God s Forever Love. Focus on Mark 13:1 8. n PREPARING FOR THE SESSION. WHAT is important to know? WHERE is God in these words?

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1 November 18, 2018 Proper 28 Semicontinuous 1 Sam. 1: Sam. 2:1 10 Complementary Dan. 12:1 3 Ps. 16 Heb. 10:11 14, (15 18), Mark 13:1 8 God s Forever Love Goal for the Session Children will be reminded, through the disciples questions about the temple, that God is unchanging. n PREPARING FOR THE SESSION Focus on Mark 13:1 8 WHAT is important to know? From Exegetical Perspective, Robert A. Bryant All of chapter 13 is rooted in Jewish apocalyptic thought, and central to such thinking is the belief that God controls history, that the world has become so evil that only God can save it, and that God will rescue the world from evil at the time of God s own choosing, establishing a new creation in which righteousness characterizes everyone in it. Such thinking was popular among first-century-ce Jews, but many were likely offended by Jesus prediction of the temple s destruction. WHERE is God in these words? From Theological Perspective, Emilie M. Townes Yes, we will be touched by the awful destruction of the apocalypse, as none escape its ravages, but for those who live with a faith that seeks a deep relationship with God one that does not rely on trite formulas or poorly developed doctrines we find, in and through God s grace, the pathway through devastation and suffering: salvation. For the time of destruction, which is an ending, is also a beginning for people of deep faith. The new life found in salvation helps to remind us that all things that have new life must also grow and change. SO WHAT does this mean for our lives? From Pastoral Perspective, Rodger Y. Nishioka So how does one survive the devastation of an aggressive cancer diagnosis or other illness, the crashing down of a building, or the aftermath of a natural disaster? How does one survive the loss of innocence? How does one live in the midst of competing voices, all full of passionate intensity, claiming that these are signs of the end of the age? Our focus must not be on the signs themselves, but rather on the one who is to come the one who enables us to look up after such devastation and claim the certainty of blessing. Things may seem to have fallen apart. It may appear that anarchy has been loosed on the world. Nevertheless, the center will hold and much to our amazement we will discover that we have much faithful work to do. NOW WHAT is God s word calling us to do? From Homiletical Perspective, Pete Peery Endure, hold out for God s goal, the goal that will be accomplished only in the coming of the Son of Man. The church needs to hear this message in this present age. The pressure on the followers of Jesus to be co-opted as champions for campaigns that promise salvation and glory is excruciating. Failure to join these campaigns, to raise even the slightest question about them, often leads to ostracism or worse. But enduring that pressure is only a birth pang. It is only a wrenching but promising experience that is to be endured in order to welcome the telos, God s goal and intention for the world that the Son of Man can and will bring. 1

2 God s Forever Love FOCUS SCRIPTURE Mark 13:1 8 YOU WILL NEED green tablecloth from Sept. 2 small table or large cardboard box children s crosses (from Sept. 2) markers basket Bible battery-powered candle cross that stands wood blocks Singing the Feast, ; CD player Color Pack 23, 24, 31 Resource Sheet 1 scissors, crayons copies of Resource Sheet 2 For Responding option 2: building blocks option 3: roll paper, marker, masking tape, small stones Focus on Your Teaching What a difficult teaching you ll find in this Bible story wars, earthquakes, and famines! Yet through all the strife and chaos, God is unchanged. In this sometimes frightening world, children need the security of knowing that God s love for them will never end. The concrete experience of the faithful, consistent presence of caring adults fosters their trust that God s love is true and lasts forever. As adults, we don t have all the answers; it is OK to live with the questions. Dear God, it is difficult not to worry about the future. When the news is filled with war and disasters, remind me that your love for the world never ends. Help me to be a messenger of this love. Amen. n LEADING THE SESSION GATHERING Before the session, make a copy of Resource Sheet 1 (Greater Than) and cut out the word and pictures. If you are using option 3 in Responding, make a hopscotch board as described there. Create a worship center by placing the green tablecloth on a small table or a large cardboard box. Place the standing cross, candle, basket, and the children s crosses on the table; provide extra crosses for children who do not have one. As the children arrive, show them Color Pack 23, explaining that this is the building where Jesus and his friends worshiped God. Invite them to use the blocks to build a model of the temple. As they build, talk about things that are going on in the world around them. Ask: P Which things seem good? Which seem bad or scary? Gather around the worship center and light the candle. Say, The Lord be with you, (name), to each child, pausing for him or her to speak the response ( And also with you ) and place his or her cross in the basket. Pray aloud: Teacher: The Lord be with you! All: And also with you! Teacher: Let us pray: As we learn and play today, O God, stay by our side. Amen. Tell learners that it s good to know that God is always with us. Sing Kum Ba Yah (Color Pack 31; track 10 on Singing the Feast, ). If your church has a model of the Jerusalem temple or photos of the temple ruins, bring these to show to learners. EXPLORING Open your Bible to Mark 13:1 7. Tell the children that today s Bible story is about a time when Jesus told the disciples that God is greater than anything human beings can do. Read the verses from the Contemporary English Version Bible, as follows: 2

