 All right. Welcome once again to the local church course. I hope you all are doing well. Thanks for joining in, guys. All right. Let's pray and we'll get started. Can I request one of you to please lead us in prayer? Zalatoli, can I request you to start us off with prayer, please? Sure, Pastor. Let's pray. Farragad, we come before your presence in the name of Jesus. We thank you so much for this session, Lord, as we begin our class. I pray that, Lord, you bless our pastor so that he can teach your work according to your will, empower him, and give him your wisdom, your grace to teach this morning also, and bless each one of us who are going to attend the class. Lord, you lead us on the street, you guide us on the street in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Thank you. All right. So let's start with where we left off last week. So we concluded with the chapter 14. It talks about the local church as the temple of God and how it was in the temple that God manifested his glory. It was in the temple that he, which was his dwelling place, was his resting place, and then how we as a church are also known or called to be the temple of God, right? And the whole purpose and the objective and the point of the temple was not just for the sake of having a temple, temple of God. The point was that it was his sanctuary, that God was dwelling. It was a dwelling place for him, right? And so that's how we looked at it and how we are called to be. Our local churches have to be a sanctuary. We as individuals and as a collective are called to be the temple of God, where he dwells among us in us. That's right. So today we'll continue with chapter 15, where we talk about the local church as Zion, as God's chosen people, right? Can someone read for us the scripture in the notes? Hebrews chapter 12 is 22 to 24, please. Hebrews chapter 12 verse 22 to 24. But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heaven in church heaven, to a new ever company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first one who was registered as heaven, to God the judge of all, to the spirits of just men, made perfect to Jesus, the mediator of the new kind and to the blood of the people. That's the better thing than that. Thank you. So we see that the writer of Hebrews is very clear in explaining or telling that through it's through Jesus Christ that we are now part of, we are His people. We are part of Mount Zion. Again, we're going to talk about it in detail in this chapter about the way it was viewed in the Old Testament and in the way it's viewed in the New Testament and all of that, right? But so the New Testament believers are referred to with an Old Testament term as Zion, which means chosen people. We are God's chosen people. It's as simple as that, right? So and then we see that Apostle Peter also refers to Zion as church, right? And we see that in 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 6, therefore it is also contained in the scripture, behold I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect precious and he who believes on him will by no means be put to shame. Okay, so here Peter is saying that, hey, we are part of Zion, we are God's chosen people and Jesus is the chief cornerstone of it all, right? And we've been reading about this from the beginning that how he is the head of the church, right? Jesus is the head of the church. As a body of Christ, Jesus is our head, right? And similarly here in a different language or different terminology, so to say, that we as His people, His chosen people, He's our chief cornerstone, right? And we go on to see that in, let's read that verse again, 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 6, therefore it is also contained in the scripture, behold I lay in Zion, I lay, I rest, that's my dwelling place, right? It's a place, again in the Old Testament it was a, it was so much more, it was a mount where the temple was built, right? The Mount Zion, that's why it's called Mount Zion, the temple, the sanctuary was there, God dwelt in that sanctuary, okay? But let's a little bit of that a little later. And so, and Peter goes on to explain, you know, in the same chapter, 1 Peter chapter 2 was 9 to 12 and some of the words that we are familiar of, and you heard already, says, but you are a chosen generation, right? A royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him. And so, when we realize that we are His chosen people, and His chosen people were known, called as Zion, right? And then you see everything, okay, there was this temple of God that was built on, that was set on Mount Zion. And then everybody who were involved, they were what? Levitical priesthood, isn't it? Right? They were the priesthood, they were considered to be the holy tribe set apart for God. And if you read their history in the book of Deuteronomy and Numbers, God says, okay, for the tribe of Dan, they get this piece of land for this, this tribe gets this piece of land, and this tribe gets this piece of land, and this tribe, you know, goes on, they get that piece of land. And