l ea d e r ’s g uid e
An Acceptable Fast:
An Adult Lenten Study
Session 2—Genesis 15:1–18 and Psalm 27
Take the long view.
Goal for the Session
Session at a Glance
Participants will develop a deeper understanding of
how actions they take now might help future generations to live well.
OPENING
• Opening discussion question
Preparing for the Session
• Today’s theme
• Read the Participant Handout and this Leader’s
Guide and alter any activities depending on your
group’s needs.
• This Leader’s Guide assumes participants have
read the Participant Handout prior to the meeting.
If this is not the case, adjust the plan accordingly.
• Opening prayer
EXPLORING
• General remarks about the handout
• Small Groups
• Reflection—living the long view
Materials Needed
RESPONDING
• Building our legacy
• A few extra copies of Resource Sheet 1 from session 1. Hand these out to anyone who may have
missed session 1.
• A few extra copies of the Participant Handout
• Pens
CLOSING
• Prepare for next session
• Closing prayer
Teaching Tip
Form pairs and ask people to briefly discuss the following question: What is one legacy you hope to leave for
future generations?
People may disagree about which actions are most
urgently needed to protect future generations. Rather
than attempt to reach an agreement, affirm that all
agree that sincere selfless thought about future generations should guide our actions.
After a few minutes allow a few volunteers to briefly
share what they mentioned.
2. Today’s Theme
Opening (10 minutes)
Find out how many group members have read the Participant Handout. If the majority have, continue with the
plan as follows. If people have not, you will need to alter
activities. You may simply allow time for people to read
it in this case and then see which activities can be done.
1. Opening Discussion Question
Welcome participants and introduce any new guests
and give them a copy of the Participant Handout and
Resource Sheet 1 (from session 1).
An Acceptable Fast:
An Adult Lenten Study, 2
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Remind people that the theme today is that of taking
the long view.
• The author suggests focusing on looking back at
how the actions of forebears initiated both negative and positive results.
3. Opening Prayer
6. Reflection—Living the Long View
Merciful God, open our hearts to hear your message
about your ways and how we might follow them in
our daily tasks. Amen.
Allow a few minutes for participants to review the section on living the long view. Read the questions at the
end of the second paragraph of that section and briefly
discuss as a large group.
Exploring (30 minutes)
4. General Remarks about the Handout
Read the final paragraph in this section about the seventh generation. Have participants write down on
Resource Sheet 1 what they see as the most important
lesson from the text
Facilitate a brief discussion with the entire group about
initial reactions to what they read in the Participant
Handout. Note their questions or concerns and agree to
return to them at the end of the session if they are not
discussed during the session.
Responding (10 minutes)
Teaching Tip
7. Building Our Legacy
Sometimes a participant may throw out a question
or comment that is either irrelevant to the theme or
obviously of interest only to that person. Rather than
distract the entire group from its focus, your role as
leader is to steer group conversation toward the session’s goal. Gently and firmly tell the person that his
or her question is not addressed in today’s lesson but
that you will be happy to talk with him or her about it
after the session.
Allow the group to voice some general reactions to the
section in the handout titled “Building Our Legacy” and
then focus on the final paragraph before the scriptural text.
Ask: How does the spiritual discipline of patience help?
Finally, ask the participants to write down actions on
Resource Sheet 1 that they can personally take to help
make a better world. Encourage them to think of actions
that will affect people other than just their immediate
family members.
5. Small Groups
Closing (5 minutes)
Form groups of three to five persons. Ask them to
review the first two sections of the Participant Handout
as a small group and prepare a brief summary of the
main points. In addition, have them answer the following questions:
8. Prepare for Next Session
Distribute copies of Participant Handout 3 and agree as
a group to read it during the week.
• What is the discrepancy in the Genesis text?
• Do you agree or disagree with the author’s
approach to the discrepancy? Why or why not?
Encourage people to reflect on the question for week 2
on their Resource Sheet during the week.
Some of the points that the groups should make include
the following:
Lead the following prayer and tell participants that
there will be a time during the prayer for them to silently
name one thing that they can do to take the long view.
9. Closing Prayer
• Abraham and Sarah waited a long time to receive
God’s repeated promise of offspring.
• Abraham was not always patient and tried to take
matters into his own hands.
• Abraham was not overly idealized as a role
model, which possibly attracts us to him.
• The discrepancy is that the text suggests two different time periods for the exile in Egypt.
An Acceptable Fast:
An Adult Lenten Study, 2
God of all ages, your love for and patience with
your children is limitless, so it seems.
We are grateful for the actions of our forebears that
provided the good things we enjoy.
We regret actions that have damaged your world.
Help us change course and restore your creation.
We now pray about something we each believe we
can do with your help.
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already living in the United States prior to European immigration.
• Make lists. First allow time for people to make a
list of what they consider positive and negative
world conditions that are the results of past generations’ decisions. Then make a list of possible positive and negative results on future generations
based on what we are doing right now. Name one
thing that people can and should do to alter harmful future outcomes.
(Allow silence.)
Give us the strength, the determination, and the
patience to carry through with these plans.
In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen.
Teaching Alternatives
• Show the video clip of “The Girl Who Silenced
the World for 5 Minutes.” You may either stream
it or download it prior to the session. Go to YouTube and search for the title. Various versions
exist.
• Show a map of the United States that shows
Native American tribal territories instead of
states. Many suggestions may be found on
Google Images. Search for “Map of the U.S. with
Native American Tribes.” Discuss how life would
have been different now had ancestors respected
treaties and tried to peacefully exist with people
An Acceptable Fast:
An Adult Lenten Study, 2
Key Scriptures
Genesis 15:1–18
Psalm 27
For More Information
See endnotes in the Participant Handout for other
sources of information.
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Permission given to the purchaser to copy this page for use in class.