Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, Lord let Your will be done on earth as it is done in heaven. I am glad to be a servant and a Minister of Reconciliation in your kingdom. Thank you, Lord, for blessing those who hear your Word and are striving to be doers of the Word. Thank you, Lord, for giving us an ear to hear what the Spirit says. Thank you for forgiving our iniquities and for the courage to forgive others. Thank you for giving us the authority and mindset to confront evil. Strengthen us so we go into the world and teach people to observe all that you commanded. May the words of my mouth bear witness to my transformation as a new creation and to my belief that you are omnipotent and omnipresent. Please guide me to speak words pleasing to your ears and food for your people. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen.
What can I say? We work for Him to carry out His purpose, according to His will. What is our mission (Read Matthew 28:19-20)? From the mouth of our Lord, we are to “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20). Every person who steps forward and claims Christ as Lord and Savior agree to follow His way and His truth, accepting the mission and vowing to carry the words of our Lord to all nations.
Suffice to say, the people who hear the words must believe that we believe what we are saying is the truth. A teacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ must have a passion for the Word of God. They must believe and that belief must become actionable. We answer the call to service by agreeing to not only speak the truth but practice the truth. We cannot (in good faith) tell people to love thy neighbor if we have an ongoing feud with the people next door. We cannot (in good faith) tell people to love their enemies if we are constantly making disparaging remarks about people or stereotyping entire races as lazy, drug addicts, thieves, untrustworthy, and other derogatory comments.
Everywhere we go, we must be an example of the Lord’s truth. Even in our homes with children who are now grown, we must keep teaching and being a living example of how we apply the Word of God to life situations. The Cretans described by Paul in Titus 2 were not known for their virtuous lifestyle, and God can bring these charges against too many people today who are more attracted to a lifestyle like the Cretans than working to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. Remember, Scripture says: “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Colossians 3:23). In a world drifting between good and evil, evil is winning.
We, who are believers in Christ and disciples of Christ, must share this truth and do our part to help fulfill the Great Commission. The work described in the Great Commission did not end with the apostles, and it does not end with this generation. We still have work to do; so, we must answer the call to service. We call on all those who follow Christ to pick up your cross and complete your assignment. We do not need a mission to India, Africa, South America, or wherever; we can start with our home, street, neighborhood, and community-at-large.
There is much work to do here in America. Christ left us an example; if you claim Him, then look for His footsteps and follow Him into the countryside of Tate County MS, and the ghettos of Memphis, TN. A leader's zealousness for good works is critical for a stable home, sound church, civil community, and democratic society. Paul understood this, he said to the people, "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1, NIV). We need to join one another and follow the example of Christ and His disciples, who followed the light shining from heavenly places. Yes, there were and continue to be some flaws in the human character. Nevertheless, do not let anyone deceive you, evidence shows beyond any doubt, that His way is the better way.
In this life, we are not all leaders with grand titles. Parents are not officially appointed, elected, or ordained. However, they are leaders with a charge from God to bring up their children in the way they should go and "bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4, ESV). Parents have an obligation to answer this call to service and stand fast in righteousness as an example for those who are immature in Christ.
Those who are called into service for the Lord do not instigate or participate in a rebellion that places their ideology over the congregation, the community, the country, the world, and especially not over God. Those who are called into service for the Lord do not seek revenge on people who disagree with them. Those who are called into service for the Lord find ways to prevent or remedy a humanitarian crisis that results from war, terrorism, poverty, street violence, oppression, etc. What priority or value do we assign to human life? “The righteous considers the cause of the poor, but the wicked have no regard for such concerns” (Proverbs 29:7, ESV). People who say they are believers and claim Christ care about the sanctity of human life. God rescues the poor and speaks for those who need a helper. The rulers and judges that He calls into service are not a terror to good works. However, in this upside-down world, many people are seeking their good over the good of others. Remember, the Word of God says everything seems permissible, but not all things are beneficial.
Those who believe it is okay to do everything are not following Christ and have no vision, and "Where there is no vision, the people perish" (Proverbs 29:18, KJB). Whether it is a family, a business, a school, a church, or the government, the group stagnates and becomes ineffective when there is no vision. If you have concerns about leaders in power today (public or religious), stay concerned because too many of them show allegiance to selfish ambitions instead of the Lord's way. If you have concerns about leaders in the home, church, or community, stay concerned because too many are perverting the truth. Be alert, recognize evil, and answer the Lord’s call to service, which is to teach all that He commanded. We must not be deterred by the number of people in the audience. Scripture says, "where two or three gather together in My name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20, ESV). It is not about us; it is about what the Lord commanded. Join us and answer the call to service; it is time for those who claim Christ to restore decency and order to God’s house and strive for peace in the world.
Closing Prayer – Almighty God, cover us with the blood of your son Jesus and show us how to use the information that we have learned for your glory. In Jesus’ name, we believe and pray, Amen!
