ISSL Reflections December 5 2021 Deuteronomy 5:1b–3; 10:12–13; 27:1–10 Post 1

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I.
Moses tells the assembled people,
“Keep silence and hear, O Israel! This very day you have become the people of the Lord your God.”

As you read these passages, what do you find that makes one “… become the people of the Lord your God.”

II.
Deuteronomy 5:1-3 (NRSV)

Moses convened all Israel, and said to them:

Hear, O Israel, the statutes and ordinances that I am addressing to you today; you shall learn them and observe them diligently. The Lord our God made a covenant with us at Horeb. Not with our ancestors did the Lord make this covenant, but with us, who are all of us here alive today.

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 (NRSV)

So now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? Only to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord your God and his decrees that I am commanding you today, for your own well-being.

Deuteronomy 27:1-10 (NRSV)

Then Moses and the elders of Israel charged all the people as follows: Keep the entire commandment that I am commanding you today. On the day that you cross over the Jordan into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall set up large stones and cover them with plaster. You shall write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over, to enter the land that the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you. So when you have crossed over the Jordan, you shall set up these stones, about which I am commanding you today, on Mount Ebal, and you shall cover them with plaster. And you shall build an altar there to the Lord your God, an altar of stones on which you have not used an iron tool. You must build the altar of the Lord your God of unhewn stones. Then offer up burnt offerings on it to the Lord your God, make sacrifices of well-being, and eat them there, rejoicing before the Lord your God. You shall write on the stones all the words of this law very clearly.

Then Moses and the levitical priests spoke to all Israel, saying: Keep silence and hear, O Israel! This very day you have become the people of the Lord your God. Therefore obey the Lord your God, observing his commandments and his statutes that I am commanding you today.

III.
What stands out to you about a people becoming “people of the Lord”?

  • Hearing the commandments
  • Learning the statues and ordinances
  • Observing the law faithfully
  • Fearing God, walking with God, loving God, serving God
  • Writing the law where it can be seen clearly
  • Building altars
  • Giving offerings to God

What holds your attention?

IV.
What words do you use to speak of becoming “people of God”?

What can you name in your experience that has led you to wanting (or not wanting) to become one of the “people of God”?

Charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}

ISSL Reflections November 28 2021 Acts 10:34–47 Post 3

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VII.
Peter tells the crowd, “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ – he is Lord of all.”

As you spend time with this passage once again, what holds your attention? What words/thoughts/images do you want to spend more time with?

VIII.
Acts 10:34-47 (NRSV)

Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”

IX.
The crowd that day certainly reacted to Peter’s words.

Well, maybe “reacted” doesn’t capture fully what happened? It wasn’t just words spoken by Peter. There is the report that “the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word.”

What have you heard about God’s love, God’s gift of peace, God’s presence in the work and words of Jesus, God’s coming near to you and me that so captures you, you must “react” in some words of praise, words of wonder, words of hope?

X.
Listen to Peter again. Where do his words and his spirit of wonder at God’s coming near find you today?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}

ISSL Reflections November 28 2021 Acts 10:34–47 Post 2

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IV.
Let’s return to Peter’s words to this crowd.

In Acts 2 Peter’s address to a large crowd on the Day of Pentecost is recorded. There is much in those words and these that are the same. That crowd is described as Jews and proselytes who have come to Jerusalem for the festival of Pentecost.

In Acts 10:1 we begin to read of Peter’s encounter with Cornelius, a Roman centurion.

In Acts 10:9-16 we read of Peter’s vision when on a sheet lowered before him with both “clean” and “unclean” animals on it and he is instructed to eat. His response is that he doesn’t eat anything that is “profane or unclean.” Then he hears a voice telling him, “What God has made clean, you must not call profane.” And for good measure the vision is repeated three times.

While Peter is still trying to figure out the vision, representatives from Cornelius come to Peter asking him to come to Conelius’s home. An invitation that under most circumstances Peter would find impossible to accept.

But he goes, and later we hear Peter’s words in this passage.

V.
Acts 10:34-47 (NRSV)

Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”

VI.
What do you think?

What “visions” and “circumstances” might God bring into our lives to improve our vision to help us to see the universal reach of the Gospel, the Kingdom of God, and our responsibilities as disciples of Rabbi Jesus?

What comes to mind?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}

ISSL Reflections November 28 2021 Acts 10:34–47 Post 1

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I.
As we spend time with this week’s Scripture, notice who is present, who speaks, the reactions of those present, what question is asked and then what questions does it raise for us.

II.
Acts 10:34-47 (NRSV)

Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”

III.
Peter begins here by saying –
“I truly understand that God shows no partiality…”

If Peter puts his trust in a God who “shows no partiality” what could that mean for how Peter lives, how he relates to people, and what he hopes for others?

Is it important to you and me that we are able to consider a God who “shows no partiality”?

