Contributed by David Delaney, Salem, VA

Warm-up Questions

•  For anyone who has grandparents, what are some of the most wonderful things they’ve ever said to you?
• Who is the oldest person you know?  What is your relationship to him/her?  What is s/he like?
• Have you ever seen a very old person interact with a very young person, like a new baby in the family?  Describe what the old person’s face looks like.  Chances are it is full of joy, delight, and wonder.  What must that older person be thinking?
• If you have an older mentor or someone else who has guided you or looked after you at some point – maybe a youth leader or employer or the parent of a friend – how would your life be different if that person suddenly disappeared?  What has she/he meant to you?

What’s in a Name?

On Dec. 3, 2012, England’s royal family announced that Kate Middleton, wife of Prince William, is expecting the couple’s first baby.  Immediately people started speculating about what sort of child this would be.  The institution of royalty is evolving in England, so lots of things are unknown.  Of course everyone wonders if will be a boy or a girl.  But beyond that, people sort of wonder what it means to be royalty anymore.  What sort of life will the child lead?  What will s/he become as an adult?  One very interesting question that is, oddly enough, very related to that, is what the child will be named.  This is apparently a huge deal, because the name the child gets can suggest a particular relationship to the past, a relationship to the present, and even a relationship to the future.  For example, if a boy is named George or Edward after one of the 20^th century British kings, then that suggests a desire to preserve tradition and recent memories.  A girl might be named Elizabeth in honor of the current queen, so that name would carry a different kind of symbolic responsibility.  If, however, the couple names the child something offbeat and unconventional, like Raine or Electra, that would suggest that the child is expected to break norms and resist being forced into traditional roles.  In any case, a royal child is very special.

Discussion Questions

• What are the stories behind the names of participants in your group?
• What kind of future would you envision for such an extraordinary child?  What could she or he accomplish simply by virtue of being the heir to the British throne that an ordinary kid would probably not be able to do?
• Imagine you were traveling back from the future to the time of your own birth and could tell your own curious parents how awesome you were going to be?  What kinds of things would you predict?  What advice would you give?  What warnings would you give?
• Do you remember that scene in “Back to the Future” where Marty McFly advises his own parents that when their future 8-year sets fire to the living-room rug that they should “go easy on him”?  Is there anything you wish you could tell your own parents about your future as they held newborn you?
• Some people think this idea of having a “destiny” is ridiculous.  Others think that everyone has a pre-planned future that they must discover.  What does your group think?

Scripture Texts (NRSV) for Sunday, February 3, 2013 (Fourth Sunday after Epiphany)

Jeremiah 1:4-10

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Luke 4:21-30

(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 C at Lectionary Readings.)

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

Gospel Reflection

One can scarcely imagine receiving news as jarring and honest as that which Simeon delivered to Mary.  She had already suspected the way God works in engineering reversals of fortune in society (see Luke 1:46ff) but now it was getting real for her.  Her son was being singled out as one who would become a very disruptive influence in the lives of otherwise comfortable people.  It was surely one thing to have God bring about change from heaven, but quite another to have her son undertake the extremely risky business of opposing people who could have him killed!  Yet Simeon makes it clear that this will happen.  And, as we often find in the old and wise, Simeon knows better than to spare Mary from the truth, which is that she will feel deep grief and pain because of the work that her son Jesus will have to do.

In our baptismal and confirmation promises, we pledge to be diligent about things like worshiping, studying scripture, loving others in the church and outside, and living a life of service and advocating for justice.  The work that we have been called to do might sometimes cause grief even to our families because God’s intentions for us do not always square with the hopes and fantasies our families may have had.  Yet it is difficult to know how we could possibly accomplish some of those important tasks without the blessing of those who have gone before us in the faith – the Simeons and Annas of our lives.  We should never be afraid to seek them out!

