Opening Activity

Place a large piece of soft cloth on each table for this activity. It’s best if the cloth is blue to match the Advent season. As participants find their seats, invite them to touch the piece of soft cloth. What thoughts, feelings, or memories stirred as they touch it?

Some examples might include:

• a memory of a soft blanket that is special to them
• a thought given to those who have made the fabric
• a feeling of being safe and warm in a coat, etc.

Before reading, invite participants to listen for Jesus’ words about people who wear soft robes.

Read Text Aloud

Matthew 11:2-11

Leading Softly

This gospel lesson invites us to consider whom we look to for leadership. In this Season of Advent, we await a Messiah whom we already know is Jesus. However, have we ever taken the time to wonder why we see Jesus as our leader? It is not enough to think of Jesus only as our Savior from sin. We must also wonder why we follow him. This is the question John the Baptist sent to Jesus from his prison cell: ‘Are you the one we are waiting for?

To this question Jesus responds:

“… the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with a skin disease are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.” (Matt. 11:5)

Jesus is a true leader because those who suffer, those who are on the margins, and those facing real struggles in their daily lives are being cared for by him. Jesus’ leadership is not limited to the spiritual. It is lived out in tangible, earthly ways. His leading allows humanity to have hope, a new chance at life, and to flourish in the present moment.

In our present moment, there are leaders today whose actions undermine proven medical care, disrupt people’s lives, and push people deeper into poverty. They promise a return to a fabled, great past. They promise to be leaders for all. However, their actions are showing us that they are not what Jesus proves real leadership to be.

Today’s gospel lesson encourages us to turn to Jesus, and to trust only in his leadership. As we do so, we are invited to continue his work of healing those who are sick, giving new chances at life for those who need it, and helping those who are impoverished. We are encouraged to not trust those who live in lavish homes and dress in nice fabric, but rather to trust in Jesus (and those who follow his example of true leadership). As we wait for the Messiah, whom we know already is Jesus, we also wonder why we follow him as our leader.

Our answer is clear: Jesus causes “the blind [to] receive their sight, the lame [to] walk, those with a skin disease [to be] cleansed, the deaf [to] hear, the dead [to be] raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.” (Matt. 11:5, edited)

Ending Activity

• What do you think Jesus meant when he seemed to cast some judgment at those who wear soft robes?
• Think back to what memory, feeling, or thought was first stirred when you touched the soft blue fabric. What might it mean for that thought to influence how we follow Jesus?
• Some examples of this might be:

• • if the memory was of a soft blanket that is special to them, could they work on creating a soft blanket to be gifted to hospitalized children or refugees?
  • if the thought that came up was for those who have made the fabric, could they research companies that treat their workers ethically and do some holiday shopping at their stores?
  • if the feeling that arose was that of being safe and warm in a coat, could they donate some warm, winter clothes to their local charity?

Remind everyone that we are invited to lead like Jesus, to trust only in his leadership, to lift up leaders who lead like him, and to be leaders ourselves who act like Jesus.

Ending Prayer

Remind all participants that, as followers of our leader Jesus, our leadership means that we make a positive difference in this world. However, as Lutherans we must always remember that our work and leadership is not the end-all-be all. Jesus is, after all, the Messiah.

What might you do in the week ahead as followers of our leader Jesus? A good place to start might be remembering that, no matter what, Jesus is Savior and Leader of all.

Introduce them to the following prayer and encourage them to pray it after they finish each day’s work:

Lord,

it is night.

The night is for stillness.

Let us be still in the presence of God.

It is night after a long day.

What has been done has been done;

what has not been done has not been done;

let it be.

Let our fears of the of the world and of our own lives

rest in you.

The night is quiet.

Let the quietness of your peace enfold us,

all dear to us,

and all who have no peace.

The night heralds the dawn.

Let us look expectantly to a new day,

new joys,

new possibilities.

In your name we pray.

Amen.

Bio

David Larson-Martínez is a consecrated deacon of the Lutheran Diaconal Association and an ordained pastor serving at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, MN. A graduate of Valparaiso University and Luther Seminary, he grew up in Cuernavaca, Mexico and now happily calls the Twin Cities home. David treasures his large cross-border family—his mom, five siblings, and a growing crew of nieces and nephews who live in both Mexico and the United States.

Opening Activity Part 1

Set Up: As you gather with people, have a jar of gummy worms and a jar of honey at each table being used for this activity. Hand out at least two gummy worms, if not more, and preferably blue in keeping with the Advent season. The jar of honey is only for decoration purposes, reminding everyone of John the Baptist’s meal of honey with locusts.

