Devotional for the Week — 2 February 2009

Devotional For The Week – 2 February 2009

Sermon Title: One Belief for Life & Ministry – Jesus Christ
Scripture Text: Luke 4 : 18-21 & John 6 : 28-29

As Christians we want to do our best for God. We want to be effective witnesses - in the way we live, in our outreach efforts - so that others may see the glory of God through us and believe. And so we plan… we rush… we try harder. Yet we are frustrated by obstacles, angry with those who do not co-operate, disappointed with outcomes that do not reflect our initial plans. We ask the same question the disciples asked of Jesus `"What must we do to do the works God requires?" (John 6:28) – to feed the hungry, to heal the sick, to bring hope to a lost world.

Jesus answer is the same today as it was back then "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." (John 6:29). Our task is to believe in Jesus. And if we upgrade our belief in Him, we upgrade our ministry to Him.

It all boils down to who we say God is. In Luke 4:18-19, Jesus, reading from the passage in Isaiah, stated that "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour.". He then went on to say "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

Believing this means :

1. Believing we are in a position of boundless acceptance and unconditional love, measured by the extent of God’s offering His Son up to death for us.

We first need to believe that we are in the presence of boundless love. God offered His precious son for us – for you and I. God’s love is unconditional. He wants the best for us and that means allowing us to be at the centre of His plan. But for that to happen, we need to be in step with Him. We need to not only read the Bible and pray but also believe, to step out in faith and claim His promises.

2. Believing in His contemporariness in every dimension of our lives.

We need to believe in that Jesus is contemporary, that He is as relevant today as he was two thousand years ago. Believing this, we invite him into every aspect of our lives – when we make big decisions like changing a job, moving into full time ministry, deciding to get married; and when we make small ones like choosing which movie to watch, what tasks to do first at work. He is, after all, the Lord of time and space. Allowing Him to order our lives reveals our trust in Him.

3. Believing that when Jesus is present, He makes all things well.

We need to believe that when Jesus is present all will be well, miracles can happen – the poor can be lifted, the blind will see, the oppressed will be released. We realise then that it is He, and not us, that does the work. He is the one that will proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind. It is He that will release the oppressed. We are just the instruments He chooses to work through. Realising that Jesus is in control frees us from anger and strife. We no longer need be angry and seek revenge for those who have wronged us for we believe God when He says `vengeance is mine’ We also no longer worry because He tells us not to worry even about what we are to eat or what we are to wear.

Having such a belief requires a close relationship with Jesus - one that feels his concerns and desires what He does. It comes from knowing him well, through reading the Gospel and soaking in His word. When that happens, we will walk like him, talk like Him, think like him…see the world through His eyes. Our ministry will then be modelled after Him. We will then do the work God requires. Our concern will then be not about going to heaven but about bring heaven to earth.

Prayer Response

Lord, it is our wish to do your will - to spread the word, to help bring hope to the lost. Yet we have often struggled to do this with own strength. Often we have failed and become discouraged. Yet what is needed for us to do your work is so simple, Lord : to trust you with every aspects of our lives and our ministries. To go where you want us to go, to do what you want us to do - no more, no less. Help us to realise that because you love us, you are already prepared to let us be a part of your plan. Yet help us remember Lord that is it your plan and not ours, so that when things don’t go as well as we think they should, we will remember that your ways are higher than our. Help us to keep our focus on you, Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Devotional based on a sermon by Dr Victor Koh, a Missionary with BMC

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