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to enrich your faith. Here's today's sermon.
So we're going to be continuing with our teaching,
Ministers of God. And I just want to just remind
us. of certain things that forms the foundation
of who we are. And then we'll go to our passage
this evening. And I think it's a reminder of
what I mentioned in passing on Sunday, that Jesus
Christ says this, that we are the light of the
world. And that in itself is powerful if you
just take time and think about it, that he himself
has called us out of the darkness into his marvelous
light and has... He instructed us to show for
that light which he has, show for that life which
we have received, show for that life which we
have received from him, proclaim that to others.
And the thing about light is that light is distinct.
You can't confuse light with darkness. That light
is distinct in the way it operates. Believers
are distinct in the way we all preach. We are
distinct in the way we all preach. The way we
do things is different from the way things are
done in the world. I think I brought the letters
and the song. We are no longer defined by the
world. We are defined in Christ. Our definition...
is in Christ Jesus. And that in itself is what
empowers the way we do things, is what should
empower the way we act, the way we do. We don't
mix ourselves. We don't find ourselves entangled
with the things that are inconsistent with our
identity. And we should be able to notice. And
that is why training is important. As a believer,
once you're trained, you know when you are not.
When you are entangling yourself with things
that are inconsistent with your identity because
you know what your identity is. We are not confused
about our identity. We are not confused about
our identity. As believers that are trained,
we know what our identity is. We are not confused.
The same way you are not confused of your nationality.
Somebody cannot come and tell you that you are
from a nationality that you are not from. It's
the same way our identity in Christ, we are not
confused. We are not confused about it. And training
is what establishes, training is what even gives
us more confidence in our identity. So if there's
anyone here that is struggling, because there
can be someone struggling in this place about
who they are in Christ. They are not sure because
circumstances and situation has brought them
under, has made them to think that if I'm in
Christ, why am I going through this thing? Why
am I going through that thing? If there's anyone
in this place, I'm speaking to you. I'm encouraging
you that your identity in Christ doesn't shift
because of your circumstances and situations.
Your identity in Christ is rock solid. What Christ
has done is rock solid and nothing can change
what he has done. Not even your circumstance
and situation will change that. And Apostle Paul,
the passage that we're looking at, he gives and
poses a question. It first of all encourages
believers to do something. Let's go to the 2
Corinthians that we're looking at. 2 Corinthians
6. 2 Corinthians 6. 2 Corinthians 6. We're reading,
we're going to be looking at 14 to 16. 2 Corinthians
6, 14 to 16. 2 Corinthians 6, 14 to 16. Now read
from the New King James. It says, Do not be unequally
yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship
has righteousness with lawlessness? And what
union has light with darkness? And what accord
has Christ with Belial? And what pact has a believer
with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the
temple of God with idols? For you are the temple
of the living God. As God has said, I will dwell
in them and walk among them. I will be their
God and they shall be my people. Establishing
what Christ has done in us as believers. I want
us to spend time here and dwell for a while.
I want you to notice something in this passage.
Most of the times we dwell on the first line
of verse 14. And we say, do not be unequally
yoked with unbelievers. And we miss the point.
We miss the point. I want you to pay attention
to the particular words he uses with the contrast.
I mean, the words he used. Take, for example,
the first in verse 14. He says, what fellowship?
I want you to pay attention to fellowship, the
word fellowship. He says fellowship, and then
he contrasts two things. Righteousness. And lawlessness.
Righteousness, lawlessness. But the word he uses
there is fellowship. He says fellowship. And
then he says what union? So the second word is
union. So I want you to write it down. I want
you to write fellowship. I want you to write
union. I want you to write accord. Fellowship,
union, accord. I want you to write part. I want
you to write agreement. Fellowship, union, accord,
part, and agreement. fellowship, union, accord,
pact, and agreement. And then I want us to now
double down on it and look at the things he contrasts
because he's posing a question. He says, what
fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness?
That is, righteousness is what he's contrasting
with lawlessness. And then he says, what communion
he now poses light, darkness. And then he says,
what accord? He now says, Christ and Belial.
And Belial there, in some translation, in the
NLT, you see Satan. You see devil in an NLT.
In some other translation, in the NIV, you see
Satan. It just contrasts. We know basically what
the contrast is at this point. Then he says,
what pact? As a believer, with a non -believer,
and then the last bit, which is the fifth one,
is what agreement? has the temple of God with
the temple of idols. So you know that what he's
saying is based off that first line, which is
do not be on equal yoke together with unbelievers.
That is the example because everything after
that is him contrasting the characteristics or
the things that characterizes a believer in contrast
to a non -believer. Everything afterwards is
a clear... caught contrast. He's just trying
to establish like, there is a way, which is the
point I started with. There is a way, there's
a distinction, a clear -cut distinction between
a believer and a non -believer. And I like the
way NLT starts off that line. He says, don't
team up. Don't team up with those who are unbelievers.
It makes it clear that Your team member shouldn't
be a non -believer. Your team member shouldn't
be a non -believer. And there's a reason why.
