24.April.22

The word Christian literally means “little anointed one, little Christ, little Messiah”. Generally, those who have received the blessing and grace of the cross of Jesus Christ, His atonement work, are all little Christs, because they are born again as children of God. Those anointed and sent out as royal priests in this end time, there are people who have received forgiveness for their sins through the blood of Jesus Christ, His death and His resurrection. They have a new purpose and direction of life because their paradigms have shifted to a different one looking forward to a new purpose, new goal and new direction.

That is why naturally they are saying: What shall I do now?

Who is a real Christian?

(i) Those whose past sins and shame have been washed away
We studied those who met Jesus in the gospel of John. Their lives were completely turned around after they met Jesus. A woman who had 5 husbands living with another one, changed into a great evangelist. There were people stained with shame, sins, hatred and darkness in their lives. By meeting Jesus, not only were their apparent problems such as blindness fixed but their past sins and darkness were taken away. They became completely different people. Has that taken place with us today through the resurrection of Jesus Christ? Somebody has to share the gospel, somebody has to first be changed before another person can change. That is the power of Jesus’ blood. When this person changes, he will share the gospel. Do you know how these people shared the gospel? Not by doing bible study, but just by showing their changed lives. That in itself is evangelism.

(ii) Those who have a new heavenly purpose and direction
The world in which we lived has changed and developed in a positive way by those whose lives are changed by Jesus. When people are liberated from their sins and bondages, old past sins that tie them down, all the hatred and misery goes away. Jesus’ blood sets us free from all that bondage, and when we are liberated from our bondages, we become a vessel that God can use to do His work. That is when naturally we would be saying: God, what shall I do? What can we do to do Your work?

We claim to have received deep Word. We claim to have received amazing grace and the blessing of eternal life, and now looking forward to the blessing of transfiguration. What changes then have taken place after we received this Word in our lives? What difference are we making? Has my life changed around? What is my resolution? When one comes to understand the truth of God’s Word, his values of life change. Therefore if we believe that Jesus is real, then we need to realise that God exists, and God created the whole world.

Some Christians claim to believe in God but their lives are different, closer to the atheists. How should I be different from a person who calls God “Father”. What do I need to do as a royal priest in this end-time? Whatever career you are entering into, a real Christian is one who bears and manifests God’s glory in whatever they do, wherever they go, as long as we are not doing the things the Bible tells us not to do. Because we have the biblical values in us, that’s what makes us different, the little Christs. (Matthew 5:13-15)

Such as Joseph in the bible, even being sold as a slave in Egypt, worked honestly, and he worked hard not for Potiphar or Pharaoh but he worked for God. People honoured him. Eventually, people said, God of Joseph and he eventually saved his nation. No matter what the circumstances, wherever we are placed, may we be able to manifest God’s glory. At least hold on to the values that Jesus Christ, the Bible and our Father gave us.

Where does it begin? It begins with people who sincerely ask God: God, what shall I do? How can I change from today? We studied Jesus’ death and resurrection, what change does it bring into my life? Unless that change takes place, we need to ask ourselves, can I really say I am a real Christian? Let us begin at Zion Church. Let us begin with our community, our society, and this church.

AMEN.