Date: 22-03-26
Preacher: Ps Daniel Foo
Title: Hello, where are you?
Come after, Follow, Follow to the End
When you have a speaker who walk the talk, it is hard not to listen well so in a sense, the congregation had done one of the ‘whats’ on how to follow Jesus and that is ‘to hear what Jesus hears’.
Ps Daniel’s main biblical reference is taken from Luke 9:23.
Other than the reference above, I think it is important to note his opening remark that to experience the peace we so desire, we must have a close relationship with God. He reminded the congregation of this important caveat if we are to rely on Him to carry on the work of Jesus.
From Luke 9:23, Ps Daniel rightly put to the congregation that everyone is given a choice to believe but the conditions laid are to ‘deny himself, and take up his cross daily’. This, he said, might sound hard but really, if we draw near to Him and rely on His strength, it is often easier than we think. I think the litmus test is to ask ourselves whether we are doing God’s will or our own and the sufferings which we bear for Him would make us rely on Him even more.
He listed a few ways to follow the work of Jesus.
- Live the way Jesus live: A grain of wheat (John 12:4)
- See what Jesus sees: saw compassion (Matt 9:36)
- Speak what Jesus speaks: preach gospel (Matt 9:36)
- Hear what Jesus hears: The voice of the father (John 5:30)
- Do what Jesus does: work accordingly to the Father’s will (John 5:17).
The above points are self-explanatory and the biblical references would promote a better understanding of each of the ways.
We also need to wait upon our God and exercise patience too. Ps Daniel then quoted many examples of biblical figures who did not see what they had hoped for. But despite that they carried on with their faith. Hence we should carry on our belief, our hope and our wait.
And how long do we have to commit ourselves to the Great Commission? We follow to the end.
