Best of i.UCC

Vipers (December 7-13)

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:00:59 GMT

Here's this week's Bible study blog post for i.ucc:

I wonder what it would look like if I played the cantankerous card this week?

The people came to John not to experience God’s life-changing good news, but because they thought they’d rather be safe than sorry from the doom that was coming.

Vipers.

The people thought that they had a Godly heritage that would protect them from any problems down the road. Certainly they wouldn’t be among those who were “axed” because they bore no fruit.

Vipers.

The people asked John what to do.

Wait a minute – Vipers?

John told them to share, to be fair, to be just, to be truthful, and to not be greedy.

And the people heard john and listened! They were filled with expectation and hope!

And John told them that one much more powerful than he was coming. And that that ‘viper’ stuff would get them in severe trouble.

Time to change. That’s good news.

God changes vipers with good news. Film at 11.

Outsider (November 30- December 6)

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:37:24 GMT

Here's this week's Bible study post for i.ucc:

John didn’t come from the house of the Emperor, the governor, or any governmental leader. He was Zechariah and Elizabeth’s child. He had a priestly lineage on both parent's sides (from Abijah and Aaron) but they weren't power players in the priestly areas and John wasn't part of any power system. He was in the wilderness. He didn’t know “how things worked,” according to the powers that were all around him.

And he came, outsider from the wilderness, preaching a different way. It wasn’t a way of power or of fame or of ‘just keeping your nose clean and fitting in.’ The way John preached was about getting ready for the one who would put everything back in order. John preached about turning away from sin. John preached about all of humanity seeing God’s salvation.

Do we still hear John’s words as a call to arms? Do we still hear them as a call to war against the powers that surround us? Or can we focus on turning away from sin and turning towards God?

The outsider isn’t calling for a violent reordering of things. He’s calling for all to see what is coming. God’s deliverance. God’s safety. God’s life-changing good news.

What do you hear from the outsider?

Dangerous talk (November 23-29)

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:19:08 GMT

Here's this week's Bible study blog entry for i.ucc:

That rabble-rouser Jesus is at it again! In this week's Bible reading from Luke 21:25-36, he’s talking about the powers of the heavens being shaken. Who are the powers of the heavens? In Jesus time that was Rome. For Christians, Rome represented everything that was wrong with the world. Shaking up the powers of the heavens pointed to a change in the way things worked. It offered hope to those who lived under the rule of tyrants.

And what were the instructions to those who were waiting in hope? Wait. Be patient. Pray. The season will come soon enough. Just keep alert and don’t get all wrapped up in the worries of life.

No call to rise up and fight.
No call to stock up on food and water and to build bomb shelters.
No call to any kind of violence at all.

It’s as if Jesus is saying, “Put down your weapons. Stop expecting the worst. Live focused on me and the hope that I bring.

Dangerous talk.

The Truth (November 16-22)

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:02:28 GMT

Here's this week's Bible study blog entry for i.ucc:

You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. John 8:32
I am the way and the truth and the life – no one comes to the father except through me. John 14:6

The word “Truth” is in the Bible between 130 and 300 times (depending on which translation you are using.)
That is way more than preach (about a dozen times), way less than Love (over 500 times) and about the same as money.

Does that mean that truth is way more important than preaching, way less important than love, and about as important as money?

Some would make that leap. I will not.

So what does that mean? I don’t know.
I have heard people debate what is true. I have heard people argue the very nature of the word truth – if it could really exist – if there is absolute truth . . .
The numbers game and the endless debate are tiring.

Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice – says Jesus

Instead of focusing on “What is the nature of truth?” or "What is truth?” Let's focus on what Jesus said. How do we belong to the truth – how do we listen?

What will we do to listen the voice of Jesus – to the voice of the stillspeaking God – to experience, to know, and to belong the truth?

When it's hard to be kind (November 9-15)

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:35:27 GMT

Here's this week's Bible study blog entry for i.ucc:

Peninnah treated Hannah cruelly. She provoked her just to irritate her. What she did to Hannah was awful, unkind, unconscionable and simply mean. In this week’s reading from 1 Samuel 1:4-20, her cruelty is glaring.

I am one who seeks to live the phrase, “No matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey . . . you’re welcome here,” I also say, and try to live the words, “God loves everyone – not just the people you like or agree with – EVERYONE.”

And I have a real difficult time showing kindness and love for folks who manipulate, exploit, ridicule, and abuse others.

I have a real difficult time showing kindness and love for folks who make up lies, distort what other people say, use fear and hate as weapons, call some of God’s children evil names, and do it all while calling themselves Christian.

Hannah prayed. She poured out her soul to God. I wonder if she had trouble showing kindness and love for Peninnah?

I sure do.

Functional (November 2-8)

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:46:16 GMT

Here's this week's short Bible study blog entry for i.ucc:

According to this week’s Bible reading from Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17, here’s how Ruth family functioned:

Find a relative of your dead husband
Follow your mother-in-law’s instructions for what to do to seek security for you and for her.
Attempt to seduce him so that he will marry you
(Not in the reading –but part of the story: Know that he will be a just person who will honor you and who will follow the rules set up by the system.)
Get married
Have a baby
Give the baby to your mother-in-law to care for.
Let the baby be the grandfather of David.

What can you add to the story? What can you learn?

Beyond (October 26- November 1)

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:28:03 GMT

Here's this week's Bible study blog entry for i.ucc:

Elimelech and Naomi went with their sons Mahlon and Chilion beyond the land of Judah – the land of their ancestors, to Moab, the land of their cousins . . . cousins with a tenuous and sometimes violent past.

After their father died, Mahlon and Chilion married Orpah and Ruth from Moab, and when they died, Naomi, Orpah and Ruth were beyond the help of the system

After traveling beyond where they had been living, Naomi went beyond the idea of self-preservation and told Orpah and Ruth to return to their families. She would live out her days in bitterness and poverty.

Though she convinced Orpah to leave and to seek the care of her family, Ruth was not convinced. She went beyond the safe route and cultural norms and she vowed to stay with Naomi no matter what.

Ruth’s decision to stay with Naomi has significance well beyond her lifetime. She has been traced as the ancestor of David and Jesus, and her love for Naomi has been lifted up as an example for all to follow.

What else can you find beyond this week’s Bible reading from Ruth 1:1-18?