Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
Commissioning by the Risen Lord
Acts 23:1-11
 
Dr. V. T. Samuel

Sehion MTC, Dallas, Texas
11“Keep up your courage! For just as you have testified for me in Jerusalem, so you must bear witness also in Rome.”
 
Paul’s defense of his Christian faith has been attacked by two major groups within Judaism:  the Pharisees who strongly believed in the resurrection of the dead and the Sadducees who vehemently opposed it.  Paul’s defense before the high priest Ananias was that he respected the Law and would never dishonor the High Priest of the Jews. The thrust of his argument before the religious and political authorities was that he is not a convert to a new faith, but a firm believer in the risen Lord who was the fulfillment of the prophesies recorded in the Jewish scriptures.
 
Paul’s understanding of the new phase of the Jewish faith was cemented in the personal experience of the Risen Lord whom he had persecuted. The martyrdom of Stephen (Acts 8:1) and his own personal experience of the encounter with the Risen Lord on the way to Damascus (Acts: 9:1-20) became the two main unforgettable events that cemented his faith in the Lord. These and other encounters in his missionary journeys, his zeal and fervor for spreading the  gospel  and  his instructions to the fellow believers in the newly established Churches have earned him the title of the greatest missionary giant, who was not in the list of the 12 disciples of Jesus. His faith in the risen Lord and zeal of defending the gospel became the back bone in the growth of the Christian Church.  This is reflected in the reading of the scriptures in the Holy Qurbana service:  one from the epistles of Paul and the other from the gospels.
 
How often do we remember the zeal of the persecutor turned missionary giant whose life and work have become one of the major sources of our Christian faith?  How strong is our faith in the risen-Lord when it comes to the test of our faith?  Let us remember those who are persecuted today for their faith in Damascus and other places where Paul had witnessed to his new found Christian faith.

PRAYER

Risen Lord, forgive our failures in witnessing for You in spite of the many opportunities we have in our work place, community, and home. Help us to stand along with those who are persecuted all over the world because of their faith in You. Amen
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
"The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church." Tertullian

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 wh...
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 tel...
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