Sunday Sermon by Pastor Rajesh Mathew, 5 September 2021

Haggai 2:18-19- 18 ‘Consider now from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of the LORD’s temple was laid—consider it: 19 Is the seed still in the barn? As yet the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not yielded fruit. But from this day I will bless you.

The 9th month of September is the month of laying the foundation. From this day—means that God is opening a season of blessings for the church. Some people will lay the foundation of life, children, business, houses, career wise finances. This is the beginning in this month of September. You be the foundation, Lord!

The beginning of laying new foundation and the month of blessings from the Lord.

Isaiah 48:17- Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go.

• Today is Teacher’s day. The Lord says, I am thy Lord who teaches you to profit. Jesus is the greatest teacher, He is Rabbi meaning “teacher”. He teaches you to profit.

The Holy Spirit said, if you look at the ledger book of your life, you will not see emptiness, zero balances in it. God will do the miraculous in your life and declare that God will lead me into profit and he will teach me to make profit. Wherever you are, worship Him!

• Get ready to learn. Have the attitude of being teachable. God is there to teach you. I was not ready to study or to learn in class, there were many teachers who were willing to teach me. If you are teachable, God will teach you. God teaches you not losses, but to profit.

Step into your profit.

The profit of serving God, is the aspect that I want to touch upon today.

1. There is no loss in worshipping and praying to the Lord. Seeking and serving God is not in vain. It is not a wasteful endeavor.

Isaiah 45:19- I have not spoken in secret,

In a dark place of the earth;

I did not say to the seed of Jacob,

‘Seek Me [a]in vain’;

I, the LORD, speak righteousness,

I declare things that are righ

o You do not seek the Lord in vain.

2. God is not called anybody to make his life wasteful. If you have been called, everything that you do in obedience to God is not wasteful.

• God is never a user of people. Some people say so and so person used me. God doesn’t use people like that. God is a raiser and maker of people.
• Jesus tells his disciples, I will make you fishers of men. When God calls you, he ensures that He will make you something. GOD WILL MAKE ME SOMETHING! • Americans discovered a wire. It is tiny. And they said, it is Made in USA. Israel made finer wire, almost invisible, and they said Made in Israel. India bought it from them and put a tag and said Made in India. God doesn’t do that!

God is not looking to see how He can profit from your life. God can do without us but we cannot do without Him. God is looking for how he can profit you in your life!

• Everybody sang Hosanna when Jesus arrived and there were some who wondered why they were wasting their time! And Jesus said, if they don’t worship me, the stones will. It is a privilege to worship the Lord.

3. God is a rewarder of your labour

Hebrews 6:10- 10 For God is not unjust to forget your work and [a]labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

• God Is not unrighteous! He is not unjust!

Jeremiah 22:13- “Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness And his [a]chambers by injustice,

Who uses his neighbor’s service without wages

And gives him nothing for his work,

• If you build and work or God’s house, will HE not bless you. When God is so concerned about treating workers building men’s houses or working for men being treated unjustly, how much for those who work for HIM and His Church.
• Many people say, I want to volunteer. That’s not a bad thing, it reflects a servant’s heart but there is a reward. Some people say, I want to help the church! Hello, the Church doesn’t need your help. And Neither do I, the Lord will take care of His church and of me! I am not saying that in pride.
• If you stay faithful for God and if you have labored and blessed the men of God. Because you made the covenant of service with Him, God is saying, I am not unjust. I will reward you! And that reward is profit!

WHAT IS THE REWARD?

Exodus 23:25- 25 “So you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you.

Supernatural supply.

The service of God qualifies you to the supply from God.

Psalm 35:27- Let them shout for joy and be glad,

Who favor my righteous cause;

And let them say continually,

“Let the LORD be magnified,

Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”

• If you serve Him, there is prosperity within it.

Job 36:11- If they obey and serve Him,

They shall spend their days in prosperity,

And their years in pleasures.

Luke 22:35- 35 And He said to them, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?”

• After you stepped out for Me, did you ever have any lack?
• There is profit in serving the Lord. You qualify for wages when you work for someone. I pay my servants. Won’t the Lord reward you for your service to Him?

I have never taken one paisa or salary from the church. Even though I have the authority to use that money, I never have, I have never thought about what offering I will get before choosing to go for a meeting. But when He gives, he gives with all the increment! I am speaking from experience. There is profit in serving the Lord!

• If you dedicate yourself to serve the Lord, there is blessing and profit within it. WHAT IS THE PROFIT OF THE REWARD?

1. DIVINE HEALTH AND VITALITY

Exodus 23:25- 25 Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you,

• In other words, I will give you health. He will remove sickness from every internal organ. He will remove sickness from your body. Lets rheumatic pains leave you.

God services who serves Him.

• Take the Word. Let there be healing in the name of Jesus

Deuteronomy 34:5-7- 5 And Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab, as the LORD had said. 6 He buried him[a] in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is. 7 Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone.

• Moses got this qualification because he was a servant of God. Another version says, ‘His [a]eyes were not dim nor his natural vigor [b]diminished.’ Kingdom employment benefits! Just like how some companies offer employment benefits like a petrol, education allowance for kids, house etc.
• Similarly, we have benefits for serving the Lord. Caleb at the 85th year has strength and vigour as he would have at the age of 40! This is not just a story. Let you thought process shift. Many of you are dreading ageing! You have already bought your walking stick expecting things to go wrong! No! You won’t need it, you will have vigour and strength.

2. DISTINCTION AND WORTH

You are different/ distinct!

