Contributed by Jay Gamelin, Lexington, S. C.

Warm-up Question

Have you ever received a large financial gift?  What did you do with it?

Where Does Our Money Go”

Quadriga Art helped several non-profit companies raise millions of dollars to support their work with poor and marginalized populations from Native American children to disabled veterans.  So why are these non-profits in debt to Quadriga?  Can this possibly be okay?

It’s hard to say.

On one side, the company raises money for programs that are meant to help others but have a high cost to run.  When these projects fail it is not the fault of the fundraiser but the management of the projects.  If the project uses all the money raised without paying the fundraising company, the project owes a debt to the fundraising company. The fundraising company cannot be held accountable of poor management in the nonprofits.

On the other hand, it is the fundraiser’s job to raise this money. The projects these non-profits create are dependent on the support of the fundraisers and it is their work to make sure the goals are achieved. If they do not reach their goals, can this be the fault of the nonprofits?

This issue raises questions about how we give and support projects we believe are worthy. When we give to something, are we sure that the money is going where we think it is?  How much of the money we give goes to the project and how much goes to administration, support, advertising, and yes, the fundraising effort itself?

As this issue is resolved through investigations, it is clear that the greater lesson to be learned is this- know where you are giving and be sure your dollar is doing what you think it is doing.

Discussion Questions

• Who is at fault in this case?  Do you find yourself supporting the non-profits or the fundraiser?  Why?
• When was the last time you gave to a charity (outside of church)?  How much research did you put into the charity and how they use their income?  What do you think your money is doing?
• How do you balance your own giving?  How much of your own money do you give to causes you think are worthy?  What is a goal you have for your own giving?

Scripture Texts (NRSV) for Sunday, October 14, 2012 (Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost

Amos 5:6-7

Hebrews 4:12-16

Mark 10:17-31

(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

What do we make of the rich young ruler in our gospel?  Is this a man troubled by the evils of wealth?  Is love for money the root of all evil?  It seems so, if we are to take this text at face value.  Perhaps it is easier to pass a camel through a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom.  Why?

Jesus holds up for the rich young ruler the laws of Moses and the ruler says he has followed “these.”  But what is to be noticed is not what is listed but what is not: “You shall have no other God before me” “Observe the Sabbath” and “Do not covet” are missing.  This is a remez style of rabbinical teaching, where what we are notice is not what is quoted but what is around it and we pay attention to what is not said.  By removing these commands, we look at the reality that this is not about money but rather that he has another God and it is his own wealth, that he has not honored the Sabbath (perhaps working instead!) and that this has led to him wanting more and more. Jesus recommends expelling this from his life, to get rid of this idol. Seems so easy, right?

We cannot simply remove wealth from our lives as if it were cancer.   In today’s culture, we need it for food, clothing, shelter, etc.  The issue is not the money, it’s what happens when we serve it as our god.  When wealth and accumulation becomes our goal we lose what is more important, justice and mercy. Amos says that we are to seek good, and this can be done with wealth. It has great power to do good things.  But we also need to be wise with our wealth. We need to be sure we give generously, so that it does not control us, but also wisely, so that it is being used for holy purposes. Seek the wisdom to use your monies for good so that you may control it rather than have it control you.

Discussion Questions

• What are some things you think money is good for?  How has it been a help?  What are ways you have seen money used poorly?
• What are projects you have been interested in giving a hand to?  What needs are in the world you would be interested in supporting financially?  Have you done this?  Why or why not?
• Do you know of examples in your life, people or other entities, you look up to when it comes to money and giving? Does their faith affect them in their decisions?
• What are some other things you think are great gifts of God but can quickly become idols?  (i.e. image problems, overindulgence of food, over-exercise, etc.)

