Contributed by Rod G. Boriack
Chicago, IL

Warm-up Activity:Give each person a piece of paper and something to write with. In one minute, write down the names of as many of your friends as you can. Follow-up questions:

• How many friends are on your list?
• How did you decide on who to list as a friend when under the pressure of time?

When we use the word friend or friendship these days, it may not be so easy to describe what we mean. There are friends, and then there are FRIENDS. Social networking Web sites like FaceBook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Twitter, and others have stirred up our understanding of what it means to be a friend or to be part of a community. FaceBook alone claims the following statistics:

• More than 200 million active users
• More than 100 million users log on to FaceBook at least once each day
• Average user has 120 friends on the site
• More than 3.5 billion minutes are spent on Facebook each day (worldwide)
• More than 25 million active user groups exist on the site
• About 70% of Facebook users are outside the United States

Just for youth and young adults? Think again… it’s estimated that FaceBook has seen a 276% increase in 35-54 year-old users in the past 6 months.

Never in history has it been possible to have so many friends and to keep in touch with so many people worldwide!

Discussion Questions

• How many of you have a FaceBook page or some other on-line social networking page?
• How many friends do you have on your page?
• What’s the best thing about being part of an on-line community? What are the limitations (if any)?

Scripture Texts (NRSV) for Sunday, May 17, 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.)

• Acts 10:44-48
• Psalm 98 (4)
• 1 John 5:1-6
• John 15:9-17

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

Gospel Reflection 

In this chapter of John, Jesus spends some time trying to help his disciples understand what it means to be a friend, a follower, chosen by God — a disciple. It seems that he’s always trying to straighten them out. Love and friendship… what could be easier to understand?

It’s maybe not as simple as it seems though. In the Old Testament there’s a passage in Isaiah where God says, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, and my ways are not your ways.” In this week’s Gospel lesson, Jesus has something different in mind when he speaks of friends and love. He is thinking of a relationship that is deeper, more intense, and more committed than the disciples are accustomed to. Jesus is speaking of a friendship and love that is willing to sacrifice everything — including one’s life — for another person. It’s the kind of friendship and love that Jesus has for us.

Even today we struggle to really understand and accept the kind of friendship Jesus describes. We’re still unsure about what it means to follow Jesus’ example and what he is asking us to do. Maybe we even dig our feet in sometimes and say “there’s no way I’m gonna do that!” “Love my enemies or sacrifice my life for a friend — no way.”

But it is the way, and Jesus is asking us to make it our way.

Last fall, fast-food chain Burger King created the “Whopper Sacrifice” campaign, a FaceBook app that gave people a coupon for a free hamburger if they deleted 10 people from their friends list. The value worked out to trading each friend for about 37 cents worth of fast food. By the end of the promotion, people had deleted 233,906 friends from their FaceBook pages.

The marketing campaign is over, and the Whopper Sacrifice Web site now simply says: “In the end, your love for the Whopper Sandwich proved to be stronger than 233,906 friendships.” “Were you sacrificed by somebody? Send them an Angry-Gram…”

We can shrug it off as just advertising; it’s no big deal. On the other hand, what does it say about who we are and how we love each other?

Discussion Questions

• How would you describe the differences between how Jesus describes a friend and how we might describe a friend? How are our descriptions similar? What about our descriptions of love?
• What stands in the way of our considering every human being as a friend? As a neighbor? In today’s world — 2009 –what helps us connect with each other in ways that are respectful, caring, understanding, and even loving?
• How does God move us closer to each other through the sacrifice and example of Jesus?

Activity Suggestions

• Get in touch with a friend who you haven’t talked to or connected with in awhile. Tell them of your care and concern for them, and that you haven’t forgotten them.
• Use your social networking or on-line community page to mention the kind of love that God has for us. Encourage your friends to take the risk of living and loving like Jesus… post each other’s ideas of what it involves. Offer each other encouragement that also reflects forgiveness and patience.

Closing Prayer

O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son. Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred that infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in love; and, through our struggle and confusion, work to accomplish your purposes on earth; so that, in your good time, every people and nation may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

(Prayer for the human family, Evangelical Lutheran Worship, page 79.)

Contributed by Matthew R. Nelson
Walla Walla, WA

Warm-up Question: Read John 15:3. What does it mean (for you/for us) to be cleansed by the words of Christ?

Not everyone who is chosen in the annual NFL draft will secure a spot on the roster of the team that chose them. For some that were not picked, the prospects of eventually making an NFL team are minimal at best.

There are always some oddities in the 256 pick process called Draft Day. This year, the quarterback from Kent State was picked to be a potential receiver by the Patriots. The Cardinals used pick #131 to make Greg Toler the first student athlete ever chosen from St. Paul’s (VA), a Division II school. Also selected from Division II were Abilene Christian teammates Johnny Knox and Bernard Scott, who were taken at #140 by the Bears and #209 by the Bengals, respectively. The three players from Division II schools outnumbered draft picks from nine major collegiate institutions and equaled those from four others.

