1 00:00:08,080 --> 00:00:10,880 Hi and welcome to the Via Zion Summon Podcast. 2 00:00:11,280 --> 00:00:14,040 We are a local church based here in Chennai, India. 3 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:17,720 We are so glad you are with us and hope that this will 4 00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:21,200 encourage, inspire and instill fresh faith in you. 5 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:26,440 Our theme for the year 2024 is set apart and today we look at 6 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:30,360 how he sets us apart in a Dark World to be his lights. 7 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:34,600 We hope and pray that as you listen, you would be challenged 8 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:38,400 to live such a life of impact and influence in the places 9 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:42,160 where He has situated you. Hi Church. 10 00:00:42,160 --> 00:00:45,880 It's a joy and a privilege to be sharing God's Word with you 11 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:48,480 today. And even as we take some time to 12 00:00:48,480 --> 00:00:53,280 meditate, we're still in our entire New Year theme, which is 13 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:55,080 set apart. And I believe that God is 14 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:59,280 working in and through us. And especially as He's working, 15 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:02,040 there are so many areas that God's revealing to us that He 16 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:05,800 wants us to be set apart in. So even before you go into God's 17 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:08,440 Word, I just want to quickly say a word of prayer, that even as 18 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:11,400 we hear His Word, for those of you listening and for those of 19 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:15,400 you watching, that it will fall on the good soil of our hearts, 20 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:18,880 that it can bear a harvest. Loving Heavenly Father, I pray 21 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:21,960 even as we hear from your Word and even as I speak. 22 00:01:21,960 --> 00:01:24,120 I pray that Lord, you would cover me. 23 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:26,400 You would pray that Lord, even as I speak, will be your words 24 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:28,720 that are coming. And I pray specifically that as 25 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:31,960 we meditate on your word, that the hearts will be in tune, our 26 00:01:31,960 --> 00:01:33,720 spirit man will be able to receive it. 27 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:36,800 And that, Lord, we will be able to make changes in our lives so 28 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:40,120 that we will be able to allow you to do your work in and 29 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:41,640 through US. Lord, be with us. 30 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:43,600 In your most free name we pray. Amen. 31 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:44,520 Amen. Amen. 32 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:49,200 So even as we continue on with our sermon series set apart till 33 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:53,560 date, we've seen in the New year we saw set apart as a church. 34 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:56,120 How are we set apart? And then we saw we are set about 35 00:01:56,120 --> 00:01:58,720 by the Father. We set apart through His Son, 36 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:01,120 Jesus Christ. And then we saw through the Holy 37 00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:03,000 Spirit also we have set about, we have branded. 38 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:07,960 In fact, it says that we are, you know, marked by the Holy 39 00:02:07,960 --> 00:02:09,400 Spirit. And I believe it's in that 40 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:13,640 marking that we start living it out every day, you know, dying 41 00:02:13,640 --> 00:02:16,560 to ourselves. And I believe as we heard, that 42 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:19,440 we the following part after that was to know God. 43 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:21,920 We just don't come to terms of the fact. 44 00:02:21,920 --> 00:02:23,880 You know what, I know Him, so there's nothing much more. 45 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:27,840 But I have a deep thirst and a longing to want to know him so 46 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:30,360 that I can understand his revelation clear. 47 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:32,520 I can understand what he wants me to say. 48 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:37,040 I can understand him clear every day I thirst after him. 49 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:39,960 So even as we step into God's word today, the title for my 50 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:42,640 sermon today is set apart to shine. 51 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:45,960 And the minute you hear this, you're probably thinking, OK, 52 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:48,200 why? Why are we talking about the 53 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:50,040 shine? Because if for a lot of us, 54 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:53,400 shining is intimidating, if we've probably felt that 55 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:57,080 pressure right from our school, our college, we probably have 56 00:02:57,080 --> 00:02:59,880 been the ones who avoided, you know, like really being the 57 00:02:59,880 --> 00:03:02,800 front of everything. We probably have avoided being, 58 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:07,000 you know, being out there and making ourselves probably 59 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:09,000 comfortable hiding in the shadows. 60 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:11,640 We are comfortable in the background, but some of us are 61 00:03:11,640 --> 00:03:16,720 there who'd love to shine. But as we hear this, I believe 62 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:21,200 God wants us to understand that when we are set apart for him, 63 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:24,760 he wants us to shine. Why does he want us to shine? 64 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:27,840 I believe that because he's working in and through us. 65 00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:31,520 Because we have the living God inside us. 66 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:33,600 A lot of times we just think, you know what? 67 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:36,880 Jesus is a far thing. Yes, he says he's close to me, 68 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:38,680 but I don't feel like I'm settable. 69 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:43,000 But God saying I am here to say that I'm setting you apart to 70 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:46,640 shine too long. We as Christ followers have been 71 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:49,720 timid too long. We as Christ followers have been 72 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:52,880 ashamed too long. We as Christ followers are like, 73 00:03:52,880 --> 00:03:55,160 you know what? It's better if I just sit this 74 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:58,040 one out. But God saying no, I've placed 75 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:01,240 you at the point of time. I've placed you in a time in 76 00:04:01,240 --> 00:04:04,640 history for you to be set apart so you can shine. 77 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:07,040 What do you shine? That's what we'll be seeing 78 00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:08,800 today. Why are we called to shine? 79 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:13,000 So that we'll be able to give God the glory. 80 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:16,959 We'll be able to give God the glory so that we'll be able to 81 00:04:16,959 --> 00:04:23,000 point everyone to Jesus. A lot of us have been gotten 82 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:27,600 comfortable with the dark. If I have to ask you how many of 83 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:31,920 you love Moody lit places. Like even right now, as you're 84 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:34,760 seeing this, there are pockets in which we've lit the 85 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:37,800 background just so that I as a speaker can stand out. 86 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:40,480 Those that that lot of fundamentals with regard to 87 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:43,280 lighting when it comes to, you know, filming and things like 88 00:04:43,280 --> 00:04:46,120 that. But as we move, we also realise 89 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:48,160 that there are dark spaces within us. 90 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:52,360 If this was my heart, you will see there are places which are 91 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:57,240 lit, there are places which are dark, but God wants us to light 92 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:00,560 it so that we'll be able to see everything clear. 