Wednesday, December 29, 2010
X-Site Pics
On December 7th, we went to X-Site for some Laser Tag Fun. We had the upstairs reserved for pizza and pop and in-between the games of laser tag, the students had fun playing the video games in the lobby. It was a fun and relaxing night. Here are five pictures to give you a quick feel of the evening. Photos in the Laser Tag room did not come out (too dark).
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Make-Up: December 12th – Luther on Being a Saint & Sinner
Make-Up:
We ask you to read the material below. The material will include "deep thought", our key words (definition), scripture (link - please read) and some general thoughts. We ask you to read all material and then comment in the comments section. Share one key thought or concept that came to you and how it will make a difference.
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Saint & Sinner and "the solas" were the theme for the 2-part series of Martin Luther and the Reformation.
Bible Text:
Romans 5:1–11; Matthew 22:34–40
Lesson Focus:
We are always both sinner and saint and we need both law and gospel.
Big Question:
Am I good enough to be a Christian?
Key Words:
LAW, GOSPEL, SIMUL IUSTUS ET PECCATOR, SINNER, SAINT
Definitions of Key Words
LAW: what we should and should not do to be safe and live peacefully in community. God's law is designed to be impossible to keep perfectly.
GOSPEL: because we cannot keep the law, God gives us the gospel. Gospel means "good news" and it is the good news that, through Christ, we are freely saved, loved, and forgiven.
SIMUL IUSTUS ET PECCATOR: Latin phrase meaning justified (saint) and sinner at the same time.
SAINT: all baptized Christians are saints, regardless of how good or bad they are.
SINNER: all baptized Christians are sinners, regardless of how good or bad they are. It is an inescapable part of being human.
Going Deep
We all are bound to our sinful nature. We are indeed "captive to sin and cannot free ourselves" (Evangelical Lutheran Worship, pages 95, 117). It is part of our human condition. We are born into it.
Being a sinner means that we often are tempted to play God in how we live and in how we deal with other people. We judge others. We look upon them with envy. We neglect the needs of those who are poor because we are more concerned with ourselves and our needs. We cannot escape this innate nature.
It's necessary for us to recognize our sinfulness in order to see our need for Christ and his saving act of dying on the cross for us. That's one of the main purposes, or "use" of God's law.
An old Lutheran line says, "The law shows us our sin. The gospel shows us our Savior." If we do not see and believe that we fall short of God's vision for us and our world, then we won't see a need for salvation. At the same time, if we see only the ways we fall short, and not God's promise of redemption, we may find ourselves keeping score in an attempt to measure our worthiness. We will spend our spiritual energy striving to work our way to God, trying to be good or at least better than our neighbor.
When law and gospel are held in tension, this dialectic produces energy and movement. We glimpse God's intent for us in the law but see also our sinful short-sightedness. Because the gospel assures us that we are already welcomed into the communion of saints, we don't need to scramble to earn God's favor in spite of our flaws. Instead, we can find energy in God's love to try again and again, with our hearts focused on the well-being of ourselves, our communities, and the whole creation. When salvation is a given, we can engage our lives with generosity and hope in spite of, and even because of, our apparent failings.
Similarly, the fact that we are each both sinner and saint could lead us to develop an identity crisis as we engage in a daily tug-of-war within ourselves. But a sinner who recognizes his or her need for Christ and the saint who lives in faith in the promises of God is living a balanced human life. Each of us is 100 percent sinner and 100 percent saint. We are saint and sinner at the same time—simul iustus et peccator.
Scripture uses the word holy, not as it is commonly used in ecclesiastical terminology to denote the blessed, the perfected ones, but specifically to describe the living. Saints are to be found not only in heaven but here among us on earth throughout the community. Thus we no longer distinguish between saints and ordinary Christians but only between the saints who have died and those who are still alive" (Paul Althaus, The Theology of Martin Luther [Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1966], 298).
When Paul writes to the early church communities, he frequently refers to them as saints. In 1 Corinthians 1:2, Paul addresses the Corinthian church by saying, "To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Saints live acknowledging their sin and their need for Christ. Saints celebrate the forgiveness that they receive through baptism and look forward to the promise of eternal life in Christ. Saints strive to grow in faith and knowledge of God's presence and work in the world.
Romans 3:23–26 tells us that all of us saints have "fallen short" and are in need of God's grace, which is given to us as a gift. There is nothing that we can do to earn it. We can only receive this gift of God's love given for us. "God died for us while we were still sinners" is the gospel: a powerful message of love for all of humanity.
We ask you to read the material below. The material will include "deep thought", our key words (definition), scripture (link - please read) and some general thoughts. We ask you to read all material and then comment in the comments section. Share one key thought or concept that came to you and how it will make a difference.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Saint & Sinner and "the solas" were the theme for the 2-part series of Martin Luther and the Reformation.
Bible Text:
Romans 5:1–11; Matthew 22:34–40
Lesson Focus:
We are always both sinner and saint and we need both law and gospel.
Big Question:
Am I good enough to be a Christian?
Key Words:
LAW, GOSPEL, SIMUL IUSTUS ET PECCATOR, SINNER, SAINT
Definitions of Key Words
LAW: what we should and should not do to be safe and live peacefully in community. God's law is designed to be impossible to keep perfectly.
GOSPEL: because we cannot keep the law, God gives us the gospel. Gospel means "good news" and it is the good news that, through Christ, we are freely saved, loved, and forgiven.
SIMUL IUSTUS ET PECCATOR: Latin phrase meaning justified (saint) and sinner at the same time.
SAINT: all baptized Christians are saints, regardless of how good or bad they are.
SINNER: all baptized Christians are sinners, regardless of how good or bad they are. It is an inescapable part of being human.
Going Deep
We all are bound to our sinful nature. We are indeed "captive to sin and cannot free ourselves" (Evangelical Lutheran Worship, pages 95, 117). It is part of our human condition. We are born into it.
Being a sinner means that we often are tempted to play God in how we live and in how we deal with other people. We judge others. We look upon them with envy. We neglect the needs of those who are poor because we are more concerned with ourselves and our needs. We cannot escape this innate nature.
It's necessary for us to recognize our sinfulness in order to see our need for Christ and his saving act of dying on the cross for us. That's one of the main purposes, or "use" of God's law.
An old Lutheran line says, "The law shows us our sin. The gospel shows us our Savior." If we do not see and believe that we fall short of God's vision for us and our world, then we won't see a need for salvation. At the same time, if we see only the ways we fall short, and not God's promise of redemption, we may find ourselves keeping score in an attempt to measure our worthiness. We will spend our spiritual energy striving to work our way to God, trying to be good or at least better than our neighbor.
When law and gospel are held in tension, this dialectic produces energy and movement. We glimpse God's intent for us in the law but see also our sinful short-sightedness. Because the gospel assures us that we are already welcomed into the communion of saints, we don't need to scramble to earn God's favor in spite of our flaws. Instead, we can find energy in God's love to try again and again, with our hearts focused on the well-being of ourselves, our communities, and the whole creation. When salvation is a given, we can engage our lives with generosity and hope in spite of, and even because of, our apparent failings.
Similarly, the fact that we are each both sinner and saint could lead us to develop an identity crisis as we engage in a daily tug-of-war within ourselves. But a sinner who recognizes his or her need for Christ and the saint who lives in faith in the promises of God is living a balanced human life. Each of us is 100 percent sinner and 100 percent saint. We are saint and sinner at the same time—simul iustus et peccator.
Scripture uses the word holy, not as it is commonly used in ecclesiastical terminology to denote the blessed, the perfected ones, but specifically to describe the living. Saints are to be found not only in heaven but here among us on earth throughout the community. Thus we no longer distinguish between saints and ordinary Christians but only between the saints who have died and those who are still alive" (Paul Althaus, The Theology of Martin Luther [Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1966], 298).
When Paul writes to the early church communities, he frequently refers to them as saints. In 1 Corinthians 1:2, Paul addresses the Corinthian church by saying, "To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Saints live acknowledging their sin and their need for Christ. Saints celebrate the forgiveness that they receive through baptism and look forward to the promise of eternal life in Christ. Saints strive to grow in faith and knowledge of God's presence and work in the world.
Romans 3:23–26 tells us that all of us saints have "fallen short" and are in need of God's grace, which is given to us as a gift. There is nothing that we can do to earn it. We can only receive this gift of God's love given for us. "God died for us while we were still sinners" is the gospel: a powerful message of love for all of humanity.
Make-Up: December 5th – Martin Luther and the Reformation
Make-Up:
We ask you to read the material below. The material will include "deep thought", our key words (definition), scripture (link - please read) and some general thoughts. We ask you to read all material and then comment in the comments section. Share one key thought or concept that came to you and how it will make a difference.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
On December 5th, we begin a two-week series on Martin Luther and the Reformation. This week, we focused on that aspect and on the 12th, we will take a look at one of the big theological views from Martin Luther: Saint & Sinner.
Bible Text:
Matthew 16:13–20; Luke 4:18–19; Romans 3:21–26; Ephesians 2:8–9
Lesson Focus:
Christians continually reform the church to spread the good news to every generation and culture.
Big Question:
Who is Martin Luther and what does it mean to be a Lutheran?
Key Words:
MARTIN LUTHER, REFORMATION, CATHOLIC, THESIS, RECANT
Definitions of Key Words
MARTIN LUTHER: a German monk and priest who worked to make changes in the church during the 16th century. He became known (not by his choice) as the founder of a new movement that became the Lutheran Church.
REFORMATION: time period in the 16th century when church leaders attempted to change the way the Roman Catholic Church functioned.
CATHOLIC: with a capital C, refers to the Roman Catholic Church, or the traditions of the Western European church before the Reformation. With a lowercase c, refers to all Christians in the universal Christian church; this is the "catholic" we speak of in the Christian creeds.
THESIS: a statement made to provoke an argument or discussion. Luther posted "95 Theses" (plural) on the door of Wittenberg Church in hopes of engaging church leaders in a conversation about his concerns.
RECANT: To withdraw a statement or belief. Luther was asked to recant what he stated at the Diet of Worms in 1521. He did not recant.
Going Deep
A View of Reformation History
Europe had seen some devastating events during the medieval era. Life in the 15th century included some startling realities—the average life expectancy was about 40 years. Childbirth often resulted in the death of the baby or the mother or both. A simple infection or virus often caused death; the bubonic plague killed more than one-third of Europe's population. There was no public education. Democracy as we know it did not exist anywhere. Most people lived in absolute poverty and had no means to work their way out of their miserable situation.
During this time, people could not even choose their own faith. The religion of the ruler determined the religion of the region where he ruled. The Latin phrase cujus regio, jus religio is used to refer to this fact of life. Anyone who rejected the power and authority of the ruler in this matter suffered terribly at the hands of that ruler. For those who lived in territory ruled by a Christian, there was only one Christian church—the Roman Catholic Church. Political leaders were in many ways religious leaders, because they determined what would and would not be taught in their territories. The Bible existed in its original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek versions and had only been translated once—into Latin. This meant only the priests could read it. Because manuscripts had to be copied by hand, there were not a lot of copies to go around, either. The people had to depend on their priests to tell them what the Bible said. Worship was the same. It was conducted in Latin, so most believers could not fully understand what was being said—and many did not understand it at all!
In the midst of these conditions, Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press. For the first time in history, manuscripts did not need to be copied by hand. This made it possible for information to be reproduced quickly and to spread widely for a relatively small cost. It also opened the door for ordinary people to acquire printed materials, which in turn increased the need for education for all people so that they could read these printed materials.
Martin Luther was born on the heels of the medieval era. As a young man, he planned to be a lawyer and began to study toward that goal. In the midst of a nasty storm, as he dodged lightning bolts, he bargained with God. He promised that if God would save him, he would become a monk. He survived the storm and began studying to become a priest. He spent part of his life as a monk—living in a community with others who had the sole purpose of worshipping and praising God with their lives.
Throughout Luther's ministry, he struggled with what it meant for someone to be "right with God." His main question was, "What does it take to please God and attain righteousness in God's eyes?" While studying the Letter to the Romans, he was smacked over the head with the realization that no one can do enough to be right with God AND that God has already solved the problem by making us righteous through Jesus Christ. This idea led to other new insights and the recognition that the Roman Catholic Church needed to change. Luther began to point out practices that he felt went against what the Bible said about God, and he called on the church leaders to make changes. Making use of the newly invented printing press, he circulated pamphlets featuring his ideas and eventually posted "95 Theses" for debate on the door of the church in Wittenberg.
