Focus
Experience silence in the midst of your busy day. Take some time to relax into a time to be with God.
Read
Jonah 3:1-5, 10; Mark 1:14-20
3 The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying, 2 “Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.” 3 So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days’ walk across. 4 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s walk. And he cried out, “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” 5 And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth.
10 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.
14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”
16 As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.” 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.
Reflect
Many preachers will be preparing to preach these texts this morning for the Third Sunday of Epiphany. As we think about what God may say to us through these passages, it’s easy to see that there is a clear theme of repentance. Jonah calls the people of Nineveh to repentance, and Jesus goes to Galilee calling the people there to repentance. But what does repentance mean? Why is it important? What does it require of us?
Repentance can be defined as a turning from sin and turning to Jesus. That’s a good starting place, but repentance has an even deeper meaning. When Jesus calls the people to repentance he does so because the kingdom of God has come near. This new kingdom requires people to understand that the world in which they live is passing away and they must prepare for a new world. (1 Corinthians 7:31) In the context of John the Baptist and Jesus’ preaching, it is not Caesar who is King and Lord, but it is Jesus. In the context of Jonah’s preaching, it is not the false gods of Nineveh and Assyria who give and sustain life, it is the One True God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
What does repentance look like for us? How can we begin to follow Jesus and live in His kingdom?
Pray
Covenant-Keeping God, Your love never fails and Your Word never goes forth void. Give us grace and grant us repentance to follow You. In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen.
Go with God!