93 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:05,200 And oftentimes we have to come to terms, the fact that if Jesus 94 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:10,920 is in US, he's going to light up every area if we give control. 95 00:05:11,560 --> 00:05:13,400 Because when we read in Revelation, we see Jesus says 96 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:15,240 behold, I'm standing at the door and knocking. 97 00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:19,360 And every time when he knocks are we giving him full access or 98 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:22,440 are we giving him part access or are we just giving him a day 99 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:25,440 pass or are we just giving him an hourly pass to say God, you 100 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:28,960 can only come in at this time of the day, but God saying can I 101 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:31,320 come in. The second thing why we are 102 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:34,400 called to shine is because once we have received hope, we need 103 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:36,200 to emit that hope out to this world. 104 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:40,000 The world needs hope and oftentimes the only people that 105 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:44,360 they will have direct contact in which they can see a physical 106 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:47,800 sense of hope is you and me. So today if God's placed you 107 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:49,320 know place where he's asking you to shine. 108 00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:55,480 So that is hope will be visible. A lot of us today have heard the 109 00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:58,640 saying, you know, we we think you know in whatever life throws 110 00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:00,000 at us. We think that there's a silver 111 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:01,720 lining, you know, at the end of the tunnel. 112 00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:05,680 And a lot of times you've gotten so comfortable with the darkness 113 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:07,200 and that little bit of light there. 114 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:09,280 Because we think, you know, that's the end. 115 00:06:09,280 --> 00:06:11,360 I don't need. I don't need that light. 116 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:13,600 I know I can. I've gotten comfortable with 117 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:16,240 stumbling, groping things around here and defining my way. 118 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:19,760 But God's saying no, I'm setting apart to. 119 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:21,840 God is saying today that I'm setting you apart so you can 120 00:06:21,840 --> 00:06:26,680 shine, so you can shine boldly. You'll get comfortable in all of 121 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:30,680 the light and today My reference passage today is from Matthew, 122 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:33,960 chapter 5, verses 14 to 16. I'm reading from the Amplified, 123 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:38,640 and this is what it says. You are the light of Christ to 124 00:06:38,680 --> 00:06:42,200 the world. A city set on a hill cannot be 125 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:46,040 hidden, nor does anyone light a lamb and put it under a basket, 126 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:49,960 but on a lamb stand. And it gives light to all those 127 00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:53,840 who are in the house. Let your light shine before men 128 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:58,680 in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral 129 00:06:58,680 --> 00:07:03,400 excellence and recognize and honor and glorify your Father, 130 00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:06,640 who is in heaven. Even as we read this. 131 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:08,520 As you're going to meditate on this, this is probably a 132 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:11,360 familiar passage. You know, we've sung a lot of 133 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:14,440 songs about shining a light, this little light of mine. 134 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:18,480 Let it shine. But as we go into this, I want 135 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:22,320 us to have our hearts open. And as we read from verse 14, 136 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:27,320 the first verse says you are the light of Christ to the world. 137 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:30,440 A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 138 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:34,320 The first thing that I would like for us to make a note is 139 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:37,960 our source really matters. If we are called to be set apart 140 00:07:37,960 --> 00:07:42,360 to shine, our source matters. Why does our source matter? 141 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:44,520 In 2024? Why does our source matter? 142 00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:49,520 Because today, as Christ follow us, if you're not careful, we 143 00:07:49,520 --> 00:07:53,840 will somehow be illuminating what culture is dictating us. 144 00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:58,000 You know, I was just reading an entire article of what 2024 145 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:02,840 looks like in this in this busy world today and when it When I 146 00:08:02,840 --> 00:08:05,520 read these are three key things that came out from that article, 147 00:08:05,520 --> 00:08:08,640 it said the Creator economy keeps growing. 148 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:13,520 What does that mean? It means that there are man 149 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:17,600 driven agendas all around today. We are living in a creator 150 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:21,040 centric world. We have YouTube video creators, 151 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:23,960 we have Instagram video creators, we have creators of 152 00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:27,200 all sorts and we are driven by that. 153 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:30,800 We think we're coming up with the next big idea for those of 154 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:34,000 you who've are already subscribed and following all 155 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:37,799 these people like, you know, Mr. Thank You, Mr. Beast, and those 156 00:08:37,799 --> 00:08:40,880 who are constantly putting out content and churning out and 157 00:08:41,120 --> 00:08:43,400 they're trying to do so much good and all that. 158 00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:46,400 But there's man behind the driven agenda. 159 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:50,840 There's something that's driving them and yet it feels like 160 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:54,320 there's still emptiness in that, so that economy keeps going. 161 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:57,760 And so if you're not careful of what we are called and what we 162 00:08:57,760 --> 00:09:00,520 are set about to shine, we'll start taking all this. 163 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:05,520 The second thing we see that our brands today are starting to 164 00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:08,440 become more socially aware. They're becoming more, you know, 165 00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:11,880 giving more importance to activism and things like that. 166 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:14,880 And we see that those are all man made. 167 00:09:15,080 --> 00:09:18,680 We suddenly will make it a purpose that we'll start shining 168 00:09:18,680 --> 00:09:21,000 our light for all of Man Made's purpose. 169 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:24,040 Good works is good. Social injustice is good. 170 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:26,040 Climate change is good. All that is good. 171 00:09:26,040 --> 00:09:29,080 But know when you're a Christ follower there's a far bigger 172 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:30,960 light. God's calling you to shine. 