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.
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.
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"
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.
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"?
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: 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.
