(Further reflections on "In Deeds & Prayers"--Sunday 21-July-2024)
Christians are called to support one another, from church to church, in deeds and prayers. Why? Because God had and has demonstrated it through ages.
The mission of God, sending Jesus to be fully human and yet fully God, was the universe-shaking God's-promises-being-kept event. It was God's love done in humility in the midst of controversies and social unrest.
The passion of Christ, sending Jesus to the cross for the redemption of all those who come to believe, was the earth-shaking God's-ultimate-redemptive-plan event. It was Christ's love done in earnest prayers and deeds in the midst of betrayal and power struggles of His people.
The resurrection of Jesus, raised from the dead by God the Father, was the unbelievable international headline. This is a terrible news to those who killed Him. A good news but still perplexing to those who witnessed His death. It was God's victory over death, giving not a temporal hope but an eternal one to those who believe and follow Jesus even in the midst of hopelessness.
The ascension of Jesus, being enthroned in heaven, was and still is the glorious declaration of the triune God who put Christ Jesus supreme over all creation, every aspect of human activities, no longer "under the sun" but under the Son of God who rules and reigns with absolute greatness and goodness even in the midst of unfinished business on earth.
The endowment of the Holy Spirit, granting disciples power to be His witnesses, was and still is the greatest command today. This is God's faithfulness and compassion in action from the first Adam (who failed) to the last Adam, Jesus (who fulfilled) to His followers. It was and still is a great call for Christ's Body--the local church to be faithful in carrying out the great commission of all time from generation to generation. And this great work needs support from one another in deeds and earnest prayers (cf. Acts 11:27-12:4).
The great commission has always been, though varied in scale and intensity, facing persecutions from the time of Jesus till now. The Body of Christ has always been called to support one another in deeds (i.e. finances/goods) according to one's ability and in earnest prayers. To follow Jesus is to be praying like Him in many "Gethsemane-like" situations (cf. Luke 22:44) where we saw Jesus, "being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground." And to follow Jesus is to be reminded that we are prone to be in spiritual "sleepiness" (cf. Luke 22:45-46) and we need to rise and pray that we may not enter into all kinds of temptations.
May we all stay vigilant and support the Body of Christ in deeds and earnest prayers. Amen.
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Pastor Lap
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