Missions | Janaronson Nagarajah

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

will light up your day. So this money is mission's money. Right.

So I told my church in x Nearly every Sunday we will wear traditional attire.

So since last Sunday we wore traditional attire. So I thought, since

coming to cemony, I will not come from to cemony, I'll come firm

to nearly by wearing by traditional attire. I got this from Botswana in twenty

seventeen when the lot told me to go to Botswana. Where do you come

from, Sister Kenya Mbo so po, those of you don't know where Boswana

is is now of South Africa, population of two million. In twenty twelve,

our graduates who graduated from Lincock Wing from xib Ja, they went and

they planted a church there in Harbrooni. Right. So in my ministry in

Niel, I used to disciple a guy by the name of Lazarus, whom

today is passed the Lazarus over seeing ex Africa, Otswana and Mochudi. So

he was with me in Kneel in twenty ten, twenty eleven, and in

twenty twelve he went over to London. Pioneered ex London and during his time

in Kneel he followed me everywhere when I do ministry right. Stephen probably will

remember because he studied an et at one point in his life ten twenty eleven.

Yeah, that long ago. One decide, so two move forward.

What happened was when he went to Victoria because of a PhD scholarship and study.

The lot also inspired in his heart to contribute to ex Potswana. So

for every Sunday or at least over the weekend Friday, the Sunday he will

travel four hours from Victoria to Hebroni on the road Sunday he will drive down

back to Victoria four hours. So when I heard about this, it's like,

m it's not easy. It's really not easy. You've got a PhD

to study, then you've got a church to serving. Right, So a

lot dropped into my heart a sense of compassion to say that go and visit

Las Rust. So based on that, I went by obedience, by my

etiquette, covered my own accommodation at all because I just want to be of

encouragement to him, right, because to hear the four hours drive, it's

not easy. And even if the lot says, go sit in his car

for hours. I think it will mean a lot to him. So I

went. So the cost was equivalent to one month of my salary back then,

right, and it was amazing. It was an amazing experience. I've

never traveled that far because prior to death, the travel has always been around

this region. So today eleven hours direct fright from Singapore to John's book.

From there, he picked me up from the airport, spend a night in

Victoria, six hours different the first night itself by their local time eight pm.

I ko, because our time here is two am. I think two

three am. So why do I share this when God's said go, we

have to go? Missions is all about going. X Church is a mission

minded church. So why do we have Missions conference? Is to remind ourselves

that there are people in your community that needs to hear the gospel. As

you are blessed, as you have received the transformation of God's love, there

are people out there who have yet to hear the gospel even once in their

life. Missions it's always about demonstration of God's love. And my trip to

Boswana have taught me a very important principle. And if you have the slight

there. Number one is that prowision will always follow after obedience. When God

gives you an assignment, when you agree to do the assignment, he will

never fail to provide for you. Two weeks ago I told the campus students

in Lyfe, I say this, I don't know youth chemists coming up were

all should be excited. Therefore, youth, can I say that the fees

of three hundred twenty three point h three is three three five three point zero

two should not be a hindredce right. I understand there are campus students who

have financial constraints. We understand it, and I believe the leadership are modern

willing to support where necessary. But you think about it, when it comes

to God's work, finance, to me should be the least of the challenge,

because if we say that finance is a challenge, that makes that God

is not big enough to provide for me. So I tought the campus students,

if you see three and M fifty three as a challenge, as you

grow up, you're gonna face a three thousand bill. You're gonna face a

three hundred thousand bill in the form of house. You're gonna face even more

financial mountains that needs to be conquered. So in the context of missions,

when the Lord have placed in your heart to either go overseas or go for

a local trip, I want to let you know that missions doesn't kind of

chip. You've got flight tickets to pay, You've got different expenses to pay.

