Daily Scripture Readings Leading to
Pentecost Sunday June 04, 2006
Monday:
Acts 2:1-13 The Day of Pentecost
Lukes account of the Spiritual happenings within the early body of believers. Is you experience similar?
Tuesday:
Acts 2:14-21 More Pentecost
Peter offers that this people of God are not drunk, although they probably look and sound like it. The promise in Verse 21 feels very important to me.
Wednesday:
Psalms 104 The Creator
The Psalmist recongnizes it is God who creates. While this may seem like a “no brainer” I believe it is really the first steping stone to the life in grace.
Thursday:
Romans 8:22-25 The Good News
I think hope may be the most needed message to the world from the church today. Where do we look for hope? When we are without hope we do stupid things which hurt people. When we live with hope, we honor God and our neighbors as ourselves.
Friday:
Romans 8:26-27 The Spirit Prays For Us
Sometimes folks tell me they do not know how to pray. I take that pretty seriously because without the leading of the Holy Spirit my prayers can feel lame and uninspired. More than a wish list or a listing of our perceived needs, our prayers could be described as a little dance with the Spirit. We lead, sometimes we follow. Sometimes we just step on toes, other times we find magic.
Saturday:
John 15:26-27; 164b-15 Going Deeper
Read this passage over three times, and it will begin to offer some deep insights into your personal experience. I find this passage to be helpful and hopeful, not punitive.
We must choose sides in life. Strange as it seems God allows us to choose, even though God has already chosen us. I always enjoy keeping verse 27 close to my heart. What a nice promise to ponder.
Sunday: Reflect and Worship
Scripture: John 15:26-27; 164b-15
Sermon Title: “Choosing Sides”
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Daily Scripture Reading Leading to Sunday May 21, 2006
Daily Scripture Readings Leading to
Sunday May 21, 2006
Monday:
Acts 10:44-46a Holy Spirit Power
The Holy Spirit comes to the Gentiles. What might this feel like or look like?
Tuesday:
Acts 10:46b-48 Good Question
Baptism always is appropriate for those experiencing God for the first time in thier lives.
Wednesday:
Psalms 98 God’s Kingship
O sing to the Lord a new song, for God has done marvelous things. Make a joyful noise to the Lord; all the earth!
Thursday:
1 John 5:1-5 The Victory of Faith
Faith seems to be the key to the live in Christ. We do not win favor with God through our actions, even though they may be virtious. We receive grace by faith only.
Friday:
1 John 5:6 Water, Blood. and Spirit
This is a interesting trinity of metaphors. Take a few minutes and consider the role and place of each of these in your life.
Saturday:
John 15:9-17 Love Defined
The love of the Father is clearly defined as ours to receive or deny. We are chosen by God, not the other way around. To love means to offer our life as a sacrifice to the other. Martin Buber in his work, “I & Thou” says that there is no I unless we acknowledge the Thou in our midst. So my life is only viable in relationship to my ackloledgement of your life. In other words, to accept Christ is to acknowledge the other. And it is in this action of remembering, which is in a sense a self-giving, that we find our lives renewed and resurrected. Our willingness to live by the rule of God’s love is key to our life in Christ Jesus. As God has remembered us, so should we remember others.
Sunday: Reflect and Worship
Scripture: John 15:9-17
Sermon Title: “No Greater Love”
Sunday May 21, 2006
Monday:
Acts 10:44-46a Holy Spirit Power
The Holy Spirit comes to the Gentiles. What might this feel like or look like?
Tuesday:
Acts 10:46b-48 Good Question
Baptism always is appropriate for those experiencing God for the first time in thier lives.
Wednesday:
Psalms 98 God’s Kingship
O sing to the Lord a new song, for God has done marvelous things. Make a joyful noise to the Lord; all the earth!
Thursday:
1 John 5:1-5 The Victory of Faith
Faith seems to be the key to the live in Christ. We do not win favor with God through our actions, even though they may be virtious. We receive grace by faith only.
Friday:
1 John 5:6 Water, Blood. and Spirit
This is a interesting trinity of metaphors. Take a few minutes and consider the role and place of each of these in your life.
Saturday:
John 15:9-17 Love Defined
The love of the Father is clearly defined as ours to receive or deny. We are chosen by God, not the other way around. To love means to offer our life as a sacrifice to the other. Martin Buber in his work, “I & Thou” says that there is no I unless we acknowledge the Thou in our midst. So my life is only viable in relationship to my ackloledgement of your life. In other words, to accept Christ is to acknowledge the other. And it is in this action of remembering, which is in a sense a self-giving, that we find our lives renewed and resurrected. Our willingness to live by the rule of God’s love is key to our life in Christ Jesus. As God has remembered us, so should we remember others.
Sunday: Reflect and Worship
Scripture: John 15:9-17
Sermon Title: “No Greater Love”
Thursday, May 04, 2006
A Little Closer to Home...
A Little Closer to Home…
Ten Things I Believe and will preach here at Salem UMC:
Ten Things I Do Not Believe and will not preach here at Salem UMC
I am not sure where these lists leave you. I can tell you they leave me with a list of sermon topics for the next few years. If we could preach and teach only one thing, wouldn’t that one thing be that God loves you. And if we could offer only one action over the rest of our lives, wouldn’t that one act be something which offers grace to a suffering world in the name of Jesus?
If you could do one thing, would you Baptize, or offer Holy Communion? Would you get involved with feeding hungry people, or sorting out injustice and setting straight the course for the future?
Or would you buy something to make yourself feel better. Would you watch more TV and play more pool? Would you put your life above others or would you sacrifice your life so that others could also know love and live? What do you do now? Like it or not, our actions shout out what we believe?
See you Sunday, Dave Weesner
Ten Things I Believe and will preach here at Salem UMC:
- God, the great I AM, created, creates, will create.
- Jesus was fully human and fully God at the same time
- Jesus was crucified until dead for sin, and then re-gained physical life
- The Holy Spirit speaks and acts today
- Only God’s grace is sufficient for salvation
- Grace is received by faith in Jesus Christ
- The two sacramental means of grace are: Baptism & Holy Communion
- Worship happens when God is celebrated
- The church has only one mission: To Make Disciples of Jesus Christ
- The church in mission will always offer justice and relieve the suffering of humanity
Ten Things I Do Not Believe and will not preach here at Salem UMC
- There is no God
- God of Old Testament: Mean and Bad vs. God of New Testament: Good & Happy
- Jesus was a fictional character, Scripture is a human document
- Jesus was not crucified, was married, and lived in France
- Basically everyone is a good person, Everyone goes to heaven
- I can be a Christian and not surrender my life to Jesus, there is always more time
- Infant Baptism is just a rite of passage for proud parents
- Holy Communion has no real power to save
- Animals have a spiritual life equal with humans
- God loves Americans more than folks from other countries
I am not sure where these lists leave you. I can tell you they leave me with a list of sermon topics for the next few years. If we could preach and teach only one thing, wouldn’t that one thing be that God loves you. And if we could offer only one action over the rest of our lives, wouldn’t that one act be something which offers grace to a suffering world in the name of Jesus?
If you could do one thing, would you Baptize, or offer Holy Communion? Would you get involved with feeding hungry people, or sorting out injustice and setting straight the course for the future?
Or would you buy something to make yourself feel better. Would you watch more TV and play more pool? Would you put your life above others or would you sacrifice your life so that others could also know love and live? What do you do now? Like it or not, our actions shout out what we believe?
See you Sunday, Dave Weesner
Daily Scripture Readings Leading to Sunday May 14th
Daily Scripture Readings Leading to
Sunday May 14, 2006
Monday:
1 John 4:7-21 No Fear
Read the passage with the forcus of fear being forign to God’s plan of love for our lives. What would your life be like if you had no fear?
Tuesday:
1 John 4:7-21 Essence of God
Read this same passage again today and focus on what God must be like, based on this important scripture. What does love look like?
Wednesday:
Psalms 22:25-31 Sing the Song
The Psalm offers a glimsp of God. It also offers a vision of our response to God. How is your life similar or different from the Psalm?
Thursday:
Acts 8:26-40 Good News
We are like Philip in offering God’s blessings with joy. What good news we have to share with a hurting world! Have you ever felt like Philip, when because you were so much in the Spirit you did not remember how you got from one place to another?
Friday:
John 15:1-8 Broken Connection
The connection between vine and brach is essential for fruit to grow. What happens when the connection is broken? You guessed it. The branch withers and if and any fruit does not mature and spoils.
Saturday:
John 15:1-8 The Good Connection
Read the same passage again today. This time consider the good connection between vine and branch. Consider the fruit and to what the mature ripe fruit bear witness. We are told we are made in the image of God. Could it be that we are image bearers of God’s Spirit or Soul? Or perhaps the better question, How could it be that we are not? Either way we see god’s place in creation and new growth. Not that the fruit is the image of God, but rather, that it bears witness to that which does: You and me. We bear fruit when we stay connected and growing. Pruning, painful as it can be, may even help more fruit grow.
Sunday: Reflect and Worship
Scripture: John 15:1-8
Sermon Title: “Image Bearer”
Sunday May 14, 2006
Monday:
1 John 4:7-21 No Fear
Read the passage with the forcus of fear being forign to God’s plan of love for our lives. What would your life be like if you had no fear?
Tuesday:
1 John 4:7-21 Essence of God
Read this same passage again today and focus on what God must be like, based on this important scripture. What does love look like?
Wednesday:
Psalms 22:25-31 Sing the Song
The Psalm offers a glimsp of God. It also offers a vision of our response to God. How is your life similar or different from the Psalm?
Thursday:
Acts 8:26-40 Good News
We are like Philip in offering God’s blessings with joy. What good news we have to share with a hurting world! Have you ever felt like Philip, when because you were so much in the Spirit you did not remember how you got from one place to another?
Friday:
John 15:1-8 Broken Connection
The connection between vine and brach is essential for fruit to grow. What happens when the connection is broken? You guessed it. The branch withers and if and any fruit does not mature and spoils.
Saturday:
John 15:1-8 The Good Connection
Read the same passage again today. This time consider the good connection between vine and branch. Consider the fruit and to what the mature ripe fruit bear witness. We are told we are made in the image of God. Could it be that we are image bearers of God’s Spirit or Soul? Or perhaps the better question, How could it be that we are not? Either way we see god’s place in creation and new growth. Not that the fruit is the image of God, but rather, that it bears witness to that which does: You and me. We bear fruit when we stay connected and growing. Pruning, painful as it can be, may even help more fruit grow.
Sunday: Reflect and Worship
Scripture: John 15:1-8
Sermon Title: “Image Bearer”
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