HARMONIOUS COMMUNITY

The 6th Sunday after Pentecost

JEREMIAH 30:20 (ABP)
I will reestablish their community — and favor it.

PHILIPPIANS 2:1-2 (NLT)
Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
God's priority is that we live together as a harmonious community.

DAILY FODDER
What causes us to deprioritize harmonious community? 

PRAYER
Glorious God, you live as the harmonious community of the Holy Trinity and you've invited us to participate in your common life. Frankly, though community isn't really a big deal in my life. Help me to take Paul's words from Philippians 2 to heart. To the degree that I have influence I'm going to make our fellowship in the Spirit a priority. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
We hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening there.

Give us enough food for today.
Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you would protect us from all forms of evil.
Amen!

YOUR LEGACY

PROVERBS 10:7 (ABP)
When the life of a good and upright person is remembered the blessings from that person's life continue to flow. But if someone even bothers to remember a wicked and unjust person there is nothing to that memory but a nasty rotten stench.

HEBREWS 6:12 (MSG)
Don’t drag your feet. Be like those who stay the course with committed faith and then get everything promised to them.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Imitate those who faithfully stay the course and the influence of your life will extend beyond the years of your earthly life.

DAILY FODDER
What will people say about you at your funeral? Ten years after you die? 

PRAYER
Righteous Savior, through your faithfulness, reliability, and sacrificial goodness you have established a life for us that goes on forever. Forgive me for living as though what I have right now is all that matters. Broaden my perspective so that my legacy is a blessing that draws others to Christ. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
We hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening there.

Give us enough food for today.
Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you would protect us from all forms of evil.
Amen!

EXPOSED

PSALM 90:8 (CEB)
You put our sins right in front of you,
set our hidden faults in the light from your face.

MATTHEW 6:12 (ABP)
Forgive us our wrongdoing,
and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
God exposes our sin so that it can be forgiven.

DAILY FODDER
Is there sin in your life that needs to be exposed so that the light of Christ's forgiveness can touch it? How might that "exposure" occur in the least painful way?

PRAYER
Great Forgiver, you seek out my hidden sins and expose them to the light. Instead of allowing your children to die, you sent your Son as our placeholder, a sign of the greatest forgiveness. I pray that I may be quick to forgive others, knowing that I have been forgiven of so much through the sacrifice of Christ Jesus. Amen. (Daily Texts, Ground Up Grace edition)

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
We hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening there.

Give us enough food for today.
Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you would protect us from all forms of evil.
Amen!

GREAT LENGTHS TO SEE JESUS

PSALM 25:1-2 (NLT)

O LORD, I give my life to you.

I trust in you, my God!

Do not let me be disgraced...

LUKE 19:3 (MSG)
Then Jesus entered and walked through Jericho. There was a man there, his name Zacchaeus, the head tax man and quite rich. He wanted desperately to see Jesus, but the crowd was in his way—he was a short man and couldn’t see over the crowd.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
The people who go to great lengths to meet Jesus are not disappointed.

DAILY FODDER
Other than his shortness what was keeping Zacchaeus from Jesus? What gets in the way, hindering your trust in Jesus?

PRAYER
Christ Jesus, you came into the world to make God accessible. We confess, though, that we're not as eager as Zacchaeus to find you. I can see why you'd want to go spend time at this house, even though he was a  bit shady. Spark divine curiosity in me so that I'm willing to climb trees just to catch a glimpse of you and what you're up to. From there I'm going to go with your flow. Amen

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
We hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening there.

Give us enough food for today.
Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you would protect us from all forms of evil.
Amen!