tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64444153008276228322024-02-08T06:06:04.239-08:00Ripley County Adventures in MinistryAn opportunity to engage others as I reflect on the Bible readings designated by the Revised Common Lectionary for the upcoming Sunday as I prepare to preach each week. I welcome all comments, reactions, questions, and even disagreements regarding what I have written. Such discussion allows us to wrestle with and study the passages together.Pastor Curtis in IN-KY Synodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787219110844208151noreply@blogger.comBlogger110125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444415300827622832.post-67956577810508999382019-09-19T09:21:00.000-07:002019-09-19T09:21:16.603-07:00The ELCA and its Work with Immigrants and RefugeesI've been meaning to post this newsletter article that I wrote for the congregation. It is my summary of the ELCA's action at its 2019 Churchwide Assembly last month regarding its work with immigrants and refugees. While some across the country have bitterly complained about this action of the ELCA Churchwide Assembly, I hope that this reflection points us to the positives of our Lutheran history of radical hospitality for immigrants and refugees and starts a conversation regarding what we can do to share similar radical hospitality to immigrants and refugees that may arrive in our community in the future.<br />
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Leave a comment and let me know your reaction to this article and/or the ELCA's action at its Churchwide Assembly.<br />
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"The 2019 ELCA Churchwide Assembly (CWA, for short) took place last month in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from August 5th – 10th. My initial thought was that I would list some highlights from the 2019 ELCA CWA as my newsletter column for this month. Around the country, however, one particular action has captured the vast majority of the attention of the media and the membership. So let’s take some time to reflect on this particular action and what it means for us. As we reflect, I will draw in several quotes from <a href="https://files.constantcontact.com/d4943ff5001/75d31123-7e13-434d-aebb-4818a9d5d34c.pdf" target="_blank">Bishop Bill Gafkjen’s public letter (released August 12, 2019)</a> and share his understandings of the memorial.<br />
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During the CWA, the assembly received a memorial (essentially a request for action officially passed and submitted by one or more synods during their respective synod assemblies) that begins by calling on the CWA to reaffirm “the long-term and growing commitment of (the ELCA) to migrants and refuges and to the policy questions involved.” This portion of the memorial is a recognition of the work that the ELCA (and its predecessor bodies) have been doing for many decades. This includes the work of Lutheran Immigrant and Refugee Service (LIRS, for short), first established in 1939, and Accompanying Migrant Minors with Protection, Advocacy, Representation and Opportunities (AMMPARO, for short), a more-recent ministry of the ELCA begun in response to the recent increase in unaccompanied minors attempting to enter the country through various methods.<br />
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According to Bishop Gafkjen’s letter, “This resolution also ‘recognizes that the ELCA in congregations, synods and the churchwide organization are already taking the actions recommended by this memorial’ and requests ‘that appropriate staff’ from various agencies and ministries ‘review the existing strategies and practices by the five current sanctuary synods and develop a plan for additional tools that provide for education and discernment around sanctuary.’” As the ELCA Churchwide office lives into its calling to serve and support refugees and immigrants, it will study what synods and congregations are already doing, learning best practices and what will provide the greatest benefit to the Churchwide office’s ministry partners.<br />
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Although others have suggested that all 9,000+ congregations across the ELCA are now required to carry out certain ministries and actions, this is not the case. The memorial passed by the CWA does not require us to do anything or to stop doing anything. “Nevertheless,” writes Bishop Gafkjen, “the call to love the neighbor is so central to our faith that each of us in our local contexts are called to figure out how God is calling us to embody this love as individuals and as communities of faith and witness. We engage this discernment in deep and honest discussion, debate, prayer, study, and discernment with our siblings across the community, the synod, and the church. We do so centered in Jesus Christ crucified and risen for the life of the world. In the end, as one bishop has put it, ‘For us, welcoming people is first and foremost a matter of faith which impacts how we live out all our vocations in God's world, including our political life.’”<br />
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So what might this look like in our community? How are we, both as individuals and as a congregation, called to embody God’s love for our immigrant and refugee neighbors? That is worthy of ongoing prayer, discussion, and discernment. I pray that the Lord may open our eyes to what our neighbors in this community need from the Church and how we can meet that need."<br />
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Pastor Curtis in IN-KY Synodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787219110844208151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444415300827622832.post-60234846427032934222019-08-14T14:32:00.002-07:002019-08-14T14:32:44.135-07:00Response to the "National Sunday Law" Mass Mailing<br />
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On Tuesday, August 13<sup>th</sup>, the local area was
blanketed with copies of “National Sunday Law,” a short book written by A. Jan
Marcussen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is unclear who sent this
mass mailing to our local area; the only clue is the postage mark, which tells us
that these books were sent by a non-profit organization which received their
mailing permit in Okeene, Oklahoma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However,
it is apparent that somebody thought it was important enough for all of us to
read this book that they bought a large number of copies, enough to send one to
every address within the target area.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So what is this book?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>To be honest, I’d never heard of it before I found it within my
mailbox.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But knowing that others were
receiving it, I sat down to read this 70-page book (not counting all of the
appendices) so that I could discuss it with anyone who might read it and ask me
about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you would like to skip the
reading of the book and get right to the discussion, you can continue on to my
thoughts below.<o:p></o:p></div>
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First, here is a summary of the book. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This book was written back in 1983 to address
a perceived crisis: that several politicians were advocating for new laws that enshrined
Sunday as a day of worship within individual states or within the whole nation
(essentially, a national “blue law”).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The author acknowledges that this would violate the 1<sup>st</sup>
Amendment to the United States Constitution (i.e. freedom of religion), but
that is not the author’s true concern.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>No, the real problem is that these politicians would be enshrining the
wrong day as the day of worship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the
author’s mind, the “Sabbath” must be observed on Saturday and not on
Sunday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The author’s argument is that
the Church has followed the lead of Satan and changed the day for worship to
Sunday, which was the day the pagan Romans designated as the day to worship the
sun god(s); this change violates the 4<sup>th</sup> Commandment: remember the
Sabbath day (i.e. the 7<sup>th</sup> day, Saturday) and keep it holy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By following the lead of Satan and allowing
the day of worship to be corrupted, most of the Church has accepted “the mark
of the beast” as described in Revelation and will be condemned by the Lord when
the Lord returns to initiate the resurrection and the end of the age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And if the United States approves these laws
establishing Sunday as the day of worship, then the United States will be the
second beast in Revelation 13 that takes over for the Roman Catholic Church,
the first beast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only those who maintain
the true Sabbath, Saturday, will receive the seal of the Holy Spirit and be
welcomed into the Kingdom of Heaven on the day of judgment.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Did you follow all of that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If you did not, that’s okay, because the author’s argument is flawed on
several fronts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here is where I see
problems with the author’s argument:<o:p></o:p></div>
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1) From what I can tell, there was not a serious effort to
establish a national “blue law” or more statewide “blue laws” within individual
states during the 1980s or after the 1980s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In fact, the trend has been to eliminate the blue laws that were already
on the books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That, combined with
societal trends, shows that Sunday is LESS established as a day set aside for
worship today compared to the early 1980s.<o:p></o:p></div>
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2) The author treats Revelation as prophecy foretelling the
future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, prophecy in the Bible
can also be a way of “forthtelling,” or interpreting the events of the
present.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While portions of Revelation
are obviously looking ahead to a distant future, there is also a good amount of
“forthtelling” in Revelation much in the way that political cartoons
communicate certain ways of looking at current events.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Viewing Revelation as a series of “political
cartoons” is a better way of understanding much of Revelation compared to
viewing Revelation as a play-by-play of future events.<o:p></o:p></div>
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3) Any attempt to identify the United States as the primary
intention of a symbol within “The Apocalypse of John,” more commonly known as “Revelation,”
is an exercise in reading into the Bible what you want to find within the
Bible, a practice known as “eisegesis.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eisegesis
is widely considered to be a poor way of interpreting the Bible because it
prioritizes supporting what you already believe to be true rather than focusing
on what the Bible actually says.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here,
the author claims that the second beast of Revelation 13 is the symbol of the
United States, even though the author of Revelation clearly had the Roman
Empire in mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(It’s worth noting that
describing the Americas as an unpopulated wilderness also ignores the many
Native American tribes and other indigenous peoples that lived throughout North
and South America at the time they were “discovered” by Europeans.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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4) The identification of the first beast of Revelation 13 as
the Roman Catholic Church is an exercise in anti-Catholic bigotry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, the beasts of Romans 13 have the Roman
Empire in mind, not entities that would not exist for multiple centuries after
the writing of Revelation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The two
beasts along with the dragon of Revelation 12 form the triumvirate (Satan, the
military might of the Roman Empire, and the cultural oppression of the Roman
Empire) that opposes the Triune God.<o:p></o:p></div>
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5) The “seal of God” is given to us in baptism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is not a designation of Saturday as the
only day for worshipping the Lord.<o:p></o:p></div>
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6) The “mark of the beast” was a reference to a literal mark
on the hand that many Roman communities required you to bear before you could
buy and sell within the marketplace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Many Christian communities refused to bear this mark because participating
in the marketplace meant using currency that declared the Roman Emperor as Lord
of all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They viewed using this currency
as an implicit agreement with the declaration, which would put them in
violation of the 1<sup>st</sup> Commandment: “I am the Lord your God; you shall
have no other gods before me.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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7) The author tries to have it both ways when it comes to a
biblical event happening on “the first day of the week.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In appendix 10, the author discusses Acts
20:7-8, in which Paul meets with certain disciples on the first day of the
week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their time together includes a
moment where they “break bread,” a common reference for participating in what
we now know as Holy Communion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
author points out that a Jewish day goes from sunset to sunset rather than
midnight to midnight; therefore, according to the author, this group is still
worshipping on Saturday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, Paul
and the others would dispute this identification; for them, it is already Sunday.<o:p></o:p></div>
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8) Finally, all of this is based off of the author’s
insistence that the Sabbath must fall on Saturday, the last day of the week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The day of rest comes from the Genesis
accounts of creation, in which the Lord creates all things over the course of
six “days” before resting on the seventh “day.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>While many understand these to be 24-hour days, this is an assumption
that a “day” in this “pre-history” portion of the Bible is the same as a “day”
as we understand it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Meanwhile, Jesus
also told the Pharisees that “The Sabbath was made for humankind, and not
humankind for the Sabbath…” which is to say that which day we take to rest and
worship is not nearly as important as that we do stop and take a day for rest
and worship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The command and invitation
for Sabbath rest is meant to be a joy and blessing for us and not a
hardship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If taking Sabbath on a
Saturday (or Sunday) is a hardship, we should be free to designate another day
as our day of Sabbath rest rather than restricted to Saturday (or Sunday) or
bust.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Based on these objections, I do not recommend that you read
this book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you choose to read it, I
hope that you read it with your eyes open to the fact that the author is trying
to manipulate you into an absolute position regarding the day of worship, even
to the point of threatening you with damnation if you do not comply with his
reasoning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While his interpretation of
Revelation and other passages sounds informed, he is stretching the passages
beyond recognition so that they fit within his narrative.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the great crisis he wished to address has
never arrived in the past 36 years and the current trend lines move in the
opposite direction of what he feared would happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So if you choose to read this book, read it
without fear of coming judgment over whether you worship the Lord on Saturday,
Sunday, or another day of the week.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Did I miss anything?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Do you have other comments or questions regarding the book you received
or a portion of my writings here?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Share
your insights and questions in the comments below and we can discuss your
concerns!</div>
Pastor Curtis in IN-KY Synodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787219110844208151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444415300827622832.post-1460493939370170542019-07-22T08:50:00.001-07:002019-07-22T08:50:19.748-07:00Monday Thoughts on the Readings for Sunday, July 28, 2019This week, our Gospel reading is Luke's account of Jesus teaching the disciples to pray, including the Lord's Prayer. There is always a danger to preaching on a passage with a familiar story or text: we may be so comfortable with the story or text that we lean into what it has meant for us in the past without actually listening to it today and discerning what it might mean for us in the midst of current events and our current state of mind. How might we avoid that when it comes to the Lord's Prayer?<br />
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One way might be the congregation's adult Sunday School class, which is working its way through the curriculum <a href="https://www.augsburgfortress.org/store/category/286576/By-Heart" target="_blank">"By Heart: Conversations with Luther's Small Catechism."</a> This curriculum from Augsburg Fortress was released as a way of marking the 500th anniversary of the "official" beginning of the Reformation: Luther sharing his "95 Theses" with the community at Wittenberg and with other theological leaders of the Church. We are now working our way through the chapter focusing on the Lord's Prayer (a coincidence of timing), discussing Luther's explanations of each petition within the Lord's Prayer and what these explanations still mean for us today.<br />
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As always, I write these posts as invitations to join me in studying the passages for this coming Sunday by sharing your reflections, insights, and questions in the comments section. If you find an idea or a question coming into your mind as you read through this, please share it in the comments below so that we can talk it over!<br />
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<b>Genesis 18:20 - 32</b><br />
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20 Then the LORD said, "How great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and how very grave their sin! 21 I must go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me; and if not, I will know."<br />
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22 So the men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before the LORD. 23 Then Abraham came near and said, "Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you then sweep away the place and not forgive it for the fifty righteous who are in it? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?" 26 And the LORD said, "If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will forgive the whole place for their sake." 27 Abraham answered, "Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. 28 Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?" And he said, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there." 29 Again he spoke to him, "Suppose forty are found there." He answered, "For the sake of forty I will not do it." 30 Then he said, "Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak. Suppose thirty are found there." He answered, "I will not do it, if I find thirty there." 31 He said, "Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there." He answered, "For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it." 32 Then he said, "Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there." He answered, "For the sake of ten I will not destroy it."<br />
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<i>- What is the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah? For many years, we have been taught that the sin of these communities was homosexuality. But Ezekiel 16:48 – 50 suggests that there is more to the story: “48 As I live, says the Lord GOD, your sister Sodom and her daughters have not done as you and your daughters have done. 49 This was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. 50 They were haughty, and did abominable things before me; therefore I removed them when I saw it.” (Eze 16:48-50 NRS) The sin or “guilt” of Sodom was inhospitality, selfishness, and pride before we get to anything about “abominable things” like the attempt at sexually assaulting the two visitors in Lot’s home (Genesis 19:1 – 11). And, in the context of Ezekiel 16, the sin of Jerusalem trusting other nations like Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon instead of the Lord’s promises is pronounced to be a greater sin than the sin of Sodom. So what can we definitively say about why the Lord felt the need to destroy these communities?</i><br />
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<i>- This is one of several stories in which we see God change course. We also see this in the fate of Nineveh within the story of Jonah and the story of a dying king who offers a prayer of repentance and God grants the king 15 more years of life. What other stories feature the Lord changing course?</i><br />
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<b>Psalm 138</b></div>
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1 I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise;</div>
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2 I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness; for you have exalted your name and your word above everything.</div>
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3 On the day I called, you answered me, you increased my strength of soul.</div>
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4 All the kings of the earth shall praise you, O LORD, for they have heard the words of your mouth.</div>
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5 They shall sing of the ways of the LORD, for great is the glory of the LORD.</div>
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6 For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly; but the haughty he perceives from far away.</div>
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7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve me against the wrath of my enemies; you stretch out your hand, and your right hand delivers me.</div>
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8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.</div>
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<i>- The psalmist praises the Lord for the Lord’s actions that have protected and justified the psalmist when enemies have confronted the psalmist. I’m not sure how this acts as a response to the Genesis 18 passage, but it’s not my call.</i></div>
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<b>Colossians 2:6 - 15 [16 - 19]</b></div>
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6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have come to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a spiritual circumcision, by putting off the body of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ; 12 when you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with him, when he forgave us all our trespasses, 14 erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in it.</div>
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[16 Therefore do not let anyone condemn you in matters of food and drink or of observing festivals, new moons, or sabbaths. 17 These are only a shadow of what is to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Do not let anyone disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, dwelling on visions, puffed up without cause by a human way of thinking, 19 and not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from God.]</div>
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<i>- When we include Colossians 2:16 – 19, we see that Paul’s encouragement to trust the Lord’s promises given in baptism is a counter to the people who are trying to get these non-Jewish Christians to observe Jewish laws regarding circumcision, food restrictions, and festival occasions. Paul’s argument is that our baptism into Christ is all that we need for salvation; we do not need to pursue salvation through circumcision, legal righteousness, or “enough” points earned through good works and worship.</i></div>
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<i>- Paul argues that, because we are baptized into Christ, our new life in Christ includes a “spiritual circumcision.” Therefore, a physical circumcision is not necessary.</i></div>
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<i>- Here we see explicitly our forgiveness and redemption tied, or rather “nailed,” to Jesus’ death on the cross. Our records of guilt are left at the cross and we are covered by Jesus’ righteousness.</i></div>
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<b>Luke 11:1 - 13</b></div>
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1 He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." 2 He said to them, "When you pray, say:</div>
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Father, hallowed be your name.</div>
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Your kingdom come.</div>
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3 Give us each day our daily bread.</div>
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4 And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.</div>
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And do not bring us to the time of trial."</div>
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5 And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.' 7 And he answers from within, 'Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.' 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.</div>
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9 "So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? 12 Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"</div>
