Wednesday Words for June 25, 2014
From Interim Senior Pastor Len Hoffmann
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Thought for the Day:
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
2 Timothy 4:7
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This Week: Register for VBS on the Bethany website (use the Sunday School registration link). If you desire your child(ren) to have a VBS t-Shirt please register TODAY.
Volunteers needed for the July 11 Middle School Lock-in. See details in the Bethany Weekly. Contact Pastor Paul if you are able to help.
Sunday at Bethany: As I mentioned last Sunday we have entered the green season of Ordinary Time, or Sunday’s after Pentecost. However, every once and a while a festival shows up on a Sunday in the green season and so the color and emphasis is changed.
This Sunday we celebrate two great figures of the early church, Peter and Paul, who represent the spread of the gospel to both Jews and Gentiles and according to tradition, were martyred on this date. The witness of Peter and Paul inspires us as we seek ways to faithfully proclaim the gospel in our contemporary context. The color of the day is red.
What we hear in this week’s readings is that these apostles were called upon to take risks for the sake of proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Saints Peter and Paul may not have been risk takers to the point of putting their own lives in jeopardy, but trusting in Jesus they were committed to sharing the Christ with all those they encountered. This commitment led to their martyrdom (the Greek word for witness).
As you ponder the readings below ask yourself, “What are you personally called to risk and what is Bethany congregation called to risk in order to share the Good News of Jesus with whomever we encounter?”
Pastor Len
Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles
Prayer of the Day
Almighty God, we praise you that your blessed apostles Peter and Paul glorified you by their martyrdoms. Grant that your church throughout the world may always be instructed by their teaching and example, be knit together in unity by your Spirit, and ever stand firm upon the one foundation who is Jesus Christ our Lord, for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
FIRST READING Acts 12:1-11
King Herod had James killed and had Peter put in prison, under heavy guard. In what Peter first believes is only a vision, an angel leads him past unseeing guards, out of the prison, and to freedom.
About that time King Herod laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. 2He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword. 3After he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. (This was during the festival of Unleavened Bread.) 4When he had seized him, he put him in prison and handed him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. 5While Peter was kept in prison, the church prayed fervently to God for him.
6The very night before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison. 7Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him, saying, "Get up quickly." And the chains fell off his wrists. 8The angel said to him, "Fasten your belt and put on your sandals." He did so. Then he said to him, "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me." 9Peter went out and followed him; he did not realize that what was happening with the angel's help was real; he thought he was seeing a vision. 10After they had passed the first and the second guard, they came before the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went outside and walked along a lane, when suddenly the angel left him. 11Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hands of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting."
SECOND READING 2 Tim. 4:6-8, 17-19
Paul has faithfully persevered in the mission the Lord had given to him. Near life's end he rests in the promise of eternal life, confident that the Lord who has rescued him in the past will bring him into the heavenly kingdom.
6As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. 7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
17But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth. 18The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
GOSPEL John 21:15-19
Jesus invites Simon Peter to declare his love for him three times, in a manner reminiscent of the three times that Peter earlier denied Christ. Jesus commissions him to feed his sheep and predicts that he will die as a martyr for God.
15When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs." 16A second time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Tend my sheep." 17He said to him the third time, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep. 18Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go." 19(He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, "Follow me."
