Christian Living – Part –II
Glad to share the word of God again on the first Sunday of the New Year. What a blessing for us that God has sustained us to see this year in spite of the difficulties we had been through. If this statement is true then the Lord has a purpose for us to live. I am sure you remember what I preached on the New Year’s Day, I talked about three kinds of living – empty, 50/50 and 100% living. This morning I want to bring an elaboration of the 100% living and I want to call it the Christ-like Living. For our meditation I have taken 2 scriptures the first one being the promise for this year (Isaiah 41:10) and the second scripture from Ephesians 4:22-24.
Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Ephesians 4:22-25
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Paul writes in Ephesians saying – you must be made new in the attitude of your minds, in the book of Philippians it talks about the attitude like that of Christ Jesus, that He was willing to die for us and to die even on the cross of Calvary like a criminal. It is an attitude of the mind, a willingness to obey the Father and His commands. Psychologists also talk about attitude and they suggest it is attitude that marks the difference between success and failure.
A simple exercise to demonstrate attitude would be to pass around a paper with a black dot in it and people to respond to it, the usual response would be that people see the black dot very prominently and fail to see a mass of white around it. This is Gestalt psychology – the whole is important than the parts. It is a holistic way of looking at things. In a similar manner we need to look at things in the perspective of Christ and that is the putting on of the new attitudes. I want to bring in 3 such attitudes like that of Christ and see if we can apply to our own lives and have the promise of Isaiah 41:10 fulfilled.
Attitude – 1
Love like CHRIST
1 John 4:19-21
we love because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
The bible tells us that – He first loved us; this is, loving like Christ did. Love must be initiated and not waited upon. We must take the first step of loving and express it in a manner worth. Our problem is selective in loving, we have our own reasons for loving, maybe we love because they are helpful, good looking, have more money, is in a high position of power and authority, is influential, can be of some help sometime and the list can go. I would call this commercial love and not a sincere love that bible talks about. Sincere love is - loving someone with their inabilities, loving them in their poverty, loving them the way they are. Christ loved us that way and did not expect anything from us in return – an unconditional love. Sometimes we even find it harder to love our parents but you know what the bible tells us that we must honor the father and the mother and it is the first commandment with a promise of long life and enjoyment. It did not say love your good mother and good father, they can have any virtues but the bible commands us to love them the way they are. Initiate love – cause this is the only thing that does not diminish in measure as you keep giving. Let your love go on, as Christ still loves us with all our weaknesses and indifferences etc. Christ had no problem loving Judas knowing that he would betray, he still washed his feet. He loved Thomas and Peter with the same measure though Thomas doubted and Peter denied. Can you love like Christ did? Remember the scripture read to us in 1 John, if you cannot love your brother who you see, how can you love God who you have not seen if you continue to say so you are no less than a hypocrite. Therefore love like Christ did.
Attitude – 2
Forgive like CHRIST
Matthew 18:21-22
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
Forgiving someone for the wrong done to us is the most difficult thing to practice. But Jesus Christ is point blank in saying that we need to forgive, that too 70 times 7. Forgiving someone once is a biggest task how is it possible for us to forgive this many times? Jesus did it and He promised us that He will help and therefore we can do it too. I cannot forget the way Stephen prayed while he was stoned to death, he prayed a similar prayer that Jesus did on the cross and I am sure it was his prayer that brought salvation for Paul who was guarding the clothes of the stoners. The Lord has given us a ministry of reconciliation and we need to settle any dispute before the Sun goes down. Keeping a grudge and anger in the heart will only ruin the health and destroy our very nature. Therefore it is better that we forgive and remain unhurt by anything and have God’s love in abundance. Forgive like Christ did.
Attitude – 3
Go extra miles like CHRIST
Matthew 5:41
If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
Well this is another difficult command the Lord has placed before us. We are people who most often are not able to do what is assigned to us then how would it be possible for us to go extra miles. But the Lord wants us to. This is more in context to the war time where the soldier helps another ailing soldier, but I am sure this applies to our personal life also since everyday seems to be like a war and we are in the desperate need to win it. Sometimes at home where many siblings are there one is loved better than the other and there was always a dispute, it is for us that we need to go extra miles, remember I told you earlier that love must be initiated, if there is love it is easy for anyone to go extra miles. In the bible we read about Ruth who went after the ruthless mother-in-law and her going extra miles gave her a remarkable presence in the history of the birth of Jesus the savior. Never hesitate to go extra miles it is worth. Go ahead go extra miles for someone today and make a difference. I am reminded of an incident that I read about the special Olympic, it was the 100 meters running for the mentally retarded children, about 10 of them were lined up for the race and the gunshot and the kids began running while one of the boys tripped and fell and was bleeding in his knee, all of the other runners turned and walked back to the boy and little girl with down’s syndrome bent down kissed him and asked, “are you alright?” and they all walked shoulder to shoulder to reach the finish line, they received a standing ovation. The reason is someone was willing to go extra miles. Your action such as this can cause a lot of impact and can sustain someone who is on the verge of giving up. Therefore go extra miles like Jesus did.
Let us pray…
Maybe you are seated here saying why am I born to such ununderstanding parents, I want to tell you my friend you are the right person for such parents, only you can love them and that is why God has placed you in that family. You are worried saying my brother is loved more than I am being loved – remember to first love, initiate love, give more love cause you are God’s child and you have it in abundance and never expect anything in return…maybe you are hurting because someone deliberately wounded you – do not worry forgive them, for the Lord will take care of the person. Dear Lord be with your people as they sit in your presence wanting to renew their attitude like yours, help them since you have promised to, we need more of your favor and your grace. Bless us and keep us a blessing, in Jesus name we pray. Amen. God bless you.
