Do You Have A Practical Christianity?
Good Morning Friends,
Acts of faith are often viewed as being less rational and sound than cold analytical actions. But love has a way of presenting the unlikely in a light that is desirable. It may not be obvious at first blush but what I am telling you this day is that Jesus presents the most commonsense way of living that exist. Do You Have A Practical Christianity?
Scripture: Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David—that is my gospel, for which I suffer hardship, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, so that they may also obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. The saying is sure: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself. Remind them of this, and warn them before God that they are to avoid wrangling over words, which does no good but only ruins those who are listening. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth.
2 Timothy 2:8-15 (NRSV)
One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Then the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that ‘he is one, and besides him there is no other’; and ‘to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength,’ and ‘to love one’s neighbor as oneself,’ —this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that no one dared to ask him any question.
Mark 12:28-34 (NRSV)
Message: Being a Christian is more logical and practical than some might think. The first step toward this practical transcendence is to realize that the Holy Scriptures are a revelation from God communicating to us the divine mind and defining God’s will for us. This is not to say that we throw out science and its methods. But it is to say we must really know how to read. So, we need to spend time recognizing that the Bible is God’s Word, and that its precepts are the precepts of the Creator of the universe. Eventually this will lead us to see what an awful thing it is to despise and ignore them and what a useful and rational thing it is to embrace them. You see, God wants us to use the talents, gifts, finances, and influence, that we have been given not to only enrich us, but to the glory of God advance the Kingdom in a way that brings enjoyment that surpasses understanding. So, if we believe in God, and most claim that they do, we should also have implicit confidence in God and rely upon the Word of God, understood in its fullness experienced. You see, nothing is too hard for the Lord. It is only logical that we are to believe that the Word of promise never fails. We are not to entertain any suspicions of God’s lack of care for us in the future. We are to believe that even if Heaven and Earth pass away, God’s promises remain.
Friends, God gave us gifts and abilities to use for an eternal purpose, not just admire. God gave us a practical Christianity and if we would follow it in love to glorify God we might just discover how compelling it is.
Pray we realize how practical and sensible living a Christian life is. Pray we realize the validity, for our own benefit, of God wanting us to love Him with everything inside us. Pray this passion drives and defines us to know God better and love God more and more as we answer the heart of the question of how we are related to the divine. Pray we live by God’s agenda instead of our own. Pray we live in God for surely God will not deny God. Pray we realize that it is more achievable to pray for laborers who would fearlessly and faithfully preach God’s truths, which are calculated to bring about a revival, instead of praying for a worldwide revival without such tactical actions. Pray we realize the great mistake of hoping to discover in ourselves that which is only found in relationship with God. Pray our God given gifts of faith, administration, leadership, evangelism, service, and hospitality be used to further the Kingdom and in the process to bring us life in abundance that satisfies our deepest hopes. Pray we live as practical Christians approved by God.
Blessings,
John Lawson
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