Sermon Text: Selected Scripture Texts
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 14th March 2021
Sermon Text: Selected Scripture Texts
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 14th March 2021
We are not required to be in a church building or a sacred place in order to pray to God. (Of course, this fact should not be cited as an excuse for forsaking church prayer meetings and worship services.) The Bible records people praying in all sorts of places: in a closet (Matthew 6:6), before the congregation (2 Chronicles 6:13), as a church (Acts 2:42-47), in a garden (Matthew 26:36-44), on a mountainside (Luke 6:12), in a home (Acts 9:39-40), by a river (Acts 16:13), on the shore (Acts 21:5-6), while sinking in the sea (Matthew 14:30), on the way by the well (Genesis 24:11-27), in the temple (1 Kings 8:22-53), in battle (2 Chronicles 13:14-15), in a cave (1 Kings 19:9-10), in bed (Psalm 4:3-4), in the stomach of a fish (Jonah 2:1-10), on a housetop (Acts 10:9), in a prison (Acts 16:23-26), in the wilderness (Luke 5:16) and on a cross (Luke 23:33-34, 46).
In 1 Timothy 2:8, Paul said, “I will therefore that men pray everywhere.” For the Spirit-filled Christian, every place becomes a place of prayer.
A believer is always aware of his insufficiency and therefore the need to live in total dependence on God at all times. The Bible records the testimony of those who cried unto God day and night (Psalm 88:1; Luke 2:37; 1 Thessalonians 3:10; 1 Timothy 5:5; 2 Timothy 1:3). Everyone who humbly accepts his insufficiency and dependence on God will be eager to pray always. So Jesus exhorted: “Men ought always to pray, and not to faint” (Luke 18:1).
Scripture records people praying three times a day (Daniel 6:10), in the morning (Psalm 5:3), in the evening (1 Kings 18:36), before meals (Matthew 14:19), after meals (Deuteronomy. 8:10), at the ninth hour (Acts 3:1), at bedtime (Psalm 4:4), at midnight (Acts 16:25), day and night (Luke 2:37; 18:7), often (Luke 5:33), when they are young (Jeremiah 3:4), when they are old (Daniel 9:2-19), when they are in trouble (2 Kings 19:3-4), every day (Psalm 86:3), and always (Luke 18:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:17).
Prayer has no language barrier. Even though man thinks and speaks in different languages, God understands all of them. He is the God of all nations and Scripture says, “All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name” (Psalm 86:9). This certainly gives evidence to the fact that language is no barrier when it comes to praying to God (Acts 2:4, 11; Acts 10:46). God even searches the hearts of His children and thereby knows their motives, needs and desires, no matter what language they think or speak in (Romans 8:27).
Since God knows both the hearts and thoughts of everyone, prayer may be expressed mentally, audibly or in song (psalms). In times of great trials, we may prayerfully sit before His throne though without the power to express our thoughts. In times like these, the Holy Spirit searches our hearts and makes our feelings and thoughts known unto God (Romans 8:26; Hebrews 4:15).
There is a time for offering up our prayers in a proper, clear and formal manner. This should be the case, especially when we pray before a congregation or fellowship group. However, we can come before God with broken hearts and weeping, crying audibly (1 Samuel 1:10; Psalm 34:18). At times, it may be expressed in the form of making a vow (1 Samuel 1:11; Acts 18:18), making sacrifices (Psalm 20:1-3) and singing songs (Psalm 59:16, 17; Acts 16:25).
People in the Bible prayed sitting in ashes (Job 1:20-21; 2:8), wearing sackcloth (Psalm 35:13), crying with tears (Psalm 6:6), smiting their breasts (Luke 18:13), throwing dust on their heads (Joshua 7:6), tearing garments (1 Kings 21:27), fasting (Deuteronomy 9:18), sighing (Ezra 9:4-15), groaning (Psalm 6:4-6), crying out loud (Hebrews 5:7) and sweating as if bleeding (Luke 22:44).
Sometimes, Christians may engage in prayer for several days (Esther 4:16), several hours – all through the night (Luke 6:12), or short ejaculatory prayers (Matthew 14:30). Some would even take time to pray several times a day (Daniel 6:10).
Prayer is to be a total way of life—an open and continual communion with God. It is not limited or restrained by factors such as time, posture and place. Under any circumstance, a child of God can call on His God.
