Bible Text: 

Lesson Focus: 

God always makes the extra effort to find thelost and welcome them home.

Big Question: 

Does God really look for everyone who is lost?

Key Words: 

LOST, FOUND, GRACE, FORGIVENESS, CELEBRATE

LOST: the result of having gone astray. We may be lost inthe sense of being missed by those from whom we have departed and in the senseof not being able to return to the proper place or path.

FOUND: the result of searching to locate, attain, or obtainthat which was lost.

GRACE: the freely given, unmerited favor and love of God;"God's Riches At Christ's Expense."

FORGIVENESS: the pardoning of an offense or an offender; theact of holding a person blameless, as God freely does for us.

The "lost and found" parables of Luke 15 have acommon theme—joy in finding the lost. They also have a common effect on carefulhearers and readers who don't think of themselves as being "lost"—inshort, they offend. When we read these parables, we usually think their primarymessage is that God loves to find the lost. So true, but the context in whichthese stories are told is important. It demands that we look at the hardquestion the parables pose for the (supposedly) "non-lost." These"non-lost" individuals just might be the real intended recipients ofthe message in these stories. Your students may not even have the concept ofbeing lost in their experience. Thus, teaching the parables is a vital opportunityto proclaim this beginning point of our doctrine.

In Luke 14 Jesus is invited to eat with a leader of thePharisees. He accepts, and on his way there he delivers a number of sometimescryptic teachings leading up to the lost and found parables. Jesus continuesteaching in Luke 15, bemused or angry at the muttering of the Pharisees andscribes over his welcoming and eating with sinners, and in that context theparables are given. Jesus begins with the story of the lost sheep, startingwith "Which one of you . . ." (Luke 15:4). He continues with thestory of the lost coin, leading with "What woman . . ." (Luke 15:8).The implication is clear: who wouldn't go search for the lost sheep or the lostcoin? Well, a shepherd or a woman who didn't think the lost sheep or lost coinwas worth much, the muttering Pharisees and scribes might have been thinking.

Not so with God, Jesus tells them. God loves the lost andsinful! This is good news! God is like the shepherd who leaves the 99 sheep whoaren't lost to get the one that is lost. God is like the woman who has a partywhen she finds her lost coin. At least one of the meanings of these twoseemingly simple parables is that God prizes what is lost even if it would seemto be of lesser value than what is still possessed (the 99 sheep or the ninecoins).

The ante is upped in the parable of the prodigal son. Thisparable's message of grace is beautiful—the father running out to meet the sonand putting his arms around him and kissing him before the lost son even hasthe chance to ask for forgiveness. That's grace in a nutshell. We don't oftenenough put ourselves in the place of the elder son. He is our prideful self,the side of us that not only thinks we can make it into the "father'sarms" on our own but also privately thinks we have. We've done the rightthings, albeit grudgingly in some instances. We've stayed home and worked hard.We've sat in the pews and confirmation class, even when we would have rathersquandered that time doing something else. We're the righteous ones. We're theelder son in this story.

The point of these parables is to call the elder sons intothe party. We fully experience God's grace when we can celebrate it with othersand not keep insisting we've earned it and others have not. Those who insist onliving by merit can't ever know the true joy of grace. These parables exposeour rather grudging spirits. We often think God is too good to everyone elseand not good enough to us. We want mercy for ourselves but justice for others.These stories are a call to celebrate God's radical grace. God loves everyone,not because of what they have or haven't done, or who they are or aren't. Godloves each of us because that's who God is.

The question posed to the non-lost and the righteous, all ofus, in these parables is simply this: Will you join the party and thereby sharein God's mercy, or will you clutch your self-bestowed merit badges and stayoutside the party grumbling? At the end of the parable of the prodigal son, thequestion remains as to whether the older son goes into the party or not. Thatis the question directed at us, the reader and hearer of the parable.

Bible Text: 

Luke 6:20–26; Matthew 5:3–12; Luke 4:18–19

Lesson Focus: 

In God's kingdom, the things that rule ourearthly life no longer apply.

Big Question: 

What blessings are there for me in God'skingdom?

BEATITUDE, PEACE, JUSTICE

BEATITUDE: the term assigned to the sayings of Jesus foundin Matthew 5:3–12. It is also a word that means "perfect happiness"in the literary world.

PEACE: the absence of violence, conflict, or oppression.

