Here is the Family worship Ideas based on this weeks passage Numbers 20:1-13 Click on the Down load button to access the PDF.
Num.20:1-13 Bible Study
One of the most traumatic things we can experience is the death of someone we love and have shared life with. Even when we know they were a Christian, so that grief is tinged with hope, it can still be a horrendous experience to live through (I Thess.4:13). Miriam had been so incredibly significant in the life of the Church (e.g. Ex.15:20-21), and of Moses. This profoundly personal loss must have created a fault line in Moses’ emotional landscape... which might perhaps explain his signal failure in the incident that followed.
I’m sure the ‘gathering in opposition’ in v.2 wasn’t premeditated to take advantage of Moses in this moment of vulnerability. It is probably more likely that they simply didn’t think to give Moses space to grieve. A congregation can often see an ‘office’ rather than a ‘person’ in their leader, and are often unaware of them struggling with all the pain and pressures of life that everyone else struggles with, and even less aware of the stresses and temptations that are unique to those in spiritual leadership. Did it simply not occur to them that, whatever their issues might be, there could be compassion, wisdom, gentleness is giving Moses space to grieve before grumbling, criticising and complaining against him in this way (v.3-4)? Probably not. We fallen humans can even in our redemption, be a remarkably egocentric bunch at times. And even when we know our leaders are under personal pressure, we can still expect them to be available... the good news is that it may be they learned from this episode, and when Aaron died (20:27-29), the whole Church took 30 days to mourn.
But for Moses the convergence of his personal grief and pressure of another round of public criticism and complaint has tragic consequences. The pressures he has lived with since confronting Pharaoh and leading the Church out of Egypt has had an accumulative effect. The people’s relentless and pathetic infatuation with Egypt has eroded his patience and humility. His personal loss has left him uniquely susceptible to temptation. They blame him for what their own sin had caused. And yet whilst his impatience, frustration and anger may seem justified – or at least justifiable – to us, it constituted an act of disobedience that had disastrous consequences. However true his allegation against the Church might appear (you rebels... v.10), it was not his place to judge. It remained his place rather to teach the Church and to model the implicit obedience Christ will only ever show to His Father (Jn.5:19). A new generation of the Church is growing up, and it is crucial they see that obedience is non-negotiable, and that the Word of the Lord is sufficient.
Questions:
This is a significant moment that ripples through Scripture. One such ‘ripple’ is Psalm 95, which embeds it in the corporate worship of the Church.
Does what we see of God in Num.20:1-13 inspire you to worship? Or does God’s dealing with Moses raise too many questions for you?
What other grounds in Ps.95 are we given for worshipping Him? Which of these speak particularly to you? Why?
In Ps.95:8-9, the Lord complains that the Church should have learned by then to trust His faithfulness. Why had the Church not learned these basic lessons even so far into their wilderness experience? Why were they still so nostalgic for Egypt (Num.20:3-5)? Why were they still quarrelling?
How do we exhibit the same reticence to learn the basic lessons of Christian discipleship?
What does it mean that the first generation of the Church (apart from Caleb and Joshua) never entered His rest?
...and back to Num.20.
How do we ‘quarrel’ with the Lord? Based on this passage, how serious would it be to do so?
Have you ever seen a Church leader treated in the way Moses is being treated here?
What are the critical errors Moses makes in 20:10-11? How are they expressions of his distrust of the LORD (20:12)?
Do you think Moses disobedience is sufficiently serious to warrant the punishment he receives (20:12)?
How does this episode ‘prove’ the Lord was holy amongst His people (20:13)?
Numb.16:1-34 Bible Study
In the sermon this week, I focussed on the key idea running through this passage – the importance of ensuring that Christ is exclusively shaping and structuring our relationship with God. This is linked to His office as our ‘great High Priest’ (Heb.4:14). That’s why Aaron is the focus of this latest outbreak of grumbling and resentment in the Church. He is the ‘actor’ who represent Christ in the drama of worship that is played out at the Tabernacle. He is like a living, breathing visual aid, and when we watch him fulfilling the office and ministry of High Priest, we are being shown what Jesus will do. It’s an important – if often neglected – dimension to the corporate worship of the Church that it is designed to teach us the Gospel. If it doesn’t model the Gospel, it is immediately sub-Christian!
Of course Aaron is only an actor. As Hebrews teaches us many generations later, those like Aaron who play the part of Jesus are themselves ‘subject to weakness’. Consequently, they have to offer sacrifices again and again, ‘for their own sin as well as for the sins of the people’ (Heb.5:2-3). When Christ is called as High Priest, He sacrifices for the sins of the people once for all when He offers Himself (Heb.7:27). But for all the inbuilt inadequacies, there is much about Aaron that helps us understand Jesus. And because of that, it is incredibly important that the ancient Church learns to accept his role, and to learn from it. The LORD has chosen who will be holy and who will come near to Him (16:5). It is Christ. And anyone else who wants to approach the Living God must do so, and can only do so through Him.
That – in part – explains what happens in the rest of Numbers 16-19. In the wake of this rebellion (see Num.26:9), the Lord re-iterates in a number of ways the centrality of the ministry of the High Priest. It is the High Priest alone who can make atonement, and who stands between the living and the dead, and who alone can stop the plague that is the expression of the wrath of God (16:42-50). It is the High Priest that can bring life out of death (17). And after these drama-tic teaching moments, the Lord then hands down a raft of new legislation that relates to the Levitical Priesthood.
All are powerful and pictorial representations of Christ’s ministry. He has forged the way into the Presence of the living God. Our sincerity is not the criteria by which God accepts us. Neither is what may seem meaningful, or spiritual to us. The only grounds for acceptance by God is the question fo whether it is structured and mediated by the High Priest, His beloved Son, who He gave to death on the cross. To spurn this is indeed ‘insolent’ (16:1)
Questions:
In 16:3, the reason given for rejecting the High Priesthood of Aaron is ‘the whole community is holy, everyone of them, and the LORD is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the LORD’s assembly?’. What contemporary equivalents of this argument have you come across over the years? Why is this spurious reasoning?
What is going on in 16:12-14? Why do they describe Egypt the way they do? How can they have such a ‘romanticised’ view of Egypt when it was actually a place of slavery and death? What is the charge they are bringing against Moses and Aaron (and by implication, against the Lord)?
Why is Moses so angry in 16:15? Is it appropriate for him to ask the Lord not to receive the worship of others in the people of God? Is that something we could ever pray today?
