1/7/24 – 1/13/24

What is the purpose of the church? Why does it exist? How should the people of the church behave? What is our mission? What is God’s vision for Jesus’ church? According to the 2016 Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church, which contains a brief history of our denomination, as well as “the laws, plan, polity, and process by which United Methodists govern themselves” (BOD, page v), “The church exists for the maintenance of worship, the edification of believers, and the redemption of the world…The function of the local church, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, is to help people to accept and confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and to live their daily lives in light of their relationship with God. Therefore, the local church is to minister to persons in the community where the church is located, to provide appropriate training and nurture to all, to cooperate in ministry with other local churches, to defend God’s creation and live as an ecologically responsible community, and to participate in the worldwide mission of the church” (BOD, paragraphs 201 & 202).

The church exists to respond to God by worshiping the Lord, helping believers to grow more like Christ, and to share the love of God and good news about Jesus with the people of the world, beginning with neighbors in our own community. As we reach out, God provides us opportunities to invite people to respond with us through repentance and faith in Christ, to receive the gift of adoption into God’s family by trusting in Jesus as part of the sacrament of baptism and follow Jesus with us as we seek God’s kingdom come and will be done on earth as it is in heaven. The daily Bible reading this week will be based on these concepts as a reminder for us of the why, how, and what of the church. The format is designed for you to use as much or little as you have time to use each day. Below is a guide for the daily use of this devotional:

Each Day

• Read the portion of the Psalm to begin
• Spend a few minutes in silence as you wait in the presence of the Lord
• Read The Bible verses for the day
• Answer the question(s) using a journal or notebook, talking to someone else about them, or simply think about your responses
• Listen to and/or sing a worship song or hymn
• Pray
• Live in response to Jesus

 

DAILY PSALM:

Each day read the verses from the Psalm to begin your time set apart to be with and encounter the living God revealed in and through Jesus:

 

I offer my life to you, LORD.

My God, I trust you.

Please don’t let me be put to shame!

Don’t let my enemies rejoice over me!

For that matter,

don’t let anyone who hopes in you be put to shame…

Make your ways known to me, LORD;

teach me your paths.

Lead me in your truth—teach it to me—

because you are the God who saves me.

I put my hope in you all day long.

LORD, remember your compassion and faithful love—

they are forever!

But don’t remember the sins of my youth or my wrongdoing.

Remember me only according to your faithful love

for the sake of your goodness, LORD.

 

The LORD is good and does the right thing;

he teaches sinners which way they should go.

God guides the weak to justice,

teaching them his way.

All the LORD’s paths are loving and faithful

for those who keep his covenant and laws.

Please, for the sake of your good name, LORD,

forgive my sins, which are many! – Psalm 25:1-11 CEB

 

SILENCE & SOLITUDE:

You are encouraged to spend a few minutes quietly alone with God after reading the verses from the Psalm. You may find it helpful to sit, kneel, lay down, or walk as the message rolls around in your heart and mind.

 

DAILY BIBLE VERSES TO READ

As you read try to receive what the passages are saying as God’s message to you for today:

Sunday – 2 Corinthians 13:14 (receive God’s grace, love, and fellowship)

Monday – Read the verses below about the purpose of the Church:

Romans 12:1-2 (maintenance of worship)

Ephesians 4:14-16 (edification/growth of believers)

John 3:16-17 (redemption of the world)

Tuesday – Matthew 22:34-40 (Love God & People)

Wednesday – Avon UMC Virtues of Christ (the way we should behave):

Philippians 2:5-8 (humility)

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (compassion)

Colossians 3:13 (forgiveness)

Ephesians 5:1-2 (love)

Thursday – Matthew 28:18-20 (Jesus’ mission for his Church)

Friday – Matthew 6:9-13 (God’s vision for the Church & world: “on earth as it is in heaven”)

Saturday – Matthew 28:1-10 (The Sabbath theme for today is “WORSHIP and DELIGHT.”)

 

DAILY QUESTIONS:

You may find it helpful to read the verses a second time as you ask yourself these questions while pondering about God’s message to you. You may find it helpful to write your responses to the questions, or talk about them with a family member, friend, or your small group, or to simply think about them:

What do these Bible verses reveal about God or Jesus?

 

What do these verses reveal about the people or purpose of Jesus’ Church?

 

What do these verses reveal about how Christians should live?

 

How should I respond to God’s message today and throughout the new year?

 

Luke 24:51-53 reveals that the disciples “worshiped” the resurrected Jesus with “great joy.” How am I responding to our resurrected Savior and Lord today?

 

How will I prepare to observe a full or partial Sabbath day of rest and worship this coming weekend?

 

LISTEN to and/or SING a Worship Song or Hymn to help you respond to God to express your love for the Lord. You may find it helpful to use the same song each day, or a different one on some or all of the days because of what the Bible verses bring to mind.

 

PRAY reading The Bible verse(s) again as you allow scripture to guide your prayer. You may feel the Holy Spirit guiding you to lift up joys and concerns too. Consider using the ACTS acronym as a guide for your prayer each day this week in addition to The Bible verse(s), then conclude with the Lord’s Prayer as you have memorized it or as it is recorded in Matthew 6:9-13:

Adoration (praise God)

Confession

Thanksgiving

Supplication (tell the Lord your concerns)

 

*The Lord’s Prayer

 

*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.