The Daily Guide. grow. pray. study. from The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, United States "Prayer Tip: Joy in Sacrifice" for Sunday, 5 March 2017
Daily Scripture:
Acts 5:40 After summoning the emissaries and flogging them, they commanded them not to speak in the name of Yeshua, and let them go. 41 The emissaries left the Sanhedrin overjoyed at having been considered worthy of suffering disgrace on account of him. 42 And not for a single day, either in the Temple court or in private homes, did they stop teaching and proclaiming the Good News that Yeshua is the Messiah.
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Prayer Tip:
When I don’t feel like doing something – good or bad – I put it off. If I just do what I know I need to do, I’m always so glad I did it. Unfortunately, sometimes praying is the thing that I don’t feel like doing. It’s not so much that I don’t want to pray; I just want to do other things more. Every single time I pray, even when I don’t necessarily feel like it, I am grateful for the time spent with God.
If you’re like me, I challenge you to pray even when it’s not something you feel like making a priority. One important thing to remember about prayer is that there isn’t a time limit. You don’t have to spend an hour in prayer. Commit to two minutes, and I bet those two minutes will fly by and turn in to four or six or ten. Prayer is a spiritual discipline. It’s not always meant to come easily, but by being disciplined and praying regularly, it will begin to come more easily, and over time won’t be something you have to make yourself do. It’ll become so natural that it’s part of the rhythm of your life.
Holy God,
We are so easily distracted. There are so many good things for us to do, but none are as good as connecting with you. Fill us with your Holy Spirit. Draw us near to you. Give us the longing to spend time with you in prayer so that we might know the fullness and joy of being in relationship with you.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.[Angela LaVallie Tinsley, Prayer and Funeral Ministries]
Sunday, March 5, 2017 – We Are the Church Together “Joy in Sacrifice” Scripture: Acts 5:40 After summoning the emissaries and flogging them, they commanded them not to speak in the name of Yeshua, and let them go. 41 The emissaries left the Sanhedrin overjoyed at having been considered worthy of suffering disgrace on account of him. 42 And not for a single day, either in the Temple court or in private homes, did they stop teaching and proclaiming the Good News that Yeshua is the Messiah..
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"Jesus: our example of suffering and sacrifice" for Monday, 6 March 2017
Hebrews 9:11 But when the Messiah appeared as cohen gadol of the good things that are happening already, then, through the greater and more perfect Tent which is not man-made (that is, it is not of this created world), 12 he entered the Holiest Place once and for all.
And he entered not by means of the blood of goats and calves, but by means of his own blood, thus setting people free forever. 13 For if sprinkling ceremonially unclean persons with the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer restores their outward purity; 14 then how much more the blood of the Messiah, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered himself to God as a sacrifice without blemish, will purify our conscience from works that lead to death, so that we can serve the living God!
15 It is because of this death that he is mediator of a new covenant [or will].[Hebrews 9:15 Jeremiah 31:30(31)] Because a death has occurred which sets people free from the transgressions committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promised eternal inheritance.
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The writer of the letter to the Hebrews clearly had a deep background in the system of sacrifices offered in the Temple. The intended readers also had Jewish backgrounds, and, facing persecution (cf. Hebrews 12:3-4), were tempted to go back to their childhood faith. But the letter said sacrifice and suffering were a part of the life of faith—that Jesus himself gave us the model of that kind of life.
• Sometimes we think of “sacrifice” strictly in financial terms. But there was much more in focus in Hebrews: “For the author of Hebrews, all OT sacrifices point toward Christ’s death…. Hebrews thus sees in Christ the end of the need for animal sacrifices. With Christ’s death, all sins can truly be cleansed.” *What do you believe made Christ’s sacrifice so much more effective than all others? You’re not the Messiah—but how does Christ’s example challenge you to live in order to uplift others?
• The Temple rituals (like all human rituals) couldn’t create the spiritual reality of reconciling people with God (cf. Hebrews 10:1-4). But Jesus’ blood was different, “securing our deliverance for all time.” To what extent have you internalized that spiritual reality—that Jesus delivered you from sin and guilt “for all time”? How can you tap into that reality at times when your emotions lead you to feel insecure before God?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for giving yourself to deliver me from this broken world (and my own inner brokenness) “for all time.” Use me as an instrument to share your deliverance with others. Amen.
