I really feel that after we have a
time of worship, remembering the Lord, telling Him
how much we love Him, there is no
need to say anything more.
I think this whole matter of spiritual responsibility
is solved.
So whether you listen or not, it doesn't
matter anymore.
Will you please turn to 1 Corinthians?
1 Corinthians chapter 9, we'll read verses 16
and 17.
1 Corinthians chapter 9, verse 16 and verse
17.
For if I announce the glad tidings, I
have nothing to boast of.
For a necessity is laid upon me.
For it is woe to me if I
should not announce the glad tidings.
For if I do this voluntarily, I have
a reward.
But if not of my own will, I
am entrusted with an administration.
Let me repeat it.
For if I announce the glad tidings, I
have nothing to boast of.
For a necessity is laid upon me.
For it is woe to me if I
should not announce the glad tidings.
For if I do this voluntarily, I have
a reward.
But if not of my own will, I
am entrusted with an administration.
Shall we pray?
Dear Heavenly Father, once again we do commit
Thy Word back into the hand of Thy
Spirit.
And pray that Thy Spirit will breathe again
upon Thy Word.
And make Thy Word living and operative in
each one of us.
We commit this time into Thy hands.
And trust Thee to complete the work that
Thou has already begun.
In the name of our Lord Jesus.
Yesterday morning we shared together on this matter
of Much has been given and much shall
be required.
We mentioned that this matter of responsibility actually
is based upon the life that God has
given to us.
And because He has given us such a
life therefore with that life comes responsibility.
Responsibility is a test of love.
If we really love Him, love our Master,
there will be no problem with responsibility.
But if we do not love Him, if
we only are afraid of Him, then responsibility
becomes a real problem.
So I hope that after our time together
this morning, that problem is removed.
Now this morning we would like to go
a little further.
We would like to consider together on this
matter of A necessity is laid upon me.
Now we know in 1 Corinthians chapter 9,
the Apostle Paul is talking about the ministry
that God has entrusted to him.
He is called of God, appointed of God,
to be a herald of the gospel, the
glad tidings.
And he tells us that even though this
divine appointment is such an honor and privilege,
and yet he finds that there is nothing
for him to boast of.
Now why is it so?
It is because he said a necessity is
laid upon me.
He considered this matter of responsibility as a
necessity.
In other words, he has to do it.
Whether he is willing or unwilling, whether he
does it faithfully or unfaithfully, he has no
choice.
He has no escape.
It is a necessity that is laid upon
him.
It is not a luxury, but a necessity.
It is not something that if he is
willing, he can take it up, and if
he is not willing, he can just lay
it down.
He has to do it.
If he does not do it, there is
woe to him.
But if he does it willingly, voluntarily, there
is a reward.
He considered this matter of spiritual responsibility as
a necessity.
It is something that he must do, because
it is a trust.
God has entrusted him with an administration.
Now this word administration, we find in the
English Bible, is translated in different ways.
Sometimes it is translated dispensation.
Sometimes it is translated economy.
Or other times, administration.
Now whatever translation it may be, one thing
is sure, and that is, when God has
entrusted us with a responsibility, that has something
to do with the economy of God.
That has something to do with his administration.
That has something to do with his plan.
That has something to do with the goal,
the purpose that he is working after.
So in other words, if we do not
do our part faithfully, not only to us,
ourselves, is a failure, but we fail God.
So you find that this is a very
serious matter.
Now brothers and sisters, I wonder how many
of us consider responsibility as a necessity.
Probably we feel that grace is a necessity.
We need grace.
Because without grace, what can we do?
We need grace every day.
We need more grace.
It is a necessity to us.
We cannot live without it.
But as for responsibility, we feel well, it's
a luxury, not a necessity.
It is as if, if we want to,
we can have it.
If we do not want to, we just
let it go.
Now in one sense it is true.
We can do this matter with responsibility just
in that way.
When a responsibility is laid upon us, we
can act irresponsibly.
We will not take up that responsibility.
We are not responsible for it.
Now we can do it.
Or we can take it up and be
really responsible.
Now that's true.
But dear brothers and sisters, on the other
hand, I think there is something that we
need to see.
Now even though responsibility seems to be something
optional, you can take it or you can
leave it.
But on the other hand, if you really
see what responsibility is, then you'll find it
is a necessity.
It is something that you have no choice.
If once God has put certain responsibility upon
you, then brothers and sisters, you're finished.
