Andrew Karrman, DesMoines, IA

Warm-up Question

What is the scariest thing in your life?

Paralyzing Fear

 Whether you want to be a part of it or not, we are all constantly bombarded with political ads and conversations during this time of year. No matter which side of the aisle you are on, there seems to be one thread that is constant in everything we see and hear: Fear. And that has been the case for the last couple of decades. During this time anger and alienation between political parties have been growing themes in every political cycle.

According to Rasmussen Reporting nearly 3 out of 4 Americans believe that the country is on the wrong track (Rasmussen Reports). The 2015 American Values Survey cites: “The number of Americans citing crime, racial tensions, and illegal immigration as major problems increased substantially between 2012 and 2015.” While there is no way to measure racial tensions, some things are measurable. During this time the total number of crimes have actually dropped across all categories while the total population has increased, resulting in a significantly lower crime rate (Disaster Center Crime Report). Pew Research reports that the population of illegal immigrants has decreased from its peak in 2007 (Pew Research Center). Jobs, GDP growth (a measurement of our wealth as a nation), and the number of Americans with health insurance have all risen since 2012, pointing towards a trend in the right direction. Despite evidence to the contrary, doom and gloom seem to dominate the political landscape now more than ever.

Norman Ornstein, a world renowned political scientist, proposed that what most people know about society and the economy comes from cable news, talk radio, blogs and their amplification from emails and other social media shared by close friends and relatives. This leads politicians to lean on long lists of enemies which they believe Americans should be afraid of. Republican candidates claim that our perceived problems come from Mexicans, Muslims, “political correctness”, and “Washington”. Meanwhile, Democrats espouse the evils of “Big Money”, racial injustice, and gun ownership as the major issues driving fear in America. Regardless of which side you identify with, it’s clear to see that our political campaigns are fueled first and foremost by fear.

Many Americans have found ourselves having above all, a faith in these stories of doom, and social media doesn’t seem to be helping.  As we sit and stew in our self-selected circles of fear reinforcement, we become paralyzed by our fear. Regardless of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, our fears leave us unable to actually do anything even when we do come up with a good idea to effect change. As a nation, America seems to be addicted to fear itself. Whether it is a different racial group, the overbearing rich, the grasping poor, or the lofty brainiacs, we will cling to fear far more easily than we look for hope.

Discussion Questions

• What sorts of things have you heard people say they are afraid of?
• Why do you think we seem to ignore the real statistics and lean on our fears when making decisions?
• Where do you get your news from? Do you always consider the source and what they may be trying to get you to believe? How can you do this?
• What role do you think social media and cable news have played in the amount of fear people feel about the world today?

Second Sunday of Easter

Acts 5:27-32

Revelation 1:4-8

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 B at Lectionary Readings

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

Gospel Reflection

The Gospel this week begins with the disciples locked away and paralyzed by fear after Jesus’ body goes missing. Despite this, Jesus comes and tells them to go out and share the good news with others. When Thomas returns to the locked room and hears the other disciples recount what took place, he finds the disciples’ story hard to believe and says he just won’t take them at their word. He wants to see Jesus himself. This story is often used to condemn Thomas for not believing, but this time let’s look at the story from Thomas’s perspective.

While all of the other disciples are locked in a room afraid of what might happen to them, Thomas is outside. Why? We don’t really know, so all we can really do is speculate. Maybe the disciples were hungry and Thomas drew the short straw and had to bravely leave to get food. Maybe he was out investigating the claims of Mary Magdalene who had told the disciples that she had seen Jesus. Maybe he was out telling people about the good news of the empty tomb. Whatever the reason, Thomas isn’t with the others when they are locked away and afraid of the world around them.

When Thomas finally does return, his friends tell him that while he was gone their dead friend came and told them to go out and forgive the sins of others. Thomas doesn’t believe them. But would you have believed them? If Jesus really did come back from the dead and tell the disciples to do something, why would they still be locked away in this room. Thomas doesn’t doubt Jesus, he doubts the disciples.

Even when we come back to this scene a week later, nothing has changed. The disciples are still locked in their room afraid of what lies beyond (no wonder Thomas doesn’t believe them!). Then Jesus comes again and tells Thomas to touch him and believe. However, the text never says that Thomas actually touches Jesus. Instead, just seeing Jesus is enough to have Thomas’s doubts answered (unlike the fearful disciples) and he becomes the first person in all of the gospel of John to declare that Jesus is God.

