On Monday 11th October we lost a very dear and valued member of our church - Mrs Alison McClelland. She was a hearer of God’s word and a doer as well. Both her husband Jim and herself were involved in many areas of ministry. Working the sound system, meeting and greeting, the finance committee. She would fill my glass with water each Lord’s Day and another 50 jobs besides! When I visited her home there was a bible sitting almost in tatters where she spent a considerable time seeking The Lord each day.
They were very much participators and not only consumers. It got me thinking about practical Christianity.
Question: Am I as a gospel minister a practical person as well as theological?
Are you? Would it be a great loss to the body of Christ if you were not around, or would it hardly be noticed?
James 1v22-27 tells us:
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world
If you read Hebrews Chapter 11 it is often (and correctly) referred to as “the faith chapter”. You read “By faith” such and such a person did this or that. Yet it led to some very practical out workings. Abel offered a sacrifice, Noah built an ark, Abraham left home, Moses’ parents hid him, the children of Israel walked round the walls of Jericho and so on.
Does all the teaching and preaching you have listened to and even perhaps enjoyed over the years actually affect your day to day living? Is your Christianity a living faith and of benefit to others?
Are you leaving a legacy? Alison certainly did and I am humbled as I consider that. Live a life full of good works to the glory of God and helping the needs of others. Yet, even the best of your works can never get you to heaven.
It is faith in Christ and His great work on the cross that saves us. When that happens remember- we are saved to serve and make a difference. To be salt and light.
Every blessing and much love from Pastor John and all at GCF.