NEW LIFE IN CHRIST / TRANSFORMING LIFE

(Job 42: 10 – 17; Eph. 2: 1 – 10; Mark 10: 46 – 52)

Prayer: When you spoke things happened, when people received your wonderful words they got complete recovery, healing and transformation for their temporal and spiritual lives. This wonderful work and power from you is what we also need today, therefore Lord – as we meditate upon you holy words, may the words of this writing and meditations of our hearts be acceptable in thy side, o Lord, our rock and redeemer.

@All the three texts mentioned above talk about the contrast between the Old and new life;

The first one (Job 42: 10 – 17) talk about Job’s new life; how the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, and how The LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning , etc. As we all know – the previous part of his life was full of misery and distress due to the ruthless trial he had been struggled with.

Second one (Eph. 2: 1 – 10) is, as we see from the heading: “The old life contrasted with the new life.” In which – the Old life is compared with the death body which is fall upon human as a result of the trespasses and sins committed by human. Likewise the new life is also clearly shown as a life which is risen up from the death, which is also made alive together with Christ, etc.

The third one (Mark 10: 46 – 52) is about Healing of the blind man – Bartimaeus; a beggar who was sitting at the roadside. Who was later received direct healing from Jesus to regain his eye sight.
Therefore, basing on these three passages, we are going to meditate on the theme – ‘A New Life in Christ/transforming life’.

When we talk about a new life in Christ/transforming life; one question that may come up to our minds is – what is the prerequisite quality for a human to make him transform or a degree that can qualify a human to get a new life from God.

The answer we give may vary from person to persons;
For example – according to the book of Job; as the text says - the LORD restored the fortunes of Job when he had prayed for his friends. Therefore, obedience to God or a prayer which is offered by Job is something which is likely to open up the doors of heaven.

And in the case of a blind man – who received direct healing from Jesus; the answer is – his faith. The text says – when Jesus asked a question saying "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man said to him, "My teacher, let me see again." Then Jesus said to him, "Go; your faith has made you well." Then immediately the blind man regained his sight and followed Jesus on the way.
But when we look from Pauline theology – we have three answers; i) God’s mercy ii) God’s great love iii)  the amazing grace of God.

Eph 2: 4& 5 say :  But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us; even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved. So here; i) God, who is rich in mercy; ii) God’s great love; and iii) the grace of God, etc are the foundations and sources through and from which a person can receive a new life.

Therefore by keeping all these three sources in mind; the only two points i want to focus/ emphasize and try to give the answer today are;

1.    When a person experience God’s transformation which result a new life; what is/are the fundamental/underlying factor behind of this transformation/new life?

2.    What result does a new life produced? What are the positive results or the outcomes of this new life?

@ 1.    When a person experience God’s transformation which result a new life; what is/are the fundamental/underlying factor(s) behind of this transformation/new life?

1.    The first answer I want to give is ; if a person has experience God’s transformation which result a new life; there is repentance/renunciation before it:

In order to ascertain our provided /suggested answer; one good illustration can be made from the life of Job. As all know – he was a man of God, who, according to Job 1:1 was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. He is also the one who is most well-known for his patience, endurance, persistence and steadfastness, etc

Even when God put everything of Job belonging to setan hands, and when setan take away almost all his belongings – he still can praise the name of God saying – (1:21)"Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there; the LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."

But, after when Setan inflicted loathsome sores on Job which he struggle with for a long period of time. Then we began to see another way of new development from his life. Therefore, as he encountered with God with a series of cross-questions and explanations; God has put him to the ground of penitent which he never experience before. Therefore, the man of God, whom we considered as a blameless and upright man, one who also feared God and turned away from evil was surprisingly convinced by something, and simultaneously resulted that he has repented before the holiness of God.

Job 42: 5 says “I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes."
This is really amazing and unbelievable for a good man like him who has experienced a new life through repentance. But for me, this is the starting point for Job that persuaded God in order that Job would experience a new life and would receive God’s abundant blessing.

Therefore, our point here is – one of the essential needs for a person to experiencing a new life and God’s blessing is repentance.

In Job 42:6, Job says, “I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” Here, Job was at a low point in his personal history. The idea associated with repent in dust is that it is “nothing.” Dust is associated with lowliness or humility. When Job repented in dust and ashes, he was repenting in humility. This is also what God expected from his people, from every individual or from the community of his people in order that he may show his goodness and may bless his people.

