Date: 19 July 2026
Sermon Title: As For Me Or My House
Scripture Passage: Joshua 24:14–15; Micah 4:5 (NIV)
Speaker: Bro. Dr. Herbert Tan
Scripture Readings:
Joshua 24:14–15 (NIV): "Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."
Micah 4:5 (NIV): "All the nations may walk in the name of their gods, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever."
Introduction
In this comprehensive sermon delivered on 19 July 2026, Bro. Dr. Herbert Tan addresses both individuals (whether single or married) and families
Main Points
1. Priority
The Heart of True Service: In Joshua 24:14–15, the word for "serve" shares the same root as "worship" and describes the posture of a slave who yields all individual rights before Yahweh, asking: "Master, what will You have Your slave do?"
Unconscious Priority Systems: Priorities are deeply shaped early in life
. When parents tell children to skip church or ministry during exam periods, they inadvertently plant a dangerous system conveying that God's matters are non-essential . Bro. Dr. Herbert Tan humorously captures this with a Bahasa proverb:
"Tanam duri, harapkan durian.""Plant thorns, expecting durians- This will never happen.!"
Examining Schedules and Resources: True priorities are revealed in our schedules and financial habits
. Giving God our primary focus—evidenced by consistent early morning prayer and time in the Word—opens our spiritual senses to hear God's guidance directly in everyday life .
2. Preparation
Intentional Life Architecture: Spiritual growth does not occur by chance; it demands intentional, disciplined preparation
. Measuring Influences across Life Institutions: Examining the main educational institutions of life (school, social media, peers, workplace, home), young people and adults spend 50–100+ hours weekly under secular influences compared to just 1–2 hours of Christian instruction
. Without intentional effort, the world easily dominates . Protecting Margins & Early Commitment: Overwork and career overload often erase spiritual margins, making study and fellowship impossible
. Citing Ecclesiastes 12:1 ("Remember your Creator in the days of your youth"), believers are urged to protect their spiritual capacity before exhaustion or old age limits their strength .
3. Potential
Stewardship Over Expectations: Asian families often project traditional aspirations (medicine, law, engineering) onto children
. Parents are called to be faithful stewards—helping children discover and obey God's unique call rather than reserving secondary options for full-time ministry . God’s kingdom work deserves our very best . Relational Restoration and Intimacy (John 21:15–17): Revisiting Jesus’ post-resurrection exchange with Peter, Christ shifted the prompt from divine unconditional love (agape) to deep personal intimacy (phileo)
. Only out of a restored, intimate connection with Jesus can Peter—and believers today—be empowered to "Feed my lambs" and "Tend my sheep." Releasing Leadership Potential: Fulfilling our full potential as spiritual leaders in our families and the church family stems directly from walking in daily, vibrant intimacy with Jesus Christ
.
Conclusion
Quoting Charles Swindoll, Bro. Dr. Herbert Tan warns against getting caught in spiritual hypocrisy: "We tend to worship our work, work at our play, and play at our worship."
As an individual: "As for me, I will walk in the name of the Lord my God forever and ever." (Micah 4:5)
As a family: "As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15)
Take-Home Message
True commitment to God requires aligning our priorities around His Word, preparing intentionally by protecting our spiritual margins, and stepping into our God-given potential through an intimate, personal relationship with Jesus Christ
Reflection Questions
1. What kind of priorities do we set for ourselves or our families?
As Christians, our first priority should always be seeking God's Kingdom and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33). Our homes should be places where Christ is honoured through prayer, Bible reading, worship, love, forgiveness, and faithful service.
Rather than allowing careers, wealth, achievements, or worldly success to become our highest goals, we should intentionally place God at the centre of every decision. Like Joshua declared,
"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15)
When Christ is our highest priority, every other aspect of family life finds its proper place.
2. What kind of intentional preparation are we going to engage in for our personal growth or the growth of our families?
Spiritual maturity requires intentional habits and commitment. We can prepare ourselves and our families by:
- Spending daily time in God's Word and prayer.
- Worshipping and serving faithfully in the church.
- Participating actively in Disciples Groups for encouragement and accountability.
- Praying together as a family whenever possible.
- Modelling Christlike character through love, humility, forgiveness, and integrity.
- Encouraging one another to use our gifts in God's Kingdom.
- Trusting God during both blessings and difficulties, knowing that He uses every season to strengthen our faith.
Just as Jesus patiently taught His disciples throughout Mark 5–8, we must also intentionally grow as lifelong disciples.
3. How are we going to recognize and work out the God-given potential in our lives or in our families?
Every believer has been uniquely created and gifted by God for His purposes. To recognize and develop that potential, we should:
- Seek God's guidance through prayer and Scripture.
- Discover and faithfully use our spiritual gifts.
- Encourage each family member to grow in his or her relationship with Christ.
- Mentor and disciple the next generation by living as godly examples.
- Create opportunities for every member of the family to serve according to their gifts.
