Actions Speak Louder Than Words (1 Thessalonians 1:7-8) - Sunday Worship | 22 MAR 2026 | Rev Poon

0:00Now, let us turn our Bibles to Fistesolonians, Fistesolonians, chapter 1. Fistesolonians, chapter 1. Look at verses 7 and 8. Now, the title today is actions speak louder than words. Actions speak louder than words. I saw, look at how the Apostle Paul described the situation among the Christians in Thessalonica. Look at verse 7. Fistes says so that we were examples to all the belief in Macedonia and IKEA. Now, then he says this, for from you sounded out the word of the Lord, from you sounded out the word of the Lord. Now, then he ends by saying this, so that we need not speak anything.

1:06When he came to their lives, the Apostle Paul used the word sounded out. But when he came to his preaching, he simply says, need not speak anything. Now, what is referring to the people's, well, sending letters to others or saying something to others? Or is it really about their actions? Was it really their actions that sounded out? Look at verse 7. Well, obviously it was about their actions because he said so that you were examples. And samples means they had actions that people could see, that's why they were examples. You had to do with their lives, you had to do with actions. And then when he comes to verse 8, he says, for from you sounded out the word of the Lord. Now, he said, but is it about word?

2:06Maybe they spread some news. Now, how was this word of the Lord sounded? Paul explains, is it just by words? No. It was sounded out because your faith to Godward, verse 8, your faith to Godward, your faith to Godward. How do you see faith in someone's heart? How do you see faith to Godward in someone's heart? Obviously, it is the fruits of their faith, the outflowing of their faith into actions that caused the word of the Lord to be sounded out. Their faith, living out their faith, made the Word of God known to others. So when he talked about being examples, when he talked about them living out their faith by actions, he used the word sounded, actions were very loud.

3:08Now, this word sounded is often used to describe, like in the Bible, symbols, or right, brass symbols, which have a very loud reverberating sound that travels, not only loud, but travels, sustains. So this word sound, sound, sound, has, is often used to describe, or trumpets, trumpets that are used in battles, to sound forth, or used in, well, in the Old Testament, the worship. There are certain national events, clear, loud sound, louder, than, well, what he could say, so that we need not speak anything, because your actions spoke louder than we could say anything, for the word of God.

4:14Now, that is what it means. Christians, we want to, by the grace of God, learn three things, hopefully today, the first one. The eloquence of our actions, the eloquence of our actions, the effectiveness of our actions, and the evaluation of our actions, because actions, the Bible here, tells us, under the eloquence of our actions, our actions do speak. Our actions do speak very loudly. We must realize that. Well, the question is this, what does the actions speak of? What is it about? Now, when we say actions speak louder than words, it means that the actions bring forth a greater weight, right? A greater weight, W-E-I-G-H-D, greater weight, that actions will bring forth.

5:20Now, what is this weight that is being focused on? What is it? Is it about how good they are? No. Our actions are very eloquent. In what? Well, in summing out the word of the Lord. And the apostle is basically saying, it is very effective. Actions are very effective. We must not be Christians who say, well, just, I mentioned before, do what I say, but don't do what I do. Parents love to say that. We unconsciously think that, well, you know, the most important thing is, we say the right things. No, Bible says, doing the right thing, having said the right thing, is going to be more effective. It carries greater weight. Now, then the key lesson to learn is this.

6:20Now, our actions has an effect that echoes reverberates into the hearts of men. That is what it does. Now, later on, we will also keep emphasizing how this church has been a great blessing to other churches. Because of the believers, church is made up of believers. Now, then, let us remember this. Well, why don't God take us home to heaven after saving us? Is it to leave us on earth to enjoy our lives for ourselves, leave to the maximum for ourselves? Well, obviously not. Why are we having life to act out anything on earth in the next moment?

7:23Well, for the simple reason is to be people that will be sounding speakers, loud speakers, right? That will send forth from one place to another, the word of the Lord. The Lord did not just leave us on earth to save souls. Let us be clear about that. Because the point of saving souls is that they will be people that will point people to God, not to live for themselves, as long as I am going to heaven. Well, that is good enough. That is what salvation is for. The Lord has left us on earth, as long as you have breath, now, tomorrow. There is a clear purpose to be people who will sound out the word of the Lord, by our faith, to Godward. That will bring salvation. Yes, salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is based on God's irresistible grace. God will do that work.

