DAILY HOPE DEVOTIONAL: MARCH 19 WEARING THE MARKS OF CHRIST (1) Scriptures: Acts 11: 26; John 17: 4, 6 – 7
The series of this devotional is a parallel view to “whose mark are you carrying.” It will be serialized in four parts. In this first part, we will be looking at the general meaning of the Marks of Jesus Christ. Wearing the marks of Christ specifically addresses what nature and characters to be noticed amongst Christians. The marks of Christ are not, in natural dresses of well-tailored suits, wearing of lapel pins and neck chains with gold crosses. The marks of Christ are not in the manner of walking carefully and gently as if we cannot hurt an ant. The marks of Christ are in our characters and actions, which make the world around us know we are Christ personified. The world expects seeing Jesus Christ in the Christians inside out. We are Christians not by what we call ourselves but by behaving and doing things like Jesus Christ almost exactly.
It will interest us to know that the word “Christian” was not originally used for group of people following Jesus Christ inclusively. It was a word for those who exhibit the Characteristics and miraculous power of Jesus in Antioch (Acts 11: 26). In the New Testament, the popular name for “Christian” is from Greek word “hagios” which means the “consecrated to God”. This again puts the Christians in the group of “holy, pious and sacred people. It can infer here that Christians are those wearing the marks of Jesus’ characters and natures as well as those consecrated to God. They are those with recognized behaviours of holiness sacredness and piousness.
Wearing the mark of Christ in general term includes, experiencing the sufferings of Christ as well as engaging oneself in the works which make people know that one is a true disciple of Jesus Christ. Marks of Christ also entail sacrificial works for mankind and putting up works of charity as Jesus Christ did while on the earth. As Christians, we must do exactly what glorifies God as Jesus Christ our Lord worked to glorify His Father. This means doing things which manifest God’s name to the people of the world. Jesus did just that. He made sure the people with Him on earth know God and all things God gave Jesus to give to the world (John 17: 4, 6 – 7). Jesus made bold to tell Philip that “he that had seen me has seen the Father…” (John 14: 9). This is a practical way of telling the people that He, Jesus, wears the mark of God. As Christians, we should wear the marks of Jesus to the extent that whoever sees us should see Jesus in and on us. Our inner lives and outer lives have to be Marks Of Jesus.
This devotional challenges us to take a critical look into who we are in Christ. We should be able to see that we wear the marks of Christ before we can boastfully tell somebody “I am a Christian
PRAYERS:
1. Pray, asking God to open your inside contents to you in order to know if you are wearing the marks of Christ or not.
2. Father, enable me to identify the marks of your Son Jesus Christ, so that I wear them about as I proclaim being your child here on earth, in the name of Jesus.
POSITIVE CONFESSION:
I make up my mind today to glorify God and Jesus with my characters and actions.
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