"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15
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"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15
2002 - 4th Quarter
Sermon Notes: October 6, 2002
"WANTED!
MORE LABORERS"
By:
Reverend Nelson De Jesus
Guest Speaker - In God's Service International Ministry
Main Text: Matthew 9:35
- 38
v.35 "And Jesus went about all the cities and villages,
teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and
healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
v.36 "But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on
them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no
shepherd.
v.37 "Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous,
but the labourers are few;
v38 "Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth
labourers into his harvest."
Introduction:
God's design for His disciples is to be as "labourers".
There are 3 Action Words Regarding the Need for Laborers.
I. Jesus Seeing the Need
v.36 "But when he saw the multitudes..."
A. The Function of Jesus
when He saw the need.
Verse 35 would tell us that he was doing ministry - Galilean ministry. Jesus
saw the need while busy ministering to the needs of the people. He was teaching,
preaching and healing.
Application: We can clearly see the need of the people around us if we are involved in the ministry. For instance, being involved in evangelism, soul-winning.
Challenge: To see the need of the unsaved, let us be involved in the ministry.
B. His Focus when He
saw the need.
His focus was on the multitude
1. He saw the number of the people - the multitude.
2. He saw the nature
of the people. They were weary, scattered, fainting, lost without a shepherd.
Jesus saw their physical condition and more importantly their inner condition.
These people were spiritually helpless.
Jesus was able to know their condition, He paid attention to them, observed
them because He looked at them.
Application: For us to see the condition of the unsaved, we have to pay attention to them; not only in their outward aspect (physical condition) but also their inner aspect (spiritual condition). No matter how powerful or rich they may seem, spiritually they are hopeless, helpless and lost.
3. He saw the need of
the people because He was with them.
The best way to know them is to be with them.
Luke 7:34 tells us that Jesus spent much time with publicans and sinners.
This was for the purpose of knowing their spiritual condition to meet their
needs.
C. His Feelings when
He saw the need
v.36 "he was moved with compassion on them..."
This is indicative of deep emotion - moved with pity and motivated towads
action (pity in action)
Application: We should
have an attitude of compassion.
In Luke 10, we see the example of the good Samaritan. He was moved with compassion
and sacrificed his efforts, his time to help the needy person.
Challenge: Let us look at them in their spiritual condition.
II. Jesus Stating the
Need
v.37 "Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous,
but the labourers are few;
It would be hard to state their need if, Himself, did not see the need of
the people.
A. The immensity of the
harvest.
The harvest is "plenteous" - pertaining to the multitude. This situation
is a reminder of how vast the work of the Lord is (in terms of evangelism)
B. The insufficiency
of the laborers.
Workers, referred here, are those who go out in the field, the soul-winners,
those involved in the harvest.
Challenge: Are we involved in the ministry of soul-winning?
III. Jesus Solving the
Need
v38 "Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth
labourers into his harvest."
A. The course of action
required - "Pray..."
The primary step is to pray.
B. The content of prayer.
Addressee - to the Lord of the harvest, God the Father. It is because the
harvest belongs to Him. He knows what the harvest needs.
Action - that He would send more laborers
And who are the laborers? In Matthew 10, they are the apostles, the same ones whom Jesus told to pray
Conclusion:
Why not pray for God to send laborers for the harvest?
Be sensitive to God's voice for you.
Sermon Notes: October 13, 2002
"FRUIT
OF THE SPIRIT... KINDNESS!"
By:
Pastor Arthur P. Ornias
Senior Pastor
Main Text: Galatians
5:22 - 23
v.22 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith.
v.23 "Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."
Introduction:
The Fruit of the Spirit is a description of Jesus, Himself. Jesus is not expecting
all these immediately in us but at least we should persevere to have the Fruit
of the Spirit. We cannot change overnight but we are to live according to
His will.
I. Kindness in the Scriptures.
A. God's Kindness to us...
B. Our Kindness to others...
II. Kindness in our Speech.
A. Speech has a very important place in our lives. We should let our speech be seasoned. It plays a very important role in our Christian living.
B. Speech is a test of genuine Christianity. Our speech inside our homes very much reflect the content of our hearts. For in Matthew 12:34 "...out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh." Is our speech seasoned with love, kindness and/or spiritual testimonies?
Practical Application: It does not help to re-iterate the past, especially past sins. We are not to be proud of them and not glory in the past, lest we repeat them.
C. Harshness in speech is harmful to the cause of Christ. It causes divisions in the church and adds bricks rather than bridges between us all. Harsh words also wounds the ones we love.
III. Kindness with our
Substance.
Pertains to our resources.
A. The Example of the
Early Christians. Acts 2:42 - 45
The early Christians sold their belongings to suppor the ministry. It was
not so much about their possessions but rather their hearts that sacrificed
to the work of Christ which counted the most.
Are we setting an example for others to be kind with their substance as well?
B. Our kindness with
our substance is the other dimension of love towards our God.
When we are hurting in our giving, that is true giving.
Conclusion:
Kindness reveals the degree of our surrender to the Lord. Are we selfish or
carnal in the presence of God?
What is being revealed in our lives: a degree of surrender or a degree of
carnality?
Sermon Notes: October 27, 2002
"FRUIT
OF THE SPIRIT... GOODNESS!"
By:
Pastor Arthur P. Ornias
Senior Pastor
Main Text: Galatians
5:22 - 23
v.22 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith.
v.23 "Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."
Introduction:
The Fruit of the Spirit is a long process of changes all throughout our lives.
