 All right. Good morning everyone. Welcome to this class. Welcome to our students online as well. Good morning, sir. Thank you so much. All right, let's just get into what we studied the previous week. We looked at chapter 2, right? The Gospel of Jesus Christ and we established the fact that the gospel is more than enough when you're sharing to people, right? We don't need to add anything extra. We don't have to remove anything from it. The gospel can be just five minutes. And we studied in 1 Corinthians, we said the gospel is the power of God unto salvation. So it's not the person, right? We may be somebody very insignificant. We may be somebody who don't know the scriptures. That's all right. But when we are sharing the gospel, when we share the message of Jesus, it is the power of God unto salvation. Yes? Right? But we also saw the other aspect. The gospel is foolishness to those who are perishing. So for those who it doesn't mean anything, it's foolish. But it's the wisdom of God unto salvation. Right? So you and I, as believers, when we begin to share the gospel, we must understand this should be our foundation. Right? Because if our foundation is on anything else, for example, the way I speak or the way we look or the way we minister or the way our eloquence or speech, all of that is important. But if that is the foundation, we will fail. Our foundation must be the gospel is powerful. And God has commissioned us to share the gospel. Right? We looked at the word sozo. Right? How many of you remember the word sozo? Right? We saw that it is a big word. It has saved, healed, delivered, redeemed, blessed, delivered from the works of the devil. We are healed both in our body, in our spirit, in our soul, in our mind. And so when we become a believer, we receive sozo. It's not like our name is written in heaven and we are happy. That's not the end of it. There is so much eternal life begins when we receive the Lord Jesus as our personal saviour. Right? So we looked at different ways also. We can share the gospel, gospel in five minutes, gospel in two minutes. And let's get into chapter three today, power and love. Now, even as we keep sharing the gospel, it is very easy for us as believers to become very rude. We can become arrogant. We can think of ourselves very high of ourselves. Right? Now, remember the Lord Jesus, who is the son of God, he ministered in power and love. Nowhere we see when the Lord Jesus was doing his ministry was, did he minister out of hatred? Right? Because people came, Romans came, Gentiles came to him. People from different backgrounds came to him. People who are immoral, they came to him. But we see that everywhere Jesus ministered in love. Right? So let's read a couple of verses, right? First one, Matthew chapter nine was 36. So for those who are online, we don't have an additional mic this morning. So, you know, you can just follow along on your Bibles. But I request anyone here can read Matthew chapter nine and verse 36. Another person can open to Matthew chapter 14 and verse 14. Somebody else can also open Matthew 15, 32 and Mark 6, 34. Quickly, go ahead, read Matthew 9, 36. Yeah, when he saw the multitudes, when Jesus saw the multitudes, his heart was moved with compassion. It was not like Jesus was standing there and saying, Oh, now I'm famous. Now people know me, or now I will start a big ministry now. His heart was moved with compassion. Need the next one, Matthew 14, 14. This verse says he was moved with compassion and healed those who were sick. Right? Next one, Matthew 15, 32. Thank you. So Matthew 15, here in Matthew 15, there are crowds of people, hundreds of people following Jesus. And they've been with Jesus for three days. Now picture this, three days they've been with Jesus. Probably whatever they have, the food is over. Jesus say, I have compassion on them because they've been with me for three days. So he makes sure that they get what they need at that time. Matthew, sorry, Mark 6, 34. Right? So again, when Jesus came out, he saw that they were like sheep without a shepherd, he was moved with compassion. So what can you and I learn from this? Each one of us, as believers, we must minister in compassion. Compassion, love. Love is the greatest gift that God has given each one of us. You know, it's very easy in ministry to put up a show. Very easy. I have seen people do it. I've gone, traveled all across India and I've seen how it is to put up a show. We can put up a show, but Jesus didn't do that. What did he do? He ministered in compassion, in love. That should be the root of our ministry. I do ministry because I love God and I love people. If the reason we want to do ministry is because we want to become famous. We want to start a church and we want the pulpit. You know, people should see us. People should recognize us. People should call us pastor or people should call us prophet, apostle for fame. If that is the reason, then we have failed because Jesus didn't do that. What did he do? He moved with compassion. He loved them. That is why he did all of it. What does John 3 16 say? God saw up