Sermon Text: Selected Scripture Texts
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 7th March 2021
In these days, prayer in the Christian realm is increasingly putting on the characteristics of unbiblical mysticism of the oriental religions. Prayers of Christians ought to be guided and moulded by biblical injunctions and patterns of prayer. The following characteristics of biblical prayer can be of help to maintain proper prayer habits.
Prayer is unidirectional – believers speaking to God and Him alone. Philippians 4:6 says, “Let your requests be made known unto God” (cf. Nehemiah 4:9; Acts 12:5). Jesus said, “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve” (Matthew 4:10). Never does the Bible speak of prayer as a request made to dead saints, angels or demons. In truth, the Bible prohibits any form of prayer to idols, spirits of the dead persons and devils (Deuteronomy 18:9-13; Leviticus 19:31; 20:6; 2 Kings 17:17; Psalm 115:4-8; Zechariah 10:2). No man, whether dead or alive, is worthy of our dependence. “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man” (Psalm 118:8). “Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah” (Psalm 62:8). Unfortunately, there are many who claim to be Christians but practise necromancy to the dead) and other forms of prayer and worship that are abominable to God. It is not uncommon nowadays to hear some charismatic preachers talking to the devil in the midst of their prayers. These practices, biblically-speaking, are distortions of prayer. Prayer should only be rendered unto God.
To all true Christians, prayer means instant access to God. Paul affirmed this truth in Ephesians 2:18 – “For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (cf. Romans 5:2). Likewise, Hebrews 4:16 declares, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Christians can have boldness in the fact that they can have access to God’s gracious throne any time they need His help. All those who have been reconciled to God through Christ can have the assurance that God is ever ready to hear their prayers. In fact, because God is omnipresent (God is everywhere regardless of time or circumstances) and omniscient (God is all-knowing), He not only hears prayer immediately but even knows the content of prayer before it is formulated by the one praying. Isaiah 65:24 says, “And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” Psalm 145:18 promises, “The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth” (cf. Psalms 50:15; 91:15).
The Bible records God’s people praying in various physical positions. Praying in various circumstances necessitates different postures. In the Bible, people prayed standing (Genesis 24:12-14), lifting up their hands (1 Timothy 2:8), sitting (Judges 20:26, 2 Samuel 7:18), kneeling (Daniel 6:10; Mark 1:40), looking upward (John 17:1), bowing down (Exodus 34:8), placing their heads between their knees (1 Kings 18:42), lying down on their bed (Psalms 4:4; 63:6), bowing on their bed (1 Kings 1:47), pounding on their breasts (Luke 18:13), facing the temple (Daniel 6:10), and prostrating (Mark 14:35; Revelation 7:11).
The above brief review indicates that in the Bible, there is not a particular posture of prayer. Postures are important only to the extent that they are the external expressions of reverence, inner feelings and commitment to the Lord. No single posture is able to express all feelings of the praying man. Hence, we find in Scripture a diversity of options and possibilities. One should adopt one’s posture of prayer appropriately and in a reverential manner before God. Our posture in prayer should be the reflection of our hearts, whether it be hearts overwhelmed with the cares of life, hearts overawed by the majesty of God or hearts hushed in humble obedience to God.
Above all, the Bible emphasizes the posture of the heart more than the external posture. Isaiah 29:13 admonishes us: “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men.” Jesus also condemned the hypocritical prayer postures of the Pharisees – “And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward” (Matthew 6:5).
Sermon Text: Selected Scripture Texts
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 28th February 2021
In this last section concerning exhortation on every believer’s duty to the church, I would mention one more crucial responsibility which every church member has from God. The church is a spiritual house, where every believer is called “to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 2:5). Everyone, who is thankful to be forgiven and received by the Lord into His kingdom, will count it a high honour to have a part in God’s glorious purposes for this age which He is accomplishing through faithful local assemblies of believers. Would a thankful child of God despise or forsake the role/s which God expects him to undertake in His church? Undoubtedly, the one who is genuinely committed to the Lord Jesus Christ will also be committed to doing all that Christ has required of him in His church.
