyond human comprehension. We are not God. We cannot limit God, we

cannot put God in our own box. Let God be God, and let

us who are humans, be humans like she seen the like she bas and

found like a kann. So God's forgiveness is God's love, and his forgiveness

is the key message that drives the gospel Jesus, and what drove Paul was

the message of Jesus Christ. So like the year suit the sings. Then

we learn about what is his relationship with the church in Corinth. That happen

Girlingani. He plan hunted the church in Corinth. I going took a defund

He spent one and a half years there after planting the church to teach the

word of God to the people in Corinthe out and I showed you a map.

Korinth basically is located in modern day Greece today girl in just the same

time, So so x one, jesusays, you will receive power when the

Holy spray comes upon you, and you will be my weakness in Jerusalem,

Judaea, Samaria. So you can see a map that the disciples basically went

up. Paul encountered Christ in Syria, which is in Damascus. After that

he went back to Jerusalem. That's where he spent more time with apostles before

traveling upwards to Corinth and different places like Ephesus, Colos and all they found.

You remember the Book of Philippines, Remember the Book of Tessalonians, Remember

the Book of Efficients, Remember the Book of Collosions. All the churches are

located within the region. Sound Felamon girling those right? So some geography for

you. So we also spoke about what is what was the demographic of the

church in Krinth. So that's what my surging younger Korein was basically under the

Roman Empire. They were probably the fourth richest city the Roman Empire. Three.

Population was probably about three hundred to six hundred thousand samp and it was

really a melting part of cultures there. You got the Jews there, you

got the Riks there, you got the Oriental people there, and you're curling

the you're going, you're curling. So like modern day when you have different

culture, different customs, you got different practices, you got different religion,

you got different things happening around that city. In Downtong, so a New

Testament scholar basically described Corren as an important city as intellectually alert, materially prosperous,

and morally corrupt. So not Greeks. They value philosophy, they value

debates, they value new ideas singer Sangfan, But the Greeks basically were into

pagan worship. They are in idle worship. They will worship a lot of

gods because with that comes like what I mentioned, different different practices. Now,

if you go back to the map. Why they were materially prosperous was

also because they were near to different harbors and all to turnus. So you

must understand back then there's no asia. There was no tag line that now

everyone can fly. Back then the tag line was now everyone can sail because

they took the sale board. Also right, because of their close proximity to

the sea, it makes them a trading area as well, and as a

result that prospered that area. And whenever you are a trading city near to

the pot, you are also receptive to different cultures, different demographic people coming

in Haman. Yes, so when you read First Corinthians, you realize that

Paul addresses a lot of things into the sudos. You can he addressed on

divisions and factions within the church. He needs to address on sexual immorality in

church. He needs to address on church worship order and the usage of spiritual

give principles of marriage. He needs to talk about the Lord Supper and the

resurrection of the Lord. Down you realize that when he addresses sexual immorality,

it begins to seep into the church practice. When in the turns and have

a thing to do with their past belief whereby they you know, it was

so uh so disturbing that in some of their temple of worship they actually have

prostitute in the temple of worship. Hold on, Homos, think by then

and I see the ten. So Paul needed to address all these things.

So downs, so she the government will continue on reading for the benefit of

you who don't know. We last week only read I think First Corinthians,

the first part on it. So now we are continuing the second part.

So okay, we read First Corinthians, chapter one, ten to seventeen.

This city. So this is Paul writing to the believers in Corinthians. And

bare mind he is now away from this church, right, he's no longer

there, He's away. Okay. So he says, now, I plead

with you. Whenever someone used the word plead means it's a very strong word.

I urge you. I plead with you, Bedren, by the name

of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and

that there be no divisions among you, but that you'll be perfectly joined together

in the same mind and in the same judgment. So the change how the

book her fundance there is in Eus, for it has been declared to me

concerning you my bedroom by those of Chloe's household, that there are tensions among

you. God I Chary. Now I say this, that each of you

says, I am of Paul, or I am of Apaulos, or I

am of Sheephus, or I am of Christ. Well, there isn't It's

the soup. Was the suti Father was the suti to the she first?

