Purpose: To assist in the education-related needs of deserving elementary, high school and college students of our church family.

QUALIFICATIONS: Who can avail of support from Blessings?

All Elementary, High School, and College Students provided that…

• They have an active membership in our church for at least eighteen (18) months.
• They have been faithfully attending the activities of the church (mid-week, prayer meeting, departmental fellowship, etc.).
• The father MUST have an economical input into the budget of the family.
• At least one (1) parent is a member of the church for at least eighteen (18) months.
• No grade below 80% for all levels. College level must have a minimum of 21 units enrolled.
• A Maximum of three (3) students can be supported per family provided they qualify in numbers 1-5 above.

How much will the deserving student receive from Blessings?

The REGULAR MONTHLY rates are as follows:

• Elementary – P300/month (no grade below 80)
• High School – P400/month (no grade below 80)
• College – P500/month (no grade below 80)
• For students who have no grade below 85 an additional monthly allowance of 50% will be added

• 300 + 150 = 450 monthly
• 400 + 200 = 600 monthly
• 500 + 250 = 750 monthly

For students who get FIRST, SECOND or THIRD HONOR places at the end of the School Year, whether supported or not supported by Blessings ® provided they have been members of our church family for at least eighteen (18) months,  a ONE-TIME GIFT of P2,000.00, P1,500.00, and P1,000.00, respectively, will also be given.
College students who can maintain a no-grade-lower-than-85 from Prelim to Finals in BOTH SEMESTERS (whole school year) will have a chance to be made a scholar by Blessing with full tuition fee support plus monthly allowance by the next School-Year.

REQUIREMENTS

How can a student avail of support from Blessings® ?

• If the student qualifies according to the guidelines above, he/she (or the parent/s in his/her behalf) must accomplish an Application Form (which can be acquired from the church).
• Provide a photocopy of the previous year’s report card and, for college students, a photocopy of their current registration form.
• Submit a duly signed Pastor’s recommendation/certification of membership in our church family for at least eighteen (18) months.
• A duly signed certification from Department Head saying that you are an active member.
• A short HANDWRITTEN letter from the student addressed to Blessings® promising that he/she will do his/her best in studying and getting high grades.

How can the Support be Renewed or Lost?

• For Students who want to avail of the support from Blessings® for the next school year (or another 10 months) he/she must provide a photocopy of the current year’s report card provided that he/she does not have a grade lower than 80 percent and fill out a Renewal Form.
• A student who gets a failing grade will forfeit the support and will not be renewed until he/she qualifies again.  A student may qualify again in any grading period.
• A failing grade in two succeeding grading periods will forfeit support for the whole year.
• A student who gets a grade lower than 80 percent will not receive support in the intervening period. Support resumes on the grading period where he/she is qualified again.
• A student who becomes inactive in church and in his/her department will also forfeit his/her support.

Qualified for June 2009

• Kyra Agravante (P300/mo)
• Kent Agravante (P300/mo)
• Jazreel Cubing (P500/mo)
• Kathleen Tracy Dadivas (P500/mo)
• Nelton Gomez (P300/mo)
• David Bryan Lao (P600/mo)
• GR Jophil Taala (P500/mo)

This is the last part of our sermon on our Theme for this year.

THE IMPORTANCE OF UNITY

From the story of Israel we gather some important Lessons that we can apply to ourselves as a community of faith (some principles are also applicable to families).

1. A gifted leader cannot do it alone.  He needs help.

2. Everybody has a part. Moses, Aaron, Hur, Joshua and the army, the women left at the camp.  Everybody did their part.

3. Unity defeats the enemy.  When we are united, nothing can stop us.

The devil knows what we are up to this year and he will try to hinder us so that we cannot work together.

The condition that the devil wants for us is that we are neither working nor together.  That would make the devil truly happy.  In fact the devil rejoices with members of the church who are not working and who are not uniting.

But since he cannot stop us from coming together and from working here are two things he is content with.

I.  First, the devil is not concerned when we work as long as we work alone.  What concerns the kingdom of darkness is when we work together.  That’s when it becomes afraid, because that is when it knows that it will be defeated.  So, the devil will hinder us the best way he knows how.  When we work alone we will have little to show for our work.

When you work alone it will be too difficult for you for God’s work cannot be done by one man alone or by a few.

When you work alone chances are you will quit too soon for there will be no encouragement.

How does Satan divide us?  We are not ignorant of his schemes (1 Corinthians 2:11).

The following hindrances to unity must be avoided.

1. Gossip.

Illustration:  Two women in the church gossiped their pastor.  The gossip spread near and far.   The church divided.  However, they soon realized teh folly of their deeds and asked the pastor for forgiveness.  The pastor obliged but only if they did two things for him.  First, they are to take a feather pillow on top of a hill, divide it into two and scatter the feathers into the four winds, and then they are to return to the pastor.  They did just that and they returned to the pastor.  The pastor told them to go back and retrieve every single feather they scattered.

1Timothy 5:11-13: As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. 12 Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. 13 Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to.

Gossip divides by producing DOUBT.

Gossip divides by destroying INTEGRITY.

Gossip divides by limiting COOPERATION, due to a development of bias.

GOSSIP

In the course of your conversation each and every day,
Think twice, try to be careful of what you have to say;
Your remarks may be picked up by someone’s listening ear,
You may be surprised at what some people think they hear.
Things that you innocently say, or try to portray,
Can be changed, and greatly exaggerated along the way;
Many stories change for the worse as they are retold.
So try to keep any questionable remarks “on hold.”
May I give all of you some very sound advice?
When you speak of others, say something nice;
Try to say good things, regardless of who is around,
If you have nothing good to say, don’t utter a sound.
You may find that an innocent remark, in the end,
May lose you a close and valued friend.

