Christ is Risen - He is Risen Indeed | Pr Phua Seng Tiong

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

will light up your team. Some years ago, many many years ago,

there was a story written when the Bolshevik Revolution took place and the Communists took

over in Russia. And then there was in nineteen seventeen, and so there

was a whole terrain on against religion, against especially Christianity because that's the backdrop

of Russia. And so there was this whole group of people at a huge

hall where this guy Bukaren, if you if you actually google his name,

he's there. He's one of the Communist leaders, and he was berating against

Christianity, berating against a reason christ et cetera, et cetera. And so

they thought that it was wow, he did a great job and dismantling everybody's

mind about who Jesus is. And uh, finally, h there was a

very young maybe new priests of the Orthodox Church and he came there because he

invited them come any one of you wanted to debate with me, eteter.

And then he came down from the from the isle, and you know,

and he came up, this guy Bukarin, who is a very powerful leader.

Look at him and said, you know, what have you to say?

All right? And so he didn't say very much. He just said,

I don't I'm not so eloquent like you. I'm this, I'm there,

but I just want to end this time since this is the end of

the end of the talk. And this is what he did. He said,

he said, the whole congregation there, the whole group people was big

crown and he said Christ is reason. And you know what the people answered,

he is risen indeed. And there was such an amazing you know,

he's almost like everything that is guided was all dismantal. And so I want

you to declare that together with me this morning. And if we declare the

name of Christ, let's rise up. Huh. So, I know past

Sewin has been getting into unlax or relax, but whatever it is, can

you just rise And I'm gonna say, Christ is risen. And what are

you gonna say? He is risen indeed? Hallelujah? Okay, yeah,

all right, Christ is risen. I think anybody coming to your midst would

not be convinced at all. Uh, let's do that again. Christ is

risen, christ is risen, christ is risen. Amen, praise a lot,

please be seated. Yeah, I hope that this is how you would

reflect and share even even in your own life. There is a there's an

old song. I think you all don't sing this kind of song let them.

But it's called he Lives. Maybe some of you may know. The

chorage goes like this, he lives, He lives, Christ, Jesus lives

today. He walks with me, he talks with me, a long life's

narrow way. He lives. He lives salvation to impact you ask me how

I know he lives. He lives within my heart. And so that's that's

the song. So I believe that this reflected a lot of people. You

cannot take Christ out of your heart if you really know him. Maybe,

and that's all we want to reflect and share God's worth this morning, that

my is he really alive? Is He real in your heart and life?

Every time? You know, when Jesus started his ministry, you know,

he on the last week of his life, before he was arrested, before

he was crucified, he had many things to tell them. And so we're

going to talk about this what it means to remain in Jesus and Jesus remain

in us. Right the words remained in some of the versions he abide or

stay within me. Okay, So when he started this ministry, he did

this, he said, come follow me. They didn't realize what the implication

of this, come follow me, because really it does a blank check almost

come follow me and I'll make you fishes of men. They didn't understand exactly

what really did imply, but they left their nets. They went and followed

Jesus, and they saw so many things. But you know, in the

verse mon chapter three, verse for teen, he says that you know,

so that they might be with him. And that's the key about what jesus

ministry is all about. That when he can asks you to follow him,

he wants you to be with him. He wants you to be on the

same page with him. He wants you to know why his mission is on

earth and so on. And so when he when he said that to the

disciples, you know, he says, you know, you follow me.

You know his intention was to found them, build them, sustain them,

strengthen them in a relationship. And so that's why remaining me has something to

do with all that we're going to talk about. Even this morning, so

I want you to read with me the scriptures. Okay, now you realize

this, this actually my mango tree, you know. Yeah, And somebody

asked, you know, well, how can your mango so sweet so big?

So I said, the biggest can be one point three kg. But

you know so, I said, you eat first and I'll tell you the

secret. And so after they've eaten, they said, yeah, tell us

a secret. See when my dogs died, I buried them under the tree.

That's why it's so good. Okay, let's all read together. John

chapter fifteen, verse one to five. Verse Huh, Are you ready?

Church? We need to read the word of God. When you read,

then you remember. When you remember, then it is part of you.

Amen, one to go. I am the true vine, and my father

is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit,

while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be

even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I've spoken to

you. All right, and then remain in me as I also remain in

you. No branch can bear fruit by itself. It must remain in the

vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am

the vine. You are the branches. If you remain in me and I

in you, you will bear much fruit. Apart from me, you can

do nothing. All right, Then we continue verse seven. If you remain

in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and

you will be done for you. This is to my Father's glory that you

bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. As the Father has

loved me, so I have loved you. Dream remain in my love.

And then the final verses. If you keep my commands, you will remain

in my love, just as I've kept my father's commands and remain in his

love. I've told you this so that my joy may be in you,

and that your joy may be complete if you have your Bible's turn to that.

And so we're going to talk about that even for this morning, let's

pray. Father. We just ask that you use the word to speak to

our hearts, to touch us, to stir us, to change us,

to farm us. Just as you call the disciples to follow you, you

didn't. Just asn't follow you, you ask them to be with you,

so that when they're with you, you will not only form that relationship with

him with them, but also build us, sustain us, strengthen us for

situations that we will never be untend. And so we give thanks and praise

you. Take control of the listener and the speaker, and Lord, we

want we don't want to be here just to come and attend a normal celebration.

We want to leave this place, transform and touched by you. We

praise you, We thank you in Jesus name, and all God's people say,

heymen. So the background to this is that it is the last week

of jesus life on earth, before he's arrest, before his trial, he

went to six trousers, before his sentence, before the torture, cruel treatment,

and finally the crucifixion. But you know, this last week of is

very exciting. He had important lessons, important situations to share with his disciples

who have been following him for three and a half years. And you think

that they will be also be very you know, intense in following him in

so on. It is a weak field with amazing events in so on.

