9/24-9/30 Overview

During these next ten weeks, you are invited to join us as we continue and conclude our reading of the Acts of the Apostles and portions of the apostle Paul’s letters. We began this journey through the New Testament book of Acts in April 2023 shortly after Easter. The last chapter of Acts that we read before The Art of Neighboring series was chapter 20. Acts 20 is a portion of the account of Paul’s third missionary journey when he left the city of Ephesus, after spending two years there, to continue towards Jerusalem. On the journey to Jerusalem, Paul spent a few months in the city of Corinth. Some scholars believe that during his time in Corinth, on the way to Jerusalem, Paul wrote his letter to Christians in Rome, the heart of the Roman Empire. This week we will read portions of Romans before returning to the book of Acts the following week.

 

Although Paul had not yet visited the city of Rome when he wrote the letter, he was concerned about the struggles Gentile and Jewish Christians were having in the city. Their differing opinions about living their faith as the people of the church of Jesus Christ created ongoing tension. Paul wrote to them in hopes of helping the Jews and Gentiles to become united as the church of Rome. It is Paul’s longest letter within the New Testament and his most thorough explanation of the gospel message.

 

Below are some suggestions and questions to help you as you read scripture this week:

1. Approach scripture with humility. Seek to receive what the Bible reveals without trying to make it say what you want it to say.

2. Invite the Holy Spirit to speak a message to you through the verses you read.

3. What do these verses reveal about God?

4. What do these verses reveal about humanity?

5. What do these verses teach me about myself?

6. How do you see yourself in the story when reading biblical narratives?

Which of these characters would I be?

In what ways is their story similar to my story?

7. Read, study, and discuss scripture with a small group or another person.

8. Use a Study Bible. A Study Bible is a very helpful tool that includes information shared by scholars about historical and cultural realities during the time depicted or the era of the document, the author, when the book might have been written, the intended audience of the document, themes and messages within a book or letter, and more. The NIV, NRSV, ESV, and NLT Study Bibles are worth considering if you do not own one. There are a few available from the AUMC Library in the back of the Chapel. You can also purchase a Study Bible from ChristianBook.com, Cokesbury.com, or Amazon.com.

 

*If you do not have a Bible, consider downloading the YouVersion Bible App for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play for your smartphone or tablet. You can also use www.BibleGateway.com to look up and read various translations of Bible verses online for free.

 

United in Christ Sunday (9/24)

READ part of Psalm 105 to set your focus on God:

Give thanks to the LORD and proclaim his greatness.

Let the whole world know what he has done.

Sing to him; yes, sing his praises.

Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds.

Exult in his holy name;

rejoice, you who worship the LORD.

Search for the LORD and for his strength;

continually seek him.

Remember the wonders he has performed,

his miracles, and the rulings he has given.” – Psalm 105:1-5 NLT

 

LISTEN to a hymn or worship song that helps you to worship the Lord.

 

READ Romans 13:8-10, a reminder that loving one another within the church, as well as neighbors outside of the church, enables us to fulfill God’s laws.

 

PRAY now and throughout the day letting the words of Psalm 105 and Romans 13 guide your prayer. Pray for our sisters and brothers in Christ who are part of Avon UMC, as well as for fellow believers in Greater Hendricks County, and Christians throughout the world.

 

 

Monday (9/25)

READ part of Psalm 105 to begin your devotional time:

Give thanks to the LORD and proclaim his greatness.

Let the whole world know what he has done.

Sing to him; yes, sing his praises.

Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds.

Exult in his holy name;

rejoice, you who worship the LORD.

Search for the LORD and for his strength;

continually seek him.

Remember the wonders he has performed,

his miracles, and the rulings he has given.” – Psalm 105:1-5 NLT

 

WATCH the Bible Project video that summarizes Romans chapters 1 through 4 so that you can understand the letter more clearly or to be reminded of what you already know.

The video is available on YouTube:

Book of Romans Summary (Part 1) by the Bible Project:

 

READ Romans 1:1-17, the beginning of Paul’s letter to the Christians in Rome. If you are using a Study Bible you may find it helpful to read the introduction to the letter as well as the study notes for the verses.

 

PRAY for:

• Those Who Are Closest to You (family members & friends)
• Those Who Point Others Towards God (parents, grandparents, pastors, teachers, professors, coaches, musicians, authors, filmmakers, influencers, churches, etc.)
• Leaders (locally, nationally, & globally)
• Those Who Are Vulnerable & In Need (children, orphans, widows & widowers, the hungry & homeless, refugees, sick & diseased persons, prisoners, etc.)
• Yourself (tell God your thoughts, concerns, feelings, and desires)

 

 

Tuesday (9/26)

READ Psalm 105:1-5 to help you to center yourself in God.

 

SOLITUDE and SILENCE. You are encouraged to spend a few minutes alone with God sitting, kneeling, laying down, or walking. Spend these minutes letting the message of the psalm roll around in your heart and mind. Let it fill your thoughts.

