For 10/31/2010
Life is composed of the meaningful and also of the trivial. Unfortunately the trivial and routine can conspire to drive out the meaningful by dominating our time and energy. The same can be true of our spiritual lives if we lose focus and find ourselves occupied by the form of congregational life while missing its real substance. The writer of Isaiah 1 expresses what might be God’s (and possibly our own) frustration with what can become routine in congregational life:
Isaiah 1:13-17"Quit your worship charades. I can't stand your trivial religious games:Monthly conferences, weekly Sabbaths, special meetings— meetings, meetings, meetings—I can't stand one more!Meetings for this, meetings for that. I hate them! You've worn me out!I'm sick of your religion, religion, religion, while you go right on sinning.When you put on your next prayer-performance, I'll be looking the other way.No matter how long or loud or often you pray, I'll not be listening.And do you know why? Because you've been tearing people to pieces, and your hands are bloody.Go home and wash up. Clean up your act.Sweep your lives clean of your evildoings so I don't have to look at them any longer.Say no to wrong. Learn to do good. Work for justice. Help the down-and-out. Stand up for the homeless. Go to bat for the defenseless.
· Isaiah first expresses great frustration with meetings, what do you think are some root causes for this complaint. Are meetings necessarily a bad thing, when have they seemed productive or unproductive to you? When do you think that God, possibly as opposed to ourselves, might think that a meeting was worthwhile? What are some crucial elements in meeting together that Isaiah might find makes such a gathering meaningful?
· The next source of frustration is religion, religion, religion. How do you interpret this criticism, what might be some specifics about “religion” that upset God? What are some specifics that either upset you or make you uncomfortable about congregational “religious” life?
· Isaiah next tells us that because of the transgressions that our prayers will not be heard. Do you think that our prayers can be ignored? What other meaning might “not be listening” have? in John’s gospel Jesus teaches the disciples about the need to integrate the Spirit’s presence in our activities if they are to be meaningful with the following:
But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon.
Does this add anything to your thoughts on meaningful prayer and congregational life? How would you incorporate this teaching into the activities and programs of your congregation?
· What is the essence of God’s instructions in the last section of this scripture? What is the nature of a meaningful response in living as God would have us? How do we translate these instructions into the priorities and activities of the congregation? Can you make any connection between Isaiah’s words and Jesus’ teaching in John’s gospel above?
A second Lectionary scripture for today is a letter the Apostle Paul wrote to a congregation he for which he has great admiration and love. In it he talks about his prayers for them:
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 Because we know that this extraordinary day is just ahead, we pray for you all the time—pray that our God will make you fit for what he's called you to be, pray that he'll fill your good ideas and acts of faith with his own energy so that it all amounts to something. If your life honors the name of Jesus, he will honor you. Grace is behind and through all of this, our God giving himself freely, the Master, Jesus Christ, giving himself freely.
· What are the two specifics that Paul prays for in the life of the church at Thessalonica? What are some ideas that can be taken from these words and incorporate into our congregational life?
· How do you interpret the concept of a congregation being made “fit for what he’s called you to be”? Do you think that each congregation has a different calling? What are some examples that you can think of?
· According to Paul what must we as humans do and then where must the spiritual enter in order for us to be “fit”? Has our congregation taken any steps in this direction? What more might we do?
· Paul begins a teaching with “If your life honors..,” What do you take from this? How might we have a sense that Jesus is ‘honoring’ what we do as a congregation? What should we be looking for?
· ‘Freely’ is used twice in the final sentence. What does Paul want us to understand about the support system and the power of Jesus’ example our faith brings to us in being “what he’s called you to be.” What do you think that we can do to better tap into this gracious presence in our congregational life?
Closing Prayer
O God, we are bound by old habits and customs that are so much a part of our life that we lose sight of the new life you have called us to live. Give us the wisdom and courage to break with the past and be about your work. Amen.
Next Week’s Lectionary Scriptures: Haggai 1:15b-2:9 or Job 19:23-27a, Psalm 145:1-5, 17-21 or Psalm 98 or Psalm 17:1-9, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17, Luke 20:27-38
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