Year A, Lent 2, 2020 – Trust
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Hey all! Welcome! This picture reminds me of a story David tells about our daughter when she was about three. He was packing up to go on a trip – his bag was on the bed, and he was selecting clothing to put into it. Meredith was on the bed, and when David turned to the dresser to pull out some clothes, he heard her say, “Daddy! Catch!” He turned to see her in the air coming toward him. She had committed herself to an irretrievable act of vulnerability, and David had a choice. Of course, he dropped his clothes and caught his daughter and fulfilled her trust in him. May we all be able to trust God with the same type of abandon this Lent.
For the episode three years ago, we suggested mapping out the distance Abram travelled as a BODY and EYE smart illustration in Genesis. A misheard Elton John lyric shows up for a WORD smart illustration in Romans (and still makes me laugh). And for John, we have a MUSIC smart illustration about Mozart and music theory. Have fun finding what works for you and your congregation!
Genesis 12:1-4a – [01:58]
If you are a word nerd like me, you will notice some repetition in this passage. Writers are often told NOT to repeat words, but sometimes there are good reasons for it, which we explore in WORD smart. For EYE smart, have some fun giving directions for “how to get there”! We use a viral video and an old shampoo add to illustrate how Abram’s blessing became a blessing in MATH smart. Did Abram need to leave his father’s home for this to happen? We explore that possibility in NATURE smart. Abram was enticed to trust God and go; illustrate that enticement with toddlers and cookies in PEOPLE smart. And for SELF smart, the commentary linked below uses two movies to illustrate the journey one person makes that extends beyond their own lives to those around them. For homework, ask your people to practice trusting the way Abram did every time they leave their own homes.
- WORD – [04:05]
- Here is an article about the use of repetition in rhetoric.
- EYE – [05:22]
- MATH – [06:23]
- Here is a slightly dated article about the math of going viral.
- NATURE – [07:18]
- A video clip about male cubs leaving their fathers. Or is that being chased away?
- PEOPLE – [08:05]
- SELF – [09:30]
- commentary by Micheal Jackson, A Plain Account
Psalm 121 – [11:02]
Psalm 121 is the second of the Songs of Ascent; worship liturgies used by pilgrims going to Jerusalem and the Temple. The commentary linked below in EYE smart “walks” us there in pilgrim’s shoes. The protection of the Lord can be illustrated in EYE smart with solar shades, in MATH smart with solar shields, and in BODY smart with well placed offensive lines and goalkeepers. Since this psalm is liturgical, use some call and response chants that people might know as a MUSIC smart illustration. Hills and geography can grab the attention of NATURE smart people. Overall, this psalm declares in vivid images that the congregation has good reasons to trust in the Lord, maker of heaven and earth.
- EYE – [11:54]
- commentary by Kelvin St. John, A Plain Account
- “Solar shades” help block sunlight
- MATH – [13:04]
- space craft like Skylab orbiting laboratory and the James Webb Space Telescope use solar shields to protect equipment
- BODY – [14:56]
- The Lord’s support is like the offensive line for a football team protecting the quarterback or kicker. Or like a goalkeeper.
- MUSIC – [17:16]
- NATURE – [19:18]
Romans 4:1-5, 13-17 – [20:39]
We have two illustrations for MATH smart; one is based on Eugene Peterson’s commentary (linked below), and the other is a flow chart that you will find at the bottom of the worksheet (linked above). Peterson’s work also gave us an idea for a BODY smart illustration and special effect. We have a lot of MUSIC based on this passage and in SELF smart, ask some questions about how we receive the gift of grace. Paul insists grace is a gift – one that we can trust because we can trust the Giver.
- MATH – [22:18]
- Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase of verse 14
- BODY – [24:40]
- Remember those old Charles Atlas advertisements?
- MUSIC – [26:55]
- My Life Flows on in Endless Song (or How Can I Keep from Singing?)
- The God of Abraham Praise
- Not What These Hands Have Done
- Sizo Bambelela (Never Give Up)
- SELF – [28:13]
- commentary by Imir Gashi, A Plain Account
John 3:1-17 – [29:31]
This passage is famous for verse sixteen, but there is so much more to it than that. In this conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus, we see words going in all different directions, searching for meaning and a place to land. Jesus is on one level of the communication parking garage and Nicodemus is on another. We have some illustrations about this miscommunication in WORD smart. Bumper Sticker Theology may demonstrate the difficulty of deep meaning being crammed into a pithy saying – remember the joke linked below? You might try demonstrating Nicodemus’ reaction using some MATH smart special effects – remember word problems in algebra? And speaking of verse sixteen, we have a link to a story about the guy who became infamous at football games for wearing a rainbow wig and holding up the John 3:16 sign for PEOPLE smart. In John’s Gospel, while Nicodemus may have been perplexed by Jesus’ words that night, they planted a seed. By the time Jesus is being lowered from the cross at the end, Nicodemus is there in broad daylight, offering burial spices for a man he had come to trust.
- WORD – [30:11]
- commentary by Rhonda Crutcher at A Plain Account
- What happens when we take metaphors literally? Here’s a video that’s kind of lame but a fair attempt.
- Remember Amelia Bedelia? Here’s a video of someone reading the first book.
- Language barriers can complicate meanings; here is a list of international idioms that get lost in translation.
- EYE – [33:11]
- Bumper Sticker Theology makes an appearance in this classic joke about seeing a fish sticker on a car.
- MATH – [34:19]
- Read or display some classic algebra word problems. Here are some more.
- PEOPLE – [35:39]
- Nicodemus and the Rainbow Wig John 3:16 guy.
Image credit: Photo by lauren lulu taylor on Unsplash. Used with permission.
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