Read Bible for Yourself

Main Readings: 1 John 3:1-10, Matthew 5:43-45 Repentance and faith in Jesus Christ does not only bring us forgiveness of sins from God: It also grants us the status of being children of God, and results in our nature being transformed to carry His image. We are therefore new creation with the capacity to grow in character to become like God in holiness. In the view of Apostle John who wrote the Gospel according to St. John and the three Epistles of John, if a person fails to show the signs of maturing as a child of God, he may altogether be considered a child of the devil (1 John 3:10). This sermon explores the Biblical concept of the Christian’s growth using the natural analogy of learning to RESPOND TO PARENTAL CARE, RELATING EFFECTIVELY WITH MEMBERS OF ONE’S FAMILY and extending the RIGHT COURTESIES TO THE LARGER COMMUNITY of those who are not YET members of one’s family. THE NEW BIRTH AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE The unique phenomenon that marks the Christian faith is that the...

In the Church but not of the Church When one of my students raised an issue with “TENANTS” of the church, of course, I knew he meant TENETS, but I played along in my mind and soon realized that in fact the church has TENANTS!  TENETS are the established fundamental beliefs of the church, and TENANTS live in houses they do not own.  A quick look at the New Testament shows 10 kinds of CHURCH TENANTS, or people who live in the church or appear like Christians but whose final destinations are doubtful: 1.        THE JUDASES: These people respond to the call to walk with Jesus, and indeed walk with him to the end, but never submit to His corrections and sell Him out when the price is right. (John 12:4-7, Mt 26:8-16) 2.        THE ANANIASES AND SAPPHIRAS: They pledge total support for the church as they see proper, but soon develop cold feet and unilaterally resign to partial commitment (Acts 5:1, 9) ...

Feed My Sheep: A Person the Lord Trusts with His Flock Main Reading: John 21:15-19 Jesus called twelve disciples, and at His resurrection, one stood tall – Peter to whom He said, “Feed my sheep”. This injunction primarily meant Peter was to lead the rest in prosecuting the agenda of the growing church. Peter was entrusted with feeding and tending the lambs and sheep of the Lord. The lambs could refer to children and new believers, while the sheep referred to older and more mature believers as well as people who are seeking Jesus (see John 10:14-16, 26-27; Mt 10:14, 1 Pe 2:2) What made Peter stand out among the rest of the apostles is not particularly difficult to discern, and they provide ample clues about what Jesus meant by “Feed my sheep”, the very ministry that Peter undertook. Here are some of the key qualities that stood Peter out a trustworthy Christian Shepherd: 1. Confession of Sinfulness : Peter is the only apostle on record to have confessed to the Lord that h...

A QUICK GUIDE FOR THE DISCIPLE-MAKING DISCIPLE 1.       REPENTANCE AND CONFESSION -          From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Mt 4:17 Before a person becomes a Christian, he or she is a sinner. What makes a person a Christian is that he or she believes with his or her heart that Jesus died for sinners to be forgiven and set free from the power of sin. He or she must then declare in the presence of other believers that Jesus is now his or her Lord forever, and that he or she will no longer live under the control of sin. Jesus told a parable in Luke 15:11-21 to show the importance of repentance and confession in becoming a child of God. You may also want to commit Romans 10:9-10 to memory. 2.       WATER BAPTISM – “ Therefore go and teach all nations, baptizing them in t...

Is the Lord and His Work Still Number One in Your Heart? Main Readings: Matthew 1:18-25, Mark 8:38, Revelations 2:4-5 Joseph sought to retain the appearance of a righteous man, while secretly shirking the responsibility of sharing the burden of the Gospel. Thankfully, God through an angel gave him greater awareness and he rescinded his decision. He therefore retains the distinction of being the one to have publicly named the Messiah. This sermon is a reflection on the passage aimed at helping us search our hearts constantly to retain our first love.