Works That Count

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Transcript

Welcome And Finished Work Of Christ

SPEAKER_02 1:48

We honor you. As in Jesus' name, I do pray and believe. Amen and amen. And welcome. Uh, this morning, brethren, to another beautiful day that God has given unto us. It's always a great, great joy to be here every Sunday. Even as we reflect on the finished work of Christ that he did at Calvary. Uh, the song said, Yote, Ali Maliza Palem Salabanian. So everything is finished. Uh, there's no need of us struggling anymore, there's no need of us striving anymore, there's no need of us getting frustrated again. He finished it all at Calvary. He bore the pain, and they pierced him, they whipped him, they abused him, um, they ridiculed him. And that was all for us. And so we don't need to carry that anymore. We can come to the Lord this morning, knowing that he's done all he carried all those pain, that pain for us, and we can rejoice in his presence this morning. So we don't have to suffer anymore because he suffered, we don't have to stress anymore because he's stressed enough uh for us. We don't have to carry the cross again. He carried that cross for us, and that's why we are here this morning, and so we can sing again that I le Ferai, Walepuny Ambian, um, because again of what he's done for us. So, welcome this morning, as we go to fellowship, as we go to hear God's word, and prepare to go to our houses of worship, also as we prepare for the mission that is coming ahead of us this morning.

Jesus Returns And Rewards Our Works

SPEAKER_02 3:29

I want to go to Matthew chapter 16, Matthew chapter 16, um, verses uh 27, but maybe I would start with the first 24 for context. Uh, the Bible says, then Jesus says to his disciples, whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world yet for fate their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? Then, verse 27, which is what I want to associate this morning. For the son of man is going to come in his father's glory, and he'll come with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done. For the son of man is going to come in his father's glory, with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done. Brethren, this morning, um I want us to be encouraged that this same Jesus that they tormented, they ridiculed, uh, the pierced, they killed, is going to come again. And he'll come with his angels. And the Bible tells us in verse 27 of Matthew, um, Matthew 16, verse 27, he says, when he comes, he will come with his, first of all, he will come in his father's glory, and he'll come with his angels, and he's going to reward each person according to what they have done. When the Lord Jesus comes again, he's going to reward us according to what we have done. And this morning, and maybe the next weekend, as we as we prepare ourselves to go for the mission that is coming. I feel that we should encourage one another on exactly why do we do what we do? Why why would we go out there to serve? Why would we leave the comfort of our homes, the comfort of our beds, and go out there in the marketplace and actually try to serve God and witness other people? And the reason being that Jesus Christ who saved us, brethren, is going to come again, and he'll come in his father's glory, and when he comes, he is going to reward each person according to what we have done. So, brethren, Jesus is coming again, and the reason why we need to do what we do as quickly as we can is because we don't have all the time. Jesus is coming again. I know it may have taken long. Maybe when you were young in Sunday school, you are told that Jesus is coming, and it almost looked like he's coming again the next week, the next month, the next year, and it has tullied over time. But I want to encourage us this morning, Jesus is coming again. And we can become comfortable, we can become so entrenched with what is happening around us, we can very easily forget that Jesus is coming again. And you know, in the same note, in 126, he says, What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet for faith they are so? So Jesus is saying that we can be so determined, we can get so engrossed with um, you know, with gaining the whole world. What does gaining the whole world mean? In verse 26, what will it be? What good will it be? We can be so preoccupied with gaining the whole world that we lose our very soul. That when Christ comes, there's nothing we have to show for. We can be so engrossed with our work, with the pressures of the world, we can get carried by the systems of the world until we forget that Jesus is coming again. We can be so preoccupied with winning the whole, you know, gaining the whole world and actually lose completely our soul. And I pray that the Lord is going to help us this morning to know that Jesus is coming again. And when he comes, he'll come in his father's glory, he'll come with angels, and he says, He will reward each person according to what we have done. And the Bible also talks about the works that we have done being passed through a fire, and seeing if they'll be able to stand. And one of the things that we don't want to happen is to get to heaven, and then the things that we have done are put through the supernatural fire and it burns. And that would be dreadful, that everything we've done is just burned, cannot stand the supernatural fire. And um, I think it's important for us to be just um spend some time to talk about works that count. If we have to serve God and work for Him, what actually counts? What actually counts, what will count on that day? I don't want on that day for my work not to count. That is put through the fire and then it burns. I've got nothing to show for it, and therefore you don't get rewarded because everything you did gets burned. What actually counts? What work actually counts? So let us prepare ourselves to go for finishing. First of all, we can be encouraged, we can know that there's a there's a reward that is coming, but also we want to make sure the work that we do for the Lord stands, does not get burnt, it stands the test of time. Um, and that's what I want to encourage us this morning. Works that actually count. Now, um remember when we are serving God, the idea is not that we we we work for the reward, because you can very easily get carried away and then begin to serve God because um, you know, just because we are focused on the reward. That is not that's not the idea. That's why we want to spend some time today to say actually what actually counts, what work actually counts, and when the Lord Jesus comes to reward us, when he comes in his glory and with the angels and rewarding us, what actually

