Sermon Title: The Ultimate Goal of Christian Welcome – Part 1
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
The Nicene Creed – first formulated in A.D. 325; with additions in A.D. 381- is the Statement of Faith as professed by members of the early Christian Church.
The Creed states historically about our Lord Jesus Christ:
“On the third day He rose again in accordance with the Scriptures;
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.”
And assures with this guaranteed eventuality:
“He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and His kingdom will have no end.”
To this, the Creed stipulates the present task of every believer:
“We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come.”
Do you truly believe that Christ will indeed, “come again in glory to judge the living and the dead” and that His Kingdom is both perfect and eternal?
Do you truly believe in His finished work of atonement on the Cross “for the forgiveness of sins”?
Do you truly desire and anticipate your resurrection from death unto eternal life in His Coming Kingdom?
Think carefully; lest you live carelessly.
In an age where so many aspects of life threaten the unity of the body of Christ, it becomes increasingly important that we know the fundamentals of our faith in Christ Jesus, our Lord, Saviour, King and God.
We must know that we are the Church of Jesus Christ – and that we belong to Him.
To believe in our Lord Jesus is to strive to be like Him; and live in His Ways.
We must daily acknowledge that we must be “born-again” – born of both water and fire – for the forgiveness of sin, and unto eternal life through Christ, empowered wholly by the Holy Spirit.
To this, we must know what is sin.
All manner of irreverence toward God is sin.
All manner of murder is sin – from anger (Ref: Matthew 5:21-23) , to taking the life of an unborn child (Ref: Exodus 20:13, Psalm 139:13–16, Jeremiah 1:5, Job 31:15, and Psalm 22:10–11, Luke 1:15, 41-43)
All manner of lifestyles outside of God’s design of marriage, family and society is sin; for “God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. (Genesis 1:27-28)
That’s it - plain and simple.
Do not add; or take away from God’s Design and Pattern for all of life.
There is no question as to what human beings must be, and what human beings must do; for only in His Sovereign Design and Will can we be truly “fruitful and increase in number.”
Everything outside of God’s design is sinful and harmful – to us.
But here’s the truth.
All sin is forgivable.
God is full of Grace, Mercy and Love; and if in our sin, we come to Him through Jesus Christ in the posture of contrition and repentance, God is ever-willing to forgive each and every transgression.
Every person can be touched by the Lord to a supernatural transformation – if they are willing.
In prayer, I have laid hands on people who were in the bondage of heavy addiction; they were slain in the Spirit and woke up completely free from the bondages of their sin. I have also laid hands on people who were in homosexual relationships or people who re-gendered themselves; they were slain in the Spirit, were fully convicted and ceased in that lifestyle. Some even got married and had children in the years that follow.
Believe again in God’s forgiveness, healing and restoration found in the Atoning Work of our Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross.
Do not be astounded, or even be disturbed, by the seeming upsurge in advocacies of lifestyles and values that are completely contrary to what the bible teaches about God’s design of man and woman, marriage, family, community and creation; for this is precisely, the reality of this world “who suppress the truth by their wickedness” – a world that the Apostle Paul forewarned us about when he taught that “the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness” (Romans 1:18)
So, never lose grip on God’s Truth about His Present Salvation and Coming Kingdom.
Believe resolutely that God is full of compassion, and merciful in His love. And He is ready to forgive all sin through Christ– if you confess your sin in genuine contrition and repent – turn away - from sin, and return to God.
And that is God’s message to every sinner; which must also be our message to the world – to all people; including those who are ambivalent or fluid about their identity, gender, sexuality, and defiant toward God’s purpose for life, marriage, family and community.
To which, our very lives must hold the Gospel Truth – in being exemplary and living testimonies to the divine and profound blessing of living in God’s design for all of life.
When Israel entered the Promised Land, they did so in God’s Blessing of His Power and Might. In doing so, they displaced and destroyed nations who indulged in all manners of wickedness - in particular, sexual sins.
God warned Israel - in no uncertain terms - that if they were to sin the same way, they will suffer the same fate.
Remember Sodom; remember the Philistines – nations completely removed from the face of the earth; remember David – who was repentant and was saved; and remember Solomon – who was unrepentant, and was lost to God.
As we observe the reality of the world, where the people in authority are not only complicit, but also practitioners in the lifestyle of the wicked - we know that we are living in the End-times.
