Bethlehem Lutheran Reads the Bible

John 21

blchurch — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 02:00:54 +0000

Jesus appears again to the disciples while they are on the sea attempting to catch fish. After a miraculous catch of fish, the disciples have breakfast with Jesus on the beach. After breakfast, Jesus starts to question Peter . . . Do you love me? Each time Peter answers and Jesus follows with instruction. What question does Jesus keep asking you over and over? How do you answer? The dialogue ends with two simple words . . . “Follow me.” How is Jesus asking you to follow—right now, today?

John 20

blchurch — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 02:00:04 +0000

It is early Sunday morning and Jesus has been in the tomb since Friday. Mary arrives to find the stone rolled away. After the disciples come and find that Jesus’ body is not there, Mary remains in the garden looking for her Lord’s body. She recognizes Jesus when he calls her name . . . Do we ever hear our names in Scripture? How does God call you by name in Scripture?

John 19

blchurch — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 02:00:19 +0000

In many ways this passage is familiar as we hear part of it or even all of it every year at Good Friday. Yet there is still something unfamiliar and jarring as we hear again of what Jesus went through for our sake. What details stood out to you this time in reading this passage? There is certain simplicity, dignity and serenity in John’s telling of the crucifixion. Jesus’ statement, “I am thirsty,” the bowing of his head and the care that Joseph and Nicodemus take in attending to Jesus’ body. It reminds us again that at its core this story is about the end of a human life. In his death, Jesus gave up what human beings hold most dear – life—and he gave it up for one thing – love.

John 18

blchurch — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 02:00:32 +0000

Jesus is arrested and put under question. There is a sense of confusion about what to do with Jesus—Annas, Caiaphas, Pilate each ask their questions. Charges are made, but nothing sticks, other than the desire to have Jesus executed. Jesus doesn’t fit anyone’s expectations of what it means to be a king or a messiah or a sent one from God. What tone of voice do you hear Pilate saying “What is truth?” How do differences in tone change how you might interpret what is happening or how Pilate might understand who Jesus is. Meanwhile, Peter is also put under question—Who is Jesus for you, Peter? He says Jesus means nothing. Ouch. What would you say if someone asked you—Who is Jesus for you?

John 17

blchurch — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 02:00:54 +0000

Jesus prays for the disciples. What does Jesus pray for? Knowing that he had but hours to live before his arrest, trial and death, Jesus prays for the disciples and their experience of faith, truth, belonging, witness, and God’s love. Period. Now for a moment—stop. Think of these verses as Jesus just praying for you and your faith and life in God. Read the chapter over again and ask—which prayer petition of Jesus do you need to hear most? Which petition surprises you or captures your imagination for God in your life?

John 16

blchurch — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 02:00:17 +0000

Jesus is preparing the disciples for his death. He is also preparing the disciples for the time when he will no longer be present in the same way. Jesus says he will leaven them. And the Holy Spirit will come to them. Jesus leaves. The Spirit comes. In the narrative, Father, Son, and Spirit participate together in revealing God and enabling faith. Jesus does not present a flat picture of God as one dimensional, but here God is made known in the interplay of Father, Son and Spirit. Trinity can seem like a difficult subject, but another way of talking about Trinity is simply the narrative of how Father, Son and Spirit give us a fuller engagement with God. God is about sending: the father sends the son, the son sends the spirit, the spirit sends the disciples. God is about deep fellowship in the mutual relationship of Father, Son, and Spirit, and that God names a similar deep fellowship with disciples. Is such a deep fellowship attractive or unsettling to you? Where do you see God’s fellowship at work in your church?

John 15

blchurch — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 02:00:21 +0000

Jesus continues his final instructions to the disciples at the Last Supper. One tradition of interpretation is to see chapters 13-17 as instructions to the post resurrection church. Jesus is saying—Listen, this is what life in the resurrection is all about. Here, Jesus talks about the importance of making our home in Jesus, being grafted to Jesus like a vine. The idea of faith here is one of deep belonging, not only with Jesus, but also with the community of believers. We draw our life from Jesus, as a branch draws life grafted to the vine, and one outcome is that we might have the joy of God. Where have you seen or experienced the joy of God? Is joy difficult to talk about?

John 14

blchurch — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 02:00:46 +0000

The setting is the last supper and Jesus continues to instruct the disciples. Jesus says he is the way, the truth, the life. One of the early designations of Christians was that they were called “People of the way.” The way means that Jesus himself and a relationship with Jesus serve as way for us. How is Jesus the way for you? Where do you see Jesus taking you? Jesus also talks about sending the Holy Spirit to the disciples, who will comfort and make everything plain to the disciples. Lutherans talk about how it is the Spirit that gives faith. How have you been comforted, befriended by the Spirit of God in times of need?

John 13

blchurch — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 02:00:00 +0000

Jesus has a last meal with the disciples. He washes their feet and he gives a new command to love one another as we are loved by Jesus. Peter resists having his feet washed. Is it hard or easy for you to receive service or help from others? Taking the washing as a metaphor for loving service, what ways do you see feet being washed in your congregation? The supper meal was one of intense intimacy of friendship and deep disappointment. Judas left the table to betray Jesus. Jesus predicted that Peter would deny him. Yet, Jesus still washed their feet, shared the meal, and later will call them friends. What has been a memorable communion meal for you? What made it so?

John 12

blchurch — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 02:00:26 +0000

Jesus enters Jerusalem with hosannas. The crowds give him glory and honor. Quickly, in what follows, Jesus talks about his true glory happening in the darkness of the cross. He draws on a common metaphor of a seed needing to die in the ground in order to sprout new life. We get the point, but it is not an easy point to accept. So often, we really don’t want to lose anything we have. We want everything, and we want Jesus in addition. Jesus talks about the way of God as the way of the cross, the way of loss and death as the way to life and true meaning. How do you see this metaphor as true in your experience? What do you have a hard time letting go of, in order for new life to sprout?