Psalm 137:1-9 • Lamentations 1:1-6 • 2 Timothy 1:1-14 • Luke 17:5-10

The theme for this week is lament in the face of our inadequacy. Apart from God, all human efforts are futile. When we willfully act apart from God, the Christian response is lament and repentance, acknowledging our inadequacy and dependance on him. The call to worship Psalm invokes the cries of an Israelite returning from captivity in Babylon, a place where the speaker felt separated from God. In Lamentations, we read a heartbreaking lament for the exiled inhabitants of Judah, whose condition was brought about by unfaithfulness to God. In the Timothy passage, Paul spoke words of comfort and guidance to his distressed protégé who felt inadequate as a minister. In the Gospel scripture, Jesus acknowledged the inadequacy of his disciples’ faith, implying the need for his followers to be completely dependent upon him.

Do You Need a Bigger Faith?

Luke 17:5-10

In the classic 1975 thriller Jaws, Roy Schneider, in his role as police chief Martin Brody, delivers one of the most famous lines in all of American cinema. In the film, after a series of shark attacks, Brody enlists Matt Hooper, a marine biologist (played by Richard Dreyfuss), and Quint, a professional shark hunter (played by Robert Shaw) to help him track down and kill the dangerous Great White. The three men take Quint’s vessel out to sea and set about to hook the shark. To attract it to their location, Brody shovels chum (bloody fish parts) into the water and he succeeds in drawing the ravenous sea monster. When Brody sees the Great White for the first time, he is stunned by the size of the creature. In a daze, he staggers over to Quint and almost whispers, “You’re gonna need a bigger boat!” The statement perfectly captured the moment the three men realized they were in over their heads.

In popular culture, Brody’s quote is a meme, gif, poster, t-shirt, and every other method of marketing you can imagine. It has been referenced over 40 times in TV shows, songs, and movies, making it the rallying cry of everyone who comes face-to-face with their own limitations and inadequacy. We have all been there at one time or another – in a situation where the way forward seems so daunting that you realize your “best” up until that point will not be good enough.

The 12 disciples of Jesus faced a “bigger boat” challenge. Jesus taught them a lesson they found difficult to hear and even more difficult to live out. He set a high standard for forgiveness, instructing the disciples to forgive every time their fellow human beings sin against them. Even if a person harms them multiple times in the same way, Jesus required his disciples to forgive. Forgiveness is hard under the best circumstances, and Jesus’ expectation seemed unrealistic to his followers. The disciples said the equivalent of, “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.” They pled for Jesus to increase their faith. Let us look at the account in Luke 17:

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you. Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’“ (Luke 17:5-10 NIV)

Jesus’ response was unexpected. He first offered an analogy about faith that disrupted the disciples’ understanding, followed by a parable that was humbling in the extreme. I imagine there was a long, uncomfortable silence after Jesus’ response as his followers tried to process their leader’s jarring teaching on a topic they thought they understood. A closer look at the passage will show that Jesus’ words were encouraging, especially to those feeling inadequate. However, they do cause us to move ourselves from the center of our focus. His words were not only encouraging to the 12 disciples, but they are a blessing to us as well.

Let’s first look at why the disciples’ request for faith was off the mark. In essence, the apostles told Jesus, “To do what you just said, we’re gonna need a bigger faith!” They viewed faith as a quantifiable commodity they somehow stored in themselves – kind of like having a faith battery. As they listened to Christ’s teaching and bore witness to his wonders, units of faith were added to their faith battery, increasing the overall faith charge. If they sinned or went too long without connecting with Christ, they lost some of their faith charge. When faced with a spiritual challenge, they had to check to see if there was enough in the faith battery to power them through whatever they had to do. If not, they had to spend more time with Jesus in order to increase the faith charge in the battery. After the disciples heard Jesus’ teaching on forgiveness, they figured they did not have enough faith in their batteries, and they asked Jesus for more. While this analogy may seem a bit humorous, this is exactly how many of us view faith. We see it as something we accumulate and store up.

For the disciples to be able to live out the challenging way of Christ, their understanding of faith had to be renewed, as does ours.

Jesus taught his followers that faith was not a commodity to be stored but the fruit of a relationship. Let me say that again: faith is not a commodity to be stored; faith is the fruit of a relationship.

We do not store up faith, and we do not have true faith of our own. Rather, faith describes the state of being convinced that Jesus is trustworthy in a particular way based on our experience with him in the past. We will not have faith in Jesus in all ways and in all things in this life. Our minds are limited in their ability to completely divorce ourselves from our earthly knowledge and experience. However, we are capable of believing in his word after we get to know him better. For example, if I were sick and God miraculously healed me, I would come to know that God is a healer. If someone I care about becomes sick, and if in prayer, God shows me that my loved one will be healed, I will have faith that the person will make a full recovery. I have faith not because of some accumulated commodity that I can dip into as needed. Rather, I have faith because I have come to know God as the healer. I am convinced of his goodness and power.

This is why Jesus said that all we need is a little faith — just the faith of a mustard seed. Faith has little to do with us and everything to do with him. It is not the power of our belief that changes things, rather it is the belief in his power. We do not direct God’s power with our faith and prayers, dictating to him what we would have him do. Instead, we seek to discern his will in prayer and live in the reality of his word. Too often, Christians think that it is our desires and belief that catalyze God’s activity. It is God’s activity that should shape our belief. I may not believe in God in all the ways that I should, but if I am convinced that God is a healer, then that is sufficient to believe God’s word when he speaks to me of healing. I believe this is what it means to have a little faith.

This should cast a new light on the many times in the Gospels Jesus said to one or more of the disciples that they had little faith. We have to contrast those statements with the many times Jesus said that all one needs is a little faith or the faith of a mustard seed. Looking at it this way, perhaps Christ’s comments about the little faith of his disciples was not a rebuke but an encouragement — a reminder that in him they have all they need.

