ALL SAINTS' CATHEDRAL
SERMONS
7:30am ENGLISH YOUTH
SERVICE 1
Last updated 14th June
1998.
13th February 1998
"GOD'S STANDARD OF
GOOD AND EVIL."
"Ukuran Piawai Tuhan untuk Baik dan Jahat"
13th February 1998.
Friday Night Word Time at Kenneth's Cell
22nd February 1998.
Sunday Sermon - Kenneth Thien
Text : Zechariah 7
SUMMARY
The fasting on the fifth month was to commemorate
the destruction of the temple. Now, the people of Israel were back
from exile after seventy years and the temple was being rebuilt.
Was there a need to continue fasting - so they asked Zechariah.
Puasa dalam bulan kelima adalah untuk mengingati
pembinasaan Rumah Ibadat. Orang-orang Yahudi sekarang telah kembali
dari hukuman buang negeri selama tujuh puluh tahun dan Rumah Ibadat sedang
dibina dan dipulihkan. Adakah puasa ini perlu dikekalkan - begitu
soalan mereka kepada Zakharia.
God replied through Zechariah : the fasting was
to remind the people about God's judgment, to lead them to repentance and
obedience. However, neither God-given prosperity nor suffering moved
them to repentance or obedience to God. Their fasting and feasting
were ritualistic, self-centered and evil. Their fasting was centered
on lost pride of a nation in exile, lost glory of a defeated nation - and
in that context asking God to revive 'their' former pride and glory.
If their fasting were God-centered / focussed on God, then they would realise
their sins, why God sent them into exile and why they should repent and
turn to God.
Tuhan menjawab melalui Zakharia :
puasa itu adalah untuk mengingati kamu tentang hukuman dan keputusan Tuhan
, untuk membimbing mereka kepada penyesalan dan kepatuhan. Namun,
kemewahan yang diberi Tuhan atau penderitaan pun tidak dapat membawakan
mereka kepada penyesalan ataupun kepatuhan kepada Tuhan. Kedua-dua
puasa atau jamuan mereka bersikap upacara dan istiadat, mementingkan diri
dan jahat. Puasa mereka bertumpukan kepada kehilangan kebanggaan
sebuah negara yang berada dalam buangan negeri, kehilangan keagungan sebuah
negara yang tertewas - dan dalam perhubungan ini merayu Tuhan untuk memulihkan
keagungan dan kemegahan lama 'mereka'. Sekiranya puasa mereka adalah
bertumpukan kepada Tuhan, maka mereka akan sedari dosa mereka, mengapa
Tuhan menghukum mereka dengan membuang negeri dan mengapa mereka harus
menyesal / bertaubat dan kembali kepada Tuhan.
What appeared good (fasting, feasting, religious activities)
was considered evil because they were not God-centered. What is not
good is considered evil - there is no in-between.
Apa yang kelihatan seperti baik (puasa,
berjamuan, upacara keugamaan) boleh dianggap jahat kerana ia bukanlah bertumpukan
kepada Tuhan. Apa yang bukan baik adalah dianggap sebagai jahat -
tidak terdapat kawasan perantaraan.
If the people were repentant and obedient, they
would uphold justice, mercy and compassion expressed in protecting the
widow, orphans and aliens, etc.
Sekiranya mereka menyesal dan taat, maka
mereka akan menegakkan keadilan, keampunan dan belas kasihan yang akan
dilahirkan dalam kelakuan melindungi balu, anak-anak yatim piatu, pendatang-pendatang
asing, dsb.
God warned that just as when He proclaimed and the
people would not hear, so when the people call out He also would not listen.
Tuhan memberi amaran bahawa seperti bila
Tuhan berfirman dan orang-orangNya enggan mendengar, maka begitu juga apabila
mereka merayu kepadaNya Tuhan juga tidak akan dengar rayuan mereka.
FOR YOUR PERSONAL
CONSIDERATION ...
Untuk Pertimbangan Persendirian ...
| 1 |
Zechariah 7:5 ... When you fasted and mourned
those seventy years, did you really fast for Me ?
Zakharia 7:5 ... Ketika kamu berpuasa dan
meratap selama tujuh puluh tahun ini, adakah kamu sunguh-sungguh
berpuasa untuk Aku ?