News of these Theses reached the highest leaders of the Roman Catholic Church, resulting in debates and hearings and even trials. These trials, or diets as they were called at the time, pitted Luther against other leaders. At a diet that took place in Worms in 1521, Luther was asked to recant—to take back what he had been saying. Luther refused. His famous words, "Unless therefore I am convinced by the testimony of Scripture or by the clearest reasoning, unless I am persuaded by means of the passages I have quoted, and unless they thus render my conscience bound by the word of God, I cannot and I will not retract, for it is unsafe for a Christian to speak against his conscience. Here I stand, I can do no other; may God help me. Amen," were spoken at this trial. The church/political leaders responded to Luther's continued refusal to change his words and his ways by excommunicating him and putting a price on his head. Once labeled a criminal, Luther went into hiding, where he spent much of his time translating the Bible into German.
reformation theology
Central Theological Points of the Reformation
1. God's love is unconditional. Luther taught that God loves and forgives us because of Jesus Christ, NOT because of anything we do. The righteousness of God is what God gives to us for the sake of Christ, not something that we do in order to be right with God. The Roman Catholic Church had many teachings about what people needed to DO in order for their sins to be forgiven and for them to be right with God—the purchasing of indulgences was the most notorious of those teachings.
2. Sin is VERY real. Luther taught that we are simultaneously saint and sinner (simul iustis et peccator). Our sinful self needs daily drowning, in the context of God's love and forgiveness given through our baptism. There is not an immediate and total transformation of a person from sinful to sinless, godless to godly, etc. Luther spoke about "both/and" situations. We are both forgiven by God, made right in God's eyes, totally saints—AND sinners, to be judged by God, worthy only of condemnation. It is a paradox, and we struggle against the power of sin in our lives every day. It is only through God's grace that we can trust in God's promise that we have been saved.
3. The three solas—sola scriptura (scripture alone), sola fidei (faith alone), sola gratia (grace alone)—are central to Luther's teaching and the Reformation. These are often quoted as "the key" to Luther's teaching. Scripture alone and the plain meaning of scripture attained through clear reasoning constitute the only base that is acceptable for creating doctrine and other teachings of the church. Faith alone, and not works, is what is needed to be forgiven and to receive eternal life. Grace alone is how God gives the gift of faith that results in forgiveness and eternal life.
4. We are saved by grace through faith. Faith means "trust"—that we trust what Jesus said, that we trust God's love, that we trust God's grace, etc. Faith is not something we "do"; it is something we act upon. Luther taught that good works do not bring us into favor with God, nor do they bring us into eternal life. God gives eternal life as a gift because of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. God gives people the Holy Spirit through baptism and the Holy Spirit brings people to have faith in God—to trust God and the promises God has made. Faith is not something we DO. Faith is a gift.
5. We are saved by grace, not works. No amount of good works will earn someone a place in God's house for eternity. That place is a gift. Good works are the result of being saved by grace. Once God has given the gift of eternal life, we respond by doing good works, because we desire to please God, who has been so generous and loving and merciful toward us.
6. All people have the duty to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, not just pastors. This is called the "priesthood of all believers." All useful work serves God, not just what pastors do. All vocations are honored by God. A vocation is a "calling" or something that God has called a believer to do. Luther taught that a person did not need to become a priest in order to do God's work. All believers in all walks of life can, and should, tell others about God's grace. And all believers in all walks of life are serving God with the work they do. Being a priest or a monk does not make a person more blessed than other people in other vocations.
7. The imperfect church continues to be imperfect. Luther taught that the church is a human institution. It makes mistakes and it needs to be continually learning and reforming. When the Christian church is faithful to God, it is continually changing—evaluating what has been done in the past and learning to adapt to new times and cultures.
Blessing
May you, like Martin Luther, boldly proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to a world in need of grace and peace.
We ask you to read the material below. The material will include "deep thought", our key words (definition), scripture (link - please read) and some general thoughts. We ask you to read all material and then comment in the comments section. Share one key thought or concept that came to you and how it will make a difference.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
On December 5th, we begin a two-week series on Martin Luther and the Reformation. This week, we focused on that aspect and on the 12th, we will take a look at one of the big theological views from Martin Luther: Saint & Sinner.
Bible Text:
Matthew 16:13–20; Luke 4:18–19; Romans 3:21–26; Ephesians 2:8–9
Lesson Focus:
Christians continually reform the church to spread the good news to every generation and culture.
Big Question:
Who is Martin Luther and what does it mean to be a Lutheran?
Key Words:
MARTIN LUTHER, REFORMATION, CATHOLIC, THESIS, RECANT
Definitions of Key Words
MARTIN LUTHER: a German monk and priest who worked to make changes in the church during the 16th century. He became known (not by his choice) as the founder of a new movement that became the Lutheran Church.
REFORMATION: time period in the 16th century when church leaders attempted to change the way the Roman Catholic Church functioned.
CATHOLIC: with a capital C, refers to the Roman Catholic Church, or the traditions of the Western European church before the Reformation. With a lowercase c, refers to all Christians in the universal Christian church; this is the "catholic" we speak of in the Christian creeds.
THESIS: a statement made to provoke an argument or discussion. Luther posted "95 Theses" (plural) on the door of Wittenberg Church in hopes of engaging church leaders in a conversation about his concerns.
RECANT: To withdraw a statement or belief. Luther was asked to recant what he stated at the Diet of Worms in 1521. He did not recant.
Going Deep
A View of Reformation History
Europe had seen some devastating events during the medieval era. Life in the 15th century included some startling realities—the average life expectancy was about 40 years. Childbirth often resulted in the death of the baby or the mother or both. A simple infection or virus often caused death; the bubonic plague killed more than one-third of Europe's population. There was no public education. Democracy as we know it did not exist anywhere. Most people lived in absolute poverty and had no means to work their way out of their miserable situation.
During this time, people could not even choose their own faith. The religion of the ruler determined the religion of the region where he ruled. The Latin phrase cujus regio, jus religio is used to refer to this fact of life. Anyone who rejected the power and authority of the ruler in this matter suffered terribly at the hands of that ruler. For those who lived in territory ruled by a Christian, there was only one Christian church—the Roman Catholic Church. Political leaders were in many ways religious leaders, because they determined what would and would not be taught in their territories. The Bible existed in its original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek versions and had only been translated once—into Latin. This meant only the priests could read it. Because manuscripts had to be copied by hand, there were not a lot of copies to go around, either. The people had to depend on their priests to tell them what the Bible said. Worship was the same. It was conducted in Latin, so most believers could not fully understand what was being said—and many did not understand it at all!
In the midst of these conditions, Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press. For the first time in history, manuscripts did not need to be copied by hand. This made it possible for information to be reproduced quickly and to spread widely for a relatively small cost. It also opened the door for ordinary people to acquire printed materials, which in turn increased the need for education for all people so that they could read these printed materials.
Martin Luther was born on the heels of the medieval era. As a young man, he planned to be a lawyer and began to study toward that goal. In the midst of a nasty storm, as he dodged lightning bolts, he bargained with God. He promised that if God would save him, he would become a monk. He survived the storm and began studying to become a priest. He spent part of his life as a monk—living in a community with others who had the sole purpose of worshipping and praising God with their lives.
Throughout Luther's ministry, he struggled with what it meant for someone to be "right with God." His main question was, "What does it take to please God and attain righteousness in God's eyes?" While studying the Letter to the Romans, he was smacked over the head with the realization that no one can do enough to be right with God AND that God has already solved the problem by making us righteous through Jesus Christ. This idea led to other new insights and the recognition that the Roman Catholic Church needed to change. Luther began to point out practices that he felt went against what the Bible said about God, and he called on the church leaders to make changes. Making use of the newly invented printing press, he circulated pamphlets featuring his ideas and eventually posted "95 Theses" for debate on the door of the church in Wittenberg.
News of these Theses reached the highest leaders of the Roman Catholic Church, resulting in debates and hearings and even trials. These trials, or diets as they were called at the time, pitted Luther against other leaders. At a diet that took place in Worms in 1521, Luther was asked to recant—to take back what he had been saying. Luther refused. His famous words, "Unless therefore I am convinced by the testimony of Scripture or by the clearest reasoning, unless I am persuaded by means of the passages I have quoted, and unless they thus render my conscience bound by the word of God, I cannot and I will not retract, for it is unsafe for a Christian to speak against his conscience. Here I stand, I can do no other; may God help me. Amen," were spoken at this trial. The church/political leaders responded to Luther's continued refusal to change his words and his ways by excommunicating him and putting a price on his head. Once labeled a criminal, Luther went into hiding, where he spent much of his time translating the Bible into German.
reformation theology
Central Theological Points of the Reformation
1. God's love is unconditional. Luther taught that God loves and forgives us because of Jesus Christ, NOT because of anything we do. The righteousness of God is what God gives to us for the sake of Christ, not something that we do in order to be right with God. The Roman Catholic Church had many teachings about what people needed to DO in order for their sins to be forgiven and for them to be right with God—the purchasing of indulgences was the most notorious of those teachings.
2. Sin is VERY real. Luther taught that we are simultaneously saint and sinner (simul iustis et peccator). Our sinful self needs daily drowning, in the context of God's love and forgiveness given through our baptism. There is not an immediate and total transformation of a person from sinful to sinless, godless to godly, etc. Luther spoke about "both/and" situations. We are both forgiven by God, made right in God's eyes, totally saints—AND sinners, to be judged by God, worthy only of condemnation. It is a paradox, and we struggle against the power of sin in our lives every day. It is only through God's grace that we can trust in God's promise that we have been saved.
3. The three solas—sola scriptura (scripture alone), sola fidei (faith alone), sola gratia (grace alone)—are central to Luther's teaching and the Reformation. These are often quoted as "the key" to Luther's teaching. Scripture alone and the plain meaning of scripture attained through clear reasoning constitute the only base that is acceptable for creating doctrine and other teachings of the church. Faith alone, and not works, is what is needed to be forgiven and to receive eternal life. Grace alone is how God gives the gift of faith that results in forgiveness and eternal life.
4. We are saved by grace through faith. Faith means "trust"—that we trust what Jesus said, that we trust God's love, that we trust God's grace, etc. Faith is not something we "do"; it is something we act upon. Luther taught that good works do not bring us into favor with God, nor do they bring us into eternal life. God gives eternal life as a gift because of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. God gives people the Holy Spirit through baptism and the Holy Spirit brings people to have faith in God—to trust God and the promises God has made. Faith is not something we DO. Faith is a gift.
5. We are saved by grace, not works. No amount of good works will earn someone a place in God's house for eternity. That place is a gift. Good works are the result of being saved by grace. Once God has given the gift of eternal life, we respond by doing good works, because we desire to please God, who has been so generous and loving and merciful toward us.
6. All people have the duty to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, not just pastors. This is called the "priesthood of all believers." All useful work serves God, not just what pastors do. All vocations are honored by God. A vocation is a "calling" or something that God has called a believer to do. Luther taught that a person did not need to become a priest in order to do God's work. All believers in all walks of life can, and should, tell others about God's grace. And all believers in all walks of life are serving God with the work they do. Being a priest or a monk does not make a person more blessed than other people in other vocations.
7. The imperfect church continues to be imperfect. Luther taught that the church is a human institution. It makes mistakes and it needs to be continually learning and reforming. When the Christian church is faithful to God, it is continually changing—evaluating what has been done in the past and learning to adapt to new times and cultures.
Blessing
May you, like Martin Luther, boldly proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to a world in need of grace and peace.
Make-Up: November 21st – Article Three
Make-Up:
We ask you to read the material below. The material will include "deep thought", our key words (definition), scripture (link - please read) and some general thoughts. We ask you to read all material and then comment in the comments section. Share one key thought or concept that came to you and how it will make a difference.
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Article Three
Today was lesson four of the four part series on the Apostle Creed's. This lesson was focusing in on the 3rd Article of the Creed.
Bible Text:
John 14:15–17; Acts 2:1–13
Lesson Focus:
The Holy Spirit nurtures us and advocates for us.
Big Question:
The Holy Spirit works in my life every day?
Key Words:
HOLY SPIRIT, COUNSELOR, PENTECOST, CHURCH
Key Word Definitions
HOLY SPIRIT: the third person of the Trinity, sometimes called the Paraclete.
