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The Christian, being a disciple of Jesus, is a learner, a
gatherer of knowledge about Him, His life and teaching and
its influence on the lives of people and to share that knowledge
with them. He takes in to give out. And the process is continuous,
life long, for there is always more to know about God and
more to see of the effects of faith in Him.
There is need then for an open mind, a willingness to be
taught, to discover new things or to see old things from another
perspective. We must beware of closed minds, of thinking that
what we know is complete and sufficient.
Jesus encouraged people to think, to be seekers after truth
about God and life and death. He used a teaching method, the
story to persuade people to think their way through to knowledge;
and to experience the benefits of a greater awareness of the
world around them.
He condemned the Pharisees' who thought that all wisdom had
been gathered up in their literature and law. They refused
to open their minds to remain Pharisees', separated ones,
separated from greater knowledge and final truth. Christians
can be like that.
The Christian faith is always growing and developing in its
enveloping of its thinking on everything that affects humanity.
God is always opening up new things to seeking minds.
He speaks to us through the Scriptures. His ordinary means
of conversation with us. Bible reading is integral to Christian
living, for the book has unfathomable riches. However much
is take from it there is always more available from a well
that never dries up. The evangelist C.H. Spurgeon said, "Nobody
ever outgrows Scripture, the book widens and deepens with
our years."
This, because the Bible is the most thought-suggesting book.
None other deals with such grand themes together. In it the
unlearned may obtain all essential knowledge and the learned
may discern their ignorance of much of what should be known.
It is essential to let the Bible speak for itself; to read
and study it for oneself. But sharing is of the essence of
the faith and to share thought with others on what we read
is beneficial to us. That is why we have daily Bible reading
notes, Bible commentaries and Bible classes. It is the reason
why in the worhsip of God we have a place for the reading
and exposition of the Scriptures. The sermon is a preacher's
thinking on a passage of the Bible and his task is to consider
with his congregation the implications of what the Bible says
on what matters to people. It is to the grievous loss of the
church if "the preaching of the Word" is not treated
as seriously as it should be. It is often by "the foolishness
of preaching" that God speaks loudly, clearly and convincingly
to people.
The church has been at its best when the emphasis has been
on preaching and when by it people were brought to faith in
Christ or strengthened in their faith in Him. It was ever
so for from the beginning the sermons of the Apostles produced
growth in the church, and a greater and deeper devotion to
Christ with more active witness to the value and purpose of
Christian living. Preaching and prayer, Prayer is essential
in the Christian's faith and life. It is in its several forms
the means of contact, constant, continuous and effective with
God. It is the voice of faith. The earthy Rabbie Burns thought:
"They never sought in vain that sought the Lord aright."
Paul advised people, "Don't worry over anything whatever;
tell God every detail of your needs in earnest and thankful
prayer and the peace of God, which transcends human understanding
will keep your hearts and minds as they rest in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4:8. Prayer is not eloquence but earnestness;
the feeling of helplessness and the expectations of help from
God to overcome one's difficulties. Abraham Lincoln was thinking
about that when he said: "I have been driven many times
to my knees, by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere
else to go. My own wisdom, and that of all about me seemed
insufficient for that day."
"We kneel, how weak we rise, how pull of power.
Why, therefore, should we do ourselves this wrong. Or
others - that we are not always strong, That we are
every overborne with care, That we should ever weak
or heartless be, Anxious or troubled, when with us is
prayer, And joy and strength and courage are with Thee?"
Canon Dr. S.E. Long
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