Why why sharing this with you because Jesus one during this time too, as

he shared with them, he said, in the coming days that many people.

There will be many people who come and tell you many things. These

are the false prophets, and many people will follow them. And then there

will be those involved in wickedness made me will fall away, et cetera.

This is found in lou in Matthew chapter twenty four. And then finally he

says that even the love of many will grow coold. So that's the reason

why I wanted to change this with you, because even though we had amazing

resurrection Sunday, I want to say that it is not just and a celebration.

It is an ongoing thing. Because why God Jesus when he called the

disciples, he didn't just call them for a short haul. He called them

for the long haul. That's why in Matthew ch of the twenty four US

thirteen he says like this, he who endures to the end will be saved.

In other words, who can those who can tahan really tahan until the

end? That's what's That's what he was preparing the disciples wall. And so

it would seem that if they followed Tree in half years, they should be

all came. But then it doesn't seem to be so. But then we

will follow what happens. So we will follow the Gospel of John and see

from chapter twelve one, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, and then

finally chapter eighteen is arrest of Jesus, all right, and then also the

resurrection. So if we begin with chapter twelve, it would seem that Jesus

came in triumphant into Jerusalem where the people just you know, he was on

a donkey the first time actually recorded that Jesus was on any peace of burden.

Most of the time he did walking on him all right, all over

all over Jerusalem, all over Israel, and so on different parts. But

you know, I he came in as pretty as a propheside in Zechariah that

he will come as a king, he would come, And so everybody had

a wrong impression. Who would this king be? In fact, they declare

Wholesanna blessed. This is the one who come in the name of the Lord.

In chapter twelve and this triumphul this thing was also recorded for us,

and they even say the king of Israel. No, he didn't come to

the king of Israel. He came to be the savior of the world.

But there was a need for scriptures to be fulfilled, even as he came

in and people were just calling on him. And so I'm thinking that he's

the one who's going to deliver them from the Romans, deliver them from their

enemies, deliver them from their those who are governing them, and so on,

and so the Hosanna actually means save us, save us, deliver us.

But you know that was not the time to be so Jesus told them

also in chapter twelve of his impending death, you know, I will be

arrested, I will be sentenced extracts. He told them many times already,

but it seems like in the last week he had to tell them again and

again and reminded them. And so this is what he said. He said,

you know Eve in verse twelve twelve, verse thirty two days when and

I, when I'm lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to

myself. And this he was talking about his death, you know. But

they did not understand. They couldn't understand what was being said, and so

on. Then in chapter thirteen we will read then Jesus told them, look,

do you know you want to be you won't follow me? Are two

things that you need to do. Number one, you need to be humbled,

and so he showed them. Number two, you show by example that

you're humble. You don't go and tell people I'm humble. That when you

go and tell people you're humble, that's the last thing you You're not humble

anymore, all right. So he taught them how to be humble and how

to be a servant. And so what did he do? You know,

when they head this, when they head this markhan together. But you know,

in the tradition, you know the the the servants are the one who

washed their feet, or people who are lowered in in terms of ranking and

so on. But nobody seemed to do to do anything. And so Jesus

decided that he would do what he would do as a servant, teaching them

a very important lesson. And this will be what we will later on here

from the disciples, even in their letters, that we need to humble before

the mighty God and he will exalt as in first spear of chapter I think

it supposed to be chapter five, verse eight. And so we need we

need to understand that why Jesus doing that? For two things. Number One,

when you're humble, you show by example. And so I've said you

an example, that you should do as I've done for you. So chapter

thirteen has an amazing understanding of what it means to be a servant and so

on. So when we follow Jesus, we need to follow because he's a

seven to us in many ways because of what he had done. Because he

said in March of the ten verse forty five, he said, the son

of men did not come to be served, but to serve and be a

ransom for many. So I want to just share this with you. Why

is this important for us? What has this got to do with John chapter

fifteen? To remain in him, we'll go go to it. So he

reminded them also that inversed chapter thirteen, which I will repeat later on,

and that he needs they need to love one another. One of the key

things about Jesus showing them how to live. You know, he loved people,

He had compassion for people all the time, and so on. When

in much of the one verse forty he saw the leper. Nobody wants to

get near the leper. Let the leper must go around and say I'm unclean

and clean and clean. But you know, Jesus when he spoke to Jesus,

Jesus spoke to him. Jesus only got near to him. Jesus touched

him, and then heal him. You know when when when when the person

is totally rejected, But yet Jesus was the one who did so. He

wanted to show them that you need to have this compassion, and that compassion

comes from God, who has compassion for you and for me. So if

you really love one another by this, everyone will know that you are My

disciples. And as a key when you want to remain in Jesus, there's

a key that we need to also be forward as we are together. I

hope that the high five is not just a high fi. It is a

really high toucher, okay, And so this high finding can be young,

can be a greeting and swan. You know. I like the way that

the Jews greet one another. He says shaong, what does it mean?

And then the other guy will say shalom. He says, I'm I'm a

piece with you if you are a piece with me. In other words,

we are together in other words, and so on and so in the same

way, as they learn one another is a proof that they are Jesus disciples.

Why because that's how the early Christians were known. You know, in

Antioch the disciples was first known as Christians. What does it mean? They

are people who fall low Christ and can be seen that Christ is in them.

And that's a that's the reason why that Jesus said, you know everybody

they're observing? Are you? Are you? I remember one day when I

was in I may have shared this year, I'm not sure. I was

in the art and in the train, and so we stopped and then I

was getting down to my station, and then I noticed this this blind guy

and he was trying to get stick properly to get out of the train and

go down the steps and so on, and I thought maybe I should help

him. So I crab him by the hand and said, come let me

help you, and say as we went down, he said, oh,

thank you, thank you. You know, who are you? And so

on, and we made some just pleasant exchange and so on, and he

said at the bus stop and so on, and then he asked me one

question, which I thought it was very strange for someone of a different faith,

you know, of a particular faith. And so he said, are

you a Christian? I said, why why do you ask me that.

