Bible Study Wednesday at 6:30 PM

 Hi everyone,

This Sunday's Scripture readings talk about "wisdom'.  For Christians, living in maturity and wisdom calls us to give thanks to God for all things through Jesus Christ; and, in the Spirit of Thanksgiving, turning with compassion and forgiveness toward our neighbor.

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Mount of Olives ​​Pastor Tim Perlick

​​480-729-0115

Bible Study for August 11, 2024​

Opening Prayer:

Creator of all, we thank you for the opportunity to gather in study. Open our minds and hearts. By the power of the Holy Spirit, unite us in faith, hope, and love. Help us to be faithful to the gospel and to walk humbly with you. Grant us your peace as we grow in wisdom and understanding. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

John 6:51-58 What does the Eucharist mean to you today? 

The authorities indicate that they were still missing the rich symbolism of the bread metaphor Jesus was presenting to them. John’s readers would not have misunderstood “eating flesh” and “drinking blood.” They had already been sharing a ritual meal based on Jesus’ words and acts during his last meal with the disciples. They would have heard his words as a reference to the Eucharist where flesh and blood were symbolized by bread and wine. Besides using “flesh” to refer to Jesus’ body, John uses the word “eat” in two different ways: eating sacramental food— the bread and wine of the Eucharist—and hearing and receiving the Word (Jesus), the bread of life. For John, word and sacrament are inseparably related. John was writing fifty to sixty years after Jesus’ death to a community of Jewish Christians who were being persecuted by the authorities for their belief in Jesus. The holy meal separated them from their synagogue and their Jewish heritage. 

Ephesians 5:15-20 How are we, as Christians, to live wisely? How is one to be filled with the Spirit?

This passage offers a third set of instructions for Christian living. Believers are urged to live “wisely, making the most of their time”. The admonition refers to a common New Testament apocalyptic perspective that historical time would soon be replaced when Christ returned. The writer’s feelings were clear: Nothing was more important than living a Christ-like life until Christ came again. Ephesians offers two more rules: do not be foolish; do not get drunk with wine. This specific “don’ts” arethen rephrased as more positive, general actions: try to discover God’s will, and give thanks. The writer of this letter was reformulating familiar Pauline ideas to motivate his Gentile Christian audience to live as renewed persons in Christ. He was urging them to live so they did not harm but rather benefited other people, both fellow Christians and outsiders. We may now have different ideas today of time and Christ’s return, but these words are still relevant as we try to relate our beliefs about new life in Christ to practical ways of wise living in our 21st century world.

Closing Prayer

Holy Wisdom, God of abundant life, you call us to the banquet of your love. We find you in the gifts you give.

We know you in the ones with whom we share this holy food, and in the bread of this table, your son, Jesus Christ. Grant that we may be bread for others, as he is bread for us. Amen.

 

Pastor Tim

"God has led you to the desert, and spoken to your Heart."

Mount of Olives Lutheran Church

3546 E. Thomas Rd

Phoenix, AZ 85018

602-956-1620 office