October 25, 2020, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, ISSL Reflections Post 2

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Here are several translations of 1 Corinthians 13 –
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20corinthians%2013&version=NRSV;NIV;LEB;KJV

IV.
“It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:7

V.
Several years ago I was reading a book (sorry, right now I don’t recall the title or the author) in which the author pointed out some passages in Christian Scripture they took exception with.

The above verse, 1 Corinthians 13:7, was one that gave them much trouble.

After all, who in their “right mind” would put up with ALL things, believe ALL things, and especially ENDURE ALL THINGS? Does that make good sense? Aren’t we supposed to work to make the world a better place? If I endure ALL things, how can I make any contribution to the betterment of my small piece of the world?

VI.
In the link above, I have included the New International Version of Scripture which gives this verse as –

“It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

Does that “soften” the verse some? Does it make it more acceptable? Should it?

What do you think?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}

October 25, 2020, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, ISSL Reflections Post 1

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I.
Once again we have before us what is to many a very familiar passage of Scripture. It is familiar enough to many to make it all but impossible to to read as if for the first time. But let me ask to read it as if you were not encountering it as several paragraphs found in the “Holy Bible.” How might it be heard apart from its setting in Christian Scripture.

II.
1 Corinthians 13

If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

III.
Let’s read the passage again and pay attention to how the writer describes “love.”

Pay attention to both what it says love “is” and what it says love “is not.”

What stands out to as the most obvious description of what love is, and what stands out to you as the most counter-intuitive description of what love is.

Spend some time with the passage and we’ll talk later.

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}

October 11, 2020, Luke 6:27-36, ISSL Reflections Post 3

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VII.
In our Scripture, Jesus is asking that those willing to listen, will hear what he has to say.

And, what do we hear? Something we call the “golden rule”?

How do you hear these words of Jesus flesh out the “golden rule”?

VIII.
Luke 6:27-36

“But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

IX.
“… as you would have them do to you.”

It sounds like Jesus thinks we come to relationships, to life, with certain expectations.

What do you think he expects us to want in life, in the Kingdom of God?

What do you want as a Kingdom resident?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}

October 11, 2020, Luke 6:27-36, ISSL Reflections Post 2

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IV.
How do you understand these words from Jesus,

… bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Luke 6:28-30

V.
Do you think Jesus is instructioning his disciples how to live in a future arriving Kingdom of God or in a Kingdom that is already present?

Is he telling us how to treat other members of the Kingdom of God he proclaimed, or is this how he wants his followers to interact with everyone?

VI.
How do you feel about what Jesus says?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}

October 11, 2020, Luke 6:27-36, ISSL Reflections Post 1

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First, my apology for getting the lessons out of order. This past week I posted about the Scripture for next Sunday, October 18, and skipped the Scripture for yesterday, October 11.

I now see my error (which started as a formatting mistake in my notes), so for this week, rather than skip the passage for yesterday, I will post some thoughts on Luke 6:27-36. I trust you don’t mind too much.

I.
This passage has some very familiar words, “Do to others as you would have them to to you.”

Take some time to read over the passage slowly several times. Jesus begins by, “… I say to you that listen.” Let’s listen to him today. Listening not to what you expect to hear but to what he says to you.

II.
Luke 6:27-36

“But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

III.
Now that you have the passage in mind, look through it and pay attention to Jesus’ commands.

What commands do you find?

You might want to make a list of what behaviors Jesus is putting before you. Yes, let’s make a list.

Now read over the list you made and highlight the behaviors that are second nature to you. Or if not yet second nature, at least ones that you practice in your life. Maybe you don’t practice them regularly, but you know they are within your power to do.

Got that?

Ok, now pick out the behaviors that you find hard, or out of range for you to do. Why are these behaviours hard? Do they not make sense to you? Or, maybe it just points to something that is not in your nature?

What do you think?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}

October 18, 2020, Luke 10:25-37, ISSL Reflections Post 3

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VI.
Jesus is asked a question by a man who already knows the answer.

Rather than providing an “answer,” Jesus asks the inquisitor for the answer, affirms the response, and then does what?

