Tag: Saturday Morning

Saturday Morning, 19 Oct 2019 – Matthew 24:1-28 ~ signs of the end

Saturday Morning

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening:  (A Collect for Sabbath Rest – Saturday)

Almighty God, who after the creation of the world rested from all your works and set aside a day of rest for all your creatures: Grant that we, putting away all earthly anxieties, may be duly prepared to meet you in worship, and that our rest here upon earth may be a preparation for the eternal rest promised to your people in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Morning Reading: Matthew 24:1-28 (NLT)

Jesus Speaks about the Future

As Jesus was leaving the Temple grounds, his disciples pointed out to him the various Temple buildings. But he responded, “Do you see all these buildings? I tell you the truth, they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!”

Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?”

Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.

“Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.

“The day is coming when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke about—the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing in the Holy Place.” (Reader, pay attention!) “Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. A person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack. A person out in the field must not return even to get a coat. How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. And pray that your flight will not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again. In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones.

“Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. See, I have warned you about this ahead of time.

“So if someone tells you, ‘Look, the Messiah is out in the desert,’ don’t bother to go and look. Or, ‘Look, he is hiding here,’ don’t believe it! For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man comes. Just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near.
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Morning Reflection:

Signs of the End
“Tell us what sign will signal your return and the end of the world?”
– Matthew 24:3 –

The disciples’ questions link the return of Christ with this present age and the establishment of his Kingdom, i.e. the end of this world as we know it. The same concerns occupy believers today. Nevertheless, Jesus was clear –

“However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen,
not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself.
Only the Father knows.“
– Matthew 24:36 –

Still, the signs will preface a cataclysmic event on the Day of Judgement –

  • False prophets and messiahs, liars, deceivers and rampant sin…
  • Counterfeit signs and wonders by these false messiahs
  • Desecration of the Temple in Jerusalem
  • Wars and threats of war between nations and kingdoms…
  • Natural disasters – famines, earthquakes, lightning flashes

But don’t panic –

“But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world,
so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.”
– Matthew 24:14 –

Questions for consideration:

  • Consider current world events; do you see any signs that might point to the end? Please explain.
  • As you read through the signs of the end that Jesus described, are some more worrisome than others? Please explain.
  • What does your faith community teach about the end times? What do you expect? Please explain.
  • Since no one knows exactly when the end will come, what can you do to be prepared? Please explain.

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Morning Prayer:
for Trustfulness In Times Of Worry and Anxiety –

Most loving Father, you will us to give thanks for all things, to dread nothing but the loss of you, and to cast all our care on the One who cares for us. Preserve us from faithless fears and worldly anxieties, and grant that no clouds of this mortal life may hide from us the light of that love which is immortal, and which you have manifested unto us in your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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“Days of Elijah” – Robin Mark

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Closing:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Saturday Morning, 12 Oct 2019 – Matthew 21:12-27 ~ Are you a House of Prayer?

Saturday Morning

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening:  (A Collect for Sabbath Rest – Saturday)

Almighty God, who after the creation of the world rested from all your works and set aside a day of rest for all your creatures: Grant that we, putting away all earthly anxieties, may be duly prepared to meet you in worship, and that our rest here upon earth may be a preparation for the eternal rest promised to your people in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Morning Reading: Matthew 21:12-27 (NLT)

Jesus Clears the Temple

Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!”

The blind and the lame came to him in the Temple, and he healed them. The leading priests and the teachers of religious law saw these wonderful miracles and heard even the children in the Temple shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David.”

But the leaders were indignant. They asked Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying?”

“Yes,” Jesus replied. “Haven’t you ever read the Scriptures? For they say, ‘You have taught children and infants to give you praise.’” Then he returned to Bethany, where he stayed overnight.

Jesus Curses the Fig Tree

In the morning, as Jesus was returning to Jerusalem, he was hungry, and he noticed a fig tree beside the road. He went over to see if there were any figs, but there were only leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” And immediately the fig tree withered up.

The disciples were amazed when they saw this and asked, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?”

Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”

The Authority of Jesus Challenged

When Jesus returned to the Temple and began teaching, the leading priests and elders came up to him. They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?”

“I’ll tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question,” Jesus replied. “Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?”

They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask us why we didn’t believe John. But if we say it was merely human, we’ll be mobbed because the people believe John was a prophet.” they finally replied, “We don’t know.”

And Jesus responded, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.
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Morning Reflection:

Are you a House of Prayer?

‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!”
…The blind and the lame came to him in the Temple, and he healed them.
– Matthew 21:13-14 –

Jesus’ cleansing of the Temple in Jerusalem was specific to the circumstances that he found there at the time. The religious leaders had allowed the Temple of the Most High God to become a “den of thieves.” They had desecrated holy space that had been consecrated for worship and prayer, by turning it into a market place. But once cleansed, the Temple once again became a place of hope and healing under the authority of Jesus.

Sometimes believers forget who we are, or rather whose we are – we belong to God and our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit through which we must honor God. (1 Cor 6:18-20) And we too, cleansed and forgiven, can become instruments of God’s hope and healing under the authority of Jesus.