The Lord is working in our hearts and by the indwelling power of the Holy
Spirit a person is changed. Spiritual change comes not by following or imitating
patterns of changes in other peoples' lives but rather by being sensitive
to the working of the Spirit.
Ephesians 2:10 tells us that "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
Kindness, as something theoretical, is an attitude of the heart. While Goodness, as practical, is the action of the kind heart.
I. Goodness is a character
of God.
In Matthew 19:17, "And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there
is none good but one, that is, God"
There is only one good, and that is, God. Jesus was also called good Master
and He is also God, the Incarnate God. The Lord Jesus is asking for a character
not just an attitude (Goodness).
Jesus is asking us to have the character that He has - goodness towards the
needy, the poor.
Human goodness should
be analogous to God's goodness. Goodness is the inherent capability of God
to deal with man.
The Lord exhibits His Goodness:
A. In His Provision of
our Needs:
He is sensitive to the needs of His children. Our spiritual intimate relationship
with God, our Father enables us to come to Him as our Friend, our "Dad".
He is very quick to befriend sinners, saints and to provide all their needs.
The Lord looks out for what is best for His people and looks at the best our
of His people.
Application: When we look at the needy, do we do something about their needs? Have we been seeing the best out of our brethren lately?
Pray that we may have the eyes of the Lord that we may see the need of our brothers.
B. In His Protection
from Danger:
He is our Fortress, our Pillar of Fire, our Shield.
Amidst the dangers, in the center of the will of God, we are protected. In
this life, there is no real security for us. But God is securing us in our
daily activities, even securing us in eternity.
From the Psalmist, God is our Fortress, our protection inside our hearts from sin and coldness in faith.
Pray to the Lord that He will always send the fire to ignite our faith, not be cold, as God is our Pillar of Fire.
C. In His Promises:
God has set aside many promises for us.
1. Character of God - in His abundant promises, how are we dealing with those promises? Are we holdin gon to God's faithfulness?
2. Command from God - goodness is an imperative, crucial, vital command or task. We also sin when we do not obey. Goodness, in our part, is obligatory. Our goodness in our actions (as goddness expresses itself in good deeds.)
a. We have to Prove It
(Goodness)
Romans 12:2 "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed
by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable,
and perfect, will of God."
We ought to prove goodness in our daily lives, that God is good to us, and that we are to be good to others.
b. We have to Pursue
It
Galatians 6:10 "As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto
all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith."
We ought to seize every opportunity to do good for the Lord, run after it, especially to our fellow believers.
c. We have to Prefer
It.
In our daily activities, our preference should always be inclined to it. We
ought to do good despite ungentle effects.
Jesus gave us an example in His righteous indignation for the money-changers
in the House of God.
Sermon Notes: October 31, 2002 (Overnight Prayer Meeting)
"SPIRITUAL
FREEDOM FROM THE SIN OF WORRYING"
By:
Pastor Arthur P. Ornias
Senior Pastor
Main Text: Philippians
4:6
"Be careful for nothing ; but in every thing by
prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be make known
unto God."
Introduction:
Worry/Anxieties/Cares are legitimate concerns for the believers and must not
be handled wrongly.
If worrying would lead to fear, then it is SIN. It will lead us to forget
God and destroy our perspective in life.
It is the Will of God, however, for us to have spiritual freedom from anxiety.
2 Spiritual Directives:
I. Take Heed in the Prohibition.
v. 6 is telling us, "be careful for nothing..."
We are being concerned so much over things we cannot control, which should
not be.
A. The Concept of Prayer:
The Philippians were then facing attacks, inside and out, attacks from unbelievers
and from brothers as well.
We also have many attacks: emotional, spiritual, familial, financial. Our
tendency over these attacks is to doubt.
[The command is in the present imperative - a present action] The ongoing
anxiety needs to be stopped because its leading to sin. The verse simply means
"stop worrying".
Paul is saying that we are to discontinue the sin of worrying in our lives.
B. The Elements and Explanation
of Prayer:
The elements of prayer - what prayer is all about - are Thanksgiving, (Prayer)
Adoration to God, and Supplication.
"Prayer" in v.6 gives us the idea of adoration, devotion and worship.
It is an acknowledgement of our needs (supplication), for us to realize that
we are dependent and subservient to our Lord God.
It is an appreciation of our God - for His answers. It is asking God for specific
needs as Paul told "let your requests be made known unto God."
C. The Effect of Prayer:
v. 7 "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep
your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
"the peace of God..." is something that is not in us when we are
worrying. This "peace" is our inner tranquility, calmness of our
soul despite worries.
1. The Derivation of
this Peace.
This "peace" comes from God. God gives the believer inner peace
which only He can give when the believer prays.
2. The Description of
this Peace.
It "passeth all understanding", It surpasses all human understanding.
It is beyond human compression how we are victorious in this world when we
pray and still manage to praise God inspite of many needs.
Worries attack our minds and hearts. God's peace is the inner guard in our minds and hearts from worrying.
Conclusion:
2 Keys to Remember:
1. Stop worrying for anything.
2. Start praying for everything.
Sermon Notes: November 3, 2002
"SAINT,
SOUL AND HALLOWEEN!"
By:
Pastor Arthur P. Ornias
Senior Pastor
Main Text: Luke 16:19
- 31
v.22 "And it came to pass, that the beggar [Lazarus]
died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also
died, and was buried;
v.23 "And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham
afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
v.24 "And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send
Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue;
for I am tormented in this flame.
v.25 "But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst
thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted,
and thou art tormented.
v.26 "And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed:
so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass
to us, that would come from thence.
v.27 "Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest
send him to my father's house:
v.31 "And he [Abraham] said unto him [rich man], If they hear not Moses
and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the
dead."
