Prayer Meeting 4 July 2017

Prayer Meeting 4 July 2017

Revelation 8:4-5

Revelation 8:4-5 KJV

[4] And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. [5] And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were …

Lord of the harvest Luke 10

Prayer Meeting 12 July 2017

Lord of the harvest 

Luke 10

1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.

5 "When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' 6 If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.

8 "When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.' 10 But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11 'Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.' 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.

13 "Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths.

16 "He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me."

17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."

18 He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

21 At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.

22 "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No-one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no-one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."

23 Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."

Evon sharing the mission trip just concluded, how they have to unlearn and change their mindset and expectations 

Peace brought into this place. 

Let your heart not be troubled - John 14

Let's your heart not be troubled - John 14
Text : John 14

Ps Renny Khoo

9 July 2017

Chapter 14 began in v1 and ended with v27 both verses exhorting the disciples - “Do not let your hearts be troubled”. In our present context, are we troubled by family crisis, no end to some existing challenges, relationship problems, financial worries, work pressure or situations with no solutions that we learn to live with it. We are troubled because we are fearful of insecurity and uncertain about the future. Likewise, the disciples were troubled because in the previous chapter, Jesus said that he is going to a place where they will not be able to follow. They were perplexed, for they have left everything and followed Jesus. They cannot understand where they have gone wrong. They cannot fathom why Jesus will want to leave them. Jesus in respond calmed their troubled heart by the following assurances in v2 – 8.

1.  Assurance of our Final Home

Where is Heaven ? 

 A place, a country, a kingdom ?

Heaven is a real place not a product of religious imagination. It is a place where God dwells, Jesus sit on the right hand of the Father. Heaven is described as a kingdom in 2 Peter, inheritance in 1 Peter, a country Hebrew 11, a city and a home. In John 13 to 17, these 5 chapters with the word “Father” appeared 53 time and usually in the phrase of “my Father’s house.” John 14: 3 clearly states that He will return for His people. He is going to the Father and He is the only way to the Father. Heaven is a real place, loving and exclusive place but it is also inclusive, and is open to all who believe. Those who trusted in Jesus Christ will be there.  

The way home does not lie in a pathway, programme or manmade processes but through a person call Jesus Christ. He is not someone who points the way but He is the Way, the truth. The only way to heaven. No amount of good works or endeavour will get us to heaven. Only Jesus and He is coming back for those who believe and love Him.

The question now is “Do you KNOW this person” for the way to heaven is through a person.

A call to trust God for God cares for us and has our best interest at heart. He knows us better than we know ourselves. So when we trust God, we will not have a troubled heart. There is a correlation in knowing and trusting for when we know God, we can also know how we can trust God. Trusting God is a journey, as knowing God is a progressive journey. So we should examine ourselves if we know our God personally, relationally and experientially. Do our believe affect our lives and how we live it? Do we do the will of God out of obedience and have we grown in loving God. Have we got a testimony to share of our experiences in God?

2. Provision of a Helper 

Apart from the Spirit of God, we cannot live out our Christian lives. We must know who the Holy Spirit is. He is called the Advocate or Parakletos, - Helper or Comforter. He is someone who is called alongside to assist. The Holy Spirit do not work instead or in spite of us but always work in us and through us. He strengthens us to face life bravely and to keep on going. He does not rob us of the responsibility or make it easy for us to give up. We are comforted for strength in our inner lives to face all adversities. We need to guard our response to adversities that we do not develop a “Bean Curd” reaction where we cannot take any criticism or correction. Our inner lives must be strengthened by the Holy Spirit to produce a positive response. As we struggle as illustrated in the Mount Kinabalu climb, the role of the Holy Spirit is to point and guide us in the right direction but we need to put in the effort and do our part.

He is also known as the Spirit of truth where he is the Spirit inspired word of God illuminating the Word so that we may understand the word of God. Thus no excuse for negligent on our effort to study the word of God. We need to be keeping the word of God through our obedience to it. The call intimacy with God through corporate prayer to pray against temptation, breakthrough, empowerment of the Holy Spirit, discipline and to be accountable in our lives.

Counselling - Latin word Come alongside to Help

Comforter - Sometimes Counsellor has to help them to break it or weaken their dependency on certain things. It may not be always comforting but strengthening.

Comfort is to strengthen to move onward and brace for future.

3.  Gift of peace

God’s peace is not based on the world’s resources but depends on our relationship with God and our spiritual adequacy in Christ all receive in faith. God’s peace is peace in spite of trouble or trials for through Jesus, we can truly say, let not my heart be troubled for He has conquered the world - John 16:33. 

