The Daily Fountain Daily Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 21 February 2020 – TOPIC: CHRISTIANS SERVING ONE ANOTHER
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DATE: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2020
TOPIC: CHRISTIANS SERVING ONE ANOTHER
READ: EPHESIANS 6:1-9 (NKJV)
1. Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
2. “Honour your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise:
3. “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.”
4. And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.
5. Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ;
6. not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,
7. with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men,
8. knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether [he is] a slave or free.
9. And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.
THE MESSAGE:
As Christians, we are called to serve one another in different capacities and settings. The hallmark of genuine Christianity is service to God through serving others in the family or society. Paul in this letter stipulates how Christian services should be, both at home and in the work place. It is important to emphasise that we have our heavenly Father who is the Master of all and He will reward everyone accordingly without favouritism (verses 8-9). Both Jesus Christ and His early disciples gave themselves to serving one another (Mark 10:45; Acts 2:44-47). Knowing this therefore, our goal should always be to serve and treat others in a manner acceptable and pleasing to God. Then our homes and society will be filled with the beauty of Christian service.
In the home, children should be taught to obey and serve their parents in the name of the Lord; the promise of God’s promise of long life to such children must be stressed. Fathers in particular are admonished not to provoke their children to wrath (verse 4). They need to depend on God on how to train and instruct their children in love; so they need to be careful not to displease their children under intense anger. Christian workers, especially those working for fellow Christians, should serve with sincerity; not with eye service, but as servants of Christ (verse 6). God is faithful and will never allow our true service to go unrewarded. Christian masters are to treat their servants/workers as though they are serving the Lord, with love and sincerity. As Christians, our services should reflect the gospel we believe and proclaim.
PRAYER: Lord, thank You for the privilege of serving in my family, the Church and the society. May my services bring and establish souls in Your kingdom, Amen!