Up Devo

August 28th, 2016

Devotional

“The Gospel in Pixar: Up”  - John 3:16 and Romans 8: 31-39 

Keep the sermon topic and Biblical text preaching all week by following Pastor Michelle on twitter @tinypastor and reading her sermon blog www.revmichelle.blogspot.com

Monday: “God so Loved” - John 3:16

Sometimes it is hard to grasp the love of God. Praise songs throughout the ages have tried to put it into words - its height, breadth, and depth. I don’t believe we talk about the love of God enough in our daily lives - the love that held Christ to the cross so we could be set free from the bondage of sin in our lives.

The gospel of John speaks this memorable birth about God’s love - that God loved the world so much that a way was made through Jesus Christ to life anew and life abundant. God made this way so that everyone who believes in God through Jesus Christ will not die but instead have eternal life.

It seems at times that we want to rush right past our life here and now in order to get to eternal life, but it is in this life that we can come to know of God’s deep love for us and share that love with others. Take each day you are given to share the love of God that is beyond our wildest imaginations. 

What does the word love mean to you?

How does the love of God compare to the love of others in our daily life? 

Prayer: Lord, help us to put to words the unfathomable love that you have for us. We confess that at times we let our earthly notions and misperceptions about love get in the way of embracing your love fully. Thank you, O Lord, for the gift of your love in Jesus Christ. Your love never ceases to amaze us. Amen. 

Tuesday: “God is for Us” - Romans 8: 31-36

You may recognize these words from Romans as one of the creeds we read together in worship from time to time. The apostle Paul pens these powerful words: “If God is for us, who is against us?”

The truth is life is hard a times. Very hard. We face difficulties in our relationships, our work place, our finances, and so much more. We face violence and grieve loss. Yet, even in the face of all of this heartache, God is for us. That one powerful statement brings us so much hope. If God is for us - the God who did not with hold Jesus Christ from us - then nothing can separate us from the love of God. No matter what we face, God walks with us and surrounds us in love. 

Think about the word love as it is used in culture. How is this different from the biblical love of God? What aspect of love does pop culture emphasize? What is the emphasis of biblical love?

Prayer: Lord, your love is astounding! You offer us sustaining love that meets us in our time of deepest needs and propels us forward, no matter what we may face. Your love surrounds us, even when we feel the most alone in the world. Thank you! Amen and Amen!

Wednesday: “Nothing can Separate Us” - Romans 8: 37-39

As I was researching for this particular sermon, I stumbled across a statement that struck me - to be human is to suffer loss. We cannot walk through this life without experiencing separation from loved ones - either by distance or death. A few members in this parish have even commented to me how difficult it is to look around and find that most of your friends are no longer here.

Yet, even in our humanness we have the opportunity to experience a love that can never be separated. The apostle Paul empathizes that nothing - not life, death, or even the angels can separate us from the love of Christ. We know that from time to time we stray, but the love of Christ is so powerful that it pulls us back. God never gives up on us. That is the definition of love.

Love is foundational to our faith as Christians - why?

How is family love similar and different to the love of God?

Prayer: Lord, your love draws us back time and time again. We confess that at times we are prone to wonder away from you, yet like the father waiting for the prodigal son, you actively yearn and wait for our return. Thank you for your unending love, O Lord. Amen.

Thursday: “The Greatest of These” - 1 Cor 13:13, Matt 22: 36-40

How do you rank important things like faith, hope, and love? They are all very important in our relationship with Jesus Christ and others, yet the apostle Paul writes that love is the greatest. In other parts of his letter to the church in Corinth he writes that if you don’t have love, whatever you say and do won’t be of any lasting importance. 

Jesus, when asked which was the greatest commandment answered that there are two that are important: love God with all who are and all you have and love your neighbor as yourself. If we do not share our faith in love, have we fulfilled what Jesus is calling us to? If we do not share our love for Christ with others have we honored what the apostle Paul is trying to present? Let us live into Jesus’s commands and Paul’s teaching in how we live our lives. 

What struggles do you have in living into Jesus’s teaching in Matthew 22: 36-40? What comes easily to you?

How do you interpret Jesus’s teaching to love God with all of your mind? How might this look in your life?

Prayer: O God, thank you for Jesus’s teaching which reminds us that we need to love you, first and foremost, and then have that love shown in how we treat our neighbors. Thank your for Paul reminding us that our faith is rooted in love. Use us as vessels of your message and love in this world. Amen.  

Friday: “God is Love” - 1 John 4:8

The author of 1 John is frank, if you don’t love, you don’t know God, for God is love. This can be a hard teaching for us to swallow, especially when we find it difficult to love someone, yet we are called to be the hands and feet of Christ for that person. We need to remember that love has many different forms, and we don’t need to be everyone’s best friend in order to love them, or even agree with them. Christian love is seeking to make God’s name known and meet the needs of others. Let us proclaim to the world that our God is love. 

What does it mean to you when you hear that God is love? 

Prayer: God, thank you for loving us. Thank you for being the very embodiment of love. Help us share your love with the world. Amen. 

Saturday: Preparing for the Word

You are invited to pray over next week’s topic and text as we explore the power of the Holy Spirit - Wild Goose Chase: Goose Bumps - Nehemiah 2 and Luke 9: 59-60.

Family Activity: Cut out paper hearts and write down on them people you love. Talk about the difference between loving a person and liking a thing. How do we know that God loves us?