Discussion Questions

•  Back up one verse to 2:21 and notice that the family was very careful to follow the prescribed Jewish rituals for how to treat a newborn.  This rite of circumcision was more than simply the removal of extra skin from the infant boy’s penis for health or other reasons.  From the time of Abraham (Genesis 17:12) it was a tie back to a very long history of parents making promises on behalf of their children, making sure they were included in an unimaginably long line of ancestors and given certain rights and responsibilities by being born into that family.  In that way, circumcision bears a certain resemblance to our sacrament of baptism.  What do you know about your own baptism?  Do you know the date?  Who performed it?  Who was there besides your parents?   How does your congregation prepare families for baptisms of their children?  If you don’t know how that is done, it might be interesting to find out!
• Two Jewish rites are being referred to in Luke 2:22-24.  One is for the benefit of the mother who, having given birth, was regarded as “ceremonially unclean.” Ancient Israelites made a careful distinction between human activities that were very private and personal (toilet duties, menstruation, sexual activity, childbirth, etc.) and activities that were public (eating, worship, work, etc.), partly to protect people’s privacy and partly to make sure that public and communal activities could be enjoyed without the unpleasantness of dealing with some of those private matters.  One thing Israelite law always did was to require a little more time than you might think was necessary between a private activity and a public activity to make sure that people (who can sometimes be impolite) were quite done with their messy personal business before participating in an event where no one would really want to hear the gross details.   There were all kinds of guidelines for these things, and the rule for childbirth was 40 days following the birth of a boy or 70 days following the birth of a girl, as prescribed in the Old Testament book of Leviticus 12:2-8.  (No one has exactly been able to explain why there was a difference in the waiting period between boys and girls. It may have been due to the belief that infant girls were more susceptible to sickness than infant boys, so the mother and baby should be sequestered longer).  In any case, we know that Jesus was 40 days old in this passage.  Note, however, that in this Luke passage the reason for the ceremony is because of the special status of the first child in a family – designated as holy to the Lord.  Once again, the time of waiting before the dedication and purification could be thought of as a time of reflection about what God might have planned for this child.  Do you think God has a purpose for you that may have gone back as far as when you were 40 days old?
• If we read Leviticus 12:8, we realize that the reason Mary and Joseph brought two turtledoves for the offering was that they were poor;  otherwise they would have brought a lamb as prescribed in the law.  Some old traditional commentators have remarked, “But they *did* bring a lamb!  It was Jesus!”  Do you think of Joseph and Mary as having very little in the way of money or other assets?  What kind of mental image do you have when you think of Jesus living and growing up in very poor circumstances?
• Luke’s gospel gives the readers little geographic clues as to what the points of his stories are.  Threre are two older people in the story whose names suggest two different areas.  Simeon reminds readers of the southernmost Israelite tribe, the tribe of Simeon.  We are then told that Anna is from the northernmost Israelite tribe, Asher.  So it is as if the entire country is coming together to welcome the baby Messiah.  This means a great deal because for nearly a thousand years the tribes of Israel had been involved with some-or-other kind of internal strife, even when parts of the nation had been destroyed or other parts had been carried to exile.  Can you think of groups of people in our culture or in your daily life who need something as powerful as a Messiah to come before they could possibly come together as one?
• The other reason that Mary and Joseph were at the temple was to dedicate their first-born son to God.  Simeon describes how this special calling will happen in the life of Jesus – pagans (=Gentiles) who have had no knowledge of God will be informed of God’s love and sovereignty, and people will discover the vast riches of wisdom and God’s providence in the long history of Israel.  In baptism this happens in a different way to all of us – we all receive a calling to reveal God’s love and God’s history to those around us who may be blindly devoted to shallow, pointless activities or habits that are deeply hurtful or unjust to others.  How can we imitate Jesus’ calling to be a light for revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of Israel?

Activity Suggestions

• Arrange to have some of the senior members of your church come to visit with younger members and exchange faith stories.  Ask them about their earliest memories of worship, favorite hymns, people who were important to them in their faith development, and so forth.  And then ask them for their blessing;  there is nothing more essential in life than receiving the blessings of our elders. We do not do enough of this in our congregations, and this story is the ideal place to begin!
• Prepare gift packages for all the parents of children who will be baptized in your church in the next year.  Collect promises from the scriptures and write them on small cards and collect them in a fancy envelope or little basket and present them to the families.   They can be brought out and read to the newly baptized children as they grow older.

