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The One Sent To Us
| Bro Nasong?o Horron (Naitiri, Kenya)
A
fter temptations, our Lord Jesus Christ
went back to Nazareth, to the synagogue,
and started out on his mission on earth. ?The
spirit of the Lord is upon me. He has sent me
to proclaim release to the captives and
recovery of sight to the blind: to set at
liberty those who are bruised, to proclaim
the acceptable year of the Lord? (Luke 4:18-
19). These are the reasons why our Lord
Jesus Christ was sent to the earth. He came
to preach good tidings to the poor about the
Kingdom of God, when it will be established,
and who will be the king in that kingdom.
He will rule with righteousness when justice
will be done to all those who stand with him,
they will inherit the earth. The poor he
talked about are those who are poor in spirit;
these are the people for whom our king came
to proclaim release.
There are those who are afflicted by many
sicknesses and problems and we will be freed
from these when Jesus returns, providing we
trust in Him.
Jesus came to proclaim the acceptable year
of the Lord. The Lord Jesus Christ always
reminded his disciples to be ready and
watching, for Him. The sheep and the goats
will be taken to the right and left hands
respectively by Christ the true Shepherd.
Jesus said, the time is coming and all of us
should repent and prepare ourselves for his
coming. Those who follow in the footsteps of
Jesus will, when he comes, be married to him
at the marriage supper, ?And I saw a new
heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven
and the first earth had passed away, and the
sea was no more. And I saw the holy city,
New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven
from God, made ready as a bride adorned for
her husband. And I heard a great voice out
of the throne saying: ?Behold the tabernacle
of God is with them, and they shall be his
people; and God himself shall be with them
and be their God. And he shall wipe away
every tear from their eyes, and death shall
be no more, neither shall there be mourning
nor crying, nor pain any more. The first
things are passed away.? And he that sits
upon the throne said: ?Behold! I make all
things new.? And he said: ?Write, for these
words are faithful and true?? (Rev 21:1-5).
So, let us hope and trust in our Lord Jesus
Christ, so that we may be united to him, in
his kingdom.
Believers or Disciples ?
| Bro Uka Egwu (Abia, Nigeria)
I
f you are reading this ?Gospel News?, you
probably consider yourself a Christian.
Which of the following would best describe
your Christianity: Christian believer or
Christian disciple? The book of Acts uses the
term ?believers? once to refer to Christians,
?and believers were the more added to the
Lord, mulititudes of both men and women?
(Acts 5:14). The book of Acts uses the term
?disciple? (or ?disciples?) thirty-one times.
Herein is a lesson for us.
When Jesus called his disciples, He did not
ask them to go into ministry training, he
asked them to follow him. The disciples did
that. Peter told Jesus, ?Lo, we have left all
and have followed thee? (Mark 10:28). They
left their jobs and even family members
behind and followed in the step of the lowly
Master. Jesus calls to ?all who labour and
are heavy laden: take my yoke upon you and
learn of me? (Matthew 11:29).
A disciple of Christ is one who follows him
and learns from him, and cultivates a humble
and teachable spirit. He goes to Christ to