meet ME under the bridge

On December 18th, Christ The Savior helped with meet ME under the bridge. We have been partnering with them for 14 months now. During confirmation small group, we had the 7th grade groups help in the kitchen. They prepared the take home bags and the Christmas packages. Then we had 3 of the confirmation students join up with 11 other individuals to serve in downtown Indianapolis. Here are a few of the pictures:

their banner

making sandwiches in the kitchen

making the Christmas packages

confirmation group: serious pose

confirmation group: the moose look

city view from the parking lot

the warehouse that we served from

serving desserts

This past month, we at Christ The Savior, had 20 families bring in food. We had 24 students and 4 adults working in the church and then we had 14 going down and serving including 4 parent/child. We had a smaller turnout this past month but we still had the opportunity to serve 65+ individuals.

Thank-you for serving !

Make-Up: December 18th, 2011

On December 18th, our lesson was on the Birth Of Jesus. Below is the outline of what we did in Big Group. We ask you to read through the blog post and then you can answer the big question. All you have to do is click the comment, choose anonymous and after you give your answer, place your initials down so we can give you the credit for make-up.

The Outline of Big Group

Countdown

Welcome & Announcements

Opening Song: O Little Town Of Bethlehem

Opening Prayer

Drama Time

Affirmation of Baptism: What’s The Connection?

Key Words

Scripture Reading

Message

Depart For Small Groups

Bible Text
Luke 2:1–20


Lesson Focus God's son Jesus came to save all people, focusing on the outcasts first.

Big Question
I've heard this story many times. What else can I learn from it?

Key Words
INCARNATION, BETHLEHEM, MESSIAH/CHRIST, OUTCAST

Definition of Key Words

INCARNATION: God taking on human life (flesh) in Jesus.

BETHLEHEM: the town where Jesus was born. Joseph was descended from King David, who was also born in Bethlehem.

MESSIAH/CHRIST: the one promised by God who would come to save God's people. Messiah is Hebrew, Christ is Greek, but both words translate into English as "the anointed one." Jesus, son of Mary, is the Messiah.

OUTCAST: a person or class of people who are disdained by others in society. They often are forced to live apart from others and are shunned by the community.

Lesson Highlights

The writer of Luke sets the birth of the Messiah within world history.

Augustus was the honorary name for Gaius Octavius, Roman emperor from 31 B.C. to 14 A.D. He was known as the "bringer of peace," and biblical scholars speculate that the writer of Luke makes a connection between Jesus' birth and Augustus's reign to show that Jesus, not Augustus, is the true bringer of peace.

Palestine had been under Roman control for about a century and under foreign occupation for nearly 600 years when Jesus was born.

There were many hopes and expectations with regard to the leader whom God would send to bring justice and peace. Some were expecting a military hero—who would conquer the Romans, rally God's people, and usher in an era of peace and prosperity for the faithful who had been oppressed.

The idea that shepherds were the first to receive the news of the Messiah's birth would have been surprising and offensive to the original hearers and readers of this story.

Baptismal Connection


Today's lesson focuses on the clause "to strive for justice and peace in all the earth" 

Make Up: December 11th, 2011

On December 11th, we had a lesson on the wilderness to land (the wandering in the wilderness). Please take time to read the scripture, highlights and the video and in the comment section; answer the big question.

Wilderness to Land

Bible Text:

Exodus 16:1–15

Joshua 24:14–18

Deuteronomy 6:4–9

Lesson Focus:
We should focus our lives on God.

Big Question:
I have so many important things in my life; why should I focus on God?

Key Words:
PROVIDE, OBEDIENCE, FAITHFULNESS, PROMISE

Definition of Key Words

PROVIDE: to supply or give what is needed to meet or sustain one's needs.

OBEDIENCE: complying with the guidelines that have been given to you.

FAITHFULNESS: allegiance and loyalty, especially to God, family, and friends.

PROMISE: a pledge or declaration that one will do what is declared.

Highlight

Once out of Egypt, the people begin to grumble; God provides food for them.

The people worship the golden calf and so must wander in the wilderness for 40 years. During that time the Lord provides for them.

Moses is not allowed to enter the promised land, and Joshua becomes the new leader of the people.

The faithfulness of God in spite of the erratic behavior of God's people is a prominent theme in these stories.

Moses' audience for many of his sermons is a new generation of Israelites. Moses is concerned that they know the history of their ancestors and the history of God's direct involvement in their lives.

Moses preaches with the backdrop of the Exodus and his sight set forward to the fulfillment of the promise of a marvelous land for God's chosen people.

Moses, and later Joshua, expands and clarifies the law throughout the people's journey, always emphasizing the grace of the law that leads to the fulfilled life that God intends for the chosen people.

Deuteronomy 6:4–9, especially verses 4–5 (called the Shema), is foundational for Jews in a very profound way to this day. All obedience, it claims, flows out of a sense of love toward God and dependence on God.

Connecting

This week, we watched two videos. One was a music connection and one was a movie connection. Here is the music video and some background:

Home By Daughtry



In this lesson, we learn that the Israelites are on a long journey to the promised land. Through Moses's many speeches, the people learn that their special relationship with God is based on love. The Israelites feel that the promised land is to be their home. Chris Daughtry sings about a journey home: a place where love is. Even though he is not always the best man, the love that abides at home is always there.

Debrief the movie clip with these questions:

• How does it feel to go home after a long journey?
• What do you consider "home"?

Make Up: December 4th, 2011

On December 4th, we had our lesson on Exhile and Return. We ask you to read the scriptures and take a look at the lesson focus, key words and the highlights. Then, click on the comment section and answer the big question. For comments, you can choose annonymous and oplace first or last name or initials and we will record it; thanks.

Exile and Return

Bible Text:
Ezekiel 5:5–8; 36:22–32; Zechariah 1:1–6

Lesson Focus:
Even when we feel separated, God always welcomes us back.

Big Question:
How can I be sure that God is really with me?

Key Words:
EXILE, BABYLON, JERUSALEM, FAITHFULNESS, PROPHET

Definitions of Key Words

EXILE: removal from one's homeland for an extended period of time. God's people were in exile for more than 50 years.

BABYLON: a city in the area now known as Iraq, between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. King Nebuchadnezzar exiled several thousand of God's people from their homes in Jerusalem to Babylon from 597 to 539 B.C.E.

JERUSALEM: the home of God's people and the city where they returned after the Exile.

FAITHFULNESS: the demonstration of loyalty or allegiance. God remained faithful to God's people, even while they were exiled in Babylon. God's people also demonstrated their faithfulness to God during this time.

PROPHET: a person who is called by God to preach and speak fearlessly for God.

Quick Overview

The Babylonian exile of the Jews from their homeland was a turning point in the life of God's people, reshaping them for new life with God. This forced exile happened over several years and lasted for about 60 years.

The prophets who served during the exile and the return emphasized God's presence and purpose among the people and in all events—even painful and tragic ones. Ezekiel recalled the people to a life dedicated to Yahweh.

The release from exile came in stages, beginning with the edict of Persian King Cyrus in 538 B.C.E. that allowed exiles to return and reestablish their worship of God.

Ezra and Nehemiah were concerned with religious reform, organizing the returning community around Torah, and rebuilding the temple. Both Ezra (a priest) and Nehemiah (a political leader) had a strong sense of God's working in history and God's ability to use whomever God wills.

The prophets of the post-exilic period (including Ezekiel and Zechariah) laid the basis in language and imagery for the development of biblical apocalyptic writing. Unlike much popular apocalyptic literature today, biblical apocalyptic literature was written to reassure oppressed people of God's power and abiding presence and mercy.

