January 21, 2023: The Blood Causes Me To Care...For You

“Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28, ESV)

Jesus loves His bride (the church) so much! One of the many reasons we celebrate communion is that Jesus gave His life for His bride! Because He loves His bride so much, He actively takes care of her. Amazing! He is so kind, tender, loving, strong, and encouraging to His bride. No wonder she has such love for Him! The blood of the Lamb buys her because she is worth it!

Paul is speaking to the church’s leaders in Ephesus in Acts 20:28. But what he says to leaders also applies to all believers: “pay careful attention to yourselves, and all the flock for you are overseers...” In our faith, we are called to watch after ourselves and our brothers and sisters in Christ. It is the heart that Paul carries in Acts 15:36 when he desires to return to the brothers in every city where he proclaimed God’s word. He wanted to see how they were doing. Jesus, in Matthew 25, speaks of feeding the hungry, giving a stranger a drink, clothing the naked, and visiting the prisoner. These are acts of caring for His people. We all have the responsibility to pastor and oversee God’s people.

​As you receive communion today, remember His body, His bride. Ask God to show you those one or two people He desires you to check on and to demonstrate His love to.