In todays world, living your life has many meanings don’t it. When I see the bumper sticket that says COEXIST, that really don’t set well with me.
When I see or hear about a child that has demonstrated verbiage that is unbecoming of a child which all the child did was mimic what the parent or guardian around them has said, gives me upset stomach. When I witness the brutal character assignation of a individual all along knowing it’s a learned behavior to destroy or kill someone’s personality, give me true heartburn. So friends, how are we to Live in this life? What does it mean to Live this life with fullness and completeness? Friends I want you hear the words of Jesus on how “To Live Is Christ.”
One of the parables mentioned today was about Workers in the Vineyard. Now seeing this parable at first glance doesn’t really give a full indepth view of living justly, but let me bring a few things to your thought.
So we have here a Landowner that needed helping hands to work his farm. He was honorable in paying each person he hired the fair amount for each.
So he hired people 4 different times of day to get the work done. SO it stands to reason in our worldly thinking, those that was hired on at the very beginning and work the while shift, would get paid more than those that was hired at the very last part of the shift right?
So at the time the workers was paid, they grumbled basically saying they didn’t get paid enough while others got paid the same amount. Now the only people whom didn’t complain I would think is the ones that was hired at very last for they got the same amount as those at the very first.
So what did the land owner say, “Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what I own?” Wow that’s a interesting statement!
Friends, Jesus parable here does not mean that God is God of capricious whim and fiat mind. It means that he has his own criteria which we, in mortal sight and selfish aim, cannot comprehend. He has our best interest in mind! The rewards of God out to enlist our glad assent, not our murmuring. We have more than enough reasons to thank God thank to question him don’t we?
So what does this have to do with To Live Is Christ? We each are housed with and borne with heat and burden of each day we live. We actually may not be able to appreciate and use more fully the identical gifts that others have. Even though the distinction of being first or last vanishes in Gods Kingdom, we merely think as sinful humans, whats mine is mine and I deserve such and such more than that person!!!
To Live Is Christ in this example tells us the main emphasis of God’s unending and miraculous Grace he gives to everyone, even at the very last minute! Just think if you was to ask God to save you at the last minute before you even knew you was about to pass on, how so grateful you would be? Yet others that knew Christ years ago have already established their home security before you may did, but that doesn’t make you any less does it? Not in Gods Kingdom!
Gods justice and righteousness friends deals with each of us fairly! God doesn’t reward sinful behavior no matter how ‘seasoned’ a Christian you are, so no different in reward anyone whom comes to Christ at any state of your life. To Live Is Christ in all its glory and splender to ALL MAN KIND! Think about how the rewards we receive according to our merit! Think about how if God would reward us based upon our own works, just how rewarding that would be? We all would be poor!!! While in the Military I departed the service with lots of metals and awards, but did that gain me any merit to God’s kingdom? Did that make me any more valuable than any of my fellow man? Not at all!
No man is exempt from moral obligation, and mere obedience entitles no man to special privilege. The ultimate reward of God for the life of the world to come, and that this was given alike to all who served God.
Here is another example I always like! As you know we have many versions of Biblical text in todays market. So in the 17th Century when King James Bible was printed and more people would eventually have access to its words of life, did God really save them knowing the text in todays standards was so called out of date? So the same words of scripture that we read today didn’t necessarily apply to them of old? Ofcourse not! We sometimes think when something is new, like a new book or new car its more valuable, when in fact its contents are just a valuable now as it was when it was created!
A behavior we have in Living Is Christ is Unity in fellowship, how we work with one another in Christ. So our behavior, our attitude, our love we have and give willingly.
To Live Is Christ gives us hope knowing our reward in our choice to live and serve him comes to us willingly and joyfully. Although friends, also to live is Christ also means to suffer with Christ. Yes I said Suffer!
Whom can honestly say in this mortal life, suffering is a good thing? Scripture tells us suffering for christ is a high honor “Adversity is the blessing”. An example of Paul to some Christians of the day thinking he was “Christian gladiator” per say. Paul lived a life of Christ and portraited it in many different ways.
Living a life well lived is and always be a high thought to each of us! But honestly friends there are those in this world that just as soon to die early than to live fully because they see no hope! Nothing to Live for. When we look at Living is Christ, we should all see how Living a life of Christ that does come along with suffering, is the most important thing we can do. When we think of living we do accompany it with dieing don’t we. It’s a hard and stiff word to accept. Paul tells us to Live Is Christ, and to Die is Gain! What???
How can dieing be a gain! Friends, this world isn’t our home. This sinful and glorous world is not our destination! We are here temporary, with a promising reward to those that Love him and Follow Him will be rewarded with Life Eternal. Now believe it or not friends, the reward Jesus tells us about is NOT just when we enter heavens gate, it actually starts here on earth! Reward in having fruitful life, not trouble free, having sustainable faith, not without its lacking from time to time, having the Holy Spirit work in you, not without you moving away from him at times. We have much to be thankful for friends, and to Live Is Christ means more than what we can comprehend, but its also the knowing when we accept the Lord Jesus as our Personal Savior, and build the relationship with him every single day of our lives, we become in every aspect of the word “Living Like Christ”, “Living Is Christ”! There is no other way to life that promises so much and gives so much and rewards so much to those who seek him and follow him. If someone doesn’t have Jesus in their Life, there is no hope, no joy, no peace, no completeness. All the promises of God only works for those that accept him and Lord and Live a Life as Christ!
Our Hope is built on nothing less than Jesus and his righeousneses, Amen.
In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit!