BREAKING THE JINX OF APATHY - Rom. 10 8-15
Having seen the promise of Christ to build his church and that he did not leave it at that without assigning the church to a definite task, It becomes imperative that we look into the assignment vis-à-vis the attention we give it if we are pleasing him that called us (1 Tim. 2.5). We have been given an assignment that is made clear in the scriptures. It is seen from different perspectives: Seen as in the giving of pounds – Luk. 19.10-19. as in the sending – Jn. 20.21. As in the assurance of the possibility of greater works etc. – Jn. 14.12
The assignment constitutes the witnessing of Christ to the world – Matt. 28.19; Mk. 16.15; Luk. 24.46-48
It has to do with the witnessing his death. The death of Christ was not like the normal experience of every other man. He did not die he had sinned. Rather he died because of man’s sin and the sentence of God concerning man’s sin (death) - Gn. 2.16-17; Ezek. 18.4, 20; Rom. 6.23.
If God’s righteous requirement would be met death must be accomplished. He must die as the sinless Lamb of God that carried away the sin of the world – Jn. 1.29; so that whoever believes in him shall not perish …. – Jn. 3.16. This believing has to do with practical faith in the substitutionary nature of Christ’s death. The reason why Paul stated that “If you believe in your heart the Lord Jesus …. – Rom. 10.9-12. But if Christ’s death is the only message we have to declare, would it have constituted good news. Not only are we to witness or testify concerning his death …
We are to witness also his resurrection – Luk. 24.46 That he died for our sins but was raised for our justification – Rom. 4.25-26. A happening which enhanced the presentation of the proof of his redemptive work – Jn. 20.17.
It is the combination of these two that constitute the good news we preach – 1 Cor. 15.3-5.
Our Assignment which is to witness Christ features in two ways
It has to do with our testimony concerning the substitutionary work of Christ (the death which he experienced on the behalf of all sinners, taking their place to save them from death) – Mk. 16.19; Jn. 15.26,27.
Rom. 10.8-15 brings in a serious issue that the word that produces faith is to be proclaimed for everyone to believe and confess, calling on him whom they have believed. But see this that …
They will believe him of whom they have heard;
They will hear only because someone had preached to them;
Someone would preach because he has been sent;
The scriptures declared that the feet of the sent ones are beautiful – Isa 52.7 They run swiftly on the mountain because of the good news they bring; those who behold them from the distance also look forward to the message they bring. This scripture gives the implication that the beauty of the feet of those who bring the message has to do with their attitude based on their conviction and excitement about the good news they bear.
The assignment also has to do with the life we live as a result of the gift of salvation given to us. The world tells us today that you can only give what you possess. You can only offer the gospel which has transformed your life. Hence our lives therefore must reflect what we have – Phil 2.11-13; lest unbelievers blaspheme him that we preach – Rom. 2.17-24;
There is however an apathy that we cannot afford concerning the assignment today.
It is seen in the arm folding and gift wrapping stance we are maintaining as seen in Matt. 25.17; Luk. 19.20-21. the cause of the apathy is seen in three ways.
The first is laziness. Laziness means being unwilling to work or be active; not involving much energy activity; or from scriptural implication, being at ease (in Zion) – Am. 6.1; the second cause is lack of zeal – the drive/passion that comes with vision – Jn. 2.17; and the third, Self-interest as seen in Hagg. 1.2-5, when that which pertains to the Lord was left unattended to, but everything done for self.
If we would have a change of attitude then we should understand the implication of this apathy. Am. 6.1-7 proclaimed woe to those who are at ease in Zion, who had what they should do facing them but left it undone. The story in Luk. 19.21-25 also shows us the displeasure of the master and the judgment he meted to the servant that did not make use of what was allotted to him, but had it wrapped up and buried till master returned. The last implication of the apathy of not witnessing Christ is the doom awaiting the sinners – Jn. 3.16,17
The doom of sinners is not the desire of the father and his expectation is we respond in action passionately because of them, rescuing the perishing and caring for the dying – 2 Pet 3.9
Guiding into the way of peace
Tuesday, June 17
Tuesday, June 10
WITNESSING 1- CHRIST PLAN FOR THE GROWTH OF HIS CHURCH
CHRIST PLAN FOR THE GROWTH OF HIS CHURCH - Matt. 16.
The first appearance of the word “church” in the NT was in Matt. 16 where Peter expressed the revelation of whom Jesus is. The claim of Jesus there was that flesh and blood has not revealed the knowledge to Peter, and that upon the revelation that was expressed His church shall be built. It seems as if this to the contemporary church means that we’ve got nothing to do than to trust in the Lord for the building of His church.