COUNSELOR: an advisor or teacher.
PENTECOST: the day that comes fifty days after Easter, the coming of the Holy Spirit, and the birthday of the church.
CHURCH: The community of believers, or the "community of saints."
Gong Deep
Jesus promised the Holy Spirit as his continuing presence with believers. Jesus conferred the Holy Spirit in a resurrection appearance to the disciples and more generally on the day of Pentecost.
According to Acts 2, believers receive the Holy Spirit in baptism. The Spirit gathers and empowers the church with the gospel. The Spirit enlightens believers, reminding them of what Jesus said and continues to teach, testifying on Jesus' behalf, and sanctifying believers by guiding them in the truth, which is Jesus.
This is the same Spirit who conceived Jesus, whom Jesus received in baptism, and by whose power Jesus acts. Jesus understood his vocation as an outpouring of the Spirit in fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy.
The Bible refers to God's Spirit with words for breath or wind: in Hebrew rûah, in Greek pneuma, and in Latin spiritus. In creation "a wind from God swept over the face of the waters," and by the breath of God's speaking, God created all that is. God's breath enlivens human beings, and God's Spirit empowers prophets. Prophets anticipated the outpouring of God's Spirit to transform creation, including all people.
The Creed presents the persons of the Trinity separately. The three persons are distinguishable but inseparable. The Spirit is always the Spirit of Christ. The Holy Spirit . . .
• is both identified with Jesus and distinct from Jesus.
• is present with Jesus, comes before Jesus, and comes after Jesus.
• both reminds believers of Jesus' teaching and extends Jesus' teaching.
• both empowers Jesus (Romans 1:4) and is granted and sent by Jesus.
• is both revealed by Jesus and reveals Jesus.
• is both in the church and beyond the church in all creation.
While the Spirit creates, sustains, and dwells among the church, the Spirit is not bound by the church but is present and at work in all that God has made. The church is both a part of creation and a witness to God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—working in all creation.
The Holy Spirit is called paraclete, Greek for "helper," "comforter," or "advocate." The term is court language and refers to the advocate or counsel for the defense as opposed to the complainant or accuser.
In the Large Catechism, Luther wrote more on the third article than on either of the others—twice as much as on the first article, and almost three times as much as on the second. It is ironic that Lutherans have sometimes been chided for their relative inattention to the Holy Spirit. Some Christian groups have historically placed more emphasis on the Holy Spirit. Compared to Lutheran emphasis on justification, primarily the work of Jesus Christ, Methodism puts more emphasis on sanctification, primarily the work of the Holy Spirit, drawing believers "toward the gift of Christian perfection" and nurturing their growth in grace and knowledge realized in practical discipleship .
We ask you to read the material below. The material will include "deep thought", our key words (definition), scripture (link - please read) and some general thoughts. We ask you to read all material and then comment in the comments section. Share one key thought or concept that came to you and how it will make a difference.
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Article Three
Today was lesson four of the four part series on the Apostle Creed's. This lesson was focusing in on the 3rd Article of the Creed.
Bible Text:
John 14:15–17; Acts 2:1–13
Lesson Focus:
The Holy Spirit nurtures us and advocates for us.
Big Question:
The Holy Spirit works in my life every day?
Key Words:
HOLY SPIRIT, COUNSELOR, PENTECOST, CHURCH
Key Word Definitions
HOLY SPIRIT: the third person of the Trinity, sometimes called the Paraclete.
COUNSELOR: an advisor or teacher.
PENTECOST: the day that comes fifty days after Easter, the coming of the Holy Spirit, and the birthday of the church.
CHURCH: The community of believers, or the "community of saints."
Gong Deep
Jesus promised the Holy Spirit as his continuing presence with believers. Jesus conferred the Holy Spirit in a resurrection appearance to the disciples and more generally on the day of Pentecost.
According to Acts 2, believers receive the Holy Spirit in baptism. The Spirit gathers and empowers the church with the gospel. The Spirit enlightens believers, reminding them of what Jesus said and continues to teach, testifying on Jesus' behalf, and sanctifying believers by guiding them in the truth, which is Jesus.
This is the same Spirit who conceived Jesus, whom Jesus received in baptism, and by whose power Jesus acts. Jesus understood his vocation as an outpouring of the Spirit in fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy.
The Bible refers to God's Spirit with words for breath or wind: in Hebrew rûah, in Greek pneuma, and in Latin spiritus. In creation "a wind from God swept over the face of the waters," and by the breath of God's speaking, God created all that is. God's breath enlivens human beings, and God's Spirit empowers prophets. Prophets anticipated the outpouring of God's Spirit to transform creation, including all people.
The Creed presents the persons of the Trinity separately. The three persons are distinguishable but inseparable. The Spirit is always the Spirit of Christ. The Holy Spirit . . .
• is both identified with Jesus and distinct from Jesus.
• is present with Jesus, comes before Jesus, and comes after Jesus.
• both reminds believers of Jesus' teaching and extends Jesus' teaching.
• both empowers Jesus (Romans 1:4) and is granted and sent by Jesus.
• is both revealed by Jesus and reveals Jesus.
• is both in the church and beyond the church in all creation.
While the Spirit creates, sustains, and dwells among the church, the Spirit is not bound by the church but is present and at work in all that God has made. The church is both a part of creation and a witness to God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—working in all creation.
The Holy Spirit is called paraclete, Greek for "helper," "comforter," or "advocate." The term is court language and refers to the advocate or counsel for the defense as opposed to the complainant or accuser.
In the Large Catechism, Luther wrote more on the third article than on either of the others—twice as much as on the first article, and almost three times as much as on the second. It is ironic that Lutherans have sometimes been chided for their relative inattention to the Holy Spirit. Some Christian groups have historically placed more emphasis on the Holy Spirit. Compared to Lutheran emphasis on justification, primarily the work of Jesus Christ, Methodism puts more emphasis on sanctification, primarily the work of the Holy Spirit, drawing believers "toward the gift of Christian perfection" and nurturing their growth in grace and knowledge realized in practical discipleship .
Make-Up: November 14th – Article Two
Make-Up:
We ask you to read the material below. The material will include "deep thought", our key words (definition), scripture (link - please read) and some general thoughts. We ask you to read all material and then comment in the comments section. Share one key thought or concept that came to you and how it will make a difference.
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Article Two
We are three weeks into our series. If you want to check out the youth reflective version of the Apostle Creed, go to Article One Post.
Bible Text:
Matthew 1:18–25
Lesson Focus:
Jesus came to teach us how to live and free us from sin and death.
Big Question:
Wait, God became human?
Key Words:
CRUCIFIED, RESURRECTION, ASCENDED, LORD, REDEMPTION
Definitions of Key Words
CRUCIFIED: executed on a cross.
RESURRECTION: returned to life, raised to life.
ASCENDED: gone up, as in Jesus has gone up to heaven.
LORD: ruler of all.
REDEMPTION: rescue from sin and death
Going Deep
The Apostles' Creed was formed primarily to articulate the reality of Jesus Christ in relation to God. Addressing the concerns from which the Creed arose, the second article focuses on Jesus' relationship in the triune God and on Jesus' incarnation. Jesus' life in flesh attests that Jesus is fully human. Jesus was born a human being of a human being (Matthew 1:18–25; Luke 2:1–20). Jesus suffered, was executed by crucifixion, and was buried (Matthew 27:26–50, 57–61; Mark 15:16–47; Luke 23:26–56). Family, friends, and followers knew Jesus as a human being. Yet Jesus' contemporaries—friends and enemies—did not fully understand who he was (Matthew 13:54–58; Mark 2:1–12; Luke 5:27–6:5).
The resurrection shed more light on the reality of Jesus. Jesus is fully divine. The Gospel authors wrote of Jesus' human life from the perspective of the resurrection. Jesus rose from the dead (Matthew 27:53, 28; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:5, 13–49). Jesus ascended into heaven (Luke 24:51; Acts 1:2, 9–11, 22). Jesus is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty (Matthew 28:18; Mark 16:19; Acts 7:55; Hebrews 1:3), maker of heaven and earth.
The second article is the longest of the Creed's articles. There are two inseparable themes: Jesus' divinity and Jesus' humanity. Jesus' being fully human and fully divine is crucial to the work of redemption. God is willing to go to any length, even human suffering and death, to redeem creation, including humanity. God does this out of love for creation, including us.
Jesus is Lord. Jesus freed all creation from sin, death, and the power of evil. One way of talking about this is to say that Jesus redeemed or purchased humanity's freedom. In this sense, Jesus "owns" us and is Lord. Jesus is also Lord because Jesus sits at the right hand of God and is one with God the Father Almighty, maker of all things.
The Creed doesn't tell all there is to know about Jesus. It focuses on the concerns that prompted its writing. The life of Jesus between incarnation and death is conspicuously absent. Jesus' life revealed the content of God's reign. The Creed makes no reference to Jesus' preaching and enactment of God's reign.
The most widely accepted creed is the Nicene Creed. It was formulated in A.D. 325 at the Council of Nicea, a gathering of Christian leaders under Constantine's auspices. Until then, Christian creeds were local.
Creeds articulate orthodox teaching but do not necessarily resolve controversy. It was long the popular view that God created the Logos.
In our sinfulness, we misuse God's good creation. Our bodies are part of God's good creation—in sinfulness we misuse them, too. We fail to observe the Third Commandment, to rest. We eat things that do not nourish us—"junk food." We serve bodily addictions, for example, to sugar, caffeine, cigarettes, alcohol, sex, or drugs, including over-the-counter medicines, prescription medications, and illegal substances. We inflict violence on others and ourselves; for example, by physical abuse, war, or a division of work that physically overworks and maims some while it underworks and atrophies others. We stand by silently as others misuse and abuse their bodies or as others go hungry.
Human sinfulness in the use of our bodies does not mean that our bodies are bad. God's creation is good (Genesis 1) but fallen (Genesis 3:1–24). Human beings are sinful. Jesus Christ, who made God known to us in human flesh, is the Redeemer of all creation, including us (Romans 8:19–24). Jesus Christ has freed us, including you and me, from sin, and freed us, including you and me, to partnership with God in grace-filled care of our bodies and the bodies of others.
Small Group Connection
Music Option: Don't Take the Girl
Twice in this song, a young man is willing to lay down his life for someone he loves. Both times, he pleads to keep his girlfriend/wife safe, saying, "Don't take the girl." Remind youth that the second article of the Apostles' Creed focuses on Jesus, the one who gave his life for us. Pay attention to themes of sacrifice and love as you listen to this song.
Debrief the song with these questions:
• Why is the man in this song willing to risk everything for his girlfriend/wife?
• Is there anything or anyone in this world you would be willing to die for? What and why?
• How does the love of the man in this song mirror the love of Christ?
• Why would Jesus come down from heaven and risk everything to save us?
We ask you to read the material below. The material will include "deep thought", our key words (definition), scripture (link - please read) and some general thoughts. We ask you to read all material and then comment in the comments section. Share one key thought or concept that came to you and how it will make a difference.
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Article Two
We are three weeks into our series. If you want to check out the youth reflective version of the Apostle Creed, go to Article One Post.
Bible Text:
Matthew 1:18–25
Lesson Focus:
Jesus came to teach us how to live and free us from sin and death.
Big Question:
Wait, God became human?
Key Words:
CRUCIFIED, RESURRECTION, ASCENDED, LORD, REDEMPTION
Definitions of Key Words
CRUCIFIED: executed on a cross.
RESURRECTION: returned to life, raised to life.
ASCENDED: gone up, as in Jesus has gone up to heaven.
LORD: ruler of all.
REDEMPTION: rescue from sin and death
Going Deep
The Apostles' Creed was formed primarily to articulate the reality of Jesus Christ in relation to God. Addressing the concerns from which the Creed arose, the second article focuses on Jesus' relationship in the triune God and on Jesus' incarnation. Jesus' life in flesh attests that Jesus is fully human. Jesus was born a human being of a human being (Matthew 1:18–25; Luke 2:1–20). Jesus suffered, was executed by crucifixion, and was buried (Matthew 27:26–50, 57–61; Mark 15:16–47; Luke 23:26–56). Family, friends, and followers knew Jesus as a human being. Yet Jesus' contemporaries—friends and enemies—did not fully understand who he was (Matthew 13:54–58; Mark 2:1–12; Luke 5:27–6:5).
