Jonah's Work

Part 1. A men's study based on Eugene Peterson's Under the Unpredictable Plant adapted for youth.

by dnkemontoh @ Flickr

Besides his own book, Jonah comes up in a few other passages.  In 2 Kings 14: 23-25, he’s identified as the son of Amittai, as he also is in Jonah 1:1, and he had the message of the restoration of Israel’s borders during Jeroboam’s reign.  In the gospels, Jesus makes two references to Jonah, one in Matthew 12:38-42  and again in Matthew 16:4.  (In Luke 11:29-32, the author seems to refer to one or both of these stories from Matthew.)  Jesus describes his own death and resurrection as “the sign of Jonah” and says of the Jews of his time that they will be condemned by the Ninevites, who heard Jonah and repented, while they have one greater than Jonah, but have not repented.  But that’s not what this study is about.  This is about Jonah’s job.  It’s adapted from Under the Unpredictable Plant, by Eugene Peterson.

Tarshish or bust
Read Jonah 1:1-3
1The Lord spoke his word to Jonah, son of Amittai. He said, 2“Leave at once for the important city, Nineveh. Announce to the people that I can no longer overlook the wicked things they have done.” 3Jonah immediately tried to run away from the Lord by going to Tarshish. He went to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. He paid for the trip and went on board. He wanted to go to Tarshish to get away from the Lord.

Dream job: prophet? 

• What would be cool about being a prophet?  

• What is your dream job as of right now? Why?

• What is your “job description” right now?

Why not Nineveh?  Nineveh had a long history of terrible occupants, misery built on misery.  Nobody in their right mind would want to go there, least of all a Jew, one of their traditional enemies.

• What are the worst aspects of what you have to do?

Why Tarshish?  Tarshish was almost mythical.  An exotic Phoenician settlement, it was like the Wild West to Jews of that time.

• What’s your Tarshish?  If you were to run away from responsibilities, where would you go or what would you do?  

• Would you really go there if you got the chance?

It’s not like he was running to Tarshish to be a villain.  Jonah probably would have still been planning on doing God’s work.

• So what was so wrong about going?

The Storm
Read Jonah 1:4-16
4The Lord sent a violent wind over the sea. The storm was so powerful that the ship was in danger of breaking up. 5The sailors were afraid, and they cried to their gods for help. They began to throw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship’s load.  Now, Jonah had gone below deck and was lying there sound asleep. 6The captain of the ship went to him and asked, “How can you sleep? Get up, and pray to your God. Maybe he will notice us, and we won’t die.”  7Then the sailors said to each other, “Let’s throw dice to find out who is responsible for bringing this disaster on us.” So they threw dice, and the dice indicated that Jonah was responsible. 8They asked him, “Tell us, why has this disaster happened to us? What do you do for a living? Where do you come from? What country are you from? What nationality are you?”

9Jonah answered them, “I’m a Hebrew. I worship the Lord, the God of heaven. He is the God who made the sea and the land.”  10Then the men were terrified. They knew that he was running away from the Lord, because he had told them. They asked Jonah, “Why have you done this?”  11The storm was getting worse. So they asked Jonah, “What should we do with you to calm the sea?”  12He told them, “Throw me overboard. Then the sea will become calm. I know that I’m responsible for this violent storm.”  13Instead, the men tried to row harder to get the ship back to shore, but they couldn’t do it. The storm was getting worse.

14So they cried to the Lord for help: “Please, Lord, don’t let us die for taking this man’s life. Don’t hold us responsible for the death of an innocent man, because you, Lord, do whatever you want.” 15Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the sea became calm. 16The men were terrified of the Lord. They offered sacrifices and made vows to the Lord.[a]
17The Lord sent a big fish to swallow Jonah. Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights.

Jonah was contentedly asleep in the hold while the storm built and raged.  As far as he knew, things were all right.

