July 8, 2018

Scriptures for July 8th: 2 Samuel 5:1-5,9-10; Psalm 48; 2 Corinthians 12:2-10; Mark 6:1-13; Theme: what does it mean to believe? 2 Corinthians: Paul tells us that faith affects different people in different ways. People come to faith for different reasons. Some people work for God and some people think that God works for them. Paul points out that those who work for God are humble, and attribute their power to God and not to themselves. Their strength is in their ability to be weak and vulnerable. Paul believed that God gave him a “thorn in his side” in order to keep him vulnerable and dependent upon God. He encourages us to look up to leaders who are humble and respectful of God. Look to those who consider themselves suffering servants who give to help others. As we serve, it is important to be humble. Mark: In this text the question comes up again, Who does this man think that he is. He has not been ordained, he had not been accepted by others, yet he claims that his power is from God. And once again, Jesus proves who he is, by healing and performing miracles. Jesus is surprised at how hard it is to be accepted by those who know him. But I think that the end of the text is most important to us. This is where Jesus empowers his disciples to heal and perform miracles just as he did. He also encourages them to have faith and not to worry about being accepted by others. If they believe, they are faithful, if not then shake the dust from your feet and move on. The good part of the story is that the disciples were faithful and they were able to make a lasting impact on the world. Questions: Is your faith based on your faith in God or your faith in yourself? What does it mean to be humble? Does humbleness really make a difference in our faith? How do people view you in your hometown? Have you had a chance to witness to your faith with strangers?

July 1, 2018

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for July 1st: 2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27; Psalm 130; 2 Corinthians 8:7-15; Mark 5:21-43: Theme: Jesus Heals Mark: Jesus continues to demonstrate what it means to be the messiah. He continues to heal, and to change conditions not just people. This is a story of a double healing, a healing of two people that the authorities would not have touched. First he heals the daughter of a soldier. Even though Jairus is not a believer, he still believes that Jesus can help his daughter. And next a woman dares to approach a man with a bleeding issue. Jesus does not walk away, even though he knows that society will gossip about it. After it is over, Jesus debriefs with his disciples, saying to tell no one, he does not even tell the women to tell the priest what has happened. But the people see what he is doing and he is starting to get a reputation for making a difference. What does the church have a reputation for doing? Corinthians: This is a stewardship message. Paul wants us to know that the way in which we live out our membership vows does truly make a difference. It shows how much faith we have in God. Paul is collecting money for the widows of Jerusalem. He lifts up Macedonia as a church which does not have a lot of money, but is very willing to help others. This is the passage where Paul says that God loves a cheerful giver. Give out of what we have, not what we don’t. That the way in which we give and receive gifts says a lot about our faith. Giving to help others in needs is a big part of our faith. When we give, we always get something in return. Questions: Who are the people that society is afraid to touch today? How does Jesus tell us to treat those people? Have you ever been healed of a condition that made others shy away from you? What is your attitude toward giving to help others? What does it mean to give to help others?

June 10, 2018

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for June 10th: 1 Samuel 8:4-20(11:14-15);Psalm 138; 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1; Mark 3:20-35 Theme: God sustains us through tough times Mark: Jesus is busy ministering to the community, but his family does not understand what he is doing or why. What he is teaching goes against everything that they have taught him as a child. So they come to stop him. But we know that eventually they listen to him and become followers to. As they come, Jesus does not reject them, he knows that God has given him to do. That is why he says that any who listen are his mothers and brothers. Sometime we have to make a bold step in order to follow Jesus. We have to walk away from home temporarily. But Jesus assures us that we will find our family and new home in the will of God. Psalms: This is a psalm of celebration for coming through a tough time. The psalmist realizes that they were weak, but it was God’s love that sustained them. God is the head of their life, not themselves, and certainly not their circumstances. They say that it is God that makes them live again and who protects them. We are reminded that the greatest response to God’s love and mercy is to be grateful. To take account of where we are and what God has done for us. We are encouraged to be faithful, and to not be afraid to tell God and others how far we have come. This is the psalm of the common person, just trying to make it through life. It is the strength to get us through the day. Questions: Do we have to sacrifice our family and friends in order to follow Jesus? How do we redefine our family when we understand our faith? Name a time when Jesus has helped you through a tough situation? How do you say thank you to God? You can view Breaking Open the Scripture online at https://breakingopenthescriptures.blogspot.comYou can view Pastor Harriette’s sermons online at https://aplaceforshalom.blogspot.com