Rhythm: The Fifth Week in January
Deuteronomy 18:15-20
15 The Lord your God will raise up a prophet like me from your community, from your fellow Israelites. He’s the one you must listen to. 16 That’s exactly what you requested from the Lord your God at Horeb, on the day of the assembly, when you said, “I can’t listen to the Lord my God’s voice anymore or look at this great fire any longer. I don’t want to die!” 17 The Lord said to me: What they’ve said is right. 18 I’ll raise up a prophet for them from among their fellow Israelites—one just like you. I’ll put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. 19 I myself will hold accountable anyone who doesn’t listen to my words, which that prophet will speak in my name. 20 However, any prophet who arrogantly speaks a word in my name that I haven’t commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods—that prophet must die.
Psalm 111
1 Praise the Lord! I thank the Lord with all my heart in the company of those who do right, in the congregation. 2 The works of the Lord are magnificent; they are treasured by all who desire them. 3 God’s deeds are majestic and glorious. God’s righteousness stands forever. 4 God is famous for his wondrous works. The Lord is full of mercy and compassion. 5 God gives food to those who honor him. God remembers his covenant forever. 6 God proclaimed his powerful deeds to his people and gave them what had belonged to other nations. 7 God’s handiwork is honesty and justice; all God’s rules are trustworthy— 8 they are established always and forever: they are fulfilled with truth and right doing. 9 God sent redemption for his people; God commanded that his covenant last forever. Holy and awesome is God’s name! 10 Fear of the Lord is where wisdom begins; sure knowledge is for all who keep God’s laws. God’s praise lasts forever!
1 Corinthians 8:1-13
1 Now concerning meat that has been sacrificed to a false god: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes people arrogant, but love builds people up. 2 If anyone thinks they know something, they don’t yet know as much as they should know. 3 But if someone loves God, then they are known by God. 4 So concerning the actual food involved in these sacrifices to false gods, we know that a false god isn’t anything in this world, and that there is no God except for the one God. 5 Granted, there are so-called “gods,” in heaven and on the earth, as there are many gods and many lords. 6 However, for us believers, There is one God the Father. All things come from him, and we belong to him. And there is one Lord Jesus Christ. All things exist through him, and we live through him. 7 But not everybody knows this. Some are eating this food as though it really is food sacrificed to a real idol, because they were used to idol worship until now. Their conscience is weak because it has been damaged. 8 Food won’t bring us close to God. We’re not missing out if we don’t eat, and we don’t have any advantage if we do eat. 9 But watch out or else this freedom of yours might be a problem for those who are weak. 10 Suppose someone sees you (the person who has knowledge) eating in an idol’s temple. Won’t the person with a weak conscience be encouraged to eat the meat sacrificed to false gods? 11 The weak brother or sister for whom Christ died is destroyed by your knowledge. 12 You sin against Christ if you sin against your brothers and sisters and hurt their weak consciences this way. 13 This is why, if food causes the downfall of my brother or sister, I won’t eat meat ever again, or else I may cause my brother or sister to fall.
Mark 1:21-28
21 Jesus and his followers went into Capernaum. Immediately on the Sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and started teaching. 22 The people were amazed by his teaching, for he was teaching them with authority, not like the legal experts. 23 Suddenly, there in the synagogue, a person with an evil spirit screamed, 24 “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are. You are the holy one from God.” 25 “Silence!” Jesus said, speaking harshly to the demon. “Come out of him!” 26 The unclean spirit shook him and screamed, then it came out. 27 Everyone was shaken and questioned among themselves, “What’s this? A new teaching with authority! He even commands unclean spirits and they obey him!” 28 Right away the news about him spread throughout the entire region of Galilee.
We Read…
What comes to mind when you hear “authority” and “liberty?”
These words can be thrown around a lot in the world and the church. We talk about someone’s authority to make a decision or our liberty to do what we want, to use our freedom however we want to. But what do these verses show us about these two words?
In Deuteronomy, we find that it is a big deal to speak on behalf of God, to claim the authority of God in what we say. Later in Mark, we watch Jesus teaching and acting with God’s authority. It shouldn’t be taken lightly when we see this happening, and we should be careful when we may want to claim this authority, too. God doesn’t want us speaking on God’s behalf in ways that aren’t true, in ways that hurt our witness or God’s name. Paul shares that sometimes, we choose to limit ourselves, to not take the full liberty in ways we think we deserve, to help others. Even though Paul was teaching under God’s authority and could have said that we’re all free to only think about ourselves now, he chose to point us to others. How do we proclaim God’s love and grace when we limit ourselves for someone else?
We Think…
What stands out to you in these verses?
Does anything confuse you or not make sense?
How do these verses compare to your own experience in life or in the church? What are you considering?
What questions come to mind?
We Feel…
What emotions are you experiencing today? How are you making space for these feelings?
Where have you seen God today or this week?
What is pointing you to God (maybe it is something in creation, maybe a friend or adult that cares for you)?
What has God made new in your life? In your heart?
Have you ever felt like someone led you astray?
Maybe you have led someone else in the wrong direction. How can we use our influence to help others instead of hurt them?
Why is it important to think about others as we make our own decisions?
We Believe…
Some will say Jesus was just a good prophet or a nice leader who spoke truth to those in power. And he was speaking prophetically and confronting those in power, but he was also doing something greater. We believe Jesus is God’s Son and one of the three persons in the Trinity. Jesus spoke with the authority of God because he IS God.
How did Jesus have the authority to speak on behalf of God?
We Practice…
Have you ever given something up for the sake of someone else? Or have you ever taken something on to help a friend? How can you practice one of these things this week?
Maybe this looks like limiting your social media time to help a friend who is struggling with an addiction to social media. You can show them that you are standing with them and take that time to connect with them in person or through FaceTime. Maybe this looks like reading your Bible each day at lunch with a friend who is new to their faith instead of spending that time doing something else. Tell an adult you trust about your goal for the week so they can help you stick to it.
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