Sermon Title: God’s Vision for His Church
“9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”
11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying:
“Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!” (Revelation 7:9-12)
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
Have you ever wondered: What is God’s Vision for His Church?
This is it.
If you have ever prayed for His Church, Revelation 7:9-12 is His Will and Vision for the people of God here on earth.
This is the prayer for His Church that He would certainly hear.
Our Lord Jesus Christ establishes the foundation of God’s Kingdom with His Church - by giving us the Great Commission, and consequent command to be baptized in the Holy Spirit to receive God’s Power:
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19)
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
And receive the Power of God they did!
For every disciple of Jesus was completely filled “with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” (Acts 2:4)
Their fellow Jews from all over the world were bewildered as they witnessed the birth of the Church and experienced the Power of God manifest in the disciples who proclaimed Christ’s Glory and Gospel – “the wonders of God” (Acts 2:11) - in their “native language.” (Acts 2:8)
The message was clear. (Acts 2:16-36)
Christ is the Saviour of the World; and disciples of “every nation, tribe, people and language” (Revelation 7:9) will become citizens of God’s Kingdom - brought in by His Love, Grace and Mercy through our Lord Jesus.
Pray according to this; and you are praying according to the Will of God.
From God’s Vision for His Church, we realize that:
1. We must be part of that great multitude of worshipers;
2. Our church today must be opened to every nation, every tribe, every people and every language;
3. We must declare the Gospel in a loud voice empowered by the Holy Spirit.
4. Our worship of the living God must be so authentic and powerful that even angels are inspired to respond to our call to worship; and call to minister the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world.
As a church belonging to God, I am blessed to report that through our G3 Prayer Groups, Discipleship Groups and Ministries, Worship Services in English, Mandarin, Cantonese and Children’s Worship, and the caliber of our leadership - we are structured to grow into God’s vision for His Church.
From God’s vision, our hearts must be set on, and prepared on, being an intergenerational and multicultural, disciple-making spiritual family - destined for the eternal Kingdom of God;
For the church to remain vibrant and effective, we must be intentional on being intergeneration, and multicultural – which is congruent with God’s Vision for us.
The roots of our church will always be Pentecostal and Chinese.
But we must recognise that ours is a transplanted church from Asia (Hong Kong, to be precise), placed into a growing and progressively multicultural Canadian city back in the late 50s.
In this situation, if we do not strive to be clearly accepting of “every nation, tribe, people and language” (Revelation 7:9) in acknowledging the nature of our community and the world around us, we would not only alienate ourselves from our mission field and fail tragically in our Commission, and we would also alienate our children - who have become more Canadian than Chinese; which – in my heart - would be the greater tragedy.
So as we consider God’s vision over His Church, it is important for us to take steps to remove all impediments, and obstructions that would prevent us from living towards God’s Vision; and eliminating even the smallest inhibitions that may prevent our friends and community from coming to Jesus.
We must recognise that the church today is a result of decisions made in the past.
Canada – along with the whole world - has changed radically since the ‘60s.
After more than 60 years of history, it is time to plant the seeds of change in recognition of the world that we are called to minister to.
The present world has become much smaller; and less segregated.
Praise be to God!
Our Call is to make disciples of all nations.
It is time to reflect God’s ultimate vision for His Church - even in our name.
By His Grace, even though we are known as the Victoria Chinese Pentecostal Church, over the years, we have had ministers and have ministered to people of “every nation, tribe, people and language” (Revelation 7:9) by the Power of the Holy Spirit.
The question I want to leave in your hearts is this,
Does the name of our church stop, or discourage our community from coming to Jesus; does it stop or discourage you from bringing your friends and family to church for an encounter with Jesus?
Our vision, mission, essence and very existence is encapsulated in our name; so this is very important.
God is good; for He has begun to move us in this direction.
In 2015, almost seven years ago, something very significant happened us.
A seed of transformation was planted.
This seed recognised the nature of our mission field here in the country of Canada and in the city of Victoria.
Yes.
I was invited to pastor the English Ministry in 2015; with the further invitation to prayerfully consider to be a pastor over both English and Chinese Congregation in His time.
