Things die and become new – even better than we could have imagined. God has a deep, persistent, unwavering commitment to us, – from the least to the greatest. God forgives even “grossly imoral acts” and more…not even remembering them. How did the public perception of Christianity and Jesus’ followers get so messed up? New life, faithfulness, forgiveness are what God is all about, and that’s what Jesus’ followers are trying to share. Good thing God forgives when we screw up, right?
HUB Bible Study meets in Sbarro (in a booth near the windows if we’re lucky) at Noon on Mondays, so come join the conversation. It is informal, friendly and open. You can bring a Bible, but we’ll bring the readings printed out (and a Bible for reference, too).
If you can’t be there, you can be part of the conversation anyway! Below are the readings for this week and some questions to consider. Above are some thoughts from the conversation. Post your comments and questions, if you like!
This week, as you read, you may want to think about how God brings new life, and God’s covenant with us.
John 12:20-33
20Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. 21They
came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will
honor.
27Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say — ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. 28Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” 29The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. 31Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. 32And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die.
What did you notice?
Where have you seen Jesus this week?
When have you encountered something new and full of life coming from something else dying?
What parts of life do you love and not want to loose?
Jeremiah 31:31-34
31The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 32It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt — a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the LORD. 33But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, “Know the LORD,” for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the LORD; for I will forgive their
iniquity, and remember their sin no more.
What do you notice?
What is it like for the law to be within us?
What does “. . . remember their sin no more” mean to you?
Hebrews 5:5-10
5So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming a high priest, but was appointed by the one who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”; 6as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.”
7In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8Although he was a Son, he learned obedience
through what he suffered; 9and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, 10having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.