WEBVTT 00:00:09.419 --> 00:00:14.279 Welcome to ECB's weekly sermon podcast. ECB is 00:00:14.279 --> 00:00:16.600 an international church in Bangkok, Thailand, 00:00:16.739 --> 00:00:19.820 with dozens of nationalities worshiping together. 00:00:20.120 --> 00:00:22.980 We invite you to connect with us from wherever 00:00:22.980 --> 00:00:27.199 you are through our website, ecb .asia, or our 00:00:27.199 --> 00:00:31.059 mobile app. And now we pray that you are blessed 00:00:31.059 --> 00:00:34.740 by this week's sermon. Good morning, everyone. 00:00:36.170 --> 00:00:38.009 There's quite a few things in life where you 00:00:38.009 --> 00:00:41.329 know how to prepare for. A day like today is 00:00:41.329 --> 00:00:45.789 not one of those. Thank you for such beautiful 00:00:45.789 --> 00:00:49.710 expressions of love to my family and myself. 00:00:51.409 --> 00:00:54.509 It's a day that we will not forget. I promise 00:00:54.509 --> 00:00:58.549 you that. So what do you say on your final day 00:00:58.549 --> 00:01:02.649 as a pastor at ECB and where do you start in 00:01:02.649 --> 00:01:07.239 sharing? Well, I thought it was a good idea to 00:01:07.239 --> 00:01:09.959 begin with showing you two pictures. And the 00:01:09.959 --> 00:01:15.120 first picture was taken in July 2016, on the 00:01:15.120 --> 00:01:19.640 day that we flew from Amsterdam to Bangkok. So 00:01:19.640 --> 00:01:22.260 our girls were still little, as you can tell. 00:01:22.340 --> 00:01:24.840 So Norchi is the one in the middle, and then 00:01:24.840 --> 00:01:26.819 Elise is the one on the right, and then there 00:01:26.819 --> 00:01:30.420 is Emma. And as you can tell, they have aged 00:01:30.420 --> 00:01:35.150 quite a bit. Right? Contrary to Honig and myself, 00:01:35.430 --> 00:01:41.189 we still basically look the same. But this was 00:01:41.189 --> 00:01:44.250 it, and we really thought that we knew what this 00:01:44.250 --> 00:01:46.549 journey would look like. It would be one year 00:01:46.549 --> 00:01:49.950 in Bangkok, because that was the assignment that 00:01:49.950 --> 00:01:52.730 I agreed with as an executive with my company. 00:01:52.769 --> 00:01:55.810 One year, and then we would back home to the 00:01:55.810 --> 00:01:58.689 Netherlands. So we looked one another in the 00:01:58.689 --> 00:02:00.549 eye, especially Honig and myself, because the 00:02:00.549 --> 00:02:02.829 girls were still young, and we said, That's an 00:02:02.829 --> 00:02:06.109 exciting adventure, one year in Bangkok, and 00:02:06.109 --> 00:02:08.949 little did we know exactly how exciting and how 00:02:08.949 --> 00:02:14.169 adventurous this whole journey would be. The 00:02:14.169 --> 00:02:16.490 second picture was taken earlier this year, somewhere 00:02:16.490 --> 00:02:22.330 in 2025, and it marks the end of our journey 00:02:22.330 --> 00:02:25.729 here in Bangkok. And now you know that what I 00:02:25.729 --> 00:02:28.569 just said a minute ago is not true, because Honnok 00:02:28.569 --> 00:02:31.150 and I aged as well, and it looks like nine years 00:02:31.150 --> 00:02:36.580 to me. Nine years, 2016 to 2025, is how long 00:02:36.580 --> 00:02:41.960 God had us here. What happened between those 00:02:41.960 --> 00:02:48.620 two pictures, 2016, 2025, I mean, there's just 00:02:48.620 --> 00:02:52.199 so many stories. I mean, how do you wrap nine 00:02:52.199 --> 00:02:57.400 years of life and ministry? in a 25 -minute talk 00:02:57.400 --> 00:03:00.120 this morning. I will not do that. But if I would 00:03:00.120 --> 00:03:02.759 have to summarize our nine years here as a family, 00:03:02.919 --> 00:03:07.139 I would tell you that it has been deeply transformative, 00:03:07.699 --> 00:03:13.629 life -giving, and faith -building. And not so 00:03:13.629 --> 00:03:16.129 much because it came without challenges, it was 00:03:16.129 --> 00:03:18.210 stress -free, it was not, let me tell you that. 00:03:18.389 --> 00:03:21.530 It is because we have seen God's hand all throughout 00:03:21.530 --> 00:03:24.370 these nine years, in the highs and in the lows, 00:03:24.469 --> 00:03:29.849 to reveal Himself to us, to shape us, and to 00:03:29.849 --> 00:03:34.210 use us for His purposes. And although we didn't 00:03:34.210 --> 00:03:36.750 know what was coming, probably it's a good thing 00:03:36.750 --> 00:03:38.430 that we didn't know, otherwise we may have said, 00:03:38.490 --> 00:03:39.990 you know what, we stay in the Netherlands, we're 00:03:39.990 --> 00:03:42.840 not going, this is too big for us. We didn't 00:03:42.840 --> 00:03:45.719 know what was up, but we're so glad that God 00:03:45.719 --> 00:03:50.259 redirected our steps and had us here for all 