Good News. Focus on Isaiah 61:1 4, n PREPARING FOR THE SESSION. WHAT is important to know? WHERE is God in these words?

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1 December 17, 2017 Third Sunday of Advent Isa. 61:1 4, 8 11 Ps Thess. 5:16 24 John 1:6 8, Good News Goal for the Session Children will be introduced to Isaiah s image of the year of the Lord s favor and how they can participate in it. n PREPARING FOR THE SESSION Focus on Isaiah 61:1 4, 8 11 WHAT is important to know? From Exegetical Perspective, William P. Brown The originating context of the lection comes from the aftermath of exile ( BCE) and the historically modest beginning of Israel s restoration in the land. God s comfort of Zion is inextricably tied to Zion s restoration. It is the comfort of new creation. And the result is so extraordinary that it must be described in lush botanical terms. Zion shall become the new garden of Eden, populated with oaks of righteousness, cultivated by God s salvific work. The garden is nothing short of miraculous; it is the garden of God s glory as well as the nursery of a nation. And how does God s garden grow? Genuine restoration is cultivation in righteousness. WHERE is God in these words? From Theological Perspective, Scott Bader-Saye Theologically, these verses from Isaiah center around the themes of salvation and mission. Isaiah challenges readers to name salvation as a quality of life here and now that reflects God s desires for human community. Though we must be careful not to read Isaiah through the lens of the New Testament, a Christian reader cannot help but note the significance of Isaiah 61:1 2 as a description of Jesus mission in Luke s Gospel (Luke 4:14 21). Jesus declares himself to be the fulfillment of Isaiah s prophecy, the one to bring good news, healing, and release. As we walk through the last days of Advent, we remember not just that Jesus came but why Jesus came to usher in a jubilee celebration that would have no end. SO WHAT does this mean for our lives? From Pastoral Perspective, Cynthia A. Jarvis The God who can build up ancient ruins is also the God who can redeem the ruin a prodigal son believes he has made of his life; the God who shall raise up the former devastations is also the God who means to pick up a daughter s brokenness; the God who shall repair the ruined cities and the devastations of many generations is also the God who can repair even the ruined nation that has forgotten its way in the world. NOW WHAT is God s word calling us to do? From Homiletical Perspective, Donald Booz The two questions of Advent always seem to be the same; How is the advent of God trying to come into my life/ our world? and What do I need to do to prepare for God s advent? Another way of asking the same questions is, What do I need to change in order to allow God s transformation to take place in me and ultimately the world? What activities beside the hanging of the greens and singing of Christmas carols follow from the prophet s words? 1

2 Good News FOCUS SCRIPTURE Isaiah 61:1 4, 8 11 YOU WILL NEED blue or purple fabric 4 battery-powered votive candles basket of small stones Bible copies of Resource Sheet 1 crayons Color Pack 2, 5, 27, 29 Singing the Feast, ; CD player narcissus bulbs, pot, gravel; or pot, soil, sand For Responding option 1: blocks, Color Pack 6 option 2: paper grocery bags, scissors, markers option 3: copies of Resource Sheet 2, stapler, markers, scissors, construction paper; optional: tissue paper, glue Focus on Your Teaching Children learn and remember best when new information is presented in a variety of handson and sensory ways. By making crowns, building cities, and planting gardens in this session, children will better understand the images in Isaiah s vision. Do not expect these concrete thinkers to understand the rich meanings in Isaiah s words; rather, strive to make the focus scripture memorable through a variety of learning experiences. Children will recall these images when they are older and more able to explore the deeper meaning of the text. Gracious God, send the Holy Spirit to work in me. Give me courage to declare the year of the Lord s favor and the will to do my part. Amen. n LEADING THE SESSION GATHERING Welcome learners as they arrive. Invite them to help you arrange blue or purple fabric according to the color your church uses during Advent place Color Pack 2 on it, and arrange the four votive candles on the wreath, Gather around the Advent wreath. Pass the basket of stones around, asking each child to take one. Light three of the votive candles. Say that Advent is a time to prepare for the joy of Jesus birthday, Christmas. Take a stone and set it on the cloth, naming one thing that gives you joy. Invite children to take turns doing the same. Sing the first three verses of God, We Sing (Color Pack 27; track 8 on Singing the Feast, ). Invite children to do some imagining: P What is your idea of a perfect day? P What is your idea of a perfect town? Say that today s Bible reading has some ideas about God s perfect world. 2

