Welcome to The Prime Timers Adult Bible Fellowship Web Page!

This summer we are exploring the gospels. You are invited to join us for fellowship, coffee, Matthew and Luke every Sunday in the Payne Education Center, Rooms 210-212, 10:00 to 10:45am.

Jackie Rose is this week's speaker, and the Rev. Rusty Goldsmith is our class mentor.

The Prime Timers Good News!

At the beginning of class you can bring us news of your family, or whatever is on your mind, for $1!

This week we had an update on the state of the fund we are collecting by charging for good news. Henny Penny reports that her "nest" is over $180 and growing! Later on this year we will decide where to donate this money.

Lee Hunnell spoke to the class about the upcoming book on the church, centered on the story of the Stained Glass windows. The project has expanded to tell the whole story of the new church. If you did not know, our church received numerous awards from the building trades during its construction. Click here for a fascinating article in Civil Engineering Magazine about our church. The book will be out around Easter of next year. You can reserve a copy for $59.95, and discounts are available if you buy a "box" of 6.

Last week Jackie Rose told us of her husband Robert's need for a knee replacement. This week she reports that a new doctor was able to make an appointment for the surgery next month..

Free to Forgive 

The story of the ungrateful servant, from Matthew 18:21-35 was the center of this weeks discussion.

As context, Jackie brought up the subject of "Q" or quelle, the German word for source. This is the idea that Matthew and Luke used Q (a collection of Jesus’ and John the Baptist’s sayings) as a source in their amplification of Mark’s gospel. The "Q" document pre-dates the gospel of Matthew by 35-40 years. This is a very interesting topic, click here and here for some more information.

The reading starts with Peter asking Jesus how many times you should forgive people who have sinned against the church, making reference to seven and seventy seven times, as in Genesis 4:15 "Then the LORD said to him, ‘Not so! Whoever kills Cain will suffer a sevenfold vengeance.’ And the LORD put a mark on Cain, so that no one who came upon him would kill him." and Genesis 4:24 "If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold."

As to whether the King could have the servant arrested for non-payment of debts, this was not permitted in Jewish Law, however a Gentile King would not be prevented from doing this in the Law.

The discussion was about forgiveness, and we established early on that you forgive as much for yourself as for the other person. Jackie used a book by Mark I. Rosen, "Thank You for Being Such a Pain" for examples. You can read more about Dr. Rosen by clicking here.

Dr. Bill Moore suggested reading Episcopal Minister Dennis Maynard's book "Forgive and Get Your Life Back"

Forgiveness can get complicated, just think of terrorists, and sometimes we get in situations of ongoing conflict which present difficulties when it comes to forgiving. Someone suggested you have to know what you are forgiving, and Bill Linden used the example of the Lord's Prayer to suggest that forgiveness is reciprocal.

Prime Timers Contact names and numbers

Mentor

The Rev. Maurice L. "Rusty" Goldsmith. D.D.
713/985-3831
rgoldsmith@stmartinsepiscopal.org

Co-Leaders

Henny Penny is our class Good News Chicken. In her "nest" we currently have over $180, and the year is just half over!

A typical class group for the Prime Timers. Front and center is frequent contributor Dr. Bill Moore.

The magnificent Rose Window at the front of St. Martins Church.

 The Lesson for Sunday, July 31st is titled "Meeting Human Needs"

Key Verse:  Matthew 25:40

Focus of the Lesson:  Many people claim there is a tension between religious devotion and involvement in such social concerns as poverty, hunger, and compassion for those who are rejected. How can we best express our devotion and commitment? Christ, to whom we are finally accountable, meets us in our world today through those who are in need.

The reading is Matthew 25:31-46. This text is from the New Revised Standard Version.

   31 ‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33 and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. 34 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” 37 Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” 40 And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” 41 Then he will say to those at his left hand, “You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.” 44 Then they also will answer, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?” 45 Then he will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.” 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.’