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.