The disciples asked for a bigger boat, but Jesus directed them to the one who created the ocean. In other words, Christ reoriented them to himself. Instead of putting themselves in the center, Jesus revealed that he is the center. It is not their internal belief that can replant a tree in the sea. Rather, if Jesus says that the tree will be moved, his followers should faithfully behave as if it were already accomplished. Our role is not to set God’s agenda but to discern his plan. It is not the power of the disciples that will enable them to forgive others, it is their complete dependence in the power of Christ working through them as they follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. We, too, are dependent on Christ alone, and faith does not exist apart from him. It is not our place to “name and claim” the miracles we want to see. It is our privilege to bear witness to and participate in the work Jesus is doing to recreate the world.

We should be in awe of the fact that Christ-followers can serve as conduits of his miraculous power. In a perfect world, human beings would humbly appreciate our inclusion in the life of Christ. However, we are prone to pride. We have a tendency to focus on ourselves and it would be easy to become puffed up by the miracles to which we bear witness. This may be why Jesus followed up his lesson about faith with a parable about servanthood. The story Jesus tells illustrates that Christians are to live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord. We follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and are empowered by him to participate in the life and work of Christ. As servants following orders, we cannot take pride in what we are able to accomplish because we are just doing as we were instructed by the Spirit. There is no place for pride, only humility and gratitude.

In Christ’s response to his disciples’ expression of inadequacy, he did not try to make his followers feel better. He did not quote an affirmation or pray a prayer of empowerment like they wanted. Just the opposite — he confirmed their inadequacy! In themselves, they were incapable of meeting the standard set by Christ. At the same time, he revealed his overwhelming sufficiency and his willingness to work for our good. This is good news for all who call on the name of the Lord.

We all feel inadequate at times. We have all wondered if our best was good enough. The greatest of parents, at times, feels completely overwhelmed. The most seasoned pastors will come up short. The most brilliant scientists will come across a problem they feel is beyond their capacity to solve. [Perhaps include a story about when you felt inadequate.] Inadequacy does not feel good; however, it is part of the normal Christian life. It is in our inadequacy that we can better appreciate the sufficiency of Christ. It is then that we realize that we are nothing without him. It is then that we are reminded of the importance of humility. It is then that we can be trusted to be the conduit of the miraculous.

When faced with a daunting challenge, let us not ask God for a bigger boat. Rather, let us turn to Christ and live in the reality of his sufficiency.

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Small Group Discussion Questions

Psalm 66:1-12 • Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7 • 2 Timothy 2:8-15 • Luke 17:11-19

This week’s theme is the faithful response of salvation. The call to worship Psalm offers praise to God for his sustaining power during Israel’s history. The Old Testament reading from Jeremiah records God’s words to the Judean exiles in Babylon on how to survive in a foreign land, while also being a blessing to the cities where they live. The epistolary text from 2 Timothy calls us to anchor our faith in Jesus, holding fast to his word, with the recognition that such faith may be joined with pain and suffering. The Gospel reading from Luke presents a response of faith that embodies praise and gratitude from an unlikely Samaritan.

Jesus in the Middle

Luke 17:11-19 (NRSV)

Our message today comes from a section of Scripture known as the “Travel Narrative,” which is made up of events and stories that take place as Jesus is on his way toward Jerusalem and the cross. This section runs from Luke 9:51 to Luke 19:27. Luke also uses this section to present God’s special care and concern for the marginalized and the poor. Many stories highlight the outcast in society and lead to a theme of reversal. Jesus is seen to reverse and redeem that which is considered lost and broken. Often, it is the humble and the outsider who receives Jesus’ commendation over the prideful insiders who receive correction. Our story today, which focuses on a Samaritan who is suffering from leprosy, will carry this theme. As we see Jesus enact a reversal in the story, we do so knowing that Jesus is on a journey to the cross where he will bring about the great reversal of exchanging our sin and death for his righteousness and life.

The story begins with an odd description of the setting:

On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. (Luke 17:11 NRSV)

First, our story begins with the language fitting the “Travel Narrative.” Jesus is “on the way.” It will be good to keep in mind in this story where Jesus is “on the way” to. What we see take place in this story, and the many others in this long section, is a foreshadowing of what Jesus will ultimately do for us in his crucifixion and death.

Second, Luke tells us that this story takes place in “the region between Samaria and Galilee.” What’s odd about Luke’s description here is the fact that there is no region between these neighboring areas. Either Luke is a bad geographer, or he is trying to make a deeper point. So, let’s take the opportunity Luke has created for us to think of who Jesus is and what this “region between” could mean for us today. As the story is introduced, we are aware that there is a great divide between these neighboring regions of Samaria and Galilee. These two groups of people should be brothers, but because of some historical bad blood, they view each other more as enemies. Is this not the case with many of our conflicts today? Whether on a global or national scale, so often brothers and sisters are made into enemies over some offense, great and small, that has gone unforgiven. This is also true and more prevalent on a personal level. How many of our personal relationships end up being twisted by offenses, real and perceived, that are never reconciled, leaving us with enemies next door instead of neighbors? This is an engrained condition that Jesus has come to reverse. He comes to be our great High Priest who not only mediates our relationship with God, but by extension, our relationships with one another.

We can rightly say that Jesus is our reconciliation. In this way, we can picture that Jesus stands in the middle of all our relationships. He is the “region between.” He is in the middle of our relationship with his Father by the Spirit, and he is in the middle of all our relationships with one another. No matter how severed or damaged our relationship is with God, or with our “neighbors,” we can trust that Jesus is “going through the region between.” He is always working by his Spirit to reconcile and restore what has been lost. So, as we consider the broken relationship between the Samaritans and the Jews in Galilee, we can see an image of Jesus standing in the middle—in this hidden “region between”—to create space for healing and reconciliation.