Here’s the simple rule: If the person you will share information with cannot help, it is gossip.

Here’s another simple rule: If you have not prayed for it and you shared it, that’s gossip, too.

2.  Unforgiveness.

As imperfect human beings we are bound to make mistakes and we are bound to hurt other people’s feelings once in while even when we do not deliberately intend to do so.  This imperfection exists in both sides the: offender and the offended.  Sometimes we offend because we are imperfect and sometimes we are offended because we are imperfect.

If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven–if there was anything to forgive–I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake,  in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes. (1 Corinthians 2:10,11).

Forgiveness is a weapon that Overcomes the Devil!

General Oglethorpe once said to John Wesley, “I never forgive and I never forget.” To which Wesley replied, “Then, Sir, I hope you never sin.”

3. Infighting.

The devil’s strategy is divide and conquer.  The greatest empire the world has seen, the Roman empire, did not fall because of its enemies, but because of fighting from within!  When the church is fighting among itself it cannot stand.

If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.  If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. (Mark 3:24,25)

Billy Graham is a great and unparalleled evangelist in contemporary times, yes, but he does not work alone. Before he ever begins an evangelistic meeting/crusade, he enlists the help of 1 million prayer warriors.  He will not start without them.

Paul was never a lone ranger. He was surrounded by helpers and assistants who were united to him in Christ and in one common cause.  Paul had Timothy, Titus, Silas and many others working together with him.  Paul even had writers writing the New Testament for him (Romans 16:22 “I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the Lord.”)  Even the movie character the Lone Ranger had help from his faithful Indian friend Tonto.

When God said it is not good for man to be alone, it was not only in the context of marriage what he had in mind.  I believe it also has ramifications (implications) in other aspects of human existence as well.

Remember, Jesus did not do the work of the Father alone.

Such is the importance of unity.  That’s why the devil will try his best to destroy or hinder that unity.  And that is why the Bible tells us to “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:3)

II.  Secondly, the devil is not concerned when we are together as long as we are not working.

We can get together all the time, drink coffee, eat, have fun, but unless we work we are not a threat to the kingdom of darkness and we cannot be useful in the kingdom of God!

The church must understand the purpose why it exists.  We have work to do and it takes everybody to do that work.

We are called to make disciples, to teach them and to help them obey Christ. (Matt. 28:19,20)

Conclusion

Introduction

In the first Sunday of this month we discussed our theme WORKING TOGETHER in 2009.  Last Sunday we emphasized the word TOGETHER.  Today I would like to emphasize the word WORK.

In the last chapter of the letter of Paul to the Romans, chapter 16, we find a list of people the Apostle Paul thanked because of their help in building the church.  Sometimes we do not like reading a list of names.  What can we get from it? We ask.  But 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that ALL SCRIPTURE is inspired by God and is useful.  Even a list of names can be useful to draw out spiritual truths.

The following truths may be found here concerning work:

It takes everybody to build the church.  The only reason I can see why other names were not here because maybe they were not working for the Lord.  If I will make a letter and at the end of that letter will write the names of the people who are actively working in this church WILL YOUR NAME BE THERE?

Secondly, we find the names of both men and women in the list.  There are 10 women and 18 men who are mentioned in this passage.

The list includes both married and single people.

The list mentions whole families.

It is clear that we have work and that work belongs to all of us in this church.  HOW we work will determine WHAT we accomplish.  How we work is determined by our attitude to our work.  And attitude is determined by perspective.

Attitude is defined as a “general feeling about something.”

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:22,23)

Attitude is IMPORTANT!

ILLUSTRATION:

A person’s mental attitude has an almost unbelievable effect on his powers, both physical and psychological. The British psychiatrist, J.A. Hadfield, gives a striking illustration of this fact in his booklet, The Psychology of Power. “I asked three people,” he wrote, “to submit themselves to test the effect of mental suggestion on their strength, which was measured by gripping a dynamometer.” They were to grip the dynamometer with all their strength under three different sets of conditions. First he tested them under normal conditions. The average grip was 101 pounds. Then he tested them after he had hypnotized them and told them that they were very weak. Their average grip this time was only 29 pounds! In the third test Dr. Hadfield told them under hypnosis that they were very strong. The average grip jumped to 142 pounds.

ILLUSTRATION:

The noted English architect Sir Christopher Wren was supervising the construction of a magnificent cathedral in London. A journalist thought it would be interesting to interview some of the workers, so he chose three and asked them this question, “What are you doing?” The first replied, “I’m cutting stone for 10 shillings a day.” The next answered, “I’m putting in 10 hours a day on this job.” But the third said, “I’m helping Sir Christopher Wren construct one of London’s greatest cathedral.”

ILLUSTRATION:

A chaplain was speaking to a soldier on a cot in a hospital. “You have lost an arm in the great cause,” he said. “No,” said the soldier with a smile. “I didn’t lose it–I gave it.” In that same way, Jesus did not lose His life. He gave it purposefully.

ILLUSTRATION:

Both the hummingbird and the vulture fly over our nation’s deserts. All vultures see is rotting meat, because that is what they look for. They thrive on that diet. But hummingbirds ignore the smelly flesh of dead animals. Instead, they look for the colorful blossoms of desert plants. The vultures live on what was. They live on the past. They fill themselves with what is dead and gone. But hummingbirds live on what is. They seek new life. They fill themselves with freshness and life. Each bird finds what it is looking for. We all do.

Attitude is important to the Work of the church and there are several attitudes we need to develop.

As we begin this NEW YEAR, let us have an attitude check.

Attitudes to Avoid

1.  I can’t. (Inferiority Complex)

“If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can’t, you’re right.”  Henry Ford.

