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Preparing for the Last Supper

Read: Luke 22:7-20

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Talk about it

  • What do you think Jesus meant by his “suffering”?

  • What do you think Jesus means when he says the wine is his blood and the bread is his body?

  • Does your family have traditions at church, at home, or around the holidays?

  • Why do you think you keep doing those things?

  • How will those look different this year? How does that make you feel?

  • Why do you think Jesus used this important, traditional celebration meal to talk about his death?

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Historical Background

During the traditional Passover meal, four cups are served. Each cup is given to remember one of God’s promises, written in Exodus 6:6–7: “Therefore, say to the people of Israel: ‘I am the Lord. (1) I will free you from your oppression and (2) will rescue you from your slavery in Egypt. (3) I will redeem you with a powerful arm and great acts of judgment. (4) I will claim you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God who has freed you from your oppression in Egypt.” In today’s story, Jesus tells us he is the one who will fulfill the four promises of God for all people through his sacrifice. He also put his own blessing on a cup of wine.

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Closing Thought

he Passover meal takes place right before Jesus is arrested and crucified. For centuries, the Jews had been remembering how God rescued them from captivity and oppression through the Passover meal. Now, in the midst of such an important feast, Jesus redefined Passover for his disciples, the Jews, and anyone who followed him. Before, Passover meant God rescued the Jews. Now, Passover means God rescues everyone—all people—through Jesus. We remember Jesus’s love, mercy, and forgiveness today through the practice of Communion or the Eucharist. Taking communion varies depending on your church’s history and traditions, but no matter what way you take communion, and no matter what you call it, it started here, with Jesus and his disciples. Before, the Jews celebrated the Passover by roasting a lamb to represent the blood of the lamb that saved them in Egypt. Jesus changed that practice. As the Lamb of God himself, he said every time we eat bread or drink wine, we should remember his love and sacrifice. God’s love is big!

 

The Journey to the Cross

Read: Matthew 27:32-54

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Talk about it

  • How do you think Jesus felt when everyone mocked him?

  • How does Jesus respond to the people who mock him?

  • Have you ever been accused of doing something you didn’t actually do? How did it make you feel? How did you respond?

  • Try and imagine what Jesus was going through. What do you think the most difficult part of this was for him?

  • Does Jesus fulfill the Father’s call to “act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly"?

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Closing Thought

The people who crucified Jesus and mocked him asked him to prove himself on the cross. “Save yourself!” they yelled. “Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God.” They expected Jesus to prove himself on their terms, not on God’s terms. When we’re challenged by someone to defend ourselves or show our worth, we usually answer that challenge by arguing, defending ourselves, or fighting back. But Jesus doesn’t do that. Nothing Jesus does seems predictable. Jesus doesn’t prove he is the Son of God by saving himself—he proves he is the Son of God by saving the world. His death and resurrection shows that God is God over life and death.

 

Prayer Prompt

In today’s verses, Jesus cries out from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” It is a quote from Psalm 22:1. Do you ever feel abandoned and alone, like no one understands you? God understands that feeling.
Pray through Psalm 22:1–5

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish?
My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest.
Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises.
In you our ancestors put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them.
To you they cried out and were saved; in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

Come to the Table

This song reflects our understanding of who is welcome at the Lord's Table. The Sidewalk Prophets express God's great grace for all people. Today, listen to this song and reflect on the words. Use the questions for reflection to help you process how this might connect to you. 

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Questions for Reflection

  • What "sin and shame" do you carry with you that you need to "leave at the door"?

  • What does it feel like to know that you are welcome at the table of the Savior, regardless of your flaws?

  • Imagine physically sitting next to Jesus, what is that experience like? What would you say or do?

  • Who are people who get left out of this experience of coming to the table that need to hear the invitation they are welcome?

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Week 4 - 

Read: 1 Samuel 17

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Talk about it

  • Have you ever felt bullied by someone? How did it make you feel?

  • Can you relate to the Israelites who faced Goliath?

  • How was David able to overcome the fear the Israelites were experiencing so he could face Goliath?

  • Do you think God gave David the victory over the Philistines?

  • Did you know there was a beheading in the Bible? What do you think about this?

