Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year A 22nd January 2023
Lectionary Readings:
Isaiah 9 v1-4; Psalm 27 v1, 4-9; 1 Corinthians 1 v10-18; Matthew 4 v12-23.
Pointers.
In last week’s lectionary readings, John the Baptist was pointing to Jesus. This week, Paul is pointing away from himself, (or any other apostle) and towards Jesus. Jesus directs our attention to the ‘kingdom of God’, (or the ‘kingdom of heaven’ as Matthew refers to it.).
Then Jesus started preaching, “Turn back to God! The kingdom of heaven will soon be here.” (Matthew 4 v17).
I found this helpful definition in the ‘Collins dictionary of The Bible’.
Kingdom of God, kingdom of heaven.
The central idea in the teaching of Jesus, God’s kingdom is concerned with his rule on earth and in heaven. The idea goes right back to the exodus (Exodus 19 v6), though the main Old Testament references occur in the Psalms and the prophets (Psalm 103 v19; Obadiah 21).
This background encouraged many Jewish people to look forward to God’s decisive intervention for Israel, but Jesus demonstrated, especially through his parables and his miracles, that the benefits of God’s kingdom were available to all who believed in Jesus whatever their ethnic or social origins.
The main new feature in Jesus’ teaching on this issue was that he made God’s kingdom inseparable from himself. The powerful presence of God’s rule was demonstrated by his miracles and his bringing good news to the poor. (Matthew 11 v2-6, echoing the promise of Isaiah 35 v5-6; 6 v11).
Since his death, resurrection and ascension Jesus has reigned from God’s throne in heaven. The early church proclaimed the good news that Jesus had been exalted to kingly rule after his suffering and death, and they looked forward to the full revelation of God’s kingdom at Jesus’ second coming. (Acts 28 v31; 1 Corinthians 15 v24-25; Revelation 11 v15).
At baptism, we were received into the Lord’s family, affirmed as one of God’s children* and told that we are inheritors together of the kingdom of God.
* Jesus says, yes we are, (his sister or brother), if we obey his Father! (see Matthew 12 v50).
Bryn Rees explains his understanding of the kingdom of God in these familiar verses,
(Singing the Faith 255).
The kingdom of God is justice and joy, for Jesus restores what sin would destroy;
God’s power and glory in Jesus we know, and here and hereafter the kingdom shall grow.
The kingdom of God is mercy and grace, the prisoners are freed, the sinners find place,
the outcast are welcomed, God’s banquet to share, and hope is awakened in place of despair.
The kingdom of God is challenge and choice, believe the good news, repent and rejoice!
His love for us sinners brought Christ to his cross, our crisis of judgement for gain or for loss.
God’s kingdom is come, the gift and the goal, in Jesus begun, in heaven made whole;
the heirs of the kingdom shall answer his call, and all things cry glory to God all in all!
Bible quotations are taken from the Contemporary English Version.