173 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:34,280 You're so smart. Us today. 174 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:37,680 The third thing is when I read the current trends, this was 175 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:42,600 nostalgia drives entertainment. If you notice, we are living in 176 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:46,880 the remix after remix. We are living in the remix after 177 00:09:46,880 --> 00:09:50,200 the remix. My wife still loves Backstreet 178 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:54,320 Boys and you know, in the car every time she gets hold of the 179 00:09:54,920 --> 00:09:57,320 Spotify. When it's her turn, she plays 180 00:09:57,320 --> 00:10:00,480 Backstreet Boys and surprisingly they came out with an album last 181 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:02,560 year. They are trying to stay 182 00:10:02,560 --> 00:10:04,120 relevant. They came out of their 183 00:10:04,120 --> 00:10:07,480 Millennium album back in 2000. I remember listening to it in a 184 00:10:07,480 --> 00:10:10,000 cassette and then I was able to get ACD off it. 185 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:14,000 But when you live, we we see man is always going back. 186 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:17,120 They're going back to yesteryear's glory, man's glory, 187 00:10:18,720 --> 00:10:22,400 man driven, man made, and man glory. 188 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:28,000 Everything revolves around man and the importance that he 189 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:31,120 thinks he's bringing. How many remakes of movies have 190 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:32,880 happened? 25 years old movie have been 191 00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:36,400 remade and yes, it's done exceptionally well. 192 00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:41,440 But God's asking no. Will you as Christ followers, 193 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:46,160 Will you as my followers make me your only source today? 194 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:50,240 The culture will come and go, but the constant thing as Christ 195 00:10:50,240 --> 00:10:52,360 follows is our source remains the same. 196 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:59,480 The Greek word for light in this sense in verse 14 is force which 197 00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:03,520 means luminousness. And it's interesting, We as 198 00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:07,040 human beings are actually a non luminous object. 199 00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:11,920 We ourselves, in our own right, don't have anything to shine. 200 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:17,200 But the minute Jesus comes in, he's saying you start becoming 201 00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:20,120 luminous. He changes our long, luminous 202 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:24,920 nature into a luminous one. We start receiving, we start 203 00:11:24,920 --> 00:11:28,240 showcasing that light. We just aren't reflecting, but 204 00:11:28,240 --> 00:11:33,320 we are having the source within us, so that's why we are so 205 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:37,760 tender. Many a times when we are 206 00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:40,160 struggling in our faith, our light dims. 207 00:11:40,800 --> 00:11:43,720 But when we are encouraged in our faith, when we dive deep 208 00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:46,440 into God's word, when we are dwelling, when we are digging 209 00:11:46,440 --> 00:11:49,480 deep wells, our light shines brighter within us. 210 00:11:49,880 --> 00:11:57,400 The source really matters. So today we are just not 211 00:11:57,400 --> 00:12:00,600 reflecting Him. We are having His light within 212 00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:04,760 Him, and that's the power the Holy Spirit has within us when 213 00:12:04,760 --> 00:12:07,720 He takes us to the places He wants us to know. 214 00:12:07,720 --> 00:12:11,400 Geshon, your sources me. Take me into these places. 215 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:14,320 Take me into your bedroom. Take me into your offices. 216 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:18,400 Take me into your workplaces. Take me into the place where you 217 00:12:18,400 --> 00:12:20,560 meet with your friends. Take me into your dining table 218 00:12:20,560 --> 00:12:25,680 conversations. You become the source for Jesus 219 00:12:25,680 --> 00:12:29,720 to shine through you. So today I would ask you, as 220 00:12:29,720 --> 00:12:35,360 much as we stay relevant to all these topics in culture, may we 221 00:12:35,360 --> 00:12:36,920 know that we are set apart to shine. 222 00:12:37,800 --> 00:12:40,680 In John chapter 8, verse 12 Jesus says this. 223 00:12:40,880 --> 00:12:44,920 He says when Jesus spoke again to the people he said I am the 224 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:48,200 light of the world. Whoever follows me will never 225 00:12:48,200 --> 00:12:51,600 walk in darkness but will have the light of life. 226 00:12:52,040 --> 00:12:54,400 It's a well known verse. A lot of us have probably just 227 00:12:54,400 --> 00:12:56,280 taken that first section of the words. 228 00:12:56,280 --> 00:12:58,640 I am the light of the world. Jesus said I am the light of the 229 00:12:58,640 --> 00:13:00,840 world. In message it says this little 230 00:13:00,840 --> 00:13:03,720 bit more in detail for us to understand with regards to our 231 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:06,320 everyday walk. It says in verse 12, Jesus once 232 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:08,720 again undressed them. I am the world's light. 233 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:11,960 No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness. 234 00:13:12,240 --> 00:13:15,720 I provide plenty of light to live in. 235 00:13:16,760 --> 00:13:21,240 So today, if you're stumbling, if you're stumbling in your 236 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:25,720 faith, if you're stumbling in pornography, if you're stumbling 237 00:13:25,720 --> 00:13:29,400 and texting that other person who you should not be, if you're 238 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:33,280 unhappy with your spouse and you're stumbling away, may you 239 00:13:33,280 --> 00:13:37,560 go back to the source who's calling you to be set apart when 240 00:13:37,560 --> 00:13:40,920 you are set apart, when his light is working in and through 241 00:13:40,920 --> 00:13:44,960 you, he lights up every area. He lights up every area. 242 00:13:44,960 --> 00:13:47,720 If you're stumbling in bitterness, I pray that you'll 243 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:52,080 be able to partake of his joy and his love. 244 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:55,280 If you're stumbling because you're coveting someone else's 245 00:13:55,280 --> 00:13:59,160 wealth, may you know that because his light shines in you, 246 00:13:59,600 --> 00:14:02,120 the covetousness will change to contentment. 247 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:07,880 Move to where the light is calling you towards. 248 00:14:08,200 --> 00:14:10,440 Allow the King of Glory to come in. 249 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:15,360 When he comes in, his light will shine into every area. 250 00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:18,840 As I mentioned earlier, we've lit pockets over here so that it 251 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:23,160 looks good, but God's saying no. When I come, I want to shine it 252 00:14:23,160 --> 00:14:25,840 so bright. When we film here in a daylight, 253 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:28,960 we don't have to use any lights. Everything is lit and it's so 254 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:30,880 nice. It just cleanses. 255 00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:35,680 Everything light cleanses and I believe God wants to cleanse us 256 00:14:36,080 --> 00:14:39,120 inside. When we are intentional about 257 00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:41,400 our source, who's Jesus? Who's within us, who set us 258 00:14:41,400 --> 00:14:44,160 apart, we start emitting Jesus around. 259 00:14:44,840 --> 00:14:47,480 We suddenly are lubed as we are starting to bring light. 260 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:49,200 And what does that bringing light look like? 261 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:56,000 It looks like the qualities of Jesus as he walked here on this 262 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:58,000 earth. And So what does that? 263 00:14:58,120 --> 00:15:00,520 How do we cultivate that? How do we allow, how do we 264 00:15:00,520 --> 00:15:02,960 nurture that light to really shine? 