Hope through Destruction

Transcription

1 November 18, 2018 Proper 28 Semicontinuous 1 Sam. 1: Sam. 2:1 10 Complementary Dan. 12:1 3 Ps. 16 Heb. 10:11 14, (15 18), Mark 13:1 8 Hope through Goal for the Session Tweens will encounter Jesus encouragement to endure destructive times by hoping for and trusting in the new life God brings. n PREPARING FOR THE SESSION Focus on Mark 13:1 8 WHAT is important to know? From Exegetical Perspective, Robert A. Bryant All of chapter 13 is rooted in Jewish apocalyptic thought, and central to such thinking is the belief that God controls history, that the world has become so evil that only God can save it, and that God will rescue the world from evil at the time of God s own choosing, establishing a new creation in which righteousness characterizes everyone in it. Such thinking was popular among first-century-ce Jews, but many were likely offended by Jesus prediction of the temple s destruction. WHERE is God in these words? From Theological Perspective, Emilie M. Townes Yes, we will be touched by the awful destruction of the apocalypse, as none escape its ravages, but for those who live with a faith that seeks a deep relationship with God one that does not rely on trite formulas or poorly developed doctrines we find, in and through God s grace, the pathway through devastation and suffering: salvation. For the time of destruction, which is an ending, is also a beginning for people of deep faith. The new life found in salvation helps to remind us that all things that have new life must also grow and change. SO WHAT does this mean for our lives? From Pastoral Perspective, Rodger Y. Nishioka So how does one survive the devastation of an aggressive cancer diagnosis or other illness, the crashing down of a building, or the aftermath of a natural disaster? How does one survive the loss of innocence? How does one live in the midst of competing voices, all full of passionate intensity, claiming that these are signs of the end of the age? Our focus must not be on the signs themselves, but rather on the one who is to come the one who enables us to look up after such devastation and claim the certainty of blessing. Things may seem to have fallen apart. It may appear that anarchy has been loosed on the world. Nevertheless, the center will hold and much to our amazement we will discover that we have much faithful work to do. NOW WHAT is God s word calling us to do? From Homiletical Perspective, Pete Peery Endure, hold out for God s goal, the goal that will be accomplished only in the coming of the Son of Man. The church needs to hear this message in this present age. The pressure on the followers of Jesus to be co-opted as champions for campaigns that promise salvation and glory is excruciating. Failure to join these campaigns, to raise even the slightest question about them, often leads to ostracism or worse. But enduring that pressure is only a birth pang. It is only a wrenching but promising experience that is to be endured in order to welcome the telos, God s goal and intention for the world that the Son of Man can and will bring. 1

2 Hope through FOCUS SCRIPTURE Mark 13:1 8 Focus on Your Teaching Tweens know about earthquakes, storms, floods, and other destructive events such as wars and famines. Indeed, some have dealt with the aftermath of disaster in their own or their friends lives. Tweens want to help in concrete ways when they hear of catastrophe, but they do not have all the necessary resources or skills to respond. Trusted adults can help them respond and point to God as trustworthy in the midst of destruction. As you teach, be especially sensitive to tweens who feel overwhelmed by others needs or are, themselves, coping with the aftermath of a devastating event. Almighty God, grant me courage as I teach your Word. Help me be as sensitive to your Spirit as I am to these learners. Amen. YOU WILL NEED Color Pack 13, 20, 22, 23, 31 beads, buttons, or pebbles chairs or tables to form obstacle course blindfolds Bibles copies of Resource Sheet 1 Singing the Feast, ; CD player For Responding option 1: copies of Resource Sheet 2; pencils; Singing the Feast, ; CD player option 2: supplies for project chosen, letter to families option 3: tarp or plastic sheet, small glass jars, labels, pens, pitcher of water, bowl of potting soil, spoons, seeds n LEADING THE SESSION GATHERING Before the session, mark the book of Lamentations in your Bible and begin to set up a simple obstacle course. If you are using option 2 in Responding, decide on a project and bring information for learners; write a note explaining the project to families and make copies. Welcome learners as they gather, and invite those who arrive first to help set up the obstacle course. Ask a volunteer to prepare to read aloud Mark 13:1 8. Place Color Pack 13 on a table and gather the group around it. Give each learner one or two beads, buttons, or pebbles. One at a time, let learners place their beads on the face(s) that best represents how they feel today. Pray aloud: God, we come here feeling different things today. Help us to trust you and one another as we learn together. Amen. Form pairs and give a blindfold to each pair. Invite pairs to take turns leading each other carefully through the obstacle course. When finished, gather the group and ask: P What was it like to have to trust your guide as you walked? Explain that today s Bible passage is about a time when Jesus urged his followers to trust in God. EXPLORING Show Color Pack 20. Say that today s story takes place right outside the temple in Jerusalem. Distribute Bibles and ask tweens to help one another find Mark 13:1 8. Have the volunteer read aloud Mark 13:1 8 while the group follows along in their Bibles. Say that learning 2

