Growing In Faith Together
September
24, 2017
TODAY’S
TEXTS
GATHERED
BY GRACE
Jesus says the reign of God is like workers who
get paid the same no matter when they start; the full-day workers are upset.
When God changes his mind about punishing Nineveh, Jonah is angry. God is
always gracious and merciful, abounding in steadfast love. Why does that make
us so upset?
Discuss in your household or small group
- Is God “fair” in God’s generosity? Why or why not?
- How do you explain grace to another person?
- Think for a moment about who 'the last' are in your world. How might this parable be lived in a way which would actually change their world?
- What in this parable do you find challenging as a disciple of Jesus?
DAILY
BIBLE READINGS
These readings are related to the Sunday readings. M-W reflect upon the
past Sunday’s readings and Th-Sa prepare for the next Sunday. Try to take time each day to read the
assigned Bible passage.
Sunday Matthew 20:1-16
Monday Psalm 106:6-8
Tuesday Genesis 28:10-17
Wednesday Matthew 18:1-5
Thursday Psalm 25:4-7
Friday Acts 13:38-39
Saturday Ezekiel 18:19-20
Sunday Matthew 21:23-32
Next Sunday: Ezekiel 18:1-4,
25-32; Psalm 25:1-9; Philippians 2:1-13; Matthew 21:23-32
For the Week: In your mercy, move my heart toward grace.
Throughout the Day: Open me, O God, to your surprising grace.
Blessing
to Share: May God grant you grace.
For
mealtime say responsively:
Great is the Lord:
And greatly to be praised!
Autumn Mealtime Prayer:
For food we eat,
for clothes to wear,
for nightly rest
and daily care
we thank you Loving God.
Amen.
FOR FURTHER
REFLECTION
Devotional Practice:
Read Jonah 3:10-4:11 again. Have you ever felt like Jonah?
You knew God would extend mercy and compassion on someone who really deserves
something worse. Think about those people and then imagine that you, like
Jonah, need to bring God’s word. Pray your reaction to God – the “nice” and the
“not-so-nice”.
Autumn Ritual:
As we watch leaves fluttering to the ground in the fall, we
are reminded that nature's cycles are mirrored in our lives. Autumn is a time
for letting go and to practice getting out of the way and letting Spirit take
charge of our lives. Place a symbol of autumn – a leaf, an acorn – in your
devotional area. Let it remind you to let go and let God.
SCATTERED TO SERVE
Just as the church in Philippi received a letter of
encouragement from the Apostle Paul, so you too can send encouragement to
others who do God’s work. Maybe they don’t event recognize it is God’s work and
you can point out the difference their work has made.
How to Find Us
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Iowa City
Gathered by grace. Scattered for service.
123 E Market Street
Iowa City, IA 52245