The three “R’s” of Scripture

Our Journey through the 50
Days of the Easter season,
continues this week with a
reading from Luke 24. In this
chapter Jesus appears first to
the two disciples on the Road
to Emmaus then the disciples
gathered in Jerusalem. In
both cases there is food,
bread and wine and broiled
fish. But there is also food for
the mind as Jesus opens the
minds of the Disciples to the
Scriptures.
The Fish above was from a tombstone in the early 200’s. The fish symbolized the
fish of the resurrection in Luke 24 and John 21 and the call to the disciples fish for
people and the feeding of the 5,000. The Greek letters in the picture ἸΧΘΥϹ are
the first letters of the phrase Jesus anointed of God – Son, Savior. According to
one ancient story, when a Christian met a stranger in the road, the Christian
might drew one arc of the simple fish outline in the dirt. If the stranger drew the
other arc, both believers they were in good company.
In Luke and John, the disciples had a piece of the understanding of Jesus in their
minds. Jesus opens their minds to understand the scriptures so they have the
other piece. It is like Jesus is meeting them and filling in the second part of the
arc.
Last Sunday we sing “Thy Word” based on Psalm 119:105 – “Your word is a Lamp
unto my feet, a light unto my path.” As we travel down the road of life, we get a
part of the picture on who God is through our life experience, through nature,
through the arts. Luther talked about the need for “plain reason.” Scripture is
there to fill in the other half of arc by reminding us of the faith of those who have
gone before. Thousands of years and thousands of people of faith are reflected in
this book. Jesus opens minds to the scriptures.
How do we “open our minds to the scriptures”? Root ourselves deeper in this
river of faith.
I might suggest the three “R’s”.1. Read and Receive – Listen to what the Word is saying. Martin Luther as a
professor of the Old Testament would listen to not only to the words on the
page but the historical context of the words as well. So some study may be
involved.
2. Reflect – think about what the words are saying to you. What in my life
needs to hear this word today? Where am I in this story?
3. Respond – Is this text calling on me to make a change in my life? Is there a
point of anger or pain that can be healed by this text? Is this text reminding
me that there a new path that I could walk down?
Prayer: Lord, open our minds to Scriptures. Teach us to listen. Help us to attend to
the witness of the Scriptures and find in them new life. Amen.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor John
UPCOMING EVENTS
Hope you can join us now that we are back in the sanctuary. April 18 10 am
worship. All indoors now. (with masks and proper social distancing and a special
time for the children). Also on Zoom and the Website.
Church Office Hours return to normal, Mondays and Tuesdays.
MEMBER UPDATES AND CONTINUAL PRAYERS
Thanks
• Thanks for your prayers for George Motshall who had aortic valve
replacement. All went well and he was with un on Sunday.
• Bill and Judy Martin’s daughter Laura is still facing two more sessions of
chemo but was able to is home.
Continued prayers for:
• Do pray for Diane Watson who has fallen and is recovering from surgery on
her hip and femur.
• Carol’s granddaughter-in-law Vanessa who has high-risk diabetes.
• Roxanne Foss’s niece Ginny,
• Steve Cady and his sister, Sherry, are working to find a place for their
mother, Donna,
• erwin for strength and Lynda for healing• Continued recovery for Jerry Mills who is doing well but faces chemo
therapy.
• Continued godly journey for Brendan son of Bonnie Strack.
THANKS for Flowers and Looking ahead
As we say farewell to our Easter flowers, we want to thank all who donated
and to Irm, Eloise, Fred J. and Benet for arranging the flowers and caring for
them. Now we look to the future and our returning to “normal”. We can
have more people involved now with the worship service.
Thanks to Carol Jensen, Steve Cady, Linda Blanche and Michael Shea for
volunteering as Worship Assistants for services. Carol is working on a
schedule.
We could use some volunteers as readers as well. Sharon Cady and Pat
Motschall have signed up thus far. Are you interested? Could we meet after
services this coming Sunday the 18th to start work on a schedule?
Lastly, we do not have our full set of children back yet. However, we would
like to prepare for Children’s Church. Robyn Blue is doing a fantastic job
keeping in touch with our youth and preparing lessons. Could we meet
Sundays April 25 to discuss how we might move forward with this program