The Second Week of November

I am writing this week with the help of my college intern, Tanner Smith. He is a Flint Central college student planning to study ministry, and he has helped me process this week’s readings! I am grateful for the many voices who speak into these weekly devotionals, and I hope you feel the same.

Job 19:23-27a

23 

Oh, that my words were written down,

        inscribed on a scroll

24 

    with an iron instrument and lead,

        forever engraved on stone.

25 

But I know that my redeemer is alive

        and afterward he’ll rise upon the dust.

26 

After my skin has been torn apart this way—

    then from my flesh I’ll see God,

27 

        whom I’ll see myself—

        my eyes see, and not a stranger’s.

Psalm 17:1-9

1 Listen to what’s right, Lord; pay attention to my cry!

Listen closely to my prayer;   

it’s spoken by lips that don’t lie!

2 My justice comes from you; let your eyes see what is right!

3 You have examined my heart, testing me at night.

You’ve looked me over closely,   

but haven’t found anything wrong. My mouth doesn’t sin.

4 But these other people’s deeds? I have avoided such violent ways

by the command from your lips.

5 My steps are set firmly on your paths; my feet haven’t slipped.

6 I cry out to you because you answer me.   

So tilt your ears toward me now—listen to what I’m saying!

7 Manifest your faithful love in amazing ways   

because you are the one who saves those who take refuge in you, 

saving them from their attackers by your strong hand.

8 Watch me with the very pupil of your eye!   

Hide me in the protection of your wings,

9 away from the wicked who are out to get me,       

away from my deadly enemies who are all around me!

2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17

1 Brothers and sisters, we have a request for you concerning our Lord Jesus Christ’s coming and when we are gathered together to be with him. 2 We don’t want you to be easily confused in your mind or upset if you hear that the day of the Lord is already here, whether you hear it through some spirit, a message, or a letter supposedly from us. 3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way. That day won’t come unless the rebellion comes first and the person who is lawless is revealed, who is headed for destruction. 4 He is the opponent of every so-called god or object of worship and promotes himself over them. So he sits in God’s temple, displaying himself to show that he is God. 5 You remember that I used to tell you these things while I was with you, don’t you?

13 But we always must thank God for you, brothers and sisters who are loved by God. This is because he chose you from the beginning to be the first crop of the harvest. This brought salvation, through your dedication to God by the Spirit and through your belief in the truth. 14 God called all of you through our good news so you could possess the honor of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold on to the traditions we taught you, whether we taught you in person or through our letter. 16 Our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and a good hope. 17 May he encourage your hearts and give you strength in every good thing you do or say.

Luke 20:27-38

27 Some Sadducees, who deny that there’s a resurrection, came to Jesus and asked, 28 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies leaving a widow but no children, the brother must marry the widow and raise up children for his brother. 29 Now there were seven brothers. The first man married a woman and then died childless. 30 The second 31 and then the third brother married her. Eventually all seven married her, and they all died without leaving any children. 32 Finally, the woman died too. 33 In the resurrection, whose wife will she be? All seven were married to her.”

34 Jesus said to them, “People who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are considered worthy to participate in that age, that is, in the age of the resurrection from the dead, won’t marry nor will they be given in marriage. 36 They can no longer die, because they are like angels and are God’s children since they share in the resurrection. 37 Even Moses demonstrated that the dead are raised—in the passage about the burning bush, when he speaks of the Lord as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. 38 He isn’t the God of the dead but of the living. To him they are all alive.”

We read…

A major theme in the readings for this week is God’s salvation. Right before this week’s passage from Job, we see that Job is filled with a deep sorrow because of what is happening in his life. But in the midst of that sorrow, he has a brief reminder of the hope he finds in God. He remembers that God will come through for him, even when life seems to be falling apart. Our psalmist feels the same way! We hear the reminder of God’s salvation and protection, and we know that God hears us when we call out. 2 Thessalonians encourages us to stand firm in our faith and to know that our salvation comes from God and nowhere else. These are wonderful reminders for us, no matter where we find ourselves today. 

And then we get to Luke. It feels like such an out of place passage, or at least it did to us! We’ve heard these words about God’s rescue and salvation, and then we get this interesting passage about a bunch of brothers who can’t seem to stay alive and their wife who probably feels like a bad luck charm. What does this have to do with God’s salvation? Even more honestly, what is this passage trying to tell us in general? It’s one of those chunks of Scripture that gets passed over anytime the preacher is considering what to preach on next week. 

In Luke 20, the brothers were obligated to marry their oldest brother’s wife, and they do. They’re taking care of her since she didn’t have children to fulfill that role, and that’s good. We’re called to care for people who need it. But then the Sadducees start talking about the resurrection, and it’s clear that this is meant to be a trick question. They don’t care about the “right” answer, they’re just trying to trap Jesus. So instead of answering with a solution of brother #1 (or 2 or 3 or…), Jesus reframes the question. He explains that the answer isn’t one of the brothers because in the end, the most important relationship is to God. The woman doesn’t need to be defined by her husband, she will be defined by her relationship to God. God saves and redeems us, no one else can do that, and in the end, that’s what matters.

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 in the church?
  

• What are you considering?
  

• What questions come to mind?
  

• How is God revealed in brokenness (like we see in Job)?
  

• Why do you think the Sadducees used this question in Luke 20 to try and trick Jesus?

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 it is something in creation, maybe a friend or adult that cares for you)?
  

• What has God made new in your life? In your heart? 
  

• When have you called on God in your own life?
  

• What or who helps you to stand firm in your relationship with God?

We believe…

This week’s theme is salvation - a topic that a lot of Christians spend a lot of time trying to understand. You could spend hours talking about the different beliefs surrounding salvation and what your church specifically thinks about this topic, and this isn’t a bad way to spend your time! But at its very core, salvation reflects the love that God has for us. God has offered us salvation from the sin that traps us up, from the things that hold us back, from the weight that sin puts on our shoulders, and that is good news for us today. Salvation is a gift freely given by the grace and love of God, and it’s ours to accept if we choose to do that. 

We practice…

Take time to reflect on your story and how God has been present in your life. When did you need God’s salvation and redemption? How has that changed you? Then, try sharing this story with someone in your life. Maybe that is a small group leader or a trusted friend. Encourage them to share their own story too. If you’re willing, consider sharing this story with someone you know who is outside of the church. Ask if they would be willing to hear about your relationship with Jesus, and share about how God has been there for you.