The Bible in Time...

Dear Friends, Grace and peace from our loving God. Let us pray … O God, the giver to us of all things, I thank you today for home, family, air, health, less pain, reasonable weather,  the love between people, and siblings bound together by your love. Be with those today who have lost a loved one or business colleague through suicide. Be in their presence as they weep and mourn. May they find comfort in you and move to joy in living … For all these things and the things you know we need, we thank you, Eternal Giver of Life. Amen dwe Today’s Parable - The Two Debtors / Luke 7:41-43 [See Snodgrass, pp. 77 - 92 and Kendall, pp. 113- 121.] Thoughts - As one who is blessed to carry too much debt,  these parables on debtors strike home for me. The context of Luke 7 where Jesus shares the story teaching is - Jesus ran into a Roman military officer who’s faith stuns Jesus  Jesus raises a son from the dead John sends two of his disciples to ask Jesus if he is the One? Jesus point...

Dear Friends, Grace and peace from our loving God. Let us pray … Kindle in our hearts, O God, the flame of love that never ceases, that it may burn in us, giving light to others. May we shine forever in your temple, raging set on fire with your eternal light, even your Son Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer. Amen A Celtic Liturgy - Morning Prayer, p. 21;  Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 2008, ed. Today’s Parable - Wineskins / Luke 5:37 Jesus in this scene is having a party with known sinners after the conversion of a tax collector. Some religious people are critical of this action. They point to the disciples of John the Baptist and whose piety is fasting and prayer and why is Jesus not doing it their way. Kendall points to this parable of Jesus as a calling of established and mature religious people to create themselves as new wineskins for new wine. (If you put new wine in old wineskins, it will explode because of fermentation.) The Holy Spirit constantly inspires...

  Dear Friends, Grace and peace from our loving God. Let us pray … May the words from my mouth and the thoughts from my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my defender. Psalm 19:4 - God’s Word Translation - Biblegateway.com I would ask you to read the parable about the Net from Matthew 13:47-50   (Refer to Snodgrass and Kendall).  I am always troubled by Jesus' sayings about the end times, the second coming, or the rapture. I don’t like the exclusivity of some being “in” and some being “out.” This got me thinking about what Jesus says in this parable. Jesus says that the Kingdom of God is like a net of fish and there is a separation of good ones from the bad. Yes, there are bad and evil people in the world. A friend of mine has asked me to read a book about the rapture, tribulation, and rule of Christ, etc., it was exhaustive.  Will Christ come again? Of, course! I am fortunate to be a person of faith for most of my life. I was caught in the net. Through ...

Parables - The Pearl   Dear Friends, Grace and peace from our loving God. Let us pray … O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Book of Common Prayer -  Lectionary Page I would ask you to read the Pearl parable from Matthew 13:45-46 (Refer to Snodgrass and Kendall).  I am always fascinated by how Jesus uses so few words to describe a concept about faith. In the God’s Word translation, Jesus uses 31 words to describe what the Kingdom of God is like and how we could respond. We have a jeweler who finds the most perfect pearl, did not react to anyone but went and sold all that he had and bought the pearl. The Kingdom of God is: The most perfect thing ...

Parables - The Hidden Treasure Dear Siblings in God, Grace and peace from our loving God. Let us pray … Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen Book of Common Prayer - General Thanksgiving I would ask you to read the Hidden Treasure parable from Matthew 13:...

Parables -  The Parable of the Mustard Seed Dear Siblings in God, Grace and peace from our loving God. I would ask you to read the Mustard Seed parables from Matthew 13:31-23 | Mark 4:30-32 | Luke 13:18-19 (Snodgrass). Luke 17:4-6 (Kendall) Kendall points out that the Mustard Seed parables attempt to have Jesus answer the question, “What shall we say the Kingdom of God is like or how shall we describe it? (Mark 4:30) This story tells us four things - Great things can come from tiny starts. God can take the most unlikely person and turn them into a holy vessel (to build the Kingdom.) God can take the most unpromising situation and turn it into triumph and glory. God can take the simplest insight and make it profound (Kendall, pp. 32 - 33) God’s rule is not like an earthly ruler but based on love as a servant. God will do things (ministry) for people in God’s own way. God will always break what we think is the norm of religion and transform it as an act of love no matter the size of ...

Parables - Jesus as Storyteller 1st Edition - The Parable of the Sower Dear Siblings in God, Grace and peace from our loving God. I would ask you to read the Sower parable from Matthew 13:1 - 9 and Jesus’ explanation from Matthew 13:18 - 23. Jesus teaches us the acceptance of the Word of God by a variety of people.  Seeds on Path - bird eat them up - hears the Word but does not understand. Seeds on Rocky Ground - grew quickly but no roots and died - when persecution comes they fall away. Seeds on Thorns - grew and were choked - hears the Word but cares of the world and lure of wealth chokes the word and the person. Seeds on Good Soil - grew and created much yield beyond imagination - the Word produces great fruit. In this parable, we are fortunate that Jesus takes the time to explain it to the disciples. The disciples are special to receive the teaching for there are many who don’t understand and ultimately have no faith.  The journey of the mature Christian will face ...

  Prayer Suggestion | God of life, Every act of violence in our world, in our communities, between myself and others destroys a part of your creation.  Stir in my heart a renewed sense of reverence for all life. Give me the vision to recognize your spirit in every human being, however, they behave towards me. Make possible the impossible by cultivating in me the fertile seed of healing love. May I play my part in breaking the cycle of violence by r ealizing that peace begins with me. In the name of Christ, who is our peace, Amen. (adapted from St. Ethelburga’s Centre for Reconciliation and Peace, “Prayer for an End to Violence,” www.stethelburgas.org/prayer.html) Listing of the numbers killed and injured by gun violence - Click here +++ The Bible in Time | Thursday | Week after the 16th Sunday after the Pentecost   New Testament Study, Day 60 | Today - Day 60 | Reflections on 1 Corinthians 3 : Next-Day 61 | Reflections on 1 Corinthians 4 : +++ Reflection Today...