Audio Sermon: Is Your Ship Sinking

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Is Your Ship Sinking?
preached by Pastor Mike Redick
at Gospel Light Christian Church Singapore

Audio Sermon: Dying To Self

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Dying To Self
preached by Pastor Colin Richards
at Gospel Light Christian Church Singapore

What is the key to fruitful ministry? How can we touch lives? Why are great Christians great? To know the secret, listen to Pastor Colin Richards share with us on dying to self from John 12:24,25. It will bless your heart.

Audio Sermon: Be Filled With The Spirit

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Be Filled With The Spirit
preached by Pastor Jason Lim
at Gospel Light Christian Church Singapore

The Christian life is a supernatural one. Not lived in man's own flesh, but in the Spirit. The only Christianity that is worthy of God is the one that the Spirit lives in and through His people. Christians MUST be filled with the Spirit. Come and listen to this clear message on why, what, and how you can live a Spirit-filled life.

Qns:
1. Share your thoughts on the sermon.
2. Share your understanding before and after the message on the Spirit-filled life.
3. Share your own experience of the Spirit-filled life.
4. Share how you have seen others live it.
5. Share your desire and determination to life this life.

Bright Clouds

“A bright cloud overshadowed them” Matthew 17:5

The cloud was a symbol of the Divine presence. One of the writers says the disciples were afraid as they saw the cloud come down over the Master and the heavenly visitants. Gog still comes to us often in thick clouds, and we are afraid too. But the cloud meant no harm to the disciples. No cloud means any harm to a disciple when God is in the cloud; and always, if we only listen, we may hear words of love.

Sorrow touched by love grows bright
With more than rapture’s ray;
And darkness shows us worlds of light
We never saw by day.

There was a voice out of the cloud testifying to the Divine sonship. The disciples had been staggered at what Jesus had said about His rejection and death. Now they are assured that He is the Messiah, and that they must hear Him. Even if they could not understand, and if the things He said seemed to destroy all their hopes, they were still to hear.

There are times when God’s ways with us seem very hard, and we think disaster is coming to every fair prospect in our life. In all such hours we should remember that He who rules over all is the Son of God, our Friend and Saviour; and our trust in Him should never fail. We should listen always to what He says; and when everything seems strange and dark, we should never doubt nor fear. What so staggered the disciples then we now see to have been the most glorious and loving wisdom. So in our strangest trials there are the truest wisdom and the richest love. Hereafter we shall know. It was out of the cloud that this voice came. Out of the clouds that hang over us come often the tenderest voiced of Divine love, the most precious disclosure of Divine grace.

Duty After Privilege

“Lord, it is good for us to be here: & let us make here three tabernacles;” Matthew 17:4

We should know that it was Peter who said this, even if his name were not given; it is just like Peter. He wanted to hold the heavenly vision on the mountain top, and not go back any more to the cold, struggling life of earth. It seemed such a heavenly place that he did not want to leave it. It certainly was good to be there; but they could not stay there long and yet be faithful to their duty and their mission. There was work waiting in the sad world below which they must hasten to do. There was a poor demoniac at the foot of the mountain whom the disciples could not cure; the Master was sorely needed there. Then farther off were Gethsemane, Gabbatha, and Golgotha for Jesus; He must make an atonement for the world. Then for Peter there was Pentecost, with many years of earnest service, and martyrdom in the end.

Devotion is good. It is very sweet to commune with God in the Closet, in the church, at the sacramental table; but we must not spend all our time in these holy exercises. While the raptures thrill our souls we must not forget that outside there are human wants crying for help and sympathy; and we must tear ourselves away from our warmest devotions and most exalted experiences to go down to answer these cries. Religion is not for enjoyment only; God gives us spiritual enjoyment that we may be strong for all loving service.

Hark, hark! a voice amid the quiet intense!
It is thy duty waiting thee without.
Open thy door straightway, and get thee hence;
Go forth into the tumult and the shout;
Work, love, with workers, lovers all about;
Then, weary, go thou back with failing breath,
And in thy chamber make thy prayer and moan.
One day upon his bosom, all thine own,
Thou shalt lie still, embraced in holy death.

Heavenly Messengers

“There appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.” Matthew 17:3

These two heavenly messengers were conversing with Jesus; they were talking with Him about His death. Several thoughts are suggested by this. One is, that the death of Jesus was part of the divine plan. It was no disaster, no defeat. It was understood in heaven that He was to die on a cross.

