Faith Lens

Scott Moore, Erfurt, Germany

Warm-up Question

What is the most difficult thing you have ever done for a friend?

Life Giving

Jesse Yuth, an 18-year old high school student from Signal Hill, California, died after jumping 50 feet from the cliff at Hermit Falls cliff to the water below. He would’ve have survived if he hadn’t tried to save the friend he had jumped with moments before. Jesse’s friend immediately started to drown when they hit the water. Jesse, who was also injured, didn’t try to save himself. Instead, he tried to save his friend. He wasn’t able to because of his own injuries. That’s when Jesse’s cousin jumped in and pulled the friend to shore. When Jesse’s cousin, David Chhom, went back to get Jesse, it was too late: Jesse had drowned.

Discussion Questions

When have you ever been in a life-threatening situation?
When have you ever witnessed someone else in a life-threatening situation?
When are risky behaviors like cliff jumping worth it?

Sixth Sunday of Easter

Acts 10:44-48

1 John 5:1-6

John 15:9-17

(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 B at Lectionary Readings

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

Gospel Reflection

Jesus isn’t the unreachable or distant teacher and master, who we are in awe of and just wish we could get close to. Yes, we learn from Jesus and his words and actions. Yes, he calls us to follow him. Yes, Jesus boldly commands us to follow and act. But, and this is a big ‘but’, Jesus changes the rules of the game in this part of his “Farewell Discourse” (Chapters 14-17) here in the Gospel of John. He has given the disciples, and now us, a promotion so to speak.

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The disciples are his friends. Those who follow Jesus are friends. Followers of Jesus are friends because Jesus loves them. Jesus loves us. And, Jesus keeps his friends in his circle of information. They are in the know. Whatever God has told Jesus, Jesus shares. Just as God, in a great act of love, chose the children of Israel and led them into freedom from bondage in Egypt, Jesus chooses us. Just as God gave his chosen people teachings and commandments as a way for them to abide in God’s love, Jesus shares commandments and teachings so we can stay in him and his love.

Jesus’ words lead to our actions. Jesus’ words also are a glimpse of what is to come, “no one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Jesus is planning to do just that: lay down his life for us. Jesus chooses us, reaches out to us, claims us, and calls us friends. Jesus dies for us to add power to his words. There is no greater love than what God has shown the world in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.

But all this friendship and all this love isn’t just a one-way love affair between Jesus and each one of us. Jesus does this and invites us, commands us rather, to love him back…and…to love one another. If we love Jesus, then we will love each other. It sounds simple and yet it often requires us to take a leap of faith. It requires us to take risks. It requires us to be vulnerable sometimes. Loving is risky business. Great love might lead to great sacrifice. God’s love did, that’s for certain.

Discussion Questions

When have you ever wanted to be friends with someone who seemed too distant/important/cool?
What is it like to have a friend who you know everything about?
When have you had a friend with whom you shared everything about you?
When would you rather not be friends with someone but rather have a more formal relationship?
When have you had a relationship with someone where you felt like not only friends? (Friend/teacher, friend/doctor, friend/pastor).

Activity Suggestions

Hanging out with Jesus for a day:

If you had a chance to hang out with Jesus for a day, how would you spend that day together?Take some time and write out (in as much detail as you can or would like) how you would spend an ideal day with Jesus. There are no “wrong” answers. You can choose how you would spend time with your friend. Invite the individuals in the group to share their “Jesus Hang-out Time”.

Closing Prayer

God of eternal love, you sent your Son Jesus to be our teacher and our friend. Encourage us to see not only Jesus’ power and strength but also his love as a true friend. Teach us to love each other as Jesus has loved us. We ask this in the name of Jesus, our truest friend. Amen

Jen Krausz, Bethlehem, PA

Warm-up Question

What is the last fruit or vegetable you ate, and when did you eat it?

Fruit-Full

America is the breadbasket of the world. Walk into any grocery store, and you will find thousands of items to choose from. The average American spends thousands of dollars each year on all kinds of food, from groceries to fast food to sit down restaurant meals served by waitstaff.

