Pastor Vincent - 22 May 2014
Faith Before God, Love Among Men
We are always affected by what people think of us. We try hard to make people acknowledge our doings, at the same time, we want others to live up to our expectations. Just as it’s said in Romans 14: Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand. One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. God is always looking at the attitude of our hearts, not the works per se. Through the message today, may we be broken down before Lord again as He reveals the self-righteousness and judgmental spirit in us, and replace it with His love through His work on the cross. A right understanding of faith enables one to look at others in God's love and truth. As a result, it gives birth to a heart that is full of compassion not mere conscience, a heart full of acceptance instead of being judgmental. May Lord perfect our faith each day as we seek to acknowledge Him even among men.
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Battling Inferiority, Indifference, Lack of Zeal
In this fast-paced society and highly demanding era, we are trapped in a system, both knowingly and unknowingly. What is this system? At first thoughts, this system seems to sound like laws and institutions. Yet if we inquire further, this system is in fact a godless and man-centric mindset, which very quickly develops into a disbelieving culture. As believers of God, we can be easily immobilized by such a systemic culture. We involuntarily subscribe to a certain way of thinking in this system of ours, be it with regards to merits, successes, achievements, problem-solving skills, etc. Such a system hurts the human soul and makes it grow cold. Consider, what happens to the fallouts of this system? They are constantly battling with inferiority (about self), indifference (about life), and lack of zeal (to do what ought to be done). May God open our eyes to this reality so that we can be sensitive to the needs of this era, and with that, relate the Gospel powerfully and relevantly.
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