1 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:10,960 Hi and welcome to the Via Zion Sermon podcast. 2 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:14,000 We are a local church based here in Chennai, India. 3 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:17,240 We are so glad you are with us and hope that this will 4 00:00:17,240 --> 00:00:20,280 encourage, inspire and instill fresh faith in you. 5 00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:24,080 We have started a series called The Kingdom Life based on the 6 00:00:24,080 --> 00:00:27,920 life and teachings of Jesus from the Gospel According to Mark. 7 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:31,800 We look at how we must live our lives on this earth as followers 8 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:35,720 of Jesus in a way that is countercultural yet powerfully 9 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:39,160 impactful. As you listen in, our hope is 10 00:00:39,160 --> 00:00:44,080 that you will be motivated to live, love, lead, and serve just 11 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:44,920 like Jesus. How? 12 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:49,120 Many of you have been enjoying the series Kingdom Life. 13 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:55,440 We went to the subset of it called Kingdom Paradox. 14 00:00:55,440 --> 00:00:59,440 First week we saw fear of the Lord versus joy of the Lord. 15 00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:03,120 The second week we saw how it is to be shrewd as serpents and 16 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:06,160 innocent as doves. Last week we saw the first will 17 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:08,240 become last and the last will become first. 18 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:11,720 It's interesting to see people are seated in the last row of 19 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:14,440 come forward this weekend. You know those who are seated? 20 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:20,040 Yeah, I know you had no choice, but but yeah, I believe God's 21 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:23,640 raising us up for those of us who've and I, even as we, I 22 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:26,280 would ask you to go and listen to that sermon specifically 23 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:29,120 because I believe a lot of us have taken a back seat. 24 00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:32,240 But God's calling us to be in the forefront of all that he's 25 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:33,800 called us to do in this day and age. 26 00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:36,800 And the the 4th paradox that we're going to be seeing today 27 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:42,200 is work for versus workout. I know workout doesn't go with 28 00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:45,760 me, but we'll try meditating on God's Word with regard to that. 29 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:48,040 And we're going to be looking for the book of Philippians. 30 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:50,640 We're moving away a bit from the Gospels into the book of 31 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:52,600 Philippians. And we're going to be looking at 32 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:54,520 this book specifically from chapter 2. 33 00:01:54,520 --> 00:02:01,040 And Paul wrote this book not from his favorite corner, not he 34 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:03,520 didn't write this like one of our music directors who probably 35 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:06,080 goes to Switzerland and says that's where they find 36 00:02:06,080 --> 00:02:09,600 inspiration from, but he rather wrote it from prison. 37 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:16,760 And I believe today as we look into this theme of between work 38 00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:19,680 for versus workout, I believe it's a very cultural theme. 39 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:22,120 How many of you are working for someone? 40 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:25,880 How many of you worked for someone? 41 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:31,920 All of us, If I I mean, this is big word that a lot of them are 42 00:02:31,920 --> 00:02:34,000 using today. Lot of the Youtubers, 43 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:37,400 influencers, fintech people are using corporate slave. 44 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:41,400 What does that mean? That means you get into the job, 45 00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:45,800 you get a EMI, and then after that you're trying to make sure 46 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:48,800 you're able to pay the EMI, and then you end up somehow thinking 47 00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:51,960 you're a corporate slave. You can't move left or right. 48 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:54,520 You need to make calculated risks because there are so many 49 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:56,880 things at stake. And so that's one term. 50 00:02:56,880 --> 00:03:00,520 So we work for. So suddenly working for which 51 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:04,520 supposed to be pleasurable suddenly becomes heavy. 52 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:07,880 It's burdensome. You feel the pain of it and 53 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:11,120 suddenly you're not satisfied. Contentment is not that you're 54 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:13,920 striving to make additional sources of income. 55 00:03:13,920 --> 00:03:17,400 You're suddenly in a rat race. It's not like. 56 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:20,200 And so, So what happened suddenly in the last 20 years 57 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:23,760 back, we suddenly had a surge of people leave the corporate world 58 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:26,320 and all these different government jobs and suddenly 59 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:28,720 started freelancing. How many of you were in that 60 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:31,360 bandwagon? I'm raising my hand because I 61 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:35,080 was in that also suddenly start and then the pressure came upon 62 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:37,520 us. So we were working for clients. 63 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:41,560 Freelancers end up having clients to have to convert them 64 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:44,360 to retain us. We had to really submit to 65 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:47,320 whatever they said. For those of you in the music, 66 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:50,440 you'll realize what it at one stage, you can't demand what 67 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:52,800 they asked. Whatever they gave was good and 68 00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:54,320 then suddenly you are pushing through. 69 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:57,600 And so working for becomes such a big, big struggle. 70 00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:01,560 But when we look in the book of Philippines, Paul is asking us 71 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:05,200 to work out our salvation. And so suddenly a Christian 72 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:08,320 faith also takes that same mindset Monday to Friday. 