The resurrection shed more light on the reality of Jesus. Jesus is fully divine. The Gospel authors wrote of Jesus' human life from the perspective of the resurrection. Jesus rose from the dead (Matthew 27:53, 28; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:5, 13–49). Jesus ascended into heaven (Luke 24:51; Acts 1:2, 9–11, 22). Jesus is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty (Matthew 28:18; Mark 16:19; Acts 7:55; Hebrews 1:3), maker of heaven and earth.
The second article is the longest of the Creed's articles. There are two inseparable themes: Jesus' divinity and Jesus' humanity. Jesus' being fully human and fully divine is crucial to the work of redemption. God is willing to go to any length, even human suffering and death, to redeem creation, including humanity. God does this out of love for creation, including us.
Jesus is Lord. Jesus freed all creation from sin, death, and the power of evil. One way of talking about this is to say that Jesus redeemed or purchased humanity's freedom. In this sense, Jesus "owns" us and is Lord. Jesus is also Lord because Jesus sits at the right hand of God and is one with God the Father Almighty, maker of all things.
The Creed doesn't tell all there is to know about Jesus. It focuses on the concerns that prompted its writing. The life of Jesus between incarnation and death is conspicuously absent. Jesus' life revealed the content of God's reign. The Creed makes no reference to Jesus' preaching and enactment of God's reign.
The most widely accepted creed is the Nicene Creed. It was formulated in A.D. 325 at the Council of Nicea, a gathering of Christian leaders under Constantine's auspices. Until then, Christian creeds were local.
Creeds articulate orthodox teaching but do not necessarily resolve controversy. It was long the popular view that God created the Logos.
In our sinfulness, we misuse God's good creation. Our bodies are part of God's good creation—in sinfulness we misuse them, too. We fail to observe the Third Commandment, to rest. We eat things that do not nourish us—"junk food." We serve bodily addictions, for example, to sugar, caffeine, cigarettes, alcohol, sex, or drugs, including over-the-counter medicines, prescription medications, and illegal substances. We inflict violence on others and ourselves; for example, by physical abuse, war, or a division of work that physically overworks and maims some while it underworks and atrophies others. We stand by silently as others misuse and abuse their bodies or as others go hungry.
Human sinfulness in the use of our bodies does not mean that our bodies are bad. God's creation is good (Genesis 1) but fallen (Genesis 3:1–24). Human beings are sinful. Jesus Christ, who made God known to us in human flesh, is the Redeemer of all creation, including us (Romans 8:19–24). Jesus Christ has freed us, including you and me, from sin, and freed us, including you and me, to partnership with God in grace-filled care of our bodies and the bodies of others.
Small Group Connection
Music Option: Don't Take the Girl
Twice in this song, a young man is willing to lay down his life for someone he loves. Both times, he pleads to keep his girlfriend/wife safe, saying, "Don't take the girl." Remind youth that the second article of the Apostles' Creed focuses on Jesus, the one who gave his life for us. Pay attention to themes of sacrifice and love as you listen to this song.
Debrief the song with these questions:
• Why is the man in this song willing to risk everything for his girlfriend/wife?
• Is there anything or anyone in this world you would be willing to die for? What and why?
• How does the love of the man in this song mirror the love of Christ?
• Why would Jesus come down from heaven and risk everything to save us?
Make-Up: November 7th – Article One
Make-Up:
We ask you to read the material below. The material will include "deep thought", our key words (definition), scripture (link - please read) and some general thoughts. We ask you to read all material and then comment in the comments section. Share one key thought or concept that came to you and how it will make a difference.
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Article One
Today, we took a look at the first article of the creed (remember there are three)
Here is the video that we used to "emphasize" the creed:
Bible Text:
Genesis 1:1—2:25
Lesson Focus:
God's creative work in the world is ongoing.
Big Question:
How do we know God is still creating stuff today?
Key Words:
CREATE, CREATION, SUSTAIN, EX NIHILO, STEWARDSHIP
Definitions of Key Words
CREATE: to make from nothing.
CREATION: all that exists; all that God has made.
SUSTAIN: to keep, preserve, and maintain.
EX NIHILO: Latin for "out of nothing."
STEWARDSHIP: responsibility for care and proper use.
Going Deep
Genesis records two accounts (1:1–2:4a and 2:4b–25) of God creating the heavens and the earth and their creatures. The first account focuses on God's speaking—God's word forming an orderly creation from chaos. God separates, for example, light from darkness, to create. The second, older account focuses more specifically on human beings and their relationship to the rest of creation. Human beings are formed from the dust of creation and are intended to care for creation. God is creator of all that is. The visible creation helps human beings understand the invisible, including God's "eternal power and divine nature" (Romans 1:20).
God's creation is fallen (Genesis 3). The entire sweep of history is moving to a final reconciliation of God and creation (Romans 8:19–25) in a new creation. This new creation is the aim of God's relationship with us and our relationship with God. God's creative power was not only in the beginning but continues (2 Corinthians 5:17). Finally, God's creative power will make all things new, a new heaven and a new earth (Isaiah 65:17; 66:22; Revelation 21:1–4).
This is who God is and what God does. God created all that exists, and not just "in the beginning" but always. God's creativity continues to sustain all that exists. This includes each one of us and all creatures. God's creation also includes homes, schools, workplaces, libraries, stadiums, train stations, and all other places. It includes relationships—our personal relationships with friends, family, neighbors, and people we don't like so much, and "bigger" relationships among nations and peoples. God's creation includes organizations and institutions, such as governments, health-care systems, charities, and social services. Out of fatherly love, God created and sustains all that exists. Our relationship with God as God's creatures is one of thanksgiving and dependence, resembling a relationship between parent and child. We have and do nothing on our own apart from God. God has also created and given us the ability to share with God in the work of creation. Manual dexterity, insight, physical strength, powers of concentration, stamina, language, persistence, and intelligence are among the gifts of God's creation that enable us to join in God's creative work.
The Genesis accounts of creation arose in the ancient Near East, where vast deserts and seas provided a concrete sense of chaos and threat from the natural world. Gods were understood to be embodied in natural forces such as storms and the sea. Ancient Near Eastern creation myths told of a god or gods achieving a violent triumph over gods of chaos. These creation stories were not about primal creation from nothing, but about the victorious gods bringing order and, therefore, security and safety. The Genesis stories can be understood in this context, but with two striking differences from the myths of the surrounding world. First, the Genesis account as it is read and interpreted introduces monotheism. There is one God alone. Second, creation comes not from violence or force of any kind but from God's speaking (1:1–2:4a) and from God's artisanship and breath (2:4b–25). Ironically, the Apostles' Creed arose in part to reaffirm monotheism. In the face of Marcion's contrary claim, the Apostles' Creed tied together the Creator God of the Old Testament with the God known in Jesus Christ.
Small Group Connection
God's Good Creation
Invite the class (you) to go outside for a nature walk. Look around the church grounds, neighborhood, and street for as many signs of God's good creation as you can find. Provide each student with a piece of paper and a pencil. Ask them to record as many different things as they can.
Another option is to divide into small groups and give each group a digital camera. Allow students in each group to take turns taking pictures of things they see as signs of God's good creation. The pictures could be shared as part of a PowerPoint presentation or put together in a collage.
Debrief your walk with these questions:
• What signs did you see of God's good creation?
• How well are we taking care of creation today?
• How can we help better care for creation?
We ask you to read the material below. The material will include "deep thought", our key words (definition), scripture (link - please read) and some general thoughts. We ask you to read all material and then comment in the comments section. Share one key thought or concept that came to you and how it will make a difference.
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Article One
Today, we took a look at the first article of the creed (remember there are three)
Here is the video that we used to "emphasize" the creed:
Bible Text:
Genesis 1:1—2:25
Lesson Focus:
God's creative work in the world is ongoing.
Big Question:
How do we know God is still creating stuff today?
Key Words:
CREATE, CREATION, SUSTAIN, EX NIHILO, STEWARDSHIP
Definitions of Key Words
CREATE: to make from nothing.
CREATION: all that exists; all that God has made.
SUSTAIN: to keep, preserve, and maintain.
EX NIHILO: Latin for "out of nothing."
STEWARDSHIP: responsibility for care and proper use.
Going Deep
Genesis records two accounts (1:1–2:4a and 2:4b–25) of God creating the heavens and the earth and their creatures. The first account focuses on God's speaking—God's word forming an orderly creation from chaos. God separates, for example, light from darkness, to create. The second, older account focuses more specifically on human beings and their relationship to the rest of creation. Human beings are formed from the dust of creation and are intended to care for creation. God is creator of all that is. The visible creation helps human beings understand the invisible, including God's "eternal power and divine nature" (Romans 1:20).
God's creation is fallen (Genesis 3). The entire sweep of history is moving to a final reconciliation of God and creation (Romans 8:19–25) in a new creation. This new creation is the aim of God's relationship with us and our relationship with God. God's creative power was not only in the beginning but continues (2 Corinthians 5:17). Finally, God's creative power will make all things new, a new heaven and a new earth (Isaiah 65:17; 66:22; Revelation 21:1–4).
This is who God is and what God does. God created all that exists, and not just "in the beginning" but always. God's creativity continues to sustain all that exists. This includes each one of us and all creatures. God's creation also includes homes, schools, workplaces, libraries, stadiums, train stations, and all other places. It includes relationships—our personal relationships with friends, family, neighbors, and people we don't like so much, and "bigger" relationships among nations and peoples. God's creation includes organizations and institutions, such as governments, health-care systems, charities, and social services. Out of fatherly love, God created and sustains all that exists. Our relationship with God as God's creatures is one of thanksgiving and dependence, resembling a relationship between parent and child. We have and do nothing on our own apart from God. God has also created and given us the ability to share with God in the work of creation. Manual dexterity, insight, physical strength, powers of concentration, stamina, language, persistence, and intelligence are among the gifts of God's creation that enable us to join in God's creative work.
The Genesis accounts of creation arose in the ancient Near East, where vast deserts and seas provided a concrete sense of chaos and threat from the natural world. Gods were understood to be embodied in natural forces such as storms and the sea. Ancient Near Eastern creation myths told of a god or gods achieving a violent triumph over gods of chaos. These creation stories were not about primal creation from nothing, but about the victorious gods bringing order and, therefore, security and safety. The Genesis stories can be understood in this context, but with two striking differences from the myths of the surrounding world. First, the Genesis account as it is read and interpreted introduces monotheism. There is one God alone. Second, creation comes not from violence or force of any kind but from God's speaking (1:1–2:4a) and from God's artisanship and breath (2:4b–25). Ironically, the Apostles' Creed arose in part to reaffirm monotheism. In the face of Marcion's contrary claim, the Apostles' Creed tied together the Creator God of the Old Testament with the God known in Jesus Christ.
Small Group Connection
God's Good Creation
Invite the class (you) to go outside for a nature walk. Look around the church grounds, neighborhood, and street for as many signs of God's good creation as you can find. Provide each student with a piece of paper and a pencil. Ask them to record as many different things as they can.
Another option is to divide into small groups and give each group a digital camera. Allow students in each group to take turns taking pictures of things they see as signs of God's good creation. The pictures could be shared as part of a PowerPoint presentation or put together in a collage.
Debrief your walk with these questions:
• What signs did you see of God's good creation?
• How well are we taking care of creation today?
• How can we help better care for creation?
Make-Up: October 31st – Introduction of the Creed
Make-Up:
We ask you to read the material below. The material will include "deep thought", our key words (definition), scripture (link - please read) and some general thoughts. We ask you to read all material and then comment in the comments section. Share one key thought or concept that came to you and how it will make a difference.
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Apostle Creed (Introduction)
Today started a 4-week series on the Apostle Creed. This lesson was an introduction/overview of the Creed. The next three will be each article (three articles - one a week).
The above picture is a stained glass window dedicated to the Three Articles of the Creed
Bible Text:
Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:28–34
Lesson Focus:
The Apostles' Creed states our shared beliefs as a community of faith.
Big Question:
What do I believe?
Key Words:
CREED, BELIEF, CHURCH, MONOTHEISM, TRINITY
Definition of Key Words
CREED: a statement of belief.
BELIEF: an affirmed or accepted truth.
CHURCH: the community of faith, known in the Apostles' Creed as the "communion of saints."