Because Thomas was willing to admit to the doubts and fears that paralyzed the other disciples, he opened himself to hearing Christ’s answer. Doubt helped Thomas to grow and expand his faith, while fear caused the other disciples to lock themselves away. Thomas is a model of a hard-earned faith which will be able to withstand doubt and fear.

“Do not fear” is a common refrain throughout scripture. When Jesus spoke the words, “Peace be with you,” he was reminding the disciples of that very idea. However, when faced with the death of their friend, leader, and teacher, the disciples are paralyzed by fear despite the overwhelming evidence that their fears are unfounded. Jesus uses this peace to call his disciples to action by telling the disciples to go out just as Jesus did in his own life.

Doubt is the pathway to faith and freedom from fear. Doubt is what allows our faith to grow through questioning, investigation, wondering, and discussion. The end of the text tells us exactly why it is written. It is an invitation to those of us who haven’t been able to see Jesus after his death on the cross. But it’s not an invitation to lock ourselves away and wait to get into heaven because we’re afraid of what we might see, do, or have done to us. Rather, it is an invitation to allow our belief to free us from fear and lead us through questioning into a life of action!

Discussion Questions

• What is a time when you’ve been paralyzed by fear? What did it feel like at the time? How do you feel about it when you reflect on the situation today?
• In verse 27 Jesus says, “Do not doubt but believe.” Who do you think Jesus is questioning, Thomas or the other disciples? Why?
• Do you believe that doubt is the opposite of faith? Why or why not? What about fear?
• What would it look like to behave like Thomas in today’s political environment? What about behaving like the other disciples?

Activity Suggestions

Break up your group into smaller groups of 3-5 youth. Have youth use their smartphones to look up a political ad featuring some sort of fear (or look them up for them before hand). Ask them to summarize what the candidate is trying to say and have them create a response ad (most likely a skit) which uses doubt to dispel the fear that the ad created.

Closing Prayer

My Lord and my God, thank you for your presence here among us today. Help us to believe that Jesus is your son and our Messiah. Please help us to keep from falling into the trap of fear and use our doubts to free us so that we can live lives of faithful action. Amen.

Dave Dodson, Fort Walton Beach, FL

Warm-up Question

How do you decide how to spend and how to save your money?

Resurrection

Though I’m a fan of a wide range of music, I must admit that I never cared for the works of rapper Waka Flocka Flame.  His earlier albums always seemed to me to celebrate the wrong sort of things: materialism, egoism, and sexual exploits, for a start.  Call me old-fashioned, but I like my music humble.

Imagine my surprise, then, when Waka Flocka gave an interview in September 2015 in which he decried his former materialism.  In his own words, he recalls an experience in which he travelled to Africa and met a teenaged boy who had never owned a pair of shoes.  Ever.  Waka Flocka was absolutely stunned by this.  As he put it, “That’s why I stopped wearing jewelry! I started traveling, I starting seeing these [people].  I was giving my diamond chains, breaking them apart!  I’m dead serious.  It changed my perception on life.”

According to Waka Flocka, he now sees the music industry as being meaninglessly materialistic and missing out on what really matters.  Instead, he has begun investing his money in technology, healthcare, and environmental programs.

It’s the last part of Waka Flocka’s quote that gets me the most.  Remember, he said, “It changed my perception on life.”  In other words, rapper Waka Flocka Flame experienced a rebirth.  His entire perspective changed, and it affected his values and his priorities in a very tangible way.

Discussion Questions

• Have you ever spoken with a friend or family member after not seeing them for years? Was it difficult or strange to talk with them?  Did they seem like the same person?
• In what ways are you a different person than you were before high school? In what ways are you the same?

Resurrection of Our Lord, Easter Day

Acts 10:34-43

1 Corinthians 15:19-26

Luke 24:1-12

(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 B at Lectionary Readings
For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

Alleluia!   Jesus is risen!  He is risen indeed!

Easter is truly a special time for the Church.  Today, we celebrate the culmination of Lent and our season of awaiting the resurrection.  Our focus today is on Jesus’ miraculous resurrection from the dead, three days after his death on the Cross.  It is that resurrection that serves as the most powerful witness to the divinity of Jesus.  As we hear the story of the followers of Jesus finding the tomb empty, we share in their overwhelming joy and amazement: Jesus is part of Almighty God, and he came back for us!