As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” (Luke 17:12-13 NRSV)

The healing and reconciliation Jesus brings as our mediator is reflected through the healing of these ten lepers. They are introduced as approaching Jesus, but at the same time keeping their distance. The condition of leprosy carried many social implications. First, lepers were considered unclean. Beneath this label was the assumption that leprosy was connected to sin. Surely these people were worse sinners in some way that “earned them” their condition. Second, to have leprosy was to be a social outcast. People with leprosy were not permitted to be near others. We see this restriction working in the efforts of the ten lepers “keeping their distance…” They were keeping their distance from Jesus.

There are times we may feel that our sinful condition requires that we keep our distance from God. Surely God doesn’t want to be around a sinner like me. But Jesus draws near to us in order to heal us of our sinful condition. If you feel like a leper, like someone who is so broken and diseased by sin that you need to keep your distance, you can be assured that Jesus sets no restrictions on coming to him. There are no legalistic hoops to jump through to be face to face with Jesus. He is the one who brings healing and restoration.

In addition, lepers were not to come into contact with the general public. They were to keep their distance from everyone. However, the story leaves the impression that these ten lepers are made up of Samaritans and Galileans. They were not keeping their distance from one another. We might say, “misery loves company.” We see in their suffering and exclusion that the barriers that once separated them are now removed. This can serve as a picture of the reconciling work Jesus was on his way to accomplish through suffering and death on the cross. This work of reconciliation would not only bring us back into right relationship with God, but it would provide right relationship with one another. We find that we are reconciled as brothers and sisters, regardless of past offenses, in our union with the Lord who suffered and died for us.

Let’s look at how Jesus responds as the lepers approach him, calling out for mercy.

When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were made clean. (Luke 17:14 NRSV)

Do you ever feel no one sees you? Perhaps you even wonder if God really sees you. It is comforting in this story that Jesus’ first response to the lepers is that he “saw them…” He doesn’t turn his eyes from their suffering. He doesn’t frown or roll his eyes. He simply sees them. And he sees far more than we see. He looks beyond the leprosy. He sees beyond our disease of sin and sees who God created us to be. And with that perfect vision he sets in motion to redeem us to be who God created us to be.

In this story, it is interesting that when Jesus “saw them” he did not pronounce them clean or touch them or give any other indication of healing. All we read is that he gave them the command to present themselves to the priest. The first thing they were given was Jesus’ words. In their case, it was a word of command to abide by the ritual required when someone was cured of leprosy. The priest would have to confirm that they were clean before admitting them back into the community. The lepers obeyed and were healed “as they went.” Often, we experience the healing and reconciling work of Jesus as we walk in faith and obedience. We may prefer the stories when Jesus would heal immediately either by a dramatic pronouncement or by a tender touch. We love the experience of Jesus’ miracles in our lives. But this story stands in Scripture as a reminder that we do not always receive immediate healings or conversions accompanied by dramatic experiences or touching moments. Often, we are given the command to follow the mundane routine God has provided.

The first thing we need to receive is Jesus’ words to us. God’s word to us in Christ is also written for us in the Scriptures. Some of these words to us seem to be routine in nature. We are commanded to obey, but we will come to see that there is healing in the journey of obedience. Hearing and obeying Jesus’ words work a healing and freedom in us that we may not fully see in the moment. But along the journey we will come to see that Jesus’ word to us is not empty. His words have effect, and a very good effect at that. Like the ten lepers, we too are healed as we go according to his word spoken to us.

Let’s take a few basic commands we see in the scripture. What are some words Jesus may be speaking to you today that will be the first step of healing in your journey with him? How about simply gathering together at church to worship? What healing may Jesus have for us in following that week-in and week-out routine? What about the practice of prayer and study? Is that too mundane for our healing? Does Jesus really tell us to engage in such daily habits for our healing?

And let’s not leave out the prohibitions. There are many things the Lord commands us to not include in our journey with him. We may bristle at a command that denies something we think we want. But, if we truly come to Jesus while calling him “Master” and asking for mercy, do we turn a deaf ear to him when he says “stop” to something we are doing? We may not see the connection in the moment we hear Jesus’ words, especially his words of “no,” but Jesus’ words set us on a path of healing and reconciliation. He is not trying to be a killjoy or rob us of the “good life.” He has more for us than we could possibly dream. We could list many commands we see in the scriptures that Jesus speaks to us. These commands are not burdens. They are the first steps into the healing we are seeking from Jesus.

Now, let’s look a little further into the story:

Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:15-16 NRSV)

We are told that one of the lepers “saw that he was healed.” All the lepers were healed but only one “saw” it. It’s after seeing that he was healed that another change took place. The leper “turned back, praising God” and ultimately ends up at Jesus’ feet thanking him. We are not told about the other nine, but it seems they are content to take their healing and move on with their life. We may be tempted at this point to pat this one leper on the back for having good social graces. Good on him for coming back to say, “thank you.” But there is more for us here than a lesson on proper etiquette for being healed. This leper came back to the source of his healing. He realized not only that he was healed of leprosy, but that Jesus was his healer, or more pointedly, his Savior. When he comes back with praises and gratitude, he is actually coming back to receive even more than a healing. He is coming back to receive the healer himself.

This is what happens in praise and worship. Worship is the fitting response of seeing who God is. And in worship, we see more of who God is. Or, as C.S. Lewis once wrote, “it is in the process of being worshipped that God communicates His presence to men” (Reflections on the Psalms, p. 93). God reveals himself to be a generous giver. Even when we come to offer praise and worship to him, it is he who is giving us something more. This one leper received far more than the other nine as he “turned back.” We too, have more to receive from the Lord as we continue to “turn back” to him. We are not told how far the leper went before he turned back, but it’s interesting that when he returned, Jesus was still there. Jesus questions why the other nine did not return. Maybe that’s a good question we should put forth for ourselves.

What keeps us at times from returning and giving praise to God? Could it be that we don’t think our healing is all that significant? Maybe we have forgotten the seriousness of our disease. Perhaps we convinced ourselves on the journey to the “priests” that we are, on our own, quite presentable. Whatever our answers, we can be assured that no matter how far we journey, when we turn back to the Lord, he is always to be found. He will never turn away from our turning to him. And, he always has more to give. As we turn to praise and worship him, we can experience even more of his healing and reconciling work in our lives.

