May 19, 2019

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for May 19th: Acts 11:1-18; Psalm 148; Revelation 21:1-6; John 13:31-35: Theme: Acceptance of all of God’s People Acts: This is an important verse on learning to understand others. Peter has been in ministry to the gentiles. Just as the Jewish powers that be were uncomfortable with Jesus not following tradition, they wanted to make sure that Peter followed his Jewish tradition. Peter had every intention to do just that, until God spoke to him and told him that it was okay to be accepting of others. It was okay to eat the things that they ate, in order to identify with them. When the authorities found out, they questioned Peter. Peter asked that the authorities not focus on what Peter did, but on what God was doing in the lives of the gentiles. As we struggle to understand the point of others, and to accept them, perhaps it is important for us to also look at what God is doing in their lives. If God accepts them as they are, shouldn’t we do the same? John 13:31-35: Jesus has gathered his disciples together for the last meal. He knows that Judas will betray him. So when Judas is not in the room, he takes the opportunity to speak to the other disciples. Jesus gives them the commandment to love one another. Love is the message that Jesus has been giving all along. Love one another. Does that mean to only love those who are just like us, or do we love all of God’s children? Do we love our enemies? Are the a part of the one In the Christian family, there are many interpretations of how far our love is supposed to go. But Jesus does give us a hint of what he means, when he says that God is glorified in our love for one another. Who are the people who God loves? Does God just love those who are like us? Or does God love everybody? How do we show love to one another? All questions we have to ponder everyday. Questions: When have you gone out of your comfort zone for your faith? What is God doing in the lives of people that you don’t understand? How does God call you to respond? What are you called to differently in order to “love one another”?

May 12, 2019

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for May 12th: Acts 9:36-43, Psalm 23, Revelaion 7:9-17, John 10:22-30: Theme: Mother’s Day Psalm: This is one of the most popular bible verses, but it’s popularity can stand in the way of us really thinking about what it has to say to us. This is the first bible verse that my grandmother taught me as a child. It is also usually the last verse that we read at a funeral. But if you really look at it, the psalm has a powerful message for Easter. The Lord provides all that we need to live – peace, protection, provision, and support. The Lord also sends people into our lives to be a part of the task of taking care of us. On this Mother’s Day it is fitting to remember how we have been taken care of. Jesus often quoted the psalms to remember the promises of God. Imagine Jesus saying this psalm daily – living a hope to dwell in the house of the each and every day – forever. Acts: This is a story about the life of a faithful women who served God with her all. She served the church, she took care of others, she sewed and made things in order to help the church. So of course those who knew her would mourn her death. Her death was a great loss to the community. But it was also an opportunity for Peter to show the power of faith in Christ. Peter was able to raise her from the dead – and everyone was happy. That does not always happen in real life, that a loved is resurrected. But we can allow their legacy of faith to live on in us. We can give what we have received to others. We can live as faithfully as they lived. We can have hope in the resurrection to come, when that faith will finally live again. We can thank God for the modern Day Dorcas’s who work so hard to keep families and churches together. Questions: How have you felt protection, peace and power this week? How do you seek to be in God’s presence daily? Who are the modern Day Dorcas’s in your life? How to you honor their legacy?

May 5, 2019

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for May 5th: Acts 9: 1-20; Psalm 30; Revelation 5:11-14; John 21:1-19; Theme: Jesus charge to Peter and to us John : After the resurrection, Jesus makes a point to come to his disciples to encourage them to move forward. This is the third resurrection story, when Jesus appears to the disciples. It is interesting that Jesus comes to talk and teach over a meal. They have been fishing all day, Jesus fishes with them, tells them where to catch a lot of fish, and then sits down to eat with them. Peter has been at the trial, at the crucifixion, at the cave after the resurrection, even in the upper room with Thomas. He is looking forward to getting back to his life. But after this encounter with Jesus, things will never be the same. No longer will be fish for fish, but for men. Jesus asks Peter if he loves him. (He sure doesn’t act like it). Then Jesus makes Peter Bishop of the church. Actually he tells Peter to feed his sheep – to be the shepherd of the church. Peter takes on this role, even accepting his impending death. How much do any of us Love and follow Jesus? Acts: Luke goes through great trouble to introduce the enemy of the church. The person who has made it his mission to destroy the church, and to kill its members. In the story, Jesus himself appears and confronts this opponent. He stands in the middle of the road and asks him why is he persecuting him and his followers. Who would think that the biggest enemy of the church would become the biggest proponent of the church? Who would think that Saul would become Paul. But we know that all things are possible with God. The people that Saul has been attacking, take care and nurse Saul back to health. Christ has been working with all parties, with the heart of Saul, but also the heart of the followers. Christ tells them to not worry about anything, but to just take care of Paul. The love that saved Peter, also saved Paul. It is the love that saves us all. God has a way to make all things fall into place. If this love can transform a hater into a supporter, imagine what it can do for us. Questions: Put yourself in Peter’s position, how would you have answered Jesus? How would you have acted if you were Paul? What does feed my sheep mean?

