Shammah Temple Fellowship: Sermon of February 25, 2024
By Pastor Alexis Muzuri
Theme: How can Believers be God’s preferred?
Reference scriptures: Romans 2:17 – 3:8
Every employee gets, after some time of work, an evaluation after their probationary period. If they are not laid off after some time, they are offered permanent employment. If their work is still accepted, they are offered promotions and eventually a pay increase. Spiritually, it is also similar as people who please God get a special treatment as God’s favorites. The more we live in God’s driven life, the more we are drawn closer to Him and get access to His immediate space.
What are the steps to being God’s preferred?
- Knowing God’s word
Reading the second chapter of Romans shows that Romans had both Jews and others from elsewhere who had been saved. He wanted to show both the groups that no matter who they are from their birth, what they need the most is to know the scriptures. For Jews, a 6-year-old child had to learn at least the 5 Mosaic books. Knowing the word of God helped them understand God’s will to their lives. They also became wiser, making their choices well-informed.
The first church led an exemplary life that respected God’s will because they kept on learning from the apostles’ teachings.
What do we benefit from the word of God?
a) It leads to knowing God better
“And [if you claim to] know His will and approve the things that are essential or have a sense of what is excellent, based on your instruction from the Law” (Romans 2:18).
b) It leads to true liberation
c) It leads us to becoming real children of God
- Leading a life transformed by the word of God
Living in Christ is always a life-changing experience. No one stays with Him in truth and stays the same, change is inevitable. You cannot ask people to change while you yourself have not changed – or are not changing in a way or another.
“Well then, you who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal [in ways that are discrete, but as sinful]?” (Romans 2:21).
- Not focusing on a denomination’s culture and avoid Godly ones
Circumcision was a cultural practice so widespread among the Jews. However, most of those people wanted to give it prime consideration and avoid God’s ways of living instead.
Most of todays’ trivial practices in different denominations take a place of what really matters: God’s commands.
In short, as Believers, we can be God’s preferred people if we prioritize God’s ways over our own denominations practices; if we know God’s word and if our lives are transformed by the scriptures.
