S -
"Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee,
proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the
kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” 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. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and
I will make you become fishers of men.” And immediately they left their nets
and followed him. (Mark 1:14-18 ESV)
O - Jesus'
inaugural slogan identifies three realities for which the time is now. They are
1.the kingdom is near not far away, 2. repent (μετανοέω) which means to accept changed or
transformed thinking about everything not just sins, and 3. to believe the gospel
and the gospel is a person from heaven not just information from heaven. Jesus
is the gospel. This is the starting
point for each follower each day and each circumstance any day and every day
while it's called today. The Devil,
World (secular and religious) and untransformed humanity all take exception to
these three at one point or another.
Jesus' point is there are no exceptions … the time is always now for
these three. They are a "boxed
set". The absence or refusal of one
leads to the loss of all. The daily
acceptance of one leads to the embrace of all. This is beautifully confirmed in
the events which follow his opening statement.
Andrew and Simon respond the way they do because all three are now … and
the change in their fishing and thinking isn't something they do "for" Jesus it's
something he does in them. They accept the need for transformed thinking and
Jesus does the transforming (e.g. 'I will make you'). Please note the brothers' response was immediate
(i.e. now).
A -
Today for me holds no exception … the "boxed set" is true and waits
for me to engage. The kingdom is not a
far off reality waiting for me to die before it "kicks in." My thinking is in constant need of
transformation … I get to bring every thought (not just naughty ones) into the
obedience of Jesus. And, my faith is not
in a plan, book or place but the person who is life (cf. John 5:39-40). All
authority in heaven and on earth has been given to him (not to concepts,
principles or promises). I am called to
his person not a cause and he's working everything for good. His question to Nicodemus is his question to
all: "Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear
witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have
told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell
you heavenly things? (John 3:11-12 ESV). Today,
all day long, I will believe Jesus about earth.
P - Lord
Jesus,
Thank you for giving to the
whole world this boxed set … this open door to real and forever life each
day. I admit that there are forces at
work, within and without, wanting to bring me to a place which will separate,
diminish and ultimately refuse you, the nearness of your kingdom and my ongoing
need of transformed thinking. Relying on
you, I will follow today and believe you about earth, not just about
heaven. I love you back!
Immediately,
Steve
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