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April 2020 Newsletter
Have a great week!
~ Carmen
Monday, March 30, 2020
Friday, March 27, 2020
Scripture for Sunday (3/29/2020)
Greetings Church Family,
YouTube Link
Here is the link to the service. FPCJ & HPC Worship 032920
Scripture
Ezekiel 37:1-14 (ESV)
1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. 2 And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, you know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. 5 Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the LORD.”
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.
11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. 13 And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. 14 And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the LORD.”
John 11:1-45 (ESV)
1 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” 4 But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. 7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16 So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”
38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” 45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him,
I hope that this finds you well as we continue to adjust life during a pandemic. Together the Church is working through this. We are navigating what it looks like to meet together online. We are finding new ways to show love to our community. We want you to know that we are praying for you, and that we love you. If you need anything please call us. We will be on Facebook Live Sunday at 11am and then on YouTube later in the afternoon. May you realize God’s presence with you as together we move forward confident that He is faithful. ~ Jim & Laurie
YouTube Link
Here is the link to the service. FPCJ & HPC Worship 032920
Scripture
Ezekiel 37:1-14 (ESV)
1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. 2 And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, you know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. 5 Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the LORD.”
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.
11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. 13 And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. 14 And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the LORD.”
John 11:1-45 (ESV)
1 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” 4 But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. 7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16 So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”
38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” 45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him,
Sunday, March 22, 2020
Facebook Link for Sunday's service
Greetings Church Family,
Yours in Christ,
Jim and Laurie
I hope that this email finds you well. Worship was very different this morning, we missed your smiling faces and the joyful noise before and after church. We were live on Facebook this morning using my phone, and I know that many of you were able to watch, however the camera that I was using to record to post on YouTube failed to record past the 10 minute mark. So here is the link to the Facebook video.
If you have the capability, please like and share the video on Facebook so that we can reach as many people as possible. I will be working on getting a better setup this week. This is a learning experience for Laurie and me. If you need anything please call.
Yours in Christ,
Jim and Laurie
Saturday, March 21, 2020
Update and YouTube Link
Dear Church Family,
As I mentioned in yesterday’s email this is a fluid situation and things would change. Yesterday’s email went out before the county’s declaration of emergency prohibiting gatherings of more than 10 people.
We know this is an uncertain and frustrating time for all. After much prayer and earnest discussion by the session and your pastors, while in consultation with the local medical community, city leaders, and denomination recommendations, we have heartbreakingly decided to follow the lead of other churches by suspending all gatherings within the walls of our church buildings.
While this is hard and painful, we need to remember that the church is not a building; the church is not an activity that happens on Sundays at 11:00. WE are the church! While we may not be able to gather in person, this means that we now have an opportunity to use our energy, imagination, intelligence, and love to find ways to remain together in spirit and prayer at all times. We are still Christ’s ambassadors, our Lord’s hands and feet.
This congregation is very resilient and strong! No matter what adversity has come our way, we have faced it head on. As with all tragedies, God has not left us, nor abandoned us. As we slow our lives down, we need to be looking for the blessings that are arising and will arise from this experience. God can use everything for God’s purposes – but we have to search for the part we need to play in bringing about these glimpses of the kingdom. Rejoice in the LORD always, again I say rejoice.
We have decided for now to have church online only. Laurie and I will film and publish a sermon on Facebook live at 11 AM on Sunday. Later in the afternoon I will publish it to YouTube. Below is a link to the church's YouTube channel. You can click on the link and subscribe to my videos. I will email out the link each week.
Yours in Christ,
Jim and Laurie
Yours in Christ,
Jim and Laurie
Scripture for Sunday (3/22/2020)
Scripture for Sunday
Philippians 4:4-13 (ESV)
Philippians 4:4-13 (ESV)
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Friday, March 20, 2020
Coronavirus Update for FPC
Greetings Church Family,
Yesterday morning, the Junction Ministerial Alliance met with Dr. Jay Jackson of Kimble Hospital to discuss the current situation concerning the corona virus. The virus spreads easily, the goal is to slow the spread. The good news is that, as of yesterday morning, there were no confirmed cases in Kimble County. As a group we decided that we are canceling the remaining Lenten luncheons.
The Elders of our church met today to discuss how we will proceed moving forward. First of all this is a very fluid situation that we are monitoring. As of now we will continue to have worship at 11 AM. We are suspending Sunday School, Bible Study and all other meetings outside of worship. This may change. We will begin streaming our services again this week on Facebook and YouTube.
