WE BECOME IRRELEVANT!
· When we fail to know God better
· When we do not live the way we want people to live!
· When we ignore changes and reality
· When we refuse to listen
· When our values have been eroded
Ps Rene Nepomuceno on his talk about “RELEVANCE” last Nov 18, 2010 while visiting WIN- Al Ain. Ps Rene is our WIN - International Deputy Director and International Christian Education Coordinator and our WIN - Europe Overseer. He and his family is now based in London, UK.
19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. 20 I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. 21 For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. 23 I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24 And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon. 25 But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. 26 For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. 27 Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. 28 Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. 29 So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, 30 because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me.
Introduction: (Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline, "The Discipline of Service.")
Self-righteous service comes through human effort.
True service comes from a relationship with the divine Other deep inside.
Self-righteous service is impressed with the "big deal."
True service finds it almost impossible to distinguish the small from the large service.
Self-righteous service requires external rewards.
True service rests contented in “hiddenness”.
Self-righteous service is highly concerned about results.
True service is free of the need to calculate results.
Self-righteous service picks and chooses whom to serve.
True service is indiscriminate in its ministry.
Self-righteous service is affected by moods and whims.
True service ministers simply and faithfully because there is a need.
Self-righteous service is temporary.
True service is a life-style.
Self-righteous service is without sensitivity. It insists on meeting the need even when to do so would be destructive.
True service can withhold the service as freely as perform it.
Self-righteous service fractures community.
True service, on the other hand, builds community.
Historical Background:
• Author – Paul
• Purpose – To thank the Philippians for the gift they had sent Paul and to strengthen these believers by showing them that true joy comes from Jesus Christ alone.
• Date written – 61 AD from Rome during Paul’s imprisonment
The following are the narratives of Paul, Timothy and Epaphroditus in the work of the Gospel and to their fellow workers.
1. Paul
- He has joy even he is prison (v 19)
- He loves his fellow worker (v 22)
- He is concern with the church even in sorrow (v 27)
2. Timothy
- He shows genuine concern to the church (v 20)
- He is supportive in the work of the Gospel (v 22)
3. Epaphroditus
- He is supportive to fellow worker (v 25)
- He risks his life for the ministry (v 30)
What kind of church is the Philippians?
- Looks out for their own interests (v 21)
- Could not give much help (v 30)
Let me conclude this message by these questions:
Are we like Paul who is joyful in spite of his condition?
Or are we like Paul who is supportive in the work of the Gospel?
Or are like Epaphroditus who is supportive to his fellow worker?
Or are like the Philippians who just look out on their own interests?
These are not legally/officially adopted by the courts or registered as such by the government, but it is recognized that they live in the home and he has assumed responsibility for them as their guardians.
James used to worked in Sheikh Palace with a security company in Schwaib and then later transferred to Dhaid and later in Al Ain. He came to the office of Chaplain Isaac of Oasis Hospital looking for a church to attend in Al Ain. Chaplain Isaac then referred him to Pastor Stan Rubesh, the chairman of T. E. A. M. (The Evangelical Alliance Missions) AP in Al Ain. Bro. James later joined the Nepali Outreach that Ps Stan started.
James showed spiritually maturity and became Ps Stan’s translator at the Labor Camp where they visit many Nepali workers. James went on to disciple his own workmates.
He recently went back home to Nepal to join his family as advised by Ps Stan that it would be better for him to be with them. Ps. Stan knew about the Seeds Of Hope (SOH) that we are trying to start in WIN – Al Ain and came to my office if whether we are interested in supporting at least James’ adopted children. The Church Council agreed to support James as our initial WIN – Al Ain local SOH project beneficiary. We are also in the process of supporting the WIN – UAE SOH National Programme through Sis. Coi Alea of WIN – Al Nahda that would benefit Filipino orphans through our Philippine Office.
Please pray for our local Seeds of Hope WIN – Al Ain overseer, Sis. Marlene and our dear Bro. James that the Lord will use this ministry to bless orphaned children around the world. Thank you so much for your prayerful support.
James 1:27 (NKJV)
Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
May the Lord reward you richly as you give generously to the Lord’s work.
God bless!
-----------------------
Pastor Edward Vincent J. Barcial
1Moses assembled the whole Israelite community and said to them, "These are the things the LORD has commanded you to do: 2 For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it must be put to death. 3 Do not light a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day."
