Sunday Services:
No in-person services again this week but we will be livestreaming services at 10am & 5pm.
We start a new sermon series this week, delving into the earthly desires that present challenges to our relationship with God and with others.
Activity sheets, if needed, to keep hands busy while listening to the talk:
Events:
- St John’s Kids – Family Trivia Event – 3pm, Sunday 25 July. Gather the family together to connect with other St John’s Kids families online and have some fun! Note: You will need a second device, a phone or tablet different from your Zoom device. Join here. (If prompted, Meeting ID: 857 9070 9568 / Passcode: 084638)
- And, if lockdown is extended again and we are unable to meet in person next weekend, we will have a St John’s Kids teaching session, via Zoom, at 3pm on Sunday 1 August. Check the blog next week for more details.
Family Discipleship:
EXERCISE
Time this discussion towards the time of day that your living area is the most messy with toys, books, dress ups etc. Offer one child an incentive (e.g. $$ or some M&Ms) to do as much clean up as they can in 5min (adjust timeframe depending on how much clean up there is to do). Halfway through the time, send another child to give them a hand. With only 30sec to go, send a third in to help. (Adjust to cater for how many kids you have. You can involve adults too.) At the end of the allotted time, thank the kids for their efforts and let them know it’s time for their payment. Give the last child the incentive that was offered to the first child at the start. Then move onto the next child and give them the same payment. The child who started first should receive their incentive last.
IT’S NOT FAIR! I did most of the work. How come they get as much as I did?! That doesn’t make sense.
Did you get any of these comments?
READ Matthew 20:1-16 together.
DISCUSS parallels between the parable and the tidying up exercise you undertook.
Jesus taught in parables so that his followers would understand more about God. The vineyard workers who started early in the day represent people who have followed Jesus their whole lives. The workers who started halfway through the day, or towards the end of the day, represent people who have accepted Jesus as their friend and saviour halfway through their life or even towards the end of their life.
ASK whether God acts fairly in saving people who have not followed him all their life.
Like the vineyard owner and his money, and you and your incentives, God is free to share his grace as he chooses. The reward for all those who have put their trust in Jesus and accepted him as their saviour is eternal life, despite whether that was early or late in their life.
Is that fair? That someone who has only been following Jesus for a short time would get the same reward as someone who has been trying to live as God would like their entire life?
If we only got what was fair, we would all deserve punishment for all that we get wrong in life. But God is generous and gracious and loves us despite what we deserve. He sent Jesus to take the punishment for all that we get wrong. That was grace!
The vineyard workers who started first, could have been happy that the owner was generous to everyone. Instead, they were jealous and grumbled and complained. God wants us to be happy when he blesses others.
PRAY together, thanking God for all his gifts to us. Ask that he help us understand his love for others in a way that makes us want to be generous as well.
Have a great week,
Kylie – Children & Families’ Minister
St John’s is committed to Child Safety and welcomes your feedback on how we can keep improving.
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