73 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:11,040 We are working for someone and suddenly you're thinking, you 74 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:12,400 know what? I need to come to church and go, 75 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:15,720 otherwise Jesus won't bless me. I need to come to church and go 76 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:18,200 and give, otherwise my bank balance won't grow. 77 00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:21,320 I need to come and put my kid here in Sunday school. 78 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:24,920 Otherwise, I know they, they, they should somehow carry this, 79 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:27,760 this, this mental, a pressured mentality. 80 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:31,600 But God saying no, I want you to work out your salvation. 81 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:34,680 I want you to work out your Christian faith and what is 82 00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:37,840 working out looking like today? How many of you have got a gym 83 00:04:37,840 --> 00:04:39,640 membership and failed to continue in it? 84 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:44,080 Tina's raising a hand because I forced, I said, you know what I 85 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:46,960 need accountability partner and we went and we registered right 86 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:49,440 here in slam. That's this opposite here. 87 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:54,080 Two months we went last year, October, November, December, we 88 00:04:54,080 --> 00:04:56,240 gave the Christmas cake and then we didn't even see him after 89 00:04:56,240 --> 00:05:00,400 that. It's tough. 90 00:05:00,840 --> 00:05:05,520 Working out is tough. It's intentionality. 91 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:09,480 It requires sacrifice, it requires you to carve out. 92 00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:14,840 But once you find a rhythm to it, it becomes enjoyable. 93 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:19,480 Once you find that, that's that's part of your life, it 94 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:22,360 becomes something you really desire for. 95 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:25,000 And so we look into that. When Paul wrote this letter to 96 00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:26,680 the book of Philippines, there were a couple of things. 97 00:05:26,680 --> 00:05:30,320 He wanted them to encourage the people who are reading it about 98 00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:33,000 their faith. Yes, he wrote it from prison. 99 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:36,840 He wanted to continue, you know, his people who are there in 100 00:05:36,840 --> 00:05:40,840 Philippi, to actually strengthen their faith because it could 101 00:05:40,840 --> 00:05:42,880 have been dejected man. The one guy who came and 102 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:45,240 preached the gospel is now sitting in prison. 103 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:47,400 What is this Christian faith all about? 104 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:49,160 And so he wrote this letter to encourage them. 105 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:52,720 He wanted them to be assured that there is hope. 106 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:57,040 The good news doesn't stop because it's imprisoned. 107 00:05:57,520 --> 00:06:01,000 The good news carries forward. And so today, whatever you've 108 00:06:01,280 --> 00:06:04,720 caged yourselves in, God is asking you today, like as we 109 00:06:04,720 --> 00:06:07,440 read and meditate, would you still continue to work out 110 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:09,520 because I don't know what your hardship is. 111 00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:12,880 I even as worship was happening and as I was singing the love of 112 00:06:12,880 --> 00:06:15,680 God, I realized a lot of us have been waiting. 113 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:17,640 How many of you been in the wait for something? 114 00:06:18,880 --> 00:06:24,080 It's painful, it's tough, it wears you out because you 115 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:27,760 somehow want an answer, you somehow want something to move 116 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:30,160 through. And so God, even my love for you 117 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:34,080 seems to be wearing outlaw and I believe it's not over. 118 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:35,960 That's why I specifically believe church. 119 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:38,520 Let's be expecting for supernatural things to happen, 120 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:42,320 supernatural things to happen. That has to be a testimony not 121 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:45,400 just for us to be increased, but the circle around you to know 122 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:48,400 that Jesus is alive, for the circle around you to know that, 123 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:49,880 hey, you know what? If God could answer their 124 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:52,440 prayer, we'll go to them for prayer. 125 00:06:52,760 --> 00:06:55,800 It has to come down to that. So let's move into reading 126 00:06:55,920 --> 00:06:59,680 Philippians chapter 2 verses 12 to 13, which goes on to see in 127 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:01,280 the NIV. It says, therefore, my dear 128 00:07:01,280 --> 00:07:06,120 friends, as you have obeyed not only in my presence, but much 129 00:07:06,120 --> 00:07:11,040 more in my absence, continue to workout your salvation with fear 130 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:14,400 and trembling. For it is God who works in you 131 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:17,920 to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose. 132 00:07:18,280 --> 00:07:23,640 As he starts here, he goes on to say that we have to work out our 133 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:27,120 salvation. We do not work for our 134 00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:30,960 salvation, we work out. God's already done all the hard 135 00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:32,080 bit. He came down. 136 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:35,080 Even as we partake of the Lord's table in a bit towards the end 137 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:38,600 of the sermon, we will be reminded, God, you came down, 138 00:07:38,600 --> 00:07:42,760 you did all the hard work, but now let me work it out. 139 00:07:43,160 --> 00:07:44,640 Because what is what are we working out? 140 00:07:44,640 --> 00:07:48,720 We are working out our old nature and you're working in the 141 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:52,480 Christ nature and then we're replacing that and that requires 142 00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:57,120 a lot of strength, a lot of grace, which only God gives. 143 00:07:57,560 --> 00:07:59,360 Why are we not working for our salvation? 