If you do not take your responsibility faithfully,
there is woe waiting for you.
But if you take your responsibility faithfully, there
will be reward for you.
So brothers and sisters, you see here, it
is not something that you can choose to
be responsible or not to be responsible.
Even if you choose to be not responsible,
you're not free.
God will hold you responsible for what He
has put upon you.
So you see, responsibility is a matter of
necessity.
Now if you are a mother, being a
mother, there is responsibility laid upon you.
Now is there responsibility an option or a
necessity?
Suppose one day you do not feel like
to cook.
Can you just leave cooking?
Whether you like it or not, you have
to do it.
It is a necessity.
Now brothers and sisters, that is the thing
that I believe God wants us to see.
Because I find that God's people are so
irresponsible.
We do not take it as a necessity.
We do not see it as a necessity.
We look at responsibility as a very light,
casual thing, not understanding that it is something
very, very serious.
We mentioned at the very beginning that responsibility
comes with life.
So our time together is on spiritual responsibility.
Now spiritual responsibility means that the very nature
of the responsibility we have is spiritual.
It is not something that man puts upon
us.
It is something that God puts upon us.
As God gives grace to us, as the
Spirit of God distribute gifts to us, with
that comes spiritual responsibility.
If you have received the life of Christ,
then with that life comes responsibility.
Not something that man puts upon you, but
it is something that God has laid upon
you.
Now Christianity today has degenerated into an institution,
a human institution.
And because it has become a human institution,
therefore when it comes to matter of responsibility,
you find that it becomes a matter of
position.
If you are given a position, then you
have certain responsibility.
If nobody gives you a position in the
church, then you have no responsibility whatsoever.
Therefore you find in the church you have
the clergy and the laity.
The clergy, because they take the position of
the clergyman, therefore they are responsible for the
church.
And you being the laity, you can be
lazy and do nothing.
Because you have no position, and therefore you
have no responsibility.
And this is the curse of Christianity.
You find that in Christianity, responsibility becomes a
matter of human institution.
Sometimes when you want a person to stay
with us, maybe that person is gifted in
a certain way.
Now suppose a person is gifted in music.
Now in order that he may stay with
us, we give him or her a position.
Now after that position is given, then he
stays put.
He will not leave us anymore.
Now this is the way that Christianity does
today.
We use position to get responsibility.
But dear brothers and sisters, the church is
a living organism.
It is spiritual in nature.
Because of that you find that in the
church, responsibility is spiritual.
It is something that God has given.
Not by man, but by God.
According to the gift and the grace that
He has given to you.
It is true.
We find in the scripture, there are elders,
there are deacons, there are leaders, deaconesses in
the church, as if there are positions there.
But brothers and sisters, if you read the
word of God, you find that even these
positions do not come by way of human
appointment.
These positions are the result of the spiritual
life in these brothers and sisters.
They are divinely appointed.
Whether they are elders or they are deacons,
they are appointed by the Holy Spirit.
It is because of the life in them.
It is because of the manifestation of the
grace of God in them.
And the exercise of the gifts in them.
Therefore you find they have that positions.
But remember, spiritual responsibility is not positional.
It is life.
In Christianity today, it has become such an
organization.
Suppose you find someone who was, who is
an executive in certain big firm.
Now of course you like to have that
executive in your church.
Therefore you make him an elder.
Now if he knows how to manage a
corporation, now certainly he is able to manage
a church.
If he is able to manage General Motors,
now to manage a small church should be
no problem with him.
So we appoint him as an elder.
Give him some responsibility to manage the church.
And you know very soon, that person will
turn to church into General Motors.
In the church, nothing is by human hands.
Everything is from God.
Responsibility is something that God has put upon
us.
According to the life that he has given
to us.
To those who have received much, much is
required.
To those who have received less, less is
required.
It is a matter of spirituality.
Not a matter of position.
And because of this you find, whom are
we responsible to?
Now if you are appointed by man, of
course you are responsible to man.
And that's what you find in Christianity.
But if you are appointed by God, then
to God are you responsible.
Brothers and sisters, we need to see that
we are not appointed by man.
We are appointed by God.
And therefore to him alone, we are responsible.
You remember, even in the early days, with
the twelve disciples of our Lord Jesus, you
know among them, they are always fighting among
them over this matter of who is the
greatest.
They maneuver against each other for position.
Because they think that if they get into
a certain position, then they have the authority.
Probably they are not thinking too much of
responsibility, but more of authority.
And that's what position is.
