Words, Deeds, and Witness for Christ in 2026
In 1 Kings 10 (Solomon’s wisdom and the Queen of Sheba) and John 3 (Nicodemus and Jesus), I have been struck this week by the inseparable bond between our words and our deeds in the life of the follower of Christ.
In the New Testament, we encounter Nicodemus, and in the Old Testament, the Queen of Sheba, whom Jesus Himself refers to as “the queen of the south” who “will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Now someone greater than Solomon is here, but you refuse to listen” (Luke 11:31). Both figures discerned the hand of God at work, not through abstract propositions alone, but through the tangible words and actions of those filled with God’s Spirit. “When the queen of Sheba realized how very wise Solomon was, and when she saw the palace he had built, she was overwhelmed. She was also amazed at the food on his tables, the organization of his officials and their splendid clothing, the cup-bearers, and the burnt offerings Solomon made at the Temple of the LORD” (1 Kings 10:4-5).
As we prepare for a year of action ahead, be mindful of the impact your words and deeds will have. Jesus puts it this way: “But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants” (John 3:21). Remember that even those who have not yet experienced spiritual rebirth can perceive the divine reality when it is embodied in the lives of believers. You are a daily witness for Jesus.
Consider Nicodemus, the Pharisee who approached Jesus under the cover of night. He acknowledged the obvious truth, that the miracles Jesus performed could only flow from one sent by God and empowered by Him. Yet Jesus offered no mere commendation for Nicodemus’ insight, no affirmation of intellectual acuity. Instead, Jesus drove the conversation to Nicodemus’ spiritual need: to truly see and enter the Kingdom of God, one must be born anew by the Holy Spirit. This rebirth is essential. Likewise, as God’s ambassadors, we must not neglect to coax, persuade, and employ all God’s gifts to share the immeasurable truth of how much God loves people. For those outside the faith glimpse eternity through our obedience to Christ.
The Gospel must be proclaimed in word, and it gains credibility (with those like Nicodemus) when lived out visibly and with fidelity to Christ. We will discover in heaven just how powerfully it was embodied in the lives of the twelve apostles. Eternal life comes to those born of God. His yoke is indeed light, yet let us not confuse grace with leniency, for God will not be mocked; He calls for undivided allegiance.
God paid the price for us, a high price indeed. Our forgiveness came at the cost of Jesus' death on the Cross. Now we are called to be disciples and to make disciples. Compared to the easy way and the wide path, the way of God, the truly good life, comes only through the unmerited grace of Christ.
The Apostles worked. So too must every disciple of Christ; it requires us to pick up our cross daily in sacrifice for our King (Luke 9:23). The Christian life is certainly different; different and good, nay, different and better. It wasn't Solomon's mediocrity that impressed the queen of the Sheba - it was his wisdom and his excellence.
I pray we all walk it faithfully this coming year. I confess my own frequent failings, a sinner ever in need of God’s grace and peace, a wandering sheep reliant on the Good Shepherd. God remains holy and good, His love a fierce guardianship over His children. I trust He will draw us to and keep us all on His path this year.
We know that faith in Christ secures our salvation, while our motives, thoughts, and actions reveal the authenticity of our trust in Jesus. Be patient with people, for God is patient with us. As Paul urges, “Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. For instance, one person believes it’s all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables” (Romans 14:1-2). These are spiritual infants who need to grow; we are to help them do so, gently yet firmly as needed.
Amid these twelve days of Christmas, we recall how John the Baptist exalted Jesus. John knew that Jesus came to earth from heaven and testified that, though few believed, “Anyone who accepts his testimony can affirm that God is true. For he is sent by God” (John 3:33-34). Too often, our modern teachings soften into palatable half-truths, peddled by those hungry for influence and control. They emphasize comfort but neglect the full counsel of God. Apparently, "pick up your Cross" doesn't sell. Who knew!
John the Baptist refused such a compromise. He spoke with unflinching clarity: “The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands. And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment” (John 3:35-36).
Faith awakens through hearing the Gospel (Romans 10:17), confronting us with our profound need for a Savior and unveiling the boundless depth of God's love for us. Once reborn, we turn from sin, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, Immanuel, God with us. Daily obedience draws us nearer to God; we construct lives of integrity, openly rejecting the world's patterns of abuse, greed, and deception. We spurn lukewarm devotion, legalistic rigidity, and all falsehoods. Instead, we embrace the mystery of God, His surpassing wisdom, His excellence, and the love He lavishes upon us. We approach the Light boldly, for He is our sole hope, and we trust the seemingly impossible because we have encountered Christ's love personally.
King Solomon made peace with God through vast sacrifices of cattle, sheep, and goats (1 Kings 8:63). But for true atonement, forgiveness of sins, right standing before God, and a cleansed conscience, something greater was required. A just God demands a fitting penalty for transgression (Hebrews 10:4). As Paul explains, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Christ fulfilled this perfectly: “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:21). God is just, yet merciful and loving; He draws near to the contrite and extends friendship and pardon. Still, God warned Solomon that forsaking Him and His commands would lead to rejection of the Temple itself (1 Kings 9:6), a fate Israel tragically fulfilled.
As a new year dawns, we rest in the assurance of God's unwavering love. Yet John the Baptist's words echo afresh: obedience to Christ is paramount. I pray that God commissions us to commit to spiritual and physical discipline this January and beyond.
Our deeds exert immense influence, offering opportunities to glorify Christ. Begin by preparing well. Perhaps step back and return to the basics, maybe reread Mere Christianity if it has been a few years. I, too, will do so.
Through the gifts bestowed by the Holy Spirit, we manifest God's wisdom and power. Plan ambitiously and prayerfully. Be intentional, asking Jesus to help us build exemplary organizations and steward businesses to His glory. Yet always get your house in order first: cultivate godly families, for the family is God's sacred institution. Speak boldly against those who abandon their families and perpetrate evil; such abandonment is a grievous shame that must not be normalized. Clothe yourselves in the armor of God, tempered with Christ's humility.
Wisdom and prosperity originate from God and must serve Him. Shun abuse of authority; from His abundance, produce for His purposes.
There is but one Church: those who trust and love Him. Strive this year to embody unity in the global body of Christ. As Scripture affirms, “For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all” (Ephesians 4:4-6).
We are a royal priesthood: “But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9). Renewed by the Holy Spirit, “Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life” (John 3:6), empowered by Christ, we glimpse the eternal. We build in the present to demonstrate that God is not only real but just, good, and faithful to His promises.
If the Queen of Sheba could recognize God's presence through Solomon's words and works, drawing her to seek Him, so too will many today be drawn to faith upon witnessing the righteousness of Christ's followers in action. As God's Kingdom advances exponentially worldwide, let us encourage men to embrace their divine calling as husbands, dads, and spiritual leaders. I'm praying for you to lead well this year.
Belief in Jesus is essential for eternal life, yet faith devoid of obedience to God is barren and void. As James declares, “Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works” (James 2:26).
Lord Jesus, I repent of my presumption and my lack of faith. Too often, we offer mere verbal homage to You, imply the Father's weakness or neglect Him entirely, and exalt ourselves instead. The Holy Spirit, who alone births spiritual life, receives scant gratitude or acknowledgment from us. I repent of these things and choose to follow John the Baptist's bold example. Help us, O Lord, not only to plan but to act courageously and boldly in the name of Christ this year. Aid us, Father; sustain us, Jesus; empower us, Holy Spirit. You alone bestow all that endures. Amen.
Comments