when it came to the tribe of Levites, God says, they are not going to get any inheritance in the form of a land, I am going to be their inheritance, I am their inheritance, right? So that's the most beautiful thing. And then now, fast forward to the New Testament, New Covenant, we see that He is our inheritance, right? Jesus is our inheritance. So those are the things that, you know, Peter kind of highlights in 1 Peter chapter 2, verse 9 and 12 that, hey, we are His chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him. And so this is a duty as His chosen people, we are not chosen for the sake of being chosen. And as I always say, and then just go about doing whatever you want to do, have fun, know, we are His special people, chosen generation that we may proclaim the praises of Him, right? We are called to proclaim, declare, right? The praises of Him who calls you out of darkness into His marvelous light, who once were not a people, but are now the people of God, right? But once who are not a people. So in the Old Covenant, I've mentioned this before that there are only two kinds of people. One is the people in the Covenant, and two, those who are not in the Covenant. It's as simple as that, right? And later it got to know that they got the name called Hebrews, and then everybody else were Gentiles. So the Hebrews were the people in the Covenant, and everybody else Gentiles didn't matter which country you're from. It just means that you're a person who are not in the Covenant, okay? And so verse 11, Peter says, Beloved, I beg you, surgeons and pilgrims are stained from fleshly lust which war against the soul. Having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works which they observe glorify God in the day of visitation, right? So Gentiles observe, everybody observes, everybody sees, and then there's this standard being raised for us. It's like, hey, you are being watched because you are my people. The way you do life is very important because you represent me, right? That's the word we use very often, isn't it? Represent. And then when you break it, you are representing, right? And as Paul says, we become his ambassadors, ambassadors of Christ, right? And what we do, how we do, is being observed. And even when it came to, we studied a little bit about sonship glory. We studied about glory and sonship glory in the last class, right? If you remember how Jesus displayed, demonstrated, manifested sonship glory in everything that he did, he revealed the Father. In other words, he represented the Father. And so Jesus goes on to say that, hey, if you don't believe me, it's okay, fine. At least see the works that I am doing, right? And then believe because all my works display and reveal who God is, who the Father is, right? And so the standard is being set a little high here right now. I mean, we all know that. And so as his people, we are his chosen people, we are called to praise him, to proclaim him, right? And to have a conduct of life that is appreciated and has an impact on the Gentiles, right? So let's take a little brief history of Zion, right? So in page 108, Zion again is God's chosen people. Now, and as you read through the Old Testament, right? You see that word evolves, okay? It's, as mentioned in the notes, it's first, it's, it's, it's mentioned for the first time in Second Samuel, chapter five, verse seven, right? It's referred to a specific mountain of physical, geographical, and actual mountain, right? Which was known as Mount Zion, right? On which it was a stronghold that had to be captured, right? I'm not sure if you've seen forts in your life, you know, forts kind of, they're like stronghold, isn't it? And so if, if any, if an enemy wanted to conquer or invade a land geographically, right, militarily, they had to defeat a stronghold. It's a stronghold that place has a stronghold on it so the enemy cannot penetrate, right? And so Mount Zion was such a place like that. It was inhabited by the Jebusites, right? And then David had to conquer, defeat them militarily. And once that was done, it was later also known as an extension of Jerusalem as the city of David. And so Mount Zion was not too far away from Jerusalem. Jerusalem originally, you know, was known, later becomes known as a city of David. And then Mount Zion is attached to it as well, right? So it's a city of David. Mount Zion is also known as a city of David. And so David, after David captures the stronghold of Zion, where you can read all about it in first Kings and first Chronicles and second Chronicles, which is called as a city of David, right? And it is on that mount where Solomon also builds the temple, right? And then you see Zion expanded in meaning to include the temple and the area surrounding it, which is the city of Jerusalem as well, right? So, and now, as I mentioned, the word kind of evolves, right? From Mount Zion, you can see as you read through the Old Testament, it was eventually used for people. It's like, okay, they are the people of Zion. It simply means chosen people, right? So Zion was eventually used