the full transcript here

 July 26, 2015 Sunday Service
Crucible – New Beginning
Pastor Carlo Panlilio
From the very beginning, God had a specific plan for each one of us. I believe that nothing
happens in this world by chance or by accident that things happen for a reason. Things happen
for a purpose. Sometimes there could be things that seemed that don’t make sense – random
things. But then again only to realize that God had a reason, God has a purpose for these
things. I had this wonderful experience this morning. You haven’t heard this because it only
happened to me this morning so listen.
Of course, every Sunday I try to figure out what to wear. Last two weeks ago, I happen to
passed by one of my favorite shops in Trinoma, yung Merger. They usually sell shirts and
actually, their main products are suits. Most of my suits are coming from Merger kasi mura,
cheaper than most suits plus, of course, I like yung style nila. Anyway, I passed by two weeks
ago and there was a sale so I cannot resist, I went inside. I started to look at several pants and I
saw several pants that I like. One of which was this one – ‘etong pants na ‘to. I actually bought
two pairs of pants. One of them was this one I like this style kasi nga parang, “That’s cool. I like
the lining over there.” I bought it already and now comes this morning, I was thinking what to
wear, “Ano kayang masuot ko?” And I remember “Wait, I bought a new pair of pants. I’m gonna
wear that.” So I took it out from the bag and I put it on and realized, “What coat would be nice to
match over my pants?” So, I was going over several suits. I probably have ten different pairs of
suits and then I grabbed this one. When I put it on, I was like “Woah. Woah!”
Now understand this; I bought this also at Merger but I bought this about three years ago. I also
bought this on sale but during that time, I was asking, “Was there a pants that goes with it?”
Well unfortunately, during that time there were no more pants. In other words, the stock was
gone already but I still bought the coat because I like its style. And never in my wildest dreams
that after three years, I passed by the same store and I bought the pants and without the
intention of pairing it with this one because I totally forgot about this. But when I put them
together this morning I was like “Woah.”
This is exactly its pair if you’ll look – it’s the same cloth, and the design, the reason for that was
for this. I was looking myself in the mirror and told myself, “That’s what you call destiny.”
Let me encourage you, there are things that happen in your life it doesn’t make sense – random
things. But for all you know God is working something out. I remember this verse in Romans
chapter eight, sabi doon –
Romans 8:28 (NIV)
28
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who
have been called according to his purpose.”
Everything works out good. Everything! Every single detail in your life even the bad things even
the things that doesn’t make sense works out for good for those that love God and for those
who are called according to his purposes, right?
Anyway, I’m excited about the word for today. Why don’t we pray?
Father, we just wanna thank you God, thank you for this wonderful afternoon. I pray right now
Lord God that you’d begin to just minister and speak to every one of us, in Jesus’ name. I pray
Lord God that as we launch this new season in our church, a season of new beginnings, that
indeed you’d give a new beginning to each one, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
C’mon let’s give the Lord a clap.
A while ago Attorney Ralph was announcing the Destiny Network Conference which is gonna be
August 21 and 22. Make sure you attend that. There should be no reason or excuse for you not
to go to that. It’s gonna be amazing. But if you notice, the theme for that conference is “A New
Beginning”. I was thinking for us to build momentum towards that event, it might be good, even
right now, let’s start talking about what that means. What does it mean to have a new
beginning?
So today, I’m gonna launch a whole new series that is going to deal with new beginnings. Now, I
want you to understand that deep inside every one of us there’s this fascination that we are
attracted to the idea of doing something new – starting anew again. Why is that?
It’s because first of all the reality that most likely we have made mistakes in the past. Have you
ever thought of the possibility of going back in time so that you can right the wrong? Because
we have done a lot of wrong things. We have made mistakes. We have failed. If there was only
a way for us to rewrite history to avoid the mistakes that we’ve done in the past and to start
again. But then of course, there is no way to go back in the past but you know I have good news
for you; you don’t have to go back in the past to have a new beginning. You just have to know
Jesus.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NASB)
17
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away;
behold, new things have come.
That is exactly the experience of all of you who just attended the Encounter, right? That really,
this is going to be a new beginning for you. It’s like a fresh start. Not only does a new beginning
involve righting the wrong or how we wish we are given another chance. I believe you are right
for a new beginning when you have come to a point in your life when you start to get bored with
whatever it is that you are going through because I realized that life is never meant to be boring.
When you do something new, there’s always that sense of adventure and excitement. Ako, as a
person, I don’t wanna lose that. Even if I grow old, I don’t wanna lose that excitement of being
adventurous of discovering new things of being able to start anew. That’s what we mean by new
beginning.