The Meaning of the Word church
When we talk about the church of Christ it is good to know what is meant. The word church does not mean the building and not necessarily the organization/denomination. It has to do with the people – the called out ones. People who are called out of the darkness/world into into God's marvellous light.
The promise of Christ Concerning the Church
The promise of Christ was to build his people. That means to construct/to confirm, to have the church built into an edifice. It is for this reason that he gave leadership gifts to the church and us all for one another for mutual edification. To build also by inference would mean to enlarge or increase: one of the ways Christ confirms his church is by increasing it – Acts. 2.47; He builds his church into an edifice and confirms it by granting her visibility on earth.
The Desire of Today's Church
Today’s church wants this increase and visibility for many reason. The first reason could be because Christ wants it – Jn. 10.16; 12.32. Another reason could be because we want it, even much more than the former, for self aggrandizement. Pastors wants to boast of their big churches; members are proud to be associated with such big churches; but unless we want the increase and the visibility because Christ wants it, we may not have true growth/increase. If we want it because he does, then we need to know how he wants His church to grow/increase.
The Plan of Christ for the Growth/Increase of His Church.
Not only did He promised to build his church, He also left instructions for the church - definite instructions. The instructions are related to the mission he came to this earth for - Matt. 1.21; Luk. 19.10; the instruction has to do with work – Luk. 19.13; Jn. 14.12-14. The works which He did, which we can do if we believe in Him; the works concerning which we can do something greater; an opportunity comes to us because Christ is going to the father. It must be for this reason that He gave the promise that whatever we ask in His name He shall do. The work also has to do with Him sending us as the father sent him – Jn. 20.19-23, to witness him or His redemptive work to the world – Acts. 1.8, a work which we must do in the power (with the collaboration) of the Holy Ghost. Jn. 15.26-27; Acts. 5.30.32.
This was the strength of the early church for increase and visibility; they witnessed Christ from Jerusalem … to the ends of the earth; creating a better society, not by merely praying nor merely believing, nor by flashy public relations. This was the example (Jn. 4.34-38) and the instruction from Christ; adhered to by the early church.
The modern church cannot claim him as its Lord if we do not what he commanded.
There is peace and contentment in my Father's house today,
Lots of food on His table and no one turned away.
There is singing and laughter as the hours passes by,
But a hush calms the singing as the Father sadly cries,
My house is full, but my field is empty,
Who will go and work for Me today.
It seems my children want to stay around my table,
But no one wants to work my fields,
No one wants to work my fields.
Push away from the table.
Look out through the windowpane,
Just beyond the house of plenty
Lies a field of golden grain.
And it's ripe unto harvest,
But the reapers, where are they?
In the house,
Oh, can't the children hear
the Father sadly say,
My house is full, but my field is empty,
Who will go and work for Me today.
It seems my children want to stay around my table,
But no one wants to work my fields,
No one wants to work my fields.
The first appearance of the word “church” in the NT was in Matt. 16 where Peter expressed the revelation of whom Jesus is. The claim of Jesus there was that flesh and blood has not revealed the knowledge to Peter, and that upon the revelation that was expressed His church shall be built. It seems as if this to the contemporary church means that we’ve got nothing to do than to trust in the Lord for the building of His church.
The Meaning of the Word church
When we talk about the church of Christ it is good to know what is meant. The word church does not mean the building and not necessarily the organization/denomination. It has to do with the people – the called out ones. People who are called out of the darkness/world into into God's marvellous light.
The promise of Christ Concerning the Church
The promise of Christ was to build his people. That means to construct/to confirm, to have the church built into an edifice. It is for this reason that he gave leadership gifts to the church and us all for one another for mutual edification. To build also by inference would mean to enlarge or increase: one of the ways Christ confirms his church is by increasing it – Acts. 2.47; He builds his church into an edifice and confirms it by granting her visibility on earth.
The Desire of Today's Church
Today’s church wants this increase and visibility for many reason. The first reason could be because Christ wants it – Jn. 10.16; 12.32. Another reason could be because we want it, even much more than the former, for self aggrandizement. Pastors wants to boast of their big churches; members are proud to be associated with such big churches; but unless we want the increase and the visibility because Christ wants it, we may not have true growth/increase. If we want it because he does, then we need to know how he wants His church to grow/increase.
The Plan of Christ for the Growth/Increase of His Church.
