WEBVTT 00:00:01.159 --> 00:00:06.639 Welcome to NECF sermons. Each message here is 00:00:06.639 --> 00:00:09.640 designed to uplift and strengthen you in your 00:00:09.640 --> 00:00:13.939 walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until 00:00:13.939 --> 00:00:17.879 the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive 00:00:17.879 --> 00:00:23.140 right in. Now I want to encourage you that when 00:00:23.140 --> 00:00:29.019 you come to church, whenever you come to church, 00:00:34.439 --> 00:00:38.500 Be a participant of what is happening in church. 00:00:40.939 --> 00:00:46.780 Don't just be a spectator, but be what? Be a 00:00:46.780 --> 00:00:51.179 participant. Participate. If we say we are praying, 00:00:51.259 --> 00:00:54.740 ensure that you are praying. If we are singing, 00:00:54.880 --> 00:00:58.859 ensure you are singing. If we are dancing, ensure 00:00:58.859 --> 00:01:07.540 that you are dancing. Hallelujah. It's unfortunate 00:01:07.540 --> 00:01:09.019 that even those that were leading us in worship, 00:01:09.120 --> 00:01:14.060 some of them stand so uninterested in what is 00:01:14.060 --> 00:01:21.060 happening here. So worship team, please, if anybody 00:01:21.060 --> 00:01:23.819 is not interested in participating in what is 00:01:23.819 --> 00:01:25.040 happening here, there's no need for the person 00:01:25.040 --> 00:01:29.659 to climb up here. Alright? Because if we stand 00:01:29.659 --> 00:01:33.420 here, we are singing, we are dancing. And you 00:01:33.420 --> 00:01:34.900 that are supposed to lead us is not dancing. 00:01:35.920 --> 00:01:43.700 We encourage you to go and sit. Whatever we do 00:01:43.700 --> 00:01:47.739 here is very, very important. There's no part 00:01:47.739 --> 00:01:52.340 of this service that is a joke. All right? When 00:01:52.340 --> 00:01:55.000 we are coming here, let's maintain the discipline. 00:01:55.359 --> 00:01:57.719 You see, the reason why many of us, we keep on 00:01:57.719 --> 00:02:00.840 coming to church. and will not see any effect 00:02:00.840 --> 00:02:03.519 in your life is because of the mindset you carry 00:02:03.519 --> 00:02:13.680 to come to this place. So casual, so uninterested. 00:02:17.539 --> 00:02:20.620 The mindset you came into this place with determines 00:02:20.620 --> 00:02:22.419 what you will learn and how your life will be 00:02:22.419 --> 00:02:29.389 impacted. So coming to church, I want to encourage 00:02:29.389 --> 00:02:33.370 you to be prepared. You have your phones all 00:02:33.370 --> 00:02:38.830 through the week. You have your phones after 00:02:38.830 --> 00:02:42.370 the church service. There is no amount of money. 00:02:44.990 --> 00:02:46.870 If you are doing business or anything that you 00:02:46.870 --> 00:02:51.729 lose in the course of this service. If you put 00:02:51.729 --> 00:02:56.069 your phone on fly mode or silent. There is no 00:02:56.069 --> 00:02:59.520 any emergency. It will require your attention. 00:03:02.120 --> 00:03:04.120 You're not working with the fire service, are 00:03:04.120 --> 00:03:08.500 you? Neither are you working with the ambulance. 00:03:10.300 --> 00:03:12.919 So please, I want you to be encouraged that when 00:03:12.919 --> 00:03:14.780 you come to church, it's an important moment. 00:03:16.800 --> 00:03:19.419 It's an important moment for your life to be 00:03:19.419 --> 00:03:21.939 blessed. It's an important moment for you to... 00:03:22.759 --> 00:03:25.300 To hear God speak to you. Sometimes in the course 00:03:25.300 --> 00:03:26.900 of the service, God will be speaking to you. 00:03:26.979 --> 00:03:28.599 Not necessarily during the sermon, sometimes. 00:03:32.000 --> 00:03:34.659 So please, I want us to change our attitude so 00:03:34.659 --> 00:03:38.539 that every opportunity we have, the cell meetings, 00:03:38.960 --> 00:03:42.159 in the midweek services, on the Sunday services, 00:03:42.599 --> 00:03:45.719 they will benefit, will enjoy the best of what 00:03:45.719 --> 00:03:52.960 God is doing in their house. Hallelujah. Colossians 00:03:52.960 --> 00:04:04.180 chapter 1, verse 9. Colossians chapter 1, verse 00:04:04.180 --> 00:04:16.319 9. For this reason, we also, since the day we 00:04:16.319 --> 00:04:21.759 heard it, do not cease to pray for you. and to 00:04:21.759 --> 00:04:25.000 ask that you may be filled with the knowledge 00:04:25.000 --> 00:04:31.540 of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, 00:04:31.779 --> 00:04:39.519 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing 00:04:39.519 --> 00:04:45.220 him, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing 00:04:45.220 --> 00:04:51.750 in the knowledge of God. strengthened with all 00:04:51.750 --> 00:04:58.089 might according to his glorious power, for all 00:04:58.089 --> 00:05:03.670 patience and longsuffering with joy, giving thanks 00:05:03.670 --> 00:05:07.930 to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers 00:05:07.930 --> 00:05:14.589 of the inheritance of the saints in light. He 00:05:14.589 --> 00:05:18.589 has delivered us from the power of darkness and 00:05:18.589 --> 00:05:24.329 conveyed us Into the kingdom of his love. Of 00:05:24.329 --> 00:05:26.870 his son in love. In whom we have redemption. 00:05:27.569 --> 00:05:31.569 Through his blood. The forgiveness of our sins. 00:05:31.810 --> 00:05:37.470 Hallelujah. And also 1st Peter chapter 2 verse 00:05:37.470 --> 00:05:43.910 9. 1st Peter chapter 2. Verse 9 and verse 10. 00:05:47.399 --> 00:05:52.800 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, 00:05:52.899 --> 00:05:58.459 a holy nation, his own special people, that you 00:05:58.459 --> 00:06:02.740 may proclaim the praises of him who called you 00:06:02.740 --> 00:06:08.100 out of darkness into his marvelous light. Who 00:06:08.100 --> 00:06:12.240 once were not a people, but are now the people 00:06:12.240 --> 00:06:18.139 of God. Who had not obtained mercy, but now have 00:06:18.139 --> 00:06:24.319 obtained mercy. Hallelujah. Once upon a time, 00:06:24.319 --> 00:06:30.199 we were dead in our trespasses. Once upon a time, 00:06:30.199 --> 00:06:33.680 we were under the dominion of sin. Once upon 00:06:33.680 --> 00:06:38.139 a time, we were under captivity. And we see God 00:06:38.139 --> 00:06:40.680 deliver us from that through what Jesus Christ 00:06:40.680 --> 00:06:45.620 has done on the cross of Calvary. We see Jesus 00:06:45.620 --> 00:06:51.139 dying on the cross for us. And by our faith in 00:06:51.139 --> 00:06:55.759 what he has done, we receive life. Hallelujah. 00:06:56.259 --> 00:07:00.579 We receive life and we are eternally safe. And 00:07:00.579 --> 00:07:04.959 we say that we have a heritage, we have an inheritance. 00:07:06.120 --> 00:07:10.360 We are partakers of the inheritance of those 00:07:10.360 --> 00:07:15.790 who are safe. And the inheritance we have comes 00:07:15.790 --> 00:07:21.370 with responsibility. And the responsibility we 00:07:21.370 --> 00:07:25.449 have is what we've been talking about, the responsibility 00:07:25.449 --> 00:07:31.529 of proclaiming the gospel. So every believer 00:07:31.529 --> 00:07:38.490 is assigned to proclaim the gospel. Every believer 00:07:38.490 --> 00:07:45.410 has the tax. of preaching the gospel. And we 00:07:45.410 --> 00:07:49.449 saw previously that God plans to fill the earth 00:07:49.449 --> 00:07:55.430 with the knowledge of his will. It is a desire 00:07:55.430 --> 00:07:59.449 of God that all the earth know him. It is a desire 00:07:59.449 --> 00:08:03.189 that all men should be saved. It is God's desire 00:08:03.189 --> 00:08:06.029 that the salvation message be preached to every 00:08:06.029 --> 00:08:16.490 man on earth. But this work of saving men is 00:08:16.490 --> 00:08:21.329 done by God but through men. Hallelujah. For 00:08:21.329 --> 00:08:24.649 you as an individual, how you received the gospel 00:08:24.649 --> 00:08:28.189 was through men preaching to you. How you became 00:08:28.189 --> 00:08:31.670 a Christian or how you became a believer is through 00:08:31.670 --> 00:08:36.250 men preaching the gospel to you. How the message 00:08:36.250 --> 00:08:39.889 was preserved right from the time of Jesus Christ 00:08:39.889 --> 00:08:44.389 till now is through the activities of men, through 00:08:44.389 --> 00:08:49.990 the responsibility of men. To be saved means 00:08:49.990 --> 00:08:57.350 to be chosen and given a life of purpose. And 00:08:57.350 --> 00:09:00.850 our purpose is a purpose of priesthood, to proclaim, 00:09:01.009 --> 00:09:07.090 to preach the gospel. And we said earlier on 00:09:07.090 --> 00:09:11.070 that God's will for his people rather for God's 00:09:11.070 --> 00:09:14.710 will for his kingdom of priests on earth is to 00:09:14.710 --> 00:09:20.529 ensure that the gospel is preached. Now we've 00:09:20.529 --> 00:09:23.629 emphasized in scriptures over and over and over 00:09:23.629 --> 00:09:26.490 again. Let's turn to Acts chapter 8. We start 00:09:26.490 --> 00:09:34.070 from Acts chapter 8. Acts chapter 8 verse 26. 