November 27, 2011

Scriptures for November 27th: Isaiah 64:1-9; Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19; 1 Corinthians 1:3-9; Mark 13:24-37 theme: the first Sunday of Advent; Song O Come Emmanuel Isaiah: In the first Sunday of advent, we start out with the way the world is. We start with why we need Jesus. We start with the plight of the people. We start with the understanding that God is going to come into the world somehow and turn things upside down. We don’t know how he is going to do it, but we know that it is going to be BIG. Everyone is going to see it. We are also reminded that at present we are a part of the problem and not a part of the solution. We are sinners, and it is our sin that has made the world what it is. But we are also people who want to change, and the big change will change us on the inside and the outside. At the end of Advent, this will all make sense and we will see God clearly. Mark: The gospel lesson continues to explain the way things are and why. In a lot of ways the end of the world did come for the Jews. Their temple was destroyed, their way of life was destroyed. And they are trying to understand why God would do such a thing and what are they supposed to do now. Jesus tells a parable of the landowner being gone from the land and preparing to come back. We cant get too comfortable while he is gone, because he is coming back. The whole point of advent is to remind us to keep awake, and clean up the house before the owner comes back and gets upset at the mess. Questions: Have you ever realized that God’s coming is your only hope? How bad has the world gotten? Are we capable of helping ourselves, or do we need a divine intervention? How does God answer your prayers and cries? What things do you do now, that you would stop if you knew the end was near? How can focusing on God’s return help your discipleship?

November 20, 2011

Scriptures for November 20th: Ezekiel 34:11-16,20-24; Psalm 100; Ephesians 1:15-23; Matthew 25:31-46; Theme: What does it mean for Christ to be King?; Song: My Hope is Built – 368 Ephesians: Paul is writing to a church of both Jews and gentiles. The debate over whether you need to be circumcised in order to be a true Christian is still fresh in their minds. If Jews are special, then how are all of these heathen gentiles to be accepted into the family? Paul reminds us that if Christ is the head of our lives, that is not our problem. If Christ is the head of our faith, then we have an inheritance in his kingdom. We don’t have to learn to live in Jewdom, it is not the same place as the kingdom of God. We can hope for what is ahead, not worry about what is behind. God demonstrated what he did in the resurrection of Christ, we have that same power. God’s power is indeed the greatest thing in the world, that is what we have faith in. Matthew: Christ reign is about righteousness, not about power. That is why this text is appropriate to think about for Christ the King Sunday. We start out picturing heaven and Jesus role in heaven. This is judgment day for the faithful of the earth. Jesus is the judge, who lets some in and others are condemned to hell. What is the criteria for making it in? What did you do for the normal people in your life? When you passed someone who was hungry, or in need of clothes, or medicine – who did you respond? The needy are the chosen face of Christ on earth. Whatever we do for or to them, we also do it to Jesus. This is the last public teaching of Jesus. It is called the Great Assize – or the great judgment. The great question for all of us – how can I help the needy? Questions: What hope does being a Christian bring you? How have you seen God’s great power demonstrated in your life? What have we inherited as the children of God? Are the promises of God from a Christian, the same as the promises God gave to a Jew? What does it mean for Christ to be King of your life? Who are the “least of these” today? What do you do to help them? On judgement day, what will you say to Christ? Are you a sheep or a goat?

November 13, 2011

Scriptures for November 13th – Judges 4:1-7; Psalm 123; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11; Matthew 25:14-30 – Theme: Using our talents for God; Song – I am going to live so God can use me – Faith We Sing – 2153 1 Thessalonians: Paul gave the message to the Christians of Thessalonica that there was not much time to waste. Christ was returning soon, so they needed to prepare themselves and their lives for eternity. There seemed to be an awful lot of people who were willing to hear that message, but there were also a lot more who were not. As a matter of fact, Paul also had a lot of enemies. He had to get comfortable in serving within that balance. Paul still had a message, not to get so caught up into the peace of the world, that you are not prepared the coming of Christ. Our dreams for the future are not for the night, it is for the day. We still have work to do. But our work is about who we are as a community. Therefore we have to encourage one another, particular those who are just becoming new Christians. Matthew: We hear about his parable a lot, it is the parable of the talents. But there is so much more to this story, then the commonly understood. As a matter of fact, Jesus intentional tells stories that leave a lot of room for interpretation. For instance, this is the third parable that Jesus tells about the distant landowner. He is preparing his disciples for the fact that he will not be with them, and they will need to be able to “keep the faith” in his absence. There are three servants who do what they can with what they have. When the master returns, he rewards his servants for their efforts. And yet he is also not afraid to pass judgment on the servant who is not doing enough. Many times we are that worthless servant – because we don’t give our own to God. In fairness we are afraid, and don’t want to lose what we have. God reminds us that what we have is never our own to keep. Questions: How does our faith help us to shape our priorities in life? When we judge others, who are we keeping out of the kingdom of heaven? In what ways are we too seeking the peace and security of the world? Where do we spend our energy- building our kingdom at home or God’s kingdom on earth? What has God entrusted us with? How do we give it to others?

October 30, 2011

Scriptures for October 30th – Joshua 3:7-17; Psalm 107:1-7, 33-37; 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13; Matthew 23:1-12; Theme: God is with you Song: Precious Lord – UMH 474

Joshua: The children of God have spied out the promise land. Moses was not able to go with him, God called him home. Now Joshua is the leader. This is the story of the children crossing the Jordan. They are entering into a new life. They have been worshipping in the tabernacle. God instructs them to take the ark of the covenant with them when they travel. In order to get where they are going they have to cross the Jordan. The river stops raging, so that they can cross safely. This is a little exodus. A blessing from God to allow to them move into the future. They have been able to overcome a lot of diversity and resistance with the help of God. God had a plan for them. God had a plan for us today.

