Monthly Archives: January 2015

An Immediate Action is Required

Reading for Third Sunday after Epiphany

Mark 1:14-20

Devotion

Peace be with you!

It takes courage to answer Jesus’s call [whatever “it” is], because it often involves an immediate action. In such cases, there is no luxury of getting things in order or making plans. Jesus does not use strategic planning to execute the best possible plan of action, whether he encourages us to be lead by the spirit. There is no “maybe” or “not at this time, but maybe later.” Jesus does not give you time to think it over. He wants immediate decision to follow the spirit.

In John 1:43-51, Jesus calls Nathanael to follow him. We discussed how difficult it is as American to follow Jesus; our culture pressures us to be leaders and not followers. America’s virtues are built upon individualism. Yet leaders build onto to the ideas of those before them. In Mark 1:14-20, we learn what it means to follow Jesus: “Repent, and believe in the good news” (Mark 1:15c NRSV).

First, we must repent of our sins and confess our need for Jesus. We heard the call to repent before from John the Baptist (Mark 1:4; John 1:31). We repent because we are not worthy of Jesus dying on the cross for our sins; we are not worthy to be in a relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. By repenting, we admit our need for Jesus, and we commit our lives to him.

Second, we must believe in the good news: the Kingdom of God is near (Mark 1:15b). Jesus comes into the world spokesperson for God the Father and his Kingdom: to tell us he hears our cries, frustration, laughter, and every other emotion. Jesus is the Son of God and knows we need him. We have to succumb to the fact that we need Jesus and believe he comes into the world for the benefit of our souls. We have to let go of the world’s pressures and believe God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit will never leave us hanging nor let us drown in our sins but will give us eternal life. Nothing else matters. The world could end tomorrow, and we would join God in his Kingdom, because that is what he promises us through Jesus’s crucifixion, death, and resurrection. Nothing else matters.

Third, we are called into action: to spread the good news (Mark 1:17c). Jesus calls Simon and Andrew and says, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people” (Mark 1:17). When we follow Jesus, he leads us where we need to be and gives us the courage, the wisdom, and the words to carry out his plan. You do not need to hold a master’s degree or to be a pastor to spread the good news—all you need is Jesus Christ and everything else will fall into place. Jesus calls us to be teachers, doctors, personal caregivers, writers, speakers, models, and [whatever “it” is] you do to share the good news. As longer as you lift up God in your work, you are fulfilling Jesus’s call.

Even on days we are sub-par, Jesus calls you to carry out your vocation. When I was going through my divorce, the last thing on my mind was writing these weekly devotions. A few colleagues filled in for a month, because I was physically and emotionally exhausted. I barely had the energy to get the basics done—eating, showering, cleaning, and tending to the pups. The next month I wrote as I was able, with raw emotions and insights as to how God was helping me through that difficult time. I continued to answer Jesus’s call by giving what I could—knowing God would fill in the gaps. Over time, God healed my wounds and gave me the courage to continue my work. God showed me the way through the darkness and showed me the light.

Following Jesus is not easy. Satan gets in the way and makes us question the “what” and the “where” of Jesus’s call. Our vocations come with tears, frustration, and exhaustion—not because God sends us to do the impossible but because Satan wants to stop us. However, God has done the hard work by sending his only begotten son to die on the cross and to conquer death through his resurrection. This is what makes our work to spread the good news in our given vocations possible.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for calling us to follow Jesus Christ. Lead us to answer your call to spread the good news within our vocations. Remind us that we are here to carry out your plan, not our own agendas. Give us the strength to resist Satan’s temptations. Thank you for giving us each unique vocations through which to spread the good news. Amen.

Reflective Questions

Please answer the following reflective questions in the comments below. Please agree to disagree and be respectful to each other. (If you have not already done so, please also take a moment, to sign the behavior covenant by commenting on it.) You can answer as many questions as you would like.

  1. How do you spread the good news within your vocations?
  2. What do you do to resist Satan’s temptations?

As Americans, Why is Following Jesus Christ so Difficult?

Reading for Second Sunday after Epiphany

John 1:43-51

Devotion

Peace be with you!

In a world where there are a multitude of lifestyles and role models to follow, there are many difficult decisions to make. Some people are followers, which can either lead them to either emulate their leader’s bad choices or to copy virtuous actions. Other people are leaders who pave their own way and make positive decisions. Still others are leaders who focus their energy on simply making money and having the best of everything. Whether we are leaders or followers, we decide whether to follow a positive or negative direction in life.

When I hear Jesus say, “Follow me” (John 1:43), I want to run in the opposite direction. My parents taught me to be a leader and to make positive decisions for myself and for my community. To follow Jesus means to let go of the reins and to give control over to him. It contradicts much of what I have been taught by my parents and various mentors. In my mind, being a follower means you need someone else to make your decisions for you. As Americans, we are encouraged to challenges the ideas and opinions of others. When someone just follows someone else’s lead, we, Americans, think they are uneducated or too weak to think for themselves. And yet everyone needs someone to model their own decisions after. No one can pave a new path without building on the ideas of someone else.

Jesus says, “Follow me” (John 1:43), and I am caught between two worlds: being a leader and being a follower of Jesus. It is an odd place in which to be. I find myself rebelling against both worlds in hopes of finding a balance: to stand as an independent young woman and to depend on Jesus Christ for guidance.

As a skeptic, Nathanael asks, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46a NRSV). Any scholar will tell you where and whom you studied under is of great importance. Nazareth is a small, inconsequential town, giving Jesus no real credibility with which to back up his teachings. To Nathanael’s objection, Philip simply replies, “Come and see” (John 1:46b NRSV).

Jesus knows Nathanael as an upright man who follows the law faithfully (John 1:47). Nathanael is shocked to be known by Jesus as such and questions how he knows him (John 1:48a). Jesus simply says, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you” (John 1:48b). Immediately Nathanael recognizes Jesus as Rabbi, Son of God, and King of Israel (John 1:49). Jesus knows each of us even before we meet him; he knows us completely without us doing a thing to reach out to him. Nathanael recognizes Jesus’s knowing ability as coming from God the Father. Jesus must be the Messiah.

Yet Jesus exclaims that Nathanael will see greater things, such as the heavens opening up and angels surrounding Jesus (John 1:50-51). Jesus reinforces Philip’s “come and see” and explains that he will experience even more amazing things if he follows Jesus.

Being Jesus’s disciple will lead these men down a new path in life. These men will witness the Messiah’s work in the world. The Messiah will be crucified and die in front of their eyes, and then these men will see him rise from the dead and then ascend into heaven. Their foundation will be shaken and rebuilt upon Jesus’s crucifixion, death, and resurrection when angels of God will ascend and descend upon the Son of Man (John 1:51). Nathanael transforms from skeptic to believer through believing he will witness many great things by following Jesus Christ. Nathanael comes to believe there is something more to life than what he understands and is willing to step out on a limb to see what Jesus has to show him. The Kingdom of God is near through Jesus Christ, the Messiah, coming into the world to die for our sins. Nathanael chooses to follow Jesus and to keep his eyes open.

There are days when I am skeptical of how God is working in my life. Sometimes he feels so far away. Then I realize it is I who has walked away from God—thinking I could handle [whatever “it” is] on my own.

It is amazing how plans fall into place when you let go of your ideal plan and leave it to God. Whenever I find myself needing transform from skeptic to believer, it is usually when I have taken too much onto myself without asking for God’s help. When I let God in, everything seems to fall into place. God knows where and when we need to be for a given purpose, even if we do not know until it is happening. Jesus invites us to “come and see” what he has in store for us. All we need to do is believe.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for inviting us to “come and see” what Jesus is up to in our lives. Help us to be transformed from skeptics to believers. Reveal your plan to us as we continue to do your work in the world. Guide us through your forgiveness, grace, and love. Thank you for being close to us. Amen.

Reflective Questions

Please answer the following reflective questions in the comments below. Please agree to disagree and be respectful to each other. (If you have not already done so, please also take a moment, to sign the behavior covenant by commenting on it.) You can answer as many questions as you would like.

  1. Who are your role models? How do you model your life after them?
  2. How are you a skeptic?
  3. How have you been transformed from skeptic to believer?

New Years Resolutions

Reading for Baptism of Our Lord

Mark 1:4-11

Devotion

Peace be with you!

Most people make resolutions at the beginning of the new year. A lot of people set goals to become healthier by losing weight, eating healthier food, exercising more, or [whatever “it” is] that will make them feel better about themselves. Others set goals to keep in better contact with friends and family members. Many people make their New Year’s resolutions public on Facebook or their blog to get others to hold them accountable to their goals.

In Mark 1:4-11, Jesus goes to John the Baptist to be baptized in the Jordan River. Jesus’s baptism becomes a public proclamation to serve God the Father who sent him to redeem his people. Following his baptism, Jesus begins his public ministry as the Messiah—the Son of God.

John the Baptist proclaims “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Mark 1:4b NRSV). Our acknowledgement of not being worthy without Jesus’s death on the cross is key to being baptized and being in a relationship with the Lord. Left to our own devices, we are not worthy to know the Lord, let alone to be in a relationship with him. John the Baptist does not even feel worthy to baptize Jesus (Mark 1:7), but Jesus humbles himself and allows himself to be baptized.