These past months have been witness to how the powerful – both in government and even, renowned Christian leaders - have fallen from grace due to sexual sins.
We need to stop hoping that the world will get better.
Today, we cannot even discuss moral values, much more biblical values, without being labeled as ‘haters’.
We need to realise that our right as a Christian human being is becoming precarious; which is why we must depend all the more so on God’s Power to be His agents in this world – as we willingly bear witness to the Truth of the Gospel that there is light in the darkness, found in the forgiveness of our sins and salvation unto eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.
The world is getting darker by the minute; and before we know it, the world will not only lose interest in the Gospel; it will attempt to cancel the Gospel.
But this attempt will be met with the holy resolve of true believers to live out the Gospel. Amen?
As long as we have breathe in our lungs, we will “declare the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9)
We will continue to live in Christ, and live out the Gospel Truth!
Our faith must be on God’s Salvation through Christ Jesus, our Saviour.
Our hope must be on the return of our King Jesus Christ and His Kingdom that will have no end!
We must live every moment looking forward to the resurrection of the dead; and the life of the New Creation world to come.
This is the Gospel Truth; now, make this your reality.
The Apostle Paul instructs us in Ephesians 4:3 to, “Keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of Peace” between God and Man - wrought by Christ on the Cross for the Atonement of our sins; that we may become righteousness of God.
This Truth of our Salvation through Jesus, and God’s Coming Kingdom is the very bond of Peace that keeps us united as the People of God.
So let us keep our eyes, our ears, our minds, our hearts constantly on our Lord Jesus Christ.
Constantly commune with Him; constantly remain in Him – as He remains in you. (Ref: John 15:4)
Remember.
Do not get into the habit of praying before you sleep; get into the spiritual discipline of praying till you sleep.
Prepare for the eventuality of our face to face encounter with Jesus.
Always remain in Christ; and always remain in the reality of His Salvation and Coming Kingdom.
Revelation 22:20 assures us of the guaranteed eventuality of Christ’s Return:
“He who testifies to these things says,
“Yes, I am coming soon.”
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”
The ultimate goal of Christian Welcome – which is also the fulfillment of Christian ‘Well-Come’ - is when both Christ and Church Come together and only then, is all - truly Well.
The Bible – which is also light-heartedly the abbreviation for ‘Basic Information Before Leaving Earth’ – undoubtedly informs us of the past; prepares us for things that are happening; and things to come.
Today, as an assembly gathered in the Name of Jesus - we know that our Lord Jesus Christ is here with us; which means that every time we meet together as a Church, every time we build our personal and corporate altar unto God, we are manifesting our deepest desire and anticipation of the return of our King and His Perfect Kingdom.
Our corporate experience as a church in worship, discipleship, fellowship and ministry together is – in reality - a fore-taste of what it is like to live in God’s Perfect and Eternal Kingdom.
Thus, before the ultimate goal of Christian Welcome is achieved and fulfilled – God is preparing us for His Eternal Kingdom - through the life of patient waiting upon the Lord.
This world is our training ground – as we patiently wait upon the Lord for His Return.
Know that there is absolutely nothing for us here in this world; but brokenness, sin, shame, destruction and death.
God’s Kingdom is where the fulfillment of life truly happens – and it is solely to New Creation that we look towards as God’s redeemed people, ready and willing to be restored to as citizens of His Kingdom.
What are we to expect in this world before Christ returns?
Creation will go into an upheaval.
The sun will be turned to darkness and
the moon to blood before the coming
of the great and glorious day of the Lord. (Acts 2:20; Cf Joel 2:31)
And yet, our absolute attention and fullest focus must be on our Lord!
In Matthew 24:6-13, Christ prepares us for the eventuality that human society will degenerate into irreversible conflict and suffering:
6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed.
Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.
7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.
And further forewarns that we will be persecuted, hated and even put to death because of our relationship with Him:
9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.
10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 1
2 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
We need to expect and get prepared for this reality.
Many amongst us will turn away from Jesus – betrayal and hate will infect the church; along with false prophets who will deceive even more.
We must know what we believe; and why we believe.
The Nicene Creed that we read earlier serves as a solid foundation to what and why we believe.
However, the real framework of our faith, hope and love for Christ must still come from a personal relationship with Jesus based on prayer, the reading, study, memorization of Scripture, worship, fellowship, ministry and missions; components to which I spoke about regarding building our personal and corporate altars unto the Lord.