Questions for consideration:

  • Step back for a moment and try to view yourself as Jesus might view you – body, mind and spirit. Would you be considered a temple of the Holy Spirit? Why/why not? Please explain.
  • If there is some cleansing/forgiving to do in your life that would make you more serviceable to God? What would it be? Please explain.
  • What would it take for you to become an instrument of God’s hope and healing under the authority of Jesus? Please explain.

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Morning Prayer: For the Spirit of Prayer –

O Almighty God, you pour out on all who desire it the spirit of grace and of supplication: Deliver us, when we draw near to you, from coldness of heart and wanderings of mind, that with steadfast thoughts and kindled affections we may worship you in spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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“House of Prayer” – Eddie James

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Closing:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Saturday Morning, 05 Oct 2019 – Matthew 18:7-20 ~ What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin.

Saturday Morning

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening:  (A Collect for Sabbath Rest – Saturday)

Almighty God, who after the creation of the world rested from all your works and set aside a day of rest for all your creatures: Grant that we, putting away all earthly anxieties, may be duly prepared to meet you in worship, and that our rest here upon earth may be a preparation for the eternal rest promised to your people in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Morning Reading: Matthew 18:7-20 (NLT)

Matthew 18:7-20 New Living Translation (NLT)

“What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting. So if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand or one foot than to be thrown into eternal fire with both of your hands and feet. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

“Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father.

Parable of the Lost Sheep

“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away! In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish.

Correcting Another Believer

“If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.

“I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.

“I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”
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Morning Reflection:

“What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin.”

Every believer runs into temptation at one time or another – It’s inevitable, as Jesus noted in today’s reading. That’s why Jesus taught his followers to pray -“Don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.” (Matthew 6:14) However, Jesus’ concern here is not so much the reality of temptation, but its source, i.e. the people in the world that the evil one uses to tempt others, especially when their efforts are directed against the little ones – those who are weakest and most vulnerable among us.

What sorrow awaits them, they will be thrown into the fires of hell.

Questions for consideration:

  • Think about the society in which you live. How has its values and mores changed over your lifetime? Please explain.
  • How have attitudes and values changed toward children in particular? Please explain.
  • Can you think of examples of evil people who are targeting children for their evil purposes? Please explain.
  • Can you think of examples of evil people who are targeting new believers for their evil purposes? Please explain.
  • How do you think you should respond to evil people who tempt others, especially when there’s nothing you can personally do to change it? Please explain.

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Morning Prayer: For the Care of Children –

Almighty God, heavenly Father, you have blessed us with the joy and care of children: Give us calm strength and patient wisdom so to train them, that they may love all that is true, and pure, and lovely, and of good report, following the example of their Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
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“Lead Us Not Into Temptation” – Reba Rambo, Dony McGuire

Lead us not into temptation
Keep us from the snare of the wicked one
Lead us not into temptation
Deliver us from evil for your name’s sake

Satan’s like a roaring lion
Seeking whom he may devour
Lord let your spirit be a hedge about us
Protect us with your supernatural power

Lead us not into temptation
Keep us from the snare of the wicked one
Lead us not into temptation
Deliver us from evil for your name’s sake

We fight not with flesh and blood
But with spiritual wickedness
The great red dragon and his army’s making war
Clothe us with armor, we’ll come forth victorious

Lead us not into temptation
Keep us from the snare of the wicked one
Lead us not into temptation
Deliver us from evil for your name’s sake…
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Closing:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Saturday Morning, 28 Sep 2019 – Matthew 15:29-16:12 ~”Watch Out!”

Saturday Morning

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening:  (A Collect for Sabbath Rest – Saturday)

Almighty God, who after the creation of the world rested from all your works and set aside a day of rest for all your creatures: Grant that we, putting away all earthly anxieties, may be duly prepared to meet you in worship, and that our rest here upon earth may be a preparation for the eternal rest promised to your people in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Morning Reading: Matthew 15:29-16:12 (NLT)

Jesus Heals Many People

Jesus returned to the Sea of Galilee and climbed a hill and sat down. A vast crowd brought to him people who were lame, blind, crippled, those who couldn’t speak, and many others. They laid them before Jesus, and he healed them all. The crowd was amazed! Those who hadn’t been able to speak were talking, the crippled were made well, the lame were walking, and the blind could see again! And they praised the God of Israel.

Jesus Feeds Four Thousand

Then Jesus called his disciples and told them, “I feel sorry for these people. They have been here with me for three days, and they have nothing left to eat. I don’t want to send them away hungry, or they will faint along the way.”

The disciples replied, “Where would we get enough food here in the wilderness for such a huge crowd?”

Jesus asked, “How much bread do you have?”

They replied, “Seven loaves, and a few small fish.”

So Jesus told all the people to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, thanked God for them, and broke them into pieces. He gave them to the disciples, who distributed the food to the crowd.

They all ate as much as they wanted. Afterward, the disciples picked up seven large baskets of leftover food. There were 4,000 men who were fed that day, in addition to all the women and children. Then Jesus sent the people home, and he got into a boat and crossed over to the region of Magadan.