But you've got to believe that as you obey, God will provide for

you. God is faithful. God is faithful. Point number two, be

both to go when God calls you. Be both to go when God calls

you. Go. If you never joined emissions before, go, If you've

been to emissions before, don't stop going, Go again, again, again

and again. Why Because you will never know how much you will learn about

God until you go. Most over here, you are graduates. You studied

three years, four years. You never know how much you actually learn in

the marketplace until you actually a day in the marketplace. Your unique can prepare

you all they want in classroom, in internship, in your practical but until

you experience the marketplace for yourself, you'll never be able to learn as much

in the classroom. So act church. It's not a church where we rest

on our laurels, we warm our pews, and we have a holy community

here without thinking about the community outside. And when you begin to go,

you will learn a lot about God a lot. So this trip I learned

about provision. I learned about protection as well, because on the second day

I had half day to myself. I was walking around Victoria because Less needed

to attend to his uniting. I only met up with him lunch time.

So I was walking around right Suddenly that this all men started to come up

to me and ask me can I help him because he needs finances. Right,

I didn't felt comfortable because I didn't felt the leading of the spirit to

help him. So I just walk. I walk. I didn't bother entertaining

this person. I just walked and shared the instance to less risk. Let's

say, I said, I thank God you didn't open up your wallet butus.

In next second it will be gone. So I learned about God's protection.

I learned what it meant to depend on God. I learned what it

meant to really rely on God's grace as his strength. Because it's very tiring.

We were traveling eleven I was flight straight. Then it's on the ground

already, probably a half day to rest. The next day we go right,

and he told me that in a passive when we enter into the immigration

to cross over from South Africa to Botswana, got to be ready for at

least six to in ours at least a minimum la right because usually weekend it's

long life. So he prepared me that. You know what, one thing

I learned one of the most okay, I see, one of the things

that I've learn about God is his favor is amazing. We enter into the

immigration, we didn't less than an hour. God, there was no cue

jam and when we cross over we look at each other like wow. The

following week he had to wait six hours. If you feel that, you

know your life is dull, boring, not much miracle, not not much

excitement. Hey, Sam, and go missions. You'll come up change,

you come up radical because when you put yourself out there, it's really walking

by faith or you really have to depend on God. You really have to

hear from God. You really got to move as God will lead you.

So don't go grow tighet to go for missions. Yeah, so we all

know Jesus was on a mission. In fact, just said to them in

John four thirty four, my food is to do the will of him who

sent me, and to finish his work. So missions also speaks about being

able to focus on what truly matters, that is God's work. And this

is in the context of Jesus meeting the woman at the well. You guys

know this story, this Maritan woman in John chapter four. And when the

disciples came back, they were astonished that Jesus had this conversation with this lady

at the well. They went and got food, and they thought Jesus was

hungry, asked Jesus, but he needed food, And Jesus ended by saying,

my food is to do the will of him who sent me. And

sometimes we use that as a joke. Isn't it like a liness? Do

you want food? Like I say, my food is to do the will

of him who sent me and to finish his work. So basically that speaks

about focus. So I look at all of us here this morning. I

don't have to preach the gospel because you know the fundamentals of your faith that

no one comes to God except through Jesus. Why because Jesus is the perfect

atonement. He lived a sinless life, He became the perfect sacrifice for us,

and the ultimate demonstration of God's live happened at the cross, when he

took our sin, paid the price for our penalty of sin, so that

when we believe in him, he clothes us with his righteousness. So today,

when you enter into God's presence, you don't enter by your own good

works. You don't enter by your own righteous because in God's standard, that

is like a filthy right. God's standard is always perfect. So when you

worship earlier, when God looks at your heart of worship, he sees Jesus

in you because by own strength, by own work, we're not saved by

good works right efficients to it to nine. But we are saved by greats,

true faith in Jesus, not because our own good words. Less we

boast, you guys. Notice, So when Jesus came to earth, he

was the first missionary as well past the France have shared. He proclaimed a

message and we are supposed to continue that message. So there was Jesus message,

you know it. So for at sake of illustration, one day a

man passed away. He went up to heaven. Before he entered the gates

of heaven, there was an angel, and the angel says, right before

you enter into this gate called heaven, you've got to let me know all

the good things you have done on earth, and then you need to hit

one hundred points before the gates will be open up for you to enter heaven.

