{"id":5631,"date":"2016-01-05T15:22:54","date_gmt":"2016-01-05T20:22:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/?p=5631"},"modified":"2016-01-07T15:25:58","modified_gmt":"2016-01-07T20:25:58","slug":"january-10-2016-important-questions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/january-10-2016-important-questions\/","title":{"rendered":"January 10, 2016, Important Questions"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Scott Mims, Virginia Beach, VA<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Warm-up Question<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Have you made any New Year&#8217;s resolutions for 2016?\u00a0 If so, what are they?<\/li>\n<li>If not, then are there any things you hope will be different in your life this coming year?<\/li>\n<li>What hopes do you have for the world in general?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Important Questions<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Okay, I&#8217;ll admit it, this is yet another piece about &#8220;Star Wars: The Force Awakens&#8221;\u2026sort of. Currently the film is just 12 days into its box office run, and already it has grossed over $1.2 BILLION worldwide.\u00a0 As one who has seen the movie twice myself, I certainly understand the appeal.\u00a0 It&#8217;s a great story; I find myself both drawn in and left wanting to know more.\u00a0 For instance, I am intrigued &#8211; who is this new character named Rey, <em>really<\/em>?\u00a0 Where does she come from?\u00a0 Where is she heading?\u00a0 As the storyline plays itself out in the inevitable sequels, where will the drama take us and what part will she have to play? Will my current speculations turn out to be true, or is there a twist awaiting?<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/01\/shutterstock_331609778edit.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5632\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5632\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/01\/shutterstock_331609778edit.jpg\" alt=\"shutterstock_331609778edit\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/01\/shutterstock_331609778edit.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/01\/shutterstock_331609778edit-250x188.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>At their heart, these are more than just questions about the plot.\u00a0 They are identity questions and questions about meaning.\u00a0 And even though most of us live our lives on a much less epic scale, they are the same questions we all confront in one form or another.\u00a0 Who am I?\u00a0 Where do I come from and where am I going? What difference does my life make?\u00a0 The answers we give help to shape and form us in many ways.\u00a0 Yet there is a sense in which the options we have these days to answer such questions are more fluid than ever.\u00a0 For a recent look at how these questions of identity been very much a part of the landscape of our news this past year, checkout a recent program from &#8220;On Point with Tom Ashbrook.&#8221;\u00a0 You can find a link to the program here: <a href=\"https:\/\/onpoint.wbur.org\/2015\/12\/23\/culture-race-identity-politics-year-in-review\">https:\/\/onpoint.wbur.org\/2015\/12\/23\/culture-race-identity-politics-year-in-review<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Discussion Questions<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>How do\/would you answer the question, &#8220;Who are you and why?&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>What impact do you think some of the following have on how we understand our identity: race, gender\/orientation, friends\/social groups, extracurricular activities\/sports, careers\/professions?<\/li>\n<li>Do the &#8220;labels&#8221; we wear or the ones others put on us truly define who we are?\u00a0 Why\/why not?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Baptism of Our Lord<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/bible.oremus.org\/?ql=318668779\">Isaiah 43:1-7<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/bible.oremus.org\/?ql=318668823\">Acts 8:14-17<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/bible.oremus.org\/?ql=318668874\">Luke 3:15-17, 21-22<\/a><\/p>\n<p>(Text links are to <a href=\"http:\/\/bible.oremus.org\/\">Oremus Bible Browser<\/a>. 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 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.elca.org\/Our-Work\/Congregations-and-Synods\/Worship\/Lectionary\/YearB\">Lectionary Readings<\/a><\/p>\n<p>For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic <a href=\"http:\/\/www.agnusday.org\/\">Agnus Day.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gospel Reflection<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>Identity Questions<\/em><\/p>\n<p>A fiery young preacher appears in the wilderness region, and, with echoes of Israel&#8217;s own entrance into the Promised Land, he calls people to make a new start by being immersed in the Jordan River. His message is stark yet stirring, while the baptism he offers speaks in symbols both powerful and prophetic.\u00a0 Like rumors of a map to Luke Skywalker, John&#8217;s appearance awakens the hopes and expectations of many people.\u00a0 Could he be the long-awaited Messiah?<\/p>\n<p>Who exactly is John, son of Zechariah (a.k.a. John the Baptist), really?\u00a0 And who is Jesus, son of Mary?\u00a0 These are the essential identity questions that swirl around our gospel lesson this week.\u00a0 Part of this passage we have just recently heard.\u00a0 Our readings from the middle weeks of Advent focus specifically on John and his call to repentance.\u00a0 Furthermore, for those who have been following the story since Chapter 1, Luke has made clear that John&#8217;s roles are those of preparer and messenger (Lk. 1:16-17, 76-80).\u00a0 Now, the people who are actually <em>in<\/em> the story hear from John himself what we already know: John is not the Messiah.\u00a0 &#8220;I baptize you with water;&#8221; he tells them, &#8220;but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals.\u00a0 He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.&#8221;\u00a0 Who is this coming one?\u00a0 His name is Jesus.<\/p>\n<p><em>The Baptism of Jesus<\/em><\/p>\n<p>According to Luke&#8217;s chronology in 3:1-2, Jesus appears at the Jordan to be baptized by John as a man in his early 30&#8217;s.\u00a0 Unlike Matthew and Mark, Luke does not have the Holy Spirit descend upon Jesus just as he is coming up from the water.\u00a0 In fact, Luke doesn&#8217;t describe Jesus&#8217; baptism at all.\u00a0 He only says that Jesus had been one among many who had been baptized by John.\u00a0 Perhaps this is due in part to a certain sensitivity about having Jesus partaking in John&#8217;s &#8220;baptism of repentance.&#8221;\u00a0 Or perhaps Luke simply chooses to focus on two themes that will play important roles in all that is to come: prayer and the work of the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Throughout Luke&#8217;s gospel account, Jesus is shown to be a person of prayer.\u00a0 What&#8217;s more, his life of prayer serves as an example and model for all who would follow him. We see this especially in Luke&#8217;s second volume, the book of Acts.\u00a0\u00a0 Likewise, the Holy Spirit is a very important character in the Christian story and the hallmark of the life of the church as Luke understands it.\u00a0 Both of these themes will surface again and again in the year ahead as we hear the story of Jesus primarily from Luke, but for now the focus is solely upon Jesus.<\/p>\n<p><em>Identity &amp; Vocation<\/em><\/p>\n<p>While Luke&#8217;s phrase that the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus &#8220;in bodily form&#8221; asserts the certainty of the experience, it is the voice from heaven that affirms Jesus&#8217; true identity: &#8220;You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.&#8221;\u00a0 What we have heard thus far only through the voices of angels (Lk. 1:31-32; 2:10-11) is now confirmed by God.\u00a0 And with this confirmation of Jesus&#8217; identity there is also a foreshadowing of his vocation \u2013 how he will live this identity out.\u00a0 The beginning part, &#8220;You are my Son, the Beloved,&#8221; comes from Psalm 2:7.\u00a0 This psalm is a royal psalm that was used at the coronation of Israel&#8217;s kings.\u00a0 The second part comes from Isaiah 42:1, one of several prophecies in Isaiah that speak of God&#8217;s redemptive activity through a servant who suffers on behalf of the people.\u00a0 Thus, even at his baptism, Jesus \u2013 God&#8217;s Son and Messiah \u2013 comes under the shadow of the cross.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Discussion Questions<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>God says of Jesus, &#8220;You are my Son, the beloved\u2026.&#8221;\u00a0 What does this say to you about who Jesus is?\u00a0 What difference does that make?<\/li>\n<li>When we are baptized, God names us as &#8220;beloved&#8221; and claims us as God&#8217;s very own.\u00a0 What does this say about our true identity, who we <em>really<\/em> are?\u00a0 What difference does this make?<\/li>\n<li>Look over the promises that are made during the Affirmation of Baptism. How can\/does following Jesus shape your own life?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Activity Suggestions<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Jesus &amp; Prayer \u2013 using a Bible concordance, or a Bible app on your tablet or phone, search for the verses in Luke and Acts which mention <em>pray<\/em>, <em>praying<\/em>, or <em>prayer<\/em>.\u00a0 Split the results up among your group, and have them read and report back:\n<ul>\n<li>At what moments is Jesus shown to be in prayer?<\/li>\n<li>At what moments are his followers shown to be in prayer?<\/li>\n<li>What does Jesus demonstrate \/teach about praying or prayer?<\/li>\n<li>What do you discover in these verses about the place of prayer in the life of a Christian?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>The Holy Spirit \u2013 similar to activity above, search for verses in Luke and Acts which mention the <em>Holy Spirit<\/em> or <em>Spirit<\/em>.\n<ul>\n<li>What role does the Holy Spirit play in Luke?\u00a0 That is, at what moments is the Holy Spirit active, and what does this Spirit do?<\/li>\n<li>What role does the Holy Spirit play in Acts?<\/li>\n<li>What sorts of things does the Spirit do in the lives of people in Acts?<\/li>\n<li>Do you expect the Holy Spirit to be active in your own life?\u00a0 Why or why not?\u00a0 What assurances does Luke give us that the Spirit is present in our lives?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Closing Prayer<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon us.\u00a0 As God\u2019s voice affirmed and confirmed your true identity, send your Spirit upon us that we know that we, too, are among God\u2019s beloved people. Guide us in our living that we may boldly follow <a name=\"_GoBack\"><\/a>where you bid us go. This we pray in your holy name.\u00a0 Amen.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Scott Mims, Virginia Beach, VA &nbsp; Warm-up Question Have you made any New Year&#8217;s resolutions for 2016?\u00a0 If so, what are they? If not, then are there any things you hope will be different in your life this coming year? What hopes do you have for the world in general? Important Questions Okay, I&#8217;ll admit [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1400],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5631","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-post"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>January 10, 2016, Important Questions - Faith Lens<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/january-10-2016-important-questions\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"January 10, 2016, Important Questions - Faith Lens\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Scott Mims, Virginia Beach, VA &nbsp; Warm-up Question Have you made any New Year&#8217;s resolutions for 2016?\u00a0 If so, what are they? 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