the world. So very important, each one of us. Now, you know, when I joined ministry, I was a little boy, probably 20 years old. I started preaching. I didn't understand so many things. I didn't understand that ministry is about love. I go to love people. Sometimes, you know, when we are young, we want to do so much for God. That's wonderful. But I wish there was somebody who told me when I was young, get your foundations right. So each one of you get your foundation right. Why you're doing what you're doing? You ask yourself, right? So you go back to your rooms, pray and ask God, fill me with your love that I can minister to people and I can do your ministry. That's what Jesus did, right? So let's look at it. First one, we minister in power. John chapter 14, 1 through 13. You can keep reading it. I may stop you in between. John chapter 14 verse 1 through 13. Let's move to chapter 12. Move to chapter 12. Sorry, verse 12. 14 verse 12. Verse 12 onwards. Okay. I just want to let's focus on this verse, right? Verse 12 says, I tell you the truth. Anyone, say everyone, say anyone, anyone, right? Anyone, anyone has faith in me will do what I have done. He will do even greater things than this because I'm going to the father. Now, who is testifying of this? Who's saying this? Jesus. Jesus is telling his disciples, see, if you have faith in me, greater things than what I did, you will do. So Jesus is giving his disciples a commission, right? Now, in the Greek, the word greater does not mean in essence, right? Now, let me explain. Jesus walked in water. Can we walk on water? Okay. Okay. Now, the essence is not what Jesus is talking about. Jesus is talking about greater meaning in numbers, in quantity, right? Jesus ministered for how many years? Three and a half years. He did certain, did miracles. But when he's talking about the church, he's talking the greater things you will do. It is about numbers, right? Doing more than what Jesus did right now in terms of numbers, right? So if you look all across the world, there are millions and millions of miracles that are happening, even today, right? So the numbers are more. Now, Jesus is saying, greater works than what I did, you will do. And he's saying this with just one criteria. What is that criteria? If you have, if you have faith in me, that's all he wants, right? He says that if you have faith in me, greater things than what I did, you will do, right? So the Lord Jesus encourages us. He's exhorting us to be men and women or believers, to walk in power. Power is very important, right? Power and compassion is like salt and, you know, sugar and salt or salt and pepper. You need them, right? They go together. God has called us to walk in power, but also to walk in love, right? Now, how does power come? What does the Bible teaches us? Acts chapter one, come on. We should know this. Acts one, verse eight. Acts chapter one and verse eight. You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, right? So the moment you and I are filled with the Holy Spirit, we will receive power. The Greek word to be witness means to be willing to, the Greek word witness here means martyr. So if you look at the original Greek, you will be, you know, the Holy Spirit will come upon you and you will be willing, you'll be filled with power to be a martyr for Jesus Christ. Everyone know what martyr is? Martyr means somebody who's willing to give their life for Jesus, like the disciples, right? Somebody who's willing to give their life. Now, look at this best example of Peter, Peter and the other disciples. When Jesus was dying, where were they? At the cross, where were the other disciples? They were all fearful. They were all hiding, right? But Acts chapter two happens. The Holy Spirit comes upon them on Pentecost. They're filled with power. They're anointed of the Holy Spirit. What happens? Acts chapter three, the same Peter who was scared and afraid and running away. Now he's coming and saying, coming to the temple, standing in front of all the Pharisees and saying, the people that you have killed, the person that you have killed is now alive. He's the Messiah and through the name of Jesus, everyone will be seeing, Holy preaching the gospel. What is the difference? Same Peter, same fisherman. I didn't do 10 weeks Bible college course and come. No. It was probably one and a half months or probably three months, two to three months. That's it. Same Peter, same fisherman. I said, Jesus, I don't know who's Jesus. Same person is standing here in front of all the people in Jerusalem and he's preaching with such boldness. If you read in Acts, they say, where did this fellow get all his reigning from? Isn't he a fisherman? What is the difference? Same person. One is fearful here. He's anointed by the Holy Spirit. The same Peter, when he's walking the streets of Jerusalem, his shadow is healing people. So imagine this Peter's shadow ministry. Everyone are carrying, Peter's coming. So they're carrying sick people, putting them on the streets and as Peter's walking, they're healed. How? The anointing of the Holy Spirit. That's