And you remember the story of course, how
John and James get their mother to come
and speak for them.
Because the word of an aunt has weight.
You know, and they know what they are
asking is not very beautiful.
So they just ask for a blank check.
They say, Lord, whatever we ask, give it
to us.
And then we'll tell you what we want.
And then you remember our Lord Jesus, now
what do you want?
What really do you want?
Speak out.
And then she said, in your kingdom, my
two sons, one on your right, and one
on your left, position.
And the Lord answered, to sit on my
right or left is not for me to
give.
The Father knows whom to give.
But can you drink the cup that I'm
drinking?
Are you able to be baptized with the
baptism that I'm baptized with?
Now of course the two sons of David
immediately say, yes we can.
They do not even know what that cup
is.
They want the position so much.
And the Lord said, yes, you have to
drink the cup.
You have to be baptized with the baptism,
but to sit on my right hand is
still not for me to give.
In other words, brothers and sisters, it is
a matter of life.
It is a matter of doing the Father's
will.
And that decides what your position is in
the body of Christ.
And what your responsibility will be.
The curse today is, we think of authority
too much, and too little of responsibility.
In the church you find people are just
struggling and striving for authority.
But brothers and sisters, you know, spiritual authority
is spiritual responsibility.
Spiritual authority is not something that you sit
high up and give commands, and everybody is
serving you.
The Lord Jesus said, now that is the
world.
But among you, if you want to be
the greatest, you have to be the littlest.
If you want to be the head, you
have to be the slave of all the
brothers and sisters.
In other words, it is responsibility.
And out of that responsibility comes authority.
Spiritual responsibility is a necessity.
A necessity that God has laid upon us.
And to Him we are responsible.
Furthermore, spiritual responsibility is a necessity to the
house of God.
We all know that we who are the
redeemed of the Lord, are the house of
God.
Our Lord Jesus said, Thou art Peter, a
stone, a living stone.
I will build my church upon this rock,
the massive rock, Christ Himself, and the gates
of Hades shall not prevail against it.
The Lord is building His house with living
stones, such as we are.
And the apostle Peter understands this very well.
I am afraid that Peter understands it, but
the Roman church does not understand it.
They think that Peter is the rock, and
the church is built upon Peter.
But Peter understands much better.
He says, no, I am just a little
stone.
So in 1 Peter 2, verse 5, he
says, Christ is that living stone.
And as we come to Christ, we all
become living stones, a chip out of that
rock.
We all have His life.
Before that, we were dead.
We were but dust.
But now, as we believe in the Lord
Jesus, we all become living stone.
We have that life in us, eternal life.
With stability, with strength.
And we who are living stones are being
built up together into a spiritual house for
God to dwell in the Spirit.
Now, brothers and sisters, that's what we are.
Now, as living stones, to be built up
together, we have a spiritual responsibility.
Brothers and sisters, we are not only responsible
to God, to the life, the grace, the
gift that God has given to each one
of us, but we are also responsible to
ourselves.
God has given so much to us, and
what has happened to us.
And what will happen to us in the
days to come.
We are responsible for ourselves, for all that
God has given us.
Because much is given, much is required.
And furthermore, we are all responsible for the
house of God.
We are to be built up together as
the spiritual house of God.
You know, the first question, after the fall
of man, that God asks is, Adam, where
are you?
And the second question, God asks of man,
He asks Cain, where is your brother?
We are responsible for ourselves, to God.
And we are responsible for one another.
Why are we responsible for one another?
Because we are to build up together a
spiritual house.
If we build with gold, silver and precious
stones, then we are building that house according
to God.
But if we building it, wood, hay and
stubble, we are destroying the spiritual house.
So in 1 Corinthians chapter 3, the apostle
Paul said, he is like a foreman, he
has laid a foundation, which is Christ and
nothing else.
And now each one of you is responsible
to build on it, and see how you
build.
What do you put into it?
If you put into it gold, the nature
of God, silver, the redemption of Christ, precious
stones, the work of the Holy Spirit, then
brothers and sisters, you are building the spiritual
house of God.
And you will be rewarded for it.
But if you build into it wood, the
nature of man is wood, corruptible, straw, the
work of man, stubble, the glory of man.
If you build into the spiritual house with
your own man, with your natural man, with
your natural energy, you are destroying that house
of God.
You affect adversely your brothers and sisters.
So you find that we are responsible for
one another.
As the house of God.
And furthermore you'll find, Peter says, we are
a spiritual house, a holy priesthood.