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<i>- I wonder what John taught his disciples about prayer…</i></div>
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<i>- “Missing” from Luke’s account of the Lord’s Prayer: reference to the Father being “in heaven;” the Lord’s will being done on Earth and in heaven; deliverance from evil; any mention of kingdom, power, and glory.</i></div>
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<i>- Worth noting: the word in Luke 11:4, ‘hamartia,’ is the Greek word for ‘sin.’ The Greek word for ‘trespass’ or ‘transgression’ in Colossians 2:13 is ‘paraptomata.’</i></div>
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<i>- Note the example of a request fulfilled not out of friendship but out of annoyance over the persistent requests: loaves of bread needed to feed a late-arriving guest. The metaphor is directed towards prayers offered on behalf of others, not on us carrying our wants and desires to the Lord, hoping the Lord acts like a vending machine and spits out exactly what we want.</i></div>
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<i>- Very few parents give a child a “gift” that would put their child in danger. On the other hand, very few parents give their child every single thing that they request or demand, either. How is Jesus’ comparison to a parent giving gifts to a child a good analogy? Where does the analogy fall apart?</i></div>
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Pastor Curtis in IN-KY Synodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787219110844208151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444415300827622832.post-43099462523024421982019-07-08T09:22:00.004-07:002019-07-08T09:22:56.078-07:00Monday Thoughts on the Readings for July 14th, 2019Greetings! After a couple of weeks away from the blog as part of my summer vacation, I am back to write about the Revised Common Lectionary readings for Sunday, July 14th.<br />
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This week, the congregation is hosting its annual Vacation Bible School week. Our theme for the week is the question "Who is My Neighbor?" which comes from the Good Samaritan story in Luke 10. This story also happens to be our Gospel reading for this week. Hmm, I wonder which of these four readings will be the focus passage for my sermon...<br />
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If you have any reflections, questions, or stories regarding the Good Samaritan passage, I'd love to hear them and discuss them with you as I prepare to preach on Sunday. Get the conversation started in the comments below!<br />
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<b>Deuteronomy 30:9 - 14</b><br />
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9 ...the LORD your God will make you abundantly prosperous in all your undertakings, in the fruit of your body, in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your soil. For the LORD will again take delight in prospering you, just as he delighted in prospering your ancestors, 10 when you obey the LORD your God by observing his commandments and decrees that are written in this book of the law, because you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.<br />
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11 Surely, this commandment that I am commanding you today is not too hard for you, nor is it too far away. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, "Who will go up to heaven for us, and get it for us so that we may hear it and observe it?" 13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, "Who will cross to the other side of the sea for us, and get it for us so that we may hear it and observe it?" 14 No, the word is very near to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart for you to observe.<br />
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<i>- The first verse of the Deuteronomy 30 reading includes a promise of abundant prosperity in all our undertakings. But when it comes to specifics, the verse names the “fruits” of our bodies, our animals, and our soil. So the promise of prosperity seems to be directed towards children, animals, and crops. This seems to place the promise of “prosperity” under the blessing given to Abraham (descendants) and the promise of daily bread/provisions (animals and crops).</i><br />
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<i>- I am sure that the writer meant Deuteronomy 30:11 (“…this commandment (to follow all the Lord’s commandments and decrees written in the book of Deuteronomy) is not too hard for you…”) to be sincere. But I hear a tone of sarcasm when I read it because we proclaim that we cannot perfectly follow the law.</i><br />
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<b>Psalm 25:1 - 10</b></div>
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1 To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.</div>
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2 O my God, in you I trust; do not let me be put to shame; do not let my enemies exult over me.</div>
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3 Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame; let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.</div>
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4 Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths.</div>
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5 Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long.</div>
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6 Be mindful of your mercy, O LORD, and of your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.</div>
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7 Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for your goodness' sake, O LORD!</div>
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8 Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.</div>
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9 He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.</div>
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10 All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.</div>
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<i>- Psalm 25:6 (“Remember, O Lord, your compassion and love, for they are from everlasting.”) could also serve as a calling and invitation to us. Remember the Lord’s compassion and love. This would pair with the theme for day 1 of VBS: we love because God first loved us (1 John 4:19).</i></div>
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<b>Colossians 1:1 - 14</b></div>
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1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,</div>
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2 To the saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ in Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.</div>
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3 In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You have heard of this hope before in the word of the truth, the gospel 6 that has come to you. Just as it is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world, so it has been bearing fruit among yourselves from the day you heard it and truly comprehended the grace of God. 7 This you learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, 8 and he has made known to us your love in the Spirit.</div>
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9 For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God's will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. 11 May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.</div>
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<i>- If we follow Paul’s train of thought, the community at Colossus has received the Good News well and is growing in both faith in Christ and love for the saints of the Church. Paul prays that their knowledge of God’s desires may grow so that they may bear fruit in all that they do. Paul also prays that they may be given (through the Holy Spirit?) enough strength and endurance to face the coming opposition/oppression.</i></div>
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<b>Luke 10:25 - 37</b></div>
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25 Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 26 He said to him, "What is written in the law? What do you read there?" 27 He answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." 28 And he said to him, "You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live."</div>
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29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" 30 Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, 'Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.' 36 Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" 37 He said, "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."</div>
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<i>- In another version of this story (Matthew’s version?), the questioner asserts that he “has followed all (the commandments) from (his) youth!” Jesus then invites him to sell his possessions, give the proceeds to the poor, and then join Jesus’ travelling group of followers. Here, the questioner focuses on the definition of “neighbor.” Just how widespread are my neighbors? How many people do I need to love like I love myself?</i></div>
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<i>- In Jesus’ day, the Jews hated the Samaritans. They have shared ancestry, but the Jews viewed the Samaritans has apostates from the truth faith. This is tied up in the divisions between the Northern and Southern Kingdoms as seen in 1 and 2 Kings as well as 1 and 2 Chronicles.</i></div>
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<i>- Who would be our version of “Samaritans?” For VBS, we are going with Chicago Cubs fans in opposition to Cincinnati Reds fans. Over time, the “Samaritans” have been Native Americans, people of African descent, Italians, Irish, practicing Roman Catholics, Germans, and Japanese immigrants. Now, the “Samaritans” would probably be asylum seekers from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador as well as immigrants from Mexico and various Central American countries.</i></div>
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<i>- The question shifts from “Who is my neighbor?” to “How can I be a good neighbor to others?”</i></div>
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Pastor Curtis in IN-KY Synodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787219110844208151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444415300827622832.post-66974890206616167512019-06-17T14:26:00.002-07:002019-06-17T14:26:36.321-07:00Monday Thoughts on the Readings for Sunday, June 23rdWe now leave the liturgical season of Easter behind and enter the long stretch known as the "season after Pentecost." While there are a few liturgical celebrations in the Fall, the lectionary will focus on stringing stories from Luke together so that we can hear the development of the one story within Luke and in some of the New Testament epistles (fancy word for letters).<br />
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We pick up the story in the 8th chapter of Luke and begin Paul's letter to the Galatians at its midpoint in the 3rd chapter of Galatians. There are a number of paths we can take for preaching these passages. What do you see? Let me know in the comments!<br />
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<b>Isaiah 65:1 - 9</b><br />
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1 I was ready to be sought out by those who did not ask, to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, "Here I am, here I am," to a nation that did not call on my name.<br />
2 I held out my hands all day long to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices;<br />
3 a people who provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens and offering incense on bricks;<br />
4 who sit inside tombs, and spend the night in secret places; who eat swine's flesh, with broth of abominable things in their vessels;<br />
5 who say, "Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am too holy for you." These are a smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all day long.<br />
6 See, it is written before me: I will not keep silent, but I will repay; I will indeed repay into their laps<br />
7 their iniquities and their ancestors' iniquities together, says the LORD; because they offered incense on the mountains and reviled me on the hills, I will measure into their laps full payment for their actions.<br />
8 Thus says the LORD: As the wine is found in the cluster, and they say, "Do not destroy it, for there is a blessing in it," so I will do for my servants' sake, and not destroy them all.<br />
9 I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and from Judah inheritors of my mountains; my chosen shall inherit it, and my servants shall settle there.<br />
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<i>- The verses are kept separated because the passage is written and presented as poetry.</i><br />
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<i>- To be clear, in Isaiah 65, the Lord is talking about Israel. The Israelites had a long history of not being totally faithful to the Lord and practicing syncretism, the worship of several different, even contrasting, gods. Verses 3 and 4 list several practices of worshipping other gods.</i><br />
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<i>- It seems that the people perceived to be the most holy among the population are the ones that are the greatest target of scorn from the Lord. This matches what we see during Jesus’ ministry.</i><br />
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<i>- In a culture that tends to throw things away when a part is broken, we hear the Lord proclaim that the Lord will not destroy the nation because there are good people within it.</i><br />
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<b>Psalm 22:19 - 28</b></div>
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19 But you, O LORD, do not be far away! O my help, come quickly to my aid!</div>
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20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my life from the power of the dog!</div>
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21 Save me from the mouth of the lion! From the horns of the wild oxen you have rescued me.</div>
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22 I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:</div>
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23 You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him; stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!</div>
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24 For he did not despise or abhor the affliction of the afflicted; he did not hide his face from me, but heard when I cried to him.</div>
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25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will pay before those who fear him.</div>
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26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the LORD. May your hearts live forever!</div>
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27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD; and all the families of the nations shall worship before him.</div>
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28 For dominion belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations.</div>
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<i>- Psalm 22 reveals that the Lord has heard the psalmist’s pleas for help. The psalmist calls other to join him in praising the Lord for saving him.</i></div>
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<i>- This portion of Psalm 22 is the portion we do not read when we strip the altar at the end of Maundy Thursday.</i></div>
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<b>Galatians 3:23 - 29</b></div>
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23 Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. 24 Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. 27 As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to the promise.</div>
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<i>- Normally, the lectionary’s second readings lead us through one of the letters in the New Testament. Due to the timing of the Easter season, we have missed the introduction to Galatians and everything that has led us to this declaration. If we focus on Galatians 3, we will need to recap Galatians 1 and 2.</i></div>
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<i>- The term for “disciplinarian” suggests something more like a nanny than a hard-driving and strict parent/coach/teacher.</i></div>
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<i>- This is a key passage in declaring that things like race, gender, and nationality will not be the primary markers of identity for the baptized. Our primary identity is that of child of god. Do we fully extend this to other ways that we identify ourselves and others (mainly sexuality)?</i></div>
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<b>Luke 8:26 - 39</b></div>
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26 Then they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me"-- 29 for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.)</div>
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30 Jesus then asked him, "What is your name?" He said, "Legion"; for many demons had entered him. 31 They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss.</div>
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32 Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.</div>
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34 When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. 35 Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 36 Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. 37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. 38 The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 "Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you." So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him.</div>
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<i>- Earlier passages in Luke 8 include Luke’s versions of the Parable of the Sower and Jesus and the disciples caught in a storm while crossing the Sea of Galilee on a boat.</i></div>
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<i>- Jesus and the disciples have left Galilee. They are now outside the nation of Israel and in the midst of Gentiles.</i></div>
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<i>- This is another example of demons correctly identifying who Jesus is and attempting to control him through that identification. However, Jesus reverses this attempt can casts them out of the gentleman in question.</i></div>
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<i>- The gentleman who has been healed leaves with the command to tell what God has done for him. He leaves to tell what Jesus has done for him. Is he intentionally identifying Jesus as God, or is this Luke’s sleight of hand?</i></div>
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Pastor Curtis in IN-KY Synodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787219110844208151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444415300827622832.post-67464518935701251392019-06-05T09:00:00.002-07:002019-06-05T09:05:21.914-07:00In Recognition of PRIDE 2019Many people participate in PRIDE events during the month of June. For those in SE Indiana who are looking for an event, know that these are the events at our nearby larger cities:<br />
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1) <a href="https://indypride.org/indy-pride-festival/" target="_blank">Indianapolis: June 8th</a></div>
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2) <a href="https://kypride.com/event/2019-kentuckiana-pride-festival/" target="_blank">Louisville: June 15th</a></div>
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3) <a href="https://www.cincinnatipride.org/" target="_blank">Cincinnati: June 22nd</a></div>
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If there are other events in communities within or closer to SE Indiana, I am not aware of them. If you are aware of another event closer to home, feel free to use the comments to publicize these events.</div>
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In recognition of these events, I am re-publishing a column I wrote for the local paper in early March after the conclusion of the <a href="http://www.umc.org/who-we-are/what-happened-and-what-didnt-at-general-conference-2019" target="_blank">United Methodist Church's General Conference</a>, where the majority of the gathered assembly voted to keep and reinforce bans against LGBTQ+ marriages and ordinations as well as increase the punishments levied against clergy who participate in these events. I know that some people will read this column and criticize it for not going far enough. I know that others will read this column and criticize it for going too far; in fact, the paper published four different responses to my column, all of which opposed what I wrote. One responder accused me of blasphemy. Another responder tried to define the Church as something that did not include me because of my column.</div>
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But there are LGBTQ+ people in my community who need to hear that the Church includes them. There are LGBTQ+ people in my community who need to hear that Jesus loves them as they are right now. And there are LGBTQ+ people in my community, as well as their family members, friends, and supporters, who long to find a place within the Church where they feel like they are welcomed, where they feel like they belong. All of these people and more need to hear statements like this after so many messages from others who have proclaimed that God hates them and that God will not love them until they swear off their sexuality.</div>
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So, in the attempt to demonstrate that there is at least one place where LGBTQ+ people in SE Indiana can attempt to trust the Church again, I republish my column from early March:</div>
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<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>"On Tuesday, February 26, the specially-called General Assembly of the United Methodist Church (or UMC) voted to keep and reinforce its rules banning LGBTQ+ people from being ordained as pastors and banning UMC pastors from presiding over LGBTQ+ marriages. Some people are celebrating this decision. Others are lamenting this decision, with some pledging to leave the denomination and others pledging to disobey the decision. Many expect the UMC to break apart in the next couple of years.</div>
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<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>My own denomination, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (or ELCA), has walked this road before. We are nearly 10 years removed from our 2009 Churchwide Assembly’s vote to keep a big tent, opening the door for LGBTQ+ ordinations and marriages while also welcoming individuals and congregations that would not agree to calling LGBTQ+ pastors or blessing LGBTQ+ marriages. Even so, many individuals and congregations left the denomination over this decision.</div>
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<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>From this experience, I say these things:</div>
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<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>To my LGBTQ+ siblings in Christ: I am sorry. I apologize for a branch of the Church once again telling you that you are welcome only to turn around and proclaim that you are not equal to straight people. You deserve to be fully embraced by the Church.</div>
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<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>To my UMC siblings in Christ: I continue to pray for you as you work through the fallout from this decision. I know the pain of disagreement over this very issue both personally and professionally. I and my ELCA colleagues will continue to walk with you as full communion partners.</div>
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<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>To those who have UMC friends grieving this decision: give them time to process what has happened. Offer your support, but refrain from inviting them away from their church unless they tell you they are ready to leave. A faith home is not easily abandoned.</div>
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<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>To my siblings in Christ who are celebrating, claiming they are 'standing for the Gospel' or 'standing for the truth' with this decision: I respectfully disagree. The 'Gospel' is the good news of Christ Jesus: his birth, his death, his resurrection, and what he has done for us through these things. This debate was a debate over the Law, not the Gospel. The Law cannot save; it can only condemn us for our sins. The faith we share depends on salvation through the Gospel, not the Law. Will we fight to keep the Gospel that saves or the Law that condemns?</div>
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<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>As we respond to this decision, remember to treat one another as siblings in Christ. If we cannot do this, then we have truly lost."</div>
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Pastor Curtis in IN-KY Synodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787219110844208151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444415300827622832.post-5193956630855138112019-05-20T13:46:00.000-07:002019-05-20T13:46:00.407-07:00Monday Thoughts on the Readings for Sunday, May 26thAt this point, we are deep into the Easter season. This is the final Sunday before The Ascension and two Sundays away from Pentecost, the final day of the Easter season. What does Jesus have left to say or to do? What else do we need to know?<br />
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We also hear the story of Paul's entry into Macedonia, a province of Greece, and the revelation of the New Jerusalem descending to Earth at the end of the age.<br />
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In the italicized text below, I have included my initial thoughts and reactions to these readings. I invite you to use the comment section below to share your thoughts, reactions, and questions.<br />
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<b>Acts 16:9 - 15</b><br />
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9 During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." 10 When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.<br />
