Elizabeth Hood, Palo Alto, CA

Warm-up Question

Have you ever felt lost? Lost something really important to you?

Lost and Found

After 106 years of searching, a ship lost miles below the icy water near Antartica was recently found! Explorer Ernest Shackleford’s ship, Endurance, was exploring these frigid waters when it became trapped by ice and could no longer move. Miraculously, most of the crew survived by making camp on a smaller boat on the ice, living there for months before they were rescued.  The Endurance sank and researchers have been looking for the ship ever since. Scientists say that because it sank in such cold water the ship is almost perfectly intact, as if it sunk yesterday! Such a discovery!

Discussion Questions

Would you search as long for something as scientists did for the Endurance? At what point would you give up? What make it worth the search?

Fourth Sunday of Lent

Joshua 5:9-12

2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

(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

In this text we hear about things lost and then found. Jesus tells us several parables, stories which help us understand a lesson. The three stories in Luke 15 focus on a lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son—all lost and all found at a cost. We often call the third story the parable of the prodigal son.  Prodigal means one who spends or gives lavishly or foolishly.

The father has two sons, the younger one asks for his inheritance, goes away from home, and spends it all.  The older son stays and works hard on the farm. One day the younger son comes home poor, planning to beg forgiveness and ask that he be treated as a servant.  But the father sees him coming and runs to greet him.  He gives him a robe and plans a large feast to welcome him home. The older son is angry with his father, feeling this is unfair, as he has been working this whole time, while his younger brother spent his inheritance.

The father responds that everything he owns has been available to his older son all along.  He invites his angry son to let go of his bitterness and embrace the celebration.  “This is your brother,” the father says; “he was lost and dead, but now he’s home!  Don’t sulk in the darkness. Come in, join the party, and rejoice!

Discussion Questions

• Why does Jesus tell parables?
• What does this parable of the prodigal son suggest about God’s attitude toward those who make mistakes?
• If we take this parable seriously, how does it change how we relate to others?
• Imagine yourself as the younger brother welcomed home; how would you feel?  How would you feel as the older brother who had worked for years?

Activity Suggestions

This is a the classic game of Spoons, but with an element of Hide and Seek thrown in the mix. You will need a deck of playing cards and some spoons. Instead of placing the spoons on the table, hide one less spoon than players in the game in various places around the room.  Then you try to get four of kind, just as in regular Spoons. Once players have four of a kind they get up and try to find a spoon.  If you are not familiar with Spoons, here is link to the rules of the basic game.

Feel free to create your own variations.

Closing Prayer 

Compassionate God, thank you for seeking us, even when we feel really lost. Thank you for not giving up on us.  Help us to help others who might feel lost or alone. Help us to share your love and compassion with all we meet. Let us lift up each other in prayer… who should we pray for (invite youth to go around in a circle and prayer for something or someone who might feel lost)… we pray all this in your sons name. Amen.

Sami Johnson, Rota, Spain

Warm-up Question

Do you tend see right and wrong as black and white or in shades of gray? Has this changed over your lifetime?  If it has, how so? 

Beyond Black and White

News of the events in Ukraine have dominated the news cycle and occupied our minds for weeks or more. Most news stories represent Ukraine as the righteous one and Russia as the enemy, with Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin pitted against each other like a modern day David and Goliath. 

These stories fail to capture that the ones fighting the war are not so easy to paint with such broad strokes. 

Among the Russian soldiers are young men who have spent the last 8 years consuming propaganda, which led them to believe they would enter Ukraine as liberators, not as invaders. They expected to be greeted with cheers, not violent resistance, 

When these Russian soldiers learn the truth, some regret ever invading Ukraine. They say they have been “duped.” But their message cannot get back home. Anti-Russian news broadcasts, rhetoric, and protests are against the law. Even Ukrainians who call home to family in Russia are crushed when their own families choose to believe the propaganda instead of their own stories.

When we take the time to take a closer look at others, even our enemies, we learn that the line between right and wrong, good and evil, blessed and cursed is not as clear as we might have once thought.

Discussion Questions

• Talk about a time when you had an experience which caused you to change a belief you once held dear. 
• Do you ever wonder how your life would be different if you were born in a different family, country, or time in history? What impact does this have on how you view others who see things differently from you?

Third Sunday in Lent

Isaiah 55:1-9

1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Luke 13:1-9

(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

In this passage, Jesus counters the long-held belief that people deserve the senseless tragedies which happen to them. He uses examples his hearers would know to demonstrate his point. Jesus insists that these events were random and tragic, not veiled judgments from on high. 