 The amazing news is that the resurrection story isn’t only about Jesus!  The theme of resurrection and rebirth is incredibly important in Christian theology.  Today, let us remember three distinct truths about rebirth and resurrection in our faith:

1. God replaces what we release. Many of us choose to give up something for the season of Lent.  Often, it is something that we thought we could barely live without (perhaps chocolate, soda, or one of a thousand other luxuries).  Yet now, forty days later, we have realized the truth: We were fine without those things.  It turns out that God’s love sustains us magnificently, no matter what.  This invites us to consider what we’re still holding on to.  Are you stressed about school?  Are you worried about family and relationship issues?  Are you holding onto guilt from something that happened in your past?  Give those burdens up!  God is there to help us take those burdens off of our shoulders.
2. We can always be reborn. We sometimes speak of being “born again” as followers of Christ.  This isn’t a one-time thing!  We make very human mistakes, and we stray away from God (sometimes even when we don’t intend to).  However, we always have the invitation to be reborn.  This is the nature of God’s forgiveness: We are given the gift of a new beginning from an amazingly gracious God!
3. What is lost isn’t lost forever. You are the one sheep out of the hundred, and the Shepherd is committed to finding you.  You are the lost coin, and God will never give up on finding you.  Even when all looked bleak, and the disciples had given up hope, Jesus came back.  God’s faithfulness is so great that we cannot separate ourselves from God’s divine love.  Even if you feel lost sometimes, know that you are never too far away for God to reach.

In Luke 24, we are shown what to expect.  Jesus’ followers arrive at the tomb to find it empty.  Two men in radiant white (an angels?) tell them that they are looking in the wrong place.  Don’t we do the same?  We dredge up old fears and stresses, guilt and shame.  We won’t find anything worthwhile there.  It’s time to leave those in the tomb, for Jesus is risen!  He is risen indeed!

Discussion Questions

• Have you ever felt God’s providence in your life? Have you ever felt that God has put someone in your path to show you God’s love and support?
• If you were one of the disciples on that first Easter morning, what would Jesus’ resurrection have made you feel and do? How would you respond to His resurrection?
• Why do you think the Church places such importance and ceremony on Easter?

Activity Suggestions

We may celebrate the New Year on January 1st, but Easter marks another important beginning in our faith!  Celebrate the occasion in true New Year’s fashion by sharing resolutions for your new beginning.  What will you do with the fresh start God has given us?

Closing Prayer

Holy and Loving God, in you we find peace, hope, life, and love.  Your power sustains us, and your everlasting faithfulness gives us joy beyond measure.  May we reflect your love to all of your creation, bringing a message of hope and rebirth to a tired and hungry world.  In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Herb Wounded Head, Brookings, SD

Warm-up Questions

• Do you want to know what people say about you? Why or why not?
• If there’s one word you would hope people would use to describe you, what would it be?

Put on Trial

 It’s hard to open up your social media account or YouTube without seeing a political advertisement these days. Political conversations get incredibly messy during this time of year, especially the year before a presidential election. By messy I mean it’s hard to figure out who is telling the truth about a certain issue. Candidates start to point out flaws in the other person’s stance or position rather than explain their own. That makes it even more difficult to figure out because hardly anyone is presenting their own position! They’re just trying to present their opponent in a negative light in order to gain favor with the popular vote. On a more local level, have any of you had experience with this?

It’s teenage social sorting 101. Put other people down, point out their flaws and you become “popular.” At least, that appears to be what’s happening. Rather than just trying to win a popularity contest, people are being put on trial for being different or not fitting in to the usual social norms. They are tried and convicted for no other reason than they don’t look or act like “everybody” else, whatever that means. People say untrue things about us mainly to build themselves up on a false foundation. Paul mentions gossip right away in his book to the Romans. Proverbs 21:24 says, “Mockers are proud and haughty; they act with boundless arrogance.” If we put other people on trial, that means only one thing: we’re only looking out for ourselves.

Discussion Questions

• Describe a time when you felt like you were on trial, whether it was from parents, peers or teachers. How did you feel that time?
• Now describe the ways that you were able to come back from that trial. Who was there with you?

Sunday of the Passion

Isaiah 50:4-9a

Philippians 2:5-11

Luke 23:1-49
(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 B at Lectionary Readings
For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

In our Gospel text, Jesus is put on trial as well. His own disciples deny him. The religious elite tell half truths about who Jesus says he is, and the people in political power have Jesus put to death by crucifixion. It’s an ugly, terrible scene, one that is at the core of the Christian witness: That Jesus was crucified, died and was buried. There are days when it feels like we have been put on trial, and that everyone has abandoned us. We suffer pain, rejection, ridicule and shame, all because of what people perceive as differences among us.

In our political realm, it seems that the differences are what divide us. When the opposite is most certainly true. It is in our differences that we find wholeness. It is in our differences that we discover a deeper connection with all that is around us. There is a way to look at the world that doesn’t see it as all a threat. One of the many things that set Jesus apart was his ability to see God’s presence in those who were outcast, rejected and abandoned. He was so willing to embrace the unembraceable that those sheer acts of hospitality were an offense to those in power and control. It was one of the things that got him killed.

However, we do know that the suffering and death of Jesus is not the whole story. Jesus doesn’t simply stay in the tomb, he comes back. Humanity gave Jesus the worst possible thing that was available at the time, and it wasn’t enough to keep Jesus down. It wasn’t enough to keep God from continuing to love us.

Discussion Questions

• Can you think of examples where Jesus was able to see God’s presence in those who were outcast, rejected and abandoned?
• Who are some people you know that need to know that they are not alone.
• What are some ways that you can embrace the unembraceable in your midst?

Activity Suggestions

• Have participants look at their Facebook feed for a day and count how many posts they would call affirming, judgmental, or neutral.  Talk about how you classify supposedly “funny” posts such as “Wardrobe Fails at Walmart” or informational posts like “Hottest Red Carpet Looks at the Oscars.”  What is going on with those posts?
• Ask all players to arrange themselves in a circle. Instruct each player to think of three statements about themselves. Two must be true statements, and one must be false. For each person, he or she shares the three statements (in any order) to the group. The goal of the icebreaker game is to determine which statement is false. The group votes on which one they feel is a lie, and at the end of each round, the person reveals which one was the lie.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, we reach out to you in times of thanks and in times of distress. Help us to trust always in your grace and never-failing love for us, the love that will always give us peace and set us free. Amen.

Kris Litman-Koon, Columbia, SC

Warm-up Question

What are some customary ways that our culture “pays respect” upon the death of an individual?

Show Some Respect!

Recently, a student from McQuaid Jesuit High School in Rochester, NY caught wind of a ministry in Ohio that he felt could be done with some of his friends. So he recruited some fellow classmates to begin a unique ministry: students volunteering to serve as pall bearers for deceased homeless individuals.

Those of us who have families on whom we can depend may not be aware that there are plenty of others in our society who – for various reasons – no longer have a family or friends for support. If homelessness becomes a part of the equation and the individual dies, there might not be a known next-of-kin. In these circumstances, little can be afforded to “pay respect” to the individual and often there is no one in attendance at the burial.
The students from McQuaid desired to change that in their community. They let it be known that they are willing to serve as pall bearers for homeless individuals in their hometown. It would be their way of showing respect for a life that should not be defined by the fact that this person died in a state of homelessness.

Recently, the students were able to act on their offer to be pall bearers. A local shelter reached out to the students to see if they would help with the burial of a man known as Big Shawn. The students agreed, and McQuaid senior Andrew Vaccaro reflected, “We all went into it with the understanding that we were doing something that was sacred for this person.”

Not only did the students carry the coffin to the grave, but they learned about Big Shawn’s life and they offered their own prayers. “We had an image of a person that needed people,” said Vaccaro. “Being able to do that service for him in the end was an incredibly powerful thing.” Fellow student Ian Gonzalez added, “Hopefully we can show these people respect in life, not only after they die.”

Discussion Questions

• What are some words that you would use to describe the actions of these student volunteers from McQuaid?
• Although Big Shawn and others may die in homelessness, do you think their story is bigger than that?
• Openly reflect on the ways that the community of people around you – family, friends, school, congregation, etc. – supports you in various ways. Are you able to fathom not having any of that support network in your life?
• Do you think Big Shawn would appreciate the actions of these strangers? How are the actions of the students reflective of Christian thinking? [The poor are not lesser people; all life is valued; God is capable of making community where there once was no hope of community.]

Fifth Sunday in Lent

Isaiah 43:16-21

Philippians 3:4b-14

John 12:1-8
(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 B at Lectionary Readings
For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

In our gospel passage, Mary takes costly perfume and anoints Jesus’ feet with it, even using her hair to do so. This is her way of showing her deep appreciation to Jesus (he had recently raised her brother, Lazarus, from the dead). In verse seven, Jesus reveals to us that this act of anointing is a way of preparing for Jesus’ own burial, whether Mary knew that or not. In our language today, this was an act is one way of “paying respect.”

Judas has a fit over Mary’s display of reverence. His argument is that the money for the oil would be best used for the poor. That is his public argument, but we are told his intentions were to keep the money for himself. Jesus disputes Judas, saying, “You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”
So we have two themes that unfold in this gospel passage. First, we can discuss Mary’s use of her resources when she decides to show reverence to Jesus by anointing his feet with costly oil. Second, we have Jesus making a statement about the poor among us. Are these two themes opposed to one another? I don’t believe they are. Are these themes related? I believe the answer is yes.

When Jesus disputes Judas, Jesus is paraphrasing a section of scripture (in bold) from Deuteronomy 15. In this section of Hebrew scripture, the people are being reminded of God’s generous offerings to them, notably their release from Egyptian slavery, and how God’s generosity should be the source of their generosity.
7If there is among you anyone in need, a member of your community in any of your towns within the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted toward your needy neighbor. 8You should rather open your hand, willingly lending enough to meet the need, whatever it may be. 9Be careful that you do not entertain a mean thought, thinking, “The seventh year, the year of remission, is near,” and therefore view your needy neighbor with hostility and give nothing; your neighbor might cry to the Lord against you, and you would incur guilt. 10Give liberally and be ungrudging when you do so, for on this account the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. 11Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, “Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land.”
~Deuteronomy 15:7-11

Note the ending of that statement: because the poor will always be present, “open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land.” It can be easy to misinterpret Jesus’ statement in John 12:8 as an excuse to not care for the poor, but that is not his point. His point is that the act of anointing was to prepare him for his burial. This anointing is a timely act of reverence, and therefore should be done. Deuteronomy 15:7-11 informs us that the Israelites could show their reverence to God through the way that they thought about and responded to those in need in their communities.

What does all this mean for us today? As Christians, we have been brought into the fold of God’s people through baptism. Our lives – similar to the lives of the Israelites – are lived in response to the grace and generosity that God shows us. Everything in our lives – including life itself – are gifts from God, and we are supposed to be tend to these gifts and see that they are used properly, because they ultimately belong to God.

This means that the way we live our lives is a way of showing reverence to God. Since showing reverence to God is at the heart of what worship is, the way you live your life is an act of worship. All of the ways that you spend your time, your talents, and your treasures (or “the time, talents, and treasures that God has entrusted to you”) are important to God because through all of these you are capable of showing reverence to God.

The point Jesus makes in the gospel passage is that Mary is showing reverence to God by her act of anointing Jesus’ feet with oil. The way that we live our lives should show reverence to God in all the things that we do. This includes (but is not limited to) the way that we view and interact with individuals who are poor in our communities. The act of the McQuaid students to be pall bearers for their community’s homeless individuals is a choice of how they use their time and talents in order to show reverence to God and to God’s values. Ultimately, the students’ actions are an act of worship directed toward God.

Discussion Questions

• The gospel passage tells us how Mary responded to Jesus raising Lazarus, and it tells us how Judas responded to Mary anointing Jesus’ feet. There were also other people present in the story: Martha, Lazarus, and presumably other disciples. Put yourself in their shoes; how would you have responded to the raising of Lazarus and to the anointing?
• Why do you think it is so easy to be “hard-hearted or tight-fisted” (Deut. 15:7) toward others around us? What does this say about our view of ownership of our possessions; are they ours, or do they belong to God? If they are God’s, what does it mean that they are entrusted to us?
• Name some of the common ways that we use our time, talents, and treasures in any given day (e.g. studying, meals, conversations, etc.). With these in mind, what are some ways that we show our reverence to God through these common activities, and what are some ways that we might fail to be reverent?

Activity Suggestion

Brainstorm together some ways that individually and collectively you can “open your hand” (Deut. 15:8) of time, talents, and treasures to live out God’s values of generosity. What are some ideas that you have for showing reverence to God through your care of others, especially those in need in your community?

Closing Prayer

Pray together the prayer “Blessed are you, O God” on page 107 in Evangelical Lutheran Worship. This prayer is written for the beginning of the communion liturgy, but it speaks of the generous gifts that God gives us, and how these gifts are intended to be used.

Jake Bourma, West Des Moines, IA

Warm-up Question

Are there any actions you consider unforgivable?

Surely There’s a Limit–Isn’t There?

