Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Participation in Nation Building: A Christian Responsibility
Bible portion 1 Peter 2:1-12Verses 11–12: "Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.”
Devotional Text
The Great Commission of our Lord Jesus recorded in Matthew 28:19a, " So wherever you go, make disciples of all nations: Jesus was with the disciples for three and a half years, teaching them how to live as followers of Christ in a hostile world. During His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said to his followers, "You are the salt of the earth” and "You are the light of the world." What did Jesus mean by this statement? Christians are like salt: it is the silent witness of the believer. It is the influence that you have over other people’s lives to season and to preserve for eternal life. Christ is saying, Let your influence season people’s lives in the workplace, neighborhood, and whole community for the kingdom. Jesus is the light of the world, and we, as Christians, are reflectors of His light in this world. As the world gets darker and people live in fear of their uncertain future, our responsibility is to become the light, showing love and compassion and sharing the good news of hope in Christ Jesus.
In today’s Bible portion, Apostle Peter urges the believers to realize their identity as God’s chosen people. However, we live as strangers or pilgrims passing through this world. We can focus on leading an honorable life, making good choices, and choosing to love one another by following Jesus’s command, “Love your neighbor as yourself." Apostle Peter admonishes the believers to abstain from sinful desires and worldly passions, which can negatively affect our soul, spirit, and body. We should continue to be different, continue to be salty, continue to be light, and not compromise with sin in the face of persecution.
So, when we live to honor God, people will have the example they need to accept His grace or reject Him. We may never see the fruits, but they are there. We have a God who will soon return and judge, so let us get busy making disciples one person at a time and helping to build and shape nations for His kingdom.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, Thank you for making us your chosen people through the sacrifice of your son, Jesus Christ, on the cross. Lord, help us to live an honorable life and be a testimony for the people around us. Lord, give us the grace to make disciples wherever we go. In Jesus’s name, we pray. Amen.
Thought for the Day
“Be careful how you live; you will be the only Bible some people ever read.”
Glory Chacko
Epiphany Mar Thoma Church, New York
The Great Commission of our Lord Jesus recorded in Matthew 28:19a, " So wherever you go, make disciples of all nations: Jesus was with the disciples for three and a half years, teaching them how to live as followers of Christ in a hostile world. During His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said to his followers, "You are the salt of the earth” and "You are the light of the world." What did Jesus mean by this statement? Christians are like salt: it is the silent witness of the believer. It is the influence that you have over other people’s lives to season and to preserve for eternal life. Christ is saying, Let your influence season people’s lives in the workplace, neighborhood, and whole community for the kingdom. Jesus is the light of the world, and we, as Christians, are reflectors of His light in this world. As the world gets darker and people live in fear of their uncertain future, our responsibility is to become the light, showing love and compassion and sharing the good news of hope in Christ Jesus.
In today’s Bible portion, Apostle Peter urges the believers to realize their identity as God’s chosen people. However, we live as strangers or pilgrims passing through this world. We can focus on leading an honorable life, making good choices, and choosing to love one another by following Jesus’s command, “Love your neighbor as yourself." Apostle Peter admonishes the believers to abstain from sinful desires and worldly passions, which can negatively affect our soul, spirit, and body. We should continue to be different, continue to be salty, continue to be light, and not compromise with sin in the face of persecution.
So, when we live to honor God, people will have the example they need to accept His grace or reject Him. We may never see the fruits, but they are there. We have a God who will soon return and judge, so let us get busy making disciples one person at a time and helping to build and shape nations for His kingdom.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, Thank you for making us your chosen people through the sacrifice of your son, Jesus Christ, on the cross. Lord, help us to live an honorable life and be a testimony for the people around us. Lord, give us the grace to make disciples wherever we go. In Jesus’s name, we pray. Amen.
Thought for the Day
“Be careful how you live; you will be the only Bible some people ever read.”
Glory Chacko
Epiphany Mar Thoma Church, New York