Sabbath. Study. Serve.

 Sabbath, Study, Serve 

Taking the Sermon Into Our Week 

Scripture of the Week: Proverbs 1:1-7; 3:1-8 and Matt 13:34-35

From the Sermon:

In the Bible, we have a whole book of wisdom entitled _______________.

The writings are attributed to ______________, the son of David who followed his father on the throne.

Solomon starts off this book of wisdom by saying that if you want to have understanding -______________________.

____________ isn’t something that we can manufacture on our own - no matter how hard we may try.

“__________ in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own __________. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Reflection Questions:

Do you find yourself calling upon the wisdom of God first when you are in need? Why or why not?

What does it look like to trust the Lord?

When was the last time you trusted God with something in your life?

Prayer:

Lord, teach us what it means to not lean on our understanding and to trust you. Amen. 

“Keep Awake!” Devotional - 2 Peter 3:1-10, 17-18 and Matthew 24:42-44

 July 16th, 2023

Devotional

“Keep Awake!” - 2 Peter 3:1-10, 17-18 and Matthew 24:42-44

Monday: “Reminders” - 2 Peter 3: 1-2

  I am a big fan of reminders. Whenever I have a conversation with folks that has action steps, I will ask them, do you need me to send you an email or text about that as a reminder? I like reminders because I know that we are prone to forget. I know, personally, if I don’t write it down, I’m more prone to forget as well. 

Peter seems to share some of those beliefs about reminders needing to be written down. He tells people at this point in the letter that he is writing them as reminders to stimulate you in wholesome thinking. 

What do you need to be reminded about this day in your own faith journey? And what do those reminders stimulate in terms of action for you, here and now this day?

What is something you need to be reminded about in your walk of faith?

Prayer: God of love and light, you send people to remind us of who you are and your promises to us. May we respond by offering those reminders to others as well, all rooted in our love for you. Amen. 

Tuesday: “Scoffers” - 2 Peter 3: 3-9

We probably have all encountered scoffers in our lives. Those who mock us simply for the sake of mocking itself. Sometimes it is rooted in their own beliefs. Other times it is grounded in wanting to be opposed to us. Either way, scoffers exist.

And scoffers have existed. Peter is writing to this group of believers about scoffers who are saying that Christ cannot be trusted because he had not yet come again. Of course, Peter quickly refutes this by focusing on how God’s timing is different than our timing. 

What do you do when you encounter scoffers? If we aren’t careful to guard our hearts, bitterness can sink in, especially if we have been hurt. What can you learn from this section of scripture about how to respond to scoffers?

What do you have to guard against the most in your own heart when you encounter scoffers?

Prayer:  Lord, we confess that sometimes we do not reflect you or your love when we respond to scoffers. We speak out of anger or fall into dismay. May our hope be so planted in you, that even the jeers of scoffers cannot shake our faith. Amen. 

Wednesday: “Day of the Lord” - 2 Peter 3:10

  The first group that asked me to lead a Bible Study on the book of Revelation were college students. As we talked about what they desired to learn, I agreed to lead the study, but only if they were willing to commit to being there each week as they were able, with open hearts and open minds. 

Why did I ask this of these college students? Because whenever we are talking about end times, or as Peter describes it, “the day of the Lord”, many people enter with preconceived notions of what they think scripture says instead of reading what it actually does. 

Even 2 Peter’s first audience had some preconceived notions in terms of timing. To which Peter gives an account and paints a picture of what is to come. 

What are some of the preconceived notions you have about the second coming? Are they scriptural?

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for being patient with us. You meet us again and again, coxing us to put our hope, faith, and trust in you. We know that this is not always easy - yet you offer us an abundance of grace.Thank you, O Lord. Amen. 

Thursday: “On Your Guard” - 2 Peter 3: 17-18

When you hear the words “be on your guard”, what comes to mind? For me, it is the image of the person in the watchtower, shared in this week’s sermon, but also a call to vigilance. When I sit vigil at someone’s bedside, as they pass on to glory, I keep watch. I don’t always need to fill silence with words or need to moving around or doing anything. When we sit vigil, we gather and wait. 

We seem to have lost the art of vigilance in today’s culture. We think that we need to fill the space, but Peter reminds us that what we are doing during this time of waiting and watching is growing in grace. 

