EBlast for Sunday, September 30, 2018

Made for Shalom!

This week, while you meet with your Faith Formation Group you may want to reflect on our Scripture passage by reading Romans 12:18 (printed below) and discuss the questions as a way to begin a conversation. 

If possible, to the best or your ability, live at peace with all people. (Romans 12:18 CEB)

Questions for Consideration:

1. What does Paul say in Romans 12:18 about making peace with everyone else?
2. What does it look like to you to live in peace with all people?
3. How do you think God views the idea of living in peace? (read Isaiah 2:1-5; Matthew 5:9; Hebrews 12:14; Romans 12:1-17 for ideas)
4. How does your view of living in peace connect with God’s view?

As you meet this week, we encourage you to also take time to open yourselves up as a group and dialog on the following Wesley Challenge question:  When did I last speak to someone about my faith? (Pages 123-126 in The Wesley Challenge)

EBlast for Sunday, September 23, 2018

Paul: His Final Years

This week, while you meet with your Faith Formation Group you may want to reflect on our Scripture passage by reading Acts 28:30,31; Galatians 2:20 and 2 Timothy 4:6-13 (printed below) and discuss the questions as a way to begin a conversation. 

Acts 28:30,31

For the next two years, Paul lived in Rome at his own expense. He welcomed all who visited him, boldly proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no one tried to stop him.

Galatians 2:20

My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 

2 Timothy 4:6-13    

I’m already being poured out like a sacrifice to God, and the time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith. At last the champion’s wreath that is awarded for righteousness is waiting for me. The Lord, who is the righteous judge, is going to give it to me on that day. He’s giving it not only to me but also to all those who have set their heart on waiting for his appearance. 

Do your best to come to me quickly. Demas has fallen in love with the present world and has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus has gone to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Get Mark, and bring him with you. He has been a big help to me in the ministry. I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. When you come, bring along the coat I left with Carpus in Troas. Also bring the scrolls and especially the parchments.

Questions for Consideration:

1. Luke ends the book of Acts rather abruptly. Why do you think he ended it without sharing what ultimately happens to Paul?
2. After reading through the book of Acts and listening to this sermon series, what do you think about Paul? Does he deserve his reputation as the first missionary of the Christian church? Was he effective in his ministry? Did he live his life with integrity?
3. What do you think Paul’s view was on death? Was death something that he feared? What do you think he wanted Timothy to know about death?
4. How are you prepared for death? Are you at a place in your life where you think you would step in to do something that might save others at the cost to your own life? How do we get to the place where we welcome transitioning from this world to being with Christ in eternity?

As you meet this week, we encourage you to also take time to open yourselves up as a group and dialog on the following Wesley Challenge question:  Do I go to bed on time and get up on time? (Pages 67-70 in The Wesley Challenge)

EBlast for Sunday, September 16, 2018

Paul’s Third Missionary Journey

Acts 19:1   While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the interior regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples.  ² He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”  ³ Then he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They answered, “Into John’s baptism.”  ⁴ Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.”  ⁵ On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  ⁶ When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied—  ⁷ altogether there were about twelve of them. (Acts 19:1-7. NLT)

Usually, You come here to watch a video each week in preparation for Sundays Sermon. Today I thought I would go Old School, so here goes…

I love this passage from Paul’s third missionary journey. Paul had come into the city of Ephesus, one of the major seaports of the Roman Empire, and he found a group of people who are professed disciples of Christ yet have a very limited understanding of what that means. From reading the story we can see that at the heart of their lack of knowledge is the fact that they do not know who the Holy Spirit is, nor have they received the filling of the Holy Spirit. 

