by Ps Wilson
Big idea:
God's kingdom citizen live distinct lives that display God's reign
People around us should be able to recognize us belonging to Jesus through the way we live
The Kingdom Theme in Matthew:
- The King's arrival (Matthew 2-3)
- The Kingdom's teachings by Jesus (Matthew 5-7; 10; 13; 18; 23-25)
- The Kingdom's manifestation through Jesus' signs and wonders (Matthew 8-9; 14-17)
- The King's crucifixion, death and resurrection (Matthew 26-28)
- The King's commission to make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20)
Matthew 5:13
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
Salt was used for:
- flavour
- preservation
- covenant making (Leviticus 2:13)
Salt symbolise the permanence of the covenant and the faithfulness of those entered into the covenant
Salt was used to flavour food, represent purity from decay and corruption, and symbolise the permanence of a covenant in ancient times
"The first struggle"
- is that many of us have not yet embraced every word of God wholeheartedly
Do you believe that you are the salt of the earth?
- If you don't believe you will not live as one.
If you are the salt, You will preserve integrity and truth and not participate in falsehood, our society around us will become different
Kingdom living begins with the conviction of God's word in your heart
"The second struggle"
- is that we have divided our lives into the sacred and the secular
This is not God's will to divide sacred and secular
Kingdom witness is for the world as well
Jesus knows the imperfection in our lives and Jesus is waiting to takeover. Do we want to allow Him to make every space in our lives as sacred?
Matthew 5:14
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.
Matthew 5:15
Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
Light is not to be hidden or covered
Matthew 5:16
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
He gave the most important punchline that God's people must shine so that people can see Jesus
God's people are to bear His image, represent Him in the world through what we do, so that people around us can see the King that we serve
We're to be bold to do good works, wherever He place us. The glory we receive from the world must praise God whom we are following. It is only complete when others see King Jesus
Salt does it's function discreetly in the background. Whereas light exposed darkness and brings truth publicly
Be ready to expose Evil and wickedness when required
Love positively for the kingdom
Father let your power and presence takeover my secular space daily
Thursday, March 12, 2026
Thursday, March 5, 2026
The Church is the ambassador of the King
by Ps Meng Cham
Big idea:
The spirit empowers the church to extend the kingdom to all the nations through Christ the king's authority
1. the mystery of the church
- the king's assembly
Ephesians 3:1-6
For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— 2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. 6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.
Mystery was used 7 times by Paul. Mystery means God's hidden plan and purpose that has now been revealed through the Holy Spirit
How do we see the church?
A. As the One New Humanity
Ephesians 2:11-12
Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.
Ephesians 2:13-16
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.
Ephesians 4:3-6
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
B. As the citizens of God's kingdom
Ephesians 2:19
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,
C. As the Temple of God
Ephesians 2:18
For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
Ephesians 2:21-22
In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Through the Holy Spirit God is gathering us to His holy temple
We are sacred space, therefore we don't need to travel to a sacred space
We are left here to do what we can do while on the earth
We are not only the king's assembly but we are also the king's ambassadors (embassy on earth)
2 Corinthians 5:17-18
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:
2 Corinthians 5:20a
We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
What are we suppose to do?
# We are in The Ministry of Reconciliation
- Our Model is not of this world but Christ, we just need to represent Christ wherever we are
- We implore to those outside to come into the ministry of reconciliation
Ephesians 6:19b-20
Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
We are facing Opposition that needs prayer to breakthrough
Ephesians 6:10-12
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Not every prayer we pray or every good deeds we do yields the result we expected because of the unseen evil powers
Not yet, we can expect resistance
All those unseen forces cannot defeat us Unless we give up ground
A good defence is the best offence
Ephesians 6:14-17
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Belt of truth - Our integrity
The breastplate of righteousness - Our confidence, Guards our hearts
The shoes of readiness - Our response, No need to be reactive
The shield of faith - Our trust, Blocks the doubt
Helmet of salvation - Our assurance, Our Security
The sword of the spirit - Our reliance, Is the word of God
All useless Without empowerment of the Holy Spirit
Pray all times with all kinds of prayers
Discipleship Is not optional but engine to the kingdom of God
We're the living example to the world, a foretaste to those outside what eternity is like
- Example of this is the case of PR vs Citizen
Discipleship or reaching out to someone: We Should not look for a way to opt out
Are you a PR enjoying the benefits of the kingdom or Are you a Citizen Taking up responsibility?
When things are ok there's no difference whether PR or citizen but when things goes wrong, there is a different
God help me to represent you to live well
Big idea:
The spirit empowers the church to extend the kingdom to all the nations through Christ the king's authority
1. the mystery of the church
- the king's assembly
Ephesians 3:1-6
For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— 2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. 6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.
Mystery was used 7 times by Paul. Mystery means God's hidden plan and purpose that has now been revealed through the Holy Spirit
How do we see the church?
A. As the One New Humanity
Ephesians 2:11-12
Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.
Ephesians 2:13-16
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.
Ephesians 4:3-6
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
B. As the citizens of God's kingdom
Ephesians 2:19
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,
C. As the Temple of God
Ephesians 2:18
For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
Ephesians 2:21-22
In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Through the Holy Spirit God is gathering us to His holy temple
We are sacred space, therefore we don't need to travel to a sacred space
We are left here to do what we can do while on the earth
We are not only the king's assembly but we are also the king's ambassadors (embassy on earth)
2 Corinthians 5:17-18
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:
2 Corinthians 5:20a
We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
What are we suppose to do?
# We are in The Ministry of Reconciliation
- Our Model is not of this world but Christ, we just need to represent Christ wherever we are
- We implore to those outside to come into the ministry of reconciliation
Ephesians 6:19b-20
Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
We are facing Opposition that needs prayer to breakthrough
Ephesians 6:10-12
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Not every prayer we pray or every good deeds we do yields the result we expected because of the unseen evil powers
Not yet, we can expect resistance
All those unseen forces cannot defeat us Unless we give up ground
A good defence is the best offence
Ephesians 6:14-17
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Belt of truth - Our integrity
The breastplate of righteousness - Our confidence, Guards our hearts
The shoes of readiness - Our response, No need to be reactive
The shield of faith - Our trust, Blocks the doubt
Helmet of salvation - Our assurance, Our Security
The sword of the spirit - Our reliance, Is the word of God
All useless Without empowerment of the Holy Spirit
Pray all times with all kinds of prayers
Discipleship Is not optional but engine to the kingdom of God
We're the living example to the world, a foretaste to those outside what eternity is like
- Example of this is the case of PR vs Citizen
Discipleship or reaching out to someone: We Should not look for a way to opt out
Are you a PR enjoying the benefits of the kingdom or Are you a Citizen Taking up responsibility?
