Devo Day 9: The Secular and Sacred Divide
Matthew 4:23 Jesus went all over Galilee. There he taught in the synagogues. He preached the good news of God’s kingdom. He healed every illness and sickness the people had. NIRV
Luke 4:18-19 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me. He has anointed me to announce the good news to poor people. He has sent me to announce freedom for prisoners. He has sent me so that the blind will see again. He wants me to set free those who are treated badly. 19And he has sent me to announce the year when he will set his people free.” (Isaiah 61:1,2) NIRV
Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill can’t be hidden. 15 Also, people do not light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand. Then it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine so others can see it. Then they will see the good things you do. And they will bring glory to your Father who is in heaven. NIRV
As we explored yesterday, God’s agenda is not just to restore the Church but to transform culture and society through his people as they reflect heaven wherever they go, both at work and in their everyday lives. Our mission is to continue the work of Jesus by going into the world to pray for people, heal the sick, bring Freedom and release God’s Kingdom wherever we go. How different the world would feel if every Christian across the nations understood and lived their faith in this way.
Sadly, over time we have divided our secular and sacred worlds, making it harder to recognize and include God’s presence throughout the week. We have separated and placed a higher value on what we do at church on Sunday from our everyday lives. However, what God asks of us on Monday is as important as our ‘works’ on Sunday. If we allow ourselves to buy into an unhealthy belief that only neutrality is acceptable in public we simply dis-empower our ability to impact, to speak out or challenge so as not to offend. We pray and worship behind closed doors, ministering inwardly to each other rather than outwardly to others we encounter every day. Such a bomb shelter approach to Christianity is a far cry from what was demonstrated by Jesus and how the early Christians lived, recorded in the book of Acts.
Respond
How are you doing in the mission of continuing the work of Jesus by going into the world to pray for people, heal the sick, bring Freedom and release God’s Kingdom wherever we go?
Are you bringing God’s presence throughout the week? Have you separated and placed a higher value on what we do at church on Sunday, instead what happens in our everyday lives?
Maybe you need to repent for believing ungodly lies around the secular/sacred divide?
Let’s not measure success by how many people gather on Sunday but rather how we each positively impact the world around us on Monday!