BECOMING MY BROTHER’S KEEPER

SERIES:                                 THE BODY OF CHRIST, (THE CHURCH)

AIM:                      KNOWING, UNDERSTANDING AND RELATING RESPONSIBILITY

WITHIN IN THE BODY OF CHRIST.

MESSAGE:          BECOMING MY BROTHER’S KEEPER

TEXT:                     GENESIS 4:-15.

THE CHURCH

The English word Church has its origin in the word ‘Koriakos’ which means belonging to the Lord. The Greek word for it is ‘EKKLESIA’ which is a compound of two Greek words namely ‘Ek’ (out of) and ‘Kaleo’ (to call), altogether meaning ‘called out ones’. The Church therefore is a meeting, community or assembling of distinct people who have been set a side for the specific purpose of the caller, Christ.

The Church is a Holy Nation (1 Peter 2:9) called to bring forth fruit meet or worthy of repentance (Matthew 3:8, 21:43). It is a saved righteous nation which keeps alirite truth (Romans 10:20, 21, Isaiah 65:1).

OFFERING AND SACRIFICE.

Credit goes to Adam and Eve for teaching distinction and imparting upon their children Cain and Abel the necessity and wisdom of appearing before God with an offering (Genesis 4:3). We each should occasionally or regularly make a point of bringing special offering to God. This offering ought to measure up in all round way to God to whom we are bringing it, taking into account the leading of the Holy Spirit and also one’s ability to give it. This is important (to know) because God is not obliged to receive any offering we offer to Him. He receives or rejects an offering based on our obedience to His Command, standards or adherence to His word or His instructions.

Below are some of the sacrifices in the New Testament which we should offer to God

(i)                                    Your body “I urge you brothers in view of God’s mercy to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God” (Romans 12:1). Our bodies should be availed to God as living and active instruments in the execution of God’s work, with gratitude in our hearts because of the forgiveness of our sins. We should daily lay a side our desires in order to follow Him, putting all our energy and resources at His disposal and trusting Him to guide us. The Christian life begins with total commitment and  an irrevocable offering of our bodies as instruments of manifesting the righteousness of God. This involves our heart, mind and will. Christ’s sacrifice is an example to us. Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5:1,2). Our commitment to God and His courses should be absolute and never wanting even in the face of real danger or perceived as God’s imitators our sacrifice should be motivated by love.

(ii)              Meeting the needs of God’s servants and fellow saints

“I have received everything in full and have received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice well pleasing to God. And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 4:18, 19, see also Leviticus 7:12-15). Paul the Apostle having received the Philippians gift invokes God’s blessings upon them. Be shrewd, seek for, and seize such opportunities when they pop up.

(iii)            The sacrifice of praise

“Through Christ…let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God,…the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name” (Hebrews 13:15). One of the greatest gifts that God gave to man is the capacity to communicate effectively, especially through the tongue (the verbal mode of communication). The lip is a very powerful organ or vessel in whatever area you apply it. The bible calls the tongue a fire which can set the whole course of ones life on fire it self being set on fire by hell. It is a restless evil full of deadly poison (James 3:6). The tongue is a unique organ with which one can bring a curse on men or sing praises to God. I caution you to be ware of the tongue. It can destroy in a moment what you have painstakingly built over the years. I urge you to summon all your faculties of spirituality, faith in God, wisdom, knowledge and understanding before you engage faculty of speech, but best of all use  the tongue it to praise and worship God on a continues basis.

One’s spiritual standing is critical in sacrifice and offerings for the acceptability of the same. God’s spirit and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth. (John 4:24). “By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous” (Hebrews 11:4). Our sacrifice to God should not first be treated as mere formality but rather an active, deliberate and consciously given sacrifice which is in conformity with God’s spiritual nature and made in Christ’s name.

THE CHALLENGE OF RELATIONSHIPS (Colossians 13:12-17).

