The Essence of Faith

For 7/8/2012


All Scriptures are from The Message Version

Faith has to be one of the most frequently repeated words in scripture and something we hear about over and over again in sermons and personal stories. Just what is faith and what should we focus upon as we seek to strengthen our faith relationship with God.

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.com through this link Mark 6:1-13

Let us start with, for the sake of argument, some words on faith from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia which you can look at in its entirety through this link:

Faith in Christianity is based in and on the work and teachings of Jesus Christ. In this way Christianity declares not to be distinguished by its faith, but by the object of its faith. Faith is an act of trust or reliance. Rather than being passive, faith leads to an active life aligned with the ideals and the example of the one being trusted. It sees the mystery of God and his grace and seeks to know and become obedient to God. To a Christian; faith is not static but causes one to learn more of God and grow; it has its origin in God.

In Christianity faith causes change as it seeks a greater understanding of God. Faith is not fideism or simple obedience to a set of rules or statements. Before the Christian has faith, they must understand in whom and in what they have faith. Without understanding, there cannot be true faith and that understanding is built on the foundation of the community of believers, the scriptures and traditions and on the personal experiences of the believer. In English translations of the New Testament, the word faith generally corresponds to the Greek noun πίστις (pistis) or the Greek verb πιστεύω (pisteuo), meaning "to trust, to have confidence, faithfulness, to be reliable, to assure"

The Bible (Hebrews 11) says that “faith gives substance to our hopes and convinces us of realities we do not see.”


• The first paragraph touches on several themes in describing faith, what are they and which do you either agree with or have questions about? What is the focus of faith, what is it based upon, what does it lead to?

• We read that “faith leads to an active life.” What activities in your life are results of your faith?

• What do you trust or rely upon in your faith life, what gives you confidence? Do you agree with the term “mystery of God”, are you comfortable with the idea of mystery and unknown being part of faith?

• Do you agree that faith causes us to change? What examples can you cite either in your life or in others you have witnessed? How long will the change process last, do we age out at some point?

• In the second paragraph the Wikipedia definition focuses on understanding. What does it say that we need to understand and what is not so important? What do you think?

• What is given as examples of the foundations that the understanding comes from? What is foundational for your faith life? Where has understanding come from?

• What do you see in Wikipedia’s translation of the Greek verb (pisteuo) that you would agree with and what questions does it raise?

• The last sentence is a definition (then followed in the epistle by lots of examples) from Hebrews 11 of faith. If asked to define faith in one sentence what would you write?

Lets look at a faith story from Mark’s Gospel, it is Mark’s version of the story in Luke of Jesus teaching at his hometown synagogue and being physically attacked in Luke 4:14-30 .

Mark 6: 1-2 He left there and returned to his hometown. His disciples came along. On the Sabbath, he gave a lecture in the meeting place. He made a real hit, impressing everyone. "We had no idea he was this good!" they said. "How did he get so wise all of a sudden, get such ability?"

3But in the next breath they were cutting him down: "He's just a carpenter—Mary's boy. We've known him since he was a kid. We know his brothers, James, Justus, Jude, and Simon, and his sisters. Who does he think he is?" They tripped over what little they knew about him and fell, sprawling. And they never got any further.

4-6Jesus told them, "A prophet has little honor in his hometown, among his relatives, on the streets he played in as a child." Jesus wasn't able to do much of anything there—he laid hands on a few sick people and healed them, that's all. He couldn't get over their stubbornness. He left and made a circuit of the other villages, teaching.

• As an aside, don’t get sidetracked please, did you know Jesus had such a large family? Who is not mentioned and what might be the reason?

• Where does faith come into play in this story? What was Jesus’ assessment of the state of faith in his hometown? How does faith play a role in the effectiveness of his ministry in his hometown? Do you think that he lost faith in the ability of his ministry to work in that place?

• Has the strength of faith in those around you ever impacted your willingness to take on some responsibility or the level of energy you put into carrying it out? What does it take to recharge and maintain a high level of oomph in our faith life battery?

• What is your reaction to the community’s perception of Jesus? First they are impressed and then cutting him down – what reasons lay behind each? Is this an issue for us; do we limit ourselves because of the concern of either what people do or might think of us? Jesus just moved on, how do you feel about that approach?