Make Up: November 20th, 2011

On Sunday, November 20th, our small group lesson was King David. Here is the lesson highlights below. We ask you to take a look at the scriptures, read the material and comment below on what it means to you. Thanks.

King David

Bible Text:
1 Samuel 16–17; 18:10–16; 2 Samuel 2:1–7; 5:1–10; 7:1–17; Isaiah 9:6–7

Lesson Focus:
God uses imperfect people to do amazing things.

Big Question:
Do we have to have David-like courage and trust to be useful to God?

Key Words:
CHOSEN, HUMBLE, TRUST

Definition of Key Words

CHOSEN: a person or group of people selected for a special purpose. David was chosen by God to be a leader and to be the ancestor of Jesus.

HUMBLE: not arrogant, haughty, or overly assertive. A low, unpretentious ranking. David was a humble shepherd when God called him to do great things.

TRUST: to rely on someone or something; to place confidence and dependence in someone. Because David trusted in God's word, guidance, and strength, he was blessed with the ability to lead the nation of Israel.


Quick Bullet Highlights

The Bible has two versions of King David's life, one in 1 Samuel 16–31; 2 Samuel; and 1 Kings 1–2; and one in 1 Chronicles.

Even after being chosen by God to be king, David had to overcome several obstacles before being recognized as king of Israel.

A brilliant strategist and mediator, King David united the nation, centralized power, and established a national capital at Jerusalem.

In David and his descendants we see that God chooses and uses whom God will—raising up a lowly shepherd to be king and using a deeply flawed human being for God's purposes.

David reigned as king approximately from 1000 to 961 B.C.

Jesus is descended from David.

Our leaders are flawed human beings just like us. It's important not to idealize leaders. It's also important to consider what attributes are truly important in leaders.

Going Deep

The Bible portrays David as a brilliant strategist and mediator. We have two versions of King David's life. One (1 Chronicles), likely composed in the fifth century B.C., celebrates David's leadership in uniting north and south, establishing the national capital and spiritual center at Jerusalem, centralizing power, and focusing the people on praising God. An earlier version (1 Samuel 16–31; 2 Samuel; 1 Kings 1–2), likely composed during the exile in the sixth century B.C., is a more complex story of personal and political intrigue. David's association with many of the psalms reflects his concern for worship of Yahweh (2 Samuel 23:1).

The New Testament attests that Jesus is descended from David. Almost invariably those who cry to Jesus for mercy do so calling him "Son of David" (see Matthew 9:27; 15:22; 17:15; 20:30–21; Mark 10:47–48; Luke 17:13; 18:38–39). Old Testament prophecies reiterate the promise of Christ coming from the family of David (Isaiah 9:6–7).

Like many important biblical figures, David was of humble origins, the youngest son of "a Bethlehem farmer" (1 Samuel 16). With God's help and David's trust in God, David became Israel's most powerful king and accomplished great things while yet a human being who made some terrible mistakes. David, through sin, crime, and repentance, still trusted and believed in God, and God repeatedly forgave him and remained with him.

In David and his descendants we see that God chooses and uses whom God will. David, like other important biblical figures, such as Mary and Joseph, was a lowly person raised up by God to become a person of great importance. God made a shepherd the patriarch of a dynasty.

David was the preeminent king among all ancient Israel's kings and was chosen by God (1 Samuel 16:1–13), but he was nonetheless a deeply flawed human being. Having won King Saul's affection, David subsequently became Saul's rival, married Saul's daughter, and established a separate power base from which David rose to become king following Saul's death. David was a brilliant and trusted leader, for example, gathering to himself "everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented" and becoming "captain over them" (1 Samuel 22:2). But David was also abusive (2 Samuel 11–12), and his legacy of abuse was the terrible inheritance of his children (2 Samuel 13).

David's reign is estimated to have been approximately from 1000 to 961 B.C. David's kingship contrasts with that of Saul, who was the first king of ancient Israel, beginning a generation earlier. David's reign transformed the feuding tribal confederacy under Saul into a more coherent—though not completely united—nation. Elapsed time and the change in political environment, notably the Philistine threat, helped make possible David's consolidation and centralization of power (2 Samuel 21:15–22; 23:8–39). David was anointed twice, first as king of Judah (2 Samuel 2:4) in the south and then as king of Israel (2 Samuel 5:3) in the north. As a sign to unite the nation, David brought the Ark of the Covenant to the newly established capital of Jerusalem, located between north and south. David used the Ark—a sign of God's sole sovereignty—to consolidate his own power as king over the nation.

What do we expect of our leaders? We fall into a trap when we think our leaders are not flawed human beings just like ourselves. Setting leaders on a pedestal can dangerously lead to unquestioning loyalty. At the same time, a leader must be a model to others. What is reasonable to expect of leaders? They must possess attributes that enable them to lead effectively. They must have the ability to listen, a character and personality that can hold people's trust and respect, vision, the ability to see the big picture, organizational skills, and integrity. Is it important that a leader have a sense of humor about herself or himself? Is compassion important? Is physical health important? Or the ability to say no? What is the relationship between a leader's public life and personal life? In what ways is a person's personal life relevant or irrelevant to the person's capacity to lead in society or in the church?

Make Up: November 13th, 2011

We want to encourage you to read through the format that Carrie's class followed. When you are done, please take a moment and comment in the comment box. Please remember to sign your name or initials; so you can get credit.

Small Group: Prophets of Judah 11/13/11 Week 9

Our Lesson

Bible Text:
Isaiah 5:1-7; 9:2-7; 10:1-2; 1:16-20; Jeremiah 31: 31-34; 7:1-15, 23-26

Lesson Focus:
Though the people were not always faithful to God, God was always faithful to them.

Big Question:
Who will I always be able to count on?

Key Words:
JUSTICE, HOPE, CONFESSION

High Level View of Judah and the books of Isaiah & Jeremiah

Assyria was asserting itself against Judah & Israel. We learned last week that Israel fell to Assyria and Judah narrowly avoided being similarly swallowed up. Judah, the Southern Kingdom, led also with kings, mostly who failed to be faithful to Yahweh. Its primary prophets during this period were Isaiah & Micah, however Jeremiah’s prophecy was the most extensive.

Two kings represent the ends of the spectrum. At one extreme, Manasseh was regarded as the most brutal & faithless king Judah had ever known. At the other extreme, Josiah was regarded as the best king next to King David. Josiah instituted religious reforms but was not adept in international relations.

So why was Judah so sinful? (Bad King = Bad People)

King Manasseh’s reign began when he was 12 yrs old and lasted several decades from 687 to 642 B.C.E He spat on covenants, built altars and a temple to other gods and was murderous, even sacrificing his son to an Assyrian deity. He was unjust and had faithless leadership, causing Judah’s sinfulness, destruction and subsequent exile.

Opening Prayer

LEADER: Lord, we have failed to worship you and recognize the grace that you have freely given to us. Help us look to you for guidance, love and acceptance. Help us see your grace and mercy in all that we do and say. Lead us out of temptation and into your loving arms.
ALL: Amen

Prophet-Isaiah

In a vision, Isaiah saw God enthroned in the temple and surrounded by angels. God was seeking a rep, but Isaiah was acutely aware of his sinfulness & the sinfulness of his people. An angel took a live coal from an altar & touched it to Isaiah’s lips explaining that “your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for”.
Isaiah is a good model for how to remain part of the community of faith while at the same time acknowledging and dealing with its faults.