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:47.840 God's plan on earth is to be carried out by men. 00:09:48.559 --> 00:09:55.000 Hallelujah. You and I are participants in what 00:09:55.000 --> 00:10:00.879 God is doing on earth. Acts 8, verse 26. I want 00:10:00.879 --> 00:10:03.220 us to go back to that story we saw on Wednesday. 00:10:08.879 --> 00:10:20.879 Acts 8. Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, 00:10:21.019 --> 00:10:27.620 saying, Arise and go towards south, a long road 00:10:27.620 --> 00:10:31.000 which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This 00:10:31.000 --> 00:10:35.860 is desert. So he arose and went, and behold, 00:10:36.100 --> 00:10:45.279 a man of Ethiopia. A eunuch of great authority 00:10:45.279 --> 00:10:48.799 under Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians, who 00:10:48.799 --> 00:10:52.379 had charge of all her treasury and had come to 00:10:52.379 --> 00:10:57.019 Jerusalem to worship, was returning and sitting 00:10:57.019 --> 00:11:00.580 in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. 00:11:01.500 --> 00:11:04.240 And when the spirit said, then the spirit rather 00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:08.179 said to Philip, go near and overtake his chariot, 00:11:08.200 --> 00:11:11.679 this chariot. So Philip ran to him and heard 00:11:11.679 --> 00:11:15.779 him reading the prophet Isaiah and said, Do you 00:11:15.779 --> 00:11:19.460 understand what you are reading? And he said, 00:11:19.539 --> 00:11:24.220 How can I understand? How can I? Unless someone 00:11:24.220 --> 00:11:29.279 guides me. And he asked Philip to come up and 00:11:29.279 --> 00:11:32.240 sit with him. The place in the scripture which 00:11:32.240 --> 00:11:36.820 he read was this. He was led as a sheep to the 00:11:36.820 --> 00:11:40.799 slaughter. And as a lamb before his shearer is 00:11:40.799 --> 00:11:45.659 silent, so he opened not his mouth. In his humiliation, 00:11:45.820 --> 00:11:53.480 his justice was taken away. And who will declare 00:11:53.480 --> 00:11:58.379 his generation? For his life is taken from the 00:11:58.379 --> 00:12:02.700 earth. So the Enoch answered Philip and said, 00:12:02.860 --> 00:12:07.019 I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this? 00:12:07.789 --> 00:12:14.889 of himself or someone, some other man. Then Philip 00:12:14.889 --> 00:12:17.809 opened his mouth and beginning at this scripture, 00:12:18.009 --> 00:12:22.389 preached Jesus to him. Now as they went down 00:12:22.389 --> 00:12:24.830 the road, they came to some water and the Enoch 00:12:24.830 --> 00:12:29.730 said, see, here is water. What hinders me from 00:12:29.730 --> 00:12:33.070 being baptized? Then Philip said, if you believe 00:12:33.070 --> 00:12:38.350 in all your heart, you may. And he answered and 00:12:38.350 --> 00:12:43.049 said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son 00:12:43.049 --> 00:12:46.889 of God. So he commanded the chariot to stand 00:12:46.889 --> 00:12:49.350 still and both Philip and Enoch went down into 00:12:49.350 --> 00:12:55.210 the water and he baptized him. Hallelujah. And 00:12:55.210 --> 00:12:58.629 I want us to take note in a text right from the 00:12:58.629 --> 00:13:05.460 verse 26 that the angel spoke to Philip. that 00:13:05.460 --> 00:13:08.759 Philip received the instruction from an angel. 00:13:10.379 --> 00:13:14.419 And we're trying to establish that angels have 00:13:14.419 --> 00:13:18.259 not been delegated with the responsibility of 00:13:18.259 --> 00:13:21.799 preaching the gospel. Because if angels have 00:13:21.799 --> 00:13:27.220 the privilege that we share as men to preach 00:13:27.220 --> 00:13:29.080 the gospel, then there wouldn't be need for men. 00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:32.879 The angel wouldn't ask Philip to go to the Ethiopian 00:13:32.879 --> 00:13:36.240 Enoch. He would have gone there himself to preach 00:13:36.240 --> 00:13:39.639 the gospel. But we see that the angel of the 00:13:39.639 --> 00:13:43.919 Lord spoke to Philip saying, Arise and go to 00:13:43.919 --> 00:13:48.000 the south along the road down from Jerusalem 00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:52.980 to Gaza. And we see Philip moving in obedience. 00:13:54.120 --> 00:13:56.700 And we also see the place where the Spirit also 00:13:56.700 --> 00:14:01.960 speaks to Philip. In verse 29, the Spirit of 00:14:01.960 --> 00:14:06.879 God spoke to Philip. Then the Spirit said to 00:14:06.879 --> 00:14:11.779 Philip, go near and overtake his chariot. The 00:14:11.779 --> 00:14:15.419 angel was speaking. The Spirit of God was speaking. 00:14:17.840 --> 00:14:22.379 And we see Philip as a party to what God is doing. 00:14:23.100 --> 00:14:26.340 Hallelujah. Why didn't the Spirit speak to the 00:14:26.340 --> 00:14:28.559 man? Why didn't the Spirit give him interpretation 00:14:28.559 --> 00:14:30.860 of what he was reading? Why didn't the Spirit 00:14:30.860 --> 00:14:34.909 of God... minister from where he was reading 00:14:34.909 --> 00:14:42.110 to him. We are part of what God is doing on earth. 00:14:42.730 --> 00:14:47.409 Hallelujah. The believer is essential to what 00:14:47.409 --> 00:14:51.169 God is doing on earth. Pastor was telling us 00:14:51.169 --> 00:14:56.149 before that God uses men for our salvation and 00:14:56.149 --> 00:15:03.549 the devil also uses men. Hallelujah. God uses 00:15:03.549 --> 00:15:08.389 men and the devil also is interested in men as 00:15:08.389 --> 00:15:11.889 well. So we see the angelic being participating. 00:15:12.370 --> 00:15:14.830 We see the Holy Spirit participating and we see 00:15:14.830 --> 00:15:17.850 Philip participating. Everyone has his role. 00:15:18.070 --> 00:15:20.549 The role that we've been given is to preach. 