This week's scripture is from Lamentations 1:1-6. The Book of Lamentations, which comes between Jeremiah and Ezekiel, is a mini book of psalms of lament about the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. It is a community crying out to God in despair over the terrible things that have happened to them.
We also live in a community in which painful things have happened to many of us. In addition to all the "normal" troubles of life, such as illness and family problems, we are in the midst of a serious economic crisis. Many people have lost their jobs through no fault of their own, and new ones are hard, if not impossible, to find. Many people are losing their homes due to unethical mortgage lending practices. Many people are losing their retirement savings, or are already retired and finding it very hard to make ends meet. Yet we live in a culture that tells us it's not okay to cry.
The Bible teaches something very different. The Book of Lamentations and many of the psalms are examples of people pouring their hearts out to God in tears. We live in a culture that is so afraid of any sign of weakness that this kind of lament is foreign to us. Yet it is most necessary. God will strengthen us in our weakness, but first we have to admit to that weakness. We have to admit that we can't do it all by ourselves and that often our attempts to do so only make matters worse. In 2 Corinthians 12:9 God says to the Apostle Paul: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
Reflect on this: when was the last time you cried to God? What happened when you did? If it was so long ago that you can't remember, what stops you? What do you think of this statement that's making the rounds on Facebook: "Depression is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign that you have been strong for too long"? Depression is often described as "anger turned inwards." What happens to you when you don't cry: do you get irritable, angry, even rageful? Or do you get depressed?
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Hitting Bottom
This week's Gospel lesson comes from Luke 16:19-31. It is one of Jesus' hardest teachings about the purpose of wealth in this world. When read with Matthew 25:31-46, we receive a full picture of what it means to live as Jesus' disciples. We cannot merely say, "Lord, Lord," we must live our lives as the Lord Jesus wants us to live.
Questions for reflection and comment: Who are the beggars at your gates? How have you responded? Have you ever been a beggar at a rich person's gate? How did that person respond? What does Jesus mean in verse 31: "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead"? What will it take to convince you that Jesus means what he says about the moral obligation of those who have much to help those who have little? Does Jesus tell us anything about Lazarus' moral character in this parable? Does Jesus make a distinction between "the deserving poor" and "the undeserving poor"? Does he tell us how Lazarus became a beggar -- through poor choices or through no fault of his own -- or does that simply not matter to Jesus?
What do you know about Abraham, Moses and the prophets in the Old Testament?
For further study: Abraham's story is told in the Book of Genesis. Moses' story is told in the Book of Exodus. For prophetic references read Amos: 5: 21-24, 8:4-12; and Micah 6:6-8. How are these scriptures reflected in Jesus' parable of the rich man and Lazarus?
Questions for reflection and comment: Who are the beggars at your gates? How have you responded? Have you ever been a beggar at a rich person's gate? How did that person respond? What does Jesus mean in verse 31: "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead"? What will it take to convince you that Jesus means what he says about the moral obligation of those who have much to help those who have little? Does Jesus tell us anything about Lazarus' moral character in this parable? Does Jesus make a distinction between "the deserving poor" and "the undeserving poor"? Does he tell us how Lazarus became a beggar -- through poor choices or through no fault of his own -- or does that simply not matter to Jesus?
What do you know about Abraham, Moses and the prophets in the Old Testament?
For further study: Abraham's story is told in the Book of Genesis. Moses' story is told in the Book of Exodus. For prophetic references read Amos: 5: 21-24, 8:4-12; and Micah 6:6-8. How are these scriptures reflected in Jesus' parable of the rich man and Lazarus?
Thursday, September 16, 2010
The Slippery Slope
This week's scripture lesson is from Luke's Gospel, chapter 16:1-15. In it, Jesus tells the parable of the "dishonest manager", or the "shrewd manager." This is one of the most confounding of Jesus' parables. It appears, on a quick reading, that he is praising the manager for his dishonest ways. Upon deeper reflection, this is not the case at all.
