First Sunday after the Epiphany (Baptism of the Lord): Genesis 1:1-5; Psalm 29; Acts 19:1-7; Mark 1:4-11
Getting our priorities right
‘Genesis’ means ‘beginning’. These opening verses challenge us to get
our priorities right - (a) The priority of God (Genesis 1:1). God comes
first. Before anyone else is mentioned, He is there. (b) The priority of
God’s Word (Genesis 1:3). God is the first to speak. Before any human
word is spoken, there is the Word of the Lord. (c) The priority of God’s
Spirit (Genesis 1:2). All was ‘empty’, all was ‘darkness’, yet the
‘Spirit of God’ was at work, and transformation was set in motion. Here,
we have God’s priorities, set out in the Bible’s first three verses -
Putting God first and listening to His Word, we are to pray for the
moving of God’s Spirit, ‘hovering over’ our lives to transform them. For
those who make God’s priorities their own, there is a promise of great
blessing (Psalm 1:1-2). It is the great blessing of knowing Jesus
Christ, our Saviour, as ‘God with us’ (Matthew 1:23).
God speaks,
and it is done (Genesis 1:3, 6-7, 11). God is pleased with what He has
done (Genesis 1:4, 10, 12). This is the pattern of God’s original
creation. It is to be the pattern of our life as a ‘new creation’ (2
Corintinians 5:17). God speaks to us and we say, ‘Your will be done’
(Matthew 6:10). We say, ‘let it be to me according to Your Word’ (Luke
1:38). God looks on such obedience, this ‘walking in the Spirit’
(Galatians 5:16, 22-23), and He sees that it is ‘good’ (Micah 6:8). In
these verses we read of the separation of the light and the darkness,
the separation of the waters and the dry land, and the fruitfulness of
God's creation. There are lessons for us here. We are to ‘walk in the
light’ (1 John 1:7). We are to let the Spirit's ‘living water’ flow in
us (John 7:39-39). Walking in the light, letting the living water flow -
this is the way of fruitfulness.
Receiving strength from the Lord
‘The Lord is my Strength…The Lord is the Strength of His people’ (Psalm
28:7-8). Our personal strengthening is closely related to the
strengthening of God’s people. Don’t be a ‘lone ranger’, going it alone,
keeping yourself to yourself. Share your strength with others. Draw
strength from them. ‘Let us consider how to stir up one another to love
and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of
some, but encouraging one another’ (Hebrews 10:24-25). Where does your
strength come from? It comes from ‘the Lord’ who ‘sits enthroned as King
for ever’ (Psalm 29:10). We grow strong as we listen for ‘the voice of
the Lord’ (Psalm 29:3-9). Don’t let God’s voice be drowned out - ‘Man
shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the
mouth of God’ (Matthew 4:4).
Bringing sinners to the Saviour
Apollos ‘taught accurately the things concerning Jesus’. He needed to
have ‘the way of God expounded to him more accurately’(Acts 18:24-26).
There is always more to learn. We should never adopt a ‘know-it-all’
attitude. In ‘two years’ of ministry, ‘God did’ great things through
Paul (Acts 19:10-11). Paul was moving on. His road led to ‘Rome.’ It was
a road, full of blessing - ‘The Word of the Lord grew and prevailed
mightily’ (Acts 19:20-21). Paul was on the move. God was on the move.
Wherever Paul went, there were opportunities to make Christ known.
Wherever he went, people were trusting Christ. Paul was moving from
place to place, bringing Christ to so many different people. People were
moving ‘from death to life’ (John 5:24). This is what drove Paul on -
Bringing more and more sinners to his Saviour!
Becoming fishers of men
This is a new ‘beginning.’ The prophets had spoken. Now, the Saviour
has come. This is Good News. John has prepared the way. Now, he stands
aside to make way for Jesus Christ, the Son of God’ (Mark 1:1, 11).
Following Jesus’ baptism, there was temptation. This was Kingdom against
kingdom. Satan’s kingdom was under threat. The Kingdom of God had come.
Christ triumphed over Satan. In Him, we triumph when, hearing the
Gospel declaration - ‘the Kingdom of God is at hand’- , we obey the
Gospel command - ‘repent and believe the gospel’ (Mark 1:15). With the
command, ‘Follow Me’, there is the promise, ‘I will make you...’ (Mark
1:17). Christ’s call is ‘full of grace and truth’ (John 1:14). It is
truth - a call to discipleship. It is grace - a call from Jesus. In
Christ, we become ‘a new creation’(2 Corinthians 5:17). We become
‘fishers of men’ (Mark 1:17).
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The Bible Readings are taken from the Revised Common Lectionary – Year B
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