Tag: Monday

Monday: Understanding

Pray: Begin by making the sign of the cross and calling upon God's name.

From God to us, from death to life, from me to you …
in the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Heavenly Father, you call us to trust and obey you. As we read your Word we pray that you would work in us through your Holy Spirit. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Listen: Listen carefully as the Bible story for the week is read aloud.

Acts 2:42-47
[The new believers] spent their time learning from the apostles, and they were like family to each other. They also broke bread and prayed together. Everyone was amazed by the many miracles and wonders that the apostles worked. All the Lord’s followers often met together, and they shared everything they had. They would sell their property and possessions and give the money to whoever needed it. Day after day they met together in the temple. They broke bread together in different homes and shared their food happily and freely, while praising God. Everyone liked them, and each day the Lord added to their group others who were being saved. (CEV)

Engage: Talk about the Bible by having parents respond to children’s questions.

Child: The Bible says that the first Christians were like a family to each other: What are things that family members are supposed to do for each other?

Child: When have you experienced the Church as a family of faith?

Affirm:  Pray for God to put his Word into action in your daily life.

Holy God, just as the early Christians gathered together to learn and serve, guide us as we work alongside our fellow church members to learn more about you and to serve the world you love. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Have each person in the family bless one another with these words:

May the Lord God almighty watch over you in your going out and in your coming in. Amen.

Monday: Understanding

Pray: Begin by making the sign of the cross and calling upon God's name.

From God to us, from death to life, from me to you …
in the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Heavenly Father, by the power of your Holy Spirit you gathered people together to hear your Word. Fill us with that same Spirit that we might hear and understand your Word to us today. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Listen: Listen carefully as the Bible story for the week is read aloud.

Acts 2:1-11
On the day of Pentecost all the Lord’s followers were together in one place. Suddenly there was a noise from heaven like the sound of a mighty wind! It filled the house where they were meeting. Then they saw what looked like fiery tongues moving in all directions, and a tongue came and settled on each person there. The Holy Spirit took control of everyone, and they began speaking whatever languages the Spirit let them speak. Many religious Jews from every country in the world were living in Jerusalem. And when they heard this noise, a crowd gathered. But they were surprised, because they were hearing everything in their own languages. They were excited and amazed, and said: “Don’t all these who are speaking come from Galilee? Then why do we hear them speaking our very own languages? Some of us are from Parthia, Media, and Elam. Others are from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, parts of Libya near Cyrene, Rome, Crete, and Arabia. Some of us were born Jews, and others of us have chosen to be Jews. Yet we all hear them using our own languages to tell the wonderful things God has done.” (CEV)

Engage: Talk about the Bible by having parents respond to children’s questions.

Child: On the day of Pentecost, what did the people hear? What did they see?

Child: How do you think the people felt? Who or what was causing all this to happen?

Affirm: Pray for God to put his Word into action in your daily life.

Lord God, you are great and powerful, and you make things happen in ways that we never thought possible. Help us to understand that you’re a real, and that you are speaking and guiding us every day of our lives. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Have each person in the family bless one another with these words:

May the Lord God bless you with wisdom and understanding as you live and learn each day. Amen.

Monday: Understanding

Pray: Begin by making the sign of the cross and calling upon God's name.

From God to us, from death to life, from me to you …
in the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Heavenly Father, be with us as we read your holy Word. Show us your grace and mercy and bring us a deeper faith. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Listen: Listen carefully as the Bible story for the week is read aloud.

Acts 1:3-11
For forty days after Jesus had suffered and died, he proved in many ways that he had been raised from death. He appeared to his apostles and spoke to them about God’s kingdom. 4 While he was still with them, he said: “Don’t leave Jerusalem yet. Wait here for the Father to give you the Holy Spirit, just as I told you he has promised to do. 5 John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 6 While the apostles were still with Jesus, they asked him, “Lord, are you now going to give Israel its own king again?” 7 Jesus said to them, “You don’t need to know the time of those events that only the Father controls. 8 But the Holy Spirit will come upon you and give you power. Then you will tell everyone about me in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and everywhere in the world.” 9 After Jesus had said this and while they were watching, he was taken up into a cloud. They could not see him, 10 but as he went up, they kept looking up into the sky. Suddenly two men dressed in white clothes were standing there beside them. 11 They said, “Why are you men from Galilee standing here and looking up into the sky? Jesus has been taken to heaven. But he will come back in the same way that you have seen him go.” (CEV)

Engage: Talk about the Bible by having parents respond to children’s questions.

