PEOPLE OF DESTINY

Text : Esther 4:13-14
Est 4:13 Then Mor’decai told them to return answer to Esther, “Think not that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews.
Est 4:14 For if you keep silence at such a time as this, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another quarter, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Aim : To challenge them to see themselves as men and women of destiny and that JTS exist for a purpose.
Intro :
Have you wondered why we exist on this planet?

Discussion:
1. Personal Destiny
a. Examples:
· Esther – became Queen of Persia for a purpose; to save the Jews in her time.
· Joseph – To save the posterity of his people.
· Abraham – to be the father of all nations
· Eve – To be the mother of all living
· Moses – To deliver Hebrews from Egyptian bondage.
· Paul – To be apostle to the gentiles
· Jesus – To be the Saviour of His people
b. Elements
· Experience
o Esther was just an orphan, Joseph was the youngest, Abraham was childless and old, Eve don’t even know what giving birth nor baby was all about, Moses raised up not as Hebrew but as Egyptian, Paul really love Jews and Jesus was born in a manger.
o Are all these an accidents? Their beginnings does not speaks of their end, their destiny.
· Opportunity
o Turning points – Esther won the beauty contest, Joseph interpreted the Pharao’s dream, Abraham had an encounter with God, Eve got pregnant, Moses and the burning bush, Paul at Damascus, Jesus at water baptism.
o Circumstances arranged by God.
· Time – When the fullness of time has come Christ was born…
o Kairos Moment – This is the time set by God to do His thing.
o We should not miss this Kairos moment of God.
Reflections:
· What is the very thing that we exist for?
· See that everything we experiences are part of the total plan of God for us to fulfill the purpose of our existence.
· We should not miss his timing for us.

2. Church Destiny – Jesus the Shepherd Church
a. Our Vision – We are a Holistic shepherding church committed to church planting and mission.
· Holistic - We exist to minster to the total needs of Christians; Body, soul and spirit.
· Shepherding – We exist to minister to all kinds of Sheep (Christians); Wounded, Hermit, good, confused, wondering, and related.
· Church Planting – Urban and Rural church planting. Establishing churches in Urban areas to do the church planting in Rural areas.
· Missions – Philippines (Muslims and Poor and needy – People with disabilities), International (Muslim - Indonesia and Buddhist – China)

b. What are we now?
· Officially – Navotas has 130 members for 2 outreaches, Taguitic has 70 for 3 outreaches, CDO has 75 adult members and 15 Children. We have Missionaries in Thailand, CDO Maranao, Bible Study among the Blinds, Little Evangel Christian School, Bless Our Real Neighbor (BORN) Program, Covenant Keepers Livelihood Association and network of partners in 11 years of operation. Church planting was not yet an intentional effort. Is this the picture of our Vision?
· 3D Church
o 1Sa 22:1 David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam; and when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him.
o 1Sa 22:2 And every one who was in distress, and every one who was in debt, and every one who was discontented, gathered to him; and he became captain over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.
· We have so much potentials
o We are still young – there are so many opportunities await us.
o We have gifted people in our church.
o We have the vision.
o We have so much fire in us and within us.

Conclusion:
· Believe that you are person of destiny!
· Being part of this church is not an accident. This is an opportunity to express our given-given potentials
· JTS is a church exists for such as time like this! This is our time!!!

DESIRING TO FOLLOW CHRIST

Text : Matthew 16:24-27
Mat 16:24 Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
Mat 16:25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Mat 16:26 For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life?
Mat 16:27 For the Son of man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay every man for what he has done.
Mat 16:28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom."
Aim : To teach them the price of following Christ.
Into :
· Matthew 16:21-23 - Jesus predicts his death and resurrection.
o He must go… suffered many things… killed … resurrect.
o The idea of not suffering or paying the price of following Christ is not from God but from Satan!
· Suffering here is not a punishment but the price we ought to pay (with our agreement) for the sake of following Christ

Discussion:

1. Denying of Oneself
a. Denying of oneself is withholding ourselves on our rights just to give way to the most important thing; His rights! (Let not my will… but your will be done –Matt. 26:38-39).
b. Self-denial – is not recognizing what you suppose to recognize yourself to gain more self glorification. This is not a positive virtue but speaks of selfishness and pride.
c. Our rights – Preserve one’s life, Profit (vs. 25-26)
d. Salvation is free and all the rest has a price!

2. Taking up our Cross
a. Christ cross is to save mankind through his death.
b. Paul’s cross is to bring salvation to the gentiles… regardless…
· Paul experience shipwreck, snake bite, imprisonment and was beheaded.
· 2 Cor. 4:7-12; Phil. 3:10-11
c. Peter’s cross is to open salvation to Jews and gentiles – He was hung on the cross upside-down

3. Following Christ
· Mathew 8:18-22
a. Fox have holes, birds have nest but the son of man know not where to lay his head.
b. Let the dead bury their dead!
c. No looking back!

Conclusion:

Desiring to follow Christ is a good desire, but let’s turn our desire into commitment… LETS COMIT OURSELVES TO FOLLOW CHRIST!

DVBS 1: Brgy. Balulang

We were blessed to have conducted the Daily Vacation Bible School at Barangay Balulang last May 5 - 9, 2008 . There were three classes held simultaneously at different areas of the said Barangay. One is at Lourdes Village Subdivision at the house of Mrs. Bombeo the sister of Nanay Inday Caballero. Second is at Maggahan, Hillside area of Balulang and third is at the house of Mrs. R. Lumactud ( Koko's house) at Villa Angela Subdivision. There were around 80 kids who participated. The theme for this years DVBS was "Jesus makes a world of Difference!". It means that wherever you are and whoever you are, Jesus can makes a difference in you! The materials used for this activity were given to us by Operation Blessing.
DVBS team members:

1. Activity Coordinators:
Bogie and Mayette

2. Teachers:

Lourdes Ville Subdivision -
Teacher Aiza,with Assistant teachers Teacher Renzee and Teacher Reinyel

Maggahan Hillside -
Teacher Che with Assistant teachers Teacher Belle, Teacher Kizza,
Teacher Dodong, and Teacher Kent


Villa Angela Subdivision-
Teacher Lannel with Assitant Teachers, Teacher Anne & Teacher Tyrone



THE LAUNCHING
(April 27, 2008)


CLASSES

SNACKS PREPARATION

GRADUATION DAY
(May 10, 2008, Villa Angela Subdivision Covered Courts)







We THANK YOU for all your prayers and financial support!!!