Questions for reflection and response

1. Trusting God is a journey of knowing God. Share how you are growing in your trusting/knowing God. What are some obstacles in fully trusting/ knowing God.
2. Share your experiences of the Holy Spirit as your helper/comforter/advocate. 
3. How do you understand peace" in times of trouble? Share (if any) of such experiences

I like the blue hue hovering at the backdrop of church yesterday. It reminds me of the blue ocean.

My Personal Reflection :-

Heaven is certainly a place worth to prepare for before our arrival. I have been reminded, now that we all could afford to travel and to see more of the world with budget airlines and budget hotels, we spend a lot of time preparing for a trip, be it alone or with family or friends. I think Holy Spirit is grieved to see that more than half of the Christians do not spend enough time to prepare for their homeward bound trip to heaven. 

Like a trip ill-planned, many Christians would be shocked to realise that they have not prepared enough for this heaven trip and it is to return home to a place where we have not been.

Amazing Love - John 13

Title: Amazing Love!

Text: John 13

Ps Renny Khoo

2 July 2017 Holy communions Sunday

John Chapter 13 is the climax of the book of John where we enter the last 24 hours of Jesus’ life and eavesdrop on the private and intimate conversation between Jesus and the disciples in the Upper Room. V34-35 – “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” The whole chapter is enveloped with love. John 13 is a very familiar passage of scripture because this is where we read of The Last Supper, of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet, of Jesus foretelling His betrayal and giving the new commandment. Here is a Reconstruction of the Last Supper. The famous painting of “The Last Supper” by Leonardo Da Vinci is a pretty inaccurate picture of what took place in the Last Supper. In the first century, when Jews come to eat, they reclined at an U-shaped low table (triclinium). They leaned to the left against the bosom or chest of the person seated on their left. In this way, it was easier for them to grab the food with their right hand. They took time to eat an unhurried meal, unlike us today. The Scripture (v24, 26) seems to suggest that the seating arrangement was like this – The trusted friend (John, V23) on the host’s right and the guest of honor (Judas, V26) on his left. Simon Peter (V24) was likely seated at the other end of the U-shaped table directly across from John. From this seating arrangement, we get a glimpse of Jesus’ amazing love for His disciples. The washing of the disciples’ feet is an enacted parable that really tells us of the true cleansing that would take place at Calvary. At the same time, it is also an act of pure love. The purpose of such love is not just about Jesus dying on the cross for each one of us, marvelous and noble act though it is. The greater question is, “Do we receive His love? Will we receive His love?”

Reconstruction of the last supper

Love can be rejected. Seven times Jesus gave Judas many chances to turn around.

1.         We must receive God’s love. - V1-20

*Love can be rejected v21-30

When we are sick and see a doctor, there is no point if we do not take the medicine prescribed by the doctor. Jesus has given His life but would we receive His love?

Simon Peter seemed to reject Jesus’ love because in V8-9, he did not allow Jesus to wash his feet. Washing feet is the most menial task but important one. In those days, it was very dusty and the feet can be very dirty. It was the culture of those days to wash one’s feet when entering a home. It is menial but necessary. Do you know that love can be rejected? Jesus showed his love to Judas 7 times but love was rejected by Judas each time. (1) Jesus gave the seat of honor to Judas, instead of Peter, the leader of the pack, even though Jesus knew Judas would betray him. (2) Jesus washed Judas’ feet. (3) Judas had 3 opportunities to recant his action but he did not. V10 - “You are clean though not all of you.” Jesus was dropping a hint. (4) In V18, Jesus dropped a stronger hint. “He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me.” (5) V21 - Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “One of you is going to betray me.” In His heart, He was saying to Judas, “Don’t do it!” That was the cry of Jesus. (6) V20 – “Search your heart! Don’t do it! If you reject me, you are rejecting God!” (7) V26 – Jesus dipped a morsel of bread into the wine and gave it to Judas. This was really a picture of deep friendship. It was likely that their eyes locked as they looked at one another. But love can be rejected. We need to receive Jesus’ love. When love was expressed through the washing of the feet, it was rejected both by Simon Peter (out of pride and shame) and Judas. Jesus is out there to heal and to love us. Jesus came to save us and not to condemn us. Will we or have we received His love?

