More Than Hearing

Greetings!! In a past Year B cycle, I remember doing a series of sermons about covenant based on the Old Testament lessons for this year. I was struck by how the idea of the covenant continued to narrow through the weeks. Last week, God made a covenant with the entirety of creation and this week, the covenant is with one particular person, with the intention of spilling out into the whole world. The catch is that this one person had to trust that God would be faithful to the covenant in spite of 24 years of waiting. Trust is precious, and we have all had experiences that reveal not only how strong it is but how fragile it can be. If you trust someone, you are stuck to that person like glue, aren’t you? But if that trust is betrayed – you can almost hear the shattering. All three passages for this week focus on trust. Abram and Sarai – who become Abraham and Sarah – must continue to trust God will keep the promise of a son. Paul encourages the faithful in Rome (and us today) to follow Abraham’s example and live in hope based on trust. In Mark, Peter has just made a monumental confession and must learn to trust Jesus’ definition of what Messiah will be. Let’s go see how we can focus on trust using illustrations and special effects. 

This story in Genesis reminded David of launching a ship in EYE smart. The new names declare that the journey of becoming a people for God is coming closer to fruition, and I suppose if champagne were a thing back then, it would have flowed freely once Isaac was born! We have an article (link below) about some of the elements of christening a ship and a video of one happening. The illustration also carries in it some SELF smart undertones in regards to identity and destiny. For me, the story got me to thinking of a long hike, and since it is the final part of the Torah portion that translates as “go forth,“ I included it in BODY smart. It sparked a thought to use learning to walk as an illustration and special effect. Go to the worksheet and see the chart David constructed showing the MATH smart use of numbers and exponential multiplication. Exponential increases make an appearance in NATURE smart and connect to the later promise God makes to Abraham that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars in the night sky! 

Paul is encouraging the faithful in Rome to trust God by not clinging so tightly to the ways of the past – let go! This made David think of catapults, so he went and found some examples to use as demonstrations for MATH smart. (You can take the guy out of engineering, but you can’t take the engineering out of the guy. <3) I happened on a quote by Paul Tillich that referred to seeds of hope, which is a wonderful illustration for NATURE smart! We expanded the idea into a special effect, too. It also reminded David of a song by Natalie Sleeth, so MUSIC smart jumped in during the recording! We love it when the smarts do that! In PEOPLE smart, we wondered if Paul was taking the canon – or written story about Abraham as it was known then – and adding details to it that had sparked his imagination. This is called “fanon,” and we have a link to it below. [This should not be confused with “fan fiction!” We think Paul’s development is right.] We also have a meme that might illustrate Abraham’s buy-in in verse 21! And in SELF smart, we blend another quote by Tillich with some thoughts about the experiment with the catapult for some special effect questions you can ponder yourself or give to your congregation for their own cogitation.

SEE ALSO: Year A Lent 2 2017 for other illustrations and special effects for this passage

Jesus is being open and honest in verse 32, which bothers not only Mark Twain, but Peter. It’s possible that Peter is taking Jesus aside to say, “But you just told me not to tell anyone you are the Messiah, I’m so confused…..”. He may also have been worried for everyone’s safety or priority of possession, but Jesus is not having any of it, because he turns and rebukes Peter right back. We explore all of this in WORD smart and wonder if Jesus’ revelation of what will happen to the Son of Man is a literary use of foreshadowing. In BODY smart, we use a literary work by Solzhenitsyn to explore Jesus’ acknowledged coming experience of death. To demonstrate this acceptance, we have an idea for a special effect. Considering all the death present in our society, this could be very powerful. Use with caution and all pastoral concern. If you use this special effect, you could sing the hymn “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus” while you do it – or just use the hymn as a MUSIC smart illustration. We have some illustrations about how Jesus connects his suffering and death with the pain of the world in PEOPLE smart.

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It’s been a while since I’ve written a song. As happens with Winnie-the-Pooh, I don’t really write songs so much as songs come to me, and this one just came along. Now, I should point out, when I say “write songs” what I mean is I come up with new lyrics to someone else’s music. That’s what this one is. I was thinking about Genesis 9 for this week’s episode, and the repetition in it clicked in my mind as fitting the song “Handlebars” by Flobots. While “Handlebars” has three or four verses and a couple bridges, this has one verse, no bridge, but it covers the text pretty much end to end.