265 00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:07,880 We allow His Holy Spirit to work in and through us. 266 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:12,240 Quiet times matter. The time I go back to His word 267 00:15:12,240 --> 00:15:16,000 to read, to meditate, that matters because that's where I'm 268 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:18,800 able to fuel the light that is within me. 269 00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:22,960 We who've received His light are consciously aware of sin. 270 00:15:23,880 --> 00:15:27,240 We know that when we stumble, God, this is not of you. 271 00:15:27,720 --> 00:15:30,160 We are quick to repent. We are quick to go to the cross. 272 00:15:30,160 --> 00:15:33,480 We're quick to say, God, I'm sorry this, this very thought 273 00:15:33,480 --> 00:15:35,560 that I had this jealous thought that I'm sorry. 274 00:15:35,560 --> 00:15:37,840 I shouldn't have been having it as your child. 275 00:15:39,040 --> 00:15:42,360 So today Church, I would ask you can we go back to our source 276 00:15:42,640 --> 00:15:44,600 who's Jesus? For those of you who've not made 277 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:47,280 your source as Jesus, I would invite you on this journey. 278 00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:52,880 We are set apart so that we can shine Jesus. 279 00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:57,320 The second thing we read from this verse in Matthew chapter 5 280 00:15:57,480 --> 00:16:01,920 is his light gives us the confidence to stand and not 281 00:16:01,920 --> 00:16:03,880 hide. When we read in Matthew chapter 282 00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:07,560 5, verse 15, it says nor does anyone light a candle and put it 283 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:11,480 under a basket but on a lamp stand and it gives light to all 284 00:16:11,480 --> 00:16:15,400 who are in the house. As followers of Jesus, Jesus is 285 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:19,400 asking us would we come to a place of being bold enough to 286 00:16:19,400 --> 00:16:22,880 overcome fear and to take that lamp and keep it out. 287 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:27,120 Which means when I step out, I'm confidently taking Jesus out. 288 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:30,280 I don't lock him up in my house and go out as Gershom. 289 00:16:30,280 --> 00:16:35,600 No, I take Jesus in me outside, which means there are places 290 00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:39,080 where I may not walk. There are places doors, which I 291 00:16:39,080 --> 00:16:41,880 don't open. There are meetings which I 292 00:16:41,880 --> 00:16:43,400 probably don't have to sit under. 293 00:16:43,760 --> 00:16:46,800 There are dinner things which I need don't have to be partaking, 294 00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:50,120 of which the Holy Spirit will Alert me to. 295 00:16:50,640 --> 00:16:54,080 There are some battles which I may not have to go into because 296 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:57,680 God's telling me those are not your battles, those are not 297 00:16:57,680 --> 00:17:00,960 yours to carry. I might hold it in prayer. 298 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:03,600 I'll pray for them. But I may not indulge in certain 299 00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:07,240 things because of the sake, because I will realise me being 300 00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:13,680 set apart comes at a cost. My light, which I shine with 301 00:17:14,240 --> 00:17:16,480 Jesus being at the center, comes at a cost. 302 00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:20,240 Anything that I allow when will dampen it, will cause it to 303 00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:22,640 darken, will cause the light to be dull. 304 00:17:24,119 --> 00:17:27,440 And this is what it says in James chapter one verses 23 to 305 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:30,520 25. For if anyone who listens to the 306 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:33,240 word without obeying it, he's like a man who looks very 307 00:17:33,240 --> 00:17:35,400 carefully at his natural face in a mirror. 308 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:38,280 For once he has looked at himself and has gone away, he 309 00:17:38,280 --> 00:17:40,520 immediately forgets what he looked like. 310 00:17:41,280 --> 00:17:46,160 But he who looks carefully into the perfect law, the law of 311 00:17:46,160 --> 00:17:50,080 liberty, and faithfully abides by it, not having become a 312 00:17:50,080 --> 00:17:53,720 careless listener who forgets but can an active doer who 313 00:17:53,720 --> 00:17:58,200 obeys, he will be blessed and favored by God in what he does 314 00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:01,600 in his life of obedience. There are a couple of things 315 00:18:01,600 --> 00:18:04,760 that stand out in this. In verse 25 it says but he who 316 00:18:04,760 --> 00:18:09,240 looks carefully into the perfect law, the law of liberty. 317 00:18:10,160 --> 00:18:13,040 It's funny that you know, you have this word that says perfect 318 00:18:13,040 --> 00:18:18,200 law and the law of liberty, which means we still live this 319 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:22,040 life, that of freedom that Jesus gives with certain constraints, 320 00:18:22,440 --> 00:18:26,520 with certain guard rails, because it protects us, it 321 00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:29,200 protects us. So which means what are some of 322 00:18:29,200 --> 00:18:31,040 the things that God's alerting you today? 323 00:18:31,160 --> 00:18:33,800 Because when the light starts working in you, when you put it 324 00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:39,200 out there, you will also guard the area that God's calling you. 325 00:18:39,200 --> 00:18:45,480 To stand confidently, we need to do 2 things that we we need to 326 00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:49,120 do 2 things that when we hear when we read this word, we need 327 00:18:49,120 --> 00:18:54,080 to do 2 things. The first one, we need to move 328 00:18:54,080 --> 00:18:57,680 from just being careless listeners to being careful 329 00:18:57,800 --> 00:19:01,840 listeners. The light changes the way we 330 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:04,600 listen. We suddenly are careful. 331 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:08,120 We know every word that God's telling us matters. 332 00:19:08,760 --> 00:19:12,200 Every promise that God speaks to us matters. 333 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:15,360 His word is just not working in this season. 334 00:19:15,520 --> 00:19:17,840 But it's also preparing me for the season to come. 335 00:19:18,320 --> 00:19:22,440 It's also a revelation of what I need to be doing in the future, 336 00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:25,800 of what God's calling me to do. So today, have you been 337 00:19:25,800 --> 00:19:28,160 careless? We many times have taken the 338 00:19:28,160 --> 00:19:32,160 Susan because we've hidden the light and we're not confident 339 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:34,920 enough to stand out because we're scared of the world. 340 00:19:35,120 --> 00:19:37,040 We're scared of the people who will bully us. 341 00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:39,040 We're scared of the people who will mock us. 342 00:19:39,040 --> 00:19:41,560 We're scared of the people who will target us. 343 00:19:42,480 --> 00:19:46,360 But Jesus is saying if you're confident enough and your faith 344 00:19:46,360 --> 00:19:50,080 is in me, you'll become careful listeners and not careless 345 00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:52,440 listeners. Careless listeners are one who 346 00:19:52,440 --> 00:19:54,120 you just take it in one ear and leave it you. 347 00:19:54,320 --> 00:19:56,360 You look in the face. You don't remember how you've 348 00:19:56,360 --> 00:20:00,320 seen yourself or how you look careful as you pay attention to 349 00:20:00,320 --> 00:20:02,200 everything. You note it down. 350 00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:04,720 You meditate on his word, Psalms, one says. 351 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:07,320 You meditate on his law day and night. 352 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:13,320 The second thing is inactive doers to active doers. 353 00:20:13,880 --> 00:20:16,280 When you're inactive, you have the light, but you just. 354 00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:17,400 You know what? I'll hide it. 355 00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:19,600 I don't want to be active. I don't want to be an active 356 00:20:19,600 --> 00:20:20,520 Christian. Because you know what? 357 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:23,240 I can't live. I can't be the happening life 358 00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:26,680 with God saying if you're following me, if you're being 359 00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:32,560 set apart, if I am causing you to stand and shine that light, 360 00:20:33,440 --> 00:20:37,720 that light which will last through your generation, you 361 00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:39,920 will be an active doer of his word. 362 00:20:40,520 --> 00:20:43,800 Active doer. I do understand there are 363 00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:47,320 seasons when we take a backseat, but it's in the backseat. 