Table Talk

bible Stories You Should know

V o l u m e 2

Carl Frazier

A W e e k l y e x p e r i e n c e f o r t h e c h u r c h f A m i l y

DeVotions

“Table Talk is one of highlights of my week. It’s a time when I can share in fellowship with my church family, have stimulating conversations with friends, and learn something new about the Bible.”–Scott McBride, Table Talk participant

cArl frAzier is the Lead Pastor at First United Methodist Church in Cary, North Carolina. His passion in ministry revolves around preaching and teach-ing the Scriptures, vision casting with a congregation, and sharing with others on their faith journeys. Carl and his wife, Mary-Ellen, are the parents of two adult daughters.

Table Talk is a series of six-week programs for the church family designed to bring all ages together for dinner, fellowship, study, and conversation about key stories of the Bible.

This book of devotions provides short daily devotions, for use by individuals or families and keyed to Bible stories presented at the sessions. Devotions consist of Scripture, text, and prayer.

Volume 2The Beatitudes

The Least of These

The Great Commission

The Last Supper

Crucifixion

Resurrection

DeVotions

Ben simpson is a writer, speaker, and theologian residing in De Soto, Kansas. He enjoys spending time with his daughter, Joy, and his wife, Molly, who is a United Methodist elder. Visit his Web site, www.benjaminasimpson.com, or connect with him on Twitter: @bsimpson.

tABle tAlk: Volume 2 DeVotions frAzier / sim

pson

- The Beatitudes

- The Least of These

- The Great Commission

- The Last Supper

- Crucifixion

- Resurrectionwww.abingdonpress.com

Cover design: Marc Whitaker

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LTaH 781426 7664119

50899ISBN-13: 978-1-4267-6641-1

RELIGION / Christian Life / Family US $8.99

Devotions by ben Simpson

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Table TalkVolume 2

Devotions

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Table Talk:bible Stories You Should know

Volume 2

Pastor’s Program kit Pastor’s Program Guide (kit only)Resource CD-ROM (kit only)Plus one of each component below

Devotions

Teen Talk: Youth leader Guide

Small Talk: Children’s leader Guide

Table Topper Signs (Pack of 30)

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DEVOTIONS BY BEN SIMPSON

TABLE TALKBible Stories You

Should Know

Carl Frazier

V O L U M E 2

Abingdon PressNashville

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Carl Frazier

Table Talk:bible Stories You Should know

Volume 2

Devotionsby ben Simpson

Copyright © 2013 by abingdon Pressall rights reserved.

No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, elec-tronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted by the 1976 Copyright act or in writing from the publisher. Requests for permission should be addressed in writing to abingdon Press, 201 eighth avenue South, P.O. box 801, Nashville, TN 37202-0801 or e-mailed to permissions@abingdonpress.com.

This book is printed on acid-free, elemental chlorine-free paper.

ISbN 978-1-4267-6641-1

Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are from the Common english bible, copyright © 2010 by Common english bible, and are used by permission.

Scripture quotations, marked NRSV, are from the New Revised Standard Version of the bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of america, and are used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked kJV are from the king James or authorized Version of the bible.

library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication applied for.

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22—10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

MaNUFaCTUReD IN THe UNITeD STaTeS OF aMeRICa

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Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Week One: The Beatitudes 1 . Learning from the Teacher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 2 . The Happy Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 3 . A New Appetite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 4 . Growth Requires Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 5 . Wanted: Peacemakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 6 . “Because of Me” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 7 . Living the Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Week Two: The Least of These 8 . The Judge Who Is Fair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 9 . Driving Out Darkness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2710 . On Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2911 . Caring for the Least . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3112 . The Time Has Come . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3313 . Repainting Christ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3514 . Living the Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Week Three: The Great Commission15 . The Great Adventure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3916 . A Genuine Faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

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17. The Highest authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4318. The Divine Perfumes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4519. Rediscovering the Teacher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4720. “I am with You” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4921. living the Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Week Four: The last Supper22. Celebrate! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5323. Measure Your Heart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5524. “This Is My body” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5725. The Trust Walk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5926. “This Is My blood” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6127. The Greatest Meal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6328. living the Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Week Five: Crucifixion29. The Highest act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6730. Implementing the Victory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6931. Considering the Clues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7132. king of the Hill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7333. Seeing Clearly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7534. burying Our Sins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7735. living the Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Week Six: Resurrection36. a Trusted Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8137. The Divine Pause . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8338. Women as Witnesses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8539. The Gardener . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8740. Mighty Forces. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8941. believe! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9142. living the Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