My lovely wife, colleague, partner, and Valentine, Molly, took a stab at recording this rap for you. You should be glad about that, because otherwise it would have been me, and you wouldn’t want that. Any way, she said she was so worried about getting the words right that she wasn’t feeling it. That’s okay, she did a great job, and it is just a demo. This is so you can hear what it might sound like when you do it in worship.

You can find the lyrics here.

Now, if rap isn’t your thing, you could do it as a poem or get someone else to do it. However you use it, we’d love to hear how it goes. Drop us a note or leave a comment below. If you have a recording, we’d love to hear it!

Image credit: Open Gift Box with Love Present from Clipart.me. Used by permission.

Lent?!? What happened to Christmas?!?!

Hey everyone, welcome back to the site! It it is time to begin the journey to Jerusalem and on to Golgotha. I am writing this on Ash Wednesday – the day we are reminded that we are dust and to dust we will return. Do we really need that reminder, though? Much of our human angst derives from an almost cellular recognition that death is our life long companion, leading us to make some really questionable decisions, both personally and corporately, to install some distance from it. The historical context behind the passages from the New Testament and Gospel for this Sunday reveal small communities whose existence teetered on the edge. The people to whom Peter’s letter is addressed suffered for their trust in the Gospel. Mark’s community is attempting to make sense of who Jesus of Nazareth was, either a guy from Galilee or the Messiah. (Why not both?) The narrative from Genesis is the aftermath of a global flood sent by God to wipe the slate clean. Drowning in water or in circumstances, God gives us a symbol of hope and restoration. If we read the rainbows with eyes of faith, we see God standing right behind death and know that when we return to dust, God will be there to take us in. Let’s go explore how we can make this statement of faith visible and real using Multiple Intelligence Theory.

The Old Testament passages for Lent in Year B examine the ways God presents the covenant to the people through their history. We begin with the first covenant – the rainbow. In WORD smart, we were struck that in more than one passage for this cycle, God begins the presentation of covenant using the phrase “as for me.” It’s a verbal attention getter that reminded me of a former President who often used the word “Look” when beginning an explanation of policy. We have some ideas how you might draw attention to other words in the passage with special effects the congregation gets to do using their bodies! I don’t think it is possible to do anything in EYE smart without using rainbows, so break out the color wheels and have fun with it! In BODY smart, God is using a weapon of warfare and hunting to symbolize God’s promise of salvation (at least from global catastrophic flooding). I suspect bows were seen all around in those days, so the reminder would be ever present. The promise is made not just to Noah and his human family but to all flesh that was on the ark; every critter! We have a suggestion for a special effect. Finally, in MUSIC smart, I remembered the song “Flood” by Jars of Clay (link below) and David revised the lyrics of the song “Handlebars” by The Flobots. 

The flood in Genesis and Jesus baptism into death are connected in this letter. Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection open the door to God regardless of where we find ourselves in life. We often feel we must do something to deserve this grace and the question of what we deserve in life (and death) can be illustrated by a clip from the movie Unforgiven. If you don’t like Westerns, then try the other clip we offer from X-Men 2! If you don’t like either of those, then simply open a door. For MATH smart, we try to suss out the theology of this passage using analogies, some of which work better than others. In PEOPLE smart, we think that Jesus acts like a friend or a host who brings you to meet others, especially God. We also have an idea for adapting a skit – check out the show notes and the link below. And in SELF smart, the author mentions a good conscience, so illustrate how we tend to think of that still, small voice as a cartoon character when it’s really more an existential well of being. 

This passage… sounds familiar; didn’t we just do this? Part of it, anyway! This passage is already arranged for a three point sermon, as we discuss in WORD smart. Also, Jesus is far from home when he comes to the Jordan, so God’s words blessing him as the Beloved may have been very welcome. Use this phrase to greet one another in worship, and see how calling one another God’s beloved makes a difference in lives. For BODY smart, the phrase that the time is fulfilled called to mind Mary’s deliverance in Luke 2. Compare how her pregnancy tracks with Jesus’ ministry; the Spirit resting on them, a journey, allies who help them, the kingdom’s arrival embodied by Jesus both as an infant and as Messiah. Jesus spends 40 days in the wilderness in the company of wild animals, so in NATURE smart, we have a link to an article that compares this time with the Messianic expectation of the Peaceable Kingdom, and we also list some of the animals that might have been there. And in PEOPLE smart, we compare Jesus being driven out to the wilderness by the Spirit to experiences some have had at the hands of friends. Or at least, we thought they were friends!

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Hey all! Here in our part of the world, we are in the grip of weird winter weather. Yesterday was beautiful and sunny with no clouds in the sky (YAY!!!) and today is socked in with drizzle that is kinda icy [Yuck]. I grew up in Colorado, which geographically is part of the high plains; the altitude and dry conditions make for long, long stretches of sunny skies. I got used to being able to see from horizon to horizon growing up, so sometimes not being able to see more than a quarter mile down a road has been an adjustment. Plus, experiencing long, long stretches of gray skies has also been a challenge. It’s not just me, either. Humans like being able to see what’s coming down the road, both while on the road and metaphorically. When the future is uncertain or dimly seen, we get a bit stressed. The three passages for today all have references to vision being clouded – by misunderstanding (2 Corinthians), or sudden wind storms (2 Kings), or dazzling white garments and supernatural appearances and overshadowing clouds (Mark). While Elisha’s and the disciples’ experiences are unique, we all know what it’s like to misunderstand and be misunderstood, clouding comprehension and forward progress. Hopefully, using the suggested Smarts will help clear up preaching and worship plans! Let’s go find out how.

Elijah is connected with some pretty impressive weather events; thunderstorms, earthquakes, firestorms, and whirlwinds. Also, chariots of fire! We offer links to images and videos of whirlwinds as illustrations in both EYE and NATURE smart. If you try the special effect for EYE smart, be certain to have towels or plastic sheeting on the floor, and if you have folks who sit up front (really?), you may want to alert them about flying fluids a la Gallagher. PEOPLE and SELF smart illustrations are all about interpersonal attachments, and we suggest comparing the relationship Elisha and Elijah have to your own relationships. The entire passage is lyrical, so in MUSIC smart, we run through how we see phrases and themes in the text. We also suggest some instrumentation to punctuate them.

We think the choice The Lectionary Committee made by selecting this passage to go with 2 Kings and Mark is pretty obvious, what with the references to obscured vision, glory, and unexpected arrivals and departures. For EYE smart, we suggest illustrating the passage with veils and veiled things (see also MUSIC smart), and using iconography and lamps for a special effect of illumination. The Greek word for “mind” in verse four is noema, which indicates reasoning or coming to a conclusion. Paul seems to be saying that unbelievers are unbelievers because they do not have all the information they need to make a decision about Jesus. Our MATH smart illustrations of computing, coding, or simple arithmetic show how making a decision about Jesus requires more than crunching numbers. For BODY smart illustrations and special effects, we look at physical reasons for limited vision. There may also be reasons in NATURE that prevent clear vision, as well.

Year B is Mark’s opportunity to tell the story of Jesus’ transfiguration. All the Synoptics record Peter’s blurted response to seeing Elijah and Moses with a dazzling Jesus, and they all record the three disciples being terrified. In MATH smart, we have links exploring how the brain processes information. Is this how Peter jumped to the conclusion to build shelters? The voice from the baptism shows up again and tells the disciples to listen to Jesus, so in MUSIC smart we offer an quote, and illustration, and a special effect showing the importance of learning to listen while playing music. For PEOPLE smart, illustrate that you can learn something about a person by the people who surround them. And in SELF smart, we think the bright light is key to seeing clearly and understanding not only who Jesus is, but who we are in relationship to him. 

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Hey all! Welcome back to the show! Have you ever been asked to enumerate your strengths and weaknesses? I always find myself struggling a bit to find an appropriate response for that. Do I answer the way I think they want to hear? Do I jump in and answer honestly and hope for the best? Do I list every strength and risk sounding arrogant or admit to “areas of growth” and risk sounding like a liability? It’s a tough line to walk, sometimes. In the passages for this week, we see images of strength and weakness. We hear some soaring poetry from Isaiah about God’s strength on behalf of the weakened people of Israel. We hear some puzzling pronouncements from Paul to the Corinthians about his willingness to forego his own strengths and appear like everyone else, even those who are weak. In Mark, Jesus once again reveals the strength of his authority, yet also shows a need to get away and reconnect in order not to be weakened and overcome. 