But maybe there’s another answer to why we don’t turn back to him. The story tells us that the one who returned “was a Samaritan.” A Samaritan who had leprosy would have been an outcast of an outcast. Perhaps we do not return to the Lord because we feel we are too much of an outcast? However, this story makes the outcast the one who shows faith. Jesus tells him that his “faith has made [him] well.” As we see our healing in Jesus, we can place our trust in him, no matter how much of an outcast we think we are. This trust or faith is characterized by the leper as a relationship that has moved from “keeping distant” to being at “Jesus’ feet.” His loud plea has been transformed into loud praise. Instead of holding back his approach to Jesus, he now lies prostrate at his feet. Jesus is the “region between” all our borders and walls that seem insurmountable. He is in the very middle, healing and reconciling. In faith, we can rest at Jesus’ feet knowing that he is the one who makes us well.

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Small Group Discussion Questions

Psalm 119:97-104 • Jeremiah 31:27-34 • 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5 • Luke 18:1-8

The theme for this week is the loving power of prayer. Our call to worship in Psalm 119 speaks about our role in meditating on God as a form of prayer, lifting our thoughts beyond the mundane and ordinary to consider God’s perspective of our lives and choices. In Jeremiah 31, we’re reminded of God’s covenant, his faithfulness, and his willingness to forgive. Studying Scripture, thinking about church doctrine and traditions, and then integrating them with personal experience in prayerful contemplation is addressed in 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5. Our sermon text is Luke 18:1-8, where Jesus shares the parable of the Unjust Judge (also called the parable of the Persistent Widow) to help us understand more about the purpose of prayer.

What Prayer Tells Us about Love

Luke 18:1-8 (NRSV)

You might remember hearing some years ago about the humanitarian Mother Teresa. She was a nun who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her efforts in founding the Missionaries of Charity, which managed and supported homes for people dying of leprosy, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis. She lived in India for most of her life, and worked to organize soup kitchens, schools, and orphanages. There’s a story told about Mother Teresa. In her efforts to raise money, Mother Teresa was meeting in New York City with the president and vice-president of a large company. They had already agreed ahead of time that they were not going to donate to her organizations, but they said they would meet with her. Mother Theresa sat across from them and shared about her work and the need of the people she served. After she finished, the executives told her, “We appreciate what you’re doing, but we can’t donate at this time.”

Mother Teresa responded to them by saying, “Let us pray,” and then proceeded to beseech God to soften their hard hearts toward the poor and the sick. After she said, “Amen,” she asked again for their support, and they again refused to help.

“Let us pray,” Mother Teresa said, and at this, the president relented and wrote a check.

We might laugh at Mother Teresa’s version of persistent prayer, but we find a similar example in the Parable of the Persistent Widow in Luke 18:1-8. Let’s take a look.

 

Read Luke 18:1-8, NRSV.

What can we notice about this passage?

Depending on the translation you choose, the parable in Luke 18 could be titled “The Parable of the Persistent Widow” or “The Parable of the Unjust Judge.” This difference in perspective highlights the many layers of the parable that offer insight into social justice issues, God’s loving character, and our faithful prayer. Let’s consider:

The Need for Justice:

Jesus begins the parable by describing the character of a judge who “neither feared God nor had respect for people” (Luke 18:2, NRSV). A widow in need of justice kept coming to see him, yet he refused to help her. In the cultural context, Jesus’ Jewish listeners would understand that this judge was ungodly because biblical texts, such as Exodus 22:21-25 or Deuteronomy 24:14, 17-18 specify protections for widows, along with others who are considered among the most vulnerable.

However, this widow’s actions showed her determination not to submit to exploitation. In v. 5, the original Greek can be translated like this: “because this widow causes trouble for me, I will give her justice so that she may not give me a black eye by her coming (hypōpiazō). Paul uses the same word in 1 Corinthians 9:26-27:

So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating (hypōpiazō) the air, but I punish my body and enslave it so that after proclaiming to I myself should not be disqualified. (1 Corinthians 9:26-27, NRSV)

Notice the word is used in the context of boxing where something was taking a beating. There was an intensity in the widow’s refusal to accept injustice despite her situation. She knew she deserved justice, and she refused to take less.

We can consider our response to social justice issues, where human beings are oppressed and marginalized by human institutions. What if we are struggling from injustice? God is big enough to give us peace – even in the midst of struggling? He doesn’t need our help to fix things, but we can we seek to join in what he is doing?

Do we intentionally seek God for wisdom, insight, and intervention? This parable highlights our need to pray and not lose heart. When we see others struggling because of injustice, will we seek God’s direction? Sometimes we fall on the side of being overly critical for someone’s desire for justice. Can we hurt when others hurt? Can we go to God on their behalf? The parable suggests that praying for justice on behalf of vulnerable people is part of our responsibility as God’s children.

God’s Goodness and Love

Jesus contrasts God’s loving character with the unjust judge in vv. 16-18a:

 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them.” (Luke 18:16-18a, NRSV

Contrasting God’s care with the uncaring, unjust judge helps us remember to whom we are praying. We are not approaching the throne of an abusive father, one who would delight in our demise, but instead, we are running into the arms of our Creator, the one who made us and delights in us:

The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. (Zephaniah 3:17, NRSV)

We are loved by a God who renews us and who sings over us. If an unjust judge finally gave a persistent widow the justice she deserved, how much more likely it is that God will intervene on our behalf.

Persistence in Faith and Prayer

Jesus ends the passage with an important question:

“And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8b, NRSV)

We often think of faith as belief: belief in a set of theological doctrines or belief that there is a triune God who created everything there is, including us. However, we can expand our idea of faith to encompass the belief that God truly is who he says he is, that nothing surprises him, and that he is in control. Our faith in and through Christ motivates us to participate with him, joining him in doing good in the world by pointing to the one who can fix all things. In other words, our faith trusts in God’s ultimate power and authority despite the presence of evil and injustice.

