1 Thessalonians 1:
2 We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. 3 We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul (the author of the above verses) and the other apostles of the early church often seem like parents nurturing and admonishing their young. Part of the reason I claim my faith as a Christian is because of the work of the apostles and Jesus’ original disciples. The role of these early church leaders, men and women alike, is as important to my Christian faith as Jesus himself! Hear me out on this. …
We know through scripture that the death of Jesus truly rocked the world of the disciples. It’s not logical to believe that they manufactured his resurrection – and then went about the countryside trying to convert believers to their fabrication – clear up until the time of their martyred deaths. No, something seismic happened, and their unity in spreading the story of Jesus, including his resurrection, has helped buoy my own faith.
The UCC Sermon Seeds for December 1 addressed the fact that Paul most likely would be “shocked” to find that many of his letters are still a source for Christians a full 2,000 years after his time on earth. Paul, along with the other writers of New Testament books, could have never imagined the magnitude of their influence.
When we feel as if we aren’t making a difference, that our efforts are in a vacuum, I think we can look to the apostles and their ripple effect. We have more influence than we know, and our words and actions truly matter. May we all go about the task that our Lord has led us to do, trusting that he will use our efforts in his own time and way.
Blessings,
Diana Kongkeattikul
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