The Preached Word

Scripture Reading: Genesis 21:1-21

Introduction

We have all faced many disappointments in our lives. 

 Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

 What kind of joy and prosperity are these? 

1. There is deep and abiding joy in a life of faith, rooted in the knowledge of God’s faithfulness to His covenant promises—fulfilled in His own time for His purposes and glory alone (v 1-7).

(i)   God is faithful to His covenant promise and fulfilled it. 

(ii) God does in His time. 

Hebrews 11:13, “These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.” 

 (iii) God acts according to His own purpose and for His glory. 

Ephesians 1:11–12, “In him we have obtained an inheritance, … according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, … to the praise of his glory.”

Romans 11:36, “For from him and through him and to him are all things.  To him be glory forever.”

2. There is painful separation from the life according to the flesh in our life of faith (v 8-12).

• Psalm 83:4-6

• Galatians 4:22-23

(i) There will always be a battle without and within us—a constant tension between the life in the Spirit and the life according to the flesh. 

• Galatians 4:29

• Galatians 5:17
• 1 Corinthians 10:13

(ii) Resolving the conflict requires us to obediently put away the life according to the flesh, no matter how painful it may be. 

• 2 Corinthians 5:17

3. As we walk in obedience on the path of faith, God, in His mercy, gently eases the pain of letting go of the old life (v 13-21).

Brethren, obedience may be costly, but it is never cold.  The same God who calls us to lay something down is the One who gently reminds us: “I see.  I know.  And I will care for what you entrust to Me.  Let not your heart be troubled.”  Amen.

Scripture Reading: Amos 9:1-15

1. Introduction

2. Purification of Worship (v.1)

• The Lord will restore His people 

• The prophecy for the restoration of God’s people was fulfilled in the gospel age

5. Conclusion 

Scripture Passage: Matthew 6:16-18

Introduction

1. Planning and providing for “rainy days” will secure us and free us from worries.
2. But stressful everyday living leaves even kingdom people insecure and anxious about their future
3. Kingdom life is supposed to be a blessed life (Mat 5:3-11).

Secure, stress-free lives begins with where our hearts and our eyes are focused and who is our master. (19-24)

1. Are your riches in the right place (20-21)
2. Is your thought life following the right direction. (22-23)
3. Is your heart divided between two Masters (24)

Instead of relying on stuff and more stuff for security, we seek God first and trust His provision. (26-30, 33)

1. Our security doesn’t come from holding fast to stuff. (26-32)
2. Our security comes from letting go of stuff and seeking God first (5:6, 6:33)
3. When we seek God first, He will take care of the rest (32-33)

As disciples we are freed to live in peace and confidence in an otherwise anxiety-filled world.

1. God has promised to take care of our todays (34)
2. Jesus came lived, died and rose again and sent the Holy Spirit into us in order that we might live free from worries

Conclusion

1. Jesus calls us to stop clinging to uncertain riches in a world where the only constant is change. Start seeking God’s kingdom first in your lives.
2. When we seek God’s kingdom first, we have all we need for kingdom life. We are free from anxiety. But kingdom life in this world is far from easy triumphalism without cost. And it is faith not fortune that gives us this freedom.

Scripture Passage: Genesis 20

1. Even the faithful are prone to persistent or besetting sins.(vv 1-7)

• Abraham’s sin is so serious, humanly speaking, as it places God’s redemptive purpose in jeopardy.

2.  The root causes of besetting sins in general. (vv 8-13)

• Fear and self-love are the roots of persistent sin
• Unconfessed sins tend to be persistent

3. God’s grace and faithfulness amid human failure, all for His glory.

• God is faithful and committed to His own purposes, plans and promises regardless of Abraham’s worthiness.
• God chose Abraham despite his sinfulness and failures, purely by His grace and for His own glory.

4.   How can we overcome persistent sins?

• 2 Peter 1:3
• Zechariah 4:6
• Galatians 5:16
• Hebrews 12:1-2
• 2 Timothy 1:7

Scripture Reading: Matthew 6:1-21

I. Introduction

II. As kingdom disciples, it is not enough to worship but to worship uncorrupted by religious reputation (1-21)

• Jesus’ guiding principle in worship (1)
• We give to the needy without putting on a show (2-4)
• We fast without seeking for religious respectability (16-18)
•  We pray without hiding behind masks (5-15)

III. The kingdom entering disciple worships God with a fully devoted heart and serves Him unseen by others (21)

• We worship in the presence of our all seeing Father (6:4,6,18)
• We worship from a heart fully devoted to our Father (2,5,16)
• We serve God who is our Father. (4,6,8,9,14,15,18)
• As kingdom disciples, our reward is in heaven and not on earth. (2,6,16)

V. Conclusion

• True righteousness comes from a sincere heart devoted to our God, not arising from an outward religious performance meant to impress others. Kingdom righteousness is about pleasing God.
• Our practice of worship arises from intentions of a heart that has been born again by  the  Holy Spirit.
• Our greater righteousness that saves glorifies God, not ourselves. The kingdom life of a disciple does not remain untouched. Disciples are called to be with Jesus, to become like him, and to do as he did.

Scripture Reading: John 19:17-30

Why Is It So Important?

Jesus’ Life Mission

Jesus came into this world for only one important mission, to suffer and die for sinners because He loves them.

The Purposes And Goals of the Mission

1. The sacrifice Jesus has to make for the sins of the people in order to satisfy God’s demand of justice. It is called the atonement.

2. They who believe may see the end of their sins.

3. To fulfill the demands of the Law of God by living a perfect righteous and sinless life so that God is able to impute or to reckon Christ’s righteousness to us which is how we are now able to stand before the holy God justified.

4. To defeat Satan, so that we see the victory over Satan.

What Should Be Our Response?

1. Because of what Jesus has done for us on the cross, we should be able to response, “It is finished!” What is finished? Our old self-centred life of sin and rebellion against God−all that is finished! Our worldly lives and all its sinful desires−the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life−all that is finished!

2. Our life must be transformed. Live our life marked by obedience to God.

3. We are to live lives of purpose. Christ’s commission to us all.

Dear friends, as you reflect on all the blessings that are yours through the death of the Lord Jesus on the Cross, will you not surrender your life to Him, believe and rest in Him?

Scripture Reading: Titus 2:11-15

I. Introduction

II. What are not the purposes of Discipleship

1. A church ministry

2. A tick on one’s Christian service

3. A measure of one’s spirituality

III. What are the purposes of Discipleship

1. Training us to be godly (v. 12)

2. Waiting for the blessed hope (v. 13)

3. Be filled with the vision of the returning King (v. 13-14)

4. To be a people who are zealous for good works (v. 14)

VI. Conclusion

Scripture Reading: Psalm 42-43

Scripture Reading: Joshua 1:1-9

I. Introduction

II. What is meditation?

III. Why should I meditate?

IV. How can I meditate?

V. Conclusion

I. Introduction

II. Each Christian Receives their Spiritual Gift

III. Each Christian Uses their Spiritual Gift

IV. Each Christian Gives an account of their Spiritual Gift

V. Each Christian Glorifies God with their Spiritual Gift

VI. Conclusion