The Greatest Commandment

Transcription

1 October 29, 2017 Proper 25 Semicontinuous Deut. 34:1 12 Ps. 90:1 6, Complementary Lev. 19:1 2, Ps. 1 1 Thess. 2:1 8 Matthew 22:34 46 The Greatest Goal for the Session Third- and fourth-graders will be challenged by Jesus teaching about the greatest commandment to consider how loving God calls us to love others. Focus on Matthew 22:34 46 WHAT is important to know? From Exegetical Perspective, Patrick Gray This reading contains two discrete units. As is so often the case in Matthew s Gospel, both involve Jesus in a verbal joust with the Pharisees. To the first question Jesus responds by quoting Deuteronomy 6:5. This formula is the second part of the Shema, the standard prayer that all pious Jews are to recite daily. To this he appends Leviticus 19:18, a citation popular among early Christian writers (Romans 13:8, James 2:8), but never combined with the Shema in this manner. All the law and the prophets hang on these two commands. The image conjured is that of a branch hanging from a tree or a door on its hinge. WHERE is God in these words? From Theological Perspective, Timothy A. Beach-Verhey In quoting the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4 5), Jesus points out that the aim of the law is to orient one s entire life toward God. However, one cannot love God without loving what God loves! While the scribes and Pharisees used the law to place severe limits on those whom they were obliged to recognize as their neighbors, Jesus joins these texts in order to smash all the limits and boundaries of neighborliness. Jesus proves himself to be the true and faithful interpreter of Scripture, silencing his critics with knowledge and wisdom. Jesus is the Messiah who loves his enemies, who loves as God loves, who is God with us (Matthew 1:23). SO WHAT does this mean for our lives? From Pastoral Perspective, Earl F. Palmer It is the Monday of Holy Week. Jesus lives and teaches in the tension between Sunday s acclamation and Friday s execution. He has faced the opposition of religious leaders throughout his ministry, and that opposition only grows stronger in the first part of this chapter. Yet Jesus takes the risk of hearing the lawyer s question out and answering it in good faith. Sometimes the gospel provides people with a powerful answer to difficult questions. Sometimes the gospel provokes people to even deeper questions. The answers are a gift of the Spirit, and the questions may be, too. NOW WHAT is God s word calling us to do? From Homiletical Perspective, Allen Hilton When Pharisees ask Jesus which commandment is the greatest of all, his answer defines the central calling of the faithful for all time: Love the Lord your God with all your heart... soul, and... mind.... Love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37, 39). Here, Jesus opens a window to divine priorities. The One who touts these two love commands is no mere rabbi. This is Messiah, God s Son, Lord. Our hearts are drawn to the heavenly voice that boomed five chapters back: This is my Son... listen to him! (Matthew 17:5). 1

2 The Greatest FOCUS SCRIPTURE Matthew 22:34 46 YOU WILL NEED green cloth battery-powered Christ candle cross that stands construction-paper bookmarks Color Pack 17, 27, 31 Singing the Feast, ; CD player Bibles copies of Resource Sheet 1, tape, markers, scissors For Responding option 2: copies of Resource Sheet 2, pencils, yellow crayons or markers option 3: Color Pack 17; 6" x 36" strips of plain paper, fabric, or old sheet; fabric-paint pens or permanent markers in several colors 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! Focus on Your Teaching Third- and fourth-graders are learning more and more about what is expected of them at school and as members of sports teams and youth organizations such as Scouts. They may want to know more about what is expected of them as Jesus followers. This is a good time in their lives for learning more about the practices of Christian discipleship. Learners will appreciate, for example, how Jesus would have recited the Shema as a boy as they grow in developing their own habits of prayer. Wonder together about the connection between the two dimensions of Christian life: loving God and loving others. Lord, help these learners know that I love them because I love you. Amen. n LEADING THE SESSION GATHERING Before the session, write each of the following references on a separate constructionpaper bookmark: Leviticus 19:18; Deuteronomy 6:4 5; Matthew 22:34 36; Matthew 22:37 38; Matthew 22: Greet each learner by name. Ask for volunteers to take one of the bookmarks, find the verses, and be ready to read them aloud. Invite learners to arrange the green cloth, candle, and cross in the center of your meeting space. Gather together and light the Christ candle, welcoming Christ in your midst. Sing Bim Bom (Color Pack 27, track 2 on Singing the Feast, ), stomping your feet with the beat. Offer this prayer: Lord, be with us as we learn today. Amen. Invite children to tell about things they did to help another person during the past week and kind things that other people did for them. Be sure to tell of your own experiences. EXPLORING Introduce today s Bible story as a time that Jesus was teaching. Give each learner a Bible and turn to Matthew 22: Ask the volunteer with the Matthew 22:34 36 bookmark to read these verses as the others follow along. P Why did the lawyer ask Jesus this question? Ask the volunteer with the Matthew 22:37 38 bookmark to read these verses. P What does Jesus say is most important? 2

3 The Greatest Remind the group that Jesus was raised in the Jewish religion. One of the very first prayers he would have learned is the Shema (sheh-mah). Ask the volunteer with the Deuteronomy 6:4 5 bookmark to read these verses. Jesus would have prayed these words every morning and night. Jesus knew that praying is an important thing to do to stay in touch with God and show love for God. Show Color Pack 17, explaining that Jewish people today still make prayer an important part of their lives. Some wear a prayer shawl like this as they pray. Discuss: P Look at how similar Jesus words are to Deuteronomy 6:4 5. Why do you think that is so? P What prayers do you say on a regular basis? Ask the volunteer with the Matthew 22:39 40 bookmark to read these verses. P What does Jesus say is the second greatest commandment? Jesus knew the second part of the greatest commandment from his childhood, too. Ask the volunteer with the Leviticus 19:18 bookmark to read this verse. Point out that sometimes these words are called the Golden Rule: Do to others as you would have them do to you. P Why do you think some people call these words the Golden Rule? Focus on Matthew 22:37 39: P Do you think it is harder to love God or to love other people? Why? P How do we show our love for God? In what ways do the church and our families help us express our love for God? P How do we show our love for others? In what ways do the church and our families help us express our love for other people? P What does it mean to love our neighbors as we love ourselves? Developmentally, thirdand fourth-graders are ready to learn new rituals and faith practices that will give them a sense of competence as Jesus followers. Prayer Reminder Look together at verse 40. Recall that God gave the Ten s to guide the people of Israel. The Old Testament has many teachings and laws based on these ten. Jesus knew these teachings well and summed them up this way: Love God and love others. Invite learners to imagine love God and love others as the trunk of a tree, with all the teachings in the Bible as branches that grow out of or hang on the tree. P Do you think that society today could work if this were the only rule or law? Why or why not? What Jesus teaches as the greatest commandment is still important for us. Distribute copies of Resource Sheet 1 (Prayer Reminder). After learners cut along the dotted lines, show them how to fold and tape the paper into a triangular table tent. In unison, read the words from Deuteronomy and Leviticus, recalling that Jesus would have learned these words when he was a boy. Together, pray the prayer based on Jesus teaching. Encourage learners to pray it each day. 3

4 The Greatest Puzzle Solution EASY PREP RESPONDING Mark the activities you will use. 1. Act It Out Role-playing can help third- and fourth-graders imagine how Jesus teaching about the greatest commandment might guide their own actions. Form pairs and give each pair one of the following situations or one of your own: your friends have come over to your house and your little brother wants to play with them, too; Grandpa wants to go with your family to the amusement park, but he isn t able to walk very well; Mom s had a terrible day at work and she is too tired to cook. Have pairs act out one way to respond to each situation that follows the greatest commandment. As a group, reflect on how each pair expressed love for God and love for neighbor. Reflect also on other choices they might have made. 2. Word Puzzle Review Jesus teaching about the greatest commandment. Distribute copies of Resource Sheet 2 (The Greatest Puzzle) and pencils. Invite learners to work individually or in pairs to solve the puzzle and find the hidden Bible verse. We love because God first loved us. (1 John 4:19) 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. 3. Prayer Shawls Show Color Pack 17, explaining that Jewish people, and some people of other faiths as well, cover their heads when praying as a sign of respect to God. Some say that covering their heads helps them focus on their prayers. Distribute 6" x 36" strips of plain paper or fabric. Invite learners to make prayer shawls by decorating the fabric with many kinds of crosses, using fabric-paint pens or permanent markers. Point out that the cross is a good reminder of Jesus greatest commandment because it points up to God and out to other people. CLOSING Gather as a group and light the Christ candle. Play This Little Light of Mine (Color Pack 31, track 22 on Singing the Feast, ), inviting learners to sing along. Invite learners to tell what they will remember about Jesus teaching of the greatest commandment. Hold up the cross from the worship space and point out how it can remind us of the two parts of the greatest commandment. Show how to cross arms at the wrists with one hand pointing to a neighbor and one to God. Invite the children to hold this posture as you lead them in a time of silent prayer. (If they made prayer shawls, they can drape the shawls over their heads.) Without saying the name, think of someone in your life who is sometimes hard to love. Close your eyes and picture this person in your mind. Ask God to show you good things about this person. Ask God to remind you of these good things when you are frustrated with this person. Ask God to help you love that person this week. Lord, hear our prayers. Amen. 4

5 October 29, 2017 The Greatest Grades 3 4 Resource Sheet 1 Prayer Reminder cut here ! Hear, O Israel: The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. (Deuteronomy 6:4 5) You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Leviticus 19:18) fold here The Greatest Prayer Dear God, Send your Spirit to help me love you with all my heart and soul and mind, and to love my neighbor as myself. Amen. (Adapted from Jesus words in Matthew 22:37 40) fold here cut here 2017 Westminster John Knox Press !

6 October 29, 2017 The Greatest Grades 3 4 Resource Sheet 2 The Greatest Puzzle Review Jesus teaching in Matthew 22:36 40 as you solve this puzzle. Look side-toside and up-and-down to find each word in the word bank. Circle the words in the puzzle. Hint: Some letters are used in more than one word. W L E L N O G V E L O V E D E U T E R O N O M Y B E C V A U I S D E G A O D F M I N D G G R E A T E S T J T I S H E M A R T S O H E I T L B O V E D H U U E S C S 1 O J O H N E 4 L A U U 1 P R A Y E R W 9 S R S S C O M M A N D M E N T Word Bank COMMANDMENT DEUTERONOMY GOD GREATEST HEART JESUS LEVITICUS LOVE MATTHEW MIND NEIGHBOR PRAYER SHEMA SOULS Color the letters and numbers you did not use with a yellow crayon or marker. Read the yellow letters and numbers from left to right, beginning with the top row, to find a hidden Bible verse. Write the seven words of the Bible verse and the verse reference here:. ( : ) 2017 Westminster John Knox Press