GCI Equipper

What it Means to be Lost

For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.

Editor’s Note: For years I struggled with the word “lost” when referring to people who don’t know Jesus. It seemed such an ominous term – almost permanent, as if there was no hope for those who are “lost.” Yet the term is used in the Bible. Jeremiah and Ezekiel refer to people who have become lost (Jeremiah 50:6, Ezekiel 34:16). The psalmist referred to himself as a lost sheep (Psalm 119:176). Luke tells us, “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Reading these passages, I see the term “lost” referring to those whom the Lord is seeking. So what does “lost” mean? What does it have to do with our 2022 theme Compelled by Love? Allow me to share something sent to me by my coach and friend, retired pastor Glen Weber. He shares a good illustration, which clarifies what it means to be lost.

Compelled by Love – Who are the Lost?

By Glen Weber, Central Region Support Team and Certified Coach

While in high school I purchased a class ring for my graduation in 1969. Soon afterwards, I was accepted to Ambassador College in England. Because of the distance, most of my belongings never left my home in Wyoming. During my college years and beyond, my parents moved three times, and my things moved with them. Somewhere along the way, my high school memorabilia and other minor possessions were misplaced. As far as I knew, my class ring was lost. Forty-five years later, when we moved my aging mother out of her home, I “found” my class ring. It wasn’t lost, I just didn’t know where it was. When I found it, a truth came to me that helped me understand the biblical concept of being lost. No item can be considered “lost” which has not first been possessed by the owner. Let me repeat that, and when I do, think of those we refer to as “lost” in our lives.

No item can be considered lost which has not first been possessed by the owner.

As soon as I saw the ring, I knew it was mine! It makes me think of Jesus who knows all of humanity belongs to him. As we focus on our theme Compelled by Love, we are drawn to Jesus’ love and desire for the “lost” in humanity. It begs us to ask some questions: Who are the lost? Who are the lost sheep? Who are those Jesus came to seek and to save?

Jesus gave three parables about lost things in Luke 15. The Pharisees and teachers of the law are murmuring and challenging Jesus because he spends time with sinners. Jesus begins his response by telling the story of a shepherd who has one hundred sheep. One of those sheep wanders off and gets lost. Jesus says that a good shepherd would leave the ninety-nine and go find the lost sheep and come back rejoicing when it is found!

He then offers a second parable of a woman who has ten coins and loses one. She furiously and meticulously cleans her house until she finds that lost coin. She then rejoices that the lost coin has been found.

Finally, Jesus brings it to the point of the sinners with whom he is sharing time and meals. He explains the parable of the lost son. We all know the story of the son who demands his inheritance from his father, leaves to a far country (going to some Gentile country) and blows all his resources. To those in the community, the son is now as good as dead in his actions – but note the father’s heart. The father keeps waiting for him to return. When the son returns home and begins to ask if he can take on the role of a servant, the father interrupts him, throws a huge party, restores the son to full sonship in the family and celebrates that his lost (dead) son has returned.

In all three parables, that which was considered lost had always been possessed by the owner – even after it was lost. The shepherd still owned the lost lamb; the woman still owned the lost coin; the father still considered the lost son as his son. The lamb, the coin and the son could only be considered lost if they were not already the possession of the owner.

Who are the “lost” of humanity? When our love avenues make efforts to engage with the “lost” how should we view them? How should we relate to them? As those who already belong to the Father.

In Matthew 10, Jesus tells his disciples about the lost.

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.” (Matthew 10:5-8)

Sadly, many believers have read this passage believing Jesus was referring to the sheep of Israel being lost among the other nations. Yet, we know from numerous passages in the Gospels, that Jesus sent his disciples out to the many Jewish villages where the people of Israel lived. They weren’t lost among the nations; they were lost from their owner – God. God is sending his shepherds out to find the lost sheep. Notice in verse 7 that they are to tell the lost about the kingdom of heaven being near, healing the sick, raising the dead, cleansing lepers, driving out demons, and freely giving them the love of God. They have belonged to God all along but need to be reminded of that truth. Later, of course, we read that in Christ there is no Gentile or Jew, so lostness refers to all who belong to the Father through Jesus assuming all humanity unto himself. This is the message Paul was telling the believers in Corinth:

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:18-19)

Paul challenges the reader – us – to go find those people who are lost and invite them to reconcile their heart to the God who loves them – telling them the kingdom of God has come near. Earlier he said we do this because Christ’s love compels us (verse 14). This is why our theme for the Love Avenue this year is Compelled by Love.

Because we are “compelled by love” we are reaching out to our neighbors (the one-square mile around our church hall) and engaging the lost to help them find their way home! We want to help them know who they are by helping them know who Christ is. He is, the One who reconciles them to the Father.

May the Holy Spirit help us find our lost brothers and sisters who don’t know they are lost! May we be compelled by love to engage the people in the neighborhood around our church. I encourage you to participate, support, pray for, or serve your congregation’s Love Avenue initiatives in any way you can – even if you are also a team member of the Hope or Faith avenues. If you live a distance away, reach out to the lost in your neighborhood. Won’t it be exciting to have some of those lost people – who will now be found – participating in your Hope and Faith Avenue activities?

Prayer: Father, there is no human being who is not loved by you. They are lost, but they are still your child. May we be the shepherd out looking for lost lambs. May we joyfully love them and bring them home to be with the ninety-nine and with the Great Shepherd. Amen

Thanks Glen, for helping us see the need to engage and love those who already belong to Jesus.

 

Rick Shallenberger

Bearing Fruit with Jesus

Jesus came to share in our place, and he invites us to place share in our church neighborhood.

By Sam Butler, Pastor, Grand Rapids, Michigan

As believers, we are called to participate in the ongoing mission of Jesus Christ. Jesus is actively involved in mission, and he invites us to participate – as congregations and as individuals – in the mission he is already involved in. Our participation is outlined in Jesus’ teaching about the vine and the branches:

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)

There are two ideas in this passage that are critical to understanding the concept of mission. The first is that we need to remain in Christ; we are not able to accomplish anything apart from him. The second is that when we are in relationship with him, fruit will naturally develop. Notice he does not ask us to produce fruit on our own, but tells us when we are in him, the resulting relationship will bear fruit.

What does it mean to “remain in Christ?” It starts with answering the “Who?” question. Who is Jesus? Once we come to believe that Jesus is who he claims to be – Lord, Savior, brother, friend, redeemer, reconciler – we then answer the 2nd question, “Who am I in Jesus?” I am the one he saved; I am the brother or sister; I am the friend; I am the one he redeemed. I hold on to this truth – remain in him – by being in constant relationship with him.

To remain in Christ is to be in relationship with him. It’s a personal relationship that will look different for everyone. The result of this personal relationship is the fruit that we bear in and with him. Remaining in Christ and bearing much fruit are intricately and intimately tied together. To tie this in with mission, we can say successful mission for our congregations and fellowship groups only happens when we are in relationship with Jesus. What does this look like as we focus on the Love Avenue? What does bearing fruit with Jesus look like in your church neighborhood or community? To answer this question, let’s flesh out a term we’ve heard GCI President Greg Williams and others use, which will help us understand mission. That term is place sharing.

Place sharing is how God shared his love with us by sending us his Son. Jesus came to share in our place – to live in and among humanity. But he didn’t just come to share life with us, he went a step further and became one of us. God became flesh – this is called incarnation. The Christmas celebration is the beginning, the starting point of incarnation, which has never ended. The Son of God is still human – though now in a glorified state. Incarnation is how God chose to place share. It is how we better understand his desire to continually share his love with us.

We need to understand this: in order for humanity to achieve our ultimate goal of being with God for eternity, God, compelled by love, sent the Word to dwell with us (place share). In so doing, he forgives us and reconciles us to bring us into relationship with Father, Son, and Spirit. Jesus came to share our place. To live with, in, and through us. He shares in our joys and our sorrows. He shares in our trials and our celebrations. He shares in our laughter and our tears. He joined us in our place so he could share life with us. He did not require us to be like him, to come where he is, to join in what he is doing before he shared in our lives. He came to us, right where we are, and entered into our place to share our experiences right alongside us. His love for us compelled him to place share with us.

Now, through the Spirit, Jesus invites us to place share with him to others by place sharing with our neighbors right where they are. In our relationship with Jesus, he calls us to participate in his ministry of calling those he loves, forgave, and died for into relationship with him – these are the people right around where your congregation or fellowship group meets. Jesus, through the Spirit, continues to be present in our world, but now invites us to be part of that presence. He has invited us to participate in that place sharing. As we remain in him, we share in what he is doing in this place.

Jesus gave us a commission to participate in what he is doing (Matthew 28:18-20), and he reminds us we are never working alone. He wants us to interact with our communities where he is already at work and build loving relationships with those neighbors he is already reaching. He wants us to place share with those he loves – to enter into their world and walk alongside them.