Jesus emphasizes that these tragedies could have happened to anyone, regardless of their degree of sinfulness. We cannot control the circumstances into which we are born or what misfortunes  befall us. We live in a precarious and vulnerable state. Thus,  the admonition to repent and to be made right with God is for everyone.

The Russian soldiers  caught up in this war might be an extreme example of this concept. But when we get a little closer and look at individuals, rather than stereotypes and assumptions, we see that even they do not deserve the pain, torture, imprisonment, or death that war brings.  We might imagine ourselves, our siblings, or our children in their position, born in their circumstances, subjected to the same influences.  What, if anything, separates us from the same circumstances they face? 

Each of us—Russians, Ukrainians, Americans—are sinners in need of repentance. God has given us the pathway to a right relationship with God. God knows we are going to fall short, but God ensures that our sinfulness is not the end of the road.  There is no person too far gone to return to God in repentance. There is no sin too great for God’s forgiveness to cover.

In the first section of the lesson, we hear the call to repent of our sin. In the second section, the parable of the fig tree indicates how God responds to us, even while we are still sinners. The gardener does not leave that poor fruitless tree to its own devices. Instead, the gardener promises special care for the tree to help it produce fruit.

In the same way, God approaches each of us, sinners though we may be, with mercy, patience, compassion, and love. These blessings from God are not a result of our righteousness or fruitfulness. Rather, God’s blessings empower us to repent and turn around from our old ways to walk in God’s Way instead. 

Discussion Questions

• Is there someone you know with whom you do not get along or see eye to eye whom God is calling you to treat with mercy, patience, compassion, and love?  What might that look like?
• Look  back on your life to this point.  Is there a decision or event which, though out of your control,  had a major impact on your life? How does it feel to know that your life was so significantly impacted by something you did not choose? Where do you think God is in the midst of that?
• Think about something  that weighs you down with guilt, shame, or just a general “I’m-not-enough” feeling. Imagine God, like the gardener in our lesson, digging out the dirt of guilt, shame, and not-enough-ness packed around the roots of that burden.  See God filling in your life with mercy, patience, compassion, and love instead. What difference does that make?

Activity Suggestions

This text invites us to repent. We confess our sins in church every week in a general way. Today, you are going to repent of your sin in a more personal way. For the first two, you will need to set up a large bowl of water  where everyone can reach it. For all three, you might consider lighting a candle or turning on a flameless candle and turning down the lights. You might also choose to play instrumental music or maintain contemplative silence. Depending on the size of your group, you can decide to divide so that you will be in circles of 10 or less.

There are several ways you might choose to do invite everyone to confess their sins. Some possibilities: 

1. Provide each person with a pen and 1/8 sheet of dissolvable paper. Invite everyone to write down a sin they want to repent of. Turn down the lights. Each person places their paper in the bowl,, swirls the water with their hand until the paper dissolves, and returns to their seats. When the song is over and everyone has had a chance to place their confession in the bowl, say, “As God promised at your baptism, you have been forgiven.” 
2. Instead of paper, you can use a small stone or rock or another token that fits easily in the hand and sinks. In this version everything is the same as with the paper except that each person receives a stone and holds on to it while naming their confession silently before God. When they are ready, they can drop the stone in the water and watch until it hits the bottom of the bowl, and until the water is still again before returning to their seats. 
3. In this version, instead of placing the focus on water, give each person a plate of sand and invite them to use their finger to write their confession of sin in the sand. When everyone appears to be done, and after announcing that they are forgiven, invite each person to pass their hand over their sand to wipe it away. 

Closing Prayer

Merciful God, you invite us to repent and promise to forgive our sins,  yet we cling to our old ways instead of to you. Loosen our grip on the things that are holding us back. Open our hands to receive your blessings. 

And we pray for a quick and merciful end to the war in Ukraine. Be near to all who are scared or in trouble that they might know the comfort of your presence. In Jesus’s name we pray. Amen.  

Kelsey Brown, Arverne,NY

Warm-up Question

Have you ever gone on a journey? (A walk, a school trip, a vacation?)  How did it feel to leave home? 

On a Journey

The world is constant in flux, moving and grooving all around us, while we stay relatively still. When it’s a chilly winter morning in my beloved New York City, the summer night is steamy hot in Australia. Most days we live in two different realities, but what happens when an event affects our global community? Our realities become shared. When one is harmed, all are harmed. When one rejoices, we also rejoice.

