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Well, very good morning to all of you and welcome to our second English worship service on Chinese New Year day two. Here's wishing all of you a very blessed Chinese New Year Xin Nian Meng En which means may God's grace be received into your life for this year ahead. And I'm sure many of you would probably be, would have already gone visiting or are planning for more visitations today, and many greetings will be shared and heard today, for example Gong Xi Fa Cai and so on and so forth. But maybe one of the common greetings, I would hear for my kids is to Zhu Ni Men Kuai Gao Zhang Da, I wish your kids will grow up big and strong, real quick and that is really what people look forward when they see children right? You see young ones, you wish they will grow up quick and fast and that's what I desire for my kids.

I remember when I was younger I will follow my parents to visitations and there was this one household that we will visit. Every year we go there, we will see this young man, I'm not even sure if it's young man or young boy but just a small boy, man who can't talk, who can't utter meaningful words, who can't hold himself up. He has to lie on a mat all the time and every year we go back he remains the same, there's no change. My dad told me that he is sick, he has some problems in his life. I do not know what's wrong with his health, but it is sad to see him, year after year, unchanged.

I think there is no greater joy than to see people grow and there is no greater sadness than to see young children or young people to not grow and I think that's true spiritually as well. If we are followers of Jesus Christ, we are spiritually born again, there is no greater joy to the Father's heart than to see us grow and there is no greater sadness than to see Christians remain the same year after year.

Today we are looking at church and what Gospel Light stands for, in particular. We say that our mission is to lead generations into a life changing relationship with Jesus Christ. The word life change tells us, your life should be different. It begins by knowing Christ, by believing in Him, following Him, and if you really know Christ, God will give you a love for Him and love for His Word and that means you will also pursue not just knowing Him, but growing in Him, you will grow in Christ and this is the Bible's beautiful teaching for us, that when we know Jesus, we don't just know Him in a transactional, positional sense, but really in your life there will be a change, you will be changing, growing to be more and more like Jesus, as what Galatians 4 says, until Christ is formed in you, so that when people see you, they say hey, that is who Jesus is like. Look at his love, look at his humility, look at his patience, look at his graciousness, that's so godly, that's so much like Christ.

So today I just want to share with you what it means to grow in Christ.  If I have a Chinese sermon title it will be Kuai Gao Zhang Da (Chinese: grow up quickly) , that's right, absolutely right. So I hope today all of us to say, I will want to Kuai Gao, not, not Zhang here. Here, here maybe don't Zhang too much but Kuai Gao Zhang Da spiritually speaking, is what we are looking for today.

0:04:25.0

Now the Bible tells us, we can grow to be like Jesus, because it says, in 2 Corinthians 3:18 to be transformed into the same image. The image here refers to Jesus. So we can be transformed more and more to be like Jesus in His life, His character, His passion, His desire, amazing thought. The word transform in the Greek is an interesting word metamorpho some of you would be familiar already. This is a word that refers to a change that is deep, that is within the heart, that is complete and not just superficial, because there's another word used metaschematizo in 2Corinthians 11:13 that talks about a superficial kind of change, a skin deep kind of change, a change that is put on, that's why it is translated disguising themselves. They're not the real apostles, but they pretend to be, they put on an appearance that makes them look like they are apostles. But when we look at 2 Corinthians 3:18 this is a change that is deep, profound, from the inside out, not just put on.

My two sons, Shawn and Matthias, they have different phases of likings in their life, they used to like dinosaurs. Now they are moving to insects and so as a good daddy, I would like to explore with them more of what they like, I mean that's what it should be, just let them go where they want to go and learn and study together. And so I brought them to this place. Anybody knows where this is? This is not in Hong Kong, Bangkok, this is in Singapore alright.

