September 8, 2019

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for September 8th: Jeremiah 18:1-11; Psalm 139:1-6,13-18; Philemon 1-21, Luke 14:25-33; Theme: We are all creations of God Psalm 139: no matter how long you know a person, there is always more to learn about that person. We are still learning things about ourselves as we grow. However, this psalm says that the God that created us, knew us before we were born and knows the exact number of hairs on our heads. In other words, God knows us better than we know ourselves. God created each of us for a certain purpose. God knows what it will take for us to fulfill that purpose. That is why it is important for us to be intentional about having a relationship with God. This scripture also gives us the assurance that there is never a time when God will desert us. God has been there and always will be. Even death and calamity can separate us from the love of God. God will always be there in our life. Philemon: There is only one chapter of this book, but this one chapter gives a very powerful message. It is about a slave who has become a Christian. If he is now free in Christ, is he still a slave? Is he equal to his master? The message to this slave, is not to worry about freedom. Spiritually, he is free. Spiritually he is equal. He is encouraged to think about his behavior toward others, not their behavior toward him. He is to be a brother to all, even to his master. Paul does ask his master to do the right thing and to free him. This is a story about relationships that have been transformed because the love of God is present. Paul is not encouraging slavery, he is encouraging Onesimus to put God first in all things. When God is first, all other things will fall into place. Questions: What special purpose has God created you for? How to you continue to grow in your relationship in order to grow in God? What relationships in your life need to be transformed? What problems in your life do you need to turn over to God?

September 1, 2019

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for September 1st: Jeremiah 2:4-13, Psalm 81:1,10-16, Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16, Luke 14:1,7-14 Theme: Words to live by Hebrews: The Christian Church in the first century has to struggle with what it meant to be a Christian in a diverse world, community, city. How do you set yourself apart, and still remain a part of the whole. We still struggle with that question today. The book of Hebrews is an instruction book. The first rule of being a Christian is to always come from a place of love, peace, hospitality and understanding. Show love to fellow Christians, but even to strangers. We don’t know who God sends into our midst, but we do know that we are to show them hospitality. In all things we are to stay loyal to the task, consistent and most important centered on God. If we are centered on what God calls us to do, then God will be pleased and present in all that we go through in life. Luke: In all of this time, our social life has not changed. We still gather for parties. And in order to move forward in life, sometimes you have to go to a lot of dinner parties. It seems the more important you are, the more dinner parties you get invited to. Jesus cautions that we should not take the place of honor at a party, there may be someone more important than you, and then you will have to step aside. As a matter of fact, Jesus does not seem impressed with the social scene at all. He says that we should turn the party scene upside down. Think about those who were not invited, those who are not able to come because they have to work or other obligations. They are the real stars of the party, because they are the real stars of heaven. Jesus continually encourages us to think about those who are less fortunate, and to do all that we can to help them. Once again it is a matter of entertaining angels, by how we extend hospitality. Questions: What opportunities have you had to entertain angels? What does it mean to who hospitality in a hostile world? When do you think of helping those who are less fortunate? What would a dinner party for the poor look like?

August 25, 2019

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for August 25th: Jeremiah 1:4-10, Psalm 71:1-6, Hebrews 12:18-29; Luke 13:10-17: Theme: Being called by God to do a task Jeremiah: Today we look at the first chapter of the book of Jeremiah. For the next nine weeks, we will follow the story of Jeremiah. Jeremiah is considered one of the most important prophets of his time. He spoke to a changing world, about their need to get right with God. This scripture talks about Jeremiah being called by God to speak on God’s behalf, while he was still a child. Jeremiah felt that he did not have much to say, because he was so young. He also felt that he was not worthy of speaking for God. But God said that all of that was okay. He would purify Jeremiah so that what he has to say would make a difference. Jeremiah was from a priestly family that had a history of speaking out and challenging the status quo. In his life, he never left Israel in their suffering, he felt that he was a part of the community that he was trying to save. Hebrews: This text speaks of the need to change. Change is never easy, or pretty and it is always challenging. Jesus is trying to bring about a new people and a new understanding of our relationship with God. He contrast a regular mountain with a heavenly mountain. Paul encourages to strive for being on the heavenly mountain because that is where God is. God came to shake things up and to being a new world, but to challenge our faith. When we listen to God and do God’s will we are not only showing a glimpse of what heaven like, But we get to see heaven for ourselves. We start to develop an unshakable faith, that can get us through any circumstance. Questions: How does God speak to you? What does God want you to do? How do you deal with change? What is shakable in the world? What is unshakable I your faith?