* Kenneth Schenk, sidebar note about “OT Sacrifices” in The CEB Study Bible. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2013, p. 445 NT. --------
Melanie HillMelanie Hill is the Guest Connections Program Director at Resurrection.
Written by Melanie's son, Kaelin Hill, age 12, 7th grade. Kaelin is the big brother to three little sisters. Enough said. He loves working on the tech arts team at Resurrection and can often be seen helping his mom as cheap labor around Guest Connections. He works for Icees. He loves tennis, running and exploring and some day wants to be the next great American architect.
Sometimes sacrifice seems easy. Sacrificing time for people we care about doesn’t seem like much of a burden. But then is it a sacrifice? Jesus set an example for us of what sacrifice should look like. This week that was put to the test for me. Like many middle school kids, there are some kids who have been picking on me. For the most part I just ignore it but this week it turned into something else. It escalated. One of the boys who had been teasing me decided to make a photo of me into a cruel meme and threatened to post it online. At this point we had to get grown-ups involved to solve it and stop it. So now I’m left with what to do on Monday. What does Jesus’ example of sacrifice teach me about how I should react?
As I began to think about Jesus’ sacrifice I started to wonder what was it all about. As I talked with my parents we discussed why Jesus’ sacrifice was necessary. Ultimately I discovered that his death on the cross was all about being in relationship with me and you. Forgiveness of our sins was a huge part of getting rid of the barrier that stopped that from happening. So, if Jesus’ example is all about loving people and being in relationship with them, how do I do that with kids who have hurt me? Maybe you’ve wondered the same thing.
I guess step one is forgiving them; forgiving them. Not just moving on but giving them a true second chance. I think part of forgiving them is realizing that sometimes we all make bad decisions and that one bad decision shouldn’t define us. After all, I would want a second chance too. Of course, sometimes that’s easier said than done. When I look back at the example of Jesus, I am reminded that nothing was too big for him to forgive. How can I not do the same?
Step two seems to be rebuilding (or in some cases starting) a relationship. That seems pretty hard, and honestly I’m a little stumped. Maybe starting a relationship with these guys looks like little things--a simple “hey” when I come to class, or showing kindness when I have the opportunity. My guess is they will be as stumped as I am. It might be a bumpy road but I’ve got a great example to show me the way. This will be my test today when school starts back up.
What are you struggling with that you need to look to Jesus’ example of sacrifice to show you the way? I wish you luck, and I’ll need some too!
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"Our identity: trustingly offering spiritual sacrifices" for Tuesday, 7 March 2017
1 Peter 2:1 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice, of all deceit, hypocrisy and envy, and of all the ways there are of speaking against people; 2 and be like newborn babies, thirsty for the pure milk of the Word; so that by it, you may grow up into deliverance. 3 For you have tasted that Adonai is good.[1 Peter 2:3 Psalm 34:9(8)]
4 As you come to him, the living stone, rejected by people but chosen by God and precious to him, 5 you yourselves, as living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be cohanim set apart for God to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to him through Yeshua the Messiah.
8 Stay sober, stay alert! Your enemy, the Adversary, stalks about like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Stand against him, firm in your trust, knowing that your brothers throughout the world are going through the same kinds of suffering. 10 You will have to suffer only a little while; after that, God, who is full of grace, the one who called you to his eternal glory in union with the Messiah, will himself restore, establish and strengthen you and make you firm. 11 To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.
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The early Christians more often than not faced persecution that varied from social ostracism to imprisonment and even execution. We might think that would lead people to avoid becoming part of the faith. The Roman Empire certainly expected to stamp out this small, insignificant group. Instead, the church kept growing. 1 Peter seemed to particularly help new converts understand the kind of movement they were joining.
• Peter wrote of God’s message, “Nourished by it, you will grow into salvation” (2:2). One of Resurrection’s expectations of members is that you will find at least one way to grow spiritually each year beyond worship. How do you determine whether you are growing spiritually? How are you opening yourself to God’s word in order to nourish your spiritual growth?
• The U.S.A. (and most of the Western world) practices a high degree of religious tolerance, as compared to the Roman Empire’s history. If we “suffer” as Christians, it’s more likely to involve ridicule, sometimes social ostracism, perhaps in some cases employment discrimination. How can the promises Peter shared about dealing with suffering help you (or someone you know) deal with these forms of suffering for your faith?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, you turned the suffering you faced into a life-giving force for this broken world. Let me draw strength to grow as your follower, willing to trust you through whatever difficulties my faith in you may bring. Amen.
