Prepare

Since Luke 9:51, Jesus has had his face set toward Jerusalem, meaning he is moving intentionally toward the events of the cross and resurrection. Now, in Luke 23:33-43, Jesus has, in the understated language of Luke, been “crucified” between two criminals. Below him, soldiers callously cast lots for his clothing. Religious leaders jeer and mock him. The Roman Empire taunts him and his fellow Jews by nailing a sign above his head: This is the King of the Jews.

In the words of the prophet Isaiah: He was despised and rejected by others; a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity; and as one from whom others hide their faces, he was despised, and we held him of no account. (Isaiah 53:3; NRSV)

But as Jesus hangs on that cross, innocent—as one of the criminals recognizes—Jesus’s thoughts are not on himself. He doesn’t cry out in anger. He doesn’t curse his enemies or call down the wrath of God on them or even hold them accountable—even though he has been unjustly nailed to that cross.

True to his teachings about loving enemies and forgiving others, Jesus’s first words from the cross are words of reckless grace: “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34; NRSV).

Opening Exercise

In groups of two, define forgiveness using FORGIVE as an acrostic. Bonus points if your acrostic is a 7-word sentence defining forgiveness.

Text 

Read: Luke 23:33-43

Scandalous Forgiveness

In 2004, Mel Gibson released his film version of the crucifixion of Jesus: The Passion of the Christ. The film covers the 12 hours from Jesus praying in the

Isenheim Altarpiece (1512-16), by Matthias Grünewald

Garden of Gethsemane to his final breath on the cross, with stops before Caiaphas and Pontius Pilate along the way. The film was masterfully shot, but, unlike the massively understated description of the crucifixion by the Gospel writers (i.e., “they crucified him”), Gibson’s film goes into gory detail. The violence depicted in the film earned the movie an R rating.

Many Christians, though repelled by the graphic violence depicted of the cross, experienced a deeper understanding of what exactly Jesus went through for us. One pastor friend said that for her it was one of the most moving depictions of God’s love she’d ever experienced. Others condemned the film as violence porn. I tend to side here. But perhaps such criticism tends to miss Gibson’s point. The violence of the cross is lost to us centuries later. The original writers didn’t need to go into the details. Their readers had seen crucifixions. Maybe an argument can be made that we should at least have some understanding of the horror of the most defining moment in human history?

But whether or not we should go into the gruesome details of crucifixion, the story of this particular cross is not primarily about the violence. The main story is about the victim of this violence, and his response to it.

Others had been crucified like Jesus. Others have experienced horrific deaths for their causes. What makes this cross different is the one hanging on it: God, the Creator of the Universe; who created humans in God’s Image; who became human in the person of Jesus (the Word became flesh, John 1:14); is nailed to that cross by those created in God’s Image. Consider what the Lutheran theologian Gerhard Forde said:

“Why could not God just up and forgive? Let’s start there. If we look at the narrative about Jesus, the actual events themselves, the “brute facts” as they have come down to us, the answer is quite simple. He did! Jesus came preaching repentance and forgiveness, declaring the bounty and mercy of his “Father.” The problem, however, is that we could not buy that. And so we killed him. And just so we are caught in the act. Every mouth is stopped once and for all. All the pious talk about yearning and desire for reconciliation and forgiveness, etc., all our complaint against God is simply shut up. He came to forgive and we killed him for it; we would not have it. It is as simple as that.”

How does Jesus respond? Not by condemning us or judging us or calling down the wrath of God on us. Instead, Jesus says: Father, forgive them, because they don’t know what they are doing! Father, don’t hold this against them. Let it go. Release them from their actions. They think they know what they are up to, but they’re clueless. They’re lost. Set them free.

God, in Jesus, meets violence with grace; anger with forgiveness; abuse of power with reconciliation. Always. And only. God, in the person of Jesus, meets you with that same reckless grace; that same audacious love; that same scandalous forgiveness.

You are the one Jesus forgives. You are the one Jesus loves. You are the passion of the Christ.

