Sunday, October 16, 2016

Speaker: Ps.Dhany Hariman

The Author of Our Faith

  • When the Word became flesh in Christ Jesus, God’s will could now be made manifest through a body.
    • God’s will for humanity to be saved was made manifest through the body of Christ.
  • A body is how the will of a person is made into action.
  • However, the Incarnation is no longer with us. So how is God’s will for disciples to be made, made manifest?
    • It is still made manifest through the body of Christ, now the Church.
  • (Matthew 28:16-17) Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted.
  • Even when everything is clear, some of us still doubt. Jesus has made it very clear that our commission is to go and make disciples.
    • This is not a matter of being unsure what to do, but being unsure if we can do it.
  • We still ask question such as:
    • Who to go to?
    • When and where do I do it?
    • Why me?
    • How do I do it?
  • It doesn’t matter how limited we are as individuals, because God has promised to be with us.
  • It doesn’t matter how underqualified we are, because God has chosen us because He already knows we are qualified to do His works.
  • (Exodus 3:11) But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”
  • Moses likely expected God to answer His question. When Moses asked God, “Who am I?”, he was likely expecting God to tell him who he was.
    • Moses might have expected God to tell him who Moses was in the eyes of God.
  • However, God tells Moses who He is instead.
  • (Exodus 3:12) He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”
  • God doesn’t even answer Moses’ question here.
    • God is telling us that it was never about who Moses was, who we are, but about who God is.
  • Out trust in God determines our relationship with Him.
    • Our relationship with God cannot be trying to prove to Him that we are worthy enough to be blessed, to serve Him, to do His work etc.
    • It is about trusting Him to do His work, through us.
  • Discipleship is not about learning, it is about trusting.
  • Our universe is like a story, beginning with creation and ending with the redemption of all of creation.
    • The main plot is salvation, and the main actor in the story is God.
  • The story of our universe is about God.
  • Even the stories of our own lives aren’t about us, but about God.
    • This is not depowering, but empowering.
  • If you were an author, and you had a story in mind, you would begin to populate your story with actors in order to carry out the plot, to bring the story from climax to conclusion.
  • So that your actors may carry out the roles they play in your story, you must empower them. This is your role as the author.
    • You give the characters what they need in order to advance the plot.
    • If you needed a courageous warrior to save the day, you wouldn’t forget to give them a sword or the ability to fight.
      • Even if they begin the story unable to fight, because you have a purpose in mind for them within the story, you will not abandon them in that position.
  • (Jeremiah 29:11) For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
  • We must trust that God will empower us in order to reveal His glory.
  • (2 Corinthians 5:17-18) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.
  • Because of this, even when we fail, we can continue to trust in God.
  • All literary characters make mistakes and fail. Does that mean that they have failed as characters? Have they failed their role in the story?
    • Can the failure of any character in the story prevent the ending which the Author has in mind?
  • In a story, everything revolves the protagonist, the main actor.
    • The other characters are placed into the story in order to reveal something about the protagonist.
    • Though Timon and Pumba exist outside of Simba, their only purpose in the story is to make a statement about Simba.
      • Their lives beyond Simba don’t matter to the story.
  • What do our lives say about God?
    • Our stories ought to tell others about God.

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