all it is, baptism of the Holy Spirit. Here, the same Peter. Here, it's the same Peter. Only one difference, the baptism of the Holy Spirit. So when you and I have to minister in power, how many of us want power? What is power in Hindi? Samarth, correct? We need power. Now, let me tell you this. You and I cannot do any kind of ministry without the power of the Holy Spirit. It'll be a big zero. You understand? We can know this Bible in and out, right? But without the baptism, without the anointing of the Holy Spirit, we will not be able to. Because Jesus Himself said, go and wait. I'll send the Holy Spirit. Only then you can do ministry. So for us to be powerful, to walk in the power of God, what do we need? Anointing, the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Every day, you and I should pray, say, God baptize, baptize me with the Holy Spirit. Remove. By nature, we are fearful. By nature, by our own, we are not able to do things. By our own, can we do? We can do certain things. We need the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I always tell people, it's easy to start a church, right? Especially now, if you talk about early 1990s to early 2000s, it was a little difficult to start a church, right? You have to do so many things. Now it's very easy. You're 18 years old. Open a trust, start a church. It's easy to start a church. But what does Jesus say? You shall be known by your fruit. So if you want the church to be powerful, you as a leader, I as a leader, must ask God for the power of the Holy Spirit. Only that will make the difference. You're with me, right? Otherwise, we can start something. But there won't be any power in that. Because we need the power of the Holy Spirit, right? There were times when, you know, I've traveled across North India. And there are times when, you know, these people who are possessed by demons. Now, it's easy to talk about it. You know, when I studied, I got full marks in everything. I did very well in my studies in Bible college and all of that. But when I went and saw with my own eyes on paper, it's a different story altogether. It's important to study. It's important to learn the Word of God. It's important to do well. I remember I was in, I think it was Kashmir. And we're there and this young boy, maybe 20 years old, highly possessed. He came right in front. He suddenly, he gave a look that shook me. I was full of the Holy Spirit and I was prayed and all of that. And it was a conference. We had about 200 people there. I was probably my early 20s, 23, 24, right? Young boy. I knew, I thought I knew everything from the Bible. Like I studied really hard. I saw that. No, all this Bible knowledge was there, but everything is gone. Because it's when you look at it, when you look at a person who's possessed. It's a different story. I'm sure most of us have seen in North India. It's a different story altogether. We cannot say, you know, I have a degree in BTH. I have two certificates in English and two certificates and he doesn't care. You know, I get up at five o'clock and pray. Good for you. You know, I can sing 10 songs in a row, 10 worship songs, 10 praise and praise songs. Continuously I can sing. It doesn't matter to him. But if the Holy Spirit is inside us, there will be a change. So I remember that day. It's very fearful. I went back home to the room and I prayed and I said, God, why is it that I got fear? Why was I fearful? You said, I don't have a spirit of fear, but of power, love and sound mind. When I saw this person who's younger to me, I have so much of fear. Why is it? I felt the Holy Spirit telling me because you're trying to do this ministry on your own. You're trying to stand on your own ability. You're standing on your knowledge. You stand on my authority. You stand in the power of the Holy Spirit. I said that night I said, God, I want to change the way I minister. I prayed and I said, God, I'm going to go back tomorrow. I'm not going to stand on my own. Stand on your Holy Spirit, on your power, your authority. I remember the next day we went. Same thing happened during the prayer and the ministry time, right? All of us are praying in tongues and came. The same thing, same, exactly the same event happened like the previous day. They came and they stood, there was zero fear. And because of that zero fear, there was boldness. All of a sudden I was saying, hey, you can't do anything. I was able to minister, pray, eventually those demons left. But you see the difference. We do something on our own. Do not last long, but when it's anointed of God, God will use us. We need the power of God in ministry, especially in ministry, right? Acts chapter 5 and verse 32, let's read that. Acts 5 and 32. And we are witnesses to these things and to whom God has given the Holy Spirit. Now you and I, now we know that all of us, we have not seen Jesus face to face. There will come a time we will see him face to face. But you and I are witnesses of the Gospel. It says there, now when you look, when you read the whole of Acts, in Acts 5, you see that Peter and John testify about Jesus. What