Reflection Questions:

• What do you think Forde means when he says, “He (Jesus) came to forgive and we killed him for it. We would not have it. It’s as simple as that.”?
  • Do you agree or disagree with him and why?
• How would you describe God’s forgiveness? What does it smell like, taste like, and sound like?
• Why might God’s grace be characterized as reckless?
• What makes God’s forgiveness scandalous?

Closing Activity

1. Celebrate the Eucharist together, if possible. Hone in on the words—The blood of Christ—shed for you!

Or

2. Take turns making the sign of the cross on each other’s forehead and say to them: In the mercy of Almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for you, and for his sake, God forgives you all your sins.

Final blessing (Pray Together)

Now may the LORD bless us and keep us. May the LORD’s face shine on us and be gracious to us. And may God’s face always be turned toward us and fill us with grace.

Amen.

Bio

Tim Wright recently retired after 41 years of ordained ministry in the ELCA. He and his wife, Jan, have been married since 1979. They have two adult children, five grandchildren, and two dachshunds. They live in Glendale, AZ.

You can access Tim’s Reckless Grace Substack at https://recklessgrace.substack.com/ and his Deep-Grace Diving Podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/4WPRRpqMtUzyPeqcqbqrgv

He is also the author of the middle school series: The Adventures of Toby Baxter. https://www.timwrightbooks.com/

Prepare

This lesson from Luke comes just as Jesus turns toward the cross. The dark times he alludes to are not in some far-off future. His arrest and crucifixion are only days away.

These verses are not a springboard to the future, a map to God’s plan for this world, nor a dire warning to God’s people of what lies ahead. They point not to some future time but to our present fears, addressing the deepest parts of our doubt, grief, anger, guilt, and pain, whether we believe them deserved or not, whether the source lies within us, or with someone who has hurt us deeply.

Jesus’ words, and more importantly, Jesus’ promise, are about today, this day.

Opening Exercise:

What is it you worry or wonder about the most? Your deepest fear, the recurring doubt, or insecurity you hold?

Don’t share this with the group but be mindful of it as you listen to Jesus speak to his disciples about dark times ahead. He gives them only one instruction, listen for it.

Text Read Aloud

Luke 21:5-19

My Greatest Fear… Realized

The passage begins with the disciples admiring the beauty of the Jerusalem temple, recently renovated by Herod the Great. It was a structure many saw as a testimony to God’s power and providence, and, as public works often are, a reminder of Herod’s own power and ambition. Things quickly turn grim as Jesus speaks of the temple’s destruction and dark times ahead for not only the world, but for those who follow Jesus’ teaching. He tells them they will endure great suffering.

The disciples are quick to ask when this will happen and what signs to watch for. However, the signs Jesus speaks of are vague and imprecise enough to fit all times throughout history. There has never been a time when the world was free of war and insurrection. The darker truth is that there is never time when those who follow Jesus have lived problem free lives.

Jesus never hid the high cost of discipleship. Persecution need not come from those lording over us. Fear, doubt, and insecurity relentlessly pursue us in life. As to suffering and betrayal, those too, wait in ambush throughout our life’s journey. Not in the abstract but in our families, our relationships, our lives.

Following these grim and dire words, Jesus surprises once again with a prescription and a promise. The odd prescription, “…make up your minds not to prepare…” is more of a non-prescription. In essence, “Don’t worry about it.” And the promise is Jesus himself, “…I will give you words, I will give you wisdom… not a hair of your head will perish.”

Reflective Questions

• What kinds of hardship or warning does Jesus say his followers will face, and what does he promise them in return?
• Why do you think Jesus tells his followers to “make up your minds not to prepare your defense”? What do you think that means?
• Jesus gives what sounds like an impossible task, not to worry when our hopes and dreams lie shattered and crushed. Who comes to mind as someone who has exhibited faith, trust, or hope in the face of great adversity?
• What person or place can you turn to today with the troubled parts of your life?

Closing Activity

Two Options:

1. Think back to when you were very young, before school or in early childhood. What was something you were afraid of then that turned out not to be true or not worth fearing? Share that story with someone else or the group.

Then, reflect together:

• • What helped you realize you didn’t have to be afraid?
  • How might that experience help you trust God now when fears or worries rise up?