as the name of the city for Jerusalem, the land of Judah, and the people of Israel as a whole, okay? So Zion was eventually used as the name for the city of Jerusalem, the land of Judah, which was the nation of Judah, and the people of Israel as a whole, okay? And so, and that was referred to the people in the covenant. And then fast forward to the New Testament, the New Covenant. We are now the people of the covenant as well. That means we are the chosen people. We are part of Zion, just as we read in Hebrews chapter 12, verse 22 and 24, but you have come to Mount Zion, right? The Hebrew writer says, to the city of the living God, a heavenly Jerusalem to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly of and the church of the firstborn, who are registered in heaven, right? So we've been like baptized, baptized as in what brought into, immersed into this kingdom of God, right? So we are his people now, okay? And so, what's the big deal about all this talk on Zion, right? God dwells once again. He dwells and rules in Zion, right? Zechariah chapter 2, verse 10. He says, sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold I am coming and I will dwell in your midst, right? Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold I am coming and I will dwell in your midst, right? If you remember what Psalm 22, verse 3, it says, for God is enthroned on the praises of his people. Another version says, in the midst of his people, he is enthroned, right? He again, guys, I mean, the heart of God is so amazing. It's just in so many different ways and so many different words and so many different expressions, God is saying, I will be your God, you will be my people. And he's saying that and he's expressing that in so many different ways, right? Okay, so I am coming and I will dwell in your midst. I will tabernacle in your midst, right? And Psalm 2, verse 6 and 8, it says, yet I have set my king on my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree, the Lord has said to me, you are my son, today I have begotten you, right? You see that you are my son, today I have begotten you, there's this bringing into this family, there's a declaration of saying, I am yours and you are mine. And all of this is happening as being declared from the holy hill of Zion, right? And then it goes on to say, ask of me and I will give you the nations as your inheritance. Who can give nations or lands as inheritance? Only a king can do that, right? Only the king who's reigning and ruling has the right and the authority to give a piece of land as their inheritance, right? It's like the scroll, right? You know, one of this imagery that comes to my mind is the imagery of, you know, Jesus in Revelation, of a John is seeing in Revelation chapter 5, he says, is there, you know, I turned and looked around, there was, you know, he was weeping because there was no one worthy to open the scroll, because the scroll represented inheritance. And because there was no one, you know, John was feeling like I'm left as an orphan because there was no one to open the scroll worthy enough to open the scroll to inherit, right? And so the story, the history of the scroll is, the only the one who's worthy could open it, right? So I think sometime, somewhere in the 70s, right? I hope you're still alive. But sometime in the 70s, the scroll of Caesar, Julius Caesar was found, okay, the inheritance, it was the archaeologist kind of discovered it, found it. And, you know, only the person from his lineage or his descendant can open the scroll. And not even the archaeologist who found it, it was, it's illegal, nobody can do that, right? Only his descendant was worthy enough to open the scroll. So that's the story here is only the king who's ruling and reigning can say, hey, ask me, I will give you the nations as your inheritance because now you are my son, and today I have begotten you and you are mine. I can give you whatever I want to give, like ask away kind of thing, right? And so he dwells and rules among his people, right? God dwells and rules among his people. He dwells, God rests, okay? He's tabernacled. In the previous chapter we saw that the church is the temple of God and it is in his temple where God dwells and he rests. And because now we are called the temple of God and now we are his chosen people, God chooses to rule and reign through his church, that is through you and me. Be with me, right? So we are his people to see his rule and kingdom extend through the nations and to the ends of the earth. And no wonder Jesus taught us to pray like our Father who art in heaven, I will be that name. Your kingdom come, your will be done. We are praying, right? So it is through us that his kingdom is manifested, right? Because we are his chosen people, we are his church. So God dwells and rules in Zion. Another aspect that we see is that out of Zion he shines, right? Out of Zion he shines. Okay, so once again the temple was in the mount. That means it's not difficult for us to not see what is on the mount, right? Everybody can see the temple on the mount