This entire passage is a MUSIC smart illustration and special effect! Two songs using this imagery leapt out at me, and ironically, we are not using either in the podcast this week! Derp. We began instead with BODY smart thinking about how difficult the journey home to Israel from Babylon would be, especially for the elderly. We illustrate the encouragement in this poem with great coach pep talks! The quote by Melissa Bane Sevier on the worksheet may have some deep connection to people in your congregation who may be struggling with limited physical ability. In NATURE smart, we look at the two extremes of the canopy of heavens and grasshoppers crawling on the ground. Also, when the eagles “mount up,” are they riding thermals? I always thought that’s what that meant. We wonder if modern day experiences of exile would be a good way to connect this passage to your congregation in PEOPLE smart. Finally in SELF smart, is it possible that God’s strengthening comes through our own transformation?

Paul continues to reorient the Corinthians to their call as disciples. He uses his own life as an illustration of what that looks like. The passage begins with him saying he has no ground for boasting, which you could illustrate in the negative by using Yosemite Sam’s self descriptions in WORD smart (sort of PEOPLE, too). For a special effect, we have a link to a book that stresses the importance of presence in violent places (also sort of PEOPLE). Paul’s list of people can be illustrated with a Venn Diagram in MATH smart. Paul is not looking to grab power, but to lay it down, which made me think of chemical reactions. We have a correction as to which one in the links below. Whoops. For BODY smart, you could illustrate the contrast of strength and weakness using old Charles Atlas advertisements. Paul certainly seems to be acting like a chameleon so we recommend the link in NATURE smart to compare. In PEOPLE smart, we have a link to an interview with a traveling sales representative who knows a thing or two about meeting customer’s needs. Also, try using Invasion of the Body Snatchers as an illustration, as well.

After exorcising an unclean spirit in last week’s passage, Jesus is swamped with requests to do it again this week. This prompts him to withdraw to a “deserted place.” So we have some ideas to illustrate what this might look like in EYE smart. We also have some links to photography you could use as a special effect. Simon’s mother-in-law is ill with a fever, and we have a couple ways to illustrate this; one to show Jesus’ fearlessness in the face of illness and another to connect people with the experience of being really, desperately sick. For a special effect, break out the bunny slippers and tissues! In MUSIC smart, we have a link for a blessing for healing and wholeness. It’s is superb; I am planning to use it myself this week. And in SELF smart, illustrate the massive crowd gathering outside the door with some of the examples listed on the worksheet. Can you think of any others? For a special effect, use the commercial linked below to demonstrate how someone lives out his purpose in spite of obstacles and naysaying. I’m not crying, you are! We also have some questions that you can ponder regarding your own need to withdraw to a deserted place.

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Hello! We’re glad you are back or joining us for the first time! Roughly eight years ago, the woman in David’s congregation who had been the director of Vacation Bible School for 20 years retired from that role. Uproar ensued. Well, not entirely, but there was a lot of concern about who would fill her shoes; she was energetic, imaginative, devoted, and began working on VBS around Christmas. As the time for VBS neared that year, we finally settled on calling three other people to fill her one position. No one person felt adequate to take the entire position, but three people felt they could manage a part of it. For them, it was a question not only of energy and time, but of authority. Our former director had become the person around whom VBS and children’s ministry in general rotated. None of them felt up to the challenge of assuming that mantle. After that first year of three people doing what one had done, we all shifted into a new groove and found different footing with new leaders. The ministry continued successfully but that first year was rocky. Who will lead? Who will speak for God? How will we recognize the leaders among us? And how will we know God is behind what we do? These questions are never far from the surface. The three passages for this week address these questions directly, and we are wise to study them thoroughly.

In this passage from Deuteronomy, Moses is saying his farewell to the people since he is not allowed to enter the land with them. God tells the people through Moses that another prophet will be lifted up from among them to speak for God, since hearing God directly at Horeb was so terrifying. In WORD smart, we think using a mouthpiece for a musical instrument is a good illustration of how this works and as a special effect, put the mouthpiece in and play something! In MATH smart, we have another way to illustrate and demonstrate Moses’ role using conduits and tin-can telephones. David wrote a poem for MUSIC smart if you want more than the crossover from WORD smart. In NATURE smart, we know that a prophet has spoken God’s word when it bears fruit – but that takes time, so illustrate how we see those results using cultures grown in Petri dishes. For a special effect that demonstrates the peoples’ fear when they heard God speak, check out the video we include below.