2. Give each person a small stone (to represent the temple’s destruction). Ask them to hold it while reflecting silently on something in life that has felt like it’s “falling down” or uncertain. Then, read aloud Jesus’ promise: “Not a hair of your head will perish.”
   Invite participants to set down their stone in front of a cross or candle as a symbol of placing their fear and trust in Christ.

Final Prayer

God,

Help us trust your promises when they don’t feel real in our lives. Thank you for those people in our lives whose wisdom and faith strengthens ours. Open our ears and our hearts so we can reach out with words and actions encouraging others when they feel helpless and hopeless. Amen

Bio

Pastor Bob Chell’s Dad took him to watch fire fighters train on an abandoned house when he was very young. He thought—and worried—for years that fire fighters drove around in their trucks looking for houses that were in disrepair burn down. Now retired, he pastored congregations, campus ministries and a prison congregation.

Prepare

This reading begins with a question about the afterlife from the Sadducees, a group of leaders who did not believe in the resurrection. This is important to note because the question is not really about the resurrection at all, but about trapping Jesus. The Sadducees want him to give an answer that somehow “convicts” him. Keep in mind that this gospel lesson comes just one chapter after Jesus has made his final entry into Jerusalem, what we celebrate as Palm Sunday. So this conversation takes place sometime between Sunday and Thursday, before the Last Supper.

To clarify the question, the Sadducees are asking about a law that sort of protects women. In practice though, it mostly protected a man’s property and lineage. According to the Torah, if a man died without a son, his brother was expected to help by marrying the widow and attempt to give her a son. In many ways, this helps the woman since she cannot own property. Either her new husband or son would inherit her dead husband’s wealth and take care of her. Ultimately, it’s a symbol of the patriarchy that existed and Sadducees’ question becomes one about ownership, who the woman “belongs to” even in the afterlife.

Jesus does not answer the question directly. He defers to the fact that some are worthy to be in God’s kingdom and some are not. Yet, more importantly, property and wealth won’t matter anymore, because earthly rules do not apply in the kingdom of God. He reminds them that God is God of the living, and not of the dead, and that life in God’s kingdom is not bound by the same rules and hierarchies of this world.

Opening Exercise

Question for pairs or trios: Has someone every asked you a question that didn’t seem to have a right answer, but felt like it could have many wrong answers? How do you feel about or respond to dangerous questions?

Texts Read Aloud

Luke 20:27-38
Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17

How Jesus Handles Loaded Questions (And How We Can, Too)

It’s so easy to fall into the wrong conversation, isn’t it?

When the question is a trap, choose what really matters.

It’s common these days. Someone asks you a question about a hot-button topic, and you answer with what you know to be right. But then, it happens. The questioner disagrees with you and argues with you. Suddenly you feel like your values are at stake. The conversation turns into a heated discussion about the particulars of one side or the other and everyone walks away feeling beat up, angry, or confused.

This is exactly the kind of question Jesus is asked by the Sadducees in today’s reading from the gospel of Luke. They are trying to trick him into answering, then trap him on the specifics of his response. Jesus, however, is a master at seeing through questions like these. He answers with a response that truly gets at the heart of things…what really matters.

Instead of answering which husband she would belong to, he flips the conversation to one of what matters most in the afterlife, and these details apparently don’t. Jesus speaks of not being dead but being alive, that everyone at this point is a child of God, and that God is a God of the living. In other words, eternity is not a place where wealth, status, or hierarchy matter anymore. This question is irrelevant in God’s Kingdom.

Maybe the best lesson for us from this gospel reading today is to stop and take a breath when someone asks a tricky question and think about it from a deeper perspective. Rather than be tricked into quibbling over details that aren’t important, we can approach questions asked of us with answers that aim to bring both parties together. Jesus recognizes the Sadducees’ question to be one of wealth and status. Rather than playing into their hand, Jesus assures those listening that God’s love is for all the children of God, and that God is God of the living. There is no need to worry about power and wealth when God is God. And it’s an answer that no one can argue with.

