A lot of people whom I met, especially pastors and the younger generation, often asked me: "How did you start JPCC?" "Did you get a vision?"
"Or did you hear God speak to you in an audible voice?" "Or did you get a dream while you slept?" "How could you be so sure to build
what you have built so far?" "Did you see a future as it is now?" My answer is:
"Absolutely not." I never got a vision, I never got a dream,
I never heard an audible voice, I was also not sure about the future. What I got back then was an impression— a mark that was deeply imprinted
by the Word of God that I had read. That impression disturbed me
and it stirred a deep desire in me to make what I had read into reality. If you ask which passage did I read?
One of them was what we read together earlier. Let me read it again.
Philippians 2:14-16 says, [14-15] Do everything without grumbling or arguing,
so that you may become blameless and pure, [15] “children of God without fault
in a warped and crooked generation.” [15] Then you will shine among them
like stars in the sky [16] as you hold firmly to the word of life. [16] And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ
that I did not run or labor in vain. That's the reason why JPCC's mission
is to build a generation of stars. It came from this passage. The other passage that left a deep impression
in my life is Romans 14:17-18: [17] for the kingdom of God
is not eating and drinking, [17] but righteousness and peace and joy
in the Holy Spirit. [18] For he who serves Christ in these things
is acceptable to God and approved by men. I had often heard pastors said
that what's important is how we please God. But when I read this verse,
it's not only about how we relate to God that's important, but it also says "approved by men". The word 'approved' here
is from the Greek 'dokimos'. It's noted that during that period
they didn't have a banking system like today. They didn't have printed bills,
let alone digital money that we have now. All the money was made from metal
that was melted, poured into a mold, then cooled down. When the coin was formed,
its rough edges needed to be smoothed. It's recorded that over one century,
more than 80 laws were passed in Athens to stop the practice of carving coins
in that period, because there were
so many illegal coin carvers. However, there were still some coin exchangers,
or what we know as 'money changers', that were operated by people of integrity.
They would not accept or circulate counterfeit money. They were respected people who would only
circulate genuine money of the right weight. They were called 'dokimos',
which means 'well-approved". So if you exchanged your money at their establishment,
you would not be cheated. 'Dokimos' is used to describe individuals
who have been tested, and are reliable and trustworthy. They are people of integrity and honor,
approved by many. "Generation of stars" isn't about people
who have achieved success by any means possible. Instead, it's about people with moral integrity
and good reputation. That's what's in my mind
when I say "generation of stars". People who become the light and salt
for this world. Not only those who are wealthy or successful
in the eyes of the world. Of course, after I got that impression,
I also asked advice from people I trusted, people who were more spiritually mature. For the Word of God
in Proverbs 11:14 says, [14] Where no counsel is, the people fall:
but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. Of course, I also prayed and shared this
with people who were close to me. I shared this with my family,
and to my parents who are here today, to my wife who is also here today,
to my close friends, some of whom are here— to join me in building this church. Because I knew that the work of this ministry
was too heavy for one person to bear alone. If you ever heard me preached in those days,
I often said, "Superman is dead". "There's no more 'Superman'.
There's only 'Super Team'." Because I didn't want to build it alone.
It couldn't stand on just one person. It required a team to accomplish it. However, after listening to all the advice,
after all prayers were lifted, plans were made, it was still up to me to make a decision.
Yes or No? 'Go' or 'No Go'? Because even when everything was in place,
success was never 100% guaranteed. That's why we need faith to take a step. Zig Ziglar says, "You don't have to be great to start,
but you have to start to be great." Having gathered all the available strength,
I took the step. Our first service took place on July 4, 1999. The decision not to pass the collection basket
since JPCC was founded, I also got it as an impression. It had never been done
at that point in time. It seemed like a good idea.
