 Session 3 Summary: Distance Do you have a friend who is easily distracted? Like really easily. One minute you’re walking through the mall together and the next thing you know you’re by yourself because your friend got sidetracked. Or maybe there’s a little more to it than. The two of you were really close, but then they got pulled away by a new hobby, a new relationship, a new group of friends. And as you start moving in two different directions, the distance between you grows. In the same way, when we start to pursue other things more than God, without even realizing it we can move in another direction—one that leads us further away from Him. This isn’t a new problem. In fact, Paul spent a lot of time in the Bible talking to some of the earliest churches about the very same thing. As we look at what Paul has to say about chasing the wrong things, you may find yourself with a desire to turn back and pursue Him—the best thing. BOTTOM LINE: Pick what you pursue. 
 Romans 2:1 New Living Translation (NLT) God’s Judgment of Sin 2 You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. Romans 2:4 New Living Translation (NLT) 4 Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin? Hebrews 12:1-2 New Living Translation (NLT) God’s Discipline Proves His Love 12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 
 God, thank you for being kind, patient, loving and tolerant with us. Remind us to focus on you in our daily lives. Help us to see where you are guiding us and to turn away from the things which hurt us. In your name we pray, AMEN.  (NAME), you are a child of God!
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 Session 2 Summary: Electricity Have you ever seen the show The Amazing Race? Sure, it’s one of five billion other reality shows on television right now, but it’s definitely one of the best. Every week as teams literally race around the world, they are given unique tasks to complete in cities they know next to nothing about—usually including the language! At some point in every episode, the teams find themselves having to ask for help. Some ask for help quickly and run off on their own to try and figure it out while others ask for more than that—they ask for someone to guide them as they go. Isn’t this how many of us approach God? We go to Him for help with big moments—impossible tasks—and then move on quickly without Him. We don’t remember that He wants to do more than just help us. He wants to guide us. He wants to go with us. He wants us to remain with Him. Even Jesus’ own disciples struggled to grasp what it looked like to stay close to Him. And as we look at how He explained it to them, we get a clearer picture of what it means to remain in closeness with God and the impact that can have in our lives. BOTTOM LINE: If you want to get the most out of life, stay close to the Source of it. 
 John 15:5 New Living Translation (NLT) 5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 
 God, thank you for being our source in life. You bring us strength, energy and most important hope! Be with us this week as we continue to grow closer to you, knowing we can never do it all and your grace helps us draw close to you. Amen.  Use this simple blessing with your family, while you bless one another, mark the cross on the forehead of each member as a reminder of your baptism.
(Name), you are a Child of God BOTTOM LINE: If you want to connect with God, be in community with people.  What is risky about living in community? How do you typically respond to tension in a relationship?  Genesis 2:18 New Living Translation 18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” Matthew 22:37-40 New Living Translation 37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”  If relationships are messy, confusing and draining, why would you pursue them anyway? Why do you think God designed us for relationships? Name one PERSON you can serve this week and one WAY in which you can serve them.  Creator God, thank you for creating us for community. Help us to accept others as you have accepted us. Help us to serve others in our community. To walk along side them through the ups and downs of life. In your name we pray, AMEN.  Use this simple blessing with your family, while you bless one another, mark the cross on the forehead of each member as a reminder of your baptism.
(Name), you are a Child of God.  Share a high and a low from the past week. Answer this question again: “I am… (noun)”— something that describes you, or how you are feeling right now.  John 15:1-8 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) 1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. 2 He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. 3 You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.  What is the purpose of pruning when gardening? How does this relate to the way that Jesus calls us to live? Have you ever felt that you were being “pruned”? What kinds of things have been cut away from you that were painful at the time but brought about a beneficial change? What kind of fruit are you bearing? What kinds of things are “good fruit”? “bad fruit”?  Dear God, thank you for bringing us all here together again. We have learned so much about you through the words of your son, Jesus Christ, and we hunger for a deeper sense of you and your love for us. Be with us as we continue on this journey; help us to love one another and to use the gifts you gave us for the building up of your kingdom. In your name we pray. Amen.  May the True Vine give you strength, life and possibility.
Amen.  Share a high and a low from the past week. Answer this question again: “I am… (noun)”— something that describes you, or how you are feeling right now.  John 10:1-15 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) 1“Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. 7 So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep.  Think about the work of a shepherd. How long do you think it would take for a shepherd to train the flock to know his voice? How does the shepherd know which sheep are part of his or her flock? If Jesus is the good shepherd and we are the sheep, what does this relationship tell us about our relationship to Jesus and God?  Holy God, we come to you today in gratitude for your love and care. We can become so busy and consumed with stress and deadlines that we need a reminder of who we are, whose we are, and why we are here. Thank you for loving us through all of it. We need your guidance and care to do the work you call us to do and to be the people you call us to be. Help us, Lord, as we seek to do your will as your beloved children. Amen.  May the Good Shepherd continue to care for you now and always.
Amen. |
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First Lutheran Church
1000 3rd Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids, IA | 319.365.1494 | info@firstlutherancr.org | A congregation of the ELCA
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