Growing With Jesus

" After three days they found Jesus in the Temple,  sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions." --Luke 2:46

Jesus is growing up.  The end of Luke chapter 2 gives us the one account of Jesus' life between being a toddler (Matthew 2) and the advent of his ministry as an adult, probably around 30 years old.  Jesus travels with his family on their yearly pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover, the celebration of the Exodus journey of salvation, where God delivers God's people from slavery to freedom.  This would have been an enormous undertaking for humble people from Galilee, taking off work for more than a week to travel many miles.  Yet they did it each year; the practice was at the heart of their faith and self-understanding.  At age 12, Jesus was at the cusp of adulthood in their culture.  This would be a time for  his learning to take on his own religious responsibilities; to become an adult in the faith.  Not unlike Confirmation.  It would have been Joseph's responsibility to see that Jesus learned particular things on this trip.
When the family returns to Jerusalem at the end of the festival, Jesus remains behind in Jerusalem. A full day of travel takes place before Mary and Joseph realize that Jesus is not among the extended family and community members headed back to Nazareth.  They anxiously return to the capitol, searching for three days before they find him in the Temple!  He is sitting among the teachers, listening and asking them questions.  Jesus is learning, and people are amazed at the understanding and perspectives he demonstrates.
His mother is both relieved and furious.  He asks her why they had been "searching for him" for three days; Didn't they know that he needed to be immersed in the "things of my Father?" Mary and Joseph do not understand what he is telling them (which is not unusual when young men and women talk to their parents!).  Mary winds up "treasuring these words in her heart," even though she was so upset.  Jesus is maturing, and already moving deeper and further into his faith life than his parents have taught him!
Throughout history, artists who have painted the scene have had Jesus "teaching the teachers."  They have also portrayed him disputing with the teachers,as though he is correcting them.  But Luke has Jesus much more like the young people of our own church.  Jesus listens and asks important questions; from his learning and wisdom he brings forth perspectives and perhaps alternative direction!  He grows right before everyone's eyes, and I have no doubt that he offers perspectives that wind up teaching the teachers and anyone who is listening. Such is a healthy learning environment!
Here is a sample of artwork:

I like Polenov's "Among the Teachers," the second from the bottom, which has the youthful Jesus sitting among the teachers, listening.  In those days, teachers sat and students stood, so young Jesus is counted among the teachers, but it is his attention and thoughtfulness that is communicated strongly.    Iam also struck by the two portrayals that have Mary confronting Jesus, and appearing to pull him away.  Do they communicate the struggle effectively?  

Mary and Elizabeth

We had a good discussion about the story of Mary and Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-55) on Wednesday.  Here are some artistic representations of Mary's arrival, and the blessing that follows.

I'll add some notes soon!

Nativity

Here are some art images inspired by the story of Jesus' birth.  Which ones stir you?

Annunciation!

As we prepare to celebrate Christmas, let's take a close look at the accounts of Jesus' birth and the events leading up to it. Two of the four gospels have stories about Jesus' birth: Matthew and Luke.  Luke's narrative  is focused from the experience of Mary, the young woman who will be Jesus' mother.  Matthew, on the other hand, gives greater attention to Joseph's experience.    Joseph is the man who is in the process of marrying the younger Mary (though their marriage is not complete as the story begins).
O excellent Confirmands, I would like you to read the two accounts of "annunciation," where Mary and Joseph are informed of God's plans.  You will find these in Luke 1, with particular attention to verses 26-56, and Matthew 1:18-25.
What is similar about the stories?
What is different?
Are there details that you have not noticed before?
What questions arise that you would like us to explore?
Put yourself in the place of each of the main characters.  What are you feeling?

Getting Real

We took time to read Mark 2:1-12 carefully and discuss our impressions.  We tried to put ourselves in the shoes of the four people who carry the paralyzed man to Jesus.
What is motivating us?
--Faith (belief) is Jesus' capacity to heal
--A desire to help, to "be legs and arms" for the man
--The wish to "treat our friend as we would hope that someone would treat us" in a similar circumstance.
--Make our caring real
--embrace the joy of friendship
When there is no way to get into the house and be close to Jesus, because of crowd, how come they (we) don't just turn around and wait for another opportunity?
--Commitment
--Imagination
--Making space for the friend by removing an obstacle
We felt that in spite of the damage to the roof Jesus would be delighted!  We reflected on ways that we can display this kind of commitment in being a faith community that "makes room."