Here is basically the apostle Peter, right, chefers is Peter? You can't

Peter. You can cross reference to John chapter one, verse forty two,

where Jesus told Peter from now on you'll be known as she First. All

right, Sorry, my pronunciation not going, but I'm trying to get there.

M hmm, okay. What's the thing? Is Christ divided? Wow?

What was Paul crucified for you? Over? You baptized in the name

of Paul. This is the soci Lama. I thank God that I baptized.

None of you accept Chrispus and Guias lest anyone should say I had baptized

in my own name. What Jillie's suppose pink, guyu e y wor mayor

gain him an ignorant SUSI news flesh. Roumans is not new today. Roumans

happened back then, so Paul needed to address that as well. High fastens,

each fasten. But sixteen, yes, I also baptized the household of

Stephenus. Besides, I do not know whether I baptize any other. For

Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not

with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no

EFFECTA just so God, Susie, I may okay appear and wait busway,

Susie waiting for you mean the con So from here you know the church is

divided in opinion, so you can cont From here, you know that there

are rumors going on about Paul. It's also going up. Let's fast forward

to First Corinthians, chapter four. We're gonna read from verses fourteen to sixteen.

No, man, she can't go in change. So this is anti

fast forward a bit now, Paul, for On said, I do not

write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children, I warn

you so sorry. Sixteen fourteen four fourteen. We'll see boo, gentlemen,

you're gentlemen seeing either Ernie young. So we understand that Paul was the rightful

spiritual parent of the first Church in corinth About in Tohama Tiga. The Suling

footeen jans that you do all good parent when the child is having discipline issue,

the parent needs to correct the child. The parent needs to discipline the

child. In fact, the Word of God says God often does this,

does this to his children because He loves us, the one here. So

you don't so young that she do you. So love and discipline go hand

in hand. First fifteen says, for though you might have ten thousand instructors

in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers. For in Christ,

Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel. So you aren't waiting for the

chase inwards, Yu insern learningmen. Therefore I urged you imitate me. So

all right now you can up days. For though you might have ten thousand

instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers. Okay for the

chase. So I told you that the church in Corinthians had many issues.

So okay. In downshold. But when Paul wrote to the people in Corinthians,

the first thing he addresses was not sexual immorality. The first thing he

addresses, was not that disorderly worship service. The first thing he addressed wasn't

the quote unquote abuse of spiritual give But the first issue he addressed was unity

in the church. You can and she's unkling so so so you think by

thing, think by also quiet it out her e we we read Paul was

pleading with them. Now, I plead with you, Bedren, by the

name of our Lord Jesus, that you all speak the same thing and let

there be no divisions among you. Sook herr fund down. So why is

it important for the church to first be united before addressing other issues? Sonata

away somewhere else in Jang, Because if you are not united, we will

be busy fighting each other. We will be busy focusing on issues that are

non critics, and the church won't be able to propel forward or reach the

potential that God has for us. John, it's her partner, I said,

the chelting fund, And I said, don't don't so unity to me

is big, So do I tell her is a hunt? Unity is part

of God's plan her. In fact, Jesus on the night before he was

betrayed in the garden of Gashtomony so it's like, so have your pay if

you read his prayer in John seventeen, you have in this verse eleven and

verses twenty to twenty one. This e j J. So. In John

seventeen, verse eleven, Jesus was praying to the Father. He says that

now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world,

and I come to you, Holy Father, Keep through your name those

whom you have given me, that they may be one as we are.