Despite the abundance and variety of food available in this country, it seems that many Americans are failing to get enough of certain foods considered to be important to good health. The government recommends that kids and adults get at least 2 ½ cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fruit per day.

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Most say that they are trying to eat more fruits and vegetables, but the average person eats only about a cup of vegetables and half a cup of fruit each day. Teens and the elderly are the groups eating the least of these healthy foods.

Fruits and vegetables are important for a healthy diet because they contain vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants. Many of these healthy nutrients are not found in other types of foods such as breads, meats, or fats. A balanced diet can prevent disease and prolong life.

According to Elizabeth Pivonka of the Produce for Better Health Foundation, even adding small amounts of fruits and vegetables to normal meals can help your overall health. Putting raisins in cereal, veggies on sandwiches, and drinking 100% fruit juices can help people get to the recommended number of servings per day.

Another way to make sure there are enough fruits and vegetables in someone’s diet is to aim to fill half the plate with those foods. More frequent grocery shopping may be needed to make sure the house stays stocked with fresh produce. Instead of shopping every two weeks, people may need to shop once or twice a week.

Discussion Questions

Why do you think many people don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables? Consider the following: people relying on food stamps, the menus of the fast food restaurants you frequent, and the fact that many low-income neighborhoods don’t have grocery stores in them.
How does government policy affect what foods are affordable and available?
What steps could restaurants and grocery stores take to improve this situation? Do you believe they should be forced to do so?
Do you think food advertising generally helps or hinders people from eating more fruits and vegetables?
What positive forces exist to help people eat the right amount of fruits and vegetables?

Fifth Sunday of Easter

Acts 8:26-40

1 John 4:7-21

John 15:1-8

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

Gospel Reflection

We’re going to move on from talking about eating fruit to considering what it means to “bear fruit.” Bearing fruit is more than simply doing good things or being good. Bearing fruit can only happen if we are connected to Jesus—if our actions grow out of that connection.

Good things can be done by anyone. Apart from God, our good works are more like candy than fruit. They seem good—but they are artificially made, and they are not connected to anything. Furthermore, they aren’t really healthy for anyone. They may give a good result initially, but they don’t ultimately lead to anything good.

What a beautiful analogy Jesus gives here about how living as his follower works. Knowing Jesus makes us want to do good things, but only being connected to him and his power can allow us to do the right kinds of good things in the right ways and for the right reasons—bearing fruit that lives on and produces more fruit through its seeds. Fruit that doesn’t come from a branch connected to the true vine (Jesus) will eventually wither or rot or become unhealthy.

In order to bear fruit, the branch has to be healthy. God’s influence over our lives can allow us to become healthy enough to bear fruit. As we live in relationship to God through Christ, bearing fruit has a lot to do with the ways God changes us to become more like him.

Discussion Questions

What are some things we can do to nurture the connection to Jesus so that we are indeed fruitful?
Many people do good things–including persons of other faith traditions or no religious tradition at all. What is gained by being connected to Jesus? Why does it matter?

Activity Suggestions

Start a community garden on your church property or other land, and donate the produce to a local food bank. Fresh produce is rare at food banks, making it difficult for those in need to eat a healthy diet. This is a big undertaking, but it can make a big difference in the community—a way to bear fruit literally and figuratively.
Organize a collection of fruits and vegetables to benefit a food bank or otherwise give away to those in need. Because fresh fruits and vegetables don’t last long, it’s best to have a defined collection day and then deliver to the food bank right away.

Closing Prayer

Dear God, we thank you for the blessings of food to eat. Help us remember to stay connected to Jesus the true vine, so that we can bear good fruit to benefit the world around us as we become more like him. We pray these things in Jesus’ name, amen.

Stephanie Opsal, Albuquerque, NM

Warm-up Question

Which of your teachers in the past has had the strongest influence on your life?