From a missional perspective, it is important for us to know that Jesus is already in the community. He already has a relationship with those we are reaching out to, and the community already belongs to him, although they may not know it yet. Jesus invites us to join him there and participate with him in his kingdom work. In order to place share, it is important to identify a community where needs align with the church’s gifts, experiences, and resources. More will be said about this in future articles.

Once we identify the community, we take the necessary steps to get to know it by noticing the ebbs and flows of the life of the community and the people who inhabit the area. We begin the process of building relationships. Only then can we understand our roles there. We allow the community and the people to inform us; we allow the community to get to know us as we in turn get to know them. We begin to see the community through Jesus’ eyes by learning, and as we become involved, we are able to interact in an appropriate way for the sake of the gospel. We do not begin with the goal of changing the community or sharing Jesus in the traditional sense; we begin by joining people right where they are, loving and serving them there. It is in this setting that the Spirit works and God’s Kingdom work thrives. This is place sharing.

Ministry Action Plans (MAPs)

“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” – Benjamin Franklin

Equipper Team: Part of a pastor’s job description is to put together an annual Ministry Action Plan (MAP) for the congregation. A leader of a healthy church will ask the Avenue Champions to also put together MAPs for their area of responsibility. Not every MAP will look the same. While many of our pastors will follow the template we offer on our GCI resource page, which focuses on all three Avenues. An Avenue Champion may develop his or her MAP on a different format.

Following is a MAP Ceeja Malmkar, Love Avenue Champion for GC Surrey Hills, put together based on the Provision, Plan, Promise tool. We felt it worth sharing with you.

2022 Ministry Action Plan for GC Surrey Hills Love Avenue

 

Prepared By: Ceeja Malmkar, Love Avenue Champion Surrey Hills, Oklahoma, USA 

 

Ministry

The GC Surrey Hills Love Avenue is in the ministry of loving others. We are compelled by the love of Christ, and our heart is to join our neighbors in making an everlasting impact in our neighborhood. We do this the way Jesus did: through authentic and intentional relationship, inclusivity of church and community members, and displaying Jesus’ love by meeting our neighbors where they are within the rhythms of the community.

Action

The GC Surrey Hills Love Avenue will put our love into action through a series of neighborhood events, outreaches, and service projects. Each planned outreach will be put through the filter of the following questions:

  • Does this outreach provide opportunities for church members to volunteer and serve?
  • Does this outreach provide the opportunity for neighbors, community organizations, and others outside the church walls to join and serve?
  • Does this outreach meet our target community where they are? Does it fall into the existing rhythms of the neighborhood/community?
  • Is this outreach inclusive for children? Are we loving them well?
  • How can we tie this outreach back to the life of the church?
  • How can we inspire our neighbors and church members to participate?
  • What kind of budget does this outreach need, and how do we invite others into financially participating?

Plan

This year I am going to try something new. I’m going to follow the Provision, Plan, Promise tool while planning our 2022 calendar. The idea is that we create a system and schedule of planning so that we don’t get overwhelmed and run short on time. The premise is to look ahead on our calendars and use the “provisional, plan, and promise” in preparing for important events on our calendar, all 4-5 months in advance.

Example: “Christmas in July” is an awesome kick-off to thinking about our Christmas events. It seems that every year after the fall festivals and trunk or treats, the holiday season begins, and many of us run out of time in our planning. Following the three P’s, Christmas planning would look like this:

  • July—Provisional Meeting: This is a time for the team to dream out loud, come up with ideas, and brainstorm. This gives 30 days to get different opinions and filter your ideas to come up with a plan.
  • August—Provision becomes Plan: This is the time for the team to put their plan on paper. They begin to discuss details and find the “gotchas” that could come up. This is a time to solidify dates and details, and to talk about advertising and promotion, etc. The team will have 30 days to tweak the plan and all the details.
  • September—Plan becomes a Promise: This is the time where you set your plan in motion: work out all details, determine volunteer needs, assign projects and teams, create sign ups, etc. You should prepare all your graphics and promotions during these 30 days.

By following this type of calendar, we will be able to have an organized, well-thought-out plan for the year. This plan will give us 8-12 weeks before Christmas to prepare, create, and execute all the details laid out in the plan.

2022 GC Surrey Hills Love Avenue Meeting Calendar

Month Celebration Provisional Planning Promise
January Celebrate Christmas event Brainstorming for Holy Week Final details for February outreach
February Celebrations & Prayer Requests Brainstorming for Camp Surrey Detailing Holy Week Events
March Celebrations February Outreach Detailing Camp Surrey Final Details for Holy Week
April Holy Week Work Party Brainstorming for Back-to-School Event Final Details for Camp Surrey
May Camp Surrey Work Party Detailing Back-to-School Event
June Celebrations & Prayer Requests Brainstorming for Trunk or Treat Final Details for Back-to-School event
July Back-to-School Work Party Brainstorming for Christmas Detailing Trunk or Treat
August Celebrations & Prayer Requests Detailing Christmas Final Details for Trunk or Treat
September Celebrations & Prayer Requests Planning Details for Christmas
October Trunk or Treat Work Party Brainstorming for Neighborhood Service Project
November Celebrations & Christmas Work Party Detailing Neighborhood Service Project Final Details for Christmas
December Christmas Party Final Details for Neighborhood Service Project

 

The Parable of the Cruise Line

Do Healthy Church initiatives even apply to small congregations and fellowship groups?

By Tim Sitterley, US Regional Director West, and Dan Rogers, Pastor, Las Vegas, NV

Over the years I’ve learned that it is way too easy, when presenting new concepts and ideas, to talk all around the real questions. It’s also easy to presume everyone understands what you are trying to get across, and any resistance simply stems from a lack of understanding. Unfortunately, when you take this approach, you occasionally fail to see that your listeners fully understand WHAT you are presenting, they just don’t see HOW it is relevant to them.

This became the case in a recent regional townhall Zoom discussion on the denomination’s healthy church initiatives. In the middle of the conversation a pastor presented this statement. “After listening to all this, I don’t see why I’m even here?”

He went on to point out how small his congregation was, that they were mostly elderly members, and that he was feeling discouraged by all the expectations that the denomination seemed to have placed on him and his congregation. He couldn’t see how concepts like team-based/pastor led and avenue champions, nor the recently released job description had any relevance to the six to ten members who showed up each week.

Before I could come up with what might have been a suitable answer, Dan Rogers (retired US Church Administration Director and now lead pastor in our Las Vegas congregation) stepped in with an analogy between a cruise ship and a small fishing boat. The comparisons of intent vs application that he presented resonated with not only the discouraged pastor, but with the entire group. So I asked Dan to flesh out his story, and I present it to you.

The Parable of the Cruise Line

There was a cruise ship line that had huge cruise ships that carried many hundreds of passengers along with large crews and staffs on each ship. The cruise line also operated some much smaller boats that were for day cruises and sightseeing excursions.

The cruise line decided it would be wise to publish regulations and guidelines for the safe and effective operation of its fleet. With the help of planning, safety, and efficiency experts, along with a team of attorneys knowledgeable in maritime law, the cruise line produced a 500-page manual of requirements and instructions for its fleet. 

The manual was distributed to all the captains of the cruise line’s vessels. The captains were instructed to inform their crew and staff of the regulations and guidelines and see that they were implemented on their ships.

One of the ships owned and operated by the cruise line was a small vessel that was used for day cruises and sightseeing excursions. The vessel, the S.S. Minnow operated with a captain, a crew of one, and carried up to five passengers.

When the captain of the Minnow received the manual and read through it, his first thought was, “This is ridiculous! The heads of the cruise line don’t know us and don’t understand us. We can’t possibly implement all these things laid out in this manual. These guidelines just don’t fit our situation.” The captain felt very discouraged. “Maybe I should just give up,” he thought. “Maybe I should just resign from the cruise line and go off on my own.”

Then it occurred to him. In addition to legal requirements that applied to all sea-going vessels, the manual did offer some great principles and ideas for safe and effective operation that the Minnow might be able to use. While not all (or even many of) the instructions could be implemented exactly as stated, still there were some valuable ideas and guidance offered. He thought to himself, “I think we could adapt these principles and ideas into our context and make the Minnow a safer and more effective ship.” 

The captain began to think about some of the guidelines that were given in the manual and how they might apply in his and the Minnow’s context:

Further training required? Well, we all need ongoing training, even me and my “little buddy” crewman. We want to give our customers the best experience possible, so we constantly need to improve in our jobs. And even though we have lots of experience, there are always new things to learn.

Mandatory safety requirements for all ships? We do care about our customers’ safety so we all should be wearing life vests, even the captain and crew. My little buddy and some passengers may not like that, but it is a requirement that is wise and necessary for their own safety.

