A Christian starts right by having a vital relationship with Christ as His Saviour. See “Start Right in the Way (Part 1) in Pastoral article of 6 Jan 2019. This relationship begins with a personal faith in Jesus Christ and His completed work on the Cross. The Way is the ancient and good path (Jer 6:16). This Way is set up by Jesus to bring us to heaven (John 3:13; 14:6). The Christian responds by believing in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. When one accepts by faith that he or she is a child of God, the next stage of life’s journey is to stay right in the Way. The Christian begins by faith and continues in this faith, strengthened by grace of God.
Part 2 Stay Right in the Way – “I will obey Jesus Christ, my Lord and Saviour”
From last month till June we will hear sermons from the parables of Jesus taken from the Gospel of Luke. Many of the truths of the parables are for us to live as committed disciples of Jesus.
Last week, we learn about the need for persistent prayers from Luke 11:1-13. Persistent prayers refine our prayers to be more specific and to be in-line with the will of God.
After Jesus foretold of His impending suffering, rejection, death and resurrection, He said to all His disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life for My sake will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?” (Luke 9:23-25).
To live for Jesus’ sake, a disciple gives priority to:
- learn and live by the Word of God, and deny the fleeting pleasures of sin
- establish God’s righteous system and reject ungodly system
- pursue the eternal treasures and glorious inheritance of Christ and flee youthful passions, covetousness, and worldly pleasures.
Along the Way, some of us will fall out of step of the Holy Spirit, or fall into temptations, or stay away from Christian fellowship, or stop worshipping with fellow Christians. Guard yourselves from falling out of the Way. Quickly confess to Christ whenever the Holy Spirit prompts you. Get back to fellowship with God quickly. For those who are walking in the Way, look out for those who have slipped and need help to get up. To stay right in the Way takes self-control. Self-control is one of the nine-fold fruit of being filled with the Holy Spirit.
At the end of each week of service in the family or work or church, our response to our Master should be: ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty” (Lk 17:10).
At the end of one’s journey on earth, Jesus will say, ”Well done, good servant!”
So having started right, stay right in the Way, pray persistently in the Holy Spirit, be patient in sowing the Gospel seed, give allegiance to God the Father and be devoted to Christ Jesus.
Elder Yoong Yuen Soo