and you know that we all know that that's where God dwells. And if you look at the tabernacle of Moses, I'm sure you've seen some images of it, it says he led them as cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, right? And the tabernacle of Moses had three partitions, the outer courts, inner courts and the holy of holies, right? And so there was this cloud, a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire, you know, from the holy of holies that would rise up to the skies. I mean some images, it's not like I've seen the tabernacle of Moses but then some images and also the way the scriptures painted, you can imagine, right? And so that is to say that every tribe that was camped or encamped around the tabernacle, every tribe and every nation surrounding could see that the glory of God was resting in his place. And that means a glory, I mean this brightness, this light. And so in other words, he was shining from his throne on earth, right? And so Psalm 50 verse 1 and 2 says, the mighty one, God the Lord has spoken and called the earth from the rising of the sun to its going down. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God will shine forth, right? Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God will shine forth. So God desires and now that we are his chosen people, he desires to manifest and shine through you and me, through the local church as individuals and as a collector, right? Again, the classic scripture that I'm reminded is that we are called to be the light of the world, isn't it? And that it is his light that shines through us. So yeah, more on that a little later, probably in the next chapter. So God displays his glory and splendor out of Zion. And now in the New Covenant, we are a Zion, we are his chosen people and he desires to shine through us. And the question comes back to us, and are we letting him shine through us? Are our lives, you know, portraying, showing that imagery and allowing him to shine through us, right? And then there is deliverance on Mount Zion. Obadiah writes in Obadiah chapter 1, or 17 and 21, but on Mount Zion, there shall be deliverance. There shall be holiness. The house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. Okay, on Mount Zion, there shall be deliverance. There is freedom where we've been delivered from darkness and brought into his marvelous light. We've been delivered and there shall be holiness. His people will be set apart. His people are called to live a life of holiness. His church is called to be holy, right? The Greek Latin word for church is what ecclesia, ecclesia, that means called out or set apart, right? So when God says, I called you out of darkness and placed you into the most marvelous light, simply saying, I've set you apart. I have delivered you from darkness, right? So that means there is deliverance in his calling out. And then we are empowered to live a life of holiness and there shall be holiness, right? And then it doesn't stop. There goes on to say that the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. We will take what is rightfully ours, which is given to us by God, right? And that's again, it's just going back and forth to Psalm 2 and says, now ask of me and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, right? So what is rightfully ours will be given, right? And then verse 21 gets interesting, then saviours shall come to Mount Zion to judge the mountains of Esau. So Esau again is represent symbolic of the enemy, right? So in the previous verse we see Jacob. So Jacob and Esau, brothers, isn't it? So Jacob again represent the people in the covenant. Esau represents people of those who are not in the covenant. So in the new covenant, the church are the people in the covenant, the enemy. So Esau is a symbol of the enemy, the darkness, right? The kingdom of darkness. So and it goes on to say that the church, we will have victory over the kingdom of the enemy over the powers of darkness, right? And the kingdom shall be the lords, right? So just very quickly, just a quick recap, God dwells, okay? He dwells and reigns from Zion, where he shines out of Zion. There is deliverance on Mount Zion, right? And as if all of that was not good enough, gets even better, says the Lord roars from Zion, right? Joel chapter 3 verse 16 paints this beautiful imagery. He says, the Lord also will roar from Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem. The heavens and the earth will shake, but the Lord will be a shelter for his people and the strength of the children of Israel, right? The Lord shall roar. And again, everybody, the world will know that the God of all the earth is dwelling amongst us because his light shines, just like in the tabernacle of Moses, where every nation could see, every tribe could see the God is dwelling and they were scared, right? They would know, okay, the presence of a holy is there, right? And then he roars from Zion. That's a very, it's a battle ready kind of a thing, is that I am with you, right? And so the voice of the Lord is released from Zion. He will show