December 12, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scripture for December 13th: Isaiah 61:1-4, Psalm 126, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24, John 1:6-8, 19-28; Song: Hark the Herald Angels Sing UMH 240 John: Advent is the time when John the Baptist says prepare the way. We are always reminded of John’s role in the story of salvation for the second and third Sunday’s of Advent. The book of John starts out with an introduction to John the Baptist. In John, John the Baptist is a witness to the power of the messiah. He says that he saw the doves above Jesus was he was being baptized. His purpose is to tell others about the messiah so that they will know also. We hear his story to remind us that we too are to be a witness to the power of the messiah. During advent we announce the good news that Jesus is not just coming into our lives, the Spirit of Christ is already here. There are signs all around us that God is present. We just have to be willing to open our eyes and see them. Isaiah: The long book of Isaiah is not written by one person to one audience. It is a historical book, written at different times by different scribes. This is known as Third Isaiah, the latest of the writers. This is also the verse in Luke where Jesus comes to the synagogue and announces that the Spirit of the Lord is upon me” After he is baptized, and goes into the wilderness, the next thing he does is go the synagogue and announce his mission – The Spirit of the Lord is upon me to bring good news to those who need it. He is explaining what it means to be the messiah and to offer healing and salvation to others. Isaiah is the prophecy that there will be help for our modern problems. Jesus promised to be there for us. Will we be there for him? Questions: Who is the person calling in the wilderness today? How are you a witness to the power of Christ? How are you fulfilling Christ mission to the world?

December 6, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scripture for December 6th: Isaiah 40:1-11, Psalm 85:1-2,8-13; 2 Peter 3:8-15, Mark 1:1-8; Theme: 2nd Sunday of Advent, Song: O Come O come Emmanuel Isaiah: Going through a national crisis affects the way in which you read the scriptures. You come to realize that much of the bible was written to deal with dark times in history. The prophet Isaiah was considered the most important prophet in the bible. But the almost 60 chapters are actually three different books, written by three different people in three different times. This chapter is the beginning of Second Isaiah. The country is in utter shock that God would let someone come in and destroy their country. They don’t know what to do, think or believe. Isaiah speaks to their pain and grief, and promises that God will being comfort to their souls. It will help to get through the pain knowing that things will get better, and to know that God feels our pain. A Prophecy for a dark advent season. Mark: Mark is a very practical gospel writer. His gospel does not begin with any cute nativity stories. He gets down to business and talks about who Jesus is as the messiah. Jesus is the fulfillment of the promise in Isaiah. Mark begins by telling the story of John the Baptist. Jesus cousin is the one to prepare the hearts of the faithful for a savior. John tells people someone else is coming. The story starts with John’s ministry of baptism. Eventually his cousin will also come to him to be baptized, and that will truly start Jesus one year ministry on earth. Prophecy is the theme of advent – creating a brand new future. Questions: What do you think will become of this very dark time in our history? Do you see God’s presence in the midst of the chaos? If you could create the future, what would it look like? What good news does the world need to hear in order to move forward?

November 22, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scripture for November 29th: Isaiah 64:1-9; Psalm 80:1-7,17-19; I Corinthians 1:3-9; Mark 13:24-37; Theme: First Sunday of Advent; Song: People, Look East UMH 202 Mark: The beginning of Advent always starts with the end – the second coming and works its way backward. The beginning of Advent always starts a new gospel to study. This year we will be looking at the book of Mark – the strangest of the gospels. Chapter 13 is a bit strange even for Mark. The Jewish temple has been destroyed, which causes a major crisis for believers. Not only does this event disturb a way of life, it disturbs a belief about God. The people are looking for some sense of direction in their faith. This chapter of Mark is known as crisis literature. It is found in both Revelations and the book of Daniel. It is a way of taking people’s mind off of what is happening in real time in their world – and getting them to think about God and the ultimate reality. Today, we are all too familiar with a world in crisis. We are encouraged to be alert in our world to see what God does to make things better. Corinthians: Paul spent much of his ministry writing letters to the churches that he established. Whenever they had a problem they looked to him for the solution. There were a lot of things going on in the Corinthian Church. Mostly, there were factions who refused to work together. Apparently, they also had different feelings about Paul. So Paul had to remind them that he worked for God. And that is the Spirit of God which held them together. God calls each of us into faith, and reveals the power of Jesus Christ to us. This verse is important in Advent because it tells us that the center of faith should be Jesus Christ. Questions: Where do you go for help in the midst of a crisis? How does a crisis make you more alert to what God is doing? How is Jesus the center of your faith? What does Jesus call you to do in the world?

November 22, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scripture for November 22nd: Deuteronomy 8:7-18, Psalm 65, 2 Corinthians 9:6-15, Luke 17:11-19; Song: Now Thank We all our God UMH 102; Theme: Thanksgiving Deuteronomy: The people finally make it to the promised land. The scouts led them to a place where they would have abundant food. They are finally able to settle down and enjoy life. Moses reminds them not to forget about God just because they are not going through tough times. He reminds them that what they have is not because of their efforts, but God’s. We still make the mistake today of associating God with tough times. The only time we think to pray is when we need something. We may not always realize it, but we need God all of the time. It is important at this time of year to say thank you, but we have to let thankfulness be a regular part of life. Moses words are an important reminder for us today – the be thankful even when God leads us out of hard times. Corinthians: Paul is stressing how important it is to be willing to give as much as we can. The Jerusalem Christians were going through a famine, and Paul was trying to encourage the gentiles to be willing to give to help them. Like many of us, when we are struggling, the first place that we cut back on is our giving. We tell the church that we just don’t have it to give. Paul response is not to give sparingly. We are giving to God, not to people. We should always give God our best. God calls us to help those in need, and in turn God will provide for us. Thanksgiving is our chance to realize that all that we have is a gift from God. It is not ours to hoard. It was given to us, so that we can take care of ourselves and help others. questions: What times has God brought you through? Did you stop going to church and praying when things got better? How can you restore your relationship? What gifts have you received lately? How can you give to help others? How will you say Thank you during this Thanksgiving period?

November 8, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scripture for November 8th: Joshua 24:1-3,14-25, Psalm 78:1-7, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Matthew 25:1-13; Theme: Choose to be a disciple Song: 717 The Battle Hymn of the Republic Joshua: Moses has literally went to be with God, and the nation of the sons of Israel have to find a new leader. Joshua has been groomed for the job. When Joshua is ready to take over he personally goes to pray and to take his vows. Now he wants to include all of the people in his mission. He tells them that he has decided to follow God, and now each of them can choose, must choose to do the same. He does not want people to feel that they are being forced to follow God. It must be a choice. If it is a choice, then you will take it upon yourself to prepare to fulfiil that promise. They have made this choice twice before, but the third time they make it public and change their life in order to fit that choice. Matthew: Jesus continues to teach his disciples about faithfulness. These are the last teachings that Jesus will give them before he goes through his tribulation. This lesson is about endurance. This is the story of the 10 bridesmaids. They are all excited to be able to meet with the groom. 5 have enough oil to last through the night, and 5 do not. All of us who go to church want to consider ourselves faithful. But some of us give up more easily than others. When it really counts, we have already given up and walked away. We are easily discouraged. We are easily distracted. We are not very disciplined. Jesus is telling them to stay on course, to take faith serious, to study. We have gone this far, we have to have faith to make it to the finish line and to go all of the way. questions: When did you make a choice to become a Christian? How does making a choice for yourself help you? What are the things that discourage you about being faithful? What are the things that help you to keep focus?

