Saturday, February 28, 2015

Psalms, Day 6

A Day to Catch Up  

If you've had a busy week, today you have a chance to play catch up on any of the selections of Psalms you might have missed.  Click to open the information for any of this week's readings.


Share Your Thoughts

A good way to remember something you've recently read or done is to talk about it or to write it down.  Take a few minutes to think about this week's Bible readings.

  • If you like to journal, reflect on the passage that surprised you the most or the one that was the most emotional to read.
  • Talk to a family member, friend, or neighbor about something you've read this week.
  • Join the discussion of the Godsway 66 Facebook page.

Get Ready for Sunday's Sermon

Rev. Joshua Patty will preach on Psalms tomorrow at Eastgate Christian Church in Independence, MO.  Join us for the sermon or check back here for the recorded sermon.

Friday, February 27, 2015

Psalms, Day 5 Readings

A Song of Doubt and a Song of Faith  

Today's first reading is a song about the despair of the Jews while they were in exile in Babylon.  Defeated by God's enemies, they wept as they remembered their special homeland.  Worse, it seems that some of the Babylonians taunted the Jews, asking them to sing some of their religious songs -- thinking them quaint.  This request pained the people of God, who wondered aloud if it was possible to sing these prayers and songs of faith in such an inhospitable land.  Perhaps they even questioned their faith, wondering if the God they worshiped might not exist -- after all, they had been defeated by foreigners who did not worship God.

Read Psalm 137  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

The second reading is a song that praises God for steadfast love and presence.  God endures forever, where humans do not.  And God provides for all people, if they are willing.  Unlike kings and rulers, God's time never runs out.  Eventually, God can save prisoners and even defend the weak (like women, children, and strangers).  This is the God whom the people of faith praise.

Read Psalm 146  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Psalms 121-150 today.

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Psalms, Day 4 Readings

The Majesty of God and Joy at Entering God's Presence  

Today's first reading is a song about God's magnificence.  God is holy and worthy to be praised.  God is a heavenly judge who also offers mercy and salvation to those who deserve punishment.  God is patient and steadfast, showing love toward the chosen people.  God is the undying creator of the universe.  God is the teacher of right versus wrong.  For these reasons (and many more), a human being should praise God and pray to God from the depths of his or her being, from his or her very soul.

Read Psalm 103  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

The second reading is a Song of Ascents -- one of the songs that groups of people would sing as they approached the Temple (which was the highest point in Jerusalem, meaning that you had to walk upward/ascend in order to reach it).  This is an overwhelmingly positive song, a song of unity and hope for the faithful.  

This also is one of the best known psalms in Britain.  The psalm has been sung at the coronations of British monarchs for over 400 years.  It also is commonly sung as an introit in Anglican services, particularly a majestic arrangement by Sir Hubert Parry.

Read Psalm 122  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Psalms 91-120 today.

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Psalms, Day 3 Readings

God's Vengeance and God's Special Household  

Today's first reading is a song about God's destruction of the enemies of God's people.  It can be uncomfortable to read, as people are singing about the pain and death of others.  In some ways, it is unique because it is completely focused on God fighting against those who stand in the way of the faithful.  However, this description of God is common throughout the psalms and shows up (sometimes seemingly out of nowhere), as God's people not only sang songs of praise to God and offered prayers for direction and protection -- they also cried out for vengeance against their enemies (who they truly believed were the enemies of God).

Read Psalm 58  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

The second reading is a song about living fully in God's favor.  It suggests that the goodness felt in worship in the Temple is what is felt throughout life for God's people.  So here, God's dwelling place is not only the Temple, but also in the midst of God's chosen people in the Promised Land.  And those who live closest to God are those who live similar to the Levites who serve in the Temple, not only the priests, but all of the Temple workers.  

Read Psalm 84  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Psalms 61-90 today.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Sermon - "Born to Suffer?" (Job)

On Sunday, Rev. Joshua Patty preached about the book of Job, a dramatic story that considers deep issues of nature of human suffering and the purity of faith.  Pointing to certain aspects of the story, particularly the deaths of Job's children, he emphasized that this is a book of wisdom, rather than history.  Like a play or an expansion of a Platonic dialogue, it is meant to explore certain issues in an engaging way, giving different characters speeches that probe for answers or explain new questions.

