Work of the Spirit

Work of the Spirit – 28 Sept Sunday Service, Pastor Tang
1 Corinth 2: 6-16
Pastor started with expounding on the lyrics on the hymn “Filled with the Holy Spirit.” The word charisma, or filled with the Holy Spirit might cause fear among Christians nowadays as we are wary of the Charismatic movement and its interpretations of being filled with the Holy Spirit (tongues, uncontrollable movements). But actually the word ‘charisma’ is a very meaningful word. We have to be filled with the Holy Spirit to have strength and power. The Spirit enabled us to understand God’s revealed Word and to cause us to accept God’s salvation. We proceeded to sing the hymn once through before Pastor began preaching.

Pastor Tang then started with a reminder to the congregation to be on the alert for potential strangers whom might trespass the church’s area as we are unsure of the motives they might have. If we should see any strangers in the church, refer them to Pastor. In that way, strangers would be directed to a central person, and any stranger would not be able to go around requesting for help from different persons, each thinking that the stranger needs help, but in fact, the stranger has got help previously. Of course, if he is searching for Jesus, we are more than happy to introduce him, but often, Geylang is a complicated area with many people of the wrong motives trespassing around. May God grant us wisdom.

Continuing on the book ot 1 Corinthians, the church in Corinth was chaotic. And though our church is not currently as chaotic, it does not mean that our church might not become that chaotic. Revising from chapter 1, a church must have Jesus Christ as the central focus. Anything else and that church is not a true church. The church must preach Jesus Christ and the message of the Christ as its central message. A church that does not preach Christ and its message of the cross will become chaotic, like the Corinth church, where there were divisions, some following Paul, some following Cephas, some following Apollos.

Pastor proceeded to preach about the Work of the Holy Spirit. (v 6 - v16)

6We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.
The wisdom of this age will one day come to nothing. This past week, we have witnessed the melting of the financial system. A bailout plan of 700 billion dollars USD was to resolve it and that also without a certainty. However, Paul here preached about a different wisdom. One that would not come to nothing, but everlasting.
7No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.
8None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
The Jews did not understand this wisdom. If they had did, they would not have nailed Jesus Christ on the cross. The Jews knew of course the Old Testament very well and the fact that it prophesied about a Messiah. However, the Messiah they expected was one who would seem to come mightily, free them of their political oppression, gaining them power. Hence they could not accept Jesus as Christ, which resulted in them nailing him to the cross. God has prepared this plan of salvation before time began, before the creation of anything!
9However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"[b]— 10but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
Christ and the message of the cross is a revelation of God. It is not a product of man. Not something thought up by him. God’s love for man has resulted in Him preparing this salvation. Yet, without the work of the Spirit, no one can accept this salvation. No eye can see, no ear can hear, no mind can conceive the salvation that God has prepared except by the work of the Spirit. Today, we are here listening, friends here for the very first time, it is no accident that you are here today. God has before time, elected us into His salvation. We have to grab this opportunity of salvation. The doors of salvation will one day close. Now is the time when it is still open.
Like the time of Noah, when people of his generation were sinning. God commanded Noah to build an ark on a mount! Thus people mocked him. Noah in the 120 years of building the ark, also preached of God’s coming judgement but people did not listen. In the end, the floods came and God close the door of the ark. Do note that its God who closed the ark, not Noah. There would definitely have been people knocking on the doors of the ark for it to be opened but the doors of salvation had been closed. Let us all grasp salvation now!

But God’s election, the Spirit has enabled us to accept this gift of salvation.
12We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.
The work of the Spirit also helps us to understand God’s word.
14The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Something which even the wisdom of the world can’t accept except by the working of the Spirit. There are many intellectuals in the world but yet they can’t fathom God’s word. They cannot accept it without the working of the Holy Spirit.
Pastor shared about once when he shared the gospel with an elderly whose daughter was a Christian. He shared twice with him, but he was very staunch. He did not want to believe and replied with “Do not talk about Jesus to me.” What to do? Very soon, by man’s weakness, soon started to forget about this elderly.
Later, the friend of this daughter called up Pastor telling him about the elderly falling ill. It has been a few years since.
Pastor visited, asked if he still recognized him, he nodded. He continued asking if he would like to hear about Jesus now that he is ill, he nodded again. Hence proceeded to share with him. Lastly, pastor asked if he would like to accept Jesus, he again nodded. Now pastor wanted to lead him in a prayer of confession, to repeat sentence after sentence. All the time, pastor didn’t have much confidence in him nodding needless to say now, when he had to repeat every sentence! But amazingly, the elderly repeated after him!
This was certainly the work of the Holy Spirit, pastor emphasized, not by man’s superior wisdom or eloquence.
It is by the grace of God and the work of the Holy Spirit, that God has freely given us the gift of salvation and the working of the Spirit in our hearts to accept this gift. Jesus as saviour.

Oh mine, on a personal note, sorry if I seem to have jumbled up or missed out on some points as I really did not have the time to take down notes during his preaching as my mind was all caught up and focused in translating for him. But I was deeply moved by his preaching of God’s Word. Also thank God that many youths whom were missing for sometime were back today. May we remain faithful till the end. Also for Simon, whom continued his pursue for God’s word. Let’s keep in prayer Bro Nicholas.

Coming Saturday in Youth Fellowship is Bible Quiz and Book Review! Youths, join in fellowship amongst one another and in service to God!

Please note that the above contents have not been vetted by Pastor Tang or anyone else. There may be inaccuracies in my understanding reflected in this transcript. Hence please do not treat the contents as straight from Pastor Tang but rather, it is a result of my imperfect efforts with an aim for these messages to be shared for the edification of man.