2 Corinthians 4:13-15

¹³It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, ¹⁴because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. ¹⁵All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

Pinapaitan

         Whenever you celebrate your birthday, what food do you normally crave to eat? Have you tasted “Pinapaitan?” Literally, “Pinapaitan” means “add bitter.” Pinapaitan is usually goat or beef stew with bitter taste.

         My father was born and raised in the northern part of the Philippines. He cooked “Pinapaitan” to impress my mother but she rejected it. It smells and tasted bad to her. My mother was born in Romblon Philippines and never tasted “Pinapaitan” before. But few years later, my mother loved it.

         Have you ever had tasted a delicacy that you did not appreciate at first, but over time, you came to like it or even love to cook it? Do you like spicy food? People who like spicy food, would always crave for it.

         Many activities are not appreciated at first try, but after few attempts, they would enjoy it. Many people won’t readily appreciate exercise. But if they exercise regularly and see the benefit of exercise, they will continue to exercise regularly. Similarly, we frequently encourage everyone to tell about their personal experience with Christ. Some are still hesitant to testify.

         Together, let’s reflect on what Christ instructed us in John 15:26-27,  ²⁶When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. ²⁷And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.

         Take note that resistance is a natural reaction to instructions of God. Normally, we resist obeying the Lord. Christ declared that when the Holy Spirit comes, he will testify about him and we also must testify about Christ.

         The Spirit of Truth teaches us about Christ. He inspires us explore his love and grace. Practically, the power of the Holy Spirit activates our faith to openly speak about our personal encounter with Christ. He stimulates us to talk about our personal adventure with Christ. He inspires us to talk about our faith as affirmation we truly believe Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

1.  Believe

                        ¹³It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, 

         What is it that we believe? We believe that we received eternal life when we put our faith in Christ and trust that he already paid for the penalty for our sin. As practical proof that we believe, we speak about Christ.

         To have the same spirit of faith like Apostle Paul, we tell others about Christ. Apostle Paul exemplified that after he put his faith in Jesus Christ, he talked about Christ. He testified of his personal adventure with Christ. Several times, Apostle Paul recalled his personal encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus in Acts 22:6-10, ⁶About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. ⁷I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, “Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?” ⁸“Who are you, Lord?” I asked. “I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. ⁹My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me. ¹⁰“What shall I do, Lord?” I asked. “Get up,” the Lord said, “and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.”

         Apostle Paul was arrested in Jerusalem. And with permission from the commander of Roman soldiers, he told the people about his personal encounter with Jesus Christ. Interestingly, the instructions of the Lord to Apostle Paul was personal and his companion did not understand it.

         The Lord did not give all his instructions at once. He told Paul that someone will tell him all that had been assigned for him to do.

         Likewise, when the Lord gives us personal instruction, we can clearly understand it, but others may not have that privilege. The Lord won’t give all his instructions at once. He gives us one step at a time. When we obey the first step, the Lord will reveal the next step until we accomplish the mission purposes that he already assigned for us as testimony for Christ.

         Seriously memorize what it warns in Acts 1:8, ⁸But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses

         Witnessing for Christ is instantaneous result of receiving power from the Holy Spirit. The Holy affirms our faith in Christ. If we truly received the Holy Spirit in your life, he empowers us to testify about Jesus Christ.

         Knowledge about the Scripture is essential for study. Atheists study the Scripture and even memorize it, but believers have personal encounter with Christ. Pray to be empowered by the Holy Spirit. Certainly, you will be inspired to tell about your personal encounter with Christ without hesitation.

         The Lord has already prepared someone to listen to your testimony. Anyone around you could be potential believer. Always be aware with that.

2.  Be Aware

            ¹⁴because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. 

         What significant things should we be aware of as believers of God? Be aware that Jesus Christ was crucified and saved us from eternal torture. He resurrected into heaven, and we believe that he already prepared a place for each of us. As we wait for his return, we also prepared and store up treasures for ourselves. We believe that we will live with God forever.

         Telling others about our personal adventure with Christ is another great opportunity to store up eternal treasures. Why? We obey the Lord’s command to witness for Christ, and he will reward us for that. What else?

         When people hear our testimony, believe and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, we will meet them in heaven. Imagine when that day comes in heaven, and they’ll testify and proclaim about us and say, “Come, brother and sisters. I came to accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior when I heard this person testified about the Lord Jesus Christ.”

         When they hear their testimony about us, they will praise the Lord.

         Eternally, we will praise and thank God from empowering us to talk about Christ. Now, the more we testify about Christ, and the more people come to Christ through our testimony, the more believers will testify about what we did, the more we sense glorious joy, and of course, more rewards.

