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00:01 Okay. So, this year we're going to start off with the purpose of the church and
00:06 two images there. To some people, the church is the image on the left. It's
00:12 traditional. It's sacred. It's holy. You come to the church.
00:20 So, some other people, the younger people, the church is on the other image is hallelujah. Oh, man.
00:28 So, which is FBC? And is our church God's church?
00:36 And I'm very glad this morning God has set us on that note. We have brother Yedian talking about the family of God.
00:44 We have the prayers of sending off our family, Sister Jenny. And we're going to start off with one simple question to
00:50 all of you here. Why are you here?
00:55 Why are you here in FBC? Ask that questions as we start off the new year. Let's come before God in
01:02 prayer. Lord, we just ask for humility for myself. No grandstanding,
01:08 no ego. We ask as we start off this year, we ask this simple question as why are we here
01:15 in FBC? What is our purpose to be in FBC? Why did God put us in FBC together?
01:25 Let us just ask this question as we move forward to build a healthy church based
01:30 on scripture. And we say this in Jesus' name. Amen. Now the church is defined in
01:36 a dictionary as a place. So you will have people ask you where are you going? I'm going to church.
01:43 No, I'm going to church this Sunday. But we all know that church actually
01:49 biblically doesn't refer to a building. It refers to people. The Greek word ecclesia means the called out people.
01:57 There are two words there. One, people. And here's another thing which you must
02:03 understand is important is called out, pulled out, taken out, called out,
02:11 called out by God. But just you what it means is just because you put a bunch of
02:17 guys into a building doesn't make them church you know. So here's something quite let's start a bit depressing by
02:24 the end will be quite uplifting. Just because people come and sit in the church doesn't make it a church. This is
02:30 brother Chuchan's favorite movie. He won't tell you that his favorite movie. Okay. And of course this is I I love the
02:37 trilogy. There's a lot of uh social commentaries on it and one of the most famous scenes from the first of it. Dawn
02:42 of the planet of the apes. Uh Caesar of course the main character uh has a
02:47 conversation with orang Utan called Moraurice. Since when you name orang Utan Morris is beyond me but anyway. And
02:54 he tells Maurice apes together strong
03:02 Christians together strong.
03:07 All of you in church together strong.
03:12 A Boris reply is ape stupid. Ape stupid.
03:19 Why? Because the camera cuts to one of the most understated scenes in cinema to
03:25 me. After he says ape strong, it cuts to a scene where the apes starts to fight.
03:33 They throw things at one another. They squabble over a bag of chips.
03:39 Isn't that church? Yeah, this person he offended me. I go
03:44 to another church. What you say there about me? Uh fight.
03:50 Oh, we don't get involved in that part. We we are here. One day uh a friend told
03:55 me you know uh he was in a golf club. You know the golf club there. You know
04:01 the people sitting there whiskey group. This one sitting here golf group. That
04:08 one sitting there lawyer group. I don't know why the lawyers always can one you know. Now you know careful the church is
04:15 like that. Oh you see that one there? This one gang uh this one another gang another gang
04:21 apes stupid. Is FBC stupid?
04:27 We have to ask ours a question. Now let me take it one step further. If you meet someone out there who's not a Christian
04:34 and you tell him he's a Christian, what's the first question ask you? You Protestant or Catholic,
04:40 correct or not? I mean like it's like Homer Simpson know the joke. You go up there, you expect heaven to be divided,
04:46 you know? Uh God, is there a place for baptism?
04:52 This morning as you and I meet here, many other churches meet and you would
04:59 love to believe the churches are together strong. But one church will accuse another
05:06 church. You know, this church is not Bible based. This church doesn't move in
05:11 the spirit. This church is selling itself out to pander to the needs of
05:17 others. This church is very judgmental. Churches are not united. Some people say
05:24 churches should be big. Other people say churches should be small. Other people say churches should
05:30 use music, band, guitar. Other churches say you must only use your voices.
05:38 And this is something I really struggled with. So this morning, we're going to look at a general view of this very
05:45 complex topic and perhaps get some sense of it. And I'm going to give you three points. The first two are found in
05:53 scripture. The third to me is you ask me the fundamental identity of the church
06:00 and the church as the people of God, the church as the body of Christ and the
06:06 church as the worshiing community. Now bear with me at this as we need to go
06:11 through scripture a little bit to understand and move away some of assumptions. Now when you talk the word
06:16 people of God you find this in revelations and at the end of revelations let me
06:22 just give you a little bit revelations. People think revelation they think all these images are prophecy they forget
06:28 that revelation starts off with a letter to seven churches and it ends with the
06:36 church. We call this the universal church. And
06:41 we're going to look at the universal church as the people of God. And then we're going to look at the local church
06:46 as the body of Christ. And the church universal at the end of time. This is
06:54 how it says. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, look, God's dwelling place is now among the people
07:03 and he will dwell with them. It is God and his people and he will wipe away
07:10 every tear and he will be their God and they will be his people. Now when you
07:17 see and hear these words you would realize they are Old Testament language.
07:25 So here's the first common I would propose to you a wrong
07:31 assumption people make. The first is they assume the church began in the book of acts all with the great commission
07:39 acts two the believers met together daily is great but you could take it
07:45 further back now here's where I think if you read a lot of books everyone gives you a lot of
07:50 views I'm going to give you after a lot of study what I think this tells you yeah first it tells you that the
07:59 foundation of the church is at creation ation. Let me get my Bible out. Sorry,
08:04 in my headphone. Okay. And this is what you find in Ephesians. You see Ephesians
08:12 chapter one, God says that he predestined all of us. The very famous verse Ephesians 1:4. Everyone knows
08:19 that. And everyone takes Ephesians 1:4 as talking to ourselves. For he chose us
08:24 in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.
08:30 People read choose us as individual but the context doesn't say that. If you
08:36 read the end of the chapter of Ephesians 1, he say this and God placed all things
08:42 under his feet verse 22 and appointed him to be head over everything for the
08:49 church which is his body. The fullness of him fulfills everything in every way.
08:57 The church is God's plan from creation.
09:02 Here's the second mistake a lot of people who write books about churches say. They say the template for the
09:08 church is Israel. That doesn't go far enough.
09:14 Acts doesn't go far enough. Israel doesn't go far enough. If you take this
09:20 language, it goes back to the Abrahamic covenant. This is your building block and the root
09:28 of the church. And a lot of people miss this. I I'll share with you a few very
09:33 good books. Very very good theologians will pick this up. And why is it the
09:38 Abrahamic covenant? Because this is after sin, after the flood, and after
09:44 man tries to do his own church, the tower of Babel. And God says this is the
09:51 people trying to do it. Now the people of God will do it. And God says, "I will make you into a great nation. I will
09:59 bless you. I will make your name great. You will be a blessing. I will bless those who will bless you. Whoever curses
10:05 you will curse." And here's the mandate of the church. All peoples on earth will be blessed
10:14 through FBC and every other local church.
10:20 That's why Paul brings this up again in Romans about the engrafted branches. He brings this up again at the seed of
10:27 Abraham. The building block of the church is the Abraham covenant, not
10:32 Israel, not X. They follow after that. Let me show you a pattern. Okay. Number
10:38 one, God called one man. Abraham. After he called out one man, what did he
10:45 do? He called out one family. Which family is that? Anyone of you Bible
10:51 Bible students? He called out Jacob after he caught out one man. After he
10:58 caught out one family, he called out one nation, Israel. You see the pattern? And then
11:06 finally, he called out the church. To understand the church, you need to see
11:12 the patterns in all of this. This is your blueprint. This is where we start
11:17 to build the church. So here's the big picture. Church isn't just us.
11:24 Church is many churches. And the vision for us is to bless the nations. The
11:33 great commission reads into this. Acts reads into this. The history of Israel
11:38 reads into this. So here's the first point. The church exists to glorify God,
11:46 not to serve our needs. Now, I want to pick up something Sister Jenny said.
11:52 Let's be honest. We all came with needs.
11:57 Some of us were just lonely, so we came to church. Hopefully, we find friends. Takes a lot to say that, huh?
12:05 Some of us came because we wanted a place for our kids. Some of us, it's just habit. that every
12:11 Sunday you used to go to church. I just came to Sububang, move here, go to church law.
12:17 So we all came with needs. But if you take the Abraham covenant, what is
12:24 saying that God's view is to take man who individual and transform him into a
12:33 spiritual family to use the words of brother Yidian. And here's the first
12:38 indictment of the church. They call this the church of the you
12:44 know what they call this the church of the revolving door. I come to FBC
12:50 because I have needs. After a while my needs are met.