He used the image of the people as God’s vineyard to call the nation to repentance. He also articulated a vision of a king (Josiah) who would be faithful and compassionate and would lead the people in their understanding of the sole sovereignty of Yahweh.

And saving the best for last…he predicted the Messiah’s coming! He saw a vision of the Messiah’s (Jesus) virgin birth, his character and his crucifixion.


Read- Bible Text: Isaiah 9:2-7

In a time of great darkness, God promised to send a light that would shine on everyone living in the shadow of death. This message of hope was fulfilled in the birth of Christ and the establishment of his eternal kingdom. He came to deliver all people from their slavery to sin.

Prophet- Jeremiah

He had both a deep understanding of human sin and a deep trust in God’s constancy and determination to do whatever was needed to renew and sustain relationship with the people.

God’s message through Jeremiah was that his once-devoted people were no longer faithful. Like Isaiah, Jeremiah proclaimed the promise of a new king who would be righteous and compassionate, a leader who would fulfill God’s purpose. (Jeremiah 23: 1-8)

Definitions of Key Words

JUSTICE: the principal of right action and fairness as related to treating people fairly and honestly.

HOPE: trust in or reliance on someone or something.

CONFESSION: the act of admitting your wrongdoing or sins.

The Big Question:

Who will I always be able to count on?

The people of Judah were not faithful to God, yet God remained faithful to them. God could have abandoned the people, let them suffer the result of their sin, yet God did not do that. God is the model of faithfulness for us.

Baptismal Connection

Today’s lesson focuses on the clause “to strive for justice and peace in all the earth”. Working for justice and peace is central to the call to follow God. Prophets like Isaiah & Jeremiah made it clear that what God wants from His people is for them to work in this world on behalf of those who are in need. Working for peace & justice is one of the most important ways we can share God’s love with the world.

Best/Worst (hi’s / low’s) from your week?

Closing Prayer

LEADER: Lord, even though your people turned their back on you,
GROUP: You were faithful.
LEADER: Even though we were in sin,
GROUP: You sent your Son to die for us.
LEADER: Even though we don’t deserve it,
GROUP: You give us your grace.
LEADER: Be with us as we tell others of what you have done in our lives.
GROUP: Thank you, Lord
ALL: Amen.

Make Up: November 6th, 2011

Carrie Lucas created a student sheet for her class. We wanted to share it with you for the class make up time. We ask you to read the material and then comment in the section below so we can know that you did the make-up. Thanks.
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Our Lesson

Bible Text:
1 Kings 11:1-13, Amos 1:1; 5:21-24; 8:1-18; Hosea 1:1-9; 4:1-3; Jeremiah 11:18-23; 15:15-21

Lesson Focus:
When the rulers of Israel ignored God’s prophets, Israel was lost.

Big Question:
What would a prophet say to us today?

Key Words:
PROPHET, JUDGEMENT, JUSTICE

High Level View of the Book of 1 KINGS, AMOS, HOSEA, & JEREMIAH:

The once great nation of Israel turned into a land divided, not only physically, but spiritually. God had warned Israel that kings would cause more problems than they solve. Evil kings led the nation deeper into idolatry and destruction.
During this period, there were 2 kingdoms. Israel was the Northern Kingdom & Judah was the Southern Kingdom. We’ll be focusing on the Northern Kingdom. Throughout history, the people of Israel had disobeyed God. They rejected the prophets and didn’t take care of those who were poor and powerless. They were mistreating the poor and worshipping other gods, such as money and power, instead of God. They enjoyed luxury while the poor suffered. Because they rejected God and the prophets and didn’t take care of those who were poor, Israel was abandoned by God and became exiled. During the exile, the Israelites wondered why, since they were God’s chosen people, they felt so abandoned. Remembering the words of God’s prophets, like Amos & Hosea, helped.

The prophets whose voices carry throughout these stories in the bible are the real meat & potatoes of the story, not the kings, for it’s the prophets who call the people of the Northern Kingdom back to faithfulness to the God who still loves them.

Read- Bible Text: 1 Kings 11:1-13
After David died, Solomon (the wisest king in the history of Israel), became King. Solomon was wealthy and wise, but disobeyed God in a number of ways. The kings and leaders of God’s people were to help the people stay faithful to God. Under the influence of his many wives, Solomon began to worship other gods, thereby, leading the people to do the same thing.

Important to note: Solomon was led to idolatry.
We, as Christians, may have strong faith, but we also have areas of weakness. Those areas are usually where temptation strikes. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link—so strengthen & protect yourselves where you are weak.

Opening Prayer LEADER: Lord, you spoke through your prophets of old.
GROUP: Now you speak through us.
LEADER: You call for peace where there is war.
GROUP: Make us instruments of your peace.
LEADER: You call for justice where there is despair.
GROUP: Make us instruments of your justice.
ALL: Amen

Definitions of Key Words

PROPHET: a messenger for God who speaks out about acts of injustice.

JUDGMENT: an accusation about a person’s actions. The prophets pronounced judgment on the king and people because of their poor actions.

JUSTICE: living in relationships of love and caring & upholding the powerless, goes beyond obeying the law.

Prophets

Amos – He was a man of God and spoke with brutal frankness in denouncing sin. He was just a humble Shepard, who God gave a vision of the future to. The vision was that Israel would be conquered by Assyria and the rich would become slaves, themselves. Amos pronounced God’s judgment upon Israel, the northern kingdom, for its complacency, idolatry, and oppression to the poor. He collided with the false religious leaders of his day and was not intimidated by a priest or a king. He continued to speak his message boldly.

Hosea (means “salvation”)- The book of Hosea is a love story – real, tragic and true. God told Hosea to wind a wife (Gomer) and revealed to him ahead of time that she would be unfaithful to him. This book tells of God’s love for his people and the response of His “bride”. A covenant had been made, and God had been faithful. But Israel, like Gomer, was adulterous and unfaithful, turning to false gods. Hosea warned that unless they repented of their sin and turned back to God, they were headed for destruction.

Jeremiah – The basic theme was “repent and turn to God”. Jeremiah was God’s spokesman, but nobody listened. He was rejected by his neighbors, his family, false priests, friends…everyone. He often felt he stood alone as he predicted the destruction of Jerusalem. He predicted that after the destruction of the nation, God would send a new Shepard, the Messiah (JESUS). Jesus would lead them into a new future, a new covenant, and a new day of hope…and he would accomplish this by changing their sinful hearts into hearts of love for God.

Prophets of Today

God sent prophets to warn the people of Israel. The teachings of these prophets in the biblical tradition help us to understand & listen to the voices of present-day prophets. Prophets today provide us with guiding lights. People like Martin Luther King Jr., John Paul II, and others are recent prophets who have spread God’s message of peace, love, and justice.

Baptismal Connection
Today’s lesson focuses on the clause “to strive for justice and peace in all the earth”. Working for justice and peace is central to the call to follow God. Prophets like Amos made it clear that what God wants from His people is for them to work in this world on behalf of those who are in need. Working for peace & justice is one of the most important ways we can share God’s love with the world.

Best/Worst (hi’s / low’s) from your week?


Closing Prayer

LEADER: Lord, you sent your prophets to speak up for the poor.
GROUP: Help us to speak up for the poor.
LEADER: You sent your prophets to speak to government leaders.
GROUP: Help us to guide all world leaders to do what is right.
LEADER: You sent your prophets to remind your people to put you first in their lives.
GROUP: Help us to put you first in our lives.
LEADER: For all you do for us, we thank you.
GROUP: Thank you, Lord
ALL: Amen.