does it say? We are witnesses. You are telling us that not to preach in the name of Jesus. Now let me tell you, I'm a witness. Now how many of you know what the meaning of a witness is? Let me give you an example, right? You're going on the road, you're driving somewhere and from far away you see one accident. You see two bikes banged each other and they both are fighting. But you know exactly because you're an eyewitness, you have seen everything. But they both are fighting there. So what would you do? You'll go and you'll say, hey, I saw with a few. You were actually wrong. This other person was going the right way. You came the wrong way and that's why this accident. So I saw it. So you're an eyewitness. So in some cases if they call the police, police will say, who's seen the whole event that's happened? Say, hey, I'm an eyewitness. They'll take you also and go. You'll sign you're an eyewitness. You have seen it. Now Jesus, during Jesus's time, Peter and John were eyewitnesses. They saw Jesus. They saw his ministry. They sat with Jesus. They ate with him. They slept with him. They traveled with him. They saw him doing his wonderful ministry. Imagine 5,000 people are there. Jesus is taking 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish and saying, give everyone. How will Peter feel? What are you talking? How will the disciples feel? They've seen the miracles. The end of that whole incident. 12 bags full. It's like Jesus was saying all the disciples take one bag home. 12 bags full. They've seen Jesus walking on water. They saw they've seen Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. What did he do? Weep and cry. What did Jesus do in Lazarus' tomb? He said, oh, please God, please, please, Father, thank you. Lazarus, come forth. He came. Simple. They've seen the miracles. They're eyewitnesses. And when Jesus said, I am the Messiah, they believed. And what happened? He said he'll die. He'll rise again from the dead. That's what he did. Now Peter and John are testifying. If you call some of our alumni, alumni means those who have completed our training here, they'll testify of the college. This is a college. These are the subjects. This is how we studied. They'll testify whether they were blessed or not and everything. So they're eyewitnesses. Now you and I may not be eyewitnesses, but we are witnesses of Jesus Christ. We are witnesses. And as witnesses, just like Peter and John and all the other disciples walked in power, you and I must walk in power. Let me give you the story. It's a real story. In the early 60s, there was a man named David Wilkerson. He was a pastor. And he started a church in the countryside, a small church, about 100 people. And every Sunday he would go preach. But one day as he was praying, he said, God, I'm only preaching about the Holy Spirit. I'm preaching about your power. I'm preaching about your anointing, but I don't see it. I want to see it in my life. I want to see the Holy Spirit's power working with my own eyes. So one day he was reading the newspaper he saw in New York. That's another city. There was a lot of gangs, gang fights and people, children, 12 years, 15 years old, gang fights and they're being killed. Now David Wilkerson said he was a pastor. He said he left his comfortable life. He went to the city and he started ministering to the people. And these are drug addicts, gangsters. They could have killed him at any time. But then he saw the power of God working. Many of these gangsters, gang leaders, drug addicts put their weapons down and they gave their life to Christ. He wrote a book. The name of the book is called The Cross and the Switchblade. The switchblade is that blade. You press it and then the knife comes up. The gangsters used to use that. The name of his book is The Cross and the Switchblade. It's a powerful book. It talks about how the cross is more powerful than any weapon in this world. Let's read Hebrews chapter 2, verse 3 and 4. Hebrews chapter 2, verse 3 and 4. Let's look at verse 4. That's so powerful. Verse 4, God also testified. Right? So it was not like Jesus is saying, okay, go do ministry. No. God, our Lord Jesus, he testified this gospel by signs, wonders and miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his own will. So when you and I are doing ministry, if there's signs, wonders and miracles, it is because God has testified it through his gospel. This is what Jesus wanted to do. And this is what will keep going on. Let me tell you this. Any kind of bill may come. The Church of God will never stop. It will never stop. Let any kind of persecutions will come. If you read the book of Revelation, the persecutions will grow stronger and stronger. But the Church, the body of Christ will never stop. Miracles will never stop. Signs and wonders will never stop. It will not stop because this is God who is building his church. Right? So isn't that an encouragement for us? A government may say hundreds of things, but God doesn't work on that level. God's level is somewhere else. When God says, I will testify of the gospel with signs, wonders and