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11 We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, 12 and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. 13 On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. 14 A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. 15 When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home." And she prevailed upon us.<br />
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<i>- The vision Paul receives comes to him after several attempts to take his ministry into the interior of modern-day Turkey were thwarted by the Holy Spirit.</i><br />
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<i>- Legend holds that Lydia became a leader in the Church at Philippi.</i><br />
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<i>- This would be the beginnings of the community that received Paul’s letter to the Philippians.</i><br />
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<b>Psalm 67</b></div>
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1 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah</div>
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2 that your way may be known upon earth, your saving power among all nations.</div>
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3 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.</div>
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4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. Selah</div>
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5 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.</div>
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6 The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, has blessed us.</div>
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7 May God continue to bless us; let all the ends of the earth revere him.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>- “The light of God’s face (shining) upon us” is an image of the Lord’s blessing and favor.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<b>Revelation 21:10, 22 - 22:5</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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10 And in the spirit he carried me away to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<div>
22 I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. 25 Its gates will never be shut by day-- and there will be no night there. 26 People will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27 But nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
22:1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 Nothing accursed will be found there any more. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; 4 they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
<i>- The verses we skip over give a detailed description of the city as it is established on Earth.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>- At this point in the vision, there is no need to shut the gates because the Lord has destroyed the anti-Christ and all of his allies. Anything else that exists at this time is welcome within the city walls.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>- I believe that “abomination or falsehood” is not a reference to sinful acts such as adultery and lying but rather a reference to purposeful acts of worship toward things or individuals other than the Triune God. I will double-check this later to be sure that I am reading this properly.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>- The water of life, here depicted as flowing from the throne of God, can be found all around us. We do not need “special” water from a sacred location. The presence of the Lord within the water is what makes water the “water of life.”</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>- The absence of darkness is another way of stating that there is an absence of evil and other entities or forces that oppose the Triune God. Unfortunately, this contrast of light and darkness has been used to justify racism (i.e. light = white skin, darkness = dark skin), and speaking exclusively within the light/darkness metaphor can be harmful to those who have been harmed by others using this justification.</i></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>John 14:23 - 29</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<div>
23 Jesus answered him, "Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
25 "I have said these things to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, 'I am going away, and I am coming to you.' If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe. </div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
<i>- How do we read, “Those who love me will keep my word…”? Is this a command to keep all of the Law? Is this a reference to a smaller subset of the Law? A reference to his teachings over the previous months and years? Or is this focused solely on these final instructions in John 13 – 17?</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>- “Advocate,” if I recall correctly, was a term used in the judicial system. Formally, it was a reference to a defense attorney. Informally, it was a reference to anyone who worked or testified in support of the defendant.</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>- People of “the world” usually give in ways that provide significant benefit the giver. Jesus’ gift of ‘shalom,’ or wholeness, is for our benefit and not Jesus’ benefit.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
</div>
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Pastor Curtis in IN-KY Synodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787219110844208151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444415300827622832.post-75074823995924203602019-05-13T11:58:00.000-07:002019-05-13T11:58:09.909-07:00Monday Thoughts on the Readings for Sunday, May 19thMy apologies, everyone. As we got closer to Holy Week, my schedule got more and more hectic, and I dropped my practice of sharing my first read of the revised common lectionary passages for the upcoming Sunday worship service. I'm going to try to re-establish this practice over the next few weeks.<br />
<br />
This week, we are re-visiting two stories we heard during Holy Week. In one case, we are re-reading a passage from the evening of Maundy Thursday. In another case, we are reading Peter's summary of that happened when he met Cornelius, to whom he addressed the speech we read on Easter Sunday. We also read the image of heaven, the "New Jerusalem," being established on Earth at the end of the age.<br />
<br />
There are many directions we can take from the starting points of these readings. What do you see within these readings? What seems to be the most important message? What questions are you left with? Which portions do you not recognize? Let's continue the conversation in the comments below!<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Acts 11:1 - 18</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, 3 saying, "Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?" 4 Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying, 5 "I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. 6 As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. 7 I also heard a voice saying to me, 'Get up, Peter; kill and eat.' 8 But I replied, 'By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.' 9 But a second time the voice answered from heaven, 'What God has made clean, you must not call profane.' 10 This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven. 11 At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were. 12 The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man's house. 13 He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, 'Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; 14 he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.' 15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' 17 If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?" 18 When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, "Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life."<br />
<br />
<i>- Acts 11 is Peter’s retelling of the Peter and Cornelius story (Acts 10) to a group of Jewish Christians who were upset that Peter had met with and baptized non-Jews. Peter’s defense is simple: God told me to do it. By the end of the story, the Jewish Christians who confronted Peter celebrate that the Lord is acting among the Gentiles.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>- Who would be the “uncircumcised men” in our context? What individuals or groups would cause shock and offense within the congregation if I met with them instead of approved individuals or groups?</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>- Does the quote about baptism by water and baptism by the Holy Spirit appear in Acts 10?</i><br />
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Psalm 148</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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1 Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise him in the heights!</div>
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2 Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his host!</div>
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3 Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars!</div>
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4 Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens!</div>
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5 Let them praise the name of the LORD, for he commanded and they were created.</div>
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6 He established them forever and ever; he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.</div>
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7 Praise the LORD from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps,</div>
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8 fire and hail, snow and frost, stormy wind fulfilling his command!</div>
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9 Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars!</div>
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10 Wild animals and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds!</div>
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11 Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth!</div>
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12 Young men and women alike, old and young together!</div>
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13 Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his glory is above earth and heaven.</div>
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14 He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his faithful, for the people of Israel who are close to him. Praise the LORD!</div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<i>- Did we leave anyone or anything out of Psalm 148?</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<b>Revelation 21:1 - 6</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<div>
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,</div>
<div>
"See, the home of God is among mortals.</div>
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He will dwell with them;</div>
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they will be his peoples,</div>
<div>
and God himself will be with them;</div>
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4 he will wipe every tear from their eyes.</div>
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Death will be no more;</div>
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mourning and crying and pain will be no more,</div>
<div>
for the first things have passed away."</div>
<div>
5 And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true." 6 Then he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>- I reference Revelation 21 quite a bit. I love the image of the New Jerusalem coming down to Earth. To me, this is an important image because it reverses our typical discussion of heaven. According to this revelation, heaven is not something that we will find far from creation; heaven is something that will be brought into creation and placed among us.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>- The Lord’s promises within this passage are that, at the end, the Lord will live among the Lord’s people and there will be no source of grief, sorrow, or pain within the Kingdom of Heaven.</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>John 13:31 - 35</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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31 When (Judas) had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32 If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. 33 Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, 'Where I am going, you cannot come.' 34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."</div>
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</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<i>- John 13:34 – 35
and its focus on the command “love one another” formed the central theme of the
2019 National Day of prayer.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<i>- I just preached
on this passage in April as part of our Holy Week services.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do we hear this passage when it is not
connected to our Maundy Thursday service?</i><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Pastor Curtis in IN-KY Synodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787219110844208151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444415300827622832.post-19870436864722685772019-03-25T12:30:00.003-07:002019-03-25T12:30:50.379-07:00Monday Thoughts on the Readings for Sunday, March 31st, 2019This Sunday will be the fourth Sunday in Lent. Traditionally, the fourth Sunday in Lent is set aside as a morning of celebration and joy instead of Lent's usual tone of penitence, sorrow, and impending death. On this fourth Sunday, we put away the purple paraments in favor of the rose (do not call them pink) paraments and allow the positive tone in worship to lift our spirits.<br />
<br />
Also, I am writing this post on March 25th, the day the Church celebrates "The Annunciation." This liturgical festival commemorates the Lord sending Gabriel to Nazareth. In Nazareth, Gabriel appears to Mary and announces to her that she will give birth to Jesus, the Son of God. Though this will not bear directly on our Bible passages for Sunday, it is an occasion worth marking and celebrating today.<br />
<br />
I invite you to read these passages from Joshua, Psalms, 2 Corinthians, and Luke with me as I prepare to preach this coming Sunday. What images and questions come to mind as you read these passages? What do you remember from previous times you studied these passages? What is something new that you found within the passage?<br />
<br />
I will share my first impressions by writing in italicized text. I invite you to share your first impressions in the comments below!<br />
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<br />
<b>Joshua 5:9 - 12</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
9 The LORD said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away from you the disgrace of Egypt." And so that place is called Gilgal to this day.<br />
<br />
10 While the Israelites were camped in Gilgal they kept the passover in the evening on the fourteenth day of the month in the plains of Jericho. 11 On the day after the passover, on that very day, they ate the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. 12 The manna ceased on the day they ate the produce of the land, and the Israelites no longer had manna; they ate the crops of the land of Canaan that year.<br />
<br />
<i>- The “disgrace of Egypt” likely refers to their status as slaves in Egypt after the line of Pharaohs forgot the history of Joseph and the Israelites.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>- We started this season of Lent with Deuteronomy 26, which proclaimed the ritual for the people to present their first fruits of the first harvest in the Promised Land. Joshua 5 proclaims that the people have now brought in and eaten from the first harvest, and so the manna is no longer necessary for the survival of the people.</i><br />
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<b>Psalm 32</b></div>
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1 Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.</div>
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2 Happy are those to whom the LORD imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.</div>
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3 While I kept silence, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long.</div>
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4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah</div>
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5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD," and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah</div>
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6 Therefore let all who are faithful offer prayer to you; at a time of distress, the rush of mighty waters shall not reach them.</div>
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7 You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with glad cries of deliverance. Selah</div>
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8 I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.</div>
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9 Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding, whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle, else it will not stay near you.</div>
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10 Many are the torments of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the LORD.</div>
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11 Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>- Psalm 32 continues the Lenten theme of confession, repentance, and forgiveness. Here, the psalmist proclaims that those who are forgiven are happy and speaks to his own confession and forgiveness.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<b>2 Corinthians 5:16 - 21</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. 17 So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. 20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<div>
<i>- On Ash Wednesday, our reading from 2 Corinthians began with 5:20b: “we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” This week, we get the verses that led into this plea from Paul and his companions.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>- Those who are in Christ are new creations now; they are not waiting to become new creations.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>- We are given the ministry of reconciliation and called to share the message of reconciliation. Is this the message you usually hear from pastors and evangelists?</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Luke 15:1 - 3, 11b - 32</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<div>
1 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him.</div>
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2 And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, "This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them."</div>
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3 So he told them this parable:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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11 ..."There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.' So he divided his property between them. 13 A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. 14 When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. 16 He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. 17 But when he came to himself he said, 'How many of my father's hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands."' 20 So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. 21 Then the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' 22 But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly, bring out a robe-- the best one-- and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!' And they began to celebrate.</div>
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<br /></div>
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25 "Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. 27 He replied, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.' 28 Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. 29 But he answered his father, 'Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!' 31 Then the father said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found."</div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<div>
<i>- In Luke 15:4 – 10, the verses that fill the gap in our reading, we find the parable of the lost coin and the parable of the lost sheep.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>- The “share of the property that will belong to me” is slated to be the younger son’s inheritance after the father dies. The younger son has decided that he cannot wait that long and asks for his inheritance now.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>- To be stuck feeding pigs, which Jews regard as “unclean” animals, was one of the most humiliating jobs for a Jew.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>- The son may not be worthy of being called the father’s son, but the father welcomes him without regard for his worthiness. Similarly, the Lord welcomes us without regard for our worthiness.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>- In his indignation, the older son overstates what he has done for the father, claiming that he (the older son) has been working “like a slave” for his father. He also disassociates himself from his brother by referencing him as “this son of yours.”</i></div>
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Pastor Curtis in IN-KY Synodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787219110844208151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444415300827622832.post-73731484692181200512019-03-18T12:29:00.000-07:002019-03-18T12:29:22.212-07:00Monday Thoughts on the Readings for Sunday, March 24th, 2019On the Third Sunday in Lent, we see several themes. We continue last week's "covenant" theme with a mention of the Lord's covenant with David. We also see multiple references to confession, repentance, and forgiveness. But the biggest claim we see within these passages addresses a common struggle among people who wrestle with their faith: are terrible events a sign of God's punishment?<br />
<br />
In the italicized text below, you can find my reactions and first impressions to these readings from Isaiah, Psalms, 1 Corinthians, and Luke. I invite you to share your reactions, questions, and comments below, especially those regarding how we understand the relationship between sin, tragic events (such as the current flooding in Nebraska and the mass shooting at a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand), and the Lord.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Isaiah 55:1 - 9</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
1 Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.<br />
2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.<br />
3 Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.<br />
4 See, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples.<br />
5 See, you shall call nations that you do not know, and nations that do not know you shall run to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.<br />
6 Seek the LORD while he may be found, call upon him while he is near;<br />
7 let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the LORD, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.<br />
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD.<br />
<br />
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.<br />
<br />
<i>- How do we define “everyone” in Isaiah 55:1? Does “everyone” include the nations we do not know that we shall call and receive because of the Lord our God (55:5)?</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>- Day laborers earned enough each day for the family to eat and not much more, if any more. To work for another purpose would mean sacrificing meals.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>- Notice that the Lord invites us to confession so that the Lord may give us mercy and forgiveness, and not just a lesser punishment.</i><br />
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Psalm 63:1 - 8</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<div>
1 O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.</div>
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2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory.</div>
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3 Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.</div>
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4 So I will bless you as long as I live; I will lift up my hands and call on your name.</div>
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5 My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast, and my mouth praises you with joyful lips</div>
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6 when I think of you on my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night;</div>
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7 for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.</div>
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8 My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. </div>
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<i>- The imagery, especially the reference to rich foods, in Psalm 63 suggests a high level of fulfillment and satisfaction if one receives the Lord’s covenant promises.</i></div>
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<b>1 Corinthians 10:1 - 13</b></div>
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1 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,</div>
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3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, and they were struck down in the wilderness.</div>
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6 Now these things occurred as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil as they did. 7 Do not become idolaters as some of them did; as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and they rose up to play." 8 We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 9 We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by serpents. 10 And do not complain as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down to instruct us, on whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall. 13 No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.</div>
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<i>- Paul claims that Christ was present in the manna in the wilderness and water from the rock in the same way as Christ is present within our spiritual food and drink. The connection to Holy Communion is apparent; it is less clear whether the water from the rock is meant to connect to the waters of Baptism or the wine of Holy Communion.</i></div>
