Tagged: family

Genesis 21:8-21

This text is used for the Lectionary Year A on June 25, 2017.

Finishing Unfinished Family Business
Family. Simply saying the word stirs us. We feel. The feelings differ according to our personal stories, but everyone has strong feelings about “family.” Hopes & fears, laughter & tears, hugs & stare downs are images we see in our mind’s eye. Around family, there is little neutral ground.

A Complex Family
Our memories may include more – joy or sadness, gratitude or regret, praise or anger, awe or disappointment. And for all of us, there is some unfinished family business. This was particularly true of the complex family of Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Ishmael, and Isaac.

In Genesis, the book of origins & patterns, God has much to teach us about finishing unfinished family business. Genesis 16 and following connected how Hagar entered this family story. She is Sarah’s Egyptian handmaiden and served as a surrogate wife for Abraham. She bore his children because Sarah was barren. When Ishmael (which means “God hears”) is born Hagar taunts Sarah with her ability to do what her mistress could not. This inability haunted Sarah. Enmity grew between them. Abraham led a tension-filled home life. He was torn between a divided loyalty among his wives and children. A divine breakthrough was desperately needed.

Family bonds continue to strengthen and/or weaken us throughout our lives. What enables family to be positive? The key is to accept God’s blessings and to live the best blessing as it was best given by our family of origin. That may also mean to minimize the “curse.” Family issues continue to play themselves out until we deal with them. God’s grace can heal the wounds. And we must live continually beyond what family “shadows” linger.

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Acts 10:34-43

This text is used for the Lectionary Year A on Easter, April 16, 2017.

We will study an inspired historical account of the message that opened the door for Gentiles to become Christians. Things have never been the same in the church.

It happens like this:  God Himself arranged for the Roman Cornelius to have the Apostle Peter in his home as a guest. Prepared by an unforgettable vision on the housetop in Joppa, he accompanied the messengers sent by Cornelius to his home in Caesarea.

The first words of Peter set forth the theme of the message, “God does not show favoritism, but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.” Up to this point, Peter had held the Jewish tradition that to know and worship the God of Abraham, a Gentile must become a Jew—be circumcised and begin to live under the law of Moses. But God has shown him that he must stop looking at Gentiles as unclean and impure. His message for the Gentiles was that Jesus of Nazareth is Lord of all and through him, they can have a saving relationship with God.

Peter’s prior experiences as an Apostle of Christ had been primarily among those known as the “elect,” though he had ventured down to Samaria along with John.  Now he has the opportunity to share the Gospel with a group outside of the “elect,” Gentiles, Romans. They were not “sons of Abraham” after the flesh.  Since God is impartial, Peter cannot deny them the gospel because of ethnic or religious background. The Gospel has a “whosoever will” note in it.

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Deuteronomy 26:1-11

This text is used for the Lectionary Year C on February 14, 2016.

Hermano Leon Clipart
Hermano Leon Clipart

In 2008, America’s Olympic dreams were dashed when both the men’s and women’s relay teams dropped their batons. Everyone in the world expected—no, everyone in the world knew both the men’s and women’s relay teams would win. They were winning—and then, they dropped the batons. In the same way, the nation of Israel was coming into the Promised Land. God was keeping His promises to His people to bring them to a home of their own. What a journey it had been! Their very identity had been defined in the trials and triumphs of that journey. Now, how does the nation pass on this faith to a generation that wasn’t part of the journey? How do you pass along the faith to a generation that wasn’t part of the very events that informed and confirmed that faith?

What does one generation have to do to be sure the baton is passed to the next generation?

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