Herb Wounded Head, Brookings, SD

Warm-up Question

How much sleep do you usually get? Is it enough?

Are You Feeling Salty?

We all need sleep in order to be able to function at our best from day to day. According to one study,  if you’re a teenager you need 8-10 hours of sleep. If you’re a young adult, you need 7-9 hours of sleep. In this day and age, it seems harder and harder to get enough sleep. It can be daunting, to say the least, in these years of busy-ness and homework and deadlines, to get enough sleep. 

A story on National Public Radio reports that one school in Michigan is trying some new things in order to help students function at their highest level. Eastern Flex Academy in Lansing, Michigan has a pilot program where students start their classes at 3pm, (3pm!) and goes until 8pm at night. The program was started to help students with internships, part-time jobs and even family responsibilities.  One student noted that the they can get the sleep they need to and can do more throughout the day while having a good night’s rest.

Discussion Questions

• What would it be like for you to get a good night’s rest every night?
• What changes would you make in your life in order to make sure you get enough sleep?

Fifth Sunday after Epiphany

Isaiah 58:1-9a [9b-12]

1 Corinthians 2:1-12 [13-16]

Matthew 5:13-20

(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 would we do without salt? Our body needs a certain amount of salt in order to function. It is used as to cure meats and on the sidewalks to make them less slippery. It is used as seasoning on food to give it a better taste. But if salt is overused or mixed with too many other things, it loses its saltiness. So it goes with Jesus’ disciples. If we find ourselves doing too much and spreading ourselves too thin, we can lose the saltiness which is our relationship with God, and even our own sense of purpose in the world. One of the ways we can notice that we are spread too thin is by our sleep patterns. Do you get enough sleep and rest? It’s difficult to answer God’s call if we aren’t taking care of ourselves.

God places a high calling on our lives. Not so much that we need to be the purest, most holy, or best disciples.  Far from it! Our calling is to be people of God, such that we reflect God’s holiness and righteousness in and through us. We are a beacon on a hill which shines so brightly in our baptisms that all the world can see the glory of God. This is indeed a high calling, one in which God has called our true, salty, sinful selves into action. God needs us, as we are, in order to make God’s kingdom known throughout the world. 

All too often, we think that we aren’t invited to this high calling. We can see this by our own activity in the world. Are we living too much in comfort? Are we too conformed to this world, so that the busy-ness of life becomes something that we think we need in order to succeed? God calls and redeems us through God’s light in the world, Jesus Christ, to provide justice, mercy and love to an all too broken world.

Discussion Questions

• How can you be the salt of the earth? 
• What are some ways that you can do justice in the world?
• Where can you provide mercy?

Activity Suggestions

Make a 3 foot by 3 foot square out of duct tape in your meeting place. Tell your people that they all need to fit in this square in order to complete the task. If the square is too large for your group, make it smaller. This activity relies heavily on teamwork and communication and is a good team building tool for small groups.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly and gracious God, you have called us as your own and have formed and shaped us to be your people. Help us to grow more fully into a community of believers that trust in your Word. Be with those who are not with us, who may be struggling or suffering in this world; give them a sense of peace that passes all understanding and bring us all closer to you.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

Ginger Litman-Koon, Mt. Pleasant, SC

Warm-up Question

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

Everyday Héroes

We all know that heroes rule the box office, but did you know they now rule the internet? Throughout 2019, Google analytics data showed a global increase in searches centering around “heroes.” Sure, some of those searches had to do with what action movies were playing in theaters, but many of them were centered around what they call “everyday heroes.” Google even aired a YouTube video on New Years featuring a montage of all the “everyday heroes” videos that circulated the internet during 2019. 

You can watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRCdORJiUgU

The heroes featured in the video are strangers, teachers, first responders, children, athletes. While there were some exceptions, most of the heroic actions

emerged from adversity: illness, danger, injury, loss, prejudice, natural disasters. Watching the video will bring happy tears to your eyes, because of the acts of courage and love shown by each of the individuals. It will leave you feeling a sense of hope for the world, despite the fact that many of the scenarios show struggle or hardship. So many of the stories in the montage are examples of light shining amidst moments of darkness.