Closing Prayer

The Prayer of the Day for the Presentation of Our Lord (Feb. 2):  Almighty and ever-living God, your only-begotten Son was presented this day in the temple.  May we be presented to you with clean and pure hearts by the same Jesus Christ, our great high priest, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.

Contributed by Stephanie Opsal, West Des Moines, IA

Warm-up Question

Have you ever felt like someone close to you did not truly understand you?

Misinterpreted at Home

Although he was a shining star to many football fans a year ago, Tim Tebow spent the 2012 season with the New York Jets as a second-string quarterback.  In addition, Coach Rex Ryan chose to play the third-string quarterback over him when the starting quarterback, Mark Sanchez, was taken out of the game against the San Diego Chargers on December 23.  On top of that, it is unclear whether Tebow refused the opportunity to play in a wildcat offensive formation during the game.  In a later article, Tebow reported that the conversation with his coach was misinterpreted.  He simply asked for the opportunity to play his favorite position, quarterback, though he was willing to do anything for the team.

An article by Greg Couch on FoxSports.com describes Tim Tebow’s situation.  Couch writes that, in his opinion, Tebow’s coach used him for the quarterback’s image and popularity without giving him a chance or intending to play him much. Similarly, Couch stated that Tebow’s previous coach on the Broncos called the wrong plays, trying to expose Tebow’s weaknesses to his adoring fans.  Instead, Tebow found success and helped lead the team to the playoffs.

Couch describes Tim Tebow as a man who simply wants to be a good person and play football, but many others do not accept his approach.  People have viewed him as hypocritical, attention-seeking, selfish, and not having what it takes to play in the NFL.  After the mix-up at the Chargers game, many onlookers bashed his character and criticized him, saying that he “quit on his team”.

Greg Couch offers some closing thoughts on this possibility:

‘Here’s hoping Jacksonville sees him as a man and not a stunt or political statement.  After his college greatness at Florida, though, you wonder what they’ll see him as, football player or incredible ticket-seller. Fans there will pressure coaches more than they did in Denver.  At least Tebow knows what to watch for. He is learning.”

Sometimes our “home” environment or hometown becomes the very place that fails to fully understand us.

Discussion Questions

• What are your opinions of some specific people in the spotlight (actors, celebrities, athletes)?
• Have you ever formed an opinion about another person based on rumors or incomplete news without knowing the whole story?  Tell a partner about it.
• Can you relate to Tim Tebow?  Do you ever feel like you try your best at something and yet other people do not support you?

Scripture Texts (NRSV) for Sunday, January 27, 2013 (Third Sunday after Epiphany)

Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10

1 Corinthians 12:12-31a

Luke 4:14-21

(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 C at Lectionary Readings.)

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

Gospel Reflection

In this passage, Jesus returns to Nazareth, his hometown, and goes to the regular weekly service in the synagogue on the Sabbath day.  I compare this to our weekly church services.  He followed Jewish customs, which included being the reader and teacher of the (Old Testament) prophets’ writings in the scrolls on occasion.  Jesus, however, was not just any other weekly Bible reader.  Because Jesus is God in human form, He spoke the prophet Isaiah’s words with power and proclaimed that these words of prophecy came true through Him that very day!  That is amazing news.  Hundreds of years after God spoke to the man Isaiah about the coming Messiah, Jesus Himself humbly goes to the synagogue as usual, but He shares with the people that He is in fact the One to come and set the captives free, open the eyes of the blind, preach good news to the poor, and announce the year of the Lord’s favor.  Verses 20-21 explain His extraordinary reading of the familiar text which captured everyone’s attention.

However, people in Jesus’ hometown did not fully understand His purpose.  The heading of this passage in some Bibles is “Jesus Rejected at Nazareth”, so the meaning can be partially missed if we do not read the rest of the section through verse 30.  Luke writes that “everyone praised him” (15) and “All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips” (22).  But this is followed by, “‘isn’t this Joseph’s son?’” (22B).