Does seeing God the way Peter claims, have any impact on my life?

Is it easy or hard for you to think of God this way?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}

ISSL Reflections November 21 2021 Revelation 19:1–8 Post 3

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IX.

Our Scriptural focus this week closes with – 

“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
    the Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and exult
    and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
    and his bride has made herself ready;
to her it has been granted to be clothed
    with fine linen, bright and pure”—
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.”

As you reflect on the passage, keep in mind that – 

    “… [the]bride [of the Lamb] …
to her it has been granted to be clothed
|    with fine linen, bright and pure”—
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.”

X.

Revelation 19:1-8 (NRSV)

After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying,

“Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power to our God,
    for his judgments are true and just;
he has judged the great whore
    who corrupted the earth with her fornication,
and he has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”

Once more they said,

“Hallelujah!
The smoke goes up from her forever and ever.”

And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who is seated on the throne, saying,

“Amen. Hallelujah!”

And from the throne came a voice saying,

“Praise our God,
    all you his servants,
and all who fear him,
    small and great.”

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty thunderpeals, crying out,

“Hallelujah!

For the Lord our God
    the Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and exult
    and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
    and his bride has made herself ready;
to her it has been granted to be clothed
    with fine linen, bright and pure”—
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.”

XI.

Once more – 

    …his bride has … been … clothed …
with … the righteous deeds of the saints.”

While this volume of Scripture gives us much symbolism to make our way through (often it feels like too much symbolism, which may explain the need of some to use the book as an “end-times” calendar of sorts), what might we make of the “bride” being “clothed’  “with the righteous deeds of the saints”?

Allow me to suggest it speaks of “community”.

The community of the followers of Jesus.  The community of the Kingdom of God. Our connectedness to others in this community.

And out of that community “praise” and “worship” can arise.

Community has an important place in the offering of praise.

Not just that a community can praise together, but that the community of praise supports one another.  If at times I find praise difficult, I can lean on praise offered in community to both acknowledge their praise and to allow myself to rest in their praise.

As you find yourself in the community of the disciples of Jesus, allow yourself to be carried by them.  Allow yourself to be nurtured by them. And allow yourself to listen as they praise.  Be part of the community even if words do not come for you.  

Their words of praise are offered to God for you too.

charles

{ubi caritas et amor, et amor}

ISSL Reflections November 21 2021 Revelation 19:1–8 Post 2

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V.
Let’s return to this song of praise and as you spend time with it today notice how it might draw you in.

VI.
Revelation 19:1-8 (NRSV)

After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying,

“Hallelujah!

Salvation and glory and power to our God,
    for his judgments are true and just;
he has judged the great whore
    who corrupted the earth with her fornication,
and he has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”

Once more they said,

“Hallelujah!
The smoke goes up from her forever and ever.”

And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who is seated on the throne, saying,

“Amen. Hallelujah!”

And from the throne came a voice saying,

“Praise our God,
    all you his servants,
and all who fear him,
    small and great.”

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty thunderpeals, crying out,

“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
    the Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and exult
    and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
    and his bride has made herself ready;
to her it has been granted to be clothed
    with fine linen, bright and pure”—
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.”

VII.
I don’t know if you might be anything like me, but I have to admit not every “praise song” strikes me the same.  Some seem just loud and repetitious, some seem so full of emotion that I can hear little of substance, and some just seem plain foreign to me, like the singer (or singers) are really speaking in a language I do not understand.

And maybe that is a truth worth acknowledging – sometimes words of praise, a desire to praise, and even the idea of praise is so far from me, I cannot find my way there.

VIII.
How might this song in the Book of Revelation be for me, even when praise seems far removed from where I stand?

Well, I could at least give it a hearing, even if I cannot sing with them.

And maybe I can acknowledge my perspective may not be the same as these singers.

What is their perspective?  Where do they stand?  What are they able to see and affirm given what they know of past struggles and coming victories?

How can their view of the victory of the Kingdom of God be something I can sense even today?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}

ISSL Reflections November 21 2021 Revelation 19:1–8 Post 1

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I.
As you approach these words of praise, approach with an open heart willing to accept and acknowledge the praise that is voiced, and as best you can notice what their sources of such words are.

II.
Revelation 19:1-8 (NRSV)

After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying,

“Hallelujah!

Salvation and glory and power to our God,
    for his judgments are true and just;
he has judged the great whore
    who corrupted the earth with her fornication,
and he has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”

Once more they said,
“Hallelujah!
The smoke goes up from her forever and ever.”

And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who is seated on the throne, saying,

“Amen. Hallelujah!”

And from the throne came a voice saying,

“Praise our God,
    all you his servants,
and all who fear him,
    small and great.”

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty thunderpeals, crying out,

“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
    the Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and exult
    and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
    and his bride has made herself ready;
to her it has been granted to be clothed
    with fine linen, bright and pure”—
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.”