MONOTHEISM: the belief in one God.
TRINITY: God as three persons in one being.
Going Deep
Our creeds are grounded in biblical statements of belief. Deuteronomy 6:21–25 and 26:5–9 are ancient Israelite creeds. The New Testament echoes the ancient Israelite confession, "Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone" (Deuteronomy 6:4). Asked which commandment is greatest, Jesus began, "Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one" (Mark 12:29).
Confessing God as the author of all things (Romans 11:36), Paul argued the unity of Jews and Gentiles based on the ancient confession of God's unity (Romans 3:29). New Testament formulations reflect distinctly Christian beliefs. Paul wrote, "For us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist" (1 Corinthians 8:6). Philippians 2:6–11 emphasizes Jesus' human humiliation in suffering obedience and exaltation as Lord. Colossians 1:16–20 confesses Jesus as the revelation of God, the source with God of creation, existing before creation with God, and God's reconciling peace through the cross. In its tripartite structure, the Apostles' Creed reflects our understanding of God as triune (Matthew 28:19).
A creed is a group's confession or statement of shared belief about who God is and how God acts. In a creed a tradition or community of believers says, "This is what we teach." At different times different aspects of a creed may be more important to us than other parts. Our doubts, certainties, or questions about the meaning of particular phrases may vary.
The church's most basic creedal statement is "Jesus is Lord." Who is Jesus? What is Jesus' relationship to God? Creeds are formulated amid theological controversies about such questions and amid the Christian community's desire to define itself. The Apostles' Creed was a response to Marcionism and Gnosticism. Marcion, a second-century Christian, taught the heresy that the God of the Old Testament was different from the God revealed in Jesus Christ. The Apostles' Creed emphasizes the doctrine of God as the Trinity and of God as Creator, affirming that the Creator God of the Old Testament and the God of Jesus Christ are one. The Creed addressed Gnosticism by asserting Jesus' humanity (the incarnation) and God's sovereignty over heaven and earth, material and spiritual reality.
Roman in origin, the Apostles' Creed is the creed most commonly used in Western Christianity—Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. It took the form that we recognize by the eighth century. Legend said that the apostles each contributed a phrase. Though that is indeed legend, the Creed reflects theological formulations from the apostolic period and was in use at the end of the first century. The creedal questions asked in the Lutheran baptismal rite resemble the Interrogatory Creed of Hippolytus (c. 215 C.E.), the earliest form we have of the Apostles' Creed. During the persecutions of the second and third centuries, some Christians denied their faith. The words "I believe in the forgiveness of sins" responded to the question of whether these Christians could be readmitted to the church's fellowship. "Holy" and "catholic" (third article) developed in the fifth century, resolving a debate in northern Africa about whether the church was inclusive or excluded all but a few. In Greek and Latin texts as well, for example, as in current German and French texts and all English texts until 1543, the Apostles' Creed refers to "the resurrection of the flesh."
Small Group Connection
Creative Writing Option: Creed Poems
Invite students to develop an acrostic for the word creed. Tell them that an acrostic is a poem or statement that explains more about a word by using each letter from that word. Get them started by providing them with paper and having them write the word creed vertically on the piece of paper. When all are done, ask for volunteers to share what they have done. If they are interested in other types of poetry writing, you could challenge them to write poems using other poetic forms, such as haiku or limericks.
Debrief the activity with these questions:
• Does writing about the Creed help you think about it in a different way?
• Over thousands of years, poets and songwriters have written about their beliefs. Do you think there are still writers today who do this?
• If you had to choose one word that sums up your beliefs, what would it be?
We ask you to read the material below. The material will include "deep thought", our key words (definition), scripture (link - please read) and some general thoughts. We ask you to read all material and then comment in the comments section. Share one key thought or concept that came to you and how it will make a difference.
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Apostle Creed (Introduction)
Today started a 4-week series on the Apostle Creed. This lesson was an introduction/overview of the Creed. The next three will be each article (three articles - one a week).
The above picture is a stained glass window dedicated to the Three Articles of the Creed
Bible Text:
Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:28–34
Lesson Focus:
The Apostles' Creed states our shared beliefs as a community of faith.
Big Question:
What do I believe?
Key Words:
CREED, BELIEF, CHURCH, MONOTHEISM, TRINITY
Definition of Key Words
CREED: a statement of belief.
BELIEF: an affirmed or accepted truth.
CHURCH: the community of faith, known in the Apostles' Creed as the "communion of saints."
MONOTHEISM: the belief in one God.
TRINITY: God as three persons in one being.
Going Deep
Our creeds are grounded in biblical statements of belief. Deuteronomy 6:21–25 and 26:5–9 are ancient Israelite creeds. The New Testament echoes the ancient Israelite confession, "Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone" (Deuteronomy 6:4). Asked which commandment is greatest, Jesus began, "Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one" (Mark 12:29).
Confessing God as the author of all things (Romans 11:36), Paul argued the unity of Jews and Gentiles based on the ancient confession of God's unity (Romans 3:29). New Testament formulations reflect distinctly Christian beliefs. Paul wrote, "For us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist" (1 Corinthians 8:6). Philippians 2:6–11 emphasizes Jesus' human humiliation in suffering obedience and exaltation as Lord. Colossians 1:16–20 confesses Jesus as the revelation of God, the source with God of creation, existing before creation with God, and God's reconciling peace through the cross. In its tripartite structure, the Apostles' Creed reflects our understanding of God as triune (Matthew 28:19).
A creed is a group's confession or statement of shared belief about who God is and how God acts. In a creed a tradition or community of believers says, "This is what we teach." At different times different aspects of a creed may be more important to us than other parts. Our doubts, certainties, or questions about the meaning of particular phrases may vary.
The church's most basic creedal statement is "Jesus is Lord." Who is Jesus? What is Jesus' relationship to God? Creeds are formulated amid theological controversies about such questions and amid the Christian community's desire to define itself. The Apostles' Creed was a response to Marcionism and Gnosticism. Marcion, a second-century Christian, taught the heresy that the God of the Old Testament was different from the God revealed in Jesus Christ. The Apostles' Creed emphasizes the doctrine of God as the Trinity and of God as Creator, affirming that the Creator God of the Old Testament and the God of Jesus Christ are one. The Creed addressed Gnosticism by asserting Jesus' humanity (the incarnation) and God's sovereignty over heaven and earth, material and spiritual reality.
Roman in origin, the Apostles' Creed is the creed most commonly used in Western Christianity—Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. It took the form that we recognize by the eighth century. Legend said that the apostles each contributed a phrase. Though that is indeed legend, the Creed reflects theological formulations from the apostolic period and was in use at the end of the first century. The creedal questions asked in the Lutheran baptismal rite resemble the Interrogatory Creed of Hippolytus (c. 215 C.E.), the earliest form we have of the Apostles' Creed. During the persecutions of the second and third centuries, some Christians denied their faith. The words "I believe in the forgiveness of sins" responded to the question of whether these Christians could be readmitted to the church's fellowship. "Holy" and "catholic" (third article) developed in the fifth century, resolving a debate in northern Africa about whether the church was inclusive or excluded all but a few. In Greek and Latin texts as well, for example, as in current German and French texts and all English texts until 1543, the Apostles' Creed refers to "the resurrection of the flesh."
Small Group Connection
Creative Writing Option: Creed Poems
Invite students to develop an acrostic for the word creed. Tell them that an acrostic is a poem or statement that explains more about a word by using each letter from that word. Get them started by providing them with paper and having them write the word creed vertically on the piece of paper. When all are done, ask for volunteers to share what they have done. If they are interested in other types of poetry writing, you could challenge them to write poems using other poetic forms, such as haiku or limericks.
Debrief the activity with these questions:
• Does writing about the Creed help you think about it in a different way?
• Over thousands of years, poets and songwriters have written about their beliefs. Do you think there are still writers today who do this?
• If you had to choose one word that sums up your beliefs, what would it be?
Make-Up: October 17th – Take & Eat
Make-Up:
We ask you to read the material below. The material will include "deep thought", our key words (definition), scripture (link - please read) and some general thoughts. We ask you to read all material and then comment in the comments section. Share one key thought or concept that came to you and how it will make a difference.
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Take & Eat
Today, we finished up the second lesson on communion and the fourth and final lesson on the sacraments.
Bible Text:
John 6:48–51
Lesson Focus:
Jesus feeds us with his body and blood so that we can feed others.
Big Question:
I take communion every week at church, but what am I supposed to do about it?
Key Words:
BREAD AND WINE, BODY AND BLOOD, SACRAMENT
Key Word Definitions
BREAD AND WINE: the earthly elements that, in the Lord's Supper, are Jesus' body and blood. When combined with God's word, they bring forgiveness, salvation, and life.
BODY AND BLOOD: the physical presence of Jesus Christ that he gives us in the Lord's Supper. The Lord's Supper is also known as holy communion.
SACRAMENT: something that 1) Jesus Christ commands us to do; 2) involves an earthly element, like water or bread and wine; and 3) combines with God's spoken word to bring salvation, forgiveness of sins, and the promise of everlasting life.
Going Deep
Jesus is the bread of life. "Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh" (John 6:51). Jesus gave himself in life and death. The bread and wine we receive are Christ's body and blood. As we are baptized into the body of Christ, so in holy communion we are sustained and nourished as one body. "Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread" (1 Corinthians 10:17).
Jesus' meals inform our understanding of the Lord's Supper and all our meals. With Jesus, there is always enough for all. Holy communion is a foretaste of the Messianic banquet to which all will be invited.
Lutherans teach that the bread and wine of the eucharist become, by God's word, the body and blood of Christ and are at the same time ordinary bread and wine. The Lutheran Reformation rejected transubstantiation, which they understood to mean that the sacramental elements were essentially changed from bread and wine into Christ's body and blood. "Just as in Christ two distinct, unaltered natures are inseparably united, so in the Holy Supper two essences, the natural bread and the true natural body of Christ, are present together here on earth in the action of the sacrament, as it was instituted" (Kolb/Wengert, Formula of Concord Solid Declaration, Article VII 599.35–39). This teaching is an example of the idea that the finite is capable of bearing the infinite—finitum capax infiniti. The human Jesus is God's Word, the bread and wine are body and blood, AND the ordinary water is the water of baptism.
"Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread" (1 Corinthians 10:17). The unity of the church is most manifest at the table of the Lord's Supper, whose most common site is the local congregation. This sacrament of our unity, shared by the whole church, unites all Christians. Over the centuries, eucharistic theology and practice have been the ground of disagreement and schism in the church. In the Reformation, Luther contested transubstantiation as a theory of how Christ is present in the bread and wine. At the same time, he rejected the teaching that the eucharist was merely a "memorial" and not the actual presence of Christ. Luther also argued against the theology of communion as a sacrifice having merits and against the private celebration of communion by priests.
From the earliest days, Christians' eucharistic worship has included sending believers away from the meal to serve the world, and in particular, to feed the hungry. Bread for the World, an ecumenical hunger advocacy organization, reports that over 800 million people in the world go hungry every day. In developing countries, six million children die annually, mostly from causes related to hunger. In the United States, one in ten households lives in hunger or is at risk of hunger, including 13 million children. Hunger around the world is not a financial problem, nor is it a problem of how much food there is. The United Nations estimates that "the basic health and nutrition needs of the world's poorest people could be met for an additional $13 billion a year" (www.bread.org/hungerbasics/index.html). We have the financial resources, knowledge, and technology to end hunger now. The challenge is equitable distribution, a political problem. As people who know the bounty of God's grace and who share Jesus' body and blood, given for all people, we are empowered to help see that hunger is eradicated.
Small Group Connection
Object Lesson Option: Bundled, Not Broken!
Have a couple dozen new pencils and two rubber bands. Take 12 or more of the pencils and bundle them together with the rubber bands. Ask for a volunteer who thinks he or she is very strong. Invite the volunteer to stand by you. Provide a single pencil and tell the volunteer to break it. Now give him or her the bundle of pencils you have made; have the volunteer try to break the bundle. The lesson of this classic object lesson is clear: Alone, we can easily be broken, but together, we are strong. We are one in the body of Christ, and one in the church. Pass out the pencils as gifts when you are done.
Review the activity with these questions:
• What are some ways that you can join with others to make a difference?
• Why does Christ call us to help one another?
• How does holy communion represent Christ's bond with us?
