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September 30: Key Players and Main Narratives Acts 28:1–31 The book of Acts ends on a somewhat unsatisfying note. After all that Paul has been through—imprisonment, trial, shipwreck—we expect a showdown with Caesar or mass conversions of the Jews. Instead, the plot seems to sputter out. Paul arrives in Rome and appeals to the Jews living there. He quotes Isaiah to the Jewish leaders: “You will keep on hearing, and will never understand, and you will keep on seeing and will never perceive” ( Acts 28:26 ). When they fail to respond, Paul determines to reach out to the Gentiles. “They also will listen” ( Acts 28:28 ) and will respond differently. The poignant end of this book leaves Paul “proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, without hindrance” ( Acts 28:30 ). Facing either rejection or reception, he continues proclaiming the good news to both Jew and Gentile. Paul is a key player in the Church that is being ...

September 29, 2013 Lesson God Scatters the Nations ( Genesis 11:1-9 ) By Sam E. Stone After Noah and his family came out of the ark, they sought to follow God’s directions ( Genesis 8 , 9 ). Chapter 10 is sometimes called “The Table of Nations,” listing where the families of Noah’s sons settled after the flood. The chapter concludes, “These are the clans of Noah’s sons, according to their lines of descent, within their nations” ( 10:32 ). The Setting Genesis 11:1 , 2 Noah’s descendants were evidently nomadic people. They moved south and east to the land of Shinar. At some point, they determined to build a city in the region around the area later known as Babylon. Some students believe that Shinar is near where the Garden of Eden was located, since the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers both ran through that region. E. F. Kevan suggests that when Genesis states the world had one language and a common speech, it means that everyone spoke in the same way both as to ...

 September 29 Lesson 5 GOD SCATTERS THE NATIONS DEVOTIONAL READING: 2 Chronicles 34:22–28 BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE : Genesis 11:1–9 GENESIS 11:1–9 Lesson Outline Introduction A.  A Tale of Two Towers B.  Lesson Background     I. The Setting ( Genesis 11:1 , 2 ) A.  One Language ( v. 1 ) B.  One Location ( v. 2 )   II. The Scheme ( Genesis 11:3 , 4 ) A.  Resources ( v. 3 ) B.  Resolution ( v. 4 ) The Right Kind of Elevation III. The Sovereign God ( Genesis 11:5–9 ) A.  He Sees ( v. 5 ) B.  He Speaks ( vv. 6 , 7 ) What God Hears C.  He Scatters ( vv. 8 , 9 ) Conclusion A.  Humanity’s “Bridges to Nowhere” B.  God’s “Bridge to Somewhere” C.  Prayer D.  Thought to Remember [1] [1] Redford, Douglas, James B. North, et al. “God Scatters the Nations.” The KJV Standard Lesson Commentary, 2013–2014 . Ed. Ronald L. Ni...

SUNDAY , SEPTEMBER 29, 2013 | AFTER PENTECOST PROPER 21 YEAR C   Old Testament & Psalm , Option I              Old Testament       Jeremiah 32:1–3a , 6–15              Psalm       Psalm 91:1–6 , 14–16   or   Old Testament & Psalm , Option II              Old Testament       Amos 6:1a , 4–7              Psalm       Psalm 146              New Testament       1 Timothy 6:6–19               Gospel       Luke 16:19–31 Revised Common Lectionary, vols. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009).

SUNDAY , SEPTEMBER 29, 2013 | FEAST ST. MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS YEARS ABC              Old Testament       Daniel 10:10–14 , 12:1–3               Psalm       Psalm 91               Epistle       Revelation 12:7–12               Gospel       Matthew 18:1–11 or Luke 10:17–20 Lutheran Service Book Three Year Lectionary, vols. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009).

September 28: Turning the Tables Acts 26:1–32 When Paul presents the gospel before King Agrippa, we expect him to be defensive. But Paul is ready to shift the spotlight. He offers a surprisingly simple explanation of recent events and a testimony of his faith, and then he describes how the resurrection of Jesus changes everything. He deftly turns the tables and gives the king the opportunity to believe. Paul describes the gospel as something that was intended all along—it is nothing new: “Therefore I have experienced help from God until this day, and I stand here testifying to both small and great saying nothing except what both the prophets and Moses have said were going to happen, that the Christ was to suffer and that as the first of the resurrection from the dead, he was going to proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles” ( Acts 26:23 ). Paul respectfully tells Agrippa that his testimony should come as no great surprise. Agrippa knows of the Jewish faith, and he ...

September 27: The True Source of Leadership Zechariah 10:1–11:17 When leaders latch onto power, considering it their right, it’s destructive. God holds leaders to a higher standard because their words and actions cause others to rise or fall. When leaders of corporations, churches, or other organizations take their authority for granted, entire communities may end up fighting against God rather than with Him . Such was the case for the Israelites in Zechariah’s lifetime. The context suggests the people were mistakenly relying on Baal (the storm god) rather than Yahweh . Yahweh responded by reminding them and their leaders that He is the one who sends rain: “Ask rain from Yahweh in the season of the spring rain— Yahweh , who makes storm clouds, and he gives showers of rain to them, to everyone the vegetation in the field. Because the household gods speak deceit, and those who practice divination see a lie, and the dreamers of vanity speak in vain. Therefore the people wander like s...

September 26: Unexpected Opportunities Acts 23:23–24:27 When we are busy doing the work of the kingdom, how do we respond to obstacles that get in our way? Do we expect God to blast a path straight through so that we can proceed? We might read the drama of Paul’s life through this lens, waiting anxiously for God to open the way for Paul to continue his spectacularly successful work. Instead, God allows Paul to be imprisoned and put on trial. But as Paul defended himself before Roman officials, he recognized that God was using him in ways he hadn't expected. The conflict and rejection Paul encountered from the Jews provided him with the opportunity to share the gospel with some of the most influential Gentiles he would ever encounter. God used Paul’s trials to expand his ministry from the Jews to the Gentiles. Through Paul’s life, God displayed His power to bring about the growth of the Church and the spread of the gospel message far beyond Israel. God is working in and ...

September 25: Visions, Revelations, and Questions Zechariah 6:1–7:14 The prophets of old had visions and dreamed dreams. They experienced apocalyptic nightmares and witnessed breathtaking scenes of beauty. Perhaps most fascinating, though, is how they reacted. Zechariah provides us with an example of both the revelation and the proper response. “I looked up again, and I saw, and look!—four chariots coming out from between two mountains, and the mountains were mountains of bronze.… And I answered and said to the angel that was talking to me, ‘What are these, my [ Lord ]?’ And the angel answered and said to me, ‘These are the four winds of the heavens going out after presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth’ ” ( Zech 6:1–5 ). Zechariah could not have understood what he was seeing, but he paid attention, and he asked questions. Although we may not experience visions as confounding as Zechariah’s, we certainly have the opportunity to be perplexed by God . Our response ...

September 24: Speaking the Truth with Love Acts 21:27–22:21 Read today’s headlines and you might conclude that Christ ian boldness is a thin disguise for defensiveness, anger, and demeaning behavior. Believers who feel voiceless in their society sometimes respond by becoming adamant “defenders of the faith” in ways that can be destructive. In an age of instant electronic communication, our potential for good or harm has increased exponentially. But if we lay claim to special rights as Christ ians , we have forgotten that we're supposed to be like Jesus . We need wisdom and spiritual maturity to share our faith with love. Paul serves as a model for using influence in a Christ - like way. In Acts 21–22 , Paul encountered an angry Jewish mob that wanted him dead. He could have responded to the crowd self-righteously, looking down on them from his enlightened position. Instead, Paul confessed that he was once a persecutor of “this Way ” ( Acts 22:4 ). He could have used his statu...