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Introduction

The bible is a glorious book, filled with stories that all of us should know. as the author of 2 Timothy 3:16-17 writes, “every scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for show-ing mistakes, for correcting, and for training character, so that the person who belongs to God can be equipped to do everything that is good.” Do you belong to God, or think you might want to? Do you want to “be equipped to do everything that is good”? Then the bible has much to offer you. In addition to the uses listed above, the bible contains all things necessary that we might “be wise in a way that leads to salvation through faith that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15). Christians believe the bible points ultimately to Jesus, and that through its words we encounter him, come to know him, and grow as his disciples. The bible is not just filled with stories you should know; it is an introduction to a person you should know. If you are a beginner in the study of the bible, be patient with the text and with yourself. The bible is a collection of 66 books,

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39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. It is a com-plex but understandable book. Though the culture and customs of the people we encounter within its pages may seem distant to us, many of their experiences will be familiar. Through diligent study and the help of able teachers, you will profit as you grow in knowledge. Stay with it. For those who have been studying the bible for many years, I hope you will come to the text with an open mind and a teachable heart. as you likely have discovered through devoted study, old stories take on fresh meanings from time to time. God may have something new to teach you; may you be prepared to listen.

How to Use This book

This devotional guide was written to accompany Volume 2 of Table Talk: Bible Stories You Should Know, by Carl Frazier. The guide follows the structure of the Table Talk program, providing reflection on the six bible stories explored in this volume over a six-week period. The stories in Volume 2 are:

1. The beatitudes2. The least of These3. The Great Commission4. The last Supper5. Crucifixion6. Resurrection

each of the six weeks receives six daily devotions followed by a seventh entry called “living the Story,” in which readers are encouraged to move from meditation to action.

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This book of devotions can be used by individuals, by fami-lies studying Scripture together, or by groups of people seeking to spur one another on in faith. For families with young children, you may wish to prepare for your time together by reading the entry and anticipating questions your children might have. Though these devotions were written to accompany the Table Talk program, they can also stand on their own. anyone seeking God will benefit from the practice of bible reading, contempla-tion, and prayer. It is my hope that these reflections will connect you to the God revealed in Jesus Christ and that you may come to know and follow him.

experience the Power of the bible

The bible serves many purposes. I will share two of these. First, the bible is meant to invade our imaginations and invite us into God’s story. In this respect, the texts of the bible are narra-tives, or stories, and stories they must remain. Fresh readings will yield new possibilities and applications as contexts and circum-stances change. These stories are never truly mastered. Instead, we become mastered by them and by the God who stands above them, giving inspiration and life to the words. Second, these stories are meant to convey important ideas. These ideas have been explored for generations by pastors, theo-logians, and ordinary people like you and me. They have yet to be exhausted, though strong and convincing conclusions have been reached. The meditations in this book by no means express the final theological authority on these texts, though I have diligently sought to lean on and incorporate reliable voices. In addition, the readings are meant to inspire fresh thinking, deepen love for God, and motivate the faithful to action in our

Introduction

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world. It is my prayer that each entry accomplishes all three aims, but if not, don’t miss the message due to the shortcomings of the messenger. God has given us the bible so that we might come to know the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and I trust that that will occur. Through these meditations, I hope you will dedicate your-self to greater engagement with God, and to the larger conversa-tion called theology. a cornerstone for the work of theology is knowledge of the bible. I am so glad you have chosen to study this book and discuss its meaning with others, and I am sure you will grow in your con-fidence as you learn what the bible contains. One of my teachers, Howard Hendricks, has stated:

There’s nothing like the self-assurance that comes from firsthand knowledge of the bible. It gives you confidence to think for yourself. Most people don’t think—they merely rearrange their prejudices. but it’s altogether different when you know what the bible says, where it says it, and what it means. That kind of personal ownership of spiritual truth cuts you free from the leash of popular opinion.1

Read these bible stories; learn what they say, where they are found, and what they mean. Then live the story, to the glory of God.

