'Last Sermon of Jesus'
John 14:7-9 "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him."
Rom 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."
Brethren, just by virtue of sincerely believing Jesus as the Son of God and accepting Him as our Lord and Saviour, we are now adopted as children of God as well.
Having lived with the OA deep in the jungle, we acknowledge that they are ignorant of good hygiene. Since their houses are made of bamboo, we have to walk and sleep on the bamboo floor covered with their red spits (colour from chewing the betel nut). At night, they just remove the loose bamboo floor and relieve themselves, leaving us to suffer the foul smell of raw sewage.
When their children excrete worms, they just pull them out with their bare fingers. Having accepted the Lord and our teachings along with good food and good hygienic practices, our brethren are healthier, cleaner and happier. Many OA still gives out a foul smell even with clean clothes on.
We have temporarily adopted fifty OA tots who are five to ten years old for schooling. Should we allow them to continue with their unhygienic and filthy ways in their new home with us? We treat their sores, wounds and lice and also deworm them. We taught them how to use the toilet, toothbrush, soap and hygienic practices.
We feed, teach and educate them. Initially, we have to wash their excretions in the rooms, halls, walkways and even on roads! Within two to three weeks, these sickly, foul-smelling tots look fresh, healthy, and most of all happy. Caring, playing and carrying these cute, clean, fragrant and cheerful OA tots is a joy and a blessing of God.
Col 1:21-23 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.
Brethren, since we have been adopted by God, we are now part of the family of God. To live In God's home, we have to leave behind our foul and filthy deeds of the old man (sins, pride, covetousness, hatred, deceptions, anger, wicked ways, worldliness, lies, etc.) and put on the fragrance of Christ (love, mercy, long-suffering, temperance, compassion, faith, etc.) by keeping His words. Without this transformation, putting on the righteousness of Jesus by constant repentance will not cover the unhygienic and smelly, sinful nature of the old man.
How much joy will it give God, that by obeying His word, we can present ourselves holy, godly and joyful (clean, fragrant, healthy and cheerful) before Him.