3 Good News God, We Sing 1. God, we sing with praise to you, Light the flame of hope anew; Light this candle, light the way, Bring hope into our hearts today. Jesus, near us as we pray, Let hope be in our hearts today. 2. peace 3. love 4. joy 5. God, we sing with praise to you, Light the flame of Christ anew; Light this candle, light the way, We celebrate new life today. Christ, be near us as we pray And celebrate new life today. EXPLORING Open your Bible to Isaiah 61, pointing out the name Isaiah. Tell children that Isaiah lived a long time ago, hundreds of years before Jesus was born. God chose Isaiah to be a prophet. This means that Isaiah gave God s messages to the people. Tell this version of Isaiah 61:1 4, 8 11, disregarding words in parentheses: Isaiah said: God has sent me to you with a message. God has told me to do these things: (God) Bring good news to people who are poor. (people) Offer comfort to people who are sad. (people) Set the prisoners free. (people) Announce to everyone that this will be the time of the Lord s blessing. (people) Give people who are sad crowns of flowers. (people) Give people jackets of praise to replace their sorrow. (people) Tell people they will be like trees planted by God, showing the glory of the Lord. (people) Tell people they will build up their broken cities. (people) God said: I love justice. I hate robbery and wrongdoing. (God) Isaiah said: I will give thanks and praise to the Lord. (people) For God has dressed me in forgiveness, like a bride is dressed in flowers and jewels. (God) God brings forth goodness like a garden brings forth growing plants. (God) Point out that Isaiah s words tell about a special time of God s blessing. God promises to do some things to make this happen, and God tells Isaiah that God s people will do some things to make this happen. Read the story again, asking the children to pay attention to who is taking action. When people are taking action, make the American Sign Language sign for people (see sidebar). When God is, make the sign for God. Follow cues in parentheses. People Form pairs and give each pair one line of the reading to act out. Choose lines that will be easy for children to act out. Give pairs a moment to practice, then read the story again, pausing for pairs to offer their interpretations. Review Isaiah s vision of the time of God s blessing by distributing copies of Resource Sheet 1 (Isaiah s Good News). Encourage learners to help one another draw lines to match the parts of each phrase. (If this is too challenging, complete the page as a group.) Provide crayons for children to illustrate their favorite parts of Isaiah s message. God Sum up Exploring by commenting that Isaiah delivered the message of God s good news. He told people how to be part of God s blessing for the world. P Do you think people today can do any of the things that Isaiah told about? If so, which ones? P How can we be part of God s blessing for the world? 3

4 Good News EASY PREP RESPONDING Mark the activities you will use: 1. Block City Isaiah s image of God s good news includes people rebuilding their communities. Show Color Pack 6, commenting that this is the city that Isaiah said God s people would rebuild. It had been destroyed in a war, and God s people did rebuild it! Dump a pile of blocks on the floor or a table, and invite children to build a city. As you work, talk about the people who live and work in cities. The work of building a city is one way we offer God s love to others. Invite children to point out the part of the block city where they would like to live. What would they do there to help other people? Go, Tell It on the Mountain Refrain: Go, tell it on the mountain Over the hills and everywhere; Go, tell it on the mountain That Jesus Christ is born. While shepherds kept their watching Over silent flocks by night Behold throughout the heavens There shone a holy light. Refrain The shepherds feared and trembled, When lo! above the earth, Rang out the angel chorus That hailed the Savior s birth. Refrain Down in a lowly manger The humble Christ was born And God sent us salvation That blessèd Christmas morn. 2. Jacket of Praise God tells Isaiah to give people jackets ( mantles ) of praise. Make jackets of praise from paper grocery bags. For each child, cut a paper grocery bag into a jacket shape by cutting up the center of one of the wide sides, then making openings for the arms and head. Use markers to write I will praise God! on the back and to add decorations. Wear these jackets of praise in Closing as you celebrate that God is with you always. 3. Crowns God tells Isaiah to give people who are sad crowns of flowers ( garlands ). Distribute copies of Resource Sheet 2 (Crown of Flowers). Have children use markers to draw flowers on the crown and then cut it out. Option: Wad up small squares of tissue paper and glue them to the crown as flowers. Help each child staple the crown to a strip of construction paper and fit it to her or his head. Suggest they wear the crowns home then give them to a family member when he or she is sad, as Isaiah said. Talk about other things children can do to offer support to those who are feeling sad. CLOSING Show Color Pack 5 and invite children to describe what they see. What might they smell if they were in this place? To remind your group of the goodness God brings forth, plant paperwhite narcissus bulbs. Follow planting instructions on the package, inviting children to help. Keep the pot in your learning space so that you can watch the bulbs grow and bloom in four to eight weeks. (If you don t have bulbs to plant, bring a pot with soil in it. Take a pinch of sand from a small bowl and plant it carefully in the soil, saying: We are planting a pretend garden. I am pretending to plant [name of plant]. Pass the bowl of sand around and invite children to do the same.) Gather around the Advent wreath. Sing Go, Tell It on the Mountain (Color Pack 29; track 7 on Singing the Feast, ) as you look forward to Christmas. Offer this prayer: God of new beginnings, please help goodness grow in our lives. Amen. Say good-bye to each child by name: God bless you, (name), as you prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Refrain 4

5 December 17, 2017 Good News Grades (K)1 2 Resource Sheet 1 Draw lines to connect the two parts of each sentence. The first one is done for you. Isaiah was God s messenger. God told Isaiah to do these things: Isaiah s Good News Comfort people who are Tell people who are poor Tell everyone that this is Give people who are sad crowns Give people jackets Tell people to build up of flowers. that God loves them. of praise. sad. their broken cities. the time of the Lord s blessing. Isaiah did just that! And then Isaiah said: I will praise God grows goodness like a garden. the Lord. My favorite part of Isaiah s good news: 2017 Westminster John Knox Press

6 December 17, 2017 Good News Grades (K)1 2 Resource Sheet 2 Crown of Flowers 2017 Westminster John Knox Press