In Matthew 4, verse 17 to the end of the passage,
And John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he caught them.
Immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him.
And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues,
and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.
So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick,
those afflicted with various diseases and pains,
those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics.
And he healed them.
And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis,
and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.
Order!
I know what I'm doing.
Order!
Division!
Order!
There's no good people shouting.
There will be an opportunity for other points of order,
but the Prime Minister must and will be heard.
Order!
The horrible gentleman has got to learn the art of patience.
And if he is patient, if he deploys Zen,
he will find that it is ultimately to everybody's advantage.
So we'll leave it there, and we come now.
Now, I'm not...
If it...
No, very well.
Order!
Zen!
Restraint!
Patience!
Order!
The title of this sermon is taken from this repeated cause of parliament speakers.
This is John Burkow.
He's been 10 years in the British parliament.
And during...
This one is in...
I think it's German who put it up.
And so when he retires,
people just make lots of videos about him calling orders.
So when these speakers,
when they're shouting,
order, order,
they are giving an order to keep orders.
The word order has two major meanings.
One is to do things in turn,
or in proper perspective.
Another meaning is to give or receive a command.
For example,
in Matthew 6.33,
Jesus said,
but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.
So this is an order
to set the order of our priorities right.
So in this sermon,
I'm talking about these two kinds of orders.
One is to see things in an orderly or proper perspective,
and paying attention to wise orders.
Sometimes they're a bit mixed up.
Hopefully you can pick them up.
So the members of the parliament know that
they need someone to keep their meetings in order
so that they can be efficient
with the use of their time.
But having elected such a person,
they often fail to listen to the order of this person.
So in the parliament,
it reflects the life as general in our society.
So we all like to live in an orderly world,
but we do not know how to order our life,
and we do not like to follow orders.
I suppose most of us appreciate an orderly existence,
such as knowing where to find a new pair of socks,
or queuing up to enter a tenant event,
or vehicles on the road,
or obeying traffic rules.
However, being orderly takes effort and time,
and conforming to orders often infringe our right to comfort,
respect, and self-expression.
For example, we may set an alarm to wake us up
according to our schedule,
but when the alarm sounds,
we might lock the alarm off.
Why do we do that?
Why do we get upset when the alarm sounds at the correct time?
Because it interrupts our comfort.
The desire for comfort often influences our behavior
more than anything else.
Another thing we observe in the parliament
is that parliamentarians are usually merciless.
They belittle or provoke one another.
However, they do not care what their opponent's viewpoints are.
They do not care if their opponent
had a bad day or bad time in their family
or personal life.
Their priority is to win the argument.
So they kept talking even when their times were up.
This is to do with our desire
or need to be respected.
No one likes to appear to be a ruser in front of others.
And also the heroes of our time
are those who dare to challenge or rebel against others
and show the world what they can do
without conforming to social orders.
We see others as some kind of oppression
that stifles self-expression.
We often think that we could do better than others
if we are given a chance to express ourselves.
So there is something wrong with the world.
We seek comfort, respect, and self-expression.
But these things usually bring these orders.
As every one of us want to express ourselves,
then there won't be order in the world.
So it is like electing a speaker for parliament to keep orders.
For everyone is busy expressing their wills
and ignoring the calls to keep order.
Or it is like setting an alarm clock
to keep us up to our schedule
but ignore the alarm and sleep in.
Jesus came to a world like this.
So in chapter 4 of Matthew,
we were told firstly,
Jesus met with temptations
to claim his rights to comfort,
respect, and self-expression.
Jesus chose to be faithful to God's words,
God's orders.
Then Jesus became the light
to the people in Galilee.
Being the light of the world,
Jesus showed us how this order of life is.
If we live in a darkness,
we never know how...
We thought that our lives are good and orderly.
But once the light shines,
then we will know
things are not that we thought it would be.
And that's what Jesus was doing
to the people in Galilee
and the rest of the Matthew.
We can, as we go on to the other chapters.
So at verse 17 of chapter 4,
Jesus said,
Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
So that is the first thing that Jesus said.
Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Repent from seeking for your own kingdom.
If the highest priority in your life
is your right to comfort,
respect, and self-expression,
you will not find satisfaction or rest.
However, if you give up your kingdom
and seek the kingdom of heaven,
you will find something more precious
than your own right.
