Sunday, July 6
Proper 9A/Ordinary 14A/Pentecost +8
July 6, 2008
Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49,58-67 What importance did prayer play in this scripture? What does that mean for us today? What happens when we don’t get what we prayed for? How different it is today in choosing our spouses. How do we choose our spouses? How do we continue to let God be involved in our marriages, and how we treat our spouse. Not sure I would like a ring in the nose as a symbol of a proposal. I don’t even want to be treated that way.
Also, you could use this a story about our faith journeys and how they often intersect with other faith journeys. Where are you on your faith journey? Where is your congregation? Where does it intersect with others?
Psalm 45:10-17 or Psalm 72 (UMH 795)
Romans 7:15-25a I love verse 15: “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” How many times, I have prayed to change a bad habit, my overeating, my compulsive eating, whatever it is and instead do the direct opposite? What is it that we do that we keep trying to change? What sin continues in our life? Who has rescued us from our sin? Paul tells us that we cannot save ourselves only Jesus can. In our self help society, independent society, this is good news. Paul is speaking for every person and the struggle of being human. And yet he points to God’s grace for our lives. How have you experience God’s grace in your life? How has your congregation? How have they experienced God’s grace defeating sin in their life? Maybe this is a Sunday to use a witness to that.
Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 What about this scripture are you going to focus on? The dancing, eating and drinking with the sinners? Or the “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Either way you can’t lose. We are tired and heavy burdened in our society today. And yet again, we don’t have anything to do with sinners, and we have made religion a sour tasting thing.
Maybe they both go together.
Also you have the words of Jesus "But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another.” It could be a jumping off place to discuss how your church is reaching out to the younger generation, using some of what Lovett Weems said at conference?
On the statue of Liberty it says;-Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free. (Emma Lazarus, The New Colossus) Jesus offers the true new Colossus. This is no longer true in our country for those from other countries, you got to win the lottery now to be able to come in and then you have to go through all kinds of gyrations.
What are your thoughts for Sunday? What are you preaching on? This Sunday is part of the 4th of July Weekend, how will you handle it in worship? How will that effect your preaching? Where are you headed this Sunday?
Let us know....
July 6, 2008
Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49,58-67 What importance did prayer play in this scripture? What does that mean for us today? What happens when we don’t get what we prayed for? How different it is today in choosing our spouses. How do we choose our spouses? How do we continue to let God be involved in our marriages, and how we treat our spouse. Not sure I would like a ring in the nose as a symbol of a proposal. I don’t even want to be treated that way.
Also, you could use this a story about our faith journeys and how they often intersect with other faith journeys. Where are you on your faith journey? Where is your congregation? Where does it intersect with others?
Psalm 45:10-17 or Psalm 72 (UMH 795)
Romans 7:15-25a I love verse 15: “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” How many times, I have prayed to change a bad habit, my overeating, my compulsive eating, whatever it is and instead do the direct opposite? What is it that we do that we keep trying to change? What sin continues in our life? Who has rescued us from our sin? Paul tells us that we cannot save ourselves only Jesus can. In our self help society, independent society, this is good news. Paul is speaking for every person and the struggle of being human. And yet he points to God’s grace for our lives. How have you experience God’s grace in your life? How has your congregation? How have they experienced God’s grace defeating sin in their life? Maybe this is a Sunday to use a witness to that.
Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 What about this scripture are you going to focus on? The dancing, eating and drinking with the sinners? Or the “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Either way you can’t lose. We are tired and heavy burdened in our society today. And yet again, we don’t have anything to do with sinners, and we have made religion a sour tasting thing.
Maybe they both go together.
Also you have the words of Jesus "But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another.” It could be a jumping off place to discuss how your church is reaching out to the younger generation, using some of what Lovett Weems said at conference?
On the statue of Liberty it says;-Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free. (Emma Lazarus, The New Colossus) Jesus offers the true new Colossus. This is no longer true in our country for those from other countries, you got to win the lottery now to be able to come in and then you have to go through all kinds of gyrations.
What are your thoughts for Sunday? What are you preaching on? This Sunday is part of the 4th of July Weekend, how will you handle it in worship? How will that effect your preaching? Where are you headed this Sunday?
Let us know....
posted by Unknown | 8:25 AM
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