3:06 How I praise thee, precious Savior, that thou laid hold of me. Thou has saved and cleansed and filled me that I might th that channel be. Please join with us as we sing, brothers and sisters. >> [music] 3:30 >> How I praise [singing] thee, precious Savior, [music] that thy love laid hold of me. Thou has saved and cleansed and fill me [music and singing] that I might thy channel be channels only blessed master [singing and music] 3:48 but with all thy wondrous power flowing through us thou can use us every [music and singing] day and every hour. Just [music] a channel [singing] 4:04 full of blessing to the thirsty hearts around to tell out [singing] thy full salvation. [music] All thy loveing message son channels [singing] only blessed master. But with [music] all thy wondrous power flowing 4:24 through us, thou can use us [singing] every day and every [music] hour. Only brothers go first. Empty cup thou shouldest [singing] fill me earthly vessel in thy hand [music] with no power [singing] but has thou gave us graciously 4:43 with each other channels [music and singing] only blessed master but with all thy wondous [music] fun flowing [singing] through us thou can use us every day and [music and singing] every hour. Only sisters witness [music and singing] 5:03 to save me from self. Thou has [music and singing] me to possess [music] all together only blessed [singing] master. But with all thy wondous power flowing [music] 5:23 through us, thou can use us [singing] every day and every hour. voices. Jesus [singing] fill now with thy spirit. [music] Hearts at full surrender know that the streams [singing] of living 5:40 water from our inner man [singing] may flow. Channels only [music] blessed master. >> [singing] >> With all thy wondous power flowing through us, thou [music and singing] 5:54 confuse us every day at every hour. Please be seated. Alive. My Jesus is alive. Alive forever more. The sting of death [music] is over. My Jesus is alive. Alive. [singing] 6:16 Alive. [music] My Jesus is alive. Alive forever [music and singing] more. The sting of death is all alive. [singing] Alive. My [music] Jesus is alive. My Jesus [singing] is alive. 6:35 Sing hallelu. [music and singing] Sing hallelu. My [singing and music] Jesus is alive forever more. Sing hallelu. [music and singing] Sing hallelu. My Jesus [singing and music] 6:53 is from the top again. Alive. Sing alive. Al alive. [music and singing] My Jesus is alive. Alive forever [music] more. The sing of death is alive. [music and singing] Alive. My Jesus is 7:11 alive. My Jesus [music and singing] is alive. Sing us. Sing hallelu. [singing and music] Sing hallelujah. My [music and singing] Jesus is alive forever more. Sing hallelu. 7:30 Sing hallelu. [music] My Jesus [singing] is alive. I've taken my heart [singing] down from the will [music] of dream. 7:47 My heart [singing] is singing the [music] victory. My past is forgiven. [music and singing] My hope is in heaven. All sorrow [singing and music] has gone. The glory has come. But now I 8:05 am free. He's setting me free this [music and singing] Holy Ghost fire. He's setting me free this [music] very [singing] hour. 8:22 He's flooding my soul. He's making [music and singing] me whole. He's setting me free. [music] Free. Free. This Holy Ghost [singing] fire. I've taken my gun down. I've taken my heart [music] down from the [singing] 8:40 willow tree. My heart is singing [music] the victory. [singing] My past is forgiven. [music and singing] My home is in heaven. All sorrow has gone. The 8:59 [singing and music] glory has done. And now I am free. We will worship the lamb [singing] of glory. We will worship the king [singing and music] 9:17 of kings. We will worship the lamb of glory. We [singing] will worship the king. [music] >> We bless the name of the lamb of glory. We bless [singing] the name of the lamb of glory. We bless [music and singing] the name of 9:37 the king of kings. We bless [music and singing] the name of the lamb of glory. We bless [music and singing] the name of the king. And with our hands lied high [singing] we will [music] worship and sing. And with our hands lifted high, we 9:57 come before you rejoicing. With our hands [singing] lifted [music] high to the sky, when the world wonders [singing] why we just tell them we're loving our King. And with our hands lifted high. And with [music] our hands 10:13 lifted high, [singing] we will worship and sing. And with our hands lifted [music and singing] high, we come before you rejoicing. [music] With our hands lifted [singing] high to the sky, when the world wonders [music] why, [singing] we'll just tell them 10:30 you're loving our king. We [music] just We'll just [singing] tell them you're loving our king. [music] We'll just [singing] tell them we love our [music] king. A wonderful savior is Jesus, my lord. 10:54 A savior to me. A wonderful [singing and music] Savior is Jesus, my Lord. A [singing] wonderful [music] Savior to me. 11:13 He hideth [music and singing] my soul in the depth of the rock where God's [music and singing] mighty power I see. He hide [music and singing] 11:28 my soul in the cloud of the rock that shadows [music and singing] the dry thirsty land. He [singing] hide in my [music] life in the depths of his love and [music] 11:47 covers me there [singing] with his hand. [music] And [singing] me there with his hand. [music] Holy brother sing. A [singing] wonderful savior [music] is Jesus my lord. [singing] 12:07 He taketh my burden away. [singing and music] He holdeth me up and I shall [singing] not be [music] cold. He gave with me [singing] strength day by day. All 12:24 together sing. He hideth my soul. behind [singing and music] my soul in the cl of the [singing] rock that shadows a [music] dry thirsty land. He [singing] hide my life in the depths 12:45 of his [music] love and go [singing] me there with his hand. [music] and [singing] be there [music] with his hand. >> My sisters, with [singing and music] 13:03 blessings, each moment he grows [singing] and