12:56 So I center the church on myself. After a while I fight with somebody or my
13:02 children get into an argument or I don't like the elders. I don't like Arnold. He talk too much.
13:08 This fellow big mouth offend me. So I do what? I go shopping for church. I shop.
13:15 I go to another church in UJA. I go to CLA. Oh, you know I'm a young person.
13:21 Oh, all people here 50 years old, very old worship so boring. Unless of course when
13:27 Brandon worshiped. Then I go to PJ. Wow, this church shock man.
13:36 Shock. You see where we going with that? Uh one one very famous theologian from
13:42 Singapore Simon Chan to me the best book on church which I read he said the church operates in what we call a free
13:49 market capitalism. We are cannibalizing and competing for
13:55 members. Wow. Since the young people don't like FBC, we position FBC for
14:01 older people. We have more food. We do progress or that what that what really
14:07 work. We brand the church. So people he called it the church has
14:14 become a service provider. So you come to church this church got something from our kids thick. How's the
14:21 worship? Worship fits my style of music. Thick sermon. Oh very chong especially
14:26 honor speaks. Oh not so thick. Thick thick. Okay I stay.
14:33 But that's not church. The Abraham covenant tells you you are
14:38 here to bless the nations. You come here because God wants to
14:44 change you and I to impact the community to repent of our sins to make us love
14:52 people we don't like. We betan. That is the purpose of the church. It
14:58 exists to glorify God. I'll tell you how we do that. But let's get the big picture right. Secondly, the church is a
15:06 Sunday in everyday community. If you take the great commission and you take
15:12 the Abraham covenant and you line them both up, you find the language is very
15:17 similar. Look at what Jesus says. I will make you disciples of all nations
15:24 and all. And what does God tells Abraham? The all peoples on earth will
15:30 be blessed through you. It means church doesn't exist just on
15:35 Sunday. Tomorrow the church is going to go to work. The church is going to go home. The
15:42 church is going to play pingpong on Thursday. The church is going to go jogging in the park because you and I
15:49 are ambassadors. And you power up on Sunday. That's a
15:55 function of church. to power up on Sunday so that God sends you out on Monday to Saturday to reach the nations
16:03 and bless the nations. Where do you find support of this? We find this in many parts of the text. Jeremiah,
16:10 go and settle down in a country you really don't like with NEP policies.
16:16 Have children and prosper. But that's not the main aim. Jeremiah tells them in
16:22 exile and when you prosper the nation will prosper. We see this in the work of
16:28 Paul with the church. It was always in places of influence Corin port city Rome
16:35 and he used his own influence in Ephesus to know the top officials and we have to
16:40 have a big picture of the church either that the church becomes a holy huddle
16:45 and Daniel puts it very well. He says it is crucial for Christians to get involved in nation building because of
16:53 the theological understanding of who God is. I will say what church is. Christians should speak out and work to
16:59 maintain truth, righteousness and justice for all values which reflect God's heart because the church images
17:07 God to take the words of Jonathan Leman. Christians should also be concerned about how this world is run and care for
17:15 the things in it. having been given the responsibility of his stewardship. Why? Because the church reflects the kingdom
17:22 of God. You are a little heaven here. We must get involved at every level of
17:27 society as much as possible, as far as possible, as deep as possible.
17:35 This is how you and I are a blessing to the nations. And this is the big picture
17:43 of the mandate of the church. When we build disciples, do evangelism, do church life, we don't
17:50 do this to form our own little club. We do this to reach out. And here last
17:57 point, the church is a pilgrim church. And this is where the entire history is
18:03 important. God caught out Abraham. Wow, did he really screw up, man. So he
18:10 decided to help God with his wife. had a son called Ishmael. Up to today, we
18:16 still fighting with the sons of Ishmael. So God called out Jacob.
18:24 This guy I really like because can s you know he was snaky.
18:30 His mother was snaky. His wife was snaky. His uncle was snaky.
18:38 He was dysfunctional as a father. His son like to brag.
18:45 He was not very perfect. Then God caught out
18:51 Israel. Not because they were the most bountiful, not because they best. Boy, did Israel screw up. So when God called
18:59 out the church, the church is going to be screwed up. So here sometimes some people tell you,
19:07 I'm looking for a church which is pure. are looking for a godly church. Are
19:14 looking for a church where people are morally upright. I tell you, don't go to that church. You're going to spoil that
19:19 church. You see, all of us are sinners.