Actions Matter More Than Intentions

SPEAKER_02 10:46

counts? What does the Bible say about that? So, one thing that we I want to say as we begin is that we are going to get rewarded according to our actions and not by our intentions. We're going to get rewarded according to our actions and not by our intentions. You know, the Bible here says that we will be you will reward each person according to what they have done. He's not going to reward us based on the intention that we have. Last night, as we go, as we went to sleep, there were a lot of people that intended to wake up today and join this prayer meeting. They had the intention. But for some reason, they're not here. Maybe other one, you've hit the snooze button on the alarm, the alarm rang, you hit the snooze button, um, but you know, you you didn't you didn't wake up to join. You had the intention of being in this prayer meeting, but you didn't come. What you know what happened? You had the intention, but you actually didn't execute on the intention, and so it's important for us to know that the Lord Jesus Christ, when he comes back, is going to reward us according to our actions and not our intentions. Many times we feel it is good if we had the intention. Oh, I you know, I intended, I I I wanted to, but you didn't do it. Intentions have no reward. Only work has got a reward. Because many times we can be we can intend, we we we I intend to come and see you, I intend to come and visit you, I intend to call you, I intend to send you this gift. I intend you we have a lot of intentions, but we don't get rewarded by intentions, we actually get rewarded by what we actually do. And I know many times we like to we like to judge people by their actions, but we want them to judge us by our intentions. Oh, you know, I intended, you know me very well. My intention was good. We want people to judge us by our intentions. Um, but we ourselves we judge people by their actions. So it is important for us to know that when the Lord Jesus Christ comes, he's going to reward us by our actions and not our intentions. There are many people that intend to go for missions. Um, there are many people that intend to give for the work of God. There are many people that say, oh, maybe this year I'm going to join the ministry. This year I'm going to serve in this department. Uh, this year I'm going to do this. This year I'm doing it. But you don't do it. Our Lord Jesus Christ does not reward us. We don't get rewarded by the intentions that we have, we get rewarded by the actions. And so we must become action-oriented Christians. Rise up and do that thing that you believe that you feel the Lord has told you to do. Rise up and execute. Don't postpone it anymore. Don't procrastinate on it anymore. Rise up and get it done because when the Lord Jesus comes, he's going to reward us for our actions, not our intentions. So let's rise up, let's serve God, let's go out there and do the best we can for Christ. Let it not just be an intention. Let us actually crystallize it and make it real. Let's go out there in the marketplace. Let's go out there in the field because we don't get rewarded for intentions. We get rewarded for our actions.

