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I.As we approach the fourth Sunday of Advent, we have as our Scripture focus the arrival of the “wise men.” While we have Christmas hymns that call these men “kings,” they were more likely of a class of scholars or … Continue reading
Category Archives: ISSL
Here is this week’s Scripture passage for you to read again –https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%201%3A18-25&version=NRSV;CEB;MSG VI.As you considered these past several days when and where did Emmanuel become more real for you? I know there are times (days, weeks, even more) when such … Continue reading
You will find three translations of this week’s Scripture passage here –https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%201%3A18-25&version=NRSV;CEB;MSG IV.In the previous post I asked us to focus on the phrase, “God with us.” We noticed how God’s arrival caused changes in the lives of Mary and … Continue reading
I.Let’s focus this week on the phrase, “God with us.” The Gospel writer presents to us in these few sentences how the lives of three people intersect. He recounts that one is to be named “Emmanuel” and tells us that … Continue reading
You can read again this week’s Scripture passage here,https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%201%3A1-6%2C%2016-17%2C%20Hebrews%201%3A1-5&version=NRSV,CEB VIII.Matthew tells us of 52 generations, in his counting, that preceded the coming of Jesus on the scene. Those generations can help us think of the history that preceded Jesus’ birth, … Continue reading
This week’s Scripture is given in three translations here –https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%201%3A1-6%2C%2016-17%2C%20Hebrews%201%3A1-5&version=NRSV,GNT,MSG V.Spend some time reading these words from Hebrews 1:1-5, Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he … Continue reading
I.The Scripture for these next weeks has as their theme “Call in the New Testament.” We start with the genealogy of Jesus Matthew presents and with the genealogy of Jesus the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews presents. As … Continue reading
Here is this week’s Scripture from the Common English Bible translation –https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+2%3A1-13&version=CEB VII.The Scriptures we have read during the last months have all, one way or another, focused on how we love, or don’t love, one another. How we put … Continue reading
IV.Here is how this week’s Scripture is translated in The Message –https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+2%3A1-13&version=MSG James 2:1-13 (The Message) My dear friends, don’t let public opinion influence how you live out our glorious, Christ-originated faith. If a man enters your church wearing an … Continue reading
I.The very first sentence in this week’s Scripture assumes we act with “favoritism.” I guess in some circumstances “favoritism” might be a good way to act, but the passage makes it clear that is not what is in consideration here. … Continue reading