Cyber Portal

Pentecost Group -- Bible Study 4

salin@reddoors.com (Salin Low) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 09:35:00 +0000

Conflict with Judaism

1. Read Acts 3 and 5. From Acts 3,what, if anything is the significance of Peter and John going into the temple for the prayer service?

2. Why does Peter begin his speech with, “The God of Abraham and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our Fathers”?

3. From Acts 4:1-22, what was the charge that Peter and John were arrested on? Is this consistent with their interrogation the following day?

4. From Acts 5:17-24, what new element do you see entering into the arrest story in contrast to the one narrated in the previous chapter?

5. What was the reason behind the Sanhedrin’s decision to release them? From Acts 4:1-22.

6. What is the function of the Spirit in 5:32? How do you think the Holy Spirit fulfilled this function then? How does He today?

7. What statements made by Peter and other apostles could be interpreted as anti-Semitic? Since the apostles were Jewish themselves, how do you understand their attacks on “the Jews?”

Seeds Planted in Us and by Us

salin@reddoors.com (Salin Low) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:02:00 +0000

June 14, 2009 -- Proper 7 -- God's work in us and through us is often like the planting of seeds. It often takes us awhile to realize what seeds have been planted within us. We may never know the seeds of God's love that we have planted in the lives of others.

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The Community of God

salin@reddoors.com (Salin Low) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:00:00 +0000

June 7, 2009 -- Trinity Sunday -- God acts and we know God's acts in community. The idea of the Trinity -- the three expressions of God's presence and concern -- reveals the essential community of God's nature. When we share our experiences of God's involvement in our lives with the community, those experiences are strengthened and made even more true for us and for the community.

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The Newborn Church

salin@reddoors.com (Salin Low) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:56:00 +0000

May 31, 2009 -- Pentecost -- The church was "born" on Pentecost. The people there didn't really know what would happen in the days and years ahead. The church we've received needs to be "reborn" in our time -- and we need to be as open to a new creation as those first people following in Jesus' Way.

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Leaders Known and Unknown

salin@reddoors.com (Salin Low) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:53:00 +0000

May 24, 2009 -- Easter 7
Judas' replacement chosen -- Matthias
He was one of the first twelve leaders of the church, but we never hear about him again. Being a leader doesn't always mean one gets to be famous!

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Pentecost Group -- Bible Study 3

salin@reddoors.com (Salin Low) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:20:00 +0000

Read Acts 2.

This is Luke's account of the coming of the Holy Spirit to the disciples and the beginning of the church.

1. On the day of Pentecost, when the disciples were aware of the Holy Spirit, does the passage say there was an outward appearance of the Spirit? What do you think it was?

(Note: The day of Pentecost, which was 50 days after Passover for Jews, brought people together to honor God’s giving the ten commandments to Moses. The law defined the people’s relationship with God and with one another.)

2. Was the baptism of the Spirit for individuals or a body of believers?

3. What is meant by the gift of tongues? How can we understand that in our time?
(Read Genesis 11:1-9 [attached] and 1 Corinthians, Chapters 13-14. The Genesis reading tells us about being divided by different languages and the Corinthians passage talks about the gift of tongues in the early church.)

4. What does this passage tell us about the requirement for an apostle in the early church? How does this apply to us today?

5. What was Peter’s sermon on Pentecost about? Does this have anything to do with us?

6. How can the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives help us to understand each other?

Holy Spirit or Gremlin

salin@reddoors.com (Salin Low) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:52:00 +0000

Yesterday was wonderful, although it seemed as if our patron saint -- Confusion -- was in control.

First the cake had misspelled Cheryl's name. A little dental surgery from Dr. Gargiulo corrected that.

Then the Gospel reading wasn't quite marked.

The recorder to get the sermon was knocked over in both services.

Readings were done out of order at 10 a.m.

I know that most people missed most of the flubs, but it does require a bit of smoothing over. At least things are never dull.

Pentecost Group -- Bible Study 2

salin@reddoors.com (Salin Low) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:43:00 +0000

The Christian Community

1. From Acts 1:12-26, which talks about the first Christian community after Christ’s ascension, comment on the significance of those present.

2. What do you find of importance in the election of Mathias?

3. From Acts 2:42-46, describe life in the early Christian community. What does that say to us today?

4. From Acts 4:23-35, what was it the community prayed for and how did God respond?

5. What do you think Acts 14:23 tells us about the early organization of the Christian community (see also Acts 11:30)?

6. What do these readings add to your understanding of life as a Christian?

7. How does our community compare to the earliest community? Do we want to be more like them? How would we do that?

Pentecost Group -- Bible Study

salin@reddoors.com (Salin Low) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 11:09:00 +0000

We started our discussion of the Book of Acts. Here's the first lesson and questions. Other references and assistance will happen later.