Invite all participants to think of each gummy worm as a physical reminder of something that they have done over which they feel grubby. They do not have to share what these are. Remind them that we are all human, make mistakes, and need to reassess our words and actions. Some examples could be:

• a mean word shouted at someone
• a nasty comment left on social media
• not sharing from our abundance
• holding ill-will towards those who are different

Remind all the participants that these grubby feelings and actions are a part of what makes us messy humans. It is important, then, that we accept that we have made mistakes and will continue to make mistakes in the future. When we do, we will feel grubby again and again. Instead of being afraid to come to terms with our words and actions, our faith teaches us to face them head-on, make amends, and choose a different future.

Read Text Aloud

Matthew 3:1-12

Rest as Repentance

This gospel lesson reminds us that the holiday season is not simply about beautiful lights and presents. Our faith tradition also invites us to pause, reassess our words and actions, and take corrective action. Amid cheerful music and tinsel-covered trees, we hear the strong words from John the Baptist:

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” … “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?  Therefore, bear fruit worthy of repentance …” (Matt. 3:2, 7b-8a)

In not mincing words, John the Baptist firmly invites us to reconsider what it means to live as messy humans all the while claiming to be followers of God. He is inviting us into repentance as part of what people of faith are called to practice.

According to the likes of the Apostle Paul, Saint Augustine, and Martin Luther, sin is selfishly turning inwardly into one’s own self. Adversely, Repentance is generously turning outwardly towards God and the neighbor.

Repentance looks like letting go of our angry comments, setting aside our selfishness, and then choosing to be kinder, more generous, and open to what God might want us to do. In a seemingly strange way that can only be experienced by those who choose this path, repenting allows us to rest.

Through repentance we are freed from anger, selfishness, and hatred. In repenting and bearing new fruit, we taste the sweetness of what being a follower of Jesus is and can be for us in this world.

In my context (Minneapolis, MN), many of my beloved neighbors are being demonized. Angry, selfish words have been shared from the highest levels of power. This implicates all of us, whether we agree with the words or not, because we are all a part of this society. The prophet John is inviting us to remember that, as people of faith, we need to repent. What will it look like for us to set aside the angry, selfish words put forth by our leaders so that we can rest in the sweetness of a new way?

Opening Activity Part 2

Focus on how important it is to remember that we are not broken, but simply human. And that even in our biggest mistakes we are still beloved children of God. Not only that, but we will continue to make mistakes (big ones and small ones) over and over again. However, as people of faith, we are asked to always be reassessing our words and actions, make amends, and choose a different future.

This is the way that God invites us into deep rest. Repentance actually frees us from the words, actions, and feelings that often weigh us down. Repentance is a sweet gift from God who understands (and loves) the humans God created.

• What does repentance look like for Jesus followers today?
• Once again, think about the words, actions, and/or feelings that are making you feel grubby today.
  • Remind them that, even in our deepest mistakes, God still loves us. However, as people of faith, we have the sweet release of repentance.
• Finally, invite participants to silently set aside their angry thoughts, words, and actions. Then, lead them in a prayer of repentance such as:

“Most merciful God, we confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.”[1]

Closing Activity

Invite all participants to think about how they might make amends and/or choose a different future way of speaking, acting, thinking, or feeling.

If anyone is comfortable sharing their thoughts, have them do so. If not, share that they can talk to a pastor, deacon, or lay leader so that they can come up with plans for amends privately.

Remind them that repentance is not to shame us for being human, but it is a sweet release that allows us to rest. It is also a part of what we are called to do as people of faith, especially during the Season of Advent.

Ending Prayer

It is very important that the pastor, deacon, or lay leader speak the words of forgiveness to everyone who has participated. They may choose to say:

“God, who is rich in mercy, loved us even when we were dead in sin, and made us alive together in Christ. By grace we have been saved. In the name of + Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven. Almighty God strengthen us with power through the Holy Spirit, that Christ may live in our hearts through faith. Amen.” [2]

Immediately after this, invite all participants to eat their gummy worm(s) and enjoy the sweetness of repentance as they rest in God’s forgiveness.

[1] Evangelical Lutheran Worship, pg. 95

[2] Evangelical Lutheran Worship, pg. 96, edited.

Bio

David Larson-Martínez is a consecrated deacon of the Lutheran Diaconal Association and an ordained pastor serving at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, MN. A graduate of Valparaiso University and Luther Seminary, he grew up in Cuernavaca, Mexico and now happily calls the Twin Cities home. David treasures his large cross-border family—his mom, five siblings, and a growing crew of nieces and nephews who live in both Mexico and the United States.