September 23: Beyond Measure Zechariah 1:1–2:13 When we say, “ God is gracious; God is kind,” do we fully comprehend the extent of God’s graciousness and kindness toward us? We glimpse it in Zechariah: “You must say to them: ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts: “Return to me ,” declares Yahweh of hosts, “and I will return to you,” ’ says Yahweh of hosts” ( Zech 1:2–3 ). An astounding reversal is hidden in these words, couched in a dialogue expressing how terribly God’s people have treated Him ( Zech 1:4–6 ). By relying on their ancestors’ wisdom, God’s people are marching toward their own destruction: “Your ancestors, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever?” ( Zech 1:5 ). Instead of wiping them from the face of earth or banishing them from relationship with Him , however, God acts graciously: “Return to me … and I will return to you” ( Zech 1:3 ). It’s an incredibly generous offer, one that the people accept ( Zech 1:6 ). But this is not the end of the journey...

September 22 Lesson 4 AN EVERLASTING COVENANT DEVOTIONAL READING: Isaiah 54:9–14 BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE : Genesis 6:9–9:28 GENESIS 9:1 , 3–6 , 8–17 KEY VERSE I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.— Genesis 9:11 LESSON OUTLINE Introduction       A.      Judgment Day       B.      Lesson Background           I.      Commands ( GENESIS 9:1 , 3–6 )       A.      Duty ( v. 1 )       B.      Diet ( vv. 3 , 4 )       C.      Demand ( vv. 5 , 6 )           II.      Covenant ( GENESIS 9:8–11 )       A.      Participants ( vv. 8–10 )       God’s Care     ...

Lesson for September 22, 2013:  An Everlasting Covenant ( Genesis 6:9–9:28 ) Posted by  Administrator  on 9/16/13 • Categorized as  Sunday School Lesson  ( 9  votes, average:  3.22  out of 5) By Sam E. Stone God created Adam and Eve and placed them in the Garden of Eden. Everything was perfect. All too quickly, however, the first humans sinned ( Genesis 3 ). Soon their son Cain sinned too ( Genesis 4 ). The next chapter of Genesis records the genealogy from Adam to Noah. Chapter 5 concludes, “After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth” ( v. 32 ). Genesis 6-8 describes the construction of the ark, the gathering of the animals along with his family, and the flood itself. After the waters finally receded (more than a year later), the passengers were able to put their feet on dry land once more. The first thing Noah did was to build an altar and worship the Lord ( 8:20-22 ). Commands Genesis 9...

SUNDAY , SEPTEMBER 22, 2013 | AFTER PENTECOST PROPER 20 YEAR C   Old Testament & Psalm, Option I              Old Testament       Jeremiah 8:18–9:1               Psalm       Psalm 79:1–9   or   Old Testament & Psalm , Option II              Old Testament       Amos 8:4–7              Psalm       Psalm 113              New Testament       1 Timothy 2:1–7              Gospel       Luke 16:1–13 Revised Common Lectionary, vols. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009).

SUNDAY , SEPTEMBER 22, 2013 | PENTECOST PROPER 20 YEAR C On the same date: Jonah               Old Testament       Amos 8:4–7               Psalm       Psalm 113              Epistle       1 Timothy 2:1–15              Gospel       Luke 16:1–15 Lutheran Service Book Three Year Lectionary, vols. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009).

SUNDAY , SEPTEMBER 22, 2013 | AFTER PENTECOST PROPER 20 YEAR C   Old Testament & Psalm , Option I              Old Testament       Jeremiah 8:18–9:1              Psalm       Psalm 79:1–9   or   Old Testament & Psalm , Option II              Old Testament       Amos 8:4–7              Psalm       Psalm 113              New Testament       1 Timothy 2:1–7               Gospel       Luke 16:1–13 Revised Common Lectionary, vols. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009).

September 22: Keep Us from Distraction Haggai 1:1–2:23 It’s easy to get distracted from the good work God intends for us to do. Competing forces vie for our attention; we're sidetracked by fear or selfishness. We start living our own stories and lose sight of the greater narrative, of which our lives are just one thread. The Jewish exiles who returned to Jerusalem had begun the work of reconstructing the temple, a symbol of God’s presence among His people. In the rebuilding of the temple, they gathered up the remnants of their broken identities and together formed a collective identity as Yahweh’s people. They had their priorities in order. Then they got distracted. When they started putting their own needs and security first, Yahweh sent the prophet Haggai to remind them of their true purpose: “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your houses that have been paneled while this house is [obsolete] … Consider your ways! You have sown much but have harvested little. You...

