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February 11-18, 2009 – FEMA, National Guard aid recovery from Midwest ice storm


Warm-up Question: On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being most dependent), how dependent do you think you are on electricity for your daily life?


The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) continued to hand out emergency food and medical supplies in the aftermath of a multi-state ice storm that has killed 55 people so far. Over 150,000 people were still without power a week after the storm damaged Kentucky’s power grid and knocked out power to 1.3 million homes in several states.

Kentucky’s entire available National Guard has also been deployed to help repair power lines, remove debris, and distribute generators to keep essential services like hospitals and water services running. Emergency service workers are also beginning to go door-to-door in the more rural areas, checking on people trapped in their homes by debris or unable to get to shelters.

Amid the destruction of trees and power outages, rural neighbors are coming together to help each other, sharing food, blankets, and lanterns, and in some cases, knowledge. Kentucky’s 8,500 Amish population, which shuns modern conveniences like electricity, have been helping their neighbors figure out how to live without power in the cold winter temperatures.

Of the 55 deaths blamed on the storm so far, most are from hypothermia, traffic accidents, or carbon monoxide poisoning caused by improper indoor use of portable heaters and generators.

Discussion Questions

  • What would your first priority be if your power went out in cold weather?
  • How do you typically handle emergency situations? (i.e., panic, problem solve, try to get help, make a plan, etc.)
  • What do you think is the best response to an emergency situation?
  • Who is the first person you’d contact or try to reach for help in an emergency?

Scripture Texts (NRSV) for Sunday, February 15, 2009.
(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

I wonder how many treatments the man with leprosy (people of Jesus’ time thought this skin disease was contagious) tried before coming to see Jesus. I wonder how desperate he had to be to come before Jesus “begging on his knees.”

I don’t know about your life, but there have been times where I have been that desperate. When I was 16, I became pregnant. Yes, I was still in high school. I was ashamed. I was terrified. I was desperate. Maybe you have been in a situation where your own choices or just a bad situation have put you in a corner, seemingly with nowhere to go.

Right now, in Kentucky, I wonder if there are people who cannot leave their homes, but are running out of food and ways to keep warm. They must be desperate too.

I hope that in our times of desperation, we can get on our knees like the man with leprosy and ask Jesus to come into our lives and do what only he can do. I’m not saying that Jesus will take away all our problems and fix everything in our lives. That will not be the case.

But, he will be with us as comforter, strengthener, healer, and friend. He will make a difference in our situations and our lives. I am living proof that this is true. When I was pregnant, I asked for God’s help in what seemed like an insurmountable task for a 16 year old: raising a child. My daughter is now 18 years old. She has been an incredible blessing to me. She has also opened me up to many other blessings in my life: parents who helped and supported me in every possible way, the grace of my church in loving me and my child, and a husband who loves my daughter like his own. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Jesus is just as much a miracle worker today as he ever has been. He continues to work in our lives and the lives of those we care about—in every situation!

Discussion Questions

  • How would you feel if you were the man suffering with leprosy and avoided by the people around you? What would you feel after the healing?
  • Do you think Jesus is still involved in our world today? If so, how and why? If not, give a reason.
  • Have you ever had one of your prayers answered? (Remember, no and maybe are among the range of possible answers. Sometimes other people are the answer.)
  • How comfortable do you feel telling other people about how God has worked in your life? What or who would stir up more courage in you to do so?

Activity Suggestion

Provide the words and music to one of the following songs:

  • “Praise You in This Storm” by Casting Crowns from the Lifesong album.
  • “Blessed Be Your Name” by the Newsboys from the Devotion album.
  • “Amazing Grace,” Evangelical Lutheran Worship, #779.
  • “Borning Cry,” Evangelical Lutheran Worship, #732.

Videos for these songs can be found on Youtube.com if you have the capability to play them in your class (some of the videos even display the lyrics). If you choose “Amazing Grace” or “Borning Cry,” maybe your church musician or one of your young musicians can play the song for the class while they read (sing?).