Reject Titles Pride And Hypocrisy

SPEAKER_02 14:29

Number two, when we talk about works, brethren, and as we prepare to do the missions that are ahead of us, um, we need to be guided by what he also said in Matthew chapter 23. In Matthew chapter 23, and it's a long, long scripture. We don't have time to read all of it. You can read it, make reference to it. But in Matthew 23, Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, the teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you, but do not do what they do. For they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. Everything they do is done for people to see. They make their uh flax trees wide and the tassels on their garments long. They love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues. They love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called rabbi by others. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers, and do not call anyone on earth father, for you have one father, and he is in heaven, nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. Brethren, this is you can go on the whole chapter. It's actually a warning against hypocrisy. That's the whole title of Matthew 23. Jesus warns us about hypocrisy. When it comes to serving God and works, we need to make sure, which is point number two, let us not copy the works of the Pharisees and the scribes. That's the warning that the Lord Jesus Christ gave us. This one he was speaking to the crowd, and he also spoke to the disciples. What do the scribes and the Pharisees do? He says, number one, they are obsessed with titles. They're obsessed with titles. Um, when it comes to serving God and working for the Lord, in this 23 saying, don't get obsessed with titles. Um, and in fact, it goes down there in first 3 says, you snakes, you brood of vipers, uh, you you you how will you escape being condemned to hell? Um, you know, so Jesus was absolutely furious when he's talking to them. And if you read that whole chapter, you see a people that were obsessed with titles, titles and positions of honor. Um, you know, and we're saying, when it comes to serving God, brothers and sisters, let us not be obsessed with titles. Titles are great. I think if you have a title, um, you know, it's great if you are a bishop, if you are reverend, you know, all those titles. But don't get obsessed with titles. We are living at a time when people really value titles. The number of apostles, the number of reverends, bishops, archbishop, is and that doctor, reverend. Um, you know, we can see we have gone back. And in Matthew 23, the Lord Jesus really spends time and he's saying, please, please, avoid hypocrisy. Don't be driven by titles. Let us not be serve God because of the titles that people call us. God does not get impressed by titles. The second thing that comes out in that scripture as well is that he does also not get impressed with your gift. You know, he does not want uh the Lord does not get impressed by our gifting. Sometimes we can be so upset with our gifting, you feel you are special, you you know, because that's the whole reason why he talks about here, he says, um he says, those who humble, those who exhort themselves, he said will be humble. Sometimes the gifts that we the gifting that we have in our lives, um people see gifting. So when you're gifted, sometimes they you know you uplift the gift before God and you become obsessed with the gifting, the anointing, um, and you start feeling like there's something special about you, there's something about special about me. The Lord is telling us, no, no, no. When it comes to working for the Lord, you don't get um the Lord doesn't get impressed by those gifts. In any case, he's the one who has put those gifts in us. And he says, um, those who exalt themselves um will be humbled. And he says, Those who humble themselves will be exalted. And brethren, as we serve the Lord, there's always that sneaky thing of the enemy wanting to, you can begin to um, you know, for you to begin to exalt yourself, and not just as individuals, even as a ministry, as a ministry, as a team, we have to remain humble, we have to remain absolutely humble because the Lord hates um people that exalt themselves. Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. So, as a team, as individuals, we must make sure that pride, pride never ever gets into us. In whatever we do, everything we do is by the grace of God. We're not there to show off anyone, we're not there to tour anyone. No, no, no. When you start thinking like that, you become an hypocrite, an hypocrite. And the Lord in Matthew 23, he warns us about hypocrisy. And that's why we pray, that's why we spend time in prayer, in fasting, because it humbles us, it it removes that hedge, that pride that quickly sneaks in when we are serving God. We're gonna feel like homebreas cream, we are special. There's nothing special about this, about about the ministry, nothing at all. We are just mere servants, uh out there by the grace of God to serve, and we should always go out in humility. For the Bible says he will exalt those who humble themselves, and those who exhort themselves, he says he'll humble. May the Lord help us, brethren, as we pray, as we prepare ourselves, that the spirit the humble the spirit of humility will be upon us as a ministry, as a team. There's nothing, there's nothing to show off, and nothing special about us. We go out as mere servants and ready to serve. For the Bible says, the greatest among you will be your servant. The greatest among you will be your servant. And so, as we prepare to serve, go out there to work for the Lord, let us remain servants. That is who we are. That's the title that the Lord has given unto us. We are absolutely servants of the most high God. And therefore, you know, if we are servants, how can we take any glory? We are absolutely servants of the most high. And that should never escape our minds in whatever position, whatever gifting you have, whatever much the Lord uses you, we are just mere servants. So let's guard against hypocrisy. Um, when we serve God, the Pharisees we are doing it for people to see. They were there was a lot of you know people doing it for for sure. And the Lord Jesus Christ confronts them here. He says, No, no, no, you must be careful. Uh, don't don't do don't do anything so that people can see you. That's why they loved places. Honor, they wanted the front seats, they wanted to be there to be seen. They had these long robes. And the Lord Jesus calls them out. He says, This is hypocrisy. So when it comes to serving God, we must make sure that we do our level best, never to be have hypocrisy. We never do it for anybody, we don't do it for another person. We're doing it absolutely for the Lord Jesus Christ. And the Bible says, if we do that, he's coming very soon. And when he comes, he's coming to reward us for what we have done. Sema Amen.

