For 10/10/2010
One of the major focal points of today’s scripture is summarized in the word REMEMBER. One way to understand where the writer is heading is to think of our own experiences:
• Think of a favorite person in your past life with whom you no longer have contact; someone who has had an important influence upon you. When you remember that person what comes to mind? What words or phrases would you use to describe the person? Does the relationship have any influence on the way in which you live your life?
• Are there secular, inanimate influences that impact the way in which we live our lives and hold a priority for our time and attention? It could include being a sports fan, our jobs, hobbys, etc.
The writer of 2 Timothy records these words as the Apostle Paul’s reflections on remembrance of Jesus:
2 Timothy 2:8 Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David—that is my gospel, 9for which I suffer hardship, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained. 10Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, so that they may also obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.
11The saying is sure: If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
12 if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us;
13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.
14 Remind them of this, and warn them before God that they are to avoid wrangling over words, which does no good but only ruins those who are listening. 15Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth. 16Avoid profane chatter, for it will lead people into more and more impiety,
• The scripture begins with Remember Jesus Christ. Write down some words or phrases that would use to describe him. Are there questions about him that arise in your remembering?
• How does the writer of 2 Timothy tell us Paul remembers? What is important to him as he remembers? What should happen as a result of our remembering Jesus? Do these reflections add anything to your written thoughts?
• How has Jesus affected the way you live your life? Are there specific things about him and his presence with us that has influenced you? Add any ideas to your written reflections.
• Paul encountered many hardships doing his evangelistic work, read his account of some of them below:
2Corinthians 11:23-27I've worked much harder, been jailed more often, beaten up more times than I can count, and at death's door time after time. I've been flogged five times with the Jews' thirty-nine lashes, beaten by Roman rods three times, pummeled with rocks once. I've been shipwrecked three times, and immersed in the open sea for a night and a day. In hard traveling year in and year out, I've had to ford rivers, fend off robbers, struggle with friends, struggle with foes. I've been at risk in the city, at risk in the country, endangered by desert sun and sea storm, and betrayed by those I thought were my brothers. I've known drudgery and hard labor, many a long and lonely night without sleep, many a missed meal, blasted by the cold, naked to the weather.
Some have reacted to the words above as Paul trying to puff himself up or brag. Paul was constantly defending himself from the assaults of detractors, many of whom cited the difficulties that they had endured? Regardless we can see that the work he did and travels he undertook in those primitive times would have to be motivated by very intense sense of duty. What might you write down as the unexpected both good and bad things happened to you as your acted on the gospel message?
2 Corinthians 11:11The saying is sure: If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
12 if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he will also deny us;
13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.
14 Remind them of this, and warn them before God that they are to avoid wrangling over words, which does no good but only ruins those who are listening. 15Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth. 16Avoid profane chatter, for it will lead people into more and more impiety,
• What is your reaction to the ancient litany or hymn in verses 11-13? How do you interpret each verse? Does it raise questions? Should it?
• What is the essence of Paul’s advice in verses 14-16 of 2 Timothy above? Have you experienced any of the wrangling and distraction he warns against? How should we handle it when confronted with it?
Closing Prayer
Lord, may I see you in me also
May I prepare the way for you
May I thank you for all that should fall to my lot
Gracious God, keep me in your love.
Amen
Next Week’s Lectionary Scriptures: Jeremiah 31:27-34 or Genesis 32:22-31, Psalm 119:97-104 or Psalm 121, 2 Timothy 3:14 - 4:5, Luke 18:1-8
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Monday, October 4, 2010
Speaking Our Minds to God
For October 3, 2010
Lamentations is a seldom read book of the bible as it seems so filled with hopelessness and sadness. Many of the Psalms are classed as Laments because of their focus on woes and despair. But as we look more closely at biblical laments we might find them to be a vehicle for voicing our heartfelt reaction to times of tragedy to an ever-present God. We begin with some background about Lamentations:
During (587 BCE) and after Babylon’s terrible destruction of Jerusalem, the writer (traditionally and probably correctly identified as the prophet Jeremiah); laments the tragic fall of the city he loved. Lamentations is unique in the Scriptures for its mood of almost unremitting gloom. The author has witnessed such terrible suffering—famine, murder, rape, cannibalism, and other unspeakable horrors—that the only appropriate response is to give voice to this suffering by raising a cry of woe. Whereas the book of Job deals with the problem of undeserved suffering at the personal level, Lamentations struggles with the issues raised by a community that is suffering exactly what it deserves—God has judged Jerusalem for its sins, to the loss and lamentation of all its citizens. In his anguish and distress, the poet wants to know: What is the meaning of all this suffering? The Literary Study Bible
Our first scripture gives us a taste of the poet’s lament. You may want to have a piece of paper and pencil available as we will work on a personal lament.
Lamentations 1:3 After years of pain and hard labor, Judah has gone into exile. She camps out among the nations, never feels at home. Hunted by all, she's stuck between a rock and a hard place.
4 Zion's roads weep, empty of pilgrims headed to the feasts. All her city gates are deserted, her priests in despair. Her virgins are sad. How bitter her fate.
5 Her enemies have become her masters. Her foes are living it up because God laid her low, punishing her repeated rebellions. Her children, prisoners of the enemy, trudge into exile.
• What is your sense of the writer’s emotional state in this lament? What jumps out as his primary concerns?
• Think of some contemporary disasters and tragedies have been visited on a significant group of people; floods, earthquakes, wars, genocide or famine. Pick one with which you have some familiarity and write down some of the words or thoughts that those affected might include in their lament.
• Think of a tragedy in your life. What would you include in a lament that expresses your feelings and thoughts? What were your feelings as you wrote down the words?
• The poet concludes: God laid her low, punishing her repeated rebellions. Do some affected by tragedy conclude that bad things are God’s punishment for misdeeds? How have you incorporated the presence of the God of your faith in tragedies? Are there thoughts that need to be part of your notes?
