Thursday, September 16, 2010

Bible Study Summary - Upcoming Sunday's Scriptures


Here at Lancaster First UMC, I am privileged to be part of two weekly bible study groups that study the scriptures for the upcoming Sunday worship services.

Below are the notes from this week's bible study:

Last Sunday Overview:
- II Chronicles 5/Classical Music Sunday Reflections

This Sunday (Sept. 19) – Country Music & Our Faith
- Main Text – Jeremiah 18:1-11

Jeremiah 18:1-11
- Overview of Text
The Lord wants Jeremiah to go to Potter’s house to show how God can shape and remake us and a whole nation. It’s a call for the people to repent from their sins.
- John Wesley said this is God being a “just judge”
- The clay is Judah and specifically, Jerusalem. God can rework us into a new vessel. But God wants us to participate by turning from sin and toward God. Great skill is needed in working at a potter’s wheel. It’s not easy!
- Other details from the text:

- This passage reminds us of God’s calling of Jeremiah – See Jeremiah 1:10.
v. 4 “Making” is the Hebrew, “Yasar” which is the same word in Genesis 2 when God creates man.
- Verses 7-10 offer a good discussion on the relationship between free will and our dependence on God to act and forgive.
- Verse 11 – Repentance does make a difference!

Discussion & Thoughts on the Text
1) How do we reconcile free will with our dependence on God? John Wesley’s focus on God’s prevenient grace which is the grace which stirs within us to turn toward God.
2) What happens if the clay becomes dry and hard? How does this image fit into our ability/inability to repent and change? Or does the clay/potter metaphor break down?
3) How do you think country music ties in with our faith? How can it help us to be “in concert with God?”
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