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Friday, October 24, 2014

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (10/26/14)

Following morning worship Sunday we will hold a congregational meeting to elect a nominating committee for Elders Class of 2017.  That will be followed by a pot luck church family luncheon. Please bring a dish to share.

Scripture
1 Kings 3:3-15   
Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father, only he sacrificed and made offerings at the high places. [4] And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. [5] At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, "Ask what I shall give you." [6] And Solomon said, "You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day. [7] And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. [8] And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. [9] Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?" 
[10] It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. [11] And God said to him, "Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, [12] behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. [13] I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. [14] And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days." [15] And Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. Then he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants. 

Questions for Reflection

  1. What have you fantasized you would ask for if you had three wishes?
  2. What did God say to Solomon in a dream while he was at Gibeon? (3:5)
  3. How did Solomon see his own place in the history of God and Israel? (3:6)
  4. What did Solomon find humbling about being king? (3:7-8)
  5. In Solomon’s view whose nation was Israel? (3:8)
  6. What request did Solomon make of God and for what purpose? (3:9)
  7. How did God feel about what Solomon had chosen to request? (3:10)
  8. What difference did it make that Solomon asked God for wisdom? (3:10-14)
  9. Why are riches and honor of less ultimate value than wisdom?


Friday, October 17, 2014

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (10/19/14)

Scripture
2 Samuel 11:26-12:16 (ESV)  
When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she lamented over her husband.  [27] And when the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord. 
[12:1] And the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, "There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor.  [2] The rich man had very many flocks and herds,  [3] but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him.  [4] Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him."  [5] Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, "As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die,  [6] and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity." 
[7] Nathan said to David, "You are the man! Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul.  [8] And I gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more.  [9] Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.  [10] Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.'  [11] Thus says the Lord, 'Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.  [12] For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.' "  [13] David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord." And Nathan said to David, "The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.  [14] Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord, the child who is born to you shall die."  [15] Then Nathan went to his house.
And the Lord afflicted the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and he became sick.  [16] David therefore sought God on behalf of the child. And David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground.  

Questions for Reflection

  1. In what ways do you agree or disagree with the adage “Power corrupts”?
  2. To what extent do you believe public officials should be accountable for their private behavior?
  3. How did Nathan use the story to convict David? (12:7-9)
  4. According to Nathan, what would be the consequences of David’s sin? (12:13-14)
  5. Why was the parable Nathan told to David so effective?
  6. In what sense can a definite “no” from God in response to our request actually be a relief?
  7. Why is our sense of outrage easily sparked against strangers but difficult to muster in relation to our own actions?


Friday, October 10, 2014

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (10/12/14)

Scripture
Joshua 24:1-22 (ESV)  
Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel. And they presented themselves before God. [2] And Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, 'Long ago, your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods. [3] Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan, and made his offspring many. I gave him Isaac. [4] And to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. And I gave Esau the hill country of Seir to possess, but Jacob and his children went down to Egypt. [5] And I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt with what I did in the midst of it, and afterward I brought you out. 
[6] " 'Then I brought your fathers out of Egypt, and you came to the sea. And the Egyptians pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea. [7] And when they cried to the Lord, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians and made the sea come upon them and cover them; and your eyes saw what I did in Egypt. And you lived in the wilderness a long time. [8] Then I brought you to the land of the Amorites, who lived on the other side of the Jordan. They fought with you, and I gave them into your hand, and you took possession of their land, and I destroyed them before you. [9] Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel. And he sent and invited Balaam the son of Beor to curse you, [10] but I would not listen to Balaam. Indeed, he blessed you. So I delivered you out of his hand. [11] And you went over the Jordan and came to Jericho, and the leaders of Jericho fought against you, and also the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And I gave them into your hand. [12] And I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out before you, the two kings of the Amorites; it was not by your sword or by your bow. [13] I gave you a land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant.' 
[14] "Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. [15] And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." 
[16] Then the people answered, "Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods, [17] for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our fathers up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight and preserved us in all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed. [18] And the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God." 
[19] But Joshua said to the people, "You are not able to serve the Lord, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. [20] If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm and consume you, after having done you good." [21] And the people said to Joshua, "No, but we will serve the Lord." [22] Then Joshua said to the people, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him." And they said, "We are witnesses."  

Questions for Reflection
1. What would you list as the three most significant events in your life?
2. What benefit do you see in remembering important events from your past?
3. Why was it necessary for Joshua to remind the Israelites what God had done for them? (24:1-14)
4. What did the Lord give to Israel, and what did He ask in return? (24:13-14)
5. What choice did Joshua present before the Israelites? (24:15)
6. What decision had Joshua made about his own faith? (24:15)
7. How did the Israelites respond to Joshua’s challenge? (24:16-18)
8. Why did Joshua say that the people of Israel were not able to serve the Lord? (24:19)
9. When is it most helpful for you to be reminded of God’s faithfulness in the past?
10. What are the most significant things that you have seen the Lord do in your life?
11. When did you make the decision to serve the Lord?

Thursday, October 9, 2014

October 2014 Newsletter

Click on the link to view this month's newsletter.

October 2014 Newsletter

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (10/5/14)

Scripture
Exodus 19:3-7 (ESV)  
while Moses went up to God. The Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel:  [4] You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself.  [5] Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine;  [6] and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel." [7] So Moses came and called the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him. 

Exodus 20:1-17 (ESV)  
And God spoke all these words, saying, [2] "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. [3] "You shall have no other gods before me. [4] "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.  [5] You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,  [6] but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. [7] "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. [8] "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.  [9] Six days you shall labor, and do all your work,  [10] but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates.  [11] For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. [12] "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. [13] "You shall not murder. [14] "You shall not commit adultery. [15] "You shall not steal. [16] "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. [17] "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's." 

Questions for Reflection

  1. How do you feel when you tell someone something and he or she completely ignores what you say?
  2. Why do governments establish laws and policies?
  3. What are things our society tends to worship?
  4. How did God describe Himself? (20:2)
  5. What are we commanded not to put before God? (20:3)
  6. What did God tell us not to make? (20:4)
  7. What is the consequence of bowing before false gods? (20:5)
  8. To whom does God express His love? (20:6)
  9. How are we to consider using the name of the Lord? (20:7)
  10. How do you think God feels when we worship things other than Him?
  11. Why does God not want us to commit sins against Him and others?
  12. What people, things, and other loyalties sometimes captivate your attention more than God?