00:03:50.259 --> 00:03:52.939 these years. We would not have wanted to miss 00:03:52.939 --> 00:03:56.159 out on it. And many of our experiences in these 00:03:56.159 --> 00:03:59.879 nine years have to do with you, have to do with 00:03:59.879 --> 00:04:04.419 ECB, our ministry here. And if you would give 00:04:04.419 --> 00:04:07.599 me the time, I would love to share story after 00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:11.400 story. witnessing about the things that God is 00:04:11.400 --> 00:04:15.659 doing here in this place among his people here 00:04:15.659 --> 00:04:18.939 in Bangkok, the people of ECB. But again, I do 00:04:18.939 --> 00:04:21.100 not have the time and I don't desire to speak 00:04:21.100 --> 00:04:23.759 for that long this morning. But there are three 00:04:23.759 --> 00:04:27.600 impressions, reflections if you will, that sit 00:04:27.600 --> 00:04:30.759 deep within me as I look back on the years of 00:04:30.759 --> 00:04:35.620 ministry here at ECB. Three impressions. that 00:04:35.620 --> 00:04:38.439 I will probably tell the people who ask me about 00:04:38.439 --> 00:04:41.680 ECB in our next chapter, our next season, whenever 00:04:41.680 --> 00:04:45.620 they ask me about you, whenever they ask me about 00:04:45.620 --> 00:04:50.240 this church. So let me begin with the first one. 00:04:50.480 --> 00:04:54.980 Here's my first reflection on ECB. ECB is a place 00:04:54.980 --> 00:04:59.899 of belonging. When we first arrived in Bangkok 00:04:59.899 --> 00:05:04.180 in July 2016, We just brought six suitcases, 00:05:04.220 --> 00:05:06.660 which we, I mean, we just put them in our apartment 00:05:06.660 --> 00:05:09.019 that we rented in Sukhumvit. And after unpacking 00:05:09.019 --> 00:05:11.879 the suitcases and buying some groceries and getting 00:05:11.879 --> 00:05:14.660 some spicy food, the next thing that we desire 00:05:14.660 --> 00:05:20.970 to do is to look for a church. Why look for a 00:05:20.970 --> 00:05:24.529 church? Because we needed community. We were 00:05:24.529 --> 00:05:26.769 looking for people like us who love Jesus and 00:05:26.769 --> 00:05:29.709 who desire to grow their faith, their relationship 00:05:29.709 --> 00:05:33.790 with God in community. Well, let me make an honest 00:05:33.790 --> 00:05:36.329 confession here as a pastor. That sounds weird, 00:05:36.370 --> 00:05:39.050 of course, but we were not necessarily looking 00:05:39.050 --> 00:05:42.370 for a good sermon and an inspiring time of worship. 00:05:42.550 --> 00:05:46.139 I mean, that also. But we were looking for a 00:05:46.139 --> 00:05:48.980 place where we could come to know people and 00:05:48.980 --> 00:05:51.720 be known by people. We came from a town in the 00:05:51.720 --> 00:05:54.660 Netherlands of 12 ,000 people where we knew many. 00:05:54.920 --> 00:05:57.879 And now we had moved to a city of 12 million 00:05:57.879 --> 00:06:00.360 or so, nobody knows the real number, I think, 00:06:00.439 --> 00:06:04.579 where we hardly knew anyone. So we were looking 00:06:04.579 --> 00:06:09.449 for a community, a place of belonging. So three 00:06:09.449 --> 00:06:11.589 days after arriving, we had heard about this 00:06:11.589 --> 00:06:14.129 church, ECB. We thought, that's a good place 00:06:14.129 --> 00:06:18.310 to check out. Let's see. And we went, and don't 00:06:18.310 --> 00:06:21.170 get me wrong, we loved the teaching. The worship 00:06:21.170 --> 00:06:24.569 was great, really. We really appreciated Crosstown, 00:06:24.610 --> 00:06:28.310 how they discipled our girls. But what really 00:06:28.310 --> 00:06:30.769 did it to us was you, was the people, was the 00:06:30.769 --> 00:06:33.930 welcome we got, the sense of community that we 00:06:33.930 --> 00:06:37.149 experienced here. That was the real draw for 00:06:37.149 --> 00:06:41.689 us. to decide this is probably the place where 00:06:41.689 --> 00:06:45.810 we will be for the next 12 months remember so 00:06:45.810 --> 00:06:47.829 we signed up for a live group at the den connection 00:06:47.829 --> 00:06:50.430 center and we went to the live group i think 00:06:50.430 --> 00:06:53.209 we still have some originals here the clusels 00:06:53.209 --> 00:06:56.629 i you were in our life group right and the rouses 00:06:56.629 --> 00:06:58.670 were in the first service and the mullah anyways 00:06:59.870 --> 00:07:02.550 You know the story about great life groups. So 00:07:02.550 --> 00:07:05.269 the first Friday after our first Sunday, after 00:07:05.269 --> 00:07:08.230 arriving on that Thursday, remember, we were 00:07:08.230 --> 00:07:11.189 in a life group and we decided to never leave 00:07:11.189 --> 00:07:15.769 this community because we found a place of belonging 00:07:15.769 --> 00:07:19.829 here at ECB. And why is this so important? Not 00:07:19.829 --> 00:07:23.029 only that it's fun to hang out. I like hangout 00:07:23.029 --> 00:07:26.040 places like these, don't you? That's great. I 00:07:26.040 --> 00:07:27.759 mean, this is family. This is getting together. 