Another thought is, that Moses and Elijah had been sent to talk with Jesus, as He was now about to turn His face toward Jerusalem, that they might strengthen Him for the sad journey and for the bitter sorrows at the end of it. Before Jesus went to the wilderness there was a vision of glory, and a voice spoke, uttering the divine approval, to strengthen Him to endure His temptation. Now again, when He is setting out for His cross, there is a vision and a voice, to prepare Him for the darkness and the agony.

In these heavenly visits we have a hint of the employment of the redeemed in heaven. These two men are sent all the way to earth to comfort and cheer a weary spirit in its mission of suffering. May it not be that all the saved shall thus be employed in glory? It is delightful to think that we shall be sent from world to world on errands of love. The idea that in heaven we shall do nothing for ever but rest on green banks and sing praises to God receives no encouragement in the Scriptures. We are to be like Christ; and He is never idle, but ever busy in loving service. We shall be as the angels; and they are ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to the heirs of salvation. “His servants shall serve him” is one description of the employments of heaven. It will still be nobler there to minister than to be ministered unto. They will still be chief there who serve. Our poor work here is only a training for work in heaven and for ever.

Christ's Special Friends

“Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John” Matthew 17:1

These three disciples belonged to the inner circle of our Lord’s friends. There must have been something in them that peculiarly endeared them to Him. We know that Peter was a leader among the apostles, and also a bold confessor; that John was “the disciple whom Jesus loved;” and that James was the first of the band to die as a martyr. It is very encouraging to look at Peter who was admitted to such high privileges; a man with so many faults, who made so many mistakes, who even at the last shamefully denied Christ, and yet we remember that he was one of our Lord’s closest friends. It gives encouragement to us that, with all our faults, we may yet be very dear to Christ.

It does not seem so strange that John was allowed to enter the inner circle. His disposition was gentle and amiable, very much like the Master’s. Yet it is probable that John owed his sweetness and gentleness of character to his being with Jesus. It could be he was not always a man of love. There is a Persian fable of a piece of clay made fragrant by lying on a rose; the perfume of the rose passed into the clay. So it probably was with John. He crept into his Master’s bosom, and lay close to His heart; and his Master’s spirit of love and gentleness passed into his life and transformed it. Thus we have a lesson, too, from John: constant and loving communion with Christ will change us into His likeness.

The lesson from this choosing of three out of the whole band for peculiar privileges is that while Jesus loves all His friends, there are certain ones whom He takes into closer confidence than the others. There are degrees of nearness to Him, even in this world. Should we not strive to be among those who, by disposition and by service, win their way to the closest places? We must remember that those who serve most are chiefest.

An Unanswered Question

“What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Matthew 16:26

That is putting the case in its most favourable light. The whole world is the largest possible gain. But suppose a man gets it, it cannot keep him from trouble; it cannot give him peace of conscience; it cannot comfort him in sorrow; it cannot make a soft pillow for him when he is dying; it cannot purchase heaven for him when he is gone. All he can do with the world, after he has it, is to keep it until he dies; he cannot carry any part of it with him to the other life. “How much did he leave?” asked one, referring to a millionaire who had just died. “Every cent,” was the reply. He left all. So it is easy to see that there is no profit, but rather a fearful and eternal loss, in gaining even all the world at the price of one’s soul.

Then think for how much smaller price than “the whole world” many people sell their souls. Some do it for a few hours’ guilty pleasure; some for a political office; some for money; some for honour which fades in a day. In a newspaper this advertisement appeared: “Wanted — A nice cottage and grounds in exchange for a lot of choice liquours.” No doubt many people answered the advertisement. Men are continually giving home and property and peace and love for strong drink. They are selling their souls also in many other ways for pitiable trifles. They are bartering their heavenly birthright for a mess of pottage.

What shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Ah! that’s the trouble. When the soul is lost, there is no way of recovering it. When we have made our choice, and lived our life, whether right or wrong, there is no possibility of changing the results. Life is given to us only once; and if we live it wrongly, there is no chance to live it over again. A soul lost cannot be gotten back; no money will redeem it.