Numbers 18:6-7- 6 Behold, I Myself have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel; they are a gift to you, given by the LORD, to do the work of the tabernacle of

meeting. 7 Therefore you and your sons with you shall attend to your priesthood for everything at the altar and behind the veil; and you shall serve. I give your priesthood to you as a gift for service, but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death.”

• The Levites are distinct. They are gift. The tribe of Levi.

To step out for God is to stand out in life. The way of service is the way of shining

• When you step out to serve the Lord. I used to be so scared about how I will take care f my wife and children. Then I decided to draw strength from his Word. God said, I will make you an asset to generations.

Malachi 3:17-18- “They shall be Mine,” says the LORD of hosts,

“On the day that I make them My jewels.[a]

And I will spare them

As a man spares his own son who serves him.”

18 Then you shall again discern

Between the righteous and the wicked,

Between one who serves God

And one who does not serve Him.

• The Lord says that I will be a jewel when I serve Him. Many people made fun of me wen I stepped out of the Lord. The Lord is saying, when the ledger of your life is opened, it will be profit.

3. DELIVERENCE AND LIBERTY

Exodus 4:23- 3 So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn.

“Let my people go that they might serve Me”

• If you are ready to serve Him, and minster unto Him, deliverance will come. Many are waiting for deliverance to come first and ten they want to serve.
• This morning let freedom and liberty come upon your life.
• The Lord is saying that I will kill anything if you do not let my Son go! The Holy Spirit can kill anything that is stopping you from serving the Lord.

1 Samuel 7:3- When Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you return to the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths[a] from among you, and prepare your hearts for the LORD, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”

• If you serve the Lord alone. Not the world and Jesus but serve Jesus ONLY, then He says, I will deliver you from the hands of philistine.

4. FREEDOM FROM GENERATIONAL CURSE

Generational curses cannot enter you. The Lord will teach you to profit from serving the Lord.

Exodus 23:26- 26 No one shall suffer miscarriage or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days.

• Lift up your hands, and pray against the spirit of death, may you live long and live well.

5. HONOUR AND DIGNITY

Proverbs 27:18- Whoever [a]keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit;

So he who waits on his master will be honored.

• Honour and dignity will be around people who serve Him. Wherever you are, whether in the lion’s den or through fire, He will be with us.

6. SUPERNATURAL FRUITFULNESS

Proverbs 23:26- 6 My son, give me your heart,

And let your eyes observe my ways.

The Lord is saying if you serve Me, you will not be fruitless. It is serving the Lord that will attract the anointing. When you dedicate yourself to His service, the Lord will anoint you

7. ANOINTING

Psalm 89:20- I have found My servant David;

With My holy oil I have anointed him,

• I have anointed him. Anointing operates when you have dedicated yourself to serve the Lord. Divine preservation from danger.

8. HE WILL SPARE YOU

Malachi 3:17-18- “They shall be Mine,” says the LORD of hosts,

“On the day that I make them My jewels.[a]

And I will spare them

As a man spares his own son who serves him.”

18 Then you shall again discern

Between the righteous and the wicked,

Between one who serves God

And one who does not serve Him.

• Spare me from all my troubles, spare form my hidden dangers, every evil, plague, evil reports, financial loss.

9. DIVINE PRESENCE

Mark 14:20- 20 He answered and said to them, “It is one of the twelve, who dips with Me in the dish.

• If you serve the Lord, He will come with you every time. Many people seeking the Lord, will say “Lord be with me”. But if you just step out to serve Him, He will come with you.

11. DIVINE DIRECTION

• It may be in your business, family life or in your ministry. Don’t marry for love. Marry because it is the direction of the Holy Spirit. Because if you marry for love, you can marry the wrong person. If you marry the one the Lord shows you, then there will be grace flowing in that marriage.
• Many are looking for a diabetes marriage- pudding, honey and sugar. The Bible says, love the one whom the Lord has given you. That is where the blessing is. Some people don’t learn this. But I am teaching you to profit. Holy Spirit, I want direction from you.

If you pray and seek Him for your future partner, God will lead you to the right person. 12. ETERNAL REWARD

1 Corinthians 15:58- 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

• There is an eternal crown of life. If you serve Him, there are eternal benefits. Philippians 1:21- 21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
• You are determined to serve God with your life. If so, then death is a benefit because there are eternal benefits. It is a daily decision. It is an uncompromising decision.

You should avoid the temptations that hinder the effective service unto the Lord. • People say that- Don’t go too far in serving the Lord. Take it easy brother!

Exodus 10:24-25- 24 Then Pharaoh called to Moses and said, “Go, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be kept back. Let your little ones also go with you.”

25 But Moses said, “You must also give [a]us sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.

• When you say, I will serve the Lord, whatever be the cost, I will serve Him. You need to serve Him.

There are temptations that stop you from serving the Lord.

1. To serve the Lord without a cost is a temptation.
2. Another temptation is I will compare my service to that of the other apostles. The word commands us against doing so.
3. Third temptation is tiredness or weariness. There is a temptation that the enemy puts into your mind to stop you from serving.
4. Many do not serve the Lord because they are waiting for perfect condition. For example, will marry first and then serve the Lord or I will first have my children settle down and then serve the Lord.

Ecclesiastes 11:4 (TLB version)- 4 If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done.[a]

5. The temptation of offense.

Mathew 18:7- 7 Woe to the world because of [a]offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!

• Many are so offended. The devil brings offence and this temptation so you can leave and move away from serving the Lord. Many are
• The yield of my life in serving the Lord shall be great because the Lord will cause me to profit.