Pastor Th. Mangthianlal
This year is different from all other years. We experience significant impact of the move ment of rural villagers to Zokhopi (Lamka) in a great way. We see many works of a sign of security and peace slowly, though many more have to be achieved, moving back to the normal ways. We witness skyrocketing increase in vehicles. And many more. But one thing stand out most significant of all recognizable things in this year. And that is the Gospel Centenary year for Southern Manipur. Sometimes it is good to pose lots of questions to ourselves. I would like to begin this message by posing a question that the year gospel was first planted in our land has
reached one hundred years and what about our maturity as a Christian? Does it reflect maturity of that yearsí kind? Has our Christianity show some good signs of authentic discipleship which can associate us with one century old Christian legacy? Has our Christian actions in the street and public arena manifest that we are a people and Church who are truly 100 years old in our journey with Jesus Christ? Does our presence in the market place give evidences that we are a real and mature Christians? Has the Church in Southern Manipur portrays to the world within and outside that here lies faithful who are true disciples of Christ? In our mundane life and endeavors for a better world on this earth, as an individual and as a collective community, have we reflected Christ as our Lord and Savior? The followings few selected areas may be where we are all call to retrospect ourselves in our spiritual walk in this Gospel Centenary years.
1. In Relation to Knowing and Enjoying God
Loving, knowing and enjoying God is not just an option but it is a Commandment and it deals directly at the heart of our relationship and fellowship with God. ìTo know God and enjoy him forever ì was the answer to the famous Westminster Catechism question, ìWhat is the chief end of man?î It touch on personal intimacy which has to do with knowledge and have deep fellowship with God. It is about relationship and worship. Deut. 6: 4-6 (the Shema) is a cal to passionately love our one and only Lord God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our might. Christian history is full of Godís faithful reminding the Church to be passionate about God and his work. There must be thirst in our desire to know God and have intimate fellowship and walk with him. A heart of praise, adoration and gratitude in the form of worship must be a spontaneous response to our Lord God on a daily basis which substitutes all forms of pretension, imitation and competition. This results in originality which truly pleases God ñ the object and person of our worship. ìAs the deer pants for waterî we must pant after our Creator. As the psalmist in Psalm 63:1, we must be in a constant state declaring ìO God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirst for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.î Have we grown to such a maturity in our walk with Christ Jesus that we continuously want to know more of him and his word aenjoying and worshipping him?
2. In Relation to Discipleship
Jesus said, ìWhoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my discipleî (Luke 14:27). It is the supreme call to give up everything and follow him. Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, ìWhen Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.î He further stated in his famous book ìThe Cost of Discipleshipî this profound theological truth:
Cheap grace means the justification of sin without the justification of the sinner. Grace alone does everything
they say, and so everything can remain as it was before. ëAll for sin could not atone.í Well, then, let the Christian live like the rest of the world, let him model himself on the worldís standards in every sphere of life, and not presumptuously aspire to live a different life under grace from his old life under sin....Cheap
grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring
repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession.... Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.
And about costly grace he said:
Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a maní will gladly go and self all that he has. It is the pearl of great price to buy which the merchant will sell all his goods. It is the kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye which causes him to stumble, it is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows him. Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock. Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: ìye were bought at
a price,î and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God.
Paul G. Hiebert mentioned, ìThe gospel calls not only individuals but societies and cultures to change.î This reminds us that our discipleship must be reflected in our society and the practices of our culture. It is clear then we read about the gospels where we are called to consider secondary all earthly obligations (customary practices and filial expectations though they also have valid and important place) and consider our first priority Godís mind and calling (Matt. 8:18-22). We are even called to hate our folks if they stand in the way of our relationship with Christ (Luke 14:26). We are even called to love God more than our people and land. How many things have we given up by following and obeying Jesus? What sufferings have we gone through because we love Christ more than anything? The margin is between whether ours is a discipleship which is costly or a discipleship that doesnít cost us anything.
banjom nalaiding...
