At the final judgment when the Son of Man comes in his glory with his angels, he will sit on his glorious throne and judge the nations, separating them as it were, sheep from the goats, with some receiving eternal life and others eternal punishment. The final disposition of the judgment will be determined on how we treated the least of these; how we treated them, so did we treat him. This shows that the Church is the very presence of Christ in the world, showing the kindness and grace of our God to the world. As disciples of Jesus Christ and members of his body, we are charged with the duty to apply his kingdom ethic of doing justice and loving mercy. Each local congregation is an outpost of God’s Kingdom, called to demonstrate freedom, wholeness, and justice in its engagement with the world, responding in love, obeying the leading of its head, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Those who are sick and those who are in prison have one important thing in common: they are generally confined to small space, or at least their mobility is very restricted. In such a case the love of Christ may be just a visit. Our simple presence and a familiar face can alleviate the pain of confinement and show the love of God.

Father, visit the sick and prisoners with your presence today and lead us to represent you with our presence and care.

It is to those who are poor that the gospel comes as especially good news. And care for the poor was to be a distinguishing mark of the holiness of the covenant community.

~ Uche Anizor and Hank Voss, Representing Christ. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2016. p. 141.

Let God Arise! Seasonal Focus
Live as Ambassadors, John 13.12-20

Book Reading
Anizor and Voss, Representing Christ

Our Corporate Disciplines
Day Retreat: Friday, August 26, 2022