Those are beautiful words, but of course the resulting question is how. How do we grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus? One way I would suggest is spiritual disciplines. Those time tested ways of connecting deeply with the heart of God that transform us in the process. Prayer, scripture reading, fasting, silence, solitude, worship - the list goes on and on. The question is how is God calling you to grow during this period of vigilance in your own life?

What is one new spiritual discipline you can try in order to grow in grace?

Prayer: Lord, you thank you for the tradition of the ages that has been passed down to us to help us grow in love and connection with you. Speak to our hearts this day and call us to take our next faithful step, as you meet us right where we are. Amen. 

Friday: “Keep Watch” - Matthew 24: 42-44

No one knows. When folks ask when the second coming will be, this is one of the scriptures that I point them to, even though I know that it is not always the most satisfying of answers. It is, however, a true answer. 

I wonder if one of the reasons that we are not given an exact date and time, other than our human constitution not being able to handle it, is this call to keep watch. To be ready at any day and any time. 

This answer does not let us off the hook or allow us to delay tending to our spirits until a later day. Instead, it calls us to keep watch here and now, looking for the Lord. 

How do you prepare for the coming of the Lord?

Prayer: God of all power and authority, help us to keep watch at all times in a way that draws us close to you and tends to our spirits, we pray. Amen. 

Sabbath. Study. Serve.

 Sabbath, Study, Serve 

Taking the Sermon Into Our Week 

  Scripture of the Week: 2 Peter 3:1-10, 17-18 and Matthew 24:42-44           

From the Sermon:

Peter is someone in the watchtower, calling up for people to _________________________, is certainly warranted.

When we think that God needs to be confined by our human understanding and perspective, we become ______________________________.

We are on the watchtower calling for people to walk in the _______________.

Another way that we can fall asleep in our spirit is when we lack ________________.

A final way that we can be awake in our spirit is ___________________.

Reflection Questions:

Do you consider yourself to be spiritually awake? Why or why not?

What are you focused on as you wait for the Lord?

How are you walking in the way of love?

What are your grateful for?

How do you live with intentionality to reflect the fruits of the spirit in a way that give testimony to God?

Prayer:

Lord, point out to me the places I have not been awake in my spiritual life, so I can keep watch for you. Amen. 

“Rumors” Devotional - 2 Peter 1:16—2:2, 15-19 and Mark 13:5-7

 July 9th, 2023

Devotional

“Rumors” - 2 Peter 1:16—2:2, 15-19 and Mark 13:5-7

Monday: “Eye Witnesses” - 2 Peter 1:16-18

  How do you know what is true? For 2 Peter, the answers seems straight forward - we know what is true because we heard it straight from Jesus’s mouth and saw it with our own eyes. 

The even that is being referred to in today’s passage of scripture was the transfiguration, where Jesus took three of the disciples up on the mountain with him and they were blessed to see his shine as bright as the sun and be joined by Elijah and Moses. The disciples were so moved by this experience that all that they can think to do is fall on the ground - and then build monuments to mark what they had just experienced. 

But what about us? What about the first hearers of 2 Peter? How do we know what is true when we haven’t had these types of first hand experiences with Christ ourselves? 

Then we need to discern. 

I like to explain discernment as weighing out with God what is true. Or asking God to reveal truth to us. Sometimes it ca be extremely plain. Other times it can be prolonged or less clear, but we are called on to be a people who trust God to reveal what is true. 

Think of a time when you called upon God to help you discern. What was the experience like for you?

Prayer: God of love and light, you have called us to be a people of not just any truth, but your truth. Open up our hearts to seek after you and to align our understanding with what you reveal to us by your grace and mercy. Amen. 

Tuesday: “Reliable” - 2 Peter 1: 19-21

Who is your life would you consider to be reliable and why? When I think of someone who is reliable, I think of people who are loyal and trustworthy. People I know that I can count on because they have proven themselves over time. 

Peter is reminding people that the words being passed to them are reliable because he, and those communicating with the people, have proven themselves over time by their witness for the Lord. 

Not so with false prophets. Not only are they not reliable, but neither are their words - even if they look really good on the surface. 

Who in your life has stood the test of time as someone who you trust? And how can you be someone who is reliable in the lives of others as a witness for Jesus Christ?

What makes someone and their words reliable?

Prayer:  Lord, we confess that sometimes we get swept up in words that are false, because we fail to understand what makes someone reliable. We look for credibility to come from places other than you, and as such, we are led astray. Forgive us, O Lord, we pray. Amen. 

