Horizons Bible Study 2017-2018 “Cloud of Witnesses: The Community of Christ in Hebrews” Lesson 6: In Community with the Reality of the Present (Hebrews 2:10-18) A woman, Lydia, was hiking on a trail near the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia. She came to a path with a sign pointing to a lookout where she could see to the mountains beyond. Wanting to see more, Lydia walked to the edge of the clearing, where the mountain fell away to a steep slope below. She sat on the edge of the rock face and was mesmerized by the gorgeous view. When she finally got up to leave, she unexpectedly slipped, rolled and landed on a small shelf a third of the way down the mountain. Bruised but with nothing broken, Lydia tried to climb up but the rock face was too steep. After a time, Lydia heard other hikers. “Help,” she called. The voices replied, “Where are you?” “I am in a hole below the overhang. Can you get me out?” A face appeared over the edge of the overhang. One of the hikers said, … [Read more...]
By faith (Horizons 5)
Horizons Bible Study 2017-2018 “Cloud of Witnesses: The Community of Christ in Hebrews” Lesson 5: In Community with the Traditions of the Past (Hebrews 3:1-6; 11) We were sitting in the college cafeteria drinking terrible coffee after dinner. Generally, my college friends and I tried to best each other in coming up with bad puns, but that night we were talking about hope and faith. I kept saying that we hope for what we do not see. Who knew that somewhere along the way I had picked concepts from the letter to the Hebrews? Faith is initiated by God. Because of the work of the Holy Spirit moving in our hearts and minds, we are drawn to God as known in Jesus Christ. We experience the love of God and respond by trusting God with our lives. Faith and hope are central to chapter 11 of Hebrews. “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for; the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Faith is a multilayered word that can indicate trust, belief or loyalty. Here in chapter … [Read more...]
Love of the strange (Horizons 4)
Horizons Bible Study 2017-2018 “Cloud of Witnesses: The Community of Christ in Hebrews” Lesson 4: In community with God’s messengers (Hebrews 13:1-6) “All night, all day, angels watching over me, my Lord. All night, all day, angels watching over me. Now I lay me down to sleep, O Lordy, angels watching over me, my Lord. Pray the Lord my soul to keep. Angels watching over me.” I sang that song to my son and my grandsons as I rocked them or before bed. It’s comforting to think of God’s angels with us in the darkness when we are small and God keeping and guarding our souls throughout life. Angels are God’s messengers in the Bible. Gabriel frightens Mary half to death when he tells her that she will have a son. In a dream, an angel speaks to Joseph, Mary’s fiancé, and lets him know that he is to have no anxiety in marrying Mary. Shepherds out in the field hear the message of peace and the good news of the baby being born who will be a savior. Good news is brought to … [Read more...]
God of the word (Horizons 3)
Horizons Bible Study 2017-2018 “Cloud of Witnesses: The Community of Christ in Hebrews” Lesson 3: In community with the living Word (Hebrews 1:1–3a; 4:12–13) by Nadine Ellsworth-Moran I purchased a mezuzah when I visited Jerusalem. “A what?” you ask. A mezuzah. A small tube, usually ceramic, containing a handwritten scroll that you attach to the doorframe of your home. Still not registering? Not surprising, since this particular practice is Judaic, not Christian. So why would a good Presbyterian be interested in such an item? Perhaps for some of the same reasons behind this lesson: to learn to be in community with the living word. The origins of the mezuzah tradition are rooted in the Old Testament passage from Deuteronomy 6:4-9, referred to as the Shema. Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. … [Read more...]
Remembering the rainbow (Horizons 2)
Horizons Bible Study 2017-2018 “Cloud of Witnesses: The Community of Christ in Hebrews” Lesson 2: In community with the living God (Hebrews 12:18-24) by Nadine Ellsworth-Moran Just outside my door one afternoon, a double rainbow greeted me. I stood transfixed and attempted to capture it in a photo. That’s the thing about rainbows – they are both perpetual, always reoccurring and ephemeral, yet impossible to contain. God chose this bow as a sign of covenant with Noah, and I wondered if anyone else that day remembered. We forget we are in everlasting covenant with God and need reminding. Such was the situation in Hebrews. The first generation of believers had passed, and the young faith communities struggled to hold on to their identity and beliefs in the face of disenfranchisement and even persecution. These words come when the people need a rainbow; but more than that, they need something they can tangibly engage. In Hebrews 12, the author clearly acknowledges, “You have … [Read more...]
Jesus is … (Horizons 1)
Horizons Bible Study 2017-2018 “Cloud of Witnesses: The Community of Christ in Hebrews” Lesson 1: Hebrews 1:1-4 A good novel will grab our attention quickly. Beautiful language or quirky characters engage us. The tension of a person stumbling upon a dead body makes us want to discover who has committed the murder. The Letter to the Hebrews is gripping in quite a different way. The first verses are poetic and soaring, meant to lift up those who struggle to be faithful to Christ. Phrase upon phrase pile up in one long, breathless sentence as if the writer cannot pause because what he has to say is so important. (The English translation uses three sentences.) Like a child spilling out a story, the words tumble one upon the other. We can see this better if we line out the rich descriptions in Hebrews 1:1-4: Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days God has spoken to us by the Son, whom God appointed heir of all … [Read more...]
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