Why does the Lord invent a ‘new thing’ to deal with those caught up in Korah, Dathan and Abiram’s rebellion? What is the significance of their going ‘down alive into the realm of the dead’ (16:30 & 33)? Does the Bible really think the ‘realm of the dead’ is under the ground?
It is a bit harsh to say they treated the Lord with contempt (16:30)?
What would you say to someone who called themselves a Christian, but who didn’t allow Jesus to structure their relationship with God, or the way that worked out in their lives?
What would you say to someone who said they didn’t need to become a Christian because they had their own genuinely meaningful spirituality that they felt connected them with God?
Read Jude 11. Why does Korah get a mention here? What does that teach us about how to apply this story into the life of the New Testament Church?
And if you still have time:
In the sermon, I also mentioned the Sons of Korah and their stepping back from their family’s fate (Num.26:11). The appearance of their work in the Book of Psalms is an important testimony to the grace of God in the face of judgment, and reminds us that there is no necessity for any to face that judgment. It takes a deliberate defiance to refuse to repent. Ps.42-49 explore what its like to live in this fallen world waiting for the return of Christ in glory, anticipating various aspects of the Church’s destiny when He does return. Ps.84-5 speak of the kind of longing for the Lord that only comes from those who have sacrificed much for Him. Ps.87 rejoices in the international nature of the Church. If you have time though, it might be worth turning up Ps.88, and reading it in the light of Numbers 16.
Questions:
What stands out to you with new meaning, or what takes on a new signifigance, when you do that?
In what sort of situation would you find Psalm 88 useful to read?
What can you learn from Ps.88 about the experience of stepping away from family and friends to be identified with those who trust in Christ as high Priest?
How do you think the Sons of Korah would have felt looking back on the events of Num.16? How would it have shaped the way they lived and worshipped?
Num.16:1-34 Ideas for family worship
It’s great story, and one that a lot of children will enjoy! But what does it mean? well, if you’ve followed along with the sermon and perhaps dipped into the Bible Study notes for Num.16 you should have a pretty good idea that the focus is on the role and work of the High Priest (representing Jesus), and the fact that He is the only way for us to access the life of God. That’s probably where I would start any discussion or teaching on this passage: Why can we not just get to God ourselves?
Once you get past that into a discussion of the High Priest, and his ministry, the key ideas are about the fact that it is the Lord who gets to set the terms of our worship, and to choose who can have access to Him. It is nothing short of presumption to start anywhere else than there. And He chooses a High Priest. More specifically, He choose His own Son as High Priest (see Heb.4:14-5:10 if you want to unpack this). He approaches the Father – and anyone else who wants to has to go with Him. This is great news and gives us incredible confidence – we know the Father accepts His Son.
The idea of representation is an easy one to explore. Depending on age the idea of sports team representing a country (or a town); an MP representing people in their constituency; or an ambassador representing their government might all help.
In a similar way, Christ represents us in the throne room of heaven! There is no one better to trust to work in our best interests. The costume of the High Priest visualises this for us. He carries on his shoulder two onyx stones on which are engraved the names of the 12 tribes of Israel, literally carrying the Church into the heavenly throne room, as He appears before the Father with the blood of His sacrifice. Imagine a child being lifted up to on their parent’s shoulders to see something they couldn’t see on their own – that’s a pretty good picture of what’s going on!
Once we get past the drama of Num.16:25-34, it is worth pointing out that God isn’t being unfair in His dealing with these trouble-makers and their families and followers. There are two critical things to remember. The first is that the result of trying to get to God iwthout Jesus is always death. The second is that no-one actually had to suffer this fate! In fact we’re told in Num.26:11 that not everyone did. Some of Korah’s descendants wanted to stand with Christ, rather than with their families who rejected Christ.
This is such a rich (if quite challenging) area to explore. As parents it gives us a chance to help our children think through what it means to choose to follow Christ even when other important people in our lives choose not to. The danger of being carried along by other people’s decisions is one we will want them to recognise and avoid.
But one of my favorite obeservations on this whole incident is the realisation that the Sons of Korah can teach us a lot about how to approach God properly in worship. It might be good to explore one of the Psalms written by the Sons of Korah! One of the easiest would be Ps.45, which describes the wedding of Christ and the Church (Eph.5:25-27; Heb.1:8-9). Older hcildren might appreciate Ps.42-44 though, which explores what it feels like to live in a fallen world, waiting for Christ to come and fix it!
A great memory passage for this week might be from another Sons of Korah Psalm: 85:6-7, Will you not revive us again that your people may rejoice in you?Show us your unfailing love Lord, and grant us your salvation’. Worth praying that together as a family!!
Num.13-14 Ideas for Family Worship
Because it was an all age service last Sunday we had a shorter reading (Num.13:26-14:9). It was a great reading, but it is in fact part of a longer story (Num.13-14). I’ll leave it to yourdiscretion how much of it you want to tell or read as you build a Family Worship session around the passage. U+you can download a single-side-of-A4 version of this here:
In the great drama of our salvation that is played out on the stage of Gen-Joshua, the Promised land is teaching us all about the New creation. The idea in Chap.13 is that these spiritually responsible leaders (likely from amongst those who had sat with the Lord in Ex.24:9-11) were to bring back a report that would inspire the rest of the Church to pursue God’s vision of their life together. With their redemption fresh in their minds, with the presence of the Lord in their midst, and with the hope of their God-given future before them, they would be unstoppable!
The whole idea of having a secure and well informed hope for our New Creation future is critical to our being able to live as disciples today. This is a fairly straightforward idea to get across to anyone who has sat an exam! Something you know will happen in the future affects how you feel and what you do today. A conscientious student will forego hobbies, social events, TV, Game-play and so on in order to prepare for their future (Exam!). Sometimes people even miss Church when exams are getting close! That might be something you’d want to talk about as a family!!
So, looking forward to the New Creation is very different from looking forward to exams (maybe, planning for a holiday would be a better image to work with!!), but the idea that a future anticipation can affect us and shape us today is a dynamic we can cultivate however old we are. For someone like Paul, his hope for the New Creation helped him when he was facing struggle and persecution (e.g. Rom.8:18). And we can see how dangerous it is when we don’t believe the New Creation is for us.
So – what do we know about the New Creation? What can we learn even from Num.13:23-27?
A great way in might be to read the closing sections of Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan. OK – so the whole of Pilgrim’s Progress is always worth a visit. you can watch a pretty good animation of it on Youtube, here.
