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READ:

Philippians 1:5

⁵ For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now.

EXHORTATION:

The “fellowship in the gospel” that the Philippians extended to Paul has given him great reasons for being thankful and rejoicing in God’s presence. So he wrote, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now” (1:3-5). The fellowship which Paul had with the Philippians did not fizzle out even though he was locked away in a prison in a faraway city. Geographical separation did not sever their fellowship. If anything, separation and his incarceration fortified the Philippians to express their camaraderie with greater sincerity and fervour. Their renewed efforts to maintain and strengthen fellowship with Paul had brought boundless joy to his heart.

The word “fellowship” simply means “to have in common”, “to share in” or “to communicate”. True Christian fellowship is deeper and firmer than acquaintanceship or friendship. Fellowship with someone is the fruit of having something in common; for Paul and the Philippians, this was the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They shared a deep relationship on the basis of the Gospel work. The Philippian church was one of the churches of Macedonia which showed great liberality towards the apostle Paul in his Gospel work. Despite their severe economic struggles, they had been very generous towards Paul and his Gospel work. In 2 Corinthians 8:1-5, Paul wrote, “Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; how that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.”

Paul further wrote of their continued generous spirit in Philippians 4:15 – “Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.” From the great hospitality and love shown by the first Philippian converts, Lydia and the jailor, to the sacrificial ministering by Epaphroditus sent from them (Philippians 4:18), Paul enjoyed their lasting fellowship, literally “from the first day until now”!

READ:

2 Thessalonians 2:14

¹⁴ Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

EXHORTATION:

The believers in Thessalonica were told by Paul that they were called by God Himself through the apostolic preaching of the Gospel. Theologians refer to this as the “effectual calling unto salvation”. When the Gospel is preached to a group of people, it is only those who are persuaded in their hearts that the Gospel is a divine invitation to them to believe on Christ the Saviour, who will repent and trust Him for their salvation.

We believe in the Gospel, because we have heard and understood it as God lovingly calling us to receive His gracious salvation. His calling had been most earnest and compelling in our souls when we heard the Gospel. Though the ones who preached the Gospel were persuasive, we understood it as God Himself persuading us to reconcile to Him. We have been convicted of His beckoning of us unto Himself, through the Gospel presented to us.

In the preceding verse, the apostle Paul described the divine working that led to our salvation. He wrote, “God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth” (v. 13). In 1 Thessalonians 1:5, Paul said, “For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance”. Our conviction of the divine call unto faith and salvation is the result of the Holy Spirit’s powerful persuasion of our hearts by the Gospel.

It is also interesting to note that Paul referred to the Gospel as “our gospel”. Is it not the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Why then should he say “our gospel”? When the apostle and his fellow preachers presented the Gospel, they presented it as their own conviction and experience. Their voices not only declared the Gospel, but their lives as well, which were completely overwhelmed, fashioned and directed by the Gospel. Like the apostles, let us consecrate our lives unto the heralding of the Gospel.

Paul also said that God has called us by the Gospel “to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The Gospel is a divine invitation to us to partake of the eternal glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. By the Gospel, God will lead us all the way to His glory. As Paul said, “Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified” (Romans 8:30).

Sermon Text: Psalm 48
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 23rd July 2023

READ:

Galatians 1:9b

^9b If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

EXHORTATION:

An absolute denunciation of every preacher of the false gospel is uttered here. This is the second time in two successive verses that Paul denounces false preachers. In the previous verse he said, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8). Whether it be a man of repute (like the apostle) or a heavenly being (like an angel), if he distorts the truth of the Gospel, he is an accursed individual!

In the Galatian church, certain Jewish men were insisting that Christians – whether Jew or Greek – should subscribe to Jewish ceremonial customs, such as circumcision and dietary laws, in order to be saved. They are known as Judaizers. Those men were undermining the pure Gospel message that salvation is by God’s grace through faith in Christ alone, who died and rose again for the forgiveness of sins. Many of the Galatian church members were severely affected by the teachings of the Judaizers. So Paul said in verse 6, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel”.