This is susan susan one amnality. So for in so gay water means bal

in verse twenty, I do not pray for this alone, but also for

those who will believe in me through their word. Well butt, waiter seran

you you witness it in Timanoha sing water and Chu, who do you think

Jesus was praying for in verse twenty. Also yes, Susa waiter when he

prayed, I do not pray for this alone, but also for those who

will believe in me through their word. Waiter seran, you will witness it

in Timanoha single. Don't you anybody want to make a guest? Who was

Jesus praying for all of us who have really believed in him? Just so

to you, womens a leaders champurance for sound singer. Isn't that amazing face

on the pama? Two thousand years before you and I were born? Jesus

remember you. Jesus pray for you? Oh yes twenty one? Why did

he pray for us? That they all may be one as you father in

me and I in you, that they also may be one in us.

That the world may believe that you sent me her away etnan is that woman?

I mean your singer is Singney Tyler Warliine. So the result of unity

is that the world neighbor believe that you send me at her in how around

her inner? How around me? Eager and tone and god like she's sunk

so many years ago. God gave me this word. Unity starts with you.

You can look at it literally or you can look at it figuratively.

Can't know her eil just as whole unity starts with me, just unity starts

with you. Okay. You know for ex Church, we are very clear

with our vision that God has given to us woman her omens face hunting to

you. This is taken from Haber Cook Chapter two was fourteen. We believe

and we want to be part of the scripture where the day will come when

the knowledge of the glory of the Lord will cover the earth as the water

covers the sea. Do you? And the Lord has also given us this

strategy about church planting just going discipleship, true church planting actually patiment. We're

not called to be one church, one location fund. Some church are called

for that. That's why in one gathering they have three thousand fire, five

thousand pre Scott. They're all being God's called upon their life. But for

ex church, we are called to be one church in many locations, you

said, and early this year you are probably familiar with the term decentralization.

So it's I think ans decentralization basically means now we are growing big to grow

small, isn't Sorry, thanks for correcting me. We're growing small to grow

big easy. In other words, as small church plants are being planted,

as more activities within the church being taken by the church plants, there's more

opportunity to grow. So it's the function. Let me give you an example.

Bloom, our yearly annual women conference all these years has always been one

location. So okay, today across Laian Valley, I believe was sixth locations

so more people can come your Sometimes you have one location, your location may

not be having enough venue to cater for the many that we want to come.

Societative, she thinks in prayer service is also another one where we used

to do prayer services only in a central location, but now we do it

in Neelai. Why it's because we want to make prayer service accessible for people

to come. But yet the turnout rate in Subang often from Neela is very

low, but from when you have it in Elai's quite high. But it

can always be better because I want to sutch but like a society, got

to defund around grand Okay, Now, why I want to say this is

because whenever the leadership have heard from God, God has confirmed and we start

making decisions, I'll be very upfront with you that not many at first can

agree to it. Okay, she soon photos links. Why must we do

this? Where's the more? It takes up a lot more resources, It

takes up a lot more time. I come, but the lions are not

even coming to pray together with me. Well, I don't mean I young,

because why the more someone very chicky you know told me, you say

you need to touch with you. But it ends with why. I won't

name the names, but so that there's a lot why and these are very

natural questions. Yeah, I don't blame people for asking all these questions.

It's very natural and some questions are are good questions to be asked. Okay,

okay, So time by? So is it the one wonders how because

you said the wouldn't teachers to be nineteen years serving in next church. I've

come to know that when God says, when God has confirmed, we will

have to obey. So what I know your son have swallow? Omen you

soon ful because a lot of things. I would rather let the fruits do

the talking. And you know you can't run a court, so like she

insnt, I don't want anyone of us to be good in talking with no

fruit woman Maker, and he wouldn't. I would rather always have fruit and

let the fruit do the talking. Run em can't run, drunk maker and

can't go like she in, And to organize revel NELI as well. It's

it's not the easiest, isn't it? Okay, Calconia, But why did

you still persevere truth? Because away more Maker has a chance serain night,

Why do you you still do it. You can't no way so many highs.