Introduction:
All Saints' Day, as celebrated by tradition of the Catholics, are for the
dead saints canonized by the Roman Catholics on the basis of their good works.
While All Souls' Day is celebrated for all the dead souls.
Halloween, on the other hand, came from the Old World tradition of driving
away evil spirits by "scarying" them by wearing scary costumes.
But what do "Saints", "Souls", and "Halloween" really mean in the Bible?
I. Saints
A. What is "Sainthood"
According to the Roman Catholics, it is the right vested through canonization
to a dead who "lived an exemplary life of sacifice for their faith as
decided by the living (the "Canons"). Their basis of sainthood is
upon good works. But we question, who are the "Canons"? What are
the qualifications of the "saints"? Are "saints" supposed
to be living or dead?
B. Who are the "Saints"?
The Bible, on the other hand, describes the saints as not dead but the living.
Being a "saint" means to be set aside, holy. Paul's epistles would
attest to this fact as he addressed his letters to the saints of the churches
he wrote to,
Ephesians 1:1 "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ."
John 1:12 would also tell us "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:" The "saints" are the sons of God, those who believe in Jesus Christ and received Him. Sainthood is not given by any man; only Jesus gives power to become a saint to those who believe in Him.
The living saints should celebrate their sainthood, as being set apart by God, thus the "Saints' Day" should be a life-long celebration.
C. How to become a "Saint"?
The Canons vested sainthood on the basis of good works done by the dead while
they were alive.
But Ephesians 2:8 - 9 tells us that "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."
Clearly, sainthood is not earned by good works as we cannot boast our works to God. Sainthood is the result of the grace of God, His gift to those who receive Christ as Lord and Savior of their lives.
D. When do we celebrate
the "All Saints' Day"?
The Day of Rapture - truly an all saints' day. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 - 17 describes
to us that special day "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven
with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump[et] of God:
and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain
shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the
air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."
II. Soul
From the Greek "Psucke" - the breath of life, the immaterial part
of man.
A. The Soul of the Dead
Clearly in the event of the dead rich man and Lazarus, the dead cannot do
anything for the living as also we, the living, cannot do anything for them
who are already dead.
The Roman Catholics traditionalizes the All Soul's Day as a day of prayer for the dead in purgatory. But there is nowhere in the Bible that "purgatory" is mentioned, described or taught. The "purging" of man occurs here on earth while he is alive. Luke 16 should make us realize the destiny of the souls.
B. The Souls in Hades
The rich man "prayed" to Abraham that the living should not come
to Hades [or hell]. But Abraham answered him with a rebuke to let the living
listen to the Word of God through the preachers and believe by them.
III. Halloween
A. The History:
It was started by peoples in Europe and America; to wear scary clothes to
drive away bad spirits.
B. The Belief:
It is a superstitious belief for "protection" against such evil
spirits.
C. What the Bible says:
It is not true. True protection comes only through a personal relationship
with our Lord Jesus Christ. Our God is greater, powerful than any demon, even
Satan.
We, ourselves, are indeed scary people, filthy rags, dead into sin, but God can make us beautiful and cleansed.
Conclusion:
Has Christ made you beautiful? Do you want to be part of the "all saints'
day" - the Rapture or be in a Halloween Mood forever?
Sermon Notes: November 10, 2002
"FRUIT
OF THE SPIRIT... FAITH!
By:
Pastor Arthur P. Ornias
Senior Pastor
Main Text: Galatians
5:22 - 23
v.22 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith.
v.23 "Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."
Scripture Reading: Matthew
18: 1- 6
v.1 "At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the
greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
v.2 "And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst
of them,
v.3 "And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become
as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
v.4 "Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the
same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
Introduction:
Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
Jesus pertains to the child-like faith of the believer.
Meanings of Faith:
1. Faith - is firstly belief in the work of God for man's salvation. (Ephesians
2:8 - 9)
2. Faith - pertains to the message of the Word of God (as the faith).
3. Faith - our daily belief in our God that we do not see.
Faith as the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
I. Faith that is Child-like.
A. Jesus illustrated
faith.
Jesus used the illustration of the child.
The Pharisees at that time, distorted the idea of faith; that faith is insufficient to be saved.
B. Jesus' implication
of faith.
It is the innate character of a child to simply believe and have the -
It was the pride of the
Pharisees to hold on to their traditions, rituals, titles and high positions.
Let us also observe our own church, what are the traditions that we are holding
on to even without faith?
There are also times wherein we minimize God's power by not believing in His
power over our own lives.
The child-like faith is a character of the heart to believe without questioning
the Lord.
II. Faith that Rises
to all the challenges of life.
What are the challenges ahead of us? Faith rises above surmounting problems.
A. Faith is built on the conviction that God can to anything.
B. Faith made Abel worship.
Abel was the first murdered Christian primarily because of his worship to
God out of his faith.
C. Faith made Enoch walk
with God.
In our own walk with the Lord, we tend to set limits to ourselves as we are
overwhelmed by worldly circumstances. Only by faith that we can overcome these.
D. Faith made Noah work
with God.
Noah sets the example that "faithfulness comes before responsibility".
God first saw Noah as faithful among all the peoples of his generation and
so he was given the enormous task of building the ark for 120 years.
E. Faith made Abraham obey God..
F. Faith has sustained
many in tough times.
Remember, in our most rugged, chaotic moments, how God has sustained us.
G. Faith removes all
limits on God's ability to provide.
