February 24, 2013

Breaking Open the Scriptures Scriptures for February 24th – Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18; Psalm 27; Philippians 3:17-4:1; Luke 13:31-35; Theme: 2nd Sunday of Lent – a time for understanding my purpose in serving God. Song: Be Thou My Vision UMH 451 Genesis : Last week in scripture, we were instructed to pray “My father was a wandering Aramean”. This week we learn more about Abraham, his relationship with God, and the promise that God made to him and to his descendants. Abraham had many sons, but the point for us today is that many people claim Abraham as their father. He is our spiritual father, we can claim this promise for ourselves. We get our faith from Abraham and the way in which he trusted God. We continue in the promise of Abraham when we also have faith in God. when we understand God as a part of our lives and our salvation. No matter how we feel about God, God always trust in us. God never breaks his promises to us. God asks us to trust him, but only after he has shown undoubtedly that he trust us. Scripture says that “the Lord made a covenant with Abraham”. The Lord did all of the work – all Abraham had to do was to believe. Luke: The shortest verse of the bible is “Jesus Wept” – he wept for Jerusalem. He wept because he loved the city, he wept because he knew that it was a city in need of saving on many levels, we wept because they did not want to listen to his message. Even the Pharisees warn him to leave Jerusalem. They know that his life is in danger. And strangely enough – Jesus cries that is the very reason that he cannot leave. Jerusalem is a place that kills its prophets. Jesus says that he is more than a mere prophet – he is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. Jesus knows that Jerusalem will eventually pay for its sins. Yet Jesus weeps for the people – the faithful people who must be protected, who must be saved. Jesus stands his ground, accepts his fate, so that he can save his people. Questions: What is the difference between being faithful and being good? Which does God call us to be? What do you know about Abraham and his relationship with God? What can you imitate in Abraham? How is Chicago a lot like Jerusalem? What is Jesus doing today to save the soul of Chicago? Who are the people that Jesus is trying to save in Chicago? How does God feel when so many people reject his gift of salvation? What must we do for those people, who reject God’s love?