J.O.Y. (2)
(Jesus is Glorified)
I Corinthians 8:7-13
There are four categories of
people:
1. People who know and they know that they know.
We all go to school. We
learn. We read. We hear. We see. God reveals things to us through the Bible. Knowledge that we know.
2. People who know and they don’t know that they know.
We learn things. The
information is stored somewhere in our memories. We forget about it, and one
day we recall it. It is amazing how much we can store in our brains.
3. People who don’t know and they know that they don’t
know.
This is good. I wish people
can be in this condition, so that they are open to learn something.
4. People don’t know and they don’t know that they
don’t know.
This is the worst condition.
It is not good to be ignorant. But it is worse when one doesn’t know that he/she
is ignorant.
Paul is
saying. “Listen fellow Corinthians. It is OK to not have perfect knowledge.” Why? Because we cannot have
perfect knowledge. “Knowledge puffs up but love builds up. The man who
thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. But the man
who loves God is known by God.” (V. 8:2-3)
So, it is OK to not know everything.
It does not mean we can not ask
questions. It does not mean we should not
seek knowledge. It means God reveals to you. Just be in touch with Him. It
is more important that a man who loves God is known by God.
We don’t know everything.
What is important is who knows you?
God knows me. He knows my name. He calls me by my name. And
that is great.
* I told you once about this
man, who was lost in a neighborhood that was unfamiliar to him. He saw a little
boy playing outside his house. So this man asked the boy.
“Do you know how to go to Interstate
90?”
The boy said: “No”.
“Well do you know how to go
to
The boy said: “No”
“Do you know where is the nearest gas station?”
The boy said, “No”
“What do you know, little
boy? You don’t know anything.”
The little boy said: “Sir, you are the one who is lost and not
me.”
It is OK to be lost. You see,
God does not work with perfect people.
God works with us, with human beings, who are weak and fragile.
It is OK when you make a
mistake. For those who trust God, God
can turn your mistakes into blessings.
I heard this saying from a
preacher:
“God can turn your mess into a
message; God can also turn your tests into a testimony.”
Maybe you have many
unanswered questions, but you know Him, that is most important in your life.
Therefore, let me turn to JOY. “J”: Jesus must be glorified in your life.
And I like the way Paul puts
it:
“Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all
things came and for whom we live;
and there is but one Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom all things came and through whom we live.” (vs. 6)
In one word, let us live a life where Jesus will be
glorified in all our activities and our lifestyle.
Let us examine our lives. Did
we glorify Jesus in this last year? Did I have Jesus Christ at first place in
my life?
Last Sunday we were talking
about Jesus as my King. Who has the
last word in your life?
Apparently many discussed
this after the sermon. Who has the last word in you home?
One comment that I heard
about the man being the head and wife being the neck; she can turn the head any
direction she wants!
Who has the last word in your life? Who is your King? Is this verse applicable in your
life? “Through whom all things came and
through whom we live.”
Do you live through HIM?
Let me ask you. What motivates you do
wake up every morning and prepare yourself to go to work?
Of course, the
tasks that we do excite us. We
love to be in the workplace to achieve something. Or being at
home raising children. But you see my question is more than that. I live for
Jesus. That means our purpose in life
is to GLORIFY Him. In our daily life
we work because we have meaning in life through Christ. So I don’t work because
my boss is watching me. I don’t attend to my work on time because I should be
there, or else they will fire me. No. We work because we serve the Lord of Lords,
Jesus Christ our King.
We have two kinds of Christians: Kingdom
first and Me first.
I keep hearing, “Badveli, if
I have time I will come to church. If I had time, I would commit my time to
serve. Do not ask too much. I can come once in a while.”
May I ask you, What kind of relationship you can build with God, with
spouse, with children, or with anyone when you have no time?
*Three days ago, on the
evening news, I heard about how to be very successful. The reporter says
that traditional working time of 40 hours a week is not good anymore. He was
interviewing a 30-year-old businessperson who is doing very well. Average hours
of working are 70- 90 hours a week. The
reporter interviewed his wife. She was saying that she hardly sees her husband.
The reporter asked this man, “Can
you continue like this another 10 years?” He said, “God willing.”
I don’t know who is his God. But the God that I know teaches me differently.
Paul says in Philippians
Chapter 1:21 “For me to live is Christ…” Do you live for Christ?
-Some answer my question about
the quest for meaning, saying they live for
pleasure. Pleasure is good. God created it. Learn to have fun. However, you
cannot build your life on pleasure; it will eventually collapse. Pleasure cannot be a purpose, can be
a means to spend time, and why not.
I do see Christians who do
not have pleasure in their life. Have you seen people who come for helping for
some kind of activity in the church, instead of serving it with pleasure, they
complain, and complain and become bitter.
We need to learn that our
lives belong to Christ. Everything that we have belongs to Him.
*In 1986 I received my first
gift check of $2500 to buy a new Yamaha DX7 synthesizer. Unbelievable,
in those days that was the top of the line. I almost slept next to that
keyboard. After some months, a young Christian musician wanted it to use it in
their band. I did not give it. It was mine. I could not share it. You know the
sad part. I lost my relationship with that young person. I was a youth worker.
My duty was to be with the youth, to help them to grow spiritually. He stopped
coming to the church. I asked him some months after why he is not attending our
youth group. He said, “Your rejection of
sharing that instrument turned me off. I can not come to your Bible Studies.”
I learned my lesson. It was
costly. Nothing belongs to me. I live for
Jesus. My life should glorify Him. “J”: Jesus should be glorified in my daily
actions.
I know we live in
*I heard once there was rich
man who owned a Cadillac. He was very ill. He asked from his children to bury
him with his Cadillac. Indeed, after he died, they put their father’s body in
that new Cadillac and they made a big whole and buried him in it.
What a waste! Cars are made
for driving. I wonder where is he driving in that tomb?
Is Jesus glorified in your
life?
We will discuss in the next
weeks about “Others should be edified” and “You should be sanctified.”
Enjoy your advent season by
living your life for Jesus.
Amen.