After also offering a brief synopsis of the various speeches of Job, Rev. Patty then focused on certain themes, including the question of how and why humans have faith in God.  From the outset of the book, Job tries to counter certain historic criticisms of faith and religion -- such as that people believe in God when they are satisfied with their lives, but are less inclined to do so if they are not wealthy, well-connected, or healthy.

Of course, the most famous theme of Job is about human suffering.  Early on, the question is raised: Are human beings just born to suffer?  Is it an unavoidable part of the human condition?  Is this suffering deserved -- a just punishment for wrongdoing (or sin)?  Job pushes against all of these questions, especially the argument that he deserves his suffering.  Time and again, he argues that he is innocent (or at least that his mistakes do not merit such terrible suffering and loss).

Boldly, Job even expresses his desire to plead his case directly before God.  Ultimately, "out of the whirlwind," God shows up, and speaks directly to Job, explaining that Job has almost no idea of what he is asking of God.  This, ultimately, is the (perhaps unsatisfying) answer of Job to the question of human suffering.  The reason for suffering is beyond human comprehension, but ultimately there will be justice for all and salvation for the faithful.

Click here to listen to the sermon.

You can also listen to the related Communion meditation.

Psalms, Day 2 Readings

God's Protection and Deliverance in Hard Times  

Today's first reading is a song about God's protection of the people.  One imagines that it was a source of comfort during challenging times in Jewish history, especially when outsiders threatened to capture the people.  While some might just wish for protection, this song encourages people to understand that God's salvation is more than military defense, but a different way of life in God's presence.

This psalm is a wonderful example of the dual use of the personal pronoun "I" in many of the psalms.  Here, the "I" refers to both the speaker/singer of the psalm and to the Jewish people as a whole (because God's chosen people is a singular nation).  So, when the faithful sang this song, they would use the "I" to speak of their personal relationship with God and of God's special relationship with their community.

Read Psalm 27  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

The second reading is a song about God's deliverance in hard times.  It is rooted on the theme of divine justice that is frequently mentioned in the psalms.  God judges good and evil.  Evildoers are punished (sometimes through death); those who do good are rewarded and saved.  This is true even when the faithful seem to suffer -- whether from disease or enemies.  Ultimately, God defends and protects the faithful and gives them a worthy life.

Read Psalm 34  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Psalms 31-60 today.

Monday, February 23, 2015

Psalms, Day 1 Readings

A Faithful People and a Shepherding God  

Today's first reading is a song about the sanctification of God's people.  The Jews would have been familiar with the ritual cleanliness needed in order to enter the Temple; the psalm suggests that there is a cleanliness in being faithful too (whether in the Temple or outside of it).  Those who claim the identity as God's chosen people must not only worship God in the Temple, but must live in a certain holy way.

Read Psalm 15  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

The second reading is the most famous of the psalms, the 23rd, which begins "The Lord is my shepherd...."  In this song, God is a steadfast protector and provider for human beings, but what God provides goes far beyond basic necessities of food and shelter.  Even in difficult times, and in the face of enemies, God provides abundantly.

Read Psalm 23  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Psalms 1-30 today.

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Psalms, Overview

Godsway 66, Book 19 - Psalms  

Psalms is a collection of songs and poetic prayers, many of which are attributed to King David (who not only was a mighty warrior, but as a boy would play the lyre and sing for King Saul, to soothe his soul).  In some ways, it is like having a hymnal in the middle of the Bible.  Most of the psalms were sung during Biblical times; many of them have been set to music and sung in synagogues and churches in the centuries since they were written.

Taken together, these songs provide a broad attempt to describe the nature of God and of God's relationship with creation, especially human beings.  Many of the psalms describe why God should be worshiped and praised; others offer deeply heartfelt prayers to God -- prayers for mercy, deliverance, and hope.

Some of the psalms are happy and optimistic, but most recognize that even the faithful face challenges in life.  Even for God's chosen people, there is suffering to be endured.  Worse, those who are enemies of God's people set traps for the faithful, which must be carefully avoided with God's guidance and teaching.  After all, people are imperfect and limited -- even the faithful.  All people need God's help and protection.  Throughout, the people believe that God never abandons them -- indeed, God is frequently praised for "steadfast love."

