First Sunday in Lent

Year A: March 5, 2017

First Reading: Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7

Gilbert in Deep by Jane Clarke

(Written for ages 5-9)

Comment:  When the people are placed in the garden, they are given very explicit instructions by God, and honestly, allowed a lot of freedom. Like God’s instruction to the people, Gilbert’s mom gives Gilbert and Rita a good deal of freedom, but explicitly says they are not to go over the Edge. Both the woman and Gilbert convince themselves that disobeying the instruction they’ve been given is not a bad idea. As you read this text and story, explore what happens when the people and Gilbert disobey. It is worth extending the reading for children to help them understand that, although God, like mom shark, greatly reduces the freedoms given to the people, loving care and relationship between God and humanity are still maintained.

Second Reading: Romans 5:12-19

The Lonely Giant by Sophie Ambrose

(Written for ages 5-9)

Comment:  In her commentary on this text, Professor L. Ann Jervis describes Paul’s exploration of sin and grace, stating that in Christ, God offers “the opportunity to be made righteous, to be made like Godself, knowing what is good and what is evil and being able to choose.” The Lonely Giant  is a beautiful exploration of sin and grace. Through its pictures, children can visualize what it is to choose between good and evil, exploring the ways sin leads to death and grace leads to life. Like the giant, we all have the opportunity to choose sin-shaped actions that lead to death or grace-shaped actions that lead to life. By the grace of God, may Christ help us again and again to choose life.

Gospel Reading: Matthew 4:1-11

Bad News! I’m in Charge! by Bruce Ingman

(Written for ages 5-9)

Comment: “If you are the Son of God,” the tempter begins, and then proceeds to fill in the blank with ways someone labeled son of God was expected to act in Jesus’ time. In Ingman’s story, we see the way a kid might respond if they found themselves in charge. This text and story invite us to explore what it means to have power. Danny responds to having power in ways we might expect, but Jesus’ response to Satan defies many of our expectations. Wonder with the children of your church why someone with power might not use it to help themselves and what this teaches us about Jesus.

Noell Rathbun-Cook, Minister of Children, Families and Liturgical Art at Grace Baptist Church in Richmond, VA, is the writer of the Revised Common Lectionary Links this week.

Lectionary Links (RCL): March 5, 2017 by Storypath is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.