Have you done your homework? In preparation for our “Why Us?” discussion on Sunday, February 28, following our 10 a.m. Zoom worship service, please review the following Bible verses to help us address questions such as “Why has God planted us here, in this place, today? Why do we exist? Why us?”
- Matthew 28:16-20
- Mark 6:35-44
- Colossians 3:12-17
- Luke 10:29-37
- Matthew 5:14-16
Your thoughtful preparation will greatly enrich our conversation as we work toward determining our new congregation’s mission at Christ the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. Below are the Bible verses, which can be found in the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV):
Matthew 28:16-20
After the resurrection, Jesus reassures his disciples and commissions them to go…
[16]Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had
directed them. [17]When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.
[18]And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has
been given to me. [19]Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20]and
teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I
am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Mark 6:35-44
Jesus, urged to send people away by his disciples, has a different idea. While
they see no way to feed the throngs of people, Jesus acts. And they distribute
the abundance of his grace.
[35]When it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place,
and the hour is now very late; [36]send them away so that they may go into the
surrounding country and villages and buy something for themselves to eat.”
[37]But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” They said to him,
“Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread, and give it to them
to eat?” [38]And he said to them, “How many loaves have you? Go and see.” When
they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” [39]Then he ordered them to
get all the people to sit down in groups on the green grass. [40]So they sat down in
groups of hundreds and of fifties. [41]Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he
looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to his
disciples to set before the people; and he divided the two fish among them all.
[42]And all ate and were filled; [43]and they took up twelve baskets full of broken
pieces and of the fish. [44]Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand
men.
Colossians 3:12-17
With soaring words Paul describes what it means to live together in Christ.
[12]As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion,
kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. [13]Bear with one another and, if
anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has
forgiven you, so you also must forgive. [14]Above all, clothe yourselves with love,
which binds everything together in perfect harmony. [15]And let the peace of
Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And
be thankful. [16]Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one
another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns,
and spiritual songs to God. [17]And whatever you do, in word or deed, do
everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father
through him.
Luke 10:29-37
Jesus surprises the lawyer who wants to know what it takes to inherit eternal
life with a story that suggests that more than knowledge is involved, but
compassion to those who are cast to the margins of life, deemed untouchable
by “religious” folks.
[25]Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do
to inherit eternal life?” [26]He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do
you read there?” [27]He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your
heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind;
and your neighbor as yourself.” [28]And he said to him, “You have given the right
answer; do this, and you will live.”
[29]But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
[30]Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into
the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him
half dead. [31]Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw
him, he passed by on the other side. [32]So likewise a Levite, when he came to the
place and saw him, passed by on the other side. [33]But a Samaritan while
traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. [34]He
went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them.
Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of
him. [35]The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and
said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more
you spend.’ [36]Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who
fell into the hands of the robbers?” [37]He said, “The one who showed him mercy.”
Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
Matthew 5:14-16
In this short exhortation from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus encourages his
followers to bear visible witness to his way, a witness that glorifies God, not
themselves.
[14]”You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. [15]No one
after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and
it gives light to all in the house. [16]In the same way, let your light shine before
others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in
heaven.
If you will not be able to participate in our Zoom “Why Us” gathering on February 28, we welcome your thoughts and reflections on these Biblical texts, which we hope will stir for you some ideas about what the mission of our church really is.