More than we can ever imagine, the Lord is a sufficient God.
H. Faith claims the resources of God in every crises.
Sermon Notes: November 17, 2002
"FRUIT
OF THE SPIRIT... MEEKNESS!
By:
Pastor Arthur P. Ornias
Senior Pastor
Main Text: Galatians
5:22 - 23
v.22 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith.
v.23 "Meekness, temperance: against such there
is no law."
Introduction:
Change is not something we can demand from people. It is a result of the continuous
yielding to what the Lord can do in our lives, rather than on what people
can do with us. The Lord can do something in our lives, as we may not be always
aware of it, but this happens as we remain faithful; on a day to day surrender;
in our continuous encounter with the Lord.
MEEKNESS - or "Kaamuan"; is not an outward look but rather, a character.
I. Being a Meek Learner.
Peter was an example of a meek learner; changed from a "pebble"
into a "rock" by our Lord Jesus Christ.
James 1:21 tells us, "Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity
of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able
to save your souls." James speaks of meek learners of the Lord through
the "engrafted word" of God in our hearts.
A. To be a Meek Learner,
there should be the absence of pride.
In the book of Isaiah, Satan, the author of pride, proclaimed himself in "5
I am's".
Chances are we will wreck our lives because of pride. Consider how many homes,
churches and even governments have been broken and divided only because of
pride.
B. To be a Meek Learner,
there should be the absence of rebellion. (against authorities, i.e, parents,
leaders, governments)
The Lord God abhors rebellion as He has showed with His dealings with Israel
in their times of rebellion. In the Old Testament, the punishment for rebellion
was beheading or burning. Pride, if unresolved, would inevitably result to
rebellion. In constant complaining, a rebellious attitude may start to grow
in our hearts.
C. To be a Meek Learner,
there should be an elimination of carnal inputs
Matthew 12:34 tells us "...out of the abundance of the heart the mouth
speaketh."
Carnal inputs are those things, ideas that are like garbage within our hearts
and are not pleasing to our Lord; i.e. malicious jestings, green jokes, malicious
"double-meanings" in our conversations.
Carnal Christians cannot adopt the change of Christian life, thus they do not grow.
D. To be a Meek Learner,
there should be a welcoming of Biblical truths.
After eliminating carnal inputs, replace them with Biblical truths.
Be aware that there should be a balance between our theology and our "knee-ology"
(our prayer life).
II. Being a Meek Leader.
Moses was an example of a Meek Leader.
Numbers 12:1,3 tells us, "And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because
of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married... (Now the man Moses was very
meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)"
Moses believed in 2 things regarding meekness:
A. Humility is more important
than impressive credentials.
If our credentials are placed above humility, then we are stepping out of
the will of God. Let our credentials be put to its worth by humbling ourselves
before God in serving Him.
B. Submission to God's
will is more important than public relations /(popularity)
We are not to compormise God's work with (public relations) something else
other than the Lord's work.
The Lord is able to change us from "pebbles" to "rocks".
Start submitting to our Lord's sovereignty.
II. The Meek Lamb - JESUS!
See the paradigm: the meek learner
is the Christian, the meek leader
is the Christian who comes out to serve or lead the church, and the Meek
Lamb is the Lord Jesus, the leaders' LEADER.
A. The Meek Lamb is characterized
by humility.
The people who forsook Him and persecuted Him were the same ones whom He saved
and became the first Christians. He even prayed to the Father to forgive them.
B. The Meek Lamb is characterized
by submission.
Jesus never, at any time, usurped the Father. He submitted to the authority
of the Father.
In our own lives, we ought to realize to submit to the authority of the Lord;
to do things His way and not our way. His way is still the best!
Conclusion:
Ask ourselves these questions:
1. Are you always demanding your own way?
2. Do you have trouble getting along with others? (Or do you have that pride
in your heart that hinders you from even greeting them?)
3. Do you get angry when things don't go your way?
These could be signs of our lack of meekness.
Sermon Notes: November 24, 2002 - 20th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
"Enlarge
Your Tent..." Isaiah 54:2
By: Reverend
Herman Moldez
Guest Speaker
Main Text: 1 Thessalonians
1:1-10
v.5 "For our gospel came not unto you in word only,
but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know
what manner of men we were among you for your sake
v.6 "And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received
the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:
v.7 "So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.
v.8 "For from you sounded out the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia
and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad;
so that we need not to speak any thing.
v.9 "For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had
unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true
God;
v.10 "And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead,
even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come."
Introduction:
It is still harvest time for us. There are still people who are willing to
listen to the Word of God. While the world's population grow, How do we bring
the gospel of Christ to them? How do we involve ourselves? Do we have the
resources to create an impact in our society?
Our God can do something.
First century Christian churches sprang forth as house churches only. They could not gather openly because of persecutions but inspite of that, the Lord's message ran out to different places. The Thessalonian church was commended by Paul because of their example. (v. 5) Seeing their example, there are 3 ways to "enlarge our tent".
I. The Impact of Changed
Lives. (v. 2 - 7)
Today, in our post-modern time, people are looking for "what works".
But it is the gospel that revolutionizes lives - lives of those who take hold
of its truth - the truth which is centered on Jesus Christ.
The reality of our faith
is seen in our works. In the New Testament (NT), good works, i.e. acts of
kindness to the poor or underprivileged, are necessarily in relation to faith.
For the Thessalonians, their labor was prompted by love out of their faith
in Christ. If we love God yet we cannot show it in our service for Him, then
it is not real. Their endurance was inspired by hope brought about by their
faith. The words spoken to them, he Word of God changed the lives of people.