With that, if you are concerned at all please stay home. Many of our church members fall into the higher risk category and we expect that you will do what is best for your health. If you are showing any signs or symptoms, fever, cough or shortness of breath please stay home from church for the benefit of others. If you come to worship please refrain from shaking hands or hugging. I know that this is hard for many of us but it is best for now. When you sit in the pews please spread out.
I encourage you to lift each other in prayer. Pray for our medical professionals and our first responders. Pray for those who continue to address the needs in this community in the face of this illness. Pray for the vulnerable. Love and serve one another and Christ loves and serves us. And remember that our blessings far outnumber our troubles.
For the ones who are vulnerable,
Hear our prayers.
For those who will lose employment,
Hear our prayers.
For those who spread misinformation,
Hear our prayers.
For those who are frightened of this uncertainty,
Hear our prayers.
For all of us,
Hear our prayers.
First Presbyterian Church
Jim and Laurie Barker, Co-Pastors
P.O. Box 898 | Junction, TX 76849
Church (325) 446-2165
Manse (325) 446-2174
Jim's Cell (325) 215-9017
Laurie's Cell (325) 446-7950
Yesterday morning, the Junction Ministerial Alliance met with Dr. Jay Jackson of Kimble Hospital to discuss the current situation concerning the corona virus. The virus spreads easily, the goal is to slow the spread. The good news is that, as of yesterday morning, there were no confirmed cases in Kimble County. As a group we decided that we are canceling the remaining Lenten luncheons.
The Elders of our church met today to discuss how we will proceed moving forward. First of all this is a very fluid situation that we are monitoring. As of now we will continue to have worship at 11 AM. We are suspending Sunday School, Bible Study and all other meetings outside of worship. This may change. We will begin streaming our services again this week on Facebook and YouTube.
With that, if you are concerned at all please stay home. Many of our church members fall into the higher risk category and we expect that you will do what is best for your health. If you are showing any signs or symptoms, fever, cough or shortness of breath please stay home from church for the benefit of others. If you come to worship please refrain from shaking hands or hugging. I know that this is hard for many of us but it is best for now. When you sit in the pews please spread out.
I encourage you to lift each other in prayer. Pray for our medical professionals and our first responders. Pray for those who continue to address the needs in this community in the face of this illness. Pray for the vulnerable. Love and serve one another and Christ loves and serves us. And remember that our blessings far outnumber our troubles.
For the ones who are vulnerable,
Hear our prayers.
For those who will lose employment,
Hear our prayers.
For those who spread misinformation,
Hear our prayers.
For those who are frightened of this uncertainty,
Hear our prayers.
For all of us,
Hear our prayers.
First Presbyterian Church
Jim and Laurie Barker, Co-Pastors
P.O. Box 898 | Junction, TX 76849
Church (325) 446-2165
Manse (325) 446-2174
Jim's Cell (325) 215-9017
Laurie's Cell (325) 446-7950
Monday, March 16, 2020
Scripture & Questions for Sunday (3/15/2020)
Scripture
John 4:4-42 (ESV)
Questions for Reflection
1. How do people satisfy their hungers and thirsts in life?
2. Why are the messages in TV commercials so appealing and persuasive?
3. Why did Jesus sit down by Jacob’s well? (4:6)
4. Why was the Samaritan woman surprised that Jesus spoke to her? (4:9)
5. How did Jesus answer the Samaritan woman’s question? (4:10)
6. What did the Samaritan woman think Jesus was talking about? (4:11-12,15)
7. What did Jesus say would be the result of drinking the water He offered? (4:13-14)
8. Whom did Jesus tell the Samaritan woman to go and get? (4:15)
9. How did Jesus respond to the Samaritan woman’s answer to His request? (4:17-18)
10. How did the Samaritan woman respond to Jesus’ statements about her situation? (4:19-20)
11. How did Jesus say people would worship God? (4:21-23)
12. What kind of worshipers does God seek? (4:23)
13. What did Jesus say about God? (4:24)
14. Who did Jesus say He was? (4:25-26)
15. How is Jesus’ gift of salvation different from what the world offers?
16. How is the world’s need for salvation and eternal life like thirst?
17. In what other ways besides thirst might you describe eternal life?
18. How can we worship God in spirit and in truth?
John 4:4-42 (ESV)
4 And he had to pass through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.
7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” 13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” 19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”
27 Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?” 28 So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” 30 They went out of the town and were coming to him.
