BRMC.URS Sunday Sermon Reflection

Transcription

1 Title of Sermon: Looking Ahead Living As Resurrection People 3 April 2016 Scripture: Acts 16: Preacher: Pastor David Ho Reflections by Ms Ong Hui Nah INTRODUCTION Resurrection in Jesus is meant to change everything in our lives here and now, not just at Jesus second coming. Hence, our lives must not be a fruitless and futile waiting in between. Pastor David exhorts us to live as resurrection people and refers to Acts 16:16-34 to unpack his sermon.

2 LOOK UP (PUT ON GOD S LENSES) In Paul s and Silas missionary journey to spread the Word, they encountered many difficulties. This particular encounter with the python-possessed spirit slave girl led to their imprisonment after Paul cast out the spirit because her owners complained to the authorities and pressured them after she lost her money-making ability through fortune telling (Acts 16:16-24). Pastor David warns us of the layers that oppose the spread of God s Word spirits, greed and selfprofit, and institutional sin. He compares this to our modern day sins such as the sex trade, exploitative leaders and unjust legislation. A reductionist view denies the supernatural power of God to work and rationalizing downplays God s power. We should acknowledge the workings of forces of evil in our world today, putting on lenses of biblical view and be spurred to pray against powers and principalities of the dark forces that bind us like money, sex, worldly power or family breakdowns. God s power is the ultimate power as witnessed in the slave girl being freed of her demonic possession (Acts 16:18) and in the mighty earthquake that loosened the chains and opened the prison gates for Paul and Silas (Acts 16:26-27). Pastor David exhorts us to have courage to stand up for what is right.

3 LEAN ON (LIVE IN GOD S SOVEREIGNTY) Whilst Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns in prison, others were listening to them (Acts 16:25). They allowed their faith and belief to dictate how they understood their situation. We have a Father to lean on and by taking on a posture of praise and worship, there is no chain, burden or bondage that God cannot break. Pastor David encourages us to sing in every sorrow and delight in tough times because God gives us strength in every weakness. Pastor David quoted the positive witness given by the pastor and his wife of China s largest Church who were arrested after they protested against the forced removal of crosses by the state. LIFT UP (RADICAL WITNESS TO HIS LOVE) The prison guard wanted to kill himself because he thought all the prisoners had escaped but Paul stopped him, saying that they were still there (Acts 16:27-28). Paul and Silas, instead of running off through the open gates, proclaimed the gospel to the jailer (Acts 16:29-34). God s hands are present to bring about His perfect plan through all evil. Jesus death on the cross was plotted by evil men but God brings about the salvation of mankind through His death Jesus suffering is part of God s greater plan. God knows our suffering. In all things God works for the good of those who love Him. Pastor David shared about a Chadian non-believer who accepted Christ and cried out the name of Jesus during his beheading for he was deeply touched by the faith demonstrated by the Coptic Christians who were being beheaded.

4 CONCLUSION Pastor David reiterates that Easter makes all the difference. We must lean on a living God and lift Him up, so the world will also witness His power.

5 3) We will stop striving (v10) A picture of a battlefield being painted. A messy place of confusion after a battle. Relax and be quiet (rapha). Stop all the frenzy, the carnal attempts against one another. Go to a place of solitude to reflect and seek the presence of God. Stop rebelling and begin to surrender. A calm before a storm. The Resurrection on Easter morning occurred when the hills of Golgotha were still an eerie reminder of the violence and stubbornness of Man, when the streets of Jerusalem were quiet, the town of Galilee was no longer seeing crowds gathering around Jesus to listen to him and when the disciples were trying to find their feet without their leader. God is a god of surprises and we are always on His "screensaver".