We ask you to read the material below. The material will include "deep thought", our key words (definition), scripture (link - please read) and some general thoughts. We ask you to read all material and then comment in the comments section. Share one key thought or concept that came to you and how it will make a difference.
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Take & Eat
Today, we finished up the second lesson on communion and the fourth and final lesson on the sacraments.
Bible Text:
John 6:48–51
Lesson Focus:
Jesus feeds us with his body and blood so that we can feed others.
Big Question:
I take communion every week at church, but what am I supposed to do about it?
Key Words:
BREAD AND WINE, BODY AND BLOOD, SACRAMENT
Key Word Definitions
BREAD AND WINE: the earthly elements that, in the Lord's Supper, are Jesus' body and blood. When combined with God's word, they bring forgiveness, salvation, and life.
BODY AND BLOOD: the physical presence of Jesus Christ that he gives us in the Lord's Supper. The Lord's Supper is also known as holy communion.
SACRAMENT: something that 1) Jesus Christ commands us to do; 2) involves an earthly element, like water or bread and wine; and 3) combines with God's spoken word to bring salvation, forgiveness of sins, and the promise of everlasting life.
Going Deep
Jesus is the bread of life. "Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh" (John 6:51). Jesus gave himself in life and death. The bread and wine we receive are Christ's body and blood. As we are baptized into the body of Christ, so in holy communion we are sustained and nourished as one body. "Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread" (1 Corinthians 10:17).
Jesus' meals inform our understanding of the Lord's Supper and all our meals. With Jesus, there is always enough for all. Holy communion is a foretaste of the Messianic banquet to which all will be invited.
Lutherans teach that the bread and wine of the eucharist become, by God's word, the body and blood of Christ and are at the same time ordinary bread and wine. The Lutheran Reformation rejected transubstantiation, which they understood to mean that the sacramental elements were essentially changed from bread and wine into Christ's body and blood. "Just as in Christ two distinct, unaltered natures are inseparably united, so in the Holy Supper two essences, the natural bread and the true natural body of Christ, are present together here on earth in the action of the sacrament, as it was instituted" (Kolb/Wengert, Formula of Concord Solid Declaration, Article VII 599.35–39). This teaching is an example of the idea that the finite is capable of bearing the infinite—finitum capax infiniti. The human Jesus is God's Word, the bread and wine are body and blood, AND the ordinary water is the water of baptism.
"Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread" (1 Corinthians 10:17). The unity of the church is most manifest at the table of the Lord's Supper, whose most common site is the local congregation. This sacrament of our unity, shared by the whole church, unites all Christians. Over the centuries, eucharistic theology and practice have been the ground of disagreement and schism in the church. In the Reformation, Luther contested transubstantiation as a theory of how Christ is present in the bread and wine. At the same time, he rejected the teaching that the eucharist was merely a "memorial" and not the actual presence of Christ. Luther also argued against the theology of communion as a sacrifice having merits and against the private celebration of communion by priests.
From the earliest days, Christians' eucharistic worship has included sending believers away from the meal to serve the world, and in particular, to feed the hungry. Bread for the World, an ecumenical hunger advocacy organization, reports that over 800 million people in the world go hungry every day. In developing countries, six million children die annually, mostly from causes related to hunger. In the United States, one in ten households lives in hunger or is at risk of hunger, including 13 million children. Hunger around the world is not a financial problem, nor is it a problem of how much food there is. The United Nations estimates that "the basic health and nutrition needs of the world's poorest people could be met for an additional $13 billion a year" (www.bread.org/hungerbasics/index.html). We have the financial resources, knowledge, and technology to end hunger now. The challenge is equitable distribution, a political problem. As people who know the bounty of God's grace and who share Jesus' body and blood, given for all people, we are empowered to help see that hunger is eradicated.
Small Group Connection
Object Lesson Option: Bundled, Not Broken!
Have a couple dozen new pencils and two rubber bands. Take 12 or more of the pencils and bundle them together with the rubber bands. Ask for a volunteer who thinks he or she is very strong. Invite the volunteer to stand by you. Provide a single pencil and tell the volunteer to break it. Now give him or her the bundle of pencils you have made; have the volunteer try to break the bundle. The lesson of this classic object lesson is clear: Alone, we can easily be broken, but together, we are strong. We are one in the body of Christ, and one in the church. Pass out the pencils as gifts when you are done.
Review the activity with these questions:
• What are some ways that you can join with others to make a difference?
• Why does Christ call us to help one another?
• How does holy communion represent Christ's bond with us?
Make-Up: October 10th – Sacrament of Communion
Make-Up:
We ask you to read the material below. The material will include "deep thought", our key words (definition), scripture (link - please read) and some general thoughts. We ask you to read all material and then comment in the comments section. Share one key thought or concept that came to you and how it will make a difference.
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Sacrament of Communion
Bible Text:
Exodus 12:1–36; Matthew 26:17–29; Luke 22:19–20
Lesson Focus:
Word, wine, and bread together give us salvation, forgiveness, and new life.
Big Question:
What really happens during communion?
Key Words:
PASSOVER, LAST SUPPER, EUCHARIST, COMMUNION
Key Word Definitions
PASSOVER: the Jewish celebration of the night God passed over Egypt, killing the firstborn in every Egyptian household. God spared the Hebrews, who were protected by the blood of the lamb.
LAST SUPPER: the Passover celebration Jesus shared with his best friends on the night he was betrayed.
EUCHARIST: the communion meal Christians share that remembers Jesus' Last Supper, bestowing on them Jesus' forgiveness and grace.
COMMUNION: the Lord's Supper. Also refers to what happens when followers of Jesus Christ come together to worship, learn, or pray.
Going Deep
In the story of the ancient Israelites' liberation from slavery, God told the people to put the blood of an unblemished lamb on the doorposts and lintels of their houses. When God executed judgment against the Egyptians, killing the firstborn humans and animals, the blood was a sign for the Lord to pass over those houses. The annual Passover celebration is a remembrance of and participation in the liberation. The confession in Deuteronomy 26:5–11 is recited as part of this remembrance and participation.
Jesus' family went to Jerusalem every year for the Passover festival. Jesus instituted Holy Communion at a Passover supper. Jesus said that the bread is his body and the wine his blood poured out for the forgiveness of sins. At his last supper, Jesus "took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to [the Twelve], saying, 'This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.' And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, 'This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood'" (Luke 22:19–20). His blood, he said, "is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Matthew 26:28). As in baptism, here is a sacrament—ordinary bread and wine together with the word, a command ("Do this") and a promise ("for the forgiveness of sins"). God's forgiveness of sins in Holy Communion reconciles believers to God and to one another so that we are one body.
Early Christians did not practice communion as an annual Passover meal but as a weekly celebration of the resurrection. From the beginning, Christians gathered on the first day of the week to celebrate the resurrection and to share a meal. Holy Communion or Eucharist, the meal of thanksgiving, was celebrated in the context of the meal. Over time communion was celebrated as a separate meal. Weekly communion worship included scripture readings and commentary and then the meal. The annual celebration of the resurrection—Easter or Pascha, as it is called in Orthodox Christianity—was generally at Passover (Pesach in Hebrew). Passover might or might not fall on a Sunday or Resurrection Day. The Council of Nicea (325 C.E.) set the date for Easter as the first Sunday after Passover. Later, for Western Christianity, the date was defined as the first Sunday after the first full or Paschal moon on or after the spring equinox. Orthodox Christianity defines the date in the same way but by a different calendar.
Throughout the history of Christianity and across different segments of the church, weekly communion has not always been the practice. For Lutherans, according to the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, communion every Sunday and on festivals is the norm. Congregations are encouraged to celebrate communion weekly, though not every service need be a Eucharist. All Christians need Holy Communion frequently. The Lord's Supper establishes and sustains the fellowship and mission of the church. Yet, while we should commune frequently, participation is by Christ's invitation and not by human requirement. Participation in the Eucharist, a gift from God, is a response to Jesus Christ.
Small Group Time
Art Option: Eucharistic Artwork
As a small group, make a piece of artwork that can be displayed on Holy Communion Sundays in the narthex of your church building. Get permission from the right people in your church, like the pastor, before displaying your art! Students can use symbols of Holy Communion such as a chalice, bread, grapes, and wheat. They can also try to invent some of their own symbols. Be creative! Project ideas include a fabric banner with felt shapes, a collage of images on poster board or foam core, or a mosaic made of tiles or paper squares. If you don't have time to prep, visit your Sunday school supply closet to find construction paper, glue sticks, and other basics.
Debrief the activity with these questions:
- What symbols of communion are most meaningful to you? Why are they important?
- What artwork in our church do you notice? Do you think it's important to have art in a church building? Why or why not?
- What are some of your ideas for how our church could display and use more artwork during worship?
We ask you to read the material below. The material will include "deep thought", our key words (definition), scripture (link - please read) and some general thoughts. We ask you to read all material and then comment in the comments section. Share one key thought or concept that came to you and how it will make a difference.
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Sacrament of Communion
Bible Text:
Exodus 12:1–36; Matthew 26:17–29; Luke 22:19–20
Lesson Focus:
Word, wine, and bread together give us salvation, forgiveness, and new life.
Big Question:
What really happens during communion?
Key Words:
PASSOVER, LAST SUPPER, EUCHARIST, COMMUNION
Key Word Definitions
PASSOVER: the Jewish celebration of the night God passed over Egypt, killing the firstborn in every Egyptian household. God spared the Hebrews, who were protected by the blood of the lamb.
LAST SUPPER: the Passover celebration Jesus shared with his best friends on the night he was betrayed.
EUCHARIST: the communion meal Christians share that remembers Jesus' Last Supper, bestowing on them Jesus' forgiveness and grace.
COMMUNION: the Lord's Supper. Also refers to what happens when followers of Jesus Christ come together to worship, learn, or pray.
Going Deep
In the story of the ancient Israelites' liberation from slavery, God told the people to put the blood of an unblemished lamb on the doorposts and lintels of their houses. When God executed judgment against the Egyptians, killing the firstborn humans and animals, the blood was a sign for the Lord to pass over those houses. The annual Passover celebration is a remembrance of and participation in the liberation. The confession in Deuteronomy 26:5–11 is recited as part of this remembrance and participation.
Jesus' family went to Jerusalem every year for the Passover festival. Jesus instituted Holy Communion at a Passover supper. Jesus said that the bread is his body and the wine his blood poured out for the forgiveness of sins. At his last supper, Jesus "took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to [the Twelve], saying, 'This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.' And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, 'This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood'" (Luke 22:19–20). His blood, he said, "is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Matthew 26:28). As in baptism, here is a sacrament—ordinary bread and wine together with the word, a command ("Do this") and a promise ("for the forgiveness of sins"). God's forgiveness of sins in Holy Communion reconciles believers to God and to one another so that we are one body.
Early Christians did not practice communion as an annual Passover meal but as a weekly celebration of the resurrection. From the beginning, Christians gathered on the first day of the week to celebrate the resurrection and to share a meal. Holy Communion or Eucharist, the meal of thanksgiving, was celebrated in the context of the meal. Over time communion was celebrated as a separate meal. Weekly communion worship included scripture readings and commentary and then the meal. The annual celebration of the resurrection—Easter or Pascha, as it is called in Orthodox Christianity—was generally at Passover (Pesach in Hebrew). Passover might or might not fall on a Sunday or Resurrection Day. The Council of Nicea (325 C.E.) set the date for Easter as the first Sunday after Passover. Later, for Western Christianity, the date was defined as the first Sunday after the first full or Paschal moon on or after the spring equinox. Orthodox Christianity defines the date in the same way but by a different calendar.
Throughout the history of Christianity and across different segments of the church, weekly communion has not always been the practice. For Lutherans, according to the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, communion every Sunday and on festivals is the norm. Congregations are encouraged to celebrate communion weekly, though not every service need be a Eucharist. All Christians need Holy Communion frequently. The Lord's Supper establishes and sustains the fellowship and mission of the church. Yet, while we should commune frequently, participation is by Christ's invitation and not by human requirement. Participation in the Eucharist, a gift from God, is a response to Jesus Christ.