Or perhaps ‘My first books...’ sections 212-217. Or for older children/youth, ‘To be a Christian’ Q&A 144-120. If you did get a copy of The-Ology, the Ch.62-65 are pretty amazing ways of getting a really tangible sense of the New Creation hope we have.
Talking about what we are looking forward to about New Creation life is bound to get exciting (if at times prompting some unexpected answers). And spending some time praying that the Holy Spirit would help us know the hope we have is something Paul teaches us to do. Why not re-write Eph.1:17-21 in your own words, and use it as a family prayer? ...perhaps each person could pray for one of the things Paul teaches us to pray about? You could trace around your hand and break the prayer in five, writing each part on a different finger / thumb, and praying them every day this week...
For older children, I’d suggest a second part of the conversation can focus on the mistakes made by the ten spies who are crippled by unbelief. What is the mistake they are making? Why is the Church more inclined to listen to them than to Caleb and Joshua? How can we avoid making the same kind of mistakes ourselves?
Oh – and if it’s your kind of thing, you can get grasshoppers to eat (13:32-33)! How you get that into family devotions, I’ll leave to your imagination!!
Num.13-14 Bible Study
As last Sunday was an All Age service, we had a truncated reading (13:26-14:9). But really, the story stretches through all of Chap.13-14. Parts of it are fairly well known, but the profound dangers of the issue it exposes can easily be missed in the drama of the moment.
The idea in Chap.13 is that these spiritually responsible leaders (likely from amongst those who had sat with the Lord in Ex.24:9-11) were to bring back a report that would inspire the rest of the Church to pursue God’s vision of their life together. With their redemption fresh in their minds, with the presence of the Lord in their midst, and with the hope of their God-given future before them, they would be unstoppable! It’s a matrix that should continue to frame Christian spirituality. When we remember what we have been saved from and how; when we experience the presence of the Lord in our midst, and when we are focussed on the hope set before us, the Church is unstoppable. This is what shapes Paul’s prayer for the Church in e.g. Eph.1:17-21, and it might be worth stopping as a group and spending some time praying the same for MIE!
Numbers 13 then was all about establishing their hope in the New Creation Inheritance God had promised His people. There were battles and challenges ahead, but with a clear vision of their future, they would step into them with courage and expectant faith! The reality of what happened fell somewhat short of that intention. They were so close, and yet so far. All twelve of the spies did in fact grasp the glory of the Promised Land: ‘It does flow with milk and honey’ (13:28). It’s the next word that does all the damage: ‘But...’. It is so easy to hear everything God says to us, but... to know what we are called to, but... to realise the incredible privileges and responsibilities the Lord gives us, but...
And which side of that ‘but’ you stand decides a great deal about your life as a Christian. Caleb and Joshua saw everything the other ten did. They saw nothing different, but everything differently. Whereas the ten saw themselves as unable to stand against the obstacles to God’s promises (13:33), Caleb and Joshua saw those obstacles as unable to stand against the Church stepping into God’s promises. The difference is perspective. Your perspective on Christ that is. How you see Him determines how you see everything else.
Questions:
What is Moses trying to establish by asking the spies about the aspects of the land listed in 13:17-20? Why does he want some fruit brought back? What achieves the same purpose in our own discipleship?
Why are the congregation of Israel more inclined to listen to the ten, rather than to Caleb (13:30) and Joshua (14:6-9)? How can we guard ourselves against making the same mistake today?
In Josh.2:8-11, we hear how the Canaanites saw Israel (granted it is 40 years later, but I doubt much has changed). In the light of Rahab’s speech, what is wrong with the spies’ report in Num.13:27-29, and 13:31-33.
What accounts for the attitude of the people in 14:2-4? What does it say about their understanding of the Lord? How can they still desire Egypt? Why can they not accurately remember the reality of their experience there?
This isn’t the first time the Church has behaved in this way (see Num.11:1-6; Ex.16:2-3). Why can they not learn this lesson? How should we behave if we keep falling into the same pattern of sin? What do we need from each other, and from our Church? When is it right to comfort, and when to rebuke?
Are you ever tempted to think that life would be better if you weren’t a Christian? Do you sometimes find yourself envious of those who don’t follow Jesus? What is that like? How do you resist such temptations?
Do you think the Lord’s response to the ten is fair (14:36-38)? Why does He take it so seriously? What has been the impact of their unbelief? Is it fair that the whole Church is treated as it is because of the failure of these ten (see 14:26-35)?
Do you think the Lord still deals with His people in this way? What might it look like for a Church today to be similarly disciplined by the Lord?
What difference does your hope in the New Creation make to daily life? How could you tell whether a Church was rooted in such a hope?
How does what you believe about the future express itself in your discipleship?
Num.12:1-16 Bible Study
The Book of Numbers calls us to think through our vision of Church. It can so easily become a series of events I attend, or not; a friendship group, or in a crasser vein: a one-stop shop for my personal spiritual needs to be met, whilst I carefully avoid getting too involved. There are any number of variations on a theme, but they are all deeply inadequate. The Church is a body of people growing into God’s vision for their life together.
As the Lord sends the disciples to school in the Book of Numbers we find Him tackling the head on something that threatens the unity of the Church. It’s hard to pin down exactly what’s going on, which is true-to-life, in that sin is rarely a cut and dried thing. It travels in packs, and in this pack there is at least jealousy, pride, bitterness and resentment, but the flash-point seems to racism. Which fed which is anyone’s guess! It’s worth noting the stridency of the Lord’s response to racism in the heart of the Church. It is dealt with ‘at once’ (12:4).
The issue of racism is more complex than ever in our own culture. The whole concept risks being distorted and weaponised in our own context. In some quarters it has already been hijacked and turned into a new form of discrimination. It is a volatile subject in both personal and cultural experience, and we are naïve if we think it isn’t in the experience of the Church.
As we get into this passage, it might be worth remembering that someone once had a dream. As Martin Luther King stood on the steps of the Lincoln memorial he delivered one of the most famous speeches in recent history. He demanded that we never be satisfied as long as children – dare I say, of any race – are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity ... that we be not satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream... until one day those children will be judged not by the colour of their skin, but by the content of their character ... until one day when freedom will ring from every village and hamlet, from every state and city, and we will be able to speed up the day when all God’s children, black and white, Jews and gentiles, Catholics and protestants will be able to join hands and to sing in the words of the old negro spiritual: Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty we are free at last.
Questions:
Can the dream of a society without racism ever be realised outside of the Church? Could it be realised inside the Church? What constitutes a specifically Christian response to the sin of racism? How is it different from much of the discourse about race in our culture?
