Be Ready for the Inevitable - Peter Tan-Chi - Joy in the Crisis

please do not miss them God rising pass [Music] it's a privilege it's a joy to share with you what God has been impressing in my heart people have asked me is this copied 19 in the Bible is there any prophecy are we living in the end times in such a way that Jesus is coming soon well let me share with you biblical perspective and how we should prepare the reality is the copied 19 if something that God knew is going to happen because in the Bible when the disciples asked Jesus what will be the sign of your coming what will be the sign of the end of the ages and you see this in the book of Matthew Mark and Luke and Jesus gave some examples of end times warnings Jesus is saying in Matthew 24 before n times you have false Christ's false prophets here Wars rumors of wars lawlessness will increase and was very close to us is earthquakes pestilence pestilence plagues tribulation all kinds of problem Jesus is saying these things are going to happen to me this is a wake-up call people ask me how should we respond my answer to you is this you can either respond in faith or respond in fear to respond in fear is to despair give up hope to be passive but to respond in faith is to take this opportunity to realize God is at work he's going to accomplish his purpose and he's gonna do something good out of this because this is his promise so as believers as followers of Jesus let us learn to respond in faith how do we take this problem this tragedy how do we convert this into blessing Jesus tells us in Matthew chapter 24 when he explains to his disciples his second coming he said for this reason you must be ready we must be ready for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think he will the pandemic to me is a wake-up call a wake-up call of we should be ready we should be ready for the inevitable what is the inevitable the wake-up call is the reality of death this coronavirus pandemic has brought to light the uncertainties of life the brevity of life and wobble the certainty of death that is inevitable a wise person will consider how to prepare how to be ready for followers of Jesus the inevitable is sooner or later you and I will see the Lord should we die he will welcome us should we come again we will welcome him but does the inevitable we need to be ready for the inevitable as we continue our series in the book of Philippians I'm happy to share with you there are principles on how to be ready to meet the Lord on how to prepare yourself for the uncertainties of life we continue our series Philippians chapter 3 from verse 12 to 21 and here are the major theme major sub-points i'm going to discuss to be ready for the inevitable learn from the apostle paul number one press on learn to press on I'm gonna explain that number to prioritize you need to find out what God wants us to do and lastly you need to persevere three P's first one press on do not stagnate don't be locked down that you become paralyzed number two prioritize during this time of copied 19 what can you do will you just be passive do nothing or should you know your priority you need to prioritize and lastly persevere don't give up we do not know how long this lockdown is gonna be but to be ready you need the persevere let us see this from the book of Philippians chapter 3 what does it mean to press on brethren I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet one thing I do forgetting what lies behind reaching forward to what lies ahead I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus notice Paul was humble enough to admit I am not yet what I should be brethren I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet but one thing I do forgetting what lies behind Paul is saying I am not yet there but I am becoming what God wants me to be the principle here is the principle of growing when you press on you are telling yourself I need to keep growing the danger of Christians the danger of people today is we become proud and we think we arrive and you stop growing but notice what the Bible tells us the Bible says be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own in other word here is a warning Christians be careful be on your guard so that you will not be carried away by the error of unprincipled men so how do you guard yourself notice the command grow in the Grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ I wonder how many of you are taking this principle seriously I need to press on to be ready to meet Jesus I need to press on I need to keep growing you cannot live on the past grace of God you cannot live on past knowledge only God wants you to keep improving keep growing many Christians is stagnate they stopped learning they stopped growing why they become proud how do you grow notice what Paul tells us Paul says one thing I do forgetting what lies behind reaching forward to what lies ahead so to press on you must understand this principle the principle of humility the principle of one thing to grow the Abbaye desire to grow do you know what area you need to grow I was in a zoom meeting with different D groups and I heard one of them saying for the first time their family got together and they ask each other how they can improve what's so amazing was when the children us its other how they can improve among themselves in the past it was the parents asking the children how they can improve and the children ask the parents how they can improve but this time it was the children among themselves asking each other how they can improve that was revolutionary you see one thing to grow you need to learn to hear criticism you need to be humble attitude to want to grow notice what Paul said forgetting what lies behind to press on you must be willing to let go of the past Satan's ploy is for us to be paralyzed by the pass he brings up our paths to discourage you to discourage me I remember one of our members years ago he came to me and he said Peter can I tell you something I said sure he said when I was in college I was a fraternity member and I think I murdered some people I suppose you mean said do you know in our college we have this fraud fraternities and we have fights one fraternity against another and I remember I be nice and have the