A script of required announcements is to be made by all captains prior to beginning each cruise. I like making up my own announcements. But following the set of standard announcements for all ships is unifying for the fleet. It also makes sure each ship covers the necessary safety regulations for each cruise. I can always add my own comments to the announcements as I feel they are appropriate and needed for my ship. I can see that covering those necessary safety regulations each trip as the cruise line dictates is very important. We certainly don’t want to end up shipwrecked on some uncharted desert isle!

As far as the instruction to have teams and team leaders for different jobs, it’s just me and my little buddy as the crew so we are going to have to do double duty on some things, assist each other in various areas, and maybe we could even get some of the passengers to volunteer to help out. They might even enjoy that.

What about the requirement to have complementary meal food service on each cruise?  We can’t offer a dining room, a chef, a kitchen, or a buffet but, it is a great idea to offer a free picnic lunch to our passengers. All we need is a picnic basket with some sandwiches and beverages since we are just out to sea for a three-hour cruise.

The captain concluded:

I think I get the point. Why are we here? What is our mission? No matter the size of the ship, the size of its crew, or the number of passengers on board, the idea is that all our customers and our crew have a safe and enjoyable time at sea. As captain, what I first need to do is make sure all legal requirements are followed. Then I need to apply in my context the principles, not necessarily all of the exact details, given in the instructions. When I successfully do that, the cruise line’s purpose and mission will be accomplished. We will have a safe and happy crew and safe and happy customers, and that’s what we all want.

Upon this realization, the captain exclaimed, “We can do this!”

(And so he did, and they all lived happily ever after.)

The End.

I believe that Dan’s story put congregational size into the proper perspective. Mike Rasmussen made the statement publicly that he believes a congregation of a pastor and three active members could implement a team-based/pastor-led structure, and could appoint faith, hope and love avenue champions. I know many eyes glazed over at that comment, but as Dan points out, the healthy church initiatives apply to the fellowship group of four just as clearly as they apply to a congregation of forty. It’s the implementation that will naturally look different.

And to the pastor or fellowship group facilitator out there who may be asking the same question “Why am I even here?”, I hope and pray that Dan’s little parable will give them clarity of what we are asking of them, and the clear understanding and acceptance that…no matter how small…they can do this!

Church Hack: Missional Living

In relationship with our Triune God and in community with one other, we engage in our neighborhoods shining the light and sharing the love of Christ. It is not our own goodness that shapes our motivations and behavior, but we are compelled by the love of Christ and empowered by the Spirit to live differently – interested in the lives and experiences of others and joyfully engaging with our neighbors. In his BELLS model, Michael Frost shares a framework that helps us develop missional habits in our everyday lives.

Embracing Diversity

In the United States, February is designated as Black History Month. It is a time to remember the experiences and celebrate the contributions of Black people in America. The month-long observance was pioneered by Carter G. Woodson, who instituted Negro History Week in 1926. Educators at Kent State University are credited with first observing a month-long celebration in 1969, and other educational institutions adopted the practice in subsequent years. President Ford recognized Black History Month in 1976, stating the all Americans should “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

For many, acknowledging and celebrating Black History Month is routine.  However, we should not forget why the observance exists — some histories and stories are “too-often neglected.” Human beings have a bad habit of separating ourselves into social groups, centering ourselves and our own stories, and overlooking and silencing those we consider the “other.” One way to describe this phenomenon is bias, and bias is not unique to one group of people. We all have biases, to some extent, and act on them without even consciously thinking about it. Black History Month is one example of an attempt to bring focus on stories that are too-often neglected; however, it is neither the only example, nor is it the only one that is needed. There are many stories that need to be heard.

When thinking about the children and youth you serve, is there space for all of their stories to be heard? Are your young people free to culturally express themselves? Does your congregation celebrate diversity by sharing stories that are too-often neglected? In the book of Revelation, the apostle John shares a vision of heaven:

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:9-10)

This image of heaven gives us a clue that ethnicity and culture have some sort of eternal value. Our ethnic and cultural differences reflect God’s beauty and creativity. At the same time, those saints from different backgrounds are united in their worship of God. Diversity in unity is part of God’s design for humanity. Our cultural differences should be celebrated, and our unity in Christ should be celebrated even more.

If you do not have experience cultivating diversity, here are some tips:

  1. Come to terms with your own bias. We all have biases and comfort zones which have caused us to value some stories more than others. Part of following Christ involves striving to rid ourselves of these biases (Leviticus 19:15; 1 Timothy 5:21; James 3:16-18; 1 John 2:9-11). One helpful resource is Project Implicit, a website that has several implicit bias tests you can take for free. Visit:https:// implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html
  2. Get educated about those different from you. We all have to work to decenter our own story. A great way to do this is to listen to the stories of others. If you are new to this journey, here are a few books that can help you get started: One Blood by John M. Perkins, Be the Bridge by Latasha Morrison, and The Third Option by Miles McPherson.
  3. Cultivate cross-cultural relationships. Form intentional relationships with people of different backgrounds. Allow yourself to be shaped by different cultures, and open yourself to new perspectives.
  4. Talk to your youth. After doing some internal work, ask your young people if they feel free to express who they are culturally. Inquire to see if they feel like they are hearing stories from people who are culturally different. Discuss with them ways to create an environment that embraces diversity and celebrates our unity in Christ. You will likely want to involve parents in these conversations.
  5. Develop a rhythm of celebrating diversity as an act of worship. God made humanity diverse, and sharing our stories is a way to celebrate God’s greatness. We all need to hear stories of people from different backgrounds, even if those cultures are not represented in our group. Learning about different cultures and people groups humanizes us and better equips us to love like Jesus, who loved without partiality.

I pray your children and youth learn to see Christ in others, no matter their skin tone, hair texture, eye shape, or language spoken. May we all learn to worship God for the beauty of diversity.

Dishon Mills, Generations Ministry Coordinator, US

Gospel Reverb – The Temptation of Jesus w/ Gary Deddo

The Missional Church w/ Heber Ticas

Sermon for March 6, 2022 – 1st Sunday of Easter Preparation

Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16 • Deuteronomy 26:1-11 • Romans 10:8b-13 • Luke 4:1-13

This week’s theme is the response of faith. The call to worship Psalm is a response of meditation on God’s faithful care for those who put their trust in him. The Old Testament reading in Deuteronomy presents the instructions for celebrating the festival of first fruits which includes a confession of faith. Luke’s account of Jesus’ temptations stresses Jesus’ response of faith in the Father and a confession of that faith. The epistolary text in Romans records the fitting response of faith and confession to God’s justification and salvation.

When Jesus Says “NO!”

Luke 4:1-13 (NRSV)

Saying “no” can be hard. Even the slightest request by another is hard to say no to because we hate to disappoint. Or we may fear our “no” will create conflict or tension in our relationship. Sometimes, this hesitancy to say “no” gets us saying “yes” to things that may overextend us or obligate us to something that is not fitting. Been there?

The next time someone asks you to do something you need to say “no” to, but you are tempted to say “yes,” here’s something that may help: remember, that in every “no” there is a corresponding “yes.” For example, saying “no” to an invitation to hang out with friends after work may be because you are saying “yes” to spending time with you family. Or perhaps a “no” to help a loved one out of a jam is a “yes” to help them face the consequences of poor choices. And a “no” to that desperate plea for a donation to a charitable cause, could be your “yes” to providing for your own family. This may be helpful, but we also admit, every “no” doesn’t always have a well-meaning “yes” as the motive. Still, it introduces a question I would like to begin our message with. And that is, what is the “yes” behind Jesus’ “no?”

This will be a good question to consider as we go through the story of Jesus being tempted by the devil in the wilderness. In this one story, we hear Jesus say “no” three times as a significant part of the Gospel. This account appears in all three synoptic Gospels. It will also be a good question to consider as we begin the Season of Easter Preparation (commonly referred to as Lent) today. Easter Preparation is a season that carries a theme of repentance and confession. In other words, it’s a season of saying “no” with a corresponding “yes.” As we come to know the Lord, who he is and what he has done for us, we learn to repent, or say “no” to all that is not fitting in our relationship with him, ourselves, and one another. This repentance is also a confession, or a “yes” to all the Lord reveals to us. We come to agree, or confess, who he is and his word to us, while turning from all that is not fitting to who he is, and his word spoken to us.

So, with that in mind, let’s get into the story as Luke tells it.

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. (Luke4:1-2 NRSV)

First, we see that Jesus is returning from the Jordan. For context, Luke has led up to this story with Jesus’ baptism as well as the inclusion of Jesus’ genealogy. Both of these set the stage for the temptations the devil is about to assault Jesus with in the wilderness. In Jesus’ baptism the Father claims Jesus as his own Son. And the genealogy is constructed to work backward to Adam with the conclusion that Jesus is a “son of God.” With the combination of these two elements Luke has established Jesus’ identity as the Son of God. It is at this point in Luke’s gospel that the devil will try to tempt Jesus to doubt this very thing.

