Hello friends! Today we continue more of the teachings that follow the beatitudes, so this is just a continuation of yesterday's reading. It helps to try to place yourself in the same setting as yesterday. Gathered around Jesus as he stands on the hillside, dust and sand on your robe, hot sun, gentle wind but ignoring all of that to focus on his voice and to try to understand his radical interpretation of your laws. What feelings do you feel as you do this? Does this revolutionary / revival approach to faith excite you? Does it make you uncomfortable? Perhaps a little bit of both. Share your thoughts below and engage with one another in the comments.
Further we will have another chance to read scripture today live as a group. If you would prefer to read this section live with us you can use the following zoom link and information to join us at 6pm. We will conclude by 6:45.
Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7312418277?pwd=VFVOdTVhTDliN1hsR3ViYTN0YzRaUT09 Meeting ID: 731 241 8277 Passcode: 123456
Scripture to Read
Audio Bible
Questions to Consider
What sticks out to me in this reading? How does the psalm interact with the reading (if at all?)
Which lesson of Jesus is most meaningful to me today? Which is the most difficult?
Jesus refers to the source of his healings by saying "your faith has made you well" -- how has my faith made me well recently? How does my faith help me in times of distress?
- My Thoughts -
I have many thoughts for this one so I'm going to do this rapid style to give room for the Bible Project's video about what the title "son of man" refers to. You can watch that below :)
Jesus when speaking about "effective prayer" refers to parents and asks if they give them stones when they ask for bread or snakes when they ask for fish. I had never thought of this before today but I find his examples to be extremely interesting because just the day before he came back from temptation with the devil in the desert. The devil tempts him first with stones becoming bread and the devil is traditionally understood to be a snake as referenced by Genesis 3. Was Jesus deeply affected by his time in the desert? Was he afraid similar temptations would happen to his peers and trying to warn them of it? Not sure but it gives me sympathy for this story.
The golden rule is not unique to Jesus and was around before he made it famous. It existed first in the Jewish sect of Hillel which said "that which you hate do not do unto others." Jesus flipped this from a negative to positive by saying "do to others what you would like done to you." Not only is this a message in the power of positivity having lasting impacts but also gives us further clues as to Jesus childhood and what influenced him.
Jesus was amazed by the Roman soldier because the solider recognized who Jesus was before any of his fellow Israelites did. The Roman solider had an experience known as "client patron" which effectively meant obeying the chain of command in military terms. By reference Jesus with the chain of command he understood that Jesus was Lord before anyone else names him that. How have you seen great spirituality in people outside of the church?
Alright I tried to keep that brief haha. I invite you to take a glance at the Bible Project's video on Son of Man and how that has OT connections to Daniel. Gotta love learning what makes the Bible such an amazing story!
Praying the Hymns
Our prayer for today is inspired by hymn 239 - Silent Night, Holy Night. I know for many of you this hymn is so special as you envision it with candlelight on Christmas Eve. As you participate in it today I hope you feel all the emotions you usually do on Christmas. Gratitude for family, for health, for peace, and for life itself.
This is not the exact version in our hymnal but it does feature two of the verses
Silent night, holy night!
All is calm, all is bright.
Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child.
Holy infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Silent night, holy night!
Son of God love’s pure light.
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus Lord, at Thy birth