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