Jesus goes on to describe how the old prophets Elijah and Elisha were sent to other places to do God’s work, because the people in their hometown, Israel, would not truly accept God as the source of the healings at those times.  “No prophet is accepted in his hometown” (24).

When Elijah visits a widow in Zarephath during a famine, asks for food, prays to God, and raises her son from the dead, she proclaims, “‘Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth’” (1 Kings 17:(7-23), 24).  Similarly, Naaman, an army commander from Aram who had leprosy, had servants who trusted in the prophets of God in Israel.  Elisha told him to wash in the Jordan River seven times to be cleansed, and when it worked, Naaman proclaimed, “‘Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel’” (2 Kings 5:15).

However, the people in Jesus’ home ground in the Nazareth synagogue only claimed, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”  I think this message is exemplified more clearly in the version of the same story in Matthew’s Gospel.  I encourage you to look up Matthew 13:53-58.  He states the people’s reaction this way:

“‘Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?’ they asked.  ‘Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?  Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?  Aren’t all his sisters with us?  Where then did this man get all these things?’  And they took offense at him.  But Jesus said to them, ‘Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor.’  And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith” (Matthew 13:54b-58).

Since the people in the synagogue of Christ’s hometown saw Him grow up, as any average kid would, they did not accept that God was the source of His power and authority.  They did not recognize Him as God or respond in faith like the outside peoples healed by Elijah and Elisha did.  Even though they were amazed, they were skeptical that “Joseph’s boy” was growing up to be great.  They could not open their eyes to see that God, His true Father, was working through Him with an authority and power that was out of this world.

Can you imagine returning home like Jesus did, only to find that no one really understands who you are?  He wasn’t just another Nazarene; He was God!  Maybe this relates to how Tim Tebow may have felt when his coach viewed him only as a popular icon, when he wanted to be a godly football player.

Have you ever felt this way?  Maybe you went on a life-changing trip that truly opened your eyes to another people’s culture, but when you try to explain it to your loved ones at home, no one fully appreciates the experience.  Maybe you feel that your own parents do not even comprehend what you are going through.  Maybe you worked at a Bible Camp all summer and grew really close to God and experienced His power and love in miraculous ways, but your friends back at home think you are weird or do not want to hear about it.  To you, these things make up part of who you are, but others won’t try to see it from your perspective.

Take hope that Jesus went through the same thing, and He understands you and loves you perfectly, no matter where you are.  And one more piece of food for thought: the next time someone else tries to tell you something really cool they experienced that may seem to be of no interest to you, take the time to listen and see if you can begin to understand his or her perspective so he/she too does not feel unaccepted.

Discussion Questions

•  Does it surprise you that the people in Jesus’ hometown have trouble seeing Him as God?  Why?
• When have you experienced this misunderstanding or rejection from people around you?
• Do you think you have strong faith and trust in Jesus to work in your life?   How can you choose to respond in faith like Naaman and the widow in Zarephath?
• Do you feel comfortable talking about your faith with your friends?  How can you start a spiritual conversation with a friend and try to understand each other’s beliefs and experiences?

Activity Suggestions

•  Is there anyone you feel bitterness or judgment toward right now?  Ask God to soften your heart to understand the reason for these feelings and forgive them and yourself.  Write a letter of apology, explanation, or thanks to them or someone else important in your life.  You can choose to give the person the letter or keep it to remind yourself not to judge them before you fully understand their situation.
• Choose a partner and try to see life from that person’s perspective.  You can ask each other questions for five minutes, and then you’ll have to “be the other person” when your leader gives you scenarios (e.g. an amusement park, the mall, school hallway, at home, eating dinner, waking up on a summer morning, etc.)  You can either act out, write down, or draw how you would act as that person in those situations, and think about how they are different from your own perspective.  Discover how each person’s background makes every person’s take on life a little bit different.
• In what area of your life do you struggle to trust God to help you or lead you?  Your grades?  Work?  Future?  Friends?  Pray to God, saying you believe in Him, and ask Him to do a mighty work in your life.  Expect Him to act, and look for the results with eyes of faith.  If you have any cool “coincidences” or God moments, share them with your group!  Feel free to journal or write down your prayers.
• God wants us to be surrounded by people who know Him and will take the time to listen to us and understand us as Jesus does.  He also loves to answer our prayers when they line up with His desires for us.  Pray for God to give you people in your life that understand you, and believe that He will answer.