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<i>- Paul references several moments during the Exodus where the people fail to follow the Lord’s directions and they are punished severely for it. Why is Paul, the resident expert on the Lord’s grace, suddenly focused on the Lord’s punishment for disobedience?</i></div>
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<i>- Verse 13 is likely the biblical justification for the phrase “God does not give us more than we can handle.” That’s a misunderstanding of Paul’s claim here. But the passage does suggest that the Lord does not intend to overwhelm us if/when the Lord challenges us. Of course, there are many more who can challenge us, and they will not show any restraint when it comes to finding and breaking our limits.</i></div>
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<b>Luke 13:1 - 9</b></div>
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1 At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 He asked them, "Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. 4 Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them-- do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did."</div>
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6 Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. 7 So he said to the gardener, 'See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?' 8 He replied, 'Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it.</div>
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9 If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'"</div>
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<i>- Is the claim “you will all perish just as they did” a threat to kill us or an observation that death without connection to the Lord is true death?</i></div>
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<i>- How many people need to hear that their current afflictions or the death(s) of their loved one(s) are not punishments from the Lord because of their past sin(s)? How many people are struggling with their faith because someone they trust told them that their troubles are either punishments from God or signs that they do not have enough faith?</i></div>
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<i>- A quick Google search reveals that it can take up to six years for a fig tree to mature and bear fruit. </i></div>
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Pastor Curtis in IN-KY Synodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787219110844208151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444415300827622832.post-11532683443574683352019-03-11T15:26:00.003-07:002019-03-11T15:26:52.338-07:00Monday Thoughts on the Readings for Sunday, March 17th, 2019We are now on the road to Holy Week. This past Sunday, Jesus was tested by the devil and proved that he truly is the Son of God. As we study the Gospel of Luke, Jesus' journey is, in large part, an intentional journey to Jerusalem...and Jesus knows exactly what Jerusalem is.<br />
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I have a lot of first thoughts and impressions regarding this set of readings assigned by the Revised Common Lectionary. You can find my first thoughts in the italicized text below. If you have any questions about what I have written or if you want to share your thoughts and questions about these passages, I invite you to share them in the comments below!<br />
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<b>Genesis 15:1 - 12, 17 - 18</b><br />
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1 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, "Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great." 2 But Abram said, "O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" 3 And Abram said, "You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir." 4 But the word of the LORD came to him, "This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir." 5 He brought him outside and said, "Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your descendants be." 6 And he believed the LORD; and the LORD reckoned it to him as righteousness.<br />
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7 Then he said to him, "I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess." 8 But he said, "O Lord GOD, how am I to know that I shall possess it?" 9 He said to him, "Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon." 10 He brought him all these and cut them in two, laying each half over against the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. 11 And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.<br />
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12 As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a deep and terrifying darkness descended upon him.<br />
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17 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. 18 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates..."<br />
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<i>- This is the second time that the Lord has appeared to Abram and promised many descendants and a land to call their own. The first occasion happened 15 years prior (Genesis 12). Also, this will not be the last time (Genesis 17 – 18).</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>- This ritual to seal the covenant was common in those days. By walking through the trough filled with blood, the ones agreeing to the covenant were symbolically saying “I pledge to fulfill my obligations within this covenant. If I fail to uphold my obligations, my blood may be spilled and my life may be forfeited.”</i><br />
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<i>- What are Abram’s obligations under the covenant? As far as we can tell, he has not pledged to do anything.</i><br />
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<b>Psalm 27</b></div>
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The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?</div>
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2 When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh-- my adversaries and foes-- they shall stumble and fall.</div>
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3 Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident.</div>
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4 One thing I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.</div>
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5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock.</div>
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6 Now my head is lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the LORD.</div>
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7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me!</div>
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8 "Come," my heart says, "seek his face!" Your face, LORD, do I seek.</div>
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9 Do not hide your face from me. Do not turn your servant away in anger, you who have been my help. Do not cast me off, do not forsake me, O God of my salvation!</div>
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10 If my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will take me up.</div>
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11 Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.</div>
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12 Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen against me, and they are breathing out violence.</div>
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13 I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.</div>
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14 Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!</div>
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<i>- In the face of any and all opposition, the psalmist remains confident in the Lord’s protection.</i></div>
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<i>- The psalmist professes a belief that he will see “the goodness of the Lord” in this lifetime. In much of the Old Testament, there is no mention of an afterlife, and death meant both the end of life and our separation from God.</i></div>
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<b>Philippians 3:17 - 4:1</b></div>
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17 Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. 18 For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. 19 Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 21 He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself. 4:1 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved. </div>
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<i>- If I recall correctly, the belly was believed to be the source of desires. Therefore, “their god is the belly” means that they are ruled by their desires, whether desires for food or for other material goods.</i></div>
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<i>- Paul claims that our citizenship is in heaven even as he took advantage of his citizenship in the Roman Empire on several occasions. Though he was a Roman citizen, Paul places his citizenship in heaven over and above his citizenship in the Roman Empire. We may be citizens of one of today’s nations, but for Christians, this citizenship should mean less to us than our citizenship in heaven.</i></div>
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<i>- Here is another occasion where Paul emphasizes the resurrection of the body. Our bodies that can be (and are) corrupted will be transformed into bodies that cannot be corrupted.</i></div>
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<b>Luke 13:31 - 35</b></div>
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31 At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, "Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you." 32 He said to them, "Go and tell that fox for me, 'Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. 33 Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.' 34 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 35 See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.'"</div>
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<i>- It may be true that Herod wants to kill Jesus, but it’s easy to read between the lines and see that the Pharisees are invoking Herod for their own desires to kill Jesus.</i></div>
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<i>- Jesus’ accusation that Jerusalem kills the prophets sent to it reminds me of the story of a landowner sending servants to ask for his cut of the harvest from the people renting and tending to the land. The people assault the servants, killing some of them. In response, the landowner sends his son, thinking the renters will respect his son; instead, the renters kill the son, hoping to inherit the land when the owner dies (or perhaps is killed by the same renters.</i></div>
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<i>- This comparison of Jesus to a mother hen is significant as it is one of a few feminine images of God.</i></div>
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<i>- “Your house is left to you” takes on new meaning when we remember that the Gospel of Luke was written around 85-90 AD, 15-20 years after the destruction of the Temple.</i></div>
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Pastor Curtis in IN-KY Synodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787219110844208151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444415300827622832.post-54695516985379151232019-02-27T12:06:00.003-08:002019-02-27T12:06:56.359-08:00Wednesday Thoughts on the Readings for Transfiguration Sunday (March 3rd) 2019It's been a rather hectic month in my ministry. My schedule has prevented me from taking the time to write up these reflections each week. For that, I apologize. I hope you will stick with me as I attempt to get back on track for writing these notes on a regular basis.<div>
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This week, the Church celebrates Transfiguration Sunday. This marks the moment when Moses and Elijah appeared next to Jesus in front of his most trusted disciples.</div>
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This occasion also comes around during a major controversy in the United Methodist Church. At a special assembly, the global denomination voted to keep and reinforce its prohibitions against LGBTQ+ marriages and ordinations. Many are upset over this decision, and expectations are that the United Methodist Church will not remain intact as one denomination for very long.</div>
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For those who need to hear it, I will say this: no matter your past, your present, your gender, your sexuality, or your politics, you are loved by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.</div>
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As for this week's readings, my first impressions are in the italicized text below. If you have insights, comments, or questions to share, I invite you to leave them in the comments below. I will get back to you as soon as possible so that we can discuss what you shared.</div>
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<b>Exodus 34:29 - 35</b></div>
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"29 Moses came down from Mount Sinai. As he came down from the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. 30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him. 31 But Moses called to them; and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke with them.</div>
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32 Afterward all the Israelites came near, and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. 33 When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face; 34 but whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he would take the veil off, until he came out; and when he came out, and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, 35 the Israelites would see the face of Moses, that the skin of his face was shining; and Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him."</div>
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<i>- While the original reason for a veil over the communion elements was to keep flies and other insects off of the bread and out of the wine, many have made a connection between the veil over the elements and the veil over Moses’ face after being in the presence of God.</i></div>
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<i>- This is the second time that Moses has returned from an encounter with God carrying the covenant tablets. The first time, Moses returned to discover the golden calf, which his brother Aaron had created while Moses was away. In response, Moses destroyed the first tablets.</i></div>
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<b>Psalm 99</b></div>
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1 The LORD is king; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!</div>
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2 The LORD is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples.</div>
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3 Let them praise your great and awesome name. Holy is he!</div>
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4 Mighty King, lover of justice, you have established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.</div>
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5 Extol the LORD our God; worship at his footstool. Holy is he!</div>
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6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel also was among those who called on his name. They cried to the LORD, and he answered them.</div>
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7 He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud; they kept his decrees, and the statutes that he gave them.</div>
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8 O LORD our God, you answered them; you were a forgiving God to them, but an avenger of their wrongdoings.</div>
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9 Extol the LORD our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the LORD our God is holy.</div>
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- For whatever reason, I have no thoughts or impressions in response to this passage.</div>
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<b>2 Corinthians 3:12 - 4:2</b></div>
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12 Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness, 13 not like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the people of Israel from gazing at the end of the glory that was being set aside. 14 But their minds were hardened. Indeed, to this very day, when they hear the reading of the old covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside. 15 Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; 16 but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.</div>
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2 Corinthians 4:1 Therefore, since it is by God's mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2 We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God's word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God.</div>
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<i>- 2 Corinthians 3:12 references a hope upon which the passage is based. Looking back to 2 Corinthians 3:7 – 11, we find that this hope comes from the “ministry of the Spirit,” which has replaced the “ministry of death,” aka the Law “chiseled in letters on stone tablets.” The Law arrived in glory, so the ministry of the Spirit must arrive and continue in greater glory than the ministry of the Spirit.</i></div>
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<i><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>- Perhaps this is our approach to the continuing controversy in the United Methodist Church. At their special assembly in St. Louis, the UMC has decided to stick with the ministry of death when it comes to the LGBTQ+ community. In contrast, the ELCA has (mostly) approached this issue over the last 10 years with a ministry of the Spirit, welcoming the LGBTQ+ community and recognizing them as children of God.</i></div>
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<i>- We can continue in our various ministries only because the Lord has drawn us into the ministry of the Spirit.</i></div>
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<b>Luke 9:28 - 36 [37 - 43a]</b></div>
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28 Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. 30 Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. 31 They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him.</div>
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33 Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah"-- not knowing what he said. 34 While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. 35 Then from the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!" 36 When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.</div>
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37 On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. 38 Just then a man from the crowd shouted, "Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. 39 Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him.</div>
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40 I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not."</div>
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41 Jesus answered, "You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here."</div>
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42 While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.</div>
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43 And all were astounded at the greatness of God</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<i>- Later in Luke
9, Jesus sets his face toward Jerusalem, beginning his journey to the city.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<i>- Do we read
Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus about his first departure (crucifixion and
death) or about his second departure (the ascension after the resurrection)?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<i>- Peter’s
instinct is to attempt to capture this moment by establishing a set of dwellings
similar to those created during the Jewish Festival of Booths.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<i>- Why does Jesus
snap at the father’s request for his son?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>To whom is he addressing this negative attitude?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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Pastor Curtis in IN-KY Synodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787219110844208151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444415300827622832.post-42797570400594410962019-01-30T08:39:00.003-08:002019-01-30T08:39:49.383-08:00Wednesday Thoughts on the Readings for Sunday, February 3rd, 2019As I write up my reflections, the Midwestern United States is suffering from a brutal cold snap. Many communities are experiencing below-zero temperatures with very dangerous wind chills. We pray for everyone's safety, especially those who cannot avoid being outside in this weather.<br />
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For the Revised Common Lectionary readings, we get the rest of the story of Jesus returning to Nazareth and teaching in the local synagogue; unfortunately, it does not go well. We also get a passage that we often hear during weddings but has more to say to us when we read the whole passage and read it in the context of the rest of 1 Corinthians. If this were not enough, we also get Jeremiah's call story.<br />
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You will find some of my thoughts and reactions to these stories in italicized text. I would love for you to share your first impressions from and questions to these passages in the comments below so that we can continue the conversation.<br />
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<b>Jeremiah 1:4 - 10</b><br />
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4 Now the word of the LORD came to me saying,<br />
5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,<br />
and before you were born I consecrated you;<br />
I appointed you a prophet to the nations."<br />
6 Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy." 7 But the LORD said to me,<br />
"Do not say, 'I am only a boy';<br />
for you shall go to all to whom I send you,<br />
and you shall speak whatever I command you.<br />
8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you,<br />
says the LORD."<br />
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9 Then the LORD put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the LORD said to me,<br />
"Now I have put my words in your mouth.<br />
10 See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms,<br />
to pluck up and to pull down,<br />
to destroy and to overthrow,<br />
to build and to plant."<br />
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<i>- Does Jeremiah 1:7 change much if we look at it as this?</i><br />
<i><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“But the Lord said to me, ‘Do not say, (insert excuse here); for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you.’”</i><br />
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<i>- The early part of the Jeremiah reading suggests that the Lord may also have had a particular calling in mind for us when the Lord created us. Do we sense that we were “born to do” something?</i><br />
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<i>- Jeremiah 1 reminds us that the youngest among us are also sent out as the Lord’s messengers and ambassadors. Sometimes, they are sent to us, their elders.</i><br />
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<b>Psalm 71:1 - 6</b><br />
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1 In you, O LORD, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame.<br />
2 In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; incline your ear to me and save me.<br />
3 Be to me a rock of refuge, a strong fortress, to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.<br />
4 Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and cruel.<br />
5 For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O LORD, from my youth.<br />
6 Upon you I have leaned from my birth; it was you who took me from my mother's womb. My praise is continually of you.<br />
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- Sometimes, we question whether a young child can truly have faith. Psalm 71 suggests that our relationship with the Lord can begin even before we are born.<br />
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<b>1 Corinthians 13:1 - 13</b><br />
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1 If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.<br />
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4 Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.<br />
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8 Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. 9 For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; 10 but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. 13 And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.<br />
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<i>- Is it possible to have faith outside of love? What does faith without love look like? Is it a form of escapism: “I have everything that I need, and the rest of the world can go to hell!”? Is it something like James 2:19 hints at: “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe – and shudder.”?</i><br />
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<i>- Reading 1 Corinthians 12 and 13 together suggests that our spiritual gifts will come to an end (at our deaths?) but faith, hope, and love will not die. Therefore, these things are greater than our spiritual gifts.</i></div>
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<i>- “Seeing in a mirror dimly” doesn’t mean much to us because we have high-quality mirrors in our homes. A better sense of Paul’s metaphor comes from trying to decipher details as we look at a reflection in a polished piece of metal. Mirrors in the ancient world were usually a piece of polished brass or bronze.</i></div>
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<b>Luke 4:21 - 30</b></div>
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21 Then he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." 22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, "Is not this Joseph's son?" 23 He said to them, "Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, 'Doctor, cure yourself!' And you will say, 'Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.'" 24 And he said, "Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet's hometown. 25 But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; 26 yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. 27 There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian." 28 When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. 30 But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.</div>
