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Well, a very good morning to all of you, once again, and welcome to Gospel Light Christian Church, our second English worship service this morning. We are glad you're able to join us as we continue this series on Ekklesia, about the local church.

Now let me ask you a very simple question. Maybe some of you have kids here and you might have wanted or asked or taught your kids to memorize a few things. If you were in your lifetime to choose two things you want your kids to memorize, what will they be? Just think about it about it yourself now, if you have children and you want them to memorize two things, what would that be?

Well, I have two boys, one nine years old, one four and a half and I wanted them to memorize two things in their life. Would you like to guess what the two things will be? My my two sons were here in the first service, it became more interactive and they were telling and they were shouting the answer, well, some of them, shouted, the timetable, yah, that's true, Shawn has to memorize the timetable now, I mean it's P3 and er, but Matthias didn't need to memorize the times table, so no, that's not the two things that they all have to memorize.

What would the two things be? Mobile number, that's right Jerry, the one thing I ask them to memorize is my mobile number. Well, one is for physical needs, the other one is for spiritual needs. The second thing I ask them to memorize is the definition of the gospel.

One is for them if they should be lost physically or in trouble, physically, the other one is needed because they are lost spiritually and they are in trouble spiritually. I ask them to memorize the definition of the Gospel.

You see, I believe there is no greater message in the Bible than the centrality of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Apostle Paul wrote in Romans one, “I’m not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes”, this is a tremendous verse. It tells us that the Gospel message has the power to save, has the power to save those who will believe.

I was having a little conversation with a man in this church. He comes to this church to worship by and by, but he is not a believer of the Lord Jesus Christ. He wanted to meet with me and find out more about Christianity, and to share with me his views. He told me that he has read the Bible and to him the most important thing in the Bible is the two great Commandments as you have suggested, to love the Lord thy God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself. He said that if I'm able to do this, that is what it's all about, that's what the Bible boils down to. “I hope that by doing this”, he said “I will be all right.”

I said to him Sir, you're right in that these are the two great commandments of the Bible, these are the two great summary statements of the entire law. But I say to him, but sir, if you want to obey them in order to find acceptance with God, you will be sorely disappointed because there is no way you can obey these commandments completely, there is no way any human being except for the Lord Jesus Christ, can fulfill these two commandments to its intended extent.

So, Sir, if you want to obey these things in order to get right with God, you will fail, you will never succeed. But let me tell you a greater message in the Bible, a greater message in terms of salvation - the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Law cannot save you, obeying the law cannot save you because you cannot really obey the law fully, but the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes.

And so I believe this is the central message of the Scriptures, this is to be the central message of the church. Apostle Paul, who is well learned in Scripture, he said to the people at Corinth, “I decided to know nothing among you, except Jesus Christ and Him crucified”. Say what is this central message? It is the Gospel, it is the central message of the church.

Some years ago, I was Yishun, it was dinner time, I was hungry, I wanted to get something to eat. One of my favorite thing is a Kentucky fried chicken, KFC. So I went to KFC, I queued up for it and was hoping to have some delicious chicken. Who is to know, in the middle of that queue, the counter attendants, she shouted, “Sorry ladies and gentlemen, 7 PM here, I know, but we have run out of chicken”. Wah, that was a major disappointment, 7pm no chicken, what are you called? Kentucky Fried Chicken, but no more chicken. So what do you have? Coleslaw, whipped potatoes, French fries.

I thought to myself, isn't that the case for many churches, where people can come to church and they don't hear the Gospel? They hear about coleslaw and whipped potatoes and French fries. Now, I'm not saying KFC cannot sell coleslaw, whipped potatoes and french fries, they sell that, that's fine, but if you go to KFC and you never eat chicken, they don't sell chicken, then you shouldn't call yourself Kentucky Fried Chicken, call yourself Kentucky whipped coke, whipped, what, what, why whipped potato or Kentucky coleslaw, but don't call yourself Kentucky Fried Chicken.

The church of Jesus Christ must be about the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Sure we can talk about issues like anti-LGBT, like anti-Pokémon, like skirt length and morals and behaviors, sure we can talk about these things, but if you come to church and all you hear are these things, if you go to our children ministry, all you hear is how to be kind, how to be honest and you miss, Jesus, then don't call ourselves church, it's a moral behavioral change center, but not church, because church must tell and declare and revolve around this central message of Christ and Him crucified.

