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"Lumiere: What if she is ‘the one’ who will break the spell?"
Friday, 28 July 2017
2 Corinthians 5:14 For the Messiah’s love has hold of us, because we are convinced that one man died on behalf of all mankind (which implies that all mankind was already dead), 15 and that he died on behalf of all in order that those who live should not live any longer for themselves but for the one who on their behalf died and was raised. 16 So from now on, we do not look at anyone from a worldly viewpoint. Even if we once regarded the Messiah from a worldly viewpoint, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is united with the Messiah, he is a new creation — the old has passed; look, what has come is fresh and new! 18 And it is all from God, who through the Messiah has reconciled us to himself and has given us the work of that reconciliation, 19 which is that God in the Messiah was reconciling mankind to himself, not counting their sins against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore we are ambassadors of the Messiah; in effect, God is making his appeal through us. What we do is appeal on behalf of the Messiah, “Be reconciled to God!
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When Belle came to the castle, the servants (cursed to be a candlestick, mantle clock and teapot) could only wonder if she might be “the one” who would break the spell. After meeting Jesus, the apostle Paul had no doubt Jesus was “the one” who could set the human family free from our self-imposed alienation from God. The good news, he said, is that God loves us, has always wanted to reconcile us, and acted in Christ to bring that about. As we become a “new creation” in Christ, God makes it our mission to invite others to “be reconciled to God.”
• Most Roman, Greek and Canaanite religions offered gifts and sacrifices to try to reconcile their angry, displeased god or gods to them. But Paul said that was backward. We were the alienated ones. God came in Jesus to draw us back into the circle of heaven’s love. Are you reconciled with God? Are you open for God to work through you to reconcile others– sharing the good news of freedom in Christ?
• What historical event or person seems to you to present the most vivid picture of God’s reconciling work in the world? In what ways did God work through that person or event to bring about reconciliation and wholeness? In your own life, when have you seen anger and pain changed for the better as reconciliation takes place?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thanks to you I experience more restored harmony in my life and relationships. Help me share your message of reconciliation with a friend, neighbor, or loved one today. Amen.
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Darren Lippe
Darren 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 snippet from our “Beauty & The Beast” storyline focuses on our friendly servants hoping that Belle might finally be the one to lift the spell that had cursed them to become mere household items. One marvels at their patience as they coped with their frustrating circumstances.
While God & His prophets were quiet, the geo-political scene was quite chaotic during these 4 centuries. Let’s do a little History 101:
For the Gentiles, their one-time faith in political power had been badly shaken. The mythological stories of great Greek gods of yore & the idolization of rulers/political philosophies had left them feeling unfulfilled. They, too, were living lives in the midst of little hope.
Moving to today, I wonder if we could we be as patient as our Jewish/Gentile friends? Our culture isn’t exactly known for its patience. Like our teenaged sons, coming in from playing basketball, asking when will we eat dinner. Told 15 minutes, they forage through the fridge for something to “hold them over.” (Sigh.)
Fortunately, we aren’t left to wait & wonder about our Redeemer. We already know He has come to save us from our own frustrating circumstances to offer us lives of hope & purpose. All we need to do is to believe. So, what are we waiting for? Go ahead, “Be our Guest.”
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"Beast: You came back. Belle: Don't leave me. I love you."
Saturday, 29 July 2017
Romans 12:1-3, 9-21
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In Beauty and the Beast, the Beast demonstrated love for Belle first by letting her go from the castle to rescue her father. Then Belle expressed her love for the Beast in the nick of time, and all ended well. The apostle Paul had never been to Rome when he wrote this letter. But many of his friends had (cf. Romans 16), and he knew that Christians there, as in every other church he worked with, faced many real-life tensions and challenges. He offered powerful, practical wisdom to guide, not only the Roman Christians but Christ-followers through the centuries, in how to transform from “beasts” to people of love, living lives that can defeat evil with good.
• We sometimes live a sort of “news magazine” life: we treat “Religion” as a section of life separate from “Business,” “Entertainment,” and the like. How would the transforming of your mind Paul envisioned affect business dealings? Political behavior? Activities like sports or movie-going? Paul wrote in verse 9, “Love should be shown without pretending.” Have you ever been in a setting (maybe even a church) where everyone pretended to love one another, while whispered conversations were full of criticism and backbiting? What makes honest love (which includes dealing honestly with issues that arise) so vital to spiritual health and transformation?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I want my life to count for good, to make this world a better place. Plant the principles Paul taught in my heart. Help me not just read them but enthusiastically live them every day. Amen.