Wednesday: “False Prophets” - 2 Peter 2: 1-2

  You will know people by their fruit. While this is an incredibly true statement, sometimes we get confused about the types of fruit that we are looking for. We get caught up in the glitz of large crowds or the excitement of others instead of seeing if the fruit points to the fruits of the Spirit that Paul lays out in Galatians. 

Does it call us to increase in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control or not?

False prophets sound really good to the ear, but their message does not lead to the fruit of the Spirit because it is not of God. Its like an apple that looks good from the front, but the back doesn’t. Or one that looks good on the outside, but on the inside is rotten. Not all fruit is equal. 

How do you discern is someone is trustworthy?

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for guiding us by your word to look for the fruit that comes from you! Amen and amen!

Thursday: “Entice People” - 2 Peter 2: 15-19

This week I was reading a book of sermons from young pastors under the age of 29 about the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew. One of them was about Enron - the company that tricked so many people and caused so much harm. 

Why was this possible? Because we aren’t always great about sifting out the true from the false. Sometimes we want things to be true so badly, that we look past the signs of falsehood.

2 Peter does not mince words about false prophets or their promises - saying that the freedom that they are trying to lead people to is not freedom at all. Instead, it leads people to be slaves of depravity. 

Enron and 2 Peter remind us that none of us are beyond being swept up by trickery. Hence the need for people to continually be pointing us to the truth and for us to be seeking God above all else in our hearts. 

Tell of a time when you were tricked. What made this possible?

Prayer: Lord, you thank you that your ways are better than all of the ways of the world. Let our hearts and minds be so focused on you that we are not deceived by the ways of falsehood around us. Amen.

Friday: “Deceives” - Mark 13: 5-7

Lest we think that this is a problem that is particular to the audience being addressed in 2 Peter, we only need to look back to Jesus’s own words in the Gospel of Mark to know that there are people who exist to deceive others. We must take care to be attentive to our time and relationship with God so we can be firmly grounded in the truth. 

I once had a prayer partner who reminded me to pray the names of Jesus. We would often pray to Jesus who is the Truth to make his truth known. 

We are all in need of such “T” truth in our hearts and lives. 

How do you discern what is true?

Prayer: God of all power and authority, help us to be steeped in your truth, as the one who has revealed truth in your son, Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Sabbath. Study. Serve.

 Sabbath, Study, Serve 

Taking the Sermon Into Our Week 

Scripture of the Week: 2 Peter 1:16—2:2, 15-19 and Mark 13:5-7

           

From the Sermon:

Who is ____________ your life?

This section of 2 Peter is leaning heavily into that word ______________.

Into that void of restlessness ______________ were popping up who told the people all of the things that they wanted to hear.

There were some people who still chose to believe because they would rather have ______ in false words than face the ______ of what God was saying through Jeremiah.

Sometimes we like the ________ more than the truth.

In a day and time where our lives are filled with words, one of the ways we can discover is to enter into a time of ___________.

Reflection Questions:

What is deceiving us that we aren’t even noticing? 

What are the areas of your life where you can get caught up in falsehoods before you ever stop to examine what is true?

Are there people’s voices you are allowing you to lead you more than Jesus?

Prayer:

Lord, set us free from the falsehoods that surround us so we can embrace and live for what is true. Amen. 

“People of Faith” Devotional - 2 Peter 1:1-11 and Matt 13:44-46

 July 2nd, 2023

Devotional

“People of Faith” 

2 Peter 1:1-11 and Matt 13:44-46

Monday: “Precious” - 2 Peter 1: 1-2

  When you use words to describe your faith, what comes to mind? For many of us, we may not jump to the words that start off this epistle of 2 Peter - “a faith as precious as ours.”

We have a tendency to substitute the world precious for delicate. When something is precious to the point of being priceless - we often mean that it is something that we need to be careful with it - which isn’t exactly what Peter is saying here. Our faith is delicate in that it is breakable. But it is precious in that it is of high worth. 

In fact, it is priceless. 

Because our faith isn’t about what we have done or the price that we have paid. Instead, it is linked with the righteousness of Christ, who did pay the price. And because of that we can receive the faith we have been given and treat it with the honor that it deserves. 

What words or phrases would you use to describe your faith?

Prayer: God of all righteousness, let us set aside the lie of the world about what we can achieve on our own, as we seek to live by faith and not by sight. Amen. 

Tuesday: “Godly Life” - 2 Peter 1: 3-4

This week in the sermon you were asked what you need for life, and what you really need for life. Another question to add to those is what do you need for a godly life?

