Philippians 2:12-13

Imagine yourself in a sailing boat, would you set off without knowing where you are going? Probably not.

You would probably consider where to set off, where to go and the supplies you have on board. No sensible person would sail without considering these facts. Similarly in life, would you like to sail into the open sea without God's guidance, God's provision or God's way? God continues to work in us, and He does this by giving us power (wind) to push us along. As you would probably imagine sailing would be very hard without wind, and even harder if you are "sailing" on the wrong surface ("sailing" on grass wouldn't get you very far!). Only trusting God would put you on the right surface, but this does not mean no storm is going to come along. He will "act according to his good purpose" and all you need to do is trust. Obeying the rules is part of trusting God, you would trust the sailor if you have no idea how to operate a boat. Obedience is when you comply with someone else's wish ;but real obedience does not come from fear. Real obedience only comes from true love, and it is a response to love.

Sail on the right surface trusting God knows the way.

Bonkie :)

Reflection of the sermon on 08/11/2009

Let's begin with a "potentially-real" (well, you'll never know) story:

Once upon a time, there was a flock of doves that flew in search of food led by their king. One day, they had flown a long distance and were very tired. The dove king encouraged them to fly a little further. The smallest dove picked up speed and found some rice scattered beneath a banyan tree. So all the doves landed and began to eat.

Suddenly a net fell over them and they were all trapped. They saw a hunter approaching carrying a huge club. The doves desperately fluttered their wings trying to get out, but to no avail.

The king had an idea. He advised all the doves to fly up together carrying the net with them. He said that there was strength in unity.

Each dove picked up a portion of the net and together they flew off carrying the net with them. The hunter looked up in astonishment. He tried to follow them, but they were flying high over hills and valleys. They flew to a hill near a city of temples where there lived a mouse who could help them. He was a faithful friend of the dove king.

When the mouse heard the loud noise of their approach, he went into hiding. The dove king gently called out to him and then the mouse was happy to see him. The dove king explained that they had been caught in a trap and needed the mouse's help to gnaw at the net with his teeth and set them free.

The mouse agreed saying that he would set the king free first. The king insisted that he first freed his subjects and the king last. The mouse understood the king's feelings and compled with his wishes. He began to cut the net and one by one all the doves were freed including the dove king.

They all thanked the mouse and flew away together, united in their strength.

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Well, it is pretty obvious what the moral of the story is - unity is the strength. But I want to point out a very interesting part towards the end of the story. The dove king wanted to free the rest of the doves first. It reminds me of the word in the sermon: humility.

"...in humility consider others better than yourselves...look not only to your own interests, but also the interests of others." (Phillipians 2:3-4)

The leader of the doves would like to see his subjects to be out of trouble before he was freed. I was preparing the sharing for the uni fellowship in Mark chapter 9, where Jesus was talking about who the greatest is. He said,

"If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all." (Mark 9:35)

Here, Jesus talked about the idea humbling ourselves if we are in the leadership position. The point of a leader is "to serve, not to be served". Jesus himself is a great example of a servant leader, or a servant king. Therefore, humbling ourselves to reach to the least is vital. Sometimes when we are up in the hierarchy in whatever situation, we tend to forget about the people under us who are in need. When we look at Jesus, why did He come down from heaven to Earth? He could have stayed up in heaven enjoying whatever He is doing. But because He loves us so much, He died for us on the cross and reached to us the sinners. If we are the followers of Christ, shouldn't we, quoting from the sermon, "have the same mindset of Christ, that is, the same love"? When we love one another in Christ, unity just comes naturally.

Selfishness divides, but humility unites.

Peace.

T