HOW TO USE THE PARENT BIBLE STUDY

Transcription

1 SonSpark Labs Catholic Vacation Bible School, Parent Bible Study 1 HOW TO USE THE PARENT BIBLE STUDY Vacation Bible School is a wonderful opportunity for parents to help nurture their child s faith. Share this Bible study with parents to so they can dig deeper into each day s lesson and continue the faith conversation with their child. You can print out the Bible study of the day and hand it out to parents when they come to pick up their child. Or if you d prefer, the Bible study ahead of time so parents can follow along day by day. Find more resources like this at LiguoriVBS.org. Have fun! Adapted from the Liguori Catholic Bible Study book Pentateuch I: Creation and Covenant by William A. Anderson, DMin, PhD (Liguori Publications 2013). Imprimatur: +Michael J. Bransfield, Bishop of Wheeling- Charleston [West Virginia], November 15, Permission to photocopy is granted only for use with SonSpark Labs Vacation Bible School

2 SonSpark Labs Catholic Vacation Bible School, Parent Bible Study 2 SESSION 1: GOD S PLAN 2 MAKE US GENESIS 1:1-27 IN THE BEGINNING, WHEN GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH [ ] GOD CREATED MANKIND IN HIS IMAGE; IN THE IMAGE OF GOD HE CREATED THEM; MALE AND FEMALE HE CREATED THEM. GENESIS 1:1,27 ABOUT THE PASSAGE In the Book of Genesis, we encounter two stories that describe the creation of the world and God s special creation of human beings. In the first story of creation, God creates the world in seven days and declares that all of creation is good. This story moves its audience from the creation of light to the peak of creation, that is, the creation of human beings in the image and likeness of God. On the third day, when God separated land from water, God had the land bring forth vegetation. On the sixth day, God calls upon the earth to bring forth animals and crawling creatures. God saw that it was good. On the sixth day, God creates human beings in our image, after our likeness (1:26), as though God is speaking with someone. Some later commentators view the use of the plural as a hidden reference to the Trinity, while others recall that in the ancient Near East, people imagined God as presiding over a heavenly court of some type. The image and likeness of God used in this passage refers to a spiritual, not a physical, likeness to God. This image and likeness of God lifts human beings above the animals, so God blesses them and makes them male and female. Since human beings are made in the image and likeness of God, they have dominion over vegetation as well as living and crawling creatures. The author crowns God s words in creation with the final statement, And so it happened, and when God looked on all that was made, God found it very good. Adapted from the Liguori Catholic Bible Study book Pentateuch I: Creation and Covenant by William A. Anderson, DMin, PhD (Liguori Publications 2013). Imprimatur: +Michael J. Bransfield, Bishop of Wheeling- Charleston [West Virginia], November 15, Permission to photocopy is granted only for use with SonSpark Labs Vacation Bible School

3 SonSpark Labs Catholic Vacation Bible School, Parent Bible Study 3 In this first creation story, the Priestly author moved from the lesser to the greater, professing that human beings are the peak of God s creation. Light and darkness, sky and water, land and vegetation, sun and moon, sea creatures and birds, animals, and crawling creatures, all are given to human beings, the peak of creation, to subdue and use properly. God gives human beings every seed- bearing plant and seed- bearing fruit for food. REFLECTION A man and woman walked along the seashore one day and blessed God for the beauty of the vast ocean in front of them. Another couple climbed a mountain and peered out over green valleys and said, God is good. A small eleven- year- old boy brought home a flower from a field and gave it to his mother and said, God gave this to you. An elderly couple sitting on a porch on a warm day laughed together as they both put hands on aching backs when they stood, and proclaimed, God has been good to us. And God looked at all the people who learned of God s love throughout creation and God saw that creation was good. QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION What did you learn from the passage or reflection? How does this show God s Plan: 2 Make Us? How can you integrate what you ve learned into your family life? What questions could you discuss with your child about today s VBS lesson? Adapted from the Liguori Catholic Bible Study book Pentateuch I: Creation and Covenant by William A. Anderson, DMin, PhD (Liguori Publications 2013). Imprimatur: +Michael J. Bransfield, Bishop of Wheeling- Charleston [West Virginia], November 15, Permission to photocopy is granted only for use with SonSpark Labs Vacation Bible School