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. Never give it.”   Eleanor Roosevelt.

“I can do all things….” (Philippians 4:13)

The I-can’t attitude is actually a faithless attitude.

2.  I might. (Uncommitted)

A double-minded attitude.

3.  I won’t. (Rebellious Attitude)

And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.

4.  I will, only if… (conditional)

a. I will work only if I am clearly the one who will be praised.

“Things can be done better and faster when we do not care who gets the praise.”

b. I will work only if he will work. (others-dependent)

We must follow the example of Joshua in this regard. “Whether you serve the Lord or not, I and my family will serve him.”

c. I will work only if it is convenient.

ILLUSTRATION:

“An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered.” — G. K. Chesterton (1874-1936), British author. All Things Considered, “On Running After One’s Hat” (1908).

d. I will work only if there is a good pay.

Here are attitudes we need to cultivate toward the Work of God

1. Thankfulness – Thankful attitude

a. For the privilege to work for God.

b. For being considered worthy to work for God.

c. For being part of God’s work.

2. This is my work – Attitude of Ownership

This attitude is expressed very clearly by this simple story:

This is a story about four people: Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.

There was an important job to be done and Everybody was asked to do it.

Everybody was sure Somebody would do it.  Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.  Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody’s job.

Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody

wouldn’t do it.  It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when actually Nobody asked Anybody.

3. I will do my best – Diligent attitude

4. I like doing it – Enthusiastic attitude

5. I can do it – attitude of Faith

6. I will do it even if I am not told -  Attitude of Initiative

I will do it even if nobody is watching.

7. I will not give up until the work is finished – a Persistent attitude.

Conclusion: As we work together this year we need to cultivate a godly attitude in our hearts.

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:  If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!  Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?  Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Introduction:

There’s a wonderful story about Jimmy Durante, one of the great entertainers of a generation ago. He was asked to be a part of a show for World War II veterans. He told them his schedule was very busy and he could afford only a few minutes, but if they wouldn’t mind his doing one short monologue and immediately leaving for his next appointment, he would come. Of course, the show’s director agreed happily. But when Jimmy got on stage, something interesting happened. He went through the short monologue and then stayed. The applause grew louder and louder and he kept staying. Pretty soon, he had been on fifteen, twenty, then thirty minutes. Finally he took a last bow and left the stage. Backstage someone stopped him and said, “I thought you had to go after a few minutes. What happened?” Jimmy answered, “I did have to go, but I can show you the reason I stayed. You can see for yourself if you’ll look down on the front row.” In the front row were two men, each of whom had lost an arm in the war. One had lost his right arm and the other had lost his left. Together, they were able to clap, and that’s exactly what they were doing, loudly and cheerfully.

I would like to emphasize the word TOGETHER from our theme today. Because that is the only way we can accomplish our goals for this year and beyond.

Today I want to emphasize the word TOGETHER in our theme. The word TOGETHER is important. POSITIVE THINGS HAPPEN WHEN WE ARE TOGETHER:

The disciples were together in the upper room praying when the Holy Spirit came (Acts 1,2).

The paralyzed man reached the healing presence of the Lord Jesus because his friends together brought him there. (Mark 2)

Jesus promised that when we are together his presence is with us. (Matthew 18:19)

Behold how good and how pleasant it is when brethren dwell together in unity – God gives his blessings. (Psalm 133:1-3)

Illustration: The next time a committee is appointed and the committee names several task forces to do its job, think of this story: To highlight its annual picnic one year, a company rented two racing shells and challenged a rival company to a boat race. The rival company accepted. On the day of the picnic, everyone entered into the spirit of the event. Women wore colorful summer dresses and big, floppy hats. Men wore straw skimmers and white pants. Bands played and banners waved. Finally the race began. To the consternation of the host company, the rival team immediately moved to the front and was never headed. It won by 11 lengths. The management of the host company was embarrassed by its showing and promptly appointed a committee to place responsibility for the failure and make recommendations to improve the host team’s chances in a rematch the following year. The committee appointed several task forces to study various aspects of the race. They met for three months and issued a preliminary report. In essence, the report said that the rival crew had been unfair. “They had eight people rowing and one coxswain (in charge) steering and shouting out the beat,” the report said. “We had one person rowing and eight coxswains.” The chairman of the board thanked the committee and sent it away to study the matter further and make recommendations for the rematch. Four months later the committee came back with a recommendation: “Our guy has to row faster.”

God’s Work is done by Teamwork and not by Lone-Rangers. Even the TV series The Lone Ranger the important Character has a teammate – Tonto the Indian. The requirement of TOGETHERness…

A. Agreement

Amos 3:3 Can two walk together unless they agree?

1. There must be agreement. Agreement is a powerful thing. Jesus promised that when we agree concerning what we ask for it will be done for us. (Matthew 18:20) Agreement is a powerful thing! In 1985 the Filipino People agreed to oust a powerful Dictator and they succeeded.

2. According to Genesis 10 when we agree together nothing can stop us.

3. Acts 16 Paul and Silas were in prison but they were praying and singing in agreement! The power of God came into that prison set them free and the guard was born again!

4. It was Jesus who said that when we are divided we cannot stand. That is to say that when we are united in agreement nothing can stop us. (Mark 3:25)

To agree means to have one mind. We need to agree that our goals are noble.

B. Assemble

Assemble not just gather. (Hebrew 10:25)

There is a difference between gathering and assembling. Gathering is like all the parts of a bicycle gathered in one place. There’s not much it can do. Assemble is different. It is to put the parts together to make one whole.

We are called to work together. We not only agree but also assemble ourselves together. This implies that each part understands his/her role in the whole picture of things.

