February 27, 2024

Rules and Freedom

(Image by: Pixabay)

Lectionary Week

February 26–March 3, 2024

Scripture Overview

As we continue in the season of Lent, we remember another important chapter in salvation history. Just as God established covenants with Noah and Abraham and their descendants, so did God renew the relationship with the Israelites by giving them the law. Obedience to the law was not the means of earning God’s love but rather a response of love by the people to the love God had already shown them. The psalmist understands that God’s law creates a cause for rejoicing, for it is more valuable than gold. Both Paul and John address situations in which some had distorted the worship of God. Either they considered themselves too good for the gospel (1 Corinthians), or they had violated the covenant by altering proper worship for the sake of profit (John).

Questions and Suggestions for Reflection

Read Exodus 20:1-17. How do you keep God as the central focus of your life? What draws you away from that focus?
Read Psalm 19. In what ways do you experience God’s laws as “sweeter . . . than honey”? When do you find yourself trying to resist God’s laws?
Read 1 Corinthians 1:18-25. What does it mean to you that “God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom”?
Read John 2:13-22. How do you respond to Jesus’ anger and actions in this reading? Do his actions fit with the way you generally picture Jesus?

Respond by posting a prayer.

The structure of the Ten Commandments is important to note. The first three commandments focus on loving God, and the next seven commandments focus on loving neighbor. I find it interesting that the same pattern is used in the Lord’s Prayer. The first three petitions of the Lord’s Prayer are...

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God, help us to grow in kinship with you and one another as we seek to follow your ways. Amen.

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