Consider the Word, November 3, 2022

Consider the Word, November 3, 2022
Email stpauls@pei.aibn.com for the link to the Bible Study.
 
Readings for November 6

• Haggai 1:15b-2:9
• Psalm 145:1-5, 18-22 Or Psalm 98
• 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17
• Luke 20:27-38

 
Collect:

Eternal God,

who caused all holy scriptures

to be written for our learning,

grant us so to hear them,

read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them,

that we may embrace and ever hold fast

the blessed hope of everlasting life,

which you have given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

 
First Reading: Haggai 1:15b-2:9

In the second year of King Darius, in the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the prophet Haggai, saying: Speak now to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, and say, Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Is it not in your sight as nothing? Yet now take courage, O Zerubbabel, says the Lord; take courage, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; take courage, all you people of the land, says the Lord; work, for I am with you, says the Lord of hosts, according to the promise that I made you when you came out of Egypt. My spirit abides among you; do not fear. For thus says the Lord of hosts: Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land; and I will shake all the nations, so that the treasure of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with splendour, says the Lord of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of hosts. The latter splendour of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts; and in this place I will give prosperity, says the Lord of hosts.

 
Reflection Question

1. In Haggai the community needs to do its part in restoring the temple. The work of the people serves as an expression of God’s work among them. How might this be reflected in the church of today?

 
Gospel: Luke 20:27-38

Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and asked him a question, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies, leaving a wife but no children, the man shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother. Now there were seven brothers; the first married, and died childless; then the second and the third married her, and so in the same way all seven died childless. Finally the woman also died. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had married her." Jesus said to them, "Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage; but those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. Indeed they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. And the fact that the dead are raised Moses himself showed, in the story about the bush, where he speaks of the Lord as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive."

 
Reflection Questions

1. Why is resurrection important in this discussion regarding what happens to us after death?

 
Closing Prayer:

Eternally righteous God,

merciful judge of all the living,

in your love you called us

to share the glory of Christ.

Strengthen our hearts in every good work and word,

that we may be steadfast in your ways

and always believe your truth. Amen.

 

Consider the Word, October 27, 2022

Consider the Word, October 27, 2022
Email stpauls@pei.aibn.com for the link to the Bible Study.
 
Readings for October 30

• Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4
• Psalm 119:137-144
• 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12
• Luke 19:1-10

 
Collect:

Almighty God,

whose chosen servant Abraham obeyed your call,

rejoicing in your promise

that in him the family of the earth is blessed,

give us faith like his,

that in us your promises may be fulfilled;

through Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever. Amen.

 
First Reading: 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of everyone of you for one another is increasing. Therefore we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith during all your persecutions and the afflictions that you are enduring. To this end we always pray for you, asking that our God will make you worthy of his call and will fulfil by his power every good resolve and work of faith, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 
Reflection Question

1. What do you suppose “grace” and “peace” mean to Paul?

 
Gospel: Luke 19:1-10

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today." So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. All who saw it began to grumble and said, "He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner." Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much." Then Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost."

 
Reflection Questions

1. Are there ways in which Zacchaeus is different (or similar) to us?
2. Does Zacchaeus’ response to Jesus tell us anything? 
3. Zacchaeus is rich, despised by his neighbors, yet Jesus singles him out. Why?

 
Closing Prayer:

God of unfailing light,

in your realm of glory

the poor are blessed,

the hungry filled,

and every tear is wiped away.

Strengthened by this vision,

may we follow in the way of holiness

that your Son made known in life and death. Amen.

 

Consider the Word, October 13, 2022

Consider the Word, October 13, 2022
Email stpauls@pei.aibn.com for the link to the Bible Study.
 
Readings for October 16

• Jeremiah 31:27-34
• Psalm 119:97-104
• 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5
• Luke 18:1-8 
  

Collect:

Almighty and everliving God,

increase in us your gift of faith,

that forsaking what lies behind

and reaching out to what is before,

we may run the way of your commandments

and win the crown of everlasting joy;

through Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever. Amen.

 
First Reading: Jeremiah 31:27-34

The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of humans and the seed of animals. And just as I have watched over them to pluck up and break down, to overthrow, destroy, and bring evil, so I will watch over them to build and to plant, says the Lord. In those days they shall no longer say: "The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge." But all shall die for their own sins; the teeth of everyone who eats sour grapes shall be set on edge. The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt - a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, "Know the Lord," for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.

 
Reflection Question

1. Where is the hope in the reading?

 
Gospel: Luke 18:1-8

Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, 'Grant me justice against my opponent.' For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, 'Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.'" And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"

 
Reflection Questions

1. Is the persistence of the widow leave us with a positive impression?
2. What does the parable tell us about “faith”?

 
Closing Prayer:

Holy One,

we lift our eyes to you in hope and awe.

Grant that we may reject all apathy of spirit,

all impatience and anxiety,

so that, with the persistence of the widow,

we may lift our voice again and again to seek your justice. Amen.

 

Consider the Word, October 6, 2022
Email stpauls@pei.aibn.com for the link to the Bible Study.
 
Readings for October 9 (The Harvest Thanksgiving):

• Deuteronomy 26:1-11
• Psalm 100
• Philippians 4:4-9
• John 6:25-35

 
Collect:

Creator of the fruitful earth,

you made us stewards of all things.

Give us grateful hearts for all your goodness,

and steadfast wills to use your bounty well,

that the whole human family,

today and in generations to come,

may with us give thanks for the riches of your creation.

We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.

 
First Reading: Philippians 4:4-9

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

 
Reflection Question

1. What is the basis for God’s command to rejoice and give thanks in these verses?
2. Is that our natural perspective or something that we instinctively do?

 
Gospel: John 6:25-35

When they found Jesus on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?" Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal." Then they said to him, "What must we do to perform the works of God?" Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." So they said to him, "What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" Then Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always." Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."

 
Reflection Questions

What is the meaning of Jesus’ claim to be “the bread of life”?

What does it mean to not hunger or thirst?

What can we thank God for in light of what Jesus has done?

 
Closing Prayer:

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow,

praise him, all creatures here below,

praise him above, ye heavenly host,

praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Amen.