Committed to Christ

APRIL 2, 2013
Today’s Reflection

DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST are called by Christ to undertake a bewildering variety of tasks.

God does not call all disciples to be choir members or teachers or preachers or any other one or two things. God does call all disciples to a careful and prayerful discernment of God’s call on their lives through Jesus Christ.

God also calls us to continue to grow as disciples. We cannot say, “Now I’m a disciple and I no longer need to stretch my spirituality.” We must be intentional in our growing throughout our lives. …

What’s the upshot of all this? Your neighbor is no less a disciple of Jesus Christ than you are just because he or she does not live out his or her discipleship the same way you do! The common denominator is that all disciples do what they do out of a commitment to Jesus Christ.
-Teresa Gilbert, Patty Johansen, and Jay Regennitter

Charting a Course of Discipleship
From page 40 of Charting a Course of Discipleship: A Workbook on Christian Discipleship, Revised Edition by Teresa Gilbert, Patty Johansen, and Jay Regennitter; revised by Delia Halverson.Copyright © 2012 by Discipleship Resources. All rights reserved. Used by permission. http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.

Today’s Question
Where is your commitment to Christ leading you? Share your thoughts.

Today’s Scripture
The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. Acts 5:31, NRSV

This Week: pray those who new believers. Submit your prayer to The Upper Room Living Prayer Center or share it in the comment section below.

Did You Know?
Need a Spiritual Retreat? Join us at SOULfeast, the Upper Room’s spiritual retreat at Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center in the beautiful Smoky Mountains, July 14-18, 2013. Come discover how, as the Holy Spirit washes over us, this powerful presence brings us alive to God, community, transformation, and missions in the here and now. For more information, visit soulfeast.upperroom.org.

Saints, Inc.:
This week we remember
Martin Luther King Jr. (April 4).

Lectionary Readings
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

Isaiah 25:6-9

Psalm 114

1 Corinthians 5:6b-8

Luke 24:13-49