364 00:20:47,320 --> 00:20:51,320 God still moves you to minister. God still moves you to 365 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:53,320 encourage. God still moves you to 366 00:20:53,320 --> 00:20:56,440 strengthen. A lot of people today are taking 367 00:20:56,440 --> 00:20:58,560 a backseat because it's not comfortable for them. 368 00:20:59,200 --> 00:21:02,440 The Christian walk is not meant for you to be comfortable, it's 369 00:21:02,440 --> 00:21:05,080 for God to make you uncomfortable so that you'd be 370 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:09,560 comfortable only in him. The journey is never meant to be 371 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:14,240 comfortable. We've built cars and station 372 00:21:14,240 --> 00:21:19,000 wagons and tempos and all that to make a journey comfortable. 373 00:21:19,720 --> 00:21:22,840 But the Christian walk is 1 where we are comfortable. 374 00:21:22,840 --> 00:21:28,640 In Jesus, the journey will be hard, and that requires us to 375 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:30,880 have these two things core to us. 376 00:21:30,880 --> 00:21:37,040 When Jesus is our light, active listening, careful listening, 377 00:21:37,040 --> 00:21:42,240 and active doing. A lot of people today are 378 00:21:42,240 --> 00:21:44,880 struggling to find what God's calling us to do. 379 00:21:45,520 --> 00:21:49,120 We are waiting for that one big thing to happen and we know what 380 00:21:49,120 --> 00:21:54,560 God It's in your everyday doing that God reveals what you have 381 00:21:54,560 --> 00:21:57,720 to do. A good friend of mine, Jeremy, 382 00:21:58,520 --> 00:22:01,200 his wife, when I, when we had met him, we were catching up, 383 00:22:01,600 --> 00:22:03,720 was saying she loves doing laundry. 384 00:22:04,080 --> 00:22:06,800 And mind you, in their house they're like at a given time, at 385 00:22:06,800 --> 00:22:09,560 least 10 people. And when she said that, she 386 00:22:09,560 --> 00:22:12,920 said, you know what, That's where I am closest to God. 387 00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:15,560 That's where I am able to meditate. 388 00:22:15,560 --> 00:22:20,000 That that that that's my zone. Find your zone. 389 00:22:21,040 --> 00:22:24,800 Because when you find your zone, you'll be able to listen to him 390 00:22:24,800 --> 00:22:27,480 carefully. Find your zone because it's in 391 00:22:27,480 --> 00:22:32,880 that everyday doing that you will be able to find the plan 392 00:22:32,880 --> 00:22:37,560 and purpose for your life. And couple of things that we 393 00:22:37,560 --> 00:22:41,840 have to take as we keep our light over here so that we can 394 00:22:41,840 --> 00:22:45,120 confidently shine bright is that we need to stop being 395 00:22:45,120 --> 00:22:49,600 disobedient today. If God's alerting you if you've 396 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:53,160 hidden your light far too long, stop being disobedient. 397 00:22:53,160 --> 00:22:54,800 Take the light and put it out there. 398 00:22:55,320 --> 00:22:58,840 Let the people know. Yes, probably you compromised a 399 00:22:58,840 --> 00:23:01,160 year back, but now you can make a fresh start. 400 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:05,000 Probably you've been giving in to that temptation time and 401 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:09,000 again. But here you can still make your 402 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:11,400 body holy so that you're ready for marriage. 403 00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:16,240 If you've been struggling with a certain kind of addiction, take 404 00:23:16,560 --> 00:23:21,120 a confidence stand today in Jesus so that you will be 405 00:23:21,120 --> 00:23:23,160 obedient to what he's calling you to do. 406 00:23:23,440 --> 00:23:26,560 Tina constantly has been talking to our youth, discipleship about 407 00:23:26,560 --> 00:23:28,600 this. As you go into this world, as 408 00:23:28,600 --> 00:23:32,600 you meet with other people you know many times you build walls 409 00:23:32,600 --> 00:23:34,840 to protect us. But when you allow the Holy 410 00:23:34,840 --> 00:23:39,360 Spirit, he'll build walls with gates so that at those moment 411 00:23:39,360 --> 00:23:42,360 where he tells you now is your time to talk, open the gate, 412 00:23:42,360 --> 00:23:44,720 minister. Listen, allow them in. 413 00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:49,400 You'll be able to do it. Second thing is when you are set 414 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:52,640 apart to shine, I mean, God is calling you to be on the table 415 00:23:52,640 --> 00:23:56,560 so that you can shine brighter. You need to stick with it. 416 00:23:57,320 --> 00:24:00,240 Don't just say, you know what? I was shining his light in my 417 00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:01,920 20s. Now in my 30s after getting 418 00:24:01,920 --> 00:24:03,120 married. I want to put it down. 419 00:24:03,560 --> 00:24:04,280 Don't. Don't. 420 00:24:04,280 --> 00:24:06,200 It rather has to be more brighter now. 421 00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:09,880 Your kids have to see it. Your family, your extended 422 00:24:09,880 --> 00:24:13,520 family has to see that you are able to take a stand for Jesus 423 00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:17,400 for what you believe in. So we are set apart to shine. 424 00:24:17,400 --> 00:24:20,840 So stick with it. Let's be people of conviction. 425 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:23,440 There are three levels of conviction. 426 00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:26,880 When I always look I need to have a personal conviction and a 427 00:24:26,880 --> 00:24:31,840 vision for my own self. Then my family who I'm getting 428 00:24:31,840 --> 00:24:35,960 married into will be able to have a conviction for them as a 429 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:38,600 family together and 3rd as a community. 430 00:24:38,600 --> 00:24:43,880 We can have a vision and conviction for ourselves 431 00:24:43,880 --> 00:24:46,360 together. And the reason why I'm saying 432 00:24:46,360 --> 00:24:50,160 this is if we lack in one, it spills over to the other. 433 00:24:50,960 --> 00:24:54,880 A lot of us today are so guarded about our family convictions and 434 00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:57,400 whatever, and there's so much that we forget about our own. 435 00:24:59,040 --> 00:25:01,640 But today I would ask us, can we first start with our own 436 00:25:01,640 --> 00:25:06,480 personal convictions? Not my spouse's conviction, but 437 00:25:06,480 --> 00:25:08,160 my own. What is God asking me? 438 00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:11,360 And the more I look at it like one of our church members, Eddie 439 00:25:11,360 --> 00:25:15,120 his, I was observing their family closely during their 440 00:25:15,120 --> 00:25:17,720 wedding time of Eddie's younger brother. 441 00:25:18,920 --> 00:25:21,960 It's very evident that Auntie has a very personal conviction 442 00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:24,960 and a vision for her life, even though she's been a widow for 443 00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:29,320 the longest. That translates into a family's 444 00:25:29,320 --> 00:25:32,920 vision and conviction and that automatically transmits to a 445 00:25:32,920 --> 00:25:35,200 larger family vision and conviction. 446 00:25:35,840 --> 00:25:41,360 And as I was seeing that, I realized God, if I'm if I look 447 00:25:41,360 --> 00:25:44,920 at that auntie, one thing I can see is she was obedient to your 448 00:25:44,920 --> 00:25:48,160 call. She's stuck with your promises 449 00:25:48,560 --> 00:25:50,680 and we can see the reward of that happening. 450 00:25:50,680 --> 00:25:54,200 And so today when you are called and when you're called to be 451 00:25:54,200 --> 00:26:00,280 placed that to shine. Life will be hard, shining will 452 00:26:00,280 --> 00:26:04,240 be hard. Remember, light pushes through 453 00:26:04,240 --> 00:26:07,520 darkness, light pushes through that. 454 00:26:07,520 --> 00:26:10,880 So we need to keep that posture of pushing so that we are 455 00:26:10,880 --> 00:26:12,840 pushing ourselves through darkness. 456 00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:17,160 We cannot allow the darkness to overcome us. 457 00:26:18,440 --> 00:26:22,560 So even today, as God's calling you to shine, I would ask for 458 00:26:22,560 --> 00:26:24,960 you if you're a Christian, probably you're just, you know, 459 00:26:24,960 --> 00:26:28,040 shining it for two hours on a Sunday. 460 00:26:28,880 --> 00:26:35,200 And mind you, in a week we have 168 hours. 168 -, 2 is just 166. 