Daily Readings - Sat Oct 28 2017
Ephesians
19Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household,20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.21In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.22And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Luke
12One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.13When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles:14Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,15Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot,16Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.17He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coast of Tyre and Sidon,18who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by evil spirits were cured,19and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.
Sermon
In today's readings, we are reminded of the profound truths about our identity and purpose as followers of Christ. The first reading from Ephesians 2:19-22 highlights our status as citizens in God's household, built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, with Christ as the cornerstone. This passage emphasizes our unity and belonging within the body of Christ, where each member contributes to the construction of a holy temple in the Lord. The second reading from Luke 6:12-19 illustrates Jesus' prayerful selection of the twelve Apostles, followed by His ministry of healing and teaching to a multitude. This passage underscores Jesus' divine wisdom in choosing His disciples and His compassion in healing both physical and spiritual ailments.
The context of Ephesians is a letter to the early Christian community, stressing the unity and solidarity of believers in Christ. It reminds us that we are not strangers but part of a larger family, with Christ as our foundation. In Luke, the context is Jesus' public ministry, where He prayerfully selects His disciples and begins His mission of preaching and healing. These readings relate to each other by emphasizing the importance of community and the role of Christ as the foundation and healer of that community.
Applying this to our daily lives, we are called to recognize our role within the body of Christ and to support one another in building up the community. Just as the early church was built on a strong foundation, our lives should be grounded in faith, hope, and love. We are each called to be part of God's plan, using our unique gifts to contribute to the greater good. The moral lesson here is one of unity and purpose. We are all part of God's household, and our actions should reflect our commitment to building up the community and spreading the message of Christ. Let us strive to live as citizens of God's kingdom, united in our faith and purpose.