Give out (or post up) the lyrics and play the song.

Explain to your students that it is sometimes difficult to talk with others or confess the things in our lives that make us feel desperate. Give out slips of paper on which students can write down something about themselves or their situation that they want to ask God’s help with. If you have an old diary box or cash box with a key, have students put their papers into the box and lock it. Get rid of the key. You can also use an envelope that you seal.

Hold the box or envelope and pray the following:

Closing Prayer

Jesus, we praise you for the way you have always transformed people’s lives and continue to do so even today. We ask that you would come into the situations on these pieces of paper and help us with them in whatever way you will. Thank you for caring about all the small and large details of our lives. Amen.

Contributed by Jennifer Krausz
Bethlehem, PA

February 4-11, 2009 – Obama urges community service

Warm-up Question: What would you do the day before becoming president?

One day before his inauguration, then president-elect Obama was spotted painting a wall of a homeless shelter. He also visited a medical center that treats wounded U.S. soldiers and a high school where students volunteered in different ways.

Of course, Obama’s actions that day were not a private matter of goodwill but part of an effort to shape the tone of his new presidency. Obama said in one of the many interviews he gave that day: “I ask the American people to turn today’s efforts into an ongoing commitment to enriching the lives of others in their communities, their cities, and their country.”

Whenever a new president comes into office, the nation experiences a push of hope. Suddenly, the future seems brighter and people assume that things will be better this time around. But can a single man really change an entire country? Obama’s call to volunteer was followed all over the United States this year and was covered by the international media. Now, it is up to his administration and, last but not least, to the stamina of the American people whether this movement of volunteerism can be sustained. The new president has high hopes. He urges the doubters to not “underestimate the power for people to pull together and to accomplish amazing things.”

Discussion Questions

  • What, do you think, is the ideal way to spend the day before becoming president?
  • Did you volunteer on Martin Luther King’s day this year?
  • What have your experiences been in volunteer service?
  • Do you think that volunteering for a few hours at a single place such as a soup kitchen or day care center can really change lives? How?

Scripture Texts (NRSV) for Sunday, February 8, 2009.
(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

Just two verses, 27 words, in the Greek original text of the New Testament, and 42 words in the English of the NRSV translation … This is probably the shortest miracle story in the Gospels!

A woman is in a house. She is bed-ridden because of a fever. Jesus is called to her. He heals her and she immediately goes about her business. This story is placed at the beginning stages of Mark’s recounting of Jesus’ public ministry, but it is not the first healing and not the first miracle that Jesus performs. Just before, he healed a man at a synagogue. And right after, Jesus is overrun by the sick and the possessed of the town including their relatives that bring them to him and ask for his help. It is as if Jesus circle of influence widens at this point. Only a few people witnessed the healing at the synagogue and this miracle in a private residence, but the news about Jesus and his amazing powers spread immediately.

The miracle itself is done in the simplest way. Jesus does not do anything special, he does not pray or say anything. He just takes the woman’s hand and helps her up, a sequence of events that Mark’s readers will encounter again in Mark 5:41 and 9:27.

What is unique about this healing is that Jesus here performs a miracle for the benefit of somebody within his closest circle of friends. It is the mother-in-law of his first disciple, Simon Peter, the “rock” upon which he will build his church (Matthew 16:18).

What is the result of this healing miracle? The Gospel writers usually add a note that, after being healed by Jesus, the person in question is actually able to walk, stand, see, or whatever else he or she was previously not able to do. Simon’s mother-in-law does more than simply get up or stand on her own, or get rid of a fever. She is healed, gets up, and begins to serve Jesus and his followers. Of course, being good hosts is what women were supposed to do when guests entered the house. Yet, her “serving” is something special.