There are different types of psalms.  Some were written to be sung in worship, probably in the Temple.  15 are identified as "Songs of Ascents," which were songs that were sung by people as they approached the Temple.  Others were poems or prayers that were collected and then likely set to music so that they might be learned and remembered.  And there is much in the psalms to be remembered -- some of the most famous Bible verses are in the psalms (and have been set to music by modern composers for us to hear and remember).

** A note for people reading the entire Bible during Godsway 66.  There are 150 psalms, which works out to reading 30 each day this week.  That's a lot and can be overwhelming.  (It's the equivalent of listening to 3 full albums of music each day.)  Perhaps you might spread some of the psalms out over subsequent weeks.  This will allow you to savor each of them more.  This is a rich collection, and much of the beauty will be lost if the psalms are read in a hurry.  (Reading 30 psalms a day might be the equivalent of doing 75mph on the highway -- you'll get there fast, but you won't notice much along the way.)

Saturday, February 21, 2015

Job, Day 6

A Day to Catch Up  

If you've had a busy week, today you have a chance to play catch up on any of the selections of Job you might have missed.  Click to open the information for any of this week's readings.


Share Your Thoughts

A good way to remember something you've recently read or done is to talk about it or to write it down.  Take a few minutes to think about this week's Bible readings.

  • If you like to journal, reflect on the passage that surprised you the most or the one that was the most emotional to read.
  • Talk to a family member, friend, or neighbor about something you've read this week.
  • Join the discussion of the Godsway 66 Facebook page.

Get Ready for Sunday's Sermon

Rev. Joshua Patty will preach on Job tomorrow at Eastgate Christian Church in Independence, MO.  Join us for the sermon or check back here for the recorded sermon.

Friday, February 20, 2015

Job, Day 5 Readings

God Encourages Job to Make a Case and Then Restores Job  

Today's first reading is fascinating.  God, speaking from the whirlwind, encourages Job to make his case.  At the first opportunity, though Job replies that he already has made the case -- a suggestion that perturbs God (to say the least).  Still, God again encourages Job to speak.  This time, Job shows humility, admitting that God's knowledge is beyond his own.

Read Job 40:1-9  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
Read Job 42:1-6  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

The second reading offers the brief conclusion to Job.  After speaking to Job directly at length, God turns attention to Job's three friends (Elihu is not mentioned).  God chastises them for their attitude and arguments, and suggests that Job -- even in his passionate questioning -- did not sin in how he approached God.  In fact, God restores Job's life and rewards him -- returning his health, and equal number of sons and daughters, and twice his previous wealth.  (Frankly, the part about the replacement sons and daughters encourages me to read Job as a morality play, rather than history: I simply cannot imagine that Job's children would be so disposable in God's eyes.)

Read Job 42:7-17  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Job 34-42 today.

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Job, Day 4 Readings

Elihu Argues that Job Cannot Speak for God and God Speaks Directly to Job  

Today's first reading suddenly introduces a new character in Job, young Elihu.  Elihu arrives and criticizes all of the arguments that have come before with one basic challenge -- what human can so completely speak for God?  Can Job's friends be sure that they understand God's view of justice and decisions about right and wrong?  Can Job be so sure that he knows his own righteousness?

On the other hand, Elihu also agrees with Job too.  While he questions how Job thinks he can comprehend the actions of God, he argues that God does indeed intervene and try to offer salvation for people -- redemption, in Job's earlier words in chapter 19.

Read Job 33:1-33  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

The second reading provides God's dramatic entry into the conversation.  Earlier, Job demanded the right to make his case directly to God (in language that imagined a court case with God as both judge and defendant).  Now, God answers Job's challenge.  The answer, however, does not speak directly to Job's arguments.  Instead, God challenges Job's understanding of the universe, asking "Where were you when I created the heavens and the earth?"  The implication is clear: Job does not understand all that he thinks he does.  In the matter of suffering, it suggests that humans lack all sorts of abilities to fully understand the cause and effect -- we cannot fully know the innocence or guilt of others; perhaps we also cannot know if what we describe as suffering is seen by God as suffering (perhaps it is what might be called "a blessing in disguise").

Read Job 38:1-30  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Job 26-33 today.