Though the Lord expects all His people to serve in the church, some have chosen to remain as mere spectators and avoid serving in the church dutifully and humbly. In a growing church like ours, there are various areas of service. Many brethren serve in multiple areas of the church. Serving the Lord does not necessarily mean rising to leadership roles of the church or full-time service in the church. Without a doubt, God will call some to leadership and full-time service in the church. However, God expects all church members to serve in the church according to their God-given abilities.
Areas of service in the church are many: welcoming the worshippers and attending to their needs, helping in ushering duties, preparing the auditorium for the worship and meetings, setting up and safekeeping all the equipment before and after the meetings, fetching the physically disabled to church meetings, praying with those who are troubled, gospel outreach ministries, visiting the sick and needy to express the love and care of the church, hosting fellowship groups in one’s home, and aiding our global mission outreaches – just to mention a few general areas of service. Many more areas of service are already available, and more can be set up when more members prayerfully and willingly seek to be part of the church’s ministries. Members of the church should extend their God-given spiritual gifts (skill, expertise, and assistance) to sustain services, resolve problems, as well as improve the church ministries’ efficiency.
Consider the apostolic exhortation in Rom. 12:4-8: “For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.” Rendering of service must always be with the following right attitudes: (i) humility before God; (ii) obedience to His Word; (iii) meekness, love and patience towards fellow workers and the recipients of the service; (iv) willingness, commitment, and thoroughness; (v) sacrificial and joyous spirit. People who whiz past and thrust themselves into service in the church like a “hot shot”, usually end up in quarrels over petty issues and a quick exit from serving. We must continuously maintain attitudes that will foster harmonious colabouring, “for we are labourers together with God” (1 Cor. 3:9). “Giving no offence in any thing,” said Paul concerning his cautious attitude in serving with others, “that the ministry be not blamed” (2 Cor. 6:3). God’s Word teaches us not to let our attitudes or actions be a stumbling block or an offence to others who serve fervently. When you join a team that is working together efficiently in a particular manner, be careful not to stick your oar in a disruptive way. If changes are necessary for improvement, they must be discussed with leaders and fellow team members, and then implemented with patience and prudence. Do nothing rashly, or else it will hurt a well-functioning ministry.
Above all else, faithfulness to God’s Word must always be maintained in every aspect of service in the church. 1 Cor. 4:2 reminds us, “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” Along with it, 1 Pet. 4:10 says, “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” The faithfulness of a good steward of God should always characterise every church member. God desires that His people be consistently obedient to His Word, unwavering in their commitment to be faithful to Him and His purposes. Faithfulness is paramount in our service in the church. Faithfulness must supersede pragmatism and efficiency in all our decisions, choices, attitudes, methods and activities. Loyalty to God and trustworthiness are paramount, not cleverness or creativeness or popularity. God requires faithfulness from all who serve Him.
While the church members serve diligently and faithfully, they must also be appreciative and encouraging of those who serve faithfully around them. Such a servant of the Lord was the apostle Paul. While he served the Lord faithfully, he sincerely and joyfully recommended and spurred on those who were his faithful fellow-labourers. He said of Tychicus, “a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord” (Col. 4:7; cf. Eph. 6:21). Of Onesimus, he said, “a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you” (Col. 4:9). Concerning Timothy, he fondly commended, “Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church” (1 Cor. 4:17). Paul’s generous words about Epaphras were thus: “our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ” (Col. 1:7). Paul also instructed the Philippian church to receive the faithful Epaphroditus and hold him in high regard – “Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation” (Phil. 2:29).
Every church member must be ready to serve responsibly in the ministries of the church so that various ministries for the salvation of souls and the edification of the saints will grow from strength to strength. Dear brother/sister, having understood the Lord’s expectation of you to be a serving member of the church, can you be unconcerned and apathetic towards serving in the church? Will you continue to be indifferent, saying, “I don’t know if I want to get involved in the church ministries; I don’t know if I want to work with those people”? Rather, be willing to serve responsibly. Be spontaneous in availing yourself where you can offer your service.
Sermon Text: Selected Scripture Texts
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 21st February 2021
Before Christ’s ascension, He commanded the apostles to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit’s promised empowerment, that they may be His witnesses all around the world (Lk. 24:46-49; Acts 1:4). So, the apostles “continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren” (Acts 1:14). That first prayer gathering after Christ’s ascension, which began with just the eleven apostles, eventually grew to a total of about 120 (Acts 1:15). From that group of praying men and women who waited for the power of the Holy Spirit, the first New Testament church sprang up in Jerusalem (Acts 2:1-47)!
