Saddle Up and Move Out!

For 2/3/2013
Do you feel as though you were destined for some kind of role or responsibility in this life? Whether it might be as caregiver, engineer, leader, athlete, parent or some other? What was it that reinforced that feeling? Jeremiah writes about his experience of being identified by God for a specific role:

1:4 This is what God said:

5 “Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you.

Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you:

A prophet to the nations—that’s what I had in mind for you.”

6 But I said, “Hold it, Master God! Look at me. I don’t know anything. I’m only a boy!”

7-8 God told me, “Don’t say, ‘I’m only a boy.’ I’ll tell you where to go and you’ll go there.

I’ll tell you what to say and you’ll say it. Don’t be afraid of a soul.

I’ll be right there, looking after you.” God’s Decree.

The Message Version

This is the story of Jeremiah’s anointing as a prophet some thirty years prior to the exile of the Jew’s of Judah to Babylon. How would you feel if you were in Jeremiah’s place? What words particularly catch your attention?

• How intimately does God know us, do you feel personally formed by God’s hands – God’s handiwork? Do you feel similarly about all human beings? How about all of creation?

• Do you think that God has a plan for us as we are being formed in the womb? How much does God have to do with the path our lives take? Where is God in the paths that evildoers take?

• After God issues this charge to Jeremiah he reacts with the words in verse 6. How would you characterize his response? Are resistance and doubt unusual when considering taking on a responsibility?

• What is the difference between those responsibilities in the church (and elsewhere) you have accepted and those you resisted? What made the difference when you overcame resistance and accepted?

• What would have been your reaction to God’s response in verse 7 if you were Jeremiah? Would you feel confidence, trepidation, or even servile? How did you feel when you overcame your doubts about being able to do something?

• How do you think that the assurance of verse 7 actually works out in real life? How were God’s directions and words transmitted through Jeremiah? Is Jeremiah a robot?

• When have you done something that you felt was done with God’s presence? How did that presence come into play in the actions and words you used?

God revels the nature of the job to Jeremiah:

9-10 God reached out, touched my mouth, and said, “Look! I’ve just put my words in your mouth—hand-delivered!

See what I’ve done? I’ve given you a job to do among nations and governments—a red-letter day! Your job is to pull up and tear down, take apart and demolish,

And then start over, building and planting.”

The Message Version

• The touching in verse 9 might be more substantive as the word touch can be translated strike. Do you know of people who have seemed to have the Lord’s words in their mouths on occasion? What kind of messages did they deliver; assurance, inspiration, warning?

• Jeremiah was to speak words people did not want to hear, unpopular words. Who can you think of who has spoken these kinds of words that really needed to be heard? What were the various reactions? Can you think of messages being spoken today which are unpopular to some but need to be heard – and acted upon?

• What is a red letter day? How important is the work that Jeremiah is called to do?

• What kind of responsibilities does verse 10 tell us Jeremiah will have? God wants both demolition and rebuilding; is one easier than the other? Must demolition many time precede effective building? Can you think of times when this was true? Is it hard to let go, forget, reject? What are some ways that we can be convinced to do this? How might our spiritual lives play into our ability to both successfully tear down and rebuild?

• In the recent past we discussed spiritual gifts which are to come to us on our rebirth as Christians:

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

1 Corinthians 12:4-7

• How do you think that this call to us compares with Jeremiah’s call? What are some similarities and differences? Will confidence in the presence of spiritual gifts help us overcome our inertia, change and build?

Closing Litany

Where can I go from your spirit?

Or where can I flee from your presence?

If I ascend to heaven, you are there;

if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.

If I take the wings of the morning

and settle at the farthest limits of the sea,

even there your hand shall lead me,

and your right hand shall hold me fast.