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Randy GreeneRandy Greene is a part of the Communications team at the Church of the Resurrection. He helps develop and maintain the church's family of websites. He is also a student at Central Baptist Theological Seminary and loves to write stories about faith for his blog.
Recently I have been reading about what it means to be the church, and I was curious to see how the church (in a universal sense… not necessarily Church of the Resurrection as a local body) was measuring up to its role. So a few days ago, I asked my Facebook friends to share with me why they choose to participate in the life of the church. The responses people gave were great, and I loved hearing what brought them to church week after week.
Since so many people were opening themselves up to me, I thought I should share my own reasons for being involved in church. My main motivation is that being at church constantly challenges me to grow in a variety of ways. The body of Christ stretches me in my social life, in theology, in service, in faith, and in many other ways.
Acquaintances are often surprised when I tell them I’m a pretty extreme introvert. I can put on a social face when I need to, but I am far more comfortable by myself or in small groups. Events where I have to interact with groups of people are overwhelming and exhausting for me; I like to have a distance (both emotionally and physically) between myself and the people around me.
Being involved in church, though, stretches me in this. It forces me to interact, meet people, and build relationships; those relationships challenge me to see life beyond the walls of my own perspective, and I’ve learned to embrace this uncomfortability as a critical part of my faith journey. I cannot grow in isolation. The practice of my faith can only happen in community.
Like anyone else, I am still in the process of growing, and my church community is an integral part of that. I have much to learn, but the absolute best part of being involved in church is that they are here to both support and encourage me when I fail.
This week, try to find a way to be on both sides of this:
- Allow yourself to be stretched and supported by your church community, and
- Seek to stretch and support others in your community.
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"Sacrificing 'more than enough'” for Wednesday, 8 March 2017
Exodus 36:1 “B’tzal’el and Oholi’av, along with all the craftsmen whom Adonai has endowed with the wisdom and skill necessary to carry out the work needed for the sanctuary, are to do exactly according to everything Adonai has ordered.”
2 Moshe summoned B’tzal’el, Oholi’av and every craftsman to whom Adonai had given wisdom, everyone whose heart stirred him, to come and take part in the work. 3 They received from Moshe all the offering which the people of Isra’el had brought for the work of building the sanctuary. But they still kept bringing voluntary offerings every morning, 4 until all the craftsmen doing the work for the sanctuary left the work they were involved with 5 to tell Moshe, “The people are bringing far more than is needed to do the work Adonai has ordered done.” 6 So Moshe gave an order which was proclaimed throughout the camp: “Neither men nor women are to make any further efforts for the sanctuary offering.” In this way, the people were restrained from making additional contributions. 7 For what they had already was not only sufficient for doing all the work, but too much!
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God commissioned the building of the desert sanctuary after leading the Israelites out of Egypt and giving the Ten Commandments. In response to God freeing them from slavery, the Israelites contributed everything they could to help build God’s dwelling place. (Note: “dwelling place” did not limit God, like a cage. The “dwelling place” image was a comforting symbol for the Israelites, reminding them that God was with them at all times.) In fact, they gave so sacrificially that the builders had more than enough, and asked them to stop!
• The Israelites focused on building an elaborate tent to serve as God’s dwelling place. Are there spaces or symbols in your life that you’ve chosen (or perhaps just come to think of) as a “dwelling place” for God? If not, consider how you might choose one or more such spaces. How can you best nurture the spiritual significance of these “sanctuaries”?
• God is regularly described all through the Bible as a comforting, guiding force. As God’s child and follower, how can you live in ways that you become a channel of God’s comfort and guidance? When have you been able, on God’s behalf, to comfort or guide someone you care about? Who do you know who needs comfort and guidance today?
Prayer: God, open me to your Word. May I continue to seek you in every aspect of my life. May I welcome you to dwell with me wherever I go, today and every day. Amen.
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Kari BurgessKari's responsibilities on the ShareChurch team include marketing, guest registration and service, and coordinating hospitality volunteers for the conferences we host at Resurrection.
She enjoys running and hiking and loves being a cheerleader for her girls at all of their sporting, music and school events.
She considers it a joy to serve in ministry at Resurrection, using her gifts and skills gained in the corporate world toward the purpose of renewing God's church.