The Greek verb “diakoneo,” from which the term “deacon” comes, is only used a few times in the New Testament. Aside from Simon’s mother-in-law, it is applied to a few special women such as Martha (John 12:2), the righteous (Matthew 25:44), Paul’s disciple Onesiphorus (1 Timothy 1:18), and the angels (Matthew 4:11, Mark 1:13). What these special servants have in common is that they all serve Jesus: the angels wait on him after he has rejected Satan, Martha and the other women provide for him and his disciples, Onesiphorus proclaims his word. Doing “diakoneo” work is thus human and angelic business, providing for Jesus when he still walked on earth and making sure that his message is spread throughout history in every place.

Discussion Questions

  • The term “servant” can refer to a person who does demeaning work or to somebody who needs to be praised for his or her willingness to put one’s own needs below the needs of others. Do you think that this expression is still a good description for somebody who works in the church or does acts of Christian charity or compassion? How do you understand the term today?
  • Where does your church do “service” in the way the verb “diakoneo” is used in this passage? Where do you?
  • Some scholars who studied the Gospel of Mark claimed that the disciples mention the woman’s illness to Jesus in order to apologize for the fact that Simon’s house is not inviting and that no feast is prepared. Do you think that the woman falls into the typical patterns of female behavior when she gets up from her sick-bed and immediately takes care of others? What do you think would be your first actions if you had been healed by Jesus?

Activity Suggestions

1. There is a pattern!
Healing stories in the Gospels often follow a certain pattern: 1) the miracle worker arrives, 2) the situation of the sick person is described, 3) the healing is performed, and 4) there is some kind of proof that the person was actually healed.

Find other healing stories in the Gospel of Mark and check which ones fit that pattern and which ones might deviate from it. For this activity, it would be helpful to provide a table with 5 columns and several rows. The 4 steps appear in the top row, columns 2-5. Students can then add the stories they found in the first column and fill in the details of each story in columns 2-5.

2. Deacons are …
Have your students read the stories mentioned above that use the Greek verb “diakoneo” and write a list of characteristics that identify someone as a “deacon” of that kind. Discuss what a modern person would have to do in order to be such a deacon and whether your students can imagine becoming such a person.

3. Divine Valentine
Have paper, scissors, ribbons, scrapbook materials, glue, and anything else available with which your students can make their own Valentine’s Day cards. Invite them to make “Divine Valentines,” cards that tell somebody that they are loved by God (this is one of the aspects of being a deacon, spreading the word about Jesus and God’s love!).

As they make their cards, talk with them about people who need to hear that God loves them. Either, leave it up to them who should receive their card or arrange for a special follow-up project where you take these cards to a group home, nursing home, shelter, or another place in your neighborhood where this message is needed. You can also leave it up to them whether they want to write a scripture verse inside (provide a few about God’s love) or whether they would like to add a personal note.

Closing Prayer

You are truly amazing, Lord:
You provide for us and guide our lives.
You give us friends and families that care for us and that we might care for.
But most amazing is that in your death and resurrection you became a servant for us. You died so that we may live.
Grant, that we can become your servants in turn:
That we can do your work on earth.
That we can proclaim your word.
And that we can spread the news of your love to people that have never heard it or experienced it. Amen.

Contributed by Pastor Claudia Bergmann
Eisleben, Germany

January 28-February 4, 2009 – Drum major suspended for looking at President Obama

Warm-up Question: Share a rule you have to follow at school, home, sports team, or perhaps even at church that you feel is not fair. Why do you obey?


An Ohio man acting as the drum major for a band in the presidential inaugural parade nodded and gestured to President Barack Obama and was suspended from the band for his actions. The leaders of the Firefighters Memorial Pipes and Drums stressed to the whole band that they were participating as a military procession and all decorum would be required. The band leaders stressed not to look at or gesture to the president. During the parade, the drum major made eye contact with the president who smiled then waved at the major, and the drum major gave a wave in return.

As a result of the suspension, the drum major has resigned his place in the band saying that the glow of being in the parade has worn off and that he no longer wished to be in the band. The band has received criticism for their decision but has not wavered despite critical e-mails and phone calls.

