Biblical Reflections for February, 2007.
Biblical Reflections for February, 2001.
Sunday, February 4
Read: Luke 5:1-11
Consider: Jesus calls four fishers while they are in the midst of their routine fishing activities by the Sea of Galilee. After borrowing Peter's boat and teaching the crowd on the shore while standing in it, he requests that they do some fishing. Although the four have fished all night without any success, somehow they are convinced by Jesus' words and put out into deep water. Now the catch is so great that their nets strain and nearly break. Peter falls to his knees, somehow knowing that Jesus is more than just a man, that the Holy has come near in him. Jesus recruits them as disciples, saying, "Soon, your catch will be people, not fish." They "leave everything behind" and follow Jesus.
Reflect:
+ What do you think it was about Jesus that prompted Peter to honor his request to go fishing even though the disciples had had no luck that evening?
+ What does this story suggest about Jesus' call to people (then and now) to be disciples?
+ Why do think Jesus might have chosen these rather undistinguished men to be his disciples, men without obvious qualifications or experience to be a disciple?
+ Are you troubled by the report that these four "left everything behind" to follow Jesus? What about their family, work, and community responsibilities? Do Christians today who "leave everything behind" sound like fanatics to you? Or examples of faith? Should we feel guilty if we find we cannot leave everything behind to follow Jesus in discipleship?
Sunday, February 11
Read: 1 Corinthians 15:12-20
Consider: Here is Paul's strong manifesto on the resurrection of Jesus: all is in vain if the resurrection is fiction. Apparently some in Corinth had doubts about their own resurrection. Paul seeks to assure them by linking their destiny to Christ's: the risen Christ is the "first fruits" for all who die; that is, in his resurrection we glimpse our own future and know that the end is Life, not death.
Reflect:
+ Do you believe in the resurrection? In your resurrection?
+ What hope for this life might belief in the resurrection of the dead have?
+ How can we keep belief in the resurrection from becoming "escapist," so focused on the life to come that we neglect our calling in this life to do God's work?
+ Later in this chapter Paul speaks of what is resurrected as a "spiritual body." (15:43). How can a body be spiritual? Is this a contradiction in terms? What might Paul be getting at?
+ Do you think there would have been a Christian faith without the resurrection? If no...why? If you think yes... how would it be different, what would it be like?
Sunday, February 18
Read: Luke 9:28-36
Consider: This is the story of Jesus' transfiguration, which also appears in Matthew and Mark. It shares many similarities to the story of Moses' encounter with God (Exodus 34:29-35), and in fact, Moses appears in this story in the disciples' vision of the transfigured Christ. The disciples glimpse in Jesus the very glory of God shining through his being. A voice from a cloud proclaims nearly the exact words proclaimed at Jesus' baptism (Luke 3:22): "This is my Son, the Chosen; listen to him!" This story is a "turning point" in Jesus' ministry as it takes place just before Jesus "sets his face to go to Jerusalem" (and the cross). Could this vision have been a spiritual reassurance and strengthening of these disciples faith in light of the suffering and rejection that lay ahead?
Reflect:
+ Have you ever had a "mountaintop experience" in which you sensed you were in the presence of the Holy? What has been your most memorable spiritual experience in life?
+ What might the figures of Moses and Elijah speaking with Jesus suggest about Jesus and his ministry?
+ Peter asked to build little dwellings (sanctuaries?) there on the mountain. What do you think he sought to do by asking this? Why was Jesus not supportive of this idea, do you think?
+ The story that follows this one is of Jesus and the disciples coming down the mountain and finding a distraught father with an epileptic child in need of healing. What, if anything, do you think might be the connection between these two stories?
Sunday, February 25
Read: Luke 4:1-13
Consider: Jesus is tested in the wilderness before his ministry begins; it is the doing of the Holy Spirit (not the devil). But the devil is there as a smooth-talking tempter who makes offers to Jesus that would be hard to refuse. It is not that the offers are evil in themselves, but that they represent distortions of Jesus call to be Messiah. "Stones to bread" could mean the feeding of many hungry people -- but Jesus is about more than providing physical food. Power over the kingdoms of the world could be beneficial for the people if the one wielding the power were benevolent -- but Jesus is called to wield a different kind of power. Leaping from the pinnacle of the Temple and being saved by God's angels could be a powerful means of demonstrating God's power -- but to do so would be tempting God...the motive would be all wrong. His offers rejected, the devil leaves...but only until another "opportune time." Jesus will be tested again before his ministry is over.
Reflect:
+ Is there any similarity between Jesus' temptations and the kinds of temptations we face? How are they similar? How are they different?
+ What are some of the difficult choices you have made...times when you felt tested by life? How did your faith support you in making the hard choices...if it did?
+ From this story, we get the familiar phrase: "Even the devil can quote scripture." How can scripture be a dangerous weapon in the wrong hands? Have you been aware of what you would consider "evil" using scripture to justify itself?
+ How does the devil (the power of evil) continue to be a slick, subtle, "smooth-talking" force today?
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