I was reading a book by Mike Murdock and he mentions this in his book, sabi niya, “Everything
has to have a beginning except ‘The Beginning.’” Did you get that? “Everything has to have a
beginning except THE Beginning.” When you talk about ‘The Beginning’, you’re talking about
God. God is ‘The Beginning.’ But then again God, as we see him, is a master of new
beginnings.
“Everything has to have a beginning...except The Beginning. God is the Master
of New Beginnings. He loves beginnings. He is the Alpha and the Omega. He is
the Beginning and the End. He began life. He began earth. He began animals.
He began people. He began the Universe. He began you.
Sometimes we make unfortunate mistakes.Sometimes we make unwise
decisions.Sometimes wetake devastating wrong turns in life.We become
damaged. Severely damaged. Suicidal thoughts dance across the stage of our
mind, mocking, sneering and defying us. Self-destruction seems like a magnetic,
compelling, an even desirable option to our present mess we have created. We
need a New Beginning.”
- Mike Murdock, 31 Keys To A New Beginning
Praise God because that is exactly the reason Jesus Christ came into this world. Yun nga eh,
we’re messed up. We made mistakes. We have failed and good things we could begin anew.
We could anew. But also, one of the things I realized about new beginnings is that there is also
a product of crisis. There’s an old Chinese proverb that goes on by saying “Crisis creates
opportunities.” That’s why this afternoon, I would like to talk about one of the keys that would
unlock you, that would launch you to your new beginning and that is what you call the crucible.
Can you say the word with me crucible? Say it with me “crucible”. Now, for some of you this
might be a new word. First of all, let me talk about the literal definition what a crucible is.
According to the Oxford dictionary,
crucible / cru·ci·ble / • /ˈkro͞osəәb(əә)l/
noun
1
A ceramic or metal container in which metals or other substances may be melted or
subjected to very high temperatures.
To give you a vivid illustration of what a crucible is; when you talk about gold, for us to be able
to manufacture a 24 karat gold we need to understand that it has to go to a process. You don’t
just get gold from simply mining. If you try to mine gold, you need to realize that gold is mixed
up altogether with rocks and other minerals and metals. You don’t get pure gold from the
mountain or from deep under the earth. Usually it’s combine with other metals. What you need
to do is bring it to the process whereby you are able to separate all the other metals, yung lupa,
rocks and maybe the silver or the bronze or copper, so that you could eliminate those things
and end up with having pure 24 karat gold. One of the processes involved is to bring that raw
gold to what you call a crucible. Ilalagay sila sa isang container that is super heated. Somehow,
that container is able to bear the heat. It doesn’t crack nor melt but the gold inside of it melts it
and at the same time it’s destroying all the minerals and burns the impurities or sometimes it
makes a clear separation. ‘Pag natunaw na, a portion of the gold would go to one side and the
rest of the minerals would go to another and they are able to separate the gold. You know
what’s amazing is? The only way to have pure gold is to pass it through a crucible, to pass it
through fire.
You know you may not realize this; some of you are gold. Sabi nung iba, “Mukhang uling naman
ah.” I wanna tell you this, some of us don’t consider ourselves valuable because we are still yet
to realize the potential that is inside of us. For that gold to be extracted, to actually come out, it
has to go through a crucible, it has to go to fire. That’s why the word crucible does not only
mean in the English language the metal that is used for melting other metals. It also means this.
“A crucible is an opportunity, test, or emergency that summons the very best
from a person and reveals their finest inner qualities. Once a potential leader
experiences a crucible, they are transformed forever.”
- John Maxwell,The Crucible
Sabi ko na may forever eh. Rock ‘n Roll to the world! Olrayt, olrayt! They are transformed
forever. When people tell you this, “Of course there’s forever!” Change can last forever. I wanna
declare that to every person who’ve gone to the Encounter. I declare that the change you
experience is not only temporary. That change is gonna last forever. Because there’s no point to
change then going back to the way you used to be. That’s not changing. That’s just being
emotional and being hyped up. An encounter with God, a real experience with God, has what
you call lasting change. I like how Maxwell put it.
“The crucible is a challenge or crisis that proves the leadership capacity lying
within a person and becomes a defining moment in their leadership journey.”
- John Maxwell, The Crucible
To illustrate, I like to share the story of one of the famous president of the United States of
America. His name is Harry Truman. Let me just read the story to you about Harry Truman.
Growing up, future United States President Harry Truman never thought of himself as a leader-nor did anyone else.With "eyeglasses thick as the bottom of a Coke bottle," In other words, he
looked like very nerdy. He had eyeglasses as thick as the bottom of the coke bottle. Historian
David McCullough, yung biographer ni Harry Truman, writes that Truman couldn't try out for
school sports. In other words, he wasn’t very athletic. He was flail and thin. There’s really none
much about him to actually think that this young boy was going to be one of the greatest leaders
of the world. On playing side, you don’t even think that this person has potential. He didn’t even
try to out for school sports. He is not athletic. He is not a basketball player. He was not a soccer
player. He was nobody. He mostly stayed home, working the farm, reading books, or playing the
piano. But the course of his life changed forever when, as a young man, he signed up for the
Army to fight in World War I. So, sumiklab yung unang digmaang pang-daigdig and he was
drafted into the army. He was shipped off to France as the head of an artillery battery, and for
the first time in his life, he was forced to lead men through moments of mortal danger. He didn’t
want it but somehow because he is already in the army, he was given a unit a group of men to
be under him. He became an officer. His initial test came on a rainy night in the mountains. The
Germans had dropped bombs close to their camp and as a result, everyone panicked. People
were running, screaming, some were dying, bombs are being dropped everywhere. So, he was
in a horse since he was an official, and as a result, one bomb dropped nearby his horse. And to
his surprise, his horse fell on him – nadaganan siya!
In the midst of the turmoil, seeing all his men panicking, shouting and screaming, something
inside of him, rather than being overwhelmed by the circumstances, rather than being afraid
kahit nando’n siya sa ilalim ng kabayo niya, something stirred up in him, awakened him and he
stood up and started screaming and shouting to his soldiers telling them to go back and
regroup. Out from under the horse, seeing the others running, he just stood there, locked in
place. He called them back, screaming as loudly as he could, shaming his men back to do what
they were supposed to do.The men regrouped, got through the night, and many of them
returned home safely. Throughout the rest of their lives, those men were loyal to Harry Truman,
their leader, who refused to back down in the face of his own fear.According to his biographer,
McCullough, Truman discovered two vitally important things about himself that night. First, that
he had plain physical courage.
That night – the fire, the crucible, and the test – brought him to realize that, number one, he had
plain physical courage, na matapang pala siya. Apart from that night he would not discovered it,
there would have been no opportunity. Sometimes crisis creates opportunities.
I bought my daughter the DVD of Mulan, anyone here who loved Mulan? I love Disney films. As
watching it over and over again together with my daughter Kathryn, and even Sam is watching
it, I like the scene where the Emperor said this;
“The flower that grows in adversity is the most beautiful of all.”
- Mulan
I was like, “Yeah, that’s right!” Some of the guys will say “Well, I’m not a flower.”
Anyway, the second thing that he learned in which he was good at was leading people. He
realized it only at that time. In his conclusion on Truman's life, McCullough writes: "And war was
the crucible."
[exact excerpt]
“Growing up, future United States President Harry Truman never thought of
himself as a leader--nor did anyone else.
With "eyeglasses thick as the bottom of a Coke bottle," historian David
McCullough writes that Truman couldn't try out for school sports and mostly
stayed home, working the farm, reading, or playing the piano.
But the course of his life changed forever when, as a young man, he signed up
for the Army to fight in World War I.
He was shipped off to France as the head of an artillery battery, and for the first
time in his life, he was forced to lead men through moments of mortal danger.
His initial test came on a rainy night in the mountains. The Germans had dropped
an artillery barrage close by, and his troops panicked and broke ranks. In the
frenzy, Truman's horse fell over on him, and he was nearly crushed.
McCullough writes: "Out from under (the horse), seeing the others running, he
just stood there, locked in place. He called them back, screaming as loudly as he
could ... shaming his men back to do what they were supposed to do."
The men regrouped, got through the night, and many of them returned home
safely. Throughout the rest of their lives, those men were loyal to Harry Truman,
their leader, who refused to back down in the face of his own fear.
According to McCullough, Truman discovered two vitally important things about
himself that night. First, that he had plain physical courage; and second, that he
was good at leading people. He learned that if the leader shows courage, it's
contagious.
In his conclusion on Truman's life, McCullough writes: "And war was the
crucible."
- John Maxwell, The Crucible
That war launch him into a new beginning. That crucible – the fire, test, and problem – launch
him to his new beginning. Sometimes we want to shy away from problems and tests. As much
as possible, we don’t wanted to have anything to do with tests or going through fire or problems.
But is it possible that things that happen in your life are, therefore, a reason that they are there
to launch you to a new beginning. Unfortunately, some people don’t know how to handle
crucibles, tests, or to go through the fire. Rather than experiencing a new beginning, their lives
end with a sad ending. Alam mo mamimili ka lang eh. You have a choice eh. It’s either you
come up with your new beginning that brings you to your destiny or you succumb to the trials.
You are overwhelmed by the circumstances that you end up having a sad ending. You choose;
new beginning or sad ending? Who wants new beginning?
