Prayer Intentions for Lesson 24

I am governed by my ideals as I release all disappointments.

Continued healing and light surround Phil and Caryl.

Light and love surround Red as he makes the decisions that are his to make.

Peace and healing support and comfort Jane.

Bryan and Larraine are confident and calm.

Luke welcomes and is at peace with the changes in his life.

Peace, love, and joy surround and sustain us all.

Lorraine and her students are confident, calm, and relaxed as they prepare for Spring.

Su is vibrantly alive and well in the light of Spirit.


For these and all other prayers, spoken and unspoken, we say, "Thank you, God, for answered prayer!"

Blessings,
Joan

Prayer Intentions for Lesson 23

I am governed by my ideals as I release all disappointments.

Renee is open, calm, and loving as she walks joyfully through the day.

I have time enough, energy enough, and enthusiasm enough to do what needs to be done by me.

Phil and Joan relax, release, and enjoy the warmth of the lengthening days of spring.

Continued healing and light surround Phil and Caryl.


For these and all other prayers, spoken and unspoken, we say, "Thank you, God, for answered prayer!"

Blessings,
Joan

Prayer Intentions for Lesson 21

Ease and joy accompany Theresa as she prepares for her class.

Belinda continues to heal as she walks with God in her daily journey.

Barry is supported and surrounded by clear understanding, divine acceptance and calm wisdom.

Renee celebrates joyous life events with peace, openness and love.

Gratitude surrounds LaDonna as she is reminded that her decisions are in perfect alignment with divine order.

Joan and Phil continue to trust in the healing and transforming power of Spirit.



For these and all other prayers, spoken and unspoken, we say, "Thank you, God, for answered prayer!"

Blessings,
Joan

Prayer Intentions for Lesson 20

Gratitude and acceptance for the divine order of prayer.

Ease and joy accompany Theresa as she prepares for her class.

Healing and peace surround and comfort Barry.

Pat is guided and supported by the peace and power of Spirit.

Peg and Rene are open to the guidance and support of Spirit.

Peace and joy bring serenity and calm assurance to Doug.

Belinda continues to heal as she walks with God in her daily journey.

Acceptance of the perfect job at the perfect time for MaryAnn.

Continued awareness of the peace and power of Spirit surrounds Joan and Phil.




For these and all other prayers, spoken and unspoken, we say, "Thank you, God, for answered prayer!"

Blessings,
Joan

Prayer Intentions for Lesson 19

Light and love for Belinda as she discovers the ability to grieve fully and completely.

Complete willingness to listen, learn and respond with grace for Sam and his family.

Energy, stamina and joy surround LaDonna as she goes about her daily tasks.

Peace and the healing Love of God surround and comfort Phil.

Enthusiasm, openness and a willingness to learn envelope Lorraine and her students.

Renee steps forth in confidence and grace, centered in her connection to Spirt.

Divine guidance and order lead Barry as he begins a new class.

Love and light support and surround Caryl as she makes new choices in her life.

Mary Ann is open and receptive to the perfect job at the perfect time.

Gratitude for restful, peaceful sleep, waking refreshed and vitalized, for Theresa.


For these and all other prayers, spoken and unspoken, we say, "Thank you, God, for answered prayer!"

Blessings,
Joan

Lesson 18, Day 5 (01/28/06) Outline of Readings

Matthew 19-25 (Being ready for the judgment)

19:1-12 Continued legal debate with some of the Pharisees
19:13-30 Questions pertaining to eternal life
20:1-16 Laborers in the vineyard
20:17-19 Jesus anticipates his death and resurrection
20:20-28 Service as greatness
20:29-34 Seeking help from the Son of David
21:1-11 Jesus' entry into Jerusalem
21:12-27 Jesus' confrontation in the Temple
21:28-32 Tax collectors, prostitutes, and the Kingdom of God
21:33-46 The parable of the wicked tenants
22:1-14 The wedding feast
22:15-46 A series of debates with local leaders
23:1-25:45 The fifth discourse
23:1-39 Jesus' critical judgment against religious leadership
24:1-51 Eschatological discourse
25:1-13 The parable of the ten maidens
25:14-30 The parable of the talents
25:31-45 The judgment