19:24 I I I will tell a little bit about myself. I mean, uh my wife always remind me, hey, now you're elder. Don't be too
19:31 don't be too l. That's why God gave you wives, you know.
19:37 You always take to promote yourself. I don't. Okay. Yes. Yes, wife. Yes, wife.
19:42 Let me tell you a bit. I struggle with that. Some people think that I know I'm second
19:47 in line to take over Peter. Let me try to burst your bubble because I don't feel worthy. I'll tell
19:54 you from the bottom of my heart. Nothing makes me feel happier than to quit preaching. I'll tell you.
20:01 But God has other plans. God wants to use us as sinners.
20:06 And God told me, "Change a bit every day." Now, here's what God wants to do to all of you. He'll whisper in your
20:14 ear, "You are useless. You're a hypocrite.
20:19 You lead a double life. Better you just come to church, sit in a corner there
20:24 like where you've been doing for the last 30 years. That's it." That's a lie of the devil.
20:30 The church is a pilgrim church. God used Abraham because he was on a
20:37 journey to righteousness. God used Jacob's family. It was a
20:43 journey to righteousness. God used Israel through the wilderness, through
20:48 exile as a journey to righteousness. And God will use us, you and I, imperfect on
20:56 the journey to righteousness. How do we do that? In the words of Martin Luther King, if you can't fly,
21:04 run. If you can't run,
21:11 walk. If you can't walk, crawl.
21:18 Whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward. You sit
21:26 there and you've been doing that for the last 15 years. You are just moving backward every day. But you say every
21:34 day, God, I will try to be a bit more righteous and I can do that because of the grace given to me because Jesus, he
21:40 washed away my sins. His love so fills me Lord that God this is your church and
21:47 I together with brothers and sisters will help me and together we will move forward. And this is why Paul said,
21:54 "This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind my sins, all my
22:00 achievements, everything he had, reaching forth to those which are before
22:05 me, I press towards the mark for the price of the high calling of God in
22:11 Christ Jesus." And we said this, he addressed the church. So I challenge you in this new year.
22:18 Don't make this like any other year. Start off the year by asking yourself, why are you here in FBC? There's no such
22:27 thing as PR status in the church. This is not Australia or Canada. You're
22:34 either a citizen of the kingdom or you're not. Number two, there's no such thing as a long-term visitor.
22:42 We don't have visa here. One, you know, you're either in or you're out.
22:49 And here's again why the whole Abrahamic covenant is interesting because every
22:54 time out of a group he calls he will call a smaller remnant
22:59 out of Israel out of exile a smaller remnant out of Jacob's family Joseph
23:05 pulls out not all the other brothers and out of the church there will be a smaller remnant just because you come to
23:12 ABC doesn't mean you're going to go out there you know you're either a citizen of the kingdom of God you're not And if
23:19 you're sitting there, you're feeling very depressed because honor is depressing you again,
23:25 learn to crawl. Because when you crawl, you will walk.
23:32 And when you walk, you will run. And when you run, one day you will fly.
23:40 Amen. I'm going to start on that. All right. Secondly, the body of Christ. Again, very famous verse from first
23:46 Corinthians. Now, what's interesting, I'm going to give you two things about it. The context is the Holy Spirit. I
23:53 want you to pick that up. It's important. We're going to go to Acts after a while. But look at what Paul says. He uses two extreme groups. Jews
24:01 or Gentiles. Both cannot tan one another. Here's for something about church unity.
24:08 Slave or free. The slave was the poorest. He had no access. The free.