8:28But the problem is this, after salvation, what kind of lights and witnesses will be on earth? Lights and witnesses are seen by actions. Let us not forget that. Our actions are what makes us lights and witnesses, sought of the earth, of the earth, actions. Now, our eloquence, the word of God, is reflected by the way we live. So that is the first lesson we must learn. Our lives, our lives, are meant to sound forth, reverberate, echo, far and wide. God's word. And we are left on earth for that purpose. Our actions do matter significantly. Yes, the word of God matters significantly. The pause of Paul is very clear about that. But we often miss the point that he brings up here.

9:36All that he preached was to bring forth actions. Not just to give hate knowledge, we've learned that. It's to bring forth a transformation in their lives. Then they will be sounding forth the word. Now, with that, I also want to ensure that we know what this is not about. Right? What this is not about. Now, this is not about lifestyle evangelism. Let us be clear. Lifestyle evangelism is the approach of witnessing to people through personal conduct, personal life, through building relationships, through personal influence. Now, rather than just sharing, rather than sharing verbally or written form, sharing the gospel. So lifestyle evangelism is use your life, your lifestyle as a way to evangelize.

10:42Sharing the gospel is seen to be confrontational. So over time, people who are embarrassed about the gospel are too shy to talk about this or embarrassed that, you know, Jesus Christ is the world's mocks. Here, I am asking to people to believe in Jesus. And are the languages make fun of His name? Movies, use them as a swear word. I was just too embarrassing to talk about Jesus. So you begin to feel, well, we ease our conscience and say, well, the Bible says your actions sounded out the word. So I will use actions, that is all. Here is, people cannot be saved just simply by following your actions. They need to know the details, the content of the gospel, to respond in repentance. They need to know exactly what God says about how to be saved.

11:43They need to know that Jesus is the only living and true God. They need to know that Jesus is the only way. They need to know that they are sinners. They need to know that they will perish. But they need to know also that they have eternal life, but coming to Christ, the G, the O, the S, the P, the E, the L. They need to know all this in order to respond to the Holy Spirit as He works. So the gospel must be preached, not just by lifestyle. Well, the fundamental error is really the confusing, a godly life, right? A godly life with the proclamation of the gospel. That is the problem. Besides the fact that we are too embarrassed to share the gospel, so we use passages like that. Well, just live a godly life. I work to embarrass, to bring up Christ. Feel good that, well, I did something right by God, then maybe they'll learn something. To embarrass in school that people may ostracise you.

12:46To embarrass the tell relatives, they make fun of you. Well, I just live a godly life. Godly life must not be confused with proclamation of the gospel. Lifestyle evangelism is not a biblical way to reach out. Paul wrote this. Now, Paul also said very clearly in 1 Corinthians 1, 2, 1. Let me read to you. For that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God. It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. It is a foolishness of preaching, not lifestyle evangelism, foolishness of preaching. Men will always see preaching as foolish, sadly even Christians today. So lifestyle evangelism is now very popular. Some others are like business place. I don't know. I can't remember the term business place outreach and use business and so on. But the way you do business, to win souls.

13:47Well, if you preach the gospel, that's fine. But the idea today is just godly living is enough. Paul preached the gospel in Philippi, in Corinth, in Barrier. All these are in this place. Macedonia and IKEA in Greece, right? Paul preached. He did not say just by my life, but he preached. You look at verse chapter 1. Look at verse 5. For our lifestyle came not unto you in word only. No, our gospel, he preached. Although he said, your life sounded out loudly, but he understood preaching, he emphasized preaching. That is why their lives were changed. So I just want to make sure that we are established very clearly in this. Have you been ashamed about Christ at the workplace? Thinking then, well, my colleagues say that I am a good Christian. They come, I invite them for things and then they come

14:48because they see that I am a good Christian. They will just believe because of morality, that's all. They want to be moral. They see that you are a very moral person. So they want a moral religion. They want their children to come because it's about morality, that's all. Please, dear friends. Yes, your actions are very important at work in school. But please share the gospel. I know that a prayer meeting many of you like to share. Please pray that I will be a good testimony, a good witness, a good testimony, a good witness. I hope you are not thinking that as long as you live out a godly life, you don't cheat, you don't tell lies, and then that is it. When you ask for that, please understand that it is so that by your actions, they would listen to you when you share the gospel. Now that aside, then quickly the eloquence of our actions,

15:50it speaks louder than what the eloquence of actions reverberates echoes deep into the heart of people. Our actions have great impact, but it is not about lifestyle evangelism. Now we come to the effectiveness of our actions. Having known this eloquence, why how effective is it? In what way is it effective? The effectiveness, firstly, look here. Look at verse 8, so that we need not speak anything. Speak anything about what? The early part of verse 8, the word of the Lord, the faith toward God. We need not speak about this. Not only we need not speak about you, but we need not speak about the word of the Lord. When Paul says we need not speak, he is not saying that he goes there, he doesn't say anything. He just says, what are you heard about that? Obviously not, he is just saying your actions spoke louder than anything I could have said.

16:54I need not persuade, they saw, they heard about your actions. So the first one about the first effectiveness is this. Have you ever realized that your actions have the effectiveness in aiding the cause of the Lord's word? Aiding, A-I-D-I-N-G. It aids the spread of the Lord's word. Look at verse 8. Sound it out, the word of the Lord. How? How? By the faith to God's word, their actions aided the spread of the word. Now I mentioned earlier on, actions speak louder than words, means your actions put a greater weight than words. What is this weight focusing on?

17:54This weight focuses on the word of God, the word of God. Your actions point people to the word of God, any helps. The gospel, spread of the gospel. Now how? Actions bring a reality. How is it effective in affirming the word? It brings a reality of living out the word. That is how. It brings a reality of living out the word. That is why it's effective in helping the gospel. Now how do we know? Look at verse 8. How was the word of the Lord? Sound it out. It was by your faith to God's word, your faith to God's word, their actions. Now remember this Christians, when we studied his background of Thessalonica, they were persecuted heavily. They lived, they came out of Judaism.

18:56Persecutions were arise from the Jews. In fact it was very vigorous to the point where they would chase, the Jews would chase after Paul to the next city. They were suffering all this, but it brought when they heard about how their faith, how they responded in spite of all this. Now that is what added the word of God. Now what do I mean by this? A preacher can preach about, look at verse 3, can preach to you about your work of faith, defending the faith. For example, can preach to you, to his mouth turns dry, to plead with you, the labour of the love, to serve the Lord, not the world, not self. The preacher can preach messages of the messages about verse 3. Patients of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, we studied what that meant, a life lived in consecration to only Christ, knowing that we will meet Christ.

20:04Preaching all this, well, they can all just be theoretical, to many minds and hearts. Not that the preaching of these things are unsound and incorrect, but it can be too many, just well theory, that's all. And to tell you about stand firm, despite persecution, despite losses, do not compromise, despite whatever temptations that the world throws at you, offers to you, do not leave your life of consecration. We can keep preaching, a preacher can keep preaching all that, but when people see lives, your faith to Godward, lives living out that faith, the true Christianity we spoke about. Now, that is when people begin to see the reality of living, the Word, there are people who are like that.

21:12The Bible talks about clouds of witnesses that have gone before us, these people, they went through all these persecutions, losses, living the consecrated life instead of living for self and the world. They went through all these, and it says, no, then we must press on. Why? Because these people, they lived it, they could live it. But the grace of God is possible, it's real, the Word of God is real, we can live it. Now, when believers come to know that, look at verse 9, not verse 9, sorry, verse 5. Now, when he talked about the Word coming to them with much assurance, as you know, what manner of men poses, because of our life, you became followers of us. Now, he says, these others became followers of you, the reality of, you saw the reality of living out the true faith in us.

22:16Now, others see that in you, because you followed, you encouraged, stirred, that such a life is a real life. Not Christians, and I hope that you understand this, the Christian life is not coming to church on Sundays, well, attending some Bible studies, and that's it, it's a real true Christian living in this world. And there are people who live like that. Now, these are young believers, young believers, their lives, when you look at young believers' lives, now that is when you will be stirred, if young believers will live like that. What have I been doing all these years? I give so many excuse, I can't do this, I can't live like that. You don't understand my family situation, you don't understand my health situation, you don't understand my financial situation,

23:21everything that you face, these people faced in a worse way. But they showed, such a life is real, such a life is real. Even young Christians can live in absolute and constant obedience to the word, in any situation, it is real. So do not go home, saying, ah, you know, this always preaching about consecration, about devotion, godliness, this life don't exist. We, Christianity just come to church, make sure that we are alright at work in school, that's all. No, it is a lot more. Our lives, our lives, shows that it can be real, such a life, true Christianity can be real. Now another thing about how it is aiding the word of the Lord, your faith to God with the sounding forth of the word of the Lord is this.

24:25Now by our actions, we show that the word of God can be trusted above everything. Your, look at verse 8, your faith to God, it has to do with their faith. How do they exercise faith towards God, from what they learn in scriptures, who He is, what are His promises, what are His warnings, and they believed it totally. Why did these people go through everything that they went through, persecutions, properties taken away, dragged into the city, mobs going after them? Why would they go through all this because of faith, faith towards God, which is from the word? Now Paul is saying this, because of how you lived, the conclusion is you put your faith in what God has said. That is why He said, in verse 8, sounded out the word of the Lord, how by your faith in the word of the Lord, in all situations.