We are not only a spiritual house that
we be built up together, but we are
a holy priesthood.
Every believer is a priest.
In the New Testament, we do not have
the title of a priest, but we have
the function of a priest.
Now in the Old Testament, you'll find that
the Levites, among the Levites, the house of
Aaron, they are called priests.
They have the office, not only the office,
the title, and also the work of the
priesthood.
But in the New Testament, you'll find that
priesthood is universal, in the sense that every
believer is a priest.
We do not have that title.
Don't try to call one another priest so
and so.
People think that you may be in that
Roman system.
We do not have that title, but we
are priests nevertheless.
And brothers and sisters, as priests, we have
responsibility.
You know, after Moses erected the tabernacle, every
furniture was placed in order.
Even though the tabernacle was made according to
the pattern of the mountain.
Even though everything was put in order according
to God's command.
And yet you'll find that the whole tabernacle
was just silent.
No activities whatsoever.
Everything was right, but there was nothing going
on.
Not until the priest came in and began
to function in that house, then you'll find
every furniture becomes living.
There will be lamb on the brazing altar,
there will be water in the brazing laver,
there will be washing, there will be sacrificing,
and there will be the light on the
candlestick, and there will be bread on the
table, and there will be incense burning, going
up, and there will be prayers and praises
and singing.
You'll find that whole house becomes living without
that priesthood.
Even if you have that tabernacle, it is
dead, silent.
So, brothers and sisters, you'll find that we
are not only responsible for the building of
the house of God.
You cannot be so independent, you cannot be
all for yourself, but you'll find that we
are responsible for one another, for the building
of the house of God.
But furthermore, you'll find that in that house
we are the holy priesthood.
We are to function in that house.
We are to offer up worship to God,
praises, songs, prayers, ascending to God, intercession, and
we are to wash one another's feet, to
care for one another.
We are not only to minister unto God,
we are also to minister unto the house
of God, that is, to one another.
Every believer is a priest.
You notice in the book of Numbers, when
they numbered the children of Israel, they numbered
the children of Israel from thirty years old
and upward for military service.
But when they numbered the children of the
Levites, they numbered them from one month old
and upward.
Now, you will say, one month old, what
can a one month old do?
But for the priesthood, one has to begin
very early.
The training will begin after a child is
born to the house of Abraham.
Training begins from childhood.
Training to be a priest.
Now, even though he may not be in
active, full service until he is thirty years
old, maybe a priest like the Levites will
go to the temple or the tabernacle at
the age of twenty-five as an apprentice
first.
Helping.
And then by the year thirty, he becomes
a full-fledged one.
But even so, you'll find that training begins
from the very beginning.
And of course, when you think of Samuel,
even when he was a boy, you'll find
he served in the house of God.
Now, what can he do?
He is giving the responsibility of opening the
door of the tabernacle.
Now, that may not be a big thing,
but it is a big thing.
Now, suppose Samuel sleeps until nine o'clock
in the morning.
And you know the sacrifice should begin when
the sun comes up.
And the door is still closed.
Now, what will happen?
It's not a small thing.
Now, brothers and sisters, in the house of
God you'll find every believer is a priest.
You may not be able at the very
beginning to stand up and exhort your brothers
and sisters, but at least you can open
the door, you can put up the chairs,
you can clean a little bit.
If you are faithful in small things, that's
where you start with, and then God will
begin to give you greater responsibility.
So, in other words, you'll find that bringing
up priesthood, everyone has a responsibility.
And as you grow up, your responsibility increases.
But even when you are a child, there
is responsibility.
I love to see when the brothers and
sisters come together to clean the place where
we meet, you know, when we see these
little girls and boys coming with their parents
and helping.
That's what it should be.
Don't leave your children at home when you
come to clean the place where we meet.
Bring them together from the very early years.
Let them have a sense that they belong
to the house of God.
They have a responsibility.
They are priests, and they should function, start
when they are very young.
And you know, when we are worshipping the
Lord together, sometimes you'll find the young people
and the children are sitting there as spectators.
And not only as spectators, as travelers.
And we find that it is much better
if they are not there.
Put them somewhere else so we have a
quiet and good meeting of worship, you know.
But brothers and sisters, this is the house
of God.
We should have these young people and children
with us.
Their cry is a beautiful sound to the
Lord.
It may disturb you.
I don't think it disturbs the Lord in
any way.
