Word For The Day By Christian Education Forum

-
WITNESSING: DIOSPORA COMMUNITY


John 12: 20 - 22

Israelites living in ancient Israel and Judea gather at Jerusalem for three major Jewish festivals as commanded by Yahweh through Moses

( Deuteronomy 16:16). These three Pilgrimage Festivals are Pesach

(Passover), Shavuot (Weeks), and Sukkot (Tents, Booths or Tabernacle). Along with these Jews, a lot of Gentiles also arrived at Jerusalem during these festivals.

Greeks approaching Philip: In the passage we see that some such Greeks approached Philip (Greek Philipos), probably because he was the only apostle with a Greek name, with a request to see Jesus. If a Malayalee or for that matter an Indian is working in any government office and we need any help from that office, we first try to approach that Malayalee. In the same way, the Greeks approached Philip as they might have identified him as one amongst them. However, Philip was not able to make a decision by himself. So he took them to Andrew. Both of them together took these Greeks to Jesus. But it appears that Jesus did not give them a direct audience. Instead he said, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified” (John 12: 23).

Breaking the Barrier: In the beginning, Jesus took the stand that he was sent to the lost sheep of Israel (Mathew 15:24). However, Zechariah prophesized that “Messiah would proclaim peace to the Gentiles” (Zech. 9:10). Jesus also said that he had other sheep not of the fold (John 10:16). The appearance of these Gentiles wishing to see Jesus indicate that the time has come for Jesus to expand his ministry from the lost sheep of Israel to other sheep not of the fold. But it was Philip’s precise role to take that bold first step in the expansion of Jesus’ ministry.

Philip was not sure whether Jesus would accept these Gentiles. It might have been comfortable for him to confirm with the existing standards and reject the request of the Greeks. Instead he took substantial risk here by breaking the barrier and crossing the boundary by which Jesus was operating so far, thereby leading the way for expansion of Jesus’s ministry. While living as a Diaspora community, it is our responsibility to bring people to Jesus even by breaking the barrier and crossing the boundary which our community has set up for us. That includes recognizing and accepting the people who live around us irrespective of their color, language, culture and religion. We have to be a witness in our community by our way of life of inclusion and acceptance.

Prayer: Lord, enable us to be instruments in the expansion of your kingdom. Give us courage to break barriers, which stand as obstacles in bringing people to you. Amen.

P.T. Thomas, St. Thomas, New York

Popular posts from this blog

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
  Constant, patient and welcoming love of God   St. Luke 15: 11-32  V.21: And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ The parable of the ‘Prodigal son’ is one of the most frequently quoted parables that Jesus told His disciples. The parable contains the rich mine of human virtues and emotions. This parable is lived and re-lived in progressing civilizations from time immemorial and continuing. It brings out in vivid detail the pathetic depth of human sinfulness and the glorious heights of God’s forgiveness.      As a story of human nature, fathers are generally merciful to their children in any circumstance. They are very protective and are eager to provide for and secure the lives of their offspring. Jesus is telling this parable to underscore the superlative love of God to His children. The nature of such love is reiterated by Jesus in Matthew 7:11. Humankind who are evil by nature, give good gifts t
Read more

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
PRIESTHOOD: THE ANOINTED MINISTRY Exodus 40:12-16 Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting... wash them with water. Then dress Aaron in the sacred garments, anoint him and consecrate him so he may serve me as priest (Exodus 40: 12-13). Priesthood among the people of God was a divine command and initiation. God wanted some people to be separated for the special ministry among his people. God appointed Aaron and his descendants to take up this kind of ministry among the people of God. Priests are always separated and appointed as channels that connect God with his people. All throughout the history of Israel, priests played an important role in connecting people with God and to lead and guide them in the statutes of God. But there are incidents in the Bible where the priests failed in their duties and that led the people to go away from God. So the priests have a special and significant ministry to perform in this world among his people. Two important things
Read more

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
Revelation for Liberation Acts 27:18-26 Sherine Thomas Long Island MTC, NY 20  When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest raged, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned. “After winter comes the summer.  After night comes the dawn.  And after every storm, there comes clear open skies” so said a Scottish clergyman from the 1600s. It’s been said, that hope can sometimes be the most dangerous weapon.  However, it’s sometimes the hardest weapon to carry when you’re living with the loss of a loved one, something that almost feels like a terrible nightmare that’ll never go away.  It’s a weapon difficult to carry when day in and day out no one seems to hear or see those tears that are shed or silent cries that are made during a heartfelt prayer. It’s a weapon difficult to carry as you see your loved one lying on that hospital bed.  It’s a weapon difficult to carry as you search and seek out answers to tell a child as to why they’ve been a
Read more