CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW TO HEAR THE STORY I welcome everyone to the second of three April Learning Together lessons. Our current story is called “God Sends Help” and is found on pages 326-333 of The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones. If you recall, the Pentecost story is the subject of this month’s posting.
Children: You learned in lesson one why we Christians celebrate the Pentecost and what the Trinity is. It is time to review our story by listening to the “God Sends Help” oral read video once more. Now, let’s return to the terrified disciples hiding in their shuttered and locked upstairs room. Jesus’ helpers were freaked out for good reason: With the crucifixion of Jesus, they knew how dangerous it was to publicly support Jesus. At the same time, they remembered that Jesus, numerous times, had told them to spread God’s message of hope and love. What to do now? Despite the windows shut tight and the door closed and locked, the strong wind that entered their small room came through the walls, but before they could be surprised about that, the flames of light, which did not hurt or burn, appeared just above all their heads!! But the CHANGE the disciples felt from INSIDE was the most amazing part of the whole incredible experience. The Holy Spirit, God’s great force, had entered into the hearts of each of them in that room, and suddenly, they knew they had been given the gift of joy and courage and love and determination. Their hearts were now telling them that spreading God’s good news to as many people as possible was their mission in life! And so it was. Lots of new helpers and friends began to believe in Jesus and God’s plan to rescue everyone, and those new helpers and friends continued to share the good news with more and more new helpers and friends. The number of people grew, and today people who believe in God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit can be found everywhere around the world. Now you know how God sent His help. He can send the same help to YOU whatever your mission is! Adults: The Biblical references for the Pentecost is Acts 1-5 and John 15. How did Christianity go from a small sect in a corner of the Roman Empire in the first century, to the religion that the emperor converted to in the early fourth century? Its spread was greatly aided by the empire’s political unification and extensive road system, as well as the belief among many Christians that the religion was something anyone could adopt, regardless of regional or religious background. Five main reasons follow that explain the spread of Christianity during the Roman Empire days. 1. Everyday Citizens Spread the Word Missionaries like Paul, a major figure in the Bible’s New Testament, traveled around the empire with the intention to spread Christianity. However, most of the people who helped spread the religion did so just by talking about it with their neighbors, friends, and family members, says Edward Watts, a history professor at the University of California San Diego and author of The Final Pagan Generation: Rome's Unexpected Path to Christianity. “Missionaries are a part of the story, but most of the story is about regular Christians talking to regular people,” he says. “And that, I think, is the most important reason that Christianity emerges in the way that it does in the Roman world. It’s not mission activity by people like Paul so much as it is people whose names we don’t know.” 2. Early On, Christianity Coexisted With ‘Paganism’ At the Roman Empire’s height in the second century, it stretched into Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. One key reason Christianity was able to spread throughout this vast empire was that many people viewed the new religion as something they could easily adopt without having to change their existing cultural and religious practices. In the first and second centuries, most people in the Roman Empire worshiped multiple gods at once. When they heard about Christianity, they didn’t necessarily think that worshiping Jesus Christ meant they had to stop worshiping their other gods, like Jupiter, Apollo and Venus. Rather, many adopted Christianity by adding Jesus to the group of gods they already worshiped, Watts says. The belief that Christianity was compatible with what we now call paganism helped Christianity spread through the Roman Empire. Although some Christians argued there was only one god and Christians shouldn’t worship any others, this wasn't how many people in the Roman Empire understood Christianity at the time, Watts says. 3. Early Christians Didn’t Present Themselves as an Exclusive Club Christianity also got a boost from the idea that it was a religion for anyone - not just people in a certain region with a specific religious background. Though some Christians debated this point, missionaries like Paul preached that a person didn’t have to obey Jewish laws around circumcision and kosher food practices to become Christians.