And if we find young children or young
people just praise the Lord with a few
words, I think it pleases the Father so
much.
Much more than those who are used to
prayer and to praise.
Brothers and sisters, start young.
We are a priesthood.
There is a responsibility with every one of
us.
Now let me go even a little further.
We are not only a spiritual house to
be built up together.
We are not only a holy priesthood that
we should function together, but we are the
body of Christ.
Now that gets closer.
Think of the body of Christ.
We are the body of Christ and members
to one another.
Now as members of one another, you find
that every member is not only responsible to
the head, but every member is responsible to
the other members.
1 Corinthians chapter 12 is a wonderful chapter.
Now I think lots of people take 1
Corinthians 12 wrongly.
By that I mean they put the wrong
emphasis.
You know when you talk about 1 Corinthians
12, people think it talks about spiritual gifts.
Now of course 1 Corinthians 12 talks about
spiritual gifts.
Because spiritual gifts are the manifestation of the
Holy Spirit.
And the Holy Spirit is in the body
of Christ.
He is each member.
And He has to manifest Himself by these
gifts.
Now that's very true.
But actually 1 Corinthians 12 is not on
spiritual gifts.
It is on the body of Christ.
We being many are one body.
Even though we are one body, yet there
are many members.
So also is the Christ.
In one Spirit we were baptized into one
body, whether Jews or Gentiles, and we are
all made to drink of one Spirit.
In other words, it is the body of
Christ.
Now brothers and sisters, we are the body
of Christ.
And members one of another.
Every member in the body is essential.
Every member in the body has a responsibility.
Every member in the body has a function,
a work to do.
And it is for the building up of
the body of Christ.
So in 1 Corinthians 12 it says the
ear cannot say to the eye, I am
not an eye because of that I do
not belong to the body.
Now the eyes is at the front, the
ears is at the side.
So the ear said, now because I am
not at the front, I am by the
side, therefore I do not belong to the
body.
Now the apostle Paul said, now it is
all eyes, then you see too much, and
you do not hear.
Now it is all hands, you grasp too
much, you do not serve as well.
God in his wisdom has put us in
the body so beautifully, all diverse, all different.
It is of God's doing.
And then you find the head will tell
the foot, I am the head, you are
the foot, you are useless, I don't need
you.
Or the eyes can say to the hand,
I don't need you, I can see, all
right, you can see.
But can you take it?
Every member of the body is necessary.
Responsibility is a necessity.
God has put you in the body of
Christ, whether you be the eye, or the
ear, or the hand, or the foot, God
has put you there, and he has given
you life, and he has given you gifts
accordingly, and you have a responsibility to fulfill.
It is a necessity.
You cannot be passive and say, I am
by the side, I am at the below,
I am not here.
Or you cannot say, because I am high
up and at the front, therefore I am
everywhere, I am everything.
You find that in the body of Christ
there is no monopoly, you cannot monopolize everything.
You are just a member, not the whole
body of Christ.
And you cannot be irresponsible and say, because
I am just a little member, therefore it
doesn't matter if I am not there.
It does matter.
Every member has a spiritual responsibility.
And God expects us to fulfill that responsibility.
Dear brothers and sisters, this matter of spiritual
responsibility comes with life.
If you do not want responsibility, don't have
life.
If you love life, love responsibility.
Because the more you are responsible, the more
will be given to you.
And the less you are responsible, the more
will be taken away from you.
It is a necessity.
Oh, how we need to see that this
matter of responsibility is not something put upon
us by man.
You don't need to wait until somebody put
you in a position, and then you start
to be responsible.
Now you know this is our flesh really.
You know, if people do not put you
in a position, you feel you have no
responsibility whatsoever.
But when people put you in a position,
then you find, well, I have to be
responsible.
Now suppose people want you to lead a
prayer meeting.
Now you have to pray now.
If they do not ask you to lead
a prayer meeting, you never pray.
Search your heart, and see if this is
true.
How often you find we need a position
to be responsible.
That is the fall of man.
If we really see life, we really see
what life is, brothers and sisters, you don't
need anyone to tell you to be responsible.
You will be supernaturally, naturally responsible.
This matter of responsibility is a very serious
thing.
Why?
Because it decides your destiny.
In the parables that we shared together yesterday,
both in the parable of the minas, and
in the parable of the talent, and later
on in the parable of the good and
faithful servant becomes a wicked servant.
You find that in these three parables, and
you have lots of parables in the Gospels,
that will give us the same thought.
