1-31 JANUARY 2024
THEME: Ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5: 20)
[See also: The Covenant Service.]
Click or tap on the day number of your choice to jump down the page to the notes for that day:
FOREWORD
The curtains have come down for the year 2023, and we are marching forward like a mighty army. 2023 was a different year altogether. On the political sphere, it was a year that we saw the nation holding harmonized general elections which brought different outcomes and reactions, depending on which political party one belonged and subscribed to. It was also a year that we witnessed economic instability as prices of basic commodities continued to rise on a daily basis and the local currency losing its favour with the wallets of many. Socially, it was a year that we saw an increase in the number of murder cases signalling that people no longer value the sanctity of human life. It was also during that same year that the nation grappled with the surge of drug and substance abuse among the young and productive generation.
When all these happen and pressure continues to be exerted upon people of God, many are found compromising their faith and falling by the wayside. It is in such times as these that as Christians we approach our future with boldness knowing very well that although we are in this world which is characterized by chaos we are not of this world. We are a people of the covenant, and we begin the year by entering into covenant with our God, as well as renewing the previous covenants whose results we may be feeling that they were not fully realized during the previous year. Being a covenant people automatically entails that we are not ordinary people. In this regard this year is unique in its own special way. We are being called and reminded about our identity and mission. We are ambassadors called and sent to represent an eternal and unshakeable Kingdom. As ambassadors we are called and sent to reconcile people back to the Father.
It is in this regard that this booklet was prepared to help us lay the foundation as we embark on life pilgrimage with God. The topics are articulated in a way that will help us as ambassadors for Christ to reflect upon our call and mandate as we seek to make Christ known in this world. Furthermore, the month of January lays the foundation of the whole year, and it is a period that we also make resolutions for the whole year. Each resolution that we make is accompanied by a seed. This means that we also take this as seed time. In this regard, the booklet has also been prepared with that in mind, and the last week of January will see us having topics that cover the area of seeding so as to help us do the right thing, the right way, and at the right time, as the Bible says that as long as the earth endures, seedtime will never cease (Genesis 8: 22).
We are “ambassadors for Christ”. May the people called Methodists have a fruitful Covenant Month.
Revd. Dr. K. Paradza (Mission Director)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This publication of the Covenant Month booklet was prepared by Revd. O. Chagudhuma and brethren from Marondera District, i.e. Revd. L. Panavanhu, Revd. C. Nunu Ndlovu, Revd. S. Gono, Revd. C. Maburutse, Revd. E. Tembo, Revd. N. Mutasa, Mr. S. Muradzikwa, Mr. Chuma and Mrs. Kusotera. We want to thank these colleagues in the vineyard for their commitment and sacrifices. We continue to express our profound gratitude to our local languages committees for facilitating the translation of this booklet so that it is accessible in Shona, Ndebele, Tonga and Kalanga. May God richly bless them. Last but not least, we thank our Connexional Bookshop team for making sure that this booklet reaches all corners of the Methodist community, locally and abroad, in both hard and soft copies.
May God bless the people called Methodists.
Revd. O. Chagudhuma (Research and Publications Coordinator)
DAY 1
TOPIC: AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST
READING: 2 CORINTHIANS 5: 20
2 Corinthians is one of Paul’s genuine letters written at the end of his two-to-three year ministry in Ephesus (Acts 19: 8-10; 20: 31). Scriptural evidence shows us that the Corinthian church had some challenges emanating from false teachers who were leading people away from the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They boasted of human ability and achievements resulting in unchristian practices, religious formalism, and doctrinal misinterpretations. The result was an upheaval among Christians there. Paul had been insulted and his apostolic authority challenged. Those challenges kept on disturbing the functioning of the Corinthian church as some began to drift away from their Christian faith. In the face of these theological and ecclesial tempests, the church needed Paul’s continuous support.
Responding and reacting to such issues, Paul had to write defending his own apostleship and the gospel. His approach was not confrontational but reconciliatory. He also does so as he reminds the Corinthian Christians of his identity, their identity and role in the face of such circumstances. They were ambassadors for Christ in as much as he was. An ambassador is a representative of one state to another. This automatically means that Paul had seen two nations existing in the religious sphere of Corinth.
How did this notion of ‘ambassador’ come into Paul’s theology and mind? Paul is writing in the context of the Roman system of the day. In the Roman Empire of the first century, there were two kinds of provinces, i.e. the senatorial provinces and the imperial provinces. The senatorial provinces were made up of people who were peaceful and not at war with Rome. They had surrendered and submitted to the ruling authorities. On the contrary, the imperial provinces were not peaceful. They would rebel against Rome whenever they find chance to do so. So, in a bid to maintain peace, Rome would send ambassadors to the imperial provinces so as to make sure that rebellion did not break out. Such ambassadors would live among the people and try to present a good picture of Rome to the residents of such provinces. In this understanding, Paul brings this picture into the life of the church. This is because the church had some characteristics of the Roman provinces existing in the religious life of the world. As a result of the false teachings people had rebelled against God. The world had religiously become imperial provinces that always take false teachings and rebel against God. In such circumstances, Christians are sent as ambassadors for Christ so that rebellion does not break out. They are to represent Christ, speak for Christ, and act for Christ. They are to make the world be reconciled to God.
The same message is speaking to us today as Methodist Christians. We live in a world that is easily carried away by false teachings, and in some cases the world which has become so vulnerable to the negative effects of technology and other vices, for example. The world in which science is slowly overtaking faith. In as much as technology has to benefit the world, in some cases it has become a spiritual snare, causing people to slowly drift away from the Christian faith. Besides these mentioned here, the world is also characterized by poverty and unemployment on the side of the educated youth. This means that the meaning of life is now becoming questionable. Fake and unchristian solutions are presented to God’s people as they try to find the meaning of life in a world that is characterised by catastrophes. It is at the backdrop of such situations that Christians [the church] are reminded of their identity in the midst of such chaos. They are sent out to be ambassadors for Christ. We stand up to make the world be reconciled to God, and stop any further chances of rebellion against God.
Reflection: The Kingdom I represent is greater than the one that is manifesting in the world. Let Christ be known.
DAY 2
TOPIC: ACCREDITATION A PREREQUISITE FOR AN AMBASSADOR
READING: ACTS 1: 4-8
Ambassadors need to be commissioned and accredited in order to function so as to avoid legitimacy crisis. That process should not be overlooked. According to the Gospel narratives, Jesus called his disciples and travelled with them for a period of about three years as they were learning from him. During those three years he saw some misfirings in their characters and approaches. In some instances they exhibited their selfish motives and ambitions, e.g. the sons of Zebedee wanted favours of being placed above all the other disciples (Mark 10: 35-44), the disciples stopped others who were not in their group from carrying out mission (Mark 9: 38), etc. They were self-centred. All these misfirings happened as he was physically travelling with them, and he had the opportunity to correct and whip them into line.
Now, the disciples had to carry out mission and represent him when he was no longer going to be physically with them. With those selfish motives and selfish ambitions, mission was going to be a total disaster. They were not going to be true and good ambassadors. Jesus knew about that. So, in order to curb chaos and legitimacy crisis and further misfiring, Jesus ordered them to wait in Jerusalem until they receive the Holy Spirit. They were to be commissioned and accredited by the Holy Spirit first before they represent him.
That is the case with today’s church. The church cannot be a true ambassador for Christ when selfish motives and ambitions characterise its operations and members. It is now time the church [us] gets commissioned and accredited by the Holy Spirit, and once that happens, it becomes effective as it brings the world to be reconciled to God. Absence of the Holy Spirit in the church creates legitimacy crisis.
Reflection: Let the Holy Spirit anoint and empower the church.