This season of the church year is called Epiphany, where we highlight the ways Jesus is shown forth to the world. The season begins with the Day of Epiphany, when we commemorate the visit of the Magi to the child Jesus, following the light of the star. From the first day of this season to its end, light continues to be a prominent theme. Look for symbols of light used in your community’s worship (music, liturgy, paraments, images, etc) this Epiphany season.

Discussion Questions

• When have you seen light shining amidst the darkness, hope in times of struggle?
• Have you ever encountered an “everyday hero”?
• Why does it seem that sometimes the best in people comes out in the worst of times?

Fourth Sunday after Epiphany

Micah 6:1-8

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Matthew 5:1-12

(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 today’s Gospel Reading, Jesus speaks in paradoxes. Often we hear Jesus speaking in parables, but when it comes to the Beatitudes, the Jesus’ teachings seem contradictory. Jesus says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit… Blessed are those who mourn…Blessed are those who are persecuted…Blessed are you when people revile you.” This formula,“blessed are,” is not one we would use in everyday speech. But in the original language, “blessed,” could simply mean “happy.” Jesus is saying, “happy” are those who are poor, grieving, persecuted or reviled.

By the world’s standards, people in these pitiable situations would not be called the “happy” ones! This teaching is paradoxical indeed. In the words of St. Paul in the first letter to the Corinthians (1st reading for today), it “sounds like foolishness.”

Jesus is setting up a contrast between the values of heaven and the values of earth. He’s saying that the things people think they need in order to be happy – wealth, answers, popularity, lack of adversity – are not at all what truly makes one blessed. True blessedness, real happiness, comes from knowing Jesus, from following him, and from finding our value in him. While the values of earth are all about what you have – possessions, status, influence – the values of heaven are all about who you know (namely, Jesus).

In today’s reading, Jesus doesn’t stop at listing the paradoxes of the Beatitudes. He goes on to say, “When people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account, rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.” Sure, we may understand that our true worth does not come from earthly standards, but are we really supposed to rejoice when we are hated, rejected or denied? Are we really supposed to be glad about our misfortunes?  It’s difficult to wrap our heads around the idea of rejoicing over loss and rejection.

So how do we live this out? How do we take what Jesus is saying to heart? Well, some Christians might say that Jesus is simply telling us that the world brings hardships, but if we just make it to heaven, we’ll be rewarded there. Some might say, “Hey, life is rough, but heaven will be great!” But there’s more to Jesus’ message than that.

Jesus is helping us to see the true blessedness that appears even amidst the road bumps of life. Jesus is pointing us towards the light that shines even in the darkness. Jesus is challenging us to see the moments of mercy, grace and peace which happen in the places the world might call unredeemable. He is showing us that, through him, we can experience glimpses of the kingdom of heaven even amid the struggles of earth.

Have you ever felt peace even in a time of loss or grief? Have you ever experienced “the holy” in a time of sadness? Have you ever felt God’s presence when you thought you were completely alone? It may have come through a friend, a parent, or a stranger. It may have come through a feeling or a sense of calm. It may have come with no explanation at all. In Jesus’ teaching today, he’s challenging us to look past what the world may see, and to keep our eyes open for the unlikely moments of true blessedness.

So often, when people of faith are asked to share a time when they most clearly felt God’s peace or blessings, they point to a moment of loss: “When my grandmother passed away,” “when my friend died,” “when I didn’t get into the college I wanted.” People often say, “That was the moment when I knew God was there with me, surrounding me.” No, when it comes down to it, we may not feel much like rejoicing in those moments, but so often, it’s there that we discover the blessing of being known and loved by God.

Discussion Questions

• Have you ever felt God’s peace, even amidst loss or disappointment?
• Do you ever struggle with the paradox or “foolishness” of our Christian faith?
• Who can you reach out to when you are struggling to see light in the darkness?

Activity Suggestions

• Watch the video noted in the opening section of this week’s Faith Lens.  In your group, share which heroes were most meaningful to you and why?
• Has there ever been a time when you felt “reviled and persecuted” for doing something because of your faith?  Was it worth it?  What might it say if we have never gotten any heat for following Jesus, since Jesus seems to assume that opposition is inevitable when we are faithful?