Closing Prayer

Jesus, we love you so much.  Thank You for first loving us and for revealing to us how much you can relate to our struggles, like not feeling like we belong, at times.  We believe that you walk beside us through all the days of our lives, and you understand us perfectly, better than we even understand ourselves!  We trust that you will provide the true home for us, and we ask that you empower us to relate to other people who need an understanding friend.  Make us more like you every day, Lord.  In your holy and precious name, Amen!

Contributed by Bob Chell, Brookings, SD

Warm-up Questions

• When things are crummy we like ‘comfort food.’ What’s your favorite comfort food?
• When things are terrible we retreat to a place we feel safe, where’s yours?
• When things are awful we run away to a book, a movie, or a song; where do you run?
• When we can’t ignore the pain anymore we go to one who loves us. Who is that for you?

It’s the Little Things

In the aftermath of the shooting in Newtown Connecticut two things happened simultaneously. People everywhere yearned to help and people everywhere felt helpless.

Now, a few short weeks later the news coverage has left us numb, the people of Newtown have requested that people stop sending teddy bears and other toys, and the only long term result appears to be an extended argument about gun control.

Yet, there are signs of hope. The children of Newtown are back in school. As is often the case, the most helpful responses come from those who have experienced similar pain or loss. Lutheran Church Charities’ “K-9 Parish Comfort Dogs” program was created after a similar shooting on a college campus in Illinois. Now Lutheran Christians bring ‘furry counselors,’ specially trained Golden Retrievers, to people and places where people are suffering or in need.

Discussion Questions

• Does a teddy bear or a toy really help in a situation like this?  (If your group is divided try taking the opposite position for a few minutes and see what happens.)
• How about sending Comfort Dogs? Is this a good use of peoples time and money?
• Are there people in our community we should be supporting? How could we do that?

Scripture Texts (NRSV) for Sunday, January 20, 2013 (Second Sunday After Epiphany)

Isaiah 62:1-5

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

John 2:1-11
(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 C at Lectionary Readings.)
For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

This is the first miracle Jesus performed. It really doesn’t seem like a very worthwhile thing to do. More like the sort of thing Criss Angel would do than the son of God.

God’s power always seems to be revealed in understated, odd ways:   prophets with speech impediments, kings who were scoundrels—or worse, disciples who ran at the first sign of trouble, the savior of the world born homeless to unmarried parents in a cattle stall.

This week we celebrate the ministry and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a great leader in changing the course of our nation’s history through peaceful resistance rather than violence. Yet, without Rosa Parks he would have come and gone like countless pastors before him.

In 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Parks got off work and started home. She was tired after her long day. Her feet hurt and her bones ached.  She sat down in an empty seat, minding her own business as the bus pulled away from her stop.  More people got on the bus until it started to get crowded. She was asked to get up and give her seat to someone else. She refused to get up and move to the back of the bus just because she was black and the person who wanted to sit down was white.  Looking back at this moment in time, Rosa Parks says, “I did not get on the bus to get arrested, I got on the bus to go home.”

The anthropologist, Margaret Meade reportedly said, ““Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

We cannot bring back those who lost their lives in Newtown. We can support them in prayer and reach out to those who are hurting in our own communities, congregations, and families.

The point of Jesus miracle is not that he is more totally awesome than Criss Angel, but that God can use anything and everything to bring God’s promises to fulfillment. Even me. Even you.

Discussion Questions

• Who in your community, congregation, or school is a “Rosa Parks” (Someone living out their faith and values without worrying about the consequences)?
• Have you ever tried to change something such as rules at home or a school policy? What happened?
• Young adults often have difficulty being heard by those in power and control. Who hears your voice? Are there things you can do to increase the likelihood of being heard?