filled with his fullness [music] divine. [singing] I sing [music] in my rapture. Oh, glory [singing] to 13:20 God [music] for such a redeemer as he hide [music] my soul [singing] in the cl of the rock that shadows a 13:36 [singing and music] dry thirsty land. Ma 85 uh request you to check your car. The vehicle engine is running and it's not switched off. We will sing our next song. Worthy is the lamb 13:55 who was slain. He's holy. Worthy is 14:19 lamb [music and singing] who was slain. Holy, holy is he. [music] >> Sing a new [singing] song [music] to him who set. Heaven's mercy. See, [music] 14:43 >> worthy is the lamb. Worthy [music and singing] is the lamb who was slain. [music and singing] Holy, holy is he. [music] Sing a [singing] new song 15:04 to him who sings song. [singing and music] Heaven's mercy se [music] holy, [singing] holy, holy [music] is the Lord God Almighty 15:23 who was [singing] and is and is to come. [music] With all [singing] creation I [music] sing praise to the King of Kings. [music and singing] You are my everything 15:41 and I will adore you. [singing] [music] Clothes to rainbows [singing and music] 16:04 of living color, flashes [music and singing] of lightning, rose of thunder. Blessing [singing and music] and honor, strength and glory and power be 16:23 to you [singing] the only wise king. [music] Holy, [singing] holy, holy [music] is the Lord God Almighty who was [music and singing] and is and 16:40 is to come. [singing] With all [music] creation I sing praise to the King of Kings. [music] You are [singing] my everything and I will adore you. [music] 17:00 Oh, [music] filled [music] with wonder, 17:19 aruck wonder [singing] at the mention of your name. Jesus, your name is power, breath, and living [singing] water. [music] 17:38 Such a marvelous mystery. [music] Holy, [singing] holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was [singing and music] and is and 17:55 is to come. >> [music] >> With all [singing] creation I sing praise to the King of Kings. You [music and singing] are my everything 18:10 and I will adore you. [music] Shall we all [music] stand? sing our next song. Jesus, holy and 18:38 uninterrone. Your name is like honey on my lips. Your spirit like water to my soul. Your word is a lamp unto my feet. Jesus, I love you. Jesus. [singing] 18:58 [music] Jesus, [music] [singing] holy and anointed 19:16 [singing] one. [music] Jesus. [singing] Jesus. [music] Jesus. [music] [singing] 19:38 Look onto him and sing for him. risen [singing] and [music] exalted one. Jesus, [music] [singing] your [music] name is like honey 19:56 on [singing] my lips. [music] Your spirit like water to [music] my soul. Your word [singing] is a lamp unto [music] my feet. Jesus, [singing] 20:15 I love you. I love you. [music] Jesus. [music] Jesus. Holy [singing] 20:38 [music] and anointed one. Jesus, [singing and music] your name, your name is like honey on [singing and music] my lips. 20:55 Your spirit like water to [music and singing] my soul. Your word is a lamp unto [singing] my feet. [music] Jesus, I love you. 21:13 I [singing] love you. >> Holy sing Jesus. >> Jesus. [music] >> Jesus. [music] [singing] Holy [singing] 21:33 [music] and anointed one. [singing] >> Jesus. [music] [singing] >> Jesus. >> Jesus. [music] >> Jesus. [music and singing] 21:58 Risen and exalted one. >> Ris [singing and music] and exalted one. Jesus. [singing] [music] Brothers and sisters, as we remain 22:40 standing, let's turn our entire attention and devotion to Jesus. 22:57 the risen and exalted one. There is no other name under heaven or earth by which we can be saved. Let's respond to his love and 23:22 acknowledge his presence. Even as we sang, his spirit is like water into our soul, refreshes us, cleanses us, 23:39 and his word is a lamp unto our feet. And his name is like honey on our lips. It's the most precious name. You shall call his name Jesus because he will save you from your sins. 23:58 There is no other name. There is no other way. There is no one else who has risen from the dead and is Lord is coming again. Just thinking about that song that we 24:20 sang. He hideth my soul in the cliff of the rock that shadows a dry thirsty land. So that's the way that's the place we want to be even this morning, brothers and sisters. Hidden in the rock 24:40 that was clefted. We know the story. It's a story of Moses. He said, "I want to see your glory. Show me your glory." Let that be the desire of our hearts even this morning. Show me your glory. 24:58 How is it possible that a sin sin sinful man selfish man like me can see your glory? Lord said, "I will hide you in the cliff of a rock that shadows a dry, thirsty land. There 25:17 you'll see my glory. There you will be refreshed. And there you will be covered." Lord, that's where we want to be. Want to be covered by your hands. I want to read from the book of 25:42 Hebrews chapter 1. God after he spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in [snorts] many 26:00 portions and in many ways in these last days has spoken to us in his son or in the person of his son whom he has appointed the heir of all things [snorts] and through whom also he made the world. 26:19 The Lord has spoken through us through Jesus through whom he made the world. And he is the radiance of his glory and the exact representation of his nature. And he upholds all things by the word of his power. And when he had made purification of 26:37 sins, he sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high. That is where Jesus is today, at the right hand of the father. having become much better than the angels. For to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my 27:21 in your presence. We want to acknowledge your great greatness to us Lord. We want to acknowledge that you alone are the holy and exalted one. Praise you. Praise you Jesus. King of glory. We exalt you. We thank you Lord. 27:36 Thank you and praise you Jesus. Thank you brothers and sisters and praise the Lord. Please be seated. We want to go over um memory verses. 