• Jesus is at work in the life of our faith community and in our lives; how might he assess our reaction to his presence and power? Are we amazed or doubting? What has caused us to be where we are? Should we be seeking change, growth, and understanding? Where might it come from?

Closing Prayer

God Almighty, grant us, we pray, to be grounded in your truth by the presence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. That which we don’t know, reveal; that which is lacking in us, fill up; when our faith is weak, strengthen; and energize us in your service, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Modified from a pray by St. Clement of Rome found in

The Oxford Book of Prayer

Next Week’s Lectionary Scriptures: 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19 or Amos 7:7-15, Psalm 24 or Psalm 85:8-13, Ephesians 1:3-14, Mark 6:14-29

Do You Believe in Miracles?

For 7/1/2012

All Scriptures are from The Message Version

Today’s Gospel Lectionary scripture tells us of two of the many miracles which were part of Jesus’ ministry during those three short years. These miracles occur as he returns to the “Jewish” side of the Sea of Galilee after what turned out to be an unpopular healing of a possessed man on the “gentile” side. It is an opportunity for us to think about miracles and what role they play in our spiritual lives.

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.com through this link Mark 5:21-43

Miracles

What is a miracle and more importantly what role do they play in your faith life? What questions do you have about miracles? First a brief definition of a miracle from Wikipedia from which I will steal some ideas (you can read the full version here):

A miracle often denotes an event attributed to divine intervention. Alternatively, it may be an event attributed to a miracle worker, saint, or religious leader. A miracle is sometimes thought of as a perceptible interruption of the laws of nature. Others suggest that God may work with the laws of nature to perform what people perceive as miracles. Theologians say that, with divine providence, God regularly works through created nature yet is free to work without, above, or against it as well.


In casual usage, "miracle" is seen as any event that is statistically unlikely but beneficial, (such as surviving a natural disaster), or simply a "wonderful" occurrence, regardless of likelihood, such as a birth. Other miracles might be: survival of a terminal illness, escaping a life threatening situation or 'beating the odds'. Some coincidences may be perceived to be miracles.

• One of the views of a miracle is that it is “an interruption of the laws of nature” – how would you define it, what would be some criteria you would use to acknowledge some event as a miracle?
• What causes a miracle to occur? Do we have a role in making them happen? What causes God to act, to step into a situation?
• Reflect on a miracle story from your life based on the thoughts from the previous question. How do your answers fit that experience? What impact did the miracle have on your faith life? What role do seemingly visible actions by God in real life have in enriching our faith?
• Have you ever prayed for a miracle and it failed to happen – how did it impact your faith – how did you deal with it?

Let’s look at a miracle story from Mark’s gospel and reflect some more on miracles:

Mark 5: 25-29 A woman who had suffered a condition of hemorrhaging for twelve years—a long succession of physicians had treated her, and treated her badly, taking all her money and leaving her worse off than before—had heard about Jesus. She slipped in from behind and touched his robe. She was thinking to herself, "If I can put a finger on his robe, I can get well." The moment she did it, the flow of blood dried up. She could feel the change and knew her plague was over and done with.
30At the same moment, Jesus felt energy discharging from him. He turned around to the crowd and asked, "Who touched my robe?"
31His disciples said, "What are you talking about? With this crowd pushing and jostling you, you're asking, 'Who touched me?' Dozens have touched you!"
32-33But he went on asking, looking around to see who had done it. The woman, knowing what had happened, knowing she was the one, stepped up in fear and trembling, knelt before him, and gave him the whole story.
34Jesus said to her, "Daughter, you took a risk of faith, and now you're healed and whole. Live well, live blessed! Be healed of your plague."

