Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Readings for Sunday, February 21, 2016

Hello Everyone,

Don’t forget, part 2 of our Sermon Series, Ten Tough Topic, will be discussed at our Wednesday night Lenten Services. 6:00 PM at Peace United and 7:30 PM at Grey Eagle UMC. The topic will be “Science and Religion”. Part three will be given on Sunday and is on “Other Religions”.

This Sunday’s assigned scripture readings are:

Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18 – God promises Abram (later known as Abraham) a son who will be Abram’s legitimate heir. However, Abram and his wife Sarai (Sarah) are old and she is beyond child bearing age. To cement the promise, God asks Abram to get a heifer, a female goat, a ram, a turtledove, and a pigeon. Abram slaughters the first three and cuts the carcasses in half laying each half next to the other. During the night a smoking pot and a flaming torch passes between the halves of the three carcasses and made a covenant with Abram that his descendants would one day occupy the land. Covenant making is gory business and confirmation kids love this story.

Psalm 27 – The psalmist places his trust in the goodness and salvation of the Lord. With enemies all around, he knows the Lord is with him and he will praise God. In this psalm, the writer alternates between asking for God’s protection and knowing (having faith) that God is with him.

Philippians 3:17-4:1 – Paul asks the people of the church in Philippi to imitate his life (in Christ is assumed). Another way of understanding the Greek would be “join with me in imitating (Christ is understood). Why imitate Paul? Because Paul is imitating Jesus Christ. Those who go their own way (imitating society or other people) have chosen their doom for their god is their belly. Those who choose Christ’s way of living (and imitate Christ) are citizens of heaven and whose savior is Jesus Christ. Jesus will change his people and the world into his glory. Therefore, when times get rough, stand firm in the Lord.

Luke 13:31-35 – Jesus is headed to Jerusalem. Some Pharisees warn him not to go there because Herod wants to kill Jesus. There are not a lot of places in scripture where the Pharisees are considered good. This is one of them. Jesus tell them to tell Herod that he is doing God’s work but would soon be in Jerusalem. Jesus then laments over Jerusalem as a place that kills the prophets and others sent to it. Jesus wants to comfort the people but they are now left to their own (self-destructive) devices. What is Jesus talking about?

Peace in Christ,
Pastor Gary Taylor

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