All Things are Possible
Read Mark 10:17-31.
Today is the 20th Sunday after Pentecost. During Pentecost, we grow closer to God and closer to one another. There are 6 Sundays left in the season of Pentecost.
In today’s gospel, a man who was rich asked Jesus a question. He asked Jesus, “Who do I have to do so that I can live with God forever?” He told Jesus that he was already following the commandments and doing the things he thought God wanted him to do.
Jesus’ answer was pretty surprising! Watch the video and hear what Jesus said:
Yes, Jesus said to the man, “Sell everything you have and give the money to the poor.” That was a pretty surprising answer! The rich man didn’t want to do that so that left Jesus.
Jesus reminded those who were listening to him that with God, all things are possible. God always loves us and nothing can separate us from God’s love. We can’t do anything to make God love us more and we can’t do anything to make God stop loving us. God’s love for us is forever.
For the rich man, all of the things he had mattered more to him than God. Jesus was asking him to put God first in his life. Jesus invites us to put God first in our lives. Jesus invites us to love God with everything we have and to love other as much as we love ourselves.
When we love others, we share what we have. We can’t really love others if they don’t have anything to eat and we have enough that we can share so they are fed.
Sometimes it feels like there are things that are so big that we can’t make a difference. Sometimes we might feel like we are a kid or just one person and what we do doesn’t matter. But with God’s help, we can do amazing things. With God, all things are possible.
Discuss
- Who do you know who is really good at sharing?
- Do the things you have make you happy or sad?
- How can you share what you have with others?
Song
Every Move I Make I Make in You. COS Treehouse.
Activity
For the next week, have each person in your family share one thing for which they are thankful each day. When we realize how much we already have it helps us be more generous with others. You might want to have each person write down what they are thankful for and then review all of the things at the end of the week.
Activity
As a family, research a charity or a cause that interests you and decide how you might contribute to it, either financially or by volunteering. One to consider is ELCA World Hunger’s Good Gifts Program: https://goodgifts.elca.org
Closing Prayer
God, we thank you for all the ways you bless us. Help us share what we have with others. Help us remember that with you, all things are possible. 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 dfugate@iksynod.org.