A Bible Study centered in the Baptismal Covenant |
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• A Bible Study centered in the Baptismal Covenant • Trinity Lutheran Church, White Plains New York A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT
GIFTED FOR BAPTISMAL MISSION
A Bible Study centered in the Baptismal Covenant
Metropolitan New York Synod Evangelical Lutheran Church in America "A River Runs Through It: A Bible Study centered in the Baptismal Covenant Introduction by Stephen P. Bouman Lent 1996 The covenant for the renewal of baptismal vows can help us renew the mission we share in the name of Jesus. "You have made public profession of your faith…" The mission of the church is public. Such activity as the creation of parish nursery schools, latch key programs, church based community organization, other programs which institutionalize exposure of the life of the parish with the life of the community are all part of the corporate baptismal witness of the Church. "Do you intend to continue in the covenant God made with you in Holy Baptism?" The key word here is continue. Pastoral acts are not only one-time events, but processes of the Holy Spirit's activity. Marriages, funerals, baptisms, confirmations are all abiding opportunities to stay in touch with people in the Spirit's power. The "Occasional Services" are untapped resources to enclose life's passages with the evangelical arms of God. "To live among God's faithful people" The Biblical term is Koinonia. It means to participate in, to belong to one another and to Jesus. It is the Koinonia of the cup and the loaf incarnate in human community where we bear one another's burdens. It is an evangelism strategy in the Bronx as Spanish-speaking leaders begin support groups and groups centering in prayer and Bible study and prayer in the midst of the neighborhoods of unchurched people. "To hear his word and share in his supper" The biblical word is "leiturgeia," or worship. The heartbeat will always be the Book, the Bath and the Meal. Jesus invites in some mission strategies building by building as children in the city are invited to Sunday School. In Woodstock and Saugerties the hungry are fed and then invited to the Meal of the Church.
"To proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed" The biblical word is "kerygma," or proclamation. The mission statement of Trinity, Lower East Side is derived right from the baptismal covenant and Eucharistic liturgy; "In Word and Deed." The new building incarnates in bricks and mortar this evangelism strategy "In Word and Deed." On one floor is the soup kitchen and shelter. Another houses the sanctuary for worship and Christian education. Another provides space for a parsonage for the pastor and family. With structural integrity a river runs through the baptismal vision of Trinity. "To serve all people, following the example of our Lord Jesus, and to strive for justice and peace in all the earth." The biblical word is "diakonia," or service. The mission strategies of our synod are undergirded by a cadre of pastors, Associates in Ministry, and synodically authorized deacons; the participation of social ministry organizations such as Lutheran Social Services and Lutheran Medical Center; and participation in church-based community organizing. Nehemiah housing, Alzheimer's day care, summer programs for youth are not just "do gooder" activity patched on to the life of the church, but central to its baptismal covenantal mission. The bishop and staff have prepared weekly Bible study centering in the covenant for the renewal of Baptismal vows during these Lenten days of the "springtime of the soul." It is hoped that they would be used in the congregations and institutions of the synod during Lent. The format allows for reproducing each week's Bible study for distribution. Daily lectionary readings from Wednesday to Wednesday in Lent continue the theme of the Bible study. Sermon notes for Ash Wednesday will also be provided. Our mutual Lenten journey will begin with a liturgy led by the Bishop and staff the day before Ash Wednesday, and then continued in the places we serve. Let us together reflect on our giftedness in Baptism, when we were joined to the death and resurrection of Jesus, and to one another in the Church. And let such remembrance lead us into the waters of daily life in a renewal of mission. Together, in Christ, for the soul of the world, "a river runs through it." Feb. 20, 10 a.m. Trinity Lutheran Church, White Plains New York "A River Runs Through It: A Bible Study on the Baptismal Covenant" • Ash Wednesday: "Continuing in the Covenant" sermon suggestions by Pastor Stephen Bouman • Wed., Feb. 28: "To live among God's faithful people" • Wed., March 6: "To hear his Word and share in His supper" • Wed., March 13: "To proclaim the good news…in Word and deed" • Wed., March 20: "To serve all people" • Wed., March 27: "To strive for justice and peace" • Easter Vigil: Baptisms and renewal of baptismal vows throughout the synod • Layout and design Daily lectionary readings will also be provided during the days of Lent. "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord." (I Corinthians 12:4) Sermon Notes for Ash Wednesday • Joel 2:12-19 "Return to me with all your heart…" • 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:2 "now is the acceptable time…now is the day of salvation…" • Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 (19-21) "Beware