Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Priest: Ambassadors of Christ
Jesus called His disciples with a unique purpose and specific plans. Jesus was very clear in these verses about the purpose of the ministry.
High priest of God - the divine Ambassador.
Jesus selects and assigns the twelve disciples to carry out the mission he was entrusted by the Father. He wanted his disciples to continue the ministry of the Kingdom of God. Jesus emphasizes the truth that discipleship has to be done with both being and doing. The Christian life is both being and doing, a noun and a verb.
Jesus invites his disciples to link the to-do item with to be item, for not only what we do is important, but also how we do something and why we do it are of crucial significance. Jesus, being the High Priest, invites us to give up what we hold precious and important for the Kingdom Values, thus leading a peripatetic lifestyle, traveling from place to place preaching the message of the Kingdom of God and doing the healing ministry.
Sharing the Power of Christ - the Priesthood of God.
The primary task of the disciple is to preach the Gospel that leads to the healing of the sick and the expulsion of evil powers. The servant of God is destined to be a lamb of God, the sacrificer and the sacrificed. There is nothing magical in the exercise of extending God's Ministry. Today we face the danger of superficial discipleship. Many retain their self-centered agendas in life even after enjoying the privilege of the Minister of God. This is against the Will of God. The current world focuses on the doing rather than the being. Those engaged in the ministry of God should not be fussy about material benefits, rather they must be willing to be sacrificed to fulfill the Will of God. The disciple should realize that our primary mission is the extension of God's Kingdom. In order to be what God destined us to be, we need to trust God and be obliged to Him alone, because He is the High Priest.
When we are in this ministry, the message that we witness and proclaim is important. We are proclaiming the experience of salvation. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we must be ready to live and die for the Sender.
God, we are here, resend us as ambassadors of Christ, forgive our mistakes……..Amen
Vicar,Philadelpia Bethel M T C