Lamentations 3:19-21 I'll never forget the trouble, the utter lostness, the taste of ashes, the poison I've swallowed. I remember it all—oh, how well I remember— the feeling of hitting the bottom. But there's one other thing I remember, and remembering, I keep a grip on hope
• How do the words sorrow and depression resonate with you as you reflect on your personal experience with tragedy? Does it inspire anything that you would include in your lament? How do you feel as you write down these words?
• What does he hold with a tight grip? Did you ever develop a sense of hope as you dealt with tragedy? What happened to bring about this feeling into the situation? Was it easy to find? Make sure that you include these thoughts in your notes.
Lamentations 3:22-24 God's loyal love couldn't have run out, his merciful love couldn't have dried up. They're created new every morning. How great your faithfulness! I'm sticking with God (I say it over and over). He's all I've got left.
25-27 God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the woman who diligently seeks. It's a good thing to quietly hope, quietly hope for help from God. It's a good thing when you're young to stick it out through the hard times.
• In laying out his lament the poet concludes that what is happening to his community is punishment from God. What conclusion has he come to as he continues to write about the tragedy?
• What steps has he taken and what does he recommend as we search for God’s presence in tragedy? Did you find a growing sense of God’s presence in your tragedy? What nurtured the growth in your case? How would you express it in your personal written lament?
• Have you found examining tragedy in your life helpful? If so in what way? Did you in any way confront God with questions or doubts?
28-30 When life is heavy and hard to take, go off by yourself. Enter the silence. Bow in prayer. Don't ask questions: Wait for hope to appear. Don't run from trouble. Take it full-face. The "worst" is never the worst.
• What is the poet’s advice for dealing with the hard times?
• What worked for you and how would you express it in your lament?
• What role has your congregation had in dealing with individual tragedy? What else might we do to help members deal with all aspects of tragedy, particularly the spiritual?
Take some time to develop your own lament from the notes made above. It may take on many forms and should fit with your relationship with God. One format for constructing a lament in the traditional format of the Psalms comes from comes from the Seasons of the Spirit Adult Curriculum for Pentecost 2, 2010:
First read Psalms 6, 13, 42, 79 reflecting on the reasons that the writer has cried out to God then:
1. Introductory address: (O God, I need your help…)
2. Description of the situation causing pain, sorrow, or fear: (I’ve just about had it because…)
3. Prayer for help and deliverance: (Save me from…)
4. Statement of why you think God would help: (In the past you remembered…)
5. Vow to offer praise when the prayer is answered: (I will tell of your great name…)
6. Praise for God as if the prayer has already been answered: (I will give thanks to you forever..)
Closing Prayer
O God, you invite us to be open and honest about our feelings. May we not be protective of the hurt in our hearts. Trusting in your steadfast love and unconditional acceptance, we place our lives into your caring hands. Amen
Next Week’s Lectionary Scriptures: Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7, Psalm 66:1-12, 2 Timothy 2:8-15, Luke 17:11-19
Lamentations is a seldom read book of the bible as it seems so filled with hopelessness and sadness. Many of the Psalms are classed as Laments because of their focus on woes and despair. But as we look more closely at biblical laments we might find them to be a vehicle for voicing our heartfelt reaction to times of tragedy to an ever-present God. We begin with some background about Lamentations:
During (587 BCE) and after Babylon’s terrible destruction of Jerusalem, the writer (traditionally and probably correctly identified as the prophet Jeremiah); laments the tragic fall of the city he loved. Lamentations is unique in the Scriptures for its mood of almost unremitting gloom. The author has witnessed such terrible suffering—famine, murder, rape, cannibalism, and other unspeakable horrors—that the only appropriate response is to give voice to this suffering by raising a cry of woe. Whereas the book of Job deals with the problem of undeserved suffering at the personal level, Lamentations struggles with the issues raised by a community that is suffering exactly what it deserves—God has judged Jerusalem for its sins, to the loss and lamentation of all its citizens. In his anguish and distress, the poet wants to know: What is the meaning of all this suffering? The Literary Study Bible
Our first scripture gives us a taste of the poet’s lament. You may want to have a piece of paper and pencil available as we will work on a personal lament.
Lamentations 1:3 After years of pain and hard labor, Judah has gone into exile. She camps out among the nations, never feels at home. Hunted by all, she's stuck between a rock and a hard place.
4 Zion's roads weep, empty of pilgrims headed to the feasts. All her city gates are deserted, her priests in despair. Her virgins are sad. How bitter her fate.
5 Her enemies have become her masters. Her foes are living it up because God laid her low, punishing her repeated rebellions. Her children, prisoners of the enemy, trudge into exile.
• What is your sense of the writer’s emotional state in this lament? What jumps out as his primary concerns?
• Think of some contemporary disasters and tragedies have been visited on a significant group of people; floods, earthquakes, wars, genocide or famine. Pick one with which you have some familiarity and write down some of the words or thoughts that those affected might include in their lament.
• Think of a tragedy in your life. What would you include in a lament that expresses your feelings and thoughts? What were your feelings as you wrote down the words?
• The poet concludes: God laid her low, punishing her repeated rebellions. Do some affected by tragedy conclude that bad things are God’s punishment for misdeeds? How have you incorporated the presence of the God of your faith in tragedies? Are there thoughts that need to be part of your notes?
Lamentations 3:19-21 I'll never forget the trouble, the utter lostness, the taste of ashes, the poison I've swallowed. I remember it all—oh, how well I remember— the feeling of hitting the bottom. But there's one other thing I remember, and remembering, I keep a grip on hope
• How do the words sorrow and depression resonate with you as you reflect on your personal experience with tragedy? Does it inspire anything that you would include in your lament? How do you feel as you write down these words?
• What does he hold with a tight grip? Did you ever develop a sense of hope as you dealt with tragedy? What happened to bring about this feeling into the situation? Was it easy to find? Make sure that you include these thoughts in your notes.
Lamentations 3:22-24 God's loyal love couldn't have run out, his merciful love couldn't have dried up. They're created new every morning. How great your faithfulness! I'm sticking with God (I say it over and over). He's all I've got left.
25-27 God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the woman who diligently seeks. It's a good thing to quietly hope, quietly hope for help from God. It's a good thing when you're young to stick it out through the hard times.
