There is something ‘magical’ in the amazing power of Christ in His gospel, to bring about renewal to His found sheep, and salvation to His lost sheep!
I use magic with inverted commas because the etymology of the word has a meaning associated with nature or hidden natural powers (http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=magic.) I also use the word ‘magic’ in a sense of wonderment of that of a child, whom Jesus said makes up the kingdom of God (Luke 18:16).
Simply put, Christ in His gospel truth so amazingly provides fresh and new sustenance for the saved sheep’s soul and spirit, every time that saved sheep goes back to the Shepherd, as He is written of, and about in His Father’s Word (the Scriptures), through the amazing grace of the Holy Spirit.
This morning was another example, and illustration of this wonderful truth!
As I meditated again (for the hundred time and more I think!) on Christ in His glorious gospel, in the words of the apostle Paul in Colossians chapters one and two, and in the words of the apostle Peter in his two sermons in the early chapters of the book of Acts, I was, by the grace of the Spirit of God and of Christ (who Himself is the promise of God to the Son for His people who call upon Him), amazed anew, refreshed anew, and strengthened anew in His grace in the glory of the truth of the Word of the Gospel of God.
This verse was especially enlightening; “of which you heard before in the Word of the truth of the gospel, which has come to you as it has also in all the world, and it is bearing fruit, even also among you, since the day you heard and fully knew the grace of God in truth” (Col 1:5 & 6). The wonderful gospel of Christ continues, even to this day, to ‘bear fruit’ among us believers. What promise of renewal and sanctification, and for the work of mission and evangelism.
The gospel is certainly about the “A-B-Cs” of the kingdom of God (Keller). And it is also, most wonderfully true, that it is the “A to Z” of the kingdom of God as well! (Keller, again!)
Therefore, God has not left His people destitute, but in the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of His Son to His right hand, by the power of His Spirit, God has given His Spirit to His people, as a perpetual Source of refreshment, power, and wisdom for all of life and godliness (2 Pet 1:3 & 4). This is indeed good news! And this is why you and I, if we are genuine born-again Christ-followers, need to meditate daily, upon Christ, His Person and Purpose, as set forth in the glorious gospel of God, within Scriptures.
Pastors and churches make a terrible mistake in relegating the gospel to the ‘basics’ of Christian living. Indeed, the gospel is basic, and within that basic message of the gospel, is the very mystery of Christ, and as Paul, led by the Spirit, prayed for the Ephesian church, and because this prayer is found recorded in Holy Scripture, is then ‘profitable for instruction’ (2 Tim 3:16 & 17) for every child of God down through the ages, we too get to ‘know the width, length, depth, and height of the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge’ (Eph 3:18 & 19). And it is God’s will to answer this prayer.
Have you and I, or the pastor and preacher, exhausted Christ? Our job as pastors and preachers, and as those who would teach and share the gospel of Christ, and also as sheep who desperately need their Shepherd again and again, must simply go back again and again, to meditating upon Christ as He is found in Scripture, and when we go to Him with humility and contrition (by His grace alone), and with trembling before the Word (Isa 66:2), we find Christ through the glorious power of the Spirit of God given to us, and we are renewed and strengthened again to live in a manner worthy of the Lord, and are salt and light to the world around us.
The practicality of this is for the found sheep of Christ to go to Him, as He is found in the pages of Scripture, and with humility of dependence upon His given Spirit, to find Him afresh, by faith, again and again, as the true Bread from heaven, and the true Wine from the Vine, strengthened with all power, according to His might (not ours!), and be ready for every good work, so that men shall see the good works we do, and glorify the Father, who is in heaven! All to the glory and praise of our God.
NOTE: The writer of this reflection, Franklin Morais, is an elder who worships at the International Church in Mont Kiara.
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