The Work Of God Is Belief

SPEAKER_02 22:33

Number three, um, as we serve God, as we look at works uh that count, is that we must totally and lovingly trust and believe Jesus in anything that we do, anything that we do, we must totally and lovingly trust and believe in Jesus. This is in John chapter 6, verses 28-29. John 6, 28, 29 says, then they asked him, What must we do to do the works God requires? What must we do to do the works God requires? Then Jesus answered, he said, The work of God is this, to believe in the one he has sent. So the disciples were asking him, What do we need to do so that we can do, we can work for God? And Jesus replies, He says, The work of God is to believe in the one He has sent. That's important. We must, anything we do, we must totally and lovingly trust and believe in Jesus. Anytime we are stepping out there to go to the mission field, go and work, go and serve, is because we believe in Jesus Christ. We are not going there for any other reason. Because we totally and lovingly trust and believe in Jesus. If you don't believe in Jesus, it is a work that will not count. It's a work that is not going to count. Religion, religion is bad. Religion teaches us to work, and um Jesus teaches us to believe in him and trust. You know, there are people, a lot of people will wake up today, they will wake up to go to church to do many things, many religious activities. And we can do them not because we love the Lord Jesus Christ, but we do it because they are religious activities. But Jesus is teaching us to believe in him and trust him. And I know that because we were there, there are many times we did religion, not because we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. No, it was a thing to do. We wake up, we dress up, we go to church, it's a place to meet people, it's a place to connect, um, you know, to you know, to connect with other people is nice, it's a good vibe. You know, we can do that, and you know it can even happen. You can wake up, join the team, you know, register to go for the mission, not not because you love Jesus, but because it's a there's a good find. People are going. People are going, so let's go. But no, anything that we ever do, we must do because we believe in Jesus and we trust him. You know, we we cannot allow, we do, we don't, we we we cannot allow performance. Um, we need to do what we do because we love Jesus Christ. Jesus loves us because that is his nature, not because of what we do. Jesus loves us, he loves us, he loved us. It's his nature to love us. He doesn't love us because of anything we did, if anything else we are completely lost, but he loved us because that is his nature. And so we, as his children, we must do everything we do also because of love for him and trust. And you know, as we get to read God's word, as we get close to him, he puts the same love in us. And that love enables us to love people. When we get close to God in his word, the one thing that he does, he puts his love in us. The love of Christ then gets in us. When the love of Christ is in us, then we get to love people. When we get to love people, then we can go out there and actually step out to be used of God to minister to those people out of love. So we must totally and lovingly trust and believe in Jesus as we go, as we go out. You know, and we because when we stand, when we stand before God, it's not going to be how gifted we are, but what we did with the gift. So it comes down to love. We must do everything because we love the Lord Jesus Christ. And we must pray as we go through the prayer calendar, the prayer schedule. One of the things that you must do is to say, to prayerfully ask God to put the love of Christ in us so that we love people. If you don't love people, it's difficult to go and serve them, to go and minister to students and out of there. We do it because we love people. And the love of people is put in us by Christ. The same way those of us who are uh who are parents, um, we we love our children as parents, not because of what they have done, or you know, not because of what they have done. You know, that parental love is in us, it's been put in us, it's natural in us as parents. We love our children because we are parents. That love of Christ has to be put in us so that we begin to love people naturally. We start to want to love people. When you love people, you'll put them ahead of you, you'll sacrifice for them. That's why you sacrifice for your children. You take them to school, you fight for them. And you know, because that parental love is in you. It's the same thing when you love people, you'll sacrifice for them. So you can live your comfort, you can go out there and allow yourself to be used, and whatever you are doing, whether it's in the ways and worship team, you are an you know, you are an usher, you are minister of the studio, whatever you do, you are doing it because we love uh we love Jesus. Um we you know, we

