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The First Century Church, Warri (2026)

28/11/2025

*A Biblical Lesson on “Revelries, Dissipation, Drunkenness, and Drinking Parties”*

(An Exegetical Study of 1 Peter 4:1–5)

*Introduction*

In many cultures—including Nigeria today—social gatherings such as wedding receptions, traditional marriage ceremonies, birthdays, and concerts are common. While these events in themselves are not sinful, Scripture warns believers to avoid certain behaviors that often accompany them.
The New Testament uses specific terms to describe *sinful forms of partying, excess, and alcohol abuse.*

Understanding these words helps Christians distinguish between *celebration* and *sinful indulgence*.

*The Greek Words and Their Meaning*

(a) Komos — “Revelries” (1 Peter 4:3; Romans 13:13; Galatians 5:21)

Greek: κῶμος (kōmos)

*Meaning:* Wild, noisy partying; unrestrained celebrations full of immorality; street-processions filled with drunkenness.

Originally used of pagan festivals where people abandoned self-control.

*How it applies today*

A wedding reception or birthday party is not sin—but when the event turns into:

uncontrolled dancing,

sexual suggestiveness,

drunken shouting,

chaotic behavior,

…it becomes kōmos, the kind of “revelry” Christians must avoid.

(b) *Asōtia — “Dissipation”* (1 Peter 4:4; Ephesians 5:18; Titus 1:6)

Greek: ἀσωτία (asōtia)

*Meaning:* Wastefulness, reckless living, moral ruin, wild disorder; a life where self-restraint is thrown away.

Related to the prodigal son’s “riotous living” (Luke 15:13).

*Today’s application*

Dissipation includes:

spending excessively on alcohol,

drunken wasting of money at parties,

sexual looseness at celebrations,

irresponsible behavior masked as “enjoyment.”

Sometimes in Nigerian events (especially late-night after-parties), asōtia becomes visible when people say, “Na enjoyment we dey do” while engaging in what dishonors Christ.

(c) *Methē — “Drunkenness”* (1 Peter 4:3; Galatians 5:21; Romans 13:13)

Greek: μέθη (methē)

Meaning: Intoxication; losing control due to alcohol; a state where judgment is impaired.

Scripture strongly condemns drunkenness though it does not forbid moderate wine use.

*Modern relevance*

*At many Nigerian events:*

Uncles “insist” everyone must drink heavily.

The MC encourages guests to “loosen up.”

Youths compete in drinking.

A believer must never surrender their mind to alcohol—that is methē.

(d) *Potoi — “Drinking Parties”* (1 Peter 4:3)

Greek: πότοι (potoi)

*Meaning:* Social gatherings where the primary purpose is drinking; organized drinking sessions.
Not the same as simply having drinks at an event—this refers to alcohol-centered gatherings.

*Today’s picture:*

Not every party involving drinks is sinful, but…
If the purpose of the gathering becomes:

heavy drinking,

pressuring others to get drunk,

celebrating alcohol itself,

…it matches what Peter calls potoi.

*Exegetical Analysis of 1 Peter 4:1–5*

1 Peter 4:1–2 — *A new mindset:*

“Arm yourselves with the same mind of Christ… that you should no longer live for the lusts of men but for the will of God.”

*Exegetical point:*
Peter says Christians must take on Christ’s mindset of suffering and self-denial. This means we approach social gatherings with spiritual discernment, not worldly desires.

1 Peter 4:3 — *A list of old behaviors:*

“For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness (methē), drinking parties (potoi), revelries (komos), and abominable idolatries.”

*Exegetical point*:
Peter assumes Christians used to participate in these party-related sins, but “enough” time has already been wasted there.

Peter lists:

1. Komos — wild, immoral partying

2. Potoi — alcohol-centered gatherings

*Methē — drunkenness*

Peter is not condemning “celebrations”—he is condemning the excesses cultures often normalize.

1 Peter 4:4 — *The world’s response:*

“They think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation (asōtia), speaking evil of you.”

*Exegetical point:*
Unbelievers expect everyone to join in reckless excess.
When Christians refuse:

people mock them (“You’re boring!”),

accuse them of pride,

or pressure them to “live a little.”

Peter calls this pressure a “flood of asōtia”—a deluge of moral waste.

1 Peter 4:5 — *God’s judgment* : “They will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.”

Exegetical point:
Peter grounds Christian discipline in the reality of divine accountability.
Our refusal to indulge is not self-righteousness—it is obedience.

