In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of spiritual responsibility and how it determines our destiny. He uses the parables of the minas, talents, and the good and faithful servant to illustrate this point. The preacher explains that life is a training period, and as we grow, we learn to use our abilities and fulfill our responsibilities. He also highlights the necessity of proclaiming the good news and the reward that comes with willingly carrying out this responsibility. The sermon concludes with a reminder to follow life and worship the Lord, as this solves the matter of spiritual responsibility.

I really feel that after we have a time of worship, remembering the Lord, telling Him how much we love Him, there is no need to say anything more. I think this whole matter of spiritual responsibility is solved. So whether you listen or not, it doesn't matter anymore. Will you please turn to 1 Corinthians? 1 Corinthians chapter 9, we'll read verses 16 and 17. 1 Corinthians chapter 9, verse 16 and verse 17. For if I announce the glad tidings, I have nothing to boast of. For a necessity is laid upon me. For it is woe to me if I should not announce the glad tidings. For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward. But if not of my own will, I am entrusted with an administration. Let me repeat it. For if I announce the glad tidings, I have nothing to boast of. For a necessity is laid upon me. For it is woe to me if I should not announce the glad tidings. For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward. But if not of my own will, I am entrusted with an administration. Shall we pray? Dear Heavenly Father, once again we do commit Thy Word back into the hand of Thy Spirit. And pray that Thy Spirit will breathe again upon Thy Word. And make Thy Word living and operative in each one of us. We commit this time into Thy hands. And trust Thee to complete the work that Thou has already begun. In the name of our Lord Jesus. Yesterday morning we shared together on this matter of Much has been given and much shall be required. We mentioned that this matter of responsibility actually is based upon the life that God has given to us. And because He has given us such a life therefore with that life comes responsibility. Responsibility is a test of love. If we really love Him, love our Master, there will be no problem with responsibility. But if we do not love Him, if we only are afraid of Him, then responsibility becomes a real problem. So I hope that after our time together this morning, that problem is removed. Now this morning we would like to go a little further. We would like to consider together on this matter of A necessity is laid upon me. Now we know in 1 Corinthians chapter 9, the Apostle Paul is talking about the ministry that God has entrusted to him. He is called of God, appointed of God, to be a herald of the gospel, the glad tidings. And he tells us that even though this divine appointment is such an honor and privilege, and yet he finds that there is nothing for him to boast of. Now why is it so? It is because he said a necessity is laid upon me. He considered this matter of responsibility as a necessity. In other words, he has to do it. Whether he is willing or unwilling, whether he does it faithfully or unfaithfully, he has no choice. He has no escape. It is a necessity that is laid upon him. It is not a luxury, but a necessity. It is not something that if he is willing, he can take it up, and if he is not willing, he can just lay it down. He has to do it. If he does not do it, there is woe to him. But if he does it willingly, voluntarily, there is a reward. He considered this matter of spiritual responsibility as a necessity. It is something that he must do, because it is a trust. God has entrusted him with an administration. Now this word administration, we find in the English Bible, is translated in different ways. Sometimes it is translated dispensation. Sometimes it is translated economy. Or other times, administration. Now whatever translation it may be, one thing is sure, and that is, when God has entrusted us with a responsibility, that has something to do with the economy of God. That has something to do with his administration. That has something to do with his plan. That has something to do with the goal, the purpose that he is working after. So in other words, if we do not do our part faithfully, not only to us, ourselves, is a failure, but we fail God. So you find that this is a very serious matter. Now brothers and sisters, I wonder how many of us consider responsibility as a necessity. Probably we feel that grace is a necessity. We need grace. Because without grace, what can we do? We need grace every day. We need more grace. It is a necessity to us. We cannot live without it. But as for responsibility, we feel well, it's a luxury, not a necessity. It is as if, if we want to, we can have it. If we do not want to, we just let it go. Now in one sense it is true. We can do this matter with responsibility just in that way. When a responsibility is laid upon us, we can act irresponsibly. We will not take up that responsibility. We are not responsible for it. Now we can do it. Or we can take it up and be really responsible. Now that's true. But dear brothers and sisters, on the other