3 Hope through Go to to see archaeological excavations of the second temple. If possible, visit this Web site during the session and show the pictures to the learners. more about the temple will help the group to better understand Jesus words. Distribute copies of Resource Sheet 1 (Information about the Temple). Ask volunteers to read aloud each section of it. Discuss: P How many times had the temple been destroyed or attacked? P How do you imagine the Israelites felt when they saw the temple being destroyed? Show Color Pack 22 and explain that it shows people praying at the Western Wall, also called the Wailing Wall. This section of wall is all that remains from the temple in Jesus time. Ask: P What catches your attention in this picture? P How big do you think those stones are? P What do you imagine these individuals are praying? Show the book of Lamentations in your Bible. Explain that it was written after Jerusalem was invaded and the first temple was destroyed. Jesus and his disciples grew up reading Lamentations. Ask the learners to look at Color Pack 22 and listen as you read aloud Lamentations 1:1 4; 3: Ask: P How does the writer describe the feelings of seeing Jerusalem and the temple destroyed? P What, if anything, seems to give this writer hope? Remind the learners that after the first temple was destroyed, the second one was built. Turn again to Mark 13:1 10 and discuss: P Imagine you are in the crowd that day and hear Jesus predict that the second temple will also be destroyed (v. 2). What questions would you ask Jesus? P Which disciples ask Jesus questions? (v. 3) P What do they ask? (v. 4) P What are the events Jesus expects to happen? (vv. 6 8) P Jesus compares these events to birth pangs, the pain a woman feels before she gives birth to a baby (v. 8). What do you think he means? Explain that Jesus was trying to help his disciples endure the destruction that was coming. If the disciples only looked at the terrible or scary events, they might lose hope. He wanted them to trust that on the other side of destruction, God s new life would emerge; someday, God would make all things right. Ask the group to finish this sentence: P If I heard Jesus say that I would have to endure earthquakes, wars, and famines before God s new life would come, I would feel... Show Color Pack 23. Ask: P What do you imagine this woman is thinking? P What would you say to her if you could? P What kinds of destructive events have you experienced or heard about in the news? P What do you think gives people hope when they face such destruction? P What might we do to help others have hope as they endure the aftermath of destruction? 3