In most of his letters, Paul argues that because the Risen Christ has been given all authority, we live our lives with liberty under his freedom. We no longer get bound up in fulfilling the impossible. Yet, Paul has some words of caution; even though we are free to live indifferently about indifferent things, we must be careful not to chain our brothers and sisters who may interpret our living as lawlessness. We must strive to know one another through love and take care for the weaknesses that may still grip others in the family of faith. To demonstrate how we live out unity among our diversity, check out the special effect we suggest for EYE smart. Paul marks a clear division between knowledge that puffs and love that builds, so use the special effect in BODY smart to show the difference. I read a commentary that stated the meat controversy Paul presents is entirely foreign to our experience, which made me laugh out loud – ever tried to accommodate vegetarians or vegans and meat eaters at Thanksgiving? This could be an energetic illustration for NATURE smart! David found some links to our natural drives that illustrate this tension, as well (links below). Give your congregation some hands-on tools to express their connection in PEOPLE smart, and N.T. Wright’s quote on the worksheet works both as an illustration and as a devotion in SELF smart. 

Mark frequently uses a “sandwich” technique in his Gospel; we have ideas to illustrate that in EYE and WORD that do not make it into the podcast but can be found on the worksheet below. We start with MATH smart using a simple architectural structure as an illustration. The meat of Mark’s sandwich in this passage is Jesus’ authority – not only to teach in a way that is different from the usual, but to command unclean spirits. Jesus embodies God’s authority, and we have a fun BODY smart illustration for you! More than one commentator noted that it was the unclean spirit who saw Jesus clearly and reacts with hostility to him. We have a link in NATURE smart that may help illustrate this territorial confrontation. Since Jesus’ authority comes from God, he goes where we are loathe to venture. We suggest using the commentary by Ismael Ruiz-Millan below as a PEOPLE smart illustration, as well as episodes from Netflix’s series The Crown and the 1960’s Batman series. We have varied tastes!

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Greetings!! Welcome back to the show! Do you remember taking tests while in school and hearing the teacher call out, “Time’s up!” and what that felt like? Have you ever played a game where you are racing against the clock to complete a task? Have you ever felt that time was simply against you? Or, have you sensed time moving onward to a future that shows signs of being very different? Geoffery Chaucer gets the credit for the phrase time and tide wait for no man, but Jonah, Paul, and Jesus all pre-date him significantly with admonitions to pay attention. Jonah is sent by God to proclaim to Nineveh that time is running out for them, so repent. Paul instructs the Corinthians to live as though Jesus will return any moment, and Jesus himself tells us that “the time is fulfilled”. All three passages reveal how God controls reality and God’s intention for humanity to find its fulfillment in what God has created. 

We pick up the story of Jonah just after the large fish has deposited him back on dry land. We are back at the beginning and once again, the word of the Lord comes to Jonah and reiterates the charge to go to Nineveh and preach repentance. Jonah apparently only needs to be swallowed by a great fish one time, because he finally goes where he’s told. Pull out the maps to show where Nineveh was for EYE smart special effect. Also, since this is the second time around for Jonah, we have a suggestion to demonstrate that with clapperboards and boxing ring signs. To illustrate the frustration of being a prophet, try using the TV show linked below (or the other ones we suggest in the show). Jonah’s sermon was basic and uninspired – but it was ridiculously effective! We have an EYE smart special effect that demonstrates how God can use even our weak efforts to further God’s purposes. For BODY smart, bring in some burlap. For NATURE smart, we have some ideas using withered, dry seeds. And for PEOPLE smart, we invite you to imagine how difficult Jonah’s task was by comparing it to some contemporary places that could stand in for Nineveh. 

In order to communicate just how important Jesus’ resurrection is to our reality, Paul writes these short verses to the Corinthians. He uses simile to convince them that their lives are no longer the same and to live accordingly. Those of us who speak English have sometimes misinterpreted his directions because we do not understand what he means by “the time has grown short”. In Greek, the word is kairos which has a much different quality than chronos – which is what we hear when we see that word. We think of the clock – tick tock tick tock – and not the larger essence of time on a universal scale. In WORD smart, we have a link to a book that might help you illustrate the difference between the two Greek words. For MATH and MUSIC smart, we found some mathematic formulas and lyrics that might help illustrate the difference, as well. In SELF smart, we have some questions about the energy devoted to different obligations and how realigning our understanding of time may allow us to re-channel some of it.