Hab.3:17 links Midian and Cush. Why do you think Zipporah’s ethnicity had never been a problem before? What might have triggered it at this point in the narrative of Numbers?
What else is going on along with the complaints about Moses’ wife? Do any of the other issues raised by Aaron and Miriam have validity?
How can we cultivate humility? Why is this point made about Moses at this point? How does it explain Moses response... or lack of one?
Is racism really such a big deal that it requires the Lord’s personal intervention like this (v.4)? Why / why not? Do you think it is something we need to worry about at MIE? How would you recognise it if it was?
Jesus picks this narrative up in john 5:36-38. What is the point he is making there? How does it connect with Numbers 12?
This passage is also picked up in Heb.3:1-6. What is the point being made there? How does it connect with Numbers 12?
Have a look at Lev.14:1-9 / 15:8. How does the Lord’s disciplining of Miriam underline the seriousness of her sin? Why does the camp stay in one place during the period of her exclusion?
How can you ‘make every effort ot keep the unity of the Spirit’ (Eph.4:1-6)?
Num.12:1-16 Ideas for family worship
Number 12 is a difficult passage to navigate in today’s political and cultural climate. The discussions are increasingly polarised, and our society’s attempts to confront racism constantly run the risk of being hijacked by virtue-signalling, and tokenism. This can make conversations about racism eve more complex, and many parents may feel this is simply a week to miss! Can I encourage you to explore this in your family worship time? Jesus thinks it is important enough to address (12:4), and that in itself should warn us of the dangers of ducking the issues!
In my sermon on this passage I sought to highlight the danger and the incongruity of racism in the Church by putting it against the backdrop of God’s vision for the Church as a multi-ethnic reality, characterised by unity without uniformity, and difference without division. That would be a great place to start any conversation. Col.3:11; Gal.3:28, Rev.7:9-12, Eph.4:1-6 would all be great passages to start with. One of those could easily be a memory verse / passage for the week!
How could you celebrate the way God brings us together from different cultures, countries and ethnicities, unites us in Christ, and dwells in us by His Spirit..?
Another way in might be to explore the idea that God doesn’t show partiality (Dt.10:17). Usually in the Bible this is about rich / poor divides (e.g. Job 34:19). Mind you, that is something else that brings division to Church life. How many Churches are divided along racial / ethnic groupings; or by ‘class’ or wealth lines? Why is this a bad thing? What other ways do we segregate Churches..? e.g. by age, culture, special interests? What do you think God thinks of Churches like that?
With older children / youth this could be a great opportunity to explore the difference between our culture’s response to racism (such as BLack Lives Matter) and something that is specifically Christian... How does a clear understanding of Church and discipleship teach us to be people who cannot be racist?
You might want to watch Martin Luther King’s speech from the Lincoln Memorial: I have a dream. You can see it here.
The Church of England Evangelical Council has produced a 30 minute video looking at the question of racism, ethnicity and justice. You might want to watch this as parents (rather than as a family) and use it to help you help your children think some of these issues through.
A very straightforward question to reflect on as a family might simply be: Is MIE racist? or: Are there racist people in our Church? And how would we know? It can feel combative, but can we have the conversation without prejudice? The reason after all that Numbers 12 is in the Bible is that - like all the lessons the Ancient Church had to learn - it is a sin that the Church will always have to be dealing with.
Prayer:
Merciful God,
you are righteous and love justice:
stir the hearts of your people that,
rejoicing in our diversity,
we may repent of the wrongs of the past,
and, by your grace, seek the peaceable kingdom of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
Num.11:4-35 ideas for family worship
It’s a young Church, and it behaves in childish ways! Generally wailing when it doesn’t get what it wants!
This is a tricky passage to deal with at the level of Family Worship, especially with younger children, but the issue is basically focussed on what we want. The ‘rabble’ want what the world has to offer... conveniently forgetting the terrible price they would have to pay for the fleeting pleasures of sin (Heb.11:25). Forget the tyranny, slavery, and the death of our children – at least we’d have the chance to sink our teeth into a melon! It’s the kind of warped thinking that sin – and our desire for sin – produces. This could be a great teaching point! what does the world offer us... and what is the terrible price we’d have to pay! You could use adverts as a way of visualising some of this. How can we cultivate an appetite for the things of God? How can we be those who hunger and thirst after righteousness (Matt.5:6)? How can we long for the future He has redeemed us for? Do you present involvement in the life of the Church as something to be enjoyed? As a place where these appetites can be cultivated?
How do we change our appetites?
Another key theme is that of influence. This might be easier to work with as it feels less abstract. understanding the dynamics of influencing and being influenced. In crass terms, we often talk about role-models, or perhaps peer-pressure. Wanting to fit in is a God-given instinct. We are supposed to want to fit in with the Church and to find role models (I Cor.11:1 & Phil.3:17).
Timothy is told by Paul: ‘...set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity’ (I Tim.4:12), and the aspiration of Hebrews is that we would ‘imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised’ (6:12).
But this God-given dynamic can also be warped and become deeply problematic. We see this in Numbers 11, where the rabble actually influences the rest of the Church in a negative way that has a huge impact on the leadership!! Moses has a kind of spiritual breakdown.
Why not have a think about who could function as spiritual role models for your child(ren). As parents this is first and foremost our privilege, but it really helps when we have others around who re-inforce the example we are setting our children in loving the Lord (Deut.6:5-9). This can be god-parents, others from MIE, other Christian families that you build relationships with... pray about this as a family...
AND
think about how you can be an encouraging example to others. What can you do this week as a family, that would set a great example that could inspire others!
Num.11:4-35 Bible Study
So, we’re three days out from Sinai, and for the first time the Lord has brought them to a place where they can rest (10:33). His Presence is with them, protecting and shading them. Daily they gather the manna (literally heavenly food eaten by angels, see Ps.78:24-25). And bizarre though it may seem, they ‘began to crave other food’, and wailing about having been redeemed by the Lord. At least a proportion of the Israelites actually began to wish they could go back to their slavery... at least they had a varied diet.
