Church, A Beautiful Community (Ecclesia) 21 [Acts 11: 24-26) / Anne's Faith Column

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Church, A Beautiful

Community (Ecclesia) 21

/ Anne's Faith Column 

 

/ By Priscilla

 

 

[Acts 11:26] NIV 

“and when he found him,

he brought him to Antioch.

 

 

 

So for a whole year

Barnabas and Saul met

with the church and taught

great numbers of people.

 

 

 

The disciples were called

Christians first at Antioch.”

 

 

 

Reflecting on the

history of the early

Christian church,

 

 

 

I think of the name

Christian, which

appeared in 'Acts' of

  the New Testament.

 

 

 

It is a title which was

called by non-believers

from behind impressed

by seeing believers

 

 

 

and followers of Jesus,

that is, a beautiful

community living

 

 

 

a good and exemplary

life in the church

in Antioch.

 

 

 

We believers now

live mixed together

with non-believers

in this world,

 

 

 

but in our present life

where we try to

imitate our Savior

Jesus Christ,

 

 

 

I once again consider

about the title of 'Christian'.

 

 

 

'Ecclesia' means

'a group of people

consecrated and brought

from the world',

 

 

 

and it means that

each member has become

a beautiful community

 

 

 

in contact with each

other with Jesus

Christ as its Head.

 

 

 

Our citizenship is

in the kingdom

of heaven,

 

 

 

but we are absolutely

part of the world.

 

 

 

We cannot live with

ears and eyes covered

in order to live gracefully

 

 

 

and sanctly like a crane

in a high mountain

monastery!

 

 

 

In addition,

we are the ones

who have been given

the mission according to

God's command,

 

 

 

'Subdue and rule

over the earth.'

 

 

 

so we should try

to seize what the

people in the world

ask for,

 

 

 

and what makes them

suffer so much.  

 

 

 

If so, it is natural that

each one of us,

as a Christian who

has been discriminated

 

 

 

or consecrated

by the call of the Lord,

should set an example

 

 

 

as a good instrument

for those who do not

yet know and believe

in Jesus Christ. 

 

 

 

That is why we should

not cut off the world

and live without

knowing it. 

 

 

 

Anyone who needs

to shine a light

in the world must

first know the reality

of the world more

than anyone else,

 

 

 

and should not be passively

guided by that reality,

 

 

 

but rather become

a believer of 'Nevertheless'

who can give changes

and challenges.  

 

 

 

Furthermore,

in today's church,

 

 

 

we must first escape

from the weak faith

that calls out

'This is a safe zone'.

 

 

 

Therefore, we can

no longer be captives

of the world's

temptations as long as

 

 

 

we know and cope with

all circumstances

through discernment.

 

 

 

As long as we know

what the world is

enthusiastic about,

 

 

 

we must realize that

that cannot deceive us,

plunder our souls,

take away our joy,

 

 

 

and eventually

destroy ourselves.

 

 

 

In this way, the world

is strong and the times

seek heroes,

 

 

 

but we seek the one true

light above all, Jesus Christ,

as the 'eternal Savior'

 

 

 

Also,

we are most strongly

looking forward to

meeting Him and

walking with Him!

 

 

 

2008/11/24  

 

 

/ By Priscilla