January 31, 2016 Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany Jer. 1:4 10 Ps. 71:1 6 1 Cor. 13:1 13 Luke 4:21 30 Goal for the Session Learning from Jesus rejection by his hometown, adults will consider ways to respond to his challenging and liberating words. PREPARING FOR THE SESSION Focus on Luke 4:21 30 WHAT is important to know? From Exegetical Perspective, Gay L. Byron The crowd, in their anger, drove Jesus out of town and even desired to hurl him off a cliff (v. 29). But Luke does not end the story here! Jesus who brought a message of freedom for the oppressed, hope to the poor, and release to the captives passed through this encounter (v. 30), providing a symbolic image of his prophetic teaching about transgressing boundaries. This lection shows that the fulfillment of Scripture is challenging and frightening to those who are incapable of including and identifying with marginalized outsiders. Yet, the fulfillment of Scripture is also liberating and healing to those who are able to keep their eyes fixed on Jesus and model his example of engaging the other and moving beyond prescribed roles and expectations. WHERE is God in these words? From Theological Perspective, David L. Ostendorf In this brief text Luke has passed on the history of God, as well as indicators for the new and renewing narratives that God is unfolding with or without us, and usually in spite of us. God gives us opportunity to respond. We can listen but not hear, hear but not respond, respond but not follow. We can be filled with wrath, as were those in the temple who heard the young, upstart Jesus when he came home and spoke of the new narrative. We can be quietly indifferent. Or we can indeed we are called to follow, and by following contribute to that renewing, redeeming narrative that is God s relentlessly powerful story, come alive on the edges of the human family and the faith community. SO WHAT does this mean for our lives? From Pastoral Perspective, Howard K. Gregory Change is a dynamic that is most unsettling and is usually resisted in preference for the old, the familiar, and the routine. Jesus audience opts precisely for this choice. Not only do the religiously committed resist change, but they also see their resistance to change as a protection of the divine interest. The twenty-first-century mind may have questions about how Jesus escapes from this hostile gathering, yet the interest of the writer of the Gospel to show that rejection does not bring an end to this project of God in Jesus Christ, but only serves to further it. NOW WHAT is God s word calling us to do? From Homiletical Perspective, Peter Eaton We might put ourselves in the place of the congregation who first heard Jesus speak. After all, they had certain (reasonable) expectations of God, learned over generations. All of a sudden Jesus turns those expectations on their head. They are not initially antagonistic: The eyes of all... were fixed on him (v. 20). If we criticize them for rejecting what Jesus had to say, might they remind us that, like them, we should be eagerly expectant of the word of God? How can we hear the new things of God in our midst? 1
FOCUS SCRIPTURE Luke 4:21 30 Focus on Your Teaching While we may say we want a faith community that is more inclusive of a range of perspectives, backgrounds, and cultures, many adults resist the changes that might make this possible. We might affirm diversity, but we do little to make the ideas, gifts, and faith expressions of others truly welcome. Heaven forbid we should transform our worship or open up leadership, for that might mean relinquishing some of the power we hold. In exploring Scripture, some adults may welcome the discomfort that signals a new word from God breaking in. Eternal God, guide me as I seek to encounter your Word with new eyes. Nudge me into fresh insights, that I may help others encounter the Scripture anew. Amen. YOU WILL NEED Resource Sheet 2 Bibles copies of Resource Sheet 1 copies of Resource Sheet 1 for February 7, 2016 For Responding option 1: writing paper, pens option 2: two sheets of newsprint, markers option 3: invited guest, or printed materials or Web site addresses for mission initiatives supported by your church and missionary letters (if available) LEADING THE SESSION GATHERING Before the session, for option 3 in Responding, invite a guest from an agency serving vulnerable people and supported by your church. Or download information from your denomination s Web site about initiatives that address needs of vulnerable people. Welcome participants. If they were keeping journal notes as suggested in option 1 in Responding last session, invite volunteers to report. Form pairs to talk about a time when adults returned home from a time away and were interacting with family and others who had known them since they were children. Alternative: talk about when a child or another young adult they know returned home. Ask: P How did people treat you who knew you as a child? P How had your perspectives and views changed? P How did adults react to your opinions? Say that in this session, participants will hear how Jesus own hometown crowd reacted to his message. Pray the following: Open our hearts to receive your Word, O God, that we may align our lives more closely with your loving purpose for the world. Amen. EXPLORING Invite participants to find a comfortable position and close their eyes as you read Resource Sheet 2 (In the Synagogue). Have them to respond to the question. 2