What made the people of Israel's fasting and mourning
despicable to God ? Were they fasting to ask God to restore the temple
and end their exile or were they fasting in repentance of their sins ?
Apakah yang membuat puasa dan ratapan
mereka dihina dan dikeji Tuhan ? Adakah mereka berpuasa untuk merayu
Tuhan memulihkan Rumah Ibadat dan mengakhiri pembuangan negeri atau adakah
mereka berpuasa dalam penyesalan dosa mereka ?
Why do I fast ? Do I fast to ask God for something
or to seek God's will and submit to Him ?
Mengapakah saya berpuasa ? Adakah
ia untuk merayu Tuhan untuk sesuatu atau untuk mencari kehendak hati Tuhan
dan mematuhiNya ?
Is my fasting or praying or church activities good
or evil to God ? Are my sunday worships / offerings / Bible Studies
good or evil to God ?
Why ?
Adakah puasa dan doa saya atau aktiviti
keugamaan saya baik atau jahat di mata Tuhan ? Adakah penyembahan
mingguan / persembahan / bacaan kitab baik atau jahat di mata Tuhan ?
Kenapa ?
|
| 2 |
If we refuse to listen to God, He will also not listen
to us when we cry out to Him (Zechariah 7:13).
Seperti mereka tidak mendengarkan pada
waktu dipanggil, demikianlah Aku tidak mendengarkan pada waktu mereka memanggil.
Does God listen to me when I cry out to Him ?
When was the last time God answered my prayers ?
Last week ? Last month ? Last year ?
If it seems that God's answers to my prayers are far
and wide apart, a once upon a time sort of thing, is it because I don't
pray enough or He's not listening ?
Adakah Tuhan mendengarkan saya apabila
saya memanggil Dia ? Bilakah kali terakhir Tuhan mendengarkan doa
saya ? Minggu lalu ? Bulan lalu ? Tahun lalu ?
Sekiranya ia kelihatan seperti jawapanTuhan kepada doa-doa saya adalah
jarang, sekali-dua setahun, adakah ini kerana saya kurang berdoa atau kerana
Tuhan tidak mendengar ?
So, what am I going to do about the above ?
Apakah jawab balas saya mengenai perkara
di atas ?
|
| 3 |
Leading a life of obedience to God means upholding
justice, mercy and compassion (Zechariah 7:9, 10).
Hidup taat kepada Tuhan bermakna menegakkan
keadilan, keampunan dan belas kasihan (Zakharia 7: 9, 10)
Do I express any of these qualities to the widows,
the orphans, the poor or aliens ? Do I plot evil against my friends
/ neighbours / brothers / fellow citizens ?
Adakah saya melahirkan ciri-ciri ini kepada
balu-balu, anak-anak yatim piatu, yang miskin dan pendatang-pendatang asing
? Adakah saya merancang jahat terhadap kawan / jiran / saudara /
rakyat senegara ?
If I don't show any of the above characteristics,
could I still be leading a life of obedience (especially in an environment
apparently lacking these qualities) ?
Sekiranya saya tidak mempunyai sebarang
ciri-ciri tersebut di atas, adakah saya masih menjalani hidup yang taat
dan berpatuhan (terutamanya dalam persekitaran yang nyata kekurangan ciri-ciri
ini) ?
What can I do about the above ?
Apakah yang dapat saya lakukan mengenai
perkara di atas ?
|
[Back to page top]
25th January 1998
"THE FLYING SCROLL
- GOD'S CURSES."
"Gulungan Kitab
yang Terbang - Sumpahan Tuhan"
Rev. Koo TS
Text : Zechariah 5: 1 - 4
SUMMARY
Zechariah saw the vision of a flying scroll 30 feet
long by 15 feet wide. The scroll contains the curse that goes over
the face of the whole land, entering the house of the thief and perjurer,
completely consuming and destroying the stones and timber of the house.
The size of the scroll denotes the seriousness of the matter; the fact
that it is flying shows that the judgment is from God. No one escapes
the eyes and observation of our God.
