Speaker: Ps.Dhany Hariman
The Author of Our Faith
- When the Word became flesh in Christ Jesus, God’s will could now be made manifest through a body.
- God’s will for humanity to be saved was made manifest through the body of Christ.
- A body is how the will of a person is made into action.
- However, the Incarnation is no longer with us. So how is God’s will for disciples to be made, made manifest?
- It is still made manifest through the body of Christ, now the Church.
- (Matthew 28:16-17) Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted.
- Even when everything is clear, some of us still doubt. Jesus has made it very clear that our commission is to go and make disciples.
- This is not a matter of being unsure what to do, but being unsure if we can do it.
- We still ask question such as:
- Who to go to?
- When and where do I do it?
- Why me?
- How do I do it?
- It doesn’t matter how limited we are as individuals, because God has promised to be with us.
- It doesn’t matter how underqualified we are, because God has chosen us because He already knows we are qualified to do His works.
- (Exodus 3:11) But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”
- Moses likely expected God to answer His question. When Moses asked God, “Who am I?”, he was likely expecting God to tell him who he was.
- Moses might have expected God to tell him who Moses was in the eyes of God.
- However, God tells Moses who He is instead.
- (Exodus 3:12) He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”
- God doesn’t even answer Moses’ question here.
- God is telling us that it was never about who Moses was, who we are, but about who God is.
- Out trust in God determines our relationship with Him.
- Our relationship with God cannot be trying to prove to Him that we are worthy enough to be blessed, to serve Him, to do His work etc.
- It is about trusting Him to do His work, through us.
- Discipleship is not about learning, it is about trusting.
- Our universe is like a story, beginning with creation and ending with the redemption of all of creation.
- The main plot is salvation, and the main actor in the story is God.
- The story of our universe is about God.
- Even the stories of our own lives aren’t about us, but about God.
- This is not depowering, but empowering.
- If you were an author, and you had a story in mind, you would begin to populate your story with actors in order to carry out the plot, to bring the story from climax to conclusion.
- So that your actors may carry out the roles they play in your story, you must empower them. This is your role as the author.
- You give the characters what they need in order to advance the plot.
- If you needed a courageous warrior to save the day, you wouldn’t forget to give them a sword or the ability to fight.
- Even if they begin the story unable to fight, because you have a purpose in mind for them within the story, you will not abandon them in that position.
- (Jeremiah 29:11) For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
- We must trust that God will empower us in order to reveal His glory.
- (2 Corinthians 5:17-18) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.
- Because of this, even when we fail, we can continue to trust in God.
- All literary characters make mistakes and fail. Does that mean that they have failed as characters? Have they failed their role in the story?
- Can the failure of any character in the story prevent the ending which the Author has in mind?
- In a story, everything revolves the protagonist, the main actor.
- The other characters are placed into the story in order to reveal something about the protagonist.
- Though Timon and Pumba exist outside of Simba, their only purpose in the story is to make a statement about Simba.
- Their lives beyond Simba don’t matter to the story.
- What do our lives say about God?
- Our stories ought to tell others about God.