Searching for the lost. PURPOSE STATEMENT To know that each person is treasured by God

Transcription

1 Session 12 Winter Junior Youth Searching for the lost LUKE 15:1 10 prepare PRAYER God, may your Spirit remind me of the preciousness of each youth in this group. Fill me with love and compassion for all of them. And let me teach from my deepest identity as one of your beloved and valued children. Amen. PURPOSE STATEMENT To know that each person is treasured by God STORY SUMMARY When religious leaders complained that Jesus welcomed sinners, Jesus told two parables. First, a shepherd had one hundred sheep, but lost one. He left the ninety-nine to search for the lost one. When it was found, he rejoiced. Second, a woman had ten coins, but lost one. She swept her whole house until it was found, and then called her friends and rejoiced. Just so, God s angels rejoice when someone turns from wrong. teaching tips for junior youth Junior youth may at times feel invisible, forgotten, or lost. They worry about belonging, about being noticed. Today s story can remind them of their infinite worth. Jesus parables show us that God is not content to let even one be lost, and will keep searching until all of God s children are brought home and cared for. Challenge youth to consider what our lives would be like if we all valued each other this way. Decide which Explore options to offer. If you choose to do the Collaborate option, note that while this may seem like merely a silly exercise, this activity will help youth understand the literary and narrative structure of today s parables. In session 13, they will be better able to see how the story of the lost son fits this same pattern. Check Supplies and To do throughout this session to see what needs to be prepared. 72 / 12 Searching for the lost February 17, 2019

2 dig deeper by Michael McKeever Luke 15 consists of three parables of the lost and found, told to Pharisees in response to their complaint about Jesus association with tax collectors and sinners. That association is a common image in the Book of Luke. 1 Significance of table fellowship LUKE GENESIS 15: first parable possesses a flock of one hundred sheep suggests moderate wealth. As the parable goes, the shepherd discovers one missing at the end of the day when he makes his nightly count. Luke may, however, imply a more personal connection to the missing item in that he records the shepherd as losing one Table fellowship in Jesus day was symbolic in terms of kinship, boundaries, and one that went astray (18:13). Both the of them, against Matthew s language: the presence of God. Many parables and search for and the carrying home of a images depict the kingdom as a banquet, full-grown sheep require a concerted with the meals saying something about the effort, but one that is characterized by joy. nature of the kingdom of God. Pharisees The Pharisees would have found it would only eat with other Pharisees a challenge to identify with the female because they could trust that all the food character in the parable of the lost coin. was properly tithed and prepared in a This coin was equivalent to a worker s kosher kitchen. By their restrictive table practices, the daily pay. The woman s ten silver coins seemingly do not Pharisees were making a theological statement about represent a large amount; however, to save up this sum what they believed the kingdom would look like. It might have represented a good deal of time and effort would be exclusively made up of people like themselves. for a peasant woman. Everything in the story suggests a By eating with all kinds of people, Jesus was also woman of modest means. If the lost coin was part of a saying something theological. Jesus saw Pharisaic table ten-piece garland worn by married women, it was likely practices and did just the opposite. In his open and part of her dowry and of significant symbolic value. The inclusive form of table fellowship, he modeled a very lamp she used most likely would have been a common, different understanding of what the kingdom is and small, handheld oil lamp that gave off a paltry amount of what it looks like. light in a small, windowless peasant home. Nevertheless, her search, like that of the shepherd, is characterized by A celebration of repentance determination and ultimate success. Giving up was not an option. In the parables of the lost, Jesus responds to the These two parables make the same essential point. The Pharisees. The parables build toward a climax that recovery of the lost takes active effort. But as with the extends an invitation to Jesus critics to recognize and shepherd and the peasant woman, giving up is not an participate in the divine celebration of repentance. option for God. There is joy and celebration in heaven at There is a progression in terms of importance of the lost the recovery of the lost. Moreover, the joy of finding the item from one sheep of one hundred to one coin of ten lost cannot be contained even in heaven, but requires the to one son of two as the parables build to the third and active participation of the community. In telling these climactic example. Moreover, each parable highlights a parables, Jesus invites his critics to join in the heavenly main character who experiences loss, engages in search celebration that he is enacting in his meals with sinners and recovery, and invites friends and neighbors to rejoice and the marginalized. over the recovery of the lost. The pastoral scene of the first parable would have 1. Luke 5:29 32; 7:36 50; 19:1 10. been familiar to Jesus audience. That the shepherd in the Luke 15:1 10 / 73

3 Bible Shine Songbook and CD Annual Shine Songbooks CD player Cotton balls (one per youth) Three to four inflated balloons resource pack Words to live by poster (Luke 13) media connections Loose Change by Andrew Peterson on Clear to Venus album; The Ninety and Nine on his Carried Along album Joel Interviews Kid- Shepherds in Israel (YouTube) Wikipedia page Greek drachma The Rules of the Pharisees from PursueGOD Community (YouTube) gather BUILD COMMUNITY Toss out some silly Would you rather questions to get the youth talking. Feel free to find or make up other questions that better fit your group. Would you rather give up one hour of sleep every day or always take ice-cold showers? Would you rather be 3 ft / 1 m tall or 8 ft / 2.5 m tall? Would you rather be able to go back in time one week or go forward in time one week? Would you rather only have the ability to shout or to whisper? WORSHIP TOGETHER Sing We Are Called (track 13, page 21). Offer the prayer below, allowing youth to join in on the bold italic words, which should be familiar from the song. Righteous God, help us work for justice. Compassionate God, help us love tenderly. Living God, help us serve one another. Guiding God, help us walk humbly with you. SPIRITUAL PRACTICE Today s Spiritual practice will work best as part of Peace notes later in the session. Invite youth into a brief time of reflection on part of today s scripture passage. Ask them to sit comfortably, close their eyes, and cup their hands in front of them. After a brief silence, slowly read Luke 15:3 4. Then quietly go around and place a large cotton ball in each youth s cupped hands. Then read Luke 15:5 7. Allow some silence after the reading, then invite youth to open their eyes. words to live by Jesus listeners never fully understood the parables he used in his teachings. Scholars still debate their exact meanings today. Assure youth that they are not expected to comprehend the depths of Jesus words. But simply knowing the words by heart will help them better know and follow Jesus. The group is nearing the end of their time learning Luke 13: Today s activity will help everyone see how close they are to having it memorized. Have the group stand in a circle. Together, they will try to recite the Words to live by passage while keeping a balloon up in the air. It is a team activity, not competitive. Challenge them by introducing more balloons. If a balloon hits the ground, the group starts over. They may reference the Words to live by poster if they get stuck. 74 / 12 Searching for the lost February 17, 2019