25:35They showed people that the word of God is always true, always faithful, always the best for us. That is why they will go through anything for it. In obedience to God, they showed the world that the word of God is our safest refuge. This, whatever that you are going through, whatever they were going through, they just turn to God, meaning what? They are trusted in what God says, in His word. What are you going through, dear friends? You have to realise this. When you begin to make excuses, when you begin to rationalise, I say, no, such a life is not possible. Please know, please understand, others will also feel that way. But if you, like this Thessalonica Christians, show that, well, you cling to God's word.

26:40Your joy, look at verse 6, we studied last week. Yes, having received the word in much affliction, true Christianity will bring persecutions. True Christianity always has a cost, but it says with joy of the Holy Ghost, true Christianity, we learnt last week, brings true joy as well. When they see that you believe in God's word so much, you will defend it. You will labour for this God. You will live for Him alone. Because you see from the word of God, this is the only safe life. The only life worth living. Because God says so and you believe so and you lift it. People will begin to look at the Bible very differently. Now we thank God very often, you hear Christians say, when they come from churches that, well, talk about the word, but they look at the lives of the people, it doesn't seem to reflect the word.

27:43And then they go to churches. Then they begin to say, hey, hang on, these Christians, they are serious. They really, when they hear something from the Bible, they really believe that that is the way to live and they live it. I recall someone who, a long time, some many years ago, a decade back, came to church. And this young person said, she was giving up on the Christian faith. Because she said, she said through worship services in her own country, well, the Christian, the pastor may say, the right things, but often very strange things. And then when they say the right thing, the church doesn't seem to believe that it's the right way to live and it is really necessary. So she said, she literally was at the point of saying that, I think Christianity is false. The word of God is false. It's just another religion. But then, when the student came and then in card journeys, the people kept talking about what they learned in the message, they talk about spiritual things.

28:49They said, oh, these people, I think they are fake because there is no such thing, no such people. This is, I stayed a few weeks and then began to realize it's real. They in, they out, they live out God's word, they love God's word, they embrace God's word. The other challenges they may face, they were just simply obey God's word. The answer is, God's word must be real. This Christian God must be real. Do you understand how your actions speak louder than words? She heard the gospel, she heard preaching, some of them sound, but it was different when she saw lives, simply living out the word of God. That makes the word real. You make your actions will tell people that the Lord's word brings the best spiritual outcomes in life. Your faith, you trust it. I cannot understand how obeying God, this is how being thrown out of the family, how resulting in losses, to stand for the Lord at work, to follow God's model of living.

29:57All these have, well, significant cause, but I would just simply obey because God said it. People begin to realize the word of God is real, is worth following. I felt of a Christian saying, you know, until I spoke to someone and the person said, yeah, you know, I just follow God's model in the family, in my personal life. This new person simply said this, you know, the person really give up this and that. It is a real Christianity that people do live. It's possible. I want to live that Christianity as well. Yes, I know it's in the word, but I just never thought that people live it out. That is possible. This is so real. The word of God, when shown by the believer, I will just obey it and trust that even if things look all right to the world, they cannot understand.

31:01Even my closest friends or my own Christian relatives cannot understand, but I will simply obey. You show them that the word of God will bring the spiritual best outcomes. That's why you trust it. You show them that the word of God is the greatest treasure on earth. We studied that on Friday. Christian, when your life is left in absolute obedience. Do you know what you are telling people around you about the word? Do you know what you are showing? You are saying that to the world, the entire world is AI. AI solutions for family problems, for health problems, for work problems, for life decisions. Even all the AI put together cannot compare to the word of God. It is the greatest treasure that mankind has. That pauses by your faith to God when you that sounded out the word of the Lord. It affirmed the word of God.

32:10That is how effective actions are when you live God's word in your life, by faith. Now, by the above all, actions when I talk about actions stirs a trust. This actions of yours also stirs a love for the Lord, a love for the word of the Lord. This is not simply about Christian stirring other Christians to live like this. Live like that. Do this. Do that. Don't do this. Do that. It is far more than that. Look at verse 2, verse 3. Now, here has mentioned this earlier on, which we have studied. Your patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God of our Father. This is said, this is said in the context of sufferings. Why would anyone go through all this? Patience of hope. Continue to endure under the strain of labor, of rejection, of relationship losses, of financial losses. Why? Why?

