Bible Study at CSINE

One major part of Jesus’ ministry was teaching in addition to preaching and healing. To paraphrase Jesus, He told Martha that it is more important to sit at His feet and learn than to run around doing more things. In CSINE we try to find time to learn the scripture and use it in our daily lives. We have been practicing it for the past twenty plus years. We used to meet at homes and these post COVID days we do it online via Zoom during Lent and Advent. We try to make it Ecumenical and invite people from sister churches and from other states. Anyone who has an interest in learning can join and participate in our Bible Study.

The Lenten Bible Study will be held on Wednesday nights at 8 pm, starting March 12th.

The Zoom link is given below:

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81616485172?pwd=7vCLxAY6HbyfaMaMNLJ3apJrgX32Hj.1

Meeting ID: 816 1648 5172
Passcode: 515253

This year’s study is from the Devotional
RETURNING – God’s Love Calls us home
By Henri J. M. Nouwen

INTRODUCTION

Return to me and I will return to you, says the Lord. Zech 1:3

The story of the Prodigal Son is a story about returning, and that makes it an ideal Lenten parable. Do we believe God welcomes me with open arms? Let that be the image we carry in our hearts this Lent.

Overall Theme: Return to me and I will return to you, says the Lord. Zech 1:3
( Returning, Waiting, Receiving, Homemaking)

Weekly Themes

    • Letting Go
    • Forgiveness and Reconciliation
    • Praying
    • Friendship
    • Belonging to God
    • Trusting God

Week 1 - March 12, 2025

Overall Theme: Return to me and I will return to you, says the Lord. Zech 1:3 ( Returning, Waiting, Receiving, Homemaking)

Preparation:  There are seven verses below, each for one day of the week. Please pick a verse or two that strikes you, and reflect on it and  share your thoughts with the group if you feel comfortable.( No pressure).  I am hoping for our study to be participatory.

“Not my will but yours be done”. That prayer of Jesus at Gethsemane is difficult, but it is the most important prayer we can pray. Learning to surrender our will, to ‘let go’, is the ultimate goal of all Lenten devotion.

Week 1- Letting Go

  1. Letting Go: Let it be as you would have it, not as I. Matthew 26:39
  2. Passion : God did not spare his own son, but handed Him over. Romans 8:32
  3. Facing Up : Jesus started to indicate to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly there.  Matthew 16:21
  4. Giving : They gave from their surplus wealth, but she from her want. Mark 12:44
  5. Fasting : But the time will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast. Matthew 9:15
  6. Glorification; I seek no glory for myself. John 8:50
  7. Pruning : Every branch that  bears no fruit, the Father takes away, and every branch that bears fruit He prunes so that it may bear even more fruit. John 15: 1-2

WEEK 2 - March 19, 2025

Preparation:  There are seven verses below, each for one day of the week.  Please pick a verse or two that strikes you, and reflect on it and share your thoughts with the group.

Forgiveness and personal reconciliation are at the heart of Christianity. How many of us have put off forgiveness as a luxury? It is inevitable , we say, that we hurt others and others hurt us. But Jesus does not want us to put off forgiveness and reconciliation. He wants us to forgive and accept forgiveness from others.

Week 2 Forgiveness and Reconciliation

  1. Healing Words: Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.
    John 14:27.
  2. Knowing: Jesus said to her, “Mary”. John 20:16
  3. Making Peace : Make peace with your sister or brother, and then
    come back and offer your gift. Mathew 5:24
  4. Seeing: You will see much greater things than that. John 1:50
  5. Forgiving: Her many sins are forgiven because of her great love. Luke 7:47
  6. Pardoning; As far as the East is from the West, so far has he put our
    transgressions from us. Psalm 103:12
  7. Accepting: God our savior… wills everyone to be saved and to come
    to knowledge of the truth. I Timothy 2:3-4