Family Worship Recap, week 2

After the first week's focus on the story of creation, we moved on this week to the story of the fall. We read together Genesis 3:1-7, Gen 3:8-13, and then Gen 3:14-24. After the first section we spoke of how Adam and Eve's is really a lack of trust in God - they didn't trust he was being good to them and believed the lie that he was holding out. When we prayed that night I spoke of 'our rebellion' and 'our lack of trust' and 'our disobedience'. I was hoping the kids would pick up on that, and Caleb didn't disappoint. He immediately asked, 'why did you say we/us/our when it was Adam who sinned?' I didn't answer that question but put him off for a few days. After the second section (Tues) we talked a lot about how we try to blame other people or things for our sin. This was a really good discussion. The third section led to Christ and how in the midst of God pronouncing judgment, he also offers good news - the seed of Eve will crush the head of the serpent. I showed them the beginning clip to the Passion of Christ (found it on YouTube) and we discussed how Christ was wounded but crushed the work and person of Satan on the cross.

We also looked at Psalm 51:1-12 and talked about how our sins are ultimately against God and that he is the one who must forgive (even when it's your brother you punched in the eye). Friday we looked at Romans 5:12-21 and that is when we came back to Caleb's question. I explained, as best I could, that Adam rebelled against God and as our representative through us all into rebellion. I tried to explain the idea of 'federal headship' by talking about the 'war on terror'. I pointed out that they had not declared war, yet the President had. When he declared war, he committed the whole country to war. Adam, in a way, was our President (our representative) and he disobeyed and rebelled (declared war) on God. Even though we weren't there, we are committed. Moreover, we might not be able to make peace, but the President can sign a treaty. That is what Christ did for all those who trust him - who choose Him as their representative (who are 'in Him'). Not a perfect illustration but the best I could come up with.

Saturday and Sunday we looked at Romans 3:9-20 and talked about how we all are sinners, not just Adam. We also looked at Romans 6:23ff and spoke of the just consequences for our sin and God's free gift of life in Jesus - focusing on the idea that we don't work for gifts, they are given because someone loves us. Lastly, we looked at Isaiah 64:4-7 and tried to enlarge they kids understanding of what sin is. Even the goods thing we do, if we do them with impure motives (they're always a mixed bag). We sat down and looked at some of the books we had picked up from the library: a couple on WW2, one on the Civil War, a Pirate Book, one on Jonas Salk, a Spider man book and a couple more. We thought about where sin showed up in each of the books (we didn't read each one right then). We did read a Bernstein Bear's book and talked about all the ways sin showed up in the story - not just in actions but in attitudes also.

I have to admit utter failure when it comes to creativity this week. The book thing was my best effort. I had thought about playing 'pin the tail on the donkey' as a way of communicating sin is 'missing the mark', but the whole being blindfolded thing seemed to communicate we don't know what God wants. As far as songs we sung, we stuck with two: Come Ye Sinners and Amazing Grace.

This week we move on from Adam and Eve to Noah. Shouldn't be hard to be creative here!