And we'll go further because remember, we said,
we started off when he said in verse 4, he said,
I commend you as ministers of God. So if you
are a minister, you already, you are in a position
where you shouldn't be entangled or you shouldn't
be teaming up yourself with someone who doesn't
share. the same belief system, the same ideology,
the same understanding, the way of life, the
way of life. And I think that's what we, when
I went on church, and we'll go back to that passage
again, in Ephesians 5 verse 16, we'll click down
where it says, you have a responsibility, your
responsibility and the way you do things is different
from the way the world does things. The way we
do things is different from the way the world
does. And sometimes we find ourselves Because
of different circumstances and situations, we
find ourselves entangled. We find ourselves in
close relationship with people who don't share
the faith that we share. And what that will affect,
what that will do, it will undermine the gospel
that we carry. And some of us, we don't even
make the gospel that we carry ring through in
our operation. This is one key thing. Because
naturally, if a person doesn't share the same
identity as yourself, and you keep... showing
forth that identity you keep making sure that
the person sees who you are not pulling back
who you not dumbing down who you are for the
sake of the relationship don't be drawing your
like you say and we don't usually do this but
because we are friends this let's just let's
just for the sake of peace for the sake of a
You are now undermining your identity because
of a relationship. That means that relationship
is more important to you than your identity.
And that is what we see. That is one thing. And
this is basically why we're talking about this.
That's one thing that undermines our responsibility,
which makes us not to even be accountable because
you know that if you are accountable about that
relationship, that relationship will go. That
relationship will go. And we have believers that
know what their identity is or have gotten complacent
and comfortable with living a life of mediocrity
or living a life that doesn't reflect their identity
or just being okay with that because of the relationships
that they want to keep or they want to preserve.
And Apostle Paul is not mixing words. He's not
saying on some occasion you can team up or he
didn't say for the sake of the gospel. you can't
team up. He didn't, like he didn't give any,
he just spells it out clearly. I'll read from
the NLTC. Don't team up with those. And okay,
let me even make it even more practical so that
we understand what exactly the magnitude of this
thing. Just imagine a football match. Imagine
a football match. And you know, if you are even
playing soccer, those of us that play soccer,
and I can remember the times where we do play
soccer well. Even when your teammates or when
they follow your opponents, is using Chelsea.
You are using Chelsea. And Chelsea has different
jerseys. They have the blue one. They have the...
I don't know the colors, but I know that Major
League, they have their blue up and down. When
you are trying to select, when you are trying
to choose your own, even if you are choosing
the same, you have to ensure that the color of
the other, your opponents, even if you are using
the same team, You should not share the same
color. Because if you are wearing blue and blue,
your opponent is wearing blue and blue, there's
going to be great confusion when the match starts.
Because nobody will know whose player is having
the ball at 7 .5 because all the players on your
team have the same name with all the players
on the other team. So there's going to be great
confusion. And that is what happens when people
cannot clearly distinguish. The actions of a
believer with the actions of a non -believer,
they cannot clearly see the actions or the characteristics
of it because there is no relationship. There
is no relationship. And we are instructed not
to team up with them because teaming up with
them will make one. In fact, mostly it's easy
for people to do. It's easy for you to just glide
into unbelief. It's easy for you to glide into...
different things and different situations because
it's just the way the natural and because the
influence can be more on the other side depending
on what exactly it is. He says, don't team up.
How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness?
The wickedness is what is being used here. He
says, how can light live with darkness? How can
light live with darkness? He says, what harmony?
Notice I think they also use live and it's what
harmony? Can there be between Christ and the
devil? How can a believer be a partner with a
non -believer? And what union can there be between
God's temple and idols? We are the temple of
the living God. As God said, I will live in them.
I will live in them. I will live in them and
walk among them. I will be their God and they
will be my people. I will be their God and they
will be my people. That establishes the identity
of a believer. We are his people. We are his
people. We're going to come to that part in 1
Peter. We are his people. He lives in us. He
lives in us. In case you are confused as to what
he means by, because he establishes that, he
says the believer is the temple of the living
God. Paul's letter, first letter to the Corinthian
church in 3 verse 16. Paul's letter, I want us
to go there. 1 Corinthians 3 verse 16. Paul uses
that same word, but he establishes it further.
He poses the question in the same format. He
says, do you not know that you are the temple
of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
Do you not know that you are the temple of God
and the Spirit of God dwells in you? He goes
further to establish the fact that as the temple
of God, the Spirit of God dwells in us. Which
is going back to what he says. He says, I will
live in them. I will live in them. That is in
verse 16 of 2 Corinthians 6. He says, I will
live in them. The Spirit of God dwells in us.
The Spirit of God. dwells in us and we say that
this is when you say temple of the living god
we know that if you say temple of the living
god you say some something is god's means that
some that's something that is god's is built
by him right if i say this is the house of god
i know that the house of god is a house that
god built the house of god when you say something
is god's house is something that he built And
God himself, if he dwells in that place, he dwells
in something that he has made. And we'll see
that shortly. I will further establish that shortly.
Note that in this particular passage, he clearly
establishes at different levels. Fellowship,
righteousness, wickedness or lawlessness, union.
with light, darkness, and all of them, you notice
that even NLT uses, slightly different, it uses
union in some places because all of them are
still saying the same thing. That these two things
don't have where they meet. Praise God. These
two things don't have where they meet. These
two identities don't have where there is a middle
ground. So there is no middle ground. A believer
has a clear operation. Remember what I said at
the beginning. How we do things, how we think
is different from how they do things, how they
think. If you're going to make any progress in
your work, you have to put aside, we have to
work as you are called to work. And this is not
just because when we say this, we might be thinking,
okay, it is just with unbelievers, right? Say,
don't team up with unbelievers. It will surprise
you that even in... Let's go to Corinthians,
right? Let's go to 2 Corinthians. Read that passage
a lot. I think we mostly go to that passage.