00:15:22.190 --> 00:15:25.830 Hallelujah. As we speak, the Spirit of God goes 00:15:25.830 --> 00:15:29.309 a long way in convicting the heart of men. Now 00:15:29.309 --> 00:15:31.129 you don't have the role of convicting men of 00:15:31.129 --> 00:15:35.690 sin. You must understand where your responsibility 00:15:35.690 --> 00:15:39.169 is and the parameter of your responsibility as 00:15:39.169 --> 00:15:44.529 a believer. As you preach, as you preach, and 00:15:44.529 --> 00:15:47.370 you allow the Spirit of God to do the work of 00:15:47.370 --> 00:15:50.850 conviction and convincing men about the truth 00:15:50.850 --> 00:15:58.169 concerning Jesus Christ. So we see how God works 00:15:58.169 --> 00:16:02.200 through men in the spirit of the gospel. Also 00:16:02.200 --> 00:16:08.139 the statement of the Ethiopian in verse 31. He 00:16:08.139 --> 00:16:11.279 said, how can I understand unless someone guides 00:16:11.279 --> 00:16:18.139 me? And he asked Philip to come up and sit with 00:16:18.139 --> 00:16:22.899 him. The understanding of scripture comes by 00:16:22.899 --> 00:16:28.179 explanation of men. Which means that for you 00:16:28.179 --> 00:16:30.080 to understand scripture, you must be taught by 00:16:30.080 --> 00:16:39.850 men. Hallelujah. There's no special revelation 00:16:39.850 --> 00:16:43.649 that you can ever get in scriptures that have 00:16:43.649 --> 00:16:52.610 not been revealed to men. There's no new information 00:16:52.610 --> 00:16:57.789 that God is sharing that only you is a custodian 00:16:57.789 --> 00:17:01.919 of. For you to come to the accurate knowledge 00:17:01.919 --> 00:17:04.380 of scripture and to know the will of God, there's 00:17:04.380 --> 00:17:09.119 a place of men that must expose you to the truth 00:17:09.119 --> 00:17:15.259 of God's word. So this further emphasizes the 00:17:15.259 --> 00:17:17.900 need for men in the work of ministry. We don't 00:17:17.900 --> 00:17:20.819 learn on our own, but through the ministry of 00:17:20.819 --> 00:17:25.460 men. So God's will is to bring about salvation 00:17:25.460 --> 00:17:29.220 to men. But this can only happen through the 00:17:29.220 --> 00:17:34.059 activities of men. And we saw another example 00:17:34.059 --> 00:17:36.960 in Acts chapter 10. Let's go to Acts chapter 00:17:36.960 --> 00:17:40.200 10 and see the other example we saw on Wednesday. 00:17:40.359 --> 00:17:45.799 Acts chapter 10 verse 1. We see similar pattern. 00:17:47.000 --> 00:17:52.160 There was a man in Caesarea called Cornelius, 00:17:52.220 --> 00:17:54.799 a centurion of what was called the Italian regiment. 00:17:56.750 --> 00:18:02.230 a devout man who feared God with all his household, 00:18:02.450 --> 00:18:06.329 who gave alms generously to the people and prayed 00:18:06.329 --> 00:18:10.670 to God always. About the ninth hour of the day, 00:18:10.769 --> 00:18:15.490 he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming 00:18:15.490 --> 00:18:19.589 in and saying to him, Cornelius. And when he 00:18:19.589 --> 00:18:22.470 observed him, he was afraid and said, What is 00:18:22.470 --> 00:18:26.339 this? What is it, Lord? So he said to him, Your 00:18:26.339 --> 00:18:30.339 prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial 00:18:30.339 --> 00:18:38.640 before God. Now send men to Joppa and send for 00:18:38.640 --> 00:18:41.900 Simon, whose name is Peter. He is lodged with 00:18:41.900 --> 00:18:46.359 Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He 00:18:46.359 --> 00:18:50.000 will tell you what you must do. And when the 00:18:50.000 --> 00:18:53.119 angels who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius 00:18:53.119 --> 00:18:56.099 called two of his household. household servants, 00:18:56.220 --> 00:18:59.299 and a devout soldier from among those who waited 00:18:59.299 --> 00:19:03.480 on him continually. So when he had explained 00:19:03.480 --> 00:19:06.359 all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa. 00:19:06.559 --> 00:19:13.920 Let's jump to verse 34. From verse 34. Then Peter, 00:19:14.019 --> 00:19:16.660 when he had come, they brought Peter. Then Peter 00:19:16.660 --> 00:19:20.660 opened his mouth and said, In truth, I perceive 00:19:20.660 --> 00:19:26.410 that God shows no partiality. but in every nation 00:19:26.410 --> 00:19:29.650 whoever fears him and works righteousness is 00:19:29.650 --> 00:19:33.650 accepted by him. The word which God sent to the 00:19:33.650 --> 00:19:36.869 children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus 00:19:36.869 --> 00:19:42.789 Christ, he is Lord of all. That word you know, 00:19:42.970 --> 00:19:47.809 which was proclaimed through all Judea and began 00:19:47.809 --> 00:19:51.109 from Galilee after the baptism which John preached. 00:19:52.140 --> 00:19:56.460 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with Holy 00:19:56.460 --> 00:20:01.160 Spirit and with power who went about doing good 00:20:01.160 --> 00:20:04.859 and healing all who were oppressed by the devil 00:20:04.859 --> 00:20:10.799 for God was with him. And we are witnesses of 00:20:10.799 --> 00:20:16.519 all things which he did both in the land of the 00:20:16.519 --> 00:20:21.319 Jews and in Jerusalem whom they killed by hanging 00:20:21.319 --> 00:20:27.299 on a tree. Him God raised up on the third day 00:20:27.299 --> 00:20:32.140 and showed him openly, not to all people, but 00:20:32.140 --> 00:20:38.259 to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us 00:20:38.259 --> 00:20:42.660 who ate and drank with him after he arose from 00:20:42.660 --> 00:20:47.059 the dead. And he commanded us to preach to the 00:20:47.059 --> 00:20:53.180 people. and to testify that it is he who was 00:20:53.180 --> 00:20:55.980 ordained by God to be the judge of the living 00:20:55.980 --> 00:21:00.980 and the dead. And to him all the prophets witness 00:21:00.980 --> 00:21:04.339 that through his name whoever believes in him 00:21:04.339 --> 00:21:07.359 will receive remissions of sins. Hallelujah. 00:21:08.059 --> 00:21:15.019 So we see also another situation in which the 00:21:15.019 --> 00:21:24.660 angel of God that involve man in the establishment 00:21:24.660 --> 00:21:26.880 of God's work, especially in this family. And 00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:29.079 when we go down, we'll see how the Spirit of 00:21:29.079 --> 00:21:31.900 God fell upon them, how, you know, they became 00:21:31.900 --> 00:21:35.000 born again, and how they received the Spirit 00:21:35.000 --> 00:21:38.660 of God, and they began to speak in tongues. So 00:21:38.660 --> 00:21:40.779 this text is another example in which we see 00:21:40.779 --> 00:21:43.880 God walking through a man to bring about the 00:21:43.880 --> 00:21:49.390 knowledge of salvation to men. God has to send 00:21:49.390 --> 00:21:55.730 an angel to communicate God's plan through Peter 00:21:55.730 --> 00:22:00.710 so that the gospel will be proclaimed. So we 00:22:00.710 --> 00:22:04.029 can conclude that we are born again and we have 00:22:04.029 --> 00:22:07.470 received an inheritance and this heritage comes 00:22:07.470 --> 00:22:12.109 with responsibility. This inheritance we receive 00:22:12.109 --> 00:22:15.809 comes with the responsibility of proclaiming 00:22:15.809 --> 00:22:21.069 Christ. So who are men? Who are the men who God 00:22:21.069 --> 00:22:25.529 uses to proclaim his work? Who are the men that 00:22:25.529 --> 00:22:27.869 God uses in proclaiming his work? Believers. 00:22:28.650 --> 00:22:33.730 Hallelujah. Believers. You and I that are born 00:22:33.730 --> 00:22:39.710 again are candidates. We are candidates for God's 00:22:39.710 --> 00:22:44.289 work. We are what? We are candidates for God's 00:22:44.289 --> 00:22:47.589 work on the earth. I intentionally say candidates. 00:22:48.349 --> 00:22:50.630 Because it's not every man that is born again 00:22:50.630 --> 00:22:54.490 that we see doing the work of God. In fact, it's 00:22:54.490 --> 00:22:56.349 not every man that is born again that God can 00:22:56.349 --> 00:23:03.630 even trust with his work. Amen? It's not every 00:23:03.630 --> 00:23:08.349 man that God can trust with his work. God will 00:23:08.349 --> 00:23:13.009 trust a man that is faithful. God will trust 00:23:13.009 --> 00:23:15.470 a man that has shown. In fact, some people in 00:23:15.470 --> 00:23:17.349 this church, we cannot even trust them with people. 00:23:19.880 --> 00:23:24.440 Talk more of God. The moment we give you one 00:23:24.440 --> 00:23:27.440 or two people to be under you, we are rest assured 00:23:27.440 --> 00:23:38.660 that there will be problem. So God will effectively 00:23:38.660 --> 00:23:42.460 carry out his work through men that have been 00:23:42.460 --> 00:23:47.400 equipped for the work of ministry. Hallelujah. 