School Worship Bible Project
Year 2Saints
As last year the Saints season also has a Remembrance Reflection.
We have used a story from Acts as the basis for the season to explore some of the ideas of faith in action. This is also seen in the theme for the remembrance reading which is drawn from the letter of James.
We follow the story of Saint John and Saint Peter and their famous miracle in Acts 3. The readings follow a consecutive series through which some ideas of ‘sainthood’ are developed from this story.
Throughout this Saints Season it is important to remember that we are considering Christian Saints. There may be opportunity for you to include stories of saints from other faiths. The Bible project does not offer these stories but you could explore links with RE, SMSC or stories from other faith groups in your local community.
Part of the season deals with miracles, which raises the question of the use of the word ‘miracle’. The word is used in many modern contexts as a synonym for ‘very unusual’ or ‘happening at just the right time’. The Biblical usage is always based on extra-ordinary events brought about by God – often through the action of believers.
In places we refer to the first Christians, this is something of an anachronism or at least a reading back. The term Christian was actually first used much later in Acts 11:26 – we are using the word for convenience, do change it if you want to.
The Old Testament in the New Testament.
In some places we find that the writers of the New Testament quote words from the Old Testament. But if we look at the Old Testament they do not seem to be the same. This is because the New Testament writers used a different translation – sometimes from memory. The most commonly found translation is known as the LXX which was a Greek version of the Old Testament. This was used by many Jews around the Mediterranean. Another link between the first Christians and their Jewish origins – something we also see in the way that the first Christians gathered in the Temple.
The short Remembrance Reflection can be read as it is, with everyone joining in the bold parts. You can extend it by adding extra lines as appropriate.
As with all of this material please make such adjustments and alterations as you feel fit to make it appropriate to your own context.
Week 1: Need and miracle Acts 3:1-10Bible Reading:
One day Peter and John went to the Temple at three o'clock in the afternoon, the hour for prayer. There at the Beautiful Gate, as it was called, was a man who had been lame all his life. Every day he was carried to the gate to beg for money from the people who were going into the Temple. When he saw Peter and John going in, he begged them to give him something. They looked straight at him, and Peter said, “Look at us!” So he looked at them, expecting to get something from them. But Peter said to him, “I have no money at all, but I give you what I have: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth I order you to get up and walk!” Then he took him by his right hand and helped him up. At once the man's feet and ankles became strong; he jumped up, stood on his feet, and started walking around. Then he went into the Temple with them, walking and jumping and praising God. The people there saw him walking and praising God, and when they recognized him as the beggar who had sat at the Beautiful Gate, they were all surprised and amazed at what had happened to him. / Notes
The story begins with the two disciples going to the Temple. The very first Christiansmet alongside Jews for worship so it was not unexpected to find the disciples in the Temple. This is only continuing the practice seen in the Gospels where we find Jesus going to the Synagogue and the Temple. Peter and John are now known as saints. In this story we see some characteristics of Christian saints:
- A desire to pray
- Responding to need
- Confidence in their faith in Jesus
Values:
Humility: We have noted elsewhere that real humility is not just saying that you are not good at anything but knowing what you can do, and being prepared to offer what you have as a gift to others. This story shows us the true humble confidence that is found in the lives of many saints.
Trust:In order to have the confidence to offer such a valuable gift as healing it is important to trust. Trust in our own knowledge and skill and trust in God.
Questions:
Why did Peter order the man to get up? How do you think that you might talk to someone who needs your help?
How do you think that youwould behave if you had been made well by a miracle? Would you walk and jump and praise God?
How do you think that you would feel if you had performed the miracle?
How might you feel if you saw a miracle?
Week 1: NeedReflection
Let us close our eyes for a moment and look, in our minds, for people who are in need.
I wonder how you would help – you might not be able to do a miracle but what can you do?
How would you find out what people really need?
How might you set about helping them?
Who might you need to help you help others? / Prayer
Lord of Charity
Through the stories we read we learn that you want us to help people in need.
Help us to follow the example of Peter and John by responding to needs as quickly as we can – even if we cannot do a miracle.
Amen
Laying the table
Our first reading is about a healing miracle so it would be appropriate to include some examples of healing as found in our modern world - medicines, stethoscope etc. These could be supplemented with short accounts of medical advances which might be given the modern designation of ‘miraculous’ – penicillin, Jenner’s inoculation, heart transplant surgery …
Week 1:Need - extension Acts 14: 8-17A bit more from the Bible:
In Lystra there was a man who had been lame from birth and had never been able to walk. He sat there and listened to Paul's words. Paul saw that he believed and could be healed, so he looked straight at him and said in a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” The man jumped up and started walking around. When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they started shouting in their own Lycaonian language, “The gods have become like men and have come down to us!” They gave Barnabas the name Zeus, and Paul the name Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. The priest of the god Zeus, whose temple stood just outside the town, brought bulls and flowers to the gate, for he and the crowds wanted to offer sacrifice to the apostles.
