Uniform Lesson for September 20, 2020 Scripture passage and lesson focus: Genesis 42:6-25 Joseph’s struggles with love now enter a graduate-level phase. He has grown from the member of the family who is acted upon to the member of the family who acts — for redemptive purposes. Clearly, the most tangible redemption will be his supply of grain to his family, which will carry them through the famine. But there’s another famine at the heart of this family: a story of a father’s love, a son’s dreams and the relationships among brothers gone bad. How we view Joseph’s actions in this chapter of the story has much to say about how we view God’s actions in our lives. Genesis 42:6-10 — Save us from the time of trial The theme of testing is at the heart of this chapter of Joseph’s story. Testing is both a juridical and a theological term for discernment or revelation, a means by which the hidden nature of our hearts might be revealed. Have Joseph’s brothers learned from their past actions … [Read more...]

Uniform Lesson for September 13, 2020 Scripture passage and lesson focus: Genesis 41:25-33, 37-40, 50-52 Joseph’s struggles with love continue, this time no longer in his father’s house but Pharaoh’s. In last week’s lesson, Joseph’s dreams and words earned him the hatred of his brothers and the rebuke of his father (Genesis 37). Maybe there is a time when it’s better to “keep silence” (Ecclesiastes 3:7). But now, after a series of appointments and betrayals and redemptions, Joseph is asked to interpret some of Pharaoh’s dreams. Surely there are also times when we are called to speak! An ability to interpret dreams, which led to troubles with his brothers by blood, now opens up a possibility for Joseph to help his sisters and brothers by adoption — the Egyptians. Genesis 41:25-33 — Seeing God’s plans What was implicit in our first lesson with Joseph now becomes explicit in this chapter of the story. We have already observed that dreams in Scripture are often vehicles for … [Read more...]

Uniform Lesson for September 6, 2020 Scripture passage and lesson focus: Genesis 37:2-11, 23-24a, 28 This fall, we begin a series titled “Love for One Another.” It will take us from the Old Testament, through the Gospels and into the Epistles. At the heart of this unit are the stories of Joseph and his brothers. This is the final chapter in a string of dysfunctional family stories in Genesis that begins with Cain and Abel (if not Adam and Eve!). On one level, the Joseph stories answer the question of how Israel found itself in Egypt — in order to be formed as a nation and set free. But at a deeper level, the Joseph stories prefigure a host of stories later in Israel’s story concerning division and rivalry in families, nations and the world. Genesis 37:2-11 — Dysfunctional families Given human nature, wherever two or three human beings are gathered, you’ve got trouble! We all know what’s coming when a story leads off with: “Once there was a father who had two sons.” So what about … [Read more...]

Uniform Lesson for August 30, 2020 Scripture passage and lesson focus: James 3:13-18, 5:7-12 We now end up almost where we began. We led off our study of wisdom in the first chapter of Proverbs, where the voice of wisdom competed with the voices of those who urged us to “fill our houses with booty” (1:13). We end with James exhorting us to ground our lives in wisdom that comes down from above versus insight that is “earthly, unspiritual, devilish.” Are our works done with “gentleness born of wisdom” or with “bitter envy and selfish ambition” in our hearts? James 3:13-18 — Back to fruits In a world where futures can be determined by scores on tests with acronyms like MMPI, SAT and ACT, James gives us an invitation to a world where wisdom is measured by how our actions bring people together versus drive them apart. Presbyterians believe that education is not only a good thing but a necessary thing, in church as well as school. Sermons that cause us to think and classes that expand … [Read more...]

Uniform Lesson for August 23, 2020 Scripture passage and lesson focus: James 3:1-12 The writer of the letter of James has already wisely warned us to be “quick to listen” and “slow to speak” (1:19). What a difference, we observed, that would make: in sidewalk banter, boardroom discussions and presbytery deliberations! Now we are warned about the potential for both harm and help once we begin to form words with our tongues. This is not abstract wisdom but wisdom as tangible as the tongues and palates and vocal cords in our bodies. Just think about the power of words in the human community down through the centuries, especially words bearing false testimony surrounding gender, race or God. James 3:1-5 — A warning to teachers James leads off with a particular warning to teachers. In Scripture, spoken words can create and destroy not only people but worlds. God said, “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3). Moses (through Aaron) said, “Let my people go” (Exodus 5:1). Jesus said, “Lazarus, … [Read more...]

Uniform Lesson for August 16, 2020 Scripture passage and lesson focus: James 2:14-26 James poses this question: “Can faith [alone] save you?” “Certainly!” all us Presbyterians shout back immediately — already having violated James’ admonition to be “quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger [or aggression]” (1:19)! Aren’t we the people of “grace alone, faith alone, Scripture alone” (Book of Order, F-2.04)? But now, let us circle back, think of our journey from Proverbs through the Gospels and on to James. Proverbs reminded us that “the fear of the Lord [and only the Lord] is the beginning of knowledge” (1:7). Jesus, in the Gospels, reminded us that “wisdom is vindicated by her deeds [works]” (Matthew 11:19). James calls us to be single-minded, versus “double-minded” (1:8), in our trust and/or allegiance to the Lord. Faith, then, can never simply mean intellectual assent or doctrinal purity. Faith is a matter of orientation and loyalty. A person can’t eat the bread and drink the … [Read more...]