Opening Activity Part 1

Gather some paper, preferably blue in color to match the Season of Advent. On one side of the paper, invite attendees to write down one or more things that are currently wearing them down. This is to be done privately by each individual because these have the potential to be personal. Some examples of current hardships could be:

• family divisions at the holiday meals
• higher prices of necessary goods and lower wages
• friendships that have soured
• or simply having had to wake up early for church services

Text

Read: Matthew 24:36-44

Jesus Watches so You Can Rest

This gospel lesson contains a sense of urgency that readily fits into modern times. There are single parents who work multiple part-time jobs to make ends meet, barely having any time to rest. School-aged children are swamped with activities that will look good on university applications, but do not allow space for the joy of non-adulthood.. All ages, occupations, backgrounds, etc. are impacted by our go-go-go culture. It could be then that we find ourselves nodding our tired heads, blinking back much-needed sleep, as Jesus’ urgent words resound from the pulpit:

“Keep awake, therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.” (Matt. 24:42)

However, I invite us to consider the Greek word Γρηγορεῖτε (grégoreó, pronounced gray-gor-eh’-o) which is translated “keep awake.” Yet, in English, it could also be faithfully expressed as Jesus saying, “Be on the lookout for …” or even “You should expect …” And so, let us wonder what it means to be expectant, rather than awake.

In my estimation, Jesus is inviting his followers to expect a hopeful tomorrow because, he assures us, it will come! In fact, because of the Incarnation, it already has come near. There is nothing that we can do, no labor we can accomplish, and no tiredness that can usher in what God has already promised. The late Roman Catholic Bishop Ken Untener beautifully penned this Christian truth when he affirmed that, “It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view. The Kingdom is not only beyond our efforts; it is beyond our vision … We are prophets of a future not our own.”

As the busy holiday season envelopes us and our culture asks us to do more than is humanly possible, I encourage you to step back and consider what God has already done. Jesus has already been born, and the Kingdom of God has already come near. The promise of Christ is that one day, of which we do not know the date, God will set all things right. Let us trust in Jesus who faithfully keeps watch so that we can rest in God’s promises. And, if we can rest in these promises, what good things can we certainly expect?

Opening Activity Part 2

Focus on how God has already done everything necessary for this world in having sent Jesus to be born. This means that our role is to step back, consider what God has already done, and rest in the promises which God gives to all. Instead of urgency lest we miss it, Jesus is inviting us to expect goodness that will surely come one day.

What does this look like for Jesus followers today? Invite all the attendees to turn their pieces of paper over and write how Jesus is inviting them to let God keep watch? What goodness ought you expect? Some examples of this could be:

• Those gathered at holiday meals can pray the Lord’s Prayer together despite strong disagreements.
• The congregation can begin a program to address food/rent insecurity for everyone.
• One person could send a holiday card to an estranged friend asking for another opportunity.
• Those who are sleepy can have a nap after church services.

Resting in Christ’s promises is also very personal, so participants may want to keep this part of the exercise private as well. In all of this, we do not accomplish what God has already done, for God has redeemed the world through Jesus. But we do experience glimpses of hope which make us expectant for the one, unknown day that God will make all things new, all things whole, and set everything right.

Closing Activity

If your space allows for it to be done safely, have adults burn their own pieces of paper and help minors burn theirs in the flame of the first Advent candle. If your space does not allow for this, have a responsible leader collect all the pieces of paper and make sure to tell everyone in attendance that they will be burned using the flame of the first Advent candle.

This can be done in an outdoors firepit, a fireplace, etc. after the gathering. If this is done outside of the gathering, it is important that the individual(s) tasked with the burning maintain confidentiality and not read what people have written. It is also important that the flame of the first Advent candle is somehow used in the burning.

In whatever way you choose to complete the closing activity, remind everyone that Jesus invites them to rest in God’s promises and expect something good to come.

Ending Prayer

You may all choose to pray together the late Roman Catholic Bishop Ken Untener’s prayer. It is a long prayer so you can choose to pray only a section, have it printed so multiple voices can read, or simply make a copy for everyone to take home.

The Romero Prayer

“It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view. The Kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is beyond our vision.

We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is God’s work. Nothing we do is complete, which is a way of saying that the kingdom always lies beyond us. No sermon or statement says all that could be said. No prayer fully expresses our faith. No confession brings perfection. No pastoral visit brings wholeness. No program accomplishes the church’s mission. No set of goals and objectives includes everything.

This is what we are about. We plant seeds that one day will grow. We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise. We lay foundations that will need further development. We provide yeast that produces far beyond our capabilities.

We cannot do everything. There is liberation in realizing that. This enables us to do something, and to do it very well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for God’s grace to enter and do the rest.

We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the Master Builder and the worker. We are workers, not master builders, ministers, not messiahs.

We are prophets of a future not our own.”

Bio

David Larson-Martínez is a consecrated deacon of the Lutheran Diaconal Association and an ordained pastor serving at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, MN. A graduate of Valparaiso University and Luther Seminary, he grew up in Cuernavaca, Mexico and now happily calls the Twin Cities home. David treasures his large cross-border family—his mom, five siblings, and a growing crew of nieces and nephews who live in both Mexico and the United States.

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.