Thoughts on today's sermon

Pastor Vincent preached from Romans 7:15-25 and Ephesians 2:8-10. I quote them from the NIV:

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!

--Romans 7:15-25

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

--Ephesians 2:8-10


The two threads of Ephesians 2:10 were the foundation of his message:

i) We are God's workmanship
ii) We were created to do good works


Pastor said the word 'workmanship' comes from the Greek poeima which means poem/masterpiece. This reminded me of Steven Curtis Chapman's 'Treasure of You':

Excuse me I couldn't help but notice
That heartsick look in your eyes
You hide it very well but I've got the same disguise
I know from all you see around you
You feel worth a very small price
So plain and ordinary but there's a pearl inside
And if you'll look in the mirror in the light of the truth
You'll see there's really nothing you could say or do
To make you worth more to the One who made you

Chorus:
You are a treasure
Worth more than anything under the sun or the moon
God's greatest treasure
Is the treasure of you
The treasure of you

The rich man treasures gold and silver
The wise man his knowledge of truth
Some will hold to memories and some will cling to youth
But to the One who carved out the oceans
And painted the stars in the sky
You are His prized creation the apple of His eye
There's no one else in the world who could take your place
Just the thought of you brings a smile to His face
God loves you with amazing grace

Chorus

Bridge:
So take a look in the mirror in the light of the truth
You'll see there's nothing more you could say or do

You are a treasure
Worth more than anything under the sun or the moon
God's greatest treasure
The treasure of you
You are a treasure
Worth more than anything under the sun or the moon
God's greatest treasure
The treasure of you
The treasure of you
Oh God's greatest treasure
The treasure of you

Outro:
From the T to the R to the E to the A to the S to the U to the R to the E
God made everything and of everything He made
More than anything He treasures you and me
Check it in the mirror in the light of the truth
You'll see there's nothing you could say or do
To make God care anymore than He does for the treasure
God's treasure is you


There is a fear greater than the fear of death, and that is the fear of a wasted life. Is the goal of our life like that of Paul's, i.e. to know Christ?

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

--Philippians 3:10-11

Pastor mentioned a rather interesting website. It supposedly calculates your life expectancy based on data supplied by you. Click here. Warning: not for the superstitious!

At any rate, the point is this: we don't have much time. Are we redeeming the time, and making the most of every moment of our lives? As the Latin phrase goes, carpe diem!, which means 'seize the day'.

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

--Ephesians 5:15-17


So what should we do? Pastor suggested two things:

The first is this: to get alone with God. We lead such busy, busy lives. How many of us can truly claim to spend a significant amount of time alone with God each day? Often our prayers are only limited to saying grace at meals (if we pray at all!) and the Bible is a dust magnet. The hindrance is simply that we're never quite alone, what with the phone and SMS and the internet. Yet God desires our all, especially our time. A common excuse is that we have so much to do, that we don't have time to pray. But Martin Luther was quoted as saying, "I have so much to do, I must spend three hours in prayer."

The second is to review our shape. No, not our physical appearance after nasi lemak, roti bom or the new KFC Meltz, but certain traits in us, like spiritual gifts, passions, abilities, personality and experiences. For God has given us these things that we may truly reflect His workmanship, and that we may use what we have to do good works, to live a life that glorifies Him.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

--Romans 8:28 (NASB)


(By the way, I'm sure Yoshua has tips for those who love nasi lemak yet also want a desirable shape. After all, he's a self-proclaimed full-time nasi lemak consumer, yet is as thin as a rake, though playing much basketball lately has endowed him with some muscles. :-P)