Matthew: The Pharisees have left Jesus and they feel that they have heard all that they need to hear to convict him. Now Jesus is free to speak to those who want to hear his lessons. And he uses the Pharisees as an example. They know the lessons of Moses, but in reality they don’t live them. They have all of the trappings of being holy – but looks are deceiving. Jesus tells his disciples that in order to be a true spiritual leader, you have to be willing to be a servant. The true proof of faith is not your outward appearance, but the condition of your heart. We don’t need titles – we need to give Jesus titles in our life. People may not understand, but God always understands.

Questions: What time in your life has been like Crossing the Jordan? When has God led you to a better understanding of life? When have you been very clear that the old life has passed and that God has given you a new life? How are we like the Pharisees in our faith? How are we like the disciples of Christ? How do we acknowledge the teachers in our life? What lessons have we learned from the ultimate teacher? Who in your life is an example of what it means to be humble?

October 23, 2011

Scriptures for October 23rd: Deuteronomy 34:1-12; Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17; 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8; Matthew 22:34-46 Theme: A Faith that overcomes Song: Swing Low Sweet Chariot – UMH 703

1 Thessalonians: Paul tells the congregation at “Salonica” about his trip to Philippians. Things did not go well for him there. It turns out that he was run out of town this time also. He seems to be offending a lot of people – by trying to get them to think in a new way. Paul is on the search to make disciples for Christ. He says that there are real evangelist and fake evangelist. There are people who are concerned about numbers – we should be concerned about a change of heart. It turns out that he was kicked out of Thessalonica also. People wanted a quick faith that would address their needs. Paul wanted them to learn to take faith seriously.

Matthew: The Pharisees are still questioning Jesus. They are trying to do whatever they can to trip him up. They hate him, but the people love him. The only way to get the people to feel like they do is to make sure that he says the wrong thing in public, so that that people can start asking questions also. They ask him two questions this week – what is the greatest commandment and what does it mean to be the messiah. Jesus reminds that that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord. He reminds us that the second commandment is to love our neighbor. Jesus was careful to stick to Hebrew scripture in all of his answers. The Pharisees realize that there is no point in arguing with him – he knows just as much (if not more) than they do. But we can learn to.

Questions: Who was instrumental in you becoming a Christian? What did it mean that Paul was kicked out of the places he preached? – was he a help to them or a hindrance? How do we treat people today who strike at the core of our faith when we are not ready to deal with them or it? Does loving God help us love people more? Why or why not? How can Jesus be the son of God and the son of man at the same time?

October 16, 2011

Scriptures for October 16th – Exodus 33:12-23; Psalm 99; 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10; Matthew 22:15-22 Theme: Laity Sunday, song: Rock of Ages – UMH 361
Exodus: This is a shift in the story of the chosen people. This is a shift in God’s role in the lives of the people. They have been in the wilderness enough, now it is time for them to think about reaching the promised land. Their dream is about to become a reality. Moses goes to God to get reassurance that God is with them, and that God will protect them through the unknown. God explains that no one can see the face of God and live. But God protects moses and helps him to witness the glory of God. God wants them to know that he will never leave them

1 Thessolonians: Paul and Silas have gone to the city to talk to people about what it means to be a Christian. But he also wants them to remain steadfast. By this time people are starting to get anxious. How long do we have to wait for this Jesus to come? Why do we have to separate ourselves from the people around us. Paul tells them their strengths are:Their faithfulness and steadfastness in Christ (verse 3) ,An awareness that God has called them and the Spirit has empowered them from the beginning (verses 4-5) ,Living out with joy the way of Jesus they had learned from Paul and others (vs. 6-7) Their willingness to share their conversion stories and their confidence in Jesus who "rescues us from the wrath to come" (verses 8-10).

Questions: What insures the presence of God with a people? Is God with our church? How do you know? What can we learn from the Isrealites about idolatry of faithful people? What impact does our faith have on others? How can others know about God through our lives?

October 9, 2011

Scriptures for October 9th: Exodus 32:1-14; Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23;
Philippians 4:1-9; Matthew 22:1-14 Theme: the Truth of God; song: It’s Me, O Lord – UMH 352

Exodus: The children of God are still wandering in the wilderness, and they still have not learned to trust God. At first it they asked what they were going to eat, then it was where to get water. Now they are impatient for Moses to return from the mountain of God and to give them a word from the Lord. When he does not return in the expected time, it must be because he is not coming back. Instead of teaching the people patience, Aaron appeases them. He gives them an idol to worship in the meantime. It is God who tells Moses the he must return and fix this. This sense of distrust is something that God never fully recovers from. And yet because Moses asks God not to totally destroy them, God gives them another chance. We can be grateful for God’s willingness to understand our human ignorance.

Philippians: This is the ending of the book of Philippians. Paul finally addresses a conflict within the church. He urges two believers to think more of what they have in common, and not how they are different. His whole message is in our unity, our life, our church, our being is in Christ. We may not like each other, but we all have to love Christ. We can pray and know that Christ will work it out for us. He also addresses the issue of trust in God. Today we struggle with what it is that we should trust in. Paul assures us that God is a God of trust and of beauty. All truth comes from God – so we can freely trust anything that proves itself to be so. In the name of Jesus.

Questions What times in your life have you felt that you cannot trust in God? What times in your life has God given you another chance? What are your complaints to God? Listen to your life – what are the answers God gives today for those complaints? Who within the body of Christ are you at odds with? How can you reconcile with them? How does the unity of Christ call you to move forward? What truth of life do you question as a truth of God? Is God really in that situation?