I don’t know about you but I love new beginnings. Even if it’s middle of the year, since it’s
already July, isn’t it amazing that we could talk about new beginnings in the middle of the year?
Hey, you don’t have to wait for next year to start anew. You could start today. You could start
NOW! Don’t wait for next year. You could start TODAY. That’s the problem with so many of the
people, they don’t know how to handle the crucibles or the fires that they go through. That is
exactly what are we going to talk about; how do we allow the crucibles to be in our lives – the
fire, test and problems to bring about the best in us?
Let’s turn our bibles right now to Esther 3:13. Let’s start this in the middle of the fire and
problem.
Esther 3:13 (NIV)
13
Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king's provinces with the order to destroy,
kill and annihilate all the Jews--young and old, women and little children--on a single
day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their
goods.
What is this about? There was a man who hated the Jews, whose name was Haman. I don’t
have time to share the whole story of Esther but I think we could start with the time which Esther
lived. Esther lived during tone of the darkest times in the moments of Israel. They were a nation
that was exiled. In other words, they were living under a foreign power in another city. It’s one
thing to be ipress in your nation, it’s another to be oppress in another nation. Being
discriminated, slaves and oppressed, ‘yun yu’ng buong kalagayan ng buong Israel at that time.
Because of their sins, God allowed them to be thrown to exile. The King of Babylon,
Nebuchadnezzar, attacked Jerusalem and they fell. He took all! He basically took the whole
nation, put them in chains and drag them to his land, Babylon. For years, the nation of Israel
has been there. Anyway, I believed they had settled but their condition hasn’t really changed
that much.
Who wants to be a slave? Who wants to be living not in your own country? That was the
situation and seeing the situation of Israel is crying out for a new beginning. Well, things started
to happen in the most unusual way.
The King during that time, King Xerxes, her wife, Vashti, did something that caused her the
queenship. In other words, nawalan ng karapatan si Vashti na bilang queen. She was removed
from being queen. For a while, King Xerxes had no queen – wala siyang asawa. But then again,
yung kanyang mga advisers said, “Sir, it’s been a long time since you don’t have a queen. I
believe a king like you should have a queen. Why don’t we have a search throughout the whole
empire of Babylon and look for the most beautiful woman? You can choose who among these
women could become queen.” That was the beginning of Miss Universe.
Now, there was a search for the most beautiful woman in the entire world because Xerxes rule
the world at that time. Somehow, favor knocked on Esther’s life. Esther at that time ay dalaga
na but I want you to understand the background of Esther; she was nobody. Not only was she
part of a slave nation, she was an orphan – ulilang lubos na siya. Ang nagpalaki sa kanya was
his uncle, si Mordecai. To make the long story short, Esther was the one selected to become
the queen. When you thought that the story would have ended saying, “End. Esther lived
happily ever after.” That was not the end of the story. In fact, it was just the beginning – a
beginning of a new beginning not for Esther but for her nation.
Now, a lot of you experience a new beginning. This is for you especially for those of you who
attended the Encounter. You might think that the new beginning is just for you but sometimes
the reason brings you to new beginning is because you are not the only one involved with that
situation. In the case of Esther, she didn’t become queen so she could’ve bless and enjoy her
life as a queen. Things were coming into play that she would be an instrument in saving her
nation.
Anyway, fast forward ng konti, there was this man who in fact is the Prime Minister of the
empire. In other words, next to the king, he was the most powerful man during that time. If we
have PNoy, we have Binay. Haman was a Binay. And you know what? He hated the Jews. He
hated the race of Esther. Now, of course, he didn’t know but something happen. Somehow, the
identity of Esther, the Queen, was kept secret. She was already the queen but not even the king
knows what her roots are. Probably, all the kings know is the fact that “My queen is beautiful. I
don’t care what race you are, I love you. You’re beautiful.”
Somehow, for reasons that we don’t really clearly understand, the identity of Esther was not
revealed. Of course, she knew who she was. Her uncle knew who she was but other than that
no one else. The Jews didn’t even know that actually the present queen is kalahi nila,
kababayan nila. This guy, Haman, he doesn’t also know that and what he had was a hatred for
the Jews. He wanted to kill the Jews. Because he was powerful, he was enable to a act a law –
batas. This is not a suggestion, it’s a law. What kind of law? It’s the most weirdest of laws. He
was able to enact a law that on a particular date there would be an eradication of a whole
nation.
