Missing the Messiah (Arang Friday, May 1)

Material: Matthew 21:1-17
Highlights
1. Why people in Jerusalem did not believe that Jesus is the Messiah? Because they had not seen the result they expected from a Messiah. They did not believe merely on what prophet had said.
Application for us: Many of us know Jesus through preachers, Christian books, parents, friends, etc. If we don't have a firsthand experience with God, we are more likely to get into dissapointment.
2. Jesus threw out all the people who were buying and selling there and said "My Temple will be called house of prayer"
Application for us: Our body is God's temple. Let's invite God to cleanse us.
3. Childrens in the temple were praising Jesus when they saw Jesus performed miracles.
Application for us: Let us have a childlike heart. Can we express and testify our gratitude for what God has done in our lives?

Project
Choose the book in the Bible on your own. Read 10 consecutive chapters during this 2 weeks (one chapter per weekday), and pick just one topic/verse in those chapter to share during our next meeting. Please put the chapters of your choice down in the comment section of this post.

Let's have a firsthand experience with God!

Giving To God's Work (1 Corinthians 16:1-11) - Arang April 25, 2008

In this letter, Paul reminds us 3 things:

1. v1-4: To be willing to give to the church. The 'church' includes not only our brothers and sisters and Christ, but also the community, people in need.
2. v5-9: We can make plans, but God makes the final decision. We should entrust our plans to God.
   
3. v10-11: To encourage and help young leaders to grow (the example in this passage is Timothy)

What does God ask from us?
We should be willing to give voluntarily and with a cheerful heart; not doing it merely due to feeling obliged or with complaints.
2 Corinthians 9:8 tells us that God will give enough to us to be able to give and help other people.
In Malachi 3:10, God promises us blessings if we bring our tithing to the church.
But remember to not give because we want the blessings, but believe that all our good deeds have eternal value and we will surely gain blessings in heaven.

How should we do it?
Consider putting aside some savings in advance, maybe in the beginning of every week (or every paycheck), for a few reasons:

• To be disciplined
• To not give the "leftover" after we use our income
• Enable us to save more
• To avoid procrastinating

Who should we help?
In Matthew 25:34-36, Jesus tells us that God blesses people who help those who are hungry, thirsty, strangers, need clothings, sick, and in prison.
We should be glad to help anybody in need, either monetarily (by giving monetary donations), physically (by lending a helping hand), spiritually or emotionally (by counseling).

The next time you are in doubt about giving back to God, remember that everything that we own is from God and owned by God. We are God's steward on earth; God trusts us to manage the resources that we have been given. Don't hold on to what you own just at the moment because God might be preparing bigger things for you. As Matthew 25:21 says:

"Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!"

Resurrection Body (1 Corinthians 15: 20-58) - Arang April 11, 2008

Our Lord Jesus Christ is indeed has risen from death and became first fruits of those who have died in the past.
From the man Adam came death but by the man Jesus came the resurrection.

The order of the resurrection: Jesus Christ first, then all the people that belong to Him, then comes the end of time.

At the end of time (Lord Jesus second coming):

• He will destroy all rulers, dominions and authorities
• He will deliver the kingdom to God
• He will reign
• He will destroy death

God gives Christ everything under Him and Christ gives everything back under God.

Without Christ's Resurrection:

• Baptism for the dead is useless
• (The Apostle) Self-sacrifice is useless

What we should do then?

1. Do not listen to bad company, people that want to spread the lies
2. Awake to righteousness
3. Do no sin

If we put our trust in Jesus Christ, we will be resurrected with new spiritual body when Christ comes again.

Our body right now is like a seed, when we died, that body is sown to the ground and at the last day it will be resurrected/raised like a plant or tree that comes from the ground from the very same seed (our resurrected body will inherit certain characteristics from our earthly body).

Every flesh is different and every splendor of resurrection body is different. Like the splendor of sun, moon and stars and the splendor of stars to stars.

In comparison:

* Earthly Body:

• Perishable
• Dishonor by sin
• Weak
• Natural body

* Heavenly Body:

• Imperishable
• In glory
• Powerful
• Spiritual body

When will we receive our heavenly body?

At the last trumpet, when Jesus comes again to this earth for the second time, in a flash, in a blink of an eye, the dead will be raised and the living will be instantly changed. From perishable to imperishable, from mortal to immortal.

Thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ, through our Lord, death and sin have been defeated.

What we need to do until then?

• Stand firm in your faith
• Let nothing move you from your faith and commitment to Jesus Christ
• Give yourself fully to the work of the Lord.

Why? Because our labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Thank you Jesus!

Come Lord Jesus, Come! O, yes!