Activity Suggestions

Charity Watch:

For this activity, you will need a computer connection.   Let’s take a look at some non-profits and how they use their money. Visit a site such as http://www.charitynavigator.org/.  Think of some non-profit organizations that you may want to consider giving to.  If you are looking for some direction, try these:  Lutheran World Relief, Compassion International, YWCA, World Vision, Kare Youth League, and Blood:water mission. How do you think they are doing? Hint: Don’t just look at the score!  Take a close look at the information such as the number of dollars that go to program as opposed to administration. Perhaps some are better than they may appear on the surface! Which might you be interested in helping?

There are many worthy places to support. It is our job to seek where our heart meets the needs of the world. No one can give to every worthy place, instead decide where your heart is called and get determined to give what you can to support this call.

Closing Prayer

The earth is yours and everything in it, Lord, ourselves, our time, and our possessions. Help us to use what you have given us to be signs of life and good. Lead us to those places that need us. We turn over what we have to you, in the name of Jesus. AMEN.

Contributed by Erik  Ullestad, West Des Moines, IA

Warm-up Question

What’s your favorite memory of when you were a child?

Poor Children

The school bell rings at Sampson Middle School.  Within seconds the campus is flooded with pre-teens who are on their way home.  Their evenings are filled with homework, texting, TV, and web surfing.  Jessica is one of a growing number of children with a slightly different routine.  She walks to the local shopping mall to do her homework in the food court.  When she finishes, Jessica looks around for uneaten food that hadn’t yet made it to the garbage.  From there, she heads to the parking lot and enters a rusty old van where her younger brother and parents welcome her “home” for the night.  Most of her classmates don’t know it, but Jessica is homeless.

Nearly 1.6 million children are homeless in the United States; approximately 1 of every 45 people under the age of 18.  Schools, churches, and social service agencies have seen needs rise among children and families in recent years.  Youth homelessness has risen 28% since 2007, a trend that doesn’t look to taper off any time soon.  Over 25% of children are living in poverty in America.  As their parents bring home smaller paychecks it becomes more difficult to pay the rent or mortgage.

Jessica goes to school early to shower in the locker room and finish her homework.  She gets good grades but she’s worried about keeping up, now that some of her teachers are requiring assignments to be turned in online.  She doesn’t have regular access to a computer and is afraid of asking to borrow someone else’s.  It is likely that her schoolwork will suffer if she remains homeless.  Children in this demographic area are more likely than their peers to suffer from hunger, educational deficiencies, illness, and psychological disorders.

Discussion Questions

• Do you know any students in your school who are homeless?
• How would your activities change if you had no home?
• What would you say to a friend if they told you they are homeless?

Scripture Texts (NRSV) for Sunday, October 7, 2012 (Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Genesis 2:18-24

Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12

Mark 10:2-16

(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

Jesus had been doing a lot of teaching and healing in recent days.  He took the disciples and went back to the wilderness near Judah.  It didn’t take long, however, for the crowds to find him there.  As he was teaching, the religious leaders showed up and tried to trick him.  They asked for Jesus’ thoughts on the divorce laws, which was a tricky topic.  The Torah (given to Moses) stated that only a man could initiate a divorce (Deut. 24:1-3).  Roman law, which applied to the land of Judah, permitted a woman to initiate divorce as well.  Ultimately, they were looking for Jesus to make a political statement about his allegiance.  Choosing sides would have had big repercussions for Jesus.

Instead of taking the bait, Jesus brought everything back to Creation.  He isn’t interested in splitting hairs over what is lawful.  Jesus reminds the people that the purpose of marriage is to create partnerships.  Marriage is a blessing that is intended to be life giving for both people.  When the relationship fractures and disintegrates, it is because of sin.

Martin Luther reminds us that sin is a condition.  Not only does everyone sin, but everyone is a sinner.  All of us are in need of God’s grace to forgive and redeem us.  As fellow sinners, it’s unhelpful for us to make a list of people’s sins, or presume that some sins are worse than others.  The missteps of ourselves and others reveal communal need of a Savior.