2 Corinthians 3. I will read it. 2 Corinthians
3. 2 Corinthians 3 verse 6. 2 Corinthians 3 verse
6. Because even unbelievers do. Even unbelievers
do. Let me start. 2 Corinthians 3, verse 6. It
says, but we command you. This is the Apostle
Paul speaking. He says, but we command you, brethren,
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you
withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly
and not according to the tradition which you
have received. Let me read it from the NLT. It
says, and my dear brother, now and now. Dear
brothers and sisters, we give you this command
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Speak away
from all believers who live idle. That's what
I was going to establish. He says, who live,
he says, he says, he says, he says disorder.
He says, who, that who walks disorderly. He says,
who live idle lives and don't follow this religion
that they have received from us. This is very
key that you know that it's not just even the
people that are unbelievers. There are people
that claim that they say they are believers but
they don't walk in accordance with their identity.
They will establish why if you don't walk well.
But the instruction is clear. Right? The instruction
is clear. Note that you shouldn't be enclosed
because there is an effect. When you come and
say... Close relationship or close association
with people that don't share the same beliefs
with you affects the results that you have, affects
the progress that you make. You are living with
people that, and I think a couple of people have
shared, I think even during the course of this,
they said, oh, when I saw I was struggling, I
connected with people that read, that read these
hours, that read that hours, and note that their
results change. Even in the things like in your
academics, in your studies, if you owe your house,
your... friends are getting FF, FF, FF. You shouldn't
be shocked. You shouldn't be surprised. You shouldn't
be surprised that you too are part of it because
even if you're doing well, at some point in time,
you'll just find out that you don't understand
the, you know, you know, I was telling some people,
I say, I say, if you are, you are used to splashing
money, you spend, it's like when you get money,
you spend it to zero and then somebody comes
around you, you will influence the person. Some
people, they don't rest until the account is
back to zero. Like that they cannot, they don't
know peace. On the account, they must ensure
that anything that comes in goes out. It's a
flow. It's cash flow. It will flow and flow,
it flow and flow out because there is a system
that they have created. And when you are hung
around those people, you will be under pressure.
You don't know that this person has a bad habit.
You'll be thinking that that is how life is,
that you're not the one that is keeping up with
it. And people can make you feel bad. I think
I was sharing. Where am I? Very recently, because
I was, I connected, I reconnected with a friend.
I had not reconnected. We caught up. Even though
we had connected previously, I think during this
past month, I caught up with a friend and I was
asking him about a friend of ours that were in
the university together. I was reminded very
clearly that that time in university, when we
came and then we were like, oh, this brother
will go out and he will sign, because in our
university, you have to sign to leave the university.
He will sign out. He will go and party, have
fun, sleep around. come back and be talking about
it like with such... You know, when somebody
is making ungodliness, like you are the one that
is... You are the one that is sick. You are the
one that needs to be delivered from the bondage
that you are in. I am the one enjoying the good
life. And if you don't understand your identity,
somebody that understands or misuses their freedom
will make you look like you're the one that is
in bondage. And we as believers want to understand
our identity and know that we have a responsibility
and work in that responsibility regardless of
the pressure. And sometimes it's peer pressure.
You have people make you look like you don't
know what you're doing. You're wasting your time.
And these people, they will explain to you how
if you don't, like they want to bring you into
their own reality. But you have a reality that
is more real than their own reality. And you
want to be able to stand up and say, this is
what I believe in. This is what is consistent
with my identity. Whatever it is that you're
doing is not my reality. It's not my identity.
And I choose not to listen to you. And now I
said, talking with him, I was like, there's the
evidence. It is clear. There's the results that
have to show for it. And sometimes it is, we
cannot say, okay, good for them. But the thing
is that if we had given in to them, we would
have been experiencing the same reality as them.
Praise God. So in this, he says even people,
and notice that these ones are believers. They
are not, they are believers. They are people
that, the word there, the disorderly there, the
word, the Greek word there is, is A -T -A -K
-T -O -S. A -T -A -K -T -O -S. A -T -A -K -T
-O -S. And you might think because he says walks
disorderly. You know, sometimes when you see
walks disorderly, when you say walk, it's W -O,
it's not walk. It's almost like you might think
that what is said there is maybe you're not walking
well. When they say somebody is walking disorderly,
some people might just think that the person
is just throwing his legs anyhow. I mean, that's
how you can just be throwing your legs, making
noise, walking around. You know, say that person
is walking disorderly. It is not the literal
walk. It's not a literal walking, like walking
with you. And in the same passage, you'll see
it made clear. If you're reading it from the
NLT, NLT says those who live idle lives. Those
who live idle lives. It uses live idle lives.
Live idle lives. Say, live idle lives. But when
you read further in verse 11, let's go to verse
11. If you read further, going to verse 11, verse
11 says, For we hear that there are some who
walk among you in a disorderly manner. Repeating
the same word, disorderly manner. And look at
the manner now. Not walking at all. Not working
at all. Not working at all now, makes it that
he says, but are busybodies. He says, they don't
work. They don't do any, they don't actively,
which is what, and he says, they are idle. They
live idle lives. So in verse 6, it's made clear
by verse 11. You are not confused. You shouldn't
be confused because in the passage, it explains
what it is that you should be looking at. And
not that, this is, one thing Apostle Paul is
addressing. And no doubt, this one thing still
points to us that if an individual, because the
truth about it is that in the verse 6, he says,
these people are not living according to the
instructions that they have received. Meaning
that if a person is in the body and is not living
according to instructions, it undermines the
work of ministry. Because we are ministers of
God, anything we do should make the work effective.
Anything we, how we live our lives will affect
the works. Or in fact, even the things we do
or the things we don't do, both of them have
their consequences on the work of ministry. So
the moment we come to this understanding, it
establishes a lot of things and it helps us to
move further in our work. So here, he says very
clearly that, see, we draw from these people.
We want to know why? Because these people will
affect the way you work. Because if you are hanging
around these people, as I said earlier, this
person is... They say, you know, there are some
people that when they say go left, they want
to go right and see what is going to happen if
they go right. And we know that those people
are not the Spirit of God that empowers that
kind of attitude. We know that it's not the Spirit
of God because we know from God's Word that the
Spirit of God doesn't enable rebellion. It doesn't
enable rebellion. It doesn't enable disobedience.
Praise God. So he says you should... Withdraw
from these individuals. You should withdraw.
As I said earlier, it's not just... If I give
you a saying that you should withdraw from people
that are believers, that are not working according
to the instructions given, how much more? How
much more? How much more? I used the word how
much more. I wanted to talk about that, but that
will be for later. How much more an individual
that is not even in the same team as you? How
much more an individual is not on the same team
as you? It just goes to establish the fact that
the individuals that we team up with will affect
the results that we have. It will affect the
results that we have. Because there's an example
that we model in the way we do certain things.
An example that we model in the way we do things.
As I said, light is this thing. The way light
operates, the way there's a thinking and there's
a doing. that makes us very distinct. Our actions
are very distinct. So if someone is, and that
is disorderly because, take for example, we are
asked to do, everyone is asked to, and basically
this will make us see a lot of things that we're
doing wrong. And I believe that this teaching
will help us to understand that it is not orderly
when... We are instructed to arrive in one year.
And we choose not to. We're not even making any
effort. Even when we say, okay, you have missed
this particular day. We are going to catch up.
It is disorderly. Because we have agreed. And
the leadership has agreed. And everyone of us
is responsible for that. It is not disorderly
when we say, read the book of the month. And
then you choose not to. And you see, it's idle.
Because it's not idleness. It's not like... These
people... I do, but they're doing something because
he says they are busybodies. The question is,
where do they choose to channel their energy
towards? You channel your energy towards the
things you feel like. You know, there's this
thing of I feel like. I only do the things I
feel like doing. I am bored from reading the
Book of the Month. I am bored from reading the...
I'm bored from even attending church activities.
Our brother led us through. There are certain
things he says do not neglect. It's an instruction.
It's not saying only when it's convenient. That's
not what it said. Sometimes it seems like when
we are reading passages, some of us are interpreting
the passages like it's almost like an interpreter.
Interpreting it. It says, do not neglect. It
says, on some occasions you can choose to neglect.
It seems like that is how it is communicated
sometimes when we read certain passages. But
it's very clear. I love verse 9. It says, it's
not because we do not have an authority. That
is Apostle Paul still speaking. But we make ourselves
an example of how you should follow us. In the
verse 9 of 2 Thessalonians 3. 2 Thessalonians
3 verse 9 says, Not because we do not have authority,
but we make ourselves an example of how you should
follow us. I would love us to read this. Read
the Thessalonians from 1 to... 2 Thessalonians
3, verse 1, because most of the times we read
2 Thessalonians, we read that passage and we
stop at 1, 2, and 3. But I believe that if we
read the whole thing, it's going to go a long
way in helping us. Let me start from verse 1.
I will do that. We still have time. Finally,
brethren, pray for us that the word of God will
run swiftly and be glorified just as it is with
you. Just as it is with you. I love the way NLT
puts it. It is, we ask that you pray for us.
Pray that the Lord's message will spread rapidly
and be honored wherever it goes. Just as when
it came to you. It will spread rapidly and be
honored. It sounds like Acts 19 .20. It sounds
like Acts 22, that the word of God will spread
and have a powerful effect. That's how the NLT
puts it. It will spread and have a powerful effect.
Meaning that the spreading of the word of God
has, like that is spreading, it's true. How the
word of God will spread is to us as believers.
Meaning that the activity, remember we said about
not being idle. Not living idle. Meaning that
the activity that we should do is ensuring that
this word is spread. because the powerful effect
of the word of God is in the spread. And if it's
not spread, we will not see the powerful effect.
If the word of God is not spread in the school
campus, we will not see the powerful effect of
the word in the campus. If the word of God is
not spread on the island, we will not see the
powerful effect of the word on the island. And
in verse 2 it says, And that we may be delivered
from unreasonable and wicked men that for all
do not have faith. Speaking about those that
don't believe. Praise God. It's saying that we
should be delivered from them, not you team up
with them. Praise God. You have to be delivered
from them. You're not to partner with them because
if you're partnering with them, you're associates.
