email: whitpresby@mindspring.com
Daily Bread:
Strength for the Journey
Series 2 – Introduction/Review of the Old Testament "Amazing Grace"
Jan. 16, 2002
Focus:
Connecting the theme from “Amazing Grace” for this day to any of the
material below.
Opening
Prayer
Gracious god, help us to remember that we do not live by bread alone, but by
every word that comes from you. Make
us hungry to eat the bread of your word daily that we may pass from blindness to
sight, having been sought out and found by your grace. In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, Amen.
1.
Make sure everyone knows everyone else’s name.
Sing Verse two only of “Amazing Grace.”
Twas
grace that taught my heart to fear
And
Grace my fears relieved
How
precious did that grace appear
The
hour I first believed.
2.
Review, what experiences did you have re-reading your favorite story.
Any questions or comments on Lectio.
What
are some of your fears and what are your experiences of having those fears
relieved. (Those you are willing to
share)
Pass
out the timeline and class II handout.
3. The Pentateuch is what is known in the New Testament as “The Law.” Though this often gets a negative spin in the New Testament, it has a broader meaning. Psalm 119 has a variety of words used to convey this concept of the law as a means of grace.
The
Bible is not a single narrative written by one person from end to end, but is a
compilation of a variety of different viewpoints, historical situations and
experiences of God.
The
following material comes essentially from the Oxford Annotated Bible (OAB).
4. Genesis. In two large blocks:
Chapters 1-11 – “Favorite Stories” from this block
Creation
Adam & Eve
Methuselah
Noah & the flood
Chapters 12-50 -
Sodom & Gomorrah
Abraham & Isaac (Genesis 22)
Joseph, his coat & history
5. Exodus, also in two large blocks.
Chapters 1-15, the time in Egypt
Moses & Pharoah
10 plagues
Red Sea crossing
Chapters 16-40, the time in the wilderness
6. Leviticus.
Illustrative texts:
Lev 16 – Day of atonement
Lev 25 - Jubilee
7. Numbers, continuing in the wilderness, what happens when we are in the wilderness. Two blocks(OAB)
Ch. 1-25, Exodus generation, murmurs against the Lord, refuses to take the land, dies off.
Illustrative text, Num 11, Moses’ helpers chosen.
Ch. 26-36, new census, new generation, God leads this group towards the promised land under the leadership of Moses.
8. Deuteronomy, 3 addresses by Moses and the death of Moses. This is one of the books where one can see the clear re-interpretation and how various people and situations make the Bible story their own. This leads of course to how we make the Bible story our own. Think about this as the way Deuteronomy is given after generations of being in the promised land and Exodus is given before they have those experiences. The parallel is how we read our favorite stories now as an adult, having many more experiences than when we first heard the story as a child.
Illustrative text: Deut 5, the retelling of the 10 Commandments, emphasizing Moses' words that God makes this covenant with us, 5:3.
9. Integrative activity. Hand out “The Exodus” and have them fill in the blanks on the one side with their own names. Then read the story from the scripture (side without their name). How do we interpret the story as adults?
10. Pray & Sing V. 2 of “Amazing Grace.” (See above)
11. Homework: Lectio, as per their handout.
Go over “The Exodus” handout with their name inserted. How does it feel to make the story your own?
