0:15 Would you turn your Bibles with me to John's Gospel chapter 11. This is the Gospel This is the passage of the Gospel where the incident of 0:31 Jesus raising Lazarus is mentioned and it's a well-known uh chapter and I would like to read a couple of verses. Verse 40 verses 41 and 42. Here Jesus is praying to the Father. 0:50 Actually, it is not a prayer. He is just affirming and he is telling the Father, "Father, I thank thee that you heard me." 1:08 If you go back to the previous verses, we don't read any prayer of Jesus there. But here he's telling, "You heard me." That means Jesus was in constant touch with the Lord in his spirit. 1:26 It's not just he was vocal and knelt down and prayed, which he did at times, but most of the time, I believe, his spirit was in touch with his Father. And he says, "You heard me." And 1:44 then he says in the next verse, the first part, "I knew that you you hear me always. How is it that Jesus' prayers were always heard? 2:03 He says, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me and I know that you hear me always." And none of us can say that. That whenever Jesus prayed, all through scripture we read that whenever he prayed, 2:22 he got an answer immediately. And you know, even in the River Jordan when he came out of the waters of baptism, it says he was praying. What was he praying for? He was praying that he might be anointed with the Holy Spirit and immediately 2:42 it was answered. The Holy Spirit came upon him and the voice of the Father was heard, "This is my beloved son in whom I'm well pleased." The word pleased is the word that I would like to emphasize this morning. And this is the word that Jesus used. I 3:02 knew that you always hear me. Always because of one thing. That is the secret of Jesus' life. And if you'd like to know that, you turn to 3:19 uh John's Gospel chapter 8 verse 29. John's Gospel chapter 8 verse 29. This is something that Jesus did always. And this is what pleased the Father. 3:39 It says, Jesus says here in chapter 8 verse 29, "And he who has sent me is with me." That is, the Father who has sent me is with me. "And he has not left me alone. 3:57 For I always do the things that are pleasing to him. This was the secret of Jesus' life. He says, "I always do the things that please him." Because Jesus always did things that 4:14 were pleasing in the Father's sight, the Father was always ready to hear his prayers and always ready to watch over him, always ready to preserve and protect him from the conspiracies of his enemies and always ready to 4:32 help him walk with his head lifted up. He was the glory and the lifter of Jesus' head. And he is the glory and lifter of our head, too, as the psalmist says. And the eyes of the Lord are always towards 4:51 the righteous and here his ears are always open to the cry of the righteous because James says, "The prayer of a righteous man avails much." And if you want your prayers to be answered, 5:10 we need to set our life in order, first of all, and get all darkness out and bring all darkness to light and expose ourselves to the light so that there is no area in our life which is darkness 5:29 where Satan can have his control because he's called the prince of darkness. Anything that is um did that's to do with darkness is not from the Father of lights. It's from the father of darkness, 5:49 prince of darkness. And the righteous, when they cry, the Lord always hears them. You see, the secret of Jesus' life was from childhood, he had learned 6:07 to obey. You read about that in Luke's gospel, chapter 2, verse 52. Luke chapter 2, the last word, last two verses. It says in 51 and 52, "Jesus went down with them, 6:24 and came to Nazareth. And he continued in subjection to them." See, this was the secret. Jesus was in subjection to his earthly parents. A man who is under subjection 6:45 is a blessed man. Jesus was under subjection, even though he was the son of God, even though he was the perfect person on earth at that time, yet he chose to submit to imperfect parents. You see, Joseph and Mary, 7:05 they were under the old covenant, and they didn't know anything about victory over sin or anything like that like we have heard so much here in this church. And obviously, if new covenant 7:23 husband and wife can fight even in this day, how much more it must have been in the old covenant, and they lived in the old covenant at that time. The new covenant was still not inaugurated. And 7:40 he must have them fighting. But still it says that Jesus was in subjection to them. And it says in verse 52 that Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature and in 7:58 favor with God and men. Jesus also had a growth. He increased in wisdom. He didn't come fully packed from heaven. His heart and mind filled with wisdom from above. No, he came as a baby and he learned 8:17 obedience and he learned the scriptures. By the age of 12, you know, he was able to sit with the Pharisees and scribes and discuss things which astounded them. And he grew in wisdom, it says, and in stature. He 8:36 grew from childhood. He grew. And the father was watching over him all the time. And the Bible says that we need to learn 8:56 what pleases the Lord. We read in Ephesians chapter 5 verse 10. Ephesians chapter 5 verse 10. We read there. Ephesians 5 10. 