When things are ok there's no difference whether PR or citizen but when things goes wrong, there is a different
God help me to represent you to live well
Tuesday, February 24, 2026
Questions on Kingdom Gospel
by Pastor Wilson
I. The issue of evil and why God allows it to persist from first rebellion to the third rebellion?
The 1st rebellion in Genesis 3:
is about a divine being (the serpent) who tempted Adam and Eve to rebel against God
In Genesis 3, the serpent had evil intent even though the bible did not mention the serpent is evil. The seed of rebellion is already found in the serpent before reaching Adam and Eve
Both the Human and Supernatural Families were involved in the 1st rebellion
The 2nd rebellion in Genesis 6:
is about a rebellious group of the sons of God, who had sexual union with the daughters of Man, and conceived a mixed breed of giants called the Nephilim (Genesis 6:4)
The sons of God in the Old Testament refers to supernatural beings whom God created to be part of His Supernatural Family and to serve Him in the Divine Council (Job 1:6, Job 2:1, Psalm 29:1, Psalm 82:1-8, Psalm 89:5-7)
As a consequence, God sent a flood to destroy the wickedness caused by the human and the giant races (Genesis 6:11-13, Genesis 6:17)
This group of rebellious sons of God was cast into hell and chained in darkness until the day of Judgement (Jude 6-7, 2 Peter 2:4)
The 3rd rebellion in Genesis 11:
In the 3rd rebellion we learned that the people in the Babel built a Ziggurat, a Mesopotamian temple structure, to worship other lesser gods (Genesis 11:4)
God then confused their language, disinherited them to the other deities, and dispersed them all over the earth (Genesis 11:7-9, Deuteronomy 32:8-9)
Application:
Q. Did God fail to eradicate evil in the three rebvellion?
Q. Did God lose control over both the Human and Supernatural Families?
Q. Why did God allow these rebellious to occur if He was all-powerful?
We need to understand the concept of freewill
Genesis 1:26
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
Humans must have the ability to make decision as God would, not robots
Humans must have the agency of freewill to bear God's image and represent Him
God can remove the agency of freewill but the moment God removes freewill it goes against His desire to represent Him and bears His name
When we love Him mindlessly it is not real love
Evil will persist in this present age because of the misuse of freewill by humans and supernatual beings
God is not afraid of evil and the proliferation of wickedness of the supernatural realm. HE DOES NOT NEED TO REACT TO EVERY FORM OF EVILNESS EXIST
God is not threatened by evil and will judge those who persist in evil and are unrepentant
That does not mean we can use this special privilege of freewill to do evil
We must use our freewill to do what is right in God's eyes
We must trust in God's character and knows He understands the pain of suffering
Galatians 6:7-8
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
Blessings and righteousness you will receive it back
Is not a matter of "if" but "when" will it happen?
God's judgement Is not limited to the time on earth, eternity is what we should be more concerned right now
For those who are concerned about injustice, be assured that God will serve it whether now or eternity
That includes pain and woundenness. That does not mean we return evil for evil
Trust that God will uphold justice for us
II. The relationship between Ancient & Modern day Israel
Just like Old Testament there were good and evil kings, God judged against the atrocities of wars, we must not forget there is a body of Christ in Israel today
Application:
Q. Has Israel lost the purpose for which she was formed after her exile by the Babylonian in 586BC?
Q. Will God still use modern day Israel as His chosen people, as He had intended in the Old testament?
Exodus 19:5-6
Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you[a] will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”
The above shows Why Israel was created for?
God salvation plan was not halted by failure of ancient Israel
1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
This above above is for us
The responsibility to represent God to the nations is now given to followers of King Jesus
Does this mean God does not need modern day Israel anymore since God have us? Answer is "NO' Romans 11:1-5
I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”[a]? 4 And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”[b] 5 So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.
Romans 11:11
Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious.
We are to provoke the Jews to return to King Jesus
Romans 11:12-15
But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring! 13 I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry 14 in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. 15 For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
God salvation plan on earth will be complete for it will not be complete without Abraham Descendants
Fake news remain fake Until you determine the source of the news
Let God's words help and guide you to navigate
Evil and wickedness were found in ancient days and they will still be found today
I. The issue of evil and why God allows it to persist from first rebellion to the third rebellion?
The 1st rebellion in Genesis 3:
is about a divine being (the serpent) who tempted Adam and Eve to rebel against God
In Genesis 3, the serpent had evil intent even though the bible did not mention the serpent is evil. The seed of rebellion is already found in the serpent before reaching Adam and Eve
Both the Human and Supernatural Families were involved in the 1st rebellion
The 2nd rebellion in Genesis 6:
is about a rebellious group of the sons of God, who had sexual union with the daughters of Man, and conceived a mixed breed of giants called the Nephilim (Genesis 6:4)
The sons of God in the Old Testament refers to supernatural beings whom God created to be part of His Supernatural Family and to serve Him in the Divine Council (Job 1:6, Job 2:1, Psalm 29:1, Psalm 82:1-8, Psalm 89:5-7)
As a consequence, God sent a flood to destroy the wickedness caused by the human and the giant races (Genesis 6:11-13, Genesis 6:17)
This group of rebellious sons of God was cast into hell and chained in darkness until the day of Judgement (Jude 6-7, 2 Peter 2:4)
The 3rd rebellion in Genesis 11:
In the 3rd rebellion we learned that the people in the Babel built a Ziggurat, a Mesopotamian temple structure, to worship other lesser gods (Genesis 11:4)
God then confused their language, disinherited them to the other deities, and dispersed them all over the earth (Genesis 11:7-9, Deuteronomy 32:8-9)
Application:
Q. Did God fail to eradicate evil in the three rebvellion?
Q. Did God lose control over both the Human and Supernatural Families?
Q. Why did God allow these rebellious to occur if He was all-powerful?
We need to understand the concept of freewill
Genesis 1:26
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
Humans must have the ability to make decision as God would, not robots
Humans must have the agency of freewill to bear God's image and represent Him
God can remove the agency of freewill but the moment God removes freewill it goes against His desire to represent Him and bears His name
When we love Him mindlessly it is not real love
Evil will persist in this present age because of the misuse of freewill by humans and supernatual beings
God is not afraid of evil and the proliferation of wickedness of the supernatural realm. HE DOES NOT NEED TO REACT TO EVERY FORM OF EVILNESS EXIST
God is not threatened by evil and will judge those who persist in evil and are unrepentant
That does not mean we can use this special privilege of freewill to do evil
We must use our freewill to do what is right in God's eyes
We must trust in God's character and knows He understands the pain of suffering
Galatians 6:7-8
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
Blessings and righteousness you will receive it back
Is not a matter of "if" but "when" will it happen?
God's judgement Is not limited to the time on earth, eternity is what we should be more concerned right now
For those who are concerned about injustice, be assured that God will serve it whether now or eternity
That includes pain and woundenness. That does not mean we return evil for evil
Trust that God will uphold justice for us
II. The relationship between Ancient & Modern day Israel
Just like Old Testament there were good and evil kings, God judged against the atrocities of wars, we must not forget there is a body of Christ in Israel today
Application:
Q. Has Israel lost the purpose for which she was formed after her exile by the Babylonian in 586BC?
Q. Will God still use modern day Israel as His chosen people, as He had intended in the Old testament?
Exodus 19:5-6
Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you[a] will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”
The above shows Why Israel was created for?
God salvation plan was not halted by failure of ancient Israel
1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
This above above is for us
The responsibility to represent God to the nations is now given to followers of King Jesus
Does this mean God does not need modern day Israel anymore since God have us? Answer is "NO' Romans 11:1-5
I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”[a]? 4 And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”[b] 5 So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.
Romans 11:11
Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious.