After reading today’s passage from Exodus, I keep coming back to one verse: “They kept bringing him spontaneous gifts, morning after morning.” The Israelites had so much energy and enthusiasm for building a dwelling place for God. Why? The Israelites were so grateful to be free, to be delivered from enslavement and their natural response was to give back generously to God. The Israelites were compelled to bring gifts to honor God, over and over again to show God their gratitude for the gift of deliverance.
I love stories about rescue dogs. A rescue dog story is usually heartwarming and inspiring. A typical rescue dog might have endured some major hardships and come out of a difficult environment. You’ve heard of dogs who have been found wet, cold, hair matted and starving and some kind soul brings them to a rescue shelter where they are cleaned up, given medical attention and helped to find a forever home. When a dog like this is adopted, it can take time to build trust, but the bond made is priceless. A rescue dog is loyal and will spend the rest of its life showing appreciation to its owners. My neighbor’s dog loves to bring gift offerings to her. A sacrificial bird has been laid at my neighbor’s feet on more than one occasion. But the appreciation of a rescue dog is typically more along the lines of companionship, affection and loyalty and not an ACTUAL Old Testament sacrifice.
Just like the Israelites from today’s story, rescue dogs have been delivered from less than desirable circumstances. A rescue dog can’t help but to give back generously to their owner: their natural response is to bring “spontaneous gifts, morning after morning.”
What have I been delivered from in my life? And what has my response been? When I think about my salvation and my God-given deliverance from my sin, has my response been as loyal, generous and heartfelt as a rescue dog? Have I been compelled, like the Israelites, to return to the feet of Jesus, morning after morning and bring spontaneous gifts to Him? Have I given back to others with my time, talent and offerings in proportion to what I’ve been given?
Join me in taking time today to pray about and consider how to respond to God with genuine gratitude for his grace.
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"Honored to sacrifice willingly" for Thursday, 9 March 2017
1 Chronicles 29:2 Now I have used all my strength to prepare for the house of my God the gold needed for the articles of gold, the silver for the articles of silver, the bronze for the articles of bronze, the iron for the articles of iron, the wood for the articles of wood, onyx stones, gemstones to be set, brilliant stones of various colors, all kinds of precious stones, as well as marble in abundance. 3 In addition, because my desire is set on the house of my God, since I have my own supply of gold and silver, I herewith give it to the house of my God — over and above everything I have prepared for the holy house —
9 The people were filled with joy, because they had given willingly — wholeheartedly they had given willingly to Adonai; and David the king too was completely filled with joy, 10 as he blessed Adonai before the entire community: “Blessed be you, Adonai, the God of Isra’el our father, forever and ever. 11 Yours, Adonai, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory and the majesty; for everything in heaven and on earth is yours. The kingdom is yours, Adonai; and you are exalted as head over all. 12 Riches and honor come from you, you rule everything, in your hand is power and strength, you have the capacity to make great and to give strength to all. 13 Therefore, our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name.
14 “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to give so willingly in this way? For all things come from you, so that we have given you what is already yours.
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In Chronicles, we read that God told King David he couldn’t build the Temple (cf. 1 Chronicles 28:1-3). Instead of sulking about that, David enthusiastically set out to gather the material his son Solomon would need to build the Temple. The king started by setting aside a large chunk of his personal fortune. But he gave all of Israel a chance to contribute sacrificially. David and the people did not see the giving as a burden, but as a privilege as they gave back what came from God’s hand for God’s purposes.
• 1 Chronicles 29:9 said the people rejoiced, not because they’d raised a certain amount of money, but because “they had presented their offerings to the Lord so willingly and wholeheartedly.” To what extent do the words “willingly and wholeheartedly” apply to your grocery shopping? Your trips to the mall or to online shopping sites? Paying for car repairs? Your giving to God?
• By definition, doing something willingly and wholeheartedly means doing it of your own volition, doing it because you want to. No one, not even God, can force you to do anything willingly and wholeheartedly—it can only happen if you choose that attitude. When it comes to giving, what helps you to do it in a willing, wholehearted way?
Prayer: Lord, remind me that I am your steward, not the “owner” of anything. Keep me grateful for what you entrust to my care, and generous in the ways I use it to advance your Kingdom. Amen.
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Janelle GregoryJanelle Gregory serves on the Resurrection staff as a Human Resources Specialist. Janelle finds that her heart is constantly wrestling with the truth that she needs a Savior, and the times when she's at her very best are when she's just too tired to put up a fight.