Discussion Questions

  • Share whether you think the decision to suspend the drum major was fair. What can you say about both sides of the argument.
  • If this was you and you knew you were not supposed to look at the president, but he was walking right by the platform, what do you think you would do?
  • Why do you think the rule was there to begin with? What reasons might you give to hold to this rule rigorously?
  • When do you think it is OK to break a rule?

Scripture Texts (NRSV) for Sunday, February 1, 2009.
(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

In the text in 1 Corinthians, the question is whether it is OK to eat food set aside for idols. What would happen is that an animal would be sacrificed to an idol. The animal would then be butchered for meat and sold. According to Jewish law, this food would not be kosher and therefore would not be food that a Jewish person could eat. But what happens when the rules change? What happens when following the law no longer defines you but something else all together? What happens when Jesus comes and changes everything?

Paul explains that the food has no intrinsic value, and is neither good nor bad — it is just food. They are free to eat whatever they wish and no law defines them. So you would think Paul is saying, “Go ahead and eat!” But this isn’t the case. He realizes that others who are hearing the good news and are Jewish may be put off by the apparent disobeying of a law by Christians that others may think of as very important. Just because they are free from this rule and it has no place in the new covenant in Jesus, he asks the church to follow the rule so that it does not become a stumbling block to others. In other words, the rule is silly and they don’t need to follow it, but they gotta so people won’t freak out and not listen to them anymore. It may seem silly that the drum major can’t make eye contact with the President of the United States, but for the whole group this was the rule and it needed to be followed by all.

As Christians, we know a freedom of living. We are free from the old rules and laws and trying to achieve perfection so that God will love us. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, the divide between humanity and the Lord is torn down and we are fully loved. This means we are free. Luther would say we are “Lord of all, slave to none.”

But this same freedom is not something that we take lightly. It comes with a message and way of living that reflects what it means to be free. Yes, God will love us even when we make mistakes. God will love us even if we make poor choices. These actions will not change God. We are free from any laws or rules that are meant to move or force us into relationship with God. But, if we ignore all the rules, we may forget that the world is watching us and we are communicating something important by our actions, words, and lives. They are looking for God and we need to reflect the goodness of God. Even though we are free from the law, we are still called to obey the law for the sake of the world.

Here’s another way to look at it: Imagine your parents or guardians have promised you a new car and purchased it for you. They have said that no matter what, they will always buy you a car and will take care of it, no matter what. Does this mean you drive it recklessly? Would you purposely drive your car into a tree just because you know your parents will buy you a new one? Do you take a milkshake and pour it on the floor just because your parents will fix it and clean it? No, you still follow some rules. You care for your life and do what you can to show your parents that you are thankful for their gift. You take care of the car as your way of saying “Thanks for the car!” How you drive is an expression of how you feel about your parents. And in all of this, others are watching too. They will know how you feel about them by how you drive!

How much more should you take care of your life? How you live expresses how you feel about God and your thankfulness for what God has done. Yes, the rules will not change how much God loves you, but we follow them as our way of saying thank you and as a way of showing our love and respect for God.

Discussion Questions

  • What rules does your church have about the building or grounds? (e.g., no drinks in the sanctuary, no running around the altar, pick up after yourself, etc.) What are the reasons for some of these rules?
  • What are some rules you have for yourself? (e.g., be kind to friends, listen when one is talking, return things I borrow, etc.) What are the reasons for these rules?
  • What are some rules you think God may have for you? (e.g., praying daily, caring for our bodies by not turning them over to worldly things, worshiping, etc.) What are the reasons for these rules? Why would God want these things from us, even if they don’t change God?

Activity Suggestion

Throwing it Away

Bring a bag of candies or a snack to church with you; something in wrappers like Hershey Kisses, Reese’s Cups, or snack chips. Before the class, set up with one student that when you give out the candies and promise them another if they ask, he or she will find ridiculous things to do with the candies like throw them away without unwrapping them, tossing them behind bookcases, stepping on them, or any other creative way to “waste” the snack. Before class, give each student some candy and promise them another piece if they ask. During the class and discussion, the student should be asking for more of the candy or snack and then obviously doing silly things with it. Be careful this does not go overboard to the point of distracting from the rest of class or causing chaos. Let it happen, then both student and leader should move on to the discussion.