- Remember that our greatest success is not measured by worldly accomplishments but by our faithfulness to God's calling.
When Christ is Lord of our home, every member can flourish according to God's purpose and become a blessing to others.
Opening Prayer
Heavenly Father,
We come before Thee with grateful hearts, thanking Thee for gathering us once again as brothers and sisters in Christ for this Disciples Group meeting. We praise Thee for Thy unfailing love, mercy, and faithfulness that sustain us each day.
Lord, as we reflect upon Mark 5 to Mark 8, open our hearts and minds to understand Thy Word more deeply. Help us to see Jesus as the compassionate Saviour who heals the broken, delivers those in bondage, provides for every need, and calls us to follow Him wholeheartedly. May Thy Holy Spirit speak personally to each one of us and transform us through Thy truth.
We also thank Thee for the message, "As For Me and My House." May Joshua's declaration become the commitment of every one of us: that our homes, our families, and our lives will faithfully serve Thee. Teach us to make Christ the centre of our homes and to build a spiritual legacy that honours Thy Name.
Bless every participant joining thus morning. Grant us wisdom as we share, humility as we listen, and love as we encourage one another. May our discussion strengthen our faith, deepen our fellowship, and inspire us to live as faithful disciples of Jesus Christ.
May everything that is spoken this morning bring glory and honour unto Thee.
In the precious Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, we pray.
Amen.
Closing Prayer
Gracious and Loving Heavenly Father,
We thank Thee for Thy presence throughout our Disciples Group gathering this wonderful morning. Thank Thee for speaking to us through Thy Holy Word and reminding us of Thy great authority, compassion, and love revealed in the Gospel of Mark.
We are grateful for the challenge from Joshua to choose whom we will serve. Lord, may we truly declare with sincere hearts, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Help us to make Thee the highest priority in our lives, our homes, and our families.
Strengthen us to intentionally grow in our relationship with Thee through prayer, Scripture, worship, and faithful obedience. Help us to recognize the gifts and potential Thou hast placed within each of us and within our families, so that together we may serve Thy Kingdom faithfully and encourage one another to grow in Christ.
We pray for every member of our Disciples Group. Bless each family represented here. Grant peace to those who are anxious, healing to those who are sick, comfort to those who are discouraged, wisdom to those making important decisions, and renewed strength to those who are weary. Unite us in love and help us to bear one another's burdens with grace and compassion.
As we leave this meeting, may Thy Word continue to dwell richly within us. Empower us by Thy Holy Spirit to live out what we have learned—not merely hearing Thy Word but faithfully putting it into practice. May our lives reflect the love, humility, faith, and obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ, becoming a light to our families, our church, and our community.
Keep us under Thy protection until we meet again. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God our Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, now and always.
In the precious Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
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Here is a revised closing prayer with your requested additions. I have kept the new sections short, meaningful, and impactful, while maintaining the reverent style using "Thee" and "Thy."
Gracious and Loving Heavenly Father,
We thank Thee for Thy presence throughout our Disciples Group gathering this wonderful morning. Thank Thee for speaking to us through Thy Holy Word and reminding us of Thy great authority, compassion, and love revealed through Thy Scriptures.
We are grateful for the challenge from Joshua to choose whom we will serve. Lord, may we truly declare with sincere hearts, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Help us to make Thee the highest priority in our lives, our homes, and our families.
Strengthen us to intentionally grow in our relationship with Thee through prayer, Scripture, worship, and faithful obedience. Help us to recognize the gifts and potential Thou hast placed within each of us and within our families, so that together we may serve Thy Kingdom faithfully and encourage one another to grow in Christ.
We pray for our pastors and leaders. Bless Reverend Aaron Liu and Pastor Danny with heavenly wisdom, spiritual discernment, renewed strength, and joyful hearts as they faithfully shepherd Thy people. May Thou continue to anoint them and use them mightily for Thy glory.
We remember every member of our Disciples Group before Thee. We especially lift up Emily into Thy loving hands. Grant her a swift and complete recovery from her fall. Surround her with Thy healing presence, protect her from further harm, and restore her strength day by day.
Lord, we also commit the ministries of our church into Thy hands. Bless the Alpha Course, the Senior Connection Group, and every Connection Group. May these ministries become places where lives are transformed, faith is strengthened, and many come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.
As we leave this meeting, may Thy Word continue to dwell richly within us. Empower us by Thy Holy Spirit to live out what we have learned—not merely hearing Thy Word but faithfully putting it into practice. May our lives reflect the love, humility, faith, and obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ, becoming a light to our families, our church, and our community.
As we gather around the table, we thank Thee for the food prepared before us. Bless this meal and the hands that have lovingly prepared it. May it nourish our bodies, refresh our strength, and deepen our fellowship as we continue to rejoice in Thy goodness together.
Keep us under Thy protection until we meet again. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God our Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, now and always.
In the precious Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
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