EPIPHANY • 3

Will I follow Him wherever He leads me?

SONGS FOR PRAYER

reading for: Tuesday Night, 16 JANUARY

Mark 1:14-20

Simply Following

  • READ

    Scripture Reading: Mark 1:14-20  

    14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

    16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

    Commentary:

    Gospel-writer Mark does not waste any time getting into the action. Jesus is declaring the Good News of God’s victory, an announcement of a wondrously new reality breaking into the present. And starts to put his band of disciples together to equip them and later on send them out to continue his good news of the arrival of God’s kingdom.

    His choice followers are lowly, simple fishermen who without long deliberation or discussion, immediately leave everything – their livelihood, their families and follow Jesus. Even their families do not seem to protest against the decisions of Simon, Andrew, James and John.

    How is it that they were so ready to drop everything at an instant and follow Jesus? What was so compelling about Jesus and his message that at an instant they were willing to let go of their world and embrace His? How is it that they did not even have to wait to see any evidence before they let go of their nets? How is it that they did not pause to consider if they had the competence to become ‘fishers of men’? Could it be that they had ‘nothing to lose’ or that somehow the hearts and minds of these simple fishermen had been longing and waiting all this while for the Messiah’s arrival? Could it be that they knew that there was much more to life than just living from day to day to satisfy the necessities of life?

  • REFLECT

The rationale behind the simplicity of Jesus’ call and the first disciples’ immediate response is puzzling at the very least. But it does challenge us to think about our own ‘followership’ of Jesus. Who is Jesus to me? Why do I follow Him? What am I ready to let go of in order to hold onto the rule of God in my life? Take time to prayerfully reflect and come to your own clarity. Because this year, when your faith and ‘followership’ is tested, your clarity and confidence in the One who has called you and His leadership in your life will show you where He stands in your life and also where you stand with Him.

reading for: Wednesday Night, 17 JANUARY

Jonah 3:1-5,10

Bearing the Good News of God’s Forgiveness

  • READ
    Scripture Reading: Jonah 3:1–10

    1 Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.” 3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey in breadth. 4 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” 5 And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them. 6 The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7 And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh, “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water, 8 but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. 9 Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.” 10 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.

    Commentary

    The word of the Lord came to Jonah calling him to go to Nineveh, a great city, to call out against it for they were evil. Jonah refused to go and went the opposite direction away from the presence of the Lord. After many encounters, Jonah was swallowed by a big fish and was there three days and three nights. After that time and Jonah’s prayer, he was vomited out of the fish. (Jonah 1-2)

    Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah for a second time, and he was similarly to go to Nineveh and call out against it with the message from the Lord. Jonah went to Nineveh and called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” How would the people respond to Jonah? Will they repent or will they continue in their evil ways?

    The people of Nineveh responded in repentance to the Lord. They believed God, called a fast and put on sackcloth. The king and the nobles when word reached them did likewise and commanded the entire nation to fast and put on sackcloth. He commanded the people to turn from their evil ways and turn to God. For “Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.”

    God responded and did not bring the disaster that he said he would bring on them.

  • REFLECT

    The story of the city of Nineveh paints a picture that it is not too late to repent. They were a wicked people, and the Lord has sent a prophet to pronounce a judgment on them in forty days and yet when they repented, God relented of the judgment and did not do what he has promised to do.

    We live in a sinful world and often times despite our best efforts we fall into sin and commit sin. Let us come to the Lord in repentance and turn from our evil ways to him. Pray to the Lord for forgiveness and restoration. Surely the Lord is a merciful God who delights in love, mercy, and forgiveness! Praise the Lord for he is a merciful God who’s loving kindness is for a thousand generations.

reading for: Thursday Night, 18 JANUARY

1 Corinthians 7:29-31

Living Unencumbered for Jesus

READ

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 7:29-31

29 What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; 30 those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; 31 those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.”

Commentary

In today’s passage Paul tone is that of someone wanting to explain something – ‘What I mean… is’ (v29). He begins his explanation with a call to focus on the time (‘kairos’ not ‘chronos’). The Greek differentiation of ‘time’ is helpful as ‘kairos’ speaks of a ‘significant time’ rather than ‘chronos’ which communicates a more quantitative measure of time.

