From Encountering to Impacting (2 Corinthians 5:17; Philippians 3:9-10)

Sermon on 29 June 2025 by Sister Stephanie and Pastor Justin

2 Corinthians 5:17 - “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

Philippians 3:9-10 - “and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,”

Sister Stephanie:

When Pastor Justin asked me to give a testimony, he guided me with a few questions. He first asked how I got to know Jesus. When my eldest son was in Primary 5, he came back from school and shared about a person called Nick Vujicic. He is a pastor born without arms or legs. I was curious about this man and searched about him. I was amazed at how God used him. When I read Luke 1:37, God tells us that nothing is impossible without Him. When God is in his life, he is unstoppable. Pastor Nick has a beautiful family. Even though he doesn’t look ‘normal’, God did many miraculous things in his life. Then I told myself that I want to know Jesus.

Luke 1:37  - “For with God nothing will be impossible.””

Secondly, Pastor Justin asked what’s the turning point in my life. I’m not a born Christian. I was a Buddhist before. I was a stubborn and hot tempered person. When I’m angry, many nasty things will come out from my mouth and hurt others inevitably. During my teenage years, my mum brought me to a home temple. I was there for a few years and was a vegetarian for 5 years. But I found that I did not change and was still my old self. I will only do good when I’m in the temple, but still can’t control myself when I’m out of the temple. When my son shared about Pastor Nick, and I slowly saw many of his testimony, I told myself that God is able to transform me. When I said that I want to know God, He placed many Christians in my life. He sent a sister to do Bible study in the office with me. I received Christ as a born again Christian in 2013. But God is not done with me yet. He sent a sister to bring me to church. He also sent sisters to knock on my door to share about Christ and even sent me a Bible. I was touched by God and went to church with one of my colleagues, but saw something that frightened me. They spoke in tongues and some started rolling and dancing around during worship. I ended up being scared and stopped going as I’m afraid I’ll end up in the wrong church. I decided to stay home and learn about God. I realised I grew very prideful. I insisted that I was the one who found God, but the Bible says that man cannot find God, it is God who finds us.

James 4:6 - “But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.””

I read the Bible but didn't know what I was reading. I didn’t go to church as I thought I could learn about God by myself. During COVID-19, I faced a challenge that I thought could never happen to me. It affected my family and work as I couldn’t think straight. I even wanted to take my own life. God gave me a verse.

James 1:2-4 - “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

I kept crying and didn’t know what to do. I didn’t pray to God as I didn’t know how to pray. One day when I was jogging and crying at the same time, that was the first time I prayed to God. I asked Him to help me and He did. I heard a soft and gentle voice telling me to find Sister Li Ling. She was my ex-colleague and I knew that she was a Christian. I cried the moment I called her. I think she was shocked but she was patient with me and lent me a listening ear. She reminded me of God’s love for me and that God can heal me. I went with her to LFC where Pastor Justin was the preacher for that service. I looked at the Cross and my tears flowed uncontrollably even though I wasn’t sad. After the service, I felt at peace and slept well that night. I kept coming back and brought my daughter along. On Good Friday in 2022, my daughter and I went for water baptism in LFC. My son also received salvation after the ministry leaders visited my house.

Thirsty, Pastor Justin asked what challenges I faced that may shake my relationship with God. My husband has not received Christ yet and we argue sometimes due to different faiths. I have learnt to keep quiet, which is a stark contrast to my old hot tempered self. I trust that the Holy Spirit will work in him. In 2024, my husband and Janessa followed me to church camp. He mingled well with the brothers and sisters in LFC, even though he is the only non Christian there. I am sure that God will work in his life, according to His timing. I’ve also always wanted to do good but I kept going back to my sinful ways. By reading the Bible, I know that God allows certain things to happen in my life that are meant to build me up in faith. I will be able to stand firm and be rooted in Him when I am shaken by the devil.

How do I stay rooted in Christ? I am still a young Christian and am learning to wake up early to pray and read the Bible everyday. I actively try to attend all services and cell groups. I know that I am not perfect and God doesn’t expect me to be transformed overnight. He just wants me to trust in Him and obey Him, living out my life as a good reflection of God and to glorify His name.

How does my faith impact how I live and impact others? By the grace of God, I served as the Shine Flock leader. I have never been a leader in my life but by His grace, He sent brothers and sisters in LFC to guide me. Finally, I have been searching for a ‘real God’ in the early days of my life, but in vain. Jesus has chosen me long ago but my heart was hard and stubborn as I didn’t see Him. God is good and patient and didn’t force me, but instead gave me a free choice. Once I was lost, but now I’m found. I have made the choice to follow Jesus. People ask how do you know that you have found the right God? I won’t lose anything by believing in Jesus, but instead gained so much more. That’s what the world cannot provide. Our body will die one day, but it’s our soul that God saves. I know that I have a lot of room for improvement, and will get closer to Him day by day. It’s a choice to make, and I hope you make the right choice also.

Pastor Justin:

Encountering is never about your personal emotional experience. Many people love to attend certain meetings to feel good. Encountering God is more than elevated feelings. From a Biblical perspective, it is often through obedience and humility. The moment you humble down before God, it’s about how we need Him and now how He needs us. It’s only when we humble down ourselves and through our obedience that we can have a true encounter with God. There is a heavenly father that opens up a direct revelation. We will encounter Him in a way beyond our understanding. Obedience will truly open up our perspective and horizon that isn’t taught in commentaries that you read. Obedience opens the door to direct revelation.

John 14:21 - “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.””

Everytime we read the Bible, it is God talking to us and we see Jesus on every page. Encountering is not about a sudden spur of belief, but living no different from the world on other days of the week. You should encounter Jesus in every step of your faith. When you obey, not only signs and wonders follow, but will cause someone to repent. Obedience activates miracles and transformation. When we obey, we encounter God straight away. That miracle will bring us down to our knees.

Luke 5:5-6 - “But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.”

Obedience aligns us with God’s will. We will be more and more like Christ. We are saved not to get a ticket to heaven, but to glorify God in Christ-likeness. Your life is a gift from God. We impact people through our lives, and it can be from God or hurting them. True encountering will bring true transformation.

Philippians 2:8 - “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”

James 4:10 - “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”

A divine transformation - from recipients of grace to agents of change. You must allow grace to train you to deny ungodliness. Unmerited favour of God will guide us to walk in righteousness.

2 Corinthians 3:18 - “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

You are a new creation.

2 Corinthians 5:17 - “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

Impact behinds with internal transformation.

Romans 12:2 - “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Romans 6:11 - “Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

That you may know Him…

Philippians 3:9-10 - “and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,”

Knowing -> transformation -> intimacy -> impacting. The degree you impact others is the degree you know God. When you have such close intimacy, you naturally have that gospel alive in you. When you encounter Jesus, you want to share the goodness of God.

You are Christ’s ambassadors…

2 Corinthians 5:18-20 - “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.”

Encounter Him. Walk with Him. Speak and live for Him.

2 Corinthians 2:14 - “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.”

God will place you in every opportunity to impact people. Do we want to make an impact on others for Jesus?

Amen.