of practicing your piety before others…" Context: After the reading of penitential Psalm 51 and the doxology, the minister addresses the congregation with an exhortation to the Lenten discipline of repentance, fasting, prayer, and works of love. This would be one place where a homily on aspects of Lenten discipline could precede the exhortation. After the confession and imposition of ashes (if such is your custom) the liturgy of Holy Communion continues with the prayer of the day. The sermon would occur after the reading of the Gospel. If you are introducing, or commenting on the imposition of ashes, the following meditation may be helpful to you lift up what it teaches us. "You Hate Nothing You Have Made" She wanted ashes. I found her sitting in the day room of the locked ward, surrounded by people in various stages of coherence. One lady would run, a kind of shuffling run, directly at us and then at the last minute veer away. I flinched each time, almost as if we were being dive-bombed. After a little small talk, she said, "Just give me the ashes now." "Remember, you are dust, and unto dust you shall return," I said as I traced black ashes on her dry, scaly forehead with my thumb. My heart raced as I saw my own inevitable future on her old, smeared forehead. By now we had a drawn a crowd. I gave her communion. When we prayed the Lord's Prayer many lips moved in the room. We ate and drank with ashes on our brows, as the TV blared, the shuffling lady dive-bombed us, employees smiled. When I gave the benediction I spread my arms to include the entire locked ward. Soon my friend began trying to hit the shuffling lady, then abruptly rose from her chair and wandered off among the other restless children of God. God's gracious invitation to repentance and faith happens like that, in the midst of neighborhood, work, street corner, asylum, in the comings and goings of human life. The invitation is centered in the death and resurrection of Christ, made present in baptism (ashes recall the cross, traced on our glistening foreheads), Eucharist, and the cries for mercy from all the locked ward of our human pilgrimage. "Almighty and ever-living God, you hate nothing you have made and you forgive the sins of all who are penitent. Create in us new and honest hearts, so that, truly repenting of our sins, we may obtain from you, the God of all mercy, full pardon and forgiveness…" (Collect for Ash Wednesday, LBW, p. 17) Notes on Joel: The heart of this little book is verses 17 and 18 of chapter 2: Speeches before this point (a plague of locusts on Judah), after this point, salvation. Both are identified with the apocalyptic "day of Jahweh." Thus the book of Joel mirrors the spiritual journey of sin, repentance, and God's gracious deliverance. A homily on Joel could well lift up marks of Lenten spiritual discipline. • "return to me with all your heart" (repentance, "metanoia") • "rend your hearts and not your garments" (with the prayer, fasting, works of mercy, etc.) • "call a solemn assembly…sanctify the congregation" (Lenten discipline is also corporate as well as individual) • "and you will be satisfied…" (We know the end of the journey) Notes on 2 Corinthians: In this passage Paul brings together exposition with encouragement. We have a summary of God's ministry of reconciliation, "for our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." This is surrounded by encouragement to receive this great gift: "we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God…we entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain." Paul supports this encouragement with words from Isaiah 49:8 "at an acceptable time I hearkened to thee, and in a day of salvation I succored thee." The Greek word, , makes the exposition, encouragement, and appeal to Hebrew Scriptures present now, here, a Gospel moment. "Now is the acceptable ." Luther understood the power of this passage: • "Therefore, God is the true Master within, in the heart, that performs the best work; and we help and serve Him to this end externally with the ministry of preaching." (Luther 12, 436) • "To accept the grace of God in vain can be nothing else than hearing the pure Word of God, in which the grace of God is offered, and yet remaining apathetic and not accepting it, remaining as one was before." (Luther, 12, 438) Notes on Matthew: Raymond Brown, in "The Churches the Disciples Left Behind," asserts that in the heritage of Matthew the church continues the presence of Jesus through its teaching. "The teaching of Jesus, exemplified in the five great sermons in Matthew, is the means in and through which Jesus remains present to a community that is willing to live by his commandments." The Lenten quarantine of forty days, this "springtime of the soul," is often accompanied by intense communal and personal Bible study. A sermon from the midst of the first great discourse of Jesus in Matthew can be used to launch such a time of study and reflection on the teaching of Jesus. • "Do not lay up treasures for yourself on earth…but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven…" The heavenly treasures become ours by baptism. A Lenten study of the Baptismal covenant can be a way of "practicing our piety before God, who sees in secret." And our reward from God is daily renewal of faith and life. In practicing our Lenten piety, our alms giving, our praying and fasting…A River Runs Through It. • Jesus shared fully in their