Title: What Kind of Tenant Are You? 

Author: Andrew Gifford

Scripture: Matthew 21: 33-43

Devotional:

Have you ever been a tenant somewhere? Chances are you have been - or maybe even currently are. Whether it be the place you call home or where you work, we all, at one point or another, have occupied a space that was ours but also sort of not. Now, take a moment to think back on that time. Were you a good tenant? What was your landlord like? Did you make the most of the property you occupied?

I think when we read parables from Jesus, it’s easy for us to insert ourselves as the “good ones” in the story. We all want to be the Prodigal Son - not the jealous brother; the Good Samaritan - not the Priest or the Levite. But I believe we get the most out of these lessons from Jesus if we

take time to think about how we relate to each of the characters, the good, the bad, and the ugly. And the tenants in this parable are quite bad and ugly. We want to be the ones that produce the fruits of the kingdom of God, who the landowner leases the land to in the end, not the ones who murder his son. And we can be and most certainly are both, but think about what those fruits are I would argue they’re the Fruits of the Spirit - and take time to reflect on each of them. Think about ways you both have - and have not - exemplified them in your day-to-day life (and for a refresher, the Fruits of the Spirit are Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control).

Take a minute today to reflect on each of them, and let’s work to harvest good fruit this Lenten Season.

Devotional Prayer:

Heavenly Father, You have entrusted us with so much. Help us to be good tenants of the life and blessings You have given us. As we reflect on Jesus’ parables, show us where we fall short and where we can grow.

Title: Gates

Author: Pastor John

Scripture: Luke 16: 19-31

Devotional:

When I set out to build Stone Village, I had a dream of creating a space, a community, where all people knew love, all people belonged, and all people were encouraged to embrace their sacred worth without condition. Yet, in time, I came to realize I was naïve, dare I say blind, to the lived experiences of many people, and I had internal work to do; I had gates I needed to open, chasms I needed to bridge. So, I returned to school and completed a Master’s Degree in Counseling. Partially to better understand me (my triggers, my scars, my preconceived notions) and also to better understand Stoners and those beyond our community so I could authentically celebrate and support without indifference, fear, and judgment. Now, I’m not encouraging anyone to return to higher ed, yet I do know this from my lived experience: nothing in our life changes until we first change.

In today’s parable, the rich man’s offense was not wickedness, and he was not maliciously cruel to Lazarus. He was, however, blind to Lazarus. He was blind to the life, the human suffering on the other side of his gate. He gave no agency to Lazarus’ life, he asked no questions, he offered no help, he gave no time and no space, and I imagine, for Lazarus, lying there day after day, hungry, covered in sores and dog spit, the rich man’s indifference - his blindness - felt like an early death.  For a life unseen, a life unvalued, a life without agency can easily be understood as a life not worth living.

Parables, like today’s, teach us about God’s intention for the world, and they also offer us a glimpse into our potential to know and live life differently. Every day, every one of us has the potential to be a good neighbor, to live in proximity to those who are hurting, those who are suffering needlessly, to those who need a sliver of kindness to make it through the day, however, every day you must decide whether you will stand on the side of indifference or the side of compassion. Will your gates be opened, or will they remain closed? Will you dare to look at life differently or will you remain blind to the life not your own?

Devotional Prayer:

Lord, open my eyes so I can see and compassionately support all of creation. Amen.

Title:  Salvation in Surrender

Author: Doyle Rausch and Jenny James

Scripture: Psalm 31: 9-16

Devotional Prayer: 

Dear God –

The weight of the burdens of this life and the missteps I’ve made separate me from my fellows and leave me lonely, fractured, and afraid.

But my hope lies in you and the surrender of my will and my life to your care and protection.

What chance, then, does the darkness stand against Your light and Your love?

I believe in Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of Life. Amen.

Title: The Great Disruptor

Author: Scott Anderson

Scripture: Matthew 23: 1-12

Devotional:

We live in an era of disruptors, companies that radically change an existing industry or institution through some type of innovation.  Amazon makes big-box shopping (or any in-person shopping, really) seem ridiculous.  No one hails a taxi anymore; that’s what Uber and Lyft are for.  And why go out to dinner and a movie when GrubHub is your at-the-ready caterer, and Netflix already knows what you want to watch?