You can't be fighting with your close associates
now. You can't be fighting your close associates.
But because you're standing for what is the identity,
you're standing in your identity, you are going
to be... You're going to be rivals, not teammates.
Praise God. Going back to the analogy I gave
us with football. If you're wearing the same
jersey and you're playing against a team, the
team you're playing against, you have the same
jersey. You will confuse your team members. You
will confuse their team members. All of you will
be confused. Confusion is going to be all over
the match because, you know, for us, you know,
even when they're playing, I think the better
decision is when, you know, when you come and
then, I don't know, some of us have this memory
of that way. They will say, okay, two teams are
playing. Because you don't have money for Jesse,
they will say, okay, this other team should remove
their shirts. The other team should wear shirts.
So that's how you can tell which team is the
different way. So when somebody comes now and
is trying to play neutral, he will wear his shirt.
Meanwhile, he's playing for the team he shared
that because he doesn't want to take off his
shirt. You know, that is an example to confuse
the game. You will just be wondering what is
going on here. Somebody will pass by, the teammate
that is wearing a shirt will pass by and say,
you don't know, is that teammate that refused
to pull his shirt? Meanwhile, he's part of a
teammate that should take off his shirt. And
you see, confusion will just be happening. Some
people will be angry. Some people will say, ah,
what is wrong now? You have to take extra caution
to understand what is going on. So, meaning that
in this verse 2, now he says that we are delivered
from, he says we are delivered from this, because
this wicked and unreasonable man. There's no
faith. He says, pray too that we are rescued
from wicked and evil people for not everyone
is a believer. He says, not everyone is a believer.
Meaning that the wicked and unreasonable people
are unbelievers. The people that don't believe
in the gospel that is spreading, right? Because
remember in verse 1, he says, it is spreading
and it is glorified. These people don't believe
and they are opposing it. Praise God. In verse
3, it says, but the Lord is faithful. I think
there's a passage we read during the course of
the prayers. It says, but the Lord is faithful.
Meaning that regardless of the resistance, God
is still faithful. It says, who will establish
you and guide you from the evil one? Notice the
faithfulness of God is sure. That even in the
midst of the wicked and the activities of the
wicked and unreasonable. The God that has called
you into it is faithful. You are not the one
that's preserving yourself from the wicked, unreasonable
man. When we say these prayers, we're saying
these prayers because it's God that delivers
us. I think when we were reading the book of
the year, when we came to Nehemiah, this delivery,
when we came to the book of Nehemiah, it became
real, you know? When Nehemiah said, oh, we're
trying to build, there are people that are coming
and even making gestures. What you people are
building, if a fox jumps, it will, like you know,
you will not be worried yourself. What we are
doing is for the good of the people and then
somebody is now making fun of you. You are spreading
the gospel for the people to be saved and somebody
is telling you, look at this one. What do you
know? Who are you to come and be teaching? What
do you know about the Bible? When did you, where
were you saved? Somebody will just come and just
be, and those are people. Even though they can
call themselves believers, they are unbelievers
because they should be partnering with you to
do the work. Not making fun of you while you
are doing the work. Even if you don't even know
how to go about it, they should still support
you and encourage you. Praise God. And they say
God is faithful. So even in the midst of opposition,
we should remember that God is faithful. Verse
4 now says, And we are confident in the Lord
concerning you. Apostle Paul is speaking. But
that you do. And we say, both that you do and
we'll do the things that we command you. Meaning
that his confidence is that they will do the
things that he has commanded and instructed them
to do. Now, may the Lord direct your hearts into
the love of God, into the patience of Christ.
But we command you, brethren, in the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw, which
is where he gives the instruction. He says that
he should do, right? He says that they should
do. And then he warns them to withdraw themselves
from people who don't do. Praise God. He instructs
them because the instruction is, you do. And
then he says, withdraw from people who walk disorderly.
Remember I said disorderly? People who are living
idle lives. People who are living, and he says
idle lives now is because they are not living
according to the instruction that they have received.
Praise God. So you see that this whole passage
is, He's clearly talking about, first and foremost,
the verse 1, which is the spread of the gospel,
which is he doing that which causes people to
come into the knowledge of Christ. And then you
can be aware of the people that will set the
wrong example, people that will deter you from
the work that you have called to do. You should
be aware of that. And then in verse 7 now, yeah,
we're in verse 7. It says, for you know how,
you see, for you yourselves, know how you ought
to follow us. You yourselves know how you ought
to follow us because Apostle Paul now is telling
us he has set an example for them to follow.
How you ought to follow us for we were not disorderly
among you. Meaning that he was not idle. Praise
God. He was not idle. Apostle Paul was a tent
maker. Apostle Paul was doing this, doing that.
Apostle Paul was diligent in the work of ministry.