Child: Why did Jesus have to prove to his friends so many times that he was raised from the dead?

Child: Can you tell me a time when you struggled to believe in something or someone and you had to hear it or see it over and over again before you believed?

Affirm:  Pray for God to put his Word into action in your daily life.

Holy God, you are the Lord. Help us to share your live-giving Word with those we meet, so they would know your promises too. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

Have each person in the family bless one another with these words:

May the Lord remind you each day of his promise of eternal life in Christ. Amen.

Monday: Understanding

Pray: Begin by making the sign of the cross and calling upon God's name.

From God to us, from death to life, from me to you …
in the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Heavenly Father, speak to us through your holy Word, that we would do everything that you have told us to do. Help us to be bold in proclaiming your name to all people we meet. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Listen: Listen carefully as the Bible story for the week is read aloud.

Matthew 28:16-20

After Jesus rose from the dead, Jesus' eleven disciples went to a mountain in Galilee, where Jesus had told them to meet him. They saw him and worshiped him, but some of them doubted. Jesus came to them and said: I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth! Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do everything I have told you. I will be with you always, even until the end of the world.” (CEV)

Engage: Talk about the Bible by having parents respond to children’s questions.

Child: When was a time that you were given a set of instructions to follow?

Child: Why is it important to follow Jesus’ instructions in our life?

Affirm:  Pray for God to put his Word into action in your daily life.

Holy God, you call us to follow Jesus and let others know about you. Give us the courage to do what Jesus commanded us. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Have each person in the family bless one another with these words:

May you follow Jesus and tell others about him. Amen.

Monday: Understanding

Pray: Begin by making the sign of the cross and calling upon God's name.

From God to us, from death to life, from me to you …
in the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Heavenly Father, speak to us through your holy Word, that we would be filled with the Holy Spirit and moved to come and follow you in all we do. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Listen: Listen carefully as the Bible story for the week is read aloud.

John 21:1-14 

Jesus later appeared to his disciples along the shore of Lake Tiberias. ² Simon Peter, Thomas the Twin, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, and the brothers James and John, were there, together with two other disciples. ³ Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing!” The others said, “We will go with you.” They went out in their boat. But they didn’t catch a thing that night.
⁴ Early the next morning Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize who he was. ⁵ Jesus shouted, “Friends, have you caught anything?”
“No!” they answered. ⁶ So he told them, “Let your net down on the right side of your boat, and you will catch some fish.” They did, and the net was so full of fish that they could not drag it up into the boat.
⁷ Jesus' favorite disciple told Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon heard that it was the Lord, he put on the clothes that he had taken off while he was working. Then he jumped into the water. ⁸ The boat was only about a hundred yards from shore. So the other disciples stayed in the boat and dragged in the net full of fish.
⁹ When the disciples got out of the boat, they saw some bread and a charcoal fire with fish on it. ¹⁰ Jesus told his disciples, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.” ¹¹ Simon Peter got back into the boat and dragged the net to shore. In it were one hundred fifty-three large fish, but still the net did not rip.
¹² Jesus said, “Come and eat!” But none of the disciples dared ask who he was. They knew he was the Lord. ¹³ Jesus took the bread in his hands and gave some of it to his disciples. He did the same with the fish. ¹⁴ This was the third time that Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from death. (CEV)

Engage: Talk about the Bible by having parents respond to children’s questions.

Child: After all that had happened to their master, Jesus, why do you think the disciples went back to fishing?

Child: Did they expect to see the risen Jesus that day? Why? How can you tell?

