Rising Tension
This year, we use Echo as our storytelling to help us relate to God’s story to discover meaning and develop fresh insights. It is our prayer that you can engage with your family using creative writing, drawing, and conversation.
Each week, students will use an Echo Journal to complete the weekly activities. If you like an Echo Journal at home, please contact Heather.
Invocation
Find a Candle that you can light, and keep it with your Club 56 gear
Invocation: the act of inviting or welcoming or acknowledging that God is present in our space.
As you light your candle, say this invocation out loud: “I light this candle in the name of God, our Creator; Jesus, our Savior; and the Holy Spirit, our Inspirer. The three in one!”
Opening Question
What are some situations that make you feel tense? What can help ease that tension?
Review
The material we are using is called Echo, so let us echo the last section 🙂 Review the previous sections with your student (Jesus’ birth, baptism, his followers, the Hope and Healing Jesus can give us, the Miracles of Jesus, Kingdom Ways, Kindom Treasures and Jesus’ Encounters). Is there any new insight or questions that you have reflected on?
Prepare
Each story has its own symbol, it will help us remember the story. This week, we are talking about the tension that is rising around Jesus (Holy Week). Grab some paper and use your imagination to stretch your own symbol of what Rising Tension might look like.
To prepare for this week’s story, you will want a bit of background on life in ancient Jerusalem.
2000 years ago, Jews traveled from far away lands to worship and fulfill their religious duties at the Temple. This involved sacrificing pure and healthy animals, which were difficult to travel with. Travelers would exchange foreign currency to purchase the animals needed. These transactions were common and expected.
In this week’s story, we see Jesus throw a “Temple Tantrum”, using a whip to drive out money handlers and the animals. He also filled over the table. Why would he do this?
Some scholars believed that the exchange rates and cost for animals were intentionally marked up to take advantage of travelers who had no other choice. This also cost great hardship for the poor that could not afford the high costs.
Some scholars believe that Jesus’ actions were more about the disapproval of the entire approach of animal sacrifice and how it had become a lifeless ritual.
Whatever the reason – it is clear that he is calling or a change in the way people understand and connect with God.
What injustices in our world today do you think would make Jesus angry?
Read and Imagine
Students, pull out your pens or markers and doodle or sketch what comes to your mind as you listen. Once you have completed sketching the images, share what you’ve done with a parent.
Parents, this week you will read to your student, Rising Tension as you are reading they will be sketching.
Capture what you noticed
What stood out to you? What did you see or sense? What questions do you have about this story? ANYTHING (we mean anything) is okay to ask. A few that I have: What questions were the Pharisees asking to trap Jesus? Were any of the people happy that Jesus was stopping the sale of the animals? Espically those that could not afford the high prices? Did they know of the miracles that he had done before?
What questions do YOU have about this story?
Keep these questions handy, every so often, we’re inviting a Pastor to discuss with us! Send your questions to Heather and she’ll get them on our list.
Remix
Now that you are familiar with the stories, let’s REMIX! Have a paper and something to draw with. Recall the story of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. What would it have looked like from the Pharisees point of view? What would a person in the crowd have seen? What did the donkey see? A disciple?
Draw each point of view, with captions. Share what you drew with someone else.
When you pray…
Maybe you’re inspired to write or speak your own, if so, please do so! If you’d rather, you can just read together with the following:
Creator God, thank you for these words that have been passed down to us. Show us how to love judgment free everyday. Help us explore, ask, and wonder about your creation, your story, and help us find our story too. AMEN
Thank you for joining us today! If you have a student in Grade 5 or 6, sign them up for Club 56 today! If you have questions about this resource or would like additional information, please contact Heather or Pastor Ben.