Imagine; what if there was a time in the history that there was a law that every single Filipino
wherever part in the world is going to be killed? It’s a law. Not only can you kill a Jew – kunyari,
not only can you kill a Filipino, if you kill one, you will be rewarded richly. So, in-encourage pa
nila. If I was from another race and I have a neighbor that was Jew, maybe I don’t wanna kill
because why do I wanna kill? He’s a good neighbor. But this man gave such a huge reward like
for every Jew killed you’re gonna be given a million pesos. Wow! So, I got five, I’m gonna give
five million pesos, something like that. Can you imagine? All the enemies of the Jews were
excited not only they would be able to kill the people that they hated but they would be get rich
out of it. But imagine if you were a Jew.
So, what Mordecai did in Esther chapter 4, he went to the palace and of course he cannot enter.
He’s just a regular man. In the gate, somebody reported to Esther that his uncle was there and
he was wearing sackcloth. Ano yung sackcloth? He was not wearing regular clothes but
sackcloth. That’s what a sackcloth is, sako. That what’s Jews do on their praying when their
desperate. When Esther find out, “Checked out what’s happening in my uncle.” Esther even
said, “Give my uncle a shirt.” “Pinabibigay po ni Esther. Lacoste po.” But ini-snob ni Mordecai, “I
don’t need that!” Finally, Esther said, “There’s something wrong. I need to find out.”
Esther 4:4-5 (NIV)
4
When Esther's maids and eunuchs came and told her about Mordecai, she was in
great distress. She sent clothes for him to put on instead of his sackcloth, but he would
not accept them. 5 Then Esther summoned Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs assigned
to attend her, and ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai and why. Mordecai has a copy of the law na papatayin ang mga Jews. The reason Mordecai was there he
was informing Esther, “Ether, there’s a law. Every single one of us – your nation, your people –
will be killed.” If you are Esther, you’d probably react like “Who dares kill the queen? Who does
harm my people? You would’ve thought that it would have been great like “Let me find out who
that person is!” it would have been great with that way but you would be amazed at Esther’s
response.
Esther 4:9- 11 (NIV)
9
Hathach went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said. 10Then she
instructed him to say to Mordecai, 11 "All the king's officials and the people of the royal
provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court
without being summoned the king has but one law: that he be put to death. The only
exception to this is for the king to extend the gold scepter to him and spare his life. But
thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king." King’s has what you call scepters. Imagine I’m a king and this is my scepter. You might think na
“Yeah of course, this is gonna be easy.” Esther’s the queen, who’s gonna harm the queen?
Who dares harm the people of the queen? But it’s really more complicated than that.
Complicated yung situation, why?
In our time, you might now understand this but during that time, hindi pwede basta-basta na ang
isang tao to enter in the presence of a king, you don’t go and say “Hi King. How are you today?”
- no! Pugot ulo ka! You’re gonna get killed. ‘Yun yu’ng sinasabi ni Esther, “Uncle, you know the
law. You know that in this country, there is one law. If you’re not called by the king – the king
has but one law that not even me can go. If I go there and I was not called, I will die. The king
will have my head chopped off unless he finds favor or in a good mood that extends the scepter,
that means, I can come. If that doesn’t happen, Uncle, I’m dead. I don’t wanna die, not for you,
not for the people. ‘Tsaka Uncle, you know my situation, I pay my dues, I lived as a slave, and
somehow I ended up here. I can’t think of giving up my bed, my clothes. Uncle, this is the life
I’ve always wanted to live. Remember, as a child, I always wanted to be a Disney princess?
Now, it’s here! I’m living the life Uncle. Why would I even throw it out away where in fact there’s
no even surety, the sureness, that I will be able to help you. Worse, everyone of us dies and I
get my head cut off. I might as well keep quiet.” You know what? You might think like, “Why
would Esther do that? She would allow her people to die?”
Sometimes, we chose to do that. We choose not to care. I like to give you three things that
launch Esther into her new beginning, not only for her new beginning but for a new beginning for
her people.
Number one is to recognize the pain. Say it with me, “Recognize the pain” What do you mean
by recognize the pain? Esther at the very beginning she didn’t want to recognize the pain. She
wanted to brush aside the pain. She didn’t wanna care because sometimes when you care,
there is always the possibility that you can be hurt. That’s why for some us, rather than
experience pain, rather than being hurt, we just choose not to care. We don’t wanna be
involved. We try to put aside the pain. We try to put aside our care. Are you getting this? But I
want you to understand, pain is not the enemy. Pain, in one way or another, is good.
Recently, I’ve really started to like Ed Sheeran. I bought his album and particularly, I love this
song ‘Photograph’. ‘Yung part na “Loving can hurt sometimes but it’s the only thing that makes
us feel alive.” Of course, loving makes you feel alive but I think you missed the point there. The
hurt makes you realize that you’re alive. Kurotin mo yang katabi mo! Nasaktan? Bakit? Buhay.
The reason you’re experiencing hurt is because you’re alive.