Well, this is in… very good, this is in Sentosa and it is called the, the what? Butterfly house? No, it is the insect kingdom. I know why you don't go because got to pay money one, this one. A lot of parts of Sentosa don't have to pay, this one got to pay, I think $10 or $12, I don't really think it is worth it but ok it's a, once-in-a-lifetime I'll bring them there. So this is the insect kingdom and within, there is this pupae nursery and it's really, if you look at the bottom, right corner, journey from a pupa to a butterfly.

So they have a display, live display of how this journey looks like. So if you go in you'll see racks of pupae, racks of it, lots of it, it's amazing and if it doesn't look that nice here but if you close up, you see that it's quite beautiful, quite pretty, it's shiny, can you see that? I thought I can pluck a few and string them as a necklace to give my wife, but this is, this is shiny stuff and is beautiful and if you just look to the side, they will have these racks where the pupae have sort of matured and, and the butterflies starts to emerge from it, somehow they emerge and still stay around, I think, oh, ya, the guy told me they are hanging there, because they have to wait for their wings to, to dry before they will fly away, so this is a beautiful process.

This process from a  caterpillar, to a pupa, to a butterfly, we call that metamorphosis, that's right and that's what is used for 2 Corinthians 3:18, we are going through metamorphosis as it were, into the beauty of Jesus Christ. We used to be Mao Mao Chong, I used to be Mao Mao Chong, which means caterpillar, but this Mao Mao Chong one day  can become beautiful like Jesus Christ. This process is metamorpho. It is a process of change, not on the surface only, not just skin deep but it is radical, it is deep, it is complete, it is from the inside out.

In other words, the change we are talking about is not just pretending to love someone, because other people are looking at you. You're not giving money just because people know you're giving money or helping the poor just because you want people to see you are helping the poor, but there is a genuine love from the inside out. It means that you have this joy, that is independent of circumstances around you.

People are happy today because life is easy, but there is this joy that is with you, even when life is hard, because that's the life Jesus had, He had the joy within Him, there's the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ. A peace, again that does not fluctuate with circumstances around you, but the peace that surpasses all understanding, that as you go through the hardships, the trials of life there is peace, you're, you're not just pretending not to worry, you know how people are, how are you doing? I'm okay. Are you really OK? Yah, I'm OK, but inside, you're crying, you are dying on the inside. No, there is this peace that says I know it's hard but I really believe and I really have the peace that all will be fine at the end of it all, God is in control.

There is this, there is this gentleness, there is this humility, there is this willingness to forgive, not just to pretend to forgive. Okay, I forgive you, but in your heart you eye him, you say, next time, I'm going to get you, I don't tell you only, but, no, no, there is a true forgiveness from the within, there is a true desire for holiness, not just because no one is watching or someone is watching but because you really love the Lord.

Now, that's the kind of life you are looking at, transformed into the image of Christ. That's what I long for in my life, I'm frustrated with the sinfulness in my heart. I hope you are, but this is the great hope and joy that I can be transformed, metamorpho, radically changed on the inside, although a bit at a time, a little progress at a time, but I'm looking forward to every step, that makes me more like Jesus. If you really know Christ, I believe that will be the desire of your heart, that you don't want to be a Mao Mao Chong, for the rest of your life. You want to grow in Christian grace, in Christ likeness, that Jesus would be seen in you.

Now, that's what God does in our lives. He, He wants to change us into the image of His Son but there is something you and I need to be doing in order to change. I mean, this is not a process whereby you just sit there and God is going to change you. Well, God is the Person who changes you, but there are things you do, that He will bless in this transformation process.

So what do you, what is it that I need to do? 2 Corinthians 3:18, the preceding phrase says, “and we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed”. So how do you get to be transformed? You need to be beholding the glory of the Lord, you got to see the glory of God, of Jesus. You say, where do I see the glory of Jesus? If you read 2 Corinthians 3, you will realise, it is beholding the glory of the Lord, in the Word of God, I see God in the Bible, I see God in the reading of His Word. So as I read the Bible, in short, I see the glory of the Lord and His Spirit changes me into that likeness.

