|
Home | About Us | This Week | News | Ministries | Gallery | Devotional | Resources | Opportunities | Contacts |
|
Devotional for Week of 23 June 2008 Sermon Title: What Really Matters (Worship Boasts in Christ Alone) “For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 3:3) Introduction There is a story of a money changer who took his days’ profits to the bank to deposit it. He put the money into a bag and clutched it tightly under his arm as he stood in the queue. As he waited for his turn, a man behind him tapped him on the shoulder and told him that he had dropped a $10 note. Eager not to lose the $10 note, the money changer stooped down to pick it up. Yet in doing so he loosened his grip on his bag. The man behind him quickly grabbed the bag and fled out of the bank. The money changer gave a chase but could not apprehend the thief. So he lost his bag filled with money in exchange for a $10 note. Like the foolish money changer, we can live that way by trading something valuable for the unimportant. In Paul’s time, this evident in how some of the religious people subjected the new converts to customs which made it difficult to worship God. These religious people were so caught up in emphasizing outward circumcision that they missed out on the greater need for inward circumcision of the heart in the worship of God. For John 4:24 declares that God is spirit and we need to worship Him in spirit and in truth. When we worship in spirit, we put no confidence in our flesh. Worship is a heart attitude - an honest and personal response to God – to seek, repent, confess, obey and submit to God. It does not rely on external forms or religious badges. For instance, let us ask ourselves if we attend services every Sunday because of tradition or because we come earnestly to seek God because we love Him? Let us honestly assess if we have a personal relationship with Him. Paul was a true Jew in every sense and had many merits in his life which he could easily have boasted of, but he chose not to and called all these worldly gains ‘rubbish” and considered himself a sinner saved by God’s grace. His life aim was to know Jesus Christ and share in the sufferings of Christ. Paul’s example encourages us to grow in intimacy with Lord Jesus, to depend on righteousness from God through faith and to boast and glory in what God has done for us in Christ. As we do so, we can have healing, peace and power in Christ. We need to come afresh before God and surrender our lives to Him. Let us pray for a transformed heart attitude which will respond to Jesus. Let us ask earnestly for the power of Christ to transform us to His image day by day. Today, let us place no more emphasis on any outward religious appearance because it is our heart that God sees. Today, let us not lose the valuable for the unimportant. Prayer Response Dear Jesus, Thank you for your love for me. You have taken all my sins upon Yourself and died on the cross for me and I am ever grateful to You. May I always worship You with my heart and not resort to outward appearance or customs. May I not boast about my achievements but what You have done for me. May I daily have a personal relationship with You and know the Father’s heart and draw closer to You. Amen. Devotional based on message by Rev Lim Jen Huat
|