But I didn't know if it would work or not. Especially when I saw people
who just came and went as they pleased without giving any offering. There many who just came and went
without giving anything. What were we going to do? How could we survive? Well, we're still here 25 years later. Furthermore, when we decided
to 'take a break' on the last Sunday of the year— I also got that as an impression. However, all those things have logical and biblical reasons
why they are done that way. I'm not saying that 'impression' is the only way
God expresses His will for us. However, in my case,
that's usually what happens. God would leave a profound impression in my heart,
and I would begin to search what it means. If anyone asks whether what exists today
is exactly how I envisioned it 25 years ago— I would say, "Who would dare to imagine THIS
25 years ago?" What I had envisioned wasn't the same
as what it is now. Because what exists right now
is far greater than what I had ever imagined. What we experience is
what's described in Ephesians 3:20: [20] Now to Him who is able to do
exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, [20] according to the power that works in us,— This is the evidence that all of this came to pass
not because of the might or greatness of men, but because God has made all this possible. For those who use social media, for the past couple of weeks you've seen old photos,
because there was a challenge by the JPCC Multimedia Team to post old photos —
the 'more vintage', the better. There was also a short video of JPCC's journey
from the beginning until now. I saw a photo of me carrying my son Kevin
when he was small— I can no longer pick him up now.
He's the one who can pick me up now. When I saw all of that — that despite
all the shortcomings and imperfections of this church, I thought,
"What if JPCC had never existed?" Now I realize for those who have attended
only once or twice, JPCC doesn't mean much to you. But for those who have been a part of JPCC for some time,
you should be able to answer this question: If JPCC had never existed,
how would it have impacted you? Because I know there are those
who came to know Jesus through this church. There are those whose lives have been transformed
through this church. There are those whose lives were a complete mess,
they have been restored through this church. There are those whose families were broken,
but God restored them through this church. Some found their spouse
through this church. Some who couldn't conceive,
then were able to conceive through this church. If you can answer this question,
then that's the value of JPCC for you, and that's what God has done through this church
for you. For many of you, JPCC is 'home'—
the place you found your identity, where you are accepted as who you are,
where you are transformed, where you found your support system and friends,
and so many also told me "I found a family of my own in this church." Some even say, "My friends in the small group
are closer to me than my own siblings." And that's the beauty of a church. Let me share this illustration with you. For those who like to do online shopping,
you'll understand this better. If you're shopping online,
you can only see the product virtually on the internet. You can only try to imagine its material,
its shape, its color and its size. And if you're familiar with online shopping,
then you know there are certain drawbacks— because sometimes when you ordered something,
the item you received isn't the same as what you imagined— the color, the materials, the shape, the size, etc.
are different. And if the online vendor doesn't have an outlet,
then you have to through the hassle of sending the item back and forth
until you receive the best version of what you want. But it would be much better
if the vendor has an outlet or a real store that you can visit. And when you visit the store,
you can see the product you want to buy. You can try it on. Moreover, you can look
at the other collections that they produce. Of course, you may not like
all their products. You may even find products that look good on the internet,
but in real life, it's not that good, or it's even much worse. Then there are products that look mediocre virtually,
but when you visit the store, they look good. So you end up buying them. If you understand this illustration,
that's the church. The church is the means or the outlet
where God displays His glory— whether through His love, His power,
or His creative power, and through His wisdom. Many people who want to know God,
they come to church in order to see what a group of believers of Jesus is like. Because all this time they only hear and see virtually,
they don't know, they can only imagine it. "This person is such a great speaker!"—
but we don't know how they are in real life. We can't know. But if there's an 'outlet', people can come
and see the real thing: this is the fellowship of believers,
people who worship Jesus as Lord and Savior. Of course, not everyone they see
is not as 'good' as they thought. Isn't it? That's reality. Not everyone who attends church
is as good as they thought. However, these are people who are still
being processed by God. Furthermore, within one church
there are more than just that type of people. There must also be people
who turn out better than expected— whose lives are worth looking up to
as good examples. And that is what is expected of a church.