April 28, 2019

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for April 28th: Acts 5:27-32; Psalm 150; Revelation 1:4-8; John 20:19-31 Theme: Doubting Thomas John : The story of Jesus coming to the disciples in the upper room is always the story on the Sunday After Easter. The disciples have no idea of what to make of Jesus’ body not being in the tomb. They do not have faith in the resurrection on the Sunday when he rose. It is not until Jesus appears to them after the event, that they finally start to understand what is going on. We typically hear of this story as doubting Thomas. But the story is not about doubt, it about how Thomas responds to realizing that the man before his really is his Lord and Savior. He asks for a sign and he gets it. Thomas needed that assurance in order to go forward in his faith. Jesus gives it to him, but he gives it to many others. Even now, Jesus still shows his presence in this day and age. Acts: This is a powerful faith statement by Peter. Now that the disciples have come to understand what the resurrection means, they want to tell the world. They are all out in the streets full force preaching the gospel. Finally, they are turned into the authorities, who question them and tell them to stop preaching. But Peter realizes that it is far more important to listen to God, than to man. He knows now what he must do. Peter gives the faith statement that Jesus has been raised from the dead. And that the disciples are witnesses to this miracle and they have a responsibility to tell the whole world. That is the faith statement that motivates them to go to all different kinds of people and to experience all kinds of abuse all for the sake of spreading the good news of Jesus’ resurrection. Questions: What assurance are you looking for to have faith in Christ? When you get it, how will you respond? What actions are you compelled to take because of your faith? How do you respond to rejection of the message of God’s love?

April 21, 2019

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for April 21st: Acts 10:34-43; Psalm 118:1-2,14-24; 1 Corinthians 15:19-26; Luke 24:1-12 Theme: Easter Luke : This is a continuation of the story that was told last week. Last week ended at the tomb, this week begins at the tomb. The women are going to pay their final respects. But someone has been there before they got there. They are in disbelief when the angel tells of the resurrection. They inform the others, and no one really knows what to do with this information. New life is hard for any of us to understand. We all tend to get caught in our old ways, and cannot think of anything else. If a miracle happens what do we do next? What does that mean for our life, for our understanding of life. Most of all, Jesus wants us to look at the situations of life in a new way. He wants us to realize that the impossible is possible, when we have faith in God. That is what the resurrection is all about. Acts: Peter is trying to put all of the pieces of what just happened to him together. He makes a statement about the resurrection. He was there to witness it all. When it was all happening and Jesus was with him, nothing made much sense. But now he sees that Jesus was preparing him for the resurrection. Jesus wanted him to go out into the world to make sure that everyone else knew. Everyone in the world must know about salvation, not just Jesus friends and family. Peter is starting to comprehend the fact that we are all equal in God’s eyes. So Peter has to be excited to tell anyone. Peter is telling this story to anyone willing to listen. Questions: What old ways of thinking is the resurrection calling you to give up? What does the resurrection mean to you? Is it a miracle, or just an ordinary part of life? Who are the people who need to hear the gospel that are not getting it yet? How would you tell this story if you had witnessed it for yourself?

April 14, 2019

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for April 14th: Luke 19:28-40; Psalm 118:1-2,19-29; Isaiah 50:1-9; Philippians 2:5-11; Luke 22:14-23:56; Theme: Palm and Passion Sunday Luke : As we prepare for Easter, the scriptures get longer and longer. Today it takes two whole chapters to tell the story of the passion of Christ. In the book of John, Jesus has been making his way to Jerusalem for three years. He finally arrives, and knows what he must face. The story starts with Jesus meeting with the disciples for the Passover meal, and ends with being buried in a borrowed tomb. In between is the most important, most told story of all time. It is the story which begins our faith. It is a story which helps us to understand God’s love for us. It is a story which shows us the consequences of sin. It is a story which demonstrates human nature, to betray, to dessert, to blame, to celebrate trajedy. The celebration of Easter makes no sense until we hear this story of Jesus journey to the cross. As we enter into the passion story this year – let us hear this story in a new way. Let us let God’s forgiveness sink in. This week, we will hear this story one more time. Psalm 31:9-16: This is the passion psalm. This is the psalm that Jesus quotes while in the cross – father into your hands I commit my spirit. It is one of 3 psalms which come to mind for Jesus. In his hour of need, he thinks of these psalms. This psalm is a cry for help in a time of despair. The psalmist outlines all of the horrible things going on in his life. But in spite of those things vows to trust God. Ask God for protection from not just his enemies, but the devastating affects of life. Not only is he suffering from his affliction, but from all of the social pressure that goes along with it. Not only does he give God his spirit, but he says that he has put his future into God’s hands. He trust that God wants the best for him and that things will get better. God is his healing and his salvation. Questions: How many times have you betrayed Jesus? How many times has Jesus shown forgiveness for your sins? How do you handle being in a tough spot in life? Do you trust God to make things better?

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?