May 30

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Saturday, May 30

MARK 11:27-33

Baptism

Prayerthoughts

a. I do not feel the hostility that Jesus felt as he began preaching the Kingdom. But there is hostility in my world in the sense that there is deliberate evil in the world. Where is the most evil in our world these days; I should adopt a prayer pattern to include praying for peace in those areas.

b. Jesus knew that his “authority” for speech was from God His Father. I know that God is with me as I try to live my Christianity. Is there some area in my life in which I need to strengthen my Christian way of thinking?

c. Jesus wants “honesty” as he discusses his role in the spiritual life with the religious leaders. Are there areas in my life right now in which I should be more honest?

d. I obviously agree that John’s Baptism dealt with a heavenly understanding of life. I should renew my own Baptism evvery now and then by repeating the vows themselves as I think of my spiritual life at the present time.

[Optional:

Dear brothers and sister, through the Paschal Mystery we have been buried with Christ in Baptism, so that we may walk with him in newness of life. And so, let us renew the promises of Holy Baptism, by which we once renounced Satan and his works and promised to serve God in the holy catholic Church. And so I ask you:

Celebrant: Do you renounce sin, so as to live in the freedom of the children of God?

All: I do.

Celebrant: Do you renounce the lure of evil, so that sin may have no mastery over you?

All: I do.

Celebrant: Do you renounce Satan, the author and prince of sin?

All: I do.

Celebrant: Do you believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth?

All: I do.

Celebrant: Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary, suffered death and was buried, rose again from the dead and is seated at the right hand of the Father?

All: I do.

Celebrant: Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting?

All: I do.

Celebrant: And may almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us new birth by water and the Holy Spirit and bestowed on us forgiveness of our sins, keep us by his grace, in Christ Jesus our Lord, for eternal life.

All: Amen.]

Today I will read Jude 17, 20b-25 and write an important thought.

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TRULY LISTENING TO JESUS

+ Jesus said at one time that you have to be as wise as serpents in your approach to life

- part of that wisdom comes in how we say in English, “choosing your battle”

- that is, choosing what you want to argue about

- Jesus knew that the chief priests and religious leaders were not interested in really finding an answer—they wanted to trick him—so, he decided to expose their trickery, and use a trick of his own

+ For the person interested in spiritual development, it is good to study the attitude of the chief priests and religious leaders of Jesus’s day

- they didn’t want to listen to Jesus, and so Jesus pays no attention to them

- they were interested in tricking Jesus for the sake of getting him out of the way

- their attitude leads us the question:

- do we really want to listen to Jesus

- that is, in the words of the letter of Jude, do we really want to remember the words spoken by the Apostles?

+ This listening with the idea of following through is very difficult to do well

- the words of Scripture contain directives that if we really would listen to them, would direct our lives extremely well

- Jude’s practical guidelines in his letter are a good example

- it is easy to listen to, difficult to carry out in our own little worlds

- because our own little worlds are our main concern, and not the worlds of anyone else—our tendency is to be selfish

- Jude tells us to keep ourselves in the love of God

- this is very close to being the primary directive of the Gospel

- because if we did that, everything would fall into place

- but our selfishness tends to hold us back

+ The chief priests and religious leaders were not sincere in their questioning of Jesus,

- and so, the Lord would not answer them

- and they missed out on being able to have a guide for their lives

- if we are sincere, the Lord will answer

- the goal of our spiritual lives must be to be sincere in our approach to Jesus

- and that means that we will be in the state of willingness to really listen to the directives that Jesus gives,

- that is, to read the Scriptures with the knowledge that Jesus is talking to us, and we want to listen.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Song: "Cool for the Summer" -- Demi Lovato

SCARED FOR THE RIGHT REASON

LUKE 12:4-5

[Jesus said:] "I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body but after that can do no more. I shall show you whom to fear. Be afraid of the one who after killing has the power to cast into Gehenna; yes, I tell you, be afraid of that one."

Gospelthink: You must be afraid of people who cause you to do evil things. How do I address the evil that I see around me?

"Tell me what you want, what you like. It's okay. I'm a little curious too. Tell me if it's wrong, if it's right. I don't care. I can keep a secret. Can you? Got my mind on your body, and your body on my mind. Don't tell your mother. Kiss one another, die for each other. We're cool for the summer. Don't be scared ‘cause I'm your body type, just something that we wanna try, ‘cause you and I—we’re cool for the summer."

Jesus spoke about fear often in his speech because he knew that he disturbed some people with his actions, words and ideas. He told them not to fear because he had the words that would help them in the long run. In at least one place in Scripture, however, he tells the disciples that fear is an appropriate thought when they may not be following the law of God. He tells them to fear the one who can send them into hell, namely God.

Demi Lovato sings of a lady in a relationship who wants to enjoy a physical relationship in her song "Cool for the Summer." In the process, she tells her friend that they should not be afraid--"scared"--to pursue the relationship because it would be something that they both would like. From the song, however, it seems that the man in the relationship is hesitating to make this strong a commitment. Perhaps he realizes that he is not quite ready and indeed he should be afraid because it may be too soon.

What we like and what we should have are often too entirely different things. Jesus points out to the people of his time that they must fear the being that can throw them into Gehenna, that is, hell. They must fear the person who can kill the soul, and condemn it forever. It is an important lesson for us as well. The thought goes far beyond what feels good in a romantic relationship. If we are Christian in our thinking, we must be aware that what we should do at times must be a stronger desire than what we want or like.

The temporary pleasure of a moment may be an emotion that we want to experience, but if it is one that "kills the soul" instead of enhancing the relationship, then it must be avoided.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, we our emotional people, and often desire a good feeling in life. Give us the grace to know the difference between what feels good and what we should be doing. Be with us, we pray.

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GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: Perhaps we should be "scared" about what we want or like because it may not be what we should have.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. What are the most "fearful" things in the world? Why?
2. What is the meaning of the "fear of God" which is part of Christian thought?
3. The lady in the song is "curious" as is the man in the relationship. In young love, people must be curious because they do not know each other. How long does it take to really know another person?
4. Text analysis: "Don't tell your mother." Why not?
5. Text analysis: "Cool for the Summer." What is the meaning of the phrase?
6. Spiritual theologians remind us that God really does not send people to hell, but we do it to ourselves. Do you believe that most Christians understand this? Yes or no and why?
7. Many of the songs of our day talk or hint at a "physical relationship." Does this have any effect on the young people who listen to the songs?
8. What is meaning of the phrase "kill the soul"?
9. What does the song "Cool for the Summer" teach young people today?