Manna beyond Monday! --sermon recap and much more

By Reverend T.J. Lucas

I made a video and had trouble uploading it directly to Facebook. Technology is increasingly outpacing my ability to master its use! The Lord provides though. I will include the video here as part of our late Monday Manna at the bottom. I have some other things to share today...

We launched a new sermon series and we will launch a new bible study (in person only) next Wednesday. See the flyer below. These two compliment one another in your spiritual walk so I highly encourage you to participate wherever you are able! It does not matter how you fill your spiritual plate, you always have a seat at the table. You won't feel like you are behind if you miss any. I promise (because I trust in God) that God will meet you wherever you are and wherever you seek.

So let's dive into our Manna for this week. I really enjoyed Pastor Nicole's sermon this past Sunday and what I derived from it and will say here most definitely is not a summary of what she said but how God spoke to me. I really encourage you take a listen on our Facebook page while the video is still up. They delete after a certain period of months. Skip to about 43 minutes in and you will get to her but listen to the service for the whole experience.

We listened to music from Bob Dylan and the song that stuck with me was, Gotta Serve Somebody. In the song, he runs through a long list of who a person might be in life--powerful or poor, famous or unknown--only to land on the same refrain each time, no matter who you are, you're going to serve somebody, and "it may be the devil or it may be the Lord."

His point is simple but powerful as we all choose either consciously or subconsciously who and what we serve in life. This past Sunday's scripture was based in Matthew 11 where Jesus invites the weary and burdened to come to Him and find rest, promising a "yoke"--an old farming image for shared weight or burden--that is easy to carry because he carries it with us. The heart and revelation of this message for me was this: everybody serves something but God is different--God doesn't have to serve anyone, yet choose to serve us anyway. Jesus didn't just teach about rest, service, love, sacrifice, new life, healing, etc. from a distance. Scripture shows that Christ actually descended into the depths of human suffering not because He needed to, but so that no matter how low we ever go in our own lives, we are never going somewhere God hasn't already been in the same physical form as us. God goes before, beside, and behind us in all. For me, this message offered this honest observation: it's often not our comfortable seasons but our hardest ones that finally drive us to reach for God. That doesn't mean God causes our suffering but it does mean God is faithful to bring good and redemption out of what was never his intention to begin with.

So whatever descent you are walking through in your life right now, you are not walking alone and you are not stuck to carry that burden yourself. Jesus has already been to the depth of hell to conquer it all for us. He is inviting you to rest in Him and trust that good is being woven into your life.

Kick off your week with the Word of God through our weekly spiritual practice of Dwelling in the Word:

The Four Movements of Lectio Divina AKA Dwelling in the Word

Taking time to slow down and simply dwell in the Word is one of the most life-giving rhythms we can cultivate. In a world that constantly demands we read for information or efficiency, this spiritual practice invites us to read for intimacy and transformation. It is about letting the text master us, rather than us trying to master the text.

Here is a simple, four-step guide to help you sit with the Scriptures, followed by brief, clear summaries of the passages you've selected to guide your reflection.

Before you begin, find a quiet space, take a few deep breaths, and invite the Holy Spirit to speak.

1. Lectio (Read): Read the passage slowly, gently, and preferably aloud. Don't rush to finish. Just listen for a single word, phrase, or image that seems to shimmer or catch your attention.

2. Meditatio (Reflect): Read the passage a second time. Take that specific word or phrase and chew on it. Why did the Spirit highlight this for you today? How does it intersect with your current joys, burdens, or questions?

3. Oratio (Respond): Read the passage a third time. Now, turn your reflections into an honest prayer. Talk to God as you would a trusted friend — pour out your gratitude, your doubts, your requests, or your repentance based on what the text stirred up.

4. Contemplatio (Rest): Read the passage one final time. Release all your thoughts and simply rest silently in God's presence, letting His love wash over you like a deep exhale.

Scripture Summaries for Reflection This Week

Use these one-line summaries of the text to pick which scripture you will dwell in each day of this week. I have found staying in one scripture for a longer period of time can draw out more than bouncing between several. These are from the Revised Common Lectionary. You can read them in full all together here.

• Genesis 25:19-34: Rebekah gives birth to twins, Esau and Jacob, whose sibling rivalry culminates in Esau foolishly selling his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew.

• Psalm 119:105-112: The psalmist declares God’s word to be a guiding light and pledges eternal commitment to keeping his laws despite life's dangers.

• Isaiah 55:10-13: God promises that his word will always achieve its purpose—just like rain watering the earth—bringing joy, peace, and renewal to creation.

• Psalm 65:(1-8), 9-13: A prayer of praise celebrating God as the source of salvation who richly waters the earth to provide a bountiful harvest.

• Romans 8:1-11: Paul explains that believers are freed from condemnation and death through Jesus, called to live by the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit rather than human nature.

• Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23: Jesus tells and explains the Parable of the Sower, showing how the "seed" of God's word yields a massive harvest only when it falls on the "good soil" of an open and receptive heart.

Finally, Here is a little update in video format directly from Pastor TJ touching on a few different things: