The Daily Guide. grow. pray. study. from The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, United States “Preparing for a life of covenant worship and service" for Saturday, 17 September 2016
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Daily Scripture: Exodus 24:1 To Moshe [Adonai] said, “Come up to Adonai — you, Aharon, Nadav, Avihu, and seventy of the leaders of Isra’el. Prostrate yourselves at a distance, 2 while Moshe alone approaches Adonai — the others are not to approach, and the people are not to go up with him.” 3 Moshe came and told the people everything Adonai had said, including all the rulings. The people answered with one voice: “We will obey every word Adonai has spoken.”
4 Moshe wrote down all the words of Adonai. He rose early in the morning, built an altar at the base of the mountain and set upright twelve large stones to represent the twelve tribes of Isra’el. 5 He sent the young men of the people of Isra’el to offer burnt offerings and sacrifice peace offerings of oxen to Adonai. 6 Moshe took half of the blood and put it in basins; the other half of the blood he splashed against the altar. 7 Then he took the book of the covenant and read it aloud, so that the people could hear; and they responded, “Everything that Adonai has spoken, we will do and obey.” 8 Moshe took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant which Adonai has made with you in accordance with all these words.”
12 Adonai said to Moshe, “Come up to me on the mountain, and stay there. I will give you the stone tablets with the Torah and the mitzvot I have written on them, so that you can teach them.” 13 Moshe got up, also Y’hoshua his assistant; and Moshe went up onto the mountain of God. 14 To the leaders he said, “Stay here for us, until we come back to you. See, Aharon and Hur are with you; whoever has a problem should turn to them.” (S: Maftir) 15 Moshe went up onto the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. (A: Maftir) 16 The glory of Adonai stayed on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day he called to Moshe out of the cloud. 17 To the people of Isra’el the glory of Adonai looked like a raging fire on the top of the mountain. 18 Moshe entered the cloud and went up on the mountain; he was on the mountain forty days and nights.
4 Moshe wrote down all the words of Adonai. He rose early in the morning, built an altar at the base of the mountain and set upright twelve large stones to represent the twelve tribes of Isra’el. 5 He sent the young men of the people of Isra’el to offer burnt offerings and sacrifice peace offerings of oxen to Adonai. 6 Moshe took half of the blood and put it in basins; the other half of the blood he splashed against the altar. 7 Then he took the book of the covenant and read it aloud, so that the people could hear; and they responded, “Everything that Adonai has spoken, we will do and obey.” 8 Moshe took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant which Adonai has made with you in accordance with all these words.”
12 Adonai said to Moshe, “Come up to me on the mountain, and stay there. I will give you the stone tablets with the Torah and the mitzvot I have written on them, so that you can teach them.” 13 Moshe got up, also Y’hoshua his assistant; and Moshe went up onto the mountain of God. 14 To the leaders he said, “Stay here for us, until we come back to you. See, Aharon and Hur are with you; whoever has a problem should turn to them.” (S: Maftir) 15 Moshe went up onto the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. (A: Maftir) 16 The glory of Adonai stayed on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day he called to Moshe out of the cloud. 17 To the people of Isra’el the glory of Adonai looked like a raging fire on the top of the mountain. 18 Moshe entered the cloud and went up on the mountain; he was on the mountain forty days and nights.
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Reflection Questions:
The Ten Commandments were the foundation of God’s covenant with Israel. Written on stone, they were the “covenant document” stored in the Ark of the Covenant. With blood and solemn promises, Israel sealed their covenant with God. (Sadly, they would learn all too soon that it was much easier to say, “Everything that the Lord has said we will do, and we will obey” than it was to actually live that out.) Right after this covenant ceremony, Exodus 25:1-8 began recording directions for the sanctuary we studied last week, and the gifts the people were to bring to help build the place that symbolized God’s presence with them.
Today’s Prayer:
Lord Jesus, yes—blood is a symbol. But you shed your real blood on the cross, and you did it for me. Touch my heart, and draw me close to you, as I remember the price you paid to be my Savior. Amen.
Family Activity:
In order for us to fully live into God’s wisdom and grace, it is important that we know Scripture. Create a stack of Scriptures for your home. Gather and distribute colored index cards and pens or pencils along with a Bible to each family member. Ask each person to choose 3-4 favorite Bible verses and write them on his or her index cards along with his or her name. Collect the cards and keep them on the dining table. Before each meal, select a card, read the passage and pray for the person who chose it. Place that card on the bottom of the stack. If you have young family members, invite them to draw pictures describing the verses or to help other family members. Keep adding to your family’s stack throughout the year and see how many verses you can memorize!
The Ten Commandments were the foundation of God’s covenant with Israel. Written on stone, they were the “covenant document” stored in the Ark of the Covenant. With blood and solemn promises, Israel sealed their covenant with God. (Sadly, they would learn all too soon that it was much easier to say, “Everything that the Lord has said we will do, and we will obey” than it was to actually live that out.) Right after this covenant ceremony, Exodus 25:1-8 began recording directions for the sanctuary we studied last week, and the gifts the people were to bring to help build the place that symbolized God’s presence with them.