4 experience SHARE THE STORY Begin by inviting youth to put the session 12 Timeline tiles from the resource pack in the correct order with those from previous sessions. See instructions on page 84 of this guide. Today s passage, Luke 15:1 10, is short enough to be read out loud. Youth may read it individually, or you could assign the following parts: a narrator, Jesus, a shepherd, and a woman. The others can be grumbling Pharisees. The shepherd and woman can act out Jesus narration until they speak their lines. REFLECT AND RESPOND Invite youth to reflect on the following questions. Think of something you have lost at some point in your life, and later found. How did you feel when you found it? Why do you think the Pharisees and scribes grumbled when Jesus was talking to sinners? The shepherd and woman call their neighbors to rejoice with them. When have you celebrated good things that happened to your friends? Does it seem fair that the one repentant person gets more attention than the ninetynine who never wandered off? Why or why not? PEACE NOTES Invite youth to reflect silently on a time that they have been lost whether physically or in another way (feeling confused, doubtful, or uncertain of where to go physically or what to do). Then, lead the reflection on the scripture passage described in Spiritual practice. When youth open their eyes, remind them that just as they are cradling their lost sheep, God is always holding them in God s hands. No matter where we go or what we do, we are never forgotten by God. Searching for the lost Luke 15:1 10 Bibles Timeline tiles instructions (from Additional resources) resource pack Timeline tiles Luke 15:1 10 / 75

5 explore WRESTLE Invite sharing: When you picture God, what do you picture? Display the Help wanted poster and read the job descriptions for the shepherd and homemaker. Note that in this session s parables, Jesus compared God to these sorts of people not important people in society, like the Pharisees hearing the parable, but people not thought to be much. What does this tell us about God? How might you think of God differently if you imagined God as a dirty shepherd or as a woman with only a few coins to her name? Bibles Help wanted poster (from resource pack) other ideas Explore some video retellings of these parables on YouTube. Have youth paint rocks to look like sheep (many examples are available online) as reminders that everybody is valuable to God. Bring in Where s Waldo? books and hunt for the figures hidden in the crowds. Compare this to God seeking us out. LIVE IT Reread Luke 15:1 2. Jesus told today s parables in response to the Pharisees complaint that he ate with sinners. Pharisees had strict rules about what they could eat and how food must be prepared, so they would only eat meals with other Pharisees. They thought Jesus should follow these rules. (Consider showing the Rules of the Pharisees media connection with this activity.) Have youth turn to page 28 in L.E.D. and read about some silly rules. Brainstorm a list of rules youth think are not helpful. These might be rules they are expected to follow at school or home, or rules they have heard about. Discuss: Why might someone have originally made this rule? Can you see how this rule might be helpful for some people in certain situations? Are there ways that following this rule could be harmful? What do you think God thinks of this rule? Bible L.E.D. magazines Large sheet of paper Markers COLLABORATE Read the sheep and coin caption from the Parables poster. Hand out the Preposterous parables copied from page 95 of this guide. As youth fill out the pages, set out nine labeled bags: type of person, number, plural item, verb (2), adverb (2), body part, location, plural noun (2), adjective. Youth should cut apart their slips and put them into the appropriate bags. Then invite them to take random slips out of the bags. They should take two slips from each bag marked 2 and only one from other bags. Have youth turn to page 29 of L.E.D. and write the words they drew on the appropriate lines. Invite volunteers to read their preposterous parables. Parables poster (from resource pack) Preposterous parables (from Additional resources; one per youth) L.E.D. magazines Scissors Pens/pencils Nine labeled paper bags 76 / 12 Searching for the lost February 17, 2019

6 bless PRAY Sing the chorus of the opening song, We Are Called (track 13, page 21). Then offer again the prayer from the gathering time. Righteous God, help us work for justice. Compassionate God, help us love tenderly. Living God, help us serve one another. Guiding God, help us walk humbly with you. SEND Send the youth with these words: As you leave here, remember that wherever you go, you are never lost to God. leader s closing prayer How are you feeling today? Like a sheep safely in the fold? Like a lost lamb, hoping the Shepherd will find you? Or maybe like a shepherd, torn between caring for the many and going after the one? Consider what God may be saying to you through today s parables. Gracious God, thank you for finding me. Thank you for keeping me. Thank you for loving me. Amen. Shine Songbook and CD Annual Shine Songbooks CD player Wondering questions engage higher-level thinking skills and invite youth into the story. Some responses can be deeper, and you just never know when they might arise. Lori Steiner Jans Tipp City, Ohio Luke 15:1 10 / 77