Brian Hiordahl, Orangevale, CA

Warm-up Question

What do you do to relax or escape stress?

Gate Expectations

The use of cannabis (marijuana) and whether it should be legal remains a hotly debated issue in our country, with different states reaching different conclusions. One persistent fear is that cannabis is a “gateway drug” leading its consumers to use harder drugs. In an article for Forbes, Dario Sabaghi traces the dubious history of this concern, noting that several studies not only challenge this idea but also suggest that cannabis may also lead users away from opioids.

Sabaghi sites evidence that most users of cannabis do not, in fact,  progress to hard drugs. More important than the use of cannabis in predicting hard drug use are personal differences and social factors. “According to the US think tank RAND Corporation (Research and Development), what triggers people to use hard drugs is not cannabis but the individual opportunities and the unique inclinations of people.”

Some studies have shown that cannabis may be helpful in relieving pain and reducing the use benzodiazepines, antidepressants, and other prescription drugs.  But further research is necessary.

Discussion Questions

• Is this article convincing? What important information or perspectives does it omit?
• Do you support legalizing the use of cannabis?  Why or why not?
• To what does cannabis usage lead?  Are these outcomes positive or negative or both?

Fourth Sunday of Easter

Acts 2:42-47

1 Peter 2:19-25

John 10:1-10

(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 A at Lectionary Readings.)

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

Gospel Reflection

After a long story about the healing of a man born blind (reviewable here), Jesus tells his disciples a “dark saying” (figure of speech) about the difference between a shepherd and a bandit. Not surprisingly, they did not understand what he was saying to them. In later verses, Jesus identifies himself as the good shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep. This laying down happens after the crowd demands his crucifixion, spending its annual Passover get-out-of-jail-free card, not on the good shepherd, but on a bandit (John 18:39-40).

In this text, when the disciples prove just an unable as the crowd to distinguish shepherd from bandit, Jesus pivots to another image:  I am the gate for the sheep….Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture.

Is Jesus a gateway drug? A getaway drug? Both?  If he is the gate, to what does going through him lead us?

In contrast to thieves and bandits who come only to steal and kill and destroy, I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly, Jesus explains. For the man born blind, Jesus was the gateway to sight and trust. Now, for the sheep who listen to his voice, Jesus calls himself the gate to salvation and pasture: healing and nourishment, the restoration and preservation of life rather than death. 

Notice that the sheep come in and go out. Jesus is not only the entrance to church but also the exit, our doorway into the world. He guides us into the fold and out to the field; into worship to feed us and out of worship to feed and serve others. Whether we enter or leave church, Jesus defines and directs how we go.

Discussion Questions

• What voices do you listen to with trust?  What voices do you distrust?
• If your preacher called Jesus a gateway drug, how do you think your congregation would react? Is this image helpful or hurtful, and why?
• When and where has Jesus led you to more abundant life?

Activity Suggestions

• Interview a medical expert about cannabis and other drugs. What leads to more abundant life, and what leads to death and destruction?
• Search “gateway drug” on the internet and make a list of things (not only drugs) to which the phrase refers. What light do these other things shed on this term?
• Walk around your house or church building and go in and out of every door and gate. What do you notice? Say a prayer for what you find on each side of the door.

Closing Prayer

Risen Christ, gate for the sheep and hope for the world, open our eyes to find you, our ears to hear your voice, our minds to understand you, and our hearts to receive, live, and joyfully share the abundance you came to give us. Amen.

Bob Chell, Sioux Falls, SD

Warm-up Questions

When I was young we sometimes played a game we called “Brush with Fame” where we would take turns recounting encounters with famous or well known persons in our community. Remember a time you encountered a well known person? What was your experience like?  What would you say or do differently if you encountered them again. Did the experience change you in any way?

