Readings April 28-May 4

We are into May this week! Where has the time gone.  Four months of the year have passed already.  Some facts - at the end of this week you will have read 402 chapters! Just over a third of the way through the Bible!  You will have completed 18 of the 66 books of the Bible and be partway through 3 other books.  So keep going!

We complete the book of 1 Samuel this week with the sad demise of Saul who seemed to promise so much but seemed to try to do things in his own strength instead of God's. David spares Saul's life when he could have killed him and taken the kingship by force. Then at the end of the book Saul is defeated and takes his own life.
In 2 Samuel David is crowned king of Judah but continues at war with the remains of Saul's household and after several sorry tales of murder and betrayal eventually David becomes king of all Israel.

In Acts we have the wonderful story of Philip meeting the Ethiopian eunuch in the desert which is followed swiftly by the Damascus Road experience of Saul (later changing his name to Paul).  Then there is in chapter 10 the story of how God convinced Peter that the church was meant to include not just the Jews but the Gentiles as well.  A pivotal point in the history of the church and the world which is cemented at the Council of Jerusalem in chapter 15! The church continues to grow and Paul sets off on his first missionary journey with Barnabas in chapter 13 (and incidentally they fall out with each other in chapter 15!  Not everything is plain sailing in the early church!)

 28     1 Samuel 22         Acts 8 (9*)             1 Samuel 23

 29     1 Samuel 24         Acts 10                 1 Samuel 25

 30     1 Samuel 26         Acts 11                 1 Samuel 27         Psalm 25

  1      1 Samuel 28         Acts 12                  1 Samuel 29

  2      1 Samuel 30         Acts 13                  1 Samuel 31

  3      2 Samuel 1           Acts 14                  2 Samuel 2

  4      2 Samuel 3           Acts 15                  2 Samuel 4-5

* We read Acts 9 in January but you may wish to read it again for continuity.

"...the Lord looketh on the heart"

One of the themes we have discussed in Bible study here at SMCC is the intention of the heart.  As I read our chapter assignment for today, I was reminded of those discussions. 


God chooses Samuel to anoint another while Saul is yet alive.  God has chosen well in Samuel; Samuel steps out to fulfill his commission despite the danger that lurks for him.  At one point, Samuel is sure the chosen of the Lord stands before him...Eliab...but Samuel himself is reminded by God that God looks not on outward appearance but "on the heart."  Samuel waits.  Eliab is not the one. 


The text in Luke shows us the example of  Ananias and Sapphira who appear to be godly followers, but who have indeed been dishonest.  Peter names Ananias's heart as the place where the trick was conceived...a place that Satan now fills.  This husband and wife meet a bad end when God looks on their hearts. 


Later in the chapter, as we read of the actions of Peter and the apostles, of the high priest and the chief priests, and even of the Pharisee Gamaliel, we get a good idea of what might be going on in each of their hearts.


All of these examples...all of these intentions...make me stop and think.  How much effort do we spend on improving what the world sees of us?  How much effort do we put into what God sees? 


What is the intention of our hearts today? 

Readings April 21-27

 We start an exciting new book in the New Testament this week, the Acts of the Apostles.  It is the story of the founding and growth of the church after Jesus' resurrection and ascension into heaven.  Chapter 2 is pivotal as it tells us about the Holy Spirit coming at Pentecost which empowered them for service. Peter and John feature in the early chapters leading up to the stoning of Stephen, who was the first to die for his faith.  Following Christ can be costly!

In the Old Testament in 1st Samuel the people of Israel insist on having a king like all the other nations, even after being told he will oppress them and they will become his slaves. Saul is the first king but things don't turn out well and he is rejected by God.  David is chosen instead and anointed by Samuel.  In chapter 17 there is the classic Sunday School tale of David and Goliath - stirring stuff!  Also look out for the fine story of friendship between Jonathan, Saul's son, and David.

Psalm 23 is included this week - what a wonderful psalm which has brought comfort and help to untold multitudes.  But don't miss out on Psalm 24 an equally wonderful psalm about the Lord taking his rightful place as King. 