9:15 It says, "Trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord." "What is pleasing to the Lord." This is what we need to try and learn all our life. 9:34 It's not just that we say the sinner's at one time and write the decision card and pat ourselves on the back saying that yeah, now I'm saved. I'm I got a ticket. I'm on my way to 9:51 heaven. You don't read about that in the Bible about signing a decision card or repeating a sinner's prayer unless you truly from the heart repent of your sins like that tax collector. He was not even willing 10:09 to lift up his eyes to the heavens. He just beat his breast and he said he was not even willing to look up. He said, "Lord, have mercy on me, the sinner." In the margin it says not a sinner. 10:29 I'm the only sinner, Lord, on this earth. He was praying as he were. And he was heard because of his contrition because of his utter repent and genuine repentance 10:46 rather than that Pharisee who had all the good points to boast about. He said, "I fast. I pray. I give alms. I do this, that, and the other. I'm not like that fellow there, the tax collector." He exalted himself. 11:06 Whereas this man who genuinely repented, the Lord says he went home justified. And the Pharisee couldn't find any room for repentance or he didn't find any forgiveness from the Lord. 11:24 And this verse says that we always need to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. And what is it that pleases the Lord. You go down to the next verses. It says, "Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, 11:42 but instead even expose them." Not that you expose somebody's darkness. That's being a busybody in other people's matters. But expose yourself to the light of God, to the light of God's word, to the light 12:00 of God's spirit. First of all, expose yourself. The Bible says, "If we walk in the light, 1 John 1:7, if we walk in the light as he is in the light, the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sins." 12:20 It's not just that the blood of Jesus cleanses everybody from their sins. No. Read it in its context. It is the blood of Jesus cleanses only those who walk in the light, who expose them themselves to the light. Their darkness, 12:37 their hidden darkness in the heart to the light. And those who are willing to be in the light and come out of darkness, it is such um prayers that the Lord hears. And it says, 12:56 um "Even expose them." I mean, expose what is there in me first of all. Forget about the other man. You You God will not hold you responsible for the other man unless you have some responsibility. And it is disgraceful even to speak of 13:15 the things which are done in them in done by them in secret. But all things become visible when they're exposed by the light. for everything that becomes visible is light. Everything that becomes visible is light. 13:35 That is that is the crux of the Christian life that we walk in the light and whatever darkness whenever the Lord shows to us we bring it to the Lord and confess it and we expose it to the Lord and tell him, "Lord 13:54 have mercy on me. Cleanse me from this darkness. Shine your light upon this area of my life which I am doing it in secret. It may be something that nobody knows. Some documents that I sign. 14:14 False documents to make some money. Or maybe some secret sins that I keep in my heart and mind which nobody knows. And some secret thoughts which nobody can read. 14:36 You see, God has given us uh a mind which is totally con- I mean sort of you can say um it is not readable by others. That's something 14:54 very private area that God has given to us. Our head. Our thoughts. Our mind. What we think, nobody knows. And what we meditate, nobody knows. And it's only God and me. 15:14 And it is only we two. It It is a between the father and me. And the father who sees you in secret Jesus said in the sermon on the mount will reward you publicly. 15:33 Be it good or bad. Some people's sins may be hidden today but they will be exposed. Jesus said there is nothing that's hidden that will not be exposed. That which is whispered in the bedroom will be shouted from the house top. 15:52 And he said all that is hidden will come to light one day. If not in this in this world and in this life, one day it will be exposed to the whole world to everybody when 16:11 my record is opened in heaven the sins which I have not confessed and forsaken will be there. And I'll be judged according to that. Not that I'll be judged according to that and be pardoned there. 16:29 There is no pardoning in heaven. Pardoning is here. We don't read in scripture that God will forgive us on the day of judgement. On the day of judgement it is judgement. Judgement either to be on the 16:49 side of the sheep or side of the goat. You know the difference between the goat and the sheep. And God has called us to live in obedience. And you know, it starts from our childhood. 17:09 There is a scripture in um in chapter 6 of the same book Ephesians verse 1. It starts with children and then us grown-ups. 17:27 Children, obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with a promise that it may be well with you and that you may live long on the earth. 