Many interpret Jesus’ comments on divorce as seeking to protect innocent people in relationships.  Verses 11-12 can be condensed and nuanced to say, “Whoever divorces their spouse for the purpose of marrying another person commits adultery.”  The idea of trading a spouse for a “better” often left the divorced person without a home, food, or family to support her.  As he has done so many times before, Jesus uses this discussion to demonstrate care for those in need.

From there, Jesus continues his advocacy for the helpless in society by chastising the disciples for keeping children from getting near to Jesus.  After all, children in those days were considered slightly more important than stray animals.  Jesus elevates their status by telling the disciples to aspire to being like the children in their attitude toward the kingdom of heaven.  Time after time, it is the least, the last, and the lowly among us that Jesus shows partiality to – and he calls us to do the same.

Discussion Questions

• How successful were the Pharisees in tricking Jesus?
• What do you think of Jesus’ answer about divorce?
• How can someone “receive the kingdom of heaven like a child”?

Activity Suggestions

• Have each person make a family tree.  Include as many branches as they know of.  Use this as an opportunity to talk about the blessing of family, in all kinds of different configurations.  Affirm God’s presence in these relationships, even in the imperfect ones.
• Shelters for women and children provide care and safety for vulnerable people in society.  As a class, learn about how you can assist these organizations in your community.  Consider creating care packages or creative artwork for the shelters.

Closing Prayer

God, thank you for the gift of marriage, families, and children.  Help us to see your face in the faces of the people we see every day.  Give us patience when we are frustrated, and hope when we become discouraged.  Amen.

Contributed by Angie Larson, Clive, IA

Warm-up Question

What is your favorite use for salt?

asSALTed

The Salt Institute has discovered that there are more than 14,000 uses for salt, or to use the scientific name, sodium chloride.  Salt gets a bad reputation these days from being overused.  It’s been in the news lately because of being reduced in school lunches.  While too much salt is certainly bad for you; it is essential for our survival. Our bodies do not naturally make sodium chloride so we need to consume it in order to make blood, sweat, digestive juices, and tears.

Salt also has historical significance. Salt was used as one of the earliest forms of money and trade; at one time the value of an ounce of salt was an ounce of gold.  Roman soldiers were partly paid in salt.  It has been used as a preservative to help food stay good for longer.  Salt has been used as a flavoring agent.  Have you ever put a tablespoon of salt in a glass of chocolate milk?  It helps change the flavor of the veggie’s you might not want to eat or makes your popcorn delicious.

Salt can be used as a cleaner.  You can use salt to clean your bathroom or polish tarnished brass or copper.  Salt has healing properties.  You can use it as a mouthwash to clear up canker sores or as an antiseptic.  Salt keeps us safe.  Salt is spread on icy roads and highways to keep our feet and cars from slipping.  It is used to soften our water, removing chemicals that we don’t want in our water.  Salt can also put out grease fires, drive away ants, kill poison ivy, and deodorize your shoes.  The Bible mentions salt a number of times, but what exactly does that mean?  It has so many different uses.

Discussion Questions

• What was a new use of salt that you didn’t previously know?
• If you were one of the italicized uses for salt, what would you be?
• How has your perception of salt changed after looking into it more deeply?

Scripture Texts (NRSV) for Sunday, September 30, 2012  (Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29

James 5:13-20

Mark 9:38-50

(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

What is it about salt?  Though salt is timeless and used in the Bible, like water and wine, it is not commonly used in our worship services.  Jesus calls us salt. In the text for today, John warns Jesus that someone outside their small band of disciples is casting out demons in Jesus’ name.  John is concerned that there are people who are against the work which Jesus and the disciples are doing.  That is a valid worry; some were against Jesus.  However, Jesus offers up a positive judgment, “if they are not against us, then they are for us.”