JUSTICE: To treat all people fairly in the correct orimpartial way.

Early in Jesus' public ministry, according to the Gospel ofMatthew, crowds begin to follow him, amazed at his teaching and healing. Whilein their midst, Jesus climbs to a high place, and on this natural stage, headdresses the crowds. This Sermon on the Mount is full of radical new ways oflooking at the world: Preferential treatment is given to the poor, standards ofsuccess are turned upside down, and values shift dramatically. Christ asks hisfollowers to live a life in stark contrast to the world around them. Thisdistinct community will bear witness to the power of God's love.

The Beatitudes have been interpreted in many ways sinceJesus first spoke the words. Martin Luther, in keeping with his personalexperience, believed the words of the Beatitudes were meant to show us oursinfulness and therefore drive us to the righteousness of Jesus. On theopposite end of the spectrum, popular belief in modern years has often definedthe Beatitudes as a prescription for individual happiness, a guide for life'sjourney, or just another self-help book. TV evangelists have used Christ'steachings in the Beatitudes as the basis for books, including The Be-HappyAttitudes (Robert Schuller) and The Secret of Happiness (BillyGraham).

The context and content of the Sermon on the Mount suggeststhat the teachings of Christ, including the Beatitudes, are less about anindividual's personal happiness and more about his or her role as a follower ina newly ordered world. Jesus' words make clear that the path will not be easy.If the followers of Christ are not living their faith, how will the world knowits mission and vision? Only God's love can create and sustain such a community—onethat sets the followers apart from the rest of the world, and one that rewardsthose things that honor God. The followers of God are called to live thereality that Christ teaches in the Beatitudes and, in so doing, to be God'stools for reordering the world.

Throughout history, the church and its members have hadopportunities to live out the idea of being a contrast community to give honorto what God honors, to stand out, and to speak up. Sometimes individuals havecalled the community of faith to task. Lutheran pastor and theologian DietrichBonhoeffer serves as an example. During World War II, as the German churcheslet their fears override the mounting evidence of what Adolf Hitler was doing,Bonhoeffer's voice was a powerful contrast. In more recent history, the churchhas been active to help end the tyranny and oppression of people in many nationsof the world. As acts of terrorism have been on the rise, it has been thechurch that has called us to examine our own actions and reactions in light ofthe Beatitudes.

As Christ's followers we are called to be a contrastcommunity to the culture that surrounds us. Instead of pursing wealth andmaterial possessions, we are called to see that the physical, daily needs ofall people are met. Rather than seeking power and fame, we are asked to bemeek, to act with mercy, to make peace among all God's people.

Because sin is alive and well in our world and even in ourchurch communities, we don't always live up to the ideal that Christ has givenus; nonetheless, our hope remains that our faith communities will stand out asa contrast to the rest of society. Church is a place where all people should bewelcome and know God's love—not just the popular, the beautiful, or thewealthy. It is up to us as the body of Christ alive in the world to reflectthat value to others. As believers, how we treat people matters—both inside andoutside the church. In school and social groups, as well as in the world,opportunities will abound for young believers to make a difference—to show thatthey are part of this contrast community that lifts up different values. Thechurch is the community in which God will be made visible to the end of theage, but only if we do not fade into the rest of the world.

Bible Text: 

Mark 1:14–20; Luke 5:1–11

Lesson Focus:  

Withthe miraculous catch of fish, Jesus called ordinary people, just like us, to bedisciples.

Big Question: 

I'm just a kid—what can I do that's importantenough to be a disciple?

Key Words:  

MIRACLE,DISCIPLE, ORDINARY, FAITH

MIRACLE: an extraordinary occurrence ascribed to God thatsurpasses all known human powers or natural forces.

DISCIPLE: a professed follower of Jesus Christ.

ORDINARY: something of no special quality or interest; acommonplace, unexceptional event.

Shortly after beginning his public ministry of teachingand healing, Jesus called his first disciples, the fishermen Simon, James, andJohn.

From the start, Jesus called ordinary people to followhim. It is a clear sign that Jesus will use people from many folds for the goodof his kingdom.

The miracles of Jesus were signs that God is powerful andloving. They got people's attention and opened their hearts to receive the goodnews of God's kingdom.

The call of Jesus is absolute, disrupting the lives ofpotential recruits. It is a call to make changes in our lives, to thinkdifferently, and, most of all, to live differently.

