Witness Day 4: Being God’s Witness to the World by Betsy White

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
                                                                                                                    – Matthew 28:18-20

As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.  And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth. “I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word,
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Sometimes when listening to the words used in our Baptismal liturgy, particularly in our covenant of Baptism with infants, I’ll really pay particular attention to the congregation’s response:

With God’s help we will proclaim the good news and live according to the examples of Christ.
We will surround these persons with a community of love and forgiveness, that they may grow in their trust of God and be found faithful in their service to others.
We will pray for them that they may be true disciples who walk in the way that leads to life.
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What a great responsibility that puts on us! We promise to be good and true witnesses of Christ to those sweet little babies so that they grow in their love and trust of God and can in turn be witnesses to others.

In the Great Commission, Jesus instructs his disciples to “go and make disciples of all nations.” We hear the words so clearly in our Baptism liturgy! As a congregation, we promise to witness to that infant; as Christians, we are commissioned to go into the world and do the same.

“Into the world” can have a broad meaning such as the international mission field; however, there are mission fields in our own communities, in our work places or in our own families. A witness would use words as well as actions, but I love what Ralph Waldo Emerson said: “What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say!” We can be witnesses for Christ to the world by a kind word, a thoughtful gesture, or a giving of our time and talents to those in need.

PRAYER: Lord, show us how to be Christ to others through our words and our actions that they may know and love you. We pray for your indwelling Spirit to be in our hearts making us compassionate and bold witnesses. We ask this not to glorify ourselves, but to glorify You and Your kingdom.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: We can witness to others and reveal God’s love through our words and actions.

Written by Betsy White

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