I would like to point out my reflection by a question: "How to make people acknowledge you as a good person when you were in working place, when you met someone outside the community, when you are in encountering with the strangers?"
What makes people understand and acknowledge that you are a good person? I am sure that, all of us, have own manner to persuade people with our unique character as who we are. When somebody acknowledges you, there is a shadow of our community that landmark our own profile.
Jesus tells us that "Whoever acknowledges God before the people, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. And the one who denies Jesus before others will be denied before the angels of God."
So, how we could understand this statement? The word acknowledge refers to our faith to Jesus. When we believe in Jesus, there is a way how to loves Him and loves The One who send Jesus. But, the question is follow up. How it can be done? It's like Mary's question to angel Gabriel: "How it can be done, since I am a virgin?"
The same question tears upon us, "How we can replay the mercy of God while we never see Him vis a vis?" The face God, the divine face actually is represented on the face of the brothers beside you. The face of our brother are the sign of Gods love, Gods image. That's why we are called the imaged of God. And by this reason, no need to say I cannot replay the love God cause I never see Him. Brothers, God in the midst of you, He is living among us.
St. Paul also remind us that we are redeemed by God through our own faith. St. Paul says "Faith is the way and all is given by grace." Let us live in faith, and breaks the law. You know, sometimes people fall down to sin cause their habit to believe in Torah. Torah or the Law of Moses is only a tentative or alternative way to meet Jesus.
But, now, we have seen Jesus. When we found Jesus, the way that we use before, that is Law of Moses, must be leaved -- this is the time to break the law. St. Paul add, "Salvation is brought about not by obedience to a law, but only by faith.
And through this, we are reconciled to God and we enter into a relationship of friendship with God who guides us toward the goal of the whole life." But now, to believe is a heavy to live. Hyper reality and hoax are the big challenge to believe.
Jesus and St. Paul remind us, to cover, to live and to increase our faith. Many people nowadays are afraid to become the witness, to bring the testimony of Christ. Its only because they have lost their faith. You, brothers, are the hope. Hopefully our testimony brings people to acknowledge God.
That's why, I ask you at the first, what makes people acknowledge you as a good Christian? The answer is faith. We still have faith in Christ. Be aware that we are here today, living in a community, celebrate everything, cause we still have faith. Little faith, at least could brings people to believe in God, as the center and the source of our faith itself.