Anointed Sermons

#91 All Yes and Amen?

2011-02-27T21:56:00.004+08:00

23rd January 2011

#91 All Yes and Amen?

http://www.box.net/shared/jleagl1avf

Sermon based on 2 Corinthians 1:18-20

18 But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.”
19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silas and Timothy—was not “Yes” and “No,” but in him it has always been “Yes.”
20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.

The Parable of the Sower has been described to be the "mother of all parables". This is because Jesus told His disciples that if they did not understand this parable, they would not be able to understand all His other parables.
In the same way, 2 Cor 1:20 contains what Rev Reuben describes as the "mother of all promises": it contains the promise that all other promises found in the Scripture are a definite yes and amen because of what Christ has accomplished for us via His perfect work on the cross.

#90 So This Is Christmas

2011-02-27T21:53:00.000+08:00

25th December 2010

#90 So This Is Christmas

http://www.box.net/shared/jzovk7c48x

Sermon based on Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23

#89 Do They Know It's Christmas?

2010-12-12T00:00:00.000+08:00

12th December 2010

#89 Do They Know It's Christmas?

http://www.box.net/shared/c5mjq2iuvr

Sermon based on Matthew 1:1; 1 John 2:22

#88 Get Intimate

2010-11-28T10:59:00.001+08:00

28th November 2010

#88 Get Intimate

http://www.box.net/shared/08pyvrqqq9

Sermon based on John 5:19-20; Hebrews 1:3

John 5:19-20
¹⁹ Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. ²⁰ For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed.

Hebrews 1:3
³ The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

Heb 1:3 tells us that Jesus is the "exact representation (NASB/NIV)" or "express image (KJV)" of God the Father. The original Greek word is χαρακτήρ charaktēr (G5481), from which we derive the English word "character". In this sermon based on Jn 5:19-20 and Heb 1:3, Rev Reuben Ng explains how closely connected and in sync the Holy Trinity is.

#87 Drink Fill Bless

2010-11-14T21:15:00.001+08:00

14th November 2010

#87 Drink Fill Bless

http://www.box.net/shared/m5d16h8gzy

Sermon based on John 4:13-14; John 7:37-39

John 4
13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

John 7
37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”[c] 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

You have heard of "eat, pray, love"? How about "drink, fill, bless"? Listen to Rev Reuben distinguish between the very first time when one receives the Holy Spirit (Jn 4: well springing up to eternal life, Jn 20) and being continually filled with the Spirit (Jn 7: bellies flowing rivers of living water, Acts 2). He then encourages us to drink so as to be filled, and via the overflow become a vessel to bless and touch others.

Friends, do not pray for revival to happen, because it already has!

#86 Intimacy

2010-11-07T08:11:00.009+08:00

7th November 2010

#86 Intimacy

http://www.box.net/shared/gnkycr6hke

Sermon based on 2 Corinthians 3:7-18

The Greater Glory of the New Covenant
⁷ Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, ⁸ will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? ⁹ If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! ¹⁰ For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. ¹¹ And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts! ¹² Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. ¹³ We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. ¹⁴ But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. ¹⁵ Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. ¹⁶¹⁷ Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ¹⁸ And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplatethe Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

This is a continuation of the sermons that Rev Reuben Ng preached last week and the week before. Listen to Rev Reuben expound on 2 Cor 3:7-18, whereby the apostle Paul contrasted the ministry of death and condemnation (which glory was fading away) with the ministry of the Holy Spirit (which glory is ever-increasing). He then gives us some pointers on how to remain steadfast on this "glory-to-glory" track in which things around us should become "naturally supernatural", and shares an amazing testimony on how/why the title of last week's sermon was changed from "We Want More" to "Hungry For His Presence".

#85 Hungry For His Presence

2010-11-01T13:30:00.006+08:00

31st October 2010

#86 Hungry For His Presence (initially entitled "We Want More")

http://www.box.net/shared/yhs92jc89t

Sermon based on Matthew 7:7-11

Ask, Seek, Knock

7"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
9"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?
11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

This is a continuation of the sermon that Rev Reuben Ng preached last week about being Filled to Fullness, having a deep hunger and thirst for God. Hear the amazing testimony by an Amos Yeo, one of the youths who had responded to the "altar call" last week. Hallelujah! God is moving mightily amongst the youth in Paya Lebar Methodist Church. By the way, those on Twitter can follow RR (Rev Reubs) on @ReubenNg

#84 Filled to Fullness

2010-10-24T19:15:00.011+08:00

24th October 2010

#84 Filled to Fullness

http://www.box.net/shared/t7lshv806q

Sermon based on Ephesians 5:18

18And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit

How many of us have been drunk on alcohol or high on drugs before? The feeling may be awesome but it is only but temporary, not to mention there are harmful side- and after-effects like withdrawal symptoms and being hungover. Well, there is a way to get emotionally high without the negative effects.