We considered the questions from the homework (previous post):
What does this story tell us about friendship?
--"Friends will do anything for your well-being."
--Jesus will care in all situations.
What kind of power is at work when we practice true friendship?
--Faith (defined as "trust")
--Hope
--Joy
--"Buddy system"
--Teamwork
--Care (as opposed to isolation)

What role does our faith--our trusting relationship with God, lived out in daily life--have in our friendships?
We came back to the "Golden Rule," which Jesus teaches us is at the heart of Christian faith and practice.  This story opened up possibilities to think about it in ways that impact our lives daily.

Friendship and Faith

"When Jesus saw their faith . . ."  --Mark 2:5

The story of Jesus and the paralyzed man in Mark 2:1-12 is a powerful one.  Jesus is in Capernaum, the fishing town at the north end of the Sea of Galilee that is home base for him.  When people learn that he is at home, they flock to the house and fill it to the point of overflowing.  Jesus is "preaching the word" of God's love to those in the house when four men arrive carrying a paralyzed man.(he is described with a label: paralytic).  Because of the crowd, the four are unable to bring their friend directly to Jesus; there seems to be no "room."  Instead of becoming discouraged, or waiting until another day, they climb up on the roof of the house, lift the paralyzed man up, and then "remove the roof."    They make a hole in the ceiling!  The artwork above depicts the four as having removed planks and lowering their friend to a place directly in front of Jesus.  Mark's gospel is even more descriptive, indicating that they may have dug through the roof (which would have been made of saplings, branches, and clay) with great determination!
The story says that "when Jesus saw their faith," he tells the paralyzed man that God's saving power is at work in his life through the faith of his friends.  "Faith" is our relationship with God , expressed in our beliefs and actions. It is the way we share love.
By the end of the story, the man is able to stand and walk, carrying the pallet that once carried him.  He is no longer paralyzed, or labeled.
--What does this story tell us about friendship?
--What kind of power is at work when we practice true friendship with one another?  Can you describe it?
--What role does our faith--our relationship with God, lived out in daily life--have in our friendships?
--There are different ways that we can be "paralyzed" in life, aren't there?  We can be paralyzed by fear, confusion, lack of confidence, worry about how others will judge us, nasty ways we have been labeled.  How can friends help one another overcome these kinds of paralysis?
Share your thoughts and reflections here, and bring them to class next Wednesday.

Lord, Teach Us to Pray

"Jesus was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord teach us to pray . . ." --Luke 11:1

The prayer that we call "The Lord's Prayer" is found in two places in the gospels:  Matthew 6:9-13, and Luke 11: 2-4.  In Matthew, the prayer is part of Jesus' "Sermon on the Mount," his core teachings to the people who would follow him.  Jesus cautions his people not to pray empty words, but to pray trusting that God already knows our needs.In Luke's gospel, his disciples have watched him pray, noticing how Jesus centers himself in God's will.  One of them asks, "Teach us how to pray."
We pray a version of the Lord's Prayer every week in our worship service.  See if you can recite the prayer from memory.
Even when we know the words, it is the substance of prayer that Jesus calls us to.  We are urged to put ourselves into our prayer.
Let's take a look at some of what Jesus teaches us:
(1)   "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."  Jesus is teaching us to pray for God's will rather than just our own will, in the expectation that God's will be done in the midst of our lives here and now.  Jesus expects the community of God's people to be answers to our own prayers and the prayers of others.  We will take part in what God is doing in the world.  The prayer s hope-full. How will God's will shape our lives?
(2)  "Give us this day our daily bread."  The prayer focuses us on God's daily provision, rather than long-term security.  We trust that God will provide, and we take time to give thanks for God's gifts daily. This is a less defensive and more grateful way of living.
(3)  The words "our," "we," and "us" throughout the prayer remind us that we pray to God as a community, and that we are praying for God's blessing and encouragement for everyone. So when we pray for, and participate in, God's love for all people, we practice that love in intentional, specific ways with all the people in our lives!  It is a constant process of learning and growing.  One of the ways that we grow is in our willingness to share our "daily bread" generously with others!
What else do you notice about the prayer?  Take some time.  Does this become a model for all of our prayers?  How will you make it your own?

