Sermon on 10 July 2022 by Ps Gaius
Introduction
When we hear the phrase “walking with God”, we think of two characters in the Bible. One of them was Enoch. It was the first time the bible mentioned someone “walking with God”.
When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him. – Genesis 5:21-24
The bible did not mention that Enoch died, just that he disappeared. In Genesis chapters 5 and 6, the bible sets out the generations from Adam to Noah who were blessed. Enoch’s lifestyle pleased God. Therefore let us learn how to live a life that pleases God.
By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. – Hebrews 11:5
Noah was also a person who “walked with God”. Noah lived during the days when the people were sinful. Only Noah remained righteous. He drew close to God.
But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God. – Genesis 6:8-9
These two characters teach us that when we walk with God, we have communion with God. When God created Adam and Eve, He intended for them to walk with God. God desired to walk with the people He created. However, when there is sin, the communion is broken. Just like Adam and Eve who hid themselves from the presence of God, when we stop communicating with God, is it because we have done things against Him?
And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. – Genesis 3:8
Message
How do we walk with God?
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? – Micah 6:8
When we do things, we should do them out of love and we should walk humbly with God. To the Lord, humility is very important. When pride sets in, there is downfall.
Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” – 1 Peter 5:5
Peter was telling those who were younger to be subject to the elders. The younger people could have been unwilling to listen to the advice of elders. This is not very different from present times. Peter reminds us to have humility toward one another. Humility is not showing others that we are weak. When Jesus was on the cross, He could have easily sent angels to deal with those who were against Him, but He stayed humble and followed the will of God. We hope that when we are humble, it changes those who are against us.
Servants clothe themselves to serve others. We have to use the blood of Jesus Christ to cover us. God gives us everything we need, including the success we have at work and at home. It is to draw people closer to God. If we are proud, we claim credit for His blessings; we do not glorify God.
God gives grace to the humble. Any time we are in difficulty, God shows grace along the way. It may be a difficult week next week – you may still have sickness, you may face troubles at work, but stay humble, have faith that God will bring you through the challenges.
Submit to one another. God intends for us to be loving to one another.
submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. – Ephesians 5:21
Those with authority should live by example. When we have the responsibility to take care of the sheep, we should be subject to one another willingly.
not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. – 1 Peter 5:3
Peter was one of the disciples who went through a lot with Jesus.
So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: - 1 Peter 5:1
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, - 1 Peter 5:6
What is our walk with God? When we walk according to the Holy Spirit, there is no condemnation.
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. – Romans 8:1
If we walk by the Spirit, we will not walk by the flesh. We will be recognized by the fruits of the Spirit.
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. – Galatians 5:16
Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. – Matthew 7:20
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. – Galatians 5:22-23
A proud person is not gentle.
If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. – Galatians 5:25
What is our direction? Let God set our direction right, in complete alignment with Him, so that we can truly walk with Him.
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. – Matthew 7:13-14
Walking with God is not an easy path; it is a narrow road. Check your lifestyle. If the way is easy, alarm bells should sound. This way does not lead to God. We need brothers and sisters around us to keep us in check. The Lord has blessed them with the courage to remind you what is wrong with your life. Your first response may be anger. But allow the Holy Spirit to prepare your heart. When the prophet Nathan told David he did wrong, David accepted it and acknowledged his wrongdoing. To go far, let us do it together. It is not by chance that we are here together. God has placed us here.
Closing
May we remain in communion with the Lord. Let us continue to submit to one another, as we submit to the Lord. Let us be humble. Let us always align ourselves with the direction that God has set for us. Let us build one another up in love, in Christ.
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