For several years I used to take a week-long prayer retreat to the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers, Georgia. This Catholic Monastery is Trappist, part of which means the monks remain in silence. Those of you who know me know that this was the hardest part of going to retreat there. Even though the monks are disciplined to strict silence, some of the monks break that silence to have times of ministry to people like me who come for retreat. On one of my visits I had signed up to have a session with one of the brothers and as we began our time he asked a question that messed with me for a while. He asked, “Are you a trinitarian?”  He knew I was a United Methodist Pastor and he was very knowledgeable about both Catholic and Protestant beliefs, so I was puzzled by his question. “Are not all orthodox Christians Trinitarian?” I asked. To which he explained that he had found over his years of counseling that most disciples, both Catholics, and Protestants, are only trinitarian in name. He said that most have no understanding of what it means to be triune because they have no understanding of the Holy Spirit.  

This weekend I hope to focus in on this little segment of Paul’s third missionary journey and share what it means to be trinitarian in our faith. Hope you can come and hear God’s word for us this Sunday!

This week, while you meet with your Faith Formation Group you may want to reflect on our Scripture passage by reading Acts 19:1-7 (printed above) and discuss the questions as a way to begin a conversation. 

Questions for Consideration:

1. As we consider this passage, ask: did these people understand what it meant to be a Disciple of Jesus? 
2. How deeply do you understand your faith? What do you understand about the Holy Spirit? 
3. What are ways to continue working to become truly triune in your faith?
4. Have you ever prayed to ask to be filled with the Holy Spirit? 

As you meet this week, we encourage you to also take time to open yourselves up as a group and dialog on the following Wesley Challenge question:  Did the Bible live in me today? (from pages 35 through 39 in The Wesley Challenge)

EBlast for Sunday, September 2, 2018

Paul…

The First Missionary Journey

This week, while you meet with your Faith Formation Group you may want to reflect on our Scripture passage by reading Acts 13:1-4 (printed below) and discuss the questions as a way to begin a conversation. 

    

Acts 13:1    Among the prophets and teachers of the church at Antioch of Syria were Barnabas, Simeon (called “the black man”), Lucius (from Cyrene), Manaen (the childhood companion of King Herod Antipas), and Saul. ² One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Appoint Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.” ³ So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way.

Acts 13:4    So Barnabas and Saul were sent out by the Holy Spirit. They went down to the seaport of Seleucia and then sailed for the island of Cyprus.

Questions for Consideration:

1. Take time to identify the common theme underlining  God’s call of Barnabas and Saul (Paul) into the special work of becoming missionaries?
2. How does worship, prayer and fasting form a basis for hearing from God. How does worship, prayer and fasting play into your spiritual walk?
3. It is significant that this passage begins with a group of jewish leaders in prayer. In fact up until this point in the story of the early church almost all that was happening in the church was part of the inherited Jewish church. It is at this crucial point that God calls Paul and Barnabas into a mission to reach out to people outside of the inherited church. How is God calling you to be both part of the inherited church of our day and to reach out into the world around us?
4. What does this call to an outward movement of love to people outside of the church mean for us today?

As you meet this week, we encourage you to also take time to open yourselves up as a group and dialog on the following Wesley Challenge question:  Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold resentment toward, or disregard?

Video EBlast for Sunday, August 19, 2018

Paul…

Stuck in the Spotlight of Change

This week, while you meet with your Faith Formation Group you may want to reflect on our Scripture passage by reading Acts 9:1-9 (printed below) and discuss the questions as a way to begin a conversation. 

    

Acts 9:1-9

Acts 9:1    Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. ² He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains.

Acts 9:3    As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. ⁴ He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”

Acts 9:5    “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. 

And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting!

⁶ Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

Acts 9:7    The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! ⁸ Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. ⁹ He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink.

Questions for Consideration:

1. In this account, Saul traveled 150 miles to Damascus in order to expand what started as a local persecution against believers in Jerusalem. What does this tell you about him?
2. Have you ever been convinced or totally committed to something only to find out that you were wrong? What did it take for Saul (Paul) to change his perceived truth and begin a new path?
3. God had to almost hit Saul over the head with a 2x4 to get his attention, how has God worked to get your attention in life?
4. Why do you think Saul was blind and did not eat for the next three days, after meeting with Christ on the road to Damascus? What do you think is happening in his life during these three days?
5. How do you retreat to process the call of God in your life? What has been the impact when you have left the noise of your busy life to spend time with God?