33:16He simply says this, because you do so in the sight of God and our Father. Not just God, God and our Father. To pose so that God is not just God to them, God was their Father. They lived up their faith towards God. Why? Because God is their Father. Not just God. When you talk about Father and Child relationship, you know it is about a strong bond of love, not just only trust but love. When you see Christians living out like that, because God is their Father, they understood. This is about not just pure outward obedience. It is about something that, remember the fifth seed, or the fifth seed, driven by a catalyst that is being constrained by the love of God.

34:20So the Word of God is not simply a set of things you need to do as a Christian or not do as a Christian, but the Word of God was what showed them who God is. They were unbelievers, worshiped idols, then they saw the love of this God and they turned to Him and they lived for Him. How thus the Word of the Lord gets spread forth by our faith, of God's Word, faith to God's Word, a faith that reflected a child, desiring to please, honour, not disappoint the Father. This is how their actions brought this, not only trust, but this love for the Word of God which reveals God to them. Christians, does our life, does our action reflect that to others?

35:23Yes, we do many things to defend the faith, to serve the Lord, but let it always be clear to others that they can see this burning love for God our Father. They must see that. So the effectiveness of affirming the Word, right? But also another effectiveness. Let's look at another effectiveness. The first one was in affirming the Word of God. Now then in influencing for spiritual good, for influencing in spiritual good, our actions is very effective in influencing for spiritual good. How do we know? Now look at verse 6, or sorry verse 7, so that evil and samples, we looked at this word and samples, it's a type, right? How is it type form? It is a description to them, they will be very clear about the Roman coin, where the image of Caesar is punched, hammered into a piece of metal.

36:35Right? Silver or whatever, and an image is formed, you were and samples. Now in other words, he's saying this, you know like you pressed something or you hammered something into a piece of metal and it informs something. You are causing an impression, an impression, a deep impression, in order for it to be formed such that you can recognize what it is. Our actions is effective in influencing spiritual good because it can create profound influence, profound impact into people's lives. Now then look at verse 8, he used the word sounded out, sounded out. Our actions can bring a great influence that is very clear, very audible, unmistakable, proclamation of the Christian life.

37:41The preachers can preach about, but it's not as effective as people living out, living out in that faith. So our actions can create a deep spiritual good by the impression, it imprints deeply into other people's lives. And an unmistakable message, the sounding, fourth, here this is a symbol, this is a trumpet, the possible use, these descriptions. You can tell the sound, you can tell by the sound what specific instrument is, so the message is very clear. Christians, when you live a life of true Christianity, you send a very clear message, what Christianity is, the world needs that today.

38:44The world has the Lord one in the end times, the love of many will wax coal, why? Because iniquities were abound, and the love of many will wax coal. You form a Christianity that is another Christianity, not about a consecrated life, that is extreme. But your life can show forth, no, that is not extreme, that is real, that is what God desires, that is how people lived, even new believers. The second influence for good is, well, this influencing of many lives, look at verse 8, and I say, but from you, sounded out the word of the Lord. Not only in Macedonia, but also in every place your faith to Godward is spread.

39:44The influencing of many people, Macedonia, IKEA, even beyond, influencing of many lives in spiritual good. Look at verse 7, so that the examples to all that believe, all, obviously means a lot covering different kinds of people. Now, when I entered the ministry, there were many challenges. I have very little understanding of what it means initially, but they were past us, they were past us in a Bible college that lived certain lives. That showed what it means to be a minister of the Word.

40:44I am far from them, I mean another country, but it had a great impact on me. What it means to be a minister, you have many theoretical things we learn in the Bible, but this man's life made a deep impression on me. Help me to understand, when God says this, what it really means in the ministry, this is not a game. This is a life that Christ died for, I began to understand, because they lived such a life, by their actions, spoke louder than many lessons I learned from their classes, how they stood to defend the faith, that the expense of being bankrupt even, but they were not much, and how they stood righteously always. You see, Christians, he has far impact on people's life, but not only that, look at verse 8. Not only to many people, but in many locations, far reaching in locations, look at verse 7.

41:50Macedonia and IKEA, verse 8 again, Macedonia and IKEA, why name these two places? Macedonia pretty much covers the north of Greece. IKEA pretty much covers the south of Greece, so Paul's emphasis is the entire Greece. Is that all? No. And look at verse 8, in all, in every place, further than that. Christians, our actions, can have far reaching, in terms of location, geographical location even, far reaching impact. I've mentioned to you before, sometimes when I share about how some of you have to go through some of these things, but yet remain firm, right? People in other churches, they are very stirred, they do not know who you are, you are from another land, far away, but it's stirred them. Some of you, yourself understood what it is.