DAY 3
TOPIC: FORGIVENESS AS A CREDENTIAL FOR AMBASSADORSHIP
READINGS: 1 CORINTHIANS 15: 9-10; 2 CORINTHIANS 5: 17- 19
When an Ambassador is called and sent out she/he presents his/her credential. A credential is a qualification that is used to indicate one’s suitability for something. It is evidence that you are qualified for the task. One cannot be an ambassador if he/she has got a warrant of arrest behind him/her. A clean record is a pre-requisite. As Christians we have forgiveness as a credential for our ambassadorial mandate.
From today’s text, we are presented with Paul mentioning that if anyone is in Christ he is totally new. The old has gone and the new has come. The apostle himself is a testimony of this. The apostle Paul become an ambassador for Christ being a product of forgiveness. We all know how his conversion took place, i.e. from Saul of Tarsus to a bond servant of the Lord (Acts 9). His past, if considered seriously, disqualified him from being an ambassador for Christ. He had a terrible background. However, God changed his past, forgave him, gave him a new beginning, and qualified him for mission. What God was teaching him was that Christian ambassadorship is built on forgiveness. He was a forgiven somebody. Whatever he would say ahead he did so with the full conviction that his past has been dealt with by God, reconciled to God, and totally became a new person. This is the conviction that gave him even the guts to address the Corinthian church on matters of reconciliation.
The church of Corinth was a racial church built on the market place where people of different cultures, political affiliation, spiritual and moral values differed due to different backgrounds, but the apostle is sending to them a message of reconciliation. This is something which is not possible if the one speaking is not leading by example.
An ambassador for Christ should use his/her own forgiveness as a credential to heal the church of God. His/her approach should be based on his/her own forgiveness from his/her wrongdoings. Pending issues of forgiveness are setbacks of healing.
Reflection: One cannot be an ambassador whilst carrying pending issues of the past. Be forgiven and forgive.
DAY 4
‘TOPIC: AMBASSADORS ARE PEOPLE OF THE COVENANT
READING: GENESIS 15: 1-20
A covenant in the ancient world was similar to what we call ‘a contract’ or ‘a treaty’ in the modem world. Such a contract or treaty is entered into between two parties. It establishes the basis of a relationship, conditions for that relationship, promises and the consequences if such conditions are not met. So it is with ambassadors.
Ambassadors as envoys of a certain kingdom are people of the covenant. As they are appointed and commissioned there are certain conditions which bind them as they do their diplomatic missions. Such conditions do keep them in good relationship with the master who had called and appointed them. The conditions do constitute a covenant. On the side of the master there is promise while on the side of the envoy there is obedience.
From today’s scripture, we are presented with one of the ‘seven covenants’ of the Old Testament, i.e. the Abrahamic Covenant. Abraham was called by God to leave his father’s household to where God would show him. During the call, God promised Abraham blessings and protection (Genesis 12: 1ff). Abraham was going to be God’s ambassador wherever he would go as God promised to bless people through him. Abraham obeyed God. Chapter 15 presents us with the details of the covenant which God made to Abraham and the covenant was sealed through the blood of the animals and birds which Abraham was instructed to slaughter and place on the altar. The process of setting up the altar was faced with threats from the ravaging vultures that wanted to feed themselves on that which Abraham had prepared for God and for his breakthrough. However, Abraham stood his ground and chased them away.
The altar was eventually set and safeguarded. In the package of the covenant, there was affirmation that God would fulfil all what He had promised Abraham on the onset of the call. An assurance was given Abraham that he would have a son. What was left on the side of Abraham as he sojourneyed through the length and the breath of the land was obedience to the One who had chosen him and made promises upon him. So it is with today’s church. As ambassadors for Christ we are people of the covenant. This is why this period is a period of making and renewing our covenants with God. If we are to be effective ambassadors for Christ we ought to reflect on what Christ has promised us and play our part as we obey him.
Reflection: Ambassadors are people of the covenant. What is in the package of the covenant that we have entered into with God?
DAY 5
TOPIC: AMBASSADORS ARE RELIABLE
READING: NUMBERS 13: 1-3, 17-33
A good ambassador is one who knows the will of the one sending him/her out for a mission. An ambassador will also act with integrity so as not to undermine the character of the one who sent him, nor drag the name of his/her master into disrepute. He/she is not carried away or shifted from focus or mandate. The ambassador is mandated to fulfil the objectives of the one whom he/she represents, whether in foreign or unlikeable land. He/she does not do his/her own will but the will of the one who has sent him/her. A good ambassador is characterised by loyalty, faithfulness, reliability and dependability to the one who has appointed him/her.
From the text under study, we are presented with twelve spies (ambassadors) who were sent by Moses to go and spy the land of Canaan. Having been sent, they did go and brought reports after 40 days of serious land assessment. Unfortunately, the majority (ten) of the spies brought a negative report despite having evidence with them that the land was good. Only two, Joshua and Caleb, presented a positive report. Humanly speaking, it was going to be easy for those who had been left home to believe the report of the ten because of the larger number they were, than to believe the story of Joshua and Caleb. However, it was these two ambassadors who had God’s story and purpose whose report carried the day.
As has been alluded before, all the spies affirmed that the land was fertile and very productive (land flowing with milk and honey). In actual fact they had brought with them evidence of some fruits of the land, yet some of them still lacked the conviction of fulfilling their God-given mandate. They lost the zeal to conquer the land.
Two critical lessons can be deduced from this incident as we seek to be reliable ambassadors for Christ.
a) Most of the times as children of God and ambassadors we tend to want to enjoy the fruits of the land without facing the labour of it. As ambassadors we should also be ready and be prepared to face challenges of the giants in the land of operation, resistance in the field of work, and at times mocked and rejected, but focus on the purpose to which we have been called to accomplish.
b) Not all that wins through vote is the right decision. Most of the times the church tends to believe the voice of the majority, ignoring the minority’s views and presentations. Most of the times we take our decisions by vote not by vision, and in most cases lie that that is what God has given us, whilst forgetting the evil campaigning that would have happened prior and during the process. Blessed is this Israelite community whose victory was in the report of the two men, Joshua and Caleb, who were God-centred than people-centred. We need to learn to consult God more often than men.
A good and true ambassador depends on the sovereignty of the king who has sent him/her out for duty. As ambassadors for Christ, we should learn to be bold and courageous enough to trust and obey our Master and depend on his power and authority. Although there are the Anakite giants in the land ahead, we have a greater God who has never known defeat in any kind of battle; victory is certain. Let us do everything in His might.
Reflection: Ambassadors are reliable. How reliable are we in discharging our duties in the face of challenges?
DAY 6
TOPIC: KNOWING CHRIST BETTER
READING: EPHESIANS 1: 17-18
Ambassadors know their master. They need to take their time studying the master, i.e. know his character, his interests, his likes and dislikes, before embarking on their diplomatic missions. Failure to know and understand the master makes ambassadorial duties and mission difficult, if not totally impossible. The ambassador has to also know what his/her master expects from him/her.
In the same line of understanding we are presented with this truth in the letter to the Ephesians. The author of the letter to the Ephesians has got this conviction. He knows very well that one cannot be an ambassador for Christ if he/she does not fully know Christ. In this case he [the author] prayed for his readers. According to the text under study he prays for the Ephesian church to be given the spirit of wisdom and revelation so that their knowledge of Christ may be increased. He also prayed so that the eyes of their hearts may be enlightened in order that they may know the hope to which they are called.
The message applies to us today. One cannot be an envoy of one he/she does not understand. What it means is that we should take time studying Christ, pray for revelation, etc. Let him reveal to us who he is and who we are, as well as what and where he is calling us to. Failure to that we end up misrepresenting him. We end up doing our own mission instead of Christ’s mission, and that is what is seen in churches where Christ is being taken as any other business. There are several churches where it is evident that their operations are human-centred and being driven by what people want more than what Christianity demands. Christ is not known at all but people claim to be doing his mission. May we calm down and relearn. Let us cultivate the hunger and thirst of knowing Christ more than ever through his word.
