**We took a bit of a summer vacation ourselves, but for the next two weeks at Family God Time, we will be reviewing the Bible stories that we learned at Vacation Bible School this summer. Our curriculum was Group’s Maker Fun Factory.
You can find week one of this series here: God Creates Us https://familygodtime.wordpress.com/2017/06/21/god-creates-us-genesis-1-psalm-139/
You can find week 2 here: Rahab and the Spies
https://familygodtime.wordpress.com/2017/06/28/rahab-and-the-spies-joshua-2/
You can find week 3 here: Gideon’s Army
https://familygodtime.wordpress.com/2017/07/05/gideons-army-judges-7/
Gathering Prayer: (Do this prayer repeat-after-me style)
Dear Jesus, we thank you for time to feed our faith as a family, and time to learn about Gideon’s army. Help our time together to be a holy time. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Bible Story: Luke 22:14-20, 22:39-53, 23:32-35, 23:44-56, 24:1-8
Read the story of Jesus dying and rising in a children’s Bible, your own Bible, or you can find the story here:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+22%3A14-20%2C+22%3A39-53%2C+23%3A32-35%2C+23%3A44-56%2C+24%3A1-8&version=ERV
We reviewed the video that our parish made during VBS for our Bible story time. You can find it here:
Make the Story Come Alive
This is a really long story. In fact, in all of the gospels, the story of Jesus dying and rising takes up half of the total story. It is that important! However, it also might be hard for little ones to pay attention to from start to finish. We thought it would sink in better if we added movement and place to the story, and we invite you to tell it in the same way.
Materials needed:
A plate, cup and washcloth at station #1
A cross at station #3
A blanket for station #4
Station #1: Jesus eats with his friends
Ask, “Where do we go in our house to eat?” Let your children lead you there. Say, “On the day that he was arrested, Jesus ate a special meal with his friends. He took a loaf of bread and said. ‘This is my body, which I give for you. Do this to remember me.’” Pretend to give bread to each other from the plate. Then say, “At the end of the meal, he took a cup of wine and said, ‘This is my blood, which I pour out for you. Do this to remember me.’” Pretend to take sips from the cup. Then say, “At this meal, he also washed the feet of his disciples, and told them to love each other as much as he loved them first.” Pretend to wash each other’s feet with the washcloth. Then say, “After the meal, he and his friends went to a garden to pray. Where is our garden?” Follow the children to a garden, yard, or pot of flowers at your house.
Station #2: Jesus prays
Say, “Jesus was worried about what was going to happen to him. He prayed to God while his friends fell asleep. Let’s pray like he taught us to pray.” Pray the Lord’s Prayer together. If your family does not know the Lord’s Prayer, you could pray another prayer that you do know, or learn a repeat-after-me version with actions, below:
Our Father (ASL for “father,” open palm with thumb touching forehead)
Who art in heaven (two hands point up)
Hallowed be they name (trace a cross on your forehead)
Thy kingdom come (motion towards self with both arms)
Thy will be done on earth (point at ground)
As in heaven (point to heaven).
Give us this day our daily bread (one hand to mouth, as if eating)
And forgive us our trespasses (ASL for forgive, trace a circle on left palm and wipe it away)
As we forgive those who trespass against us (ASL forgive again)
And lead us not into temptation (cross out arms and shake head)
But deliver us from evil (pretend “devil” horns)
For thine is the kingdom (ASL “king,” a “k” from left shoulder to right hip)
And the power (muscleman arms)
And the glory (raise arms to sky)
Forever and ever (wind arms down)
Amen (praying hands)
When you are done praying in the garden, tell your family, “When Jesus was finished praying, soldiers came to arrest him and take him away. Can we make our feet sound like a whole bunch of stomping soldiers?” Practice doing this together. Then ask, “Where do we throw away garbage?” At our house, this is a dumpster, but you might have it in a trash bin in the garage, the kitchen, etc. Let your children lead you there, march like soldiers all the way.
Station #3: Jesus Dies
When you have arrived at the “garbage dump,” direct the attention of your family to the cross. Say, “Jesus was nailed to a cross at a garbage dump. Some people made fun of him. Some people asked him to forgive him. Jesus forgave everyone, and then he died. Can we sing, ‘Were you there’ together?” Sing a verse or two of “Were you There” together. If you are stumped, check out this video:
When you are finished singing, ask your family, “Is there anywhere in our house that reminds you of a cave?” It could be a small closet, or a root cellar, or even a cardboard box large enough to fit one of your children. We used one of our girl’s play tent. Let your children lead you there.
Station #4: Jesus is Buried
When you arrive at your cave, ask for a volunteer to be Jesus. Wrap them up in the blanket, lay them inside the “cave” and shut the door. Each of my kids wanted a turn, so we let each of them try it out. Say, “After Jesus died, his friends came to bury him. They wrapped him up in a cloth and laid him in a cave and shut the door. He stayed there for three days.”
Station #5: Jesus is Alive
Tell your Jesus to unwrap themselves and be ready to jump out of the cave. As a family, count to three together and open the cave. When Jesus jumps out, shout “Alleluia! He is risen!!!” You could also sing an Alleluia like you do in church. If you are stumped, try this version:
Thank you for experiencing this amazing story along with us!
Song: Jesus Loves Me
When we learned this story at VBS, we paired it with an old classic. Did you know that it has more than one verse? You can sing it here:
Activity: Cross Paintings
For our activity, I found this idea on Pinterest:
http://www.applesandabcs.com/2012/03/easter-cross.html
Here is a pic: 
Thanks for your commitment to faithfully feed your family’s faith! I hope that this time was holy time for you. Join us next week for out final VBS-themed Family God Time!
Closing Prayer: (Do this prayer repeat-after-me style)
Dear Jesus, we thank you that you died for us and rose again so that we can live. Help us to always remember how much you love us. In your name we pray, Amen.
