Family Dinner & Devos, Jan 28-Feb 3

Blessed Epiphany!

Scripture for the Week:  1 Corinthians 13:1-13

In this passage, the apostle Paul speaks to the early church in the city of Corinth about "love."

 

Learn-By-Heart Verse for the Week (NIV Translation):

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”  1 Corinthians 13:13 

• What does "love" look like? (note - this week at Ascension Lutheran School, students will be writing on sticky notes what they think "love" looks like and then sticking those on the back wall of the sanctuary for people to see at Wednesday chapel or during weekend worship services; feel free to add your own stickies to the wall or write/draw them at home)
• This particular passage is a popular one to be read at weddings.  Paul, however, is not speaking just about married couples, but about how love - how experiencing and living God's love - works in all of our relationships.  Consider verses 4-7... if you take out the word "love" and put in your own name, does it fit?  In other words, are you patient, kind, not envious, honoring of others, etc?  Which of these descriptive words for "love" are easier for you?  Which are harder?
• It could be argued that "love" is an overused word in our culture.  We say things like "I love ice cream" and "I love soccer" and "I love that movie star."  Do you think using "love" in these contexts makes us see "love" in a lesser way?  What might happen this week if you catch yourself every time you say "love" and pause to really consider the word?  What might happen if you use the word "love" to only describe that which you truly love most?
• Make a commitment to say "I love you" more often this week.  As you sit around the table, share at least one thing you love about one another.

• And the Epiphany question:  Where have you seen God at work this week?  (or, Where have you spotted God this week?)
  
  

Prayer

Dear Jesus,

We thank you for your great love... your unconditional, indescribable love.

May we feel that love deep within us.

Lord, forgive us when we are impatient or unkind or dishonoring.

Helps us to love more fully and deeply.

May we live each day in faith and hope, but most importantly in love.

Amen.

Family Dinner & Devos, Jan 21-Jan 26

Blessed Epiphany!

Scripture for the Week:  Luke 4:14-21

This is the story of Jesus beginning his ministry, quoting the words of the prophet Isaiah.

Learn-By-Heart Verse for the Week (NIV Translation):

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4:18-19

• What do you think it means to have "the Spirit of the Lord" upon you?
• Jesus came to 1) proclaim good news, 2) set people free, and 3) heal.  Share stories of how you have seen, heard, or experienced Jesus doing these things.  How might you be a part of Jesus' mission and do those same things - proclaim good news, set people free, and heal?
• Jesus said he came to "proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."  What do you think that means?  How can you claim 2013 as "the year of the Lord's favor"?

• And the Epiphany question (more information in last week's blog entry):  Where have you seen God at work this week?  (or, Where have you spotted God this week?)
  
  

Prayer

Dear Jesus,

May we hear your good news.

May we be set free.  May we see others set free. 

Yes, Lord, release us from whatever binds us...

...be it sin, pain, fear...

Help us, in turn, to set others free to be the people you have made us to be.

May we experience your healing, like the way you restored sight to the blind.

May we be a healing presence in your world.

Thank you, Jesus, for your proclamations of yesterday that are still true today.

We proclaim that 2013 is your year.

We dedicate ourselves to you.

Thank you for coming to us.

We love you.

Amen.

Family Dinner & Devos, Jan 13-Jan 19

Blessed Epiphany!

Scripture for the Week:  Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

This is the story of the baptism of Jesus.

Learn-By-Heart Verse for the Week (NIV Translation): And the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove.  And a voice came from heaven:  "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”  Luke 3:22

• What things do you think God was pleased by in terms of Jesus?
• In the Protestant tradition (including the Lutheran Church), we practice two sacraments:  Holy Baptism and Holy Communion.  Jesus both participated in these acts himself as well as called us to participate in them.  Why do you think Jesus chose to be baptized?
• In our baptism, we are claimed as a part of God's family.  We are called "beloved."  God's loves us, though, before and after our baptism.  Yet why do you think baptism is important in the life of a Christian?
• Share your own stories of when you were baptized - or tell of the day you baptized your children.  Perhaps you would like to pull out pictures of your own baptisms and spend time remembering together.

• And the Epiphany question (more info below):  Where have you seen God at work this week?  (or, Where have you spotted God this week?)
  
  

Prayer

Dear Jesus,

Thank you for your witness and example.

Thank you that you touch us and call us through the waters of baptism.

Thank you that you call us your own and tell us that we are loved.

Help us to have our eyes wide open this Epiphany as we spot you each day.

Amen.

A Few Notes on Epiphany

We have journeyed through Advent and Christmas and now arrive at “Epiphany.”  The Day of Epiphany falls on January 6^th and is marked in Christian churches by the visit of the Magi (or Wise Men) that followed the star.  In other words, these Magi “saw the light” of Jesus Christ.  Outside the bounds of the church, sometimes people will say the phrase, “I’ve had an epiphany!”  This means that they have had a sudden, bright revelation of truth.

Within the Christian church, Epiphany is a season of “God-spotting.”  We, like the Wise Men before us, continue to seek the light of Jesus Christ.  Whenever we spot God’s light and find Jesus there, we’ve had an “epiphany moment.”  The question for the Season of Epiphany – which lasts through the beginning of Lent (which this year happens to fall on February 13) – is“Where have you seen God today?”  Perhaps Epiphany can help us see with wider eyes as we spot God all over the place… perhaps in the stain-glassed windows of a church, the snow-capped mountains in the distance, the hug of a child, the help of a friend, the smile of someone in a store, the feeling of peace in the midst of chaos, a cup of warm soup on a cool evening, prayers around the dinner table…  We spot God when we see the love and light of Jesus shining through.

Epiphany is also a “share” season.  In Advent we “fasted” – a time of waiting and preparing for Jesus’ birth.  In Christmas, we “feasted” – a time of celebrating and rejoicing that Jesus has come.  And now in Epiphany we “share” our “God-spottings” with others.  As we begin to spot God ourselves, as well as hear other’s stories of “God-spottings”, the light of Jesus gets brighter and brighter and brighter.