The impact on Moses is a tragedy in its own right. Amongst the greatest pastors the Church has ever been blessed with, Moses has faithfully led the Israelites out of Egypt. He has been used by the Lord in singular ways to teach and structure the life and worship of this new-found people. He has modelled for them the glorious ministry of Christ their Mediator. He has taught them, interceded for them, led them, endured their grumbling, and their sullen reluctance to embrace the vision of life their Lord has held out to them. He is likely elated on their behalf at the success of their first journey. His own response has been one of worship as the Ark was settled back into its place in the Tabernacle (10:36). But his joy is punctured when he hears ‘the people of every family wailing at the entrance to their tents’ (11:10). He is overwhelmed and crushed that – in spite of everything they have experienced over the last year – they would reject the Lord’s purposes for them so fundamentally. To wish they had never been redeemed... to long not for the Land the Lord had promised them, but for a return to the tyranny and threat of Egypt... to refuse to trust that He could and would provide for them! Moses is pushed to the limit by their petulance, and is actually willing to die if that is the only way out (11:15). Their heart is revealed (Deut.8:2), and it is not a heart that trusts and delights in the Lord. Like Esau of old, they would sell their birth right for meal (Gen.25:29-34, contra Matt.4:1-3).
The Lord answers both prayers: Moses’ for help in bearing the burden of the people; and the peoples’ for meat. Though the manner of answering is radically different. Elders are raised up to share the burden of the people; and quail to a depth of 3ft falls daily on the camp. People literally had to wade through quail. But even this miraculous and extravagant provision doesn’t produce repentance; the people don’t confess the sinfulness of their failure to trust the Lord’s goodness. They ignored the Lord, and simply stuffed their faces for 24 hours straight (11:22-23). Finally, the Lord’s anger (and remember, he is slow to anger, so this is an extraordinary moment) could be constrained no longer! Their ingratitude and greed shows the idolatry of their own appetites. The people are given a terrifying lesson: sin only ever leads to death. To choose to be obsessed with our own appetites and desires, rather than with the Presence and provision of the Lord, is to be buried in ‘the graves of craving’.
Questions
In Exodus 16:31 the manna was said to taste of honey, but here in Num.11:8, it is said to ‘taste like something made with olive oil’. What’s changed? What is this teaching us about the spiritual dynamics of our own pilgrimage through the ‘wilderness’ of this age?
Can you understand someone who is offered the bread of angels to live on, but who would rather have the menu of 11:4-5? What is going on in their mind and heart?
Who do you think this ‘rabble’ is? Why are they spoken of in such disparaging terms?
Is Moses’ reaction (11:10-15) appropriate? ...understandable? ...sinful? Why does the wailing of the people have such a profound impact on the leadership? How does this insight into the experience of Church leadership effect the way you think about the relationship between a congregation and their leadership? How would that play out in MIE?
Seeking first the things of the Lord and trusting Him to provide for us remains one of the first lessons He would have us learn (Matt.6:33). From that passage in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt.6:25-34), what do we need to be convinced of before we can learn this lesson? Can you share from your own experience of being a Christian how this looks for you? Have you any stories you can share about when you experienced God’s provision after you first sought His Kingdom and righteousness?
Read Phil.4:10-13. How is Paul’s attitude different from that of the Israelites in Num.11? Why does Paul call the ability to be content a ‘secret’? How can we learn this secret? How can you spot a Christian who is content?
Do you think that all of the 70 elders were actually Christians (11:25)? What about Eldad and Medad (11:26)? Can you experience the Spirit, and even be caught up in the gifts of the Spirit and not be a Christian? Have a look at Heb.6:4-6. How can someone who has ‘shared in the Holy Spirit’ then fall away as in Heb.6:6? Do you think the parable in Heb.6:7-8 helps us understand Num.11 any better?
What do you make of 11:29? What would it mean if Moses wish were granted?
Num.9:1-14 Bible Study
Why are we starting in Numbers 9? Because strange though it first sounds, this is where the Book of Numbers starts. Compare Num.1:1 (the first day of the second month of the second year...) with Num.9:1 (the first month of the second year)... and we know it was before the 14th (9:3). Which raises the question, ‘Why 8 Chapters of legislative material before we get to the action?’. In part because Num.1-8 sets the context. It shows how everyone in the Church in connected to and invested in the ministry of the Tabernacle (i.e. the proclaiming of the Gospel to the nations). That extended introduction also contains the first census (numbering of the people) from which the Book takes its name. Before we get into the narrative of the journeyings of God’s people, we need to know who those people are, and what it is that defines them.
And so we join the ancient Church a year after their liberation from Egypt. That year has been spent en route from the land of their captivity (3 months) and then camped at the foot of Sinai. Whilst there they have been building the Tabernacle, and learning how to worship the LORD there. Now they are getting ready for their first ‘trial run’ (see 10:11-34 for the first 3-Day journey). Moving a mass of people the size of the Church is a huge logistical undertaking, and we learn the elegant organisation required. But first: Passover ‘...in accordance with all its rules and regulations’ (9:3).
That might seem restrictive. By and large, we don’t appreciate our worship being constrained by rules and regulations. In our time we tend to prize freedom (and in some cases, spontaneity) as marks of true, spiritual worship. But that is because, by and large, we have forgotten that as we worship in accordance with the Lord’s directives, He is teaching us about Christ: about His work for us, and about the discipleship to which He is calling us. This profound Spiritual dynamic in our gathered and formal worship might be news to us, but it has always characterised truly Christian worship. We need to step back from our obsession with what we want to say in worship, and learn to listen to what He wants to say, and with what He wants us to say!
Questions:
What does it mean to say that ‘some of them could not celebrate the Passover on that day because they were ceremonially unclean on account of a dead body’ (v.6)? Why does coming into contact with death mean they can’t join the worship of the people of God?
Is there anything today that would mean we can’t join the worship of the people of God? Can we be rendered unclean in the same way?
What is the attitude of those who were going to have to miss out on the celebration of the Passover? Do we ever feel the same about the corporate worship of God’s people?
Why is Moses so cautious about responding to the peoples’ question (v.8)?
Having read through Num.9:1-14, what would you make of someone who could in the worship of the Church, but decided not to? Why is the treatment of someone who could have celebrated the Passover but didn’t so severe? Should this be our attitude today?
How does the Passover teach us about Christ and the Gospel?
There is more going on here than you might realise. If you want to explore this further you can do so at the Jews for Jesus website.
Who is ‘the foreigner’ that the Lord has in mind in 9:14? What does this teach us about the nature of the Old Testament Church? How then should we respond to the idea that in the Old Testament, the Church is an ethnically specific reality (i.e. about a particular race)?
