The Sunday Lectionary Readings for SUNDAY, November 24, 2019 - Last Sunday after Pentecost

The Sunday Lectionary Readings

SUNDAY, November 24, 2019 - Last Sunday after Pentecost

[Ordinary 34, Proper 29]

(Revised Common Lectionary Year C)

Reign of Christ / Christ the King

Jeremiah 23:1-6; Luke 1:68-79; Colossians 1:11-20; Luke 23:33-43

Opening Statement

This is no ain’t-broke-don’t-fix-it Sunday, or even an onward-and-upward perfecting of the present order Sunday. Ordinary time gives way to Advent, but for one week we offer a prophetic salute to Christ’s reign: no plea, no mere hope or prediction, but rather a celebration that God certainly will sweep away the old. The days are surely coming, and they will be proclaimed: a new dominion of just, righteous days; a rescue from oppressive powers; light erasing death’s shadow, even in the bitter plight of one unjustly executed and sarcastically taunted as “king.”

Come, let us sing to the LORD!

Opening Prayer (Jeremiah 23, Colossians 1)

Faithful God, expand our thankful imaginations: to time beyond our time, to wisdom beyond our wisdom, to strength beyond our strength. As we pray for your coming reign, remind us that the whole earth is already yours. Even as we pray for things not yet seen, help us celebrate your sure, eternal reign. Amen.

The Collect (Book of Common Prayers)

Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Prayer of Confession (Jeremiah 23, Colossians 1)

Imagining your reign can be difficult, eternal God. It is difficult to picture a world governed by your justice and righteousness alone. Our minds are held captive by the worst images of human kings, rulers, and powers. When nobler visions fail and we settle for kingdoms of our own making, correct and forgive us. Free the borders of our imaginations, that we may envision your greater good and celebrate the coming of your reign on earth as in heaven. Amen.

Words of Assurance

Even though we doubt God’s faithfulness to us, yet God is steadfast in God’s love for each one of us. Receive that love in your hearts this day. Know that you are healed and forgiven in God’s sight. Amen.

Prayer of the Day

Patient God, we seem to think that being people of faith is a campaign for your favor. We posture and make gestures of holiness and grace, but then we easily slide back into habits of self-centeredness. Yet you have forgiven us, each time, calling us beloved children. Today we are about to complete the journey of this Christian year, during which we have learned of the witness of Jesus Christ, the birth and growth of the church, and the great lessons of the Hebrew Scriptures. This year has been an opportunity for us to renew our acquaintance with all those who have gone before, who have been faithful disciples. Help us take these lessons into our hearts and lives. Let the reign of Jesus Christ, your beloved Son, our Savior, be evident in all that we say, think, and do. Give us the confidence and courage to truly be your witnesses all the rest of our days. For we offer this prayer in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

First Reading

Jeremiah 23:1-6

(Coming of the shepherd)

Restoration after Exile
23:1 Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the Lord. 2 Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the Lord. 3 Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. 4 I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord.

The Righteous Branch of David
5 The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.”

Luke 1:68-79

(God raises up a mighty savior)

68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
     for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed
         them.
69 He has raised up a mighty savior for us
     in the house of his servant David,
70 as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from
         of old,
71   that we would be saved from our enemies and from
         the hand of all who hate us.
72 Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors,
     and has remembered his holy covenant,
73 the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham,
     to grant us 74 that we, being rescued from the hands
         of our enemies,
   might serve him without fear, 75 in holiness and
         righteousness
     before him all our days.
76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of
         the Most High;
     for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people
     by the forgiveness of their sins.
78 By the tender mercy of our God,
     the dawn from on high will break upon us,
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in
         the shadow of death,
     to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Second Reading

Colossians 1:11-20

(A hymn to Christ firstborn of all creation)

1:11 May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

The Supremacy of Christ
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16 for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.

The Gospel

Luke 23:33-43

(Jesus crucified with two thieves)

23:33 When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. [[34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”]] And they cast lots to divide his clothing. 35 And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”

39 One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

[Luke 23:34 Other ancient authorities lack the sentence Then Jesus . . . what they are doing]

Here ends the Lessons

Click HERE to read today’s Holy Gospel Lesson message

The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Closing Prayer

In the name of the Father and of the Son,

and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

God of love and mercy,

You call us to be your people,

You gift us with Your abundant grace.