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Job, Day 3 Readings

Job Believes in His Ultimate Salvation and Questions Whether the Wicked are Always Punished  

Today's first reading gives one of Job's fine moments, in the midst of the back and forth discussion of his guilt or innocence.  Here, Job declares his faith that, despite his suffering, he will eventually be proven innocent and undeserving of his troubles.  In words that George Frideric Handel would make famous in his classic oratorio Messiah, Job says "I know that my redeemer lives."

Read Job 19:1-29  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

The second reading gives Job's answer to the argument that the wicked cannot escape punishment (in a speech by Zophar).  Job challenges the assumption, suggesting that the wicked often appear to escape punishment in this world.  Perhaps their children or grandchildren may suffer, but they die prosperous and secure.  While Job would not make the modern argument that "nice guys finish last," he finds plenty of evidence that they don't always finish first, either.  If this is true, then it raises the possibility that suffering is not directly a result of wrongdoing, since some suffer disproportionately.  (If this is so, the question follows, then why do some people suffer so much?)

Read Job 21:1-34  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Job 18-25 today.

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Job, Day 2 Readings

Job Questions Why He Was Born and a Friend Concludes that Job Has Sinned  

Today's first reading provides Job's first speech, in which his despair leads him to curse the day he was born.  He wonders, if he was meant only to suffer so greatly, why God allowed him to live.  It is a speech that encapsulates what many people feel during their darkest days.

Read Job 3:1-26  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

The second reading offers the first speech of one of Job's friends, Eliphaz.  The three friends serve as conversation partners, challenging Job's arguments and questioning whether he is so innocent as he claims.  In this speech, Eliphaz offers the timeless explanation for human suffering -- it is deserved.  In religious terms, Job is facing his troubles because he has sinned against God and is being punished.

Read Job 4:1-21  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Job 9-17 today.

Monday, February 16, 2015

Job, Day 1 Readings

Faithful Job is Put to the Test  

Today's reading sets the stage for the extensive meditation on the meaning and purpose of human suffering for the book of Job.  It introduces Job and demonstrates his remarkable faithfulness; even when he suffers the loss of his wealth, members of his family, and even his health, Job does not curse God.

There is an underlying assumption in the book of Job -- people who do wrong should suffer some form of punishment.  However, the suffering of various people does not always seem to be equal to the amount of their wrongdoing.  To explore this, Job is the example of a fully upright and faithful man who suffers greatly.  The rest of the book will question why he suffers and how he might deserve his lot in life, if at all.

To do so, God allows ha-satan ("the adversary" or "the accuser" in Hebrew, and the Biblical source of the name Satan) to test Job, destroying his property and wealth, killing his children and their families, and eventually even taking Job's health.  Even so, Job does not sin against God, but remains faithful.

Read Job 1:1-2:13  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Job 1-8 today.

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Job, Overview

Godsway 66, Book 18 - Job  

Job marks the beginning of a series of books known as the "wisdom literature" of the Hebrew Bible.  These writings give voice to some of the deepest experiences of life, including love, loss, and the meaning of life.  The book of Job is an extended reflection on the nature and purpose of human suffering.

Job is a wealthy man who is described as completely faithful to God.  However, Job's faith is called into question by a heavenly adversary, ha-satan (in Hebrew), who suggests to God that Job's faith is due to his material success.  God allows ha-satan to deprive Job of his wealth, his family, and his health to test whether it affects his faith.  It does not, but eventually Job demands to know why he is suffering.

Three of Job's friends arrive, and each in poetic discourse suggests reasons for Job's suffering.  Usually, each reason boils down to this -- Job must have done something wrong.  God would only punish someone who was wicked and deserved punishment.  However, Job insists that he has done nothing wrong.  Even more, he offers examples of wicked people who seem to escape punishment, which makes his suffering all the more frustrating.

After extensive back and forth speeches, a fourth person, Elihu, arrives to challenge all four men for attempting to speak for God.  He questions how any of them would imagine they could have as much wisdom as God.  Soon thereafter, God personally addresses Job "out of a whirlwind," suggesting that Job indeed does not have the wisdom and experience of God and, therefore, cannot fully understand what he is talking about.

On the other hand, after this, God does applaud Job for his faithfulness, even in his questioning, and Job's wealth, family, and possessions are restored to him -- in fact, he ends the story twice as rich as he began it.  One wonders, though, if he is wiser than when he began.

