WORD TREASURES 7/9/23
Last week we examined two ways we Christians will do the works Jesus did and even greater! Because we are God's address and He lives with us, we are called and equipped to do God's Gospel work! And our accomplishments (because Jesus lies within by the Holy Spirit) will be even greater than what our Lord was able to achieve when He walked the earth. Though that claim is truly amazing, there is yet a third way that the works Christians do in the church age will be greater than Christ's ministry (excluding His act of dying on a cross for sinners, rising from death, and ascending into heaven, of course).
Our works will be greater than Christ's because we will have profoundly greater results. How can this be? Consider this: While Jesus walked the earth as a man, even though He touched, healed, delivered, and changed people, yet, when He died, virtually no one believed Him but a few weeping women standing near the cross. His disciples doubted and ran scared until Pentecost. But after the Holy Spirit filled those believers, as they spread the good news, people believed by the thousands. Why? Because of the persuasive and convicting power of the indwelling Christ--the Holy Spirit. And they will BELIEVE US when we testify of who Jesus is in us!
You can and should believe in the power of the Holy Spirit within. Since the Holy Spirit lives in every believer, we Christians have become the address of God Almighty. And we have been called, assigned, commissioned to be His messengers, to bring His Gospel to as many as will hear. And there will be many who hear. It is doubt, fear, the devil, and the world's hatred of Christ that tells us something different. The Spirit-led life only makes sense if--if--if--we are under assignment and are surrendered to His Gospel cause.
As I have said, all other reasons for living are vain. The Gospel is not only the best game in town--it is the only game!! Our Christian life makes no sense and has little meaning unless we are saved and forgiven in order to become useful to the Lord in His work. "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father." (Jn. 14:12 ESV)
The reader might wonder, "What do I do now?" Answer: Let us find in the disciples the pathway for all Christians laid out for us in the life of those chosen long ago. Find a good Gospel-preaching, cross-centered, Jesus-loving church and join their ranks. The difference is that those disciples had to establish those local churches. Now, America is full of believing churches. Therefore, prayerfully seek to belong to one wherever you may live. Get connected to a family of believers.
Next, pray for the people in your life (family, working peers, acquaintances, friends). God lives in you to send you to them and invite them to come to Christ! Bring these people in your world to your church. Serve them, pray for them, befriend them, all with the goal of having them find Christ--and the God who promised to live in you will move through you into their lives. If this is your view of life, you will have peace, joy, purpose, and the strength of God moving in and through you. This is what should come naturally for every Christian. Sadly, many Christians in the USA have lost sight of this--God help us rekindle the Gospel fire that should live big in every Christian.
Next week, more on the work we believers are called to do! But let's be sure of this: God left us on this earth to live out our lives for Him (2 Cor. 5:16-21). Let's also be sure that we do not view this responsibility to represent Him as drudgery. It is simply the most fulfilling thing imaginable to help others find Christ. It is, by far, the greatest life, and true Christians should view their life in this way.
Pastor Mike
