SESSION PLANS

Session 1: Called into a Vision	Session 2: Blessed to be a Blessing
Session 3: The Dance goes on	Session 4: In the Right Place at the Right Time
Session 5: Called to Follow Jesus the Messiah	Session 6: From Mainstream to Marginalized

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Session 1: Called into a Vision

Scripture

Isaiah 35; Luke 4:14-19

Key words

Shalom, calling, God’s vision, co-creators,

Key Questions

1)      What is your vision of the future?

2)      What images are you using to construct that vision for your life?

3)      What are the sources of those images?

4)      Are there images or language from the biblical story that you trust as viable and central for your life vision?

5)      Have you made a commitment to God’s vision of shalom?

 Further Readings:

FINDING A PURPOSE FOR OUR WORK-- By John Bernbaum

Old Testament Foundations for Peacemaking in the Nuclear Era----by Bruce C. Birch

Peace: The Fruit of Justice---by Philip Potter  

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Scripture

Genesis 12:1-9

Key Words

Blessing, relationship with neighbors, calling, journey,

Key Questions

1)      How are you blessed by God?

2)      How are you sharing God’s blessing with the world?

3)      How is your community of faith sharing God’s blessing with others? How has this group willingly, or inadvertently, neglected to share God’s blessing?

 Further Reading: Commentary on Gen. 12:1-9

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Scripture

Exodus 3:1-13

Key Words

Cycle of call, hearing, calling, brokenness and alienation, shalom

Key Questions

1)      Do you believe God is calling you to become a co-creator of shalom?

2)      Where are you in the cycle of call?

3)      What cries of pain and suffering are you hearing in your community? Your city? Your world?

4)      What choices are you being called to make?

 Further Readings
Back to the Burning Bush (Leadership 101)

Theopany at the Burning Bush (Nahum Sarna)

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Session 4: In the Right Place at the Right Time

Scripture

Esther 4:4-17

Key Words

Time, response, home,

Key Questions

1)              Who are the people or what are the situations around you that you are not seeing or hearing?

2)              How is God calling you to see, hear, and respond?

 Further Readings:

What about When God seems Silent?
Holy Disobedience in Esther
Catholic Encyclopedia: Esther
Reading Esther from Left to Right Contemporary Strategies for Reading a Biblical Text

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Scripture

Luke 14:25-35

Key words

Disciple of Christ, cost

Key Questions

1)      How have you responded to the call to follow Christ?

2)      What does following Christ mean to you?

3)      In what ways has following Christ reoriented and redirected the different area of your life?

4)      What do you see as the requirements for following Christ?

 Further Readings

First Thoughts on ...

The Cost and Joy of Discipleship

The Tension between Poverty and Possessions in the Gospel of Luke

Counting the Cost

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Scripture

Luke 1:26-38

Key words

Marginalized, gospel, participation

Key Questions

1)      What marginalizes people in society?

2)      What or who is in position to affect social change?

3)      How can you faithfully respond to God’s call?

Further Readings

Mary, Proto-Disciple: a Lukan Perspective

Wrestling with Advent

Mary as a Role Model

A Question of Faith

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Detailed outlines or help pages

Session 1: Called into a Vision

Scripture

Isaiah 35; Luke 4:14-19

Key Questions

1)      What is your vision of the future?

2)      What images are you using to construct that vision for your life?

3)      What are the sources of those images?

4)      Are there images or language from the biblical story that you trust as viable and central for your life vision?

5)      Have you made a commitment to God’s vision of shalom?

 

Biblical Reflection

Isaiah 35

-The entire book of Isaiah as an account of Isaiah’s “vision” (1:1). 

-ch.35 is a poetic summary of what God intends for the Israelites and for the whole world. It was written to people who were experiencing a great deal of pain and suffering: the destruction of their homes and taken as captives into a foreign land. à Images of hope and promise that Israel can integrate into her vision of the future:

-“the desert shall rejoice and blossom, the eyes of the blind shall be opened, the ears of the deaf unstopped, the lame shall leap like a deer, the tongue of the speechless sing for joy, waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert”

Luke 4:14-19

-Luke 4 is an account of the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry: baptism, and test in the wilderness. “Beloved child of God.” His envision of God’s shalom is quoted from Isaiah:

“Bring good news to the poor, proclaim release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, let the oppressed go free, proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor”

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Session 2: Blessed to be a Blessing

Scripture

Genesis 12:1-9

Key Words

Blessing, relationship with neighbors, calling, journey,

Key Questions

1)      How are you blessed by God?

2)      How are you sharing God’s blessing with the world?

3)      How is your community of faith sharing God’s blessing with others? How has this group willingly, or inadvertently, neglected to share God’s blessing?