Make Up: October 23rd - Moses & Pharaoh

On Sunday, October 23rd, our lesson was on Moses and Pharaoh. Below, you will see the outline of the lesson in small group. We ask you to read through it and then comment on what stood out to you. By commenting, we will know that you have read through the material and interacted with the lesson. You can comment as "anonymous" and list your initials and we will know who it is; thank you.

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Moses and Pharaoh

Bible Text:
Exodus 2:23–24; 5:1–9; 6:1–9; 7:14–12:32; 12:33–42; 14:21–31

Lesson Focus:
God delivers the people from suffering.

Big Question:
Why doesn't God fix all the injustice in the world?

Key Words:
PLAGUE, PASSOVER, DELIVERANCE

Definition of Key Words

PLAGUE: any large-scale calamity.

PASSOVER: a Jewish festival commemorating the deliverance of their people from slavery in Egypt.

DELIVERANCE: the act of releasing or rescuing.

The Highlights

Moses serves as God's mediator and the Hebrew people's enfleshed liberator and leader.

The fantastic plague narrative shows that the God of the Israelites is sovereign not only over the Hebrew people, but over the Egyptians (i.e., the world) as well.

Yahweh is a God who rescues, makes relationships, and establishes covenants.

Yahweh is powerful, and divine power is shown not in domination, as exercised by Pharaoh, but through deliverance.

God's purposes continue to be achieved through people—reluctant ones, even!

God is involved in the sociopolitical world in profound ways.

The story of the Exodus undergirds everything that comes after it in scripture. From now on, God is known as the creating, redeeming, and sustaining God.


DEEP THOUGHTS

The setting of the Exodus undergirds everything that comes after it in scripture. God's action in this world to save his people from bondage to slavery becomes the story. God becomes known as the creating, redeeming, and sustaining God. And Moses becomes God's flesh-and-blood liberator, leader, and lawgiver.

God has already called Moses in the famous scene of the burning bush. His "call narrative" is wonderful on many levels, not the least of which is that he argues and argues and argues with God. And God listens. God responds. There is discussion. The plan is modified somewhat. Finally God says, "Go!" And Moses goes. The divine trait of listening to the people is highlighted throughout this story. It is not only Moses God listens to, but the people in general. "Out of the slavery their cry for help rose up to God. God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God looked upon the Israelites, and God took notice of them" (Exodus 2:23–25). God is identified as the God who entered into the covenant with their ancestors. This is our clue that the promise of blessing will be furthered yet again.

The plague narrative is always interesting. It is so fantastic and surreal! The point of it is not found in Bible notes or late-night TV documentaries insisting that scientific evidence of natural disasters around this time in history exists. The point is that it is fantastic. This God of the Israelites is sovereign not only over the Hebrew people, but over the Egyptians (i.e., the world) as well. These are not magic tricks Moses brings on in the name of the Lord—Pharaoh's magicians cannot match them when the ante is upped. This is the power of the one true God. From this story comes the tradition of Passover, with its obvious links in the New Testament. This is the historical background of the celebratory feast that takes place each spring in the homes of our Jewish friends and neighbors. And it is our story too.

God shines from the pages of scripture in this story. As the people begin their wilderness wanderings after their miraculous crossing of the sea, Moses begins to talk with them more about the God who saved them. The themes are unmistakable, and they will continue to be spelled out again and again through the wilderness wanderings. Yahweh is a God who rescues, makes relationships, and establishes covenants. Yahweh is powerful, and divine power is shown not in domination, as exercised by Pharaoh, but through deliverance. God's purposes continue to be achieved through people—reluctant ones, even! God is involved in the sociopolitical world in profound ways. These are the claims of a rescued people. Though the chosen people do not always confess it—rather, they complain much of the time—the setting of the Exodus undergirds everything that comes after it in scripture. From now on, God is known as the creating, redeeming, and sustaining God.

Make-Up: October 16th, 2011 - Joseph

On Sunday in small group, we took a look at Joseph. It is a long story (14 chapters). One of the groups had a great discussion on favortism and if/how parents show it to their children. At least how the students in the group felt there is favortism shown to their siblings. We asked you to familiarize with the story, read the descriptions below and comment on what/how the story means/relates to you.

Bible Text:
Genesis 37–50

Lesson Focus:
Joseph trusted God, in the good and bad times.

Big Question:
Why should I trust God?

Key Words:
DREAMS, SLAVERY, FORGIVENESS

DEFINITION OF KEY WORDS

DREAMS: thoughts, visions, or mental images that occur during sleep and can relay a message. Joseph interpreted his dreams and the dreams of others.

SLAVERY: a condition of bondage when a person is in servitude to another; drudgery, toil. Joseph was sold as a slave by his own brothers.

FORGIVENESS: relief from a debt or a weakness; pardon; wiping the slate clean. Joseph forgave his brothers when they thought that would never happen.

DEEP THOUGHTS ON JOSEPH

The story of Joseph is a masterpiece of Hebrew and world literature. With a fabulous plot, intrigue, and suspense, it is a story suitable for reading on a lovely or rainy (confirmation) afternoon! Children love it, composers of music love it, artists love it, and clearly, the biblical writers found it to be a rich source of teaching about God and humanity. In terms of the biblical story line, it provides a bit of a bridge between the books of Genesis and Exodus, beginning with the ever-increasing chosen family in Canaan and ending with the family-turned-nation residing in the best part of Egypt.

Again, we find the familiar themes of deception, favoritism, and the pain of family relations rearing their ugly heads. But in this story, God retreats a bit (not in the sense of vanishing from the story)—God's actions are more providentially inclined rather than interventionally inclined. There are no extraordinary theophanies or dramatic revelations in this story—no visits from angels, no long talks with the Divine, no mysterious wrestling in the dead of night. Instead, God appears indirectly in the claims made about Joseph and in the divine communication Joseph has via his dreams. Joseph is considered to be wise, and that indicates that God is with him, we are told. He also has both the gift of having dreams filled with portents of the future and divine communication and the gift of dream interpretation. The meaning of this is ambiguous in the text. Clearly God is working with Joseph in these more hidden ways.

Just as Jacob loved Rachel to the disappointment of Leah, he now loves Joseph, Rachel's son, to the pain of Joseph's siblings. Joseph is given a special robe and special favors, and his brothers hate him for it. They come up with a plan to rid themselves of their pesky little brother who was always telling them of the dreams he had of his own greatness and their lack. Once Joseph is gone, however, their father is never the same, and Joseph's fate turns out far differently than they supposed. Again, providentially so.

Joseph is sold into slavery, but his intelligence and rather charmed life gets him out of that quickly. He is favored by others and enjoys quick success. His only setback is a time in prison, falsely accused of behaving improperly with Potiphar's wife. But even in prison, God is with Joseph, and Joseph remains faithful to God. He waits patiently for things to be righted; and they are, in rather dramatic fashion. Joseph rises to second place in the land of Egypt, a position of amazing power, gained because of his gift at dream interpretation (i.e., because God is with him).

The story is long. In the end, Joseph preserves the lives of the Egyptians (and therefore the world) and his family, God's chosen ones, with his economic plan designed to keep everyone eating during a long famine. God's promise for goodness doesn't happen off in a corner, but plays itself out in the world at large. Throughout the story, the narrator is careful to have us know that it is not Joseph himself who works these wonders, but rather God working through Joseph.