28:00 Let's ask the Lord to plant these verses, these words in our memories. make them a part of our lives. Last week's verse was a command. [clears throat] The Bible says that boasting is excluded 28:20 if we have faith. And this verse, repeat after me. It's Galatians 5 26 says, "Let us not become boastful. challenging one another 28:41 or envying one another. Amen. And this week we have a promise. Repeat after me. John 10 14 and 15. I know my own 29:03 and my own know me. Even as the father knows me and I know the father. What a privilege it is brothers to be called into a relationship like this. Let's say this once again. John 10 14 29:21 and 15. I know my own and my own know me even as the father knows me and I know the father. Amen. 29:40 Uh brothers and sisters, we want to hear the word of the lord. Let's have attentive ears. Uh it's our privilege to hear from brother John this morning. Brother John, please come and share what's on your heart. like brother Sur [clears throat] said uh 30:07 it's really a privilege uh to come come as a church and come around God's word um it's a privilege to hear it's a privilege to understand it's privilege relates to practice 30:26 and uh transformed by his spirit and be a witness on this earth like u [clears throat] once uh I heard from um mean I read a quote of uh brother Sadhu 30:43 Sunundar Singh he said the greatest privilege on this earth we have is that we can take up our cross, deny ourselves and and take up our cross and follow Christ. Once 31:01 we close our life on earth, we don't have that privilege again. Uh he considered that as a great privilege. You know in scriptures when we read certain verses uh 31:18 many verses like that but I just thought about few uh it makes us to think it makes us to think one one of the words where Paul said in 2 Corinthians 11 he said [snorts] said about another Jesus 31:37 means Paul was telling about another Jesus then we have to think Lord uh am I on right track or am I growing toward the right Jesus or another Jesus. See that makes us to think 31:55 uh otherwise if that was not written then we would have thought that Jesus means Jesus everything is same uh this person believes in this doctrine and calls on Jesus this person believes in this doctrine and calls on Jesus but 32:10 it's all intellectual understanding and the faith which which is in the head head knowledge rather and another verse [clears throat] I think of Jesus was saying in Matthew 15 where he said um these people say so many things 32:30 with their mouth but their heart is far away. In fact Jesus was quoting Isaiah mean that also makes us to think oh um there can be a mismatch in what we say and what we believe in our heart. So we 32:49 we could see that u during Jesus' time people who said oh we know God we worship God we're serving God and they killed Jesus. So there such contrast can happen and uh another verse I can think 33:05 of Peter saying uh 1 Peter [clears throat] 5 he spoke about this is the true grace of God. Oh, that means there is something called false grace. Otherwise, he wouldn't have said that this is the true grace. See, when we 33:24 read these verses, which makes us to think, Lord, uh help us to know in the midst of all the knowledge, all that being preached, is my own life founded on the right foundation or not? 33:44 That's very very important otherwise uh means like Paul said in 2 Corinthians sorry 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 where God allows certain people to be deceived because they don't love the truth so as to be 33:59 saved. Um that's quite possible. God has uh allowed all these things so that we will diligently seek him. He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek him. So God wants us to search him and 34:17 find him. It's our uh u uh obligation or necessity. So I was thinking about this verse 2 Peter chapter 1 uh 2 Peter chapter 1 verse 1 34:34 uh Peter writes like this a bond servant and apostle of Jesus Christ to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours by the righteousness of our God 34:51 and Savior Jesus Christ. See um he is specifically saying there are certain kind of faith we have received that means Peter and all those who were in touch with Peter in fellowship with 35:06 Peter Paul and many godly ones apostles see they received certain kind of faith that's what he's emphasizing this also makes us to think oh there is certain kind of faith which leads to godliness or certain kind of faith 35:25 doesn't lead us to godliness or rather relationship with Jesus. He has a who have received a faith of the same kind of uh kind as ours. It's something which I thought and uh uh I wanted to [clears throat] 35:44 um think about this and share what is in my heart and then I would like to turn to Romans chapter 1 verse 5 here [clears throat] what Paul writes Romans chapter 1 verse 5 36:05 it says According [clears throat] to the verse four, last part says, "According to the spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostilhip 36:24 to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for his name's sake." So here Paul is kind of trying to emphasize we have received 36:41 grace and apostilhip to bring about the obedience of faith. We have heard about faith. We hear much about faith because our life begins with faith, continues with faith. It's a work of the Holy 36:55 Spirit and we grow in faith. But here [clears throat] Peter is specifically sorry Paul is specifically saying that there is a certain kind of faith which leads us to obedience. It's called obedience of faith. Even in chapter 16 37:14 also he mentioned mentions about obedience of faith. If we read through Romans is a kind of a stepby-step progress where oh sinners religious sinners justification seriousness of sin and uh how we can be 37:33 we can master sin overcome sin and the life in the spirit it's all progresses gradually chapter 16 again it's like a brackets it says obedience of faith I I was thinking about this