Make us a holy people,

radiating the fullness of your love.

Form us into a community of people who care,

expressing Your compassion.

Remind us day after day of our baptismal call

to serve with joy and courage.

Teach us how to grow in wisdom and grace

and joy in Your presence.

Through Jesus and Your Spirit,

we make this prayer. Amen.

Optional parts of the readings are set off in [square brackets.]

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.
The Sunday Lectionary Readings for SUNDAY, November 24, 2019
Jeremiah 23:1-6; Luke 1:68-79; Colossians 1:11-20; Luke 23:33-43

“Who are you at the foot of the cross?” The Sermon for SUNDAY, November 24, 2019 - Christ the King Sunday

Our Gospel message comes to us today from the 23rd chapter of Luke, beginning with the 33rd verse.

23:33 When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots to divide his clothing. 35 And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”

39 One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

—Luke 23:33-43 (NRSV)

All mighty God, we thank you for your word and the way that you in it revealed to us who you are and what you've done for us in Christ. Now as we open that word we pray that your spirit may be present, that all thoughts of worry or distraction may be removed and that the Spirit will allow us to hear your voice. And so, oh God, fill us with your spirit through the reading and proclamation of your word this day. We pray in Jesus name. Amen.

“Who are you at the foot of the cross?”

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Three In One who brings us into Paradise.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Throughout the history of the church, devoted men and women of God have experienced visions and dreams that have given them what felt like a first hand vision of the crucifixion of Christ. A number of years ago, Mel Gibson’s movie, The Passion of the Christ gave that same sort of vision to multiple people in movie theaters across the world.

In my readings of some early church writings, I came across a monograph from an unnamed ascetic monk. This monk had a vision of the crucifixion that was very real in his mind, almost as if he was really there. He even said of his vision that it was the most terrifying thing that he had ever seen. He said he prayed for two things right after having the vision. The first thing he prayed for was that he would never have such a vision again and secondly he gave thanks to God that God had not made Him one of the disciples for he was sure that he would have ran away mad after seeing Christ die.

On this, Christ the King Sunday, we’re presented an image of our king. It is not the picture of our King in the kind of glory that we think He should be in. Instead it is our king in the kind of glory that weighs upon us. Even the Hebrew word for glory, “kavod” means heaviness, and this story weighs on us as the heaviness of God.

It is the heaviness of God upon us because within this small text, we can probably see ourselves in the people gathered before that throne. We see for ourselves, the horrific vision of our King being killed upon a cross.

Luke’s telling of the crucifixion of Christ is accented by something called the four-fold rejection of Christ. In four different ways, the people gathered rejected Christ as their King, despite it being written above Him.

They cast lots for His clothing. Christ’s body was stripped almost naked and hung on the cross. Below him lay his clothing, the things that would make Him decent before the view of the world, but instead of going up and covering the Lord, the people below him rolled dice to see who would get his tunic, his robe, his sandals. We do this when we cast lots amongst ourselves, trying to get Christ’s grace only for ourselves. We do this when we push other people out so that we can try to keep Christ as our best friend, not yours, and when we turn the church into a country club where only certain members are invited.

They sat there, just watching. The Greek word that Luke uses is the same word that someone would use while watching the gladiators or another Roman game of sport. We spectate. We don’t wish to become a part of the action. For fear, or perhaps just because of shock, we look at the way that the world responds to Christ and to the church and we sit by idly. Perhaps we associate with Him in the closed doors of the upper room, but we leave Him lonely and bloodied before the world.

They gave Him sour wine. The soldiers seemed to have had some wine laying around that was not useful for anything, no one would have consumed it, in fact, it was likely only used as a cleaning agent for the soldiers. Not fit for the inside of the body and barely fit for the outside. It is this that they gave to Christ. And we do the same. Instead of giving God of our lives, many times we give God the rejected parts of ourselves—the time that we wouldn’t use in any other way becomes our self righteous “sacrifice” to God. I was talking to a friend of mine recently who volunteered at a clothing drive. He was disgusted by the amount of people who donated used, even soiled, undergarments.