I said, this is the most natural and this should be the Malitian way.

He said, no, are you a Christian? I say, yeah,

you know, this week I've gone in and I was blind. For

us as an adult, I have faded, so I cannot work. Now

I'm just doing I'm just learning how to be blind so that I can work

in. So on, he said, this week three people help me get

out the art. And all the three, I believers are Christians. That's

why you asked me, are you a Christian? So I want to tell

you that it's just a small gesture, but it's a gesture they will reflect

Christ. Okay, So by day sha all men know that you are my

disciples if you have loved one for another, and for that I'm so grateful.

Therefore, the other two, whoever they are, I praise God for

them that they did what they did to enable this person to be softened.

And so I said, you should be concerned. Can I pray for you?

And you allow me to pray for him? So on? Okay,

now then we and one day when Jesus told them I'm gonna give, I'm

gonna go. In chapter fourteen, I won't believe I won't be away for

long. I will come back and take you ete. If you read in

chapter fourteen of verse one to fall and then this, Thomas said, you

know, but you know, Lord, how how can we know how to

go anywhere? When you haven't even given us the GPS? No, I

didn't say that. Okay, all right, we don't know where you're going,

so how can we know the way? All right? And so that's

why Jesus makes this amazing statement, I'm the way. So if you're lost

this morning, Jesus is a way. I'm the truth. If you're confused

about all the different things that are being said all over, that is dragging

you into difficulties, and so on, Jesus said, follow me. I'm

the truth because I'm the one who tell you what really is implied in living

a life. And then because I'm resurrected, you just sang this now,

right, and so he's alive, so we can be alive and so and

then he says, the key about one thing to be connected to God is

true me all right, that those who you cannot come to the Father,

you cannot connect to the Father said to me, so some I like the

way. If somebody said it is when I was lost, I found the

way, and as Jesus, when I was confused, I found the truth.

That's why the truth set me free. And now I know because Jesus

is alive, and so my chains are all gone, and now I'm free,

and I'm now alive. You know who said that? A condemned prisoner

who smuggled four hundred and twenty grams to kilograms of drugs, who should be

hanged to death, and yet you know the three judges at his cot of

peal said this, you know, asked the DPP, do you have anything

else to say about this guy? He pleaded guilty earlier. That's why yours

condemned as a as a as as a death row guy. When I met

he him and so he said, you know, no, we dropped the

case. He said, I don't know how, but at that time he

has come to know the Lord. You know what he did? He wrote

in his cell every time he reads the Bible, and you're right, he

said, I hope that somebody can read this. But he's the first thing

that he wrote is today I found it that when you seek God, you

can find him. And he wrote that, and so my sins are forgiven,

So I'm free, and his friends all love with him. Where you're

free today? His free. You know, he's supposed to die, but

he said, I'm supposed to die, but I'm alive. Do you know

what he's doing now? He's attending Tongling Bible school so that he will be

used by the Lord. Hello, look, nothing is impossible. And so

when when Jesus said I'm the way, so that he's the one who said

that, you know, and then this guy got it and then he understood

it. Why where did Jesus from where, whether it's chapter twelve, chapter

thirteen, chapter fourteen. He was preparing them for his physical absence. He

was discipling them so that they can face what is going to happen. And

so in the same chapter we read in chapter fourteen and chapter sixteen, Jesus

told them I will be away, but I will send you the Holy Spirit.

And that's where we keep talking about. How can Jesus be fiscally with

us? No, he will be with us by the Spirit of Jesus as

Romans chapter eight he said. And so he says like this, how did

this? Okay? I will ask a father and will he will give you

an advocate. Another version says comforter. Another version says a helper. You

know, a comforter is someone who strengthens, not somebody who is a helper

like a servant. No, he will be the one who strengthened you.

He will be the one who encourage you. And Jesus taught them you know

what the Holy Spirit do. He will teach you what else would the Holy

Spirit do? He will also guide you what else will the Holy spiritual?

He'll remind you of what you've learned all right, all about Jesus. And

that's why it is needful for them to understand that even as they are going

to face very great challenges, the days ahead for them was difficult. The

days ahead of them were challenging, just like many of us going through these

kind of things. And I want to say encourage you this morning that even

as Jesus words is to his disciples, it is to you and to me

this morning. Remain in me, as I will also remain in you.

Whatever circumstances, whether they are threats, whether persecution, whether situations that is

difficult. You need to remain in me. And it's the Holy Spirit who

is remaining in you that makes the difference. I remember when I was in

Zabonga over in southern Philippines, when there's the extreme activity of the Abu Sayam

and so on, and all those who have come to know the Lord from

the same background, they all look for them and so on. And when

I was there that first trip, I remember this, This lady came up

and Pastor told me please pray for her. She looked so sad and so

on. Ask what happened to you? He said, you know, my

husband comes from the same group. And so what happened is that one day

there was a knock on the door. He opened it. And before that,

because in the Philippines fire arms is very readily available like in the USA,

so they just and they just shot him right through. That's all just

for being a Christian, all right, And so how do you remain in

him? How do you understand such situation? And so when we the following

year that the incident took places, after six months, when we saw her

the following way, when she was just smiling and so on, he said,

you know what you say is true. When Jesus said remained in him,

I remained in him. I understand the circumstances, and he has continued

to reach out to me, help me in so on. And so I'm

want to just encourage you that when Jesus said to remainber, it is a

special privilege and a relationship that is only to those who would remain faithful with

him and so on. So you see, for us as Christians, I

pray that we're not so immersed in the world until we are in the komatos.