miracles. And people will see signs, wonders and miracles. And people will be added to the church. The church is not going to stop just because some people come and burn one church. No. God is going to build the church even bigger and greater. But he needs you and us. He needs us to build his church. For that we need the power. Right? So it is very simple. God is saying, are you willing? If we say yes, he'll say, I'll give you the power. If we say no, he will not push us. He's gentle. You say, no, I don't want to do ministry. I want to do something else. Or I want to do, you can do anything else. Right? You can start your business, do something in the corporate. But what he wants is, he wants us to, you know, to scare the gospel, to minister to people, signs, wonders and miracles to happen. Right? With these signs, wonders and miracles, God will testify the gospel. Each one of us, when we are preaching, a time will come. Right? Now is the time to study. The time will come. You will go back. You will preach. You will minister to people. And you will be surprised when you're laying hands on the sick, they will be healed. When you lay hands on people who are brokenhearted, they will feel comforted. And you'll feel, hey God, thank you for using me. It's not like we are perfect. Right? But that is the greatest joy that we can have to minister and power, to minister in authority. Right? Next one. We minister with compassion. Let's read 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 14 and 15. Yeah. Guys died for all that we, those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for him. You know, let me give you an understanding of what's happening here in the church in Corinth. Now in this church, in the church in Corinth, there was division. Right? So if you, let's, let's just go to 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 13. Let me read this. Right? Now verse 12 and 13. 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 12 and 13. It says, what I mean is this. One of you says, I follow Paul. Another, I follow Paulos. Another, I follow Cephas. Still another, I follow Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? Right? Now what is happening in this church is that there is division within the church. Some are saying I follow Paul. Some are saying I follow Paulos. Some are saying I follow Peter. Some are saying I follow Jesus. Now this is a big problem. Is it a problem or no? Right? When a church is divided, is it powerful? Right? For example, all of us are here. If we have to be one team, we have to have unity, oneness. Right? But if there's division, it causes chaos. Anger, jealousy, strife, hatred, all of these things will start. Right? Hey, you're in that team. And there's another group saying I follow Paul. Another group is saying I follow Paulos. That's a big problem. So Paul is writing and he's saying is Christ divided? No, we're one body. And so the background of this is when Paul is saying Jesus died on the cross for all. If we are in him, we're all included in that. So he's ministering in compassion. He's saying there's no division. There's no division in the body of Christ. Remember this, when the Lord Jesus looks at us, we may be Methodist, Pentecost, whatever the backgrounds are there, many other things are Baptist and all kinds of backgrounds, denominations are there. That is man-made denominations. We have different styles of worship, different ways of worship, different methods of preaching. So every church is different. Right? But when the Lord Jesus, he looks at us, he looks at us as one body. He's not looking at us and saying, okay Methodist, you go sit there. Baptist, you go sit there. No, he's looking at us as one body washed by the blood of Jesus. So when we go to heaven, there is no denominations. There is no pastor, prophet, apostle, nothing. So all these titles will last only for a while. When we are in heaven, one thing the Lord Jesus sees are we washed by the blood of Jesus. Because it is through the cross. Christ died for us through the cross that we find forgiveness. We find the love of God. So as believers, you and I must walk in this compassion. Avoid divisions, avoid things that can cause strife and anger and jealousy. These are natural things which come into our life. But as we did in the first week, we need to lay the axe. Sometimes we may feel jealous of somebody else. Lay the axe. Say, God, I don't want this. When you pray, you say, God, I don't want to be jealous. Please remove it out of me. And the Holy Spirit will remove it. Or when you may feel by nature, we may feel jealous of people or angry or we may hate people. Now, for example, there are people of other faiths. And when we look at them, sometimes we may, our heart may be filled with hate. How can they do this? How can they follow these wrong things? How can they live in such a sin? Now, it's very important to remember that we were also in sin. That Christ died for them also. So we need to tell ourselves, God, I remove this hatred, remove pride, remove anger. Remove these things from my heart that I may walk in love. I love what the Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13. Let's read that. Let's read 1. 