Sermon Excerpt - 11th Jan - Am I a 24*7*365 Christian

¹³ “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy^[a] that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. ¹⁴ For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. ¹⁵ “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶ You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. ²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²² On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’²³ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ Matthew 7:13-23

Reporters and city officials gathered at a Chicago railroad station one afternoon in 1953. The person they were meeting was the 1952 Nobel Peace Prize winner. A few minutes after the train came to a stop, a giant of a man - six feet four inches with bushy hair and a large mustache stepped from the train. Cameras flashed. City officials approached him with hands outstretched. Various people began telling him how honored they were to meet him.

The man politely thanked them and then, looking over their heads, asked if he could be excused for a moment. He quickly walked through the crowd until he reached the side of an elderly black woman who was struggling with two large suitcases. He picked up the bags and with a smile, escorted the woman to a bus. After helping her aboard, he wished her a safe journey. As he returned to the greeting party he apologized, "Sorry to have kept you waiting."

The man was Dr. Albert Schweitzer, the famous missionary doctor who had spent his life helping the poor in Africa. In response to Schweitzer’s action, one member of the reception committee said with great admiration to the reporter standing next to him, "That’s the first time I ever saw a sermon walking."

Preparing the sermon for last Sunday I had a tough time. Every time I read the portion I don’t know why but there was a voice which was haunting and asking me whether I am also one of the false prophets Jesus is talking about? Have I delivered the word without any flaw? Did I do it for my own benefit or for the betterment of the Church? I am happy that God helped me with the sermon. That’s when I was reminded of the illustration I shared above and came with the topic “Am I a 24*7*365 Chrisitan?”

Christ never calls us to be a part time Christian. He calls us to be 24*7*365 days Christian. How can we be that is explained as Christ comes to the end of his famous Sermon on the Mount.

1.       When I Walk The Road And Take The Step That Jesus Took I Become A 24*7*365 Christian (Mat. 7:13-14)

What exactly was the Sermon on the Mount? It was the life that Jesus wanted the disciples and his followers to follow. This is the longest discourse that Jesus has with the disciples and the followers. If we take into account everything that Jesus said and analyze it with the kind of life Jesus lived they both are in congruence to each other and tells the world such a life is also possible.  

We love to take broad ways for they are easy to travel and the majority takes those. The youngsters want to make more money infact quick money and they are ready to do anything for it.

During my college days I was a die hard fan of the reality show Roadies which came on MTv. I don’t know if the show is still on. The participants had to do certain dare and show their perseverance and strength and the winner would receive fame and money. One task was to stand on the stage of a big auditorium complete naked for 4 hours. People would be there to see them and also a telecast to be done outside the stadium. The audience would pass comments and they would have to stand as if nothing has happened. I thought none of them will be ready to do such a heinous task. But to my surprise all went in for it? What might have made them to do it? Its nothing but fame and money.

Recently the most talked about movie is the Aamir Khan’s PK. Many things have been highlighted as to how religion and religious heads make fools of the people. I too had a chance to watch the movie. Many things have been brought out and it helped me also to think being a religious leader of a church whether I also force such things on my congregation. The person PK is a normal person and he cannot be compared to a actual Christian. Why you may ask? Its because he is also in the search of finding a God who will do things as he wants it to be done? A God who satisfies his desire and urge. But Jesus never speaks of such a religion. Today’s prosperity gospel also talks about the same thing. Accept Jesus and all your hardships will vanish. Accept Jesus and you will rise high. Jesus never ever in his ministry talked about such a thing happening. But He did say one thing that you need to travel through small difficult paths and also you will have to carry your cross. Which means its not easy at all. But Jesus says you can travel these difficult paths – when I walk the road and take the step that Jesus took.

2.      When Others Benefit From My Life I Become A  24*7*365 Christian. (Mat. 7:16-20)

When God has planted you, you are to bring forth good fruit. Though it says good tree will bear good and bad will bear bad it doesn’t mean we are predestined to do so. When God planted Adam and Eve in the Garden they were to bear good fruit but there choice of benefiting their own lives by becoming like God rather than forgoing the temptation and becoming a blessing to all.

Also why has the example of tree and fruit being given? Because it lives the most self-less life. Whether it be good or bad, no tree can have its own fruit. It lives for somebody else. It dies for somebody else. Humans on the contrary live for ourselves and die for ourselves.

Its been found out that an average Malayalee/South Indian, majority more than 75% all live to earn something just to settle down and to accumulate wealth so that he/she can buy a house in Ludhiana/Delhi/Mumbai or any other part of India/abroad where they left for from their hometown at the age of 18 or 20 in search of job. They travelled to unknown places, endured the extreme weather and conditions. In this journey they tried to accumulate wealth for a safer future with no touring, no extra spending. Very well and good. But when you analyase it at the end what is it that you get? When you have enough money to spend on touring and enjoying the world you are only in a position to spend it for yourself buying medicines and treatment. A sad but true fact even the children whom you thought will be for you seeing your lifestyle have started to give priority only to self.

We need to have a correct understanding of our God our religion. Doug Nichols, Bothell, Washington wrote: “While serving with Operation Mobilization in India in 1967, tuberculosis forced me into a sanitarium for several months. I did not yet speak the language, but I tried to give Christian literature written in their language to the patients, doctors, and nurses.