You want to what I mean. Yeah, A lot of a lot

of believers I go different places and so on, they're in kommados because why

nothing about Jesus has to do with them in their lives, even though they

are believers. I go to the longhouses in Sarawa, in so on,

among the Iban people, and a lot of times I just ask them,

a you a Christian and say, yeah, well can you tell me why

do you follow Jesus? It just like that now, I mean from young

when I was born, I'm born a Christian. Who sees you're born a

Christian? If you're born in a garage, you're not a comma okay,

So so how can you be born a Christian? So come on, all

right, you're never born agreeing. That's why Jesus said, you need to

believe whosoever believed. In other words, it is an initiative on your part.

And if this morning you haven't believed, I would say to you,

even even if you're born invert covers as a Christian, thank God for a

good start. But now it is to actually actualize it. Just recently I

was my car suddenly schedule statty the battery gorner, So need to activate it,

all right. I got a friend to come to jump start the thing.

Jumpstart can but the bettery or connery. Time to change, time to

change. If anyone is in Christ, he's a new creation. The old

must go. The bettery can work, all right. It needs a new

battery, all right. So I'm not talking about you a new battery.

I'm talking about a new creation, a relationship that Jesus wanted to help them

to have the same DNA. You're the same m DNA. You know him

more, You're same DNA. You grow deeper, ever the same day you're

bare fruit. That's what it means to be remaining in him. So in

your journey of faith, I'm going to ask you, are you knowing Him

more and more? This is not to put pressure. It's just like I

just was telling a whole group on Wednesday, these are the groups many of

them have seen Jesus. Huh, I said, I'm very jealous. You

know why because I believe Jesus or fifty years and I haven't seen him once

like you all see before, even you believe you saw Jesus. Way,

I said. So then then I said, okay, now you've seen him.

I like what this guy said. I said, why do you follow

Jesus? I saw him, so there is no reason for me not to

follow him. Woh, I said, repeat that, because this Sunday I'm

going to preach somewhere, so I will tell you I'm going to share that

day. So you know, when this guy told me that, I said,

wow, I'm so excited. But I said, look, you need

to follow him right to the end. Okay, it's not just saying I

follow no, no, no, no, you know, you need to

really follow him to the end. And so you know, when we remain

in him, remain in Jesus, what does it mean? What Jesus?

What did Jesus share with him? So turn back to John chapter fifteen,

and just just now we read that okay. In verse seven, Jesus said

this, sir, when you remain in me, if you remain in Me

and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will

be given you. This is my father's glory that you bear much through showing

yourself to be my disciple. So the first thing that to remain in Christ

is to remain in his word. That's very important, all right, That's

why we kept. I share this with you from his word. I like

this. This is this guy. He was in a coma, I know,

and the gate the doctors have given him up, given up hope for

him, you know, because he has a very rare blood disease. They

can't even know what how to treat him in so on, And I remember

he was in this comma and his friends said, hey, we remember what

Jesus said. What did Jesus say? And John to the six or sixty

three, he said, the spirit gives life. The fresh counts for nothing.

The words that I say, they are spirit and life. So he

said, we thought about it. How do we actually make this true?

So these guys in comma, and we are told that the last thing you

ever lose in comma is that you're hearing unless you're already up before that.

So but you know, you know, when sometimes I go to Argama's cell

group, homie, you know a lot of don't cannot hear one side.

So it's almost like a quarreling match, you know, in a cell group.

You know why because number forty five what forty five verse one, verse

three, verse three, So everybody shouting, you know, so if you

if you are in there, you think that everybody's quarreling. But you know,

but you know, But as as I was just telling you, so

this this, this guy can hear. So they said, how do we

actually use Jesus with Let's read all everything about what Jesus said. So they

rate the rate printer. So some of you have rate letter. So they

read the first day, second day, thir day, fourth day, fifth

day, no change, still in coma. And in fact, actually the

doctor said, tend to take him home, let him die at homeland.

Ah. So but on the ninth day, this guy they normally speak.

They normally start at nine pm and they take leaveland know, until six pm.

They re read as much as it could and so on, each one

would take turns on and by the time that on the nine day, this

guy was reading how We're starting. There was a stir. He said,

oh deal, maybe it is the last breath. So and then and this

will turn to get up and before he could, you know, he could

try to sit up there. They didn't even call it him the nurse yet

they call it you don't move. He said, you we think you're dying.

You know, he said, who says I'm did here's an intubid that

he said, where I'm dead? Said so they said no, no,

no, call him nursings on and they were shocked. And then after that,

when I interviewed him, is it I see what happened? It's actually

I heard he said, I am not dying. I heard everything that they

read. And Jesus I saw him, and Jesus was coming to me.

He said, go back, go back, go back and tell about me,

because I'm in you now. I mean you now, I mean you

now. And so he got up. And so when I later on,

when I when when I interviewed him, he said, you know, that's

a that's an amazing, unforgettable experience that I had because why in the journey

of it, I got to know him more and more in the journey of

for it. Today he continues to write songs about Jesus and so on.

So but because he continues to remain in the world, So Jesus taught them

how to sustain this relationship, how to keep this relationship if you remain in

me, you remain in my word. You know. So in verse three

of chapter fifteen, he says, you know you do you realize you are

already clean because of the word I've spoken to you. Wow, the word

of God transforms, the word of God revives. In Psalm nineteen, he

says that you know the word of God is perfect, reviving, reviving the

soul, bringing transformation. Right. And then Jesus, when he was praying

in chapter seventeen of John, he says, sanctify them with their word,

and your wife because your word is truth, and so on. So you're

already clean because of the word I've spoken to you. But sanctify them by

the truth because your word is truth. And that's why the disciples are grasping

something. But later on we're going to talk about if you remain in my

word, you can ask anything in my name, Jesus said, because this

is for the Father's glory. This is for you to bear fruit. This

is so that people would know that you are My disciples, all right.

