Daily Scripture: Luke 16:27 “He answered, ‘Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house, 28 where I have five brothers, to warn them; so that they may be spared having to come to this place of torment too.’ 29 But Avraham said, ‘They have Moshe and the Prophets; they should listen to them.’ 30 However, he said, ‘No, father Avraham, they need more. If someone from the dead goes to them, they’ll repent!’ 31 But he replied, ‘If they won’t listen to Moshe and the Prophets, they won’t be convinced even if someone rises from the dead!’”
Reflection Questions:
In Jesus' story, the rich man begged Father Abraham to send Lazarus back from the dead to warn his brothers to change their selfish ways. (Note: this was a parable. Jesus used popular ideas about heaven and Hades, not to teach details about the afterlife, but to make a point about values in this life.) If the brothers don’t heed the Scriptures, Father Abraham said, they wouldn’t listen even to one who has returned from the dead.
- Jesus said Moses and the prophets could show the rich man’s brothers (and, in real life, the greedy, self-enriching religious leaders) a better way to live. What influences have helped you to build your values (social, financial and spiritual) on the teachings of Moses and the prophets—and Jesus? What forces in our world push against those values?
- Jesus didn’t just imagine that people who resisted God’s ways wouldn’t be convinced even if someone returned from the dead. John’s gospel said that the religious leaders wanted to kill Lazarus—because his resurrected presence was leading too many people to believe in Jesus (cf. John 12:9-11)! And Jesus knew his own resurrection would not win over all those who were fighting him. What factors play the biggest role in your continued choice to trust in Jesus and follow him?
Today’s Prayer:
Lord Jesus, give me a heart receptive to the life-giving principles found in the Bible. Help me to always read its messages in the light of your loving, generous life, death and resurrection. Amen.Insights from Angela LaVallie
Lord Jesus, give me a heart receptive to the life-giving principles found in the Bible. Help me to always read its messages in the light of your loving, generous life, death and resurrection. Amen.Insights from Angela LaVallie
Angela LaVallie is the Worship Logistics Program Director at Resurrection. She oversees preparing the Sanctuary for worship, supports Vibe worship and volunteers in the Student Center, provides oversight for Holy Communion at the Leawood campus, and assists with worship logistics at conferences.
One of the questions in today’s GPS Guide asks, “What influences have helped you to build your values (social, financial and spiritual) on the teachings of Moses and the prophets—and Jesus?”
A common statistic is that you become like the five people you spend the most time with. For the most part, my closest friends throughout my life have been Christians who have had similar values. My parents and grandparents were my earliest influences, teaching me how to live a Christ-like life, but as I grew older, my sphere of influence grew larger, and friends began to have more of an impact on me. In A Life Worth Living, the follow-up course to Alpha and based on the New Testament book of Philippians, one week’s discussion focuses on Christian friendship. One point is that Christian friendship is different than secular friendship. This is not to say that Christians cannot be friends with nonChristians or that they cannot be great friends, just that there is a difference because Christ is a part of Christian friendships.
Going back to the question I brought up earlier, my close Christian friends have helped me build my values on the teachings of Moses, the prophets, and Jesus. Because we have a similar focus to worship, pray, and study the scriptures, we are influencing one another in similar ways and in ways that Jesus says are the best ways in today’s parable.
Download the GPS App
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
One of the questions in today’s GPS Guide asks, “What influences have helped you to build your values (social, financial and spiritual) on the teachings of Moses and the prophets—and Jesus?”
A common statistic is that you become like the five people you spend the most time with. For the most part, my closest friends throughout my life have been Christians who have had similar values. My parents and grandparents were my earliest influences, teaching me how to live a Christ-like life, but as I grew older, my sphere of influence grew larger, and friends began to have more of an impact on me. In A Life Worth Living, the follow-up course to Alpha and based on the New Testament book of Philippians, one week’s discussion focuses on Christian friendship. One point is that Christian friendship is different than secular friendship. This is not to say that Christians cannot be friends with nonChristians or that they cannot be great friends, just that there is a difference because Christ is a part of Christian friendships.
Going back to the question I brought up earlier, my close Christian friends have helped me build my values on the teachings of Moses, the prophets, and Jesus. Because we have a similar focus to worship, pray, and study the scriptures, we are influencing one another in similar ways and in ways that Jesus says are the best ways in today’s parable.
Download the GPS App
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224 United States
913.897.0120
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