Biblical Reflection

-“Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you” (Gen. 12:1). And they went! In order to respond faithfully to God, leaving a place that was home to journey into unfamiliar territory, because that was what God was calling them to do.

-“We are blessed by God to be a blessing to others” (12:2-3).

-“to bless and be blessed”: a blessing as a gift of God, who is the source of all blessings.

-to serve others, to be a blessing to others (12:3).

-through you and me, … all we do, all we have, all that we are is blessed by God for the blessing of the world. A blessing and a responsibility.

Further readings:

Commentary on Gen. 12:1-19 http://www.cresourcei.org/lectionary/YearA/Aproper5ot.html

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Session 3: The Dance Goes on

Scripture

Exodus 3:1-13

 

Key Words

Cycle of call, hearing, calling, brokenness and alienation, shalom

Key Questions

Biblical Reflection

Introduction: Though our experience of “calling” is different, there is a pattern or shared cycle of calling. The call of Moses is the prototype for understanding the basic elements of call.

Cycle of Call

 

BROKENNESS AND ALIENATION (Exodus 1:8-13)

WE CRY OUT (Exodus 2:23)

GOD HEARS AND RESPONDS (Exodus 3:7-10)

WE HEAR AND RESIST (Exodus 3:11)

GOD SUPPORTS AND EQUIPS (Exodus 3:12)

WE TAKE ACTION (Exodus 4:18-20)

SHALOM IS CO-CREATED (Exodus 4:21-22)

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Session 4 Help

Walking Thru The Bible (source: http://fly.hiwaay.net/%7Ewgann/walk_ot/esther.htm )
ESTHER

The Ahasuerus of the Book of Esther is also known in secular
history as Xerxes, king of Persia (485-465 BC). He is famous for his
expedition against Greece and how the Greeks defeated his
tremendous fleet at the battle of Salamis in 480 BC. Historians tells
us that this was one of the world's most important battles.

From parallel passages in the works of Herodotus we find that the
feast described in the first chapter of Esther was the occasion for
planning the campaign against Greece, the third year of his reign.
Esther replaced Vashti in the seventh year of his reign (Esther
2:16) when Xerxes returned from his disastrous defeat.


PURPOSE OF THE BOOK: To show God's providential care for
His people even in the dispersion; also to show the origin of the
Jewish feast of Purim (3:6-7; 9:26-28).


THEME: The providential deliverance of the Jews from destruction
through the agency of Esther and Mordecai. Esther is like Joseph and
David. God had each one hidden away for His purpose. When the
day came, He brought them to the front to work out His plan.


KEY VERSE: The key verse of the book is Esther 4:14:
"For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall
there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another
place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who
knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as
this?" (Esther 4:14)

KEY WORD: "The Jews" (43 times)
Note: Although God's name is not mentioned in the book
of Esther, every page is full of God who hides Himself
behind every word. Matthew Henry, the great commentator,
says, "If the name of God is not there, His finger is." It is
called "The Romance of Providence." God has a part in all
the events of human life.

OUTLINE OF ESTHER

I. ESTHER BECOMES QUEEN OF PERSIA -- Ch. 1-2

Ch. 1 Queen Vashti displeases the king and is dethroned.
Ch. 2 Esther is selected and made queen.


II. HAMAN'S PLOT TO KILL THE JEWS IS DEFEATED -- Ch. 3-8

Ch. 3 Haman plots to destroy the Jews
Ch. 4 Esther promises to intercede for her people
Ch. 5 Esther secures the favor of the king and his presence at
her banquet for him and Haman.
Ch. 6 Mordecai is honored and Haman humbled.
Ch. 7 A second banquet foils Haman's plot and he is hanged.
Ch. 8 Mordecai is promoted to Haman's position and the Jews
are authorized by the king to defend themselves against
their enemies.


III. THE DELIVERANCE AND THE FEAST OF PURIM -- Ch. 9-10

Ch. 9 The Jews are victorious over their enemies and the Feast
of Purim is established.
Ch. 10 The greatness of Mordecai during the remainder of
Ahasuerus' reign.

Note: This is the true story of a little Jewish orphan girl becoming
Queen of Persia. At this time the Persian throne controlled over half
the then-known world.


Esther was the Queen of the famous Xerxes for thirteen years.
No doubt she lived for many years into the reign of her stepson,
Artaxerxes. Under this king, Nehemiah rebuilt Jerusalem. It was
Esther's marriage to this famous Persian monarch that gave the Jews
enough prestige at this court that made it possible for Nehemiah to
rebuild Jerusalem with official help (Nehemiah 2:1-8).