I did it! I said, “No” to a slice of turtle cheesecake. Do you know how much I love turtle cheesecake? Unless you audibly gasped at that previous sentence, the answer is no. I love, love, love, love, love turtle cheesecake!
Why would I do such a foolish thing? Why would I deny myself the creamy goodness topped with sweet caramel, drizzled with decadent chocolate, and evenly topped with heavenly slices of pecans? It is because I’ve been giving a lot of thought to my health as of late, not only my health of today, but my health in the future too.
I’m by no means a fitness fanatic. Like most of us, my health habits tend to ebb and flow. I recently saw my health decisions start on a path that wasn’t the best. My eating habits were trending towards more desserts and bigger portions, and my physical activity consisted mostly of walking between the couch and kitchen. As a result, I wasn’t feeling my best. I just felt sluggish.
I’m taking small steps to turn that around. I’ve been working out on a regular basis and through some miracle from heaven I said, “No” to turtle cheesecake. I do this because I feel better when I do. I have more energy now, and I know that my choices today impact my future health. I say no to cheesecake, because I am saying yes to my health, yes to my tomorrows.
As those who make up the body of Christ, we have to be mindful of the health of Christ’s body too. Just as our nutritional and fitness choices impact our own health, we also make choices that impact the health of the body of believers. We care for this body by saying yes to giving of our time, giving of our resources, sharing our faith, caring for our neighbors, and a whole host of other ways. Does this mean that we say no to other choices? Sure it does. We say, “No” to certain indulgences, because we care about the future of the body of Christ, the future of the Church. When we imagine the body of Christ in the future, how healthy is it? That all depends on what we say yes and no to today. If I can say, “No” to turtle cheesecake, certainly we can all make choices that provide the best health for the future of the body of Christ.
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"Cheerful giving: sacrifices that 'finish the job'” for Friday, 10 March 2017
Haggai 1:1 In the second year of Daryavesh the king, on the first day of the sixth month, the following word of Adonai came through Hagai the prophet to Z’rubavel the son of Sh’alti’el, governor of Y’hudah, and to Y’hoshua the son of Y’hotzadak, the cohen hagadol: 2 “Here is what Adonai-Tzva’ot says: ‘This people is saying that now isn’t the time — the time hasn’t yet arrived for Adonai’s house to be rebuilt.’”
3 Then this word of Adonai came through Hagai the prophet: 4 “So is now the time for you to be living in your own paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? 5 Therefore here is what Adonai-Tzva’ot says:
‘Think about your life!
7 “Here is what Adonai-Tzva’ot says: ‘Think about your life! 8 Go up into the hills, get wood, and rebuild the house. I will be pleased with that, and then I will be glorified,’ says Adonai.
2 Corinthians 8:11 to finish what you started, so that your eagerness in wanting to commence the project may be matched by your eagerness to complete it, as you contribute from what you have. 12 For if the eagerness to give is there, the acceptability of the gift will be measured by what you have, not by what you don’t have. 13 It is not that relief for others should cause trouble for you, but that there should be a kind of reciprocity: 14 at present your abundance can help those in need; so that when you are in need, their abundance can help you — thus there is reciprocity. 15 It is as the Tanakh says,
“He who gathered much had nothing extra,
and he who gathered little had nothing lacking.”
9:7 Each should give according to what he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.[2 Corinthians 9:7 Proverbs 22:8 (Septuagint)] 8 Moreover, God has the power to provide you with every gracious gift in abundance, so that always in every way you will have all you need yourselves and be able to provide abundantly for every good cause —
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Centuries apart, the prophet Haggai and the apostle Paul urged God’s people to give to projects for God. When the Persian king Cyrus let Israel return to Jerusalem, Haggai gave them a firm “nudge” on God’s behalf to do what it took to rebuild the Temple. Paul asked his relatively well-off Gentile Christian converts to give for a fund to help Hebrew Christians in Jerusalem, who faced persecution and hardship. Both times, it mattered that people finish the project with as much generous enthusiasm as they showed at the start.
• Rebuilding the temple took far more than any one person, or even one community, could provide. When have you or someone you know had a sense that God was calling you into something—a project, initiative or mission—that seemed too big to accomplish on your own? What was that experience like? In what ways did God’s power and provision show itself through that experience? How do you feel about the chance to be part of God’s amazing mission at your church?