Num.9:1-14 Ideas for Family Worship
Why not have a simple Messianic Passover meal for dinner tonight? Roast lamb, pitta (unleavened bread), grape juice / wine, parsley (instead of bitter herbs) - I’ll leave it to you to decide whether to have salted water (to remember the tears shed). You could read the story of the Passover, or watch the film, ‘Prince of Egypt’ and talk about how Jesus is the fulfilment of the Passover. There are more complicated versions of the Messianic Passover on line, but this would get the idea across. There is a full account in Ex.12, and bit of liturgy that goes with the meal in Ex.13:14-16.
As you enjoy this simple meal together, talk as a family about what it means to live in a way that is enslaved to sin, under the tyranny of the devil, and under the shadow of death. And what it means to be liberated to live as the people of God. There are all kinds of bases you could hit, such as Jesus’ teaching in John 8:31-47; or exploring how ‘celebrity culture’ is born out of our fear of death; or exploring the difference between slavery and freedom, and what it means to be free as a Christian. You might find it helpful to connect it with Communion (see e.g.. Matt.26).
For younger children, you might find this a helpful resource:
Jesus Storybook Bible, ‘God to the rescue’, available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDlWC0nQoOI
As parents we are chief evangelists and disciple-makers when it comes to our children. This gives us an incredible opportunity to talk with our children about what it means to trust in the death of Christ for salvation... why being good or having your own bespoke spirituality isn’t really going to help... we can talk with them about how the Lord delivered His people and then taught them how to live by giving them the 10 Commandments. We can explore what it means to be those who obey everything HE has commanded... and all in the context of a meal!!
Enjoy.
Zech.9:9-17 Bible Study
Zechariah is prophesying during the re-building of Jerusalem by those who have returned from exile. There weren’t as many of them as you’d like to think, and as it turns out they were fearful and easily intimidated by the locals. They had bribed officials, threatened open violence, and written to the king warning him that if Jerusalem was built, there would be sedition. All this conspired to bring the work of rebuilding Jerusalem to a standstill (Ezra 4:24). In response, the Lord raised up two preachers: the prophets Haggai, and Zechariah (Ezra 5:1).
We might feel that isn’t the most helpful of responses... and if that is the case, we’d have been even less impressed by Zechariah’s message. Faced with enemies all around, the idea of a lowly king riding on a donkey (Zech.9:9) hardly inspires courage and confidence. How little we understand the ways of the Lord. Zechariah’s message centres on the disturbing idea that the Lord is sovereign over the nations (even those who oppose Judah), and that as such He will draw them with His grace into the very Church they now oppose. Peace will extend across the nations. Shalom. Rest. This is something far more profound than victory through the domination, the annihilation of enemies. That is all we have the imagination to envisage. But the foolishness of God far transcends the wisdom of humanity, and His victory is not at the expense of righteousness (9:9). The meek will inherit the earth... and there is none more meek than the king who comes to us lowly and riding on a donkey.
Paul writes: God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Col.1:19-20). This is the blood of the covenant, the spilling of which was foreseen by the mighty Zechariah (9:11). The donkey-king comes to die, not kill; to be defeated not to defeat. And in that moment of inversion, He changes everything. A New Creation is inaugurated. A New Creation in which prisoners are rescued from pits, and are shackled to hope (9:12). A New Creation in which chariots and war-horses are taken away and battle-bows are broken (9:10). A New Creation in which the King will rule over those He has saved (9:16) with justice, and faithfulness, and integrity, making full provision for those in His care.
Questions:
How do you reconcile the picture of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey with the vision of Jesus we are presented with in Rev.19:11-21? Why are both needed? What happens if we only have the lowly Jesus on the donkey? ...and if we only have the war-wager on the white horse?
Which inspires a response of love, commitment and worship? Why?
What glimpses of Rev.19:11-21 can you see shining through in Zech.9:9-17 (you can take in the whole of Zech.9 here)? Can you see in Zechariah’s prophecy evidence of the King who ‘wages war’ (Rev.19:11)? How does that affect the way we read this prophecy being fulfilled on ‘Good Friday’ (e.g. Matt.21:1-11)?
What is the difference between meekness and weakness? How does meekness achieve such extraordinary results? Where have you seen meekness in action?
How does Jesus example help us as we find ourselves in situations where we too must refuse to resist an evil person, but rather turn the other cheek; or where we must love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us? Have you ever put such teaching (Matt.5:38-48) into practise? What happened?
Read Zech.9:13. Does Zechariah envisage the Church being implicated in the execution of God’s judgment against the sons of Greece? How do you make sense of that? Have a look at I Cor.6:1-3. What does this mean?
What is there about the New Creation that really captures your imagination? How does your vision of the New Creation shape your experience of discipleship here and now?
end note on Zech.9:13. After Alexander the Great defeated Persia (and during his campaigns Syria, Tyre, Sidon and Philistia was conquered as per Zech.9:1-8), the Jews did in fact fight the Greeks, and gained an incredible victory. Alexander died unexpectedly in 323 BC, and his empire was divided into four. A ruler called Antiochus eventually ruled over one of these fragments, and against the background of a growing Roman Empire, sought to instil unity by in his realm around his pagan Greek culture. When the Jews resisted, it resulted in war during which the Jewish forces under Judas Maccabeus won a series of stunning and frankly, unlikely, victories. This secured a century of independence until the Romans invaded in 63 BC.
Family Worship ideas for Holy Week
So here is link to a PDF doc that lays out activities, discussion starters, prayers etc. for use thorughout the week running up to Easter:
Entering as a family into a period such a holy week gives you the chance to work on something over a few days. Something as simple as printing off depictions of key events throughout the week (or printable colouring pages) which can be put up in the home. That can create a montage of Jesus’ journey through the cross to resurrection.
There are so many incredible ways of talking about all that Jesus acheives in His Passion. We all face the temptation to reduce this moment to a single idea - often something such as forgiveness of sins. As true as that may be, it falls drastically short of all the Bible has to teach us. His death is about victory over evil, cleansing the whole of creation (including us!), redeeming death so that it is no longer something we need to fear but becomes a servant that carries us to Christ, it gives us an example to follow, a revelation of God’s heart to delight in, and a vision of true spiritual power to develop. His resurrection is not simply His triumph over death. It is the birth of a new creation, our being ushered into a new way of Divine living. It is the securing of our future, the fulfilling of the past Levitical Priesthood, and the guarantee of our righteousness.
As a parent (or grandparent) you might it helpful to revisit out Jesus Centred Life term on the Work of Christ. that will give you plenty of ideas about how to talk with your kids about all that is acheived in the first Easter. Or if you are using ‘To be A Christian’, have a look at Q&A 59-70… I’ve included them here in case its useful. If it isn’t, jsut stop reading here - there’s nothing else after the questions below except one other downloadbale idea - the Holy Week Calendar!