We should take note that this story about Jesus is also a story we are wrapped up in. Jesus didn’t face the devil for his own sake, he faced and defeated him for us. Luke tells us that Jesus was “led by the Spirit in the wilderness.” So, the devil is not running the show here. Facing the devil in the wilderness is part of Jesus’ ministry initiated by the Spirit. Jesus is facing our temptations, and he is doing it as the one who has assumed our human nature. Jesus has given us a victory that we can participate in by the Spirit. Without Jesus and his Spirit, we would never even put up a fight against the devil and his schemes.

It is noteworthy that the devil launches his attack right after Jesus’ baptism. Jesus has just heard the voice of his Father claiming him as his own Son. The first thing the devil wants to do is get Jesus to doubt this voice. This is the same temptation the devil put to Adam and Eve in the Garden. It worked the first time, but it will not work against Jesus. Jesus is undoing Adam’s failure in the Garden by refacing the devil on the devil’s own turf, the wilderness. This time, it will not be Adam who is banished. The devil will be the one “departing.”

As Christians, we should be mindful of the devil’s tactics. Note, I did not say fearful; I said mindful. If you are a new believer recently baptized, expect the devil to tempt you to doubt God’s word to you. For those who have been following the Lord for many years, the devil still rushes to challenge any word the Lord speaks to you. We must not assume that the devil is idle and doesn’t care whether we trust the Lord or not. No, the devil aims all his tactics and cunning at the one who is hearing and receiving God’s word to them. The sooner he can get us to doubt God’s word, the better in his diabolical eyes. We should not be naïve and think that in our walk with God we will never find ourselves in the wilderness or without temptation. If it happened to our Lord, we can expect it will happen to us. But Jesus has paved the way. He has already—in our stead—gained victory over the devil and his temptations. This means we are not on our own when we find ourselves in the wilderness facing intense temptation. And, we know in the end, the devil will flee.

As Jesus is led into the desert to face the devil, we are told that he fasted for forty days. This has Old Testament references that remind us of Israel and Moses wandering for 40 years in the desert. This detail can also give us the impression that Jesus faced the devil running on empty. “He was famished.” But far from facing the greatest enemy of humanity on empty, the passage tells us that he faced him “full of the Holy Spirit.” Like David facing Goliath, Jesus fights for humanity with the armor that fits him best. We can see in this that we too are made for more than just food and water. We are made to live in the communion of the Spirit. In this fullness the devil is no match for the Spirit who is always reminding us that we are children of the Father.

The devil has three temptations for Jesus, each aimed at creating doubt of Jesus’ identity as “the Son of God.” The devil wants Jesus to believe that the Father cannot be trusted and therefore Jesus needs to take matters into his own hands. In each of these temptations we will take note of what Jesus says “no” to and what he is saying “yes” to.

First temptation: No to Self-reliance/Yes to Faith

The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’” (Luke 4:3-4 NRSV)

The devil’s aim is revealed in his first words to Jesus, “If you are the Son of God…” He doesn’t attempt to tell a direct lie that Jesus is not the Son of God, rather he tries to plant a seed of doubt. He wants Jesus to question whether God’s words to him are true or not. We can expect such subtlety from the devil in our own temptations. Don’t expect to hear the devil tell you straight up that the Father doesn’t love you. Rather, he will wait till you are in a wilderness experience. Maybe you are lacking and feeling famished. The devil will then ask you, “If God really loves you, would he lead you to such a place as this?” The devil would love to turn your circumstances into opportunities to doubt God’s word to you. He would love to get us to focus on ourselves and our situation to the exclusion of what God is telling us. Then we are tempted to act from a center in ourselves rather than remaining centered on Jesus.

Notice how the first temptation is a very unnatural one. “Turn stone into bread.” The devil tells Jesus to take care of his own needs using supernatural power. Instead of relying on the Father for provision, Jesus is being tempted to act by using self-reliance. Jesus says no to this temptation. In Jesus “no” to self-reliance he is saying “yes” to faith. Jesus knows what humans are created for. We were created to rely on and trust in the Father. Jesus does not succumb to the temptation to take matters into his own hands and to feed himself on his terms. That would be unnatural as we are created to receive all things from the Father on his terms and in his good time. Jesus trusts the Father will provide, and he waits for the Father’s timing.

Jesus’ answer to the devil reveals he sees beyond the immediate temptation. “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’” He acknowledges his need for bread but not at the expense of a much deeper need and sustenance—his need to rely on the Father. Also, notice how Jesus resist these temptations. The devil is trying to get Jesus to doubt the Father’s word to him, so, what does Jesus do? He reminds himself by telling the devil what God’s word says. In our temptations, we too must remain firmly rooted in God’s written word which reminds us of what the Father has spoken to us in the Living Word by the Spirit. Scripture is an essential gift the believer must receive daily. It’s often recommended to start the day with a devotional, or in the Psalms. The best start of the day is to turn your ears to the trustworthy word found in the scriptures. You will find Jesus there with his victory for you.

Second temptation: No to Self-glory/Yes to Hope

Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil said to him, “To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’” (Luke 4:5-8 NRSV)

The second temptation is for Jesus to seek his own glory by worshiping the devil. Jesus is being tempted again to trust in some other means rather than trusting the Father. This particular temptation for glory is a glory of the world and its ways. The devil is tempting Jesus to rely on the “glory” and “authority” of the “kingdoms of the world.” From the vantage point that Jesus could view all the kingdoms of the world, he would have most prominently been seeing the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire can serve as a pretty good depiction of the type of glory the devil was tempting Jesus with. It is a self-proclaimed and self-actualized glory. And it doesn’t matter who you must step on to get it. But this is not the glory of the Father. Satan is trying to tempt Jesus to gain his own glory in the same way the world operates. Cunning, manipulation, lies, and even murder pave the path to glory for those who worship the devil and his ways.

Jesus says “no” to this temptation because he is saying “yes” to hope in his Father’s glory. He knows the only one truly worthy of worship, and he knows his Father’s glory outshines anything this world can produce. He also knows the fullness of the Father’s glory is yet to come. Out of trust in his Father, he does not attempt a power grab for the moment; he can wait in hope, knowing the Father will glorify him at the right time and in the right way. This will be an actual share in the Father’s own glory. No counterfeits! Also, this will be a glory that will never fade and a glory that needs not trample others underfoot. The glory the devil tempts Jesus with is a paltry and dim glory compared to the splendor of the Father.

Anytime the devil is tempting us to grab something for ourselves on our terms and on our timetable, we can be assured that what he is offering is a far cry from what the Father freely gives. The devil’s temptations are never for something better than what God is giving. It will always be a temptation to settle, to choose the less over the best. The devil has nothing to offer but a glory that fades like the grass. We too, can expect the devil to present us with such self-glorifying temptations. Instead of living in hope of the Father’s purposes for us, we may be tempted to glorify ourselves in such a way that does not glorify the Father. This is a glory destined to fade.

Jesus shows us that the glory we are created for is not one we claim for ourselves. True glory is found in worshiping and serving only “the Lord your God.” So, we live in hope of the sure promises of a glorious Father. Even if saying “no” to the present temptation doesn’t look so glorious in the eyes of an onlooking world, it will be, in the end, the only glory worth having. And we are assured that hope does not disappoint.

Third temptation: No to Self-preservation/Yes to Love

Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’” Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” (Luke 4:9-12 NRSV)

For the third temptation the devil decides to try his hand at using scripture. He sees that Jesus has countered the first two temptations with scripture so perhaps he thinks, he can use his best defense against him. So, the devil takes Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple and dares him to jump off. Quoting Psalm 91:11-12 out of context, he is telling Jesus that he can display his identity by having angels show up to protect him. In essence, he is tempting Jesus to avoid the cross. Instead of going to the cross, Jesus is being tempted to avoid suffering and establish himself in the same way the worldly powers do. Worse, the devil wants Jesus to use God as a means to his own ends. The devil is telling Jesus that he can use God as a tool to gain his own success and acceptance in the world.

This temptation begins like the first one by saying, “If you are the Son of God…” The devil will concede Jesus’ identity as the Son of God if Jesus uses that relationship for his own purposes. The devil’s proposition is for Jesus to use his sonship with the Father to produce a spectacular display of power and invincibility. The devil is claiming that the world will flock to Jesus if he plays by their rules, and also, he will not need to go through the suffering that will be involved in following God’s will. Luke’s use of the Temple to set the scene of this temptation is a sure reference to the final assault of the devil in Jerusalem that will lead to Jesus’ crucifixion and death on the cross.

Jesus not only knows his identity as the Son of God, but he also knows the love of his Father. If the Father’s will involves suffering, it is not due to a lack of God’s love. Jesus and the believers, who were the first recipients of Luke’s Gospel, know that God’s love may entail a divine rescue that comes through suffering and death and not always before or from it. So, Jesus is not tempted by self-preservation. Even his own health and life, he willingly places in the Father’s hands, knowing the Father’s love will prevail even if suffering is involved. In this way, Jesus’ “no” to the temptation of self-preservation is his “yes” to God’s love.

