Nov. 29

Read 2 Corinthians 4
^1-2Since God has so generously let us in on what he is doing, we're not about to throw up our hands and walk off the job just because we run into occasional hard times. We refuse to wear masks and play games. We don't maneuver and manipulate behind the scenes. And we don't twist God's Word to suit ourselves. Rather, we keep everything we do and say out in the open, the whole truth on display, so that those who want to can see and judge for themselves in the presence of God. (The Message)


One of the problems the early church dealt with was that there were people who spread the idea that there was secret information about Jesus/God that if you knew that information you were guarantied entry into heaven. Paul though makes it clear that there is nothing that he or those with him have done in secret. He puts it all out there and wants to make sure everyone knows that he isn't hiding anything from them.
Paul wanted the Corinthians to know that he is who he is and doesn't play games or put on a false front for them. It is a life that Jesus encourages when he tells his disciples that their yes should be yes and their no should be no. It is also a life that each of us should try to emulate.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• Why do you think it was important to Paul that everyone knew that he was always trying to be sure that he was transparent about Jesus?
• When you hear others talk about Jesus do you trust that what they are saying is true or do you look for what is not being said?
• What is easier for you to be transparent or to ware a mask and hide from others? Why?
• What message do you think you send to people when you are not transparent?

Nov. 28

Read John 7:14-24
¹⁴ Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach.¹⁵ The Jews there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having been taught?”

 ¹⁶ Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me. ¹⁷ Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. (NIV)

While Advent begins we continue to explore what John has to say about Jesus. The good news is that it isn't just what John or even Jesus has to say about Jesus that we can focus upon. We understand that the whole Bible helps us to see Jesus. It isn't always perfectly clear because we don't understand all of God's ways. Advent is a time when we can look back at the Old Testament and see more clearly what was being said about the promises of God and how Jesus was coming to fulfill those promises. Advent is a time of preparation, waiting, and anticipation. May we all use it for looking to see Jesus more clearly.


Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• When Thanksgiving is over and you begin to look forward to Christmas that Bible stories first come to mind?
• Jesus says that his teaching comes from the same God whose teaching is found through out the Bible. Where do you see Jesus's teaching in the Old Testament?
• When you do what Jesus says we should do what do you learn about life?
• What one teaching of Jesus might you practice regularly during this Advent season in preparation for Christmas?

Nov. 27

Read 2 Corinthians 3
 ^16-18Whenever, though, they turn to face God as Moses did, God removes the veil and there they are—face-to-face! They suddenly recognize that God is a living, personal presence, not a piece of chiseled stone. And when God is personally present, a living Spirit, that old, constricting legislation is recognized as obsolete. We're free of it! All of us! Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him.(The Message)

There are times when a person suddenly realizes that they need to take better care of their bodies. They decide to get healthy and they start eating better and exercising and can't wait until they see the results. The problem with changing to a healthy lifestyle is that it takes time to see the full results and it ends up being a lot of hard work. The reality is that because it takes time and work the majority of people give up before they reach their goals. Just knowing that they would be better off if they did these things doesn't change their bodies or behavior. The knowledge and desire has to be joined by the determination and commitment before anything will ever happen.
It is the same way with growing to become like Jesus. Knowing we need to change and wanting to become more like Jesus are good first steps but actually leaving the old person behind and taking on the new person of Jesus within us takes work. We have to leave old behaviors behind and take on new patterns of looking at our time, finances, and relationships. But the good news is that we can and will be changed the more we live for and with Jesus as our focus.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• What do you think the phrase seeing God face to face meant for Paul personally?
• Paul's life seemed to be radically changed in a moment but we don't know much about the years he spent away from the crowds before he began his ministry. If Paul had immediately started his ministry after the Damascus Road experience how do you think it might have been different?
• How do the things that you do each day make you more/less likely to reflect Jesus to others?
• What changes in your living do you need to make to begin becoming even more like Jesus?