He was not idle. And then he now comes in the
verse 8. He says, nor did we eat anyone's bread
free of charge, but worked with labor and toil
day and night that we may not be a burden to
any one of you. Then in 9 now he says, not because
we do not have an authority. So he says he could
exercise his authority and say, please, I want
to be on a salary. I can't be doing the work
of ministry and you not put me on a salary. He
now says, but we make ourselves an example of
how you should follow us. An example of how you
should follow us. I want to read it from the
NLT. That's verse 9. He says, we certainly have
the right to ask you to feed us. We have that
right to ask you to feed us. He says, but we
want to give you an example to follow. This,
you, you, we undermine the power of. people,
like, people modeling things to us. Many of us,
there are certain things that we could not have
done if we had not seen somebody do it. I think
I was, I think in the, very clearly, our sister,
Sister Kelly, in the Australian team, she said
she was not motivated to do it until when she
looked at Sister Titi, that is Pastor Emmanuel's
wife, and then she's like, she has the child.
She has this thing. She didn't have any idea.
She wrote her thesis. Because somebody modeled
something that motivated her to do it. And this
also applies in our spiritual work. If you don't
see that something is possible, you almost will
feel like it's unattainable. I told a student,
I said, there is a student that graduated with
a 4 .0. The guy screamed. I said, it is possible.
The fact that someone could do it means that
you could do it. You just need to work at it.
And we're not saying that you should kill yourself
to do it. We're saying that you should know that
it's possible and work towards it. If you don't
have a four -point, you have it. But you moved
from one point something to somewhere convenient.
If that's where you are. But because somebody
is possible, you'll be motivated to put in the
work to get it done. Same thing with our work.
The moment someone models to you something. And
that was what Jesus Christ did with his disciples.
He modeled service. He didn't just tell them,
go and serve. He modeled it to them. We see that
in the actions, the washing of their feet, the
different things he did, even how to pray. When
he goes and prays, he was modeling something
to them. And it's very powerful. The power that
you don't believe, like doing certain things
and people doing it and you watch them, it is
very powerful. That's why some of the times,
it's not that we cannot delegate certain things,
but there's certain things that we have to model
so that you see. And then you learn and you know
how it is done. And Apostle Paul in this passage
is telling, look, we're not telling you to do
what we don't do. We are telling you to do these
things because we have shown you how it is done.
And we demand of you to do likewise. Because
even when Jesus Christ was giving instructions
to the disciples, he's giving them an instruction
on the premise that he has shown them how to
do it and he has empowered them with the tool
to do it as well. So he's not just leaving them
fatherless or leaving them clueless as to how
to go about it. And we see even in Apostle Paul's
instruction to Timothy. In 1 Timothy 4, verse
12. I want us to read that passage. 1 Timothy
4, verse 12. I want us to go to 1 Timothy 4,
verse 12. 1 Timothy 4, verse 12. It says, don't
let anyone think less of you. I'm reading from
the NLT. Don't let anyone think less of you because
you are young. Be an example to all believers
in what you say, in the way you live, in your
love. in your faith and your purity. New King
James says, let no one despise your youth. He
says, but make yourselves an example. Sorry,
but be an example to the believer in your own
word, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.
He's instructing Timothy, be an example. Be an
example. Be an example. Be an example to the
believers. Be an example to the believers. Because
if you say, don't team up, you want to see what
it means, how life is when you are walking in
the instructions given. You're walking in the
instructions given. And we also see that, we
also see in Hebrews, we also see in Hebrews,
Hebrews 13 verse 7. Hebrews 13 verse 7. Hebrews
13 verse 7. This is in relation, because you
know that all of these examples are in relation
to leadership. It's in relation to leadership.
Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken
the word of God to you, whose faith you follow,
considering the outcome of their conduct. The
NLC says, follow the example of their faith.
Follow the example of their faith. It says, remember
your leaders who taught you the word. Who taught
you the word. Who taught you the word? Say, who
taught you the word of God? Think of all the
good that has come from their lives. Meaning
that you're looking at the results of that good
from their life. Look at the results of the good.
The things that have been taught. Meaning that
the leader also has the responsibility to live
out what he teaches. Has that responsibility
as well. And follow the example of their faith,
meaning that the faith of the leader is something
that people can see and follow because it's modeled.
And on different levels, we see that as believers,
we see, we model, and some other person is looking
at us and following suit because your inability
to model this thing would deny someone an opportunity
to see it and see the possibility. And then follow
suit. Because every one of us, remember what
we started with. We are light. Right? We are
light. People should, and light reflects. When
light is in a place, it shines. When light is
in a place, people will see. Right? People will
see. So there's a showing that happens as a result
of that. And we shouldn't undermine the investment
of God upon our lives. not do or not act, not
be distinct. We are undermining the investment
of God. We are not making the most of what we
have been given. And we will not be able to see
the plans and purpose because when you undermine,
like if you don't even see the investment that
has been done, you're undermining. If you don't
see that there's an example to live by, you will
not follow. And all of this will not make the
book of ministry the success that it should be.
Because remember, in the passage that we read,
even though I think we'll have to read that passage
down to the very end, because there's a lot more
things that I would love us to see in that passage.
I think we stopped in verse 9. That's in 2 Thessalonians
3. I want us to go back to 2 Thessalonians. I
want us to read it down to 15. I think we'll
stop in 15. 2 Thessalonians 3. He says, for even
when we were with you, we commanded you this.
If anyone will not walk, neither shall he eat.
You know, this one is a standard. If you don't
want to, you will not see food if you don't want
to walk. See, for we hear that there are some
who walk among you in a disorderly manner, which
is the 11 that we read earlier, not walking at
all. They choose not to walk at all, but are
busybodies doing something else other than walking.