Jesus then tells the disciples to look at temptations to sin.  He says it is better to remove the part of you that is sinful then to let the whole be spoiled.  Salt, as we looked at before, can be used as a preserving agent in meats to keep them fresh for long periods of time.  If the salt ceases to do its job the whole slab of meat may spoil.  It is better to remove the poorly salted portion which has gone bad than to lose the whole piece.

Jesus says, “Have salt in yourself”.  What does this mean?  Salt has many uses.  Can we be a preserver of others or of ourselves by standing firm in the gospel?  Maybe we are called to cleanse ourselves from that which we know draws us to sin?  Perhaps we can be flavor, being creative, adding interest and depth to the world.  Maybe we are healers; reminding others of what Jesus has done for them.  Maybe we keep people and ourselves safe, by recognizing what is not good with the world, working to avoid it in ourselves, and fixing it if we can.  Jesus says, “Salt is good… and to have salt in yourself.”

Discussion Questions

• When Jesus says to “have salt in yourself” what property of salt do you think that applies to?
• Having read the Scripture text, what do you think was the disciples’ original reaction?
• How can you serve as ‘salt’ to another person?
• In what ways do you need to preserve yourself?

Activity Suggestions

• Play with some salt. Get a couple of different kinds, sea salt, table salt, rock salt.  Have students create art using the salt, paper, and glue.
• Eat some salt.  Offer some salty snacks such as pretzels, chips, or even pancakes.
• Experiment with some salt.  Get an old fashioned ice cream maker and have the students make ice cream throughout the class.  Watch how the salt, combined with the ice, makes the cream freeze.
• Spread the salt.  Give your students a little bag of salt with a reminder to ‘Have Salt in themselves and be at peace with one another. Mark 9:50”

Closing Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, Thank you for blessing us with this time together.  We are salt and salt is good.  Help us to see your activity in our lives and in the lives of those around us.  Help us to see our many uses and the variety of ways we can be of service to you and to others. Please use us Lord for your kingdom. Amen.

Contributed by John Hougen, Melrose Park, PA

Warm-up Question

Think of times when you felt great. What caused your positive feelings about yourself and your situation?

Self-Esteem

As the boxer Muhammad Ali was rising through the ranks toward becoming heavyweight champion of the world, he was famous for strutting proudly, speaking about himself in laudatory poetry (long before hip hop), and proclaiming, “I am the greatest.” He did not have problems with low self-esteem.

Not many of us have the supreme self-confidence of Muhammad Ali. Most of us struggle with low self-esteem for one reason or another. There are under-achievers who think they are unable to succeed and sabotage their own efforts. There are over-achievers who are always disappointed because they fall short of perfection. There are those who buy into cultural stereotypes of inferiority (of race, social status, economic class). There are those who, in childhood, come to believe discouraging messages from critical parents, teachers, or peers. There are those who start out with confidence, but have it shattered by failures in the “real world.” There are pious Christians who believe that the Bible’s emphases on sinfulness and “humility and meekness” mean that we should not love ourselves.

In our culture, where so many struggle with low self-esteem, there are both unhealthy and healthy ways to come by a positive self-image. One example of an unhealthy way to improve one’s self-image is through drugs and alcohol. Drugs and alcohol promise “good feelings,” but their effects are short-lived and usually are followed by a crash into lower self-esteem. Another unhealthy road to high self-esteem is to seek fame at any cost. Cravings for “fame” and “celebrity” can lead people to do stupid and self-destructive things just to get noticed by their peers or claim a few moments on TV.

On the other hand, there are many healthy ways to foster positive self-esteem. Loving, affirming parents and teachers help. Close friends help. Setting and achieving realistic goals helps. Maintaining a balance between work and play helps. Attending to the health of body, mind, and soul helps. And, the Christian faith can help, too. God has affirmed our worth by creating us, watching over us (Psalm 139), by dwelling within us, by forgiving our sins (repeatedly) and giving us fresh starts (repeatedly), by becoming one of us (Jesus Christ “became flesh and lived among us” John 1: 14), by sending the Spirit to love and guide us, and by promising to welcome us into a heavenly home after our life is over. The more intimate our relationship with God, the more we sense that all these teachings apply to us, and the more our faith bolsters our self-esteem.