So this good man say, oh, okay, I'll start off with

the first one. I've been married for seventh to five years. I've been

very fitful to my wife, and never once did I look at other woman.

And angels say, okay, could for this you get three points?

He was like, what three points? Okay, let me share with you

another good thing. Faithfully, I come to church and I serve every Sunday.

How about that. When you're saying hmm, very good. That will

give you two points. What now I have five points and I got ninety

five points to go. How about this? I started a social enterprise.

I fed the homeless. Not only that, I housed the homeless and I

provided them a job. The angels say, okay, for this, very

good, I give you five points. It's like what the moment the men

saying wow, at this rate, I can never enter the gate except by

God's grace. And then the angels say you got it now and into heaven.

So, in other words, when God looks at us to be able

to enter into an eternity with him. It's a hundred percent by the works

of Jesus. Because salvation is a gift and it is a gift of grace.

And for us who have received this gift, Missions is the vehicle for

you to share this gift. You see, you don't have to go to

a cross culture missions before you can share Jesus. You don't have to go

to an outstation to share Jesus what happened. If your campus is your mission

field weapon, if your school is your mission field weapon, if your company

is your mission field. Because if we have the mind said that I can

only share Jesus when I go to another country, I can only share Jesus

when I go to the orang Asle area, I can only share Jesus when

I go to and out of state place. That's the wrong mindset because missions

should be a lifestyle, and that lifestyle is that to be like Jesus identifying

opportunity. Where there are people going to the well to look for water to

quench their tists. But we know that the well represents what the world can

give. We have the living wateriness and the living water is always more important

to quench the spiritual tists that people are looking for. So missions is a

day to day and every day lifestyle. So in Luke chapter seven, verse

forty seven, Jesus gave a story right, and he ended the story by

saying, Therefore, I say to you her scenes, which are many,

are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven,

the same love little. This is in the context where Pharisee invited Jesus into

his house and the Pharisee didn't provide facilities to help wash Jesus's feet right,

So in Worse thirty seven he says, and behold a woman in the city

who was a singer. When she knew that Jesus said at the table in

the Pharisee's house, broad an alabaster flush of frigant oil, and stood at

his feet behind him, weeping. And she began to wash his feet with

her tears and white burn with a hair of her head. And she kissed

his feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. Now, when the Pharisee

who had invited him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, this

man, if he were a prophet, would know who and what manner of

women. This is who touched who is touching him, for she is a

sinner. And Jesus answered and said to him, Simon, I have something

to say to you. So he said, Teachers said, there was a

certain creditor who had two daptors, one old five hundred dinari and the other

fifty, And when they had nothing which to repay, he freely forgave them

both. Tell me, therefore, wish of them will love him more.

Simon answered and said, I suppose the one whom he forgave more. And

he said to him, you have rightly judged. Then he turned to the

woman and say to Simon, do you see this woman I entered your house.

You gave me no water for my feet, but she has washed my

feet with her tears and wipe them with the hand of her head. You

gave me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss my feet

since the time I came in. You did not annoint my head with oil,

but this woman has anointed my feet with frigan oil. Therefore, I

say to you, her scenes, which are many, are forgiven. For

she loved much, But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.

You can go back and read this story. What this story informs me

is basically this life. It's ee when one begin to recognize how messed up

our life is, how our seeing causes us to feel so helpless, And

when we begin to encounter the grace of God, the love of God,

the price that Jesus paid for our salvation, we will love more. But

when we recognize that you know, I was seeing his jest, we are

not as bad as other people. We don't rob, we don't kill,

we don't buy into a corruption, then our ability to love the Lord seems

to be very little. He goat me. So it's like the creditor who

releases those who who had depth with him. Those who release those whose death

release small will love more. Those whose death release is small would live very

little. Let me given an analogy, it's very difficult for probably second,

third, and fourth generation Christians in family to really really come to fully understand

the depth of God's love compared to the first generation. Why is because the

second fourth generation grew up in a very familiar environment. Right. It's not

to say that is they can't come to know the lot. They can,

but the understanding and the context whereby the depth of their sin. Coming to

know death requires more prayer, requires their own personal encounter with a lot.

Right. So why do I start off with this story is because at one

point in my life I believe that good works is the way. Because I

gave my heart to Jesus when I was twenty years old and it happened through

the death of my father. Is it Prior to me turning twenty, I

had Sunday school experience because during holidays my mom was sent me to my uncle's

house. Then during the holidays, I will get direct to church. Right.

And it's funny because my mom would say that, hey, go to

church. For I'm go to church. It's good for you. Now that

I grew up, I think I'm thinking, hey, if you say it's

good, how come you didn't go? But you asked me to go by

anyway, So I grew up in that. And you know, when I

was young to my teens, I had been experiences with Christian because you know,

the first thing when they found out that I'm a non Christian, they

will tell do you want to come to my church? Come visit my church.

I find it very annoying, really very annoying, to a point where

in my mind, I'm thinking, hey, so if you brought me to

your church this Sunday, will you get a commission from your pastor. I

know it's a very twisted mindset, I know, I know, I know,

Ah and experiences Christian hasn't been that great luck. Nobe was young,

right, I kid, you know, I follow my uncle to church and

we parked in a parking where he's an open parking. His car was parked

like that. Okay, so park like that behind his car. Someone parked

like that in front of his car. Someone parked like that. Yay.

This was after church, I you know, after church south the lunch we

went no one inside the front and back driver. We waited one hour,

two hours. I knew we waited so long because my uncle was really angry.

You know how was he was, you know how he demonstrated his anger.

When the first car began to move, he confronted the driver. The

drivers say no, no, no no. When I came, the car

behind wasn't there. So we entered into the car. You know, Anca

growth I was probably eight or nine, girl friend, We wasn't banged the

car, not just one time, banging the car two time, three time,

and go. Remember, you know I was a young kid, wasn't

a Christian? Here you are a Christian gentleman, came out our church,

went for lunch, so they can imagine how I grew up having an understanding

of that faith. Right, But I always knew there is a God.

I always knew there was a God, but I don't really know about Jesus.

So it was during this time that but that passed away. We were

toying between Okay, I want at one point that used to practice Hinduism,

but it was the later part of his life he didn't. So we're also

thinking like, hey, should we do a Christian funeral? That's right?

Should we do a Hindu funeral or should we do a Christian funeral? So

as a family we discuss. He says that let's considered the Christian funeral because

it's straightforward, it's not ritualistic, because I think when it comes to different

faith they have their different things to do, which as a family, we

find that we just wanted to be simple. So we then ask my sister

who was part of X church to us, pastor, right, can the

church come and do a simple funeral? And the church came. It was

during the first night of the wake surveys that I was invited out to give

a eulogy. You must understand that when my dad passed away, it was

very sudden and me and my dad we never really had a good closure.

He died as an alcoholic liver failure. It was less than a year after

he retired as well. So with no closure, feeling of guilt, feeling

of remorse, burden. Now I needed to share the eulogy. I was

overwhelmed with a lot of emotions, and I kid you, not right next

to me. Suddenly I felt a very strong presence. Look at my right

there was no wine. I have no strength to share the eulogy despite holding

the eulogy paper online left left hand, so left felt a warm grip gripping

my hand and look around like it there was no one, But there's something

happening there. And then I begin to feel strength coming out for me to

share that your logy. Some of the weeks aways, I also feel a

bit weird. I don't know who took two. I said we'll talk to

my sister because she was a believer, and she introduced to me Jesus.

So it was that night I gave my heart to Jesus without fully understanding the

spiritual law. But I knew there was someone. But I began to grow

in the faith. I came to understand the prize that Jesus paid for me,

even at a point when I don't know him. So some of you

might have that question. So how do you know the person next to you

is the Lord and not your death? Because I as have this question.