0:07:19.3

Many people ask, what is Gospel Light Christian Church. You know, some of you are Punggol people, Punggol residents, Punggolians we are told. Eh, don't laugh leh, I'm told, this is what I'm told, I know it doesn't sound so cool lah, Punggolians like Mongolians, but it's very hard to swim against entire cultures, I would rather call Punggolites, Gospel Light and Punggolites, great match, but anyway, Punggolians alright.

You may be here and you ask what is this church about and some of our greeters, our befrienders, they meet with the some of you who are new and you ask them what they are, what this church is about and they have a hard time describing to you what Gospel Light is about. They say, we are not charismatic, oh, we are not extreme fundamentalist, oh we are not Baptist, we are not Presbyterian and after a while they realize all they can answer is, we are not, we are not, we are not, we are not, we are not.

But exactly what is this church for? We must not be known only for what we are not for, but we must know what we are for. Kentucky Fried chicken is known for chicken, they are not known for not selling cha kway teow, not selling Hokkien mee, no, there are, there's clarity in that they are for chicken.

Gospel Light Christian Church, I hope from today onwards, we are very clear what we are about, we are for, don't say chicken ah, but we are for the Gospel. That's why we are called Gospel Light Christian Church, it's not about LGBT light, it's not about Pokémon light, it's not about skirt length light. It's about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

So today I'm going to ask you, what is the definition of the Gospel? Da, da! I know this is where you chuak, oh no, I can arrow anyone of you, er John, er no lah, the Johns all chuak, what is the definition of the Gospel, have you ever thought about that? Now I find it very important to understand the Gospel right and the key to understanding anything is to start by defining it, in a very succinct way, be very clear and concise as to what Gospel really means.

So what is the definition of Gospel? Many of you may have many definitions, that's fine, it's a huge topic of course, but this is what I teach my kids and I hope you will be able to sort of understand it as well, I wish Matthias is here. Throughout the first service, he was shouting it the whole time, but this is what the Gospel means to me.

Number one the Gospel is the Good News of Jesus Christ. The word Gospel is Godspell which means good news. I'm so glad I'm a preacher of the Gospel. Sometimes, when I was a doctor, I have to bear bad news to people, you have this cancer, you have that disease, not nice, hey but that's why I changed my job, by the way, I want to tell people the good news, the Gospel, the Gospel is good news.

What good news, what is it about? It's the good news about Jesus Christ. So what’s so special about Jesus Christ? let me tell you, He died and He rose again to save us from our sins. I've fantastic news for you, if you already know you are a sinner, you are separated from God, you are heading towards a Christ-less eternity, towards hell, this is tremendous good news, because now you can be saved.

Why? Is it because I'm good, is it because I'm capable, is it because I obey a lot of God's Word? No, it's all because of Jesus. He lived a perfect life, He went to the cross, He died, not only did He die to pay for our sins, He rose, that proves He's victorious over sin and now I tell you, this is good news.

I'm saved from a deep, fundamental problem called sin, not poverty, not sickness. The main thing the Scriptures tell us, is that Jesus shall save us from our sins, our rebellion against God.  And let me just add on to that, the very last phrase, in order to reconcile sinful man to the holy God that’s the full definition in my mind.

You see the Gospel is about reconciling sinful man to the Holy God. Can you memorize this? My son is 4 1/2 years old, let me try this, alright, let's read this together and I'll test you at the end of it, okay, I'll test you aah, I'll really test you one.

What is the definition of the Gospel? Read this together with me alright, the Gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ dying and rising to save us from our sins, in order to reconcile sinful man to the Holy God. Those who take photo don't cheat later. This is a great message, this is the central message and let me say this, this is a unique message, this is the message the world has never heard, apart from the Bible.

It sounds, it rings out such a distinct tone that you know this is a special message from God, so in what ways are or is the Gospel unique? Let me list to you four ways, why I think the Gospel is a unique message amongst all messages in this world.