“ This is a key change because it makes the bar to entry much lower,” Watts says. “If you are a male who wants to convert to Christianity, and there’s an assumption that first you have to convert to Judaism, it’s literally physically painful and dangerous for you to convert.” In addition, the fact that the authors of the Christian gospels wrote them in Koine Greek, a common language version of Greek, made the gospels accessible to more people in the empire. Unlike Aramaic, a regional language in Judea that Jesus spoke, Greek was spoken throughout the Roman Empire. 4. Early Persecution Wasn’t Widespread During the first and second centuries, persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire was sporadic and regionally - specific rather than empire-wide. The persecution of Christian martyrs like Ignatius of Antioch, who died in the second century, did not represent the experiences of most Christians. This didn’t change until the middle of the third century, when the emperors Decius, who ruled from 249 to 251, and Valerian, who ruled from 253 to 260, launched campaigns to promote traditional Roman values and customs like sacrificing animals to pagan gods. Officials documented these sacrifices with papyrus receipts for people to keep as a record of their sacrifice. Those who didn’t have these receipts and refused to sacrifice could be arrested and killed. Decius’ campaign didn’t target Christians, specifically, but rather anyone who wasn’t practicing pagan sacrifice. In contrast, Valerian’s campaign targeted Christians more directly. After this, the next major campaign against Christians was the Great Persecution. Beginning in 303 under the Emperor Diocletian, it led to the death of many Christian religious leaders and the seizure of Christian property. 5. An Emperor Converted - and Officially Recognized the Faith The Great Persecution was the Roman Empire’s most severe persecution of Christians - and also its last. This is because after this persecution, in 312, Emperor Constantine I became the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. A year later, he helped enact the Edict of Milan, which ended government persecution of Christians and made Christianity a recognized, legal religion within the empire. Constantine’s rule didn’t mark an immediate shift in the Roman Empire from pagan to Christian. However, “he starts a process that, by the end of the fourth century, will lead to the explicit restriction of pagan practices and the explicit promotion of Christian practices by the imperial government,” Watts says. Christianity continued to spread through the territories of the western Roman Empire after its fall in 476. Over the next several centuries, it became the dominant religion in the city of Rome as well as the European regions over which the Roman Empire had ruled. The Roman Colosseum, once the site of deadly gladiator battles, even became a sacred Christian site. ~This Week’s Prayer: Dear God, I thank you that I am your child and that You love me! Amen Next week I will conclude our discussion of the Pentecost story in Lesson 3. Please note in your calendar that Sunday School will meet on April 28th at 11 am. Until next time, Margo
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I hope that you had a blessed Easter! Thanks for joining me for our first lesson for this month of April. There will be two more April weekly lessons posted, and, of course, you are invited to attend our fourth Sunday gathering for Sunday School on April 23 at 11 am after church service. Everyone is welcome to participate. Our story this month is called “God Sends Help” and is found on pages 326-333 of The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones. (A copy is available at Resurrection Lutheran Church for free or online with a cost to you.) As always, you along with your whole family are invited to listen and read and create and pray around this selected story about a church celebration called Pentecost. Pentecost celebrates Jesus’ crucifixion (when Jesus died on Good Friday), His resurrection (when Jesus rose from the dead three days later on Easter Sunday), and His ascension (when Jesus returned to heaven, about 40 days after His resurrection). Most importantly for our story, it also marks the beginning of the Christian church’s mission of spreading Jesus’ message to the world. Children: Make yourself cozy and prepare to hear another amazing bible story. Please listen to the oral reading of this story that has been video-taped and posted above for you. As you listen, use your imagination to see the described scenes unfold in your head. Feel free to create your own illustrations if you like. This story tells us how some of Jesus’ helpers, also called His disciples, were given the gift of the Holy Spirit and how it changed their lives - from hiding in locked rooms and being afraid to speak out about Jesus at the beginning of our story to devoting their lives to openly teach anyone about Jesus and God’s love at the end of our story. That is a huge switcharoo in their feelings! So what exactly is this Holy Spirit that the disciples were given? To explain the Holy Spirit, we need to discuss what is called The Trinity, the three forms that God can take. The diagram below explains that the Father (which refers to Jesus’ father), the Son (which refers to Jesus himself), and the Holy Spirit (which refers to the non-physical part of us where our emotions and feelings live). These three are separate entities, but all three exist together in one as God. I know that sounds