*Applying 1 Peter 4:1–5 to Nigerian Social Events*

*(a) Wedding Receptions*

Celebration is biblical (John 2:1–11).

However:

*unrestrained dancing*,

*drunkenness*,

*sensual displays*,

*alcohol-centered after-parties,*

These activities can turn a wedding into kōmos (revelry) or asōtia (reckless excess), which are sinful.

A believer can attend but must guard their witness.

*(b) Traditional Marriage Ceremonies*

These ceremonies often involve:

cultural dances,

palm wine presentation,

family rituals.

None of this is sinful unless:

the ceremony becomes drunken,

people pressure the couple or guests to drink excessively,

the after-party devolves into wild behavior.

Christians can participate respectfully while avoiding methē and potoi.

*(c) Birthday Ceremonies*

Most birthdays are harmless. However, some become:

club-like events,

drinking competitions,

immoral “hangouts.”

Once the party’s focus becomes alcohol and seduction, it falls into komos and asōtia, which the believer must avoid.

*(d) Youth Parties / Nightclubs*

These environments often revolve around: *alcohol, sexual atmosphere, revelry*.

Such settings directly parallel the sins Peter lists.

A Christian cannot be spiritually safe there.

*Practical Ways Believers Can Honour God at Social Events*

1. Attend with a Christ-like mind (1 Pet. 4:1).

2. Set boundaries before going.

3. Politely decline alcohol pressure (Prov. 20:1).

4. Avoid sensually charged or chaotic environments.

5. Leave when the atmosphere changes to “asōtia.”

6. Celebrate joyfully—but with holiness (Phil. 4:5).

*Conclusion*

Scripture does not forbid celebrations—Jesus attended weddings—but the New Testament strongly warns believers against:

wild partying (komos),

reckless excess (asōtia),

drunkenness (methē),

alcohol-centered gatherings (potoi).

1 Peter 4:1–5 calls Christians to live differently, even when Nigerian culture expects us to “join the enjoyment.”
Our calling is not to avoid joy, but to avoid sin while enjoying life in a way that honours Christ.

28/12/2024

WERE THE SEVEN CHURCHES IN ASIA CHURCHES OF CHRIST? III.

*The Compromising Church in Pergamos*

This lesson is the third in a series of teachings picked from Revelations 2:1-3:22. This bible passage gives an account of the evaluation of seven congregations in Asia given by Christ Himself. These lessons compare the modern Churches of Christ with those churches in Asia, with a singular objective of addressing the modern doctrine of church infalibility.

There are several arguments by many members of the Church surrounding what the Church is and what it cannot be. First, there is the argument that the Church of Christ as we have it today is EXACTLY the church we read about in the New Testament. Second, it is taught that the Church of Christ is not a denomination and therefore cannot err in teachings or practice; that the Church is infallible. Third, it is strongly believed and taught by members of the Church that learning has ended and that all that the Church teaches in its unorganised curriculum is what there is to teach, therefore any person who reads his bible and comes up with any finding that is contrary to what the church believes and teaches is guilty of promoting heresies. This series of lessons address the second thought - it compares the modern Churches of Christ with the apostolic churches mentioned in the bible. If those bible congregations are infallible like the modern Church, then both can be the Lord's churches. However, if there is a difference in what they believe, teach and practice, then it is an issue of concern.

Revelations 2:12-17

12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write,

‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: 13 “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. 15 Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, [b]which thing I hate. 16 Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth. 17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” ’

Pergamos (Πέργαμος),was a rich and powerful ancient Greek city in Aeolis. It is located 26 kilometres (16 miles) from the modern coastline of the Aegean Sea on a promontory on the north side of the river Caicus (modern-day Bakırçay) and northwest of the modern city of Bergama, Turkey.

The attached photo shows the ruins of the temple of Trajan at Pergamos. Roman citizens had to offer incense to the emperor once each year, for which they were given a certificate showing they had complied with their civic duty. This temple was one place where this could be accomplished (photo by Joel Meeker).

*Christ's Evaluation of the Church of Pergamos*

The first thing we must note about the church is that although Christ is in heaven, nothing that is happening in the churches here is hidden from Him. This is why he says, "I know your works" (verse 13). Another thing, what matters is not just abstract doctrines, but teachings, beliefs and practices combine to make "works."