Prayer

"Prayer is acknowledging that we are always in the presence of God."  --Desmond Tutu

We  began with a question:  What is prayer?
--Connecting with God
--Talking with God
--Asking for help, guidance, direction
--Sharing your feelings and thoughts with God
--"Something you do in church."
--"You can pray anywhere."
--Offering thanksgiving to God
--Something you do during hard times
--When you are worried for someone
--Prayers are said out loud; you speak your mind
--Done with folded hands and bowed head; reverence

There is a richness in these initial responses.  Prayer is an expression of relationship.  It is a time of sharing.  In prayer, we take the time to give language to our thoughts, our feelings, our hopes, and our needs.  Taking care to express ourselves clearly is something that can be very important for us.  C.S. Lewis used to say that he didn't pray because he thought the prayer would change God; he prayed because the expression, the relating, the sharing, the thoughtful articulation of his prayers to God changed him!  We pray for other people and for our world--this is called intercession.  We pray for ourselves and ask for help and guidance--this is a petition. Though we didn't mention it in this first discussion, another important part of prayer is talking to God about our mistakes, our struggles, the ways that we have hurt others,the times we have ignored what we have learned from Jesus or the difficulty we have doing the good things that deep down we really want to do.  This is called confession. Also thanksgiving, gratitude to God, is a good way of paying attention to the many blessings in our lives.
Listening is an important part of any relationship.  In prayer we take time to listen, to meditate on what Jesus has taught us, to be sensitive to the movement of God's Spirit.  As with any healthy relationship, communication must go both ways.  Respect for God is also an expression of respect for self.  And when we have a strong relationship with God or with someone else,we won't just go to God --or them--when we get into trouble!

Our second question: How often do you pray?
A couple people said one time a week; another 3 times a week.  Someone said every night before bed.
Someone else mentioned a moment of silence in school.  Sundays, at worship, and Wednesday evenings, at Confirmation, were identified as common times.  Each week at Confirmation we join hands and close in prayer, with each person offering a thanksgiving or petition.  On Sundays we are usually saying prayers that other people have composed.  On Wednesday each of us speaks for ourselves.  I wonder if there are other times when we can explore freer communication with God. If,as Bishop Tutu says, "Prayer is acknowledging that we are always in the presence of God," then we have opportunity all of the time!
It seems as though most of our experiences with prayer are "formal" times where prayer is expected. This leaves much territory for us to explore in our personal relationships with God and the relationship with he have as a people together.

We read together the story of Jesus in prayer in the first chapter of Mark's gospel (Mark 1:29-39).  Jesus has been healing many people in the town of Capernaum. He heals not only illness but great burdens that people are carrying, hurts and wounds to their spirits, labels that other people have placed on them, expectations that are crushing.  It seems as if everyone needs healing in one way or another.  Jesus sees people late into the night.  Early in the morning, while it is still dark, Jesus goes out by himself to a deserted place to pray to God without distractions.  He might have done all of the things on our list above. And there is one more thing:  He centers himself in God's will. He takes the time to reopen himself to God's will, which is very important in the midst of all the activity and demands.  So when Peter and the other disciples find him and complain, "Everyone is looking for you,"  Jesus is clear.  He says that they will not return to Capernaum until they have visited other towns, too.  Because Jesus' God-given mission is to proclaim the good news of God's love to everyone, not just one town or congregation (no matter how much he cares about them!).  Prayer helps Jesus to be clear and helps his spirit to be rested.  Maybe it can be that way for us too!

Before finishing, we took a quick journey into the Book of Psalms, where just about every kind of prayer imaginable is recorded.  More about that later.

A Disciple Learns

What is a "disciple?"  Last Wednesday our responses included:
-- a person who follows Jesus
--someone who teaches others how to be disciples
--someone who spreads the Word of God
A previous class contributed these understandings:
-- someone who lives according to what they believe
--a disciple learns by being with the teacher, following their example
In the New Testament the term is mathetes:  we might translate it "learner."  We noted that a person following Jesus would be constantly learning and would not be stuck in the same place: "following" is impossible without some kind of movement.  Also, the best teachers are good learners, so anyone who would be teaching others how to follow Jesus would be someone who knows by experience.
People often speak of the "twelve disciples"  Even the gospels make references to "the twelve."  But when our class investigated, we found fifteen names!  I guess it is good to do some of your own research!!
Here they are:
James
John  (brother of James; both sons of Zebedee; fishing partners of Simon and Andrew)
Simon ( Peter)
Andrew
Bartholomew
Philip
Thomas
Matthew
Levi
Judas Iscariot
Judas, son of James
James, son of Alphaeus
Simon the Zealot
Thaddeus
Nathaniel
Historically, Levi has been associated with Matthew, the second Judas with Thaddeus,and Nathanael with Bartholomew, perhaps to harmonize the "twelve."  In Luke's gospel, the number of Jesus' followers is much larger--he chooses the "twelve" from the larger group for the role of apostles (the ones who are sent).

