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December 3
[media presentation below] GospelThink Tuesday, December 3, Advent I LUKE 10:21-24 Childlike Prayerthoughts a. What is my understanding of “childlike”? b. Often being “childlike” refers to people who are not solicitous for power. How do I want too much power? C. What is God’s will for me? d. Jesus has given us His idea of God in the Gospels. Does God play a significant role in my life right now? e. I have truly seen Jesus in the Scriptures. Am I trying to identify with Jesus enough in the words that I read? e. My prayerthoughts… Today, I will read Isaiah, chapter 25 and write an important thought from it.
Some Thoughts on the Liturgy JESUS, THE SIGNAL + Isaiah supplies a phrase that bears some thought for the truly spiritual person - the root of Jesse, namely, Jesus is a signal for the nations - a signal implies something that directs another - and consequently, the question: what is Jesus directing us to + The root of Jesse, Jesus, will signal the harmony of which Isaiah speaks - a harmony which we will bring about through a conscious decision to be harmonious - that is, not to be divisive in the way that we go about things + Isaiah’s reading speaks of a coming Kingdom which we now understand to be the Kingdom of God that was taught by Jesus - it will be a Kingdom of harmony, compared in the animal kingdom to a time when wolf/lamb, lion/ox, child/adder, leopard/kid, calf/lion, cow/bear, baby/cobra are together with no harm - and that which will bring about the harmony is something that animals and little children cannot do—the ability to reason things out - so Isaiah predicts a Kingdom in which humankind will reason things out and make decisions wisely - they will do that because they are led by the shoot that sprouted from Jerusalem - namely, Jesus, the person we believe the reading was speaking of—and the Spirit was upon him, the reading mentioning the so-called gifts of the Spirit - it is one of the best passages of foretelling the coming of Jesus + And from the Gospel with Luke’s preference for the forgotten of society - saying that the root of Jesse will lead us to the Kingdom which will be hidden from the clever - and revealed to children instead - not in the sense of selfishness or lack of responsibility, - but in the sense of being trusting of others, taking delight in the simple things, being people who can truly be dependent on others, and on God + A tie in between the readings is the mention of the child in both - Isaiah: a child will guide them to harmony - Jesus saying that the important things in life are revealed to people who make themselves like children, dependent on God + The root of Jesse, Jesus, signals harmony and being child-like.

MEDIA PRESENTATION Song: "Close to Me" -- Ellie Goulding featuring Diplo & Swae Lee FULLY AWARE

The Gospel

JOHN 13:1-5

John 13:1-5

Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end. The devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over. So, during supper, fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God, he rose from supper and took off his outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciple’s feet and dry them with the towel around his waist.

Gospelthink: I knew what I wanted to teach my Apostles, namely service. Am I showing service to others around me as much as I should?

"We know that we’ll be alright, so don’t let me down, keep me in trouble, born to be wild out in the jungle, And I don’t want to be somebody without your body close to me, and if it wasn’t you, I wouldn’t want anybody close to me. ‘Cause I’m an animal, an animal like you.”

Maturity has been defined in many ways, but perhaps one of the best ways to understand it is from the perspective of awareness. If we become fully aware of something, it means that we have considered the possibilities and ramifications of all of our actions and thoughts concerning the act involved.

If there was anyone in history who was fully aware of what he wanted to accomplish, it was Jesus Christ. One of the concepts he wanted to teach his apostles was the idea of service to others. Washing his disciples' feet, Jesus was fully aware of what he was doing, that is, he knew what he was all about; he knew what he wanted to teach.

Most people grow old within a small circle of ideas, most of which have been given to them by others. They are not wrong, so much, as they are without thought. Many of us simply go through our lives without being aware that life is so much more than what we think it is or what we selfishly want. To become aware means to understand the many options that we have, and deliberately choose on the basis of what is good for everyone involved.

The couple in the song "Close to Me" seem to be considering only the feelings of the moment. They like what is happening, no matter what it does to themselves or to others. "Keep me in trouble," they sing, "born to be wild 'cause I'm an animal like you." One must question whether they are fully aware of what they are doing, that is, whether they have considered all the ramifications of their actions. It seems as though they have not.

As we grow in love, we discover many feelings that we like, and our desire is to keep them as long as we can. The problem is that many times those feelings are nothing more than selfish feelings that in the long run will hurt the people involved. Our goal must be to be fully aware of what we choose to do in life.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, Your Son was fully aware of what he wanted to do while He was here with us. In doing so, he set the standard for the way we should act. May we learn his lessons of maturity in life and love. Be with us, we pray.

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GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: If we are to grow in love, we must learn maturity.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.What does the song "Come to Me" teach young people?
2. Do you believe that most Christians have an understanding of Christian service to others? Yes or no and why?
3. What does the phrase "I'm an animal" in the song mean to you?
4. What is your definition of maturity?
5. In your opinion, when does a young person achieve "maturity"?
6. Do most people make a significant decision based on how they can help others? Yes or no and why?
7. Do you agree with the meditation that the couple in the song are immature? Yes or no and why?