Read Acts 1:1-12 (http://bible.oremus.org/)

Questions

1. What earlier work is referred to by the author in Acts 1:1? How do Jesus’ last instructions to the apostles seem to indicate this book is a completion of the first?

2. What do you find important about the apostles’ questions to Jesus in verse 6? How are they still somewhat confused as to the nature of the Kingdom?

3. Read Mark 16:14-20, Matthew 28:16-20, Luke 24:44-43, and John 20:16-23. What direction was given to the disciples by Jesus in each instance? Taking into account these passages, do you think his direction applies to the church today? How?

4. What do you think is the key verse in Acts 1:1-12? Why?

Next meeting is July 7. Lessons will be posted weekly.

Pentecost is coming! Will you notice?

salin@reddoors.com (Salin Low) — Mon, 25 May 2009 11:09:00 +0000

Sunday is Pentecost, the traditional birthday of the church. It was the day the Holy Spirit allowed the original disciples to speak in "tongues" -- so that Jews from all over the nearby world could understand them. The disciples' excitement and willingness to share their faith brought in a reported 2,000 new Christians in one city on that day.

Our celebration of Pentecost is pretty low key these days. If enough people in the congregation wear red, it's about as much excitement as we can absorb. Of course, this year we're baptizing a young boy, so that's exciting.

The real challenge, it seems to me, is to say something that the "world," anyone not already in the church, can understand and finds important enough to change their lives. That's one reason I'm starting the "Pentecost Group" on Tuesday, June 2 -- to figure out how to speak to the world and what we Christians have to say to the world.

Angels with Strange Faces

salin@reddoors.com (Salin Low) — Mon, 18 May 2009 14:38:00 +0000

May 17, 2009 Easter 6

The length of the sermon says something about how important I think the message is. Our words on Easter must be translated into actions later. The Holy Spirit calls us over and over to risk our comfortable, familiar community in order to share the good news of new life with those who seek and need it.

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Pruned that we may grow

salin@reddoors.com (Salin Low) — Mon, 11 May 2009 09:24:00 +0000

May 10, 2009 Kevin Case

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Miracles in Our Lives

salin@reddoors.com (Salin Low) — Thu, 07 May 2009 19:20:00 +0000

April 26, 2009 -- Easter 3
Stan Morask
i

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We live in an age of miracles. We just need to look for them and for Christ's hand in them.

The voice of the shepherd

salin@reddoors.com (Salin Low) — Thu, 07 May 2009 19:15:00 +0000

Sermon for May 3, 2009 10 AM - Good Shepherd Sunday

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Whose voice calls to us and which voice should we follow?

Calling all apostles!

salin@reddoors.com (Salin Low) — Mon, 04 May 2009 14:45:00 +0000

As a follow-up to the sermon I gave on April 19 (which is posted under A New Pentecost), I wrote my piece for our newsletter The Portal, which can be found at www.reddoors.com Here is part of what I said:

Now we need to think how we can be better apostles — how we can let others know the ways our faith has made our lives better and invite them to share in Christ’s promise of new life for all. Many of you set strong examples of service and compassion in your various activities. Some of you have brought friends to church, probably because you let them know that the church is important to you. These are among many possible acts of apostleship.

I plan to convene a group soon which will consider ways that the parish can support your individual efforts to spread the good news, as well as fulfilling its own mission of sharing the message of Jesus Christ. This may include providing training or creating materials that tell what the church is doing or public relations efforts. If any of you would be willing to be part of this group, please let me know.

I've had a couple of people say they want to be part of this group. What the group is and can become will depend on the particular gifts of the participants. Some of the work will necessarily be face to face, and some will be individual or via technology. Please consider prayerfully whether you would be willing/able/interested in helping St. John's to develop apostles and to send out the good news in a form which our world can receive.

He is still risen!!

salin@reddoors.com (Salin Low) — Mon, 04 May 2009 12:10:00 +0000

Easter Morning 2009 10AM

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I know we're now in the second half of Easter, but it's good to remember the joy we felt at its start. Remaining Easter people is always a challenge.

A new Pentecost -- for all of us

salin@reddoors.com (Salin Low) — Mon, 04 May 2009 11:47:00 +0000

This sermon was important to me. I think it's the beginning of an idea about how to shape and revitalize the ministry of St. John's. If you want to join the discussion, let me know.

