Readings for the Week of October 2, 2016

The chapters this week take us through Scripture and how God’s presence affect us.  Consider that the Spirit of God is behind every step of God’s relationship with us, if we will but let Him come to us.

Sun., Oct. 2-Romans 8: Life in the Spirit

Mon., Oct. 3-Deuteronomy 10: The Life in the Spirit was defined first in the Law of God.

Tue., Oct. 4-Psalm 7: David speaks of the presence of God needed in his life.

Wed., Oct. 5-John 15: The real presence of God comes to us through Jesus.

Thu., Oct. 6-Hebrews 8: Why the New Covenant in Jesus is better than the Old Covenant.

Fri., Oct. 7-Romans 6: How we come into the experience of Jesus.

Sat., Oct. 8-Romans 7: What is the struggle we have in the Christian life?  

Readings for the week of September 18, 2016

Our passage from John 14 is often used at funeral services.  It does not speak to grief and to emotional pain per se, but rather speaks to the power of the Spirit given to us by our God.  Through that Spirit comes the gift of peace.  Other passages from Scripture that speak to loss have the same point of view, that of God’s power coming to us.  We will sample those this week.

Mon. Sept. 19: Isaiah 40: 1-11—From this passage is drawn the prophesy concerning John the Baptist foreshadowing Jesus.  But this wider passage is God’s comfort to His people in times of trouble.

Tue. Sept. 20: Psalm 103—This Psalm places the context of the human life in the grander context of the work and creation of God.

Wed. Sept. 21: Psalm 121—This Psalm speaks of the power and protection of our God in our lives.

Thu. Sept. 22: John 11: 17-27—This is the Gospel account of the raising of Lazarus, an illustration of the power of Jesus versus death itself.

Fri. Sept. 23: John 14—The passage from Sunday was drawn from this chapter, but more of it is used as Jesus speaks of what is to come for the believer.

Sat. Sept. 24: 1 Thes. 4: 13-18—Paul addresses the question of death in the light of the work and return of Jesus.

Readings for the Week of September 11, 2016

The readings this week provide a sketch of the results of the coming of the Spirit upon the person.  It draws from the Old and New Testaments.    

Mon. Sept. 12-Exodus 31: 1-11  At the making of the Tabernacle (God’s House during the Exodus), the Spirit of God blessed the artists and artisans that their work would be worthy of the God’s House.

Tue. Sept. 13-1 Samuel 9:27-10:16  Sometimes the power of God’s Spirit can make someone behave…in an extraordinary way.  Saul here was anointed to be King and the Spirit came upon him.

Wed. Sept. 14-2 Kings 2: 1-12  The Spirit of God was upon God’s prophets, as illustrated by Elijah and Elisha, perhaps the two most powerful prophets in God’s service.

Thu. Sept. 15-Luke 3: 1-22  This is the story of the baptism of Jesus, where the Spirit comes upon Him in the form of a dove.

Fri. Sept. 16-Luke 4: 1-15  This is the story of what the Spirit did to Jesus first time out.

Sat. Sept. 17-Acts 2: 1-47  This is the story of the Spirit coming upon the Apostles at Pentecost and the launch of the church.

Readings for the Week of August 28, 2016

The sermon this week was drawn from Revelations 21, the New Heaven and the New Earth.  For our readings this week, we will read through the last chapters of the Bible.  Apologies for the delay in posting as the family and I were on vacation.

Mon. Aug. 29-Rev. 15-16  So begins the final battle.

Tue. Aug. 30-Rev. 17  Final Judgment Part 1

Wed. Aug. 31-Rev. 18  The end of Babylon (Rome)

Thu. Sept. 1-Rev. 19  Announcement of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb

Fri. Sept. 2-Rev. 20  The Final Battle

Sat. Sept. 3-Rev. 21-22  The Final Joy of Christ.

Readings for the week of Aug. 21, 2016

Our passage in Romans speaks to the issue of how sin is to be dealt with in light of Jesus’ death and resurrection.  The push forward however is to consider the ‘new life’ as a whole as it occurs through Jesus.  The passages this week look forward to how that ‘new life’ is formed.  This ideal of the ‘new life’ arose as it became more and more obvious that Jesus’ return was not going to be immediate, but that there were a lot of people in the world to be reached with the gospel before that happened.  So how does one live life under the blessing of the empty cross?

Mon. Aug. 22: Acts 2: 37-47  This is the formation of the community living the new life in Christ after Pentecost.

Tue. Aug. 23: Acts 6: 1-7  As the new life in Christ built up the community, there was need for new leadership to carry out the social responsibilities of the community.

Wed. Aug. 24: Ephesians 4:17-5:20  Paul speaks to the application of Christian principle and the teachings of Jesus to the new life in Christ.

Thu. Aug. 25: 1 Corinthians 12: 12-31  The metaphor of the body is given for us to understand the new roles and responsibilities of the new life in Christ.

Fri. Aug. 26: 1 Timothy 4:1-16  As the next generation of leadership arises to continue the new life in Christ, this is Paul’s charge to one such leader.

Sat. Aug. 27: 2 Timothy 3:10-4:18  In passing the torch, Paul reflects on what he has done in the new life in Christ, how he has led his life that way, and what comes next.

Readings for the Week of August 14, 2016

The Sermon Scripture this week is Philippians 2: 5-11.  It is drawn from "The Bible: An Introduction" resource that we have produced at our church.  It is a piece of Scripture I recommend people take to heart and to memory.  For it is the backstory of Jesus, before he came to us, and the postscript-what happens between the gospels and the Second Coming.  The Scriptures this week are drawn from connections made during Sunday’s Sermon.

Mon. Aug. 15: Philippians 2: 1-18--This is Sunday’s passage placed in its wider context in the letter to Philippi.

Tue. Aug. 16: Luke 2: 1-20—The angels come to the shepherds at Christmas.  Reflect on the song of the angels in the light of the words of Philippians 2: 5-11.  They knew this story.

Wed. Aug. 17: Genesis 3—This is the story of the fall of Adam and Eve.  It contains the curses placed upon them, but note vs. 22-God speaks of ‘Themselves’ in the plural.

Thu. Aug. 18: Deuteronomy 5: 1-21—This is the ‘second’ recording of the Ten Commandments.  Note verse 8, in the ‘idols’ commandment, same formula of application as Philippians 2:10.

Fri. Aug. 19: Romans 3: 9-26—Paul demonstrates that the death of Jesus takes away the judgment of sin and the penalty of death from those who believe, a promise to bring relief to all who believe in Him.

Sat. Aug. 20: Matthew 11: 20-30—This is a passage of contrasts, cursings and blessings, but it concludes with beautiful promise of Jesus that there is nothing we cannot lay upon His shoulders that He will not remove from between us and Himself.

Readings for the Week Starting Aug. 7, 2016

The readings this week take you about halfway through the book of Hebrews.  If you find yourself repeating passages from previous weeks, that is okay.  The power of the bible comes from reaching in afresh.  A passage that is read a hundred times can offer up something new on the one hundred and first reading that was never seen before.  This is the power of the Holy Spirit helping us to know.

Mon. Aug. 8-Hebrews 1 & 2

Tue. Aug. 9-Hebrews 3

Wed. Aug. 10- Hebrews 4

Thu. Aug. 11-Hebrews 5

Fri. Aug. 12-Hebrews 6

Sat. Aug. 13-Hebrews 7 & 8