461 00:26:36,720 --> 00:26:41,920 And I ask and ask you that you would move from just being 462 00:26:41,920 --> 00:26:43,880 confidently. A lot of us are confidently 463 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:45,480 shining the light for those two hours. 464 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:50,400 But God's saying, no, I want more active doers from a Monday 465 00:26:50,400 --> 00:26:53,000 to a Saturday. A lot of us, you know, have 466 00:26:53,000 --> 00:26:56,320 orchestrated our lives so much that we are around people who we 467 00:26:56,320 --> 00:27:01,400 think Find people where you can start sharing the love of 468 00:27:01,400 --> 00:27:04,000 Christ. Find people where you can start 469 00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:06,640 encouraging them. Find people. 470 00:27:06,760 --> 00:27:10,920 Whoever God intersects in your life, let them have a taste and 471 00:27:10,920 --> 00:27:13,280 a glimpse of heaven here on earth. 472 00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:16,960 We are set apart to bring heaven here on earth. 473 00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:21,480 So for that to happen, for us to be more effective in these 168 474 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:25,640 hours, we need to overcome fear. A lot of us are captivated by 475 00:27:25,640 --> 00:27:27,680 fear so much that we are like, you know what, God? 476 00:27:27,680 --> 00:27:30,320 I will hide it underneath so no one else will see. 477 00:27:30,320 --> 00:27:32,560 It will be a closeted thing, but God saying no. 478 00:27:32,560 --> 00:27:35,240 I want you to open it out and shine your light. 479 00:27:35,240 --> 00:27:37,640 Put it out there. The season has come. 480 00:27:37,800 --> 00:27:41,800 Revival is here for us to shine. Set apart to shine so that 481 00:27:41,880 --> 00:27:49,440 others will be able to see it. His light causes us to shine and 482 00:27:49,440 --> 00:27:52,680 take it to those who are hurting so that we can point them to 483 00:27:52,680 --> 00:27:55,240 Jesus. But in that mess, maybe also 484 00:27:55,240 --> 00:27:59,400 develop a personal vision and a conviction which will translate 485 00:27:59,400 --> 00:28:04,000 to our families, which will move on to our communities and as I 486 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:09,240 said earlier, maybe be careful listeners and active doers. 487 00:28:10,520 --> 00:28:15,000 The third thing his light. When he's our source, his light 488 00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:17,440 transforms us and we are radiant. 489 00:28:17,960 --> 00:28:22,160 There are two distinct stories when I when I was meditating on 490 00:28:22,160 --> 00:28:27,320 this as it says, you know, in verse 16, it says Matthew 516. 491 00:28:27,560 --> 00:28:31,920 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see 492 00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:36,200 your good deeds and moral excellence, and recognize and 493 00:28:36,200 --> 00:28:39,800 honor and glorify your Father who is in heaven. 494 00:28:40,240 --> 00:28:42,480 There are two distinct stories, and I've taken those two 495 00:28:42,480 --> 00:28:45,600 different passages that I want us to meditate on. 496 00:28:45,800 --> 00:28:48,320 One is from Exodus chapter 34. The other one is from Acts 497 00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:50,800 Chapter 9. Exodus 34 says this. 498 00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:53,720 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the 2 tablets with 499 00:28:53,720 --> 00:28:57,120 the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face 500 00:28:57,120 --> 00:28:59,120 was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord. 501 00:28:59,360 --> 00:29:01,800 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face 502 00:29:01,800 --> 00:29:05,480 was radiant and they were afraid to come near him. 503 00:29:05,960 --> 00:29:09,320 Now here, Moses didn't know that because he was spending more 504 00:29:09,320 --> 00:29:13,280 time with God, he had actually taken a lot of that light 505 00:29:13,280 --> 00:29:15,160 direct. His face was radiant. 506 00:29:15,160 --> 00:29:18,960 And I believe today when we are set apart, our face has to be 507 00:29:18,960 --> 00:29:20,880 radiant. When people look at you, they 508 00:29:20,880 --> 00:29:23,400 need to see that. They need to see that radiant 509 00:29:23,400 --> 00:29:25,320 face and be like, you know what? I want to go and talk to her. 510 00:29:25,520 --> 00:29:28,960 I can share something with her. And I know there's some hope 511 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:30,440 that I can see in that person's face. 512 00:29:30,640 --> 00:29:34,800 Is our face radiating with hope or is our face radiating with 513 00:29:34,800 --> 00:29:37,000 fear? A lot of us have this fear of 514 00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:38,800 like when our faces are radiated with fear. 515 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:40,120 You know what? Don't come near me. 516 00:29:40,120 --> 00:29:41,720 I don't have time for you. You know what? 517 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:43,680 Don't come near me. I can't spend time with you or 518 00:29:43,680 --> 00:29:46,240 don't come near me. You know I'm I'm too good. 519 00:29:46,320 --> 00:29:48,960 I can't spend time with you. We have some kind of bias. 520 00:29:49,680 --> 00:29:54,080 But God saying if you carry the light of Jesus in you, you will 521 00:29:54,080 --> 00:29:57,880 be radiant. And what does it mean radiant? 522 00:29:58,000 --> 00:30:04,600 It means that Greek word here is Quran to send out raise what he 523 00:30:04,600 --> 00:30:08,840 got from God was send out what he got from God. 524 00:30:08,840 --> 00:30:14,320 And so today if we need to have this light transform us, we need 525 00:30:14,320 --> 00:30:17,720 to spend time with the person who will transform us. 526 00:30:18,960 --> 00:30:23,280 The more we spend time with him, the more radiant we become and 527 00:30:23,280 --> 00:30:25,880 the more radiant we become. It's not for us to go on a 528 00:30:25,880 --> 00:30:28,040 higher pedestal. It's what would say God. 529 00:30:28,040 --> 00:30:30,320 May you increase and may I decrease. 530 00:30:32,920 --> 00:30:36,880 Our encounter with Jesus is meant for total transformation. 531 00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:40,560 Acts, Chapter 9 verses 1 to 9 is when Saul is on the road to 532 00:30:40,560 --> 00:30:43,120 Damascus and he encounters the light. 533 00:30:43,480 --> 00:30:47,120 No one else could hear him. They saw a bright light, but 534 00:30:47,120 --> 00:30:51,680 only Saul could see the light, was blinded by it and could 535 00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:54,640 hear. And I believe God wants to have 536 00:30:54,640 --> 00:30:58,040 that transformational experience with each and every one of us, 537 00:30:58,280 --> 00:31:02,280 that the moment where our lives were transformed is so important 538 00:31:02,280 --> 00:31:06,000 that we need to make a note. We need to say and use that as a 539 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:09,920 pivotal point to tell people, this is where God met me. 540 00:31:11,040 --> 00:31:14,480 This is where God changed me once and for all. 541 00:31:15,560 --> 00:31:17,120 And what does the transformation look like? 542 00:31:17,120 --> 00:31:19,640 My current situation doesn't dictate it. 543 00:31:20,720 --> 00:31:23,080 When you look at Saul's situation, he was going after 544 00:31:23,080 --> 00:31:25,080 the Christians there who Christ follows. 545 00:31:25,080 --> 00:31:28,280 He was about to enter into a city of Damascus to persecute. 546 00:31:28,440 --> 00:31:33,000 He had every authority to go into, but everything changed. 547 00:31:34,120 --> 00:31:37,440 He went there. He received Jesus as his Lord 548 00:31:37,440 --> 00:31:41,080 and personal Savior, spent a few years and then went about doing 549 00:31:41,080 --> 00:31:43,480 the mission of God. Active listening. 550 00:31:45,360 --> 00:31:50,880 Careful listening, active doing. And so today I want you to come 551 00:31:50,880 --> 00:31:52,280 to a place of saying, you know what? 552 00:31:53,040 --> 00:31:58,480 I want to be transformed by this light, this transformed life 553 00:31:58,480 --> 00:32:01,800 that I live, causes me to shine so that others one year we are 554 00:32:01,800 --> 00:32:04,400 transformed by the light that I shine. 555 00:32:05,440 --> 00:32:08,760 You know, I was in Dhaka last year and I was, you know, 556 00:32:08,840 --> 00:32:10,440 talking with one of those people there. 557 00:32:10,440 --> 00:32:15,960 And the story goes along like this, where one beggar family 558 00:32:16,120 --> 00:32:20,960 came to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ a year or two back, 559 00:32:21,960 --> 00:32:27,080 and this lady used to beg, she received Jesus. 560 00:32:27,080 --> 00:32:30,920 She started shining the light of Jesus, and soon her beggar 561 00:32:30,920 --> 00:32:35,200 friend also realized that she needed this hope that her friend 562 00:32:35,200 --> 00:32:38,360 has and she and her husband experienced the gift of 563 00:32:38,360 --> 00:32:41,080 salvation. And then sooner or later they 564 00:32:41,080 --> 00:32:44,120 come into the waters of baptism. And today they are running a 565 00:32:44,120 --> 00:32:47,920 home fellowship of leading many others into the saving grace. 