The below Bible verses remind us of God’s gracious bounty to us as we gather the fresh vegetables from our own gardens or seek out the many roadside stands plentiful with freshly harvested offerings. The Fall colors are the deep yellows (corn, squash) orange (pumpkins)and rich purple (eggplants). The trees are starting their autumn show of changing from green of growth to the brilliant hues that are followed by the peaceful sleep to replenish and grow again in Spring. God provides us with the constancy of the seasons as His promise to us that He is always present in our lives.
Family Bible Study: Moving Forward in Faith
As living beings we are constantly transforming in ways that are obvious and less obvious. The Holy Spirit works in and through us transforming us and those around us.
We are being transformed to carry out God’s mission to love and bless the world around us. Our faith in God sustains us as we face decisions and changes in our lives, our families and our congregation. We move forward in faith, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to carry out God’s mission to bless our world.
We are prayerfully considering our next Bible Discussion series as we gather together in Jesus’ name to grow in faith.
Holy Spirit + Church (people of God) + Pastor + Building (optional) = God’s Mission in Our World
Read Ecclesiastes 3:1-2
“For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven, a time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck up what was planted…”
This is a familiar verse perhaps better known in the 1960’s ballad Turn, Turn, Turn by Pete Seeger. Seeger penned the song just 5 years before he died and did not see the success of his labor made popular by the folk rock group The Byrds.
In these verses the writer looks at the seasons of life and the natural balance: birth-death, weeping-laughing, dancing-mourning, seeking-losing… God has a plan for our lives and that plan will work out in God’s time-not ours. Like the seasons our lives have a rhythm. We will live through many changes in our own lives, our work lives and our faith family lives. Seasons are about change- something that most of us are less than comfortable with- especially when it is in our lives and our routines.
The thing that we miss when we resist the seasons of our lives is seeing God’s blessings in each stage. If we look at nature we see the handiwork of our Creator carefully painting the leaves with brilliant colors in Autumn. God then tucks nature in for a long nap under a fresh fallen blanket of snow only to awaken it with the first sprouts of green and dabs of color from crocus popping up to announce Spring. Next comes the warmth of summer to ripen the crops. Did you see the blessings in each season as they turn, turn, turn only to start over. As each season- whether in nature or our lives- comes to fruition we give thanks to God for the harvest of the blessings He has bestowed upon us.
Take a moment to count the blessings from God in the seasons of your life. Have you given thanks today for the harvest of blessings?
Read Matthew 13: 3-9
“A sower went out to sow...”
This is a well- known parable found both in Matthew and Mark (4:8). The Gospel writers tell of the types of soil where the seed fell and the results of the eventual harvest (or not). Many sermons have been given on how our lives are like these soils. Henry Alford emphasized the potential of the good soil when he wrote the hymn “Come Ye Thankful People Come” in the mid 1800’s based on Matthew 13. He reminds us as the end of the growing season approaches that “all is safely gathered in, e’er the winter storms begin”.
The parable reminds us that there are many types of soil where we can plant seeds of faith in those around us. Some will die, some will grow and some will flourish. At one level the parable reminds us we are Sowers- Sowers of hope, love, life, goodness, justice, forgiveness…When we sow those seeds we pray that they land in the good soil, with those receptive to hearing the Good News. For us – We must be receptive to God’s will for us; we must be receptive listeners; and we must be Sowers of seeds of faith in the fields about us. Carelessly throwing seed just anywhere will not produce a harvest. Is Jesus asking us to be strategic about how we sow the seeds in the fields around us every day?
To take this just a step beyond- as children of God we are called to provide the “soil nutrients” for ourselves and for others. Nourish your own seed of faith by joining Bible Study then invite someone to come along and be nourished. Participate in worship service and be nourished with the words of God’s message of salvation. Enrich your faith life with prayer and reading the Word in Season. These are the nutrients that our faith life needs.
Every day we prepare our lives not only to receive seeds of faith but also to sow seeds in those who are ready to be receptive to God’s message through you. It may sound hard. The Good News – God is there to help you enrich your life so that the seeds of faith can grow and flourish and withstand the winter storms of our lives when we face them. Be nourished in the fellowship of our faith community.
What one thing could you do now to make you more like the soil that is rich in nutrients so that you may find the abundance of God’s blessings? This harvest season, come as thankful people for all the blessings God has bestowed on us and on Blue Church.
