UNIFORM LESSON FOR August 5, 2018 Scripture passage and lesson focus: Romans 2:1-16 The focus of our Bible study shifts from passages in the Gospels about the justice Jesus taught to the justice the apostle Paul describes in his letter to the Romans. That letter is reliably dated to 55 or 56 A.D., approximately 25 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus but 25-35 years before the Gospels were written. Understanding the letters of Paul nearly 2,000 years after they were written is a challenging task. Paul, a Pharisaic Jew whose allegiance to Jesus came about as the result of a life-redirecting encounter with the resurrected Jesus on the Damascus road, wrote theologically profound but also very practical letters to new congregations that were inventing what would develop into Christianity. The letter to the Romans was written to a congregation Paul had not established but hoped to visit. It constitutes a carefully argued statement of the gospel Paul preached for some 20 … [Read more...]

UNIFORM LESSON FOR July 29, 2018 Scripture passage and lesson focus: Luke 14:15-24 What is more festive and a source of happy memories than a gathering for a celebratory meal? Perhaps it was at grandpa and grandma’s house, or it might have been a family reunion picnic in the park, or it could have been a backyard barbeque with relatives and neighbors. Does your family photo album preserve the memories of such happy occasions? Gatherings for a shared meal (although not always festive occasions) play a prominent role in the Gospel of Luke. Luke records three times when Jesus attends a dinner party in the home of a Pharisee (Luke 7:36;11:37;14:1). Jesus joins his newest disciple Levi and his tax collector friends for dinner (Luke 5:29). Jesus miraculously feeds 5,000 people (Luke 9:16-17). Jesus celebrates a Passover meal and institutes the Lord’s Supper (Luke 22:14-20). And in Luke 24, Jesus shares a meal with the Emmaus travelers and enjoys a fish supper on the beach with his … [Read more...]

UNIFORM LESSON FOR July 22, 2018 Scripture passage and lesson focus: Luke 13:22-30 For many people in American society, “getting in” is highly desirable and often says something important about our identity. The comedian Groucho Marx reportedly said, “I don’t want to belong to any club that would accept a person like me.” On the other hand, many people are eager to get accepted into organizations or communities that reflect their personal values or aspirations. Getting a house or an apartment in the “right” neighborhood or joining the most desirable civic organization can be important for some people. For others, getting accepted into the membership of a socially prominent church, synagogue or mosque is desirable. For a different group, getting into the esteemed country club is a goal. Getting into the most desirable college or university often consumes the efforts of many 17- and 18-year-olds and their parents. And that may only be the first step, because getting into the … [Read more...]

UNIFORM LESSON FOR July 15, 2018 Scripture passage and lesson focus: Luke 18:1-8 Although the idea of a merry widow has been imaginatively portrayed in modern music, literature and film, the truth is that for most widows life is anything but merry. Although many women who have lost their life partner manage to find ways to live very satisfying and meaningful lives as widows, widowhood often brings financial and emotional struggles. In the first century when the Gospel of Luke was written, it was difficult (if not impossible) to find a merry widow. Society then was even more strongly patriarchal than it is today, and according to biblical commentator Fred Craddock, widows were “an image of helplessness in that culture and easily victimized by the powerful.” Therefore, this parable about a persistent widow’s appeal to an unjust judge is truly remarkable. The parable Jesus tells holds up this widow as a positive example for Christians who might have been tempted to give up rather … [Read more...]

UNIFORM LESSON FOR July 8, 2018 Scripture passage and lesson focus:Matthew 23:1-4, 23-26 Leaders with integrity who are just and honest always seem to be in short supply. Leaders in religion, government and business all too often succumb to the lure of wealth and power at the expense of the very people they are called to lead. Hardly a day goes by without credible reports of criminal activity, sexual misconduct, economic exploitation or the abuse of power by persons in positions of leadership. Unfortunately that seems to have been the situation in the days of Jesus as much as it is in ours. When the Gospels were written toward the end of the first century, Jesus’ followers were a tiny minority in the community of Palestinian Jews dominated by powerful Roman rulers and their agents. The inevitable tensions that divided society at that time broke down a sense of shared purpose and trust. While it may be an exaggeration to compare that era with the situation described in the … [Read more...]

UNIFORM LESSON FOR July 1, 2018 Scripture passage and lesson focus: Matthew 18:21-35 Forgiveness is a lot easier to talk or write about than to practice. Most Christians would agree that forgiving is always the right thing to do. Holding a grudge is like picking a scab before it is ready to come off. The wound does not go away; it only gets worse and more painful. People who hold grudges tend to be very unhappy, angry people. Holding a grudge can escalate into a desire to get revenge. And that can result in actions that are detrimental to all parties concerned. As difficult as it is to do, genuine forgiveness releases anger and resentment. Forgiveness can restore and heal relationships that have been strained. Frowns and glares give way to smiles and hugs when heartfelt forgiveness is offered and accepted. Matthew 18:21-22 — A limit to forgiveness? After Jesus outlines a procedure for resolving a grievance between two members of the religious community (Matthew … [Read more...]