Resurrection

Week 32

Bible Text: I Corinthians 15

Key Verse: I Corinthians 15:51-55

I Corinthians 15:1-11 good news that I proclaimed to you: Paul summarizes the gospel ("good news") that he had preached to the Corinthians earlier when he lived among them. Paul's description of Christ's resurrection is the earliest written account of appearances of the risen Jesus and a summary of what Paul had preached to the Corinthians. Some of the details are not the same as in the Gospel accounts. It is possible that the accounts of the discovery of the empty tomb circulated only later, after Paul had "received" what he "handed on" to the Corinthians.

I Corinthians 15:12 how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead?: probably the Corinthians did not deny that Jesus had been "raised" but took that language in a "spiritual" sense - the same sense in which they believed that they, too, had been "raised" to a place of greater wisdom and knowledge.

I Corinthians 15:28 so that God may be all in all: this is another expression of love at the center of all reality. "So and so is all things to me" was a popular phrase in Paul's day, used by the lover to describe the beloved. The world and God share all things in the future God brings.

I Corinthians 1542-44 resurrection of the dead...raised a spiritual body: Paul says the dead will be raised from the dead with new spiritual bodies that are transformed. this is more than a resurrection of the spirit alone. The church's confession of faith, the Apostle's Creed, speaks of belief in the "resurrection of the body", just as Jesus was resurrected.

 

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Monday: Devotional Reading – Time for prayer & adoration:

Read through the scripture several times, just listening to the words.

Tuesday: Literary Reading – Listen for literary content:

Focus on the text, itself.

Wednesday: Lutheran Theological Reading – Read from a Lutheran perspective:

Reflect on the convictions, insights and expectations that rise particularly from our Lutheran Heritage.

Thursday: Historical Reading – Read with an ear for History:

Reflect on the historical situation.

Friday: Catch up on missed reading time

Saturday & Sunday: Day of Rest

For More Detailed Reflection Questions please check-out the link "Daily Reflection Questions" link.

Daily Reflection Questions

The Love Hymn

Week 31

Bible Text: I Corinthians 13

Key Verse: I Corinthians 13:4-7

I Corinthians 12:31 - 13:13 still a more excellent way: here Paul shows that the mutuality an equality of love is a more excellent way to be the church than the hierarchical relations implied by the analogy of the human body. Perhaps beginning as early as the fourth century b.c.e., friends gathering to dine together sometimes ended their evening with hymns of love. Similarly, Paul begins to bring I Corinthians to a close with praise of love, the underlying theme of the letter.

I Corinthians 12:13 then we will see face to face: the tender scene of two lovers gazing at one another "face to face" occurs in ancient art and poetry as early as the seventh century b.c.e. With this picture of perfect mutuality, equality, and devotion, Paul portrays the communion of God and world in the end time. The church, through the power of the Holy Spirit, anticipates God's future.

 

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Monday: Devotional Reading – Time for prayer & adoration:

Read through the scripture several times, just listening to the words.

Tuesday: Literary Reading – Listen for literary content:

Focus on the text, itself.

Wednesday: Lutheran Theological Reading – Read from a Lutheran perspective:

Reflect on the convictions, insights and expectations that rise particularly from our Lutheran Heritage.

Thursday: Historical Reading – Read with an ear for History:

Reflect on the historical situation.

Friday: Catch up on missed reading time

Saturday & Sunday: Day of Rest

For More Detailed Reflection Questions please check-out the link "Daily Reflection Questions" link.

Daily Reflection Questions

Philippians' Humility

Week 30

Bible Text: Philippians 2:1-13

Key Verse: Philippians 2:12-13

Philippians 2:2 same mind..one love: emphasizes the unity that should exist among Christians. Not uniformity in thought but the common disposition to work together and serve one another, the "attitude" of Christ.

Philippians 2:5-11 let the same mind be in you: if not an original Pauline composition, this passage may be the earliest Christian hymn in existence.

 Philippians 2:6-8 emptied himself: Jesus gave up everything to become human. He fully obeyed God, all the way to dying on the cross. The hymn implies the spiritual emptiness of humanity without God.

Philippians 2:10-11 knee bend...confess: God's design is that all people everywhere should worship and serve Jesus as Lord.

 

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Monday: Devotional Reading – Time for prayer & adoration:

Read through the scripture several times, just listening to the words.

Tuesday: Literary Reading – Listen for literary content:

Focus on the text, itself.

Wednesday: Lutheran Theological Reading – Read from a Lutheran perspective:

Reflect on the convictions, insights and expectations that rise particularly from our Lutheran Heritage.

Thursday: Historical Reading – Read with an ear for History:

Reflect on the historical situation.

Friday: Catch up on missed reading time

Saturday & Sunday: Day of Rest

For More Detailed Reflection Questions please check-out the link "Daily Reflection Questions" link.

Daily Reflection Questions

Peter and Cornelius

Week 29

Bible Text: Acts 10

Key Verse: Acts 10:34-35

Acts 10:1-2 centurion...devout man who feared God: a centurion was a Roman military officer in charge of about one-hundred men. Cornelius is also identified as a "God-fearer," a gentile who was associated with a Jewish synagogue. "God-fearers respected Jewish teachings sic as Sabbath observance and may have followed Jewish food laws.

Acts 10:3 about three o'clock: this note of the time indicates that Cornelius follows Jewish customs, as this would have been a traditional hour of prayer.

Acts 10:9 roof to pray: many houses were built with a flat roof and an outside staircase to reach them. The rooftops were used as places of relaxation and prayer.

Acts 10:12 all kinds of...creatures: these included animals considered ritually clean and ritually unclean. Peter later realizes that these visions indicate the divisions between Jew and gentile are being overcome.

Acts 10:23 invited them and gave them lodging: Jewish customs prohibited Jews from table fellowship with Gentiles who were not sensitive to Jewish food laws and community events that may have included worship of idols. Peter, however, invites Cornelius in and later visits Cornelius in his home. This shows Peter's willingness to accept and reach out to Gentiles.

Acts 10:34 God does not show favoritism: God does not favor an individual because of his station in life, his nationality or his material processions. God does, however, respect his character and judge his work. This is evident because God "accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right".

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Monday: Devotional Reading – Time for prayer & adoration:

Read through the scripture several times, just listening to the words.

Tuesday: Literary Reading – Listen for literary content:

Focus on the text, itself.

Wednesday: Lutheran Theological Reading – Read from a Lutheran perspective:

Reflect on the convictions, insights and expectations that rise particularly from our Lutheran Heritage.

Thursday: Historical Reading – Read with an ear for History:

Reflect on the historical situation.

Friday: Catch up on missed reading time

Saturday & Sunday: Day of Rest

For More Detailed Reflection Questions please check-out the link "Daily Reflection Questions" link.

Daily Reflection Questions

The Call of Saul

Week 28

Bible Text: Acts 7:58-8:1 & 9:1-30

Key Verse: Acts 9:15-16

Acts 7:59-60 receive my spirit...do not hold this sin against them: the words of Stephen are very similar to Jesus' words from the cross (see Luke 22:34, 46).

Acts 8:1-3 Saul approved of the killing him: Saul is a Hebrew name that means "asked of God". This Saul is later called Paul and is a central character in the later chapters of Acts. Saul is introduced here as one opposed to Jews who were followers of Jesus Christ.

Acts 9:1-19 suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him: the dramatic "calling" of Saul (Paul) indicates the Holy Spirit's power to change hearts and lives.

Acts 9:2 the way: this is another name for the fellowship of believers, based in Jesus naming himself "the way" in John 14:6.

Acts 9:4 why do you persecute me: to persecute the church is to persecute Christ, for the church is his body.

Acts 9:17 Jesus, who appeared to you: the Damascus road experience was not merely a vision. The resurrected Christ actually appeared to Saul, and on this fact Saul based his qualification to be an apostle.

Acts 9:23 after many days: three years (Galatians 1:17-18). It is probable that the major part of this period was spent in Arabia, away from Damascus, though the borders of Arabia extended to the environs of Damascus.

Acts 9:26 he came to Jerusalem: from Galatians 1:19 we learn that all the apostles were away except Peter and James, the Lord's brother. James was not one of the Twelve, but he held a position in Jerusalem comparable to that of an apostle.

Acts 9:29 he talked and debated: formally Saul was arguing against Christ; not he forcefully presenting Jesus as the Messiah.

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Monday: Devotional Reading – Time for prayer & adoration:

Read through the scripture several times, just listening to the words.

Tuesday: Literary Reading – Listen for literary content:

Focus on the text, itself.

Wednesday: Lutheran Theological Reading – Read from a Lutheran perspective:

Reflect on the convictions, insights and expectations that rise particularly from our Lutheran Heritage.

Thursday: Historical Reading – Read with an ear for History:

Reflect on the historical situation.

Friday: Catch up on missed reading time

Saturday & Sunday: Day of Rest

For More Detailed Reflection Questions please check-out the link "Daily Reflection Questions" link.

Daily Reflection Questions

Baptism of the Ethiopian

Week 27

Bible Text: Acts 8:26-39

Key Verse: Acts 8:35-37

Acts 8:27 Ethiopian eunuch: the man was from Northern Africa, Ethiopia corresponded in this period to Nubia. It was common in biblical times for officials in royal courts to be physically altered so they could not father children. The Ethiopian is a believer in God, and Philip uses the Scriptures to persuade him regarding "the good news about Jesus".

Acts 8:30 heard the man reading: it was customary practice to read aloud.

Acts 8:34 who is the prophet talking about: beginning with Isaiah 53, Philip may have identified the suffering servant with the Davidic Messiah of Isaiah 11 or the Son of Man in Daniel 7:13.

Acts 8:35 good news: the way of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Acts 8:29 rejoicing: joy is associated with salvation in Acts.

 

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Monday: Devotional Reading – Time for prayer & adoration:

Read through the scripture several times, just listening to the words.

Tuesday: Literary Reading – Listen for literary content:

Focus on the text, itself.

Wednesday: Lutheran Theological Reading – Read from a Lutheran perspective:

Reflect on the convictions, insights and expectations that rise particularly from our Lutheran Heritage.

Thursday: Historical Reading – Read with an ear for History:

Reflect on the historical situation.

Friday: Catch up on missed reading time

Saturday & Sunday: Day of Rest

For More Detailed Reflection Questions please check-out the link "Daily Reflection Questions" link.

Daily Reflection Questions

Healing the Lame Man

Monday, April 16, 2012

Week 26

Bible Text: Acts 3 & 4

Key Verse: Acts 4:19

Acts 3:2 at the gate of the temple...ask for alms: there were several gates into the temple in Jerusalem. Those in need often gathered at the gates to ask for gifts from the worshippers.

Acts 3:6 in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth: Peter was very clear that the power of healing comes from God. Because many Jewish men were named Jesus, naming Hesus' hometown of Nazareth makes it clear that this is Jesus the Christ.

Acts 3:12-26 addressed the crowd: this is Peter's second sermon, given in the temple. It follows the same pattern as his Pentecost sermon: explanation of what was happening, presentation of the gospel of Jesus, and a call to repentance. Peter corrects misunderstandings about the healing the crowd witnessed.

Acts 3:22 Moses said: Peter refers to Jesus as the fulfillment of Moses' promise that God would raise up a new prophet from among the Jewish people.

Acts 4:1 Sadducees: were one of the groups of Jewish leaders. they believe in bodily resurrection.

Acts 4:3 evening: the offering of sacrifices ended at about 4:00 pm, when the temple gates were closed.

Acts 4:5 rulers, elders, and scribes: there were the leaders who made up the Sanhedrin, a group of seventy to one hundred men, the ruling high court of the Jews.

Acts 4:8-12 filled with the Holy Spirit: Peter's powerful witness is inspired and guided by the Holy Spirit. Peter's words respond to the question asked in 4:7.

Acts 4:11 the stone that was rejected by you, the builders: the cornerstone Peter refers to is in Psalm 118:21-25. Jesus also refers to the cornerstone in Matthew 21:42.

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Monday: Devotional Reading – Time for prayer & adoration:

Read through the scripture several times, just listening to the words.

Tuesday: Literary Reading – Listen for literary content:

Focus on the text, itself.

Wednesday: Lutheran Theological Reading – Read from a Lutheran perspective:

Reflect on the convictions, insights and expectations that rise particularly from our Lutheran Heritage.

Thursday: Historical Reading – Read with an ear for History:

Reflect on the historical situation.

Friday: Catch up on missed reading time

Saturday & Sunday: Day of Rest

For More Detailed Reflection Questions please check-out the link "Daily Reflection Questions" link.

Daily Reflection Questions

Pentecost

Sunday April 8, 2012

Week 25

Bible Text: Acts 2:1-21

Key Verse: Acts 2:17-18

 Acts 2:1 day of Pentecost: the word Pentecost means fifty. Pentecost is the Jewish festival that comes fifty days after Passover. It is also called the Feast of Weeks, and originally celebrated the wheat harvest. Many Jews would have gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate Pentecost.

Acts 2:4 filled with the Holy Spirit: this is a fulfillment of Jesus' promise in Luke 24:49. The disciples are led by the Spirit - not only in what they say, but also in the languages they speak.

 Acts 2:5-11 devout Jews: the people gathered in Jerusalem for the festival of Pentecost came from all over the known world. The miracle was the many languages that were spoken and heard.

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Monday: Devotional Reading – Time for prayer & adoration:

Read through the scripture several times, just listening to the words.

Tuesday: Literary Reading – Listen for literary content:

Focus on the text, itself.

Wednesday: Lutheran Theological Reading – Read from a Lutheran perspective:

Reflect on the convictions, insights and expectations that rise particularly from our Lutheran Heritage.

Thursday: Historical Reading – Read with an ear for History:

Reflect on the historical situation.

Friday: Catch up on missed reading time

Saturday & Sunday: Day of Rest

For More Detailed Reflection Questions please check-out the link "Daily Reflection Questions" link.

Daily Reflection Questions