So you need only you need to lie be part of the team time

because you understand that unity. Often it's not about your preference. E.

If we say that we want to be united, often we gotta also put

away things that we have certain preference for her eater push you up, o

currency how far that e pump? Let me give you an analogy. If

you want to be in the same football team, and one day your team

as you to wear a pink jersey, you can't say you don't like pink.

Okay like to shoot? Ay? You gonna chew? You don't.

You don't go up to your coach and say that coach, I don't like

pink? Can you have another color? And the coach say, no,

decision has been made. We wear pink. If you don't wear pink,

you don't play Bookay she canna gant push tomorrow your company decided to say everyone,

no more wearing your own attire. We will wear our company uniform.

If you are trying to come to the EFU or the ladies who say,

oh no, I just feel all my wardrobe, my little EFU. But

you think about it, right, in the company, you dare to go

to your boss and say, Boss, I don't know where your uniform.

If you still make me where I quit, we are trying to come to

the EFO in India. Su you try and see, maybe you can quit,

but your reason of quitting will sound very silly. When you go to

a new job and your employer asks you, so, why did you quit

your previous job? You know, so who do you dare to say?

I quit because my company asked me to wear a uniform. I didn't like

what doing your interviews say? Or actually, here we also got uniform.

Then it comes. So my point is often when people ask questions why this

is why, that we've got to be discerning to know whether is it a

personal preference or is it something that really God has confirmed that we should do

so the one tiest Omane. How so, back then in korne, as

you read in chapter one the first Corinthians, Paul did mention names. Right

now, I say this that each of you say, I am of Paul,

I am of Apollos, I'm of Chief Fast, or I'm of christ

Currents a super Sui father. Now, obviously people there was comparing already Paul

against other people, you can come down. One of the point I want

to share today is instead of comparing, focus on complimenting. Comparing destroys unity,

but complimenting strengthens it. So you know, each woman like she,

who poor woman like you? Who shoz? My weakness is somebody else's strength.

What what? Or so somebody's weakness is my strength. So and so

we cannot build church or run church comparing ourselves with each other. So it's

compared to who's If you were to ask yourself, when was the last time

you feel that you're not happy? This is it. It's a book,

heising a whole. Remember when was the last time you feel not happy?

I hope not five minutes ago. Person, You shouldn't have said that down

you You know that one of the reasons why you're unhappy about situation or in

life is because you have compared yourself to either to the life of another person

or situation of another person. Book hihing you find that better? They mean

so comparison often is one of the saws of why some people can be unhappy.

Sooner you're so you who you're in? So the name of Apollos was

mentioned paid so who is Apollos chapter eighteen Antian. So this happened when Paul

had planted the church in Corn spent one and a half years strengthening the people

there, and then he left tai Girling in kayler Girling, and in x

chapter eighteen was twenty four. Now a certain Jew named Apollos tyrant media yo.

Let's I forget Paul was also a Jew. Yeah you tyrant okay.

So now a certain Jew named Apollos born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and

mighty in scriptures, came to Ephesus Satan Sansai yalisananing. You can almost say

that he is similar background with Paul, because Paul also his understanding of scriptures

is also quite credible. Susan Jing, this man had been instructed in the

way of the Lord, and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught

accurately the things of the Lord. So he knew only the baptism of John

Selina so the Chaosian singing horror Jan Sansi the shelter, So baptism of John

is related back to John the Baptist. John the Baptist was raised to be

a prophet in the wilderness preparing the way for Jesus. Johanna, Susi Johanna.

You know. So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When

Aquila and Priscilla, those of you were around yesterday, say last, and

they felt like yesterday, uh, those are you around last week? You

know who they are hurt him. They took him aside and explained to him

the way of God more accute greatly so. So Aquila and Priscilla are good

friends of Paul. They were ten makers. They hired Paul to make tends

together, and Paul would have probably imparted a lot of knowledge to them.

And when he desired to cross to a kaya the Bedroom road, exhorting the

disciples to receive him, and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who

had believed to grace for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly showing from scriptures that

Jesus is the Christ and that means brought out you tyrant. So Apollos was

no ordinary man. You can say that he is probably in the same standing

like a Paul Okay tapping young. Now to understand the comparisons, you've gotta

understand the culture back then, prior to Paul Planting in Krorine. You read

in seventeen he was actually in Athens. In Athens, he was walking around

and he saw a lot of idols, right, and there was an inscription

of one idol called to the unknown God Aname. So Paul from there so

an opportunity to engage with the people in Athens. He preached about Jesus are

not going, and the Bible says that not many believe, only a handful

belief just to social So what is the culture back then? Right? The

culture back then? You can look one of the culture back then. You

can read Acts seventeen, verse twenty one. It says for all the Eightornians

and the foreigners who were there, spend their time in nothing else but either

to tell or to hear some new thing. This is the current. This

is the social thing. You know, just a twenty meaning in English,

they have etern and they are full. They have nothing to do except to

talk talk talk. Right, So there's a culture back then. Why is

because they value intellectuality, they value philosophy. Anytime there's a new idea,

there's people coming, they will be eagerly waiting to hear what new thing can

you tell me so much, and I say so right. So that when

Paul was in Corinthians, or when he has left in Corinthians itself, because

of close proximities to Athens as well. You also have a lot of good

public speakers around. They found amay right, So these orators of public speed

girls, and it's beginning to sip into the church. The mindset is beginning

to sip into the church. Say timmane my manner. So let me read

again. Now I say this, each of you say, I am of

Paul, I'm of Apollos, and I'm of Chief Past and of Christ.

Basically means back then people get following through how good they speak? Swewny can

you make it this ant? So? So if you look at let's say,

look at Polos, well he's very eloquent. Paul wasn't eloquent. Apollos

must be right. It's very similar to today. Today a lot of people

use the term influence. Sir, just you something you're insant liter right,

not many influencers are also being able to give you good influence. Put in

insan. Don't be impressed in what they say. How they say we are

in jungle. She pays don't mistake show for substance. We are in wait

is it a white is too? So don't mistake style for substance. We

are in. It is the searching that tiny show and style this are smoke

screen. So you say, how you look at the substance of what they're

offering. You can't happen to Tigan. So there's obviously a culture of skilled

public speakers who are philosophical. They gain a following by being a good speaker.

So in terms, cannot have another is it? I say? And

Paul needed to remind them that he came to them, not with persuasive words

nor light down And I say, Gota that you need that. She's so.

And you can find this clue in First Corinthians, chapter two. It

says an I bedroom, when I came to you, did not come with

excellence of speech or of wisdom, declaring to you the testimony of God,

for I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.

And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom,

but in demonstration of the spirit and of power, that your faith should

not be in the wisdom of man, but in the power of God.

This gentleman, she bu pin you're a n now, so you're sending the

gentleman sing. So one got to really ask the question of Paul had a

mighty encounter with God. He boldly went to synagogues and refuted the Jews.

Why is it that when it comes to Corinthia he was in fear and in

trembling. She turned you tyrant, that's away, girling, danging. So

one of the clue that I coupposedly possibly can derive was was there. He

may not have been the best public speaker compared to the rest around. You

know, it gets hied to the sand far just a current sold not happening

really high right, And because of that, people are starting to compare like

there are a human being to me, Like we are not only creatures of

comfort, we are also creatures of comparison. No, okay, Niman.

So just Paul needed to address this time and say that so far because back

then, in as much as they were also sharing the gospel, but they

were more interested in winning people through argument in the time. So Haman the

trunk time you talk on see the pen and I in years? Who sounds

in years? So, however, you have been through this not discussion,

and you've been to argument with your friends about Jesus, and you want to

argue your way until they say yes, yes, yes, I give up.