Closing Prayer

God of light, this Epiphany season, we pray that you will show us the light of your love, no matter what darkness surrounds us. Draw us closer to you through your Son, who gave himself for our sake, so that we would know the riches of heaven here on earth. Amen.

Leslie Weber, Chesapeake, VA

Warm-up Question

What was the last thing you bought? Where did you buy it from (online or in person)? What was the shopping experience like?

Hidden Costs?

A November 2019 article represents a collaboration between The Atlantic and Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting. It tells a handful of different stories of Amazon Warehouse employees being injured, and in one case even killed, on the job.  The article argues that most the injuries were either due to lack of safety training or overemphasis on efficiency. It blames Amazon’s “obsession with speed” for having “turned its warehouses into injury mills.”

The other result of the company’s high quotas and strict expectations for workers is the company’s ever-growing domination of the marketplace and its founder’s ever-growing net worth.  Amazon is second only to Walmart when it comes to private employers in the US.

As consumers have gotten used to the perks of a Prime membership, the company has made steps to make the shopping experience even better; this past holiday season, certain purchases came with guaranteed one-day free shipping.  Of course, that translates to more work in Amazon’s warehouses and even stricter deadlines and quotas for workers.

The Amazon spokesperson who provided written comments for the article says that the reason that Amazon’s work-related injury statistics are higher than the industry standard is that they are extra diligent about reporting all injuries. However, employees, who remained anonymous for the article, and a former OSHA employee, who investigated the fatal accident at an Amazon warehouse in Indiana, tell a different story.

Discussion Questions

• Have you ever considered a company’s labor practices before making a purchase? Why or why not?
• Will hearing stories like those contained in the article will change how you shop in the future? Why or why not?

Third Sunday of Epiphany

Isaiah 9:1-4

1 Corinthians 1:10-18

Matthew 4:12-23

(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

After John’s arrest, Jesus begins his public ministry in Galilee.  While quoting Isaiah 9:1-2, the Gospel of Matthew refers to that place as “Galilee of the Gentiles” (Matthew 4:5, NRSV).  During Isaiah’s time, that region was ruled by a foreign power—Assyria—and during Jesus’ time, it was ruled by a foreign power—Rome.  In both cases, these Gentile empires caused the locals to live in a “shadow of death” (Matthew 4:16, NRSV). As Biblical commentator, Warren Carter, puts it—”Roman imperial structures and practices were bad for people’s health.”

The Roman’s Empire’s demands on local laborers to provide food for the empire and to pay taxes, led many to live in poverty and with the resulting poor health.  Carter suggests this is why there were so many people with disease and sickness seeking healing from Jesus as he began his ministry.

Jesus’ ministry is one of ending current imperial oppression and instituting God’s reign, which is marked by new work (v. 18-20), new family/community (v. 21-22), and a new chance at life (v. 23).  When he proclaims in verse 17 that “the kingdom of heaven has come near,” he is saying that Rome is not ultimately in charge—GOD IS! With his acts of healing, he works to counteract the damage that imperial greed causes.

Discussion Questions

• Can you think of other examples where “empire” (governmental and non-governmental forms of greed and selfishness) has led to suffering of a population?
• How might we participate in Jesus’ ministry of repairing damage caused by greed and selfishness?

Activity Suggestions

• Play a board game (like Monopoly…if you have the time), first, with every player playing for themselves; then play it again with all players working together as a team.  Discuss the difference in the experience and relate it to the idea of community and empire.
• Have teams work to build a tower out of blocks or similar material.  First, do this untimed, to allow for precision.  Then, do it timed (multiple times with less and less time), to focus on efficiency.  Discuss the difference in the experience and relate it to the idea of favoring productivity (profit) over people.
• Divide into three groups, and have each group act out one of the three parts of Jesus’ initial ministry:
  • Calling of Peter & Andrew—new work (v. 18-20)
  • Calling of James & John—new family/community (v. 21-22)
  • Healing—new life (v. 23)

Closing Praye

Gracious God, thank you for loving us and giving us new life.  Be with all those who daily feel the oppression of modern-day empire. Help us to see your kingdom come near and be part of Jesus’ work of shining your light and love into the world. Amen.

