But Servants

There are few things that we crave more in life than intimate personal relationships with other people. We are increasing living in the age of shallow and superficial friendships. We might have hundreds or even thousands of Facebook friends. We might type hundreds of WhatsApp messages each day. But many of us have very few deep personal relationships. And yet as human beings, we have been hard-wired for a desire for deep personal relationship. Our desire for such deep, secure relationships is no accident. We were made for a deep, personal relationship with God. And it is John’s goal as he writes this letter to convince us that can be assured of our relationship with God. He does exist. He does love us. And his promise of eternal life is true.

Introduction: More than Facebook friends

Purpose of 1 John (5:13)

1. The true gospel brings fellowship with God (1-4)

a. Content: The eternal God entered our world (1-2)

b. Basis: The eyewitness testimony of the apostles (1)

c. Result: Eternal life (2)

d. Goal: Fellowship & Joy (3-4)

2. True Fellowship with God is evidenced by a changed life (5-10)

a. God is light (5)

b. Test #1: Are you walking in darkness or light? (6-7)

c. Test #2: Do you deny or confess your sin? (8-10)

d. Cleansing & Forgiveness (7. 9)

3. Conclusion: Reassured Relationship

What are the marks of the Spirit filled life? What does it look like to walk by the Spirit? To be led by the Spirit? In Galatians 6, we see that the spirit-filled life is spectacularly ordinary: not ecstatic utterances, powerful gifts, monastic experiences, overflowing riches or good health, but rather a loving concern to restore sinners, a careful investment in the things of the Spirit and a right boasting in the cross.

Introduction

Mark 1: A loving concern for others not proud superiority (1-5)

a. Principle: Bearing One Another’s Burdens  (2)

b. Example: Restoring Sinners (1)

c. A right appraisal of ourselves (3-5)

Mark 2: A careful investment in the things of the Spirit not the flesh (6-10)

a. Principle: You reap what you sow (7-8)

b. Examples (6, 9-10)

i) Giving (6)

ii) Doing Good (9-10)

Mark 3: A right boasting in the cross not outward appearance (11-16)

a. The weight of the matter (11)

b. Wrong Boasting: In the flesh ( 12-13)

c. Right Boasting: In the cross (14-16)

Summing Up: The Grace Filled-Life (17-18)

This sermon was preached at St Mary's Cathedral, KL on 22nd March 2015.

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There’s almost nothing that causes more anxiety and pain in the Christian life than to see one of your beloved brothers and sisters falling away from Christ. But in Galatians 4, Paul is in anguish over something even more terrifying. Paul was afraid that the Galatian church would fall away from Christ, without even leaving the church.

Introduction: Falling Away From Christ

1. Don’t go back to slavery (8-11)

a. Who You Were (8)

b. Who You Are (9)

c. How can you go back to slavery? (9-11)

2. Don’t forget your love for the gospel (12-16)

a. Past Acceptance (12-14)

b. Present Rejection (15-16)

3. Don’t be led astray by praise-seekers (17-20)

a. False motives (17-18)

b. True motives (19-20)

Conclusion: Hold on to the Gospel of Grace

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Gospel Ministry is not an individual endeavour. We are invited to participate in God's global mission together. In this sermon on Colossians 4:7-18, we explore what Global Gospel Partnership looks like and how we can avoid being consumer Christians.  

Introduction: An Unexpected Letter

Context

1. Paul’s Fellow Workers (7-14)

a. Paul’s care for the Colossians (7-9)

b. Paul’s Jewish fellow workers (10-11)

c. Labouring in preaching & prayer (12-13)

d. Prioritising Christ above all (14)

2. Paul’s Final Instructions (15-18)

a. Pass on Paul’s greetings & letter (15-16)

b. Encourage gospel workers (17)

c. Remember Paul’s chains (18)

3. What We’ve Learn

a. We should deliberately partner with other Christians

b. We should resist the temptation to be a consumer Christian

c. Only the gospel can truly transform our hearts and lives

This sermon was preached at St Mary's Cathedral, KL in July 2020.

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How do you persevere when life is painful? The Christian life is full of challenges that can make us weary and feel like giving up. When we suffer in the Christian life, that can be the time when we most struggle to trust in God’s loving care and press on. Understanding why we are suffering,  being assured of God’s love, and guaranteed it would be worth it, can make all the difference. Perhaps that's what you need right now. And it's what you'll find in Hebrews 12.