This principle, which is always operative in the life of the church, was revealed by God himself to Solomon when he prayed for God’s blessing on the temple. The Lord told him, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). Isaiah also speaks of this promise, saying, “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon” (Isaiah 55:6-7).
Therefore, basing on theses biblical principles what we can rightly say now is - Repentance is always the basis for individual transforming life and divine blessings.

2.    Faith and Perseverance
As previously mentioned, the blind man who experience direct healing from Jesus will be our basis to focus this particular area. As already pointed out – when Jesus asked a question in Mk 10: 51-52, it says, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man said to him, "My teacher, let me see again." Then Jesus said to him, "Go; your faith has made you well." Then immediately the blind man regained his sight and followed Jesus on the way. Here, in this story ‘Faith’ is the starting point to experience a new life. But here another interesting area we still have is – the way how a blind man expressed his faith through his eagerness in the form of perseverance. This is what i want to take as considerable point that we need to keep in mind.

Faith is the most important thing that a person need in order to experience transforming life /God blessing – we all can agree, and there will be no objection. But faith which is publicly exhibited through perseverance is something what we (the churches) are lacking in today’s world. And to some extent – because of this reason, the present churches also hardly produce individual members who would experience ‘what we call it as transforming life’ for the same reason.

Therefore faith is to be expressed and publicly demonstrated by someone (us, individual members of the church) in the form of perseverance. In another words, if we expect God’s/divine power, divine intervention in our life through faith; one must have strong persistence or determination which is also known as perseverance; so that we can experience heavenly blessing more and more in our life.

3.    The grace of God.
In Eph 2: 4& 5 :  We have seen (as previously mentioned) three important fundamental factors through which a person received God giving life; i) God’s mercy; ii) God’s great love; and iii) the grace of God, etc.

However, we will focus only the last one –‘the grace of God’ today.
If we go through the scripture; we know that Grace is a constant theme which culminates in the New Testament with the coming of Jesus (John 1:17). As the term implies - “favor, blessing, or kindness” of course, we all can extend grace to others; but when the word grace is used in connection with God, it takes on a more powerful meaning.  I.e. - It is God’s benevolence to the undeserving. It is also God's unmerited favor, or unmerited help given to people; His goodness toward those who have no claim on, nor reason to expect, divine favor.

God’s grace/the grace of God is also attributed as undeserved free gift, undeserved favor, and undeserved love which is also known as God’s given greatest treasure to the least deserving—which is every one of us.

Though it is very difficult to explain the true meaning of grace for a person like me who has limited knowledge, we will try to explain by using some well-known illustration.
@ It has been said that, once Abraham Lincoln went to a slave auction one day and was appalled at what he saw. So, he was drawn to a young woman on the auction block.
So, when the bidding began; Lincoln bid until he purchased the woman—no matter the cost. Then, at last, Lincoln won. Then after he paid the auctioneer, he walked over to the woman and said “You’re free.”
So, when the woman came to know what Lincoln said “You’re Free”. She said, “Sir, What is that supposed to mean?” Then, Lincoln said - “It means you are free, completely free!” Then the woman looked and said again - “Does it mean I can do whatever I want to do?” He said, “Yes, free to do whatever you want to do, free to say whatever I want to say?” Then the woman asked again with hope and hesitation saying “Does this freedom mean that I can go wherever I want to go?”
Lincoln replied, “Yes, it means exactly that you can go wherever you want to go.” Then, with full of tears of joy and gratitude welling up in her eyes, she said, “Then, I think I’ll go with you.”

The reason why i chose this story is – I think, this story illustrates enough what God did for us. As Paul tells us – God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us; even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved. That means - we are bought with a price which was costly; i.e. the life of Jesus, God’s own Son. By God grace - Jesus paid the price for us, and he set us free. This is the beginning of a new life in Christ.

In order to make it more interesting, I want to conclude my message with this short saying of God’s grace – It is said that - When a person works an eight-hour day and receives a fair day's pay for his time; that is known as ‘a wage’. When a person competes with an opponent and receives a trophy for his/her performance; that is known as ‘a prize’. When a person receives appropriate recognition for his/her long service or high achievements; that is known as ‘an award’; but, when a person is not capable of earning a wage, can win no prize, and deserves no award - yet receives such a gift anyway - that is a good picture of God's unmerited favor. This is what we mean when we talk about the grace of God; the grace of God through which a person/ we receive a new life in Christ.

@ 2.    What result does a new life produced? What are the positive results or the outcome of this new life?
I have 3 points here, but in order to save time let me tell you the only 3 answers without any further elaboration;
1.    The assurance of God’s forgiveness and acceptance.
2.    Inexplicable life experience as a sign of God favor.
3.    A new fellowship with God/Christ.