Nobody wants to experience pain but then again, if you think about it, pain tells you that, “Hey,
the reason you’re experiencing that pain is because you’re alive.” If you don’t experience pain
anymore, there is something wrong – you’re dead. I’m not saying to stay in that pain. All you
have to do is to recognize the pain. Pain is gonna launch you into new beginning. I love what
Mike Murdock said.
“Pain is discomfort created by disorder.”
- Mike Murdock, 31 Keys to a New Beginning
In other words, you know something is wrong when you feel pain. Alam mong may mali kapag
may masakit. At dahil doon, meron ka ngayong opportunity na itama ang mali. Mahalaga pala
na nakakaranas tayo ng sakit kasi ‘yung sakit ay senyales na meron kang kailangang ayusin.
Meron kang kailangang gamutin. Can you imagine kung hindi ka nakakaranas ng sakit?
Sino dito napaso na sa plantsa o sa mainit na kaldero? Ano ‘yung reaction mo? Nasaktan ka
pero nilayo mo kaagad and then, may natutunan ka. It launches you to a new level, “Mainit pala
ang plantsa. Masakit.” Hindi mo na ulit gagawin na mapadikit ang kamay mo kasi masakit eh.
Meron bang nangyari dito napadikit sa plantsa at pagdapo ng plantsa sa palad mo, sabi mo,
“Aray.” Tapos hindi mo inalis, “Aray.” Natatawa kayo ‘no? It’s a funny illustration but is it
possible in life we react that way towards pain? We don’t even recognize that it is hurting you.
Sinasaktan ka na ng boyfriend mo sabi mo, “Aray.”
Now, understand this, that’s why a lot of us are never launch into new beginning is because we
don’t allow pain to do its role in our lives. Pain is a signal that there is something wrong.
Pain is not the enemy, it is a signal. A memo, a messenger that an enemy exist.
When you were a child you may touch a hot iron, it hurts. Pain make you jerk
your hand away. It make you made changes to protect yourself from injury. If
things are going wrong in your life, take it seriously. Pain talks. Initiate change
that may be necessarily. You have already been in you past. It didn’t satisfy you
or you wouldn’t stay there. It is time to make changes – big changes.
- Mike Murdock, 31 Keys to a New Beginning
Nangungusap yan. May sinasabi. Anong sinasabi niya? Layuan mo yan. Nakakasama sa’yo
yan. Nasasaktan ka. Hindi mo ikinabubuti yan. You don’t need to be numb of pain. What Esther
was initially doing was she trying herself to numb in pain. She doesn’t want to be involved but
pain is not the enemy. When your pain is talking to you, initiate change that may be necessarily.
You have already been in you past. It didn’t satisfy you or you wouldn’t stay there. It is time to
make changes – big changes. It’s time for a new beginning.
Sinasaktan ka na eh. Maybe what’s causing pain in your life is laziness. That’s hurting. It’s
hurting your grades, your performance. It’s hurting you. What do you do? Stay lazy? No. the
reaction should be get away from pain. You don’t embrace the pain. Sabi ng iba, embrace the
pain. No! don’t stay in the pain. Meron ba ditto napaso na nga ng plantsa tapos niyakap yung
plantsa?
Good thing that Mordecai was such a man full of wisdom. He started to speak to Esther. Sabi
niya, “Don’t you ever think that you can escape this. This thing does not involve just me or the
nation. This is gonna affect you. This is gonna hurt you. Don’t think just because you are in the
king’s palace, you will be spared, maliligtas ka? No, no, no, no! You’re gonna get killed as well.
When the law is enacted and people find out that you are a Jew, not even the king could have
saved you. Don’t reject the pain. Recognize the pain.” That is exactly what Esther did, “Oo nga,
ano? What am I thinking?”
Second. The second thing that is gonna launch you to a new beginning is the sense of destiny.
Not only did Mordecai made Esther recognize the pain, he also imparted to Esther a huge
sense of destiny. What do you mean a huge sense of destiny? Look at what Mordecai said,
Esther 4:14 (NIV)
14
“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from
another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you
have come to royal position for such a time as this?" What is Mordecai saying? “Esther, have you not thought about it? All this things that has
happened to your life, yes there were bad things, you lost your parents in the war, you lost your
parents at the young age, we were thrown here at this foreign nation as slaves but then again
out of God’s favor you became the queen. Don’t you ever think that those are just happening
randomly. What are the chances that the reason you’re here is because God has positioned
you.”
You might think where you are right now doesn’t make sense to you – your family, education,
parang wala naman. May mga nangyari sa’yo lalo na ‘yung masasakit na nangyari sa’yo, yung
past mo. Sometimes, those things doesn’t make sense or you wish those things didn’t happen.