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<i>- The people of Nazareth are greatly offended by the idea that the Messiah might be sent into the world for Gentiles as well as Jews. The people want the Messiah to be for them alone. Do we hesitate or resist the Lord’s calling to ministry when that ministry is for the benefit of people not like us and/or for people outside of our community/state/nation?</i></div>
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<i>- What are reasons that families or congregations reject their children when they return home? Come home with a significant other that is not the same race/nationality; Come home with a significant other that is the same gender; Express a political belief system that contrasts with the family/congregation; Personal failure that the family/congregation cannot forgive... what other reasons can you add to the list?</i></div>
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Pastor Curtis in IN-KY Synodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787219110844208151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444415300827622832.post-33499905806680236382019-01-23T15:14:00.003-08:002019-01-23T15:14:30.492-08:00Wednesday Thoughts on the Readings for Sunday, January 27, 2019In Southeast Indiana, many congregations have had to cancel their Sunday worship services the past two weekends. Snow and ice have interrupted many congregational plans. We have also missed taking time to reflect on Luke's account of Jesus' baptism, Jesus' first of seven "signs" in the Gospel of John, and the giving of spiritual gifts through the one Holy Spirit.<br />
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So how do we come back from this weather-imposed hiatus? By diving into the image of the body of Christ and Jesus' visit to his hometown of Nazareth. Though we've likely heard and/or read these stories before, we may focus on something new this time around.<br />
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What are you hearing in these familiar stories as well as these verses from Nehemiah and Psalm 19? I'll share my impressions and questions in italics after each reading. I invite you to share your impressions and questions in the comments below.<br />
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<b>Nehemiah 8:1 - 3, 5 - 6, 8 - 10</b><br />
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1 ...all the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had given to Israel. 2 Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month. 3 He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law.<br />
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5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 Then Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, "Amen, Amen," lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.<br />
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8 So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. 9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep." For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law.<br />
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10 Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our LORD; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."<br />
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<i>- Why did the people cry as the Law was being read? Suggestions include: tears of joy; tears of confession that the people have not kept the Lord’s law for many years, perhaps for many generations; tears that the rebuilt Temple is not as large or grand as the Temple that was torn down by the Babylonians.</i><br />
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<i>- Is there a special significance to the location where this took place, the square before the Water Gate?</i><br />
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<b>Psalm 19</b></div>
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1 The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.</div>
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2 Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge.</div>
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3 There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard;</div>
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4 yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun,</div>
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5 which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy, and like a strong man runs its course with joy.</div>
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6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them; and nothing is hid from its heat.</div>
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7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the LORD are sure, making wise the simple;</div>
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8 the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is clear, enlightening the eyes;</div>
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9 the fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.</div>
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10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb.</div>
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11 Moreover by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.</div>
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12 But who can detect their errors? Clear me from hidden faults.</div>
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13 Keep back your servant also from the insolent; do not let them have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.</div>
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14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.</div>
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<i>- Psalm 19, which rejoices over how the Lord’s law/instruction spreads around the world, is a great pairing with the Nehemiah story in which the Torah is re-discovered, read, and interpreted to the Israelites.</i></div>
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<b>1 Corinthians 12:12 - 31a</b></div>
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12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body-- Jews or Greeks, slaves or free-- and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.</div>
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14 Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot would say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear would say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many members, yet one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you," nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." 22 On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; 24 whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, 25 that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.</div>
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27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But strive for the greater gifts.</div>
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<i>- How often do we fall short of Paul’s description of spiritual gifts and the Body of Christ in 1 Corinthians 12? How often do we proclaim certain spiritual gifts as superior and other spiritual gifts as inferior? How often do we declare that certain Christians are separated from the Body of Christ and that we do not need them?</i></div>
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<i>- The “greater gifts” are identified in 1 Corinthians 13.</i></div>
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<i>- How would you describe your personal strengths? What do you do well? How might you use your strengths and gifts to participate in what the Lord is doing within the world?</i></div>
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<b>Luke 4:14 - 21</b></div>
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14 Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. 15 He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.</div>
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16 When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:</div>
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18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,</div>
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because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.</div>
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He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind,</div>
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to let the oppressed go free,</div>
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19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."</div>
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20 And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 Then he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."</div>
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<i>- Jesus is returning from his baptism in the Jordan River (Luke 3) and his time of testing in the wilderness (Luke 4:1 – 13).</i></div>
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<i>- Jesus reads from Isaiah 61:1 - 2, but he seems to be re-interpreting Isaiah 61 as he reads it. He drops certain phrases and adds others so that what he reads is an accurate description of his mission.</i></div>
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<i>- While we can imply certain dropped phrases are covered by other phrases, the dropping of the phrase “to proclaim…the day of vengeance of our God” is a significant edit. It reveals that Jesus’ mission is not a mission of revenge against those who have harmed the people of God. Jesus’ mission will be achieved through acts of love, not acts of violence and war.</i></div>
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<i>- “The year of the Lord’s favor,” or year of jubilee, was intended to be a divinely-ordered reset of the world. In this year, all debts would be forgiven. In this year, all lands that had been sold would be returned to the family of the original owner so that the family could retain their original land rights from the time the Israelites entered the promised land. In this year, everyone could have a clean slate again.</i></div>
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<i><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>- Although Israel was supposed to observe a “jubilee” year every 50 years, there is no record of Israel ever carrying out a “jubilee” year.</i></div>
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Pastor Curtis in IN-KY Synodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787219110844208151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444415300827622832.post-5147971184488633372019-01-14T07:58:00.000-08:002019-01-14T07:58:32.313-08:00Monday Thoughts on the Readings for Sunday, January 20th, 2019On this snowy Monday morning, I am looking ahead to Sunday's readings as I prepare to preach. This week, we get the story of Jesus attending a wedding feast in Cana, where he bails out a host who runs out of a very important staple item for the feast. We also get Paul addressing a dispute among the Corinthians regarding the greatest spiritual gift and an interesting declaration in Isaiah. This set of readings is theologically rich and offers many opportunities for preaching themes.<br />
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Would you help me narrow this down to one focus? I invite you to read these passages with me. I will share my first impressions in italics. You have the opportunity to share your impressions and questions in the comments below. Let's study these passages together!<br />
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<b>Isaiah 62:1 - 5</b><br />
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1 For Zion's sake I will not keep silent,<br />
and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest,<br />
until her vindication shines out like the dawn,<br />
and her salvation like a burning torch.<br />
2 The nations shall see your vindication,<br />
and all the kings your glory;<br />
and you shall be called by a new name<br />
that the mouth of the LORD will give.<br />
3 You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD,<br />
and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.<br />
4 You shall no more be termed Forsaken,<br />
and your land shall no more be termed Desolate;<br />
but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her,<br />
and your land Married;<br />
for the LORD delights in you,<br />
and your land shall be married.<br />
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5 For as a young man marries a young woman,<br />
so shall your builder marry you,<br />
and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,<br />
so shall your God rejoice over you.<br />
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<i>- Who is the speaker here? Is it the Lord? Or is it a Judean stating an intention to pester the Lord until the Lord acts like he wants?</i><br />
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<i>- At the time this was written, people believed that both people and places were defined by their names. The meaning of your name defined a key quality about you or the place in question. So, if the local area was named “Azuvah” (“Forsaken”) and “Shmamah” (“Desolate”), you can assume it’s a tough place to live. But if it is names “Hephzibah” (“My Delight is in Her”) and “Beulah” (“Married”), you can assume that it is a wonderful area in which to live.</i><br />
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<b>Psalm 36:5 - 10</b></div>
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5 Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens,</div>
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your faithfulness to the clouds.</div>
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6 Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your judgments are like the great deep;</div>
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you save humans and animals alike, O LORD.</div>
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7 How precious is your steadfast love, O God!</div>
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All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings.</div>
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8 They feast on the abundance of your house,</div>
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and you give them drink from the river of your delights.</div>
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9 For with you is the fountain of life;</div>
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in your light we see light.</div>
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10 O continue your steadfast love to those who know you,</div>
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and your salvation to the upright of heart!</div>
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<i>- The Isaiah passage comes from what is known as “Third Isaiah” which addresses the people after they have returned from the exile and are rebuilding Jerusalem. The promise that the land will become prosperous once again matches the psalm’s references to all people taking shelter under the Lord’s wings and feasting upon the abundance of the Lord’s house.</i></div>
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<b>1 Corinthians 12:1 - 11</b></div>
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1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans, you were enticed and led astray to idols that could not speak. 3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says "Let Jesus be cursed!" and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except by the Holy Spirit.</div>
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4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses. </div>
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<i>- If you are concerned about false prophets, Paul gives us a clear test: if the person in question can proclaim “Jesus is Lord,” then the Holy Spirit is within that person.</i></div>
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<i>- Paul is attempting to settle a local argument over the greatest spiritual gift by pointing to the Holy Spirit and proclaiming that all spiritual gifts are equal to one another because they all come from the Holy Spirit. He then moves into the argument that all spiritual gifts are necessary for the health and well-being of the Body of Christ (we will look at this more next week).</i></div>
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<b>John 2:1 - 11</b></div>
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1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." 4 And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come." 5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." 6 Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to them, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim. 8 He said to them, "Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward." So they took it. 9 When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, "Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now." 11 Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. </div>
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<i>- Running out of wine would be a great embarrassment to the host of the wedding feast.</i></div>
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<i>- In the Gospel of John, we highlight seven moments as signs that Jesus is the Messiah. This is the first of these seven signs.</i></div>
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<i>- For those who can afford it, a wedding feast like this might continue all week. So the gathered community may need the 120-180 gallons of wine that Jesus has just created.</i></div>
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Pastor Curtis in IN-KY Synodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787219110844208151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444415300827622832.post-23865677403497181822019-01-09T08:33:00.002-08:002019-01-09T08:33:37.531-08:00Wednesday Thoughts on the Readings for Baptism of Our Lord Sunday 2019 (January 13th)This Sunday is "Baptism of Our Lord Sunday," which focuses on the day John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the Jordan River. Because we are focusing on the Gospel of Luke this year, we read Luke's account of this moment...which is rather bare in its description. There is no discussion between John and Jesus. We don't even get a description of the moment of baptism! We simply hear that Jesus was baptized during this time when John was baptizing many people. So, what does Luke tell us about this moment?<br />
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In our other readings, we get a proclamation from the Lord through Isaiah, and psalm declaring the Lord's power over creation, and an interesting journey for Peter and John into Samaria. There is plenty to consider here, and I hope you will join me in the discussion by commenting below.<br />
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<b>Isaiah 43:1 - 7</b><br />
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1 But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.<br />
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.<br />
3 For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you.<br />
4 Because you are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you, I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life.<br />
5 Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you;<br />
6 I will say to the north, "Give them up," and to the south, "Do not withhold; bring my sons from far away and my daughters from the end of the earth--<br />
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7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made."<br />
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<i>- The people were able to return to Jerusalem because Persia managed to conquer Babylon. How much territory did Persia conquer? Did their empire extend to Egypt and beyond? (Later answer: yes, it did! See <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achaemenid_Empire#/media/File:Achaemenid_Empire_under_different_kings_(flat_map).svg" target="_blank">this map from Wikipedia</a> depicting the expansion of the Persian Empire from the mid-500's BC to the early 400's BC.)</i><br />
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<i>- Arguing whether the Lord should exchange one people/nation for another concedes the claim that the Lord has the power and authority to make such exchanges in the first place.</i><br />
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<i>- Later in Isaiah, the Lord will proclaim that all other nations will stream to Jerusalem and receive the same blessings that the Israelites receive. We can infer this in verse 7, when the Lord calls for everyone “whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made” to be gathered into the kingdom.</i><br />
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<b>Psalm 29</b></div>
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1 Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.</div>
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2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory of his name; worship the LORD in holy splendor.</div>
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3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD, over mighty waters.</div>
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4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.</div>
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5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon.</div>
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6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox.</div>
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7 The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire.</div>
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8 The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.</div>
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9 The voice of the LORD causes the oaks to whirl, and strips the forest bare; and in his temple all say, "Glory!"</div>
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10 The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD sits enthroned as king forever.</div>
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11 May the LORD give strength to his people! May the LORD bless his people with peace! </div>
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- <i>Plenty of focus on "the voice of the LORD," which has the ability to speak things into being.</i></div>
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<b>Acts 8:14 - 17</b></div>
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14 Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15 The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit 16 (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). 17 Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.</div>
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<i>- The early church had different baptismal formulations. While the church eventually settled on baptizing people “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” it was common for people to baptize in the name of Jesus alone or even with the baptism of John (see Acts 19:1 – 7).</i></div>
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<i>- This may be the basis for the old practice of “confirming” baptisms. At one time, Roman Catholic bishops would travel across their territories and visit congregations to “confirm” all of the baptisms that had taken place since their last visit by laying hands on each of the baptized.</i></div>
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<b>Luke 3:15 - 17, 21 - 22</b></div>
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15 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, 16 John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."</div>
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21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."</div>
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<i>- The reading skips over the mention of Herod throwing John into prison in an attempt to keep the focus on Jesus.</i></div>
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<i>- There is a tradition which claims that, by being baptized in the Jordan River, Jesus made all water holy.</i></div>
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<i>- In Luke, there is a time delay between the baptism and the descent of the Holy Spirit.</i></div>
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<i>- Luke's account is focused on the descent of the Holy Spirit and the voice declaring Jesus to be "my Son, the Beloved." If we have read from the beginning, the declaration that Jesus is the son of God is not new information. The question becomes: "What does this add to our understanding of who Jesus is?" Does the presence of the Holy Spirit tell us anything?</i></div>
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<i>- Luke 3 continues by noting Jesus’ age at this time (30) as well as Jesus’ family tree stretching back to Adam.</i></div>
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Pastor Curtis in IN-KY Synodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787219110844208151noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444415300827622832.post-87419654916805218962019-01-02T08:16:00.005-08:002019-01-02T08:16:57.177-08:00Wednesday Thoughts on the Readings for Epiphany 2019 (January 6th)Happy New Year, everyone!<br />
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After the rush towards Christmas Eve, I am back to share my thoughts and reactions to the Bible readings (New Revised Standard Version) assigned by the Revised Common Lectionary for the upcoming Sunday. This week, we will celebrate Epiphany, which marks the arrival of the "Wise Men" or "Magi" at Jesus' home. This occasion also marks the official end of the Christmas season, which stretches from December 25th to January 5th (i.e. the 12 Days of Christmas).<br />
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While I will share my thoughts and responses to the passages in the italicized text below, I hope that the conversation does not end here. I encourage you to respond with your insights and questions regarding these passages so that we can discuss them.<br />
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<b>Isaiah 60:1 - 6</b><br />
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1 Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.<br />
2 For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you.<br />
3 Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.<br />
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4 Lift up your eyes and look around; they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from far away, and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses' arms.<br />
5 Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and rejoice, because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you.<br />
6 A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the LORD.<br />