September 21: Throwing Caution to the Flood Zephaniah 1:1–3:20 Words are powerful. They can restore and heal; they can also be used as deadly weapons. When we interact with one another, we know to choose our words carefully to avoid being misinterpreted or inadvertently causing harm. But Yahweh speaks words of daunting ambiguity—proclamations that can easily be misunderstood or that are frightening beyond measure. Consider Zephaniah 1:2–3 : “ ‘ I will surely destroy everything from the face of the earth’—a declaration of Yahweh . ‘ I will destroy humanity and beast; I will destroy the birds of the sky and the fish of the sea, and the stumbling blocks with the wicked. And I will cut off humankind from the face of the earth’—a declaration of Yahweh .” Does Yahweh actually intend to destroy everything on the earth? Why is He speaking so boldly? The phrase “face of the earth” appears twice in this passage; it encloses a miniature narrative that references the story of the flood in ...

September 20: Measuring Out God’s Goodness Habakkuk 2:6–3:19 Although we don't usually question God’s goodness , we do make assumptions about how He should act in the world. We expect God to use us in His work and to intercede on our behalf—and rightfully so, since those promises come from Him . But when we find ourselves in messy or uncertain situations, we sometimes run ahead of God . Frustrated with the waiting and the unknown, we risk making judgments about how well He is running the world. As Habakkuk watches the destruction, violence, contention, and strife in Israel, he turns to Yahweh and makes bold demands: “Why do you cause me to see evil while you look at trouble?” ( Hab 1:3 ). But by the end of the dialogue, he has changed his mind. He will rejoice in Yahweh “though the fig tree does not blossom, nor there be fruit on the vines; the yield of the olive fails, and the cultivated fields do not yield food, the flock is cut off from the animal pen, and there is no ca...

September 19: Honestly Questioning God Habakkuk 1:1–2:5 Many people are afraid to be honest with God —which is odd, considering that He already knows what we're thinking. The biblical authors certainly told God how they felt, and they did so eloquently and often. The prophet Habakkuk remarked, “ O Yahweh , how long shall I cry for help and you will not listen? How long will I cry out to you , ‘Violence!’ and you will not save?” ( Hab 1:1–2 ). Habakkuk felt that God was not answering his prayers—that God was ignoring his petitions. He reminded God of the desperate need for His intercession. In doing so, Habakkuk reminds us that wrestling with God is a healthy and necessary component of following Him . Habakkuk went on to make more desperate, even angry, pleas: “Why do you cause me to see evil while you look at trouble? Destruction and violence happen before me; contention and strife arise. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice does not go forth perpetually. For the ...

September 18: Another Take Nahum 1:1–3:19 What do we risk when we know of God’s forgiveness and then become complacent and return to our sinful ways? What happens when we turn our back on God —treating Him like an insurance agent rather than a savior ? The short, shocking book of Nahum shows what happens to those who disregard God . Where the book of Jonah displays God’s mercy and Nineveh’s repentance, Nahum proclaims God’s judgment on the same Assyrian city. The city’s deeds catch up with it, and the judgment is harsh—unrelenting. “There is no healing for your wound; your injury is fatal. All who hear the report of you will clap their hands for joy concerning you. For who has not suffered at the hands of your endless cruelty?” ( Nah 3:19 ). The empire responsible for conquering cities, displacing and enslaving people, and looting wealth would eventually meet its end—defeated by Babylon. Jonah shows us that God will eagerly dispense mercy, but the book of Nahum —wholly dedicat...

September 17: What Shall Be Done? Micah 7:1–20 How should we respond when those around us seem to be not only falling short of the glory of God , but actually abandoning God’s work? What should we do when we witness neighbors or friends tolerating or even justifying acts of injustice, oppression, greed, or idolatry? We live in such a time. So did the prophet Micah: “Woe is me! For I have become like the gatherings of summer, like the gleanings of the grape harvest, when there is no cluster of grapes to eat or early ripened fruit that my soul desires. The faithful person has perished from the land, and there is none who is upright among humankind. All of them lie in wait; each hunts his brother with a net. Their hands are upon evil, to do it well; the official and the judge ask for the bribe, and the great man utters the evil desire of his soul; and they weave it together” ( Mic 7:1–3 ). Micah did what should be done—he spoke up; he told the truth. When we find ourselves in evil t...