Right now, far away from some of us but near to others, Russian has invaded Ukraine. Confronting power hungry leadership and complex socio-political tensions, the global community watches and waits. Ground invasion and the startling aftermath of dropped bombs consume our collective conscious. War brings heightened anxieties and unanswered questions; it leaves people displaced and refugees fleeing. 

The journeys of our refugee siblings are filled with uncertainty.  They  scramble to get out of harm’s way and wonder if they’ll ever return home. There is no easy way to leave your life behind, but the continued conflict and destruction make their risky choices the only choices. 

There are so many causalities in war, not just the dead, but those whose old selves die with forced new beginnings. Sometimes the journeys make way for better opportunities and fresh starts. Some still long and hope for what was. As you journey through your life – where there are ebbs and flows – remember our siblings whose futures are forced.  Pray that war and involuntary displacement may cease. 

Discussion Questions

• What does home mean to you? 
• Do you know anyone who is a refugee? Ask them to tell you their story– then listen. 

Second Sunday in Lent

Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18

Philippians 3:17-4:1

Luke 13:31-35

(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 C at Lectionary Readings.)

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

Gospel Reflection

When we encounter Jesus in our reading for today, some Jewish religious officials approach him. In their haste they warn Jesus that Herod is after him, with plans to kill him. Jesus responds calmly; he is in the middle of something. Jesus’ focus cannot be on Herod’s death dealing ways because he has things to do. He is casting out demons and curing sickness.  He doesn’t have time to think about what might befall him; that’s for the third day. 

In scripture the third day often denotes the day of completion, most notably the day on which Jesus arose. Herod must wait, plotting and planning, but the time will come when Jesus makes his way to his ending. The Lord issues a bold reply, “I’ll be there – you and I both know a prophet must not be killed outside of Jerusalem. Jerusalem, the city that stones those promised to it and kills those who prophecy from its towers. Sweet Jerusalem, how I long to hold the city’s heart in sweet embrace.’

 Jesus continues, giving one of the most vivid descriptions of his love for the people – pining and promising to protect the people of Jerusalem like a mother hen protects her brood, sheltered in huge wings. The city, however, is not willing to be held in this way. Jesus cannot and will not return until the road is prepared. When all is ready the city will shout “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord” 

During Lent we follow the path set out by Jesus long ago, to do the most good we can with the time that we have. There will be a time for Herod, for work, for returning, and for the hard stuff.  But in these 40 days, we are called to give of ourselves, to help those in need, to give glory to God always, and to allow ourselves to be sheltered under the wings of God. We are active participants on the journey of faith– accompanying Jesus to be present with those in need– until the very end. 

Discussion Questions

• What do you think Jesus means when he calls Herod a fox?
• What good will you do during these 40 days?
• How have you been sheltered under Jesus’ “wings”?

Activity Suggestions

• Make a list of 3 things you can do for yourself, 3 things you can do for others, and 3 things you can do for creation during this Lenten Season
• Research the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and pray for safety peace among all people
• Set boundaries for yourself to prevent burn out and exhaustion
• Find a comfy spot, take a deep breath and listen to One Love/ People get ready by Bob Marley & The Wailers

Closing Prayer

Holy God, you call us to lay down our arms and pick up peace. We continue to pray for Ukraine, The Holy Lands of Israel and Palestine, and all those who are in harm’s way or under attack. As we walk the Lenten path which Jesus walked towards the bitter end, be near us, comfort us, and guide us in the way you would have us go. When it is finished, reunite us with all your saints in the heavenly place. In your sons holy and matchless name, we pray. Amen

Sylvia Alloway, Granada Hills, CA

Warm-up Question

Is it ever permissible for citizens to disobey their country’s laws? If so, when and why?

Right to Serve

It started in Canada. They called it the Freedom Convoy. Truckers driving in a convoy (a line of trucks all traveling in the same direction) began a noisy, horn-honking, but originally peaceful protest against the government’s requirement of COVID vaccinations for workers. 

As time went on the protests became increasingly disruptive: truck blockades in Ottawa, Ontario preventing people from getting to work; obstruction of the main border crossing into the U.S. interrupting deliveries of goods; protestors placing their own children between themselves and the police. Finally, Canadian president Justin Trudeau, for the first time in Canadian history, declared the enforcement of emergency laws that give the government extended powers in a national crisis.