42:52You wanted to give up, you wanted to give in, you wanted to compromise. You began to feel that, you know, living through Christianity, through Christianity has a cost, all these are too difficult, then you see others live like that, you see families live like that. Young families who come, say, it seems to be possible, these people, they live on a single income, in this day and age. These people, they obeyed a lot, they bring their children at whatever age, they can train their children, it's possible. I do not need to wait till they grow up, it's possible many of them began to change. Your life, because of your life, in obedience, your faith towards God, God says, do this, I simply do it. God says, live like that in your family or in your singlehood, I just do that. Now, another one, far reaching also in time, far reaching in time, look at verse 8, for from you sounded out, now this word sounded out in Greek is in the perfect tense.

43:57God chose a language that is very precise and we can see very clearly. Perfect tense, it means the impact of their actions that once began, continued to have its effect echoing and reverberating in time. Now is it not true? We say, the word of God is perfectly preserved. Everything in here is exactly what God says and God intended it to be there, right? God just mentioned, look at verse 7, this Thessalonica Christians were examples, look at verse 8, they are faith to God when sounded out the word of the Lord. But here is this, when was this written? So Christians, there is a far reaching impact in time, that's why I'm trying to help us understand. Understand this, Christian, how you live can reverberate echo down the history of men, kind.

45:02Don't you think it's wonderful? Don't you want such a life? Well, you say, well, it's Timothyus, it's Ewanus, it's a Paul. No, these were ordinary Christians, lay Christians, their lives had an impact that went down even today to us. I remember in, I think my first or second message, very quickly someone asked the question, these were new Christians. How could they be so godly, holy, consecrated, spiritual? How is it possible, how? Since the letter was given to Thessalonica till today, people are still amazed, stirred. I want to live such a life, I want this life. You see how far reaching it is effect? If you live a life that is truly obedient to God,

46:06like the martyrs, every reformation, suddenly we give out the booklets, the martyr's life. Many of your children read them, they talk about them, their lives are stirred. When did they live? When did they live that life? And then also biographies of great Christians. How we are stirred by the life of prayer, how we are stirred by the life of enduring all things for the Lord, how we are stirred about their love, just hymns alone that we sing, how many of us we memorize the hymns, because we found that it really speaks to our heart, they wrote it a long time ago. How is it that it still reverberates today in our hearts, because God used them?

47:06So Christians understand the effectiveness of our actions that speaks louder than words, as further, stays longer, goes deeper. It is a great encouragement, Christians, would we not want such a life, would we not want such a life? We come to our last part, now we come, after we have considered the eloquence of our actions, the effectiveness of our actions, now we come to the evaluation of our actions, the evaluation of our actions. Now knowing that the actions have great significant impact that can last in others' life, then we have to ask ourselves, evaluate ourselves against three questions, three questions. Now knowing that actions have such an immense effectiveness,

48:11then we have to be sure, ask ourselves, am I a right example? Am I a right example? Because actions inevitably will influence others and will have strong influence on others, then Lord, am I having the right actions? Are my actions right examples or wrong examples? Because actions can influence positively, it can also influence negatively, we better be very sure, because we are accountable to God. Now we cannot underestimate how others will follow our actions, because they look up to us, because we say the biblical right things, one of the dangers of attending sound churches is this. Over time people know the biblical answers, know the biblical things to say.

49:15It's almost like the spiritual jargon, but live a different life. How are we one of them? It's especially dangerous situation when someone is noted for something. You are noted to be someone who is very sound in defending faith, or who labors for the Lord, serves tirelessly for the church, or people think that you are very consecrated, very zealous by the way you carry yourself. Now it's especially dangerous when we are in such a position. We must really ask ourselves, are our actions genuine, biblical, faith to God-ward kind of testimony? Otherwise we receive the greater condemnation, the choices that we make are actions in the eyes of others,

50:20as a single, as an elderly, as a young person, as a family. You and I must realise, because actions inevitably, in a skipper, we have an effect that speaks louder than what creates deep impressions on people. Now let us be very, very honest. Don't leave blindly and say, well you know I didn't say anything wrong about the faith. I always encourage people to live godly lives. When you do that, people will look at your life and they will assume that what you do is godly, because you say it. Do not go through your life, thinking that well I am not my brother's keeper. I just leave as I want to, you cannot. Your actions always has an impact. Now another thing of warning is this. When we say actions, let us be clear what these actions are.