very mysterious, but think of it like this: Any person, like myself, can be a daughter, an aunt, or a cousin, just different roles I play. Yet all together those three make one person - myself, Margo. The Holy Spirit came as the wind that entered the disciples’ locked room and created the flickering flames, which did not hurt or burn, above their heads. The Holy Spirit put love in their hearts for God and for their fellow beings and made them want to share the good news of God’s love. Remember, Pastor Steve will respond to any of your questions or comments! Adults: The Biblical references for the Pentecost are Acts 1-5 and John 15. As a religion, Christianity has been around for millennia. It has changed and transformed throughout time – both in terms of the principles and beliefs, the range of denominations it is comprised of, and the number of religious believers across the globe. Christianity certainly isn’t the only prevalent religion in the world, but it might come as a surprise to learn that, amidst Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and all other major religious schools, Christianity is the most popular. Global assessments conducted in 2012 revealed that the precise figures pertaining to the most-followed world religions were: Quite clearly, Christianity exceeds the other four major religious/non-religious bodies by a significant proportion of 0.6 billion – overtaking Islam in number of followers by an astounding 9.1% of the global population.
The figures have varied throughout history, though, and the number and spread of Christians worldwide has changed dramatically in the past century alone. In the next two lessons, our topic will be how Christianity spread throughout the earth. Pastor Steve will answer your questions or address your concerns if you submit them via this blog! ~This Week’s Prayer: Dear Lord, I pray that the Holy Spirit lives within my heart. Amen Join me again next week for our second lesson about the Holy Spirit and the joy it can create within us. Enjoy the spring weather, Margo Greer Welcome to the last of three lessons for the month of March about Jesus’ crucifixion. Glad to have you along!
Our story, “The Sun Stops Shining,” comes to us from The Jesus Storybook Bible, written by Sally Lloyd-Jones, and can be located on pages 302-309. Children: Reread the story out loud or silently. You could also choose to read the story to someone else in your family. Before we get to the good news that I promised, I would like to ask a few questions and make a couple of comments to get us all to think (ponder) a bit deeper about Jesus and His crucifixion: * If you were the only person alive, Jesus would have still died for you! * How does that make you feel, knowing an innocent person was willing to die for your sins? * How does it make you want to respond? To live your life differently? And now, after all of Jesus’ suffering, we are ready to hear the GREAT NEWS! After the crucifixion on Good Friday, He was laid to rest in a tomb and a huge stone was rolled in front of the opening. The following Sunday, the stone had mysteriously been rolled away and the body of Jesus was no longer in the tomb, but an angel was waiting there to explain that Jesus wasn’t dead anymore. He was alive again! He had conquered death for the sake of our sins, as He said He would! And that is the sweet joy of celebrating Easter. Questions or comments? Respond on this blog to Pastor Steve and he will enjoy a discussion with you. Adults: The Biblical references for the Crucifixion story are Matthew 27, Mark 15, and John 19. Here are some thoughts for my grown-up readers to ponder as this particular story ends: * By trying so hard to prevent any kind of fraudulent later claims that Jesus was resurrected, His enemies did us the great favor of providing powerful evidence. In truth, the fact that Jesus was killed is as certain as any event recorded in history. * Have you ever wondered if any of the Roman soldiers, Jewish leaders, or people in the crowd chanting for Jesus’ crucifixion were among those who saw Him in His resurrected form? Here’s one thing we do know, based on everything Jesus taught: If their paths did cross, Jesus offered them His unending forgiveness and grace. That, my friends, is the Good News! We can do nothing to separate ourselves from God — except choose to turn our backs on Him. * The deeper meaning for Christians is that Jesus Christ's crucifixion does not represent pain and suffering. Rather, because it was part of a divine plan to save humanity, Jesus' crucifixion represents salvation and His miraculous resurrection. Christians believe that through Jesus' death and resurrection, people are reunited with God and receive new joy and power in this life as well as eternal life If you wish to ask any questions or make any comments, please use this blog to online chat with Pastor Steve. ~This Week’s Prayer: I thank God for His gift of salvation and eternal life with Him. Amen This week, Sunday School will meet for this story’s reading, discussion, and a fun craft at 11 am after church services. Snacks will be available. I hope to see you! Have a blessed Easter, Margo Greer Hi to everyone! I am glad that you can join me for this, March’s second of three online Learning Together lessons.
