One
of my favorite passages of Scriptures is Philippians 2:5-11. The biblical texts
show us the humility of Jesus when He began His public ministry. Jesus being
the second person of the Godhead humbled Himself in every way to serve sinful
humanity. Jesus came to seek and to save all those who were lost. He did not
come for those who thought that they were sinless but for sinners. As the
Father sent Him, He has sent us. He has sent us to the nations to share the gospel
with anyone that we meet. He does not send us without a helper. In fact, on the
day of Pentecost, the Paraclete came to empower the disciples to witness for
Christ. We have become the beneficiaries of the person and work of the Holy
Spirit today. Jesus has left an example worthy of our emulation. He did not
come to be served but to serve and give Himself as a ransom for many. My task
as a believer and a follower of Jesus Christ is to become like Him in every
way. I am to be humble, a servant, and committed to Him completely. I am to
build relationships with those who do not know Him. I am to be all things to
all people so that I may win some. That does not mean that I have to compromise
my conviction in order to share the gospel with others. If it were not for
Christ, I don't know where I would be today. Having experienced His
forgiveness, love, peace, and contentment, I have to persuade others to come to
Christ to taste and see who He is. I cannot keep the good news to myself. I
should continue to make Him known. Jesus Christ has made me an heir of His
kingdom. He has already paid for the penalty of my sin. I am no longer under
any condemnation. As Jesus has empowered me to live for Him and serve Him, I
should do the same for others. I should not allow the world to squeeze me to
its mold. I should not be conformed to the world. While I live in the world, I
should not let the world system influence my life. On the contrary, I should
influence many that I encounter for Christ. I am a child of the King of kings
and yet I should live a simple life like Jesus so that I can attract many
people not to me but to Christ. God through Christ has been good to me. He has
given me a platform where I can preach, teach, and write His word for thousands
of people to listen and read. I cannot count all the people that I have led to
the Lord because some of the messages
go to other nations all to the glory of God.
Who
am I because of Jesus? I am a child of God because of Jesus. I was far away
from the commonwealth of Israel but because of Jesus’ atonement on my behalf, I
have been grafted in the tribe of Judah and the faith of Abraham. I believe
that apart from Christ I can do nothing but in and with Christ, I can do all
things through Him who strengthens me. Because of Christ I renounce hatred and
choose love. I am to continue to become a conduit of the love of Christ in a
world of sin and hatred. Even as Jesus did not condemn "sinners," I
am to hate sin but love sinners. Jesus was regarded a lover of sinners because
He did not turn sinners away, neither should I turn them away either with my
life, words, or actions. Because of Christ, the things that kept me awake in the
night have all disappeared. He has given me a sense of peace that is
indescribable. That is why I need to share His Word with others to make Him
known. When Jesus came into the world, in the beginning His own disciples
thought that He had come to destroy the Roman Empire and give political freedom
to the Jewish people. However, He came to give true freedom that set the captives
free. Many people have political freedom and yet they are still living in
bondage. Some are in bondage to alcohol, pornography, illicit drugs, power,
money, sex, and many others. Only through Christ can they find the true and
ultimate freedom that they desperately seek but in all the wrong places. My
task is to live my life in such a way that some of these people would be
thirsty and hungry for Christ. Furthermore, while I am reaching others, I
should not neglect my own family. I am to make sure that every member of my
family has given his/her life to Jesus Christ and has found his/her way home in
the Lord. With this view even if the Lord calls me home, I would know that I
have done my homework because charity begins at home. I am who I am because of
Christ and I have to point Him to others so that they can come to Him for
safety, shelter, and provision.