To what degree is God involved in personal, familial, or national history? The story of Joseph makes its claims. All of us have stories as well. The Bible's claim is that God is at work in the ugly places of jealousy and heartaches and breaks. God works with our neighbors' and our own shortcomings and sins. Most importantly, this story emphasizes that divine intent is always for good, as Joseph says at the end, even when our intent is not.

The stage is set for Exodus. The chosen family-nation is in Egypt. They are enjoying the best and most fruitful land. There has been some degree of reconciliation. There are 12 sons and probably many wives and nearly countless children. God's promise to Abraham continues to be realized. Soon Old Abraham will have as many descendants as the stars and grains of sand. What will this mean for the world? What does it mean for us today?

Make-Up: October 9, 2011 - The Flood

This week for the makeup; we have put up the study guide that Carrie Lucas' group used in class. We asked you to read through her portion; my additional comments and then you can click on the comment section and give us a paragraph on what new insights that you gained and what they mean to you.

Our Lesson

Big Question: What does an old covenant have to do with me?

The Noah story is one of realism and promise. It’s a story of redemption, as God wills to save, not destroy.

Noah “walked with God” before the flood. However, God was very displeased with the wickedness of the rest of humankind. He found Noah’s family to be the only righteous people left in creation. God instructed Noah and his family to build an ark and take 2 of every animal with them. Noah’s family were saved from the waters of the flood and became partners with God in the first universal covenant.

The flood allows a new beginning. The sign of the covenant, a rainbow, is a reminder to God, not humanity, of the promise to never flood creation again.

Read- Bible Text: Genesis 6-9

Opening Prayer

Creator God, thank you for making the promise with Noah and with everyone who comes after him—the promise where we were washed clean and go to start over again. Thank you for the new chances we get every day when we sin and you forgive us. Let us feel the goodness that comes with your promises. Help us reflect your image in which we were created, even though we sin and have many flaws and limitations. Amen.

Definitions of Key Words

WALK WITH GOD: remaining faithful to God even when others around you are not; trusting and believing in God.

COVENANT: a promise or binding agreement between two parties. When God makes a covenant, it is very one-sided, with the people of God getting the full benefit.

RESTORATION: bringing something back to its former condition; reinstatement. Through the flood, God restored an understanding of the rules and boundaries we live by. It was a new beginning, living in the grace and forgiveness of God.


Didjaknow?

• The ark was built of cypress wood, per God’s instructions.

• It rained for 40 days and 40 nights.

• There were a total of 8 people on the ark.

• Speaking of “promises” and “covenants”…When children are baptized, their parents bring them to the font and make important promises to bring the child up in the Christian faith. Your parents are keeping their promise…because you are here today! When you see your parents next, be sure to thank them for “walking with God”. 

• WATER is the earthly element in baptism. God uses it to was away sin and drown the “old Adam” or “old Eve” in the baptized person. Water in itself cannot do it—baptism is water connected to the power of God’s word, and it is received by God’s gift of faith.

The FLOOD

As humans who sin and have already fallen, we count on God’s supernatural strength to save us from floods of many kinds, including those we bring on ourselves by our sin.

• What are the “floods” in your life?
• Do you bring those concerns to God?

Prayer (Big Sis mention their Lil Sis name and visa versa)

Amazing God, thank you for bringing us to this safe place. Thank you for (my big sis’ name or my lil sis’ name). Help us realize that your promise of salvation is real and is for us today and every day. We pray all this in your name. Amen.

Student Sheet-Read bullet points aloud.

• What is the most surprising information to you on this list?
• What is the most reassuring information?
• How is God’s covenant with Noah also a covenant with you?


Best/Worst (hi’s / low’s) from your week?

Closing Prayer – light candles & think of a person you know whose life seems to be overwhelmed by a “flood”.

God of life, we thank you for forming a covenant with us. Extend that unconditional love to the ones we hold up in prayer today. Help us learn how to be a blessing to them in order to help them get out of a mess and start over with a new beginning. Amen.



MAY YOU ALWAYS WALK WITH GOD AND EXPERIENCE GOD’S COVENANT PROMISE OF UNCONDITIONAL LOVE AND FORGIVENESS. HAVE A BLESSED WEEK!

Make-Up: October 2, 2011 - Abraham

Sarah, Hagar, and Abraham

Bible Text:
Genesis 12:1–4a, 10–20; 15:1–6; 16–18; 21:1–21

Lesson Focus:
We can trust God to follow through on promises, even when we don't keep ours.

Big Question:
Can I really trust God?

Key Words:
TRUST, COVENANT, DESCENDANT, RIGHTEOUS

Definition of Key Words

TRUST: believing in and relying on others.

COVENANT: a contract or an agreement of promises between two parties.

DESCENDANT: someone whose family relationship can be traced to a particular individual or group.

RIGHTEOUS: justified and good. Righteousness comes from faith, and faith comes from God. Righteousness does not come from human works or merit.

Highlights

God makes a covenant with Abraham and Sarah. The promise of descendants and land and blessing first introduced in chapter 12 is reiterated, and the sign of the covenant (male circumcision) is instituted.

God hears Abraham and Hagar's pleas for Ishmael and promises to make of him a great nation, as well. Ishmael is the family line that more than one billion Muslims claim.

God "opens Sarah's womb," Abraham provides the "seed," and Sarah carries the baby and gives birth. Isaac is born of this against-all-odds partnership.

God remains faithful to the promise even when the human part of the partnership does not.

People do not somehow achieve perfection before God works with them, nor does God magically perfect them before calling on them. The "heroes" of the Bible are very real people.

DEEP Thoughts

By Genesis 13, Abram is very rich and well on the journey God commanded him to undertake. Blessings are becoming a reality for him—but still he has no heir. Along the way God continued to repeat the promise of descendants so numerous they will be like the dust of the earth and the stars in the sky, but Sarai remained barren far past childbearing years. The promise seemed to be an impossibility. Abraham questioned it, but in the end, he believed God without any proof or evidence—God's word created the faith he needed to continue on the journey. God's faith-creating word, not Abraham's merit or goodness, is the source of Abraham's "righteousness" (15:6).

Another covenant is made in Genesis 17. The promise of descendants and land and blessing first introduced in chapter 12 is reiterated, and the sign of the covenant (male circumcision) is instituted. Just because a covenant has been made does not mean things unfold seamlessly, however. When Abraham was afraid of Pharaoh, he claimed Sarai was his sister. Sarai herself also becomes more of a player in these chapters. Hagar served as a surrogate mother for Sarai at Sarai's request, and Ishmael was born. The birth of Ishmael does not fulfill the promise that God made, however. God renames Sarai as Sarah ("princess [of a nation]") and Abram as Abraham ("ancestor of a multitude") and promises them that they will have a baby together in their old age.

"Your wife Sarah shall bear you a son," God promises (Genesis 17:19). And we learn that God will establish a covenant with Abraham and Sarah's child—a nation will be built from this child of promise they will have.

Ishmael fades but is not dropped from the biblical storyline. God hears Abraham's plea for Ishmael and promises to make of him a great nation as well. And indeed, Ishmael is the family line that more than one billion Muslims claim. God hears Hagar's cries in the wilderness and opens her eyes to see a well—life-sustaining water for her and Ishmael. God is faithful to Hagar and Ishmael but gently redirects Abraham. "But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this season next year" (Genesis 17:21). It is such a ludicrous idea, Sarah laughs, but the promise holds and the miracle gift of the child of promise comes to be when Abraham is 100 and Sarah is 90. God "opens Sarah's womb," Abraham provides the "seed," and Sarah carries the baby and gives birth. When Isaac ("laughing boy" or "laughter is born") is born of this against-all-odds partnership, the cynical laughter of doubt turns to the laughter of joy.