0:12:43.4

John Piper, he says, a godly life is lived out of an astonished heart, a heart that is astonished at grace. We go to the Bible to be astonished, to be amazed at God and Christ and the cross and grace and the gospel. So when you read the Bible, it's not just for facts, it is to see God. It's to see His grace, to see the good news, the way He works out redemption's plan. When you see it, you heart is stunned by that grace, by the grandeur of God and that's how His Spirit would change you into the same likeness.

Someone else, David Mathis, he says: “As we are freshly captivated by the grandeur of our God and His gospel, we become what we behold”. There are people who say my wife and I, we look alike, FU Qi Xiang (Chinese: when the husband and wife look alike), I'm not so sure, maybe she's very upset if I say that, but there is a belief that when the more you look at each other, the more you become similar in appearance with each other. I'm not sure if that's true, physically, but I think that is true, spiritually. The more we behold Jesus, the more our hearts are captivated by His beauty, the more the Spirit of God would change us into His likeness.

0:14:11.2

So if you want to grow today, if you want to Kuai Gao Zhang Da, let me recommend to you- behold the glory of the Lord in the Bible. Now, another way of looking at this, is to drink in the milk of God's Word. It's another picture about how the Bible is necessary for Christian growth. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation. I know all babies, they hunger for milk right. So every 2, 3 hours, they will cry for milk, weah, weah, weah and when the milk bottle comes they go.... wah, it's like, this is like, this is paradise, they love to drink milk and it's because they have this hunger for the milk that they may grow, isn't it and spiritually speaking Christians, grow best when you drink milk and those who grow best are those who hunger for the milk of God's Word.

There's some of you who ask, Jason, have you been to seminary training before, have you been to Bible school? I said no, I've never stepped into a Bible school, never had a day of formal seminary training and say then, how did you become a pastor? I say I'm a kampong trained type, gangster pastor, a rogue pastor as it were. But I say to them,yah I've never been to seminary for a single day of my life but for the past 20 over years I've been drinking in God's Word, but I rejoice that my learning of God's Word is not in 3, 4 years in seminary, but really for the entire 20 years. Now, not that seminary is bad, I think it's useful for people who have a desire to go through it. I think it has its benefits. But as for me I have learned and grown in in a I, I guess a different route for the past 20 over years and even right now.

0:16:07.4

I still remember the early days, early years when I came to know Christ, I, I was really like a baby, I was looking for milk to drink all the time, a very hungry baby and in our church, Pastor Paul would be doing Bible studies in those days, the old Gospeliters, you might recall every Tuesday night, there is a Bible study 6:45 to 10 p.m. in the evening and then on 6:45, I think nowadays, don't work right, you're still working, but in those days, 6:45, is about the time, we will go to er, yah, Bible studies at that time, Saturday morning 9 a.m. to 12:30 and then Sunday morning, quite hard-core, after the service, there's a Bible study after that.

I always, I'll attend all these Bible studies, I was studying, I was doing my U studies, University studies, but I don't recall much of my studies, anymore, except the Bible studies. These are the highlights for me and then on Friday night, we have prayer meeting, on Sunday sometimes, most of time we have our youth leader, he is a very good teacher, facilitator of the Bible that helped me understand the Bible and so I, I love those feeding times.

My wife, who is my girlfriend then, she would send me tapes from the UK in the church she attends. So I think on Wednesday, they have a tape, on Sunday there are two sermons and I will listen to all the sermons, I love to hear the Word of God preached. In those days don't have YouTube, very hard to listen to sermons elsewhere. So I have tapes, I love the tapes, I will read the magazines, I'll prepare messages or little sharing with different groups of people and when I look back, I just say I'm thankful for the privilege to drink God's Word.

I want to encourage you to be someone who will have this kind of appetite to drink God's Word. I personally attest to the reality of Jesus, I really believe as you drink God's Word, you grow. I didn't change my life, I can't change my life, really I can't change my life, but I think my life is different now as compared to what I was 20 over years ago. You say, how do you change, I say I don't know, all I did is that I drank God's Word, I beheld the glory of God in the Bible. I hunger for it and over this 20 years, God has been metamorphoing me, a little step at a time, but I can see the metamorphosis from a Mao Mao Chong, now not butterfly lah, maybe the early stage of the pupa, but I'm changing, I'm not a Mao Mao Chong that stick two wings. I really am different from the inside out, just like the process of metamorphosis, the Word of God.

So I want to encourage you, to really have a different attitude towards the Scriptures, I look at some of our youths, they have a youth service right now at 11 a.m., but I know several youths come also for the 9 a.m. service. I hope they come because they are hungry for God's Word and I trust they come because they want to study. Oh I can hear from this sermon and then later on I can hear from the next sermon, why not? There is no stipulation that says, one day only one sermon, no, no those who are hungry, drink and the more you drink the more you grow and not just for the young, I think also for the old.

I met with a  pastor, his name is Edmund Chan, he’s a former senior pastor in Covenant EFC and and I, I found out he's got to take a one-year sabbatical leave. Now in that church, they allow sabbaticals. What are sabbaticals? It means after serving for a period of maybe 7 years, 10 years you can take holiday lah, one year, two years, go do whatever you want and and the church still pays for you. It never happens in Gospel Light by the way. But it happens there and so he's going to take a sabbatical and we asked him, what are you going to do, where are you going to play and enjoy. He says “no, I'm just going to study God's Word. I just want to go deeper into God's Word.”  How long have you been a pastor? 30 over years. How many sermons have you preached in your life? Probably thousand over. Can't you just reuse your sermons for the next decade? Anyway people all forget what. He says yeah, absolutely, I could cruise, I could cruise through the next 10 or 12 years, my last lap of ministry, in his opinion, but he says no, I need to go into God's Word, I want to go deep into God's Word.

This hunger is not just for the young, I believe this hunger is for all of us. You see, I see many Better Half-ers here, Better Half-ers, 50 and above, you probably feel that it's time for you to kick your legs up and relax and enjoy. I mean, after all, you say, of the entire church I'm the one with the most experience, I'm the one who has seen this church from where it was to what it is today. I've a lot of practical wisdom from the world. I think I'm good enough to serve God, now I say to you, it's great that God has given you all these experiences but I say to you must go deeper into the Word of God,  because you can grow to be more like Jesus and at the end of the day what church needs what the world needs, is more people who are like Jesus. So if you are a better half-er today, maybe you have had this mindset that says no need to study the Bible just serve God, good enough. I say no, I think the Bible is very clear, we are to continue to pursue the glory of Jesus in our lives by beholding the glory of Jesus in the Word. There's so much more we can change, there's so much more beauty that can be seen in your life, don't ever shortchange yourself and so I pray that each Sunday when you come to change your attitude will be radically different. When you come to church look, not like this, because there are many people who come to church, zzzz, wah good ah, this this place air-con, wah, chair comfortable I can switch off and sleep, after all, it’s been such a busy week. I hope you are not like this, now I understand if you have worked very hard, you just had the night shift and you are struggling hey we all understand. But I hope, this is not what you do every Sunday, or I hope this does not reflect your heart on the inside. Maybe some of you are better off than that you want to fight that, you say aah, toothpick, toothpick, I need toothpick okay, at least you want toothpick but I think the most important area to address is not your eyelids, but your heart, because once you are captured and captivated by the vision of glory of Jesus, by who you can become who you could be like then I think it changes everything you do, changes the way you come to church, changes the way you go for Bible studies, your group studies. I think you will be signing up for Bible studies, like I was, I mean I whatever there was an offer in this church I I I went for it.

I just was talking to a family I say, how you do that, how do you go for Bible studies on Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and cope with it, I say I just do,  deal with it and if I to go for Bible studies it means I just have less time for TV and stuff like that but I survived I think I'm better off,  if I didn't commit myself and did not devote myself to study God's Word I would I would not be where, who I am today, I think will be much worse. I say to you, you can make the same commitments, it's choice, priority. If likeness to Jesus is important to you, why wouldn't you invest yourself in knowing God's Word? Bible groups, Bible study groups and and even your personal reading of the Bible, I I think one of the great wastes of our time, is is the Bible, that we don't avail ourselves to to reading the Bible on a more regular basis. You sort of wait till Sunday to hear God's Word but Monday to Saturday, you just, you are not, not too interested. You say have no time, but it's a waste, because you can behold the glory of God in the Scriptures on a daily basis. Maybe you need help, and that's fine, look for mentors, look for people who can train you in the Bible, look for people who can help you study the Bible and even in today's day and age, you have digitalised, computerised er freely accessible sources. Desiring God is one, there are many others, even in our church we have sermons and and transcripts set up- all over, hundreds of sermons, if only you would hunger. There are babies all around the world who have no milk. But I'm telling you, you are right in the midst of a huge feast. I don't think there's an age in time where truth is so accessible to us today, none. Of course there is a lot of falsehood as well, a lot of deception as well but if you really want to know truth there are plenty of people who can point you to that, look for a mentor, look for resources, we have no excuse I believe when we stand before God and say and say God I can't understand the Bible, God, I I can't read your Bible.

I don't think this excuse would hold at all. So be like newborn infants, long, hunger and thirst for the pure spiritual milk. So that you can Kuai Gao Zhang Da very good, so that you can Kuai Gao Zhang Da that is my desire for you. Now to Kuai Gao Zhang Da to grow big and tall and strong spiritually, I think besides the Word there's something in this picture that reminds me also need to pray, right. We all understand that we need to read the Bible and we need to pray. You say, why do you need to pray, what would you pray for? Many times when we pray to God we pray for health, we pray for a good job situation, we pray for ease of life, but hey the Bible tells you one thing you need to pray for, is for growth. Pray for your own spiritual growth, you say, does it say so in the Bible? Yah, I think so Ephesians 1, now, I'm just to run through these verses because otherwise it can be a rather long. It says here, Paul prayed for the church at Ephesus, that they would have the knowledge of him, hey I'm praying for you church that you will really know God.

Now knowing God is not a superficial journey. It's extremely deep and profound journey, the more you know Him, the better it is, the more you will grow to be like him. This is this is amazing, I can know God, I can know God in the Bible and I need to pray for that to really know him. Ephesians chapter 3 tells us that Paul prayed for the Ephesians church, that they will be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, in your inner being, so I pray that you will be strong I pray that you be strengthened spiritually. In what way? Well, that you may have Christ dwelling in your hearts that you will be rooted and grounded in love that you will know the love of Christ, the length and breadth, the height, the depth so that you may now be filled with all the fullness of God. Praying for these things. Do you pray for these things? If not, why don't you copy down these verses and go back home and say “Lord I'm praying that you will fill me with Your fullness”, rather than just pray those shopping lists that we used to have, nothing wrong with praying for things and for situations, but don't neglect the praying for your soul, for your spiritual life, praying that we may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and so on and so forth.

So what's my point? My point is that there is plenty of scriptural warrant and instructions for us to realise, if you want to grow, read your Bible and pray. In fact there's this song right?  Read your Bible, pray every day, pray every day, pray every day, read your Bible, pray every day  and you will grow, grow, grow. Chinese New Year, I don't want to sing, just in case shock you all, but this is what it is, children's song, but it is true. You want to grow? Read your Bible, pray every day, and you will grow. It's amazing, I mean, this is God's Word and promise that you will grow

Say why? Because when you behold the glory of the Lord that's when you read. But let's recognise that I can't change myself, this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. So that praying is a cry of dependence that says God change my life. As I study the Bible today, I don't just want to grow in academic knowledge I want to grow in likeness so please help me know You. Strengthen my inner man, help me know Your love, let my heart be stunned and astonished by grace and the Gospel in Jesus and the cross made me more like You. So as David Mathis would say, press the Scriptures to your soul, pray for the awakening of your affections,  bring the Bible home to your heart. If your, if your reading of the Bible is dry, maybe work on this, ask yourself why are you reading and ask yourself, are you really praying that God would awaken your affections, that you would know His love, you’ll be astonished at grace. Read your Bible, pray every day, you will grow, grow, grow.