  • Discuss with the class how it felt to see the student waste the free gift of candy. Did it seem right? How should he have behaved?
  • Since he or she received a free piece of candy no matter what, why would it matter what they did with the other pieces?
  • What opinion do the other students conclude about the student wasting things?
  • What does his or her behavior say about the person and how they feel about the teacher?
  • Compare this to life and the decisions we make. If we are forgiven anyway, why do we need to respect, follow the rules, and live a life worthy and pleasing? What does our behavior say about how we feel about God?

Closing Prayer

God, there is nothing we could do to make you love us any more and there is nothing we could do to make you love us any less. With such a gift, how can we not praise and thank you! Give us courage to live lives pleasing to you, not to make you love us but because you already do. Help us to live everyday as a thank you for your gift of life. Amen.

Contributed by Jay Gamelin, pastor of Jacob’s Porch, the Lutheran Campus Mission to The Ohio State University, OH

January 21-28, 2009 – Something fishy about “sea kittens”

Warm-up question: What’s the strangest name you’ve ever heard for a pet?


There’s a new creature swimming in our rivers, lakes, and oceans. Well, sort of. The folks at PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) have launched a campaign to rename fish “sea kittens.” The strategy is one of several attempts by PETA to discourage people from eating certain kinds of meat. Past projects included referring to McDonald’s and Burger King as “McCruelty” and “Murder King,” and the 2003 “Holocaust on Your Plate” slogan, which compared some farming practices to tactics employed by the Nazis in World War II.

PETA launched the Sea Kittens page on its Web site (www.peta.org) with the intent to appeal to children and their parents. The friendly animated characters link to interactive pages where users can create their own sea kitten, read sea kitten stories, and sign a petition. The term “fishing” is replaced with “sea kitten hunting.” Fish are portrayed as intelligent, adorable, and as experiencing emotions of pain and loss.

The Sea Kitten campaign hopes to create awareness about brutal fishing practices. PETA also wants to discourage people from eating fish in general. The petition, which has over 5,000 signatures, asks the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to “stop allowing our little sea kitten friends to be tortured and killed. Who’d want to hurt a sea kitten anyway?!” The site goes on to declare, “The promotion of sea kitten hunting is a glaring contradiction of FWS (Fish and Wildlife Service) mission to ‘conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats.’”

Discussion Questions

  • How do you feel about the “Sea Kitten” campaign?
  • What are some ethical ways of fishing? How about unethical ways of fishing? Would you sign a petition that asks the FWS to “stop promotion of fishing?” Explain your position.
  • As stewards of God’s creation, what stance do you believe Christians should take on this issue?
  • How does changing the name or identity of something alter your opinion, understanding, or view of an issue? (e.g., Sea kitten instead of fish, conflict instead of war, online advertisement instead of spam, protective coating engineer instead of painter, etc. Think of some others.)

Scripture Texts (NRSV) for Sunday, January 25, 2009.
(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.)

Gospel Reflection

Mark seems like the kind of guy who would rather study Cliff’s Notes (an abbreviated overview) than read an entire book. His gospel is short and to the point. The first chapter (45 verses) tells of John the Baptist’s ministry, the baptism of Jesus, the temptation of Jesus, the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, the calling of the disciples, Jesus teaching in the synagogue, removing demons, cleansing lepers, and even Jesus’ first preaching tour. So much for beating around the bush!