Although Jesus didn’t have sweet tech at His disposal, He also was a disruptor.  Throughout the Gospels, He repeatedly challenged tried-and-true religious doctrine with the phrase: “You have heard it said…But I say…!”.  “You have heard it said, ‘Do not kill,’ but I say do not even be angry with your brother!’  I guess it is harder to kill someone when you’re not angry with them in the first place.

In the scripture passage above, Jesus is disrupting the tradition of the religious leaders.  The Pharisees are concerned primarily with status.  They want to hold the place of honor at banquets.  They want the best seats in church.  They want to be seen as exemplars of the religious tradition.

Jesus knows the religious tradition is steeped in status: the way you (and everyone else) can tell you are blessed by God is by the position you hold in society.  So, He disrupts the tradition.  He subverts status in favor of service.  The only position God cares about is the one that demonstrates service to another.  Do you want to be blessed by God?  Serve someone else.  Do you want to be ignored by God?  Serve yourself.

Devotional Prayer:

Help me to remember that one of the temptations Jesus overcame was the temptation of status—to be given control of “all the kingdoms of the world.” Help me to follow Jesus in recognizing that we are here not to be served, but to serve.  Amen. 

Title: Us/Them

Author: Joan

Scripture: Luke 6: 27-38

Devotional:

I'm thinking of the corner I pass in my car daily. The gray and worn-out man and woman sit on the plastic crate with heads bowed. Many things go through my head: are they ashamed, hungry, thirsty, mad, sad? Do they have a home? Where do they sleep? Why don't I put those granola bars and water in my car? I look away. I can't "hold" it in my heart. The next day, I passed by the corner again. One day, I will stop.

Devotional Prayer:

Dear God, Open my heart to see and act. Amen.

Title: Pray for my enemies? 

Author: Heather Monkmeyer

Scripture: Matthew 5: 43-48

Devotional:

This is a difficult passage for me. I am not used to having “enemies,” really. Sure, there have always been people I don’t enjoy or those who have views with which I don’t align. But I didn’t feel like we were enemies, just not each other’s favorite people. Lately, though, the world seems scarier, more pointedly hateful and polarized. I may be someone’s enemy simply because of how I live my life, how I vote, or for what I believe. And suddenly, that feels consequential. How do I pray for the people who seem to stand against what is truthful, compassionate, loving, and redemptive?

The last line of this passage is an admonition to be perfect as God is perfect, which, to me, is jarring. How could I possibly be perfect like God? I cannot, but maybe Jesus was imploring his listeners to sink into their innermost being where they meet God, who is perfect Love. There is an expansive place in all of us where our hearts can open, where we can hold all in God’s generous compassion and love. The only way I can ever love my enemies is by holding them in the space where God dwells in me. Tell me if you have another way.

I cannot say that I always love my enemies. But there is a hopeful place in me that desires to rise above the anger and pettiness, the fear and all that would bind me and keep me small. God, at first, I really don’t want to pray for my enemies. I really don’t want to love them. But I also don’t want to be consumed with anger, hatred, or fear. I want to be free to love, free to forgive, free to be an agent of your healing and kindness in the world. I bring this heaviness to you and ask for you to hold it with me and transform it into something productive, compassionate, and good. Amen.

Devotional Prayer:

Breath Prayer of Love and Compassion

Allow your breath prayer to become a prayer of love and compassion.

As you breathe in, receive God’s gift of unending and expansive love for all of creation.

As your breath expands your lungs, reflect on the ways in which love expands your heart.

As you breathe out, “exhale” love to those for whom you care. Breathe out to family and friends for five breaths.

In the next five breaths, expand your circle of awareness to include the people with whom you have challenging relationships.

In the next five breaths, expand again and breathe love onto your community.

Keep expanding your circle of awareness to include all peoples and, finally, all the earth.

Notice what is inspired in you when you practice extending love and care to the entire Earth community.

