My son Adrian
loves to watch cartoon movies. One day, as he was watching Lion King, my Lord brought my attention to Simba and preached to me a sermon on the lost identity of Christians in today churches. With His sermon, He called me out of Babylon (confusion caused by mixing law and grace) in an unexpected and a unique way.
Simba, the son of Mufasa, was destined to reign as king. As a young cub, he was prepared by his father for the day to take over the throne and rule the land. But because of Scar’s conspiracy in trying to lure Simba into a wildebeest stampede, Mufasa was killed in the process while trying to save Simba. Uncle Scar then led little Simba to believe that it was all his fault and that it would be best for him to leave the Pride Lands and never return. Scar
and his company put guilt on Simba and condemned him for his father’s death. The condemnation led him to flee from the Pride Lands and find himself in the company of gracious gang of a meerkat named Timon and a warthog named Pumbaa.
The bible says the law kills and the Spirit give life. The law justifies right doing, condemns wrong doing and condemnation brings death to life.
The condemnati
on from Scar had caused little Simba to lose his identity as a charismatic and majestic lion. He was a confused and a frightening young cub then. With the guidance of his newly founded friends, Timon and Pumbaa, they sang the famous song “Hakuna Matata” (means no worries) together in a gracious spirit. Simba matured into a young adult and with the help of Rafiki, a wise shaman baboon, Simba realized that his father's spirit lives on in him and that he must took his place in the circle of life and accept the responsibility of his destined role as king of the Pride Lands.
Rafiki’s affirmation and encouragement restored Simba and he returned to the Pride Lands and re-captured the throne from his Uncle Scar.
Condemnation from legalistic and self centered preaching has destroyed many Christians. A condemned Christian is weak, confused, blind and lost. Condemnation has made Christians lost their real identity. There must be a demonic conspiracy behind all this just like the conspiracy of Scar behind Simba’s life!
We are called church. The English word church derives from the Greek Κυριακή. The Greek term 'ekklesia' which is ecclesia, literally means "called out from or called out of". The church had been called out from Law by the finished work of Christ on the cross. Jesus fulfilled the law and nailed it together with Him on the cross. With revelation from the Holy Spirit, we ought to know that law has nothing to do with the church!
We are all sons and daughters of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of us who are baptized into Christ have been clothed with Jesus’ righteousness. Father God see us righteous because of the gift of Jesus’ righteousness and not because of our performance. When the truth of Father God’s prospective is not on our performance but on Jesus’ performance, how can we fail after we have received the gift of everlasting righteousness? We need faith to continue our living as a Christian but faith only comes by hearing, hearing by the word of Christ.
The word of Christ is Jesus Himself. The word of Christ is not law but grace. The word of Christ is gracious because He Himself is Grace. The word of Christ never condemns but imparts us with faith. If the preaching of the grace of our Lord and the gift of His righteousness are continuously being preached, that church will become a radiant church. Those who hear of this truth and receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness will surely reign in life.
As a born again Christian, called to be the sons and daughters of God, our real identity is in Christ Jesus.
loves to watch cartoon movies. One day, as he was watching Lion King, my Lord brought my attention to Simba and preached to me a sermon on the lost identity of Christians in today churches. With His sermon, He called me out of Babylon (confusion caused by mixing law and grace) in an unexpected and a unique way. Simba, the son of Mufasa, was destined to reign as king. As a young cub, he was prepared by his father for the day to take over the throne and rule the land. But because of Scar’s conspiracy in trying to lure Simba into a wildebeest stampede, Mufasa was killed in the process while trying to save Simba. Uncle Scar then led little Simba to believe that it was all his fault and that it would be best for him to leave the Pride Lands and never return. Scar
and his company put guilt on Simba and condemned him for his father’s death. The condemnation led him to flee from the Pride Lands and find himself in the company of gracious gang of a meerkat named Timon and a warthog named Pumbaa. The bible says the law kills and the Spirit give life. The law justifies right doing, condemns wrong doing and condemnation brings death to life.
The condemnati
on from Scar had caused little Simba to lose his identity as a charismatic and majestic lion. He was a confused and a frightening young cub then. With the guidance of his newly founded friends, Timon and Pumbaa, they sang the famous song “Hakuna Matata” (means no worries) together in a gracious spirit. Simba matured into a young adult and with the help of Rafiki, a wise shaman baboon, Simba realized that his father's spirit lives on in him and that he must took his place in the circle of life and accept the responsibility of his destined role as king of the Pride Lands.
Rafiki’s affirmation and encouragement restored Simba and he returned to the Pride Lands and re-captured the throne from his Uncle Scar. Condemnation from legalistic and self centered preaching has destroyed many Christians. A condemned Christian is weak, confused, blind and lost. Condemnation has made Christians lost their real identity. There must be a demonic conspiracy behind all this just like the conspiracy of Scar behind Simba’s life!
We are called church. The English word church derives from the Greek Κυριακή. The Greek term 'ekklesia' which is ecclesia, literally means "called out from or called out of". The church had been called out from Law by the finished work of Christ on the cross. Jesus fulfilled the law and nailed it together with Him on the cross. With revelation from the Holy Spirit, we ought to know that law has nothing to do with the church!
We are all sons and daughters of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of us who are baptized into Christ have been clothed with Jesus’ righteousness. Father God see us righteous because of the gift of Jesus’ righteousness and not because of our performance. When the truth of Father God’s prospective is not on our performance but on Jesus’ performance, how can we fail after we have received the gift of everlasting righteousness? We need faith to continue our living as a Christian but faith only comes by hearing, hearing by the word of Christ.
The word of Christ is Jesus Himself. The word of Christ is not law but grace. The word of Christ is gracious because He Himself is Grace. The word of Christ never condemns but imparts us with faith. If the preaching of the grace of our Lord and the gift of His righteousness are continuously being preached, that church will become a radiant church. Those who hear of this truth and receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness will surely reign in life.
As a born again Christian, called to be the sons and daughters of God, our real identity is in Christ Jesus.
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