April 19, 2009 -- Easter 2

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The Beginning of Pentecost

It's still Easter

salin@reddoors.com (Salin Low) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 15:13:00 +0000

It's hard to remember when the world moves on. This music -- "Come Again" sung by one of my favorite groups over the decades -- the Swingle Singers -- echoes my feelings about getting back some of the excitement of Easter morn. And there are still nearly 40 more days of Easter. Just like Lent

salin@reddoors.com (Salin Low) — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 10:00:00 +0000

He is risen!! Alleluia!!

Many of the depictions of the Resurrection look silly to 21st eyes used to amazing special effects. What is amazing is how that Resurrection has changed the world In spite of the fact that the people of the time mostly slept through it, those who were willing to stake their lives on it found the power and the peace to be able to tell others that they had nothing left to fear -- not even death.

Have a blessed Easter!

Do you hear the rooster?

salin@reddoors.com (Salin Low) — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 15:38:00 +0000

Good Friday 2009 Sermon

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Time in between

salin@reddoors.com (Salin Low) — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 10:00:00 +0000

Lent really ended yesterday. Easter is tomorrow. So what is today? It is a quiet time, a time to take a breath and give thanks both for what has been and what is about to be.

As the sun sets today, we'll hear the story of God's intentions for humanity. Then we'll renew our baptismal vows and be anointed with the chrism blessed by the bishop. It is our connection with the early church, as well as our promise to take the church into an exciting future.

It is time both holy and mundane. It is like most of our life.

God's Friday

salin@reddoors.com (Salin Low) — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 10:00:00 +0000

He was despised and rejected by others;
a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity;

and as one from whom others hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him of no account.

Surely he has borne our infirmities
and carried our diseases;

yet we accounted him stricken,
struck down by God, and afflicted.

Isaiah 53:3-4

It's called Good Friday as a variation on God's Friday. But it is hard to understand God's willingness to die in such an ignominious way. And we have been more than willing to look away, to pretend this didn't have anything to do with us.

If only we would look and see beyond the suffering to the love and generosity on the cross. Then it would be a truly Good Friday.

A feast of remembrance

salin@reddoors.com (Salin Low) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 10:00:00 +0000

This day shall be a day of remembrance for you. You shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD; throughout your generations you shall observe it as a perpetual ordinance.

Exodus 12:14

This verse refers to the observance of the Passover -- the time when God passed over the homes of Israelites and visited a killing plague on the Egyptians. Then God helped the Israelites to pass over the Red Sea and escape slavery in search of a promised land and freedom. Passover has been observed more or less annually for more than 3,000 years. This year's observance began last night.

Tonight Christians will have their own day of remembrance, remembering Jesus' last supper, which took place in conjunction with his observance of Passover. We've been observing that event for a mere 2,000 years.

But there are some differences from the Passover. We are not limited to an annual observance what Jesus has done for us. Rather we can observe it many times a year. And our observance is not only about something which took place in the past. It is about what continues to happen in the present. The risen Christ continues to offer us escape from slavery -- slavery to sin and death. He has also promised to be present in the bread and the wine -- in an unexplained but very real way.

It is good for us to know the story of the Exodus. It is even better for us to live that story as people of faith who put our trust in Jesus Christ and his gracious love.

Learning to teach

salin@reddoors.com (Salin Low) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 10:00:00 +0000

The Lord GOD has given me
the tongue of a teacher,
that I may know how to sustain
the weary with a word.
Morning by morning he wakens--
wakens my ear
to listen as those who are taught.

Psalm 50:4-5

The complete teacher both speaks and also listens. And it's not just about those who see teaching as their vocation. The psalm is for all of us, who are called to help others know the joy and strength that comes from our relationship with God. But knowing how to teach others about that relationship comes from listening to what causes them distress and difficulty teaches us what words will help them. And listening to God teaches us that what we are to say will be God's gracious gift to us.

What does your cross stand for?

salin@reddoors.com (Salin Low) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 10:00:00 +0000

The message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

1 Corinthians 1:18

The cross has been a powerful symbol for nearly 2,000 years, but what does it symbolize? I bought a slice of pizza in Philadelphia one day, and the clerk asked me what my cross meant. He was wearing a coptic cross. Someone had told him the coptic part, but he didn't seem to understand that all the variations of the cross represent the same thing -- Christ's total sacrifice of himself for us.

Conversations like that one in the pizza place make me wonder whether a cross is really an appropriate accessory item. We wouldn't wear a tiny electric chair or a miniature hangman's noose. Does a cross pendant or cross earrings trivialize the solemnity of that first cross and the value of what we were offered on that hill outside Jerusalem?