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<i>- I’d bet that we hear this Isaiah reading today because of the references to light, gold, and frankincense.</i></div>
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<i>- “Thick darkness” in Hebrew is a reference to a cloud. “Thick darkness” covering the people may be something like a fog.</i></div>
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<i>- Who is the “you” being addressed by Isaiah 60? Is it Jerusalem?</i></div>
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<b>Psalm 72:1 - 7, 10 - 14</b></div>
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1 <Of Solomon.> Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to a king's son.</div>
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2 May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice.</div>
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3 May the mountains yield prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness.</div>
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4 May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the needy, and crush the oppressor.</div>
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5 May he live while the sun endures, and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.</div>
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6 May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth.</div>
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7 In his days may righteousness flourish and peace abound, until the moon is no more.</div>
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10 May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles render him tribute, may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts.</div>
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11 May all kings fall down before him, all nations give him service.</div>
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12 For he delivers the needy when they call, the poor and those who have no helper.</div>
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13 He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy.</div>
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14 From oppression and violence he redeems their life; and precious is their blood in his sight.</div>
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<i>- Psalm 72, which is “of Solomon,” reads like a king expressing his desires for the person who will succeed him on the throne.</i></div>
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<b>Ephesians 3:1 - 12</b></div>
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1 This is the reason that I Paul am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles-- <span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 2 for surely you have already heard of the commission of God's grace that was given me for you,</span><span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 3 and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words,</span><span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 4 a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ. </span><span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 5 In former generations this mystery was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit:</span><span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 6 that is, the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.</span></div>
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7 Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God's grace that was given me by the working of his power. <span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 8 Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ,</span><span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 9 and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things;</span><span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 10 so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. </span><span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,</span><span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 12 in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him.</span></div>
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<i>- Ephesians does not seem to address the Epiphany (or manifestation) of Christ but the inclusion of the Gentiles within the body of Christ.</i></div>
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<i>- Ephesians 3 makes several references to “mystery.” Culturally, we do not handle mystery well. We want to know the answer. When confronted with a mystery, we treat it as a problem to solve. In this case, the answer is something to be revealed to us.</i></div>
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<b>Matthew 2:1 - 12</b></div>
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1 In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,<span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 2 asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." </span><span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 3 When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him;</span><span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 4 and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. </span><span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 5 They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:</span></div>
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6 'And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.'"</div>
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7 Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. <span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 8 Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage." </span><span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 9 When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. </span><span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 10 When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. </span><span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 11 On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. </span><span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 12 And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.</span></div>
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<i>- Does the fact that King Herod is unaware of Jesus’ birth reveal the bubble he existed within? After all, I doubt that the shepherds only spoke of his birth on that first night; they likely shared the news with others, who likely told others… But Herod first hears of Jesus’ birth from these foreign travelers. (Think “Nobody I know voted for (President Richard Nixon)!”)</i></div>
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<i>- Matthew 2:13 – 18 tells the rest of the story. An angel appears to Joseph in a dream, commanding him to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt to avoid the wrath of Herod (this is the basis for calling Jesus a “refugee”). Herod realizes that the Wise Men are not going to return to him and share Jesus’ location, so he decrees that all male children in Bethlehem under the age of 2 should be killed to protect his power. (This is what the Church commemorates on December 28th with “Holy Innocents.”)</i></div>
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<i><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>- Is this how we react to change, to “threats” to our traditions and preferences? Do we attempt to hunt down and destroy anything that may force us to question what we have always believed and what we have always done?</i></div>
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Pastor Curtis in IN-KY Synodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787219110844208151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444415300827622832.post-18585688110442053152018-12-12T11:02:00.000-08:002018-12-12T11:02:17.886-08:00Wednesday Thoughts on the Readings for Sunday, December 16th, 2018This Sunday will be the third Sunday of Advent. Traditionally, the theme of the day is Joy. Some of the messages from John the Baptist may not reflect this theme, but ultimately the announcement from John is something to celebrate. Zephaniah also announces news worth celebrating after several proclamations of doom and gloom. Meanwhile, both Isaiah and Paul's letter to the Philippians invite us to rejoice and celebrate what the Lord has done for the Lord's people.<div>
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My other thoughts on these readings can be found below in the italicized text. If you would like to discuss or debate what I have written, or if you would like to share your own opinions and questions, I invite you to write in the comments below. I pledge to respond to all comments.</div>
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<b>Zephaniah 3:14 - 20</b></div>
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14 Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem!</div>
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15 The LORD has taken away the judgments against you, he has turned away your enemies. The king of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more.</div>
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16 On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak.</div>
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17 The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing</div>
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18 as on a day of festival. I will remove disaster from you, so that you will not bear reproach for it.</div>
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19 I will deal with all your oppressors at that time. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth.</div>
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20 At that time I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the LORD.</div>
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<i>- The entirety of Zephaniah reads like a shorter version of Isaiah 13 – 23, which is a series of woe oracles against Israel and the surrounding nations. Here in Zephaniah, the Lord declares a punishment against Jerusalem and Israel because the people have worshipped foreign gods. The Lord also declares a punishment against the nations that mock Israel during its suffering. The mood changes at the end of Zephaniah: the Lord will gather together the faithful remnant of Israel, re-establish the city of Jerusalem and the nation of Israel, and defeat the nations that are oppressing the Israelites.</i></div>
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<i>- Zephaniah may be one of the reasons why many Jews rejected Jesus. Zephaniah tells of the Lord arriving in the city as a warrior, perhaps a warrior king. This was paired with the saving of the lame and the gathering of the outcast, which were hallmarks of the ministry of Jesus. Therefore, the people may have connected his miracles to Zephaniah and expected that Jesus was the promised warrior king.</i></div>
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<b>Isaiah 12:2 - 6</b></div>
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2 Surely God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid, for the LORD GOD is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation.</div>
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3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.</div>
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4 And you will say in that day: Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known his deeds among the nations; proclaim that his name is exalted.</div>
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5 Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously; let this be known in all the earth.</div>
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6 Shout aloud and sing for joy, O royal Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.</div>
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<i>- It’s interesting that we cut verse 1 out of Isaiah 12: “You will say in that day: I will give thanks to you, O LORD, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, and you comforted me.” (Isa 12:1 NRS)</i></div>
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<i>- We are quick to read “the Holy One of Israel” in Isaiah 12:6 as Jesus. But what/whom did the Israelites at the time of the exile identify as “the Holy One of Israel.”</i></div>
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<b>Philippians 4:4 - 7</b></div>
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4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. </div>
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<i>- Back when Advent was a penitential season similar to Lent, the third Sunday of Advent was the one Sunday in the season during which the mood was playful and joyful. The pink/rose candle in the Advent wreath represents this day to “rejoice.”</i></div>
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<b>Luke 3:7 - 18</b></div>
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7 John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 9 Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."</div>
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10 And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?" 11 In reply he said to them, "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise." 12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?" 13 He said to them, "Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you." 14 Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what should we do?" He said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages."</div>
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15 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, 16 John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."</div>
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18 So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.</div>
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<i>- The empire asked tax collectors to collect a prescribed amount of taxes from an area. It was common for tax collectors to charge even higher amounts from the citizens within their zone of responsibility; these additional taxes became the tax collector’s salary.</i></div>
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<i>- It was also common for military members to force non-Roman citizens to carry equipment, weapons, and other items for a mile so that the soldier could rest. It appears that these military members have also been intimidating local citizens until the citizens paid a “protection fee.”</i></div>
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<i>- We immediately understand the tree about to be cut down as representing one person. But what if we read it as representing one nation, instead?</i></div>
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<i>- While the wheat (the good) and the chaff (the bad) are separated on the threshing floor, each grain of wheat originally comes with chaff around the grain of wheat. We tend to read this as the good people go to heaven and the bad people go to hell, but what if this is more like purification? Each of us is “threshed” until our chaff is separated from us and tossed away/into the fire.</i></div>
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Pastor Curtis in IN-KY Synodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787219110844208151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444415300827622832.post-62878622132869901322018-12-03T14:39:00.001-08:002018-12-03T14:39:30.650-08:00Monday Thoughts on the Readings for Sunday, December 9th, 2018On this second Sunday of Advent, our readings focus on John the Baptist. Our first reading is the prophecy from Malachi that a messenger will come to prepare the way of the Lord. Our psalm reading is replaced by the Song of Zechariah, John's father. And our Gospel reading is the first portion of the Luke's first story of John's public ministry.<br />
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So, how does John help us prepare for the arrival of Christ? That is a question to ponder this week as we prepare for worship on Sunday.<br />
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You can find my initial reactions to these readings in the italicized text below. I invite you to share your insights, questions, and reactions in the comment section below so that we can continue to discuss these readings.<br />
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<br />
<b>Malachi 3:1 - 4</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight-- indeed, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?<br />
<br />
For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap; 3 he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the LORD in righteousness. 4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years.<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>- “Malachi” means “my messenger.”</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>- Malachi declares that a messenger is on the way. This is not just any messenger, but a “messenger of the covenant.” This messenger will have a connection to the promises the Lord has made to the people of Israel.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>- This messenger will be a purifier of the Levites. This makes it a bit awkward to read through a Christological lens. After all, weren’t the Levites opposed to Jesus and his ministry? But if we view Christ on the cross as a sacrifice for our atonement (meaning that which restores the relationship between the Lord and us), then the role of the Levites falls into place; they are purified to offer the one great sacrifice.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>- That being said, how would this message make sense without Christ? How was it understood by the first people to receive it?</i><br />
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<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Luke 1:68 - 79</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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68 "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.</div>
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69 He has raised up a mighty savior for us in the house of his servant David,</div>
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70 as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,</div>
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71 that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.</div>
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72 Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors, and has remembered his holy covenant,</div>
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73 the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham, to grant us</div>
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74 that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear,</div>
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75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.</div>
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76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,</div>
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77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins.</div>
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78 By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us,</div>
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79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."</div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<i>- Luke 1 tells
the story of the birth of John the Baptist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>An angel appears to Zechariah as he was in the Temple offering a
sacrifice of incense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The angel reveals
that Zechariah’s wife, Elizabeth, will give birth to a son, and they are to
name the child John.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To this point,
Zechariah and Elizabeth have not been able to have children, and they are
getting older, likely older than most people would expect them to give birth to
children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So Zechariah asks how he may
trust the message.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The angel responds by
taking away Zechariah’s voice until the child is born.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Months later, Elizabeth gives birth to a
son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the day of his naming, the
people want to name the child Zechariah, but Elizabeth and Zechariah insist
that his name is John.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this moment,
Zechariah regains his voice, and this song recorded in Luke 1:68 – 79 is what
pours out of his mouth.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<i>- When the song
changes from a general blessing to a direct address to “you, child,” we can
picture Zechariah holding John in his arms and sharing the proclamation
Zechariah received from the angel.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Philippians 1:3 - 11</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<div>
3 I thank my God every time I remember you, 4 constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, 5 because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. 7 It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God's grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus. 9 And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight 10 to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, 11 having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<i>- One can read
Philippians 1:3 – 11 and believe that this is a call to good works because the
Lord will only save those who produce “the harvest of righteousness.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, this reading would ignore the
earlier statement from Paul in which he expresses confidence “that the one who
began a good work among you (ed. ~ “you” is plural) will bring it to completion
by the day of Jesus Christ.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The harvest
of righteousness comes not from our desire and effort to do good works; the
harvest of righteousness comes from the Lord’s work within us, planting the
seed of faith and helping that seed sprout and grow.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<i>- The references
to the “day of Christ” look ahead to the end of the age when Christ will arrive
on the Earth, resurrect us from the dead, and bring us into the Kingdom of God.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Luke 3:1 - 6</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<div>
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 4 as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,</div>
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"The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:</div>
<div>
'Prepare the way of the Lord,</div>
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make his paths straight.</div>
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5 Every valley shall be filled,</div>
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and every mountain and hill shall be made low,</div>
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and the crooked shall be made straight,</div>
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and the rough ways made smooth;</div>
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6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'"</div>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<i>- In Luke 3, John
is undertaking the calling that was given to him even before his birth.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<i>- “…and all flesh
shall see the salvation of God.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is
not in the original proclamation from Isaiah 40:3 – 5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There, the proclamation concludes by saying “Then
the glory of God shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for
the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Perhaps this includes another proclamation from Isaiah, this time 52:10:
“The LORD has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations; and all
the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Either way, there is a connection between “the
glory of the Lord” and “the salvation of God” who comes to Earth and gives his
life for us.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<i>- Look at all
these great names, and yet the word of the Lord comes to John son of
Zechariah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What does this tell us about who
is worthy to be the messenger of God?</i><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Pastor Curtis in IN-KY Synodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787219110844208151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444415300827622832.post-28404231271533128182018-11-27T14:35:00.001-08:002018-11-27T14:35:49.587-08:00Tuesday Thoughts on the Readings for Sunday, December 2nd, 2018HAPPY NEW YEAR!<br />
<br />
<i>Aren't you a little early with that, pastor?</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
By the typical calendar year, yes, of course. However, by the liturgical calendar, we wrapped up the year with Christ the King Sunday on November 25th and we begin a new year with the first Sunday of Advent on December 2nd.<br />
<br />
<i>Oh, Advent! So we are preparing for Christmas, right?</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Well, yes and no. "Advent" comes from the Latin word "advenio," which means "to arrive." Advent is the season of the Church where we focus on the arrival of Christ. And yes, that does mean the arrival of the baby Jesus at Christmas. But it also means the future arrival of Jesus, when he will raise the dead from their graves and bring the Lord's people into the complete Kingdom (or Reign) of God on Earth. At the beginning of Advent, we are more focused on the future arrival of Jesus. As the season goes along, we will shift our focus to the first arrival of Jesus.<br />
<br />
Keep this in mind as we take a look at the readings for this upcoming Sunday, December 2nd. While the world around us is charging ahead towards Christmas, our readings this week are more focused on the future arrival of Jesus.<br />
<br />
What else do you see within these readings? What questions are you left with? Share your insights and questions in the comments below so that we can continue the conversation!<br />
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<br />
<b>Jeremiah 33:14 - 16</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
14 The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 15 In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 16 In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: "The LORD is our righteousness."<br />
<br />