Brush With Fame

At the Silver Jubilee Celebration, marking 70 years of Queen Elizabeth’s reign, Richard Griffin, a Royal Protection Officer assigned to protect her, told an amazing story of two Americans’ unsuspecting brush with fame.  The hikers on a walking holiday met the Queen and Griffen in a picnic area, but had no idea who they were.  After a short conversation–and some pictures–the hikers went on their way, never guessing they had been in the presence of royalty.  You can hear Griffen tell about the encounter here.

Discussion Questions

• Did your ‘Brush with Fame’ change you or your thinking in any way?
• Did your ‘Brush with Fame’ change your opinion about the well known person you encountered?
• Would you like to be well known? What would be a burden? a blessing?
• Why do you think the hikers did not recognize one of the world’s most famous people?

Third Sunday of Easter

Acts 2:14a, 36-41

1 Peter 1:17-23

Luke 24:13-35

(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 A at Lectionary Readings.)

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

Gospel Reflection

In their defense, the disciples had just watched Jesus die; he was the last person they expected to see. Keep in mind, too, the disciples were not out for an afternoon walk; they were fleeing for their lives. Who knew? Perhaps the religious authorities would come after them next!

Did you ever run away from home as a child, wishing you could leave your life behind in search of a better one? Or perhaps you’re nearing graduation and pondering what’s next; more school, full time work, enlistment in the military, or volunteer service. We may greet the next chapter with with a note of sadness or despair, or with a sense of excitement and anticipation. Whatever the motivation, change is almost certain to prove difficult and challenging—just as it was for the disciples as they moved into a new reality.

Those times we’ve had all we can take and just want to be done, just want to be somewhere else, just want to leave the pain, shame, or guilt behind are Emmaus times. In those times, when the pain of our present circumstances gets unbearable, we hit the road, figuratively or literally, yearning for change.  These are difficult and dangerous times: Leaving home, changing schools, ending a relationship. Even when it’s a healthy choice, it is difficult. Change is hard, and more so when it involves those with whom we are related by friendship or family. 

Henry Nouwen, a Catholic priest wrote about another Biblical character who, like these disciples, hit the road in search of a new life, the prodigal son. Reflecting on his own life Nouwen wrote,  “For most of my life I have struggled to find God, to know God, to love God.  Now I wonder whether I have sufficiently realized that during all this time God has been trying to find me, to know me, and to love me. …I no longer think of God as hiding out and making it as difficult as possible for me to find him, but, instead, as the one who is looking for me while I am doing the hiding.” 

It wasn’t the empty tomb which convinced the disciples of the truth about Jesus but Christ’s living presence in their lives. It was an intimate meeting on the road.  Unless we too encounter the living Christ, we too are unable to believe.

This doesn’t mean need we need to conjure up enough faith to believe in things which are foreign to our experience.  Nor ought we suspend our intellect or deny our doubt.  Rather, it means opening ourselves to the presence of Christ in our lives. Where is Jesus meeting you? God has always worked in ways unexpected, in places outside the mainstream. God still does.

Meister Eckhart, a Christian mystic of the 13th century said, “Above all else, know this: Be prepared at all times for the gifts of God and especially for new ones.” 

Discussion Questions

• Have you ever had an encounter with someone which transformed the way you looked at life? Was it exciting? disquieting? both?
• Do you find change more exciting or more frightening? One psychologist said we change when we are bored enough, hurt enough, or find out how exciting it can be. Which has been most true for you?
• How does your faith change and shape your life as you look to the future?

Activity Suggestions

• Ask someone you respect if they found a career, or if a career found them. Are they fulfilled? If not, what prevents them from changing.
• Ask a parent, grandparent, or trusted adult if there was a time in their life when they were confused or scared about the future? What enabled them to get through that time?
• How can you tell when God is calling you to move in a new direction?  Is it possible that several different directions might be equally pleasing to God?

Closing Prayer

God, thank you for loving us, even when we feel lost and lonely. Open our eyes to your presence in our lives and especially to the opportunities you set before us. Ease our fears and increase our trust in you. Amen.