forth his strength from among his people, right? This is an awesome song by Paul Wilbur. Not sure if you think you guys know. What is it? It's called Can You Hear It? And you should listen. Okay, so can you hear it, a thunder in the distance? When we worship the lion of Judah roars, there'll be victory in the camp at the shout of El Shaddai, every enemy will flee with the fire in his eyes. So, yeah, that's one song. You should listen to it. It's amazing, right? So the Lord roars from Zion, as in he's, it's a mark of stamping his authority. He's saying, Hey, this is my, this is my territory, right? We get the imagery of the lion roaring saying, I am here. It's just to give a sign saying, you know, just letting everybody know I'm here. This is my territory or you are in my territory. Okay, you should know that I am the king. So beware, you're treading on dangerous ground kind of thing, right? So it's beautiful to have this imagery to know. I mean, just with all these things to know that God dwells in us. He shines through us. There's deliverance in his presence. And we are his people are called to carry out, you know, that the message of the gospel that brings about healing and deliverance to people. And because we've been given that authority, right? Mount Zion to judge the mountains of Esau, as the scripture says, okay, we are to go and bring about be the light, you know, to the people in darkness, set them free because we have the authority over the powers of darkness. And because also he roars from Zion, right? Releasing the rod of his strength, Psalm 110, verse one and two says, the Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of your strength out of Zion rule in the midst of your enemies. The Lord shall send the rod of your strength out of Zion, right? So his rule and dominion, the rod of his strength will go out of Zion, that is through his people. Through his people, he will rule among his enemies. That's the conclusion of everything we've covered in this chapter, right? So practical ways local church can implement this, God's own people. As Zion, we are God's own people. We are his special people. We have a heavenly citizenship. And we are called to live with that perspective. And I want to encourage all of us as an if, I mean, it is possible that, you know, we know all of this and we've lost the significance of this, right? It's like how John 3.16 is so popularly known. And it's treated just like a memory verse kind of a thing. But we missed the significance of it, the awesomeness of that verse, right? And I think we just need to slow down sometimes and to know that we are his people. We are his special people. We have heavenly citizenship, right? In a day and age, in a world that doesn't believe that there is life after death or doesn't believe in heaven or hell believes in all sorts of things. And we have this hope that we are citizens of heaven. That should mean something to us. That should do something to us. That should change our perspective, right? And so every local church must raise up a people who represent kingdom culture and values in this world. And these are the values and these are the kingdoms, cultures. Every local church must raise up a people who are holy, sanctified and living transformed lives as Romans 12 verse 1 and 2 states, right? And, you know, when you can, and if you can, I would encourage you to do just a word study on what does it mean to be transformed, transformation in the context of a Christian life, okay? I would encourage you to do that. You do a word study in the context of a Christian life of transformed, being transformed, transformation. What does it mean to be transformed, transformation? What are we transformed into? I would encourage you to do that. You could also do a Bible study with your groups when you can, okay? It's amazing. Another practical ways to implement this is called to show forth his praises. As God's own people, we are here to put on display God's greatness. We are here for the world to see the greatness, the goodness, the virtues of our God through us. We are called to see his kingdom come and has his people, the Lord desires to release his kingdom through us. We are here to see his kingdom come and his will be done. And just declare that over our congregation and equip our congregation, empower our congregation, the people that you lead to deliver life. And what can be some of the challenges that you can be prepared for in this context? Status quo or Christianity will resist this kind of lifestyle. It's too risky. Why can't I just come to Sunday every church and just go back home in peace and sleep, have my Sunday lunch and know it's all good, isn't it? Why can't that's enough. It is too risky. It is non-conforming. It means we live as citizens of heaven. However, as pastors, leaders, we have no choice but to preach and teach so that people will be transformed by the renewing of the mind, right? We've learned earlier on in this course that change will be resisted, but we can't just give up. As leaders, as pastors, we want the best for our congregation to press in for more, right? So that's the chapter of Mount at the local church as the Mount Zion, right? Is everybody good? Does anybody have any questions or thoughts that you'd like to add? Okay. All right, cool. At least in my vicinity, I can think of more than five local churches in the name of Zion. So Zion Fellowship, Zion AG, Zion Tabernacle, Zion this, Zion that. So Zion is pretty important. All right. Cool. So let's go to chapter 16, the local church, the vine and the branches, the vine and the branches. Right. Can I request one of you to read John chapter 15 verse one to eight. John chapter 15 verse one to eight, the scriptures in the notes. Okay. Jefina keeps reading all the time. Let me get someone else to read. But you better start reading or else I will choose you. John chapter 15 verses one to eight, I am the true wine and my father is the wine dresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, he takes away and every branch that bears fruit, he prunes that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in me and I in you as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the wine. Neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the wine. You are the branches. He who abides in me and I in him bears much fruit for without me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered and they gather them and throw them into the fire and they are burnt. If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you will ask what you desire and it shall be done for you. Amen. By this my father is glorified that you bear much fruit so you will be my disciples. Thank you. Okay guys, so what are some of the things that kind of stand out or stood out for you? Once again, I mean, this is, you would have heard at least 50 sermons on this passage. There's a sermon right there if you don't have a sermon for the Sunday and if you're preaching, you know, you have it. But yeah, what are some of the things and I would like for most of you or actually I would like all of you to kind of share what are some of the things that stand out or stood out from this scripture for you. Can unmute and speak or share in the chat section. Yes, Isaac, go ahead. Yeah, one of the things that stand out is like as followers of Jesus Christ who most produce fruit, fruit means multiply. That means like we are saying we have a responsibility to equip others as form of multiplication so that we can increase the yield. That's what stand out for me. All right, thank you. Yeah, as a followers of Jesus Christ, we are expected to be fruitful. Okay. All right, go ahead guys. Thank you Isaac. Okay, Zalatoli, what do you think? We are also to bear the fruit of the spirit. Okay, to bear the fruit of the spirit. All right. All right, Sobyshez says, I know that to be fruitful, we need to remain in him. Okay. And what does that mean, Sobyshez? Prezi, Aradhana, Georgia, John, Jafina? I like what you are saying that every branch of this fruit, she proves that it may bear a small fruit like that. When you turn a plant, you are doing it so it's good and at the same time, I like how it tastes like garden fruit. It's actually something for that spirit. Be a small fruit in him. Oh, well. I also like my seven, which is abiding me and my word abiding me. So, reminding and telling is more like reminding in his word. And you're also reminded what you desire is also looking for our desire. There is that according to my word, that you are providing me. So, it's something to your desire and that is how you can see it. All right. Okay. Thank you. All right. What else? I think it's one beautiful picture that Jesus talks about our intimacy with him that we are so connected to Jesus and God considers us like nothing can be separated. And in the next verse we read, you cannot do anything without me. So, that's the kind of relationship that God has invited us to. And also to have that attitude in everyday life that I cannot do anything without Jesus and God has told me to a special, very close relationship that I abide in him and his word abides in me. Thank you. All right. One more person. What else? There's quite a bit you can take off, right? Rosalind, you read it. So, what do you think? What kind of stood up for you as you were reading? I'm not sure if you're sharing, seeing something, I can't hear you, Rosalind. See that you unmuted your mic. Oh, first verse five, which says, I am the wine, you are the branches, you who abides in me and I in him, there's much fruit, but without me you can do nothing. So, without Jesus we can do nothing, no matter how much we try, if we want to do anything for God on our own, with our own will or with our own good intentions. But if we don't include Jesus in that, it's not going to be fruitful. Okay. Okay. Awesome. Thank you. Thank you, Rosalind. Thanks guys for sharing inside your thoughts. What we'll do is, I mean, because if you start talking about this, I wouldn't want to stop. So we'll pause here when we can. We'll take a break and we'll resume maybe left off. All right. I'll see you all in 10.