Nov. 26

Read 2 Corinthians 3
Your very lives are a letter that anyone can read by just looking at you. Christ himself wrote it—not with ink, but with God's living Spirit; not chiseled into stone, but carved into human lives—and we publish it. (The Message)

I don't know if you have noticed but there seems to be a problem with most mirrors. When many people stand in front of a mirror they see themselves as the pudgy young teen with braces and acne who heard every day that they weren't beautiful or they see the young trim athlete who could do anything and everyone cheered their every move. What they see is what they used to be and not what they are today. The problem is that when we let the image in the mirror tell us who we are we are listening to a lie and it keeps us from allowing the reality of our lives from shinning through. The only cure for the lying mirror is the honest love of another. Love that tells us who they see everyday when they are with us. We can hear from them that we are a lovable person of great beauty and joy or even a self centered adult who needs to get over themselves.
We can try to see ourselves as we really are in a mirror but the truth is that a letter cannot read itself it must be read by someone else. But being read does not make a difference unless we are willing to accept the reality. Sometimes the reality is hard to accept because we know that we really are not who we would like to be at this point in our lives. The good news is that we are continually being written by the hand of God who has fearfully and wonderfully made us in His image.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• Knowing what you do about Paul's life how do you think others would have seen Jesus within him?
• When you look in  a mirror who do you see?
• What lies from your childhood still impact the way you see yourself?
• Whose honest love do you need to listen to as you  more fully accept who you are today?

Nov. 25

Read 2 Corinthians 2
^14-16In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life. But those on the way to destruction treat us more like the stench from a rotting corpse. (The Message)

Some people who have sensitivities to perfumes can tell you right away when someone has been in the space they are in with a particular scent. They can tell there is a fragrance present that others don't seem to notice. The image can be positive if the smell brings good memories to mind. It might be negative if the person is repulsed by the smell. Paul says that believers leave a fragrance where ever they go. It is a scent that should be sweet both to God and to others.
What do you smell like?

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• How important do you think perfumes were for the people of Paul's day?
• How do you think Paul would describe a person who smelled of Jesus?
• What 'scent' did you leave behind yesterday in the places you were?
• Is there any way you could improve the way you 'smell?'

Nov. 24

Read 2 Corinthians 2
^9-11The focus of my letter wasn't on punishing the offender but on getting you to take responsibility for the health of the church. So if you forgive him, I forgive him. Don't think I'm carrying around a list of personal grudges. The fact is that I'm joining in with your forgiveness, as Christ is with us, guiding us. After all, we don't want to unwittingly give Satan an opening for yet more mischief—we're not oblivious to his sly ways! (The Message)

Sometimes grudges live on not in those who have been wronged but those who have been close to the one wronged. Maybe it is parent who won't let go of how someone else treated their child or maybe a spouse over the way a boss treated their loved one. Paul says if those closest to the situation forgive then he does as well. It is a lesson that we could learn well. To accept that someone has forgive another and is now ready to move on is a sign of health and joy and Paul says if they have forgive than he rejoices in that forgiveness. What that meant in a very real way was that when Paul came to see the Corinthians he was prepared to treat the person who had been on the outside as if they had not sinned. He was willing to not bring up their short comings and sin just because he hadn't been there to deal with it all.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• Do you think it was difficult for Paul to forgive at a distance? Why or why not?
• Paul didn't want to carry around a lot of personal grudges, why do you think this was important to Paul?
• Do you know anyone who has refused to forgive someone even though others have forgiven them? What does it feel like to be around them?
• What grudges do you need to let go of so that you can move on with your relationships and life?

Nov. 23

Read  2 Corinthians 1

^12-14Now that the worst is over, we're pleased we can report that we've come out of this with conscience and faith intact, and can face the world—and even more importantly, face you with our heads held high. But it wasn't by any fancy footwork on our part. It was God who kept us focused on him, uncompromised. Don't try to read between the lines or look for hidden meanings in this letter. We're writing plain, unembellished truth, hoping that you'll now see the whole picture as well as you've seen some of the details. We want you to be as proud of us as we are of you when we stand together before our Master Jesus.

One of the things I have had to tell myself from time to time when going through a difficult situation is, "When this is all said and done the only thing I can make sure I get through it with is my integrity." I've found that you really can't make other people do what God wants done in any given situation. You can bribe, cajole, or even guilt people into doing something but all of those options have consequences outside of what God desires for living a life free in Christ. The only thing that we really have control of is the way we respond within any given situation and sometimes I wonder how free we really are because of the impact of our past experiences upon the ways we respond to people and situations.
Paul is celebrating here the fact that he has ridden out a crises with his head up and his integrity in tact. We aren't told what the circumstance were and that could be for the better because then we can insert whatever it is that is happening in our lives and believe that Jesus will carry us through that just as Paul was sustained through his time of trial.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• In the midst of Paul's journeys do you think he was ever tempted to compromise the way he lived his faith to make it easier for himself or others? Why or why not?
• Where in your life are you most tempted to compromise to make it easier?
• What does living a life of integrity look like for you?
• How might you encourage others going through a difficult time to hold on to their integrity?