Leaders Demand a Miraculous Sign

One day the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus, demanding that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority.

He replied, “You know the saying, ‘Red sky at night means fair weather tomorrow; red sky in the morning means foul weather all day.’ You know how to interpret the weather signs in the sky, but you don’t know how to interpret the signs of the times! Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign, but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah.” Then Jesus left them and went away.

Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees

Later, after they crossed to the other side of the lake, the disciples discovered they had forgotten to bring any bread. “Watch out!” Jesus warned them. “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

At this they began to argue with each other because they hadn’t brought any bread. Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, “You have so little faith! Why are you arguing with each other about having no bread? Don’t you understand even yet? Don’t you remember the 5,000 I fed with five loaves, and the baskets of leftovers you picked up? Or the 4,000 I fed with seven loaves, and the large baskets of leftovers you picked up? Why can’t you understand that I’m not talking about bread? So again I say, ‘Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’”

Then at last they understood that he wasn’t speaking about the yeast in bread, but about the deceptive teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
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Morning Reflection:

“Watch Out!“

Then at last they understood that he wasn’t speaking about the yeast in bread,
but about the deceptive teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
– Matthew 16:12 –

Believers today live as strangers and aliens in a world permeated with lies and deception – fake news and false witnesses are everywhere both inside and outside the church. Perhaps the most outrageous are the pretenders – those who claim to be believers but seek to devour people of faith and good will.

Jesus’ warning against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees addressed the deceivers of his time. His point was that their deceit didn’t simply affect them, it affected everyone who listened to them and gave them credence. Lies and deception, fake news and false witnesses are like cancer cells that metastasize and eventually kill the entire body.

So what are believers to do? Watch out! Use our minds to think critically – ask yourself

+ Is it true? Does what is being said conform to the revealed will of God? Does it glorify God?
+ Is it consistent? Does what is being said now jibe with what was said earlier? Does it edify believers?

“Watch out!” Jesus warned them.
“Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

Questions for consideration:

  • Do you consider yourself a stranger and alien in this world? Please explain.
  • Can you identify some of the liars and deceivers in your part of the world? Please explain.
  • How have these liars and deceivers affected people of faith and goodwill around you? Please explain.
  • Once identified, how can you respond to the liars and deceivers in your world? Please explain.

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Morning Prayer: For Those Who Inform Public Opinion

Almighty God, your truth endures from age to age: Direct in our time, we pray, those who speak where many listen and write what many read; that they may speak your truth to make the heart of this people wise, its mind discerning, and its will righteous; to the honor of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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“Jesus Is Better” – Austin Stone

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Closing:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Saturday Morning, 21 Sep 2019 – Matthew 13:1-23 ~ Hear, Understand, and Produce a Harvest.

Saturday Morning

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening:  (A Collect for Sabbath Rest – Saturday)

Almighty God, who after the creation of the world rested from all your works and set aside a day of rest for all your creatures: Grant that we, putting away all earthly anxieties, may be duly prepared to meet you in worship, and that our rest here upon earth may be a preparation for the eternal rest promised to your people in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Morning Reading: Matthew 13:1-23 (NLT)

Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed

Later that same day Jesus left the house and sat beside the lake. A large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat there and taught as the people stood on the shore. He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:

“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

His disciples came and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?”

He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. That is why I use these parables, For they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.

This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says,

‘When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend. For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes—so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’

“But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.

“Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
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Morning Reflection:

Hear, Understand, and Produce a Harvest.

“The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word
and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
– Matthew 13:23 –

The parable in today’s reading reminds us that God wants his people to hear his word, understand his Word, and bear a bountiful harvest that reflects the goodness of his Word.

But, Jesus reminds his disciples that it doesn’t always work that way. The problem is not with the seed sown (God’s Word). The problem is with the fertility of the soil. And the same problems face us today – the parable is not simply about farming; it’s a story about the condition of of our hearts.

+ hardened- no understanding, God’s Word snatched away by the evil one.

+ shallow – no deep roots, God’s Word withers when faced with problems.

+ thorny – crowded – God’s Word replaced by worldly worries and wealth.

+ fertile – hear, and understand, God’s Word produces rich, bountiful harvest.

Questions for consideration:

  • Can you think of times when God has used his Word in you and through you to produce a harvest? Please explain.
  • Can you think of times when you were less than fertile soil for God’s Word? Please explain.
  • Can you identify people n your life who represent each of the soils listed in Jesus’ parable? How can you pray for them? Please explain.
  • How would you describe the condition of your heart right now? Please explain.

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Morning Prayer: For the Harvest –

Most gracious God, by whose knowledge the depths within us are broken up and the cloud of your Spirit rains upon us; Yield within us and through us the rich harvest for the Word you have scattered among us. Thank you for the increase and ingathering of its good fruit we see around us and around the world. Give us a just sense of these great mercies, and your saving grace, that we may walk before you in humility, holiness, and obedience all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be all glory and honor, world without end. Amen.
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“How Can I Keep From Singing” -Chris Tomlin

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Closing:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen