The Adventurous Lectionary – Third Sunday after the Epiphany – January 25, 2015

Last updated on: January 19, 2015 at 5:58 am by Bruce Epperly

The Adventurous Lectionary – Third Sunday after the Epiphany – January 25, 2015 2015-01-19T05:58:13-05:00 Bruce Epperly

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Third Sunday after the Epiphany
Jonah 3:1-5, 10
Psalm 62:5-12

I Corinthians 7:29-31
Mark 1:14-20

Today’s lectionary readings invite us to embrace change, whether it involves our vision of God, personal plans, or way of life.

It’s difficult to preach about Jonah without retelling the legend in its entirety. Jonah has earned the title the “reluctant prophet,” but often for the wrong reasons. Jonah flees the call to preach to the archenemy Nineveh, but his flight is not the result of fear or disobedience, but his inability to trust that God’s vision differs from the faith he was taught and still affirmed. In the faith Jonah affirmed, there was no place for divine mercy to Israel’s opponents. They deserved nothing but destruction, and yet now God is calling him to be among an immoral, unclean, and oppressive people, giving them one last chance to repent. And, repent they do. Even the animals of Nineveh hear Jonah’s message of gloom and doom. Perhaps, the king and the people believe that by beginning a spiritual fast and changing their ways, they will avert divine destruction.

Regardless of their motives for repentance, God relents and spares the city. Rather than being consoled and elated by God’s mercy, Jonah is angry. Too quickly he forgets that God spared his own life and gave him a second chance to follow God’s vision to minister to the benighted Ninevites. In his anger, however, Jonah is told that despite their iniquity, God loves the people of Nineveh. More than that God’s love extends to the people’s companion animals. The non-human world is also an object of divine care and a revelation of divine wisdom. After all, Jonah’s own life is saved by wise behavior of a great fish.

Jonah is profoundly theological in its affirmation of God’s universal love. We may have enemies, but God doesn’t. There are consequences to turning from God’s vision, but God’s aim is always healing and salvation. God’s mercy extends far beyond Israel to all the peoples of the earth.

Psalm 65 counsels us to wait in silence for divine revelation. God is our hope and refuge, but God’s presence is not always obvious and God’s movements in our lives and the world are often subtle. For those who wait and listen, the God of salvation will appear, bringing hope and consolation.

While the eschatology of I Corinthians 7 is foreign to most of us, we can relate to the realities of a dynamic and ever-changing world. We cannot, as Heraclitus says, step into the same waters twice. Life passes swiftly and we must seize the moment, living by God’s values, making the most of the time. In light of our short lifespan, we are to become people who are both heavenly minded and earthly good. The counsels regarding relationships are curious and personally and relationally unhealthy if taken literally; but perhaps within them is the wisdom of non-attachment. Look at the world with the beginner’s mind, notice novelty, see the passing nature of life as an opportunity for creative detachment. Marriage flourishes when we don’t place our partners in a box, objectify them, and freeze them in time. Marriage and other relationships grow best when we respond with openness, appreciation, and novelty.

The gospel of Mark briefly describes the beginning of Jesus’ good news message. He invites his followers and us today to embrace God’s realm and be willing to leave the familiar to sojourn in God’s coming realm. Like the passage from Corinthians, the Markan passage counsels letting go, and sitting loose even of positive pasts. The security of tradition can support, but it can also drain us of creativity and relevance. We must be willing to leave our personal and congregational comfort zones to embrace God’s new thing. Like Peter, Andrew, and the Zebedee boys find new freedom by embracing the good news of creative transformation and divine novelty. There are no guarantees for these pilgrims – and for us – but there is the joy of living in the wondrous and holy adventure of companionship with God. (For more on Mark’s Gospel, see Bruce Epperly, Mark’s Holy Adventure: Preaching Mark’s Gospel for Year B and Healing Marks: Spirituality and Healing in Mark’s Gospel)

Uncategorized

Previous Post

January 12, 2015

Heavenly Dust - A Response to Eben Alexander's "Map of Heaven"

Next Post

January 19, 2015 Practicing Compassion with Frank Rogers and Bernard Loomer

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Book Reviews The Adventurous Lectionary Uncategorized

Select a Month November 2026 October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 December 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz