May 23, 2021

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for May 23rd: Acts 1:15-17, 21-26; Psalm 1, 1 John 5:9-13, John 17: 6-19 Theme: evangelism John: This is Jesus’ to God to watch over his followers and to give them what they need to be faithful. Jesus talks about the connection between him and God, he expands that connection to include us on earth. Jesus is concerned because life has gotten hard for those on earth – and he wants the faithful to know they are not alone. Jesus is the intecessor on our behalf. In John the world are the outsiders who persecute us. But we should also extend God’s love to the outside world as well as nature. Lastly, Jesus tells God that he has sanctified us – made us holy – so that we could continue his salvation work. Acts: This is the story of the dynamic church at work. Thousands have joined the church, they have defined what it means to be community. As they go forward, they realize that Jesus is not coming back to lead them. They have to commit to move forward. They have to realize what the resurrection means for each of them. They have to come up with how to trust the spirit in making the right decisions. This decision is who will replace Judas. Their means of discernment is to pray for guidance and to think about What Jesus would do. They were able to make a decision and to trust their judgement. Questions: Have you ever prayed on someone else’s behalf? Who is it that prays for you? How do we continue Jesus’ work today? Do you ever pray over a decision? What does discernment mean? How do you know if you are doing what Jesus wants in a situation?