This kingdom of heaven
is not far away in space or time.
It is something you can be part of now.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
So how did Jesus go about
getting people to repent
and change their ways?
He started with setting right
the order of things.
So the first thing we can consider
is the order of relation
from Matthew chapter 4, verses 18 to 22.
So what I mean by order of relation
is how we relate to people and God.
How do we see people or God
in relation to us?
How important they are?
Do they see people as people?
Jesus called the disciples.
And then,
why did Peter and Andrew,
James and John,
left their families and occupation
and follow Jesus?
It was because who Jesus was
and whom Jesus called.
I know that we usually understand
the call to these brothers
show the authority of Jesus
as their king.
So Jesus,
we consider Jesus king,
so he called,
people will respond.
And that is true.
But there's more than that,
I think.
It's not that
Jesus just simply called anyone
he met
or you think that this person
looks smart
or looks capable
and he will call.
There is a history
behind that.
First of all,
in the book of John,
we knew that
at least John,
the apostle,
and also Andrew,
they were followers
of John the Baptist.
So they,
these two,
John and Andrew,
at least,
maybe their brothers as well,
there's Peter and James,
they were already people
who were looking for
a better world
or something that
is different
to what they experienced.
And so when John the Baptist
came,
they followed
John the Baptist.
And here,
we see the role
of John the Baptist.
he prepared a role
for the Messiah
and John the Baptist
pointed Jesus out
to Andrew and John.
Andrew and John
went to meet Jesus
and spent some time
with him.
They then told
their older brothers
about Jesus.
They knew enough
about Jesus
when the call came.
Jesus also knew them
and their families.
In Matthew 8,
verse 14,
we will read about
Jesus visiting
Peter's mother-in-law
and healing
her illness.
So,
Jesus knew those
whom he had called
and he was interested
in things that matter
in their life.
The political leaders
focused only
on their political
against.
They will make use
of other people
to reach their goals.
Jesus did not
call the disciples
to be pawns
in achieving
his purpose.
He called them
to be followers
and to be children
of God.
In the parliament,
some people
are indispensable.
Without them,
the government
would not function.
But most people
are unimportant.
Why are they
unimportant?
Because nobody,
in a sense,
inside the parliament
itself,
they are not
being respected.
Usually,
you can see
people just
belittle
the other politicians.
They don't care
much about them
as a person.
They care more
about them
as a means
for them
to be successful
in their careers
or to,
yeah,
either to help them
or to make them
or put them down.
So,
this is how
our world
functions.
But in the kingdom
of God,
everyone is important
because
everyone is
being redeemed
by the blood
of Jesus
and people
are
so important
that,
yeah,
the Lord Jesus
died for them.
But nobody
is indispensable
just because
the kingdom of God
will go on
regardless
whether we follow
Jesus or not.
Whether we do
anything in the church
or not,
the church will
still go on.
So,
that is the
difference.
in the system
of the world
and the kingdom
of God.
So,
Jesus
does not force
or trick
anyone to
follow him
because
while everyone
in the kingdom
is important,
none of us
is indispensable.
So,
in the kingdom
of God,
personal comfort,
position,
and self-expression
are no longer
our priority.
the disciples
live together,
rejoice together,
suffer together.
They do not
need to outperform
one another
but learn to
forgive one another
and build up
one another
because of
their relationship
with Jesus
and with
one another.
As we go on
with the book
of Matthew,
we will see that
in calling the
disciples to
follow him,
Jesus
would show the
world that
the proper order
of things.
The world
sacrifices
others to
achieve
the desires
of their hearts.
You will notice
that people
will tend to
abuse those
who are most
willing to
help them.
If our parents
help us a lot,
we will tend
to abuse
their help
before considering
their own needs.
This is a way
of the world.
Jesus sacrifices
himself to
complete those
who follow him.
While the first
order of things
in the world
is personal
comfort,
respect,
and self-expression,
the first order
of things
who Jesus
loves is love.
How people
relate to God
and how people
relate to one
another.
Then in Matthew
chapter 4
verse 19,
we see the
order of
commission.
That is,
how do we
live our life?
Not so much
about purpose-driven
life,
but whose purpose
that is.
What we live
for.
We see that
in John's
baptism,
there is a
purpose in
his life.