The Lord has commanded the Israelites to observe a Sabbath of rest. Sabbath means seventh day of the week and divinely set apart for rest and worship. Christians today have to observe this command also in order to have a day rest and to find time worshipping the Lord. Otherwise, we are like an ax that is always in use and is not being sharpened.
Illustration: One man challenged another to an all-day wood chopping contest. The challenger worked very hard, stopping only for a brief lunch break. The other man had a leisurely lunch and took several breaks during the day. At the end of the day, the challenger was surprised and annoyed to find that the other fellow had chopped substantially more wood than he had. "I don't get it," he said. "Every time I checked, you were taking a rest, yet you chopped more wood than I did." "But you didn't notice," said the winning woodsman, "that I was sharpening my ax when I sat down to rest." (L. S. Chafer, Grace.)
4 Moses said to the whole Israelite community, "This is what the LORD has commanded: 5 From what you have, take an offering for the LORD. Everyone who is willing is to bring to the LORD an offering of gold, silver and bronze; 6 blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; 7 ram skins dyed red and hides of sea cows [a] ; acacia wood; 8 olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; 9 and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece.
The Israelites were commanded to offer willingly what they had. During that time, they were commanded by the Lord to build the Tabernacle or Tent of Meeting. At present, we can also contribute something for the furtherance of His Kingdom.
Illustration: J.L. Kraft, head of the Kraft Cheese Corporation, who had given approximately 25% of his enormous income to Christian causes for many years, said, "The only investment I ever made which has paid consistently increasing dividends is the money I have given to the Lord." J.D. Rockefeller said, "I never would have been able to tithe the first million dollars I ever made if I had not tithed my first salary, which was $1.50 per week." (W. A. Criswell, A Guidebook for Pastors, p. 154)
10 "All who are skilled among you are to come and make everything the LORD has commanded: 11 the tabernacle with its tent and its covering, clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and bases; 12 the ark with its poles and the atonement cover and the curtain that shields it; 13 the table with its poles and all its articles and the bread of the Presence; 14 the lampstand that is for light with its accessories, lamps and oil for the light; 15 the altar of incense with its poles, the anointing oil and the fragrant incense; the curtain for the doorway at the entrance to the tabernacle; 16 the altar of burnt offering with its bronze grating, its poles and all its utensils; the bronze basin with its stand; 17 the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases, and the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard; 18 the tent pegs for the tabernacle and for the courtyard, and their ropes; 19 the woven garments worn for ministering in the sanctuary—both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests."
Israelites were also commanded to use their skills in building the Tabernacle. At that time, they can do and contribute a lot of things according their abilities. Same with us, we can also use our different skills and talents to glorify the Lord.
Illustration: In his book 70 X 7, The Freedom of Forgiveness, David Ugsberger tells of General William Booth, the founder of the salvation Army, who had lost his eyesight. His son Bramwell was given the difficult task of telling his father there would be no recovery. "Do you mean that I am blind?" the General asked. "I hear we must contemplate that," his son replied. The father continued,"I shall never see your face again?" "No, probably not in this world." "Bramwell," said General Booth, "I have done what I could for God and for His people with my eyes. Now I shall do what I can for God without my eyes." (David Ugsberger, 70 X 7, The Freedom of Forgiveness)
Whatever is done for God, without respect of its comparative character as related to other acts, is service, and only that is service. Service is, comprehensively speaking, doing the will of God. He is the object. All is for Him, for His sake, as unto the Lord, not as unto man. Hence, even the humblest act of humblest disciple acquires a certain divine quality by its being done with reference to Him. The supreme test of service is this: 'For whom am I doing this?' Much that we call service to Christ is not such at all....If we are doing this for Christ, we shall not care for human reward or even recognition. Our work must again be tested by three propositions: Is it work from God, as given us to do from Him; for God, as finding in Him its secret of power; and with God, as only a part of His work in which we engage as co-workers with Him." (A.T. Pierson wrote, The Truth)
In summary, the Lord has commanded us to observe a Sabbath of rest, offer something from what we have and glorify Him by using our talents and skills.
I hope we were enlightened by this message and were encouraged to give our best to the Lord. Let me end this by a poem from an unknown author:
Leftovers are such humble things,
We would not serve to a guest,
And yet we serve them to our Lord
Who deserve the very best
We give to Him leftover time,
Stray minutes here and there.
Leftover cash we give to Him,
Such few coins as we can spare.
We give our youth unto the world,
To hatred, lust and strife;
Then in declining years we give
To him the remnant of our life.
Thank you and God bless us all!