Children: This month’s story is called “The Sun Stops Shining” and can be found on pages 302-309 of The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones. To refresh your memory, please listen again to the story being read aloud to you. You could follow along in your own book and check out the book’s excellent pictures (illustrations) or draw your own illustrations as you listen. The Bible is divided into sections called “books.” Four of these books, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, include the story of Jesus’ trial, crucifixion, and His resurrection. (The good news resurrection is my next week’s lesson. Remember, I said things would end happily for everyone!) Not all four books agree on all the details of what happened that day. When people witness an event or series of events, today or two thousand years ago, not all would remember exactly the same details. All four gospels do agree with the main facts - that Jesus was on trial, was killed, and was laid in a grave on this particular Friday, and all four believe that Jesus rescued everyone in the world by dying on the cross for our sins. The church calls the day of Jesus’ death Good (meaning holy) Friday. Events of that day include Jesus’ trial ending about 6 am, His crucifixion began 3 hours later at 9 am, and He died 6 hours after that at 3 pm. If you have any questions or comments about this story, please feel free to submit them to Pastor Steve through this blog. Adults: The Biblical references for our Crucifixion story are Matthew 27, Mark 15, and John 19. The Romans knew that once the victim was finally hanging from the cross, it could take hours for him to die. As Jesus fought off suffocation, He was forced to take the next breath by laboriously pulling Himself up by His wounded hands and feet. “The pain was absolutely unbearable,” observes Dr. Alexander Metherell, PhD. “In fact, it was literally beyond words to describe; they had to invent a new word: excruciating. Literally, excruciating means out of the cross.” Adds Myers, “When air was so precious, and each breath so painfully won, Jesus still used that breath to communicate with people who were near. The first sentence, looking down at the Roman soldiers throwing dice for His garment, is ‘Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.’ In my mind, this is one of the most remarkable statements in all of Scripture.” Jewish law prohibited a crucified person from hanging on the cross during Sabbath, which is Saturday for them. So to hurry the process, Roman soldiers could decide to break the leg bones of the victim. The Bible tells us that the legs of the two thieves crucified with Christ were broken, but the soldiers did not need to break Jesus’ legs because they observed that He was already dead (John 19:32-33). Scripture tells us that it took Jesus six hours to die after being put on the cross. Pilate demanded certification of Jesus’ death before allowing His body to be removed from the cross. Only after four Roman executioners certified that Jesus was indeed dead, did Pilate give the order for His body to be removed. The executioners felt certain that Jesus was dead because when a great spear was thrust into Jesus’ side, both blood and water flowed out (John 19:34). Had Jesus been alive when the spear entered His body, strong spouts of blood would have emerged with every beat of His heart. As with the children, please feel free to ask questions or make comments to Pastor Steve on this blog. He would welcome them! ~This Week’s Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for suffering and dying on the cross for my sins. Amen Join me next week for the third and final on-line lesson about “The Sun Stops Shining.” Sunday School will meet on the fourth Sunday of this month, March 24, for story reading, a discussion, and a fun craft. Treats will be provided. All are welcome! Have a great week, Margo Greer Welcome to the first of three March Learning Together lessons. As always, you and your whole family are invited to listen and read and create and pray around one particular story.
