The Second Week of October

Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7

1 The prophet Jeremiah sent a letter from Jerusalem to the few surviving elders among the exiles, to the priests and the prophets, and to all the people Nebuchadnezzar had taken to Babylon from Jerusalem. 

4 The Lord of heavenly forces, the God of Israel, proclaims to all the exiles I have carried off from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build houses and settle down; cultivate gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Get married and have children; then help your sons find wives and your daughters find husbands in order that they too may have children. Increase in number there so that you don’t dwindle away. 7 Promote the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because your future depends on its welfare.

Psalm 66:1-11

1 Shout joyfully to God, all the earth! 2 Sing praises to the glory of God’s name! Make glorious his praise! 3 Say to God: “How awesome are your works! Because of your great strength, your enemies cringe before you. 4 All the earth worships you, sings praises to you, sings praises to your name!” Selah 

5 Come and see God’s deeds; his works for human beings are awesome: 6 He turned the sea into dry land so they could cross the river on foot. Right there we rejoiced in him! 7 God rules with power forever; keeps a good eye on the nations. So don’t let the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah

8 All you nations, bless our God! Let the sound of his praise be heard! 9 God preserved us among the living; he didn’t let our feet slip a bit. 10 But you, God, have tested us—you’ve refined us like silver, 11 trapped us in a net, laid burdens on our backs

2 Timothy 2:8-15

8 Remember Jesus Christ, who was raised from the dead and descended from David. This is my good news. 9 This is the reason I’m suffering to the point that I’m in prison like a common criminal. But God’s word cannot be imprisoned. 10 This is why I endure everything for the sake of those who are chosen by God so that they too may experience salvation in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11 This saying is reliable: “If we have died together, we will also live together. 12 If we endure, we will also rule together. If we deny him, he will also deny us. 13 If we are disloyal, he stays faithful” because he can’t be anything else than what he is.

14 Remind them of these things and warn them in the sight of God not to engage in battles over words that aren’t helpful and only destroy those who hear them. 15 Make an effort to present yourself to God as a tried-and-true worker, who doesn’t need to be ashamed but is one who interprets the message of truth correctly.

Luke 17:11-19

11 On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he entered a village, ten men with skin diseases approached him. Keeping their distance from him, 13 they raised their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, show us mercy!”

14 When Jesus saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” As they left, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, when he saw that he had been healed, returned and praised God with a loud voice. 16 He fell on his face at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus replied, “Weren’t ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 No one returned to praise God except this foreigner?” 19 Then Jesus said to him, “Get up and go. Your faith has healed you.”

We read…

Are we able to recognize the good news of Jesus in all stages of life? It is definitely easier said than done sometimes! In Jeremiah, we watch as God calls God’s people to continue living life to the fullest during their time in exile. God is challenging them to not ignore their lives or be taken over by despair. Even in this season, they should live as God wants them to live and know that God will bring them out of exile one day. 

The psalmist for this week talks about God refining the people like silver, and even when that refining is hard (or even when it is done in exile), it is still good news for us. We’re called to praise God in every season of our lives! We remember that Jesus lived, died, and rose again for us, we praise God for this, and we continue to walk in the ways we have been called. 

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?
  

• God tells the people to continue to live their lives in exile, how do you think this felt to hear?
  

• Why do you think the Samaritan (or outsider) was the only one who returned to thank 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 is it easiest to praise God? When is it hardest?
  

• The men in Luke 17 were healed by Jesus, but most didn’t return to thank him. Has Jesus ever done something for you that you forgot to thank him for or give him credit for?

We believe…

In Luke 17, we find 10 men with skin diseases that caused them to be on the outside of society. Jesus heals them, and only 1 recognizes that Jesus was deserving of praise and honor. Just like Jesus's parable in Luke 10, we may expect that this man who turned back was the most religious of the 10. We may expect that he could have even been an important church person before receiving this disease. Of course we would know that he wasn’t deserving of this disease if he was able and willing to see God at work! But then we find out that he wasn’t a Jewish man with an upstanding church reputation. No! He was a Samaritan. Jesus keeps bringing Samaritans into his stories when we least expect it!

The person who would be the least likely to turn around is the only one to recognize Jesus’s power, the only one to offer a word of praise. This is important for us today - we believe that all are welcome at Jesus’s table. God has offered love and salvation to all people. And sometimes, the people we least expect are the ones who turn around, the ones who actually see what God has done, they’re the ones who lead us in how we’re supposed to live. We believe that Jesus came for all people, even the people who we least expect.

We practice…

Take time this week to reflect on what God has done in your life. What praises can you offer up to God today? What has God done in the past for you? What has God done recently? Reflect on where you find yourself (whether that is in a season of exile, a season of mundane time, a season of excitement, etc.). How is God calling you to live in this season? Who can you share life with and be honest with about where you’re at? Text or call a friend, small group leader, pastor, and tell them about where you’re at spiritually. Share one of your praises with them. Talk about ways that you can live out your faith in whatever season you find yourself in.