KA NU LEH PA

( He post hi Facebook-ah jan 17, 2016 khan ka post a, ka blog-ah hian kan khung ve hrim hrim a ni - https://www.facebook.com/lalzarliana.khiangte)

Ka Pa hi ama insawi dan takah, 'fahrah inti taka sei lian, lehkha poh zir thei lo khopa naupang rethei ' a ni thin a ni awm e. 'Pawl 3 exam ve kha ka chak em em a, Mahse ka pate (a ti ta a ni awm e) khan a remti ta lo va ' a tih hi ka hre tawh a ni.

Hetiang thil tehhrep hi a lo paltlang tawh avângin 'Ka fate zawng zawng chuan BA an pass vek tur a ni' a lo ti thin a. A nih ang anga a belh thin Lalpa hi a lama a tan tlat vangin tunah chuan ( kum engzat nge a vei toh ka hre ta chiah lo ) a fate zawng zawng chuan ( mipa vek 4) a naupan lai atanga a dream 1 chu kan lo paltlang ta.

Nikum khan, 'In awmna ka lo tlawh ve duh e' a tih vangin ka U te 2 in rem an ruat a, Lengpui Airport atanga Kolkata, Airindia flight a kan han chuang dun chu ngaihtuahna a kalthui duh viau mai.

Aircraft chhûngah airhostess hoin eitur an lo sem a, 'Ka Pa i theih zat zat ei rawh aw' ka ti a. Chhum zingah, van sanga - 'fahrah taka seilian nia inhria' ka Pa'n a chhun chaw an fak ve ka hmuh khan ka hnuk a ulh thelh thelh hial a nih kha.
A rawng phak ang anga i bol thin hian kum 72 chuang a lo hruai tawh che a. I mamawh apiang tihsak zel che rawh se.

Ka nu ve thung hi ka pa ai hian a zir sang chuang ange'maw? Mahse kan chhungkaw KULHPUI, chhungkaw DOCTOR ni bawk 😁 a ni a, BD zir tura Jorhat ka kal dawn tukah, 'Santenpui te hi vei palh thei in ni a, chutiang te chu i tawng palh hlauh a nih chuan RUM hi a tha em em a ni (an ti) ' tia Pathianthu zir tur 'ka tana mi thlarau mi em emin' Rum (zu) min chawh mauh maite kha ka her fo a 😁 . A bulah poh ka sawi chhuak fo thin.

Zirtawp tlai apianga a fate tana chaw nghei a tawngtai a Biakin a tawm tlat thin, mail sang dan atang pawh a thlarau lama chakna ka hmuh thinna, hawna chance ka hmuh ve mial chang pawh a midang aia a thu leh hla( daily testimony ka tihsak mai) ka thlakhlelh zawk thin ( phn a nia ka type seng lo ni mai teh se).... a ni a.
Vawiin hian ka U fapa Mapuia (hriata), Delhi a MSc zir mek chuan an thlalak hi min lo thawn a. Kum 40 ral kai tawh tan 'ka lungleng / ka ngai ' tih sawi thu awm suh.....

KA NU, KA PA.... lo dam reng rawh u...dama in awm ringawt poh hi; hmel inhmu thei lo pawh ni i la, in tu leh fate tan hian 'lunghlusenmi' ai pawhin in hlu zawk e.

"LALPA Jehova chu kan chakna, kan kulhbingsang a ni."

 UPA K.VANTHUAMA LEH PI LALHLUPUII (KA NU LEH PA TE AN NI)

What a difference God has made for a fallen human

(EPHESI 2:1-10)

This first paragraph of the 2nd chapter contains three main segments;
1. Verses 1-3
2. Verses 4- 6
3. And Verses 7-10
- The first one, Verses 1-3 mainly focus on fallen man, and his hopeless condition (i.e dead) as a result of his sin.

- The second one, Verses 4-6 focus on God, and on his richness in mercy and grace in making a provision for man’s salvation in Christ.

- Last one, Verses 7-10 focus on the purpose of salvation, to the praise of the glory of his grace.

It is therefore possible to say that – all together, they spell out the essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

So, basing on this chosen text, we will try to ponder this text- ‘the great work of God for a fallen human, how his richness in mercy and grace make and transform a sinner to have a new identity.

Before we make our focus on the text or theme, I just want to point out one simple problem involved in the first part (i.e. in verse 1), which may also contradict the same text of other bible versions. I just want to point out because, in this verse, there is little dissimilar translation of the text between bibles version to version.

For example: In NRSV, GNT, NIV, and many bible versions put directly the hopeless condition of fallen human as a result of sin.(i.e.- dead)

- You were dead through the trespasses and sins.(NRSV)
- In the past you were spiritually dead because of your disobedience and sins.(GNT)
- As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins (NIV)
• Here the hopeless condition of fallen human is being put directly as –Dead.

But in others version, like – KJV, NSV, ASV translates the same text as –
- And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins (KJB)
- And you he made alive, when you were dead through the trespasses and sins. (NSV)
- And you did he make alive, when ye were dead through your trespasses and sins (ASV)

So, the dissimilarity between these translations is, in the second versions it has been added that - God has make alive a fallen human.
• This translation do not put dead alone but simultaneously mention that – Gad has make alive….