As this passage begins, Jesus has adopted the message of his cousin John. We were struck by how much his sermon sounds like Jonah’s. Of course, Jesus is much more impassioned and truly cares about the people to whom he is preaching. We have a suggestion for a WORD smart special effect to demonstrate how direct this speech is. Jesus calls four fishermen to become his disciples. In EYE smart, we have some illustrations that call to mind the change in their lives using a railroad switch and an artist’s work using fishing nets. For a special effect, demonstrate the word “fulfilled” using water glasses and solar eclipses. For NATURE smart, consider how Jesus baited the hook to catch Simon, Andrew, James, and John. Also, we have a link to a story about learning to trust the power of water currents. Going back to the topic of bait, we wonder how Jesus would bait hooks for the members of your congregation in PEOPLE smart. We also have a story about leadership that follows Jesus. And in SELF smart, relive your own call – how did Jesus lure you?

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Greetings!! Welcome back to the show! I should probably explain the reason for the parenthesis in the title; the first year we began this podcast, we opted to go with “ordinary time” between Epiphany and Lent. We did the same last year, and so figured we would continue with the trend for this year for the sake of internal consistency. BUT we also wanted to allow folks who are following the Epiphany calendar the chance to find us, so we included it as well. I’m kind of partial to “ordinary time” because it suggests that while we live our ordinary lives in our ordinary day-to-day fashion, God is present with us – we just may not notice. Which is a lot like the Old Testament passage for this Sunday. The Word of the Lord was rare and visions weren’t happening much anymore. Then, God interrupted some sleep and things changed. Unlike Eli, who was spiritually attuned enough to God to recognize the change would bring judgment and to accept it, the Corinthians to whom Paul writes think they can receive God’s new thing and simply continue to live their lives as they please. Not so! says Paul. God paid a price for us through Jesus and isn’t going to let us run amok. Belonging to God through Christ equals transformed lives. In John, Jesus calls disciples and while Phillip is enthusiastically ready to throw in with him, Nathanael is surprised that God would work through such an ordinary place as Nazareth. Jesus tells him to buckle his seatbelt, he hasn’t seen anything yet! 

One of the questions I frequently ask parents of babies is whether the child is sleeping through the night. Sometimes, the question is unnecessary; Mom and Dad look harried and flustered, or are shambling about like The Walking Dead. Since Samuel was delivered to Eli as a toddler, he did not experience the night feedings that are part of an infant’s routine. So when Samuel kept barging into his room one night, Eli must have wondered what had gotten into the boy. Then, he thought about it and gave Samuel some instructions. I wonder what went through his mind as he waited for dawn; that he was able to receive the Lord’s words of judgment without argument makes me think he had his own epiphany that night. We found illustrations and special effects for all but Nature smart in this text. It seems fitting that we spend time with WORD smart since the text declares the Word of the Lord was rare in those days. We have some ideas to anchor words in your congregation’s mind with a special effect. You can delve into MATH smart with probabilities and statistical significance of Samuel hearing God call three times. In BODY smart, illustrate the physical effort (and comedy!) of Samuel abruptly jumping from bed three times. Plus, uninterrupted sleep is important for one’s health! Those who have ears, let them hear.

In this section of the letter, Paul is exhorting the faithful in Corinth to live in such a way that exhibits Jesus. “See here, this is very important,” he seems to say. This passage is full of PEOPLE and SELF overtones – how does one live freely in Jesus’ grace in a way that does not bring dishonor on the Body? The question before the Corinthians is timeless and dogs the steps of the faithful to this day, because while we are free in Jesus, not everything is beneficial. In this section, Paul tackles the issue of fornication with a specific reference to the use of prostitutes. We explore his logical argument in MATH smart with two illustrations, one from The Simpsons. For BODY smart, we have links to essays about the consequences of prostitution particularly as it affects society. We also have links to agencies throughout the world who work on behalf of those ensnared in sex trafficking. We also use a parable about pot holes in NATURE smart to illustrate the insidious nature of sin, especially “victimless” crime.

