February 26, 2012

Breaking Open the Scriptures Scriptures for February 26th – Genesis 9:8-17; Psalm 25:1-10; 1 Peter 3:18-22; Mark 1:9-15; Theme: First Sunday of Lent – the effect of sin on the world; Song: We’ll Understand it better, by and by – UMH 525 1 Peter: The Epistle lesson is intended to give us a better understanding of the gospel. This week, Peter touches upon the old testament and the new testament. It reminds us that Christ died for our sins. We do not have a chance to die at the cross with Christ, but we do have a chance to enter in Christ salvation. We do that through baptism. The baptism waters contain the whole history of salvation, going back to God’s promise with Noah. The waters are not intended to be a cleansing of your body, but they are intended to cleanse your soul. The Lenten journey is about us looking at our souls, and seeing what needs to be cleansed, and opening that part up to God to let God do his job. Jesus went to free the souls already in prison. Jesus invites us to live a life of sanctification, in which we are constantly cleansed in order not to know that spiritual prison for ourselves. Mark: We are back at chapter 1 of Mark. We are being taken painfully slow through the book of Mark. If we don’t understand chapter one, the rest of the book is a waste of time. Before Jesus goes into the wilderness, he is baptized. He knows the power of the water, and the power of baptism. That is where he comes face to face with the sinners of all generations. This is where he hears the voice of God, saying that I want you to save my people from their sin. After he has spent time in the wilderness, facing the devil, facing the sins of man is easy, he is ready. When we face the world – how do we prepare ourselves? How do we take advantage of the 40 days of lent? Questions: What does sin mean to you? How do you think your sins affect everyone else? How has your baptism helped you to overcome sin? What does it mean to continue to live a holy life? How does community help you live that life? What will you do to prepare yourself this Lenten season? Jesus says the time is now – what is the message that must be gotten to the rest of the world about today?