Daily Scripture:
Matthew 7:13 “Go in through the narrow gate; for the gate that leads to destruction is wide and the road broad, and many travel it; 14 but it is a narrow gate and a hard road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
15 “Beware of the false prophets! They come to you wearing sheep’s clothing, but underneath they are hungry wolves! 16 You will recognize them by their fruit. Can people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every healthy tree produces good fruit, but a poor tree produces bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, or a poor tree good fruit. 19 Any tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown in the fire! 20 So you will recognize them by their fruit.
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, only those who do what my Father in heaven wants. 22 On that Day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord! Didn’t we prophesy in your name? Didn’t we expel demons in your name? Didn’t we perform many miracles in your name?’ 23 Then I will tell them to their faces, ‘I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness!’[Matthew 7:23 Psalm 6:9(8)]
24 “So, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on bedrock. 25 The rain fell, the rivers flooded, the winds blew and beat against that house, but it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain fell, the rivers flooded, the wind blew and beat against that house, and it collapsed — and its collapse was horrendous!” (Complete Jewish Bible).
Reflection Questions:
In summary, Jesus would likely tell graduates, the principles of his kingdom give us a solid foundation for a purposeful life. But it can feel risky trying to live by Jesus' principles, both because they run counter to much “conventional wisdom,” and because it can be hard to know how to apply those principles to specific situations. But Pastor Hamilton wrote that we must not let fear stop us from setting out on that course: “To live is to risk. If you always choose the risk-free, completely safe, and convenient path in life, you’ll find the failure you experience is the failure to truly live.”* Every graduate holds the basic hope of leaving a lasting positive impact on the world. To build a life that stands the test of time, Jesus said, take the apparent risk of building that life on his principles.
Family Activity:
Everyone has been given spiritual gifts by God to serve others. Read 1 Corinthians 12: 4-11(1 Corinthians 12:4 Now there are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit gives them. 5 Also there are different ways of serving, but it is the same Lord being served. 6 And there are different modes of working, but it is the same God working them all in everyone. 7 Moreover, to each person is given the particular manifestation of the Spirit that will be for the common good. 8 To one, through the Spirit, is given a word of wisdom; to another, a word of knowledge, in accordance with the same Spirit; 9 to another, faith, by the same Spirit; and to another, gifts of healing, by the one Spirit; 10 to another, the working of miracles; to another, prophecy; to another, the ability to judge between spirits; to another, the ability to speak in different kinds of tongues; and to yet another, the ability to interpret tongues. 11 One and the same Spirit is at work in all these things, distributing to each person as he chooses..)(Complete Jewish Bible). In this season of graduation, spend some time identifying your family member’s spiritual gifts and how they can be used to serve the world. Gather some markers and a small blank box for each member of the family. Invite each family member to write or draw a picture on each person’s box representing a spiritual gift they see in that person. When each family member has written on everyone’s box, ask each person to share two ways they will use their gifts in the world. Display your family’s boxes as reminders to use their gifts to serve and care for others. Thank God for giving you these gifts, and pray God will use you and your family to share His love with the world.
In summary, Jesus would likely tell graduates, the principles of his kingdom give us a solid foundation for a purposeful life. But it can feel risky trying to live by Jesus' principles, both because they run counter to much “conventional wisdom,” and because it can be hard to know how to apply those principles to specific situations. But Pastor Hamilton wrote that we must not let fear stop us from setting out on that course: “To live is to risk. If you always choose the risk-free, completely safe, and convenient path in life, you’ll find the failure you experience is the failure to truly live.”* Every graduate holds the basic hope of leaving a lasting positive impact on the world. To build a life that stands the test of time, Jesus said, take the apparent risk of building that life on his principles.
- J. K. Rowling quoted Seneca, a Roman philosopher who said, “As is a tale, so is life: not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters.”** Jesus would add that a good life seldom lies at the end of the easiest road. He said, “Go in through the narrow gate” (verse 13) and “the gate that leads to life is narrow and the road difficult, so few people find it” (verse 14). Jesus’ path, though not always easy or comfortable in the short run, produces the best life in the long run. When have you had to choose between an easy but wrong way, and another that was difficult but right? What did you decide? When have you benefited from choosing the right course? At what points has choosing the “narrow gate” added freedom and meaning to your life?
Family Activity:
Everyone has been given spiritual gifts by God to serve others. Read 1 Corinthians 12: 4-11(1 Corinthians 12:4 Now there are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit gives them. 5 Also there are different ways of serving, but it is the same Lord being served. 6 And there are different modes of working, but it is the same God working them all in everyone. 7 Moreover, to each person is given the particular manifestation of the Spirit that will be for the common good. 8 To one, through the Spirit, is given a word of wisdom; to another, a word of knowledge, in accordance with the same Spirit; 9 to another, faith, by the same Spirit; and to another, gifts of healing, by the one Spirit; 10 to another, the working of miracles; to another, prophecy; to another, the ability to judge between spirits; to another, the ability to speak in different kinds of tongues; and to yet another, the ability to interpret tongues. 11 One and the same Spirit is at work in all these things, distributing to each person as he chooses..)(Complete Jewish Bible). In this season of graduation, spend some time identifying your family member’s spiritual gifts and how they can be used to serve the world. Gather some markers and a small blank box for each member of the family. Invite each family member to write or draw a picture on each person’s box representing a spiritual gift they see in that person. When each family member has written on everyone’s box, ask each person to share two ways they will use their gifts in the world. Display your family’s boxes as reminders to use their gifts to serve and care for others. Thank God for giving you these gifts, and pray God will use you and your family to share His love with the world.
* Hamilton, Adam. Unafraid: Living with Courage and Hope in Uncertain Times (p. 87). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
** Quoted from text of speech at https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2008/06/text-of-j-k-rowling-speech/.
Read today's Insight by Brent Messick
Brent Messick is Resurrection’s Managing Executive Director of Operations.
Happy Memorial Day weekend. We love three-day weekends. The community swimming pools are open. Picnics and grilling out. It is the unofficial beginning of Summer.
Memorial Day is also a special time of reflection. It is a special day that we devote to remembering our loved ones and those who have served our country who have passed away.
I think about my family and friends who have passed away and how I miss them. I think about what it must be like for them in heaven. And then I think about how we get into heaven, which brings me to today’s Scripture passage.
Jesus gives us insights about getting into the kingdom of heaven. He talks about the importance of bearing fruit, not to earn our way into heaven but because we have chosen to be citizens of his kingdom. We might have to get out of our comfort zone to help others.
I don’t struggle with doing good deeds, but I do sometimes struggle with my intentions for doing them. Are my intentions pure? Where is my heart?
Jesus says that on Judgment Day, many will proudly say that we have done good deeds. But He also says that some will be rejected, because we did the good deeds for the wrong reasons.
For me, it comes down to one thing--love. One of my guiding Scripture passages is Matthew 22:37-39, where Jesus says that the two greatest commandments are to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind… and love your neighbor as yourself.”
If we follow these commandments sincerely, then I believe the rest will take care of itself.
Happy Memorial Day weekend.
Like this post? Share it!
You might also like:
** Quoted from text of speech at https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2008/06/text-of-j-k-rowling-speech/.
Brent Messick is Resurrection’s Managing Executive Director of Operations.
Happy Memorial Day weekend. We love three-day weekends. The community swimming pools are open. Picnics and grilling out. It is the unofficial beginning of Summer.
Memorial Day is also a special time of reflection. It is a special day that we devote to remembering our loved ones and those who have served our country who have passed away.
I think about my family and friends who have passed away and how I miss them. I think about what it must be like for them in heaven. And then I think about how we get into heaven, which brings me to today’s Scripture passage.
Jesus gives us insights about getting into the kingdom of heaven. He talks about the importance of bearing fruit, not to earn our way into heaven but because we have chosen to be citizens of his kingdom. We might have to get out of our comfort zone to help others.
I don’t struggle with doing good deeds, but I do sometimes struggle with my intentions for doing them. Are my intentions pure? Where is my heart?
Jesus says that on Judgment Day, many will proudly say that we have done good deeds. But He also says that some will be rejected, because we did the good deeds for the wrong reasons.
For me, it comes down to one thing--love. One of my guiding Scripture passages is Matthew 22:37-39, where Jesus says that the two greatest commandments are to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind… and love your neighbor as yourself.”
If we follow these commandments sincerely, then I believe the rest will take care of itself.
Happy Memorial Day weekend.
Like this post? Share it!
You might also like:
©2017 Church of the Resurrection. All Rights Reserved.
Scripture quotations are taken from The Common English Bible ©2011.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
***
No comments:
Post a Comment