• In laying out his lament the poet concludes that what is happening to his community is punishment from God. What conclusion has he come to as he continues to write about the tragedy?
• What steps has he taken and what does he recommend as we search for God’s presence in tragedy? Did you find a growing sense of God’s presence in your tragedy? What nurtured the growth in your case? How would you express it in your personal written lament?
• Have you found examining tragedy in your life helpful? If so in what way? Did you in any way confront God with questions or doubts?
28-30 When life is heavy and hard to take, go off by yourself. Enter the silence. Bow in prayer. Don't ask questions: Wait for hope to appear. Don't run from trouble. Take it full-face. The "worst" is never the worst.
• What is the poet’s advice for dealing with the hard times?
• What worked for you and how would you express it in your lament?
• What role has your congregation had in dealing with individual tragedy? What else might we do to help members deal with all aspects of tragedy, particularly the spiritual?
Take some time to develop your own lament from the notes made above. It may take on many forms and should fit with your relationship with God. One format for constructing a lament in the traditional format of the Psalms comes from comes from the Seasons of the Spirit Adult Curriculum for Pentecost 2, 2010:
First read Psalms 6, 13, 42, 79 reflecting on the reasons that the writer has cried out to God then:
1. Introductory address: (O God, I need your help…)
2. Description of the situation causing pain, sorrow, or fear: (I’ve just about had it because…)
3. Prayer for help and deliverance: (Save me from…)
4. Statement of why you think God would help: (In the past you remembered…)
5. Vow to offer praise when the prayer is answered: (I will tell of your great name…)
6. Praise for God as if the prayer has already been answered: (I will give thanks to you forever..)
Closing Prayer
O God, you invite us to be open and honest about our feelings. May we not be protective of the hurt in our hearts. Trusting in your steadfast love and unconditional acceptance, we place our lives into your caring hands. Amen
Next Week’s Lectionary Scriptures: Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7, Psalm 66:1-12, 2 Timothy 2:8-15, Luke 17:11-19
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Faith meets real life
For September 26, 2010
Today we look at the final piece of advice the writer of 1 Timothy gives in Paul’s name to Timothy but really intends for people like you and me. He speaks to the benefits of a life of faith and warns against listening to alleged religious leaders who will lead Timothy, and certainly us, down the wrong path.
Before reading the scripture take a moment to reflect on the benefits in your life from walking a life of faith, as imperfect as our steps on that walk may be. How have you been blessed and what do you think has changed in the things that are important to you in the way in which you live and priorities you set daily?
1 Timothy 6
6-8A devout life does bring wealth, but it's the rich simplicity of being yourself before God. Since we entered the world penniless and will leave it penniless, if we have bread on the table and shoes on our feet, that's enough.
9-10But if it's only money these leaders are after, they'll self-destruct in no time. Lust for money brings trouble and nothing but trouble. Going down that path, some lose their footing in the faith completely and live to regret it bitterly ever after.
11-12But you, Timothy, man of God: Run for your life from all this. Pursue a righteous life—a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy. Run hard and fast in the faith. Seize the eternal life, the life you were called to, the life you so fervently embraced in the presence of so many witnesses.
· What does the writer tell us we should and should not expect from a devout life? Are there religious leaders who declare that a devout life will bring material wealth? Are there other things/benefits that religious leaders promise that you feel are misleading?
· Have you experienced the rich simplicity of being yourself before God? This speaks to a very different idea of wealth. What must go and what must we develop in order to reach this kind of relationship with God? Can you think of anyone who would be an example for you of living this way?
· We know that we entered the world penniless and will leave it penniless; the problem is living the in-between. Do you think that the writer would find fault with working to have the resources to feed and clothe ourselves and our family? What is the point of departure; how do we know when we are losing our way and straying off the path of a spiritual journey? Do we have to be below some level of wealth or possessions to be ourselves with God?
· How does the writer describe the downside of living with a lust for money? Does your life’s experience confirm this observation? Has losing footing in the faith ever happened to you or someone you know of?
· The writer tells us what to run from but also what to run to, a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy. What practical advice might you give someone about finding these things based on your spiritual journey? What questions do you have about how to incorporate them into your life?
· What does the writer say we should seize? What advice would you give someone about seeking both these blessings and at the same time dealing with the realities of providing the material things we need?
· What does the writer’s use of the word seize and run hard and fast in the faith say about the nature of our competing priorities in life? Is seeking the path to a faith filled life easy? What are some things that have energized your faith journey?
1 Timothy 6
13-16I'm charging you before the life-giving God and before Christ, who took his stand before Pontius Pilate and didn't give an inch: Keep this command to the letter, and don't slack off. Our Master, Jesus Christ, is on his way. He'll show up right on time, his arrival guaranteed by the Blessed and Undisputed Ruler, High King, High God. He's the only one death can't touch, his light so bright no one can get close. He's never been seen by human eyes—human eyes can't take him in! Honor to him, and eternal rule! Oh, yes.
17-19Tell those rich in this world's wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so obsessed with money, which is here today and gone tomorrow. Tell them to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever manage—to do good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravagantly generous. If they do that, they'll build a treasury that will last, gaining life that is truly life.
· What do you think is the point of the writer’s illustration of Christ before Pilate? Do you see Jesus’ life as one of running hard and fast in the faith? What have you taken from his life and incorporated into your spiritual journey?
· The writer gives us his testimony about Jesus, who he is the promise of his return. How do you understand the relationship between God’s work in Jesus and you own life. In one group several images of Christ were discussed:
Christ as sacrifice for our sins
Christ as victory thru his resurrection
Christ brings us God’s forgiveness for our sins
Christ as liberation and reconnection – thru our baptism and birth in the Spirit
Christ as a moral example
Christ as a sign of God’s love
· Verses 17-19 seem to say that it is OK to be rich under certain conditions. First, what is your definition of rich? When do we enter that realm? Do you in any way consider yourself rich? Can we be rich in things other than material wealth that we should not hoard?