Now, those who are such, we command and exalt
through our Lord Jesus Christ that they walk
in the quietness and eat their own bread. So
it's commanding and exalting. that they walk
in quietness and eat their own bread. Meaning
that they should change their ways. They should
change their ways and walk in their own way.
But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in
doing good. Praise God. Do not grow weary in
doing good. He's speaking to those that are walking,
those that are this thing, which is what I said
earlier. Don't grow weary. You are doing the
right thing. You might not be seeing the results.
You might not be seeing the progress, but just
stay faithful to what the instructions that has
been given. Because sometimes, and I sense there
are people that you get to a place where you
are putting the work and it's tiring and you're
like, I'm not seeing it. I'm not understanding
it. I'm not getting it. Just keep at it. Don't
grow weary in doing it. Don't grow weary in doing
it. Don't grow weary in doing the things that
have brought you to this point. Because sometimes
there's a season of your life where you are sensing
that God is, that it's almost like you have a
snapshot of what God is going to do in the future.
And you become frustrated because you're not
seeing what God is going to do in the future
in the now. But note that it is going to undermine
the progress. It's going to make you undermine
the work that you have done to this point and
not allow you and be encouraged to keep doing
it to see what you have been shown. And for some
of us, it's where we're at. We're in the season
of our life where God is showing us the things
he's going to do in and through us. And then
you are looking at your now and feeling like
you cannot get there. And then you allow yourself
to be overwhelmed by that. I'm speaking to you
by the Spirit of God. This instruction is that
you should not grow weary in doing the things
that I brought you now. And you should not make
people change the things. I'd make you add things,
almost like you're trying to walk your way. to
get to that place where God has shown you by
yourself. Know that it is his agenda. If you
want to run his agenda, you run his agenda in
his own terms, not your own terms. And Apostle
Paul, he knows that we can grow weary. And he's
telling us in this passage in verse 13, do not
grow weary in doing good. 14, he says, and if
anyone does not obey our word in this epistle,
note that person and do not keep... company.
It's the same thing again. If anybody is in disobedience,
you see, note that person. I think like Pastor
Victor said, mark the person. Mark the person.
Note the person. You are noting the person because
you don't want to be, you see, he says, note
that person and don't keep company with that
person. He tells you not to keep company with
that person. Don't team up with that person.
He says that you, that he may be ashamed. Note
that you are You are doing it so that a person
will see they are wrong. Because there's something
about, which is another thing that we will teach
at some point in time, there's something about
fellowship. There's the joy of fellowship. And
when a believer is denied of fellowship, you
know, in their own setting, the setting of the
backbend, when they withdraw, you know, normally,
when people used to come around you, how are
you doing and everything, and then people withdraw
fellowship, you yourself will be like, what did
I do now? That in itself will compel you to make
a change, to change your ways, so that you'll
be restored back to fellowship. But nowadays,
it's like, people should go. Who are you people?
We can't do without you. You'll be talking to
an entire group. You'll be talking about an entire
group because you don't understand the importance
of the community and the family of God. And that
in itself just establishes that you have no clue.
what you are saying, what you are doing. And
when, most of the times in this day and age,
what you should reset the person is by this,
when the person has challenge and the supposed
people he has teamed up with are not there for
him in that time when he need it. And it's if,
body of Christ, there you say, hey, hello pastor,
I'm in a situation, I don't know, I know I've
done wrong, but I know you people will forgive
me. You know, this is the way you, people now
become manipulative and then persuade and make
you to come. Meanwhile, they are the ones that
position themselves for the disaster that they
have brought upon themselves. Praise God. So
he says, then 15 now says, yet do not count him
as an enemy, which is very important. Don't count
the individual as an enemy, but admonish him
as a brother, which is very key. When we are
dissociating, and that's what we talked about
when he says in that Matthew 18, when he says
let's treat him as a non -believer, and where
we establish the fact that Some people say, how
did Jesus treat unbelievers? That's what you
should ask yourself. How did he treat unbelievers?
He fellowshiped with them. I know that when people
say, oh, we see Jesus, he fellowshiped with unbelievers,
you want to understand that his fellowship with
them is to, you can look at the example in Luke
19 of Zacchaeus. His presence in Zacchaeus' house,
this individual had a turnaround. He said, if
I've taken any goods of him, this person was
in wickedness, he was extorting money from people.
In the fellowship he had with him, there was
a turnaround in his attitude, in his conduct.
This individual believed in Christ. In fact,
that was what drove him to be able to go and
seek him, and that's what brought him to dwell
in his house. So it means that your association
with... unbelievers, they should be an influence.
You should not be associating with them and lose
your identity in the course of it. Because we're
not saying that we don't have relationships with
them. We're saying that close relationships where
you will lose your identity is what it is. You
cannot come and then your best friend, your five
and six, you say, this person is my best friend
and the person is an unbeliever. that will undermine
your identity. It will undermine your belief
system to undermine who you are in Christ Jesus
because you will find times in that relationship
where you compromise. And that in itself will
not help you be able to... And most of us, we
have done it so much to the point that we can't
even preach to the person. You don't even have...
When they say, we have preached... You say, where
do I start? Because you have so entangled yourself,
done so many things that even when you now say,
You know, Jesus loves you. You know, he died.
You're like, you're saying it and you're in denial.
You know, because he died for you, but you don't
know how to communicate it. You're not bold enough
to do so because you have teamed up with this
individual and you have done things you shouldn't
be doing with them in the first place. Praise
God. That is the power of, because you should
have been an example to the individual. That
is what you are called to do. Like, we are not
meant to hide. We are meant to shine. You should
have been an example in such a way that this
individual, even if they had not come to the
place of believing, they should have seen that
example that when the time comes, they will say,
I know someone. He's a friend of mine. He stood
for this. He stood for that. He stood for this.
Because of him, I believe what you are saying.
Because of his life, because of what I've seen,
I believe what you are saying. But you have believers
that have... so compromised in their identity
that when you now come and your parents say,
ah, is he in all of you? We know they will put
everybody in the same WhatsApp group and including
yourself that is living, that you understand
your identity, you are carrying out your responsibility
the way you should. Praise God. So I want us
to really be encouraged to note that there's
a clear distinction between how a believer should
live. And it says in 1 Peter 2 verse 9, it says,
you're called out. We're called out. We're called
out. He says, but you are a chosen generation,
a royal priesthood, a holy nation, his special
people. He says that you may proclaim the praises
of him who called you out of darkness into his
marvelous light, meaning that we're in his marvelous
light. And the responsibility we have is to proclaim.
There's a distinction. It's clear. He says, we
are the chosen. We're not just a likeness. We're
his chosen generation. You're a chosen generation.
You're a royal priesthood. You're a holy nation.
He's special people. He's special people. And
some other translation will say display. Amplified
will say display. And then it will say show.
Jerry Phillips will say demonstrate. Meaning
that these things are things that are manifest.
They are things that you proclaim. And all of
these things are very powerful when we think
about it, that there's a responsibility. There's
the account. We are accountable on the basis
of the fact that we... There's what is expected
of us. And once we're not able to meet up with
that, we have a body and a system by which we're
able to go back and look at it and be instructed
and be guided and understand what it is and how
it is we should go about the things that we're
called into. And I want to close with this. I
want to close with this. I want to just remind
us of what we are instructed to do. The work
of ministry is not optional. It's not an option.
You don't choose to do this and not to do it.
It's something that is a natural, it flows. As
we saw in 1 Peter 2 verse 9, it's something that
flows. It's a proclaim. We are proclaiming what
we are called. It's not like we are going to
be called. And we see the word calling, and calling
is what we have received, the salvation we have
received. We see that in Ephesians 4, where it
says he uses the word called. We know that that
is where we are at, meaning that we are meant
to do likewise. Praise God. And that is why the
Great Commission is very powerful. In Mark 16,
it says, go into the world and preach the gospel
to every creature. It says, he who believes and
is baptized will be saved. But he who does not
believe will be damned. It says, And these signs
will follow those who believe. Meaning that all
those who believe, this will be evident. In my
name they will cast out demons. They will speak
new tongues. They will take up serpents. They
will drink any deadly thing. They will by no
means hurt them. They will lay hands on the sick.
And they will recover. All of these things are
the things that are going to be manifest as a
result of our identity. And these are the things
that we are responsible to see. We'll see these
things responsible. And we are going to be teaching
these things. We're going to be seeing this.
And we see that in the life of the apostles was
evident. And in the church of NEC, we're seeing
these things. And we're believing God for greater
manifestations of these things in this season.
And I want us to... Let our faith be. I think
when we were talking yesterday, we are desiring
to see a greater manifestation. We have seen
how God heals the sick. We have seen how God
does great and mighty things. But we know that
there is more. And we know that God is able to
do great and mighty things. And we are able to
see a great spread. And not that the result of
this will be that there will be a massive spread.
We'll see the massive spread of God's word. on
the island will see people turning around because
the message will go out and there will be a powerful
effect. The message will go out and there will
be a powerful effect that people will see. It
says in Acts 19 verse 11, it says, and now God
will work unusual miracles by the hands of all.
And there are many things that we see and all
of these things are testament to the command
and the commission given and that is what followed.
And we're believing and we're seeing that God
is doing this thing. God is the same God. He's
doing this thing. in our midst. And we're greatly
encouraged that ministry is effective. The power
of God is part of. The power that we see is in
the gospel being preached and the power that
we see is in the different miracles, the unusual
miracles that's been done and where his children,
where his ministers and we're going to be able
to see these things and we're thanking God for
the manifestation of these things and we're seeing
a greater manifestation of it because we're designed
to see God do these things in and through us.
So I want us to close with this. I think Pastor
Costin said it in the closing, and I resonated
greatly with it, that we are not just ministers
of God. We are ministers of the gospel. We are
not just ministers of God. What we minister as
ministers of God is the gospel. So I want us
to say this in closing. I'm a minister of the
gospel. I'm a minister of the gospel, winning
billions of souls. It says I receive the training,
and I train others. I receive training and I
train others. I am faithful in serving the church
of NECF, which is my local church. It says, I
am accountable to the leadership of the local
church. I am not afraid to preach the gospel
that gets people saved. I am patient with the
unbeliever to get them saved and see them grow.
In the mighty name of Jesus, we'll affirm these
words. Amen and amen. Thank you so much. If today's
message was a blessing, share it with a friend.
Till next time, be blessed.