★ MY SERMON NOTES
@ Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN)
Area 1, Garki - Abuja, Nigeria
3rd May, 2015
SERMON
* Speaker: Rev. Stephen Gyang (Pastor, COCIN Kuje, Abuja)
* Topic: Following the Star
* Theme: Growing Up in Christ
* Sub-Theme: Intentional Growth
* Service Leader: Pastor Victor T. Amos
* Text: Matthew 2:1-10
★ REGIONAL CHURCH COUNCIL (RCC) REVIVAL
 |
| Rev. Stephen Gyang |
* A star may be defined as a luminous white 'dot' in the dark sky; or a widely known person/a celebrity;
→ It may be a symbol used to direct people to a hotel, or an organization
* NOTE: The star led the wise men to Jesus
→ Anything or anyone that leads or points people to Jesus represents a sort of 'star'
★ Different dimensions of the star:
1. Church as the star
→ Which Church is the true Church that leads people to the saving grace of Jesus?
→ Today, there is a proliferation of Churches and many of them are a sham (a fraud) that Satan is using to mislead and distract people
2. The Pastor as the star
→ A Pastor is the shepherd; He is the one that tends the flock of the Lord
→ A Pastor is meant to direct people to Jesus, not to himself or to his own ministry
→ Today, there is a proliferation of fake pastors and preachers who take undue advantage of the flock of the Lord for selfish reasons
3. Jesus as the star
→ This is the ultimate star that will lead us to God, the Father
☆ John 14:6 →"Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
→Many people have been Christians for a long time, yet they do not have a personal relationship with the Father
* Question: who are you looking up to?
★ The Right way of following the star
1. Look up to Jesus
→ The wise men were not blind
→ Their eyes were wide open & they recognized the star of Jesus
* How do you see Jesus today?
→ through faith in Him
2. You must believe & trust in Jesus
→ As you decide to follow the star, You will meet many obstacles (Herod) on the way
→ In spite of obstructions on their way, the wise men trusted the star and they found Jesus
3. You have to confess Jesus with your mouth
* If you are truly saved, it will reflect in your character and how you treat the things of God
4. You must be born again
→ This is the first step in establishing a relationship with Jesus
★ Blessings of following the Star (Jesus)
1. You will be saved
2. You will not be put to shame
★ NOTE: Before you can see a star, there has to be darkness
→ Stars shine brighter at night
→ No amount of darkness or challenge or obstacle can subdue the light of a star!
* Those darkest moments, (when things are not clear) are the times that the star of Jesus shines the brightest!
* When you go through challenges in life, who do you look up to?
* Only Jesus can save you
☆ Acts 4:12 →"And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved.”
* When you follow the star, there should be visible changes in your life & character;
* You must grow in Christ
MISSION CHARGE
"This is my prayer for all of us: Lord, increase our faith. Increase our faith to bridge the chasm of uncertainty and doubt . . . Grant us faith to look beyond the problems of the moment to the miracles of the future . . . Give us faith to do what is right and let the consequences follow."
→ Gordon B. Hinckley
QUOTE
"Time is free, but it's priceless. You can't own it, but you can use it. You can't keep it, but you can spend it. Once you've lost it, you can never get it back."
→ Harvey Mackay
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