The gospel text for today tells of how Jesus called his first disciples — Simon and Andrew; James and John. Two sets of brothers. All were fishermen. This is significant for many reasons, not the least of which was the social standing of fishermen. People who caught fish served an important purpose in society, as they provided one of the major food resources for the community. However, fishermen had very little connection with most people, other than their fellow fishers. They kept to themselves. They were dirty and smelly. Many fishermen had no home — they just lived in their boats. They were rough-and-tumble, salt-of-the-earth kinds of people, certainly not the kinds of people that would be thought of as religious leaders!

Yet these were exactly the kinds of people that Jesus wanted to have around.

Jesus called these two sets of brothers to help him show the world that God is a God for everyone; not just the educated, wealthy, religious folk. He turned the word “fishermen” around into “fishers of men” (which we know includes ALL people, not just men). Imagine the confusion that Simon, Andrew, James, and John were experiencing. Not only were they leaving behind the familiar life of fishermen, but they were now going to have to fish for people. This is just the beginning though. Jesus would lead these men on a three-year journey where everything was turned upside-down. Swords would be turned into ploughshares, rough places made plain, lowly are exalted, sick made healthy, and dead were raised to new life.

Though these young men were the same people, they had a new identity. There were no longer fishers of fish, they were fishers of people. In the same way, Jesus changes our identity from “lost, broken, sinner” to “child of God.” It’s amazing how one little name change can make a huge difference in our lives and view of the world.

Discussion Questions

  • What would you say if a strange man showed up at your school and said, “follow me, and I will teach you to fish for people?”
  • Why do you think Jesus chose fishermen to be his first disciples? Why not highly educated, publicly recognized religious leaders?
  • How does changing the identity of the chosen disciples (from fishermen to fishers of people) change the way they viewed themselves?
  • Whether they’re called “fish” or “sea kittens,” the animal is the same. Whether these men were called “fishermen” or “fishers of people,” they were still the same men. All that changed was other people’s perceptions of them. What kinds of labels do you put on other people? How do those labels impact the way you treat them, respect them, or trust them? How would you treat people if you gave them all the same label, “child of God?”

Activity Suggestion

Fishing for people is not about sticking a hook in their mouth and dragging them into your boat (the church). It’s also not about sitting in the “boat” and hoping fish will just magically jump into it. Being a fisher of people means two things:

  1. engaging
  2. inviting

Ask everyone to think of one or two people they would like to go fishing for this week. Give each person some construction paper, marker, and a pair of scissors. Have everyone cut out a fish and write the name(s) of the people they want to go fishing for during the upcoming week. Talk about ways to engage these people in conversation about Jesus. Share ideas for how and when to invite them to your church. Encourage everyone to keep their little fish cut-out in their planner to remind them to go fishing for people.

Closing Prayer

God, you have given us a new identity as your children. Help us to trust in your promises, and to share them with others. Amen.

Contributed by Erik Ullestad
West Des Moines, IA

January 14-21, 2009 – Paris Hilton “New Best Friend Forever”

Warm-up Question: What is the best compliment anyone has ever paid you?

It has been six weeks now since fashion designer, actor, singer, and producer Paris Hilton found a new BFF (Best Friend Forever) in the person of Brittany Flickinger. Over a span of 10 weeks this fall, MTV gave Paris Hilton and 16 women and 2 men the chance to get to know each other in the hopes of creating a true and lasting bond of friendship. With travel and challenges galore, these 18 diligent and ambitious fame-seekers woo, claw, and worked their way into Paris’ heart.

In the end, Brittany proved her honest motives and her good intentions, and was rewarded with the offer of friendship from arguably one of the most famous people on the planet. One of the first things Brittany got to do was join Paris and her other best friends, sister, and aunt at a “slumber party.”

Will this best friendship last? Will Brittany still be around in a year? Or, will Paris Hilton call MTV again with the plea to stage another search for her next Best Friend Forever?

Discussion Questions

  • Do you think Paris Hilton will really find her “new best friend”?
  • What characteristics do you think are essential to be a friend of yours?
  • What is the difference between a friend, a good friend, and a best friend?
  • Based on the above criteria, how many friends, good friends, and best friends do you have?
  • What do you do to strengthen the ties of your friendships?
  • When have you ever lost a good or best friend? What caused the break up?

