Scattered to Serve: The Light of Christ in the World
This past weekend it was a humbling honor to participate in the Scattered To Serve mission and ministry of HBUMC. The lives we touched through the work of discipleship that God has called us to surely spread the light of Christ in the world. Those few hours we took out of our busy lives on a Saturday morning in November will be something that the recipients of our generosity will remember for the rest of their lives. Hopefully others will think back and remember how the grace and love of God was made real from us being generous with our time. I think that is what Scattered To Serve is all about: offering what we have, sharing our time and talents that God has blessed us with, so that others may thrive. From this the love and grace of God can be seen and experienced by others in the world.
This gracious offering to God and to others through our mission and ministry in Scattered To Serve is not done so that we may be saved. As Christians we go out into the world in service to others not to redeem ourselves or add some points up in the salvation tally. It is not even done to make up for lost time spent building ourselves up instead caring for the needs of others. Salvation, justification, and forgiveness come only from faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Having faith that Christ lived and died and rose again to atone for our sins, to redeem the world, defeat death, and grant eternal life is the only way to salvation. This path to salvation is noted throughout many of Paul’s letters. One example of this is found in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God – not the result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). This is just one of the very many instances in Scripture where we are taught the theology of justification.
Following Scripture, the United Methodist Church’s doctrine and polity is laid out in the Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church. Among many other things, the Discipline confirms our justification through faith alone. The Articles of Religion, which articulate doctrinal standards and general rules, state in Article IX, “We are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, by faith, and not for our own works or deservings.” Thus, as United Methodists we follow God’s Word in Scripture in the belief that there is nothing we can or cannot do that redeems us and justifies our sins to God. Rather it is only in Christ’s offering for us, the act of Christ dying so that all people may be forgiven, in which we are justified and saved.
So at this point you may be wondering, “Why in the world is this article reflecting on the Scattered To Serve mission but it is telling me I only need faith in Jesus Christ to be saved, not good works?!” Well, I am glad that you asked! Although our justification and salvation come only from faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior, mission and ministry to others, good works, and other things we do in the world to build up the Kingdom of God are a response to God’s gracious love for us. Because God so loved the world and sent Jesus Christ to atone for our sins (John 3:16), we respond by doing good works for others. From this, other people may come to see and know the love and grace of God in the world. Thus bringing them to have faith in Christ as their Savior.
After faith in Christ as our foundation for salvation, Scripture also teaches us to do good works in the world in the name of God so that others will know of God’s goodness and mercy. Jesus teaches us to “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your God in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). The Book of Discipline repeats this call on our lives from Jesus in the Articles of Religion: “Although good works, which are fruits of faith, and follow after justification, cannot put away our sins, and endure the severity of God’s judgment; yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ, and spring out of a true and lively faith, insomuch that by them a lively faith may be as evidently known as a tree is discerned by its fruit” (Article X). Others will know we are Christians by our love for them and from this experience the love of God.
If you had the opportunity to participate this last weekend in Scattered To Serve, I am sure others experienced God’s grace and mercy through your good works! If you weren’t able to be part of this mission and ministry this fall, fear not! There will be another opportunity to participate in the spring edition of Scattered To Serve, sometime around late April, so stayed tuned for more information! Thanks be to God that we are all blessed with unique gifts that we can offer to others in the name of God and share the light of Christ to the world. For the things we did last weekend in mission, and for the things that we do each and everyday in the name of God, may we help to make it on earth as it is in heaven.
With peace and love,
Adam