This brings us back to the first verse in the passage:

Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. (Luke 18:1, NRSV)

We remember Paul’s admonition to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17, NRSV), but sometimes we view this as a requirement to having our prayers answered rather than seeing it as a means of developing a deeper connection with the lover of our souls. When an answer to prayer is delayed, we sometimes think to ourselves, “I must not be praying enough or praying the right words.” This type of thinking is based on the wrong idea that we control God by our prayers – or actions. In reality, we must redefine faith as a willingness to persist in seeking to connect with God, believing in God’s goodness and love even when faced with difficult circumstances. This type of faith is a way of living that refuses to turn away from the connection with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, even when life doesn’t make sense. This type of faith persists in the face of sorrow, and it’s the faith the prophet Habakkuk spoke of:

For there is still a vision for the appointed time; it speaks of the end and does not lie. If it seems to tarry, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay…but the righteous live by their faith. (Habakkuk 2:3, 4b, NRSV)

Our faith enables us to persist in hope and love, living out our Christian value of loving others as ourselves. Our faith makes us take our troubles to the One who provides what is best for us. Consider these New Testament examples who were commended for their faith:

• The centurion who asked Jesus to heal his slave (Matthew 8:5-13)
• The paralyzed man and the friends who lowered him through the roof to be healed (Luke 5:17-39)
• The bleeding woman who touched Jesus’s robe and was healed (Luke 8:43-48)
• The grateful Samaritan leper (Luke 17:11-19)
• The blind beggar on the road to Jericho who was healed (Luke 18:35-43)

Notice these people who received healing had suffered, some of them for years and others for their entire lives. Their healing was a long time coming. Even Jesus was not resurrected for three days. But God’s justice and healing will prevail, and when we think about the certainty of this, we can see how God might be more like the determined widow in the parable who refuses to give up in her pursuit of justice.

Think of prayer as our way of saying “Yes” to letting God love us. This can help us be persistent in prayer without turning it into a transaction, expecting God’s response in direct proportion to our effort. Carmelite nun Ruth Burrows offers these thoughts about our role in persistent prayer:

Almost always when we talk about prayer we are thinking of something we do and, from that standpoint, questions, problems, confusion, discouragement, [and] illusions multiply…. Our Christian knowledge assures us that prayer is essentially what God does, how God addresses us, looks at us. It is not primarily something we are doing to God, something we are giving to God but what God is doing for us. And what God is doing for us is giving the divine Self in love… We are here to receive this ineffable, all-transforming, all beatifying Love. (Essence of Prayer, pp. 1-3, 5)

Author and therapist James Finley sees setting aside time for quiet contemplation as essential to cultivating receptivity and awareness of God’s loving presence:

Since “God is love” (1 John 4:8), God’s ways are the ways in which love awakens you again and again to the infinite love that is the reality of all that is real…. Your heart becomes accustomed to God, peeking out at you from the inner recesses of the task at hand, from the sideways glance of the stranger in the street, or from the way sunlight suddenly fills the room on a cloudy day. Learning not to be surprised by the ways in which you are perpetually surprised, you will learn to rest in an abiding sense of confidence in God. (Christian Meditation: Experiencing the Presence of God, pp. 33-34).

Persistent prayer and “unceasing” prayer stem from cultivating an awareness of God’s love that is ever-present in our day-to-day lives. We grow more confident of God’s presence and goodness, and when our prayers seem to go unanswered, our faith is resilient and patient.

Application:

• Recognize our role in ensuring justice for those who are marginalized in our culture. Jesus’s parable tells us we are to pray with purpose and seek God’s direction – all while not losing hope. This parable shows that justice for the most vulnerable is important, and we need to consider our response to those who cry for justice.
• Realize that we are loved with an everlasting love. God delights in us and always has our best interests in mind. He is persistent in loving us and providing what is best for us.
• Understand that faith means persistent hope in our loving God, and unceasing prayer is our confident “yes” to rest in God’s presence and care. By living in this confidence, we learn to see God’s presence in everything, even the most difficult of circumstances.

Mother Teresa was persistent in prayer, wearing down the executives who were reluctant to support her work with the poor. In the “Parable of the Persistent Widow,” we see persistence demonstrated and we see justice for vulnerable people. If an unjust judge eventually heard a poor widow or a couple of New York City execs finally paid attention to a nun from India, how much more will a loving God attentive to our prayers. Our understanding of prayer moves from a stance of control and transaction to a relationship where we seek to say “yes” to God’s love and allow it to flow to others.

For Reference:

https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/ordinary-29-3/commentary-on-luke-181-8-4

https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/ordinary-29-3/commentary-on-luke-181-8-3

https://www.workingpreacher.org/dear-working-preacher/taking-the-fork-in-the-road

https://cepreaching.org/commentary/2016-10-10/luke-181-8/

https://sermonwriter.com/biblical-commentary-old/luke-181-8/

Burrows, Ruth. Essence of Prayer. HiddenSpring, 2006.

Finley, James. Christian Meditation: Experiencing the Presence of God. Harper San Francisco, 2004.

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Small Group Discussion Questions

Psalm 65:1-14 • Joel 2:23-32 • 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18 • Luke 18:9-14

This week’s theme is abundant grace. The call to worship Psalm praises God’s sustaining and creative power with rich imagery from nature. The Old Testament reading from Joel reflects the bounty of God’s love and provision that culminates in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all people. The epistolary text comes from 2 Timothy, where the apostle Paul issues a somber farewell, while glorifying the Lord as the faithful one of provision, protection, and deliverance. The Gospel reading from Luke juxtaposes a proud prayer of self-adoration with a humble prayer for mercy.