Unquestionably, there will be an increase of wickedness; with a complete loss of the ability to love.
What must we do? What should we be focused on doing?
We need to stand firm to the very end – be it to our last breathe, or till Christ returns – in His Holy Presence at the altar of God; living out a life of P.O.W.E.R. – of Praise, Obedience, Worship, Encounter, and Rest in God.
As we stand firm to the end, let us wait patiently for the ultimate fulfillment of Welcome when Christ and the Church meet.
How we must wait upon the Lord’s Return
James 5:7-11 - Patience in Suffering
7 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming.
See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains.
8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.
No one experiences faith and hope like a farmer, or a gardener.
Your act of sowing a single seed is an act, and a manifestation, of faith and hope.
Faith that your seed – that looks so dead – is in fact, going to come to life the moment it touches the moistened soil – literally saved from death; and
Hope that this same seed will germinate, take root, grow into a plant, and bear fruit.
Though Metchosin has many traditional farms that have huge parcels of pasture land, ours is not quite like that.
Our home is situated on what would most aptly be described as the side of a rocky hill.
Every inch of soil we have is mixed with rocks of all sizes; and given our hilly terrain – all method of traditional farming is irrelevant to us.
However, we still wanted to feed our livestock with fresh barley and wheat greens.
No problem.
If we cannot farm horizontally, we are going to farm vertically.
So, instead of growing grass on land, we have devised a system of growing barley and wheat grass literally upwards on shelves.
Together with the children, we devised a system of growing fodder so effectively that even during winter, we are able to feed our livestock with fresh greens daily; fresh wheat and barley grass that we sometimes just pluck a handful and eat.
Fresh and healthy.
If we were in church today, you would be sure that I would be passing around samples of these beautiful greens for everyone to try.
The moment you take a bite, your heart-rate, blood pressure and all your vital signs improve almost immediately.
Yes, fresh greens are extremely healthy.
Growing these greens is straightforward for us now. At scheduled days of the week, the children will soak the seeds, lay them out and mist it every day; and we would almost expect guaranteed results that the seeds will germinate and grow within the week.
This may be our reality today; but it certainly did not start out like this.
Initially, we were uncertain of the process; uncertain if the design would work out; uncertain if the seeds were viable, and uncertain if they would even germinate and grow.
But as the weeks brought more exposure, education and experience, it could be said that our faith that the seed will germinate and grow the moment they are properly washed and soaked; and our hope that the trays of seed will become food for us and our livestock is cultivated and grown to the point that our faith and hope has become certain - like a guarantee.
Our faith in God’s Salvation must be cultivated for it to become truly certain; and
Our Hope in Christ’s Return and God’s Coming Kingdom must be cultivated for it to be certain.
Question is … are you willing to cultivate your faith and hope in God’s Salvation and Kingdom?
Are you willing to put in the time and effort to cultivate your faith, hope and ultimately, love for the Lord, your God?
I encourage each of you - come spring, don’t just do some gardening; get into some serious farming.
Get seeds, and grow food - in the examples of Adam, who was called to tend the Garden; Noah who planted a vineyard after the ark landed; Abraham and all who planted and was nourished - in prophetic declaration of God’s faithfulness.
Touch and feel the soil; and contemplate the fact that the soil belongs to God, that the earth belongs to Him, and that the seed belongs to Him – that everything belongs to Him.
Then pray during the process of sowing and cultivating, “Holy Spirit, may my faith in God’s Salvation through Christ, and hope in God’s Kingdom grow as I grow in the certainty of God’s Promises of His Salvation and Coming Kingdom!”
It takes time and effort for your faith and hope to grow; and it must be cultivated - just as you cultivate your knowledge and experience of what it takes to make the plants grow.
And when you enjoy the fruits of your labor, claim it prophetically as God’s blessing of supernatural growth in your faith and hope in His Salvation and Kingdom in declaring, “Lord, just as I am eating this, I am nourished by every morsel of this bounty that You have provided me with. Let me know for a fact that one day, I will see You face to face, hold Your hand, as You lead me into Your eternal Kingdom.”
And so, what remains is that we remain patient and standing firmly in the Presence of Jesus, and in the knowledge that His “coming is near” (James 5:8).
To this, the Apostle James counsels:
8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.
9 Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged.
