Herb Wounded Head, Brookings, SD
Warm-up Question
Describe your family. Is it a traditional family with two parents and siblings? Perhaps it’s a blended family.
It’s a Trap!
Marriage is a complicated thing. Some families come from traditional marriages and others are blended. Marriage takes a lot of commitment, work and faithfulness. There are also many reasons to get married, but the primary reason, according to an article from Pew Research, is to marry for love. 88% cited love as an important reason to get married. Other reasons listed are commitment, companionship and to have children.
As a recent radio show noted, the traditional view of marriage we have is a relatively new thing. Throughout most of history, marriage has been a political/economic decision made between two families for the betterment of both parties involved. Marriage was a way of sharing resources. It wasn’t about our emotional feelings towards one another.
Discussion Questions
- What are your thoughts on marriage?
- Why would you get married?
Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost
(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
Jesus gets asked by the Sadducees about marriage. It’s interesting to note that the Sadducees don’t believe in the resurrection, so they pose a question to Jesus only hoping to get him caught up in a trap about the life hereafter. They seek to discredit Jesus and his ministry. But, according to Luke, Jesus turns the question upside-down and answers so well that they don’t dare ask any more questions of Jesus.
Jesus avoids their trap in two ways. First, he demonstrates their failure to understand the resurrection, which is different from the here and now. Second, he demonstrates their failure to understand Scriptures by using the story of Moses’ encounter with God in the burning bush and the revelation of God’s holy name — that Jesus takes to establish the validity, indeed certainty, of life after death.
So, we are certain of life after death, Jesus promises that it is so. But what does resurrection look like? We aren’t quite sure, but we do believe and trust in the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.
Discussion Questions
- What does resurrection look like to you?
- Do you believe in life after death or is death merely the end?
Activity Suggestions
- Talk about the time where you experienced a funeral. What sort of things did the pastor do to proclaim Christ’s resurrection to those gathered? What in the service reminds you of the Gospel for us?
- Look at the funeral liturgy in Evangelical Lutheran Worship. Why are various elements of the service included; what does each suggest about the Christian attitude toward death?
Closing Praye
Gracious and everlasting God, You equip us with faith to believe and follow You through Your Holy Spirit. Keep us steadfast in the faith so that we may continue to grow closer to You and Your Son, Jesus. Help us in our doubts, affirm our faith and give us grace to meet each day with the trust in the resurrection of all Your people. Amen.
