Revised Common Lectionary: Isaiah 9:1-4; Psalm 27:1, 4-9; 1 Corinthians 1:10-18; ♡Matthew 4:12-231/21/2023
Dear Friends in Christ-
The Gospel lesson focuses on the beginning of Jesus’s ministry in Matthew. The Revised Common Lectionary skips from Jesus’s baptism to the call of the first disciples, saving the time Jesus spent in the wilderness and his temptations for the season of Lent. In Matthew 4:12-23, Jesus began his ministry in Galilee, and the writer of Matthew links the ministry of Jesus with the passage of Isaiah 9. Jesus began his ministry with the sermon, “Repent, for the reign of God has drawn near;” repentance and good news. Jesus then called his first disciples, two sets of brothers who were fisherman, leaving their nets to follow him, including James and John who left their father Zebedee behind in the boat. With these first disciples, Jesus traveled throughout Galilee, teaching, announcing the good news of the reign of God, healing sickness and disease. People came to him with their various illnesses and those who were possessed by demons, and the crowds began to follow him. Matthew 4:12-23 New International Version Jesus Begins to Preach 12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. 13 Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— 14 to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: 15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles-- 16 the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” 17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Jesus Calls His First Disciples 18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him. 21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. Jesus Heals the Sick 23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. "Repent, for the reign of God has drawn near.” What is immediately clear in Jesus' call is that He is searching for the disconnected, the unacceptable, the outcasts and His learners are from that same cloth. Indeed, His disciples (ie. the apostles) will be gathered from the world around and not the elite. He is the Messiah for all, but He will demonstrate God's preferential option for the poor, the sick, the prisoner... What does that say about God in Matthew's eyes? What questions will you be bringing to worship tomorrow? Think...pray...share... In His Service, P Jim ♥️⚓️ ♡Special thanks to Rev. Mindi, workingpreacher, Hope for the Broken Hearted and/or Star Bright Angels for their contribution to this effort of Daily Prayer and Study. All scripture is taken from the Revised Common Lectionary and, unless otherwise indicated, from the New International Version of the Bible. The intent of this effort is to inform our faith and grow closer to God, while preparing for next Sunday's Worship. ~James 4:8 <x>< Comments are closed.
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September 2023
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