Weekly Sermon Reflection Questions

At the end of David’s life, he showed how real and vulnerable a king and God’s servant he is. He modelled authentic discipleship.

The first two verses of Psalm 22 seem to be full of complaint and therefore unworthy to be used in a ‘Call to Worship’. However, prayer should be an honest and truthful expression to God even when we are at the lowest point in our lives. Even as we have honest exchanges with a friend, so we can bring our complaints, anger, despair, doubt and fear to the Lord.

Navigating power dynamics at work can be challenging.  It’s not solely about the tasks but also the people involved – whether they’re our superiors or subordinates.  Dealing with an unreasonable or unethical boss can be particularly demanding.

When faced with threat and danger, we often respond in one of the four following ways. However, the Bible offers a fifth response…

Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, urging fellow workers to soldier on despite the challenges they faced. The Church was a divided, ill-disciplined and quarrelsome church but Paul encouraged these workers with 2 Cor. 4:7-12. The same verses are applicable to us today as they remind us that God has placed in each of us a treasure which will see us through life’s journey.

1. Meaning of metaphor “jars of clay”
A “jar of clay” describes each member of the human race. We are made of dust (Gen. 2:7) and we will return to dust (Gen. 3:19). Like pottery, we are fragile and easily broken. Many of us have experienced affliction in body and in spirit, in the form of broken dreams, ambitions, hearts and bodies. Some have been driven to despair that is so deep that they have taken their lives. But this is not the solution. Christians and even full-time church workers are not exempt from being crushed and discouraged. But God is still on the throne and He has not left us in a state of hopelessness. He has placed in each of us a treasure.
2. God has placed a treasure in these “jars of clay”
The Greek word for “treasure” (vs.7) is thesaurus, which means “storehouse of wealth”. God has placed this treasure in us to makes us into who He wants us to be. The Greek word skeuos means vessel or jar while ostrakinos means earthen. Such earthen vessels are cheap pots used for holding garbage or even human waste. Why would anyone put a treasure in such a pot? The word “treasure” is in singular form as it refers to a Person – our Lord Jesus Christ. “… it is only the living Christ within who keeps us safe”. 2 Cor. 4:10 (TLB). The treasure is therefore Christ who lives in us. Our life mirrors Christ’s. As He suffered, so also will we. “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). The presence of Jesus in our lives makes a total difference to how we live. But do we value this treasure? Or is there a competitor? Satan distracts us with other temporary treasures (Luke 4:5-8). Some have succumbed and bowed down to worldly power and wealth. They discover that there is no end to wanting more. We can be in danger of losing the real treasure.
3. The treasure in you can transform you
God is at work to change us and those around will be able to see the transformation. In order to be transformed, we need to:
a) Believe in this treasure in us. When we accept Jesus as our Saviour, He becomes the Treasure in our lives.
b) Believe in the power of the Treasure. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to be transformed. This is a surpassing power, an excellent and abundant power.
c) Claim the power of transformation for myself. Faith unlocks this Treasure. Have we experienced His power?

Kintsugi is a Japanese art form of creating art pieces from broken pottery. The pieces of broken pottery are glued together and the cracks are filled with gold, silver or other precious material. These exquisite pots are highly valued. Indeed, broken does not mean useless. We may be broken but we can be transformed by God into a beautiful art piece for His glory. May we testify of Jesus’s life in our lives, to bless and encourage others to His glory.

Jesus’s death on the cross shows us that even if one is walking perfectly in the will of God, one still can experience suffering and despair.  Even Jesus on the cross had cried out – my God why have you forsaken me. But today we come to resurrection Sunday. The scripture passage highlights the actions and reactions of three women who are honoured in the Bible as the first persons to receive the Easter good news that Jesus is risen!

READ | SERMON NOTES Summary | Mark challenged his readers to address the question of who Jesus is. Who is Jesus to seekers and to church goers? 1) For Seekers  V1-11 (Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem) What is your motivation to

READ | SERMON NOTES Summary | Jesus was welcomed into Jerusalem with crowds rejoicing and celebrating His arrival. They shouted “Hosanna!” (Mark 11: 8-10) meaning ‘Save us!’ expecting a warrior king like King David who would rescue them from their physical

Have you ever made a request without knowing the extent of that request or what that request entails? That is exactly what James and John did when they approached Jesus. They made a request to be at the right and left hand of Jesus, in what was their misguided view of the Kingdom of God.

