Good morning sisters and brothers,
In his anger, Moses broke the tablets God carved out of stone, so God tells him to carve new tablets and to come back up the mountain. Moses spends time there and God rewrites the ten commandments and explains the covenant to Moses. Then Moses comes back down the mountain to share the covenant with the people. Being so close to God leaves a mark on Moses and his face begins to glow. That reminds the people that what Moses tells them doesn't just come from Moses, but from God. When we spent time in prayer with God it doesn't leave an outward mark, but we will notice that spending more time with God slowly changes us in other ways. Try and find out how God's light can shine in you.
God bless,
Sam
Exodus 34:27-35
27The Lord said to Moses: Write these words; in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel. 28He was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten commandments. 29Moses came down from Mount Sinai.
As he came down from the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. 30When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him. 31But Moses called to them; and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke with them. 32Afterward all the Israelites came near, and he gave them in commandment all that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai.
33When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face; 34but whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would take the veil off, until he came out; and when he came out, and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, 35the Israelites would see the face of Moses, that the skin of his face was shining; and Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him.
Showing posts with label Ten Commandments. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ten Commandments. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Sunday, October 2, 2011
commandments and leadership
Good morning brothers and sisters,
Today after worship some of us will head across the street for lunch and some discussion of our Bible reading. If you've been reading through the Bible, it's a great time to compare notes. If you haven't but are interested in starting the journey, it's a great chance to dive in. After that there is an ecumenical worship service at St. Ambrose celebrating St. Francis of Assisi and blessing pets. If you'd like to celebrate your furry, feathered or scaled friend, bring them on over to the gym at St. Ambrose at 1 for a blessing.
Our reading from Exodus completes the Ten Commandments and shows how visibly impressive the appearance of God was for Israel. Our reading from Matthew tells the parable we'll be discussing in worship today. This is a favorite of mine because it warns us of the danger of believing we own the religious community rather than guiding it on God's behalf. Today in worship we'll listen for God's calling and seek strength at Christ's table for the journey that lies ahead. I hope you'll be there.
Blessings,
Sam
Exodus 20:21-21
12Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. 13You shall not murder. 14You shall not commit adultery. 15You shall not steal. 16You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 17You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
18When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking, they were afraid and trembled and stood at a distance, 19and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we will die.” 20Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid; for God has come only to test you and to put the fear of him upon you so that you do not sin.” 21Then the people stood at a distance, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.
*Sunday
Matthew 21:33-46
33“Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. 34When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. 35But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. 37Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.’ 39So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
40Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.”
42Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes’? 43Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom. 44The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.”
45When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. 46They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, because they regarded him as a prophet.
Today after worship some of us will head across the street for lunch and some discussion of our Bible reading. If you've been reading through the Bible, it's a great time to compare notes. If you haven't but are interested in starting the journey, it's a great chance to dive in. After that there is an ecumenical worship service at St. Ambrose celebrating St. Francis of Assisi and blessing pets. If you'd like to celebrate your furry, feathered or scaled friend, bring them on over to the gym at St. Ambrose at 1 for a blessing.
Our reading from Exodus completes the Ten Commandments and shows how visibly impressive the appearance of God was for Israel. Our reading from Matthew tells the parable we'll be discussing in worship today. This is a favorite of mine because it warns us of the danger of believing we own the religious community rather than guiding it on God's behalf. Today in worship we'll listen for God's calling and seek strength at Christ's table for the journey that lies ahead. I hope you'll be there.
Blessings,
Sam
Exodus 20:21-21
12Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. 13You shall not murder. 14You shall not commit adultery. 15You shall not steal. 16You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 17You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
18When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking, they were afraid and trembled and stood at a distance, 19and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we will die.” 20Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid; for God has come only to test you and to put the fear of him upon you so that you do not sin.” 21Then the people stood at a distance, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.
*Sunday
Matthew 21:33-46
33“Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. 34When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. 35But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. 37Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.’ 39So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
40Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.”
42Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes’? 43Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom. 44The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.”
45When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. 46They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, because they regarded him as a prophet.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Ten Commandments, part 1
Good morning friends,
It's been a little while since we've read from Exodus. Earlier we read how God brought Israel out of Egypt and how twice in the desert Israel cried out to God about being hungry or thirsty and God satisfied them. Our reading moves forward a few chapters. The people have arrived at Mt. Sinai to worship God. If we look back to when God first called Moses to speak to Pharaoh, God said that the sign of God's presence would be that after their liberation the people would worship at Mt. Sinai. Now that promise has been fulfilled and God gives the people the Ten Commandments, which are the "bullet points" of the covenant God makes with Israel to be their God. The commandments are given application and depth by further laws and ordinances that God shares with Moses after the Ten Commandments, but we can tell that these commandments can be read broadly to guide community life. Thousands of years later, they still speak to us. Today we'll consider the first four commandments.
Blessings,
Sam
Exodus 20:1-11
Then God spoke all these words: 2I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; 3you shall have no other gods before me. 4You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, 6but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. 8Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. 9Six days you shall labor and do all your work. 10But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. 11For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.
It's been a little while since we've read from Exodus. Earlier we read how God brought Israel out of Egypt and how twice in the desert Israel cried out to God about being hungry or thirsty and God satisfied them. Our reading moves forward a few chapters. The people have arrived at Mt. Sinai to worship God. If we look back to when God first called Moses to speak to Pharaoh, God said that the sign of God's presence would be that after their liberation the people would worship at Mt. Sinai. Now that promise has been fulfilled and God gives the people the Ten Commandments, which are the "bullet points" of the covenant God makes with Israel to be their God. The commandments are given application and depth by further laws and ordinances that God shares with Moses after the Ten Commandments, but we can tell that these commandments can be read broadly to guide community life. Thousands of years later, they still speak to us. Today we'll consider the first four commandments.
Blessings,
Sam
Exodus 20:1-11
Then God spoke all these words: 2I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; 3you shall have no other gods before me. 4You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, 6but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. 8Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. 9Six days you shall labor and do all your work. 10But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. 11For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