17:45 This is for the children. And God has given you children only one commandment. Obey your parents. It's the only commandment that God expects of you to keep. 18:03 And if you don't start here, you will not go anywhere because this is the beginning. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, it says. And that begins with the fear of or respect for your parents. If you don't fear them or respect them, 18:23 then as you grow up, you will not even fear God and respect God. And God will not be able to back you up. And it says in Colossians 3:20 also about the same thing. Children, be obedient to your parents in all things. 18:41 Not just in things that are convenient to you to obey, but in all things, whatever they say, obey. You think Jesus didn't obey that when he was small boy? Probably he was playing and Mary calls her calls him and says, 19:00 "Jesus, come here. Take this pot and get some water from the well." And he would do immediately drop it, whatever he was doing play games or whatever. He would drop it and then obey 19:20 mother and then No, this is how he became a forerunner for us, an example in obedience. He always did the things that were pleasing to the father. Right from childhood, children obey your parents. Jesus obeyed his parents even 19:39 though they were not perfect, imperfect parents. And then it speaks to us, older people. It says in 1 Peter 2:18 1 Peter 2:18, as we grow up and 19:59 we start working in office and we have um bosses over us. And the person who has not been disciplined when he was a child 20:17 will not be disciplined even when he grows big. He will be an arrogant proud insubordinate person with whom the company and the management and the boss will be cross and will 20:37 want to just get rid of him as early as possible. It says here in verse 18, servants, that is talking to those of us who work in our offices or factories or wherever. It says, "Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect 20:57 and not only to those who are good and gentle but also to those who are unreasonable. For this finds favor if for the sake of conscience toward God a man bears up under sorrows while suffering unjustly. 21:15 There may be some bosses in the office which are unreasonable. Not every boss is very good and nice and kind to you. You have experienced that, I have experienced that, most of us have experienced that. There are some good bosses, there are 21:34 some very unreasonable bad bosses. And God has given in his own wisdom those bosses to be over us so that we can learn something, learn submission, learn obedience, and 21:52 um that's how we will be able to help others who are in need. And even in Titus it says the same thing, urge bond slaves to be subject to their own masters in everything to be well pleasing and not argumentative. 22:12 You know, we can tend to argue with our bosses in the office. If you think you're smarter than your boss, there may be some cases yes, the subordinate may be smarter than the boss. Sometimes the boss may not know what you know. 22:31 And you may think that this boss is useless, I could have been the manager, but why the management is still not taking action against him and making I mean promoting me? You know, we may have that kind of thought, but remember 22:46 it's the Lord who controls. If you if the Lord finds you suitable, in his own time he will exalt you. But don't you ever try to put down your boss and try to usurp 23:04 his position. And it says not pilfering, but showing all goodness, all all good faith. So that they will adorn the doctrine of God our savior. Not pilfering means not Pilfering is not you know, stealing big things. Pilfering is 23:24 you know, walking away with small things like pencil, rubber, and some pins, and papers in the office. It says that should not be doing that. And sometimes there may be situations where the boss 23:43 may shout at you and you may tend to quit. And it has happened to some of us. It has happened to me, too. But when I tried to 24:01 find another job I tried so many times. I had a very bad boss. Um And when I were whenever I tried to quit and go for interviews 24:21 they would say, "Why you want to leave that company and come here? That is much better company than ours. Don't leave." So so many times it it was turned down. And I couldn't get jobs anywhere because they said, "No, don't leave that 24:37 company." And I served in that company for 29 years, nearly 30 years. And so many times I wanted to quit because of pressure. But it appeared like as if, you know, God was in absolute control. 24:56 There's a verse in uh Revelation 3, it says, "When I open a door, nobody can shut and when I shut, nobody can open it." It looked to me as if the Lord had shut all the doors so that wherever I went, I was turned down. I couldn't get, but I 25:15 had to remain there and continue and get retired in that company. And now when I look back, I see the hand of God in breaking me, in humbling me, in molding me, 25:34 and uh teaching me obedience and submission and humility. And uh now I can see God's hand behind all these things. Any um discipline at the moment, 25:52 Hebrews, it says, doesn't look enjoyable, but afterwards, it bears the fruit of righteousness and peace. So, when your boss is angry, there is a verse in The Living Bible. I'll just 26:10 read it to you. Um in The Living Bible, it says in Ecclesiastes chapter 10 verse 4, "If your boss is angry, do not quit." So practical, isn't it? 26:29 Somebody gave me brother Zach gave me this verse when I was going through tough time in the office. He said, "If your boss is angry with you, don't quit. A quiet spirit will quiet his bad temper." 26:47 You see, even to the old people, it says, "Be submissive to your bosses. To the authority God has placed over you. For children, the authorities are parents. And for us, the authorities are our 27:05 um bosses. And we read in scripture few people, maybe I'll just look at two people who please the Lord. Our life should be one of a pleasing 27:24 uh aroma to the Lord. In everything that we say, in everything that we do, our life should reflect the life of Christ. And people should be um uh drawn 27:44 to the way you conduct yourself, your character. And um your your behavior in the office or in the neighborhood or wherever you are, you are a fragrance 28:03 for Christ's sake. So, there were a few people in the Bible. I don't want to touch upon all, but just two people I would like to um speak about. One was there was a man in the Old Covenant called Enoch. Enoch was a man who lived for 365 years. 28:27 For the past For the first um 60 years or so, he he just I mean, he got a son at that age called Methuselah. And the meaning of the word Methuselah we have heard in this church that when he dies, um the flood will come or something like 28:49 that. So, after Methuselah was born, probably, I mean, Enoch must have become very serious about his life. And whenever he was sick, probably he 29:07 thought that, you know, if the child dies, something, you know, the world may come to an end or something like that. He lived in that constant fear for the rest 300 years. He walked with God, and it says, "By faith, Enoch was taken up 29:26 so that he would not see death, and he was not found because God took him." But before that, it says about him, "For he obtained the witness that before his being taken up, he was pleasing to God." 29:45 He was pleasing to God. Here is a man among all the millions of people on earth, there's one man that God finds who fears him, who obeys him, and who pleases him. And that's why um 30:04 it says he didn't see death, God just took him. And there's another man in the Old Testament, a young man who was taken as a captive to Babylon when he was just around 17 years or so, called Daniel. 30:23 And we don't read anything about Daniel, anything bad about Daniel. There is no black spot about him in I mean, about him in the book of Daniel. And he served under three kings, King 30:41 Nebuchadnezzar and his son and King Darius. Three kings and he spent the entire 70 years of Babylonian captivity in Babylon. And he was an old man by the time he finished. 31:00 Um we don't read much about that afterwards, but he definitely was 87 90 years old by the time he he got this testimony from the Lord. You read about Daniel in chapters 31:20 9 and 10. You go home and read about it. Three times the Lord says from heaven about Daniel, "Daniel, you are greatly beloved." Or you're highly esteemed. 31:41 You know, rarely we read that kind of uh appreciation from God the Father about anybody. Rarely, very rarely. And three times that, too, not once, three times it was told to Daniel by the angel that God loves you dearly. You are 32:01 highly esteemed man of God. You know, from his teenage years or probably from his childhood days, he lived in the fear of God and in submission to his parents and then became a servant of Nebuchadnezzar 32:20 even though the he was captured as a captive from the land of uh from Israel. And he continued to serve that king 32:38 faithfully and with all his heart he excelled it says God bestowed upon him wisdom knowledge and understanding that he and his friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego they excelled 10 times more 32:55 than the rest who were under training at that time. And the king made them um uh be with with him in the palace and Daniel was given the highest position in the land. 33:15 And these are two men that pleased the Lord and we can learn from them. And if you're obedient to the Lord from when you're small, especially children when you obey the Lord and continue in 33:31 that spirit as you grow up in your teens and 20s and 30s and you grow up and become parent you know, it will go well with you because the promise of God is sure. Honor your father and mother so that your days may uh 33:51 be prolonged on this earth and that it may go well with you. If you want it to go well with you and you want to live longer and in good health obey. Obedience is better than sacrifice. We 34:10 uh heard about that last week. God is not interested in your sacrifices of bulls and goats and so many other burnt sacrifices. God is interested in obedience. That's what Saul Paul said Samuel said to Saul when he partially obeyed. 