When Barnabas and Paul heard what they were about to do, they tore their clothes and ran into the middle of the crowd, shouting, “Why are you doing this? We ourselves are only human beings like you! We are here to announce the Good News, to turn you away from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven, earth, sea, and all that is in them. In the past he allowed all people to go their own way. But he has always given evidence of his existence by the good things he does: he gives you rain from heaven and crops at the right times; he gives you food and fills your hearts with happiness.” / Notes
A different saint – this time Paul, but another healing miracle. Lystra was a town in what we now know as Turkey. Paul was speaking about his faith and he ‘saw’ that the lame man believed (or had faith). This is like the gospel stories which mention the faith of the person who is healed for example Matthew 9: 22 or 15: 28.
The story develops in a fascinating way with the crowd of people turning Paul and Barnabas into super-heroes – the Greek gods Zeus and Hermes. The situation gets more complicated when the priest of Zeus joins in.
Paul and Barnabas (both now known as saints) respond to this by immediately showing their own humility and showing that they are only ordinary people. Very quickly they move on to two important subjects;
1: Why they are there. The two announce the good news – this is the new story (Gospel) of Jesus and the miracle of the resurrection at Easter, the story told in the gospels.
2: Evidence of the existence of God.This is ‘proved’ by creation, the sustaining of the world through harvest and seasons, and the giving of happiness to people.
They also point out why these subjects are important; it is because they help us to see the importance of ‘turning away’ from worthless things.
A few more Questions:
The readings talk about faith being an important part of the healing. Look at Matthew 13:58 where the gospel tells that Jesus did not perform miracles because people did not have faith. Why do you think that faith is important to the way in which miracles happen in these stories?
Does Jesus look for ‘Christian’ faith when performing miracles? Remember that all of Jesus’ miracles took place before Christianity existed. What faith did Jesus look for?
Do you think that ‘creation’, the regularity of the seasons and the existence of happiness prove that God exists? Why? Why not?
Some things to do:
What more can you find out about the Greek gods Zeus and Hermes? Do you know any other Greek gods?
Make a list of the things that are characteristic of saints, you can add to the list as we go through the season.
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Bible Reading
As the man held on to Peter and John in Solomon's Porch, as it was called, the people were amazed and ran to them. When Peter saw the people, he said to them… “Why are you surprised at this, and why do you stare at us? Do you think that it was by means of our own power or godliness that we made this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, has given divine glory to his Servant Jesus. But you handed him over to the authorities … He was holy and good, but you rejected him … but God raised him from death — and we are witnesses to this. It was the power of his name that gave strength to this lame man. What you see and know was done by faith in his name; it was faith in Jesus that has made him well, as you can all see.
“And now, my fellow-Israelites …God announced long ago through all the prophets that his Messiah had to suffer; and he made it come true in this way. Repent, then, and turn to God, …The promises of God through his prophets are for you, and you share in the covenant which God made with your ancestors. As he said to Abraham, ‘Through your descendants I will bless all the people on earth.’” / Notes
The story of Peter and John continues and we see the way in which Peter speaks about the miracle. The writer of Acts (Luke) makes Peter a very prominent character in the story of the growing church and there are a number of accounts of his preaching and his role in the proclaiming community.
In Week 1 extension we are told how God is seen in the natural world and in the rhythm of the seasons. In this reading Peter talks about historical events and the way in which they are part of the promises of God.These are set out in a similar way to that found in other places in the New Testament beginning with Abraham and moving through the prophets. Interestingly, Moses is not mentioned here. It is, of course, the case that of all the figures mentioned Jesus is given the highest profile and the uniqueness of Jesus is especially emphasised by the author inthat it is faith in Jesus that brings about the miracle. It is not actually the saint who performs the miracle.
The closing line is very important, the purpose of the promises of God is to bless everyone. Keeping the promises to ourselves is to selfishly limit the blessings of God. The ‘covenant’ is a sort of contract which makes the promise stronger.
Values:
Hope:The saints understand their miracle and the miracles of Jesus as showing the hope found in the blessing of God to all the people of the world. In this way the saints find themselves in the same tradition as the prophets in speaking out the word of God.
Reverence:The idea of showing proper respect is in this reading. This is found in the words ‘Repent, then and turn to God…’. Reverence for God is first of all seen, in Christianity, as understanding God’s place as creator and sustainer of the world. Repent itself means turningbut has gained the meaning of being sorry
Questions:
In week one we asked what we might feel if we saw a miracle. Was surprise one of the things that you thought that you would feel?
What was a prophet? Are there still prophets today?