Reflection: Is Christ fully known in our churches today? Let us strive to make sure that we are full of the word of God and full of Christ.
DAY 7
TOPIC: LIVING BY THE HEAVENLY TERMS
READING: LUKE 18: 18-30
Terms and references governing ambassadors are enshrined in the constitution of a kingdom or state they represent. Even the flag that flies at their place of residence and offices is that of the state they represent. They do not live nor operate according to their terms and conditions. Neither do they forget that they are sent to represent their nations and succumb to the pressure and references of the host nations.
According to the text under study, we are presented with an incident of Jesus’ conversation with a rich young dishonest ruler. This young man may be the only man in the Gospels who came to the feet of Jesus and went away in a worse condition than when he came. Initially the man had tried to do very well. He had his good side before his came to Jesus. The man was moral, religious, earnest and sincere, of which all these were actually pleasant. However, one negative did cost him and dismissed all the positives he had lived by for years. As a result he went away in great sorrow. His mistake was that he wanted Jesus to endorse his dishonesty and live by his own terms of reference. In spite of the fact that he came to the right person, asked the right question and received the right answer, he made a wrong decision. He had asked Jesus about what he could do to inherit eternal life. Like any other Jew he believed that one had to do something to attain eternal life but when he was told to do something he refused. He is a typical type of Christians who say one thing and do another. They cannot do what they claim to be.
Of course, Jesus does not command all of us to sell everything and give to the poor. However, he just puts his finger of conviction on any area in our lives about which we are dishonest. Once that finger is put, it is now our response to comply and be true ambassadors. Resisting what Jesus tells us to do means resisting his terms and try to operate by our own terms, which is not expected on a good ambassador.
Reflection: If Jesus was to put a finger on to your area of your life about which you are dishonest, which area would it be? Resist the attitude of the rich young dishonest ruler.
DAY 8
TOPIC: WHEN WE WALK IN FAITH
READINGS: 2 CORINTHIANS 5: 7; PSALMS 23: 4; 1 SAMUEL 17: 45-47
As ambassadors for Christ, we are called to a life of living by faith. Often times we will meet with trials and tribulations. The road ahead is never always smooth, yet we have to keep walking; to keep moving forward. In this journey, many eyes will be on us, to see how we overcome difficult circumstances or fall.
Every now and again, we must test ourselves, to see if we are solid in the faith (2 Corinthians 13: 5). We need evidence that Jesus Christ lives in us, so that if we fail the test, we can do something about it. The journey ahead does not only demand physical strength, but divine strength as well.
It is often the case that the things we fear the most do happen. We tend to live in fear because of obstacles that seem too big for us. In one of the texts given above, David never saw Goliath as an obstacle, but as an opportunity to show the wonderful mightiness of his God. He did not rely on his sight, but on the power of his faith in God, and he was able to defeat the enemy. When we walk in faith, it does not mean we will not meet difficulties, rather, it means we will overcome because God is faithful. Walking in faith does not make the journey easier, but it makes it worthwhile as we grow from strength to strength.
The psalmist tells us that some of our darkest valleys will be walked through, and many are bound to fall and give up. Yet his assurance is that the faithful shepherd will offer protection that no one else can. His rod and His staff will comfort us. Sometimes you will have to physically walk alone but spiritually not alone. Sometimes the journey will be filled with endless battles with unnoticeable victory. However, we must keep walking, because our faith will see us through. Your attitude should be, ‘even if I cannot see you Lord, I know that you are there for me’.
Reflection: Obstacles are opportunities to show how great our God is.
DAY 9
TOPIC: RECONCILED TO THE FATHER
READING: LUKE 15: 11-20
As representatives of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are continuously called to be reconciled to God. Our mission in this day and age is to overcome the various temptations that we face on a daily basis. Though we may falter, we must come back to the Father without delay.
In the parable of the Prodigal Son, the younger son decided to spend the share of his inheritance in dissolute living. Perhaps he assumed that nothing could go wrong. Unfortunately, a famine in the land that he was living in wiped out all that he had and any prospect of recovery, and he became a destitute. In his lack, he offered himself as a slave and yet his real father was a man of wealth. This is an example of how we sometimes misuse what is our inheritance in the Kingdom, and wander away in search of greener pastures.
There are times when the decisions that we make will cause us to leave the presence of God as we pursue our own agendas. In some cases it may be our leadership positions in the church that allow us to make choices that are not in line with God’s will. These choices can cause barrenness in the church, or a period of famine. When we come to this realisation and back to our senses, we must not delay in coming back to the Father.
Our Father has too big a heart to leave us in a dry land. His arms are always open to welcome us back into His kingdom. We ought to overcome the demon of pride. When pride reigns in us, we may think that it is embarrassing to come back from a bad decision, or to leave bad influences; but this will not help us. We must come back to the Father in humility and admit where we have faltered so that we may have a fresh start. Being humble does not mean losing a sense of self-worth, rather it means gaining what Jesus Christ died for, so that those who follow us can also know the way.
Let us hold on to the gospel of truth, that we may gain salvation as ambassadors for Christ. The goal is to always be near Him, that when we are in his protection as his beloved children, we can withstand the plans and cunning of the enemy.
Reflection: If we let pride take root, our fruits will be inedible to all. But if we are humble enough to admit our mistakes, we can come back to the Father and He assures us of better living.
DAY 10
TOPIC: ALIGNING TO THE WILL OF GOD
READING: JOHN 6: 37-40
The world in which we are living today requires a certain level of devotion to a life of Service. Ambassadors do not own diplomatic missions they carry. The owner of the mission is the one they represent.
That is our case today. Mission belongs to God (Missio Dei). Hence, being an ambassador is an important task which requires resilience, dedication and commitment to withstand the pressures from the world around.
From the text under study we see Jesus addressing the crowd that had followed him all the way from a solitary place in search of a continuous supply of bread he had given them, and later requested for a sign as the conversation progressed. In his address Jesus openly told the crowd that all what he was doing was not rooted in, nor driven by their agendas but in and by the will of the Father. He did not seek to please them. Neither did he seek to prove to them who he was in their terms. He did not seek to get their approval.
He came as the Father’s envoy with the Father’s agenda in his hands and carried out everything according to the Father’s will. He was submissive to the Father’s will up to the end. Knowing very well what was lying ahead of him at Calvary Jesus prayed for the Father to remove the cup from him if He [the Father] willed but stressed that the removal of the cup should not be his will but the Father’s will (Matthew 26: 39). He did not wish his will to supersede the Father’s will because he understood that he did not come on his own and for his own purpose, but the Father’s. Neither did he negotiate for the Father to change His will. He could not rebelliously alter the Father’s agenda although it involved rejection, suffering and being brutally killed by the heathens.
This presents a lesson to the church [us] today. We should not alter Christ’s agenda as we seek to make ourselves comfortable in a hostile world. We exist not for our own but for the Kingdom. Sometimes the ways through which Christ has to be known may be contrary to our wills. However, unpleasant as it may seem to be, our wills should not take precedence over the will of the One who has called and sent us. We have to align ourselves to the will of the Father.
The question that seeks to be answered by all of us as we exist and carry out mission in this world, as well as seeking relevance is, ‘Whose will is calling the shots, between our will and the Father’s will?’ It is unfortunate that in most cases it is our wills that carry the day. In most cases the will of the Father is compromised as people and leadership try to please people fearing that if they do not please them they will be voted out of office. Today is a call for the church to align itself to the will of the Father. A moment of self-introspection!
