“And they kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at even in the wilderness of Sinai: according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel” (Numbers 9:5).
TEXT — Numbers 9:5-23
Message
Thomas A. Kempis, German clergyman and writer of the famous book The Imitation of Christ has much to say about life and living. He says: “Without the way, there’s no going; without the truth, there’s no knowing; without the life, there’s no living.” It was Mr. A Kempis’ way of drawing men into the only path of life where truth and perfect knowledge are found: Jesus Christ of Nazareth. The path of truth is the path of obedience to which Kempis said, “Instant obedience is the only kind of obedience there is; delayed obedience is disobedience. Whoever strives to withdraw from obedience withdraws from Grace.”
As believers, we are called to instant and consistent gracious obedience because that is the perfect way to imitate Christ, who made Himself of no reputation but obeyed His Father, the Almighty God, even to the point of dying for the sins of humanity on the cross. In Numbers 9:5, the Israelites promptly obeyed God’s command given to Moses on the importance of observing the Passover.
The hallmark of Christianity is believers’ allegiance to Christ, who delivered us from the bondage and wages of sin through a great sacrifice. God shows us an example of abundant life through Israel’s instant obedience. As they were rescued from an overlord that had them in chains for decades, we have every reason to continue celebrating God after we have been saved from the horror and doom of sin and Satan.
God expects that throughout our lives, we will remember what He has done and keep a sort of Passover where He is lifted and our joy and hope of eternal life renewed. That will be a worthy tribute to the grace and mercy of God in our lives.
Thought for the day
Consistent obedience to God secures His consistent blessings.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
