Holy Rhythms

25 APRIL 2021 | PRAYER & PRAISE SERVICE

Rev Gladwin Lee

Scripture Passage: Jeremiah 6:16 (NIV)

WATCH | SERMON (VIDEO)

READ | SERMON NOTES

Summary | Just as we instruct children to observe STOP LOOK and GO as they approach a dangerous road, so God personally and lovingly instructs the Jews to take the ‘good way’. They refuse! To grow in Christ, we need to be obedient to God and find Holy Rhythms to help us take the good way and keep God firmly in the centre of our lives.

1. STOP. ‘Stand at the crossroads’ (v16) is a divine instruction to stop. Most people just rush on with their lives failing to stop or reflect. In order to be clear of priorities, we could make a ‘to do’ list. However, Rev Edmund Chan suggests having a ‘stop doing’ list in order not to compromise the things we want to do. For example, perhaps we should stop watching late night TV in order to spend quality time with the Lord in the early morning.

2. LOOK. What has preoccupied you lately? What is at the end of that path? Academic success? Material gain? We pursue many things but for Christians, let us pursue Christlikeness as our goal, which has these components:

• A deeper relationship with God. Does time wasted on devices keep us away from God?
• Become like the person of Christ. We need to rest, connect com-passionately with people and take care of our bodies
• Doing the work of Christ. At the crossroads choose the ‘way of the cross’! Serve humanity as John Wesley did.

3. GO. Take the good way! Knowledge does not change our lives but truth applied does. Take some time to fill up this chart based on the 3 aspects of Christlikeness. Consider what you can do to develop Holy Rhythms in order to pursue the goal of Christlikeness on a daily and weekly basis. For example:

When we look at an awe-inspiring building like Marina Bay Sands Hotel, we do well to remember that the most important requirement is a solid foundation which is entirely unseen. The same applies to our lives. Our relationships, spiritual disciplines and service will be the key to forming strong foundations so that we may grow towards Christlikeness.

(Sermon Notes by Frances Lim)

PONDER | REFLECTION QUESTIONS

1. "Where does this path lead me to?"

• Is there something that you have been spending a lot of time on lately. "What does your current path lead you to?" In what way does it bring you nearer to Christlikeness, or further from Christ?
• Or is there something that hinders your walk with God which you need to put on your Stop-Doing list?

2. Recall the 3 aspects of becoming more like Jesus.

3. In his point 'Do', the preacher encouraged us to design a personal holy rhythm where we may attempt to grow in the 3 aspects of becoming more like Jesus on a daily and weekly basis, with the Holy Spirit's help. Set aside time in your small group discussion for everything to attempt designing their holy rhythm. Invite members to share their holy rhythms and commit it to prayer.