24:14 During those time, you had to buy your citizenship. One is very rich, one is very poor. Then the other two is two
24:21 groups of people cannot tahan. Now take that in mind. And he calls them the body of Christ. Now let me tell you why
24:26 people go to church. Because psychologically you and I are wired to be tribal. That's
24:34 why some of us got drinking kakila. Some of us got mama stall kakila, tennis
24:40 kakila, golf kakila. We all have gangs and friends. We are
24:46 not wired to be alone. So what is happening? Why are so many churches filled? Because simply the church is
24:52 part of my tribe. You see the moment you put yourself center of anything, you
24:58 expect the church to fit your needs. And this is where the trouble starts. Now
25:03 you can then start to see this in church. I want to address now
25:09 ministries. I want to say this in love. Some people come they stay they very
25:14 involved in a certain ministry they feel very empowered they feel very
25:19 contributing but church is my ministry you don't catch out me you know the
25:25 other ministry I don't want to know when I was in Australia we had uh people from
25:30 a certain Chinese fellowship group they were very active on campus but they came to church all sat at the back they
25:36 didn't do anything that is not the kingdom of god you see the Church is supposed to reflect heaven
25:43 a bit. So people come in there, they must see diverse groups of people working together. So here's the first to
25:50 all you ministry leaders. Ministries must work together. The moment you make your ministry, the
25:57 only little thing you do, you are doing selfactualization. You just don't realize it. The church is fulfilling
26:04 your basic need for respect and you know meaning but you are not
26:12 being in the kingdom of God. Let me just pick this up a little bit. You see Christ extended the book of acts he will
26:18 come again. In the meantime you and I telling everybody come and know Jesus. The world is saying I don't see Jesus.
26:27 You are telling everyone God loved you, died for your sins. I can't see God. I
26:34 can't see Jesus. What can the outside people see? Look at you. Look at me.
26:41 They see the church. Unless the church demonstrates heaven,
26:48 unless the church demonstrates Christ, you will never reach out to people.
26:55 That's why you always start with the gospel. The gospel shows us that God loved you
27:03 and I so much. That is your power. So here's the starting point. You put 800 people here. Some of us very thick
27:09 skinned like me. Some of you very sensitive. Some of you shoot out your mouth like to
27:17 go and say things like me. Some of you very quiet, don't say anything like talking to a stone.
27:23 We all different. You put everybody together here. Sure got problem.
27:30 Sure got issues. So how do you get people to move? You fill them with the
27:36 gospel and you remind them to forgive one another. You remind them to love
27:41 each other deeply. Remind them how Jesus died for them. When they do that, they
27:46 become community. And when they learn to leave each other deeply, they learn not to be so su here confight over small
27:55 things. They learn to look beyond their needs. What do they do? They then become
27:60 missions. Hey, it looks like our church statement. Must be a coincidence. Obviously,
28:07 this is why this is our mission statement. Let me try to break it down
28:13 in more reality for you. There's a big debate out there. Should a church should be big or should a church be small?
28:21 Okay. Now you look at the Acts, book of Acts. The first time Peter spoke, how
28:26 many people got converted or became disciples? 3,000.
28:32 That's a mega church. Then the chapter shifts and the text says they met
28:37 together daily at the temple courts. That's a mini church. Now what does it tell you? What it tells you? God doesn't
28:44 care whether your church is big or your church is small. It can be all size. You
28:51 know, uh sometimes insecurity comes in. We like to brag. I had I had lunch with
28:56 uh dinner with my cousin in Singapore. Not everyone's like you. Let me just
29:02 explain a bit. So I went to brag to my cousin. My church are 800 people. W never ever brag about the size of your
29:09 church to a Singaporean except you love because he's from reformed church. Wow.
29:15 My wife, my cousin's wife like took a deep breath because he was waiting. Come on, say it. Say it. Say it. So I had to
29:21 ask her, "How big is your church?" Very, very colorful questions. So deep breath.
29:27 My church, she I bought me 6,000 members. Wow. I had to go hide my face,
29:32 you know. Then to rub it in even more you know I know when we have church camp
29:38 we cannot find a hotel in Malaysia big enough for us you know we got to book Putra giant Marriott book already still
29:46 not enough we take the palm hotel we got to take two hotel okay I get it
29:55 but church can be big can be small let's not argue whether it should be a house
29:60 church whether the best model of church should be a city church or small churches. The church is all size,
30:10 all people, all generation. It's intergenerational.
30:17 Now, here's an indictment to us in love. If you take that and this is how heaven
30:23 is going to be like, church should be populated by people like this.