         Many religious people are kind and good. And they supposed that being kind and good to others will get them into heaven. But only by faith in Christ we enter heaven. Kindness and goodness is fruit of the Spirit. Being kind and good to others could be initial step to testifying about Jesus Christ.

         Testifying about personal adventure with Christ is necessary. Why? If we help others but we don’t talk about Jesus Christ, they may interpret that we belong to other religious groups that focus on helping others.

Job Application

         A new immigrant was processing documents for job application. He asked a lady for help. The lady helped him without hesitation. And the new immigrant was impressed of her kindness. After few encounters, she invited the new immigrant to attend church and introduced him to the pastor.

         The pastor quickly discerned what the lady wished for. He shared the gospel to the new immigrant. After few months of attending the church, the lady and the new immigrant got into relationship, and they got married after few years. It started as casual help, but it was a divine appointment for the new immigrant to believe in Jesus Christ. Marriage was a bonus for them.

         Casual activities can be divine appointment for someone to come to know Christ. We may encounter potential believers in any circumstance.

We could encourage believers to be active attending church again. Even Christians escape worship services when materialism overtakes them.

         How should we explain what it warned in Matthew 16:26? ²⁶What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?

         Practically, to have material things is much better than to have very little or nothing at all. If you have much money, you can buy whatever you want. If you have excessive financial support, you can travel anywhere. You can also focus on your favorite hobby or dream project, if you can afford it.

         Don’t waste your resources for anything that have no eternal benefit. Who said, “I’m afraid that I may excel at things that have no eternal value?”

Christ resurrected, and we are confident to be with him in heaven forever. Intentionally, we should spend resources for things that benefit us eternally.

3.  Benefit

            ¹⁵All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

         It’s by the grace of God that we are saved from eternal torture. It’s by the grace of God that potential believers can be saved also. When the Holy Spirit transforms us, we spontaneously testify for Christ. Potential believers may benefit from our testimony and believe Christ as their Lord and Savior.

         The mission purposes of Apostle Paul and his team was to reach out to the gentiles. They testified that they’re persecuted but they persevered by God’s grace at work in their life. Despite possible dangers, they gladly talked about Christ. Indeed, we can be troubled by difficult concerns. But with God’s sufficient grace, we gladly persevere in our mission purposes.

         It says in Ephesians 2:4-7, ⁴Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. ⁶And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, ⁷in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

         The phrase, “seated with him in heavenly realm,” is affirmation that the Lord has decided our eternal destiny in Christ. Since God has already decided our eternal destination, he won’t overturned anymore. When Christ returns, are you confident and have no doubt that you will enter heaven?

         How can we practically have firm confidence in our eternal destiny? We sense the presence of the Holy Spirit actively working in our life. How? We could enthusiastically speak about our adventure with Christ.

Musicians

         Have you read the testimony of a popular singer lately? He testified that his father was pastor of the church, and their family lived in the church parsonage. But after their father was forced to resign from the church and lost their home, his practice of faith in Christ was really tested.

         They faced enormous financial difficulty and challenges. He doubted his faith but didn’t lose belief in God somehow. Accordingly, some families who were opposed to their father planned how to get them pushed out of the church, and they vacated the house owned by the church. Someone was kind to them and rented a home for them for basically nothing.

         It’s sad reality, but whatever the reason could be, pastors will leave the church eventually. We may want to stay in one particular workplace, but God decides when mission purposes is completed or not yet. Pastors can struggle with bad circumstances. Anybody may struggle from difficulties.

         We don’t control our destiny. So, it’s best to rely upon the Lord Jesus Christ rather than dependence on connections. King David proved that if it is not within the will of God, dependence on humans may backfire.

         Reflect on what it narrated in 1 Chronicles 11:6-9, ⁶David had said, “Whoever leads the attack on the Jebusites will become commander in chief.” Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, and so he received the command.

            ⁷David then took up residence in the fortress, and so it was called the City of David. ⁸He built up the city around it, from the terraces to the surrounding wall, while Joab restored the rest of the city. ⁹And David became more and more powerful, because the Lord Almighty was with him.

         Joab was David’s nephew. He was useful as commander of Israel’s army, but many times, Joab disregarded King David. David was called the greatest king of Israel. Was he completely happy with his decision on how he chose the commander of Israel’s army? Was King David mistaken?

         David did not inquire of the Lord when he chose the commander of Israel’s army. God allowed that David committed mistake as lesson for us.

         Everyone has limitation and imperfection. We can commit mistakes also. We pray for stronger faith to rely more upon the Lord and diligently listen to his will. With the same spirit of faith, we can collaborate more gladly with one another and may we bring glory to Christ our Lord. Amen!

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