Grace Over Religion And Earning

SPEAKER_02 28:18

love Jesus. The other thing that encourages us as we do that is because it's impossible to do enough good works to be forgiven. You know, we we we you know to we we cannot receive a miracle, we cannot work to receive a miracle, or we cannot go to heaven because of the works that we do. Heaven is a free home to those that accept Jesus as the Lord. And you know, there are many Christians who believe or who think that if they work hard, they'll be healed. And if you work very hard, you'll be forgiven, you know, for the things that you've done. There's nothing we can do to earn our salvation. Heaven is a free gift to those that receive Christ. And so, brethren, because sometimes we can be here and we did, you know, we've messed up, we did bad things in the past, and sometimes you can be thinking about the mistakes you made, the errors of judgment you did, you can feel long. But you know what? God has forgiven us, He has forgiven you. You do not need to do anything. It's a free gift and a blessing from God. However red your sins, however bad they are, when you come to the Lord Jesus Christ, he forgives you and it is unconditional. He forgives you completely. Sometimes you can feel maybe because I messed up so badly, let me work very hard, let me fast for long, let me do this. You can feel like that is going to earn you. Um, you know, you feel like you that will make you make the Lord Jesus Christ forgive you more. No, no, no. You can never be forgiven more because of anything that you anything that you do. In Romans chapter 9, verses 30 to 31, it says, What then shall we say? Romans 9, 30, 31, what shall we say then that the gentiles who do not pursue righteousness have obtained it. A righteousness that is by faith. But the people of Israel who pursued the law as the way of righteousness have not attained their goal. So the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness, you know, we have obtained it. We did not pursue it. But the Israelites who pursued it by the law have not obtained it. So, brethren, heaven is a free gift to those that receive Christ. You cannot walk to go to heaven. Oh, because I fasted long, or because I've done this, I've done this. Now I'm a good candidate for heaven. No. Heaven is a free gift to those that receive Christ. So as we serve God, it does not mean that we are not trying to earn our better ticket uh to heaven. No, no, no. Our forgiveness is complete. And if you try to earn it, if you try to earn it, you are that's when pride gets in. Um, you know, that's actually pride. When you try to earn, you try to do something to make the Lord, you know, feel like you are, you are, you know, you you know, you you deserve better. No, no, no. Heaven is a free gift, it's a gift. There's nothing we can never do to earn it. We need to rest that and we just need to step out there and to serve God because we love Jesus. We love Christ. We love Christ and trust him. That love that he had for people will be put in us, and we'll step out there to serve, not because we want to impress God, but because the love of Christ is in us, and therefore we begin to love people. We begin to think about other people, begin to um, you know, we begin to be concerned about people. We begin to be concerned about people that are dying in sin, people that are lost, that are tormented by the enemy, because they don't know him. That's the when the love of Christ is in us, we begin to be concerned about other people. That's why we go out there to serve. That's why we go out there to minister to these children when they are young and they don't know the Lord. We go there and do whatever we can because we love Jesus, we trust him, and that that parental love is then in us, and uh uh he can be able to minister to us.