Questions for prayer and reflection on this parable are: What is Jesus' attitude towards wealth in general, as reflected in all the Gospels? How does Jesus portray the overall character of the manager? What "slippery slope" is he on? Is this parable of particular value to us as we face the current economic crisis? If so, how? What is "the word of the Lord" to us in this parable? What does it mean, in practical terms of daily life, that we cannot serve both God and money?
Questions for prayer and reflection on this parable are: What is Jesus' attitude towards wealth in general, as reflected in all the Gospels? How does Jesus portray the overall character of the manager? What "slippery slope" is he on? Is this parable of particular value to us as we face the current economic crisis? If so, how? What is "the word of the Lord" to us in this parable? What does it mean, in practical terms of daily life, that we cannot serve both God and money?
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Joy in Heaven
For Sunday, Sept. 12, 2010 please read Luke 15:1-10
This scripture contains 2 of Jesus' best-known parables: the parable of the lost sheep and the parable of the lost coin. The context is: Jesus has collected a crowd of "sinners" who are anxious to hear his teachings. The religious leaders do not like this. They criticize Jesus for welcoming and eating with "sinners." So Jesus tells 2 parables to demonstrate how there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over all the righteous people who do not need to repent.
Questions for reflection and comment: Who are the "sinners"? Are the religious leaders as righteous as they think they are? Who are the people that Jesus is really calling to repentance here? What's the difference between the way in which sheep get lost and the way in which a coin gets lost? In other scriptures Jesus refers to himself as the Good Shepherd who seeks out the lost sheep. What is the significance of Jesus using a woman as the example of the one who seeks out the lost coin? According to this scripture, with whom should present-day Christians spend most of our time: with other Christians, or with those whom church and society label "sinners"?
This scripture contains 2 of Jesus' best-known parables: the parable of the lost sheep and the parable of the lost coin. The context is: Jesus has collected a crowd of "sinners" who are anxious to hear his teachings. The religious leaders do not like this. They criticize Jesus for welcoming and eating with "sinners." So Jesus tells 2 parables to demonstrate how there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over all the righteous people who do not need to repent.
Questions for reflection and comment: Who are the "sinners"? Are the religious leaders as righteous as they think they are? Who are the people that Jesus is really calling to repentance here? What's the difference between the way in which sheep get lost and the way in which a coin gets lost? In other scriptures Jesus refers to himself as the Good Shepherd who seeks out the lost sheep. What is the significance of Jesus using a woman as the example of the one who seeks out the lost coin? According to this scripture, with whom should present-day Christians spend most of our time: with other Christians, or with those whom church and society label "sinners"?
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
The blog is back!
My apologies for neglecting this space over the summer.
The purpose of this blog is for readers to have the opportunity to read, think about, pray about, and comment on, the scripture that will be used during worship on the following Sunday.
For Sunday, September 5, 2010: Read Luke 14:25-33.
Questions for reflection: What does it mean to "count the cost" of something before we do it? How do we "count the cost" of things we say/do in our secular lives? Are there often unintended consequences to even our best thoughts and actions? What does Jesus mean when he asks us to "count the cost" of being his followers? What, if anything, has it cost you to follow Jesus? What is the difference between "cheap grace" and "costly grace"? Has believing in "cheap grace" weakened our commitment to Jesus Christ here in the USA? If so, how?
The purpose of this blog is for readers to have the opportunity to read, think about, pray about, and comment on, the scripture that will be used during worship on the following Sunday.
For Sunday, September 5, 2010: Read Luke 14:25-33.
Questions for reflection: What does it mean to "count the cost" of something before we do it? How do we "count the cost" of things we say/do in our secular lives? Are there often unintended consequences to even our best thoughts and actions? What does Jesus mean when he asks us to "count the cost" of being his followers? What, if anything, has it cost you to follow Jesus? What is the difference between "cheap grace" and "costly grace"? Has believing in "cheap grace" weakened our commitment to Jesus Christ here in the USA? If so, how?
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