• Giving is personal. Paul made it plain that God does not compare the amount we give to what others give. What matters is the spirit in which we give, in proportion to the resources we have available. Discuss with family, or with a trusted friend, your expectations or motivations for giving. How can you give cheerfully, not because of any kind of pressure? If you are a Resurrection-Leawood member, and wish to give cheerfully to the church’s “Finishing What We Started” campaign, you can turn in your commitment at worship, or visit build.cor.org/leawood/
Prayer: Lord God, open my eyes to see the beauty that can be created when we all pitch in. Open my hands to give freely, and open my heart to feel the joy that comes as we grow together. Amen.
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Darren LippeDarren Lippe helps facilitate Journey 101 “Loving God” classes, guides a 7th-grade Sunday school class, is a member of a small group and a men’s group, and serves on the curriculum team.
Today’s Scripture includes a snippet from one of the “minor prophets,” Haggai, & the building of the Temple in Jerusalem. (Suggested pronunciation = Hag-Eye).
They are called “minor prophets” because their gigs weren’t as financially lucrative as the “major prophets” like Jeremiah & Isaiah. (Actually, the designation “minor” is because of their narrowly focused message & length of their texts. – Editor. Well, that’s one theory – DL.)
Let’s do a quick timeline of God’s dwelling amongst His people:
Since they were of nomadic communities, Abraham/Jacob did not have a place of worship. However, they did build shrines/altars to commemorate places where God revealed Himself to them.
During the Exodus/Moses era, the portable Tent of Meeting/Tabernacle served as a place of worship
After settling in the Promised Land, a principal place to worship God was needed. Since King David was a man of war, the task of building the Temple fell to his son, King Solomon; “Solomon’s Temple” was built circa 959 B.C. It was sacked & destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. & the Israelites were forced into exile.
Roughly 50 years later, during the era of the prophets Ezra, Haggai, & Zechariah, the Israelites returned home & began the process to build the Second Temple. This Temple would later be remodeled & expanded by King Herod as a political favor to the Jews and would be the Temple referenced in the Gospels. This Temple would be destroyed in 70 A.D. (The Western/Wailing wall that we recognize today was a retaining wall of Herod’s expanded Temple.)
Our friend Haggai is encouraging the Israelites to finish the job of building the Temple after a delay of 16 years due to political opposition, economic concerns, and, well, laziness. (And we thought our kitchen-remodeling job dragged on.)
Why was Haggai’s God-inspired message so adamant that the Temple must be restored? I would submit Haggai’s pleas were not necessarily for a place for God to dwell – He didn’t need that. Rather, I think that the Israelite people desperately needed to know that the presence of God was once again in their midst. Remember, they had been spiritually devastated by the exile and had lost their sense of religious/national identity. They needed the comfort of a physical place where they could confidently go to God, know He would hear their prayers and accept their sacrifices. This rebuilt Temple would become the communal hub of Israel and a symbol of the people’s restored relationship with God.
So perhaps in our own age of uncertainty & upheaval, we, too, need to heed the ancient urging of Haggai and actively help foster God’s presence not only in our own lives but also in our community as a whole.
On second thought, maybe Haggai's profits weren’t so minor after all. When you consider the bottom-line on his balance sheet, his investment created capital gains that provided a huge return on investment for God and helped yield a heavenly retirement plan for each one of us 2,500 years later. As beneficiaries of Haggai’s seed money, he should be of great interest to us all.
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"Jesus: Use earthly wealth for heavenly purposes" for Saturday, 11 March 2017
Luke 16:9 “Now what I say to you is this: use worldly wealth to make friends for yourselves, so that when it gives out, you may be welcomed into the eternal home. 10 Someone who is trustworthy in a small matter is also trustworthy in large ones, and someone who is dishonest in a small matter is also dishonest in large ones. 11 So if you haven’t been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who is going to trust you with the real thing? 12 And if you haven’t been trustworthy with what belongs to someone else, who will give you what ought to belong to you? 13 No servant can be slave to two masters, for he will either hate the first and love the second, or scorn the second and be loyal to the first. You can’t be a slave to both God and money.”
14 The P’rushim heard all this, and since they were money-lovers, they ridiculed him. 15 He said to them, “You people make yourselves look righteous to others, but God knows your hearts; what people regard highly is an abomination before God!