Kelsey Brown, Brooklyn, NY

Warm-up Question

When meeting new people, what’s something you share about yourself to help them  know you better? 

Peace to All

Our current news cycle is full of debates around the validity and protections of the LGBTQ+ community, particularly our transgender siblings. While no one’s lives and identities should be used for political fodder, we many shape these conversations around demonizing trans folks, and more specifically weaponizing what God thinks about the diversity God has created.

CNN reports that transgender young adults are 40% more likely than their cisgender counterparts to contemplate suicide. The attack on the rights of trans individuals, mainly youth and young adults, is fueled by bias and misinformation. Many states have introduced bills to restrict gender-affirming medical care for youth. These laws and social commentary have real life affects for our siblings. We know what we can do to counteract this. We can believe people when they tell us who they are, standing together to make sure that all of God’s people receive the  the support, encouragement and hope they need to thrive. As Christians we can affirm that God knows us fully and wishes peace for  all God’s children.

Discussion Questions

• Can you list some of the “God created diversity” you see in your day to day life? 
• When have you been scared? How have you experienced God with you in the midst of this fear?

Second Sunday of Easter

Acts 2:14a, 22-32

1 Peter 1:3-9

John 20:19-31

(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 A at Lectionary Readings.)

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

Gospel Reflection

Fear is rampant following the death of Jesus. His closest friends and followers huddle together, deep in fear that they might be next. Their closest friend, their teacher has been executed by the state and their entire lives flipped upside down. The women, the first at the scene, have heard the good news that the Lord has been raised.  While the men wait, Jesus begins his post-resurrection tour. Although the doors to the room are locked he appears among them and breathes a word of peace. He forgives them for fleeing and remaining silent—reminding them of their belovedness. 

One disciple was missing from this “beyond the grave” visit – Thomas. Having heard from his brothers in Christ that the Lord is alive and has visited, Thomas remarks in disbelief. There is no way this has happened!  He cannot fathom this reality without seeing and touching the places where the Lord was wounded. 

Wouldn’t you guess it, a week later Jesus returns, and this time Thomas is there. He places his fingers in the wounds and his hand in Christ’ side. He suspends his doubt and begins to believe. “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” It is this believing which grants us eternal life in Christ Jesus.

Discussion Questions

• If someone showed up saying they were Jesus, how would you know if they were telling the truth? 
• How you think Jesus’ breath of peace soothed the disciples?  Was his mere presence their balm? 
• How do you embody your belief in the risen christ? 

Activity Suggestions

• On a sheet of paper and using your 5 senses, draw what peace looks, feels, tastes, sounds, and smells like to you?
• Listen to Presiding Bishop Eaton’s video message about our commitment to our transgender siblings and an affirmation about God’s love for all who God has created. 
• Find a comfy spot, close your eyes, breath deep and listen to rain sounds. Reflect on the places of stress in your lives – exhale tension and inhale peace

Closing Prayer

God who once was dead but lives again. We ask you to revive us from our apathy. Breathe new life into our world, that all your people might have what they need. Make us representatives of your love, your grace, and your mercy. May we continue to believe God’s people when they tell us who they are.  May we see you reflected in the eyes of one another. We ask this in your holy and perfect name. 

Jen Krausz, Bethelehem, PA

Warm-up Question

Does the good news of Easter—Christ is risen!—still hit you with fresh meaning each year? Do you consider Easter the most important holiday of your faith?  Why?

Truth of the Resurrection

A study by Christian publisher Lifeway showed that while most people (66%) say they believe the biblical accounts of the physical resurrection of Jesus are completely accurate, most young people ages 18 to 34 (59%) say they don’t believe the physical resurrection really happened.

“Young adults are less likely to be cultural Christians than their parents or grandparents, partly because identifying as a Christian isn’t seen as positively by folks outside the church as it once was,” said Rebecca McLaughlin, author of 10 Questions Every Teen Should Ask (and Answer) About Christianity.