see how we are born 37:50 again. Today we have some baptisms uh where [clears throat] some of the brothers and sisters who have received the faith and received that born again experience will be sharing. So how [clears throat] we are born again? So 38:07 first we received a faith that helped us to see uh that we are sinners. we were convicted that we were sinners. That's a faith actually. It's it's very very important faith. Uh in fact uh if I have 38:25 to say uh what is the first uh touch from God or first connection with God? How it is established or God is trying to uh kind of touch our heart speak to us from the birth. God is trying to use 38:45 so many means to uh help us to uh communicate that faith that what is that faith that is something is wrong in you something is not okay. I I received that faith means it started more uh strongly working from 39:04 when I was 21 year 22 years like that I was born again at the age of I was a Catholic I was born again at the age of 25 means that time it came so powerfully that oh I always thought that oh there's something because of that uh I'm not 39:23 having peace in my life I don't have joy in my life I I find so much confusion. Oh, because of this, because of that uh circumstances, maybe upbringing. Oh, this failure. Oh, if this had not happened, oh, maybe it would have been 39:38 better. All these things, it's all running in the mind. And uh maybe bitterness grows because of that and unrest and unforgiveness, dissatisfaction, discontentment, so many things. But uh the the when the touch of 39:57 God comes rather faith comes to us. Oh, it's nothing of that. It is me the sinner. That's why I have a problem. Because between me and my God, there is 40:14 something called sin which need to be dealt which is blocking because of me is there is no block from God's side. That's a block from my side. See that is a faith and what that leads to and leads 40:31 to obedience of faith that is what what is the next step I it's called obedience of faith we go one step at a time it that is the true faith rather it's a true faith and then um then we receive 40:48 something more from God that is an assurance of forgiveness assured that Lord Lord, because of you, you took the punishment, I have been forgiven. See, the thing is that's the see in fact uh Jesus said in Luke 10, 41:05 sorry, Luke 15 where he said for this reason the heaven rejoices when a s sinner repents the whole heaven rejoices because see he's responding to the faith he's receiving. See if the response is not taken. Most of us or rather 41:24 [clears throat] some of us maybe uh receive faith but it's only intellectual faith. If there is no response or obedience then it will not grow. It is only intellectual faith. This is what the the dangerous thing which is 41:40 happening rampantly around the world where people think that uh oh I received faith but there is no response there is no obedience then they think that they are okay. So, oh somebody believes this or do you believe this? Do you believe 41:56 this? Do you There is no repentance. There is no response to the faith received and then it is not obedience of faith. Then it is not a complete salvation. Then if they are baptized and make them to believe that they are okay, 42:12 they are really born again, then [clears throat] they only suffer actually. See, then they the growth won't come. So then there's some more faith comes. Oh I think 2 Corinthians 5:15 5:15 yes it says if you believe 42:30 that Jesus died then you don't have right on yourself. See the displacement happens the faith comes that Jesus died and with that what what is the obedience? Disobedience is oh I have to displace myself the self which is sitting on the 42:49 throne which is the cause of all the calamities of my life it has led always away from God and that self of me the one who is sitting on the throne should be displaced and if Jesus died Lord 43:06 Jesus thank you very much you worked out my salvation to forgive remove that uh wrath of God, anger of God. Thank you very much Jesus. You took the anger of God. You took the punishment. You suffered. You shed the blood. That has been accepted by the 43:26 father and fa father um uh like raised Jesus. Father raised Jesus by approving. Yes, I have accepted this. Because of that, uh I have been forgiven. Now I have I have to respond by obedience that Lord, it's 43:46 not me, no longer I, Lord, but Christ lives in me. Lord Jesus, you take that place. But self always through throughout our life, it's a battle. Self wants to come and sit on the throne. But we have to consciously by the help of 44:02 the spirit we have to say no to flesh and ask Jesus to come the holy spirit to come and take over. See this is the step when we are born again but it has to continue. I want to see some more verses uh where yeah it says uh Philippians 2 44:19 21. See here Paul says, "For they all seek after their own interest, not those of Christ Jesus." See who are these people? For they all seek after their own interest, not those of Christ Jesus. 44:38 See, Paul is talking about Timotei and the many others. He is comparing. He was comparing. What is he saying is these people who say that they have faith but there there is no response in 44:56 uh obedience. There is no obedience. But Timotei is not like that. Timotei is not seeking his own interest but he is seeking God's interest. See this is called obedience of faith. So if I have 45:13 received faith, true faith from God, there is an obedience. Obedience in not seeking my own interest. If I am seeking my own interest, I am coming to God. Uh Lord, you do this for me, you do this that for me and okay me me. Oh my joy, 45:32 my peace, my this thing, my that thing, my money, my property, my health, this, that. Then what's the difference between the people who have faith in other gods who go after their those other gods in seeking their own interests 45:51 and there's no difference between them and us. So that's why so it's very important that we