(Adapted from an assignment submitted for FEBC’s Life of Christ I course on 18th April 2006)
The following is my testimony of the lessons I have learnt from the course.
o God’s Word is the true and living Word.
We may be so familiar with God’s Word, yet it comes alive each time we apply our hearts to diligently search the Scriptures. No book in this world, no matter how much the world may acclaim it, cannot be compared to the Bible – the Book of books – which is the best Guide in life. I find that the more I study it and allow it to guide my life, the happier I am. Truly, my life has been richly blessed by this wonderful Book of life.
o Spiritual relationships are important.
When Jesus’ mother and family members wanted to speak to Him whilst He was teaching, He did not let them interrupt His ministry. They had to wait until He had completed His teaching ministry: “Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. 48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? 49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother” (Matt 12: 47-50).
Jesus would not allow anyone to distract Him from His all-important mission of doing His Father’s will. May we learn to be single-minded like our Lord – to devote ourselves wholeheartedly to His service.
o Learn from Christ, our perfect Example.
While He was on earth, our Lord Jesus Christ manifested a spirit of love, grace, meekness, humility and compassion. He taught His disciples to love their enemies and to pray for them: “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matt 5: 44-45).
Such was the grace of our Saviour that “when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously” (I Pet 2: 23). May we emulate our Saviour’s gracious example. By returning good for evil, we show that we are “the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil” (Lk 6: 35).
Let us also learn from our Saviour Who is the Teacher of teachers. He made use of simple illustrations to teach deep spiritual truths. He spoke many parables – of the sower and the seed, the wheat and the tares, the shepherd and the lost sheep. His hearers who were mostly farmers and shepherds could easily identify with the stories He told.
o Not all in our churches today are believers.
Jesus had many fickle followers who came to Him with different motives. Some merely wanted free food. Sadly, the same people who were fed by Jesus in the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 asked Him for signs: “They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?” (Jn 6: 30). Did not these people just witness an amazing miracle? But their hearts were hardened. Interested only in the material benefits that Jesus could offer, they wanted to make Him their king so that He could deliver them from Roman bondage. We are told in John 6: 66 that “from that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.”
The situation is similar in our churches today. Many so-called believers turn to Jesus, drawn by the “health-wealth” gospel, but they may not be truly saved.
Conclusion
I thank God for the many blessed lessons learnt during this course. May the Lord help me to apply these precious truths to my daily life and ministry.
– Sis Helen Wee