There are exceptions to the trend.  There have been reports of a revival  sweeping college campuses.  Thousands of students participate in days or weeks-long campus chapel services where they pray, sing praise, are baptized, and give testimonies about God’s involvement in their lives.  

Discussion Questions

• Have you ever wondered if the physical resurrection of Jesus is true? What made you question or doubt?
• What evidence have you found that Jesus was physically resurrected?
• Why do you think younger people find it harder to believe in Jesus today? What would  convince them or help them come to faith?

Resurrection of Our Lord

Acts 10:34-43

Colossians 3:1-4

Matthew 28:1-10  or John 20:1-18

(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 A at Lectionary Readings.)

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

Gospel Reflection

When thinking about the events of the first Easter Sunday—namely Jesus’ resurrection and the disciples’ reactions to it—it’s important to understand that the disciples had no way of expecting the resurrection. Nothing in their understanding of the scriptures their rich religious tradition prepared them for a savior who would die for their sins and be resurrected. It’s true that Christians now read some Hebrew scriptures (like Isaiah 53) to be prophecies of Jesus’s sacrificial death.  However, they were not understood in that way during Jesus’ earthly ministry. And even though Jesus told them he would die and be raised again, the disciples clearly did not understand what he was saying and did not accept his statements until what he told them had taken place. 

Believers have the whole story now, and have heard it numerous times if they have attended church for years.  But for those first witnesses it would have been a brand new concept. 

When the angel told the women about Jesus’ resurrection, something started to click in their minds. This was what Jesus had said would happen.  Now they could see that his body was no longer in the grave. They were still afraid, but joy began to take hold. 

Then, as the women went to tell the other disciples what they had seen, Jesus came and met them. Now they understood. Divine help is often necessary for us to gain an understanding of God’s ways. When we try to understand deep matters of faith with only our own strength and intellect, we just can’t do it.

The resurrection is important because it shows that because Jesus defeated death, we can also defeat death by putting our faith in him. Just as some theologians have said the crucifixion is important because there Jesus pays the price for our sins, the resurrection shows death defeated once and for all.

As the disciples encountered the risen Jesus, it soon became clear to them what had happened.  They joyfully shared the truth about Jesus with the rest of the world with such conviction that, nearly 2,000 years later, billions around the world believe it.

Christ is risen—he is risen indeed! A most blessed Easter to you.

Discussion Questions

• How would our faith be different if Christ died for our sins, but was not resurrected? What does his resurrection mean for us and our relationship with God through Christ? 
• What biblical truths has Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, helped you to understand? 
• What makes it hard to accept that you need  Jesus’  death in order to be saved from your sins, as well as his resurrection to defeat death?  

Activity Suggestions

• Write the story of the resurrection from the point of view of someone who is hearing about it for the first time. What questions would they have? What would convince them it was real? This can be done in smaller groups or individually, if students feel more comfortable. 
• Wish one or more people you come across (a friend or the cashier at the grocery store, for instance) a blessed Easter. If they ask you questions about what Easter means for you, be ready to answer their questions. 

Closing Prayer 

Holy God, we are filled with awe and gratefulness that you offered your son Jesus to die for our sins and that you raised him after three days. May we never stop meditating on that greatest sacrifice and sharing the good news about the resurrection with others. Amen.

Amy Martinell, Sioux Falls, SD

Warm-up Questions

Who is someone you completely trust? What organizations (school, clubs, health system, etc.) do you trust? What organizations do you not trust?  Is it easier to trust people or organizations?

Broken Trust

The last few weeks have brought worry and panic to the banking world. The panic began with the sudden collapses of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank over a three-day span. These bank closures led anxious customers to withdraw their money from other smaller regional banks and place it with bigger institutions that are better capitalized.