Love Laid Down

Have you ever seen a teacher in action and thought, “That must be an easy job?” Conveying first-grade level math or language arts skills might not seem difficult from the outside, but it takes a special kind of person to become a thriving teacher. Beyond a thorough knowledge of subject content and developing a teaching style, teachers who truly engage students have an enormous capacity for love, dedication, and patience for their students. Many educators say they love their jobs and do not teach for the money; the strongest ones mean it.

In the worst times, such as the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in 2012, stories of hope rise out of the darkness, and many of these involve teachers who cared beyond their expected role. A first grade teacher, Kaitlin Roig-DeBellis, jumped into gear at the first sound of a gunshot and locked all fifteen of her students safely in the classroom bathroom. The principal lost her life throwing herself at the gunman, giving every effort to stop him. One teacher responded after the event by teaching her students to pay it forward to others. To honor the twenty-six lost lives and recognize all the gifts received by the surviving children, a young teacher started a nonprofit organization called Classes4Classes to provide smartboards, books, and other school supplies to communities in need. She taught her students to become selfless, others-focused individuals in the same way she courageously stood before her class on the fateful day.

As recently as April 4^th, 2015, a teacher made the news in a much more uplifting scenario. Ms. Sheila Howarth, teacher at Leeds City Academy, won the “Most Inspiring Teacher” award in Yorkshire, England. Ms. Howarth believes in every single student who walks in her door and feels proud of every achievement they make, no matter the size. She teaches and recognizes the progress of her students as individuals, not in comparison to one another. Some children she teaches know very little English, but she helps them achieve good grades and reach the collegiate level. She takes the effort to get to know the young people she interacts with every day, and she has found the hook that can turn “uninterested” kids into engaged learners. She encourages kids to make the most of their lives, starting today, and has “a big heart and all the pupils belong in it.” She never stopped encouraging students to keep trying, reach their potential when they could not see it themselves, and push toward their dream careers, even when the path looked daunting.

Sheila Howarth, along with numerous inspiring teachers throughout the world, whether noticed or not, choose not to leave work at work or do the bare minimum requirements to earn the paycheck. She gives her all for the kids and never gives up on them, which could not help but make a transformative difference in so many lives.

Discussion Questions

Have you had a teacher that truly inspired you? What were the characteristics of that person?
Can you think of a teacher that was not your favorite? What qualities was he or she lacking?
Do you see Jesus as a selfless, loving teacher?

Fourth Sunday of Easter

Acts 4:5-12

1 John 3:16-24

John 10:11-18

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

Gospel Reflection

Jesus claims to be “the good shepherd,” the one who lays down his life for the sheep. In the passage, Jesus shows the difference between 1) the true good shepherd who loves the sheep and will do anything to protect them and 2) the hired hand who only takes care of the sheep for the necessity of earning money. The hired hand runs at any sign of danger or interruption to his own life, because he does not truly care about the sheep. The shepherd, however, loves the sheep to the point of sacrificial love. He would rather die and let the sheep live than see them get hurt or scattered. He puts them before himself.

In the second part, Jesus extends the metaphor and asserts that He also has sheep from another sheep pen that He calls His own. Finally, He does all of this by choice, based on His love and His close relationship with both the Father and the sheep, not under obligation.

Jesus uses this example to show that we are the sheep, and Jesus is our good shepherd. Look back through the passage with this mindset, replacing the word “sheep” with “us” or “them.” Hopefully this does not offend, but sheep have little brains. They may not be the most intelligent animals, but they can recognize their leader’s voice and follow. Sheep are great at flocking together. If God is our shepherd leader, we can agree that our intelligence and understanding pales in comparison to His. “For my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts,” God says through the prophet Isaiah (55:8-9), and “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?” – Romans 11:34.

Jesus does not save us based on our level of intelligence. He saves and protects us because of His love, because by nature, He IS Love. This example of the sheep and the shepherd illustrates Christ’s selfless love for humankind. He lives out this truth through His death on the cross and resurrection. Instead of watching and letting all His sheep whom he created, leads, and loves die, Jesus stands before us and takes on the death that we deserve. Then He conquers death and rises again to life! What a GOOD shepherd we have!

