What in this text strikes you as remarkable?
Does anything arrest your attention?
What from this text do you need to hear?
What from this text does our congregation need to hear?
How does this text fit with the statement "We are baptized believers participating in the life of God for the sake of others," especially the last phrase?
The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
4 comments:
I think this verse demonstrates how we should live for the sake of others. We must use the gifts God has given us to serve others. If we let those gifts go unused then we are essentially spiting on God and saying those gifts are useless. (wow... now that I think about it, I often let me gifts go unused...) Maybe it is time that we all start using our great gifts that God gave us. Just think of the impact we could have on our community if we use the gifts we have. Just think how much happier all of us we be because we are doing things we love to do.
God provides us with strength to accomplish so many things far beyond our comprehension. All we have to do is try. He loves us so much and has given us all different and varying talents. As I walk through life, I find that at each stage my interests change and God puts before me many new interests and the ability to try everything that interests me. I may not accomplish each interest at the depth and ability as another but He gives me a chance to try. I have never thought that God would limit me to not at least try. I think each of us only touches the very surface of what we can really do. But zeal must also be tempered with love and humility because God gave the gift, not me. As we work in different areas of service and learn new things we have a wonderful opportunity to meet new people and become involved in each other's lives more deeply. This gives us opportunity to share our faith and be an encouragement to others. One thing I have learned from heart disease is that you treasure each day, each hour, each moment. You appreciate everything around you from family, friends to nature and God's wonderful gifts that surround us each day. Life is a gift and each day, no matter how good or bad, has value and opportunity. None of us know how many days, hours or moments we have. None of us know when Jesus will come again so we must be ready and waiting and help others be ready and waiting anxiously for His return. All that we do and are has to be about Jesus because he is our source of light and strength. He is the reason for our salvation. Life is good. Sherron Fields
The phrase "be clear minded and self controlled so that you can pray" strikes me. Business certainly takes away a clear mind. When we get out of control with spiritual disciplines, but also other disciplines, clarity is lost and prayer becomes difficult. I am always striving for more discipline in all areas.I guess some benefits of discipline are a clear mind and self control which makes prayer easier.
Great comments thus far! Thanks!
Now here is a long quote that Gary directed me to. Tell me what you think about this, especially linking it with our passage and our phrase "for the sake of others."
Donald Miller in Blue Like Jazz (p. 110-12, passim) writes:
My friend Andrew the Protester believes things. Andrew goes to protests where he gets pepper-sprayed, and he does it because he believes in being a voice of change. My Republican friends get frustrated when I paint Andrew as a hero, but I like Andrew because he actually believes things that cost him something. Even if I disagree with Andrew, I love that he is willing to sacrifice for what he believes. And I love that his beliefs are about social causes.
Andrew says it is not enough to be politically active. He says legislation will never save the world. On Saturday mornings Andrew feeds the homeless. He sets up a makeshift kitchen on a sidewalk and makes breakfast for people who live on the street. He serves coffee and sits with his homeless friends and talks and laughs, and if they want to pray he will pray with them. He’s a flaming liberal, really. The thing about it is, though, Andrew believes this is what Jesus wants him to do. Andrew does not believe in empty passion.
All great Christian leaders are simple thinkers. Andrew doesn’t cloak his altruism within a trickle-down economic theory that allows him to spend fifty dollars on a round of golf to feed the enconomy and provide jobs for the poor. He actually believes that when Jesus says feed the poor, He means you should do this directly.
Andrew is the one who taught me that what I believe is not what I say I believe; what I believe is what I do.
I used to say that I believed it was important to tell people about Jesus, but I never did. Andrew very kindly explained that if I do not introduce people to Jesus, then I don’t believe Jesus is an important person. It doesn’t matter what I say. Andrew said I should not live like a politician, but like a Christian. Like I said, Andrew is a simple thinker.
If Andrew the Protester is right, if I live what I believe, then I don’t believe very many noble things. My life testifies that the first thing I believe is that I am the most important person in the world. My life testifies to this because I care more about my food and shelter and happiness than anybody else.
I am learning to believe better things. I am learning to believe that other people exist, that fashion is not truth; rather, Jesus is the most important figure in history, and the gospel is the most powerful force in the universe. I am learning not to be passionate about empty things, but to cultivate passion for justice, grace, truth, and communicate the idea that Jesus like people and even loves them.
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