Number one, you, you probably will be able to follow this, it all begins with G. Number one, the Gospel is unique because it is a message all about God, the Gospel is a unique message, because it's about God. You say, Pastor, this is ridiculous, how can you say this is unique, because every religion is about God, so what's so unique about the Gospel message?

Aah, but you see, every religion talks about God, not because they want God, but they want good, good stuff, good things from their God. In other words, it is about God not in a sense that they want God, the Person, but they want the presents from God, the goodies, the stuff, the things from God. Maybe it's 4D ki pai pai (go pray, pray) get 4D, get Toto number. Maybe you pray a bit so that your son's PSLE will be hundred points higher, maybe you come to your god because you're sick and you want some healing. So you come to your god, not because of God, but because of the gifts from God.

But the Christian message, the Gospel is different. It is not about God in that we just use God to get what we want, but that we come to God because we desire God. We delight in God, we recognize we need God. That's why it is important that the last phrase about the Gospel, reconciling sinful man to the Holy God,  it's a relationship with God.

So often, people fail to grasp this, but you see, the Bible is very clear, the Bible tells us, it's about this relationship with God. You, you might remember in the garden of Eden, Adam and Eve was in bliss because they walked with God, God was with them. But when sin came in, this is a disaster. Why is it a disaster? Because the ground is cursed, because women will have painful childbearing in the future, because they will have to work very hard? These are bad things, but let me tell you the ultimate bad thing, they were cut-off from God and man struggle and and suffer right after that, because man is cut-off from God because of sin and you see every heart today is restless, we are trying to find significance in our work, in our money, in our accomplishments and your heart is always restless. Why? Because you are cut-off from God.

So Augustine is wise, when he said “You, you God has made us for yourself and our hearts are restless until they can find rest in you” and this is the Gospel message, you who are restless, you who are struggling, you who are cut-off from God. You know what? there's a way back to harbor, there is a way back home, home to the heart of God. Say how? The Gospel of Jesus Christ. You were once at war with God, you were once enemies with God, but because of Jesus, you can have peace with God, you can be reconciled with God. This is the good news don't you see?

It's not about, it's not just about escape from hell, it's about union with God, communion and fellowship with Him, knowing Him. This is a repeated refrain in Romans, Romans 5:11, we received reconciliation, you're reconciled to a holy, I mean, amazing, this sinful man, this dirty fella, can have a relationship with the Holy God. Yes, Why? the Gospel! The good news of Jesus Christ dying and rising, to save us from our sins, in order to reconcile sinful man to the Holy God. And again, in 2Corinthians 5:18 and 19, the words reconciled, reconciling, comes up and up and up.

So the Gospel today is about reconciling sinful man to the Holy God and that's why we find it so offensive, when preachers today preached the health and wealth gospel. It is not Gospel, it is bad news, if a church today doesn't give you the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but they tell you that if you come to God, if you come to Jesus, He's going to bless you with money and health, it looks good, but actually is leading you away from God, because it does not lead you to God, it leads you to the gifts of God and sooner than later, you would start to idolize money, you will start to idolize health. These things become your God, and not Jehovah God Himself.

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So the Gospel must never be about the money and the health and the wealth and may I say, brothers and sisters, you who are preaching the Gospel in your workplace, your homes, don't just tell people the Gospel is about an escape from hell. You know that's how we preach, eh, you want to go heaven or not, yah, yah, yah, yah, yah, you want to go to hell, no lah, of course not. You know what you need to do, believe Jesus, kow liao (dialect: enough), that's all they need to know. No because there will be plenty of people want to get out of hell and want to be in heaven, but they don't want God at all, they don't see that they are sinners. They don't see that they need to be reconciled to God. They all they wanted was a ticket, but God is here to say, it's Me.

My friends, there is great hope for you, I'm, I'm so glad I'm preaching the Gospel, because this morning, you can be reconciled with God. Think about that, you who have sinned and rebelled your entire life, you’ve been in wicked deeds, maybe you have not killed, maybe you've not raped, but you've hated, you've lied, you have been covetous, you have been greedy, you have been selfish, you have been throwing your temper, you have all these sin, sins and you say how will God ever receive me? let me tell you this Jesus Christ died and paid for your sins and you can be reconciled with God through Jesus Christ.

