Open the Word

Adult & All Age

Open the Word: Heart of the covenant

Ideas for sermon preparation

Jeremiah makes a breakthrough in Israel’s understanding of God. This is not another old covenant, it is the new covenant, which, unknown to Jeremiah, will be fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

This covenant was addressed to Jewish exiles in Babylon. There was no hope of an early return to Jerusalem. They were told to stay in the land, work and pray for its welfare, but they were given the assurance God was with them.

It is helpful to reflect upon exiles today. Some have come to this country to escape persecution, some to enrich their life. There are people who have been offered education and wish to stay on, others have sought refuge, or healing. However they have come, this is a strange land, with strange cultural expression, little religious activity and a pretty greedy and grasping population. There are other exiles to be considered: people have grown within this society who do not own its values or expressions, who find themselves strangers in their own country. They have no place to which they can go, but yearn for the security of the past. There is a third group of exiles: men and women who have held the faith, who have wrapped it and protected it, bound it with tradition and law, to such a degree that grace is excluded, as are those men and women who need its gentle touch.

This New Covenant of Jeremiah embraces all exiles, because it embraces all of humanity. Its words are so clear and powerful: ‘You will be my people and I will be your God’. Our identities are bound together, God’s in us and ours in God’s. And these identities are open. There is nothing allowed to darken or to sully the relationship because God has chosen to relieve us of having to ‘match up’.

Another strand can be explored: that God will write his law on people’s hearts. Teaching will not be necessary, people will, by virtue of their birth, know God and God’s ways. The implications of this for the Church in the midst of this period of change are immense and exciting. They are also very challenging, as they invite us to look at our traditions, but does God not do this in every generation?

This understanding has implications for our life together. Will our children discern our faith from being with us? Will they, from their place in our community, know God? Can we love them into knowing rather than feeling that we must teach them?

As we progress towards Easter this New Covenant puts the journey of Jesus into perspective. Here is a man who gives himself for others that he might find himself in God. It is not simply a matter that he does it for us, rather we are invited to embrace and be embraced by this new relationship and find our place in the providence of God.

Another angle

In present day British society, where children are constantly subject to testing and told that their future will stand or fall on exam results, is the possibility of teaching about grace seriously hampered?

Living faith

For discussion: What are the challenges and dangers of the New Covenant? How can we live our lives in the complete loving freedom which God gives and how can we encourage others to grasp the hand of eternal life which is held out to them?

Open and Explore the Word

Ways to present and explore the Bible passage with all ages

Open the Word

Jeremiah 29 constitutes a letter sent to the exiles in Babylon and describes very vividly the circumstances in which they were living. There is an edited version of this . Use it to provide an all important context for Jeremiah 31.31-34.

Ask people to imagine that they are refugees yearning to go home. Make a list of all the things they take for granted at home that they would miss. People can do this alone or in groups, as appropriate.

Remind people that the refugees were afraid to worship because the Law of Deuteronomy said they could only worship in Jerusalem. Ask people to make a list of the important aspects of worship and how it impacts on our lives.

Invite someone to read the version of Jeremiah’s letter to the exiles telling them that they will stay there for seventy years and you will enter into all aspects of the foreign life, both working and praying for the good of that nation. Remember God is sovereign of the whole world.

Then read the passage: Jeremiah 31.31-34. Invite people to write or share response as a refugee to it. Is it delight, a relief? What will be the consequences?

Open the Word: That which portrays God

Ideas for sermon preparation based on Hebrews 5.5-10

What is the distinctive nature of Jesus and how can we grow to be more like him?

The author of Hebrews draws a very clear distinction between the appointment of Melchizedek and that of Jesus. The former is appointed by men, the latter is appointed by God. In a sense, therefore, we are invited to compare them and to discover the distinctive nature of Jesus: that which portrays God.

It is helpful as we move nearer to Easter to look at ourselves and make similar comparisons. The nature of our calling, the commitment of our service, the relationship we enjoy with God. Perhaps we have to have the Easter courage of allowing the ‘crowd’ to join in the comparison; how do others see us? That which portrays God?

What are the substantive differences between Jesus and ourselves? We are both rooted in and created by God. His life is one of perfect obedience; his obedience through suffering even to death, brings hope for all. What of our lives as disciples, how obedient are we? Will we endure suffering for the sake of the kingdom, what hope will others see reflected in our living?