Nov. 22

Read 2 Corinthians 1
^3-5All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too.

Starting our study of 2 Corinthians with this passage of praise seems appropriate with it being the week that we here in the United States celebrate Thanksgiving. Praise can be easy when we are in the midst of decent times. When our lives are filled with a few more blessings than the pain we experience praise seems to be able to flow easily from our lips and hearts. When we experience some pain either emotionally or physically it helps us to recognize the many ways we are blessed and it makes the pain easier to manage. But what do we do when the world seems to be weighted against us? What happens when we find ourselves crying out for mercy because the world seems to be crashing down around us and we wonder if there is anything that can possibly be good about life?
Paul says that Jesus uses us to encourage others who are going through what we have been through in those most difficult of times. The flip side of that is that Jesus also uses others who have been there before us to encourage us in the midst of our darkest times. It is a two way street of encouragement and it takes a willingness to open our lives to people so that we might be helped and that we might help others. The good news is that God can and will use whatever you are going through right now for someone else's benefit if you will allow it. Your pain and darkness will not be waisted if you allow it to be used by Jesus.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• How do you think Paul was able to continually praise God with everything that he faced?
• With the treat of torture and death facing the early believers how important do you think praise was for them on a daily basis?
• Which side of the scale do you find yourself on today, with more blessings than pain or more pain than blessings?
• What have you experienced in life that Jesus might use to encourage someone else in the midst of their pain?

Nov. 21

Read John 7: 1-13
^1-2 Later Jesus was going about his business in Galilee. He didn't want to travel in Judea because the Jews there were looking for a chance to kill him. It was near the time of Tabernacles, a feast observed annually by the Jews.

 ^3-5His brothers said, "Why don't you leave here and go up to the Feast so your disciples can get a good look at the works you do? No one who intends to be publicly known does everything behind the scenes. If you're serious about what you are doing, come out in the open and show the world." His brothers were pushing him like this because they didn't believe in him either. (The Message)

"Coincidences are God's way of remaining anonymous." (attributed to Albert Einstein)
There seems to be a necessity for the unknown and unknowable when it comes to faith. Jesus brothers and many of the disciples wanted to see exactly what Jesus was doing and have an answer for the reasons why and how. But Jesus, as we have seen so far, does many things that are hidden. He doesn't parade himself and his miracles out in front of everyone in John's gospel. There is something that would be lacking if we didn't have to take a leap into that which is unknowable when we place our trust in Jesus. It doesn't make it easy at times but that is what makes it faith.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• Why do you think Jesus wanted to remain hidden?
• What do you think the disciples thought when they saw Jesus at the feast after he had told them that he wasn't going to go?
• If everything Jesus did today was highlighted by a billboard what would faith look like?
• When you do the work of Jesus is it easier if you tell people what you are doing or doing it silently? 

Nov. 20

On Monday we will start a new study with 2 Corinthians. Please come back and join us then.

Nov. 19

Read 1 Corinthians 16
^13-14Keep your eyes open, hold tight to your convictions, give it all you've got, be resolute, and love without stopping. (The Message)

Paul is wrapping up this first letter to the Corinthians and he is trying to find a way to remind them all of what he has said. These two versus happen to be a fairly good way of wrapping up not just what Paul says in this letter but what he says in all of his letters. It is a great reminder for all of us!

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• Having read this letter to the Corinthians do you think that this is Paul reminding them of everything he has said? Why or why not? Is something missing here that you think Paul was wanting to say?
• How do you live out these two versus on a regular basis?
• What do you need to do to more regularly live in the way Paul has encouraged in this letter?
• Where have you been tempted to stop loving this past week?

