Daily Worship (Aug 31)
Devotional 1: Love in the Family of God
John 13:34–35 (NIV)
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Devotional Thought
Jesus gives His disciples a command that is both simple and radical: love one another. He doesn’t just say “try to get along” or “be polite.” He says, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” The standard is Jesus Himself—the One who washed His disciples’ feet, forgave their failures, and laid down His life for them.
This is what Hebrews 13:1 also calls us to: “Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters.” Real love is not only about feelings, but about action. Love is a verb. It shows up in how we speak, how we serve, and how we care for our brothers and sisters in the church.
In a world where people often fight, divide, or walk away when things get tough, Christian love stands out. Jesus says this love is the mark of true discipleship—“by this everyone will know that you are my disciples.” When we love each other as family, we put the gospel on display. People see Christ in us.
We love because He first loved us. The more we remember His sacrifice and kindness, the more we are freed to love others with patience, forgiveness, and service.
COMMA Questions
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for loving me first and showing me what real love looks like. Help me to love my brothers and sisters the way You loved me—with patience, forgiveness, and service. May my love be more than words. Make it a verb. Amen.
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Devotional Thought
Jesus gives His disciples a command that is both simple and radical: love one another. He doesn’t just say “try to get along” or “be polite.” He says, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” The standard is Jesus Himself—the One who washed His disciples’ feet, forgave their failures, and laid down His life for them.
This is what Hebrews 13:1 also calls us to: “Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters.” Real love is not only about feelings, but about action. Love is a verb. It shows up in how we speak, how we serve, and how we care for our brothers and sisters in the church.
In a world where people often fight, divide, or walk away when things get tough, Christian love stands out. Jesus says this love is the mark of true discipleship—“by this everyone will know that you are my disciples.” When we love each other as family, we put the gospel on display. People see Christ in us.
We love because He first loved us. The more we remember His sacrifice and kindness, the more we are freed to love others with patience, forgiveness, and service.
COMMA Questions
- Context: How does this command connect to Jesus washing His disciples’ feet earlier in John 13?
- Observation: What words or phrases repeat in these verses?
- Meaning: What does it mean to love “as I have loved you”?
- Main Idea: How does Christian love prove to the world that we belong to Jesus?
- Application: What is one practical way you can love someone in your church family this week?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for loving me first and showing me what real love looks like. Help me to love my brothers and sisters the way You loved me—with patience, forgiveness, and service. May my love be more than words. Make it a verb. Amen.
Devotional 2: Welcoming the Stranger
Matthew 25:35–36 (NIV)
35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.
Devotional Thought
Jesus paints a picture of final judgment where the King separates the sheep from the goats. What surprises people in this story is how Jesus identifies Himself with the needy: the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the sick, and the prisoner. “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
This connects directly with Hebrews 13:2: “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers.” Hospitality is not only about sharing a meal with friends. It’s about opening your heart and life to people in need—even those you don’t know well. The Greek word philoxenia means “love of strangers.”
Hospitality is gospel-shaped. We welcome others because God welcomed us in Christ (Romans 15:7). We were once outsiders, but God brought us in. Jesus says when we welcome the stranger, we are actually welcoming Him.
This changes how we see people. They are not interruptions or projects. They are opportunities to love Jesus Himself. Whether it’s talking to someone new at church, sharing a meal with a neighbor, or reaching out at one of New City’s outreach events, hospitality is a way to live out the gospel with open hands and open hearts.
COMMA Questions
Prayer
Father, thank You for welcoming me into Your family when I was a stranger to Your love. Give me open eyes to see the needs around me, and open hands to respond with compassion. Help me to welcome others as I would welcome Christ. Amen.
35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.
Devotional Thought
Jesus paints a picture of final judgment where the King separates the sheep from the goats. What surprises people in this story is how Jesus identifies Himself with the needy: the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the sick, and the prisoner. “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
This connects directly with Hebrews 13:2: “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers.” Hospitality is not only about sharing a meal with friends. It’s about opening your heart and life to people in need—even those you don’t know well. The Greek word philoxenia means “love of strangers.”
Hospitality is gospel-shaped. We welcome others because God welcomed us in Christ (Romans 15:7). We were once outsiders, but God brought us in. Jesus says when we welcome the stranger, we are actually welcoming Him.
