by Mr. Francis D'Souza
Jesus the Real Vine’s theme for 2007 (10th Jan ’07)
2 Peter 3:18 - But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. (NIV)
Same words are used in six different versions of the Bible
Ladders in the Bible:
Jacob’s ladder
Genesis 28:12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway (ladder) resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
This theme is good not only for JTRV, but for every human being not only for a year but for a lifetime.
Forgiveness ladder
Matthew 5:44
But I say to you
Love your enemies [4]
bless those who curse you [3]
do good to those who hate you [2]
pray for those who spitefully use [1]
you and persecute you
Ladder of growth and maturity
2 Peter 1:5-8
faith
goodness
knowledge
self-control
perseverance
godliness
kindness
love
8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective & unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Synonymous words: Progress, growth, effectiveness, fruitfulness etc.
FAITH
Faith, perhaps, is mentioned first, because that is the foundation of all Christian virtues, and other virtues are required to be added to that, because from the place which faith occupies in the plan of justification, many might be in danger of supposing that if they have that they had all that was necessary.
• FAITH as a gift of the Spirit (1Cor 12:9),
• FAITH as a fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22),
• FAITH as a belief. Without faith it is impossible to please
• God says Hebrews 11:6 - Abraham was reckoned as righteous because of his faith Romans 4:3. Important as it is without being supplemented by other virtues it is dead. This becomes very clear when we see it in the light of James 2:14-26.
SO FAITH WITHOUT DEEDS IS dead.
JTRV’s endeavour to help the marginalized and the underprivileged through the Prem Aangan trust. Helping battered women, providing meals to the hungry, educating the poor through the NIOS, vocational training through tailoring classes etc. You can have a partnership in this work by your prayer, by your time getting involved in some way, and also by lending your financial support. By doing this you will be supplementing your faith with works (goodness). Also reaping the benefit of Matthew 12:40 …as often as you did it to the least of my brethren you did it unto me.
In this context ‘service’ and ‘goodness’ can be used interchangeably
GOODNESS (VIRTUE, MORAL EXCELLENCE)
- Goodness is mentioned in the list of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22). This is the character of Jesus. Acts 10:38 tells us that he went about doing good.
- The good that we do will have a ‘ripple effect’ and will certainly make this world a better place, free from selfishness, indifference, greediness etc.
- Our attitude should be “Ask not what the church can do for me rather we must ask what can I do for the church” if we want to be the ones who are seeking to supplement our faith with goodness.
- We must also tell our selves the following words “I will pass through this world but once, whatever good I can do to anyone let me do it now because I will never pass this way again.”
Goodness encompasses service and this is what one of the bank’s motto is “Serving to grow and growing to serve”
Consider the following:
DO ALL THE GOOD YOU CAN
BY ALL THE MEANS YOU CAN
IN ALL THE WAYS YOU CAN
IN EVERY PLACE YOU CAN
AT ALL THE TIMES YOU CAN
TO EVERYONE YOU CAN
AS LONG AS YOU EVER CAN
People can be unreasonable, illogical, self-centered;
Love them anyway.
If you do good, some will accuse you of selfish motives;
Do good anyway
If you succeed, you may win false friends and true enemies;
Succeed anyway
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow;
Do good anyway
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable;
Be honest anyway
What takes years to build may be destroyed overnight;
Build well anyway
Sinners don’t always want to hear the gospel;
Witness lovingly anyway!
Despite discouragement, being misunderstood, no reward or acknowledgement continue doing the good you are called to do. Remember, although the dog barks at the moon, the moon goes on shining.
A good example is the Church which inspite of all the accusations goes on serving the people and working for the upliftment of the downtrodden irrespective of caste creed or religion.
KNOWLEDGE
We need to be filled with knowledge because this will help in growing in goodness by being open to new ideas, methods and avenues. Knowledge will also facilitate the following:
Improvement: Hence we can work with greater effectiveness
Understanding: Doing the same things from day to day can become monotonous. When we understand we are doing it for the Lord we will not flag in our zeal. Routine tends to take a toll, but the knowledge that we are not serving man but God, will keep us from being eye-pleasers and perform effectively whether noticed or not. Our motives also will be purified.
Anonymity: A lot of good is not done because it matters who will get the credit. Acts 9:23-25 gives a beautiful account of people who embarked the greatest missionary Paul by lowering him in a basket thus saving his life from the people who were waiting at the gate to kill him. Their names may not have come down in the Bible, but their reward is assured in heaven.