• What is the woman’s condition? What has she endured in addition to probably being considered ‘unclean’ by fellow Jews? What has her experience been with the medical profession? Can you relate to her dilemma through any personal experience or the experience of someone you know? How did you feel, was there any sense of desperation or a readiness to try anything to find relief from the situation?
• Why do you think that she felt that just touching his clothes would bring healing? What do you think that her frame of mind was as she approached Jesus? What does the way in which she approached him say about her feelings? How would you have approached him?
• What does this story tell us is our role in initiating a miracle? Do we learn anything about God and healing from the story? What questions and answers about miracles does the story raise for you?
• What do you think about the response Jesus had to being touched? Do you think that anyone who touched his clothes might have been healed? Are there places where miracles seem to occur or persons who have gained a reputation for performing healings? What do you think about them?
• Think of some situations in which someone either asks for or seems to need help or assistance? Are there things that influence you in the manner of your response? Are there certain situations or individuals that you are not inclined to provide help? Do you associate any of your feelings with the manner in which God might respond with miraculous acts? How is God’s response similar and different?
• Were all of the woman’s problems solved? What would this now healed woman who was apparently single and poor face in her life? Might she deal differently with them after this experience?
• What did Jesus say was the reason that the woman was healed? What does he say was the basis for her healing and what does it mean to you?
• Take a few minutes to write down and reflect upon the big and little miracles that are a part of your life.

Closing Litany - Isaiah 35

3-4Energize the limp hands, strengthen the rubbery knees.

Tell fearful souls, "Courage! Take heart!

God is here, right here, on his way to put things right And redress all wrongs.

He's on his way! He'll save you!"

5-7Blind eyes will be opened, deaf ears unstopped,

Lame men and women will leap like deer, the voiceless break into song.

Springs of water will burst out in the wilderness, streams flow in the desert.

Hot sands will become a cool oasis, thirsty ground a splashing fountain.

Even lowly jackals will have water to drink, and barren grasslands flourish richly.

Amen

Next Week’s Lectionary Scriptures –Mark 6:1-13, 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10, Psalm 48, 2 Corinthians 12:2-10

Becoming Something Really New

For June 3, 2012


All scriptures are from The Message Version

What difference does being a person of faith make to that person, to the person’s behavior, priorities, and endeavors? The scripture for today points to faith being transformational, that through faith we become something different – born from above. Take a look, what do you think?

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/mkjnacts/jn3a.htm

John 3: 1-2 There was a man of the Pharisee sect, Nicodemus, a prominent leader among the Jews. Late one night he visited Jesus and said, "Rabbi, we all know you're a teacher straight from God. No one could do all the God-pointing, God-revealing acts you do if God weren't in on it." 3Jesus said, "You're absolutely right. Take it from me: Unless a person is born from above, it's not possible to see what I'm pointing to—to God's kingdom."

• What can we infer about Nicodemus from this scripture? Who might he be and what brought him to Jesus? John’s gospel mentions Nicodemus again in 7:46-52 and 19:39. What do these scriptures add to our picture of him?

• What does John want us to learn from Nicodemus? Is he locked into some rigid set of theological “truths” or is he open to explore and question?

• How does Jesus feel about Nicodemus being drawn to him because of “signs”? Were Jesus’ miracles important to you at any point in your faith life?

• How he deal with Nicodemus’ questions? Do you feel that they were answered in a way in which Nicodemus could understand? When have faith questions come up in your life and how have you dealt with them? Should we expect faith questions to stop coming up at some point or not?

• There are at least three ways to translate Jesus’ teaching about seeing the Kingdom of God. The first is “born again, a second is “born anew” and the third is “born from above”. How does each speak to you about faith (if at all) and to what extent does each speak to your own experience?

• All of these translations infer that we will leave something behind if we are reborn. What might some of those things be based on your understanding of the gospels? What might be some of the things we find in the world of the reborn?

Jesus continues:
John 3: 4"How can anyone," said Nicodemus, "be born who has already been born and grown up? You can't re-enter your mother's womb and be born again. What are you saying with this 'born-from-above' talk?" 5-6Jesus said, "You're not listening. Let me say it again. Unless a person submits to this original creation—the 'wind-hovering-over-the-water' creation, the invisible moving the visible, a baptism into a new life—it's not possible to enter God's kingdom. When you look at a baby, it's just that: a body you can look at and touch. But the person who takes shape within is formed by something you can't see and touch—the Spirit—and becomes a living spirit. 7"So don't be so surprised when I tell you that you have to be 'born from above'—out of this world, so to speak.

• Is Nicodemus asking a foolish question? Should we feel any constraints in asking questions and seeking answers about our understanding of faith issues?

• How is the rebirth described? What has to be done to be reborn? What forms the person who ‘submits to this original creation’? How does this description fit with your faith journey? What got you started, have you changed with time, what caused these changes? Do you feel that your spirituality has impacted the kind of person that you are now? Can you see these events in terms of being reborn or not?