· Two of the richest men in the world have donated the bulk of their wealth to the Gates Foundation (Bill Gates and Warren Buffet). Bill Gates has also called upon the very wealthy, particularly in our country, to pledge a percentage of their personal wealth to worthy causes. What do you think motivates them, what had to happen to essentially give away almost everything that their business careers has brought to them?
· What examples inspire you in the choices you make in managing your material possessions? Do you think that you spiritual journey has changed your thinking about this important facet of our life and living?
Closing Litany
Don't put your life in the hands of experts
who know nothing of life, of salvation life.
Mere humans don't have what it takes;
when they die, their projects die with them.
Instead, get help from the God of Jacob,
put your hope in God and know real blessing!
God's in charge—always.
Zion's God is God for good!
Hallelujah!
Next Week’s Scriptures: Luke 17:5-10, 2 Timothy 1:1-14, Psalm 137 or Psalm 37:1-9, Lamentations 1:1-6; Lamentations 3:19-26
Today we look at the final piece of advice the writer of 1 Timothy gives in Paul’s name to Timothy but really intends for people like you and me. He speaks to the benefits of a life of faith and warns against listening to alleged religious leaders who will lead Timothy, and certainly us, down the wrong path.
Before reading the scripture take a moment to reflect on the benefits in your life from walking a life of faith, as imperfect as our steps on that walk may be. How have you been blessed and what do you think has changed in the things that are important to you in the way in which you live and priorities you set daily?
1 Timothy 6
6-8A devout life does bring wealth, but it's the rich simplicity of being yourself before God. Since we entered the world penniless and will leave it penniless, if we have bread on the table and shoes on our feet, that's enough.
9-10But if it's only money these leaders are after, they'll self-destruct in no time. Lust for money brings trouble and nothing but trouble. Going down that path, some lose their footing in the faith completely and live to regret it bitterly ever after.
11-12But you, Timothy, man of God: Run for your life from all this. Pursue a righteous life—a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy. Run hard and fast in the faith. Seize the eternal life, the life you were called to, the life you so fervently embraced in the presence of so many witnesses.
· What does the writer tell us we should and should not expect from a devout life? Are there religious leaders who declare that a devout life will bring material wealth? Are there other things/benefits that religious leaders promise that you feel are misleading?
· Have you experienced the rich simplicity of being yourself before God? This speaks to a very different idea of wealth. What must go and what must we develop in order to reach this kind of relationship with God? Can you think of anyone who would be an example for you of living this way?
· We know that we entered the world penniless and will leave it penniless; the problem is living the in-between. Do you think that the writer would find fault with working to have the resources to feed and clothe ourselves and our family? What is the point of departure; how do we know when we are losing our way and straying off the path of a spiritual journey? Do we have to be below some level of wealth or possessions to be ourselves with God?
· How does the writer describe the downside of living with a lust for money? Does your life’s experience confirm this observation? Has losing footing in the faith ever happened to you or someone you know of?
· The writer tells us what to run from but also what to run to, a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy. What practical advice might you give someone about finding these things based on your spiritual journey? What questions do you have about how to incorporate them into your life?
· What does the writer say we should seize? What advice would you give someone about seeking both these blessings and at the same time dealing with the realities of providing the material things we need?
· What does the writer’s use of the word seize and run hard and fast in the faith say about the nature of our competing priorities in life? Is seeking the path to a faith filled life easy? What are some things that have energized your faith journey?
1 Timothy 6
13-16I'm charging you before the life-giving God and before Christ, who took his stand before Pontius Pilate and didn't give an inch: Keep this command to the letter, and don't slack off. Our Master, Jesus Christ, is on his way. He'll show up right on time, his arrival guaranteed by the Blessed and Undisputed Ruler, High King, High God. He's the only one death can't touch, his light so bright no one can get close. He's never been seen by human eyes—human eyes can't take him in! Honor to him, and eternal rule! Oh, yes.
17-19Tell those rich in this world's wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so obsessed with money, which is here today and gone tomorrow. Tell them to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever manage—to do good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravagantly generous. If they do that, they'll build a treasury that will last, gaining life that is truly life.
· What do you think is the point of the writer’s illustration of Christ before Pilate? Do you see Jesus’ life as one of running hard and fast in the faith? What have you taken from his life and incorporated into your spiritual journey?
· The writer gives us his testimony about Jesus, who he is the promise of his return. How do you understand the relationship between God’s work in Jesus and you own life. In one group several images of Christ were discussed:
Christ as sacrifice for our sins
Christ as victory thru his resurrection
Christ brings us God’s forgiveness for our sins
Christ as liberation and reconnection – thru our baptism and birth in the Spirit
Christ as a moral example
Christ as a sign of God’s love
· Verses 17-19 seem to say that it is OK to be rich under certain conditions. First, what is your definition of rich? When do we enter that realm? Do you in any way consider yourself rich? Can we be rich in things other than material wealth that we should not hoard?
· Two of the richest men in the world have donated the bulk of their wealth to the Gates Foundation (Bill Gates and Warren Buffet). Bill Gates has also called upon the very wealthy, particularly in our country, to pledge a percentage of their personal wealth to worthy causes. What do you think motivates them, what had to happen to essentially give away almost everything that their business careers has brought to them?
· What examples inspire you in the choices you make in managing your material possessions? Do you think that you spiritual journey has changed your thinking about this important facet of our life and living?
Closing Litany
Don't put your life in the hands of experts
who know nothing of life, of salvation life.
Mere humans don't have what it takes;
when they die, their projects die with them.
Instead, get help from the God of Jacob,
put your hope in God and know real blessing!
God's in charge—always.
Zion's God is God for good!
Hallelujah!
Next Week’s Scriptures: Luke 17:5-10, 2 Timothy 1:1-14, Psalm 137 or Psalm 37:1-9, Lamentations 1:1-6; Lamentations 3:19-26
Monday, September 20, 2010
First Priority - Prayer
For September 19, 2010
It is helpful to use this blog as a discussion starter for two or more people but it will also stimulate some thoughts if used by one reader. The material is used by a Sunday Study Group at Hamilton Christian Church in St. Louis, Missouri.
The letters to Timothy were probably written after Paul’s lifetime by someone who was familiar with his teachings. It was written at a time in which the faithful had come to terms with the fact that Jesus’ return was not imminent. They formed faith communities which would have had questions and sought guidance for their life together their relationship with the world in which they lived. This scripture contains some advice typical of that found in the two letters: It was also a time with many different interpretations of Christ; who he was and what his presence meant, all competing to be the mainstream Christian theology.
It is helpful to use this blog as a discussion starter for two or more people but it will also stimulate some thoughts if used by one reader. The material is used by a Sunday Study Group at Hamilton Christian Church in St. Louis, Missouri.
The letters to Timothy were probably written after Paul’s lifetime by someone who was familiar with his teachings. It was written at a time in which the faithful had come to terms with the fact that Jesus’ return was not imminent. They formed faith communities which would have had questions and sought guidance for their life together their relationship with the world in which they lived. This scripture contains some advice typical of that found in the two letters: It was also a time with many different interpretations of Christ; who he was and what his presence meant, all competing to be the mainstream Christian theology.
1 Timothy 2
1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Savior God wants us to live.
4-7He wants not only us but everyone saved, you know, everyone to get to know the truth we've learned: that there's one God and only one, and one Priest-Mediator between God and us—Jesus, who offered himself in exchange for everyone held captive by sin, to set them all free. Eventually the news is going to get out. This and this only has been my appointed work: getting this news to those who have never heard of God, and explaining how it works by simple faith and plain truth.
1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Savior God wants us to live.
4-7He wants not only us but everyone saved, you know, everyone to get to know the truth we've learned: that there's one God and only one, and one Priest-Mediator between God and us—Jesus, who offered himself in exchange for everyone held captive by sin, to set them all free. Eventually the news is going to get out. This and this only has been my appointed work: getting this news to those who have never heard of God, and explaining how it works by simple faith and plain truth.
Prayer
· How important does prayer seem to be to the writer? What is your personal experience; how important has prayer been to your faith journey? If prayer brings so many benefits why does it seem that we need to be encouraged to pray; what keeps it from being self evident and contagious?
Martha Grace Reese has written in Unbinding the Gospel:
After years of talking with pastors and laypeople in churches that are thriving and churches that are failing, I am clear that the only way to do ministry successfully, to lead a church or to live a life in today’s United States is to pray deeply. We must hand ourselves over to God in clear-headed, accountable, non-naïve prayer. We need to rely as much on God for pragmatic guidance as we can stand! Without God vividly in the mix, we drift, life declines.
· What is your reaction to her conclusion? How do you feel about the role of prayer in our faith community’s life? Do you feel that we have grown in the past year in relying on prayer? How? What else should we be doing?
· Do you think that these words can also apply to our personal prayer life? Is it really natural to rely as much on God for pragmatic guidance as we can stand?
· How do you feel about praying with others? Is this something we should strive for in our personal and congregational prayer lives?
Pray For Everyone You Know
· What person has given you the most personal grief in the recent past? How do you feel about praying for them and what would you pray for?
· What group or groups do you feel most threaten us as a country? What might we pray for them and ourselves?
· What is the purpose of praying for everyone? Could it be the first words from verses 4-7, “He wants not only us but everyone saved”? How should this impact the nature of our prayers?
Pray For Our Rulers
· What was the environment for Christians at the time; what percentage of the population were they, how were they treated, what influence did they have in society? What role did the people have in the selection and influence on their rulers and governments?
· Based on the above realities what reason is given for praying for their leadership; what does the writer want for them?
· What should we include in our prayers for the government in today’s reality? How should a spiritual person connect with the politics and policies of governing the country? Should we be seeking going quietly about our business or something else? Should one of our prayers be for Christian leadership or something else?
Salvation
· One of the major reasons for prayer is seeking salvation for all, what are some of the reasons scripture and sermons say we should be seeking salvation? What has been your experience with personal salvation; what have you connected with as benefits during your faith journey?
· What do you think is behind it all, why does God provide for and desire that all find salvation?
· What is the path to salvation given to us by the writer? If you were to describe your path to salvation what words would you use and what has helped you move closer to God?
· Should we pray for people who are devoted to God through another faith? Should we be concerned about them? In the end who sets the terms of any individual’s salvation and what should our role be in supporting other seekers?
Closing Prayer
Closing Prayer
O Holy Spirit impart to us thoughts higher than our own, and prayers better than our own, and powers beyond our own, that we may spend and be spent in the ways of love and goodness. Amen. Eric Milner-White
Next Week’s Scriptures: Jeremiah 32:1-3, 6-15, Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16. 1 Timothy 6:6-19, Luke 16:19-31
Next Week’s Scriptures: Jeremiah 32:1-3, 6-15, Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16. 1 Timothy 6:6-19, Luke 16:19-31
Monday, September 13, 2010
What God Requires
For September 12, 2010
We have experienced many wonderful and despicable acts which have been carried out by people who testify that they are acting in accord with God’s wishes, doing what they feel God requires of the faithful. Today we take a look at some contemporary controversial topics and the response of those who count themselves among the faithful. First some thoughts from one of the Old Testament prophets about God’s desires:
Micah 6:6-8
With what shall I come before the LORD,
and bow myself before God on high?
Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings,
with calves a year old?
Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,
with tens of thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?’
He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the LORD require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
The question that begins this scripture seems to concern ritual sacrifices given as an act of worship of God.
1. What is the crux of the question, what does the questioner want to know and be confident about? What does he want to accomplish through the sacrifices? What does he seems to acknowledge about himself?
2. How might we frame the question today? We do not offer sacrifices as acts of contemporary worship, what would you want to ask God about to give you more confidence that your were acting in a way pleasing to God?
3. Where does the questioner seem to be focused in asking the question, what seems to be his understanding of the priorities God has for our living in a way pleasing to God?