September 16: Freedom and Response Micah 4:1–6:16 Freedom from sin gives us the power to love. But freedom from poverty or oppression or guilt sometimes makes us complacent. We forget our inclination to wander away from God’s will and pursue our own, and we overlook that God will eventually call us to account. Although Micah prophesied during a time of prosperity in Israel, it was also a time of spiritual deficiency. The powerful were oppressing the weak ( Mic 2:1–2 ; 3:2–3 ) politically and economically. Micah holds Israel to account in this passage. The prophet paints a courtroom scene with God judging His people for their unfaithfulness: “ He has told you, O mortal, what is good, and what does Yahweh ask from you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God ?” ( Mic 6:8 ). The mountains and the hills listen as Yahweh accuses Israel, and the evidence He presents is startling. God has been active and present in His people’s lives, turning what wa...

SUNDAY , SEPTEMBER 15, 2013 | AFTER PENTECOST PROPER 19 YEAR C   Old Testament & Psalm , Option I              Old Testament       Jeremiah 4:11–12 , 22–28              Psalm       Psalm 14   or   Old Testament & Psalm, Option II               Old Testament       Exodus 32:7–14               Psalm       Psalm 51:1–10              New Testament       1 Timothy 1:12–17              Gospel       Luke 15:1–10 Revised Common Lectionary, vols. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009).

September 15: The Pain of Idolatry Micah 1:1–3:12 Idolatry causes pain. If this truth were present in our minds each time we placed something before God , we would make different decisions. Micah’s account of the sins of Samaria makes this fact painfully and dramatically clear: “So I [ Yahweh ] will make Samaria as a heap of rubble in the field, a place for planting a vineyard. And I will pour down her stones into the valley and uncover her foundations. Then all her idols will be broken in pieces, and all her prostitution wages will be burned in the fire, and all her idols I will make a desolation. For from the wage of a prostitute she gathered them, and to the wage of a prostitute they will return. On account of this I will lament and wail. I will go about barefoot and naked. I will make a lamentation like the jackals, and a mourning ceremony like the ostriches” ( Mic 1:6–8 ). Throughout this section, God and the prophet’s voices intermingle, a common occurrence in prophetic ...

SUNDAY , SEPTEMBER 15, 2013 | PENTECOST PROPER 19 YEAR C              Old Testament       Ezekiel 34:11–24               Psalm       Psalm 119:169–176              Epistle       ( 1 Timothy 1:5–11 ) 12–17              Gospel       Luke 15:1–10 Lutheran Service Book Three Year Lectionary, vols. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009).

SUNDAY , SEPTEMBER 15, 2013 | AFTER PENTECOST PROPER 19 YEAR C   Old Testament & Psalm , Option I              Old Testament       Jeremiah 4:11–12 , 22–28              Psalm       Psalm 14   or   Old Testament & Psalm , Option II              Old Testament       Exodus 32:7–14              Psalm       Psalm 51:1–10              New Testament       1 Timothy 1:12–17               Gospel       Luke 15:1–10 Revised Common Lectionary, vols. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009).

September 14: Going Your Own Way Jonah 1:1–4:11 I work hard to make my disobedience socially acceptable: “ I have a stubborn streak,” I explain, or “I’m just like my dad.” But the truth is that my weaknesses aren’t cute or transitory—and they’re not anyone else’s fault. Instead, my disobedience is a deep-rooted, rebellious tendency to follow my own path when I should be humbling myself, seeking wisdom, or obeying leaders who know better. The book of Jonah illustrates these opposing responses to God’s will. We can easily identify with Jonah’s stubborn character. When God tells Jonah to warn Nineveh of its coming judgment, Jonah not only disobeys, but he sets off in the opposite direction. As Jonah’s story progresses, however, we see God orchestrate a reversal. In His incredible mercy, He breaks Jonah’s stubborn streak and replaces it with humility. God also has mercy on the Ninevites—a “people who do not know right from left” —and they repent in sackcloth and ashes ( Jonah 4:...