This is from Water, Wind, Earth and Fire: the Christian Practice of Praying with the Elements by

Christine Valters Paintner.

Title: The Courage to Ask

Author: Anonymous

Scripture: Matthew 7: 7-12

Devotional:

Asking for what we need can be a vulnerable experience. It requires us to be honest with ourselves and with God about our deepest desires—whether for healing, direction, or simply a sense of peace. In this passage, Jesus assures us that God hears our requests and desires to give good gifts to those who ask. But even knowing this, it’s often difficult to express our needs, especially the deeper ones, because it exposes our

vulnerability. We may feel unworthy or unsure about what to ask for, but God’s promise is that God delights in giving good gifts to us.

Take time today to reflect on what you’re hesitant to ask for. Are there deep, unspoken desires in your heart? Trust that God welcomes your vulnerability and will respond with what is good and right for you.

Devotional Prayer:

Loving God,

Help us to be open and vulnerable before You, asking for what we truly need.

Strengthen our trust in Your goodness and remind us that You delight in giving good

gifts to Your children. Amen

Title: Defeated

Author: Angela

Scripture: Psalm 46

Devotional:

This is a challenging period in my life. I am dealing with people and parents who are intentionally being defiant. It's difficult to look at the situation and pinpoint exactly where the problem lies. You try to persuade them to change their minds, to help them see a different perspective, and to encourage them to be more compassionate. It becomes even harder when you bring your concerns, issues, or problems to light, yet they still choose defiance.  There are times when things don't unfold as you wish. During these moments, I often feel defeated, having expended substantial energy and emotion, and not achieving the desired result feels disheartening.

There comes a point when you have to let go and let God. Hold on to the idea of God's word, which assures us that He has nothing but the best in mind for you. Romans 8:28 is a great reference. Matthew 6 is also wonderful to meditate on in these times. Rest in knowing that God knows what you need versus what you want or think you need.

Devotional Prayer:

Holy God. My whole being cries out for strength no matter what comes. Amen.

Title: Pray Simply

Author: Mark Bryan

Scripture: Matthew 6: 7-15

Devotional:

Jesus teaches us about the power of simplicity in prayer. He warns against using empty phrases, emphasizing that God already knows our needs before we even voice them. This passage reminds us that prayer is not about eloquence or length but about sincerity and trust.

Jesus offers us the Lord’s Prayer as a model—a simple yet profound conversation with God that acknowledges His holiness, seeks His will, asks for daily sustenance, seeks forgiveness, and requests protection from evil. It’s a prayer that focuses on our relationship with God and others, highlighting the importance of forgiveness as a reflection of God’s mercy.

When we pray sincerely, without pretense, we open our hearts to God’s presence and guidance. Let’s embrace the simplicity of honest communication with God, trusting that He hears us, not because of our words but because of our hearts.

Devotional Prayer:

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for knowing our needs before we even ask. Teach us to pray with simplicity and sincerity, trusting in Your wisdom and love. Help us to seek Your will in all things and to rely on You for our daily needs. Grant us the grace to forgive others as You have forgiven us. Protect us from temptation and deliver us from evil. May our prayers draw us closer to You, reflecting a heart of faith and humility.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: The Holiness Code

Author: Laurie Clark

Scripture: Leviticus 19: 1-2, 11-18

Devotional:

This scripture comes from a section called the Holiness Codes. It includes some verses that are later listed as part of the 10 Commandments.

The American culture emphasizes being an individual so much that often people read the scriptures as an individual: I shall not steal, I shall not swear, I shall love my neighbor as myself. But here God says, “You shall not steal…You shall love your neighbor…” Maybe the “you” is not an individual, but the collective “all of you?” I wonder about this because, almost always, God talks to people as a community first. And not

any old community, but a specific kind of community where love is the central moral framework. Practically, this means people choose not to steal or take vengeance on others. This is what love looks like in the community God is calling together. The community people have come to call church.

After taking a break from church, I realized I missed a group of people gathering to worship God. I missed the ritual of Holy Communion. I missed the rhythmic sound of the Liturgy.