144 00:07:59,360 --> 00:08:02,240 Because it's a gift given to us from God. 145 00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:05,640 When we read in Ephesians chapter 2 verses 8 to 9, it says 146 00:08:05,640 --> 00:08:09,840 God saved you by his grace when you believed and you can't take 147 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:12,800 credit for this. It is a gift from God. 148 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:16,920 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so 149 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:20,720 none of us can boast about it. This is from the NLT version. 150 00:08:21,240 --> 00:08:26,520 So we are saved by His grace, and we also cannot take credit 151 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:28,840 for it by any good works we have done. 152 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:32,760 Which brings us which takes a lot of pressure, which takes a 153 00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:37,039 lot of pressure coming to church on a Sunday, which takes a lot 154 00:08:37,039 --> 00:08:39,080 of pressure to do all that God's called us to do. 155 00:08:39,640 --> 00:08:43,280 And I was telling another friend and I told Tina also it's I 156 00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:45,440 really honour each and everyone of you for coming to church, 157 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:48,160 especially a small church. You know, if it's a big church, 158 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:50,080 if you come out go, it won't be seen. 159 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:52,840 But if it's a small church, it's pretty evident when you don't 160 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:57,120 come, you know, and, and and you choose to come each week and 161 00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:01,840 even testify how that week has been and that that is community. 162 00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:04,920 That is where you sing God, I invite you into the coming week. 163 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:07,120 And so that is a form of working out. 164 00:09:07,120 --> 00:09:10,680 But here, when we look into this, working for is always 165 00:09:10,680 --> 00:09:13,840 transactional. How many of you can relate to 166 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:17,000 that? You know, when we have to ask 167 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:20,400 our kids, especially our younger, to, to give a bath to 168 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:24,280 the dog in our house, it's always transactional. 169 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:26,280 Why? Because when we asked them to 170 00:09:26,280 --> 00:09:28,520 give the AC, but you didn't pay us for the last two weeks. 171 00:09:29,640 --> 00:09:31,520 So they want to settle scores before. 172 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:36,440 And so somehow we also treat Jesus like that. 173 00:09:37,440 --> 00:09:39,520 We say, God, I don't want to come back to your word because 174 00:09:39,520 --> 00:09:41,920 that's not answered. But God's saying, would you come 175 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:43,960 back? It's working out you're not 176 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:46,440 working for it doesn't stop with one blessing. 177 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:50,360 You'll soon realize in different seasons as you go by in life, 178 00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:53,680 your Christian life cannot be dependent on that one blessing 179 00:09:53,680 --> 00:09:57,320 alone. Whether that blessing comes or 180 00:09:57,320 --> 00:09:58,600 not. Even when you sing that song, 181 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:01,360 you give and take away, it's scary because sometimes the 182 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:05,280 blessing we deeply desire, it doesn't stop the the next season 183 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:08,240 starts and then a new need comes up. 184 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:12,920 And so today, can I ask you that can we move from if, if those of 185 00:10:12,920 --> 00:10:17,000 us who've been working for, can we move to a place of working 186 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:19,840 out our salvation? A lot of unlearning has to 187 00:10:19,840 --> 00:10:24,040 happen for us if it's been transactional, because a 188 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:27,200 transactional relationship and an intimate relationship are two 189 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:30,560 different things. It's two different things. 190 00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:35,080 Sometimes we treat that in our marriage only if you've done 191 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:37,520 that earlier. I know when we, when we just had 192 00:10:37,520 --> 00:10:39,440 Calvin, you know, Calvin is the third born. 193 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:42,760 And so he bore the brunt of it. It was very transactional. 194 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:46,320 You know, in the night he'll wake up. 195 00:10:46,560 --> 00:10:49,560 And by then we found some hacks of how to keep the feeding 196 00:10:49,560 --> 00:10:51,440 bottle so that we don't have to wake up in the middle of the 197 00:10:51,440 --> 00:10:53,040 night because we are staying alone. 198 00:10:53,640 --> 00:10:56,000 And I remember a couple of points. 199 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:59,320 We keep it over there and then the ball, the bottle roll off 200 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:02,560 and then we we hit each other, say, hey, it's your turn. 201 00:11:02,560 --> 00:11:05,240 It's your turn. And then somehow he'll find his 202 00:11:05,240 --> 00:11:08,320 finger, he'll start sucking on that and he'll go to sleep and 203 00:11:08,320 --> 00:11:11,120 then we'll also sleep off. You know, it's bad parenting, I 204 00:11:11,120 --> 00:11:14,080 know. But but by the third you kind of 205 00:11:14,080 --> 00:11:16,360 like have just like, you know what, He'll figure it out, you 206 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:19,960 know, and he he doesn't look like he's needed more milk. 207 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:25,880 So you know, I think with that, but but sometimes we've treated 208 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:29,800 a marriage transaction. But how many of you know a 209 00:11:29,800 --> 00:11:33,440 transaction relationship or a marriage can't go any forward. 210 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:38,240 You truly have to love or Siri is answering somewhere. 211 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:42,200 You truly have to have an intimate relationship if you 212 00:11:42,200 --> 00:11:44,960 want to see the long yards of marriage together. 213 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:49,120 And so today the same thing translates to Jesus. 