Monday, June 13, 2005

Good Morning!

Thanks to everyone who was at class this past Sunday.

The new unit for this week is Unit 7 , The Lord's Supper

Focus Scripture for the Week: Acts 2:42

They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Today's scripture: Luke 22:1-13

-- today's scripture reading, and the next two, provide us the background on the Lord's Supper.

-- in this passage from Luke, we learn a couple of things - (1) the decision of Judas to betray Jesus and (2) the room arrangements. For the purposes of our topic this week, I'm not sure that the Judas information is important for what we are going to be focusing on. The second bit of information is also not exactly needed for the lesson topic, other than to provide us a complete picture of the communion story.

-- in the second portion of the scripture reading, we find out that Jesus and the disciples were celebrating the Jewish Passover feast. In our previous study on Luke, you'll recall some of the commentary by Barclay on this particular bit of scripture -- if we read the scripture as we find it here, our sense is that their was something otherworldly and/or supernatural (for lack of a better term) about the instructions that Jesus gave Peter and John -- which essentially were -- go into the city, you'll run into a certain man, follow him to his house and then tell him that I need a room, and it will turn out that he has one that he can lend us. My sense is that only an all-knowing God could have given those instructions, to know ahead of time who Peter and John would run into, and that they would have an open room.

-- There is some additional context to this story -- this was at Passover, and Jesus and his disciples were not the only ones from out of town in Jerusalem to celebrate Passover -- the city was filled with thousands of travelers who were having to do the very same thing -- find a place to celebrate the Passover meal. The idea that Peter and John could walk up on the day of Passover, walk right into town, and find a large, furnished room that was available is amazing.

-- Barclay's commentary, if you remember, was that Jesus, in three or four days before, had already gone and reserved the room, and that he was merely telling Peter and John where to find the room so that they could get started on the meal preparations. I don't believe that there is any scriptural basis for that thought, and it only serves to make Jesus look like he was smart and proactive rather than divine and all-knowing.

-- I think that the key word for this week as we read this is "communion". As we know and understand that word, we'll understand more about what is being offered to us with this sacrament.

Today's prayer request: Natalee Holloway and her family.

Natalee is the girl who has gone missing in Aruba. Pray for her safe return, and for strength and hope for her family and friends, during this time of not knowing but expecting the worst.

Today's class member prayer:

Brad Douglas

Have a great day.

Jay