Family Activity: God designed the world to change. Think of the four seasons: bulbs bursting forth as flowers, tadpoles turning to frogs, rain and snow falling, caterpillars becoming butterflies and temperatures shooting upward and downward almost daily. God designed people to change, too, and Jesus can change our lives anytime, anywhere. Read 2 Corinthians 5:17. As a family, discuss how Jesus makes a difference in your individual lives. Are you more loving, forgiving and kind? Are you more patient and gentle? Identify some ways you need to grow and change. How can you grow to become more like Jesus? Create a family mural by drawing “before and after” pictures of changes in yourselves, your family and the world God created. Celebrate and give thanks for the change Jesus makes in your lives and in the world!
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You might also like
Blockade Runner Pilot: “What is it that they've sent us?” Princess Leia: “Hope.”
Jyn Erso: “They call it the Death Star. But they have no idea... there's a way to defeat it.”
Cassian Andor: “I couldn't face myself if I gave up now... None of us could.”
Jyn Erso: “I'm not used to people sticking around when things go bad.”
Galen Erso: “You're confusing peace with terror.”
Or download this week's printable GPS.
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Prayer Requests – cor.org/prayer Prayers for Peace & Comfort for:
• J.R. Smith and family on the death of his wife Carol Smith, 7/18
• Joan Stultz and family on the death of her husband Bill Stultz, 7/17
• Friends and family of Teresa Copling on her death, 7/1
• Carol Lovett and family on the death of her mother Faith DeBonis, 6/28
• Kate Tilden and family on the death of her father John Peterson, 6/8
• Melody Pedersen and family on the death of her son Dean “Skip” Ellingsen, 4/21
Friday, 28 July 2017
2 Corinthians 5:14 For the Messiah’s love has hold of us, because we are convinced that one man died on behalf of all mankind (which implies that all mankind was already dead), 15 and that he died on behalf of all in order that those who live should not live any longer for themselves but for the one who on their behalf died and was raised. 16 So from now on, we do not look at anyone from a worldly viewpoint. Even if we once regarded the Messiah from a worldly viewpoint, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is united with the Messiah, he is a new creation — the old has passed; look, what has come is fresh and new! 18 And it is all from God, who through the Messiah has reconciled us to himself and has given us the work of that reconciliation, 19 which is that God in the Messiah was reconciling mankind to himself, not counting their sins against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore we are ambassadors of the Messiah; in effect, God is making his appeal through us. What we do is appeal on behalf of the Messiah, “Be reconciled to God!
-------
When Belle came to the castle, the servants (cursed to be a candlestick, mantle clock and teapot) could only wonder if she might be “the one” who would break the spell. After meeting Jesus, the apostle Paul had no doubt Jesus was “the one” who could set the human family free from our self-imposed alienation from God. The good news, he said, is that God loves us, has always wanted to reconcile us, and acted in Christ to bring that about. As we become a “new creation” in Christ, God makes it our mission to invite others to “be reconciled to God.”
• Most Roman, Greek and Canaanite religions offered gifts and sacrifices to try to reconcile their angry, displeased god or gods to them. But Paul said that was backward. We were the alienated ones. God came in Jesus to draw us back into the circle of heaven’s love. Are you reconciled with God? Are you open for God to work through you to reconcile others– sharing the good news of freedom in Christ?
• What historical event or person seems to you to present the most vivid picture of God’s reconciling work in the world? In what ways did God work through that person or event to bring about reconciliation and wholeness? In your own life, when have you seen anger and pain changed for the better as reconciliation takes place?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thanks to you I experience more restored harmony in my life and relationships. Help me share your message of reconciliation with a friend, neighbor, or loved one today. Amen.
-------
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 snippet from our “Beauty & The Beast” storyline focuses on our friendly servants hoping that Belle might finally be the one to lift the spell that had cursed them to become mere household items. One marvels at their patience as they coped with their frustrating circumstances.
Aside: I like the old definition of patience. Patience is not how long you wait - but how you behave while waiting. Or the old prayer, “Lord grant me patience with my work colleagues today. Because if you only grant me strength & not patience, I’m also gonna’ need bail money.”
As we consider this idea of patience, I’m drawn to the Intertestamental Period, which, for me, is one of the more intriguing time periods in history. This was roughly 400 years between the last writings of the Old Testament & Christ’s appearance in the New Testament. While God & His prophets were quiet, the geo-political scene was quite chaotic during these 4 centuries. Let’s do a little History 101:
- Persia is initially in control of Judea – not much going on.
- Alexander the Great enters the scene & expands his Greek empire throughout the world, including Judea. He shows great deference to the Jewish faith but his empire also included a very influential humanistic/worldly culture.
- Alexander dies after a brief reign & a series of rulers come into power ultimately leading to Antiochus Epiphanes. Epiphanes wanted to exterminate the Jews & their religion. He destroyed Jerusalem, defiled the Temple, burned as many copies of the Hebrew Bible as possible, slaughtered anyone in possession of the Hebrew Bible, & tortured Jews to get them to renounce their faith.
- After many years of violence & bloodshed, the Jewish resistance/Maccabean revolt heroically restores the Jewish faith in the social order.
- 63 B.C., Rome conquers Palestine. King Herod seeks political favors from the Jews & rebuilds the Temple, but the Jews are now under Roman law & Roman taxes.
For the Gentiles, their one-time faith in political power had been badly shaken. The mythological stories of great Greek gods of yore & the idolization of rulers/political philosophies had left them feeling unfulfilled. They, too, were living lives in the midst of little hope.
Moving to today, I wonder if we could we be as patient as our Jewish/Gentile friends? Our culture isn’t exactly known for its patience. Like our teenaged sons, coming in from playing basketball, asking when will we eat dinner. Told 15 minutes, they forage through the fridge for something to “hold them over.” (Sigh.)
Fortunately, we aren’t left to wait & wonder about our Redeemer. We already know He has come to save us from our own frustrating circumstances to offer us lives of hope & purpose. All we need to do is to believe. So, what are we waiting for? Go ahead, “Be our Guest.”
-------
"Beast: You came back. Belle: Don't leave me. I love you."
Saturday, 29 July 2017
Romans 12:1-3, 9-21
-------
In Beauty and the Beast, the Beast demonstrated love for Belle first by letting her go from the castle to rescue her father. Then Belle expressed her love for the Beast in the nick of time, and all ended well. The apostle Paul had never been to Rome when he wrote this letter. But many of his friends had (cf. Romans 16), and he knew that Christians there, as in every other church he worked with, faced many real-life tensions and challenges. He offered powerful, practical wisdom to guide, not only the Roman Christians but Christ-followers through the centuries, in how to transform from “beasts” to people of love, living lives that can defeat evil with good.
• We sometimes live a sort of “news magazine” life: we treat “Religion” as a section of life separate from “Business,” “Entertainment,” and the like. How would the transforming of your mind Paul envisioned affect business dealings? Political behavior? Activities like sports or movie-going? Paul wrote in verse 9, “Love should be shown without pretending.” Have you ever been in a setting (maybe even a church) where everyone pretended to love one another, while whispered conversations were full of criticism and backbiting? What makes honest love (which includes dealing honestly with issues that arise) so vital to spiritual health and transformation?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I want my life to count for good, to make this world a better place. Plant the principles Paul taught in my heart. Help me not just read them but enthusiastically live them every day. Amen.
Family Activity: God designed the world to change. Think of the four seasons: bulbs bursting forth as flowers, tadpoles turning to frogs, rain and snow falling, caterpillars becoming butterflies and temperatures shooting upward and downward almost daily. God designed people to change, too, and Jesus can change our lives anytime, anywhere. Read 2 Corinthians 5:17. As a family, discuss how Jesus makes a difference in your individual lives. Are you more loving, forgiving and kind? Are you more patient and gentle? Identify some ways you need to grow and change. How can you grow to become more like Jesus? Create a family mural by drawing “before and after” pictures of changes in yourselves, your family and the world God created. Celebrate and give thanks for the change Jesus makes in your lives and in the world!
-------
-------
You might also like
Blockade Runner Pilot: “What is it that they've sent us?” Princess Leia: “Hope.”
Jyn Erso: “They call it the Death Star. But they have no idea... there's a way to defeat it.”
Cassian Andor: “I couldn't face myself if I gave up now... None of us could.”
Jyn Erso: “I'm not used to people sticking around when things go bad.”
Galen Erso: “You're confusing peace with terror.”
Or download this week's printable GPS.
-------
Prayer Requests – cor.org/prayer Prayers for Peace & Comfort for:
• J.R. Smith and family on the death of his wife Carol Smith, 7/18
• Joan Stultz and family on the death of her husband Bill Stultz, 7/17
• Friends and family of Teresa Copling on her death, 7/1
• Carol Lovett and family on the death of her mother Faith DeBonis, 6/28
• Kate Tilden and family on the death of her father John Peterson, 6/8
• Melody Pedersen and family on the death of her son Dean “Skip” Ellingsen, 4/21
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The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
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Leawood, Kansas 66224, United States
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