Not only did He promised to build his church, He also left instructions for the church - definite instructions. The instructions are related to the mission he came to this earth for - Matt. 1.21; Luk. 19.10; the instruction has to do with work – Luk. 19.13; Jn. 14.12-14. The works which He did, which we can do if we believe in Him; the works concerning which we can do something greater; an opportunity comes to us because Christ is going to the father. It must be for this reason that He gave the promise that whatever we ask in His name He shall do. The work also has to do with Him sending us as the father sent him – Jn. 20.19-23, to witness him or His redemptive work to the world – Acts. 1.8, a work which we must do in the power (with the collaboration) of the Holy Ghost. Jn. 15.26-27; Acts. 5.30.32.
This was the strength of the early church for increase and visibility; they witnessed Christ from Jerusalem … to the ends of the earth; creating a better society, not by merely praying nor merely believing, nor by flashy public relations. This was the example (Jn. 4.34-38) and the instruction from Christ; adhered to by the early church.
The modern church cannot claim him as its Lord if we do not what he commanded.
There is peace and contentment in my Father's house today,
Lots of food on His table and no one turned away.
There is singing and laughter as the hours passes by,
But a hush calms the singing as the Father sadly cries,
My house is full, but my field is empty,
Who will go and work for Me today.
It seems my children want to stay around my table,
But no one wants to work my fields,
No one wants to work my fields.
Push away from the table.
Look out through the windowpane,
Just beyond the house of plenty
Lies a field of golden grain.
And it's ripe unto harvest,
But the reapers, where are they?
In the house,
Oh, can't the children hear
the Father sadly say,
My house is full, but my field is empty,
Who will go and work for Me today.
It seems my children want to stay around my table,
But no one wants to work my fields,
No one wants to work my fields.
Tuesday, June 3
Prioritising Between Doing and Teaching
“The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and to teach until the day in which he was taken up ….” – Acts 1.1
It is time as Christians we began to understand the reality of our calling, that the Christian faith is not evidenced by the abundance of words we speak and in the concepts we generate but in our life actions. Possibly, one of the reasons why spiritual formation is on a downward trend today is because we have not extolled the virtue of right living.
Luke, in his account (Acts 1.1) succinctly and declaratively acquainted us with the life of Christ. He asserted that Christ was first a doer and then a teacher. This shows us the reason for his great exploits in influencing people for God. He demonstrated by the life he lived the things he taught.
For example, it took his exemplary prayer life for his disciples to demand of him to teach them to pray (Luk. 11.1). So if a man that is not prayerful is teaching prayer to the people, he will go as far as giving them academic knowledge.
Christ was able to turn the hearts of men to God, simply because of the way he, himself, was committed to the father.
I remember a denominational preacher I once knew about. He was reputed to have always told the congregation he pastored to do what he was saying and not what he was doing. He did that to prevent many of them from becoming cultists like him, but you see, he could not be effective in establishing the realities of our spiritual walk with God in their lives.
Our Christian witnessing would soon move to another level when we understand that God expects us to live the new life than to generate concepts. We must be the ones to first experience the things we know according to Paul: “The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops”
Peter also made us to know that the Lord should be honoured in our hearts always: “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness of fear, having a good conscience ….” The place of the heart, from where flow the forces of life, comes before explanations.
Our light shall shine and our good works would be seen by men, from our Jerusalem to the extremity of the world, when we focus much more on living the new life than talking about it.
Both are important, but there is a priority.
It is time as Christians we began to understand the reality of our calling, that the Christian faith is not evidenced by the abundance of words we speak and in the concepts we generate but in our life actions. Possibly, one of the reasons why spiritual formation is on a downward trend today is because we have not extolled the virtue of right living.
Luke, in his account (Acts 1.1) succinctly and declaratively acquainted us with the life of Christ. He asserted that Christ was first a doer and then a teacher. This shows us the reason for his great exploits in influencing people for God. He demonstrated by the life he lived the things he taught.
For example, it took his exemplary prayer life for his disciples to demand of him to teach them to pray (Luk. 11.1). So if a man that is not prayerful is teaching prayer to the people, he will go as far as giving them academic knowledge.
Christ was able to turn the hearts of men to God, simply because of the way he, himself, was committed to the father.
I remember a denominational preacher I once knew about. He was reputed to have always told the congregation he pastored to do what he was saying and not what he was doing. He did that to prevent many of them from becoming cultists like him, but you see, he could not be effective in establishing the realities of our spiritual walk with God in their lives.
Our Christian witnessing would soon move to another level when we understand that God expects us to live the new life than to generate concepts. We must be the ones to first experience the things we know according to Paul: “The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops”
Peter also made us to know that the Lord should be honoured in our hearts always: “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness of fear, having a good conscience ….” The place of the heart, from where flow the forces of life, comes before explanations.
Our light shall shine and our good works would be seen by men, from our Jerusalem to the extremity of the world, when we focus much more on living the new life than talking about it.
Both are important, but there is a priority.
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