VII.
Not content to leave the matter there, the inquisitor wants Jesus to define his terms. After all, “neighbor” can be an imprecise word, can’t it?

Do we define our neighbors geographically, culturally, racially, ethnically, nationally, economically, by sex, by gender, by theology, or by religious membership?

Jesus offers no definition, only a story, and again asks the one who has come with the questions to provide an answer.

VIII.
This encounter leaves me wondering how often I ask Jesus a question he has already answered?

And even more disturbing, am I ready to go “Go and do ….”?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}

October 18, 2020, Luke 10:25-37, ISSL Reflections Post 2

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Here is a link to this week’s Scripture –
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+10%3A25-37&version=NRSV

IV.
I asked the other day that we pay attention to the lawyer/scribe who questions Jesus. Let’s stay with that.

This lawyer/scribe who asks Jesus how to inherit eternal life is directed by Jesus to answer his own question by going to the material on which he is supposed to be an authority.

He does answer from The Law, The Torah, and Jesus says he is right.

The lawyer/scribe pushes the questioning by picking up on the word “neighbor” and wants Jesus to define “neighbor.” This kind of back and forth questioning is not unheard of among rabbis and their students.

V.
What is this exchange about?

The give and take between two teachers/rabbis?

Is it about “academic” questioning and answering? Or something else.

Jesus says, “… do this and you will live.” He was after all asked about how to have eternal life.

After Jesus tells his story and poses a question about the story, he says, “Go and do likewise.”

“… do this … live … go … do likewise….”

What is Jesus after? What do you suppose he wants the lawyer/scribe to know … see … do ?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}

October 18,2020, Luke 10:25–37, ISSL Reflections Post 1

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I.
There is a problem with this week’s Scripture – it can be so familiar to many of us, that we no longer hear it, but instead hear what we already “know” about the passage, or “think” we know about it.

There may be no way to get fully past that, but let’s hear it as it came as an answer to an authority on Scripture who came to “test” Jesus.

II.
Luke 10:25-37 (NRSV)

Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.”

But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

III.
Let’s first pay attention to the man who is identified as an authority on the Law of Moses, the Torah, the Covenant that gave the Jewish nation its identity.

We are told he came to “test” Jesus.

Why?

Then we are told he wanted “to justify himself.”

What is that about? Why does he want to or need to justify himself? Does his encounter with Jesus call this from him or does his self-understanding bring him to that place?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}

October 4, 2020, 1 Samuel 19:1-7; ISSL Reflections Post 3

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You can find this week’s Scripture at –
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Samuel+19%3A1-18&version=NRSV

VI.
Intercession

It seems to me when I hear church people speak of “intercession” it is in a conversation or discussion about prayer.

Jonathan intercedes with his father King Saul for his friend David.

We can ask “Why does he do this?”

Or maybe we can ask “How does he show us what intercession should be about?”

Now, it seems to me, I need to ask where am I “called” to intercede?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}

October 4, 2020, 1 Samuel 19:1-7; ISSL Reflections Post 2

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You can find this week’s Scripture at –
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Samuel+19%3A1-18&version=NRSV

IV.
A few weeks ago I mentioned The Abide Bible as a good source to help you find some means of reflections on various Scripture passages. Today, I want to point you to This Morning With God: A Daily Study Guide to the Entire Bible. This book comes from InterVarsity Press and is described on the back cover of the edition I have as “a unique daily devotional guide [that] leads you to study the Bible itself so you can listen directly to what God says in Scripture. The method is simple: each day a few well-worded questions direct your attention to the passage, helping you discover how the Bible affects and transforms life. You are not spoon-fed. You are allowed to come to your own conclusions.”

That seems to have a lot of merit to me.

V.
Let’s look at some of the questions proposed for this week’s passage, one of which picks up on a “how” question from our template of the other day.

How does Jonathan convince Saul that should not kill David? Contrast verses 6 and 10. Do you live according to principles you know are right or according to your mood of the moment? Pray that your spiritual life will not be determined by your erratic and unstable emotions.

I might add another – How do you determine the right principles to live by and how do you go about living by them?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}