Beloved of the father, I thank my God through Jesus Christ our Lord for granting us privilege to consider few issues which are peculiar in the heart of God for us. I greatly desire that you shall be reached as we diligently look into the perfect law of liberty. The pursuit of Christ Jesus is a holy course which several persons have taken. Some even if they pursued, could not win Christ Jesus because of the various weights which have restricted them from triumphing. Some others have earnestly contended and Christ Jesus they won at last. However, even if they have won Christ Jesus, they are still in pursuit of other things. We shall consider the study before us under these headings
- Is there another after Christ?
- Jesus, not a means to an end
- Living by faith
IS THERE ANOTHER AFTER CHRIST?
The pursuit of vanity is what makes many a man think there are other things worthy of our attention after Christ Jesus has been won, not knowing that Jesus Christ is all sufficient. The hearts of many men have been given to things devoid of substance and meaning, to wit: they lack eternal relevance. Beloved I want you to this day know that there is no other relevant name, authority or knowledge after Christ.
For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 1 Cor 2:2 NIV
Looking closely at the scripture before us we shall discover that the beloved apostle was satisfied with the knowledge of Christ and wanted nothing more. We should also see that his decision for the knowledge of Jesus Christ alone was not spontaneous. It was a deliberate resolve he took. This implies that he was also faced with so many other issues but decided to settle for Christ Jesus alone knowing that there is no other after Christ. Once a man encounters the Lord, every other issue becomes unimportant because Christ Jesus is enough. Such an encounter renders your previous desires, agenda, or pursuit meaningless. The elders and fathers of faith who obtained a good report were no strangers to this encounter which immediately brought their personal ambitions to an end.
Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun. Eccl 2:11 NIV
It is sad to know that you still hold worthless things in high esteem and your focus is on vanity even after meeting Jesus. This matter became a weight in the heart of King David which made him pray with burden in this manner;
Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. Ps 119:37 NIV
Why is it that the things in which the psalmist was praying to get rid of are the same things you are earnestly chasing and wishing to posses? Several times, vanity makes us feel empty and see the need to amerce wealth and gather as much as we can whereas the man who has his eyes fixed on the Lord only, is at rest. Have u wondered why there’s so much emptiness in you even if you now posses Christ? It is because vanity has occupied your heart so much that you still look out for other worldly things which are of no eternal value. The patriarchs who ran before us knew that there was no other issue worthy of attention and fixed they their eyes only on the Christ Jesus our Lord. It is my sincere prayer this moment that God shall cause permanent hatred between you and worthless things. Let us rehearse a stanza of a hymn by Brother Isaac Watt;
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
How powerful is such an encounter that renders our desires and interest inoperable. If you still strongly hold your personal interest then you have not had this great encounter and you should immediately raise a prayer to heaven for this encounter.
What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ. Phil 3:8 NIV
The things which were considered rubbish by the disciples of Jesus Christ have become our greatest goal and assets. That’s why you can hardly sleep because you are strategizing on how to become the richest and most influential man. I consider this vanity! Satan, the enemy of our faith makes us chase vanity silently in our hearts and religiously make us not see anything wrong with it. All that exists in your heart now is marriage, success, promotion, prosperity, self improvement, and you are vigorously chasing it even without considering that your spiritual life and stand with God is shrinking away. I consider it vanity! But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. We must note that when God says “seek first”, it doesn’t mean there are other things to seek. It means, “Seek only”. Beloved I tell you the truth, the kingdom of God and His righteousness is the only thing we should aim and strive after.
I have now met God, but please God wait for me, there are yet some things I need to get. This is the state of mind of many. If God today gives you great riches, do you think you would be satisfied? You are not satisfied with possessing Jesus and you will never be satisfied when you possess wealth, success and intelligence. I know a man (King Solomon) that despite his meeting God; he still had other issues occupying his heart. He had international recognition, enormous wealth and several women to attend to the needs of his flesh. However, happiness was a scare resource in his house despite all he had. So we see him lamenting and speaking in great regret about vanity.
I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind. Eccl 1:14 NIV
Solomon described how you chase fame, money, educational degrees as a chase after the wind. Can a man catch the wind? I have never seen a man that was successful in chasing after the wind and catching it, that’s why even if you now have two degrees, cars, houses and lands, you still seem unsatisfied. This is because you can’t catch the wind. A man chasing the wind has no definite direction like the wind, that’s why today you are here and tomorrow there. Beloved please leave the wind alone and be satisfied with Christ Jesus for there is none after Christ. I pray today that you chasing shall for Christ Jesus alone be and not after the wind. Education, pleasure, humor, wine, projects, possessions, music and even wisdom couldn’t satisfy Solomon.
And I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who will succeed me. Eccl 2:18 AMP
You are vehemently pursuing vanity because you don’t understand that all these things shall be added to you. A preacher once said, “I hate poverty more than I hate satan” so we see him striving to acquire great possession. Jesus to him is not enough. If these things shall be added unto us, why then should we seek them? Again consider I this, vanity! So many persons even after encountering Christ are striving for recognition, relevance and vain glory, so we see them print bold adverts of themselves and blow their trumpets so high to be noticed and applauded of men. So many in course of pursuing vanity have made ship wreck of their faith and have quietly turned away from the master. Beloved, how long shall your heart be glued to vanity and momentary pleasure?