We are to provoke the Jews to return to King Jesus
Romans 11:12-15
But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring! 13 I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry 14 in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. 15 For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
God salvation plan on earth will be complete for it will not be complete without Abraham Descendants
Fake news remain fake Until you determine the source of the news
Let God's words help and guide you to navigate
Evil and wickedness were found in ancient days and they will still be found today
Thursday, February 19, 2026
King Jesus establishes a new covenant for his people
by Ps Steve
Big idea:
Jesus the ascended king is the mediator of the new covenant between God and His people
#1
Jesus the Ascended king, He fulfils and Mediates the New Covenant
Luke 22:20
In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.[a]
Jeremiah 31:31-34
“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to[a] them,[b]” declares the Lord. 33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
The word "new covenant" was first mentioned here
Israel was exiled to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness. This verse was given to prophet Jeremiah during the dark history moment
People lack the power to obey and to live it out fully
YHWH promised a new covenant that will bring inward transformation through His Spirit, not merely outward obedience through written commands
The real problem is not stem from the act of disobedience, It is our hearts
Ezekiel 36:25-26
I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
Just as the passover lamb's blood protected and saved Israel from death in Egypt, Christ blood now rescues us from the power of sin and separation from God
Hebrews 8:1
Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,
Hebrews 8:6-7
But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises. 7 For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another.
Jesus is now the enthroned king reigning in heaven
He present his finish sacrifice on our behalf declaring we have been made right through His blood
This New Covenant restores and fulfils God's original purpose for humanity:
1. Intimacy with God
2. Empowerment by the Holy Spirit
3. Participation in God's global mission
How should we respond?
We respond by pledging and reaffirming our loyal allegiance to King Jesus, and living faithfully under His covenant
Acts 2:38
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The NT present a bigger and new picture of what it means to submit to the kingdom gospel
# The Full Biblical Response to the Kingdom Gospel:
@ REPENTANCE
Turning away from sinful patterns and rejecting false loyalties to idols, powers and self rule
@ FAITH & ALLEGIANCE
Placing our trusting loyalty in Jesus as the Christ and reigning King
@ PUBLIC COMMITMENT
Placing our allegiance through baptism as an open confession of faith
@ LIFE IN THE SPIRIT
Receiving the Holy Spirit and growing within the Spirit-filled community of Christ
If baptism is public initiation, then communion is a regular practice of reaffirming our allegiance to Him
Communion is a covenent-remembrance act that celebrates Christ finished work and reaffirms our loyal allegiance to King Jesus
# Holy Communion is about:
@ COMMEMORATION
Remember Christ sacrifice, proclaiming His death and looking forward to His return
@ COMMUNION
Sharing in fellowship with Christ and expressing our unity as His body
@ CONSECRATION
Reaffirming our loyal commitment to Christ and renewing our devotion to live under His reign as a church family
Application:
Approach Baptism and Communion as a public pledge of allegiance and renewal to King Jesus
#2: The Spirit empowers God's people to live out the New covenent
The outpouring of the holy spirit was a public proof of His enthronement and reign
Acts 2:33
Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.
1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
We are to be obedience, worship and be loyal witnesses to point others back to Jesus
2 Corinthians 3:6
He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Holy Spirit is not optional but essential empowering us to live by his spirit to live out His mission on earth
Do not be a christian merely to Experience forgiveness without ongoing transformation
While failing to live out His kingdom life....
Application:
Acknowledge, accept and live according to the terms of this New Covenent
1. Acknowledge: Jesus as our Mediator and King, and place your trusting loyalty in Him under the New Covenant
2. Accept: Welcome the work of the Holy Spirit to transform your heart and align your life with God's will and reign
3. Act: Live out your covenant identity through Spirit-empowered worship, obedience and faithful witness
Because Jesus is enthroned and the Spirit is given:
1. We live under a present-King, not a distant saviour
2. We do not rely on will power, we rely on the Spirit
3. We expect real transformation
4. We are ministers of the New Covenent
The new covenant Is not a private faith but public allegiance that calls for our response, the invitation is already sent. The king has sealed it with His blood
Big idea:
Jesus the ascended king is the mediator of the new covenant between God and His people
#1
Jesus the Ascended king, He fulfils and Mediates the New Covenant
Luke 22:20
In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.[a]
Jeremiah 31:31-34
“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to[a] them,[b]” declares the Lord. 33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
The word "new covenant" was first mentioned here
Israel was exiled to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness. This verse was given to prophet Jeremiah during the dark history moment
People lack the power to obey and to live it out fully
YHWH promised a new covenant that will bring inward transformation through His Spirit, not merely outward obedience through written commands
The real problem is not stem from the act of disobedience, It is our hearts
Ezekiel 36:25-26
I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
Just as the passover lamb's blood protected and saved Israel from death in Egypt, Christ blood now rescues us from the power of sin and separation from God
Hebrews 8:1
Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,
Hebrews 8:6-7
But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises. 7 For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another.
Jesus is now the enthroned king reigning in heaven
He present his finish sacrifice on our behalf declaring we have been made right through His blood
This New Covenant restores and fulfils God's original purpose for humanity:
1. Intimacy with God
2. Empowerment by the Holy Spirit
3. Participation in God's global mission
How should we respond?
We respond by pledging and reaffirming our loyal allegiance to King Jesus, and living faithfully under His covenant
Acts 2:38
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The NT present a bigger and new picture of what it means to submit to the kingdom gospel
# The Full Biblical Response to the Kingdom Gospel:
@ REPENTANCE
Turning away from sinful patterns and rejecting false loyalties to idols, powers and self rule
@ FAITH & ALLEGIANCE
Placing our trusting loyalty in Jesus as the Christ and reigning King
@ PUBLIC COMMITMENT
Placing our allegiance through baptism as an open confession of faith
@ LIFE IN THE SPIRIT
Receiving the Holy Spirit and growing within the Spirit-filled community of Christ
If baptism is public initiation, then communion is a regular practice of reaffirming our allegiance to Him
Communion is a covenent-remembrance act that celebrates Christ finished work and reaffirms our loyal allegiance to King Jesus
# Holy Communion is about:
@ COMMEMORATION
Remember Christ sacrifice, proclaiming His death and looking forward to His return
@ COMMUNION
Sharing in fellowship with Christ and expressing our unity as His body
@ CONSECRATION
Reaffirming our loyal commitment to Christ and renewing our devotion to live under His reign as a church family
Application:
Approach Baptism and Communion as a public pledge of allegiance and renewal to King Jesus
#2: The Spirit empowers God's people to live out the New covenent
The outpouring of the holy spirit was a public proof of His enthronement and reign
Acts 2:33
Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.
1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
We are to be obedience, worship and be loyal witnesses to point others back to Jesus
2 Corinthians 3:6
He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Holy Spirit is not optional but essential empowering us to live by his spirit to live out His mission on earth
Do not be a christian merely to Experience forgiveness without ongoing transformation
While failing to live out His kingdom life....
Application:
Acknowledge, accept and live according to the terms of this New Covenent
1. Acknowledge: Jesus as our Mediator and King, and place your trusting loyalty in Him under the New Covenant
2. Accept: Welcome the work of the Holy Spirit to transform your heart and align your life with God's will and reign
3. Act: Live out your covenant identity through Spirit-empowered worship, obedience and faithful witness
Because Jesus is enthroned and the Spirit is given:
1. We live under a present-King, not a distant saviour
2. We do not rely on will power, we rely on the Spirit
3. We expect real transformation
4. We are ministers of the New Covenent
The new covenant Is not a private faith but public allegiance that calls for our response, the invitation is already sent. The king has sealed it with His blood
Monday, February 9, 2026
The servant King triumph
by Ps John Lin
We are wired for victory stories
Big idea:
Through the cross and resurrection jesus defeats sin, death and powers
We want the benefits of salvation without ...
