NO BIBLE NO BREAKFAST DAILY BIBLE REFLECTIONS AND MORE

REFLECTION

“Messengers and meanings” is the theme in for our reflection. A messenger is a person who carries a message or is employed to carry messages. Meanings refers to the specicial significance or quality of a thing, a person or an act. The theme “Messengers and meanings” therefore means people who run errands and their special significance. We shall reflect on the fact that messengers of the Church are important because they carry the message of Christ and risk their lives for the sake of Christ and the Church.

Beloved in the Lord, Epaphroditus was a dutiful man who served the Churh of Philippi as their messenger who sent and receive message from the Phillipians to Paul who was in prison at the time. In one of such errands Ephaproditus fell ill and the message had to delay. Paul acknowledged the role of Epaphroditus and his importance to him and the Philippian church “I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious.” (Philippians 2:25-28) We must appreciate the fact that when the church began for many years, there was no easy and accessible form of Information technology to simply send and receive messages. Messengers had to travel long distances on foot or by sea through thick and thin to deliver and receive messages. Sometimes they were faced with harsh weather conditions and security issues. In our times, we must also consider preachers and iternary agents of the church such as pastors as important messengers of the Church. They recieve message from God and the Headquarters of the Church to members of the congregations and also travel from one congregation to the other preaching the Gospel, administering the sacraments and strengthening the believers. Fortunately, in our era automobile and information technology have made the errands of the messengers less burdensome. All the same, the errands require the time, energy, commitment and resources of the messengers. Truly some pastors and evangelists continue to use their personal vehicles, and resources to perform their duties in the propagation of the Gospel and for the growth of the church. No wonder the sickness and unavailability of Epaphroditus affected the church adversely. He was indeed a diligent servant of the Lord and messenger of the Church.

Beloved in the Lord, having appreciated the importance of church workers or messengers, what must be our obligation to them as believers or as a church? We are greatly admonished by Paul when he wrote that “receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me” (Philippians 2:29-30). In other words, we are required as believers to contribute to the welfare of church agents or messengers. Let us not deny them of their emolument and all that is required to make them meet their personal and family needs and future aspirations. Messengers and workers of the church needs the utmost attention to keep them focused on the business of the Church and the preaching and teaching of the Scripture. When Messengers fall sick and struggle economically their presence will be meaningless to the church. It is for this reason “… the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.” (1 Timothy 5:18). Let us develop the habit of appreciating and supporting our church workers and messengers of the Lord. Let us support them with data, airtime, financially and through any means possible to enable them perform their duties to the best of their abilities.

In summary, we have meditated on the theme, “Messengers and meanings” We have learnt that messengers of the Church are important because they carry the message of Christ and risk their lives for the sake of Christ and the Church. It is for this reason we must ensure that their welfare is of importance to the church. Shalom.

PRAYER

Holy Spirit, strengthen our messengers and grant them good health, long life and prosperity even as they sacrifice their lives, time and resources to ensure that the church grows and the Gospel reaches every corner of the world. Amen