This changes how we see people. They are not interruptions or projects. They are opportunities to love Jesus Himself. Whether it’s talking to someone new at church, sharing a meal with a neighbor, or reaching out at one of New City’s outreach events, hospitality is a way to live out the gospel with open hands and open hearts.
COMMA Questions
- Context: How does this teaching fit into Jesus’ description of the coming kingdom in Matthew 25?
- Observation: What needs are listed in this passage?
- Meaning: Why does Jesus identify Himself with the hungry, the stranger, and the prisoner?
- Main Idea: How does serving “the least of these” show love for Jesus Himself?
- Application: Who is one “stranger” in your life that you can welcome this week?
Prayer
Father, thank You for welcoming me into Your family when I was a stranger to Your love. Give me open eyes to see the needs around me, and open hands to respond with compassion. Help me to welcome others as I would welcome Christ. Amen.
Devotional 3: Surprised by God’s Blessing
Genesis 18:1–3 (NIV)
1 The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day.
2 Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
3 He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by.”
Devotional Thought
Hebrews 13:2 reminds us, “Some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” This points us back to Abraham’s story in Genesis 18. Abraham welcomed three strangers, offering them food, water, and rest. He did not realize at first that these visitors were messengers of God, bringing a promise that he and Sarah would have a son.
This story shows us something powerful: when we practice hospitality, God sometimes surprises us. The strangers we welcome may end up being a greater blessing to us than we are to them.
Hospitality requires faith. It means opening our lives without knowing what might happen. It means trusting that God works through simple acts of kindness—like a meal, a conversation, or a place to stay. Abraham’s story reminds us that God uses ordinary hospitality to bring extraordinary grace.
In the gospel, this is what Jesus has done for us. He came as a stranger, and many did not recognize Him. Yet through His life, death, and resurrection, He brought us the greatest blessing—eternal life. Now we extend hospitality not only because it helps others, but because it might be the very way God is at work, bringing unexpected joy and grace into our lives.
COMMA Questions
Prayer
Lord, thank You for reminding me that hospitality is more than just being nice. It’s an opportunity for You to show up in unexpected ways. Give me faith to open my life to others and to trust that You are at work, even in the small, ordinary moments. Amen.
1 The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day.
2 Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
3 He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by.”
Devotional Thought
Hebrews 13:2 reminds us, “Some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” This points us back to Abraham’s story in Genesis 18. Abraham welcomed three strangers, offering them food, water, and rest. He did not realize at first that these visitors were messengers of God, bringing a promise that he and Sarah would have a son.
This story shows us something powerful: when we practice hospitality, God sometimes surprises us. The strangers we welcome may end up being a greater blessing to us than we are to them.
Hospitality requires faith. It means opening our lives without knowing what might happen. It means trusting that God works through simple acts of kindness—like a meal, a conversation, or a place to stay. Abraham’s story reminds us that God uses ordinary hospitality to bring extraordinary grace.
In the gospel, this is what Jesus has done for us. He came as a stranger, and many did not recognize Him. Yet through His life, death, and resurrection, He brought us the greatest blessing—eternal life. Now we extend hospitality not only because it helps others, but because it might be the very way God is at work, bringing unexpected joy and grace into our lives.
COMMA Questions
- Context: How does this moment in Genesis 18 fit into Abraham’s larger story of faith?
- Observation: What actions does Abraham take when he sees the three men?
- Meaning: Why does Hebrews 13:2 connect this story to the idea of entertaining angels?
- Main Idea: How does hospitality create space for God’s surprising work in our lives?
- Application: When have you experienced blessing through welcoming someone else? How can you practice that again this week?
Prayer
Lord, thank You for reminding me that hospitality is more than just being nice. It’s an opportunity for You to show up in unexpected ways. Give me faith to open my life to others and to trust that You are at work, even in the small, ordinary moments. Amen.
Categories
Recent
Archive
2025
January
February
March
April
May
June
Daily Worship (June 1)Family Worship (June 1)Created for RelationshipDaily Worship (June 8)Family Worship (June 8)Broken RelationshipsDaily Worship (June 15)Family Worship (June 15)BAT: Be. Act. Teach.Daily Worship (June 22)Family Worship (June 22)The Blue SuitsDaily Worship (June 29)Family Worship (June 29)
July