Going back to the bicycle, you need to know what you are. Are you the wheels that carry the whole bicycle? Are you the handle bars that give direction to the bicycle? Are you the pedal that gives speed to the bicycle? Are you the frame that gives the bicycle its form? A single spoke of the wheel that is not working could deform the wheel. Likewise, you need to know your part so that you can contribute better to the church. Evangelist? Etc.

ILLUSTRATION: The parable of the Talents.

A young priest preached a sermon on the subject of Christian stewardship. Starting with the parable of the talents, he urged his people to place at God’s disposal the gifts and abilities with which God endowed them. After the service, a man came up to him and said, “Father, I am not a particularly gifted man. I really don’t feel capable of teaching in the Sunday school or canvassing for money or doing any of the other things that you talked about this morning. But I do have one talent that might be of use to the church.” “And what is that?” asked the priest. “Well,” said the young man, “I have the talent of criticism. I can criticize your sermons. I can criticize the choir. I can criticize everything about the church. What should I do with my talent?” The priest remained silent long enough to pray for wisdom; then he replied, “Do you remember what the man of one talent in the parable did? He buried his talent in the earth. I suggest you would be well-advised to do the same.”

C. Team Work Team and Work.

Illustration: It’s those stately geese I find especially impressive. Winging their way to a warmer climate, they often cover thousands of miles before reaching their destination. Have you ever studied why they fly as they do? It is fascinating to read what has been discovered about their flight pattern as well as their in-flight habits. Four come to mind.

1. Those in front rotate their leadership. When one lead goose gets tired, it changes places with one in the wing of the V-formation and another flies point.

2. By flying as they do, the members of the flock create an upward air current for one another. Each flap of the wings literally creates an uplift for the bird immediately following. One author states that by flying in a V-formation, the whole flock gets 71 percent greater flying range than if each goose flew on its own.

3. When one goose gets sick or wounded, two fall out of formation with it and follow it down to help and protect it. They stay with the struggler until it’s able to fly again.

4. The geese in the rear of the formation are the ones who do the honking. I suppose it’s their way of announcing that they’re following and that all is well. For sure, the repeated honks encourage those in front to stay at it.

As we think about all this, one lesson stands out above all others: it is the natural instinct of geese to work together. Whether it’s rotating, flapping, helping, or simply honking, the flock is in it together…which enables them to accomplish what they set out to do.

ILLUSTRATION: Painting “I am going to paint the house,” said a big can of paint, waiting, already mixed, in the workroom. “No, I am going to paint it!” the paintbrush asserted, bristling with indignation. “You are, are you?” sneered the ladder lying against the wall. “How far will you get without me?” Just then the painter, who overheard these self-confident remarks, ventured to put in a word. “Perhaps I’d better take a holiday,” he said quietly. “I wonder if the house would be painted by the time I got back.

Conclusion: Let’s work together this year!  Everybody pitch in!

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by Norman S. Lao

Text: Mark 10:28-30

^{MK 10:28} Peter said to him, “We have left everything to follow you!”

^{MK 10:29} “I tell you the truth,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel ³⁰ will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields–and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. ³¹ But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

 
Introduction
I.  Today we come to the last part of our series on Discipleship
 
Let me remind us of some of the important things we have already discussed.
 
In the first sermon we discussed the CALL OF DISCIPLESHIP.  The call of discipleship is summarized in three words: COME, FOLLOW, ME.  
 
If we heed or respond to the call to discipleship, it means that we are leaving something or sometimes we leave someone behind.  When Peter, Andrew, James and John obeyed the Lord’s call to discipleship they left their fishing business.  When Matthew obeyed the call he left his position as Tax collector.  When Paul responded to the call to discipleship he left his position as a Pharisee.  When Helen Vela heeded the Lord’s call for discipleship she left her live-in partner.  When Connie Reyes responded to the call to discipleship she left her live-in partner Vic Sotto.  When I responded to the call to discipleship in 1987 I left all my vices behind, burned all books and destroyed all idols.  You have to be brutal in order to leave.  Half-hearted decisions is just not enough.  When you respond to the call to discipleship you leave your old life to embrace a new one.
 
If you will not leave, you cannot cleave.  The rich man will not part with his wealth, so he was not able to heed the call of the Lord for discipleship.  Jesus said to him, “Sell all your possessions and give to the poor and come follow me.”
 
The second word in the call to discipleship is FOLLOW.  Follow means:

1.      Follow where I am going. DIRECTION.

2.      Follow what I am doing. WORKS.

3.      Follow what I am saying. TEACHING.

4.      Follow how I am living. LIFESTYLE.

5.      Follow who I am. CHARACTER.
 
The third word is ME.
We are to follow Jesus, not religion, not denomination, not a person.  True discipleship is following Christ.
 
HERE IS THE MOST CRITICAL POINT: The call to discipleship and the call to salvation are intrinsically indivisible.  Meaning, if you accept Christ as Lord and Savior in Salvation, you will FOLLOW HIM in discipleship.  You cannot simply say I will accept Christ for salvation and that’s it. No! No! NO!  A person who accepts Christ as Lord and Savior MUST by necessity FOLLOW HIM!  Also, you cannot follow Christ until you believe in him!  So, Salvation and Discipleship are intertwined that you cannot separate one from the other.  If you are saved, you must follow Christ in discipleship!
 
II.  The second sermon in this series was the COST OF DISCIPLESHIP.  Salvation is free but Discipleship has a price.  If we want to be disciples, we must count the cost and pay it.
 