39 Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his word. 42 They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”
Questions for Reflection
1. How do people satisfy their hungers and thirsts in life?
2. Why are the messages in TV commercials so appealing and persuasive?
3. Why did Jesus sit down by Jacob’s well? (4:6)
4. Why was the Samaritan woman surprised that Jesus spoke to her? (4:9)
5. How did Jesus answer the Samaritan woman’s question? (4:10)
6. What did the Samaritan woman think Jesus was talking about? (4:11-12,15)
7. What did Jesus say would be the result of drinking the water He offered? (4:13-14)
8. Whom did Jesus tell the Samaritan woman to go and get? (4:15)
9. How did Jesus respond to the Samaritan woman’s answer to His request? (4:17-18)
10. How did the Samaritan woman respond to Jesus’ statements about her situation? (4:19-20)
11. How did Jesus say people would worship God? (4:21-23)
12. What kind of worshipers does God seek? (4:23)
13. What did Jesus say about God? (4:24)
14. Who did Jesus say He was? (4:25-26)
15. How is Jesus’ gift of salvation different from what the world offers?
16. How is the world’s need for salvation and eternal life like thirst?
17. In what other ways besides thirst might you describe eternal life?
18. How can we worship God in spirit and in truth?
Friday, March 6, 2020
Scripture & Questions for Sunday (3/8/2020)
Men’s Breakfast Saturday morning 8 AM; coffee will be on at 6:30 AM. Come and join us.
Lila Zane (Cecil) Fox, 89, of Junction, Texas passed away on March 2, 2020 at home. A gathering to celebrate her life will be held 3:00 PM, Sunday, March 8, 2020 at the First Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall.
Scripture
Matthew 20:1-16
Questions for Reflection
1. What is the most generous thing anyone has ever done for you?
2. Who was the central character in this parable? (20:1)
3. What wages were agreed upon by the landowner and his hired hands? (20:2)
4. How many additional times did the landowner go out and hire workers? (20:5-6)
5. What explanation did the last group of workers give when asked why they were standing around doing nothing? (20:7)
6. What happened to the last group of workers? (20:7)
7. What did the landowner tell his foreman at the end of the day? (20:8)
8. What wages did the workers hired at the eleventh hour receive? (20:9)
9. What did the landowner pay to the men who worked all day? (20:10)
10. How did the workers respond to the landowner’s system of payment? (20:11-12)
11. What rationale did the landowner give for his actions? (20:13-15)
12. How do our cultural values resist the idea of grace?
13. Why is it dangerous to compare your own situation with someone else’s?
14. What would happen if God gave each of us what we deserve?
15. How can focusing on God’s grace in our lives keep us from becoming jealous of others?
Lila Zane (Cecil) Fox, 89, of Junction, Texas passed away on March 2, 2020 at home. A gathering to celebrate her life will be held 3:00 PM, Sunday, March 8, 2020 at the First Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall.
Scripture
Matthew 20:1-16
"For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. [2] After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. [3] And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, [4] and to them he said, 'You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.' [5] So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. [6] And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, 'Why do you stand here idle all day?' [7] They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You go into the vineyard too.' [8] And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.' [9] And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. [10] Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. [11] And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, [12] saying, 'These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.' [13] But he replied to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? [14] Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. [15] Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?' [16] So the last will be first, and the first last."
Questions for Reflection
1. What is the most generous thing anyone has ever done for you?
2. Who was the central character in this parable? (20:1)
3. What wages were agreed upon by the landowner and his hired hands? (20:2)
4. How many additional times did the landowner go out and hire workers? (20:5-6)
5. What explanation did the last group of workers give when asked why they were standing around doing nothing? (20:7)
6. What happened to the last group of workers? (20:7)
7. What did the landowner tell his foreman at the end of the day? (20:8)
8. What wages did the workers hired at the eleventh hour receive? (20:9)
9. What did the landowner pay to the men who worked all day? (20:10)
10. How did the workers respond to the landowner’s system of payment? (20:11-12)
11. What rationale did the landowner give for his actions? (20:13-15)
12. How do our cultural values resist the idea of grace?
13. Why is it dangerous to compare your own situation with someone else’s?
14. What would happen if God gave each of us what we deserve?
15. How can focusing on God’s grace in our lives keep us from becoming jealous of others?
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