214 00:11:49,640 --> 00:11:52,880 So when He's calling us to work out, He's calling us to a faith 215 00:11:52,880 --> 00:11:58,720 that is enduring, that'll be sustaining no matter what. 216 00:11:59,680 --> 00:12:01,800 I know a lot of you have probably come into the year 217 00:12:01,800 --> 00:12:05,320 expecting the year to look different, but God's asking you 218 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:08,840 as you work out this faith, can you still endure through it? 219 00:12:09,680 --> 00:12:12,800 When you look through the meaning of endure, it is to 220 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:16,920 undergo or come to a knowledge of something by living through 221 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:19,480 it. And even as you found your life 222 00:12:19,480 --> 00:12:23,640 through Jesus Christ, would you hold on to it 'cause His 223 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:28,360 blessings will come through, His breakthrough will come? 224 00:12:29,240 --> 00:12:33,680 Would you hold on to it? What if you're giving up in this 225 00:12:33,680 --> 00:12:37,280 last, second, last step and it just required you to stay 226 00:12:37,280 --> 00:12:40,080 committed for the next one or two more weeks and God would 227 00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:42,400 have come through. We don't know what's around the 228 00:12:42,400 --> 00:12:45,240 corner. And that's the sovereignty of 229 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:49,320 God, which we rely on entirely. And it says here with fear and 230 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:53,880 with trembling, Paul is asking us to have a certain reverence 231 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:56,200 when it comes to God. When we work out the salvation, 232 00:12:56,600 --> 00:13:00,240 we don't just treat it. We have fear and trembling when 233 00:13:00,240 --> 00:13:02,920 we are in person. How many of you have had that? 234 00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:08,400 Or when we do certain things because people are watching, but 235 00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:10,600 God's saying, hey, you need to do it even when no one is 236 00:13:10,600 --> 00:13:12,840 watching. That's what Paul's encouraging. 237 00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:15,400 When I was there, a lot of you lived out the faith. 238 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:18,760 Probably now a lot of you have taken a few steps back because 239 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:23,320 I'm not there. It can't be dependent on the 240 00:13:23,320 --> 00:13:26,640 leader of the church, the friends that you have, the 241 00:13:26,640 --> 00:13:29,680 family member. It has to be solely that God is 242 00:13:29,680 --> 00:13:31,000 above. He's watching me. 243 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:33,840 So with fear and trembling will be move forward. 244 00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:37,640 I was just reading the Greek word for trembling, and this is 245 00:13:37,640 --> 00:13:39,280 what it says. It's used to describe the 246 00:13:39,280 --> 00:13:44,000 anxiety of one who distrusts his ability completely to meet all 247 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:46,840 the requirements wherein you, you are unable to trust 248 00:13:46,840 --> 00:13:51,720 yourself, but religiously does his utmost to fulfill his duty. 249 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:54,320 And what is his duty? His duty towards God. 250 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:58,880 I got, I, I, I can't do it. I, I'm, I, I struggle with this. 251 00:13:58,880 --> 00:14:01,440 But Lord, because I'm doing it for you, I choose to do it. 252 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:05,640 There's this certain fear that we need to bring into this 253 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:10,520 generation. The reason being I was talking 254 00:14:10,520 --> 00:14:13,480 to a pastor friend and he said Geshram, the pleasure of running 255 00:14:13,480 --> 00:14:16,360 church is so much I need to paint the, I've told this 256 00:14:16,360 --> 00:14:18,440 earlier, I need to paint the thing black. 257 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:20,560 I need to get the lights and then only people are coming. 258 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:23,440 I said, let's push through through that. 259 00:14:24,520 --> 00:14:26,240 We have come to the, the circle is over. 260 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:29,760 Now the new circle is started. If we are going to see churches 261 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:32,080 in cities, we're going to be meeting in different places. 262 00:14:32,360 --> 00:14:33,680 Churches are going to look different. 263 00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:37,160 I mean, if you're going to have people who don't know Jesus walk 264 00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:40,920 into churches, it has to look different and God is calling us. 265 00:14:40,920 --> 00:14:44,200 So let's not go back to a model where well, this is how we 266 00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:48,760 change our relationship as we suddenly are working for let's 267 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:52,360 work out of so today, what is that new crushing that God's 268 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:54,600 doing? We've seen that even earlier he 269 00:14:55,240 --> 00:14:58,920 in the wine press. That's why he crushes our a 270 00:14:58,920 --> 00:15:03,200 mental picture many a times a lot of us have a fixed idea of 271 00:15:03,200 --> 00:15:05,560 our Christian walk. So we think of this blessing has 272 00:15:05,560 --> 00:15:07,480 to happen. It has to come this way, but God 273 00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:10,800 saying no, let your dependence be solely on me. 274 00:15:11,320 --> 00:15:14,800 When we workout our salvation, it'll result in an enduring 275 00:15:14,800 --> 00:15:19,720 faith. It says here in the message when 276 00:15:19,720 --> 00:15:22,680 it says fear and trembling, it says be energetic in your life 277 00:15:22,680 --> 00:15:26,480 of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. 278 00:15:26,720 --> 00:15:28,480 Why is it asking us to be sensitive? 279 00:15:28,760 --> 00:15:31,200 Trembling is because we don't know how God will show up. 280 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:33,320 We don't. There's no fixed way. 281 00:15:33,320 --> 00:15:36,560 And so today, as we are sensitive, we'll be able to 282 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:40,360 realize that God is calling us to a certain place where I'm 283 00:15:40,600 --> 00:15:44,240 learning to understand this. In fact, two weeks back, Tina 284 00:15:44,240 --> 00:15:47,120 corrected a couple of my ideas on this. 285 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:50,560 Saying you've received grace, show the same grace out. 286 00:15:52,520 --> 00:15:54,680 Because I filter the grace which I show out. 287 00:15:55,880 --> 00:15:58,000 I've received it. I've received it 100%, but when 288 00:15:58,000 --> 00:15:59,760 I'm showing it out, I'm showing only 50%. 289 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:03,120 And then and she called me out. She said you can't be a person 290 00:16:03,120 --> 00:16:05,560 like that. You need to show that same 100% 291 00:16:05,560 --> 00:16:07,320 out. And it got me to go into 292 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:10,240 repentance. And so Lord, I'm sorry for not 293 00:16:10,520 --> 00:16:16,120 working it out correctly. I've prefabricated every form 294 00:16:16,120 --> 00:16:20,120 with be it grace, forgiveness, healing, whatever it is. 295 00:16:20,120 --> 00:16:23,440 I was like not doing it the way Jesus intended me to do. 296 00:16:24,200 --> 00:16:27,760 And so today maybe be aware of God and his presence in our 297 00:16:27,760 --> 00:16:30,760 lives. Paul goes on to say in the next 298 00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:33,000 verse, there are a couple of things when we think about 299 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:36,040 working out. How do we work out our Christian 300 00:16:36,040 --> 00:16:37,560 faith? The first thing is we work out 301 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:42,320 without grumbling. Philippines chapter 2 was 14. 302 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:45,480 Do everything without grumbling or arguing. 