hand, I think there is something that we need to see. Now even though responsibility seems to be something optional, you can take it or you can leave it. But on the other hand, if you really see what responsibility is, then you'll find it is a necessity. It is something that you have no choice. If once God has put certain responsibility upon you, then brothers and sisters, you're finished. If you do not take your responsibility faithfully, there is woe waiting for you. But if you take your responsibility faithfully, there will be reward for you. So brothers and sisters, you see here, it is not something that you can choose to be responsible or not to be responsible. Even if you choose to be not responsible, you're not free. God will hold you responsible for what He has put upon you. So you see, responsibility is a matter of necessity. Now if you are a mother, being a mother, there is responsibility laid upon you. Now is there responsibility an option or a necessity? Suppose one day you do not feel like to cook. Can you just leave cooking? Whether you like it or not, you have to do it. It is a necessity. Now brothers and sisters, that is the thing that I believe God wants us to see. Because I find that God's people are so irresponsible. We do not take it as a necessity. We do not see it as a necessity. We look at responsibility as a very light, casual thing, not understanding that it is something very, very serious. We mentioned at the very beginning that responsibility comes with life. So our time together is on spiritual responsibility. Now spiritual responsibility means that the very nature of the responsibility we have is spiritual. It is not something that man puts upon us. It is something that God puts upon us. As God gives grace to us, as the Spirit of God distribute gifts to us, with that comes spiritual responsibility. If you have received the life of Christ, then with that life comes responsibility. Not something that man puts upon you, but it is something that God has laid upon you. Now Christianity today has degenerated into an institution, a human institution. And because it has become a human institution, therefore when it comes to matter of responsibility, you find that it becomes a matter of position. If you are given a position, then you have certain responsibility. If nobody gives you a position in the church, then you have no responsibility whatsoever. Therefore you find in the church you have the clergy and the laity. The clergy, because they take the position of the clergyman, therefore they are responsible for the church. And you being the laity, you can be lazy and do nothing. Because you have no position, and therefore you have no responsibility. And this is the curse of Christianity. You find that in Christianity, responsibility becomes a matter of human institution. Sometimes when you want a person to stay with us, maybe that person is gifted in a certain way. Now suppose a person is gifted in music. Now in order that he may stay with us, we give him or her a position. Now after that position is given, then he stays put. He will not leave us anymore. Now this is the way that Christianity does today. We use position to get responsibility. But dear brothers and sisters, the church is a living organism. It is spiritual in nature. Because of that you find that in the church, responsibility is spiritual. It is something that God has given. Not by man, but by God. According to the gift and the grace that He has given to you. It is true. We find in the scripture, there are elders, there are deacons, there are leaders, deaconesses in the church, as if there are positions there. But brothers and sisters, if you read the word of God, you find that even these positions do not come by way of human appointment. These positions are the result of the spiritual life in these brothers and sisters. They are divinely appointed. Whether they are elders or they are deacons, they are appointed by the Holy Spirit. It is because of the life in them. It is because of the manifestation of the grace of God in them. And the exercise of the gifts in them. Therefore you find they have that positions. But remember, spiritual responsibility is not positional. It is life. In Christianity today, it has become such an organization. Suppose you find someone who was, who is an executive in certain big firm. Now of course you like to have that executive in your church. Therefore you make him an elder. Now if he knows how to manage a corporation, now certainly he is able to manage a church. If he is able to manage General Motors, now to manage a small church should be no problem with him. So we appoint him as an elder. Give him some responsibility to manage the church. And you know very soon, that person will turn to church into General Motors. In the church, nothing is by human hands. Everything is from God. Responsibility is something that God has put upon us. According to the life that he has given to us. To those who have received much, much is required. To those who have received less, less is required. It is a matter of spirituality. Not a matter of position. And because of this you find, whom are we responsible to? Now if you are appointed by man, of course you are responsible to man. And that's what you find in Christianity. But if you are appointed by God, then to God are you responsible. Brothers and sisters, we need to see that we are not appointed by man. We are appointed by God. And therefore to him alone, we are responsible. You remember, even in the early days, with the twelve disciples of our Lord Jesus, you know among them, they are always fighting among them over this matter of who is the greatest. They maneuver against each other for position. Because they think that if they get into a certain position, then they have the authority. Probably they are not thinking too much of responsibility, but more of authority. And that's what position is. And you remember the story of course, how John and James get their mother to come and speak for them. Because the word of an aunt has weight. You know, and they know what they are asking is not very beautiful. So they just ask for a blank check. They say, Lord, whatever we ask, give it to us. And then we'll tell you what we want. And then you remember our Lord Jesus, now what do you want? What really do you want? Speak out. And then she said, in your kingdom, my two sons, one on your right, and one on your left, position. And the Lord answered, to sit on my right or left is not for me to give. The Father knows whom to give. But can you drink the cup that I'm drinking? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism that I'm baptized with? Now of course the two sons of David immediately say, yes we can. They do not even know what that cup is. They want the position so much. And the Lord said, yes, you have to drink the cup. You have to be baptized with the baptism, but to sit on my right hand is still not for me to give. In other words, brothers and sisters, it is a matter of life. It is a matter of doing the Father's will. And that decides what your position is in the body of Christ. And what your responsibility will be. The curse today is, we think of authority too much, and too little of responsibility. In the church you find people are just struggling and striving for authority. But brothers and sisters, you know, spiritual authority is spiritual responsibility. Spiritual authority is not something that you sit high up and give commands, and everybody is serving you. The Lord Jesus said, now that is the world. But among you, if you want to be the greatest, you have to be the littlest. If you want to be the head, you have to be the slave of all the brothers and sisters. In other words, it is responsibility. And out of that responsibility comes authority. Spiritual responsibility is a necessity. A necessity that God has laid upon us. And to Him we are responsible. Furthermore, spiritual responsibility is a necessity to the house of God. We all know that we who are the redeemed of the Lord, are the house of God. Our Lord Jesus said, Thou art Peter, a stone, a living stone. I will build my church upon this rock, the massive rock, Christ Himself, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. The Lord is building His house with living stones, such as we are. And the apostle Peter understands this very well. I am afraid that Peter understands it, but the Roman church does not understand it. They think that Peter is the rock, and the church is built upon Peter. But Peter understands much better. He says, no, I am just a little stone. So in 1 Peter 2, verse 5, he says, Christ is that living stone. And as we come to Christ, we all become living stones, a chip out of that rock. We all have His life. Before that, we were dead. We were but dust. But now, as we believe in the Lord Jesus, we all become living stone. We have that life in us, eternal life. With stability, with strength. And we who are living stones are being built up together into a spiritual house for God to dwell in the Spirit. Now, brothers and sisters, that's what we are. Now, as living stones, to be built up together, we have a spiritual responsibility. Brothers and sisters, we are not only responsible to God, to the life, the grace, the gift that God has given to each one of us, but we are also responsible to ourselves. God has given so much to us, and what has happened to us. And what will happen to us in the days to come. We are responsible for ourselves, for all that God has given us. Because much is given, much is required. And furthermore, we are all responsible for the house of God. We are to be built up together as the spiritual house of God. You know, the first question, after the fall of man, that God asks is, Adam, where are you? And the second question, God asks of man, He asks Cain, where is your brother? We are responsible for ourselves, to God. And we are responsible for one another. Why are we responsible for one another? Because we are to build up together a spiritual house. If we build with gold, silver and precious stones, then we are building that house according to God. But if we building it, wood, hay and stubble, we are destroying the spiritual house. So in 1 Corinthians chapter 3, the apostle Paul said, he is like a foreman, he has laid a foundation, which is Christ and nothing else. And now each one of you is responsible to build on it, and see how you build. What do you put into it? If you put into it gold, the nature of God, silver, the redemption of Christ, precious stones, the work of the Holy