And Paul when he was writing to the Letter to the Collosians, which is

a very new church, young church, but you know, vibrant, wanting

to reach out to people, and so on. And so this is what

Paul says. You know, there is a key to knowing God. There's

a key to remaining in Him, and is to remain in this word.

And so just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live

in other words, continue means continue, huh, don't stop, or I

continue to remain in him and other versions. Continue to walk in him,

walk with him in the world, and so on. Rooted and build up

in him. Who is the word Jesus is a word rooted and bill up

in him. Rooted and build up in the word that Jesus will bring forth

to you, and so on. That's why Jesus kept telling your word is

truth. Help them, enable them, empower them, make them strong and

stable in your word. And so when Paul wrote to Timothy Young pastor,

you say, remember Timothy, you remember these words, and so on.

I wanted to I want to remind you he says, all scripture, everything

that is written here is God inspired, his Holy Spirit inspired, and it

is useful for what teaching. So you need teaching, Come go to the

word. You need rebuking. You need to be convicted of your sin.

You need to be convicted or habit. You need a convicted addiction etter.

You know, I was just talking to a young man. He said,

can you help me? I say, yeah, what do you want?

He said? I have this gambling habit? I said, and so what

do you What is the problem? You start to stop gambling? Nose that

I'm in great that, I said, sorry, you come the wrong person.

You know, you know, I'm a pastor. How can I give

you? I don't even have money to loan you, he said, So

he said, can you pray for me? I said sure, I said,

Jesus, only you can break this chain addiction of gambling and so on,

you know, all chasing after him already Okay, so but finally a

long story shot. Here's a long journey walking with him, and finally he

came through. And so the others who are in the addiction of pornography everywhere,

you know, with your digital thing is all aviatable. I want to

tell you these are traps all over. Remain in me as I remain in

you, and you remain in my word. That will help you to be

strong and stable. And so that's why teaching rebuking, no need that correcting.

There are many things we you need to unlearn so that we will be

more and more like Jesus, just like the disciples. You know, these

two guys, they're called the Sons of Thunder. Somebody said something and they

said, Jesus, call fire from heaven, get rid of them. Nah,

Jesus mission is not coming to get rid of people like that is to

die for them and save them by his death, by his death and resurrection.

And so you see they have many things to unlearn, all right,

they like many of us, and so on the disciples. Jesus said,

I will be arrested exertising. Oh, we'll stand with you. Don't worry,

we'll stand with you. Hallelujah. I will stand. And this Peter

guy said, you know, even if you go to jail, I'll go

to jail with you. Even if you die, I will die for you.

Who are just We didn't that night he denied Jesus three times. And

you love it, Peter. Sorry, don't love it, Peter, love

it yourself. How many times have you denied Jesus? How many times have

you compromised your faith? How many times have you allowed the name of Jesus

be disgraced and dishonored. I want to say to you, it's hard.

It's a hard message to share. But I won't just tell you that.

If Jesus said remain in me, it means it means strongly remaining. So

the instruction and instruction is what to train in righteousness for one thing, equip

you for good work, equip you to experience your faith into life. So

that's why, that's why Jesus said, you know, let let your light

so shine before men that they may see your good works and give glory to

God the Father. And so there is no credit, no all of you,

all of us are all debate now, so there's no credit at all.

The credit goes to him, Jesus. Credit is his death and resurrection.

You are riding on the credit, all right. So let's be understanding

that. Okay, so remain in this world. I pray that this will

be so, you know, the scripture tells us read the group that I

disciple. I told them, how do you make real the Word of God

in your life? Every day? The problems It's got thirty one chapters.

Maybe you'd like to do something like that every day read one chapter besides other

passages you read, pick up one verse, pick up something that is of

significance to you, and then share with with somebody. Share it with your

friend. Problems is very invert commerce neutral, all right, but they are

amazing things that you can learn, that you can practice and so on.

All right, teach So as is it you know God? Your heart?

Well, no, God, because it's a well spring of life. What

does it mean? So think true and then share with somebody? All right?

Let the word touch the lives of people and so on. So as

we read the number two, Jesus also said you you want to understand that

you remain in my love. In verse eleven, I have told you this.

Sorry at verse nine. Yeah, as a father has loved me,

so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. Remaining me means

to remain in my love in the way that I've done whatever that I've done

for you. And so that's why he says, if you love one another,

then just now as you're sharing, then by this Sha, all men

know that you are my disciples. So let extra share be by Adha,

all men know that you are my disciples, so that people would know,

Hey, can I know the Christ that you? I like this way this

guy during pandemic, he says, I've been going to church. I said,

no where. All the church all closer. Your church was a closer

anywhere, so he said. He said, I attend online. Oh,

very good. I said, attend online? Are good? So then so

what is it? I have many questions because not online. They had to

answer, this is a last preaching preaching how to tell So I said,

okay, so question after question, question of the question of two sessions I

had with him. After that, this is you have answered my question.

I just want to tell you the word of God is so amazing. But

it's the way you tell me. I said, what is the way?

I just tell everybody? This way? Said no, it's few with the

love of God. So it's not me, you know, because if we

remain in his love, then love will come forth. So by the same

guy who was on death row and should have been hung and so on,

when he's the first time Christmas we said, hey, maybe come come to

our housework ce Christmas after Mcanal we just sat down the chichet he stead of

crying. I said, is there anything wrong? Who did I say anything?

Did we offend you? He said no, this is my first time

celebrating Christmas? Number two? Is it? I never felt so loved in

my life? Is it? Asked? No, It's Christ. That's what

we need to do. Remain in his love. As we remain in His

love. We understand that when Peter denied Jesus three times? Did Jesus said,

I told you so? Did? Jesus said, why you follow me?

