Good News - Week of 12/4/2017

PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Come. Holy Spirit, fill me and make my, life a witness to Jesus. Amen.

John the Baptist preaching in the desert - JESUS MAFA

Notes on the image.
JESUS MAFA is a response to the New Testament readings from the Lectionary by a Christian community in Cameroon, Africa. Each of the readings were selected and adapted to dramatic interpretation by the community members. Photographs of their interpretations were made, and these were then transcribed to paintings. This image is from John 3:1-12
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NOTES ON THE SCRIPTURES

Isaiah 40:1-11: A word of comfort for God’s people, because a herald is announcing the coming of God to his people who are as fragile as grass. Yet God comes as a gentle Shepherd to feed and nurture his flock.

Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13: Thanksgiving that God has forgiven and restored God’s people, so God’s people should not return to their wicked ways, but rather should listen to what God says, for God’s salvation is near, and God’s blessings are poured out.

2 Peter 3:8-15a: Peter encourages the believers to live godly lives as they await the passing away of the heavens and the earth and the coming of the new heaven and earth. God is not slow to keep God’s promise to do these things, but, in mercy, delays so that people may be saved.

Mark 1:1-8: John the Baptizer comes, as a fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy of the voice in the wilderness, and prepares people for the coming of a greater One after him, teaching that, although he baptizes with water, the Coming One will baptize with the Holy Spirit.