steel pipes and I believe I killed some of the students he said I'm so bothered you know what I told him as a brother there's nothing you can do about the past you cannot change it but the good news is this Jesus Christ died for your sins he has forgiven you I know that you are sad and you are repentant but the problem is you don't even know who are these people that you beat up you don't even know who are these people that have died but one thing I can tell you learn to forget what lies behind the truth is I have certain things I've done in the past and I'm ashamed of it I wish I did not do it Paul is saying when you press on be willing to let go of the past learn to forgive the truth is there are people you and I need to forgive and the truth is you have done something against others also I like what Oliver Wendell Holmes said the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand as in what direction we are moving to reach the part of heaven we must sail sometimes with the wind sometimes against it but we must sail and not drift nor lie at anchor what is saying is it's one thing to be where you are today but the most important thing is not what you were in the past where you are today but where are you headed and that's why you need to press on you got to move forward what direction are you headed are you pressing on are you growing are you learning to become all that God wants you to be I praise God as I look in my life I know I'm not yet what God wants me to be but I praise God I am no longer the same person I used to be and I look forward to what God wants me to become I keep pressing on let's all press on to be ready you need to press on we need to prioritize what does it mean to prioritize to prioritize means you focus on what is most important burden I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet but one thing I do notice one thing that's prioritizing forgetting what lies behind reaching forward to what lies ahead I press on toward the goal for the price of the upward all of God in Christ Jesus he used atletic terms reaching forward I press on for the goal for the prize of the upward call of God it's all about straining I'm doing my best my priorities are very clear remember what I said a couple of months ago the word priority is always in the singular in the 17th century in the 18th century it's only recently that the word priority became plural priorities because the truth is if everything is priority you have no priority so my question to you is this what is your priority during this lockdown when you have the gift of time what do you plan to do what are your priorities for some people they don't take advantage of scheduling their time to focus on what really matters may I suggest our priority should be like what Paul is saying what was the priority of the Apostle Paul he's saying let us therefore as many as are perfect help this attitude and if anything you have a different attitude God will reveal that also to you however let us keep living by that same standard which we have attained what is he talking about he's saying as many as are perfect the word perfect is from this word the layoffs it means mature it means becoming all that God wants you to be it is not sinlessness but it is a word to describe the reality of how we grow to full maturity the idea of maturity for example a baby becomes a young boy a little boy then he becomes a teenager and in the teenager becomes a full-grown man when you become a grown man that's the idea of the world perfect mature so Paul is saying those of you who are mature you must have this attitude what is the attitude the attitude of what we discuss attitude of pressing on attitude of letting of the pass then the attitude of prioritizing I discovered a person who is mature begin to see his own witnesses a person that is mature is sensitive to his own shortcomings the order I walk with the Lord the more I realize there are things in my life I need to change I become more sensitive to things that are not pleasing to God I call this evidence of maturity some sins are very obvious some sins are so public many of us are we are aware of this immorality rape stealing slandering but certain sins are not obvious we call them respectable sin sin of the heart and I've noticed something when you press on and you begin to prioritize the Lord he's saying I want to be all that God wants me to be that is what he meant if you look at this verse I press on toward that goal for the prize of the upward call of God the upward call of God in Christ Jesus is God's mission God's calling for you and for me to live a life that's pleasing to him to live a life that will fulfill his mission that should be our priority to be all that he wants us to become in the Christian life you have doing and you are becoming but being comes first be the right person make that a priority and then the doing will follow so what is our priority notice what Paul said brethren join in following my example observe those who walk according to the pattern you have enough Paul is saying it is important that you had a standard year B model and Paul is saying follow my example Paul understood the priorities of the kitchen life Paul knew he has to model what he wants his followers to become she modeling is most important when it comes to impacting lives and for Paul priority is becoming all that God wants you to be joy in following my example observe those who walk according to the pattern do you notice observe those who walk according to the pattern copy copy people like me copy people were following Jesus then he tells you whom not to copy said do not copy many walk of whom I often told you and now tell you even weeping that there are enemies of the cross of Christ whose end is destruction whose God is their appetite whose glory is in their shame who set their minds on earthly things what is he talking about he did not identify who are these people with bad examples but do you notice the priorities of these people what's their priority their priority is their God is their own appetite their glory is in their shame they said they set their minds on earthly things what is he talking about he's not talking about obvious people who are not Christians he is talking about counterfeit