lives, flesh and blood. (Hebrews 2:14-18) I asked a six year old girl in my Sunday School class at Trinity Lower East Side, "Why was Jesus born and why did Jesus come to be with us." She answered, "So that we can live!" She understood WE from living with her extended family and from being part of the Trinity community. She understood LIVE because her life is not taken granted on the Lower East Side. Talk about what it means to us as people gathered in community that Jesus was born, flesh and blood, and came to be one with us. Share examples of how you and your community of Christians enter into the community of others as the "body of Christ," giving life. • Jesus' sharing was that through his death he might destroy death and the devil. (Hebrews 2:14-15) Who were the people traveling with Jesus? Why do you suppose only the women are named? What were the elements and actions that formed this community of faith? What are the essential elements and actions that form your community of faith?…and continue to form and reform your community. In what ways is your community a healing community? What kinds of healing do people in your community long to experience? • On the night of his betrayal, Jesus instituted a meal of sharing…sharing his body and blood given for us and for all people, for forgiveness and for making us one. (1 Cor. 10:16-17) What does it mean to "share in the body and blood of Christ?" How do we live as "one loaf" in the world? Who is in the loaf with us? Why do we sometimes become a "half-a-loaf"? • After the resurrection, Jesus sought out the community to be known by them (Luke 24:8-10, 30-32) and to gather them about him. (Luke 24:36-39) In what many ways did the community of believers experience God incarnate throughout the life of Jesus? From Jesus' birth to his resurrection, who are the many different people in the community experiencing God in the flesh? Talk about how it is/why it is that the diverse community of believers is the body of Christ in the world. Our wider community of believers includes people who do not speak English; people who do not smell good; alcoholics; squalling children; abused children and women; struggling teenagers; the handicapped, hungry and homeless; people who can't read, who don't have a job; people with AIDS; people focused on money, power and prestige…why is it important to you that they are our brothers and sisters? How is Jesus revealed to us? • The Pentecost faithful entered the community through baptism and: "had all things in common, were devoted to the apostles' teaching, to fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer." (Acts 2:41-47) Talk about how all of these things are connected and how they are lived out in your community; a community of God's people formed by God through baptism into the death and resurrection of Jesus; devotion to learning and to caring for each other; active and faithful in sharing the community meal, Holy Communion; and constant in prayer. Who is included? How is the community encouraged and supported? How is this connected to mission? How do you give yourself and what you have for the sake of the Body of Christ? • As a result of our baptism to live among God's faithful people includes: a. Living with Christ (Romans 6:8) b. Being blessed and filled with the Holy Spirit and through the Spirit, receiving life in the Triune God. (2 Corinthians 13:13) c. Forming an active, caring and open community of Christians (Philemon 16, 17) d. Sharing across cultural barriers (Romans 15:27) e. Experiencing as your own the sufferings of others (Philippians 3:10) f. Fully engaged in the care for and relief of the saints (2 Corinthians 8:2-5) Give examples of how these things are happening in your community of faith and throughout our Synod and Church. Bishop James Sudbrock Readings for the Week February 29-March 5 Thursday, February 29 Hebrews 2:10-18 Friday, March 1 Romans 6:1-11 Saturday, March 2 Acts 2:37-47 Sunday, March 3 Luke 8:1-3 Monday, March 4 Romans 15:22-29 Tuesday, March 5 Corinthians 8:1-7 . . . to hear his Word and share in his supper Wednesday, March 6 "So tell me, what is non-negotiable for you? Distill to its essence what Lutheran ministry means to you. Where does the heart beat? I am speaking to a Black pastor in an urban congregation. The parish and pastor have listened to the people and the neighborhood. They have committed themselves to a ministry of outreach and hospitality among their neighbors. Our conversation ranged from shared community organizing tales from our earlier New York City days to liturgy and ministry in multi-cultural settings. The conversation kept coming back to Lutheran identity in the midst of such issues and opportunities. His answer to my question about identity could have been spoken by Jerome or Luther. "The Meal. The form of the liturgy. The message of Jesus. The community gathered around them. The rest is up for grabs." Amen TO HEAR GOD'S WORD TO SHARE IN THE SUPPER Lutheran identity: The meal/the Sacraments. The form of the liturgy/the Apostolic Tradition. The message of Jesus/the Word. The baptized gathered around and by these Means of Grace whereby the dying and rising Christ is present and the Holy Spirit gives faith and forgiveness and eternal life. Let the liturgy be filled with what is "up for grabs," giving voice and sound and substance and specific density to the many cultural streams in which faith flowers. "Precious Lord, Take my Hand," "Dame