Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
Our Lord Reigns
Isaiah 56:1-8
 Vs.1 Thus says the Lord: Maintain justice, and do what is right, for soon my salvation will come, and my deliverance be revealed. 
  Yesterday, we looked into how our Lord reigns with His second coming. In keeping with this theme, we must be given certain guidelines on how we should conduct ourselves before His second coming. Upon first glance at these eight verses, we get a sense of community from what the Lord was telling Isaiah.
    But, why does God stress community to us? As we’ve come to know in the Gospel, when Jesus saves us, He makes us a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). Jesus did not come to this world to create more division, He came to give us a new community amongst ourselves. God’s reasons in sending His Son was to connect us to Him, with Jesus being at the center of it all. By God asking us to a life of “justice and righteousness” means living a life that is in line with God’s character, His personality.
    Christianity is not about following a specific dress code, or a style of music, but it’s about following Jesus. We may all have different lists of what a community of believers should look like. But, a community based and rooted in the Bible is one that is bound together in a hope for Jesus. Its pillars should be a life of justice and righteousness, as God states.
    Community can be defined by a shared or popular characteristic within a group of people.  When a person is saved by God’s grace, they are not the same, rather they are a new creation in Christ. Our prayer should be that God enables us as a community of believers to share one common goal: Jesus.
 PRAYER
Father, we thank You for the words that You have spoken to us today. May we use them to live a life that is pleasing and acceptable in Your sight. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
 THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. - Hebrews 10:24-25

Jessie Samuel, St. Andrews MTC, NY
Christian Education Forum, Diocese of NAE of the Mar Thoma Church

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

-
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

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