4 SonSpark Labs Catholic Vacation Bible School, Parent Bible Study 4 SESSION 2: GOD S PLAN 2 BE WITH US ROMANS 3:23 [A]LL HAVE SINNED AND ARE DEPRIVED OF THE GLORY OF GOD. ROMANS 3:23 ABOUT THE PASSAGE In the previous passage, Paul noted the powerful grip of sin on the world, and he now offers a way to break this grip. He speaks of the righteousness of God, which refers to an activity on the part of God whereby a right relationship is established between God and creation. Although the Law (Torah) and prophets have pointed to this righteousness, it does not depend on them. Because all people, Jews as well as Gentiles, are under the power of sinfulness, they are deprived of a share in the glory of God. This righteousness of God, which sets all things right between God and creation, comes from faith in Jesus Christ. It is a gift to all believers, not because they have earned it, but because God freely gives it to them. No one deserves or is owed this gift. Through the ministry of Jesus Christ, redemption comes to all who are under the power of sin. This redemption does not imply that the sinner is bought back from someone, as though Satan owned the sinner. It implies that the sinner moves from one state (sinfulness) to another (freedom from the power of sin). This redemption is brought about by the shedding of Jesus blood on the cross, and it expiates the sins of all believers. In this way, the justice of God becomes known to all, doing away with all sins committed in the past and patiently showing God s justice in the present. Because justification is a gift from God that cannot be earned, no one has a right to boast about being justified. It comes not from any good works, but rather from faith in Jesus Adapted from the Liguori Catholic Bible Study book Letters to the Romans and Galatians: Reconciling the Old and New Covenants by William A. Anderson, DMin, PhD (Liguori Publications 2013). Imprimatur: +Michael J. Bransfield, Bishop of Wheeling- Charleston [West Virginia], November 14, Permission to photocopy is granted only for use with SonSpark Labs Vacation Bible School

5 SonSpark Labs Catholic Vacation Bible School, Parent Bible Study 5 Christ. Because the Jews believe there is only one God, they must admit that it is the same God who justifies the Jews as well as the Gentiles. Paul declares that does not mean to say that the Law should be done away with; rather he is saying that the Law fulfills its true purpose the justice of God at work. REFLECTION Our aim in life is to love God. While it can be an advantage to have a law that identifies sinfulness, living by the letter of the law does not keep a person from sin. Viewed from this vantage point, it is the spirit of a person or the inner desire to live in harmony with God that aids a person to follow God s will. When we view the Law for the Jews and the inner law of creation for Gentiles from the angle of loving God, the judgment of God is important. God judges us with love, and we have the call to respond with love. This radical love always concerns the dedication of our heart, and not merely the external observance of the Law. QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION What did you learn from the passage or reflection? How does this show God s Plan: 2 Be with Us? How can you integrate what you ve learned today into your family life? What questions can you ask your child about today s VBS lesson? Adapted from the Liguori Catholic Bible Study book Letters to the Romans and Galatians: Reconciling the Old and New Covenants by William A. Anderson, DMin, PhD (Liguori Publications 2013). Imprimatur: +Michael J. Bransfield, Bishop of Wheeling- Charleston [West Virginia], November 14, Permission to photocopy is granted only for use with SonSpark Labs Vacation Bible School

6 SonSpark Labs Catholic Vacation Bible School, Parent Bible Study 6 SESSION 3: GOD S PLAN 4 US 2 KNOW HIM JOHN 14:6-7 JESUS SAID TO HIM, I AM THE WAY AND THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE. NO ONE CAN COME TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME. IF YOU KNOW ME, YOU WILL ALSO KNOW MY FATHER. FROM NOW ON YOU DO KNOW HIM AND HAVE SEEN HIM. JOHN 14:6-7 ABOUT THE PASSAGE Jesus tells his disciples not to let their hearts be troubled. With all that has been happening on this evening, the disciples have every reason to be disturbed. Jesus urges them to remain calm and to place their faith in God and in him. Although they know the events that will take place in Jesus life, Jesus is telling them that they should also view the spiritual consequences of those events. Jesus teaches that there are many dwelling places in my Father s house. Heaven was seen by the Jews as God s Temple and dwelling place. God has room for everyone; otherwise Jesus mission would have been in vain. Jesus now prepares a place for them by going before them into God s dwelling place. After Jesus has passed to the Father through his death, resurrection, and ascension, he will return to take his disciples with him. These words of Jesus prompt a response from Thomas, who states that they do not know where Jesus is going, much less how to get to this place. Because Jesus is going to the Father, the emphasis should not be put on the place, but on the person of the Father. If the disciples really know Jesus, they will also know the Father to whom he is going. The way to the Father is through Jesus, who proclaims that he is the way, the truth, and the life. Adapted from the Liguori Catholic Bible Study book The Gospel of John: The Word Became Flesh by William A. Anderson, DMin, PhD (Liguori Publications 2012). Imprimatur: +Michael J. Bransfield, Bishop of Wheeling- Charleston [West Virginia], January 6, Permission to photocopy is granted only for use with SonSpark Labs Vacation Bible School