Even regular church attenders may not be familiar with stories about Elijah and Elisha. A quick examination of the texts to which Jesus refers allows everyone to get on board without making anyone feel intimidated by lack of knowledge. The lectionary splits this story into two readings, one of which was considered in the last session. Treating it as a complete narrative helps adults make sense of it, as well as allowing those not present previously to participate fully. EASY PREP Ask a volunteer to read aloud Luke 4:21 30. Form pairs. Invite one person in each pair to scan 1 Kings 17:1 17 and the other 2 Kings 5:1 14. Have them summarize the stories for each other. Ask participants to close their eyes as you read aloud Part 2 of Resource Sheet 2 (In the Synagogue) and invite the group to respond to the question. Distribute copies of Resource Sheet 1 (Focus on Luke 4:21 30). Ask them to read the What? excerpt silently. Ask them to consider last session s focus scripture (Luke 4:14 21) and today s focus scripture as one narrative as you discuss the following questions: P At what point did the hometown crowd get upset with Jesus? Why do you think the crowd reacted as they did? P Who are the marginalized outsiders to whom Jesus refers? As a transition to Responding, have someone read aloud the Where? excerpt on Resource Sheet 1 (Focus on Luke 4:21 30). Invite participants to reflect in silence on the various ways they may react when encountering a new and renewing word from God. P Do I listen but not hear? Hear but not respond? Respond but not follow? P Am I sometimes filled with wrath at what Scripture is revealing? Am I quietly indifferent? RESPONDING Choose one or more of these activities depending on the length of your session. 1. Explore Threat and Liberation By acknowledging what is threatening about the inclusion of outsiders, adults can affirm what is liberating and healing about engaging the other. Invite participants to describe the makeup of your congregation (racial and cultural groups, income levels, ages, educational attainment, theological perspectives). Who is not included, whether intentionally or not? Form two smaller groups and pass out writing paper and pens. Ask one group to generate a list of reasons why inclusion of outsiders might be threatening. Ask the other to list reasons why finding ways to be more inclusive might be healing and liberating, both for the congregation and for those whom they embrace. Have each group report, then discuss: P How can we open ourselves to include those groups not a part of our faith family? P What might have to change? Encourage participants to consider volunteering to be a part of a group to explore these questions and possible next steps. Give a copy of the lists, responses to the questions discussed, and the names of persons volunteering to your pastor or a member of the governing board. Encourage participants to pray about these questions, and to consider what changes they need to make in their own attitudes and actions in order to be more inclusive. 2. Marginalized Voices in Your Congregation In identifying those on the margins in decision-making and leadership in your congregation and taking steps to hear their voices, adults can embrace new perspectives that may reveal a liberating word from God. 3
Form two groups. Ask one group to list on newsprint individuals and groups within the congregation not involved in decision making or leadership children, visitors, adults unable to leave home, and so forth. Ask the other group to come up with one or two questions that might be posed to elicit feedback from these persons on what they think God is calling your church to do and be. Then have groups exchange lists and make comments, additions, or suggested changes. Discuss: P What ways could we use to actually get responses to these questions from these groups? Pass this information on to the church leadership. Consider making informal contacts with those groups you identified, ask the questions, and then really listen to the responses. 3. Marginalized Voices in the Human Family In hearing about vulnerable people, adults can embrace new perspectives that may reveal a liberating word from God. Ask the invited guest to report on the needs, life situations, and aspirations of those they serve. Or distribute printed materials or send adults with smartphones to sites with information about initiatives your denomination supports. Or read aloud letters from mission personnel and listen for how they give voice to those with whom they live and work. Discuss: P What are we hearing from these voices on the margins about their lives? P How do we help make those voices heard and included, and thereby hear a new word from God? Remind adults that inclusion of those on the margins implies a willingness to listen and to respond to what word God may be giving us through them. Encourage adults to not only contribute financially to work with vulnerable people, but to pray for them and to pay attention to what vulnerable people are saying about their own lives. CLOSING Suggest that adults reflect in the coming week, not only on Jesus proclamation about what he had come to do, but about his words that suggest God works through those on the margins and not necessarily just through respectable churchgoers. Pray the following: Break down our resistance, O God, to the changes that further your good purpose in the world. Open us to your redeeming narrative, and to the discomfort which brings new life. Amen. Distribute copies of Resource Sheet 1 for February 7, 2016, or e-mail it to the participants during the week. Encourage participants to read the focus scripture and Resource Sheet 1 before the next session. 4