00:23:49.289 --> 00:23:53.029 The kind of men that God can commit the salvation 00:23:53.029 --> 00:23:57.750 of souls to are men that have been equipped with 00:23:57.750 --> 00:24:01.430 a tax of calendar responsibility. Through our 00:24:01.430 --> 00:24:03.609 scriptures, we go through scriptures and we see 00:24:03.609 --> 00:24:08.990 all the men that God has used. There is not just 00:24:08.990 --> 00:24:13.349 man that is just unserious that God commit the 00:24:13.349 --> 00:24:19.779 work of ministry to. It is believers who have 00:24:19.779 --> 00:24:23.660 been equipped for the work of ministry. Salvation 00:24:23.660 --> 00:24:28.640 is essential and a basic necessity. But much 00:24:28.640 --> 00:24:31.279 more important is a training of the believer. 00:24:31.420 --> 00:24:35.920 That's where I'm targeted at. Beyond just being 00:24:35.920 --> 00:24:39.779 born again, the training of the believer is essential 00:24:39.779 --> 00:24:44.559 to being effective in the work of ministry. It 00:24:44.559 --> 00:24:47.180 is quite crucial for success in the work of ministry. 00:24:49.759 --> 00:24:51.940 And the examples we just mentioned earlier on, 00:24:51.960 --> 00:24:54.279 let's look at the example of Philip, the great 00:24:54.279 --> 00:24:56.619 evangelist. We saw the great and the mighty work 00:24:56.619 --> 00:24:59.940 he did. We saw how he was able to be used by 00:24:59.940 --> 00:25:03.900 God to bring about salvation to the Ethiopian. 00:25:04.519 --> 00:25:08.400 But who was Philip in the first place? Who was 00:25:08.400 --> 00:25:12.740 Philip? Let's go back to that text we read in 00:25:12.740 --> 00:25:27.190 Acts 8, verse 1. Let's see what Philip, the great 00:25:27.190 --> 00:25:31.230 evangelist, says. Now Saul was consenting to 00:25:31.230 --> 00:25:35.089 his death. At that time, a great persecution 00:25:35.089 --> 00:25:38.009 arose against the church, which was at Jerusalem, 00:25:38.130 --> 00:25:40.849 and they were all scattered throughout the region 00:25:40.849 --> 00:25:44.170 of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. And 00:25:44.170 --> 00:25:47.809 devout men carried Stephen to his burial and 00:25:47.809 --> 00:25:50.690 made a great lamentation over him. As for Saul, 00:25:50.869 --> 00:25:55.359 he made havoc of the church. entering every house 00:25:55.359 --> 00:25:57.980 and dragging of men and women, committing them 00:25:57.980 --> 00:26:01.420 to prison. Therefore those who were scattered 00:26:01.420 --> 00:26:06.839 went everywhere preaching the word. And Philip, 00:26:06.960 --> 00:26:11.079 then Philip went down to the city of Samaria 00:26:11.079 --> 00:26:15.240 and preached Christ to them. And they multitude 00:26:15.240 --> 00:26:19.140 with one accord hearing the things spoken by 00:26:19.140 --> 00:26:22.480 Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles he did. 00:26:23.690 --> 00:26:27.490 For unclean spirits crying with a loud voice 00:26:27.490 --> 00:26:32.009 came out of many who were possessed. And many 00:26:32.009 --> 00:26:36.829 who were paralyzed, lame were healed. And there 00:26:36.829 --> 00:26:39.349 was great joy in the city. One man, there was 00:26:39.349 --> 00:26:41.690 great joy in the city. But there was a certain 00:26:41.690 --> 00:26:45.210 man called Simon who previously practiced sorcery 00:26:45.210 --> 00:26:49.789 in a city and astonished the people of Samaria 00:26:49.789 --> 00:26:54.720 claiming that he was someone great. to whom they 00:26:54.720 --> 00:26:57.059 all gave heed from least to the greatest, saying, 00:26:57.259 --> 00:27:02.920 This man is the great power of God. And they 00:27:02.920 --> 00:27:06.079 heeded him, because he had astonished them with 00:27:06.079 --> 00:27:09.819 sorceries for a long time. But when Peter appeared, 00:27:10.440 --> 00:27:17.160 but when they believed Philip, as he preached 00:27:17.160 --> 00:27:22.039 the things concerning the kingdom, of God and 00:27:22.039 --> 00:27:26.420 the name of Jesus Christ. Both men and women 00:27:26.420 --> 00:27:30.539 were baptized. Then Simon himself also believed. 00:27:31.380 --> 00:27:38.259 And when he was baptized, he continued with Philip 00:27:38.259 --> 00:27:42.440 and was amazed seeing the miracles and the signs 00:27:42.440 --> 00:27:46.609 which were done by Philip. And on and on we see 00:27:46.609 --> 00:27:48.970 how the Spirit of God picked him and then his 00:27:48.970 --> 00:27:51.130 encounter with what? With the Ethiopian Enoch. 00:27:52.990 --> 00:27:56.690 This is a man that has been committed with the 00:27:56.690 --> 00:28:03.009 work of ministry. But then who was he? Who was 00:28:03.009 --> 00:28:08.109 he first? Philip was not Philip the Great. He 00:28:08.109 --> 00:28:11.309 started somewhere. Hallelujah. Learning under 00:28:11.309 --> 00:28:13.170 the apostles in chapter 6. Let's go to chapter 00:28:13.170 --> 00:28:16.819 6 of Acts. And see where he was coming from. 00:28:16.920 --> 00:28:24.000 Acts chapter 6 from verse 1. Now in those days 00:28:24.000 --> 00:28:26.200 when the number of disciples were multiplying, 00:28:26.619 --> 00:28:31.359 there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by 00:28:31.359 --> 00:28:34.619 the Hellenists because their widows were neglected 00:28:34.619 --> 00:28:40.180 in the daily distribution. Then the twelve summoned 00:28:40.180 --> 00:28:43.079 the multitude of the disciples and said, It is 00:28:43.079 --> 00:28:45.660 not desirable that we should leave the Word of 00:28:45.660 --> 00:28:51.059 God and serve tables. Not that serving tables 00:28:51.059 --> 00:28:55.240 is bad or is inferior, but there's a huge responsibility 00:28:55.240 --> 00:28:59.079 in doing the Word. Therefore, brethren, seek 00:28:59.079 --> 00:29:02.319 out from among you seven men of good reputation, 00:29:02.599 --> 00:29:07.519 full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may 00:29:07.519 --> 00:29:10.819 appoint over this business. But we will give 00:29:10.819 --> 00:29:14.740 ourselves continually to prayer and what? And 00:29:14.740 --> 00:29:18.779 to the ministry of the word. And the same pleased 00:29:18.779 --> 00:29:21.119 the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, 00:29:21.220 --> 00:29:26.279 a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit. And 00:29:26.279 --> 00:29:32.539 also who? This same Philip that we saw was doing 00:29:32.539 --> 00:29:36.220 the work of ministry, was casting out devils, 00:29:36.380 --> 00:29:40.200 was healing the sick. was performing all the 00:29:40.200 --> 00:29:43.940 miracles and the wonderful signs that he did 00:29:43.940 --> 00:29:48.779 in the city, changing the course of the destinies 00:29:48.779 --> 00:29:55.160 of men by the preaching of the gospel. But he 00:29:55.160 --> 00:29:59.240 was a man that was, you know, was discipled and 00:29:59.240 --> 00:30:04.859 raised by the apostles. Essentially, he was trained 00:30:04.859 --> 00:30:09.849 by the teachings of the apostles. He was a man 00:30:09.849 --> 00:30:14.670 that, you know, was raised and equipped for the 00:30:14.670 --> 00:30:17.269 works and the exploits that we see him did in 00:30:17.269 --> 00:30:19.589 the subsequent chapters. What about Peter himself? 00:30:20.789 --> 00:30:23.670 Jesus called the other apostles and trained them 00:30:23.670 --> 00:30:25.970 for the work of ministry. In Mark chapter 3, 00:30:26.049 --> 00:30:29.109 from verse 13 to 15. Give me Mark chapter 3, 00:30:29.210 --> 00:30:33.710 verse 13 to 15. Mark chapter 3, verse 13 to 15. 00:30:38.920 --> 00:30:42.380 he himself wanted, and they came to him. And 00:30:42.380 --> 00:30:45.720 he appointed twelve that they might be with him 00:30:45.720 --> 00:30:50.200 and that he might send them out to preach. And 00:30:50.200 --> 00:30:53.240 we'll see that from there, Jesus spent several, 00:30:53.460 --> 00:30:56.759 almost three and a half years with them, teaching 00:30:56.759 --> 00:31:00.160 them, discipling them, raising them, and equipping 00:31:00.160 --> 00:31:05.200 them for the work of ministry. Even at his resurrection, 00:31:05.440 --> 00:31:07.599 he spent quality time with them, discipling them 00:31:07.599 --> 00:31:11.480 and teaching them about what he has accomplished 00:31:11.480 --> 00:31:13.259 in his death, his burial and his resurrection. 