Small Group Time
Art Option: Eucharistic Artwork
As a small group, make a piece of artwork that can be displayed on Holy Communion Sundays in the narthex of your church building. Get permission from the right people in your church, like the pastor, before displaying your art! Students can use symbols of Holy Communion such as a chalice, bread, grapes, and wheat. They can also try to invent some of their own symbols. Be creative! Project ideas include a fabric banner with felt shapes, a collage of images on poster board or foam core, or a mosaic made of tiles or paper squares. If you don't have time to prep, visit your Sunday school supply closet to find construction paper, glue sticks, and other basics.
Debrief the activity with these questions:
- What symbols of communion are most meaningful to you? Why are they important?
- What artwork in our church do you notice? Do you think it's important to have art in a church building? Why or why not?
- What are some of your ideas for how our church could display and use more artwork during worship?
Make-Up: October 3rd – Word With Water
Make-Up:
We ask you to read the material below. The material will include "deep thought", our key words (definition), scripture (link - please read) and some general thoughts. We ask you to read all material and then comment in the comments section. Share one key thought or concept that came to you and how it will make a difference.
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Word With Water
Bible Text:
Matthew 28:16–20; Genesis 6–9; 2 Kings 5:1–14; Romans 6:3–11
Lesson Focus:
With water and word, we are washed in God's loving grace.
Big Question:
How does baptism work?
Key Words:
WATER, WORD, PROMISE, SACRAMENT
Key Word Definitions:
WATER: ordinary H2O through and with which God does amazing things.
WORD: Jesus Christ, the Living Word of God made flesh. Also, spoken and written words that point us to the Living Word.
PROMISE: A commitment that is dependable and reliable.
SACRAMENT: God's word joined with an earthly element through which God promises to work. The Lutheran Church teaches that there are two sacraments—holy communion and holy baptism.
Going Deep
Long before John began baptizing people in the wilderness, water was a sign of life and renewal. In Genesis 2, a stream coming forth from the earth is the first act of creation. The earth is cleansed with the great flood (Genesis 7). The Israelites pass through the waters of the Red Sea into freedom, and they drink water that springs forth from the rock in the desert (Exodus 14, 17). The Syrian general Naaman is healed by washing in the river Jordan seven times, at the command of the prophet Elisha (2 Kings 5). God uses water to give life and renewal to his people.
John precedes Jesus and offers a baptism "with water for repentance" while declaring that Jesus will baptize "with the Holy Spirit and fire" (Matthew 3:11–12). The resurrected Jesus charged his disciples to "make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19–20). Jesus here commands both the washing in God's name and for the teaching of obedience, that is, a life of discipleship.
Jesus speaks of his baptism not as his washing by John but as his death on the cross (Mark 10:38–39; Luke 12:50). In baptism we participate in Christ's death and resurrection. "We have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4).
Baptism is a gift. It is the work of God and does not depend on the worthiness of the person administering the baptism, nor on the faith or worthiness of the one being baptized. God loves us as we are. Baptism depends completely on the word and commandment of God. Like any gift, baptism must be received. Without being received, the gift is of no use to us. Faith alone receives baptism. We need nothing more to be worthy of this gift than faith to receive it. Those who receive this free gift of God's loving grace daily poured out have freedom to live by the Holy Spirit. "The one who believes and is baptized will be saved" (Mark 16:16). Since baptism is the work of God, whose promise is unfailing, it is once and for all.
Small Group Activity
Object Lesson Option: Wiped Clean
Before class, arrange to have a whiteboard and an eraser up front in your learning space. On the board write, "Today I have sinned against God and my neighbor, both by what I have done and by what I have not done." Remind students that in daily repentance and remembrance of our baptism, our sins are wiped clean, as if they never existed. If you dare, ask them to shout out common sins people their age commit, and write them on the board. Invite them to shout out sins they "do" and sins that are those things "left undone." With a big, dramatic flourish, erase the words. Finish by saying, "In baptism, God wipes away all our sins every day, and it is like we never sinned at all!"
Follow up the object lesson with these questions:
- How do you think that baptism, which happens once in a lifetime, can involve God wiping away our sins every day?
- Have you ever been forgiven by someone you wronged? How did it feel?
- Do you think you have to name all your sins to be forgiven? Why or why not?
We ask you to read the material below. The material will include "deep thought", our key words (definition), scripture (link - please read) and some general thoughts. We ask you to read all material and then comment in the comments section. Share one key thought or concept that came to you and how it will make a difference.
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Word With Water
Bible Text:
Matthew 28:16–20; Genesis 6–9; 2 Kings 5:1–14; Romans 6:3–11
Lesson Focus:
With water and word, we are washed in God's loving grace.
Big Question:
How does baptism work?
Key Words:
WATER, WORD, PROMISE, SACRAMENT
Key Word Definitions:
WATER: ordinary H2O through and with which God does amazing things.
WORD: Jesus Christ, the Living Word of God made flesh. Also, spoken and written words that point us to the Living Word.
PROMISE: A commitment that is dependable and reliable.
SACRAMENT: God's word joined with an earthly element through which God promises to work. The Lutheran Church teaches that there are two sacraments—holy communion and holy baptism.
Going Deep
Long before John began baptizing people in the wilderness, water was a sign of life and renewal. In Genesis 2, a stream coming forth from the earth is the first act of creation. The earth is cleansed with the great flood (Genesis 7). The Israelites pass through the waters of the Red Sea into freedom, and they drink water that springs forth from the rock in the desert (Exodus 14, 17). The Syrian general Naaman is healed by washing in the river Jordan seven times, at the command of the prophet Elisha (2 Kings 5). God uses water to give life and renewal to his people.
John precedes Jesus and offers a baptism "with water for repentance" while declaring that Jesus will baptize "with the Holy Spirit and fire" (Matthew 3:11–12). The resurrected Jesus charged his disciples to "make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19–20). Jesus here commands both the washing in God's name and for the teaching of obedience, that is, a life of discipleship.
Jesus speaks of his baptism not as his washing by John but as his death on the cross (Mark 10:38–39; Luke 12:50). In baptism we participate in Christ's death and resurrection. "We have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4).
Baptism is a gift. It is the work of God and does not depend on the worthiness of the person administering the baptism, nor on the faith or worthiness of the one being baptized. God loves us as we are. Baptism depends completely on the word and commandment of God. Like any gift, baptism must be received. Without being received, the gift is of no use to us. Faith alone receives baptism. We need nothing more to be worthy of this gift than faith to receive it. Those who receive this free gift of God's loving grace daily poured out have freedom to live by the Holy Spirit. "The one who believes and is baptized will be saved" (Mark 16:16). Since baptism is the work of God, whose promise is unfailing, it is once and for all.
Small Group Activity
Object Lesson Option: Wiped Clean
Before class, arrange to have a whiteboard and an eraser up front in your learning space. On the board write, "Today I have sinned against God and my neighbor, both by what I have done and by what I have not done." Remind students that in daily repentance and remembrance of our baptism, our sins are wiped clean, as if they never existed. If you dare, ask them to shout out common sins people their age commit, and write them on the board. Invite them to shout out sins they "do" and sins that are those things "left undone." With a big, dramatic flourish, erase the words. Finish by saying, "In baptism, God wipes away all our sins every day, and it is like we never sinned at all!"
Follow up the object lesson with these questions:
- How do you think that baptism, which happens once in a lifetime, can involve God wiping away our sins every day?
- Have you ever been forgiven by someone you wronged? How did it feel?
- Do you think you have to name all your sins to be forgiven? Why or why not?
Make-Up: September 26 – Sacrament of Baptism
Make-Up:
We ask you to read the material below. The material will include "deep thought", our key words (definition), scripture (link - please read) and some general thoughts. We ask you to read all material and then comment in the comments section. Share one key thought or concept that came to you and how it will make a difference.
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Sacrament of Baptism
This lesson was the first of four that dealt with our two sacraments: baptism and communion.
Bible Text:
Matthew 3:1–17; Mark 16:15–16; Matthew 28:19–20; Colossians 3:1–14
Lesson Focus:
In baptism we join the family of faith and receive God's promises of forgiveness, salvation, and new life.
Big Question:
What really happens during baptism?
Key Words:
BORN AGAIN, INFANT BAPTISM, DAILY REPENTANCE, BODY OF CHRIST
Key Word's Definition
BORN AGAIN: having received in baptism salvation, forgiveness of sins, and the promise of everlasting life with God.
INFANT BAPTISM: occurs when a baby receives the sacrament and becomes a full member of the body of Christ. The infant becomes a member not by his or her own decision, but by the undeniable grace of God.
DAILY REPENTANCE: the realization every day that you are a sinner, but through your baptism into Jesus Christ you are redeemed and forgiven.
BODY OF CHRIST: the entire company of saints, including everyone on earth—past, present, and future—who lives in the promise of salvation in Jesus Christ for eternity.
Going Deep
In Jesus' baptism, the Spirit descended on him and a voice from heaven declared, "You are my Son" (Mark 1:10–11). In baptism, all become members of one body, which is the body of Christ. We become children of one Father, and there is "no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28).
Baptism is a new birth. We become children of God and heirs with Christ. Baptized into Christ, we are members of the body of Christ, buried with Christ "by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4). Receiving forgiveness, we are freed from sin and death to righteousness. Whatever sins we commit cannot hold us captive. Not only every day, but also every hour, God's forgiveness frees us to new life so that we may start anew to serve God.
Salvation is promised to us in baptism. God in Christ Jesus rescues us from death and sin so that we might live in God's glory forever. God does this "through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit . . . poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life" (Titus 3:5–8). Adopted as God's children through Jesus Christ in baptism, we receive God's grace and the forgiveness of sins. We become inheritors of God's promises, set aside for God's purposes, so that we might live new lives to the glory of God. New life in Christ is characterized by unity in the Spirit given in baptism. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ, who is the power of God. The Holy Spirit energizes us and gives us gifts for new life together in Christ.
Baptism is both an event and a process. We become members of any family by an event like birth, adoption, or marriage. Baptism, too, is an event—the washing in God's grace with water and word. Becoming part of a family is a process. It is the responsibility of all family members as well as the new family member. We learn and grow into what being a family member means. Baptism also involves the family of faith in a process. The process of baptism is ongoing education and growth in Christian understanding. It is also reliance on baptism in daily repentance and forgiveness of sins. "Daily a new person is to come forth and rise up to live before God in righteousness and purity forever"
Creative Writing Option: Water Dwellers
Have students get into pairs or work together as a small group. Come up with a list of at least one thing that lives in water for every letter of the alphabet. If you have time (and art supplies), students can illustrate the list with the water creatures.
Debrief the activity with these questions:
- Have you ever visited an aquarium? Which creatures did you like the most?
- What are some ways that you use water every day, and how could you remember your baptism during these times?
- Why do you think God uses something so common to do something so amazing?
We ask you to read the material below. The material will include "deep thought", our key words (definition), scripture (link - please read) and some general thoughts. We ask you to read all material and then comment in the comments section. Share one key thought or concept that came to you and how it will make a difference.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Sacrament of Baptism
This lesson was the first of four that dealt with our two sacraments: baptism and communion.
Bible Text:
Matthew 3:1–17; Mark 16:15–16; Matthew 28:19–20; Colossians 3:1–14
Lesson Focus:
In baptism we join the family of faith and receive God's promises of forgiveness, salvation, and new life.
Big Question:
What really happens during baptism?
Key Words:
BORN AGAIN, INFANT BAPTISM, DAILY REPENTANCE, BODY OF CHRIST
Key Word's Definition
BORN AGAIN: having received in baptism salvation, forgiveness of sins, and the promise of everlasting life with God.
INFANT BAPTISM: occurs when a baby receives the sacrament and becomes a full member of the body of Christ. The infant becomes a member not by his or her own decision, but by the undeniable grace of God.
DAILY REPENTANCE: the realization every day that you are a sinner, but through your baptism into Jesus Christ you are redeemed and forgiven.
BODY OF CHRIST: the entire company of saints, including everyone on earth—past, present, and future—who lives in the promise of salvation in Jesus Christ for eternity.
Going Deep
In Jesus' baptism, the Spirit descended on him and a voice from heaven declared, "You are my Son" (Mark 1:10–11). In baptism, all become members of one body, which is the body of Christ. We become children of one Father, and there is "no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28).
Baptism is a new birth. We become children of God and heirs with Christ. Baptized into Christ, we are members of the body of Christ, buried with Christ "by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4). Receiving forgiveness, we are freed from sin and death to righteousness. Whatever sins we commit cannot hold us captive. Not only every day, but also every hour, God's forgiveness frees us to new life so that we may start anew to serve God.