Christians they act like they're part of you they go to the church they attend meetings but Paul is saying many of whom I often told you and tell you weeping not this Paul is crying not because he was in prison he was crying not because she needed help he was crying for this counterfeit Christians that they are enemies of the cross of Christ how do you become enemies of the cross of Christ when you take the grace of God as a license to sin you see the cross of Christ is very very meaningful it tells us that God is holy and God hates sin and Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins for my sins but these people use the cross of Christ as an excuse to keep on sinning because this what they believe in Jesus died on the cross for our sins our sins are forgiven therefore it does not matter how we live we're forgiven so regardless of how you live you're going to go to heaven and Paul is saying they're enemies of the cross of Christ their God is the god of sensuality their God is their own appetite friends this is something very important your priority is to please God to live to live in accordance to him for the Apostle Paul he pursued the calling of God and he's saying I am a model and I realized that should be the priority of all of us especially during this lockdown let me ask you a question are we a model of pursuing God of Christlikeness at home your children you're a family member if they look at your life are they a good model it is during this time of lockdown where we begin to get to know each other even more so this is a great opportunity to be a model because the truth is this whether you like it or not your family others are looking at you and you're a model the only question is are you a good model or a bad model and use another sobering truth you and I are consciously or unconsciously following others you're copying them so who are you copying my advice Polly saying copy me as I copy Jesus you find that in first Corinthians chapter 11 verse one policy imitate me copy me as I imitate Jesus so all of us are to be model I follow Jesus as I follow Jesus my people will follow me to follow Jesus so that's the idea of priority do you have the right priority why because it will impact your future the importance of living a holy life for the Apostle Paul that's important do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God do not be deceived neither fornicators idolaters adulterers effeminate homosexuals nor thieves nor the covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God Paul is affirming the importance of not just your belief the importance of showing the evidence of your faith of your grid because notice the warning the warning is this these people they're enemies of the cross of Christ whose end is destruction Paul is saying these are not genuine believers they may claim to be Christian but Paul is saying their end is destruction their God is the appetite literally their belly their stomach the God of sensuality and Polly saying don't do that I've seen many GC efforts in the past frame from time to time I feel very sad for them I've know some friends of mine we have turn away from the ways of the Lord but in their mind they believe they are still efficient I've seen their lives they get involved in immorality but they think they're okay they take the grace of God in vain and that is why Paul gives us the word this warning do not be deceived don't be deceived because these people and he described them from fornicators having sex outside of marriage idolaters anything that takes the place of God in your life adulterer etc he is saying these people will not inherit the kingdom of God but what's a good news the good news is such were some of you you were was you were sanctified you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the spirit of our God in other words Paul is saying once you understand God's priority not just salvation but our transformation sanctification and Paul is saying your life will begin to change so to live a holy life is not an option your priority should be a life that's pleasing to God do you want to be ready how can you be ready press on have the right priority and lastly you got the persevere now what does it mean to persevere notice in chapter 3 verse 22 21 Paul is reminding them notice the pronoun he use he used the pronoun our citizenship is in heaven from which we eagerly wait for the Savior the Lord Jesus Christ who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of his glory by the exertion of the power that he has even to subject all things to himself so that you will know your priority and so that you are able to persevere you must realize our citizenship is in heaven we belong to God we belong to Jesus this word citizenship reminds me that many times we forget that we don't belong to this world and that's why a lot of people will eventually regret because they are not ready they don't understand what it means to wait eagerly anticipate is coming you set your heart on Jesus you must eagerly wait I love this world eagerly wait we we are to wait not possibly but you are to be eager if anticipate so I like the word persevere because the word persevere has the idea of not just waiting possibly it is waiting with expectation it is waiting hopefully you're able to endure with strength with joy he's saying eagerly wait for a savior because that is a certainty look at how those words are used waiting Romans 8:25 the context is about the second coming the context is about Jesus you want to come again and change our body notice what Paul said if we hope for what we do not see with perseverance we wait eagerly do you notice perseverance waiting eagerly they go together because for us his coming is a certainty that's what God is talking about be ready be ready to meet the Lord be ready for the inevitable you are going to see Jesus sooner or later are you ready in order to be ready you need to be anticipating you need to persevere to wait expectantly for his second coming what do I mean when you are waiting for his coming I will almost guarantee you one thing you will live differently your priority will change you will not be thinking of sinning for example if I know Jesus will come tonight can I tell you something between now