We considered what we knew about the people on our list:
--  James and John are brothers;  they are fishermen, the sons of Zebedee.
-- Likewise, Simon and Andrew are brothers who are fishermen.   Simon will also be known to us as "Peter (petros/"rock")."  Andrew is the "St. Andrew" of our church's name.  In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, these are the first disciples called.  Jesus calls them to leave their nets and "fish for people."
--Matthew is identified as a tax collector (Matthew 9). In two other gospels, the same man is called "Levi." This is a local person who would have collected taxes for the Roman Empire.  The tax collectors were notorious and hated by everyone.  In other words, Jesus even calls people that everyone hates!  Jesus calls Matthew away from a business that is very profitable for him but that steals money from the poor; Jesus offers him a life with less money but full of meaning and solidarity with others.
--The second Simon was a Zealot.  The Zealots fought against the Roman army occupying Israel. They hated collaborators like the tax collectors and might have killed them. But Jesus calls Simon into a community with the one he hates, having him renounce violence and recognize that he and Matthew are brothers in God's family. Both of them change as they work together for the peace of God.
--Judas Iscariot is the disciple who turned Jesus over to the authorities; he is later consumed with pain and regret.
--Thomas has been unfairly called "Doubting" Thomas, because he had a hard time believing what the other disciples told him about seeing the resurrected Jesus.  But his life was about far more than doubt.

One of the things members of the class noticed was the absence of women on the list.  More than one person commented that women were second-class citizens in that culture--they were not seen as leaders or equal partners. They did not get a chance to go to school.  But did this mean that Jesus behaved like the rest of the culture?  No!
Together we read Luke 8:1-3.  There, women are mentioned as Jesus' followers along with "the Twelve:"  Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, and "many others."  Amazingly, it is the women who are identified as "the providers!"  Jesus is gathering a community that looks and acts very differently than people expected!
We were reminded that it was Mary Magdalene and other women who were the first witnesses to Jesus' resurrection, reporting to the men who were in hiding. Joanna is someone whose discipleship is risky, given her husband's employment with the king who opposes Jesus. In John's gospel, a Samaritan woman who is shunned by everyone becomes an evangelist for Jesus with her people.
Weren't there other Marys, someone asked?  Mary of Bethany, along with her sister Martha and brother Lazarus, were very close to Jesus.  When Jesus and his followers were in Jerusalem, they stayed at Mary and Martha's in Bethany (Poortown).  Of course, Jesus' mother was also named Mary; she was from Nazareth.
In Luke Chapter 10, Jesus sends out seventy others-- in pairs of two-- to prepare the way for Jesus' coming, sharing the good news and planting seeds for future Christian communities.
Are we the disciples of Jesus today? This is what we are considering.  Disciples are everyday people.  They are also people who answer Jesus' call when he says, "Follow me."  What does it mean for each of us, even in our teen years, to be "followers" of Jesus, "learners" who together are discovering a way of life molded by God's love.

Baptism

"In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water he saw the heavens torn apart, and the Spirit of God descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven , "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well-pleased."  --Mark 1:9-11

Imagine God calling you "Child of God," "Deeply Loved One," "God's Pleasure."  What might that mean to you?
Here are our initial responses:
--Feels "like you did something right."
--We are precious.
--"Belonging"
--"Here for a reason."
--Treasure
--Each of us is a gift.
--Not just "something."
Amen.

Picture above: "Baptism  of Christ" by James Janknegt

Who is Jesus?

We began with the question:  Who is Jesus?  With contributions from everyone, we gathered an impressive list:
God's Son
Died for our sins
Messiah
Christ
Lord
Son
Son of Man (Human One)
Deliverer
Leader
Holy One
Savior
Emmanuel (God-is-with-us)
King of the Jews
Friend
Always present
Helps
The One who loves us all
Teacher
Rabbi
Mentor
Companion
Master
Miracle Worker
The One we follow on God's path
Listener
Companion
Healer
Shepherd
Lamb
carpenter

Our list includes titles, identities, qualities, and actions. Also reflected are our perceptions of who Jesus is to us, and for us.
--Which of the descriptions on the list do you find  most meaningful?
--Are there qualities that reflect important values in your life? (for example: friendship; helping; being present for others; companionship; listening; loving in all circumstances )