To this, I am constantly mindful that I spoke mainly English in 2015; and my Chinese was almost non-existent, invoked only for emergency purposes.
However, that was only a part of what God was doing with us.
In 2015, the English Congregation’s Sunday Worship moved from the lower worship hall to the worship sanctuary on the main floor of the church building.
Whatever the rationale for the move was, I believe that God is preparing the church to move beyond our old boundaries into new spiritual grounds.
And He has been preparing us ever since.
Join us in prayer as we embark on a new chapter of our story - in fulfilling God’s Vision and Destiny for our church in preaching the Gospel to “every nation, tribe, people and language” (Revelation 7:9)– bringing them before the Presence of the Holy God; proclaiming the Saving Power of Jesus’ Name.
This is His Will and Vision for us – and He will most certainly hear us. (Ref: 1 John 5:14)
To God be the glory; and through us, may “every nation, tribe, people and language” (Revelation 7:9) stand before the throne of God and cry out in a loud voice:
“Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:10)
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Thank You for the divine revelation that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the world; and that disciples of “every nation, tribe, people and language” (Revelation 7:9) will become citizens of God’s Kingdom - brought in by Your Love and Grace.
Holy Spirit, fill our church with Your Power to live our lives wholly for the sake of Your Glory and Gospel; that we may become part of the great multitudes of worshipers found before Your throne in Revelation 7:9.
I pray that we, as a church, would fulfill Your Vision for us to be a community of worshippers from “every nation, tribe, people and language.” (Revelation 7:9); and a community of Spirit-empowered witnesses who daily declares the Gospel courageously and resolutely, “in a loud voice” (Revelation 7:10).
May our worship unto You be so authentic and powerful that even angels are inspired to respond to our call to worship; and join our call to minister the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world.
Strengthen our prayer life, O Lord!
Empower us to grow into Your Vision for us – that our hearts be resolutely set on, and prepared to being an intergenerational and multicultural, disciple-making spiritual family - destined for the eternal Kingdom of God.
Grant us a willing heart to remove even the smallest inhibitions that prevent the world from coming to You, Lord – that we would live fully in our Call to make disciples of all nations.
For truly, Salvation belongs to You alone!
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
“9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”
11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying:
“Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!” (Revelation 7:9-12)
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
Have you ever wondered: What is God’s Vision for His Church?
This is it.
If you have ever prayed for His Church, Revelation 7:9-12 is His Will and Vision for the people of God here on earth.
This is the prayer for His Church that He would certainly hear.
Our Lord Jesus Christ establishes the foundation of God’s Kingdom with His Church - by giving us the Great Commission, and consequent command to be baptized in the Holy Spirit to receive God’s Power:
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19)
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
And receive the Power of God they did!
For every disciple of Jesus was completely filled “with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” (Acts 2:4)
Their fellow Jews from all over the world were bewildered as they witnessed the birth of the Church and experienced the Power of God manifest in the disciples who proclaimed Christ’s Glory and Gospel – “the wonders of God” (Acts 2:11) - in their “native language.” (Acts 2:8)
The message was clear. (Acts 2:16-36)
Christ is the Saviour of the World; and disciples of “every nation, tribe, people and language” (Revelation 7:9) will become citizens of God’s Kingdom - brought in by His Love, Grace and Mercy through our Lord Jesus.
Pray according to this; and you are praying according to the Will of God.
From God’s Vision for His Church, we realize that:
1. We must be part of that great multitude of worshipers;
2. Our church today must be opened to every nation, every tribe, every people and every language;
3. We must declare the Gospel in a loud voice empowered by the Holy Spirit.
4. Our worship of the living God must be so authentic and powerful that even angels are inspired to respond to our call to worship; and call to minister the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world.
As a church belonging to God, I am blessed to report that through our G3 Prayer Groups, Discipleship Groups and Ministries, Worship Services in English, Mandarin, Cantonese and Children’s Worship, and the caliber of our leadership - we are structured to grow into God’s vision for His Church.
From God’s vision, our hearts must be set on, and prepared on, being an intergenerational and multicultural, disciple-making spiritual family - destined for the eternal Kingdom of God;
For the church to remain vibrant and effective, we must be intentional on being intergeneration, and multicultural – which is congruent with God’s Vision for us.