When Cain’s sacrifice was rejected scripture says that he became very angry and his facial expression changed became sullen. The spirit of anger drove Cain into a state of resentfulness, gloom and withdrawal and silence. A terrible disposition for the devising of wicked plans “Why are you angry” (Genesis 4”6) God asked Cain. When anger comes be aware that you have one very important definite responsibility to undertake (first and foremost,) that of dealing with that anger and pacifying (calming it) quickly before it takes control of you and make you its instrument of destruction. “Starting a quarrel is like breaching (opening) a dam so drop the smatter before a dispute breaks out” (Proverbs 17:14). The first question to ask is ‘Why am I angry?’ It is important that you rationally (logically, reasonably) identify the reason behind your anger and fully address it. For Cain it was giving an offering inappropriately which lead to rejection, jealousy, anger and dejection. In other words the events that lead to this situation were of his own making. Not everyone who is angry has a good reason for being angry, matter of fact the vast majority don’t. The point of getting angry is the same point when sin is crouching (lying, in wait, squatting) at the door, waiting to take hold of you and commandeer you to destruction. It is a moment of temptation assault, when the entrance demon is ready to take possession of you. Anger is a doorway to demons so you just must master anger and not vice versa…“anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment (guilty before court) again…anyone who says to   his brother, Racal (idiot, empty headed, vain, (a word of utter contempt which indicates lack of respect, or to despise) shall be guilty before the supreme court (Sanhedrin) and whoever shall say ‘you fool’ (cursed, stupid, silly, dull, morally worthless) shall be in danger of hellfire” (Matthew 5:22). An outrageous utterance is even worse than being angry in God’s eyes.

Sad to say, Cain lost his battle with jealous anger. In verse: 9 God asks him ‘Where is your brother Abel?” an indication that we bear some measure of responsibility over relations and people God has stationed among or around us. We are by divine appointment, keepers of our brothers.

“If a man is caught in any trespass you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, each one looking to yourselves lest you too be tempted” (Galatians 6:1). Every temptation and fall (into sin) has a very powerful spiritual dimension behind it and so it should never be addressed with superficiality (shallowness) or carnality if you want to avoid an inevitable disaster. Assault demons live around every trespasser to keep them captive and sink them deeper into sin. Snatching or restoring such a soul therefore requires the deep spirituality by the spiritually schooled members of Chris’s body. Spirituality is critical for every effective Christian ministry or service and it is only the spiritually knowledgeable and prudent (acting with due care and gentleness) who can rescue a fallen soul.

“Bear one another’s’ burden and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2, Romans 15:1, 8:2). The law of Christ is a life giving spiritual principle, an indication that everywhere a spiritual person is, the life giving spirit is always in action. We are on earth on purpose; to change the spiritual equation of our habitations and nations God-ward (Matthew 8:19-20), “Because through Christ Jesus the law of the spirit of life (has) set… (us)…free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2).

LOVE THE CHIEF MOTIVATING FACTOR

“Since God chose you to be the Holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tender hearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Make allowance for each others faults and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember the Lord forgave you. So you must forgive others. Above all clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony” (Colossians 3:12-12-14). The major driving force behind every Christian act ought always to love working through faith in Christ. This Love of God (agape) “…is patience, kind, not jealous or boastful or proud, or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable (not easily angered)…it keeps no record of wrong. It does not rejoice about injustice, but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up (protects), never loses faith (always trusts), is always hopeful and endures through every circumstance (perseveres), Love will last forever” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

CONCLUSION

As part of the universal body of Christ, we are called into following Christ Jesus the Head and Chief Priest of His body the Church, giving an effective worship to God while also living in harmony with other members of the body, under the banner of love on continuous basis. Our true concern for each other should not fail even if our brothers are in the wrong. The spiritual members of the body should endeavour to wisely restore such a soul, under the motivation of God’s Love. We must carefully watch how we communicate with what we say for or about each other because the consequences for such communications can have dire (severe, dreadful) consequences “Finally, brethren whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praise worthy – THINK ABOUT SUCH THINGS…and the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:8, 9). Amen!!!