A Tale of Two Prayers

Luke 18:9-14 (NRSV)

Charles Dicken’s classic story, A Tale of Two Cities, opens with, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” setting up a series of contrasts explored throughout the novel. Today’s sermon can begin roughly the same way as we read about “A Tale of Two Prayers.” We will find that comparisons can be both a blessing and a curse, the best of times, or the worst. In Jesus’ teaching, he gives us a parable where a contrast is presented to invite us into the “best of times,” the righteous life that comes by grace. But contained within the parable we are presented with another comparison. This comparison comes to us by way of a Pharisee’s prayer, that ultimately leads to the “worst of times,” a life devoid of righteousness.

This parable follows on the heels of another parable Jesus tells of a persistent widow. Both stories are being used by Jesus to teach about prayer. But more importantly, what is being revealed is the character and heart of the one to whom we pray. And that will be an especially important perspective to hold onto as we go through this second parable that serves as the text for today. Otherwise, we may easily fall into the trap of doing exactly what the Pharisee does, measuring our righteousness by comparing ourselves to others. Jesus is not trying to teach us to copy the tax collector and shun the Pharisee. He wants us to see who his Father is to whom we pray. This will make all the difference in our prayers. And it will also make all the difference in how we understand this Tale of Two Prayers. Let’s dive in.

Parables often present a challenge to figure out what Jesus is trying to tell us. But Luke does us a huge favor by telling us right up front why Jesus told this parable.

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt. (Luke 18:9 NRSV)

Notice the “also” in this verse. This is a reference to the other parable Jesus tells, of the persistent widow. In that parable, we learn that God is not like the unjust judge in hearing our pleas. Rather, God is a patient and just God who is quick to answer the prayers of those who call out to him. Because of this, we are encouraged to “pray always and not to lose heart.” So, again, in this parable we will want to keep an eye out for what Jesus is telling us about his Father. Knowing who we are praying to will fittingly shape our prayers.

Notice to whom Jesus is directing this parable. It is aimed at those who displayed two general orientations. First, it is addressed to “some who trusted themselves that they were righteous” and second, they “regarded others with contempt.” Following Luke’s lead, we know specifically that this is referring to the religious rulers like the Pharisees. But this does not mean we are exempt from hearing its message. Let’s face it, we are constantly tempted to trust ourselves for our own righteousness, which always leads to holding others in contempt. The two go hand-in-hand. If we think righteousness comes by our own efforts and achievements, then we will always be tempted to verify and confirm that self-assessment by comparing ourselves to others. There is always someone we can find that will make us feel justified in our self-achieved righteousness. If we can find someone to look down on, we can convince ourselves that we are someone worth looking up to.

This is a trap we see all around us, and if we are honest, we see in our own hearts as well. How many dividing lines between people are being drawn in order to claim being in the “right”? We see it displayed in politics, personal choices, affiliations, where we live, what we wear, who we hang out with, where we shop and so on. In our desire to be “righteous,” we can use just about anything to view another with contempt. Seeing righteousness as something to achieve does not lead to “the best of times.” Jesus wants us to see that he is the true source of all righteousness. So, he is going to present his own comparison to do just that.

Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. (Luke 18:10 NRSV)

We must proceed here with caution. We are told from the beginning that this parable is for those who trust in themselves for their own righteousness and hold others in contempt. Then Jesus gives us a straight-up comparison between a Pharisee and a tax collector. If you have had even a brief exposure to Luke’s Gospel, you will know that the Pharisees are often portrayed as the enemies of Jesus while the tax collectors belong to Jesus’ circle of “friends.” If we are not careful, we can convince ourselves that Jesus is giving us a playbook on who we should hold in contempt and who we should exalt. This would run counter to the very purpose Jesus is telling the parable.

We will do well to stand guard against hearing this comparison with a desire to pat ourselves on the back and pray our own self-congratulatory prayer of not being like that old self-righteous Pharisee. We may try to sabotage the rest of the reading by having us use the tax-collector’s humble posture as another prideful means of self-attained righteousness. So, let’s resist the temptation to form our own prayer that essentially goes, “Lord, I thank you that I’m not like other people: self-righteous, goody-two-shoes, super religious, or even like this Pharisee. I’m devoid of pride; I’m full of humility.” With that caution, let’s continue.

The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, “God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.” (Luke 18:11 NRSV)

Jesus lets us hear the prayer of the Pharisee, which displays a dependence on self and a contempt for others. The first thing we observe is that the Pharisee is “standing by himself” in prayer. Since the phrasing in Greek is confusing, there are a few ways to translate this phrase. It could simply mean that he is quietly praying to himself. Or it could mean he is praying to himself rather than to God. Or lastly, it could be rendered as praying while centered on himself with a peripheral view to the tax collector. Any of those renderings portrays the prayer as self-focused. We do good to remember that our Lord taught his disciples to pray, “Our Father in heaven…” This Pharisee does not pray in community as he is “standing by himself.” There is no “our” in his address to God. He sees himself as a lone ranger in prayer. If he has anyone else in mind with his prayer, it is only by way of a contemptuous glance at a distant tax collector. There is no connection to others in his view of prayer.

This exposes a view of God who many believe is also “standing by himself.” Jesus, in his teaching to us on prayer, instructs us to begin by addressing his Father. God is not alone, but rather exists for all eternity as a relationship of Father, Son, and Spirit. To lose this understanding of God’s identity is to lose the essence of prayer. Prayer is not some pious activity we do as individuals to give the appearance that we have a close relationship with God. Prayer is a participation in that relationship. We never pray alone. To go further, by the Spirit, our prayers are united to Christ’s prayers. He is our High Priest who prays for us and with us to the Father, all by the power of the Holy Spirit. There is no such thing as Christian prayer offered alone while standing in isolation from God and others. Prayer is communal.

The second thing we observe in the Pharisee’s prayer is that his thankfulness flows from “I am nots.” Specifically, he is thankful that he is not like other people. He looks around and sees all the sins and shortcomings of others and uses that as a baseline for his own righteousness. This leads to the contempt he has for others. He does not see his own sinfulness, and in so doing, creates a superiority over others. He is deaf to the teachings of our Lord who taught his disciples to pray, “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us to the time of trial, but deliver us from the evil one.” He has deceived himself with his self-justification that he is above all others and in need of nothing from God but his applause.