Discussion Questions

• Can you identify the factors in your life that have helped your self-esteem and those that have hurt it? What are they?
• Has your experience as a Christian been that Christian faith makes you feel worse about yourself or better?
• How do you cope with the temptations to bolster your self-esteem with dangerous, stupid, or self-destructive behavior?

Scripture Texts (NRSV) for Sunday, September 23, 2012 (Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Jeremiah 11:18-20

James 3:13–4:3, 7-8a

Mark 9:30-37

(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

Jesus and his disciples walked wherever they went. In Mark 9: 30 – 37, they are walking to the fishing village of Capernaum, located on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. They talk as they walk. Jesus is trying to tell his disciples that trouble is ahead. He will be betrayed and killed; human depravity in the form of disloyalty, lying, false accusation, and murder will end his ministry and his life. However, Jesus adds a note of hope, saying that after he is killed, he will rise again in three days.

The disciples don’t understand what Jesus is saying and “are afraid to ask.” (Verse 32) Perhaps it is impossible for the disciples to imagine such betrayal and violence while walking together on a scenic road to the seashore. Perhaps they had been expecting a triumphant Messiah and cannot wrap their heads around the idea that the Messiah will be killed.

When they reach Capernaum, Jesus asks his disciples what they were arguing about on the way. It turns out they were arguing about who was the greatest. Jesus responds by teaching them about the source of true greatness: “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” In other words, to be great and have substantive, authentic, positive self-esteem; you must give up other ideas about how to be great, and see greatness in service.

Then, Jesus illustrates what he means. He lifts up a little child, and holds the child in his arms. In Bible times, children were of “low status in society,” and considered “weak and insignificant.” (Quotations from the marginal note to Mark 9: 36-37 in the Lutheran Study Bible.) Jesus teaches that to serve all, one must be willing to serve those of the lowest status, such as the child he is holding.

Jesus also uses the child to teach his disciples that he and the one who sent him (God) are in solidarity with those who are weak and insignificant. They are united in spirit with the weak. They dwell in the hearts of the insignificant. Their unity with the weak is so profound that Jesus claims, ^“Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.” (Mark 9: 37) (See also Matthew 25: 31 – 40) True greatness and authentic, positive self-esteem come from serving; and they also come from welcoming God into our lives. As noted above, the more intimate our relationship with God, the more our faith bolsters our self-esteem.

At the same time Jesus teaches his disciples that true greatness comes from being close to God and serving those of low status in society, he is preparing his disciples for the future: the future he predicted on the road to Capernaum. To continue to worship and serve Jesus as he suffers and dies, and to continue being in relationship through Jesus with the One who sent him, the disciples will have to ignore public judgments about who is the greatest. For, as a criminal on the cross, Jesus – the one they consider great enough to worship and follow – will occupy an even lower status in society than the child Jesus holds as he teaches. (See Philippians 2: 3 – 8). The disciples will have to see greatness in one who serves until it hurts, who serves the weak and insignificant until death stops him, who serves until his only hope for future service is placed in hands of a God who will raise him from the dead. And, the disciples will have to learn that if they want to remain Jesus’ disciples, they too will be called to follow Jesus’ path, and to serve the weak and insignificant until their only hope is in a God who promises to raise them from the dead.

Discussion Questions

• Are you willing to be a disciple, to worship Jesus and practice his way of serving? What exactly does that mean?
• Before you encountered this text, what was it about Jesus that made him great in your eyes? Was it his miracles or his being raised from the dead? Was it because prayers in the name of Jesus have helped you? Was it his teachings or the fact that Christianity claims more believers than any other religion? Was it his sinless life or his ability to forgive his enemies? Did you ever think Jesus was great because of his unity with God and his solidarity with those who are weak and insignificant?
• Do you think it is possible to raise your self-esteem by serving others? Why or why not?
• Have you had experiences in which you felt God’s presence while serving people in need? Describe the experiences and the feelings.

