Believer, Let Your Life Speak of Christ
Kristen
Wetherell
Within the human soul is the desire to be remembered.
For many of us, we want deeply to make a difference in the world, to
have the people who knew us look back upon our lives and exclaim, “What a mark
they left.”
This is the power of living
by example, and I would be lying if I said I did not want my life to matter in
this way!
I consider my growing-up years, and my precious mother instantly comes
to mind.
As a little girl, I wanted so badly to be just like Mom when I grew up
because her manner of life spoke loudly a message of love, compassion, truth
and sacrifice. She greatly influenced me, and to this day, I can still say with
all my heart, “What a mark she left (and continues to leave) upon my life.”
Many godly lives, many holy examples, have gone before us.
We read about men of women of faith in the Bible and learn what set
their lives apart from a world operating without a hope. We learn what
motivated their day-to-day actions.
We learn of Christians who were serious about living out their faith in
Jesus Christ, as a result of the powerful Spirit at work within their hearts.
We meet one such community of faithful Christians in Paul’s letter to
the Thessalonians.
In the opening of the letter, Paul praises the faith of the believers
there. Amazingly, their bold witness to Christ had spurred on belief in other
cities – so dynamically that Paul had heard about their faith, though he wrote
to them from an entirely different location.
Talk about being remembered!
So what did their example and influence look like? And what can we learn
from them about living godly lives today?
Believers trust Christ and bear fruit.
2 We give thanks to God always for all of you,
constantly mentioning you in our prayers, 3 remembering
before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love
and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we know, brothers loved
by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our
gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy
Spirit and with full conviction. (1 Thessalonians 1:2-5) (ESV)
Paul begins with a message of thanksgiving for the Thessalonians.
In effect, he says, “We are so grateful for your
faithfulness! And here’s why.”
He rejoices in the godliness pouring forth from their lives, recognizing
that all good fruit is a result of the powerful gospel at work.
Paul remembers their faith, their love, and their hope in Jesus Christ –
all very significant manifestations of the fruit of the Spirit. But Paul does
not forget the power source behind such godly living.
The Holy Spirit, working in the hearts of these people, caused them to
believe in Jesus Christ! This belief by faith is where a godly life is birthed.
Believers submit to and learn from godly examples.
You know what kind of men we proved to be
among you for your sake. And you became
imitators of us and of the Lord … (verses 5-6).
Simply put, Paul says, “You learned by our
example.”
Praise God that many men and women of godly influence have gone before
us, faithfully demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit: obedience, love,
diligence, endurance and hope in Jesus Christ.
What an encouragement to know we can look to the saints for wisdom and
help, submitting to their correction and learning from their encouragement.
The Thessalonians knew that, instead of reinventing the wheel, they had
people of holy faithfulness purposefully set before them for their observation
and imitation.
Believers value Christ above their lives.
… for you received the word in much affliction, with
the joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you
became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia (verses 6-7).
The NIV translation reads, “In spite of
severe suffering, you welcomed the message with joy …”
Paul commends the Thessalonians for considering the gospel of far
greater worth than their very own lives.
These men and women did not run from hardship or opposition; rather they
received Jesus Christ with great joy and endured hardship with deep trust in
their Savior.
Notice that it was their patient, joyful endurance in the midst of
trials that caused their faithful influence to spread to “all the believers in Macedonia and
in Achaia.”
Submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ demonstrates a radically different
value system to a watching world, particularly in how a person responds to
suffering.
How different the life, how influential the faith, of the person who
stands up under suffering with joy because they trust in the faithful goodness
and protective covering of their Lord and Savior.
Believers live repentant lives of obedience.
For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in
Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so
that we need not say anything.
For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we
had among you, and how you
turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to
wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who
delivers us from the wrath to come (verses 8-10).
Finally, Paul tells the Thessalonians exactly what he has heard through
the grapevine: their faith in God is known everywhere!
How can this be? Their entire
lives have changed.
They no longer live for themselves, but for Christ, who died on the
cross for their sins and rose to new life for their sake.
What was once appealing in the world is now unappealing; what the flesh
once desired, the new life now resists.
The Thessalonians have new hearts and new spirits and, therefore, they
repent of sin and pursue holy lives.
They anticipate Christ’s coming, and so they serve the living and true
God, rather than the temporary treasures of the world.
Whether you realize it or not, people are watching your life. What will they see?
Gospel-influence depends on Christ. Believer, will you let your
life speak of Christ?
Is the power of Christ at work within you evident? Are you bearing much
fruit and so proving to be a disciple of Jesus?
If you have not yet trusted Christ as Savior, believe that only He can
change your heart today.
Would
you want God to change your life?
God
has made it possible for you to know Him and experience an amazing change in
your own life through a relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ, and have
eternal life.
Say
the following prayer:
“Father God, I
confess I am a sinner and my sins have separated me from You.
I am truly sorry. I now want to turn away from my past
sinful life and live a new life pleasing to You.
Please forgive me,
and help me avoid sinning again.
I believe that Your Son,
Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and
hears my prayer.
I invite Jesus to
become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day
forward. Thank You that according to your Word, I am now born again.
Please send Your Holy
Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life.
Please use me for Your glory.
In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.”
RELATED POSTS:
My Life Is Yours to Control
My Life Is Yours to Control
Our Job as Ambassadors
http://puricarefiles.blogspot.com/2016/12/ambassadors-for-christ-jesus-christ-is.html
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Child of God, Let Your Life Speak of Christ
“Change My Heart, Oh God”
Vineyard
lyrics
Change my heart oh God,
Make it ever true.
Change my heart oh God,
May I be like You.
You are the potter,
I am the clay,
Mold me and make me,
This is what I pray.
Make it ever true.
Change my heart oh God,
May I be like You.
You are the potter,
I am the clay,
Mold me and make me,
This is what I pray.
Kristen Wetherell (@klwetherell) is the Ministry
Content Manager at Unlocking the Bible. She also teaches the Bible to women and
contributes to TGC, iBelieve, and Crosswalk. She's married to Brad, loves
exploring new places, enjoys cooking, and writes music in her spare time.
Connect with Kristen at her website.
unlockingthebible.org
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