Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
Community: Unity in Christ
John 17:20-24
Joash Mathew

St. John’s MTC, NY

 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
 

This past Sunday at St. John’s Mar Thoma Church, we had 26 members of our congregation participate in the Holy Communion for the first time. As I was driving to church, I thought of my first Holy Communion and I recall repeating the words “I renounce Satan; I believe in Jesus Christ”. These words are a proclamation that our parents had said when we were baptized as a child. And now, just as we had, these individuals made the decision for themselves that they would follow Jesus Christ. One of my favourite parts of the service is when the congregation repeats a prayer accepting the new communicants as their own. It highlights the community and love we have as brethren in Christ. Jesus says in vs. 23 of this passage, “I in them and you in me – so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and loved them even as you have loved me.”

 
    It’s a bit of a tongue twister, but this verse highlights the bridge between mankind and God. When God Himself came down to earth, He allowed a direct connection to Him. This connection is through accepting Jesus into our lives. If Jesus never came down and died on the cross for our sins, there would be no bridge. We would still be sinners and the pathway to eternal life would not exist. It’s a daunting fact. However, “God demonstrated His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) We are fortunate enough that God continues to show mercy for us sinners even when we don’t deserve it. Going back to the main verse, “I in them, you in me”, Jesus is in all of us and God is in Jesus. I don’t know if you remember geometry, but the transitive property would state that God is therefore in each and everyone of us.

 
    Today, we should ask ourselves, “Am I with Christ?” If the answer is ‘Yes’, then that’s awesome. If the answer is ‘No’, then we should know that we have an entire community who made a promise to be there for us. We all go through struggles that take us away from God, but we are a community of believers who will support one another. And this doesn’t stop with just our respective churches. This love we show one another should be bestowed to all those we meet so that they may experience Christ’s love as well.

 
    Now we are the body of Christ, and each one of us is a part of it (1 Cor.12:27). Let us do our part in supporting one another as a church, and as a community.

PRAYER

O Lord, help us to  do our part in supporting one another that we may be strengthened in faith. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
 
" Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. " 1 John 4:11

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