Your Life In Christ

How would you consider a life well-lived? Read Matt 5:13-16.

The Christian faith is not simply a collection of doctrines and beliefs, although these are important.

• At its root, Christianity is a life experience: a life-changing, personal experience of the risen Jesus Christ.

• This encounter with Christ changes the way we are and the way we live.

Everything in the NT – the writings of each of these authors - flow from that personal encounter with Jesus Christ.

• If you have met Christ today, nothing about our lives can be the same.

That was the testimony of our late founding pastor Rev Lau. Her life was changed when the Lord healed her from tuberculosis and saved her.

• Her encounter with Christ not only changed her but those whom she met and ministered to.

• She dedicated her life to God and through her, God touched many, many more lives. This is what happens if you let the light of Christ shines.

Sadly many today are living the half-hidden Christian life, in the light of what Jesus said – salt that has lost its saltiness, light that was hidden in a bowl.

• They are one person when they are in church or at prayer meeting, and someone different when they are with friends or at work.

• They are living this “double life” - a Christian only at certain times, only at convenient times.

• At other times, they blend in. They do not want to stand out. They do not want to be seen different, so they keep their faith in Jesus a private affair.

The Lord says, we are the light of the WORLD and salt of the EARTH (Matt 5:13-16), not even within the confines of our comfort zones.

• That’s who we are, if you know Christ today.

It is not, “You can be…” or “You can become…” or “It’s good to be…”

• Jesus puts it plainly, “You are…” We have the potential in Christ to be a great blessing, if you care to believe Jesus.

• But if you keep it private, Jesus says, “If the salt loses its saltiness, it is no longer good for anything.” If you light a lamp and put it under a bowl, no one benefits.

The goal seems to be about BENEFITS… not to ourselves but for others!

Believe this, if Christ dwell in us, He will show. The reason why He is not seen is because we have been hiding Him.

• For various reasons, like fear, disobedience, self-centredness, shame, bitterness or sin. We have decided to cover the light with a bowl.

Over the past week, I was reminded of what it really means to “let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

• We had 3 nights of memorial services for our late Pastor Lau. Over 200 came each night. They are people who have crossed path with her in some ways.

• Each night, at the end of the each service, people filed in line to pay their last respect.

• It was the longest ‘paying of last respect’ in all the funeral services I’ve conducted. Over 200 people each night and it took more than 20min for it to last.

• On the last night as I stand at the pulpit looking down at all the people walking up, one by one, now for the third night, I had this overwhelming sense of awe and sweetness in my heart, at seeing the number of lives that have been touched, in one way or another, big or small, directly or indirectly, by the life of just one lady. That feeling was extraordinary.

And we know deep down in our heart, it wasn’t HER per se.

• It was the Christ that dwells in her, the One who healed her, saved her and called her into the ministry.

• It was the Christ in her that brought about this phenomenon. Oh, the light that shines!

• This building we are now in, that houses 3 churches now, is a living testimony of the great work of God through one obedient child of His.

• It reminded me of what D. L. Moody’s friend Henry Varley said to him: “The world has yet to see what God can do with and for and through and in a man who is fully and wholly consecrated to Him."

The Lord says we have the potential to make a difference in someone’s life, because He now dwells in our heart and life.

• We ARE the salt of the earth. We ARE the LIGHT of the world. This is the NEW LIFE that we have in Christ.

• The new life we have is not about being wealthy on earth (because our Father is rich). It’s not about being healthy on earth (because our Father is a healer). It’s is not about being successful on earth (because our Father will bless our ways). Although all these can be true.