Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
LIVING TO PLEASE GOD
Acts 24:10-21
We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus, those who have fallen asleep in Him. Colossians 3: 1-4 says, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” If we have been raised with Christ, we will also appear with Him in glory.
We have our Great Commission. How are we to live a life that is governed by the heavenly triumph that is hidden with CHRIST in GOD? How do we set our minds on things above and not on things on the Earth? Once, we like the disciples, have encountered the risen Lord personally and repented for our unbelief, how does God want us to follow Him?
Jesus Christ set forth the plan with Great Commission in St. Mark 16: 15 and 16 - He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Jesus asks His people to be like Him, to dedicate their lives to do the will of the one who sent them, just as He spent His life obeying Father’s will. The Gospel is Christ’s message brought by Christ’s people in Christ’s power. It calls the disciple to a life of complete surrender and total engagement. St. Mark 8: 34 and 35 says – Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.
Let us take up our cross daily. Every moment let there be the definite understanding that we belong to CHRIST who died for us. As we look to Him, we see the light of heaven behind Him, that his cross comes as a shadow over us. We see light, first of all, then that which demands that we follow his way, that we put SELF to DEATH, that we allow him to rule and that we determine that Christian life is not the simple, easy little thing, but a life in which we stand up to be counted.
But when we look ahead to the day when Christ returns and is established on His throne, we know it is all worthwhile. We have the sweet blessing of His fellowship in the present, the certain confirmation of all that is to come. We are not home yet. When we learn this fact, we won’t expect too much from their world. We learn that we go out and live our lives and live them by grace. That is what Jesus did. He came not to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many. Let Paul’s words to the Philippians encourage us to have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.
When we receive Christ as Savior, we receive a new life – a resurrected life. When we receive his new life, we are called to take up our cross as He did. As we share his sufferings, we share in the fulfillment of His purpose – men and women might know him as their Savior and Lord. Finally, when the time has fully come, we will share in his glory. The King of Glory, though clothed in servants’ garments, is our constant companion. Lord, gladly do we forsake everything to follow you. You come first, then we get home. ‘You will give us what is right’
Prayer
Dear God, help us to follow you incessantly without letting the temptations and challenges of the world affect us. Amen
Mr. Varughese P. Varughese
The Mar Thoma Church, Staten Island