week of March 23rd, 2025

March-May Bonus Readings

Community of Christ will be holding its 2025 World Conference at the end of May and beginning of June. In the weeks leading up to the conference, the resolutions that will be discussed and debated there will be available here on the Someday School website. Taking some time to read over and annotate these resolutions will let you stay aware of what’s being discussed as a whole church—and share your thoughts on what direction the church should go in.

This Week’s Lectionary Scripture

Third Sunday in Lent¹

We join other Christians who for many centuries have observed Lent as the forty days between Ash Wednesday and Easter, not counting Sundays. During Lent, we center our attention on Jesus as we remember his life and ministry. Lent also provides a means to sharpen our focus on our own lives in relationship to Jesus. The Lenten season encourages us to turn from whatever distracts or blocks our commitment to discipleship. May the season of Lent help us walk with Jesus, though the path leads to the cross.

1 Corinthians 10:1-13

I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, and they were struck down in the wilderness.

Now these things occurred as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil as they did. Do not become idolaters as some of them did, as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and they rose up to play.” We must not engage in sexual immorality, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by serpents. And do not complain, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down to instruct us, on whom the ends of the ages have come. So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall. No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.

• When you think of the wilderness journey of the Israelites, what gives you hope?
• Paul discusses various examples and practices that distract the Corinthians from devotion to God. What practices within our community distract us from devotion to God?
• What does it mean to you to not be “tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it”?

This Week’s Text from Sharing in Community of Christ

We Share Basic Beliefs of Community of Christ ²

Peace

Peace is God’s shalom: justice, righteousness, wholeness, and the well-being of the entire creation. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, came to preach the kingdom and to be our peace through the cross. The Holy Spirit empowers us for the costly pursuit of peace and justice for all people.

Resurrection and Eternal Life

Christ is risen! Thus we believe that God is God of life, not of death. By faith we share in eternal life even now. In Christ, God’s love finally will overcome all that demeans and degrades the creation, even death itself. Easter also gives us hope that the tragic suffering and death of victims, throughout history, is not the last word. We believe the Holy Spirit will transform all creation to share in the glory of God.

• Consider how your understanding about the Basic Beliefs is similar to or different than what is stated here.