2014 NCCF Conference - Local Church Sharing
NCCF Sunday Service - Captured Live on Ustream at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nccfss
Summary
The message emphasizes that Christ seeks a functioning body, not just a preaching center, and encourages the congregation to demonstrate this by sharing their faith. The core teaching, drawn from Psalm 131, compares the believer to a weaned child resting against a mother, illustrating that God is the Great Giver and the believer is the receiver. Therefore, the practical application is to remain closely connected to Jesus, recognizing Him as the ultimate gift, much like a branch must remain attached to the vine to bear fruit.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
Building a church that acts like a bodyThe speaker explains that Christ looks for a body of believers individually connected to the head, and encourages building a church that acts like a true body.
Imitating the faith of spiritual leadersReferring to Hebrews 13:7, the speaker reminds the congregation to remember those who spoke the word of God and to imitate their faith rather than just their gifts.Hebrews 13:7
Living by God's words and confessing with our mouthsBelievers must hear from God regularly and confess with their mouths what they believe in their hearts, drawing on Matthew 4:4 and Romans 10:17.Matthew 4:4Romans 10:17
Quietening the soul before GodBobby reads Psalm 131, noting how the psalmist quiets his soul like a weaned child resting against its mother, comparing God to a mother and believers to the child.
The receiver and the great giverIn the mother-child relationship, the child is the receiver and the mother is the giver, illustrating our position before God who gave us His greatest gift, Jesus.
Pure and simple devotion to JesusThe simple command for believers is to grab hold of Jesus and stay close to Him with pure and simple devotion.2 Corinthians 11:3
Trials reveal hidden unworthy thingsArnaldo shares how experiencing months of body pain shook his faith and revealed hidden unworthy things in his life, teaching him to rely on scriptural promises.
Learning from the paralytic at BethesdaComparing his six months of pain to the man waiting 38 years at the pool of Bethesda, Arnaldo learns deep humility and patience.
God's primary interest is overcoming sinAfter healing the man, Jesus told him not to sin anymore so that something worse wouldn't happen, showing that trials are meant to lead us into holiness.
The rat race of dead worksLooking at the story of Jacob, Rachel, and Leah in Genesis 30, Sun compares his own efforts to please Jesus using human effort to the competitive childbearing of the sisters.
Joseph born out of God's workJust as Joseph was born through God's intervention rather than human striving, believers must abandon their own dead works and look to God.
Deliverance from anxiety through God's loveComing from a Catholic background, Surin testifies how realizing God's deep love delivered him from lifelong anxiety and fear.
Trials purify faith and sensitize us to sinSurin shares how facing job loss and trials has taught him to trust God's promises, take sin seriously, and rely daily on the Holy Spirit.1 Corinthians 10:13
Freedom from religious bondageReflecting on Galatians 5:1, Surin expresses immense freedom in Christ away from human traditions and religious burdens.
The Bible comes alive with New Covenant eyesJeremy shares how reading the Old Testament through New Covenant eyes reveals God's character and ongoing work in fresh ways.
A living salvation and continual deliveranceBased on Jeremiah 23, God intends to work such wonders in our lives that we continually experience new stories of salvation rather than resting on past deliverances.Jeremiah 23:7
Much of the land remains to be possessedLooking at Joshua 13, Jeremy warns against complacency and urges believers to press forward in faith, recognizing that much spiritual land remains to be possessed.
Sophisticated prayers versus the helpless cryKelly reflects on Romans 8:15 and how a family tragedy reduced her from sophisticated prayers to a state of desperate need.Romans 8:15
Growing to know God as a fatherBy coming to God like a newborn rather than an adult, Kelly learned to continually say 'I need you' and experienced God faithfully providing as a father.
Realizing the preciousness of the churchGeorge confesses that his Christian life was once self-centered, but God has burdened his heart with the immense value of the church.
God's will for a holy and blameless churchDrawing from Ephesians 5, George emphasizes that building the church begins with personal cleansing and walking in holiness before the Lord.Ephesians 5:25–27
Faithfulness in private life as a contribution to the churchUsing passages from Timothy and 2 Corinthians 4, George concludes that his greatest contribution to the church is personal faithfulness in his private life as an earthen vessel holding God's treasure.
Experiencing God's love through encouragement and helpQuoting 1 John 4:8, Paul expresses joy in God's love and highlights how the Holy Spirit helps believers overcome character flaws and the love of money.1 John 4:8
Discipline and rebuke to protect us from sinSharing from Hebrews 12:6, Paul explains how God uses discipline and loving rebuke during difficult work trials to remove grumbling and prevent us from running into destructive sin.Hebrews 12:6
Wholehearted unity and raising the barExpressing deep gratitude for the elders and the church, the speaker challenges believers to be wholehearted and raise the bar in their spiritual expectations.
From the Ark of the Covenant to the Throne of GodBased on Jeremiah 3, the speaker contrasts the old rule-based religion (symbolized by the Ark) with New Covenant life of depending on a person seated on the throne.Jeremiah 3:16–17
Seeing the Lord on His throne amidst trialsReflecting on Isaiah 6, the speaker explains how personal and professional trials are often allowed by God so that we look past our circumstances and see Him high and lifted up on the throne.Isaiah 6:1–3
