w/c 2nd October
Our reading this week is Matthew 21: 23-32
Jewish Leaders Doubt Jesus’ Authority
23 Jesus went into the Temple area. While Jesus was teaching there, the leading priests and the older leaders of the people came to him. They said, “Tell us! What authority do you have to do these things you are doing? Who gave you this authority?”
24 Jesus answered, “I will ask you a question too. If you answer me, then I will tell you what authority I have to do these things. 25 Tell me: When John baptized people, did his authority come from God, or was it only from other people?”
The priests and the Jewish leaders talked about Jesus’ question. They said to each other, “If we answer, ‘John’s baptism was from God,’ then he will say, ‘Then why didn’t you believe John?’ 26 But we can’t say John’s baptism was from someone else. We are afraid of the people, because they all believe John was a prophet.”
27 So they told Jesus, “We don’t know the answer.”
Jesus said, “Then I will not tell you who gave me the authority to do these things.
Jesus Uses a Story About Two Sons
28 “Tell me what you think about this: There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first son and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’
29 “The son answered, ‘I will not go.’ But later he decided he should go, and he went.
30 “Then the father went to the other son and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ He answered, ‘Yes, sir, I will go and work.’ But he did not go.
31 “Which of the two sons obeyed his father?”
The Jewish leaders answered, “The first son.”
Jesus said to them, “The truth is, you are worse than the tax collectors and the prostitutes. In fact, they will enter God’s kingdom before you enter. 32 John came showing you the right way to live, and you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and prostitutes believed John. You saw that happening, but you would not change. You still refused to believe him.
Prayer for the week:
Dear God,
Help us to be the best that we can be,
To be wise in the worst of times,
To endure through the struggle,
Amen
Song for the Week: From Heaven You Come
In school:
This week we have been thinking about what it means to do the right thing and integrity. We have considered why it is important to do the right thing and why it matters, even when no-one else knows about it. We thought about some different scenarios and what the right thing to do might be.
We have also continued to think about The Golden Rule in our Big Thought worship.
Questions to think about at home:
Have you ever struggled to do the right thing?
When was the last time you put someone before yourself? What did you do?
Challenge: Do a random act of kindness this week.