I thought about the kind of church I would consider. It had to be fully inclusive, hard stop. It had to be seeking justice. It had to give me space to linger around the edges and decide if I could give my heart again to a group of spiritual people. It needed to be laid back with rigorous theological reflection, open space for critical thinking, good music, and beauty. It needed to have the Great Thanksgiving. And it needed at least some children. It needed to laugh a little and have some fun. Eventually, I slipped into the back row of SVC. I cried through the first service, and everyone left me alone. It was perfect.

It took me a couple of years to commit. For me, SVC is a place where I can practice loving God and know there are people around me, in silence, in song, in person. For me, this is community love, an expression of the incarnate God, and it is enough.

On day 6 of Lent, what does community love look like and feel like for you?

Devotional Prayer:

Holy One, thank you for distilling the core of your community down to one word: love.

Title: Where Would Jesus Be

Author: Matt Yoder

Scripture: Luke 5: 27-32

Devotional:

One of the most popular fads in modern-day Christianity was the “What Would Jesus Do?” bracelets that swept the nation. These bracelets were incredibly popular and found a simple message and a simple way to encourage people of all kinds to follow in the footsteps of Christ on a daily basis.

Perhaps the question we should ask ourselves now is not “What Would Jesus Do?” but “Where would Jesus be?” It’s easy to do what Jesus would do from a position of comfort and living our everyday lives. It’s much more challenging to change our routines and go where it might not be secure and popular.

Jesus dined with tax collectors and sinners in spite of the criticisms and complaints from those whom society rejected. Where would we find Jesus in our world today? And would we be willing to go there with him?

Devotional Prayer:

Loving God, grant us the courage and wisdom not just to follow Jesus in our everyday lives but to disrupt our patterns and routines to go with Him. Amen.

Title: Sanctity or Purity?

Author: Scott Anderson

Scripture: Matthew 9: 10-17

Devotional:

I was once the minister of music at a Southern Baptist Church.  In the early 2000s, we decided to offer a contemporary worship service along with the usual traditional service.  The traditional service had a choir accompanied by a pianist and an organist. The traditional service had a praise group accompanied by a drummer, a bass player, a guitarist, and a keyboardist.  The reason for offering the contemporary service was to appeal to younger people who might respond better if the praise music sounded less like a funeral dirge and more like what they might listen to on the radio.

Those attending the traditional service—also the most senior members of the congregation—lobbied against our using a “rock band” in worship.  The very idea sullied the notion of praise to them. They believed that the faith of their fathers required a more solemn, reflective presentation.  “And, by the way, do you know how much that organ cost?”

The traditional folks thought they were making an argument about the sanctity of worship:  a sacred space required sacred music presented in a historically respected manner.  But really, they were challenging the purity of the musical form offered in the contemporary service: drums and electronics sullied their experience. The worship space had been defiled.

In the scripture passage above, Jesus challenges the Pharisees’ conception of His ministry. They think He should be pure, as they are.  How could He defile himself by eating with impure people?  How could He be the Messiah if He refuses to follow the ancient purity laws?  Jesus’ response was as shocking then as it is now: God doesn’t care about purity. He cares about showing compassion to those who need help. The Pharisees had polished themselves and locked themselves away to maintain their holiness. They didn’t realize that God had already sanctified them for use—to be a channel of blessing.

Devotional Prayer:

Dear God, help me to remember that, as Your Beloved, I am, right now, a holy vessel, an instrument of Your peace. Amen.

Title: Mean What We Need

Author: Mark Bryan

Scripture: Luke 9: 18-25

Devotional:

Some days, Jesus is our Comforter when we’re struggling. On other days, He’s our Teacher, challenging us to grow. He’s our Savior when we feel lost, our Healer when we’re broken, our Strength when we’re weak. Peter called Him Messiah, but maybe today, you just need to call Him Friend. And that’s okay—because Jesus meets us where we are. The real question is, are we letting Him be what we truly need?

Devotional Prayer:

Lord, Thank you for hearing me when I call You by another name, but still respond to my need. Amen.