On Sunday, 17th Nov 2024, bro Tim Hayes from the Logan Martin church of Christ, Alabama visited and preached a sermon on the topic 'You Can Win'. His visit coincided with the Klang Valley Year-end Seminar 2024 that took place that same weekend on Sat, 16th Nov. Below is a summary of Bro Tim's lesson:
You can win the abundant life
God is the provider of an abundant life - a life He has promised us, and is a life of promise itself:
John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
Ephesians 3:20-21 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
An abundant life here does not refer to a life of material prosperity, but one that is characterised by a life of purpose and spiritual fulfillment - if we only ask it of Him:
Matt 7:7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
Unlike humans, who can falter and fail to deliver on our promises, God always delivers on His promises:
2 Tim 1:12 For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.
God can also relate to us in our needs, for He himself suffered and was tempted:
Hebrews 2:18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.
You can win the peaceful life
The Bible does not promise a life without storms just because we become Christians. There will always be storms in our life - but we serve a God who can calm the storm:
Mark 4:39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.
Just a child can look to their parents in their times of need, Christians can look to God, who calls upon us to cast our burdens on Him and He will give us peace:
Psalms 55:22 Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.
Matthew 11:28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
1 Peter 5:7 ... casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
You can win the eternal life
Everyone can win eternal life, if we:
Place our hope in God
Even the thief on the cross next to Jesus, who seemed like he was in a hopeless situation, still found the hope of eternal life in Jesus:
Luke 23:42-43 42 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." 43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
Place our feet in the path of God
We can only have this hope of eternal life if we choose to follow the path of God:
Matthew 7:13-14 13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
The path is narrow and only a minority of people will choose the path to eternal life, but the wider path is one that leads to death and destruction.
Conclusion
God promises us a crown of victory that never fades:
1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Although we are deserving of death for our sin, He has given us the gift of eternal life:
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Do you desire to win eternally?
If you would like to become a Christian or learn more about what that means, please contact us. We would love to hear from you.
The Subang Jaya COC would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Bro Tim for this encouraging lesson.
All Bible verses are taken from the New King James Version (NKJV).