And that is, what God has given to
us today is just a little.
We are in a training period.
Life today is a training period.
And that's the reason why our life is
so short.
Our real service is yet to come.
If we are responsible to the little that
God has entrusted us today, brothers and sisters,
we will be rewarded with much more in
the days to come.
But if we are not responsible for the
little that is given to us today, even
that little will be taken away from us.
The one who earned ten minas, he will
be given ten cities.
Think of the difference between ten minas and
ten cities.
The one who earned five minas will be
given five cities.
There is no comparison.
But the one with one mina, because he
revved it up in the tower, therefore, even
at the judgment seat of Christ, that mina
is taken away from him and given to
the one who earned ten minas.
Of course, this parable does not speak of
salvation.
It speaks of responsibility.
And therefore you'll find even that mina given
to you can be taken away.
In other words, in the kingdom age, you
cannot serve.
There is no way to do the Lord's
business.
If you are faithful in the Lord's business
today, He will be giving you more business
in the kingdom.
But if you are not faithful, then at
the kingdom time, you are barred from doing
any business.
Think of that.
The talents.
The one which earned five more talents and
the one that earned two more talents, according
to their ability, they double it.
You'll find that they reward all the same.
Good, well done.
Good and faithful servant.
Come and enter into the joy of the
Lord.
And that refers to the kingdom.
They will reign with Christ during that thousand
years.
And what glory that will be.
All their sweat and tears are rewarded.
But the wicked servant who buried that talent,
that talent will be taken away from him
and given to the one that earned five
more.
In other words, God has no use of
him.
The Lord said, you useless servant.
You are no use to me.
And not only that, because he is wicked,
you'll find he will be cast into outer
darkness.
That means outside of the kingdom of the
heavens.
And there to regret and repent of his
past.
Now, brothers and sisters, do not think that
because you believe in the Lord Jesus as
your savior, therefore you are secured.
It is true.
So far as heaven is concerned, eternity is
concerned, there is security.
Because Christ has died for you.
And you will not enter into judgment.
The judgment of the great white throne.
The judgment of eternal death or eternal life.
You have passed out of death into life
because you have believed in the Lord Jesus.
John 5, 24.
But brothers and sisters, that doesn't mean because
Christ has been judged for you on the
cross, therefore you will not be judged at
the great white throne judgment.
You are secure for eternal life.
Therefore, there is no more judgment for you.
Read the word of God.
You'll find in the word of God, judgment
begins with the house.
In other words, when Christ shall return, brothers
and sisters, are you looking forward to his
return?
Do you miss him?
Do you want him to come back soon?
If you know what's going to happen, I'm
not too sure you want him back.
You know when he shall return, it doesn't
mean when he returns, then we'll all be
gathered together and we will be there having
that feast, marriage feast for eternity.
No.
The Bible says when our Lord shall return
and when we shall all be gathered together
before him.
Where?
At the judgment seat.
Romans, chapter 14, verse 10.
Do not judge your brother.
Do not look down upon your brother.
Because we all shall stand before the judgment
seat of God.
2 Corinthians 5, 10.
We shall all be manifested at the judgment
seat of Christ.
And we will be judged according to what
we have done in our lives.
Whether it be good or whether it be
bad.
In other words, after we become children of
God.
Whether after we enter into the house of
God.
Then you'll find being God's children there is
responsibility.
Our God is the most responsible one.
Therefore his children, by the very life he
has given us, the very nature of God's
life, there is responsibility there.
Thank God that we are children of God.
Thank God we have enjoyment.
But brothers and sisters, there is the other
side.
Responsibility.
And if we believe in the Lord Jesus,
if we are saved, and yet we love
the world, we are no different people than
people of the world.
We get drunk with the drunkard.
We even beat our fellow servants like that
wicked servants.
Brothers and sisters, at the judgment seat of
Christ.
You know in Matthew chapter 24, Luke chapter
12, in that parable you'll find how serious
it is.
When the Lord shall come back at the
unexpected time, the Lord will cut him into
half.
Now, if a person is cut into half,
are you living anymore?
And will condemn him with the unbelievers.
Now people will say, then he is unsaved.
Not at all.
Because the parable does not speak of eternity.
It speaks of the kingdom.
In other words, during the kingdom time, he
does not enjoy life.
You may enjoy life today.
He who gains his soul life today will
lose it when the Lord shall come.
But if you are willing to lose your
soul life for Christ's sake, you will gain
it to eternity.