Reflection: If Jesus aligned himself to the will of the Father, who are we to go against that and be different?
DAY 11
TOPIC: MAKING IMPACT IN A FOREIGN LAND
READING: MATTHEW 5: 14-16
There is a general understanding and expectation that people so recruited to be agents or envoys of any organization should be people of integrity. Churches [we] are no exception to this notion. Christ’s ambassadors are defined as people sent out to work as citizens of God’s kingdom representing truth and light in a world of deceit and darkness.
The text under study is part of Jesus’ teaching or Sermon on the Mount. Looking closely into the contents of the text we can see that Jesus is conscious that his followers are operating and living in a world which is not theirs. This understanding is constant with the New Testament teaching. Christians are not of this world although they live and operate in the world (John 17: 11; 1 John 3: 1). However, it is in that land [the world] which is foreign to them that they have to shine and make people in that world see their deeds and glorify their God in heaven.
Since the days of St Paul, Christ ambassadors have shown the light to believers as well as non- believers. In the history of the church we have people like Martin Luther, John Calvin and even our own John Wesley who have shown what Christ’s ambassadors stood for. In Zimbabwe we can talk of early Methodist missionaries like Isaac Shimmin, Owen Watkins, John White, etc. We also had our own locals in the form of Revd. Andrew Ndhlela, Matthew Rusike and other current crop of leadership at both Connexional, District, Circuits and Society levels who are actually representing Christ so well.
However, it is unfortunate that a rotten apple always tries to find its place among the fresh ones. There are some ambassadors who fall by the way side as they forget about their mandate and indulge in unacceptable activities and behaviours. Instead of being light to the world they are actually busy putting off the light that should be shining in the church. They are agents of darkness that have invaded the church premises and structures. Some go extra miles to the levels of dragging the name of Christ and his church, which they have to protect, into disrepute through their social media accounts such as Facebook and Whatsapp. Where has the light gone? Such people are reminded about the urgent need for repentance if they are to continue serving as ambassadors for Christ.
Reflection: Where is your light? Shine to the world and draw many to Christ.
DAY 12
TOPIC: FEAR NOT, CHRIST IS WITH YOU
READINGS: DEUTERONOMY 31: 6; LUKE 10: 1-3
Ambassadors are sent to work not in a vacuum. They are sent to where people are, and live with and within people. In some cases the environment in which we are sent as Christ’s ambassadors may not be conducive and friendly, and so it was to the disciples when they were sent by Jesus two-by-two. Knowing very well about the calibre of the people the disciples were going to face, Jesus described such people as wolves. In like manner, knowing the vulnerability of his disciples Jesus described them as sheep.
This means that as ambassadors, doing the work that Christ assigns us to do, puts us on the spot light just as he [Christ] was. He knows the dangers and the fears that we have. When he sent out his disciples, he never promised them all manners of luxury and joy but that there are risks associated with their works. Jesus described his disciples as lambs sent into the midst of the wolves; He told them in Luke 10: 3 that, “I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves”. This is not very comforting but threatening, because the lamb in the midst of wolves becomes a meal delivered on a silver platter. Jesus was warning and preparing them about the difficulties of the task ahead. One reason why the labourers are few (vs.2) is because the labour is difficult. There are wolves that wait to devour the lambs out there.
However, lambs are protected from wolves and other predators because they are helpless to defend themselves. They do not have the capacity and ability to fight back; yet it is this vulnerability that is the key to seeing the connection Jesus is making between his followers and lambs. Christians are vulnerable to attack and suffering as they carry out the mission. Unfortunately, instead of facing the known challenges with courage, some ambassadors cultivate fear. There are many preachers today who corruptly negotiate to be given preaching appointments at societies of their choice fearing to go to other societies. There are also some ministers who corruptly negotiate to be stationed in what they think are good circuits because of fear of the unknown. They do so as they prepare safety for themselves. However, as ambassadors of Christ we must be strong and courageous. The suffering of Jesus’ followers was never made a secret; Jesus told his disciples that they would be hated and persecuted as the same people out there had done to him, because the servant is not greater than the master (John 15: 19-20). We may be persecuted like lambs but we are not going to be consumed. a lot of negative issues may be said against us but nothing of all those sorts will destroy us.
As ambassadors for Christ we represent a very powerful and strong nation. Ambassadors representing the powerful nations are not in fear even when serving in dangerous countries because they know their countries will protect them wherever they are. They therefore go trusting in the strength and ability of the one who had sent them. As ambassadors for Christ, the Bible encourages us to be strong and courageous because Christ who conquered even death and the grave gave us assurance that he will be with us to the end of the age (Matthew 28: 18-20).
Reflection: If Christ is for us then who can be against us? Nobody. We do everything in his strength.
DAY 13
TOPIC: CHRIST LIVES IN ME, AND OVERFLOWS
READING: GALATIANS 2: 20-21
An ambassador stands for someone. We are missionaries sent to preach the Gospel to all nations. According to Paul, the affirmation that ‘I no longer live but Christ lives in me’ points us to something critical. Paul is convinced that he is full of Christ. Being full of something means that the next step is an overflow. Whatever overflows is what is full inside. Paul is convinced that, being full of Christ, all what he was doing and saying was an overflow of what was full in his inside. In this regard, the way he talks and conducts himself is a reflection and manifestation of what is inside, who is Christ himself.
The church today is called upon to be full of Christ so as to have an overflow of Christliness. Christ living in us is not just a claim we make as Christians, but those surrounding us should see and be affected by the overflowing Christliness from us. Just as the first disciples were first called Christians at Antioch (Acts 11: 26) by those who were seeing them, the same has to happen to us. An overflow of Christ living in us should impact the lives of our surroundings leading to them believing in the One who has sent us. Sin should be alien to us.
Reflection: As Christians, are we convinced that we are faithfully representing Christ in all that we do and say in this world? A call for self-introspection.
DAY 14
TOPIC: AMBASSADORS MUST ENDURE AFFLICTION
READING: EPHESIANS 6: 19-20
“Pray for me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the Gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly as I should.”
An affliction that is true is a general sense of all God’s saving acts in the history of His people Israel. In the wilderness they suffered natural disasters and contracted diseases, but He saved them by His hand. When challenges are faced one would question the presence of God, in some cases consult self-proclaimed prophets to get answers, but when everything fails, they cry to God.
Paul was writing letters from prison as a way of preaching the good news to the people. He even asked fellow Christians to pray for him so that he would fearlessly continue to preach the gospel. Prophets and the disciples continued to teach and preach God’s word even to their enemies, the kings and the Pharisees. Hebrews 12: 7 says, “Endure hardships as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? “
When we face challenges, we do not run away but we face them head on so that we demonstrate God’s power. In union with God, we demonstrate His power. In the book of Isaiah we hear God telling His children that neither fire nor floods will destroy them for His presence will always be with them (Isaiah 43: 2-3). We need to have that faith in everything that we do for us to overcome temptations.
We have discovered that when we face a lot of challenges consulters come first before God. When one becomes sick, he/she the first thing the crosses their mind is the doctor or the nearest clinic before even praying to God. In whatever we come across with, God should be our first port of call. Through him we endure and overcome.
Reflection: May the Holy Spirit protect and guide us as we execute our duties in His vineyard.