Nov. 18

Read 1 Corinthians 16
 ^1-4Regarding the relief offering for poor Christians that is being collected, you get the same instructions I gave the churches in Galatia. Every Sunday each of you make an offering and put it in safekeeping. Be as generous as you can. When I get there you'll have it ready, and I won't have to make a special appeal. Then after I arrive, I'll write letters authorizing whomever you delegate, and send them off to Jerusalem to deliver your gift. If you think it best that I go along, I'll be glad to travel with them. (The Message)

Here in this passage is a nugget of truth about giving that is often times glossed over. Paul encourages the people to set aside their giving each Sunday so that they will have what is needed when the time comes for them to give. This is important because unless we set aside what we are going to give we end up giving what we have left and it often times is enough to ease our guilt but usually not enough to meet the real need. Paul is saying set aside what you can an a regular basis so when you are faced with giving to a real need you will be able to do so joyously and without a second thought.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• What do you think Paul meant by, "be as generous as you can?"
• Do you set aside money to give to the pressing needs of others? Why or why not?
• What is keeping you from being a generous giver?
• What might you begin doing today so that you might be more joyous in your giving?

Nov. 17

Read 1 Corinthians 15
 ⁵⁸With all this going for us, my dear, dear friends, stand your ground. And don't hold back. Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort. (The Message)

Yesterday we pondered the impact the resurrection has upon our faith and life. Today we see that for Paul the resurrection was not just an important part of his faith in Jesus but it was also what allowed him to do what he did without fear. Because Paul trusted in the resurrection of Jesus and the reality of his own being raised with Jesus he was able to throw himself into the work of Jesus with everything he had. It is that same intensity that Paul invites us to consider as well. Elsewhere Paul says that if he lives it is good if he dies it is good. When you can have that kind of an attitude nothing is to difficult or scary because there is really nothing to lose. While I know that I'm not where Paul was at yet I do hope that I'm getting closer to his attitude.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• In what areas do you think the Corinthians needed to be encouraged to stand their ground?
• Why do you think death is so scary for most people?
• What keeps you from throwing yourself completely into the work Jesus has for you?
• Where could you use a little less fear in your life right now?

Nov. 16

Read 1 Corinthians 15
^12-15Now, let me ask you something profound yet troubling. If you became believers because you trusted the proclamation that Christ is alive, risen from the dead, how can you let people say that there is no such thing as a resurrection? If there's no resurrection, there's no living Christ. And face it—if there's no resurrection for Christ, everything we've told you is smoke and mirrors, and everything you've staked your life on is smoke and mirrors. Not only that, but we would be guilty of telling a string of barefaced lies about God, all these affidavits we passed on to you verifying that God raised up Christ—sheer fabrications, if there's no resurrection. (The Message)

I have to admit that I have spent a lot of the time that I have been a believer ignoring the resurrection. I wouldn't say that it was something I did or didn't believe in it was just that I never really gave it much thought. I believed in Jesus and the connection with God that we were invited to experience through him but the resurrection just never seemed like it was that big of deal. It was something for later not for now. Over the last several years though I have spent more and more time pondering the resurrection and when I read Paul's words here it reminds me that without the resurrection we really don't have much except a nice philosophy.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• Why do you think Paul found it necessary to reaffirm the resurrection both of Jesus and those who believe?
• What did you learn about the resurrection of believers when you were growing up?
• What difference does the resurrection mean to you today?
• How does the resurrection of those who believe in Jesus impact the way you live today?

Nov. 15

Read 1 Corinthians 14
Plain truth-speaking, on the other hand, goes straight to the heart of believers and doesn't get in the way of unbelievers. (The Message)

Speaking the truth in love is a phrase that you might hear from time to time and yet it will mean different things to different people. Paul emphasizes the need for speaking in ways that believers will understand and at the same time will not turn off those who are yet to believe. This really ends up being more difficult than we might assume. It seems so easy for us to begin speaking in ways that exclude others because we develop a common language based upon our shared experiences. Before we know it those who are on the outside get turned off or feel excluded based upon our language.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• What do you hear most often, plain truth-speaking or religiouseze within the church?
• Do you speak differently around people you know are believers vs. those who you are unsure of their faith?
• How might you speak truthfully about your life and faith in such ways that would invite others into a relationship with Jesus rather than turn them off?
• What language barriers in your faith community might need to be taken down so that others might see Jesus more clearly?