la mano," "Christ ist Sonn und Schild," or "The Church's One Foundation" can all fill the church's liturgy with hospitable, new or familiar praises to the living God, flowing from the heartbeat of the Gospel. • What does the liturgy of your congregation share with other Lutherans? Christians? The theology of the Lutheran Book of Worship lifts up the baptismal priesthood of all believers. In Lutheran liturgy "a river runs through it." The Assisting Minister parts, the lessons, and many other opportunities for lay participation are available in the LBW. • How do the people participate in the liturgies of your congregation? "Leitourgia" is the Greek New Testament word from which we derive "liturgy?" The following passages contain the Greek term "leitourgia." Romans 15:16; II Corinthians 9:8-15; Acts 13:2. The word is sometimes translated as "service" or "worship." Read these passages and the verses around them. The liturgy of the Church; hearing the Word, sharing the supper is more than the Sunday service. It includes all of the rites, ceremonies and celebrations that the Church uses to proclaim and serve. • List several times in our lives when we specifically "apply" the liturgy of the Church. • Consider ways that the public display of our liturgy might be made understandable or inviting. How can we teach the liturgy to strangers? How can we invite into the liturgical life of the Church? HEAR GOD'S WORD SHARE IN THE SUPPER Because at the heart of the life of the Church and the Christian is the presence of Jesus in the Word and Sacraments, we can be assured that in all the times of our lives a river runs through it. Bible lessons for the week give glimpses of liturgy in Scripture, especially the dimensions of hearing the Word and communal sharing. Reading for the Week March 7-12, 1996 Thursday, March 7 Acts 2 Saturday, March 9 Acts 8:26-40 Monday, March 11 John 6 Tuesday, March 12 Luke 4:16-22 . . . to proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed Matthew 28:16-20 Wednesday, March 13, 1996 When we renew our baptismal covenant, we promise "to proclaim the good news in Christ through word and deed." We say the words but do we think about what we have just said? Proclaim the good news in Christ? Not an easy thing to do is it? And yet in the end of his gospel Matthew tells us Jesus died on the cross for us, rose again and told the women to get the disciples and meet him in Galilee, and then when Jesus had them gathered together his final words to them…his final words to use are, "go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you." Make disciples . . . Baptize . . . Teach Not an easy thing to do! How will we proclaim through word and deed? We used to think about sending missionaries off to foreign countries to proclaim the good news but in New York people from countries all over the world are coming to us and making their home here. Some have been baptized but need a place to worship God, hear the good news preached in their own language, and be strengthened by his Holy Supper. Others have never even heard the name Jesus Christ and they need to start from the beginning. There is another group growing in size all the time. They are people born and raised right in your neighborhood who have not been taught about God's love for them. People who thirst for spiritual meaning in their lives and don't know where to look. What a big order it seems to be to proclaim the good news to all these people! And yet Jesus said: Make disciples . . . Baptize . . . Teach Let's look at some ways we are proclaiming the good news of Christ through word and deed. Did you know that in our synod we have 12 Spanish language ministries, four Chinese language ministries, and a ministry worshiping in Arabic. There are also liturgies in Norwegian, German, Finnish & Latvian. The Lutheran churches in our synod also proclaim the good news to people from the Caribbean, Africa, and many other places too numerous to name. These people hear the good news and in turn proclaim it to others. Synod support makes many of these ministries happen and in that way we all contribute to the mandate to: Make disciples . . . Baptize . . . Preach For example, in one of these ministries a woman named Maria worships. She came here from El Salvador after her friend was murdered and her own life was threatened. Maria found a Lutheran church where she not only worships but also learns English as a second language as well as attends a group for women to learn how to function in our culture. Ming came to Brooklyn from Mainland China where he had not even heard the name Jesus Christ. Through the outreach of one of our Lutheran Chinese ministries he learned about Jesus, was baptized, and is now reaching out to others. He helped his congregation form a Day Care Center which is not only a big need in the Chinese community but is also a place where Chinese children can learn about Jesus and then begin to tell their parents the good news of God's love for them. In the South Bronx several Lutheran Churches are not only spreading the good news through word and sacrament, but are also training teenagers to be leaders and peer counselors for other youth in the community. Among other things these youth teach their peers is how to avoid getting AIDS. As these youth learn to feel good about themselves, they become role models for other children in the community. These are just a few examples of how all over our synod we are