and tonight I'm going to live my life in such a way as to be pleasing to him if I know Jesus will come next week how will I live this week I guarantee you my life will be live in such a way that I will always be conscious of pleasing him that's the idea you persevere expectantly knowing that Jesus is coming soon you'll live in light of his second coming other than that you won't be ready to meet Jesus that's why the Bible tells us in first John 3 beloved we are children of God our citizenship is in heaven and it has not appeared as yet what we will be we know when he appears when Jesus comes again we will be like him our body will be transformed because we will see him just as he is now the Bible is very clear everyone and everyone who has this hope if you wait eagerly if you fix on this coming the Bible says you will purify yourself it'll impact your life and that's the amazing power of anticipation persevering waiting for his coming it has that amazing expensive power to help you live a holy life learn to live with eternal values learn to live as though he will come today learn to live as though he can come tomorrow when you are ready you will be joyful you won't be afraid of dying no wonder the Apostle Paul tells us you must eagerly wait for the coming of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ who will transform the body of our humble state in the conformity with the body of his glory by the exertion of the power that he has even to subject all things to himself the Bible tells us when Jesus comes again he will transform the body of our humble state to me it's a great comfort what do I mean the Bible tells us this earthly body humble meaning it is not glorious this body will experience pain this body will experience sickness this body will experience death however the Bible tells us don't be afraid why because when Jesus comes again he will transform I love that word he will transform our body and let me share with you what that means in first corinthians 15:51 53 why we can be ready why we can await expectantly why we should persevere the Bible says Paul is telling us I tell you a mystery we will not all sleep we will all die we will all be changed underline this in your Bible we will all be changed we will be transformed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised imperishable and we will be changed he uses an amazing word picture a word picture found in the Old Testament about trumpets at the last trumpet the trumpet will sound Jesus talks about the last trumpet what does it mean you see in the time of the Old Testament when the Israelites were marching God tells them through Moses when you hear the trumpet you be ready the first trumpet is be ready the second trumpet 49 be ready to march and when you hear the last trumpet it says march friends I believe the first trumpet sounded God is in be ready I believe the second trumpet has sounded ready be ready to march and I believe one day you hear the last trumpet the last trumpet is when you and I see our king when we march toward him and the Bible says this last trumpet what will happen to us we will all be changed this perishable must put on imperishable this mortal must put on immortality notice the contrast the contrast perishable will put on imperishable this bod is perishable one day this body will decay this body is mortal but someday it will be given immortality and that's our guarantee that's our destiny that's why he says you can live with joy in the means of crisis in the middle of it 19 this is a wake-up call of the inevitable sooner or later we will die sooner or later you will meet the Lord notice then will come about the saying that is written death is swallowed up in victory death death is what people are afraid of all of this coffee'd 19 is about death the fear of dying that's why people are so careful because they don't have any solution to overcome death to overcome the fear of death to overcome the anxiety of death but for believers we have another perspective provided you're ready Oh death where is your victory Oh death where is your sting the sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ what does it mean Oh death where is your victory or death where is your sting let me explain to you the Bible is telling us death right now controls people today eventually we all die and the reason why death has power is this the sting of death is sin because all of us have seen that way it has power and the power of sin is the law the reason why sinners power over us is because of the law what does it mean the commandments of God reveals to us our failures the commandments of God tells us this is the standard by which you and I must live and you and I have failed miserable I'm not able to obey the law and because I'm not able to obey the law I'm a sinner but the Bible says the sting of the law and the sting of death is solved through Jesus why when Jesus died on the cross He fulfilled the law what the law could not do to make me holy the law in fact condemned me showing me that I'm a sinner but Jesus fulfilled the law in my behalf and that's why Jesus conquered death because Jesus obeyed the law in my behalf and that's what the Bible says thanks be to God who gives us the victory victory over the law victory over death victory over sin through our Lord Jesus Christ it's all because of Jesus you see the last enemy that will be abolished is death right now death reigns it's a reality it is called the inevitable you have to be ready for the inevitable and how can you be ready number one what what is Paul telling us press on becoming all that God wants you to be priority make God make Jesus your number one priority leave the place him and lastly you persevere no wonder he closed with first Corinthians 15 therefore after conquering death he now tells us therefore my beloved brethren speaking to us believers be steadfast be a mover in other words don't fear don't few people don't feel this pandemic if people laugh at you if they make fun of your faith be steadfast persevere be immovable always abounding in the work of the Lord knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord it is never in vain you know during this time of lockdown my wife and I we watch a Netflix movie it's about a gangster