Salvation is promised to us in baptism. God in Christ Jesus rescues us from death and sin so that we might live in God's glory forever. God does this "through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit . . . poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life" (Titus 3:5–8). Adopted as God's children through Jesus Christ in baptism, we receive God's grace and the forgiveness of sins. We become inheritors of God's promises, set aside for God's purposes, so that we might live new lives to the glory of God. New life in Christ is characterized by unity in the Spirit given in baptism. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ, who is the power of God. The Holy Spirit energizes us and gives us gifts for new life together in Christ.
Baptism is both an event and a process. We become members of any family by an event like birth, adoption, or marriage. Baptism, too, is an event—the washing in God's grace with water and word. Becoming part of a family is a process. It is the responsibility of all family members as well as the new family member. We learn and grow into what being a family member means. Baptism also involves the family of faith in a process. The process of baptism is ongoing education and growth in Christian understanding. It is also reliance on baptism in daily repentance and forgiveness of sins. "Daily a new person is to come forth and rise up to live before God in righteousness and purity forever"
Creative Writing Option: Water Dwellers
Have students get into pairs or work together as a small group. Come up with a list of at least one thing that lives in water for every letter of the alphabet. If you have time (and art supplies), students can illustrate the list with the water creatures.
Debrief the activity with these questions:
- Have you ever visited an aquarium? Which creatures did you like the most?
- What are some ways that you use water every day, and how could you remember your baptism during these times?
- Why do you think God uses something so common to do something so amazing?
Make-Up's
We are going to attempt to do make-up's a little bit differently. For those who have missed September - December dates, I am going to be posting the make-up on the blog. The "make-up" will consist of the scripture, key words and key thoughts of the day and some information from the connect (small group) piece.. After reading them, you will "click" on the comment button and comment about the post and what you read and answer the question: how does this effect my life in junior high ?
PLEASE SIGN YOUR NAME TO IDENTIFY YOURSELF. If you want just to put your last name or your first name and last initial, that is fine. We just want to "credit" your work ;)
Beginning in January, on Monday or Tuesday, the lesson recap plus a small video will be on the blog and you will read and watch and then comment with an overview and how it will make a difference for you.
PLEASE SIGN YOUR NAME TO IDENTIFY YOURSELF. If you want just to put your last name or your first name and last initial, that is fine. We just want to "credit" your work ;)
Beginning in January, on Monday or Tuesday, the lesson recap plus a small video will be on the blog and you will read and watch and then comment with an overview and how it will make a difference for you.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Martin Luther & Reformation
On December 5th, we began a two-week series on
Bible Text:
Matthew 16:13–20; Luke 4:18–19; Romans 3:21–26; Ephesians 2:8–9
Lesson Focus:
Christians continually reform the church to spread the good news to every generation and culture.
Big Question:
Who is Martin Luther and what does it mean to be a Lutheran?
Key Words:
MARTIN LUTHER, REFORMATION, CATHOLIC, THESIS, RECANT
Key Word Definitions
MARTIN LUTHER: a German monk and priest who worked to make changes in the church during the 16th century. He became known (not by his choice) as the founder of a new movement that became the Lutheran Church.
REFORMATION: time period in the 16th century when church leaders attempted to change the way the Roman Catholic Church functioned.
CATHOLIC: with a capital C, refers to the Roman Catholic Church, or the traditions of the Western European church before the Reformation. With a lowercase c, refers to all Christians in the universal Christian church; this is the "catholic" we speak of in the Christian creeds.
THESIS: a statement made to provoke an argument or discussion. Luther posted "95 Theses" (plural) on the door of Wittenberg Church in hopes of engaging church leaders in a conversation about his concerns.
RECANT: To withdraw a statement or belief. Luther was asked to recant what he stated at the Diet of Worms in 1521. He did not recant.
Luther: Right With God
Throughout Luther's ministry, he struggled with what it meant for someone to be "right with God." His main question was, "What does it take to please God and attain righteousness in God's eyes?" While studying the Letter to the Romans, he was smacked over the head with the realization that no one can do enough to be right with God AND that God has already solved the problem by making us righteous through Jesus Christ. This idea led to other new insights and the recognition that the Roman Catholic Church needed to change. Luther began to point out practices that he felt went against what the Bible said about God, and he called on the church leaders to make changes. Making use of the newly invented printing press, he circulated pamphlets featuring his ideas and eventually posted "95 Theses" for debate on the door of the church in Wittenberg.
Some Central Theological Points of the Reformation
1. God's love is unconditional.
2. Sin is VERY real.
3. The three solas—sola scriptura (scripture alone), sola fidei (faith alone), sola gratia (grace alone)—are central to Luther's teaching and the Reformation. These are often quoted as "the key" to Luther's teaching.
4. We are saved by grace through faith.
5. We are saved by grace, not works.
6. All people have the duty to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, not just pastors.
7. The imperfect church continues to be imperfect. Luther taught that the church is a human institution. It makes mistakes and it needs to be continually learning and reforming. When the Christian church is faithful to God, it is continually changing and evaluating what has been done in the past and learning to adapt to new times and cultures.
Bible Text:
Matthew 16:13–20; Luke 4:18–19; Romans 3:21–26; Ephesians 2:8–9
Lesson Focus:
Christians continually reform the church to spread the good news to every generation and culture.
Big Question:
Who is Martin Luther and what does it mean to be a Lutheran?
Key Words:
MARTIN LUTHER, REFORMATION, CATHOLIC, THESIS, RECANT
Key Word Definitions
MARTIN LUTHER: a German monk and priest who worked to make changes in the church during the 16th century. He became known (not by his choice) as the founder of a new movement that became the Lutheran Church.
REFORMATION: time period in the 16th century when church leaders attempted to change the way the Roman Catholic Church functioned.
CATHOLIC: with a capital C, refers to the Roman Catholic Church, or the traditions of the Western European church before the Reformation. With a lowercase c, refers to all Christians in the universal Christian church; this is the "catholic" we speak of in the Christian creeds.
THESIS: a statement made to provoke an argument or discussion. Luther posted "95 Theses" (plural) on the door of Wittenberg Church in hopes of engaging church leaders in a conversation about his concerns.
RECANT: To withdraw a statement or belief. Luther was asked to recant what he stated at the Diet of Worms in 1521. He did not recant.
Luther: Right With God
Throughout Luther's ministry, he struggled with what it meant for someone to be "right with God." His main question was, "What does it take to please God and attain righteousness in God's eyes?" While studying the Letter to the Romans, he was smacked over the head with the realization that no one can do enough to be right with God AND that God has already solved the problem by making us righteous through Jesus Christ. This idea led to other new insights and the recognition that the Roman Catholic Church needed to change. Luther began to point out practices that he felt went against what the Bible said about God, and he called on the church leaders to make changes. Making use of the newly invented printing press, he circulated pamphlets featuring his ideas and eventually posted "95 Theses" for debate on the door of the church in Wittenberg.
Some Central Theological Points of the Reformation
1. God's love is unconditional.
2. Sin is VERY real.
3. The three solas—sola scriptura (scripture alone), sola fidei (faith alone), sola gratia (grace alone)—are central to Luther's teaching and the Reformation. These are often quoted as "the key" to Luther's teaching.
4. We are saved by grace through faith.
5. We are saved by grace, not works.
6. All people have the duty to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, not just pastors.
7. The imperfect church continues to be imperfect. Luther taught that the church is a human institution. It makes mistakes and it needs to be continually learning and reforming. When the Christian church is faithful to God, it is continually changing and evaluating what has been done in the past and learning to adapt to new times and cultures.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Summer 2011: Parent Meeting
Parent's, we will be having a parent meeting at 10am on Sunday to show you two promo videos for our summer trips. The summer trips are the mission trip to Milwaukee and our church camp experience in Panama City Beach, Florida.
We will meet for about 30 minutes. It is a short meeting that will simply be showing the videos, sharing a little about the trip and a time for you to ask questions.
Hope to see you there.
We will meet for about 30 minutes. It is a short meeting that will simply be showing the videos, sharing a little about the trip and a time for you to ask questions.
Hope to see you there.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Creed: Article Three
Exploring Article Three
Bible Text:
John 14:15–17; Acts 2:1–13
Lesson Focus:
The Holy Spirit nurtures us and advocates for us.
Big Question:
The Holy Spirit works in my life every day?
Key Words:
HOLY SPIRIT, COUNSELOR, PENTECOST, CHURCH
The definitions of our key words:
HOLY SPIRIT:
the third person of the Trinity, sometimes called the Paraclete.
COUNSELOR:
an advisor or teacher.
PENTECOST:
the day that comes fifty days after Easter, the coming of the Holy Spirit, and the birthday of the church.
CHURCH:
The community of believers, or the "community of saints."
The Holy Spirit
Jesus promised the Holy Spirit as his continuing presence with believers. Jesus conferred the Holy Spirit in a resurrection appearance to the disciples and more generally on the day of Pentecost.
According to Acts 2, believers receive the Holy Spirit in baptism. The Spirit gathers and empowers the church with the gospel. The Spirit enlightens believers, reminding them of what Jesus said and continues to teach, testifying on Jesus' behalf, and sanctifying believers by guiding them in the truth, which is Jesus.
This is the same Spirit who conceived Jesus, whom Jesus received in baptism, and by whose power Jesus acts. Jesus understood his vocation as an outpouring of the Spirit in fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy.
The Bible refers to God's Spirit with words for breath or wind: in Hebrew rûah, in Greek pneuma, and in Latin spiritus. In creation "a wind from God swept over the face of the waters," and by the breath of God's speaking, God created all that is. God's breath enlivens human beings, and God's Spirit empowers prophets. Prophets anticipated the outpouring of God's Spirit to transform creation, including all people.
The Creed presents the persons of the Trinity separately. The three persons are distinguishable but inseparable. The Spirit is always the Spirit of Christ. The Holy Spirit . . .
• is both identified with Jesus and distinct from Jesus.
• is present with Jesus, comes before Jesus, and comes after Jesus.
• both reminds believers of Jesus' teaching and extends Jesus' teaching.
• both empowers Jesus (Romans 1:4) and is granted and sent by Jesus.
• is both revealed by Jesus and reveals Jesus.
• is both in the church and beyond the church in all creation.
Bible Text:
John 14:15–17; Acts 2:1–13
Lesson Focus:
The Holy Spirit nurtures us and advocates for us.
Big Question:
The Holy Spirit works in my life every day?
Key Words:
HOLY SPIRIT, COUNSELOR, PENTECOST, CHURCH
The definitions of our key words:
HOLY SPIRIT:
the third person of the Trinity, sometimes called the Paraclete.
COUNSELOR:
an advisor or teacher.
PENTECOST:
the day that comes fifty days after Easter, the coming of the Holy Spirit, and the birthday of the church.
CHURCH:
The community of believers, or the "community of saints."
The Holy Spirit
Jesus promised the Holy Spirit as his continuing presence with believers. Jesus conferred the Holy Spirit in a resurrection appearance to the disciples and more generally on the day of Pentecost.
According to Acts 2, believers receive the Holy Spirit in baptism. The Spirit gathers and empowers the church with the gospel. The Spirit enlightens believers, reminding them of what Jesus said and continues to teach, testifying on Jesus' behalf, and sanctifying believers by guiding them in the truth, which is Jesus.
This is the same Spirit who conceived Jesus, whom Jesus received in baptism, and by whose power Jesus acts. Jesus understood his vocation as an outpouring of the Spirit in fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy.
The Bible refers to God's Spirit with words for breath or wind: in Hebrew rûah, in Greek pneuma, and in Latin spiritus. In creation "a wind from God swept over the face of the waters," and by the breath of God's speaking, God created all that is. God's breath enlivens human beings, and God's Spirit empowers prophets. Prophets anticipated the outpouring of God's Spirit to transform creation, including all people.
The Creed presents the persons of the Trinity separately. The three persons are distinguishable but inseparable. The Spirit is always the Spirit of Christ. The Holy Spirit . . .
• is both identified with Jesus and distinct from Jesus.
• is present with Jesus, comes before Jesus, and comes after Jesus.
• both reminds believers of Jesus' teaching and extends Jesus' teaching.
• both empowers Jesus (Romans 1:4) and is granted and sent by Jesus.
• is both revealed by Jesus and reveals Jesus.
• is both in the church and beyond the church in all creation.
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