Discussion 26 February 2012

GENESIS 9:8-17

⁸Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, ⁹“As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, ¹⁰and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. ¹¹I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” ¹²God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: ¹³I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. ¹⁴When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, ¹⁵I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. ¹⁶When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” ¹⁷God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”

PSALM 25:1-10

¹   To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul. 
²   O my God, in you I trust; 
          do not let me be put to shame; 
          do not let my enemies exult over me. 
³   Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame; 
          let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

⁴   Make me to know your ways, O LORD; 
          teach me your paths. 
⁵   Lead me in your truth, and teach me, 
          for you are the God of my salvation; 
          for you I wait all day long.

⁶   Be mindful of your mercy, O LORD, and of your steadfast love, 
          for they have been from of old. 
⁷   Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; 
          according to your steadfast love remember me, 
          for your goodness’ sake, O LORD!

⁸   Good and upright is the LORD; 
          therefore he instructs sinners in the way. 
⁹   He leads the humble in what is right, 
          and teaches the humble his way. 
¹⁰  All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, 
          for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.

For Consideration:

-Why are these passages selected for the 1st Sunday of Lent?

-What does the Genesis scripture say about God's justice?

-Most Psalms are of a personal nature. What would you give a sermon on from the Psalm scripture?