Prayer Lists: July 19, 2020

1. Pray that like the Apostle Paul, our goal is to know Christ, to be like Christ, and to be all that Christ has in mind for each of us. Pray that we will not let anything take our eyes off our goal of knowing Christ, and with single-mindedness, we will lay aside everything harmful and forsake anything that may distract us from being effective Christians for Christ. Praise God that our hope is in Christ, and therefore we can let go of past mistakes, failures and setbacks, and look forward to what God will help us become. Pray that we will grow in the knowledge of God by concentrating on our relationship with Him, and choose to live a life of faith and obedience, that we may become the kind of disciples that new Christians can imitate. Pray that God will grant us a determination to press forward, and that we will not allow any barriers stop us from getting the prize of the high calling of God upon our lives.

2. Praise God that last Saturday and Sunday, our members were able to come back to church for the worship services, and to partake of the Holy Communion as a community of believers in Christ. Praise God that everything went off smoothly. Pray for God’s protection and favour upon the churches in Malaysia, and that His children will be able to gather to worship Him every weekend. Pray that people will be patient and understanding, and will adhere to the protocols for physical attendance during the worship services. As Klang Wesley will be live streaming the worship services, pray that the equipment and network, and all that is involved will work fine, and there will be no disruptions to the live stream. Pray that as a church, we will be an encouragement to those who are not able to come back to church for the worship services, or who choose not to come back yet, that they will be blessed by the live stream worship services.

3. Pray for the Church of Malaysia. Pray for a spirit of repentance to come upon God’s people for the lack of love for Him and for one another. Ask for His forgiveness for offering to Him worship, prayers and fasting that is lukewarm before Him. Pray that we will humble ourselves, turn from our wicked ways, and seek His face. Pray that the Holy Spirit will bring us to complete obedience so we will live lives of holiness. Pray against divisions in the Body of Christ, and that God will remove all prejudice and whatsoever else that hinders us from being united as one in Christ. Pray that the Church of Malaysia will experience perfect unity and that will bring great glory to God. Pray also that the Church will be vigilant and faithful in prayer, especially in difficult times like these. Pray that the Lord will give us strength to persevere as we lift up our intercessions to Him.

4. There were 90 domestic violence cases reported to the Selangor Welfare Department throughout the initial months of the movement control order (MCO) in the state. Praise God that the state government has taken the measures to address it through the Selangor Welfare Department, such as helping victim file interim protection orders in court, providing transportation for them to go to alternative homes, safe places or shelters, as well as to hospital and medical facilities if they suffered injuries. Pray that the victims of domestic violence will not feel guilt nor shame but have the courage to seek help in order to free themselves from abuse. Pray that God will protect the innocent children who suffer or witness violence and abuse, and that He will bring healing to their bodies, emotions, minds and spirits. Pray also for the perpetrators of domestic violence that God will help them recognise their abusive behaviour, and they will be willing to seek professional help.

5. Pray for the Parliamentary Sitting, that all Members of Parliament (MPs) will put the national interest first and foremost before making any decision, and that they will not seek their own interests, but the interests of the people and future generations. Pray that God will bring decorum, discipline and order to the chaotic situation in the Parliament, and that the MPs will conduct themselves in a professional and civilised manner. Pray that truth, righteousness and justice will reign in the parliamentary sittings, and that the MPs will have hearts of integrity, fear of God, clear consciences and clean hands. Pray that the Lord will strengthen the MPs who are righteous in His eyes, and grant them wisdom, strength, perseverance, and tenacity to never give up. Pray that the Lord will put the nation back to the path of righteousness and justice, and He will raise up righteous men and women to fill the positions of governance in the land.

6. Pray for TRAC, for the 45th Session TRAC in November 2020. It was decided recently that the Conference will be cut short to one and a half full days instead of four days, and the venue will be changed from Port Dickson Methodist Centre to a venue in the Klang Valley. Pray for God’s guidance upon the Local Planning Committee under Central District 2. Pray that all arrangements will proceed smoothly. Pray also for TRAC President, Rev Dr T. Jeyakumar, for wisdom, as he will be leading the Conference during these unprecedented RMCO times.