This month’s story is called “The Sun Stops Shining” and is found on pages 302-309 of The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones. (This book can be ordered online, or a free copy can be found at our church.) Children: It is time to listen to the new story being orally read to you. The story is a sad one but remember that all turns out well for everyone in the end! It is the reason that Jesus was born into this world. It is all part of God’s plan and the Big Rescue. Many people in the world such as ourselves use a calendar that starts counting on the year of the birth of Jesus, which is called year 1. (This is because His birth was such an important event.) At that time, the Romans were a large group of people living in Italy who came to rule very large parts of Europe, the near East (where Jesus lived), and North Africa. The Romans, who ran the government, did not believe that Jesus was the Son of God, and they treated people (early Christians) who did believe with incredible cruelty, as our story describes. Adults: The Biblical reference for our Crucifixion story is Matthew 27, Mark 15, and John 19. Crucifixion was not only one of the most disgraceful and painful forms of death, but it was also one of the most dreaded methods of execution in the ancient world. Accounts of crucifixions are recorded among early civilizations, most likely originating with the Persians, and then spreading to the Assyrians, Scythians, Carthaginians, Germans, Celts, and Britons. Crucifixion as a type of capital punishment was primarily reserved for traitors, captive armies, slaves, and the worst of criminals. Crucifying criminals became common under the rule of Alexander the Great (356-323 BC). In the Bible story of the Crucifixion of Jesus, the Jewish high council accused Jesus of blasphemy and decided to put him to death, but first, they needed Rome to sanction their death sentence. Jesus was taken to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, who found him innocent. Pilate had Jesus flogged and then sent to Herod, the Roman Jewish client King of Judea, who sent Him back. The Jewish high council demanded that Jesus be crucified, so Pilate, fearing the Jews, turned Jesus over to one of his centurions to carry out the death sentence. Jesus was publicly beaten, mocked, and spit on. A crown of thorns was placed on His head. He was stripped of His clothes and led to Golgotha. A mixture of vinegar, gall, and myrrhwas offered to him, but Jesus refused it. Stakes were driven through Jesus' wrists and ankles, fastening him to the cross where he was crucified between two convicted criminals. The inscription above his head read, "The King of Jews.” Jesus Christ, the central figure of Christianity, died on a Roman cross. Christian theology teaches that Christ's death provided the perfect atoning sacrifice for the sins of all humankind, thus making the crucifix, or cross,one of the defining symbols of Christianity. ~This Week’s Prayer: I give unending thanks for Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice. Amen There will be two more online lessons in the next two weeks about the story of the death of Jesus. Sunday School will meet on the fourth Sunday of this month, March 24th, for story reading, a discussion, and a fun craft. Treats will be provided! All are welcome. Enjoy the beautiful weather, Margo Greer Greetings! This is the second online lesson about “Filled Full,” which is our February story found in The Jesus Storybook Bible written by Sally Lloyd-Jones on pages 244-249.
Children: Please listen again to our video about the five loaves and two fish. You can look at the book pictures as you listen or look at your own pictures that you drew last week. We left the disciples wondering what Jesus could have been thinking when He told them to feed the large crowd that had gathered to hear Jesus teach. As in any emergency, it is best to first look around and see what resources you already have to help you, and that is what the disciples did, but they could find only one boy who happened to have a lunch with him, and that only consisted of five loaves of bread and two fish. But the disciples brought this kid to Jesus, and he handed over his lunch. Jesus prayed over it, and had people start passing the food around. Somehow, that one little lunch didn’t run out. In fact, it fed everyone in the crowd, with food left over! How could such a happening have been possible? If you would like Pastor Steve to answer any of your questions or listen to your opinions, please feel free to contact him through this blog. Adults: The Biblical references for this story are from Matthew 14, Mark 6, and Luke 9. In our first lesson last week, I began a discussion of the five things that we can learn from the little boy who shared his lunch. Here are the next two. 3. Multiplication often requires trust. At some point, the boy had to release the food he possessed. At some point, he had to settle in his heart and mind that the