00:07:27.920 --> 00:07:31.300 But it's not only that. It's also that growing 00:07:31.300 --> 00:07:34.279 your faith, your relationship with God, needs 00:07:34.279 --> 00:07:37.980 healthy community. Discipleship, as we call it 00:07:37.980 --> 00:07:42.920 here at ECB a lot, is always relational. And 00:07:42.920 --> 00:07:46.560 therefore, discipleship can only thrive at a 00:07:46.560 --> 00:07:50.199 place of healthy community. And that's the kind 00:07:50.199 --> 00:07:52.660 of community, the place of belonging that my 00:07:52.660 --> 00:07:55.639 family and me found nine years ago and that we 00:07:55.639 --> 00:07:59.800 have helped shape over the past seven and a half 00:07:59.800 --> 00:08:04.920 years ago. Over the years, I've seen in our community 00:08:04.920 --> 00:08:09.399 at ECB clear marks of what the Apostle Paul instructs 00:08:09.399 --> 00:08:13.319 to the early church in Rome. Love each other 00:08:13.319 --> 00:08:17.639 with genuine affection. And take delight in honoring 00:08:17.639 --> 00:08:20.939 each other. When God's people are in need, be 00:08:20.939 --> 00:08:24.060 ready to help them. Always be eager to practice 00:08:24.060 --> 00:08:27.259 hospitality. Be happy with those who are happy 00:08:27.259 --> 00:08:31.560 and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony 00:08:31.560 --> 00:08:35.320 with each other. Now, ECB is not the perfect 00:08:35.320 --> 00:08:38.360 church. There's a lot we still need to learn 00:08:38.360 --> 00:08:45.049 also about community. But I have recognized in 00:08:45.049 --> 00:08:48.889 our community over the past years that we are 00:08:48.889 --> 00:08:53.129 a people who desires to know each other and be 00:08:53.129 --> 00:08:57.870 known by each other. A people that desires to 00:08:57.870 --> 00:09:01.210 look after one another and serve each other. 00:09:01.950 --> 00:09:08.169 A people that is generous and welcoming and hospitable 00:09:08.169 --> 00:09:11.190 and is happy when one of the members is happy. 00:09:13.320 --> 00:09:16.840 and is weeping when the other member is weeping. 00:09:18.120 --> 00:09:22.399 That's the kind of community that ECB is, a place 00:09:22.399 --> 00:09:27.120 of belonging. By the way, not just for us, as 00:09:27.120 --> 00:09:29.659 those who have come to know the Lord already. 00:09:29.740 --> 00:09:34.139 This community is compelling and inviting to 00:09:34.139 --> 00:09:38.919 anyone who doesn't know Jesus yet. You know why 00:09:38.919 --> 00:09:41.200 it's important to be this generous and welcoming 00:09:41.200 --> 00:09:44.919 community to the outsider? Because to many people, 00:09:44.980 --> 00:09:50.519 belonging precedes believing. And as we offer 00:09:50.519 --> 00:09:53.720 people who have no clue about Jesus this welcome, 00:09:53.899 --> 00:09:57.940 a generous welcome, a place of love and care 00:09:57.940 --> 00:10:02.899 and support, we give them a real shot at coming 00:10:02.899 --> 00:10:08.279 to know Jesus. So my final Sunday as pastor here 00:10:08.279 --> 00:10:12.179 at ECB, I want to give you a charge. And it's 00:10:12.179 --> 00:10:17.320 this. Let radical hospitality be your standard 00:10:17.320 --> 00:10:20.659 practice. Why radical? Well, it's because welcoming 00:10:20.659 --> 00:10:23.340 in people from the outside looks different here 00:10:23.340 --> 00:10:26.000 in Bangkok than it does in our home context, 00:10:26.220 --> 00:10:29.220 doesn't it? I mean, we're surrounded by so many... 00:10:29.690 --> 00:10:32.009 People from so many different countries around 00:10:32.009 --> 00:10:35.210 the world. People who look different than you 00:10:35.210 --> 00:10:39.129 do. They eat different stuff. They clothe differently. 00:10:39.350 --> 00:10:42.289 They have different lifestyles. They talk different. 