Scriptures and Reflection Questions for September 25

Exodus 17:1-7

From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. The people quarreled with Moses, and said, "Give us water to drink." Moses said to them, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?" But the people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, "Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?" So Moses cried out to the Lord, "What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me." The Lord said to Moses, "Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink." Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. He called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled and tested the Lord, saying, "Is the Lord among us or not?"

__________

What does it mean to you that God gave the people water from the rock in the wilderness?

How do you think about this story literally?

How do you think about it as a metaphor?

________________________________________________

Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16 Page 694, BCP

Hear my teaching, O my people; *
     incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

I will open my mouth in a parable; *
     I will declare the mysteries of ancient times.

That which we have heard and known,

and what our forebears have told us, *
      we will not hide from their children.

We will recount to generations to come

your praiseworthy deeds and your power, O God, *
     and the wonderful works you have done.

You worked marvels in the sight of their forebears, *
     in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

You split open the sea and let them pass through; *
     you made the waters stand up like walls.

You led them with a cloud by day, *
     and all the night through with a glow of fire.

You split the hard rocks in the wilderness *
     and gave them drink as from the great deep.

You brought streams out of the cliff, *
      and the waters gushed out like rivers.

                                                    Saint Helena Psalter

_________

When have you known God’s hand guiding you through a hard time?

_______________________________________

Philippians 2:1-13

If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, 

who, though he was in the form of God,

     did not regard equality with God

     as something to be exploited,

but emptied himself,

     taking the form of a slave,

     being born in human likeness.

And being found in human form,

     he humbled himself

     and became obedient to the point of death --

     even death on a cross.

Therefore God also highly exalted him

     and gave him the name

     that is above every name,

so that at the name of Jesus

     every knee should bend,

     in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue should confess

     that Jesus Christ is Lord,

     to the glory of God the Father.

Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

__________

How might you take Paul’s teaching into your environments?

In your home?  In your work?  Among your friends and relationships?

____________________________________

Matthew 21:23-32

When Jesus entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?" Jesus said to them, "I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?" And they argued with one another, "If we say, `From heaven,' he will say to us, `Why then did you not believe him?' But if we say, `Of human origin,' we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet." So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

"What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, `Son, go and work in the vineyard today.' He answered, `I will not'; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, `I go, sir'; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him."

_______

How is it hardest for you to “walk your talk”? 

Where do you see people who make an appealing appearance, but who do not act consistently?