November 1, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scripture for November 1st: Revelation 7:9-17, Psalm 34:1-10,22; I John 3:1-3, Matthew 5:1-12: Theme: All Saint’s Day; For All the Saints UMH 711 Revelation: The book of Revelation was written to a church in crisis. The world was falling apart, and people were looking to their faith for answers. John gave them a vision that was full of answers. Usually, we are afraid to look at the symbolism of Revelation. But it seems that this is a time when our society is at the end of our rope, and we are looking for answers to our faith. Revelation says that the faithful will not only get through the crisis, they will get their answers, they will also get their peace. John starts to describe heaven. He says that he sees a number that he could not count of people from all over the world. We have learned to put aside our differences and live together as a collective people. Interesting that the message is that only those who hold onto and live their faith will overcome the present crisis. Matthew: On All Saint’s Day we are given the beatitudes to ponder. Blessed are those people who hold onto their faith in a time of crisis. This is the same message that we get from the book of Revelation. Life is hard, we go through some challenges. We can let those challenges get the best of us, or we can overcome them. Just because life is hard for us, we are not supposed to make life hard for other people. The hardships of our life should inspire us to work to make life better for others. That is how we get to heaven. Heaven is a place beyond this life, but it is also a part of this life. Heaven is a place that is found in community. It is a life that we build together with others. Heaven is our reward for being faithful. When we are willing to be kind to others, that is when we are closest to God. questions: What crisis do you need to overcome in your life? What crisis would you like to see eliminated from the life of all people? What happens when you show kindness to others? What does it mean to be blessed?

October 4, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scripture for October 4th: Exodus 20:1-4,7-9,12-20; Psalm 19; Philippians 3:4-14; Matthew 21:33-46; Theme: World Communion Day; Song: One Bread One Body UMH 620 Exodus: The book of Exodus is an invitation to community. An invitation to a new community. It is an unknown journey into the future, with an opportunity to find God walking along side of you. Exodus 20 is the 10 commandments. One of the most important documents of our faith. It is important for us to connect this with the lessons from the chapters before. The Isrealites learned that God was with them by complaining about what they didn’t have. God provides, but first God says follow my directions. They complain again and God provides but says this is a test to see if you are listening. Once again God provides, and says these are my rules of community. The Ten commandments are rules to treat others in your community. The Ten Commandments are also a covenant – an agreement between us and God. We promise to obey these rules, God promises to provide in all situations. It is the basis of the church, but it is also the basis of our municipalities. Israelites means the Sons of Israel. It means it is a promise to be loyal to God. When we pledge that loyalty we give up loyalty to other things. But God also says that when God is first, all other things fall into place in our life. Matthew: The book of Isaiah refers to the vine and the vinegrower. It is clear that the vine is the community and the vine grower is God. Jesus knows that everyone would know this analogy. It was not uncommon for people to rent land from the owner to grow their grapes and olives. Jesus story is about horrible tenants and a frustrated manager of the lands. The tenants want to do what they want. – they become nonproductive for themselves and for the landowner. It is a reminder that we do not own anything in this world – it all belongs to God. We are the tenants, and sometime we really do get out of control and think we are most important and the things that we have belong to us. Jesus reminds us that one day, God will reclaim all that belongs to God including ourselves. Questions: Which of the 10 commandments is most important to you? Do you think these rules only apply to the faithful, or to the whole community? How do you feel about your possessions? Do they belong to God or you? What are you giving to God?

September 27, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scripture for September 27th: Exodus 17:1-7, Psalm 78:1-4,12-16; Philippians 2:1-13, Matthew 21:23-32 Theme: God responds and asks us to trust him, Song: Come Thou Font of Every Blessing UMH 400 Exodus: This is a continuation of the story of the Israelites complaining and God providing for them. Last week they were hungry, this week they are thirsty for clean water. Moses strikes a rock and water comes out. But we also learn after this event that God is tired of them complaining and never forgives them. As a matter of fact, when asked why the people were banished from the promised land, God says because they never stopped complaining. It is only human to complain when things don’t go the way we expect them. But at some point we also have to look for solutions. We have to honor our covenant with God. We have to keep up our end of the bargain. There is nothing wrong with complaining to God, but we cant let that be an open door for despair and hopelessness. God always does something to make the situation better. We have to be intentional in trusting God. Matthew: Jesus has been teaching all over Israel. People are listening to what Jesus has to say. Jesus is encouraging them (and us) to think about life in a whole different way. To think about power in a whole new way. And to think about our place in life in a whole new way. Instead of looking for power in the leaders, look for power in the vulnerable people. Instead of a leader getting the best of life, the leader is the one who is in the trenches with everybody else. Instead of waiting for permission to speak, speak from the heart. Instead of looking for power in this world, look for power in the world to come. Jesus seems to be turning the world upside down with his teaching, which makes the authorities in the world even angrier. Jesus even says that those who we look down on, are closer to heaven then we are. We as Christians have no choice to think about what it means to be loyal to God. Is it in being important? Or is it in being giving and humble? What would Jesus do in our situation? Questions: What are your present complaints to God? What is it that you need to entrust to God? Does being a Christian challenge your social status with other people? How do we need to change our hearts and minds today?

September 20, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scripture for September 20th: Exodus 16:2-15, Psalm 105”1-6, 37-45; Philippians 1:21-30, Matthew 20:1-16, Theme: The Lord will provide in all situations; Song: And are we yet alive UMH 553 Exodus: It seems universal, that when situations get difficult, that people tend to get angry and tend to take their frustrations out on the people around them. When God calls the Isrealites out of bondage and into freedom in the desert; the people don’t see the freedom all they see is the hardship. They have to adjust to a new way of living, and at every challenge they ask why – why are they here. The are blaming Moses and Aaron for leading them out here. But it is God who speaks and says that they are okay and that God intends to take care of them. In response to the cries of the people God sends bread and quail for them to eat. When God provides, God tells them not to get greedy and store up what they have. God also sends a light, a presence to be with them throughout all circumstances so that they know they are not alone. That still does not stop the complaining. In this verse alone the people complain about 14 different things. The good news is that God hears their complaints all 14 times. The bad news is that God holds the complaining against them for a very long time. Philippians: Most of us don’t want to think about the day that we die. Today I am mourning the loss of a facebook friend, whom I enjoyed his post. The last post that he gave was mourning the loss of a friend, and celebrating that he was a cancer survivor. A friend came into his office to go to a funeral and found him slumped in his chair. He died at the hospital hours later. Death has taken away his life, but not his legacy. When Paul writes this letter, he is imprisoned. He has come to terms with the fact that he may be killed while he is in custody. He is okay with that, so he says the he will be present with God in life and in death. Less than two years later, he is indeed killed. He realizes that the mission that he has started in the church will go on long past his death. He is encouraging all of us who follow Christ to do all that we can while we are alive, and to realize that Christ will still be with us when we complete our mission. Paul wants to encourage us all to keep going forward, and the know that Christ has already won our battle. Questions: Have you ever complained to God about something? What was it? What was God’s response to you? How is God present in difficult situations? Have you made preparations for the day you die? What do you hope others when carry on when you are dead?