Zakhariah mendapat penglihatan segulung
kitab terbang yang panjangnya 30 kaki dan 15 kaki lebar. Gulungan
ini mengandungi sumpahan yang keluar menimpa seluruh negeri, memasuki rumah
setiap pencuri dan orang yang bersumpah palsu, memusnahkan keseluruhan
rumah mereka termasuk batu-batu dan kayunya. Kebesaran gulungan ini
menandakan kegentingan perkara ini; bahawa gulungan ini berterbangan menandakan
bahawa hukuman dan sumpahan ini adalah dari Tuhan. Tidak sesiapa
pun yang terlepas dari mata dan perhatian Tuhan.
Some things that bring God's
curses on us :
Perkara-perkara yang membawa sumpahan Tuhan
ke atas kita :
-
Stealing or robbing God because you dont give Him back the
10% of your income / pocket money that he demands (tithe).
Malachi 3: 8, 9 /
Zechariah 5:4
Mencuri atau merompak Tuhan kerana kita
tidak memberi kembali Tuhan persembahan persepuluhan pendapatan kita (wang
saku) seperti yang difirmankan. Maleakhi 3: 8, 9 / Zakhariah 5:4
-
Those who swear falsely, who bear false witness, whose lies
allow perversion of justice, and in the process allowing the innocent to
be punished unfairly. Amos
5: 11,12 / Zechariah 5: 4
Mereka yang bersumpah palsu, penipu yang
menyebabkan keadilan tidak dapat ditegakkan dan oleh itu menyebabkan yang
tidak bersalah dihukum dengan tidak adil.
-
Idolatry. "I will utter My judgment against them concerning
all their wickedness, because they have forsaken Me, burned incense to
other gods, and worshiped the works of their own hands."
Jeremiah 1: 16
Pemujaan patung. "Maka Aku akan menjatuhkan
hukumanKu atas mereka, kerana segala kejahatan mereka, sebab mereka telah
meninggalkan Aku, dengan membakar korban kepada allah lain, dan sujud menyembah
kepada buatan tangannya sendiri." Yeremia 1: 16
-
"So the Lord could no longer bear it, because of the evil
of your doings and because of the abominations which you committed.
Therefore your land is a desolation, an astonishment, a curse, and without
an inhabitant, as it is this day." Jeremiah
44 : 22
"TUHAN tidak tahan lagi melihat perbuatan-perbuatan
mu yang jahat dan kejijikan yang kamu lakukan; oleh kerana itu negeri mu
pun telah menjadi reruntuhan , kengerian dan kutuk tanpa penduduk, seperti
yang ternyata sekarang ini." Yeremia 44: 22
God's remedy / cure against curses
:
Ubat Penawar Tuhan terhadap Sumpahan :
-
Turn to Jesus and He will save you from God's curses.
"Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having
become a curse for us, that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the
Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit
through faith" Galatians
3: 13,14
Kembalilah kepada Yesus dan Dia akan menyelamatkan
kau dari sumpahan Tuhan.
-
Stay away from unholy and unclean things / acts.
Ezekiel 44 : 23
Jauhilah dari perbuatan-perbuatan / perkara
yang tidak suci. Yehezkiel 44: 23
-
Repent of your sins - confess. Ask God to remove the
curses in Jesus' Name.
Galatians 3: 13,14
Bertaubat dari dosa kamu - mengakulah.
Mintalah Tuhan menyingkirkan sumpahan itu dalam nama Yesus. Galatia
3: 13,14
-
Some curses are from God, some from the devil and demons.
Command the demons to leave in Jesus' Name.
Ada sumpahan yang berpunca dari Tuhan,
ada yang berpunca dari syaitan dan hantu. Arahkan hantu-syaitan ini
keluar dalam nama Yesus.
Personal Applications
:
Untuk Pertimbangan Peribadi :
-
Do you feel that God's curses upon you, hovering heavily
above you like the flying scroll, because of some sins in your life ?
Have you given your tithes ? Have you sworn falsely ? Do you
worship the works of your own hands ? (idols, money, success, etc)
You may not be aware of your sins - ask God to reveal
to you.