• Jesus speaks of being born ‘out of this world’. Does this have any meaning for you? How is living a life of faith different than living a life as part of the popular culture of today?

• What are some things that are different when we are reborn? How are lives changed when this happens? See:

Galatians 5 :22-23 But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.


I Corinthians 12:4-6 4-11God's various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God's Spirit. God's various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God's Spirit. God's various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all. Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people!


Romans 12:2 Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

• How do these scriptures speak to you about living a life of faith? To what degree are they either a reality for you in your life or things you have seen in other faithful believers? Do they speak to something that come immediately in a faith journey or something that comes with “being formed by something we cannot see or touch” (the Spirit)?

Jesus continues his teaching to Nicodemus:


John 3:8"So don't be so surprised when I tell you that you have to be 'born from above'—out of this world, so to speak. You know well enough how the wind blows this way and that. You hear it rustling through the trees, but you have no idea where it comes from or where it's headed next. That's the way it is with everyone 'born from above' by the wind of God, the Spirit of God." 9Nicodemus asked, "What do you mean by this? How does this happen?"

• The Greek word for wind, spirit and breath is the same which can contribute to confusion in interpretation and understanding. What point is made about the wind? What do you think that Jesus is teaching about being led by the Spirit?

• Has your faith life ever taken you in unexpected directions? Have you ever gotten involved in something, changed perceptions of people, changed priorities for the use of your time, or contributed financially because of a faith conviction? Are you more open to leading a life inspired by your prayer life, bible study, or other people of faith in your life?

• After all of this Nicodemus still has questions, do you? Is he afraid to ask them? Where should we go with our questions? What spiritual tools are available to us? What resources do you have for searching faith questions? How important is a faith community in our search and in our growth as we are “formed by something you can't see and touch—the Spirit”.

Closing Prayer

Holy One, grace us with your presence. You who create, fashion faith from our questions. You who redeem, bring life through our wonderings. You who breathe life’s breath, inspire our spirits to follow yours. Amen

Next Week’s Lectionary Scriptures: 1 Samuel 8:4-11, (12-15), 16-20, (11:14-15) or Genesis 3:8-15, Psalm 138 or 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1, Mark 3:20-35



Wind and Fire

For June 27, 2012


All scriptures are from The Message Version

Pentecost, the fiftieth day after Passover, was one of three pilgrimage feast to which all Jews able to do so were to worship at the temple. It celebrates the harvest and giving of first fruits to God. During Jesus’ time some associated it with the giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai, the birth of Judaism.

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 Textweek.com

For Christians Pentecost was a time when God’s Spirit descended upon the disciples just as it did at the time of Jesus’ baptism:

Luke 2: 21-22 After all the people were baptized, Jesus was baptized. As he was praying, the sky opened up and the Holy Spirit, like a dove descending, came down on him. And along with the Spirit, a voice: "You are my Son, chosen and marked by my love, pride of my life."

As we contemplate the scripture for today a question for all of us is when did the Spirit become a part of our lives? Was it sudden as in this story? What difference has it made?  Let’s look at the disciples story:

Acts 2:1-4 When the Feast of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Without warning there was a sound like a strong wind, gale force—no one could tell where it came from. It filled the whole building. Then, like a wildfire, the Holy Spirit spread through their ranks, and they started speaking in a number of different languages as the Spirit prompted them.
5-11There were many Jews staying in Jerusalem just then, devout pilgrims from all over the world. When they heard the sound, they came on the run. Then when they heard, one after another, their own mother tongues being spoken, they were thunderstruck. They couldn't for the life of them figure out what was going on, and kept saying, "Aren't these all Galileans? How come we're hearing them talk in our various mother tongues?
Parthians, Medes, and Elamites;
Visitors from Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia,
Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia,
Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene;
Immigrants from Rome, both Jews and proselytes;
Even Cretans and Arabs!
"They're speaking our languages, describing God's mighty works!"
12Their heads were spinning; they couldn't make head or tail of any of it. They talked back and forth, confused: "What's going on here?"
13Others joked, "They're drunk on cheap wine."

• What catches your attention in the first four verses? What words are important? What do you imagine the disciples felt as they began to speak in “different languages.”