1.      The Cost of Putting Christ First. PREEMINENCE.

2.      The Cost of Carrying your Cross. SUBMISSION.
 

III. Today, for the last sermon on this series, we are going to discuss the CROWNS OF DISCIPLESHIP. Of course, crowns refer to REWARDS. In the New Testament, when they talk about crowns they were referring, usually, to the crowns given to the winner of the Olympic games. There is a call to discipleship, there is a cost to discipleship, but there are also crowns to discipleship.

This passage under consideration comes after Jesus’ conversation with a rich man.  Jesus had told him that he lacked one thing and told him to sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor.  Jesus’ words had caused a stir among his disciples.  They began to wonder if anyone could be saved.  Peter acts as the spokesman for the group and asks what benefits they would receive.  People often cling to material wealth for security.  Jesus’ answer then probably was saying to the disciples that they had nothing to worry about.  God would give them the security that people often long for in material possessions.  This emotional and spiritual security that only God can give is worth a hundred times more than the things we are asked to give up.  In other words, the feeling of losing is not accurate. In discipleship we lose something or someone to gain something and someone better! That’s why we must never be afraid of discipleship. But rather we must embrace it willingly, wholeheartedly.

 
The Rewards of Discipleship are divided into two from the text:
 
But FIRST let us notice some things here:
 

1.        These rewards will only come to those who are correctly motivated:  leave homes, parents, brothers, sisters for Christ and the Gospel.

2.        We are not following Christ for the rewards.  The rewards are the natural result of following Christ.
 
There are PRESENT REWARDS

1.      Security.  Security means a STATE OF SAFETY.  Freedom from the sense of loss. There is no security in MONEY as the United States recently discovered.  There is no security in JOBS as many Filipino overseas contract workers discovered.  ALPHA told me that even their work in Dubai is threatened and that is why she is praying (and we should pray for her also).  There is no security from a life controlled by you.  Discipleship is simply a transfer from a life controlled by you to a life controlled by the Lord. There is fear and doubt in the process of transfer, but once you are in a life controlled by God, you will have true security.  You have present security with the Lord.  Don’t run away from the very ONE who alone can give you security.   I have never felt more secure in my life than when I began to follow the Lord.  It was a process the Lord took me through baby steps.  You know you are in good hands.  THE SECUREST PLACE IS THE PLACE OF TOTAL SURRENDER TO GOD.
 

2.      Supply.   The Lord promises 100x Blessing.  Yen2X, Ging2X, Guy2X.  Material blessings.
 

3.      Social.  New and meaningful relationships.  Trustworthy friends and fellow disciples. The support of the church.
 
There are ETERNAL REWARDS
The greatest reward is eternal in nature.  More than money, more than material blessings is the blessing of ETERNAL LIFE.  The greatest gift of God to man and man’s greatest responsibility.
 
Conclusion
 
 

Text: 1 John 4:7,8

Introduction

A mouse looked through a crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife opening a package; what food might it contain? He was aghast to discover that it was a mousetrap! Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning, “There is a mouse trap in the house, there is a mouse trap in the house.” The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, “Mr. Mouse, I can tell you this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me; I can’t be bothered.”

The mouse turned to the pig and told him, “There is a mouse trap in the house.”

“I am so very sorry Mr. Mouse,” sympathized the pig, “but there is nothing I can think of to do about it. Surely someone else will step in to help.”

The mouse turned to the cow, who replied, “Like wow, Mr. Mouse, a mouse trap; am I in grave danger, Duh?” So the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected to face the farmer’s mousetrap alone.

That very night a sound was heard throughout the house, like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey. The farmer’s wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see that it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught.

The snake bit the farmer’s wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital.

She returned home with a fever. Now everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup’s main ingredient.

His wife’s sickness continued so that friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig.

The farmer’s wife did not get well, in fact, she died, and so many people came for her funeral the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide meat for all of them to eat.

So the next time you hear that someone is facing a problem and think that it does not concern you, remember that when the least of us is threatened, we are all at risk.

That’s why the Word of God says:

^{1JN 4:7} Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸ Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹ This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. ¹⁰ This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹ Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹² No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

A. Why should we love one another?

1. Because God loves us. (v.11)

We should love because we have been loved.

Love is a transforming influence. (Look at people who are in love.)

They who have experienced God’s love can be loving toward others also.

2. Because God is love. (v.8)

Love is not an activity with God. Love is not something that God does. Love is not something that God feels. Love is not something that God dreams about. Love is who God is. Love is the very essence of God. God is love.

Love is the nature of God. (Ang gugma natural sa Dios.)

Why did God create the world? Love.

Why did God send his son? Love.

Why did God prepare heaven? Love.

Anybody who has been born of God has the nature of God in him. That nature is love.

3. Because love is the true evidence of Christianity

For those who are interested in the Hermeneutical context of this passage, look at the first verses of 1 John chapter 4. John is talking about false prophets and how to distinguish them. Then he goes on to write about love and loving one another.

Satan can imitate everything. Satan can do miracles, Satan can preach a mighty sermon, Satan can heal the sick. Satan can raise the dead. But Satan cannot love.

Love, therefore is the distinction between the genuine and the counterfeit.

Illustration: In the Parable of the Good Samaritan, the Priest and Levite just came from church, they may have given an offering, they may have been carrying a Scroll of the Old Testament under their arm, they may have been singing praises to God while they were walking, but their religion was tested by a man lying on the road needing help. Their religion failed the test.

B. How should we love one another?

We are to love one another the way God loves us (v.11)

1. Giving Love (v.9)

Generosity is evidence of love.

Gingging and I had a talk last Friday morning when I visited Tatang at the hospital. Why billionaires don’t give money to the church. They can’t spend all of their money in this lifetime. Absence of love. Absence of God’s love.