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Week One

The beatitudes

Matthew 5:1-12

1. learning from the Teacher

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up a mountain. He sat down and his disciples came to him. He taught them.

(Matthew 5:1-2a)

Most of us have a favorite teacher. It may be someone from school or a coach. It may be a grandparent. It may be a friend. excellent teachers help us to see in new ways, appreciate our world more deeply, and meet life’s challenges. They change us, through example or a direct word. I remember fondly my greatest teachers, including my father. I am so thankful for their invest-ment in my life. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus comes to us as a teacher. In the reading today, Jesus goes up a mountainside and begins to teach.

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Many people have come to listen. The words he offers change the world for countless individuals, for entire societies, and for all civilization. Jesus’ teachings on this occasion, collectively known as “The Sermon on the Mount,” still challenge and instruct us today. If we listen carefully, we may place Jesus among our favor-ite teachers. He still changes lives, for he still changes hearts. as you read Jesus’ instruction in this great sermon, you will find that he addresses the most important questions about living a good life. Do you want to seek peace and justice? listen to Jesus. Do you want to be generous with money and humble in serving others? listen to Jesus. Do you want to be free from worry? able to forgive? In constant communion with God? listen to Jesus. His words are still relevant today. Is Jesus your teacher? english writer and philosopher G. k. Chesterton once observed, “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried.”2 It is true that Jesus’ words are difficult to apply and challenging to understand. but you can do it. He will lead you. He will teach you. He will provide the power, supply the grace. listen to his teaching. ask him for help. To learn useful things from any teacher, one must first be teachable. Give him your everything.

Jesus, you have the wisdom to lead me in the way that brings life, true life! May I trust in you as my teacher; accept me as your student. Amen.

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2. The Happy life

Happy are people who are hopeless, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs. Happy are people who grieve, because they will

be made glad. (Matthew 5:3-4)

What does it mean to be happy? blessed? What does it mean to live “the good life,” and how do I obtain it? Turn on the TV. listen to the radio. look around. Think carefully about your friends, coworkers, and family members. How do you define success? What is the life you are hoping for? Who is teaching you? Fill in the blank: “Happy are people who _____________.” Make money? are attractive? Have the most Facebook friends? Have the most power? Your answers may determine the trajectory of your life. They will identify your greatest goals and your greatest struggles. everyone wants to live a good and meaningful life. but we need wisdom if we want to live life well, and what Jesus teaches will challenge all of our assumed values, for life in the kingdom appears upside-down until Jesus turns us right-side-up. Jesus tells us, “Happy are people who are hopeless . . . who grieve.” He says, “the kingdom of heaven is theirs . . . they will be made glad.” How? Was this true of Jesus? Can it be true of us?

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Many have struggled to understand exactly what Jesus means. Some have argued that Jesus’ words to the hopeless, “the poor in spirit,” can be understood as an affirmation of those who reach a position of dependence upon God, who look to God alone as their hope. likewise, those who grieve or “mourn” can be understood as those upset at injustice and evil in our world. It is true that we should depend fully on God as our hope and express sorrow at the brokenness that surrounds us. but as we read and think about these words, let us not for-get Jesus. It is in him that we discover what it means to inherit the kingdom through hopelessness and receive gladness through grief. In him, we see one who remained faithful in the face of hopelessness for us so that we might enter his kingdom. In him, we see one who took our grief on the cross so that we might share in his joy.

God Almighty, help me to think clearly concerning the Beatitudes. May I find hope in you alone; may I receive gladness; may I inherit your kingdom. Amen.

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3. a New appetite

Happy are people who are humble, because they will inherit the earth. Happy are people who are hungry and thirsty for righteousness, because they will be fed until they are full.