Sermon not over yet,  I know reading is important, praying is important, but I want to emphasise two more things. What else you need, think you need to grow? you need to read the Bible, you need to pray, what else do you need to grow? very good, Jolene, yes, the answer is community or if I may put it more specifically,  the local church. I think the local church is underestimated ahhh aid to your spiritual growth, I think we live in such an age of individualism, we live in such an age of access to teaching on the Internet, that we assume that by connecting to the Internet, that is all I need for growth. But the Bible actually talks a lot, a lot about community and in particular, about the local church. Let me share with you some verses, one that is very familiar in Hebrews 10:24 that we need one another. It is helpful to have one another to stir up to love and good works. As you know, we say that this is the word to provoke, to poke, to prick,  agitate you to love and basically, we are all very lazy until someone prods us along and when that happens we take steps of faith, we grow. So we need one another, community, but I say local church also because you need your spiritual leaders to help you in growth, I see that in Ephesians. He gave the apostles Jesus, God gives the apostles, the prophets, the evangelist, shepherds and teachers, why? So that they may equip the saints for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ, so they equip fellow Christians and these fellow Christians serve and build up one another. For what? So that they may all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

Now, it takes a lot to unpack these three verses, I know but the basic idea is clear, God gives leaders,  gifted people in such ways to equip the church, to help the church mature, the local church is vital to spiritual growth. So we provoke one another, we need the leadership, the teaching, the equipping from leaders and the Bible also tells us that we are to help one another when we fall into sin, the spiritual man helps the man who is living in sin today to get out of that sin, to be restored to the joy in God. So long and short of it, we need one another. We need one another to pray for one another, serve one another. Community is a neglected area for spiritual formation in many people's lives. We just read, we just pray and that's all I need. No no no you need community alright you need the church. So that's three. So you've Bible, you've prayer, you've community, one last one, excellent, sister Suh Jiuan, the answer is trials, oh, oh, hun zhi (Hokkien: sweet potato). And so trials in other words, difficulties. God uses difficulties to grow you, just like an athlete, just like a musician, adversity builds you up. Actually what is weights training? It's trials. I don't know why people like to do weights, it is so painful, but they like to do weights, it's trials. Why? so that the muscles will grow. Now, spiritually speaking, God gives you trials, not because He desires your pain. But He desires your progress. He wants you to be more like Him and so He gives you trials. You, you know that? I ask for 2 minutes and you are like  Why? It's so far from our minds. We are so soaked, we are so used to this culture and belief that believing in God is a freedom from pain and suffering. That we totally forget the beautiful intention that God has for suffering in the Christian life. For example, Chinese new year you go around you say what? You greet one another as Wan Shi Ru Yi correct? What does it mean? It means, may everything be as you will. Aiyah, wan shi ru yi, wan shi ru yi, wah sound so nice. But do you realise that it's not God's will for everything to fall according to your will? Because if it is everything according to your will, there is no adversity and there will be no real opportunity to grow.

The Bible tells us, it is good for me that I have been afflicted that I may know your statutes, your law, your teaching, your Word.You know sometimes the best time to grow and to learn is when you go through trials. I mean I've had trials in my life and I think those are the best times for me to learn. Not just here, but right here. So God gives you trials for you to grow! Look at this cartoon, very simple, just look at the bottom verse. James 1 the Bible says “Consider it pure joy my brothers when you face trials”. Huh? You siao ah I face trials y'know the kind of pain? Yah you say, consider it joy! You say why? Because you know the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

So now look at the cartoon, look at the nail, he is going to be hammered by the hammer called trials. The nails says, “hey zoe nail, you sure get hit on the head a lot you sure get a lot of trials”. He says, hah ya! but every time I get it, it just drives me deeper into the wood, it drives me deeper into faith and perseverance. There's a purpose and plan to what God puts us through. So like Jack Hyles he said, I've never had a trial I wanted to have. I mean, nobody likes pain let's be clear. But I never had a trial I wasn't glad I had. I believed God had a purpose and He used those trials to change my life, Kuai Gao Zhang Da and I'm thankful to my God for it.