Urgency To Serve While It Is Day

SPEAKER_02 32:20

Number four, brethren, we talk about works here that count. We must have a sense of urgency in working for God. We must have a sense of urgency in working for God. In John chapter 9, verses 4, brethren says, as long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming when no one can work. Brethren, we must have a sense of urgency in working for God. Um, as I said, when we were growing up, we are taught that Jesus will come back. Um, you know, some of us, you know, it is you know, that old Jesus is coming back has been going on from the days when we are when we were young. And sometimes you can feel like, oh, Jesus is not coming back anymore, there's no urgency. And I want to tell you, brethren, today, as we talk here, as we are in this prayer meeting, people are dying without knowing Jesus. People are dying without knowing Jesus. There are countries where people do not know God. And so, even if Christ does not come in your lifetime, you need to have an urgency because people are dying daily. There's somebody today who has gone, who has died, who will not have the opportunity to hear the Lord. And that's why this urgency. Because night, the Bible is telling us that night is coming when no one can work. So the night is coming for so many people. There are people we see it happening in our nation. You see, there's strife, the fighting, that you know, all those things. You can see the stress that we are all going through because people don't know the Lord. So people are dying. Um, and so time is really running out. Um, you know, it time is really running out. It's is really, really running out. Time is going. Look backwards. I mean, we are we we've just done celebrated 30 years of ministry. 30. Time is running out. Um, you know, so we we need to have that urgency that we don't have all the time. One, there are people dying daily. And once they die, they don't have the opportunity to hear the law. That's one. But even ourselves, we don't have a lifetime. We don't have a lifetime. If Christ tells us, a time is going to come when you'll not be able to do what you actually wish to do. The energy you have, the passion you have, the you know, the you it you'll not you'll not be able to do what you do today. So you need therefore to work with urgency. We must have a sense of urgency in working for God. If these children that you're going to minister to leave high school without ever having to known the Lord or had the Lord, that's it. It's you know, statistics have shown that if you if if when if these people hear the word of the Lord at this age of their teenage years, when they're in school, between that age of 13, all the way into their teenage years, when if if your mind gets impacted by the Lord Jesus Christ, it's almost very difficult for the enemy to win over them as they go on. Yet if we don't go, this group will go. There's a group we'll never see. There's a group we'll never see, we'll never hear, they will never have the opportunity to hear the word of God. So there has to be some urgency in serving God, in working for Him, because we don't have all the time. So we need to have an urgency. That's why we must go. Don't say you'll go for the next mission. Ah, let me relax this one. No. There is urgency in serving God. You're not going to remain strong as you are, you're not going to have all the time you have. Seasons come and change. There'll be another season will come when you may not have the freedom and the time you have right now. So have urgency in what you do. And the same thing in the house of God today, we could be serving God in our churches, whatever. Anything that you do, do with a sense of urgency. We don't have a lifetime in front of us. And then number five, uh, so that we can spend some time in prayer.

Why God Values Team Ministry

SPEAKER_02 36:48

God values the work done by churches and teams. God values the work done by churches by teams. If you go to Revelation chapter 2, verses 8 to 11, the book of Revelation, um, you can see that the Bible says to the angel of the church in Smyrna, it says right. These are the words of him who is the first and the last, who died and came to life again. I know your afflictions and your poverty, yet you are rich. I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but a synagogue of Satan, don't be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor's crown. Whoever has hears, let him hear, for the spirit says to the churches, the one who is victorious will not hurt all, will not hurt at all, but will not be at all by the second death. So here the Bible is writing to the churches. Say to the church in its mind, say, him who has ears. Let him hear what the Spirit of God is saying to the church. So God values the work done by teams. So they are, you know, God loves teams. Krem is a team. The church that you go to is a team, and that's why the Lord is writing here to the church in minor. I believe that the same thing. God knows Krem as a ministry, He knows as a team. As we gather here this morning, um, he we would say, you know, he would write and say to the church in Krem, um, this is what you need to do. So he values um the team. And therefore, we need to understand that we need to function as a team. I believe it said God knows this team. And before we get the rewards for individuals, because he says he's coming soon with his rewards in the hand, he says, before he begins to hand over the rewards for the individuals, there'll be a reward um, you know, for touching and winning souls for crime as a ministry. There's a reward for this team. Before he starts, um, you know, before he begins to reward each one of us individually, there'll be a reward for the team. And, you know, that's why God has put us together. Sometimes you can ask, why did God put us together in this team? But, brethren, now that God has put us together, we've come from different directions, different seasons, different places, different giftings. But God has put us together in this team claim. Therefore, let us love this team and let us purpose to make a difference in the team. We are serving together as a team. Therefore, you need to be a team player. You need to understand that you are first a team member. And there's a reward for the team. So we need to win as a team, and then there'll be rewards that are given for individuals. Um, and and that's why Jesus writes to the church. He says, I know you. The church is mine, I know what you're going through. I know what you know that church is going through. You'll be able to overcome. He was writing specifically to the to the churches. And so, brethren, let us let us purpose, let's let's let's laugh to be in this team. Um, do everything you can to enhance this team in whatever area of your um your positioning, whatever area you are serving, whether you are in the catering department, you are in pasturing, you are in the as preacher, you are you know giving a testimony, whatever it is that you are given to do in this team, do it well. Do it well, come out ready, prepare yourself to be to do what you can. Faithfulness is what leads to fruitfulness. Fruitfulness is a function of faithfulness, so you need to be faithful as a team member. Um, you know, whatever it is, just get you know, get totally planted in the team. Do um practice in the team. That's why, you know, like now we have registered for the missions. It's important for us to pray together. The prayer calendar has been released. As you as a team member, pray. Take the calendar, pray, do what you need to do, practice. There's no, you cannot be a team member. And when others are coming for practice, you don't show up for practice, and then you want to be in the main game, you know. So pray, encourage people. Let's come here in the morning, let's pray together. That's part of being in a team because God values teams. And when we now win souls for Christ, it's not an individual effort, it's going to be a team effort, and the Lord Jesus Christ loves teams. So let's encourage people, those who have registered, if you know them, tell them to be part of this team. You need to show up in the morning for prayers, and you need to prepare yourself. Get each team need to get prepared, the worship team needs to get prepared. Um, you know, the um the the the uh the the the ashers need to get prepared, the uh the alter call team needs to get prepared, the you know, the preachers need to get prepared. Whatever position you have been given in the team, you need to prepare yourself because it's going to be a team. We are going out there as a team, not as individuals. And it is important that you you you you be faithful. Faithfulness is what leads to fruitfulness, faithful in our support, faithful in our giving, faithful in everything we do that makes us good team members because there's a reward for team crap. As we go out there, as we stand to serve God, there's a there's a crown, there's a prize for the team, and then there'll be individual um individual rewards for individuals, but there's a it's a there's a pro there's a um a reward for the team. So be a good team player. Do it, do whatever you can. Don't allow yourself to be in a team and you're not you're not carrying the weight of the team. You know, you just there are people who are running, running around. You are in the team and just observing as others play. That's not good. You need to do your part. So run for the ball. Um, you know, fight for the ball. When the ball is with the enemy, you have to go and try to get the ball. You cannot have the ball is with the with the opponent and you are just watching. And no, no, you need to go for the ball and don't wait for somebody else to go for the ball. You need to go, pick the ball, fight. Let us take it and deliver that ball to the goal post. And when we see people raising up their hands coming to the Lord, we'll be able to get know that there's a reward for team cream. Brethren, works that count. Works that count. Jesus is coming again, he's coming in his glory with the angels, and he says he's going to reward us according to what we have done. Not our intentions, but according to what we have done. So, brethren, let's rise up there, let's go and serve, let's work, let's work for the Lord, knowing that a reward is coming, not for intentions, but for those who have worked in Jesus.

Prayer For Humility And Faithfulness

SPEAKER_02 44:00

So I'm going to invite us now to just spend some time in prayer. And then our brother and all wrap it up in the hour. And let's let's pray. Let's let's pray for humility. Let's pray that we don't do this for just people to see us and to be seen. Many times we can get carried. We do it for titles, positions. You know, we want to remove all those things. Uh so that pride does not set up as a team, but we can go out there in humility and allow the Lord to use us, and um, it shall be well with us. So, brethren, let's join together, let's unmute, let's put our faith together, brethren. Let's pray. We are a team, let's pray, let's put the effort, let's uh call upon the name of the Lord. Let's do your part. Faithfulness always leads to fruitfulness. Let us be faithful in Jesus' name. Hallelujah. Father, we thank you.