September 13, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scripture for September 13th: Exodus 14:19-31, Exodus 15:1-11,20-21; Romans 14:1-12, Matthew 18:21-35; Theme: God loves us no matter where we are in life Song: Guide me O Thou Great Jehovah UMH 127 Romans: As Paul gets to the ending chapters of Romans Jesus is calling all of us to put the love that we learned into action. Love is not just about being nice to strangers, it is about learning to accept church members that really get on our nerves. It is about learning to understand that even when we are united in Christ, we are different people, we live different lives, we see life differently. And God loves us all equally. The Roman church would have been a diverse group of people. Paul was reminding them and us all that Jesus established the church to be a place where people can learn to accept each other no matter what. Paul says that every knee shall bow, every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. I always wonder how that is going to happen with so many different religions. But all things are possible with God aren’t they? If God can solve the differences in the world, he will also solve the differences in our church. Matthew: When we practice the law of love, inevitable someone is going to take advantage of us, and get us to become resentful. When we are tolerating people that we do not understand, or don’t know inevitably we are going to get offended. That is why love and forgiveness go hand in hand. Forgiveness has been a lesson for the last two lessons. Jesus explains that we will never be above forgiveness, it is a continuous practice. When we forgive, we are not doing the other person a favor. It frees us from burden. Jesus also reminds us that just as we need to forgive others, we must not forget that we may have done that and more to someone else. If they are willing to forgive us, we can surely forgive others. We should be working to free everyone from the burden of hurting others. Sin is just missing the mark. Forgiveness helps us to get back on track. Questions: What are some of the diversity present in our church? How do we build bridges to understand strangers? Who do you need to forgive? Who needs to forgive you?

September 6, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scripture for September 6th: Exodus 12:1-14, Psalm 149, Romans 13:8-14, Matthew 18:15-20 Theme: Iiving in love part II; Song: Love Divine All Love’s Excelling UMH 384 Romans: This week we continue to think about what it means to live in love. The theme of Romans is that when we join the Christian community and start to follow Christ, then we gain a new mindset about life. Life is no longer about what is common sense, or what we see everyone else doing. Life is about showing love in every situation. It is about realizing that love does have a practical place in our lives. At the beginning of the chapter, Paul encourages believers to be practical. To live within society and to obey political leaders. To always be willing to give people the respect that they deserve. To use the bank, but not to get into debt, except the debt of love, which we will always owe. Matthew: The gospel also carries the theme of how we should live in love. Jesus is talking specifically about conflict in the church. He says that we should not gossip about that is going on in the church. We should take our concerns directly to the person we are at odds with. Then we should take it to the elders. If the person is not willing to listen, then throw them out of the church. No we don’t through them out, we listen to them, we guide them, we give them a chance to redeem themselves. Jesus is still reminding us that Christian community is of the most powerful forces on earth. If we are connected we can overcome any conflict. We also have to power to help the world to overcome its conflicts. And in the world today, there are a lot of them. Questions: What conditions and injustices are happening that we need to become aware of and fix? How do we support our leaders and be Christian at the same time? How do you deal with church conflict? How do you feel when you are gathered in church with others?

August 30, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scripture for August 30th: Exodus 3:1-15, Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45, Romans 12:9-21, Matthew 16:21-28 Romans: Jesus gives the keys to heaven to the entire church. The purpose of the keys is to unlock love and kindness into the world. It is important for the entire church to strive to be an example for all of the world. Paul has talked about the gifts that the church has been given in order to fullfill the mission. So now Paul reminds us that love is behind all of our actions. So Paul spells out specific ways to spread that love. Love undergirds the way that we treat people in the world and especially the church. Next Paul will talk about how evil struggles to undermine all of that. That is why it is so important to be intentional about showing love to all brothers and sisters. Matthew: Peter continually goes back and forth in his faith. One minute he is the rock of salvation, and the next minute, he is at the bottom of the heap. Jesus has been leading them on a journey. Jesus did not want to go to Jerusalem until he knew that the disciples were ready to take over his ministry. That moment has come. So Jesus tells them what is about to happen. Peter is the first person to protest, that this cannot happen. Jesus explains that Peter cannot and should not stop history. In order for God’s story to prevail, Jesus must die. The only way you get to resurrection is through death. The Kingdom of heaven is a common theme for Matthew. Jesus explains that the Kingdom is also coming. And soon its reign will be heaven and earth Questions: What difference does love make in how you treat others? How can the church show love? What stands in the way of you totally claiming Christ as the messiah? What is the kingdom of heaven?

August 26, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scripture for August 23rd: Exodus 1:8-2:10, Psalm 124, Romans 12:1-8, Matthew 16:13-20; Theme: Jesus trust us to lead; Song: Rock of Ages UMH 361 Matthew: This passage marks a time of change for the disciples. It is sort of a graduation. Jesus has taught them all there is to know to go out into the world and to save the people of God; Two Sundays ago Jesus said Peter was a man of little faith. Today Jesus makes Peter the head of the church. Peter now sees that he is talking to God himself. Jesus is so impressed, that he tells him that only the Holy Spirit could have revealed that to him. Jesus also changes his name and says that he is a rock. He is the one who will teach all future disciples what it means to be a faithful disciples. Peter remembers this day for the rest of his life. All future bishops of the church receive the hand of faith that was passed on to Peter that day. If we have the keys to the kingdom, what would we do with them? We have been given the keys to the church – let us bring others into our circle of faith. Romans: When you read the book of Romans, it tells all you need to know about being a disciple. First Paul tells us that we are free to be disciples because we are covered under the mercy of God. God’s mercy gives us freedom from death, from sin, from a need to sin, and it gives us the promises of the faithful. Being a part of the church is a faithful experiences that helps us get closer to God. The closer to God we are, the happier we are. We should be happy to express our personality in the church and to give service to the church. Life is a living sacrifice to the service of God – where we all win in the end. Questions: What does it mean to have the keys to the kingdom? Do you have faith or doubt when it comes to Christianity? What things are you doing in service to God? What spiritual gifts do you have? How are you using to benefit the church?

August 16, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scripture for August 16th: Genesis 45:1-15, Psalm 133, Romans 11:1-2,29-32, Matthew 15: 10-28 Theme: The faith of everyday people in everyday situations Song: Standing on the Promises Matthew: We have been following along with Jesus bootcamp for his disciples. He is preparing them to continue his ministry. Now Jesus is ready to take them into the real world and to deal with the real problems of others. He takes them to cities that have a reputation for being rebellious and do what they want. He takes them to meet people who have no religious training. Ironically these people do have faith that Jesus has the power to heal them. A foreign woman comes to him and asks for healing for her daughter. At first Jesus is unprepared, and says no. But she persist. How many of us would do anything to help our children? Jesus at that moment realizes that the love of God is available to all kinds of people. Jesus admires her faith and grants her request. She asks for Jesus to have mercy on her and her situation. Our God is a God who always responds to honest prayer. Genesis: The story of Joseph’s reunion with his brothers after all those years in Egypt is one of the most heartwarming stories in the bible. Years ago these were the same brothers who sold him out of the family in jealousy. They come to Egypt because they are starving and willing to do anything. They do not recognize their brother. He is willing to do whatever he can to help them. He never thought he would see his father and brother again, and now they are all back together. All of us have family drama in our lives. All of us are at odds with someone in our family. A lot of times the rift has gone on for so long that we just accept that is the way it is. Perhaps there is nothing that we can do, but God can do everything. God can restore relationships. This reunion formed a whole new religion, based on the relationship of these 12 brothers. Questions: What regions of the country do you think are hopeless, with lots of nonbelievers? How do you respond to help of people who are not like you? What family rifts do you need to pray for? What can you do to bring about reunion?