ILLUSTRATION: THINKING OF THE OTHERS

Jewish legend: Time before time, when the world was young, two brothers shared a field and a mill, each night dividing the grain they had ground together during the day. One brother lived alone; the other had a wife and a large family.
Now, the single brother thought to himself one day, “It isn’t fair that we divide the grain evenly. I have only myself to care for, but my brother has children to feed.” So each night he secretly took some of his grain to his brother’s granary to see that he was never without.

But the married brother said to himself one day, “It isn’t really fair that we divide the grain evenly, because I have children to provide for me in my old age, but my brother has no one. What will he do when he’s old?” So every night he secretly took some of his grain to his brother’s granary. As a result, both of them always found their supply of grain mysteriously replenished each morning.

Then one night they met each other halfway between their two houses. They suddenly realized what had been happening and embraced each other in love. The legend is that God witnessed their meeting and proclaimed, “This is a holy place—a place of love—and here it is that my temple shall be built.” So it was. The First Temple is said to have been constructed on that very site.

God’s love enabled him to give his one and only Son.

Abraham’s love enabled him to give his only son Isaac.

Jesus’ love enabled him to give his life for us.

The Disciple’s love enabled them to give their lives for Christ.

Illustration: A boy in Africa. A group of foreigners came to Mogadishu when the famine was at its worst. Whole villages died.

2. Sacrificing Love (v.9,10)

Jesus bleeding on the Cross. That’s sacrificing love. Most often we are not required to be nailed on the cross to show our love for one another. Sometimes it simply means taking time out to visit the sick, taking time out to listen to the problems of a brother or sister, etc. Sometimes it means that you give something out of your pocket to someone in need.

Sometimes it only means disrupting your schedule for someone in need like in the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

3. Redeeming Love (v.10)

The concept of redemption is very deep. To redeem means to do something to change a NEGATIVE OPINION into a POSITIVE ONE.

It is exemplified in the Parable of the Prodigal Son.

When you give love to someone who does not deserve your love, that is redeeming love.

When you forgive someone who has hurt you, that is redeeming love.

One woman got pregnant but the man who got her pregnant left her. Another man stood by her and considered the unborn child his very own and married the woman. That’s redeeming love.

Conclusion

We need to PASS IT ON!

Think of Christmas lights wired in series. First the electricity comes into the wire, then to the bulb and through its filament. Finally it goes back into the line, on to the next bulb, and so on through the entire chain of lights. As it flows out not only into each of those lights but out of each of those lights, the entire circuit is completed, and the string of lights is bright. If there’s a light that’s loose, or a filament that’s broken, then it receives the electricity but doesn’t pass it on to others.

In a sense, God has wired us like these Christmas lights. He has wired us to receive His love, and He has also wired us to pass it along to others. We have God’s love to give.

]]> http://jlrcm2009.wordpress.com/2009/04/22/let-us-love-one-another/feed/ 0 jlrcm2009 http://jlrcm2009.wordpress.com/2009/04/22/february-8-2009-the-cost-of-discipleship/ http://jlrcm2009.wordpress.com/2009/04/22/february-8-2009-the-cost-of-discipleship/#comments Wed, 22 Apr 2009 01:39:13 +0000 jlrcm2009 http://jlrcm2009.wordpress.com/?p=145 ]]>

By Norman S. Lao

Text: Luke 14:24-27

^{LK 14:25} Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: ²⁶ “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters–yes, even his own life–he cannot be my disciple. ²⁷ And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

Comparative Passage:

^{MT 10:37} “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; ³⁸ and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. ³⁹ Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Introduction

Last Sunday we talked about the Call of Discipleship. “Come Follow Me.” Today I want to focus your attention on the Cost of Discipleship. Christianity is not an easy life. The Call of Discipleship involves the Cost of Discipleship.

Discipleship has a Cost. Before you can enjoy the Crown of Discipleship you have to pay the Cost first. No Crown without the Cross.

Last Sunday we responded to the Call of Discipleship. Today, we are going to consider the Cost or the Price we have to pay as we follow Jesus Christ in discipleship.

Salvation is FREE but Discipleship has a COST.

The placement of the COST has a purpose:

1. To help would-be followers enter discipleship with open eyes. That’s why in the parable of Jesus after these verses (v.28,29) we find that we must count the cost.

2. To weed out and prevent half-hearted commitments and recognize those who are truly committed. Christianity is a spiritual war and only the fully committed can enter into. This will prevent non-serious followers from following. The non-committed will just make a mess out of the ministry and the Name of Christ.

3. To establish motive. Some follow Christ only out of CURIOSITY. Others follow Jesus for the CRUMBS. Some people were following Jesus because of the miraculous multiplication of bread and fish. Others followed to CRITICIZE. But there are others who really followed with COMMITMENT. Following Jesus involves more than miracles and blessings. Miracles and blessings, in fact, are just a small part of our relationship with the Lord.

Everything has a cost. Nothing is free. You are saved freely because somebody has PAID the price.

There are two COSTS you have to pay from this passage under consideration this morning.

I. The Cost of Putting Christ First. (v.26)

When you read verse 26 it seems to be a very harsh (cruel) requirement. Before I deal with this one I want to deal with two other instances where the requirement of discipleship seem to be too harsh (cruel).

A. “To another Jesus said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father,” But Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and preach the kingdom of God.”

This seems incredibly harsh and insensitive on the part of Jesus. Here He meets a man and issues the call to come follow. The man has only one request. He wants to attend his father’s funeral. Was that too much to ask? Could he not take care of this one important detail, and then come after Jesus?

We see the answer to this when we understand just what the man was asking. In Eastern culture a man was expected to carry on the traditions of his family and go into the same work as his father. We know that Jesus was a carpenter like Joseph, and that James and John were fishermen like their father Zebedee. The eldest son, or firstborn, was free to pursue another line of work only after his father had died. Only after the firstborn had “buried his father” was he released from his family obligations.