He didn't
care about
what the
world offers.
He just
lived in the
wilderness
and prepared
himself for
the coming
of the Lord
Jesus Christ.
And Jesus
said to Peter
and Andrew,
follow me
and I will
make you
fishers of
men.
Jesus was
ordering Peter
and Andrew
to do
something which
they had not
planned to do.
Peter and
Andrew were
trained by
their father
to be
fishermen.
They would
be expected
to continue
the family
business.
In addition,
we know that
at least Peter
was married.
What right
did Jesus
have to tell
Peter and
Andrew to
leave their
families and
occupations
and follow
him?
At this
point,
when my
person asked,
why did
God not
raise more
people like
John the
Baptist to
go with
Jesus?
It would
have been
easier for
people who
do not
have any
time with
families or
family business
to follow
Jesus?
I suppose
God could
have done
that.
However,
we can
see that
God's plan
was to
gather people
into his
church,
not
monastery.
So God's
church is
made out of
people like
you and
me,
people with
families and
occupations.
If you
ask Peter
why he
obeyed
Jesus'
order,
he might
answer,
don't the
Baptist told
us that
Jesus was
the Messiah
we were
waiting for?
Andrew and
I did
check him
out and
found that
Jesus was
not an
ordinary
person.
How should
I explain
this?
Peter would
try to
imagine what
Peter would
say.
Jesus may
not be
attractive
physically,
but he
was beautiful.
He was
poor,
but he
lived like
the richest
person in
the world.
He was
troubled by
the suffering
and injustice
around him,
but he
was joyful
all the
time.
He was
humble,
but at
the same
time,
noble.
So there's
something about
this Jesus
that attracted
the first
disciples.
Peter may
ask,
you ask me
why you
obey him?
Would you
not obey
a man like
this?
You ask me
why I
give up my
family and
my job?
At first,
I did think
that I gave
up my
family and
my job
so that I
could help
create a
better world
for my
family by
following
Jesus.
Now I
understand that
I did not
give up
anything.
My family
was not
mine to
give up,
my job
was not
mine to
give up.
They
belonged to
God in
the first
place.
By
following
Jesus,
I gained
life.
My family
also gained
life.
I could
not hold
on to
my family
forever.
I could
not hold
on to
my job
forever.
But the
life in
Christ is
forever.
If you
ask Peter,
do you
know what
it meant
to follow
Jesus?
He
told my
answer.
In the
beginning,
I thought
I had
joined a
party of
political and
social,
change.
John the
Baptist said
the kingdom
of heaven
was at
hand.
I was
sick of
the injustice,
corruption,
oppression in
society.
I could
not wait
for the
kingdom of
heaven to
come.
I was
shocked when
Jesus started
to tell us
that he was
going to be
killed by
the current
political
leaders.
How do
you fight
injustice,
corruption,
and oppression
by being
killed by
such a
system?
I now
understand that
I was part
of the
disorders in
the society.
I could
not even
change myself.
How could I
think that I
could change
the world?
Jesus'
death was
necessary for
my sins to
be forgiven
and for me to
receive the
Holy Spirit.
It is only with
the Holy Spirit
that I could
become like
Jesus,
living a life
that brings
blessing to
others and
glory to
God.
If you
ask Peter,
which is
easier,
to catch
fish or
to catch
men?
Peter might
say,
there are
two different
matters.
You catch
fish to
sustain your
life.
To catch
men,
you need
to give
your life.
As Paul
told Titus
that all
men were
foolish,
disobedient,
led astray,
slave to
various passions
and pleasures,
passing their
days in
malaise and
envy,
hated by
others and
hating one
another.
Titus 3.3
How do you
catch men
like this?
It is
impossible
unless the
Holy Spirit
was in
you and
in their
hearts.
In the
kingdom of
heaven,
relationship
with God
and with
one another
is more
important than
personal comfort,
respect,
and self-expression.
Having a
sense of
mission,
a higher
purpose in
life is
also important.
As Jesus
becomes our
Savior and
Lord,
we will
have life.
And this
life will
come with
a mission.
In
Matthew 4,
23a,
we come to
the next
order,
the order
of logic.
That is,
what are the
most important
things in
life?
how do
we
logically
decide
what to
live for
or how
our life
should be?