How can I be sure that Christ died for ME specifically, and not only for all the super holy, religious people? Jesus said, “I know my sheep, and my sheep know me – just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for the sheep.” (v. 14-15).

Jesus does not love you reluctantly, shaking His head but loving you because He has to. Quite the contrary, He is the shepherd that puts little sheep lives before His own perfect life, the teacher that gives everything he can for each individual learner, and the one who does everything from the motivation of love, even letting sinful men nail him to a cross for the sake of us “having life, and having it to the full.” (John 10:10)

Discussion Questions

Do you view Jesus more as a loving, good shepherd or as a hired hand just leading you for His own gain? Think of times when you or other people in your life have acted like Jesus or the hired hand.
What is your favorite line from this passage and why?
What connections can you make between the inspiring teacher from the article and Jesus, our good shepherd? How are they similar?

Activity Suggestions

Read the Sandy Hook poem found at http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2075578/jewish/Heroism-in-Sandy-Hook.htm and discuss the character traits of these heroic teachers. In what way are you a teacher? What little change can you make in your life to become more helpful and loving toward others?
Write a short poem or narrative from the perspective of someone in another profession, possibly your future career choice. Think about how you can show Jesus’ selfless love and service to others in any job or school position you may have. Write down a couple possibilities you will try.
Listen to the song “It Was Love” by Abandon (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfyutFUdUEw). What lyrics stood out to you? These are biblical truths.
Read the story of “The Lost Sheep” in Luke 15:1-7. Discuss how this relates to our Gospel reading today.

Closing Prayer

Jesus, thank you for being our Good Shepherd and never leaving us or letting us down. Help us to become selfless, loving, Christ-like people, quick to act and take opportunities to serve others in Your name. Hold us in your grace and love. In your holy name, amen.

Chris Heavner, Clemson, SC

Warm-up Question

Why is eating such an important part of most gatherings?
Do You Have Anything to Eat?

“Do you have anything to eat?” My wife wasn’t raised in the South. Her cultural sensibilities would never allow her to ask for something to eat. I grew up in the South where when someone asked if you wanted anything, you were free to ask. What you were not free to do (in the rural South of my childhood) was to refuse food when it was offered to you. Eating was not only something you did to satisfy hunger; you ate as a way of showing respect and mutuality.

The weekly, ceremonial gathering of Christians is a meal. Jesus instituted this new custom while participating in a very old ritualized meal with his disciples. It is the Christmas dinner or the Thanksgiving lunch that show up in all the “ain’t it good to be home” artworks.

Sharing a meal; sharing food; eating – something happens here that far transcends our ability to understand or to explain. Something just feels right about it. Something about it speaks louder than any words or with greater clarity than any explanation. It speaks to our unspoken selves. It communicates to those parts of us which are accessible only by way of emotion and conviction.

Discussion Questions

Recall a time when sharing a meal allowed you to learn something about your host (or your guest) that you would have never thought to ask in general conversation.
Allow yourself to chuckle at a “dinner mishap”, something like the time my brother-in-law drank from the bowls of water set on the table for folks to rinse their fingers.

Third Sunday of Easter

Acts 3:12-19

1 John 3:1-7

Luke 24:36b-48

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

Gospel Reflection

Of course they had something to eat. There was almost always something there to eat. Only eight verses earlier they were prepared to share a meal with the resurrected Jesus when he suddenly disappeared (Luke 24:31b). Why did they not think to offer him something? Why was he left to ask?

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The text suggests it may have been a result of their being “startled and terrified.” When Jesus came and stood among them, they weren’t completely sure it was him. Luke’s narrative suggests they “thought they were seeing a ghost.” Before they can reclaim their wits (and their manners) they need to receive the promise Jesus spoke as he appeared among them – “Peace be with you.”

Jesus encourages them to not be frightened. He asks them to look at his hands and his feet. “Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” (Side note: this is the ONLY biblical passage that speaks of the “flesh and bones” of the risen Lord.) Jesus is no “ghost.” “Ghost,” in the ears of his contemporaries, implied the immortal soul of all the departed as they awaited whatever fate awaited them next. “Touch me and see (touch me and see with the eyes of faith?) that I am not merely a reinforcement of what others have tried to pass as the Truth.” In the resurrected Jesus we encounter something other than merely the desires and longings of those who consider one life-time as insufficient. “Touch me and see that the promises of God and the assurances of God are as real as the flesh and bone of my own body.”