January 31, 2016 Adult Resource Sheet 1 Focus on Luke 4:21 30 WHAT is important to know? From Exegetical Perspective, Gay L. Byron The crowd, in their anger, drove Jesus out of town and even desired to hurl him off a cliff (v. 29). But Luke does not end the story here! Jesus who brought a message of freedom for the oppressed, hope to the poor, and release to the captives passed through this encounter (v. 30), providing a symbolic image of his prophetic teaching about transgressing boundaries. This lection shows that the fulfillment of Scripture is challenging and frightening to those who are incapable of including and identifying with marginalized outsiders. Yet, the fulfillment of Scripture is also liberating and healing to those who are able to keep their eyes fixed on Jesus and model his example of engaging the other and moving beyond prescribed roles and expectations. WHERE is God in these words? From Theological Perspective, David L. Ostendorf In this brief text Luke has passed on the history of God, as well as indicators for the new and renewing narratives that God is unfolding with or without us, and usually in spite of us. God gives us opportunity to respond. We can listen but not hear, hear but not respond, respond but not follow. We can be filled with wrath, as were those in the temple who heard the young, upstart Jesus when he came home and spoke of the new narrative. We can be quietly indifferent. Or we can indeed we are called to follow, and by following contribute to that renewing, redeeming narrative that is God s relentlessly powerful story, come alive on the edges of the human family and the faith community. SO WHAT does this mean for our lives? From Pastoral Perspective, Howard K. Gregory Change is a dynamic that is most unsettling and is usually resisted in preference for the old, the familiar, and the routine. Jesus audience opts precisely for this choice. Not only do the religiously committed resist change, but they also see their resistance to change as a protection of the divine interest. The twenty-first-century mind may have questions about how Jesus escapes from this hostile gathering, yet the interest of the writer of the Gospel to show that rejection does not bring an end to this project of God in Jesus Christ, but only serves to further it. NOW WHAT is God s word calling us to do? From Homiletical Perspective, Peter Eaton We might put ourselves in the place of the congregation who first heard Jesus speak. After all, they had certain (reasonable) expectations of God, learned over generations. All of a sudden Jesus turns those expectations on their head. They are not initially antagonistic: The eyes of all... were fixed on him (v. 20). If we criticize them for rejecting what Jesus had to say, might they remind us that, like them, we should be eagerly expectant of the word of God? How can we hear the new things of God in our midst? 2015 Westminster John Knox Press
January 31, 2016 Adult Resource Sheet 2 In the Synagogue The Shema is one of only two prayers that are specifically commanded in Torah (the other is grace after meals). It is the oldest fixed daily prayer in Judaism, recited morning and night since ancient times. It consists of three biblical passages: Deuteronomy 6:4 9, 11:13 21, and Numbers 15:35 41 jewfaq.org It s the usual crowd of neighbors gathered in the synagogue at Nazareth, but today something is different. The word spreads from person to person that today Jesus, the son of Mary and of the carpenter Joseph, is present. Everyone has heard about Jesus preaching and teaching in synagogues around Galilee. Most people in the town had known him since he was a child, for he and his parents had worshiped here during his growing years. Some are excited, some are skeptical and many are simply curious about seeing this young man. The worship begins with the reciting of the words of the Shema, the daily prayer recited by all Jews, followed by prayers recited by the worshipers as they faced Jerusalem. But then as the congregants respond with the usual amens, they see Jesus stand and go to the platform. He s volunteered to read from the prophets, someone whispers. Jesus mounts the platform and takes the scroll of Isaiah. The crowd watches in silence as he unrolls the scroll, finds his place, and begins to read. The words from Isaiah 61 are familiar, words that have come to describe the Messiah whose coming everyone has longed for. But the words are strangely new coming from his lips. As he finishes the reading, he rolls up the scroll, hands it to the attendant, and sits down. And then unexpectedly, Jesus speaks: Today these words are fulfilled in your hearing. A murmur runs through the assembled worshipers. All around you hear words of affirmation, Above the buzz, one question is clearly heard: Is this not Joseph s son? Imagine yourself in the crowd. You have known Jesus since he was a boy. What is going on in your head? 2015 Westminster John Knox Press