DAY 15
TOPIC: THE APPOINTED BRAND AMBASSADOR
READINGS: PHILIPPIANS 3: 20-21; ACTS 1: 8
A brand ambassador is someone who has been chosen and given a particular task to represent a certain entity by way of advocating for the goodness of their goods or products (brand). Paul in Philippians 3: 20, highlights that, our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. In the verse following he stresses that the ambassador has a specific reward, i.e. to be like his master. In chapter 3: 21 he describes the one he works for, that, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
In his presentation of this narrative, Paul is telling us about his brand ambassadorship. For example, every company that produces, sells its goods or products has a unique brand that it has to market. Prominent figures [people] are hired so as to be brand ambassadors and with their skills and popularity, the product goes everywhere and becomes a household name. In the case of the kingdom of God we have the Gospel to spread starting from “Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the entire world”. Christ is the brand and we are ambassadors of that brand. In as much as brand ambassadors strive to make the brand they market a household name, so it is with us as ambassadors for Christ. The gospel has to reach all corners of the world and Christianity a household identity.
All believers in Christ are special agents of the Kingdom of God. Believers are testimony givers and dependable witnesses of the word of God. Agents have a special assignment and appointment to purpose a certain agenda. Christians are brand ambassadors of the kingdom of God. They push forward the agenda of the gospel of Jesus Christ as the Lord and Saviour of mankind. Believers are appointed to stand and represent the gospel brand which is the mission, i.e. to win souls unto the Kingdom of God.
What the ambassador needs to know and understand is that he/she does not belong to the country where she/he is deployed but is a trusted and appointed representative of his/her nation. Our nation is heaven and we are sent to speak the heavenly message here on earth so as to win souls for Christ. We are called and sent on a mission of depopulating hell and populating heaven.
Reflection: Is the brand I am an ambassador of becoming a household name? I have to make more efforts.
DAY 16
TOPIC: PROTECT YOUR IDENTITY
READING: DANIEL 1: 1-21
Understanding and protecting identity is key on the side of an ambassador. He/she has got a reputation to protect as well as that of the nation he/she is representing. From the text under study, we are presented with the story of the Jews in a foreign land, i.e. Babylon. The author of the book of Daniel is clear that in that foreign land some of the Jews were promoted to the levels of serving at the palace of King Nebuchadnezzar. To the four, Daniel, Hananniah, Mishael, and Azariah, that was to be a great honour. We are told in the text that the chief official tried by all means possible to turn these Hebrew men into Babylonians by giving them Babylonian names and a Babylonian special diet that would make them look good within the shortest possible time.
However, despite all those efforts made by the Babylonian officials, the Bible is very clear in verse 8 that Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine. Of course that was an opportunity presented before these four Hebrew men to eat good quality food and wine which no any other Hebrew had access to, and nobody could question or petition them for eating it. However, they were very much convinced that although they were in Babylon and at the palace they were actually not Babylonians. ‘Let the Babylonians eat their own food and drink their own wine, and not us.’ They could not trade their identity for the sake of food and wine. They knew that they were ambassadors of God in a foreign land, hence the need to protect their identities as well as that of their God.
If there is anything to emulate as Christians it is that character and attitude of these four Hebrew men. We live in a world which is described as difficult, but in that hardness of this world there are also opportunities that are presented before us day in and day out, and in most cases such opportunities promising instant breakthroughs, though evil. Our identities as Christians are threatened as such opportunities present themselves before us. In some cases some of us fall by the wayside as they succumb to pressures which come with those opportunities. At the end of it all justification for the fall can be sought. They end up blaming such opportunities as the reasons for their fall. They forget that these four Hebrew men were also presented with chance and opportunity but they defended and protected their identities and the identity of their God. Let us emulate them as we seek to be true ambassadors of Christ in this foreign land.
Reflection: What is that which lures you to trade your precious identity for food and wine? Protect your identity ambassador!
DAY 17
TOPIC: LOYALTY IN THE COVENANT
READINGS: DEUTERONOMY 7: 7-11; JOHN 14: 15; 2 CHRONICLES 19: 7
Being loyal to God is a call to follow and pursue God’s decrees, laws, and commands. A good Christian (ambassador), should pay serious and strict attention to the laws of God. Divided attention is tantamount to disloyalty and infidelity to God. Good quality of an ambassador is determined by the degree of loyalty to God. Deuteronomy 7: 9-11 says, “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, He is the faithful God who keeps His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands… Therefore, take care to follow the commands, decrees and laws I give you today.”
Our Good God does not demand that which He Himself cannot offer. God Himself is faithful to his people and their generations. The following texts help us understand this concept of loyalty. According to Deuteronomy 32: 4 “… He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright He is”. In the book of Psalms the psalmist has this to say, “The Lord is faithful in all He says; He is gracious in all He does” (Psalm 145: 13). From God’s loyalty we can draw the strength of being loyal to Him too. Being faithful to God attracts God’s blessing coverage. “To the faithful, you show yourself faithful…” (Psalm 18: 25). Being loyal to God as His ambassadors should be our way of living; a culture, a lifestyle, a personality, and character for it is said loyalty is not a word but a lifestyle. lain Murray says “There is something wrong with your character if opportunity controls your loyalty.” He further says “Faithfulness to God is our first obligation in all that we are called to do in the service of the Gospel.”
As Christians who are ambassadors for Christ, we are highly expected to uphold the covenant as it is loaded with our blessings that are unleashed from God’s promises. Our God is so faithful to keep and fulfil his promises but it takes our loyalty to him to receive the blessings. The word of God demands us to love our God and it should be evident in obeying all what he commands. It is also evident that one loves God if they fear the Lord. One who loves God, automatically fears Him (John 14:15).
Reflection: If we pursue loyalty to God and His covenant, we are pursuing a strongly bonded relationship with him for to him that is obedience. If we obey God there is a healthy relationship between us and Him and such a relationship bears fruits called ‘Blessings’.
DAY 18
TOPIC: GOOD AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST ARE RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS
READING: JAMES 2: 14-17
John Wesley regarded good Methodist as responsible Citizens. His perspective was motivated by his thorough teaching which he did in his time. John Wesley’s teachings were more oriented in the doctrine of perfection. In all his endeavours John Wesley introduced ‘Class Meetings’ as the foundation and pillars of the Methodist movement. In these ‘Class Meetings’ thorough teachings and even vetting was done. In the quest to learn more and more about the word of God, John Wesley highly encouraged Methodists to be people of ‘One Book’ (The Bible). About scripture Wesley believed and has always said that “Scripture is the supreme rule of faith and practice”. Developing from his wide and deep understanding of Scripture, Wesley had this to say that “Good Methodists are responsible citizens”.
In a bid to unpack this short statement, a responsible citizen is someone who claims and occupies his right position in his country, someone who does not give a cold shoulder or a deaf ear to the concerns of his/her society and community. A responsible citizen is eager to participate in transforming his/her society in all the possible ways he/she can. John Wesley regarded a responsible citizen as one who should participate in the wellness of the world around us outside the Church. Good Methodists are not only confined within the Church walls; they should engage into some Christian Social Responsibilities. They should interrogate issues and be concerned and involved in community development dialogues. Responsible Christian citizens should not live in isolation, but in the community sometimes challenging corrupt systems.
Good ambassadors for Christ should showcase a generous character of being responsible, which means they are the conveyer belts who bring God to the world around us so that He is appreciated as the God who cares for people in all facets of life, be it political, social, economic, spiritual, physical, educational, professional, and psychological, to mention but a few. Ambassadors are supposed to showcase that our God is concerned about what we are concerned about too.
John Wesley in his movement actively participated in the Socio-Economic and political issues. Politically he encouraged people to consider voting as speaking your voice. “The strength of the political system depends upon the full and willing participation of its citizens. The Church should continually exert a strong ethical influence upon the state, supporting policies and programmes deemed to be just and opposing policies and programmes that are unjust.” (The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church- 2016)
Being Christian without care for the world around us outside the Church is evidence of faith without works. Failing to care for those who are naked (who need clothes), those who are hungry (who need food), but only wishing them to be warmed and be filled by the grace of God without supplying the needs is tantamount to faith without works. It is a clear sign or indication of an irresponsible Christian citizen and ambassador for Christ and, in that spirit we won’t be fully representing Christ or rather misrepresenting Him. “True or pure religion and undefiled before God the Father is this, to visit the fatherless, and widows in their affliction ..” (James 1: 27).