59. Why did Jesus suffer?
Jesus suffered as a sacrifice for our sins so that we could have peace with God, as prophesied in the Old Testament: “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 52:13–53:12, see 53:5; John 1:29; Romans 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:3–4)
60. In what ways did Jesus suffer?
On earth, the incarnate Son shared physically, emotionally, and spiritually in the temptations and sufferings common to all people, yet without sin. In his agony and desolation on the Cross, he uniquely suffered in my place for my sins and, in so doing, revealed God’s love and compassion for fallen and suffering humanity. (Psalm 22:1–24; Matthew 4:1–10; 27:26–50; Hebrews 4:14–16)
61. How do Jesus’ sufferings help you?
Jesus has experienced our sufferings, understands our sorrows, and is able to sympathize with our weakness. Therefore, I should bear my sufferings with perseverance and hope, for my Savior is with me in them, and through them I will come to know him more fully. ( Job 9:32–35; Psalm 22:22–26; Isaiah 53:4–7; Luke 4:1–13; Hebrews 4:14–5:10)
62. Why does the Creed say that Jesus suffered under the Roman governor Pontius Pilate?
The Creed thus makes clear that Jesus’ life and death were real events that occurred at a particular time and place in Judea in the first century AD. (Psalm 2:1–6; Luke 3:1–2; 23; Acts 4:24–28).
63. What happened at Jesus’ crucifixion?
Jesus was executed as a common criminal. He was scourged, mocked, and nailed to a Cross outside the walls of Jerusalem. Though believing in christ humanly a miscarriage of justice, his execution fulfilled God’s plan of salvation. (Psalm 22:1–21; Isaiah 53:8; Matthew 27:22–26)
64. What did Jesus accomplish on the Cross?
Jesus fulfilled the Scriptures by dying on the Cross as a sacrifice for sin in obedience to his Father. He thereby showed the depth of the love of God for his fallen creation, satisfying the justice of God on our behalf and breaking the power of sin, Satan, and death. (Leviticus 23:18–21; Psalm 34:15–22; Colossians 2:13–15; Hebrews 10:11–14)
65. What does Jesus’ death mean for you?
Jesus bore my sins and died the death that I deserve, so that I could be saved from sin and eternal condemnation and reconciled to God. (Psalm 32:1–2; Isaiah 53:10–12; Matthew 20:28; Romans 5:8–10; 2 Co rin thi ans 5:17–21)
66. Why does the Creed make a point of saying that Jesus died?
The Creed makes the point to emphasize that Jesus died a real, bodily death such as all people face because of our sins. (Psalm 22:14–15; Isaiah 53:8–9; Matthew 27:45–50; John 19:30–35)
67. Why does the Creed emphasize Jesus’ death in this way?
The Creed emphasizes Jesus’ death to counter suspicions that Jesus did not truly die on the Cross, to celebrate the fact that he died there to secure our salvation, and to prepare our minds to grasp the glory of his bodily resurrection. ( John 19:31–34; 1 John 5:6–8)
68. What does the Creed mean by saying that Jesus descended to the dead?
That Jesus descended to the dead means that he truly died and entered the place of the departed. (Psalm 16:9–10; Acts 2:25–32; Ephesians 4:9–10; 1 Peter 3:18–19)
9. What does the Creed mean when it affirms that Jesus rose again from the dead?
It means that Jesus was not simply resuscitated; God restored him physically from death to life in his resurrected body, never to die again. His tomb was empty; Jesus had risen bodily from the dead. The risen Jesus was seen by his apostles and hundreds of other witnesses. (Psalm 30:1–5; Luke 24:1–12; John 20:1–18; Acts 1:3; 1 Corinthians 15:3–8)
70. What kind of earthly life did Jesus have after he rose from the dead? Following his resurrection, Jesus spent forty days visiting and teaching his followers. He appeared to his disciples, spoke to them, invited them to touch him and see his scars, and ate with them. (Luke 24:13–49; John 20:19–29; Acts 1:1–8)
this idea can be downloaded here.
Family Worship Ideas Luke 5:27-39
Click Below to download Family worship Ideas on Luke 5:27-39
Luke 5:17-26 Ideas for Family Worship
This is one of the most visual and visually dramatic of Jesus’ miracles. Where else do you see people dismantling a house in order to get someone to Jesus. There are plenty of craft activities available for you to do as you engage your child(ren) in this passage: for example here, there is a crossword you can do here, and a video to watch here:
There are some big ideas in the passage. The religious leaders accuse Jesus of ‘blasphemy’ (5:21). It’s going to be worth your while exploring that. In this context that seems to focus on the idea of taking to yourself something that is only God’s prerogative! If only God can forgive sins, then if someone presumes to do that, it’s a pretty big claim. Of course – it is one Jesus can legitimately make, because He is God... something this passage goes someway to clarifying for us. It does of course raise the obvious question about why we are then commanded to forgive sins too (e.g. Matt.6:14-15). What is the connection between God’s forgiving of sin and our forgiving of sin?
you might want to explore what it means to be forgiven? ...and perhaps what forgiveness is not. forgive and forget is (a) not possible, and (b) not a Biblical idea. I think you’ll find the same is true of trying to forgive people who don’t repent (see Luke 17:3-4) – not even God forgives those who don’t repent! Are there any other ideas bout forgiveness that might have been picked up that need to be clarified or corrected? This would be a great opportunity to find out! What a great conversation that could turn out to be... and then a basis for praying together?
There is a good story (Parable) Jesus tells about forgiveness at Luke 7:40-48
helping our child(ren) and young people think through the reality of forgiveness is an important part of them navigating their spiritual experience. The Catechism that we use at DTP might help here:
196. What is God’s forgiveness?
God’s forgiveness is his merciful pardon of sin and removal of the guilt that results from our disobedience.
197. On what basis do you ask forgiveness?
I ask God our loving Father to forgive me through his Son, Jesus Christ, who bore my sins upon the Cross, so that through faith and Baptism I can receive his righteousness.
198. Does God forgive your sins?
Yes. In Christ, God freely forgives the sins of all, including me, who sincerely repent and in true faith turn to him.
A good memory verse might be: Ps.32:1-2, Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.
You can download a single side of A4 version of this here.
Luke 5:12-16 Family Worship Ideas
One of MIE’s Global Mission Partners is Leprosy Mission. Why not head over to their website and see what they get up to. There are plenty of stories, insights about their work, things to do, situations to pray for and ways to get involved, including using Lego™ and help raise awareness about Muzaffarpur Hospital!
