Hear

God

 Speaks

God redeemed us and he called us

There is a purpose

So that you and I might serve the living God.

When we go thru the scriptures, the best and noble person to follow, and to copy is none other than the Son of the Living God Jesus Christ. Yes, to follow Jesus- the son of Living God, He became the Son of Man to leave his throne of glory to be a blessing  and  to serve mankind. And if you and I want to serve like Jesus serve. We have to behold Jesus. Our best model and our best example  and when you and I behold Jesus. The Son of the Living God. You will discover how Jesus went about serving God the Father while he was on this earth. How does Jesus serve God His Father. As a child of God, we too  want to imitate and follow after the footsteps of Jesus Christ. When you and I  behold Jesus, you will discover how Jesus the son of the living God serve God His Father.

First of all, we discover in the 4 gospels. From the scriptures,  Jesus has love for the individual. He does not care whether you are rich, poor, young, old, educated  or you are illiterate. All these do not impressed the Master. It might impressed our fellowman. If are rich, influential, educated, others might be influenced by your riches, wealth, knowledge, understanding. Because Jesus love us the way we are, He does not care if we are rich, poor, young, old, educated or illiterate Jesus love us  the way we are and as an individual and when you want to serve God like Jesus. You have to follow after footstep of Jesus

Religious People

In John Chapter 3, Jesus has loved for religious people. The whole chapter tells us that there was a man who came to Jesus by night. Nicodemus came to Jesus by night. He was religious, full of knowledge pertaining to God. But deep in his heart, there is no hope and no assurance. He was troubled  and disturbed about where would he go. Jesus Christ, son of the Living God was very sympathetic and understanding to entertain Nicodemus who came to him at night. Most of us are not aware that Jesus has to walk over 10-15 km  each day. Jesus do not depend on the camel or  donkey. Using both of his legs given by God – ministering to people. A person who walks so much is physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted at night, at home at night you are so tired and exhausted- you want to be alone. Do not visit me- because I am so exhausted. Nicodemus a religious person came to Jesus by night in John 3:2. Next week being 1 +1 , you are to invite religious person- full of religious knowledge. But deep in the individual heart- unless the individual has encounter with the man of Galilee- rest assured there is no assurance deep in the heart of the individual. So Nicodemus was full of religion m in his head and heart but deep inside in his spirit he was so disturbed and troubled and he could not sleep at night. He look toward his left, right, front and back to make sure no one was looking at him silently, secretly and following him before  he sneak out from his house. Jesus did not say whether you have an appointment with me. Some company and firm  has secretary to make appointment to see the big boss or superiors. Who are you and do you want  to make an appointment. Thank God with Jesus- any time is appointment time with Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God. So he came to Jesus at night-he said  “Rabbi/ teacher- I have been observing your life- and came to a conclusion that no man can perform the miraculous signs that you are performing except God is with him” Jesus said that except a man be born of the spirit, born of the spirit , born of the spirit (John 3: v5, v6, v 8)  spirit is repeated  3 times - born again- the individual cannot  see / enter the kingdom of God. If not for this short visit / dialogue that Jesus has with this religious man, brothers and sisters you will not be enjoying John 3:16 and Jesus expounded the golden verse in  John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that he gave  us His only begotten son so that  for whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

So religious people can get saved - do not be too quick to resign in our mind that religious people cannot be saved or give up hope. There so many religious people that God is moving in such a great way to the realities of Jesus Christ. In Thailand, religious monks coming to the know the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  They study Buddhism and do meditation for years. But deep in their heart, there is no assurance of life after death. So brothers and sisters- next Sunday being 1 + 1, if you have religious friend a Buddhist, Hindu, Taoist and religion of this part of the world. Invite them.  Hopefully, the Word of God will penetrate their heart. God so love them. Jesus has love for religious people. I was talking to a man of over 70 years. He claimed to be Buddhist for over 30 over years. I said you have been a Buddhist for so many years- 30 yrs. I zeroed in on the question. When you die where will you go. He said he do not know. I said  you have been in this religion for over 30 over years and you do not know when you depart from this world where are you heading.

It is like someone hopping into a taxi and the taxi driver ask where are you heading and you said I do not know. You are in a train – and a passenger ask you where are you going.  You said I do not know. You are in an airplane and suddenly the next person ask you where are you going, and you said I do not know where I am going  just enjoying the ride. No such thing.

No such thing when you board a taxi, train, plane – you do not know where you are going. Many people are riding on religious taxi, train/ wagon and plane. But they do not know where they are going. Therefore it is our responsibility if we want to serve like Jesus Christ. May I encourage  you brothers and sisters to love religious people- they can get saved.

