Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Mission in Christ’s Spirit
Jensen Varghese
Carmel MTC, Boston MA
“So
God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male
and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27
To understand what being created
in God’s “image” or “likeness” really means, we need to fully understand
God Himself. 1 John Chapter 4 offers a simple, but powerful explanation of
God’s character. Verse 12 states “ No one has ever seen God; but if we love one
another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” In verse 16 we
read further: “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in
them.” By contrast, without love, we can not know God - “Whoever does not love
does not know God, because God is love” (verse 8).If we love one another, we
reflect God’s love, and we are able to see that we are all equal - each of us
made in God’s image.
Jesus did not sit on the sidelines during His ministry - He was
out in the community, interacting with the people. He preached God’s word, but
He also healed the sick and the suffering. He fed the crowds that came to
listen to His teachings. He washed His disciples feet. He served the people
that He ministered to - that is how He loved His followers while He was here on
earth, and that is how He commands us to love. Not passively, but with
intentional action to help those that we love.
“ 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was
thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me
in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me,
I was in prison and you came to visit me.” (Matthew 25:35-36) If we truly want
to count ourselves as disciples of Christ, it is not enough to simply profess
our love for our brothers and sisters in need - we must roll up our sleeves and
get to work. “ If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well
fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the
same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” (James
2:16-17) Jesus also reminds us that whenever we are compassionate and show this
type of love to those in need, we are also showing our love for Him “Truly I
tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters
of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). Putting our love into action and
serving others forms one of the basic principles of mission work - the
humanitarian aspect.
At the end of His ministry, Jesus demonstrated the ultimate act
of love when He laid down his life on the cross for the sins of all mankind, so
that we could all be forgiven and reconciled with God.We read in John 3:16 “16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever
believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Because God loves us
all, He wants the whole world to be saved! That is why Jesus commands that the
Gospel be preached the world over. Simon Peter also illustrates this when he
affirms Jesus’ second coming: “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as
some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to
perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) And we must bear in
mind that Evangelism is also an act of love - It should not be carried out
simply for the sake of converting people to the Christian religion, but rather
because God loves us all and it is His will that the Gospel of Jesus Christ be
shared with all people, so that through His grace, we may all experience
salvation and eternal life.
PRAYER
Dear God, Help us to be vessels
of Your love in this world. Help us to see Your image in our fellow human
beings. In Jesus’ precious name we pray, Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
“ Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your
heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a]
38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it:
‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]
40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew
22:37-40