TRANSFORMATION and SERVANTHOOD : KEY ELEMENTS of DISCIPLESHIP

At Kabuhayang Kabisig, we have redefined DISCIPLESHIP as turning SELFIES into SERVANTS of the LORD! Servants as in :  Mary said, “I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to do whatever he wants. May everything you said come true.” (Luke 1:38) . . . Zacharias, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy : Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to visit his people and has redeemed them. . . He has been merciful to our ancestors, yes, to Abraham himself, by remembering his sacred promise to him, and by granting us the privilege of serving God fearlessly, freed from our enemies, and by making us holy and acceptable, ready to stand in his presence forever. (Luke 1:67-68; 72-75) . . . Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2 : 13-14) . . . When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child . . . The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (Luke 2 : 15-20) . . . Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying :

“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,  you may now dismiss your servant in peace.

For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations :

a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” (Luke 2 : 25-32) . . .

There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,  and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.[e] She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.  Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.(Luke 2 : 36-39)

Descendants of these men and women servants of the Lord are now enlisted in the service of the same Lord and King at the Ang Iglesia Metodista sa Pilipinas (AIMP). Lay Leader, Dr. Chita Rebollido-Millan addressed them at their National Conference on April 30, 2015 and fondly reminded them of their true character and mission -

Transformed AIMP to Serve

I salute you my sisters and brothers for bravely taking the stand to leave the UMC and put up/join/lead our new church, the AIMP.  I therefore challenge you to become new, to be transformed by our Lord Jesus Christ.  In II Cor 5: 17 is written: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!”  If in the past we stayed and enjoyed our comfort zone, that has no more place among us Transformed AIMP!  If in the past we sat around idle, that is not allowed among us Transformed AIMP.  As our native salawikain goes, ‘walang lugar ang tamad dito.”  We all need to get busy if we are truly Transformed AIMP!