The Judge is standing at the door!
10 Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
11 As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered.
You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about.
The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. (James 5:8-11)
Brethren, be patient and stand firm; cultivate (i) faith in God’s Salvation, and (ii) hope in God’s Kingdom – and be blessed for your perseverance; just as He blessed Job.
But most significantly, cultivate the holy anticipation of meeting Christ!
How?
Persevere in God’s Love – by loving one another as Christ loved you.
Christ commands us in John 13:34-35, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Persevere in God’s Call to be patient and to stand firm – by the Power of the Holy Spirit – in order that we may be witnesses for Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit gives us power to remain firmly in faith and hope, and in the grip of God’s love; and grants us resolve to obey God’s Commands and fulfill His Will. (1 Corinthians 12:7-11)
We have power to stand firm and persevere; because we have God’s power to be Christ’s enduring and exemplary witness to the world in sin and suffering.
And the Holy Spirit leads us to rest in God; to utterly trust and depend on Him, for He is “full of compassion and mercy.”
To this, the Apostle Peter teaches us in 2 Peter 3:9:
“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.
Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
Our faith and hope must be established on a God who loves us deeply; and we must learn to yearn for Christ’s return in fullest recognition that only to His Kingdom do we truly belong.
This is entirely important because our days ahead is clearly described as patience in the face of suffering.
But just as Job persevered, and experienced God’s vindication; so will we - if we persevere by the Power of the Holy Spirit, and wait solely upon our Lord Jesus Christ.
God’s Salvation and Kingdom is guaranteed, but the path that leads to the fulfillment of ultimate welcome is filled with suffering.
But we will persevere; and we will overcome – as Christ overcame.
We will cultivate faith in God’s Salvation and Hope in God’s Kingdom daily; and in so doing, cultivate the holy and utter anticipation “for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” (Titus 2:13-14)
While we wait…
Embrace and evangelize “the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people”; the Grace that “teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age…” (Titus 2:11-12)
To embrace and evangelize the Grace of God is to live out the fullest benefits and blessings of having received God’s Salvation through Christ.
It is to live a life conscientiously filled with the fruit of the Holy Spirit – “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
It is to live a life filled with P.O.W.E.R. of God - a life filled with Praise, Obedience, Worship, Encounter and Rest in the living God; a life filled with the Spirit’s Power to be Christ’s witnesses to the nations.
It is to live a life filled with daily communion with God through prayer and Scriptures, in faith and hope - nourished by the flesh and blood of the Son of Man (Ref: John 6:25-58); empowered by the Holy Spirit to live out God’s Salvation through Christ.
Church, cultivate faith in God’s salvation through Christ; and cultivate hope in God’s Kingdom where Christ is King!
Prepare today for the ultimate goal of Christian welcome;
Prepare to come face to face with your Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!
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.
Lord Jesus, I utterly believe in Your finished work of atonement on the Cross for the forgiveness of sins.
And I believe that You will indeed “come again in glory to judge the living and the dead”; and that Your Kingdom is both perfect and eternal.
Holy Spirit, grant me courage, strength, resolve and wisdom to live each day in the deepest desire and anticipation of Christ’s return; and my resurrection from death unto eternal life in Your Coming Kingdom.
May I never lose grip on Your Truth about Your Present Salvation and Coming Kingdom.
Thank You, Lord for revealing to us -Your Church - and preparing us, for the things that must come before Your glorious return.
May the Holy Spirit inform our faith and hope in You; in the knowledge of what and why we believe.
Through my resolute commitment to prayer and worship through Your Holy Scriptures, draw me into the deepest and most personal relationship with You, Lord Jesus – that I may be “patient and stand firm” upon Your Truth and Promises, until Your Coming.
Holy Spirit, I am willing!
Cultivate within me the utmost faith in God’s Salvation through Christ; and the utmost hope in God’s Coming Kingdom where Christ is King – that I may persevere in the certainty of Your Salvation and Kingdom.
And cultivate within me, the holy and utter anticipation “for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” (Titus 2:13-14)
In the face of adversity, persecution, suffering and even death for the sake of the Gospel, grant that Your Church will be filled with the holy resolve to be filled with the Power of the Holy Spirit to fully live out Your Gospel.
Yes, we will be victorious, just as You – Lord Jesus – are Victorious!
May Your Gospel Truth be our very reality!
May Your Church utterly believe that You are coming soon!