Nov. 14

Read John 6: 60-71
^68-69Peter replied, "Master, to whom would we go? You have the words of real life, eternal life. We've already committed ourselves, confident that you are the Holy One of God." (The Message)

Most people don't like conflict and the people who say they like conflict other people don't like to be around. Now that Jesus is beginning to say difficult things and push people in new ways the crowds are beginning to fade away. It seems like Jesus has expectations for people and it isn't just about having fish and bread to eat when ever people turn around. Now the crowds have started leaving Jesus and a small group is left surrounding Jesus. When Jesus asks if they too are going to leave Peter gives what I think is the classic response, Where would we go when we have already seen the real deal?
In the real world that we all live in each of us will face a moment (or maybe even many moments) when we will have to choose between continuing to follow Jesus or go in another way. Sometimes it will happen around great conflict and other times it might be around a quiet hidden crises of faith but the question will present itself. It is in these moments that we will have to know who we have committed to. Are we committed to following Jesus or are we looking for more to eat that satisfies us temporarily. Following Jesus is a choice that each of us makes on a daily basis. What is your choice today?

Some thought to ponder and share with others:

• What are some of the hard teachings of Jesus that you find difficult?
• How do you think the few disciples that stayed with Jesus felt about those who left?
• When the going gets tough what do you hold on to to keep your faith in Jesus?
• What can you begin doing today that will provide a deeper level of faith for you when you face difficult times?

Nov. 13

Read 1 Corinthians 14
 ^1-3Go after a life of love as if your life depended on it—because it does. Give yourselves to the gifts God gives you. Most of all, try to proclaim his truth. If you praise him in the private language of tongues, God understands you but no one else does, for you are sharing intimacies just between you and him. But when you proclaim his truth in everyday speech, you're letting others in on the truth so that they can grow and be strong and experience his presence with you. (The Message)

Chapter 13 is often read disconnected from the rest of 1 Corinthians and when that happens the power and possibilities elude us for living out the life Paul invites us to share. The invitation to love extravagantly is connected to the way we use our gifts within the community of faith. That same invitation is given to loving God both personally and publicly. Some people receive the gift of speaking in tongues as a way of praying. That gift is given by God so that the personal faith can be strengthened. It is also a gift that can be shared in the appropriate times and places so that the corporate faith might grow as well. The key here seems to be the connection between love and the use of our gifts. We love most extravagantly when we use what God has given us for others to the fullest extent. Wen we choose not to use our gifts or allow them to go undeveloped we short change the community of faith and the building up of the Kingdom of God. Those gifts that we are to develop include not just the public gifts of teaching etc. but also the private gifts of prayer. When we allow our gifts to become fully developed and we express them with a desire to love others we will find that God's presence will come very close and we too will experience the Kingdom of God breaking in around us.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• What do you think Paul might think about the way we disconnect chapter 13 with the rest of 1 Corinthians?
• What have you been taught about speaking in tongues?
• What God given gifts are you actively working at developing these days?
• Where would the community of faith suffer the most if those around you refused  to use their gifts?

Nov. 12

Read 1 Corinthians 13
¹³But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love. (The Message)

In one way or another we find ourselves asking, "What must I do?" Then like the rich young ruler who heard Jesus say, "Give everything you have away and follow me," we go away sad because it isn't the answer we want to hear. It would be so much easier if we were just given a list of things that we could cross off a list when they have been done and then go about our lives just like we want rather than having to worry about what is going to come next. But when we are told to love extravagantly that is so much more difficult. After all what does that look like? When do we know that we have done this and can move on? It seems so vague when we are the ones who are trying to accomplish it but when you are on the receiving end of that extravagant love you know exactly what it looks like.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• Having read this far in 1 Corinthians what do you think extravagant love looks like for Paul?
• Have you ever been on the receiving end of extravagant love? What was/is it like?
• Is extravagant love possible without trust and hope? Why or why not?
• How might you practice giving extravagant love today?

Nov. 11

Read 1 Corinthians 13
¹ If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. ²If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. ^3-7If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love. (The Message)

This chapter is familiar in so many ways but is often simply passed over because we just all know it so well. But do we really know it? Do we understand how much our own ego gets in the way of expressing love? How many of us would like to speak well and have the power to attract other people's? How many of us would like fame and even be willing to give up a fortune to be noticed? But Paul forces us to consider again what is really important when it comes to relating to one another
Love is what holds a community together and Paul is clear that this isn't just for marriages and families but for the church as well. Unfortunately love is sometimes the last thing that is found within a community of faith. It might be expressed in the language but is it expressed in the actions of those who gather? Love should be the defining characteristic of any body of believers we are told in so many different places in the New Testament. It is a tough standard to live up to but it is also the invitation to live in a way that goes against everything else that the world says is important. It is the way of Jesus.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• When was the last time you heard a reference to this chapter? What do you remember about it?
• When you read chapter 12 and 13 together what comes to mind first?
• Why is loving other people in a Jesus way sometimes so difficult?
• What if anything would you have to give up to practice the love of Jesus more regularly?

Nov. 10

Read 1 Corinthians 12
²⁷You are Christ's body—that's who you are! You must never forget this. Only as you accept your part of that body does your "part" mean anything. (The Message)

We often think that Paul's words are hard to accept. The things he says about dying to sin, being willing to suffer, etc. go against many of the things that we assume are what we should want to do. But these words to the Corinthians are also hard for many people to accept. Paul states that each person who believes in Jesus is a part of the body of Christ which is the church. Each person then has something to give as well as receive from that church. Now you can define the church in many different ways and I won't get into that right now. But for all those who think they can believe in Jesus on their own this is a very clear statement that it doesn't work that way. A believer must be in active relation to others of faith or they are like an ear disconnected to the head. It is still an ear but it is useless and lifeless no matter what function it once was able to provide.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• Why do you think Paul found it necessary to remind people that they were all a part of the body of Christ?
• What part of being with/in the body of Christ (the church) do you find the most difficult? The easiest?
• Who do you know that has been a part of the body before but now has chosen to remove themselves from the church? Why do you think they did this?
• What might you do today to help you strengthen your connection to the church? Someone else's connection to the church?

Nov. 9

Read 1 Corinthians 12
Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! The variety is wonderful... (The Message)

"Variety is the very spice of life That gives it all its flavor." English Poet William Cowper
If you have ever had to eat a bland diet for very long you know how true this statement is when it comes to food. But it isn't just food that Cowper and Paul are talking about. They know that variety is what brings excitement as well as joy to the lives that we live. Paul recognizes that not everyone is given the same gifts, skills, and abilities by God. It is that variety though that encourages Paul as he celebrates the reality that each of us has something to offer.
The problem with each of us having a variety of gifts is that we have to work to figure out exactly what they are and how we might best use them in God's ongoing creation of the Kingdom which is coming. If we don't understand that God is depending upon us to be at this work of creation we will simply sit back and assume that our little gift(s) don't matter in the long run and because they are big and fancy no one will really miss them. But when we choose not to use that which God has given us it must make God very sad and everyone including the church loses out.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• When you see the gifts that Paul lists do you see any that aren't being used in todays church? Why do you think that might be?
• Do you like variety or would you prefer the same thing on a regular basis? Why do you think that is?
• What gifts do other people see in you? (If you don't know why not ask someone today.)
• If you don't participate with God in what God is doing who is going to lose out? Why?

Nov. 8

Read 1 Corinthians 11
^23-26Let me go over with you again exactly what goes on in the Lord's Supper and why it is so centrally important. I received my instructions from the Master himself and passed them on to you. The Master, Jesus, on the night of his betrayal, took bread. Having given thanks, he broke it and said, 
   This is my body, broken for you. 
   Do this to remember me.
After supper, he did the same thing with the cup: 
   This cup is my blood, my new covenant with you. 
   Each time you drink this cup, remember me.
What you must solemnly realize is that every time you eat this bread and every time you drink this cup, you reenact in your words and actions the death of the Master. You will be drawn back to this meal again and again until the Master returns. You must never let familiarity breed contempt. (The Message)

Communion is an important part of many faith traditions. At New Ground we share communion each week even at the risk of it becoming too familiar and losing it's impact. As we share the bread and cup together we are reminded that we are all in the same place and each stand in need of the reminder that we are loved and forgiven by the death of Jesus Christ. But communion while it remembers Jesus death does not end there. Communion reminds us that Jesus has been raised from the dead and that he is present with us even in that moment as we take in the bread and cup. Communion reminds us that Jesus continues to live and that his death and resurrection are a continuing reality each and every day.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• When you read this passage what does it make you think that Paul felt when he shared communion with other believers?
• What is your first memory of communion?
• When you received communion most recently how did it make you feel?
• What might make you feel like communion has become too familiar?

Nov. 7

Read John 6: 25-59

²⁸To that they said, "Well, what do we do then to get in on God's works?"

 ²⁹Jesus said, "Throw your lot in with the One that God has sent. That kind of a commitment gets you in on God's works." (The Message)

Commitment, the word that scares so many people these days in so many different ways. Whether it is in making long term relationships, career choices, or even choosing a cell phone carrier it seems like people are so unsure of the future that they want to make sure that they leave all of their options open. But Jesus is all about making a commitment. He says things such as, "Take up your cross and follow me" as well as "One who puts his hand to the plow should not look back" and many other similar things.
Jesus message is that if you want to be in on what God is doing you have to make a commitment. A commitment to follow, to learn, to love, to give, to pray, to comfort, to visit, to be present, to mourn, to celebrate with others the presence of the Kingdom of God coming in its fullness.
Sounds easy enough doesn't it? But yet there are so many of us who still wait not sure that we can make the commitment to follow this Jesus who says, "I am the bread of life."

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• Do you know anyone who has to know what the rules are before they begin? Why do you think they look at life this way?
• What does making a commitment mean to you? In what areas of your life have you made commitments?
• Do you think making the commitment to follow Jesus is easy or hard? Why?
• What do you need to do today to strengthen the commitment to be a part of God's work?

Nov. 6

Read 1 Corinthians 11
^10-12Don't, by the way, read too much into the differences here between men and women. Neither man nor woman can go it alone or claim priority. Man was created first, as a beautiful shining reflection of God—that is true. But the head on a woman's body clearly outshines in beauty the head of her "head," her husband. The first woman came from man, true—but ever since then, every man comes from a woman! And since virtually everything comes from God anyway, let's quit going through these "who's first" routines. (The Message)

Some people don't see Paul as very friendly toward women because of some of the things that he writes. Other people try to discount Paul's words by speaking about the cultural context in which he was living at the time. One way or another we must face Paul's words and ask ourselves, what might God be saying to us today through this guidance? In the end Paul seems to be saying one way or another get over it, treat each other with respect. It is a message that we can still hear and take to heart.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• What do you know about the way women were treated in Paul's day?
• What were the ways men and women might have been treated differently when you were growing up compared to today? Do you think that change is better or worse?
• What does it mean for you to treat both men and women as children of God?
• How do you see the church today living out Paul's words here? How might they not be living this out?

Nov. 5

Read 1 Corinthians 10
^29-30But, except for these special cases, I'm not going to walk around on eggshells worrying about what small-minded people might say; I'm going to stride free and easy, knowing what our large-minded Master has already said. If I eat what is served to me, grateful to God for what is on the table, how can I worry about what someone will say? I thanked God for it and he blessed it! (The Message)

Just a few days ago we were reading Paul's words to pay attention to what other people think was right and wrong so that they would not fall into sin. Now here he is saying that he is going to do what he wants when we wants because he knows that God will not mind. So which is it going to be?
I think one of the keys here is the phrase small-minded people. There is a difference between someone who might be confused or led astray by ones actions and someone who thinks they know better what is right for you. A small minded person is one who believes they know what is right no matter what anyone else says or does. A small minded person is one who looks down upon others because they are not good enough or holy enough. Paul's encouragement to pay attention to what others might think and his unwillingness to let others dictate his actions can both be correct. The key here is in knowing why you might change your behavior. Is it to lead others toward Jesus or because someone might think less of you for what you do?

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• Do you think Paul ever worried about what others might think of his actions? 
• Do you see God as a "large-minded Master"? How does that impact the way you act?
• If we are not to worry about what someone else might say are there things that we shouldn't do regardless of that?
• In what areas might you be seen as small-minded by others?

Nov. 4

Read 1 Corinthians 10
¹⁴So, my very dear friends, when you see people reducing God to something they can use or control, get out of their company as fast as you can. (The Message)

I really don't like things that I can't understand. As long as I can remember I've been reading everything that I could get my hands on in an attempt to know how and why things work the way they do. It really didn't matter if it was the side of a cereal box or a Popular Mechanics magazine article on how airplanes fly I would read it. That desire to know and understand is something that is fairly common I would think. I might have taken it to more of an extreme than others do but still we all have a desire to understand and make sense of the world around us. It is no different with the way we try to understand God.
The problem arises when we begin to think that we have God figured out. Paul's warning should be something that we take to heart. All around us we have messages from people that suggest this or that is what God likes/believes/rewards/etc. We are told that if you pray in a particular manor or believe in the right way that you will be "right" with God. Yet God refuses to be kept in a box. God always seems to be a God of surprises and most of us don't like that. When we think we have God figured out all of a sudden God pops up in a new way or in a place that we don't expect. It would be much easier if we could truly know God and be able to use or control God in the ways that we expect God to work. But a God that we can control is no longer a God of infinite love and creative potential but rather a genie who moves at our command and wishes.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• How might the Corinthians have seen God trying to be controlled?
• Would you rather know how something works or just let it work because it does work?
• In what ways might you have tried to keep God in a box and under control?
• Where have you seen God show up and surprise you most recently?

Nov. 3

Read 1 Corinthians 10
^11-12These are all warning markers—danger!—in our history books, written down so that we don't repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel—they at the beginning, we at the end—and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Don't be so naive and self-confident. You're not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it's useless. Cultivate God-confidence. (The Message)

Self-confidence is supposed to be a good thing. We raise our children to be self-confident and sure of them selves so that they can handle life and be successful. Yet there aren't to many days when you can't read about a person in a position of power or influence that has fallen because of a moral/ethical failing. It seems like self-confidence can easily lead to entitlement. When someone begins to believe that they can handle it all or that they deserve special treatment because of who they are danger awaits them. Paul's warning against a self-confidence that leads to moral and spiritual failure is a message that would be well to head these days just as it was for the Corinthians.
Developing a God-confidence is not something that comes easily in our culture. No matter what our words might say our actions often indicate that we are trusting in God only for those things and times when we can't handle it ourselves. We find it easy to pray for the big things in life but we often skip over the small things that might make a huge difference in the long run. Trusting in God is not just a trust that says in the end all things will work out for good but it is also trusting that God wants to be present in each and every moment of our lives. Without a deep trust in God in all things it could be very easy to begin to believe that we have it all taken care of and God doesn't need to worry about anything and that is exactly the time when we should be worried.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• Paul was writing to those who had placed their faith in Jesus already so what do you think he was warning them about?
• What do you think distinguished self-confidence from God-confidence in Paul's eyes?
• What does God-confidence look like in your life?
• How might you develop even more confidence in God?

Nov. 2

Read 1 Corinthians 9

^24-25You've all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You're after one that's gold eternally.

 ^26-27I don't know about you, but I'm running hard for the finish line. I'm giving it everything I've got. No sloppy living for me! I'm staying alert and in top condition. I'm not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself. (The Message)

When I ran track in high school I knew that I wasn't going to win. There was just no way that I was fast enough to get points for the team so I ran the half mile the best that I could and was content not to finish last. One day at a meet they ran the 2 mile relay and I ended up needing to run and ended up as the anchor leg of the relay. I don't know if the coach figured that by the time I got the baton the race would be over and all I would have to do was finish or what was in his mind. But when I got the baton we were in third place and there were other teams gaining on us. It ended up that I ran the fastest half mile that I had ever run before. My split was over 20 seconds faster than I had run at any time and when I crossed the finish line we were still in third place and I was able to help the team get points that made a difference in the final standings. After that meet I trained harder and ran faster because I began to see how I could help the team and not just myself.
When we look at our spiritual lives in relationship to the community of Christ things begin to change. We no longer are focused upon just our own salvation, but on the ways our life impacts those around us. When we read the Bible and spend time in prayer it isn't just for ourselves it is for our brothers and sisters in Christ that we read and pray, our growth has a potential of impacting other people in ways that we can't anticipate right now.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• What do you think Paul would have included in his spiritual training routine?
• What happens when we give up training because we think it doesn't matter to anyone else?
• What does your spiritual training routine look like?
• If you knew that those around you might be counting on you to grow spiritually what would you begin to do differently today?