Logos: TOP’s 36th Anniversary and 3rd Floor Dedication Service

Rev Clement Wong

Today I am not going to be talking about money but about the church. I'd like to read one verse to you so it won't take long. You've got lunch right. But still got time for one or two stories right.

One Sunday morning the pastor was greeting the people and one lady shook the pastors hand and noticed there was a player on the pastors chin. She asked what happened and the pastor said he was concentrating on his sermon while shaving and cut himself. The lady told the pastor next time concentrate on your shavings and cut your sermon.

Then another lady came and shook the pastors hand. The lady said this morning your sermon reminded me of the peace and love of God. The pastor was so happy because for 25 years nobody commended him. He was so excited and happy. He asked the lady how did it reminded her? She said it reminded her the peace of God because it surpasses all understanding and it reminded her of the love of God because it endureth forever.

Acts 9:31

Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord."

The bible tells us that the church will multiply. Somebody multiply the church and we all know it is God or the Holy Spirit. It is the work of God that the church grew. So he's talking about the church being multiplied by God. It was a growing and victorious church. What makes the church grow and be vibrant?

I want to congratulate you that this third floor is a mark of your growth. There are four keys to church growth. All these four keys are found in this verse.

1. The churches throughout all Galilean and Samaria had peace.

What peace? At that time it was a persecuted church with a lot of troubles. Many had to give their lives for their faith. Many were killed and imprisoned. It tells me that it is a church that had peace and unity. Every church must have unity. We must minimise all kinds of talk and division. We must recognise and love one another. We cannot like everybody in church. But we must love everyone in church.

Some people are weird. Some are not human beings. Like from outer space but we must love everybody even if we cannot like everybody. There is no one like you. There is only one of you. That is because God thinks one of you is enough. God made all of us different so we cannot always agree. Even husbands and wives cannot agree all the time.

Even husband and wife quarrel all the time. I meant once a while. There was a couple who was married 50 years and they said they have never quarrelled before so many people came to see how it happened. It is a miracle. So they asked the husband how is it possible? He said it happened 50 years ago. We went horse riding and were happily riding and my wife's horse slipped and tumbled. Then I heard the wife said once. I thought she's funny talking to horses. So we rode along and the wife tumbled again and the wife said twice. And the third time the horse tumbled. She got down from the horse and shot the horse - bang! So I scolded my wife how can she do that. And she turned to me and said once. And I never quarrelled with her again.

I am a nice pastor. When I go out with my friends they pay and I pray. Yet there are some who don't like me. That is life. If two person agree with everything, then one of them is not necessary.

Have you heard of the four blind men?

They were describing how an elephant look like. The first one said the elephant is like a hose. Very flexible and has air on one side.

The second man don't agree. He said the elephant is like a fan. When it moves it's quite windy.

The third blind man said the elephant is like a tree trunk. And the three trunk can move.

The fourth said the elephant is like a rope with a little hair at the end and smelly.

They got into a heated argument and went their separate way. How silly. If they put all their views together they will have an elephant. That's why we need one another so that we can see different views.

The church must have one vision and one mind. We can be from different background but with one vision. To reach the community for Christ. Every church must have peace. Can you love one another? Amen?

2. The church were edified

That's why we do church. We want to encourage and build up one another. That everyone can grow in Christ to become more like Jesus. We don't want to discourage. Even in preaching we speak life. That there is life, hope and peace. That we go back lifted up. We're not in church to talk about people. Small minded people always talk about problems. How it cannot be done. But God wants us to think about how it can be done. Medium mind speaks about people. We come to church we note what people wear, say or do. We come to church talk talk talk. Then we talk about the leaders. Then the pastor. After talk about the pastor we talk about the children. We think pastor’s kid is born sinless. All pastors children are born sinners. They say wah, pastor's children are so naughty. Why? Because pastor's children mix with the board members children. (laughs)

Big people talk about purpose. What's the purpose of the renovation? Why talk about money? If you give money then we don't talk lo. The bible has four verses that talk about money. Money takes more effort to enter our head and heart. When we talk about prayer everybody say amen. When we talk about money it's no-man! Lets edify one another. The more you give, the Lord will bless you.

There are two good friends. One is one dollar. The other is one hundred dollars. The hundred dollar met one dollar and said wah, long time didn't meet. Almost ten years. One dollar asked hundred dollars, where have you been? One hundred dollars said oh I went all over the world flying first class and business class. Eat at the finest restaurants. Stayed at 5-star hotels. So you tell me one dollar. How is life? One dollar said oh life has not been good. I fly only twice in the last ten years and ate at hawker stalls. I stayed in budget hotels and in dirty places. But one day the wind blew me all over and a boy picked me up and put me in his pocket. In all the places I go I know I always end up in the same place. The church. Can understand what I mean or not? You think one dollar so big ar?

In church let’s edify one another. Speak something nice. Encourage one another. If you have a wife and she cooks for you. Encouragement do wonders. The more you praise the harder she works. And the more she cooks for you. If you always complain, she has no more mood to cook for you. If the song leader worship lead, encourage the worship leader. Or your pastor. Tell him you feel the peace and love of God. No no no, this one spiritual one. Don't just pick fault.

One day somebody was sleeping and a person put some belacan on his nose. Everywhere he went was smelly. What's the truth. He was smelly himself. Some Christian goes from church to church. Cruisematic. Every where they go, church no good. When you talk to them very spiritual. This couple has gone to seven churches looking for the perfect church. When you find the perfect church, don't go in. Because you will make it imperfect.

3. They had the fear of God

In the church there must be the fear of God. What is the fear of God? It's very simple, obey God.

One day we had a call from a member. He love his girlfriend more than his wife. He is not a Muslim. He divorced his wife and married the girl. So the church kicked him out. He came to me and asked if the church will accept him. I told him it's not if the church will accept him or not. But whether God accept him or not? Whether he will go to heaven. And he went away and never called again. We must deal with issues.

There's cancer in church. When there's cancer you have to cut. We talk to people. Those who are homosexual or other problems. We talk to them and help them. We have to deal with them. You cannot say they contribute money so have to compromise. I don't care if you have money or no money. Datuk or nenek. Nobody is bigger than God. If there is no fear of God and compromise with men we will not grow.

4. The church had the comfort of the Holy Spirit

We thank God for this place. Everything is so nice. But they must never replace the power of the Holy Spirit. The church needs the power of God. Some churches have so much money they are comfortable. But people comes in they are not changed. We need to see miracles. People set free. The lame walk, the deaf hear. The spirit of God in our church. We thank God for good worship. The music today is so good. We have so much but no power of the Holy Spirit. We can have all these but only God can change life. To heal relationships. We need the presence of God. In the midst of what we do, we work hard to get the people in but if they don't sense the touch of God or the reality of God this is just a show. So we must ask God to come in. That's why we must be prayerful people. In the midst of the show we have to tell God, we need you. We need him to be in our midst.

Four things.

The church had the peace of God

The church were edified

The church had the fear of God

The church had the comfort of the Holy Spirit

I pray that this church will continue to grow. We take a pledge in a while. Give to God generously. He never fail to provide. He will bless you abundantly.