God the Father also makes a proclamation: “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11b NRSV). God the Father claims Jesus, expresses his pleasure with him, and through the Holy Spirit promises to work through his ministry. God the Father and Jesus commit to complete their mission to redeem the world. What if we, Christians, made the same commitment to the Triune God – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit? We can renew our own commitment to the Lord by making it a priority to go to church every week, to study the Word of God daily, to pray more, and to share the good news with others. Our relationship with the Lord should be a priority in our lives, and our other resolutions should support it. We should want to become healthier in order to be able to serve the Lord more fully. We should express our love for friends and family in order to serve the Lord. We should take our worries and concerns to God through confession and prayer rather than starting an argument on Facebook, Twitter, or other social media platforms. Our relationship with the Lord should take precedence in our lives, transforming our actions to express God’s forgiveness, grace, and love rather than the ways of the world.

Many New Year’s resolutions focus on transforming one’s self to be better. There is no better transformation than committing your life to the Lord through strengthening your relationship with him. By doing so, you will be more conscious of how God’s presence in the world. God has made the resolution to open his heart to everyone through Jesus’s crucifixion, death, and resurrection. Nothing is impossible for God to handle. The world’s promises fade away, but the Triune God stands firm in his promises of forgiveness, grace, love, and eternal life. God is waiting for you to give your life over to him, so he can have an active role in your life. Are you ready for God to transform you?

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for making us worthy to be in a relationship with you. Open our hearts to welcome your presence into our lives. Remind us we can come to you with anything that troubles our hearts. Nothing is too big for you to handle. Thank you for your commitment to be in a relationship with us. Amen.

Reflective Questions

Please answer the following reflective questions in the comments below. Please agree to disagree and be respectful to each other. (If you have not already done so, please also take a moment, to sign the behavior covenant by commenting on it.) You can answer as many questions as you would like.

  1. What are your resolutions for 2015?
  2. How are you going to recommit yourself to the Lord?
  3. How has the Lord committed himself to you?

Jealous of the Unknown

Readings for Epiphany of the Lord

Matthew 2:1-12

Devotion

Peace be with you!

Imagine not knowing the Christmas story and having it unfold in front of you. A baby is born and is the Messiah—the Savior of the Jews. How would you react to the news?

King Herod is jealous of what he is hearing about this baby, Jesus. King Herod calls upon the chief priests and scribes to tell him where he can find this Messiah (Matthew 2:4). The chief priests and scribes tell King Herod the Messiah was prophesied to be born in Bethlehem of Judea (Matthew 2:5). But they do not stop there; they tell King Herod what he does not want to hear: “…for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel” (Matthew 2:6c NRSV).

King Herod is jealous because this baby is going to threaten his kingship. King Herod is thinking Jesus is going to grow up and overtake his kingdom through military might. Herod is right that Jesus is the King; Jesus will reclaim the people for God the Father. However, Herod is also wrong, because Jesus’s kingdom is not of this world. King Herod does not understand the importance of a spiritual kingdom and fears the worst.

Jealousy causes King Herod to ask the wise men to go see this baby Jesus and to report back to him. King Herod seeks to kill Jesus out of fear of his conquest over Herod. However, God outsmarts him by giving the wise men a dream and telling them not to report back to King Herod. And God sends an angel to Joseph to tell him to escape to Egypt (Matthew 2:12-17).

The wise men stand in stark contrast to King Herod. Instead of being threatened by Jesus, they bring him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh—gifts of a king (Matthew 2:11). The wise men honor Jesus as they would the king of a country; they find or renew a faith in the Lord. Though the mystery of the kingship of Jesus could not be fully understood by the wise men, they recognize his lordship to the best of their ability. Jesus will become a king in whole different sense—a king who saves us from our sinful natures. Even with their limited understanding, the wise men find themselves looking at life in a whole new way.

Take a moment to ask yourself where you fit into the story. Are you like King Herod afraid of the next person who may steal your glory? Are you one of the wise men who are looking for God’s love, peace, and grace? Would you take Jesus gifts suitable for a king? Are you like Mary, mesmerized by the events? Are you like Joseph, ready to take action? Everyone has a role in the story. What is your role?

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for sending Jesus Christ into the world. Help us to be amazed by your presence. Remind us to be mindful of our roles in your story. Quiet our minds, so we can hear and answer your call. Thank you for surprising us with your grace. Amen.

Reflective Questions

Please answer the following reflective questions in the comments below. Please agree to disagree and be respectful to each other. (If you have not already done so, please also take a moment, to sign the behavior covenant by commenting on it.) You can answer as many questions as you would like.

  1. When in your life have you been like King Herod, threatened by Jesus’s kingship?
  2. When in your life have experienced the surrender and awe of the Wise Men, who bowed down before Jesus?
  3. What will you do this week to honor Jesus as King?

 

Image found at http://www.examiner.com/article/dealing-with-the-five-causes-of-professional-jealousy