conflict and separation

Good afternoon friends,
Today's passage will also be a focus for us on Sunday. We've seen Paul and Barnabas working together for years. In this passage they have a conflict about who to take with them in ministry. The conflict is such an issue that they decide to go their separate ways. I think that must have been hard for both of them, but they both felt strongly about what they were doing so they had to follow their conviction. Conflict is an inevitable part of relationship; the question is how we address it.

God bless,
Sam

Acts 15:30-41

30 So they were sent off and went down to Antioch. When they gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. ³¹When its members read it, they rejoiced at the exhortation. ³²Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers. ³³After they had been there for some time, they were sent off in peace by the believers to those who had sent them. ³⁵But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, and there, with many others, they taught and proclaimed the word of the Lord.

36 After some days Paul said to Barnabas, ‘Come, let us return and visit the believers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.’ ³⁷Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. ³⁸But Paul decided not to take with them one who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not accompanied them in the work. ³⁹The disagreement became so sharp that they parted company; Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. ⁴⁰But Paul chose Silas and set out, the believers commending him to the grace of the Lord. ⁴¹He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Learning to pray

Good evening friends,

Today's reading has Jesus teaching his disciples using the Lord's prayer and two examples of persistence and generosity. Sometimes we feel like we don't know enough to pray, but truly we do. With practice and some learning we will grow closer to God. God wants to hear our prayers; it doesn't matter if we have the right words or not.

God bless,
Sam

Luke 11:1-13

He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” ²He said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. ³Give us each day our daily bread. ⁴And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial.”

⁵And he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; ⁶for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.’ ⁷And he answers from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’ ⁸I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs. 

⁹“So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. ¹⁰For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. ¹¹Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? ¹²Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? ¹³If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

as the deer

Good morning friends,
Today's reading is the basis of one of our songs for worship on Sunday. The writer has a strong relationship with God, but feels like God is far away. She also feels persecuted by enemies, some of whom used to be her friends. She remembers better times when she had the respect of her community, but now she feels alone and like everyone makes fun of her. People even pick on her because of her faith. The beauty of the psalm is its honesty about hardship and the psalmist's trust in God even when times are hard. I pray your day is easier than the psalmists, but that your faith would be strengthened and encouraged by hers.

God bless,
Sam

Psalm 42

¹As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. ²My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God? ³My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me continually, “Where is your God?”

⁴These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I went with the throng, and led them in procession to the house of God, with glad shouts and songs of thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival. ⁵Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help ⁶and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.

⁷Deep calls to deep at the thunder of your cataracts; all your waves and your billows have gone over me. ⁸By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. ⁹I say to God, my rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I walk about mournfully because the enemy oppresses me?” ¹⁰As with a deadly wound in my body, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me continually, “Where is your God?”

¹¹Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.

tents and meeting

Good morning friends,
Please remember to keep the Gammariello family in prayer as they continue to mourn Dominic's death and celebrate his life. The memorial service will be tomorrow morning at 10:30 with refreshments to follow. It would be great to see you there.

Today's reading gives us a snapshot of everyday life in Israel's traveling camp. Outside the camp was a tent for worship called the Tent of Meeting. It had altars and the ark of the covenant just like a mobile temple. Moses went out to speak with God there because he had a uniquely intimate relationship with God. We also get a glimpse of Joshua, Moses' assistant and successor. Even in those days of travel there were rituals and routines for keeping in touch with God. We don't need an elaborate tent, but finding regular ways to meet with God in our own lives is just as important today.

God bless,
Sam

Exodus 33:7-11

7Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp; he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp. 8Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would rise and stand, each of them, at the entrance of their tents and watch Moses until he had gone into the tent. 9When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the Lord would speak with Moses. 10When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise and bow down, all of them, at the entrance of their tent. 11Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then he would return to the camp; but his young assistant, Joshua son of Nun, would not leave the tent.

going deeper

Good morning friends,
Our short reading for today is comforting but also pushes the church forward. Laurelton is a welcoming church, which is one of the things that first attracted me here. We do a great job with friendliness, but too often we leave our relationships with each other at a fairly surface level. The challenge Peter has for us is to take it further, not only to be friendly but to, "Love one another deeply from the heart." What would it mean for us to dig deeply with our relationships? What would it mean to open ourselves to each other in a way that would allow us to share our deepest joys and sorrows? It sounds scary, but it also sounds wonderful. Digging up the soil of our lives through deep, loving relationship can allow the seeds of God's word to grow strong.

God bless,
Sam

1 Peter 1:22-25

22Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart. 23You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.



24For “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25but the word of the Lord endures forever.” That word is the good news that was announced to you.