It comes with the power of the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 6:17 "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the
Spirit, which is the word of God."
The Spirit without the
Word is weaponless.
The Word without the Spirit is powerless.
The Word of God and the work of the Holy Spirit brings about changed lives.
And the first sign of it is that we bear fruit in our lives.
As in the Corinthian church, we are the living letters read by others.
Are our lives attracting others?
II. Aggressive in Proclaiming
the Gospel. (v. 8 - 9)
The gospel sounded out from the Thessalonians like a gong heard in every place.
The gospel became a loud noise that reverberated in every place.
This requires an active declaration of our faith in Jesus Christ.
Are we using the various opportunities (i.e. technology) that we have to sound
out the gospel?
III. Manifested Power
of God. (v. 9 - 10)
People were attracted to the gospel of Jesus Christ because of the manifested
power of God. It brought about radical change in people whom from serving
idols turned to serve the living God.
Do we still have "mental
images" that we idolize? These could be dreams, ambitions, opinions,
or even our own ideas of God which are not necessarily true of His attributes
and His ways. We are then worshipping the God in our own minds and not the
true living God for what He is.
Idolatry is not just worshipping images but it is anything that we prioritize
over God and our devotion to Him.
Conclusion:
If we let the Holy Spirit and the power of God work in our lives - we can
"enlarge our tent."
The Lord has given us the responsibility to expand. Let us not be content.
Sermon Notes:
November 24, 2002 - Afternoon Inter-Church Fellowship
20th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
"Enlarge
Your Tent..." Isaiah 54:2
By: Reverend
Herman Moldez
Guest Speaker
Main Text: Acts 1:1 -
8
v.8 "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon
you: and ye shall e witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea
and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
Introduction:
Our country, though known as a Christian nation in the South East, is still
far from what Christ has established in the early church. Still, most of our
countrymen, by their words they proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord but not in their
relationship with Him.
If churches want to "enlarge their tents" they must recover the "pananaw tungkol sa kaharian ng Diyos" - to truly recognize Jesus as King of kings and Lord of lords and become the center of our lives.
Jesus is most of the time treated as a figure-head of the church rather than the Head of the church. He is not just the Head of the church but must be the Lord of the nation. Let us put into our hearts that Jesus Christ be exalted as Lord over the Philippines.
Jesus Christ as the Lord of creation. The Lord is Lord - this is a fact whether we recognize Him or not as such.
"Enlarging the tent" is extending the Kingdom (of God) not just the territory of the church (or physical expansion of the church). The Kingdom is far greater than the territory of the church. Though the church is the center of His Kingdom, the whole of creation bows down to His Kingdom, thus His Kingdom is indeed beyond the church.
To "enlarge our tent", It may be necessary to link arms and shoulders with others who believe in Jesus Christ. The Kingdom of God is not about political power, it is all about the power of the Holy Spirit.
How can we "Enlarge Our Tent", that is, to expand the Kingdom of God?
I. If we Experience the
Presence of the Kingdom.
In many ways, a lot of people are still waiting for the Kingdom, but in many
ways, the Kingdom is already here. It has already started, but not yet. We
only have a "foretaste" of it as we still wait for the full consummation
of the Kingdom.
The present reality is that the signs of the Kingdom has come, as seen in the life of the church. Acts 2:41 - 47 would show us how the Christian community is. Their fellowship and steadfastness were possible because of the power of the Spirit moving into the hearts of men.
II. If we Experience
the Power of the Kingdom
The power of the Kingdom comes from the Holy Spirit. Satan, the strongman
has been tied, the power of the devil has been counteracted.
How the church was empowered?
(Spiritual Empowerment)
1. In the Preaching of the Word of God:
Even while the early Christians were encountering threats and persecutions,
the fillinf of the Holy Spirit brings boldness and courage to testify for
Jesus.
Just as when Peter, James
and John were threatened by the Sanhedrin -
Acts 4:29 - 31 "And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto
thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching
forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name
of thy holy child Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shake where
they were assembled togethe; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost,
and they spake the word of God with boldness."
2. In the demonstration
of the Works (of the disciples)
Acts 4:32 "And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart
and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he
possessed was his own; but they had all things common."
3. In the demonstration
of the Wonder of God
God's healing, deliverance and miracles. Acts 3 tells of how Peter and the
crippled man.
The power of a few people over the power of the Holy Spirit hinders the Kingdom of God
Conclusion:
We can experience the power of the Holy Spirit by dedicating our lives to
the Lord, individually and as a church. Let us be purified of "rusts"
which hinders the power of the Holy Spirit.
Sermon Notes: December 1, 2002
"FRUIT
OF THE SPIRIT... SELF-CONTROL!"
By:
Pastor Arthur P. Ornias
Senior Pastor
Main Text: Galatians
5:22 - 23
v.22 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith.
v.23 "Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."
Introduction:
Temperance, simply put, is not loosing temper. It is a very general topic
that touches even the remotest part of our lives (not just re: anger or lust
of the flesh). It touches every race, age and hearts who would be willing
to listen.
When we have already said "no" to the things we know that we shouldn't do or indulge into, we often find ourselves not able to control ouselves over them and reluctantly indulge anyway.
Having self-control:
1. Will deliver us from despair. When we are not able to control ourselves
over matters, i.e. smoking, over-eating, and other vices, and end up doing
these same mistakes again - having realized this, we tend to despair because
of our "failure".
2. Will enable us to win. A triumphant living will be able to change a lot of aspects in our lives. Think of those aspects and pray for them. Open your hearts to know them.