And may our only response be: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20)
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
The Nicene Creed – first formulated in A.D. 325; with additions in A.D. 381- is the Statement of Faith as professed by members of the early Christian Church.
The Creed states historically about our Lord Jesus Christ:
“On the third day He rose again in accordance with the Scriptures;
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.”
And assures with this guaranteed eventuality:
“He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and His kingdom will have no end.”
To this, the Creed stipulates the present task of every believer:
“We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come.”
Do you truly believe that Christ will indeed, “come again in glory to judge the living and the dead” and that His Kingdom is both perfect and eternal?
Do you truly believe in His finished work of atonement on the Cross “for the forgiveness of sins”?
Do you truly desire and anticipate your resurrection from death unto eternal life in His Coming Kingdom?
Think carefully; lest you live carelessly.
In an age where so many aspects of life threaten the unity of the body of Christ, it becomes increasingly important that we know the fundamentals of our faith in Christ Jesus, our Lord, Saviour, King and God.
We must know that we are the Church of Jesus Christ – and that we belong to Him.
To believe in our Lord Jesus is to strive to be like Him; and live in His Ways.
We must daily acknowledge that we must be “born-again” – born of both water and fire – for the forgiveness of sin, and unto eternal life through Christ, empowered wholly by the Holy Spirit.
To this, we must know what is sin.
All manner of irreverence toward God is sin.
All manner of murder is sin – from anger (Ref: Matthew 5:21-23) , to taking the life of an unborn child (Ref: Exodus 20:13, Psalm 139:13–16, Jeremiah 1:5, Job 31:15, and Psalm 22:10–11, Luke 1:15, 41-43)
All manner of lifestyles outside of God’s design of marriage, family and society is sin; for “God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. (Genesis 1:27-28)
That’s it - plain and simple.
Do not add; or take away from God’s Design and Pattern for all of life.
There is no question as to what human beings must be, and what human beings must do; for only in His Sovereign Design and Will can we be truly “fruitful and increase in number.”
Everything outside of God’s design is sinful and harmful – to us.
But here’s the truth.
All sin is forgivable.
God is full of Grace, Mercy and Love; and if in our sin, we come to Him through Jesus Christ in the posture of contrition and repentance, God is ever-willing to forgive each and every transgression.
Every person can be touched by the Lord to a supernatural transformation – if they are willing.
In prayer, I have laid hands on people who were in the bondage of heavy addiction; they were slain in the Spirit and woke up completely free from the bondages of their sin. I have also laid hands on people who were in homosexual relationships or people who re-gendered themselves; they were slain in the Spirit, were fully convicted and ceased in that lifestyle. Some even got married and had children in the years that follow.
Believe again in God’s forgiveness, healing and restoration found in the Atoning Work of our Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross.
Do not be astounded, or even be disturbed, by the seeming upsurge in advocacies of lifestyles and values that are completely contrary to what the bible teaches about God’s design of man and woman, marriage, family, community and creation; for this is precisely, the reality of this world “who suppress the truth by their wickedness” – a world that the Apostle Paul forewarned us about when he taught that “the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness” (Romans 1:18)
So, never lose grip on God’s Truth about His Present Salvation and Coming Kingdom.
Believe resolutely that God is full of compassion, and merciful in His love. And He is ready to forgive all sin through Christ– if you confess your sin in genuine contrition and repent – turn away - from sin, and return to God.
And that is God’s message to every sinner; which must also be our message to the world – to all people; including those who are ambivalent or fluid about their identity, gender, sexuality, and defiant toward God’s purpose for life, marriage, family and community.
To which, our very lives must hold the Gospel Truth – in being exemplary and living testimonies to the divine and profound blessing of living in God’s design for all of life.
When Israel entered the Promised Land, they did so in God’s Blessing of His Power and Might. In doing so, they displaced and destroyed nations who indulged in all manners of wickedness - in particular, sexual sins.
God warned Israel - in no uncertain terms - that if they were to sin the same way, they will suffer the same fate.
Remember Sodom; remember the Philistines – nations completely removed from the face of the earth; remember David – who was repentant and was saved; and remember Solomon – who was unrepentant, and was lost to God.
As we observe the reality of the world, where the people in authority are not only complicit, but also practitioners in the lifestyle of the wicked - we know that we are living in the End-times.