Activity Suggestions

Be the change. Do something to support or encourage someone this week in a quiet way which doesn’t draw attention to yourself. Next week answer these questions: Did it change them? Did it change you?

Closing Prayer

God, we know you love us but sometimes we can’t feel it in our lives. When terrible things occur we wonder why you allow them to happen. We want to believe and trust in you but our doubts and fears make our faith weak. Give us eyes to see the people in our lives who trust in you and open our ears to your promises, so our faith may be strong enough to support others who are in pain or suffering.  Amen.

Contributed by Brian Hiortdahl, Chicago, IL

Warm-up Question

Did you make any New Year’s resolutions?  How are you doing so far?

Expectations

It is reported that December 22, 2012 happened.  It was the day after the “end of the world” predicted because an ancient Mayan calendar cycle expired on December 21.  The date inspired an apocalyptic movie released three years ago and plenty of “doomsday” preparations around the globe as many people expected the world to end:

Discussion Questions

•  If you knew for certain the world would end tomorrow, what would you do today?
• When have you expected something that did not actually happen?  How did you feel afterward?
• What are you excited or worried about right now–what are you currently expecting?  How will you probably react if things turn out differently than you anticipate?

Scripture Texts (NRSV) for Sunday, January 13, 2013 (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 C at Lectionary Readings.)

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

Gospel Reflection

The vibe around John the Baptist was probably similar to that of last December.  Luke writes that “the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah.”  Long standing prophecy was finally (maybe, probably?) about to come true, and they would be there to see it!

John had his own expectations:  “one who is more powerful than I is coming….He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.  His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”  Earlier he had warned his listeners that “the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”  John was expecting a Messiah armed with blades of judgment who would come and clean house.

What John got instead was hard time.  Did you notice that there are verses cut out of the middle of the gospel reading?  They inform us that Herod put John in prison.  From there, John got rumors and reports about Jesus, who didn’t quite fit the profile he was expecting, so he sent two of his followers to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?”

Jesus’ response is a summary of his ministry:  “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news brought to them.  And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.” (Luke 7:19-23)

This is probably not exactly what John or the people were expecting from a Messiah.  In the way he goes about his ministry, Jesus seems to be listening not to the voices around him as much as he is focused on the voice above him:  the voice at his baptism which said, “You are my son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” 

Discussion Questions

•  How do you imagine John responded to Jesus’ answer?
• What are your expectations of Jesus?  Does he meet them, disappoint them, exceed them, change them?
• To what voices in your life do you most often listen?
• How do you listen to the Voice that spoke love and pleasure at your baptism?  How does God’s word to you compare or contrast with others’ expectations of you?

Activity Suggestions

•  Wash something–hands, dishes, body, clothes, whatever.  When you do so, follow Martin Luther’s advice, making the sign of the cross in remembrance of your baptism.
• Talk with your parents, godparents, and/or someone who was present at your baptism, and look at photos if you have them.  What do they remember most?  How have their hopes and expectations for you changed since that day?
• Plan a baptism party.  (I annually host one around January 17, the anniversary of my baptism.  Yes, there will be cake.)  This Sunday, when we celebrate the Baptism of Our Lord, is a great time to do this as a group.

Closing Prayer

Thank you, loving God, for your unexpected goodness and grace to us.  Thank you for naming us your own in holy baptism and calling us to follow Jesus in lives of service and blessing to others.  Help us who are surrounded by so many voices to keep listening to yours.  Amen

Contributed by Jen Krausz, Bethlehem, PA

Warm-up Question

Do you think a Christian counselor can successfully counsel someone of another faith? Why or why not?

Keeping the Faith On the Journey

Bentley, a British automaker, fired its Christian chaplain of ten years just days before Christmas because they felt he might make workers of other faiths uncomfortable. Reverend Francis Cooke had visited the Crewe, Chester factory once a week for ten years before he was fired.