uh have to examine our own heart. Lord, is this faith leading me to obedience? If it is not leading me to obedience, that faith will remain 46:07 only in the head. Doesn't sink into heart and it doesn't make a difference to our life. 1 Corinthians 13:5 um where Paul's writes about love. He says that love does not seek its own. That means if I recognized the love of 46:26 God, I will not seek my own. Anybody see even in home matters uh if I'm thinking about me me then maybe I have not received the true faith the faith which leads to obedience even Romans 15:3 says it says about uh Jesus Christ did not 46:45 seek his own in fact it is talking about uh kind of dealing with weak people in the church like somebody who is weak in faith we give space husband is strong in faith He has to give space for his 47:02 wife's weakness. If wife is strong and wife has to give space for husband's weakness. Uh if husband and wife parents are strong, they have to give space for children's their weakness. See that is faith. If I have faith in the Lord Jesus 47:19 Christ, then I give space. You know why I have to give space? I am obligated to give fa space to those who are weak because God also has decided to give me space for me. He strong and I am weak. 47:35 He said yes I will give you space. I I will uh cooperate with you. See that that because of that we have obligation even mercy. Why we have to show mercy to others? Because I have received mercy. That's that's very important. See if I 47:52 say that I have received mercy from God, I have an obligation to um it's called obedience of faith. If I have faith, I obey the Lord in giving space to others. That's that becomes my obligation. Even 1 John 3:16 48:11 uh I would like to see in regard to church rather. See we know love by this you know this is love one John is saying that he laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 48:31 So here see it's it's combination of faith received and faith leads to obedience. See oh you received faith. Oh, he died. Like we heard earlier we he died also. I will also die. I will also 48:48 lay down my life for brothers whom I see. See like the many people are eager to break bread. But u [clears throat] what is the implication? Oh, I believe that Jesus died for me. But when I break bread, I indirectly saying I want to 49:05 yield myself to this body what I see around. And if I don't have that kind of a kind of an obligation or obedience then what I received faith is it's an intellectual faith. Uh I I I see uh I am okay but I don't have any obligation 49:24 because I am not exercising my faith in obedience. That is where we fail. 1 John 4:20. If someone says I love God and hates his brother, he is a liar. For the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he 49:43 cannot cannot see. See here again the faith and obedience comes. If you say you have faith that God loves you then you have an obligation to love your brother. If you hate your brother then the faith you have in love of God is 50:00 fake. So that's what he is trying to say. In John John 13:35 it says by this all men will know when people know that I am a disciple that when I like that you are my disciple if you love one 50:17 another that means what is love is Lord help me to help my brother help my sister to become better disciple of you better child of you see that that's the obligation see you are disciple when you are helping others to be a better 50:34 disciple. We we have an obligation. That's how u Jesus demonstrated. And then again Jesus spoke about humility. That is Matthew 5:3. If you uh if you believe me, you will have poverty of spirit. 50:52 Blessed are the poor in spirit. Theirs is the kingdom of God. See, there is a weakness in us. The that is that's what it does. What faith does? Faith will help us to recognize our weakness. We are so weak, helpless. If we see Jesus, 51:09 see like we read last week like in Isaiah 53. So today Jesus is portrayed very differently. But Isaiah says who will believe this message from us when we say that he grew up like an ordinary person and uh he was tempted in all 51:28 points and he was treated badly. There was no attractiveness. People rejected him. All that he went through because he see he could have asked God to do something in whoever opposes him. He could have asked angels 51:47 to come and do something. He could have done that. But no, he he believed father is in control. My father is on the throne. I don't have to fight. Maybe God has something in in in all these things. 52:06 When God allowed all allows me to be cheated or beaten or scolded or illreated, persecuted. My father has something something good in store for me. See, he didn't revile. 52:24 We read that in 1 Peter 2. Think he didn't revile. He he didn't try to justify himself, prove himself, nothing. See, he was like a treated like a scum. One one phrase says that he was treated very badly. He was not attractive to 52:40 people. This fellow this this fellow is nothing. That's but because of obedience of faith. He didn't want to promote himself and say I will do this. Oh, I'll promote myself. No, there is no uh 52:56 promoting by himself. He knew if father tells me to be like this without preaching to anyone telling anyone anything let everybody misunderstand and I am okay with that and one fine day father will take care of everything see 53:14 that's how see this is obedience of faith see just because Jesus believed my father is on the throne you know he went through all is so father had a plan in all these things. That's what we see 53:31 that um I think uh in [clears throat] um Matthew 8 also we see that the centurion said see Jesus you have power and authority. That is because uh he saw that almost every day I have to go back to 53:53 God and say Lord uh is my faith okay? See sometimes we may go through some situations. See like recently we had unexpected deaths of two brothers. uh what will happen means like a family 54:10 find it very difficult even one of one of the brother was