(Matthew 5:5-6)

I once read a story about a great evangelist, a man used to speaking to thousands of people about the good news of Jesus. This evangelist had experienced a great deal of success, includ-ing many conversions. another minister, curious concerning the conversions, attended some meetings where the evangelist was preaching. Was the evangelist persuasive in speech? Was he attrac-tive or manipulative? The minister assumed some secret. but at the meetings, he found nothing remarkable and con-cluded that the results were plainly the work of God. He told the evangelist so, saying he saw no relation between anything the mes-senger was doing and the results of the message. The response? The evangelist “laughed and replied that he would be sorry if things were otherwise.”3

The evangelist’s experience of Jesus led him to display quali-ties that were true of his lord. He was humble, a servant of God’s will. He wished to see people made righteous in Christ and was

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faithful through telling others about him. There is an explanation for this display of character: this man spent time with Jesus. Have you? Do you also want to be like Jesus? Do you want to be humble? In Philippians 2:8, we are told that Jesus “humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Jesus put aside the privilege of divinity and took the place of a lowly servant, for us. Paul, noting a pattern to follow, writes, “let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4 NRSV). This is the meaning of humility. Do you want to hunger and thirst for righteousness? Spend time with Jesus, and that will be the result. You will want to become holy, like Jesus. You will want justice and goodness to prevail. Your life will look different. So will your family, school, work-place, and community. Those who hunger and thirst for righteous-ness will be active in the work of God to redeem all things. They will be fed until full.

Jesus, help me to live humbly. Alter my appetite so that I might hunger and thirst for righteousness. May I see life in your king-dom as a great feast. Amen.

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4. Growth Requires Practice

Happy are people who show mercy, because they will receive mercy. Happy are people who have pure hearts, because they

will see God. (Matthew 5:7-8)

You may have heard it said, “Don’t get mad, get even!” We live in a world short on mercy; our hearts lack purity. Persons who are pure in heart and abundantly merciful are rare, and yet Jesus has the power to change us into such people. Jesus can identify our need for redemption, repair, and restoration. He comes to heal, to instruct, and to renew. Trust him, and he will give you all you need to be a person who is “happy” in merciful-ness and pure in heart. In order to grow, you may want to plan experiments in mercy or time for reflection to achieve purity of heart. Think about how to extend mercy to those around you. Can you offer a listening ear or a helping hand? Could you offer for-giveness for a past wrong? Could you give a bottle of water to the homeless person you see on the way to work or give time to a min-istry that serves in your community? Growing in mercy requires practicing mercy.

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Purity of heart is more challenging. This teaching commends those who seek God with all they have, saying those who do so will see God not only in the present moment but also in eternity. each day, you can reflect on your motives, prayerfully asking God to instruct you in seeing where you acted on God’s behalf, and where you have gone astray. Regarding Jesus’ teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, the early church leader and preacher St. John Chrysostom wrote, “assuredly, there would be no heathen, if we Christians took care to be what we ought to be; if we obeyed God’s precepts, if we bore injuries without retaliation, if when cursed we blessed, if we rendered good for evil. For no man is so savage a wild beast that he would not run forthwith to the worship of the true religion, if he saw all Christians acting as I have said.”4

If we were merciful in our present world of vengeance, many would be curious. If we truly were pure in heart, more people would “see God.” by God’s grace, may it be so.

Lord of heaven and earth, teach me to be merciful and give me a pure, renewed heart. Amen.

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5. Wanted: Peacemakers

Happy are people who make peace, because they will be called God’s children. Happy are people whose lives are harassed

because they are righteous, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs. (Matthew 5:9-10)

The world is in need of peacemakers and those of strong char-acter who stand up for what is right. Two examples spring to mind. The first example, Martin luther king Jr., is well-known as a civil rights activist. each year, the United States celebrates the life of Dr. king for his work in establishing equal rights for people of color. Dr. king is remembered as an advocate for racial minorities and for instructing others in nonviolent resistance. as an ordained baptist minister, king drew from the life of Jesus to impart his message. a second example, Rosa Parks, is from the same era. From a place of quiet strength, she accepted harassment after defying an unjust law in Montgomery, alabama. The law required her, as an african american, to give up her bus seat for a white person and move to the rear. On December 1, 1955, after being told to move, she didn’t budge. Her actions that day and throughout her life

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served as an inspiration for multitudes. She did not regard herself as extraordinary; she simply did what she thought was right. There are many ways to serve as a peacemaker and an advocate for what is right. When you do so, you will experience what it means to be a child of God and a citizen in the heavenly kingdom. This experience deepens when you do so as one who has called on Jesus as your savior and look to him as your teacher. a natural outcome of following Jesus is a strong sense of the need for peace and for doing righteousness. He will help you do these things. So, where do you see division, and can you work for peace? Perhaps you have friends in conflict to whom you can offer heal-ing. Where do you see injustice, and how can you stand up for righteousness? When someone is left out, bring him or her in. When someone is at the bottom, lift him or her up. When someone is wandering a destructive path, help him or her turn around.

