John 1:3
"We
proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have
fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son,
Jesus Christ."
Driving back from church yesterday, I heard a good
quote on a radio talk show. The presenters were talking about faith and one of
them said: “Don’t tell me what you believe; let me watch you for a while and
then I’ll tell you what you believe.” That was a profound statement and is
something that I’ll personally try to remember on my daily walk with God in the
world.
The First Christians had a similar problem. They
preached a new and radical message that wasn’t easily listened to or accepted by
the people of their day. Whether it was Jews in Judea or Greeks in Greece or
Romans at Rome, the First Christians had a problem of credibility
(coincidentally, credibility comes from the Latin word “Credo” which means “I
believe.”). No one really knew who they were or who this Christos was that they
followed. They heard them preach on street corners and proclaim Christ’s name in
synagogues, temples, and market squares. They heard rumors that Christians were
insurrectionists, anarchists, and even cannibals. Christ’s message only became
effective when other people saw what the Christians actually did in their daily
lives. When people saw that their faith was genuine and that Christians did in
fact love one another, that’s when Christ’s message began to be accepted.
The challenge for us today is much the same. Do our
lives and actions proclaim the same beliefs in Christ that our lips and words
express?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we constantly say that we believe
and follow You, but do our lives proclaim something different? Forgive us when
we fail to be effective and genuine witness to Your presence and love in our
lives. Remind us that our faith is always being broadcast to our families and
friends, our neighbors and colleagues through what we do rather than just by
what we say. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
John Stuart
pastor@erinpresbyterian.org
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