So, Christ says He knows all the things happening in the city of Pergamos as well as the church there. He says, Satan dwells there, meaning, the presence of the church in a place does not automatically drive away Satan.

Although, Christ touches on some positive works of this church, He says, "I have a few things against you"! What does that mean? The church was far from being perfect. Their doctrines were not perfect, so Christ calls them to repentance (verse 16). There are warnings if this call were ignored, and there are promises of good things if the warning were taken into consideration.

Conclusively, the church at Pergamos was not infallible in works because its doctrine was mixed with wrong teachings. However, it was still the Lord's church as at the time of writing this warning letter. If a church today claims superiority over other churches and uses that as a claim to infalibility and a yardstick to being the "one and only true Church of the Bible," that doctrine itself is erronous. It calls for repentance too.

27/12/2024

For "autonomy's" sake, is it "scriptural for one congregation to organise "lectureship", invite several other "autonomous" congregations and "rule" over all of them during the lectureship?

15/12/2024

Fellowship today at Rumuigbo congregation, Port Harcourt was enriching

15/12/2024

Proverbs 18:10 "The name of the Lord is a *strong tower*; The righteous *run to it* and are safe."

How does one *run to* the *strong tower* of God's name?

We do it by calling on Him respectfully, by trusting in Him at all times and by looking up to Him in hope. In all that, we must also be loyal to Him and obey Him, even in difficult times and situations. Remember, the text says, "the righteous run to" God's strong tower and are safe. To be righteous is not to be sinless, but to be able to make amends and ask for forgiveness each moment we sin and at the end of each day. To be righteous is to be in a relationship with God. No relationship is 100% perfect. When it gets sour, we make amends and move on. However, that does not mean that we deliberately live in sin.

Your relationship with God can be better right now. Kneel and talk to Him. He is your daddy, the unshakable daddy. Trust him. Good night. - Akpobome Diffre-Odiete

15/12/2024

Paying the Preacher to Practice Christianity for You.

One day, I boarded a bus to travel to another town. Just as a passenger filled the last vacant seat, a man appeared at the window. He was holding a Bible. He started to proclaim blessings and to pray for the passengers to have a safe trip, in the name of Jesus Christ. As the bus started moving, several passengers started giving him money. He collected about N500 from our bus. He would wait and do the same thing with passengers boarding every bus there today.

Then I thought to myself: What is the biblical essence of this practice? Why would a preacher come to a bus stop, pray for passengers and collect money? Additionally, why would passengers give money to him just because he prayed for them? Was it that these passengers could not pray for themselves before they left their homes? Is it that the preacher could not pray for people at home or could he not preach and pray for people without taking their money?

In like manner, majority of church members across the churches want their pastors and preachers to practice Christianity on their behalf. They want their leaders to do all the praying, while they want to remain dormant church goers. To them, their responsibility is just to provide monetary support to the minister. The leader is expected to do evangelism on their behalf, pray on their behalf, visit the needy for them, and do other practical aspects of Christianity for them. They feel that they are paying the ministers to do church work for them.

The worst scenario is among certain exclusivist denominations, where church leaders are given a monthly stipend, which is considered a salary. The minister is not only expected to practice Christianity on behalf of the Church, he is also subject to the democratic authority of his "followers". If any individual church member gives him personal support outside the monthly payment of the Church, such "support" is attached to some kind of expectation. If the minister fails to meet the expectations, the "support" is withdrawn and a meeting of "the important people" of the Church is convened like a secret cult, to look into the "failure" of the minister.

The above practice is contrary to the biblical injunction for every Christian to practice true religion (James 1:27). Paul, the apostle wrote letters to the congregations, asking them to pray for him. If the brethren did not have the habit of praying for themselves, how could they pray for an apostle? If leaders were the ones doing all the prayers why would apostle Paul write to laymen to pray for him?

Jesus tells us the parable of the man who refused to use his talent. From there, it can be understood that on the last day, each person will stand to give account of how he or she practiced religion. The preacher will be rewarded or rejected based on his deeds. The church members will not be rewarded for the roles that their leaders played on their behalf. This is a awake up call for individual Christians to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling as the apostle wrote to the Philippian church.

