Fourth Week of Lent

Monday and Tuesday--The Twelve Voices of Easter

Dr. Woodrow Kroll of Back to the Bible Ministries wrote a drama about the world's reaction to the Easter Story.  All of us have responded to the gospel message in some way.  As we listen to the 12 Voices--six on Monday, and six on Tuesday--we should see voice most lines up with ours.  

The link for the drama can be found at http://www.backtothebible.org/index.php/The-Twelve-Voices-of-Easter.html and each voice can be listened to as an audio file, or if you have dramatic readers at your house, the text is available so they can be performed!  Monday covers the voices of betrayal (Judas), denial (Peter), deception (Chief Priests), condemnation (Caiaphas), evasion (Pilate), and hatred (the mob).

Tuesday covers the voices of faith (the thief), affirmation (the Centurian), courage (Joseph of Aramithea), adoration (Mary Magdalene), assurance (Cleopas), and doubt (Thomas).

Wednesday--Good News Bracelet

I love physical reminders of my faith!  I find that anything that draws my mind to worship or praise is helpful and useful, so I loved the idea of these "gospel" bracelets.  I actually found the original one at a dollar store in North Carolina, and I am using it as the template for the ones the kids will make tonight.  

For the boys, I found leather cord and multi-colored plastic beads at Walmart.  For the girls, I found some glass beads that look a little more feminine, and some stretch cord--also at Walmart for a very reasonable price.

• measure out enough cord to go around the wrist of each child, and put the bowl of beads where they can reach them.  As you read John 8:12, have them string a yellow bead on the bracelet.  Discuss the way that Jesus is the light of the world.

• Read Romans 6:23 and have them string a black bead and talk about sin.

• Read  1 Peter 2:24 or Ephesians 1:7 (or other verses that talk about the blood Jesus shed for us) and have them string a red bead.

• Read 2 Corinthians 5:17 and have them string a green bead.  Talk about what the new life we have in Christ looks like.  What are the fruits we will bear? (Galatians 5:22-23)

• Read Mark 16:16, Acts 22:16, Romans 6:3-4 and have them string a blue bead.  Discuss the role of baptism in the life of a believer.  What does it represent?

• Read Isaiah 1:18 and Psalm 51:7 and have them string a white bead.  Talk about purity and forgiveness we have in Christ.

•  Read 1 Corinthians 9:25 and James 1:12 and have them string a purple bead.  Purple is the color of royalty.  1 Peter 2:9 says we are members of a royal priesthood.  The King of Kings has set his affections on us and offered us adoption into his family through the sacrifice of his own Son.  How ought we then live?

• Finish the boys' bracelets by tying a knot on each side of the line of bead to keep them from sliding around, then fit the bracelet onto their wrists and tie the ends together(snug but not too tight to slide it off when necessary:)

•  The girls' bracelets may require two sets of each color of bead, or you could put silver spacers between each bead to make a complete circlet.  You don't want to be able to see the stretch cord once the bracelet is on their arm.  Their bracelets are also completed with a simple knot!

I thought these would be a great witnessing tool as well as a reminder of the beautiful gospel message.  They could memorize a Scripture to go with each bead, and then share the good news with their friends!

Thursday--Reflection on Christ's Sorrows

It is not pleasant to reflect on the magnitude of what Christ suffered on our behalf, but I think it is important, lest we value the sacrifice too lightly.  All four gospels detail the agony of Christ in the hours leading up to the crucifixion.  From the 40 Ideas for the 40 Days of Lent website, here is a table to follow as you read about what they call the "sorrowful mysteries". Assign passages for each of your readers, read the four accounts one after the other and discuss the different accounts.
 

Sorrowful Mystery	Matthew 26-27	Mark 14-15	Luke 22-23	John 18-19
The Agony in the Garden	Mt 26:36	Mk: 14:32	Lk 22:39	Jn 18:1
The Scourging at the Pillar	Mt 27:26	Mk 15:15	Lk 23:16	Jn 19:1
The Crowning with Thorns	Mt 27:29	Mk 15:17	Lk 23:11 (a crown of thorns is not specifically mentioned)	Jn 19:1
The Carrying of the Cross	Mt 27:31	Mk 15:20	Lk 23:26	Jn 19:17
The Crucifixion	Mt 27:33	Mk 15:22	Lk 23:33	Jn 19:18

    
As terrible as these sorrows were, the greatest agony was that the sinless Christ became sin for us.  2 Corinthians 5:21, Galatians 3:13.  End by reading Isaiah 53.

Friday and Saturday--The Stations of the Cross

Traditionally, the stations of the cross are a Catholic meditation on the sufferings of Christ.  Protestants, from what I understand, have been uncomfortable with the lack of focus on the resurrection.  I was able to find a version that seems to encompass the best of both ideas.  It is from Joyful Heart Ministries and here is the link http://www.joyfulheart.com/stations-of-the-cross/protestant-way-of-the-cross.htm  .  

Stations	Scripture
1. The Last Supper	Matthew 26:26-30
2. The Garden of Gethsemane	Matthew 26:36-41; Luke 22:40-46
3. Jesus before Pilate	Mark 15:1-5, 15; John 19:4-16
4. The Scourging and the crowning with thorns	John 19:1-3; Mark 15:15-20
5. The Receiving of the cross	John 19:6, 15-17
6. The Fall
7. Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus	Mark 15:21; Luke 23:26
8. The Women of Jerusalem	Luke 23:27-31
9. The Stripping of his Garments	John 19:23-24
10. The Good Thief	Luke 23:39-43
11. Mary and John Below the cross	John 19:25-27
12. The Death of Jesus	Luke 23:44-46; Mark 15:33-39; John 19:30
13. The laying in the tomb	Matthew 27:57-61; Luke 23:53-54
14. The Resurrection	Matthew 28:1-7

We plan to read the verses for each of the 14 stations, and then have the children re-enact the scene to the best of their ability.  If that idea falls apart due to the ages of our kids, then we will just do dramatic readings:)...seven on Friday and seven on Saturday.