Paul urges the Thessalonians to do this too: “let no one deceive you” he writes in 1 Thess. 2:3. Here he is writing about people who come with false information; not about people who ask dangerous questions. But the message is the same. Don’t let people deceive you or draw you into what’s not important. Instead, focus on what is important:

“13 But we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 For this purpose he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

It’s a great message for us today in a divided world. When asked a dangerous or tricky question, take a breath. Find the true meaning behind the question, keep the focus on what’s important, and answer in love.

Reflection Questions

1. What did the Sadducees want to know?
2. Why do you think the Sadducees asked Jesus this question?
3. How does it feel when you are asked a question that feels a little dangerous?
4. How might you answer differently if you took a breath and received more context for the question

Closing Activity

Have the students practice answering hard questions with a response that gets more at the heart of the matter. For example:

• Question: Do you think people should be allowed to have automatic rifles in their home?
• Answer: instead of answering yes or no, answer how you feel about safety.
  • “I think it’s important that all people feel safe at home, therefore this is a question that is hard to answer. One person might feel safe with a gun, another might feel unsafe knowing that there are guns out there. I think it’s important that we find ways to help all people feel safe.”

Closing Blessing

Holy God, you have all the answers and we have all the questions. Help us put our trust in you and to know that your love is more important than anything else. Give us patience with each other’s questions and guide us into answering in love. Amen.

Bio

Pastor Heather Hansen serves as Associate Pastor for faith formation and pastoral care at Abiding Presence Lutheran Church in San Antonio, Texas.  She has served as a youth minister, youth ministry professor and youth pastor for 29 years.  Heather is an avid Aggie fan, loves everything nature and outdoors related, and rescues animals of all kinds including turtles, geckos, guinea pigs, sugar gliders, cats and dogs!

Prepare

Luke is the only gospel in which we find the story of Zacchaeus. Luke often shares stories of people who are marginalized, oppressed, or looked down upon and shows how Jesus’s love changes them. Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector and would have been shunned by his own people because of his profession. In those days, taxes imposed by Rome took a large portion of people’s money, leaving many poor.  And as was the practice of tax collectors, Zacchaeus was likely skimming a little extra for himself too, aggravating people even more. Zacchaeus became wealthy through his position in the Roman system and his own cheating, even as most of his people struggled in poverty.

However, a small act of compassion and inclusion by Jesus turns into not only Zacchaeus’s complete repentance for whom he’s defrauded, it opens his eyes to the compassion his own people need. In addition to paying back four times what he had taken from those he wronged, he also gave half of his possessions to the poor. He has more than he needs and is called to share what he has because Christ has shared love and kindness to him, even while he was a sinner. It’s a beautiful story of how God’s love can transform a person.

This gospel also ties or pairs well with the Old Testament text from Isaiah for today. In Isaiah’s time, the Israelites had fallen away from faith and faithful living. Isaiah 1:10-18 reminds the people that God is not pleased with small sacrifices of their wealth alone. God doesn’t want the people just going through the motions of what’s the least amount “required of them” by law. What God really wants is for God’s followers to remember that laws are made to help people care for each other and live with kindness and compassion. In verse 17 Isaiah urges:

“Learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphans, plead for the widow.”

Just as Zacchaeus is reminded to think of others and not hoard wealth or take resources from others, God speaks through Isaiah to remind the Israelites of the same thing. Wealth itself isn’t bad; what’s sinful is when we fail to share or care for those in need. At the same time, Jesus reminds us that in teaching people how to show kindness and compassion, we are best to speak the lesson in words of love and compassion ourselves. Otherwise, our lack of kindness turns people away from hearing God’s word in a way that could change them. Love begets love.

Opening Exercise

• Option 1: Share about a time when someone showed you unexpected kindness. How did you respond, or what did that change for you?
• Option 2: Short video about how kindness and empathy change us.

Text Read Aloud

Isaiah 1:10-18

Luke 19:1-10

A Simple Act, a Lasting Change

I was picking up my breakfast from a restaurant one morning when kindness took me by surprise. In a strange deviation from my regular routine, I had gone out of my way to a different store for breakfast. Then instead of the drive-thru, I decided to go inside and order from the kiosk. That’s when it happened. An older gentleman suddenly stood up from his table, walked across the room to where I was standing at the kiosk, and said,

“I saw you come in, and I just thought ‘I need to tell that young lady how strong and confident she is.’  I just want you to know that the Lord put it on my heart to tell you that today.”