Amen

Next Week’s Lectionary Scriptures: Exodus 34:29-35, Psalm 99, 2 Corinthians 3:12 - 4:2, Luke 9:28-36, (37-43)



Being Selfless and Obedient

For April 1, 2012


All Scriptures are from The Message Version

This post is intended to help the reader personalize the words and thoughts in the scriptures. It works well if shared between two or more people as a conversation but there is much to be gained by just considering the questions for yourself. Commentaries for the lectionary scripture can be found on Textweek through this link http://www.textweek.com/pauline/phil2.htm

Some churches celebrate this day as Palm Sunday, the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem to begin his final week before the crucifixion, and others as Passion Sunday the beginning of Jesus’ trials and suffering through those final days. You can read all of the events of that last week in the Passion Sunday Lectionary scripture Matthew 26:14-27:66. But today we will look at the Passion Sunday Lectionary scripture by Paul in his letter to the church at Philippi which urges upon them humility and love of one another. He uses the example of Christ and sacrifice he made for (others/us) as their example. But for some first thoughts on the nature of Christ from the gospel of John, chapter 1 which announces Jesus' mixture of divinity and humanness:

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

• Without getting into deep theological ideas what do these two scriptures tell us about Jesus (the Word)? How is his divinity described, what is role did he play in creation? Is any of this new to you? What questions does it raise in your mind?
• The second scripture tells us that Jesus became flesh and dwelled among us? What was his behavior, what kind of a human presence was he. How would you describe the Jesus who dwelt with us to a friend?
• In some ways are Christians similar to Jesus as we are humans in whom God’s Spirit dwells? How does you spiritual nature impact the way you live and act? Do you wish for growth of the spiritual in the midst of your humanness? What might help us grow spiritually, what has helped you grow?

The church an Philippi was one of Paul’s favorites, they had been strong spiritual and at times material supporters of his ministry. He writes urging them to be a loving community using words like these:

Philippians 2:1-4 If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life... then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends… Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.

• What does Paul want the Philippians to have as a goal for their behavior? Is acting this way typical human nature or something else? It is not unusual for us to observe people who do not live this way in the secular world but what examples do you have examples when congregational life ran counter to this plea? On the other hand when have you experienced people in a faith community acting toward you in this way? What seemed to be the spiritual condition of the community when either behavior seemed to be most visible?

Philippians 2:5-8 Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.

• How does Paul characterize Jesus in what is probably a hymn from the earliest days of the Christian faith? How does he contrast the status of Christ in the divine realm and as a human? How are the divine and human Jesus described? What words are used to describe the way he lived and died?
• Do you feel that there are times when you acted in a selfless and obedient (to God) way? What were the circumstances and what led you to respond in this fashion? Are there times when you weren’t, what caused you to focus on yourself instead?
• Does this description of Jesus’ behavior inspire you to be more selfless and obedient or does it not hit home today? What other words would you use to describe the nature of Jesus as you think about the crucifixion? Are there things that you want to incorporate in your life as you think about it?

Paul encourages the church to adopt a Christ like behavior:

12-13 … Better yet, redouble your efforts. Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God's energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure.

• What words describe the kind of life Paul is urging us to adopt? Is this way of life passive? Is it a natural part of normal human behavior? What does it take for us to break away from our usual patterns of living and take on something new?
• What are we equipped with if we redouble our efforts? What can we count on as we seek spiritual growth? How has God been present in your faith journey as you grew and matured?
• Have you experience any spiritual growth during this season of Lent? As you reflect on the crucifixion what meaning does it have for you on this Palm Sunday? What words come to you mind as you look ahead to Jesus on the cross? What will you add to the spiritual food that you take with you on your faith journey?

Closing Prayer

Take Lord my sense of self and let it vanish utterly. Take Lord, my life and live through me. Between Thee and me, my God, there is no longer room for I and mine. Amen.

Tukaram. The Oxford Book of Prayer

Next Week’s Lectionary Scriptures: Matthew 28:1-10 or Isaiah 25:6-9, I Corinthians 15:1-11 or Acts 10:34-43, Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24, John 20:1-18 or Mark 16:1-8