Everyone politely refused. I sensed many weren’t happy about a rich American (to them all Americans are rich) being in a free, government-run sanitarium. (They didn’t know I was just as broke as they were!)
The first few nights I woke around 2:00 A.M. coughing. One morning during my coughing spell, I noticed one of the older and sicker patients across the aisle trying to get out of bed. He would sit up on the edge of the bed and try to stand, but in weakness would fall back into bed. I didn’t understand what he was trying to do. He finally fell back into bed exhausted. I heard him crying softly.

The next morning I realized what the man had been trying to do. He had been trying to get up and walk to the bathroom! The stench in our ward was awful. Other patients yelled insults at the man. Angry nurses moved him roughly from side to side as they cleaned up the mess. One nurse even slapped him. The old man curled into a ball and wept. The next night I again woke up coughing. I noticed the man across the aisle sit up and again try to stand. Like the night before, he fell back whimpering.

I don’t like bad smells, and I didn’t want to become involved, but I got out of bed and went over to him. When I touched his shoulder, his eyes opened wide with fear. I smiled, put my arms under him, and picked him up. He was very light due to old age and advanced TB. I carried him to the washroom, which was just a filthy, small room with a hole in the floor. I stood behind him with my arms under his armpits as he took care of himself. After he finished, I picked him up, and carried him back to his bed. As I laid him down, he kissed me on the cheek, smiled, and said something I couldn’t understand.

The next morning another patient woke me and handed me a steaming cup of tea. He motioned with his hands that he wanted a tract. As the sun rose, other patients approached and indicated they also wanted the booklets I had tried to distribute before. Throughout the day nurses, interns, and doctors asked for literature.

Weeks later an evangelist who spoke the language visited me, and as he talked to others he discovered that several had learned about the love of Christ of His offer of Salvation as a result of reading the literature. What did it take to reach these people with the gospel? It wasn’t health, the ability to speak their language, or a persuasive talk. I simply took a trip to the bathroom.

The distance between me and my neighbor and the society where I live is short and very near. But the hardness in our heart makes it a distance too long to travel. Don’t forget Christ demands our lives to be a benefit for others to become a 24-7 Christian.

3.      A Relationship With God Which Does More Than Talking Makes Me 24*7 Christian. (Mat. 7:21-23)

Jesus very boldly states it’s not you who say Lord Lord who will win the favour of God but who does the will of God. What Jesus was asking was true relationship. Only if I am deeply in love or related will I go to any extent to help. Whether it be in relationship or personal life what matters is what I do rather than what I say.

It’s said that in most of the marriages the love fades as the year passes by. When we survey why such changes takes place we find that the promises given before the marriage hardly survives as both take each other for granted.

Similar is the case with our relationship to God. It’s a one sided relationship. We ask him to do certain things. Just like our families. There are very few families where both husband and wife take decisions. In all the families its either one who takes the decision and the other has to abide. In certain families it’s the husband whereas in other families it’s the wife who has the say. How many take the decisions in common? One of the resolution that I have taken is to take decision together with my Lord and wife. From the time we have been married its, I who have taken all the decisions. One or more times she has very sarcastically commented to recollect what I teach the youngsters who prepare themselves for marriage. I know where she is hinting at. It is very difficult to change ourselves but for a healthy relationship certain things needs to be changed. I am sure even if I don’t change she will continue to accept everything I say but there needs to be some congruence in my talking and doing.

It’s only the depth in the relationship which will make a certain person to go to any extent to make the other happy. The cross is the perfect example of that. But do I have such a relationship with my master is the pertinent question we are to answer.

During my tenure in Karol Bagh MTC as the Asst. Vicar I met an elderly lady whom all call fondly as Jacob aunty. She is well over 75 years. But she would come everyday to church and would sit on the 2^nd bench. Now because of age and as Uncle is also not well he coming to church has reduced. She has arthritis problem and has difficulty to walk. I reminded of one situation wherein Moni Achen the then vicar with whom I served told her “Dear Aunty why do you come all the way till the railings to take the Holy Communion. If at all you come just stand why do you kneel down with such great difficulty.” To this Jacob aunty replied, “Dear Achen my heart has already reached the railings and when the heart reaches I cannot stop my legs from going there.”

What a reply. It made me wonder does my heart reach to Church before I reach? Does my heart have a craving to take and lead the most precious Holy Communion? Or is Jesus talking about me when he says it’s not who calls Lord Lord. Do I have a relationship with him?

A Seed in the soil is much better than seed in the hand. It’s all about association. With whom do I want to be associated with?

We are called to be Christians not just on Sundays and Special Days like Christmas and Easter but 24*7*365 days we are called to bear His name. Three things which the portion spoke to me how we can be so is what I tried to meditate upon

1.       I need to  Walk The Road And Take The Step That Jesus Took to Become A 24*7*365 Christian

2.      When Others Benefit From My Life I Become A  24*7*365 Christian.

3.      When my Relationship With God Does More Than Talking it Makes Me 24*7 Christian.

May God help us to live according to our calling. God bless us all.