This was a joint “ministry” for us both as Abukari preached in English and Joke translated that “on the spot” into Dutch for the congregation! The full English text of the sermon can be read here, but we thought we would share with you a summary of it below:
We spoke about “Making Christ Known” (Luke 9:18-27, 9:7-9) and the fact that each of us needs to be sure that we really know who Jesus is and what he represents and then allowing that knowledge and experience of him to make a difference in our lives so that those around us can see that we are not just “one of the crowd”, but that we demonstrate the uniqueness of Christ and what he stands for in all that we do and say. As Jesus challenged the disciples when he asked “but what about you, who do you say I am?”, so he challenges us to examine our ourselves and our reasons and motives in life and not just follow the modern secular beliefs that seek to distort our knowledge and belief in Jesus Christ. Jesus also challenges us to take our faith and share with others as part of his “bigger” picture for salvation for everyone from every tribe, creed and nation.
How can we do this? We explored five areas that can help us to put this into practice:
- By not following the crowds: Jesus enquired of his disciples as to the “public opinion” of him. What were the crowds saying about this man Jesus and his ministry? Jesus obviously stood out from the crowd because of his teachings and lifestyle (v18-19). The same can apply to Christian believers today. To what extent do we use our faith to confront issues happening in our countries, nations, and our world today? To what extent do we let the Bible speak for us instead of the crowds? As Christians where are our standards? When and where do we dare to say this is right, when the “crowds” say it is wrong? When and where do we dare to say this is wrong, when the “crowds” say this is right? For those of us who are fortunate enough to live in countries that are have freedom, especially in speech, do we as Christians enjoy that freedom when it comes to expressing our faith and who we are in Christ? Will your “crowds” – your neighbours, co-workers, friends and family – ever notice you or see that you are different in your life and opinions?
- By knowing him personally: The question of who Jesus is to us forms the foundation of our faith and belief system – Christianity is all about a personal relationship with Jesus and that makes it different from all other faiths/religions (v20). Jesus also warned the disciples that their long awaited Messiah, long expected king would have to suffer, to be rejected by authority and put to death (v22). Jesus went through suffering alone so that we might never go through it alone. He will always be with us. He is our Saviour. He holds the key to our lives and this knowledge gives our lives new meaning and hope. Jesus died for each and every one of us personally. He paid the price on the cross for every sin in our lives.
- By enduring suffering for his sake: Jesus also makes it clear that following him is a choice with consequences …... to “take up your cross” (v23). This implies self denial, complete dedication and willing obedience. Self denial here means ceasing to make self the object of one’s life and action. We live in an age of instant solutions, tranquilizers and painkillers. We think that our sophisticated technological advancements can help us avoid pain and give us instant gratification. Our society has forgotten how to suffer and wait. Our self sufficiency seems to tell us that we do not need God any longer. However, we only have to look at the overwhelming natural disasters, wars, famines and manmade catastrophes that occur around our world, to realise that we cannot always control everything. Jesus warns us against making choices that become so important to us that we become slaves to them instead of trusting Him.
- By denying ourselves for his sake: In verse 25, Jesus seems to be saying that all the things we could possibly acquire or achieve in this world are worth nothing if we do not have Jesus as our personal Saviour. Our love for the things of the world, such as wealth and status are meaningless without Jesus. “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self.” The “very self” here means, what makes you the person you are – what makes you who you really are on the inside.
- By not being ashamed of Him in all our relationships: If we think that gaining and loving the world is better than knowing Jesus then we are well on the path of being ashamed of our Lord (v26). In our work places, in our neighbourhood, on the streets, in shopping centres – do people see Jesus in us? Do we stand for Him? Or is Jesus confined to our church buildings? So often, we are too careful and even sometimes too afraid to even share our faith with our children and grandchildren. Let us be reminded and encouraged by the generational passing on and the multiplying faith of Timothy’s family (2 Tim.1:5).
May we be part of the chain of passing on the message of God’s grace to a lost world.
Please pray for:
- For Samuel and Micah to cope in their Dutch schools
- That we will find time between meetings to rest and relax
- For good health and strength
- For a safe trip to Germany for a one week holiday
Praise for:
- The time of fellowship with family and friends here in the Netherlands
- The opportunities we’ve had to speak and preach in recent weeks
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