Any gospel other than “salvation by grace through faith in Christ Jesus who died and rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures”, is a distorted gospel. Even today, many add to or subtract from the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ. There is a great need for us not only to preach the pure Gospel with clarity and zeal, but also to denounce the false gospels and their advocates.

Note that the apostle’s severe censure is not only for the false gospel message but also for its preacher. He said, “let him be accursed.” The word “accursed”, translated from the Greek word anathema, denotes a person given up to be cursed and destroyed. Indeed, those who preach another gospel are already given up to be cursed and destroyed. If we do not warn Christians about false teachers who shall arise and their false doctrines, many unsuspecting people can be misled to accept their false teachings and false ways.

Paul, the zealous champion of the purity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, warns us against believing and propagating any perverted form of the Gospel of Christ. May we be steadfast and true to Christ and His Gospel.

In Second Corinthians, Paul records for our learning how the brethren in Macedonia were motivated by love to spend and be spent. This record has an interesting background. While Paul was making his way through Europe, he made some effort to collect money for the hurting believers in Jerusalem. When he reached Macedonia, he announced the need of the fellow Christians in Jerusalem. What adds to the significance of this whole episode is that Macedonia was already an economically depressed area. It would be like encouraging some of the mission churches in poorer areas of the Philippines to support those in Ethiopia. This would be a strange appeal today! (Please read slowly and carefully the following words of Paul. Don’t skip even a word!)

“Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; how that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God” (2 Corinthians 8:1-5).

From the above report of Paul about the Macedonian believers, we can learn some important lessons about how we should practise giving:

Sacrificially: Macedonians gave sacrificially because they were giving out of their own poverty and not out of wealth. Take note of Paul’s report of their financial state when they gave towards the need in Jerusalem – “in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.” The Macedonian Christians did not even have enough to feed themselves, when they decided to put together whatever they could find in order to support the needy Jerusalem Church.

According to Paul, “beyond their power they were willing of themselves” to support the brethren. What else could this be but their sacrificial love for the need of the Jerusalem Church?

Generously: Have you noticed Paul’s words about the Macedonians that they “abounded unto the riches of their liberality”? The word, “abound” means “overflow”, and thus a reference to their availability to help and bless the needy. Theirs was not a stingy giving. They were not calculating, to say “Look, we are already poor, and moreover we have to give to our own church. So don’t expect us to make another big gift to Jerusalem.” There was not a penny-pinching man among them. On the contrary, they were liberal in their giving. How amazing!

Voluntarily: Though Paul announced the need of the Jerusalemites, he did not twist their arms behind their backs. Paul wrote: “I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.” It seems that Paul was so stunned by their liberality that he was unwilling to take their exceedingly generous gift. So they resolved to persuade Paul to accept their gift. They were very happy that they could minister to the need of the saints.

A little later in the same letter, Paul encouraged this spirit of voluntary spontaneity in our giving: “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).

Selflessly: When they gave, they were not giving to make a name for themselves. In fact, no name is mentioned in this passage. Paul did not even mention which of the Macedonian churches contributed to the need. A great proof of Christian giving is anonymity. Unselfish giving does not seek publicity, but prefer to remain anonymous. Jesus said, “But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth” (Matthew 6:3).

Obediently: The final lesson we learn through the Macedonian churches is that giving is a matter of knowing God’s will and obeying it – “And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.” According to the Apostle Paul, such an unexpected contribution was the result of the Macedonians’ sensitivity and obedience towards God’s will. The reason why some people groan and moan when it comes to giving is that they are not keeping close to the Lord to know His will. When a need in the Lord’s work is announced, they argue against it and express their unhappiness over such a call even before they take time to consider the matter and pray about it. On the other hand, those who keep close to the Lord and constantly seek to know and do His will, will joyfully make contributions to God’s work. This is not only true in monetary gifts but also giving oneself in service.

READ:

Romans 10:16

¹⁶ But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?

EXHORTATION:

The faithful, clear preaching of the Gospel will not necessarily result in its acceptance by the hearers. Even though a biblically sound message is preached by a godly, faithful preacher whom God has appointed, Scripture reminds us that hearers could still reject it.