August 9, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scripture for August 9th: Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28, Psalm 105:1-6,16-22, Romans 10:5-15, Matthew 14:22-33; Theme: In order to walk on water, you have to get out of the boat Matthew: Jesus just wants some time alone in order to pray and regroup. Finally he is able to get rid of the crowd. He and his disciples are alone in a boat, traveling to the other side of the river. A storm rises. They see Jesus is outside of the boat -communing with the water and the waves. Peter wants to try to, but of course fails. The disciples cant wait to tease him on his failure. Peter never learns to walk on water, but he does learn to stay focused on Jesus. It is an important lesson for many of us still in the boat. The boat is the church, it is intended to be our safe supportive place. Jesus provides a boat so that we will be together and safe. But a boat is not designed to stay still – its purpose is to take us to the other side to find more people to minister and to invite them into the boat. Romans: When we are convinced if something, it breaks our hearts that our friends are not as passionate about it. Paul was heartbroken that he could not get his Jewish brothers and sisters to understand the Christian faith. So he is trying to spell it out for them. He tells them that Jesus is not here to compete with Moses. He is here to fulfill the words of Moses for a new day. But he also explains that Moses is not enough. This verse has the famous confession that Jesus is Lord as the beginning of having a new faith. Jesus is the new Moses. Jesus is here to save both gentiles and Jews. Jesus loves us all the same, but we have to believe in the power of Jesus in order to have the faith of Jesus. Questions: When have you stepped out on faith and failed, what did you learn from the experience? How does the church support your faith? Who would you like to see become a faithful Christian? Do you accept others who do not believe the same as you, as fellow Christians.

August 2, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for August 2nd: Genesis 32:22-31, Psalm 17:1-7,15, Romans 9:1-3, Matthew 14:13-21; Theme: God will provide Matthew: The Lord’s Prayer is basically a prayer for God to provide what you need from day to day. It reflects the situation of most people in Jesus day. They did not have refrigeration, so there was no way to store up leftovers. More importantly, they did not have anything to put into a refrigerator. But one of the primary messages of even the old testament, is not to fret about tomorrow, because the Lord will provide. The crowd had gathered to hear the words of Jesus, and not Jesus tells the disciples to provide for them to be able to eat. The disciples are able to take five loaves and two fish and to feed 5000 people. What a powerful testimony. There are still hungry people coming to the church for help today. We are still called to use our resources to make a difference. Romans: No matter how effective you may be, there are always going to be people who criticize what you are doing. A lot of time your biggest critics are those people who are closest to you. That can cause even the most dedicated person a lot of Grief. Paul had been very effective in teaching gentiles about Christ, but his own Jewish family refused to accept Christ. Today, Christianity and Judaism are related, but two very different religions. Paul wants his family to understand the salvation of Jesus Christ so much, that he says that he is willing to deny his own beliefs in order to reach them. Paul finds hope in the fact that God’s love even transcends doubt. God loves both religions because of God’s grace. Questions: Who are the people who are living hand to mouth today? How does God call us to help them? Does everyone in your family accept Christ? What can you do to reach out to them and show them Christ in you?

July 19, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for July 19th: Genesis 28:10-19, Psalm 139:1-12,23-24, Romans 8:12-25, Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43; Theme: fighting with life and winning Genesis: Jacob has been a real trouble maker in his family, and now he is running for his life. Never in his dreams did he expect to have an encounter with God on this journey, but that is exactly what happens. Jacob gets to a safe place for the night, falls asleep and God comes to him in a dream. All of us are on a journey and God will appear in the most unexpected places. In his encounter, Jacob fights with God. He is on this journey because he has been fighting with his family. He has been fighting for status, he has been fighting with his twin brother for an identity. And now he fights with God for meaning. After the dream he is so touched by the experience, he changes his name to one who wrestles with God. He goes forward from here as a changed man. Matthew: Jesus continues his third teaching to the crowd. He is trying to get them to understand what the Kingdom of heaven is like. He uses yet another parable about the farmer. This time he asks that all time question, what is the difference between a weed and a flower. In this case he is speaking of the wheat and the tare. He explains that they are different plants, but God loves them, more importantly it is not for us to try to judge the difference. We are told to love them and to let God separate them. There is a church sign where God tells us to love everybody and to let God separate them in heaven. The Kingdom of heaven is a lot like life here on earth. We are to nurture, to love, not to judge, and God makes both the weeds and the flowers to grow. Questions: When in life have you felt you were wrestling with God? How has the presence of God come to you in your situation? Are there people that you consider to be weeds? How do you tell the difference between them and the people you love?

July 12, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for July 12th: Genesis 25:19-34, Psalm 119:105-112, Romans 8:1-11, Matthew 13:1-9,18-23 Theme: How do you receive the word of God? Matthew: I think that all of us have heard of the parable of the sower, but how many of us have really taken the time to think about what it means – how does it apply to our lives? There is a difference between a planter and a sower. A planter would plant the seeds and then take care of them in order to make sure that they grow. A sower just throws seeds out anywhere and leaves it up to nature for them to grow. In this story God is a sower throwing as much seed as possible out into the world. Unlike humans, God has the ability to get the plant to grow wherever they may be. Nevertheless, God knows that there are some environments more conducive than others for growth. Our hearts are the soil that helps the plant to grow into somethings productive to the world. In order for the seeds to grow we have to become the planter, nurturing and caring for that plant. Genesis: We are learning a lot about the family tree of the first family. Abraham, Isaac, and now Jacob and Essau. It seems that barrenness also follows each generation. Now Rebekah is not able to conceive. Once again when she does conceive it is a blessing. She gives birth to twins. Obviously they are fraternal twins because they are very different in appearance and in personality. As the story progresses, they also have different destinies. Jacob actually is always after his brother, and finally does get his inheritance as the first born child. That becomes a huge responsibility to bear as we will learn. But he always remembers the bond of his brother, even when things are tough. Both become fathers of great nations. Unfortunately, history only follows Jacob. Questions: What type of nurturing do you provide for God’s word in your life? In life are you a planter or a sower? What would life be like if Essau had maintained his birthright? How does your relationship with family affect your faith?

July 5, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for July 5th: Genesis 24:34-38,42-49, 58-67; Psalm 45:10-17, Romans 7:15-25, Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30: Theme: freedom Matthew: Matthew starts out by asking to what will I compare this generation? When he says generation, he is talking about all of the people that do not go to church. It is sort of like asking what is the world coming to. I think that as we look at the news, many of us are asking the same thing. It seems that going to church and having a sense of morals just does not make any sense. We have always had differences in opinion, but our whole world seems to be divided by those differences. Jesus is reminding us all that in the midst of our differences, he is what holds us together. We need to stay focused on Jesus and on what Jesus calls us to do. Where ever we find Jesus, we will also find peace. Genesis: So the story of the first family continues to the next generation. Right before this story, we learn that Sarah dies at 127. Legend says that Sarah died when she heard what Abraham tried to do to Isaac. Nevertheless, if Isaac is supposed to be the father of many generations, he first must have a wife. One of Abraham’s servants is sent to relatives to find a suitable bride. The servant is worried so he asks for God’s guidance. He then goes to Abraham’s brother in law and finds Rebekah – Laban’s daughter. She is willing to marry Isaac site unseen. They live happily ever after. So the promise of God is fulfilled to the next generation. Questions: What are your concerns about this modern generation? How do you think Jesus will show up in the problems of the world today? How is your families story similar to the family of Abraham? How is God’s promise of faithful servants still happening today?