This selection from John’s gospel continues with the call of more disciples, this time Phillip and Nathanael. We start with EYE smart and Phillip’s response to Nathanael’s skepticism about anything good coming out of Nazareth. “Come and see,” he tells him – which sometimes is the only response we have to others’ disbelief. We have two illustrations and a special effect for one of them. We think the whole passage has MUSIC smart implications; check out the worksheet (link below) to see what we suggest doing. For PEOPLE smart, we have illustrations that demonstrate the relationships at work in this story. That Nathanael is dismissive of Nazareth is not too surprising for the folks reading this story at the time; we have some ways of reading the text that demonstrate that. For SELF smart, we have some questions about how we obey Jesus’ call to follow. Are we like Nathanael, or like Phillip who follows Jesus by going to find others and then saying, “Come, and see!”?

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Happy New Year! It’s time to turn the calendar over and begin marking off the days for 2018. We’re starting January with the first five verses of Genesis, hopping on the speeding narrative train that is Mark with Jesus’ baptism, and spending some time in Acts watching Paul upgrade the Ephesians operating system from the baptism of John to the baptism of ☧. Only God knows what’s coming down the road for 2018 and while we have our hopes and fears, one thing we know for certain: God is already there and God is waiting for us. Let’s go explore some ways to usher in this season with illustrations and special effects. 

The creation stories in Genesis are so familiar that it is a bit jarring to stop at the end of the first day. The connection for the other two passages is the Spirit (Acts) moving over the waters (Mark), so this is the reason the other six days are left back stage. But, there is nothing to prevent you from using the entire account if you desire. We had a lot of information but decided to stick to EYE, MATH, MUSIC, and NATURE smart. As usual, to illustrate using EYE smart, go to Google and find art work about the creation. I found a lot of it covering many centuries, countries, and styles. I gravitated toward the colorful and we have links to some of what I found down below. You could devote a LOT of time to this particular intelligence for this passage! The special effect could include children and make a memorable experience for them. We break out equations and sine waves and pendulums for MATH smart. MUSIC smart is as well represented as EYE for this passage and we have links to music and poetry for you to consider. NATURE smart could be a lot of fun and utilize people in your congregation in a meaningful way, so go check it out on the worksheet!

Imagine Paul had a smartphone and was communicating with the Ephesians the way some of us might these days. What would this exchange look like as emojis?

Paul was surprised the Ephesians had only experienced the baptism of John and quickly went about instructing and performing baptism in Jesus’ name. We use a flow chart to demonstrate the conversation and suggest illustrating repentance using scales for MATH smart. This particular illustration could be done in conjunction with BODY smart, too. Other options for BODY include a book called The Spark of Life (linked below) and incorporating the laying on of hands in the worship service. We have some ideas how that could be done. David has a story that you may use to illustrate Paul’s surprise in PEOPLE smart. We’ve also linked to a story that comes from a Native American narrative. We suggest using the Reaffirmation of the Baptismal Covenant for a special effect. This includes laying on hands which connects with BODY smart.

Year B is Mark’s turn to tell the tale of Jesus’ baptism. If you want to really excite the WORD smart among your people, compare the Synoptic versions of this story. How do Luke and Matthew differ and why? It could be quite delightful for them! We decided to go with other smarts for this passage, beginning in BODY by describing or inviting your folks to “feel” water on their bodies. For a special effect, bring in bath equipment, maybe setting up a tub to wash in while you talk. MUSIC is once again filled with song and poetry; see the links! David was captivated by the thought of what the heavens may have looked like as Jesus came up out of the river so in NATURE smart, look for images of celestial phenomenon. Don’t forget the August 2017 eclipse! And for SELF smart, read or copy and distribute the quotation on the worksheet and invite people to do the self meditation we provided.

Image Credit: Copyright: madmaxer / 123RF Stock Photo. Used by permission.

Hey friends. Here’s a bonus track from our experiment this week of doing the show live on the fly. This is Part 1 of the process wherein we go through the passage line by line to figure out what intelligences are native there.

I’ll be honest, this isn’t the most exciting thing to listen to. That’s why we’re putting it out as a bonus track. Still, you might find it helpful to hear how we approach the text from a multiple intelligence point of view. And there are some extra illustrations that popped up here as we talked the text over. There are a few points of obvious disagreement, a fair bit of dead air, and lots of “ums” and “erhs.” I left most of that in to be honest to the process. Also, it ends pretty abruptly, because we were done. It sounds a little chilly toward the end, but we were fine and had a great time going to see The Last Jedi after we finished recording Part 2, which you can find here.

Would love to hear your reactions to our thought processes, so leave a comment here or at our Facebook page.

Image credit: http://clipart-library.com/clipart/pTqr5dGec.htm. Used by permission.