00:31:16.420 --> 00:31:19.660 Hallelujah. Now I want us to see another example. 00:31:19.960 --> 00:31:29.519 Acts chapter 20. Acts chapter 20. Acts chapter 00:31:29.519 --> 00:31:38.079 20. We'll see another example here. Acts chapter 00:31:38.079 --> 00:31:46.059 20 from verse 17. From Meletus he sent to Ephesus. 00:31:46.200 --> 00:31:49.440 This is Paul. He sent to Ephesus and called for 00:31:49.440 --> 00:31:52.839 the elders of the church. And when they had come 00:31:52.839 --> 00:31:57.420 to him, he said to them, You know from the first 00:31:57.420 --> 00:32:01.420 day that I came to Asia in what manner I always 00:32:01.420 --> 00:32:05.069 live among you. serving the law with all humility, 00:32:05.210 --> 00:32:08.289 with many tears and trials, which happened to 00:32:08.289 --> 00:32:12.230 me by the plotting of the Jews. How I kept back 00:32:12.230 --> 00:32:15.930 nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to 00:32:15.930 --> 00:32:21.269 you and taught you publicly and from house to 00:32:21.269 --> 00:32:26.950 house, testifying to the Jews and also to the 00:32:26.950 --> 00:32:31.019 Greeks' repentance. towards God and faith towards 00:32:31.019 --> 00:32:40.700 our Lord Jesus Christ. And see, now I go bound 00:32:40.700 --> 00:32:43.640 in the Spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things 00:32:43.640 --> 00:32:46.599 that will happen to me there, except that the 00:32:46.599 --> 00:32:49.539 Holy Spirit testify in every city, saying that 00:32:49.539 --> 00:32:53.500 chains and tribulations await me. But none of 00:32:53.500 --> 00:32:56.779 these things move me, nor do I count my life 00:32:56.779 --> 00:33:00.819 dear to myself. so that I may finish my race 00:33:00.819 --> 00:33:05.200 with joy and the ministry which I received from 00:33:05.200 --> 00:33:09.619 the Lord Jesus to testify to the gospel of the 00:33:09.619 --> 00:33:13.480 grace of God. And indeed now I know that you 00:33:13.480 --> 00:33:16.539 all among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom 00:33:16.539 --> 00:33:22.299 of God will see my face no more. Therefore, I 00:33:22.299 --> 00:33:25.539 testify to you this day that I am innocent of 00:33:25.539 --> 00:33:30.029 the blood of all men. For I have not shown to 00:33:30.029 --> 00:33:34.710 declare to you the whole counsel of God. I have 00:33:34.710 --> 00:33:36.809 not shown to declare to you the whole counsel 00:33:36.809 --> 00:33:41.849 of God. Therefore, take heed to yourselves and 00:33:41.849 --> 00:33:45.329 to all the flock among which the Holy Spirit 00:33:45.329 --> 00:33:49.130 has made you overseers. So these men are overseers. 00:33:49.269 --> 00:33:55.319 They are leaders of the church in Ephesus. is 00:33:55.319 --> 00:33:58.059 enumerating to them his label in their lives. 00:33:58.259 --> 00:34:02.400 How he labeled over them, how he invested into 00:34:02.400 --> 00:34:05.240 their lives, how he was able to disciple and 00:34:05.240 --> 00:34:25.159 raise them. the church of God which he purchased 00:34:25.159 --> 00:34:29.619 with his own blood. For I know this, that after 00:34:29.619 --> 00:34:33.400 my departure, savage wolves will come in among 00:34:33.400 --> 00:34:37.219 you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves 00:34:37.219 --> 00:34:40.739 men will rise up, speaking perverse things to 00:34:40.739 --> 00:34:45.059 draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore 00:34:45.059 --> 00:34:50.949 watch and remember that for three years... I 00:34:50.949 --> 00:34:55.750 did not cease to wound everyone night and day 00:34:55.750 --> 00:34:59.789 with tears. Hallelujah. And we'll see further 00:34:59.789 --> 00:35:02.610 his admonition to these elders. These are elders. 00:35:02.769 --> 00:35:05.369 These are leaders of the church. These are faithful 00:35:05.369 --> 00:35:10.469 men that have the faithful responsibility of 00:35:10.469 --> 00:35:15.250 upholding God's work, preaching the gospel, and 00:35:15.250 --> 00:35:20.110 ministering unto the saints. But before they 00:35:20.110 --> 00:35:23.070 became elders, who were they? Paul mentioned 00:35:23.070 --> 00:35:26.670 in verse 31 that he has for three years labored 00:35:26.670 --> 00:35:31.010 in training them. We can see this in chapter 00:35:31.010 --> 00:35:33.789 19, previous chapter, chapter 19, especially 00:35:33.789 --> 00:35:41.849 from verse 1. Chapter 19 from verse 1. And it 00:35:41.849 --> 00:35:45.190 happened while Apollos was at Corinth that Paul, 00:35:45.210 --> 00:35:48.360 having passed through... the upper regions, came 00:35:48.360 --> 00:35:53.380 to Ephesus and finding some disciples, he said 00:35:53.380 --> 00:35:55.940 to them, Did you receive the Holy Spirit when 00:35:55.940 --> 00:35:58.920 you believed? So they said to him, We have not 00:35:58.920 --> 00:36:02.739 so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit. 00:36:03.639 --> 00:36:05.380 Which means that if you've not heard about the 00:36:05.380 --> 00:36:10.260 Holy Spirit, then you're not born again. We have 00:36:10.260 --> 00:36:12.559 not so much heard whether there is a Holy Spirit. 00:36:12.619 --> 00:36:15.340 Verse 3. And he said to them, Into what then 00:36:15.340 --> 00:36:18.929 were you baptized? So they said to him, into 00:36:18.929 --> 00:36:23.969 John's baptism. Then Paul said, John indeed baptized 00:36:23.969 --> 00:36:26.610 with the baptism of repentance, saying to the 00:36:26.610 --> 00:36:30.309 people that they should believe on him who will 00:36:30.309 --> 00:36:34.969 come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. Then 00:36:34.969 --> 00:36:38.530 when they heard this, they were baptized in the 00:36:38.530 --> 00:36:41.989 name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid 00:36:41.989 --> 00:36:44.829 hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them. 00:36:45.309 --> 00:36:48.369 And they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Now 00:36:48.369 --> 00:36:53.170 the men, they were about twelve in all. And he 00:36:53.170 --> 00:36:55.829 went into the synagogues and spoke boldly for 00:36:55.829 --> 00:37:02.429 three months, reasoning and persuading concerning 00:37:02.429 --> 00:37:06.510 the things of the kingdom of God. Verse 9. But 00:37:06.510 --> 00:37:08.829 when some were hardened and did not believe, 00:37:09.170 --> 00:37:12.369 but spoke evil of the way before the multitude, 00:37:12.690 --> 00:37:17.400 he departed from them and withdraw the disciples, 00:37:17.699 --> 00:37:22.659 reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. He 00:37:22.659 --> 00:37:25.239 withdrew with the disciples the tithe that he 00:37:25.239 --> 00:37:28.019 made. The Bible says he was reasoning with them 00:37:28.019 --> 00:37:33.219 daily in the school of Tyrannus. Verse 10, and 00:37:33.219 --> 00:37:37.619 in this, continue for two years so that all who 00:37:37.619 --> 00:37:42.460 dwell in Asia heard the word of God. Jesus, both 00:37:42.460 --> 00:37:50.760 the Jews and the Greeks. Hallelujah. We see how 00:37:50.760 --> 00:37:53.320 he labored in their lives. They didn't become 00:37:53.320 --> 00:37:58.480 elders overnight. They were not counted faithful 00:37:58.480 --> 00:38:02.519 overnight. They were not given the responsibility 00:38:02.519 --> 00:38:06.420 over the church overnight. They were not given 00:38:06.420 --> 00:38:09.219 the destiny of men overnight, but they were men. 00:38:10.039 --> 00:38:13.179 They were labeled upon, were trained with disciples. 00:38:13.980 --> 00:38:18.619 And we see the place of responsibility given 00:38:18.619 --> 00:38:22.579 to them. So today, the church is God's training 00:38:22.579 --> 00:38:26.460 ground for men who will do the work of ministry. 00:38:27.960 --> 00:38:34.260 For us to do the will of God, the church is where 00:38:34.260 --> 00:38:41.960 we are trained. And later on, we see in his epistles 00:38:41.960 --> 00:38:46.079 to this same church, In Ephesians chapter 4 verse 00:38:46.079 --> 00:38:50.940 1, Ephesians chapter 4 verse 1, when Paul was 00:38:50.940 --> 00:38:55.780 writing an epistle to this same church, from 00:38:55.780 --> 00:39:14.690 verse 1, let's read verse 1 to 13. It says, with 00:39:14.690 --> 00:39:17.389 long -suffering, bearing with one another in 00:39:17.389 --> 00:39:22.849 love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit 00:39:22.849 --> 00:39:27.289 in the bond of peace. There is one body and one 00:39:27.289 --> 00:39:30.170 Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of 00:39:30.170 --> 00:39:33.829 your calling. One Lord, one faith, and one baptism. 00:39:34.750 --> 00:39:37.710 One God and Father of all, who is above all and 00:39:37.710 --> 00:39:42.190 through all in you. All. But to each one of us, 00:39:42.230 --> 00:39:45.230 grace was given according to the measure of Christ's 00:39:45.230 --> 00:39:48.449 gift. Therefore, he says, when he ascended on 00:39:48.449 --> 00:39:52.710 high, he let captivity captive and gave gifts 00:39:52.710 --> 00:39:55.789 to men. And what are these gifts? Now this, he 00:39:55.789 --> 00:39:59.070 ascended, what does it mean that he also first 00:39:59.070 --> 00:40:00.889 descended into the lower parts of the earth? 00:40:02.809 --> 00:40:05.869 Verse 10. He who descended is also the one who 00:40:05.869 --> 00:40:09.050 ascended far above all the heavens, that he might 00:40:09.050 --> 00:40:13.500 fill all things. And he himself gave some to 00:40:13.500 --> 00:40:18.219 be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, 00:40:18.239 --> 00:40:21.880 some pastors and teachers, for the equipping 00:40:21.880 --> 00:40:26.199 of the saints, for the work of ministry, for 00:40:26.199 --> 00:40:29.139 the divine of the body of Christ, till we all 00:40:29.139 --> 00:40:33.199 come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge 00:40:33.199 --> 00:40:37.400 of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure 00:40:37.400 --> 00:40:40.380 of the statue of the fullness of Christ. that 00:40:40.380 --> 00:40:43.639 we should no longer be children tossed to and 00:40:43.639 --> 00:40:46.619 fro, carried about with every wind of doctrine 00:40:46.619 --> 00:40:50.619 by a trickery of men, the chronic craftiness 00:40:50.619 --> 00:40:55.159 of deceitful plotting. But speaking the truth 00:40:55.159 --> 00:41:00.280 in love may grow up in all things into him who 00:41:00.280 --> 00:41:03.920 is a head, even Christ. Hallelujah. So in the 00:41:03.920 --> 00:41:07.300 resurrection of Jesus Christ, the church was 00:41:07.300 --> 00:41:10.579 established. And we see that, At the establishment 00:41:10.579 --> 00:41:14.500 of the church, Jesus gave gifts. In verse 11, 00:41:14.579 --> 00:41:17.820 we see the apostles. We see the prophets. We 00:41:17.820 --> 00:41:19.760 see the evangelists. We see the pastoral teachers. 00:41:20.980 --> 00:41:25.920 Are the gifts to men. God gave these gifts to 00:41:25.920 --> 00:41:29.059 men. In verse 12, we see the function of these 00:41:29.059 --> 00:41:34.659 gifts. The equipping of the saints for the work 00:41:34.659 --> 00:41:38.360 of ministry. The equipping of the saints for 00:41:38.360 --> 00:41:42.610 the work of ministry. Every saint has the work 00:41:42.610 --> 00:41:46.409 of ministry. Every believer is called into ministry. 00:41:46.789 --> 00:41:50.030 The call of God upon your life is a call into 00:41:50.030 --> 00:41:53.469 ministry. The call of salvation is a call of 00:41:53.469 --> 00:41:59.869 ministry. And then we see the gift of men unto 00:41:59.869 --> 00:42:02.710 men for the equipping of the saints for this 00:42:02.710 --> 00:42:12.030 work of ministry. The God of Christ's gift to 00:42:12.030 --> 00:42:15.469 the church is a knowledge of the Son of God in 00:42:15.469 --> 00:42:19.250 verse 14. Give me verse 14. That we will grow 00:42:19.250 --> 00:42:21.710 up in knowledge. That we should no longer be 00:42:21.710 --> 00:42:24.570 children tossed to and fro and carried about 00:42:24.570 --> 00:42:27.050 every wind of doctrine by the trickling of men. 00:42:27.710 --> 00:42:34.010 This is verse 14, verse 13. Yes. Yes. Till we 00:42:34.010 --> 00:42:38.219 all come to the unity of faith. And of the knowledge, 00:42:38.500 --> 00:42:41.320 this unity of faith is actually knowledge of 00:42:41.320 --> 00:42:44.039 the Son of God to a perfect man, to the measure 00:42:44.039 --> 00:42:48.940 of the statue of the fullness of Christ. And 00:42:48.940 --> 00:42:51.519 this is done through the teaching that we receive 00:42:51.519 --> 00:42:54.199 in church, through the admonition, through the 00:42:54.199 --> 00:42:56.320 guidance, through the instruction, through the 00:42:56.320 --> 00:42:58.480 rebuke and the edification we receive in church. 00:42:59.739 --> 00:43:03.400 This is a vision of the church, raising disciples 00:43:03.400 --> 00:43:05.380 for the transformation of the world through the 00:43:05.380 --> 00:43:09.110 gospel. And this is what we as NEC have committed 00:43:09.110 --> 00:43:14.050 to doing. Hallelujah. So what we want to see 00:43:14.050 --> 00:43:17.469 happen is that God's divine project on earth, 00:43:17.630 --> 00:43:23.369 God's plan of saving men come to pass. And you 00:43:23.369 --> 00:43:26.510 and I are partakers of this work. And through 00:43:26.510 --> 00:43:29.269 the instrument of the church, we are trained 00:43:29.269 --> 00:43:33.389 and equipped for this work. We are trained and 00:43:33.389 --> 00:43:35.809 equipped for this work. And even as we prepare 00:43:35.809 --> 00:43:41.010 ourselves for this coming cataclysm, it is our 00:43:41.010 --> 00:43:45.250 responsibility to avail ourselves. Hallelujah. 00:43:45.909 --> 00:43:49.769 It is our responsibility to do what? To avail 00:43:49.769 --> 00:43:53.289 ourselves, to make ourselves available for God 00:43:53.289 --> 00:43:57.710 to equip us so that we will be able to know His 00:43:57.710 --> 00:44:00.550 will. Not only that we are going to know His 00:44:00.550 --> 00:44:03.820 will, we will know His work. And that you and 00:44:03.820 --> 00:44:06.119 I will be able to carry his work effectively. 00:44:07.800 --> 00:44:10.820 What should be our response to God's plan for 00:44:10.820 --> 00:44:13.719 equipping us? What should be our response for 00:44:13.719 --> 00:44:19.980 his plan to prepare us? For his plan for our 00:44:19.980 --> 00:44:23.400 equipping? First and foremost is to be available. 00:44:25.239 --> 00:44:28.239 Hallelujah. Is to be what? Is to be available. 00:44:29.679 --> 00:44:33.219 Whenever you skip church, Whenever you skip every 00:44:33.219 --> 00:44:36.780 meeting organized by the church, you are absconding 00:44:36.780 --> 00:44:41.980 yourself from the responsibility of God. There's 00:44:41.980 --> 00:44:45.360 no how you will be effective in the plan of God 00:44:45.360 --> 00:44:49.099 when you're not part of the training of the people 00:44:49.099 --> 00:44:53.579 of God. It is impossible for you to not just, 00:44:53.619 --> 00:44:57.860 not just to shut up. Some of us shut up casually. 00:44:59.849 --> 00:45:03.070 Know that every meeting is an opportunity for 00:45:03.070 --> 00:45:06.250 God to encounter you with his word. It's an opportunity 00:45:06.250 --> 00:45:10.489 for God to equip you with knowledge. For an opportunity 00:45:10.489 --> 00:45:14.570 for you to know God. What he has done. What he 00:45:14.570 --> 00:45:17.670 has achieved. It's an opportunity for you to 00:45:17.670 --> 00:45:22.289 be perfected in that knowledge. So that you can 00:45:22.289 --> 00:45:28.260 be an effective minister of the word. The meetings 00:45:28.260 --> 00:45:30.219 we organize here in church is not for entertainment. 00:45:32.400 --> 00:45:34.780 The meeting we organize is not because we want 00:45:34.780 --> 00:45:37.199 to socialize. There are different ways we can 00:45:37.199 --> 00:45:41.420 socialize. We can socialize in the restaurant. 00:45:43.619 --> 00:45:48.260 We can choose to socialize at the beach. Anywhere. 