Bold Acts. Focus on Matthew 25: n PREPARING FOR THE SESSION. WHAT is important to know? WHERE is God in these words?

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1 November 19, 2017 Proper 28 Semicontinuous Judg. 4:1 7 Ps. 123 Complementary Zeph.1:7, Ps. 90:1 8, (9 11), 12 1 Thess. 5:1 11 Matt. 25:14 30 Goal for the Session Children will discover in the parable of the talents that they are to act boldly as God s children. n PREPARING FOR THE SESSION Focus on Matthew 25:14 30 WHAT is important to know? From Exegetical Perspective, Thomas D. Stegman, SJ The parable of the talents is situated near the conclusion of Jesus discourse on the end times (Matthew 24:1 35:46). It is the third in a series of parables that teach what constitutes proper conduct as people await the return of the Son of Man in glory. Implicit is that the return of the master brings about the fullness of the reign of God (see Matthew 25:1). The opening words of verse 19 refer to the delay of the return of the Son of Man in glory. This delay is a key theme in Jesus discourse. WHERE is God in these words? From Theological Perspective, Mark Douglas This parable isn t so much about talents as about the third slave, the master, and the relationship between them. These characters more clearly reflect Matthew s theological vision of how we are to live between now and the eschaton. The emotion that drives the third slave creates the conditions that lead to his downfall: fearing his master. This passage is not so much about the wise use of resources as it is about a willingness to resist fear and, like the first two slaves, to behave in risky and trusting ways, for in so doing we enter into joy upon the master s return. SO WHAT does this mean for our lives? From Pastoral Perspective, John M. Buchanan The greatest risk of all, it turns out, is not to risk anything to play it safe, to live cautiously and prudently. Orthodox, conventional theology identifies sin as pride and egotism. However, there is an entire other lens through which to view the human condition. It is called sloth, one of the ancient church s seven deadly sins. Sloth means not caring, not loving, not rejoicing, not living up to the full potential of our humanity, playing it safe, investing nothing, being cautious and prudent, digging a hole and burying the money in the ground. Jesus warning is that the outcome of playing it safe is something akin to death, like being banished to the outer darkness. NOW WHAT is God s word calling us to do? From Homiletical Perspective, Lindsay P. Armstrong What we think about God and do in response to the master s gracious trust is neither trivial nor incidental. What we do or fail to do shapes this world and our lives. God is sovereign goodness and is all that we need. Knowing this news and failing to share it with others is like knowing of a treasure hidden deep in the earth, but through indifference or inactivity, leaving that treasure buried, rather than taking the trouble to dig it up and enjoy its abundance with everyone. 1

2 FOCUS SCRIPTURE Matthew 25:14 30 Focus on Your Teaching Many children have the responsibility of caring for a pet or a plant at home. This is one way they can enter into the story of the valuable coins. Then as they learn more about this story, they will discover the importance of bold acts as followers of Jesus. The stories on Resource Sheet 2 provide real examples of children who have acted boldly. This is not an attempt to put children in dangerous situations, but to help them recognize that they can be faithful disciples too. God, as I plan to lead these children, I pray that I might act boldly in Jesus name. Amen. YOU WILL NEED Christ candle matches small table green cloth offering basket Bible Singing the Feast, ; CD player Color Pack 1, 22, 27, 28 item that is valuable to you Resource Sheet 1 For Responding: option 1: Color Pack 23, brightly-colored paper, markers, crayons, and other art supplies option 2: Resource Sheet 2 option 3: newsprint, markers option 4: Color Pack 28; flashlights; Singing the Feast, ; CD player n LEADING THE SESSION GATHERING Before the session, print the gathering litany on newsprint or poster board, if necessary. If you are using option 4 in Responding, bring a flashlight for each child. You may be able to purchase small ones in quantity at a party or dollar store. As you greet the children, welcome each one and ask how they followed Jesus this week. Have the group help you arrange the green cloth on the small table to create a worship table. Place on it a Christ candle (white pillar candle with a symbol of Christ etched or drawn on it), an offering basket, and a Bible open to Matthew 25. When all the children are present, gather at the worship table. Review that the green cloth means the church is in the Ordinary or Common Time (or Season after Pentecost). Invite a child to point to this season on Color Pack 1. Light the Christ candle. Invite the children to explain what this candle represents. (Jesus the Christ, the light of Christ in the world) If you wish, have a child gather the offerings. Sing together Bim Bom (Color Pack 27, track 2 on Singing the Feast, ). Ask learners to recall the meaning of the words Shabbat shalom (Hebrew for peaceful Sabbath ). Ask a pair of children to read the Leader part in unison to lead the group in this gathering litany: Leader: Loving God, be with us today. Children: We have come to learn about you. Leader: Teacher Jesus, we want to follow your teachings. Children: We have come to learn what you teach. Leader: Holy Spirit, we look for your help. Children: Amen. 2