The Lord’s instruction to the apostles to tarry in Jerusalem led them to a season of prayer, together with other believers. They prayed with hearts submissive to the Lord’s command, and with the joyous expectation of the Spirit’s power that would empower them as witnesses to the Gospel in a hostile world. Though they knew that life and the ministry ahead of them would be full of trials and sorrows, they hardly knew the details of what would happen. But their persistence in prayer prepared them for all the challenges which they would face. Through constant collective prayers, the church overcame persecution, apostasy, temptation, and made significant progress in preaching the Gospel and advancing the church’s work.
The early church relied on God through prayer for all their spiritual and physical needs. They relentlessly pursued divine help in prayer. They prayed individually as believers and corporately as a church (cf. Acts 1:14, 24; 4:24-31).
Sadly, prayer is much neglected in the church at large. In today’s churches, we hear of large crowds turning up for concerts, for entertainment, and even for listening to the testimonies of the rich and famous. Prayer meetings, on the other hand, attract only the faithful few. Lack of interest in prayer is the primary reason for the weakness of the contemporary church.
Under the influence of the Holy Ghost, a praying church will be empowered and guided to fulfil God’s glorious purposes concerning its work on earth. Believers will be built up in knowledge and godliness to serve the Lord in love, unity and peace, that the Gospel may spread far and near. The Spirit of God will invigorate a praying church to magnify the Lord, that more members may be added to the church as the blessings of the Gospel of Christ spread throughout the community.
From the inception of the New Testament church, the activities, workers and the needy members of the church were adequately supported by the generous (often sacrificial) giving of its members. We read concerning the first church, that “all that believed were together, and had all things common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need” (Acts 2:44-45). The church’s support by its members has been enjoined as a divine command – “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). Giving to the church’s cause should neither be a forced service nor a painful duty, but a joyful rendering of our hearts’ devotion to God. “Every man according to his ability” must determine the manner we send support (cf. Acts 11:29). Concerning the help received from the churches in Macedonia, the apostle Paul testified that “beyond their power they were willing of themselves; praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints” (2 Cor 8:3-4).
The church cannot carry out its ministries without
its members’ generous support. Continual support
is needed for: (i) the furtherance of the Gospel, (ii)
edification of the believers, (iii) salaries of pastors, preachers, missionaries and the church staff, (iv) support of the mission stations, (v) purchase and maintenance of equipment and software for the media ministry, (vi) the work of benevolence towards the poor and helpless, and more. Only when all the church members joyfully shoulder the church ministries’ burdens can the church fulfil the Lord’s work expeditiously.
Our church should not look like a dilapidated, neglected house. Every department of the church must be well taken care of. God wants us to be good stewards of His house. When He put Adam in the garden of Eden, He expected him “to dress it and to keep it” (Gen. 2:15). God expects man to be responsible over the realm where he is placed to keep the place well-organised and functional according to His glorious will.
The members of the congregation should be thoughtful in attending to the needs of the church. Like their own homes, they should care for the various areas of the church. A church growing in size and ministries will have many matters to be attended to, such as increasing number of staff and providing for their remuneration, new ministries and their needs, maintenance and repair of the buildings, furniture, equipment, vehicles, etc., the physical and spiritual care of members, among others. How wonderful it would be if members would attend to all such matters without appeals for support from the pulpit! The pastor and elders can thereby be spared from the uncomfortable job of regular plea for funds (which sometimes may unwittingly make it appear as though they are pleading for their personal interests).
A generously supported church will be like a well-oiled machine that is smooth-running and productive. Such a congregation will become a channel of blessing in God’s work and bring glory and praise to God. Many servants of God and His people who benefit from our well-run ministries will offer praise to God, as Paul did for the generosity of the Philippian church – “I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity… ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction. Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:10-19).