Lesson 18, Day 4 (01/27/06) Outline of Readings

Matthew 13:53-18:35 (Life and Leadership in the Church)

13:54-58 Jesus' rejection in Nazareth
14:1-12 The death of John the Baptist
14:13-21 The miraculous feeding
14:22-36 Jesus' dominion over nature
15:1-20 Conflict over tradition and authority
15:21-28 The Canaanite woman and her daughter
15:29-31 Further healings
15:32-39 The second feeding
16:1-12 Conflict with Pharisees and Sadducees
16:13-20 Peter's confession at Caesarea Philippi
16:21-28 Jesus' rebuke of Peter and nature of discipleship
17:1-8 The Transfiguration
17:9-13 The importance of John the Baptist
17:14-21 Faith and acts of power
17:22-23 Jesus' second prediction of betrayal and death
17:24-27 The question of taxes
18:1-35 The fourth discourse
18:1-9 The question about genuine greatness
18:10-35 Life and relationships within the church

Lesson 18, Day 3 (01/26/06) Outline of Readings

Matthew 11:1—13:52 (Secrets of the Kingdom)

11:1-19 Jesus and John the Baptist
John: arrested for sedition & killed by Herod Antipas
Messiah (“Christ”): a number of groups expected a messianic or redemptive figure in this period
Prophets and law: first 2 divisions of Jewish scriptures
Elijah: as precursor to messianic day, was popular tradition during Second Temple Judaism (Malachi 4:5)
Jesus identified with wisdom
11:20-30 Denunciation and true discipleship
denunciation of villages & extolling of non-Israelite coastal cities
Jesus’ primary mission is to Israel
nature of true wisdom is important question
powerful and influential people form opposition
ironically, younger students without influence, training & power heard and understood message
wisdom hidden from “wise” (Job 12:1,24-25; Isaiah 19:11-12; Jeremiah 8:8-9; Proverbs 3:7)
yoke = obedience and submission, also political allegiance, wisdom and justice (2 Chronicles 10:4; Proverbs 11:1,16; Micah 6:11; Ezekiel 45:10)
come to me (Proverbs 9:5; Sirach 24:19)
12:1-42 Jesus and the Pharisees
developing conflict with local leaders represented by Pharisees, known for meticulous interpretation of Law
12:1-8 Sabbath Laws
demonstrates Jesus’ authority and legal authority
Bread of the Presence: 12 loaves placed in Temple every Sabbath as thank offering (Leviticus 24:5-9)
denunciation of priests in Jerusalem temple (Numbers 28:9-10)
Jesus cites scripture to support his argument (Hosea 6:6)
12:9-14 A Sabbath healing
synagogue: common Greek term for informal public gathering place, not yet formal religious institution
"from the small to the great": rhetorical technique used in classical rhetoric and early rabbinic legal debate
first mention of plan to destroy Jesus
12:15-21 Justice and healing for many
Isaiah 42:1-4, 9
Jesus' ministry is for all people
12:22-37 The relationship between words and deeds
story of exorcism provides occasion for Pharisees to attempt to discredit Jesus
speaking against the Holy Spirit: attributing authority to something other than God's spirit
speech as evidence of character renders persons liable to judgment
12:38-45 Seeking a sign
adulterous: Hebrew Bible metaphor for unfaithfulness (Jeremiah 3:8; Ezekiel 23:37; Hosea 2:2-10)
Queen of the South = Queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10:1-10)
waterless regions = deserts; believed to be home of demons (Leviticus 16:10; Isaiah 13:21-22; Isaiah 34:14)
house = formerly possessed person
empty = no good spirit has replaced evil ones
12:46-50 Jesus' true family
Jesus' implicit rejection of his family in favor of disciples is radical challenge to traditional values
13:1-52 Teaching in parables
third discourse: group of several parables about kingdom's presence in single chapter
parables: can refer to stories or parables (Ezekiel 24:2-5), proverbial sayings (1 Samuel 24:13), or riddles (Ezekiel 17:2)
narrative parables: involve analogy or comparisons between situation and subject being discussed (2 Samuel 12:1-7; Isaiah 5:1-7)
parable of the sower
seeds: metaphor for God's law (2 Esdras 9:31) and individuals who receive it (2 Esdras 8:41-44)
hundredfold: indicates extraordinarily bountiful harvest (Genesis 26:12), which makes up for lost seed
3 parables of hidden kingdom
weeds and wheat: parable unique to Matthew; reminder that it is impossible to separate good and evil individuals
bundles to be burned: farmer outwits his enemies by using weeds as fuel
parable of mustard seed
birds of the air...branches: alludes to image of God's rule over kingdoms of earth (Ezekiel 17:23-34)
mixed in with = "hid in"; unusual twist in baking metaphor emphasizes kingdom in world
three measures: about 23 liters (2/3 bushel)
the prophet: Asaph, given as author of Psalm 78; called "the seer" in 2 Chronicles 29:30
Jesus provides apocalyptic interpretation to parable of weeds and wheat
3 more brief parables of the kingdom: first 2 (treasure and pearl) depict inestimable value of kingdom, 3rd is another apocalyptic parable
scribe...trained for the kingdom: may reflect the Evangalist's background
new: Jesus' teaching; old: the Torah