7. New daily infections of the Covid-19 virus continue to escalate in many nations throughout the world, and the infections will soon be more than 14 million. Recent reports of strict lockdown measures in Melbourne and Hong Kong, and new local transmission cases in Kuching, Sarawak, have inadvertently stirred fears of a second wave of the Covid-19 viral pandemic. Pray for wisdom for leaders in the world who are making decisions that affect the lives and futures of their citizens, that they will work together with their health experts, and make wise and workable decisions to contain the virus and curb its spread. Pray that their citizens will heed the policies of their governments, submit to the authorities, and work together with them to combat the virus. Pray also that God will give government officials the ability to safely handle people arriving from other countries.

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Recorded Live Streaming Worship Service – 12th July 2020

Title: Discipleship Means Discarding My Status & Credentials for Christ Alone
Scripture Text: Philippians 3: 1-11
Preacher: Rev Ashok Amarasingham

We are celebrating Holy Communion this weekend. Please prepare the necessary elements before you start the video.

 

SERMON NOTES:

1) Introduction

1.1 Praise God that weekend worship services have begun in church

1.1.1 Some new normals now

1.1.2 Some prayer items…one day the government will open the door to all foreigners to come back to church.

1.2 Church Theme: Discipline Ourselves so as to Disciple Others (1 Cor 9: 24-27 & Heb 12: 1-2).

1.3 Today, we look at both individual and corporate discipleship.

1.3.1 How important are status & credentials to you?

1.4 Focus for Today:

Until and unless we take no glory in our status and credential, we shall never experience the full joy of knowing Christ as his disciples.

2) Watch out for those Judaizers Who Took Glory in Status and Credentials

2.1 Who were the Judaizers? They were seen as early as Acts 15.

2.1.1 They insisted that Gentile converts MUST be circumcised for salvation (Acts 15:2)

2.1.2 There was a fierce debate between them and Paul-Barnabas.

2.1.3 The Council of Jerusalem (esp Peter and James) decided that circumcision was NOT needed for the Gentile converts.

2.2 Paul did not sugar coat his words in his attack of them.

2.2.1 Look out for those dogs.

2.2.2 …evildoers

2.2.3 …those who mutilate the flesh (the original NT Greek is very graphic!)

2.3 Paul stressed that the New Covenant superseded the Old.
“For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly and circumcision is a matter of the heart by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from men but from God” (Romans 2: 28-29) please do not delete this

2.4 Paul, then unleashed his status and credentials. They were outstanding

2.4.1 First four had to do with status.
* circumcised on the 8th day (Lev 12:3)
* stock/people of Israel
* tribe of Benjamin (cf 1 Kings 12: 21)
* a Hebrew of Hebrews

2.4.2 The final 3 has to do with credentials
* a Pharisee
* for zeal…persecutor of the church
* for legalistic righteousness, blameless.

2.5 Paul drops the bombshell…all my status and credentials are counted loss (3:7)

2.5.1 He uses bookkeeping terms ie “profit and loss”.

2.5.2 “Rubbish” in the original NT Greek was really “faeces”.

2.5.3 The story of John Sung and how he saw his outstanding credentials

3) Giving Up our Counterfeit Glories is Hard to Do But Try, We Must.

3.1 All Paul’s gains were a collective loss in order to gain Christ (3: 7)

3.2 We must purge self righteousness completely for the righteousness of God. (3: 8-9)

3.3 Four pursuits of Paul (3:10)

3.4 Practical Application

3.4.1 From LOLMD Unit One: Glory-Why We embrace Christ.
* Everyone is in pursuit of that one thing in life
* Strong relationships, many grand children, wealth, health, significance, etc. All are temporary only.

3.4.2 The only eternal pursuit is being connected with God through his Son.

3.4.3 As we glorify Christ, he gives us glory (Psalm 8:5)…not a self-glory but divine glory. Beware of counterfeit glories.

