NO BIBLE NO BREAKFAST DAILY BIBLE REFLECTIONS AND MORE

SCRIPTURE READING

ACT 10:44-48
1 JOHN 5:1-6
JOHN 15:9-17

The theme for our reflection today is Chosen by Christ to serve. To be chosen means to be appointed for a particular purpose. We have been chosen by Christ to serve God’s purpose. To help us better appreciate the theme we shall discuss the theme by looking at the following three (3) points;

1. You have been chosen by Christ to serve by the grace of God.

2. You have been chosen by Christ to be saved and to participate in God’s mission of saving the lost in the world through the ministry of love, reconciliation and salvation.

3. You have become victorious and an overcomer through faith because you have been chosen by Christ to serve.

My dear friend in Christ, it is important to first understand that you have been chosen by Christ by the grace of God. In third Scripture reading John 15:9-17, Jesus tells his disciples that “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.” (John 15:16-17). When David observed the awesomeness of God and fragility of humanity he said “what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” (Psalms 8:4). I need you critically look at yourself, consider your past and where you started life from, I need you think of the abominable and unthinkable sins you might have done in the past and even recently, yet God is mindful of you and cares for you. That is the meaning of grace that “God demonstrated his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God”. (Romans 5:8-9). I do know how you feel as disciple or one chosen by Christ to serve but I want to remind you that you are a beneficiary of God’s grace and that you are unique and dear to Christ. It is a privilege to be chosen and an honour to become a chosen servant of Christ because Jesus tells us that “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15). My dear brother and sister in Christ, formerly we were nonentities, slaves to Satan and enemies to God through sin but now through grace you we are friend and chosen servant of our Lord Jesus Christ. Praise the Lord!

To our second main point beloved in the Lord, having discovered that we are object and beneficiaries of grace and chosen servants by Christ to serve, it is important to note that Christ also chose us to be saved and to participate in God’s mission of saving the lost the world. This fact is evident in the first Scripture reading from Act 10:44-48. Remember Peter was a disciple of Christ and for that matter a chosen by Christ to serve. In Act 10:44 we are told that Peter was preaching to the Gentiles and the Holy Spirit came upon the Gentiles. This is another demonstration of grace as stated in first point. The point I need you to grab here is that Peter was first saved by Christ and empowered by the power of the Holy Spirit to be a vessel or servant by which the Gentiles he was preaching to will become chosen vessels of Christ. Acts 10:44-46 tell us that “While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God.” My dear friend, Peter’s role as a chosen servant of Christ is what Christ talked about in third Scripture reading when he said “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.” (John 15:16-17). The Jews in the first place, do not associate themselves with the Gentiles because they consider the Gentiles unclean but Peter being a Jew and a chosen servant of the Christ, demonstrated love by preaching the Good News to the Gentiles and by the grace of God those who listened were saved!

Beloved in the Lord, Christians in the world have been chosen to serve. Our service to God must be demonstrate through love for the lost in the world. We must participate in God’s ministry of love, reconciliation and salvation for the lost. Paul summarised the fact that we have been chosen to serve Christ in the world and to reconcile the lost to God when he wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:20-21 that “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. ” (2 Corinthians 5:20-21). My dear friend in Christ, you are chosen by Christ to serve and also be an ambassador of Christ through the ministry of love and reconciliation at your office, the market place, at school and wherever you find people who are still behind the walls of salvation. Peter was a chosen servant of Christ who bore fruit of love and reconciliation which led to the salvation of the Gentiles, what about you and I, are we doing same as chosen servants of the Lord in the 21st Century? Jesus instructs us ‘”This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:12-13) When you go out there, remember that the message of love, reconciliation and salvation is that “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” (John 3:16-18)

Our third and final point is that you become victorious or an overcomer through faith because you are chosen servant of the Christ. Our Second Scripture reading, 1 John 5:1-6 reminds us that as chosen servants of Christ, if we love God and our fellow human beings and have faith in Jesus Christ, we shall overcome this world. “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4-5). In other words, a faithful servant of Christ is empowered through the Holy Spirit to be victorious over the challenges and temptations of this world through faith in Christ. Paul gives us great encouragement when he says “I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:12-13). My dear Christian brother or sister, you are not alone as a chosen vessel of Christ in your struggles, I encourage you to carry your cross and follow Jesus Christ, for He assures us that “Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30). In a world filled with conspiracy, hatred and persecution of the those chosen to serve, Paul who is a beneficiary of God’s grace again assured us that “my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. (Philippians 4:19-20)

In conclusion my dear precious one in Christ, firstly, we have been reminded that we have been chosen by Christ through the grace of God. Secondly, Christ chose us to serve and become vessels which will be used in God’s mission of saving the lost in the world through the ministry of love, reconciliation and salvation. Last but not least, we have become victorious and overcomers of this world by virtue of our status as chosen vessels of Christ. May the grace and peace of God continue to abide with you. Amen