Brian Hiortdahl, West Hills, CA

Warm-up Question

Who inspires you and how?

Saying It Forward

The Lucas family lost their son and gained a cause.  When 18 year old Jonah died, his grieving family decided to start a program inspired by his caring relationships with people experiencing homelessness.  They now collect coats and other clothing items for distribution to those in need, and have attracted the attention and support of others in the community.  KUTV in Salt Lake City, Utah featured this story under the heading “Pay It Forward.”

Discussion Questions

• When have you seen a simple act of goodness expand, maybe even go viral into something bigger?
• What lessons can others learn from the Lucas family?
• Where is there unmet need in your community?  How can you respond?  Who will you invite to join you?

Second Sunday After Epiphany

Isaiah 49:1-7

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

John 1:29-42

(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

John makes a stunning claim about Jesus, calling him “the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the whole world.”  That’s a lot of sin.  The Greek word for “world” is also familiar in English:  the word is “cosmos.”  It can mean either the universe or the ordered system, the structure of the way things are.  Either way, removing what is wrong in the cosmos is an enormous project.

How will God’s lamb do this?  The gospel’s next move is surprising.  Jesus slowly begins to attract a few followers with (maybe despite) awkward conversations.  It feels like trying to conquer homelessness by walking into a clothing store.  But perhaps Jonah and his family (in the news item noted above) weren’t trying to house everyone, but to love them…and that is the direction the lamb of God takes.  Theologians say that sin means separation—from God, from others, from self.  Jesus comes to bridge and remove that separation from the cosmos.

The story ripples forward like kindness.  John tells everyone about the Messiah, then his disciple Andrew tells his brother Simon, and the news will continue in the following verses to reach Philip and Nathanael.  A network is slowly being built based on relationships.  Separation will be overcome by connection.  The disciples’ question, “Where are your staying? will echo again in chapter 15, because the word “staying” also means  “abiding, remaining”…the same word Jesus uses to describe their enduring relationship (John 15:4).  Jesus’ answer,”Come and see,” is the same phrase Philip will say to wary Nathanael (John 1:46).  Even Jesus’ first question,”What are your looking for?, will be echoed at the second beginning of the gospel in the garden of resurrection (John 20:15).  As with best friends, the same words and phrases on different lips reveal connection, togetherness.  Separation is replaced with relationship.

This is at the heart of Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream, in which the children of slaves and slave owners “sit down together at the table of brotherhood” and “little black boys and little black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and little white girls as sisters and brothers.” (I Have a Dream, 1963).  Disciples of Jesus work for the removal of socially reinforced separation—cosmic sin—which is the cause of justice.  It takes many different forms, but it always involves careful listening, caring speech, and honoring the dignity of all people.  Sometimes this happens slowly, even awkwardly, one face, one conversation, one jacket at a time.

Discussion Questions

• What are you looking for in life?
• How do you introduce Jesus to others?
• Where do you see sin at work in the world?  What is one small, concrete thing you can do to counter it?

Activity Suggestions

• Select, read, and discuss any three speeches by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  What does he say about the way things are (the cosmos)?  What light does he shed on sin, love, justice, and relationships?
• Write a letter of appreciation to someone to whom you are close.  Include as many words, phrases, “inside jokes” and meaningful references in your relationship as you can.
• Organize a drive at your church to collect coats, clothes, toiletries or other necessities for people experiencing homelessness in your community, or make a donation to Jackets for Jonah.

Closing Prayer

Lamb of God, connect and keep us all in your love.  Remove our sin, renew our hearts, and open our hands to help and bless our neighbors in need. Amen

Brett Davis, Washington, D.C.

Warm-up Question

Is there a story behind your given name?  What is it?

Power of Names

Do our names determine our destiny?  Researcher Steve Levitt has dedicated decades to this question.  Different cultures have different naming patterns and trends.  Our names sometimes suggest something about us.  Every student has had this experience when a teacher calls the roll in a classroom for the first time and and looks up with an expectation.

