Week 9

LUKE 19:1-10

Zacchaeus the Tax Collector

19 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

SYNOPSIS

• Jesus entered Jericho
• Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector, was eager to see Jesus
• Zacchaeus climbs a tree to see Jesus
• Jesus addresses Zacchaeus and asked to stay at his house
• Zacchaeus brought Jesus back to his home
• Zacchaeus gives away half of his possessions and vows to pay back those he has cheated

TALKING POINTS

• Jericho is a large city much like Atlanta; many wealthy folk
• Chief tax collector
• works for the Romans that are presently crucifying fellow countrymen
• not well liked - if Romans tax at $2, the tax collector typically asks for more and keeps the difference
• This passage occurs during in the last few weeks of Jesus' ministry; Jesus is on the way back to Jerusalem
• Why does Zacchaeus want to see Jesus?
• curiousity
• he's a celebrity
• desperate 
• What blocks your view of Jesus?
• "too damn busy"
• need others to point him out
• What was the state of Zacchaeus' house?
• Why do we think we need to have it all together before letting Jesus in?
• What happens as a result of walking together?
• What does it mean to come out of the tree?
• What does it mean to be a tree?
• To be lost means you originally had to belong!
• God made us in His image
• we have inherently good qualities - waiting to be uncovered
• What is salvation?
• being rescued
• freedom
• you have to accept it!

MUFFIN OF THE WEEK

CRANBERRY ORANGE CHOCOLATE CHIP

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp vanilla.
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 375F. Line and grease muffin tins. Put the cranberries and orange juice in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Allow the berries to absorb the juice. Remove the berries from the heat.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Using a mixer, cream together butter, zest, and sugar in another bowl. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. Fold the flour into the butter mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk in 2 parts, until just combined. Fold in the cranberries and chocolate chips. Fill muffin tins 3/4 full using an ice cream scoop. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Week 8

MARK 3:1-6

3 Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. 2 Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. 3 Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”

4 Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.

5 He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.

SYNOPSIS

• Jesus entered a synagogue to find a man with a shriveled hand
• Jesus instructs the man with the shriveled hand to stand up
• Jesus addresses the pharisees in anger
• Jesus heals the man on the Sabbath

TALKING POINTS

• Mark is the first Gospel written
• Mark is effectively Peter's adopted son
• How many people have a shriveled hand?
• likely ten out of ten people
• What is your shriveled hand?
• Why don't you show your shriveled hand?
• pride; it's all about an image
• waiting for others to be vulnerable and show his or hers
• where can you be open?
• Jesus reaches out to the man
• Half the battle is just showing up
• man with the shriveled hand merely showed up to the synagogue
• Did Jesus have scars when he rose from the dead?
• Yes. Why?
• you can live with your scars
• you can show your scars
• scars can serve as lessons and inspiration to others

MUFFIN OF THE WEEK

MAPLE 

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup plus 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup plus 4 tbsp maple syrup 
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Line and grease muffin tins. In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, combine 3/4 cup milk, butter, 1/2 cup syrup, sour cream, egg, and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients until moistened. Using an ice cream scoop, fill muffin tins 3/4 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

In a bowl, whisk powdered sugar and remaining maple syrup. Continue to add milk until the glaze is smooth. The glaze should not be think or thin.

Once the muffins have cooled, dip the top of each muffin in the glaze. Allow the glaze to harden. 

Week 7

MARK 1:1-7

1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah,[a] the Son of God,[b] 2 as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
    who will prepare your way”[c]—
3 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.’”[d]

4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentancefor the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.

SYNOPSIS

• Introduction to the Gospel of Mark
• recalls stories of John the Baptist baptizing those in the desert region
• John foreshadows Jesus' coming

TALKING POINTS

• Up to this point, God has been silent for over 400 years
• Is God silent in your life? What are the voices you are hearing?
• Can I see God instead of listen to Him?
• student shared story about having dinner with God: speaking to God over dinner as if engaging in a conversation with a friend
• What does it mean to prepare the way for Christ?
• afford others grace and patience
• making yourself easily approachable
• listen, be still
• Do I get in the way of others finding Jesus?
• Do you expect Jesus to show up?
• if you do, it's usually not the way you thought He would
• it's an exercise in trust
• Verse 4 is a huge change in John's actions; initially very exclusive and would not have taken his preaching out to the far reaches
• Why is verse 6 relevant?
• cultural significance
• clothing indicates the particular sect of Judaism that John was a part of
• depicts John being out in the wild and further illustrates the point made in verse 4
• What is your message to others as a believer?
• "Prepare" is an active verb; not just verbal

MUFFIN OF THE WEEK

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE BANANA 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups bananas, mashed
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare muffin tin with liners and grease. In a large bowl, combine bananas, oil, egg, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, and baking powder. Fold flour into banana mixture. Stir in white chocolate and half of semi-sweet chocolate. Using an ice cream scoop, fill muffin tins 3/4 full. Sprinkle remaining semi-sweet chocolate chips over the top of the muffins. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.