Furthermore, “I am not” prayer leads to settling for a righteousness that only rises above the observable sins of others. Jesus offers much more. He offers us his own righteousness. How often do we settle by being thankful that at least we are not as bad as so-and-so? Rather than being thankful for who we are not, we can be thankful for who we are becoming in Christ. Jesus never told us to be better than others. He told us to be perfect like his Father in heaven is perfect. If you are going to compare yourself to another, that’s where you start. Compare yourself with Christ, as he is the One we are growing up to be like.

Paul tells us we are to grow “to the measure of the full stature of Christ” (Eph. 4:13). This comparison not only will keep us from growing contemptuous of others, but it will give us much more to be thankful for. What an amazing gift we are given in Christ. And the key here to grasp is that his righteousness is a gift of grace to receive. The Pharisee’s prayer seems to miss this vital point.

“I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.” (Luke 18:12 NRSV)

We need to acknowledge that what the Pharisee states in his prayer is in itself a good thing. Jesus was not denouncing fasting or tithing. It’s not what he is doing that is the problem, it is why he is doing it. This prayer indicates that the Pharisee sees righteousness as something to achieve by good works. It’s on the basis of his fasting and tithing, along with a whole list of good things he could probably list, that he claims his righteousness. The prayer leaves no room for receiving anything from God. His prayer is a boast. Once again, we are reminded that our Lord taught us to pray “hallowed be your name” not “our name.”

Now we come to the tax collector’s prayer.

But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” (Luke 18:13 NRSV)

We immediately see a contrast to the Pharisee’s prayer. The tax collector is “standing far off” rather than “standing by himself.” The tax collector knows he has no standing that even warrants coming close to the Temple. The Temple grounds gave many reminders that there are “outsiders” and “insiders.” This tax collector needed no reminder. He knew his sins made him an “outsider.” And to be clear, Jesus is not inviting us to praise the tax collector for his sins as if he is more enlightened than the Pharisee to be jumping through a bunch of pious hoops. No, the comparison we are to see is this tax collector knows he is a sinner and has nothing to offer in his defense. Unlike the Pharisee, he is not trusting in himself to be righteous nor is he regarding others with contempt. He’s not looking down on others, rather he “would not even look up to heaven.” He is not self-justified by his works, rather he “was beating his breast,” which was a sign of repentance. He is not boasting of what he has achieved, rather he is pleading, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” Notice how straightforward his plea for mercy is. He speaks directly to God, asking for mercy while acknowledging he is a sinner. He doesn’t reference the Pharisee or anyone else. This is a prayer fully relying on grace.

It would appear this tax collector knows something about God that the Pharisee does not. God is a God of grace. The Lord is not only just and quick to answer our cries as the persistent widow taught us, but he is full of mercy, longsuffering, and forgiveness. This is the only way the tax collector can pray such a boldly humble prayer. He knows who he is praying to.

Jesus gives us this tale of two prayers so we too can come to know a little more of who his Father is. It is in knowing Jesus and his Father by the Spirit that we are given the “best of times.” We are given a share in God’s righteous relationship where our sins are forgiven and removed as far as east from west. This is what is offered in Jesus Christ. He does not leave us standing far off but moves to bring us into his kingdom. He doesn’t leave our eyes cast down but lifts us up in a face-to-face relationship with him. He answers the beating of our breast by forgiving us and giving us the beating of his heart. This is the gracious God revealed in Jesus Christ. And this Jesus concludes the parable with a direct statement for you and me to hear today.

I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14 NRSV)

Jesus is telling us not just what was given to “this man” but what is offered to every man and woman: his righteousness, the best of times for all eternity. And the man who went down to his home justified did not do so because of his prayer but on account of who he was praying to. Jesus is not giving us a new presentation of prayer that favors a humble posture over a pious one. He is inviting us to receive his grace. He freely takes our sins and in return gives us his righteousness. We don’t have to settle for our own exaltation. And that is something we will forever be thankful for.

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Psalm 119:137-144 • Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4 • 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4 (11,12) • Luke 19:1-10

This week’s theme is faith. The psalmist places his faith in God’s commands with a vigorous display of emotion. In the Old Testament, in Habakkuk, we are told that the righteous person will live by his faithfulness. In 2 Thessalonians, Paul prays that God’s power would bring about good deeds as a result of our faith. And in Luke’s gospel, Jesus affirms the faith that Zacchaeus places in him.

Sought, Seen, and Saved

Luke 19:1-10

Cigna, a health insurance company, conducted a survey in 2018 from 20,000 Americans, trying to gauge how they felt about their relationships within their communities. They found that nearly half of those surveyed reported feeling forgotten.

Another study, this one conducted globally, was done to see how employees felt about their employers. Almost half of them felt like they were invisible in their workplace.

And finally, 66,000 middle school and high students were asked if they felt that they would be missed by their teachers if they never returned to school. Again, nearly half of the students indicated that they felt they would simply be forgotten. They also shared that they felt that they were just another face in the crowd.

Today, we will be looking at Jesus’ encounter with Zacchaeus – who wasn’t invisible, but was marginalized, even vilified because of his chosen profession. He needed someone who could see him. Jesus is going to do far more than that. We are going to see that what Jesus does for Zacchaeus, he does for all of us. Jesus seeks us, sees us, and saves us.

Read text: Luke 19:1-10

Luke does something interesting here. He places this story right after Jesus tells a series of parables in chapter 18. The characters in those parables seem to foreshadow the character of Zacchaeus.

• The parable of the Persistent Widow is like that of the persistence of Zacchaeus wanting to see Jesus.
• The parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector is likened to Zacchaeus in how he recognized his state before God just like the other tax collector.
• And lastly, The Rich Young Ruler decides not to sell everything and follow Jesus, yet Zacchaeus was wealthy himself, and decides to freely give what he has.