June 29, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for June 28th: Genesis 22:1-14, Psalm 13, Romans 6:12-23. Matthew 10”40-42 Theme: What would you sacrifice for God? Genesis: It is interesting that we are once again asked to make the best of a bad situation. To look at a story about a father being willing to kill his son, and to ask what can we learn from this situation. Killing someone is killing someone. Being willing to kill your son is even worse. Would God really tell Abraham such a thing? This is a fundamental story of our faith. It teaches us that God always provides. We should always be on the look out for our “ram in the bush”. God is the source of all of our gifts. Even the bible says, the Lord gives and the Lord takes away. If our gifts belong to God, will God take them away from us. And how are we supposed to react to losing what God gave us. How does this foster trust and obedience to God? Matthew: This is the last part of Jesus message to the disciples to be willing to go out into the world and recruit people to your cause. Jesus encourages them by telling them that they shall receive the reward of a prophet. A reward, that seems like a positive thing. But what is the reward of prophet? That reward is hatefulness, spite, punishment, resentment, accusations and mistrust of what you say. How is a prophet’s reward a good thing. Jesus words have been preparing them to learn endurance. If they can endure all of that, then they will get a prophet’s reward. A special place in heaven. Jesus will welcome them with open arms for doing the right thing. In the end, people may not admit but they do take the prophet’s words to heart and eventually change their behavior. Questions: What does the familiar story in Genesis teach you about obedience to God? Do you agree with that teaching or not? When have you been a prophet of God to others? How did they receive your teaching? When have you had to endure as a Christian? 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

June 21, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for June 21st: Genesis 21:8-21; Psalm 86:1-10,16-17; Romans 6:1-11, Matthew 10:24-39: Theme: The responsibility of a Disciple Matthew: What role does fear play in your life? What role does fear play in your participation in church? If fear has no role in your church involvement, then are you really involved in church? Every time an angel approaches someone with a mission from God, the first thing said to that person is “Fear not”. All of God’s missions call us to step out of our comfort zone and to be bold and courageous. That is why this passage on fear comes after the commissioning of the apostles. The apostles are the ones who are sent out on a mission from God. In this passage, Jesus says that disciples will experience the same fate as the teacher – resistance and oppression. But we are told not to be afraid of those who can hurt our body, but to fear God who can hurt our soul. He goes on to say that being a disciple is our first role in life, much more important that the relationships that we have with others. We have to put God first in all that we do, and know that if we are not afraid to listen to God, then we are not really listening. Genesis: This is a celebration of God’s promise being fulfilled to Abraham and Sarah. The son that Sarah never thought she could have has been born. Now that he is growing up, she becomes worried about the relationship he has with his older brother Ishmael. She becomes so worries that she demands that both he and his mother Hagar are banished. Reluctantly, Abraham banishes them both to the desert. It is in Hagar’s deepest moment of despair that God tells her that everything will be okay. That Ishmael will grow to be a part of the promise and have a family of his own. Everything turns out for the best. Ishmael becomes the father of the muslim nation. Questions: What are you afraid of in your service to God? What struggles have you had to overcome to be a faithful follower of Jesus? When has a time of struggle turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to you? What does it mean to be a child of Abraham?

May 17, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for May 24th: Acts 1:1-11, Psalm 47, Ephesians 1:15-23, Luke 24:44-53; Theme: Ascension Day Acts: Endings are traumatic for us to navigate – whether it is the end of a school year, a career, a life. That must be why we have so many rituals for endings. Endings, without a chance to say good bye are even harder. That is why 2020 is so difficult for so many people. There are so many things that have ended, that we have not been able to have a ritual for. Today is the day that the disciples struggled with having to say goodbye to Jesus. Jesus spent six week preparing them for this day, and it was still hard. Jesus ascends into the clouds to be with God. As they watch him leave this earth, they realize that everything has changed. One of the hardest endings for us, is the end of the way things used to be. Once this pandemic is over we will enter into a world that has changed. Many of us will want to go back to the way things used to be. We can be grateful that Jesus gave us hope, trust and obedience to hold onto as he was taken away. As long as we have those three things, we have what we need to face a new world in the days to come. Luke: Next week is Pentecost Sunday – we can relate to that. But we have a little trouble with the meaning of this Sunday – Ascension Sunday – the day Jesus left earth to be with God while floating in a cloud. Many of us have the notion that heaven is a place far away in the skies. Heaven is a place that we are one with God. Heaven is more of a place in our hearts, not up above the sky. It is the day that we learned to accept that Jesus is not with us, but in us. It took this moment for the disciples to understand all that Jesus was trying to teach them. It took this moment to stop waiting for Jesus to change the world and to claim our own power to change the world ourselves. Ascension is not so much an event as it is realization. As Jesus spoke to them for the last time, he reminded them that they were enough, that they knew enough. It was a moment for the disciple to review all that they had learned, and to do the dreaded task for being able to say good bye. Scripture says that Jesus blessed them. And then they were able to move on and face life with power. Questions: How do you handle endings? What comfort do you need to get through a difficult time? How do we keep the legacy of Jesus alive today? What are you doing to prepare for the power and encouragement of the Holy Spirit?

May 10, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for May 10th” : Acts 7:55-60, Psalms 31:1-5,15-16; 1 Peter 2:2-10, John 14:1-14, Theme: Mother’s Day 1 Peter: As believers we are called to these five things: Hope, holiness, to be frugal, to love one another and to continue to grow in knowledge of God. Peter is giving us a sense of identity. He knows that sometimes knowing who you are can help you to get through difficult situations. Peter is giving us an identity that goes back to being children of God. No matter what our culture of family history, we are royalty in faith because of God. In Peter’s time Christians were going through persecution just because of their faith. Seeing that happen can have an affect on your identity. You can start to think that you deserve that. Peter says that as children of God we do not have to let circumstances or other people define us. We are children of God and deserve the best in all of life. It is our faith that determines our identity. John: Once again John is giving assurance of what it means to be a believer. Jesus tells us to trust in him. Thomas and Phillip say that they want to trust Jesus, but there are so many other voices out in the world, how do you know who to listen to. They seem it does not matter who you listen to, all people say the same thing. We all know that is not true, we know that there are some people in the world who do not have out best interest at heart. So Jesus responds by saying that he is the way the truth and the life. There are no other voices to listen to, we can trust Jesus. If we trust Jesus, then we are able to hear his voice very clearly. If we hear Jesus, then we can know that we have heard the voice of God. Questions: What exactly does it mean to be a child of God? How does having a Christian identity make a difference in your life? Who in your life gave you your identity? How do you know God is speaking to you instead of someone else? Do your follow Jesus as the way or is there someone else more important?