A lot of the encounter with Jesus in this passage is built around the idea of ‘cleansing’. In Leviticus, leprosy is a picture that helps us to grasp the reality of sinfulness (NOT saying that those who had leprosy were any more or less sinful than anyone else!). You’ll notice the man asks to be made clean, not healed. And Jesus says: ‘Be Clean’. the idea is stronger than ‘sin makes us dirty’, but that’s pushing in the right direction. There are no end of ways to engage with this in interactive and fun ways. From using a basketful of dirty laundry, a pile of dishes, or deliberately making something dirty and then washing it… to something a bit more labour intensive (or you could just watch the video…)
You cold get some washable ink pens, and write / draw pictures that represent sinful thoughts, words or actions on a sheet. Washing it so that it is cleansed could be a great activity to help your child(ren) ‘see’ what Jesus longs to do when we repent ofo ur sin.
…Or you could do some craft work around Psalm 51:1, or perhaps Ps.51:10, which could then be memorised, or turned into a prayer…
The idea of cleansing from our sin is a powerful one that helps us to think not just about being forgiven, but of our being ‘de-contaminated’ – having sin ‘washed out’ of us so that it doesn’t shape us anymore. A river polluted at source carries that pollution down stream with it. Jesus speaks of our heart a bit like this: out of the overflow of our heart, we act and speak and think (see e.g. Matt.15:18. Once our heart is cleansed, then what flows out of it is clean too.
You can download this as a 1 side of A4 printable PDF here
Luke 5:1-11 Family Worship Ideas
Click here to download the Family Worship Ideas pack in it’s new format for W/B 25/02/24
Luke 4:31-44 ideas for family worship
In a couple of weeks, we’ll be exploring the idea of Jesus as Priest and how as Priest His job is to keep what is unclean out of the Church. While it comes very much into focus in Luke 5, we already see Jesus dealing with all that is broken and unclean (impure, 4:36). The idea of sin as something that contaminates us and our world will be a part of that discussion, but for now a simple recognition that Jesus alone can actually fix the world (and us as part of that world) is a great place to start. I’ve always liked the idea of light and darkness. Watching a Sunrise (ps.19); lighting a candle in a dark room; shining a torch in the back garden at night time; or just flicking the switch for a bedroom nitelight… all simple ways of showing that Jesus (as light of the world) drives back darkness. Wherever light is, darkness isn’t. We see that enacted in the passage before us.
To be a Disciple of Jesus is to recognize His authority – though it’s baffling how many people try to be Christians whilst still deciding for themselves what they will believe and how they will live. The whole point of this section of Luke’s Biography of Jesus (Gospel) is showing us that He has authority – absolute authority. This gives you a great opportunity to explore how as a parent, your authority in the home is about helping your child(ren) to learn how to relate to Jesus’ authority. When your kid(s) learn to obey you they are being given the tools that will help them learn to obey Jesus (Matt.28:19-20). You can explain why the rules of your home are what they are… reflecting the rules of God’s home; and why you teach your children to obey ‘first time and straightaway’… because that is how we should obey the Lord. In fact, the only reason parents have authority is that it is delegated from God.
There are a number of ways into this… a simple game like ‘Simon says…’ that is about following instructions; or a list of instructions that end in finding a gift; imagining a game of football without any rules or referees… following rules (or in Jesus’ language: obeying everything He has commanded) might actually be a good thing! Discussing (or re-reading) any favourite stories that show a Monarch as a wise and benevolent ruler might be helpful here too (Lk.4:43).
Older children might benefit from a conversation about how authority structures are reflected not just in family life, but also in Church life, and in the life of a nation?
This could be a great opportunity to explore what your child(ren) are afraid of. There are frightening things in the world, things that can hurt or scare us. The way to deal with that is not to pretend they don’t exist, but to know that Jesus is more powerful than any of them. He has authority over us… and over everything else too! Do we trust Jesus to protect us? What does that protection mean? If you’ve lit the candle (see above), maybe this is a chance to chance to pray together about Jesus watching over us and protecting us from what scares us.
Luke 4:14-30 ideas for family worship
How are you doing with memorising Ps.119:9-12? Don’t forget there will be an opportunity at Church (on 11th) to encourage the congregation by showing us that you have committed this passage (or part of it, depending on how old you are) to memory. That is only the first step though. We hide His word in our heart so that we don’t’ sin against Him! Memorising Scripture is part of hiding His word in our hearts... but that is a means to an end!
Meanwhile at Nazareth... things aren’t going so well for Jesus. We often think popularity is a good sign of how good a preacher someone is. It might be. But on that basis you’d have to conclude that Jesus isn’t a very good preacher! Why not spend some time as a family reflecting on what make a good preacher? Why might people get angry with good preachers? Why did people get so angry with Jesus? How do we make sense of it when we find ourselves getting angry when someone is teaching the Bible? Maybe you could spend some time praying for those at MIE who preach week by week. This can be a great opoprtunity to help your child(ren) think through the importance of Scripture being at the heart of the Church’s worship.
Can you look ahead in Luke’s Gospel and find places where Jesus does each of the things He says he’s going to do here in 4:18-19... depending on how competitive your kids are, this could be presented as a challenge. How many ways does Jesus proclaim good news for the poor? ... enable the blind to receive their sight? ...set the oppressed free? ...proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour? This could be a great way of getting your child(ren) to read through Luke’s Gospel. You might want to have an age appropriate version to hand. We’ll be in Luke on and off for a few years, so it might be a worthwhile investment.
When they have identified passages where Jesus does what He says he will do, then you can have a conversation – based on those passages – about what Jesus means. Is this limited to people physical well being and circumstances? ... or does Jesus have more than that in mind?
Older children might be interested in the idea that Jesus is fulfilling the Year of Jubilee (the Year of the Lord’s Favour). You can read about it in Lev.25 – what a great interactive way of teaching the OT Church! How do the various elements of the Year of Jubilee teach us about who Jesus is, or about what He will do? How would living through the year of Jubilee have helped ancient Christians to understand the Gospel more fully?
If you do nothing else with this week’s passage, it would be worth spending a bit of time on Jesus’ teaching in Lk.4:24-27. Jesus is underlining how God’s heart has always had an eye to those outside of the Church. God is the original evangelist. Why not have a chat with Tracey and find out how the Alpha Courses are going? ...maybe spend some time as a family praying for those wo are turning up and hearing about Jesus...
