Empowering

"Empowering of family"

Ephesians 6:1-9

Psalm 127:3-5

Psalm 128:3

Obedience to parents V1

Foundamental to order in society.

How children benefits through obedience to their parents.

Honoring parents V2-3

Why is honoring parents closely associated with enjoying a long life ? 

Modeling honoring our parents in our homes.

Fathers do not exasperate your children V4

Ways fathers exasperate their children

To provoke, irritate, 

Feeling of anger and feeling exasperation - cause of rebellion

Failure to listen, unrealistic high expectation 

Need time to spend time with our children

How do we communicate with your children ?

Bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord V4

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Our long term aim for our children

This is the mandate by God.

Traditions we want children to keep.

Instruction is not just transfer of information like story telling, it is modeling and setting examples to our kids. 

God's mandate to fathers to train and instruction our children. 

Imitate His walk

Imitate His walk

Elder Annie 

Ephesians 5:1-17

1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person-such a man is an idolater-has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no-one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them.

8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14 for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:"Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."

15 Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

Mimeti= Mimic

What sort of "walk" is worthy of such a calling ? 

Our "walk" which is worthy of our calling is one in which we :-

1) Walk in Love

Walk in a love that is pure. 

Off with the old, on with the new.

Galatians 2:20 It is our loner I that live but Christ living in me. 

2) Walk in Light

One time we were darkness.

Romans 12:1-2

Verses 11-14

Expose by light, it becomes visible. Silent often means approval.

3) Walk in wisdom

Verses 15-17

We are called to imitate His Walk and be Godly models to impact others for Christ.

Building a Household of faith

Sunday Sermon by Preacher Lo Yi Ping

31 July 206 

John 4, 9 &  20:31

Household of faith

Occupants In a house having complete trust and confidence in God

Faith is the assurance of things hoped for And convictions of things not seen

John 4:43-55 Jesus healed the official's son

 47 When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.

48 "Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders," Jesus told him, "you will never believe."

49 The royal official said, "Sir, come down before my child dies."

50 Jesus replied, "You may go. Your son will live."

The man took Jesus at his word and departed.

53 Then the father realised that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live." So he and all his household believed.

54 This was the second miraculous sign that Jesus performed, having come from Judea to Galilee.

How do we build faith ? 

Through believing the Word V 50

Through experiencing miracles together V 52

Through hearing V 47

Through telling John 4:39-42

39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I ever did." 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41 And because of his words many more became believers.

42 They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Saviour of the world."

John 9:1-41 Do you believe ? 

Jesus healed the blind man from birth. 

Believe Jesus is Christ and have life in his name. 

Marriage

IT Marriage, Christ & The Church

Ephesians 5:18-33

 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Wives and Husbands 

22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Saviour. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no-one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church- 30 for we are members of his body. 31 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." 32 This is a profound mystery-but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

What do we learn about marriage from this passage ? 

Origin of marriage is from God. V 31-32 Matt 19:4-6

This is made by God and his idea for all mankind. 

Nature of marriage V 22-25, 28-30, 33

Rev 19:7-9 Blessed are those invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.

Eternal purpose of marriage - Church as bride of Christ

Parallels between marriage and the gospel

Identity - oneness and new, your people, my people

Covenant - a commitment to one another and shine for Christ

Mutual submission - V 21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Colossians 3:16 

 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

We must rely on the Holy Spirit and practice mutual submission if we are to experience faithful and fulfilling marriage and faithful and fulfilling church.