On the 23 March 2014, I attended the City Harvest Church service at the Suntec Convention Center. The service started with beautiful praise and worship.
After praise and worship, Pastor Tan Ye Pang, shared the sermon titled ” Who is the Greatest” by quoting Matthew 18:1 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
Matthew 20:26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
To be great in the kingdom of God, you must first be a disciple of Jesus Christ. What are the ingredients of a disciple? What’s the mission of a disciple? What does it really mean to be a disciple?
- A disciple carries one message – The Gospel. Jesus sent his disciple to carry one message, the Gospel.
What is the Gospel – That Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.
Mark 1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;
Matthew 9:2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.
Jesus wants to forgive you first and then heal you, said Pastor Tan.
Matthew 15: 21-28
21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. 23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. 24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. 27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. 28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
- Ministry attitude of a disciple
Matthew 20:27 27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
- Spiritual Condition of a disciple
Revelation 3:14-22
14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Being Lukewarm is not what Jesus wants. The spiritual condition of a disciple must not be complacent.
- The Life of a Disciple
The discipleship is about a lifestyle change, moving from one citizenship to another. It’s a whole new way of life.
After the sermon, he led the congregation into beautiful worship. The Presence of God was beautiful. Praise God for a wonderful time.
