“My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”
Luke 8:21
A number of years ago we had the awesome privilege of witnessing the testimony of seven brothers and sisters who testified to their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ in the waters of Believers Baptism. What was striking about this Worship Service was that there was a very clear testimony to the fact that each of those being baptised was wanting each person present to understand that they were united with the Lord Jesus Christ in His death and Resurrection. This was by faith in Him. As we reflected upon this it became apparent that we are called as Disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ to live in the obedience of faith. Luke records this aspect of our Christian lives by pointing us to the Lord’s call for us to hear the Word of God and to obey it. Following that awesome baptismal service we then looked ahead to the celebration of Mother’s Day where we focused upon an exploration of the Parable of the Sower in which Mark tells us that we must be people who hear the Word of God in a way that leads to our understanding and applying it to our lives. In fact it seems that the entire Scripture points us to this fact of obedient faith. This Sunday our Mother’s Day service will focus upon Hanna’s prayer in 1 Samuel 2:1-10. Here Hanna is revealed to be a woman in whom the Word of God is dwelling deeply. Our highest priority must be to Hear God’s Voice in His Word in such a way that it leads us to the obedience of faith. Such faith comes about because we are focused upon the Lord’s leading in our lives. We trust Him. We love Him with all our hearts. We therefore “keep in step with His Spirit.”(Galatians 5:25)
It was to this that our brothers and sisters were testifying to that Sunday morning. Everything changes when we come to the Cross of Christ to be crucified with the Lord Jesus Christ by faith. Now we are going to put to death the deeds of the flesh by the Spirit of God. Everything also changes when we begin to live in the power of Christ’s Resurrection by faith. What begins to develop is real Christ likeness created by the presence of God’s Spirit powerfully working in us. Nothing will ever be the same again for anyone who comes to Jesus in faith.
What we long for is to see this Christ like Spirit become more clearly the reality in which the modern Christian Church lives. Imagine the reality that would be given to our witness if each one was walking more in step with the Spirit. Permit me to invite you to join with me in praying for this to become more clearly the reality of each and every local Church Fellowship in the months to come. Pray that the World around us will more clearly see the image of Christ in us.