1 Corinthians 13, sorry, verse 4 to 13. Let's read that entire passage. 1 Corinthians chapter 13 verses 4 through 13. Right. So in chapter 12, Paul is writing one big passage. We have different kinds of gifts. We have prophecy, word of knowledge. We have, you know, speaking in tongues, working of miracles, gift of faith. He's listing down all the gifts and the church is already flowing in all the gifts of the spirit. Now, isn't that wonderful? Imagine a church, all of them are prophesying. There's people who can speak in tongues, working of miracles. Wonderful. But chapter 1, there's division. Now, chapter 13, he's saying, love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy. It does not boast. Love is not proud. It's not easily angered. It is not people record of wrong. Love does not delight in the evil, but chooses what is right. Love never fails. Gives us big list. And then he ends it by saying, these three remain. Faith, hope and love. The greatest of this is love. Everything else will cease. The gifts, the prophecy, the word of knowledge, working of miracles, everything will cease. It will stop. The love of God will remain. So Paul is writing to a church that's already flowing in the gifts of the spirit. So what does it teach us? We can prophesy. We can have word of knowledge. We can have gifts of the spirit speak in tongues. But still we can be in a place and walk in anger and jealousy and pride. Paul is saying, walk in love. The greatest of all of this is love. That is why the Lord Jesus set the example. Each one of us, even whatever we are doing, right? We come here to study, to learn. It's good to exercise spiritual gifts. It's good to study and learn. But don't forget to walk in love. Because the greatest of all of this is love. Amen? The greatest of all of this. You can say, oh, I know so much. I know how to do this and that and this. That's wonderful. But are we walking in love? It's a question. First Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 1 through 8 here. Paul is writing to the Thessalonians. First Thessalonians chapter 2. I'll read a couple of verses here. First Thessalonians 2, 1 through 8. He says, we have previously suffered and have been insulted in Philippi. As you know, but with the help of our God, we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition for the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives or nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as men approved of God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God who tests our hearts. You know that we never did come with flattery. Not that we speak with a mask to cover up our greed. God is our witness. We are not looking for praise from men, not from you or from anyone else. So he goes on in that passage and he says, through all the hardships, Philippi was a church that was going through a lot of persecutions. And sorry, Thessalonica was a church which went through a lot of persecutions. And Paul is saying in all those persecutions, in all those challenges and oppositions that we faced, we see the love of God. The love of God encouraged us. The love of the church, the people encouraged us to continue the gospel. So I want to leave us today with these two points. As we minister the gospel, two very important things. Number one is what? Love. You can say number one is love to walk in the love of God. Number two is to walk in the power of God. Only if you love somebody will you share the gospel with them. Now, for example, you're outside, you're seeing somebody, you may not feel love for them. Somebody is just walking on the road. How can I feel love for them? But when the Holy Spirit, you ask the Holy Spirit, minister to me. When I'm ministering to this person, I can minister in love. Holy Spirit will pour out his love upon our heart. Suddenly we will not look at them as with hatred or with anger or with people of different, you know, faiths, but we will look at them with love. As Paul writes, he says, love breaks barriers. Divisions are broken when we walk in love, right? So we'll stop here. We'll pick up from chapter four next week. Any questions? Right? So I want to encourage each one of us. Will we do this? Right? Yes. I want to encourage you, you know, just walk in love. The love of God will teach us. The love of God will bless the work of our hands, bless our ministry, bless everything that we are doing. Right? So that your time here is fruitful. Right? Let's pray. Father, we thank you for this time. We thank you for your word. We thank you, Lord, for teaching us so wonderfully that, Lord, we are to walk in love, to walk in power. We are your children, Lord, enable us, equip us, empower us to walk in this God kind of love, to glorify your name, Lord. Kill us with your love. Thank you, Lord. We thank you for your Holy Spirit. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. God bless you all. God bless everyone here online. Thank you for joining. Have a great week. Thank you very much, sir.