Faith Formation Journeys

Walking Together in Grace

Tag: Isaiah

  • Epiphany 5 Year B Isaiah 40:21-31 (with Mark 1:29-39)

    Epiphany 5 Year B Isaiah 40:21-31 (with Mark 1:29-39)

    Scripture: Isaiah 40:21-31 (with Mark 1:29-39)

    Preparation: If possible come in wearing something that makes it look like you have been working out (like running shoes, a sweatshirt) and bring a water bottle.

    Faith+Open: Find a way to jog into the worship space (up the center isle or something like that).  Make it sound like you just made it in time as you call the children together, and act as breathless as possible.

    Faith+Share:  Wow! Just made it!  I really thought that I was going to have to sit down before I got here, I was just so tired.  But, I knew that I really wanted to share this story with you today, so I prayed for a little more strength and ran as fast as I could!  The really funny thing, is that the story is about God giving us strength when we need it most.  Here, listen to it again
     
         He gives power to the faint
    and strengthens the powerless
    Even youths will faith and be weary,
    and the young will fall exhausted
    but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength
    They shall mount up on wings like eagles
    They shall run and not be weary,
    They shall walk and not faint.

    Pretty cool, huh?  All of us get tired and want to stop.  Most of the time it’s ok to be tired, we can just head to bed or take a nap, but sometimes we need to keep going.  Can you think of some times when you need to keep going even if you are tired? (Give them a little time to think and answer.)  Those are all great reasons to keep going!  Sometimes it seems like we are going forever and never getting to the goal!  I know that when I was in school it felt like summer would never come, but I just kept working and trying and when summer finally did come I always felt so great!  God does more than just giving us strength and love.  The Gospel story today tells about Jesus healing people who are sick in many different ways.  All kinds of people come to Jesus so that he can help them to feel better and keep going!  And it seems like most of the people Jesus healed were too sick to come on their own, so other people bring them.  That is another way that God helps is, by giving us family and friends to carry us be with us when we need them.  So, even when we are weak or sick God finds a way to give us strength and help us to keep going.

    Faith+Prayer:  Healing God, thank you for being our strength when we need it most! Thank you for putting people around us who love us and are willing to help us.  Be with us each day and give us strength to keep going, even when the task is hard and we are tired.  Amen.

    Faith+Blessing: May your eyes be opened to see all the amazing works of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

  • Children’s Sermon Isaiah 56:-1-8 Pentecost 9A August 14, 2011

    This week texts are full of images of inside and outside that may be difficult for children (and adults for that matter!) to pick up on. Spend some time focusing on how Christ came with an openness that extends past all the boundaries we put up knowingly and unknowingly. 

    Faith+Open: Gather the children at the front with you. Ask them not to sit but to stand and make a circle. Stand in the middle of the circle. Ask the kids to put one foot in the circle and show how they are on the inside of the circle. Ask, who is on the outside of this circle? (answers like others in the congregation, etc)

    Faith+Share: We will hear from a prophet today–Isaiah. Isaiah is a prophet who wanted the people of God to understand that how they lived with others mattered to God. Isaiah talks about some people who were difficult for the others to welcome in or get along with or understand. They were people that most others would not want to let into the inside of this circle. They wanted God to be just for them. Can you think of people who might be hard for you to get along with or people that would be hard to welcome? Yeah, that is a reality of life we don’t always let people in the inside of our lives or even the inside of groups that we belong to. Where do you think Jesus is in the circle? (get answers) I was once told by a wise person that whenever we make a circle around Jesus, trying to keep Jesus in one place with us–Jesus moves to the outside of the circle (move to the outside of the circle). Jesus wants everyone to know God’s love and does not stay inside one little place or with one group of people. Jesus’ love opens up the circle. (at this point pick a place at the top of the circle, have the two ends open up to make a line and ask them to hold their arms out).  Explain that now we have this open circle that will allow anyone in (even all those people out in the congregation, ha, ha).

    Faith+Prayer: Let’s all Pray together: Jesus, help us to open our circles and open our hearts. Be with us today and with all those who need to hear your voice of love. Amen

    Faith+Blessing: Make the sign of the cross together: God in my head, God in my heart, God on my left, God on my right.

    Extended ideas: I love this idea at Worshiping with Children. Click the link to see the explanation about having people collect prayers in baskets for those on the outside.