Other countries joined in. Paris police broke up protests on the city’s famous central thoroughfare the Champs-Élysées with tear gas. Officials in Wellington, New Zealand, tried to discourage protestors by playing the music of Barry Manilow.  Demonstrators countered with Twisted Sister song “We’re Not Gonna Take It.”

The protestors claim  the right not to obey government rules they consider oppressive. But do people have the right to endanger others who want to be protected from disease or disrupt the lives of ordinary citizens to publicize what is probably a lost cause? According to an article on the political website Vox (meaning “voice”), the majority of Canadians say “no.” The protestors, says the article, are a raucous minority, upset because they have lost the anti-vax battle.

Have these protests been put down completely? Will these difficult examples discourage others from staging legitimate protests? Only time will tell.

Discussion Questions

• Can you think of a time when peaceful protests were successful, that is, brought about positive changes? What happened? Why were the protests successful?
• Would you ever join a protest? If so, what cause would you be supporting?

First Sunday in Lent

Deuteronomy 26:1-11

Romans 10:8b-13

Luke 4:1-13

(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

The writer of Hebrews tells us that Jesus “has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” Well, of course, we might think. He was God. How hard can it be for God to resist temptation? But look carefully at the Gospel passage.

First, Jesus has been fasting for 40 days. His body is weak and desperately hungry. Second, he has been led by the Holy Spirit, who so gloriously filled him at his baptism, into the desolate wilderness. During all this time, he has no human company, no outside comfort or help. And then Satan shows up.

So, what does Jesus do? Does he suddenly surround himself with blinding light and literally tell the Devil to go to hell? No, he uses only the resources we have: the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit.

“Cool,” thinks Satan, “This is going to be a piece of cake. Let’s start with hunger, the greatest human need. Turn the stones to bread. You have the right to a little comfort. Go ahead! Do it!”

Jesus responds, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’”

“Okay, how about this. See all those kingdoms down there? Why settle for tiny little Israel? Worship me, and the right to rule it all will be yours!

“It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”

Satan is nearly at the end of his rope. “Hmmm. ‘It is written…’ Aha! If he can quote scripture, so can I! Hey, Jesus, do you really think this whole humility thing is going to get anybody’s attention? You need to show off who you really are. Jump off the temple roof! After all it is written…”

“Do not put the Lord your God to the test!”

And that’s it. Satan could not get Jesus to claim his rights as God or use his heavenly power for himself. Jesus wins, not by claiming his rights, but by humbling himself, limiting himself, completely identifying with human beings.

Americans consider our rights sacred and so they are. But following the example of our Lord Jesus is more sacred yet. The day may come when you will have to give up some of your rights, as Jesus did, to serve others. Ask him to help you practice humility now, and you will have the same strength he had when the time comes.

Discussion Questions

• Have you ever felt that someone was taking away your rights? How did you feel? What do you think Jesus would have done in that situation?
• List of some of the rights young people think are important. Imagine a situation where you might have to give up some of those rights. Which right or rights might that be? Why would you need to lay them aside?
• With rights come responsibilities.  What responsibilities do Christians have to others around them?  Are they different from those of other citizens?

Activity Suggestions

• Make a list of  humble acts of service for the group, then help each other to carry them out. For example, collect food to donate to a food bank, help to clean the church, share the skills of your group’s members with others. 
• Collect positive stories, preferably by listening to real people tell their experiences of standing up for others’ rights or helping people work together. Post the stories on social media.

Closing Prayer

Almighty God, how can we thank and praise you enough for sending your Son to be one of us?  Setting aside his power and privilege, he lived as a humble servant, and died a criminal’s death,  to save unworthy sinners. We give thanks that though he is risen and exalted in heaven, he is yet with us through the Holy Spirit, who gives us power to resist sin. Keep us ever humble, ever willing to serve, and ever devoted to our Lord and Savior. In his blessed name we pray.  Amen.

Maggie Falenschrek, St. Peter, MN

Warm-up Question

Think back on the last week. What were some of the high points? What were some of the low points?

Highs and Lows

The 2022 Beijing Olympics wrap up this week. The last few weeks have been full of amazing moments: great displays of jaw-dropping talent, individuals and teams who are at the absolute top of their game, even heart-warming displays of camaraderie and sportsmanship. When we watch the competition as viewers we tend to only see the highlights— those mountaintop moments of triumph. We don’t often get a full view of the heartbreak, moments of failure, and gut wrenching disappointment. But, just like our own lives, the stories of olympic athletes are full of both the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. 