In all probability the man’s father was not dying or even near dying. He was saying, “I will follow you after my father has died.” When I am free of family responsibility, and when I have received my inheritance, then I will come and follow you.”

And English official in the East tells of a brilliant young Arab who was offered his choice of scholarship at either Oxford or Cambridge. He could not accept it, could not leave home until after he had buried his father. At the time his father was a little over forty years old and in excellent health.

Jesus said, “Follow me.” But the man replied, “I have other things that I must do first. I have other obligations. I will follow you, but not yet. Not right now.”

And Jesus replied, “Let those who are dead — dead in their sins, dead in the spirit – let them bury their own dead. You go preach the message that brings life.”

Nothing is more important than following Jesus Christ. He will not accept second place. He will not be put off until later. He is our first obligation.

Then Jesus met the third man on His way to Jerusalem, and again Jesus issued His call. His message to the third man was:

B. “Another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Again, at first glance, this seems a bit harsh. All the man wants to do is go home, say good bye to his family, and then catch up with Jesus along the way. Is it too much to ask that the man be allowed to say farewell to his family?

But then, when we see the situation in light of the culture of his day, we understand what the man was asking:

In that day a young man who was free from family obligations, like a second son, could leave home to pursue another career. But before he made his departure, two things took place. There was a week long feast that celebrated his going out into the world – a big going away party. And secondly, he received his share of his father’s estate. He got his inheritance.

This is the exact picture that Jesus described in the parable of the prodigal son. The older son, the first born, stayed at home to fulfill his family obligations, to bury his father. They younger son, free from those obligations, took his inheritance in cash and journeyed to a foreign country, where he lost it all.

So the situation was this: Jesus issued a call to follow, and the man responded by saying, “Let me go home and have my going-away party. Let me have my last fling before I enlist. Most importantly, let me get my money so I’ll have something to live on when I come. I will follow you, Jesus, but I want to bring as much of the world with me as I possibly can when I come.”

And Jesus said, “A farmer can’t plow a straight line if he’s always looking over his shoulder at what’s behind him. If you follow me, you must look straight ahead. If you’re always going to be turning around and looking at what you left behind, like Lot’s wife looking back at Sodom, if you’re always going to be following with one foot in the kingdom and one foot still in the world, then you’re not worthy to be my disciple.”

Jesus always demanded complete commitment. He accepted no compromise between His Kingdom and the world. He said, “Either come with me and leave the world behind, or go back to the evil ways of the world; but don’t try to follow me and bring the world along with you.”

C. Now let’s go back to this interesting passage.

Considering all the teachings of Scripture, we come to the conclusion that this may mean something else.

The Same God who said, honor your father and your mother cannot say hate them. The context here is the PREEMINENCE (supremacy) of Christ in the Life of his disciples.

When you decide to put Christ First, you also decide to put other people and other things in a secondary position.

What does it mean to put Christ first?

1. It means to consider his will before mine.
2. It means to consider his will before the will of others.
3. It means he must be in control of every aspect of my life. (Lord, is this girl right for me? Is this the right time for me to have a boyfriend? Lord, is this job right for me? Is

• What is important to you and me? For what do we

live?

If we are being honest we may answer as follows:

family, children, grandchildren, country, economic

security, knowledge

• What occupies most of our spare time thinking?

If we are being honest we might answer as follows:

vacations, recreation, hobbies, motorcycling, fishing,

hunting, shopping, food, sex,

• When we are in trouble to whom or to what do we

“The life of discipleship can only be maintained so long as nothing is allowed to come between Christ and ourselves, neither the law, nor personal piety, nor even the world. The disciple looks always only to his master, never to Christ AND the law, Christ AND religion, Christ AND the world. Only by following Christ alone can he preserve a single eye.” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

II. The Cost of Carrying the Cross. (v.27)

There are several wrong interpretations of this phrase, “Carry your Cross.”

1. Some people have understood this to put a necklace with a cross around their neck. Nobody in their right mind would make a necklace with a cross at the end and wear it around during that time. When you ritualize the truth, it becomes powerless.

2. Others have understood this that if you have besetting problems that that is your cross. For example, if you have a child that is giving you problems. Many people say, “this is my cross in life.” This is not the cross of discipleship. The cross referred to here by Christ has something to do with the CROSS UPON WHICH he will be crucified. The shame, the suffering one undergoes because he is a follower of Christ – ridicule, persecution (2 Timothy 3:12 – Anyone who would want to live a righteous life in Christ will be persecuted).

3. While still there are others who would try to be crucified on the Cross (like the one in Guimaras during Holy Week). Christ never required his disciples to be crucified. Only Peter and another apostle of all the apostles were literally crucified. Paul was, in the manner of the Romans, beheaded, as was James, the first apostle to be martyred. Stephen was stoned to death.

4. Still there are some who would carry a cross on their shoulder around. There was a man who placed a wheel on the bottom of a cross and carried it around wherever he went. This is absurd.

So, how do we understand this? We can understand this when we understand what the Cross meant during their time.

Concerning this, there are several thoughts.

1. The Cross was the death penalty for criminals. During that time, criminals carry their own cross to the crucifixion site. When people saw this they knew that they were looking at a dead man. The problem with many Christians is that we are so much alive to the wrong things.
2. The Cross means that you have no more right. That you are under the power of the Government. In discipleship that means you are now under the Power of God.
3. The Cross was a shameful, painful punishment, but it was God’s will for the Lord Jesus. Not my will but yours be done. Carrying one’s cross, therefore, meant accepting God’s will for you. I am not talking about problems and trials here – as if that is the only part of God’s will. “God’s will” may mean that he wants you to be a pastor, a missionary, a worker. God’s will sometimes mean being single.  Are you going to the U.S. because of God’s will or your will?