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Jesus told his disciples, and the listening religious leaders, that those who are faithful with a little are also faithful with much. The human heart, he said, can only have one ultimate master: “You cannot serve God and wealth.” Luke said the Pharisees were “money-lovers,” who “sneered” at Jesus’ teaching. History tells us that many of those leaders held an early version of what we sometimes call “the prosperity gospel.” They didn’t see a problem—they believed that their wealth, on which they indeed focused much affection and attention, was a God-given reward for being such good people. But Jesus saw it differently.
• God is not opposed to wealth; God is opposed to putting wealth above him in your life’s priorities. Our hearts can bow to only one true master. Who or what is your top priority, your ultimate master? Can you recall any time when you put more energy and money into trying to shape what others think of you versus aligning your life with God’s priorities? Do you ever find yourself trying to justify your attachment to your bank account, or some of the material goods you can buy out of those accounts? What are some small things you can trust God with today? How does that help you learn to trust God for life’s biggest things?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, sometimes my priorities get out of order, both in little things and big things. I give myself to you anew as my true master. Help me prioritize you above all else in my life. Amen.
Family Activity: Celebrations are important times to look back on where we have been and ahead to where we are going. Spend some time talking about special celebrations. Ask each family member what he or she enjoys celebrating most. As The Church of the Resurrection prepares to open its new sanctuary, we are planning for many, many exciting years ahead. As a family, share some of your favorite moments in the church. What dreams and hopes do you have for our church? How will you be active in knowing, loving and serving God through The Church of the Resurrection? Pray and thank God for our church. Ask God to guide and bless the church as we celebrate this exciting time!
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Liz GyoriLiz Gyori serves as the Group Life Training Program Director at Church of the Resurrect
This is a story about a man who served one master, and a woman who served another.
For fifty years, the man owned a candy store in his small town. He and his wife had no children, and after she died, he did not remarry. This man’s candy store was celebrated for its flavored popcorn, and occasionally, a stranger would visit from the big city, offering to buy the secret recipes. For years, the candy store owner proudly declared his refusal to sell. Eventually, the visits from the big city ended.
This man had one sister, a kind-hearted woman who was widowed young and left to support eight children on her own. She was a farm wife and had little money. She was forced to sell the farm and worked multiple jobs to feed her family. They lived hand-to-mouth for many years, but the sister was beloved for her optimism and her generosity towards those who had even less than she did. Her children all began working at a young age, and when they were adults, they pooled their resources to support their mother. She lived modestly but contentedly. Her brother had never offered her financial help. He did, however, occasionally bring candy to his nieces and nephews.
When the sister was eighty years old, the candy store owner died suddenly. It took a few days for his body to be discovered. His sister was surprised to learn that she was his heir. “Heir to what?” her children wondered, since their uncle appeared to have very little himself.
The “what” was $1,000,000. One. Million. Dollars. The candy store owner had indeed sold his special recipes many decades earlier. He had carefully and secretly tended his investments, not appearing to ever use the money, while his only sister and her children struggled and his own house crumbled down around him.
The sister, who was frail and ill, died before any inheritance came her way. Her room was crowded with family as she passed. Consider which sibling enjoyed ’true riches’ during their life here on Earth, and who was ‘faithful with little’, as Jesus instructed. Who served God, and who served wealth? I feel sorrow for the brother, who died alone despite his bank account. And I’m deeply grateful for the example set by his sister, my extraordinary maternal grandmother.
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Prayer Requests – cor.org/prayer
Prayers for Peace & Comfort for:
•Donna Ramel and family on the death of her mother Gerry Brady, 3/1
•Patricia Fries and family on the death of her brother Bill Johnson, 3/1
•Friends and family of Sue Replogle on her death, 3/1
•Kaye Schulz and family on the death of her mother Frances Freshley 2/26
• Lauren Joliff and family on the death of her mother Barbara Williams, 2/25
• Jerry McNee and family on the death of his mother Janice McNee, 2/24
• Mary Alice Jones and family on the death of her mother Donnie J Myers, 2/24
• Loye Kenny and family on the death of her mother Elva Rose Utterback, 2/23
•Andrea Martin and family on the death of her father Derace Martin, 2/23
•Sue Lapointe and family on the death of her husband Frank Lapointe, 2/22
•Kevin Johnson and family on the death of his father Bob Johnson, 2/22
•Colleen Allers and family on the death of her father Craig Allers, 2/21
•Rebecca Kerschinske and family on the death of her mother Gwen Schauer, 2/1
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The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224, United States
913.897.0120
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The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224, United States
913.897.0120
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