#1
The servant king is exalted through humble obedience
Philippians 2:5-11
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Jesus never regards his divine equality ....
The eternal One steps into the lowest to serves and suffers
The cross was designed not only kill but also to humiliate
The cross is never separated from Jesus kingship
# Adopt the king's mindset
Philippians 2:5
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
I'm this world of Self promotion, personal branding, We could put others first even if it cost us something
# Expect the pattern of the cross in your own life
Luke 9:23
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.
Make a daily choice to deny ourselves and pick up our cross. Choose deliberately. We will share in Jesus vindication and glory
#2
The cross of resurrection defeated sin, death and powers
John 19:30
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
It is not a resignation but victory
Colossians 2:13-14
When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you[a] alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.
He cancelled our debt and made us alive in Him
Colossians 2:15
And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.[a]
The rulers and authorities were mentioned in:
Genesis 3 - Garden of Eden
Genesis 6 - Sons of God
Genesis 11 - Tower of Babel
1 Corinthians 15:17
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.
1 Corinthians 15:25-26
For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
Our response:
Allegiance to the reigning King in our ongoing daily commitment:
1. Live as Forgiven and Free people
Romans 8:1
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
2. Proclaim the King's victory with our lives
# Who we are and who we are becoming; our person, character and values absolutely matter in proclaiming the King's victory
What we do in our private lives, how we response must come into alignment to reality and truth of who Jesus is in our lives, be faithful to live in His kingdom way of life
James 4:17
If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.
Many believers stop at Only embracing the Saviour part:
Get out of hell free card and passport to heaven
This is incomplete because the reality overtime is faith can still be forsaken when we embrace the good news for ourselves instead of the King, we want to live with the benefit but not our allegiance to the king. The truth about the gospel is the King and His kingdom, not us
The one who saves us is the servant King who died and rose again
Is Jesus your religious accessory or one of your religious accessory?
We are wired for victory stories
Big idea:
Through the cross and resurrection jesus defeats sin, death and powers
We want the benefits of salvation without ...
#1
The servant king is exalted through humble obedience
Philippians 2:5-11
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Jesus never regards his divine equality ....
The eternal One steps into the lowest to serves and suffers
The cross was designed not only kill but also to humiliate
The cross is never separated from Jesus kingship
# Adopt the king's mindset
Philippians 2:5
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
I'm this world of Self promotion, personal branding, We could put others first even if it cost us something
# Expect the pattern of the cross in your own life
Luke 9:23
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.
Make a daily choice to deny ourselves and pick up our cross. Choose deliberately. We will share in Jesus vindication and glory
#2
The cross of resurrection defeated sin, death and powers
John 19:30
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
It is not a resignation but victory
Colossians 2:13-14
When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you[a] alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.
He cancelled our debt and made us alive in Him
Colossians 2:15
And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.[a]
The rulers and authorities were mentioned in:
Genesis 3 - Garden of Eden
Genesis 6 - Sons of God
Genesis 11 - Tower of Babel
1 Corinthians 15:17
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.
1 Corinthians 15:25-26
For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
Our response:
Allegiance to the reigning King in our ongoing daily commitment:
1. Live as Forgiven and Free people
Romans 8:1
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
2. Proclaim the King's victory with our lives
# Who we are and who we are becoming; our person, character and values absolutely matter in proclaiming the King's victory
What we do in our private lives, how we response must come into alignment to reality and truth of who Jesus is in our lives, be faithful to live in His kingdom way of life
James 4:17
If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.
Many believers stop at Only embracing the Saviour part:
Get out of hell free card and passport to heaven
This is incomplete because the reality overtime is faith can still be forsaken when we embrace the good news for ourselves instead of the King, we want to live with the benefit but not our allegiance to the king. The truth about the gospel is the King and His kingdom, not us
The one who saves us is the servant King who died and rose again
Is Jesus your religious accessory or one of your religious accessory?
Christ is Messiah, the Anointed King
Ps Joey Asher
Promises take time to pass
It felt forever ...
God's promise to Israel took 2000 yrs
The promise king arrive
Big idea:
Jesus reveals the arrival of God's kingdom through his authority to heal forgive and restore
God reign to be inaugurated
The gospel is first an announcement that God reigns is through the arrival of a King
1. We can anchor our hope in promises kept
Genesis 49:10
The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,[a] until he to whom it belongs[b] shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his.
Judah line will rule like royalty, it was prophesied centuries before the kings, globally
Matthew 1:1
This is the genealogy[a] of Jesus the Messiah[b] the son of David, the son of Abraham:
Matthew was connecting Jesus to David's line
Luke 1:32-33
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
Angel Gabriel appearance to Mary and prophesied accordingly to 2 Samuel
2 Samuel 7:12-13
When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
What God promised in OT was delivered through Jesus
Why kingship matter?
Because forgiveness, restoration and healing comes through kingship. King Jesus has the authority to give
Because God is faithful although Israel fail. God never waivered
It change how we live out our Christian faith when we obey God
2. We can follow the king who proves Himself
Promises must come with proof
Luke 4:18-19
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”[a]
Isaiah 61:1-2
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,[a] 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,
Jesus was declaring He is the Messiah
Sickness blindness and oppression are results of sins reign on this earth
Jesus is restoring God's original creation
Genesis 3:15
And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring[a] and hers; he will crush[b] your head, and you will strike his heel.”
Jesus is reversing the curse of sin with each deliverance, healing, signs, miracles...
Matthew 11:4-6
Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy[a] are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 6 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”
The table points back to Isaiah prophecy. The world has been under the sin of death and demonic power since Adams failure
Jesus works shows God's reign
# Jesus defeats unseen powers
Matthew 12:28
But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
# Jesus mission is universal
Isaiah 49:6
he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”
# Jesus offers total deliverance
King Jesus reigns now!
3 steps:
1. Identify what needs restoration
2. Submit to king Jesus authority over that area
3. Watch how king Jesus works
God's kingdom come through God's mercy, not through our merits
# When you see how Jesus proves Himself as the Promised King...
1. You stop calling Him King on weekends while living like He was powerless on weekdays
2. You stop living defeated by fear, anxiety and brokenness
3. You stop being a passive spectator
God promise because of God's mercy
Waiting don't remove God's promise
setback don't disqualify you
Promises take time to pass
It felt forever ...
God's promise to Israel took 2000 yrs
The promise king arrive
Big idea:
Jesus reveals the arrival of God's kingdom through his authority to heal forgive and restore
God reign to be inaugurated
The gospel is first an announcement that God reigns is through the arrival of a King
1. We can anchor our hope in promises kept
Genesis 49:10
The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,[a] until he to whom it belongs[b] shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his.
Judah line will rule like royalty, it was prophesied centuries before the kings, globally
Matthew 1:1
This is the genealogy[a] of Jesus the Messiah[b] the son of David, the son of Abraham:
Matthew was connecting Jesus to David's line
Luke 1:32-33
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
Angel Gabriel appearance to Mary and prophesied accordingly to 2 Samuel
2 Samuel 7:12-13
When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
What God promised in OT was delivered through Jesus
Why kingship matter?