Activity Suggestions

•  Children are valued much more in our society than they were in the Roman Empire of Jesus’ day. If Jesus were telling us we must be the servant of all in our society, who or what would he bring into our midst in order to illustrate what he meant when he said we should be the servant of all! Make a list of those of “low status” in our society. Include those who are considered “weak and /or insignificant.” (Are any of those on your list mentioned in Matthew 25: 31 – 40?) Then list the kinds of service needed by the “weak and insignificant” in our society.
• Make two more lists: entitle one “Ways I Bolster my Self-esteem” and the other “Opportunities for Service.” Choose the least healthy “way” in your first list and the most attractive “opportunity” in your second list. During the month ahead try to replace the least healthy way you bolster your self-esteem by replacing it with the most attractive service opportunity. Share with your group your progress toward becoming great in service.

Closing Prayer

Gracious God, help us to see that those who serve are the greatest among us. Give us the courage to be different from all who seek greatness in power, fame, wealth, and prestige. Guide us into lives of service for those who need it the most, and help us to discern your presence within them.  Amen.

Contributed by Scott Mims, Virginia Beach, VA

Warm-up Question

•   (Activity) Give each person some Play-Doh or similar material and have them create a sculpture or a symbol that represents or relates to their faith.  After a few minutes, have everyone share their creation and what it symbolizes.  Take note of how many people incorporate a cross in their sculpture.
• Do you think it is easy or hard to be a Christian today?  Why?
• If you had to create a single text message that shares the gospel with someone, what would it say?

Take Up Your Cross

Should a person be fired for wearing a cross, especially when co-workers of other faiths are allowed to wear items symbolic of their beliefs?  Is it appropriate for Christians to refuse to provide services to homosexual couples if doing so conflicts with their personal religious convictions?  These are the issues underlying what some are calling “a watershed moment” in Great Britain.

Four Christians in England, who each claim to have lost their jobs because of discrimination against their Christian beliefs, have recently been granted a hearing by the European Court of Human Rights.  Their case has further fueled debate in England over how to appropriately balance the rights of people to practice their faith with the protection of the rights of others in society.  In recent times British courts have ruled overwhelmingly against Christians, occasionally comparing their beliefs unfavorably with secular principles.

Discussion Questions

• What do you think it means to be a Christian?
• Do you think that being a Christian is more a matter of what you believe or how you act?
• Do you feel comfortable wearing jewelry or clothing that identifies you as a Christian?  If not, why not?  If so, are there places or situations where you would feel uncomfortable or that doing so would be inappropriate?
• Do you agree or disagree: our overall culture is becoming increasingly indifferent, if not openly hostile, to Christianity?  Why?
• What limits, if any, should there be on religious expression?  For example some religions have mandates regarding facial hair or head covering.  Should employers be able to require a shave or a bare head?

Scripture Texts (NRSV) for Sunday, September 16, 2012 (16th Sunday after Pentecost)

Isaiah 50:4-9a

James 3:1-12

Mark 8:27-38

(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 particular passage is often called the fulcrum or “hinge” of Mark’s gospel account.  Not only is it the midpoint of the book, it also marks several important turning points in the story.  Geographically, Jesus has been working mostly in the region of Galilee, but now his ministry will lead him steadily onward to Jerusalem and the cross.  Theologically several shifts also occur.  Up to this point, Mark has focused on who Jesus is as shown by his words and his works of power.  The conclusion he hopes that we, the readers of the gospel, will reach is the same one that Peter voices – Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ.  So, from here on out the gospel will focus much more on what it means that Jesus is the Christ, and subsequently, what it means to those who call themselves Christians.  That is to say, there is a shift at this point from the invitation to follow Jesus to what discipleship – following Jesus – truly looks like.