Scripture Texts (NRSV) for Sunday, January 18, 2009.
(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

The Calling of Philip and Nathanael (Bartholomew)

Jesus is on the march to find his new best friends (John 15:15). In the Gospel of John, he starts out with Andrew and another disciple of John the Baptist. Andrew goes and gets his brother Simon Peter. The next day, Jesus heads to Galilee and finds Philip who goes with Jesus after he simply says, “follow me.” Philip finds Nathanael, and in his excitement, tells Nathanael that they have found the one that Moses and the Prophets of the Old Testament wrote about — Jesus. Nathanael doubts that Jesus is really the promised one, and lets his cynicism be known by his stinging, smearing reply, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Ouch! Philip can only answer Nathanael with, “come and see.” (The same answer Jesus gives the other disciples in the earlier story in John’s gospel.)

Upon seeing Nathanael, Jesus looks right into his very being and identifies him as “an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile.” (Guile means deceit or treachery.) Jesus can tell by just looking at him that Nathanael is honest and true. Nathanael is stunned that Jesus can tell all that just by looking at him. Jesus says he saw him sitting under a fig tree before Philip called him, as if that makes it any easier to know what type of person Nathanael is. Nathanael returns the favor and identifies Jesus for who he really is, the King of Israel and the Son of God. Jesus promises Nathanael that he will see even greater things than just Jesus knowing the character of a person by looking at him.

There are lots compliments between these new-found friends in this scene, but none of them seem to be superficial flattery. Nathanael and Jesus see each other for who they really are: an honest man with doubts and a good Israelite, and the Son of God and King of Israel. It’s a good beginning to their relationship as rabbi and disciple.

The two of them, Jesus and Nathanael, set a good example for us in the way they honestly share the positive things that they see in each other. Nathanael was suspicious and reluctant to trust at first because of where Jesus grew up, but he was willing to overcome his prejudice against people from Nazareth when he met Jesus face-to-face.

This story sets us up, as readers, for the chapters that follow in which John, the Gospel writer, describes to us the many signs of Jesus’ power. These signs are only one part of who Jesus is. Yes, he can heal the sick, change water into wine, and tell people their life stories, but it’s only small stuff compared to what Jesus is really about. Jesus is God — in the flesh. Jesus has come to call the entire world to himself. Jesus’ greatest desire is that we all know him as our best friend. He is the kind of friend that has the greatest kind of love for us; the kind of love in which he sacrifices his own life for us. This is a reality show worth being a part of!

Discussion Questions

  • What do you think is necessary for people to get to know Jesus as a friend?
  • How do you talk about your friend Jesus to your other friends?
  • Looking at your criteria above for your friends, good friends, and best friends, what is it about Jesus that shows him to be a friend? Or, would he not make your list?
  • How do you spend quality time with your friend Jesus?
  • How do you strengthen your friendship with Jesus?

Activity Suggestions

  • Check out an episode of the series Paris Hilton’s My New BFF and invite critique and discussion from the participants. http://www.mtv.com/ontv/dyn/parisbff/series.jhtml
  • Write a card to your best friend describing three things you like and value about him or her.
  • Write a card to various staff members or volunteers of your church (pastor, organist, janitor, Sunday school teacher, office manager, usher, committee member, etc.) with what you like or appreciate about what they do in service to the congregation and community.
  • Sing “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” Evangelical Lutheran Worship, #742.

Closing Prayer

Gracious and ever-loving God, you have loved us from the beginning of time before the creation of world. You have also seen our need to connect to you in ways that are very human. Thank you for answering that need by sending your Son, Jesus, to be our friend. Strengthen our walk of friendship with him and with all your creation. Grant us the courage to give all of ourselves to all your friends in need. We ask this through that same Jesus Christ, our Lord and friend. Amen.

Contributed by Pastor Scott A. Moore
Eisleben, Germany