Reflection: Faith without works is dead. The environment around me needs me for its transformation.
DAY 19
TOPIC: NO ROOM FOR ENMITY
READING: JOHN 13: 35
Jesus knows us all too well. He knows that loving one another is a real test. E Stanley Jones wrote about a little girl who was kneeling on her father’s lap telling him how much she loved him, but at the same time she was looking over her father’s shoulders making ugly faces at her little brother. The mother saw it and said “You little hypocrite, you are telling your father that you love him and yet you are sticking your tongue and making ugly face at your brother. ” Most of us do that to some degree voicing our love for God while making ugly faces at our brothers and sisters in Christ. Jesus spells it out and the Bible makes it clear, “Love one another”. It is not a suggestion either, but a command.
It is very unfortunate that the church today is comprised of people who sing from the same hymn book, read from the same Bible, share the same Holy Communion, listen to the same preacher preaching on a Sunday; worse, close eyes together in prayer when the preacher of the day asks them to do so as he/she leads in prayer, but with some among them lacking love for one another. The level of hatred and character assassination in churches is slowly surpassing the levels of those in secular political parties. Surprisingly, despite such levels of hatred among them, they claim to be Christians and following Christ. Hypocrites! So sad. Which Christ are they referring to? Which Christ are they following? The only One Christ who was sent by the Father to be the Saviour of the world and died for it, and established the church is the One who commands unconditional love among his followers. Surely those who hate and assassinate brethren’s characters are not his followers. They are not Christians despite them being ministers (clergy) or lay leaders. The mark of a true disciple is love. Be loving.
Reflection: The church has been invaded by the evil demon of camps that aim to cause hatred among brethren. Let us pray for the Holy Spirit to flush out that demon in Jesus’ name. Let love lead.
DAY 20
TOPIC: MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION
READING: MATTHEW 5: 9
Reconciliation is the reestablishment of friendly relations. This can only be spoken about after the realisation that there exists a broken fellowship or relationship. Normally the process is facilitated by agents. In other words, it calls for somebody to stand in the gap between two parties for reconciliation to take place. There is hope even if we are living in a fragile family, society, community, nation and the world at large.
In his Sermon on the Mount, in the beatitudes, Jesus spoke about the importance and benefits of bringing warring parties together. In verse 9 he says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” It brings blessings for one to be a ‘minister of reconciliation’. It also qualifies one to be a child of God. Jesus as the Son of God came so as to reconcile the world to the Father, so all those who claim to be Christians ought to carry out the same ministry in this world, i.e. bringing back lost or soiled relationships back to friendship.
We live in a world and communities with broken relationships. For example, the nation of Zimbabwe has got a system of holding harmonised elections after every five years and the recent one was held last year [2023]. The process leading to the elections is sometimes characterised by hate, breaking of relationships, and, in some cases, the broken relationships continue to exist even in the post-election period. Besides what is happening in the secular world political sphere, the church (MCZ) holds elections for the church leadership every year. 2023 saw the process of the election of one bishop and the General Secretary. However, the system of coming up with a suitable candidate is sometimes being invaded by unchristian methods, similar to those of the secular politics, or even worse, such that at the end of the process many will be left wounded and relationships tarnished. Some ministers end up not seeing each other after church elections. Some, especially certain ministers, end up being victimised after the process. A very sad and unfortunate scenario. The church continues to exist with people who are wounded and the same wounded people expected to heal wounded communities. That is scoring an ‘own goal’ if we are to speak from the world of soccer’s perspective. Shooting ourselves on the foot while at the same time expecting to walk forward. We become losers already before the match.
It is in this regard that the ministry of reconciliation is needed. Instead of pointing fingers and trying to look for those who would not have voted for you or for your candidate, seek to bring peace and harmony among the winners and losers. Let peace prevail. Blessed are the peacemakers.
Jesus Christ is the message of hope and reconciliation. Reconciliation is not our own achievement such that we can boast of, but it means God is at work in our world turning a hopeless and evil situation into good so that “His kingdom may come” and “his will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. As Christians we are called to be a healing and reconciling community. Where do we get the inspiration? The answer lies in the healing and reconciling ministry of Jesus Christ. Christ is a model of every Christian to follow in the day-to-day links.
Reflection: We ought to participate In this ministry of reconciliation as ambassadors for Christ.
DAY 21
TOPIC: DEALING WITH ALL UNCLEANLINESS
READING: MATTHEW 21: 12-14
In the Old Testament God has this to say to the Israelites, “You are to be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, … ” (Leviticus 20: 26). In the New Testament, Paul has this to say to the Romans, ” … to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship” (Romans 12: 1). This shows us that the issue of purity has been, and continues to be God’s expectation from His people.
From the text under study we are presented with an incident of Jesus on the day of his Triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Matthew tells us here that his [Jesus] first port of call was entry into the temple courts; that temple that was known for its beauty and sacredness. However, what he saw there was something else. Worship had become any other business as the primary business had become money-changing and the locals taking advantage of the foreign pilgrims who would have travelled from far places and countries to worship at the temple in Jerusalem so as to make money from them. Jesus had no kind words for those money changers. He turned their tables and told them that the house had been defiled by their activities. The temple should be a house of prayer as it was for prayer that it was built. The house of God [temple] has to be kept holy.
In this understanding Paul says that your bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6: 19). The temple should be safeguarded from any form of defilement. As temples of the Holy Spirit, they have to be kept pure. Furthermore, our places of worship should maintain the sacredness and sanctity which they deserve. Any form of ungodliness defiles the temple and Jesus does not have kind words on such practices. As the One whom we represent is holy, so we ought to be holy also.
Reflection: Any uncleanness done outside the body defiles the internal, i.e. the temple. Once the temple is defiled worship life is also affected. Let us keep the temple [our bodies] pure.
DAY 22
TOPIC: UNDERSTANDING TIMES – A TIME TO SEED
READINGS: ECCLESIASTES 3: 1-2; GENESIS 8: 22
January is the first month of the year. It is also the period when people set their resolutions for the year. In other words, it lays a foundation of what the year is going to be like, and what it is going to bring to each individual. Important to this period is that we lay the foundation metaphorically in the context of an agricultural mind-set. We do seeding festivals in January. There is a lot of debate among church traditions as to whether this practice is biblical, or having a biblical basis. Yes, it does have. One thing about seeding in any agricultural setup is that it is not forced. You seed because you wish to harvest and have grain in your stores. But, if you feel that it does not benefit you to plant, it is up to you to do otherwise. Let those who wish to benefit from the season seed.
According to the text under study, we are reminded about the God of order whom we worship. In His order God designed seasons and that each activity has to happen and be done in its season. Among the seasons designed by God is seedtime. Genesis 8: 22 is very clear that seedtime will never cease to exist. This means that seasons will always be there. The word [seed] appears 116 times in the Bible. However, what is critical in this regard is that God’s people should have the necessary wisdom so that they do what is right in the right season. Planting is done during seedtime and not during harvest time.
Furthermore, no one can expect harvest where he/she did not sow. First things first, and to be done on the right season. As God’s people, we sow and God gives the increase (Psalm 65: 9-13). The season in which we are in at the moment is seedtime. We are encouraged to do what is right, the right way and at the right time if we are to have a good harvest during the course of the year.
Reflection: To everything there is a season. How can I be off-season during the right season? So help me God.