God responds with an answer that might have surprised the questioner:
He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the LORD require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
1. What is the focus of the response, does it include any of the components of our traditional understanding of worship?
2. According to Micah, God requires three things of us. What might we use to measure our faithfulness in incorporating them into our spiritual lives? What are some of the impediments to our response to these imperatives?
• Do Justice
• Love Kindness
• Walk Humbly with God
3. What might you add to this list based on your spiritual journey? Can Micah’s assessment of what God requires be expanded?
Let’s look at some contemporary items from the news and examine them based on our discussion:
Burning of the Koran:
• What rights does the minister have under our system to carry out his threat to burn the Koran on 9/11? Does he have any legal constraints?
• What arguments does he offer as a basis for this symbolic act? Are there any other arguments, justified or not, which would support this action?
• What questions and possible answers are there as we reflect on the controversy in the light of the three responses God gives about living spiritually?
Location of the Mosque in New York
• What rights does the group planning the construction of the mosque have under our system? Are there any legal constraints?
• What are the arguments in support of and in opposition to the project?
• Based on our reading from Micah what should be the faith community’s response to the project?
Healthcare
Forget the brouhaha about the healthcare legislation for the moment and try to focus on the issue based our study today:
• Do all people have a right (do we have a moral obligation to provide) access to basic medical services? What arguments are there in support and opposition to this concept?
• How would you apply the teachings from Micah to this issue? How might we apply them as an appropriate response to this question, are any actions suggested for us as individuals or a faith community? Should we see our response limited to support or opposition to governmental actions?
Closing Litany – From Psalm 103
Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
From everlasting to everlasting
the LORD's love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness
with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.
Praise the LORD, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.
Amen
Next Week’s Scriptures: Jeremiah 8:18 - 9:1 or Amos 8:4-7, Psalm 79:1-9 or Psalm 113, 1 Timothy 2:1-7, Luke 16:1-13
We have experienced many wonderful and despicable acts which have been carried out by people who testify that they are acting in accord with God’s wishes, doing what they feel God requires of the faithful. Today we take a look at some contemporary controversial topics and the response of those who count themselves among the faithful. First some thoughts from one of the Old Testament prophets about God’s desires:
Micah 6:6-8
With what shall I come before the LORD,
and bow myself before God on high?
Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings,
with calves a year old?
Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,
with tens of thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?’
He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the LORD require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
The question that begins this scripture seems to concern ritual sacrifices given as an act of worship of God.
1. What is the crux of the question, what does the questioner want to know and be confident about? What does he want to accomplish through the sacrifices? What does he seems to acknowledge about himself?
2. How might we frame the question today? We do not offer sacrifices as acts of contemporary worship, what would you want to ask God about to give you more confidence that your were acting in a way pleasing to God?
3. Where does the questioner seem to be focused in asking the question, what seems to be his understanding of the priorities God has for our living in a way pleasing to God?
God responds with an answer that might have surprised the questioner:
He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the LORD require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
1. What is the focus of the response, does it include any of the components of our traditional understanding of worship?
2. According to Micah, God requires three things of us. What might we use to measure our faithfulness in incorporating them into our spiritual lives? What are some of the impediments to our response to these imperatives?
• Do Justice
• Love Kindness
• Walk Humbly with God
3. What might you add to this list based on your spiritual journey? Can Micah’s assessment of what God requires be expanded?
Let’s look at some contemporary items from the news and examine them based on our discussion:
Burning of the Koran:
• What rights does the minister have under our system to carry out his threat to burn the Koran on 9/11? Does he have any legal constraints?
• What arguments does he offer as a basis for this symbolic act? Are there any other arguments, justified or not, which would support this action?
• What questions and possible answers are there as we reflect on the controversy in the light of the three responses God gives about living spiritually?
Location of the Mosque in New York
• What rights does the group planning the construction of the mosque have under our system? Are there any legal constraints?
• What are the arguments in support of and in opposition to the project?
• Based on our reading from Micah what should be the faith community’s response to the project?
Healthcare
Forget the brouhaha about the healthcare legislation for the moment and try to focus on the issue based our study today:
• Do all people have a right (do we have a moral obligation to provide) access to basic medical services? What arguments are there in support and opposition to this concept?
• How would you apply the teachings from Micah to this issue? How might we apply them as an appropriate response to this question, are any actions suggested for us as individuals or a faith community? Should we see our response limited to support or opposition to governmental actions?
Closing Litany – From Psalm 103
Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
From everlasting to everlasting
the LORD's love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness
with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.
Praise the LORD, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.
Amen
Next Week’s Scriptures: Jeremiah 8:18 - 9:1 or Amos 8:4-7, Psalm 79:1-9 or Psalm 113, 1 Timothy 2:1-7, Luke 16:1-13
Monday, September 6, 2010
The Ever-Presence
For September 5, 2010
It is helpful to use this blog as a discussion starter for two or more people but it will also stimulate some thoughts if used by one reader. The material is used by a Sunday Study Group at Hamilton Christian Church in St. Louis, Missouri.
One of the questions we regularly explore on our faith journey is the nature of our relationship with God. And the more we explore the more obvious it is that it is inexplicable, part revealed to us and part a mystery. The writer of Psalm 139 gives us some ideas as we study the results of some of his exploration: 1Lord, you have searched me and known me. 2You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away. 3You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. 4Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely. 5You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. 6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is so high that I cannot attain it.
1. One of the things that comes with a long term close relationship with another person is the understanding of who the person really is, both the good and the bad. What impact does this knowledge have on relationships?
2. What is your reaction to this section of the psalm; does it contain some of the same observations that you might say to the other in a very close relationship?
3. The psalm articulates some of the same intimate relationship with God that we find in the 23rd Psalm. How do you react to the idea of God knowing us this well? Do you have the same sense of God’s presence as the psalmist does? If you do what are your feelings about being known this well by God?
4. What are some of the elements of the relationship that the psalmist praises? Are there any that you might question? Are there some that you might add based on your faith journey?