In these days, many Christians live without any sense of belonging, commitment and loyalty to the church. They appear to create their own spiritual environment without any responsible relationship with the church. But the Lord has instructed the believers to gather as a church to be partakers of worship, sacraments, prayer, fellowship, and learning of God’s Word. Furthermore, God’s Word teaches Christians to know and perform faithfully their duties as members of the church, such as mentioned below:
Before Christ’s ascension, He commanded the apostles to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit’s promised empowerment, that they may be His witnesses all around the world (Lk. 24:46-49; Acts 1:4). So, the apostles “continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren” (Acts 1:14). That first prayer gathering after Christ’s ascension, which began with just the eleven apostles, eventually grew to a total of about 120 (Acts 1:15). From that group of praying men and women who waited for the power of the Holy Spirit, the first New Testament church sprang up in Jerusalem (Acts 2:1-47)!
The Lord’s instruction to the apostles to tarry in Jerusalem led them to a season of prayer, together with other believers. They prayed with hearts submissive to the Lord’s command, and with the joyous expectationof the Spirit’s power that would empower them as witnesses to the Gospel in a hostile world. Though they knew that life and the ministry ahead of them would be full of trials and sorrows, they hardly knew the details of what would happen. But their persistence in prayer prepared them for all the challenges which they would face. Through constant collective prayers, the church overcame persecution, apostasy, temptation, and made significant progress in preaching the Gospel and advancing the church’s work.
The early church relied on God through prayer for all their spiritual and physical needs. They relentlessly pursued divine help in prayer. They prayed individually as believers and corporately as a church (cf. Acts 1:14, 24; 4:24-31).
Sadly, prayer is much neglected in the church at large. In today’s churches, we hear of large crowds turning up for concerts, for entertainment, and even for listening to the testimonies of the rich and famous. Prayer meetings, on the other hand, attract only the faithful few. Lack of interest in prayer is the primary reason for the weakness of the contemporary church.
Under the influence of the Holy Ghost, a praying church will be empowered and guided to fulfil God’s glorious purposes concerning its work on earth. Believers will be built up in knowledge and godliness to serve the Lord in love, unity and peace, that the Gospel may spread far and near. The Spirit of God will invigorate a praying church to magnify the Lord, that more members may be added to the church as the blessings of the Gospel of Christ spread throughout the community.
From the inception of the New Testament church, the activities, workers and the needy members of the church were adequately supported by the generous (often sacrificial) giving of its members. We read concerning the first church, that “all that believed were together, and had all things common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need” (Acts 2:44-45). The church’s support by its members has been enjoined as a divine command – “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). Giving to the church’s cause should neither be a forced service nor a painful duty, but a joyful rendering of our hearts’ devotion to God. “Every man according to his ability” must determine the manner we send support (cf. Acts 11:29). Concerning the help received from the churches in Macedonia, the apostle Paul testified that “beyond their power they were willing of themselves; praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints” (2 Cor 8:3-4).
The church cannot carry out its ministries without its members’ generous support. Continual support is needed for: (i) the furtherance of the Gospel, (ii) edification of the believers, (iii) salaries of pastors, preachers, missionaries and the church staff, (iv) support of the mission stations, (v) purchase and maintenance of equipment and software for the media ministry, (vi) the work of benevolence towards the poor and helpless, and more. Only when all the church members joyfully shoulder the church ministries’ burdens can the church fulfil the Lord’s work expeditiously.
Our church should not look like a dilapidated, neglected house. Every department of the church must be well taken care of. God wants us to be good stewards of His house. When He put Adam in the garden of Eden, He expected him “to dress it and to keep it” (Gen. 2:15). God expects man to be responsible over the realm where he is placed to keep the place well-organised and functional according to His glorious will.
The members of the congregation should be thoughtful in attending to the needs of the church. Like their own homes, they should care for the various areas of the church. A church growing in size and ministries will have many matters to be attended to, such as increasing number of staff and providing for their remuneration, new ministries and their needs, maintenance and repair of the buildings, furniture, equipment, vehicles, etc., the physical and spiritual care of members, among others. How wonderful it would be if members would attend to all such matters without appeals for support from the pulpit! The pastor and elders can thereby be spared from the uncomfortable job of regular plea for funds (which sometimes may unwittingly make it appear as though they are pleading for their personal interests).
A generously supported church will be like a well-oiled machine that is smooth-running and productive. Such a congregation will become a channel of blessing in God’s work and bring glory and praise to God. Many servants of God and His people who benefit from our well-run ministries will offer praise to God, as Paul did for the generosity of the Philippian church – “I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity… ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction. Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God. But my God shall supply all your need according to
Text: 3 John 12–14
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 14th February 2021