Spirit, then brothers and sisters, you are building the spiritual house of God. And you will be rewarded for it. But if you build into it wood, the nature of man is wood, corruptible, straw, the work of man, stubble, the glory of man. If you build into the spiritual house with your own man, with your natural man, with your natural energy, you are destroying that house of God. You affect adversely your brothers and sisters. So you find that we are responsible for one another. As the house of God. And furthermore you'll find, Peter says, we are a spiritual house, a holy priesthood. We are not only a spiritual house that we be built up together, but we are a holy priesthood. Every believer is a priest. In the New Testament, we do not have the title of a priest, but we have the function of a priest. Now in the Old Testament, you'll find that the Levites, among the Levites, the house of Aaron, they are called priests. They have the office, not only the office, the title, and also the work of the priesthood. But in the New Testament, you'll find that priesthood is universal, in the sense that every believer is a priest. We do not have that title. Don't try to call one another priest so and so. People think that you may be in that Roman system. We do not have that title, but we are priests nevertheless. And brothers and sisters, as priests, we have responsibility. You know, after Moses erected the tabernacle, every furniture was placed in order. Even though the tabernacle was made according to the pattern of the mountain. Even though everything was put in order according to God's command. And yet you'll find that the whole tabernacle was just silent. No activities whatsoever. Everything was right, but there was nothing going on. Not until the priest came in and began to function in that house, then you'll find every furniture becomes living. There will be lamb on the brazing altar, there will be water in the brazing laver, there will be washing, there will be sacrificing, and there will be the light on the candlestick, and there will be bread on the table, and there will be incense burning, going up, and there will be prayers and praises and singing. You'll find that whole house becomes living without that priesthood. Even if you have that tabernacle, it is dead, silent. So, brothers and sisters, you'll find that we are not only responsible for the building of the house of God. You cannot be so independent, you cannot be all for yourself, but you'll find that we are responsible for one another, for the building of the house of God. But furthermore, you'll find that in that house we are the holy priesthood. We are to function in that house. We are to offer up worship to God, praises, songs, prayers, ascending to God, intercession, and we are to wash one another's feet, to care for one another. We are not only to minister unto God, we are also to minister unto the house of God, that is, to one another. Every believer is a priest. You notice in the book of Numbers, when they numbered the children of Israel, they numbered the children of Israel from thirty years old and upward for military service. But when they numbered the children of the Levites, they numbered them from one month old and upward. Now, you will say, one month old, what can a one month old do? But for the priesthood, one has to begin very early. The training will begin after a child is born to the house of Abraham. Training begins from childhood. Training to be a priest. Now, even though he may not be in active, full service until he is thirty years old, maybe a priest like the Levites will go to the temple or the tabernacle at the age of twenty-five as an apprentice first. Helping. And then by the year thirty, he becomes a full-fledged one. But even so, you'll find that training begins from the very beginning. And of course, when you think of Samuel, even when he was a boy, you'll find he served in the house of God. Now, what can he do? He is giving the responsibility of opening the door of the tabernacle. Now, that may not be a big thing, but it is a big thing. Now, suppose Samuel sleeps until nine o'clock in the morning. And you know the sacrifice should begin when the sun comes up. And the door is still closed. Now, what will happen? It's not a small thing. Now, brothers and sisters, in the house of God you'll find every believer is a priest. You may not be able at the very beginning to stand up and exhort your brothers and sisters, but at least you can open the door, you can put up the chairs, you can clean a little bit. If you are faithful in small things, that's where you start with, and then God will begin to give you greater responsibility. So, in other words, you'll find that bringing up priesthood, everyone has a responsibility. And as you grow up, your responsibility increases. But even when you are a child, there is responsibility. I love to see when the brothers and sisters come together to clean the place where we meet, you know, when we see these little girls and boys coming with their parents and helping. That's what it should be. Don't leave your children at home when you come to clean the place where we meet. Bring them together from the very early years. Let them have a sense that they belong to the house of God. They have a responsibility. They are