Bible Passage
6th Sunday after Epiphany (Luke 6:17-26)
Jesus was with his disciples and a great crowd of people. Jesus healed those who were sick. Jesus had something to teach them.
Watch the video to find out what Jesus taught them:
Jesus taught his disciples about who is blessed. To be blessed is to be happy, to have been given gifts and abilities by God, to have been made holy by God. Jesus helped the people understand that God loves everyone and that even those who we may not think are blessed are, in fact, blessed. God’s blessings can come in surprising or unexpected ways. Jesus said that those who feel hopeless are blessed, those who are sick are blessed, those who are poor are blessed, those who are followers of God are blessed, those who are hurt are blessed, those who are peacemakers are blessed, those who are kind are blessed. Jesus wanted his disciples and he wants us to know that WE are blessed.
When we look at the world around us, at the beautiful creation that God has provided for us, we can remember that we are blessed.
God’s blessings can come in unexpected or surprising ways, so we always have to be looking for them.
It is sometimes said that we have been blessed by God to be a blessing to others. There are so many ways you can bless others. This week, be a blessing to someone else!
Discuss
- In what ways has God blessed you?
- God’s blessings are sometimes unexpected? When has God blessed you in an unexpected way?
- Can we always see God’s blessings? What’s a blessing from God you may not be able to see?
Song
All for You. Go Fish Guys. (Go ahead and do the motions!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSeIOyrDGcQ
Activity
Download this activity sheet and consider how your family might work together to heal one of the greatest blessings God has given us…Earth.
Activity
Watch this video that shows the diversity and beauty of planet Earth. God created a beautiful Earth with all kinds of people. The music that is sung during the video is the Lord’s Prayer in Swahili, a language spoken in parts of Africa.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6qi393Z7L8
Closing Prayer
God, you bless us in so many ways, in ways we expect and in ways that we don’t. We thank you for the blessing of your creation, our planet Earth. We thank you for all the gifts, talents, and abilities you give us. Help us share what we have to be a blessing to others. Amen.
Pastor Dan Fugate, Assistant to the Bishop for Discipleship in the Indiana-Kentucky Synod, ELCA, put this lesson together for Sunday School @ Home. There will be a new one for each Sunday as we continue through this COVID wilderness. Contact him at [email protected].