Lost Yet Found

“Whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” Matthew 16:25

It seems to be saving one’s life to be governed by self-interest, to avoid self-denial and sacrifice, to live to gather about one and into one’s hands as much as possible of the things that give comfort, pleasure, or power. But if this be the motive, the life is really thrown away. That is the deep meaning of our Lord’s words. Self-seeking is self-losing. We have not really learned how to live at all until we have learned to live for Christ. What we keep for ourselves we lose; it is only what we give away that we really keep. Selfishness is not only sin; it is also spiritual death.

The way to save one’s life, says the Master, is to lose it. Christ Himself lost His life, poured it out in loving self-sacrifice for the good of others. It seemed a waste; but was it a waste? He found it again in greater glory. Paul lost his life for Christ, renounced everything for His sake, suffered everything, and gave his very life at the last; but did he lose anything by his self-sacrifice? A young girl, beautiful, cultured, honoured, with a lovely home and many friends, turned away from ease, refinement, and luxury, and went to teach the freed slaves. She lived among them, and gave out her rich young life in efforts to help them up and save them. One day she sickened and died, and her friends said: “Oh, what a waste of precious life!” But was it a waste?

All who follow Christ truly, make this choice between saving and losing their life — that is, between making self-interest and Christ the motive in living. In following Christ, we may never be called actually to make great sacrifices; but that we are ready to make them, even to the utmost, is implied in our covenant of discipleship. Yet this losing is saving; it is sowing the golden wheat in the ground — losing it for the time — to reap therefrom a rich harvest by-and-by.

No Cross No Crown

“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself” Matthew 16:24

The cross is to be taken up, not simply borne when laid upon the shoulder. This implies willing, cheerful suffering for Christ. Some people endure trials, but always with repining. The spirit of these words requires cheerfulness in suffering for Christ. Half the trial is gone if we meet it in this glad spirit.

Notice again, it is his cross and not some other man’s that each one is to take up. It is the particular cross that God lays at our own feet that we are to bear. We are never to make crosses for ourselves, but we are always to accept those which are allotted to us. Each one’s own cross is the best for him. Sometimes we think our lot is peculiarly hard, and we compare it with the lot of this or that other person, and wish we had his cross instead of our own. But we do not know what other people’s crosses really are. If we did we might not want to exchange. The cross that seems woven of flowers, if we put it on our shoulders we might find filled with sharp thorns under the flowers. The cross of gold that seems so bright we should find so heavy that it would crush us. The easiest cross for each one to bear is his own.

There is a way to get the crosses out of our life altogether. A father explained it thus to his child. Taking two pieces of wood, one longer than the other, he said: “Let the longer piece represent God’s will, and the shorter your will. If I lay the two pieces side by side, parallel to each other, there is no cross; it is only when I lay the shorter piece across the longer that I can make a cross. So there can be a cross in my life only when my will falls athwart God’s, when I cannot say, ‘Thy will be done.’ If my will sweetly acquiesces in His, there is no cross.” The way to take out the crosses is therefore always gladly to accept, through love to Him, whatever trial, pain, or loss God sends.

Self Denial

“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself” Matthew 16:24

There are few things at which people play more wretched farces than in their efforts at self-denial. Very few seem to have the remotest conception of what it is. One does without meat on Fridays, eating fish instead, and thinks he has denied himself in a most commendable way. Another gives up social dissipation for forty days in Lent, and is complacent over the merit of great self denial. Others make themselves miserable in various ways: inflicting pain, making useless and uncalled-for sacrifices, as if God were pleased when they suffer. But these things do not constitute self-denial. There is no merit or virtue in giving up anything, suffering any loss or pain, or making any sacrifice, merely for its own sake.

True self-denial is the renouncing of self and the yielding of the whole life to the will of Christ. It is self, coming down from the life’s throne, laying crown and sceptre at the Master’s feet, and thenceforth submitting the whole life to His sway. It is living all the while, not to please ourselves, not to advance our own personal interests, but to please our Lord and do His work. It is denying to ourselves anything that is sinful in His sight. It is the glad making of any sacrifice that loyalty to Him requires. It is the giving up of any pleasure or comfort for the good of others which the living out of His spirit may demand. The essential thing is that self gives way altogether to Christ as the motive of life.

Nothing, therefore, is true self-denial which is done merely as self-denial. True self-denial, like all other traits of Christlikeness, is unconscious of itself, wists not that its face shines. We deny ourselves when we follow Christ with joy and gladness, through cost and danger and suffering, just where He leads.