<i>- Oftentimes in the Old Testament, key ideas or claims will be repeated. This is especially true in Hebrew poetry. However, in this case, the “house of Israel and the house of Judah” are separate entities, reflecting the split in the kingdom after the death of Solomon.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>- Interestingly, Jeremiah claims that Judah will be saved and Jerusalem, a city within the borders of Judah, will live in safety. What has happened to Israel? If my timeline is correct, Israel has already been captured by Assyria and no longer exists as an independent nation. Therefore, the pledge to protect and preserve goes to the nation that still exists at the time of the proclamation.</i><br />
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<b>Psalm 25:1 - 10</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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1 To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.</div>
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2 O my God, in you I trust; do not let me be put to shame; do not let my enemies exult over me.</div>
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3 Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame; let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.</div>
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4 Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths.</div>
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5 Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long.</div>
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6 Be mindful of your mercy, O LORD, and of your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.</div>
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7 Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for your goodness' sake, O LORD!</div>
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8 Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.</div>
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9 He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.</div>
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10 All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his decrees. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>- I don’t understand the choice of the first ten verses of Psalm 25 to pair with the Jeremiah 33 reading. If we wanted to use Psalm 25, the back half of the Psalm appears to be a better fit. In the back half, we get the proclamation that those who fear the Lord “will abide in prosperity, and their children shall possess the land” (verse 13) and the psalmist’s plea, “Redeem Israel, O God, out of all its troubles.” (verse 22) These fit the Jeremiah discussion of what is happening for the people of Judah. The rest of Psalm 25 is a self-focused psalm that does not fit with Jeremiah 33.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<b>1 Thessalonians 3:9 - 13</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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9 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you? 10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and restore whatever is lacking in your faith.</div>
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11 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. 12 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. 13 And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<i>- This 1 Thessalonians reading is an odd choice as well. There’s a token reference to the arrival of Jesus with all of his saints, but it merely introduces the topic rather than include more of the letter to further discuss the idea in detail.</i></div>
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<b>Luke 21:25 - 36</b></div>
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25 "There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves.</div>
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26 People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.</div>
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27 Then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in a cloud' with power and great glory.</div>
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28 Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."</div>
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29 Then he told them a parable: "Look at the fig tree and all the trees;</div>
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30 as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near.</div>
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31 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near.</div>
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32 Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place.</div>
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33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.</div>
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34 "Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day catch you unexpectedly,</div>
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35 like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth.</div>
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36 Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man."</div>
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<br /></div>
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<div>
<i>- “The Son of Man coming in a cloud” uses the same image that described a king or a general arriving in a city. We saw this phrase twice in the readings for Christ the King Sunday.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>- “Nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves” could be drawing on the sea as a symbol of chaos. The nations are confused by the chaos around them.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>- “Pass away” can be restated as “come to an end.” Revelation suggests that heaven and earth will come to an end so that the New Jerusalem can be established on Earth. These things will not disappear completely (though this is how the New Living Translation decides to translate/paraphrase this verse), but they will be so completely reformed that they must be identified as brand new.</i></div>
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Pastor Curtis in IN-KY Synodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787219110844208151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444415300827622832.post-71692910554735423982018-11-14T14:36:00.003-08:002018-11-14T14:36:50.790-08:00Wednesday Thoughts on the Readings for the 2018 WELCA Thankoffering Service (November 18, 2018)Every year, Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (also known as Women of the ELCA or WELCA) organizes a "Thankoffering" service. The service comes from a 19th Century practice of women collecting pennies and other coins throughout the year and bringing these coins to the Church as an offering. Through these penny collections, women raised the money to build new church buildings, send missionaries around the world, and fund many other ministries of local congregations and national church bodies. Today, these "Thankofferings" are a major funding source for the national ministries of the Women of the ELCA. You can learn more about the history behind the <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/filebin/pdf/resources/AllAboutThankofferings.n.pdf" target="_blank">Thankoffering Service here</a>.<br />
<br />
In a service designed around a special offering, you might expect a strong focus on stewardship and generosity. In the suggested readings, however, there is a strong focus on the image of water. In many cases, we are talking about literal water; in other cases, water serves as the symbol of Baptism. From there, we can make the claim that our freedom from sin and death, which is given to us in Baptism, frees us to be generous with our time and our resources.<br />
<br />
As always, the readings for this Sunday are below. My comments are the readings are in italics. My comments are meant to be the starting point of discussions and not the ending point of discussions. If you have an insight to share, a dispute with something I've said, a question to raise regarding one of the readings, or any other response to what is shared here, I invite you to post it in the comments below so that we can continue the conversation.<br />
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<br />
<b>Exodus 17:1 - 7</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
1 From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.<br />
2 The people quarreled with Moses, and said, "Give us water to drink." Moses said to them, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?"<br />
3 But the people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, "Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?"<br />
4 So Moses cried out to the LORD, "What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me."<br />
5 The LORD said to Moses, "Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go.<br />
6 I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink." Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel.<br />
7 He called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled and tested the LORD, saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?"<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>- The whole point of this story is that the Lord will provide, even when it seems impossible. Finding a source of water large enough for the Israelites within a random rock/cliff/boulder in the wilderness? Impossible! Until it happens.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>- “Rock” does not tell us much about where Moses found the Lord’s source of water. The alternate translations of “cliff” and “boulder” tell us more and are a better description of a location that can hold large amounts of water.</i><br />
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<b>Psalm 104:1, 5 - 15</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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1 Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great. You are clothed with honor and majesty.</div>
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</div>
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5 You set the earth on its foundations, so that it shall never be shaken.</div>
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6 You cover it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.</div>
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7 At your rebuke they flee; at the sound of your thunder they take to flight.</div>
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8 They rose up to the mountains, ran down to the valleys to the place that you appointed for them.</div>
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9 You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth.</div>
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10 You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills,</div>
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11 giving drink to every wild animal; the wild asses quench their thirst.</div>
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12 By the streams the birds of the air have their habitation; they sing among the branches.</div>
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13 From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work.</div>
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14 You cause the grass to grow for the cattle, and plants for people to use, to bring forth food from the earth,</div>
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15 and wine to gladden the human heart, oil to make the face shine, and bread to strengthen the human heart.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<i>- This is a long psalm. Here, we focus on the portions discussing water and how the Lord has created, controlled, and used water for the sake of Creation. We hear echos of the Creation story and the Flood. We also see that water has a central role in Creation, for all of life depends on water.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<b>1 Corinthians 12:12 - 31</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.</div>
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13 For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body-- Jews or Greeks, slaves or free-- and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.</div>
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14 Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many.</div>
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15 If the foot would say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body.</div>
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16 And if the ear would say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body.</div>
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17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?</div>
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18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.</div>
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19 If all were a single member, where would the body be?</div>
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20 As it is, there are many members, yet one body.</div>
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21 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you," nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."</div>
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22 On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,</div>
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23 and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect;</div>
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24 whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member,</div>
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25 that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another.</div>
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26 If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.</div>
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27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.</div>
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28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues.</div>
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29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?</div>
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30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?</div>
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31 But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<div>
<i>- 1 Corinthians 12 does not reference a body of water, but Paul bases his entire argument on the fact that we are all baptized into one body. The waters of baptism and the Holy Spirit mean that every person and every community has a role to play/serve within the Church.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>- We often read 1 Corinthians 12 and apply it to individuals. Does our understanding of the passage change if we apply it to congregations and communities? Does our understanding of the passage change if we claim that every congregation has a role to play within the Church and that we cannot cut our congregation off from the Church without causing the Church and our congregation to suffer?</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>- The Thankoffering can be wrapped into this passage. Though we wonder if our small gift means anything, the national WELCA organization thrives off of the many small gifts coming together to fund various ministries.</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>John 4:5 - 26</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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5 So he came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.</div>
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6 Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon.</div>
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7 A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink."</div>
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8 (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.)</div>
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9 The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?" (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.)</div>
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10 Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water."</div>
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11 The woman said to him, "Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water?</div>
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12 Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?"</div>
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13 Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again,</div>
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14 but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life."</div>
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15 The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water."</div>
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16 Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come back."</div>
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17 The woman answered him, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You are right in saying, 'I have no husband';</div>
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18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true!"</div>
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19 The woman said to him, "Sir, I see that you are a prophet.</div>
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20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem."</div>
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21 Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.</div>
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22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.</div>
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23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him.</div>
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24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."</div>
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25 The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming" (who is called Christ). "When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us."</div>
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26 Jesus said to her, "I am he, the one who is speaking to you."</div>
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<i>- We again wrestle with the question of where water will come from. Can Jesus draw water from this well when he has no bucket? Impossible! But in this case, Jesus is talking in symbolic terms, not literal terms.</i></div>
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<i>- The living water of baptism will be the source of living water/eternal life within us.</i></div>
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<i>- Our gifts can also be the spring of water that sustains others.</i></div>
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Pastor Curtis in IN-KY Synodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787219110844208151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444415300827622832.post-7734094133596737892018-11-05T11:44:00.002-08:002018-11-05T11:44:35.572-08:00Monday Thoughts on the Readings for Sunday, November 11th, 2018After two festival Sundays, we return to the letter to the Hebrews and the Gospel of Mark. The letter and the Gospel have advanced a couple of chapters, so we will not be able to build upon the previous stories without telling the previous stories that we have skipped over.<br />
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Across the readings, we have a theme of sacrifice and sacrificial giving. When it comes to the widows, we focus on their giving from the little that they have. When it comes to Jesus, we focus on how he sacrificed everything for us and then testifies on our behalf.<br />
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As you read through these Bible readings, what stands out as important to you? What leaves you wanting to know more or questioning the significance of a particular detail? I invite you to start the conversation around these things in the comments below!<br />
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<b>1 Kings 17:8 - 16</b><br />
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8 Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying, 9 "Go now to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and live there; for I have commanded a widow there to feed you." 10 So he set out and went to Zarephath. When he came to the gate of the town, a widow was there gathering sticks; he called to her and said, "Bring me a little water in a vessel, so that I may drink." 11 As she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, "Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand." 12 But she said, "As the LORD your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of meal in a jar, and a little oil in a jug; I am now gathering a couple of sticks, so that I may go home and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die." 13 Elijah said to her, "Do not be afraid; go and do as you have said; but first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterwards make something for yourself and your son. 14 For thus says the LORD the God of Israel: The jar of meal will not be emptied and the jug of oil will not fail until the day that the LORD sends rain on the earth." 15 She went and did as Elijah said, so that she as well as he and her household ate for many days. 16 The jar of meal was not emptied, neither did the jug of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by Elijah.<br />
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<i>- The widow is down to the last meal for her and her son. Without an intervention, they will die in days. In her initial answer to Elijah, we can hear that she is without hope. On one hand, why would she share from what little she has? On the other hand, given Elijah’s promise, what does she have to lose?</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>- It is worth noting that this story takes place outside of Israel. The Lord has brought a drought to the nation because the king and queen, Ahab and Jezebel, have led the nation away from the Lord. They have worshipped other gods, especially Ba’al, and have abused their power. The Lord could have performed this miracle within Israel, but the Lord chose to send Elijah away from Israel. Here, we get a hint that people who are not Jews may also fall into the category of “the Lord’s people.”</i><br />
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<b>Psalm 146</b></div>
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1 Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul!</div>
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2 I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God all my life long.</div>
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3 Do not put your trust in princes, in mortals, in whom there is no help.</div>
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4 When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish.</div>
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5 Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD their God,</div>
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6 who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever;</div>
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7 who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free;</div>
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8 the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous.</div>
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9 The LORD watches over the strangers; he upholds the orphan and the widow, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.</div>
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10 The LORD will reign forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the LORD! </div>
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<i>- Psalm 146 is something that we should read before we vote. In the United States, we tend to turn our political opinions into our identity and idolize our political leaders. Here, we are reminded to trust the Lord above our political leaders.</i></div>
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<i>- Read Psalm 146:9 alongside the headlines regarding the immigrant caravan working its way to the U.S. – Mexico border.</i></div>
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<b>Hebrews 9:24 - 28</b></div>
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24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Holy Place year after year with blood that is not his own; 26 for then he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once, and after that the judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.</div>
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<i>- Read the statement of Jesus entering heaven “to appear in the presence of God on our behalf” together with “…it is appointed for mortals to die once, and then after that the judgment…” Jesus testifies on our behalf, covering us with his righteousness. We are judged to be righteous only because Jesus gives us his righteousness.</i></div>
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<i>- A connection to Holy Communion: we do not re-sacrifice Jesus when we consecrate the bread and the wine. We tell the story and we celebrate Jesus’ sacrifice, but we do not re-sacrifice Jesus on Sunday morning.</i></div>
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<b>Mark 12:38 - 44</b></div>
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38 As he taught, he said, "Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39 and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! 40 They devour widows' houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation."</div>
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41 He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. 43 Then he called his disciples and said to them, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. 44 For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on."</div>
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<i>- The widow likely gave away the money she would use for her food that day. That is why her gift was so great.</i></div>
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<i>- How much of your salary would you have to give away before it could truly be considered “sacrificial giving?” 10%? 30%? 50%?</i></div>
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Pastor Curtis in IN-KY Synodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787219110844208151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444415300827622832.post-17794761970383648462018-10-29T11:03:00.004-07:002018-10-29T11:03:56.159-07:00Monday Thoughts on the Readings for All Saints Sunday 2018 (November 4th)All Saints Day, originally scheduled on November 1st and usually transferred to the first Sunday of November, is a day to remember all the members of the Church who have died and now participate in the Church Triumphant (what we mean by the terms "participate" and "Church Triumphant" is closely bound to our understandings of what happens to us between our death and our resurrection from the dead; discussing these topics is well beyond the scope of this post). It developed from the practice of dedicating a day on the calendar to remember and celebrate the life of a prominent member of the Church. The date chosen was usually the date of the saint's death. After some time, the calendar was filling up with commemorations and the Church was still looking to celebrate the lives and gifts of those who had died. Therefore, the Church established a day as All Saints Day so that all who had died could be remembered and celebrated.<br />