an elder of a church effective member and an effective elder of a church so what's the question is Lord what's happening and then Lord is testing each one do we 54:29 speculate question God or crumble under uh doubts and fears and anxieties or we say like uh James says consider it all joy Lord we don't understand but uh we 54:47 just obey and do what you are saying I I like the phrase uh what Jesus told John the Baptist he said uh to fulfill the righteousness see when he came to take water baptism um John John the Baptist said, "No, I'm supposed to be baptizing 55:07 you. Why? Why I should baptize you?" Then Jesus reaction was, "No, it is for the righteousness sake." See, I I was thinking about that. See, whatever we need to do, God has told me uh let me do it. That's all. Uh do I understand 55:23 everything? No, I don't. I may not understand. I don't want to understand. God will take care because God has told me I will do it. That's how Jesus lived. For Jesus life was very simple that let me fulfill the righteousness. Okay. Uh 55:38 somebody is accusing I'll keep quiet. That's righteousness. Father is not telling me to say anything in reply. So I'll keep quiet. So he he kept on living like that. That's how even with baptism or in in anything he just kept on doing 55:56 what the father was telling as a righteousness. Oh, this is right in God's eyes. I will do it. That's all. Then life was not complicated for Jesus. So if we walk that path, it's very simple. So okay, I have to forgive my 56:12 wife. Yes, I have to forgive. That's a righteousness. But uh oh, you why you should do this and speculate? Oh, was she right? I was I right? No. All this speculation will lead to confusion. No, just uh father is in control. See that's 56:30 that's what he's saying. Even 1 Peter 1:6 it says in this you greatly rejoice even though now for a little while if necessary you have been distressed by the various trials. So trials will come so that the proof of your faith being 56:49 more precious than gold which is perishable even though tested by fire may be found to result in praise and glory and uh honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Yeah, we leave it to God. But faith should develop and uh that how 57:08 it develops when it goes under uh obedience like see I just obey God what God is saying and faith will grow and the result is in God's hand. See like the seed uh you know when when a farmer 57:25 sws a seed uh you know he doesn't look at it. He just it goes into the um ground. It has to undergo various pressures, air pressure, water pressure, soil pressure and so many things and 57:45 then one day life will come and we have to leave it like that. Many things uh like Jesus did. See obedience of faith is I keep obeying. I keep doing what the father is telling me to do and result not in my hand. Result in is in god's 58:04 hand. That's how Jesus had tremendous rest. See otherwise what happens uh we see uh Lord uh I want answers to everything uh I find difficult until you tell me clearly I will not obey. Then that's not obedience of faith. That is 58:22 obedience of reasoning. that doesn't doesn't work. So, obedience of faith is I leave it in God's hand and God will take care. So, uh I was thinking about this 58:37 I think Hebrewsap 11. See Hebrews 11:7 verse 7. By faith, Noah being warned by God about things not had seen in reverence prepared the prepared an ark for the salvation of his household 58:57 by which he condemned the world. See there is a principle in the world. We'll do uh what we see what we understand only that we do. But no, he received a faith and God spoke to him. He just responded 59:16 and he was seen as a as a fool for 120 years. He was seen as a fool for 120 years. Now, oh, we respect and value brother uh sorry Noah, but uh he went 59:35 through that. Why? because he received a faith and he kept on obeying God. The Lord told he goes and he was a preacher of righteousness. He preaches, everybody laughs at at at him and he goes back to build the ark. Everybody laughs at him. 59:55 He goes back. He kept on. This is called obedience of faith. That's how we need to live. Faith is not oh it's it's not that oh it's not reasonable. No, it's it's beyond reason. See, all these people found results in their life 1:00:12 because God was even Jesus' life. See, God was watching. They they didn't uh want to prove to anyone, explain to anyone, but God proved their life. That that's what we need. Brothers and sisters, see God has to prove. Oh, some 1:00:29 misunderstanding. Okay, let there be misunderstanding. Lord uh what I am supposed to do keep quiet keep quiet I will redeem you at the at the right time that's what Jesus has shown us that's called obedience of faith say like a 1:00:44 wife uh an unbelieving husband uh what am I supposed to do my husband is not cooperating whatever it is daughter you keep doing what father is telling that's all that that's what we see in 1 Peter 3 1:01:03 [clears throat] 3 1 and two just just keep up to what you have to obey that's all the result will come that God will uh make things to happen like by faith Abraham verse 8 when he was called obeyed by going out to a place which he 1:01:22 was to receive for an in inheritance and he went out not knowing where he was going By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise as a for see so many things what is this today we know that 1:01:39 they got the result even about job also oh he didn't find it was means at that time it was not clear for him or things but one thing he received faith in his heart that god is in control and he kept 1:01:55 on obeying what father was saying even though externally didn't look all that okay see that's how we our faith is developed brothers this is the true faith this is the true faith this is the faith which Peter is talking about you 1:02:12 see by faith verse 23 uh Moses he takes steps see faith always leads to take step see these who are taking water baptism faith came into their heart they took a step to repent