The apostle Paul says without any hesitation, “But they have not all obeyed the gospel.” In Acts 28:24, concerning the response of the Jews who came to hear Paul expound the Old Testament Scriptures concerning the kingdom of God, Luke reported, “And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.”

The apostle Paul reminds us that the rejection of the preaching of the Gospel was not something peculiar to him alone when he referred to the prophet Isaiah’s lament, “Lord, who hath believed our report?” (cf. Isaiah 53:1). The expression “who hath believed?” is a Hebrew literary genre that emphatically expresses that only a few or even none had done what is mentioned in the phrase. Isaiah was very grieved that hardly any of his Jewish hearers believed what God had told him to prophesy about Christ.

The words “our report” indicate that the prophet had accurately communicated to the people the words which God had given him. The preacher’s greatest duty is to tell the people all that God has revealed with precision and faithfulness. He cannot alter his God-given message to suit the expectations or opinions of the hearers.

Just as the preacher ought to be faithful, the hearers ought also to be faithful to God. Faithful hearers would respond to faithful preaching with obedient faith. An unfaithful audience is the despair of every faithful preacher. The two verbs that Paul uses to denote the response of the hearers are “obeyed” and “believed”. Obedience is an inseparable feature of faith. The only appropriate and acceptable response of the hearers of the Gospel is their obedient faith. The reason why obedient faith is required from the hearers of the faithful preaching of God’s Word is because the message carries the authority of God.

Dear preacher, are you a faithful preacher of God’s Word? Dear hearer of God’s Word, do you obediently believe it?

READ:

Luke 9:24

²⁴ For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

EXHORTATION:

This statement of Jesus seems paradoxical in two aspects: “whosoever will save his life shall lose it”, and also “whosoever will lose his life … shall save it.” This seemingly paradoxical statement is also found in Matthew 10:39. In John 12:25, Jesus states it in an explanatory manner: “He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.”

So it is apparent that Jesus used the word “life” in two senses – firstly, life as pertaining to earthly life with all its sins, cares, ambitions, pleasures, etc; and secondly, life as pertaining to eternal life.

Thus Jesus was essentially saying, “If the desire and focus of your heart is to save your earthly life because of your love for its carnal pleasures, material glory and suchlike, then you will lose sight of the importance of pursuing your eternal life and will eventually lose your very soul in hell. But if you give up the carnal pleasures and material glories of your earthly life for the delight and pursuit of eternal life that Jesus offers, then you will have life eternal.”

Self-love and love for the world and the things of the world are ruinous to one’s soul. It prevents a man from setting his mind and his affection on Christ and eternal life. If a man, like the rich young ruler, loves and holds on to his earthly life and its glories, he will go away without eternal life.

It is important to take note that Jesus was not advocating that by simply giving up one’s earthly gains, one would have eternal life. Jesus has clearly said that eternal life is for those who “will lose his life for my sake”. In other words, the reason for giving up earthly life has to be for the pursuit of Christ. By giving up everything for charitable purposes would not grant anyone eternal life. The emphasis is on one’s total consecration to Christ, even at the expense of one’s physical life. So, if a man hates his material and carnal way of life and totally turns to Christ, he renounces the sinful, carnal pleasures and temporal glory, and shall thereby gain eternal life.

Christ calls all His followers to put Him first in their lives. Nothing should be given priority in one’s heart above Christ, if one is to be a possessor of the eternal life that Christ promises.

READ:

Mark 16:15b

^15b Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

EXHORTATION:

Christ’s commission to His apostles gives the Gospel work a global scope. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is to be offered to the whole world. It must be extended beyond all boundaries, divisions and classes. The whole world is to be reached with the Gospel. When it comes to our commitment to spread the Gospel, it should not be subject to limitations of country, or distinctions of culture, or barriers of ethnicity, or restraints of language. We are commissioned to preach the Gospel to “every creature”. Wherever there is man, Christians should attempt to bring the Gospel. Our Lord has commanded us to constantly expand our vision for the Gospel outreach. It is gross disobedience to limit our attempt to spread the Gospel beyond our region. We must be ever ready to forward the Gospel to new frontiers. No one who takes the words of the Lord seriously can remain passive about the global advancement of the Gospel.