Three? And Habbers still don't know how to follow me? Jesus didn't

say all that. Jesus only just said that, Peter, do you love

me? She sure? I love you? Then I've worked for you to

do feed my sheep. Jesus didn't bring him to that point because his love

healed. Healed healed him at every or the three times that he asked him

tomba until I touch him and touches one, I will never believe. And

what did Jesus do appear to him? Before? Can anything? Did happen?

Is my Lord and my God, you know he was an apostle that

was sent. Today in India, there are many called Saint Thomas churches and

so on. Do you know who when there? Thomas went through there and

so my Lord and my God, that was something that has happened in his

life, and so on and so in efficiency of the five, we read

that Jesus love is sacrificial. Jesus love is also sanctifying, and Jesus love

is also caring. A lot of times he uses to help couples wanting to

get married. But really it's about the Church and and Jesus and so on.

I like the way that somebody interviewed some some disguises it, but you

know, Jesus said like this. He really said this to his disciples,

and I have identified this in my own life. He said, this is

my ship. They listen to my voice because it's a loving voice, all

right, it's a correcting voice and so on. And I know them.

The Lord knows you by name. The Lord knows every part of you,

idiosyncrasies, et ceter. But you know, he says, I know them.

But then he says, and they follow me. They remain in me.

They continue to remain in me. They continue to remain until the end,

all right. And I give them something to sustain them to the end.

What is it? Eternal life? All right? And so and they

shall never perish if they follow right to the end, because no one,

no one can snatch them out of my head. And so I fear for

a lot of young people today being good by so many different voices and so

on? Whose voice are you listening to? When you have the remaining his

word, you remain in his love, you understand what it is to live

in love. As Paul encourage. Efficients mother Teresa was asked one day,

it is it you know? Is it good? Or rather not? Is

it good? Is it easy to follow Jesus? And this is what she

said. You know, a person who did a lot of work among the

marginalized people say, following Jesus is simple, but not easy. That's very

contradictory. Love until it hurts, and then love more. And that's how

he will treat those who will be taken in love them completely with Jesus love.

All right. So we'll talk about remaining in his word. We'll talk

about remaining in his love. How you when you remain in Jesus, Because

that's he's full of love. He's full of the word. He's the word,

and so he gives the word to you. But he also said this

in verse eleven of chapter fifteen. I've told you this so that my joy

will remain in you, maybe in you, that your joy may be complete.

You know, it's not easy to be joyful when you're in grief.

From since mid December until now, I probably attended something like about fifteen funerals

all right, conducted some of them, attended some of them, and so

on, except for one. The rest all believers by line the way this

guy he lost his wife. The wife is in his fifties. And then

the soldiers was a big haul over at one of the Nirvana things on and

I remember attending that. He said, and there are many people who many

people who are pretty who are not believers. And you know it's it's it's

a lot of bandana, a lot of this kind of thing. Anyway,

So he said, you will notice the children share their testimony. You will

notice we're wearing red and among Chinese, you don't wear RD when it is

a funeral. Zenia true not yeah, okay, So he said, do

you know why I tell you why because my mother said this. My mother

said, when this is my time, please don't wear black, because why

you rejoice with me? I'm celebrating in heaven. Why you wear black?

For so tomorrow at the funeral, please come in red so that you celebrate

together with my mother. Come on. And they didn't say it, which

said there's great joy in the heart. And so you know when when we

talk about joy, it is sam He says in Psalm sixteen, verse eleven.

He says, in your press, there is fullness of joy at your

right hand, a pleasures forever, fullness of joy, justice, like what

Jesus said, if you remain in me, in my joy, that joy

would be complete in you. That was Tendu for amazing circumstances. They didn't

realize that at the cross could they be joyful? They couldn't. In fact,

actually the scripture tells us they all ran away when Jesus arrested in Matthew

twenty six, verse fifty six. And uh, you know, if I

were to do it to say in baser, hey, we all tabout all

the time. Lah, Come on, and I want to say say this

with you, say this to you. You know, we need to know

what it means tend firm for him, all right, and the joy of

the Lord. And so when when when when the scripture or emojin now,

so also learn how to use lah okay, do not grieve, for the

joy of the Lord is your strength. Right. When I visit a Kajun

prison and the death row, guys, you know, they should be all

looking very sad and so on. But I like this guy, you know,

he said, Passa, thank you for coming. I said, oh,

I'm glad to be here. He said, I'm not glad to see

you one day be hanged, but I'm glad to see you here. He

said, no, you taught me well. I said, what do you

mean you taught me well? He said, this morning this is why I

did. I got up. I said, thank God, like what Pasta

even said. Just now, today is the Lord's day. This is made

by God. So I'm thankful for one more day to live. I rejoice

in one more day to live. And I rejoice so the time given to

me for my life to spend. And then he said, you know,

my favorite verse in the Bible is this Passa. You know, the versa.

I said, why you're testing me? Is it said? No?

Because you taught me. So I want to tell you that I'm I'm telling

you this word. I said, what is a favorite verse? He said,

My favorite verse is Philippio scepter one, verse twenty one. You know,

I don't know pas Win do something for me to leave his Christ to

die his kin. So he said, actually is so good. You know,

when I live, I can say, oh, thank God. And

so now I pray for all the other guys in the different cells. I

pray for them. I pray for them. I pray for them. I

asked that the job the lobby on them not like me, because you know

why, because I was like that. I felt depressed and in the prison,

when somebody is depressed and so on, they lose your mind. No

the way way, don't know when what is going on on? I remember

this guy said, I say, where is this guy? He's not here

at our meeting. He said, oh, he said in Bahasa. I

said, I said, yep, so yeah, no means he's gone crazy.

That's a prison term. So I said, what happened? He said,

don't know? The whole time he was so depressed and so on,

and then he started talking nonsense. Yeah, but I'm so glad he came

back after we prayed for him and so on. The Lord touched him and

heal him. But whatever it is that so we don't understand the joy until

we're in a deep kind of deep end when when that joy comes. Because

we know the Lord, he remains in us. And so when Paul was

in prison, he should be actually be asking me, please pray for me.