They said “If you are the Christ, save yourself!” and the thief on the cross added, “and us!” All too often we look at the church, whether world wide or the church in the United States, and demand of Jesus “save yourself! And us!” We tell Christ that if He really wants to save the world, then He should just work a miracle and make Hindus come to Christ on their own, and to make sinners better simply through some sort of magic trick. We even demand the same thing of ourselves, we look to Christ and we say, "save yourself! and us!"

Luke’s telling of the story of Christ’s crucifixion, however, includes a character not given words in any of the other Gospel stories. In Luke’s Gospel, the thief on the cross speaks. He says, “Do you not fear God? For you are under the same condemnation, but this man is innocent!” And then He turns to Christ and says, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”

That is why I am glad to be writing to you today. You are reading this because you are looking for Christ. Reading this means that you have come to the same realization as that thief upon the cross. It means that you are witnessing the heaviness of the cross. It means that you have participated in the four folk mocking of Christ, but that the Holy Spirit has turned your hearts to realize that your condemnation is just. You deserve the cross. You deserve for Christ to leave you naked. You deserve for Christ to say nothing. You deserve for Christ to offer you sour wine. You deserve for Christ to say, “save yourself.”

But even before you sin, Christ said of you, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”

Even though you leave Christ naked before the world, He clothes you in His righteousness. Even though you say nothing to the world, Christ speaks up on your behalf and says, “this child is mine.” Even though you offer Him sour wine, He offers you sweet wine and His very Body and Blood. Even though you say “save yourself and us,” He says, “I will not save myself, but all of them.”

This is our king. This is the head of our church. This is the reason that we follow. This is His glory.

Oh Jesus, You are the King of Glory, You are the Lord of Lords, and King of Kings. And we pray that your Kingdom will reign forever in our hearts and in this world.

Lord, we pray for your Kingdom to come here now, bringing a kingdom of justice, righteousness, hope, love, peace, mercy and grace for all. Lord, we ask that you rule in our hearts, lead in this world and govern over your kingdom.

But Lord honestly, We often have our own plans and agendas and we want to be rulers of our world. Forgive us for those times. And Lord we live in a time that would rather idolize the King of Pop than worship you. Help us to know how to live as your Kingdom People in these times. And Lord there are a lot of Kings in this world who terrorize, over tax, humiliate, over exploit, and abuse those they are to lead. Help us to spread the good news of the different kind of King you are.

Lord, thank you for being a different kind of King. Thank you for your goodness and kindness in our lives. Thank you for your generosity. Thank you for loving us. Thank you for your Kingdom that is unlike any Kingdom in this world. Amen.

Seeking God?

Click HERE to find out more about how to have a personal

relationship with Jesus Christ

Scripture taken from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)® Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Sermon contributed by Rev. Jay Winters.

This is the last Sunday of the church year, Christ the King Sunday. And the reading seemed to be odd. Instead of a reading about the glorious majesty of Christ, we see Christ at His lowest point, the cross.

The Daily Prayer for SUNDAY, November 24, 2019

The Daily Prayer

SUNDAY, November 24, 2019

A prayer of Irish monk Columbanus: “Loving Savior, be pleased to show yourself to us who knock, so that in knowing you, we may love only you, love you alone, desire you alone, contemplate only you day and night, and always think of you. Inspire in us the depth of love that is fitting for you to receive as God. May our love be so great that the many waters of sky, land and sea cannot extinguish it in us.”

Lord, you’ve brought us safely to this new day. Help us to live it with joy, and in simple acts of kindness. Amen.

Verse of the Day SUNDAY, November 24, 2019

Colossians 2:6-7 (NIV)

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Read all of Colossians 2

Listen to Colossians 2

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Un dia a la Vez - Domingo 24 de Noviembre de 2019

Oración por cambios en el matrimonio

Dios, nuestro Dios, nos bendecirá. Dios nos bendecirá, y le temerán todos los confines de la tierra.

—Salmo 67:6-7 (NVI)

Amante Dios, me presento delante de ti porque solo tú puedes ayudarme.

Te pido perdón por mis faltas, mis pensamientos y mis actitudes que me han apartado de tu voluntad respecto al matrimonio.

Reconozco que te he fallado al romper ese pacto de amor incondicional en mi matrimonio y destruyendo mi familia.