00:10:42.370 --> 00:10:45.129 They think different. They smell different. That's 00:10:45.129 --> 00:10:47.129 how they think about you as well, by the way. 00:10:48.009 --> 00:10:52.929 So we need to be radical in welcoming people 00:10:52.929 --> 00:10:56.669 in. We need to get out of our comfort zones in 00:10:56.669 --> 00:10:59.649 our particular context. of bangkok that's why 00:10:59.649 --> 00:11:02.450 it's radical and for some of you it means that 00:11:02.450 --> 00:11:05.450 you have to break through the bubble of like 00:11:05.450 --> 00:11:08.090 -minded people that you prefer to hang out with 00:11:08.090 --> 00:11:11.889 break through it be radical in your hospitality 00:11:11.889 --> 00:11:15.710 for others of you it means that you have to let 00:11:15.710 --> 00:11:18.870 go of your prejudices about certain people groups 00:11:18.870 --> 00:11:23.269 about certain cultures and instead be radically 00:11:23.269 --> 00:11:27.659 hospitable What about people who believe completely 00:11:27.659 --> 00:11:31.100 different things than you do? And they do things 00:11:31.100 --> 00:11:34.759 and have lifestyles that you completely disapprove 00:11:34.759 --> 00:11:40.340 of. What about them? Radical hospitality. That's 00:11:40.340 --> 00:11:43.659 about them. You know who Jesus loved to hang 00:11:43.659 --> 00:11:47.269 out with? Crooks, cheats, and prostitutes. His 00:11:47.269 --> 00:11:49.429 favorite people to hang out with. What did he 00:11:49.429 --> 00:11:51.990 do with them? Well, he loved them, engaged the 00:11:51.990 --> 00:11:55.289 conversation with them, and then generously invited 00:11:55.289 --> 00:12:00.970 them to enter his kingdom. Radical hospitality. 00:12:01.110 --> 00:12:04.730 Let that be your standard practice. Like Paul 00:12:04.730 --> 00:12:08.809 says in Romans 15, so reach out and welcome one 00:12:08.809 --> 00:12:12.870 another to God's glory. Jesus did it. Can you 00:12:12.870 --> 00:12:19.240 say what he reads last? Now you. Do it. Be a 00:12:19.240 --> 00:12:23.320 community of radical hospitality. And remember, 00:12:23.379 --> 00:12:27.340 dear loved ones, when you do that, you allow 00:12:27.340 --> 00:12:29.919 people who don't know Jesus to actually enter 00:12:29.919 --> 00:12:35.059 the kingdom of God by coming to know him at this 00:12:35.059 --> 00:12:39.179 place. Here's my second reflection on ECB. ECB 00:12:39.179 --> 00:12:43.379 is God's workplace for healing and transformation. 00:12:44.940 --> 00:12:48.259 One of the benefits of having been a pastor at 00:12:48.259 --> 00:12:53.100 ECB is that I got a front row seat in seeing 00:12:53.100 --> 00:12:58.740 God at work in the lives of so many of you. Of 00:12:58.740 --> 00:13:00.360 all the things that I'm going to miss about being 00:13:00.360 --> 00:13:03.700 a pastor at ECB, this one probably ranks among 00:13:03.700 --> 00:13:06.879 the highest. I mean, there's not a lot that beats 00:13:06.879 --> 00:13:10.100 partnering with Jesus and helping people finding 00:13:10.100 --> 00:13:14.120 more freedom and fullness and hope in Jesus. 00:13:14.029 --> 00:13:18.730 Jesus. Early on in his earthly ministry, Jesus 00:13:18.730 --> 00:13:21.610 made an announcement about himself. He had opened 00:13:21.610 --> 00:13:24.269 the scroll to the book of Isaiah. I think it 00:13:24.269 --> 00:13:27.470 was chapter 63 in Isaiah. And this is what he 00:13:27.470 --> 00:13:30.350 said about himself. Jesus said, the spirit of 00:13:30.350 --> 00:13:33.419 the Lord is on me. For he has anointed me to 00:13:33.419 --> 00:13:36.200 bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to 00:13:36.200 --> 00:13:38.980 proclaim that captives will be released, that 00:13:38.980 --> 00:13:41.860 the blind will see, that the oppressed will be 00:13:41.860 --> 00:13:44.720 set free, and that the time of the Lord's favor 00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:48.659 has come. Jesus meant what he said. You know 00:13:48.659 --> 00:13:52.000 that, right? And we can tell on the basis of 00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:53.840 what we read in the Gospels and in the rest of 00:13:53.840 --> 00:13:57.299 the New Testament, we see Jesus healing and preaching 00:13:57.299 --> 00:14:00.299 and casting out demons and making sure that people 00:14:00.299 --> 00:14:03.539 could enter the kingdom of God. He was proclaiming 00:14:03.539 --> 00:14:06.059 the news, the good news of the kingdom, but he 00:14:06.059 --> 00:14:09.980 was also demonstrating the power of that kingdom. 00:14:10.720 --> 00:14:13.399 You know how we also know that Jesus meant what 00:14:13.399 --> 00:14:17.169 he said back then? It's by looking at how Jesus 00:14:17.169 --> 00:14:21.210 works today, here and now, in our midst here 00:14:21.210 --> 00:14:28.629 at ECB. We see Jesus healing people emotionally, 00:14:29.049 --> 00:14:33.990 mentally and physically. We see Jesus helping 00:14:33.990 --> 00:14:37.629 people to break free from strongholds and addictions 00:14:37.629 --> 00:14:40.850 and other kinds of destructive behaviors and 00:14:40.850 --> 00:14:44.600 attachments. We see Jesus turning lives that 00:14:44.600 --> 00:14:48.080 are hopeless and filled with disappointment into 00:14:48.080 --> 00:14:53.820 lives of wholeness and fullness. We see Jesus 00:14:53.820 --> 00:14:57.480 setting people free from demonic powers here 00:14:57.480 --> 00:15:01.080 at ECB. We see Jesus by his spirit convicting 00:15:01.080 --> 00:15:05.279 people of their sin with this generous and loving 00:15:05.279 --> 00:15:09.200 invitation to receive forgiveness through him 00:15:09.200 --> 00:15:15.340 and his kingdom. It's because of Jesus that ECB 00:15:15.340 --> 00:15:20.340 is God's workplace for healing and transformation. 00:15:21.240 --> 00:15:25.080 And as elders and pastors and leaders, you know 00:15:25.080 --> 00:15:27.759 what we are? We are facilitators of that work. 00:15:28.419 --> 00:15:31.539 And the more I learn about Jesus and his ministry, 00:15:31.720 --> 00:15:36.159 the more I see that the more I am out of the 00:15:36.159 --> 00:15:39.320 way and we get out of the way. and just present 00:15:39.320 --> 00:15:43.500 ourselves as humble servants, the more we see 00:15:43.500 --> 00:15:47.679 Jesus' power revealed, the more we see Him in 00:15:47.679 --> 00:15:52.299 action to bring freedom and healing and fullness 00:15:52.299 --> 00:15:59.360 and restoration to the people He so loves. The 00:15:59.360 --> 00:16:03.100 Bible says in Ephesians 3 that God is able to 00:16:03.100 --> 00:16:06.360 do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine. 00:16:06.620 --> 00:16:10.919 Do you know that verse? God is able to do immeasurably 00:16:10.919 --> 00:16:16.240 more than we can ask or imagine. Do you believe 00:16:16.240 --> 00:16:22.799 that? Do you believe that? Do you believe that 00:16:22.799 --> 00:16:27.240 for your life? I'm not pushing for the right 00:16:27.240 --> 00:16:31.039 answer here, but I want you to be reminded of 00:16:31.039 --> 00:16:37.039 the truth that God is so much more able. To do 00:16:37.039 --> 00:16:39.419 the things than the things you are praying for 00:16:39.419 --> 00:16:46.700 currently. God is unlimited in his capabilities. 00:16:47.600 --> 00:16:52.779 Also in your stuck situation. Also at that place 00:16:52.779 --> 00:16:55.759 where you are desperately crying out for breakthrough. 00:16:56.139 --> 00:17:00.799 For victory. For change. For transformation in 00:17:00.799 --> 00:17:03.940 your own life. Or the life of your loved one. 00:17:04.039 --> 00:17:06.769 So here's my charge. to you on my final Sunday 00:17:06.769 --> 00:17:12.750 as a pastor here. Always expect more of God. 00:17:13.650 --> 00:17:17.549 Why? Because He is capable of greater things 00:17:17.549 --> 00:17:21.210 than you will ever be able to comprehend. So 00:17:21.210 --> 00:17:24.920 always expect more of God. More of God. And after 00:17:24.920 --> 00:17:28.180 God has shown up in ways only he can in your 00:17:28.180 --> 00:17:30.619 particular situation or the situation of your 00:17:30.619 --> 00:17:34.259 loved one, then again continue to always expect 00:17:34.259 --> 00:17:49.180 more of God. There's one disclaimer that I want 00:17:49.180 --> 00:17:53.039 to make. In this always expecting more of God, 00:17:53.180 --> 00:17:55.980 and it's something that I had to learn the hard 00:17:55.980 --> 00:18:00.359 way a number of times. As you expect more of 00:18:00.359 --> 00:18:03.160 God and make that part of your spiritual life, 00:18:03.420 --> 00:18:10.180 leave the outcome to Him, will you? It's often 00:18:10.180 --> 00:18:13.059 when we pray for small and big things in our 00:18:13.059 --> 00:18:16.920 lives that we do so with a pre -cooked outcome. 00:18:18.220 --> 00:18:21.960 We present our desires, our petitions, our prayers 00:18:21.960 --> 00:18:26.119 before God, but we want Him to move in that particular 00:18:26.119 --> 00:18:29.559 way. It has to be that outcome, that breakthrough, 00:18:29.779 --> 00:18:33.339 that victory. And if God doesn't do it that way, 00:18:33.460 --> 00:18:38.019 we get frustrated, we get angry, we may even 00:18:38.019 --> 00:18:44.240 begin to doubt God. But what if God knows better 00:18:44.240 --> 00:18:48.359 than you do? What is the best solution? What 00:18:48.359 --> 00:18:51.839 if God has a better perspective on your life, 00:18:51.940 --> 00:18:54.920 what is and what will follow, than the narrow 00:18:54.920 --> 00:18:57.339 perspective that you're applying on your own 00:18:57.339 --> 00:19:00.799 life? What if God is working on a long -term 00:19:00.799 --> 00:19:04.660 solution that is so good for you and so much 00:19:04.660 --> 00:19:08.960 better than the short -term fix that you have 00:19:08.960 --> 00:19:11.700 in your mind and that you want God to take care 00:19:11.700 --> 00:19:15.559 of? Loved ones, Always