Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Called to be a Witness

Bible Reading: Isaiah 43:5-10

Key verse: 10b “Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.”
 

DEVOTION

Isaiah, Chapter 43, is among the most powerful Biblical texts regarding the singularity of the LORD (YHWH), the God of the Bible. The Chapter, titled Israel’s Only Savior in several translations, is a soliloquy, poignant and moving. Isaiah is regarded as the greatest Old Testament Prophet—more quoted in the New Testament than other prophets—including prophesies on the life and ministry of Jesus. The Book of Isaiah, speaking to the people of the Southern Kingdom of Judah, the Northern Kingdom of Israel, and their pagan neighbors, may be considered in two parts: (i) Chapters 1-30, an account of God’s judgment; (ii) Chapters 40-66, a message of hope. Isaiah’s brilliant exposition of the interplay between God’s judgment and salvation is a foreshadow of the Gospel theme of reconciliation between Holy God and Sinful Humanity through the atoning death of Jesus Christ on the cross of calvary in the New Testament (2 Corinthians 5: 18, 19).
The devotional passage (43:5-10) consists of two sections: (i) God’s assurance to Israel (v.5-8); (ii) There is no other God (v.9-10). In the first section, the LORD promises to gather his people—who he “formed and made” for his glory (v.7)—since they are “precious” (v.4) to him, assuring them “Fear not, I am with you” (v.5). The second section provides an emphatic declaration of the LORD—to the people gathered as witnesses—as the only God: “Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.” (v.10).
The resurrected Christ commanded his disciples and all believers to be his witnesses (Acts 1:8), proclaiming the Gospel and making disciples in all nations, promising: “I am with you always” (Matthew 28: 19-20). As Christians, our response to God’s Call to Witness should be humble surrender and full obedience. Like Prophet Isaiah, who when granted a glorious vision of the LORD—sitting up on a throne, high and lifted up, the train of his robe filling the temple—declared his own unworthiness as a man of “unclean lips”, but yielded to God’s call: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us” by declaring “Here I am! Send me” (Isaiah 6:1-8). And like the disciple Ananias, who obeyed God’s command to lay hands on Saul of Tarsus—blinded by a light from heaven for three days on the road to Damascus, where he met Jesus and was transformed into Apostle Paul, who God used for preaching the Gospel, particularly to the Gentiles, more than any other disciple—for restoring his sight, despite his own doubts and fears (Acts 9:1-30).
The Mar Thoma Church has been a witnessing community since its formation in 1889, following the Royal Court Judgment. However, the reformation movement in the Malankara Syrian Church—focused on the Gospel, and remove unscriptural customs and practices from the Church—dates to 1836, was led by Palakunnathu Abraham Malpan of Maramon (1796-1845) and Kaithayil Geevarghese Malpan of Puthuppally (1800-1855), teachers in the Syrian Seminary at the time. The current evangelical witnessing efforts of the Mar Thoma Church—anchored in the motto “Every Marthomite is a Missionary”—are led by the Mar Thoma Voluntary Evangelists’ Association (MTEVA), established a hundred years ago in 1924, under the visionary leadership of Abraham Mar Thoma.

PRAYER

 Help us O LORD to be bold Witnesses for the Gospel in a watching world.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

 Jesus has commanded us to be His Witnesses. Just Do it!

Dr. Cherian Samuel
Immanuel Mar Thoma Church, Virginia

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