Where are the areas of our lives that we tend to be out of control? How do we gain self-control?
I. It requires an exchange of your Self-confidence for faith.
3 Things about self-confidence.
A. Self-confidence enables us to do some great things and it is important
for our self-esteem.
B. Self-confidence, on the other hand, limits human potentials. When we are confident in our selves, we fail to accomlish great things for the Lord, (as we rely so much on our own knowledge of our limits and potentials).
2 Examples:
A. Joshua - given the task by the Lord to lead and defeat huge armies in claiming
the Promised Land. He never questioned the Lord regarding the capability of
his Israelite army nor asked for more arms and more recruits. He was confident
in the Lord.
B. David - a novice, still a small boy who heard the voice of Goliath mocking Israel and their God. He laid aside his own self-confidence and held on to one thing - his confidence in the Lord and beheaded Goliath.
Principle # 1 Defeat can be changed into victory by faith in God's power.
Pray first that the Lord will take away the arrogance, self-confidence in our lives and replace them with temperance.
II. It requires an exchange of your Will-power for God's power..
A. Our will-power is limited. Our will-power is that which tells us that we can do some things. It lasts only for a certain period of time (then fades). We cannot do things alone, and not having the Lord with us. There are certain times wherein we have asked ourselves why we have become "losers". It is because we are fighting our own battles alone. The Lord has already fought it out already and has become triumphant. Our God is a Winner, and so are we.
B. God's power is unlimited. As shown in the lives of Joshua, David, Elijah (and the other Bible men and women). The Lord has the power to overrule our dark past and guilts into a bright future.
Joshua could have lead his people with his own will-power and thousands could have died in defeat. David could have turned away from Goliath and care less about the mockings. But they yielded to God.
Principle # 2 Yield to the Lord and He will provide victory.
Our God is a Winner and so we are winners. Just yield to the Lord and He will provide faithfully.
III. It requires an exchange of your Weaknesses for God's strength.
2 Things about weaknesses:
A. Weaknesses are innate (inborn or natural). We are born with weaknesses
and we carry them for the rest of our lives as long as we are in the flesh.
Yet, the Bible did say that we not yield to these weaknesses.
B. Weaknesses are reminders that we should be dependet on God alone.
2 Things about God's
strength:
A. God's strength is operative on every Christian. Only when we give ourselves
to the Lord.
Ephesians 6:10 tells us "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord,
and in the power of his might."
We have God's strength in us upon our salvation (when we have accepted Christ
as our Lord and Savior) and we need to claim it on a day to day basis.
B. God's strength is available all the time. When we give our weaknesses to the Lord, whenever we are down, whenever we are tempted, God's strength is readily available to us.
Principle # 3 Strength is possible on the basis of our dependence on God.
Conclusion:
The Last of the Series on the "Fruit of the Spirit". Understand
that we already have these fruit of the Spirit upon our salvation. But we
need to claim them and exercise them. We exchange our inevitable weaknesses
with the Fruit of the Spirit. May the good Lord bless us with all these.
Sermon Notes: December 8, 2002
"THE
PEOPLE WHO MISSED THE FIRST CHRISTMAS"
By:
Pastor Arthur P. Ornias
Senior Pastor
Main Text: Luke 2:1 -
10; Matthew 2:4 - 6
v.4 "And when he had gathered all the chief priests
and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should
be born.
v.5 "And they said unto hm, In Bethlehem of Judea: for thus it is written
by the prophey,
v.6 "And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among
the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule
my people Israel."
Introduction:
In the beginning of Matthew 2, 3 magis went to Herod to inquire of the child
Jesus upon learning of His star. These 3 magis, learned/wise men from the
east (not kings) discovered Jesus Christ and had personal contact with the
Lord and ever changed their lives.
But there were other "wise" men who knew of Jesus Christ's birth and yet rejected the opportunity to see Him and know Him. These are the chief priests and the scribes - ever learning the Scriptures but never came to know the Lord. They concocted further with Herod's fears of having a new king over Israel. They failed to realize that the "Governor" to be born is not a political leader, but rather, a spiritual King with very spiritual motives, leading man's soul to Him for Heaven.
In celebrating the Christmas season, let's get to know these people who missed out on the first Christmas that we may:
1. Differentiate the
festivities (traditions) from the factual event of Christ's birth.
2. Be reminded that our focus is not on material things but on the Immaterial,
who is Jesus Christ.
3. Learn from the people who missed the first Christmas.
What are the identifying marks or characters of these people who missed the first Christmas? See if you are able to relate with them.
I. They are the Doubters
- Choosing to doubt rather than to believe.
Verses 5 and 6 are direct quotations from the Old Testament, which indicates
their expertise in the Scriptures. But inspite of their thorough knowledge,
they could not confirm the prophecy to Herod that this king is not a political
king and will rather build His kingdom in the hearts of the people. This eventually
brought about the evil scheme of Herod to murder all babies in his kingdom,
2 years old and younger, believing he could destroy the child Jesus.
Principle # 1 If you are a Doubter, and just celebrate Christmas out of festivites, you miss alot of Jesus Christ.
These "learned" men have missed out on the boy Savior in their lives. They doubted even the Scripture they were reading.
Are we reading our Bible and yet missing Jesus Christ in what we are reading.
Remarks on how not to
miss Jesus Christ:
1. Recognize Him as Lord NOW.
2. Realize that you nedd Him as your God NOW.
3. Repent NOW.
For the Believer:
1. Recapture the real meaning of the season. It is all about Jesus Christ.
Having recaptured that meaning, you will realize that Christmas will not be
a one-day occasion.