Lord Jesus, give me your peace so that I might make peace. Lead me in your paths, so that I may live righteously, standing for what is right. Amen.

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6. “because of Me”

Happy are you when people insult you and harass you and speak all kinds of bad and false things about you, all because of me. Be full of joy and be glad, because you have a great reward in heaven. In the same way, people harassed the prophets who

came before you. (Matthew 5:11-12)

Some of my most painful pastoral experiences have been when others have said hurtful and critical things about me. I took some of the criticisms very personally. looking back and reflecting on them, I concluded that some were valid and based on failures or personal shortcomings. but some were based on resistance to something God was doing in my life and ministry. The hard part is distinguishing the latter from the former. Pay careful attention to Jesus. He says, “Happy are you when people insult you . . . all because of me.” Jesus did not tell us we would experience the blessed life whenever we were criticized, or gossiped about, or wounded by others. He told us the “happi-ness” would come whenever we encountered these experiences because of our association with him. This is a sobering statement. Following Jesus has a tremendous cost, but the reward is worth it, for it is Christ.

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There are times in life when following Jesus will bring with it all kinds of trouble and persecution. In John 15:20, Jesus remarked, “Remember what I told you, ‘Servants aren’t greater than their master.’ If the world harassed me, it will harass you too.” but in today’s Scripture Jesus also said, “be full of joy and be glad, because you have a great reward in heaven.” When you face trouble because of Jesus, he is with you, he is good, and he will see you through. “Prophets” have always faced opposition. Jesus did, as did Isaiah, Jeremiah, and others before them. You will too, if you come to know God as the prophets did. Study the bible, pray and develop a conversational relationship with God, and draw near to Christ. When you speak up, speak his words, letting his life show up in yours. Only then will you be living the “happy” life.

Father in heaven, help me to know you as Jesus knows you. Help me to discern when I am facing opposition on account of my life in Christ. Give me the joy and gladness he speaks of, delighting in your work. Amen.

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7. living the Story

The stories of Scripture were told not just for information but also for transformation. It is possible to know the bible cover to cover. However, if it has not changed your life—forming, shaping, and reshaping your heart and habits in the image of Jesus Christ—then you may be missing the point. If you are reading these devotions as a family, use the ideas and activities in the Small Talk children’s handout for this week. If you are reading the devotions alone, as a couple, or in a small group, you are invited to take up two practices: Scripture reading and stewardship of resources. These practices will challenge you and enable you to grow as a follower of Christ. They will create space where God can transform you, speak to you, guide you, and teach you, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Scripture Reading

The beatitudes are a brief, powerful example of the profun-dity and complexity of Scripture, yet they are only an introduction to Jesus’ larger discourse, the Sermon on the Mount. To better understand the beatitudes, you might consider reading the entire

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Table Talk Volume 2: Devotions

sermon, found in Matthew 5–7. To better understand the sermon, read all of Matthew. To understand Matthew, become familiar with the entire bible. On the suggestion of a friend, our family and two other couples gathered on a Saturday and read through the Gospel of John in one sitting, rather than in small sections as we often do. On your own or with a group of friends, select a book of the bible and read through it from start to finish. Choose a Gospel or a shorter book such as a New Testament epistle. Consider making routine bible reading part of the rhythm of your life, so that you might fully grasp the story of God.

Stewardship of Resources

Stewardship is often associated with giving money to the church, but as a biblical principle it applies to all of life. If Jesus instructs us to cultivate mercy, purity of heart, a love for justice, joy in hardship, and other qualities, then we must allocate our time and dedicate our practices to live according to his teaching. Sit down with a notepad or open a word processor on your computer. evaluate your life. are you making the best use of your time, treasure, and talent in faithfulness to Jesus? If yes, write down where you are succeeding, noting areas for improvement. If not, begin formulating a plan for better stewardship.

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