Love Carved in Stone: A Fresh Look at the Ten Commandments Lesson 1 EXODUS 20:1-6, MATTHEW 22:34-37 I am fascinated by the Avenger movies where gods and super-human heroes battle the forces of evil. They are wildly popular and three of these movies are among the 10 highest-grossing movies of all time. I began watching them to help me understand the culture of my grandsons. Power, resilience in the face of personal and physical struggle and defeating evil are the values demonstrated in these movies. Power can be an idol, as can be money, work, family, possessions, status, education, sports, points of view or entertainment. The 14-year-olds who participated in this year’s confirmation class were a lively bunch. Talk about sports, scouts, school and siblings quickly bubbled up. In a conversation about idols, I mentioned that idols weren’t usually objects for us. Rather, idols are those things that keep us from putting God first in our lives. In asking what their idols … [Read more...]

“God’s Promise: I Am With You” Lesson 9: God with us Matthew 18:15-20; 28:16-20 Sometimes unhappiness and discouragement taint our actions. I’ve found that to be true for me. Years ago, I attended a board meeting of a nonprofit organization that assists homeless women and children. I was cranky, negative and probably obnoxious. The executive director of the organization came to see me after the meeting and we sat down together. Her first words were, “How are you doing?” It was a terrible time in my life and I told her some of what was going on. After a time, she gently said that I had offended other board members. I thought about my behavior and realized that it was true. Her coming to me was a tremendous gift because it gave me the opportunity to immediately apologize and amend my behavior. The director’s actions were exactly what Jesus taught us to do. She took the initiative to come and let me know of my offense. She did so with kindness, which made it much easier for me to … [Read more...]

“God’s Promise: I Am With You” Lesson 8: John 14:1-31 “I am one in whom Christ dwells and delights and I live in the unshakeable kingdom of God.” James Bryant Smith said the above quote at a Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) conference on making disciples. I found it challenging to wrap my head around the phrase. What happens when you say to yourself, “I am one in whom Christ dwells and delights”? Are you startled, doubting, incredulous or pleased when you think about Christ delighting in you? For 60 seconds of silence, imagine Christ looking at you with pleasure. What happens when you reflect on Christ dwelling in you? Do you readily identify with the Holy Spirit having a home within you, or do you think that the Holy Spirit will only come once you have spiritually cleaned house? Do you feel like the Holy Spirit has packed up and left, or is the Spirit as close to you as breath or wind? Chapter 14 of the Gospel of John focuses on the Holy Spirit coming to lodge within the … [Read more...]

“God’s Promise: I Am With You” Lesson 7: Isaiah 7:10-16; Matthew 1:18-25 Who needs a savior? As armies come towards Jerusalem, the people of Judah do. The prophet Isaiah assures King Ahaz that the armies pose no threat, but Ahaz chooses fear over trust and makes an alliance with Assyria, the kingdom that will ultimately devastate the land. The people of Israel, who are under Roman captivity, want a savior who will free them from Roman tyranny. For millions of refugees and migrants, a savior would bring protection, a new home and work to provide for their families. But we have warm homes, comfort, freedom of worship and speech, and the rule of law. Do we still need a savior and, if so, from what threat do we need saving? I can imagine that you, dear readers, will say that Jesus comes to save us from our sins, and of course that is correct. But day to day, from what specifically do we need to be saved? The answer for me comes from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. … [Read more...]