Lesson 18, Day 2 (01/25/06) Outline of Readings

Matthew 8-10 (The Mission)

8:1-34 Deeds of power and discipleship
following his teaching, Jesus turns to healing
leper: one suffering from a skin disease (Leviticus 13:1-59; Numbers 5:1-4)
centurion: in charge of a company of up to 100 men in a Roman legion
servant = "child"
east and west = outside the land of Israel, non-Jews (Isaiah 59:19; Malachi 1:11)
eat...in the kingdom: messianic banquet
Son of Man: characteristic self-identification of Jesus; title is ambiguous (Psalm 8:4; Ezekiel 2:1; Daniel 7:13-14)
call of Elisha (1 Kings 19:19-21)
little faith: people who need to grow further and learn more about the life of a follower
even the winds and sea obey (Psalm 107:29)
Gadara: one of the cities of the Decapolis; contained famous healing sanctuary
irony & humor of pigs not lost on Jewish audience
9:1-38 Acts of power and growing tension
Capernaum vs. Nazareth
faith (trust) prompts healing and healing verifies forgiveness
on earth: Jesus claims authority is operative here and now, not just in the final age
call of Matthew the tax collector (called Levi in Luke)
Capernaum: tax center
at dinner: the food one ate, and one's table companions, were important aspects of defining one's group
tax collectors: local aristocrats and hired underlings
wedding feast: metaphor for end time (Isaiah 62:5; Revelations 21:2)
made well = saved
by the ruler of the demons: discredit Jesus by accusing him of practicing magic
10:1-14 Matthew's send and instruction about the mission
second discourse: mission and realities disciples will encounter in the world
twelve: represent 12 tribes; Jesus' followers claim to be remnant of Israel
only in Matthew is mission limited to Israel
among the Gentiles: treats the restrictions as geographic, not ethnic
Samaritans: regarded by Jews with hostility, although 2 groups has much in common
Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:16-19:29)
councils and synagogues: local judicial forums and public centers
flog: punishment for violating Torah (Deuteronomy 25:1-3)
governor: title used by Pilate
before the Son of Man comes: time before judgment is short and task is urgent
Beelzebul: originally a title of a Canaanite deity Baal (2 Kings 1:2), in gospels a designation of Satan
Jesus' presence creates division
mutual support and provision: hallmark of communities gathered around Jesus
prophet is equivalent to God who sent him (Exodus 16:8; 1 Samuel 8:7)
little ones = new or vulnerable disciples



                

Lesson 18, Day 1 (01/24/06) Outline of Readings

Matthew 1, 2 (Birth Narrative)
Matthew 3-7 (Radical Discipleship)