Because forgiveness, restoration and healing comes through kingship. King Jesus has the authority to give
Because God is faithful although Israel fail. God never waivered
It change how we live out our Christian faith when we obey God
2. We can follow the king who proves Himself
Promises must come with proof
Luke 4:18-19
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”[a]
Isaiah 61:1-2
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,[a] 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,
Jesus was declaring He is the Messiah
Sickness blindness and oppression are results of sins reign on this earth
Jesus is restoring God's original creation
Genesis 3:15
And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring[a] and hers; he will crush[b] your head, and you will strike his heel.”
Jesus is reversing the curse of sin with each deliverance, healing, signs, miracles...
Matthew 11:4-6
Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy[a] are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 6 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”
The table points back to Isaiah prophecy. The world has been under the sin of death and demonic power since Adams failure
Jesus works shows God's reign
# Jesus defeats unseen powers
Matthew 12:28
But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
# Jesus mission is universal
Isaiah 49:6
he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”
# Jesus offers total deliverance
King Jesus reigns now!
3 steps:
1. Identify what needs restoration
2. Submit to king Jesus authority over that area
3. Watch how king Jesus works
God's kingdom come through God's mercy, not through our merits
# When you see how Jesus proves Himself as the Promised King...
1. You stop calling Him King on weekends while living like He was powerless on weekdays
2. You stop living defeated by fear, anxiety and brokenness
3. You stop being a passive spectator
God promise because of God's mercy
Waiting don't remove God's promise
setback don't disqualify you
Saturday, January 24, 2026
Why we need the kingdom gospel II - the kingdom story continues chosen & called
by pastor Wilson
Big idea:
God call Israel to be his kingdom people but they repeated fail to show loyalty
The ultimate purpose is to restore the kingdom of God on earth
Genesis 12:1
Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father’s house, To the land which I will show you;
It was no easy task for Abraham to leave country and culture, forsake deities of family and follow God whom his family did not worship. Abram shifts his allegiance to God
Genesis 15:6
Then he believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.
God counted to Abram as righteousness solely by his believing loyalty to Yahweh
# Abram allegiance directed his life decisions and actions
Genesis 12:2
And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing;
Yahweh promised He will raise a nation and make his name great because abram and his decendants will become the primary representatives to the nations
Genesis 12:3
And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”
Yahweh blessings on Abram was to be a representative and show the way back to God
# The passage has always been about God's desire to reclaim the nations for himself through the descendants of Abram
The context is Yahweh form Israel after God disinheriting the nations
This verse means in the ancient near east nations has their patron gods but Israel only have God as Yahweh. Those who bless and curse Israel will receive likewise
It was always about the God of Israel not about Israel
Galatians 3:8-9
The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.” [9] So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.
# The good news of the gospel was and still about God's plan to reclaim the nations and humanity for His kingdom through allegiance
Israel is constantly attracting international attention.
God is still using Israel to show the world who He is
What's the big deal to keep allegiance to Yahweh?
Exodus 19:4-6
‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself. [5] Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; [6] and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.”
Role of priest is to be a mediator between God and men but the condition hinge on Israel obedience and loyalty to Yahweh. Israel could not fulfill her role as the kingdom of priest the moment she committed spiritual adultery with other gods in disobedience and losing allegiance to Yahweh.
2 Kings 17:6-20
In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and carried Israel away into exile to Assyria, and settled them in Halah and Habor, on the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. [7] Now this came about because the sons of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up from the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and they had feared other gods [8] and walked in the customs of the nations whom the Lord had driven out before the sons of Israel, and in the customs of the kings of Israel which they had introduced. [9] The sons of Israel did things secretly which were not right against the Lord their God. Moreover, they built for themselves high places in all their towns, from watchtower to fortified city. [10] They set for themselves sacred pillars and Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree, [11] and there they burned incense on all the high places as the nations did which the Lord had carried away to exile before them; and they did evil things provoking the Lord. [12] They served idols, concerning which the Lord had said to them, “You shall not do this thing.” [13] Yet the Lord warned Israel and Judah through all His prophets and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep My commandments, My statutes according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you through My servants the prophets.” [14] However, they did not listen, but stiffened their neck like their fathers, who did not believe in the Lord their God. [15] They rejected His statutes and His covenant which He made with their fathers and His warnings with which He warned them. And they followed vanity and became vain, and went after the nations which surrounded them, concerning which the Lord had commanded them not to do like them. [16] They forsook all the commandments of the Lord their God and made for themselves molten images, even two calves, and made an Asherah and worshiped all the host of heaven and served Baal. [17] Then they made their sons and their daughters pass through the fire, and practiced divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking Him. [18] So the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them from His sight; none was left except the tribe of Judah. [19] Also Judah did not keep the commandments of the Lord their God, but walked in the customs which Israel had introduced. [20] The Lord rejected all the descendants of Israel and afflicted them and gave them into the hand of plunderers, until He had cast them out of His sight.
After Solomon's reign, Israel was split into two kingdoms:
Israel (10 tribes) - the Northern kingdom, conquered by the Assyrians in 722bc
Judah (2 tribes) - the Southern kingdom, conquered by the Babylonians in 586bc
Both failed to keep the tribes
Ancient Israel was God's chosen people and still is today
# When God blessed you, it is never just about you. But always about God's purpose through you.
Israel is to be a conduit of God to show blessing in propagating God's love to the unreach in Singapore and beyond and to reclaim nations for Yahweh
Dead sea salt content is 10 times more than normal sea water, rich in mineral necause it absorbs everything with no outlet, only water loss through evaporation and left only salt and mineral. May our lives not be like dead sea with no marine life
Big idea:
God call Israel to be his kingdom people but they repeated fail to show loyalty
The ultimate purpose is to restore the kingdom of God on earth
Genesis 12:1
Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father’s house, To the land which I will show you;
It was no easy task for Abraham to leave country and culture, forsake deities of family and follow God whom his family did not worship. Abram shifts his allegiance to God
Genesis 15:6
Then he believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.
God counted to Abram as righteousness solely by his believing loyalty to Yahweh
# Abram allegiance directed his life decisions and actions
Genesis 12:2
And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing;
Yahweh promised He will raise a nation and make his name great because abram and his decendants will become the primary representatives to the nations
Genesis 12:3
And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”
Yahweh blessings on Abram was to be a representative and show the way back to God
# The passage has always been about God's desire to reclaim the nations for himself through the descendants of Abram
The context is Yahweh form Israel after God disinheriting the nations
This verse means in the ancient near east nations has their patron gods but Israel only have God as Yahweh. Those who bless and curse Israel will receive likewise
It was always about the God of Israel not about Israel
Galatians 3:8-9
The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.” [9] So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.
# The good news of the gospel was and still about God's plan to reclaim the nations and humanity for His kingdom through allegiance
Israel is constantly attracting international attention.
God is still using Israel to show the world who He is
What's the big deal to keep allegiance to Yahweh?
Exodus 19:4-6
‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself. [5] Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; [6] and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.”
Role of priest is to be a mediator between God and men but the condition hinge on Israel obedience and loyalty to Yahweh. Israel could not fulfill her role as the kingdom of priest the moment she committed spiritual adultery with other gods in disobedience and losing allegiance to Yahweh.