priests, and they should function, start when they are very young. And you know, when we are worshipping the Lord together, sometimes you'll find the young people and the children are sitting there as spectators. And not only as spectators, as travelers. And we find that it is much better if they are not there. Put them somewhere else so we have a quiet and good meeting of worship, you know. But brothers and sisters, this is the house of God. We should have these young people and children with us. Their cry is a beautiful sound to the Lord. It may disturb you. I don't think it disturbs the Lord in any way. And if we find young children or young people just praise the Lord with a few words, I think it pleases the Father so much. Much more than those who are used to prayer and to praise. Brothers and sisters, start young. We are a priesthood. There is a responsibility with every one of us. Now let me go even a little further. We are not only a spiritual house to be built up together. We are not only a holy priesthood that we should function together, but we are the body of Christ. Now that gets closer. Think of the body of Christ. We are the body of Christ and members to one another. Now as members of one another, you find that every member is not only responsible to the head, but every member is responsible to the other members. 1 Corinthians chapter 12 is a wonderful chapter. Now I think lots of people take 1 Corinthians 12 wrongly. By that I mean they put the wrong emphasis. You know when you talk about 1 Corinthians 12, people think it talks about spiritual gifts. Now of course 1 Corinthians 12 talks about spiritual gifts. Because spiritual gifts are the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit is in the body of Christ. He is each member. And He has to manifest Himself by these gifts. Now that's very true. But actually 1 Corinthians 12 is not on spiritual gifts. It is on the body of Christ. We being many are one body. Even though we are one body, yet there are many members. So also is the Christ. In one Spirit we were baptized into one body, whether Jews or Gentiles, and we are all made to drink of one Spirit. In other words, it is the body of Christ. Now brothers and sisters, we are the body of Christ. And members one of another. Every member in the body is essential. Every member in the body has a responsibility. Every member in the body has a function, a work to do. And it is for the building up of the body of Christ. So in 1 Corinthians 12 it says the ear cannot say to the eye, I am not an eye because of that I do not belong to the body. Now the eyes is at the front, the ears is at the side. So the ear said, now because I am not at the front, I am by the side, therefore I do not belong to the body. Now the apostle Paul said, now it is all eyes, then you see too much, and you do not hear. Now it is all hands, you grasp too much, you do not serve as well. God in his wisdom has put us in the body so beautifully, all diverse, all different. It is of God's doing. And then you find the head will tell the foot, I am the head, you are the foot, you are useless, I don't need you. Or the eyes can say to the hand, I don't need you, I can see, all right, you can see. But can you take it? Every member of the body is necessary. Responsibility is a necessity. God has put you in the body of Christ, whether you be the eye, or the ear, or the hand, or the foot, God has put you there, and he has given you life, and he has given you gifts accordingly, and you have a responsibility to fulfill. It is a necessity. You cannot be passive and say, I am by the side, I am at the below, I am not here. Or you cannot say, because I am high up and at the front, therefore I am everywhere, I am everything. You find that in the body of Christ there is no monopoly, you cannot monopolize everything. You are just a member, not the whole body of Christ. And you cannot be irresponsible and say, because I am just a little member, therefore it doesn't matter if I am not there. It does matter. Every member has a spiritual responsibility. And God expects us to fulfill that responsibility. Dear brothers and sisters, this matter of spiritual responsibility comes with life. If you do not want responsibility, don't have life. If you love life, love responsibility. Because the more you are responsible, the more will be given to you. And the less you are responsible, the more will be taken away from you. It is a necessity. Oh, how we need to see that this matter of responsibility is not something put upon us by man. You don't need to wait until somebody put you in a position, and then you start to be responsible. Now you know this is our flesh really. You know, if people do not put you in a position, you feel you have no responsibility whatsoever. But when people put you in a position, then you find, well, I have to be responsible. Now suppose people want you to lead a prayer meeting. Now you have to pray now. If they do not ask you to lead a prayer meeting, you never pray. Search your heart, and see if this is true. How often you find we need a position to be responsible. That is the fall of man. If we really see life, we really see what life is, brothers and sisters, you don't need anyone to tell you to be responsible. You will be supernaturally, naturally