The Second Week of August
We Read…
What does it look like to live in the shared community (or body) of Christ? According to our Ephesians passage, it means getting rid of destructive behaviors (like lying and anger that leads to sin and stealing, foul words to others, bitterness, and so on). It also means to pick up behaviors/ways of being that bring flourishing (like work that helps others, kindness, compassion, forgiveness that matches Jesus). It seems simple enough, but it can be hard to do these things all the time. Sometimes we’re hungry and get a little testy with our friends; sometimes we’re going through a rough season, and sometimes, we wake up and just don’t want to talk to anyone around us. But in these moments, we’re still called to imitate God in all we do.
The good news is that we don’t do this on our own! We rely on God’s strength and love to help us. In our Psalm for this week, we read as the psalmist cries out to God from the depths of their heart. When we feel like we’re at the end of our rope, when we’d rather take the easy way instead of the hard way, when we can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, we wait for God. We trust in God. We cry out to God and know that God will be with us.
2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33
5 The king gave orders to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai: “For my sake, protect my boy Absalom.” All the troops heard what the king ordered regarding Absalom to all the commanders. 6 So the troops marched into the field to meet the Israelites. The battle was fought in the Ephraim forest. 7 The army of Israel was defeated there by David’s soldiers. A great slaughter of twenty thousand men took place that day. 8 The battle spread out over the entire countryside, and the forest devoured more soldiers than the sword that day. 9 Absalom came upon some of David’s men. Absalom was riding on a mule, and the mule went under the tangled branches of a large oak tree. Absalom’s head got caught in the tree. He was left hanging in midair while the mule under him kept on going.
15 Then ten young armor-bearers of Joab surrounded Absalom, struck him, and killed him.
31 Then the Cushite arrived and said, “My master the king: Listen to this good news! The Lord has vindicated you this day against the power of all who rose up against you.” 32 The king said to the Cushite, “Is my boy Absalom okay?” The Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my master the king and all who rise up against you to hurt you end up like that young man.” 33 The king trembled. He went up to the room over the gate and cried. As he went, he said, “Oh, my son Absalom! Oh, my son! My son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you! Oh, Absalom, my son! My son!”
Psalm 130
1 I cry out to you from the depths, Lord— 2 my Lord, listen to my voice! Let your ears pay close attention to my request for mercy! 3 If you kept track of sins, Lord— my Lord, who would stand a chance? 4 But forgiveness is with you— that’s why you are honored. 5 I hope, Lord. My whole being hopes, and I wait for God’s promise. 6 My whole being waits for my Lord— more than the night watch waits for morning; yes, more than the night watch waits for morning! 7 Israel, wait for the Lord! Because faithful love is with the Lord; because great redemption is with our God! 8 He is the one who will redeem Israel from all its sin.
Ephesians 4:25-5:2
25 Therefore, after you have gotten rid of lying, Each of you must tell the truth to your neighbor because we are parts of each other in the same body. 26 Be angry without sinning. Don’t let the sun set on your anger. 27 Don’t provide an opportunity for the devil. 28 Thieves should no longer steal. Instead, they should go to work, using their hands to do good so that they will have something to share with whoever is in need. 29 Don’t let any foul words come out of your mouth. Only say what is helpful when it is needed for building up the community so that it benefits those who hear what you say. 30 Don’t make the Holy Spirit of God unhappy—you were sealed by him for the day of redemption. 31 Put aside all bitterness, losing your temper, anger, shouting, and slander, along with every other evil. 32 Be kind, compassionate, and forgiving to each other, in the same way God forgave you in Christ. 1 Therefore, imitate God like dearly loved children. 2 Live your life with love, following the example of Christ, who loved us and gave himself for us. He was a sacrificial offering that smelled sweet to God.
John 6:35, 41-51
35 Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
41 The Jewish opposition grumbled about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They asked, “Isn’t this Jesus, Joseph’s son, whose mother and father we know? How can he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” 43 Jesus responded, “Don’t grumble among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless they are drawn to me by the Father who sent me, and I will raise them up at the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets, And they will all be taught by God. Everyone who has listened to the Father and learned from him comes to me. 46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God. He has seen the Father. 47 I assure you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness and they died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven so that whoever eats from it will never die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever, and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
We Think…
What stands out to you in these verses? Does anything confuse you or not make sense?
How do these verses compare to your own experience in life or the church? What are you considering? What questions come to mind?
What questions come to mind?
What does it mean to wait like the night watch? How do you picture this in your head?
We Feel…
What emotions are you experiencing today? How are you making space for these feelings?
Where have you seen God today or this week? What is pointing you to God (maybe something in creation, maybe a friend or adult who cares for you)?
What has God made new in your life? In your heart?
When have you cried out to God?
When have you experienced Jesus as the bread of life? How has God sustained you?
We Believe…
I can understand why the crowd in John 6 was a little confused by Jesus. Can you imagine hearing these words for the first time? I am the bread! Uh, no, you’re Jesus. The bread for the world is my flesh! Uh, that’s a little weird, Jesus. If you’ve been around the church for a while, maybe you’re more used to this kind of language, but imagine hearing it for the first time. Jesus sometimes spoke in ways that were confusing to the people around him, and I think this is a good example of one of those times! But what Jesus says is true. Just like the manna sustained the Israelites in the wilderness, Jesus sustains us now. Jesus is our source of life, and he wants us to rely on him! We don’t actually have to take a bite out of his flesh, but we do practice the sacrament of communion and remember that he gave his very real body so that we could live a flourishing life through him.
We Practice…
Reread the verses from Ephesians, and reflect on the behaviors we’re called to give up and take on. What sticks out to you the most from these? Connect with a group of friends or a trusted adult this week, and discuss one thing you want to work on. Maybe you have struggled with saying harsh words to the people around you; talk about how you can intentionally build others up this week. Maybe you want to be more compassionate and talk about how you can take action steps to do this in your community or circle of friends.
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