food was not his to hold. At some point, he had to determine that he was not the one who dictated how the food was to be used. Was the boy hungry at that moment? Possibly. Did the boy have doubts whether his food could be helpful? Probably. Did the boy wonder whether his needs would be met? It is likely, but he released the food, nonetheless. Why would we release the possessions we hold? Trust. Giving and holding possessions loosely requires trust. Trust that God will use the resources for his purposes; trust that God will care for our needs. The boy with the meal saw the few fish and loaves he once held multiply in a miraculous way. In Jesus’ hands the small meal became great, but it took an act of trust to get the meal into Jesus’ hands. Multiplication often requires trust. The boy learned this on that day. 4. Multiplication often requires sacrifice. The boy made a great sacrifice. Much like the widow who gave two coins in the temple treasury, the boy gave all that was in his possession. The act was likely a painful one, maybe not physically painful, but mentally and, possibly, emotionally. The boy went from comfortable, having sustenance, to uncomfortable, having no sustenance. That is how sacrifice works. Sacrifice drives out comfort, but sacrificial giving is what we find celebrated in Scripture. God looked favorably on Abel’s offering because he sacrificed his best. God blessed Abraham because he was willing to sacrifice his son. Jesus pointed out the widow with two coins because she gave all she had. Biblical giving is sacrificial. And God uses the sacrifice to shape the giver’s heart and advance His Kingdom. Multiplication often requires sacrifice. The boy learned this on that day. Just like children, adults can have questions about Jesus and His crowd-feeding miracle. Pastor Steve is at the ready to discuss any aspect with you! ~This week’s prayer: Lord, I want to thank you for those who grow the food I eat, for those who transport it and sell it, and for those who prepare it. Amen There will be one more online Learning Together lesson this month about the story “Filled Full,” and the following week on the fourth Sunday, February 25, 2024, our Sunday School will gather for story reading, discussion, and a related craft. Hope to see you then! Have a good week, Margo Greer Hello again! I am glad you could join us for this, the first of three lessons for February. The new story, found in The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally- Lloyd Jones on pages 244-249, is called “Filled Full.” As always, you, along with your whole family, are invited to listen and read and create and pray around this selected story.
Children: Let’s begin with the listening part. The oral reading of this story has been video-taped for you, so as you listen to it, I would like you to imagine the described scenes inside your head, or you may want to draw your own pictures as you listen. You know, food is actually a remarkable thing, when you think about it. When we eat food, our body breaks down what we put into it and turns those little munched bits into things that can be used for strength and energy. We don’t really have to think about it. We just eat something (hopefully something healthy), and our body does the rest of the work. In some ways, our relationship with God is similar. We give to Him whatever we might have, and He can put it to work to do amazing things! That’s what happened in the story today. Jesus was teaching, and there was a big group of people that had come to listen to what He had to say. Well, it happened to be dinnertime, and the disciples brought it to Jesus’ attention that the crowds might be getting hungry. Jesus told the disciples to find something for the people to eat! That seemed a bit astonishing. There were more than 5,000 people present, and to give everyone even a tiny bite of food would cost more than any of them had. What were the disciples to do? Questions? Comments? Opinions? Pastor Steve would love to hear from you on this blog! Adults: The Biblical references for this story are from Matthew 14, Mark 6, and Luke 9. Can you relate to the boy with five loaves and two fish? Do you feel that your resources are so little and wonder what God could ever do with them? Don’t get discouraged. Keep your hands open. Here are the first two of five things we learn from the boy who shared his lunch in John 6. 1. God is in control. In verse 6, we read these words, “But He was saying this only to test him, for He Himself knew what he intended to do.: Jesus had asked Philip the question about buying bread, not because he wanted a solution, but because he wanted faith. None of what was transpiring caught Jesus off guard. He wasn’t concerned. He was in control. The boy with the five loaves and two fishes saw this firsthand. God doesn’t need the money we possess to accomplish His mission. He isn’t in heaven, anxiously wringing his hands, wondering if we will step up financially so His mission can proceed. And if we don’t leverage our resources for His purposes, God will not throw up His arms in exasperation and walk away from the mission dejected. No, God doesn’t need us for His already victorious mission, but He does invite us to participate, to join Him in victory. He is in control. The boy learned this on that day. 2. God is about multiplication. As the boy handed his meal to the disciples and Jesus, he likely wondered what difference such a small amount of food could make among the large crowd. It would not be surprising if the boy assumed he and his meal would be turned away, asked to return to his friend or family. His meal was small, and the need was so great. But then, Jesus took hold of the food and began to break it into pieces. The small meal turned into a feast that was more than enough to fill the stomachs of the crowd. He takes that which is insufficient and uses it to accomplish His purpose. Our God can take whatever is given in faith and multiply its impact in unfathomable ways for His mission. God is about multiplication. The boy learned this on that day. As with the children, Pastor Steve would love to discuss any questions or comments you may have about any of the stories or our lessons; just respond on this blog. This week’s prayer: Lord Jesus, I thank you for caring for my ordinary human needs. Thank you for my “daily bread.” Amen Two more on-line lessons will follow this month based on the five loaves and two fish story. Sunday School will gather on the fourth Sunday of the month, February 25, 2024, at 11 a.m. following services. For an hour (approximately), we will orally read and discuss the story and end with a fun craft. You are invited to join us! Enjoy the warm weather, Margo Greer Hello everyone! Thanks for being with me for our third and last Learning Together lesson of January. Our current story is “Heaven Breaks Through” and can be found on pages 200-207 of The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones. Children: Please read our story out loud, or maybe you can read it to another family member. To John the Baptist’s amazement, he was asked by Jesus to baptize Jesus in the River Jordan. Jesus was old enough to remember His baptism day, but you were probably too small to remember anything about yours. If so, your parents will be able to tell you all about the event and share photos and stories with you. It was a very important day for you and everyone! Being baptized means you are officially a member of God’s church. After baptism, each believer becomes part of our church. Becoming a Christian through baptism is a bit like sharing your promise to a better way of life. Because it’s witnessed by family, friends, loved ones, and church members, baptism is a public confession of faith. The life of John the Baptist teaches us some very important lessons. We learn to be responsible for whatever our mission in life is, to be sorry for our sins, and humbly to do our work of service without drawing attention to ourselves. Adults: The Biblical references to our story are Matthew 3, Luke 1 and 3, and John 1. The Baptism of Christ Ippolito Scarsellino 1585-1590 Remarkably, Christ's baptism shows all three Persons of the Trinity at the same time: the Son being baptized, the Holy Spirit descending, and the Father speaking from the heavens. In this event, the Father and the Holy Spirit confirm the deity of Christ, and Jesus submits to his Father's will. Herodias asked for the head of John the Baptist on a platter and sadly her wish was granted. He was beheaded in 31AD. John the Baptist is of great theological importance in the New Testament. He ended nearly four hundred years of prophetic silence and paved the way for the Messiah. In the spirit of Elijah, he preached a message of repentance and baptism. In his darkest hour he questioned if Jesus was the One who was to come, or whether there would be another. He inaugurated a spiritual movement that had influence long after his death and extended throughout the Mediterranean world. He was truly a transitional figure, forming the link between the Old and New Testaments. He spans the ages with one foot firmly planted in the Old Testament and the other squarely placed in the New. ~This week’s prayer: Lord, thank you for the precious gift of baptism. Amen Next week, Sunday School will gather on Sunday, January 28, at approximately 11 a.m. There will be story reading, discussion, and a fun craft. Hope you can make it! Sincerely, Margo Greer Hello once again, and thank you for joining us in this our second of three
lessons for January’s story “Heaven Breaks Through”. You can find this story in The Jesus Storybook Bible written by Sally Lloyd-Jones, Children: Time to refresh our memories by listening once more to Pastor Steve’s oral reading video of our story, or maybe an older brother, sister, or parent could read it to you. John the Baptist was important in the life of Jesus because God had promised a messenger would come before Jesus. This man would be sent to get people ready for Jesus' message about the Kingdom of God. John was this very man. What did he tell the crowds of people who would gather to hear him? He told them that everyone was a sinner, that they needed to be sorry for their sins, and if they were truly sorry, he told them God would forgive their sins. Jesus was going to be The Rescuer everyone was waiting for! Another message John taught to his followers is that God expects everyone to share with others willingly and with kindness. Service to others is an important part of a Christian’s life. Adults: The Biblical references to this story are Matthew 3, Luke 1, 3 and John 1. St. Luke records that John the Baptist preached a three part message: 1) he preached human repentance and divine forgiveness, 2) he preached stewardship, and 3) he preached the arrival of Jesus Christ. He attracted much public notice circa 28 CE as a prophet in the Jordan Valley. Jesus himself came to be baptized by John and shortly afterward began his own mission. Here are other interesting facts about this man. John the Baptist’s parents were Zacharias and Elizabeth. According to the Gospel of Luke, Elizabeth was barren due to her age. The Angel Gabriel appeared to Zacharias whilst in a temple and told him that Elizabeth would bear a child. Zacharias did not believe what he had been told, and therefore because of his disbelief, the Angel Gabriel made him mute. The name “John” was given to Elizabeth’s child by an angel sent by God. It is believed that John was born around six months before Jesus and that he was a second cousin to Jesus. ~This week’s prayer: Dear God, help us to keep our focus on Jesus’ love and forgiveness. Amen Next week there will be one more Learning Together lesson based on our “Heaven Breaks Through” story. The following week, on January 28, at 11 a.m., Sunday School will meet for story reading, discussion, and a fun craft. All are welcome to attend! Stay warm, Margo Greer Happy New Year’s to you and your entire family! With the new year comes this very first Learning Together lesson of 2024. As always, you and your whole family are invited to listen and read and create and pray around one particular story.
This month’s story is entitled “Heaven Breaks Through” and is located in The Jesus Storybook Bible written by Sally Lloyd-Jones. (This book can be ordered online, or a free copy found at our church.) Children: Please find a comfy spot, curl up with an afghan, and listen to January’s story being read aloud to you. As you listen you may want to close your eyes and imagine the scenes described, or you may want to check out the wonderful illustrations (pictures) found in the book, or you could draw your very own pictures. John the Baptist was Jesus' cousin. John led a simple life and was a bit of an unusual sort of person. He grew up in a desert, he wore a really scratchy type of clothing made from camel hair that was super uncomfortable, and he was taught as a child to find his own food, like grasshoppers and honey, from the desert. John the Baptist was named so because he believed his main goal in life was to baptize as many people as possible and prepare them for the coming of Jesus. His only concern was to share his belief in the Kingdom of God with all. Large crowds of people would come to listen to and believe in his message, which was for everyone to feel sorry for their sins and want to begin a new life rescued by God. Please feel free on this blog to share any of your thoughts or comments or ask any questions of Pastor Steve. Adults: The Biblical reference for the story of John the Baptist is Matthew 3, Luke 1, and John 1. Apart from Jesus Christ, John the Baptist is probably the most theologically significant figure in the Gospels. As was the case with Jesus, his birth was meticulously recorded ( Luke 1:5-25 ). His entrance into the world was marked by angelic proclamation and divine intervention ( Luke 1:57-80 ). John's birth not only parallels that of Jesus, but echoes the momentous occasion of the birth of Isaac to Abraham and Sarah ( Gen 17:15-22 ; 21:1-7 ). John is clearly a pivotal figure in the salvation history of God. John's lifestyle was as austere as his message. He was an ascetic living in the wilderness, clothed in camel hair and subsisting on locusts and wild honey ( Matt 3:4 ; Mark 1:6 ). Unlike Jesus, he expected people to come to him, rather than he going to them ( Matt 3:5 ), and he did not disappoint the large crowds that came – He was a fiery prophet proclaiming the apocalyptic message of God. ~This week’s prayer: I pray that I will never have to wear camel hair clothing. Amen There will be two more lessons in the next couple of weeks about the story of John the Baptist, and Sunday School will gather on the fourth Sunday of January, 1/28/24, at 11 a.m. for story reading, discussion, and a fun craft. Hope to see you then! Until next week, Margo Greer |
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