So, what does discipleship look like?  Another important feature of this passage is that it contains the first of three instances, three “passion predictions,” in which Jesus foretells what lies at the end of his journey to Jerusalem (verse 31).  Here, as in the other two instances (Mk. 9:30, 10:32-34), those closest to Jesus fail to understand what he is talking about.  Peter rather famously pulls Jesus aside, as if Jesus is the candidate and Peter the campaign manager, and begins to rebuke Jesus for saying such things.  Jesus just as famously puts Peter in his place.  “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”  And here is the essence of the matter, it is not the disciple’s place to define what “Messiah” or “Christ” mean, for it is Jesus alone who gets to define these things.  The disciple’s place is simply to get behind Jesus, to take up her or his cross, and to follow.

But what does it mean to take up one’s cross?  Is it simply to deal with the problems or troubles that come your way with as much patience, determination, and faith as possible?  We often hear of “bearing our cross” in terms of such things.  Yet Jesus has something else, something deeper in mind than getting through life as best as we can.  After all, the cross that awaits Jesus in Jerusalem is not an accidental event or circumstance for him to “get through,” it is a direct result of his own work to confront the powers of sin, evil, and death.  Jesus defined Messiah in terms of his identification with the outcasts, the forgotten, and the oppressed, bringing to them in word and deed the promise of God’s coming kingdom.  This has important implications for all who would follow Jesus.  “Taking up the cross means being at work where God is at work in the world to relieve suffering and injustice, to rescue the weak, and to bring peace and justice to bear in the human community.” (R. Alan Culpepper, Mark)  Because God has gifted each of us with a unique set of gifts, talents, abilities, and experiences, each of us has a unique opportunity to take up our cross and participate in God’s redemptive work in the world.

Discussion Questions

• One often hears that all you need to do in order to be a Christian is to “believe in Jesus” or to “accept him as your personal Lord and Savior.” How do such statements compare with what Jesus calls us to in this passage?  Can a person follow Jesus apart from believing in him?  Can a person believe in him without following?
• If you were either to paint a picture or to make a list of what it means to take up your cross and follow Jesus, what are some of the things that you would include?
• How far would you be willing to go in order to be a disciple?  What things in your life right now would you be willing to give up, change, or take on in order to follow Jesus?
• Even after listening to him teach and witnessing the things that he did, Jesus’ disciples still had a hard time fully understanding what he was up to.  Are there ways in which Christians today misunderstand Jesus?

Activity Suggestions

• Baptismal Connections    Examine together the Affirmation of Baptism service, and especially the description of our baptismal covenant (Evangelical Lutheran Worship, pg. 236; Lutheran Book of Worship, pg. 201).  How is this a description of what it means to be a disciple?  Brainstorm together some practical, every day ways you can live out these promises.  For example, what does it look like to live among God’s faithful people?  How does one proclaim the good news of God in word and deed in real, actionable terms, or strive for justice and peace in all the earth?
• Gifted to Serve   Use a spiritual gifts inventory, or other such instrument, to help participants identify and claim some of the ways in which God has gifted them.  Challenge them to consider how they might use their specific gifts and abilities to participate in God’s redemptive work in the world.  How can using their gifts become a way of taking up their cross and following Jesus?  One such inventory can be found on the ELCA website:

http://www.elca.org/Growing-In-Faith/Discipleship/Christian-Education/Program-Planners/2005/SpiritualGifts.aspx

Closing Prayer

Gracious and loving God, in the waters of baptism you name us and claim us and make us your own.  Thank you for the gift of new life and for the invitation to experience that life in the community of your church.  Fill us with your Spirit, call deeply to our hearts, and lead us to more fully and faithfully follow Jesus.  Guide our thoughts, our words, and our actions, that we may be your hands and voice in a world so hungry to experience good news.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.