Hope you are still following along with our Bible reading. Here’s this week.
Monday 3/18 – At the Temple
- Yesterday’s reading was about what is appropriate and inappropriate to do at church. The money changers and people selling doves were taking advantage of people who traveled from far away to worship at the temple. That wasn’t fair.
- We need to treat church with respect, it’s a place to pray, worship and learn about God.
Tuesday 3/19 – Power of Faith
- So it appears that even Jesus got “hangry” sometimes! Punishing a fig tree for eternity seems pretty extreme, but this is a really good example for your children to see that Jesus was a real person, who felt all the same human feelings and emotions that we do. And it’s a wonderful example of faith and the power of prayer.
- Sometimes children may wonder “but the things I pray for never come true.” (Mine make this argument all the time.) This a good time to explain that prayers are not wishing wells or magic genies. Sometimes when my son complains that a prayer didn’t come true, I’ll ask what he prayed for. Usually it’s for a team to win a game or to have something specific for dinner. When I ask if he believes he’s praying after God’s will, he knows intuitively that he isn’t. It’s helpful for us all – kids and adults – to think about that from time to time. What have you been praying for? Are there any examples of any of your recent prayer that have been answered? What can you pray for together as a family?
Wednesday 3/20 – The Cornerstone
- These are two really interesting stories that kids should understand. In the first story, we can see that actions speak louder than words. If we love God, our actions will show it.
- In the second story, have your kids imagine that the landlord is God, the vineyard is the earth, the tenants are the Pharisees, the servants are the prophets, and the son is Jesus. Then read the story again. This should open up the parable. What is God going to do?
Thursday 3/21 – Going to the Chapel
- Like yesterday, read the story and then have the kids imagine that the father is God, the groom is Jesus, the servants are the prophets, and the invited guests are the Pharisees and other “religious” Jews. Why do they think the father (God) said to just invite anyone off the street? What does that mean for us?
Friday 3/22 – Give Back to Caesar
- To make sense of this story, your kids need to understand that the Romans were an occupying army. To the Jews, they were an enemy and then the tax collectors forced the Jews to give their money – not to God and the temple, but to the foreign enemy. So the Pharisees thought they would trick Jesus: if just says to pay, he’s going against Jewish teaching. But if he says not to pay, he’s going against the king! What Jesus does is very, very clever.
Munger Kids 