Christian Reflection and Prayer

 11 Since, then, we know what it is to
fear the Lord, we try to persuade people.
What we are is plain to God, and I hope
it is also plain to your conscience.
12 We are not trying to commend
ourselves to you again, but are giving you
an opportunity to take pride in us, so that
you can answer those who take pride in
what is seen rather than in what is in the
heart. 13 If we are “out of our mind,” as
some say, it is for God; if we are in our
right mind, it is for you. 14 For Christ’s
love compels us, because we are
convinced that one died for all, and
therefore all died. 15 And he died for all,
that those who live should no longer live
for themselves but for him who died for
them and was raised again.

 16 So from now on we regard no one
from a worldly point of view. Though we
once regarded Christ in this way, we do
so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is
in Christ, the new creation has come:
The old has gone, the new is here!
18 All this is from God, who reconciled
us to himself through Christ and gave
us the ministry of reconciliation:
19 that God was reconciling the world to
himself in Christ, not counting people’s
sins against them. And he has committed
to us the message of reconciliation.
20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors,
as though God were making his appeal
through us. We implore you on Christ’s
behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God
made him who had no sin to be sin[a]
for us, so that in him we might become
the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 6:11-21

Scripture:

Matthew 28:18-20

Then Jesus came to them and said,
 “All authority in heaven and on earth
has been given to me. Therefore go
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 I have commanded
you. And surely I am with you always,
to the very end of the age.”

Reflection:

Jesus Christ had died!  He had been
executed, He had been killed on a
cross.  The executioners were the
leaders of our faith and the current
ruling government. He was ridiculed
humiliated, tortured and killed. 
But then the miracle happened,
He arose from His grave.  That's
right, "HE IS ALIVE AND WITH OUR
FATHER!"
Before He went to His Father, before
the transformation, He left us with
these words.
" I have been given all authority in
heaven and on earth.19 Go, then,
to all peoples everywhere and make
them my disciples: baptize them in
the name of the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Spirit,20 and teach them to
obey everything I have commanded
you. And I will be with you always, to
the end of the age."

In other words, God, the creator of
the world, has given to me all power
and authority, not only over earth
but also in heaven.  Therefore go into
every nation, visit all the people and
make followers of Me.  And baptize,
bring them anew, into my Fathers
name, and into My name, and into
my Spirit.  And teach them what
I have taught you.  And if you do this,
I will with you forever and ever.

I THINK I WANT TO DO IT, HOW
ABOUT YOU?

Scripture:

"For where two or three meet in My Name,
I shall be there with them" (Matthew 18:20)

Reflection:.

The pastor of an inner-city Church tells
about an unexpected, but beautifully
enriching experience of Christ's Presence
in his life. He says ... When I learned that
I was to be the new pastor of this Church
located in a so-called "War Zone"
neighborhood, I regarded it as "mission"
territory. My purpose was to bring Christ
there. But, to my shame, I soon discovered,
quite unexpectedly, that Christ already was
there, in the honesty and generosity and
love of the people I had come to change.
Through them, the experience of the Christ
Presence came to me as never before.
Through them, Christ had changed me.
Through them, I realized, as never before,
that Jesus Christ makes His Presence
known to us in the most unexpected places.

Who could have expected that the
promised Messiah of God would first present
Himself to the world in a lowly stable?

It was summer. The days were long and the
heat of the desert wastes blew in on
Caesarea Philippi. Jesus turned aside from
the crowds and went away to the mountains
with a few close friends. The tall pines
swayed in the cool breeze. A clear stream
flowed at their feet, splashing against the
boulders in its path. The Apostle Peter
marveled at the beauty of the everlasting
hills as he said, "Surely God is in this place.
" But Jesus said, "If you really want to see
God working, come with Me." To Peter's
dismay they were going down from the
mountain, back to the heat, the dust, and
the sweaty crowds at Caesarea. As they
came down from the mountain, a man was
waiting with an afflicted son. Jesus touched
the boy and made him well again. And
Peter said to himself, "It's hard to get used
to the idea that we're closest to God when
we meet him in the needs of our sisters
and brothers."

HAVE YOU MET HIM THERE?

(from Sunday Sermons Online)