Sunday Sermon

Growing Deeply

a daily scripture guide for Advent

Week of December 21-26

MONDAY: Can these bones live? (Ezekiel 37)

REFLECTION: Reading this scripture probably sounds weird huh? And you have the
song Dem Bones in your head. I get it. Among the themes though is the hope for
new life. How many times have you counted something or someone out a done
deal, no hope, the underdog only to see them make an amazing recovery?
QUOTE: From Maya Angelou Hope does not take away your problems. It can lift
you above them.
TUESDAY: Personal wholeness (Ezekiel 37)
REFLECTION: Dry bones of a life. The feeling that your world is scattered about,
disconnected from itself and God and others. Take a breath and exhale. God
breathes in you and through you. Over time the power of that breath, the fresh
wind of the spirit, makes us whole again.
PRAYER: In the hustle of Christmas its easy for me to become too scattered and
disconnected. When I begin to feel that way I pray, breathe on me breath of God.
WEDNESDAY: In the valley, God is with us (Ezekiel 37)
REFLECTION: Did it sound strange to use Ezekiel during Advent? Maybe at first.
However, it reminds us that God is with us in the valleys, in dry places, broken
places, disconnected situations, etc There is no place you can go that God wont
show up and be with you.
PRAYER: Whatever I face this season, its not so dark, so _______ (you fill in the
blank) that God wont be with me in it. Thank you Lord.
THURSDAY: Life in the Word (John 1:1-6)
REFLECTION: From new life from dry bones in Ezekiel to life in Jesus Christ, the
Word. How do you experience the Word? How is God in Christ revealed in scripture?
PRAYER: Open my eyes to see the light of your Word.

Hope for New Life - December 20

Scripture: Ezekiel 37:1-10 (NRSV)

The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the
Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me
all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very
dry. He said to me, Mortal, can these bones live? I answered, O Lord God,
you know. Then he said to me, Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O
dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I
will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. I will lay sinews on you, and
will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in
you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord.
So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly
there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone.
I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and
skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me,
Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the
Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain,
that they may live. I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came
into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.

My Notes:

FRIDAY: Lighting the way (John 1:1-6)

REFLECTION: Consider a lantern that lights the way ahead. John was like a lantern
showing and witnessing to others about the light of Christ.
PRAYER: May the tinsel and lights on the tree not be the only things that shine this
season. Use me. (List one way you can be a light to others on Christmas day.)
SATURDAY: Light wins over the dark (John 1:1-6)
REFLECTION: Whenever the light is shone, it is no longer dark. Even if its just
enough light to see ahead of youwalk toward the light that you see. Celebrate the
glimpses of light you see while still in the dark.
PRAYER: Impress upon me someone who needs to hear that even a glimpse of light
lessens the darkness.
Read or subscribe to the full weekly Growing Deeply Guide at moumc.org/grow
Printed copies are available at the Connector Desk.

Read or subscribe to the full weekly

Growing Deeply Guide at moumc.org/grow
Printed copies are available at the Connector Desk.