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You don't have to wonder and be restless anymore, find your home in God through Christ. I think therefore, the Gospel is unique because it's about God, for those who want God, desire God, delight in God.

Number two, the Gospel is unique because it's all about grace. Grace is one of the big words in the Christian vocabulary. You say what is grace, grace is the undeserved favor from God to man, it's when God is good to us, when we don't deserve it. It's when God chooses not to deal with us according to our sins, but He gives His goodness to those who sin against Him, this is grace and this is unique.

There was a discussion amongst people about what is so great about Christianity, what's so unique about Christianity, and they all have different answers until the famous author C.S. Lewis walked into that group, within a few seconds, he said, oh that's easy, what is unique about Christianity is grace, because every faith, every religion tells you, you have to deserve God's favor. Christianity says you can't deserve God's favor, God's favor is given out of grace. It's given to those who don't deserve anything.

See, this is why the Gospel is important, it's about reconciling sinful man, not godly man. If it's godly man, no chance, not good news, this is bad news. It is also not about good men, because there is no good man on this earth, except for Jesus, all have sinned and all have come short of the glory of God, there is none righteous, no not one.

But the Gospel is about grace, in that God is reaching out to sinful man who don't deserve this grace. The Bible tells us, God shows His love. This agape, unconditional love for us, in that while we were still sinners, not that we were good, not that we were kind, not that we were godly, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

He did not die for people who are neutral towards God, by the way. We are not neutral towards God, we are sinners, we are haters of God, look at Romans 3, the description of the sinner, of each and everyone of us, and you know that we are repugnant, we are repulsive, we are ugly, we hate God, we rebel against Him, that's who we are, God still gave us His Son to save us.

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Supposed today you walk out of this place and you see a beggar along the streets, you look at his condition, he has severe problems in his life, you talk to him and you know that he has a lot of issues and they are genuine issues and you feel moved, you feel compassionate, you give him $50, $500, whatever that may be. You know what that is, kindness, you were very kind.

But supposing this beggar after telling you all his stories and after you have given him 500, $500, he got up, he went to your car, took a baseball bat and started bashing your car, he smashes your window, he smashes your bonnet, he totally wrecks your car and then he takes a knife, a switchblade, he comes to your wife, he comes to kids and he slashes your family and then he says, I still need $5,000.  What would you do? Huh, so difficult ah? What would you do? Call police, yes or maybe I may slap him across his face. I say, ridiculous, how dare you ask money from me? You, you slashed my wife, you wrecked my car and you still dare to ask money from me? No one here probably would ever help him right.

But you know that's what we do to God? We drag His Name through the mud, we laugh at God, we rebel against Him, we sin all we want, we shame His Name and God still gave His Son for us. It's grace folks, this is shocking, astounding, out of this world grace, that is what is unique about the Gospel.  It's not just some easy giving from God. It's about the God, who has been insulted and rejected and He still chose to give His Son. And what did they do to His Son? They killed Him and He gave Jesus to people like you and me.

That's why, Keller, ..or  by grace you have saved through faith, this is, this is all grace and that's why, Keller says, we are far worse than we ever imagined, in the Gospel according to the Bible, we are far worse than we ever imagined, and far more loved than we, than we could ever dream.

Religion tells you, you're not as bad as you think and God doesn't love you enough, try more, try harder maybe He will love you more, the Gospel is the opposite. The Gospel says you are so, so, so, so, so sinful and bad and rebellious, but this is the amazing truth, God loves you far more than you could believe. This is the grandeur and the magnificence of God's love.

0:25:49.6

So what is unique about Christianity, what's unique about the Gospel? It's grace. Every religion tells you to do something, in order to earn this favor. For example, a person who is trying to earn his way to heaven by religion, by his own works, he will say, I, I'm trying to be good so that I can get saved, I want to earn my own salvation, I have to do more for God so that I can be sure, I have to sort of deserve it, because if I don't deserve it, how can God give it?  So this is the language of people who try to find acceptance with God by their own works, religion.