3 Bim Bom Bim bom bim bim bim bom Bim bim bim bim bim bom. Bim bom bim bim bim bom Bim bim bim bim bim bom. Shabbat shalom! Shabbat shalom! Shabbat, shabbat, shabbat, Shabbat shalom! Extinguish the Christ candle. Show the group an item of value or importance to you, and explain why you feel a special responsibility for it. Ask the children to think quietly for a moment about the things that they take care of. Then ask: P For what do you have a special responsibility or care? After they have described their responsibilities, tell the group that in the Bible story for this session some workers are given great responsibilities. EXPLORING Invite the children to recall stories that Jesus told while teaching in the temple: the ruler who forgave his servant s debts (Sept. 17), the owner of the vineyard and the workers (Sept. 24), the father and two sons (Oct. 1), the landlord and the mean workers (Oct. 8), the wedding feast (Oct. 15), and the bridesmaids (Nov. 12). He also told the lawyer that the greatest commandment is one we call the Golden Rule. Invite them to say it with you: Love God. Love your neighbor as you love yourself. Tell the story on Resource Sheet 1 (Act Boldly). After the children have heard the story, show them Color Pack 22. Ask: P Where is the master in this art? P Where are the servants? P What happened before this picture of the story? P What happened after it? As you form the groups, try to have children of different ages in each group. Then form four groups (anywhere from one to several in each group). One group will be the master. A second group will be the first servant; a third group, the second servant; the fourth group, the third servant. Depending on the total number of children, multiple children will be playing each part. Tell the story again as the children act out their parts. Then, ask these questions of each group: P Masters: How did you decide how much each servant would receive? P First servants: How did you decide what to do with the money? P Second servants: Where did you get the idea to make more money with the money? P Third servants: Why were you afraid to do anything but bury the money? P Of each group of servants: How did you feel when you reported to your master? P Third servants: What did you learn from what happened to you? P All: Why do you think Jesus told the disciples this story? P All: Why do you think we read and think about this story today? As the children talk about the final question, they will prepare themselves for the Responding options. 3

4 RESPONDING Offer at least two options so children have a choice. One might be more challenging to interest older children who can work on their own. 1. Acting Boldly Art Show the children Color Pack 23. Suggest that this child is wondering how to act boldly as a follower of Jesus. Ask: P What might a child like this do? P What might you do to act boldly as a follower of Jesus? Have the children create a picture that gives their answer using bold and bright colors. Provide brightly-colored paper, crayons, markers, and other art supplies for the children to create their pictures. EASY PREP 2. Contemporary Stories Children are often inspired by stories of bold acts performed by other children. Read the two stories on Resource Sheet 2 (, Young Disciples). Talk with the group about these stories, using discussion questions such as: P What was the bold act in each story? P What do you think encouraged the children to act in this way? P How might you or your group act boldly on behalf of others? Take note of their ideas so you can help the group put them into action, making their own bold acts reality. Submit the children s list to your church newsletter. 3. A popular way to encourage action is to write a list of all the ways to do something. In this case, the children will create a list that everyone can use to act boldly as the first and second servants in Jesus story did. A leader or older child can be the scribe to list the acts on newsprint. Select a target number for the list. Perhaps ten will be enough to name in the time allotted. Brainstorm ideas first, listing everything on newsprint. When several more than the desired number have been named, help the children decide on the ten to include in their list. Some criteria might be that children of all ages can do them, that they help someone else, or that they represent a variety of types of bold acts. During the week, or mail the list to each child. 4