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This day comes with a specific set of readings, with themes of the Lord's power over death and the promise of resurrection from the dead. These themes are meant to be sources of hope and comfort as we grieve the deaths of beloved Church members as well as family members and friends.<br />
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I also read and hear other things within these readings; these are shared in the italicized text below. What do you read and hear? What questions do you want answered? What clicks for you in a new way that you had not realized before today? Let's have these conversations and others in the comments below!<br />
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<b>Isaiah 25:6 - 9</b><br />
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6 On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples<br />
a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines,<br />
of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear.<br />
7 And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples,<br />
the sheet that is spread over all nations;<br />
8 he will swallow up death forever.<br />
Then the Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from all faces,<br />
and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth,<br />
for the LORD has spoken.<br />
9 It will be said on that day,<br />
Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us.<br />
This is the LORD for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.<br />
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<i>- A banquet is a traditional form of celebration in the Ancient Near East.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>- The invitation for “all peoples” to be at the banquet is in sharp contrast to the series of woe oracles against many nations in Isaiah 13 – 23. Does “all peoples” mean all nations? That is unclear from the literal reading of the passage because of the description of “his people” in verse 8 <u>unless “his people” and “all peoples” are two descriptions of the same group</u>!</i><br />
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<i>- A common belief at this time is that death separates us from God. Therefore, the statement that the Lord “will swallow up death forever” is a promise that the Lord will prevent that separation.</i><br />
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<b>Psalm 24</b></div>
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1 The earth is the LORD's and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it;</div>
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2 for he has founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers.</div>
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3 Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place?</div>
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4 Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully.</div>
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5 They will receive blessing from the LORD, and vindication from the God of their salvation.</div>
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6 Such is the company of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah</div>
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7 Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in.</div>
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8 Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle.</div>
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9 Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in.</div>
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10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah</div>
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<i>- Who may stand in God’s holy place? In the life of the Temple, very few people could stand in God’s holy place. One priest would stand in the Holy of Holies on one day of the year, and this priest would be chosen at random. In the end, only one could stand in God’s holy place: Jesus, the son of God.</i></div>
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<i>- The end of the psalm emphasizes the Lord as the warrior-God. “The Lord of hosts” is a softened interpretation of <b>YWHW tsavaot</b>, which means “The Lord of armies/warfare.”</i></div>
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<b>Revelation 21:1 - 6a</b></div>
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Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,</div>
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"See, the home of God is among mortals.</div>
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He will dwell with them;</div>
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they will be his peoples,</div>
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and God himself will be with them;</div>
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4 he will wipe every tear from their eyes. </div>
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Death will be no more;</div>
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mourning and crying and pain will be no more,</div>
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for the first things have passed away."</div>
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5 And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true." 6 Then he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end."</div>
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<i>- The sea was a symbol of chaos. The disappearance/destruction of the sea means an end to chaos.</i></div>
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<i>- Revelation 21:3 reminds me of the new covenant that was proclaimed in Jeremiah 31:31 – 34. Compare the two passages:</i></div>
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<i><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>1) “But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (Jer 31:33 NRSV)</i></div>
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<i><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>2) “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes.” (Rev 21:3-4a NRSV)</i></div>
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<b>John 11:32 - 44</b></div>
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32 When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. 34 He said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Lord, come and see." 35 Jesus began to weep.</div>
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36 So the Jews said, "See how he loved him!" 37 But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?"</div>
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38 Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it.</div>
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39 Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, "Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days." 40 Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, "Father, I thank you for having heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me." 43 When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go."</div>
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<i>- The mention of “four days” is significant. The common belief was that the soul or spirit of a person remained with the body for three days. During those three days, there was still a possibility of the soul or spirit reviving the body. But on day four, that hope was gone, and the person was considered truly dead. Therefore, the resurrection of Lazarus is on a higher level than the stories of bringing back to life someone who had died earlier in the day.</i></div>
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<i>- Does “see(-ing) the glory of God” and recognizing what we have seen depend on our belief? Does it depend on the work of the Holy Spirit? Or is there something else at work here?</i></div>
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Pastor Curtis in IN-KY Synodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787219110844208151noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444415300827622832.post-57591172479293631912018-10-24T10:56:00.002-07:002018-10-24T10:56:32.926-07:00Wednesday Thoughts on the Readings for Reformation Sunday 2018 (October 28th)As we approach Reformation Sunday, I have a couple of thoughts regarding the occasion itself. My first thought goes toward the Latin phrase "ecclesia semper reformanda est." This is usually translated for us as "The Church is always reforming," prompting us to think of ways we are reforming the Church. However, the Latin grammar makes this phrase a PASSIVE phrase: "The Church is always being reformed." By whom? We are left to infer that the Church is being reformed by Christ and the Holy Spirit. Certainly, Christ and the Holy Spirit may work through individual people to bring about reformation (such as what we saw develop through Martin Luther's writings), but we would miss the point if we claimed that the individuals were solely responsible for the resulting reformation.<br />
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My second thought goes to a sentiment we heard in greater volume last year. Some suggest that the Church goes through a major reformation approximately every 500 years. We saw this happen with the schism between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church in the 1000's. We saw this happen again with the Protestant Reformation in the 1500's. Perhaps we are living through a new reformation here in the 2000's. It's hard to say what this reformation will look like because we are in the midst of the transition, which may be why the Church is facing many challenges today.<br />
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What else can we say as we approach Reformation Sunday 2018? Below, in italics, are some of my thoughts regarding the readings for Sunday. I invite you to add your own thoughts and questions in the comments below.<br />
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<b>Jeremiah 31:31 - 34</b><br />
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31 The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt-- a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the LORD. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, "Know the LORD," for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.<br />
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<i>- Jeremiah 31:32 refers to the covenant with Moses. In striking this covenant, the Lord gave to the people (through Moses) the Ten Commandments. This is the covenant the people broke. This is the covenant we continue to break, even if grew up reciting it every Sunday morning in Sunday School.</i><br />
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<i>- Does Jeremiah 31:33 become a better indicator of the Gospel if we read it as the Lord putting the Lord’s “instruction” in our hearts? Hearing the word “law” in this statement may pull us away from reading this as a precursor to “the new covenant in (Jesus’) blood.”</i><br />
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<i>- Is there an example of “know(-ing) the Lord” through the Lord’s forgiveness</i>?<br />
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<b>Psalm 46</b><br />
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1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.<br />
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;<br />
3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. Selah<br />
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.<br />
5 God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; God will help it when the morning dawns.<br />
6 The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.<br />
7 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah<br />
8 Come, behold the works of the LORD; see what desolations he has brought on the earth.<br />
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.<br />
10 "Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth."<br />
11 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah<br />
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<i>- Psalm 46 is the textual basis for Martin Luther’s famous hymn “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.”</i><br />
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<i>- “God is in the midst of the city.” The psalmist was writing about the Lord’s presence on Earth, specifically in Jerusalem. We can also hear this as a vision of the Lord in the midst of the New Jerusalem (i.e. heaven). Which image is more comforting for you? Why this image over the other one?</i><br />
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<b>Romans 3:19 - 28</b></div>
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19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For "no human being will be justified in his sight" by deeds prescribed by the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.</div>
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21 But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, 23 since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 24 they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed;</div>
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26 it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus.</div>
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27 Then what becomes of boasting? It is excluded. By what law? By that of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law.</div>
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<i>- Romans 3 expands the promise of Jeremiah 31, discussing the limitations of the old covenant (that we could never keep our end of the bargain) and describing the new covenant.</i></div>
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<i>- “…effective through faith.” Whose faith? Our faith or Jesus’ faith? In my opinion, the sacrifice of atonement is effective through the faith of Jesus. This matches Luther’s understanding of the sacraments, which are effective through what the Lord does in the water, bread, and wine, rather than being effective through the actions of the presider and/or the receiver of the sacraments. The key is not what we do but what the Lord does.</i></div>
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<b>John 8:31 - 36</b></div>
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31 Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." 33 They answered him, "We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, 'You will be made free'?"</div>
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34 Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever. 36 So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.</div>
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<i>- In the larger context of John 8, there is a lot going on here. The chapter starts with the story of the mob, the woman caught in adultery, and Jesus. Jesus refuses to condemn the woman and prevents the mob from carrying out their plan to stone her to death. Then there is a long discussion of death, life, sin, forgiveness, the Son of Man (i.e. the Messiah), and Abraham; our passage is in the midst of this discussion.</i></div>
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<i>- The people protest that they are children of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. This is incorrect: past generations of the children of Abraham were slaves of the Egyptians, the Assyrians, and the Babylonians. The current generations of the children of Abraham are under the control of the Romans. By no means are they “free,” even if some of them have been granted Roman citizenship.</i></div>
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<i>- In baptism, Jesus frees us from sin, completing an act that began at the Cross.</i></div>
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Pastor Curtis in IN-KY Synodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787219110844208151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444415300827622832.post-31087845503596293272018-10-08T14:27:00.001-07:002018-10-08T14:27:25.204-07:00Monday Thoughts on the Readings for Sunday, October 14th, 2018There is a lot going on around us right now. A new justice was just confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court, but the confirmation process brought a great deal of contention and argument over past events, accusations, and counter-accusations. We are entering harvest season, which brings a high level of stress and pressure for farmers. We are about four weeks away from election day for federal, state, and local races.<div>
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In the midst of this, we get a shepherd/herdsman from Judah bringing a hard message from the Lord to the leaders of Israel, a psalm pleading for restoration, a Hebrews passage using the metaphors of a sword and a high priest, and Jesus again undercutting our assumptions of who is "blessed" and who will receive eternal life.</div>
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I have several initial thoughts as I read through these passages. You can find my thoughts in the italicized text below each reading. I would love to hear your thoughts and discuss your questions. If you share your thoughts and questions in the comments below, I will respond and continue the conversation.</div>
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<b>Amos 5:6 - 7, 10 - 15</b></div>
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6 Seek the LORD and live, or he will break out against the house of Joseph like fire, and it will devour Bethel, with no one to quench it.</div>
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7 Ah, you that turn justice to wormwood, and bring righteousness to the ground!</div>
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10 They hate the one who reproves in the gate, and they abhor the one who speaks the truth.</div>
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11 Therefore because you trample on the poor and take from them levies of grain, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not live in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine.</div>
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12 For I know how many are your transgressions, and how great are your sins-- you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe, and push aside the needy in the gate.</div>
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13 Therefore the prudent will keep silent in such a time; for it is an evil time.</div>
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14 Seek good and not evil, that you may live; and so the LORD, the God of hosts, will be with you, just as you have said.</div>
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15 Hate evil and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the LORD, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.</div>
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<i>- The gate within the city wall was more than a doorway. It was a passageway through the wall and it was used like a town hall and a courthouse. Town leaders would hold meetings here and judges would settle disputes here. If you wanted to know what was happening within and outside of the town, you would hang out within the gate.</i></div>
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<i>- Amos was a shepherd from the land of Judah (AKA the southern kingdom) who was called to be the Lord’s prophet to the leaders of Israel (AKA the northern kingdom). He spoke as an outsider and was received as such (meaning the leaders of Israel received him as an opponent rather than as a friend).</i></div>
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<i>- In time, Israel would be conquered by Assyria. The leaders would indeed be forced from their homes and fields and sent into exile.</i></div>
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<i>- We can read Amos 5:15 as a proclamation that a mass confession and repentance would be received like the confession and repentance of Ninevah in Jonah 3 or like other confessions and repentances led by the good kings of Judah.</i></div>
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<b>Psalm 90:12 - 17</b></div>
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12 So teach us to count our days that we may gain a wise heart.</div>
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13 Turn, O LORD! How long? Have compassion on your servants!</div>
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14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.</div>
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15 Make us glad as many days as you have afflicted us, and as many years as we have seen evil.</div>
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16 Let your work be manifest to your servants, and your glorious power to their children.</div>
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17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and prosper for us the work of our hands-- O prosper the work of our hands!</div>
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<i>- When paired with the Amos reading, we can hear this psalm as though we are one of the leaders sent into exile by the Assyrians and pleading to the Lord for relief.</i></div>
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<b>Hebrews 4:12 - 16</b></div>
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12 Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. <span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 13 And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account.</span></div>
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14 Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. <span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. </span><span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 16 Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.</span></div>
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<i>- Hebrews 4:12 is a well-known passage regarding the word of God. However, there is much confusion regarding what it means for this word of God, this sword, to “(divide) soul from spirit, joints from marrow.” Do we take this literally, figuratively, metaphorically, or some other way?</i></div>
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<i>- Another passage claims that Jesus is a priest in the order of Melchizedek. Melchizedek is a mysterious figure in Genesis who runs into Abram after he has defeated and plundered an enemy who had captured his nephew, Lot (Genesis 14:10 – 20). If Jesus is a priest in the order of Melchizedek, then he has greater authority than the currently-serving high priest in Jerusalem because that high priest serves in the order of Aaron because Melchizedek appeared and served generations before Aaron became a priest.</i></div>
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<i>- The author of Hebrews claims that Jesus is able to forgive, redeem, and reconcile us to the Father because Jesus lived a fully-human life and experienced the full range of human activities, life stages, and emotions.</i></div>
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<b>Mark 10:17 - 31</b></div>
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17 As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" <span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 18 Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. </span><span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 19 You know the commandments: 'You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.'" </span><span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 20 He said to him, "Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth." </span><span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 21 Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." </span><span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 22 When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.</span></div>
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23 Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!" <span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 24 And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! </span><span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." </span><span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 26 They were greatly astounded and said to one another, "Then who can be saved?" </span><span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 27 Jesus looked at them and said, "For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible."</span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -0.5in;">28 Peter began to say to him, "Look, we have left everything and followed you." </span><span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 29 Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news,</span><span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age-- houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields with persecutions-- and in the age to come eternal life. </span><span style="text-indent: -0.5in;"> 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first."</span></div>
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<i>- By all appearances, this man wanted to ensure that he was doing enough to earn his way into the Kingdom of God and eternal life. When Jesus stated a new hurdle to clear before this was possible (i.e. sell everything you own, give the money to the poor, and follow Jesus), the man was not prepared for the standard to be so high.</i></div>
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<i>- Some have argued that the “eye of the needle” is not an actual needle but a specific gate within the city of Jerusalem. This gate was narrow enough that a camel loaded with baggage could not walk through it; to get the camel through this “eye of the needle,” the rider would have to stop the camel, fully unload all of the baggage, move the camel through the gate, and load everything back onto the camel. Only then could the journey continue. In recent years, however, scholars have debated whether such a gate ever existed.</i></div>
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<i>- Some have used Mark 10:28 – 30 as a justification of “prosperity gospel,” the term for a believe system based on the claim that the Lord will financially bless true followers of Jesus. In doing so, they conveniently ignore the phrase “with persecutions” in verse 30 as well as the reversal of fortunes in verse 31.</i></div>
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Pastor Curtis in IN-KY Synodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787219110844208151noreply@blogger.com0