I stood there stunned. Could he have known that the entire morning I had been struggling with negative voices in my head and that the negative voices were winning out that day? How could he have known the words I so desperately needed to hear? I was strong and confident, and he could just tell that about me. An unexpected act of kindness changed my attitude about an issue with which I was struggling, not just in that moment, but permanently.

Kindness matters. Acting on kindness in unexpected ways is life changing. One stranger, in one moment, changed my own thoughts and I was able to move on from that day with a new outlook. This is what Jesus does for Zacchaeus.

Zacchaeus was a tax collector and had a bad reputation with the people. While he was from a Jewish family, he held a position of power through the Roman government and took more than he should from the people. Being both a tax collector and dishonest, he was rejected by his own people. However, Zacchaeus had heard about all the wonderful things Jesus was doing and wanted to see. Even in our darkest moments, we are perhaps still drawn toward good.

Zacchaeus went out just to see Jesus but is surprised by an act of kindness. Jesus announces “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today” (verse 5). This was considered inappropriate in Jewish culture at the time because you weren’t supposed to eat with sinners such as tax collectors. But this was not inappropriate for Jesus. Jesus knew that the best way to change a person is to love them and show them kindness, not shun them. And so, we read:

“Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, ‘Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.’”

Kindness matters. For Zacchaeus, Jesus’s kindness and compassion changed his whole life. We all have the capacity to change a person when we share God’s love in acts of kindness towards others too.

Reflection Questions

• Why do you think Jesus chose Zacchaeus to visit and eat with?
• How did Jesus’s actions change Zacchaeus’s life?
• Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” How does this quote relate to our story today, and what might it mean for the world in which we live?
• What acts of kindness might you show to others? Which acts of kindness would be hard to show? Which would be easier for you?

Closing Activity

1. Give a piece of paper to each participant, along with a pen, pencil, marker or crayon.
2. Have each participant write their name in the middle of the paper.
3. Next, pass the papers around in a circle and have participants write a kind word or brief message that describes the person or affirms the person named on each paper. (Note for leaders: challenge the group to think of honest and caring words and descriptions that would really mean something to the person receiving them.  Encourage them to use this as an opportunity to truly touch someone’s heart and not be too silly.)

Closing Blessing

In a circle, have each participant bless the person on their right by making the sign of the cross on their forehead and sharing the following words:

“You are God’s beloved child, and your value is precious and priceless.”

Bio

Pastor Heather Hansen serves as Associate Pastor for faith formation and pastoral care at Abiding Presence Lutheran Church in San Antonio, Texas.  She has served as a youth minister, youth ministry professor and youth pastor for 29 years.  Heather is an avid Aggie fan, loves everything nature and outdoors related, and rescues animals of all kinds including turtles, geckos, guinea pigs, sugar gliders, cats and dogs!

Prepare

In Jesus’ day, the Jewish people lived under Roman rule. Even though Jews were allowed to worship Jehovah, the true God, life under an occupying empire often brought tension and resentment. Some Jews worked for the Roman administration, collecting taxes or overseeing trade. These tax collectors, often seen as collaborators who took more than what was due, were widely disliked and regarded by many as sinners or outsiders within their own community.

At the other end of the spectrum were the Pharisees – Jewish leaders who devoted themselves on obeying not only the ten commandments, but also many ceremonial and purity laws that shaped daily life and worship. Over time, they developed detailed traditions intending to help ordinary people live out the Law in everyday circumstances. Some Pharisees came to be seen, or even saw themselves, as models of religious devotion and moral discipline. Yet in the eyes of many, their strict observance could sometimes appear as pride or self-righteousness, especially toward those who didn’t share their way of life or who worked for Rome.

By contrast, Jesus was popular among ordinary citizens – the workers (remember, Jesus was a carpenter), the poor, the handicapped, and, yes, even the tax collectors. This raised questions and tension with some of the religious leaders of his day, including the Pharisees. Yet, the more Jesus taught, the more people listened to and followed him – but not everyone.

The parable, a brief story that teaches a lesson, is meant to show the listeners the proper way to approach God in prayer and worship: humbly, sincerely, acknowledging our sinfulness and weakness before the all-powerful Creator, and certain that God is listening. In response, we are grateful that God forgives and answers us.

Opening Exercise

Think about someone who is always bragging about themselves: their possessions, their intelligence, their accomplishments, and so on. What is your inner reaction when you hear a person talk this way? If you wanted to encourage that person toward more humility, what would you say or do?

Text Read Aloud

Luke 18:9-14

Approaching God – Who Is Worthy?

The theme of today’s Gospel lesson, humility, is not a popular subject. Admitting that no matter how popular we are, how many talents we have, how much praise we think we deserve, God is not impressed. The Almighty Creator does not need us. We deserve nothing from God. And yet, God loves us. Jesus taught that we are completely dependent on God’s love for salvation, forgiveness of sin, and eternal life – and all this God freely gives.

But some of God’s followers in Jesus’ day struggled to understand that message. Many believed that being part of God’s chosen people automatically made them favored above others. Some took pride in their ancestry and faithfulness, assuming their obedience set them apart from “sinners” like Gentiles or even less observant Jews. Among these were Pharisees, devout leaders and teachers who sincerely sought to honor God through careful obedience to the Law. However, at times they mistook outward righteousness for the humility God truly desires.

So, Jesus taught this lesson for all his followers. One of Jesus’ most effective ways of teaching his followers was to tell them a parable: a brief story that uses an everyday situation to illustrate an important principle. The story is simple, but the meaning is profound.

Everyone in Jesus’ audience knew who the Pharisees were. They occupied the top rung of the social and religious ladder among the Jews. Some probably envied the power, knowledge, and wealth these leaders possessed. But Jesus knew the truth. Many Pharisees believed their position and influence were signs of Jehovah’s blessing, rewards for their careful obedience to the Law. It was easy for some to take pride in that devotion, assuming their faithfulness made them more deserving of God’s favor than others. Yet, in the parable Jesus reveals a different reality than what some believed. It is the humble person, the one who acknowledges humans are sinful and undeserving, whom God forgives. And yet, in bountiful love, God not only forgives our sins, but also grants us talents and abilities to use for God’s glory and the well-being of all. These are gifts, not wages.

So, Jesus told the story. We do not know how the Pharisees reacted. In similar situations some religious leaders reacted with frustration or anger to Jesus’ message—especially when it challenged their authority or understanding of God’s law. In time, that same resistance and fear among those in power would lead to Jesus’ death and to opposition against his followers. But the truth of the parable still applies – our attitude as we approach God in worship and prayer should be one of humility, recognizing God’s greatness, and gratitude that God loves us enough to accept our worship, forgive our sins, and answer our prayers.

Reflection Questions

• Who is Jesus talking to in this passage?
• What is the lesson of the parable Jesus told?
• What do you think Jesus means when he says “all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted?”
• In today’s world do most people show humility in their lives? Why or why not?

Closing Activity

• Divide students into pairs.
• Ask each pair to quietly decide on one accomplishment they’re proud of: something like winning a game, finishing a hard project, or performing in a concert. (They don’t need to tell the leader what it is.)
• Explain: “When someone compliments us, we can respond in different ways. Some responses put the focus on us, and others show gratitude and humility.”
• Read aloud a few compliments or let pairs make up their own that fit their accomplishment.
  • Example compliment: “Wow, that last-minute home run you hit was amazing!”
• Have one person respond in a boastful way and the other in a humble/grateful way.
• Debrief afterward:
  • Which response felt better to give or hear?

Closing Prayer

Lord, we thank you for your love for us and your willingness to listen to us when we approach you in humility. We know that all we have comes from you. Help us to use our gifts in modesty and submission to you, for others, not only ourselves, and in this way bring hope into a world that needs it. In the name of Jesus our Lord, amen.

Bio

Sylvia Alloway has worked as a stage actress, a teacher, a writer, and a wife and mother. As soon as she turns in the lesson, she will switch to writing the annual Christmas play for her theater group.