There in the kingdom you will enjoy life.
And what a life!
Dear brothers and sisters, it's a serious matter.
We need to live daily in the light
of the judgment seat of Christ.
Now, if you really love the Lord, and
that love is not just sentimental, then you
would live daily in the light of the
judgment seat of Christ.
As if the judgment seat of Christ is
now.
You want to please Him every hour, every
day.
If the Lord shall come now, are you
able to see Him unashamed?
The way you are responsible today determines what
will come out of the judgment seat.
It determines our destiny.
I hope these words will help to encourage
us to take up our spiritual responsibility.
Well, people will ask.
All right.
I would like to take up my spiritual
responsibility, but I don't know what my responsibility
is.
Who will tell me what my responsibility is?
Now, we have already said it is not
something that man put upon you.
Now, we would like to go to certain
brother or sister and say, now tell me
what my responsibility is.
Now, if you tell me that, then I'll
do it.
Well, it becomes a matter of position again.
Now, how do I know what my responsibility
is?
Again, you'll find spiritual responsibility is a matter
of life.
In other words, you'll find your responsibility through
life.
The life that God has given to you
the grace that God has given to you
the gift that God has given to you
Brothers and sisters, that life will tell you
what your responsibility is.
After you are saved, after you have received
the life of Christ in you, very soon,
sometimes immediately, you'll find within you a kind
of burden.
Or you begin to see something that nobody
seems to notice.
You don't need anybody to tell you what
to do.
But somehow you'll find as you have your
time with the Lord, as your life lives
with the Lord, communes with the Lord, somehow
you'll find the Lord begins to open your
eyes to see there is some need there.
In the house of God that nobody notices.
Or as you are in commune with the
Lord, you'll find that a burden begins to
come into your heart.
You seem to be burdened for something.
Brothers and sisters, very often, it is life
that is telling you the story.
Follow life.
When you have that discernment, or when you
have that burden, try to discharge it in
the way that God has enabled you.
And when you begin to discharge that burden,
or when you begin to do that thing
that nobody seems to notice and see, if
the anointing of the Lord is with you,
if you'll find that God really anoints you,
and really you'll find not only He is
with you, but His blessing follows.
And the one that you minister unto, or
the thing that you're taking care of, brings
such joy to the house of God, then
you know this is the way that He
wants you to be responsible.
For instance, a child is born with all
the organs.
But when a child is first born, he
has eyes.
And he is given the gift of seeing,
but he does not see.
It takes a few days.
When life grows a little bit, then he
begins to see.
And if he starts to see and see
more, he sees more.
And if you train your eyes, you can
even see in the dark.
That's the way it is with spiritual responsibility.
Brothers and sisters, it is very simple, very
simple.
Just follow life.
And as you follow life, you'll find it
works.
Now, when a child, after a child, grows
up a little bit, now in the beginning
you'll find he does not know how to
walk.
He has legs, but he does not know
how to use his legs.
So you'll find he uses both hands and
both legs.
He will crawl on four.
He does not know what is the responsibility
of the hands.
He thinks the hands is to crawl.
But gradually, maybe by accident, he discovers that
if he does not use four, but just
use two legs to walk, he walks better.
Then the legs find his function.
You know?
And the same thing with hands.
And the hands say, all right, hands off
then.
I don't need to crawl anymore.
Don't need to help my legs anymore.
I have my responsibility to do.
Brothers and sisters, that's the way to discover
how you function in the house of God.
How to take up your responsibility.
Now, of course, thank God that we are
in the house of God.
Sometimes, you know, we may misinterpret.
You know, sometimes we think that the anointing
is on me when I'm doing that.
But actually people have their heads up high.
So you'll find that's a good that we
are members of one another.
You know?
We need to have check and balance.
When you feel that the Lord is leading
you in certain way, and you're not too
sure about it, share with your brothers and
sisters.
Let your brothers and sisters pray with you
and correct you, or sometimes encourage you, other
times discourage you.
Now, don't be discouraged if you are discouraged.
Because that is helping you to find your
place in the house of God.
Brothers and sisters, sometimes we are too proud.
If I feel that I'm a mouth, I'm
going to open my mouth and speak.
But it so happens that God does not
make me a mouth.
So when I'm speaking, you'll find people endure
me.
Maybe the first time, the second time, people
begin to move their feet, and the third
time some people walk out.
You are not a mouth.
Brothers and sisters, these things help us.
Help us to find our place.
Don't be discouraged.
