http://countrysidechurchofchrist.sermon.net/main/main/21400681
Summons to the Nations taught by Pastor Reggie Webb
Date: June 9, 2019
We want to give a shout out to June Alexander for timely publishing these lessons week after week. June, we greatly appreciate you. Prayers of blessings to you and family. Thank you!
thedailylily.com 
WOW be ready to sit on the edge of your seat!
Thanks June! 💓
I would like to say Amen to Sara’s shout out to June and add my thanks, appreciation and prayers as well.
You were right, Sara, Pastor Reggie’s lesson kept me on the edge of my seat. After hearing the ‘shock and fear’ effect of cut up body parts delivered to the 12 tribes for the purpose of mobilizing them, I thought…what next! The plot grew more sinister as the Levite “put himself in the best possible light” according to Pastor Reggie and told his face-saving, four point account to the Israelites but left out the fact that he was the one that pushed his own concubine out the door to be murdered.
Then finding out that Benjamen, one of the twelve tribes that harboured the murderers and rapists in Gibeah, wanted to defend and protect them…whoa!
I think Pastor Reggie really emphasized the dramatic “Summons of the Nations” significance of it all when he said, “the spat began between one man and one woman but now it has escalated to full scale war with 11 tribes against one tribe.”
I can’t wait to see how this all plays out next week.
Debi, you highlighted the base line facts of this lesson. I must say this lesson made me think I was listening to the daily news. Yes, “Summons of the Nations.” Just months ago a Washington Post reporter was visiting an Embassy in another nation to pick up a marriage license and was reported to have faced similar results as the concubine in this account.
We are told daily how many lies are told from our highest office in the land by one man. We can hear for ourselves how quick words turn into weapons.
Try and dialogue with someone about the now and you most likely will get a Benjamen response. Try and invite someone to listen to this lesson and align to our now. Or, discuss the results as to the teachings of Jesus.
Yes, I will replay again and take more notes. Then what?
Just yesterday before hearing this lesson I had listened to a podcast with interviews and one interview caught my attention listened to a lady that had taught sociology, social psychology, organizational behavior, etc etc etc.
What now I ask myself, prayer of course but what words to pray? I start with finding meaning of a word… “Sociology is the study of society, patterns of social relationships, social interaction and culture of everyday life.It is a social science that uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about social order, acceptance, and change or social evolution….” Wikipedia
Now let’s get real! 😱 Church over. Let’s get to lunch before the crowd takes my spot. When will I get to the OBX again? Where will I eat and the best of all what ice cream cone will I buy?
Or, maybe I will enjoy a time of rest but inquire of the Lord how to NOT just do what I think right in my own eyes. If someone in friend/family circle hears about the Book of Judges they just might cut the ties and hide out like a puffed frog. Or, is that me?
At least I can start my day using words from a Celtic prayer blessing….
“Bless those who stand
With loved ones who are sick,
With friends or family who are lost.
Bring healing, bring wholeness.
Bless the world,
Its war-torn places,
Its broken villages,
Its frightened children.”
Sara, you have a way of bringing practicality to the forefront and making Judges come alive for today. Like with your example of the Washington Post reporter, contrasted with “Church over. Let’s get to lunch before the crowd takes my spot. When will I get to the OBX again? Where will I eat and the best of all what ice cream cone will I buy?” It’s like games vs reality.
I appreciate reading and thinking on your Celtic prayer blessing and would like to say Amen to that.
June it is so nice to see the woman behind the scene who brings the wonderful teaching of Pastor Reggie to thedailylily. Thank you!
This week was just what Sara and Debi relayed in their comments. So gut wrenching to me. Throwing out your concubine to ravenous wolves after you had gone back to get her from her father’s house. Don’t tell me he didn’t know she would be dead in the morning. She was another victim for gang and then move onto another. We see the acts of violence unmasked on the news everyday. Some victims die and others will have to live with what happened for a life time. We also have held victims in our arms or prayed through tears for a victim of sexual assault. Is child sex trafficking any different from what the Levite did?
Rena, your compassion for victims of sexual assault is to be greatly praised. Would Jesus not do the same? As we say on this site we want to be part of faith, love and hope. All three comes when we are truth seekers. Willing to be open to give and face truth.
When we hide, cover or tell untruths it seems we harm ourselves. I heard recently a speaker sharing how not telling truth greatly affects the whole of our being. She said she goes on “integrity cleanse”. Now, I must say that takes great courage. That doesn’t happen with a pill and private room in our home. But, guts to speak up and be a part of healing. I find so many of us prefer hide and seek. We hide from people and seek others hoping they will help us with nursing our wounds.
As we approach the end of the study of the book of Judges I am reminded Pastor Reggie said in the beginning not many want to teach this book! Hum, well, hello, oh, uh, hum can you blame them?
Hope? What I gleaned in the last few lessons there is a reason this book was written. A timely teaching by Pastor Reggie. And, boldness on his part. Maybe others will be like Rena, believe another’s truth and offer Hope as she holds them in her arms, cries with them and prays through the nights and days with no pay like a day job of teaching children ABC’s.