 

READ Romans 3:21-4:25. Which word, phrase, or verse is the Holy Spirit emphasizing for you today?

 

PRAY letting the Holy Spirit guide you. The Spirit may lead you to pray in response to the verses you read or in response to your desire to thank and praise the Lord, while telling others about God’s “wonderful deeds.”

 

 

Wednesday (9/27)

READ Psalm 105:1-5 to begin your devotional time.

 

WATCH the Bible Project video that summarizes Romans chapters 5 through 16 so that you can understand the letter more clearly or to be reminded of what you already know.

The video is available on YouTube:

Book of Romans Summary (Part 2) by the Bible Project:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SVTl4Xa5fY

 

READ Romans 5:1-11. Consider using the questions and suggestions from the Overview portion of this devotional.

 

PRAY through your day, including offering thanks for the presence of the Spirit of Christ with us, as well as praying for the people you will be with or have been with.

 

 

Thursday (9/28)

READ Psalm 105:1-5 to focus your heart and mind on our Creator.

 

SOLITUDE and SILENCE. You are encouraged to spend a few minutes alone with God sitting, kneeling, laying down, or walking. Spend these minutes seeking to simply be with the Lord.

 

READ or LISTEN to Romans 8, the entire chapter. You can listen to it using the YouVersion Bible App or BibleGateway.com via the link below:

www.biblegateway.com/resources/audio/

 

Which word, phrase, or verse is the Lord using to speak to you today from what you read or heard? If you are unsure, slowly read the verses again inviting the Spirit to reveal the message God has for you for today.

 

PRAY thanking and praising God for the life we are blessed to have in the Spirit through faith in Jesus, future glory, and God’s love for us revealed in and through Christ.

 

 

Friday (9/29)

READ Psalm 105:1-5 to begin your time with God.

 

READ Romans 12, the entire chapter. Consider using the questions and suggestions from the Overview portion of this devotional as part of your study time.

 

PRAY offering your body and life as a living sacrifice to the Lord. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you, our congregation, and Christians throughout the world to live as Jesus’ representatives and apprentices, growing more like Christ by living His virtues and God’s values, while spreading the Good News in our homes, workplaces, communities, and throughout the world. The virtues include:

Humility, Compassion, Forgiveness, Love

 

 

Saturday (9/30)

How are you going to remember and observe the Sabbath this weekend? The Sabbath is a day each week that is set apart from the others to stop, rest, worship, and delight in the Lord and what he has given us. You may need to incrementally observe the Sabbath by setting aside an increasing portion of a day each week beginning with an hour, then increasing it to multiple hours or part of a day the next weekend or month, and eventually designating an entire day for remembering and observing the Sabbath.

 

LIGHT a candle and LISTEN to or SING a worship song or hymn before reading the verses for today as a way to prepare your heart, mind, body, and soul for observing the Sabbath.

 

READ Psalm 92 during the morning, remembering that our Sabbath theme for today is “the Sabbath.” You are encouraged to either spend some time using the following questions to guide you through a time of journaling, thinking through your responses, or use them for a discussion with a family member or friend:

• How have you experienced God’s love this past week?

 

• What does creation (the earth, sun, moon, stars, oceans, rivers, streams, ponds, creeks, the sky, plants, animals, and people) reveal about our Creator?

 

• The psalmist describes the Lord as “my Rock” in verse 15. What comes to mind when you think of the Lord as your Rock?

 

SOLITUDE and SILENCE. Spend ten, twenty, or thirty minutes alone with Jesus seeking to rest in the peace that can only be found in and from the Lord. If you struggle to stop and rest, consider laying down, kneeling, or sitting on a very comfortable chair or seat. If you need a nap, then sleep so that your mind and body receive the rest that you need.

 

PRAY allowing the verses you read to guide your prayer.

 

TIME for REFLECTION. Either write in a journal or notebook the ways you were experienced God this past week or discuss them with a close family member or friend. It may also be helpful to write or talk about what you need to stop doing to be able to observe the Sabbath for an entire day and live a healthier pace and rhythm for your life.

 

 

READ John 9:1-15 during the afternoon or evening. These verses share the story of Jesus healing a blind man.

• What healing do you need from the Lord today? Physical? Mental? Emotional? Spiritual? Relational?

 

• In what ways are you blind and need Jesus to enable you to see?

 

• Who are the people close to you who cannot see Jesus and life clearly? Invite the Holy Spirit to reveal them to you. Ask the source of life and sight to give them eyes that can see and a mind that understands the true identity of the Lord, as well as the truths of life.

 

• Notice the simplicity of the testimonial of the man who was blind but could see after Jesus healed him in verse 15. Try writing a one sentence summary of your testimonial that includes a description of your life before Christ or before being a committed Christian, your encounter with Jesus or when you progressed to a deeper faith, and the result(s) evident in your life afterwards.

 

PRAY allowing the verses you read to guide your prayer as you conclude this Sabbath.