3.4.4 …Praise, Power & Pleasure. This may lead from Toy to Toy, Fix to Fix or Relationship to Relationship.

3.4.5 Come back to Jesus…surrender your status and credentials to God.

 

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From The Pastor’s Desk

We have waited 4 months for this weekend to happen: reopening of our church sanctuary for both our weekend services on Saturday and Sunday. We thank the Lord that the authorities have given the green light for religious houses to reopen (provided these places are not within a red zone area). We thank God that the majority of areas in Selangor are green zones, and the number of daily new cases for Covid-19 are down to single digits. However, that does not mean that we can relax and let our guard down.

Many locals are still wearing face masks in public areas and ensuring that hand sanitizers are still a common item in churches and other places.

However, worship services will never be the same again. The standard operating procedures for churches still prohibit physical contact with people and encourage social distancing. Face masks are mandatory. How are people to see our warm smiles and feel our firm handshakes for now? Despite these limitations, we know that Sunday (or the weekend) worship service is primarily about worshipping Christ – and Christ alone. For this, we greatly thank the Lord that our church doors are open again.

Hallelujah!

Pastor Ashok

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Worship@Home Online Worship Service 11th & 12th July 2020

Title: Discipleship Means Discarding My Status & Credentials for Christ Alone
Scripture Text: Philippians 3: 1-11
Preacher: Rev Ashok Amarasingham

We are celebrating Holy Communion this weekend. Please prepare the necessary elements before you start the video.

1. Watch Online Worship Service hosted at Klang Wesley Online Church website (PRIMARY)

The video is watchable at this times:

  • Saturday from 5pm onward and will be available for 12hrs
  • Sunday from 7am onward and will be available for 3 days

2. Watch Online Worship Service hosted at Vimeo (Secondary)

 

SERMON NOTES:

1) Introduction

1.1 Praise God that weekend worship services have begun in church

1.1.1 Some new normals now

1.1.2 Some prayer items…one day the government will open the door to all foreigners to come back to church.

1.2 Church Theme: Discipline Ourselves so as to Disciple Others (1 Cor 9: 24-27 & Heb 12: 1-2).

1.3 Today, we look at both individual and corporate discipleship.

1.3.1 How important are status & credentials to you?

1.4 Focus for Today:

Until and unless we take no glory in our status and credential, we shall never experience the full joy of knowing Christ as his disciples.

2) Watch out for those Judaizers Who Took Glory in Status and Credentials

2.1 Who were the Judaizers? They were seen as early as Acts 15.

2.1.1 They insisted that Gentile converts MUST be circumcised for salvation (Acts 15:2)

2.1.2 There was a fierce debate between them and Paul-Barnabas.

2.1.3 The Council of Jerusalem (esp Peter and James) decided that circumcision was NOT needed for the Gentile converts.

2.2 Paul did not sugar coat his words in his attack of them.

2.2.1 Look out for those dogs.

2.2.2 …evildoers

2.2.3 …those who mutilate the flesh (the original NT Greek is very graphic!)

2.3 Paul stressed that the New Covenant superseded the Old.
“For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly and circumcision is a matter of the heart by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from men but from God” (Romans 2: 28-29) please do not delete this

2.4 Paul, then unleashed his status and credentials. They were outstanding

2.4.1 First four had to do with status.
* circumcised on the 8th day (Lev 12:3)
* stock/people of Israel
* tribe of Benjamin (cf 1 Kings 12: 21)
* a Hebrew of Hebrews

2.4.2 The final 3 has to do with credentials
* a Pharisee
* for zeal…persecutor of the church
* for legalistic righteousness, blameless.

2.5 Paul drops the bombshell…all my status and credentials are counted loss (3:7)

2.5.1 He uses bookkeeping terms ie “profit and loss”.

2.5.2 “Rubbish” in the original NT Greek was really “faeces”.

2.5.3 The story of John Sung and how he saw his outstanding credentials

3) Giving Up our Counterfeit Glories is Hard to Do But Try, We Must.