responsible. This matter of responsibility is a very serious thing. Why? Because it decides your destiny. In the parables that we shared together yesterday, both in the parable of the minas, and in the parable of the talent, and later on in the parable of the good and faithful servant becomes a wicked servant. You find that in these three parables, and you have lots of parables in the Gospels, that will give us the same thought. And that is, what God has given to us today is just a little. We are in a training period. Life today is a training period. And that's the reason why our life is so short. Our real service is yet to come. If we are responsible to the little that God has entrusted us today, brothers and sisters, we will be rewarded with much more in the days to come. But if we are not responsible for the little that is given to us today, even that little will be taken away from us. The one who earned ten minas, he will be given ten cities. Think of the difference between ten minas and ten cities. The one who earned five minas will be given five cities. There is no comparison. But the one with one mina, because he revved it up in the tower, therefore, even at the judgment seat of Christ, that mina is taken away from him and given to the one who earned ten minas. Of course, this parable does not speak of salvation. It speaks of responsibility. And therefore you'll find even that mina given to you can be taken away. In other words, in the kingdom age, you cannot serve. There is no way to do the Lord's business. If you are faithful in the Lord's business today, He will be giving you more business in the kingdom. But if you are not faithful, then at the kingdom time, you are barred from doing any business. Think of that. The talents. The one which earned five more talents and the one that earned two more talents, according to their ability, they double it. You'll find that they reward all the same. Good, well done. Good and faithful servant. Come and enter into the joy of the Lord. And that refers to the kingdom. They will reign with Christ during that thousand years. And what glory that will be. All their sweat and tears are rewarded. But the wicked servant who buried that talent, that talent will be taken away from him and given to the one that earned five more. In other words, God has no use of him. The Lord said, you useless servant. You are no use to me. And not only that, because he is wicked, you'll find he will be cast into outer darkness. That means outside of the kingdom of the heavens. And there to regret and repent of his past. Now, brothers and sisters, do not think that because you believe in the Lord Jesus as your savior, therefore you are secured. It is true. So far as heaven is concerned, eternity is concerned, there is security. Because Christ has died for you. And you will not enter into judgment. The judgment of the great white throne. The judgment of eternal death or eternal life. You have passed out of death into life because you have believed in the Lord Jesus. John 5, 24. But brothers and sisters, that doesn't mean because Christ has been judged for you on the cross, therefore you will not be judged at the great white throne judgment. You are secure for eternal life. Therefore, there is no more judgment for you. Read the word of God. You'll find in the word of God, judgment begins with the house. In other words, when Christ shall return, brothers and sisters, are you looking forward to his return? Do you miss him? Do you want him to come back soon? If you know what's going to happen, I'm not too sure you want him back. You know when he shall return, it doesn't mean when he returns, then we'll all be gathered together and we will be there having that feast, marriage feast for eternity. No. The Bible says when our Lord shall return and when we shall all be gathered together before him. Where? At the judgment seat. Romans, chapter 14, verse 10. Do not judge your brother. Do not look down upon your brother. Because we all shall stand before the judgment seat of God. 2 Corinthians 5, 10. We shall all be manifested at the judgment seat of Christ. And we will be judged according to what we have done in our lives. Whether it be good or whether it be bad. In other words, after we become children of God. Whether after we enter into the house of God. Then you'll find being God's children there is responsibility. Our God is the most responsible one. Therefore his children, by the very life he has given us, the very nature of God's life, there is responsibility there. Thank God that we are children of God. Thank God we have enjoyment. But brothers and sisters, there is the other side. Responsibility. And if we believe in the Lord Jesus, if we are saved, and yet we love the world, we are no different people than people of the world. We get drunk with the drunkard. We even beat our fellow servants like that wicked servants. Brothers and sisters, at the judgment seat of Christ. You know in Matthew chapter 24, Luke chapter 12, in that parable you'll find how serious it is. When the Lord shall come back at the unexpected time, the Lord will cut him into half. Now, if a person is cut into half, are you living anymore? And will condemn him with the unbelievers. Now people will say, then he is unsaved. Not at