It is after this encounter that Jesus asks for something to eat. Some have suggested he asks in order to show that he is not a “ghost.” The text tells us the disciples were “disbelieving and still wondering.” One writer suggested their disbelief is the enormity of what they have come to realize has happened. They are not wondering whether Jesus is resurrected, they are disbelieving that they would be front and center of this astounding occurrence. If we can begin to think such, then Jesus asking for something to eat might be seen as an acknowledgement of the need for the disciples to be active. What if Jesus is asking for something to eat, not in order to prove he is flesh and bone, but because he is hungry? What if he wants them to realize that seeing him and believing in him means following him and that means feeding the hungry? Earlier (in Matthew’s account,) Jesus had celebrated the sheep’s feeding the hungry. Later (in John’s account) he will instruct them to “feed my lambs.”

The Resurrected Jesus is not some disembodied ghost. He is not some celestial being. He remains the God who set aside the heavens in order to make his home among us. The Resurrected Jesus, no less than the Rabbi Jesus “opens our minds to understand the scriptures.” The forgiveness extended to us makes it possible for us to set aside concerns for ourselves and act on behalf of the other.

“Do you have anything to eat?” “Sure I do. I can offer you a bologna sandwich, a few scrambled eggs. Some boiled fish. And to feed the hunger that resides deep inside you I can offer you a morsel of bread and a sip of wine – both of which come with the assurance that she who receives it receives the peace which sets aside all reasons to be startled and terrified.”

“Come and eat. And when you are finished, maybe you will help me. You see, I have been given so much that I am sure it is enough to share with all the nations. And we will share it, together. And bear witness to the abundance that others will be bewildered to consider.”

Discussion Questions

What is the difference between an immortal soul (the belief of the Greeks) and a resurrected life (the teaching of the Christian Church)?
Might the culture’s fascination with “ghosts” and “ghost stories” prove to be a hindrance to understanding God’s actions on Easter morning?
The disciples need to be assured and calmed; but they were also being called into action. How do we balance these two objectives in our ministries?

Activity Suggestions

Give to each member of your group, Sunday School class, or member of your family an ample supply of your favorite on-the-go food. I am partial to those nut and salty granola bars; they come in a box of twelve. Instruct those to whom you give a box that they are to look for opportunities to give these away, one at a time, preferably to someone they don’t know. As they offer a snack, all they need to say is, “I was given these, and it is more than I need. Can I share one with you?” Try not to say anything more – if you can. It really is best if you don’t. If you must, you could share that at Easter you were reminded off all that you had received, and that in this Easter season you were encouraged to experience that abundance by having so many snack bars that you had to find opportunities to give them away.

Closing Prayer

Precious Lord, take my hand, assure me of your peace. Precious Lord, open your hand, allow me to see the wounds you suffered. Precious Lord, use my hands, to share that which has been given me. Together, let all God’s children say – Amen.

Anne Williams, Ankeny, IA

Warm-up Questions

In a world with Instagram, selfie sticks and duck lips, how often do you take selfies? How often do you like someone else’s selfie?
Have you ever thought about why you take a selfie and post it on social media? Are there times when you should or should not post a selfie?

Do You Need to See it to Believe it?

At the end of March both Coachella and Lollapalooza announced that they were banning selfie sticks as reported by NME, the music news site. Both Coachella and Lollapalooza are big-deal music festivals. Coachella happens in California in April. Lollapalooza takes place in Chicago at the end of July into August.

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These two events are just the latest in a growing list of places and events that ban selfie sticks (or as the Coachella website says: “selfie sticks/narcissists”). Buzzfeed reports that the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C., the Museum of Modern Art in NYC, the Coliseum in Rome, and the Palace of Versailles in France have all banned visitors from using selfie sticks (also called monopods, camera extension poles, narcisticks, and a number of other names). In England a number of music venues have also banned the use of selfie sticks.

