Living the Gospel: Faith in Action as Divine Sustenance (02/16/'24)

Living the Gospel: Faith in Action as Divine Sustenance The essence of the Gospel is not merely an abstract set of ideas to be admired from a distance, but a deeply nourishing sustenance, akin to the essential food and drink that sustain our bodies. This metaphor elevates the act of living out God's will on Earth to the realm of our most fundamental needs. It is through our actions, in pursuit of fulfilling God's will, that we truly align ourselves with the divine purpose. The life and sacrifice of Jesus, as a human, embody this principle most profoundly. By willingly enduring the cross, Jesus transformed into the very embodiment of life-giving sustenance, offering himself as the bread of life for the world's salvation. This act of ultimate sacrifice is not an endpoint but a model for our own journey. To engage with God's will, as Jesus did, means to enact our faith through deeds that resonate with divine intent. It's a call to make the fulfillment of God's will as real and tangible on Earth as it is in heaven, transcending the boundary between belief and action. Jesus himself elucidated the inseparable link between belief and action. In John 10:38, he invites skepticism towards his words to be overcome by the undeniable truth of his actions. "But if I do, though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in the Father." Here, Jesus emphasizes that the authenticity of one's faith is demonstrated through their actions, which bear witness to the presence of God within. Similarly, in John 10:25, Jesus declares, "The works I do in my Father’s name testify on my behalf," reinforcing that it is through our deeds in God's name that our true beliefs are revealed. Therefore, the Gospel calls us not just to vocal expressions of faith but to a life where our actions profoundly articulate our beliefs. The distinction between saying and doing is bridged by living a life of faith in action, mirroring Jesus' path. As followers of Christ, our mission is to embody the Gospel through actions that bear the fruit of God's will, thereby manifesting the kingdom of heaven on Earth. Our lives, then, become a testament to the truth of our faith, an invitation to others to witness God's love and grace in action. -Pastor Steven G. Lee (February 16, 2024)