So, I wish in this new year, you won't just say Wan Shi Ru Yi (everything according as you will), but you would say, Wan Shi Zhu Yi (everything according as God will). Alright? Because God's will is better than our will. God's will may mean you have to go through pain, but it is always the best.So this is what it is, to be transformed to image of Christ is a step by step progress into Christ likeness. It's a change from inside out,with a genuine love, humility, patience, forgiveness , temperance, control, from the inside out.It is what God does, it is by the Spirit of the Lord, but it takes your participation. And the more actively you are about these means of grace, of scripture, of prayer, of community and of suffering, the better and the faster you will grow.

One day a man came into town and asked , is there any great man who has been born in this town? And one man said to him, no, there has been no great men born,only babies. All great men begins as babies. Today, you may be a spiritual babe in Christ, but this is the joy, this is the hope, this is your potential, you can be great. In the sense, you can be like Jesus, because Christ lives in you.You have all the potential to be more like Jesus.

I want to close with this illustration of a bonzai. You know the peng zai(bonsai)? The bonsai is a, I mean this is an amazing. When I was young I was like wah what is this? Never seen this species before. How come so so small so cute so easy to handle? Well, the bonsai is actually discovered or actually, I don't know whether you use the word invented, by the Japanese. How do they get these plants to look like this? Well, it is said that whenever a sapling grows,  and sprouts itself above ground, they immediately pull it out of the ground and tie the roots and the smaller roots- tie it up. Limit its roots and then put it back and sow it into the ground. So it'll grow, but it'll always be stunted because it can absorb the nutrients it is supposed to be. So it may retain its original design but it is stunted and miniature. When I think about the bonsai, I think about many Christians today. You have a certain likeness to Jesus but you are stunted because you have allowed the sin of this world, the devil, the things around you to tie up the roots of your life. Tie up the roots of scripture, tie up the roots of prayer, tie up the roots of community and you say to yourself, I don't need these things, I don't want these things. And so for a long time, you are this small little bonsai . But that's not God's desire for you. He wants you to grow to be more like Him.

So Gospel Light is about helping you discover this life changing relationship with Jesus Christ. I pray that we will be a church that will helps you know Christ. Regularly preaching the pure and true gospel, the good news of Jesus dying and rising to save us from our sins, I pray that you will hear this message, and if today you do not know Jesus, you would come to Jesus, you would repent of your sins believe in Him for salvation. Hey, but Christian life moves on, not just knowing but growing in Christ. I mean, as parents we understand that right? One of the joys of a parent is to see your kids grow. I mean, when my 2 sons were born, I mean I was excited, but I was disappointed too. When they were born, they looked so ugly. I mean frankly, eeee, why like that one, eeee. I mean I've seen children before, but this one, wah, bu hao kan neh (not good looking). Hey but one of the joy is to see that ugly bundle, I know every lady comes aiyoh so cute baby so cute, I say, where got cute? Anyway, subjective la, but it is so cool to see this ugly little thing to just grow and grow and grow and become cuter and more lovely. Hey, i think that's what christianity ought to be like. When you first come to know Jesus, I tell you you are still very ugly. Right? Now your desires may change but your actual life pursuits may still be very ugly. You are still wrecked with sin. But the joy is to see you blossom and grow. From a mao mao cong (caterpillar) to become a beautiful butterfly. I pray you will grow, I pray you will help one another grow. I pray in this church, we will be committed to helping one another grow. And then, when you grow, you will then go.

