|
After you've read David's thoughts, share yours! Send a reply email to David!!
DAVID'S EMAIL BIBLE STUDY:
A.
BACKGROUND...
This "Absolute Essentials of the Christian Faith" series is my way of identifying some key identifiers of an honest to goodness, real Christian. They build on each other. God is love, the Bible says. So we should love others in practical ways, including a commitment to justice, mercy, and doing the right thing. Living this out is part of God's specific, personal plan for your life. And we shouldn't be ashamed of sharing something that is important to us with others. Sharing, done the right way, might be very welcome.
C. SUMMARY ... When the disciples ask Jesus how to pray he gives them some practical tips PLUS a model prayer. The tips are interesting: prayer is personal, even private; don't go on and on, get to the point; don't be repetitive, God isn't deaf. Then, by way of example, Jesus offers "The Lord's Prayer". After addressing God respectfully Jesus offers a series of declarative statements, suggesting that we have a right to certain basics from God: daily bread, forgiveness equal to our own willingness to forgive, guidance (lead us NOT into temptation), and deliverance. The 2 Corinthians verses are about the SPIRIT that should accompany our OFFERING or any gift to God, "not reluctantly, not under compulsion, but cheerfully".
D.
KEY POINTS:
1. The ORIGINS of RELIGION. In Confirmation Class, we look at how the basics of religion came about. Once humans decided there was something beyond them with some sort of influence or power in the world (i.e. God), they needed to know how to connect. Taking their cue from human interaction they decided on conversation and bribery (only half kidding!) PRAYER is CONVERSATION with God. Anybody we care about we want constant communication with. The more we care, the more we communicate. So Jesus says, "speak up, God wants to hear from you." Doesn't have to be fancy or done by clergy, or just on Sundays, or with holy sounding language. Christianity in general and Protestantism in particular democratized prayer. No middle man, just you and God. Half kiddingly I referred to OFFERINGS as bribery, in the sense that oftentimes offerings are used to ask God's help. GRATITUDE may be the best ATTITUDE, but usually is followed by, "Help!!!" Ancient humanity wanted help with fertility in family and fields. Early prayer and early offerings went hand in hand, contacting God to get help, say thank you, and leave a gift to show you mean it. Humanity has evolved and matured, but the basics are much the same, aren't they? Or are they? Let me know.
2. The HOW of PRAYER. The Lord's Prayer is offered as a model, much as we were trained to write a business letter back in 7th grade. Nice opening, specific request, complimentary ending. Jesus says to start your prayer by remembering who you're talking to: God is HOLY, different from us, tied to us. Then, make your point. You are in a relationship with God; you have the right to be straightforward. Then close with confidence that your God and your relationship are able to impact your life.
3. The HOW of GIVING. In today's verses the emphasis is on giving CHEERFULLY. Attitude has always been important with God. Cain killed Abel after both made an offering to God, but Cain's was rejected. I think it was Cain's attitude; he gave grudgingly so God didn't want it. Our offerings are given to God as expressions of our love for God. While Judeo Christianity has emphasized the TITHE (10%) there are other specific instructions. Give thoughtfully (today's verses), regularly (1 Corinthians 16:2), discreetly (Matthew 6:3), generously (Romans 12:8), and in proportion to your blessings (Deuteronomy 16:17). Taken all together, give what you think you should and can, and would be proud of, in a happy spirit.
4. Quid pro quo, tit for tat, applies to prayer and offerings. Jesus says we can pray for forgiveness if we are willing to forgive. Paul says you reap what you sow, i.e. generosity breeds generosity. Prayer can't be all "gimme, gimme, gimme". Offerings can't be cheap spirited. We should do our best at both.
|
