Reflections

  MANY MEMBERS – ONE BODY Bible Reading: : 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 Key verse :     V 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. DEVOTION Amid the very individualist society we live in, St. Paul, offers a differing perspective on how the community of believers should are meant to relate to one another. We see demonstration of this in the first section of 1 Corinthians 12 when Paul speaks about the gifts of the spirit. In that section, St. Paul reminds us that, “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” The continuation of this idea is what the second section talks about. We are all members of one body, and every part of the body serves a vital role in the functioning of the body. In this passage, Paul uses the metaphor of the human body to illustrate spiritual unity. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head cannot dismiss the feet. Even the parts that seem weaker or less visible are i...

  Church: One Body in Christ Bible Reading: : St. John  10:11-18 Key verse :    'I am the good Shepherd, I know my Sheep and my Sheep know me'. (St. John 10:14) DEVOTION “I am (ego eimi) the good shepherd” (v. 11a). Ego eimi is an important phrase in this Gospel;  Ego eimi can be understood as coded language that refers back to Moses.‘I AM (Ego eimi)has sent me to you'” (Exodus 3:14).In other words, ego eimi can be construed as God’s name.When Jesus applies ego eimi to himself, he is subtly identifying himself with God—as God.These ego eimi statements tell us that Jesus is the one who can meet our deepest needs and longings. As God the father, Christ the Son and the Abiding presence of the Holy Spirit is united together in Trinity. We should abide woth dedication with complete submission to our ' I am - Ego eimi) who can meet our needs and dreams.The Old Testament uses shepherd(Greek: Kalos) as a metaphor for God.Kalos “means that a thing or a person” goes beyon...

  Bound together in Love and peace Bible Reading: :Colossians  3:12-15 Key verse :    Vs14 Ands over all these virtues put on love which binds them altogether in perfect unity. DEVOTION Colossians is unique  in its emphasis on the cosmic rule of Jesus Christ .Like in many of the churches Paul established false teachers wreaked havoc on the church and its teachings after his departure. Some taught the believers that the works of the law was vital for the salvation. Salvation is a miracle . Every human being needs a spiritual resurrection to be able to know God and live for him .only Jesus  can give one the spiritual resurrection. In chapter 3  Paul says  since “you have been raised with Christ  ,set your  hearts on things above where Christ is seated on the right hand of God, Set your minds on things above and not on earthly things.” We are God’s chosen people  and Paul exhorts us to clothe ourselves with  compassion, kindn...

  Oneness through humility and service Bible Reading: : Philippines 2: 1-11 Key verse :    "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves." - Philippians 2:3 DEVOTION After 27 years of brutal imprisonment on Robben Island for fighting apartheid, the world expected Nelson Mandela to seek revenge. Instead, when released and later elected president, Mandela chose forgiveness. He famously stated, “If I didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison.” He prioritized national unity over personal grievance, embracing his former oppressors and working to build a democratic, multi-racial South Africa. Nelson Mandela's selfless act of wearing the Springboks rugby jersey was a powerful symbol of reconciliation, unity, and forgiveness after apartheid. By embracing the jersey, which was once a symbol of white minority rule, Mandela helped transform it into a new national emblem, uniting a deeply divided...

  One Calling, One Spirit, and One Body Bible Reading: :Ephesians 4:1-7 Key verse :    Verses 4-6:  “There is one body and one Spirit — just as you were called to one hope when you were called — one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father  of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” DEVOTION The book of Ephesians hits on a wide range of moral, ethical, and spiritual behaviors, designed to ensure believers are living up to our heavenly calling.  The theme of the first part of chapter 4 is “Unity in the Body of Christ.”  The apostle Paul encourages the believers in Ephesus to live in a new way instead of idol worship, immorality, and foolish philosophies.  He was urging them to follow a life worthy of the calling by emulating Christ’s humility, gentleness, and patience actively striving to maintain the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.  It also means modeling the very life of Jesus Christ.  This is a call not...

  UNITY GUARDED BY UNDERSTANDING Bible Reading: :Joshua 22:21-29 Key verse :    Vs 27 On the contrary it is to be a witness between us and you and the generations that follow. DEVOTION The tribes of Gad, Reuben and half of the tribe of Manasseh were given an inheritance on  the east side of the Jordan river. There they constructed an alter to declare their  faithfulness to God and to show the other tribes their loyalty towards them. In fact they  went with these tribes to the land and fought to secure it and get rid of its pagan inhabitants  before finally returning to their allotted land .But unfortunately the rest of the Israel  misunderstood their actions and prepared for war. For them it looked like a rebellion  towards God. But the timely explanation of the eastern tribes their true intention that the  alter was not for sacrifice but a witness to remind the future generations that they shared  the same faith and covenant with t...

  Walking in the Truth: Passing Faith to Spiritual Children  Bible Reading: : 3 John 1-12 Key verse :    “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” – 3 John 4 DEVOTION In this letter by John to Gaius, the word “truth” is mentioned 5 times. And John was especially joyful to see that all of his children were walking in the truth (vs. 4).  Indeed, it is a joy for every parent to see their children successful. For John, it was to see his children walking in the truth and this should be the same for us. The word for truth in Greek is ἀληθείᾳ (“alethia”). In ancient Greek, the same word is used for “reality”. For GenX, it’s like saying: “this is for real” or “it’s legit!” So, the truth is not just a fact but it is real. It is not an illusion.  Do you have the truth and when you walk in your life, is it real to you? Do you believe that Jesus Christ died and resurrected for you and is now in your heart? Do you really have t...