But what does the Gospel say? The Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ, it says, God saves bad people, saves all of us. You don't earn your own salvation, God gives salvation freely. See, it's not about I, it's all about God, if you realize the Gospel. I have to do all or more to be sure, you don't have to because God's Son has done it all, already on the cross. He said it is finished, it's fully paid.

I have to deserve it, no God's salvation is given to the undeserving. So religion speaks about works and the Gospel is all about grace and I say to you today, this is what makes the Gospel unique, it's about grace.

When I was younger and my sister were younger both of us when we are disobedient my mom will cane us and sometimes she would say this, “I wish I have given birth to char siew rather than you. At least I can eat char siew, but you are useless”. Now I know she doesn't really mean it, of course char siew eat already bo leow, pang sai, bo leow but what she really meant is this, you've got to prove your worth and you know that's a very Confucianistic way of raising kids.

Hey John, you better obey, if you don't obey, I don't love you anymore, heard of that before? So, our love for someone is conditional on his or her performance but let me tell you what the Gospel is, I love you regardless of whether you are up to the mark or not, I love you while you were still a sinner.

Grace fills a believer, grace fills a follower of Jesus Christ with deep sense of identity and security. There are many people today who are depressed, many people today, who are anxious, aiyoh, I, I, I am not good enough, I am not rich enough, I'm not famous enough, I'm not successful enough and so they feel very empty, they feel very anxious, they feel very depressed about themselves. But let me tell you this, you are accepted in the Beloved. God sees you and loves you, not because of what you can do or what you have done but He loves you because of Jesus Christ.

Grace is, grace is necessary for the Christian life to live a secure, joyful life that knows you are deeply accepted. Otherwise, your Christian life is very tiring, you always trying to earn favor with God, you're trying to prove your worth to God. God says,  My Son has done it all, believe in Him and walk in this grace.

The Gospel is about grace. But thirdly, what is unique about the Gospel is that it is about gratitude.  This is easy, the Christian is to be a grateful man, I, I don't think there's any question at all, because the Bible tells us, we love, now the Christian loves God, you see, the two great commandments become ours and they become real in our lives because of the Gospel. We love, why, because He first loved us and if we didn't know the Gospel, we wouldn't be able to fulfill the two commandments.

But because we are loved, because we know the Gospel, now I love, I love God, I'm grateful to God, I would do anything for God because He has first loved me, He has given me His Son- gratitude.

In secondary school I think I hear the statement, 饮水思源 (Yin Shui Si Yuan)- drink water must remember the source. Don't be ungrateful, I think is very true for the Christian life. The reason why we would serve God and be holy and so on is because we love Him and we love Him because He first loved us. The Gospel begets gratitude you see and this gratitude is not just a feeling in our hearts, but it will be manifested in real lives.

For example, in Titus, the grace of God has appeared. why? how? So, how do you know? Well, the Bible goes on to say that we may live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in the present age. So God loves us unconditionally in Jesus, you know what that does in your heart, gratitude arises and when you are grateful to God, you say hey I'm good to live a godly life today. You see the motivation to live a godly life is not to show off, your motivation to live a godly life is not so that God will love you more. He loves you maximally in Jesus all the time, but the reason I want to live a godly life is because I'm grateful to Him and I want to please Him, I want to glorify Him, not only in our lives but also in all that we do.

Romans 12:1 that we will present our bodies a living sacrifice. Why? Because of the mercies of God. The Christian engine is the Gospel of Jesus.  Now I know that this morning when I said, I am going to talk about the Gospel, some of you must be thinking aah, time to switch off, because pastor is going to talk to the unbelievers about the Gospel. The Gospel is very good for unbelievers, but let me say this the Gospel is equally important for the believer.

As I've mentioned, it gives you a tremendous sense of security and identity in Christ. And I think this is really important because it is the engine for Christian living. Why would I serve, why would I, why would some of you stand out in the hot sun for traffic marshaling, why would you be in the kitchen waking up at 4 AM, sweating like nothing? Why do you do that? I hope it's because of Jesus, He gave His life for me.

2Corinthians 5, for the love of Christ controls us and so that we may no longer live for ourselves, but for Him who for our sake has died and Who was raised.