34:29 Saul Samuel was angry with Saul and he says, "Does the Lord have as much pleasure in sacrifices as in obedience? Disobedience and insubordination and rebellion, they are like witchcraft and divination. 34:49 He said, "To obey is better than sacrifice." So, when we obey the Lord, then, you know, the Lord will be pleased to those who honor him. 35:06 It says in 1 Samuel 2:30, I think, "Those who honor me, them will I honor." It's the Lord's principle. If you honor God, God will honor you. If you have that very casual attitude towards God and his 35:24 commandments, God will also be very casual and to you when you pray. I mean, why should he answer you? Because you're not listening to what he's telling, and he will say, "I'll not listen to you, either." You want God to be on your side? 35:45 Be on God's side. And then, like David says in Psalm 16:8, I think, it says, "I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved." 36:04 You want an unshakable Christian life? Most Christians, they are so wavering and, you know, they're so shakeable. And they're shaken up so easily. Little bit here, uh something wrong goes with something some bad news here, and 36:23 something that you hear in the news. This is happening there, that plague is has come and this that and you get disturbed. But those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion. It says in Psalm 125, I think. They are like 36:42 they're unshakeable like Mount Zion. Whatever happens, they will not be moved. They will be strong in the Lord and the power of his might because of their faith. And the Lord wants us to 37:00 obey him more than sacrifice. The Bible says Um maybe we can turn to that verse in Hebrews. Hebrews chapter 13 verse 5. Hebrews 13 verses 15 and 16. 37:30 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God. Here it is not telling about sacrificing goats and bulls and other things. Says, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God. That's the fruit of lips 37:50 that give thanks to his name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing for with such sacrifices, God is well pleased. And again, verse 17 it says, obey. 38:08 Obey your leaders and submit to them. For they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do it with joy and not with grief for this would be unprofitable for you. Give sacrifice praise to God. 38:25 What are the things that I should be thankful to God for? Sometimes we wonder why God has not given me this and that. But we don't realize what we have. We complain about what we don't have. You see, think about all the things that 38:44 God has given us freely, without our asking. Today you're able to look here and there and see the beauty around you of creation. Thank God for that. Just imagine 39:00 what is the life of a blind man? You want to experience that? Just close your eyes for 5 minutes and see. And go around and see how many places you will bang yourself into. Everything is day day is and night, everything is the same for the blind 39:19 man. It's dark and dark. And those of us who are breathing today, we should be thankful that we are breathing. Let everything that breathes praise the Lord, it says in Psalm 150. That means every living being is commanded to praise the Lord because 39:36 we have breath. Imagine if God takes away our breath now. We are just one breath away from death. He takes away our breath, where will we be? And those who wanted to see this day, they're not here today. 39:54 They're sleeping in their graves. But by the mercies of God today, we are still alive. We are not consumed. So, be thankful for all that God has been doing. And God has been at work in us 40:12 to will and to do of his good pleasure. We read about that in Philippians chapter 2 verse 13. God is at work. He has not left everything to us only to fend for ourselves, 40:28 but he is at work in us. He is at work in us for it is God who is at work in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. You know, God is working in us. And are we responding to that? 40:48 When God is teaching you something through circumstances and through people, am I receiving it as something cup which the Father has given, shall I not drink it? 41:04 Jesus said. Jesus didn't look at Judas. Judas was just like a postman. You don't blame the postman if he brings bad news. And you will not be grateful to the postman if he brings some big money order. That's his duty. He just does and goes. 41:27 But it's the Lord who is controlling all that. It's the Lord who sent that cup to the Lord Jesus. It's the Lord who gives us different trials and testings in our life for our good. It's for our education. We all send our children to school 41:46 so that they may learn and become better citizens and become well educated and take up better jobs and become better than you. You know, is there any parent who is who is uh um unhappy about the child, about your 42:06 son or daughter who has done better and scored better than you say in the 10th standard or in degree he has done better than you and you want to try to suppress them and don't pay their fees. Every parent wants to be 42:25 happy when they see the progress of their child. They would do all their best to give them higher education, send them here and