I too, want to give a “shout out”to June for her faithfulness in posting these lessons, as well as being faithful to her willingness to serve in her church, in many ways. And this lesson ……😳😱
A fun note on June. She graduated HS with my sister, Eva, and they both take great pride in being basketball 🏀🏀🏀players and they won a big Championship in senior year. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼It was a big win. And, they both are still winning big in life. 💜💜💜💜
Always good to be team players! Thanks again June for teaming up with us.
“My sister’s comments after I reminded her of the fun and success she shared with June. I asked my sister about all those trophies that our Mama displayed about her. She didn’t want to say but I got a little info. “It was a fun year playing. I was all conference as I could both play offense & defense.😊 Funny I have no idea where my trophies are…
June was a good player. Good teammate. I was all conf for season & all conf something for State tournament.
I also received the Best All Around superlative voted by teachers. And, Mama said, don’t let it go to your head.😊”
I have had great fun with June and my sister on getting them to share memories. And, many great ones.
I am always in awe of Our Heavenly Father and the Joy that comes from knowing Him and sharing with others as we continue to grow, share under the umbrella of love. My brother and sister won more trophies than I can remember. I was cheerleader, a real cheerleader, 😱 and I’m still cheering others on.
Hebrews 10:24 “And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds.” Praise the Lord!”
Sara, thanks for sharing the accomplishments of both your sister and June. It’s so great to read about them and the connections of many years ago and how connections re-thread again today. God bless both of them.
Love your role as a cheerleader and the scripture.
Thanks Debi, I read recently that Maya Angelo told her student at a school in Winston Salem NC in regard to living right and doing the right thing that it would cause others to pray a blessing for you. She gave example when your name would come up they would say Oh God Bless them. Thank you for blessing June and Eva. I love your re-thread thought since I love connections from the past and watch and hear how God has polished and set the stones. It’s called God Winks by some and God’s appointment by others among Holy Spirit connections.
We just have to be open to receive and astute in the Spirit like Lois to be the connector. Be the bridge. I think we should pray to have hospitality so we give hospitality and practice it often. Didn’t Pastor Reggie mention this in this lesson. Oh that we could come together in the Spirit and love one another as God commanded, ““This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” John 15:12
What about the tribe of Benjamin? Sounds like you stay on your side of the church and I on mine. These lessons sure sounds like an alarm clock that refuses to shut off.
Sara, I have been thinking about your book, “Throwing Your Light Forward- Relationship, Friendship and Fellowship” the past few days. This comment of yours “… since I love connections from the past and watch and hear how God has polished and set the stones. ” along with Pastor Reggie’s teaching on hospitality, sent me searching into the chapter titled, “Friendship – Polishing the Diamonds.” Your lead quote beginning the chapter was, “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, I am a friend to all who fear you, to all who follow your precepts.” Ps 119:63 NIV. Here was your “Reflections of Friendships”: “Only another Diamond can polish the face of a Diamond. Friendships are built on Honesty and Integrity. Friendship unfolds like a Rose rather than controls like a thorn. Friendship touches the heart rather than wounds the heart. Friendship is a tool of spiritual growth.”
Above, you shared your sister said this about your mom, “And, Mama said, don’t let it go to your head.😊”
Interesting that in this same chapter on “Friendship” in your book, you share your mom’s thoughts on “The Friendliest Little Town in America”, and write, “My Mom’s “perspective on friendship” from her “Garden of distilled wisdom.” In her thoughts she contrasts two couples’ very different takes on friendship while passing through a friendly town in North Carolina known as Creswell. I like the quote you end the chapter with, “In the mirror of friendship I see me.”
You asked, “What about the tribe of Benjamin? ” Seems they didn’t want to practice any friendship with the other 11 tribes. Pastor Reggie said, “They chose to boycott the meeting at Mizpah”.
Boycott, “to combine in abstaining from, or preventing dealings with, as a means of intimidation or coercion: to boycott a store.” Online dictionary… avoid, cutoff etc
In this teaching PR actually said the tribe of Benjamin chose to boycott the meeting of what where the other 11 tribes to make decision on how to deal with the issue they were facing.
I must say this causes a knot in my stomach. I decided to ask how many times have you, me or friends or family had a Christian gossip, lie, accuse you and then cut off communication with you. They didn’t come to you and ask or try to work out or frankly take to a church leader or Christian friend to work out. They just lie and then cut off.
I have heard it said the OT is a perfect heart mirror.
I have been thinking on what you said about boycott, Sara, “Boycott, “to combine in abstaining from, or preventing dealings with, as a means of intimidation or coercion: to boycott a store.”
It reminded me of something you wrote about in your book, “Throwing Your Light Forward”…and this was regarding ‘relationships’.
You had a picture of two rams with big horns that looked very friendly towards each other. One seemed to be whispering secrets into the other’s ears. When I looked up rams online, I found this, “Rams are male bighorn sheep, animals that live in the mountains and often settle arguments with fights that include ramming their heads into others. ” Now these rams in your picture did not look like they were settling a fight. And you titled the picture, “Circuit of Agreement”, and said this, “The Kingdom of Light or the Kingdom of darkness can use agreement being in one accord and of one mind.”
Guess when a group decides to boycott someone they get in agreement real fast.