30:29 Now, let's look around and see how many of these people are in ABC. Now see a lot of Chinese people
30:37 very few Indians see a lot of 50 year old men women
30:43 look very upper class to me don't see any drug addicts
30:49 but but you see where we're going with this now we start off the year by doing an indictment on ourselves
30:57 I ask you a simple question if you go and ask the one mineller or Kan fellow
31:03 just opposite courtyard mall and say hey tomorrow you come to church with me you think he come to church
31:08 he come in so look at you get scared already all run off ready until we have it in our heart you know
31:18 that church is this we are not showing the kingdom of god and at this point I'd like to thank
31:24 those who have stepped up sister who does work with the Nepali brother Sam
31:29 who does a lot of work with the poor pastor Pastor Rama who does street feeding, Pastor Lawrence with Maria's
31:36 home, brother Jim who does work among those who have special needs. They are
31:41 doing this. By the way, in church, you don't subcontract this workout. What do we did
31:48 not subcontract this out to Saoong or Pastor Rama? It is my responsibility and
31:53 your responsibility. So, here's a very little simple test we can do. Like we say, we learn to crawl first before we
31:59 learn to fly. Yeah. So, we're going to crawl today. After church service today,
32:05 a lot of you are going to migrate out there to the table and then you have all your regular kaki.
32:11 This is what Peter told the assembly leaders yesterday. I thought it was really very simple and profound. You
32:17 start off this year by inviting a newcomer to your table. Can or not? We're not going to break you up.
32:24 Make it your goal this year wherever you're sitting in your own little tribe.
32:29 Tribe, I use the word again that meets your needs because you all same kaki.
32:35 Make it this year's goal to invite two or three people to join your table. You do that. By the end of this year, we
32:42 will have three people. If you get two people per table, we have 20 people. You see where we go with this? Learn to
32:48 crawl. Then learn to walk. Take small steps. But if year in year out the
32:54 church is just made out of upper middle class Chinese speaking folk and we cannot get more Indians in our church
33:00 more poorer people in our church more people of that we are not showing the kingdom of God and it may maybe if we
33:08 are honest with ourselves in our deepest heart we don't want them here we don't
33:15 mind giving money you go worship another church but don't come into my church
33:21 think about this and let me just end with this on this second part is this.
33:26 Look, it's not easy to love the poor or the disabled or people are different
33:34 color skins. It's not easy for 50 year old people to love young people. It's very hard for young people to love older
33:40 people. We rather go with our own gang and be our own tribe. And that's why
33:46 again acts is such an important model because when you look at acts two when we say the believers had everything in
33:53 common they love one another. It got is beginning from Pentecost.
33:59 You can only do it if the holy spirit comes upon us because naturally I don't want to love a lot of some people. Some
34:05 people I cannot you also cannot me see me also walk the other way. Not everybody but we all human.
34:12 very easy to talk to you all but it's not easy to do this. We need the spirit
34:17 and in this case I think we owe a favor to the charismatic church because word-based churches miss this and this
34:25 is why I lead to the last point. The most important point we want to pick up today is the church is the worshiing
34:33 community. Now I want to close with this point. I ask you a question. Why are Christians
34:39 like to sing? Huh? Go for funeral must sing.
34:46 Buddhist go sing at funeral. Not Muslims going to sing a funeral. Hind only Christians funeral sing. Go for wedding
34:52 must sing. Come to church must sing. Go to small
34:58 group must sing. Sing sing. What's with you people? Why every time
35:05 want to sing? Now there's a reason for it. Now I worshiping can be many things but let me
35:12 just go back a little bit and here's one of the divisions in church. Some people like all our younger people they like
35:18 that kind of worship. Wow. I better not do it. I look very stupid as a 50. Why you doing that? That's for
35:25 a worship service. That's planet shakers. Some of you older people see it heart
35:31 attack man. What is this? Turn the church into a rock concert.
35:37 the older people like the other one. Hallelu Hallelu.
35:44 Now the function of the church in its
35:50 fundamental identity is worship. You miss that we miss everything
35:57 because worship is where the Holy Spirit flows
36:02 is where empowerment happens. When we as a church worship,
36:10 the spirit anoints. And then when the church goes out to Monday to Saturday in a world that hates
36:18 you, in a job where your boss is going to say things about you, people backstab you, in your family where you have
36:25 problem, in broken marriages, in all of that, when the spirit goes upon us as a
36:31 church, the spirit anoints. That's what Pentecost is teaching you. And when Pentecost came upon them, that's why in
36:40 Acts two, the church could meet together, love one another, and that's why their numbers grew grew daily.
36:48 You miss this, you miss why you sing. And I said it before, then you're just doing Christian koke.
36:56 How do we find that? Let me give you one key verse, and it's from Hebrews. And Hebrews says this. Now you read the way
37:02 the two texts are tied. The first one's on singing through Jesus. Therefore, let
37:08 us continually offer to God a what? Sacrifice of praise. That's singing.
