(Message by Pastor Philip Joseph. Happy reading!)
December-It is that month of the year once again, where we
can pause and reflect on what God has done for us. Many companies too, do this!
They have a year-end appraisal program where each individual’s performance is
evaluated. Some other companies have a self-appraisal
program where they ask the individuals themselves to evaluate their own
performance during the year. As believers in Christ, we too can have a
self-appraisal, now, at the end of this year.
As great is the danger of backsliding in a believer’s life,
so also is the grave danger of stagnating in one place in our walk with God. As
months and years go by, some Christians find themselves in the same place that
they started the year with, and may even think that that is where they want to
be!
And today, I share the verses in 1 John 2:12-14 with you.
I write to you, little children, because your sins are
forgiven you for His name’s sake.
I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is
from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the
wicked one. I write to you, little children, because you have known the Father.
I have written to you, fathers, because you have known Him
who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are
strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked
one.
Didn’t we talk about self-appraisal? I want you to honestly
appraise yourself as to what category of believers you fall in-whether of
children, young men or fathers. Apostle John speaks categorically to three types
of believers, and you and I must fall in one of these. And there are levels
associated with these categories and when we have a self-appraisal and find
that we are at one level, we can start now to work towards, and press on to go
to, the next level. A person, who fails to plan, plans to fail. And when we are
finished with our self-appraisal, we can plan to grow from children to young
men and then to fathers.
(i)
Children
I write to you children, because your sins are forgiven you.
What a wonderful experience is the salvation experience! I write to you
children, because you have known the Father. That is the child-like faith by
which you have trusted and come to Lord Jesus Christ. And your sins have been
washed away by the precious blood of Jesus Christ.
We were born-again; born into the family of God. And we had
entered into a new relationship with God the Father, by which we cried out “Abba,
Father!” Yes, it is a wonderful experience-but, it is just the beginning of the
Christian walk. The starting phase as children! Some Christians want to go to
their grave with just this experience: God is my Father, and my sins have been
forgiven in Lord Jesus Christ. But there is a next level of maturity Apostle
John is calling these to-the walk of the young men.
(ii)
Young men
I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the
word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one. Young men in
Christ are strong in His grace. This is indeed the walk in strength of the
Christians-knowing His grace.
If you see the illustration in the Old Testament, the
children of Israel came of Egypt-delivered with a great deliverance out of the
hands of Pharaoh and into a walk with God. And they all passed through the Red
Sea-the type of baptism of every believer in Jesus Christ. But you know
what-most of these Israelites perished in the wilderness and never experienced
the Promised Land. If that is the case of believers today, it is indeed a
pitiful state-not experiencing the Promised Land, right here on earth! (Why do many
wait for only the land that is far away… in the life that is to come?).
But then, there was Joshua in those days. God says to
Joshua, “Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise… Be strong and of good
courage…” (Joshua 1:1-6). That is the young man Apostle John is talking
about-who arise and being strong take possession of the Promised Land.
Overcoming all obstacles, (as there were obstacles, for Joshua-who fought many
battles) and overcoming the wicked one.
It is for all Christian ‘young men’ to arise and overcome
the wicked one. Jesus taught us how. Satan came to sow the seed of doubt in
Jesus mind: “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
(Matt. 4:3). That is the doubt the tempter will sow in a Christian who is
growing: ‘Are you really God’s child? Then why is this happening to you? Why
are you always in lack?’ We must be ready with the answer of Jesus: (I am not
going to make that stone bread, because I haven’t heard a word from My Father
regarding that!) “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by
every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” [Know what is written in the
word of God-Read it!]
Secondly, Satan came to tempt Jesus with the word of God
saying, It is written. (Matt. 3:6). Jesus said to him, “It is written again,
You shall not tempt the LORD your God.” [Know what is also written in the word
of God-Study it!] Therefore have a balanced view of everything that is written
for you. It is sad to see many ministries today, concentrating on just one
aspect of God’s written word, and not having a balanced view even to the extent
of intolerance towards other believers!
Thirdly, Satan offered Jesus the world, for worship of the
devil. Jesus stood up ready with a defense: Away with you Satan! For it is
written, You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.”
[Know what is written in the word of God-Obey it!]
Let it be said of us, as young men and women- that the word
of God abides in him / her. But also set your sights higher as you finish with
your self-appraisal and find you are a young man, full of courage and have
overcome the wicked one. For there is yet one more level- that of the father.
(iii)
Father
I write to you fathers, because you have known Him who is
from the beginning. Have you questioned yourself of how much you know of Him
who is from the beginning? There are various aspects of His blessed being from
the God-the Creator, to God-our Helper, our Provider, our Strength, our Shepherd,
our Sanctification… our Father. We MUST know Him. Paul writes in Phil 3:10 “that
I may know Him and the power of His resurrection…” That is why I said we must
be constantly dissatisfied with the state of our spiritual being. There must
always be a longing to know Him more and more… more and more.
Peter, knowing that his time on earth was over, writes to
fellow believers, you 'grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ’ (2 Pet. 3:18). It is this way that we become Christ-like, into the
mould of Jesus; submitting ourselves into the master-plan of God. How can you
become Christ-like, if you do not know Him who is from the beginning? James
compares the word of God to a mirror-that shows us who we are. Human tendency
is to compare with other believers and feel complacent knowing that we may be
better-off than most of them. But the word of God reveals the character of
Jesus- and He is our standard.
A father also has children. And we must have a heart for
children of God-to bring the name of Jesus into the hearts of children who
would believe. Raise up many spiritual children, and know what God can do
through you to bless others. Yes, the heart of the father, is not ‘just God and
me’; but also a longing for the lost children of this world to know the true
light.
Have an honest self-appraisal this time of year. Let us not
stagnate in the same place month after month and year after year. May God help
us, and lead us from one level of knowing Him to the next level. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment