Pentecost • 25

reading for: Tuesday Night, 5 November

Mark 12:38-44

  • ReAD

    Scripture Reference: Mark 12:38-44

    38 And in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces 39 and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, 40 who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.” - Mark 12:38-40

  • Commentary

    We all like to walk around and have people know who we are and compliment us. We like to sit in the best seats in the house, whether at parties or dinners. All of us have this prideful desire to want to be honoured. Today’s passage contains Jesus’s condemnation of this evil desire.

    The scribes of Jesus’s day liked to walk around in long robes and be greeted in the marketplaces. They wanted to wear elaborate long robes that showed off their status. They wished for everyone to greet them in the marketplace. They wanted to sit in the best seats in the synagogues and have feasts. In short, they wanted to be in a position of honour where everybody knew them and honoured them. They had no humility or desire to remain hidden. Jesus does not stop there, for he tells us more about what they do. They use their honour and power to devour widows’ houses and make long prayers of pretence. They grow rich and powerful at the expense of others and persist in these evil ways. Jesus does not mince his words, for he says they will receive the greater condemnation.

    Jesus then sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people put money into the offering box. The rich were putting in large sums. Then a poor widow came in and put in two small copper coins, and Jesus praised her for she had put in more than all those who were contributing to the offering box, for she gave out of her poverty everything she had. This woman received the praise and honour that truly matters.

    This passage redefines what honour is for us. We who walk around in the marketplaces seeking the honour and praise of man, showing off our long robes, will not receive honour but condemnation from the one who truly matters. Even worse, we who devour and cheat the poor will not receive honour but condemnation from the one who truly matters. Instead, the one who is poor in the Spirit and seeks to honour the Lord will receive honour from Him. Jesus is not against us being rich, for God does give wealth to people, and there are countless rich servants of God in the bible, such as Abraham and Joseph, but they did not walk around seeking the honour of man but the honour of God. They did not devour and cheat widows.

  • Reflect

    Do we desire to be honoured by man or by the Lord? Do we walk around in the marketplaces seeking wordly honour or do we seek the honour that comes from the Lord?

    Prayer

    Father, help us to seek you and to be like the poor woman who gave all that she had to you. Help us not to seek the honour of man but the honour that comes from following you. Amen.

reading for: Wednesday Night, 6 November

Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17

  • ReAD

    Scripture Reference: Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17

    Ruth 3:5
    "And she replied, 'All that you say I will do.'"

  • Commentary

    In Ruth’s story, we find a heart of humble trust and obedience—a heart that allows God to work mightily through her. Ruth doesn’t know how her steps will turn out, but she follows Naomi’s guidance, trusting God will provide. This same trust marks our journey at Centre of New Life (CNL). Just as Pastor Josh Yeoh shared in his sermon last Sunday on the Antioch Church in Acts 13:1-3, a church filled with faithful, obedient people ministering to the Lord releases God's provision and power.

     Pastor Josh reminded us that when the church centers itself on Jesus—“ministering to the Lord” rather than chasing comfort or security—God does miraculous things. Antioch’s story is ours too. We see it in the path of Ruth, who, despite her uncertainties, obeyed, humbling herself and allowing God’s plan to unfold. At CNL, we’re also stepping out in trust, desiring Jesus, not just His gifts. Are we prepared to lay down our agendas and pray for what Jesus desires? This posture of humility and surrender lets us experience God’s greatest provision and purpose.

     Ruth’s story ends with new life: Boaz redeems her, and their son, Obed, becomes part of God’s eternal plan, leading to King David and, ultimately, Jesus. Likewise, God is weaving our faithfulness into His larger story. As we follow Him in trust and obedience, He brings new life and purpose to each of us.

     

  • Reflect

    What might God provide if I step forward in humble trust, surrendering my own plans to His?

  • Prayer

    “O Lord, keep us this day without sin, grant us to walk before Thee with a pure heart and a single mind, that we may be instruments of Thy peace and ministers of Thy grace. Amen.” – St. Basil the Great

     

reading for: THURSDAY Night, 7 November

Hebrews 9:24-28

  • ReAD

    Scripture Reference : Hebrews 9:24-28

    “24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, 26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” - Mark 12:38-40

  • commentary

    The tabernacle and the temple in the OT are holy places in which God dwells. Moses made the tabernacle a copy after being shown and told what exactly to do. The temple was built by Solomon being build like the tabernacle though as a permanent structure and likely several times bigger. There were elaborate rules about who could and could not enter the tabernacle and temple and enter until which point. To enter into a place that you were not supposed to go would be a dangerous thing. The high priest enters the most holy place every year, only once a year, after an elaborate ritual with the blood of bulls and goats.

    Hebrews draws a contrast between Christ and the high priest who entered the temple and tabernacle made by human hands once a year with the blood of bulls and goats. Hebrews portrays Christ as entering into heaven itself, not the holy places, which are copies of the true things. Hebrews adds that Christ enters heaven not by the blood of bulls and goats but by his own blood and not to offer himself repeatedly.

    Christ is the high priest that is greater than the high priests of old because he enters not the copy but heaven itself, not on the blood of bulls and goats but his own blood, and he does not need to offer himself repeatedly but offers himself once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. Christ is now in heaven itself, appearing in the presence of God on our behalf, interceding for us. Hebrews reminds us that this Christ will appear a second time not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. The Christian faith has always believed in Jesus Christ, who came and walked the face of the earth 2000 years ago, died and rose again, ascended into heaven and will come again to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

  • Reflect

    As we face life's challenges, we can have hope that Christ is in heaven with the Father appearing in the presence of God on our behalf. We know that he is concerned for us and is interceding for us. We also have hope that he will come again to save us, who are eagerly waiting for him.

  • Prayer

    Father, you sent your Son to die on the cross for us, rising again and entering heaven to be in your presence. Jesus is now in your presence interceding on our behalf and will come once again to save us who are eagerly waiting for him. This is our confession and our hope that Jesus Christ died, rose again, ascended into heaven and will come again to save us. Amen.

reading for: FRIDAY Night, 8 November

Psalms 127

  • ReAD

    Scripture reference: Psalm 127

    Psalm 127:1

    Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.

    Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.

  • COMMENTARY

    What kind of church are we becoming as Centre of New Life? Are we becoming the kind of church, the kind of children that God our Father delights in?

    Psalms 127 is a continual reminder on the kind of posture and the kind of heart attitude that our Heavenly Father desires.

    We need to be a church that says from the bottom of our hearts that unless the Lord moves, unless He builds, unless He watches, all of our efforts are in vain.

    It would be pointless, it would be fruitless, it would be meaningless if the Lord our God, our Heavenly Father isn't at work Himself.

    No house can be built, no church can be built and no city is safe, unless the Lord builds it.

  • Reflect

    Are you building and working with Jesus or are you doing it for Him?

  • Prayer

    Father in Heaven, I confess my need to get things done on my own time and own manner. I do not want to build and work in vain, I do not want to work on Your behalf. I want to build and work with You.

    Guide me Holy Spirit and enable me.

    Amen.

Season of LentCNL