In this sermon, Rev Reuben Ng shares about his recent mountain-top experience in USA and explains what Paul means in Eph 5:18 about not being drunk with wine tbat leads to debauchery but to be filled to fullness with the Holy Spirit.

Author's note:

In the Old Testament, we read in 2 Sam 6:14 about how King David danced with reckless abandon unto the Lord to celebrate the Ark of the Covenant being brought to Jerusalem.

There was great reason for David to rejoice because the Ark was the most sacred furniture in the Tabernacle, being the only one to be placed in the Holy of Holies. It was symbolic of God's very presence. Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the Chief Priest would enter the Holy of Holies to sprinkle the blood of bulls and goats on the mercy seat (which is what the "cover" of the Ark was called).

The Ark had remained in the Tabernacle when the Israelites were camped in the wilderness and went before them upon the shoulders of the priests when they had marched round the city of Jericho. Sadly, upon occupying the Promised Land, the Israelites had started to forget about God, and the Ark was even stolen by the Philistines. It was only when David became King that he arranged for the Ark to be brought back to the capital city, and was thus called "a man after God's heart". After Solomon built the temple, the Ark was then placed in the Holy of Holies there.

Having said that, the above was however but a shadow. When Jesus died on the cross, the temple veil was torn in two from top to bottom, signalling that we can enter into God's very presence. Jesus is now our mercy seat. Hence, the substance today is that God's very presence is with us via His Holy Spirit, which dwells in the heart of every believer. Nonetheless, we can still be like David, dancing with reckless abandon unto the Lord, and being continually filled to fullness and celebrating the Holy Spirit's indwelling.

Another point to note is that the devil is a "copycat", but a poor one. For example, sex is created by God as the ultimate expression of intimacy in the context of marriage between husband and wife. The devil has inspired counterfeit versions such as fornication and adultery, but they are never able to satisfy and have harmful side-effects. Similarly, emotions are created by God and so to the feeling of being emotionally high. I am not a drinker and have not been drunk, nor have I been high on drugs. However, I have experienced being emotionally high before, the most pronounced was during a time of worship at New Creation Church back in August 2007. It was awesome, and I have blogged about it before, entitling it "Close Encounter with the Third Person".

#83 Overcoming Dishonour

2010-10-10T17:38:00.002+08:00

10th October 2010

#83 Overcoming Dishonour

http://www.box.net/shared/xb3dd4g5f9

Sermon based on Matthew 13:57-58
57And they took offense at Him But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household."

58And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.

Rev Reuben continues the Overcomer series with the topic of "Overcoming Dishonour". Jesus was unable to perform many miracles in Nazareth because His own townfolk saw Him as a mere carpenter's son. In today's context, honouring those whom God has placed in positions of power and influence is therefore for our own ...good. Although respect is something that needs to be earned, honour is something we can still choose to give, even to those we do not think deserve it. After all, Jesus also said in Matt 25 that what we do to the least of our brethren, we do unto Him.

#82 Overcoming Unforgiveness

2010-10-03T18:43:00.007+08:00

3rd October 2010

#82 Overcoming Unforgiveness

http://www.box.net/shared/uc51yzt9tc

Sermon based on Ephesians 4:32; Proverbs 19:11
Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Eph 4:32
A man's discretion makes him slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression. Prov 19:11

Rev Reuben Ng continues the "Overcomer" series with the topic of "Overcoming Unforgiveness". He shares candidly about how he himself recently struggled to forgive a sister and could not sleep, but after doing so, he felt so much better and slept soundly. Releasing forgiveness to others is actually for our own good, and Christians should be the first ones to be able to do so -- to forgive and forget, because our God has also forgiven us and chosen to forget our lawless deeds...

#81 Overcoming Sin

2010-09-26T18:08:00.005+08:00

26th September 2010

#81 Overcoming Sin

http://www.box.net/shared/ngeegag9il

Sermon text: Romans 6:1-16
Believers Are Dead to Sin, Alive to God
1What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?
2May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?
3Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?
4Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
5For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,
6knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;
7for he who has died is freed from sin.
8Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
9knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.
10For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
11Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
12Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts,
13and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
14For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
15What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be!
16Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?

Continuing the "Overcomer" series, Rev Reuben explains how to overcome sin, which is by first understanding what Jesus has already accomplished for us by His finished work on the cross. While Abel's blood called out for justice to be served, Jesus' blood speaks of better things: that justice has already been served.