3.1 All Paul’s gains were a collective loss in order to gain Christ (3: 7)

3.2 We must purge self righteousness completely for the righteousness of God. (3: 8-9)

3.3 Four pursuits of Paul (3:10)

3.4 Practical Application

3.4.1 From LOLMD Unit One: Glory-Why We embrace Christ.
* Everyone is in pursuit of that one thing in life
* Strong relationships, many grand children, wealth, health, significance, etc. All are temporary only.

3.4.2 The only eternal pursuit is being connected with God through his Son.

3.4.3 As we glorify Christ, he gives us glory (Psalm 8:5)…not a self-glory but divine glory. Beware of counterfeit glories.

3.4.4 …Praise, Power & Pleasure. This may lead from Toy to Toy, Fix to Fix or Relationship to Relationship.

3.4.5 Come back to Jesus…surrender your status and credentials to God.

 

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Account #: 464937
* Copyright License – 31/07/2021
* Song@Select Advance – 31/07/2021
* Streaming License – 31/07/2021

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Have You Ever Suffered Tragedy?

“…Because of Him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them filth, so that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ—the righteousness from God based on faith”. (Philippians 3:8b-9)

Have you ever suffered tragedy in your life that really made you refocus your priorities? What used to matter a great deal (possessions, status, recognition, etc.) seems to fade into the background in light of a great personal tragedy or loss because we suddenly see how fleeting those things are in light of what is truly important. This was Paul’s experience when he met the risen Christ.

Paul emphasizes that we are to rejoice in the Lord. He goes on in this passage to explain the things that mean nothing and the One who means everything. His warnings are to beware of those who put the emphasis on physical things, things that can be done by one’s effort (circumcision) or status (Pharisee). In fact, Paul indicates that if anyone could brag about themselves based on these things, it was him. He was a Pharisee (a person who was an expert at understanding the righteous requirements of the law) and a law-abiding Jew from the tribe of Benjamin. These accolades should be more than enough if what matters are our efforts or lineage.

Instead, he refers to all of these things as loss (worthless). He even refers to them as filth, which can be translated “garbage” or “dung” (some might even say “crap”) (Philippians 3:8). Why does he use such disgusting but vivid images? Because this is the way he thinks of individual efforts and accolades in comparison with Christ. We are nothing before Him. In light of God and His righteousness, as Isaiah put it bluntly (and crudely), “all our righteous acts are like a polluted garment” (Isaiah 64:6). As Pastor Dean Inserra often says, “the only thing we contribute to our own salvation is the sin that makes it necessary.” In other words, we can’t earn our way into heaven or work our way to forgiveness…because it is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone.

The next time we attempt to feel good about ourselves because we have accomplished a Christian checklist or we depend on a Christian heritage from our parents or grandparents, we need to look at Paul’s assessment of these things. It is solely God’s gracious act in Christ on the cross that justifies us before Him. If you are like me, I need to be constantly reminded to trust Jesus and stop trusting myself and find forgiveness in the work of Christ not my Christian performance. Have you ever made it a goal to get to know Jesus better? Our goal, as well as Paul’s goal is “to know Him and the power of His resurrection” (Philippians 3:10).

Reflection Questions:

1. How well do you know Jesus? What are some ways you can get to know Him better? What would you like that to
look like?

2. How do your accomplishments or failures impact the way you view yourself before God?

3. What is the difference between knowing about God and knowing God (Philippians 3:10)?
(CITY CHURCH TALLAHASSEE)

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Notices: July 11-12, 2020

IMPORTANT NOTICE DURING THE RMCO PERIOD
The Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) is currently on until August 31, 2020. There are still restrictions during this period.
1. Only the church office shall function as usual during office hours (Tuesday – Saturday, 9:00a.m. – 5:00p.m.).
2. The church staff meeting is held on Tuesdays, 2:30p.m. – 4:30p.m. Kindly avoid calling the office staff then,
unless it is very urgent.
3. Cell Groups are still not allowed to meet in homes. All Cell Groups can continue to use online ways to meet.
4. If you need to contact the church office (Tuesday – Saturday, 9:00a.m. – 5:00p.m.), please call 03-3372 2698.
Otherwise, contact the office staff directly on their mobile phones: Pastor Ashok (012-524 0061) |
Jane (017-622 7226) | Pelita (016-625 6188) | Cheng It (012-915 3640 | Yap Chee Kai (012-236 0457) |