4 Hope through EASY PREP The Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Hygiene Kit contains one hand towel, one washcloth, one widetooth comb, one nail clipper, one bar of soap, one toothbrush, and ten adhesive bandage strips. Check pda.pcusa.org/ page/kits/ for current specifications and mailing addresses. Kum Ba Yah Kum ba yah, my Lord, kum ba yah! Kum ba yah, my Lord, kum ba yah! Kum ba yah, my Lord, kum ba yah! O Lord, kum ba yah! Come by here, my Lord, come by here! Come by here, my Lord, come by here! Come by here, my Lord, come by here! O Lord, come by here! Jesus went about doing good; Jesus went about doing good. He told everyone God is love; God cares for you. RESPONDING Mark the activities you will use: 1. Letters to God To allow learners time to reflect on Jesus words, invite them to spread out around the learning space and write letters to God, using copies of Resource Sheet 2 (Letter to God). Play Mood Music (track 12 on Singing the Feast, ) and Kum Ba Yah (track 10 on Singing the Feast, ) while learners complete the sheet. Then gather the group and ask for volunteers to tell about what gives them hope. 2. Survival Kit Project Many aid organizations welcome donations of hygiene, cleanup, or baby-care kits for distribution to those affected by disasters. Such kits can help people to endure. Check local relief agencies or denominational Web sites for information about making such kits; for example, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance describes Gift of the Heart kits: pda.pcusa.org/page/kits/. Plan together how to collect the needed items in the coming week. Send home a note to families explaining the project and its purpose. If possible, families later in the week to remind them to bring items. Plan to assemble kits during next week s session. 3. Seeds of Hope To help learners create hopeful symbols, plant seeds. Give a small glass jar and an adhesive label to each tween. Ask learners to write (Learner s name) has hope on their label and stick it on their jar. Cover a table with a tarp or plastic sheet. Put out a bowl of potting soil, a pitcher of water, spoons, and packets of herb or vegetable seeds. Invite each tween to fill his or her jar with soil and plant several seeds, following the directions on the seed packet. Have them sprinkle the soil with water. Discuss together how long it might be before the seeds sprout. If possible, leave all the jars in a sunny place in the church for examination in later weeks (be sure they get watered!), or send them home with learners. CLOSING Gather the group together around Color Pack 23 and sing Kum Ba Yah (Color Pack 31; track 10 on Singing the Feast, ). Then ask: P What is one thing you learned today? P What is one way you will offer hope to someone this week? Explain that you will begin the following prayer and then invite tweens to speak the names of people they know who are enduring a hard time: Loving God, your Holy Spirit is our comforter. Comfort us when we feel overwhelmed and strengthen us to serve you with hope. We pray now for people who are enduring hard times. Hear us as we say their names (pause for learners to speak names). We ask your blessing on all these people and pray that you would show them signs of your new life. Amen. 4

5 November 18, 2018 Hope through Tweens Resource Sheet 1 Inform@ion abo the Тmple 957 BCE King Solomon builds temple 835 BCE Egyptian army attacks temple 700 BCE Assyrian army attacks temple 586 BCE Babylonian army destroys temple 538 BCE Second temple begun 515 BCE Second temple finished 20 BCE Herod the Great renovates second temple 70 CE Roman army destroys second temple The First Temple The first temple was built around 957 BCE by King Solomon. Solomon s temple was very beautiful, decorated with expensive wood, gold, and silver. (See 1 Kings 6 for more information.) The Israelites felt confident that God would protect this temple. Repeated In 835 BCE, the Egyptian army raided Solomon s temple. It was repaired, though it was not as beautiful as before. Then the temple was attacked again in 700 BCE by the Assyrian army. Finally, it was totally destroyed in 586 BCE by the Babylonian army. Many Israelites were captured and taken to Babylon. Since many of them were from the tribe of Judah, they began to be called Jews. The Second Temple Eventually, some Jews were allowed to return to Israel. In 538 BCE, they began construction on the second temple. (See Ezra 3 for more information.) It took 23 years to build. It was much less magnificent than Solomon s temple, but it united Jewish people in worship once more. Then, about 20 years before Jesus was born, Herod the Great renovated the temple. Many Jews were proud of this temple. This was the temple that Jesus and his disciples visited. Expectations in Jesus Time In Jesus time, the second temple still stood. Many Jews believed that the world had become so evil that God was going to intervene in history, rescuing good people. They thought that violent events such as wars and earthquakes were the signs that God s final victory was about to arrive. They also believed that God would protect the temple. Again The Roman army attacked Jerusalem in the year 70 CE and destroyed the temple. The only part of it that remains today is the Western Wall. Notes: BCE: Before the Common Era indicates dates before the year 0 of the current calendar. CE: Common Era indicates dates that begin with the year 0 of the current calendar Westminster John Knox Press

6 November 18, 2018 Hope through Tweens Resource Sheet 2 ttр to God Use this sheet to help you compose a letter between you and God. Dear God, When I think of all the ways that people are suffering today, it can be overwhelming. Here are some of the things that people around the world are facing: My prayer for them is: People I know are facing difficult times, too. Here are some of their names: My prayer for them is: I also face trouble and suffering. Here are a few things that I am dealing with right now: I pray for myself: Gracious God, Jesus told us to endure destructive times with hope, trusting in the new life you bring. Here are the things that bring me hope: Thank you for always being with me. Help me trust in you. Love, 2018 Westminster John Knox Press