expect more of God, but 00:19:15.559 --> 00:19:18.880 please leave the outcome to Him. You can be sure 00:19:18.880 --> 00:19:21.880 of the fact that God always knows perfectly well 00:19:21.880 --> 00:19:25.180 what He is doing, that He is always working for 00:19:25.180 --> 00:19:32.000 your good and for His glory. And when those two 00:19:32.000 --> 00:19:35.859 come together, His glory and your good, wow. 00:19:38.559 --> 00:19:42.920 Always expect more of God. Here's my last reflection 00:19:42.920 --> 00:19:46.819 that I want to share with you today. ECB is an 00:19:46.819 --> 00:19:51.339 embassy of God's kingdom. Have you ever looked 00:19:51.339 --> 00:19:55.880 at your church as an embassy? I told you before 00:19:55.880 --> 00:19:58.119 that in my first year and a half in Bangkok, 00:19:58.200 --> 00:20:01.119 as an executive in the corporate marketplace, 00:20:01.279 --> 00:20:04.809 I had to go to the Dutch embassy. A number of 00:20:04.809 --> 00:20:07.410 times to meet up with the ambassador and his 00:20:07.410 --> 00:20:11.269 team to explore ways to grow our business in 00:20:11.269 --> 00:20:15.190 Thailand. And whenever I was at the embassy in 00:20:15.190 --> 00:20:20.009 Wireless Road, I felt like I was back home in 00:20:20.009 --> 00:20:23.309 the Netherlands. When you park your car, the 00:20:23.309 --> 00:20:26.329 parking there, the first thing you see is statues 00:20:26.329 --> 00:20:29.170 of cows that they have painted in orange and 00:20:29.170 --> 00:20:32.750 red, white and blue. We don't have orange cows 00:20:32.750 --> 00:20:35.670 and red, white, and blue cows. But we are a dairy 00:20:35.670 --> 00:20:38.309 country, and those colors happen to be our national 00:20:38.309 --> 00:20:40.069 colors. But it's the first thing you see when 00:20:40.069 --> 00:20:43.690 you enter the embassy. And a big flag, red, white, 00:20:43.829 --> 00:20:45.910 and blue, representing our country. And when 00:20:45.910 --> 00:20:49.009 security had cleared me, and I entered the campus 00:20:49.009 --> 00:20:52.430 ground, I was greeted in my own language. I don't 00:20:52.430 --> 00:20:55.609 get to speak my language a lot in Bangkok. And 00:20:55.609 --> 00:20:57.509 then when I entered the ambassador's residence, 00:20:58.250 --> 00:21:01.269 There was art made by the Dutch master painters 00:21:01.269 --> 00:21:05.630 of the previous centuries. And I even got stroopwafels 00:21:05.630 --> 00:21:09.150 with my coffee, which is a Dutch cookie for those 00:21:09.150 --> 00:21:11.609 who don't know. And whenever the ambassador talked 00:21:11.609 --> 00:21:15.349 about the kingdom of the Netherlands, I was thinking, 00:21:15.390 --> 00:21:19.049 wow, you really love my country and you represent 00:21:19.049 --> 00:21:28.019 it so well. That's how I look at ECB. As an embassy 00:21:28.019 --> 00:21:32.500 representing the kingdom of God to the people 00:21:32.500 --> 00:21:36.940 of Bangkok and well beyond. Representing not 00:21:36.940 --> 00:21:40.319 with cows and cookies and speaking Dutch. Don't 00:21:40.319 --> 00:21:44.920 do that. It's hard. But by being ambassadors 00:21:44.920 --> 00:21:50.099 for the case of Jesus. Representing him in all 00:21:50.099 --> 00:21:59.710 of life. Many of you are deciding that whatever 00:21:59.710 --> 00:22:03.710 you receive here on this campus, at ECB, whether 00:22:03.710 --> 00:22:06.650 it's on Sundays or through various kind of programs, 00:22:07.430 --> 00:22:12.170 not to keep to yourself, but to use it to have 00:22:12.170 --> 00:22:14.750 an impact in the places where you live, you work, 00:22:14.910 --> 00:22:18.930 you play, you study, you eat. Some of you here 00:22:18.930 --> 00:22:22.460 today... are worshiping right next to the person 00:22:22.460 --> 00:22:24.779 you've been praying for for years and you've 00:22:24.779 --> 00:22:27.599 been witnessing to for the same amount of years. 00:22:28.039 --> 00:22:30.779 And now, next to being a friend, a relative, 00:22:30.819 --> 00:22:33.279 or a colleague, you get to call them your brother 00:22:33.279 --> 00:22:38.079 or your sister in Christ. Why? Because you have 00:22:38.079 --> 00:22:41.519 decided to operate as an ambassador for the kingdom 00:22:41.519 --> 00:22:45.160 of God and to use what you've received here to 00:22:45.160 --> 00:22:48.140 have an impact for Jesus in the places where 00:22:48.140 --> 00:22:54.359 you are and you. The Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 00:22:54.359 --> 00:22:57.880 5 speaks about the church in this way where he 00:22:57.880 --> 00:23:02.099 says, For God was in Christ reconciling the world 00:23:02.099 --> 00:23:05.299 to himself, no longer counting people's sins 00:23:05.299 --> 00:23:11.019 against them. And he gave us his wonderful message 00:23:11.019 --> 00:23:16.019 of reconciliation. So we are Christ's ambassadors. 