We can have a tendency to talk more about what we don’t think is godly than what we think is. The way this writing is using the word “godly” is as a descriptor. What would it look like to consider our lives - our whole lives - and think about what deserves the descriptor of “godly” and what wouldn’t so much?

Of course, 2 Peter reminds us that this godly life is not because of us. It is not something that we can achieve or earn. Rather it comes from being connected to the God of all power and glory. The one who has called us and the one who has given us the unshakeable promise because we are claimed by him and him alone. 

What would you describe as “godly” in your life?

Prayer:  Lord, we confess that it is easier to evaluate other people’s lives for godliness more than our own. We are afraid to examine our hearts and lives, because we know what we will see. Give us new eyes, new hearts, and renewed purpose because of you alone, O Lord. Amen. 

Wednesday: “Increasing in Measure” - 2 Peter 1: 5-9

  Are you ever done growing? Well it depends what we mean by growing. If we are talking about how tall you get - yes, growth plates close. If we are talking about skills in a particular area, maybe, though few of us would have logged the hours to truly be considered an expert in a field. 

If we are talking about growing in faith - no. We are never done growing. 

The theological concept that 2 Peter is pointing to here is sanctification. John Wesley described sanctification as growing in love of God and as a result growing in love of neighbor. For Wesley, the love of God and neighbor were connected by the cross. You couldn’t say that you love God if you hated your neighbor. And you couldn’t deeply and authentically love your neighbors, without being changed by the love of Christ. 

So we keep growing in love of God, and this letter tells us what that can look like. Perhaps, even, what it should look like. Yet, sometimes we do not even desire to try because the task seems so monumental. To which this epistle says, simply take the next step. 

What are in verses 5-7 do you feel is your focus for growth for this season?

Prayer: Lord, we are a fickle people. Out of fear of failure, we do not even try. We think we have achieved perfection when really we don’t want to see how far we are. Forgive us, O Lord, and set us on the right path with you. Amen. 

Thursday: “Confirm” - 2 Peter 1: 10-11

The phrase “make every effort” in today’s passage can trick us into thinking that we are on this journey of faith by our own strength and power. Let me start off today by assuring you that this is not the case. We need to read the next part of that sentence “make every effort to confirm.”

When we confirm something we are giving evidence that it is true. When I need to confirm my identity, I hand over my license. When I need to confirm my ordination, I point to by credentials. Those pieces of plastic and paper aren’t the thing themselves - they simply serve as proof points.

When we seek to confirm our election and calling, the proof points are our words and actions. If we try to do that out of our own heart and strength, we will quickly fail. We can’t do it on our own. But when our heart is filled with the love of God who has called and claimed us, then those words and actions will more readily flow out of the wellspring of what we have been given. 

How do our words and actions confirm our calling?

Prayer: Lord, thank you for calling us and for changing our hearts. May our hearts be so aligned with yours in the world, that we cannot help but point others to you. Amen. 

Friday: “Treasure” - Matthew 13: 44-46

When folks think about the parable or teaching of Jesus about treasure in the Gospel of Matthew, what often comes to mind is the statement “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” But there are more teachings than just that about treasure. 

In today’s scripture, Jesus talks about people who come across treasures that are of such great value that they were willing to give up everything else I order to seek them. It wasn’t even a risk, because they knew the reward was worth it. 

The treasure in this case is the Kingdom of Heaven. 

Thinking about this text in conjunction with 2 Peter - I am lead to ask if we seek out the Kingdom of Heaven as our treasure? And if so, do we reflect that in the world?

What is your treasure?

Prayer: God of all power and authority, help us to be reminded that our hope and treasure is in you. Amen. 

Sabbath. Study. Serve.

 Sabbath, Study, Serve 

Taking the Sermon Into Our Week 

Scripture of the Week: 2 Peter 1:1-11 and Matt 13:44-46

           

From the Sermon:

We are made for ______________ - you and I. We are made for relationships with one another and a relationship with God.

It is the ________ of God that has created us and the _______ of God that holds us and gives us purpose.

We are called by the ___________________ of God.

The more we _________ God, the more we want to grow closer to him and reflect him in this world. 

Reflection Questions:

What do you need in your life? Why?

What is your passion?

What is the passion of Juniata United Methodist Church?

How does our passion shape our relationships with God and people?

Prayer:

Lord, be the center of our lives in a way that shapes us to be intentional about our relationship with you and others. Amen.