May 3, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for May 3rd: Acts 2:42-47; Psalm 23; 1 Peter 2:19-25; John 10: 1-10; Theme: Good Shepherd Sunday Acts: It is time for us to start to think about what life will be like when we return to church. What will it mean to be the church. During the Easter season we look at the book of Acts in order for us to return to the purpose of the original church. Peter is giving a testimony of how the church grew, when they gave their testimony of who Jesus was and how Jesus encouraged them to live. Peter says that the church was a community that shared everything in common. They lived together, they ate together, they did activities together. When others saw their unity, they wanted to be a part of it and were willing to join the church. How do we how that unity when we return together? When all eyes are on the church what will they see? How will we reach out to encourage others to come. When we return, we will have to think how are we living out our mission to this community? And are people willing to become a part of our community? John: The 4th Sunday of Easter is always Good Shepherd Sunday. We look at how Jesus is a shepherd to us and takes care of us. But it also reminds us what it means to be shepherd who depend on Christ for things. Sheep cannot take care of themselves. They also recognize the voice of the shepherd when they hear it according to the scripture. When we see what Jesus is able to do for us, we do not need to listen to the voice of others. The shepherd has a hard but rewarding job in keeping everyone together. John says that our job is to listen, but it is also our job to stick together. To form community and to be willing to work together, to listen and to trust. What are the things that stand in the way of us doing this? Who are the sheep that are trying to steal our peace? Questions: How does our church promote community? What are the things that you really enjoy about church? What does it mean to obey God in this modern day? How should we treat other sheep? In the midst of so many other voices, how do we recognize the voice of Mary?

April 26, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for April 26th: Acts 2:1-4,36-41; Psalm 116:1-4,12-19, 1 Peter 1:17-23, Luke 24:13-35; Theme: the Joy of Easter Luke: Where do you if you are looking for God? Where are the places in your life where you have actually found God? Most of us have found God in our relationships and in our chances to gather together in community. On this second Sunday of Easter we hear the familiar story of the road to Emmaus – where two people are just walking along in grief when they encounter Jesus. And when they gather together in fellowship – they realize they have sat in the presence of the risen Christ. Of course this story of relationships and community take on a whole new meaning in the corona virus age. Of course we have had to redefine the meaning of community. And yet we still do not have to redefine the hope that Christ brings to us. During Easter, we look at the ways that Jesus came to people in the midst of their grief. Let us be on the look out for the ways that Jesus walks amongst us during this pandemic. Acts: The Book of Acts is the story of how and why the church was started. The disciples went out into the street and told their experience with the Risen Christ. Much to the anger of the government – it worked, people listened and came to believe that there was really a God. Peter is the one who does most of the talking and telling of the story. In this scripture, Peter is standing before a crowd. He tells him that they are just as responsible for the crucifixion, and that in order to receive forgiveness that they have to be willing to change their behavior “Change your hearts and your minds”. Then they will receive enough hope in life to go forward. Peter’s willingness to tell his story makes a huge difference – over 3000 are baptized and willing to join the church. Today we are convinced that no one wants to hear the gospel story, no one wants to change, no one wants to join the church. But when was the last time that we were willing to really share the Easter story and see. When God’s word comes back it always makes a difference. Questions: How are you finding community in this time of isolation? How are you finding the presence of God in this time of isolation? Have you ever shared your story of faith? Who was willing to listen to you?

April 19, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for April 19th: Acts 2:14,22-32; Psalm 16; 1 Peter 1:3-9; John 20:19-31; Theme: The Joy of Resurrection 1 Peter: What does resurrection look like in the corona virus age? Spring has come, but will there really be a rebirth? 1 Peter speaks to having faith in a difficult time. The themes of this verse are community, mission and suffering. All of these things very relevant to the situation of today. These are words of inspiration through a difficult time, as is most of the bible. There is the normal message that things will eventually get better. There is the normal message that trials have a way of strengthening our faith. Peter’s message to us is that God’s great mercy gives of new birth that will lead to a living hope and faith that leads to salvation. We may have to wait for the rebirth of life as we know it, but the rebirth of our faith begins in the here and now John: This is the story of what the disciples are doing after the resurrection. They are afraid, but who are they more afraid of – the authorities or Jesus. After all, Jesus is alive, so now he will be disappointed in them for deserting him in his time of need. And yet it is Jesus who finds them even in a locked room. Jesus does not yell at them or question them, instead he brings them a message of peace. All is well, He gives them a peace that surpasses all understanding. He tells them that it is more important to let go of grudges and to move on – what it bound on earth is bound in heaven, but what it loosed on earth, will be loosed in heaven. In other words to just let it all go. And to realize that forgiveness and understanding is not something you have to do alone. The Holy Spirit will give you the strength to move on from a hurtful situation Questions: What do you think the rebirth of spring will look like this year? How has your faith helped you to get through this? What is it that you have to let go of to move forward? Have you experienced the Spirit of God helping you to forgive?

April 12, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for April 12th: Acts 10:34-43; Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; Colossians 3:1-4; John 20:1-18; Matthew 28:1-10; Theme: Easter Sunday! Matthew: This is the most important Sunday of the year, and this scripture tells the most important story of the year. Our faith begins at the end of the story, at the end of a life. It always starts in darkness and then moves to the light. Each of the 4 gospels tells of a slightly different version of the resurrection story. Matthew’s account begins at dawn. Mary Magdalene is at the tomb. An earthquake happens and Jesus appears. Jesus must have been social distancing, because he tells Mary not to touch him, he has not ascended. Mary runs to tell the disciples what has happened. Jesus greets the disciples, but he tells them that there is still work to do, that they are to meet him in Galilee. After all that disciples did to sabotage Jesus, he still had faith in them. He was determined to stay with them and to continue to lead them into ministry not only in Galilee, but throughout the world. Acts 10:34-43: This is the point that the disciples have to come out of their comfort zone. The gospel has called them to accept new and different people that are not like them. Peter is at the house of a Roman officer, and realizes that he will be fed food that his upbringing does not allow him to eat. It is in that house that Peter announces that he is concerned that God does not show favoritism. God cares for all people no matter who they are. God loves the jews, but God also loves gentiles. And if God loves all people the same, then the disciples must also love and accept all people. This is the beginning of a whole new religion. Everybody all over the world must know Jesus. And we all have to be able to tell the story to all who are listening. Questions: What is your favorite part of the gospel story? What would you have done had you seen the empty tomb? Who is it in the world that still does not know the gospel story? How can you tell them the story in a way that makes sense to them?

April 5, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for April 5th: Matthew 21:1-11, Psalm 118:1-2,19-29, Isaiah 50:4-9, Psalm 31:9-26, Philippians 2:5-11, Matthew 26:14-27:66; Theme: Passion/Palm Sunday Philippians: This is a special service, a time to get in touch with how much God loves us, to get in touch with the sacrifice Jesus made for all of us by becoming a human, living our life, and ultimately dying our death. Christ starts out in the presence of God. Christ starts out in heaven with all of the fullness of God. But he put that all aside. Paul says that God emptied himself to come to earth. As we relive the passion story – we learn the true nature of God – mercy, righteousness, compassion. As we relive the passion story, we are encouraged to take on the mind of Christ. It is not necessary for us to sacrifice, the sacrifice has already been made for us. But we can be grateful for that sacrifice. We can let the sacrifice affect the way we go through life. If Christ thought of us, we can think of others. All that we do should show the world that Jesus, the Son of God is also our Lord and Savior. Psalm 31: The psalms have a way to express all of the emotions of being human. These are songs of faith that can give us comfort. Jesus recited the psalms during his time of suffering. He said into your hands I commit your spirit. In other words, in hard times I believe in God. This psalm is a prayer for someone who has been treated unfairly and who suffers for something that he/she did not do. The psalm describes all of the emotions that one would feel in trying to come to terms with their faith. This is one of the psalms which describes what Jesus went through on his way to the cross. Jesus shows us how to keep the faith in those times in our life when we are suffering, especially when we suffer for something that we did not do. Christ’s faith helped him to endure and to get through. Our faith in Christ does the same for us. Questions: How do you feel about the Passion of Christ? What does it mean to follow Christ to the cross? When have you had to suffer unjustly? What words of courage help you to get through the situation?