00:23:16.039 --> 00:23:20.809 Who? We are Christ's ambassadors. God is making 00:23:20.809 --> 00:23:24.089 his appeal through us and we speak for Christ 00:23:24.089 --> 00:23:29.990 when we plead, come back to God. The strategy 00:23:29.990 --> 00:23:33.529 that God has chosen to get the news of Jesus 00:23:33.529 --> 00:23:37.450 out and bring people back to himself is to do 00:23:37.450 --> 00:23:41.500 it through us. ambassadors of Jesus, representing 00:23:41.500 --> 00:23:46.220 him wherever we are. And just like regular embassies, 00:23:46.220 --> 00:23:49.119 it's not only about the representation, as in 00:23:49.119 --> 00:23:51.640 talking well about the kingdom we represent. 00:23:51.819 --> 00:23:55.039 No, no. It's also about providing visa services 00:23:55.039 --> 00:23:59.200 to enter that kingdom. That's what embassies 00:23:59.200 --> 00:24:01.359 do as well. You know that you and I have been 00:24:01.359 --> 00:24:06.410 given the keys to the kingdom of God? We have 00:24:06.410 --> 00:24:09.430 in our preaching and our discipleship, we give 00:24:09.430 --> 00:24:11.630 the keys, we have the keys of the kingdom of 00:24:11.630 --> 00:24:15.170 God and we are allowing people permanent visas 00:24:15.170 --> 00:24:21.359 to that kingdom. It's powerful. By the way, this 00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:23.720 is how the church, the universal church, has 00:24:23.720 --> 00:24:27.099 been growing from the day of Pentecost, 120 believers, 00:24:27.299 --> 00:24:30.220 all the way to a movement of billions by now 00:24:30.220 --> 00:24:34.339 all around the world and of all the ages. It's 00:24:34.339 --> 00:24:38.339 because people have decided, Jesus for me, amazing, 00:24:38.460 --> 00:24:44.900 but I can't keep it to myself. So here's my charge 00:24:44.900 --> 00:24:50.650 to you, dear loved ones. Expand your territory. 00:24:53.029 --> 00:24:57.509 Expand your territory. Wherever you go and wherever 00:24:57.509 --> 00:25:00.710 you are, you are carrying the presence of Jesus 00:25:00.710 --> 00:25:04.490 with you. The Bible speaks that we are clothed 00:25:04.490 --> 00:25:08.329 by Jesus, marked by Jesus. You know what it means? 00:25:08.390 --> 00:25:12.009 That whatever place you enter is a place of influence 00:25:12.009 --> 00:25:14.329 for the kingdom, is a place where the kingdom 00:25:14.329 --> 00:25:19.269 of God is about to break through. So would you 00:25:19.269 --> 00:25:23.609 please ask God and say, Lord, open my eyes for 00:25:23.609 --> 00:25:25.690 the opportunities that I have in the spheres 00:25:25.690 --> 00:25:29.150 that I move in every day and ask the Holy Spirit, 00:25:29.269 --> 00:25:32.670 the creative Holy Spirit, to give you these nice, 00:25:32.690 --> 00:25:36.769 brilliant, smart, creative ideas to seize those 00:25:36.769 --> 00:25:39.970 opportunities and to turn them into movements 00:25:39.970 --> 00:25:45.329 for the kingdom of God. Expand your territory. 00:25:45.910 --> 00:25:49.299 Not because you must, Not because one of your 00:25:49.299 --> 00:25:51.920 pastors is telling you. No, no, no. But because 00:25:51.920 --> 00:25:55.779 you long for the same thing that God is longing 00:25:55.779 --> 00:25:59.319 for. What is that? For his kingdom to come and 00:25:59.319 --> 00:26:03.500 for his will to be done on earth as it is already 00:26:03.500 --> 00:26:10.319 in heaven. That's what I wanted to share with 00:26:10.319 --> 00:26:13.660 you this morning. Three, stick with me for the 00:26:13.660 --> 00:26:17.069 rest of my life. as I will be reminiscing the 00:26:17.069 --> 00:26:22.730 years at ECB. ECB is a place of belonging. ECB 00:26:22.730 --> 00:26:26.009 is God's workplace for healing and transformation. 00:26:27.930 --> 00:26:32.650 And ECB is an embassy for the advancement of 00:26:32.650 --> 00:26:38.430 the kingdom of God. No wonder why these years 00:26:38.430 --> 00:26:44.220 for our family have been transformative. Life 00:26:44.220 --> 00:26:50.019 -giving, faith -building. I truly have. No wonder 00:26:50.019 --> 00:26:54.519 why it is so hard to leave this place, to leave. 