I like, what, how many of you know George? George,

We'll just passed away two days ago. He's a founder of oh M and

if you talk about Logo's whole blog. So he said this when he was

in his last block. When he was talking, he said, please don't

pray for me to be healed. So he said, you know why,

because I'm looking forward to good heaven. So please don't do that. Don't

pray for me to be healing. He said, because you don't, I

don't enjoy the world anymore. Wow, I mean I hope when it comes

to my time. Said, don't pray for me, pray that I will

go peacefully. And he actually went peacefully, did a lot. Yeah,

he had actually an inoperable cancer growth. So he said, I just need

to be relieved of this place. Don't pray for me for healing. So

Paul, also in the prison, he says, rejoice in a lot to

people outside. Now he said, rejoice in a lot. Again, I

say rejoice. There's a chorus. So remain in my joy. There are

many joyless days ahead of us. But the joy the lot would be a

strength. Amen. And so that that so the job the Lord is your

strength only because you have the Lord in you remain in him. All right.

But you know, as we have taught from chapter chapter fifteen, just

some of the lessons that we can learn and grasp. But you know,

there's one thing that helps us to remain in him. And you know what

is it. We need pruning, all right, we need pruning. And

that's where Jesus said. You know, he cuts off every branch that does

not bear fruit, but he pruned so that it will be even more fruitful.

You will go to difficult situation, you go through probably some suffering.

You'll go to situations that some people you know, would would not expect.

So don't don't don't think that we are promising you or health, wealth,

everything. But Jesus already said in verse eighteen, if the world hates you,

keep in mind that he hated me for us. So go in with

your eyes open. With a lot of times which I share with some of

the people that are disciple. We are not in just for the job,

but we're in also for the Tahanna, all right. So if you need

so, when the sprinting pruning sory is to sharpen you to see new growth,

all right, so that you can be my witnesses, and so on

and so in the Holy Spirit will be there the hole spit will be with

you. And the word witness is not just a witness, but someone living

this life and willing also to lose his life for the Lord's sake. And

so that's why to be to be a witness for Jesus is actually the word

among other definitions the world means a martyr. I like this mission friend who

comes to visit me all the time. Every time he makes it. He

said, because he said, I have the gift of martyrdom. You know,

if you read in first corintincep that in you know. So it's a

gift, he said, you can only use it once, the gift of

man to them. The day I don't come and visit you means I've used

the gift already because it goes to dangerous places and so on. And when

I meet him, I said, come and tell me the stories, and

tell me amazing, amazing stories that God is using him to make inroads into

the most difficult, dangerous places being a witness for Jesus. He said,

it is impossible I tell you this because I cannot record it for you.

I can only record it in my mind. I just tell you these things.

It's on. So when we follow Jesus, this is the implication that

you will have to forget about yourself. And he said, how can I

have an identity? Man? Yeah, but your identity now your God's child.

You're a sinner becoming a son. You're a slave, now become free.

You are it's a sickness, you become whole. Come on, that's

the DNA that we all follow. And if that's what it is, then

you deny yourself. You come on the same page with me Jesus asking them

to come on the same page. That's why I said to you that you

know, if they followed train harvest, they should be really good. Man.

No, they will not, because at the right time, at the

right situation, when the rubber hits the road. They all fled. They

left, But I wanted to say to you, Jesus, never give up

hope for them. In accept the fourwards thirteen because you see in acts in

much of the tree erst fourteen the days so that they might be with him,

so that they will also go out and preach, and also had the

power to cust out demons. But now the chabot so how so Jesus had

to remind them, renew them, help them to understand to remain in him.

My Holy Spirit will come and touch you and be in you. And

then only that this is what you're going to do when you face all this

situations. I will be with you, because low I will be with you

until the end of the age. Matthew twenty eight was twenty. And then

what happened you read in March chapter sixteen, verse twenty. And they ran

out to share the gospel. And the scripture tells us the Lord working with

them. That's why they saw science in wonders. Okay, And because they

saw science and wonders, they could live their faith even when they were taken

in and flocked et when the prison is on. But you know they were

able to refute talk about their faith. They had God stories to tell.

If you remain in Jesus, you have God story to tell every week when

you meet in your home group. Let's have God's story to encourage one another,

to encourage people who come and tell them, hey, it is true.

Now. Remaining in Jesus means that he makes things happen. You know,

I used to be a teacher and a principal school. And when I

trained teachers, I said, there are three types of teachers, and no

one knows. Very terrible to you do things say you can remember them because

they're bad teachers. Another type, you can remember them because they're good teachers.

You can even remember their name, et cetera when they taught you.

But there are many who just go in and out. You don't remember.

So I said, there are some teachers who make things happen. Jesus in

your life will make things happen. There are some who just look and see

things happen. Where are some teachers who don't know what's happening. And I'm

afraid many Christians don't know what's happening when they don't Ever, when Jesus doesn't

remain in their life and I want to say to you, Look, the

happening comes not because of you. The happening comes because you remain in him,

and so on. So what happened? What is happening in accept the

forwards? Their team. You know, they saw these people and it's Scripture

tells us the religious people look at them, says who are these old fishermen?

Not educated, ordinary people. But the last part of their verses is,

but they notice that they have been with Jesus. In other words,

Jesus continues to remain in them. Hallelujah. And so when we walk with

him, that's through thick and thin, we will continue to follow him.

