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WEEKLY
Volume 3 Number 16
14 September 2008
Grow in Grace and in the
Knowledge of Our Lord
(Message delivered by Rev Hien
Nguyen at the Worship Service, 2:00 pm, Sep 14, 08)
Text: 2 Peter 3:18
Nowadays, we often hear of “Church Growth” and there
are many books written by charismatic leaders about this topic with all
human ideas and worldly methods, and many churches are boastful of their
“church growth” with their big membership and wealth.
How about the true church growth? It is like a
mustard seed. Jesus says that “It is like a grain of mustard seed,
which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a
great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it”
(Luke 13:19). There must be life within to grow, and without life, no
growth. A healthy child grows naturally. Jesus Christ humbled Himself,
came into the world, and became a real
human being, born of the virgin Mary. When he was a child, the Scripture
tells us that “And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled
with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him” (Luke 2:40). We must
be born again and be nurtured with the pure milk of the Word of God if
we want to grow spiritually, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere
milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2). And this
is the work of God, the Life Giver, and not men. True spiritual growth
must come from God alone. We can never grow spiritually and bear fruit
by ourselves without the Lord, our True Vine. Our Lord Jesus confirms,
“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in
him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do
nothing” (John 15:5). God’s Word also confirms, “So then neither
is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that
giveth the increase (growth)” (1 Cor 3:7), “And not
holding the Head (Jesus Christ), from which all the body by
joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together,
increaseth with the increase of God” (Col 2:19), “In whom
(Jesus Christ) all the building fitly framed together groweth
unto an holy temple in the Lord” (Eph 2:21). Then we are to look
unto the Lord, trust in Him and give Him all the glory, praise and
thanks.
The Scripture also tells us about the growth of God’s
Word, “But the word of God grew and multiplied… So mightily
grew the word of God and prevailed” (Acts 12:24; 19:20) and about
Christian growth in faith, “your faith is increased” (2 Cor
10:15), “increaseth with the increase of God” (Col 2:19), and
“increase the fruits of your righteousness” (2 Cor 9:10), and God’s
command, “Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). This command is in the present tense,
denoting “keep on growing/ increasing.” Do you and I keep on growing in
faith, in the Lord, in His grace and His knowledge day by day? May the
Lord graciously help us grow and keep us growing in Him and His Word
always.
Keep on Growing in Grace
God’s grace is God’s love, mercy, favour, and
blessings toward mankind (common grace) and toward His children (special
grace) regardless of their merits. We are to be grateful to God for His
common grace or general blessings toward us on this earth and in this
universe such as the rain, the sunshine, seasons, fruitful crops, etc.
(Matt. 5:45; Acts 14:17), as well as for God’s sovereign control over
human history and over everything, especially God’s greatest gift for
mankind: His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, who came into the world as
a perfect God-Man to die for the sins of all mankind including yours and
mine and to rise again for the justification and salvation of everyone
who believes and receives Him as his personal Lord and Saviour (John
3:16). When sinners reject God’s common grace, especially God’s
salvation in Christ, God is righteous and vindicated to condemn them to
Hell due to their accountability. Even though God has shown His common
grace toward mankind, the total depravity and rebellion of human hearts
hinder them from sincerely believing in and submitting to God and His
Word. As a result, we see that if we are cast into Hell due to our
unbelief and rebellion, we do deserve it.
However, we do give thanks to God for His special
grace, saving grace or irresistible grace (Calvin’s TULIP) that, by His
great love and His election of grace, He has drawn us to Him (John 6:44,
65), quickened us together with Christ (Eph 2:1, 5), delivered us from
the power of darkness and brought us into His kingdom (Col 1:13), even
granted us faith to believe and to be saved (Eph 2:8) and justified (Rom
3:24). We also may live a victorious life by God’s grace (Rom 7:24-25;
Gal 2:20; 2 Cor 12:9) and be kept safe and faithful unto the end by
God’s grace (John 10:28-30). Truly, God’s grace is always sufficient for
us (2 Cor 12:9) to carry us through all the trials of life, the
difficulties, infirmities, troubles, hardships, testing, temptations,
and so on as long as we humbly rely on Him and hide ourselves in Him.
Thank God that “grace and truth came by Jesus
Christ…And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace”
(John 1:16-17). Our Lord Jesus’ grace is always sufficient for us,
“My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in
weakness” (2 Cor 12:9). Then, in order to keep on growing in God’s
grace, we are to keep ourselves humble before the Lord, “But he
giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but
giveth grace unto the humble” (James 4:6), and true humility is to
humbly trust in the Lord and fully submit to Him and His Word. Those who
may show that they are humble and gentle but doubting and questioning
God’s Word are still arrogant and rebellious before the Lord!
Keep on Growing in the
Knowledge of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
God delights in our knowledge of Him, “Thus saith
the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the
mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and
knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment,
and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith
the LORD” (Jer 9:23-24). And God commands us to keep on growing in
the knowledge (heart knowledge/experiential knowledge) of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ. Why? Because we cannot trust, love, obey and
follow the one we do not know well. The more we know the Lord, the more
we shall trust in Him, love Him, appreciate Him, submit to Him, follow
Him and serve Him. It is very vital for you and me to know our Lord and
our God. Even God’s grace and peace increase through our knowledge of
God and the Lord Jesus Christ, “Grace and peace be multiplied unto
you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord” (2 Peter
1:2).
