BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING
By Lay Pastor Budy Avianto
LemahPutro, Sunday, July 7, 2019
Shalom,
May our hearts always be filled with thanksgiving and praises to the Lord like David; even when he was cornered, he still praised God and believed that God would deliver him from the ferocious enemy that was lurking like a young lion, ready to devour him (Psalm 17:1-13)
Likewiseis Paul. In his epistle to the Colossians, as we also read today, he encouraged them to live in peace and love one another even though he had never met them directly because he was jailed. His epistles are always begun and ended with “Grace to you and peace from God the Father be upon you” (Romans 1:7, 16:24; 1 Corinthians 1:3, 16:23; 2 Corinthians 1:2, 13:11; Galatians 1:3, 6:18 and so on). If we read in detail, we can find Paul wrote his greetings up to five times to end the Colossians epistle (Colossians 4:10-18)
Application: Good times and bad times may happen in our life. But that’s not the excuse to let the peace go away from us, for we have obtained the greatest and irreplaceable blessing that is eternal salvation.
When was greeting launched in the New Testament? It took place when Jesus called, chose and sent the disciples to preach about the Kingdom of Heaven. They were sent not empty handed, but were equipped with authority to heal and to cast out evil spirits (Matthew 10:1). They needed no provision during their journey nor got disappointed if their greetings were rejected (vv. 7-13)
Application: As we have received the authority from God free of charge, we are obliged to bless others free of charge too without any self-interests or ulterior motives. We should not worry about the provision for God will give rewards to those who labor. Don’t hesitate to greet others first for God commands us to do so. We will not lose anything if our greetings are rejected because the blessings will return to us. After all, we have received heavenly blessings (Ephesians 1:13) like salvation, Holy Spirit with His greatest power (1John 4:4), authority, life prolongation, etc.
What is the requirement of a disciple that Jesus asked? To love one another as He has already loved us (John 13:34-35). Remember, if we have been called and chosen to be His disciples, it’s not because we are good, for no one is good. It’s all because of His grace (Romans 3:10-12). Our Teacher has set an example for us, soas His disciples, let’s go out to serve and bring peace–not as slick talks, but out of genuine love.
What is the purpose of our being sent to distribute greeting/shalom? God chose Mary, the virgin, among many,to receive the greeting; however, she didn’t understand the meaning of that greeting. God chose her to bear baby Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:28-34; Matthew 1:18). Though she didn’t understand, she didn’t keep that greeting for herself; instead, she went to her relative, Elizabeth, and gave her the greeting (Luke 1:36, 39-40). When Elizabeth accepted the greeting, the baby in her womb suddenly rejoiced and she was filled with the Holy Spirit (v.41). Someone who receives greeting will praise God from his mouth (v. 42-45). It was obvious that the purpose of giving greetings is to glorify the Lord. Just like when He gave shalom to Mary and she relayed it to Elizabeth, then the glory of God was revealed.
Shalom/greeting is given not only to someone (Mary), but also to many people so that the Lord is glorified more and more. Example: when Paul went to Jerusalem to visit James, he greeted him and also all the elders who were there and told them about what God had done to the Gentiles whom he had been serving. Having heard that news, they glorified God, not Paul (Acts 21:18-20).
Beware not to steal the glory of God who is the source of our blessings! The Lord is truly willing to use us in various ministries; however, we should not become the focus that may lead others to consider us the giver of the blessings and ends up in idolatry. The Lord has blessed us with eternal salvation and also other kinds of blessings; hence He requires us to become blessings not only to individuals but also to the community so that all people know who the true Giver of the blessings is.
In his epistle tothe Romans, the Apostle Paul wrote greetings to many people and encouraged them to also give greeting to one another, with a holy kiss (Romans 16: 3-16).
Application: We, who have already received blessings from God, shall greet one another in genuine love, not in hypocrisy –we put smile on our face, but hatred is in our hearts. That’s why Jesus rebuked the Israelites who praised Him with their mouths but their hearts were afar (Matthew 15:8-9). By giving loving greeting, the receiver would also be filled with the love of God that has been experienced before by the greeter.
Paul’s epistles in the New Testament are filled with greetings in the beginning and in the end. That means greetings should be uttered all the time and Paul was consistent concerning this. We should not be inconsistent over time –having repented, we were so zealous in loving God, but as life is facing ups and downs, then we are losing the shalom. The twelve disciples were called, chosen and blessed to become blessings. But having following Jesus for three years, Judas Iscariot greeted others with his mouth, yet his heart was seeking a reward. In the end, for the sake of thirty pieces of silver, he be trayed his Teacher and sold Him to the chief priests (Matthew 26:14-16). Judas kissed Jesus not as the sign of love, but the sign to arrest Him instead (v. 48). Though the other eleven didn’t sell Jesus, but they ran away when Jesus was arrested (v.56). It includes Peter, the most senior disciple, who denied Jesus up to three times (Matthew 26:69-74), even though previously he boldly said that he was ready to die for Jesus (Matthew 26:35).
Implication: If we have had shalom and have been blessed with a reconciliation with God, then afterward we keep a distance from Him, that will make us a sinner again and it will get worse if we dare to deny Him, the blessing Giver. Remember, the wage of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Sins will make us sluggish in our prayer, in reading and listening to the purifying Word of God.
It is obvious that sin is a separating wall between God and us, and it makes Him hide His face fromus (Isaiah 59:1-2). However, He still loves us, and there is no such thing as too late if we are still willing to listen to the Word of God. His mercy and forgiveness are still there for us.
Even after Jesus was betrayed and rejected by His disciples, it was His own initiative to find them after He resurrected. He gave peaceto the disciples who fearfully hid and locked themselves in a room (John 20:19).
Whatever problem we are facing that causes us worry to face the future, as long as we are willing to listen to the loving Word of God, we still have hope and strength to go through it. The problem is whether we are willing to be like Peter, who regretted his wrong doing and returned to the loving God (1 John 4:8). In fact, when a man fell into sin, it was God who tried to find him and it was us who turned away from Him for we don’t have such love. Love only comes from Him (v.7). His death for us is the evidence (John 3:16).
Jesus is the perfect example who was sent by the Father, giving us His peace and then He sent us (John 20:21,26) after we have been reconciled with God. Therefore,let us not stay sinning that makes us lose the peace (shalom).
When did God give us shalom/greetings? It was when we were still weak because of sin and then He offered peace and died for us. We were reconciled by God through the death of His Son (Romans 5:6, 8, 10-11)
Peter denied the Lord three times, but Jesus was willing to bear Peter’s sin and offered him three folds love and peace. Beware, if we know Jesus but denied Him before man, He would also denied us before the Father (Matthew 10:33). Peter realized the magnificence of God’s love and he wrote in His epistle “Greet one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen” (1 Peter 5:14).
God wants us to increase our thanksgiving to Him. The epistle of Colossians in the Pattern of Tabernacle isa description of the Altar of Incense that speaks about prayer and worship. Prayer and worship should become our breath –should be in us as long as we live –not limited with age, place, condition and circumstance. Thus, we can give thanks to Him, pray and bless others at all times. Personal prayer and intercessory prayer are fragrant incense that goes up and goes through the Veil into the Most Holy Place. And it really pleases God the Father.
Peace or Irene (Greek), Shalom (Hebrews) and Salam (Arabic influence) are the verbs of aspazomai (Greek) that could mean healthy, prosperous, tranquil and safe. So, when we give shalom / greet someone, it means we bring tidings of salvation and good health to that person. If he accepts it, he will praise and glorify the Lord.
To the Colossians, the Apostle Paul requested that his letter was not only read to the local congregation, but to also be passed on to the Laodiceans (Colossians 4:14-17). In other words, our greetings should not be limited to the people we know, but to anyone.
The epistles of Colossian and Ephesus were written by the Apostle Paul in 60 AD when he was jailed in Rome. Paul also mentioned Luke the doctor who wrote the Gospel of Luke (60 AD) and the book of Acts (±63-70 AD). They gave examples about greeting one another. We also need to follow that, relaying the peace greetings to everyone starting from our own family (Acts 2:46).
Introspection: Do we still have any family member who hasn’tbeen reconciled with God? While we are busy winning the souls outside, let’s also care for the souls inside our household!
Paul ended the epistle of Colossians with a greeting written by his own hand though his hands were handcuffed. (Colossians 4:18). He didn’t ask to be pitied even though he was facing execution; that could only happen because his heart had already been reconciled with God. Previously he was a ferocious murderer (Acts 8:1-2; Timothy 1:13) who was supposedly not eligible to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven (Revelation 22:15); however, his life was totally changed to be a militant follower of Jesus after his encounter with the Lord who sought him (Acts 9:3-5). All of his iniquities and sins had been reconciled and redeemed and the impact is he didn’t make a fuss about his imprisonment, and he didn’t even ask others to pray for his release from jail.
We have received the greeting of peace and salvation from the Lord, but let’s not feel content. We should keep spreading the greeting of peace to anyone starting from our family, in any circumstance–free in the abundance of blessings or chained in sufferings –so that they may also receive the heavenly blessings. Let’s not be selfish by sharing our blessing to bless others! Amen.
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