- - - SERMON - - -

"FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS"

Esther
Introduction:

1. Esther 4:13-16. The background story of the events in Susa.

a. Ahasuerus (481 BC) was king of Persia.

b. God's people Israel were in the provinces of Persia.

c. The King had the leaders of 127 provinces to come to a
celebration that lasted 187 days-- more than six months.

(1 It was a feast of drinking and sin.

(2 The King sends for Vashti to come and display her
beauty. She refuses because of her modesty.

d. The King accepts the suggestion to reject her and choose
another to be queen in her stead.

(1 Esther, a young Jewess, is eventually chosen.

2. Her cousin (uncle?) Mordecai had offended Haman a high official
in the King's court. By trickery Haman gets the King to sign a
decree that all the Jews should be put to death.

a. A decree issued by a Persian monarch was unalterable.

b. God stepped in and in a providential way delivered His
people from the decree that Christ might come of their seed
as promised (Gen. 12:1-3).

3. This story is written for our benefit (Romans 15:4) and shows
God's providential care for his people.

"FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS" Esther 4:14

Mordecai thought Esther had come to the throne "for such a time as
this." What sort of a time was it?

1. It was a time when the King and the leaders of the nation were
selfish, wicked, and immoral.

a. Sin was in the saddle so to speak.

b. "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but
when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn." (Proverbs
29:2)

* What about the "leaders" (?) of today? What kind of a
role-model are the politicians, sports and entertainment figures
today?

* What about the morals and philosophies of those molding
and shaping the minds of our youth? (The media, the
educators, etc.)

2. It was a time of worldly pomp and show (Esther 4:13-16 and
especially 1:3-8).

a. It was a time when the leaders of 127 provinces recklessly
took 6 months vacation for wickedness and sin.

b. They neglected the nation, its welfare, and their homes.

* Today our nation is neglecting to preserve the fountains of
righteousness in our nation: "Prayer" outlawed from schools;
"homosexuality" paraded as a civil rights issue instead of sin;
the murder of innocent babies legalized!
2 Timothy 3:1-5; Ecclesiastes 12:13-14.


3. It was a time of strong drink in the nation-- Esther 1:7-8.

* We are slowly becoming a nation of drunkards and
alcoholics. We keep seeing the danger but doing nothing
about it. Proverbs 20:1; 23:21; 23:29-35


4. It was a time of immodesty and debauchery-- Esther 1-2

a. It was a time when the King demanded Vashti the Queen to
come before the leaders of 127 provinces and display her
body before their drunken lustful eyes (1:10-11).

b. The Queen had the moral courage to dare to do right!
1 Timothy 2:6-10;


5. It was a time when the sanctify of marriage was at a low ebb.

a. The King was willing to get rid of the Queen for no fault of
hers. (Esther 1:19)

b. Now one of every two marriages end in divorce. (Mt.19:3-9)


6. It was a time when human life was cheap.

a. The leaders were willing to sign a decree to have 2,000,000
Jews killed, because one of them would not bow and tip his
hat to Haman, a wicked scoundrel (Esther 3:9, 13).

b. Life today is cheap. Murders escalating wildly. Theft and
hate escalating. 'Aborting on demand' supported by the news
and entertainment media.


7. It was a time that needed the good woman Esther (4:13-16)

a. Her silence would have been sin. She found herself in a
responsible position and she had to do what she could.

* A TIME that needs good people--
good people in leadership in the nations-- in business--
in education-- in communications-- and in the home.

CONCLUSION:

"For such a time as this" what kind of disciples do you think the
Lord needs? Are you one of that kind? Are you one the Lord can
count on and depend on?

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 Session 5 Help: focus on the meaning of Cross.

BEARING ONE'S CROSS (from http://www.crossmarks.com/brian/luke14x25.htm)

Culpepper (Luke, New Interpreter's Bible) presents a corrective to an interpretation of this phrase.

The language of cross bearing has been corrupted by overuse. Bearing a cross has nothing to do with chronic illness, painful physical conditions, or trying family relationships. It is instead what we do voluntarily as a consequence of our commitment to Jesus Christ. Cross bearing requires deliberate sacrifice and exposure to risk and ridicule in order to follow Jesus. This commitment is not just a way of life, however. It is a commitment to a person. A disciple follows another person and learns a new way of life. [p. 293]

Although we read about Simon of Cyrene carrying a cross, the words used for his actions (airo in Mt & Mk and phero in Lu) are different than the word in this text (bastazo). This wasn't a volunteer situation for Simon. Cross-bearing was forced upon him, whether he wanted it or not.

Lowe & Nida in their definition of this idiomatic phrase goes a bit further than Culpepper. They interpret it to mean: "to be prepared to endure severe suffering, even to the point of death." Death sounds a lot harsher than Culpepper's "risk and ridicule".