- Are you glad that at church no one throws blood from freshly slaughtered oxen over you (see verse 8)? Probably we all are. But do not miss the serious symbolism in that rather grim ancient ceremony. New Testament Christians said repeatedly that Jesus' blood cleansed us (cf. Romans 3:25, Ephesians 2:13, Hebrews 9:14 and 12:24, 1 John 1:7 and Revelation 1:5). There is divine mystery, and many differing ideas, about exactly how that works—but no mistaking the teaching that, spiritually, we must be covered by Jesus' blood. Ponder the scene as Moses used blood to seal ancient Israel’s covenant with God. Thank God that by Jesus' blood you can be a part of his eternal covenant of forgiveness and salvation.
Today’s Prayer:
Lord Jesus, yes—blood is a symbol. But you shed your real blood on the cross, and you did it for me. Touch my heart, and draw me close to you, as I remember the price you paid to be my Savior. Amen.
Family Activity:
In order for us to fully live into God’s wisdom and grace, it is important that we know Scripture. Create a stack of Scriptures for your home. Gather and distribute colored index cards and pens or pencils along with a Bible to each family member. Ask each person to choose 3-4 favorite Bible verses and write them on his or her index cards along with his or her name. Collect the cards and keep them on the dining table. Before each meal, select a card, read the passage and pray for the person who chose it. Place that card on the bottom of the stack. If you have young family members, invite them to draw pictures describing the verses or to help other family members. Keep adding to your family’s stack throughout the year and see how many verses you can memorize!
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Insights from Penny Ellwood instead of Steve Langhofer
Rev. Steve Langhofer submitted his
Insights blog post for today–but in one of those mysteries of the computer world, we were not able to open the file he submitted. Until we can get that situation straightened out, we share a blog that Pastor Penny Ellwood wrote in February of 2010, exploring the meaning of God’s covenant with us.
I had an opportunity to speak at the last session of the premarital preparation class that is required for couples planning a wedding at Church of the Resurrection. There were 12 young couples in this particular class, all planning to get married soon. One of the things I spoke to the group about was the Biblical view of marriage as a sacred, life-long covenant.
The concept of the covenant is used repeatedly throughout Scripture as a sign and symbol used by God to reveal His saving grace. God chose to enter into a solemn covenant of love, not only with individuals such as Abraham, but also with the whole household of Israel. God’s covenant of love, though not always reciprocated, is everlasting, extending from generation to generation: “The Lord your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands” (Deut 7:7-9 NIV).
To help the class understand the solemn and binding nature of the marriage covenant, I explained how covenants were made in the Old Testament days. When two people entered into a covenant with one another, a goat or lamb would be slain and its carcass would be cut in half. With the two halves separated and lying on the ground, the two people who had formed the covenant would solemnize their promise by walking between the two halves saying, “May God do so to me [cut me in half] if I ever break this covenant with you and God!” Passing between the split carcasses was known as the “walk of death.”
It struck me that Jesus may have been thinking of this covenant process as he shared the bread and cup with his disciples. He broke the bread in two and said, ‘this is my body given for you” and taking the cup he said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”
Jesus became the sacrifice for this new covenant of love. From this time forward, this meal we share is a reminder and sign of his sacrificial love and commitment; a lasting covenant “in his blood” from generation to generation.
Insights from Penny Ellwood instead of Steve Langhofer
Rev. Steve Langhofer submitted his Insights blog post for today–but in one of those mysteries of the computer world, we were not able to open the file he submitted. Until we can get that situation straightened out, we share a blog that Pastor Penny Ellwood wrote in February of 2010, exploring the meaning of God’s covenant with us.
I had an opportunity to speak at the last session of the premarital preparation class that is required for couples planning a wedding at Church of the Resurrection. There were 12 young couples in this particular class, all planning to get married soon. One of the things I spoke to the group about was the Biblical view of marriage as a sacred, life-long covenant.
The concept of the covenant is used repeatedly throughout Scripture as a sign and symbol used by God to reveal His saving grace. God chose to enter into a solemn covenant of love, not only with individuals such as Abraham, but also with the whole household of Israel. God’s covenant of love, though not always reciprocated, is everlasting, extending from generation to generation: “The Lord your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands” (Deut 7:7-9 NIV).
To help the class understand the solemn and binding nature of the marriage covenant, I explained how covenants were made in the Old Testament days. When two people entered into a covenant with one another, a goat or lamb would be slain and its carcass would be cut in half. With the two halves separated and lying on the ground, the two people who had formed the covenant would solemnize their promise by walking between the two halves saying, “May God do so to me [cut me in half] if I ever break this covenant with you and God!” Passing between the split carcasses was known as the “walk of death.”
It struck me that Jesus may have been thinking of this covenant process as he shared the bread and cup with his disciples. He broke the bread in two and said, ‘this is my body given for you” and taking the cup he said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”
Jesus became the sacrifice for this new covenant of love. From this time forward, this meal we share is a reminder and sign of his sacrificial love and commitment; a lasting covenant “in his blood” from generation to generation.
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The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224, United States
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