THINK
Hey Everyone,
Each week the church bulletin features a THINK Sheet to supplement the teachings and themes of the worship service. The material is put together using a variety of resources. Like this recent one, crafted by John and Robin McCullough-Bade, Daily Discipleship, elca.org. Check it out and let us know what you think.
THINK
The civics teacher approached her class of high school students with an important assignment due in ten weeks. Each student was asked to complete a scrapbook of 50 articles from the newspaper or internet on a topic of the student’s choice. Each article needed a summary paragraph and a related picture. She suggested completing five articles and summaries per week. The class understood the assignment.
The next day the teacher took an emergency medical leave from school. A variety of substitute teachers taught the class, but none of them mentioned the assignment. The students debated whether they needed to complete the assignment. Some of the students worked diligently, but others were persuaded not to waste their time or energy on a worthless assignment. What if the teacher never came back? Weeks passed.
How would you advise a student in the class?
What makes it difficult to get ready for something when you are not sure when and if it will happen?
This story could end in a variety of ways, but imagine the teacher coming back on the day the scrapbooks were due.
What would the teacher expect from her students?
Compare the reactions of the students who completed the scrapbook and those who did not work on the assignment.
What might have been the greater lesson learned by the class in those ten weeks?
We do not know when and where Christ will return. We are not privy to the timeline of God. As much as we might surmise or ponder the second coming, we do not know the details. In some respects, it is like the thief in the night who does not call ahead to notify the owner of the plans.
How do you feel about not knowing the details concerning the second coming of Christ?
What if Christ would come to your home tonight for a conversation? What would that be like?
What changes would you like to make in your life before the second coming of Christ?
When Jesus warns his followers to be ready, he uses the term “Son of Man” as well as “Lord”. If Jesus had selected a phrase such as “Son of God”, the text would have sounded even more ominous and intimidating. But, Jesus does not intend to threaten people into changed behavior, but to love us into changed lives. Hopefully, we want to stay ready for the Son of Man to return as we experience the love and hope in Christ along the way. Being prepared for the second coming means connecting to Christ in meaningful ways.
What does it mean for you to follow the “Son of Man”?