Ahora solo puedo acudir a ti para pedirte una nueva oportunidad. Ayúdame, Señor, a recuperar el amor y a mi familia.

Te prometo, mi Dios, que pondré todo de mi parte y seré obediente a ti. Dejaré a un lado la crítica a mi cónyuge y empezaré por cambiar yo.

Muéstrame, Señor, mis errores y guíame para hacer tu voluntad.

Bendice a mi familia.

En el nombre de Jesús, amén y amén.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Amante Dios, me presento delante de ti porque solo tú puedes ayudarme ...

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Sunday, November 24, 2019

PAUL OF AFGHANISTAN

I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea…

—2 Corinthians 11:23b-25 (NIV)

The Apostle Paul suffered severely in his ministry of sharing the gospel in the first century. But Paul was always quick to point out that what others thought so terrible—his imprisonment—God turned into good. Rather than hindering the spread of the gospel, it actually aided its advance (Philippians 1:12-14). Paul’s example was followed by many disciples down through the ages. You might be surprised to learn about one of these who lived in Afghanistan.

In Kabul, a brilliant young blind man who had memorized the whole Qur’an in Arabic listened to the gospel by radio and later publicly declared his faith in Jesus as his Lord. He became the first blind student to attend regular-sighted schools in Afghanistan. He graduated from University of Kabul with a law degree in order to defend Christians who might be persecuted for their faith. Some of his encouragement as a young believer came from a missionary from neighboring Iran, Mehdi Dibaj.

Under the communist regime, Paul was arrested on false charges and put in a notorious prison where tens of thousands were executed. There was no heat in the jail during the cold winters. He had to sleep on the freezing mud floor with only his overcoat. A prisoner next to him was trembling with cold since he did not even have a jacket. Paul remembered John the Baptist had said, “The man who has two coats should share with him who has none.” (Luke 3:11) He took off his only coat and gave it to the neighbor. From then on, the Lord miraculously kept him warm every night.

In prison, the communists gave Paul shock treatments to try to brainwash him. The electric burns left scars on his head. But he did not give in. God’s grace was sufficient. After release from prison he kept mastering foreign languages and continued translating the Bible, writing and preaching…as well as discipling new believers. In 1988, Paul was kidnapped by a fanatical Muslim group and charged with apostasy because he became a Christian. He was beaten for hours with rods and ultimately martyred. But Paul’s testimony lives on today as a trophy of God’s grace. He is affectionately remembered as “Afghanistan’s Apostle Paul”.

You can read more about Paul in Dr. Christy Wilson’s excellent book, More To Be Desired Than Gold, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, 1994.

RESPONSE: Today I will live biblically no matter what circumstances I may face knowing that God’s grace is sufficient for me.

PRAYER: Thank You, Lord, for the inspiring example of Afghanistan’s Apostle Paul and his faithfulness in serving You to the end.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS), a daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks. © 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission.

LHM Daily Devotions - November 24, 2019 - Lord, Enthroned in Heavenly Splendor

"Lord, Enthroned in Heavenly Splendor"

Nov. 24, 2019

"Lord, enthroned in heav'nly splendor, First begotten from the dead, You alone, our strong defender, Lifting up Your people's head. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! Jesus, true and living bread! Jesus, true and living bread!

"Life imparting heav'nly manna, Stricken rock with streaming side, Heav'n and earth with loud hosanna Worship You, the Lamb who died, Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! Ris'n, ascended, glorified! Ris'n, ascended, glorified!"

Throughout the church year, in our hymns and worship, we review the life of the Lord Jesus and the unfolding events that tell the story of our salvation. Now, as the church year draws to a close, our hymn reveals the Savior as we will one day see Him, "enthroned in heavenly splendor." The crucified, risen and ascended Lord provides for His faithful now as He long ago provided for Israel in the wilderness, where His people "drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ" (1 Corinthians 10:4b).

As the Israelites wandered through the desert on the way to the Promised Land, the Lord fed them with manna, bread from heaven. At God's command, water gushed from a rock to quench their thirst. These miraculous provisions followed the great miracle of freedom when lambs' blood streamed down the doorposts of Israelite homes, shielding them as the Lord passed over to destroy the Egyptian firstborn, an act of judgment that forced Pharaoh to free his Hebrew slaves.