Some of you once upon time are very religious - Some of you are staunch Catholics-   You said I am a Catholic and I will die as Catholic- No one can change me. No one can change you- thank God He changed you and today you have been born anew- Hallelujah. So do not give up hope. Have a personal conversation with them, you will discover they are searching for assurance. They are searching for assurance – where will they go if they leave this world. Seize the opportunity and utilise it wisely  to reach out. I will reach out to my religious neighbours, friends, colleagues so that they too can come to know Jesus.

 Sinful People

From John 3 we traveled down to John Chapter 4:6. Jesus came to  village of Sychar one of the town in Samaria. He was weary and tired and exhausted. Jesus the Son of God was subjected to weariness and to tiredness. So sometimes you think the Lord  you do not understand that I am tired. Cheer up- He understand. When he was on earth – he was subjected to  tiredness. In  Matt 4:2, After fasting for 40 days, He was hungry . Some of you are hungry. You say please do not preach too long. My stomach is complaining. Empty vessel makes a lot of noise that is why it makes noise. It complains and find fault with you. Jesus was hungry and but did not entertain the suggestion given by the tempter. Jesus sleep in the boat and suddenly the storm invaded the sea and water enter the boat and the boat was about to capsized, Jesus was sound asleep He was not disturbed or troubled  in the midst of the waves. The son of God He is in control. So in Hebrews 4:15 That Jesus being our high priest, He was tempted in all ways like we are. He is sympathetic and He understands. I might not understand – why brother and sister so-and-so is sleeping/ snoring  in the church this morning. Jesus will not misjudge you because He knows and understands maybe last night you were trying to solve some problems on your computer and you burn midnight oil and as result you are exhausted.

In John 4, Jesus was having a conversation with this sinful Samaritan woman.  And in verse 10 Jesus introduced to her  if you know the wonderful gift of God who is He speaking to you, and would have asked and He will give you the living water. But this woman said the well is deep and do not have the ropes and buckets. In case you forget, I want to remind you that the well is deep and how are you  going to bring the water up. The finite trying to inform infinite. He is omniscience and He knows everything. The son of the living God knows that  the well is deep. Thank you Samaritan woman for informing/ reminding the Son of God. In case the Man of Galilee does not know. Jesus has a heart for sinful people. I think the church as a whole has failed. We have failed. Failed. Why so many youths  turn to drugs because they find life to be bored. In church, they do not experience the reality of Jesus- just the sit and stand and sit and stand, but man is searching for realities to satisfy their doubting souls. Because inside them, it  is empty.

Some of them  turn to drugs, tobacco, drinking. Let us not have this holy art thou attitude. I am very holy and  very pious, I am saved, you sinful wicked  sinners you are doomed for hell. Let us not display this kind of attitude towards sinful people, because sinful people are searching and seeking for realities. We have the realities in Jesus, the bread of Life and the living water. He quenched our thirst. What are we doing. Do you give a portion or share. Or we just enjoy selfishly onto ourselves. Jesus did not despise this Samaritan woman even though Jesus knows she was a sinful lady. He accompany her and talk to her about the living water. If any man drink from this water  that person will thirst again and again but whosoever thank God drink of the water I shall give him shall never thirst again. We have been quenched and satisfy. Let us not be selfish. Taking drugs, drinking, smoking and other sinful activities, have it not been for the grace of God, I think none of us are here this morning. It is because of His grace.  That is why we stick to Jesus. Sinful things do not satisfy. Hallelujah Praise God.

Rich People

Jesus not only love religious and sinful people, Jesus also love rich people.  Not because of their riches. I know of preachers who love rich people because rich people has monies. You look at me as though you do not know. You also know some of them.  They love rich people and they only visit rich people. They have the name tag, tel, hp and fax number  of these members in their church. They can quote it but when you ask them to quote the scriptures- they can not quote.