send them there and you know, make them They rejoice when they I keep reading in the newspaper 42:43 sometimes uh some auto rickshaw drivers children or some uh porter in the railways their children becoming, you know, big government officers and one policeman, his daughter became 43:03 an I IPS officer and he had to salute his daughter in duty. And he did that happily and he was so happy and thrilled because his daughter has become a big big shot. big officer 43:21 No parent will be uh you know, jealous of their children. We always want like that. If you have that kind of attitude, you'll be happy to see younger brothers and sisters grow in the church and you will not be uh 43:39 disturbed by that. That is the fatherly spirit. And it is the Lord who is working in us and there are conditions if you want the Lord to hear your prayer. The Lord just doesn't hear everybody's prayer. 43:56 Only one prayer that the Lord hears of everyone is prayer of repentance. If you come to the Lord and say, "Lord, I'm sorry." genuinely sorry, a broken and a contrite spirit you will not despise, the Bible says. And when we come with that attitude, the 44:15 Lord will hear us. But after that, if you still continue to live in sin, secret sins, that is what hinders your prayer. The psalmist says, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear my prayer." You want your prayers to be heard? 44:35 Live in the light as he is in the light. And walk in his presence, as it were. Let your light be Let your life be an open book to the Lord, so that he can see everything that 44:51 you do, say, think. And let your life be transparent before the Lord. And one last word I want to close with, that is in Isaiah chapter 58. If you want God to hear your prayers all the time, 45:09 you do this. It says in verse nine, second part, or rather, I'll read verse um eight onwards. "Your light will break out like the 45:29 dawn, and your recovery will speedily spring forth. And your righteousness will go before you. The glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer. You will cry, and he will say, 'Here I 45:48 am.' But there is a big if there. If you remove the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness. If you remove the pointing of the 46:07 finger, you know where it all started? Pointing of the finger. Right there in the presence of God in the Garden of Eden. When the Lord asked, "Did you eat of the tree?" Adam said, he didn't He should have said yes or no. 46:26 But he said, "This woman whom you gave gave it to me in the night." It started there, right in the Garden of Eden. It came from our first parents. And Lord says, "If you remove that 46:46 pointing of the finger and give yourself to the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then your light will rise in darkness, and your gloom will become as midday." And this is a lovely chapter. You go 47:05 home and read it. This is how the Lord wants to bless you and help you. If your goal in life is to please the Lord, to please the Lord always. And who are the ones who please the Lord? 47:24 It says very clearly in Hebrews 11:6, it says, "Whoever comes to God must believe first of all that he exists." Number one. And number two, that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. And this is what pleases God. 47:45 If you want to please God, without faith it is impossible to please God. Have faith, obey, submit, and see how your life will change for the better. I hope you'll take these words seriously 48:05 and may the Lord speak to our hearts as we open up ourselves. Praise the Lord for the word we what we heard. You know, we all have our own idea 48:25 what pleases the Lord. We are so privileged that we heard from the word of God what pleases the Lord. We are so privileged because people in the world are also trying to please the Lord. I was in this world trying to please the 48:45 Lord. I thought I was pleasing the Lord. Different religion, why there are many religions? They all want to please the Lord. And when they do something, they think they are pleasing the Lord. We have many many examples in the 49:01 scripture. But to understand what exactly pleases the Lord, then we are privileged. Then it truly pleases the Lord. That's why it's very very important. Even today we heard, but that's not the 49:20 end of it. You know, Paul wrote something like this in Philippians 2, well-known words. "Have this attitude in yourself, which was also in Christ Jesus." You know what had gone through his life even to write that. 49:38 He wrote with tremendous revelation and conviction. He had come to a place because he was also a person who tried to please God vigorously. And he was so radical to please God. 49:55 And he did so many things and he thought he was pleasing God. He didn't realize that God was not pleased. Because he had his own ideas. Like that we may also have a lot of ideas carried from so many sources. This 50:14 pleases God, this pleases God. It's good to understand what pleases the Lord. So what Paul So what happened to Paul? I read in Galatians chapter 1 verse 15. But when he who had set me apart even from my 50:32 mother's womb and called me through his grace was pleased to reveal his son in