On Being a Christian

Yesterday I had a rare privilege. I witnessed two awesome sermons in one day. I would like to share with you some thoughts from the evening message which was presented by our Associate Pastor.

His message came from Romans 12: 9-21 and his subject was “Being a Christian, not Just a Follower of Christ”.
I begin with the first verse as part of my “reasonable service”.

Romans 12 (New King James Version)
Living Sacrifices to God
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Any of us who watch television ministries are probably familiar with the phrase “renewing your mind” and most of us struggle to not only renew our minds but to stay focused in the Way.

Romans 12
Serve God with Spiritual Gifts
3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function,
5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.
6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith;
7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

We understand that we cannot earn brownie points with God and cannot buy our way into heaven, but we are called on to show our faith through works. We each have an obligation to prayerfully find that which is given us to do and to do it with diligence and cheerfulness.

Matthew 22:35-40 (New King James Version)
35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying,
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”
37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Only two commandments, but how difficult it is sometimes to feel that we are measuring up.
The focus last evening was on the straightforward prescription to meet these two great commandments.

Romans 12
Behave Like a Christian
9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.
10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;
11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;
13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.
16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.
18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.
20 Therefore

“ If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

We were challenged last night to measure ourselves against this yardstick of Christian behavior and to strive to correct any shortcomings.

Then we left church and God placed in our path a homeless man and an opportunity to see if our Christianity was shed as soon as we left the safety of the sanctuary!

I watched as my wonderful companions soon had this man comfortable enough in our company that he was sharing some of the realities of his current situation. It was interesting to discover that he had some familiarity with scripture and some identification with the plight of Job, that he was an educated man who identified various addictions as his downfall. How wonderful that we didn’t throw away this opportunity to minister to a child of God.

I woke this morning with a renewed commitment to measure up as a Christian. I admit that I don’t have it all together, but commit to reaching for the prize.

May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!