The word infamous was made for a person like Martin Shkreli. In September of 2015, Shkreli went from being the founder and CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals to national front-page villain when news broke that his company had recently acquired the rights to a life-saving drug and then raised its price from $13.50 to $750 per tablet. Among other uses, the drug (called Daraprim) is prescribed to treat AIDS and cancer patients, and the new 5,555% price increase would prohibit a great many patients from affording the new cost of treatment, which would now be in the range of hundreds of thousand dollars per year.

Soon after it broke, news of the price hike spread on social media like an infectious disease. On Twitter, Facebook, and elsewhere people were not shy about heaping scorn upon Shkreli. And while most incendiary current events are chewed up and spit out by the Internet Outrage Machine within a day or two, contempt for Shkreli has managed to endure. And just when it didn’t seem like his situation could sink any lower, Shkreli was arrested by the FBI and charged with federal securities fraud for unrelated activities at his previous companies—after which he resigned as CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals. Most recently, he was subpoenaed to appear before congress to answer questions about the price increase of Daraprim. Shkreli exercised his Fifth Amendment right to remain silent during his testimony and then—as if inviting disdain upon himself—sent out a tweet that read, “Hard to accept that these imbeciles represent the people in our government.”

It’s safe to say that Martin Shkreli hasn’t had the best run in the past few months.

Discussion Questions

• Have you heard about Martin Shkreli or Turing Pharmaceuticals before? If so, what have you heard?
• During his appearance in front of congress, lawmakers referred to Shkreli and Turing Pharmaceuticals as “disgusting” and “disgraceful.” Do you agree? Why or why not?
• Have you ever made a decision that made lots of people upset? How did it make you feel?

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 B at Lectionary Readings
For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

 C.S. Lewis once wrote, “Real belief in [the forgiveness of sins] is the sort of thing that very easily slips away if we don’t keep on polishing it up.” With the parable of the prodigal son, Jesus gives us just the sort of story that helps us polish up our belief in God’s extravagant forgiveness.

Jesus tells this particular parable in response to a group of scribes and Pharisees, who are criticizing Jesus for befriending the tax collectors and sinners. Like the older brother in the text, the scribes and Pharisees are both self-centered and self-righteous—they only have eyes for the apparent injustice of the situation, so much so that they’re blinded to the beauty and expanse of God’s love in Jesus. As the reader, we are invited in this story to identify with both the older brother and the younger brother. In the older brother’s incredulity at the father’s response upon the younger brother’s return we see ourselves full of disbelief at who God chooses to forgive. And in the younger brother’s disastrous exile and homecoming we see ourselves for the paradoxical sinners and saints that we truly are.

The father forgives the younger brother without blinking an eye, even sprinting out to greet him with a hug and a kiss. Does this counterintuitive understanding of forgiveness mean anything goes? That we can throw our understanding of right and wrong out the window? Absolutely not! It’s true that Martin Luther said “Sin boldly”—and the younger brother certainly did just that—but Luther didn’t just leave it at that. “Be a sinner and sin boldly,” he wrote, “but believe and rejoice in Christ even more boldly.” In other words, God’s grace cannot me outmatched. And in fact the “biggest” sins serve to reveal just how big God’s grace really is, so big that when we feel our most unworthy, God prepares for us a feast. So big that when we feel another is unworthy, God adorns them in God’s most elegant robe. This is the forgiveness we proclaim when we confess “I believe in the forgiveness of sins.”

In this story we are reminded that God’s grace is as wide as it is deep. It is for those whose offenses fill us with outrage—even Martin Shkreli—as much as it is for us. It is a grace that reminds us, as famed theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer once wrote, “You are a sinner, a great, desperate sinner; now come, as the sinner that you are, to God who loves you.”

Discussion Questions

• Why do you think this parable is one of the more well-known that Jesus told?
• Are there any sins you think God considers unforgivable?
• Have you ever been jealous of a sibling or family member? What did that feel like?
• Who do you identify with more in this story? The older brother or younger brother? Why?

Activity Suggestions

Do a Google Image search for “sinner/saint” to find different ambigrams of those two words (an ambigram is a word that can be read both right-side-up and upside-down). Print the image and using another piece of blank paper, trace it and color it in to hang on a wall in your church or home. If you are extra ambitious, project the ambigram onto a piece of butcher paper taped to the wall and trace an extra-large version. Let the sinner/saint image be a reminder of the story of the prodigal son.

Closing Prayer

Good and gracious God, we thank you for your boundless grace. We thank you for always welcoming us home even after we wallow in sin. Help our hearts would grow in their capacity for mercy and forgiveness. In Jesus’ name, amen.