Other surprises included Demetrius Byrd, chosen by the San Diego Chargers with their last pick in the seventh round. He remains hospitalized with serious injuries resulting from a car accident; injuries that might even prevent him from playing again. The Broncos in the 2nd round picked North Carolina tight end Richard Quinn, even though he only had 12 catches in two years with the school. And one of the pre-draft favorites of some, Purdue quarterback Curtis Painter, was picked by the Colts in the sixth round, even though he lost his starting job temporarily in 2008.

As always, some players were picked higher in the draft than some expected, some were picked lower, and some players who were expecting to be drafted were not. The person making the pick in the draft decides the value of a player and his potential. In spite of very meticulous research and a clear set of needs that teams hope to fill with draft picks, some players will exceed expectations and many will never live up to them.

Discussion Questions

• The New Student Bible (NRSV) notes that the same Greek root for ‘cleansed’ refers also to pruning, (vs. 3). What types of things does God prune from you emotionally or behaviorally in order that you might abide in Christ?
• Read John 14:30-31. Why do you think Jesus moved from the privacy of speaking with his disciples to a more public forum? Walking or riding would surely attract more people, and the events that followed lead directly to the crucifixion.
• What questions would you have for Christ if you were in the disciple’s shoes on that day?
• Before (John 14:28) and after (John 16:5) the lesson today, Jesus speaks of departing or leaving the disciples to continue in ministry and mission. Do you think the disciples felt empowered or abandoned as Jesus spoke to them?

Scripture Texts (NRSV) for Sunday, May 10, 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.)

• Acts 8:26-40 
• Psalm 22:25-31 (27)
• 1 John 4:7-21
• John 15:1-8

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

Gospel Reflection

Jesus had already foretold of his betrayal and of Peter’s denial. Now he is speaking of departing, of leaving them to continue in his mission. Questions must have been racing through their minds. Understanding this, Christ simply and calmly says, “You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you.” (John 15:3)

That’s it! The essence of Jesus’ message to his disciples and to us is that amidst all of our concern, amidst all of our doubt, and even amidst any shortcomings that we might have, we have been chosen and should begin our mission and calling immediately, fully cleansed and prepared. 

Christ’s example in life, and his the sacrifice on the cross have grafted us into the living vine, and the vine grower’s field. Now, with the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit, the advocate, each of us will experience the blessing of being a blessing as our gifts and talents are used to glorify God in this world.

The NFL draft is an interesting process full of hope and anticipation for hundreds of collegiate athletes who hope to continue their football careers. A football career would mean a lifestyle far from the ordinary. Even with a college degree to fall back on, life without football means a future uncertain, and a plunge into a different kind of competitive job market. Football is their skill, and football is their desire.

Being chosen in the draft, however, is not the end accomplishment of hard work. It is the beginning of a new relationship with a team that will take all of your past experiences and skills, and mold them to better their own mission, to win a Super Bowl. Through continued work and practice, players are stripped of poor habits and cleansed in their discipline to perform on the field. Coaches and trainers teach, and then lead gently and not so gently from the sidelines during each game.

Jesus chose his original disciples as he began his adult public ministry. He chose ordinary people, from fishermen to tax collectors. These ordinary people witnessed and experienced some extraordinary things as they walked with Jesus. They bonded with their teacher, and he bonded with them. Their sense of privilege in being chosen by Jesus and their sense of belonging must have been tremendous, right up until our lesson today.

Discussion Questions 

• What are the gifts or skills you believe that God has given you in order that you might glorify his name?
• Have you experienced the joy or rejection of being chosen or not chosen to participate in an activity or sport? Answers might range from school and neighborhood games to more serious auditions for music, plays, and team sports. Share something positive about that experience. Was it positive at the time, or do you look back at it more positively now? Why? 
• Being trained and then left to do something is a part of all work experiences. Describe a situation or time when you thought you weren’t ready for the task at hand? How did you feel? What did you do? How did you work through the situation? Did you pray about it and ask God for help? What did you ask for?
• Sometimes being a Christian singles you out for criticism, making us just a little different than many of our friends. Jesus tells his disciples in John 15:27 that in spite of the world and of persecution of any kind, that we are to testify on his behalf because we have been with him from the beginning. How do you feel about that? Why?

Activity Suggestions

• Sing “His Banner Over Me is Love.” One version with chords is available at http://www.higherpraise.com/lyrics/fabulous/710.htm.Now take a note pad to worship. Without writing names, look at other members of the congregation and write down what you think their gifts and talents are. Post the list in the Narthex or in the church bulletin or newsletter. Title it “Gifts we have that glorify God.”  
• Sometimes we overlook or undervalue our own gifts, (question #1 above). Write each group member’s name on a piece of paper. By their name, write one gift or talent you think they have. Give them to your group leader, who can write the gifts and talents on the chalkboard or dry erase board, without names. This gives everyone the opportunity to say something positive about others, but doesn’t single anyone out. You can lead the activity verbally if you feel comfortable doing so.

Closing Prayer

Lord we praise your name and thank you for first choosing us. Send now the Holy Spirit, the advocate, that we might know your continued presence and work to glorify your name. Amen.

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.)

• Jonah 3:1-5, 10
• Psalm 62:5-12 (6)
• 1 Corinthians 7:29-31
• Mark 1:14-20

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

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.)

• 1 Samuel 3:1-10 [11-20]
• Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18 (1)
• 1 Corinthians 6:12-20
• John 1:43-51

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