303 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:48,720 I know, I know about you, but I work out. 304 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:52,880 When I'm talking about working out, I grumble and I work out. 305 00:16:53,720 --> 00:16:55,720 Why am I doing this? I'm just doing this to make Tina 306 00:16:55,720 --> 00:16:57,400 happy. I'm just doing this, you know, 307 00:16:57,640 --> 00:16:59,600 so I can eat without any condemnation. 308 00:16:59,800 --> 00:17:02,600 You know, we, we feel that we have a coach here. 309 00:17:02,640 --> 00:17:04,599 We have two of his students here. 310 00:17:04,599 --> 00:17:07,079 So, you know, I don't know, probably working out this stuff. 311 00:17:07,119 --> 00:17:08,480 You know, I know what they're grumbling about. 312 00:17:08,480 --> 00:17:10,960 Probably they've had milkshake and they're wondering why is the 313 00:17:10,960 --> 00:17:12,880 coach making me do extra 2 rounds? 314 00:17:14,079 --> 00:17:17,160 But yeah, how is our, how is our Christian faith looking like 315 00:17:17,160 --> 00:17:20,240 today? Are we working out with 316 00:17:20,520 --> 00:17:23,000 grumbling in our mouth or with Thanksgiving in our mouth? 317 00:17:24,119 --> 00:17:27,000 Because today when he calls us into the world Monday to a 318 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:31,360 Saturday, he wants us to work out of a place of not grumbling 319 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:35,280 and not arguing. What is grumbling looking like? 320 00:17:36,800 --> 00:17:41,680 What is grumbling for us? It's not like why is he allowing 321 00:17:41,680 --> 00:17:43,320 me to do this? A lot of us talk below our 322 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:44,720 breath. I remember. 323 00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:46,320 Sorry, I have to use Calvin a lot. 324 00:17:46,320 --> 00:17:52,320 But like a couple of years back when he was like 5 or 6, no, one 325 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:54,640 of the chores that kids have every day is to fill bottles in 326 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:56,160 the house, you know, water bottles. 327 00:17:56,520 --> 00:17:59,080 And so his turn is to fill like 3 or 4 every day. 328 00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:02,480 And when we ask him to the ref for But now he's changed. 329 00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:06,240 He does it so joyfully, but before he'll grumble. 330 00:18:06,440 --> 00:18:10,360 So he'll take all the four bottles till all the four 4 331 00:18:10,360 --> 00:18:12,600 bottles are done. We can hear him quietly talking 332 00:18:13,840 --> 00:18:17,200 and he's not talking to himself, but he's rather complaining. 333 00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:18,680 I don't know why they're asking me to do this. 334 00:18:18,680 --> 00:18:20,120 I would have been rather playing outside. 335 00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:24,240 He'd be talking something. And I felt as I was preparing a 336 00:18:24,240 --> 00:18:27,600 lot of time, my attitude and my Christian walk is like that. 337 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:30,760 But I'm complaining. God, why should I be doing this 338 00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:33,840 to this person? They're not even meeting me 339 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:35,560 halfway. God, why should I be doing this 340 00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:37,800 here? God, why should our church be 341 00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:40,440 involved in this? God, why are we doing this here? 342 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:44,120 It it doesn't make sense, but God saying, would you work out 343 00:18:44,160 --> 00:18:47,560 this salvation without grumbling or arguing? 344 00:18:48,400 --> 00:18:51,360 We have rationale to justify why we grumble also. 345 00:18:52,040 --> 00:18:55,120 But if you have to go back into history and look at the Old 346 00:18:55,120 --> 00:18:58,720 Testament, Did the grumblers make it to the promised land? 347 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:05,240 Not even one. Did the grumblers, what did they 348 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:07,720 grumble about? They grumbled about their 349 00:19:07,720 --> 00:19:11,560 slavery, they grumbled about their own life, they grumbled 350 00:19:11,560 --> 00:19:14,520 about how the oranges looked, about the fact that they could 351 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:17,280 have fish. They grumbled about things that 352 00:19:17,280 --> 00:19:20,560 were there in the past. And today, as God is taking you 353 00:19:20,560 --> 00:19:25,560 towards the promise of eternal life, towards having and living 354 00:19:25,560 --> 00:19:30,160 the life here on other to its fullest, maybe stop grumbling. 355 00:19:30,160 --> 00:19:32,560 Because what does grumbling do? It derails. 356 00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:37,360 It derails us entirely. It derails us entirely. 357 00:19:37,360 --> 00:19:40,840 We've off lately been seeing a lot of train accidents in India 358 00:19:41,560 --> 00:19:45,520 and the derailing when it happens, you're staying put 359 00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:48,320 there. It doesn't move, it's upside 360 00:19:48,320 --> 00:19:51,160 down. It it requires a lot of work. 361 00:19:51,160 --> 00:19:54,240 And so today if you've been working out your Christian faith 362 00:19:54,240 --> 00:19:58,080 with the grumbling, maybe go back to the cross for repentance 363 00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:01,280 and say, God, I'm sorry. The second thing when we work 364 00:20:01,280 --> 00:20:06,120 out our Christian faith is by holding firm and not hanging on. 365 00:20:07,440 --> 00:20:09,680 Holding firm to God, but not hanging on. 366 00:20:10,080 --> 00:20:12,720 If you read from Philippians chapter 2 verse 15 to 16, it 367 00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:16,200 says so that you may become blameless and pure children of 368 00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:20,600 God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. 369 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:25,560 Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky, as you 370 00:20:25,560 --> 00:20:27,400 hold firmly to the world of life. 371 00:20:27,800 --> 00:20:32,240 And then I'll be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did 372 00:20:32,240 --> 00:20:36,640 not run or labour in vain. As Paul is encouraging them, 373 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:40,800 he's asking them to keep holding firm. 374 00:20:41,840 --> 00:20:46,080 How many of you feel like you're hanging on to Christ, hanging on 375 00:20:46,080 --> 00:20:50,680 to his promises? And I would encourage you if 376 00:20:50,680 --> 00:20:52,720 you've been in that place where you're like, Lord, I'm in the 377 00:20:52,720 --> 00:20:57,160 last thread hanging on. Would you go back and say, God, 378 00:20:57,160 --> 00:21:00,400 no, God, I want to hold firm on your promises. 379 00:21:01,360 --> 00:21:04,520 When, when we have this imagery of hanging on, there's nothing 380 00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:08,240 underneath our feet. How many of you can imagine 381 00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:12,200 hanging on looks like that? If you're holding on a crossbar 382 00:21:12,200 --> 00:21:14,760 and you're lifting yourself and you're hanging, there's nothing, 383 00:21:14,760 --> 00:21:16,480 There's nothing firm under your feet. 384 00:21:16,880 --> 00:21:21,080 And if God is calling you to hold firm, which means he has to 385 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:25,000 be the rock that cannot be moved, things can come. 386 00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:27,480 It's, I'm reminded of that parable which we all know, 387 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:31,920 building a house on the rock, then building a house on a sand. 388 00:21:33,080 --> 00:21:35,800 And when the floods came, the house on the rock stood. 