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“He has told you, O mortal, what is good, and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8)

“Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom  prepared for you from the foundation of the world, for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.’” (Matthew 25: 34-40)

I’m sure that for most of us the above quoted Scripture passages are familiar. I think there is a reason for that. As the church has defined its mission from the beginning, based upon the teachings of Jesus and the witness of Scripture, these verses from Micah and Matthew describe very well what the church, as the body of Christ, is called to be about. On Sunday, we gather for worship to hear once again God’s good news through Jesus that we are loved, that we are forgiven, that we matter, and that God will hold us dearly now and forever. We worship the majesty and graciousness of this God and give praise and thanksgiving for these truths in our lives. Empowered by this message and by the  fellowship of believers, we are strengthened and made ready.

But what is it that we are empowered to do? Unleashed by the Gospel into the world for the rest of the days of the week, what is our mission? By the waters of Baptism and the covenant that is made there, we are commissioned by God to be bearers of the Good News we know through Jesus, and to live out our baptismal calling “do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with our God.” This covenant pushes us out into the world to encounter others where they live their lives, taking with us the fullness of the Gospel. In these encounters, we meet Jesus. So, as we take time in our lives to feed, to clothe, to shelter or to walk with others, we fulfill our baptismal call, serving in the name of the one who appears before us.

This month will provide us with many opportunities to share Christ’s love and meet the real needs of others. As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the  ELCA World Hunger appeal and support its ministry, we positively impact the lives of others. As we commit to the  work of Jubilee Churches, we help folks who have few places to turn. As we share our resources and talents with  GUEST we provide for the needs of folks who live on the margins. Through Bread for Life we give food to people in  real time so they may eat. As we support the Medical Center or Rural Housing or any of the many organizations in our community who reach out to care for “the least of these,” we encounter the very presence of God. In your own personal lives, in your day-to-day activities, God gives you ample opportunity to share the love of Christ with another. All of these mission opportunities matter because they are ways in which God’s love and life are revealed. As we move on from the Summer months, it does not hurt us to reconsider our mission and ministry here at Apostles and in our own lives. Through our generosity, God’s love is made known. When God’s love is made known, we have really and truly been faithful to our call, and to the covenant God made with us in Baptism.