Both the devil and Jesus are using scripture throughout this battle. Although both know the scriptures it is only Jesus who knows the heart and character of the Author. Jesus knows he is the beloved son of the Father. He shuts down the devil by quoting “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” If we try to test God’s love, we make ourselves out to be the standard by which the Father is measured. We cannot take our “standards” of love and put the Father to a test to see if he measures up. It is the Father who is love. Just as Jesus went to the cross, trusting the Father, we come to know what love really is as we go through trials and temptations and trust him. As Jesus says “no” to the devil and “yes” to the Father, he becomes our “no” to temptation and our “yes” to faith, hope, and love.

The temptations from the devil conclude in defeat.

When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time. (Luke 4:13 NRSV)

The devil’s departure is a depiction of his defeat. His return “until an opportune time” is a reference to the final battle that will resume at the cross. This story is but the beginning of the devil’s defeat that will be fully accomplished in Jesus’ crucifixion and death. Let’s conclude where the devil left off. Since the devil cited verses 11-12 of Psalm 91, let’s look at those verses and pay attention to see what he did not quote—the very next verse.

For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.
On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the adder, the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot. (Psalm 91:11-13 NRSV)

You see this? God’s word always gets the last word. You can see why the devil wouldn’t want to include the part of Psalm 91 that spoke of his own demise. But Jesus knew his scriptures, and he knew his Father. As we face the temptations the devil throws our way, may we too, hold to God’s word to us in the written and Living Word and receive Jesus’ “no” to the devil so we can receive his “yes” to the Father’s gift of Faith, Hope, and Love.

Small Group Discussion Questions

From Speaking of Life

  • Can you think of any examples of a lie that had some truth mixed in? Can you think of how the devil uses this tactic?
  • What comfort and encouragement comes from knowing Jesus defeated the devil’s deceptions? What does that mean for believers when they face temptations and deceptions from the devil?

From the Sermon

  • Can you identity with the difficulty of saying “no?” Can you think of examples when you said “no” to something because you were saying “yes” to something else?
  • The sermon noted that Luke recorded the devil’s temptations right after Jesus’ baptism, where he heard the Father claim him as his own Son. In addition, Luke includes the genealogy of Jesus that ends with Jesus being the “Son of God.” Can you see how the devil’s temptations were aimed more at getting Jesus to doubt the truth of his identity with the Father than it was about anything else? What do you think the devil is using to tempt us to doubt in the various temptations we may face?
  • Luke records that Jesus was “famished” when he faced the devil’s temptations but also that he was “full of the Holy Spirit.” What significance do you see from these two details in the story?
  • The sermon presents Jesus’ “no” to the devil’s first temptation of turning stone to bread as a “no” to self-reliance and a “yes” to faith, or trust and reliance on God. Can you think of times when we are tempted to rely on ourselves rather than trust in the Father’s faithful provision?
  • The sermon presents Jesus’ “no” to the devil’s second temptation to the glory and authority of the world’s kingdoms as a “no” to self-glory and a “yes” to hope. Can you think of times when we are tempted to pursue our own glory on our own authority rather than waiting in hope for God’s glory by his authority?
  • The sermon presents Jesus’ “no” to the devil’s third temptation to avoid the cross as a “no” to self-preservation and a “yes” to love. Discuss ways that our attempts of self-preservation may be an avoidance of sacrificial love.
  • Discuss how the devil and Jesus use the scriptures. How does this inform how we should approach the Bible?
  • How does knowing Jesus’ victory over the devil’s temptations empower us to overcome ours?
  • How does the devil’s defeat enable us to live in faith, hope, and love?

Sermon for March 13, 2022 — 2nd Sunday of Easter Preparation

Psalm 27:1-14 · Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18 · Philippians 3:17-4:1 · Luke 13:31-35

The theme for this week is God’s promises in his timing through relationship. As we move into the second Sunday of Easter Preparation (commonly referred to as Lent), we’re learning that we must not only trust in what God has promised us, but we also have to learn to trust in God’s timing and the way God emphasizes relationship. Psalm 27 encourages us to “Wait for the Lord,” especially when we encounter difficulties. Genesis 15 shows that Abram expressed his frustration with God’s delay in fulfilling the promise of an heir, coming up with the “plan B” of his servant Eliezer of Damascus. When God doesn’t operate according to our timetable, we’re quick to try to help things along, rather than drawing closer in our relationships with God and others. Paul refers to this tendency to try to control outcomes as setting our minds on “earthly things” in Philippians 3, and he encourages us to “stand firm” in the promises God has made. Our sermon text, Luke 13, gives us an inside look at the heart of God who wants to return us to right relationship with the Father, Son, and Spirit by restoring us to our best, most loving, and compassionate selves and with each other.

Returning Us to Ourselves

Luke 13:31-35 (NRSV)

Father Greg Boyle is a Jesuit priest who works with gang members in Los Angeles. He’s done this for more than 30 years, and during that time, he founded Homeboy Industries where former gang members can find support, from job training to therapy and from tattoo removal to anger management classes. He’s also an author, with two New York Times bestsellers that chronicle his experiences in working with gang members and creating an environment where they find their transformation. For most who join gangs, they are running away from something: trauma, abuse in the home, mental illness. According to Father Greg, gangs speak the language of “a lethal absence of hope,” and he’s convinced that to reach gang members, “you infuse hope to kids for whom hope is foreign” (Kate Bowler).

Father Greg was interviewed by Krista Tippett on the On Being podcast, and he told this story about one former gang member who works for him:

“I have a homie named Louie, who’s just turned 18, and he’s kind of a difficult kid. He’s exasperating, and he’s whiny. And he works for me, although ‘work’ may be too strong a verb. But homies lately have asked me for blessings…they always ask me on the street or in my office, and they never say, ‘Father, may I have your blessing?’ They always say, ‘Hey, G, give me a bless, yeah?’

So this kid, Louie, I’m talking to him, and he’s complaining about something. And finally, at the end of it, he says, ‘Hey, G, give me a bless, yeah?’ I said, ‘Sure.’ So he comes around to my side of the desk, and he knows the drill, and he bows his head, and I put my hands on his shoulder.

Well, his birthday had been two days before, so it gave me an opportunity to say something to him. And I said, ‘You know, Louie, I’m proud to know you, and my life is richer because you came into it. When you were born, the world became a better place. And I’m proud to call you my son, even though’ — and I don’t know why I decided to add this part — ‘at times, you can really be a huge pain in the [butt].’

And [Louie] looks up, and he smiles. And he says, ‘The feeling’s mutual.’ And suddenly, kinship, so quickly…Maybe I return him to himself. But there is no doubt that he’s returned me to myself.”

Homeboy Industries doesn’t offer a 12-step program. It’s not about “inserting a message into their ears.” Instead, Father Greg says and believes:

 “In the end it’s always relational. So, if you can engage people and connect to them and …return them to themselves, …they can start to believe the truth of who they are, that they’re exactly what God had in mind…It’s really about holding a mirror up and telling them the truth and assuring them that the truth is really all good” (NPR).

Jesus is all about relationships, like Father Greg Boyle, especially with those the culture had deemed of little value. We can know and understand the Father’s heart toward all humanity by observing Jesus’s actions and words. Remember that Jesus said to Philip in John 14:9 (NRSV), “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’” God is about “kin-dom” or relationship as much as he is about “kingdom,” and our sermon text reveals that. Let’s read today’s text.

Read Luke 13:31-35, NRSV.

What can we notice about this passage?

Setting the context: Beginning in Luke 9:51, Jesus starts to head toward Jerusalem, knowing that he faces his own death there. Yet this knowledge did not keep him from continuing to reach out in relationship with people. Let’s go through the text:

At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” (Luke 13:31 NRSV)

It’s interesting to note that in Luke’s writings (i.e., the books of Luke and Acts), Pharisees were not always enemies of Jesus. Consider these examples:

  • Joseph of Arimathea, a secret disciple who provided a tomb and assisted with Jesus’s burial.
  • Gamaliel, a Pharisee who talked the council into not killing the apostles in the book of Acts, but instead, waiting to see if their actions were from God or if they resulted in nothing.
  • Jesus dined at the homes of Pharisees (Luke 7:36, 11:37, and 14:1).
  • Pharisees were represented as early believers (Acts 15:5).
  • Paul was a Pharisee, even after his conversion (Acts 23:6).

In this case, we don’t know if the Pharisees were simply trying to get Jesus to leave their area or if they were genuinely concerned for his safety. As for the Herod referred to in v. 31, it is assumed to be the same Herod who had beheaded John the Baptist. Though the verse says, “Herod wants to kill you,” Cambridge Bible Commentary points out that Herod most likely wanted to see Jesus perform a miracle. However, Herod had not “wanted” to behead John, and he still did it, reluctantly, so his whims were prone to change.

