Sunday Sermon Recap

Sunday Sermon Recap

Main Service

Being Disciples in the 21^st Century – Elder Ho

Matthew 4:17-25

Often, we take things for granted. In church, we think everyone is fine and that follow/discipleship up isn't very necessary. BUT IT IS.As we live in the 21^st century, we enter into a very challenging time. The question is, are we able to be disciples of Jesus and believe that God is still in control of these situation? The storm clouds are coming towards us, they are around us and they are getting stronger and stronger, if we are not deeply anchored in the Lord, the strong winds can easily lower our faith. How do we prepare ourselves to face the storm cloud coming towards us?

“A COMFORTABLE, COMPLACENT and COMPROMISED church has lost its impact,it's contact with God and spiritual authority.”

 DO NOT BE:

COMFORTABLE

- Being in a state of physical or mental comfort contented and undisturbed, at ease.

COMPLACENT

- Pleased, especially with oneself or one’s merits, advantages, situation, etc., often without awareness of some potential danger or defects: self-satisfied.

COMPROMISED

- Something midway between two or more different things. Lukewarm.

So what does it mean to be a disciple? 

"Be strong! Do not fear!" 

When the disciples stood up,the world changed, the church grew. 

So don't fret! Evil will not prevail if we stand up.

1 Samuel 17 – The story of David and Goliath.

In the story of David and Goliath, the Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them. Everyday for 40 days, the Israelites would shout their war cry but as Goliath comes forward every morning and evening and took his stand, the Israelites were dismayed and terrified. In this time of the world, the Goliath has already crossed the valley, destroying our homes, stealing and killing!

“A changing and challenging world and a comfortable, complacent, compromised church is a heartbreak for the Kingdom of God.”

We have lost because we no longer come forward and have lost the tenacity to stand for what is right. Christianity no longer look like Jesus. Is your Christianity that of Jesus? Oftentimes, we tend to conform to the ways of the world. We always tend to look at the external for answers when the solution can only come from inside; repentance.

“Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.” – Matthew 4:17

Repentance is our help against the storm clouds. Repentance is not an apology, not a regret, it is a change; something that you change in your heart, allowing Jesus to transform you from within. Without repentance, we become spiritually stuck, drawn to our own solutions. It is only up to us to decide to repent.

  

“Follow me.” Matthew 4:19

It is only when we follow Hm that we resemble Him.

Deny yourself and follow Him. This is obedience.

True following of Jesus means not being complacent, comfortable and not compromise.

There are a few things that we need to learn from the Sermon on the Mount at 

Matthew 5:7

1.     A new mindset. (Matthew 5:43-45) 
- to avoid the misty road of confusion.
2.     A new conviction. (Matthew 6) 
- Don't act. Don't play church.
3.     A new foundation. (Matthew 7:24-27) 
- Not just for merry pleasures. A worship from the heart.

- House upon the rock.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” Matthew 28:19

We need to go out and make disciples and not just christians that remain remain stationary.

We need to GO! If we do not rise up, we will only be like the Israelites in the story of David and Goliath, shouting their war cry. But, when David went ahead and fought with Goliath, he did not use any armour or sword(the ways of the world), he went with just a sling and 5 stones(the principles from his encounter with God). After killing Goliath, he went forward and the army of  Israel went forward and chased away the Philistines.

Jesus Christ has accomplished that for us at Calvary, He is with us always and all we need to do is GO! If we do not arise and go, we will only be shouting like the Israelites and shouting will not bring us anywhere, it makes us COMFORTABLE, COMPLACENT AND COMPROMISE. Therefore, GO!