Today’s passage is Acts 4:32-35 You will notice today, and in the coming weeks, that we will not have our usual Old Testament passage, but instead we will be spending some time in the book of Acts. From a chronological perspective this is strange. If we were really following the timeline after easter we wouldContinue reading “just a minute 04.05.21”
Tag Archives: Context
just a minute 03.25.21
Philippians 2:5-11 Jennifer T. Kaalund, Professor of Religious Studies at Iona College sets a perfect contextual foundation for us as we read the apostle Paul encouragement to the believers in Philippi, She says that believers, all through the new testament, are encouraged to be imitators of God, to be like Jesus. To walk, love, andContinue reading “just a minute 03.25.21”
01.25.21 – 01.31.21
Readings Deuteronomy 18:15-20 Psalm 111 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 Mark 1:21-28 Context/Insight Deuteronomy 18:15-20 Context – This passage was, for the first century Jews and Christians, the basis for their looking for The promised prophet, deliver, Messiah. It refers back to the time at Mount Horeb/Sinai when the people proclaimed that they wanted Moses to beContinue reading “01.25.21 – 01.31.21”
10.19.20 – 10.25.20
Readings Deuteronomy 34:1-12 • Leviticus 19:1-18 • Psalm 1 • Matthew 22:34-46 • I Thessalonians 2:1-18 Context Deuteronomy 34:1-12 Our readings through the journey with Moses takes a huge leap this week as we are transported from God revealing himself to the death of Moses (it is actually a tragic leap for we are missingContinue reading “10.19.20 – 10.25.20”
10.05.20 – 10.11.20
Readings Exodus 32:1-14 • Psalm 23 • Isaiah 25:1-9 • Matthew 22:1-14 • Philippians 4:1-9 Context Exodus 32:1-14 This is most likely a very familiar story for you, while Moses is gone from the Israelites for 40 days, in his absence, the people become afraid. While Moses and God are talking about God’s gift of the Law to the Israelites, the people, inContinue reading “10.05.20 – 10.11.20”
09.14.20 – 09.20.20
Readings Psalm 145:1-8 • Exodus 16:2-15 • Jonah 3:10-4:11 • Matthew 20:1-16 • Philippians 1:21-30 Context Psalm 145:1-8 This Psalm can best be summed up in verse 8, a proclamation of who God is that echoes the understanding that Jonah has about God, and therefore, his grievance against God. It is our best baseline ofContinue reading “09.14.20 – 09.20.20”
07.27.20 – 08.02.20
Readings Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21 • Genesis 32:22-31 • Isaiah 55:1-5 • Matthew 14:13-21 • Romans 9:1-5 Context Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21 Psalm 145 is used in more Jewish prayers than any other Psalm. It is best described as a mini-summary of the Jewish faith – ‘God is to be praised from the beginning to the end’ everyday, good days and bad days.Continue reading “07.27.20 – 08.02.20”
06.15.20 – 06.21.20
Readings Genesis 21:8-21 • Jeremiah 20:7-13 • Psalm 69:7-18 • Romans 6:1b-11 • Matthew 10:24-39 Context Matthew 10:24-39 First, let me proclaim that this is an odd and frustrating passage. At first read (probably at second, third, and fourth read) this can seem like a very disjointed, and completely unconnected series of comments and statements. Context is essential in reading, and comprehending, thisContinue reading “06.15.20 – 06.21.20”
04.06.20 – 04.12.20
Readings Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 • Acts 10:34-43 • Colossians 3:1-4 • Matthew 28:1-10 Context Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 “To read the Bible well, you have to keep flipping backwards. Christians tend to get stuck in the New Testament—evangelicals typically in John or Paul, mainline liberals in the Synoptic Gospels. But the New Testament is merely a reader’s guide to the Old. HardlyContinue reading “04.06.20 – 04.12.20”
03.09.08 – 03.14.20
Readings Luke 13:1-9 (children’s passage) • Exodus 17:1-7 • Psalm 95 • Romans 5:1-11 • John 4:5-42 Context Psalm 95 (responsive reading) Psalms 47, 93, and 95-99 are all referred to as the ‘enthronement psalms’ as they each celebrate that God is the King. Many of the other Psalms celebrate the work of victory from God through the earthly kings, butContinue reading “03.09.08 – 03.14.20”
Order, Words, & Voices 