566 00:32:48,920 --> 00:32:51,880 So today what happens in these kind of stories when we listen, 567 00:32:52,400 --> 00:32:55,520 it's that when one person catches the light and when they 568 00:32:55,520 --> 00:33:00,000 are transformed, it passes on, it passes on. 569 00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:04,760 We are able to do good deeds because of the transformation 570 00:33:04,760 --> 00:33:06,720 that happens. Good deeds is an outcome of 571 00:33:06,720 --> 00:33:08,600 that. Because of the transformation 572 00:33:08,600 --> 00:33:10,520 happens, we are able to live, right? 573 00:33:10,920 --> 00:33:13,560 So today if you're condemning yourself, you're if you're in a 574 00:33:13,560 --> 00:33:17,160 place of shame and guilt of you know what I've not lived right? 575 00:33:17,160 --> 00:33:19,240 Now is the time for transformation to happen. 576 00:33:19,520 --> 00:33:23,840 I love Jesus to come in and do the thing that he needs to do in 577 00:33:23,840 --> 00:33:27,000 and through you, because he can change everything around. 578 00:33:27,160 --> 00:33:30,360 He first will change us before he can change the situation. 579 00:33:31,440 --> 00:33:34,560 Because remember when Jesus was walking here on these on the 580 00:33:34,560 --> 00:33:37,400 earth, when he was touching people and healing them, He 581 00:33:37,400 --> 00:33:39,280 healed them but he gave them a condition. 582 00:33:39,280 --> 00:33:42,480 He said go and sin no more. He said go and live right. 583 00:33:43,440 --> 00:33:46,800 Your healing doesn't cause you to live however you like. 584 00:33:46,800 --> 00:33:49,800 No, it comes with its boundaries. 585 00:33:50,560 --> 00:33:56,240 Christian walk comes. It's that perfect law and 586 00:33:56,240 --> 00:34:00,320 perfect freedom. It's a law of freedom and the 587 00:34:00,320 --> 00:34:03,640 law of liberty that we live in that that tension. 588 00:34:04,120 --> 00:34:07,240 And so today may the transformational light cause you 589 00:34:07,240 --> 00:34:11,800 to live, live doing what God's called you to do. 590 00:34:11,800 --> 00:34:17,239 Good deeds will happen only when your inside is allowed, is 591 00:34:17,239 --> 00:34:20,520 flooded with this light. Good deeds will happen only when 592 00:34:20,520 --> 00:34:23,679 you're able to allow it to permeate into your decision 593 00:34:23,679 --> 00:34:26,400 making, into your spirit man, into your soulmate, so you can 594 00:34:26,400 --> 00:34:29,520 live the way God's calling you to live so that generations 595 00:34:29,719 --> 00:34:34,280 ahead of you will be blessed. So today, what is the call for 596 00:34:34,280 --> 00:34:37,080 all of us? What is the call for all of us? 597 00:34:37,080 --> 00:34:39,159 Because we all want to shine this light. 598 00:34:40,080 --> 00:34:43,760 We all want to shine this light. A lot of us today are still 599 00:34:43,760 --> 00:34:48,440 stuck in this whole, you know, old paradigm of WWG of what 600 00:34:48,440 --> 00:34:51,360 would Jesus do. We, we, we contemplate, we think 601 00:34:51,520 --> 00:34:53,360 we are like, you know what? What will Jesus do? 602 00:34:53,679 --> 00:34:56,800 And we fail to do anything. We're just thinking. 603 00:34:56,800 --> 00:34:58,800 We're just debating. We're just arguing. 604 00:34:58,800 --> 00:35:01,080 We're just like finding we've become critics rather. 605 00:35:01,920 --> 00:35:03,480 But God saying can you be do us today. 606 00:35:03,880 --> 00:35:06,560 Because if you are seeing that your setup are to shine you need 607 00:35:06,560 --> 00:35:09,480 to start doing it. Light produces, you need to 608 00:35:09,480 --> 00:35:12,040 start moving and taking me into your spaces. 609 00:35:12,040 --> 00:35:14,320 You need to I need to see things change. 610 00:35:16,640 --> 00:35:19,400 You know I love what Craig Rochel says, especially it's one 611 00:35:19,400 --> 00:35:22,120 of the things they keep plastered around life church and 612 00:35:22,120 --> 00:35:24,440 I was visiting time and again I've gone there. 613 00:35:24,600 --> 00:35:28,120 I've seen this that we will do anything short of sin to reach 614 00:35:28,120 --> 00:35:31,640 people who don't know Christ, anything short of sin. 615 00:35:32,240 --> 00:35:35,320 So which means there are so many avenues for us to really 616 00:35:35,320 --> 00:35:39,040 participate. Each of us are so uniquely made 617 00:35:39,040 --> 00:35:43,120 by a Creator that each of us will uniquely reach whoever we 618 00:35:43,120 --> 00:35:47,760 are called to reach. And all of that is important. 619 00:35:47,760 --> 00:35:52,080 That's just not one way, it's one way Jesus. 620 00:35:52,080 --> 00:35:54,040 But there are many ways to tell about him. 621 00:35:54,600 --> 00:35:58,840 And so today the challenge is in this 2024, how are you telling? 622 00:35:59,000 --> 00:36:02,640 How are you? Because you have the capacity 623 00:36:02,640 --> 00:36:06,640 and the uniqueness of taking that light and keeping it in the 624 00:36:06,640 --> 00:36:08,920 space that God's called you to take. 625 00:36:09,840 --> 00:36:12,440 I'm doing it in the space God's called me to take. 626 00:36:13,280 --> 00:36:17,040 And just remember, as each of us stand there, we all stand and 627 00:36:17,040 --> 00:36:19,720 support one another, strengthen one another, encourage one 628 00:36:19,720 --> 00:36:23,880 another. God wants us to be intentional. 629 00:36:24,960 --> 00:36:29,440 You know, you and I have not been called to fulfill a small 630 00:36:29,440 --> 00:36:32,840 Commission. We have been called to fulfill 631 00:36:32,840 --> 00:36:36,720 the Great Commission. And the Great Commission 632 00:36:36,720 --> 00:36:42,960 requires the church not to love people with the small love of 633 00:36:42,960 --> 00:36:45,240 Jesus Christ, but with the big love of Jesus Christ. 634 00:36:45,880 --> 00:36:48,640 A lot of us, especially, you know, as we've been progressing 635 00:36:48,640 --> 00:36:51,560 year on year, I've been seeing a lot of people who come into 636 00:36:51,560 --> 00:36:54,200 church and say, you know what, we love a small fellowship. 637 00:36:54,520 --> 00:36:57,200 But the problem is we don't serve a small God. 638 00:36:58,880 --> 00:37:03,000 If we serve a small God having a small fellowship, our love for 639 00:37:03,000 --> 00:37:06,640 people also will be small. But we start small. 640 00:37:07,480 --> 00:37:09,640 We have started small. And what we have seen time and 641 00:37:09,640 --> 00:37:12,480 again year on year when we go back and ask God, God, what are 642 00:37:12,480 --> 00:37:15,040 you wanting me to do? He is saying pour out the love 643 00:37:15,040 --> 00:37:17,920 that I have given on you to the people who come. 644 00:37:19,080 --> 00:37:22,720 And people keep coming because we are serving a big God. 645 00:37:23,440 --> 00:37:28,040 We are serving a Great Commission which requires us all 646 00:37:28,600 --> 00:37:35,160 to be in active duty. All of us, if you're 50 or 50 of 647 00:37:35,160 --> 00:37:38,040 us, have to be in active duty If you're 100 hundred of us. 648 00:37:38,040 --> 00:37:43,080 If it's thousand thousand of us, Just remember we only are stuck 649 00:37:43,080 --> 00:37:47,000 with a certain percentage of people being active to the call 650 00:37:47,000 --> 00:37:50,520 and Commission that God's called us this. 651 00:37:50,520 --> 00:37:54,160 Imagine of each of us understood this, of being set apart to 652 00:37:54,160 --> 00:37:56,720 shine. We all will be carrying His 653 00:37:56,720 --> 00:38:01,080 right. So today may I ask, as I 654 00:38:01,360 --> 00:38:05,840 conclude as I head, towards concluding that our faith will 655 00:38:05,840 --> 00:38:09,960 move us to action. Our faith will not make us 656 00:38:10,040 --> 00:38:14,840 critics and reviewers and you know, people who are just by the 657 00:38:14,840 --> 00:38:18,000 bystanders. But we'll become active doers. 658 00:38:19,160 --> 00:38:24,280 We'll be keen, keen listeners and active doers. 659 00:38:24,680 --> 00:38:27,520 You know, even before I conclude, I just had had two 660 00:38:27,520 --> 00:38:29,600 thoughts. One of the things we do with 661 00:38:29,600 --> 00:38:32,640 regard to cinematography, we need to light and as I mentioned 662 00:38:32,640 --> 00:38:35,280 we light in filmmaking. Lighting is a whole big 663 00:38:35,280 --> 00:38:38,840 department and there are a couple of in the things that 664 00:38:38,840 --> 00:38:41,680 they use. One is when we have a light 665 00:38:41,680 --> 00:38:45,640 source, we shape that light. So for example, if I have a 666 00:38:45,640 --> 00:38:48,080 light source pointing this way and I don't want the light to 667 00:38:48,080 --> 00:38:51,680 fall on the left side, I use a material or a stand with a 668 00:38:51,680 --> 00:38:55,920 material called a flag, a Black Flag and that cuts off any light 669 00:38:55,920 --> 00:38:57,720 that can fall onto the left side. 670 00:38:58,560 --> 00:39:04,680 And today a lot of us have so many flags on our light and God 671 00:39:04,680 --> 00:39:08,480 saying can you remove all those flags we have shaped, we have 672 00:39:08,480 --> 00:39:10,480 cut off light. We are saying God you don't have 673 00:39:10,480 --> 00:39:13,240 to shine light on my finances. God, you don't need to shine 674 00:39:13,240 --> 00:39:15,840 light onto my phone. You know I don't want you to 675 00:39:15,840 --> 00:39:18,640 shine light onto the messages onto those VMS that I'm sending 676 00:39:18,640 --> 00:39:20,760 out, onto those pictures I'm sending out. 677 00:39:20,760 --> 00:39:24,480 No, I don't want to shine your light onto these relationships 678 00:39:24,480 --> 00:39:26,480 into these people that I'm this constant. 679 00:39:26,480 --> 00:39:30,440 Know the minute I'm a follower of Jesus and when I ask his 680 00:39:30,440 --> 00:39:32,680 light to shine, it shines on everything. 681 00:39:33,520 --> 00:39:37,640 So today, Church, God's asking, will you remove the flags from 682 00:39:37,640 --> 00:39:42,000 your life? A lot of us have not allowed his 683 00:39:42,000 --> 00:39:43,800 light to shine on our emotional part. 684 00:39:44,440 --> 00:39:47,200 A lot of us are struggling in so many emotional areas and we are 685 00:39:47,200 --> 00:39:49,880 saying God, you are not Your Holy Spirit is a council. 686 00:39:49,880 --> 00:39:52,800 But I need, I need to find my own way to deal with this. 687 00:39:52,920 --> 00:40:00,560 I love Jesus into it because he will take it away that because 688 00:40:00,560 --> 00:40:03,160 Jesus wants to be in every part of each other. 689 00:40:04,520 --> 00:40:07,040 So can we remove that flag the 2nd? 690 00:40:08,120 --> 00:40:12,240 Thing which God reminded me, and I believe a lot of us have as 691 00:40:12,240 --> 00:40:15,400 Christians have gotten so comfortable, is to use this 692 00:40:15,560 --> 00:40:19,880 sheet we call these diffusion sheets, you know, scrims, 693 00:40:20,040 --> 00:40:22,360 screens. And we always put it in front of 694 00:40:22,360 --> 00:40:25,320 a light source. And what happens is that evenly 695 00:40:25,320 --> 00:40:29,600 spreads it. And I feel, and I strongly feel 696 00:40:30,440 --> 00:40:32,040 the Holy Spirit was saying too long. 697 00:40:32,040 --> 00:40:34,000 You Christians have put too many screens. 698 00:40:34,520 --> 00:40:36,960 You've, you know, diluted the gospel. 699 00:40:36,960 --> 00:40:38,960 You're making this gospel look very pretty. 700 00:40:39,600 --> 00:40:43,240 You're making this gospel look. You're removing the rawness. 701 00:40:43,560 --> 00:40:46,160 There's a certain amount of harshness when the light hits 702 00:40:46,160 --> 00:40:50,560 directly remove, remove every form of diffusion sheet that 703 00:40:50,560 --> 00:40:52,800 you've put. Because I'm not here to diffuse 704 00:40:52,800 --> 00:40:55,720 the truth doesn't diffuse it. It's the same that the 705 00:40:55,720 --> 00:40:57,840 directness of the truth remains the same. 706 00:40:58,440 --> 00:41:04,760 And so today, can we allow his light to shine that way? 707 00:41:05,640 --> 00:41:08,600 Because today, what happens when we put the few sheets Sunday? 708 00:41:08,600 --> 00:41:10,920 We come as a good Christian. We come as a nice person. 709 00:41:10,920 --> 00:41:13,760 We come across as a nice person. Oh, this person listens to me. 710 00:41:13,760 --> 00:41:15,480 Oh, this person. No. 711 00:41:16,160 --> 00:41:19,520 Let us come across as genuine as how we are to the people you 712 00:41:19,520 --> 00:41:20,840 have to listen to. We listen. 713 00:41:20,960 --> 00:41:23,960 When the Holy Spirit prompts to say something, we obediently 714 00:41:24,160 --> 00:41:26,640 say. We won't say a word to break 715 00:41:26,640 --> 00:41:29,280 them or to our words would be carefully measured. 716 00:41:31,840 --> 00:41:35,720 And I pray that even as we as the Holy Spirit works, because 717 00:41:35,800 --> 00:41:39,360 this season is where the Holy Spirit is shaping us, he doesn't 718 00:41:39,360 --> 00:41:43,760 want us to have any of this. As we enter into the new season, 719 00:41:44,000 --> 00:41:46,440 into this remainder of this year, into the years to come, 720 00:41:46,640 --> 00:41:48,320 he's saying, can you remove the flag? 721 00:41:49,200 --> 00:41:51,080 Can you remove this diffusion sheets? 722 00:41:51,920 --> 00:41:54,760 Let me be the sole person who is shining the light. 723 00:41:55,680 --> 00:41:59,360 A lot of us have marred those crims with our experiences. 724 00:41:59,840 --> 00:42:03,000 And so if we think of Jesus through that experience, we 725 00:42:03,080 --> 00:42:06,280 think exactly through that. Don't we don't see the wholeness 726 00:42:06,520 --> 00:42:11,520 of who he is? Jesus is wanting to change us. 727 00:42:13,280 --> 00:42:16,320 A light that shines like the city on a hill. 728 00:42:16,920 --> 00:42:19,640 It's visible. People should see the visible 729 00:42:19,640 --> 00:42:24,680 sign that Jesus is in US and working in and through us. 730 00:42:26,320 --> 00:42:30,960 So let his light shine. Let his hope be seen in and 731 00:42:30,960 --> 00:42:32,960 through us. Even before I conclude, I want 732 00:42:32,960 --> 00:42:37,240 to read a verse from Isaiah chapter 16, verses one and two, 733 00:42:37,240 --> 00:42:40,400 and this is what it says. As I conclude, I believe it's a 734 00:42:40,400 --> 00:42:43,680 promise for us, for those of us who are making that commitment 735 00:42:43,680 --> 00:42:47,400 for allowing him to shine. It says, Arise, Jerusalem, let 736 00:42:47,400 --> 00:42:51,960 your light shine for all to see, for the glory of the Lord rises 737 00:42:51,960 --> 00:42:55,560 to shine on you. Darkness as black as night, 738 00:42:55,560 --> 00:42:57,480 covers all the nations of the earth. 739 00:42:57,840 --> 00:43:01,040 But the glory of the Lord rises and appears over you. 740 00:43:01,560 --> 00:43:04,080 All nations will come to your light. 741 00:43:04,280 --> 00:43:08,960 Mighty kings will come to see your radiance. 742 00:43:09,720 --> 00:43:13,120 Mighty kings will come to see your radiance. 743 00:43:14,280 --> 00:43:19,560 So church, even as I close, you might be like, you know what? 744 00:43:19,760 --> 00:43:22,400 I'm still scared. I'm still worried. 745 00:43:24,320 --> 00:43:27,280 Jesus is within you. The one who's within you is 746 00:43:27,280 --> 00:43:30,000 greater than one who's in the world. 747 00:43:31,360 --> 00:43:34,440 I pray that you'll have the confidence, the confidence stand 748 00:43:34,720 --> 00:43:38,600 and not to hide that light. And I pray the one who 749 00:43:38,600 --> 00:43:42,440 transformed you will work in and through you to transform others, 750 00:43:42,440 --> 00:43:44,400 so that you will be glowing with radiance. 751 00:43:45,240 --> 00:43:48,800 So would you arise each and everyone, Would you arise all 752 00:43:48,800 --> 00:43:51,480 those who are listening to us, would you arise all those who 753 00:43:51,480 --> 00:43:55,320 are watching us. For the glory of the Lord rises 754 00:43:55,320 --> 00:43:59,680 to shine on you. Can we pray, our loving heavenly 755 00:43:59,680 --> 00:44:01,240 Father, Lord, we thank you, Lord, for this time. 756 00:44:01,840 --> 00:44:04,840 Thank you, Lord. Even as we have heard your word, 757 00:44:05,400 --> 00:44:08,400 I Commission each and everyone of us, Lord Jesus, in the name 758 00:44:08,400 --> 00:44:12,120 of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit that we all will rise up 759 00:44:12,680 --> 00:44:16,720 Boldly. We declare that Jesus, you are 760 00:44:16,840 --> 00:44:20,440 our only source. Jesus, we are sorry for hiding 761 00:44:20,440 --> 00:44:22,720 you under a table, covering you up. 762 00:44:22,720 --> 00:44:26,080 But today, with confidence, which comes from you, strength, 763 00:44:26,080 --> 00:44:30,080 which comes on you, we take and put you on the stand so that you 764 00:44:30,080 --> 00:44:34,080 will be able to shine amongst everyone who walks up path. 765 00:44:35,040 --> 00:44:39,720 I pray your light, which transforms us, will move out of 766 00:44:39,720 --> 00:44:42,040 us, so that will transform others around us. 767 00:44:42,240 --> 00:44:46,400 That we will be radiant a lot. That we will be able to glorify 768 00:44:46,400 --> 00:44:49,600 you, that we will be able to lift you up in all 769 00:44:49,600 --> 00:44:52,960 circumstances. Be glorified, be honored. 770 00:44:53,920 --> 00:44:55,160 We ask that you would go before us. 771 00:44:55,160 --> 00:44:58,000 Bless this week for us, Lord Jesus, as we step out, that we 772 00:44:58,000 --> 00:45:00,520 bless the work of our hands. Strengthen us. 773 00:45:00,800 --> 00:45:02,720 Your most holy Name we pray. Amen. 774 00:45:02,800 --> 00:45:05,800 Amen. So, Church, even as you step 775 00:45:05,800 --> 00:45:08,880 out, I pray that God will bless you, that He'll cause you to 776 00:45:08,880 --> 00:45:13,760 stand and shine so that you need to bring Jesus into this world. 777 00:45:14,240 --> 00:45:17,040 And remember, you are set apart to shine. 778 00:45:17,920 --> 00:45:19,720 Thanks for listening to this message. 779 00:45:20,080 --> 00:45:23,560 We hope you were blessed to hear more messages like this. 780 00:45:23,840 --> 00:45:27,880 Make sure to subscribe and check out our podcast channel for past 781 00:45:27,880 --> 00:45:30,240 episodes. If you like what you are 782 00:45:30,240 --> 00:45:34,760 hearing, consider rating us, subscribing and even sharing it 783 00:45:34,760 --> 00:45:37,360 with friends. That would really help us. 784 00:45:38,000 --> 00:45:42,600 For more content from Via Zion and to connect with us, go to 785 00:45:42,800 --> 00:45:47,840 via Zion dot in. Remember, Whoever Finds Jesus 786 00:45:48,120 --> 00:45:48,840 Finds Life.