Jesus went
throughout all
Galilee,
teaching in
the synagogues
and proclaiming
the gospel of
the kingdom.
We shall
learn some
of the
teachings of
Jesus in
the subsequent
chapters of
the gospel.
For now,
it is enough
for us to
understand that
Jesus was
the Logos.
The gospel of
John says,
in the
beginning was
the Logos,
and the
Logos was
God,
and the
Logos was
with God,
and the
Logos was
God.
Logos was
translated into
word in
English.
However,
Logos means
much more
than word as
we understand
it.
Logos also
means logic
and order.
What was
Jesus teaching?
He was
teaching that
there was
logic and
order in
the existence
of things.
We can only
understand this
when we know
this Logos.
Woly logic
tells us that
we have the
right to
comfort,
respect,
and self-expression.
When I'm in
pain,
or lose my
reputation,
or not given
a chance to
show others
what I can
do,
what should
I expect
from God?
I would
expect God
to intervene
and restore
my comfort,
respect,
and self-expression.
However,
as you know,
life seldom
turns up
like that.
Our pain,
our humiliation,
and our
obscurity
may persist
without any
deliverance.
We want a
God who
intervenes
on demand,
defeats our
enemies,
relieves our
sufferings,
solves our
problem quickly.
The first
disciples had
the same
expectation from
God.
In the
following
chapters of
Matthew,
we shall
see that
Jesus was
teaching
disciples about
suffering for
the kingdom
of heaven.
Holy logic
about life
does not
make sense
when we
suffer in
this
disorder and
disrupted
world.
The
logical
order of
things starts
with our
willingness to
suffer.
The
suffering is
not mainly
for others
or for
God,
but for
ourselves,
for us.
Holy logic
tells us that
we must
fight for
our rights,
otherwise our
life is not
worth living.
Jesus said,
deny yourself,
take up the
cross and
follow me.
It is only
when we
suffer the
loss of
comfort,
respect and
self-expression
that we can
start to
understand the
kingdom of
God.
Even John
the Baptist
had his
doubt about
Jesus when
John was
languishing in
prison.
We read
from Matthew
11, 2-6.
Now when
John heard
in prison
about the
deeds of
the Christ,
he sent
word by
his disciples
and said
to him,
are you
the one
who is
to come
or shall
we look
for another?
Why did
you not
say that?
Because the
Messiah who
came was
supposed to
set the
prisoner free
and he
was still
in prison.
And Jesus
answered
him,
go and
tell John
what you
hear and
see.
The blind
receive their
sight and
the lamb
walk.
Lepers are
cleansed and
the deaf
hear and
the dead
are raised
up and
the poor
have good
news preached
to them.
And blessed
is the one
who is not
offended by
me.
John the
Baptist was
wondering why
he was
suffering in
prison while
Jesus was
performing
miracles in
the community.
John the
Baptist was
like the
prophet Elijah.
They are
both faithful
servants of
God and
they both
expected God
to defeat
evil with
power.
Jesus replied
to John
was,
what I
preach and
what I
did are
enough to
reassure you
my identity.
I will
indeed defeat
evil and
restore order
to the
creation,
but not
in the way
or the
timing you
expect.
Do not
trust me
because I
do things
according to
your orders,
but trust
me because
of who
I am.
If we
live by
the logic
of the
world,
we will
be offended
by Jesus.
Jesus did
not come to
make our
earthly life
more comfortable.
Jesus did
not come to
help us to
fulfill ourselves.
He came to
live a life of
love and
obedience to
God.
In doing so,
He redeems us
and tells us
to follow Him.
The way of the
cross is the
only way for
us to be
different from
the way of
the world.
The way of
the cross is
the only way
for us to
find rest in
our souls.
And the
last one is
from Matthew
chapter 4,
verse 23,
B,
until,
and verse
25,
the order of
creation.
There is,
what does God
want,
what does God
want to change
in our minds
and our hearts,
in our thinking
as well?
There is,
why does God
create the
whole universe?
So God
created the
universe with
the seventh
day in mind.
It is the
day of rest.
The creation
was waiting
with ego,
longing for
the revealing
of the sons
of God.
That is
from Romans
8.
The creation
was subjected
to futility
and is waiting
to be set
free from
its bondage
to corruption
and obtain
the freedom
of the glory
of the children
of God.
God.
In the
presence of
Jesus,
the son of
God,
we see
the healing
of those
who were
afflicted with
virus,
disease,
and pain,
those oppressed
by demons,
epileptics,
and paralytics.
This is a
taste of what
is to come.
At the
revealing of
the sons
of God
in the day
when Jesus
comes again,
sickness,
demons,
pains,
and paralysis
will no longer
be able to
interrupt the
day of rest
for those
who are
in Christ.
We heard
the speaker
of the
parliament
telling members
to practice
Zen
to keep
orders.
The world
does not
know how
to keep
orders.
Practicing
Zen
may help
us to
calm down
for a while,
but it
does not
last long.
God
does not
tell us
to practice
Zen.
God
does not
just shout
order,
order.
He does
something about
this.
God sent
his son
in Jesus.
we see
orders.
Before
Jesus'
natural
and physical
disorders
submitted
themselves,
Jesus showed
us a more
excellent way
to live.
In Matthew
11,
verses 28
to 30,
Jesus said,
Come to
me,
all who
labor and
are heavy
laden,
and I
will give
you rest.
Take my
yoke upon
you and
learn from
me,
for I am
gentle and
lowly in
heart,
and you
will find
rest for
your soul,
for my
yoke is
easy and
my burden
is light.
The
order of
relation
is shown
in the
Trinity.
In the
baptism of
Jesus,
the Holy
Spirit
descended
on him,
and the
Father said,
This is
my beloved
son,
with whom
I am
well pleased.
Jesus
then gave
a new
commandment
to his
disciples,
love one
another.
When we
are called
to follow
Jesus,
we will
have the
ability
to love.
Real love
cause.
It
cause us
comfort,
respect,
and self-expression.
1 John
4, 7
said,
Beloved,
let us
love one
another,
and whoever
loves has
been born
of God
and knows
God.
How do
we love?
We love
when we
start
treasuring
God and
other people.
The order
of commission
is also
shown in
the Trinity.
As the
Father has
sent me,
so send
an eye
you.
When we
are called
to follow
Jesus,
we will
have a
sense of
mission in
life,
a mission
that makes
us forego
personal comfort,
respect,
and self-expression.
A missional
life does not
start with
preaching the
gospel.
It can,
but it
doesn't need
to.
It starts
with something
simple,
just like
being on
time,
being
considerate
to other
people,
and being
gospel-minded
in what
we do.
The order
of logic
is shown
in the
Trinity.
In the
beginning,
the world
was chaotic
and without
form.
The Spirit
of God
was hovering
over the
face of
the water.
God spoke,
and the
world obeyed
its creator
and became
orderly.
When we
are called
to follow
Jesus,
another change
is in our
mind.
Our minds
are being
renewed day
by day.
Through
suffering,
we gradually
learn to
trust God's
order of
things,
and not
demanding God
to do
things according
to our
own orders.
The order
of creation
is shown
in the
Trinity.
God set
aside the
seventh day
of the
Sabbath.
The Lord
Jesus said
He was
the Lord
of the
Sabbath.
Meanwhile,
Jesus said,
My Father
is working
until now,
and I am
working.
The Father
and Son
sent the
Holy Spirit
to convict,
comfort,
and bring
many sons
to glory.
The
restoration
of relationship,
the restoration
of regional
life,
and the
restoration
of our
minds
are all
necessary
to bring
us
rest
in the
pride in
God.
Jesus is
still
proclaiming,
repent for
the kingdom
of heaven
is at
hand.
Through
His
disciples,
Jesus is
still calling
and sending
disciples.
The way
of the
cross is
uncomfortable,
and often
humiliating,
and usually
means obscurity.
But as you
walk in it,
you will find
love,
purpose,
meaning,
and rest.
would you
repent of
your way
and follow
Him?
Let us
pray.
Father,
we
usually do
live in
darkness,
and many
a time
we don't
like
light,
because we
don't want
our
evil
is
exposed.
we
thank
you for
your
goodness
to us,
and you
pull us
out from
darkness,
and change
us,
and help
us to
see your
intended
way of
life,
what life
supposed to
be.
We
worship
you,
and to
know that
you are
the God
who created
all things
and ordered
all things.
Thank you,
Father.
We pray in
Jesus' name.
Amen.