PASTOR ON LEAVE
Pastor Ashok will be on leave on Tuesday, July 14, 2020. He will back in church office on Wednesday, July 15, 2020.

CORPORATE PRAYER MEETINGS
From July onwards, the Zoom Prayer Meetings are as follows:
MORNINGS (8:00a.m. – 8:30a.m.) on Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays
NIGHT (9:00p.m. – 10:00p.m.) on Thursdays.
For more information, please call the church office.

WORSHIP SERVICES
Please take note that Klang Wesley will continue with online Worship Services in July, 2020.

RE-OPENING OF CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE ON JULY 11 (SATURDAY, 5:00P.M.), & JULY 12 (SUNDAY, 9:00A.M.)
We are pleased that the government has allowed churches to re-open (closed since March 18, 2020). However, there are strict SOP (Standard Operating Procedures) imposed by both the federal & state governments.

SELANGOR STATE GOVERNMENT HESI: SOP
THOSE WHO CANNOT COME TO CHURCH YET:
1. Foreigners who are not church members.
2. Have BMI of above 40, severe hypertension or diabetes mellitus, live in a
nursing home, haemoglobin disorders, immunocompromised, liver disease,  serious heart condition, on kidney dialysis & chronic lung disease.
3. Temperature above 37.5 degrees Celsius.

CHURCH OFFICE
The church office is allowed to operate during office hours.
If you need to come to the church office on official business only, kindly contact the church staff, and make an appointment. Otherwise, the church office is only to be used by the church staff.

PRE-BOOKING OF SEATS FOR WORSHIP SERVICE
For the time being, there is pre-booking of seats for the worship services due to limited seats in the sanctuary.
1. Kindly call up the church office during office hours (Tuesday – Saturday, 9:00a.m. – 5:00p.m.) on the office number: 03-3372 268 to do so.
2. Kindly state if you are above 69 years old as only 12 seats are available for this age group.

CONDOLENCES
Deepest condolences to:
1. Mrs Su Fing Manasseh & Mr & Mrs Philip Lam & Sarah on the demise of Su Fing & Patricia’s brother. Mr Tan Chee Seng, who passed away on July 6, 2020
2. Mr Jimmy Ng & family & Mr & Mrs Lim Boon Hwa & families on the demise of Jimmy & Dolly’s mother, Mdm Fong Chune Imm, who passed
away on July 7, 2020.

GIVING
While we acknowledge that many people are affected by the current MCO situation, we encourage you to continue giving your tithes / offering during
this time through online banking. The details are below:

ONLINE BANKING DETAILS
ACCT #: 171-315-561-1
ACCT NAME: WESLEY METHODIST CHURCH KLANG
BANK: UOB
REFERENCE: TITHE / OFFERING

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Prayer Lists: July 11-12, 2020

1. Praise God that we have eternal life simply by trusting in Christ’s offer of salvation by grace through faith in what He has done on the cross. Pray that our ultimate goal in life is to know Christ, and to continually grow in intimacy with Him. Pray that we will never place anything above our relationship with Him, and that periodically we will take time to reflect on our priorities in life. Pray that the Lord will give us courage, grace and strength to reorder our priorities so that we will set aside time each day to meet with Christ through the study of His Word and prayer, knowing that Christ is more than worth the sacrifice. Praise God that the power that raised Christ from the dead will help us live morally renewed and regenerated lives. Pray that we will choose daily to die to our old sinful nature, and embrace the resurrection power to walk in newness of life.