He said to them, “Go and tell that fox for me, ‘Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work.’” (Luke 13:32 NRSV)

Jesus calls Herod “a fox,” which in rabbinical literature, is often used to convey contempt. Jesus goes on to focus on his ministry and how he is creating relationships with people through healing and deliverance. Jesus was “returning people to themselves,” their best selves created by God, through his ministry of healing and deliverance, and it is important to note that his crucifixion was not the end or completion of his ministry. Jesus points this out by saying, “And on the third day I finish my work.” The resurrection perfected and finished Jesus’s inclusion of all humanity into the loving relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem. (Luke 13:33 NRSV)

By Jesus saying, “Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day,” he is implying that he is in charge of his destiny, not Herod or anybody else. Jesus intends to fulfill his ministry enroute to Jerusalem. He knows that Jerusalem has a reputation of killing its prophets, but the crucifixion will not end Jesus’s ministry. His resurrection on the third day completes it.

 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! (Luke 13:34 NRSV)

This verse conveys the depth of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit’s love for humanity as Jesus uses the metaphor of Jerusalem. Human beings often see themselves as separate, disconnected, especially from those who are weak, sick, and oppressed. The metaphor of Jerusalem talks about our very human tendency to kill or remove that which shows us the truth of our human frailty and need. Yet Jesus does not respond to this tendency with anger but with the compassion of a mother hen (a simile). We can envision a mother hen spreading her wings to gather all her chicks, not just the strong ones, under her loving care. If we are parents, we can understand the desire to protect and help our children, even when they may strike back or refuse our help.

Referring to his work with gang members, Father Greg Boyle says that if we assume God is compassionate lovingkindness, all we’re asked to do is to participate with God in the world. He asks an important question: “So how can we seek a compassion that can stand in awe at what people have to carry, rather than stand in judgment at how they carry it?” Here’s the answer he suggests:

“So you’re trying to imitate the kind of God you believe in. You want to move away from whatever is tiny-spirited and judgmental, …[and] you want to be as spacious as you can be…And love is all there is, and love is all you are…You want people to recognize the truth of who they are, that they’re exactly what God had in mind when God made them. [Child psychologist] Alice Miller…talked about [how] we’re all called to be enlightened witnesses: people who, through kindness and tenderness and focused attention of love, return people to themselves. And in the process, you’re returned to yourself.” (On Being)

Jesus longed to hold a mirror up to Jerusalem to show her who she really was, beloved by God, and then return her to that original vision. Unfortunately, Jerusalem and humanity in general long to fight against real or perceived enemies and forego compassion. As a result, we fail to live lives of peace, joy, and love.

Jesus wants to return us to ourselves, but we have to want it, too. Father Greg says that Homeboy Industries doesn’t “exist for those who need help. We are only around for those who want help” (Kate Bowler). To embrace our fullest, most loving, and compassionate selves, we have to want it.

See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.” (Luke 13:35 NRSV)

This verse outlines the consequences of not living in God’s kin-dom, in relationship with God the Father, Son, and Spirit. “Your house is left to you” could refer to Jerusalem’s fall to Babylonia in 587 B.C. or prophetically to Vespasian’s siege on Jerusalem in 68 A.D. This is not the only verse that talks about the consequences Jerusalem’s refusal to return to God. Jesus weeps over Jerusalem in Luke 19:41-44.

The reference “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord” is from Psalm 118:26, and while it might refer to Jesus’s triumphal entry on Palm Sunday, it could also refer to his Second Coming.

Application:

  • Recognize that God longs to return us to ourselves. This means that God seeks to heal us of hurt and trauma that are uniquely part of our human experience and restore us to the confidence that we are worthy of love and belonging.
  • Realize that the way God returns us to ourselves is often by having us show compassion and create relationships outside our typical comfort zone. We are restored by “imitating the kind of God [we] believe in,” according to Father Greg. We stop judging the means people use to carry their hurts, and instead, we stand in awe that they are able to carry their hurts and still live.
  • Know God’s heart toward you by studying Jesus’s treatment of people, especially those who were marginalized by culture. By seeing Jesus’s tender care of the children, his healing and care for women, and his respectful interactions with Gentiles, we can know that God is for us. And we are motivated to show that same spacious care in the world.

Compassion is an indicator of health for any church or community. Jesus’s example of compassion not only shows God’s heart toward humanity, but it reveals a love that seeks relationship. It’s a love that returns a person to themselves, and in loving that way, we too are returned to our best and truest selves.

For Reference:

https://onbeing.org/programs/greg-boyle-the-calling-of-delight-gangs-service-and-kinship/
https://katebowler.com/podcasts/greg-boyle-the-case-for-hope/
https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112916726
https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/second-sunday-in-lent-3/commentary-on-luke-1331-35-3
https://sermonwriter.com/biblical-commentary-old/luke-1331-35/
https://biblehub.com/commentaries/luke/13-31.htm

 

Small Group Discussion Questions

From Speaking of Life

  • Abram grew frustrated, waiting for God to fulfill his promise of an heir. Have you ever grown frustrated waiting on God? If so, what did you do, and how did the situation resolve?
  • God comforted Abram by reminding him of God’s nature through the sacred ritual of the animal sacrifices. How can we be reminded of God’s character and promise-keeping nature through Christian community rituals, such as the Eucharist (i.e., Communion), or personal rituals, like the disciplines of prayer, Bible study, and meditation?

From the Sermon

  • Returning people to themselves is the idea that our worst behaviors and thoughts happen when we feel disconnected from each other and from God, and that returning us to our God-made selves promotes healing, love, and peace. Can you share an experience where sharing or experiencing God’s love restored you to your better self, connected you with God and others?
  • Father Greg Boyle suggests that we need to cultivate awe at the hurts and trauma people carry rather than judge the way they carry them. How can changing our thoughts from judgment to compassion for others also help us deal more compassionately with our own hurts/trauma?

Sermon for March 20, 2022 – 3rd Sunday of Easter Preparation

Psalm 63:1-8 • Isaiah 55:1-9 • 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 • Luke 13:1-9

This week’s theme is repentance. The call to worship Psalm provides a fitting response of praise and worship from those who have turned to the Lord for their salvation. The Old Testament reading from Isaiah calls sinners to forsake evil and turn to the Lord who is abundant in mercy. The Gospel reading from Luke presents a parable from Jesus that gets to the root of repentance. The epistolary text comes from 1 Corinthians where the Apostle Paul, drawing from Israel’s experience in the wilderness, instructs believers to repent of the idolatry of self-reliance with the reminder of God’s faithfulness.

Repent or Perish

Luke 13:1-9 (NRSV)

Tragedy. Disaster. Undeserved suffering. These are the things which raise challenging questions regardless of one’s beliefs. Perhaps as a Christian, we may think these questions present no challenge to the Christian faith. But as Christopher J. H. Wright has expressed, believing in a God who is both all-powerful and all good presents “a problem at every level”[1] when it comes to suffering without explanation. Yet, we will seek explanations in the wake of the numerous accounts of tragic undeserved suffering.

Let’s take two events just two years ago from our upcoming Easter celebration. First, on Easter, April 21, 2019, there was a coordinated terrorist attack that included the bombing of three Christian churches and three luxury hotels in Sri Lanka, claiming the lives of 207 people while injuring another 450 at time of reporting.[2] Finding some form of causality and explanation in the wake of this irrational act of murder never amounted to any satisfying answer. There was blame, there was commentary, but there was never an answer that accounted for the loss of innocent worshipers on that Easter Sunday. In stories of such violence, it may be easy to dismiss any culpability on God’s part. After all, it was a terrorist who sent suicide bombers to church—not God!

But, just to push the tension, let’s visit another account of tragedy, only not at the hands of terrorist, but at the hands of Mother Nature. Less than a month before the bombings in Sri Lanka, reports went out that a series of tornadoes had touched down near the Alabama/Georgia state line destroying several homes and claiming the lives of 23 people.[3] Unlike the terrorist, the target of the tornado was indiscriminate. You may remember this event yourself, especially if you lived in the areas affected or had loved ones who did. Perhaps you heard some of the incredible stories of those that were spared from the twister’s destruction. Some people have told stories of how their lives were spared even though they lost everything else. These stories are often retold as a witness of God’s miraculous protection. We may respond after hearing such stories with a quip statement like, “Looks like God was looking after you!”

But what about the 23 people who lost their lives. Did God lose sight of them? Or worse, did he love them less? And it is here we meet the challenge of claiming that God is both all-powerful and all-loving. If that is true, the argument goes, then these tragic events are left as markers that claim otherwise. While many may offer insightful explanations to give reasonable answers to this seeming incompatibility, we still live in the tension between who we think God is in himself and what we experience in his creation. In this tension, there exists a much deeper threat to our lives than any terrorist or tornado can throw our way. It’s the threat of letting our experience form our thinking about who God is, rather than learning about him from his own word of self-revelation spoken to us in Jesus Christ. We will look at Jesus’ parable in Luke to hear what he says about God’s character, considering the inexplicable suffering we face in our world.

Before we go further it will be good to consider how Jesus used parables in his teaching. I would like to borrow an illustration from Robert Farrar Capon who wrote a thought-provoking book on Jesus’ parables. Picture a block of wood. If I were a science teacher trying to teach students about the atom, I could say this block of wood is made up of atoms. Then I could illustrate an atom by way of the solar system. Just as the planets are circling the sun, electrons whirl around the nucleus of an atom. With that comparison the students can now see the inner workings of atoms that once remained invisible in the block of wood. This is typically how a teacher would use illustrations. What was once confusing to the mind is now made plain and simple.

However, that is not what Jesus did with his parables. He would take the same block of wood and solar system comparison to utterly challenge the way students once thought about the apparently solid piece of matter held before them. Like the solar system, this block of wood is composed mostly of vast empty space. So, your thoughts about what is solid turns out to be mostly full of holes.

The way Jesus used parables wasn’t to explain things in simple terms. He was aiming to reveal how peoples’ understanding of God fell short of who he is. Ultimately, Jesus used parables as a tool to lead people to repent of wrongful ways of thinking about God. We will look at one of those parables in Luke 13:1-9 intended to do just that. Jesus begins with a choice to either repent or perish.

At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.” (Luke 13:1-5 NRSV)

Now before we go further, let’s clear up a point here. Jesus is not telling us that unless we change the way we think about God, we will perish, because we are all going to perish. Rather, Jesus is talking eschatologically. If you continue your wrong way of thinking about God, and believe the common, though mistaken, assumption that tragic events or evil happens as a result of sin and guilt, you will be left with a false view of God. This false view will cause you to avoid pursuing a relationship with him. You will feel left out, and unable to enjoy being with the real God.

Keep in mind that repenting means primarily to change how one thinks about something. Actions, of course, will follow the way we think. Jesus knows that if we carry this wrong-headed thinking about the Father in our hearts, the suffering and tragedy we all experience will be a weight too heavy to bear, and may turn us to blaming God, rather than worshipping him. C.S. Lewis seemed cognizant of this threat in his observations of his own grief upon the loss of his wife:

Not that I am (I think) in much danger of ceasing to believe in God. The real danger is of coming to believe such dreadful things about Him. The conclusion I dread is not “So there’s no God after all,” but “So this is what God’s really like. Deceive yourself no longer.”[4]

That is what is truly at stake in how we think about tragic and senseless acts of violence by the hands of men or nature. We are tempted to let the experience of the event tell us who God is in his inner being. Our pain can drive our thoughts to counter Jesus’ revelation of his Father of love. What is important in knowing God is who he reveals himself to be, not what we project onto him by our experiences. Jesus will now follow up with a parable that serves to reveal to these distraught hearers God’s character that is consistent with God’s interaction with Israel throughout their history.

Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’ He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’” (Luke 13:6-9 NRSV)

In Jesus’ Parable of the Fig Tree, we are better served to hear Jesus challenge our thoughts about suffering rather than hear a word of affirmation to what we typically tell ourselves. After all, he is telling this parable to help his disciples think differently about who God is and how he deals with our sin and guilt. Remember the block of wood illustration. Here are a few ways we will look at the parable:

First, the owner of the vineyard in the parable will be a stand-in for the erroneous viewpoint that people typically hold about God. It may be helpful to see the “owner” as a mythological god ruling in our heads. Second, the vinedresser serves as a Christ figure who helps us see how God actually deals with humanity. Third, all humanity, including you and I today, will be represented by the fig tree.

As with all fruit trees, under the law of Moses, fig trees were protected from being cut down. They were precious and meant for the enjoyment of the owner. Note that in this parable, the fig tree was planted in a vineyard not an orchard. The Father did not “plant” us in his garden to market us or to produce fruit for his livelihood. We were created for his pleasure and enjoyment, not for some utilitarian end. There is more to this detail of the vineyard or garden that can be explored. Perhaps Jesus means to invoke the recollection of Adam and Eve in a Garden where they chose to listen to the lie that God was holding back from them, not having their best interest in mind. Adam and Eve chose to listen to the lie about a mythological god rather than the God who walked with them in the Garden. With this setting within the parable Jesus has found a backdoor where we may revisit the choice of who we listen to. Do we give more weight to experiences that feel like God is absent or do we trust in the one who has promised to never leave or forsake us?

Let’s take note of some historical details that Jesus includes that we modern readers may miss. For the Jews these details would serve to remind Jesus’ disciples of God’s presence with Israel throughout her history. In Leviticus 19:23-24, we see that it was forbidden to take fruit from fruit trees for the first three years. In the fourth year the fruit would “be holy, an offering of praise to the Lord.” For the Jews hearing this parable, the act of the owner wanting to cut down the fig tree because he couldn’t find fruit on it for three years would have run counter to what the law stated. If we see God looking to cut us down when we don’t produce, we hold an image of God in our minds that contradicts his own revelation to us. The “owner” in the parable is not acting like God had acted with Israel in their experience or with their law.

The vinedresser at this point speaks to the “man”—the mythological god we have created—and echoes what the law would have said to do: “Leave it alone for one more year.” This phrase “leave it alone” comes from the Greek aphes, carrying the meaning of forgive. It’s the same word Jesus utters from the cross in Luke 23:34, “Father, forgive (aphes) them….” The vinedresser takes upon himself the fruit bearing of the fig tree by digging around it and fertilizing it with dung. It would be a smelly job of blood, sweat and tears but he gets to the root of the problem.

This parable in the hands of Jesus challenges any concept we might hold of a God whose patience runs out on us and looks to destroy us like some short-tempered mad man. Rather, he comes to us in Jesus and operates through grace; through aphes. Through the crucifixion, digging into the dirt and dung of death, Jesus has rooted out the unfruitfulness of our human nature. We are called to repent of any wrong-headed notions that it is up to us to produce fruit in the fear of an axe-crazed owner bent on our destruction. We abide in the fruitfulness of our Savior who works only through aphes.

The parable ends with the vinedresser saying to the “man,” “If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then you can cut it down.” The vinedresser trusts in what he is doing to the tree. He knows the tree will bear fruit, and he knows the man will not need to cut it down. We can trust in Jesus working through grace for our fruitfulness, or we can perish in our wrong-headed belief in a mythological god. The mythological god will cut us down every time, but the real God never will. Notice the fruitfulness of the fig tree is bound up in Christ’s work in the tree. He does not magically make fruit appear on the tree but rather he takes up the role of the true gardener who remains in faithful relationship with the tree. In this way we can see that we participate in our own fruitfulness by Christ presence with us, working by his Spirit in our lives. In this way Jesus brings in the incredible dignity that comes from being in real relationship with him. Our relationship and response to him in our actions and decisions are gifted with incredible significance. Our prayers and what we say and do in our lives adds up and counts for something. We are not just wasting time in our relationship with Jesus in the here and now.

Jesus’ words in response to senseless violence and unexpected tragedy serve to build our faith in the God who is faithful to his people. We may never have satisfying answers to the challenge of suffering this side of heaven. But we do have God’s Word to us in Jesus Christ. His Word is that God is good even when our experience is bad. No matter what our thoughts may be telling us! This can lead us to face our sufferings with hope rather than fearful questioning of God’s character. As we come to see more and more who the Father is in Jesus Christ, we will be less inclined to demand an explanation from him of “Why do bad things happen to good people?” Instead, we can pray as Jesus taught us, “Deliver us from the evil one,” trusting that God aims to remove all evil and suffering to bring us into his everlasting Kingdom. This is the greatest ministry believers can engage in for the sake of the world. Pray to the one who has, is, and will do something about evil and suffering. Like the Speaking of Life video brought out, if a child has a broken gift he cannot fix, the most powerful and effective thing he can do is to bring it to his Father who can. This is a position of hope and not despair. May we join the cloud of witnesses seen in the biblical story and those faithful believers who came before us by turning to the One who is for us when everything in life seems to be against us.

[1] Christopher J. H. Wright. The God I Don’t Understand: Reflections on Tough Questions of faith. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008), 27.
[2] Louis Casiano, Stephen Sorace, Lucia I. Suarez Sang. Easter Sunday explosions at multiple churches and hotels rock Sri Lanka, death toll rises past 200. Fox News, accessed July 30, 2019, https://www.foxnews.com/world/easter-sunday-explosions-at-multiple-churches-and-hotels-rock-sri-lanka-death-tolls-rises
[3] Frank Miles. At least 23 dead, many injured, in apparent large tornado in Alabama, officials say; fatalities could rise. Fox News, accessed July 30, 2019, https://www.foxnews.com/weather/more-than-10-dead-many-injured-in-apparent-large-tornado-in-alabama-officials-say
[4] C.S. Lewis. A Grief Observed. (New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers, 1961), 6-7.