Adakah kamu berperasaan di bawah sumpahan
Tuhan, seperti di bawah gulungan terbang, kerana terdapat dosa dan kejahatan
dalam hidup kamu ? Sudahkah kamu memberikan persembahan persepuluhan
kamu ? Pernahkah kamu bersumpah palsu ? Adakah kamu memuja
buatan tangan sendiri ? (patung, wang & kekayaan, kejayaan, dsb).
Pray that the curses be removed from you and that
God's blessings may pour down on you.
Berdoalah agar sumpahan ini
disingkirkan dari kamu dan berkat Tuhan dituangkan kepada kamu.
-
The punishment and the curse is on all who sin, regardless
of whether the person is aware or ignorant. The scroll that Zechariah
saw goes over the face of the whole land.
"If a person sins and commits any of these things which
are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the Lord, though he does
not know it, yet he is guilty and shall bear his punishment."
Leviticus 5 : 17
Hukuman dan sumpahan itu dijatuhkan kepada
semua yang berdosa / bersalah, walaupun seseorang itu tidak sedari atau
tidak peduli. Gulungan yang dilihat oleh Zakhariah itu menimpa ke
seluruh negeri. "Jikalau seseorang berbuat dosa dengan melakukan
salah satu hal yang dilarang Tuhan tanpa mengetahuinya, maka ia bersalah
dan harus menanggung kesalahannya sendiri." Imamat 5: 17
Ask God to make you a blessing to the people around you
in your land - that they may not be cursed in their ignorance of God's
laws, that they may be saved through the knowledge and salvation of Jesus
Christ.
Mintalah Tuhan mencucuri rahmat dan berkat
kepada orang-orang disekeliling kamu dan di negeri mu melalui kamu - supaya
mereka tidak akan disumpah tanpa menyedari Hukum Tuhan, supaya mereka dapat
diselamatkan melalui pengetahuan dan keselamatan Yesus Kristus.
Pray for one person you know to be saved from God's
curses today.
Berdoalah untuk seorang yang
dikenali mu untuk diselamatkan dari sumpahan Tuhan hari ini.
[Back to page top]
12th October 1997
"YOU
LOSE SOME TO GOD, YOU GAIN MORE IN RETURN"
Bishop J Tan
Text : 1 Peter 2: 1-10
SUMMARY
The Sermon this Sunday describes the characteristics
of the Church of God or the people of God. It exhorts us to surrender 5
things to God, found in 1 Peter 2: 1. They are malice, deceit (guile),
hypocrisy, envy and all evil talking. These are the unhealty elements in
the Church that do not build up. Malice means wickedness with intention
to injure or harm. Deceit means not truthful, not honest. Hypocrisy means
two-faced, putting up different faces in front of others. Envy means jealous,
not happy when others are blessed or better than us. Evil speaking means
defamation or talk bad about others.
We are asked to give up these 5 things as a Church and
in return God makes 6 better things in us. They are : v5 - living stones,
everyone of us is important in God's House because we are His House (Church).
V5 - holy priesthood, God desires us to be pure and given us the right
to access His presence in prayer. V9 - Chosen generation, a royal priesthood,
a holy nation, His own special people. God in doing so shows how much He
loves us in that He requires us to give up so little that we may gain so
much.
In conclusion, God's love for us is not conditional. Even
though we still exhibit the above 5 things He asks us to give up, He still
loves us and desires to make us into the 6 things mentioned above. Sometimes
we are not able to worship God, or draw near to God, or feel the presence
of God - this is because we havent dealt with these 5 things in our lives.
Get rid of them so God can mould us into the 6 things mentioned.
EMPHASIS : Avoid the 5 elements
which harm away from our lives. Know that even if we are not up to mark,
God still loves us and calls us to be his living stones, holy priests,
royal priests, holy nation, His own special people and a chosen generation.
God chose us not because we are beautiful, good, strong or powerful, but
simply because He loves us. See Deuteronomy 7: 6-8.
CONSIDER :
Do you sometimes see these 5 harmful things in your life
?
Which one of these is a problem in your life ?
Deal with it and pray against it.
[Back to page top]
5th March 1998
THE
RESTORATION OF ZACCHAEUS
Pemulihan
Zakheus
Pastor Yakub Theen
Soon
Text : Luke 19:
1-10
SUMMARY
Jesus was coming to town
and Zacchaeus heard about it and wanted to see Jesus. Unfortunately,
for a man of his stature and position, he could not get through the crowd.