As you meet this week, we encourage you to also take time to open yourselves up as a group and dialog on the following Wesley Challenge question:  Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy, or distrustful? (Pages 109-112 in The Wesley Challenge)

Video EBlast for Sunday, August 12, 2018

The Real Truth Found Around the Sea of Galilee

Breakfast with Jesus

This week, while you meet with your Faith Formation Group you may want to reflect on our Scripture passage by reading John 21:1-14 (printed below) and discuss the questions as a way to begin a conversation. 

    

John 21:1    Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. This is how it happened. ² Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples.

John 21:3    Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.” 

“We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night.

John 21:4    At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was. ⁵  He called out, “Fellows, have you caught any fish?” 

  “No,” they replied.

John 21:6    Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it.

John 21:7    Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore. ⁸ The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only about a hundred yards from shore. ⁹ When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread.

John 21:10    “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus said. ¹¹ So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn.

John 21:12    “Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said. None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. ¹³ Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. ¹⁴ This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead. (New Living Translation)

Questions for Consideration:

1. Is this story similar to an earlier fishing story involving Jesus and Peter? Go back and read Luke 5:1-11 and share how that story is similar to this one.
2. Why do you think Peter chose to go back to fishing after he had already experienced the risen Jesus? Do you every have times where you have to get away to clear your head and get back to basics?
3. What was Peter’s reaction when he realized Jesus was the one on the shore talking with them? How do you approach Jesus when he presents himself to you?
4. Do you think there is any significance in the fact that Jesus invites the disciples to breakfast? Is there significance that Jesus feeds them bread and a fish? Is this just normal breakfast food and/or does it have any relationship with the feeding of the thousands?
5. Do you have anything in your life that you need Jesus to come around and cover you in his love and strength? 

As you meet this week, we encourage you to also take time to open yourselves up as a group and dialog on the following Wesley Challenge question:  Did the Bible live in me today? (Pages 35-39) in The Wesley Challenge)

Video EBlast for Sunday, August 5, 2018

The Real Truth Found Around the Sea of Galilee

Jesus Feeds Thousands

This week, while you meet with your Faith Formation Group you may want to reflect on our Scripture passage by reading Matthew 14:13-23 (printed below) and discuss the questions as a way to begin a conversation. 

The story of Jesus and his disciples feeding the five thousand is the only story found in all four gospels. It is also one of the most remembered stories of Jesus’ ministry. To begin your time today, read through the story as if you had never heard it and see if you can find something new.

    

Matt. 14:13    As soon as Jesus heard the news, he left in a boat to a remote area to be alone. But the crowds heard where he was headed and followed on foot from many towns. ¹⁴ Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

Matt. 14:15    That evening the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.”

Matt. 14:16    But Jesus said, “That isn’t necessary—you feed them.”

Matt. 14:17    “But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish!” they answered.

Matt. 14:18    “Bring them here,” he said. ¹⁹ Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave the bread to the disciples, who distributed it to the people. ²⁰ They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers. ²¹ About 5,000 men were fed that day, in addition to all the women and children!

Matt. 14:22    Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. ²³ After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.

Questions for Consideration:

1. What new thing stuck out to you when you read the story today? Is it something of importance?
2. This story is bookended by to passages talking about Jesus wanting to get away into solitude. What has just happened before in Matthew’s narrative that would call Jesus to want to get away? What is the significance of the what happens in the middle of the story because of the fact that Jesus is trying to get away to be alone?
3. When you read the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand who really feeds the people? What kind of relationship is happening between Jesus and his disciples?
4. Jesus blesses the food, but the disciples give the food out. Is this significant for the church today?
5. What can we take and apply from this story today in the early 21st century?

As you meet this week, we encourage you to also take time to open yourselves up as a group and dialog on the following Wesley Challenge question:  How do I spend my spare time? (Pages 79-83 in The Wesley Challenge)