DAY 23
TOPIC: QUALITY AND QUANTITY
READING: 2 CORINTHIANS 9: 6-9
Quality and quantity do matter in seeding and they go hand-in-hand. They are like two wings of the same bird. You cannot embrace one and ignore the other, and expect results. No.
In the text under study Paul is giving the principle of increase that operates in our everyday lives as a farming community. The quality of seed to be planted is something a farmer considers critical as he/she prepares for his/her hectarage. No miracle is going to happen to rotten seed planted in the soil despite the good normal rainfall received that season, and despite the good soils. Besides quality, quantity is also key. The farmer who sows much seed will have a better chance for a bigger harvest. The investor who puts large sums of money in the investment will certainly collect more dividends. Whenever we are tempted to forget this principle we need to remind ourselves that God was unsparing in His giving (Romans 8: 32). In both nature and grace, God is a generous Giver and is a divine example closer to us.
In this regard, we are presented with an opportunity to do good as we prepare for our spiritual, economic and physical hectarages for the year. What do you intend to harvest? Seed for it, and the principle has been laid down by Paul. Quality and Quantity do matter.
Reflection: When others go to the fields, why should I be left behind? Do not be off-season during the right season.
DAY 24
TOPIC: SOWING WIND AND REAPING WHIRLWIND
READING: HOSEA 8: 7
Whatever variety [type] of seed is planted produces a bigger and wider version of its kind. The concept of sowing and reaping as it relates to conduct is often used in scripture and Hosea uses it twice, i.e. Hosea 8: 7; 10: 12-13. The background of this message is that in their idolatry and political alliances the Israelites were trying to sow seeds that would produce a good harvest, but they were only sowing the wind and would reap the whirlwind. The harvest would be more disastrous than the seed itself.
In this analogy Hosea is actually saying that everyone will reap far more than they sowed, i.e, an extended version of the seed sown; Dangerous seed will produce a more dangerous harvest and such a harvest having catastrophic effects upon the sower. It will be destructive.
In this regard, as we do our seeding, our minds should not just focus on the seed and end there. Our seeding should be driven by the type of harvest we wish to reap at the end of the season. Do we wish to reap whirlwind? Actually not. So, let us sow good seed.
Reflection: A whirlwind? No, I do not dream of a whirlwind as my harvest.
DAY 25
TOPIC: BE STEADY, YOUR BREAKTHROUGH IS RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE
READING: GENESIS 26: 1-13
The 21st century church is characterised by wandering Christians. They are religious nomads who always move from one church denomination to the other in search for breakthrough. Unfortunately, the more they migrate and move to other churches after having been promised or anticipated prosperity there, the more they become or remain poorer. They lack religious stability. A good lesson is presented to us today from the text under study.
The author of the book of Genesis is giving us a narrative about Isaac in Gerar. We are told that famine did strike the land where Isaac and other inhabitants of the land were living. Several options came before Isaac so as to run away from the famine, One of the options that were available for him was to go down to Egypt like what his father Abraham did as per according to Genesis 12:10-20. However, God forbade Isaac from going to Egypt and instructed him to stay in Gerar, where famine was. He promised to be with Isaac in the midst of that famine. Isaac obeyed God and stayed.
We are told on verse 12 that Isaac planted crops in that land and that same year he reaped a hundredfold because God had blessed him. Harvesting a hundredfold in famine? Yes! Isaac did not use that famine in the land as an excuse for not planting or not doing what he was supposed to do. In the midst of an uneven environment and economy, he did seed and he had a bumper harvest.
The church today needs to emulate what this son of Abraham did. This is because of the fact that people always want to give excuses when it comes to seeding. And one of the common excuses given is the so called ‘January Disease’. Yes, things are not well around us but we are not in any better situation than Isaac’s. Neither is moving from one church to the other helpful, as it will be like moving from Gerar to Egypt. Your harvest is not in Egypt but in Gerar where things seem to be not well. Isaac became steady in the land, planted crops in that land, and the harvest was amazing. He trusted the One who had told him to stay in that land.
Reflection: Refuse to be a religious wanderer. Your breakthrough is right where you are. Plant crops this season.
DAY 26
TOPIC: THE SEED WILL BE REMEMBERED
READING: MARK 14: 1-9
The author of the gospel according to Mark is telling us about the incident that happened during the Passion Week in Bethany, two days before Passover. Jesus was in the house of Simon the Leper. We are not told about what the rest of the disciples did to Jesus in that house. If they had done something special we were supposed to be told. Our guess could be right. They did nothing.
Here comes a woman with a difference. She came into the room. We ought to take note of the following with regard to this woman:
She did not mind that others had done nothing. The failure of others in the house could not be an excuse for failing to do good.
She brought expensive perfume. Quality matters when it comes to seeding.
She poured all the perfume on Jesus’ head. She did not pour to any of the disciples. Her giving was not associated or attached to individuals. Neither did she give the owner of the house. She gave to Christ. Her seeding was on Christ.
The housemates complained saying that what was done was a waste of perfume and rebuked her harshly. So it is in today’s church. A lot of noise pops up when we introduce the subject of seeding. Even those who do not give anything in the church want their voices to be heard as they discourage cheerful givers. Incredible indeed. The woman was treated badly by the housemates who had done nothing. However, Jesus stepped in and defended her. He openly told them that what the woman had done was not a waste, neither was it going to be forgotten. He said that what she had done will be remembered whenever the gospel is preached, and indeed today we are talking about her. Seeding to Christ does not just vanish. One day it will be remembered, and not only once, but forever. However, those who seed to human beings shall be forgotten. We do not seek to be defended nor praised by people, but Jesus acknowledges the good and expensive perfume we give to him as seeding.
Reflection: My seeding is not attached to people. I seed to Christ.
DAY 27
TOPIC: DO AS THE LORD SAYS
READING: 1 KINGS 17: 7-16
Seeding done in faith and righteousness produces best results. Elijah was instructed by God to go to Zarephath and to be looked after by a poor widow during the famine. Reading along the lines of this narrative it may seem as if it was Elijah whom God cared for or had remembered, but in actual fact it was the poor widow who had been remembered. This is because Elijah did not need this widow for him to survive, because previously God had fed him sending the ravens, but the widow needed the presence of Elijah in her home for her survival. In the understanding of this truth, God does not need us for Him to be God, but we need Him for us to be alive. Neither does He need our money for Him to be God for all the money is His. Through Haggai God has this to say, “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine … ” (Haggai 2: 8). It ls us who need Him to give us His money for us to survive.
Elijah’s demands to this poor widow could be interpreted as a temptation by this widow. Surely how could he ask for bread from a widow who had little flour and oil only enough for her and her son to have their last meal here on earth and die of hunger? Tapping from the sentiments of this widow we can guess that there were other people in that region of Sidon who had actually died of hunger and she anticipated the same happening to her and her son. However, there was only one condition that was going to guarantee her survival. She needed to obey the word of the man of God. Let those who die go to the grave but learn to obey God and live.
When the poor widow obeyed to what Elijah had told her and baked bread for Elijah the flour and the oil were never used up. There was enough food for her, her son and Elijah every day. She gave her flour and oil as seed and harvested enough for her family and guest. Had she refused to give away her flour and oil for Elijah’s bread, she would have eaten her last meal with her son and died. In this case we learn that seedtime is a moment of being remembered and have enough for every day.
Reflection: Do not withhold the seed. It has the keys to unlock continuous supplies.
DAY 28
TOPIC: WHAT DO YOU HAVE?
READING: JOHN 6: 1-13
The author of the gospel according to John is telling us about Jesus going up the mountainside after having crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Tiberias. A crowd followed him and he looked at them and saw their need for food. He asked one of his disciples (Philip) about where the food to feed such a crowd would come from. Philip was quick to judge from a human perspective that it was difficult to have food enough for that crowd despite the possibility that the disciples had something (bread) in their bags.
