From every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages...

(This week’s BDC is written by Edgar Vergara, the Duke student at MRMC this year)

DAILY BYTE

As I write this, I enter the fourth week of my time in South Africa. One of the main reasons why I decided to apply to serve a Field Education Placement for Duke Divinity School in this beautiful country was my desire to be immersed in a culture that is richly diverse and to observe how it deals with its diversity. I am particularly interested to see how South Africa’s diversity is addressed and embraced by the Methodist Church. I praise God for my opportunity to be here at Manning Road Methodist Church. Yesterday’s worship experience here at MRMC was one I will never forget. As we celebrated the Day of Pentecost, we had an opportunity to both reflect and embrace the diversity of the body of Christ. Our worship in the different services held rich portrayals of some of the different languages, cultures, and worship styles that we find within the body of Christ.

Since diversity in worship is a passion of mine, participating in worship throughout the day yesterday was an edifying experience that I enjoyed thoroughly. However, I understand that for many, a multicultural and multilingual worship experience can be uncomfortable or cumbersome. This is understandable, and I have seen it at the many different settings where I have had the privilege of serving. So, I respectfully invite you to reflect on the experience you had worshipping during Pentecost yesterday. How did God bless your life during worship? Where and how did you see Christ? How did the Spirit of God work in you, or how did you see the Spirit at work during worship? Personally, as we worshipped yesterday, I could not help but remember Revelation 7:9–12 which speaks of a great multitude from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, who, together with the heavenly court, cried out in praise of the One who sits on the throne and of the Lamb. I sincerely believe that yesterday at MRMC, we saw a little bit of heaven here on earth. We did so because our focus was on worshipping the One who sits on the throne, and not on ourselves. We did so because we focused on worshipping the One who has redeemed us into a people who, while embracing and celebrating diversity, have been made alike through the precious blood of the Lamb.

PRAY AS YOU GO

Father, we thank you for your Son who has redeemed us. It is through his blood that you have claimed us for yourself and granted us the privilege of witnessing of your love to this world. Father, thank you for your Holy Spirit who leads us to live lives that shout: ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb... Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be to our God for ever and ever! Amen.’

FOCUS TEXT

Revelation 7:9-12

After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!’ And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, singing, ‘Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be to our God for ever and ever! Amen.’