00:45:48.699 --> 00:45:54.900 But church is a place where God commits the truth. 00:45:56.450 --> 00:46:00.750 concerning what he has done unto men. So first 00:46:00.750 --> 00:46:03.670 and foremost, our response is availability. We 00:46:03.670 --> 00:46:08.030 have to make ourselves available and submit to 00:46:08.030 --> 00:46:11.889 God's plan for our equipping so that we can be 00:46:11.889 --> 00:46:14.909 prepared for God's work, so that we can be equipped 00:46:14.909 --> 00:46:20.289 and furnished for every good work. And as we 00:46:20.289 --> 00:46:23.650 are available, we pay attention to what God is 00:46:23.650 --> 00:46:26.960 doing. As we make ourselves available, we don't 00:46:26.960 --> 00:46:31.039 just show up so that we tick all the boxes. No. 00:46:31.300 --> 00:46:35.659 We are here with an intention in our hearts. 00:46:35.880 --> 00:46:39.199 We are here with an expectation. We are here 00:46:39.199 --> 00:46:41.840 with an expectation that at the end of this period, 00:46:42.099 --> 00:46:45.920 we will see this result in our lives. And the 00:46:45.920 --> 00:46:47.699 result we will see in our lives is good works. 00:46:50.780 --> 00:46:54.800 Hallelujah. So that... The priesthood responsibility 00:46:54.800 --> 00:46:58.840 will be effectively done by men that have been 00:46:58.840 --> 00:47:03.320 called into that priesthood. When the children 00:47:03.320 --> 00:47:09.119 of Israel rejected the gospel and God decided 00:47:09.119 --> 00:47:13.880 to establish a priesthood through the lineage 00:47:13.880 --> 00:47:17.599 of Aaron, you remember what happened to his sons? 00:47:19.280 --> 00:47:23.300 What happened to them? There was a codified, 00:47:23.599 --> 00:47:27.340 there was an arrangement, there was a curriculum, 00:47:27.739 --> 00:47:31.980 I would say curriculum, of how every single activity 00:47:31.980 --> 00:47:37.219 in the tabernacle should be carried out. Alright? 00:47:40.079 --> 00:47:44.500 Moses has instructed them. Moses has taught them, 00:47:44.559 --> 00:47:46.500 this is how you do this, this is how you do that. 00:47:47.019 --> 00:47:51.059 But I want to speculate. That when Moses was 00:47:51.059 --> 00:47:53.480 doing that training, some of them were sleeping. 00:47:56.900 --> 00:47:59.079 I may even speculate that when he was doing that 00:47:59.079 --> 00:48:00.519 training, they were not taking notes. Because 00:48:00.519 --> 00:48:03.039 if you look at how plenty that instruction is, 00:48:03.219 --> 00:48:07.760 you need high level of attention and what? And 00:48:07.760 --> 00:48:12.239 carefulness to do specifically, exactly the instruction 00:48:12.239 --> 00:48:16.679 that was given. First show to do the assignment, 00:48:16.980 --> 00:48:25.070 they offer strange fire. And they died. Hallelujah. 00:48:26.349 --> 00:48:30.170 Now, it's not God's plan for you to die, right? 00:48:31.289 --> 00:48:35.550 But listen, for you to be qualified, for you 00:48:35.550 --> 00:48:38.949 to be trusted with lives, it's essential that 00:48:38.949 --> 00:48:41.989 you avail yourself and submit to God's way of 00:48:41.989 --> 00:48:45.650 building men. And you're not just here because 00:48:45.650 --> 00:48:48.710 you want to take a box of beans in a gathering. 00:48:48.909 --> 00:48:50.730 You want to belong because you're a Christian. 00:48:51.239 --> 00:48:53.320 You just want to come because it's a social gathering 00:48:53.320 --> 00:48:57.920 where you see faces. You know, you see some sisters 00:48:57.920 --> 00:49:04.199 and some brothers. Or you want to show there's 00:49:04.199 --> 00:49:06.639 a new cloth you bought in the course of the week. 00:49:10.000 --> 00:49:15.059 No. It's an opportunity for God to teach us His 00:49:15.059 --> 00:49:19.559 worth. And it is main. He doesn't mean to correct 00:49:19.559 --> 00:49:21.320 us. In the church of God, there's correction. 00:49:21.659 --> 00:49:24.860 In the church of God, there's direction. In the 00:49:24.860 --> 00:49:30.840 church of God, there is change of mindset by 00:49:30.840 --> 00:49:34.119 the word of God. Transformation of the mind by 00:49:34.119 --> 00:49:37.300 the word of God. And what should be our response? 00:49:38.260 --> 00:49:41.659 We make ourselves available and we submit. Hebrews 00:49:41.659 --> 00:49:49.400 chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10 verse 24. Hebrews 00:49:49.400 --> 00:49:54.360 10 verse 24 says, And let us consider one another 00:49:54.360 --> 00:49:57.659 in order to stay up love and good works. See, 00:49:57.699 --> 00:50:01.659 if you are not around, how can we stay up love? 00:50:02.139 --> 00:50:10.159 How can we see good works from your life? How 00:50:10.159 --> 00:50:14.079 can we stay up good works in your life? Look 00:50:14.079 --> 00:50:17.260 at the next verse, verse 25. Not forsaking what? 00:50:17.420 --> 00:50:20.559 The assembling of yourself together. Because 00:50:20.559 --> 00:50:22.360 it is in the assembling of yourself together 00:50:22.360 --> 00:50:31.579 that we see this stir up in our hearts. Not forsaking 00:50:31.579 --> 00:50:33.480 the assembling of ourselves together as it is 00:50:33.480 --> 00:50:36.000 the manner of some. Which means that in this 00:50:36.000 --> 00:50:37.400 church there are some that we are absconding 00:50:37.400 --> 00:50:40.119 from midweek services. There are some that we 00:50:40.119 --> 00:50:46.079 are absconding from team meetings. Alright? They 00:50:46.079 --> 00:50:49.840 will abscond from midweek services. They say 00:50:49.840 --> 00:50:57.599 cathartismos, they will not show up. But they 00:50:57.599 --> 00:51:01.500 are the chosen generation. They are the priesthood. 00:51:02.400 --> 00:51:05.519 Oh, my identity in Christ. You don't know anything 00:51:05.519 --> 00:51:11.579 yet. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves 00:51:11.579 --> 00:51:14.840 together as it is the manner of some. but what 00:51:14.840 --> 00:51:18.780 exalting one another and so much more as you 00:51:18.780 --> 00:51:22.679 see the day approaching. We make ourselves available 00:51:22.679 --> 00:51:26.539 and we submit ourselves to God's plan for our 00:51:26.539 --> 00:51:42.539 equipping. Hebrews 13 verse 16 13 verse 16 Do 00:51:42.539 --> 00:51:46.480 not forget To do good and to share for which 00:51:46.480 --> 00:51:51.340 such sacrifices God is well pleased. Obey those 00:51:51.340 --> 00:51:55.920 who rule over you and be submissive. For they 00:51:55.920 --> 00:52:03.300 watch over me that's him. Okay. For they watch 00:52:03.300 --> 00:52:06.360 out for your souls as those who must give account. 00:52:07.199 --> 00:52:10.559 Let them do so with what? With joy and not with 00:52:10.559 --> 00:52:17.289 grief. That will be unprofitable for you. In 00:52:17.289 --> 00:52:19.949 a sense that your life will not yield any result. 00:52:20.010 --> 00:52:24.889 That is unprofitability. You will not be perfected 00:52:24.889 --> 00:52:27.449 for good works. That is unprofitability. You 00:52:27.449 --> 00:52:29.469 will not be equipped for every good work. That 00:52:29.469 --> 00:52:34.250 is unprofitability. When you don't submit, first 00:52:34.250 --> 00:52:37.030 of all, let me tell you, the first place to submit 00:52:37.030 --> 00:52:40.090 under authority is to believe. That is the first 00:52:40.090 --> 00:52:47.539 step, believe. Believe the word. Mix the word 00:52:47.539 --> 00:52:51.840 with faith. Don't be rebellious as those in the 00:52:51.840 --> 00:52:55.719 wilderness. Believe the word that you've been 00:52:55.719 --> 00:52:58.400 taught. Commit yourself to the word that you've 00:52:58.400 --> 00:53:03.340 been taught. What should be our response? To 00:53:03.340 --> 00:53:05.539 be thoroughly equipped and made perfect in the 00:53:05.539 --> 00:53:08.500 knowledge of the Son of God, we must continue 00:53:08.500 --> 00:53:12.769 in what? In what we are learning. We must continue 00:53:12.769 --> 00:53:16.650 in what we learn and what we are learning. 