Jesus Is our Lord and God:
Many know Jesus as a good prophet or teacher, but we
must know Him as our God and Creator. The phrase “our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ” has only one definite article in Greek,
denoting one Divine Person, our Saviour Jesus Christ is the Lord, the
Jehovah, the “I AM THAT I AM” in the Old Testament (Exod 3:14; John
8:58). This same phrase “our/the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ”
can be also found in 2 Peter 1:11; 2:20. Another phrase “God and Saviour
Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13; 2 Peter 1:1) also has one definite article in
Greek, denoting that our Saviour Jesus Christ is God and the Creator.
Truly, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and
the Word was God,” and “And without controversy great is the
mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the
Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the
world, received up into glory” (John 1:1-3; 1 Tim 3:16). The
knowledge of the Lord Jesus as our God, almighty, all-wise, all-knowing,
eternal, immutable, faithful, loving, holy, and present every where, is
very important to our faith and victory over the world, “Who is he
that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son
of God?” (1 John 5:5). Do you and I really believe that Jesus Christ
is our living and true God? Is He really our Lord, who has full control
over our lives and we are not our own? Many say to Jesus, “Lord, Lord”
on their lips, but they are not sincerely submissive to Him and His Word
at all! Jesus confirms, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord,
Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will
of my Father which is in heaven” (Matt 7:21). Only the Holy Spirit
can help us confess Jesus Christ as our Lord with our full trust and
submission, “no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy
Ghost” (1 Cor 12:3). May God help us grow in the knowledge of our
Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus Is Our Saviour:
Jesus is the human name. Jesus is a short
form of Joshua or Jehoshua, which means, “Jehovah is salvation.” Then,
Jesus means Saviour. His incarnation, His virgin birth, His death for
our sins, and His resurrection for our justification secure our
salvation for ever. He is able to save us not only from our sins and our
condemnation to Hell (Rom 12:1), but also from the bondage of our sinful
nature (Rom 7:24-25). Praise the Lord! May God help us grow in the
knowledge of our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Jesus Is Our Christ:
Christ is the divine name of our Lord. It means the Anointed, the
Messiah. There are three anointed offices: the priestly, the kingly and
the prophetic (Exod 28:41; Lev 8:12; 1 Sam 10:1; 16:13; 1 Kings 1:39;
19:16). Then, when you and I believe that Jesus is the Christ, we must
mean that He is our Great High Priest, our King of kings, and our Great
Prophet with humble trust and full submission. Only those who are born
again may sincerely believe in and submit to the Lord Jesus as Christ
with that full meaning, “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ
is born of God” (1 John 5:1). How about you and me?
Jesus Is Our Great High Priest:
The high priest represented the people before God. How can you and I as
sinners go near the holy God and be acceptable unto Him? We do need the
Lord Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest, who is our perfect
Representative before God, who “is able to save” us to the
uttermost and ever living “to make intercession for” us (Heb
7:25), and by whom our spiritual sacrifices are “acceptable to God”
(1 Peter 2:5). We do need His blood to keep on cleansing us from all our
sins so that we may maintain our fellowship with God (1 John 1:7) and
overcome the accusation of Satan (Rev 12:11). As our great High Priest
can “be touched with the feeling of our infirmities,” let us
therefore “come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we
may obtain mercy, and find
grace to help in time of need”
(Heb 4:15-16). Is Jesus Christ our Great High Priest?
Jesus is Our King of Kings:
Jesus humbly came to die for sinners, but He rose again, and God has
“exalted” Him “with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour”
(Acts 5:31) and says, “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a
sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom” (Heb 1:8).
How about you and me? Shall we also “exalt” the Lord Jesus as the King
of our hearts and our lives? Does He have full authority and full
control over our lives? If we decide to do whatever we like regardless
of His approval, He is not truly our King. If we say, read, watch,
listen to or do whatever we like or go wherever we like regardless of
His guidance and Word, He is not our King. Many still arrogantly
despise, challenge, mock and reject the Lord Jesus as their King, but
when He comes again the second time with all His might and glory as
“King of kings, and Lord of lords” (Rev 19:16), they cannot stand
before Him to hear His sentence, “But those mine enemies, which would
not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before
me” (Luke 19:27).
Jesus Is Our Great Prophet:
A prophet is
God’s spokesman and representative to His people. His ministry is to
speak exactly God’s Word to the people as well as to properly foretell,
warn, rebuke, teach, and preach according to God’s Word. Jesus Himself
is the living “Word of God” (Rev 19:13; cf. John 1:1; Heb 1:2; 1 John
1:1) and His words are the very Word of God (John 12:48-50) and
“shall not pass away” (Matt 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33). It is
thus dangerous to arrogantly attack, question, criticize, twist,
misinterpret, mistranslate, modify or cast doubt on God’s Word as many
people do, even “scholars”, to serve their own worldly purpose and
selfish ambitions, for this will be their tragic end, “And it shall
come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall
be destroyed from among the people” (Acts 3:23). Then, if our Lord
Jesus is our Great Prophet, “We ought to obey God rather than men”
(Acts 5:29).
Conclusion
Dear friends, God commands you
and me to keep on growing in His grace and in the knowledge of our Lord
and Saviour Jesus Christ. May God help each one of us “count all
things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my
Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them
but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in Him” (Phil 3:8-9).
Amen.
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