March 29, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for March 29th: Ezekiel 37:1-14, Psalm 130, Romans 8:6-11, John 11:1-45; Theme: Fifth Sunday of Lent Ezekiel: Given all that is going on in the world today, it is easy to lose hope. It is easy for us to assume that things will never change for the better. Ezekiel must have felt that way when he returned to his neighborhood and saw waste and destruction everywhere. It seemed that it was the dead of winter and everything around him was dead. He describes it as seeing dry dead bones everywhere. This is one of my favorite passages, because eventually Ezekiel sees the bones turn into a living body, God breathes life into the body and the whole scene comes back to life. The community has hope again and starts to thrive. Right now for us, things seems hopeless, but spring and new life is coming. Bones represent the very depth of our soul, the core of our being. What needs to happen in order for us to regain hope at the core of our being? Romans: Romans is one of the most important books of the bible in explaining what it means to be a Christian. Romans chapter 8 has one of the most important messages in the chapter. Paul talks about the difference between living life in the spirit and living life in the flesh. According to Paul, when we are Christians, we are flesh and blood, but we also have the spirit of Christ inside of us. It is the spirit that affects who we are and how we live in the world. When we have the spirit of Christ, we think and act differently. This is a continuation of the theme of Ezekiel. That we are dry bones until we have the spirit of Christ inside of us to truly bring us to life. Questions: What situations are going on in life that seem hopeless? What will happen in order for the spirit of life to be restored? How has being a Christian changed your response to life? What reminds you that it is not okay to live and respond to life in the flesh?

March 15, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for March 15th: Exodus 17:1-7, Psalm 95, Romans 5:1-11, John 4:5-42 Theme: Third Sunday of Lent Exodus: Exodus is the story of the Israelite’s journey into a new life. It records the ups and downs of that life. Today we focus on one of those down moments. God has promised to take care of them and yet they still worry. At first they worried about what they would eat, and God provided manna. Now they are worried about what they will drink. God will eventually provide a spring. And yet God is also tired of their complaining. As a matter of fact, this is the last straw and God never quite gets over the fact that they do not trust God to provide. As a matter of fact, we are still complaining, and each time God tells us to trust and to seek new faith, we say that God will not provide. How do we learn to trust that if God calls, then God will equip is to do what it necessary? Romans: Paul continues his conversation on righteousness. To be righteous means to follow and obey God. Paul makes it clear that we cannot just decide to be righteous – it is a gift from God. But once we have it, then we have to live it out is a way that others can see clearly that God is a part of our life. Romans spells out very well the difference between a saint and a sinner. We are all sinners, but we are not all saints. Some of us strive to be better and some of us do not. God’s grace is available to us all, but we have to make a choice to use it. Paul starts to outline the journey of grace. It was John Wesley who believed that we are saved by three types of grace, prevenient grace, justifying grace, and sanctifying grace. He gets this belief from Paul talking about a grace that is with us, but justifying grace which brings us closer to God and sanctifying grace which keeps us there in the midst of a sinful world. Questions: When we a time when you trusted God, and then felt you made a mistake? What did God do to make you trust again? How have you experienced God’s grace? Are you more of a sinner or a saint?

February 23, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for February 23rd: Exodus 24:12-18, Psalm 99, 2 Peter 1:16-21, Matthew 17:1-9; Theme: Transfiguration Sunday 2 Peter: Transfiguration Sunday is about witnessing the glory of God in our own time with our own eyes. In this scripture each of us is encouraged to experience God for ourselves. To trust that God and the prophecy of what is to come is real. This is a scripture about authority, credibility and trust. John Wesley believed that faith was a combination of scripture, experience, tradition and reasoning. We can take all of those tools to examine our heart to have faith in God. We can look for God in all of those places. What we hear about in scripture, we can look to manifest in our lives and in our experience. Then we can decide to live according to what God tells us in our own hearts. Faith is always a living experience, not a far away dream. Matthew: It was Martin Luther King who said “I have been to the mountaintop”. He is referring to the tradition of church fathers going up into the mountains in order to have a vision from God. Jesus himself goes up to the mountain to talk with God, he takes his disciples with him as he goes to talk with Moses and Elijah. They fall asleep, but Jesus continues to pray. In prayer his gets his revelation from God, and that gives him inspiration to go on with the rest of his ministry, even though he knows that he will die in the process. It won’t be until the end of his ministry, when he goes up on another mountain, that the disciples will understand the significance of this mountaintop experience. In his last mountaintop experience, Jesus tells his disciple that he will not leave them. The first experience is so that Jesus realizes that he is not alone in his ministry. He has Elijah and Moses who are with him guiding his, just as God talked with each of these prophets on a mountain. Questions: What are the ways that you are able to see God clearly? What experiences have you had to convince you that God is real? Have you ever had a mountaintop experience?

February 16, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for February 16th: Deuteronomy 30:15-20, Psalm 119:1-8, 1 Corinthians 3:1-9, Matthew 5:21-37; Theme: Planting the seeds of faith 1 Corinthians: Wisdom was an important topic for the Greeks. Paul uses that interest in wisdom to teach them about the gospel. But he always points out that there is a difference between the wisdom of God and the wisdom of man, as a matter of fact, they are exact opposites. Paul goes as far as to tell the Corinthians that what they consider to be wisdom is not really real. He tells them that he cannot help them to understand God, because they are limited in understanding the spiritual things. He goes on to point out that the petty divisions that they have are a sign of not understanding God’s wisdom. We are all united in Christ, and when we have the mind of Christ, we can overcome our differences. When we are united in Christ, then God can use our spirit to transform the world. Matthew: We have been taking our time to take an extended look at Matthew chapter 5. This is the third week on this chapter. This is a continuation on the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus tells us what it means to be a disciple of Christ and to have a better understanding of our purpose in life. He tells us to go farther than human understanding by saying “You have heard it said that…..But I say to you”. He is telling us to go farther than standard jewish teaching and to listen to him. He is reforming righteousness. Following God is more than just following a bunch of rules, it is dedicating our whole heart and soul to living God in all that we do, and think and feel. It is a life that not only demands more of us, but promises more also. Questions: What is the difference between wisdom and knowledge? What are the divisions that keep Christians separated today? Is it impossible to be a Christian today? What does it take to live a righteous life?