2.         We must release God’s love to one another. - V14-17

The whole atmosphere of the room changed when Judas left the room. V14 – “If I have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. It is not very different from V34 – “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

Just as we need to receive Jesus’ love, we need to also release His love. Are you releasing His love? Are you serving thody of Christ? Unless we first receive God’s love, we cannot release God’s love. We love because God first loved us. We often pray, “Father, forgive our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” We can only love when we are a recipient of God’s love. Poor lovers are poor recipients of God’s love and hence become poor servers. How are returning that love to the Body? How are we expressing that love to Christ by serving and loving one another in the Body? If you have been loved, you will love. If you love, you will serve. We release because we have received. Freely we have received, freely give.

We don’t serve in isolation. We are serving ourselves if we serve in isolation. You start serving by joining and be committed to a Connect Group (CG). You must belong to a CG. It is very important to belong to a CG. There is no perfect CG just as there is no perfect church. None of us is perfect. Together we build the CG and together we build the church.

The motivation that Jesus had when He served was one of such great humility. V4-5 gives us a glimpse of what Jesus did step by step. How are we serving? Are we serving only when it is convenient? Are we serving to serve our own egos? We can serve wherever God has put or called us. We are called to release God’s love and to be agents of releaser and channels of God’s love. There are people who just (know how to) receive and people who don’t (know how to) receive. We are called to receive Jesus’ love. Jesus wants to wash your feet. Don’t run away. Would we also receive His love? Would we respond? Just as we have received His love, would we release His love?

Jesus gave Judah's the seat of honour.

Jesus washed his feet.

V26 Jesus dipped the bread into the soup and gave to Judas, that is the mark of friendship 

To serve we must love one another.

We cannot serve alone, that will be serving ourselves.

Conclusion:   

1.  We are loved and so we serve.

2.   We serve because we love the Lord.

Questions for reflection and response.

1.    The greater question – will you/Have you RECEIVED His love? Share moments of when you experienced/received Jesus’ love.

2.   Share some existing (or planned) ministry involvement in BCCM KKE. What are your learning experiences? What are your joys/pains?

3.         What do you think of the following statements?

v   “If you have been loved, you will love.”

v   “If you love, you will serve.”

v   “We release because we have received.”

v   “Freely we have received, freely give.”

Personal Reflections :-

We cannot serve while empty inside. We need to watch our fire within us that the fire is fanned into flame, a passion for God's work, and we are not running on empty. 

The Hour Has Come - John 12

Title: The Hour Has Come

Text: John 12

Speaker: Pr Lo Yi Ping

In his time, He made all things beautiful in his time. Eccl 3:1 says "There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven" God's timing is perfect. To doubt God's timing can lead to despair or moving ahead without his advice .

1) The hour for the Son of Man to be glorified v.20-23

When some of the Greeks requested to see Jesus he responded that the hour for the son of man to be glorified had come. Here he is stating that the time for his imminent death on the cross and his glorification through his resurrection from the dead is near. 

Jesus has always been in control of the timing of events. He decides when to perform miracles. He waited another two days before raising Lazarus from the dead so that God's name can be further glorified and his power manifested. The religious leaders were not able to seize him because the time has not yet come. 

The group of God fearing Greeks represents the gentile world apart from the Jews. Salvation was first given to the Jews. Since they are not keen it was also extended to the gentiles. With the gospel being accepted by the gentiles it was time for Jesus to be glorified. 

2) The hour "heaven opened" v.24-26

Heavens opened when Jesus laid down his life for the entire human race. Jesus said. Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies it remains only a single seed. But if it dies it produces many more seeds. Jesus had to die to pay the penalty of our sins and through his resurrection power he gave eternal life to all who believed in him. Had he not died he would abide alone and there will be no redemption. 

We like Jesus must die to many things in our lives e.g. pride, selfishness, envy etc otherwise we will remain a single seed without any fruit. 

3) The hour for the world to be judged v.42-50

Jesus had perform many miracles, but most people did not believe in him. Some are afraid of rejection and ridicule and many Jewish leaders are afraid of excommunication from the synagogue. 

Jesus first coming to earth is not to judge people but to show them the way to find salvation. When he comes again one of his main purposes will be to judge people for how they lived on earth. At that time the words that we would not accept or obey now will condemn us and used as judgement against us. 

Conclusion: Repent and Believe

The time is now. As disciples of the 21st century we need to repent, believe and imitate the life of Paul to make Christ known. 

Questions

1) Aside from referring to the watch/clock how can you tell time? 

2) With reference to verse 24, how does this verse apply to you as a disciple of Jesus Christ?

Share an experience of "dying to self" thus leading to "bearing much fruits". 

3) How do you view judgement on the last day (v.48)?