 21     1 Samuel 8           Acts 1                   1 Samuel 9

 22     1 Samuel 10         Acts 2                   1 Samuel 11         Psalm 23

 23     1 Samuel 12         Acts 3                   1 Samuel 13

 24     1 Samuel 14         Acts 4                   1 Samuel 15

 25     1 Samuel 16         Acts 5                   1 Samuel 17

 26     1 Samuel 18         Acts 6                   1 Samuel 19         Psalm 24

 27     1 Samuel 20         Acts 7                   1 Samuel 21

What Stone?

   "But on the first day of the week, at early dawn they went to the tomb, taking the spices which they had prepared.  And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body."  Luke Ch. 24, vs. 1-2.
Imagine the scene.  A handful of women from a defeated, spiritless group of disciples, going early in the morning to perform the last simple rites for the body of One they had loved and followed.  The sun had only begun to touch the treetops, and penetrate the long shadows of night that lingered into early day.
Mark tells us what happened next:
   " And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back--it was very large.  And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed.  And he said to them: "Do not be amazed, you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified, He is not here, see the place where they laid him."  Mark Ch. 16. vs. 4-6.
Which all raises several questions:
      What stone was rolled away?
         -The door to an empty tomb, or the door to their understanding?
      Why was it rolled away?
         -So someone could get out, or so they could go in?
    What did they find?
         - Why, nothing.  What was there to find?
    Questions Easter answers.
As the angel told them: 
   "He is not here, he has risen, as he said."  Matthew Ch. 28. vs. 6.


Happy Easter, everyone!

These days of the Triduum are the most solemn, and yet the most filled with God's love, of any group of days we experience in the life of the church.  At Sawyer Memorial, we begin the Triduum with a Maundy Thursday service that includes a Pedilavium (foot-washing) and Holy Communion and ends with Tenebrae, a service of shadows.  Today, Good Friday, the church will be open for those who wish to keep vigil.  Tomorrow will be a day of stillness as much as it can be.  Sunday, we will begin joyful Easter services at 5:30 am at the Marina.  On that day, we will share a breakfast and offer our regular 9:30 worship service as well.  We will have spent a significant amount of time together, and we will be exhausted yet exhilarated. 


Practicing all of these events helps us live the joy of Easter morning with much greater understanding than we would have if we simply moved from the joy of Jesus's triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to the joy of his Resurrection on Easter Sunday. 


That being said, Psalm 22 is part of the reading for today.  Both Matthew and Mark record the words of verse 1 as being spoken by Jesus from the cross.  I would ask you today, this day of all days, to  read the rest of the psalm.  How many Good Fridays have I thought about only verse 1 without getting to verse 22?  Was Jesus once again teaching and preaching, training and guiding...even from his own pain and despair?   Was Jesus asking us to remember the rest of the Psalm?   


I am glad that Psalm 22 was one of my readings today, but, as a continuation to the rest of this story, I can tell you that I will not wait until April 22 to read Psalm 23; I must read it Easter Sunday morning.  What a fit ending to the Triduum...a renewed appreciation of God's love!

Samson's Riddle

Do you like riddles?  Try this one from the Book of Judges, Ch. 14, vs. 14:
   "Out of the eater came something to eat.
    Out of the strong came something sweet."
What is it?
Samson, who thought this one up, is remembered as a pillar of astounding physical strength, beset with equally astonishing physical weaknesses.  His proverbial strength met its match in the proverbial charms of the prostitute Delilah, and it cost him his life to redeem this reckless behavior. 
To begin the story, however, the period of the Judges was a time of spiritual compromise, when the children of Israel were neglecting the law of God, and being overwhelmed by their enemies as a result.  To compound matters, Samson, as a youth,  had fallen in love with a young woman of these neighboring Philistines, and demanded of his parents that they approve the match.
 In a contest of wedding one-upmanship, Samson proposed this riddle:  What is both strong and sweet, which when eaten, will make the consumer sweet?
The answer, inspired by a honeycomb that had appeared inside the carcass of a dead lion, lies in Israel's greatest possession, the Law of God.  This neglected treasure, alone, is stronger than the sun shining in full strength, and "sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb," as Psalm 19 declares.
According to the Law, even the strong and the wicked, like the lion Samson had killed with his bare hands, yield food and nourishment for the people of God.  As Lorne Cunningham, a former President of Youth With a Mission, observed, in God's economy "the wicked store it up for the righteous."
Its a lesson that God's children, and His enemies, need to hear.
Knock, knock . . .

Readings April 14-20

Another three books are finished this week.  We are rolling along!

We complete Judges with what are for me some of the hardest chapters in the Bible.  The story of  the Levite and his concubine (ch19) is a very difficult story.  Just remember that God does not approve of all the stories in the Bible.  Sometimes they are there to shock us, to provoke us to anger and to show the sinful actions of those involved.  Then in chapters 20 and 21 we read of warfare between different tribes of Israel, God's people - very sad.  The last verse sums up the attitude of the people at this time - 'Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.'  An attitude very prevalent in our own times I think!  What do you think?

Then as a complete contrast we read the wonderful short story of Ruth. A great story of love and faithfulness, one of my favorite Bible stories.  Following that we start into the book of 1 Samuel with the story of Samuel, a great prophet and the last of the Judges of Israel.

In the New Testament we read the events of Holy Week as narrated to us by Luke.  The very heart of our faith is captured in the events of that week in Jerusalem culminating in the resurrection of Jesus which we read about on Easter Sunday!

 14     Judges 19             Luke 18                Judges 20             Psalm 21
 15     Judges 21             Luke 19                Ruth 1
 16     Ruth 2                  Luke 20                Ruth 3
 17     Ruth 4                  Luke 21                1 Samuel 1
 18     1 Samuel 2           Luke 22                1 Samuel 3           Psalm 22
 19     1 Samuel 4           Luke 23                1 Samuel 5
 20     1 Samuel 6           Luke 24                1 Samuel 7

I hope you are enjoying the readings and learning a lot - I am!

Parenthood...whew!

I found similarities between the readings from Joshua and Luke today...the difficulties of parenthood.  It seems to me that Manoah and his wife tried to prepare for the birth of their son; they even requested help from one we might consider a child-rearing expert, an angel of the Lord.  The man with two sons tried to treat his children with fairness when he divided his goods.  In short order, all of these parents find that rearing a child is difficult; things don't go as they had planned or hoped...their children have minds of their own!


Many of us could relate similar experiences: there are some days and some situations when rearing a child seems overwhelming.  As I read these passages, I thought, "I wonder what God would say about me?  Am I one of the difficult children?  Does my head get turned away from what is good for me?  Do I waste what has been freely given to me?  Do I complain and try to bend God to my will?"  Dear fellow Bible Club readers, I admit...there are some days, and there are some situations.  I must bow my head. 


These passages give me a lot to think about today...parents and children, me and mine, God and me...bless us all, Holy One.

Readings April 7-13

We continue with readings in the book of Judges this week. There are great heroes of Israel represented in the readings such as Deborah, Gideon, Jephthah and Samson, yet the book often details their failings as well. They were human beings with faults but God nevertheless used them to save Israel at these times in their history.  It is sad though that Israel needed saving as they got into difficulties because they did evil serving other gods and neglected the covenant they had made with God.  Judges seems to be a book showing that Israel was not really getting anywhere.  What do you think?

In the New Testament we start off with Jesus' teaching on prayer when he gives the Lord's Prayer. Then he gives quite a lot of teaching with many of the great parables such as the parables of the Wedding Feast, the Shrewd Manager and one of my favorites the parable of the Lost Sheep (Ch 15).  So many wonderful teachings interspersed with healings culminating in Jesus teaching about the coming Kingdom of God (Ch 17).  Are there any parables, sayings or events here which stand out to you?

Psalm 20 this week is a beautiful psalm which prays blessing on others and affirms trust in God.   I love the variety of the readings in the Bible!

  7      Judges 5               Luke 11                Judges 6
  8      Judges 7               Luke 12                Judges 8
  9      Judges 9               Luke 13                Judges 10
 10     Judges 11             Luke 14                Judges 12             Psalm 20
 11     Judges 13             Luke 15                Judges 14
 12     Judges 15             Luke 16                Judges 16
 13     Judges 17             Luke 17                Judges 18

A Story...A Story

I have grown up knowing the stories of my family.  Trips to the cemetery on Memorial Day were opportunities for my aunt and mom to tell their memories, and they made my ancestors come alive for me.  Often at the dinner table or riding in the car, we'd hear a story about dad's folks...just stories of every day life, but to me, they were wonderful.  We'd ask for the one about the turkey or Pocket-book and Glasses, and we would eagerly listen even though we knew the ending and had heard it dozens of times before.  We love stories. 


One of my professors at BTS knew the value of story-telling.  We anticipated the point in his lectures when he would clear his throat, look around our circle and say, "A story...a story."  And we would answer, "Let it come; let it go."  And we'd sit there, eagerly listening for the story that would parallel our homework or the discussion at hand. 


Joshua does that when he gathers the tribes of Israel to Shechem to offer them once again the story of their history.  I picture elderly Joshua speaking in perhaps a wavering voice, telling his people things they shouldn't forget, trying to make their heritage come alive for them, reminding them of their story...


And then I read the passage in Luke...the master storyteller, Jesus, perhaps seated on a hillside with folks gathered around him begins, "A sower went out to sow his seed..."  And he tells a story that folks will have to think about.  Later in the chapter, he lives the stories we still like to hear...the calming of the sea, the healing of the demon-possessed man and the bleeding woman, the raising of Jairus's daughter.


Aren't you enjoying this year-long Bible reading journey?  I get excited knowing we are doing this together--you are reading the same story I am reading, and it is the story of our shared faith.  We come from a family of storytellers; we love stories.  What story has inspired you this week?

Take Courage

And God said to Joshua:
    "Be strong, and of good courage, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give them." Joshua Ch. 1, vs. 6.
     What does it mean to take courage?  Its easier to say that to do, isn't it?
     Courage is often identified with conspicuous acts of heroism, as it is portrayed with great effect in movies, or in stirring tales, like the biblical story of Joshua, truly a great general and one of the finest motivators of all time.  I also think of Mary, consenting to become the mother of God's special Child.  Apart from such exceptional examples, what does courage mean to you and to me?
St. Paul gives us a memorable answer in his letter to the Ephesians:
   "Be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might.  Put  on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."  Ephesians Ch. 6, vs. 10 and following.
In this life, as C.S. Lewis once observed, every moment in time is claimed by God and counter-claimed by satan. But, Saint Paul reminds us, God has given us His armor for protection and deliverance:
   Truth to preserve our inward parts;
   Righteousness to put on like a bulletproof vest;
   Peace to guide our steps;
   Faith to hold like a shield, quenching all the fiery darts that are hurled at us;
   Salvation to crown our thinking;
   The Word of God to cut through all spiritual opposition, and
   Prayer to keep us alert, effective, patient, and loving at all times. 
Have you put on the whole armor of God?  How well are you using it?
As God said to Joshua:
   Be strong, and very courageous; be not frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."  Ch. 1, vs. 9.
Take courage.
  

Readings March 31-April 6

April has arrived! March just seemed to fly by but although April has come it would be nice to have some warm temperatures!  You are a quarter of the way through the Bible now! The full list of Bible readings for April on the link entitled 'April Readings' under 'Pages' at the top right of the blog.

We conclude the book of Joshua this week in which the allotment of the land to the Israelite tribes is described together with Joshua's farewell speech and the renewing of the covenant with God now they are in the Promised Land.
Next we move on to the book of Judges  which follows on from the book of Joshua.  In Judges the Israelites fail to keep the covenant they made with God.  Israel goes through cycles of apostasy, oppression, cries for deliverance and God raises up various leaders, called judges, who deliver Israel - until the cycle starts all over again.  Watch out for Deborah in chapter 4, a remarkable woman leader of Israel.

In the New Testament our readings are in Luke and take us through the early ministry of Jesus in Galilee, from his temptations, his choice of disciples, his miracles, teaching, parables and the transfiguration.  Notice chapter 6 has Jesus' 'Sermon on the Plain,' Luke's counterpoint to Matthew's 'Sermon on the Mount'.

Psalm 19 is a wonderful psalm of praise to God and Psalm 18 is about God's deliverance.

 31     Joshua 15             Luke 4                  Joshua 16

  1      Joshua 17             Luke 5                  Joshua 18

  2      Joshua 19             Luke 6                  Joshua 20             Psalm 18

  3      Joshua 21             Luke 7                  Joshua 22

  4      Joshua 23             Luke 8                  Joshua 24

  5      Judges 1               Luke 9                  Judges 2

  6      Judges 3               Luke 10                Judges 4               Psalm 19