Every person has some big events in life (for example: birth, graduation, marriage, death). But the most important event for anyone is becoming a Christian! Because it affects both you and others for ETERNITY. Unfortunately, many people become Christians and do not really appreciate it until late in life, if ever. But our service for Christ would be more productive and infinitely more enjoyable if we began to grasp the true significance of being Christians, and as such, the children of God.
What a blessing, to be a child of God! But blessings come with responsibilities. Tonight I want us to consider the just a few of those blessings and responsibilities we have as Christians.
I. GOD AS OUR HEAVENLY FATHER.
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.” (1 John 3:1)
A. CONSIDER THE BLESSING OF HAVING GOD AS OUR FATHER...
1. He is the source of every good and perfect gift from above. cf Jas 1:17; Mt 7:11
2. He provides us comfort in all our afflictions. cf 2 Co 1:3-4
3. When needed, in love He chastises us. cf He 12:5-11
4. He has promised never to forsake us. cf He 13:5-6
B. YET, THERE ARE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR HAVING GOD AS OUR FATHER.
1. We must SUBMIT to God.
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)
a. By submitting to His Word
b. By submitting to His providential and sovereign workings in our lives.
c. Note: 1 Pe 5:6-11
2. We must also DRAW NEAR to God.
“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” (James 4:8)
a. Just as an earthly father delights when his children want to draw near to him, so does God.
b. We draw nearer to God by "cleansing our hands" and "purifying our hearts".
1) That is, by obtaining forgiveness and then strengthening our resolve to serve Him
2) For the Christian, this involves REPENTANCE, CONFESSION OF SINS, AND PRAYER - 1 Jn 1:9
II. JESUS CHRIST AS OUR LORD AND HIGH PRIEST - 1 Co 8:6; He 4:14
A. THINK FOR A MOMENT ABOUT THIS BLESSING...
1. He who is our "Lord" is also He who rules over the kings of the earth. cf Re 1:5-6
a. All authority in heaven and earth has been given Him. cf Mt 28:18
b. All have been made subject to Him 1 Pe 3:22
c. Yet, He calls us His "brethren"!
d. Note: Heb. 2:11
2. As "High Priest", He intercedes in our behalf. cf Ro 8:34
a. A High Priest who understands our every feeling. cf He 2:17-18
b. A High Priest who "ever lives" to make such intercession for us. cf He 7:24-25
B. WHAT ARE OUR RESPONSIBILITIES OF HAVING JESUS AS LORD AND HIGH PRIEST?
1. If He is truly our LORD, we must do what He says.
“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46)
a. We must be careful to observe what He taught. cf Mt 28:18-20
b. We must keep His commandments cf Jn 15:10,14
2. We must also utilize His role as our HIGH PRIEST.
a. Note: He 4:14-16
b. In other words, be quick to obtain mercy and find grace to help us in time of need. Again, for the Christian this involves PRAYER
III. THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO DWELLS IN US. cf. 1 Co 3:16
A. WONDERFUL BLESSINGS ARE ATTRIBUTED TO THE HOLY SPIRIT'S INDWELLING...
1. He gives us strength to put to death the fleshly deeds of the body.
a. Note: Ro 8:11-13
b. Note: Ep 3:16-20
2. He also helps in our weakness when it comes to praying as we ought, by acting as an intercessor for us. cf Ro 8:26-27
3. He seals (preserves or marks) us until the day of Redemption. cf Ep. 4:30
B. WHAT RESPONSIBILITIES DO WE HAVE IN VIEW OF THE SPIRIT'S INDWELLING?
1. To keep the temple of God, our bodies, HOLY. cf 1 Co 3:16-17
2. We are to GLORIFY God even with our bodies. cf 1 Co 6:18-20 [6]
3. We are to WALK in the Spirit, being so LED by the Spirit as to produce the FRUIT of the Spirit. cf Ga 5:16-18, 22- 25
a. This we do by setting our minds on the THINGS of the Spirit.
“For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” (Rom 8:5-6)
b. Which involves the WORD of God, which is the SWORD of the Spirit. cf Ep 6:17
IV. THE CHURCH AS OUR FAMILY.
“But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” (1 Tim 3:15)
A. THE BLESSING OF HAVING THE LOCAL CHURCH AS OUR FAMILY...
1. The members become like fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters.
“Rebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.” (1 Tim 5:1-2)
2. They can even replace physical relations we may lose when we become Christians.
a. Mk 10:28-30
b. Mt 12:46-50
B. RESPONSIBILITIES OF HAVING THE CHURCH AS OUR FAMILY
1. We are to "edify one another". cf He 10:24-25
a. This necessitates assembling together frequently.
b. This requires each one doing their share. cf Ep 4:15-16
2. We are to "bear one another's burdens". cf. Ga 6:1-2
a. For such is the "law" of Christ
b. This requires that we know each other well, and can be depended upon to provide support
There are certainly many more blessings and responsibilities that we have as Christians. But I hope that these remind us just how blessed we are as Christians and how important it is that we fulfill our responsibilities.