Reading: Matthew 2:1-12, Acts 2:1-21, Psalm 3, Genesis 5-8

Recall:
Genesis 6:1-4
When people began to multiply on the face of the ground, and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that they were fair; and they took wives for themselves of all that they chose. Then the LORD said, “My spirit shall not abide in mortals forever, for they are flesh; their days shall be one hundred twenty years.” The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went in to the daughters of humans, who bore children to them. These were the heroes that were of old, warriors of renown.

Acts 2:14a
But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them...

Reflect:
This passage from the Noah story jumped out at me this time. The story of Noah is pretty wild to begin with. But these few verses are really bizarre--sons of gods and giants and heroes. It is like a page out of Greek mythology.

Of course, Acts 2 gives the imagination a workout as well. From huddled in a locked room to preaching before thousands with everyone understanding in their own language.

Respond:
I don't always know how to respond to some of the stories in the Bible. It is hard to guess why they were written or what they mean or what value they have for me, for the world today. I do know that something happened. What power is available to us if we were to plug in to it?

Reading: Matthew 1:18-25, Acts 1:12-26, Psalm 2, Genesis 3-4

Recall:
Matthew 1:23: "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us."

Acts 1:13-14: When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.

Reflect:
"God is with us." I never tire of hearing that concept. Jesus is "God is with us." By learning and experiencing everything I can about Jesus, I learn what it means to be in relationship to God.

At the very beginning of the church, already the women were being relegated to the sidelines, at least in the description of the event. They went unnamed, except Mary. But they were THERE. And they all were praying, devoting themselves to prayer. If we look to Acts as a primer on church life, I guess a foundational aspect must be prayer. Before the preaching started, before the crowds came, before the church grew, there was prayer.

Respond:
Forgive me God for being so quick to ignore my prayer life. I have the promise that you are with me through your spirit, yet I often neglect the opportunity to spend time with you.

I will make prayer a part of every day. I will make prayer a vital element of our church and its ministry by teaching and championing it and making space for it in everything that we do.

Reading: Matthew 1:1-17, Acts 1:1-11, Psalm 1, Genesis 1-2

Recall:
Acts 1:6 - So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?”
Acts 1:10-11 - While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
Reflect:
I like the disciples question of Jesus in Acts 1:6. "Is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?" Is this going to be when we finally get it done? C'mon Jesus. I feel like that sometimes. Is this when it's going to happen? But the things on my list of priorities isn't necessarily on Jesus' list. It seems, based on his words, that Jesus' priority for those original disciples and, I would assume for present day disciples as well, is to proclaim the Gospel and make disciples. God must take care of the rest.
Respond:
God, so often I want to make things happen, get things going, grow the church. And honestly, I don't see myself letting those things go. But thank you for the reminder that the important part is to make disciples and to proclaim the Good News of your grace in my words and in my actions.

This is going to be my year of discipleship. I want to discover and experience what it means to be a disciple of Jesus in the 21st century

John 6:60-71, 1 Peter 4:1-11, Song 6, Lamentation 1

Recall:
Lamentation 1:12 Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which was brought upon me, which the Lord inflicted on the day of his fierce anger.

John 6:65 And he [Jesus] said, "For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father."
Reflect:
I wasn't particularly looking forward to spending time in Lamentations until I read William Wilimon's introduction to the book. "Perpetually joyful believers who never need Lamentations are self-centered, self-consumed believers who feel none of the pain of the rest of the world." Powerful words. This is the second word I have heard in the past couple of weeks about the necessity of making space for the negative. The challenge, I suppose, is to integrate that understanding with the importance of staying "up" and staying positive--making room for the negative, the shadow, without crossing the line into wallowing and spiraling downward.

The passage from John seems to point toward predestination, that the only ones that can come to Jesus are those who God grants. But I cannot imagine that God would NOT grant that anyone could come to Jesus. But it is a great reminder that God must be involved in the process.

1 Peter 4:1-11, and especially 7-11 is chock-full of information about relationships, life together.
Respond:
Great encouragement today from these passages. Thank you God! It is good counsel for me as a pastor. From Peter, great reminders about what it means to relate to others in love. From Lamentations, the counsel to make room for those who are grieving, even in the midst of keeping my own attitude up and positive. And from John, to always be looking for signs of interest in the Divine.

1 Peter 3:13-22, John 6:41-49, Song 5, Jeremiah 52

Recall:
Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and reverence. Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. 1 Peter 3:13-17
Reflect:
I hear the later part of this passage quoted all the time, the idea about persecuted for doing good. But I don't know that I have ever heard it in the context the first verse provides. It starts with the idea that it is highly unlikely that anyone will harm us for doing good. If one's intent is to do good, there's not much to worry about. The "persecution" that many religious wear as a badge of honor is simply a reaction to their ideas (which are often quite narrow) or their attitude (often quite condescending).
Respond:
Right actions. That is what my life needs to be about. It is what matters; it is what makes a difference. The world, obviously, will not be changed by sermons. It will be changed by actions.

Reading: 1 Peter 3:13-22, John 6:25-59, Song 5, Jeremiah 52

Recall:
John 6:38-40 (The Message)
I came down from heaven not to follow my own whim but to accomplish the will of the One who sent me.

“This, in a nutshell, is that will: that everything handed over to me by the Father be completed—not a single detail missed—and at the wrap-up of time I have everything and everyone put together, upright and whole. This is what my Father wants: that anyone who sees the Son and trusts who he is and what he does and then aligns with him will enter real life, eternal life. My part is to put them on their feet alive and whole at the completion of time.”

Reflect:
Peterson was very free with the paraphrase of this verse, but man what good stuff. It doesn't get any clearer than this. Jesus came to do God's will. And God's will is that everything and everyone gets put together upright and whole. God's will is that everyone has real, eternal, abundant life.

Respond:
Our faith is real and practical. We have made it ethereal and impractical. In my preaching, but more importantly in my life, I need to be following the example of Jesus, I need to be manifesting the will of God.

1 Peter 3:8-12, John 16:25-40, Song 4:8-16, Jeremiah 51

Recall:
Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called—that you might inherit a blessing. 1 Peter 3:8-9

Reflect:
Repay with a blessing. Turning the other cheek. We think of that as a sacrifice usually. But how liberating that idea is. I am called to be a blessing. I am not called to strike or to strike back. I don't have to worry about that. I think it probably takes as much, if not more, effort and energy to worry about defending ourself and retaliation as it would take to live in unity and sympathy and love and humility.

How would this work if we were to put it into practice in society?

Respond:
I'm going to memorize this verse this week. It is one to internalize and practice. My calling is to bless so that I might inherit my blessing.