Centuries later, in a far greater act of redemption, the blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God, streamed down a wooden cross as the firstborn Son of God was offered up as the sacrifice for the sins of the world. By God's grace, through faith in Christ the Lamb, we are set free from slavery to sin and death. As we travel through this world's wilderness, the risen and ascended Lamb sustains us.

Enthroned in majesty, Jesus, the "true and living bread" of heaven, who on the cross was the "stricken rock with streaming side," nourishes us with His body and blood in His holy Supper. Our glorified King is the "first begotten from the dead"—the first to rise in victory over death—but He is not the last. The coming season of Advent will mark the beginning of the new church year as we prepare to celebrate our Lord's first advent, His birth in Bethlehem. But Advent will also be a time to pray earnestly for our King's second advent. On the Last Day, Jesus, the firstborn from the dead, will return in glory as King and Judge. Raised up from death as He was raised, "when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as he is" (1 John 3:2b). On that great day we will add our voices to the loud hosannas of earth and heaven in worship of the Lamb who died and rose to save us.

THE PRAYER: Lord Jesus, enthroned in splendor, sustain us as we travel through this world's wilderness. Strengthen us with Your forgiveness and nourish us with Your Word and with Your body and blood. Accept our grateful praise until that day when we join in the loud hosannas offered up before Your throne. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

Reflection Questions:

• Do you read hymn texts before you sing them or look up the Bible verses from which they're inspired? (You can find hymn-writer and Scripture references in tiny print at the bottom of the page, usually.)
• What imagery in this devotion's hymn verses do you find most effective?
• How do you like today's contemporary worship services (range of instruments) when compared against traditional organ-based styles of the past?

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler. It is based on the hymn, "Lord, Enthroned in Heavenly Splendor." Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Do you read hymn texts before you sing them or look up the Bible verses from which they're inspired?

Unser Täglich Brot - Von Gott reden

Von Gott reden

Lesung: 5.Mose 11,13-21 | Die Bibel in einem Jahr: Hesekiel 22-23; 1. Petrus 1

MP3 herunterladen

So nehmt nun diese Worte zu Herzen und in eure Seele und bindet sie zum Zeichen auf eure Hand und macht sie zum Merkzeichen zwischen euren Augen. 5. Mose 11,18

In einer Studie wurde 2018 festgestellt, dass man in einem bestimmten Teil der Welt nicht gern von Gott redet. Nur sieben Prozent der Menschen dort sagten, sie würden regelmäßig über religiöse Angelegenheiten reden. Bei den Christen war es nicht viel anders. Nur dreizehn Prozent der regelmäßigen Gottesdienstbesucher gaben an, etwa einmal pro Woche über Glaubensfragen zu sprechen.

Vielleicht sollte uns das nicht überraschen. Denn von Gott reden kann gefährlich sein. Ob wegen des politischen Klimas, weil Meinungsverschiedenheiten eine Beziehung gefährden könnten oder weil dabei deutlich würde, dass wir bei uns selbst etwas ändern müssten—alles Risiken, denen man sich nicht unbedingt aussetzen will.

Bei den Anweisungen, die Gott dem Volk Israel im fünften Buch Mose gab, war das Reden über ihn jedoch ein ganz normaler und natürlicher Teil des täglichen Lebens. Gottes Volk sollte seine Worte auswendig lernen und an Stellen anbringen, wo man sie gut sehen konnte. Sie sollten an die Kinder weitergegeben werden, „wenn du in deinem Hause sitzt oder unterwegs bist, wenn du dich niederlegst und wenn du aufstehst“ (V.19).

Gott fordert uns auf zu reden. Probiere es aus. Verlass dich auf seinen Geist und versuche ein Gespräch auf tiefere Themen zu lenken. Gott wird unsere Gemeinschaft segnen, wenn wir über sein Wort reden und es tun.

Wo hattest du Probleme, weil du mit Freunden über den Glauben reden wolltest? Wo war es positiv?

Herr, es gibt so viel, was ich anderen von dir sagen könnte. Zeig mir, wo ich reden und nicht den Mund halten soll.

Von Amy Peterson

© 2019 Unser Täglich Brot
In einer Studie wurde 2018 festgestellt, dass man in einem bestimmten Teil der Welt nicht gern von Gott redet.