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January 10, 2016, Important Questions

Scott Mims, Virginia Beach, VA

 

Warm-up Question

  • Have you made any New Year’s resolutions for 2016?  If so, what are they?
  • If not, then are there any things you hope will be different in your life this coming year?
  • What hopes do you have for the world in general?

Important Questions

Okay, I’ll admit it, this is yet another piece about “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”…sort of. Currently the film is just 12 days into its box office run, and already it has grossed over $1.2 BILLION worldwide.  As one who has seen the movie twice myself, I certainly understand the appeal.  It’s a great story; I find myself both drawn in and left wanting to know more.  For instance, I am intrigued – who is this new character named Rey, really?  Where does she come from?  Where is she heading?  As the storyline plays itself out in the inevitable sequels, where will the drama take us and what part will she have to play? Will my current speculations turn out to be true, or is there a twist awaiting?

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At their heart, these are more than just questions about the plot.  They are identity questions and questions about meaning.  And even though most of us live our lives on a much less epic scale, they are the same questions we all confront in one form or another.  Who am I?  Where do I come from and where am I going? What difference does my life make?  The answers we give help to shape and form us in many ways.  Yet there is a sense in which the options we have these days to answer such questions are more fluid than ever.  For a recent look at how these questions of identity been very much a part of the landscape of our news this past year, checkout a recent program from “On Point with Tom Ashbrook.”  You can find a link to the program here: https://onpoint.wbur.org/2015/12/23/culture-race-identity-politics-year-in-review

Discussion Questions

  • How do/would you answer the question, “Who are you and why?”
  • What impact do you think some of the following have on how we understand our identity: race, gender/orientation, friends/social groups, extracurricular activities/sports, careers/professions?
  • Do the “labels” we wear or the ones others put on us truly define who we are?  Why/why not?

Baptism of Our Lord

Isaiah 43:1-7

Acts 8:14-17

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year B at Lectionary Readings

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

 

Gospel Reflection

Identity Questions

A fiery young preacher appears in the wilderness region, and, with echoes of Israel’s own entrance into the Promised Land, he calls people to make a new start by being immersed in the Jordan River. His message is stark yet stirring, while the baptism he offers speaks in symbols both powerful and prophetic.  Like rumors of a map to Luke Skywalker, John’s appearance awakens the hopes and expectations of many people.  Could he be the long-awaited Messiah?

Who exactly is John, son of Zechariah (a.k.a. John the Baptist), really?  And who is Jesus, son of Mary?  These are the essential identity questions that swirl around our gospel lesson this week.  Part of this passage we have just recently heard.  Our readings from the middle weeks of Advent focus specifically on John and his call to repentance.  Furthermore, for those who have been following the story since Chapter 1, Luke has made clear that John’s roles are those of preparer and messenger (Lk. 1:16-17, 76-80).  Now, the people who are actually in the story hear from John himself what we already know: John is not the Messiah.  “I baptize you with water;” he tells them, “but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals.  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”  Who is this coming one?  His name is Jesus.

The Baptism of Jesus

According to Luke’s chronology in 3:1-2, Jesus appears at the Jordan to be baptized by John as a man in his early 30’s.  Unlike Matthew and Mark, Luke does not have the Holy Spirit descend upon Jesus just as he is coming up from the water.  In fact, Luke doesn’t describe Jesus’ baptism at all.  He only says that Jesus had been one among many who had been baptized by John.  Perhaps this is due in part to a certain sensitivity about having Jesus partaking in John’s “baptism of repentance.”  Or perhaps Luke simply chooses to focus on two themes that will play important roles in all that is to come: prayer and the work of the Holy Spirit.

“Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove.”

Throughout Luke’s gospel account, Jesus is shown to be a person of prayer.  What’s more, his life of prayer serves as an example and model for all who would follow him. We see this especially in Luke’s second volume, the book of Acts.   Likewise, the Holy Spirit is a very important character in the Christian story and the hallmark of the life of the church as Luke understands it.  Both of these themes will surface again and again in the year ahead as we hear the story of Jesus primarily from Luke, but for now the focus is solely upon Jesus.

Identity & Vocation

While Luke’s phrase that the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus “in bodily form” asserts the certainty of the experience, it is the voice from heaven that affirms Jesus’ true identity: “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”  What we have heard thus far only through the voices of angels (Lk. 1:31-32; 2:10-11) is now confirmed by God.  And with this confirmation of Jesus’ identity there is also a foreshadowing of his vocation – how he will live this identity out.  The beginning part, “You are my Son, the Beloved,” comes from Psalm 2:7.  This psalm is a royal psalm that was used at the coronation of Israel’s kings.  The second part comes from Isaiah 42:1, one of several prophecies in Isaiah that speak of God’s redemptive activity through a servant who suffers on behalf of the people.  Thus, even at his baptism, Jesus – God’s Son and Messiah – comes under the shadow of the cross.

Discussion Questions

  • God says of Jesus, “You are my Son, the beloved….”  What does this say to you about who Jesus is?  What difference does that make?
  • When we are baptized, God names us as “beloved” and claims us as God’s very own.  What does this say about our true identity, who we really are?  What difference does this make?
  • Look over the promises that are made during the Affirmation of Baptism. How can/does following Jesus shape your own life?