None of the workers ever complained about Cooke and, in fact, have started a petition to bring him back to the factory. Retired employee John Austin, 67, said, “He was there for a lot of people. I know one individual who was feeling suicidal, but Francis turned him around. He was a very important man at the factory.”

Cooke offered counseling services to workers of all faiths, not just Christians. He was employed by Bentley; it was his only paid work. “My position is to help people and not just those who are Christians,” Cooke said in an interview. “’It is not just about offering religious services. I provide counseling to workers who have stresses at home such as broken marriages. I would spend a few minutes with each person which would be enough to help them feel better.”

“Everyone is really angry about it,” one worker said to a British newspaper. “To do this just before Christmas is shocking.”

A Bentley spokesperson stated, “We have a wide range of faiths and want to take a multi-faith outlook. It would be very difficult to have somebody from each faith.”

Discussion Questions

• Do you think it was right for Bentley to fire Rev. Cooke? Why or why not?
• Can you think of a better way to resolve the problem while allowing Rev. Cooke to keep his job?
• How should a chaplain treat someone of a different faith?
• Should Bentley reinstate Rev. Cooke if most or all of their employees want him back?

Scripture Texts (NRSV) for Sunday, January 6, 2013 (Epiphany of our Lord)

Isaiah 60:1-6

Ephesians 3:1-12

Matthew 2:1-12

(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 C at Lectionary Readings.)

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

Gospel Reflection

If you have grown up attending church, you probably take the story of Jesus’ birth for granted. You are very familiar with the journey to Bethlehem, the birth in a manger, the shepherds being notified by angels, and the wise men coming to give expensive gifts to the baby. In reality many improbable events surround the birth of Jesus. The wise men of this part of the gospel account came from nations that persecuted the Jews for centuries, yet they had enough faith in the star they saw to follow it for at least a year. They were obviously familiar with the Old Testament prophecies about Jesus, even though they did not belong to the same culture or belief system.

Why did they want to see the baby king? A commentary suggests that it was because they saw his birth as the beginning of a new age of peace between their nations and the Israelites.  The wise men wanted to give gifts to the new king, but they accidentally let Herod know about the birth of one who (he thought) could put him out of a job. Understandably, Herod was threatened.

In spite of the threat their questions created for baby Jesus, the Wise Men were also the ones through whom God worked to save Jesus from that threat. Once they offered their gifts and worship, they disobeyed orders and avoided Herod so they wouldn’t have to tell him where they had found their king.

This account shows that God can work in the lives of people with any amount of faith and understanding. Indeed, we may have very little understanding of God’s purposes, but God uses those who are willing to follow to accomplish those purposes.

May you look back on the story of your life and find that God has used you mightily in accomplishing great things in the world, even though you might not have understood it fully at the time.

Discussion Questions

•  So much violence is the result of misunderstandings between people. What misunderstandings led to Herod wanting to kill the baby Jesus?
• Those in charge of the Bentley factory may have something in common with Herod in that they feel threatened by the presence Christ in their factory (working through Rev. Cooke). How is that a misunderstanding? Is there any way to resolve such a misunderstanding? If so, how?
• Can you look back and see a time when God worked in your life or in someone else’s? How does that make you feel to realize it now? How did it feel when you were going through it?
• Do you think it’s better to keep God out of workplaces and schools? Why or why not? Is that really even possible; what do people mean when they talk about “keeping God out of schools…or workplaces”?
•  One reader of a news article about Rev. Cooke’s firing stated that in England, “multi-faith outlook usually means no Christians.” Why do you think people would omit Christianity, the faith with the largest amount of followers?

Activity Suggestions

Write a brief letter to the editor stating your opinion about Rev. Cooke’s firing. Send or email it to your local newspaper or to a British newspaper that has covered the story (google can give some of those).

Closing Prayer

Lord God, thank you for being a God who enters our lives personally, first through Jesus, and even now through the Holy Spirit. Help us to understand other faiths well enough to bridge chasms, continuing to show your love in all situations. And show us the ways in which you are working in our lives every day. We praise you and thank you in Jesus’ name, Amen.