Sixteenth Day of Lent - Friday - Mar 21
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Happy Spring!
Meditation
The Sixteenth Day of Lent celebrates the unity. The Psalmist praises God for provisions and fulfilling the promises to the children of God. The story of Exodus continues the tale from yesterday’s lesson. The grumbling of the travel weary Israelites touched God. Manna and quail were sent to appease them. Both show God’s intervention in the personal everyday lives of heirs of the promise.
The New Testament lesson drawn from the epistle to the church at Ephesus attempts to tamp down the “we’re-better-than-you-are’ attitudes of the Early Church. Already, divisions and cliques formed—fracturing the fledgling church families by the increasing dissensions. With the logic of a scholar and firmness of a parent, Paul enumerates the call to unity in the church.
The Jewish tradition of circumcision of males followed the law. But many new followers of Christ came to worship without that tradition. Discussions (probably arguments), about which was better ensued.
If Paul were talking today, he might use some of our idiomatic phrases of culture—“Hello, McFly!” or “Ex-ccuuuse me!” to be attention getters showing a need to shift the attitude.
The work of Christ on earth. The death for our sins and resurrection of Christ served as a reconciler of the Jew and Gentile(any non-Jew). This diminishes neither side. So, arrogant attitudes that are scarcely veiled anti-Semetic positions are not the goal. In fact are the opposite of what Christ has done. Christ unites. It is no longer Us-Them.
We are no longer far from each other. Through the shedding of Christ’s blood, the walls are broken and all that separated us falls away. We have freedom in Christ to celebrate each other—including the differences of our backgrounds and variations of belief.
Bottom line: Christ is our foundation. Putting the emphasis on anything else—like people, church leaders, charismatic speakers or ‘groups—claiming the only true vision of Christ’ undermines this. We are to seek unity.
I was raised in a fairly restricted, evangelical household. When I answered the call to the chaplaincy, I encountered dozens of other men and women of faith. I disagreed with most of them. Many more found me untenable, being a woman minister. As I prayed for wisdom to work with the disparate factions of Us-Them attitudes, I discovered the presence of evil among military members—gang members, who then served the military and tried to exercise their gang-ties within the command; prejudice against Philipino sailors, African-American sailors, Jewish personnel, people with Muslim names or appearance, woman sailors etc; evidence of Satanic worship—candles, upside-down pentagrams, blood sacrifices; and enmity between sailors for whatever reasons.
Suddenly, I realized the enemy of God surrounded us. We gathered as chaplains with our disparate beliefs discovering that we had more in common than we realized. Differences dimmed in the face of the horrible things we faced each day on behalf of the sailors entrusted to us. The military celebrated the Four Chaplains Memorial—a tribute to four different men of faith, who gave their life preservers to sailors and died when the ship sank. Four Army chaplains brought hope in despair and light in darkness. Those chaplains were Lt. George L. Fox, Methodist; Lt. Alexander D. Goode, Jewish; Lt. John P. Washington, Roman Catholic; and Lt. Clark V. Poling, Dutch Reformed.
Today’s lessons call us to bring unity—avoiding arrogant displays of us-them among believers. We must fight against prejudice and divisions. That doesn’t mean we can’t hold different beliefs, but we cannot assume that our perspective is the only true vision of God. I am very Presbyterian—my family genealogy goes back to John Knox, the Scottish founder of the Presbyterian Church, and the number of pastors/missionaries in our family is innumerable. Many of us are in the family business.
So, I cringe at Christians who believe in an unscientific view of our world (Six human day Creationists); or are hateful to LGBT people; or make political opinions equivalent with Christian belief—if you don’t believe like they do, you aren’t a Christian and especially those, like the ‘church’ in Kansas, who spew hatred of almost everyone but themselves. But I am not the judge of whether they are or are not Christ-followers. I leave that to God and pray for all of us that we will serve God first.
Instead of being divisive, we are called to find our unity in Christ and put Christ first. The wall between Jew and Gentile was broken by Jesus. The Messiah draws us together. Let us not rebuild a false wall, but celebrate Christ alone and God’s work in our lives.
Thanks be to God.
All Scriptures printed below are in King James Version for copyright purposes. However, clicking on the verse locations will take you to Biblegateway.com where the text is linked to more contemporary versions.
Prayer: Almighty God, Open my eyes that I might see. Open my mind that I might understand. Open my heart that I might make your words a part of me. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight. Amen
Season of Lent Bible Readings
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm 95;Exodus 16:9-21;Ephesians 2:11-22&version=KJV;ERV;GNT;NCV;NIV (multiple versions)
Sixteenth Day of Lent
Psalm 95
Exodus 16:9-21
Ephesians 2:11-22
Daily Bible Verses to Memorize for Meditating
The “Traveler’s Psalm” is worth memorizing in its whole, but at least verses 1 & 2.
Psalm 121
King James Version (KJV)
121 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.
3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.