Peter Rebuked

“He turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan.” Matthew 16:23

It was Peter’s love for Christ that made him rebel so at the thought of such a fate for Him. In his love he sought to hold the Master back from so throwing away His life. But in doing this he was acting the part of Satan in seeking to tempt Jesus from His great work of sacrifice. This way of the cross was not an accident; it was the way marked out for Christ; to swerve from it would be to fail in His mission.

Our best friends may become our tempters in the same way. In their love for us they may seek to keep us from entering paths of duty which will lead to sacrifice. Mothers may seek to restrain their children from going to foreign fields. Any of us, in the warmth of our affection for our friends, may seek to dissuade them from perilous or costly service which it may be their duty to undertake. We need to guard ourselves at this point. The path of true success does not always lie along the sunny hillside; sometimes it goes down into the dark valley of self-sacrifice. And if we try to hinder any from entering upon hard duties, urging them to choose easier ways, we may be doing Satan’s work. We may be plucking the crown from the brow of our friend by holding back his feet from the way of the cross.

We all need to guard, too, against the counsels of friends who would restrain us from costly or perilous service. In matters of duty we must know only one guide, and follow the call of only one voice. We are not set in this world to have a good, easy time; we are not set here to consult our own inclinations at all. We are here to go where Christ leads; to follow Him to sacrifice and to death if He leads us in these paths. We dare not allow ourselves to be turned aside by any tenderness of human love. It is the way of duty, however hard, that takes us home.

The Shadow Of The Cross

“He began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer,… be rejected,… be killed and after three days rise again” Mark 8:31

Peter had made a noble confession of his faith in Christ as the promised Messiah, and now Jesus tells him what that Messiahship meant, and how He was to fulfil His mission. It was not as the disciples expected. They were looking for His manifestation as an earthly king. But He tells them that the way to His throne was through suffering and by the cross.

It is to be noticed that while the way He marked out lay through darkness and sorrow, at the end there would be glory, — “after three days rise again.” Thus there was to be no failure in His mission. An apostle said to believers in Christ: “Ye must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of heaven.” The tribulation was hard, but they would go through it; and beyond was the kingdom of heaven. In the Twenty-third Psalm there is a verse often quoted: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow.” In these words there is a suggestion of gloom — but the writer is going through it; then comes “the house of the Lord forever.” So here the dying of the Saviour seemed to be failure; but the rising again meant glory, victory, and eternal blessedness. He was simply going through death, as the appointed way to His throne.

This quiet announcement by our Lord of what was in store for Him reminds us of an element of sorrow in Christ’s life from which we are mercifully spared. He knew before hand every inch of His path of woe. The shadow of His cross lay upon His soul through all the years. We sometimes rashly say that we wish we could see our future; but really it is a most gracious provision of our own life that we cannot see an hour before us. To know the future would only darken the present and unfit us for duty. It is far better that it is hidden..

What Think Ye Of Christ

“But whom say ye that I am”

Matthew 16:15

IT is to us a great deal more important question what we think personally about Christ than what the world thinks about Him. We may be able to state the doctrines of all the creeds of Christendom concerning His person; and yet the question remains: “Whom do you say that I am ? What think you of Christ?”

It is vitally important that we have right views of Christ. Who is He? Is He divine, or only human? If He is only human, we may get much profit from His teachings and from His example, but that is all. In our days of struggle and temptation we cannot turn to Him for personal help. The holiest saints in heaven cannot impart to us any strength in our weakness. They cannot reach down their hands to lead us, to defend us, to help us over the hard places. If we fall, they cannot lift us up again. We can get no help from John or from Paul. If Jesus was no more than a good and holy man, He can do nothing for us now excepting through His teachings and His example; but if He is divine, He can be to us all that we need as friend, helper, guide, comforter, refuge. So we see that it does matter what we believe concerning the Person of Christ. Doctrines are important.

Then, when the doctrinal question has been answered, there are other questions that come still more closely home: “What is Christ to you personally? Is He only in your creed? Is He only a person about whom you believe a great many blessed and glorious things? Is He in your thoughts only as the mighty Saviour of all who believe on Him? Is He anything to you personally? Is He your Saviour, your Friend, your Helper?” These are the questions that tell just where we stand with regard to Christ and eternal life. Opinions about Christ, though ever so true and orthodox, are not enough; only living faith in Him saves.