These past months have been witness to how the powerful – both in government and even, renowned Christian leaders - have fallen from grace due to sexual sins.
We need to stop hoping that the world will get better.
Today, we cannot even discuss moral values, much more biblical values, without being labeled as ‘haters’.
We need to realise that our right as a Christian human being is becoming precarious; which is why we must depend all the more so on God’s Power to be His agents in this world – as we willingly bear witness to the Truth of the Gospel that there is light in the darkness, found in the forgiveness of our sins and salvation unto eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.
The world is getting darker by the minute; and before we know it, the world will not only lose interest in the Gospel; it will attempt to cancel the Gospel.
But this attempt will be met with the holy resolve of true believers to live out the Gospel. Amen?
As long as we have breathe in our lungs, we will “declare the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9)
We will continue to live in Christ, and live out the Gospel Truth!
Our faith must be on God’s Salvation through Christ Jesus, our Saviour.
Our hope must be on the return of our King Jesus Christ and His Kingdom that will have no end!
We must live every moment looking forward to the resurrection of the dead; and the life of the New Creation world to come.
This is the Gospel Truth; now, make this your reality.
The Apostle Paul instructs us in Ephesians 4:3 to, “Keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of Peace” between God and Man - wrought by Christ on the Cross for the Atonement of our sins; that we may become righteousness of God.
This Truth of our Salvation through Jesus, and God’s Coming Kingdom is the very bond of Peace that keeps us united as the People of God.
So let us keep our eyes, our ears, our minds, our hearts constantly on our Lord Jesus Christ.
Constantly commune with Him; constantly remain in Him – as He remains in you. (Ref: John 15:4)
Remember.
Do not get into the habit of praying before you sleep; get into the spiritual discipline of praying till you sleep.
Prepare for the eventuality of our face to face encounter with Jesus.
Always remain in Christ; and always remain in the reality of His Salvation and Coming Kingdom.
Revelation 22:20 assures us of the guaranteed eventuality of Christ’s Return:
“He who testifies to these things says,
“Yes, I am coming soon.”
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”
The ultimate goal of Christian Welcome – which is also the fulfillment of Christian ‘Well-Come’ - is when both Christ and Church Come together and only then, is all - truly Well.
The Bible – which is also light-heartedly the abbreviation for ‘Basic Information Before Leaving Earth’ – undoubtedly informs us of the past; prepares us for things that are happening; and things to come.
Today, as an assembly gathered in the Name of Jesus - we know that our Lord Jesus Christ is here with us; which means that every time we meet together as a Church, every time we build our personal and corporate altar unto God, we are manifesting our deepest desire and anticipation of the return of our King and His Perfect Kingdom.
Our corporate experience as a church in worship, discipleship, fellowship and ministry together is – in reality - a fore-taste of what it is like to live in God’s Perfect and Eternal Kingdom.
Thus, before the ultimate goal of Christian Welcome is achieved and fulfilled – God is preparing us for His Eternal Kingdom - through the life of patient waiting upon the Lord.
This world is our training ground – as we patiently wait upon the Lord for His Return.
Know that there is absolutely nothing for us here in this world; but brokenness, sin, shame, destruction and death.
God’s Kingdom is where the fulfillment of life truly happens – and it is solely to New Creation that we look towards as God’s redeemed people, ready and willing to be restored to as citizens of His Kingdom.
What are we to expect in this world before Christ returns?
Creation will go into an upheaval.
The sun will be turned to darkness and
the moon to blood before the coming
of the great and glorious day of the Lord. (Acts 2:20; Cf Joel 2:31)
And yet, our absolute attention and fullest focus must be on our Lord!
In Matthew 24:6-13, Christ prepares us for the eventuality that human society will degenerate into irreversible conflict and suffering:
6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed.
Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.
7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.
And further forewarns that we will be persecuted, hated and even put to death because of our relationship with Him:
9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.
10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 1
2 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
We need to expect and get prepared for this reality.
Many amongst us will turn away from Jesus – betrayal and hate will infect the church; along with false prophets who will deceive even more.
We must know what we believe; and why we believe.
The Nicene Creed that we read earlier serves as a solid foundation to what and why we believe.
However, the real framework of our faith, hope and love for Christ must still come from a personal relationship with Jesus based on prayer, the reading, study, memorization of Scripture, worship, fellowship, ministry and missions; components to which I spoke about regarding building our personal and corporate altars unto the Lord.