I want to say this final word. We have people in this church, I have been in this church, I have been pastoring for 10 years, and I've seen many people serve and get burnt out and exhausted. Nothing wrong with serving God but I think it's so important to have grow before go. Because I see people serve and they serve and they serve and you know what, they never have a opportunity to attend Sunday service. I think something is bad there, there is something wrong there. They have no time at home to study the scripture for themselves. How long can you really last in that state? I think the ability to go is as far as the ability or the time spent in growing. If you don't take care of your roots, don't expect fruits. If you're not willing to go deep, God is not going to bring you far. To be much for God, requires you to be much with God. Or if I may say it this way, if your alignment is right, you will do your assignment well. If you're abiding in Jesus, you will then abound for Jesus. The Bible has a beautiful story of Mary and Martha. I pray today that you will choose the one thing that is needful, to sit at the feet of Jesus, to grow in Christ, to be involved in Scripture, in prayer, in community. And I think it will be such a beautiful sight don't you think, when each and everyone of us is not just an ordinary attendee as it were, but we are little Christs, we’re a little follower of Jesus, that when the people of Punggol come, they see you, they don't just see a normal person, they see grace, Christ likeness and they say your life is different from my life, and I want to know the God in your life. That's what it is all about. It's not just about more traffic marshals, more ushers, more cooks, thank God for you guys serving in these areas. But I say we need more people more like Jesus. May Gospel Light be a church that will see this to fruition. That we may be knowing and growing for our Jesus’ sake. Let's bow for a word of prayer together.

The Christian life is not coming to Jesus for salvation and then living on our own independently. God has never meant for men to live in independence from Him. And that is why when Jesus, when He came, He said, abide in me, remain in me, keep remaining in me. Because apart from me, you can do nothing and today I pray that our focus will be on our spiritual relationship with God.Let me ask you today, are you so burnt out and exhausted in your Christian life? I would dare say, the reason why you are so burnt out and exhausted is not because, not so much because the ministry is difficult, or that the demands are high. I believe, the issue is not on the outside, the issue is on the inside. Ministry is always effective if it is an overflow of your inner walk. Abide in Me and you will bear forth much food. Spend time at the feet of Jesus and you would have the poise and peace and grace of Mary. So this morning, I want to encourage you. Maybe you are addicted to ministry, that has become your identity, your source of joy, I say to you, that can be an idol. Let Jesus be your joy, let Jesus be your strength. May you today pursue Christ likeness. Maybe you need to make a decision about your bible study group. Hey, there are many many great bible study platforms out there. There are many many great preachers, great sermons available, I believe there are many mature men and women who can point you in that way, who can disciple you to Christ likeness. Would you even make the effort to ask, to approach? Don't let the world tie up the root that causes you to stunt or be stunted in your growth. If reading the bible is dry and meaningless to you, maybe it is because you have not prayed the prayers that Paul has written in the scriptures. You have not prayed for the awakening of your affections for His word, to behold His glory and His grace and the gospel. Maybe today you have said I can do this thing alone and you have lived an individualistic Christian life and short changed yourself from the beauty of community and the local church. Or maybe you have despised the hand of God for dealing unto you trials and afflictions. It is good that I have been afflicted that I may learn by statutes. My friends today, repent before the Lord and make the right choices in your life. His word never fails, you will grow.

Father, this morning we commit our church to You. We are thankful for new people coming in, but Lord, the growth we are looking at is not just numbers, but depth and maturity and likeness to your Son. Lord, may we never grow tired of the Scriptures. May we never be slack and complacent in our prayer life. May we today value the blessing of community and the church. And may You give us a healthy attitude towards suffering and trials. Lord, we long to become a people who are filled with the fullness of Christ so cause us this day to make the right choices and to obey You in the way you have spoken to each and every heart. Bless each one here, and may this church see more people who will be more like Jesus, we pray this in Jesus Name, Amen.

 

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