We learn a lot about both God and humanity in the narrative of Abraham, Hagar, and Sarah. God is a vulnerable and suffering God at times. God sees and responds to human need. God takes human action, thought, and partnership seriously. Most importantly, God remains faithful to the promise even when the human part of the partnership does not. For their part, humans actually help shape the future in many instances. People do not somehow achieve perfection before God works with them, nor does God magically perfect them before calling on them. The "heroes" of the Bible are very real people. God works for life and goodness and blessing for all, with—and in spite of—the chosen ones. Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar provide many complications and difficulties, but they remain God's vehicle for blessing the world.

Confirmation Retreat

On September 23-25, we went to Lutheran Hills for a Fall Retreat. Here are just a few pictures for your viewing:

The Theme: You Are More



One Of The Cabins



Our Group: Outside of Cabin



Mega Box Wars



Our Group (Minus One) Inside

Make Up: September 18th, 2011 - Human Condition

On September 18th in Confirmation Small Group, you studied the Human Condition from the Old Testament. Since you missed class, we ask you to take time to read the scripture, the key words and the highlights of the session. We then want you to click on the comment button and place a comment down there for our communication and record keeping. Thank-you.

Bible Text:
Genesis 3–4

Lesson Focus:
We rebel against God when we sin, but God consistently comes to us with mercy and forgiveness.

Big Question:

Am I a bad person when I make a poor choice or break a rule (even if I think it's not a good rule)?

Key Words:
SIN, JUDGMENT, SEPARATION, MERCY

Definition of Key Words

SIN: An action that causes a breakdown of relationships—human relationships, divine-human relationships, or relationships with creation. Sin leads to separation and alienation in our lives.

JUDGMENT: the act of deciding what action or punishment results when someone rebels and does something wrong.

SEPARATION: division, end of a relationship, and the consequence of one's actions. Separation is distancing oneself from another person.

MERCY: compassionate treatment and lovingkindness. God's mercy is evident in the forgiveness we receive daily.


Six Major Points

• Sin is not mentioned by name in these stories, but we recognize it in the breakdown of relationships and the complexities that follow.

• The serpent suggests that Adam and Eve can rise above their status as dependent creatures and become autonomous. They can be like God and in charge of themselves!

• Adam and Eve are banished from paradise (judgment and separation), but God goes with them (mercy). The rest of the Bible is about God's activity in the outside-of-paradise world.

• The story of Cain and Abel shows that the deepest ties do not prevent hatred and violence.

• Our choices and our deeds have consequences. God did not create puppets.

• God consistently comes to us in our sin and does not leave us in the ensuing disasters of our own making.

National Gathering: Returning to NOLA

Here is the National Gathering (2009) through the eyes of the teenagers. As you can see, they told the story of NOLA mostly through serving.

National Gathering: Recap

We are headed to the National Gathering in July. Below is a quick highlight from the 2009 National Gathering just to give you a very small taste. In 2012, we will be going back to the city of New Orleans (July 16 - 23). Those students who have finished 8th grade when the Gathring occurs can join us.

Mission Trip: Denver, Colorado

We are headed to Denver, Colorado for our Summer 2012 mission trip. All students who are in grades 7-12 during the 2011-2012 school year are invited to attend this mission trip. We are partnering with a church called The Refuge in northwest Denver. Kathy Escobar (one of the co-pastors) share a little about herself, the church and the ministry that we will be doing while we are out there. The trip is June 15-23. The deadline to register is Sunday, October 23, 2011.

down we go indy mission team adventure 9.6.11 from kathy escobar on Vimeo.

Aug. 28th: Small Group (Creation)

Creation

Bible Text:
Genesis 1–2

Lesson Focus:
God has created us to reflect God's image as we actively participate in creation today.

Big Question:
What can I really do to make a difference in caring for creation?

Key Words:
CREATE, CHAOS, ORDER, STEWARDSHIP

Definition of Key Words

CREATE/CREATION: to bring into being; the environment or surroundings; a creature or a living being.

CHAOS: a state of utter confusion; the confused unorganized state of matter before the creation of distinct forms.

ORDER: the arrangement or sequence of objects or of events in time; to arrange by putting persons or things in relation to each other.

STEWARDSHIP: the careful and responsible management of the resources that have been entrusted to our care.


QUICK HIGHLIGHTS

God is our creator and we are part of God's good creation.

The two biblical versions of the creation story help us explain who we are and whose we are; they are not meant to be read as scientific or historical fact.

God gave human beings a special place in creation that puts a heavy responsibility on them.

We are called to live in faithfulness to God the creator, in whose image we were created.

Big Group: Doubt

We have had two confirmation classes thus far. We are in our new format and our "big group" time for the first two weeks was on "doubt".



We finished our series on Doubt. Here is a highlight from the series:

Everyone has moments of doubt. We doubt if we are heading in the right direction when going someplace new. We doubt if that low-fat snack that tastes really good is really as healthy as it claims to be. We doubt if sometimes the people in our lives really care about us, despite the evidence that they do. And sometimes our doubts are about God. Can we really trust Him? Does He have our best in mind? What does that Bible verse really mean?

When questions arise, they can be a little unsettling, especially questions about our faith. But what if God was big enough to handle the questions? He is. What if He was secure enough to handle our uncertainty? He is. And what if doubt actually paved the way to a deeper belief, a stronger relationship with Christ? It can.

August 21st: Honest Questions
Bottom Line: Doubt paves the way to belief.

August 28th: Gray Matters Bottom Line: Faith grows when you learn how to view doubt through both what you know and what you've been through.

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Beginning Sept. 18th, we will have updates on big group time and small group time. Big Group time is where we look at wonder / discovery / passion. Small group time is when we look at our confirmation material.

Confirmation Begins on August 21st

Confirmation is here. We are looking forward to another year of confirmation.

This year, we will be taking a look at "bible stories". We will be looking at stories from the Old Testament and the New Testament. Here is a link to our confirmation webpage with the schedule:

CTS Confirmation Page

Please remember that this year, we are making a few changes. The first change is that we are meeting at 9:30 in the ARC not 10:45. Next, our big group time this year will include worship, scripture and a message that ties in with our themes of wonder, passion and discovery. We will then break up into small groups for our confirmation time.

Confirmation time is a time for us to CONNECT. We have the opportunity to connect with one another, with God and with our world through service.

See you on Sunday !!

The Gathering: Practice Justice

What is the "Practice Justice" day?

Practice Justice is one of three days at the ELCA Youth Gathering (Thursday, Friday, Saturday) to which congregational groups will be assigned. On each of those days, a third of the community will practice discipleship, a third will practice peacemaking and a third will practice justice. In this month’s gNews we are focusing on the Practice Justice day. Subsequent issues of gNews will explain more thoroughly the Practice Peacemaking and Practice Discipleship days. All three of the days are designed to help young people make real the covenant God made with them in Holy Baptism to:

• Live among God’s faithful people,
• Hear the word of God and share in the Lord’s supper,
• Proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed,
• Serve all people, following the example of Jesus,
• Strive for justice and peace in all the earth (ELW pg. 236).

The ELCA Youth Gathering is a witness to Jesus' invitation to hit the streets, to follow one's convictions with actions, and to join in the work God is doing in the world. Even though we know such action isn't about us -- it is all about what God is up to -- many have asked what youth will do in New Orleans in 2012.