Friday, February 13, 2015

Bonus Reading, Psalms

The Soul Yearns for God's Salvation  

Today's reading is the final part of Psalm 119, the long song about the richness and beauty of God's teaching in the holy scripture.  It is a concluding plea for God to act in the world, righting the actions of evildoers -- especially those who harm people trying to keep the faith by following God's word.  "Let your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts.  I long for your salvation, O Lord, and your law is my delight."

Read Psalms 119:145-176  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Bonus Reading, Psalms

In Times of Distress, God's Word is a Beacon  

Today's reading is the next part of Psalm 119, the long song about the richness and beauty of God's teaching in the holy scripture.  It begins with a well-known verse: "Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path."  It then admits that there are others who have turned away from God's teaching, and they are causing anguish for those who try to be faithful.  In such times, people of faith trust in God's teaching and wait for God to act -- to punish evil and to reward good.  Even so, the soul recognizes that it is better to follow God's word than not.

Read Psalms 119:105-144  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Sermon - "For Such a Time" (Esther)

On Sunday, Rev. Joshua Patty preached about how one woman, Esther, prevented the Persian emperor from carrying out the state-sponsored murder of the Jews.  It is possible that this took place during the period when the Persians halted the Jewish rebuilding of the Temple and Jerusalem wall.

A beautiful Jewish woman, Esther, had been invited to join the king's harem, and she received some attention from the king.  When her uncle Mordacai learns of the threat to the Jews, posed by the machinations of the evil Haman, he encourages Esther to broach the subject with the king.  Upon penalty of death -- because she dared to enter the king's presence without invitation -- Esther went to convince the king to prevent this from happening.  Earning the king's permission, she does gain the king's agreement to save her people from extermination.

While there are few characters in this story, it represents the threats that Jews faced from foreigners.  It also shows how God finds a way to preserve God's chosen people, sometimes using odd people to accomplish important, history making things.  In some ways, Esther is a beauty pageant winner who changes the world.  She is hardly the first person to be unexpectedly chosen by God to carry out important work.

Click here to listen to the sermon.

You can also listen to the communion meditation and the closing benediction.

Bonus Reading, Psalms

God's Word is What Saves from the Traps of Humanity  

Today's reading is the next part of Psalm 119, the long song about the richness and beauty of God's teaching in the holy scripture.  Having submitted again to God's teaching, the soul now aspires to be an example to others in how to follow God's law.  Everywhere there are traps and pitfalls, which can lead a person far from God -- and which cause pain and suffering.  By striving to follow only God's teaching -- completely and always -- the soul can be saved from these pitfalls, even those carefully set by enemies.

Read Psalms 119:73-104  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Bonus Reading, Psalms

God's Word is Steadfast, Even When We Are Not  

Today's reading is the next part of Psalm 119, the long song about the richness and beauty of God's teaching in the holy scripture.  It deepens the soul's plea for teaching, recognizing that it has strayed from God's teaching in the past, and suffered for it.  However, it has also returned to God's teaching -- which is unchanging and ever-present -- and recognizes that this is a better way to live.  "Before I was humbled I went astray, but now I keep your word.  You are good and do good, teach me your statutes."

Read Psalms 119:33-72  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Monday, February 9, 2015

Bonus Reading, Psalms

The Desire to Be Taught God's Word  

Today's reading is the first part of Psalm 119, the long song about the richness and beauty of God's teaching in the holy scripture.  At the beginning, it praises God for the Torah, noting how those who follow its teachings lead happy and blessed lives.  Then, it becomes a plea for the soul, hungering and thirsting for the teaching of God, which replaces the dust and hunger of the world with satisfaction and faith.

Read Psalms 119:1-32  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Sunday, February 8, 2015

A Rest Stop

This week, Godsway 66 takes a break.  It comes at a good times, as we have finished all of the historical books of the Hebrew Bible.  Next week, the resources for the book of Job will be posted, the beginning of the section of wisdom literature in the Hebrew Bible.

This week offers another chance to catch a breath -- and maybe catch up on some past readings or sermons that you may have missed.  It also allows a chance to slowly appreciate one of the special songs in the book of Psalms (which will be the focus of Godsway 66 in two weeks) -- Psalm 119.  Psalm 119 is best-known as the longest chapter of the Bible: it has 176 verses.  It also is a rich reflection on the importance of scripture -- God's word or God's law -- and how people should interact with the scripture.  The song is so important that in a common daily lectionary, a part of Psalm 119 is read every week.

So in the coming days, we will savor this tribute to the importance of scripture, a couple of sections at a time.

Saturday, February 7, 2015

Esther, Day 6

A Day to Catch Up  

If you've had a busy week, today you have a chance to play catch up on any of the selections of Esther you might have missed.  Click to open the information for any of this week's readings.


Share Your Thoughts

A good way to remember something you've recently read or done is to talk about it or to write it down.  Take a few minutes to think about this week's Bible readings.

  • If you like to journal, reflect on the passage that surprised you the most or the one that was the most emotional to read.
  • Talk to a family member, friend, or neighbor about something you've read this week.
  • Join the discussion of the Godsway 66 Facebook page.

Get Ready for Sunday's Sermon

Rev. Joshua Patty will preach on Esther tomorrow at Eastgate Christian Church in Independence, MO.  Join us for the sermon or check back here for the recorded sermon.

Friday, February 6, 2015

Esther, Day 5 Readings

Jewish Enemies Defeated and the Feast of Purim Begun  

Today's reading describes the aftermath of King Ahasuerus' revoking his decree to have the Jews killed.  Instead, Jews were allowed to kill their tormentors on that day, and some 75,000 people died, including all of Haman's sons.

In subsequent years, Jews would mark the anniversary of this day with a feast, known as Purim (and still celebrated today, usually in March).  Evidently, it was a recognized festival in the kingdom, based on Queen Esther's authority and influence, and that of Mordacai, who seemed to rise to the position of influence previously held by the evil Haman.

Read Esther 9:1-10:3  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Esther 9-10 today.

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Esther, Day 4 Readings

Haman Meets His Fate and the Jews are Saved  

Today's reading describes Esther's banquet, in which she pulled the rug out from under Haman.  She revealed that the king's edict would kill her people and that it was Haman's plot.  Learning this, the king ordered Haman's execution, which took place on the gallows which Haman had ordered to be built to hang Mordacai.  After this, the king ordered a new decree to be sent out from him saving the Jews and allowing them, on the day which had been set for their destruction, to kill others who wanted to harm the Jews.

Read Esther 7:1-8:17  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Esther 7-8 today.

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Esther, Day 3 Readings

Esther Gains the King's Ear and the King Honors Mordacai  

Today's reading tells how Esther dared to save her people, the Jews.  In the kingdom, it was illegal to come into the king's presence without being summoned.  However, Esther dared to go into the king's presence, and he was pleased to see her.  In fact, he promised her anything she desired, if she would only name it.  She said she would make her request at a special banquet she would prepare for the king and Haman.

At the same time, Haman prepared to hang Mordacai even before the date proscribed in the king's decree for the execution of all Jews.  However, at the same time, the king was reminded how Mordacai had told of the previous assassination plot and he made plans to honor Mordacai.  In a case of a villain getting his just desserts, in fact, it is Haman who must carry out the king's instructions to honor Mordacai.  In fact, Haman must face the possibility that it is he who will be punished instead of Mordacai.

Read Esther 5:1-6:14  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
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Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Esther 5-6 today.

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Sermon - "Bad Habits Die Hard" (Nehemiah)

On Sunday, Rev. Joshua Patty preached about the Jews returning from exile in Babylon and their ongoing struggles to remain faithful.  Like Ezra, the story begins with a building project -- in Nehemiah, the Jews are allowed to rebuild the wall protecting the city of Jerusalem.  Nehemiah, the Jewish servant of the Persian king who was appointed governor of Jerusalem, faced as many political challenges as religious ones.

Just as in Ezra, there were foreigners who tried to stymie the project by suggesting to the Persians that they should not trust the Jews to remain peaceful subjects.  However, there was also internal unrest because of economic problems (caused by a severe famine) that led some Jews to become heavily indebted to others.

Nehemiah capably dealt with both problems.  He convinced the Persians that the Jews did not pose a threat to rebel.  He encouraged wealthy Jews to forgive debts in order to increase unity.  And Nehemiah led by example; he refused to live lavishly as the political leader of Jerusalem.

Things seemed to be going well enough that Nehemiah returned to Persia.  After his visit, though, he was frustrated by what he found had happened in Jerusalem during his absence.  There were significant numbers of people who were not following Torah.  They were working on the Sabbath.  They were failing to financially support the Temple and its priests and workers.  They were not all keeping the religious festivals and holidays.  They were marrying non-Jews and accepting their foreign gods.

In some ways, this is an old story.  The bad habits that were learned in Babylon over 70 years were difficult to "unlearn" in Jerusalem.  But the story is bigger than that because this is the final chapter of Jewish history in the scriptures (the book of Esther precedes this story chronologically).  For centuries, Jews have asked why God did not allow them again to be a fully independent and free people.  For centuries, the most common answer has been the one that Nehemiah suggested upon seeing this unfaithfulness -- the Jewish people were squandering their second chance with God.

(Of course, this "why?" will be debated for centuries, frequently relying on the writings of the prophets, and some other answers -- including that of Jesus of Nazareth and his followers -- shaped the way the Christians understand faith.)

Click here to listen to the sermon.

You can also listen to the closing benediction.

Monday, February 2, 2015

Esther, Day 2 Readings

A Grave Threat to the Jews and Esther's Response  

Today's reading describes the plot conceived by one of the king's most valued advisers, which would have exterminated all of the Jews living in the Persian empire.  Haman, whose name now inspires contempt among Jews, took offense when Mordacai would not bow to him outside of the king's palace.  So Haman devised a way for all Jews to be executed on a certain day, and he carefully got the king to approve the plan, which was then announced throughout the kingdom.

In terror, Mordacai began wearing sackcloth, and word of this reached Esther, who evidently was either unaware or unconcerned by the king's decree against the Jews.  Mordacai convinced her that she would not be spared death, even by living in the king's palace.  So Esther agreed to speak to the king to try to get the decree reversed.

Read Esther 3:1-4:17  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
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Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Esther 3-4 today.

Esther, Day 1 Readings

The King Seeks a New Queen and Esther Attracts His Eye  

Today's reading sets the stage for the rise of Esther to a position of influence in the palace of King Ahasuerus (who Biblical historians usually identify as Xerxes, the father of Artaxerxes, who is the king during the books of Ezra and Nehemiah).  After Queen Vashti refuses the king's invitation to appear at a banquet, the king punishes her by stripping her of her position in the household.  So he begins the search for a new queen and beautiful women from throughout the kingdom are brought into the king's harem, where they are conditioned and prepared for a single meeting with the king.

Esther, a Jewish orphan raised by her uncle Mordacai, was one of the women taken into the king's harem and she made the most of her appearance with the king, who was pleased with her.  Eventually, she becomes the king's favorite and is publicly presented as the new queen.  Shortly after this, Esther relayed information to the king from Mordacai of a plot to assassinate him, which would prove important as the story continued.

Read Esther 1:1-2:23  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Esther 1-2 today.

Sunday, February 1, 2015

Esther, Overview

Godsway 66, Book 17 - Esther  

The namesake of Esther is a beautiful Jewish woman who gained the eye and favor of the Persian emperor and rose to become queen.  This takes place in the generation before Ezra and Nehemiah, while the Jews are still in exile.

During this time, they faced the threat of extermination from those who felt their customs and faith posed a threat to the legal order and cultural norms.  Esther tells how a woman and her uncle gained the ear of the king and were able to prevent this from happening.

In generations since, Jews have celebrated the salvation of this story and the influence of Queen Esther during a festival known as purim.  While the celebrations are usually quite joyful, there are dark sides to this story.  Esther is a heroine, but she only has the opportunity to influence the king's actions because she is a beautiful woman added to the royal harem who somehow distinguished herself in the king's eyes from the other women.  (In some ways, the story does Esther no favors -- she also seems more a pawn of her uncle Mordacai than a wise woman on her own behalf.)  Worse, at the story's end, the Jews kill 75,000 of those who threatened them -- an unexpectedly violent twist.

While the story focuses on four main people: Esther, her uncle Mordacai, King Ahasuerus, and the evil Haman, it is meant to represent a more pervasive threat against the Jews while they were in exile.  Haman may be evil incarnate, but he represents others in the empire who wanted the Jews destroyed.  Mordacai and Esther also represent the Jewish attempts to preserve their identity -- and their very lives -- while in exile.