Unquestionably, there will be an increase of wickedness; with a complete loss of the ability to love.
What must we do? What should we be focused on doing?
We need to stand firm to the very end – be it to our last breathe, or till Christ returns – in His Holy Presence at the altar of God; living out a life of P.O.W.E.R. – of Praise, Obedience, Worship, Encounter, and Rest in God.
As we stand firm to the end, let us wait patiently for the ultimate fulfillment of Welcome when Christ and the Church meet.
How we must wait upon the Lord’s Return
James 5:7-11 - Patience in Suffering
7 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming.
See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains.
8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.
No one experiences faith and hope like a farmer, or a gardener.
Your act of sowing a single seed is an act, and a manifestation, of faith and hope.
Faith that your seed – that looks so dead – is in fact, going to come to life the moment it touches the moistened soil – literally saved from death; and
Hope that this same seed will germinate, take root, grow into a plant, and bear fruit.
Though Metchosin has many traditional farms that have huge parcels of pasture land, ours is not quite like that.
Our home is situated on what would most aptly be described as the side of a rocky hill.
Every inch of soil we have is mixed with rocks of all sizes; and given our hilly terrain – all method of traditional farming is irrelevant to us.
However, we still wanted to feed our livestock with fresh barley and wheat greens.
No problem.
If we cannot farm horizontally, we are going to farm vertically.
So, instead of growing grass on land, we have devised a system of growing barley and wheat grass literally upwards on shelves.
Together with the children, we devised a system of growing fodder so effectively that even during winter, we are able to feed our livestock with fresh greens daily; fresh wheat and barley grass that we sometimes just pluck a handful and eat.
Fresh and healthy.
If we were in church today, you would be sure that I would be passing around samples of these beautiful greens for everyone to try.
The moment you take a bite, your heart-rate, blood pressure and all your vital signs improve almost immediately.
Yes, fresh greens are extremely healthy.
Growing these greens is straightforward for us now. At scheduled days of the week, the children will soak the seeds, lay them out and mist it every day; and we would almost expect guaranteed results that the seeds will germinate and grow within the week.
This may be our reality today; but it certainly did not start out like this.
Initially, we were uncertain of the process; uncertain if the design would work out; uncertain if the seeds were viable, and uncertain if they would even germinate and grow.
But as the weeks brought more exposure, education and experience, it could be said that our faith that the seed will germinate and grow the moment they are properly washed and soaked; and our hope that the trays of seed will become food for us and our livestock is cultivated and grown to the point that our faith and hope has become certain - like a guarantee.
Our faith in God’s Salvation must be cultivated for it to become truly certain; and
Our Hope in Christ’s Return and God’s Coming Kingdom must be cultivated for it to be certain.
Question is … are you willing to cultivate your faith and hope in God’s Salvation and Kingdom?
Are you willing to put in the time and effort to cultivate your faith, hope and ultimately, love for the Lord, your God?
I encourage each of you - come spring, don’t just do some gardening; get into some serious farming.
Get seeds, and grow food - in the examples of Adam, who was called to tend the Garden; Noah who planted a vineyard after the ark landed; Abraham and all who planted and was nourished - in prophetic declaration of God’s faithfulness.
Touch and feel the soil; and contemplate the fact that the soil belongs to God, that the earth belongs to Him, and that the seed belongs to Him – that everything belongs to Him.
Then pray during the process of sowing and cultivating, “Holy Spirit, may my faith in God’s Salvation through Christ, and hope in God’s Kingdom grow as I grow in the certainty of God’s Promises of His Salvation and Coming Kingdom!”
It takes time and effort for your faith and hope to grow; and it must be cultivated - just as you cultivate your knowledge and experience of what it takes to make the plants grow.
And when you enjoy the fruits of your labor, claim it prophetically as God’s blessing of supernatural growth in your faith and hope in His Salvation and Kingdom in declaring, “Lord, just as I am eating this, I am nourished by every morsel of this bounty that You have provided me with. Let me know for a fact that one day, I will see You face to face, hold Your hand, as You lead me into Your eternal Kingdom.”
And so, what remains is that we remain patient and standing firmly in the Presence of Jesus, and in the knowledge that His “coming is near” (James 5:8).
To this, the Apostle James counsels:
8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.
9 Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged.
The Judge is standing at the door!
10 Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
11 As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered.
You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about.
