First Thoughts: The situation the Sadducees pose wasn't even likely to occur even in Jesus' day, and is even more impossible to conceive of happening today. Nonetheless, the Sadducees' interest in resurrection (feigned though it is here) is one that occupies many people in our day as well. Our concern with life after death is the inspiration for books (fiction and non-fiction), movies, songs, and sermons. It is interesting to note Jesus' response. First he simply sets aside the scenario, saying that our current way of being and understanding things doesn't apply to the resurrection. Second, he says God is "God not of the dead, but of the living." Essentially, then, Jesus says the experience of resurrection is beyond our current capacity to understand, "above our pay grade" as it were. But he also reassures us that the God who creates life also sustains it and will keep us in the "land of the living." Jesus often instructs his disciples not to become distracted by the future, but to live in the present moment -- which is advice we hear from spiritual masters as well. Staying in the present moment isn't always easy, but it is the way to create our deepest experience of faith and to build stamina and strength for our spiritual walk. Take a moment right now to bring your awareness to this present moment: where you are, what you feel, what you see and smell. Offer a prayer of thanksgiving to God for being present to you right here and for the blessings of this moment.
Teaching On Your Own: (holds envelope) Hey guys, guess what I have here? It's my first paycheck! I started mowing lawns last week and finally got paid. It's exciting, right? But it also makes me a little nervous. I mean, it's a lot of responsibility. I figure in about a year or so I'm probably going to go out and buy my own mower and go into business for myself. Then I'll probably get so many jobs I won't be able to handle them on my own, which means I'll need to hire some employees. Next thing you know I'll have a mowing service covering a three-county area and will probably have to open a store too, for lawn care items. I'm sure I'll have to hire an accountant to take care of all my money, because I'm not that great at math. Wow, my head is spinning. Aren't you worried about these things? Maybe you're right. Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself. After all, those are things that aren't happening right now. They are things in the future. Do you think it's a good idea to plan for your future? I think that it is okay to plan, but God's message is pretty clear that mostly we need to take care of what we have to do today. Like in our scripture passage today, a group of church leaders asked Jesus a question about what would happen in the future after someone died. Jesus told them that our God is not a God of the dead, but a God of the living. I think that means we need to honor our lives as they are today. We do our best to make good decisions, to be kind and compassionate, to live this moment with loving and open hearts. Then when the next moment comes, we do it again. Before long we realize our future is really just taking care of itself. So maybe I shouldn't worry about all those things in the future. What should I worry about? Oh I know -- how to spend my first paycheck! Guess I'll just do my best with that part and take care of the rest as it comes.
Teaching As A Team:
(Leader 2 has envelope)
Leader 1: Hey (name), what do you have there?
Leader 2: My first paycheck! I started mowing lawns last week and finally got paid.
Leader 1: That's exciting.
Leader 2: Yeah, but it's also a lot of responsibility. I figure in about a year or so I'm probably going to go out and buy my own mower and go into business for myself. Then I'll probably get so many jobs I won't be able to handle them on my own, which means I'll need to hire some employees. Next thing you know I'll have a mowing service covering a three-county area and will probably have to open a store too, for lawn care items. I'm sure I'll have to hire an accountant to take care of all my money, because I'm not that great at math.
Leader 1: Um, I think you're getting ahead of yourself.
Leader 2: What do you mean?
Leader 1: Those are things you need to think about right now. They're things you will have to deal with in the future.
Leader 2: But shouldn't I make plans for the future?
Leader 1: Maybe. But God's message is pretty clear that mostly we need to take care of what we have to do today. Like in our scripture passage today, a group of church leaders asked Jesus a question about what would happen in the future after someone died. Jesus told them that our God is not a God of the dead, but a God of the living.
Leader 2: What does that mean?
Leader 1: I think it means we need to honor our lives as they are today. We do our best to make good decisions, to be kind and compassionate, to live this moment with loving and open hearts. Then when the next moment comes, we do it again. Before long we realize our future is really just taking care of itself.
Leader 2: So what should I worry about right now then?
Leader 1: Right now it looks like you have to decide what to do with that first paycheck. Just do your best with that and then you can handle the rest as it comes.
Closing Prayer: Loving God, thank you for being with us in this present moment, giving us everything we need right now. Help us to live in the faith that reassures us that you will also be with us in the future when it comes, helping us with whatever comes up. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
Follow-Up Lesson: To reinforce this message in a home or classroom environment, talk about the things we worry about. In our scripture lesson the church leaders were asking questions about what happens after we die. Ask the children if they ever worry about those kinds of things. What other things worry them? Make a list. Then ask the children if worrying helps with the different things listed. Do they feel more prepared when they're worried, more confident, more able to take on new challenges? Does worrying keep us from getting sick? Point out that worrying really doesn't accomplish anything for us. It doesn't make it easier for us to make good decisions, and -- as opposed to keeping us healthy -- can even make us sick. What's the alternative to worrying? It's to be aware of this present moment.
Invite the children to practice sitting meditation. Start by sitting with their legs crossed, backs straight, eyes either closed or looking to the ground. Have them take a few deep breaths, relaxing their bodies and minds with each breath. Now ask them to pay attention to what's going on around them and encourage them to share what they observe. They might notice the feel of the ground beneath them, the sounds or smells in the room, and the warmth of being close together in a circle. Encourage them to describe in the greatest detail they can, using as many senses as they can what they notice. Close with the observation that God is in all those details, all those experiences. God is all around us right now, as close as our breath. Ask the children how they feel about that. When we experience God like this it doesn't really make sense to worry so much, does it?
For a craft idea, give each child a piece of construction paper and markers. Invite them to trace both of their hands on the paper and cut them out. Turn the hands over so the thumbs are pointing in opposite directions and then write "Held In" in the left palm and "God's Hands" in the right palm. Now have the children cross the fingers of the hands, gluing them together to create a little "pocket." Remind the children that whenever they need to stop themselves from worrying, they can return to the present moment, and imagine themselves held safely in God's hands. Close with a prayer said together, "I don't need to worry, because I'm safe in God's hands."
