The Fellowship of Joy

The Word Today Is “Today” What’s in a day? This Day Today What is in a book? The book. The Torah, Law, measuring stick of life. The reading of the prophetic word in scripture from David to Ezra and Nehemiah to Jesus to us proclaims, “Today.” The prophetic word is God speaking, whether about the past or the future, focused on today – what to do today, how to live today, how to think about today. David sang a song of praise for that word in his day. He sang the wonders of The Word in creation and then, in written form. Psalm 19:1 - The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Nature is God’s troubadour announcing His glory to humanity. The activity of God in creation is true to His character and there is much to be known of Him through observation, meditation, and contemplation prompted by an appreciation of all that He has made. The old adage that we must stop and smell the roses is an appropriate reminder to look for examples of the glory of...

Imagine a wedding where the guests get gifts as well as the bride and groom. Whenever God throws a party, everyone present gets presents. In John 2, we see Jesus working his first miracle in Cana. He turned water into wine. It was not a bad demonstration at all. Everyone enjoyed that and everyone noticed. John 2:1-11   On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.   When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine."   And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what concern is that to me and to you? My hour has not yet come."   His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."   Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, "Fill the jars with water."   And they filled them up to the brim.   He said to them, "Now dr...

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Ho ly Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."   Acts 8:14-17 Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. he two went down and prayed for them that...

The Word Became Flesh and We Beheld John 1:1-18 (NRSVU   In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.   He  was in the beginning with God.   All  things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.   The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it.   There was a man sent from God whose name was John.   He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.   He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.   The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.   He was in the world, and the world came into being through him, yet the world did not know him.   He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him.   But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he...

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