​April Week 3
    Hi to all of you! Welcome to this third and final online lesson for April’s story called “God’s Wonderful Surprise”, found on pages 310-317 in The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones. The Biblical references are Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 2, and John 20.
    Children: Today we are going to talk about something that, for some people, is very hard to believe, and that is that Jesus died on a cross yet became alive again after three days. Even his Helpers had trouble believing it! This transformation is called a Resurrection, which means a return to life. God gave rebirth to Jesus His son after Jesus had died, and we know that God has promised to do the same for us. It was the most WONDERFUL SURPRISE that God, in his love, could do for us, His children! Jesus lives after being dead, and so will we!
    Adults: What difference does the Resurrection make in our lives today? Does an event that happened close to 2000 years ago affect us? For Christians, the answer is yes, it does make a difference. The Resurrection teaches us that despair is never an option, that sin can be overcome, that renewal is available, and that the grave is not our final destination.
    The truth is we can have confidence that the Resurrection actually happened, and furthermore, we can have confidence that there are little resurrections happening all around us every day. People who were dead in their sin rise to a new life. Marriages that were dead receive fresh breath because of the power of the Gospel. Again and again, the power of the Gospel changes things. Not just for our eternity, but for our here and now. In that way, it’s Easter every day. Jesus is risen from the grave, and He is risen in us as we surrender to Him daily.
    This week’s prayer: Dear Lord, I know that You are in control and have the power to change me and change my life. Let me trust in You! Alleluia!
    Next week, there will be no online Sunday School lesson. Rather, we will meet on the fourth Sunday (in this case 4/24/22), as we do each month, for our in-person gathering after church in our Fellowship Hall. The discussion will of course be about April’s story of God’s wonderful surprise and some fun crafts. Remember to bring any of your art work or journaling. See you then!
May the Lord bless and keep you this week,
Margo Greer

​April Week 2
    Greetings, Friends! Today’s posting is Week 2 for April’s story of “God’s Wonderful Surprise” found on pages 310-317 in The Jesus Storybook Bible. Biblical references about the Resurrection are found in Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, and John 20.
    Children: Please read the story out loud to an adult or out loud by yourself. It is hard to imagine how very sad Jesus’s friends were that Jesus had been hung from a cross, died, and was laid in a closed tomb. Jesus, The Rescuer himself, was dead. It was not supposed to end like this! TWO LONG days passed filled with much grieving.
    But, as you have read, early on the third day, a Sunday, everything changed! Three women discovered that the giant stone had been somehow rolled away from the tomb door, Jesus’s body was nowhere to be found, and an angel in radiant white spoke of Jesus being alive again! Then, most amazingly, Mary Magdalene actually saw and talked to Jesus.  It was the most unexpected, happiest surprise ever! Jesus WAS alive again! Draw a picture of Mary Magdalene in her joy as she raced into town to tell the other friends. Please bring your art to share at our fourth Sunday gathering.
    If you were one of Jesus’s helpers, would you believe Mary’s story to be true? Do you think a dead person can be made alive again?
 Adults: The Resurrection accounts from Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are considered mostly the same with a few differences. Examples -   
    Things that are the same:
    1. What day of the week it was (The first day.)
    2. They came to the tomb early in the morning
    3. The purpose of going to the tomb (Look/anoint the body.)
    4. Clothes of angels were gleaming white

    Things that are different:
    1. Who was present
    2. Whether they felt an earthquake when the stone was rolled away
    3. Amount of young men/angels (1 vs. 2) and where they appeared
    4. What precisely the angel said (Though not generally.)
    5. The precise reaction of the women present
   ~This week’s prayer: Lord, often our prayers are like Mary’s. Though we ask for one thing, You surprise us with another, but we know that God’s answers are better than ones we could ever imagine for ourselves. Amen.
Until next week’s lesson, stay safe!
Margo Greer

April Week 1
Hello and welcome to April’s Learning Together! As usual, you will be invited to listen and read and create and pray around one particular story. This month’s story is called “God’s Wonderful Surprise” and can be found on pages 310-317 in your copy of The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones. The Biblical references about the Resurrection are found in Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, and John 20.

​Children: First, listen to the story read aloud to you in our Learning Together email. If you wish, look carefully at the pictures shown in your storybook as you listen. All members of your family are encouraged to listen together!
When you are finished, write down any questions you or your family may have about the story. Go to our RLC Blog, hit Chat, and send your questions to Pastor Mary and to all who are participating. Pastor Mary will respond to everyone.
During the week, think about what big surprises you have had in your life. Were they good or bad surprises? In the beginning of our story, three women had their worst surprise in their lives followed by their best ever surprise! So much sadness turned into gladness!

​Adults: The Gospel authors recorded the events of the Resurrection differently because they were writing to different audiences, at different times, with different sources for their writing. While the details vary, there is nothing to disprove another’s account.  Considered accurate and trustworthy, they were all written just a couple of decades after the events took place.
~This week’s prayer: Thank you, God, for your best ever surprise! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Have a safe week!                                                                                       
Margo Greer

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