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Words and the Word

Children's Activity
Teachers or Parents: Words are powerful. In a dictionary they are neutral, but when pieced together into sentences, they have the power to wow (v. 22) or to kill (vv. 28-29).

Jesus returned home. Your children can relate to returning home. It should be a pleasant experience -- an experience of love and reception. For Jesus it began that way, but ended on a very negative note. Many trips home can be similar. They begin with everyone glad to see one another and then end with angry words and actions.

Jesus confronted the people of Nazareth with their own unfaithfulness to God. Explore the concept of sin and estrangement from God with the children. This can be visually outlined for them by showing that sin (our condition) is like a deep valley. On the other side of this very deep valley is God. We are separated by an impossibly deep valley, a canyon, a chasm. The only way to bridge the gap is by Jesus. Jesus is the one who overcomes our sin and brings us to God. We cannot do it ourselves. This is called "grace."

Jesus mentions in his speaking to the congregation at Nazareth the story of Elijah and the widow at Zarephath in Sidon. You can take a look at that story and read it from a Children's Bible (1 Kings 17). Jesus also talks about Elisha and Naaman the Syrian (2 Kings 5). These are stories of outsiders becoming insiders to God. We all want to be on the inside scoop. Jesus challenges presumptions of favoritism.

Sunday school assembly opening:
• Sing some of the epiphany hymns listed in your hymnal.
• Tell in your own words the story of today's Gospel where Jesus is accepted and then rejected by his own people. (You might want to relate this to a similar phenomenon on Palm Sunday.)
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 13 | OT 18 | Pentecost 8
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
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Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 9
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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Proper 15 | OT 20 | Pentecost 10
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

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For August 3, 2025:

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Object: The object of the lesson is a gesture you will teach the children.

Note: The gesture used both hands. Hold both hands in front of you and make the thumbs-up sign with both hands with both thumbs pointing back at your chest. This is the “ME!” gesture. Then simply rotate your hands back so your thumbs are pointing straight up in the air, like two “OK” signs. This is the “US” gesture.

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Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. (vv. 9-10)

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Jesus warned against with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich towards God. Through our worship today let us pledge ourselves to seek our treasure only in God.


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Jesus, sometimes we envy others because of all they possess.
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Jesus, sometimes we desire all that money can buy.
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For he satisfies the thirsty, and the hungry he fills with good things.... Let those who are wise give heed to these things, and consider the steadfast love of the Lord.
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How do you focus on something unseen? How can we set our minds on that which we can't touch, or taste, or verify scientifically? Most practical people want proof. Abstract propositions are difficult to get our arms around, especially if they are from another time and place.
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This story begins with gift -- with blessed gift -- with miraculous, blessed giftedness. And I will even tell you now the theme of the story: if you keep your eye on the giftedness of everything, then you yourself can be a gift, you can be a giver, rather than a hoarder.
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