Therefore, ‘short’-ness (v29) of time here refers then to the urgency associated with significant time rather than time running out per se. And his upcoming counsel (v30-31) is then premised on the ‘significant time’ of the new era Jesus has already ushered in and to which we are already saved into. The urgency then is to live correctly according to the ‘significant time’ we are in.

Paul then goes on to give a list of examples, calling the Corinthian church then in each example to live ‘as if’ they were not (fill in the blank). It is important to take note that Paul is not asking husbands to abandon their wives, or for people not to process their feelings, or for people not to possess, or for people not to use things. The larger context of Paul’s letter and this chapter (1 Cor 7), calls for people to remain in whatever circumstances they are in rather than try to change them. In fact, marriage for example was a specific subject matter highlighted earlier in the chapter.

Hence, it is clear that Paul was not contradicting himself here, but was trying then to call fellow believers to live in a way that takes into account the reality of the ‘significant time’ they were in. Why? Because marriage for example as the world knows it then is passing away into the reality of marriage that is defined anew in Christ. Why? Because the reality and meaning of loss and grief has been made new in Christ who has conquered death. Why? Because happiness as the world defines it is a lie that has been exposed in the light of Christ. Why? Because we have been blessed to be a blessing and not to hoard blessings for ourselves. Why? Because things are not the end in themselves but rather, we ought to be engrossed in Christ and the exceeding great reward we have in Him. 

REFLECT

Jesus’ Kingdom and His reign has come! This is truly a significant time. What does this mean in our relationships, work, choices, and what we value? Take time to choose and discuss with your LG about one way that God’s significant time has made a difference in one or more area of your life. Then take time to share one area of your life that the Holy Spirit is challenging you to live differently. Hold one another accountable, encourage one another, and pray for one another all the more as we live in this significant time and await His imminent return. 

reading for: FRIDAY Night, 19 JANUARY

Psalm 62:5-12

Trusting God with Child-Like Dependence

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    Scripture Reading: Psalm 62:5-12

5          Let all that I am wait quietly before God,

                        for my hope is in him.

6          He alone is my rock and my salvation,

                        my fortress where I will not be shaken.

7          My victory and honor come from God alone.

                        He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.

8          O my people, trust in him at all times.

                        Pour out your heart to him,

                        for God is our refuge.                         Interlude

Psa. 62:9          Common people are as worthless as a puff of wind,

                        and the powerful are not what they appear to be.

            If you weigh them on the scales,

                        together they are lighter than a breath of air.

Psa. 62:10        Don’t make your living by extortion

                        or put your hope in stealing.

            And if your wealth increases,

                        don’t make it the center of your life.

Psa. 62:11        God has spoken plainly,

                        and I have heard it many times:

            Power, O God, belongs to you;

12                    unfailing love, O Lord, is yours.

            Surely you repay all people

                        according to what they have done.

Where will we find the power we need to live out God purposes for us in 2024? Where will we find the strength to battle the obstacles we’ll face in 2024?

David through Psalm 62 points us to God. It is a prayer of dependency, a child-like prayer from David who knows that God His Father is His source of hope, strength and salvation. God alone is His fortress and safety. (v. 5-6)

Victory and honour will only come from God his Father and in Him we will find refuge (v. 7).

Therefore we can trust in Him at all times, we can pour out our heart to Him (v. 8).

In God’s eyes all who are of seemingly lower or higher status are equal. Everyone's life is but a breath. (V. 9)

Shortcut ways in life like robbery and extortion will get us nowhere. Even an increase in material wealth is only temporary (v. 10).

God is all powerful and only in Him is there steadfast and unfailing love. He alone can ultimately reward and give what is rightfully ours (v. 11-12).

  • REFLECT

    The Psalms is a book of prayer and can help us to pray when we struggle to have the right words. Psalm 62 in particular helps us to pray as a dependent child of God, to have childlike rawness, authenticity, neediness and trust in Him.

    Read and pray these words out from you heart and spend 1 minute in silence waiting for Him.

Season of EpiphanyCNL