This message was preached at Word Of Grace Church on October 20th 2024 by Colin. For the audio & video please click here.  For the worship please click here.

FAITHFUL TO SCRIPTURE

 All of us have a certain understanding of for world is and based on that we live our lives. 

Romans 12:1-2 - [1] Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. [2] Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

 There's a command in these verses. Don't act or believe what the world says. But be renewed and transformed. 

 The world is trying to change is to fit its mould. There are different types of philosophies, and we have the freedom to accept anything. Every time we watch a movie or series, we are affected by them. What God says is that do not be conformed to the pattern of this world. 

The different patterns in the world that we see are - big fat Indian wedding, grand celebration of 1st birthday, reading horoscope, wearing different symbols, signs and rings for luck and protection.

All these are from culture and philosophies, and they try to fit us into their moulds.

So not think as the world does but be transformed according to the Word. We must ask ourselves - is this how God wants me to be or do? We must know the scriptures, study the scriptures and change our way of thinking and doing things. 

Four attributes of scripture: 

1. Authority of the scripture

The truth is in the Bible. It helps us understand what the truth is. In this world, there is no central truth on which all the people can believe. But Bible has the truth. Bible is the final authority. That is what divides us from rest of the world. The scriptures are words of God. 

2 Timothy 3:16-17 - [16] All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, [17] so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

All the scripture is God-breathed. These are not thoughts of man but thoughts of God. 

2 Peter 1:20 - [20] Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 

The Holy Spirit worked in the life of Peter and used his character to pen down these words. 

2. Clarity of the scripture

Word of God is so simple that a child can understand but also difficult to understand. The great theologians still are confused about certain things in the Bible. 

Mark Twain said, "It ain't those parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand."

We need Holy Spirit to understand the scripture, for revelation and for illumination. As we approach Bible in humility, not just to understand but to obey and ask the Holy Spirit, He will help us understand the scripture.

3. Necessity of the scripture

To live in this life, we need to know the scriptures. To live right in any kind of relationship, we need the scripture. The Bible tells us how to have relationships like parents, children, spouse, marriage and many more. 

So, we need the scripture to have healthy relationships.

4. Sufficiency of the scripture

2 Peter 1:3 - His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 

2 Timothy 2:15 - [15] Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 

Without scripture, we will not know God completely. There are hundreds of varieties of insects and many other living things. God created all of them. By looking at them we will not be able understand God. We need the voice of God to help us understand Him. The end result is that we are transformed by renewing of our minds as we read the scripture. 

We read scripture to understand and renew our minds. All of us are familiar with the SPECK model of Bible studying. 

As many of you are going on holidays, I encourage you to spend time by reading scripture and doing SPECK (Sin to avoid, Promise to claim, Example to follow, Command to obey, Knowledge to rejoice in)

Do this faithfully and see how it transforms your thinking and also your lives.

Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit-filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English-speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God's inspired Word for life. We are a church community that has people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service.  Word of Grace is part of a wider international family of Churches called RegionsBeyond.To know more about us please log onto www.wordofgracechurch.org. 

Focus 2024 - Part 1 - Who are you living for?

This message was preached at Word Of Grace Church on January 7th 2024  by Colin. For the audio & video please click here.  For the worship please click here.

Who are you living for?

When we meet someone after introducing ourselves, what is the first question we ask them?

It is, “What do you do?”. Instead try asking them, “What are you living for? Ask the same question to yourself, what am I living for?

Some live for money, some live to retire and have a relaxed life and some live for fame want their name to be up in the lights. Today, it is not about lights, but it is about likes and followers.

Some live for approval, some for comfort, some for travel and holidays and some for food. What am I living for? We may say, I’m living for Jesus and maybe you are.

In the movie, “The Pirates of the Caribbean”, Jack Sparrow has a compass which points to Black Pearl. What is our compass pointing to? Sometimes, our compass can get demagnetized. If that is true, this new year, we must get our compass re-magnetized. We must truly live for Jesus.

Recently when we were clearing stuff at our home, we found a pile of journals. I encourage you to maintain a journal, take down notes and write down what God speaks to you.

This morning, let us see how we can re-magnetize so that we point to Jesus. Today, we are alive not because of different kinds of diet and exercise, but because it is Jesus who kept us alive. Let us look at,

Matthew 16:13-28 to find out the true purpose of our lives.

Matthew 16:13-14 - 13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

Even though the disciples saw Jesus doing amazing things, they still had a faulty understanding.

Caesarea is a place which is centre for Roman and Greek idolatry. A huge temple was built for Emperor Augustus. Amid idolatry and false Gods, Jesus asked this question. Who do people say I am?

People said that Jesus was John, the Baptist, Elijah, and Jeremiah.

Matthew 16:15-16 - 15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

When Jesus asked the disciples who they thought Jesus was, Simon Peter answered, “Christ, the Son of the Living God”. Some people think Christ is the surname. Christ means Messiah or The Anointed One.

John 5:17-18 - 17 In his defence Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” 18 For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

Several times, Jesus claimed equality with God. Jesus, Son of the Living God, is the greatest confession of the Church. To align our compass, this is the first thing. Jesus is the Messiah, Savior, the Anointed One.

John 20:28 - 28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

John 6:68 - 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 

We are a bunch of people who come together not to hear a motivational talk, but to declare, confess and agree that Jesus is the Son of God.

1 Tim 3:15 - 15 If I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. 

God’s household is the Church. In the world today, there is confusion about God. Even the most intelligent people may not understand the spiritual truth. A high IQ does not necessarily translate to a high SQ (Spiritual Quotient).

1 Tim 3:16 - 16 Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit,[d] was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.

Appeared in the flesh – born in the human body, vindicated by the Spirit – filled with Spirit, seen by angels at the time of resurrection.

Gospel needs to be proclaimed to every people group. Only then the end will come.

How did Simon come to know who Jesus was?

Matthew 16:17 - 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood but by my Father in heaven.

The truth was revealed to Simon by the Father in Heaven. The great confession comes with revelation but not with the human eye. The supernatural revelation comes as we read God’s word. Scriptures are essential.

Luke 24:27 -  27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

On the road to Emmaus, Jesus explained many things about himself from the scriptures.

John Calvin says, “If the Church doesn’t have sound doctrine, exposition of scripture, Church discipline, baptisms, Lord’s table, then it is not a Church.

Matt 16:18 -  18 And I tell you that you are Peter,[b] and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[c] will not overcome it. 

God has to touch a person’s heart so that they see who Jesus is. We are in darkness till Jesus opens our eyes. Many people get confused with the above verse. They think the Church will be built on Peter. The truth is the name Peter comes from Petrus, which means Stone. But the verse talks about a Rock. The rock is very huge.

Matt 7:24 - 24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

A house can be built on a very huge rock. So, Jesus said that he would build his church on the truth that Jesus is the son of God. One of the principles of studying God's word is to interpret the scripture, by comparing it to another scripture.

What are we living for?

This is seen in the next few verses.

Matt 16:24 - 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow me.

I encourage you to read this verse and meditate upon it in the coming week.

Let us establish this –

1.      Jesus says, I will build my Church.

2.      The Church is built on the revelation of who Jesus is – The Son of the Living God.

3.      We can only get this revelation by supernatural touch from God himself.

Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit-filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English-speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God's inspired Word for life. We are a church community that has people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service.  Word of Grace is part of a wider international family of Churches called RegionsBeyond.To know more about us please log onto www.wordofgracechurch.org.