On the Practice Justice day, the clean and predictable lives of many of us will get messed up a bit by learning about the ongoing struggles in New Orleans. New Orleanians want us to know about their struggles, they want us to see the truth of their lives because after the initial rush of public interest following Katrina, people have steadily stopped paying attention. Now, six years after Katrina, New Orleans still needs our attention.

On the Practice Justice day, youth and adults will come together in the Superdome to learn about how we make the connection between God’s justice, God’s shalom, God’s intention for the world, and our desire to serve. We will be reminded about how God’s presence made a difference in the everyday lives of those living in New Orleans in 2009 through our service. Then, groups will walk justice as they enter into a multi-sensory experience to help them understand how the catastrophe of Katrina changed the course of history for New Orleanians. Next, groups depart by bus or by foot to practice justice in the midst of the fragile realities of recovery evident in the public education system, in housing and in the shrinking wetlands. At the end of the day, each group will reflect on their Practice Justice experience by debriefing with trained young adults who will help connect their experiences with their own sense of call to live out their baptismal identity in the communities to which they return.

The Gathering deadline is coming soon (September 1). We hope that you will join us in New Orleans July 16-23. This event will only be for the 8th grade students of Crosstrainers.

Big Stuf

Tomorrow morning, we have two separate groups who are headed out to learn and serve. At Christ The Savior, our mission is the following: Reaching people to know, love and serve Christ. The serve group will be our high school students and our "know" group will be a mixed-age group of junior high and high school students.

Thus, we have a group of students going to Florida to "know" Christ at Big Stuf Camp. While there, they are going to experience eight different worship times and be challenged to grow in their faith. The camp is held in Panama City Beach, Florida and in-between those eight worship services, we will have ample time to play on the beach (weather permitted). We will also have the opportunity to grow during our daily devotions and church group time.

The Gathering

Tomorrow, Wednesday - June 22nd, we are having an informational meeting regarding the Gathering. 39,000 individuals will gather in New Orleans next summer. We must be registered by early September. There will be a lot of prep going into this trip. We would love to take a great representation from CTS - will you join us?

The Dates:
July 16 - 23, 2012

Who Can Go?
If you are going to be in grades 8-12 for the 2011-2 school year, you can go.

Milwaukee

Here is our "fun" group picture on the church steps of Unity Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 18 youth and 4 adults converged on the city to team up with YouthWorks and 2 more churches.



More pictures and stories to come.

Milwaukee, Wisonsin

In three days, we are headed to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We will have 18 students and 4 adults making the trip up to Milwaukee. Once again, we will be teaming up with Youthworks and serving with them. Here are some of the mission sites and evening activities:

Ministry Sites:

There are a ton of great ministries that we partner with in Milwaukee. You will definitely have a chance to see a couple different volunteer organizations throughout the week as you serve in Milwaukee. Most of the ministries you will encounter are either faith based organization or non profit organizations that have said they need our help to facilitate their summer programs. Overall, I can’t wait for you and your youth to experience the ministries that Milwaukee has to offer. Below are some but definitely not ALL of them:

The Gathering: This is a local soup kitchen that offers both morning and evening meals at several locations across the Milwaukee area. We will help serve both in the morning and evening throughout the week.

Gingerbread Land: This is a community of houses that a woman has acquired and is fixing up to help create a sense of close community for people to go if they need something. We will do mostly work on homes that she has right now and interact with Sister Clara, the woman who runs Gingerbread Land.

Scott Christian: We partner with this community center to serve meals as well as clean, distribute food and help maintain and fix things around the center. It’s an incredible place to see God’s hand at work in the lives of the workers and the homeless in Milwaukee.

Village at Manor Park: This is a nursing home that we have worked with for years. We help them serve drinks to the residents, walk them around and play games with them when they have time.

Milwaukee Rescue Mission: We work with this ministry to sort out clothes, clean and paint buildings and help them to do the work that they couldn’t do without us.

Evening Activities:

M: Bradford Beach—we will head to the beach to hang out and just enjoy the evening swimming and spending time together.

T: Life Changers—we will be headed to a community center to hear stories about community members who have experienced gang life and how they came to know Jesus. It’s an incredible opportunity to hear and ask questions about their stories.

W: Soup Kitchen—we will be volunteering at two local soup kitchens in Milwaukee to understand more about what it’s like to eat there and prepare a meal for others less fortunate than ourselves. Some of your students will be doing this in the morning during the week and others in the evening as part of the activity. You will find out more about this once you get onsite.

Th: We will have a community prayer service at Scott Christian, one of our ministries. We will have the chance to pray for the ministries that we’ve been working with during the week. Afterwards, we will head to Leon’s which is a local custard place to eat custard together.

Confirmation Sunday

On May 22nd at the 10:45 service, we had confirmation. Above is a picture of the students who participoated in the service.

I want to thank all 29 students for a great year. I want to give a huge shout out to the 6 adult leaders who invested two years with them and the 15 high school peer guides who helped them out along their journey.

I look forward to seeing what God has in stored for you.

Make Up: May 1st, Stewardshop: Money

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 and video(s). 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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May 1st was our last confirmation class of the year. We finished it up on Stewardship: Money. Big group time was minimized so small groups could enjoy their last class together for longer period of time; especially with it being communion Sunday. Here is a breakdown of the lesson:

Stewardship of Money

Bible Text:
Matthew 6:1–4, 19–21; 2 Corinthians 9:6–15; Luke 11:37–42; 1 Timothy 6:6–10

Lesson Focus:
Christians give in obedience and in gratitude.

Big Question:
How do Christians use money?

Key Words:
STEWARDSHIP, LAW, GOSPEL, FIRST FRUITS, TITHE

Definitions of Key Words

STEWARDSHIP: the use and care of God's gifts. Since all that we are and all that we have is a gift from God, this term is also used to refer specifically to the Christian use of money.

LAW: rules to live by that are given by God. Laws can be difficult to follow and may make us feel uncomfortable.

GOSPEL: the good news that through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we live a new kind of life. In this new life we are able to give generously.

FIRST FRUITS: the very first crops harvested, which in ancient Israel were given as a sacrifice to God.

TITHE: a gift given to God comprising 10 percent of one's income or assets.

THE DEEP INFORMATION

The Bible is full of examples and teachings about giving. Jesus tells the rich young ruler to sell everything he has, give the money to the poor, and follow him (Luke 18:18–23). When Zacchaeus pledges to sell half of his possessions and give the proceeds to the poor, Jesus responds positively (Luke 19:1–10). In the Old Testament we find instructions to give one-tenth of one's possessions (Leviticus 27:30–32; 2 Chronicles 31:5). Paul writes that "God loves a cheerful giver," and he doesn't want any to give unwillingly (2 Corinthians 9:7). Clearly giving is part of the Christian life, something we do in response to God's law and gospel.

God instructed Moses that the people were to give the "first fruits" of their harvest to the priest, to be offered to the Lord (Leviticus 23:9–14). That is, before setting fruit or grain aside for consumption or for storage, the first fruits that were harvested were to be given as an offering. Then, as was the usual practice of the day, those offerings were burned as a sacrifice on the altar of the Lord. If these gifts were simply burned up, why did God's people even bother to give?