2. Rebuild your lives unto Him again.
3. Re-commit to the work of the Lord. Our problem in the church is that we
are not doing the work with (fervent) commitment.
II. They are the Drifters
- Drifiting away from the Word of God.
They slowly fall away from the Bible. Though the center of the message was
the coming of the Messiah, they willfully chose to ignore and reject Him.
They chose not to believe. They turned their backs on the truth, the Word
of God. They could not give their trust to the Lord even though they have
studied and read God's Word.
Some Christians today are only present during good times in the church. Some also have become selective listeners, taking in only what they would like to hear.
Principle # 2 If you are a Drifter, you miss alot of Jesus Christ's precious Words that you will need to triumph over any trials.
III. They are the Disconnected
- They are confused, could not comprehend either the Word or the Person of
Jesus Christ.
They did not want any ruling in their lives other than the ruling of theirselves.
They did not want a king in their lives
Are there still avenues
in our lives that we have not put under God's rule?
He is simply asking the throne in our hearts.
Who is the true King of our lives? Self or Jesus Christ?
Principle # 3 If you are one of the Disconnected , you miss alot of Jesus Christ's benefits.
Sermon Notes: December 15, 2002
"FINDING
NEW MEANING DURING THIS SEASON"
By:
Pastor Arthur P. Ornias
Senior Pastor
Main Text: Luke 2:1 -
20
v.8 "And there were in the same country shepherds
abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
v.9 "And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of
the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
v.10 "And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you
good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
v.11 "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which
is Christ the Lord.
v.15 "And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into
heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem,
and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto
us.
v.17 "And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which
was told them concerning this child.
v.18 "And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were
told them by the shepherds.
v.20 "And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all
the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them."
Introduction:
Most of us are looking for something "great" this season... "great"
bargains, "great" sales in "great" malls. But what is
truly great this season is in Christ alone.
We take a look at the lives of the shepherds in another perspective, not extra-biblical, but only as probabilities that we could identify with today.
But there were other "wise" men who knew of Jesus Christ's birth and yet rejected the opportunity to see Him and know Him. These are the chief priests and the scribes - ever learning the Scriptures but never came to know the Lord. They concocted further with Herod's fears of having a new king over Israel. They failed to realize that the "Governor" to be born is not a political leader, but rather, a spiritual King with very spiritual motives, leading man's soul to Him for Heaven.
I. Routinary work to a bright bright meaningful experience.
A. They are tired of the routinary.
The shepherds could have been working as shepherds all their lives, routinarily being in the field, tending the flock day or night, There was nothing special about their jobs. And perhaps, we may be feeling the same way pertaining to our work, loads, destined activities, even towards our house chores. No challenges coming our way.
There are times when we miscalculate God's blessings, and the "great" things we have wanted/planned do not happen, then our attitudes change toward God. But the Lord will do something new today. That is why we have this season:
When nothing seems to
different in our lives and all are but routines - Jesus made the difference!
When nothing is special about our jobs or work - Jesus can make a difference!
When there's no challenge in our way - Jesus can change it all!
B. They are to (face) a great discovery in their lives. (v.9)
Not only that we were saved but we were also given the privilege and the treasure - Jesus Christ, our Treasure.
The routines, at times, are our blessings. The shepherds, while they were doing their routine work, were found by the angels and did not miss out on God's blessings.
II. Ordinary people to
an extraordinary task. (v.15)
It is very common in the Bible that the Lord uses common people to do extraordinary
tasks. (i.e. Abraham, David, Peter, all the other apostles)
A. Their experience changed
their status in life. (v.17)
v.17 "And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which
was told them concerning this child."
It was the will of God for them not to just experience the presence of the angels but more importantly to share the message to others. They have become from shepherds to messengers, from the shepherding of flocks to the shepherding of souls.
B. Their experience changed
their perception of God.
v.20 "And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all
the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them."
They could have thought of themselves as ordinary, but Christ changed it all - because their focus was on the Person of Christ.
What they have heard and seen had changed everything - because their focuse was on the Message. And this Message must be that something that we are missing this season. It is that which the shepherds are determined not to miss.
We should also have the same attitude. Let us capture everything of Christ. That is when things will change. Pray and give our souls the desire that our perception of God would be meaningful and truthful.
III. Focus from the Self
to the Reason of the season.
This requires an exchange of the Self for the true Reason of the season -
Jesus Christ.
A. They were willing
to leave their jobs for the Messiah.
It was a very great decision to leave the flock and see the Christ.
Notice their faithfulness to their task, but they were willing to barter it for Christ. Are we ready to do the same?
B. They were wanting
to learn from their Messiah.
It was very indicative when they decided to visit Christ. (v.15)
It was their open desire to seek the Lord, not just to visit the place, but
to see the Person of Christ. They wanted to confirm for themselves what the
angel has told them.
C. They were worshipping
the real object of the season. (v.20)
The result of the exchange of the Self for the Son was simple - a lesson learned.
And their first lesson was on worship.
What lessons have we learned when we exchanged our "Self" for Christ? Was it on worship, grace, love, giving, etc.?
Sermon Notes: December 22, 2002
"STRETCHING
MY CHRISTMAS"
By:
Pastor Arthur P. Ornias
Senior Pastor
Main Text: Matthew 2:1
- 11
v.10 "When they saw the star, they rejoiced with
exceeding great joy.
v.11 "And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child
with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had
opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense,
and myrrh."
Introduction:
The Christmas season is not just for ourselves, but most especially, for other
people who do not have the Lord. This season should remind us of the very
reason of Jesus' birth - to suffer and die for our sins.