While organizers acknowledge that taking pictures is a part of the live music experience, they want to discourage anything that would block others views, according to the NME article. The Coachella website lists selfie sticks as one the things which are not allowed, lumping them with fireworks, knives, chains, drones, laser pointers, Hula Hoops, and explosives.

People want to take pictures of the things they are doing. They want to share those pictures with their friends and followers on social media. Selfie sticks produce great pictures. On the flip side, you’ve got about three feet of possible hazard and traffic jam that makes getting around selfie-takers a pain.

Discussion Questions

Iis using a selfie stick a sign of a big ego – narcissism, or is it a way to get a great pic?
Do the pictures posted on social media tell us more about what our friends are doing than text posts?
Do you need to see it to believe it?

Second Sunday of Easter

Acts 4:32-35

1 John 1:1-2:2

John 20:19-31

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

Gospel Reflection

The week after Easter, we meet Thomas, who didn’t witness the miraculous events of the Resurrection first hand. He got the message but told the messengers that he would have to literally touch Jesus before he believed that he had been raised from the dead. He would have to see it to believe it. Jesus calls him out for it too, asking “Have you believed because you have seen me?”

What would Thomas have said had he had the chance to respond to this question? “I wanted to believe so much, but I was just so afraid to hope!” Or “Look Jesus, you died. What was I supposed to believe?” We don’t know why Thomas didn’t believe.

We don’t know why Thomas had to see it to believe it. In some ways, it doesn’t really matter because Jesus doesn’t give Thomas a chance to respond and gives us a not-quite beatitude: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” For those of us who live as Christians two thousand years after Jesus’ life and ministry, this not-quite beatitude could be considered a great consolation. We don’t get to meet Jesus face to face, so our belief without sight should keep us close to him right? Could it be that we turn too quickly to rely on this not-quite beatitude.

Do we look hard enough to see Jesus in the people we meet? Do we search for Jesus in our world and in the troubles we encounter? Do we expect to find Jesus in new places and situations we find ourselves in? What if we were all a little more like Thomas? What if we were a little thirstier to see the face of Christ all around us, to touch Christ when we hug a friend in need or to feed Christ when we serve the hungry? Would we believe it more if we saw it more? Maybe a better question:, Would we see it more if we believed?

When it comes right down to it, if we say that Jesus is in those we serve and those we meet, like in Matthew 25, maybe being a little more like Thomas – a little more see it to believe it, would serve us well.

Discussion Questions

What would you guess Thomas was feeling in the aftermath of the terror of Good Friday and the miracle of the Resurrection?
Can you relate to Thomas? Do you need to see something to believe it or are you more willing to take someone’s word for it?
Have you ever seen the face of Jesus in the face of someone in need or someone you have served?
How can you learn to see the face of Jesus among your friends and family and the people you meet everyday?

Activity Suggestions

Prepare this one in advance: get a bunch of photos together where it’s hard to figure out what exactly is going on without a description (or if you have it, use something like Every Picture Tells a Story by Youth Specialties). Spread the photos out around your space and ask students to individually or in pairs come up with an explanation of what’s happening in each photo. Compare notes amongst the group. Ask questions like, “How did you arrive at your story or explanation for what’s happening?”
Have the group take selfies. Take a long look at them together as a group. Discuss the following questions: Can you tell where you are? Would people know you are at church? Among Christians? Why don’t selfies tell the whole story?

Closing Prayer

Loving and gracious God, you have given us eyes to see. Help us to see you in our families, in our friends, in those we serve. Help us to be models of seeing and doing and being is believing – of being able to find you at work in our world. Moving and Powerful God, help us to be those who are doing your work in the world so that others might see and come to believe, while always reminding us it’s about you and not us! In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

May 10, 2015 Life Giving

May 3, 2015 Fruit-Full

April 26, 2015 Love Laid Down

April 19, 2015 Do You Have Anything to Eat?

April 12, 2015 Do You Need to See it to Believe it?