Using Our Gifts to Tell the Story of Jesus
Monday’s Verse:
From Matthew 10:7 ESV
(Yes, this is the same verse as Sunday)
(Jesus said) “And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”
Elon Musk is the world’s first trillionaire. He’s promised to use this money to build the first permanent base on Mars. As someone who loves the Apple TV show “For All Mankind,” which deals with space travel and the first manned settlement on the red planet, Musk’s pronouncement made me smile.
Many workers at Musk’s company, SpaceX, found themselves to be millionaires on the day the stock launched on the Nasdaq stock exchange. These millionaire workers are not just the engineers who design the rockets, but also the welders who put the marvels of science together and the people working in the cafeteria. There is no indication that these workers will forgo their riches to help with the Mars space camp.
Our Sunday Gospel reading from Matthew 9 and 10 got me thinking about our lives as disciples of Jesus Christ. In our reading, Jesus sent His disciples out to the towns and villages of Israel to heal sickness, drive out demons, and preach that the Kingdom of God was at hand. None of us have been given this ability to heal and drive out demons, but all of us have been given the power to tell the story of Jesus Christ in word and deed.
With what we have, God calls on us to do our best to tell the story of Jesus - His birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension, as well as the fulfillment of His Father’s promise to save us from eternal death. It is the gifts given to us by God that we use to tell others of the Kingdom of salvation. Let us use our days as disciples of Jesus, no matter our age or lot in life, to be people who show God’s love to all people. Our gifts or blessings may not be as large as those of multi-millionaires or trillionaires, but they are God’s gifts that will help tell others of the Good News of Jesus, not gifts to plant a space camp on another planet.
✝️ A Prayer for Today:
Father in heaven, thank You for Your blessings and gifts I and others can use to tell the story of Our Lord Jesus Christ to others. In His name, I pray. Amen.
Apostles’ Creed:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Luther’s Morning Prayer:
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.