The cross was a symbol of shame. Only criminals were nailed to the Cross. Their crime was place over their head.

The Cross represents death.

Christ is seeking those who are willing to abandon all in pursuit of Him. Discipleship is costly. It will cost a man his life. Dietrich Boenhoffer once said: “When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die!”

It was Christ who changed the image of the Cross. The Cross now stands for Victory!

If you will not pay the price you cannot own the thing you want. If we are not willing to pay the price, we cannot be Christ’s disciples.

Many are Called but Few will Pay the Price.

The Cost of Discipleship is Death to Self.

Conclusion:

Many are called, but few want to Pay the Cost. You are called, will you PAY THE PRICE?

By Norman S. Lao

Text: Matthew 4:18-20

^{MT 4:18} As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁹ “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” ²⁰ At once they left their nets and followed him.

Introduction:

I would like to remind everybody that our main emphasis his year are two-fold, Discipleship and Evangelism. That has been clear from our Sermon Series last month.

Today, I would like to start this month with an introductory sermon on Discipleship by examining with you the implications of the Call of Christ to the first disciples. Today we are going to consider the Call to Discipleship. Next Sunday we are going to deal with the Cross of Discipleship. We will have a break on February 15 for our Love Sunday, but we will finish this Discipleship series with the Crowns of Discipleship on February 22.

“Christianity without discipleship is Christianity without Christ.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer

That’s why we have intense move toward discipleship this year. For the Lord is calling us to Discipleship..

The Call to Discipleship…

1. It is a serious call. It is not an invitation.

2. It is a sincere call. The Lord was not joking.

3. It is a sacred call. For the one who called you is holy.

4. It is a supernatural call. For the one who called you is from heaven.

5. It is a sublime call. For the One who called is Wonderful! Inspiring!

Furthermore…

1. It is a call to sacrifice. It is a call that involves lots of sacrifices.

2. It is a call to separation. It is a call to separate from sin.

3. It is a call to service. It is a call to serve God.

4. It is a call to sanctification. It is a call to holiness.

5. It is a call to selflessness. You lose yourself in Discipleship.

The Call to Discipleship has been here for two thousand years. And in every generation people either accepted or rejected the call. Every generation saw people committing their lives to discipleship with remarkable consequences. In this generation the Lord is still calling us to Discipleship. Come, follow me! Will you RESPOND to the Call?

My purpose for this sermon this morning is to help us understand the Call to Discipleship so that we can Respond to the Call with a full understanding, with open eyes, that is.

There are three important words in this call and they are arranged in a logical sequence. Before you can follow, you must come first. If you decide to follow, you must know who you will follow.

I. Come

The first important word in the Call to Discipleship is “Come.”

The implications of this word are tremendous. When you “come,” TWO THINGS happen

1. You are leaving a place (where you are now)

When the first disciples responded to the call they LEFT something behind. They left their old life (Simon the Zealot), their old work (Peter, James, Andres, John – fishing), their old habits, their old friends.

It is a leaving of sin.

It is a leaving of mediocrity.

It is a leaving of the common.

If the disciples did not respond to the Call they would have remained where they were.

2. You are going to a place (where the Lord wants you)

Discipleship is a call to leave, but it is also more than that. It also involves, not only leaving, but going.

The place you left is the end of that life.

There are many beginnings in the Christian Life. Born Again is only one beginning. If there are many beginnings, it follows that there are many endings. The end of a sinful life. The end of selfishness. The end of self-righteousness. Even if you are already a Christian the end-beginning cycle continues. It should not end. As you improve, as you grow in your faith there will always be a new beginning and a new ending. There can never be a new beginning without a new ending. That’s the reason why many Christians are not growing. They do not want to begin anew and neither do they want to end anew. The Christian life is a series of coming. As you come, you leave something else behind. Are you in the place where God wants you to be?

An end to criticism, excuses and alibis, etc.

Many cannot go to Jesus because they are not willing to leave.

“Come” is a life-changing call.

II. Follow

The term “Follow” involves a list of implications.

A. Follow where I am going – to the lost. A person who is following the Lord will be going to places where Jesus would be going. “I came to seek and save those who are lost.”

B. Follow what I am doing – helping people

“I came that you may have life and have it more abundantly.”

C. Follow what I am saying – teachings

“Go and make disciples of all nations, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matt. 28:19,20)

D. Follow how I am living – lifestyle

E. Follow who I am – character

To be more like Christ is the goal of discipleship. Not only that we pray his prayers or teach his teachings or make his miracles or do what he has done, but above all WE MUST BE LIKE HIM! Humble, loving, forgiving, compassionate, gracious.

In other words, discipleship is not a program or a curriculum. Discipleship is not a set of lessons. Discipleship is not just an experience.

Discipleship is a lifestyle! It is a style of living that aims at following Jesus no matter what, no matter when, no matter where, no matter how!

To follow implies

Decision, Progress, Movement, Destination.

1. It is not enough to come. Many have come, but few have followed.

2. Coming is an initial step. Coming is not the final step. You have a following to do. Follow him!

III. Me

It is not enough to come.

It is not enough to follow.

You must know WHOM you are following!!!

Some follow success

Others follow money

Some follow other men

But a disciple follows Christ and Christ alone! Nothing else will suffice but Christ!

The purpose of the Christian life is to become like Jesus and not like somebody else or something else.

Conclusion

My Commitment As A Christian

I’m part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I’m a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure.

I’m finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap living, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power.

My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way rough, my companions few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, deluded, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won’t give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me. And when He comes for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me—my banner will be clear!