Today's service began with Pastor Biakson reading Bible verses from Psalm 84 and highlighted how one needs to change oneself in order to lead a blessed life. He then dedicated the service in the Lord's hand in prayer.
This was followed by the worship team leading the congregation in Praising and Worshiping our God in heaven through songs. These songs were : 1. A Hoih hi, Ka Kha Di'n 2. A Hampha Pasian mite toh Ki Khol Khawm Liai Liai Mah
Then there was a short time open for announcement in relation to the Church. This was followed by the Sunday sermon from Pastor Biakson.
Church and the path to Righteousness in Society :
The focus point for today is how for the youth church can be a medium of change in our society. Before he moved on to talk about this in detail, he read out some verses form the Bible, which were : Amos 5:21-24, Hosea 6:6, Matthew 5:13-16
The Church these days, he says, is associated with or seen in two ways, they are : a. The organisation of different events and the working of Church as an organisation that helps out in fulfilling these events.
b. How these days righteousness is not visible in such way of fellowship.
However, what he asks us to do is that righteousness should not be seen as something that comes and goes through the events of Church. But it should be rather seen as something that flows continuously. The break in the flow of righteousness, he says, is something that can be seen as revolting in the eye of God. He says that sometimes when one reads the Bible, it might appear such that the relevance of fellowship, gatherings and offerings that we do in the name of the Lord may even be questionable. But the point he says is to make all of these go along with that of a righteous life. Here he quotes Martin Luther King saying, " the Church should not be the servant of the state but instead that the Church should be the Conscience and Critic of the State".
Drawing from Morton Kelsey, Pastor Biakson also says that " Church should be not seen as Museum for Saints but rather as hospital for Sinners". So just as wounded soldiers of wars are healed in the hospital, us Christians should see the Church as a hospital for our souls. Therefore, what he says is that the Church and Society are inticately linked."
Now he says that is important for us to try and get a deeper understanding of what exactly we mean when we say Church. We have mentioned how it has been seen as a guide and critique of the society. Church has also been defined by many as an organism, like Rick Warren, who says that " Church is not an organisation but instead an organism". What Pastor Biakson wants to stress today is how Church should be seen as an assembly of the faithful.
He read a verse from Romans 16 : 5, and says that when we say "Church and its members" it is important to remember that the person who says it is also in some way included in it. He says how these days the Church is seen as an organisation that has some leadership who organizes events after another. What he wants for us is to move beyond this understanding and see the church as the full embodiment of Jesus Christ himself. He then says that in this society those that are faithful are called out by Christ to be the light and salt of this rotten and corrupt world. He also asks us a very important question, which is, are we righteous in our relationship with God?
He says that at a time when our society has gone corrupt, we need to go back and see the life of Daniel and see how he relied on Prayer and the conviction he had on Prayer, which carried him through a corrupt soceity. Also the life of Joseph and how he had the vision of goodwill and learn from him. Further be like Paul who was the most righteous disciple of Jesus.
The worship team led us in singing one last song of Praise "Jesu Minlian Phat Chiat Ni E". And the days service was ended with a Benedictory by Pasor Biakson.
Content Writer,
G. Thangkhansuan
