CHRISTLIKE SERVICE IN A CHRISTLESS WORLD

Last year was an eventful year—a year that I would never forget. It was a year that brought a lot of sadness as we see bad things happening in the world and in the church. I have learned many precious lessons from the Lord by way of experience, lessons I could never have learned in the classroom. I learned that my faith is still small and weak. I learned that God is still very good and strong. He is still my Lord and Saviour. We can be thankful that we have a never-changing Saviour and that His Word is forever infallible and inerrant, full of counsel and comfort (Psa 12:6–7, 19:7–8). People may change, break their promises and betray us, but Jesus is ever true and faithful. He keeps His promises and is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb 13:8).

There are many uncertainties in life, but one thing is for sure, we are a year nearer to our Lord’s return. And as long as He tarries, we must struggle to overcome the sinful nature that is still a part of us. We must continue to defend the faith against all forms of unbelief and apostasy. Friends may forsake us, but Jesus will always be with us until the end. He will protect us and preserve us every step of the way. Our duty is to walk closely with Him, be loyal to Him, obey His Word, seek His glory.

Jesus said in John 9:4, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” The signs of the times tell us that the Lord is returning very soon. As such, we need to reconsecrate ourselves to the Lord. The night is coming. The Lord may come back at any moment. We must redouble our efforts to serve the Lord before the time is up.

How do we serve the Lord? We must serve Him according to His way. In John 8:54–9:7, we learn that if we are to serve the Lord in a Christlike manner, we must observe the following two principles:

Serve the Lord by Speaking the Truth, Fearing God Not Man

Jesus met with great opposition in His service for God. When Jesus was on earth, His chief end was to glorify His Father. Jesus said in John 8:50, “I seek not mine own glory.” In verse 54 he said, “If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God.” That is our chief end too: “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever” (WSC Q1).

>

When we seek to glorify God in our service for Him, we can expect opposition. Jesus met with opposition, so will we, and especially so in these last days. The Apostle Paul warned in 1 Timothy 4:1–2, “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron.” And again in 2 Timothy 3:1–4, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.”

Jesus spoke good and true words to the people. By simple, childlike faith, many believed on Him. In John 8:30–32 we read, “As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

But not all believed. There were those who heard but rejected the truth; they even wanted to kill Jesus. In verses 40, 45–47 Jesus said, “But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth … And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God heareth God’s words.” When they could not refute His true words, they called him names—verse 48, “Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan and hast a devil?”

We have spoken the truth. We repeat the words of Jesus, “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled” (Matt 5:18). Psalm 19:7 says, “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.” Matt 24:35 says, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” Psalm 119:140 says, “Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.” Proverbs 30:5 says, “Every word of God is pure.” Psalm 12:6–7, “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.” We believe not only in the 100% inspiration of Scripture but also the 100% preservation of Scripture. The Bible has been kept intact, no words are lost!

Jesus spoke the truth without wavering, without fear of those who opposed Him and wanted to take His life. He sought to please God alone. He did not seek the praise of men. He was not concerned one bit whether men spoke well of Him or not. He simply wanted to glorify His Father in heaven by speaking the truth.

The unbelieving Jews prided themselves for being children of Abraham, but Jesus told them in verse 39, “If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham” (in other words, “you would have believed in my words”), verse 56, “your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.” Abraham believed in God’s promise of a Saviour, looked towards the coming Christ, and was saved. They challenged Jesus, “Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?” (John 8:57). Of course, Jesus knew about Abraham’s faith because He was God Himself, all knowing, and all seeing. “Before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:58). “I am God!” For speaking the truth, they stoned Him.

But observe the love and humility of Jesus. As God, He could have commanded fire to come down from heaven to consume them, but He did not. Although He was humiliated, He did not retaliate. “For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:17). In humility, Jesus “hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by” (John 8:59).

Jesus sets the example for us. If anything is said or done against us unjustly and has caused us great hurt and harm, be loving and humble, be ever ready to forgive and forget. But as far as the truth is concerned, there must be no compromise. “For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.” (2 Cor 13:8). “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32). We are not here to please men but God, for if we seek to please men, we are not servants of God (Gal 1:10).

Serve the Lord by Seeking the Lost, Not Forgetting the Needy

Although Jesus was pelted with stones as He left the unbelieving crowd, He was not feeling sorry for Himself. He was not wallowing in self-pity. Since they would not have Him, He left to seek those who needed Him. And no sooner had He walked away did He see this blind man.

His disciples were quick to judge that this blind man was blind because of some sin he or his parents had committed. They had a self-righteous spirit. But Jesus was full of compassion. He was the righteous Judge and said that all this was for the glory of God—“that the works of God should be made manifest in him” (John 9:3). This tells us that nothing happens by chance. God is in control of all things, and uses all things to fulfil His purpose.

So, the Lord Jesus healed this blind man miraculously using His spit that came from His mouth, mixed with the clay on the ground, and commanded him to wash his eyes in the pool of Siloam. And this blind man simply obeyed and was healed. He performed this miracle to teach an important truth about Himself that He is “the light of the world” (John 9:5). He had said this before in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” Jesus is teaching the people that as much as He can make a man born without eyes to have eyes, to see, so can He make those who are born in sin, born without spiritual sight, to see the wonderful truths from out of God’s mouth and find eternal life. Jesus is the light of life because He is the Word of life—His words bring life. “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matt 4:4). Jesus’ spit symbolises His Word—His Word will heal us and make us see. If we believe in His Word just like the blind man, we shall see. If we do not believe, like the ones who called Him names and stoned Him, we will remain blind. We do not see in order to believe, we believe in order to see.

Dear friends, do you see? If you say you see, why do you still live in sin? If you say you see, why do you still not believe?

As we draw nearer to the end of this world and to the Lord’s imminent return, may we confess and repent of our sins, and reconsecrate our hearts to God. All of us are needy people, and we need the Lord very much. May we get right with God and return to His house for worship and service, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” (Heb 10:25).

Do not remain blind in your sin and unbelief. Ask the Lord Jesus Christ to open your eyes that you may see. And do not stop there. Make sure you get back to God’s Word, to study it, meditate on it, apply it. Come to church, attend the Sunday school, FEBC classes, prayer meetings, fellowship meetings etc. A miracle will happen in our lives if we allow the Word of God to dwell in us richly. Come drink of the milk, partake of the meat that is in the pure and perfect Word of God. How about joining FEBC and prepare yourself to serve the Lord full-time?

Jesus does not forget the needy. Who are those who are needy today? They are the lost—those who still do not have Jesus Christ in their life. Let us go tell them the good news of salvation. Let us have a welcoming smile to those who come for our Sunday services especially those who come for the first time. The needy are also the Christians who are ignorant, who are in churches that do not teach the whole counsel of God. Give them our books and magazines, and help them see the light of God’s Truth.

Let us follow the example of Jesus in our service to God.

(1) Let us speak the Truth of God’s Word, seeking not man’s praise but God’s. The Lord did not care for the praise of men but of His Father in heaven. He spoke the truth firmly and yet lovingly. What the Father says, the Son says. Let us seek God’s approval, not man’s applause.

(2) Let us help those who still do not see, to see the truth by faith. The Lord, though He was hurt and injured, being stoned, did not tend to Himself, but the needs of others—to give them the light and life that only He can give. We need to build up not just our own faith but also the faith of others. We need to know God’s Word well so that we might not only keep ourselves from harm and danger in these end times, but also those that hear us.

“I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work” (John 9:4).