Final Exhortation Paul And True Service

SPEAKER_01 46:39

We can we have heard. Like what Paul said. He said, I when he was writing to the patients, he told them, I told you everything which I'm supposed to have told you. And I believe God is using our brother so that we can hear, can tell, he can ensure that we hear all that's what we want, what the Lord wants us to hear. And I want it's an emphasis. I want to say, these things are never these days taught in many churches. Even though you are there very few churches, but we are hearing them. I'm encouraged, I'm challenged. I believe let's take it. I believe you are taking it like that. If you have to serve God, we have to serve God as we've been taught. Number one, the Lord's humility. What is happening in the days we are living in? Our brothers told we are living in days when men are running potatoes. Everybody now is becoming ambition, not even a reverend. And if you don't call somebody ambishop, you see, I've seen some of them get offended. If you don't you call somebody pastor, I'm not a pastor, I'm a bishop. Brethren, Paul never did this. May God enable us to serve him with a lot of humility. I remember it's not good, the Bible does not tell us to humble ourselves, not God to humble us, it's me too to humble yourself. Paul, the Bible tells us when he was studying the gospel, as was as he was writing in the first churches in uh uh for Romans. The Bible says he used to be called Paul an apostle, and as Paul increased, the Bible says, Increase Paul said, increase in me as I decrease. As Christ increased in Paul, he will continue to decrease, and that's the opposite of what's happening these days. People are somebody starts being uh an uh uh pastor, and the competition is very soon I will be ambition. Paul tells us the Bible he became an apostle, he became a servant. You can see he was a poor a servant of God, and as Paul was finishing the gospel, the Bible said he was like I'm getting some echo. I don't know that so the Bible says he was he used to be poor a prisoner, look from being an apostle, he was a poor prisoner of Christ, who has more privileges, an apostle, a servant, and my brother just told us this morning that whoever wants to be in grade, he must be a servant of all, and not even a servant now, a prisoner, a prisoner has no rights, a prisoner as he wakes up, he doesn't know what to do. So, brethren, may God enable us to emulate Paul. He started being an apostle, but he finishes being a prisoner of the gospel, the opposite of what's happening these days because everybody wants to be say um a servant, I mean uh a pastor, evangelist, and going up to the archivision, may God change me as he changes us, so that as grace increases in us, we increase physically, spiritually we increase, but physically, we don't want people to know what a challenge you have been challenged, Matthew 23, tonight this this morning, that we should not be like the hypocrites. And as I finish, I say these people they used. Remember, they were the the Pharisees, the teachers of the law wanted to be seen. The Bible tells us, brethren, whatever the right hand does, let me the left hand not know. We are going into a rambis, a machanism and raisings, and it must be announced what we have given, it must be written what we have given. Why so that you can be if you perhaps you are seen, you are somebody supposed to have given 1000 and you have to give 200 when everybody else is being announced. That's a formal, I would say it's not really a question, but it's in a way you are being so and so good, so and so give. And when we go out, we stand discussing. Ah, so and the so I'm a bean at 1,000, and it to Namujuwa, you could have given 20,000. Brother, these certain churches, and I thank God in claim. We never announce whatever you give, you give from your heart, it is never announced what we have given, and I believe we it shall never start because the Bible says all of us out of humility, we are equal, we have been taught as we serve, we serve as a team, and being serving as a team, it shows some of us will do this under us. The Bible talks, Paul told Corinthians that we need to serve this God as somebody. We have the eyes, we have the eyes, are not the legs, the legs are not the hands, the hands are not the ears. We need to serve as somebody, say that we know we have the ashes these days. It's only preachers, men are the chances. You see, the preacher, I've seen preachers within bodyguards, I'm seeing preachers whether you are preaching, they are being surrounded. Brethren, some of the gymnastics we are seeing in in the churches are not godly at all, and that's the reason last Sunday I said anything which is not planted by the master, it will be uprooted by the roots in the name of Jesus. May God enable us, brethren, to serve with humility, to consider others better than they are. The people who own God cooking, we consider them nothing when we are in the field, the cause must take. We they are never considered, only the preachers are being focused. That's not the case because we are body, we are being told we serve as a team, and the team, everybody has a role to play, and that role must be respected in the name of Jesus. When God changed me, and I focus the finger to me. How am I serving God? How am I serving God? How are you serving God as we prepare for the mission? Refocus all the more to yourself and focus to myself, run some so that man can see me. Why wonders? What I do focus on men so that the glory can come back to me, or I focus to God so that the glory can go back to God. Or say it as I finish. I don't want to fight like somebody who is fighting there, who is beating the air. I don't want to run like somebody who does not want to win the prize. And what did he do? He said, one thing that I want to do, I want to beat my body and make it my slave, such that after I preach to others, I'm not disqualified for the prize. Hallelujah, brethren. We might have preached for many years. We are we are celebrating, we will celebrate that yes, but after preaching to others, going around in schools, in churches, finally, you are disqualified. Finally, I'm this I'm disqualified. Why? Because the focus was to me, but not to God. And then I say, like Paul, I want to beat my body so that I can humble myself. I am beat my body and make it my slave. Such that after I preach to others, I'm not.