Jesus calls us out of our old lives and into the new.

On January 15th, we studied the wilderness temptations. We ask you to take a look at the lesson, read the scriptures and watch the video clip and then comment. You may comment as anonymous and then just put your first name or initials in the box. In the comment section, give a few sentences on the lesson.

Bible Text: 

Luke 4:1–15; Matthew 4:1–11; Mark 1:12–13

Lesson Focus: 

Jesus used scripture to resist the devil'stemptations.

Big Question: 

How can I resist temptations if I can't quotescripture?

Key Words: 

TEMPTATION, SCRIPTURE, HOLY SPIRIT, SATAN

TEMPTATION: anything that controls us and leads us away fromGod or threatens our relationship with God.

SCRIPTURE: God's word in the Bible and the words that Jesusused against Satan.

The HOLY SPIRIT: the third person of the Trinity (with Godand Jesus) and the one who guides us in our decision-making.

SATAN: the one who tempts us in order to draw us away fromGod. Satan is also known as the "accuser."

Jesus was tempted—really tempted—but did not succumb tousing his God-given powers for any cheap thrills, fantastic duels with Satan,or evil misuse.

In all three gospels, the temptation scene comes towardthe beginning of Jesus' story and—in some fashion—inaugurates his ministry.

Some have suggested that the point of the mysterioustemptation scene is that Jesus was fully human and was fully tempted. Otherssay that we are to glean, as any first century Jew would, that Jesus was amodel Jew. Still others maintain that this scene shows up-front the conflictbetween God's reign and the reign of Satan, setting up the thematicundercurrent that all of Jesus' ministry is an attack on Satan's work.

Jesus stymies the devil finally because he knows whose heis—He is God's Son.

Jesus is revealed as king of all—whether thepeople recognize him or not.

Jesus was a poor baby. Why am I supposed toworship him like a king?

EPIPHANY, GENTILES, HEROD THE GREAT, MAGI, HOMAGE

EPIPHANY: the church's celebration on January 6 of the visitof the magi to the infant Jesus. Epiphany means "revelation" andrecognizes that Jesus is "revealed" as king for all people by thisvisit of the magi.

GENTILES: people who weren't Jewish.

HEROD THE GREAT: a corrupt Jewish king who served asgovernor of Galilee and was backed by Roman power. Threatened by the birth ofJesus, the true king, he sent the magi to Bethlehem to find Jesus so that hecould have the child killed.

MAGI: stargazers or astrologers from Persia. They recognizedJesus as a great king, chosen by God, even though they were Gentiles.

HOMAGE: a ceremony by which people acknowledge themselves asservants of a master or lord

The Christmas story in Matthew bears no resemblance to theone in Luke.

Matthew 1 shows that Jesus is the fulfillment of promisesmade to Israel. Matthew 2 introduces the idea that Jesus fulfills Gentile hopesfor salvation as well.

The primary message of Matthew's Christmas story is thatJesus is revealed by God as Lord and king for the entire world.

The magi were probably astrologers or magicians of apriestly clan of Persians. They were exotic pagans—Gentiles in the extreme.

It was a widely held belief that a new star rose in thesky at the birth of a great leader.

The story of the magi shows us that Jesus is God's gift tothe entire world.

In the Rite of Affirmation of Baptism, a five-part questionaddresses each confirmand's intent to continue in the covenant God made withthem in Holy Baptism. Here We Stand resources help students—with support fromparents, leaders, and the entire congregation—prepare to answer this questionas they continue in their lifelong faith journey.

Today's lesson focused on the clause "to proclaim thegood news of God in Christ through word and deed."

The visit of the magi revealed to all the world that Jesusis God's chosen king—the Messiah. The magi offered physical gifts and alsooffered themselves as they worshiped him. Likewise, our words and deeds revealwho Jesus is in our lives. The magi put forth a great deal of effort to payhomage to the new king. Do we show the same determination to honor Jesus as ourking? Help the youth use this lesson to grow in their understanding of howtheir words and deeds reveal what they think and feel about Jesus. Herod wasafraid that he would lose his position as king of the Jews. The magi weredetermined to honor Jesus, regardless of the cost to themselves. Do our wordsand deeds show that we want to preserve our own status in our community? Or dothey show that Jesus is our king and that we are willing to pay homage to our kingregardless of the cost?