• How do you imagine the scene as the disciples began to speak? What was their tone of voice? Was any of the communication one on one? The reaction of some was that the disciples were drunk, what does that tell us about the event?

• Have you ever found yourself, as part of a Christian group, being caught up in an something unexpected? Was there a sense of the presence of the Spirit in the doing of it? Did your experience have any of the elements of this story?

• Can concern about the reaction of others a constraint to seeking or acting on the Spirit’s leading? How does this play out in our lives or the actions of a faith community?

• What were the disciples speaking about? What is the reaction of some to the description of God’s mighty works? What had been accomplished by the disciple’s reaction to the Spirit’s presence? What seemed to be the reaction to what the crowd saw and heard?

• Have you ever been so enthusiastic about your faith that you spoke to someone else about it? What were the circumstances and reactions? How important is it for us to be able to share our faith in ways that others can understand and relate to?

• What is Luke trying to tell us about the Spirit by these events; what are some attributes and what does the Spirit bring?

• What can we learn from this story about sharing of faith as a congregation? What does the story tell us has to be present?

• Do you think that this is an accurate description of what took place? Does anything seem contrived?

14-21 That's when Peter stood up and, backed by the other eleven, spoke out with bold urgency: "Fellow Jews, all of you who are visiting Jerusalem, listen carefully and get this story straight. These people aren't drunk as some of you suspect. They haven't had time to get drunk—it's only nine o'clock in the morning. This is what the prophet Joel announced would happen:
"In the Last Days," God says,
"I will pour out my Spirit
on every kind of people:
Your sons will prophesy,
also your daughters;
Your young men will see visions,
your old men dream dreams.
When the time comes,
I'll pour out my Spirit
On those who serve me, men and women both,
and they'll prophesy.
I'll set wonders in the sky above
and signs on the earth below,
Blood and fire and billowing smoke,
the sun turning black and the moon blood-red,
Before the Day of the Lord arrives,
the Day tremendous and marvelous;
And whoever calls out for help
to me, God, will be saved."

• Many of the listeners would have been familiar with Joel’s words. How might they have set the stage for answering the question asked by many, “What does this mean.” How might we use Peter’s strategy in the sharing of our faith?

• What words catch your attention in Joel’s prophecy? What is Peter telling the crowd about the disciples and the events they are witnessing? What does Joel’s prophesy tell us about God’s Spirit?

• What is Peter telling the crowd the event initiates? Who will be affected? Will it all be joy and peace? Who will be saved? Do you think that we today are in the Last Days?

• What are we told prophets do and who is to be a prophet? Do you see evidence of prophesy in our midst? Have you ever felt that some element of prophesy is part of your faith life?

• Are there any portions of Joel’s prophecy that you would like to see take place in your life and the life of your faith community? What is preventing it from happening?

Closing Prayer

Enter my heart, O Holy Spirit, come in and set me free.. Throw open the locked door of my mind and cleanse the chambers of my thought for your dwelling. Light there the fires of your holy brightness that I might find a new understanding of truth. Amen.

From George Appelton, Oxford Book of Prayer

Next Week’s Lectionary Scriptures: Isaiah 6:1-8, Psalm 29, Romans 8:12-17, John 3:1-17

Being Joyful

For May 13, 2012

 All scriptures are from The Message Version

One of the most common words Christian’s use to describe the nature of their faith is love.  In today’s scripture Jesus instructs his disciples, and by extension us to focus on love, like the love of God for him.  We are to love like God and Jesus, wonderful words, what exactly do they mean?

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 topic of discussion but there is much to be gained by considering the questions yourself.  Commentaries for these scriptures can be found on Textweek through this link http://www.textweek.com/mkjnacts/jn15b.htm.

The first part of today’s scripture focuses on the word love:

John 15:9-10"I've loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you'll remain intimately at home in my love. That's what I've done—kept my Father's commands and made myself at home in his love.

^11-15"I've told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature.

·       First look at love – how did God show love toward Jesus.  Think about the high points – his baptism, the gifts and talents, the mountaintop transfiguration – how was Jesus blessed?  How has God’s love touched your life?  How have you, like Jesus, had your life blessed by your spirituality?  Things like talents, relationships, experiences, or new beginnings.