2 00:53:16.650 --> 00:53:28.389 Timothy 3, verse 10. 2 Timothy 3, verse 10. It 00:53:28.389 --> 00:53:30.829 says, but you have carefully followed my doctrine. 00:53:31.889 --> 00:53:36.869 This is Paul speaking to Timothy. A young minister. 00:53:37.150 --> 00:53:39.530 But you have carefully followed my doctrine. 00:53:40.219 --> 00:53:45.199 My manner of life, my purpose, my faith, my long 00:53:45.199 --> 00:53:48.539 -suffering, love and perseverance, persecutions 00:53:48.539 --> 00:53:51.239 and afflictions which happened to me at Antioch, 00:53:51.380 --> 00:53:54.980 at Iconium, at Lystra, what persecutions I endured, 00:53:55.199 --> 00:54:00.760 and out of them all the Lord deliver me. Yes, 00:54:00.920 --> 00:54:05.139 and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus 00:54:05.139 --> 00:54:09.909 will what? Will suffer persecution. But evil 00:54:09.909 --> 00:54:13.409 men and impostors will grow worse and worse, 00:54:13.650 --> 00:54:19.550 deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue 00:54:19.550 --> 00:54:24.030 in the things which you have learned and been 00:54:24.030 --> 00:54:28.230 assured of, knowing from whom you have learned 00:54:28.230 --> 00:54:34.210 them, and that from a child you have known the 00:54:34.210 --> 00:54:37.860 Holy Scripture. which are able to make you wise 00:54:37.860 --> 00:54:40.619 for salvation through faith, which is in Christ 00:54:40.619 --> 00:54:44.260 Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration 00:54:44.260 --> 00:54:48.659 of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, 00:54:48.659 --> 00:54:51.719 for correction, for instruction in righteousness. 00:54:52.820 --> 00:54:55.539 That the man of God may be completely thoroughly 00:54:55.539 --> 00:54:59.900 equipped for every good work. That the man will 00:54:59.900 --> 00:55:02.880 be what? Will be thoroughly equipped, will be 00:55:02.880 --> 00:55:05.909 prepared, will make perfect. For the work of 00:55:05.909 --> 00:55:11.070 ministry, for this to happen, you must continue. 00:55:12.570 --> 00:55:15.510 Your intention, every single moment you are taught, 00:55:15.650 --> 00:55:18.349 is that you continue in that thing that you've 00:55:18.349 --> 00:55:21.269 been taught. James 1 verse 22 will talk about, 00:55:21.409 --> 00:55:23.869 you know, looking into the perfect law of liberty 00:55:23.869 --> 00:55:29.949 and continuing it. This is a man that will prosper. 00:55:30.130 --> 00:55:34.780 This is a man that will see you succeeding. Verse 00:55:34.780 --> 00:55:39.139 22. We see the prosperity of God's work in your 00:55:39.139 --> 00:55:43.000 hand when you continue in what you learn. Be 00:55:43.000 --> 00:55:47.539 doers of the word and not hearers only. Deceiving 00:55:47.539 --> 00:55:50.760 yourselves. Whenever you are taught, look at 00:55:50.760 --> 00:55:57.679 how do I apply this? How does this word address 00:55:57.679 --> 00:56:06.719 me? As you continue learning the word, you preach 00:56:06.719 --> 00:56:10.139 the word. Hallelujah. Our response is that we 00:56:10.139 --> 00:56:14.760 learn, we make ourselves available, we submit, 00:56:15.039 --> 00:56:20.119 we continue to learn, we keep learning, and we 00:56:20.119 --> 00:56:24.639 what? We preach. 2 Timothy 4 verse 15. We what? 00:56:24.880 --> 00:56:31.300 We preach. We preach the word. Hallelujah. So 00:56:31.300 --> 00:56:35.289 with this admonition this morning, I just want 00:56:35.289 --> 00:56:38.969 you to just commit yourself that this season 00:56:38.969 --> 00:56:40.989 that we are looking forward to spending time 00:56:40.989 --> 00:56:43.909 in God's Word, we are looking forward to spending 00:56:43.909 --> 00:56:49.449 time, you know, in the believers' meeting. Listen, 00:56:49.690 --> 00:56:54.909 this is an admonition for us. Today is just to 00:56:54.909 --> 00:56:57.530 admonish us, to encourage us, to make us see 00:56:57.530 --> 00:57:01.010 the importance of what we are doing in church. 00:57:01.559 --> 00:57:03.619 It's for us to see the importance of what God 00:57:03.619 --> 00:57:08.420 is doing in church. Don't take the opportunity 00:57:08.420 --> 00:57:14.820 for granted. Have expectation of seeing God shape 00:57:14.820 --> 00:57:17.380 your life by the teaching of God's word. Have 00:57:17.380 --> 00:57:20.260 an expectation of seeing your mind transformed 00:57:20.260 --> 00:57:23.920 by the word of God. Have an expectation of seeing 00:57:23.920 --> 00:57:26.380 God work through you to be a blessing to others. 00:57:27.039 --> 00:57:29.879 Have an expectation of seeing God... multiplying 00:57:29.879 --> 00:57:33.219 the work of ministry in your hand. Have an expectation 00:57:33.219 --> 00:57:36.760 of receiving specific instruction concerning 00:57:36.760 --> 00:57:42.920 the work of God in your life. Why? Because you 00:57:42.920 --> 00:57:44.780 are a participant in what God is doing on earth. 00:57:47.820 --> 00:57:49.659 If there is anything we will not get tired of 00:57:49.659 --> 00:57:53.519 telling you in this church, is that you are a 00:57:53.519 --> 00:57:57.079 participant in what God is doing. You are saved 00:57:57.079 --> 00:57:59.840 for a purpose. You are a minister of the gospel. 00:58:00.599 --> 00:58:04.079 And this is your training ground. And we'll continue 00:58:04.079 --> 00:58:06.219 to work tirelessly to ensure that we see this 00:58:06.219 --> 00:58:11.460 manifest in your life. Speak to God. Close your 00:58:11.460 --> 00:58:19.440 eyes and speak to God. Ask God to help you to 00:58:19.440 --> 00:58:27.019 be committed. That you're not only a hearer of 00:58:27.019 --> 00:58:29.940 the word, but that you are submissive, you are 00:58:29.940 --> 00:58:34.659 available, you are submissive to the world. That 00:58:34.659 --> 00:58:36.519 you participate in what God is doing, that you're 00:58:36.519 --> 00:58:39.820 not just a bystander. You only watch and see 00:58:39.820 --> 00:58:42.579 people do. But you take your rightful place as 00:58:42.579 --> 00:58:45.760 a son. That you take your rightful place as a 00:58:45.760 --> 00:58:49.920 son that has inheritance in the Father. And this 00:58:49.920 --> 00:58:53.400 inheritance comes with this honorable responsibility 00:58:53.400 --> 00:59:01.860 we have. So speak to God, speak to God. Please, 00:59:02.019 --> 00:59:05.079 make sure you are praying. Participate and pray 00:59:05.079 --> 00:59:07.579 for yourself. That with this encouragement we 00:59:07.579 --> 00:59:11.239 receive today, that we have this perspective 00:59:11.239 --> 00:59:16.519 right, that we have this orientation right, that 00:59:16.519 --> 00:59:23.619 we have this understanding right. Thank you, 00:59:23.619 --> 00:59:25.199 Heavenly Father, that you are preparing us in 00:59:25.199 --> 00:59:28.559 this season. As we walk through this season of... 00:59:28.679 --> 00:59:32.380 the Believers Conference, that we see your great 00:59:32.380 --> 00:59:35.599 work established in our lives. As a church, we 00:59:35.599 --> 00:59:39.119 will never remain the same. As individuals, we 00:59:39.119 --> 00:59:42.480 will never remain the same. Thank you, Lord, 00:59:42.539 --> 00:59:44.619 for pointing to us that you do your work through 00:59:44.619 --> 00:59:50.039 us and that for us to stand qualified to do your 00:59:50.039 --> 00:59:53.400 work, you train us. And in this season, we are 00:59:53.400 --> 00:59:56.639 submissive to your training and to your work 00:59:56.639 --> 01:00:02.329 for our lives. We appreciate you being here today. 01:00:02.710 --> 01:00:05.130 We hope you carry this word with you throughout 01:00:05.130 --> 01:00:08.010 your week. Don't forget to check the show notes 01:00:08.010 --> 01:00:10.769 for additional insights. Stay connected with 01:00:10.769 --> 01:00:13.469 us through our website or follow us on social 01:00:13.469 --> 01:00:17.130 media. If you are encouraged, share this message 01:00:17.130 --> 01:00:20.150 with someone you care about. Until next time, 01:00:20.190 --> 01:00:21.130 stay blessed.