Is it possible that where you are is exactly where God wants you to be? Because you are about
to be launch into a new beginning. That your school is now just where you study but could it be
that there’s a destiny for you there? That your job is not just a place where you can get money
and salary but you would find your destiny there? That this church is not just a place where you
happen to go to every Sunday but you would find, for all you know, baka katabi mo ngayon
‘yung cell leader mo.
When I was in high school, I was good but I was never an honor student. I was also never an
athlete. I’m okay but I’m not popular. You could say I’m average. When we graduated, there
were nine of us on our senior year ho took the entrance exam in UPCAT. ‘Yung walo na nagtake, lahat honor students, from the valedictorian down to the sixth honorable mention. Ako
land, somehow, was the only student in our batch crazy enough or stupid enough? Or
courageous enough? Ako lang ‘yung nag-take ng exam sa UP na hindi honor student. Nu’ng
lumabas yu’ng exam, dalawa lang nakapasa, ‘yung valedictorian ‘tsaka ako.
Now, I would wanted to think that “Ang galing ko. Sabi ko na eh.” But honestly, ‘til today, it is still
a mystery to me how I was able to pass the UPCAT exam. Actually, in our batch, ako lang yu’ng
nag-UP kasi yung valedictorian chose UST. I only took two entrance exams, two universities
lang. One was UP, nahirapan ako sa exam ng UP. The other one was Ateneo. Sa Ateneo ‘di
ako nahirapan mag-exam pero ‘di ako pumasa. Those things are weird, huh? Di ako nahirapan
sa Ateneo pero ‘di ako pumasa. Sa UP hirap na hirap ako sa exam pero pumasa ako. Pero
ngayon hindi ko nga masabi na magaling ako, matalino ako. When I stepped into the UP
Campus, first time in UP Los Banos, when I saw oblation I was like “Yep, I belong here.” It is
destiny calling out to you.
Maybe some of you haven’t even figured out that yet and how you wish you were a different
place, different campus with a different family, pero I would like to speak Mordecai’s words to
Esther. “Is it possible that you are in that place, that you are here for such a time as this?”
We had been singing that song a while ago, “This is our time, this is our place.” I want you to
have that lyrics of that song gave a meaning to you. This is my time. This is not just pure
circumstance but could it be na nandito tayo one of the darkest moments of nation. You know it
could have been good to live in the 1950’s – sikat ang Pilipinas. Philippine Airlines was the first
airlines in Asia. When Araneta Coliseum was the first coliseum in the world of its kind. It would
have been good to live during that time na ang taas ng tingin ng buong mundo sa mga Pilipino.
Manila was called the Paris of Asia. Pero hindi eh, pinanganak tayo dito, nadatnan natin isang
kurap na bansa. Ang daming mahirap, pila sa MRT mababaliw ka.
Aksidente ba na pinanganak ka sa panahong ito o ‘di kaya sinadya? Aksidente ba na dumaan
ka doon sa crucible ng buhay mo? Aksidente ba na broken family ka? Sana hindi eh. Aksidente
ba n a hindi mo kilala tatay mo? Aksidente ba na pinanganak kang mahirap? Sana hindi eh.
Aksidente ba na hiniwalayan ka ng walang’ya mong boyfriend? Sa loob-loob mo, “Sana tayo pa
rin.” Gusto mo ng one more chance pero ang kailangan mo new beginning.
You might think “Yeah, you can talk like that Pastor Carlo because look at where you are.” I was
not always like this. During high school, you would only think much of me. There is really no
much to see during that time. Walang tao. Payatot ako. hindi ako athletic. Sa mga panahon na
’yun, hindi ako gwapo – ngayon na lang eh. There was really nothing. But when God comes into
your life and start to work in circumstances in things that you never thought about, Romans
chapter eight.
Romans 8:28 (NIV)
28
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who
have been called according to his purpose.”
You have a calling. You may not realize it yet. Yes, every one of you. Every single one of you
have a sense of destiny. This life has a sense of something. You have been born for such a
time as this. It is not a mistake that you are born in that family or work. That work is not just a
job for you. Could it be that there are people there who need Jesus – who need God’s love? If
only you rise up to the occasion, to your calling, to your destiny, to rise up as Esther did. Finally,
that’s what Esther did, sabi niya “Oo nga, ‘no? What am I thinking? Agh! Am I going to let this
happen? Am I just going to let the Devil destroy my nation?”
Minsan gano’n tayo as Filipinos, hinahayaan na lang natin sirain ng demonyo ‘yung bayan natin
eh. Sirain ng korapsyon, ng politician na wala naman talagang pagmamahal sa bansa. What are
we doing? Sabi ni Mordecai, “If you remain silent,” – so many Christians and Filipinos are like
that, we just remain silent. Ayaw nating makialam. Somehow, Esther realized, “What am I
thinking?”