00:27:07.900 --> 00:27:12.319 To leave this ministry. It's hard and we're going 00:27:12.319 --> 00:27:20.539 to miss you. But you know what? God has made 00:27:20.539 --> 00:27:26.220 his way so abundantly clear to us that we're 00:27:26.220 --> 00:27:30.960 really okay with leaving you. We have made a 00:27:30.960 --> 00:27:33.559 vow. We have committed to God that we would follow 00:27:33.559 --> 00:27:41.980 him wherever he would send us. And he's moving 00:27:41.980 --> 00:27:44.720 us away from a place we deeply love and we're 00:27:44.720 --> 00:27:48.539 going to deeply miss. But we're excited for new 00:27:48.539 --> 00:27:52.059 things. We really are. So today is not just a 00:27:52.059 --> 00:27:54.319 sad day. It's not just a day of grieving, which 00:27:54.319 --> 00:27:57.119 it is also. I have to be honest with you. It's 00:27:57.119 --> 00:28:00.700 also a day of anticipation. Looking ahead to 00:28:00.700 --> 00:28:02.960 new and exciting things that are waiting for 00:28:02.960 --> 00:28:05.960 our family, that are waiting for you, that are 00:28:05.960 --> 00:28:09.900 waiting for ECB. And I say hallelujah. Thank 00:28:09.900 --> 00:28:15.049 you, Lord, for what you have done. And the last 00:28:15.049 --> 00:28:20.230 thing before I pray is this, from a very deep 00:28:20.230 --> 00:28:25.289 place in my heart, in our hearts, we want to 00:28:25.289 --> 00:28:29.690 thank you for your love. We want to thank you 00:28:29.690 --> 00:28:37.890 for your trust, for your encouragement, for your 00:28:37.890 --> 00:28:42.039 prayers, for your support. For your intentionality, 00:28:42.140 --> 00:28:47.579 for your care, for your hospitality over all 00:28:47.579 --> 00:28:54.960 these years. When we stepped into this journey 00:28:54.960 --> 00:28:59.019 that we had no idea about in 2018, it was a step 00:28:59.019 --> 00:29:03.420 of obedience. It was a leap of deep faith. And 00:29:03.420 --> 00:29:07.890 it has come with some real challenges. But you 00:29:07.890 --> 00:29:10.529 have blessed us so much with all of those things 00:29:10.529 --> 00:29:13.829 I just thanked you for and more that we were 00:29:13.829 --> 00:29:19.509 able to run this race, to run it well, and to 00:29:19.509 --> 00:29:23.650 finish it with great gratitude and joy. So people 00:29:23.650 --> 00:29:29.190 of ECB, we love you. We want to express our gratitude. 00:29:29.849 --> 00:29:32.569 We're going to miss you dearly. And thank you 00:29:32.569 --> 00:29:47.359 for all that you have done. Thank you. Would 00:29:47.359 --> 00:29:59.279 you join me as I pray? Jesus, thank you for your 00:29:59.279 --> 00:30:10.299 bride, ECB. A bride of almost 60 years old now. 00:30:12.559 --> 00:30:15.900 And throughout those decades, your faithfulness, 00:30:16.750 --> 00:30:21.569 has been evident. And me and my family can testify 00:30:21.569 --> 00:30:24.789 to that also over the past nine years. Jesus, 00:30:24.849 --> 00:30:29.289 you are building your church, ECB, after founding 00:30:29.289 --> 00:30:32.910 it decades ago, and you will continue to build 00:30:32.910 --> 00:30:40.029 it so that your bride may shine for you. So that 00:30:40.029 --> 00:30:44.029 your bride may be an expression of all that you 00:30:44.029 --> 00:30:48.740 are, Jesus. So my prayer for your church, your 00:30:48.740 --> 00:30:53.799 loved ones, your precious people, is that this 00:30:53.799 --> 00:30:57.980 will be increasingly so a place where radical 00:30:57.980 --> 00:31:02.519 hospitality is applied to the stranger, the foreigner, 00:31:02.779 --> 00:31:05.839 those who are different, those who we already 00:31:05.839 --> 00:31:09.319 know and are familiar with. Radical hospitality 00:31:09.319 --> 00:31:14.099 for anyone to come to know you. I pray that this 00:31:14.840 --> 00:31:19.619 place, this church, your bride, will be known 00:31:19.619 --> 00:31:24.359 for deep faith to always expect more of you. 00:31:25.059 --> 00:31:28.839 So Lord, increase the faith of my brothers and 00:31:28.839 --> 00:31:33.380 sisters. And Lord, yes, I ask, expand your territory 00:31:33.380 --> 00:31:38.240 through your church, ECB. Enlarge your kingdom, 00:31:38.339 --> 00:31:42.339 Lord, and use the people of ECB. For that purpose. 00:31:42.440 --> 00:31:45.319 So that truly your kingdom may come. Your will 00:31:45.319 --> 00:31:50.539 may be done. Here. The city of Bangkok. The nation 00:31:50.539 --> 00:31:53.440 of Thailand. And the nations of the world. Lord 00:31:53.440 --> 00:31:58.359 I believe. Lord we believe. And it's in Jesus 00:31:58.359 --> 00:32:12.680 name that we pray. Amen. Whether near or far, 00:32:12.940 --> 00:32:16.140 if you are looking for community or are in need 00:32:16.140 --> 00:32:19.500 of prayer, we welcome you to engage by sending 00:32:19.500 --> 00:32:25.099 us an email to office at ecb .asia. If God is 00:32:25.099 --> 00:32:27.720 calling you to support our ministries, you will 00:32:27.720 --> 00:32:31.480 find giving options on our website. And remember 00:32:31.480 --> 00:32:34.259 to join us next week. God bless you.