389 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:40,120 And I believe today, what are the promises that you've been 390 00:21:40,120 --> 00:21:43,120 holding onto? God is saying, can you hold on 391 00:21:43,120 --> 00:21:46,600 rather than hang on? Because it's a matter of time 392 00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:49,640 when you hang on to someone else for something to be fulfilled. 393 00:21:50,200 --> 00:21:53,960 It's a matter of time till you hang on to that person, to your 394 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:57,400 boss, or if I can just only get that increment or if only or you 395 00:21:57,400 --> 00:22:00,120 hang on to your spouse's faith. When God saying no, I want you 396 00:22:00,120 --> 00:22:04,960 to hold on to me so you can stand on your feet and be ready. 397 00:22:09,480 --> 00:22:14,520 In the message it says provide was 14 to 16. 398 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:15,960 Do everything readily and cheerfully. 399 00:22:15,960 --> 00:22:17,720 No bickering, no second guessing allowed. 400 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:19,920 Get out into the world uncorrupted. 401 00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:24,680 A breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. 402 00:22:25,120 --> 00:22:28,960 Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living 403 00:22:29,120 --> 00:22:31,200 God. Carry the light giving message 404 00:22:31,240 --> 00:22:33,800 into the night. So I'll have a good cause to be 405 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:36,040 proud of you on the day that Christ returns. 406 00:22:36,560 --> 00:22:41,880 So today you and I are just not called to hang on, hang on to 407 00:22:41,880 --> 00:22:45,160 things, hang on to emotional things, hang on to financial 408 00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:47,520 things. Rather, He's calling us to hold 409 00:22:47,520 --> 00:22:50,160 firm to Him and all these things will follow. 410 00:22:50,160 --> 00:22:54,840 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all 411 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:59,320 these things will be added. Holding on to His promises over 412 00:22:59,320 --> 00:23:02,320 our lives, holding on to His strength in our weakness. 413 00:23:02,320 --> 00:23:06,360 Only of His weaknesses in our lives can we rather than hanging 414 00:23:06,360 --> 00:23:11,080 on to A to an app to overcome certain addictions, can we hold 415 00:23:11,080 --> 00:23:13,040 on to His promise and say God come through? 416 00:23:13,520 --> 00:23:16,280 I need commitment, I need self-control. 417 00:23:16,960 --> 00:23:21,320 For those of us who are probably holding or hanging on despair, 418 00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:26,640 can we move into holding on to joy that will come from God if 419 00:23:26,640 --> 00:23:32,560 we are hanging on discontentment till the next till I make the 420 00:23:32,560 --> 00:23:36,200 next iPhone purchase. But rather can we move to 421 00:23:36,200 --> 00:23:37,920 contentment which comes from God. 422 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:42,880 I believe this generation more than ever needs contentment from 423 00:23:42,880 --> 00:23:45,760 God because so many things are changing. 424 00:23:46,160 --> 00:23:49,280 So many things are changing today and so today God give us 425 00:23:49,280 --> 00:23:53,080 contentment. Any lack in my life, may I move 426 00:23:53,080 --> 00:23:59,280 to holding firmly on you and not hanging on The third thing what 427 00:23:59,280 --> 00:24:03,720 God's what Paul encourages the Philippine churches your you 428 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:06,760 work out your salvation so you can be poured out. 429 00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:14,440 If you're working for it's a personal it's a personal thing 430 00:24:14,440 --> 00:24:18,480 that you it satisfies you alone. But when you work out your 431 00:24:18,480 --> 00:24:23,360 salvation, you start pouring out it says goes on to the 432 00:24:23,360 --> 00:24:28,080 Philippines 2 or 17 to 18. But even if I'm being poured out 433 00:24:28,080 --> 00:24:31,400 like a drink, offering on the sacrifice and service coming 434 00:24:31,400 --> 00:24:35,080 from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 435 00:24:35,440 --> 00:24:39,400 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. 436 00:24:40,200 --> 00:24:43,480 What's happening is he's saying I came there and I poured out. 437 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:47,040 Now even as I'm sitting in prison, I'm encouraging you. 438 00:24:48,040 --> 00:24:52,400 And that's a good model for us that in season and every season 439 00:24:52,760 --> 00:24:59,240 that we will be bearing fruit. We will be bearing fruit even 440 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:02,600 when the miracle doesn't happen for me, I will be bearing fruit 441 00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:04,200 lot. I will show up. 442 00:25:04,600 --> 00:25:07,880 I will show up. Just two days back, we were 443 00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:12,680 increased by a dear, a couple, an auntie and uncle who we 444 00:25:12,680 --> 00:25:16,480 dearly look up to ever since we got married. 445 00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:20,720 We know their kids really well and that auntie and Creed saying 446 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:26,760 show up, keep showing up, keep showing up day in and day out 447 00:25:26,760 --> 00:25:29,760 every day. And I believe a lot of us 448 00:25:29,760 --> 00:25:34,320 Christians have only showed up and we thought we can. 449 00:25:34,600 --> 00:25:38,320 But if you can show up every day, even when you don't feel 450 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:42,240 like it come because there'll be someone who God will ask you to 451 00:25:42,240 --> 00:25:47,720 pour out your your Christian walk onto in the passion 452 00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:50,400 translation it says is beautifully says God will 453 00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:54,600 continuously revitalize you implanting within you the 454 00:25:54,600 --> 00:25:58,560 passion to do what pleases him. That's in verse 13 is what it 455 00:25:58,560 --> 00:26:03,880 says and that word which revitalize is what happens every 456 00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:05,560 time we come into God's presence. 457 00:26:06,040 --> 00:26:08,000 How many of you come thinking God, I don't know how this week 458 00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:10,680 is going to be and when you committed to prayer, what 459 00:26:10,680 --> 00:26:16,120 happens he gives you a it's like a injection of new life for the 460 00:26:16,360 --> 00:26:20,000 week and suddenly you have this God perspective for this week. 461 00:26:20,040 --> 00:26:22,760 You go out, you come back, and then you come back to the next 462 00:26:22,760 --> 00:26:25,520 week again, and then again when you're amongst believers, your 463 00:26:25,520 --> 00:26:27,960 faith is encouraged, you've been revitalized. 464 00:26:27,960 --> 00:26:32,200 And so there's this constant you work out your salvation, you 465 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:35,200 pour it out, you come back, you get refilled. 466 00:26:35,640 --> 00:26:39,040 And so this beautiful thing happens only when we have Jesus 467 00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:42,680 at the centre. A lot of us today have made lot 468 00:26:42,680 --> 00:26:47,320 of our Christian lifestyle changes based on other people's 469 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:49,920 reading other people's that that's good. 470 00:26:50,080 --> 00:26:52,880 That's the testimony of others, but that's happened in their 471 00:26:52,880 --> 00:26:54,400 life. What is happening in your life? 472 00:26:54,400 --> 00:26:57,360 Have you had a personal encounter with Jesus? 