Christians must know that they are commissioned by their Lord and Saviour to be wholly involved in the global movement for the Gospel. They must join forces, as God has enabled them, with the rest of the church to send forth the Gospel everywhere. Not every Christian is called to be an evangelist or missionary or preacher. However, every church and every Christian must joyfully yield to advance the Gospel across the world.

The preaching of the Gospel is the greatest work that Christ has entrusted to Christians. Therefore, all true Christians must enthusiastically give themselves to make Gospel-preaching a worldwide movement. It must be their joy to be part of the Lord’s grand plan for redeeming sinners and gathering them as His saints for the eternal celestial home which He is preparing. The apostle Paul asks us, “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:14-15).

Our Lord says to us, “Go”. Will we then answer Him, “No, we will stay back or hold back”? Our Lord’s charge is that we must always be committed to spreading the Gospel. Let us arise then and go to preach the Gospel to the uttermost part of the world. Let us do our part for global evangelism.

READ:

Psalm 27:10

¹⁰ When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.

EXHORTATION:

It is possible that a Christian may be abandoned by his parents. Such tragic scenarios do happen in real life. In fact, Jesus had warned of such betrayals: “Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Mark 13:12-13).

David had, on occasion, felt forsaken by his own household. This we see in Psalm 69:8, “I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother’s children”; and in Psalm 31:11, “I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me.” Is it not also true that our Lord Jesus Christ “came unto his own, and his own received him not” (John 1:11)? Likewise, the apostle Paul lamented in 2 Timothy 4:16, “At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me”.

This shows how vain it is to put our trust in man, “for vain is the help of man” (Psalm 60:11; cf. Psalm 108:12). Indeed, “Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help” (Psalm 146:3). Even in times of need, it is best to wait upon the LORD. Craving for man’s help may not only end up in disappointment, but even peril at times.

Nonetheless, when men forsake us, be assured that “the LORD will take me up.” Men may hate us, but God shall show us His favour. We may be forsaken by all, but God shall have mercy upon us. “Forsaken by man, but favoured by God” has often been the experience of God’s children.

Let us not doubt the LORD’s favour upon all who trust in Him. The LORD declares in Isaiah 49:15, “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.” Are you perplexed that none of your nearest and dearest is by your side to comfort and strengthen you? Are you dismayed that all have forsaken you? Like David, stand in the promise of God’s unchanging presence. He is our very present help in our trouble (Psalm 46:1). The LORD is sure to help us, even though our natural parents may fail to render their support. God is our succour when others fail us.

READ:

Proverbs 3:12

¹² For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

EXHORTATION:

The Scriptures often ascribe a paternal relationship to the LORD’s dealings with His people. In the text for today’s devotion, the LORD’s corrective measures are depicted as those of a loving father. The idea of God’s paternal correction is evidently taken from Deuteronomy 8:5 – “Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.”

Like a father, the LORD corrects us. The Hebrew word for “correcteth” has also been translated in the King James Bible as “reprove”, “rebuke”, “reason”, “chasten”, etc. It refers to verbal corrections, as well as the applying of physical disciplining, like “the rod of correction”. These are the providential interventions of the LORD in our lives to stop us from continuing in our errors and to turn us back to the path of righteousness.

Such “corrections” are the corrections of love. Certainly, corrections can be painful experiences. However, they are necessary actions of His love. They are not meant to repel us from God, but to draw us closer to Him. The LORD’s corrections are marks of His paternal love for us. Every son in whom the LORD delights, He will chastise.

The LORD’s chastisements are not irrational outbursts of an offended and angry heart. “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities” (Psalm 103:8-10). He does not take pleasure in afflicting us. In Lamentations 3:33, it is said, “For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.” So when the LORD chastises, He does it out of the necessity for correction which His justice and holiness demands. He does so, not as one who takes pleasure in the miseries of men, but as one who yields to a painful necessity. Moreover, though the LORD may severely chastise us, He will not be cruel. When He chastens, He mitigates its severity with tenderness. He will not keep His anger forever against His people. The actual purposes of His chastening are to bring about the fruit of repentance, holiness and blessedness. God has many gracious and blessed purposes when He chastises us. So, like grateful sons, let us yield to His chastening willingly.