Like most tax collectors, Zacchaeus was probably very wealthy. They got that way by collecting taxes from their own people, the Jews, and enriching themselves as well as the Romans. But Zacchaeus wasn’t just any tax collector. The scripture indicates he was a “chief” tax collector and wealthy. While Scripture doesn’t say specifically, tradition indicates his wealth likely came from skimming off the top by placing a surcharge on the taxes that the Jews were already having to pay. And on top of that, he was collecting from the tax collectors under him.

To Luke’s intended readership, they would have spotted something odd about this story. And that is the name of Zacchaeus, himself. They would have known that his name meant pure or chaste. Really? You can’t be serious. This chief tax collector is named Pure? It would have been recognized as an oxymoron – like saying cold fire, deafening silence, awfully good or living dead.

Riches aside, Jesus must have known what this man’s life was truly like. A man despised greatly by his own people may not have had many friends. (Even the other tax collectors might not have liked the “chief.”) And adding to the scorn he must have felt, he was probably made fun of because of his short stature.

Do you think he had experienced bullying? We don’t know how his life was, but we might imagine how his riches and how he acquired them had taken more from him than he had taken from the people.

Jesus enters Jericho with his mission for humanity in front of him. He had never wavered nor deviated from seeking, seeing, and saving the lost. When he spots Zacchaeus, he takes the opportunity to fulfill part of his mission right then and there.

Jesus is not focused on the crowd of gawkers. He is looking for the lost soul among the crowd. He is the one who seeks us. And he sees this lost soul in Zacchaeus. He could have just as easily kept walking on by and left Zacchaeus in the tree, which may have been what Zacchaeus was expecting. Even if he was up in the tree, he probably felt invisible and rejected by God. Just another face even if he wasn’t in the crowd.

In our daily lives, we are also on mission with Jesus. It’s easy to get consumed with our responsibilities and what is in our immediate view. But sometimes we need to be reminded that we are still on mission and that we need to look up. Jesus says in John 4:35 “I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” We seek others because we have been sought.

 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. (Luke 19:5-6)

Zacchaeus realizes that he has been seen. In his mind, he may have been expecting judgment. “Here is this miracle-worker that many are saying may be the Messiah, and if so, I could be the first on his chopping block.” The crowd might have enjoyed that. But then he quickly realizes that Jesus has a different agenda altogether. Rather than being judged by Jesus, he is affirmed. Jesus loudly proclaims that he is to come down from the tree immediately because he is going to be the guest of Zacchaeus. What a turn of events!

Jesus not only sees Zacchaeus physically, but more importantly, sees the inside of him. Jesus knows the heart of mankind. We were made for connection with him. And he knows how we long to be seen, to be known for who we are. We often hear people referring to finding their people, or tribe. We all have that longing to belong. We want to know that someone would still stick around even if they knew the worst of us.

Pastor John Lynch, wrote:

What if there was a place so safe that the worst of me could be known, and I would discover that I would not be loved less, but more in the telling of it? … What if it was less important that anything ever gets fixed than that nothing has to be hidden?

Jesus accepted Zacchaeus knowing who he was. He extends grace, not by asking for Zacchaeus’ invitation but by declaring that he must stay with him. And it wasn’t based on anything that Zacchaeus had done, good or bad. It was based solely on who Christ is.

Our God chooses to dwell with humanity, not based on our goodness but based on his goodness. Romans 2:4 confirms that it is God’s kindness that leads us towards repentance. And Zacchaeus is getting a full dose of God’s kindness in his encounter with Jesus.

All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” (Luke 19:7)

Unfortunately, we don’t always see what God sees in others. All the crowd saw was an undeserving sinner being embraced by this holy man of God. Their thinking was that God would want nothing to do with such a person. But it wasn’t up to the crowd then, and it is not up to us now who is included in the grace of God.

The crowd may be quick to tear us down and remind us of our faults, but Jesus, through his Spirit, will continually remind us of who we are in him, and who we are to him. He has sought us and seen us.

In answer to the crowd, Zacchaeus proves to them and Jesus that his repentance is genuine.

But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:8-10)

Jesus declared to all within earshot that salvation has come to Zacchaeus. In witnessing the repentant heart of Zacchaeus, Jesus is pointing out to the crowd what it looks like when one has a proper response to the grace and favor of God – the response of faith.

He affirms Zacchaeus as being a son of Abraham. He is included in the people of faith, no longer to be thought of as an outcast amongst his own people. Zacchaeus’ response is one of faith because he has seen the faith of Christ exhibited towards him. Zacchaeus, then, was sought, seen, and saved.

Jesus said that he came to seek and to save that which was lost. He represented the heart of the Father here on earth. In this story, he was on mission to seek, see, and save. He identifies Zacchaeus as someone who felt lost, who needed to know about his saving grace.

Zacchaeus realized something many of the crowd missed; many of them believed they didn’t need a Savior. Many thought they were already righteous apart from Christ and didn’t feel the need to repent and humble themselves. How many today believe the same – that they are found in their own goodness? In so doing, they become the ones who are truly lost.

Jesus looks into the hearts of us all to see our place of greatest need. He then works in us to heal those broken places that only love can fix. And he comes to live with us by his Spirit to claim us as his own.

He is the one who seeks us, sees us, and saves us. He continues his ministry today through us, by his Spirit. As his followers, we hold our heads up to see the fields that are ripe for the harvest. We open our eyes to see as he sees. We open our hearts to feel as he feels. And we open ourselves as his church to gladly receive and welcome others into the family of faith where they truly belong.

 

Resources:

O.C. Tanner Institute, 2018 Global Culture Report: page 10, http://www.octanner.com/content/dam/oc-tanner/documents/white-papers/2018/2018_Global_Culture_Report.pdf

Dewitt, P. (2016, January 26) “Only 46% of Students Feel Valued in Their School,” Education Week, https://www.edweek.org/education/opinion-only-46-of-students-feel-valued-in-their-school/2016/01

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Small Group Discussion Questions