473 00:26:57,520 --> 00:27:01,200 Because today if you have to work for you'll miss out 474 00:27:01,200 --> 00:27:04,840 entirely the but when you work out your salvation, there'll be 475 00:27:04,840 --> 00:27:07,000 total transformation that happens within you. 476 00:27:07,640 --> 00:27:11,000 And I want to take us to Luke chapter 19 verses one to 10, 477 00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:14,440 which is a beautiful story of a man called Zacchaeus. 478 00:27:16,040 --> 00:27:21,120 Zacchaeus was a we little man, you know, come, we have Pranav. 479 00:27:21,120 --> 00:27:25,320 He was like 6-7 and you know, compared Zaki is like really 480 00:27:25,320 --> 00:27:27,240 small. It says that he had to climb a 481 00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:33,960 Sycamore tree and he had to see Jesus and that when we, when we 482 00:27:33,960 --> 00:27:37,520 look, when we think about that, he thought he was an outcast 483 00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:40,920 because he was working for the he was an Israelite, but he was 484 00:27:40,920 --> 00:27:44,720 working for the Roman Empire. He was collecting taxes. 485 00:27:44,720 --> 00:27:46,760 He was conned on. He was like, what is this guy? 486 00:27:46,760 --> 00:27:48,520 He's stealing from us and he's giving to them. 487 00:27:48,680 --> 00:27:51,360 He was looked down on and this guy just didn't just didn't do 488 00:27:51,360 --> 00:27:55,480 his job rightfully. He probably took a couple of 489 00:27:55,600 --> 00:27:59,240 under the table transactions where he kind of built his own 490 00:27:59,840 --> 00:28:02,760 because when you see the amount he's able to repay back when 491 00:28:02,760 --> 00:28:06,160 transformation happens. That is what happens when Jesus 492 00:28:06,160 --> 00:28:09,640 steps into your life. When we read here it says here 493 00:28:09,640 --> 00:28:11,560 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 494 00:28:11,560 --> 00:28:13,440 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus. 495 00:28:13,880 --> 00:28:16,520 He was a chief task tax collector and was wealthy. 496 00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:20,920 He wanted to see who Jesus was but because he was short he 497 00:28:20,920 --> 00:28:23,320 could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed the 498 00:28:23,320 --> 00:28:27,040 Sycamore fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 499 00:28:27,600 --> 00:28:30,800 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, 500 00:28:30,960 --> 00:28:32,960 Zacchaeus, come down immediately. 501 00:28:33,200 --> 00:28:36,840 I must stay at your house today. When you've decided to work out 502 00:28:36,840 --> 00:28:41,480 your salvation, Jesus meets you right where you're at, right 503 00:28:41,480 --> 00:28:44,560 where you're at, where you're really wanting, infusing God. 504 00:28:44,880 --> 00:28:48,520 This is all that I have. My marriage didn't work out. 505 00:28:48,920 --> 00:28:50,680 I'm stuck here today. I don't know what to do. 506 00:28:50,680 --> 00:28:53,520 He'll meet you right there, God. I'm stuck here, Lord, as a 507 00:28:53,520 --> 00:28:55,280 father, I don't know how to parent my kid. 508 00:28:55,440 --> 00:28:57,360 He'll meet you right there. You'll be like God. 509 00:28:57,640 --> 00:28:59,800 I've been stuck in this dead end job four years. 510 00:28:59,800 --> 00:29:01,680 I waited for a raise. Nothing has happened. 511 00:29:01,920 --> 00:29:08,080 He'll meet you there. If he could meet Zacchaeus right 512 00:29:08,080 --> 00:29:11,400 where he was, just because he had the desire to meet who this 513 00:29:11,400 --> 00:29:13,800 Jesus was. He said Zacchaeus, come down 514 00:29:13,800 --> 00:29:15,760 immediately. I must stay at your house today, 515 00:29:16,320 --> 00:29:20,120 so he came down at once and welcomed him godly. 516 00:29:20,120 --> 00:29:22,960 All the people saw this and begin to mutter. 517 00:29:22,960 --> 00:29:25,480 He has gone to be the guest of a Sinner. 518 00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:29,240 If you're discounting yourself, Jesus can't walk into my life. 519 00:29:29,680 --> 00:29:32,640 There's no room that Jesus has not walked into. 520 00:29:33,640 --> 00:29:38,200 He's walked into every room. Probably your room looks 521 00:29:38,200 --> 00:29:42,080 entirely different filled with bottles or probably it's filled 522 00:29:42,080 --> 00:29:46,040 with addictions or it's probably filled with your who's Jesus, 523 00:29:46,040 --> 00:29:48,320 you know, atheist belief of who God is. 524 00:29:48,320 --> 00:29:51,520 Whatever your room is filled with Jesus is willing to come in 525 00:29:51,520 --> 00:29:53,480 and dine with you right where you're at. 526 00:29:54,800 --> 00:29:58,600 He's coming to sit right there was 8 onwards is ghost, but 527 00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:02,440 Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, look Lord here and now 528 00:30:02,440 --> 00:30:05,960 I give half my positions to the poor and if I have cheated 529 00:30:05,960 --> 00:30:09,840 anybody out of anything, I'll pay back four times the amount 530 00:30:11,640 --> 00:30:15,480 and Jesus is willing to come in and shake the entire room up. 531 00:30:15,960 --> 00:30:19,960 If you honestly ask Jesus, would you come in and do as you will. 532 00:30:20,960 --> 00:30:24,400 These are the things I've been carrying Lord I've been holding 533 00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:27,160 onto my past. I've been struggling to let go 534 00:30:27,160 --> 00:30:31,920 of the past or probably Lord I've I've self insulated myself 535 00:30:31,920 --> 00:30:34,320 because of certain things that's happened in my life. 536 00:30:34,840 --> 00:30:38,160 Would you walk in and when transformation happens, you're 537 00:30:38,160 --> 00:30:42,280 willing to let go of everything that you worked for because 538 00:30:42,280 --> 00:30:44,120 those things can't satisfy you anymore. 539 00:30:44,120 --> 00:30:48,560 Look at this, the very thing that Zacchaeus was known for, he 540 00:30:48,560 --> 00:30:52,840 suddenly gives it not just 1/2 he says 4 times because he knows 541 00:30:52,840 --> 00:30:56,120 following Christ is more than what I worked for. 542 00:30:57,320 --> 00:31:00,560 Don't wait till retirement to work out your Christian life. 543 00:31:01,480 --> 00:31:05,440 Start it now so that when retirement comes, you know 544 00:31:05,440 --> 00:31:07,720 clearly why God has called you into this world. 545 00:31:08,600 --> 00:31:12,320 The same auntie who spoke to us, his uncle said don't wait till 546 00:31:12,320 --> 00:31:15,800 60. He said I'm 64, don't 60 is when 547 00:31:15,800 --> 00:31:18,680 life happens. We thought 40 is when you get 548 00:31:18,680 --> 00:31:21,680 clarity, but he just moved in another 20 years when life 549 00:31:21,680 --> 00:31:25,960 happens and we realize we need to strengthen our faith so that 550 00:31:25,960 --> 00:31:28,080 when we hit 60, we know clearly God. 551 00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:29,760 This is what you're calling us to do. 552 00:31:30,080 --> 00:31:32,480 And I believe when we read in Zacchaeus, there's definitely 553 00:31:32,720 --> 00:31:35,200 with the turn around. Zakiya said he was ALDI. 554 00:31:35,840 --> 00:31:37,880 His life is already having an impact. 555 00:31:38,400 --> 00:31:39,840 He would have been the talk of town man. 556 00:31:39,840 --> 00:31:42,920 This tax collector gave off everything that he stole off. 557 00:31:43,240 --> 00:31:46,480 He did soon. And it's because Jesus entered 558 00:31:48,360 --> 00:31:51,680 and Jesus concludes saying Jesus said to him today, salvation has 559 00:31:51,680 --> 00:31:55,560 come to his house because this man too is the son of Abraham. 