It's called shepherding. Shepherding is more than just about
properly feeding the flock or the congregation, it's not just about serving them,
but also serving as a role model, an example of how to live. 1 Peter 5:2-3 says, [2] Shepherd the flock of God which is among you,
serving as overseers, [2] not by compulsion but willingly,
not for dishonest gain but eagerly; [3] nor as being lords over those entrusted to you,
but being examples to the flock; In the original language,
the word 'examples' here is 'typos'. 'Typos' means 'to strike with such force
as to leave an imprint that cannot be easily erased.' 'to leave an easily recognizable impression'. This is where we get the word 'type'
and also 'typewriter'. When you use a typewriter,
you need to press down hard — why? In order to leave an impression
that can be read easily. That's what 'typos' mean. A leader is required to be an example.
A leader is required to leave a 'typos'— to leave a deep impression in the lives of others.
A good impression that can't be easily erased— so that those who come will get a good impression,
then when they leave they would say, "I want to live like them."
That's the example that's expected. I pray that there will be many JPCC leaders,
workers and volunteers who would make 'typos', leaving a good impression on the lives of those
who come to this church. An impression that they cannot easily erase,
but one that can inspire them to follow it. This month we're learning about stewardship. Last week we learned that
"we are owners of nothing, but we are stewards of everything". Everything we have in our hands belongs to God,
we have been trusted as stewards. And how we manage it determines
whether we will be trusted with more, or if everything will be taken away from us. The passage from Peter earlier says
to 'shepherd God's flock under your care'. Peter understood that the flock or the congregation
wasn't his personal property. But it belonged to whom?
It belonged to God. Actually, Jesus had said this to Peter
in John 21:15-17: [15] When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter,
“Simon son of John, do you love Me more than these?” [15] “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love You.”
Jesus said, “FEED MY LAMBS.” [16] Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love You.” [16] Jesus said,
“TAKE CARE OF MY SHEEP.” The sheep belonged to the Lord,
entrusted to Peter for him to shepherd them. [17] The third time He said to him,
“Simon son of John, do you love Me?” [17] Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time,
“Do you love Me?” [17] He said, “Lord, You know all things;
You know that I love You.” [17] Jesus said,
“FEED MY SHEEP". Now, Peter was still quite young
when Jesus said this. "Do you love Me?" — "Yes."
"Feed My sheep." Peter was then in his late 20s or early 30s. Meanwhile, the passage in 1 Peter 5
that we read earlier was written by Peter
when he was around 60 years old. By then Peter was already regarded
as a senior leader. Peter had many followers.
He was recognized by many, and he was used by God
to perform wondrous miracles. But what draws my attention is that
Peter's perception about the flock remained the same. That the flock or the congregation
didn't belong to him. They belonged to the Lord. That's why wrote in his letter to
'shepherd God's flock under your care'. Peter was a great example.
He carried out his stewardship over several decades. Why is this important?
Because we can follow Peter's example. Because there are people
who, while they were still young, while they still didn't have much,
they weren't yet well-known, while they still didn't have any followers— of course it would be much easier for them
to declare, "All of this belongs to the Lord." Of course! They didn't have anything yet. They had nothing yet, so it was easier to say,
"Everything comes from God and for God!" However, when they started to become prominent,
to acquire more wealth and more followers, they started to be recognized as successful—
sometimes they forget that whatever they have still belongs to God,
and it doesn't personally belong to them. Imagine Peter, since he was young, understood that
he was entrusted by God to shepherd the flock. He knew it didn't belong to him.
It belonged to God. Until he grew older when his ministry
was already recognized everywhere, he still understood that all of that
didn't belong to him, but it belonged to God. So, what's important is not just how we start something,
but also how we finish it. A.R. Bernard said this: "The secret of longevity
is managing continuity and change." If we change what we need to maintain,
we will lose our identity. If we hold on to what we need to change,
we will become irrelevant. Let me repeat that: If we change what we need to maintain,
we will lose our identity. If we hold on to what we need to change,
we will become irrelevant. In order to know what we need to maintain,
and what we need to change, we need to have the wisdom of God
and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. And as I've told you earlier,
the Holy Spirit's guidance in my life usually comes in the form of 'impressions'. And for some time now I have been getting
a profound impression. About what? That it's time for my position as JPCC's Senior Pastor
to be replaced and be carried on by another. Just as with any other profound impressions that I received,
I prayed about it and meditated on it, I shared it with my family, my closest friends,
my fellow pastors, and over time, with other JPCC leaders
from different departments and ministries, and finally, I shared it to all JPCC volunteers
during "Vision Day' in January this year. Most of them understand that the transition process
needs to take place soon in order to keep this church
healthy, relevant and not lose its identity. Because, whether you realize it or not,
this is a process that has to happen sooner or later. And I don't want to do it
when it is too late. I want to do it for all the right reasons.
