Sunday, November 2, 2014

November 9, 2014

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for November 9th: Joshua 24:1-3,14-25; Psalm 78:1-7; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 25:1-13; Theme: choose who you will serve Song: Battle Hymn of the Republic UMH 717 Joshua : This is my favorite verse if the bible. The 40 years of wandering is over. As a matter of fact, the first leader has passed on. Now the second generation is taking over. As the second leader, Joshua has a new task. It is time for people to settle down and get to work. In order to help people realize the change, he has a special service for them. But he is not asking them to be spectators on what it going on, but participants. Everyone needs to do their part in order for the community to begin a new life. Jesus tells them to choose ye who you must serve. Is it God or is it yourself? And he asks them to make a commitment that very day – to serve God. I have a sign in my house – As for me and my house we choose to serve the Lord. That is Joshua’s commitment – what is yours? Matthew: This is the story of the bridesmaids. They are waiting for the groom, five of them are ready with oil in their lamps and five of them are out of oil. The lesson is that we should be prepared for the groom when he comes. For many, this is the beginning message of advent. It is time for us to prepare for Jesus to come. We don’t know when the second coming will be, but the message is that we should live our lives as if he is coming back at any moment. It is not about when he comes, it is about how we live our lives. Advent is not just about Christmas, it is about how we live our lives. There is never a time when we should not be alert and ready. God appears in our lives in so many ways at so many times. Questions: When has there been a time when you needed to stop and take account of your faith? How do you choose God? How do you choose other things instead of God? What do you have to give up in order to be clear about serving God? Are you prepared for the second coming? When do you think the second coming will come? Is there really something wrong with waiting until the last moment to do something?

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