all. Because the parable does not speak of eternity. It speaks of the kingdom. In other words, during the kingdom time, he does not enjoy life. You may enjoy life today. He who gains his soul life today will lose it when the Lord shall come. But if you are willing to lose your soul life for Christ's sake, you will gain it to eternity. There in the kingdom you will enjoy life. And what a life! Dear brothers and sisters, it's a serious matter. We need to live daily in the light of the judgment seat of Christ. Now, if you really love the Lord, and that love is not just sentimental, then you would live daily in the light of the judgment seat of Christ. As if the judgment seat of Christ is now. You want to please Him every hour, every day. If the Lord shall come now, are you able to see Him unashamed? The way you are responsible today determines what will come out of the judgment seat. It determines our destiny. I hope these words will help to encourage us to take up our spiritual responsibility. Well, people will ask. All right. I would like to take up my spiritual responsibility, but I don't know what my responsibility is. Who will tell me what my responsibility is? Now, we have already said it is not something that man put upon you. Now, we would like to go to certain brother or sister and say, now tell me what my responsibility is. Now, if you tell me that, then I'll do it. Well, it becomes a matter of position again. Now, how do I know what my responsibility is? Again, you'll find spiritual responsibility is a matter of life. In other words, you'll find your responsibility through life. The life that God has given to you the grace that God has given to you the gift that God has given to you Brothers and sisters, that life will tell you what your responsibility is. After you are saved, after you have received the life of Christ in you, very soon, sometimes immediately, you'll find within you a kind of burden. Or you begin to see something that nobody seems to notice. You don't need anybody to tell you what to do. But somehow you'll find as you have your time with the Lord, as your life lives with the Lord, communes with the Lord, somehow you'll find the Lord begins to open your eyes to see there is some need there. In the house of God that nobody notices. Or as you are in commune with the Lord, you'll find that a burden begins to come into your heart. You seem to be burdened for something. Brothers and sisters, very often, it is life that is telling you the story. Follow life. When you have that discernment, or when you have that burden, try to discharge it in the way that God has enabled you. And when you begin to discharge that burden, or when you begin to do that thing that nobody seems to notice and see, if the anointing of the Lord is with you, if you'll find that God really anoints you, and really you'll find not only He is with you, but His blessing follows. And the one that you minister unto, or the thing that you're taking care of, brings such joy to the house of God, then you know this is the way that He wants you to be responsible. For instance, a child is born with all the organs. But when a child is first born, he has eyes. And he is given the gift of seeing, but he does not see. It takes a few days. When life grows a little bit, then he begins to see. And if he starts to see and see more, he sees more. And if you train your eyes, you can even see in the dark. That's the way it is with spiritual responsibility. Brothers and sisters, it is very simple, very simple. Just follow life. And as you follow life, you'll find it works. Now, when a child, after a child, grows up a little bit, now in the beginning you'll find he does not know how to walk. He has legs, but he does not know how to use his legs. So you'll find he uses both hands and both legs. He will crawl on four. He does not know what is the responsibility of the hands. He thinks the hands is to crawl. But gradually, maybe by accident, he discovers that if he does not use four, but just use two legs to walk, he walks better. Then the legs find his function. You know? And the same thing with hands. And the hands say, all right, hands off then. I don't need to crawl anymore. Don't need to help my legs anymore. I have my responsibility to do. Brothers and sisters, that's the way to discover how you function in the house of God. How to take up your responsibility. Now, of course, thank God that we are in the house of God. Sometimes, you know, we may misinterpret. You know, sometimes we think that the anointing is on me when I'm doing that. But actually people have their heads up high. So you'll find that's a good that we are members of one another. You know? We need to have check and balance. When you feel that the Lord is leading you in certain way, and you're not too sure about it, share with your brothers and sisters. Let your brothers and sisters pray with you and correct you, or sometimes encourage you, other times discourage you. Now, don't be discouraged if you are discouraged. Because that is helping you to find your place in the house of God. Brothers and sisters, sometimes we are too proud. If I feel that I'm a mouth, I'm going to open my mouth and speak. But it so happens that God does not make me a mouth. So when I'm speaking, you'll find people endure