Weekly Theme March 8 through 14

Obey   

     All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,  so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

              God’s word has been given to us so that we know how to live.  God’s word tells us what we should do.  The problem is that we often either ignore God’s word and remain ignorant regarding its wisdom or we know what it tells us to do but we choose to do what we want to do anyway.

God’s word has authority because it originates with God.  Because God’s word comes from God we should submit to God’s word and obey God’s word.

Saturday, March 7, 2015

Philippians 2:1-4

¹Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort in love, any sharing in the Spirit, any sympathy, ² complete my joy by thinking the same way, having the same love, being united, and agreeing with each other. ³ Don’t do anything for selfish purposes, but with humility think of others as better than yourselves. ⁴ Instead of each person watching out for their own good, watch out for what is better for others.

Reflection: Our scripture reminds us today that Lent, as well as, the journey of faith are not a solitary activity. It is our community that carries us through this time of renewal. Do you have a support community? What do you bring to that community to help it grow? And how does that community help you take risks as a disciple of Jesus Christ?

Friday, March 6, 2015

Matthew 11:29-30

²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Reflection: One of the common rituals of Lent is to give up or fast from something. In fact this year the Pope asked all Christians to give up our indifference of others for Lent. But if we look at the things we typically give up they are things we should probably get rid of from our lives once and for all. A neat way to think about this is to go and look at the clothes in your closet. Are there things that do not fit you right, are damaged, or that you just don’t wear anymore? We have many things in our lives that are just like these old clothes.  They may have fit at one point and may have proved useful for the time, but now they only serve to take space in our lives that should be for God. You see that through our walk with Jesus we are given a new wardrobe, Christ. We are called to put on Christ and to get rid of the old stuff not just for a season but for life. What things in your life need to be given away so you can put on Christ?

Thursday, March 5, 2015

John 21:3-6

³ Simon Peter told them, “I’m going fishing.”

They said, “We’ll go with you.” They set out in a boat, but throughout the night they caught nothing. ⁴ Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples didn’t realize it was Jesus. ⁵ Jesus called to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” They answered him, “No.” ⁶ He said, “Cast your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.”

So they did, and there were so many fish that they couldn’t haul in the net.

Reflection: Our scripture today is an interesting story about the disciples and fish. The disciples tried and tried but failed. But when they followed Jesus’ direction there was a haul that was greater than they ever imagined. Where in our community do you think God is calling you to cast a net to fish not for fish but for people? What is stopping you?

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Matthew 11:25-28

²⁵ At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. ²⁶ Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. ²⁷ “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. ²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Reflection: The phrase we hear in verse 28 is important. We carry a lot of baggage in our lives. We will have trouble following God with all that baggage. Find something today that is heavy and pick it up. Carry it for a minute. What would it be like if you had to carry that weight with you everywhere? How relieved would you be to get to lay that burden down? What baggage do you carry in your life? How can you begin to lay that baggage on God and walk free from those burdens? 

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Genesis 3:19

¹⁹ By the sweat of your brow
    you will eat your food
until you return to the ground,
    since from it you were taken;
for dust you are
    and to dust you will return.”

Reflection: Our scripture today is the response of God to Adam and Eve doing what we do messing up. It is a reminder that we are not immortal. The human condition is terminal. This reminder should let us know that we should not put our trust in things that do not last, but in God. This reminder lets us know that it is not who we are that is important, but whose we are. We are the children of God. In living as Christ’s disciple we are creating things that will last beyond our mortal legacy. How do you think living as a disciple can help you to put your trust in God and not on things that will rust, decay, and die?

Monday, March 2, 2015

Mark 1:9-13

 ⁹ At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰ Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. ¹¹ And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” ¹² At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, ¹³ and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.

Reflection: Throughout this week we will take time to focus on what the season of Lent is all about. Lent is a period of reflection and prayer that leads up to Easter. If you look at this literally there are forty-six days of Lent but many traditions exclude Sundays making Lent forty days. This number links this preparation to the preparation Jesus took to begin his public ministry. Jesus spent forty days in the desert. Why do you think it is important that we compare our time of preparation to the time Christ took to prepare for his ministry? How does this affect the meaning of Lent in your life?