Jesus had the faith to enter his ministry knowing it would cost all he had to give, but only by so giving could he enter into the immeasurable fullness of God, and establish God’s kingdom for men and women. What offering do we make as we journey towards Easter? Does the suffering of Jesus help us understand the magnanimity of God’s New Covenant?

If the Church is the ‘body of Christ’ does that not mean we have to live for the world as he did? The challenge of Easter is not simply to remember but to participate in his self-giving love. Not only do we worship one who has given us a pattern, we believe and practise that pattern in our own lives for the well-being of others.

Living faith

For discussion: Can we identify ways in which we give our own lives for the world? Is it realistic to demand this of ordinary people?

Children & Young People

Open the Word

Ways of presenting the Bible passage to children and young people

For children

A responsorial setting of Jeremiah 31.31-34

Set the tone for worship by using either silence or quiet background music to draw the children together.

At the end of each verse, there should be a deliberate short pause before everyone joins in with the refrain in bold. As this is an act of worship, do not be afraid to take your time. If you have sufficient people, divide the group, half to say refrain A, and half refrain B.

Leader	The Lord says, ‘The days are surely coming when I will make a new covenant.’
Refrain A	What’s the new covenant?
Refrain B	You are God’s and God is yours.
Leader	The Lord says, ‘It won’t be like the covenant made in the past when I took the people by the hand to lead them out of Egypt. They broke that covenant.’
Refrain A	What’s the new covenant?
Refrain B	You are God’s and God is yours.
Leader	The Lord says, ‘This is the covenant that I will make: I will put my law within them and I will write it on their hearts.’
Refrain A	What’s the new covenant?
Refrain B	You are God’s and God is yours.
Leader	The Lord says, ‘Hear the covenant that I will make: I will be their God and they shall be my people.’
Refrain A	What’s the new covenant?
Refrain B	You are God’s and God is yours.
Leader	The Lord says, ‘Here is the covenant that I will make: No longer shall they teach one another or say to each other, “Know the Lord.”’
Refrain A	What’s the new covenant?
Refrain B	You are God’s and God is yours.
Leader	The Lord says, ‘Listen to the covenant that I will make: They shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.’
Refrain A	What’s the new covenant?
Refrain B	You are God’s and God is yours.
Leader	The Lord says, ‘This is the covenant that I will make: I will forgive their wickedness and remember their wrongdoing no more.’
All together	We are God’s and God is ours.

With older children
Assign each of the verses to older children to read. If you have a larger group, use groups rather than individuals. Everyone should say the refrain. Let them rehearse a couple of times so that they become confident and able to do it at a steady pace.

With younger children
Ask the children to hold hands and form a circle. Sing the song, God’s love is like a circle to the tune of Puff the Magic Dragon as the children first move round to the right and then back again.

God’s love is like a circle,
a circle big and round.
And when you see a circle
no ending can be found.
That’s how it is with God’s love,
it goes on eternally,
forever and forever more,
I know that God loves me.

For young people

Old covenant vs. new covenant

A Bible study to compare the old covenant and the new covenant.

You will need: copy of Jeremiah 31.31-34, Genesis 9.8-17, Genesis 17.1-7,15-16, Exodus 20.1-17, Numbers 21.4-9, pens and paper.

This reading explores the beginning of our understanding of the new covenant with God; the new covenant that was to be made between God and his people through Jesus Christ. This covenant would be superior to the old one, a covenant of love.

Remind the group of the covenants that were covered in the past weeks, the covenant with Noah and the earth, the one with Abraham and Sarah and the covenant God made with the people of Israel.

Invite the young people to identify some of the characteristics of the old covenant from Genesis 9.8-17, Genesis 17.1-7,15-16, Exodus 20.1-17, Numbers 21.4-9. This could be done in small groups depending on the number of people present.

The characteristics might include:

The covenant between God, Noah and the earth is two sided, God would never send a flood again and Noah had to be faithful to God’s promise.
The covenant between God and Abraham was a very personal one. God promised Abraham descendants as plentiful as the stars, Abraham had to be faithful.
The covenant with God and the people of Israel was based upon the Ten Commandments, written on stone, a very external contract.