We took a walking tour in the church, finding as many images of Jesus as we could.  We identified more than twenty on our short excursion, taking time to recall the biblical stories related to many of them.  It took us through quite a bit of gospel territory.
We noted that the meaning of Jesus' name is, essentially, "God saves." Christ, his common title, means "anointed one."  The terms "Christ" and "Messiah" are held in common.  The name "Emmanuel (Immanuel)"  is from Matthew 1:23, the story of Jesus' birth, and hearkens back to  Isaiah 7:14.
Our ongoing discussion led to some a several excellent inquiries:
--Noting that Jesus was baptized around age 30, a number of people wondered what Jesus was doing for the previous 30 years.  Only Luke Chapter 2 gives us a glimpse of Jesus in the years between his infancy and the time of his baptism; we are given a story of Jesus at age 12 when he travels with his family to Jerusalem for the Passover festival.  Mark 6:3 has people in his hometown of Nazareth referring to him as "the carpenter"  when they are astonished at his teaching.
--A very interesting question was presented for our exploration and reflection: During those first thirty years, did Jesus know he was the Son of God?
--How long was Jesus' ministry?  At most, perhaps, three years.
--Weren't there references to Jesus in the Old Testament?  We spoke a bit about the prophets who seemed to point ahead to Jesus' coming.  Isaiah 7:14, mentioned earlier in connection with Matthew 1:23, would be such an example.
There was even more to our discussion!  That content will be reflected in future posts. Remember to read the resource sheet on Baptism for next week's class.

Images of Jesus from Around the World

Our Journeys and the Divine Story

We set out with a reading from Luke Chapter one that began like this: "In the sixth month  the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David.  And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." 
We immediately recognized the familiar narrative of Jesus' birth, attending to all the characters, noting  special details, sharing impressions.  Female and male class members identified with the shock young Mary must have experienced and what it would mean for her life.  We followed the narrative onward to the stable in Bethlehem, savoring the details.
The group of eight then headed upstairs to the sanctuary.  Along the way we recalled that Jesus, when he was little more than a week old, was taken by his parents to the house of worship for dedication.  It was in the house of God that his name was spoken aloud.  Moving to the front of our own sanctuary, we gathered around the baptismal font.  Six of us had been baptized in this very place!  I had transcribed those dates so we could share them.  Everyone's name was spoken aloud.The two of us whose baptisms had been elsewhere shared the details we could recall.  We celebrated our common place in kingdom of God!
Placing our hands in the water, we shared what we knew about baptism and what we believe it means for our lives. We considered the imagery of water.  We realized, in a very special way, that Jesus' life is entwined with ours, from the very beginning.
Each of us has a story that continues to unfold; God is in the midst of each of those lives, and the one that we are sharing and living together.
Returning downstairs, we took some time for a brief written exercise from one of the UCC resources, considering these questions: What are some times when you have been aware of God's presence in your life?  What experiences, events, and people have helped you to know of God's presence?  How have your family, friends, or members of the church helped you in your faith journey?  What qualities or traits might someone else see in you that show your faith?  What qualities or traits do you hope that God will help you develop as your faith grows?  Even though faith journeys and experiences are unique, have you discovered ways your story connects  to the stories of others?    We shared some of our answers.
Finally, we took some time to list expectations we have for the shape of the Confirmation year.    They included:
--Get to know God better
--To take a journey with God
--To get confirmed
--To make decisions as a church member
--To learn more about God and people
--To learn more about us
The word confirm means to "make former or stronger." In Confirmation we take the promises that our parents, family, and community made to God at our baptism and claim them for ourselves.  We consider what it means to give ourselves to God and to seek the will of God for our lives; to profess Jesus as our Lord and Savior and dedicate ourselves to be his disciples.  We immerse ourselves in the in the life of a faith community that is born of the Holy Spirit and inspired by that Spirit.  We call upon the Spirit to guide us and move us.  Most of all, we open ourselves to receive fully the gracious love of God, given freely.
Whew!  That's plenty for one session!  You were great!
We gathered together in a circle for prayer at the conclusion, with each one of us offering a thanksgiving or petition.

Welcome to the Journey!

Welcome to "Journeying With Jesus," our Confirmation experience for 2012-13.  It is a delight to have each of you, each of us, "on the Way!" In the gospels, Jesus met each of his disciples where they were, and he loved them as they were.  In calling to each one, "Follow me," he beckoned them to a way of life together that would reveal God's presence and God's Reign of Love in the very midst of their lives.  At the time of his ascension, Jesus gave his followers the "great commission:"  "Make disciples."  Over the centuries, it has been the joy of the church to share the good news of God's love for all people and to nurture and shape discipleship among God's people everywhere.
Jesus meets each of us where we are, and loves us as we are.  Then he calls us to join with him: "Follow me."  It is the substance of this path that we will explore and celebrate together this year.
Jan Richardson's beautiful artwork, "The Best Supper," is an image that will adorn the front of your Confirmation books.  I hope that it will be a constant reminder of the place at the table, and the place in his heart, that Jesus has already set for you! May we also be reminded of the incredible richness that we experience in sharing this "kingdom table" with one another!