Transforming the world
Christians are called to work and pray for God's kingdom
In Jesus, God’s rule of justice and peace is come among us. So to follow in his way means living under God’s rule and praying constantly – which of course also means working constantly – for God’s kingdom to come on earth.
On Sunday we gather together as a Church to worship God and to enjoy community together. But on Monday morning we are still the Church. Now we are dispersed to our homes, our neighbourhoods, our places of work and leisure. It is here that we are called to be the presence of Jesus, serving his world and witnessing to his love today.
Are there daily patterns that help you to follow Jesus?
The Bible even says we are the body of Christ, each with a part to play in God’s ministry and mission. Being a Christian should affect our family life and all our relationships. It should affect our priorities and how we use our available resources of time, talents and money. It will change and shape our attitude to work and leisure, and also to the big issues of justice and peace that affect our world.
The Church is the community of men and women centred around Jesus and being his presence in the world. We are called to live for the values and aspirations of God’s kingdom as we have been shown them by Jesus, particularly in his teaching on the kingdom in the Beatitudes.
The mission of the church is to live the ordinary life of human beings... earning a living, bringing up a family, making friends, alleviating distress, mourning, studying, exploring, making music, and so on. Christians will try to do these things to the glory of God... that they will try to perceive what God is up to... and will seek to do it with him…
Bishop John V. Taylor (1914-2001)
Common Worship: Rites on the Way
In The Beatitudes Jesus declares the blessings of God's kingdom. He gives us a vision of a world redeemed by love, and the qualities of discipleship which will bring about that transformation.