The Christian life is about gratitude, now I just want to summarize it all, with this little diagram, cartoon. It's a serious message though, very small, you can't see, I understand go and blame the cartoonist, not me, but it is not meant for projection I suppose. But let me just read this. I suck, I'm, I'm utterly incapable of working my way into God's favor, because I am sinful and rebellious to the deepest core of my being. Despite this, God loved me and sent Jesus to pay my penalty so that I can be found innocent of my rebellion, even though I didn't deserve the grace. I know God loves and accepts me, so it's my pleasure to follow and obey Him.

The first paragraph speaks about grace. The second short paragraph speaks about gratitude and therefore the Gospel is about gratitude as well.

Some of us, we think, hey Pastor it's great that we learn the Gospel. But when we go deeper in the Bible, does it mean we can skip the Gospel and learn something else. I think it was Keller who said this and I agree with him, when you grow in Scriptural understanding, you don't grow away from the Gospel, but you grow deeper into the Gospel and this is what we need all the time, to be reminded of Christ's love for us, so that we may be secure, so that we may have a sense of identity, so that we are perpetually fueled by His love to live and serve Him, the Gospel is everything.

So number four, let me say the last thing about the Gospel, in its unique sense, is that the Gospel is special because it is about glory. Now many religions also tell you about a better life that is to come, I agree, but no faith, no teaching tells you about the same kind and level and magnitude of glory that the Bible says.

Let me demonstrate that, when we talk about glory there are two glories to take note of, number one, is glory of man, our glory and number two, the glory of God.  But for the glory of man, this is what the Gospel promises you, you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. How can I obtain the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ? Through the Gospel. The Gospel is about glory, what kind of a glory? Glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is Jesus Christ, God's Son, I, you who we follow Jesus. We will have the glory of our Lord Jesus, you know how how amazing that is? Wah, I wish I have the glory of Michael Jordan. Not bad lah, a lot of people think he is very good, but he is now fat and so on already right?

Wow! We are not going to have a glory of men, we have the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, we will have the glory of God Himself. Now what does that mean? I've no clue, I have no clue what that really looks like. The Bible tells me, for one I'll have a new body ah, I will no more be fat, all my love handles be gone, all my pimples will be gone, your pimples will be gone, aren't you glad? Your botak will be full hair, I don't know, but all your problems physically solved, your body will never die, never decay, never weaken. That's not the main thing right, but that's part of the thing, the Bible tells us that we will be like Jesus, we shall be like Him. I think it probably refers also to the fact that we will not sin, we will never sin, we won't even want to sin. Well that's glorious, because right now frankly many times I want to sin, my flesh longs to sin. I hate that about myself, but I do sin, but when I'm with the Lord forever, I will never ever sin, that's stunning, that's amazing.

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The Bible tells us we are called into this eternal glory in Christ, the Bible tells us we are heirs and co-heirs with Christ. The Bible tells us that we will be with God. He is the source of our joy, I mean that is the glory that the Bible gives me details about but I really can't go very much further beyond that, but I guarantee you, because the Bible says so, it's going to be fantastic, it's going to be amazing for all eternity. That is where you and I are heading towards, the glory that God gives to man.

Peter says after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ. Peter is taking this concept of glory and making it very real for you today. He's saying to those who are suffering, hey it's okay, I know your suffering is great but think about it, your sufferings, no matter how great is only for a little while, eventually God has called you to His eternal glory. So bear with the sufferings, it's just for a little while, it's all going to be worth it at the end of it all, glory is coming.

I used to give this example, a lot, in this church, and I feel bad having to say it again, but for the sake of the Punggolians and our guests who are here with us first time, I will say it again. I used to work in the hospital and I used to deliver babies and so once in a while, when you're in the delivery ward, you will hear women scream for long time. Why, because delivery is very huh, what? is there a doubt at all? Now actually, I don't know, I never been through it so I can't say, but I suppose every woman in this world could say, delivery is a very painful process. But 3 years later, you go to the same lady and say “do you want to be pregnant again? she says yah, yah, yah, we are trying for another one. Why don't you, don't you remember, have you forgotten how painful it was? I know, I know but it's okay lah, never mind lah. You crazy aah, no, no, no, O.K, I want to be pregnant. We say, why, ask Cecilia, where's Cecilia, she has gone through 10 times, why would she go through it again, because she understands the suffering is for a little while, wah, very long leh, 24 hours, but still little while, never mind, because compared to the whole life with the baby, with the child, it is worth it.