Instead of concentrating on his purse, Andrew looked at the little boy’s bag and brought the message to Jesus that there was a little boy with 5 small barley loaves and 2 small fish, but argued that they were not enough for the crowd. We want to pay special attention to the adjective that is used by Andrew to describe what the boy had. The loaves were ‘small’. The fish were ‘small’. And that was the only stuff that the little boy had. This qualified such to be seed. Seeding time is characterised by small quantities left in the granaries or storerooms, and parting ways with such being painful.
The boy’s bread and fish were taken and given to Christ, who blessed them, and people ate and had enough. 12 baskets of left overs were gathered. Over 5000 people ate 5 small loaves of bread and 2 small fish and had left overs. We are not told about what Jesus did with the 12 baskets of left overs, but we can guess and our guessing can be correct. He might have given them to the boy who had sacrificed his meal of the day and gave it as seed to be used to feed the crowd. The boy did seed 5 small loaves and 2 small fish but went home with 12 baskets of bread and fish. So it is with seeding. The more people do not want to part ways with the small seed they have the more they lack baskets to take home. Seeding starts with the little that you have.
Reflection: What do you have? Sow it.
DAY 29
TOPIC: EQUALITY IN THE MINISTRY OF GRACE
READINGS: GENESIS 1: 26-28; PROVERBS 22: 2
If there is anything that the world has managed to do, it is to create classes of people basing on gender or social status. The created classes have made others think and feel as if they are superior than others, and in the same way others feeling inferior. However, this is not what God actually intended. No gender nor status makes one more special than the other.
One of the values of the MCZ Strategic Plan is ‘Inclusivity’. This is the conviction that we have that we do not have among ourselves and operations any room for leaving any believer of the Gospel, and any place behind. No human condition is, and can be used to side-line believers from participating in this ministry of grace.
We are told in the book of Genesis that in the beginning God created them male and female, and were all blessed and given dominion over every living creature. Dominion was given over creatures and not over each other. That is the conviction that we have as a church and it pleases God to see us creating room for every believer of the Gospel to participate fully in this ministry of grace despite different conditions and statuses. Nothing can separate us. Even wealth cannot create classes on us. Neither can it be used to bar others from participating in this ministry of grace.
It is very unfortunate that in some of our churches leadership posts are given depending on ones degree of wealth. Those who do not own houses and cars are not voted into leadership posts despite their gifts and abilities. The ideas of the poor and vulnerable groups are not heard and considered on administrative forums. This is actually evil. The author of the book of Proverbs is bringing a panacea to this ailment. Both the poor and the rich have this in common that God is the Maker of them all. So, who are we to segregate each other? We are all equal in the kingdom. The church that uses social classes and statuses to appoint people in ambassadorial duties ceases to be the church which Christ founded and died for.
Reflection: We all have this in common that God is the Maker of us all.
DAY 30
TOPIC: CHURCH BUILT ON THE ROCK; AGENT OF DELIVERANCE
READING: MATTHEW 16: 13-20
We have been made agents in the ministry of deliverance. The writer of the gospel according to Matthew draws our attention to a point where he wants us to know and understand our position, as well as Christ’s position in ambassadorship when he [Jesus] asks his disciples who he was.
In verse 16 Peter responded by pointing out two issues with regard to Jesus’ identity. First, he said that Jesus is the Messiah, which means the ‘anointed one’ of God. Second, he said Jesus was the Son of the living God. Then Jesus responded by pointing to the ambassadorship of his disciples. In doing so he first gave signal to the position of his disciples in mission. According to verse 18, Jesus told Simon [Peter] that ” … you are Petros”. ‘Petros’ in Greek refers to the rock or stone.
He went further to mention the building of his church. However, we have to take note of what he says here. Although he said Simon [Peter] was the rock or stone [Petros], he did not say ‘on you I will build my church’. He said ‘on this rock’. The Greek noun that Jesus used referring to ‘this rock’ is not ‘Petros’ but ‘Petra’. ‘Petra’ is an unshakable rock. He did not refer to Peter but to himself as the Rock of Ages; the rejected stone that become the chief corner stone (Psalm 118: 22). This means that the church was, and is not built on Peter, because he was a human being, but on Jesus Christ. No church can be built on people. It is a huge mistake to think that the church is built on us. Of course, we might be powerful at our local congregations but the church is not built on us. People [Petros] are just the ambassadors for Christ. In verse 19, he then gave them the mission of operation which is deliverance, and a symbol of that mission of deliverance were the keys. Peter, representing the church, was given authority, into heavenly things through the keys. This means the church has got the keys to deliver people from the gates of hell into the gates of heaven.
It is the responsibility of the church to see that deliverance is done to all despite wealth, status, gender, race, marital status, background, etc. There should be no conditions set for one to be delivered. The misconception on ‘Peter’ the disciple and ‘Petra’ the Rock has also led to a number of people getting lost within the church thinking that they are superior on matters of deliverance than others. They think to themselves that they can cast out demons better than anyone else. That is an error. Apart from that, Jesus told Peter that what he had said was not as a result of his own wisdom, but was revealed to him by the Father in heaven. Nobody should boast in the church. We are just ‘Petros’ gathering upon ‘Petra’. What matters is not ‘Petros’, but ‘Petra’.
Reflection: The keys of deliverance should be used and not abused.
DAY 31
TOPIC: SUBMISSION
READING: 1 SAMUEL 3: 1-10
Submission is a virtue when it comes to ambassadorship. It begins with the realisation of the truth that there are some people who occupy offices which are higher than mine. Failure to understand that makes our functioning chaotic and disastrous.
The author of the first book of Samuel is presenting an incident to us which happened at Shilo. Samuel as a young boy was ministering under Eli, i.e. under the supervision, mentorship and care of Eli. It was during that time of serving under someone that God called Samuel during the night. However, the Bible tells us here that the young boy ran to Eli thinking that it was Eli who was calling him. But, did Samuel mistake the voice of God for Eli? Actually not.
Verse 7 can help us understand what transpired. We are told here that Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. In this case, this was no secret to God. God knew that Samuel did not know His voice, so He used the voice of Eli which Samuel knew. God spoke .in the voice of Eli. God sometimes speaks to us through those whom we know. So, Samuel did not make a mistake. He heard the voice of Eli calling him and he ran towards the direction of Eli. God deliberately did that so as to teach Samuel a great lesson about submission. Of course Samuel had the ‘call’ and energy, but had no experience of the things of God. Eli had no ‘call’ at that moment but had the experience, and God knew that Samuel could not be His instnunent without being helped by Eli. He needed Eli’s experience in order to know that it was God who was calling him, and also how to respond and behave when God is calling. That could only happen if Eli had to tell the young boy.
Today’s church is made up of people of different age groups and giftings. The younger generation is full of energy and they make things happen faster, and that is actually good. The older generation is a bit slow, and in most cases sticks to tradition. The end result is that the younger generation accuses the older generation of lacking the spirit of God, and being not prepared to adapt and that of resisting change. On the other hand the older generation accuses the younger generation of diverting from the right principles. That is unfortunate. We should not blame each other but benefit from each other. The younger generation, just like the boy Samuel, may have all the energy, spirit, call, etc, but they lack one thing which the older generation, just like Eli, has, and that is experience. We need Samuel’s call and energy, and Eli’s experience for us to be effective. The younger generation should be submissive to the older generation, and the older generation help the younger generation understand that it is actually God working in them. Help the younger generation understand the voice of God, and how to respond and behave when God calls.
Reflection: Submission is a virtue. The church needs both the young and energetic, and the old experienced to function.
Methodist Church: Hillside Circuit 
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