560 00:31:55,560 --> 00:31:58,920 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save. 561 00:31:58,920 --> 00:32:03,880 That was lost in our Christian faith. 562 00:32:03,880 --> 00:32:09,520 Working out our faith becomes not just our life, but it causes 563 00:32:09,520 --> 00:32:11,640 us to pass it on to the next generation. 564 00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:16,720 You know the beautiful thing about working for you can't pass 565 00:32:16,720 --> 00:32:18,600 it on to the next generation. It ends with you. 566 00:32:19,440 --> 00:32:22,120 Whereas when you work out your salvation, it beautifully gets 567 00:32:22,120 --> 00:32:23,800 passed on to the next generation. 568 00:32:24,480 --> 00:32:28,160 It beautifully gets passed on. It moves generationally. 569 00:32:28,640 --> 00:32:31,760 And so today with what God is starting to work, let's not 570 00:32:31,760 --> 00:32:34,520 delay that because we won't get the time. 571 00:32:34,520 --> 00:32:38,480 So let's move towards that. We all have a transformation 572 00:32:38,480 --> 00:32:43,120 story in US, always have to change and new ways have to 573 00:32:43,120 --> 00:32:49,040 depict Jesus alone. So today, even as we can, as we, 574 00:32:49,080 --> 00:32:52,080 as I conclude, I just want to ask us, are we ready to be 575 00:32:52,080 --> 00:32:54,960 poured out as we work out our faith? 576 00:32:56,920 --> 00:32:59,560 Because if we work out our salvation and are not pouring 577 00:32:59,560 --> 00:33:04,600 out it, it, it, it is of no good use. 578 00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:08,400 We'll just have a very 1 sided view of the gospel. 579 00:33:09,120 --> 00:33:12,760 But when I read his word and when I start encouraging others, 580 00:33:12,960 --> 00:33:17,640 when I pour it out, it's where. And so don't today, don't think 581 00:33:17,640 --> 00:33:21,200 that circumstances determine that irrespective of what 582 00:33:21,200 --> 00:33:24,760 circumstance. I'm amazed that Paul could write 583 00:33:24,760 --> 00:33:29,520 letters that would encourage the church back then, but it is also 584 00:33:29,520 --> 00:33:31,960 encouraging the churches for the last 2000 years. 585 00:33:32,640 --> 00:33:36,520 Today we are meditating on it. We all have our own presence, 586 00:33:37,400 --> 00:33:40,640 but God's asking, would you still work out your salvation 587 00:33:40,640 --> 00:33:44,680 and be an encouragement? Let's start looking where is God 588 00:33:44,680 --> 00:33:47,320 calling us to really work out a salvation? 589 00:33:47,320 --> 00:33:50,400 So even as I conclude three things which I concluded with 590 00:33:50,400 --> 00:33:55,400 work out without grumbling, maybe be known that our 591 00:33:55,400 --> 00:34:04,280 salvation is from God as a gift. Maybe workout holding firm to 592 00:34:04,280 --> 00:34:09,440 God and not hanging on. Maybe work out so that we'll be 593 00:34:09,880 --> 00:34:15,159 poured out Church. Can we all just raise our hands, 594 00:34:17,840 --> 00:34:19,320 Lord? We pray, Lord, specifically, 595 00:34:19,320 --> 00:34:21,920 Lord, for those who we know who still have not committed their 596 00:34:21,920 --> 00:34:24,800 life to Jesus. We pray, Lord, for those who 597 00:34:24,800 --> 00:34:27,760 we've been witnessing, Lord Jesus, who've been struggling, 598 00:34:27,760 --> 00:34:30,040 Lord Jesus, to let go of their faith. 599 00:34:30,040 --> 00:34:34,560 Lord Jesus, on other things and people, I pray they'll come to a 600 00:34:34,560 --> 00:34:36,760 point, they'll have a deep encounter with you, Lord. 601 00:34:37,360 --> 00:34:39,520 I pray, Lord, especially for that list which you're 602 00:34:39,520 --> 00:34:42,520 continuing to pray, Lord Jesus, for our friends, for our 603 00:34:42,520 --> 00:34:46,199 relatives, for our family members, that they will accept 604 00:34:46,199 --> 00:34:48,320 Jesus Christ as a Lord and personal saviour. 605 00:34:48,320 --> 00:34:50,880 Lord, I pray you will move their hearts. 606 00:34:50,880 --> 00:34:52,920 Lord Jesus, I pray in at that time. 607 00:34:52,920 --> 00:34:56,360 Lord Jesus, prepare us also to Lord, live out the life that 608 00:34:56,360 --> 00:34:59,400 you've called us well, Lord Jesus, that we won't live 609 00:34:59,400 --> 00:35:02,560 questionable lives. Lord Jesus, that we will live 610 00:35:02,560 --> 00:35:04,880 and be the light in this Dark World. 611 00:35:04,880 --> 00:35:08,760 Lord, we thank you. I pray even right now, Lord, as 612 00:35:08,760 --> 00:35:10,280 we've entered into the 11th month. 613 00:35:10,280 --> 00:35:12,320 Lord, I pray that you'll bless each and everyone. 614 00:35:12,320 --> 00:35:14,960 Lord, I pray the hands will be blessed. 615 00:35:14,960 --> 00:35:18,160 Lord Jesus, everything that your children put your hands into, 616 00:35:18,160 --> 00:35:20,400 Lord will see blessing right now. 617 00:35:20,400 --> 00:35:23,200 Lord Jesus, I pray that Lord, you'll bless the work. 618 00:35:23,200 --> 00:35:26,880 I pray that the work will Lord bring many people, Lord Jesus, 619 00:35:26,880 --> 00:35:28,680 and that we'll be able to testify about you. 620 00:35:28,680 --> 00:35:32,520 Lord Jesus, I pray, I pray when you walk into spaces, we'll 621 00:35:32,520 --> 00:35:35,400 bring peace. I pray wherever chaos is, when 622 00:35:35,400 --> 00:35:37,040 your children walk in will be peace. 623 00:35:37,240 --> 00:35:40,880 Wherever there's Lord, grief and sorrow when your people walk in, 624 00:35:40,880 --> 00:35:43,880 Lord, there'll be hope. Wherever there's despair, Lord 625 00:35:43,880 --> 00:35:47,440 Jesus, that your joy would come in, Lord Jesus, because we are 626 00:35:47,440 --> 00:35:49,160 carriers of that. Lord, we thank you. 627 00:35:49,720 --> 00:35:52,200 I pray as we step into this week, your protection go before 628 00:35:52,200 --> 00:35:54,160 your children. I pray for all those who are 629 00:35:54,160 --> 00:35:56,640 traveling that Lord, you would protect, are going out and are 630 00:35:56,640 --> 00:35:58,640 coming in. I pray especially, Lord, the 631 00:35:58,640 --> 00:36:00,720 food and water of our homes will be blessed. 632 00:36:00,920 --> 00:36:04,440 I pray the doorposts of our houses, of our rooms, of our 633 00:36:04,440 --> 00:36:07,880 paying guests, of our hostels will be protected by you, Lord 634 00:36:07,880 --> 00:36:09,880 Jesus. I pray, Lord, for the four walls 635 00:36:10,080 --> 00:36:12,320 of our homes. Lord Jesus, the cloud that 636 00:36:12,400 --> 00:36:15,880 surrounds the environment will be one of yours. 637 00:36:15,880 --> 00:36:21,080 Lord Jesus will be one of yours. Lord, I pray every day we will 638 00:36:21,080 --> 00:36:24,600 wake up, we will call on your name, we will see your hand come 639 00:36:24,600 --> 00:36:27,920 through, and we will be missional in everything that we 640 00:36:27,920 --> 00:36:29,760 step out to do. Lord Jesus, we thank you. 641 00:36:30,240 --> 00:36:33,160 Go before us, be with us, strengthen us. 642 00:36:33,160 --> 00:36:35,560 Lord Jesus, in your most holy name we pray. 643 00:36:36,080 --> 00:36:37,160 Amen. Amen. 644 00:36:37,400 --> 00:36:39,240 Thanks for listening to this message. 645 00:36:39,600 --> 00:36:43,080 We hope you were blessed to hear more messages like this. 646 00:36:43,400 --> 00:36:47,440 Make sure to subscribe and check out our podcast channel for past 647 00:36:47,440 --> 00:36:49,760 episodes. If you like what you are 648 00:36:49,760 --> 00:36:54,320 hearing, consider rating us, subscribing and even sharing it 649 00:36:54,320 --> 00:36:56,880 with friends. That would really help us. 650 00:36:57,600 --> 00:37:02,200 For more content from Via Zion and to connect with us, go to 651 00:37:02,200 --> 00:37:07,400 Via Zion dot in. Remember, whoever finds Jesus 652 00:37:07,640 --> 00:37:08,360 finds life.