Affirm:  Pray for God to put his Word into action in your daily life.

Holy God, you call us to come and follow Jesus in all we do. Help us to be obedient to your will and follow Christ in faith and trust.  In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Have each person in the family bless one another with these words:

May you hear the call of Christ on your life and come and follow him in faith and love. Amen.

Monday: Understanding

Pray: Begin by making the sign of the cross and calling upon God's name.

From God to us, from death to life, from me to you …
in the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Heavenly Father, speak to us through your holy Word, that we would be filled with your wisdom and put our trust in you. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Listen: Listen carefully as the Bible story for the week is read aloud.

From the Book of Luke: 24:36-53 (CEV)

36 While Jesus' disciples were talking about what had happened, Jesus appeared and greeted them. 37 They were frightened and terrified because they thought they were seeing a ghost. 38 But Jesus said, “Why are you so frightened? Why do you doubt? 39 Look at my hands and my feet and see who I am! Touch me and find out for yourselves. Ghosts don’t have flesh and bones as you see I have.”

40 After Jesus said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 The disciples were so glad and amazed that they could not believe it. Jesus then asked them, “Do you have something to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of baked fish. 43 He took it and ate it as they watched.

44 Jesus said to them, “While I was still with you, I told you that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Books of the Prophets, and in the Psalms had to happen.”

45 Then he helped them understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them: The Scriptures say that the Messiah must suffer, then three days later he will rise from death. 47 They also say that all people of every nation must be told in my name to turn to God, in order to be forgiven. So beginning in Jerusalem, 48 you must tell everything that has happened. 49 I will send you the one my Father has promised, but you must stay in the city until you are given power from heaven.

50 Jesus led his disciples out to Bethany, where he raised his hands and blessed them. 51 As he was doing this, he left and was taken up to heaven. 52 After his disciples had worshiped him, they returned to Jerusalem and were very happy. 53 They spent their time in the temple, praising God.

Engage: Talk about the Bible by having parents respond to children’s questions.

Child: Why did Jesus show the disciples his hands and feet? What did he want to prove to them?

Child: Tell me about a time when you were so happy that you praised God for something he did for you?

Affirm:  Pray for God to put his Word into action in your daily life.

Amazing God, you are the one who raised Jesus from the dead and revealed the living Lord to his friends. Help us to rejoice in the good news that Jesus is alive and so are we!  In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Have each person in the family bless one another with these words:

May Christ Jesus guide you, watch over you and live in you. Amen.

Monday: Understanding

Pray: Begin by making the sign of the cross and calling upon God's name.

From God to us, from death to life, from me to you …
in the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Heavenly Father, we come to hear your Word and to learn more about you. Speak to us now, as we read our Bible story, so that by the power of your Holy Spirit we may grow in faith. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Listen: Pay close attention as these verses from the Bible are read aloud.

John 20:24-29
Although Thomas the Twin was one of the twelve disciples, he wasn’t with the others when Jesus appeared to them. So they told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But Thomas said, “First, I must see the nail scars in his hands and touch them with my finger. I must put my hand where the spear went into his side. I won’t believe unless I do this!”

A week later the disciples were together again. This time, Thomas was with them. Jesus came in while the doors were still locked and stood in the middle of the group. He greeted his disciples and said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at my hands! Put your hand into my side. Stop doubting and have faith!” Thomas replied, “You are my Lord and my God!”

Jesus said, “Thomas, do you have faith because you have seen me? The people who have faith in me without seeing me are the ones who are really blessed!” (CEV)

Engage: Talk about the Bible by having parents respond to children’s questions.

Child:Were you ever gone when something important happened, and felt like you missed out? Tell us about that.

Child: How do you think Jesus got into the room with the disciples if all the doors were locked?

Affirm: Pray for God to put his Word into action in your daily life.

Holy God, help us to trust in Jesus, even though we cannot see him. Open our hearts to your Word, so we may come to know Jesus better. In his holy name we pray. Amen.

Have each person in the family bless one another with these words:

May the Lord give you faith in Jesus! Amen.