• Was there ever a time in your life when things weren’t going well, despite all signs being to the contrary?  How did you wake up?

The amazing thing about being thrown into the sea is that it saved the sailors and Jonah.

• Is there a time in your life when you saved the ship by throwing someone/something overboard?  Is there something in your life today that needs to be thrown overboard?

• Has there been a situation in your life when you were thrown overboard and it worked to your good? 

Jonah’s act, and, more so, God’s response has an amazing effect on the sailors.  They go from each worshipping their own god to worshipping the true God.

• Why do you think?

• Do you think God has a calling for you?

Call Answering

John 1:43-51

The next day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee. He found Philip and told him, “Follow me!” (Philip was from Bethsaida, the hometown of Andrew and Peter.) Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the man whom Moses wrote about in his teachings and whom the prophets wrote about. He is Jesus, son of Joseph, from the city of Nazareth.”  

Nathanael said to Philip, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Philip told him, “Come and see!”  

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and remarked, “Here is a true Israelite who is sincere.” Nathanael asked Jesus, “How do you know anything about me?” 

Jesus answered him, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Nathanael said to Jesus, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the king of Israel!” Jesus replied, “You believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.”  Jesus said to Nathanael, “I can guarantee this truth: You will see the sky open and God’s angels going up and coming down to the Son of Man.”

HEFU @ Flickr

1)    It’s a little hard to make sense of this. What parts don’t really seem to follow what comes before?










Let’s read a bit from the book ‘The Robe.’ (Chapter 16). The author tells the story of a Roman travelling through Israel meeting the people that Jesus knew and who are described in the gospels.

2)    How did the author make sense of the Nathanael story?  Did he deal with all the ‘huh?’ stuff in the story.








The readings have another story of a calling this week.
1 Samuel 3:1-20 The Lord Calls Samuel

The boy Samuel was serving the Lord under Eli. In those days a prophecy from the Lord was rare; visions were infrequent. One night Eli was lying down in his room. His eyesight had begun to fail so that he couldn’t see well. The lamp in God’s temple hadn’t gone out yet, and Samuel was asleep in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God was kept. Then the Lord called Samuel. “Here I am,” Samuel responded. He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am. You called me.”  

“I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So Samuel went back and lay down. The Lord called Samuel again. Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am. You called me.” 

“I didn’t call you, son,” he responded. “Go back to bed.” Samuel had no experience with the Lord, because the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. The Lord called Samuel a third time. Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am. You called me.” Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. “Go, lie down,” Eli told Samuel. “When he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord. I’m listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his room.  

The Lord came and stood there. He called as he had called the other times: “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak. I’m listening.”  

Then the Lord said to Samuel, “I am going to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears it ring. On that day I am going to do to Eli and his family everything I said from beginning to end. I told him that I would hand down a permanent judgment against his household because he knew about his sons’ sin - that they were cursing God - but he didn’t try to stop them. That is why I have taken an oath concerning Eli’s family line: No offering or sacrifice will ever be able to make peace for the sins that Eli’s family committed.” Samuel remained in bed until morning. Then he opened the doors of the Lord’s house. But Samuel was afraid to tell Eli about the vision.  

Then Eli called Samuel. “Samuel, my son!” he said. “Here I am,” he responded. “What did the Lord tell you?” he asked. “Please don’t hide anything from me. May God strike you dead if you hide anything he told you from me.” So Samuel told Eli everything. Eli replied, “He is the Lord. May he do what he thinks is right.”  

Samuel grew up. The Lord was with him and didn’t let any of his words go unfulfilled. All Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew Samuel was the Lord’s appointed prophet.

3)    Does the story make sense?






4)    Dramatic reading time! Divvy up parts






5)   Have you been called?

String of Pearls

Happy New Year! Good time for beginnings, and the Feast of Jesus' Baptism kicks off the church year.