5. What do you think that verse 5 means? Is being hemmed always a good thing?
6. How do you think that we should respond to this kind of relationship on God’s part? Do you think that we are invited to a deeper communion with God? In this context what might verse 6
say to us about the reality of the relationship? The writer of Hebrews and Micah give us some food for thought:
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested* as we are, yet without sin. 16Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:15-16
8He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8
Back to the writer of Psalm 139:
7Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? 8If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. 9If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, 10even there your hand shall lead me,and your right hand shall hold me fast. 11If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me,and the light around me become night’, 12even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you.
1. What allusions does the psalmist use to illustrate God presence? Does it have the potential to feel like an oppressive presence? Are there times when we might not want God present as Job complains:
Will you not look away from me for a while, let me alone until I swallow my spittle? 20If I sin, what do I do to you, you watcher of humanity? Why have you made me your target? Why have I become a burden to you? Job 7:19-20
2. What might the psalmist be writing about in verses 11 & 12? When might we feel a sense of being covered in darkness?
3. Has there ever been a sense of being found by God in your faith journey?
More from Psalm 139
13For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well. 15My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. 16Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed. 17How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 18I try to count them—they are more than the sand; I come to the end*—I am still with you
1. What images does the psalmist use to describe God’s presence in the creation of each of us? Compare it to the story of the creation of humankind:
… then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground,* and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being. Genesis 2:7
2. How relevant is this knowing what we know about the complexity of the human body and the discovery of DNA. Is this true of all of God’s creation?
3. If this imagery is representative, what does it say about the quality of our construction? Does it cast any doubt on the argument that we are born with the sin of Adam and Eve in us? What do you think that God is most pleased with in you?
4. If verse 16 is accurate what does it say about the idea of humans having a free will? What are some interpretations that you find relevant?
5. Verse 17 speaks to God’s thoughts. What do you believe God might think about? Might the psalmist be speaking about the results of God thinking?
6. What is the psalmist confident about at the end of his life?
7. What are your feelings about this psalm and the images of God’s relationship with us?
It is helpful to use this blog as a discussion starter for two or more people but it will also stimulate some thoughts if used by one reader. The material is used by a Sunday Study Group at Hamilton Christian Church in St. Louis, Missouri.
One of the questions we regularly explore on our faith journey is the nature of our relationship with God. And the more we explore the more obvious it is that it is inexplicable, part revealed to us and part a mystery. The writer of Psalm 139 gives us some ideas as we study the results of some of his exploration: 1Lord, you have searched me and known me. 2You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away. 3You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. 4Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely. 5You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. 6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is so high that I cannot attain it.
1. One of the things that comes with a long term close relationship with another person is the understanding of who the person really is, both the good and the bad. What impact does this knowledge have on relationships?
2. What is your reaction to this section of the psalm; does it contain some of the same observations that you might say to the other in a very close relationship?
3. The psalm articulates some of the same intimate relationship with God that we find in the 23rd Psalm. How do you react to the idea of God knowing us this well? Do you have the same sense of God’s presence as the psalmist does? If you do what are your feelings about being known this well by God?
4. What are some of the elements of the relationship that the psalmist praises? Are there any that you might question? Are there some that you might add based on your faith journey?
5. What do you think that verse 5 means? Is being hemmed always a good thing?
6. How do you think that we should respond to this kind of relationship on God’s part? Do you think that we are invited to a deeper communion with God? In this context what might verse 6
say to us about the reality of the relationship? The writer of Hebrews and Micah give us some food for thought:
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested* as we are, yet without sin. 16Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:15-16
8He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8
Back to the writer of Psalm 139:
7Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? 8If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. 9If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, 10even there your hand shall lead me,and your right hand shall hold me fast. 11If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me,and the light around me become night’, 12even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you.
1. What allusions does the psalmist use to illustrate God presence? Does it have the potential to feel like an oppressive presence? Are there times when we might not want God present as Job complains:
Will you not look away from me for a while, let me alone until I swallow my spittle? 20If I sin, what do I do to you, you watcher of humanity? Why have you made me your target? Why have I become a burden to you? Job 7:19-20
2. What might the psalmist be writing about in verses 11 & 12? When might we feel a sense of being covered in darkness?
3. Has there ever been a sense of being found by God in your faith journey?
More from Psalm 139
13For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well. 15My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. 16Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed. 17How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 18I try to count them—they are more than the sand; I come to the end*—I am still with you
1. What images does the psalmist use to describe God’s presence in the creation of each of us? Compare it to the story of the creation of humankind:
… then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground,* and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being. Genesis 2:7
2. How relevant is this knowing what we know about the complexity of the human body and the discovery of DNA. Is this true of all of God’s creation?
3. If this imagery is representative, what does it say about the quality of our construction? Does it cast any doubt on the argument that we are born with the sin of Adam and Eve in us? What do you think that God is most pleased with in you?
4. If verse 16 is accurate what does it say about the idea of humans having a free will? What are some interpretations that you find relevant?
5. Verse 17 speaks to God’s thoughts. What do you believe God might think about? Might the psalmist be speaking about the results of God thinking?
6. What is the psalmist confident about at the end of his life?
7. What are your feelings about this psalm and the images of God’s relationship with us?
Closing Prayer
Examine us, God, and know our minds;
Test us, and understand our anxious thoughts.
Watch least we follow any path that grieves you;
Lead us in the everlasting way. Amen. Psalm 139:22-23
Test us, and understand our anxious thoughts.
Watch least we follow any path that grieves you;
Lead us in the everlasting way. Amen. Psalm 139:22-23
Monday, August 30, 2010
How Should I Respond to God?
For August 29, 2010
The apostle Paul’s theology is not all that complicated, even though some of his writings make it appear inscrutable. Much as Jesus, he was into relationships as the foundation for our faith life. In his letter to the church in Rome he lays out the role we are to play in our relationship with God. But we begin elsewhere.
The writer of Ephesians is thought by some to be written by the Apostle Paul. Regardless the person who wrote the letter certainly captured much of Paul’s theology we begin with words Paul certainly would endorse:
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— 9not the result of works, so that no one may boast. 10For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life. Ephesians 2:8-10
1. What is the basis for our relationship with God? What is not a part of that relationship? What is the sole requirement on our part for connecting with God?