Activity Suggestions

  • Jesus & Prayer – using a Bible concordance, or a Bible app on your tablet or phone, search for the verses in Luke and Acts which mention pray, praying, or prayer.  Split the results up among your group, and have them read and report back:
    • At what moments is Jesus shown to be in prayer?
    • At what moments are his followers shown to be in prayer?
    • What does Jesus demonstrate /teach about praying or prayer?
    • What do you discover in these verses about the place of prayer in the life of a Christian?
  • The Holy Spirit – similar to activity above, search for verses in Luke and Acts which mention the Holy Spirit or Spirit.
    • What role does the Holy Spirit play in Luke?  That is, at what moments is the Holy Spirit active, and what does this Spirit do?
    • What role does the Holy Spirit play in Acts?
    • What sorts of things does the Spirit do in the lives of people in Acts?
    • Do you expect the Holy Spirit to be active in your own life?  Why or why not?  What assurances does Luke give us that the Spirit is present in our lives?

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon us.  As God’s voice affirmed and confirmed your true identity, send your Spirit upon us that we know that we, too, are among God’s beloved people. Guide us in our living that we may boldly follow where you bid us go. This we pray in your holy name.  Amen.

 

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January 3, 2016, The Force With You

Dave Dodson, Fort Walton Beach, FL

 

Warm-up Question

Is there anyone in your life whom you would consider a hero?  What is it that makes them heroic?

The Force With You

As I sit writing this lesson, I know that tonight the new Star Wars movie will be released at midnight.  Perhaps many of you will have seen this movie already by the time this lesson reaches you.  I hope it was magnificent!  I hope that it captured all of the heroic glory of the originals, drawing us ever into an epic tale of adventure among the stars.

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Commentators on the original Star Wars movies commonly note that the story is actually a very old one.  In many, many ancient tales, a young hero from humble origins is whisked away on a journey to reach a destiny he could never have dreamed of before.  He is mentored by an old, but powerful figure, who teaches him how to maximize his potential in order to defeat a potent enemy.  Many of our films capitalize on this archetype – after all, doesn’t this same storyline fit adventurous heroes like Harry Potter and Katniss Everdeen?

If it isn’t the basic storyline that has made Star Wars unique and beloved for four decades, then what is it?  Perhaps it is some of the mystique that comes with the Star Wars universe.  For me, the coolest part of the Star Wars story has to be the Force.

If you aren’t a committed geek like me, you may not know that the Force, in the Star Wars films, is a powerful, pervasive entity that is present in all life.  For those who know how to tap into it, it enables them to not only achieve great power, but also to be much more aware of their surroundings – and even able to feel and communicate instantly across wide distances of space.

It isn’t just magic, though.  The Force can be used for good or evil.  It is a mystical energy that even the Jedi, its strongest users, struggle to fully understand.  The Jedi are heroes not only because of their power through the Force, but even more so because of their wisdom and their commitment to use the immense power of the Force with restraint and a commitment to peace.

Discussion Questions

  • What did the heroes you spoke about in the Warm Up Question have in common?  Do the heroes of our favorite films share the same traits?
  • To what degree are we capable of the same greatness that our favorite heroes show?

Second Sunday of Christmas

Jeremiah 31:7-14

Ephesians 1:3-14

John 1:[1-9]10-18

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year B at Lectionary Readings

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

 

Gospel Reflection

This passage is a tremendous one to follow our study of the miraculous and inspiring setting of Jesus’ birth.  You see, the story of Jesus’ birth reminds us of the humble way that God chose to be born among humanity.  Jesus is born to the family of a carpenter.  At the time of His birth, there is no room at the inn, and so He is born among the animals in the stable.  The first dignitaries invited to the court of this newborn King are but humble shepherds, watching over their flocks by night.  (The magi would have arrived later.)

These themes are crucially important to our understanding of the Christmas story.  Our Christmas plays and pageants always focus on them, and many pastors are careful to ensure that their congregations hear the magnificent story of Jesus’ arrival through the lens of His humble birth.  It is an amazingly powerful story, and it reminds us of the tremendous love that our Savior has for us!

There is a problem, though: Sometimes, we are so busy telling each other about the humility of Jesus’ birth that we forget about the majesty of who Jesus really is.  This passage from John’s Gospel reminds us just who it is that came to live among us mere humans.

“He was in the world, and the world came into being through him…”

Though God the Son came to live among us, it was not the beginning of his existence.  The Son is part of the omnipotent Trinity that created our world, crafted our existence, and guided the people of Israel throughout the thousands of years preceding the Gospels.

“From his fullness we have all received grace upon grace.”

It is God that enables grace, power, and beauty to be present in our lives.  It is God who is created us.  It is God whose infinite nature means that He holds the entire universe in His hands.  And it is God who deigned to be born in a manger.

As we celebrate the humility of Jesus’ birth, let us take a moment and try to imagine the awesome love that God must have to have put aside His majesty to dwell among us.

Discussion Questions

  • The Hebrew people were known for calling God many names — Elohim, Adonai, El Shaddai, and so on — to represent the many things God is to us.  We use many names for God as well.  God is the Prince of Peace, Everlasting Father, Wonderful Counselor (Isaiah 9:6).  What name might you add to this list of epithets for God?
  • This text highlights the Trinitarian nature of God — God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all together.  How do you understand the Trinity?  How does one God have three personas? (*Note: While this question is germane to the text, it is a difficult one for teenagers.  Additional documents, such as “A Lutheran – Orthodox Common Statement on Faith in the Holy Trinity”, may help you prepare for this question.)

Activity Suggestions

Prepare for the coming of Jesus in the Gospels as if it were the release of a film.  One group of youth can design a movie-style poster.  Another group can write and record a trailer.  How will you capture the essence of this story for the release?

Closing Prayer

Holy God, in your infinite love, you came down from heaven and lived a life of peace and service to your humble creation.  Thank you for always continuing to be present and powerful in our lives.  Grant that we would always be inspired by your words and works among us.  In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

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