These smaller banks then had to scramble to have enough money to cover the withdrawals. Many banks sought emergency loans from the Federal Reserve. Some of these banks then saw significant drops in their stock and credit rating. This problem is not limited to the US. Credit Suisse, Switzerland’s second largest bank, was bought out by UBS, Switzerland’s largest bank, in order to prevent a collapse.

All of this action leads to concern about global and personal finances and worry that we are headed into a prolonged recession. While Global financial regulators state that the banking system is secure and healthy, many cannot help but wonder.

Discussion Questions

• Distrust of banks has been common especially after the Great Depression. Have you experienced friends or family distrusting banks.  What stories have you heard about this?
• Do you worry about the current financial situation? How do you think money is tied to our sense of security?
• What things help you feel safe and secure, especially when you are feeling anxious?

Sunday of the Passion/ Palm Sunday

Isaiah 50:4-9a

Philippians 2:5-11

Matthew 26:14—27:66

(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 A at Lectionary Readings.)

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

Gospel Reflection

From one story of worry and panic to another. The story of Jesus’ passion is filled with tension and broken trust. We begin with Judas agreeing to hand over Jesus, his teacher and friend, for thirty pieces of silver. Judas is not the only disciple who lets Jesus down. When the disciples gather with Jesus for the passover meal, Jesus warns that one gathered there will betray him. Peter swears he will die for Jesus before he will desert him, but he quickly breaks this pledge. When Jesus is arrested, Peter loses his resolve and denies Jesus three times.

The road to the cross is a lonely one. When the High Priest and Pilate question Jesus, no one speaks a word in Jesus’ defense.  The very crowd that welcomed Jesus to Jerusalem calls for his death. In the end, even God seems silent. The desertedness of the story reaches its climax as Jesus’ cries out to God in anguish, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

The story of Jesus’ passion is hard to read. We want to rush to the good news of Easter, but it is important to sit with the story of Good Friday first.  In this story we see everyone fail Jesus—from his friends, to political and religious leaders, to the ambivalent crowd. These failures teach us that the ways of the world are imperfect at best and deeply flawed at worst.

We experience that in our own lives. We’re tempted to put our trust in earthly things. Things like banks, insurance, and retirement funds can make us feel safe and secure, but the current banking issues and history have taught us that they are not infallible. We put trust and care into our relationships with friends and family, but we know that while these relationships are wonderful and needed, they are not perfect. Forgiveness is such a big part of human relationships because even those with the best intentions, like Peter, will fail us and we will fail them.

It is only Jesus who never breaks our trust. Even when Jesus is betrayed and abandoned, he does not give up on humanity. Instead, he goes to the cross and takes on our sin and death, so that we might have new and abundant life. In Jesus, we have a God who has experienced every heartbreak we face: loneliness, betrayal of friends, and times when even God seems silent. Jesus knows our every pain and joins us in our suffering. 

In the story of Jesus’ passion, we also find the promise that God’s love is there for us no matter what. Jesus welcomed Judas to his table, knowing he would betray him.  The resurrected Jesus sought out Peter to offer love and forgiveness. Jesus’ actions promise us that nothing we can do can separate us from God’s love for us.

Discussion Questions

• What stood out to you as you read the gospel reading? Were there parts that were hard to read?
• Recall a time someone broke your trust? How did it make you feel? How did you respond to the situation?
• When was a time that you felt God was with you amid a challenging situation?

Activity Suggestions

While only Jesus never breaks our trust, it is so important to have spaces where we feel safe and where we can trust each other. Help to build trust within your group by doing the activity below or other trust building activities.

Have everyone stand in a circle and hold out their hands parallel to the ground. They also stick out their index fingers. Gently place an object on their index collective fingers, like a hula hoop or a stick. Now ask them to lower the object to the ground but make sure their fingers do not lose contact with the object. The group may find it difficult at first. The idea is that they must formulate a strategy where they are working together and trusting everyone to do their part.

Closing Prayer

Dear Jesus, we thank you for the love you poured out for each one of us on the cross. May we put our trust in you in order to hear your call and follow your mission. Amen.