Jesus love the rich because the rich have a soul.  How do we know. In Luke 19:2, there was man by the name of Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector and  wealthy man. How did Zacchaeus accumulated his wealth. We can speculate. Maybe as a tax collector- he was not honest and tricky. Instead of collecting tax of Rp 10,000 he collects say Rp 12,000 Rupiah and as result he pockets Rp2,000 X people X No of days X No of months X  No of years..etc Bible did not say that. Maybe he swindled.  Or to be positive maybe, he was hardworking and became wealthy. In Luke 19:3- Not only was he wealthy- he was curious. Rich people are curious. Why are people crazy  and talking about Jesus everyday. You must be a nut. As a result Zacchaeus hear about Jesus. He is short but wise- be careful of short people. They say short people are very tricky cunning they can sneak around like a snake. Zacchaeus was short – and he wanted to see who is this man Jesus is and - being so short and others in the crowd are so tall, and as result he cannot have a clear view of Jesus. A thought came to him and he run ahead and he climb up a sycamore tree. Jesus looked up and He looked down. Jesus say “Zacchaeus I will come to your house today”.  Jesus invited himself.  I will come to your house for a dinner. We say this is thickskin - Did I invite you or not. Oh be free. Jesus invited himself . When he heard that,   he was wealthy and wise and he came down and welcome Jesus gladly. He receive Jesus gladly.  In Verse 8,  we see the salvation of God . Just a short period with Jesus. He was convicted of his own sins. Jesus do not have to preach a sermon. In Verse 8, Zacchaeus said half of my possessions I will give to the poor. If I cheated any man- I will return them fourfolds. What a transformation. Rich people once  touched and saved, they become generous. Salvation today come to this house. In verse 10, the son of man come to seek and save that which was lost. Zacchaeus was lost. He was rich but he was lost deep inside. He needed salvation of God.  Money can buy many things, food,  but it cannot buy the salvation of God because salvation is a free gift given by God through Jesus the Son. Rich people also can get saved. Because riches can not satisfy, they may be surrounded with things. Hourly seemingly they smile- but deep inside  they frown, they are suppressed and oppressed. Thank God you can reach out to rich people and bring them to Jesus.

Poor People

Not only Jesus love rich people, we discover Jesus also love the poor individuals. Luke 4:18 testify Jesus’s love for the poor. The gospel of  Luke – The Spirit of the Lord is upon me and He has appointed me to preach the good news to the poor. Real anointing can rest upon any individuals and will cause that individual to reach out to poor people. Jesus was appointed by the spirit of God to preach the good news to those who are poor.

In Luke 7:22- When the John the Baptist send 2 of his followers. Whether he is the one or should they seek out another. He said you go and tell John- The blind receive their sight, the deaf hears, the lame walk, those with leprosy were cured, the dead were raised. The poor . The good news is being  preached to the poor. You and I must not despise the poor people.  Thank God for rich people but God also love the poor people. The world oppress, suppress, ill treat  and despise the poor people. God has a heart for poor people because poor people has a soul like the religious people have  a soul, sinful people have a soul and rich people also have a soul.  That is precious in the sight of God.

In Proverbs 19:17- He that lend to the poor, God will reward you. If you give to the poor, God will reward you. Some churches you go to, they don’t entertain the poor. James say, in our meeting, if there is a man that comes in with shabby  dirty clothing and unkempt hair, will you welcome that individual. Sometimes I want to bring the beggars  in the street to the house of God to sophisticated churches, to see how the believers and preachers treat them. The more you and I love Jesus and follow Jesus. You will serve the way Jesus serve. Jesus has a heart for poor people. Let us not despise poor people. Some of  you can identify with them– you have 6-10 in the family-  no washing machine, no rice cooker,  chop firewood. Our modern generation, we take things for granted. We are victims of circumstances. We want to be born rich with a silver spoon in our mouth.  Everything taken care of, unfortunately it is not so. For those that are poor, James has this to encourage us and  lift our spirit up, you can be poor  financially and materially, but brothers and sisters you can be rich spiritually in faith.

In James 2:5- Has not God  selected / chosen the poor of this world in the sight of our world seemingly they are poor, but they are rich in faith. How you can be rich spiritually. Rich people when they have a problem they know which button to press. The rich people knows who to call, connect and pull the strings. One phone call,  the problem is solved. The rich use the money to manipulate- wrong become right and right become wrong -  crazy world  motivated by money therefore the rich are very influential. Family members get sick, just call Dr so-and-so to come to the house and after consulting- this is the money- solve the sick problem. For the poor people, when you are sick you turn to God. You get on your knees because medication is so expensive. I cannot afford,  heal me O God and God touches and heal you. And as result your faith within you arises. You are rich in faith. Whenever you have hardship. No one to call How to solve the problems, you pray. Very frustrating. You get down on your knees. Every time you encounter trouble you have a direct line. The tel no of God is 5015 (Psalms)- Call upon me in the day of trouble and I shall deliver you and you shall glorify me. It is only 4 numbers- call upon God. God has a plan for the poor people. Jesus reach out to poor people. Galatians 2:10  They are not to neglect the poor. They are to minister to the poor. The apostle has a heart for the poor. Win them to Jesus because the poor also can get saved. They also can get saved for the glory of God. Next Sunday being 1+1 = 2, do not come alone. You have Monday to Saturday to work on the rich, poor, sinful and the religious. Bring them to church  to sit in the meeting. Not to preach to them but just bring them- do them a favour.  Sing this chorus - Go lay some souls