Small Group Discussion Questions

From Speaking of Life

  • Can you think of things in your life, or things going on in the world that seem broken beyond repair? Do these things give you a feeling of helplessness?
  • Was the analogy of a child bringing a broken toy to his dad helpful in how you thought about prayer?
  • What brokenness in the world can we pray about today?

From the Sermon

  • What events of evil and suffering do you see in the world today that may tempt us to think God is not good or that he is not for us?
  • Did the illustration of the block of wood used to teach about atoms help you better understand how Jesus used parables? Do you think this will help you in reading of Jesus’ other parables?
  • The sermon stated that we can be tempted to let the experience of evil and suffering tell us who God is. How does this inform the importance of knowing Jesus’ revelation of the Father to us during our times of trial and tribulation?
  • Can you think of times where your faith was challenged by a tragic event? Can you think of times where God’s word, either from the Bible, a sermon, or a friend, helped restore your faith in the Father?
  • Did the understanding of the Old Testament laws concerning fig trees help you understand the Parable of the Fig Tree differently than before?
  • Discuss why it is important to repent of faulty ideas about God that do not conform to Jesus’ revelation of the Father! How is not knowing who God is a worse tragedy than perishing from a violent or natural disaster?
  • The sermon concluded by offering prayer as the greatest ministry the church has to offer for the sake of the world. What did you think of this statement? Does it encourage you to respond to the evil and suffering in the world by praying for God’s deliverance?

Sermon for March 27, 2022 – 4th Sunday of Easter Preparation

Psalm 32:1-11 • Joshua 5:9-12 • 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 • Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

The theme for this week is God’s great act of removing our sins and the shame that sin brings. God has done all the work necessary to reconcile the world to himself. In our call to worship Psalm, the psalmist asserts the relief felt by those whose transgression is forgiven and whose sin is covered. In the book of Joshua, God removes the disgrace of the Israelites captivity and takes them out of that situation. In 2 Corinthians, Paul proclaims that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting people’s sins against them. And in Luke, Jesus tells a parable of a father who forgives his prodigal son and goes above and beyond to restore him to full sonship.

The Heart of the Father

Luke 15:20b-24

Think of a time when you did something as a child that you knew you would get into trouble for. And because of your actions, you hid or stayed away. Maybe you broke your mom’s favorite vase or neglected to do something that your dad told to you do. Sometimes those experiences get carried over into our relationship with God. Sometimes we stay away from God because we think that we are not worthy, or that we have done something that disqualifies us from his love. We even think that God’s response to us will be according to the level of how much we think we need to grovel to get back in his good graces.

 

We are going to be looking at a story today of a son who has hit rock bottom and is highly fearful of returning to his father. Although we know this story as The Parable of the Prodigal Son, the story is more about the heart of the father. We will be looking at three facets of the father’s heart: his compassion, confession, and celebration.

Compassion

Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.”’ So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. (Luke 15:11-20 NRSV)

In this first section, we are going to consider the compassion of the father. To add context to this, you have a son who has previously asked for his share of the inheritance. The father has granted it to him, and the son heads off to go live it up and party hearty. That is, until the money runs out and the fun is over. He then finds employment doing the most degrading job a Jew could imagine and that is to feed the pigs, which were better fed than he was, and that’s not saying much. Having reached the end of his rope, he decides to come home but feels great shame and unworthiness at the same time. Having run out of options he feels that maybe his father would accept him back as a servant on his property.

One thing that we need to understand is that a son who asked for his share of the inheritance was essentially saying to his father, “I wish you were dead.” This would have been unthinkable, and it would have scandalized their family in front of the whole village. In fact, a father was expected to shun a child that asked for such an outrageous request. For all intents and purposes, that son was now considered dead.

In the event of the son’s return, it was likely that the people of this town saw him coming. Knowing the disgrace and shame he has caused his father, it is likely he would have been treated harshly upon his return.

But then we see the father in the story. The father sees the son from far off. Perhaps he is seeing a commotion. Perhaps the father has been keeping an eye out for him this whole time. We don’t know. What we do know is, he takes off running, most likely with robes lifted past his knees—a shameful way for a man to expose himself. Suddenly, the son is no longer the focal point, and it’s the very scandal of their father’s running and exposure of skin that hides the shame of the prodigal. The father would rather bare the shame than to see it upon his son.

The Father likely knew what kind of condition his prodigal son would have been in, and he responded with compassion. Similarly, God saw humanity distancing itself from him. He saw our lostness, our guilt and shame and had compassion on us. Romans 5:8 says that,  “while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” Echoing this, Ephesians 2:13 says, “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.” He took our shame and nailed it to the cross.

Confession

Then the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”  But the father said to his slaves, “Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.” (Luke 15:21-22 NRSV)

In this section we are going to look at the confession of the father. No, I did not say that incorrectly. Did you notice in verse 22 that it indicates that it wasn’t the son’s attempt at confession that moved the heart of the father. In fact, he interrupts the son’s bumbling attempt at confessing. The son presupposes his disqualification as son, but the father throws him a party instead.

We see that the father even kisses his son. According to their customs, a kiss would have signified a death to the past as well as approval. Both of which the prodigal son received.

The father has his best robe placed on the son as well as his signet ring and a pair of shoes. In other words, his past identity as a barefooted slave was now past him, and the father confesses that his son is now worthy of honor (the robe), authority (the ring), and freedom (shoes).

Today as God’s children we wear the robe of righteousness that is ours in Christ. We have been sealed with the Holy Spirit which acts as our engagement ring to assure us that we will receive everything promised to us. And we are told by the Apostle Paul as well that, “It is for freedom that we have been set free.” The Heavenly Father confesses about us being included in Christ? Do we know our place in him? Have we truly looked into all that is ours by being placed in Christ?

Celebration

And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and us found! And they began to celebrate. (Luke 15:23-24 NRSV)

In the last two verses we are looking at the celebration of the father. Now, if the party were supposed to just include his immediate family, then a goat would have sufficed quite nicely. But instead, we see the father instructing them to kill the fattened calf. This would have fed the entire village. As Jesus pointed out to the pharisees earlier in this chapter, “there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who have no need of repentance.” (Luke 15:7)

There was an old story that many have heard, there are even songs related to the story. A son had left his village as a disgrace. He had brought shame and dishonor to his family. He went to live in a big city and to get away from the situation that he had caused in his village. After a while he began to miss his family but was unsure as to whether he would be welcomed home or not. He wrote to his father to let him know that he was taking the train back home to his village. He told his father that if he is still welcome to come home, then the father should place a yellow flag at the train station near their village. The son indicated that if he did not see the yellow flag then he would stay on the train and keep going.

When the train came near to the village, the son was extremely nervous. He was afraid to even look out the window as he feared the worst. But when they got within a mile of the train station, he peered out the window and saw something that he couldn’t even imagine. Lining the street were dozens of yellow flags leading to the train station. There were flags on fences, flags in trees, flags on people’s rooftops and a grand assortment of yellow flags at the station itself.

The father was so overjoyed to have his son back that he made his joy unmistakable. Think of how the father felt as he went around to all of his neighbors to get permission to plant flags on their properties, their trees, fences, and on their roofs. This shows a father who is only thinking of how much he wants the son to know that he is forgiven and then to celebrate the reunion.

Just as the prodigal son being brought back to life was the cause of the father’s celebration, in the same way our Heavenly Father rejoices over humanity being placed in the Son of God. The heart of the Father is to see us truly live as who we are: honored, favored, and free children of God.

Let’s sum this up. First, the father was moved by compassion for the son. Rather than having his son bear shame and guilt, the father covers it up and places it on himself. Likewise, Jesus, who is one with the Father, goes to the cross in our place and takes our shame and guilt upon himself, fulfilling the Father’s compassion for us

Second, despite the prodigal son’s attempt at confession, it is the confession of the father welcoming this son fully back into the family that gets the attention. Though we are instructed to confess our sins, it is not an attempt to get into God’s good graces. We are already in because of Christ, who has confessed that he will draw all people to himself. We are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

And lastly, the father celebrated the son’s return in grand fashion. And in Christ, the heart of the Father was pleased to welcome us into his great fellowship between Father, Son and Spirit where the celebration will continue without end.

Small Group Discussion Questions

  • Think of a time when you did something foolish. What was it that brought you around to confess what you did?
  • Name a time when you witnessed God’s extravagant love towards either you or someone else.
  • Considering Jesus’ description of the Father’s heart, do we sometimes still feel unworthy to approach God? If so, why?
  • How might our lives be different if we were convinced that we wear the robe of righteousness at all times?
  • How does it make you feel to see others being rejoiced over when you think that your own efforts have gone unrecognized?
© 2026 Grace Communion International. All rights reserved