37:15 Huh? The fruit of lips that openly profess his name. You see, God's not
37:20 concerned about form. Whether you want to do hill songs, planet shakers, or wesley hymns. Now, look at the second
37:27 verse and see how the two are tied. And do not forget to do good and to share
37:32 with others. That's what you and I do every day. You know what's that got to do with verse 15? Look at the key verse.
37:40 And with such sacrifices, God is pleased. What is the key word in verse 15 and verse 16 which
37:49 is repeated? Come on, guys. Sacrifice.
37:56 The Hebrew writer is telling you if you come to church and you worship like
38:02 that, hallelu, hallelu,
38:07 hurry up, lunchtime, hungry, you can forget about the Holy Spirit
38:14 coming in and you can forget about being a
38:19 blessing to the nations on Monday to Saturday. We're going to road test this afterwards with a closing song. Take
38:26 this seriously. How you worship on Sunday affects how you worship the rest
38:32 of the week. Now, we can take worship beyond just singing. It's about prayer and and sermons, everything. But this
38:38 morning, I want to concentrate on singing because I think that's one area learn to crawl. Small little things we
38:44 can do. That's the evangelical problem. The carries many problem with hallelu
38:52 hallelu shock man. Hallelujah. God, I love you. I love you. Monday, forget ready. Got
38:59 high m got high already. So scripture tells us this. You worship in spirit and
39:08 truth. That's why worship must take you back to the cross.
39:14 So what we going to do afterwards? I'm going to close in a short while. I'm going to encourage you to start off this
39:19 year by singing to God from the deepest of voice. You want to raise your hands.
39:25 You raise your hands. You want to stand straight. You stand straight. But please don't put your hands in the pocket. Please don't play your handful. And you
39:32 and I as a body, as a spiritual family,
39:37 as the temple of the Holy Spirit, that's what we are. We going to say, "How great
39:45 thou art." Amen. And I will tell you this when we sing
39:52 together how great thou art focusing God you are great because Christ died for me
39:60 and your love so overflows me. I'm going to go out there to work tomorrow and I'm
40:07 going to be your ambassador and I will bless the nations. I'll look for
40:13 opportunities to share the good news and we will then make disciples of the whole
40:18 world. So let me just end as we bring up the worship theme.
40:24 The church is the people of God. The church is the body of Christ. The church
40:30 is the worshiing community. The church is not a football field and you are not
40:35 a spectators. They call this in business the 8020 rule. the paleto principle
40:40 where 20% of the church does 80% of the work. The church is all of you. It
40:46 should be the other way around. It should be 80% and 20% don't do. You know why? Because the 20% should be
40:52 newcomers. So this morning I want to start off on new year resolution.
40:59 Would you start off your new year resolution by taking a small step to be part of the
41:07 church? I'm going to encourage you all to do three things. One,
41:13 be a member of the church. It took me a long time to be a member,
41:19 but I'm going to encourage you now. If you are not comfortable, talk to us. Why?
41:25 Because membership is vital. Because membership shows your body of Christ. If you've been a church for many years,
41:30 you're not a member, I humbly ask you to ask why. Number two,
41:37 join a small group. If you're not a small group, ask why?
41:43 Because the church is both big, 3,000 members, and it's family. If
41:48 you're not family, you're not a small group, you're not family. Lastly,
41:54 serve. because you don't serve, you're not in the body of Christ.
42:02 Now you sit there and you're hesitating. And again, I say
42:08 crawl. And when you crawl, you will
42:13 walk. And when you walk, you will run.
42:19 And when the church runs, the church will fly.
42:24 And we the people of God will show everyone out here
42:31 this this is the image of God. This is the
42:37 image of heaven. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
42:42 Press forward. Press towards God. Lord, we just come before you now as we
42:48 prepare our hearts to sing how great thou art. And Lord, we recognize there
42:54 is power when two or three are gathered in your names. So when we as a body of
42:60 Christ, as the temple of the Holy Spirit, as the spiritual family, oh
43:06 Lord, as we gather as a worshshiping community, and we lift our voices to you
43:12 to glorify you, to worship you, there is anointing,
43:18 there is power. The spirit will move towards us and the spirit will fill us,
43:24 energize us and tomorrow when we go to work, we will be your ambassadors and we
43:30 will bless the nations. We will go forth and make disciples of all men and we
43:36 will wait for your return. And we say it in Jesus name. Amen. Shall we rise and we going to sing?