7 SonSpark Labs Catholic Vacation Bible School, Parent Bible Study 7 Despite the time Jesus has spent with his disciples, they still do not fully understand his message. All four gospels show that the followers of Jesus did not fully grasp the meaning of his life until after the resurrection. Philip, anxious to learn more, urges Jesus to show them the Father. Jesus, sounding somewhat frustrated, tells Philip that he has been with them for so long, and they still do not know him. Philip s question becomes the springboard for Jesus to continue teaching his message. Jesus and the Father are one, and the words of Jesus are the words of the Father. Those who have faith in Jesus should be able to accept this union of Father and Son. If they cannot, then Jesus urges them to accept him because of his works, which are those of the Father. Jesus states that those who have faith will perform works so great as to be likened to Christ s signs and wonders; in fact, according to the Lord, they will perform even greater works. This will happen because Jesus, who is going to the Father, will answer their requests and bring glory to the Father. Throughout the gospel, Jesus emphasized that the glory given to the Son is also magnifying the Father s majesty. REFLECTION Jesus tells his disciples not to let their hearts be troubled. As followers of Jesus, we know that we can trust that Jesus is with us in every challenge of our life. This thought fills us with hope and lessens our anxiety. Jesus also states that in his Father s house, there are many dwelling places. There are many different forms of spirituality that lead to sainthood. That is God s will for all of us. In the desert, Saint Anthony practiced a spirituality that differed from that of Saint Ignatius; and Saint Ignatius practiced a spirituality other than that of Saint Francis of Assisi. Our call is to perform our duties in life as well as possible and to strive to love others as Jesus loves us. With the help of spiritual reading or a spiritual director, we are meant to discern our own form of spirituality; a sincere desire to love God and others as Jesus loved. QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION What did you learn from the passage or reflection? How does this show God s Plan: 4 Us 2 Know Him? How can you integrate what you ve learned into your family life? What questions can you ask your child about today s VBS lesson? Adapted from the Liguori Catholic Bible Study book The Gospel of John: The Word Became Flesh by William A. Anderson, DMin, PhD (Liguori Publications 2012). Imprimatur: +Michael J. Bransfield, Bishop of Wheeling- Charleston [West Virginia], January 6, Permission to photocopy is granted only for use with SonSpark Labs Vacation Bible School

8 SonSpark Labs Catholic Vacation Bible School, Parent Bible Study 8 SESSION 4: GOD S PLAN 2 SAVE US 1 PETER 3:18 FOR CHRIST ALSO SUFFERED FOR SINS ONCE, THE RIGHTEOUS FOR THE SAKE OF THE UNRIGHTEOUS, THAT HE MIGHT LEAD YOU TO GOD. PUT TO DEATH IN THE FLESH, HE WAS BROUGHT TO LIFE IN THE SPIRIT. 1 PETER 3:18 ABOUT THE PASSAGE The author of this passage summarizes a variety of truths relating to Christ and suffering. He recalls Christ died for sins once and for all. This death of Jesus need not be repeated, since the act of atonement on Jesus part was complete in itself. Christ was innocent, yet he died for those who were not innocent. He was the righteous one dying for the unrighteous. The purpose of his death was to lead all people to God, yet the story doesn t end with Jesus death. The author witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus, stating he was put to death in the flesh and brought to life in the spirit. The author adds that Christ, in the spirit, visited and preached to the spirits in prison. The passage does not clearly identify for us who the spirits in prison are. The message is: Christ really died, and by his death and resurrection, he conquered all evil. The author draws a parallel with the days of Noah. At that time, many people were disobedient, but God waited patiently for the ark to be built. When it was ready, God saved eight people in the ark. Instead of seeing the waters of the Flood as destructive, the author sees them as a sign of salvation for those saved from spiritual death. The waters prefigured the waters of baptism that offer us salvation. These waters do not wash away physical stain but stand as a pledge of a new life in God through Christ s resurrection. In his glory, Jesus Adapted from the Liguori Catholic Bible Study book Universal Letters: James, 1 and 2 Peter, 1,2, and 3 John, Jude by William A. Anderson, DMin, PhD (Liguori Publications 2014). Imprimatur: +Michael J. Bransfield, Bishop of Wheeling- Charleston [West Virginia], November 14, Permission to photocopy is granted only for use with SonSpark Labs Vacation Bible School