You understand that right? You ask why did Moses gave up his kingdom in Egypt. He could be Pharaoh and King of Egypt, I don't know. At least top, two, three guy in the whole nation. I mean if you are the top two or three in Singapore, you already very wah good ah, very good ah, he's going to be the top 1,2, 3 guy in Egypt, the most powerful nation then probably, but Moses said, I don't want that, I'd rather suffer with the people of Israel in the wilderness, you say why, you seow ah? No, because his eyes are fixed on the glory that is to come, so he's able to suffer. See, the Bible is not, doesn't promise us the sufferings will be removed, but the Bible promises you, promises, that lasts you through sufferings.

This Monday was the death anniversary of Jim Elliot, some of you might know, he's on the right hand side, 20+ year old man, many years ago, who went to the deep dark forest jungles to share the Gospel with cannibals and who lost his life, because he was killed by the cannibals. Some people lament the fact that, wow, what a promising young life and he gave it up like that, so sad, he died like that, so sayang, such a waste.

But this is what his wife said about Jim Elliot. She wrote, “the world did not recognize the truth of the second clause in Jim Elliot's credo- He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. Jim Elliot knew what he was going for, not the joys and the pleasures and entertainments in this life, but the glory that is to come. And what he is going through today, will work out for him, an exceeding weight of glory that is to come, and he knew he will gain that which he will never lose.

You see, when we have our eyes fixed on the glory that is to come, you can live such a radical risk-taking, self abandoned life, for the Gospel's sake. Why? Because you know this is just for a short while. So the Gospel is so important to the Christian, because if you don't know the Gospel, you don't know the glory that is to come, you're going to live, live a very self-centered, selfish, self preserving life. But Jim Elliot lived a self giving life, because he knew that he is not a loser, he will gain what he cannot lose, I pray you’ll know this glory.

Let me end by saying, this is not just about our glory, the Gospel is supremely also about God's glory. When a man and the church preaches the Gospel faithfully, I believe God is glorified. You say why, well, that's what the Bible says, I believe the message of Jesus Christ, the work of Jesus Christ in man's life is going to bring glory and praise to God, that's in the Bible.

In what way is God going be glorified? Well, in, in, in what way is God going to be seen as supreme? Some 4 to 5 ways here. Number one, God is seen to be supreme in the Gospel in His wisdom. The fact that God would save man, through Jesus His Son in such a way, demonstrates the superior wisdom of God. The apostle Paul wrote it, let me paraphrase it in this way, no one ever figured out that Jesus coming to die for our sins, is the way humanity will be saved. No man figured it out, I mean, man had thousands of years to figure it out, but nobody came up with a plan, came up with, ah, we know, this is how God is going to do it. So when God actually did it, we look back and say, wow, this is the wisdom of God. Surely there is no other way by which men may be saved and God has given this way, the wisdom of God. So simple, yet so profound, don't you think?

Number two, not only is the wisdom of God extolled in the Gospel, the power of God is seen in the Gospel, that God would save man through a simple message like this. You know, I'm amazed, because each of you sitting right here, who believes in Jesus, is a walking testimony to the power of this simple message we preach, the Good News of Jesus Christ dying and rising to save us from our sins in order to reconcile sinful man to the Holy God. This simple message could make your life change so much. It tells me about the power of God, when nothing else can change a man, this message of God can change a man, that is amazing, glorifies God.

Number three, I believe the righteousness of God is magnified in the Gospel. You see this will be how I'll plan salvation. Man has sinned, God, you should be kind and just forget about the whole thing, let people get into heaven, that maybe what you and I would plan, right? But do you know what? that is the plan of a very unrighteous man, because I am essentially saying, let wrong stay wrong and no payment has to be made. But God is not an unrighteous God, He is just, all sin must be dealt with, He is holy and so He has chosen to pour His wrath upon His own Son. And when we see God pouring His wrath on His own Son in order to save us, we say God, You are righteous, because You wouldn't even let Your Son go, but at the very same count this extols the grace of God, that He would choose to punish His Son and not sinners like you and me.