Levitt and his research partners have studied  whether there is a measurable bias in economic outcomes for people with either unusual or culturally African-American names.  Using public data of every baby born in California over forty years, they analyzed what influences our names and what influence names have on us.  They were surprised to find that  your given name did not impact your economic life as an adult.  (Meaning it was not statistically proven to show that an unusual or culturally specific name made you less likely to have an equal income level to people with common or culturally “white” names.) 

Levitt found that “it’s not the name your parents give you; it’s the kind of parents you have in the first place.”  Our names tell us about our parents, not about us, and the kind of parents one has was the largest factor in influencing opportunities later in life.  

However, their research and further work continued to suggest that web searches for names are highly biased.  For instance, typically African-American names are programmed into search tool analytics to produce results about finding arrest records for an individual, even if there are none.  This could certainly influence someone hiring for a job who searches their candidates’ names, although widespread impact was not shown by the data described above. 

“One thing that most of us can probably agree on: Just about every parent thinks that his or her kid is special. Part of what makes each of our kids special is the names we give them. But from what we can tell, your name is not your destiny — even if your name is Destiny. Or Esmé. Or Archimedes, or Track.”

Discussion Questions

• Have you ever struggled with liking your name,  Have others struggled with it in some way?
• Have you ever assumed something about someone based on their name?  How were you proven wrong?
• Do you think that people are judged or stereotyped based on their name?
• If you or someone you know has been named after someone, do you think you try to live up to that name or be like them?

Baptism of our Lord /First Sunday after Epiphany

Isaiah 42:1-9

Acts 10:34-43

Matthew 3:13-17

(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 time of year, right after Christmas, we celebrate some other stories from the beginning of Jesus’ life.  Sometimes we celebrate the lesser festival of Name of Jesus and read the story in the gospel of Luke when Jesus is dedicated in the temple and given his name.  Mary and Joseph didn’t agonize over what to call their baby – an angel told Joseph to name him Jesus.

In today’s gospel reading, we get a naming story of a different kind.  This is the story of Jesus’ baptism, and we have two main characters in the story who are considering their identity and role.  First, John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin, doesn’t think himself worthy to baptize Jesus.  But Jesus convinces John that this is his role to play in fulfilling the prophecy.  John baptizes Jesus, the sky opens, and a dove comes down (do you have a dive-bombing dove symbolic of the Holy Spirit depicted in your church?).  

Jesus is baptized by John as an adult, and he’s had his name for a long time already.  But in his baptism, “a voice from heaven” gives Jesus another name.  The voice of God says, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”  In a way, this is God’s name for Jesus – and for each of us in our baptisms.  

Considering Levitt’s research, what God the parent calls Jesus tells us not only about Jesus, but about the parent.  This reminds me that God’s identity is loving parent, pleased with us children, proud of us, and claiming us in our baptisms.  Jesus’ name, in Hebrew Yeshua or Joshua, means “he will save.”  This name, and the name that came from heaven at his baptism, “[God’s] son, the beloved,” would certainly make people biased – in a good way – about what Jesus would be and become.  

For both Jesus and John, that day at the river gave them an identity, a name and a calling, that they would live into.  John is named/called worthy to baptize, and Jesus is called the beloved son.  At your baptism, you are called this too, beloved child of God.  I believe these names shape who we become.

Discussion Questions

• Besides your given name, what have you been called that has shaped who you have become?
• Do you know anyone who has a name which is an adjective, attribute, or title?  It’s more common in some cultures or places – names like: Grace, Prince, or even, like in the Scripture – Beloved.  Do you think naming someone this makes them more likely to embody their name?
• How would your view of people change if you called them (even in your mind), “_(name)_” beloved child of God?

Activity Suggestions

On a sheet of paper, make a big “Hello, my name is _____” nametag.  Write all the things you’ve called yourself or been called by others.  Then pair up with someone or in a small group exchange your sheets and add things – what would you call each other?  Consider how those nice things that others add shape your view of yourself.  If you can get some stick-on nametags, make everyone a “name”tag that says “Beloved child of God,” and one to take with you to give someone else or share with them as a surprise. 

Closing Praye

God our loving parent, you called Jesus your beloved son at his baptism, and you call us the same at each of ours.  Help us to reserve judgment based on people’s names, and instead call and see every person as a beloved child of God.  Amen.