 Caravaggio, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons READ: Easter is so amazing and important, one Sunday is not enough to explore its mystery. We are now in what is called Eastertide, the season of Easter which stretches from Easter Sunday to the day of Pentecost. On the evening of the first Easter after God raised Jesus from the dead, the disciples were together in a house with the doors locked because they were afraid of the soldiers. Someone said, “Peace be with you.” It was Jesus. He said, “As God has sent me, I am sending you.” And then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
Thomas had been away that night. When they told him, he said, “I won’t believe Jesus is alive until I can touch his wounds.” And why wouldn’t he have some doubts? Their minds were stretching…stretching to know Jesus in this new way. The next week, Thomas joined them at the table, and they closed the doors. A voice said,, “Peace be with you.” It was Jesus. He went right up to Thomas and held out his hand, “Touch me.” All Thomas could do was fall on his knees, and he said, “My Lord, and my God.” Jesus looked at him a long time. “Do you believe because you have seen?” Then he slowly looked around the whole circle and said, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” (John 20:19-31) WONDER: I wonder how the disciples felt when Jesus appeared to them in the locked room? I wonder why Thomas wanted to touch Jesus' wounds? I wonder how Thomas felt when Jesus said, "Touch me"? I wonder if you've ever had doubts about anything? I wonder how that feels? I wonder what is your favorite part of the story? SAY: In today’s story we find the first disciples learning to know Jesus in a new way after his resurrection. PRAY: Let’s pray. Dear God, thank you for listening to us when we have questions. And thank you for loving us just as we are. Amen. EXTEND
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 READ: Jesus often told stories of lost things.
Once he told the story of a man and his two sons. The younger son said to his father, “Give me my inheritance now so that I may enjoy it.” So the father divided his property. The younger son gathered all he had and went to a distant country. Soon he had spent all his money and had nothing left. He was hungry and poor. So he got a job feeding a farmer’s pigs. He was so hungry he thought about eating the pigs’ food. He thought about home and how everyone who worked for his family had plenty to eat. So he decided to go back to his father and ask for a job. When he got close to home, his father saw him on the road. He ran to his son and wrapped his arms around him in a big hug. Before the son could say he was sorry, his father called out for new clothes to be brought, with new shoes, and a ring. And then he told his servants to prepare a party with all the best food to celebrate his son’s return. The elder brother had been hard at work in the fields. When he came home and found out what all the ruckus was about, he refused to go inside. His father came out and begged him to come back in. But the older brother said, “I’ve always stayed with you, working hard. But you’ve never thrown a party like this for me! The father held open his arms and said, “All that is mine is yours. Let us celebrate because your brother was lost and has been found.” (Luke 15:11-32) WONDER: I wonder what Jesus’ followers felt when they heard this story? I wonder what the father felt when he saw his younger son coming home? I wonder how the younger son felt when his father hugged him? I wonder who this story is about--the younger son? the older son? the father? I wonder why Jesus told this story? I wonder whether the older son comes inside? SAY: In this story we see God always welcomes us with love and compassion. PRAY: Let’s pray. Dear God, thank you for always welcoming us in with love, even when we’ve made bad choices or when we think we’ve let you down. Amen. EXTEND
 Mosaic art at Dominus Flevit church. Photo by Anton 17 on Wikipedia. READ: Jesus was teaching about God’s ways of love all around Judea as he made his way to Jerusalem. News about Jesus traveled far, it even got to King Herod in his palace. Some friends of Jesus warned him to stay away from Jerusalem, because the king was there and wanted to kill Jesus.
Jesus listened to their warnings, and then told them, “Herod may be like a fox, sneaky and looking to cause trouble. But like God, I am like a mother hen who tries to gather up all her baby chicks and protect them under her wings. I’ll keep on loving people, whether they come to me seeking safety or if they run away. I’m going to Jerusalem.” (Luke 13:31-35) WONDER: I wonder how a baby chick feels when it is under its mother’s wings? I wonder why a chick might run away from its mother? I wonder what it feels like to be close to God? I wonder when you feel safe? I wonder if there is someone who makes you feel safe? I wonder how Jesus’s friends felt when Jesus said he was still going to Jerusalem? SAY: In this story Jesus assures his disciples that God’s love is always there for us, wherever we are. PRAY: Let’s pray. Dear God, thank you for always caring for us just like a mother hen keeps her chicks safe. Help us feel your love, whether we are at home under your protective wing or if we’ve wandered off on our own. Amen. EXTEND
 READ: Jesus and his disciples had been teaching in the villages, and Jesus had been saying and doing amazing things. The people wondered who Jesus really was. One day, Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” They replied, “Some say you’re John the Baptist, or Elijah, or one of the prophets.”