Therefore, according to “Gill’s exposition of the entire bible” – the verb ‘quickened’ OR ‘make alive’,(in verse 1, which is not mentioned in other versions) is not in the original text, but is supplied from Ephesians 2:5.

Than coming to the text and theme;

Here, I would like to begin my message by narrating one story –
The story of Ben Hooper, 2 times governor of Tennessee.

The story goes like this -
Fred Craddock, a lecturer at Phillips Theological Seminary in the United States and his wife were having dinner at a restaurant. The moment they enjoyed their time, an old man who was sitting not far from them was coming and started talking to them, asking them how they were doing and if they were enjoying their holiday. When the old man asked Fred - what he did for a living, then Fred saw the chance to get rid of him – than he told the old man, saying - “I’m a preacher.”
Then immediately, the old man exclaimed by saying -“A preacher? That’s great”. So, he keeps on saying – “Let me tell you a story about a preacher.” Than the old man sat down at their table and started to speak. As he did Fred’s annoyance was changed to one of profound humility.

The old man explained that he was a bastard when he was a little boy– He was very hopeless. Because, he was born without knowing who his father was, and this was a source of great shame in a small town in the early twentieth century. But, One day a new preacher came to the local church. The old man explained that - as a youngster he had never gone to church, but one Sunday he decided to go along and hear the new pastor preach.

He/ the boy felt that the preaching was good. Then, the illegitimate boy went back again, and then again. So from this time onward – he started attending just about every week. But his shame went with him. This poor little boy would always arrive late and leave early in order to avoid talking to anyone.

But one Sunday he got so caught up in the sermon that he forgot to leave. So, before he knew it that - the service was over and the aisles were filling. He rushed to get past people and out the door, but as he did he felt a heavy hand land upon his shoulder. He turned around to see the preacher, a big tall man, looking down at him asking, “What’s your name, boy? Whose son are you?” Then the little boy died inside (that means- he was unable to say anything because of his shame), for him - the very thing he wanted to avoid was now here. But before he could say anything the preacher said “I know who you are. I know who your family is. There’s a distinct family resemblance. Why, you’re the son, you’re the son, you’re the son of God!”

The old man sitting at Fred’s table said “You know, mister, those words changed my whole life”. And with that the old man got up and left.

When the waitress came over after the old man left, she said to Fred and his wife, “Do you know who that was?”

“No” they replied.

“That was Ben Hooper, the two-term governor of Tennessee.”

It was, really really a great and interesting story – because, a shy, poor and helpless little boy, who was also very desperate because of his background; was becoming a new person, his entire life were changed from the moment he heard the words of the preacher. Then he could become 2 times governor.

When the preacher told him that – ‘he was the son of God’ he has something new in his mind which he never experience before. Therefore this was the starting point that completely changes the life of the little boy. It is amazing and very interesting.

The discourses what Paul listed here (in Eph2:1-10) also have something connection with the story we have narrated just now.

But the story that Paul tells us is about ourselves, our past life. So according to Paul – the real condition of our past life was – dead, a fallen human who follow the ruler of the power of the air, who is also unable to escape from the desire of the flesh, and who is also regarded as by nature the children of wrath.

Besides, the irony of fallen man’s dilemma is that – he/she does not realize his/her condition until after he is saved. Moreover, the lost man, blinded and deceived by setan, often think that they are really ‘living it up’, but when in reality they are dead. They also think that by living in sin they are enjoying life to its fullest, but this is totally incorrect. They also suppose that they are free, subject to no one, but in reality they are totally enslaved.

So, Paul sums up the condition of lost man in one word: dead. Therefore to be dead is to be lifeless, to be unable to help one-self, to be absolutely powerless, and to be beyond hope (in the eyes of the world).

This is the real condition of fallen man in the eyes of God. And this is the real condition that explained who you are.

But friends, this is not the end.

As Paul tells us, let us see the next, which is one of the greatest phrases in the whole bible- Eph 2:4-7

It reads – But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

So, friends, God tells us through his faithful servant (Paul) that we are no longer a sinner, a fallen human who were dead in our trespasses. But, tells us that – we had been saved. And this phrase ‘You have been saved’ is not simply a mere phrase of word. But it is a life transforming message which has a power to totally change a person, which also has a power to give a new identity to a hopeless person.

This is what God - who is very rich in mercy and grace, and who is also full of love want us to know. You are being saved by his grace, you are no longer a sinner, you are no longer under the power of the darkness, and you are no longer enslaved by the desire of the flesh.

Therefore, by knowing our new identity in Jesus Christ - how God has made us free from all slavery, and by realizing the great work of God for a sinner like us – let us prepare our mind, let us not put ourselves back to the old things which we already left behind.

Again, as many people did, let us not turn away from our new self, and let us not submit ourselves to the old desire, enslaving ourselves to the power of the flesh. Rather, let us allow to offer ourselves for the goodness of the kingdom and for the glory of God.

This is what God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.