5 This Little Light of Mine This little light of mine, This little light of mine, This little light of mine, I m gonna let it shine, Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. Everywhere I go, Everywhere I go, Everywhere I go, I m gonna let it shine, Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. Jesus gave it to me, Jesus gave it to me, Jesus gave it to me, I m gonna let it shine, Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. 4. Song When Christians act boldly, they show the love and light of Jesus to the world. The children probably know the song This Little Light of Mine (Color Pack 28, track 22 on Singing the Feast, ). Distribute flashlights. As you sing the song, have the children turn on their flashlights every time they sing little light of mine. This may take a little practice, but they will have a good time. CLOSING If the children made the list of ways to act boldly, read it to the group. If not, look at their artwork or the ideas that came from the contemporary stories. Invite each child to select one way to act boldly on behalf of others this week. Sing This Little Light of Mine (Color Pack 28, track 22 on Singing the Feast, ). Invite children to wave both arms in the air each time they sing Have learners pass the following benediction around the circle by speaking it from person to person: God bless you as you let your light shine this week. Tell learners you will pray for them this week, and ask them to pray for you. 5

6 November 19, 2017 Multi-Age Resource Sheet 1 Act Boldly Based on Matthew 25:14 30 Jesus had more stories for the disciples. He wanted to help them understand their role as leaders of the people who believed in him. After he told the story about the ten bridesmaids, Jesus told this story: A man, a rich man, was getting ready for a trip. When he was ready to leave, he asked three servants, trusted servants, to meet with him. He needed these faithful servants to take care of all that he owned while he was away. You, he said to the first servant who had been with him a long time, are to take care of this bag of money. In it are five valuable coins. The servant took the bag and nodded that he would. Turning to the second servant, who had also served him for many years, he said, You are to take care of this bag of money with two valuable coins. This servant also took the bag and nodded that he would. Then he said to the third servant, You have this bag with one valuable coin to take care of. The third servant took the bag and nodded that he would. Then the man left on his trip. After a long time, the man returned. The first thing he did was call for the three servants who were caring for his valuable coins. It was time to see if they had done what he asked. The first servant handed the man the bag of coins. It was much heavier now. The first servant said, Master, I invested your coins and you now have ten valuable coins. The man was very pleased with the first servant. He had acted boldly. The second servant handed the man his bag of coins. It too was heavier. Master, said the second servant, I also invested the two coins you left with me. Now there are four coins. The man smiled. The second servant had also acted boldly. Finally, the third servant stepped before the man. He handed him the bag with one coin. It was no heavier. No coins were clanging together in the bag. Master, said the third servant, I know that you expect much of your servants. So, afraid that I would lose this valuable coin, I buried it in the ground until you returned. The master said, If you knew that I expected much from you, why didn t you act boldly as the other servants did? You are no longer worthy to work for me. Leave! 2017 Westminster John Knox Press

7 November 19, 2017 Multi-Age Resource Sheet 2, Young Disciples Kids Helping Kids Go to School The fifth-grade class at Nassau Presbyterian Church in Princeton, New Jersey, learned about the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations from guest speakers. They wanted to be part of solving these problems, too. The class voted on which goal to work on. Helping more kids go to school won. Seventy-three million children aren t in school. Some live in countries where they have to pay school fees (around $50) or buy uniforms and books that their families can t afford. Other children have to work to help the family get food and water. For one billion people who live on less than $1 a day, school is a luxury they can t afford. To raise money, the fifth-graders baked cookies and decorated packages to sell after church. They raised $700 but didn t stop there. They researched more about the Millennium Goals and prepared a presentation to the church s Mission Committee. The class asked the committee to give money from their budget to add to what the class raised. The committee agreed to add $300. The class sent $1,000 to Dr. Michael and Nancy Haninger, PC(USA) mission workers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The money raised will cover clothing, tuition, and other fees for 20 orphans to go to school for a year. Want to know more about the Millennium Goals? Go to millenniumgoals/. Save Some Gums Claire and Audrey were fourth-graders at Second Presbyterian Church in Kansas City, Missouri, when they began a mission project. They planned to collect new toothbrushes and toothpaste to donate to people in need. Claire and Audrey made a presentation about their project to the children s Sunday school. They decorated a special box to hold the items they collected. They came up with a theme, Be chums, save some gums. Families of the kids in the Sunday school started bringing toothbrushes and toothpaste to donate. Other members of the church started bringing things too. Claire and Audrey contacted some dentists and asked them to participate. All of the collected items were donated to a local ministry that helps people who need basic necessities Westminster John Knox Press