Figure Skater Nathan Chen recently earned gold by putting together two nearly perfect skates in the men’s long and short programs. Heavily favored to win the discipline, he skated so secure and confidently that it would be hard to imagine that he could ever have a slip-up. However, four years earlier at the Pyeongchang Olympic Games, Chen fell on the ice several times and placed well off of the podium, despite being one of the favorites for gold. 

American figure skater Jason Brown wowed the crowds in Beijing with his beautiful routines. However, four years ago, he didn’t even make the team. Speed skater Erin Jackson, who won gold in her event in Beijing, had a misstep in the olympic trials that left her off of the team. It wasn’t until teammate Brittany Bowe forfeited her spot that Jackson was able to join the olympic team. And then there are all the olympic stories that never get told in the spotlight. All together they tell us something about life; that the trajectory to success is never a straight line and, in fact, our lives are full of high points and low points. 

Discussion Questions

• Who are your favorite olympic athletes? What makes their story so compelling?
• Who is someone who inspires you? Why are they so inspiring?

Transfiguration of Our Lord

Exodus 34:29-35

2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2

Luke 9:28-36 [37-43]

(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

The Transfiguration marks the end of the season of Epiphany. Throughout this season, we hear stories that help us understand the significance of who Jesus is and how Jesus is revealed in our world– that’s what Epiphany means, a revealing. The story of the Transfiguration serves the same purpose– to reveal to us something about the character of Jesus and why Jesus is special and set apart from other prophets. The Transfiguration story not only marks the ending of the church season of Epiphany but also directs us towards the beginning of Lent, where we remember Jesus’ journey to the cross. After this story filled with sparkle and historical glamour, Jesus descends the mountain into a world that will eventually kill him. 

So, how do we hold this story of glitter, fanfare, and proclamation next to Jesus’ journey to the cross? Sometimes we Christians are tempted to spend a little too much time in the grandeur of Jesus’ life, focusing on his miracles and teachings. Some suggest the Transfiguration story is meant to be a foretaste of the Easter story that is to come, but we don’t live our lives solely in Easter. Instead, our lives reflect a rhythm of ups and downs, joys and sorrows, all held together. The arrival of Easter doesn’t make sense without the season of Lent. 

The power of the resurrection is made even more amazing because of Jesus’ death. Jesus without the cross is nothing new. Consequently, if we only see Jesus in the high places of our lives, the times when everything is going good,  then we are only getting half of the story. In every situation, the highs and especially the lows, Jesus promises to accompany us, gently assuring us, “Do not be afraid, I am with you.” Jesus is not confined to the mountaintops, the good times in our lives when we feel like we have it all figured out.  He descends the mountain with us, following us into the places where real life comes to fruition. 

The season of Lent gives us the opportunity to follow Jesus and his disciples down the mountain into his final weeks on earth. Lent is a beautiful time to reflect, pray, worship, and discern.  But we also anticipate the resurrection at the end of this Lenten journey, a resurrection that makes Jesus’ promise to accompany us in the joys and in our fears that much more real. This resurrection allows us to hear Jesus’ words, “do not be afraid,” and believe them because we know the end of the story. We know that fear and death do not have the final word. 

Where there is brokenness there will soon be reconciliation. Where there is stability, there will soon be assurance. Where there is hopelessness, a small glimmer of hope will show itself among us. This is the hope we are promised through Jesus, God’s own beloved.

Discussion Questions

• What do you think Jesus means when tells his disciples, “do not be afraid.”? 
• What tools do you use to help you get through hard times? 
• What advice would you give a friend whose struggling?
• What role does Jesus, God, or the Holy Spirit play in the highs and lows of our lives?

Activity Suggestions

• Grab some paper and markers and map out a timeline of your life, taking special care to mark both the high points (good parts) and the low points (not so good, or really hard parts). If you’re comfortable, pick a high point and a low point to share with someone else. 
• Create a resource list of skills and supports that you can use to help you through difficult times. Sometimes it helps to think what has helped you in the past— did you gain any helpful skills? Did you find someone to talk to who is a particularly good listener? Keep your list in a safe place so you can reference it when things get tough. 
• Jam out to the song, “Hills and Valleys” by Tauren Wells. 

Closing Prayer

Ever-present God, from the mountaintops to deep in the valleys, the high points and the low points, the good times and the bad, you promise to be with us. As we journey to the season of Lent, help us to witness you in new rhythms and practices, the tried and true and the unexpected. Guide us as we navigate all of the complexities of life knowing that, even know we cycle through highs and lows, your love remains steadfast. 

Amen.