2. The Elshaddai Refugee Learning Centre (ERLC) will be starting school on July 15, 2020. Praise God for protecting the staff as well as the students from the Covid-19 disease. Thank God for the good response from various sources to the ERLC’s appeal for funds to provide foodstuff and cash vouchers to needy refugee families that were struggling financially during the lockdown. Praise God that the Ministry of Education has allowed the refugee learning centres in the nation to reopen, and thank God for Klang Wesley and St Barnabas Church for allowing their premises to be used. Pray for God’s protection upon the students and teachers that they will stay safe and healthy. Pray for all the co-workers who have been trained to do diaspora disciple makers that they will put their training into practice, and not only make disciples for Christ, but also make disciple makers out of the disciples. Pray also for Elshaddai Centre Berhad’s evangelistic work in Sabah and areas in the East Coast of Peninsula Malaysia, that God will continue to bless and proper the work.

3. Praise God that many churches in the nation have started to reopen, and church members, including children aged 12 and below, and those above 70, are allowed to come back to church to worship the Lord during the weekends, although there are strict SOPs that have to be adhered to. Pray that the worshippers will comply with all the regulations. Although our restored worship services are so different and restricted, our online options so available and convenient, pray that those who do not need to stay home for health reasons will choose to come together as God’s family to worship Him, and sing together (something we have missed doing for the last 4 months) and glorify God, enthroning Him in our hearts and encouraging each other. Pray that our physical presence will bring joy and hope to one another, as we recognise that we are not independent, but interdependent of each other in the family of God. Pray that God’s hand of protection will be upon us as we come together, and He will enable us to stay safe and healthy.

4. Praise God that from July 22, 2020 onwards, all primary and secondary school students will be back in school. Pray that the children and youths will adapt well to the new norms of school life, and will comply with all the standard operating procedures (SOPs), even though it means they are not able to mix freely with their school friends. Pray that they will be obedient to their teachers and school authorities. Pray for wisdom, grace, and creativity for the teachers, as they have to cope with teaching in the new norm, and ensuring that the students are following the SOPs. Pray that God will protect all the students and teaching staff against any infection as they take responsibility to follow all the regulations of the Health Ministry. Pray also for the rest of the nation, that the public will remember that although the Covid-19 situation has improved tremendously, the virus is still around. Pray that the rakyat will not behave as if the pandemic is over, but they will continue to comply with the SOPs set up by the Health Ministry, and live with these new norms to win the fight against Covid-19.

5. Pray for God’s sovereign hand and blessing over our nation’s direction and resources. Pray for spiritual breakthroughs in the present political strife and economic uncertainty. Pray that the evil principalities and powers stoking disunity, corruption and deception will be totally defeated and ejected from the nation. Pray that in His mercy and grace, God will transform Malaysia to be a beacon for truth, justice and righteousness. Pray that the rakyat will be given full rights to religious and economic freedom. Pray for the promotion of racial harmony and unity in the nation. Pray for God’s sovereign protection upon the nation from secret plotting and witchcraft. Pray also that the Lord will bless the Prime Minister with good health.

6. The severity of the COVID-19 impact on business is unprecedented in our nation, and the effects of troubled sectors on employment are undermining the economy. Many people are getting laid-off and retrenched. Pray that as we lift up the economic situation into God’s divine hands, He will lift up the economy so that businesses will be rebuilt, jobs will be restored, and the nation will flourish again. Pray for an outpouring of God’s gift of creative entrepreneurship at this crucial time in our nation, so that new ideas and businesses may be birthed. Pray that those whose financial status are still solid will respond generously to those in need, and be willing to unselfishly help others, and provide helpful economic connections for those who are struggling to survive. Pray especially for God to provide for the refugees and migrant workers in our nation, who are among those who are most badly affected financially by the pandemic.