That's the way we learn.
Be humble.
You know, and if we are faithful to
one another, very soon we will find our
place in the house of God.
And we will be able to take up
the responsibility God has given to us.
Now, finally, how are we going to fulfill
our spiritual responsibility?
Now, we have a responsibility.
Now, how are we going to fulfill it?
Number one, of course, in order to fulfill
our spiritual responsibility, every one of us must
hold fast the head.
It is the head that really directs all
the functionings, the workings of all the various
responsibilities.
So, in other words, it is essential, extremely
important that every brother and sister has to
learn to hold fast the head.
Not because you have a responsibility, you feel
this is your responsibility, therefore you just go
ahead and do it, even without the order
of the head.
Now, every time you are functioning, fulfilling your
responsibility, head could be under the headship of
Christ.
Spiritual responsibility is spiritual in nature.
When you get out of touch with the
head, that responsibility will degenerate into a human
thing, earthly thing, not a spiritual thing.
And sooner or later you will find the
only way you are able to fulfill that
responsibility is to use your natural strength.
You have to use strange fire to keep
it burning.
You have to hold fast the head.
Under the headship, the authority of Christ.
Now, if everyone will be under the headship
of Christ, then we will minister one to
another and we will be united.
Now, that's the first thing.
The second thing is when you exercise your
gifts, you have to exercise according to the
proportion of faith.
In Romans chapter 12 verse 7, if it
is prophesied, prophesy, prophesy according to the proportion
of faith.
If you are teaching according to the proportion
of faith.
If you are serving according to the proportion
of faith.
In other words, everyone is given a measure.
Don't do it out of your measure.
If you overdo it, the result is you
yourself will be hurt and other people will
be hurt.
So, we need to do it according to
the proportion of faith.
What God has given us, that He requires.
What He hasn't given you, He does not
require of you.
So, don't try to do something that He
has not required of you.
Out of your measure.
Even Apostle Paul, in 2nd Corinthians, he said,
I'm not doing it out of my measure.
God has measured me with a measure.
And I'm working in my measure.
But that measure can be enlarged.
That is true.
When you have fulfilled your measure, then it
can be enlarged.
But not before that.
So, number two, we have to function according
to the proportion of faith.
Within the measure that God has measured to
each.
And thirdly, to fulfill our spiritual responsibility, we
have to be wise and faithful.
Wise in the sense of knowing the will
of God.
When you are fulfilling your spiritual responsibility, you
need to know what the mind of the
Lord is.
What is His heart?
What does He want you to do?
Do you remember in Matthew chapter 7?
Many will come to the Lord and say,
Lord, Lord, in Your name I have preached
the gospel.
In Your name I have cast out the
demons.
In Your name I have healed the sick.
And the Lord said, You wicked, I do
not approve.
In other words, not all who say, Lord,
Lord, do.
It is only in doing the Father's will
that you will be approved.
So we need to be wise to know
the mind of the Lord.
Don't just go out and do something.
You know, sometimes we think it is just
activities.
No, it is not activities.
We need to know the mind of God.
And then, after we know the mind of
God, be faithful.
Be faithful.
Do it to the utmost ability that He
has given to you.
Brothers and sisters, when the Lord shall come
back, He will be looking for faithfulness.
Because what is required of a steward is
faithfulness.
And Solomon said, A faithful man is hard
to find.
Sometimes we are clever, but we are not
faithful.
But God will want us to be faithful
rather than being clever.
And brothers and sisters, that is the way
we will fulfill our responsibility.
So, dear brothers and sisters, I hope that
after this time together, at least each one
of us will realize that we have responsibility.
From the big one to the smallest one.
Number two, I hope we see that responsibility
is a spiritual thing.
It is not a human earthly thing.
Number three, it is according to life.
Follow life, and you will find where your
responsibility is.
May the Lord help us.
Shall we pray?
Dear Heavenly Father, we do thank Thee for
gathering us together this time to see
what grace, what life, what gift Thou has
given to us.
And for this we are thankful.
But we thank Thee that Thou does also
show us that there is a responsibility to
go with all.
Make us responsible people, that we may fulfill
our spiritual responsibility to Thee and to the
house of God.
Lord, our prayer is we cannot do it,
but we are open.
We want to respond to Your ability according
to the grace Thou has given to us.
Oh, that one day when Thou shalt return,
we long to hear Thee say, Well done,
good and faithful servant.
We ask in the name of our Lord
Jesus.