·       On the other hand while under the umbrella of God’s love the way has not been easy (Jesus speaks these words just prior to his crucifixion).  What do the gospels tell us were challenges, for instance the time in the wilderness, and the horrible crucifixion he was to undergo as an act of faithful obedience?  Was he wealthy, did he have a huge following, was he held in high respect by people of influence?  Does being loved by God mean that the way is clear, the road is smooth, and that we will find all of the blessings of life?  What are we guaranteed comes from God’s love?  Paul gives some ideas to get our thinking started:

You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. Romans 12:2-3

·       What does Paul tell us happens as a result of a focus on love of God?  It seems to speak of transformation; being a different person with newly discovered values.  How does this compare with your experience, has your faith caused you to see and value some things differently than the secular culture might?

·       A second focus is on Jesus’ commands/commandments, how and why are they important?   Does this say that Jesus has given us a listing of behaviors that if followed to the letter guarantee his love for us?  If so where do we find that listing, what do you consider to be his commands?  When asked specifically about commands Jesus responded this way:

Jesus said, "'Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.' This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: 'Love others as well as you love yourself.' These two commands are pegs; everything in God's Law and the Prophets hangs from them."  Matthew 22:37-40

·       What do Jesus’ words in Matthew tell us about the source of the commands/commandments, what do they flow from?  How will focusing our love on God bring us understanding and what are we to use as instruments of our love?   Where should we direct the fruits of our passion, prayer and intelligence?  Did Jesus show us how that is to be done?  What stories involving those who might be considered outcasts do you remember from the gospels?  How has your spirituality impacted the way in which you perceive and deal with others?

·       What is the result of focusing on love and obeying the commands; what do we reap from sowing love and obedience?  When have you found joy in the practice of your faith, when you were moved to respond in a loving way to someone or something that initially gave you pause?  What other joyful moments have you experienced during your faith journey?  Would you agree with Jesus that one of the outcomes of faithful living is joy?  What might it mean if joy is absent, what might be the cause?

In the second section of the scripture Jesus turns the focus to a specific command and reminds the disciples, and us, of some important things to remember:

This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I'm no longer calling you servants because servants don't understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I've named you friends because I've let you in on everything I've heard from the Father.

¹⁶"You didn't choose me, remember; I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit, fruit that won't spoil. As fruit bearers, whatever you ask the Father in relation to me, he gives you.
¹⁷"But remember the root command: Love one another.

·       What is the root command?  Seems simple doesn’t it, love one another?  When is it easy for you to love another; times when it feels like a natural response to another?  When is it difficult?  What situations have caused you to either hesitate or withhold love from another?  Does Jesus ask us to like everyone?  How is loving different from liking?  Can you think of some examples of people you would say you would not necessarily want as friends or even found objectionable toward whom you have performed a loving act?  Say a panhandler or someone incarcerated or in trouble with the law for some illegal action, or a person whose lifestyle you find objectionable?

·       God unconditionally loves us and for most this is an unattainable level of love and compassion.  Does this in any way give us a pass on trying to broaden our capacity to love?  What have you done to try and increase your compassionate response to others?  What examples of loving acts by others have inspired your faith life?

·       Two words Jesus uses to describe his disciples are friends and fruit bearers.  How does the idea of being thought of as Jesus’ friend impact you?  What can we count on from a friend and what how do we relate to a friend?  What words would you use to describe your relationship with God? 

·       We also carry the title of fruit bearer which connotes doing useful and loving things; this is the place where faith meets real life.  With all of our other priorities and pressures how hard is it to focus on this important component of faithful living?  How do you work the important commandment of loving others into your daily life?   What are some struggles?  What do you use to help strengthen and inspire your faithful loving response to others?  It truly seems to be part of that transformation that Paul wrote of in the scripture from Romans above.  You'll be changed from the inside out.

Closing Litany

Every person who believes that Jesus is, in fact, the Messiah, is God-begotten. If we love the One who conceives the child, we'll surely love the child who was conceived. The reality test on whether or not we love God's children is this: Do we love God? Do we keep his commands? The proof that we love God comes when we keep his commandments and they are not at all troublesome. 1 John 5:1-3

Next Week’s Lectionary Scriptures:  Acts 1:15-17, 21-26, Psalm 1,1 John 5:9-13, John 17:6-19

The Lord is My Shepherd

For May 6, 2012

How many times have you heard the 23^rd Psalm?  Like  the love chapter, 1 Corinthians 13, that is heard at most wedding ceremonies other oft repeated verses of scripture (even the Lord’s Prayer) can become so familiar that they may lose their profound meaning.  Today we will take a closer look at the 23^rd Psalm – The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want – reflect on that.