The roots of our church will always be Pentecostal and Chinese.
But we must recognise that ours is a transplanted church from Asia (Hong Kong, to be precise), placed into a growing and progressively multicultural Canadian city back in the late 50s.
In this situation, if we do not strive to be clearly accepting of “every nation, tribe, people and language” (Revelation 7:9) in acknowledging the nature of our community and the world around us, we would not only alienate ourselves from our mission field and fail tragically in our Commission, and we would also alienate our children - who have become more Canadian than Chinese; which – in my heart - would be the greater tragedy.
So as we consider God’s vision over His Church, it is important for us to take steps to remove all impediments, and obstructions that would prevent us from living towards God’s Vision; and eliminating even the smallest inhibitions that may prevent our friends and community from coming to Jesus.
We must recognise that the church today is a result of decisions made in the past.
Canada – along with the whole world - has changed radically since the ‘60s.
After more than 60 years of history, it is time to plant the seeds of change in recognition of the world that we are called to minister to.
The present world has become much smaller; and less segregated.
Praise be to God!
Our Call is to make disciples of all nations.
It is time to reflect God’s ultimate vision for His Church - even in our name.
By His Grace, even though we are known as the Victoria Chinese Pentecostal Church, over the years, we have had ministers and have ministered to people of “every nation, tribe, people and language” (Revelation 7:9) by the Power of the Holy Spirit.
The question I want to leave in your hearts is this,
Does the name of our church stop, or discourage our community from coming to Jesus; does it stop or discourage you from bringing your friends and family to church for an encounter with Jesus?
Our vision, mission, essence and very existence is encapsulated in our name; so this is very important.
God is good; for He has begun to move us in this direction.
In 2015, almost seven years ago, something very significant happened us.
A seed of transformation was planted.
This seed recognised the nature of our mission field here in the country of Canada and in the city of Victoria.
Yes.
I was invited to pastor the English Ministry in 2015; with the further invitation to prayerfully consider to be a pastor over both English and Chinese Congregation in His time.
To this, I am constantly mindful that I spoke mainly English in 2015; and my Chinese was almost non-existent, invoked only for emergency purposes.
However, that was only a part of what God was doing with us.
In 2015, the English Congregation’s Sunday Worship moved from the lower worship hall to the worship sanctuary on the main floor of the church building.
Whatever the rationale for the move was, I believe that God is preparing the church to move beyond our old boundaries into new spiritual grounds.
And He has been preparing us ever since.
Join us in prayer as we embark on a new chapter of our story - in fulfilling God’s Vision and Destiny for our church in preaching the Gospel to “every nation, tribe, people and language” (Revelation 7:9)– bringing them before the Presence of the Holy God; proclaiming the Saving Power of Jesus’ Name.
This is His Will and Vision for us – and He will most certainly hear us. (Ref: 1 John 5:14)
To God be the glory; and through us, may “every nation, tribe, people and language” (Revelation 7:9) stand before the throne of God and cry out in a loud voice:
“Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:10)
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Thank You for the divine revelation that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the world; and that disciples of “every nation, tribe, people and language” (Revelation 7:9) will become citizens of God’s Kingdom - brought in by Your Love and Grace.
Holy Spirit, fill our church with Your Power to live our lives wholly for the sake of Your Glory and Gospel; that we may become part of the great multitudes of worshipers found before Your throne in Revelation 7:9.
I pray that we, as a church, would fulfill Your Vision for us to be a community of worshippers from “every nation, tribe, people and language.” (Revelation 7:9); and a community of Spirit-empowered witnesses who daily declares the Gospel courageously and resolutely, “in a loud voice” (Revelation 7:10).
May our worship unto You be so authentic and powerful that even angels are inspired to respond to our call to worship; and join our call to minister the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world.
Strengthen our prayer life, O Lord!
Empower us to grow into Your Vision for us – that our hearts be resolutely set on, and prepared to being an intergenerational and multicultural, disciple-making spiritual family - destined for the eternal Kingdom of God.
Grant us a willing heart to remove even the smallest inhibitions that prevent the world from coming to You, Lord – that we would live fully in our Call to make disciples of all nations.
For truly, Salvation belongs to You alone!
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.