So im pastor was praying. This was talked to me a couple of weeks

after the funeral, the past of us praying. He's also not sure.

You know, what would Christian pastors say to a nonbelieving family, let alone

a man who wasn't sure about his faith. So he call up to a

senior pastor and both the senior pastors say, Canada, what would you share

to this family? This are nonbelieving family, So they in a way discouraged.

But if you're not Pastor Kenneth right now, you will know that radical

obedience is always the heart of why we do what we do. So he

prayed to the Lord. Lord spoke to him very clearly, Kenneth, if

I'm there physically on their right now, I'll be there with the family and

it's true, isn't it. Jesus is always there with people who are grieving,

people whoever need, people whose heart unbroken, Because I'm the Book of

Sammy says, broken and broken hand and contract spirit governor despises. God is

always near to those who are broken hearted. So that's the first confirmation,

second conbination we know when to or three get it in His name is really

here in our midst. So my encounter with Jesus is the reason why I

do what I do today. Is that personal encounter, that personal understanding to

understand what it meant to be truly forgiven, to be truly truly forgiven for

my sin. So the drive for missions at the end of the day should

be driven by your encounter with the Lord. So the woman and aware she

encountered Jesus. She was found at a place where the Bible says that it

was probably after an unknown time. Is an unusual time for people to go

and draw water from Usually during those days they would draw crobby twarsday evening.

And you have a community there and drawing. Do you know why this woman

drew water at a time when nobody goes yeah to a white people? Why

is she avoiding people because people knew she lived an ungodly lifestyle. Right,

So when she encountered Jesus, Jesus say, go bring your husband, and

the woman say, I do not have a husband. Jesus knew that she

had rightly said. In fact, Jesus say, there you have rightly say

that you don't have the husband. In fact, you have had five and

the sixth that you are staying with isn't your husband. And she says,

I perceive you are a prophet. Right. So it was through this encounter

where Jesus say, if you're asked of me, I would give you living

water and you will never use again. So in the woman at the well,

the Samaritan woman, her mindset is dead, give me this water so

that I don't have to embarrass myself to come and draw water, and I

don't have to face people, who are you judging me and whatnot. So

it was during this encounter where she fully understand that she has met Jesus.

She in her own accord, went back to her village told the villigions what

had happened. The entire village came to know Jesus, and they themselves say,

now we believe because of what Jesus have shared. Okay I am by

sharing this, each of you have your own testimony in encountering the Lord.

The greatest gift is always the gift of your salvation. It doesn't matter if

you're encounter with the Lord is as as significant as being in a church I

received the Lord, he come into my heart, or going to church camp

I encountered the Lord. I received him into my heart, or as a

young kid I was saving Sunday school. It doesn't even matter. Let's say

God appeared, you appeared to you in a dream and say that I am

Jesus, believe in me, and you give your heart to Jesus. Right,

Because different people that will have different point of encounter, but the outcome

is the same that you have already attained the gift of salvation. So we

always tell people that the greater the encounter, the greater the price you need

to pay. It's just that you read Moses, Moses encounter God in the

burning bush, the price he need to pay. Paul encountered the Lord in

the revision, the price he needs to pay. So when day, I'll

share with you how to hear from God. Because if you really want to

hear from God. If you really want to encounter God, when he comes

to you and he shows you all the mighty signs, wonders and miracle,

be ready to pay the price. To pay a price, I'm telling you,

But he's worried. I'm not here to scare you. It's worthy.

The greatest joy is always to serve God. Right, the greatest joy,

it's always to serve God. So I am by asking you this question,

will you share Jesus if you are the only person in this world who have

witnessed Him in such a depth like the disciples. Let's say let's say the

world population is close to eight billion, and Jesus didn't speak to the billions

of people. He decided to spend three years with you, disciple, you

and if you're the only one, will you share? Will you share?

You have a story to share the Gospel to pro clean. We hope you've

been blessed by this message. For more information on our church, please visit

x church dot 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