As a pastor one of the things that blesses my heart the most is when people that I’ve invested my life into continue to walk with the Lord. It gives me great delight to hear that my children continue to walk with the Lord. This was the apostle John’s greatest joy as well. In both his 2nd and 3rd epistles he comments on the joy he experienced when his children walked with the Lord. In John’s 2nd epistle he writes to the elect lady regarding her children, “I rejoice greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father. And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I write a new commandment to you, but that which we had from the beginning: that we love one another”,(v.4,5 NKJV). In the 3rd epistle John writes, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth”,(v.4 NKJV).
John is writing these letters because He wants his children to walk in the truth. This means we need to obey the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ and to permit the truth of the gospel to control every area of our lives. Walking in the truth is the idea of walking in obedience. So when John is referring the elect lady’s children in 2nd John or referring to his own children in 3rd John the idea is for them to walk in the truth by following God’s will and following God’s Word. What’s interesting is the phrase in the 2nd epistle where John states, “some” of your children are walking in the truth. The word “some” implies that not all were walking in the truth.
This is not only a burden on a pastor’s heart, but it is a burden on a parent’s heart when our children don’t walk with the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, when our children choose not to follow the Lord by walking in the truth, there are all kinds of consequences that go along with that decision. Walking with the Lord results in true character being developed in our lives. Having a character grounded in Christ results in healthy choices, healthy choices then result in positive consequences. People often have terrible life circumstances and consequences because of bad choices that they’ve made, which are a result of character deficiencies stemming from not walking with the Lord. It is the Lord Jesus who can so completely transform our hearts and lives. Believe me I know that statement is very true. So this concept of walking with the Lord is profoundly significant and important. To experience the presence of the Lord with us in our daily walk is such an important life experience and one that I hope that you are experiencing every day. This Sunday in my message I will be talking about the need for us “to love the truth”, (2 Thess.2:8). That is a critical walking with the Lord Jesus Christ.
I’ve had the privilege of discipling a good number of folks during my ministry here at New Durham Chapel. 2019 was a difficult year for me personally as a good number of people that I had invested time and energy into moved out of the area. But it delights my heart when I hear that those that I’ve had the privilege of discipling are continuing to serve the Lord wherever they may end up. Some time ago I received an e-mail from one of our Indian brothers whom I had discipled, and he is now serving the Lord in Japan. It gave my heart great joy to know that the investment of my time and energy into his life was now making a difference for eternity in some other place. All of this has to do with each of us walking with the Lord and staying faithful to Him in our service for the Lord Jesus Christ. Be a blessing to your Pastor’s heart and keep on walking with the Lord Jesus Christ, wherever you may be.
Walking with the King,
Pastor Rich
Comments