Discussion for 4 January 2015

Matthew 2:1–12

2In the time of King Herod, 

after Jesus was born in 

Bethlehem of Judea, wise men 

from the East came to Jerusalem, 

²asking, “Where is the child who

 has been born king of the Jews? 

For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay

 him homage.” ³When King Herod heard this, he was 

frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; ⁴and calling together 

all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired 

of them where the Messiah was to be born. ⁵They told him,

 “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the 

prophet: ⁶‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are 

by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from 

you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people 

Israel.’” ⁷Then Herod secretly called for the wise men 

and learned from them the exact time when the star 

had appeared. ⁸Then he sent them to Bethlehem, 

saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and 

when you have found him, bring me word so that 

I may also go and pay him homage.”⁹When they had 

heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went 

the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over

 the place where the child was. ¹⁰When they saw that the star

 had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. ¹¹On entering

 the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they 

knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their 

treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, 

and myrrh. ¹²And having been warned in a dream not to 

return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

For Consideration
-In the Christian tradition, the season of Epiphany is a season for 
new sight, new vision, and paradigm shifts. How does this passage
correlate to an Epiphany?

Discussion for 21 December 2014

LUKE 1:26-38

²⁶In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, ²⁷to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” ²⁹But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. ³⁰The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. ³²He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. ³³He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” ³⁴Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” ³⁵The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. ³⁶And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. ³⁷For nothing will be impossible with God.” ³⁸Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

FOR CONSIDERATION

-What does this passage say about Mary's character?

-In verse 34, is Mary doubting the words of Gabriel? If so, why was she not punished like Zechariah?

-In verse 38 Mary says she is a servant of the Lord. Is she resigning herself to be a passive vessel for the work of God?

Discussion for 14 December 2014

JOHN 1:6-8, 19-28

⁶There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. ⁸He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.

¹⁹This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” ²⁰He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.” ²¹And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” He answered, “No.” ²²Then they said to him, “Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” ²³He said,  
     “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 

          ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’” 
as the prophet Isaiah said.

²⁴Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. ²⁵They asked him, “Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?” ²⁶John answered them, “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, ²⁷the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.” ²⁸This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.

FOR CONSIDERATION

How does John embody our relationship with Christ?

How could this passage help with the many folks who find Advent and Christmas more as occasions for loneliness and sorrow then community and joy?

Discussion for 7 December 2014

 MARK 1:1-8

¹The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

²As it is written in he prophet Isaiah, 
     “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, 
          who will prepare your way; 
³   the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 
          ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, 
          make his paths straight,’” 
⁴John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. ⁶Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. ⁸I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

FOR CONSIDERATION

-What do you consider the most pressing political situations of our present time?

-Why would John the Baptist preach repentance as an introduction for the One coming who "will baptize you with the Holy Spirit?"