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Lenten Devotional 2021 Advent Lutheran Church

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Lenten Devotional 2021 Advent Lutheran Church Lenten Devotional 2021 Advent Lutheran Church, NYC Introduction to Lent 2021: Disrupt I recently read that Jesus' ministry was defined by his willingness to be interrupted. I'd argue that it was also defined by his willingness to be an interruption. "Disrupt" is our theme for Lent 2021. We understand this theme might feel unsettling. Especially during a period in history where all we want is for things to be settled and ordered. But with so much disruption present in our lives, we want to explore how God works in and through disruption. Together, this Lent, we will explore how the Holy Spirit is working through disruption: the disruption of the Lenten season, this past year, Jesus' final days, our best intentions, and God's vision for what could be. Together, we'll ask: How is God calling us to reorder our lives and our world? How can we follow Jesus' lead and be disrupters of the status quo? This devotional is a collective community resource to help us wrestle with scripture and holy disruption. In addition to this devotional, you can join this journey the next 5 Sundays of Lent. Sunday, Feb 21 (tomorrow): Disrupting Economy Sunday, Feb 28: Disrupting Religion Sunday, Mar 7: Disrupting Racism Sunday, Mar 14: Disrupting Institutions Sunday, Mar 21: Disrupting Death And engage in a plethora of Small Group opportunities at https://www.adventnyc.org/groups May God bless you on your Lenten journey. And all the days of your life. Pastor Danielle Sunday February 21 | Mark 14:1-11 and Disrupting Economy It was two days before the Passover and the festival of Unleavened Bread. The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him; for they said, "Not during the festival, or there may be a riot among the people." While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head. But some were there who said to one another in anger, "Why was the ointment wasted in this way? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor." And they scolded her. But Jesus said, "Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her." Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. When they heard it, they were greatly pleased, and promised to give him money. So he began to look for an opportunity to betray him. --------------------------------- Reflection: Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. We vilifying him. We shake our heads in disbelief that his faith could be so easily shaken. And we do the same. Jesus tells us in Matthew 25, what you do to the least of these you do to me also. The reality is that we operate in a financial system that requires people to lose so that some will win. The system that is our economy has been so divorced from the humanity and belovedness of the people that exist within it, that while we see wealth disparity as an unfortunate reality, we also act as if it is a forgone conclusion. But God’s economy is relational. And relationships are never forgone conclusions. They are active, living, moving, and holy partnerships/covenants/acts of love and mutual respect. Relationships ask us to value the well being of another, they inspire us to give, and to look beyond what we know and ask us to act with empathy. Questions: What does it look like for us to live into God’s economy? This week, take note of the economic transactions you engage in – large and small. How are those transactions relational? Pay attention to how you participate in economy and ask God to disrupt your regular patterns and assumptions. *artwork: Tree of Life, Elena Kotliarker Monday February 22 | Matthew 20:1-16 1For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 3When he went out about nine o'clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; 4and he said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' So they went. 5When he went out again about noon and about three o'clock, he did the same. 6And about five o'clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, 'Why are you standing here idle all day?' 7They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard.' 8When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, 'Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.' 9When those hired about five o'clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. 10Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. 11And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 12saying, 'These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.' 13But he replied to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?' So the last will be first, and the first will be last." --------------------------------- Reflection questions: Where do you find yourself in this story? Are you the landowner, giving out generous wages? Are you the first laborers, who worked all day and became envious of those who worked less? Are you the last laborers, who worked short hours and received the same wage as the first? Who are you in the story right now, and who would you like to be? This passage from Matthew is, on one level, a metaphor for the kingdom of God: grace is given to each of us, even and especially to those who have done little or nothing to "earn" it. On another level, this story can be read as a practical guide to a just economy. A day's wages for a laborer was essentially equal to the cost of living for one day, meaning these laborers were living paycheck to paycheck, day to day. If a laborer did not work, or was paid less than a full day's wage, they would likely go hungry. Therefore, it is an act of justice to pay each laborer the same, full wage, so that all would be able to survive. Inspired by this story, what actions can you take in your own life to live out a similar economic ethic? - Bekah Anderson Tuesday February 23 | Cosmos by Lutz Baar Reflection Questions: What does the expansiveness of creation tell us about God’s economy? Today, take notice of the world around you. Take special notice to the relational aspects of creation. And how you relate from your place within creation. Bonus exercise: Take three deep breaths. Look around and name 5 things you can see. Reach out to 4 things you can touch. Close your eyes and listen for three things you can hear. Keep your eyes closed and detect two things you can smell. What is one thing you can taste. Take three deep breaths and give thanks for this particular moment. Give thanks that you are here – a beloved child of God’s own creation. Wednesday February 24 | Philippians 4:1-9 and The Economy of Gratitude Reflection Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved. I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
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