The only way for him to see Jesus was to run ahead of the crowd, climb
a sycamore tree and wait for Jesus to pass by. Jesus came and called Zacchaeus
by name. He responded and was restored.
Yesus akan tiba di bandar
dan Zakheus terdengar berita ini dan mahu melihat Yesus. Malangnya,
kerana rendah dan pekerjaannya, dia tidak dapat menembusi orang ramai yang
berkerumun mengelilingi Yesus. Dia hanya boleh melihat Yesus dengan
berlari ke depan orang ramai, memanjat sepohon pokok ara dan menunggu Yesus
berlalu di bawah. Yesus tiba dan memanggil nama Zakheus. Zakheus
membalas dan dipulihkan.
TEXT
The name Zacchaeus means
'pure' or 'righteous'. However, Zacchaeus, being a tax collector,
was anything but pure and righteous. He was a corrupt official, a
traitor to his country because he served the Roman rulers and he was a
social outcast and reject.
Nama Zakheus bermaksud 'suci'
atau 'kebenaran'. Namun, Zakheus seorang pemungut cukai, bukanlah
seorang yang jujur atau suci. Dia seorang pegawai yang menerima rasuah,
pengkhianat negara kerana sanggup berkhidmat untuk pemerintah dari Rome
dan oleh itu merupakan seorang yang dihina masyarakat.
Luke 19:3 "He wanted to
see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd".
Lukas 19: 3 "Ia berusaha
untuk melihat orang apakah Yesus itu, tetapi ia tidak berhasil kerana orang
banyak dan badanya pendek".
Sometimes, a crowd may
allow little people like children to come to the front. However,
Zacchaeus had a little problem - he was considered 'impure', 'unrighteous',
had no friends and nobody wanted to give way to a traitor like him !!
Therefore, the only way for Zacchaeus to see Jesus was to run ahead, climb
a sycamore tree and wait for Jesus.
Kadang-kadang, orang ramai
akan membenarkan mereka yang kecil dan rendah seperti kanak-kanak untuk
pergi ke depan. Tetapi, Zakheus ada masalah - dia dianggap 'tidak
suci', 'tidak benar', tiada kawan dan tiada sesiapa yang mahu memberi jalan
kepada seorang pengkhianat seperti dia !! Oleh itu, Zakheus hanya
boleh melihat Yesus dengan berlari ke depan, panjat pokok ara dan tunggu
Yesus berlalu.
In Luke 18:24, a few days
earlier, Jesus had said that it is hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom
of God. The rich young ruler in Luke 18:18-23 went away sadly without Jesus.
On this day, Jesus called Zacchaeus and he took the following steps of
response :
Di Lukas 18: 24, beberapa
hari yang dahulu, Yesus berkata bahawa adalah sukar bagi orang kaya untuk
masuk ke Kerajaan Tuhan. Pemuda kaya dalam Lukas 18:18-23 itu beredar
dengan sedih tanpa Yesus. Pada hari ini, Yesus memanggil Zakheus
dan dia membalas dengan langkah-langkah berikut :
Step 1 - (R)eception
: Zacchaeus received and responded to Jesus' call. He could
have ignored or rejected Jesus' call and stayed on the tree but he came
down in response.
Langkah 1 - Penerimaan :
Zakheus menerima dan membalas jawab panggilan Yesus. Dia boleh tidak
mengendahkan atau tidak menerima panggilan Yesus dan menetap di atas pokok
tetapi dia turun ke bawah bila dipanggil.
Step 2 - (R)epentance
: Zacchaeus repented of his sins - he confessed.
Langkah 2 - Penyesalan /
bertaubat : Zakheus bertaubat atas dosanya - dia mengaku salah.
Step 3 - (R)estitution
: Zacchaeus made restitution for all that he had taken / cheated
from the people he collected taxes.
Langkah 3 -
Bayaran Balik : Zakheus membayar balik semua yang telah diambil /
rampas / tipu dari orang ramai yang dipungut cukainya.
When Zacchaeus took the above
3 steps, he was (R)estored to 'purity' and
'righteousness' by Jesus.
