2014 Year A | Faith Formation Journeys

Take a walk as a household or with friends around your neighborhood or go on a hike to enjoy the changing leaves on the trees and the seasons. Ask each other how you have experienced God through changes in your life. When was a time that a change was hard? Needed? Helpful?

Read Matthew 21: 33-46 and Isaiah 5: 1-7. Both are about owners of vineyards and there are several connections between the two texts. The Matthew passage quickly moves from the focus of the tenants to the treatment of the landowner’s son. When we read Matthew and Isaiah together, we know that Jesus is pulling from the Jewish traditions (including quoting Psalm 118 in verse 42) to make his point about who he is and God’s work for reconciliation and justice in unexpected places and ways.

For children: When is a time that you saw something that was amazing or unexpected? Jesus came to tell the world that God loves them but not all the people thought that Jesus was God’s son and believed him. Why is it sometimes hard to believe good news?

For youth/adults: We often say that seeing is believing. The landowner sent his own son to the “wicked” tenants to show that he was patient and willing to work with them. Yet, the tenants wouldn’t even consider the goodwill gesture but instead just became greedier-wanting the son’s very inheritance! Why is it hard to believe when someone is acting benevolent or downright altruistic toward us? Do we always assume a hidden agenda? How can we open ourselves truly to the good news (the wonderful news!) of God’s love and merciful actions toward us through Jesus Christ? Jesus’ death “swallows up death forever” (Is. 25:7) and we will with “be glad and rejoice in his [God’s] salvation.” (Is. 25:9)

Offer prayers for all who are abused, threatened and hurt by anyone. Pray that all people may act toward one another how God acts toward us. May we be part of revealing God’s mercy in the world.

+ The God of mercy is with you today+

Learn about agencies and shelter for men and women who suffer from abuse of any kind. Find out how you can be an advocate, volunteer or donate needed items for people as they recreate their lives.

Get the children organized into a quick game of Simon Says as they gather together. It doesn’t need to be log or involved, just enough to get them thinking about listening to instructions.

Simon says game over! That was fun, thanks for playing! I was thinking about that game, and it seems like the only reason that it works is because we all agree on the rules. In fact, the only reason any games work is because we all agree on the rules. In Simon Says we agree that one person will be able to tell the other people what to do. What if, instead of one person being the leader and giving instructions, we all started giving instructions? Like if you were saying, “Simon says sit,” and I was saying “Simon Says stand,” and someone else was saying “Simon says jump?” Would the game still work? Probably not, no.

That is kind of what the devil is hoping for in today’s Gospel story. See, Jesus is out in the desert and doesn’t have any food or water, or a place to sleep. It’s just Jesus and the desert. The devil thinks that he can get Jesus to try to take control from his Father because Jesus is probably weak with hunger and thirst. The Devil is probably hoping that Jesus and God the Father will fight for control, which is kind of like God fighting with herself (himself, whichever works for you), but that’s a longer story. Jesus won’t do it, though. Jesus says that it is not his place to challenge God’s power, or to tell God what to do. He tells the devil that God is in charge and that is how it should be. If Jesus can’t tell God what to do, should we?

Now I know what you’re thinking, isn’t prayer like telling God what to do? I say, no, it’s not! Let’s think about our game again. Remember how we said the game works because we all agree on the rules? The person in charge isn’t giving commands, really, it’s a game! And what about when we are not playing a game? How many of you like to be told to do something? Like, “Go clean your room,” or “Eat your asparagus!” Or think about the adults in your life. They will probably do good things for you if you ask them. Like asking, “May I please have a cookie?” or “May I please wash your car?” But if you try to command them to do something it probably doesn’t work out so well, right. When we pray, we are asking God for help, or giving God thanks, or praising God for the good things in our lives. We aren’t telling God what to do.

Let’s practice that and pray together using the Lord’s Prayer (ask the congregation to join if that works in you setting).

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.

May God’s love go with you always.

~GB

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Faith Formation Journeys

Tag Archives: 2014 Year A

Faith + Home Connection October 2014 Matthew 21: 33-46 and Isaiah 25: 1-9

Children’s Sermon First Sunday of Lent, Matthew 4:1-11, March 9, 2014

Let us walk with you on the journey of faith. Whether your feet are big or small, fresh or worn, running or crawling, God's love goes with you and you stand on holy ground.