Love So Amazing. Focus on Isaiah 55:1 9. n PREPARING FOR THE SESSION. WHAT is important to know? WHERE is God in these words?

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1 March 24, 2019 Third Sunday in Lent Isa. 55:1 9 Ps. 63:1 8 1 Cor. 10:1 13 Luke 13:1 9 Goal for the Session Tweens will dig into Isaiah s words and describe the nature of our generous God. n PREPARING FOR THE SESSION Focus on Isaiah 55:1 9 WHAT is important to know? From Exegetical Perspective, Richard A. Puckett Isaiah 55 is a central passage in a series of passages proclaiming hope and salvation to the exiles. The central message to be proclaimed is the extraordinary nature and dependability of God s promises. Even in the strangeness of a faraway land and in the face of the power of our foes, God promises a restoration and renewal beyond our previous condition. While we may not be able to see the possibility or understand the way, God s word will accomplish its purpose. WHERE is God in these words? From Theological Perspective, Darryl M. Trimiew Here we find a divine paradox: although our thoughts are not God s thoughts and our ways are not her ways, although her righteousness is as high above our sinfulness as heaven is above the earth, God is still near! God loves us and is eager and ready to bless us. During this Lenten season, as we relinquish indulgences in order to please God, let us first focus on being with God, spending time with God, drinking the milk and wine he gives us eating the bread of life. Let us praise him above all the earth so everyone around us will be drawn to the joy and glory of God. In so doing we will be supremely satisfied. SO WHAT does this mean for our lives? From Pastoral Perspective, Daniel M. Debevoise Lent challenges us to consider the reality of our own sinfulness and our need for repentance. We may not be immediately aware of how we have wandered away from God how life has lost its meaning in pursuit of a promotion or raise, how we have gotten buried under the demands of economic and social status. Isaiah s words help us to hear the truth so that we can recommit ourselves to God s offer of steadfast love and covenant relationship as the true way for our lives. NOW WHAT is God s word calling us to do? From Homiletical Perspective, Kenyatta R. Gilbert The words of this passage find some correspondence to modern-day words of invitation at the communion table. In this Lenten text we find words for the broken in spirit deeply reminiscent of King David s invitation to Mephibosheth (2 Sam. 9), anticipating Jesus call to guests to a great banquet (Luke 14:15 24). More profoundly, Isaiah s Come.... I will make with you an everlasting covenant appears to be a foreshadowing of Jesus summoning his disciples to his Last Supper just prior to his crucifixion. Proclamation may focus on God s grace-giving word to us, that in God s storage house nothing is lacking. 1

2 FOCUS SCRIPTURE Isaiah 55:1 9 Focus on Your Teaching Tweens have good imaginations and inquisitive minds. They are growing from concrete thinking into the capacity for abstract reasoning, so they are fascinated by questions like Just how big is God? and If you peel away the universe, what s behind it? Tweens yearn to know God, not just learn about God. They will grow in knowing God by spending time in God s presence. Their lives are becoming busier, so this is a good time to introduce faith practices they can use each day. As you prepare to teach, make time to be in God s presence yourself. YOU WILL NEED purple cloth bowl of soil flowerpot 3 spoons Singing the Feast, ; CD player Bible copies of Resource Sheet 1 colored pencils or fine-tipped markers Color Pack 7, 8, 32 newsprint, markers copies of Romans 8:38 39 from March 10 For Responding option 1: copies of Resource Sheet 1, kitchen foil; meditative music (optional) option 2: hymnals or songbooks your church uses or Color Pack 28 option 3: copies of Resource Sheet 2, pencils, newsprint, markers Gracious God, fill my teaching with your Spirit so that these young people might recognize your presence and desire to spend time with you. Amen. n LEADING THE SESSION GATHERING Before the session, arrange a purple cloth in the center of your meeting space. On the cloth, place the bowl of soil, flowerpot, and spoons. If you did not save copies of the following verse for Closing from March 10, make one copy for each learner: I am sure that nothing can separate us from God s love not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, and not powers above or powers below. Nothing in all creation can separate us from God s love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord! (Romans 8:38 39, Contemporary English Version) Welcome learners as they arrive. Gather around the purple cloth and point out that today is the third Sunday in Lent, the season of the church year when Christians journey toward the time of Jesus death on the cross. Invite each person to move one spoonful of dirt from the bowl into the flowerpot. (Keep the flower pot, soil, and spoons for use March 31.) Pray aloud: Creator God, we are in awe of the world you have created and are grateful for the place you have given us in it. Draw us close as we seek to know you better. Amen. Ask tweens to join you in a game of Top That. The subject for the game is imagining a great world. Begin by saying, Imagine a world where... everyone has a home. Top that. Invite a learner to continue by saying, Imagine a world where..., and completing the statement with his or her idea. Keep going until the group runs out of ideas. Explain that today s Bible story tells how God tops that. 2

