Prayer (5 Minutes)
- Have each family member complete this sentence in prayer: "Dear God, help me to be a servant by..." (Examples for younger children: helping my sister, cleaning my room without being asked, sharing my toys)
Song (5 Minutes)
Catechism (5 minutes)
Have everyone read aloud simultaneously or allow everyone to try to answer before revealing the answer.
Q1: What is our only hope in life and death?
A: That we are not our own but belong to God. (Romans 14:7–8)
A: That we are not our own but belong to God. (Romans 14:7–8)
Questions from: https://newcitycatechism.com/. Go there to start from beginning or to read more.
Scripture (5 Minutes)
Mark 9:33–37 (NLT)
After they arrived at Capernaum and settled in a house, Jesus asked his disciples, “What were you discussing out on the road?” But they didn’t answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”
Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not only me but also my Father who sent me.”
Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not only me but also my Father who sent me.”
Discussion (5-10 Minutes)
You can lead through a teaching or use the following questions to start a discussion:
- What were Jesus' disciples arguing about on the road? Why do you think this bothered Jesus?
- How does Jesus turn their idea of greatness upside down?
- What does it mean to be "last of all and servant of all"?
- Why do you think Jesus used a child as an example?
- How can we "welcome" others in Jesus' name this week?
Closing Prayer (3 Minutes)
"Loving Father, thank you for teaching us that true greatness comes through serving others. Help us to welcome everyone with the same love that Jesus showed to children. Give us humble hearts that want to put others first, just like Jesus did. In His name we pray, Amen."