"Whatever you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you." (Philippians 4:9)
Everyone has a private life which very few see. Yet you and I both know; that is who we are. Many people, over the 57 years from the time of my first sermon, "have learned and received and heard...." The most important thing for me, not them, however, is what they, "saw in me."
Here is a confusing reality to many: The preacher may be an absolute reprobate, but if he preaches Jesus Christ and His Words, people will "get saved," see miracles, and their churches may even "grow" in great numbers. Yet all of this will do him no good in the judgement. My "reward" is not in people learning and receiving and hearing. It is in what they, "saw in me."
Of course, this not only applies to preachers. Our text is the litmus for approval from and in the Godhead, viz., "saw in me." Our daily speech, our daily treatment of others, our daily everything is what our Lord Jesus is "after" in you and me. The reason? It is in the, "saw in me," where you and I can only have what the Holy Spirit tells us in an earlier verse, "....The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and you minds in Christ Jesus." Someone who is a talker and not a doer may have a "peace," but it is of their own creation and will not stand the test of life. It is hurting him/her more than anyone.
It may sound simplistic to say that our Lord Jesus wants only the "best" for you and me, but it is truth, "I have come that [you] may have life, and that [you] may have it more abundantly."or, "have abundance." People may "learn" from us, "receive" from us," and "hear" us. But if in all the learning and receiving and hearing, I am not, "saw in me," with my family and my daily life in general, well, all is for naught. Let us covenant to work mostly on the, "saw in me."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I pray that I am a, "saw in me," person. Amen.
*********************
* Very sobering article on the fading of Western Civilization at: jhs58.blogspot.com
Everyone has a private life which very few see. Yet you and I both know; that is who we are. Many people, over the 57 years from the time of my first sermon, "have learned and received and heard...." The most important thing for me, not them, however, is what they, "saw in me."
Here is a confusing reality to many: The preacher may be an absolute reprobate, but if he preaches Jesus Christ and His Words, people will "get saved," see miracles, and their churches may even "grow" in great numbers. Yet all of this will do him no good in the judgement. My "reward" is not in people learning and receiving and hearing. It is in what they, "saw in me."
Of course, this not only applies to preachers. Our text is the litmus for approval from and in the Godhead, viz., "saw in me." Our daily speech, our daily treatment of others, our daily everything is what our Lord Jesus is "after" in you and me. The reason? It is in the, "saw in me," where you and I can only have what the Holy Spirit tells us in an earlier verse, "....The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and you minds in Christ Jesus." Someone who is a talker and not a doer may have a "peace," but it is of their own creation and will not stand the test of life. It is hurting him/her more than anyone.
It may sound simplistic to say that our Lord Jesus wants only the "best" for you and me, but it is truth, "I have come that [you] may have life, and that [you] may have it more abundantly."or, "have abundance." People may "learn" from us, "receive" from us," and "hear" us. But if in all the learning and receiving and hearing, I am not, "saw in me," with my family and my daily life in general, well, all is for naught. Let us covenant to work mostly on the, "saw in me."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I pray that I am a, "saw in me," person. Amen.
*********************
* Very sobering article on the fading of Western Civilization at: jhs58.blogspot.com
* Berlin/Wittenberg Mission: October 28-November 15
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
