Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Mission as sharing Christ
“…I am sending upon you what my Father promised
;…”(V.49)
Lk. 24 is about Christ’s appearances after resurrection. He
walked with two travelers on their way to Emmaus (Vs.13-32).They were running
from Jerusalem, where the crucifixion took place. The “risen Christ” joined
them on their journey, talked to them and clarified the scriptures. They
returned to Jerusalem and shared the news with ten of the disciples who were
gathered in the upper room on Sunday evening.
In Vs.36-43 we find that when they were talking about
resurrection, Christ came to their midst and greeted them. He showed the marks
on His body and broke bread with them. He then entrusted them the duty of carrying
the Word to all the nations.
For our meditation, let us focus on the three main
dimensions regarding mission.
Mission is sharing Christ’s peace in a distressed world:
Christ appeared to the disciples when they were filled with fear. They locked
themselves for safety in the upper room. Christ went to them, even though the
doors were locked and greeted them with Peace. He showed them His wounds and
marks. He greeted and ate with them.
Despite of His wounds and pain, He came to greet the
disciples with heavenly peace .Peace from Christ is not the absence of pain or
struggle but it’s the presence of to face the challenges. We receive “heavenly
peace” from the Holy Communion. After the final benediction we are send to the
world to be the agents of peace in the peace less world. Michelle Knight (a
young single mother when she was kidnapped by a local school bus driver at
Cleveland) came out with a book narrating her peace she regained after one year
of freedom, in her book, “Finding Me". It narrates about the peace she
found to face the world.
Mission is sharing the love and fellowship of Christ:
They not only received greetings from the Risen Christ, but also got the
fellowship of eating together. Thus they regained the joy and happiness. Holy
Communion is our meal with the Risen Christ. We participate in it not to quench
our hunger but to experience the love and fellowship of Christ.
We need to work as the true bearers of love and fellowship
to the people around. Involved in our daily chores and duties we are very busy
and often unable to give joy and fellowship to even our family members. Mission
has to start at home and in our neighborhood.
Mission is sharing the message of salvation: Christ
told his disciples to proclaim the Gospel to all nations. Wait to receive the
“power on high” (Vs.49). Mission entrusted is to be proclaimers of Gospel. We,
as contemporary, disciples have the responsibility to spread the Gospel through
our actions and reactions, verbal and non-verbal dealings. We live in a
multi-religious /muti-cultural world. We meet people of different faith and
even atheists. Is it possible for us to be examples of the Gospel in the given
context? Remember it is our mission………
Thought
for the day: “Resurrected Christ is the motivation for
Christian Mission”
Rev. Renu John, North
Carolina MTC.