This Sermon was preached at St George's Church Penang on 3rd February 2021.

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There is nothing more tragic than failing at the final hurdle. But how can we ensure we press on in active discipleship? How can we ensure that we don’t give up but endure to the end? Because it’s not how we begin the Christian life that matters. It’s how we end. Will we hold fast to our confidence? Or will we throw it away?

Context

4:14-16: Hold fast & draw near

    5:1-7:28: A better priesthood

    8:1-10:18: A better sacrifice

10:19-39: Hold fast & draw near

1. A rousing exhortation to confident assurance (10:19-25)

a. Basis: Confidence because of Christ’s blood (19-21)

b. Faith: “Let us draw near” (22)

c. Hope: “Let us hold fast (23)

d. Love: “Let us consider” (24-25)

2. A chilling warning against deliberate sin (10:26-31)

a. Persistent and ongoing rejection (26)

b. No more sacrifice for sin (26)

c. Fearful expectation of judgement (27-31)

3. A loving exhortation to faithful endurance (10:32-39)

a. Recall past endurance (32-34)

b. Need for future endurance (35-39)

4. The way to keep going in active discipleship

a. Keep trusting what Christ has done

b. Keep holding fast to what God has promised

c. Keep being committed to gathering with God’s people

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How can we be cleansed of a guilty conscience? As we look back on our lives, we can all remember a time that our conscience has accused us: A bad decision, a moment of pleasure, a hurtful word, a broken relationship. As much as we wish it didn’t happen, we know that it did. We long to be free from the burden of guilt, but we know deep down we are guilty. The wonderful news of Hebrews 9 is that no matter what we have done, we can be fully and finally forgiven by God.

Introduction: Cleansing a guilty conscience

Context

1. The inadequacy of the first covenant (1-10)

a. Earthly

b. Inaccessible

c. External

2. The Reformation Christ brings (11-14)

a. Christ entered heaven itself

b. Christ entered once for all

c. Christ cleanses our conscience

3. The sacrifice that secures our forgiveness (15-28)

a. The necessity of Christ’s death (15-22)

b. The effectiveness of Christ’s death (23-28)

i. Taken into heaven

ii. His own body

iii. Once for all

4. Implications

a. The only effective means of cleansing

b. The only right response to cleansing

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What will enable us grow as Christians as God intends? Christian growth is something that we should all desire. But we need to beware any form of Christian teaching that promises more growth – more holiness and more intimacy with God apart from Christ and the gospel. If we have Christ, we have all that we need for salvation and Christian growth.

Introduction: You need more…

Context

1. Beware of legalistic religious practices (16-17)

2. Beware of ascetic spiritual experiences (18-19)

3. Despite appearances, they will not grow but enslave you (20-23)

Conclusion: All You Need Is Christ

This sermon was preached at New Covenant City Church on 27th February 2022.

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In Colossians 1:15-23, we're given one of the most glorious descriptions of Christ in the whole Bible. He is utterly supreme in creation and redemption. It reminds us that Christ is all that we need, for salvation and growth.

Introduction: Moving On

… in life

… in your Christian life?

Context

1. Christ is the Supreme Lord of Creation (15-17)

a. The Image of God (15)

b. The Creator of all things (16)

c. The Sustainer of all things (17)

2. Christ is the Supreme Lord of Salvation (18-22)

a. The Lord of the new creation (18)

b. The Reconciler of all things (19-22)

3. Conclusion: Don’t move on from the gospel (23)

a. The danger

b. The remedy

This sermon was preached at St Mary's Cathedral, KL on 3rd May 2020.

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Can a Christian fall away? How do we ensure that we don’t? What if we’re worried that we’ve already begun to fall? In Hebrews 5-6,  we're warned of the very real danger of spiritual immaturity, and the need to press on in the Christian life.

Introduction: Can a Christian fall away?

Teaching & Warning in Hebrews

1. Grow Up! (5:11-6:3)

a. Beware of spiritual immaturity (5:11-14)

b. The path to maturity (6:1-3)

2. The danger of falling away (6:4-8)

a. Impossible to restore

b. Once saved, always saved?

c. The purpose of the warnings

3. Grounds for Assurance (6:9-20)

a. Present Fruit (6:9-12)

b. God’s faithfulness (6:13-18)

c. Christ’s ascension (6:19-20)

4. What if I’m worried?

This sermon was preached at St Mary's Cathedral, KL on 20th May 2022.

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