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This Week at First

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November 24th: King of Kings and Lord of Lords


Christ the King Sunday: One of the most famous pieces of music is the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s Messiah. Are the words “King of kings, and Lord of lords” ringing in your ears? Beautiful music, but what does it mean? Our scriptures will be taken from Revelation 1:4b-8 and John 18:33-37 as we try to come to grips with what it means to accept Jesus as our King of kings and Lord of lords.


See you Sunday.


Grace and Peace,

Pastor Jim


 

Revelation 1:4b-8


4 Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne,  5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and freed[a] us from our sins by his blood,  6 and made[b] us to be a kingdom, priests serving[c] his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

 

7 Look! He is coming with the clouds;    every eye will see him,even those who pierced him;    and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail.

So it is to be. Amen.

 

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.


 

John 18:33-37


33 Then Pilate entered the headquarters[a] again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”  34 Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?”  35 Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?”  36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.”  37 Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”  


 






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November 17th: Sacrifice


What does “sacrifice” mean to you? Do you think of ancient rituals from the Old Testament? Do you think of the sacrifice made by those who defend our freedom? And do you consider what is an appropriate sacrifice for you to make to your God? This week we will look at the sacrifice Hannah made to God in 1 Samuel 1:4-20. We will also revisit last week’s Gospel reading of Mark 12:38-44.


See you Sunday.


Grace and Peace,

Pastor Jim


 

1 Samuel 1:4-20


4 On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters; 5 but to Hannah he gave a double portion,[a] because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb.  6 Her rival used to provoke her severely, to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb.  7 So it went on year by year; as often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat.  8 Her husband Elkanah said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? Why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?”

 

9 After they had eaten and drunk at Shiloh, Hannah rose and presented herself before the Lord.[b] Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord.  10 She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord, and wept bitterly.  11 She made this vow: “O Lord of hosts, if only you will look on the misery of your servant, and remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a male child, then I will set him before you as a nazirite[c] until the day of his death. He shall drink neither wine nor intoxicants,[d] and no razor shall touch his head.”

 

12 As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth.  13 Hannah was praying silently; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard; therefore Eli thought she was drunk.  14 So Eli said to her, “How long will you make a drunken spectacle of yourself? Put away your wine.”  15 But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman deeply troubled; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord.  16 Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation all this time.”  17 Then Eli answered, “Go in peace; the God of Israel grant the petition you have made to him.”  18 And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your sight.” Then the woman went to her quarters,[e] ate and drank with her husband,[f] and her countenance was sad no longer.[g]

 

19 They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at Ramah. Elkanah knew his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her.  20 In due time Hannah conceived and bore a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, “I have asked him of the Lord.”

 

 

Mark 12:38-44


Jesus Denounces the Scribes

38 As he taught, he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces,  39 and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets!  40 They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

 

The Widow’s Offering

41 He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums.  42 A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny.  43 Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury.  44 For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”


 







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November 10th: Right Reasons


Organ and Tissue Donor Sunday: “Right Reasons” are always a good starting point, whether we are referring to our personal relationships or our commitment to our church or our community. We will examine our reasons for what we do from the perspective of Ruth (Ruth 3:1-5, 4:13-17), the Psalmist (Psalm 127) and Jesus (Mark 12:38-44).


We will also hear from our Administrative Assistant, Heidi Reinbold on the life-giving gift represented by organ and tissue donations.


See you Sunday.


Grace and Peace,

Pastor Jim


 

Ruth 3:1-5, 4:13-17


Ruth and Boaz at the Threshing Floor

3 Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, I need to seek some security for you, so that it may be well with you.  2 Now here is our kinsman Boaz, with whose young women you have been working. See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor.  3 Now wash and anoint yourself, and put on your best clothes and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.  4 When he lies down, observe the place where he lies; then, go and uncover his feet and lie down; and he will tell you what to do.”  5 She said to her, “All that you tell me I will do.”


The Genealogy of David

13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When they came together, the Lord made her conceive, and she bore a son.  14 Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without next-of-kin;[a] and may his name be renowned in Israel!  15 He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has borne him.”  16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her bosom, and became his nurse.  17 The women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed; he became the father of Jesse, the father of David.


 

Psalm 127


Psalm 127

God’s Blessings in the Home

A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.

1 Unless the Lord builds the house,    

those who build it labor in vain.

Unless the Lord guards the city,    

the guard keeps watch in vain.

2 It is in vain that you rise up early    

and go late to rest,

eating the bread of anxious toil;    

for he gives sleep to his beloved.[a]

3 Sons are indeed a heritage from the Lord,    

the fruit of the womb a reward.

4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior    

are the sons of one’s youth.

5 Happy is the man who has    

his quiver full of them.

He shall not be put to shame    

when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.


 

Mark 12:38-44


Jesus Denounces the Scribes

38 As he taught, he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces,  39 and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets!  40 They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

 

The Widow’s Offering

41 He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums.  42 A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny.  43 Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury.  44 For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”


 







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