#80 The Redeemer

2010-09-19T15:26:00.005+08:00

19th September 2010

#80 The Redeemer

http://www.box.net/shared/8n9dqipdnn

Sermon text: Ruth 4
The Marriage of Ruth
1Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there, and behold, the close relative of whom Boaz spoke was passing by, so he said, "Turn aside, friend, sit down here." And he turned aside and sat down.
2He took ten men of the elders of the city and said, "Sit down here." So they sat down.
3Then he said to the closest relative, "Naomi, who has come back from the land of Moab, has to sell the piece of land which belonged to our brother Elimelech.
4"So I thought to inform you, saying, 'Buy it before those who are sitting here, and before the elders of my people If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if not, tell me that I may know; for there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am after you.'" And he said, "I will redeem it."
5Then Boaz said, "On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of the deceased, in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance."
6The closest relative said, "I cannot redeem it for myself, because I would jeopardize my own inheritance. Redeem it for yourself; you may have my right of redemption, for I cannot redeem it."
7Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning the redemption and the exchange of land to confirm any matter: a man removed his sandal and gave it to another; and this was the manner of attestation in Israel.
8So the closest relative said to Boaz, "Buy it for yourself." And he removed his sandal.
9Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, "You are witnesses today that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon.
10"Moreover, I have acquired Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, to be my wife in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance, so that the name of the deceased will not be cut off from his brothers or from the court of his birth place; you are witnesses today."
11All the people who were in the court, and the elders, said, "We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel; and may you achieve wealth in Ephrathah and become famous in Bethlehem.
12"Moreover, may your house be like the house of Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah, through the offspring which the LORD will give you by this young woman."
13So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife, and he went in to her. And the LORD enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son.
14Then the women said to Naomi, "Blessed is the LORD who has not left you without a redeemer today, and may his name become famous in Israel.
15"May he also be to you a restorer of life and a sustainer of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him."
The Line of David Began Here
16Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her lap, and became his nurse.
17The neighbor women gave him a name, saying, "A son has been born to Naomi!" So they named him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
18Now these are the generations of Perez: to Perez was born Hezron,
19and to Hezron was born Ram, and to Ram, Amminadab,
20and to Amminadab was born Nahshon, and to Nahshon, Salmon,
21and to Salmon was born Boaz, and to Boaz, Obed,
22and to Obed was born Jesse, and to Jesse, David.

This is the final part of the series on the book of Ruth. The 1st 3 chapters were covered by the other pastors, while the 4th was assigned to Rev Reuben. Nonetheless, Rev Reuben did a quick recap on the 1st 3 chapters before going on to cover chapter 4.

Listen to Rev Reuben explain how Boaz being a kinsman-redeemer to Ruth, is a picture and type of Jesus being a kinsman-redeemer to us, His bride. Rev Reuben also makes several Old Testament scripture passages come alive by cross-referencing them to the person and finished work of Jesus, eg. the feasts of Israel (Passover, Unleaven Bread, Firstfruits, Pentecost) and how Tamar ended up being in the genealogy of Jesus.

#79 I Am An Overcomer

2010-09-05T13:24:00.002+08:00

5th September 2010

#79 I Am An Overcomer

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Sermon text: 1 Jn 4:3-4
3and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.
4You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.

Rev Reuben Ng kicks off a new series called the "Overcomer" series, which in the coming weeks will include overcoming bad habits, pride, fear etc. In this introductory sermon, he builds upon the foundation as laid out in 1 Jn 4:4; we as Christians can overcome because He that is in us is greater than he that is in the world. Listen to him expound on the 3As: authority, ability and action.

#78 Rich!

2010-08-15T13:31:00.020+08:00

15th August 2010

#78 Rich!

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Sermon text: 2 Cor 8:9
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.

Money is a subject that is still considered "taboo" by many Christians. Yet, our Lord Jesus Himself spoke on this topic frequently during His earthly ministry. In this sermon entitled "Rich!", Rev Reuben Ng carefully but boldly unveils the truth in God's Word as declared by Paul in 2 Cor 8:9 that we as believers have already been made materially rich through Jesus. What we need to do is to continue to walk by faith and not by sight to see that manifest in our lives. Also, God blesses us is so that we can in turn be a blessing to others.

#77 Help I'm Unholy

2010-08-08T14:09:00.003+08:00

8th August 2010

#77 Help I'm Unholy

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Sermon text: 2 Cor 5:21
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

As part of the "Help, I'm..." series, Rev Reuben deals with the topic of holiness, which means being set apart. Some of us Christians struggle with feelings of unholiness or unrighteousness because of something we did in the past that we think God is unable to forgive us of.

The serpent is a symbol of evil as a result of the devil taking on its form to tempt Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. Yet, in Jn 3:14, Jesus likened Himself to the bronze serpent that was lifted up in the wilderness! Why so? This was because a divine exchange took place on the cross, whereby Jesus was treated as the worst sinner and took our place of condemnation and judgement. But the flip side of it was that we in turn have taken His place as being righteous before God the Father. That is why Paul meant in 2 Cor 5:21 -- God made Jesus who was sinless to become sin, so that we can be the righteousness of God in Christ.

To better illustrate this truth, he invited 2 volunteers up on stage and gave them a tshirt each -- one was to wear an ACS tshirt and the other a Raffles tshirt. The one initially wearing the ACS tshirt is like Jesus, and the one wearing the RI tshirt is like mortal men. At the cross, the 2 exchanged tshirts: so the one representing Jesus ends up wearing the RI tshirt and the one representing mortal men ends up wearing the ACS tshirt.