3 God s Forever Love Kum Ba Yah Kum ba yah, my Lord, kum ba yah! Kum ba yah, my Lord, kum ba yah! Kum ba yah, my Lord, kum ba yah! O Lord, kum ba yah! Come by here, my Lord, come by here! Come by here, my Lord, come by here! Come by here, my Lord, come by here! O Lord, come by here! Jesus went about doing good; Jesus went about doing good. He told everyone God is love; God cares for you. Mark 13:1: As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, Teacher, look at these beautiful stones and wonderful buildings! (CEV) P Show Color Pack 23. Imagine what it was like to build this without power equipment. Mark 13:2: Jesus replied, Do you see these huge buildings? They will certainly be torn down! Not one stone will be left in place. (CEV) P What do you think the disciples thought when Jesus said the temple would fall down? Mark 13:3 4: Later, as Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives across from the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew came to him in private. They asked, When will these things happen? What will be the sign that they are about to take place? (CEV) P What did the disciples want to know? Mark 13:5 7: Jesus answered: Watch out and don t let anyone fool you! Many will come and claim to be me. They will use my name and fool many people. When you hear about wars and threats of wars, don t be afraid. These things will have to happen first, but that isn t the end. (CEV) P Jesus was God s Son. He wanted the disciples to know that some people would try to confuse them about God and Jesus. Why does Jesus think it s important for everyone to know who God is? While not in the reading for today, point out Jesus promise that, in spite of these frightening things, God s people will be saved (Mark 13:13). P Jesus promises that God s love is stronger than any human actions. How was this good news for the disciples with Jesus? How is it good news for us? Show the pictures cut from Resource Sheet 1 (Greater Than) and identify each one, referring to the notes in parentheses as needed. Place the greater than sign faceup, and then ask a volunteer to choose two pictures. As a group, decide which is greater and place the greater than sign between them to show this. (It s OK if children do not agree on which is greater.) Next, place the word God and the greater than sign on the table. One at a time, place each picture in the equation. Have the children read each one in unison: God is greater than earthquakes, God is greater than war, and so on. This is a difficult Bible passage to understand. Reassure the children that Jesus promise can be trusted, and that God s forever love for us does not depend on how well we understand this teaching! Learning some of the different names for God can help the children think more about God s unchanging presence. Distribute copies of Resource Sheet 2 (Wonderful Names). Work together to fill in the missing vowels to find names for God and Jesus. Read the names aloud to the children. Invite each one to tell which name he or she likes the best, and then use crayons to illustrate that name or create a symbol for it. Take a moment for the children to tell about their drawings. 3

4 God s Forever Love To summarize Exploring, ask: P In what ways can we learn about God s forever love? (Possible answers include: prayer, reading Bible stories, coming to Sunday school, worship, talking with other Christians.) EASY PREP RESPONDING Mark the activities you will use: 1. Three Changes Children can use play to explore how God is unchanging. Form pairs and have partners turn their backs to each other. Each child changes three things about his or her appearance. (For example, untie shoe, mess up hair, push up one sleeve.) Have partners turn back around to face each other and try to identify the three changes. Form new pairs and play again. After the game, discuss: Did changing your appearance make you a different person? Why or why not? What does it mean that God does not change? Holy One 2. Not One Stone Relay This game helps to reinforce the promise that God s love is forever. Form two teams. Give each team 20 to 30 building blocks to use to construct a tower. Read aloud Mark 13:1 2. Line up the teams across the room from their towers. The first person in line for each team will gallop to the tower, take off a block, and bring it back to the line. Team members will repeat this action, in turn, until they have brought back all the blocks. Once they have all the blocks at the starting line, they should use them to spell the word God. As a group, recall Jesus promise that God s love is stronger than anything people can make. Shepherd Light Rock Love Christ Creator Lord King 3. Names Hopscotch Children can celebrate the variety of names for God and Jesus as a way of understanding the greatness of God and God s Son, Jesus. Use a marker to draw a hopscotch grid (see sidebar) on a length cut from a roll of paper. Tape it securely to the floor. Give each child a small stone to use as a marker. The first child tosses a stone in the section that has his or her favorite name, calls out that name, and tells why it is a favorite. The child then hops down the grid and back, not stepping in that square. Each player takes a turn. As time allows, play again. CLOSING Gather the group around the worship center. Pass around Color Pack 24. As each child holds it, invite her or him to tell something about the trees. Invite conversation about why the tree looks different in spring, summer, fall, and winter. Comment that while things in God s creation change plants, people, animals God s forever love never changes. Invite the children to join you in prayer, repeating each phrase after you: Holy God, / you are always with us. / Thank you for loving us forever / and for always being by our side. / Amen. Offer a blessing to each child as you say good-bye: God bless you, (name). 4

5 November 18, 2018 God s Forever Love Grades (K)1 2 Resource Sheet 1 Greater Than (greater than) (earthquake) (war) (buildings) (fear) (anger) (sadness) (time) 2018 Westminster John Knox Press

6 November 18, 2018 God s Forever Love Grades (K)1 2 Resource Sheet 2 Directions: This chart shows names for God and God s Son, Jesus. But each line is missing a vowel! Which line needs an O? Which line needs an E? Which line needs an I? L_ght Chr_st K_ng H_ly One R_ck L_rd Cr_ator Sh_pherd Lov_ Wonderful Names Pick the name you like the best. Draw a picture or a symbol for that name in this space: 2018 Westminster John Knox Press