O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah. Ps 4:2 KJV
My prayer for you is that God shall save you from pursuing vanity and hold fast to Christ Jesus alone. Please pray along with me before we proceed.
As we proceed, I want you to know that there is no other authority after Christ. Many have surrendered to the authority of the world system. No other person has been approved for us to follow save Christ. Something very significant to us as Christians happened on the mount of transfiguration.
Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus on the mountain. Moses and Elijah were not ordinary men and they had great works standing to their credit. So when peter saw them, he quickly suggested that three tabernacles be built for Jesus, Moses and Elijah. Heaven interrupted immediately because peter was producing an offence. Beloved, a tabernacle is significant to the Jews as a sacred place of worship. Building three tabernacles there means placing Jesus, Moses and Elijah on the same platform or pedestal in other words seeing them as colleagues. While peter was still speaking, a cloud overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. Even if these men are great, heaven only recognizes the authority of Jesus Christ. I have heard people severally quote their pastors and spiritual heads on issues that are repugnant and inconsistent with that which Jesus preached. Some have built their faith around mortal men and permit me to remind you that there is none after Christ. Your pastor could be anointed but Jesus Christ is the standard. And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves. They saw only Jesus: this implies that Christ is all we need to see and acquire. Until u see Jesus alone and recognized that there is none after Christ your pursuit of vanity shall not cease. Some of us even try to practice some things which some prophets practiced which Jesus did not do. Remember how the apostles wanted to call down fire like Elijah but that was inconsistent with the ways of Christ. Many people spend all their time praying for the death of their enemies, did Jesus do that? I consider this vanity! There is no other doctrine save that which Jesus preached and you have all these years been given to doing it your own way. Please take it personal at this point and dethrone every other image, doctrine or authority save Christ Jesus our Lord.
Jesus, Not a Means to an End
I want you to know that, winning Christ is not an invitation to have continuous good times. The disciples of Jesus had nothing on their minds when they abandoned all and followed the master. This was so because Christ Jesus was enough for them and they were not bothered about other issues after Christ.
I have heard several preachers preach on marriage, success, promotion, prosperity, self improvement, popularity etc, and we hear them say; “if you want to enjoy this success, marriage, promotion, prosperity, academic excellence, favor, come and give your life to Jesus’’. And I see so many running to surrender to Jesus because of prosperity, success, marriage and several other things. They have used Jesus as a means to get other things. Let me at this point quickly inform you that satan can also give you all these things so if that is what you seek, there’s no need wasting your time, quickly join one occult group.
So many scientists, medical doctors, engineers, musician whom the world celebrates today had no bearing with Jesus because satan could give them all they need. So, if you have come because you want to have these things permit me to say to you that you have missed it. I had a classmate who is an unbeliever and always desired the big life. One day he attended a big convention and surrendered his life to Jesus. When we met, he was explaining to me that there were several rich men and influential people in that convention and the pastor said “if you give your life to Christ, you would be like this people”. Then he came out because he desires to be like those big men. He didn’t last one week in faith. Jesus Christ is not a means to an end. I have severally heard people say “give God a wonderful offering to attract your blessings”. So people no longer give to God for love and appreciation. They now give to God in order to get more
We shall consider few scriptures as we proceed in our study. Let us reflect on a very important account from John 6:24-60
Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.
When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?"
John 6:24-25 NIV
The first issue I shall raise here is that this people were very zealous for the master. They didn’t search for Jesus some days after he left or few hours after he left them. They began their search immediately they noticed he was no longer with them. They went as far as taking boats and travelled to Capernaum in search of Jesus Christ and their search was fruitful as they found Him. Rabbi when did you get here they asked. This they asked because they always had their focus and attention on Jesus so they were astonished to find him in Capernaum without them noticing his departure. Jesus knowing their hearts quickly responded to their query;
Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.
Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval." John 6:26-27 NIV
Their zeal to seek the master was just because they have been fed and probably needed more. Many of us have in like manner travelled long distances for church conventions and retreats not because we desire an encounter with Jesus but because we want marital bliss, favour, promotion, contracts, success and many other foods that spoils as Jesus described. The crowd was not in any way interested in the miraculous signs. All that was pertinent in their heart and was the prime mover of their zeal to seek the master was food. Again I say to you, Jesus is enough. Every other thing you are chasing in the name of Jesus won’t satisfy because Jesus is not a means to an end.
So they asked him, "What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do?
Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat. John 6:30-31 NIV
When they were finally interested in miraculous signs, all they could think about is food and how to eat in the same way their fore fathers ate. Some of you even pray like this saying, oh God if truly you are my saviour, do this. If you are the Lord of the universe, do this and this. Again I cry from my heart, Jesus is not a means to an end or a spare tire. You only need him when you are hungry, tired, thirsty and so on. You only remember Jesus when you are sick and when your rent expires because you think there are other things after Christ. You have now come to Christ because of the job or contract you are pursuing.
Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.
For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
"Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread."
Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. John 6:32-36 NIV
I honestly thought at this point they should have realized that they were pursuing the wrong thing. They still had their desires strongly on bread.
At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven."
They said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I came down from heaven'?" John 6:41-42 NIV
How would Jesus dare to say he is the bread of life? How could he at this point destroy all their hopes of getting food?
On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?" John 6:60 NIV
A simple truth I tell you today, if you don’t get that material thing that brought you to Jesus, you would turn your back at Him, that’s the reason why so many have stopped following. They joined a church to get a husband, and after waiting for several years and their desire was not met, they left. Then you aren’t different from the crowd. Jesus is not a means to an end. So many people run to conventions, retreats and other religious gathering not because they earnestly seek the Lord but because they want to use God to get contracts, favours and the rest.
Something happened in Luke chapter 12 which is peculiar to our study. The Bible says a crowd of many thousands gathered. They were so much so that there was stampede and this was a golden opportunity for the Lord Jesus to harvest many souls to the kingdom. Jesus began to speak to them about pertinent issues relating to hypocrisy, uncovering secrets, fear of God, blasphemy. We see that the nature of this sermon of Christ must have captured the hearts of many listening. Suddenly someone in the crowd shouted “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” For Jesus to hear his voice in the midst of this crowd means he must have been sitting or standing in front. Getting a front position in this mighty gathering can only be achieved by zealous people who come early enough, however his zeal was rather for his inheritance instead of that which Christ presented. Let me say here that his reason for attending this meeting with Jesus is to use Jesus to get his inheritance. How could he think of such unimportant issues in the midst of this teaching which is capable of forever changing his life? All that Jesus was teaching didn’t appeal to him because all that has won his heart is his inheritance. So many of us today have used Jesus as a means to an end and God is not pleased that you are more concerned about your desires and interest than the course of the Lord. I pray therefore that your zeal would not be for perishable things. Please briefly talk to God.
Living by Faith
Perishable things constantly seek our attention and the way to triumph in other not to exchange our glorious hope of eternity with Jesus is living by faith. Living by faith helps us to focus only on Jesus even if the world is vehemently wooing us by presenting those things which charm us most. We shall together consider what it implies to live by faith.
Living by faith implies;
- Trusting God.
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Heb 11:6 KJV
It is of no use to come to God without believing that he is, and that He rewards them that are given to seeking him diligently. Never has any man sought God diligently and was rewarded with disappointment. The patriarchs of old had no regrets whatsoever following the Lord with all their heart as they so did. The problem with our generation is that our impetuosity to get all at once makes us lose trust in the Holy one who is able to do all things. Abraham abandoned his kindred and moved as God bade him even if he knew not where he was going. This he did because he trusted He that has called him. The truth I tell you this day, if only you can trust in God for your every need, you shall not be disenchanted. So many have even misdirected their trust to men in whom there is no hope. Psalm 146:3
Remembering your rich parents or relatives or even the fact that you are highly placed or connected is vanity. Trust not on your riches or that which man can give. If your confidence is not totally placed in God then you are yet to live by faith.
Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanders. Jer 9:4 KJV
At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him: "Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand. 2 Chron 16:7 NIV
Many of us have lost victories because our hearts diverted our trust away from God. If you shall deliberately decide to totally trust in God this day, He shall deliver you from the pursuit of other things
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. There is not a need of ours that God cannot meet.
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Matt 6:25-26 KJV
- Living by Gods provision
Give us this day our daily bread. Matt 6:11 KJV
So many of us strive to get more than God is releasing to us at a time and we end up chasing the wind to wit: pursuing vanity and perishable things. Jesus our Lord taught us to pray in this manner saying, “Give us this day our daily bread” however this is not the prayer of so many today because we are trying to amerce all we need for several years in one day. In so doing you discover that your heart silently turns away from God and you embrace vanity. We shall understand this teaching of our Lord more as we consider other translations of the Bible
Give us today our daily bread. NIV
Give us our food again today, as usual. TLB
Give us today the food we need. GNT
Give us the food we need for each day. Easy-to-Read Version
Beloved once you begin to ask for more than you need, then you are heading for vanity and you may not notice how greed would silently occupy your heart. Such a man that has been overwhelmed with greed in his heart can never be caught praying for revival or the course of God. The numerous words of his prayers shall tilt towards asking for his own benefit. Beloved, when will you be satisfied with Jesus? Many of us are no longer satisfied with that which God has to us provided, and this is the reason for our covetousness. Why do you live as though you are competing with your neighbor? If God has not provided for you that which your neighbor now enjoys, live on that which he has provided. Some pastors now desire to build mighty cathedrals because other ministers around them are building such. If all God has provided for you is a square meal, eat it with joy and thanksgiving in your heart. Do not wear yourself out trying to get rich or get that which your friends and colleagues have. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.
So don't be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time. Matt 6:34 TLB
I will like you to respond to God in prayers