Invite the young people to identify some of the characteristics of the new covenant from Jeremiah 31.31-34. These might include:

The new covenant affects people more deeply — God’s law will be within them, written on their hearts.
In the new covenant, we will know God. Knowing someone means relationship.
This is a new relationship between God and his people; a loving God who is forgiving and all loving.

The new covenant with God is ultimately about relationship. A deep, personal relationship based on the love of God. A relationship that isn’t interested in a tick box morality (What sins have I committed that week or last?) but in changed hearts. From the very centre of our being we like to be connected to God.

Invite the young people to reflect in silence about one aspect of God’s love for them. Ask them to do this in the context of the types of love identified in the exercise.

Children's story and prayer: Playtime

A story about knowing the rules, with an associated prayer

Annie had been looking forward to her birthday for ages. She had a twin brother Alan, and their mum and dad had promised that they could have a games console for their birthday. There were some rules attached.
Firstly, they had to share it.
Secondly, they were only allowed to play on it for an hour at a time and thirdly, they were never to fight over it.
Both Alan and Annie had to promise this.

Their birthday arrived. Annie could hardly wait to have her first game, but before they set it up, their Dad reminded them of the rules again and asked them once more to promise that they would not break them. 'We promise!' shouted both the children, eager to get started. Dad helped them set it up and left them alone to play.

Within five minutes he had to come back into the room. They were arguing over whose turn it was. Dad reminded them of their promise and left them again. For a while, all was quiet. In fact, for a long while, all was quiet. Mum and Dad were busy and hadn't kept track of the time. When their Mum went to find them two hours later, they were still playing! They were playing tennis against each other so they didn't have to take turns.

'Annie! Alan! What did you promise?'

The children jumped, they were crestfallen. They knew they had gone against their word and had been playing for too long.

As it was their birthday Mum let them off, but she wrote out the rules on a piece of paper which she stuck to the bottom of the television set.

'Now you will know the rules without having to remember them, so you will have no excuse!'

Prayer
Loving God, we thank you that you have written the law on our hearts.
Amen.

Talk about

Discussion ideas for children and young people

For children

These simple discussion starters have no right or wrong answers. Use the questions to encourage your children to explore their own, and each other’s, ideas.

The people had spent a long time in the desert and had broken the covenant on many occasions. Make links with previous weeks’ conversations about the covenant. Talk about:

Why do you think they broke the covenant?
How do you think the people felt?
Why do you think they felt that way?
What do you think the people could do to make things right?

Even though the people had broken the covenant so many times, God continued to love them. No strings. No expectations. God just loved them. That’s what’s called unconditional love. Give the children some examples of unconditional love, perhaps reminding them of the Gathering activity .

What do you think it means to be loved unconditionally?
Do you love anyone unconditionally?
How would this affect the way you treat them?
How can you let people know how much you love them?

The new covenant gives the assurance that we are claimed by God, that God knows us and we know him. Talk about:

What do you know about God?
Do you know him as well as the people in your own family?
How does it feel to be known by God?
What difference does it make to the way you live your life to be known and loved by God?
What difference should it make?

For young people

Love actually

A discussion about the place of love.

You will need: the opening sequence of the film Love Actually or a copy of the quote for everyone to see.

Clips of this opening scene are available on the Internet. Type ‘Love Actually opening scene’ into your search engine. Play the clip to your group.

Do you agree that love actually is all around us?
How is love expressed within your family and friendship situations? What type of love is expressed according to the Greek definitions in the Gathering activity ?
How is love expressed in the broader community?

The loveliest thing ever

The new covenant with God is a deep and meaningful relationship between God and his people. He put a new relationship into our hearts. God did a lovely thing for us. A way that we can know and measure love is in our relationships with each other.

What is the loveliest thing that someone has ever done for you?
How do you feel when someone does something lovely for you?
What is the loveliest thing that you have ever done for someone else?
How do you feel when you do something lovely for another person?

All loving God

None of the covenants we looked at in Open the Word were relational in the same way as this new covenant is set out to be. But God is interested in a deep and meaningful relationship with us.

How do we get to know people? Can we get to know God in the same way?
How do we grow in our relationships with others?
How can we grow in our relationship with God?