The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. (James 5:8-11)
Brethren, be patient and stand firm; cultivate (i) faith in God’s Salvation, and (ii) hope in God’s Kingdom – and be blessed for your perseverance; just as He blessed Job.
But most significantly, cultivate the holy anticipation of meeting Christ!
How?
Persevere in God’s Love – by loving one another as Christ loved you.
Christ commands us in John 13:34-35, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Persevere in God’s Call to be patient and to stand firm – by the Power of the Holy Spirit – in order that we may be witnesses for Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit gives us power to remain firmly in faith and hope, and in the grip of God’s love; and grants us resolve to obey God’s Commands and fulfill His Will. (1 Corinthians 12:7-11)
We have power to stand firm and persevere; because we have God’s power to be Christ’s enduring and exemplary witness to the world in sin and suffering.
And the Holy Spirit leads us to rest in God; to utterly trust and depend on Him, for He is “full of compassion and mercy.”
To this, the Apostle Peter teaches us in 2 Peter 3:9:
“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.
Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
Our faith and hope must be established on a God who loves us deeply; and we must learn to yearn for Christ’s return in fullest recognition that only to His Kingdom do we truly belong.
This is entirely important because our days ahead is clearly described as patience in the face of suffering.
But just as Job persevered, and experienced God’s vindication; so will we - if we persevere by the Power of the Holy Spirit, and wait solely upon our Lord Jesus Christ.
God’s Salvation and Kingdom is guaranteed, but the path that leads to the fulfillment of ultimate welcome is filled with suffering.
But we will persevere; and we will overcome – as Christ overcame.
We will cultivate faith in God’s Salvation and Hope in God’s Kingdom daily; and in so doing, cultivate the holy and utter anticipation “for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” (Titus 2:13-14)
While we wait…
Embrace and evangelize “the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people”; the Grace that “teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age…” (Titus 2:11-12)
To embrace and evangelize the Grace of God is to live out the fullest benefits and blessings of having received God’s Salvation through Christ.
It is to live a life conscientiously filled with the fruit of the Holy Spirit – “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
It is to live a life filled with P.O.W.E.R. of God - a life filled with Praise, Obedience, Worship, Encounter and Rest in the living God; a life filled with the Spirit’s Power to be Christ’s witnesses to the nations.
It is to live a life filled with daily communion with God through prayer and Scriptures, in faith and hope - nourished by the flesh and blood of the Son of Man (Ref: John 6:25-58); empowered by the Holy Spirit to live out God’s Salvation through Christ.
Church, cultivate faith in God’s salvation through Christ; and cultivate hope in God’s Kingdom where Christ is King!
Prepare today for the ultimate goal of Christian welcome;
Prepare to come face to face with your Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!
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.
Lord Jesus, I utterly believe in Your finished work of atonement on the Cross for the forgiveness of sins.
And I believe that You will indeed “come again in glory to judge the living and the dead”; and that Your Kingdom is both perfect and eternal.
Holy Spirit, grant me courage, strength, resolve and wisdom to live each day in the deepest desire and anticipation of Christ’s return; and my resurrection from death unto eternal life in Your Coming Kingdom.
May I never lose grip on Your Truth about Your Present Salvation and Coming Kingdom.
Thank You, Lord for revealing to us -Your Church - and preparing us, for the things that must come before Your glorious return.
May the Holy Spirit inform our faith and hope in You; in the knowledge of what and why we believe.
Through my resolute commitment to prayer and worship through Your Holy Scriptures, draw me into the deepest and most personal relationship with You, Lord Jesus – that I may be “patient and stand firm” upon Your Truth and Promises, until Your Coming.
Holy Spirit, I am willing!
Cultivate within me the utmost faith in God’s Salvation through Christ; and the utmost hope in God’s Coming Kingdom where Christ is King – that I may persevere in the certainty of Your Salvation and Kingdom.
And cultivate within me, the holy and utter anticipation “for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” (Titus 2:13-14)
In the face of adversity, persecution, suffering and even death for the sake of the Gospel, grant that Your Church will be filled with the holy resolve to be filled with the Power of the Holy Spirit to fully live out Your Gospel.
Yes, we will be victorious, just as You – Lord Jesus – are Victorious!
May Your Gospel Truth be our very reality!
May Your Church utterly believe that You are coming soon!
And may our only response be: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20)
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.