Our wish list often reflects the values of worldly culture – power and honour. James and John’s request exemplifies this influence, prompting Jesus to challenge their understanding of greatness. While Jesus did not oppose the pursuit of greatness (Matthew 20:26), He sought to address their worldly influence by illustrating using a child.

Trust not in the strength of our faith, but put our reliance on the Giver, Author and Perfecter of faith! Though we may not see His hand at work in our distressing situations, know that God sees us and that’s ALL that matters.  

The question we are asking ourselves during Lent is where we are in our intentional discipleship journey and what our next step is. Today’s passage gives us valuable lessons on faith, healing and spiritual warfare.

Jesus’ transforming encounter with the Syrophoenician woman (Mark 7:24-30) happened under unique circumstances. Jesus had retreated to the Gentile territory of Tyre, and desired His identity to remain secret, although this Gentile woman still located Him. This narrative demonstrates the Syrophoenician woman’s undeterred faith and Jesus’ inclusive love, which overcomes gender and cultural barriers.

If Jesus is God and God is love, why would Jesus speak in such a rude and unloving manner to this woman in Mark 7:27?  Our understanding of this passage affects how we imitate Jesus.  A poor understanding may lead others to think it is acceptable to be racist and rude.  It is neither acceptable nor Christ-like to be rude or racist.  Why did Jesus say that?

The Gospel of Mark acknowledges and addresses how difficult it is for those who follow Jesus to have continued faith.

For the ancients, being caught in a storm at sea and the prospect of perishing in the deep dark waters, was probably one of their worst ordeals.

The doctrine of divine providence teaches that everything happens in our life has a purpose, point and plot. We have a loving God who is actively involved behind the scenes, in control over all events, circumstances and outcomes. His providential care extends to all creation right down to the smallest details.

How do I know if I am called to a particular job or vocation? We may be struggling at work with challenging bosses or difficult colleagues or coping with demands at home. 1 Cor.7:17 states that “each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them.”

Be effective witnesses for God in the workplace.

To be Christ’s witnesses at work is to be salt and light in a depraved world.

Charles Spurgeon said, “Every Christian is either a missionary or an imposter”.  Is Jesus precious to us?  If he is, then we would not be able to keep Him to ourselves.  There is no way to love someone and not say anything about him/her to others. 

Our lives as workers are not separate from our spiritual lives. The values we hold shape the character we bring into our workplaces, schools or even at home.  In order for us to grow in Christian Character, we need to strive to be like Christ.

After the fall of humanity, we see the consequences of disobedience and the introduction of difficulties into the realm of work. (v16-19) We reflect on the implications this has for our daily lives, as we navigate the thorny path of labour in a fallen world.

n the first two sermons of the Theology of Work series, we learnt:
The purpose of work is to reflect the image of God, and Rest from work follows the rhythm of God.

When we apply these two principles, why is it still so difficult to glorify God at our workplace and to align our faith in our work?

Rest is our God-given rhythm, commanded and modelled by God in the Creation account (Ex 20:8-11). We struggle to rest because our mind is filled with the idea that we can get so much more done in one day and we erroneously think that working on Sabbath is a right and responsible thing to do.

We cannot talk about theology on work without having a theology of rest. As seen in the beginning of Genesis, God ordained both work and rest.

Work is a gift from God. We are His disciples in whatever place God has stationed us. It may be in an office, home, school or a place where we volunteer in. In this series on the Theology of Work, we will focus on the purpose of work, rest from work, challenges of work, character for work, witness at work and the calling for work.

A reflective sermon on the Lord’s goodness.  Are we prepared for what is coming or are we just going to let things hit us? 

In the face of cruelty, ruin, hunger and death in today’s world, is Psalm 100 still relevant? Can every Christian shout for joy all of the time? Or is it possible to “worship the LORD with gladness” and “enter His gates with thanksgiving” (v2,4) only in peaceful, prosperous times?

READ | SERMON NOTES Summary | 2 Samuel 7 describes possibly the best days of King David’s life. Good Intentions (v1-3) Our honourable aspirations might not always align with God’s plan for us. Let us be attentive to divine interruptions