Read Leviticus 23: 39-44
“…When you have gathered in the produce of the land you shall keep the feast of the Lord…you shall rejoice before the Lord your God…”
In this passage Moses is declaring to the people of Israel that a time for gratitude should be purposefully set aside. This festival is known as Sukkot or the Feast of the Tabernacles. It celebrates with gratitude the blessings of the harvest and commemorates the exodus from Egypt. The festival follows just after Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish year. Yom Kippur is a day of fasting and repentance similar to the Christian Lenten season.
This passage weaves together a pattern of rest, rejoicing and recognition of God’s Hand in the rhythm of our lives. It calls us to rejoice in the bounty of God’s goodness. It reminds us that God provides those things that are necessary for us. He gives many of us the ability to share our bounty with those in need as we do God’s Work with Our Hands at Betty Lou’s, the Samaritan Fund, Ingathering and in other ways.
The message of the harvest season is gratitude and thanksgiving. It is also a message of sharing not just food, or dollars but faith and hope. As we watch as God paints His creation in the rich autumn colors, we pray that He paints our lives with hope and courage to share our faith in God’s unending love with those around us who need to hear His message of grace.
Who can you share a message of hope with today?
Read Matthew 9: 37-38
“The harvest is plenty but the laborers are few …”
In this passage Jesus is quite forthright. If the crops are not harvested they will die in the field. The sun will cause them to wither. At best they become compost for a future harvest. But- the valuable crop is lost. The crop are those who are ready to hear God’s word but are lost or don’t know where to look or how to ask.
Jesus calls on us to be the harvesters-to bring the lost into the safety of God’s home. This passage is a challenge to us to “Make Christ Known”. Too often we are caught up in our own lives and we can’t hear the call for help. Or we hear and are afraid to respond. Perhaps we don’t know how to respond.
The challenging answer is Let God- Allow God to use you as His instrument to bring His message of hope and salvation through the life death and resurrection of Jesus, the Christ. The message can come when you are a listening ear, offer a caring word, a hug for someone in need or just a time of fellowship. God will plant the seeds if you are willing to work in the fields.
Are you ready to work in the fields where so many hunger for God’s word of grace? If we are open to let God use us, He will sustain us with everything we need to do His work and bring His salvation to His people.
Read James 2:1-17
“What does it profit if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can his faith save him? “
What does it mean to be “church”? Church is not a place we “go to”. Church is how we live our lives. We have something that the world needs. This is made clear in the epistle of James.
This verse tells us we must have “works”. Martin Luther anchored the entire Reformation on a doctrine of Justification by Faith through Grace. Is there a problem if the author of the book of James says there are 2 kinds of faith- Living Faith and Dead Faith? No- One with Dead Faith proclaims to have faith. James says this is not faith. Living Faith uses active verbs. It strongly echoes the words of Jesus in Matthew 25: “ I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was naked and you clothed me….And Jesus goes on to say even as you do this one of these the least of my brethren you do it to me also..”
Mobilize for ministry and live generously as together we Tell the Good News to God’s people. By Living Faith Through Grace you are working actively to bring God’s love to this world one person, one action, one day at a time. Together as St Paul’s we can make a difference as partners in ministry. The only Jesus some people may ever know is the one they see in you every day.
Read 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12
“To this end, we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of His call, and may fulfill every good resolve and work of faith by His power so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ.”
Are you ready for the harvest? Have you considered yourself as the fruits of God, the Creator’s labor, making you in His image (Genesis 1:26)? Have you ever thought about how God is calling you?
In 1987 John Bell wrote words to a familiar Scottish folk melody. He named the tune “The Summons”. The hymn was based on several verses in the Bible including Second Thessalonians. He challenges us with the question Jesus gave the disciples-are you ready for the cost and commitment of following me? “Will you come and follow me if I but call your name… Will you quell the fear inside of you and never be the same?”
In our baptism we are called to follow Jesus. We are called in our mission statement at Blue Church to “let my love be shown, will you let my name be known, will you let my life be grown in you” (John Bell, Hymn 798 LBW)
Throughout the Bible verses summon us to bring God’s words of salvation and love to the blind who cannot see His grace, the prisoner of fear and sin, the leper outcast by society because he/she don’t fit our societal expectations. Each of us, as individuals and as churches were given gifts. We are called to use those gifts to the Glory of God at Blue Church and beyond.
God’s summon is to every one of us. God promises to be “in us” and sustain us through our outreach to those in need. Every day God is asking us “Will you come and follow me and leave yourself behind….will you go where you don’t know“.. lead and supported by the Holy Spirit?
It is the harvest season. God is summoning us to be the messengers in the fields of His creation. We are summoned to sow the Word of God in the fields and then harvest the fruits of those labors as we celebrate and rejoice with new sisters and brothers in Christ. Will you answer His call?