51:23These actions are based on the word of the Lord. The actions that are faith to God-ward sounded out the word of the Lord. So it must be reflecting the word of the Lord. Now one of the actions that people talk about, show love, show love. I am not saying for a moment the Christians should not show love. God is love. We have to reflect God's love, so we must show love. But when we begin to say show love means, well, don't criticize. Don't criticize other people's beliefs and practices. Even when they are wrong, I am blibical. Show love is not going around to support anyone, anybody, turn to second-tasolunions. Second-tasolunions. Verse 3, chapter 3. Verse 6, now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

52:25that you withdraw yourself from every brother that walker disorderly and not after the tradition which he has received of us, means not according to the word that God has given them. Then we draw from them, show love, show separation. Now when, then verse 11, for we hear that there are some which walk among you, disorderly, working not at all, but are busy bodies. And then the instruction was given. If they don't work, then they don't eat. And all this, why? Why? Because actions, actions, begin to live in the lives of others. You cannot escape it. It will happen. So do not just blind, it's a show love. You end up supporting brethren that are unsound and encouraging them to go on in disobedience. You end up supporting work that should not be supported.

53:27You end up tolerating and condoning sin. You end up supporting those who live in disobedience. And of course the famous one, the social gospel, show love. I'm sure by now that many of your friends, if they say, when your church is not involved in this and that and this and that, the social gospel, or you are a very unloving church. Another example of the danger is this. The danger of being wrong examples. Now it's when you, especially, are given positions to handle God's Word, parents, and so on. Now when you teach biblical separation, but you don't practice it, or you practice it in a watered down form. You support this, support that, encourage this. And that, that is compromising, is very dangerous.

54:30When you speak against unsound music in church, but yet you bring in CCM, you are dangerous. When you talk about consecration, but live in open disobedience, when you talk about wanting a sound spiritual church, but yet go around enticing people to be carnal. You are dangerous because you keep saying, yes, we want this. We must be like that. Christians evaluate our lives very carefully. These people, they begin to be influenced and Paul had to stop in. Do not be that person. Now another negative influence is this. Because you handle God's Word, parents at home, your children will trust you. In church, the people will trust you. Their gods will be down. They will make the same choices as you make in your homes,

55:31in your personal life. What you do, what you pursue, they will begin to follow you. If any of us, now parents, please take note. Your actions speak louder than your words to your children. Evaluate honestly your life today. Actions will reverberate in your children's skull. In your heart. What you choose, why you choose that, how you are living, why you make that decision, how you are living now, to them is sounding loudly the Word of God in their hearts and minds. This is then what God wants us to do according to His Word, but God does not. Parents, there is a great, great burden on us, but that is a great, great rejoicing,

56:31because words, actions can speak very, very effectively. It is also a great encouragement, because you keep wondering, how do I change my child? How, how, how, your actions? You must give the word, yes. But what will speak louder into their hearts, your life? Do not live a half-hearted, carnal, worldly life, say, anyway, I do not think they notice, they do notice. They notice a lot. Hunker down and really evaluate your actions. Another evaluation, another question to us, second last question is this. Now, do we even care to have our actions, stir others to love and obey God? Do we even care? You know, as I prepared this message yesterday, my heart was very heavy most of the time.

57:32I have a strong fear that, actually, this message means nothing to most people. Why do I care whether my life will influence someone else? Why do I care if my life will point people to God's Word and affirm God's Word? Why do I really care? All I want is to live my own personal quiet life, myself and my family. Yes, we will obey God, but I don't really care about all these things. How many of us really was sitting here receiving this, Lord, I want to have such a life. Lord, I want to. Do you care? Well, last week, many came up and gave me a pet on my back and said, that was a great message because it was about what? Through Christianity, bring joy. Bring joy. So we love messages about joy. But this is a message that brings a cost. Do you listen with as much attention and desire

58:32for the Word of God to be true in your life this week? Because this is about your actions that God will use to speak louder or more effectively for him. Do you care? We learned in the message about, will you live for others, right? Paul lived for others. Will you live for others? Did that make any change since then? I give you this to think about. When we ask ourselves, do I care? Look at verse 6. Now, they receive the Word in much affliction with the joy of the Holy Ghost. So that, now he continues, so that verse 8, 4, all these links to the verse or verses prior to that. Part of your joy, Christians, part of your joy in afflictions, in trials, in losses,

59:33in disappointments, and yet live rightly. Part of your joy is that God will use that to stir others to live rightly for him. That is part of your joy. Let that be part of your joy. Not only if, well, it's going to encourage me, stir me, help me to go through my troubles, my family problems, or I find that joy. But now you begin to understand, God created these trials in your life to help someone else, somewhere, hundreds of years later, thousand years later, if the Lord carries. To live the way God intended, when they were discouraged, fearful, and thought that the Word of God cannot be depended upon, God intended all the trials to actually bring that action speaking louder, than what their past, their past, their friends can speak to them, God intended to use that. Find your joy in that.