Jesus then asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Peter responded, “The Messiah of God.” Jesus said, “I must go up to Jerusalem, and I will be killed. But on the third day God will make me alive again. Later Jesus took his friends Peter, James, and John up to a mountain to pray. And while Jesus was talking to God, he was transfigured, his face was as bright as the sun. And Elijah and Moses appeared next to Jesus. The disciples were terrified. Suddenly a cloud covered Jesus, Elijah and Moses. A voice said, “This is my special child, whom I love. Listen to him.” And then, the disciples saw only Jesus. On their way down the mountain, Peter, James, and John didn’t know what to say. (Luke 9:28-36) WONDER: I wonder what it was like to see Jesus transfigured? I wonder how Peter, James, and John felt about what they saw? I wonder how Peter could know that Jesus was the Messiah? I wonder what part of this story you like the best? SAY: In this story the disciples catch a glimpse of the mystery of how God’s presence was with Jesus. They were so amazed, they didn’t know how to talk about what they had experienced. PRAY: Let’s pray. Dear God, thank you for Jesus and for the ways in which we see your love in his life and his teachings. Help us to share your love with others. Amen. EXTEND
 "Sermon on the Mount" by Károly Ferenczy, CC BY-SA 3.0 READ: The first followers of Jesus remembered his sermons, retelling the stories and writing down his teachings. In his teachings Jesus spoke of what it was like to live as God intends us and how we were to treat one another. He reminded them that God loves us so much and shares that love with us. When we know that God loves us, we’ll be like a light shining brightly in the world.
Jesus also said there were to be no limits to our love, that we should love others--our families and friends. And we were to love everyone--including our enemies! Jesus told his followers to love their enemies and to pray for them. Everyone was amazed to hear Jesus extend love to everyone, not just to those who love us. This was such an important teaching that both Matthew and Luke remembered it and wrote it down for us in their gospels. (from Luke 6:17-26) WONDER: I wonder what it would be like to hear Jesus teaching? I wonder why people wrote down this teaching of Jesus? I wonder what it looks like to love your enemy? I wonder what a prayer for your enemy sounds like? I wonder what part of this story you like the best? SAY: In this story we learn more about Jesus’s teaching. Jesus asks us to expand our love for others, starting with those near to us and extending to others, even when that love is hard to give. PRAY: Let’s pray. Dear God, thank you for those who remembered the teachings of Jesus and who wrote them down for us. Help us to share your love with other people. Amen. EXTEND: Watch the film The Fox and The Hound (1981 - Disney). Discuss the friendship between Tod and Copper. What comes between their friendship? How does their relationship change? Read God’s Dream (2010) by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Douglas Carlton Abrams. Illustrated by LeUyen Pham. Published by Candlewick Press. Here's a video of the book being read. Talk about what you think God dreams for our world.  READ: Jesus traveled around Galilee with his friends sharing the good news of God’s realm and many others began to follow him. One day he came to a great field and there he began to give what would become his most famous sermon. It was such an important sermon we find it in both Luke and Matthew’s gospels. Jesus told him that in God’s realm there were many people who would be blessed. And the blessed people were not whom we might expect, because Jesus said in God’s realm things often get turned upside down. He said:
“Blessed are the poor.” - those without money or without hope. “Blessed are the hungry” - those who have no food or who long for a better life. “Blessed are those who mourn” - those who are sad or alone. The people listened to his sermon with hope, perhaps the world was changing. Perhaps God’s love could make the world a better place. (from Luke 6:20-23) WONDER: I wonder what it feels like to be blessed by God? I wonder who are the poor where we live? I wonder who is sad? I wonder who is hungry? I wonder what part of this story you like the best? I wonder where you are in this story? I wonder what it feels like to bless others? SAY: Jesus spoke of many others who are blessed in God’s realm. People who work for peace and those who show kindness. God welcomes everyone to join in living in a way of blessing and hope. PRAY: Let’s pray. Dear God, thank you for your realm. You show us what it means to be blessed and how we can be a blessing to others each day. Help us to be a blessing in our world. Amen. EXTEND
 READ: As Jesus was teaching how to love each other, he met people whom he invited to join him in his work. Those people are called disciples. One day Jesus was at a lakeside teaching, he saw some fishermen named Simon, James, and John working on their nets. He told the fishermen to go back out on the lake and let down their nets. Simon told Jesus they were tired after a long night of fishing, but they went anyway. And they caught so many fish, their nets almost broke. Everyone was amazed. When they got back to the shore, Jesus told them: “There is nothing to fear. From now on you’ll be fishing for men and women.” They pulled their boats up on the beach, left them, nets and all, and followed him. --Luke 5:1-11 (The Message) WONDER: I wonder what Simon and his friends thought when Jesus told them to try fishing again? I wonder what Simon, James, and John left behind to follow Jesus? I wonder what part of this story is most important? I wonder what part of this story you like the best? I wonder if Jesus still needs disciples? SAY: In this story we see that Jesus invited ordinary people to help him share God’s news of love and care for the world. PRAY: Let’s pray. Dear God, thank you for the people who are your helpers, for those who teach us about your love. Help us to share your love with other people. Amen. EXTEND
 First century Galilean boat (Wikipedia) |
Weekly Faith ConversationsUse these guides as conversation starters with your family. A short retelling of the scripture passage is offered or you may want to look the story up in your own bible or in a children's bible. The wondering questions are written to open up faith exploration with children and adults. Archives
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