6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
8 The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
Single Bible Study chapter to study
Ephesians 2:11-22
King James Version (KJV)
11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
OBSERVE:
Take a moment and write three observations of the verses. What strikes you? An observation is an observable fact from the Word.
1.
2.
3.
INTERPRETATION:
What do you interpret these verses to mean for you today?
APPLY:
Today, I learned _____________________________________and apply it to my life.
Prayer of Encouragement
Dear God, we celebrate unity in Christ Jesus. May your name be first on our tongues; your wisdom at work in our brains, and your love at work in our hearts. In Jesus name. Amen.
Conclusion
The Sixteenth Day of Lent continues the ideas from yesterday of the power of God at work in our lives. The Psalmist praises God for that work. The story of God’s showering the Israelites with life-giving manna and quail reveals first-hand God’s love and willingness to provide for our needs. But the real interaction is Christ bringing unity to all believers—Jew and Gentile alike. Together we are fighting against a greater enemy—the evil in the world. We start with prayer for one another and ourselves that we will be open to the leading of God in our walks.
Go out and be ready for God to do mighty things in your life.*
Thank you for visiting ChapLynne’s Daily Encouragement and Bible Study. God bless you.
*If you do not know the Lord as your personal Savior and you are seeking, please contact me. A genuine and simple prayer, asking God into your heart for the forgiveness of your sins will also do.
Meditation
The Sixteenth Day of Lent celebrates the unity. The Psalmist praises God for provisions and fulfilling the promises to the children of God. The story of Exodus continues the tale from yesterday’s lesson. The grumbling of the travel weary Israelites touched God. Manna and quail were sent to appease them. Both show God’s intervention in the personal everyday lives of heirs of the promise.
The New Testament lesson drawn from the epistle to the church at Ephesus attempts to tamp down the “we’re-better-than-you-are’ attitudes of the Early Church. Already, divisions and cliques formed—fracturing the fledgling church families by the increasing dissensions. With the logic of a scholar and firmness of a parent, Paul enumerates the call to unity in the church.
The Jewish tradition of circumcision of males followed the law. But many new followers of Christ came to worship without that tradition. Discussions (probably arguments), about which was better ensued.
If Paul were talking today, he might use some of our idiomatic phrases of culture—“Hello, McFly!” or “Ex-ccuuuse me!” to be attention getters showing a need to shift the attitude.
The work of Christ on earth. The death for our sins and resurrection of Christ served as a reconciler of the Jew and Gentile(any non-Jew). This diminishes neither side. So, arrogant attitudes that are scarcely veiled anti-Semetic positions are not the goal. In fact are the opposite of what Christ has done. Christ unites. It is no longer Us-Them.
We are no longer far from each other. Through the shedding of Christ’s blood, the walls are broken and all that separated us falls away. We have freedom in Christ to celebrate each other—including the differences of our backgrounds and variations of belief.
Bottom line: Christ is our foundation. Putting the emphasis on anything else—like people, church leaders, charismatic speakers or ‘groups—claiming the only true vision of Christ’ undermines this. We are to seek unity.
I was raised in a fairly restricted, evangelical household. When I answered the call to the chaplaincy, I encountered dozens of other men and women of faith. I disagreed with most of them. Many more found me untenable, being a woman minister. As I prayed for wisdom to work with the disparate factions of Us-Them attitudes, I discovered the presence of evil among military members—gang members, who then served the military and tried to exercise their gang-ties within the command; prejudice against Philipino sailors, African-American sailors, Jewish personnel, people with Muslim names or appearance, woman sailors etc; evidence of Satanic worship—candles, upside-down pentagrams, blood sacrifices; and enmity between sailors for whatever reasons.
Suddenly, I realized the enemy of God surrounded us. We gathered as chaplains with our disparate beliefs discovering that we had more in common than we realized. Differences dimmed in the face of the horrible things we faced each day on behalf of the sailors entrusted to us. The military celebrated the Four Chaplains Memorial—a tribute to four different men of faith, who gave their life preservers to sailors and died when the ship sank. Four Army chaplains brought hope in despair and light in darkness. Those chaplains were Lt. George L. Fox, Methodist; Lt. Alexander D. Goode, Jewish; Lt. John P. Washington, Roman Catholic; and Lt. Clark V. Poling, Dutch Reformed.
Today’s lessons call us to bring unity—avoiding arrogant displays of us-them among believers. We must fight against prejudice and divisions. That doesn’t mean we can’t hold different beliefs, but we cannot assume that our perspective is the only true vision of God. I am very Presbyterian—my family genealogy goes back to John Knox, the Scottish founder of the Presbyterian Church, and the number of pastors/missionaries in our family is innumerable. Many of us are in the family business.
So, I cringe at Christians who believe in an unscientific view of our world (Six human day Creationists); or are hateful to LGBT people; or make political opinions equivalent with Christian belief—if you don’t believe like they do, you aren’t a Christian and especially those, like the ‘church’ in Kansas, who spew hatred of almost everyone but themselves. But I am not the judge of whether they are or are not Christ-followers. I leave that to God and pray for all of us that we will serve God first.
Instead of being divisive, we are called to find our unity in Christ and put Christ first. The wall between Jew and Gentile was broken by Jesus. The Messiah draws us together. Let us not rebuild a false wall, but celebrate Christ alone and God’s work in our lives.
Thanks be to God.
All Scriptures printed below are in King James Version for copyright purposes. However, clicking on the verse locations will take you to Biblegateway.com where the text is linked to more contemporary versions.
Prayer: Almighty God, Open my eyes that I might see. Open my mind that I might understand. Open my heart that I might make your words a part of me. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight. Amen
Season of Lent Bible Readings
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm 95;Exodus 16:9-21;Ephesians 2:11-22&version=KJV;ERV;GNT;NCV;NIV (multiple versions)
Sixteenth Day of Lent
Psalm 95
Exodus 16:9-21
Ephesians 2:11-22
Daily Bible Verses to Memorize for Meditating
The “Traveler’s Psalm” is worth memorizing in its whole, but at least verses 1 & 2.
Psalm 121
King James Version (KJV)
121 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.
3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.
6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
8 The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
Single Bible Study chapter to study
Ephesians 2:11-22
King James Version (KJV)
11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
OBSERVE:
Take a moment and write three observations of the verses. What strikes you? An observation is an observable fact from the Word.
1.
2.
3.
INTERPRETATION:
What do you interpret these verses to mean for you today?
APPLY:
Today, I learned _____________________________________and apply it to my life.
Prayer of Encouragement
Dear God, we celebrate unity in Christ Jesus. May your name be first on our tongues; your wisdom at work in our brains, and your love at work in our hearts. In Jesus name. Amen.
Conclusion
The Sixteenth Day of Lent continues the ideas from yesterday of the power of God at work in our lives. The Psalmist praises God for that work. The story of God’s showering the Israelites with life-giving manna and quail reveals first-hand God’s love and willingness to provide for our needs. But the real interaction is Christ bringing unity to all believers—Jew and Gentile alike. Together we are fighting against a greater enemy—the evil in the world. We start with prayer for one another and ourselves that we will be open to the leading of God in our walks.
Go out and be ready for God to do mighty things in your life.*
Thank you for visiting ChapLynne’s Daily Encouragement and Bible Study. God bless you.
*If you do not know the Lord as your personal Savior and you are seeking, please contact me. A genuine and simple prayer, asking God into your heart for the forgiveness of your sins will also do.
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Replies
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Enjoy the Study today
Blessings 0 -
Unity. Such a wonderful thought. When my younger sister was engaged to a Catholic, the deacons at our Church of God visited my mother to talk with her about changing my sisters mind. My mother told them that we all have one God to worship, and no she would not try to change my sisters mind. They also told my mother that my sister was probably not going to go to heaven. Such awful thinking. I also attended a Sunday school class at the United Methodist church I was a member at, before I moved a few years ago. One man in the class said, you will never see a Jew in heaven. I said, well now I disagree. They are Gods chosen people and God will decide that person by person, according to their beliefs. Yes unity, such a beautiful thing. When i left that church the same Sunday school class was writing another book of Acts as a class project, adding what each person thought their gifts were. I wanted no part of it. Although it was just a class project. Yes, we can act so judgmental at times. Thank you for today's lesson. I actually cried when i read of the brave loving Chaplains who gave their lives for the sailors. Greater love has no man than to do what they did.0
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. One man in the class said, you will never see a Jew in heaven. I said, well now I disagree. They are Gods chosen people and God will decide that person by person, according to their beliefs.
Very beautiful comment on unity, Harriet,
I extracted the above sentences from your full post because it made me laugh.
Uh. JESUS CHRIST was JEWISH.
LOL
It amazes me how ridiculous and hurtful statements like that are made. It is ignorance.
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Isaiah, Elijah, Elisha, Ezekiel, Jeremiah etc. ...all of the APOSTLES were JEWISH.
You were absolutely right in your response. We need to stand up against outrageous falsehoods.
We can't judge them. They are living at a low level of understanding, probably regurgitating from someone else, whose ignorance perpetuates false doctrines. But God will be their judge...and will forgive them when they realize their mistakes, even if it is at judgment day.
Heaven will be so great without those kind of attitudes.
Of course there will be Jews in heaven. I am proud of you Harriet. Good for you. 0 -
OBSERVE:
Take a moment and write three observations of the verses. What strikes you? An observation is an observable fact from the Word.
1. Remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship.
2. In Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
3. For he himself is our peace, reconcile by God through the cross.
INTERPRETATION:
What do you interpret these verses to mean for you today?
We are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
APPLY:
Today, I learned ___the Jesus died for all of us____and apply it to my life.
Prayer of Encouragement
Dear God, we celebrate unity in Christ Jesus. May your name be first on our tongues; your wisdom at work in our brains, and your love at work in our hearts. In Jesus name. Amen.0