me. Maybe the first time, the second time, people begin to move their feet, and the third time some people walk out. You are not a mouth. Brothers and sisters, these things help us. Help us to find our place. Don't be discouraged. That's the way we learn. Be humble. You know, and if we are faithful to one another, very soon we will find our place in the house of God. And we will be able to take up the responsibility God has given to us. Now, finally, how are we going to fulfill our spiritual responsibility? Now, we have a responsibility. Now, how are we going to fulfill it? Number one, of course, in order to fulfill our spiritual responsibility, every one of us must hold fast the head. It is the head that really directs all the functionings, the workings of all the various responsibilities. So, in other words, it is essential, extremely important that every brother and sister has to learn to hold fast the head. Not because you have a responsibility, you feel this is your responsibility, therefore you just go ahead and do it, even without the order of the head. Now, every time you are functioning, fulfilling your responsibility, head could be under the headship of Christ. Spiritual responsibility is spiritual in nature. When you get out of touch with the head, that responsibility will degenerate into a human thing, earthly thing, not a spiritual thing. And sooner or later you will find the only way you are able to fulfill that responsibility is to use your natural strength. You have to use strange fire to keep it burning. You have to hold fast the head. Under the headship, the authority of Christ. Now, if everyone will be under the headship of Christ, then we will minister one to another and we will be united. Now, that's the first thing. The second thing is when you exercise your gifts, you have to exercise according to the proportion of faith. In Romans chapter 12 verse 7, if it is prophesied, prophesy, prophesy according to the proportion of faith. If you are teaching according to the proportion of faith. If you are serving according to the proportion of faith. In other words, everyone is given a measure. Don't do it out of your measure. If you overdo it, the result is you yourself will be hurt and other people will be hurt. So, we need to do it according to the proportion of faith. What God has given us, that He requires. What He hasn't given you, He does not require of you. So, don't try to do something that He has not required of you. Out of your measure. Even Apostle Paul, in 2nd Corinthians, he said, I'm not doing it out of my measure. God has measured me with a measure. And I'm working in my measure. But that measure can be enlarged. That is true. When you have fulfilled your measure, then it can be enlarged. But not before that. So, number two, we have to function according to the proportion of faith. Within the measure that God has measured to each. And thirdly, to fulfill our spiritual responsibility, we have to be wise and faithful. Wise in the sense of knowing the will of God. When you are fulfilling your spiritual responsibility, you need to know what the mind of the Lord is. What is His heart? What does He want you to do? Do you remember in Matthew chapter 7? Many will come to the Lord and say, Lord, Lord, in Your name I have preached the gospel. In Your name I have cast out the demons. In Your name I have healed the sick. And the Lord said, You wicked, I do not approve. In other words, not all who say, Lord, Lord, do. It is only in doing the Father's will that you will be approved. So we need to be wise to know the mind of the Lord. Don't just go out and do something. You know, sometimes we think it is just activities. No, it is not activities. We need to know the mind of God. And then, after we know the mind of God, be faithful. Be faithful. Do it to the utmost ability that He has given to you. Brothers and sisters, when the Lord shall come back, He will be looking for faithfulness. Because what is required of a steward is faithfulness. And Solomon said, A faithful man is hard to find. Sometimes we are clever, but we are not faithful. But God will want us to be faithful rather than being clever. And brothers and sisters, that is the way we will fulfill our responsibility. So, dear brothers and sisters, I hope that after this time together, at least each one of us will realize that we have responsibility. From the big one to the smallest one. Number two, I hope we see that responsibility is a spiritual thing. It is not a human earthly thing. Number three, it is according to life. Follow life, and you will find where your responsibility is. May the Lord help us. Shall we pray? Dear Heavenly Father, we do thank Thee for gathering us together this time to see what grace, what life, what gift Thou has given to us. And for this we are thankful. But we thank Thee that Thou does also show us that there is a responsibility to go with all. Make us responsible people, that we may fulfill our spiritual responsibility to Thee and to the house of God. Lord, our prayer is we cannot do it, but we are open. We want to respond to Your ability according to the grace Thou has given to us. Oh, that one day when Thou shalt return, we long to hear Thee say, Well done, good and faithful servant. We ask in the name of our Lord Jesus.