February 9, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for February 9th: Isaiah 58:1-12, Psalm 112:1-10, 1 Corinthians 2:1-16, Matthew 5:13-20; Theme: a life that makes a difference Matthew: For the rest of Epiphany we will be looking at the lessons from Matthew 5. Jesus is using the lessons of Moses to teach us what it means to be a disciple of Christ. We are compared to salt and light. Salt is only important when it is applied to something else. Our actions are not about how we treat ourselves, but how we treat others. If we do not include others in our plans then we are not being a good Christian. Light is worthless within itself. Light illuminates other things and makes them shine. Jesus relates all of this to the ministry of Moses, by reminding us that as the messiah he is the fulfillment of everything that God said to Moses. That ministry is to do what is right for the world. To direct the rest of the world to what is right. The only way that we can get close to God is to be the salt of the earth – to be God’s representatives to help others. I Corinthians: Paul biggest point to the Corinthians is to make a distinction between the life of a Christian and the life of other people. Everything that Paul says revolves around Christ. Or Christ crucified, as Paul says. In chapter 2, Paul compares the wisdom of the world, with the wisdom of following Jesus. Wisdom was very important to the Greeks. Paul uses the definition of wisdom as a way to start a conversation about Christ. Wherever Christ is, so is the Holy Spirit. Paul says that it is the spirit that reveals God to the followers. Paul says that the wisdom of people and the wisdom of God are exact opposites. And God’s wisdom does not make sense to someone who lives in this world. When we listen to the spirit we have the opportunity to understand everything, but we may not be understood by others. Questions: How do you make your Christian light shine to others? How do you pursue the wisdom of God? What does it mean to have the mind of Christ?

February 2, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for February 2nd: Micah 6:1-8, Psalm 15, 1 Corinthians 1:18-31, Matthew 5:1-12; Theme: Sermon on the Mount Matthew: Everybody has heard of the Sermon on the Mount, but have we really given any thought to what it really means in our life? What does it mean to be blessed? What does it mean to be happy? Will we really be satisfied if we do all of these things for our life? Jesus has now officially began his ministry to improve the lives of his people who are crying our for help. He has declared his mission, he has recruited his followers, and now he is announcing to the people that things will get better. There is nothing required of us as we listen to the sermon on the mount, these are promises that God will give to our lives. If we choose to join those new disciples. Jesus invites us to join a radical movement, that will change the world. All we have to do is to trust God and God’s promises. Micah: The old testament is written sort of like a legal brief of an ongoing court case between God and God’s people. God complains that the people have been unfaithful or the people complain that God is not listening to them. Micah is a complaint against the people. They are told the consequences of their unfaithfulness. So the people cry out – what is it that you want from us. They are attending worship, they are giving sacrifices, they even keep the church spotless. God calls out that none of that is enough. God does not care what the temple looks like, God cares about the hearts of the people. Are they thinking about others, are they giving mercy to others, do they have an active relationship with God? Jesus constantly tells us that God wants our hearts, not our outward appearance. How do we respond? Questions: Are you Happy? What does it mean to be blessed? Who is blessed and who is not? What does your relationship with God look like? Do you believe in the promises of God? How do they play out in your life?

January 26, 2019

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for January 26th: Isaiah 9:1-4, Psalm 27:1,4-9; 1 Corinthians 1:10-18; Matthew 4:12-23; Theme: Following Jesus Matthew: Throughout the year, we are following in the life of Jesus. Jesus starts his ministry after he has been baptized. His cousin John the Baptist is soon captured and killed for telling people to repent. Jesus feels that he is next, so he goes to a safe place to hide and to pray. Not very soon after he is able to regroup does he start to call followers. He is by the sea of Gallilee and talking to the men that are present. They immediately leave their lives and start to follow him. How many of us are willing to give up our lives and follow Jesus and become fishers of men? This scripture tells us that one of the first things that Jesus did was to recruit disciples. We are very important to the ministry of spreading God’s love in the world. But it requires of to make a commitment, a full commitment to Jesus and his mission. 1 Corinthians: Paul’s whole point in writing Corinthians is encourage followers to put Christ first in everything that we do. We all live the same life, but Christians are called to respond to life, to situations and to people differently. I like his comment that he message of Cross is foolishness to the average person, but to us it is life. We are also encouraged to find unity with other Christians, there is no division amongst us – and when we discover them, we are to work to bridge them. There may be different denominations – different ways to follow, but there is only one Christ, so there is only one Christ body. Paul asks has Christ been divided? When we disagree with one another, we should also work to find our commonality in Christ. Questions: What does it mean to follow Christ? What are some ways that you follow Christ? What are some ways that you encourage others to follow Christ? What are some ways to overcome our church differences and to be one body of Christ? How does being a Christians affect your decisions?

January 19. 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for January 19th: Isaiah 49:1-7, Psalm 40:1-11, 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, John 1:29-42 Theme: Human Relations Day Isaiah: Two weeks ago, we read to arise and shine for your light has come, that was from later in Isaiah once the people has returned home. Our passage today starts while they are still in exile. They are still hoping that someone will come and rescue them. The prophet promises that things are about to change and that God will send someone who can truly make a difference. Because of who we are, we will sabotage that persons efforts, and we will reject his help. The prophet reminds us that this person has been sent by God to make a difference. When God calls someone, then their mission will be fulfilled. We can be sure of that. John: John tells his version of the baptism story. John the Baptist calls Jesus the Lamb of God – the suffering servant that Isaiah talks about. In John’s story, God does confirm the calling of Jesus when he is baptized. But John also takes the time to explain what it means to be the messiah – that things that he will do. He is the lamb of God that will take away the sins of the world. The second part of the scripture talks about the calling of the disciples who follow the lamb of God. He has come to stay with a group of brothers. The brothers want to hear his teaching, so they invite him to their house. As a part of accepting them as teachers, he renames Simon to become Peter, the head of the church. Questions: What are the struggles of our present age? Who is God lifting up to make a difference? Are we supporters or sabotagers? What role does the messiah play in our world today? Who are the leaders of the church and the disciples of Christ today?

January 12, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for January 12th: Isaiah 42:1-9; Psalm 29; Acts 10:34-43; Matthew 3:13-17; Theme: Baptism of the Lord Matthew: This is the second week of epiphany, the time where we stop to think about what it truly means to follow Christ. What does it mean to be a Christian. This week we look at the start of Jesus public ministry, his baptism. It would be easy for us to think that this story is also about our baptism. But it is not. Jesus gives us instructions about what it means to be baptism, but those instructions are actually at the end of Matthew, when Jesus has been resurrected. In this story, John the Baptist is telling his countrymen to repent of their sins. Jesus sees this as a chance to show others that he has been called to serve God. When John does baptize him, God confirms that he is on the right track – God is with him as he goes forward in his ministry. The lesson for us is that Jesus is indeed the messiah, and we are to follow him into ministry of service. But that service starts with repentance of our sins. Acts: There are times when the words of the bible are just as relevant for our time as when it was written. The first things that Peter says in this verse is that he is learning that God loves all people the same. God does not show favoritism for any of us. When Peter started his ministry, he tried very hard to be a good and observant Jew. But he started to realize that the strict rules of his religion were holding him down from reaching the people that God was interested. He had been taught that they were God’s Chosen people that is why those rules were in place in the first place. But as he met other people and learned other cultures, he realized that God loved them just as well. It was important for them to know the story of the gospel. In order to reach those people he had to put aside his preconceived notions about himself, other people and even about God. Questions: How does baptism call you to serve God? What have you done this year to show repentance? What preconceived notions do you need to put aside?