See friends, when we preach the Gospel correctly, it brings glory to God. I see His holiness, I see His wisdom, I see His power, I see His righteousness, I see His grace, like nothing else this world can tell me. Creation is great, tells me a lot of things about God, but the Gospel supremely glorifies God. Gospel Light Christian Church must therefore be about the Gospel. The Gospel is about glory, our glory and God's glory.

So what is Gospel Light Christian Church about? The chicken, no, the Gospel. If KFC is about chicken, let Gospel Light Christian Church be about the Gospel, this is test time. Actually, I repeated the definition three or four times throughout the sermon if you realize. Can you turn to the person beside you and repeat the definition of the Gospel to him or her, can you do that? 1-2-3, go.

I hope you had a good try. I think the fact that you would attempt to recall will help you in memorizing it. Matthias has memorized it, he can speak it like a railway train today and I hope you remember it, the Gospel is the Good News of Jesus Christ dying and rising to save us from our sins in order to reconcile sinful man to the Holy God. That's what it is all about.

Four unique points about the Gospel message, number one the Gospel is about God, number two the Gospel is about grace. Number three, it's about gratitude. Number four, it's about glory, the Gospel doesn't begin with men, the Gospel begins with God. He has chosen to manifest grace by sending His Son. And when men and women repent and believe in Jesus, we received this grace. Inevitably there will be gratitude in our souls, you are born again, you are a new creation, you have a heart that beats for God, you will be grateful and this gratefulness will manifest itself in a pursuit for godliness and fruitfulness, in Christ likeness, you will hope in the glory that is to come and you will live a life that will want to glorify God, that glory brings to Him.

I pray Gospel Light will no more be known as a church that is not Baptist, not Presbyterian, not charismatic, not extreme fundamentalism, but we will be a church that is for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Let us all be centered in Christ and Him crucified.

Let's bow for a word of prayer together. This morning, maybe you're here and you're wondering how you can ever be reconciled with God. I say to you, this is the good news: Jesus Christ, came to be man, that He may die and rise again for the forgiveness of sins. I pray today, you will humble your heart, repent and believe in Jesus alone for salvation and life.

Jesus saves! This is the good news. Stop trying to earn your favor with God, stop trying to deserve it, you can't, you never can, we are rotten and sinful to the deepest core of our being, but Jesus says I love you, while you were yet sinners, I died for you. You can be saved, right here, right now reconciled with God, if you repent and believe. Would you do that? Just between you and God, this is the need of the hour. I was just at a funeral yesterday and I thought about it, again and again, you can have so much accomplishments in life, you can have so many things in life, but it matters nothing, unless you know God and the only way you can know God is through Jesus Christ.

I speak to my brothers and sisters in Christ, you're here and you're wondering about your identity. You are anxious, you are depressed, you wonder if you are loved, I tell you something, God loves you so much, He loves you the same way He loves His Son. Nothing shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus, this is the Gospel.

I pray this church will be set on fire, a passion for God. Why would people serve? why would we all be mobilized as a church to impact this neighborhood, this town, our workplace, our homes? Why? not because your pastor gives you a rah, rah speech, but because you recognize the love of God for you in the Gospel of Jesus. So if you are cold, you are lethargic, I say to you the cure is to come back to the Gospel and be reminded of his love.

Maybe friends today, you're suffering and it's painful, it's difficult, it's sorrowful, it's just for a little while, it looks long because it's, it maybe 50 years, 60 years, 70 years, but God has called you to glory for eternity to come, He is aware of your sufferings. He has a purpose and plan and is merely working out an exceeding weight of glory for you in your life that is to come, so hang in there, trust Him, let that hope of glory fuel your patience, endurance through sufferings.

May God bless each of your hearts today, by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Father, bless each one here, for those who need to be saved, for those who need to be assured, for those who need to be once again set ablazed on passion for You and for those who are suffering, may the Gospel today reign supreme in our hearts. I pray that we will be a Gospel centered people, and that Gospel Light for many, many generations to come, will be a Gospel centered church, we pray this in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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