Rabbis had a name for teaching scripture from different parts of the bible by connecting word: making a string of pearls. The gospel this week for celebrating Jesus’ Baptism is a great example of this. Rabbis think it’s especially nice when they can connect the three different parts of the Hebrew bible: the Torah, the Prophets and the Psalms.

Mark 1:4-11

John the Baptizer was in the desert telling people about a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. All Judea and all the people of Jerusalem went to him. As they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.  John was dressed in clothes made from camel’s hair. He wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.  He announced, “The one who comes after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to bend down and untie his sandal straps.  I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”  

At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan River. As Jesus came out of the water, he saw heaven split open and the Spirit coming down to him as a dove. A voice from heaven said, “You are my Son, whom I love. I am pleased with you.”

So what are the connections? One book suggests these three:
Psalm2:7 I will announce the Lord’s decree. He said to me: “You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.”

Genesis 22:1-2 Later God tested Abraham and called to him, “Abraham!”
“Yes, here I am!” he answered.  God said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I will show you.”

Isaiah 42:1 Here is my servant, whom I support. Here is my chosen one, with whom I am pleased. I have put my Spirit on him. He will bring justice to the nations.

1)    What are the connections?
2)    What do the connections lead to? I mean, what else connects with Jesus or his baptism in those other scriptures?
3)    Do you see any other connections?




Another preacher points out two other connections with that place: Joshua led the people of Israel across the Jordan, and the great prophet Elisha receives a “double portion of spirit” of Elijah, and parts the waters of the Jordan as Elijah did.
4)    What might make those important connections?


More connections: There are two other places in Mark’s gospel when Jesus is proclaimed the Son of God:

Mark 9:2-7

After six days Jesus took only Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone. Jesus’ appearance changed in front of them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone on earth could bleach them. Then Elijah and Moses appeared to them and were talking with Jesus.  

Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it’s good that we’re here. Let’s put up three tents—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” (Peter didn’t know how to respond. He and the others were terrified.)  Then a cloud overshadowed them. A voice came out of the cloud and said, “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”

Mark 15:37-39

Then Jesus cried out in a loud voice and died. The curtain in the temple was split in two from top to bottom.  When the officer who stood facing Jesus saw how he gave up his spirit, he said, “Certainly, this man was the Son of God!”

5)    What connections might Mark hoped you would see among Jesus’ baptism, transfiguration and death, connected by this phrase?



Your Baptism
How did we go from Jesus getting baptized to us getting baptized? Because of New Testament stories like this:
Acts 19:1-7

While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the interior regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples. He said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?" They replied, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." Then he said, "Into what then were you baptized?" They answered, "Into John's baptism." Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus." On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied-- altogether there were about twelve of them.

The official scoop: A sacrament is an outward and visible sign of inward and spiritual grace. Baptism is the initiation into Christian faith. Water and sometimes oil mark you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. There’s three parts that you or your godparents commit to: renounce and reject sin, a statement of belief in God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and a commitment to follow Christ as Lord and Savior. The effect of baptism isyou receive the Holy Spirit to live in you.

6)    Any questions about your baptism or baptism in general?


7)    Jot down one connection you want to remember from today.



References:

• Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus, Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg. They have a website at ourrabbijesus.com
• "Cosmic Crossing", Russell Rathbun, thehardestquestion.org
• Picture: Fr. Stephen, MSC @ Flickr 

For the men's study on this topic I made small changes to the questions and added a section before the Acts reading.

Nadia Bolz-Weber wrote a sermon where she contrasted the warm, fuzzy moment of the Holy Spirit hovering like a dove, to the following verses 12 and 13: “And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.” She comments that we often treat our spiritual life or church practice as a “wilderness avoidance program.”

6) What other scripture connects to the idea that the Spirit may send us out into the Wilderness?


7) Have you had any experiences where close contact with God or a filling with the Spirit drove you into a spiritually or faith-challenging place?

¡Viva La Revolución!

(Youth Study for the 3rd week of advent.)