Verse 10 and 11, would tell us that the object of our focus is on the child, Jesus. The magis presented their gifts to Him and worshipped Him.
I. RETURNING: Giving
what God has Given. To return God the favor, favor that God, Himself has given
us.
Their very effort in looking for the child, Jesus, was very intentional on
their part. They went out of their way to find the Savior and purposedly presented
Him gifts.
Even if these wise men did not have the Lord yet in their lives, but the moment
they saw Him, it is enough for them to show their worship and give their presents
to Him.
We ask ourselves now:
why are we here in church every Sunday? Is it out of routine or is it out
of the intention of our hearts to worship and know God?
It is all about giving back what God has given us. We, as Christians, are
given a lot of privileges that others do not enjoy. Let us give Christ to
those who do not have Him yet.
II. RETURNING: Giving
what God has Granted. A simple response to what God has done - sending His
Son to save us.
The simple reaction of the magis to what God has done in their hearts - WORSHIP.
We ought to learn from their example. Let us be sensitive to what God has been doing or allowing in our lives. We can then re-discover the real essence of our lives. Even difficult circumstances have their way of making us bear fruit. Be sensitive that it is God who always sees us through.
The magis were still looking forward to the future savation of Christ by the cross. While we, already having seen it as history, have that salvation already granted to us. How should we respond to it?
III. RETURNING: Giving
what God has for a Goal.
His purpose is to look for lost sheep and save them; not just to provide leadership
but also provide abundant blessing.
His purpose is for us to extend our hearts this Christmas to the lost (and
share to them what God has given and granted to us).
Conclusion:
It should be our prayer that Christmas would not just be a ritual, a tradition;
but a real experience of Jesus Christ.
Sermon Notes: December 29, 2002
"YEAR-ENDING,
FRESH BEGINNING"
By:
Pastor Arthur P. Ornias
Senior Pastor
Main Text: Philippians
3:1 - 11
v.7 "But what things were gain to me, those I counted
loss for Christ.
v.8 "Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency
of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss
of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.
v.9. "And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is
of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness
which is of God by faith.
v.10 "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the
fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.
v.11 "If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead."
Introduction:
Not resolutions, for the new year, but realization through reflections of
the knowledge of Christ. To know Christ in the experiential aspect.
I. KNOWING CHRIST: in
my daily experiences. (v. 10a)
Knowing Christ may not always mean good experiences.
But when Paul said, "that I may know Him", it is an expression of his appreciation of Jesus Christ by the operation of the Holy Spirit in his life. This should also be true in the believer's daily life.
"That I may know
Him" is not just an intellectual activity. It is a daily experience or
encounter with Christ.
Be sensitive to the working and Person of Jesus Christ. Pursue Him on a day
to day basis.
The knowledge of Him is not by setting our own rules in knowing Him, but rather,
by leting Him set the grounds in how to know Him.
"That I may know
Him" connotes a connection and union with Jesus Christ. It creates a
relationship between the one knowing and the One known.
As He resides in your heart, He is in union with you. Learn to appreciate
Christ in your daily experiential union with Him.
II. KNOWING CHRIST: doing
the impossible (v. 10b)
Do we know the power of His resurrection?
Practical Implication:
If Christ has the power to rise from the dead,
Then He must have the power over our weaknesses.
Then He must have the power over our selfishness.
Then He must have the power over our failures and fears.
Christ already did the "impossible" and so He is powerful over all other things. We can trust the Lord that He can do the impossible over our lives.
III. KNOWING CHRIST:
by sharing in His pains. (v. 10c "and the fellowship of his sufferings")
Paul teaches us to remain spiritually practical people.
Life, at times, is unfair. And we need not be surprised about it.
We will always have pains and struggles, but, the Lord promised His faithfulness
and that He will see us through.
Learn from the sparrows,
neither they sow nor reap, but the Lord sees to their needs. We have been
told that we are of much value than the sparrows. The Lord watches over us
always.
The year may seem blurry for us at this time but God sees us clearly. Be glad
that you will not suffer alone. We are in the fellowship of His sufferings.
There is a kind of suffering that is sweet. It is the suffering for the Lord's sake (in His service). We may not always be taking a popular stand (against the rest of the world), but know that when we rightly stand, our suffering is sweet.
IV. KNOWING CHRIST: by
dying to self. (v. 10d "being made conformable unto his death.")
To gain more and be willing to lose some. To live like a child of God is a
rare privilege but comes with great responsibilities.
We will experience series of pruning by the Lord as we grow. In dying to one's self, we are being conformed to the Lord Jesus Christ, imitating Him.
V. KNOWING CHRIST: with
anticipation of heaven life. (v. 11 "If by any means I might attain unto
the resurrection of the dead.")
Paul's focus was on the heavenly life. He came all the way from materialism
to spirituality.
As we ask ourselves,
what are we living for? to accumulate things?
But there is no true joy in those temporal things. True Joy comes only in
our relationship with the Lord. While it is important to have some things
in this world, but, far more excellent is our relationship with Him.
Realize that as every year ends, we are also drawing closer to out life's end. Might as well prepare ourselves, gear up for our rewards in heaven.
Conclusion:
Resolve: What am I doing with my life? What am I living for? Where is my life
going?
The Self or the Lord?
Are we simply going to our graves without even serving the Lord?
Where is our focus? What
are we striving to gain?
We can make a difference.
If you have been leading
life with the wrong focus - Our God is a God of second chance.
Though we may be a mess, He came for our lives.
GOD IS FAITHFUL!