1:1-17 Jesus' place in Israel's family tree
Messiah ["anointed" in Hebrew; "Christos" in Greek]
4 women: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba
deportation (Exile)
fourteen is numerical value of "David" in Hebrew
genealogy as memory aid
1:18-25 Jesus' conception and birth
angels and dreams communicate God's plan
"Jesus" in Greek; "Joshua" in Hebrew
fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14
2:1-12 The birth of Jesus and Herod the Great
wise men (Magi)
star (Numbers 24:17)
written by the Prophet (Micah 5:2)
gold, frankincense, myrrh (Isaiah 60:6)
2:13-23 The flight to Egypt and return
out of Egypt (Hosea 11:1)
3:1-12 Preparing the way
kingdom of Heaven
John's asceticism (2 Kings 1:8; Zechariah 13:4; Leviticus 11:20-23)
Pharisees & Sadducees
bear fruit: goal of life according to Jesus
fire as agent of purification, not destruction
winnowing fork (separation) & fire (destruction of wicked)
3:13-17 Jesus' baptism
righteousness = justice
dove as symbol of new creation after flood (Genesis 8:8-12)
4:1-11 Jesus and the devil
to be tempted (Genesis 22:1; Deuteronomy 13:3; Psalm 81:7)
forty: conventional number for lengthy period of time (Exodus 34:28)
Son of God
holy city = Jerusalem
4:12-25 The beginning of Jesus' ministry
John's arrest as stimulus
Isaiah 9:1-2
synagogues (business, politics, religion)
Decapolis (federation of 10 Hellenistic cities)
5:1-7:27 The Sermon on the Mount
1st of 5 discourses (see also: chapters 5-7, 10. 13, 18, 23-25)
5:1-12 The Beatitudes
Jesus ascends the mountain (Exodus 19:3)
blessed = happy or satisfied (Psalm 1:1)
ideal characteristics (Isaiah 61:2)
meek = aware of one's proper position (Psalm 37:11)
righteousness = fairness, justice (Psalm 72:2)
pure in heart = sincere, free from mixed motives (Psalm 24:4; Psalm 51:10)
5:13-16 The disciple in the world
salt as preservative and flavoring agent
lamp = David and his descendants (1 Kings 11:36; Psalm 132:17)
fulfill God's plan for Israel (Isaiah 42:6; Isaiah 49:6)
5:17-48 Jesus and the Law
community understanding of the Torah (Law)
Prophets (2nd division of Hebrew Bible)
scribes = authoritative interpreters of the Law
God's purpose in giving the Law
core of nonviolence of Jesus' teachings
second mile = spare another person
5:43-48 Love and wholeness
love your neighbor, but do not hate your enemy (Leviticus 19:18; Exodus 23:4-5)
perfect = merciful
complete obedience (Deuteronomy 18:13) and holiness (Leviticus 19:2)
6:1-8 On justice and prayer
piety = justice, righteousness
alms = charitable gifts (Tobit 4:7)
hypocrites: actors vs. moralists (Sirach 1:29)
acts of justice (private) vs. Roman philanthropy (public)
6:9-15 The Lord's Prayer
Father (Isaiah 63:16; Isaiah 64:8)
God's kingdom = God's rule
on earth as it is in heaven = reflect God's priorities
daily bread (basic needs) vs. bread for tomorrow (eschatological banquet)
debts = sins
reciprocity is vital
6:16-18 Fasting
third example of pious deeds
mark of individual piety
6:19-34 Religion and possessions
heart = center of will
warning: concern for basic needs supersedes God's rule
balance human needs with service to God (disciple's trust in God)
7:1-6 Making judgments within the community
avoiding judgment
what is holy (meat from sacrifices)
7:7-29 Concluding the Sermon on the Mount
practical advice for the community
asking for material needs
Golden Rule
naive vs. wise, shrewd & gentle
metaphor of 2 roads (Proverbs 7:27; Proverbs 15:27; Jeremiah 21:8)
false prophets = teachers of false doctrine
ravenous wolves (Ezekiel 22:27; Zephaniah 3:3)
go away evildoers (Psalm 6:8)
sermon as "constitution" for Matthew's church