From Wikipedia: Gaudete Sunday  is the third Sunday of Advent in the liturgical calendar...
The day takes its common name from the Latin word Gaudete ("Rejoice"), the first word of the introit of this day's Mass:

Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, gaudete. Modestia vestra nota sit omnibus hominibus: Dominus enim prope est. Nihil solliciti sitis: sed in omni oratione petitiones vestræ innotescant apud Deum. Benedixisti Domine terram tuam: avertisti captivitatem Jacob.

This may be translated as "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Let your forbearance be known to all, for the Lord is near at hand; have no anxiety about anything, but in all things, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God. Lord, you have blessed your land; you have turned away the captivity of Jacob." (Philippians 4:4–6; Psalm 85:1).



(We talked about the command to praise. Introduced the idea that these readings are talking about a revolution. We've also been talking about reading dramatically, so that is clearly a good thing to practice on these.)

Isaiah 61 The Lord Will Anoint His Servant With His Spirit

The Spirit of the Almighty Lord is with me
because the Lord has anointed me
to deliver good news to humble people.
He has sent me
to heal those who are brokenhearted,
to announce that captives will be set free
and prisoners will be released.
2 He has sent me
to announce the year of the Lord’s good will
and the day of our God’s vengeance,
to comfort all those who grieve.
3 He has sent me
to provide for all those who grieve in Zion,
to give them crowns instead of ashes,
the oil of joy instead of tears of grief,
and clothes of praise instead of a spirit of weakness.

They will be called Oaks of Righteousness,
the Plantings of the Lord,
so that he might display his glory.

4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins.
They will restore the places destroyed long ago.
They will renew the ruined cities, the places destroyed generations ago.
5 Foreigners will come forward and become shepherds for your flocks,
and children of foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.
6 You will be called the priests of the Lord.
You will be called the servants of our God.
You will consume the wealth of the nations.
You will boast in their splendor.
7 You will receive a double measure of wealth instead of your shame.
You will sing about your wealth instead of being disgraced.
That is why you will have a double measure of wealth in your land.
You will have everlasting joy.
8 I, the Lord, love justice.
I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
I will faithfully reward my people’s work.
I will make an everlasting promise[a] to them.
9 Then their offspring will be known among the nations
and their descendants among the people.
Everyone who sees them will recognize
that they are the descendants whom the Lord has blessed.

10 I will find joy in the Lord.
I will delight in my God.
He has dressed me in the clothes of salvation.
He has wrapped me in the robe of righteousness
like a bridegroom with a priest’s turban,
like a bride with her jewels.
11 Like the ground that brings forth its crops
and like a garden that makes the seed in it grow,
so the Almighty Lord will make righteousness and praise
spring up in front of all nations.

Luke 1 Mary Praises God

46 Mary said, “My soul praises the Lord’s greatness!
47 My spirit finds its joy in God, my Savior,
48 because he has looked favorably on me, his humble servant. 

“From now on, all people will call me blessed
49 because the Almighty has done great things to me.

His name is holy.
50 For those who fear him,
his mercy lasts throughout every generation.
51“He displayed his mighty power.
He scattered the crowd.
52 He pulled strong rulers from their thrones.
He honored humble people.
53 He fed hungry people with good food.
He sent rich people away with nothing.

54 “He remembered to help his servant Israel forever.
55 This is the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his descendants.”

 (We used the table below to then sort out the two poems into descriptions of God, God's actions, and our actions. Students have been responding well to being more active, rather than just thinking about questions.)
 

(Once we had the table, we followed the command, Gaudete! We went around the circle twice, saying "I praise God for..." and then filling in the blank with an action or description. They had the idea of all of us shuting Gaudete after someone had a praise - and that worked great.)

(Before moving on to the game, a student was singing "Rejoice in the Lord always..." which we had tried in rounds before with NO success. She wanted to substitute Gaudete for rejoice! So we gave it a go with our best rounds result ever. Great end to the lesson.)

GAUDETE!

The In Betweeners

The In Betweeners… that’s us!
Advent is a great time for considering what it means to be waiting for Christ.

BCers:  Isaiah
Isaiah 40:1-11

Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins. A voice cries out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

A voice says, “Cry out!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the LORD blows upon it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand forever. Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!” See, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep. 

1) This is the beginning of the 2nd part of Isaiah, where Israel is in exile. How is this comforting to them?


2) Are we in need of comfort now? In what way are people still in exile? How might this comfort them today?

John the Baptizer: Read Mark 1:1-8

The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,

"See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way;
the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
`Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,'"

John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." 

3) Crazy corner preachers are so rarely successful. But John was. Why do you think?


The following is probably too long a quote from Nadia Bolz-Weber's sermon on this. Please go read the whole thing.
“Repentance – which in Greek means something closer to “thinking differently afterwards” than it means change your cheating ways. Of course repentance CAN look like a prostitute becoming a librarian but repentance can also look like a whore saying ok I’m a sex worker and I have no idea how to get out but I can come here and receive bread and wine and maybe if only for a moment I can hold onto the love of God without being deemed worthy of it by anyone but God. Repentance is a con artist being a real person for the first time ever without knowing who that person is anymore but knowing he sees it in the eyes of those serving him communion naming him a Child of God. Repentance is realizing there is more life to be had in being proved wrong than in continuing to think you’re right. Repentance is the adult child of an fundamentalist saying I give up on waiting for my mom to love me for who I am so I’m gonna rely on God to help me love her for who she is because I know she’s not going to be around forever. Repentance is unexpected beauty after a failed suicide attempt. Repentance is a couple weeks ago when the clerk at the Adult bookstore on Colfax teared up and said “your church brought me thanksgiving lunch?” Repentance is what happened to me when at the age of 28 my first community college teacher told me I was smart and despite all my past experience of myself I believed her. See, repentance is what happens to us when the Good News, the truth of who we are and who God is, enters our lives and scatters the darkness of competing ideas.”

4) Nadia Bolz-Weber (The Sarcastic Lutheran) had that amazing take on repentance. What do you think? Can that fit with your image of repentance? What area of your life needs repentance?


Fellow In Betweener: Peter
2 Peter 3:8-15a

Do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed. Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire? But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home. Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation.

5) How would you sum up Peter’s take on waiting? Is it still relevant for us today or was it more for those expecting Jesus any day?


6) What does “regard the patience of our Lord as salvation” mean?

The End of Waiting: Read Mark 13:24-37

 Jesus said to his disciples, "In those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see `the Son of Man coming in clouds' with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

"From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

"But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake-- for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake." 

7) For the Jews in exile, awaiting the messiah was clearly positive. It would mean the fulfillment of astounding promises. Is that what Jesus’ return is for us, or is it something different?


8) Keep awake. Be wise. Trim our wicks… how do we do that? How is living with a resurrected Savior than different from living with a resurrected Savior who’s coming back.



Bonus poetry: a friend was marveling over the wonder of the incarnation, and I stumbled on this bit of poetry that captured some of the wonder for me:

We who must die demand a miracle.
How could the Eternal do a temporal act,
The Infinite become a finite fact?
Nothing can save us that is possible:
We who must die demand a miracle. 

(short excerpt from For the Time Being – WH Auden. Link to a longer excerpt)

9) How can we prepare for Christmas like it is good news, surprising and noteworthy, instead of a story that we’ve heard a large number of times?


Double bonus: Auden's For the Time Being is a 50 page poem,  subtitled "a Christmas Oratorio."  The chorus is also amazing...

He is the Way.
Follow Him through the Land of Unlikeness;
You will see rare beasts, and have unique adventures.

He is the Truth.
Seek Him in the Kingdom of Anxiety;
You will come to a great city that has expected your return for years.