acknowledge 1:02:30 and believe Jesus and then receive that assurance. It's not intellectual thing. Receiving an assurance in the heart is not in to our heart. Even pressures of life 1:02:53 will refine faiths to a greater heights. See we see oh somebody like brother Zach, brother Ian, many godly ones how they grew. See they re received an assurance in the heart and then they kept obeying and their faith was tried 1:03:11 and tested and they grew more in faith. What is the result? A fantastic life um life a kind of unshakable life we can say that kind of life will come only when we entrust it to God and keep asking God to 1:03:30 fill us with the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit will work in our heart and keep producing the strength in us so that we can face trial and uh we are not shaken because that assurance uh that faith and obedience This faith and 1:03:46 obedience leads us to the greater strength strength from God and helps us to stand in trial. That's what we must desire. That's what happened with Jesus. See you think about Jesus. I would like to read that verse. Hebrews 12:1 after 1:04:03 um 11th chapter all the old testament thing many things happened externally. But what is the better thing this what happened with Jesus? The obedience of faith that is written here. Let us run with endurance the race that is set 1:04:19 before us. What is that race? Fixing our eyes on Jesus. The one who had faith in the father and kept obeying all that father said and interested everything in father's hand. The author and perfector 1:04:37 of this kind of faith. Peter says those who have received our kind of faith what is that the faith which was in Jesus Peter received Paul received that was working what is that that is called obedience of faith it's a faith which 1:04:56 helps me to obey un what is it without questioning and trusting the father and then what is the result he he was who for joy set before him endured the cross. Yes. Endure. We have to endure because our faith is 1:05:15 being tested. So it it results great joy in heaven. See like even those who are taking baptism, those who are born again when they repented the rejoicing in heaven. Only heaven re recognizes that. But people may not recognize but those 1:05:33 who are born again can recognize. But here we can recognize what Jesus went through. He endured the cross despising the shame has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God for consider him. See again and again we have to look at 1:05:51 Jesus. I want that kind of faith. I want to go that kind of path of obedience and receive greater grace, faith and then I want to live an unshakable life like Jesus did who has endured such hostility 1:06:10 by sinners against himself so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. So what writer is saying is if you don't look at Jesus there is a chance that you stop obeying God or you will go to people who have only 1:06:29 intellectual faith and those who are not tested. I like uh >> life [singing] is alone [music] forever. I never [singing] live 1:06:45 to do my will again. [music] But all my [singing] life I see this as I run this race and [singing] I am just a sinner [music] 1:07:03 by grace. We rarely hear what We heard this 1:07:39 morning here obedience of faith. Normally in other churches you only hear about faith. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. That is scripture no doubt. 1:07:56 But they don't emphasize further than that because the gospel is Jesus said neither will I condemn you. 1:08:11 He didn't stop there. He said go and sin no more. and obedience of faith. If you dig deep into the scripture, it is scriptural. 1:08:30 It is the true gospel. We heard Paul saying in 2 Corinthians 11 about three things, false things. Paul's grace, different Jesus, 1:08:49 different spirit. So this you don't hear in other churches. They just think that this is some some other denomination things like that. But this is the same Paul 1:09:07 who wrote about the true grace, the true Jesus, true gospel is also saying here that there is another Jesus who says come to me. 1:09:27 I will forgive your sins and then you live as you want. This is one kind of Jesus. We don't preach this Jesus. And a different spirit, a different spirit 1:09:45 that will not give you the inner strength to obey. obedience of faith that will not give you the inner strength to obey and follow Jesus. 1:10:03 Just before Jesus left the earth, he said in Matthew 28:18 and 19, he said, "Go into all the world, preach the gospel, and baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey 1:10:22 all that I have commanded you." This is what most churches leave it. They don't emphasize on it. Believe on the Lord Jesus. Come to him and be baptized. Your ticket is reserved in heaven. 1:10:41 That is a false gospel. That is a false Jesus. That is a false spirit. The real Jesus tells you, "Neither will I condemn you when you come to him in repentance and faith." Then he also 1:11:00 tells you go and sin no more. And the Bible says you are not under law to sin but you are under grace. Romans 6:14. So that sin shall not have dominion over 1:11:18 you. If a person is under true grace of God, sin will not have dominion over him. Gradually, eventually, slowly but steadily, he overcomes all conscious sins 1:11:38 and he gets victory in his life and he lives a victorious life. He is not defeated every day like he was before. There is no change. If there is no change in those of you who are taking 1:11:55 baptism today and if your own parents and siblings are not convinced about the change that has happened in your personal life, then 1:12:14 you're not really born again. You better face up to it. And maybe it is good for you to postpone your baptism. Pause it. There are people whom [clears throat] who came here, who were baptized elsewhere, 1:12:33 who came here and heard the gospel properly, understood it properly, repented it, repented of their sins properly, and then they took their baptism meaningfully. a second time. 1:12:51 So don't be under that category. If you are really if you have really repented and forsaken your sins, confessed it to the Lord, you have found mercy. 