9 SonSpark Labs Catholic Vacation Bible School, Parent Bible Study 9 Christ went to heaven and holds the place of honor at God s right hand. In ancient times, the honored position was at the right hand of the king, and it often signified a power akin to that of the king. All the angels, authorities, and powers of heaven are subject to Jesus Christ. REFLECTION A nun who was dying often found herself in pain when she lay in one position for a long period of time. Every fifteen minutes a nurse would come to her room in the infirmary to reposition a pillow under her knees or help roll her on her side. One day, a woman came to visit the nun. The woman was having family problems and needed to speak with someone. Knowing the nun had the reputation of being a skilled listener, the woman spoke with her for a little more than an hour. Whenever the nurse came to move the nun, she would simply say, Not now. When the woman visiting the nun finally left, the nun was in such pain that she could hardly speak. She said to the nurse, Please reposition the pillow under my knees. The astonished nurse realized the nun must have been in pain throughout most of the woman s visit, and she asked why the nun did not make this request earlier. The nun answered, This poor woman was suffering from her ordeal. My pain did not matter. It was such a small pain compared to Jesus suffering on the cross. QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION What did you learn from the passage or reflection? How does this show God s Plan: 2 Save Us? How can you integrate what you ve learned into your family life? What questions can you ask your child about today s VBS lesson? Adapted from the Liguori Catholic Bible Study book Universal Letters: James, 1 and 2 Peter, 1,2, and 3 John, Jude by William A. Anderson, DMin, PhD (Liguori Publications 2014). Imprimatur: +Michael J. Bransfield, Bishop of Wheeling- Charleston [West Virginia], November 14, Permission to photocopy is granted only for use with SonSpark Labs Vacation Bible School

10 SonSpark Labs Catholic Vacation Bible School, Parent Bible Study 10 SECTION 5: GOD S PLAN 2 LOVE US 4 EVER EPHESIANS 5:2 LIVE IN LOVE, AS CHRIST LOVED US AND HANDED HIMSELF OVER FOR US AS A SACRIFICIAL OFFERING TO GOD FOR A FRAGRANT AROMA. EPHESIANS 5:2 ABOUT THE PASSAGE In past letters, Paul directed his readers to imitate Christ as well as those who give a living example of Christ. In this letter, the author tells them to imitate God as beloved children of God. They should love as Christ loved, that is, be willing to offer their life in love as Christ did. His self- offering was a sacrifice to God. This image reminds us of the directives for the offerings made by the people who burnt their Old Testament sacrifices, thus sending a pleasing fragrance up to God. Because the Ephesians are called to live as God s holy ones, they should do away with all impure and lustful conduct, not even allowing themselves to speak of such impurities or greed. They should also avoid all obscene, silly, or vulgar talk. Instead, they should live in continual thankfulness, as they are told here that no immoral or impure person or one who is greedy (an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. The Gentiles are told here that they once lived in darkness, and the author even goes so far as to say that they have been darkness itself. They not only became sinful, but they became instruments of sin to others as well. Now they have become the light in the Lord. Their new ministry is to share this light with the world by living as children of the light, that is, as true reflections of Christ s presence in the world. Light reveals all that is good, right, and true. In this manner, the author urges his readers to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Adapted from the Liguori Catholic Bible Study book Paul s Early and Prison Letters: 1 and 2 Thessalonians, Philippians, Colossians, Ephesians, Philemon by William A. Anderson, DMin, PhD (Liguori Publications 2013). Imprimatur: +Michael J. Bransfield, Bishop of Wheeling- Charleston [West Virginia], January 1, Permission to photocopy is granted only for use with SonSpark Labs Vacation Bible School

11 SonSpark Labs Catholic Vacation Bible School, Parent Bible Study 11 In this new life, Christians are called to conduct themselves properly, not acting as fools but as people filled with spiritual wisdom. Since they live in evil days, they should make the most of the present opportunity to live a holy life. The author further urges them to avoid ignorance, to strive to discern the will of the Lord in their life, and to avoid the sinful vice of becoming drunk with wine. Instead, they should be filled with the Spirit sharing mutual encouragement by singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. REFLECTION Just as nocturnal animals such as cats seek dark shadows to keep hidden, so sinners seek the spiritual dark corners of life to keep their sins unknown to others. In many cases, keeping evil hidden can become a burden for those who sin, since they often live with the fear of being discovered. Living in the light of Christ allows a person to live without such fear, knowing that their example can lead others to Christ. A number of self- help books explain how a person can live in peace but the reality is that the greatest peace comes from living in the light of Christ. The light of Christ can illuminate our world, allowing us to become a light to the world. Sharing goodness and encouragement with others is our way of letting our light shine before all. QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION What did you learn from the passage or reflection? How does this show God s Plan: 2 Love Us 4Ever? How can you integrate what you ve learned today into your family life? What questions can you ask your child about today s VBS lesson? Adapted from the Liguori Catholic Bible Study book Paul s Early and Prison Letters: 1 and 2 Thessalonians, Philippians, Colossians, Ephesians, Philemon by William A. Anderson, DMin, PhD (Liguori Publications 2013). Imprimatur: +Michael J. Bransfield, Bishop of Wheeling- Charleston [West Virginia], January 1, Permission to photocopy is granted only for use with SonSpark Labs Vacation Bible School