Bible Study – Second Sunday in Lent “As A Hen Gathers Her Chicks”
Share: Your highs (something that made you happy) and lows (something that made you sad) this week with others around you or write them down.
The Lord is full of compassion and mercy: Come, let us adore him. And what if, during this season of Lent, we sought a deeper understanding of this amazing gospel of grace? Will that image of grace energize us to do the spiritual housekeeping we need to be ready for the "new thing" God is doing in Easter?
Lights! Camera! Action! The drama is about to begin. The powers that be collaborate to extinguish the ministry of Jesus. Jesus, keenly aware that time is running out, continues his work. In this poignantly feminine image, Jesus muses that he had longed to gather these children as a hen gathers her chicks. The hollowness of power confronts the powerfulness of the gentle.
Jesus always used examples familiar to the people. Jesus is wanting to gather his people like a hen gathers her chicks.
Opening Prayer: Help us, God, to hear what you have for us as we continue our Spring Training so we will be ready for the season ahead. Amen.
This passage comes near the end of Luke's Gospel and near the end of Jesus’ ministry.
Please open your Bibles to Luke 13:31-35 and read or read the scriptures below.
Luke 13:31-35
Jesus’ Sorrow for Jerusalem
31 At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.”
32 He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ 33 In any case, I must press on today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!
34 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 35 Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’[a]”
Reflection Questions (Answers at the bottom of the page.):
- Do you know who the Pharisees are and who Herod is?
- Why do you think the Pharisees came to warn Jesus of the danger he was in?
- How does Jesus answer the Pharisees?
- What made Jesus so sure that prophets are killed in Jerusalem?
- Who might have been shocked at Jesus' story of the hen and her chicks?
- Who might have seen themselves in the story?
Click her for the young learner’s lesson
Videos (Click on the words or url)
Daily Gospel Reading Video - Luke Chapter 13:31-35: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXl5BRkd_ys
Gospel of Luke Summary: A Complete Animated Overview (Part 2) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26z_KhwNdD8
Song: Under His Wings - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vvhc7VGb3Q
Activities
Spring Training: Find the bag you made last week. You will need pieces of paper and a pencil. Open your bag and read what is in there. Now write something on the pieces of paper that you have noticed this week to improve your Spring Training. Then seal your bag and then place it where it will be remained sealed.
Remember last week you designed your own Spring Training kit — for your eyes only. At the end of this activity, you put what you have been writing inside your bags, put our names on the outside, seal the bags, and place it where it will remain sealed until next week. The purpose is to develop individual Spring Training disciplines. Some options: finding a time during the week to read from the Bible, finding time during the week to pray for help with dumping something that is getting between you and God, giving up something that is getting in the way, or that will get you in better shape, etc. Then, write something to put in the bag. When you are finished, you can seal your bag and then place it where it will be remained sealed.
You will find the Second Sunday Lent prayers on page 27 of the Evangelical Lutheran Worship Book you can read. “God of the covenant, in the mystery of the cross you promise everlasting life to the world. Gather all peoples into your arms, and shelter us with your mercy, that we may rejoice in the life we share in your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, on God now and forever. Amen”
Wings “personalized” – Draw WINGS (or click on the following website for how to draw wings https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=wings%20drawing&rs=ac&len=13&source_id=I5lTfRD9&eq=wings%20drawing&etslf=6131 ) at the top of construction paper. Write your name under the wings to personalize God’s special love and care for you. Add a Bible verse from 1 John 4:9, 1 John 4:18, I Corinthians 13:1-8, John 15:9, John 3:16 and John15:12. Then add happy face and heart stickers and decorate the Wings art.
Jesus Weeps for Jerusalem – Word Shape: https://sermons4kids.com/activities/jesus-weeps-for-jerusalem-3
Jesus Weeps for Jerusalem - Word Search: https://sermons4kids.com/activities/jesus-weeps-for-jerusalem-2
Jesus Weeps for Jerusalem – Crossword: https://sermons4kids.com/activities/jesus-weeps-for-jerusalem
Jesus Weeps for Jerusalem – Maze: https://sermons4kids.com/activities/mother-hen-chicks-1
Prayer: Thank you, God, for the prayers in our Worship Book, the prayers we hear in church, and for the prayers that we find in our hearts. Amen.
Answers to the above questions:
- Do you know who the Pharisees are and who Herod is. (Pharisees, leaders of the Jewish religion whose job it was to protect the faith from people who were not doing it right. Herod, the king who was not in the least interested in being replaced by another King.)
- Why do you think the Pharisees came to warn Jesus of the danger he was in? (Some of them probably were thinking that Jesus just might be the Messiah and didn't want him to get hurt. Others might have just wanted him out of their faces.)
- How does Jesus answer the Pharisees? (Verses 32b [‘I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’] and 33 [In any case, I must press on today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!])
- What made Jesus so sure that prophets are killed in Jerusalem? (Prophets are usually killed when they bring words powerful people find to be a threat.)
- Who might have been shocked at Jesus' story of the hen and her chicks? (Possibly the more powerful men who did not think women were at all important.)
- Who might have seen themselves in the story? (Possibly women and little girls who were not used to hearing stories that included them.)