how he lived to please again the Mafia he was so obedient he rose from the ranks he was a hitman he rose to power position riches now you know what is so sad based on this documentary at the end of his life you see him is spending time in jail after being released from jail he lost everything his friends his own family his own daughter won't even see him and what is so sad he live alone eventually in a nursing home and he had to die alone why everything he lived for was in vain you see if you live to please men if you live to please yourself if your God is your appetite he's gonna be in vain but if you live for the Lord the Bible tells us it's never never in vain I am reminded of the story of a grandmother with a fork do you know this story the grandmother told her family members when I die I want you to do two things put this Bible on my chest and put this fork on top of the Bible and they asked their grandmother why grandma you have to understand years ago the Christians in the USA a potluck dinner every Sunday after attending Sunday worship they gathered together with other church members they have this padlock they eat together they bring food together and the grandmother will always tell her children after the main course a turkey or ham or chicken or steak her grandmother will say don't leave the table hold your fork why her grandmother will say the dessert the best is yet to come the apple pie and we grandmother said when I die Buddhist Bible matches put this fork because for me the best is yet to come for God's people death is never the end for God's people death is a transition for the best is yet to come you may be asking me Peter how can I be sure that when Jesus comes again I will be able to joyfully meet him can I tell you something jesus promised you he promised me look at Jude 24 25 now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of his glory blameless with great joy to the only God our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord Auri Majesty Dominion Authority before all time now and forever notice this amazing promise to him who is able to keep you from stumbling number two to make you stand in the presence of his glory blameless with great joy now when I read this verse I made that my prayer I said lord I am very weak I am afraid that my Christian life my walk with you I won't be able to finish well the Lord reminded me Peter I will be the one to keep you from stumbling I will hold you I will protect you from stumbling and then the Lord assured me and I will make you stand in the presence I am able to stand in the presence of the glory of Jesus of God blameless with great joy I praise God it's not about me it's about his faithfulness as I do my part as I press on as I prioritize pleasing him and as I persevere in making him my priority to wait upon him God promised me that he will keep me from stumbling he will protect me and make me spend in his glorious presence blameless with great joy that my friend is our assurance today there are three kinds of people listening to me as we face the uncertainties of corvid 19 these are the possibilities you will die should you die Jesus will give you a warm welcome choose you not die and Jesus comes you will give him a warm welcome that my friend is the inevitable the innate ability and the certainty of meeting Jesus sooner or later when I die Jesus will welcome me should I not die and he comes and I believe we're living close to his coming then we welcome him that's the meaning of that phrase we eagerly await for his coming it's a picture of not just waiting for him it is a picture of welcoming him the world eagerly wait it's a picture of a husband waiting for his wife after they've been apart for some time you eagerly wait you welcome somebody you love and the Bible says I must live my life with such anticipation to welcome him that my friend is why I want you to be ready for the inevitable but there's a third group of people when you meet Jesus you won't be ready there is no welcome in fact Matthew it warns us when he says I don't know you depart from me you doers of iniquity my friend if God has been speaking to you take advantage of this call with 19 use it as an opportunity to be drawn closer to the Lord as I close in prayer I wanna give you an opportunity to those of you who are ready I encourage you continue persevering to those who are not ready you have known the Lord but for some reason you turn away from him I wanted to come back I want you to press on I wanted to prioritize pleasing Jesus and I don't want you to give up persevere let's pray if it's your desire to be ready if with your desire to really experience the assurance of meeting our Lord meeting our Savior why don't you pray this prayer say something like this Nord Jesus I am Not sure I am NOT ready to meet you I want to humble myself today I want to repent of my sins I come before you lord change my heart give me a new desire to press on to know you to prioritize following you and to persevere in following you to those of you who know Jesus pray this prayer Lord it is my prayer that you helped me to be faithful to the end to persevere to the end it strengthened me to help me to wait upon you expectantly to be excited about your second coming to help me live with this reality that you can come anytime Lord I won't be ready Jesus name we all pray amen may God bless you for our process questions I like you to discuss among your family members the following questions what are you doing to be ready or you can see are you ready yes No what should you start doing what should you stop doing and what should you continue doing to be ready lastly how can you help others be ready may God bless you thanks for watching we would like to invite you to be a christ committed follower by being part of the movement as we honor God and obey His Great Commission to find out if there's a CCF satellite near you log on to www.wymt.com proved by our team would you consider supporting CCF through prayer and giving so more people can be blessed you can give securely through our website at www.investmentpitch.com

Channel: Christ’s Commission Fellowship

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Length: 52min 24sec (3144 seconds)

Published: Sun Apr 19 2020