August 18, 2019

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for August 18th: Isaiah 5:1-7, Psalm 80:1-2, 8-19, Hebrews 11:29-12:2, Luke 12:49-56: Theme: The signs of the times Luke: We all watch the craziness of the world on the news, but what is God telling us in the midst of what is happening? God is telling us that the more things change, the more things stay the same. People are the same as they have always been. God has been sending prophets to the world to help us to do differently, but we still do not listen. So God sent his only son to earth to help us to listen and to change. Jesus says that just as we can read nature, and know when it is going to be a sunny day, that we should be able to read the sign of the times. We will never be able to predict what will happen in the future, but Jesus has told us what the consequences of our actions are. We have to be more loving and more willing to listen to the voice of God – as a nation and as individuals. Hebrews: Hebrews is the book that teaches us the importance of faith. Without faith not only do we not have a future, but we also do not have a past. So Paul is going back in history to help the Isrealites remember all of the times that it was faith that helped them to get through a tough situation. We are all encouraged to be strengthened from this trip down memory lane. I think when we look at an unknown future, we can become discouraged and think that this time our faith is not enough to help us. Paul says that we can not only run the race in front of us, but we can win it. Our faith in is the miracle of Jesus Christ. And if it bought Jesus back to life, then it will help us to face an unknown future. Questions: What is your faith story? What challenges has Christ bought you through? What challenges do you face in the future? How do you deal with the stories of the news? What role does faith play in your life?

August 11, 2019

Scriptures for August 11th: Isaiah 1:1.10-20, Psalm 50:1-8,22-23, Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16, Luke 12:32-40: Theme: What does it mean to have faith Hebrews: What does it mean when people say keep the faith? Why is faith important. This letter defines faith as believing in things that we cannot see. If we can see it clearly, then we know where we are headed and what we are supposed to do. But most of life is lived in a place where we don’t have all of the answers. And yet, decisions need to be made, we need to move forward. Faith in God is a way to keep us centered and headed in the right direction. We don’t know what the future – but we know who holds the future – God. God is always on our side. Isaiah: This is the very first chapter of the book of Isaiah. We will be reading from this book for the rest of the lectionary year. This book will follow the history of the Isrealites through a very dark time in history, to the time when they finally go home and their life is restored. As the people are reflecting on the bad things that have happened, they are comparing their times to a time long ago, when God said that God would destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for their sins, but they survived. Isaiah is explaining to them that their sin was much worse, so their punishment was much worse. But God also cares for them much more, and will forgive them if they repent. That is the good news of Isaiah’s prophecy. Questions: How do you keep your faith in an uncertain world? What does faith mean to you? What are the trials that God has brought you through? How do you know that God loves you?

August 4, 2019

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for August 4th: Hosea 11:1-11, Psalm 107:1-9,43; Colossians 3:1-11; Luke 12:13-21 Theme: a world where everyone is equal Colossians: Paul talks a lot in his writings about the difference between a spiritual life and an earthly life. As Christians we are spiritual beings, and we look beyond what the eye can see. We don’t act like people in the world. But I think that the most important message is at the end of this scripture. We are all equal in God’s eyes. God looks at our hearts, and not out physical appearance. Christ came to save us all – and wants all different types of people to be present in the kingdom of God. What would it be like if we lived like that on earth? What would that mean? We have to remember that our Christian life is about who we are inside. Inside of our hearts. But our hearts have been with us all along. So the Christ has been with us all the time, but sometimes it takes time to manifest it. Hosea: The beginning of Hosea was the lament, the bad news, now Hosea is giving a message of hope that things will get better, and God will show mercy on his children, no matter how bad they have been. Sometimes we have to ask ourselves what it will take for things to change. What will it take for people to have a change of heart and be willing to seek God out, instead of walking away. Hosea prophesies that the people will be exiled from their land. But then they can hear the voice of God and welcome God’s presence. For the people in Hosea’s time it took a war devastating their land, to give them the determination to rebuild. God was with them throughout all of it. God is the light at the end of the tunnel. And once the sunshine is present, God will not punish them again. Jesus gives us all hope for a better life. And if we repent, that grace is always waiting for us.

July 28, 2019

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for July 28th: Hosea 1:2-10; Psalm 85, Colossians 2:6-19, Luke 11:1-13; Theme: prayers to God Luke: More than any other gospel, Luke shows us the meaning of prayer. Jesus prays constantly. He prays alone, and he takes painstaking detail to teach his disciples to pray. Prayer is a way of talking to God about what we need, even though God always knows. God always answers our prayer, but not always in the way we expect. When we pray, God may say yes, no, or not right now. But the point is that God always answers. God has promised that God will provide for our needs. The story of the friend who comes knocking on you door at midnight is an example. It was expected that you would help that person. If you help your friends, God will do even more for you. Jesus was an example of how God answers prayers – he went to God in all things going on in his ministry – even when he went to the cross – his last words were a prayer. Hosea: The prophets seemed to go through great lengths to get the message of God to the people. They did whatever they needed to do to get people’s attention. Hosea is still a little extreme. He uses his marriage and his children to get the message that the people have broken their covenant with God. Hosea marries a women with a reputation of being a prostitute. He says that is like the relationship between God and his people. They have been unfaithful. He gives his children strange names to demonstrate the negative behavior of the people of Israel. Many of the prophets are still giving that negative message that the people will pay for the way that they treat God. They are trying to get the people to repent. But you attract more flies with sugar than with vinegar. When there is repentance, God also shows grace. Yet even in the message of grace in the words of Jesus – Hosea’s message of the consequences of sin still is important today. Questions: How is your prayer life? Do you feel connected to God when you pray? What would Hosea say to Christians of today?