Sunday: Jon 3:1-5, 10/1 Cor 7:29-31/Mk 1:14-20 The following reflection is courtesy of Don Schwager (c) 2015, whose website is located at dailyscripture.net Meditation:What is the Gospel of God which Jesus came to preach? The word gospel literally means good news. When a king had good news to deliver to his subjects he sent messengers or heralds throughout the land to make a public announcement - such as the birth of a newborn king or the victory over an invading army or occupied force. God sent his prophets to announce the coming of Gods anointed King and Messiah. After Jesus was baptized in the River Jordan and anointed by the Spirit he begins his ministry of preaching the Gospel - the good news that the kingdom of God was now at hand for all who were ready to receive it. God rules over all What is the kingdom of God? The word kingdom means something more than a territory or an area of land. It literally means sovereignty or reign and the power to rule and exercise authority. The prophets announced that God would establish a kingdom not just for one nation or people but for the whole world. The Scriptures tell us that Gods throne is in heaven and his rule is over all (Psalm 103:19). His kingdom is bigger and more powerful than anything we can imagine because it is universal and everlasting (Daniel 4:3). His kingdom is full of glory, power, and splendor (Psalm 145:11-13). In the Book of Daniel we are told that this kingdom is given to the Son of Man (Daniel 7:14,18,22,27). The Son of Man is a Messianic title for Gods anointed King. The New Testament word for Messiah is Christ which literally means the Anointed One or the Anointed King. God sent us his Son not to establish an earthly kingdom but to bring us into his heavenly kingdom - a kingdom ruled by truth, justice, peace, and holiness. The kingdom of God is the central theme of Jesus mission. Its the core of his gospel message. As soon as John the Baptist had finished his testimony, Jesus began his in Galilee, his home district. Johns enemies had sought to silence him, but the gospel cannot be silenced. Jesus proclaimed that the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. Jesus takes up Johns message of repentance and calls disciples to believe in the gospel - the good news he has come to deliver. What is the good news which Jesus delivers? It is the good news of peace (restoration of relationship with God - Ephesians 6:15), of hope (the hope of heaven and everlasting life - Colossians 1:23 ), of truth (Gods word is true and reliable - Colossians 1:5), of promise (he rewards those who seek him - Ephesians 3:6)), of immortality (God gives everlasting life - 2 Timothy 1:10), and the good news of salvation (liberty from sin and freedom to live as sons and daughters of God - Ephesians 1:13). Two conditions for the kingdom - repent and believe How do we enter the kingdom of God? In announcing the good news, Jesus gave two explicit things each of us must do to in order to receive the kingdom of God: repent and believe. When we submit to Christs rule in our lives and believe the gospel message the Lord Jesus gives us the grace and power to live a new way of life as citizens of his kingdom. He gives us grace to renounce the kingdom of darkness ruled by sin and Satan, the father of lies (John 8:44) and the ruler of this present world (John 12:31). That is why repentance is the first step. Repentance means to change - to change my way of thinking, my attitude, disposition, and life choices so that Christ can be the Lord and Master of my heart rather than sin, selfishness, and greed. If we are only sorry for the consequences of our sins, we will very likely keep repeating the sin that is mastering us. True repentance requires a contrite heart (Psalm 51:17) and sorrow for sin and a firm resolution to avoid it in the future. The Lord Jesus gives us grace to see sin for what it really is - a rejection of his love and wisdom for our lives and a refusal to do what is good and in accord with his will. His grace brings pardon and help for turning away from everything that would keep us from his love and truth. To believe is to take Jesus at his word and to recognize that God loved us so much that he sent his only begotten Son to free us from bondage to sin and harmful desires. God made the supreme sacrifice of his Son on the cross to bring us back to a relationship of peace and friendship with himself. He is our Father and he wants us to live as his sons and daughters. God loved us first and he invites us in love to surrender our lives to him. Do you believe that the gospel -the good news of Jesus - has power to free you from bondage to sin and fear? Like fishermen - we are called to gather in people for the kingdom of Christ When Jesus preached the gospel message he called others to follow as his disciples and he gave them a mission - to catch people for the kingdom of God. What kind of disciples did he choose? Smelly fishermen! In the choice of the first apostles we see a characteristic feature of Jesus work: he chose very ordinary people. They were non-professionals, had no wealth or position. They were chosen from the common people who did ordinary things, had no special education, and no social advantages. Jesus wanted ordinary people who could take an assignment and do it extraordinarily well. He chose these individuals, not for what they were, but for what they would be capable of becoming under his direction and power. When the Lord calls us to serve, we must not think we have nothing to offer. The Lord takes what ordinary people, like us, can offer and uses it for greatness in his kingdom. Do you believe that God wants to work in and through you for his glory? Jesus speaks the same message to us today: we will catch people for the kingdom of God if we allow the light of Jesus Christ to shine through us. God wants others to see the light of Christ in us in the way we live, speak, and witness the joy of the gospel. Paul the Apostles says, But thanks be to God, who in Christ Jesus always leads us in triumph, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing (2 Corinthians 2:15). Do you witness to those around you the joy of the Gospel and do you pray for your neighbors, co-workers, and relatives that they may come to know the Lord Jesus Christ and grow in the knowledge of his love? Lord Jesus, you have called me personally by name, just as you called your first disciples, Simon, Andrew, James, and John. Help me to believe your word and follow you faithfully. Fill me with the joy of the gospel that your light may shine through me to many others. The following reflection is courtesy of Presentation Ministries (c) 2015. Their website is located at presentationministries LIKE A FISH OUT OF WATER They immediately abandoned their nets and became His followers. Mark 1:18 When a fish is caught and taken out of the water, it dies. The former watery world that it knew is passing away (1 Cor 7:31). Similarly, everything changes when we enter into the kingdom of God. Living in Gods kingdom is as different from our pre-Christian life as it is for that fish trying to live on land. Lifestyles that worked underwater no longer work in fresh air. In order for the fish to live on land, it literally has to die to its old life. The fish would need to die and receive a new nature to be able to live on land. So it is with us human beings. To live in the kingdom of God, we die to our old nature in Baptism and become sharers of the divine nature (2 Pt 1:4) when we rise from the waters of Baptism. Now our old lifestyle wont work. Once we begin living the new, baptized life in Christ, we can no longer live the lifestyle we had before Christ. We have to put away the things we used to do before we gave ourselves to Jesus. We can no longer live as do the nonbelievers (1 Pt 4:2-3). We die to ourselves, pick up our cross each day, follow Jesus, and live the new lifestyle that befits a member of the household of God (1 Tm 3:15). Are you struggling to live a godly life? Are you having a hard time breathing the risen air? Maybe youre not dead yet. Ask Jesus to crucify your old nature (Gal 6:14-15) and raise you up to life to the full (Jn 10:10). Prayer: Father, I want everything You have for me. I want it all. Take everything that keeps me from You. Give me Your risen life. Promise: Reform your lives and believe in the gospel! Mk 1:15 Praise: Praise Jesus, the only Way to the Father! Praise Jesus, risen from the dead! Praise Jesus, soon to come. (This teaching was submitted by a member of our editorial team.) Rescript: In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant my permission to publish One Bread, One Body covering the period from December 1, 2014 through January 31, 2015. Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, June 30, 2014. The rescript is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted ecclesial permission agree with the contents, opinions, or statements
Posted on: Sun, 25 Jan 2015 10:05:37 +0000