III.
These words are presented in the Book of Revelation after the vision of the fall of Babylon and before the vision of the coming of the New Heaven and the New Earth.

That leads me to notice that such praise is not reserved for the “end.”  Not reserved for after the final battle, after the victory and the start of the “perfect” world.

IV.
Read these words of praise again, noticing not only what is written, but what praise it may call forth from you. 

Can you recall a time or place we wanted to shout as these do?  If you do, try to recall what led you to that place of joy and praise? If you find it hard to recall such a time, then let these voices nurture in your a place from which joy and praise can arise.

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}

ISSL Reflections November 14 2021 Revelation 11:15–19 Post 3

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VIII.
As you read this week’s Scripture once again, see if you notice those echoes I mentioned the other day.  Echoes of themes we find in other places in the Scriptural narrative.

If none come to mind, you could check in a Bible (in print or online) that has cross-references to other Scriptures.

IX.
Revelation 11:15-19 (NRSV)

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,

“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord
    and of his Messiah,
and he will reign forever and ever.”

Then the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, singing,

“We give you thanks, Lord God Almighty,
    who are and who were,
    and begun to reign.

The nations raged,
    but your wrath has come,
    and the time for judging the dead,
for rewarding your servants, the prophets
    and saints and all who fear your name,
    both small and great,
and for destroying those who destroy the earth.”

Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.

X.
As I reread this passage I see again and again an emphasis on the presence of the Kingdom.

Did that give the readers hope? Maybe even a profound assurance of the future that awaited  them.

Most commentators on the Book of Revelation begin with the premise that the first readers were under distress and in a place we could easily think hope was hard to come by.

But they are nevertheless and in spite of their circumstances encouraged to hope.  Even to be able to wait with hope.  With assurance that the reign of God’s Kingdom has already begun and will come to full blossom in the future.

Are those themes we encounter elsewhere in Scripture?

And, you might find it near to us as we approach the season of Advent.  A time of both waiting and hope.

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}

ISSL Reflections November 14 2021 Revelation 11:15–19 Post 2

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V.
As you read this week’s focus passage today, give some thought to how you see it fits or does not fit into the overall Scriptural narrative.

VI.
Revelation 11:15-19 (NRSV)

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,

“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord
    and of his Messiah,
and he will reign forever and ever.”

Then the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, singing,

“We give you thanks, Lord God Almighty,
    who are and who were,
for you have taken your great power
    and begun to reign.

The nations raged,
    but your wrath has come,
    and the time for judging the dead,
for rewarding your servants, the prophets
    and saints and all who fear your name,
    both small and great,
and for destroying those who destroy the earth.”

Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.

VII.

Take a few moments and consider how you might summarize this passage.

Do you find parallels in the Torah?
… in the Psalms?
… in the Prophets?
… in the parables of Rabbi Jesus?

Do any of those address the coming Kingdom of God?  

It seems to me you could find parallels with this passage from the Book of Revelation and the Torah, Psalms, Prophets, and Rabbi Jesus’ parables.

Give some time to consider this.

One more thing – If you do find this theme echoed again and again in Scripture, how does it  impact how you live now as one for whom the Kingdom “has come near.”

Or maybe it doesn’t?  

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}

ISSL Reflections November 14 2021 Revelation 11:15–19 Post 1

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I.
By now in the Book of Revelation we are past the letters to the seven churches, past the opening of the seven seals and here we come to the sound of the seventh trumpet.

With the hearing of this trumpet, we come to a type of ending and a type of beginning in the book.  Yes, we will see more visions in the chapters that follow, but for this week, we pay attention to what “begins.”  

As you read this week’s focus passage, notice what has begun and how it is described in the songs of the elders and the others.

II.
Revelation 11:15-19 (NRSV)

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,

“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord
    and of his Messiah,
and he will reign forever and ever.”

Then the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, singing,

“We give you thanks, Lord God Almighty,
    who are and who were,
for you have taken your great power
    and begun to reign.

The nations raged,
    but your wrath has come,
    and the time for judging the dead,
for rewarding your servants, the prophets
    and saints and all who fear your name,
    both small and great,
and for destroying those who destroy the earth.”

Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.

III.

“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord
    and of his Messiah,
and he will reign forever and ever.”
…
for you have taken your great power
    and begun to reign.
…
Then God’s temple in heaven was opened,
and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple …

IV.
We are presented a vision of one kingdom being replaced by another, with the promise that this kingdom will not end.

As you hear this, does it strike you as a possibility or as an impossibility?

The prophets speak of those that hear and do not hear.  Rabbi Jesus echoes the same in his teaching.

What might prevent us from being about to see what this vision of the Kingdom presents?

Is it what you hope for or is it too much to hope for?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}