I don't want to do it for all the wrong reasons— which happened in several churches lately. I want to do it for all the right reasons.
instead of for all the wrong reasons. In my opinion, there's no better time
to announce this to the congregation other than today, as we are celebrating
JPCC's 25th Anniversary. I am handing over my position as JPCC's Senior Pastor
which I've held for 25 years, to Pastor Jose Carol. When? Within the next few months,
on October 20th to be exact— where a representative of the synod that oversees us,
will come and perform the ordination ceremony. What does this mean? It means I will no longer
make daily decision in the shepherding of JPCC. It also means I will no longer
come to the JPCC office. However, JPCC will always be my home. I will remain and continue to function
as the founding father or founding pastor of JPCC. And if anyone asks,
"Are you still going to preach?" If they schedule me,
of course I will. However, it doesn't mean that I'm retiring.
So, don't say, "Pastor Jeffrey is retiring!" No, I'm not retiring. I believe there are still other callings
waiting for me in the next season— however, not in my position
as JPCC's Senior Pastor. Pastor Jose himself will do this for several years,
before handing it over to the next pastor. I will also still be involved
in preparing other leaders in JPCC, so that subsequent transitions
can also go smoothly, so that we can continue to do it.
Because this is the right thing to do— and we can do so in a way
that's honorable and pleasing to God. I'm asking all of you who view JPCC as your home
to pray for this process to go smoothly. And to pray especially for Pastor Jose and Hanna Carol,
and their children, Nathan and Joanne. Because although shepherding God's flock is a privilege,
it's also a tremendous responsibility. I hadn't realized that this month's sermon theme
is about stewardship. However, it seems that all of this
has been well orchestrated by the Holy Spirit. Because not only do we get an opportunity
to learn about stewardship, not merely be good listeners
about stewardship, but we can also carry out
what the Word of God says about stewardship. That this flock is not the private property
of Jeffrey Rachmat, but this belongs to God. Because we are owners of nothing,
but we are stewards of everything. So if you're wondering,
what's next for this church? Let me tell you: whether Jeffrey Rachmat is here or not,
this is secure and well-taken care of. Because this belongs to God. And all of us who have been entrusted
to take care of this flock, we will do it as well as possible,
for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6 is our key: [6] being confident of this very thing,
that He who has begun a good work in you [6] will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; I would like to thank all of you
who have made JPCC your home. Thank you for all your support and prayers
for me and my wife and our family. I would like to thank my parents
who have always prayed for me. They were willing to make sacrifices
to share me with all of you. I would like to especially thank my wife
and my three children, who have 'loaned' me every week
for 25 years. They knew that they could not disturb
my time on Sunday. Twenty-five years is a long time. But I'm grateful that I was given the opportunity by God
to shepherd this church that I love. I hope that I can be a good ambassador
for JPCC as long as I live. Not because of me, but because this house
is an image of God's 'outlet'. This is a place where God pours out His glory,
His love, His creative power, His wisdom. Not all of His 'products' are finished products,
because the majority are still being processed. However, there are still products that can serve
as role models and examples. Maybe lately there's an impression on your heart
to do something. Maybe you're wondering
why does this impression keep showing up? Maybe you need to pray about it,
maybe you need to share it to people you trust. Because it may be that the Holy Spirit
is sharing His plan to you, and giving you a vision about the future. I pray that the Holy Spirit will lead you
in God's perfect plan. But remember, after you've listened to all advice,
after all prayers have been lifted, all plans have been made, at the end of the day,
you have to start. You don't have to be great to start,
but you need to start to be great. JPCC, it was a great ride to serve you all
in the last 25 years. The Lord Jesus bless you all.
Happy Silver Anniversary!