me. You know, there's something he's saying that God's intention was to reveal his son in me, that is Jesus Christ. That I might 50:50 preach him among the Gentiles. I I did not immediately consult the flesh and blood. See, he got the revelation of Jesus Christ. He says you know, he got a shock of his life. He thought that he was completely pleasing God. He was so happy. Not only 51:10 he, I think Pharisees were so happy. That's why they gave a permission for him to go to Damascus and persecute Christians. And he had so many people, even soldiers along with him coming and saying, "Come on, man. You do it. You're pleasing God." Even 51:27 today we see religions saying so many things. You go and kill people and you will be in heaven next moment and so many things. You go to pilgrimages shave your head and give money, do this and that, fast and pray. But 51:45 really need to understand. Really, does that please God? Or more than thinking about them, am I pleasing God? I come to Sunday meeting, am I pleasing God? I do so many things. I listen to a lot of messages. Am I pleasing God? 52:02 What's the proof, Lord? What's the proof? See here, he had a shock of his life. He says, "I did not consult with flesh and blood." Because he was devastated. You see, why do I consult them? Because I consulted them and went on doing so many things, 52:18 but I was not pleasing God. I was shocked. He was shocked. Three days he did not eat or drink. He did not consult flesh and blood. Nor did I go up to Jerusalem. Even I didn't 52:36 didn't go to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me. He was shocked. He said, "No, no, I don't go there. I have to uh deal with God myself. Lord, what's wrong with me? I I don't want anything. First, let me 52:55 set things right with God. But I went away to Arabia and returned once more to Damascus about three years. You know, what I'm trying to say is Paul was somebody who was gripped. But then before that, he had to unlearn 53:14 a lot of things he thought that he was pleasing. And then he says, "Then three years later, I went up to Jerusalem after three years." See, three years he spent. The Lord had to deal with him. He had to remove everything, unlearn everything. 53:33 Lord, I thought this pleases you, this pleases you. No, no. God said, "No, not this, not this." Jesus revealed him. And and he says, "I went to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, Peter, and stayed with him for 15 days." 53:52 He spent time with after unlearning all that garbage, religiosity, which he thought that God was pleased. And he emptied all that. And then God led him to Jerusalem and he spent time with Peter. I think he sat at 54:11 Peter's feet and said, "Peter, tell me. Tell me. Tell me some more. I want to know. I want to know how how Jesus um like we heard many examples how uh Jesus pleased the Lord. 54:30 And yeah, I I I think 1 Peter brother was mentioning about um about bosses, how how to be submissive to bosses. I think it says in 1 Peter 2 verse 18 brother was mentioning 21, you 54:48 see. This is Peter. This was Peter. Peter writing here. See, he says so many things what pleases the Lord. But you know what Peter writes here. For you have been called verse 21. Called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an 55:07 example for you to follow in his steps. That's why in this church um we emphasize in fact scriptures emphasizes discipleship. Jesus said Jesus did not say, "Appreciate me um so many things." No. Jesus said, 55:25 "Follow me. Become disciple, then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. Unless you become a disciple in simple words, unless you become a student student to learn why how I do it. Like a a message rendering of 55:44 Matthew 11:20 8:29 it says, "Learn from me the unforced rhythm." See, I'm I'm caught up with my father. I'm learning learning what pleases. And people wanted to appreciate he draw himself away from them and go to 56:03 wilderness and pray, "Father, what pleases you? I want to know. I don't want anything. I don't want people's appreciation. I don't want anything." And here Peter was gripped by that. Peter had seen so closely. He said, "We have only one example 56:20 that we have to be gripped." I think brothers and sisters, we need to go back even myself. I'm so challenged. I want to go back and sit and count the cost. I want to see Jesus more closely. What pleases? Jesus did not go by set of rules and 56:37 regulations. We heard about I think Matthew I sorry Luke 18. Luke 18 when we heard about this man. Yeah. Luke 18 I think verse 9. 56:57 Yeah. And he also told this parable to a certain ones who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and viewed others with contempt. You know, this man who went to the temple Pharisee, he thought that he he is the first class 57:15 godly person who is pleasing God. You know, by doing all these things. And he looked others with contempt. They are not pleasing God. I'm pleasing God. We can have that attitude in ourselves. Two men went to Jesus telling this parable. 