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Week of April 16: In Service of the King
This week we celebrate Pastor Bryan and Tami’s fifteen years of service here at Hillspring. Over the years, our church has been on a path of learning to serve our community’s needs, to support the hurting and lost, and to be beacons of love and hope to those around us. These acts are important because they reflect the two greatest commandments Jesus gave us in Matthew 22:36-40. It says, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” This week, we will explore what it looks like to put this love into action by examining various examples in the Bible. We hope you join us! (Val)
Monday, April 17
(Val)
This passage in James is intriguing. Just a few verses, but so packed with information to be considered! What really strikes me about this passage is that it seems to show how really simple loving God and others actually is. First, we show love for God by getting rid of all the “crud” in our lives and by doing what God has instructed us to do. Second, we show love to others by serving those in need. I love that throughout the New Testament, we see how loving God in return frees us and allows us to love others effectively.
One thing that hit me really hard in this short passage is the idea of keeping a tight rein on the tongue, and if I don’t, my religion is useless. I think of all the times I have failed to keep my tongue in check and said things I should not have. While I am thankful for God’s grace and forgiveness in this area, I also see the importance of watching what I say. How can I exhibit God’s love if I talk trash about others or gossip about things? Why does it seem so difficult at times to keep our conversations pure and free of things we should not be thinking and saying? How can we help one another avoid inappropriate conversations that destroy our witness?
James wrote that it is not enough to just hear the word, but to do it. Specifically, he emphasized that the true religion God accepts is the care of widows and orphans. What seems to be the message of this statement as it pertains to our “doing” of the word?
Tuesday, April 18
(Val)
I love the Parable of the Good Samaritan. I heard this story often growing up in church, and have read it many, many times. I always seem to find something new and important to me each time I read it. When reading through it this time, I found an interesting connection to the passage in James 1:19-27. Remember, James talked about not just listening to the word, but doing it? In this passage from Luke, a man asks what he needs to do to be saved. When questioned by Jesus, the man answers that he must love the Lord and his neighbor, but then he asks Jesus who his neighbor is. To answer that, Jesus uses this very powerful and still-timely parable, which is the epitome of doing the word!
The Jews and Samaritans were at odds with one another, with the Jews believing the Samaritans were unclean half-breeds. This is because the Assyrians had conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel, and assimilation occurred. The Jews despised the Samaritans so much, they wouldn’t even travel through Samaria, even if they had to travel further to avoid doing so. In using the Samaritan as the hero of this parable, Jesus was making a bold statement about prejudice, judgment, and social justice. What did he want the man to learn, and what is the lesson for us today?
Who is my neighbor? I love that Jesus used this story to illustrate a very important concept: it’s not enough to say we love others, we have to act with love as well! Even those we don’t agree with or maybe don’t even like very much! How might being obedient in loving others change us at the core of our being? What impact could we have on our families, communities, and world if we chose to love others as Jesus loves them?
Wednesday, April 19
(Maria)
Today, let’s take some time to step out of traffic, to step out of the usual flow of a study guide and perhaps into a different kind of space. Consider this a pause. Ironically, I was just reflecting on pausing, and I hope that this is God speaking and saying, “Take a moment to be reflective”. Some additional irony is that my daughter’s name is Selah (Say-la–she asked me to put in the pronunciation), today is her birthday, and it’s Wednesday, a good time for a mid-week pause.
When I was a little girl, I had it in my head that someday I would name my daughter Selah. I encountered the term Selah in the Psalms and couldn’t get over it. I liked the mystery of the term because any Bible that I had at that time gave me no insight into the meaning of the term, except that it was a musical reference for the Psalms. Later, with the invention of the Internet, I wasn’t able to find anything additionally helpful about the word’s meaning for quite some time. But the year my daughter was born, I searched the Internet again and came across the most meaningful entry on a website which went into tracing the roots of the term Selah. According to that site, the term's origins came from a Hebrew word “calah” (saw-law') which addressed weights and scales. The entry said that by adding the term Selah to the Psalms, it was meant to be a pause in the text, but the intention wasn’t just musically based, it was literally meant to be a time for weighing and measuring what was said. Perhaps, another way to approach the meaning of the term could be to slow down, reflect, and weigh what was said. So, for today, I would suggest choosing a Psalm to slow down and reflect on. I have one that I was weighing and thinking about this week.
Psalm 46 (NIV)
Psalm 46 (The Message)
To help with your time of reflection, may I suggest you look at more than one translation of the text and consider how the meaning changes with different translations. I pray that this time of reflection helps you see this passage in a new way. What new insights did this time of reflection and study create for you today?