1:00:34Not just how we will encourage your personal life. Ask yourself that question, will I find joy? Knowing that God intended this difficulty that I'm facing and by my response, God will use it, loudly, to help someone, to realize that such a life is possible, is real, and is desirable, and is wonderful, to live a life in love, deep love, and devotion to God, the Father. God created this trial for that purpose. Find joy. Last question is this. Will God really use my action to influence others positively? Will God really do that? You say, yes, I want to. Others may not care, but I do, and you may well mean it, but the question is, will God use it? Will God use your actions to transform lives, far and wide,

1:01:34down the history of Christianity? Will God use that? Well, why would God use this young Christian's life so powerfully? The answer is found. Answer is found in verse three. You know the fifth scene. In the sight of God and our Father, they lived such a life. They had such actions purely because they understood they were living in the sight of God and their Father. Constrained by that alone. They did not say, you know, I want to be an influencer, right? Today everybody wants to be an influencer. I want to be an influencer. I want to stir people to be a good Christian. Well, that is good, but that must not be your driving force. It must simply be Lord. I do all this because I want people to love you. I want people to show the world who you are.

1:02:36Not I want people to follow me. I want people to be changed. Then I can tell people, it's so and so changed because of me. I simply want people to know you, love you, live for you, die for you, sacrifice everything, carry the cross, rejoice for you. That is all I want, dear Lord. When that is your desire, God will use it. Friends, talk is cheap, right? Talk is cheap. Actions are costly. I want to address then certain dangerous situations for ourselves. Just because you're present for all Bible studies. Just because you're present for prayer meetings. Just because you take FEPC courses and have done all the courses. Just because you're serving zealously in church. That's not mean that God will use your actions.

1:03:38Don't fall into this self-deception. You know I'm a good example. I attend everything in church. Even seniors when I'm not a senior, right? I must be showing for good actions. In the sight of God, I'm sorry, in the sight of God and of Father, your actions speak volumes to God. Why are you doing these things? It's not just the outward actions. Do not be fooled. Or do not misunderstand what I'm trying to preach today. You can be at every church camp. You can do all sorts of things. But you continue to live your life in disobedience, in some things in your heart. Remember the fourth C, in verse three. The fourth C was, well, the complete Christian life.

1:04:38Look at verse three. N, your work of the N, labor of the N, patience of hope. It's N. It's not just comma and all. The complete Christian life. If you have just all these outward actions, but any aspects of that, well, consecration, no thank you, I think I can have my kick and eat it. Well, I'll labor, but defend the faith. No, I'd like to work with other groups. Well, defend the faith and as well as serve the Lord. All right, but if it doesn't eat into my personal time, consecration, if it doesn't cost me, if it doesn't make me carry the cross. Oh, this must be a complete Christian life. They had a complete Christian life. That is why God used it so powerfully. Though our actions must first speak to ourselves. If you continue to be inwardly, well, outwardly participating in everything, actions, right? But inwardly, you are disobedient, proud, worldly,

1:05:40disobedient, stubborn, selfish, self-centred, unrepentant in things that God have shown you, look wrong. Your influence, they may be influence, but don't be fooled. They are fleshly influence, they won't last long. It won't be like these people. Even today when believers read it, I want such a life, it won't last long. Maybe a few weeks, a few months, never very soon, you realise that God, why is it that my influence on people are always short-lived? There is no lasting fruitfulness. Why the difference is the fourth C? Is yours a complete Christian life? Or you pick and choose what you want to obey? God does not use such a life, Christians. It is always who can approach my holy heal, clean hands, and up your heart, not regarding iniquity in your heart. If you still continue in certain disobedience, Christians, I want to ask you this.

1:06:40Our actions must speak loudest to ourselves first. Evaluate our own lives. Honestly, do not waste your life. Do not. God says your actions with a total, complete Christian life can have eternal impact, pointing people to love me, live for me. Why don't you choose that? In closing, I say this, there are very few examples of people who are willing to go all the way in actions to live for God, to point people to love Him, to obey Him, to live only for Him. Very few today. Be one of them. Be one of them. We sing that He might His channels be. Let us not disappoint God.

1:07:40By loving our sins so much, our canoes of life so much, we do not want to be a clean vessel in His hand. Christians let us remember. We have a charge to keep, a God to glorify. Be stirred by that. Shall we rise to sing the closing hymn? 433. Shall we rise? 433. Shall we rise and sing unto the Lord? 433.