MESSAGES OF PAUL'S FAREWEL EPEECH (Acts 20:17-38)

Introduction:
As we found from Acts 20, Paul is heading to Jerusalem and then to Rome. Before he heads east to Jerusalem, he goes west to collect an offering for the struggling church. He then heads back east and passes by Ephesus, where he feels a longing to speak to the believers there. Then, he calls up the elders to meet him nearby at Miletus and then gives them a farewell speech.

If we sump up his farewell speech;
1.    He (Apostle Paul) recounted how he served the Lord among believers from Ephesus with humility, with tears and with trials.
2.    He testified that he declared a complete gospel to them and he is therefore clean from the blood of all men.
3.    He also told them that – he was not afraid of the imprisonment and suffering that awaited him in the hands of the Jews because of the gospel of Christ as he went to Jerusalem.
4.    Then he warned the disciples at Ephesus to be at alert because of some men who will give wrong teaching after his departure in order to draw away the disciples after them.
5.    He admonished them also on the need for them to be hard working so that they can be able to give unto others as it is more blessed to give than to receive.
6.    At the last part, He prayed with them as he took his journey to Jerusalem. It was an emotion laden departure.

Then, at the last part of his speech, 20: 36 – 38 tell us that - "When he had spoken these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. They all wept much and hugged Paul’s neck and kissed him affectionately. They sorrowed most of all because of his saying that they should see his face no more. And they went with him to the ship."

This is the whole story of this discourses/section, and if we narrow down the summary of his speech, we can bring out some important points about his work in Ephesus (Acts 20:17-21):
-    He was loyal to the church in Ephesus; he stayed there for the whole time that he was in Asia.
-    He served the Lord humbly, and willingly suffered many trials, and cares for the sake of the gospel.
-    He declared the whole gospel without fear of its opponents.
-    He taught in public speeches and debates, but also in private house meetings; being more concerned with the size of the opportunity than the size of the audience.
-    He taught both Jews and Gentiles without any favouritism.
-    He did not teach "faith alone" but taught the necessity of other things that accompany faith, such as repentance.

Therefore by making some reflections from the chosen texts, we can bring out some implications which are believed to be helpful and appropriated for today’s ministers who are actively involved in Church ministry;

1. First thing what we can learn from the text is – Paul’s experience with the church which he expressed as having being deeply connected with the church in Ephesus. In the first part of his speech - he expressed his love and concern towards his established church, and the simultaneous result we found is - the church members from Ephesus also expressed the same towards Paul. Therefore, one thing we can learn and notice from here is – There was ‘strong attachment (affection or connection)’ which was established by Paul among the church members in Ephesus as well as between Paul and the church.

For me, this is something that impressed me, and enslaved my thought and attention when I read through the passages. Because, this attachment between Paul and church members in Ephesus has profound value for the present church; or today context where many church leaders/pastor/shepherd looked and focused their own interest or personal gain rather than considering / providing spiritual needs of the people or paying attention to the real needs of their congregation.

Since there can be no ‘affectionate attachment’ which is very much needed for a healthy church in such a context or situation; we must lean and transmit for our-selves for the service of God.

2.    Secondly, another significant point we also can learn from the text is – Paul has expressed his concern about the future of the church.
V. 28 says - Keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God that he obtained with the blood of his own Son. 29 I know that after I have gone, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Some even from your own group will come distorting the truth in order to entice the disciples to follow them. 31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to warn everyone with tears. 32 And now I commend you to God and to the message of his grace, a message that is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all who are sanctified.

One of the key phrases I want to mention from here is – ‘keep watch over’. This is also what Paul wanted to remind us or to the church elders of Ephesus. They must keep watch over not only members of the church but ‘themselves’ – i.e. they must keep watch over themselves. This is to be taken very seriously because - the church is considered as the body of Christ which is established by God which he also obtained with the blood of Jesus Christ, and we are also the one whom God has made us as overseers of his living church– i.e to look after and to keep vigilance.

Therefore, if someone is going to take serious the responsibility given to him/her as well as the future well being of the church; he/she must keep watch over individual lives of the church as well as his/her own personal / spiritual life.

3.    Thirdly, another exemplary life he set before all of us was – He Work hard.
V. 34 says – “You know for yourselves that I worked with my own hands to support myself and my companions. 35 In all this I have given you an example that by such work we must support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

Therefore, as we see from the life and teaching of Paul - let all of us be prepared ourselves for the service of God. So that we may establish a spirit of love, strong attachment within/between the churches, be vigilance for the future of the church and work hard for the growth and development of the church.