I give up, you win. I want to follow Jesus now going

down. See what I can't put is actually just sounds in ye. Honestly,

you cannot argue your way to win people. So the pen, the

funcer that she ran in no power to convert anyone woman currents lean leader.

Conversion comes from the holy space, and it's you. Certainly she ran back

then these people they were arguing, they were, you know, eloquently disputing

one another. I take the position of Peter. I take the position of

Paul. I take the position of this. But Paul is reminding them,

Hey, wait a moment, go back to the message. So he put

on the pitch, put on the see her sing following me so far,

came in following me so far? Okay, and you'll continue next week.

I have a word here for every leader. I hope that leaders can or

if you aspire to be a leader, here this out the goal of every

leader is not to gain a following for himself, but for the Lord.

Just amazing should the controlling that she console around tim she consulation that has to

be number one in a woman. So say so, yo, because if

Paul were to gain a following for himself, he would have written differently around

and you're not assuming you puken away down. But the fact that he asked

these people to look back to the message of the Cross tells me that he's

pointing people to follow the Lord. Timon like you can't think? Can't you

around? If you're a leader, you got to be like poor who says,

imitate me as I imitate Christ. Now it's not wrong for me to

follow my leader, but I should not see my leader as a replacement of

Christ, of who he is. Answer certainly around Rambling you turnoiler she dies

on the way because in thirteen was Poor crucified for you? Even years the

year to Waynemon was your pastor crucified for you? Years? What was your

your favorite book author crucified for you? But yet in the modern day to

day people quote more from the books that they read than the Bible or Christ

himself. So Church and God's Kingdom are not a popularity contests where people are

only aligned to their favorite leader. Beside the thing journey you can Hans,

there's a slight for this right. We are called to align to Christ and

Christ alone and to submit to the leadership He has placed over our life.

Oh my God, in terms to deepens you know, you're like she's on

the champign right. Don't just follow after people who have large following the link

show and then people who have lesser following. You give no year or attention

to you When I see how some you need you want not about that.

It's about following Jesus. So we must be Christ focused and not man focused.

So posit. More and more people are falling, and this include leaders.

Yeah. More people are falling away from the faith and this include leaders.

Yeah he should. Hammond told me it breaks my heart when I hear

news of key leaders have fell. The true sexual immorality or different compromises they

have made. These are my would think, I say, searching Fanch.

It breaks my heart because it breaks God's heart and it breaks the congregations to

make and sing tong. So the congregation must always remember that Christ is first.

Woman makes woman assoc and even all someone stray away from that faith,

your faith in Christ is still secure. Noticing something on your own your leaders

needs a diepens on. So we must never ever exalt men more than you

exhalt Christ. Book Gauchi Tonu t You can honor men, in fact,

honoring one another, honoring your leaders is a godly value. And there's a

principle of blessing who hold only two thousand and two. But you must never

exhalt man more than you exalt Christ, and we must be God focused.

In First Quarantians, chapter three, verse five to seven, cycle, I

love Paul. Remember I spoke about complimenting you did. Who then is Paul?

And who is Apollos? But ministers through whom you believe as the Lord

gave to each one, I meaning Paul planted, Apollos watered, but God

gave the increase. So hysic silicate hamn't gorn the indent sounding war. I

don't the world just where your son child has sound. So a lot of

people they coote the scripture without context like she. When you understand the context,

you begin to appreciate the scripture further. Because when Paul say I planted

basically literally like he planted the church. So you don't just say I don't

just did you, I don't know tell And while he was away, Apollos

came and water, but God gave the increase. No way, your son.

So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters.

But God gave the increase. Contain some more, you know, not Tousan

Anderson. Stick to the message and not the mess snger. Justin stick to

the message and not the mess sainger trying to sing. See the concernin.

We hope you've been blessed by this message. For more information on our church,

please visit X Church do O r G. We are also active on

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week ahead for you. God bless