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 topic of discussion but there is much to be gained by considering the questions yourself.  Commentaries for these scriptures can be found on Textweek through this link http://www.textweek.com/writings/psalm23.htm.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

² He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

³ He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

⁵ Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

·       How often have you heard this scripture?  When was listening to it or reading it especially meaningful for you?  What gave significance to you, was it particular words or the overall tone of the psalm?

·       Do you relate to the imagery of God as a shepherd?  What attributes of God as shepherd do you carry with you as you pray, meditate or seek comfort?  I must admit that shepherd is not the first word I would use to describe God to someone but there is the caring for each one that is easily attributed to shepherds.

·       We shall not want – not want what?  Not want for health, for income, for decent housing; what do you feel that your faith life brings to you that cannot be taken from you?  Are there aspects of others faith lives that you would like to incorporate into yours?  In what ways would you like for your faith life to be bolstered?  Who might you talk to (pray?) about it?

·       The psalmist gives us three words (maketh, leadeth, restoreth)  which describe God’s presence in our lives.  How is each word used, what blessing come with each?  Do these images resonate with you; have you experienced them in your life?

·       Rewrite verses 2 & 3 inserting examples from your life of God’s presence with you.  Either use the three words the psalmist gives us or substitute others that have more meaning for you.  I particularly relate to leadeth which speaks to the insight, guidance and wisdom that flows from the presence of God’s spirit in times of uncertainty and confusion if we only ask.  How have maketh and restoreth been present in your faith journey?  

·       How is God’s presence described in the walk through the valley?  Is the shadow removed, will we come out unscathed?  What might be the evil’s we are protected from?  What does an assurance of God’s presence bring?  How important is comfort as we walk through the valley?

·       Think of a crisis in your life, what did your faith bring to you as you dealt with it?  Sometimes we walk out of the other side of the valley without any damage, other times not the case.  Does our degree and intensity of faith impact the likelihood of either a good or bad outcome or should we be counting on something else?

·       What does God provide in the presence of our enemies?  Whom and what do you consider enemies?  What meaning does preparing the table have for you?  Can there be enemies that attack our faith life, its vitality, its depth, its meaning?  What does God set the table with that might fend off these negative influences?  What builds up your faith and brings a spring to your step as you travel along your faith journey?

·       Where in life can we find a guarantee of goodness and mercy, can we expect fairness and equity all of the time from anyone or anything?  How does that promise impact the fact that our everyday experience at times excludes these very things?  These words speak to me of
God’s grace, His acceptance of us despite all of the human shortcomings we all carry with us?

·       When will we dwell in the house of the Lord?  Does it start next week, next month, some undefined time in the future?  What meaning does it bring to your faith life to understand that we dwell in it now and are guaranteed to live there forever?  What should we expect for ourselves and from ourselves as we dwell in that place?  How can we bring more of the presence of God’s house into the collision of our faith with the realities of everyday life? 

·       The 23^rd Psalm has so much to say to us as we travel through life, things that we need to carry with us for comfort, guidance, strength, and encouragement.  What are two things that you carry away from these words today that can be applied to your todays and tomorrows?

Closing Litany (Psalm 22:22-24)

Here's the story I'll tell my friends when they come to worship,
and punctuate it with Hallelujahs:
Shout Hallelujah, you God-worshipers;
give glory, you sons of Jacob;
adore him, you daughters of Israel.
He has never let you down,
never looked the other way
when you were being kicked around.
He has never wandered off to do his own thing;
he has been right there, listening.

Amen

Next Week’s Lectionary Scriptures:  Acts 10:44-48, Psalm 98, 1 John 5:1-6, John 15:9-17

Avoiding Frustration and Futility

For March 29, 2012

All scriptures are from The Message Version
One of the urges we all feel as people of faith is to be good and do good things.  But it can be a frustrating calling as the practice of our faith runs up against our human nature and many times a a question about just what is the right thing to do in any given situation.  Today’s Lectionary scripture addresses that frustration. 

