Two all-age resources for you this week, one based on the lectionary passage of Exodus 20 and the other a fun activity linked to James 4:11-12 & Romans 14 – Do not Slander One Another (part of the ‘One Another’ series at my home church). Plus, at the bottom, your liturgy resources, of course.
Next week, I promise, Advent round up. (Was supposed to be this week but … life, you know.)
Ex 20, and a Rule of Life
First, the Big 10. (Fun quizlet – can you name them? In order? Don’t worry if you struggle, Catholic, Protestant and Jewish lists differ on the numbering.) But however you number them, these were God’s blueprint for how the newly-created nation of Israel was to live in the land he was giving them, their Rule of Life, if you like.
A Rule of Life is often associated with those in religious orders, but we all have them. It’s our idea of the kind of person we are. “I’m someone who recycles.” “I care about my fitness.” “I’m a good listener.”
It’s not like a New Year’s Resolution, where you try to screw up a massive feat of will-power to go to the gym every day only to fail and give up by Jan 5th. A Rule of Life is more about being than doing (although how we are will always overflow into action).
It can be helpful, every now and then, to review our own Rule of Life and see if it matches up with what we’d like it to be. And if it doesn’t, ask what tweaks we can make, because doing becomes being, just as much as being becomes doing.
In Matt 22 and Mark 12, Jesus summarises the Ten Commandments like this: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and all your strength.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Jesus was quoting from the famous Jewish prayer, the Shema (Deut 6:4), and adding Lev 19:18. That’s great and all, looks fab on a mug, but what does it mean for me, practically? (This exact question prompted the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 15, so we know it’s a good one.)
Here’s a handy-dandy gizmo to help us think about how we put Jesus’ summary of the law into practice.
Use the questions as prompts to think about how you can incorporate Jesus’ summary of the law in your everyday life. Make your goals attainable (so not, I’ll read the whole Bible every day), but also aspirational (so not, I might try, sometimes, to read a bit of Bible, if it’s not too much trouble and I don’t have anything else to do, like if the wi-fi’s down.) Try to find the happy medium between depressingly burdensome and forgettably vague. Jesus said ‘my yoke is easy’, but it is still a yoke!
Note that ‘heart’ in Jesus’ culture was not the seat of emotions, but of will, of decision-making. We retain this sense in ‘having a change of heart’. This means changing one’s opinion or decision, not a mood or attraction for someone.
Click here for a printable PDF – Rule of Life
Some resources to go with the printable
- My sermon on Exodus 20 1-20 that used the handy-dandy gizmo above
- Bible Project Shema – Love
- Bible Project Shema – Heart
- Bible Project Shema – Soul
- Bible Project Shema – Strength
- Ian Paul – How does Jesus summarise the Law in Mark 12?
Do Not Slander One Another
You will need:
- A4 Paper
- Pens / felt tips
- Space (just space in a room, not outer space)
To quote the eternal Simon and Garfunkel
Gee but it’s great to be back home
Home is where I want to be.
I’ve been on the road so long my friend,
And if you came along
I know you couldn’t disagree.
It’s the same old story, yeah
Everywhere I go,
I get slandered, libelled,
I hear words I never heard in the Bible
Slander and libel certainly are words we’ve heard in the Bible and our readings today, from James 4 & Romans 14, are all about the effect our words have on other people.
I’m sure we’ve all had experience of someone’s words cutting us the the quick. Perhaps it was a throw-away remark that they didn’t know would hurt us, or perhaps words said in anger have stayed with us over many years and have dug their way deep into our heads. Hurtful words can do a lot of damage.
And this is made worse by the human tendency to remember the criticisms more than the praise. That’s why, when giving feedback, it’s good practice to give ‘two roses for every thorn’, in other words, two positive things for every negative.
But I hope we have also all experienced the uplifting effect of good words. When someone tells you that you look good, or that they really like the picture you drew, the story you wrote, the thing you made. When someone tells you they like you, or that you are good at being a goalie, or that you make them happy. All of these can stay with you too, and curl up in your brain, purring and glowing like a kitten in the warm sun.
Paul and James were concerned about how Christians were talking to each other. People in the church in Rome were using their words to hurt their sisters and brothers, when they should “encourage one another and build one another up” (1 Thess 5:11)
So we are going to practice building one another up, using paper aeroplanes! Write something encouraging on a piece of paper then fold it into a paper plane and throw it across the room. Find a plane that lands near you and read the encouragement. You can send the planes around several times if you like. Then take a plane home with you to remember the encouragement and as a nudge to encourage those around you. “Thanks, I appreciate your help.” “Your hair looks good.” “You did that really well.”
Liturgy Resources for Proper 22
Psalm 19, Philippians 3
Confession and Absolution
The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.
But our souls are sickened, O Lord,
for we have not forgotten your word.
O Lord, forgive us and help us.
The decrees of the Lord are sure, making wise the simple.
But our minds are made foolish, O Lord,
for we have not lived by your word.
O Lord, forgive us and help us.
The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.
But our hearts are downcast, O Lord,
for we have place our own judgement above your word.
O Lord, forgive us and help us.
Cleanse us from our hidden faults, O Lord,
then shall we be blameless in your sight.
May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts
be acceptable to you, O LORD, our rock and our redeemer.
Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent,
pardons and cleanses you
and calls you his own.
Amen.
Blessing and Dismissal
May you discover the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus your Lord.
May you consider all things loss, that you may gain Christ.
May you know Christ and the power of his resurrection.
And the blessing of God …
Go in God’s strength, press on toward the goal,
win the prize for which God has called you heavenward in Christ Jesus,
and proclaim the glory of the Lord.
Amen.
The Reflectionary 
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