Family Dinner & Devos, Mar 25-31... HOLY WEEK

BLESSINGS TO YOU THIS HOLY WEEK!

You will note a different format for this week’s “Family Dinner & Devos.”  Instead of the usual “Learn-By-Heart” Verse, Questions for Reflection, and Prayer, we have listed how you can “live” Holy Week.  You will note that we have listed the “Holy Days” and how your family can observe that day with what we call the “Gathered Church” (the larger church community) and/or the “Domestic Church” (your family at home worshiping together).

MAUNDY THURSDAY

Gathered Church:  Worship together as a family at Ascension Lutheran School & Church at 9:15 AM or 7:15 PM – both with Holy Communion

Domestic Church:  Around your dinner table at home, read the Maundy Thursday story – Jesus celebrating The Last Supper (Luke 22:7-20) with his disciples and washing their feet (John 13:1-17).  As a family, you can break bread and drink juice/wine together.  You could also wash each others' feet and talk about how you as a family can go forth and serve others this spring.

GOOD FRIDAY

Gathered Church:  Worship together as a family at Ascension Lutheran School & Church at 11:00 AM or 7:15 PM

Domestic Church:  Around your dinner table at home, read the Good Friday story – Jesus’ death on the cross (Luke 23:26-56).  As a family, talk about the sacrificial love of Jesus.  Share how you have experienced God’s love for you.  You may want to listen to the song Amazing Love while eating… or view/listen to it on an iPad at the table:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGyo8BZ8T0s.

HOLY SATURDAY

Domestic Church:  Around your table… or fireplace… or outdoor fire pit… keep the “Easter Vigil.”  Many churches have people rotating in prayer throughout the night.  As a family, you could spend time in prayer and spend time remembering your favorite stories of the life of Jesus.

EASTER SUNDAY

Gathered Church:  Worship together as a family at Ascension Lutheran School & Church at either the 6:30 AM Sunrise Service (Pastor Tim preaching) or the Easter Festival Services at 8:00, 9:30, or 11:00 AM (Pastor Larry preaching).  Butterfly Release at 9:45 AM.

Domestic Church:  Around your table… or outside in a garden… read the Easter Story (Luke 24:1-12).  Pull out that word we “buried” during Lent… ALLELUIA (or Hallelujah) and shout it several times.  Share places or moments where you have experienced “new life.”

Family Dinner & Devotions, Mar 18-24

Something Old, Something New

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

“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”  Luke 19:38

Something Old:  Psalm 118:26-29

Something New:  Luke 19:28-40

1.  Both the Old and New Testament readings proclaim, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”  Share a time when you experienced blessing because God entered into your life.

2.  In Luke, the Pharisees told Jesus to quiet the crowd singing “Hosanna.”  Jesus’ response is, “I tell you, if they [my disciples] keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”  In other words, the shouts of praise will never, ultimately, be silenced.  Reflect for a moment… has anyone or anything tried to “silence” you as you have tried to witness to your faith in God?  Can you give examples of how Christians are sometimes “silenced” in our modern-day culture?  Can you give examples of how the voice of Christians triumphs?

3.  This “Palm Sunday” scripture is our entry into Holy Week – it is a triumphal entry.  Yet things will make a hard turn when Jesus is betrayed by those close to him and then crucified on the cross.  What do you think happened in the course of those few short days to make for such a roller-coaster week? 

4.  Begin pondering and praying about how you want to spend Holy Week and Easter Sunday.  How can it be a powerful and transformative week for your family?

Prayer

Dear Jesus,

We shout “hosanna” and welcome you into our life.

We are blessed by your presence. 

Help us to proclaim the good news of your entrance into the world.

Shield us from any person or any thing that might try to silence us.

May we know that all of creation, even the stones, long to proclaim your grace.

We pray in the name of Jesus…

Amen.

Family Dinner & Devos, March 11-17

Something Old, Something New

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

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing!”  Isaiah 43:18-19

Something Old:  Isaiah 43:16-21

Something New:  John 12:1-9

1.  Lent helps prepare us for a “new” thing… for resurrection and new life.  The prophet Isaiah promised that God would do a new thing.  In the town of Bethany, Jesus did a very new and unexpected thing… he raised Lazarus from the dead!  Are there any old patterns in your life that need to be broken?  Are there certain things in your life that need to be laid to rest so as to make way for something new?  Or… what new thing do you want to try this week?

2. The monks of old made a vow to both “stability” and “adaptability” – or you could say a commitment to the old and the new.  Why are these mutual, yet seemingly opposite, commitments so important… why is it good to be stable yet adaptable, to hold on to the old yet also embrace the new?

3. The gospel story tells of Mary pouring expensive perfume on Jesus’ feet.  Judas objected.  Is there any sort of “Judas-obstacle” in your life that is trying to get in the way of you living fully in Christ?  Do you think Mary might have been giving thanks for Jesus who brought her brother Lazarus back to life?  What new or unexpected thing can you give God thanks for?

Prayer

Dear Jesus,

We thank you that you are the Lord of old and new.

Help us to know what old things to hold on; help also know what old things to let go of.

Reveal to us what new things you want to do in and through us.

May we experience new life in you and share that life-joy with others.

Amen.

Family Dinner & Devos, Mar 4-10

Something Old, Something New

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

“’For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’  So they began to celebrate.”  Luke 15:24

Something Old:  Psalm 32:1-5

Something New:  Luke 15:11-32

1.  This week’s passages are about forgiveness.  “Confession & Forgiveness” has been a central part of the liturgy of churches across the ages.  Around your dinner table, you may want to begin with the words of confession that are found in the Lutheran hymnal.  Then you may pick one person to read the words of forgiveness:

Most Merciful God,

We confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves.

We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed,

by what we have done and by what we have left undone.

We have not loved you with our whole heart;

We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.

For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.

Forgive us, renew us, and lead us so that we may delight in your will

and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name.  Amen.

In the mercy of Almighty God,

Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for his sake God forgives us all our sins.

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

2.  What might be the importance of confession and forgiveness?

3.  Luke tells a family story.  As you sit around the table with your family, pretend that you are one of the characters in the story… the father, the “lost” – or prodigal – son, the older brother (or sibling), the mother (who is never named in the story, but we know that everyone has a mother), or perhaps you could be another unnamed sibling (also not in the gospel, but perhaps there were more siblings - like unnamed girls).  You could even imagine you are one of the servants.  Describe how you think you would feel about this whole situation… are you mad that the one son ran off?  Do you think he should be welcomed back or not?  Should there be consequences for his actions?  Do you think you would be slow or quick to forgive?  What is the first thing you might say to the “lost son” (ie brother/boy)?

4.  Share about a time you experienced forgiveness from someone.  And/or share a story of when you extended forgiveness to someone else.

(an option before entering prayer)  You could have each person around the table take a turn saying, “I am sorry if I have ever hurt you in any way” (or any variation of this).  Then each person can say, “I forgive you and I love you.”

Prayer

Dear Jesus,

We give thanks that we can always come to you with the truth.

We give thanks that you love us, forgive us, and always welcome us back home to you.

Help us to live in that spirit of forgiveness and extend grace to others.

We say this in your name,

Amen.