Silence
1. Put on your “brakes” and stop for a moment of silence
2. Wait for God. Breathe deep for God's peace. Exhale your worries.Praise and Thanksgiving
1. Think through your day, all the times that made you smile
2. Thank God for all those moments, and for all those people3. Open your heart to praise the Lord
But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy,
and spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may exult in you.
Psalm 5:11
Confession and repentance
1. Pray for the Holy Spirit to work in you:
“Dear Holy Spirit, shine your light into the places of darkness in my life. Show me my sins, everything that blocks me from encountering God. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”
“Dear Holy Spirit, shine your light into the places of darkness in my life. Show me my sins, everything that blocks me from encountering God. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”
2. Through the Holy Spirit, examine yourself for a short silence and then pray:
"Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for our sins and being victorious over death and sin. I confess my sin to you(pause, to tell Jesus what the Holy Spirit has shown you). Forgive my sins by your blood and help me follow you. Holy Spirit, fill me that I may be able to receive your gift to love God and His people. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen."
"Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for our sins and being victorious over death and sin. I confess my sin to you(pause, to tell Jesus what the Holy Spirit has shown you). Forgive my sins by your blood and help me follow you. Holy Spirit, fill me that I may be able to receive your gift to love God and His people. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen."
The Word
As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.
10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Matthew 9:9-13
Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage of scripture we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe"
My Listening
In yesterday's passage, we see how Jesus commanded the paralytic to get up and walk and he got up and walked. That is a demonstration of "resurrection" using the word "get up" as the language in connection with resurrection.
Do you think today's passage about Matthew is another example of resurrection? Sure it is.
Bishop N.T. Wright says :
Think for a moment what life would have been like for Matthew, day after day and year after year. Suppose it was you. You would sit in your hot little booth, waiting for travellers to pay the toll as they passed from one province into the next.
They wouldn't enjoy it and nor would you. Then think what it would be like having a young prophet with a spring in his step and God's kingdom in his heart coming past one day and simply asking you to follow him. Yes: it would feel exactly like a healing miracle.
Actually, verse 9 hints at something even more; it would be like a resurrection. 'He arose,' says the passage literally, using a regular 'resurrection' word, 'and followed him.'
N.T. Wright. Matthew for Everyone, Part 1. Louisville,KY:Westminster John Knox Press, 2004, p.102.
So, if Matthew was being resurrected, was he a paralytic? Not physical, but spiritual of course. Are you a paralytic?
Do you think today's passage about Matthew is another example of resurrection? Sure it is.
Bishop N.T. Wright says :
Think for a moment what life would have been like for Matthew, day after day and year after year. Suppose it was you. You would sit in your hot little booth, waiting for travellers to pay the toll as they passed from one province into the next.
They wouldn't enjoy it and nor would you. Then think what it would be like having a young prophet with a spring in his step and God's kingdom in his heart coming past one day and simply asking you to follow him. Yes: it would feel exactly like a healing miracle.
Actually, verse 9 hints at something even more; it would be like a resurrection. 'He arose,' says the passage literally, using a regular 'resurrection' word, 'and followed him.'
N.T. Wright. Matthew for Everyone, Part 1. Louisville,KY:Westminster John Knox Press, 2004, p.102.
So, if Matthew was being resurrected, was he a paralytic? Not physical, but spiritual of course. Are you a paralytic?
What I got from Jesus today is a kind of deep self-examination and a call to leave what you are now doing so that you can follow Him.
You may be doing the same thing as Matthew was doing: Boring, greedy and worldly. Definitely not doing Kingdom ministry. So, the call is for Matthew to get up from his post doing those boring, greedy and worldly job to follow Jesus doing exciting, faithful Kingdom ministry.
How can you be resurrected by Jesus through His message today? Are you willing to get up and follow Jesus now?
Are you willing to help more people to get up and follow Jesus?
Dear Lord Jesus,
You may be doing the same thing as Matthew was doing: Boring, greedy and worldly. Definitely not doing Kingdom ministry. So, the call is for Matthew to get up from his post doing those boring, greedy and worldly job to follow Jesus doing exciting, faithful Kingdom ministry.
How can you be resurrected by Jesus through His message today? Are you willing to get up and follow Jesus now?
Are you willing to help more people to get up and follow Jesus?
Dear Lord Jesus,
Lead us to be willing to get up and follow you now. And, be able to help more people to get up and follow you doing your Kingdom ministry. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Reflect on these questions:
1. If Matthew was being resurrected, was he a paralytic? Not physical, but spiritual of course
2. Are you a paralytic? How can you be resurrected by Jesus through His message today?
3. 'Get up! Follow me!' What does it mean to you today? What Jesus is trying to tell you now?
4. Are you willing to help more people to get up and follow Jesus?
Family Corner:
3. 'Get up! Follow me!' What does it mean to you today? What Jesus is trying to tell you now?
4. Are you willing to help more people to get up and follow Jesus?
Family Corner:
1. How can you share with your family about your spiritual journey and what does it look like for you to follow Jesus?
2. How can you help your family members to share their personal journey and what do they think it would look like to follow Jesus?
2. How can you help your family members to share their personal journey and what do they think it would look like to follow Jesus?
Praise and Thanksgiving
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