Psalm 136
This refrain can be difficult to say in a world that is broken and with sins that plague the conscience. But when we look to Christ on the cross and the promise of the resurrection and the life everlasting, we can give thanks like this in all circumstances.
Genesis 1.1-19
For younger children read at least Genesis 1.1 and repeat it so that it might be written on the heart. You could also watch this video from the Jesus Story Book Bible on creation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LN-pV4yYIek
For older children you could discuss this note – “God’s first act, the creation, is an act of grace. God acts freely to reflect his character, making the world ‘very good’ (1.31). Even after the fall and the coming of sin, much of the goodness that God built into creation remains. Philosophers debate why evil exists, and people ask how a good God could allow bad things to happen. But it is not the existence of evil and suffering that requires explanation; it is the existence of goodness and beauty and love that is most remarkable. A world without God cannot explain such things. The persistence of goodness reminds us of what we have lost, but it also offers us a glimpse of God’s grace and the everlasting glory to which God has called us through Christ.” The Lutheran Study Bible
Mark 1.1-13
For younger children read at least Mark 1.11 and repeat it so that it might be written on the heart. You might also talk about how God the Father loves us because we are baptized into God the Son. Find your child’s baptismal certificate and show them. Consider framing it and hanging it up.
For older children you could discuss this – “Jesus’ successful struggle against temptation in the wilderness prefigures His final victory at the cross over our ancient foe. From the days of Adam and Eve, we have continuously fallen into Satan’s traps. Jesus, after uniting Himself with fallen humans through Baptism, won a preliminary victory over the evil foe’s temptations At the cross, Jesus gained an even more wonderful victory for us. His resurrection proves that Satan cannot prevail.” The Lutheran Study Bible
Write it on the heart verses – Genesis 1.1 and Mark 1.11
Small Catechism for the week: The Address – Our Father who are in heaven. What does this mean? With these words God tenderly invites us to believe that he is our true Father and that we are his true children, so that we may pray to him as boldly and confidently as dear children as their dear father.
Small Catechism question for the day: We pray Our Father… What is encouraging about the word Father? 1 John 3.1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.