fulfilling our Baptismal Covenant by proclaiming Christ through word and deed. Examples of how throughout our synod we are: Making disciples . . . Baptizing and Teaching The baptismal river running through us is powerful and deep because it is not us but God working through us that makes it all possible. Yes, it is a difficult task which Jesus has mandated for us, but then as we read the last sentence of our scripture lesson we know why we will be able to do it because Jesus says, "And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Questions for Discussion • How has being a baptized child of God made a difference in your life? • Whom do you know on your block or in your neighborhood who does not have a regular church home? What children on your block or in your neighborhood don't go to Sunday School or some kind of religious education? How can you through word and deed, using the gifts God has given you, help these adults and children hear about the "Good News" of Jesus' love for them? How can your congregation through word and deed using its God-given gifts, help these adults and children hear about the "Good News" of Jesus' love for them? • How is God, through the Lutheran Church, changing lives and making disciples in the neighborhood of your congregation, in the synod, in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and in the Lutheran Church throughout the world? Give examples you know about! Readings for the Week March 14-19, 1996 Thursday Mark 16:9-19 Friday Luke 24:44-53 Saturday John 21:15-25 Sunday John 9:1-41 Monday Luke 9:1-6 Tuesday Mark 6:6b-13 . . . to serve all people. Following Matthew 11:2-6 Wednesday, March 20, 1996 The Better Business Bureau tells us that before we contract with anyone to do work for us we ought to get the names of persons for whom they have done work and check with these persons about how well the contractor performed including reliability, workmanship, ability to stay within the agreed price, use of the appropriate materials, and promptness in completing the job. The integrity of our claims is assured by our performance. When John the Baptist sent his disciples to Jesus to ascertain the integrity of Jesus' claim to be the Messiah, Jesus proffered some unsolicited references. "The blink receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them." (Matthew 11:5) People ought to be able to establish the integrity of our claim to be faithful to the Gospel by checking our references; the people we have served. In Matthew 25, those on the right hand ask, "Lord, when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?" They receive the response, "Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these…you did it to me." (v. 37-39, 40). The Baptismal Call to each Christian is not only a call to faith in Jesus Christ. It is a call "To serve all people, following the example of our Lord Jesus." The Christian not only has a responsibility to worship, but to serve. Indeed Christian service, "diakonia" in Scripture, is part of our worship of God. Jesus commanded that we "Love one another even as I have loved you." (John 15:12). It is in obedience to this command that the ministry of our congregations includes ministry through such agencies as Lutheran Social Services, Lutheran Medical House, the Seafarer's & International House, several Homes for the Aged, Lutheran Immigration & Refugee Services, Lutheran World Relief, and others. Serving all people includes summer programs for the youth, church-based community organizations, Nehemiah housing, Alzheimer's day care, food pantries, feeding programs, pre-school and day care programs. The list could go on. These activities are not "extras" but are at the core of the mission which the Christian receives at baptism. Service to all people is not merely an activity of charity. It is central to the task of spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ. John the Baptist was assured that this was the Messiah because of the evidence of healing and caring. "You will know them by their fruits." (Matthew 7:16). People through the evidences of the caring of God's people may come to know Jesus as the Messiah and through the work of the Holy Spirit may come to faith in Christ. This mission of each baptized Christian is supported and nurtured by the Synod's team of pastors, associates in ministry and deacons. By teaching and by example these leaders communicate and model the mission to which each of us have committed ourselves in the Order for the Affirmation of Baptism. "To serve All People, following the example of our Lord Jesus." Questions for Discussion • What are the "people serving" ministries in which my congregation is involved? • How might I go about identifying other opportunities to serve the people of my community? • If Jesus were to walk the streets of my community today, what kind of miracles might be moved perform? • About what injustices might Jesus be concerned in our time? • What gifts do I have that I might use in the service of someone else in Christ's name? • Consider assigning a different member of the congregation to research the ministry of each one of the social ministry agencies of the Metropolitan New York Synod and report to the congregation. The Rev. Winston S. Bone March 21-26, 1996 Thursday John 15:12-17 (v. 16) Saturday John 13:1-17 (v. 15) Monday Acts 10:1-48 (v. 34) Tuesday Matthew 25:14-30 (v. 21) |
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