And paulsies, actually there is a reverse. It says, actually we may

be wasted away in two contents for sixteen and say, but actually through every

trial and situation, not only you have the joint a piece of the lot,

you are being renewed day by day. Right, So Scripture tells us

to rejoice always in first as Salonites of the five or sixteen. Verse ten

says, in all circumstances, give thanks for this is the will of God

in Christ Jesus. But he says, continue to pray, I had us

I was just sharing with the bastard just now with past his wife that I

had an episode in December, December, mid December. No, when you

grow all out, sometimes you forget certain things. It's on. Yeah,

And so I went to the toilet at three am, and I thought the

bathtub was my bed. So you can imagine what happened. So after I

finished whatever, I tried to go onto my bed. I fell into the

bathtub all right and hit the sub dish, which is admitted, and so

broke the sub dish and it is, you know, bleeding and so because

I'm on blood Tina. So but long story shot and so on. When

to see the doctor? But as I went, I was going to see

the doctor to see whether I need teachers and so on. I asked a

lot, in all circumstances, give thanks. How would I give thanks for

this? Yes, you protected me and so on. Then I said,

you know, then the Lord says you should, you should be thankful for

who you are, your size. I said, what do you mean?

Then I realized, you know, so I thank God and I'm short.

You know why because if i'm if I'm taller, I would I hit my

neck here and you do being fatal. So I went to see the doctor.

I said, you know, I'm thankful to God. You know I

am short, you know, see what do you mean? He said,

yeah, because if I'm taller I would have I won't be here visiting you

already. He said, Oh, you are unlucky lucky. I said,

no, no, no, no, I thank God for the episode so

giving thanks in all circumstances. I'm just giving a short test. But you

know, for me at that point in time, yeah, it was something

that was quite quite relevant. But at the same time, I asked myself,

am I giving thanks to God for what He's doing in my life as

a witness. So I've grown since to ask the Lord what they means.

So it means that you have suffered first for us, so that they have

set us an example, and you call us to follow you. And thank

you Lord that you remain in us as we allow you to remain, continue

to ask you to remain in us. So that's why Paul said to the

collision, remember that in all circumstances, Christ in you the hope of glory

Iman hallelujah. And I remember that when Paul says, for all the imprisonment,

for all the beating that the god and so on. What happened?

He says, I want to tell you it's not that we're so gung hoo.

I'm telling you because I believe that when he wrote that, he understood

what it means to be remained in him. So he says, but we

are pressed every side, but not crushed. We are perplexed and many times

confused. Why this happened to us, not in despair, persecuted but not

abandoned, struck down but not destroy Why because we remain in him and he

remains in us. When I first met this man many years ago, here's

a guy who has gone to prison for preaching the gospel. And so brother

Yun, the guy who wrote or the guy who's rotten about the hemnedy man,

if you can get a book, you'd be amazing. In and out,

they smash his legs so that he cannot stand, so he had to

to to sleep in the prison this way, put up his legs so that

it is not painful. And then one day the lot to him, get

ready, it's time to go out, and so he said, I can't

even stand where it's time to go out. But you know, miracles or

all miracles, you read it in the book. And so that day he

could stand up. He tested his legs. He could stand, not because

he's healed by him or whatever, but the lot healed him. That day

there was an exchange of prisoners going out of of the prison, so he

went out unnoticed. Then he went to the court yard unnoticed. When he

went to the main gate, it was all open and there was a taxi

waiting there, and he got into the taxi. Now this is really like

some drama kind of thing, now, but this actually happened, you know.

He says it. It's not about clamor following the Lord. He's the

one who lives in right. And this is what he said when they told

him, why your testimony terror and all that said, No, no,

nothing to do with that. It's not great men who change the world,

but weak men in the hands of great God. And why because they remained

in Jesus and so on. When Graham Stains Stewart was a young man,

he blessed. When he becomes a doctor, he wants to be helping people

who emaginalize what thirty two years he served in Odissa and in India, and

in nineteen ninety nine. You know what happened the extremist that he was resting

with the two boys in a gip. He has done the amazing work for

the Lord. It seems like why would something like this happen. The extremists

all came round and they burn the jip and they tried to run out.

They pushed him in. You can read it, you can google. His

name is is On and so burned to death together with his two sons.

But Gladys what's called it's an interview in television. He said, I do

not I do not hit the people who did this because I follow Jesus.

When Jesus was on the cross, he says, Father, forgive them,

for they don't know what they're doing. What is a secret, because Jesus

remains in her and she remains in Jesus. Today the work continues. Where's

my good friend? And that's the roman called seven years now is disappeared?

And so coming back to the whole crux of it. In conclusion, I

said, if we live policies, we live for the Lord. If we

die, we die for the Lord. Whether we live or die, we

belong to him because we remain in him, and he in us. I

like this old bishop in the fifteenth century wrote wrote these words, and there

has been composed as a song. I don't know the song, but I

just want to share this with you, he says, like this, day

by day, three things I pray. What is it to see you more

clearly because you're in me. I want to see clearly what you're saying to

me, all right, to love you more dearly, and only that to

follow you more nearly closely. There's all English with nearly dearly clearly what I

thought us as a good, good summary to all that we want to say

about what it means to remain in him. And so when we remaining him,

he's the one who will guide and lead us and help us. Martin

Duter the Great Reformer, was us, what is it that makes you so

urgent, make you so wanting to be a witness, despite the many things

that are being spoken to concerning you, And this is what he said.

He said, I live every day as if Jesus died yesterday is reason today

and is coming back tomorrow. I will be urgent about how I live for

Jesus. Amen. And so I do not know what is the lockdown?

We all know what is lockdown for pandemic? What is it that is locking

you from opening to Jesus? If today you even come to know Jesus,

I say to you, this is a good day to know him. You

know you will stand you in good state. I've experienced it. I know

it. I've learned from many people who have done many things that are amazing

out of the ordinary, not because they are out of the ordinary, because

Jesus remains in them. And you, as a Christian, what is it,

Paul says to you offer yourself as a living sacrifice because that only pleases

the Lord. You remain in Him and live every day as a living offering

to Jesus. We hope you've been blessed by this message. For more information

on our church, please visit as Church the RG. We are also active

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good week ahead for you. God bless