Thus knowledge, which is the second rung of the ladder of maturity spurs us to excel in goodness, which is the first rung.
SELF CONTROL (TEMPERANCE)
The fruit of the Spirit will naturally have a positive influence on society and people could be drawn to you. This can lead to pride and thus bring about a downfall. To keep us in check the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to put Self control at the end of the list. Hence the relevance of Prov. 25:28 Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.
Lets also consider the following scriptures:
- 1 Cor 8:1-3 Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, (earlier step was knowledge) but love builds up. The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. But the man who loves God is known by God. NIV
- Isa 47:10 Your wisdom and knowledge mislead you when you say to yourself, `I am, and there is none besides me.' NIV
ENDURANCE (PATIENCE, PERSEVERANCE)
Fruit of the Spirit called patience (bear, tolerate, suffer)
We must endure because we will continue having problems and so the repeated attacks. Remember a battle may be finished but the war goes on.
Call to endure
Matt 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. KJV
Two frogs fell into a deep cream bowl/The one was wise, and a cheery soul; The other one took a gloomy view / And bade his friend a sad adieu.Said the other frog with a merry grin / “I can’t get out, but I won’t give in; I’ll swim around till my strength is spent / Then I’ll die the more content.”
And as he swam, though ever it seemed / His struggling began to churn the cream,
Until on top of pure butter he stopped / And out of the bowl he quickly hopped The moral you ask? Oh how easily found / If you can’t get out, keep swimming around!
The rabbit started fast
The tortoise hurried slow
But when the race was past
Endurance won the show
We are called to go it all the way
Acts 20:24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace (NIV)
- Injured Kenyan athlete who completed the grueling long distance race- “my country sent me here not to just start the race but to finish it”
Never give up (Jesus falls under the weight of the cross 3 times but each time he got up and moved on)
- We conquer by continuing
- Winners don’t quit; quitters don’t win
- Patience and perseverance can overcome mountains
Rom 5:3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; (NIV)
He who WAITS on the Lord will not be crushed by the WEIGHTS of adversity (ODB17 – Jan 18th)
Great endurance is essential to great achievement ODB 36 Oct 12th Carey’s response when he was told that the all the manuscripts, hard work of many years was destroyed in a fire.
Reward for endurance: 2 Tim 2:12 if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him,(NIV)
GODLINESS (religiousness)
What is a godliness : Piety (devotedness) reverence toward God (1 Tim 2:2). Godliness means more than religious profession and a godly conduct; It also means the reality and power of a vital union with God.
What godliness is not:
- Simeon Stylites, a 5th century monk, after being buried upto his neck in the ground for several months, decided to pursue godliness by living on top of a pole. He spent 30 years there.
- Another self-styled “holy man” developed a reputation for sanctity because he never changed his clothes or bathed after he became a hermit.
Goodness is not Godliness. Being good is not necessarily being godly. To be godly, though, is to be good.
2 Tim 3:5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them NIV
HOW TO BE GODLY:
- Being godly is a virtue we get by relying on Jesus
- Thankfulness is the secret of godliness
- Titus 1:1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God's elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness- NIV
Advantage:
1 Tim 4:8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. NIV
Cleanliness is next to godliness. (Preservation of nature)
BROTHERLY AFFECTION (BROTHERLY KINDNESS)
- Kindness is the fruit of the Spirit (compassion)
- Kindness is a mark of grace - Abraham Lincoln’s visit to the dying soldier in the hospital
- Kindness – A language the deaf can hear and the dumb can speak
- Samaritan kindness – no discrimination – Who is my neighbor – anyone in need. “The seminarians were all rushing and thus by-passed the ‘man in need’ because they had an important sermon to preach about the good Samaritan. “
LOVE (CHARITY)
1 Cor 13:1-3
- 1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
- 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
- 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. NIV
1 Cor 13:13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love NIV
Love is giving, forgiving, serving (feel affection for)
Show me a man who gives and I will show you a man who loves
Show me how much you give and I will show you how much you love
Love is giving for the world’s needs
Love is sharing as the Spirit leads
Love is caring when the world cries
Love is compassion with Christ-like eyes
LET US THEN KEEP GROWING AS OUR THEME FOR 2007 URGES US