Readings for the Week of January 29, 2017

The reading this week is from Peter’s first letter.  Unlike Paul, he wrote only two letters contained in the New Testament which, instead of going to a specific church, appear to have been circulated in a region where Peter was active.  The readings are going to begin with a chapter in Acts, where Peter is preaching in the early church, and then through the chapters of 1 Peter.  As you read, see if Peter’s preaching voice, as recorded by Luke, is similar to his writing voice.

Sun. Jan. 29: 1 Peter 1: 13-21

Mon. Jan. 30: Acts 3

Tue. Jan. 31: 1 Peter 1

Wed. Feb. 1: 1 Peter 2

Thu. Feb.2: 1 Peter 3

Fri. Feb. 3: 1 Peter 4

Sat. Feb. 4: 1 Peter 5

Readings for the week of January 22

After explaining that God has a plan for each of us, when speaking to someone about the Christian faith, the next point is to speak of the sinfulness that is in all of our lives, that no one is worthy of God’s love on our own.  The point is not to dwell on condemnation from God, but rather on the saving grace God has for each of us in God’s plan for each of us.  Still, sin is a difficult and often abused concept in the church.

Sun. Jan. 22-Romans 7:7-25  Paul is here trying to encapsulate the reality of sin in the context of God’s Word given as the law.

Mon. Jan. 23-Genesis 3  This is the story of Adam and Eve and the Serpent, what happened and the aftermath with God, the story of “Original Sin”.

Tue. Jan. 24-Psalm 1  This Psalm speaks of the contrast between the wicked and those who follow God’s path, a duality that many Christians divide all people into.

Wed. Jan. 25-Isaiah 59  The language here, of a disobedient people, of the sins they commit against God, and God’s punishment in return for their deeds, is the language that is preached on about our own disobedience to God as sinners and the punishment we can expect, except for Jesus.

Thu. Jan. 26-Luke 12: 13-34  These are Jesus’ words, first a parable of the rich man whose riches could not save him, then words of comfort as to the true power of God coming to us.

Fri. Jan. 27-Romans 8: 1-17  The follow on to the verses from Sunday, here Paul speaks of how are relationship to God changes in Jesus.

Sat. Jan. 28-Romans 8: 18-30  It is not only we who are caught up in sin, but all of creation, thus the plan of God is not just for us, but also for all of creation.

For all the complexities of sin, the reality is far simpler.  God saves us from it by Jesus.  That is God’s plan, that is our salvation, not something to be confused by, but something to embrace.

Readings for the Week of December 25, 2016

As we continue with the special services of celebration for the Advent Season, our weekly Bible readings will continue to take us through the book of Matthew.  These chapters record Jesus as a Teacher, a Healer, a Rabbi, and a Miracle Worker.

Sun. Dec. 25-Matthew 22 

Mon. Dec. 26-Matthew 23

Tue. Dec. 27-Matthew 24

Wed. Dec. 28-Matthew 25

Thu. Dec. 29-Matthew 26

Fri. Dec. 30-Matthew 27

Sat. Dec. 21-Matthew 28

Readings for the Week of December 18, 2016

Our readings in Matthew take us to Chapter 21, which begins with Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.  This entrance, with the festivities and the voices raised in praise, is the kind of joy that now surrounds Christmas.  There is a bitter irony that at the end of that story, the climax of Jesus’ life, it is by his death that we gain the Lord’s graceful favor once more.

Sun. Dec. 18-Matthew 15

Mon. Dec. 19-Matthew 16

Tue. Dec. 20-Matthew 17

Wed. Dec. 21-Matthew 18

Thu. Dec. 22-Matthew 19

Fri. Dec. 23-Matthew 20

Sat. Dec. 24-Matthew 21

Readings for the Week of December 11, 2016

Readings for the Week of December 11, 2016

As we continue with the special services of celebration for the Advent Season, our weekly Bible readings will continue to take us through the book of Matthew.  These chapters record Jesus as a Teacher, a Healer, a Rabbi, and a Miracle Worker.

Sun. Dec. 11-Matthew 8 

Mon. Dec. 12-Matthew 9

Tue. Dec. 13-Matthew 10

Wed. Dec. 14-Matthew 11

Thu. Dec. 15-Matthew 12

Fri. Dec. 16-Matthew 13

Sat. Dec. 17-Matthew 14

Readings for the Week of December 4, 2016

As the Christmas Season keeps focus on a limited number of passages, this December, we are going to do something a little bit different.  The Sunday passages will be listed each week, but starting today, we are going to read together through the Gospel of Matthew.  It is 28 chapters long, so, beginning with Chapter 1 today, we shall finish the Gospel together by December 31.

Sun. Dec. 4: Matthew 1-Jesus’ genealogy and Jesus’ birth.

Mon. Dec. 5: Matthew 2-Coming of the Wise Men, Flight, Return to Nazareth

Tue. Dec. 6: Matthew 3-John the Baptist, Jesus’ baptism

Wed. Dec. 7: Matthew 4-Temptation; ministry in Galilee; first disciples called

Thu. Dec. 8: Matthew 5-Sermon on the Mount 1

Fri. Dec. 9: Matthew 6-Sermon on the Mount 2

Sat. Dec. 10: Matthew 7-Sermon on the Mount 3, concluded.

Readings for the week of November 6, 2016

Memory Verse: John 20:17

The topic is uncomfortable.  This whole series has been uncomfortable, but this may be the hardest.  These are passages that are still actively in use as justification that women are second class humans and citizens. 

Sun., Nov. 6: Leviticus 27 : 1-8, 1 Peter 3 :1-7, 1 Timothy 5 : 3-15, John 20 : 11-18

Mon. Nov. 7: Leviticus 27-This is the whole passage concerning determining worth of offerings made to the Lord.

Tue. Nov. 8: 1 Peter 3-Read Peter’s “Guide to Marriage” in the context of the full chapter in his letter.

Wed., Nov. 9: 1 Timothy 5-Paul has a lot more instructions on how people should behave in this chapter.

Thu., Nov. 10: John 20-See how Mary fits into the wider story of the resurrection of Jesus.

Fri. Nov. 11: Mark 16-Read the story of Mary as recorded in the gospel of Mark.  Note how the same story can be told from different points of view.

Sat. Nov. 12: John 3: 1-21-Step back from the discussions of gender distinctions and questions of who is greater and who is lesser to remind ourselves of what God did for us through Jesus.