3 EXPLORING Display Color Pack 7. Ask: P What might this picture be saying about God s amazing world? Ask What else? several times to deepen the conversation. Invite learners to tell what they know about the prophet Isaiah. As is helpful, remind the group that God worked through Isaiah and other prophets to call people to hear God s word and live according to God s ways. Distribute copies of Resource Sheet 1 (Isaiah 55:1 9) and colored pencils or fine-tipped markers. Explain that, in some verses of this reading, Isaiah is quoting God s words. Ask learners to make notes in the margin to indicate that verses 1 5 and 8 9 are quoting God s words; verses 6 7 are in Isaiah s voice. Form two groups to read the passage aloud, alternating verses between groups. Allow a quiet moment for learners to work individually or with a partner to complete the marking exercise, following the directions on the sheet. Gather the group and invite learners to list what Isaiah says will be part of God s amazing world to come. Record their responses on newsprint. Discuss: P What strikes you as a top that something really amazing? P What do people need to do to be part of God s world? P What will God do to create this amazing world? P After reading this passage, how do you describe God? Ask a volunteer to read aloud verses 8 9. On newsprint make two columns, titled God s Ways and Human Ways. Record responses in the columns as the group discusses: P What comes to mind when you think of God s ways? P What comes to mind when you think of human ways? P What strikes you about the differences between the two lists? P Have you ever experienced a thought or an action that you felt must be God s way because it was bigger than anything a person could have thought of or done alone? If so, tell about it. Show Color Pack 8. Invite tweens to describe what they think is happening. Discuss: P How do you think this woman feels about God? P Do you know someone who feels this way about God? If so, how do you know? What does this person do or say? P How might you describe our generous God to other people? P In what ways could you show your love for God so that people around you might be drawn to God? 3

4 Option: Listening to quiet instrumental music helps some tweens focus on a task. For quiet activities such as this one, try playing meditative music, such as Taize music or Water Sounds (track 18 on Singing the Feast, ) as learners work. When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, Stanza 4 Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were a present far too small; love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all. Isaac Watts ( ) EASY PREP You Shall Love the Lord Your God You shall love the Lord your God, alleluia! You shall love the Lord your God, alleluia! With all your heart and soul and mind, alleluia! With all your heart and soul and mind, alleluia! RESPONDING Mark the options you will use: 1. Foil Sculptures Invite tweens to meditate on God s ways and thoughts. Have tweens take their copies of Resource Sheet 1 and spread out around the room, making themselves comfortable. Explain that you will bring them foil to use to create a sculpture to express their thoughts and feelings about God s greatness. Invite tweens to quietly read Isaiah 55:1 9 and to pray for understanding. Take the box of foil to each tween, so that he or she can pull out the amount of foil desired. After five minutes for reading, praying, and sculpting, invite learners to tell about their creations. 2. Lenten Dance Lent is a time for Christians to meditate on God s greatness and love expressed in Jesus Christ. Church music during Lent may encourage tweens in their reflection. Form groups of three or four. Distribute copies of the hymnals or songbooks your church uses. Find hymns associated with Lent and Holy Week. (Check the table of contents or index for seasonal music.) Invite learners to tell which of these songs they know and which they like best. Turn to When I Survey the Wondrous Cross. (Option: Use Were You There? on Color Pack 28; track 20 on Singing the Feast, ) Have each group create a liturgical dance or hand motions to accompany the fourth stanza. (Or choose a stanza from another hymn for Lent or Holy Week for this activity.) Ask each group to present its dance or hand motions as everyone sings the verse. Discuss how Christians might speak, sing, and/or move each day to express thanks for God s amazing love. 3. Making Space for God It is challenging to grasp the vastness and greatness of God s being and the depth of God s love. To grow in such understanding, it helps to focus on God s presence in intentional ways. Distribute copies of Resource Sheet 2 (Making Space for God) and pencils. Working as a group, brainstorm ways to make space for God in one s daily life to practice being in God s presence. Record ideas on newsprint. (Responses may include: pray, sing hymns and songs, read the Bible, turn off electronics and sit in silence.) Have learners work individually to complete the sections on the resource sheet. Come together and invite tweens to describe the ways they imagine themselves focusing on God s presence each day. CLOSING Gather together around the flowerpot. Distribute copies of Romans 8: Have learners read these verses in unison. Challenge learners to recite the verses a second time without looking at their papers. Save the copies for use March 31. Sing You Shall Love the Lord Your God (Color Pack 32; track 21 on Singing the Feast, ). Pray aloud: For your amazing love, Lord, we thank you. For being greater than anything we can imagine, we praise you. Make your presence known to us this week. Show us when and how to make space for you. Amen. Be sure to say good-bye to each learner by name. 4

5 March 24, 2019 Tweens Resource Sheet 1 Isaiah 55:1 9 Directions: Use one color to circle phrases that describe God s amazing world. Use a second color to underline verbs that suggest what a person might do to claim a place in this amazing world. 1 All of you who are thirsty, come to the water! Whoever has no money, come, buy food and eat! 6 Seek the LORD when he can still be found; call him while he is yet near. Without money, at no cost, buy wine and milk! 7 Let the wicked abandon their ways 2 Why spend money for what isn t food, and your earnings for what doesn t satisfy? Listen carefully to me and eat what is good; enjoy the richest of feasts. and the sinful their schemes. Let them return to the LORD so that he may have mercy on them, to our God, because he is generous with forgiveness. 3 Listen and come to me; listen, and you will live. 8 My plans aren t your plans, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful loyalty to David. 9 Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, 4 Look, I made him a witness to the peoples, a prince and commander of peoples. and my plans than your plans. Scripture taken from Common English Bible. Copyright 2011 by Common English Bible. 5 Look, you will call a nation you don t know, a nation you don t know will run to you because of the LORD your God, the holy one of Israel, who has glorified you Westminster John Knox Press

6 March 24, 2019 Tweens Resource Sheet 2 Making Space for God How can you take time each day to focus on God s presence to make space for God? Directions: In the space below, write or draw about how you might focus on God s presence each day. Me, Making Space for God 2019 Westminster John Knox Press