Date: 25-02-24
Preacher: Sister Esther Chu
Title: A Life that glorifies God
A Life that glorifies God
For her message this morning, Sister Esther Chu’s scripture references were taken from 1 Cor 10:23-24 and 31. Apart from verse 31 which had been quoted quite a few times by other speakers on the annual church theme, verses 23-24 were new additions. If you were to look at those 2 verses (23-24) alone I would say by themselves they make great guiding principles how we should lead our walk with Jesus.
Based on the 3 biblical references, Sister Esther distilled 3 points:
- Seek not for your own good
- Be a person who pleases God
- In all things edify people for the good of others
In elaborating some of the points above, much was focused on apostle Paul’s life where he was willing to stand for God despite the wrongs and sufferings inflicted on him.
Just before the end of her message, Sister Esther gave a hypothetical situation related to the kind of example a person who had known Jesus for some time should set to a young believer-in-Christ who looked up to him or her. The situation was when both paid a visit to the home of a non-believer who worshipped idols and then being host, invited the guests to eat the sumptuous food and fruits that had also been served as offerings to the idols. Sister Esther’s posed the question to the congregation asking who would eat, not eat or secretly eat. Of course, the third option was a light-hearted one, meant in jest.
According to Sister Esther, the yardstick to use was whether in carrying out the action of eating, you compromised your young believer’s fledgling faith. If your young believer looked up to you and what you did reaffirmed his/her faith in Jesus, then you would have done right by God. This would entail explaining why you did what you did at the home of the non-believer. It would mean either eating or not eating. For example, if the host specifically mentioned that the food served had been offerings to the idols they worshipped and the underlying message is to challenge your faith, then not eating would be the right thing to do. However, if the host did not say anything but was sincere to share a meal, then even apostle Paul says he would go ahead and partake.
It is great to revisit gray areas in our Christian beliefs occasionally. This would help clarify spiritual doubts which can ferment out of control if no truths are found. Needless to say, that is my gem from the message.