57:28 Temple to pray. One Pharisee and other tax collectors. Pharisee stood up and praying said, "Lord, I'm pleasing you. I'm not like these swindlers and adulterers and tax collectors. I fast twice a week. I pray. I listen to Brother Zach's message. So 57:45 many messages. I pray every day. I'm righteous. Everything. I am strict about money. Restitution. So many things. I can say so many things. But God looked at the heart. You know that verse which says 1 Samuel 6 58:04 16:7 God had to tell Samuel, "Samuel, no, no, I don't look at man's appearance. Yeah, Paul Saul was okay one day, but today I'm not happy. His heart has turned." Jesus said that in I think Matthew 15 or 58:22 Mark 7 also says the same thing. "Their hearts" He was quoting Isaiah. They they Their words were right. They in their words they say all right words, but their heart is far away from me. That's what Jesus said. God looks at the heart. It says, "Do not 58:40 look at his appearance or at the height of his stature." Or in other words, all that he does lot of religious things because I have rejected him. Because I'm looking at his heart. Man looks at his outward appearance, but 58:55 Lord looks at the heart. Brothers and sisters, it's so important that we get gripped by Jesus. That's why So you you know Jesus also said to Pharisees in Matthew 21 He looked at Pharisees and said, uh 59:14 "See, thieves and prostitutes enter the kingdom of before you." And I think Peter was there. He was shocked. What is this? We always thought that these Pharisees were so righteous, upright, good people, so good. But Jesus saying, when he's comparing 59:34 them and in fact he's saying that they go enter the kingdom of God before you. What is that? What is that? I think Peter got the revelation when he was filled with the Holy Spirit. It was not all this. God looks at the heart. Why we do this? Like we have 59:49 heard many times brother Jackson, it's not what we do, why we do. Can we do that work? If we do out of our own religious ideas, that's what that's why the Pharisees missed out completely. And they killed Jesus and I think John 16 says, uh, 1:00:06 they killed Jesus and said they we were serving God. They killed Jesus and said thought that they were they were serving God and pleasing God. It can happen to any of us. We can be like we we read about Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5. 1:00:23 They thought that they were pleasing God. They sold property and brought goods and they stood in the queue and they said, "Wow, what a reputation." And Peter, a man with the power of the Holy Spirit could discern and see, 1:00:40 "No, no, no, it's evil. It's evil." As soon they told a lie, they he was dropped dead, Ananias, and even his wife later. So, why why God did that? Uh, in the beginning of Christian uh, church the church was built because God wanted 1:00:58 to teach, "No, I don't go by all these things. I look at your heart." See, that's why um, brother brother Charles mentioned that, uh, Matthew 3, we read that. After 30 years of Jesus' life without doing any miracles, without preaching, nothing, 1:01:17 God bore witness from heaven. "This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. God was not looking at all these activities. God looked at the heart of Jesus. So, if you are gripped by Jesus, that's why we are given 1:01:36 an example. Set set your eyes on Jesus. Run the race looking unto Jesus. And again, Matthew 12, so it it is quoted that behold my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my 1:01:56 spirit upon him, and he shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles. Again, endorsing life of Jesus, heart of Jesus. And then, Matthew 17 again, it says he was still speaking. So, here an example of 1:02:14 Peter saying, "Oh, it's a mount of transfiguration where he saw Moses and Elijah. He said, "Well, let us build three tabernacles." God immediately said, "No, nothing doing. No set of rules and all. No, I want you to only look at Jesus and 1:02:32 learn learn from him a life which pleases God." And here it said, the bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold a voice out from the cloud said, "This is my beloved son with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him." 1:02:51 You know, God was endorsing that again and again. I when I think about Paul, how Paul's life got changed, you know, because he was gripped by Jesus. He did not go by this this and that and this. No, maybe we heard so many things 1:03:08 we we can make a rule out of it and say, "Yes, Lord, I will do this. I will do this." No, no, no, no. We have to be gripped by Jesus. In every moment Holy Spirit will guide. One moment he may say do this, one moment he Holy Spirit may say don't do this. 1:03:24 That's why we need to be we need to know the example of Jesus and Jesus lived was led by the Holy Spirit. That's the answer. Answer is not this and that, rules, regulations. Being filled with the Holy Spirit and I know exactly what I should do. 1:03:43 Matthew 10, I think verse 19 with where Jesus said, "See when the you are taken to the court, the Holy Spirit will tell you what to say, not only what to say, how to say." You know, so minute details the Holy Spirit can help us. That's how Jesus 1:03:58 lived. May the Lord help us to be gripped by that so that all our life will count as well pleasing to the Lord. Amen.