2 Kings 17:6-20
In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and carried Israel away into exile to Assyria, and settled them in Halah and Habor, on the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. [7] Now this came about because the sons of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up from the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and they had feared other gods [8] and walked in the customs of the nations whom the Lord had driven out before the sons of Israel, and in the customs of the kings of Israel which they had introduced. [9] The sons of Israel did things secretly which were not right against the Lord their God. Moreover, they built for themselves high places in all their towns, from watchtower to fortified city. [10] They set for themselves sacred pillars and Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree, [11] and there they burned incense on all the high places as the nations did which the Lord had carried away to exile before them; and they did evil things provoking the Lord. [12] They served idols, concerning which the Lord had said to them, “You shall not do this thing.” [13] Yet the Lord warned Israel and Judah through all His prophets and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep My commandments, My statutes according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you through My servants the prophets.” [14] However, they did not listen, but stiffened their neck like their fathers, who did not believe in the Lord their God. [15] They rejected His statutes and His covenant which He made with their fathers and His warnings with which He warned them. And they followed vanity and became vain, and went after the nations which surrounded them, concerning which the Lord had commanded them not to do like them. [16] They forsook all the commandments of the Lord their God and made for themselves molten images, even two calves, and made an Asherah and worshiped all the host of heaven and served Baal. [17] Then they made their sons and their daughters pass through the fire, and practiced divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking Him. [18] So the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them from His sight; none was left except the tribe of Judah. [19] Also Judah did not keep the commandments of the Lord their God, but walked in the customs which Israel had introduced. [20] The Lord rejected all the descendants of Israel and afflicted them and gave them into the hand of plunderers, until He had cast them out of His sight.
After Solomon's reign, Israel was split into two kingdoms:
Israel (10 tribes) - the Northern kingdom, conquered by the Assyrians in 722bc
Judah (2 tribes) - the Southern kingdom, conquered by the Babylonians in 586bc
Both failed to keep the tribes
Ancient Israel was God's chosen people and still is today
# When God blessed you, it is never just about you. But always about God's purpose through you.
Israel is to be a conduit of God to show blessing in propagating God's love to the unreach in Singapore and beyond and to reclaim nations for Yahweh
Dead sea salt content is 10 times more than normal sea water, rich in mineral necause it absorbs everything with no outlet, only water loss through evaporation and left only salt and mineral. May our lives not be like dead sea with no marine life
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
The kingdom story so far (disrupted but not deterred)
by Ps Meng Cham
Why the kingdom gospel II (God's Reign Rejected)
(The kingdom story so far disrupted but not deterred)
Big idea:
Despite our rebellion God promises to restore His kingdom
Turn us from self rule to trust in faithful king
No matter how loud is our shout to be independence from God, there's always a whisper that God's kingdom will stand forever
1 John 2:15-17
[15] Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. [16] For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. [17] The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
Desires of flesh, eyes and pride of life is from the world
Rebellion 1:
Choosing over God's authority
(Genesis 3)
Genesis 3:11-13
[11] And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” [12] The man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.” [13] Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” And the woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
Physical death is a Lost of sacred space, losing all access to the empowering God
The temptation:
The desires of the flesh is nothing wrong until we step out of boundary
It is dethroning God in our human heart
The result Adam and Eve were banished from the garden of eden
It is about authority
Rebellion 2:
Escalation of evil
(Genesis 6)
Human ventures further and further from God
With Enoch God was pleased
Insurrection from sons of God
The temptation:
The desires of the eyes
Genesis 6:2
[2] that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose.
Produce Rival offspring, led to uncontrolled violence and evil
Proliferating evil, humans tends to follow
Rebellion 3:
Deliberate defiance
(Genesis 11)
The temptation:
the pride of life
Genesis 11:4
[4] They said, “Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”
All the good that was given to the human but they used it to put a stop to God's kingdom mandate to go out, they stayed put to build towel of Babel
the Result:
YHWH disinherited the nations assogning them to lesser supernatural beings
God was undaunted and He was not deterred
God's kingdom restated
Human rebellion cannot overturn devine authority
Genesis 3:15
[15] And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.”
Kingdom of God
Disrupted, not deterred
Genesis 9:1
[1] And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.
Flood was a reset
Rainbow was a sign of covenant that judgement will not be repeated but a greater ARK will come
Psalm 2:1-4
[1] Why are the nations in an uproar And the peoples devising a vain thing? [2] The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, [3] “Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!” [4] He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them.
God laughs because Whatever form rebellion takes, cannot unsettled God's rule and ultimate reign
Psalm 2:7-9
[7] “I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. [8] Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as Your possession. [9] You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.’ ”
It's not human going towards God butGod coming to reclaim this world and redeem us back to Himself
Our rebellion may disrupt God's kingdom, but it cannot be deterred
Application 1:
We can exercise hope in our troubled world, in the light of His kingdom
We live in times of instability, moral confusion, political unrest ... Don't be afraid because History is bending itself towards God's ultimate reign. God is not perturb by all these according to Psalm 2..
Application 2:
We must continue to resist temptation because the tempter is still at large
Keep growing in the word of God, it is His truth that sets us free and keep setting us free
We must guard ourselves through prayer, for us to sensitive us to those things around us
our love for God must make Him king of our life NOW
When we are lone we are truly target, together we are admonished, encouraged
#Resist temptation
#We have hope
We get flustered easily during delays. What if delay is not always bad but redemptive.
Imagine this is a last mrt train service that me or others is running late to catch, we benefitted from the delayed train. However, there are some who feel flustered when train is delayed because they have waited for very long. But this last train will pick up everyone but will everyone get on?
What if the train is a kingdom train and is a last train?
Why the kingdom gospel II (God's Reign Rejected)
(The kingdom story so far disrupted but not deterred)
Big idea:
Despite our rebellion God promises to restore His kingdom
Turn us from self rule to trust in faithful king
No matter how loud is our shout to be independence from God, there's always a whisper that God's kingdom will stand forever
1 John 2:15-17
[15] Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. [16] For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. [17] The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
Desires of flesh, eyes and pride of life is from the world
Rebellion 1:
Choosing over God's authority
(Genesis 3)
Genesis 3:11-13
[11] And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” [12] The man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.” [13] Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” And the woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
Physical death is a Lost of sacred space, losing all access to the empowering God
The temptation:
The desires of the flesh is nothing wrong until we step out of boundary
It is dethroning God in our human heart
The result Adam and Eve were banished from the garden of eden
It is about authority
Rebellion 2:
Escalation of evil
(Genesis 6)
Human ventures further and further from God
With Enoch God was pleased
Insurrection from sons of God
The temptation:
The desires of the eyes
Genesis 6:2
[2] that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose.
Produce Rival offspring, led to uncontrolled violence and evil
Proliferating evil, humans tends to follow
Rebellion 3:
Deliberate defiance
(Genesis 11)
The temptation:
the pride of life
Genesis 11:4
[4] They said, “Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”
All the good that was given to the human but they used it to put a stop to God's kingdom mandate to go out, they stayed put to build towel of Babel
the Result:
YHWH disinherited the nations assogning them to lesser supernatural beings
God was undaunted and He was not deterred
God's kingdom restated
Human rebellion cannot overturn devine authority
Genesis 3:15
[15] And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.”
Kingdom of God
Disrupted, not deterred
Genesis 9:1
[1] And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.
Flood was a reset
Rainbow was a sign of covenant that judgement will not be repeated but a greater ARK will come
Psalm 2:1-4
[1] Why are the nations in an uproar And the peoples devising a vain thing? [2] The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, [3] “Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!” [4] He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them.
