Family Celebrations: Family Celebration

Love is a Verb

An all age experience that considers the story of “the two sons” and what God wants to challenge us with. To explore how Love is a verb and what that means for us in our everyday life. To remember how much God loves us in His waiting and running to us in our time of need.

Aim: To Study the story of “the two sons” together and see what God wants to challenge us with. To Consider how Love is a verb and what that means for us in our everyday life. To remember how much God loves us in His waiting and running to us in our time of need.

Bible Text: Luke 15:1-30
1 Corinthians 13:1-7

Background Notes: When we look at a very well-known and popular story it is always good to look at it with fresh eyes. It is interesting to note that only the Gospel of Luke tells this story. It is not in any of the ... Show More When we look at a very well-known and popular story it is always good to look at it with fresh eyes. It is interesting to note that only the Gospel of Luke tells this story. It is not in any of the other Gospels. We often take a story and read it on its own and while it is still powerful it is even more powerful when we put this story into context. Chapter 14: 25-27 is just before Jesus tells three stories. He challenges his disciples to figure the cost, which might mean you need to let go of your father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters, yes even one’s self or you can’t be his disciple. “Anyone who won’t shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can’t be my disciple”. These are tough words but it’s important to consider the context as Jesus leads into these stories. Then in chapter 15:1-3, we see that the pharisees were not pleased that Jesus takes in sinners, eats meals with them, and treats them like old friends. This encounter triggered Jesus to tell these three stories. This is also very important to the context and the message of the stories and I think we sometimes miss this. There is an important message to unpack that is aimed at the religious people (The pharisees) and of course to us all, if we have eyes to see and hears to hear. This family celebration unpacks this challenge and ask us to consider what “Love as a verb” looks like for us today.

You Will Need: THINGS TO BRING / MAKE
Print off enough “Just Do it” game boards for as many small groups that you want to have.
Dice / Playing Pieces– you will need a dice for each game and some playing discs, which can be anything small that fits on the board.
Objects to tell the story: A large cross, a figurine to represent the father, younger son and the older son, backpack, money, tool, ring, robe, party gear.
Red heart cutouts made from cardboard. One for each person. (you will easily find a master for hearts online to use as a guide if you need)
Pens and textas for writing / Highlighters for the text
String and pegs (Optional)
FILES TO DOWNLOAD
PowerPoint Files Provided.
Video/song – “He ran to me” by Phillips, Craig and Dean
RESOURCES TO CONSIDER
The “Just DO it game” (link below)