Esther 4:15 – 16 (NIV)
15
Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in
Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my
attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is
against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”
What is that? That is what you call radical trust, radical faith. Finally, Esther trusted in God. Sabi
niya “God, I’m gonna trust you with this. I’m not even sure if the king would want me. I might be
killed but I’m way passed down before. I’m going in, I’m gonna do this. I’m going to step up for
my nation.” Pasok si Esther habang kinakabahan pa siya. ‘Yung last na tao na pumasok sa
presensya ng king na walang paalam, pinatay. Noon nakita siya ng king, “Esther,” “Yes, my
king.” Tiningnan ngayon nung King yung Queen niya, in-extend yung scepter, “What do you
want? Even half of my kingdom, I will give it to you.”
To make the long story short, Esther spared not only her life, she saved her whole nation. Every
year in Israel, there is the feast of Purim. It is to acknowledge, an anniversary of what Esther
did. Hangang ngayon, sine-celebrate nila yung feast of Purim. It is because of that day. That
Esther went into the presence of the King, and the whole nation was saved.
One last thing, the new beginning for Esther, her being queen, was not about her. It is about the
destiny of the nation. And it is good, you got saved today, it is good you have a new beginning
but I wanna tell you this, especially the Encounter graduates; your new beginning, don’t think
that it is only about you. Don’t think that God change you because, yes, of course, He loves you,
but what are the possibilities that He saved you in order to save others, to save a nation? What
are the chances na ‘yang katabi mo, mukhang aantok-antok yan kasi walang tulog eh,
Encounter eh. What are the chances na ‘yang katabi mo would be the President? Why not?
Maybe not the president, maybe the mayor or congressman? Sabi nung mga woman, “First
lady.” You will never know! Si Esther, orphan girl from a slaved nation, now a queen to the most
powerful man at that time. She changed.
What’s new beginning? You know, it’s not for Esther, it was a new beginning for the whole
nation. The whole nation was not oppressed anymore, lumaya sila. Nagtagumpay sila. It was a
new day for Israel.
Your life is not just about you. It’s about others. It’s about your nation. Think of it in of terms your
generation. We are not meant to just simply live for ourselves. God has a destiny for you but
God has a destiny for your nation too. Amen?
I want us pray right now.
Father, in the name of Jesus, we just come before you Lord God. Maybe some of you gone
through a lot of pain. Maybe for some of us, you allowed to stay in that pain. You don’t need to
stay in that pain. You don’t need to keep on relieving the pain, relieving the hurt. Some of you
you need to decide to get out from that pain. Don’t embrace it yet recognize it. Learn from it. If a
relationship is causing you pain, that means there’s something wrong. It’s either you fix it or you
get out of it. If a situation in your life is causing you pain, if laziness then it’s definitely cause you
pain. It’s gonna hurt you in your studies. It’s gonna hurt you in your career. Get out of it. Get rid
of it. Recognize it and learn from it.
Father, in the name of Jesus, I pray that we will have the courage to recognize the pain and
deal with pain. We don’t have to hide. You don’t have to be fake. You don’t have to hide. Esther
tried to hide but that’s not the solution. Recognize the pain and change.
Father, I speak change right now and Father, I even pray, Lord God, for that sense of destiny
upon every single one of us. No, we are not perfect. We’re not saying that we’re a perfect
church but I believe Lord God that you’re gonna raise up people Lord that will really have an
impact with a sense of destiny in their lives. Their gonna help others and society. There gonna
help this nation to rise up once again, in the name of Jesus.
If right now, you really wanted ro receive that sense of destiny, that sense of call, maybe hindi
mo pa nakikita o nadi-discover, you don’t have any purpose in your life – wala lang, palaboy
lang, pabebe lang, whatever. If right now you wanna get hold of that destiny, raise up your
hands right now. Go ahead. Just tell the Lord, “Let me live my destiny.”
Father, I pray for every person right here, that they would have that sense of purpose, that
sense of significance in our lives. That lord, we would began to realize the trials, the fire, the
crucible, Lord God, is producing something good in us. That we are being refined as gold in fire.
Yes, we’re passing through fire right now but let me you this you are being refined. You are
being turned into pure gold. Father, I speak Lord God, that as we go to this crucible and fire, we
would become better, in the name of Jesus.
Father, we thank you Lord. We thank you because you’re raising a generation of Esther’s.
You’re raising up a generation Lord God, of people who will take hold of their destiny. We thank
you, Lord, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Let’s give the Lord a clap. Let’s worship the Lord.
Father we thank you. Thank you Lord Go for the sense of destiny, in Jesus’ name. Amen.