He is the Life.
Love Him in the World of the Flesh;
And at your marriage all its occasions shall dance for joy.

Recalls Narnia and The Lord of the Rings, doesn't it?

10 Big Ideas in the Nativity Story

We've been off for church activities and Thanksgiving. But now back and adventing.

This activity comes from http://youthministry360.com/featured/10-christmas-story-takeaways-your-students-need-to-know/ by Andy Blanks.You can also use that as an answer key!

Which three ideas are the most important to you?


Which one idea would you want other teens to know about?  Can you think of another part of scripture that also teaches that?

Can you sketch an image of that idea or a cartoon of your biggest point?
















Image credits: Stephen Downes @ Flickr, Bil Keane, RIP. (Permission was not granted to me but to JoyfulNoiseletter.)

Gifted & Talented

A student we know objected to the "gifted and talented" label for a class. "It makes it sound like everybody doesn't have a gift."

The word talent in the parable in Matthew 25:14-30 is an unfortunate coincidence. It takes us naturally to what might be a good place to consider - our talents as a gift from God - but away from Jesus' intent while telling the story.  Karen noticed a couple neat points at on this parable at the Hardest Question this week that really got me thinking.

1) How much was a talent? It is a year's salary! The servant that got 'a talent' isn't getting a pittance, he's getting a treasure. I can imagine hiding $10 so I don't lose it. Hiding $100,000 feels more like a crime.

2) Treasure = Torah. This is about the Word that we all receive. Are we going to fence it in, or share and thus multiply it? This parable comes right after the wise and foolish bridesmaids, and this helps it connect.

So this week for the youth study, we'll try another dramatic reading. When we did that before, with the parable of the unforgiving servant, it was a big hit, and seemed to make a big difference in the students' understanding of the scripture.

We'll start by talking about 'if you won the lottery...' and then shift to 'if investor's gave you the start up money for a business...'

After the first readthrough of the text: Matthew 25:14-30 (God's Word)

The kingdom of heaven is like a man going on a trip. He called his servants and entrusted some money to them. He gave one man ten thousand dollars, another four thousand dollars, and another two thousand dollars. Each was given money based on his ability. Then the man went on his trip. The one who received ten thousand dollars invested the money at once and doubled his money.  The one who had four thousand dollars did the same and also doubled his money.  But the one who received two thousand dollars went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.

After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.  The one who received ten thousand dollars brought the additional ten thousand. He said, ‘Sir, you gave me ten thousand dollars. I’ve doubled the amount.’ His master replied, ‘Good job! You’re a good and faithful servant! You proved that you could be trusted with a small amount. I will put you in charge of a large amount. Come and share your master’s happiness.’

The one who received four thousand dollars came and said, ‘Sir, you gave me four thousand dollars. I’ve doubled the amount.’ His master replied, ‘Good job! You’re a good and faithful servant! You proved that you could be trusted with a small amount. I will put you in charge of a large amount. Come and share your master’s happiness.’

Then the one who received two thousand dollars came and said, ‘Sir, I knew that you are a hard person to please. You harvest where you haven’t planted and gather where you haven’t scattered any seeds. I was afraid. So I hid your two thousand dollars in the ground. Here’s your money!’ His master responded, ‘You evil and lazy servant! If you knew that I harvest where I haven’t planted and gather where I haven’t scattered, then you should have invested my money with the bankers. When I returned, I would have received my money back with interest.  Take the two thousand dollars away from him! Give it to the one who has the ten thousand!  To all who have, more will be given, and they will have more than enough. But everything will be taken away from those who don’t have much. Throw this useless servant outside into the darkness. People will cry and be in extreme pain there.’

We'll consider these kind of issues:

• what should the money amounts be for our day and age?
• what did the master sound like giving the talents?
• what would they have felt like being entrusted with this? After the return?
• why is the master so mad at the third servant?

Image credit: Lawrence OP @ Flickr