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Closing Thought

David and Goliath is one of many stories in the Bible of battles between different groups where lots of men, women, and children are killed. It’s kind of surprising to see God’s message of hope, love, and peace in the same book where we find stories of violent wars and killing in the name of God. But that’s part of the history of our world and the history of the Christian faith—people have killed in the name of God. David was a great warrior and leader who came up with a way to defeat Goliath that no one else had thought of before, by using a sling and stone. But after Goliath fell, the Israelites participated in the same kind of warfare that tribes engaged in at that time—they used swords to kill the enemy in their path. They counted those deaths as victories for Israel and for Israel’s God. Jesus shows us a different way in the Gospels, a way of nonviolence, compassion, and peace. He reveals the heart of God that beats for a peaceable kingdom on earth. (Bonus points! Read Isaiah 11:1–11.)

 

Prayer Prompt

Sometimes it takes more courage and strength to be a peacemaker than it does to be a warrior. Let’s pray for those who are at war all around the world right now. Pray for God’s mercy and peace to rise up through the people of God to end all wars and bring about a peaceable kingdom on earth.

 

Week 4 - 

Read: 1 Chronicles 28:1-21

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Historical Background 

We’re going back into David’s story near the end of his reign as king of Israel. After the incident with Bathsheba, all kinds of chaos and battles take place in David’s family. There are silences and aggression, rape and murder, separation and reunions. Anything that could go wrong seems like it does go wrong for David and his family. And yet God proves again and again that it is his faithfulness, his mercy, and his love that endure through all things. He is the great redeemer. 

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Talk about it

  • Why didn’t God want David to build the temple?

  • How do you think Solomon felt about his dad giving him these instructions and putting so much responsibility on him?

  • When people encourage you, how does it make you feel?

  • What do you think about the plan for the temple that David presented to Solomon?

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Closing Thought

Before the temple, the ark of the covenant (or “chest” in today’s translation) was kept in a tabernacle, or tent. The ark of the covenant held some of the things that meant a lot to the Israelites and their religion. “This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant” (Hebrews 9:4 NIV). The Israelites had carried the ark with them into the Promised Land. To David, the tent didn’t seem like the best place to put the ark of the covenant, so he decided he would build a house for the Lord. God didn’t love this idea. He told David through the prophet Nathan that he had never lived in a house all the years he was with the Israelites, so why did he need one now? Instead, God provided his own plans to build a house for himself. David’s son, Solomon, built the temple for the Lord, and it was magnificent—all the best artists, craftsmen, materials, engineers, architects, and designers were called on throughout Israel to build the temple that David envisioned and that God directed.

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Optional Activity

David’s words to his son Solomon must have encouraged him greatly. Take some time out of your day to speak words of encouragement to some people in your life. Rather than just ask how someone is doing, specifically point out something you enjoy about them and thank them for being a part of your life. 

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Week 4 - 

Read: Daniel 3

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Historical Background

Today’s story takes place about two hundred and fifty years after Elijah confronted King Ahab, and hundreds of years before Jesus appeared. It’s the lowest point of Israel’s history in the Old Testament. The Israelites had been defeated by other nations, the temple Solomon built was destroyed, and they were kicked out of the Promised Land. Many were captured and taken to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. None of the people around the Israelites followed God. They also didn’t like that the Israelites followed a god other than theirs. In today’s story, God shows his power over the foreign gods in miraculous ways.

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Talk about it

  • What was it King Nebuchadnezzar demanded of all of the people?

  • Why didn’t the Israelites do it?

  • How does God rescue Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego?

  • Who do you think was in the fire with them?

  • How do you think the three men in today’s story felt?

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Closing Thought

People around the world face the very real fear of punishment or death for following Jesus. Even if you aren’t in a place that threatens your physical well-being for believing and worshipping Jesus, there are still many times every day when we have to make a decision—whether to go along with what’s popular or whether to stand up for what’s right. God gives us his Holy Spirit to help us figure out what is good, and he’s given us his Word to guide us toward what’s right. He showed us through Jesus what it looks like to be holy, and holiness looks like peace, kindness, mercy, patience, and love.

 

Prayer Prompt

Pray for the courage to stand up for what is right. Thank God that no matter what you encounter every day, he is with you and loves you deeply. Take turns offering up your prayer to God today.

 

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