God laughs because Whatever form rebellion takes, cannot unsettled God's rule and ultimate reign
Psalm 2:7-9
[7] “I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. [8] Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as Your possession. [9] You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.’ ”
It's not human going towards God butGod coming to reclaim this world and redeem us back to Himself
Our rebellion may disrupt God's kingdom, but it cannot be deterred
Application 1:
We can exercise hope in our troubled world, in the light of His kingdom
We live in times of instability, moral confusion, political unrest ... Don't be afraid because History is bending itself towards God's ultimate reign. God is not perturb by all these according to Psalm 2..
Application 2:
We must continue to resist temptation because the tempter is still at large
Keep growing in the word of God, it is His truth that sets us free and keep setting us free
We must guard ourselves through prayer, for us to sensitive us to those things around us
our love for God must make Him king of our life NOW
When we are lone we are truly target, together we are admonished, encouraged
#Resist temptation
#We have hope
We get flustered easily during delays. What if delay is not always bad but redemptive.
Imagine this is a last mrt train service that me or others is running late to catch, we benefitted from the delayed train. However, there are some who feel flustered when train is delayed because they have waited for very long. But this last train will pick up everyone but will everyone get on?
What if the train is a kingdom train and is a last train?
Wednesday, January 14, 2026
Return as One
Ps Peter Lim
Are you moving in the right direction?
Auto pilot without manual overwrite is dangerous
Big idea:
When God's people repent and realign to God together, He brings revival and restoration
1 Samuel 1
There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite[a] from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. 3 Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the Lord. 4 Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. 5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb. 6 Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. 7 This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat. 8 Her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?” 9 Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s house. 10 In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. 11 And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.” 12 As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk 14 and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.” 15 “Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. 16 Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.” 17 Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.” 18 She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast. 19 Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the Lord and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. 20 So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel,[b] saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.” Hannah Dedicates Samuel 21 When her husband Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vow, 22 Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, “After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the Lord, and he will live there always.”[c] 23 “Do what seems best to you,” her husband Elkanah told her. “Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the Lord make good his[d] word.” So the woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him. 24 After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull,[e] an ephah[f] of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. 25 When the bull had been sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli, 26 and she said to him, “Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. 27 I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. 28 So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.
Sacred Space is a place where God is encountered in a special or direct way, by virtue of which the very place becomes holy and set apart from ordinary space
1 Samuel 4:22
She said, “The Glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”
Sacred space was lost from the above
1 Samuel 7:1-2
1 So the men of Kiriath Jearim came and took up the ark of the Lord. They brought it to Abinadab’s house on the hill and consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the Lord. 2 The ark remained at Kiriath Jearim a long time—twenty years in all. Samuel Subdues the Philistines at Mizpah Then all the people of Israel turned back to the Lord.
Although there were lamentation but is only Deep sorrows but no repentance to change
When God send judgement on philistine they return the ark to Israel but that did not automatically brings revival to Israel
The ark was return but at the house of Abinadab which it was once seated on the hill for all to see
Let's Reflect:
Have we forgotten about God or treated His presence with contempt?
# Return to God with Genuine repentance
1 Samuel 7:3-6
So Samuel said to all the Israelites, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only. 5 Then Samuel said, “Assemble all Israel at Mizpah, and I will intercede with the Lord for you.” 6 When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.” Now Samuel was serving as leader[a] of Israel at Mizpah.
1. Turn away from sin
2. Fix heart on God
3. Serve Yahweh only
# Repentance isn't just turning from sin - It's returning to the King
Repentance is humbling but life giving
Corporate prayer gathering reflected ancient Israelite practice, where prayer and worship were communal, deeply heartfelt and emotional. It was rooted in repentance, confession and dependence on the Lord.
"pouring of water"
Symbolic of brokeness, tears and signs of repentance
Fasting and pouring of water signify Self denial and abstinence from food and water and brokeness
Corporate repentance creates accountability as we submit to God's leadership together.
God's word brings conviction which leads to repentance; repentance puts us in a posture where God can change our hearts.
Application 1:
Cherish God's presence through Confession and Repentance
1 Corinthians 3:16
Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?
Deuteronomy 30:19
This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live
@ For restoration and victory
1 Samuel 7:7-11
When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them. When the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid because of the Philistines. 8 They said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.” 9 Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him. 10 While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the Lord thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites. 11 The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Kar.
Nursing lamb was meant to show the reliance/dependence of the people upon Yahweh
Thundered sound in war symbolise Diety was angry and dangerous therefore philistine fled
During crisis, Prayer and worship are never a waste of time because it show a reliance on God
Ebenezer - "Stone of help"
1 Samuel 7:12-14
Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer,[a] saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” 13 So the Philistines were subdued and they stopped invading Israel’s territory. Throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines. 14 The towns from Ekron to Gath that the Philistines had captured from Israel were restored to Israel, and Israel delivered the neighboring territory from the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
Corporate prayer and heartfelt praise are expressions of reliance on God.
Let's approach prayer as reliance on God - where we receive strength and grace to face our challenges and fight our battles.
Souls are not gonna be saved unless God fights for us, broken families will not be restored unless God fights for us...
Application 2:
Return to God in corporate prayer and heartfelt praise
Let's honor God with loud praises, lifting of hands and joyful clapping
Does revival still happen today?
Yes, consider the 2023 Asbury revival
Are you moving in the right direction?
Auto pilot without manual overwrite is dangerous
Big idea:
When God's people repent and realign to God together, He brings revival and restoration
1 Samuel 1
There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite[a] from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. 3 Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the Lord. 4 Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. 5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb. 6 Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. 7 This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat. 8 Her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?” 9 Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s house. 10 In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. 11 And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.” 12 As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk 14 and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.” 15 “Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. 16 Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.” 17 Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.” 18 She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast. 19 Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the Lord and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. 20 So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel,[b] saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.” Hannah Dedicates Samuel 21 When her husband Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vow, 22 Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, “After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the Lord, and he will live there always.”[c] 23 “Do what seems best to you,” her husband Elkanah told her. “Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the Lord make good his[d] word.” So the woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him. 24 After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull,[e] an ephah[f] of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. 25 When the bull had been sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli, 26 and she said to him, “Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. 27 I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. 28 So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.
Sacred Space is a place where God is encountered in a special or direct way, by virtue of which the very place becomes holy and set apart from ordinary space
1 Samuel 4:22
She said, “The Glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”
Sacred space was lost from the above
1 Samuel 7:1-2
1 So the men of Kiriath Jearim came and took up the ark of the Lord. They brought it to Abinadab’s house on the hill and consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the Lord. 2 The ark remained at Kiriath Jearim a long time—twenty years in all. Samuel Subdues the Philistines at Mizpah Then all the people of Israel turned back to the Lord.
Although there were lamentation but is only Deep sorrows but no repentance to change
When God send judgement on philistine they return the ark to Israel but that did not automatically brings revival to Israel
The ark was return but at the house of Abinadab which it was once seated on the hill for all to see
Let's Reflect:
Have we forgotten about God or treated His presence with contempt?
# Return to God with Genuine repentance
1 Samuel 7:3-6
So Samuel said to all the Israelites, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only. 5 Then Samuel said, “Assemble all Israel at Mizpah, and I will intercede with the Lord for you.” 6 When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.” Now Samuel was serving as leader[a] of Israel at Mizpah.
1. Turn away from sin
2. Fix heart on God
3. Serve Yahweh only
# Repentance isn't just turning from sin - It's returning to the King
Repentance is humbling but life giving
Corporate prayer gathering reflected ancient Israelite practice, where prayer and worship were communal, deeply heartfelt and emotional. It was rooted in repentance, confession and dependence on the Lord.