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 topic of discussion but there is much to be gained by considering the questions yourself.  Commentaries for these scriptures can be found on Textweek through this link http://www.textweek.com/mkjnacts/jn15a.htm

Today’s scripture is from John 15 which is part of Jesus’ “Final Discourse” with his disciples as he prepares them for the time after his crucifixion, a time when he will not be physically present with them.  He tells them that they will do even greater things than he and in today’s scripture describes the source of energy that powers the engine that drives the train.  The analogy he uses is tending of grapevines which may be somewhat vague for most of us for whom knowledge of grapes is limited to fruit salad and wine.  But the point is that without vine trimming abundant new fruit is impossible and it is impossible for the branches to produce fruit detached from the main vine.  So read on and let’s look at some questions that come to mind.

1-3 “1 am the Real Vine and my Father is the Farmer. He cuts off every branch of me that doesn't bear grapes. And every branch that is grape-bearing he prunes back so it will bear even more. You are already pruned back by the message I have spoken.

4"Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can't bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can't bear fruit unless you are joined with me.

·       To set the stage just who is the vine and who are the branches?  What is the desired result here, is it kudzu like growth or something else?  Can you think of other plants that need trimming in order to be abundant producers? 

·       So what happens to the branches that are not producing fruit?  Can you move from an analogy to real life, how are we cut off if we do not produce (think employment)?  How do you treat people who do not bring good things to us through their relationship  I am not a good golfer so therefore I have cut out golf courses – I am sure we could go on.

·       From a spiritual standpoint what does it mean to bear fruit?  This differs from what we receive and focuses on what we do and how we act because of our faith.  In what specific ways have you responded to the sermons, bible study lessons, and prayers that have been part of your faith journey?

·       Does the idea of being shorn off the vine when not being fruitful make sense to you?  How have you seen it play out, have you ever had a sense of being cut off from a sense of spirituality in your life?  Has it ever happened when trying to solve a problem, make a decision, or begin a project? What were the circumstances?

·       Jesus speaks of living in him, that like branches we cannot make good things happen without being connected to the vine of spiritual sustinance.  What does the vine bring to the branches?  What does a vibrant spiritual life bring to us and how does it spark our being fruitful/faithful in all things?

·       Let’s try it from the opposite direction, say you are trying to solve a big problem in your life or make some worthy project happen, what would be the opposite of being connected to our faith roots?  What would we connect ourselves to as an alternative?  Where would the things come from that we would rely upon to make it happen?  Does being connected to our faith roots mean that we entirely let go of these things?

Let’s look at the rest of the scripture:

5-8"I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you're joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can't produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. 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. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples.
This is in some ways an reiteration but how is the relationship described, what words are used?  When have you felt this way about your faith life, what was going on? 

·       How is the harvest guaranteed to come in?  Have you been in circumstances when the presence of the Spirit was obvious and you felt good things were happening and God’s work going on?  I have found it in many ways including a relationship with the staff of a not for profit whose good work in the community sprang from their individual and collective spirituality.

·       So how do we go about making, maintaining and strengthening the roots of our faith?  As one old joke goes; “A person visitor in New York City seeking direction asks how do you get to Carnegie Hall, the answer: practice, practice, practice.”  What motivates a person to devote themselves to practicing the essentials of something (again I think of my golfing friends) in order to improve their performance?  What do they get out of it?  Why does something take on this degree of importance?  Do other things take a back seat to some degree to make room for the practice?

·       So how about our spiritual lives; what would be some good things to practice if we are to be fruitful, make a difference for someone else, make decisions that spring from our spiritual roots, become energize by a sense of the Spirit’s presence with us?  What do we practice, practice, practice?

·       The writer of Ephesians adds some Miracle-Gro to the equation in Chapter 2:

God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.

·       It seems that our faith is a transformational experience, that practicing our faith both leads us where we need to be and prepares us to respond.  Ever happen to you?  Would you like it to happen more often?   Practice, practice, practice.

Closing Meditation

So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.  Ephesians 12:1-2

Next Week’s Lectionary Scripture:  Isaiah 6:1-8, (9-13), Psalm 138, 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, Luke 5:1-11