01/12/2024

ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY

December brings many things to mind. First, my loving dad was burried this month, ten years ago. Additionally, December, this day precisely, marks the last day last years when I stood in vain before an audience of hard-hearted souls. It is worth celebrating because of the peace it brought, though it comes with the wonder why a people could appear so smart yet so blinded. It also brings to mind the events surrounding Israel during the ministry of the prophet Jeremiah. He is called many names, including "the weeping prophet," "the unsuccesful prophet", "the prophet of doom", etc.

Jeremiah preached to Israel for about forty years (from 627 BCE to 587 BCE.): kings were coming and going, men were being born and were also dying. Jeremiah was called to try to wake his nation up to its sin, to call out what was really happening and pray that the people would wake up and turn around and turn back to God, instead of rejecting him and carrying on in rebellion against the LORD and his laws.

He pleaded with Israel, told them they were like an unfaithful wife and rebellious kids. He warned them in many ways including all kinds of theatrical symbols, that the only way to be spared from destruction and exile as the judgment of God was to stop worshiping false gods and living in or condoning immorality. For forty-two years he saw nothing that would encourage him they were listening, they went from bad, to worse.

Jeremiah lived to see and prophesy as various other reigns would come and go until finally Babylon, under Nebuchadnezzar, became the superpower that invaded Jerusalem, overthrew its armies and carried most of the remaining people of Judah away into captivity.

At the end Jeremiah made just TWO or THREE converts, including Ebed-melech, an Ethiopian eu**ch and royal servant, and Baruch his secretary.

In days of doom, death, and destruction, God said Jeremiah would plant hope and healing. His word was to "pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow" and in every time and nation there are many things which have to be torn down. So many of the things people have put their trust in are being rooted out and torn down right now. It’s making room for the new things that God is also doing!

Today, the church is going the way of Israel in rebellion against the Christ. As Jesus rightly observed, people with rebellious hearts honor dead preachers but kil! contemporary ones. Then God's wrath comes.

The church is "growing" backward from the days it used to thrive. How many programs does she hold nowadays? How many publications are made now? How many edifying events? Is the church dying? Many teachers have argued against the warning of Christ about dying churches, though. Throughout history, any form of rebellion against God has consequences, and no amount of foul claims of uniquesness has saved rebels. Israel shouted, "we are children of Abraham", yet they continued in sin and we read of the results today. Likewise, shouting, "we are the one true church" is vain cry in the midst of sins of self-righteuosness, hypocricy, envy, murderous thoughts, and the very sins Paul said would prevent people from entering the kingdom (1 Cor. 6:9-10; Gal. 5:19-21).

Repentance means reversal. Turning around is what God requires. However, while preachers preach what the church wants to hear, let us remember that judgement is coming, either here or in the hereafter.

With additional notes on Jeremiah from Anthony Delaney, a Leader at Ivy Church in Manchester.

19/11/2024

JESUS WAS NOT A GENTLEMAN
..He was NOT, but we pretend that He was...

Jesus is Loved by many today because He did not live in our time. If He did, trust me, many of you who call Him your Lord and personal savior will drag Him on social media.

He would have been one of the most criticized person on social media.

He will be criticized for flogging His Elders and Fathers out of the temple.

He will be criticized for cursing His Elders “Oh Ye generation of Vipers” that’s not a blessing, na yabbing be that.

He will be called out and criticized for using mud to heal a blind eye, His fellow men of God will demonize Him and tell Him to prove that method doctrinally.

He will be grossly criticized for allowing a pr******te wash His feet with very expensive oil. And in case you don’t know, that’s a sexual and seductive clue from the woman.

He will be criticized for dinning with a notorious sinner like Zacheaus.

He will be dragged and criticized for His teachings and yes they did that to Him during His time, but it would have been more today.

They would have dragged Him for cursing an innocent tree to death.

They would have accused Him of sleeping with Mary Magdalene, they would have dragged him for spending time with the pr******te at the well.

All this however happened to Him during His time but imagine what it would have been like today.

Many of us who now Love Jesus would have joined to brutally criticize and crucify Him.

Brethren, be careful how you follow the "Crucify Him" crowd to condemn what you do NOT understand.

I am not saying justify every action, but just thread carefully. Because with the way many of you are hasty to wag your mouth, your Lord and personal Savior JESUS CHRIST wouldn’t have had it any different from you if he were to walk amongst us today.

God designs His servants not to be Nice but to be NECESSARY.

Flog and discipline people out of the Temple when and where necessary.

Visit a zaccheaus and convert Him when necessary.