How would we recognise a prophet if we heard one?
How would you share a promise?
Week 2:What happened after …Reflection
Let’s wonder for a moment
What is the most important thing about a promise?
Is it making the promise or keeping the promise?
When is it right for us to make a promise?
Brief Pause – you may like to gather ideas
How does it feel to keep a promise?
Pause again
Are there different ways of keeping promises?
How do you feel when someone promises you something?
How do you feel if a promise is broken?
What is the most difficult promise you have ever had to keep? / Prayer
Father God,
We read of your promises in the Bible and see that through them you have blessed many people.
Help us to live our lives so that others can see your promises come alive and so find your blessings for themselves.
Amen
Laying the table
A main theme of this reading is the idea of promise, particularly God’s promise. Include some symbols of promise such as an engagement ring or wedding ring, a bank note (I promise to pay the bearer….). Also include God’s promises by including a rainbow and indeed the Bible itself. Some of these things may pose difficulties but you could always use toys or pictures.
Week 2:What happened after -extensionSaint Lawrence
St Lawrence lived in Rome in about the year 250. He was a deacon in the church.
During this time he was ordered by the emperor to gather all the riches of the church and give them to the authorities. St Lawrence asked for 3 days to gather the wealth together. But what he did was to play a trick on them all. He took all the things of wealth and spread them round as many people as possible and then gathered all the people who had great need together. People who were poorly or lame or blind, people who had to beg for their food and shelter.
When the three days were up Lawrence brought this group of people to the Roman rulers and said to them ‘these are the riches of the church’.
The people of the church were pleased with this show of compassion and thoughtfulness but the Roman authorities were not. They ordered that St Lawrence be executed and thus St Lawrence became one of the many martyrs of the church.
A few more Questions:
The Bible reading mentions blessings on ‘all people’ – do you think that Saint Lawrence was right in bringing people who have often been rejected in society and calling them the ‘jewels of the church?
Do you think that Saint Lawrence made the Roman leaders feel uncomfortable? Why do you think that they felt like this?
A martyr is someone who has died for their faith. Do you think that it is ever right to hurt someone for what they believe? (Or don’t believe)
Some things to do
A deacon is somebody who has a special ‘ministry’ in the church. Find out what you can about what a deacon is and see what you can find out about ministry too. This could come from a conversation with clergy, not just from the Church of England but from other denominations too.
Can you find out a little more about what a covenant is?
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Week 3: What in the world?Acts 4: 1-12 editBible Reading
Peter and John were still speaking to the people when some priests, the officer in charge of the temple guards, and some Sadducees arrived … they arrested them and put them in jail until the next day, since it was already late. But many who heard the message believed; and the number of men grew to about 5,000.
The next day the Jewish leaders, the elders, and the teachers of the Law gathered in Jerusalem. …They made the apostles stand before them and asked them, “How did you do this? What power have you got or whose name did you use?”
Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, answered them, “Leaders of the people and elders: if we are being questioned today about the good deed done to the lame man and how he was healed, then you should all know… that this man stands here before you completely well through the power of the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth …
The members of the Council were amazed to see how bold Peter and John were and to learn that they were ordinary men of no education. They realized then that they had been companions of Jesus.But there was nothing that they could say, because they saw the man who had been healed standing there with Peter and John. So they told them to leave the Council room, and then they started discussing among themselves. “What shall we do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone in Jerusalem knows that this extraordinary miracle has been performed by them, and we cannot deny it. But to keep this matter from spreading any further among the people, let us warn these men never again to speak to anyone in the name of Jesus.”
So they called them back in and told them that on no condition were they to speak or to teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them, “You yourselves judge which is right in God's sight — to obey you or to obey God. For we cannot stop speaking of what we ourselves have seen and heard.” So the Council warned them even more strongly and then set them free. / Notes
This story is part of the account of the beginning of the Christian community, the writer is showing us how quickly and dramatically this community grew. We are also shown, through this and other stories the author clearly indicates that the growth was strongly connected with 2 major things; firstly, demonstrations of God’s power through miracles and secondly through the retelling of the gospel story – this was often linked to explanations of the meaning of this story, what we know as preaching.The very first Christians quite often found themselves in trouble with the authorities both with the ruling Romans and with people of different faiths, particularly the Jewish faith. We see our two saints again demonstrating some of the characteristics of saints that we have already seen. The writer is at pains to point out that Peter and John are men of no education. But is this really true or is the writer making a point that Faith is not restricted to people of a certain status? After all, Peter and John had been through a course of practical faith as disciples of Jesus!
This passage shows us the Trinity in action. It is:
- the Holy Spirit who leads Peter to speak,
- the power of Jesus’ name that brings about the miracle
- God – the giver of the law – who should be obeyed
Values: