Sunday, Week 1. Unto Us is Given the Gospel

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1 Sunday, Week 1 A synonym for gospel is good news. The gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are the good news carried to us in Jesus Christ. Those to whom this good news was first given passed it along, first verbally, and later in letters and manuscripts written in Greek. It took several years of careful work to bring together what we now know as the first four books of the New Testament. Before the Gutenberg press, the only copies of the gospels were in the hands of the priests. Diligent monks copied by hand the scriptures and carefully handed them on to future generations. We are indebted to generations of persons who have been good stewards of the gospel. Aside from a few ancient manuscripts that archaeologists have found in ancient caves, the scriptures have not been buried. They have been read, copied, discussed and debated. They have given light and hope from one generation to another. I remember as a young child my parents insistence that we read the Bible each night before going to bed. While I didn t understand all that was read, many of the stories have been etched on my mind and heart all these years. My parents were good stewards of the gospel. But stewardship of the gospel means more than reverence for the Bible. The gospel is the message of hope and salvation that God gave us in Jesus. That message is for all the world, not just for those who call themselves Christians. The good news calls us to feed the poor, work for justice, and proclaim that in Christ there is peace. God has placed in our hands a precious coin, the gospel. We have the choice to bury it or put it to use. What would it mean for us to multiply the good news? What will we do that will bring God s response, Well done, good and faithful steward. Take a moment to inventory the ways you have received this coin. List your first recollection of the gospel stories. Name those who have been the stewards of the gospel for you. Identify the times when the gospels have been good news for you. Write your favorite verse of scripture. Consider making a commitment to use this coin. Grateful for the gospel that God has given and wanting to assure that it is passed on to future generations, I can and am willing to do the following: 1. 2.

2 Monday, Week 1 Our approach to the gospel Charles Wesley, in a poem, Whether the Word be Preached or Read, based on 2 Corinthians 3:5-6, wrote, Unmixed with faith, the Scripture gives no comfort, life, or light to see, but me in darker darkness leaves, implunged in deeper misery, overwhelmed with nature s sorest ills. The Spirit saves, the letter kills. In graduate school I took a New Testament course in which one of the best students was a rabbi. Because of his knowledge of Jewish scripture and tradition, his insight into the teachings of Jesus opened new windows to understand some the humorous way Jesus dealt with his adversaries. The Rabbi was fascinated with Jesus teaching, and while he valued them, his reading of them did not come from a faith perspective. While I have studied the gospels in the earliest languages and analyzed verse after verse, I have concluded that the real power of the Scripture comes from believing that Jesus was and is God s gift to us. 1. Reflecting on Wesley s statement, the sprit saves, the letter kills, how does this help us in our approach to scripture? 2. Read several chapters from one of the gospels. What stands out in your experience? The new information you received or the guidance for your spirit? 3. Think back about discussions of Scripture with others. Was the point to win an argument or to let the Scripture speak to you?

3 Tuesday, Week 1 The Gospel: our chart and compass The hymn, O Word of God Incarnate, is one of my favorites. However, like many of the other hymns I sing, I have not taken time to read the words. The third stanza of this hymn has new meaning to me. The Scripture is a banner before God s host unfurled; it is a shining beacon above the darkling world. It is the chart and compass that o er life s surging tide, mid mists and rocks and quicksands, to you, O Christ, will guide. William W. How penned these words in Reflecting on this verse, consider what it would mean to you if you utilized the scripture as a map and compass for your life. Using this analogy I have realized that while I can usually read a map well, there are times I need a compass, because the roads on the map twist and turn. If I know the direction on the compass I must follow to reach my destination, the map becomes a tool to help me get there. It is the Holy Spirit that points us in the right direction and the scriptures that provide the map for the journey. 1. Read a few chapters from the gospels. Describe the roadmap that Jesus gives us. 2. Name the direction you want to take in your life. Is it where God is pointing you? Is the direction one supported by Scripture? 3. Name the times when you have felt the presence of Christ.

4 Wednesday, Week 1 Gospels have different audiences The Word became flesh and was among us. We have seen the glory of the One and Only, who came from God, full of grace and truth. John testified, This was the one that I told you about...for the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (Paraphrase of John 1:14, 15 and 17 The gospel of John, probably the last written of the four gospels, refers to Jesus as the Word. For John, Jesus embodied the Word of God...in Jesus, God is fully revealed. The entire New Testament represents the efforts of these early followers of Jesus, some of whom were disciples, and others like the Apostle Paul who experienced the power of Christ after the resurrection and ascension of Christ. Each writes to a different audience and has a particular focus. Matthew begins his book, A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham. Mark begins, The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is written in Isaiah the prophet: I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way And Luke starts his gospel, Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the Word. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. 1. What special insight into the teachings of Jesus does each gosepl writer seek to give? (You may need to read a few more verses to get the flavor of each writer.) 2. Which writer speaks most clearly to you? 3. What is the thread that runs through each gospel?

5 Thursday, Week 1 The gospel is for sharing Ananias, a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all Jews, came to see Saul. Ananias said, Brother Saul, receive your sight! And at that very moment Saul was able to see. Ananias told Saul that God had chosen him to see and hear the words of the Righteous One. Ananias said, You will be God s witness to all people of what you have seen and heard. (Paraphrase of Acts 22:12-15) This is the account of what happened after Saul s blinding experience on the road to Damascus. The experience changed both the name and nature of Saul. From that day his name was Paul. This experience sets the tone for the response expected of all Christian to be witnesses to the good new of Jesus Christ. Sharing the good news has taken many forms. Hardly a hotel room is without a Gideon Bible. We give Bibles to children of the Church School. Hardly a home is without a Bible. In Paul s day there were not Bibles to share. All sharing was through letters and word of mouth. We are indebted to Paul, a prolific writer of letters. Through his pen we have the best glimpse of what the early church was like and the impact the life of Jesus had on them. We need to be freed from our timidity. In my years of working with a variety of churches, I found one congregation in which the members were reluctant to even tell their neighbor where they went to church for fear they would be offended. To share the good news may be a radical step for some. 1. When was the last time you shared your faith story with another person? 2. If someone asked you a question about the teachings of Jesus, would you be prepared? 3. What steps are you willing to take to share the good news of Christ?

6 Friday, Week 1 We are the living gospel You are the light of the world. You can t hide a city on a hill. People don t light a lamp to cover it up, but to give light to the entire room. In the same way, you are to let your light shine so that people see your good deeds. In this way you give praise to God. (Paraphrase of Matthew:14-16) In John s gospel, Jesus refers to himself as the light of the world. The message of both passages is the same. We carry and reflect the gospel in the way we live our lives. For many people the only good news they will ever see and hear is what they observe in us. This is the most powerful way to multiply the gospel coin. It was so powerful that it allowed the early church to grow without the benefit of the written word. Light helps us see more clearly, provides a beacon when we are lost, illumines our path so we can avoid hazards along the way. Bearing the light of Jesus in our lives we have the opportunity to shed light on the meaning of life, guide a lost person to safety and provide meaning to a life that seems to have no purpose. In this light the gospel shines through us. In which of the following are you willing to commit yourself as a way to multiply this coin? 1. I will strive tolive so that the gospel is reflected in all that in my words and actions. 2. I will share the gospel story at least once each week. 3. I will join a study group to equip myself to share the gospel.

7 Saturday, Week 1 The gospel; a precious gift In one of my favorite hymns are the words, Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path. Now I will not forget your love for me and yet my heart forever is wandering. Jesus be my guide and hold me to your side, and I will love you to the end. I sometime suffer from the familiar. When the scripture is read, I listen with only one ear, because I am already familiar with the passage. Or we sing a hymn and what I sing are just words. In so many ways we take for granted the freedoms we have to read the Bible, and interpret its meaning Fortunately there are moments when Scripture takes on special meaning. It may be at a wedding when I Corinthians 13 is read by a family member; or at a memorial service when Psalm 23 is recited. When we open ourselves to let the Bible speak to us it becomes that lamp unto our feet, a light unto our paths. Those verses come to our rescue most easily after we have studied the Bible, even committed verses to memory. To put the Gospel Coin to full use mean making a commitment to know the Bible so that it becomes an integral part of the memory chip of our mind, the music of our soul and the lens through which we see the world. Consider making the following commitments: 1. I will read the Bible daily a minimum of one chapter each day. 2. I will memorize a minimum of five Bible verses each week. 3. I will read the words in at least one hymn each worship service beforewe sing it. 4. I will follow along in the pew Bible as the Scripture is read.