Giving was considered an act of worship, not a fund-raising effort. The emphasis was on giving from, the act of parting with the valuable gift, rather than on giving to, or the one who would receive the gift. By taking what was valuable to them and freely burning a portion of it, the ancient Jews were making a commitment to the Lord their God (see the First Commandment in Luther's Small Catechism and/or in Exodus 20:1–3) while reducing their inventory of goods that could too easily become a false god. (For more on giving as an act of sacrifice and worship, see Mark Allen Powell, Giving to God: The Bible's Good News about Living a Generous Life [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2006], 9–13).

Parting with a portion of our income is not easy. However, once we are able to wrap our heads around the fact that everything we have comes from God—see Genesis 1:29–30 and also Luther's explanation of the fourth article of the Lord's Prayer—we are more able to see ourselves as caretakers of God's stuff rather than owners of our own stuff. None of what we have—money, housing, possessions—is ours. It all comes from God and will go back to God. We just get to use it for a short time while we are here on earth.

Jesus doesn't make a general claim about how much money a Christian should give (note the seemingly contradictory examples of the young ruler and Zacchaeus, above), though using the Old Testament precedent, many Christians set a goal of giving 10 percent of their income to God's work. Though Jesus doesn't give us a percentage amount, his various teachings about living and discipleship make it clear that sacrifice and charity are part of the Christian life. His many references to economic matters—from his concern for the poor to his parables about the use of money—teach us that God calls us to use our money in God-pleasing ways, both in how we spend it for personal use (caring for self and family by buying food and paying for shelter, for example) and in how we share it with others (giving to those who are poor and for the mission of the church, for example).

A classic law/gospel dynamic is at work in Christian stewardship. Christians give out of obedience to the law, but also in grateful response to what God has done for us through his Son, Jesus Christ. On the cross Christ frees us from the consumerist and materialistic impulses of this world and leads us to live a new life in Him. Liberated from the trappings of money and consumption, we can freely and joyfully share a portion of what God has given to us with others. Yet the law remains, for the sin of self-interest also remains. When the sin of self-interest rears its ugly head, the law is there to remind us of our calling to give and to share what God has first given us.

Make-Up: April 17, 2011: Stewardship

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 and video(s). 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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Stewardship of Creation

Bible Text:
Genesis 1:28–31; 3:17–20; Psalm 148; Romans 8:18–25; Revelation 5:11–14; 22:1–5

Lesson Focus:
We are called to help take care of God's creation.

Big Question:
With all the problems facing the environment, what can one person really do?

Key Words:
CREATION, STEWARDSHIP, PRAISE

Definitions of Key Words

CREATION: God's loving, wise, and powerful action to bring everything into being for the good of all and the glory of God.

STEWARDSHIP: taking good care of something that doesn't belong to you as though it were your very own.

PRAISE: to rejoice in the worth of something or someone; to lift up the name of God with love and gratitude by our every thought, word, and action.


Lesson Highlights

God created the world and all that is in it, and it was good (Genesis 1:31).

God gave humans dominion over creation (Genesis 1:28–30).

Nature and the whole universe bear witness to their Creator (Psalm 148).

When we look at the creation, we are reminded of how much God loves us (Psalm 8).

Because of sin, not just humans but all of creation now has a broken relationship to God (Genesis 3:17–20).

All of creation, just like all people, yearns for redemption (Romans 8:18–25).

We look forward to a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 5:11–14).

Because we have been redeemed in Christ Jesus, we work with God to bring about the new heaven and the new earth.

Stewardship of creation is an integral part of the Christian faith.

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Please watch the video on creation. The first part is talking about God creating, the second part deals with all that is wrong in the world and us asking why. The third part is individuals saying, here am I send me.



Are you willing to be sent ?

Make-Up: March 20th - Christian Denominations

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 and video(s). 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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On March 20th, we had our lesson on Christian Denominations. At the same time (after the lesson), we had two teens who live in our community share with us during a question and answer time. One of them was a practicing Jew and one was a practicing Muslim. They were able to share their perspective and help us understand a little more from last weeks lesson (World Religions).

Christian Denominations

Bible Text:
Matthew 16:13–20; John 17:6–21; Ephesians 2:1–22

Lesson Focus:
The various Christian denominations share core beliefs.

Big Question:
If we all worship the same God, and Jesus is Lord of all, where did all of the different "churches" come from?

Key Words:
PROTESTANT, CATHOLIC, ORTHODOX, CREED, ECUMENICAL, INFALLIBLE, INERRANT

Definition of Key Words

PROTESTANT: refers to the multiple reform movements started within the Roman Catholic Church of the 15th and 16th centuries. These reform movements resulted in many denominations within the Christian church.

CATHOLIC: with a capital C, refers to the Roman Catholic Church; with a small c, refers to the union of all believers in Jesus Christ.

ORTHODOX: Means "correct" or "true" belief. The Eastern Orthodox Church began the process of Christian councils to determine which teachings were true to the Christian faith and which would be considered outside the faith or heretical.

CREED: A statement of faith. Creed comes form the Latin word credo, meaning "I believe." Three ecumenical creeds are accepted among Christian denominations—the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athenasian Creed.

ECUMENICAL: A reference to partnerships, joint discussions, and shared ministries among Christian denominations.

INFALLIBLE: Means that it cannot be wrong. This term is used to describe certain teachings from the papal office and also to describe the teachings of the Bible.

INERRANT: Means that there are no errors. Similar to the idea of infallibility, this term is used to describe scripture as handed down from God without any human mistakes included.

Lesson Overview

The history of the Christian church shows that Christians tend to agree about the core teachings of the faith. At the same time, they disagree about how to implement those teachings in the lives of the faithful. Interpretation of scripture is at the heart of many of these disagreements.

The first major split in the Christian church came in A.D. 1054—the "Great Schism" between the Eastern and Western faith traditions. While several matters were being debated at the time, the central conflict was about the Holy Spirit's relation to the other two persons of the Trinity. The wording in the third article of the Nicene Creed shows the heart of the matter. The Eastern church was saying the Holy Spirit "proceeds from the Father," while the Western church was saying the Holy Spirit "proceeds from the Father and the Son." This difference in how scripture speaks about the Holy Spirit in relation to the Father and the Son led to angry exchanges between the bishop of Rome and the patriarch of Constantinople. Eventually these leaders excommunicated each other and their supporters. The Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church were separated and have remained separate for 1,000 years.

Both the Eastern Orthodox tradition and the Roman Catholic tradition trace their heritage back to Simon Peter. The Orthodox expression begins with Peter's founding of the church in Antioch. The Catholic expression sees Peter as the first bishop of Rome. This office became known as the papal office, and the bishop of Rome (the pope) is seen as the shepherd of the church—the teacher of other ordained leaders.

As the Roman Catholic Church continued through the medieval period, a variety of corrupt practices made their way into church teachings. The 15th century saw the beginnings of organized attempts to reform the Roman Catholic Church and its teachings. Some early reformers were executed as heretics. Others went into hiding. The 16th century brought some success to the goals of the reformers. Changes began to sweep through the European churches. This reform movement spread to England and to other continents as colonies were established by the various countries.

The Protestant movements grew, split further, came together, and developed into families with shared ideas and practices. Among the most prominent families found today are Anabaptist/Baptist, Anglican/Episcopal, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Reformed, and United Church of Christ.

Reminder

Our world has become a global neighborhood. The people that we encounter on a daily basis are very diverse in national origins and in faith traditions. You have already begun to learn how to meet and work with people of these diverse backgrounds. You have also seen, and perhaps been taught, stereotypes of other peoples that are far from accurate. We encourage you to seek out accurate information whenever you encounter new ideas and perspectives. Jesus treated people whose faith differed from his own and to respond to all people with respect, kindness, and fairness.