Lent 3C
March 7, 2010
Longing & Forgiveness
Faith Connection: To explore what we most long for, why we choose to fill that longing with less than God's best, and how God invites us to be forgiven and filled.
Read the Scripture: Isaiah 55:1-9 (NRSV at Oremus Bible Browser)
1 John 1:8-9 (NRSV at Oremus Browser)
Background and Reflection for Leaders: Centuries before God would become incarnate in Jesus, God reaches out to a people who have turned away time and time again; and reveals to us the depth of God's love for everyone, in that though we continue to sin to choose our way over God's, God continues to reach out to us in constantly changing ways, that we might choose to return to God. The promise of forgiveness and the strength of God's faithfulness and patience toward an often unforgiving and faithless people is amazing. Thanks be to God!
The invitation is always there: You who are thirsty, come to the waters; hungry, come and eat. No charge, no strings attached. Then God reiterates the everlasting covenant promised to the Israelite people and to us, which they/we continue to break. Truly, nations 'who do not know him have run to him', for God has been 'glorified by the Holy One of Israel.' There is the call to repent, but there is also the promise of mercy and forgiveness. To see how much David himself valued the faithfulness of the Lord, we have only to read the psalm for today, Psalm 63, a psalm of David when he was in the wilderness. How abundantly clear it is that 'as far as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are God's ways higher than our ways, his thoughts than our thoughts.'
For a deeper reflection on today's text, check out http://www.ucc.org/worship/samuel/march-7-2010.html
Preparation: Computer to show YouTube videos. Bible. Copy of worship bulletin.
E.P.I.C. Bible Study Session
Experiential, Participatory, Image-driven, Connected to Life
Announcements / Purpose Statement*
W To grow closer in our relationship with the triune God - Creator, Christ, Spirit.
W To grow closer in our relationships with one another.
W To deepen our understanding of the Christian faith and the biblical story.
W To encourage honesty and sharing in an atmosphere of trust, confidentiality and open-mindedness.
W To support one another, to challenge one another, and to care for one another in Christian love.
W To invite others to come to our Bible study group.
* Each Bible study group may adapt the purpose to their hopes and needs. Have everyone agree to the covenant and seek to live it out. Read it weekly to reinforce it.
Opening Prayer (ways to pray creatively) - youth led when possible
Theme Interpretation
W Temptation - Marshmallow Test (YouTube video)
Q: Did you think the kids in the video were going to be able to resist the temptation? Why or why not? What would you have done as a small child in this situation?
Q: How did some of them cope with their temptation? What similarities do you see in the way we deal with our temptations and the way the kids in this video dealt with their temptations?
W Ask, 'What songs do you know that talk about forgiveness? What is the message they send?'
W Ask, 'What is your favorite TV commercial? What are they trying to sell you? Did they succeed? What need did you think it would fill?'
Searching the Scripture & Theological Reflection
W Guided Meditation - Before the scripture is read, ask the youth to close their eyes, to take a deep breath, and to focus on the words they hear. Encourage them to put themselves into the crowd that heard these words. Ask them to reflect on what they hear- what do they feel, what challenges them? Let them know that there will be silence and guided direction.
"Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." (Pause - ask the youth to consider what they long for? No cost involved.)
2Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?" (Pause - ask the youth to contemplate what they put in place of God's best. After another brief pause, ask them why?)
Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. 3Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. 4See, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. 5See, you shall call nations that you do not know, and nations that do not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you." (Pause - ask what God might be calling them to that is best. After another brief pause, ask the youth to rest in the steadfast, sure love of God.)
6Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; 7let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." (Pause - ask the youth to think about how they have sinned against God and others. Have them confess that sin to God, who will forgive them.)
8For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. 9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Ask, do we believe that God's way is truly best? Do we believe that God can fill our deepest desire? If we do, tell God that you will trust God with your life.)
Ask the youth to open their eyes, and spend a few moments sharing their thoughts and reflections.
So What?
W Invite one of the youth to read 1 John 1:8-9 from their Bibles.
W Video - A Lesson in Forgiveness
W Reflection Questions
o If you were the little girl who had been shot, or her mother, how do you think you would have felt about the shooter?
o What keeps us from being able to forgive as this little girl and her mother did?
o How do you think the shooter felt when he realized that they forgave him?
W Take a moment to consider what life would be like if there were no such thing as forgiveness.
W Why is forgiving others such an important aspect and expectation of the Christian life? (Ephesians 4:32, Luke 17:3b-4)
W If time allows (and as is appropriate for age groups), you may want to discuss Tiger Woods public apology.
Now What?
We all have a longing for something more. And too often we look everywhere, but to God, to fill that longing. Anytime we substitute our way for Jesus' way, we are sinning against God, others, and even ourselves. Jesus' way is about love, forgiveness, grace, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity and more. If we trust that Jesus' way is the best way, we can know the importance of following his path for our lives. Though we will make mistakes, we can always return to God and God will forgive us and cleanse us from all that separates us from God and one another.
Forgiving people who have sinned against us is one of the most difficult things we can do, but it is also something that Jesus tells us we must do. We forgive because God has forgiven us for the mean, selfish, hurtful, and offensive things we have said or done to God, others, and ourselves. When we tell God we are sorry, we are saying that we want to do our part to make things right - to put the relationship back together so far as it depends on us. We don't just ask God to forgive and forget that we have some responsibility to restore relationships. If we experience forgiveness, it will mean that we forgive, that we fix what we messed up, that we turn toward God and others rather than our own selfish desires.
We also forgive because it is a witness to our faith. It is such a counter-cultural thing to do. Others can only understand God's ability and willingness to forgive if they see our forgiveness firsthand. Does being a follower of Jesus make a difference in how we speak and act? Forgiving others will show that it does, because we cannot do it alone.
There are many things that we substitute for God's best. Keep considering what those things are and repent - turn back toward the way of Jesus, God's best way.
Preparing for and Connecting to Worship
W As the scripture is read, listen closely and remember your experiences with the guided meditation.
W The Furman Singers will lead us musically to worship God this morning.
W Today is the third Sunday in Lent. Lent is the season when we reflect on those things that keep us distracted from God. Encourage the youth to reflect and focus on God in worship today. Worship is not about what we "get out of it," but is a way to show our gratitude to God for life, love and our many blessings. It is also a time to reflect and re-orient our lives around the way of Jesus. So . . . pray, sing, listen intently for a message from God, expect God's Spirit to be with you to comfort and challenge you! Worship is a counter-cultural, radical act that makes little sense to our society, so be a radical!
Closing Prayer (ways to pray creatively)
W You may want to close with the verse from 1 John 1:9 read together.
W You could create together an acrostic of the word FORGIVE into a pray that the group prays together as a closing prayer. |