7. As the death of George Floyd sparked world-wide protests against racism, pray that God will bring racial healing and equality to all nations in the world. Pray that the Lord will open our hearts to repent of racist attitudes, behaviours and speech that demean others; that He will open our ears to hear the cries of those wounded by racial discrimination, and their passionate appeals for change. Pray that God will open our eyes to see the racial injustices and inequalities that happen daily, and that we will not ignore these things, but confront them, and boldly intervene where possible. Pray that He will open our minds to understand that all people are made in His image and we are to love them. Pray that God will strengthen our resolve to make amends, where possible, for past injustices, and to right the wrongs of history. Pray that He will fill us with courage to seek to heal wounds, build bridges, forgive and be forgiven, and establish peace and equality for all in our communities.

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Worship@Home Online Worship Service – 4th & 5th July 2020

Message Title: Dealing with Disappointments: Lessons from the Life of St Paul
Scripture Text: Philippians 4: 10-23
Guest Speaker: Rev Ashok Amarasingham

Watch Online Worship Service hosted at Vimeo (Secondary)

 

Message Notes:

1. Introduction

1.1 We await the “MCO” term no longer in Malaysia.

1.1.1 Not all of MCO has been disappointing. There are positives to bless us. St Paul’s life also had Ups and Downs.

1.1.2 Disappointments include family members stuck overseas, business temporarily stopped or others, permanently. The church LCEC released funds to provide 573 food packages for the poor regardless of nationality, race or religion.

1.1.3 Another disappointment was not being able to worship God in church, no internet, no smartphone, etc.

1.1.4 Two weeks ago, I set this topic to comfort those 12 & under and 70 & over. But PTL, the SOP was loosened so all ages can theoretically come back to church. The twist was I myself faced disappointment in the past week so the sermon was meant for me!

1.2 Focus for Today
Disappointments are like unwanted guests at your doorstep. Like St Paul, learn to be content by being in Christ. Receive Christ’s strength and bless others with God’s promises.

2. Paul Had Reasons to be Disappointed

2.1 Paul was under house arrest (imprisonment) in Rome (Phil 1: 7, 13, 17).
Also Philippians 1: 21 “For to me to live is Christ to die is gain”

Q: Are we willing to go to be with Jesus but eager to stay OR eager to go to be with Jesus but willing to stay?

2.2 Other than the church of Philippi, no church financially supported Paul as a missionary (Phil 4:15).

2.2.1 Paul was a tent maker

2.2.2 Ravi Zacharias on Love Gift

2.2.3 Power of godly parenting: More is caught than taught…parents can role model to children about honouring God’s servants.

2.3 There were times that Paul was hungry (Phil 4:12).

3. St Paul’s Secret of Dealing with Disappointments was Being Contented in Christ

3.1 The church at Philippi for a long time did not support Paul financially (Phil 4:10)

3.2 St Paul learned contentment (Phil 4:11-13).
Matt 11:28-30 says: Come to me all who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me…

3.3 Focus on Blessing Others

3.3.1 Paul shifts focus onto the church at Philippi.
“Yet it was kind of you to share my troubles” (Phil 4:14)

3.3.2 As a young church they excelled in giving (to support Paul) (Phil 4:16)

3.3.3 Paul sought the good fruit of the church in Philippi.

3.3.4 Paul uses sacred words/pictures to describe the gift of the church eg. “fragrant offering”, “sacrifice acceptable to God”.

3.4 Application

3.4.1 Recent TRAC Webinar on “Stress”, Bishop Solomon, Bishop Ong Hwai Teik & Rev Chew shared. It was mentioned that pastoral ministry is tough not so much due to workload but due to people. Pastor Ashok’s note: Pastors also bring stress to the parish!

3.4.2 However St Paul chose to focus upon Christ (Phil 4:19). The older we get, the more loving and kind we should be to others and easily forgive others (following Jesus’ example).

3.4.3 Nobody can rob our privilege of connecting with Christ always…whether no internet, no smartphone or our loneliness of staying alone at home.

3.4.4 Lastly, always look for the goodness in others. Pastor Ashok encouraged his “Home Worship Resources Team” not to pick on the minor faults in others but to celebrate effort put in (not only on perfection).

 

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