1:13:06 And if you just conceal them, you'll find no grace, no mercy, and you'll continue as if nothing has happened to you. A genuinely bornagain Christian is one whose 1:13:24 old things passed away, have passed away, and everything has become new. He's a new creation in Christ Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5:17, "If any man is in Christ Jesus, he's a new creature. Old 1:13:42 things passed away. Behold, all things have become new." Has it been noticed by your parents, siblings, your friends, your relatives, your colleagues or your classmates. If that has not happened and you are 1:14:01 still joining them in their sin and mockery about things of God, then check yourself whether you are really in the faith. bold desire to sin 1:14:25 is put off. When you come to Christ, there is the Bible says the old man is crucified. The flesh is crucified and a new man 1:14:45 is put inside of you by the Holy Spirit. And that new desire that hates sin, what you once liked, hates sin and loves righteousness. That's why Jesus was anointed with the 1:15:03 oil of gladness above his companions. It says in Hebrews, because he hated sin and loved righteousness. If that is not happening in your life, my dear brothers and sisters, those who have already been baptized, 1:15:21 if change is not taking place in you on a daily basis and you're not overcoming sin, conscious sin I'm talking about. You don't want to consciously sin. I was talking to a brother who is going to take baptism outside before the 1:15:41 meeting. He asked him, "Do you want to sin?" Not that whether you will sin. Do you want to sin? Ask that question to yourself. Do you want to sin 1:15:59 knowingly and consciously? And every true bornagain child of God will say no. an emphatic no, I don't want to sin and grieve the heart of God. 1:16:17 Like Joseph said, even though he didn't live even under the old covenant, he lived before the law. And he said, "How can I sin against God?" So he had a very sensitive conscience. 1:16:35 He puts us to shame. And he said that he fled from that scene. And he had to face prison and all those things for the next 1:16:55 perhaps 10 to 12 years. And then God who was looking what was happening in secret in Joseph's life, he rewarded him publicly by exalting him and making him the second ruler in 1:17:13 Egypt. My dear brothers and sist or yesterday or today morning. 1:17:44 What will be your answer? Talk back to the devil and tell him, "My sins have been forgiven. I have repented of it." And the Lord has forgiven them. And he 1:18:03 says, "I will remember their sins no more." Then who are you to tell me? My sins are forgiven and I am a new person. I am a changed person. Old things passed away. Behold, 1:18:21 all things have become new. Old desire of sinning is gone. And I hate to sin. I love righteousness. I love to obey the Lord. And today, brothers and 1:18:37 sisters, you are witnessing to the outside world and to the spirit world that you no longer belong to Satan. You belong to Jesus Christ. 1:18:54 And baptism is an outward sign of an inward change that has already happened in you because you have been born again. You repented of your past and you know 1:19:13 the uh assurance that you have been accepted. you are a child of God. And because of that, Jesus said, "Go and 1:19:28 baptize them and teach them to obey all that I have commanded you." So if after baptism you're not being taught to obey unlike in many churches 1:19:47 um they just leave you at that after baptism they think you are ready for heaven. Brother we have a long way to go between baptism and our final call. We have a long way to go. But in the 1:20:03 meanwhile, if you take it lightly and you live like the rest of the world, you don't know that you may have lost your salvation. We don't believe in that. Once saved, 1:20:21 always saved. We believe you can be saved. If you are not careful to walk in obedience to the Lord, you can lose your salvation like it has happened in scripture in few cases. 1:20:40 So dear brothers and sisters, be encouraged that God has forgiven your sins and has given you the assurance in your heart that you are a child of God. You 1:20:57 no longer belong to Satan or the world. You're a new creation in Christ and the Lord is your father. God is your father and the Holy Spirit is your helper and Satan is being crushed under your 1:21:16 feet on a daily basis. So that is your birthright. Then after that to such people Peter says in Acts 2:38 repent believe be baptized 1:21:35 and receive. Receive what? receive the Holy Spirit to be strengthened in the inner man to live and to serve in the years to come. 1:21:54 May the Lord be gracious to you and help you. Obey him in the waters of baptism and guide you in the coming days to become more and more conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. 1:22:11 Shall we bow our heads in prayer? Our father in heaven, we thank you for these dear young people who have decided to follow Jesus, 1:22:31 who have come to the point of repentance of their old ways and sins and want to commit their life to [snorts] you. Lord, thank you for forgiving them, for giving them the assurance in their heart that they 1:22:49 belong to you. Now, as they go into the waters of baptism, we pray that you will help them to come out as new creatures in Christ. And also, we pray that you will pour out your spirit upon them. You'll fill them with the Holy Spirit 1:23:09 that they will be strengthened in the inner man to keep your commands and to put the devil under their feet in every situation and to walk in obedience and to walk before your face, Lord 1:23:29 Jesus, the rest of their life. keep them from the evil one because they belong to you now. We thank you and praise you for this time. We bless you in Jesus name. Amen.