2. How are we to be transformed by our bond with Jesus Christ? What does it prepare us for?
3. Who has taken the lead in our connection with God? How do you feel as you reflect on this assertion?
With thoughts like this Paul’s includes the word "therefore" in the beginning of our scripture from his letter to the church in Rome. Notice the imagery he uses to describe the transformation we should find ourselves making:
I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.
1. What is Paul’s appeal to us? What meaning does being a living sacrifice have for you? How does he describe the kind of sacrifice it is to be? How is it possible for us to do this as mere humans? Are we to be cleaned up and shiny or will God take us as we are and work with us?
2. Why do you think that Paul describes this as an act of worship? Does this fit into your description or understanding of worship? Is this kind of worship evident in the life of our congregation?
3. What does Paul tell us we need to change? How are we to be transformed and what does it bring? Have you had your mind transformed; thought about something or acted differently because of insight, maturity, or experience? Has it happened in your faith life?
4. Can our minds be transformed in bad as well as good ways? Can you think of examples of those who appeared to be people of faith whose actions made it seem that their minds were transformed in a bad way?
5. How do we ensure that we are doing what is good and acceptable and perfect? What does he tell us is the starting point for good works, whom should we seek to please? By extension who should be secondary?
Paul continues:
3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
1. What are we warned against? How are we to assess ourselves? What does evaluating ourselves with ‘sober judgment’ imply? What should we include as a part of making this evaluation?
2. Have you made a recent evaluation of your personal strengths and weaknesses? Where would you begin in evaluating your faith life? Is this something we should do on a regular basis?
Paul continues:
4For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, 5so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. 6We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; 7ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; 8the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.
1. What analogy is used to help us understand who and what we are? What are some important criteria we should use as we assess who and what we are?
2. What does it mean to you that we are “members one of another”? What is critical in order for the body to function in this way?
3. What happens if parts of the body function poorly or are hyperactive? How would we know if we are fitting into one or both of these categories?
4. What do you consider to be God given gifts or talents? How did you discover them? How do you feel about using these gifts?
5. How have you been either encouraged or discouraged in using what you consider to be gifts or talents in a congregational setting? Do we have a responsibility to encourage one another in developing and using our gifts? How might a congregation improve member recognition and sharing of their individual gifts?
Closing Litany from Psalm 138
I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart;
before the "gods" I will sing your praise.
I will praise your name
for your love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word.
When I called, you answered me;
you made me bold and stouthearted.
The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;
your love, O LORD, endures forever—
do not abandon the works of your hands.
Amen
Next Week’s Scriptures: Jeremiah 18:1-11 or Deuteronomy 30:15-20, Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18 or Psalm 1, Philemon 1-21, Luke 14:25-33
The apostle Paul’s theology is not all that complicated, even though some of his writings make it appear inscrutable. Much as Jesus, he was into relationships as the foundation for our faith life. In his letter to the church in Rome he lays out the role we are to play in our relationship with God. But we begin elsewhere.
The writer of Ephesians is thought by some to be written by the Apostle Paul. Regardless the person who wrote the letter certainly captured much of Paul’s theology we begin with words Paul certainly would endorse:
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— 9not the result of works, so that no one may boast. 10For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life. Ephesians 2:8-10
1. What is the basis for our relationship with God? What is not a part of that relationship? What is the sole requirement on our part for connecting with God?
2. How are we to be transformed by our bond with Jesus Christ? What does it prepare us for?
3. Who has taken the lead in our connection with God? How do you feel as you reflect on this assertion?
With thoughts like this Paul’s includes the word "therefore" in the beginning of our scripture from his letter to the church in Rome. Notice the imagery he uses to describe the transformation we should find ourselves making:
I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.
1. What is Paul’s appeal to us? What meaning does being a living sacrifice have for you? How does he describe the kind of sacrifice it is to be? How is it possible for us to do this as mere humans? Are we to be cleaned up and shiny or will God take us as we are and work with us?
2. Why do you think that Paul describes this as an act of worship? Does this fit into your description or understanding of worship? Is this kind of worship evident in the life of our congregation?
3. What does Paul tell us we need to change? How are we to be transformed and what does it bring? Have you had your mind transformed; thought about something or acted differently because of insight, maturity, or experience? Has it happened in your faith life?
4. Can our minds be transformed in bad as well as good ways? Can you think of examples of those who appeared to be people of faith whose actions made it seem that their minds were transformed in a bad way?
5. How do we ensure that we are doing what is good and acceptable and perfect? What does he tell us is the starting point for good works, whom should we seek to please? By extension who should be secondary?
Paul continues:
3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
1. What are we warned against? How are we to assess ourselves? What does evaluating ourselves with ‘sober judgment’ imply? What should we include as a part of making this evaluation?
2. Have you made a recent evaluation of your personal strengths and weaknesses? Where would you begin in evaluating your faith life? Is this something we should do on a regular basis?
Paul continues:
4For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, 5so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. 6We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; 7ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; 8the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.
1. What analogy is used to help us understand who and what we are? What are some important criteria we should use as we assess who and what we are?
2. What does it mean to you that we are “members one of another”? What is critical in order for the body to function in this way?
3. What happens if parts of the body function poorly or are hyperactive? How would we know if we are fitting into one or both of these categories?
4. What do you consider to be God given gifts or talents? How did you discover them? How do you feel about using these gifts?
5. How have you been either encouraged or discouraged in using what you consider to be gifts or talents in a congregational setting? Do we have a responsibility to encourage one another in developing and using our gifts? How might a congregation improve member recognition and sharing of their individual gifts?
Closing Litany from Psalm 138
I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart;
before the "gods" I will sing your praise.
I will praise your name
for your love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word.
When I called, you answered me;
you made me bold and stouthearted.
The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;
your love, O LORD, endures forever—
do not abandon the works of your hands.
Amen
Next Week’s Scriptures: Jeremiah 18:1-11 or Deuteronomy 30:15-20, Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18 or Psalm 1, Philemon 1-21, Luke 14:25-33
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