Spend time with a famous pr******te at the well and convert Her where necessary.

Heal with a mud where necessary and led.

Cry out Loud, rebuke and yab where and when necessary, but NEVER compromise God's word. Understand that in times of great departures, every restoration have taken drastic actions and approaches. Jesus, for one, rebelled against the religious leaders and system of his day in order to bring up Christianity. Today, Christianity also needs a shaking.

Be compassionate, gentle, pamper and comfort where necessary.

If you are going to do Gods bidding the way He wants, you have to be prepared to be sacrifice everything, if need be.

Copied and edited.

16/10/2024

If your comfort hurts me, I am NOT a true friend or a true human.

10/10/2024

I. Christ in the Difficult Years of His Own Life

“For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow His steps…For Christ also suffered … for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God…”
- Peter, the Apostle (1 Peter 2:21,3:18).

The Lord Jesus Christ was both the Son of God and the Son of Man. And as a man, He experienced the bitter sides of life which we are passing through today. There were times He got angry at sin, and there were times He wept. And nearing the point of death, He even almost postponed the cause of His coming to the earth. Christ spent only about thirty-three Human years on the earth, and He spent all of these in difficulty.

Difficulties Associated With His Conception
If Joseph had had his way, either Jesus would have been born an illegitimate child or he could have died in the womb of a lynched “adulteress.” And if God were not the one in the difficult month of Christ's conception, He would have grown to cry like David, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me”, (Ps. 51:5). These are some of the things that could have happened to Jesus if Joseph had succeeded in putting Mary away secretly when he saw the 'evidence' of her 'unfaithfulness'. All these were some of the difficulties associated with the time and nature of His conception.
Recently, I watched a video of Nick, a man who was born without limbs. There was no medical explanation for why it happened. Despite his condition, Nick leads a life that is good enough for him to proclaim, “Do not think of your capabilities, but think of your availability.” No matter how and when we were conceived, Christ is here for us assuring: “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you” (Jer. 1:5), hence someone could acknowledge Christ in his conception:”For you formed my inward parts; you covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Ps. 139:13, 14).
The same God who assured Mary that she would conceive and bear a child of the Holy Spirit allowed her and the baby to go through the extraordinary difficult times of conception. She faced rejection by her husband, and a possible public humiliation and lynching if her parents saw her back at home. And Jesus faced the possible difficulty of growing up under the care of a single parent.
If God could allow His own Son to go through this difficult time of conception, who are we to think and cry “why me?” If you feel you had too much when your mother conceived you, then understand that you are now being conceived again. So prepare to be born a second time!

Difficulties Associated With His Birth
When Christ was born, things were not at all easy for his family. They had just relocated from Nazareth to Bethlehem, without relocation allowance. The distance was great, and they had to take that entire journey on foot and on a donkey's back. Arriving at Bethlehem, there was no accommodation for Joseph and his pregnant wife. Maybe his ancestral home had long fallen beyond repairs. And there was no vacant room at the local inn. So they had to manage a probable cave-type of stable. And they had to share it with some sheep, donkeys, and possibly with lice. “So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her (Mary) to be delivered” (Lk.2:6). And there, Christ was born. Imagine the possibilities of what happened to Jesus. There were no mother care nappies, so His mother used strips of cloth to wrap him. And there was no cradle with a mattress, so Mary had to borrow the donkey's feeding trough, to use their dry grass for a baby mattress.
Whatever circumstances that surround our birth or the birth of a new baby, a new idea or a new project in our lives, God is there watching through the donkey's eye. It may take Him donkey's years to respond, but that is actually the time it takes us to notice His everlasting presence. Many times when we focus too much on our difficulties, we talk the hind legs off the donkey while God is doing all the donkey-work and we are taking the credit. Some difficulties must actually be associated with the birth of anyone or anything that will be great, Christ-like.

Difficulties associated with His Infancy
Maybe the difficulties of this life literally refuse to leave you alone; “for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you,” even Christ (Matt 5:12). Difficulties followed Christ from conception through birth to infancy and even beyond that.
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem, a council was held in Jerusalem to draw up strategies for his elimination (Matt 2). In heaven, the ever-watchful eyes of God neither sleep nor slumber (Ps 121:3, 4). He too held council and sent a guide to direct the family. But out of jealousy and misplaced fear, Herod in an attempt to kill God's anointed, stained his hands with the innocent blood of two-year olds. And he eventually died before the baby he sought to kill. Many times in our difficulties, we act out of fear instead of asking God for guidance, and we end up so badly.

Difficulties associated with His Youth
As a young man, Jesus must have learnt from the mistakes of Solomon. Solomon acquired wisdom enough, but he waited for experience in order to apply his wisdom, so he lost it. And he cried vanity. Experience is a late teacher. In the years of his vanity, Solomon admonished: “Remember Now your creator is the days of your youth, before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you say, “I have no pleasure in them”. (Eccl. 12:1).
However, Jesus' days of studying God's word were interrupted by his duty to obey His parents. He had to go back with them to Nazareth. As a youth, have you ever had a touch time choosing between church attendances and running an errand for your parents? Jesus did not just stop his studies of the scriptures to please His mother, for he asked, “why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?” (Lk. 2:49). But Jesus knew that there is time for everything. And it was time to go back home after a period of worship and studies. But He did not find it easy leaving His heavenly Father's business at the time to follow His earthly parents, yet “He was subject to them.”
In many cases, modern day youths who claim to be Christians hardly find the time to be with the ministers and the teachers in the church, to listen and to ask questions. They are either too busy with their musical players, their computer games or the internet. And their parents do not even seek them like Joseph and Mary; they just leave them because they think they are now more civilized than Christ and His parents.
We need to make positive changes every day towards having Christ in every season of our lives. Youths who will not be like Christ cannot have Him in their lives. We can mould Christ into a golden or computer calf, trying to force Him to comply with our ways of life. But we can never really have Him in our real lives. We must be youths who like Christ the youth.

Difficulties Associated with His Manhood
When Jesus reached manhood, eighteen years after His encounter with the Jewish teachers, He began to experience many more difficulties. Instead of joining the recognized religious leaders in Jerusalem, He associated Himself with the street preacher, John and was baptized by him at the local Jordan River.
Immediately after His baptism, Jesus resumed facing Satanic temptations (Mk 1:12, 13). It is common assumption and belief that the temptation in the wilderness was Jesus' only time of temptation. But scripture says He was tempted in every way as we are: in types, in continuity, in intensity, in timing, and in every way as we are. He was tempted to run away from His given task of dying for mankind.
And just as God provided a way of escape for Him, so does He provide for us today (1 Cor. 16:12, 13). It is only a matter of choice whether we will go the way of escape which Jesus took or we will want to experience it our own way and regret in old age, like Solomon and most old people of today.
As a man, Jesus had no home of His own (Lk. 9:58). Could He not afford to build a house or at least rent a house? He either had to spend the night in the public, on mount olives or stay in a friend's house (Matt. 17:22-25, Mk 1:21, 29-36). As a man, Jesus felt hunger to the point that He cursed an unfruitful tree at a season when that tree does not naturally bear fruit. The problem with the tree was that it was out of season, but not in season.
Are you among the mistaken many who assume that things in the past were always better than they are today? Then you must wake up to reality. Christ struggled with the difficulties of life as a man, but He did it God's way. And He has left us an example to follow.

Difficulties Associated with His Old Age
What about His old age? Sorry, he had none. Yet he had some difficulties in it. The only difficultly that Christ had in His old age was that He never experienced it; for in His prime “He was cut off from the land of the living.” (Is. 53:8).
Different people face different difficulties in their old age. Some get bedridden, having someone to clean up their waste products. Others lose their memory, behaving like infants. And some end up in perfectly sound condition, if anyone does at all.
Which will you prefer? To live a long life of difficulty without Christ or to live a life long enough in God's sight, with Christ in it? To die in Christ is better than to live in the world. And what kind of person were you, are you, and would you like to be? Would you prefer to be a poor person of God who eats fruits, locust and honey with a hopeful future? Or would you want to continue your own way? Remember that Christ Himself Has graduated from this Difficulty University of Life. He is in the best position to be your professor of every course in it, so rely on Him, as you sing with me Eliza E. Hewitt's Stepping In the Light.

Trying to walk in the steps of the Saviour,
Trying to follow our Saviour and King;
Shaping our lives by his blessed example,
Happy, how happy, the songs that we bring.
How beautiful to walk in the steps of the Saviour,
Stepping in the light, stepping in the light;
How beautiful to walk in the steps of the Saviour,
Led in paths of light

Principle for Living
Follow in the Steps of Christ

The First Century Church

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