Apabila Zakheus mengambil tiga langkah
di atas, dia telah dipulihkan kepada 'kesucian' dan 'kebenaran' oleh Yesus.
APPLICATIONS
-
Zacchaeus was driven up a sycamore
tree partly because of his dishonest, impure and unrighteous dealings with
people. Am I awkwardly driven up and stuck on a sycamore tree like
Zacchaeus ? Am I a social outcast or social reject because of my
undoing/ sins/ unrighteousness like Zacchaeus ? Do I have friends
in the crowd who would make way for me ? Why ? How ?
Zakheus terpaksa
memanjat pokok ara sebahagiannya disebabkan oleh sikapnya yang tidak jujur,
tidak suci dan tidak benar dalam urusannya dengan orang ramai. Adakah
saya dipaksa memanjat dan terperangkat di atas pokok ara seperti Zakheus
? Adakah saya seorang yang dihina masyarakat kerana dosa dan penipuan
saya seperti Zakheus ? Adakah saya mempunyai kawan yang akan memberi
jalan kepada saya ? Mengapa ? Bagaimana ?
-
If I am in an awkward position
like Zacchaeus, and if Jesus says to me "Pure and righteous one, come down
now. I must stay at your house today !", how will I respond ? What
would I do ?
Sekiranya saya
seperti keadaan Zakheus, dan sekiranya Yesus berkata kepada saya "Yang
suci dan benar, turunlah sekarang. Saya mesti menetap di rumah kau
hari ini !", bagaimana akan saya balas ? Apakah yang akan saya lakukan
?
-
If we know of anyone who is
like Zacchaeus in our midst, would I follow the crowd, bringing condemnation
and alienation or would I be like Jesus, bringing hope and restoration
? We may not approve of the corrupt, impure, unrighteous acts of
Zacchaeus but are we or should we be prejudiced against such people ?
Sekiranya kita tahu akan
seorang yang seperti Zakheus di kalangan kita, adakah saya akan mengikut
orang lain, membawa penghakiman dan pengasingan / penghinaan atau pun akan
saya seperti Yesus, membawa harapan dan pemulihan ? Kita mungkin
tidak menyokong mereka yang menerima rasuah, yang melakukan perbuatan yang
tidak suci dan benar seperti Zakheus tetapi patutkah kita menaruh prasangka
terhadap mereka ?
3rd May 1998
"LET
MY PEOPLE GO !"
Kenneth Thien
Text : Exodus 5
- 6:12, 7:14- 11 end
Intro : the stories
of the underdogs - why we love some movies.
"Let My people go that
they may worship Me!" is the call and will of God for the people of this
world. We are created for the sole purpose of worshipping God in
everything that we do. The Hebrew word for "worship" here also means
"serve" or "minister".
The people of Israel had
been long under the oppression of Pharoah. Their spirit had been so discouraged
that they knew only how to cry out to God. But they have become so
incapable of believing in their God who can and will deliver them.
Parallels
drawn.
Pharoah - the power of
darkness which hold our people captive and oppressed, sometimes even Christians.
God has spoken.
"Let My people go!". Deliverance is proclaimed. We must act.
As soon as God calls
us to worship Him, the "pharoahs" of the spiritual realm strike! Discouragement,
doubts, persecution, etc will come. Recognise the reality of
the spiritual realm. Intercession means to battle in the Spirit realm.
The
reality of the battle.
"Pharoahs" use many different
tactics to attack us. Whenever God wants to set His people free, it means
there will be spiritual battles fought. The devil is not going to
just let go. The signs that followed were for our benefits and so
are the word of God. God could just go straight to the 7th sign and
get the job done.
The spirits that are
oppressing the people today, fear, insecurity, not able to trust God that
he is interested in the details of our lives, etc. All these are
hindrances in our lives to be free to worship God. ( illustrations
)
There are other oppressions
too. Being labelled as not cool, family objections, torment of the
mind, where we can't concentrate whenever we want to study God's word,
all kind of mind controlling spirits.
APPLICATION.
There are also those
are still under the bondage of sin. If you do not have a relationship
with Jesus, worshipping God will not mean a thing to you. Why not
receive Him now?
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