April 7, 2019

Scriptures for April 7th: Isaiah 43:16-21, Psalm 126, Philippians 3:4-14; John 12:1-8; Theme: resurrection preview John: This scene shows the aftermath of Jesus raising Lazurus from the dead. After Lazurus has been raised, they are celebrating. Mary Magdelene comes in and honors Jesus by pouring perfume on him and wiping his feet with her hair. It is as if she is preparing him for burial. There is a lot of symbolism in this verse. The sweet smell of perfume hides the smell of death from Lazurus. Jesus was given perfume at his birth, and now he is given more at his death. Most significant is the fact the Judas is present at this dinner. He is the one to protest all that Mary is doing as extravagant, and in a few short days he will betray Jesus ….for money. That is the epitomy of selfishness. And yet it is just as important for him to be present at this meal as Mary. It is interesting how Jesus loves to keep unity. Psalm 126: The theme of this poem is restoration. This would have one of the ascent poems. One of the songs the people would have sung while they were going up the mountain to Jerusalem. They would have recounted all of the wonderful things that God was doing for them. They have a history of things to be grateful for. In this psalm, they sing of the times that God changed the fate of the nation. When they should have been mourning, they found reason to sing. When there was famine, the Lord provided. How can you not worship a God who always brings you through tough times? Questions: How is the church like Jesus dinner party, where we encounter our enemies as guest of Jesus? If we were to write a modern day psalm – what events in American history have we seen the hand of God? What extravagant gift do we bring to Jesus today? On our way to church, do we consciously think about the goodness of the God we worship?

March 31, 2019

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for March 31st: Joshua 5:9-12, Psalm 32, 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, Luke 15: 1-3, 11-32, Theme: Lenten celebration Luke: The story of the prodigal son is one of the most popular stories in the Bible. We hear it so much that it can be easy for us to forget the true lesson of the story. Jesus is involved in an argument with the pharisees. They don’t understand why Jesus and his disciples refuse to follow protocol. If Jesus claims to be such a holy man, why does he spend so much time with questionable characters? Jesus tells three stories of things that were lost and were found. Each time the lost things was found, there is a celebration. If a woman can celebrate about finding a penny on the floor, then surely, a family can celebrate the return of a lost child. We are that lost child and God rejoices when we repent and return to him. Lent is a strange celebration, where God rejoices when we set life aside and take God more seriously. Imagine how God must feel about Easter? Psalm 32: Confession is good for the soul. The psalmist tells us how important it is for us to be honest with God about our lives. When we hold our sins inside, they can destroy us. The psalmist says that my body is wasting away. I am suffering because I am keeping the darkness inside of me. But once I talk with God and let the light in, things get better. He (the psalmist )is saying that having a relationship with God makes all of the difference in the world. It can be such a healing experience. But it can also save you from getting caught up in what is happening in the world. You can resist sin, by focusing on your relationship with God. This is a great reminder for lent – to think about the time of repentance as a great time to enjoy the benefits of God. Questions: How have you stepped away from God? What part of your life do you need to rededicate to God? What do you feel self-righteous about and refuse to celebrate? How is confession a part of your life? How do your feel about your relationship with God? Yo

March 24, 2019

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for March 24th: Isaiah 55:1-9, Psalms 63:1-8, 1 Corinthians 10:1-13, Luke 13:1-9, Theme: Lenten repentance Luke: Jesus, first answers the question of why do bad things happen to good people. As we watch the news, we can see countless stories all over the world where innocent people who are involved in tragedies that they did not create. We can’t help but to wonder why God allowed this to happen. Jesus is addressing a mass killing in his time – a group of Galileans who were killed when they entered into Jerusalem. – did they deserve to die? No, Jesus says that they did not deserve to die. God loves them just as he loves everyone. But Jesus uses this as an example of why we need to repent and return to God while we can. Lent is the season of repentance – of renewing our relationship with God. It is our chance to use our personal strength in order to change. He goes on to talk about a fig tree, which gets a second chance to produce fruit. The tree has been given grace, and God grants us second chances in order for us to have a chance to blossom. Isaiah: God starts out this passage with a promise of fulfillment. God is the source of well being, so God invites others to come, make God the center of your life and all that you are missing will be fulfilled. This promise comes as the end of the part of Isaiah where God has promised a savior, who will be the earthly agent to fulfill those promises. I love the end of this verse, why God reminds us that our ways are not his ways. We don’t always think like God does. We can get comfortable thinking about ourselves, rather than thinking about others. We can fill our pockets, and watch others who have empty pockets. God says that when God fulfills, it is in a way where everyone is happy and fulfilled. The promises of God extend to all people, not just some. But in order for us to be a part of those promises, we have to repent and make the walk back into God’s good graces. We have to put aside our ways and accept God’s ways. Questions : How do you pray about the victims of senseless violence? When have you been given a second chance? What promises do you need to see fulfilled in your life?