"pouring of water"
Symbolic of brokeness, tears and signs of repentance
Fasting and pouring of water signify Self denial and abstinence from food and water and brokeness
Corporate repentance creates accountability as we submit to God's leadership together.
God's word brings conviction which leads to repentance; repentance puts us in a posture where God can change our hearts.
Application 1:
Cherish God's presence through Confession and Repentance
1 Corinthians 3:16
Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?
Deuteronomy 30:19
This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live
@ For restoration and victory
1 Samuel 7:7-11
When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them. When the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid because of the Philistines. 8 They said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.” 9 Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him. 10 While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the Lord thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites. 11 The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Kar.
Nursing lamb was meant to show the reliance/dependence of the people upon Yahweh
Thundered sound in war symbolise Diety was angry and dangerous therefore philistine fled
During crisis, Prayer and worship are never a waste of time because it show a reliance on God
Ebenezer - "Stone of help"
1 Samuel 7:12-14
Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer,[a] saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” 13 So the Philistines were subdued and they stopped invading Israel’s territory. Throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines. 14 The towns from Ekron to Gath that the Philistines had captured from Israel were restored to Israel, and Israel delivered the neighboring territory from the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
Corporate prayer and heartfelt praise are expressions of reliance on God.
Let's approach prayer as reliance on God - where we receive strength and grace to face our challenges and fight our battles.
Souls are not gonna be saved unless God fights for us, broken families will not be restored unless God fights for us...
Application 2:
Return to God in corporate prayer and heartfelt praise
Let's honor God with loud praises, lifting of hands and joyful clapping
Does revival still happen today?
Yes, consider the 2023 Asbury revival
Monday, January 5, 2026
Cry out as One
by Ps John Lin
Big idea:
When God's people seek him together He realigns and restores them to live under His rule
We are created for community
Corporate prayer is the engine of renewal
Nehemiah 9:1-3
On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and putting dust on their heads. 2 Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors. 3 They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the Lord their God.
By confessing together, it's not incidental moment but intentional, public act of alignment
# Each time we confess our sins, we come into alignment with God's word
Confession is like a tuning of our soul, it brings us back to God
Most of the time, we're so out of tune that we downplay it as mistake or struggle rather than agreeing with God and acknowledging our sins
Nehemiah 9:4-5
Standing on the stairs of the Levites were Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani and Kenani. They cried out with loud voices to the Lord their God. 5 And the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah—said: “Stand up and praise the Lord your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting.[a]” “Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise.
The people didn't pray about their problems or struggles but recounting God's story
# Recounting God's Faithfulness restores our identity
Israelites are very forgetful people, felt hopeless, pointless
Problems become a Definition of our lives
We must remember who God is
By recounting God's faithfulness, Is a spiritual formation and alignment of our identity
Corporate prayer redirects the way we live. It renews our Allegiance and Restores God's mission
Nehemiah 9:38
“In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement, putting it in writing, and our leaders, our Levites and our priests are affixing their seals to it.”[a]
Nehemiah 10:28-29
“The rest of the people—priests, Levites, gatekeepers, musicians, temple servants and all who separated themselves from the neighboring peoples for the sake of the Law of God, together with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to understand— 29 all these now join their fellow Israelites the nobles, and bind themselves with a curse and an oath to follow the Law of God given through Moses the servant of God and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the Lord our Lord.
Nehemiah 10:30
“We promise not to give our daughters in marriage to the peoples around us or take their daughters for our sons.
They do not compromise
Nehemiah 10:31
“When the neighboring peoples bring merchandise or grain to sell on the Sabbath, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on any holy day. Every seventh year we will forgo working the land and will cancel all debts.
They were not pressured by the pace of the world
Nehemiah 10:38-39
A priest descended from Aaron is to accompany the Levites when they receive the tithes, and the Levites are to bring a tenth of the tithes up to the house of our God, to the storerooms of the treasury. 39 The people of Israel, including the Levites, are to bring their contributions of grain, new wine and olive oil to the storerooms, where the articles for the sanctuary and for the ministering priests, the gatekeepers and the musicians are also kept. “We will not neglect the house of our God.”
The temple of God were neglected over the years. So now the people committed to taking care of God's temple., to put God's first
The people did not stop at confession, feeling great but made a covenent
2 Corinthians 5:15
And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
# Allegiance is how Peace and Purpose are Restored
They were re-establishing themselves as God's holy people, and chose to embrace Yahweh, not go back to living the way we want
Am I slowly compromising my faith towards God in my career, my upbringing of my children, my family, my daily life?
Something must shift and change, not just our hearts but action to follow
Big idea:
When God's people seek him together He realigns and restores them to live under His rule
We are created for community
Corporate prayer is the engine of renewal
Nehemiah 9:1-3
On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and putting dust on their heads. 2 Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors. 3 They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the Lord their God.
By confessing together, it's not incidental moment but intentional, public act of alignment
# Each time we confess our sins, we come into alignment with God's word
Confession is like a tuning of our soul, it brings us back to God
Most of the time, we're so out of tune that we downplay it as mistake or struggle rather than agreeing with God and acknowledging our sins
Nehemiah 9:4-5
Standing on the stairs of the Levites were Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani and Kenani. They cried out with loud voices to the Lord their God. 5 And the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah—said: “Stand up and praise the Lord your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting.[a]” “Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise.
The people didn't pray about their problems or struggles but recounting God's story
# Recounting God's Faithfulness restores our identity
Israelites are very forgetful people, felt hopeless, pointless
Problems become a Definition of our lives
We must remember who God is
By recounting God's faithfulness, Is a spiritual formation and alignment of our identity
Corporate prayer redirects the way we live. It renews our Allegiance and Restores God's mission
Nehemiah 9:38
“In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement, putting it in writing, and our leaders, our Levites and our priests are affixing their seals to it.”[a]
Nehemiah 10:28-29
“The rest of the people—priests, Levites, gatekeepers, musicians, temple servants and all who separated themselves from the neighboring peoples for the sake of the Law of God, together with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to understand— 29 all these now join their fellow Israelites the nobles, and bind themselves with a curse and an oath to follow the Law of God given through Moses the servant of God and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the Lord our Lord.
Nehemiah 10:30
“We promise not to give our daughters in marriage to the peoples around us or take their daughters for our sons.
They do not compromise
Nehemiah 10:31
“When the neighboring peoples bring merchandise or grain to sell on the Sabbath, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on any holy day. Every seventh year we will forgo working the land and will cancel all debts.
They were not pressured by the pace of the world
Nehemiah 10:38-39
A priest descended from Aaron is to accompany the Levites when they receive the tithes, and the Levites are to bring a tenth of the tithes up to the house of our God, to the storerooms of the treasury. 39 The people of Israel, including the Levites, are to bring their contributions of grain, new wine and olive oil to the storerooms, where the articles for the sanctuary and for the ministering priests, the gatekeepers and the musicians are also kept. “We will not neglect the house of our God.”
The temple of God were neglected over the years. So now the people committed to taking care of God's temple., to put God's first
The people did not stop at confession, feeling great but made a covenent
2 Corinthians 5:15
And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
# Allegiance is how Peace and Purpose are Restored
They were re-establishing themselves as God's holy people, and chose to embrace Yahweh, not go back to living the way we want
Am I slowly compromising my faith towards God in my career, my upbringing of my children, my family, my daily life?
Something must shift and change, not just our hearts but action to follow
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