Thursday, April 20
(Maria)
What keeps us from serving others? What keeps us from helping ‘our neighbor’ or putting ourselves in the place of people like the Good Samaritan? On Sunday, Pastor Bryan and Reggie McNeal discussed the challenge in the Church (not just locally, but the overall Church) of our “Us” and “Them” mentalities. I’ve pondered the challenge of loving and helping our neighbors as I’ve considered what makes Christians act like non-Christians. I think the question that we might use in conversations on this topic is “How could they call themselves Christians?” I’ve been very reflective about this topic over the past few years as our nation and world encounters so much division. I have often found it difficult to maintain relationships or sometimes I’ve just lost a desire to interact with people and categories of people–you know, them!
Honestly, over time my judgmental thoughts become tiresome and overwhelming. I think this is partly because I turn to God and say, “LOOK AT THEM! Don’t you see how they’re acting?!”
As a Christian, my thoughts about people, my judgments, seem problematic. The following passages have helped me reconcile my roiling thoughts on the problem of people, the problem of them, and the problem of loving my neighbor.
What should we take away from these verses? We need to know our place. Why is that beneficial? Because it gives us peace. I don’t have to concern myself with the drama of what others are doing. I am called to serve. I am called to go and do what God has told me. That is my business. Not the status of others. Do you know how freeing it is to let go of assessing other people? What a relief to turn people over to God and then ask God, what should I do next? This is not my problem, Lord, but is there something I can do in this situation to show your love?
Reflect on your posture towards people whom you encounter in your day-to-day life. Known and unknown. Who do you struggle the most with not judging? How might God like you to respond to them?
Friday, April 21
(Val)
Both of these passages mention acting out of love and providing hospitality to others. According to an article in the Suffolk News-Herald titled “What is Christian Love,” author Chris Surber explains, “Speaking biblically, hospitality is treating strangers and friends alike. It is welcoming one another into our homes and lives. Hospitality is a sacred duty.” In fact, the passage from Hebrews claims that by providing hospitality to others, some have entertained angels!! So, it makes sense that this act is considered a sacred duty. Years ago as a young wife and mother, I read a book by Edith Shaeffer (wife of author Francis Shaeffer) titled “Hidden Art of Homemaking.” In it, she described how to make a home welcoming, comfortable, and beautiful, even if it isn’t perfect or brand new. It was really all about hospitality and how to welcome others into an environment that would make them feel at home. These passages reminded me of the importance of bringing others in, welcoming them, and showing them the love of Jesus, friends and strangers alike!
In our fast-paced society, where we often fill every free minute with activities and obligations, how can we take time to show hospitality to others? What might be the end result if we as Christians were more intentional about inviting others into our homes to break bread together and get to know each other better?
Both of these passages imply the importance of practicing empathy towards others out of love. Empathy is not sympathy. Empathy is more than feeling sorry for someone’s circumstances. Empathy is putting ourselves in others’ shoes and relating to their experiences in a very real and relational way. Empathy builds relationships up and helps make real connections with one another, which is what being part of the body of Christ is all about. How can we be intentional about practicing empathy, showing compassion, and creating real bonds with one another in our busy and often hectic lives?
Saturday, April 22
(Val)
I find the stories of Jesus’ interactions with people in need very compelling. He was so compassionate and willing to meet the needs of those who came to him, searching for something from him. In the following passages, Jesus heals a woman of a long-lasting health problem, raises a daughter of a desperate father from the dead, helps a despised tax-collector change his ways, and feeds four thousand hungry people! He did not show impatience or irritation at these requests, and always gave more than he was asked for. He treated them with respect and kindness, and did not let his own activities or obligations get in the way of serving others. What great examples Jesus modeled for us in how we should respond to others, care for each others’ needs, and show compassion and love for our fellow humans.
Time…we all have a limited supply of this commodity, right? We feel the pressure of “doing” and “being,” and the lack of time to “get it all done.” By filling our time up so fully, sometimes we miss the moments and relationships that are actually where we need to be investing our limited time. Jesus provided a great example of taking time out of his day to spend with others, meeting their needs both physically and spiritually. How can we slow down and be more aware of those important moments and encounters that Jesus might be orchestrating that could be life-changing for someone? Or even life-changing for us personally?
The compassion Jesus exhibited to those in need is such an example for me! I have not always been patient and compassionate. Yet, over the years, Jesus has used relationships, circumstances, and even a chronic illness to teach me to have patience and compassion towards others. I am not perfect, but I have grown in this area and am still growing. I think that old saying, “What would Jesus do?” really has made me stop and think about my attitude towards others’ needs. Have you ever experienced compassion at a time when you truly needed it? Has there been a time when someone has showered love and compassion on you when you may not have deserved it? How did that make you feel? How did that change the way you looked at other people in need? Why is showing compassion so important for us as followers of Christ?