Go make disciples
Children's Activity
Object:
Today's gospel reading contains one of the most famous messages in all of scripture. It's called "The Great Commission." The Great Commission is our call to engage in the work of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. That's why this particular lesson is read on Trinity Sunday. God is revealed in several aspects in the persons of the Trinity, and as we grow to understand God better, we are called to invite others to know him as well.
In our reading today, Jesus calls the 11 remaining disciples to follow his example. He gives them the Great Commission and sends them into the world to tell the Gospel. He tells them to baptize all believers and make them disciples. It is amazing to realize that what started with 11 men on a Galilean hillside has now become the worldwide church nearly 2,000 years later. Think about the time and distance the word of God has traveled to reach you and your children. Astonishing, isn't it?
To help your children visualize how the message has spread, try this experiment. Fill a bathtub with water and find a tennis ball. Drop the ball into the water and watch what happens. Ripples are created and flow outward from the ball. Now take the ball and begin to push it up and down in the water. The water will begin to churn and soon the whole tub will fill with waves. The word of God is like this. When the word is shared with someone it is like the tennis ball in the water. The waves may be big or small, but there will be waves. The story of God's love has changed the world, and all because people just like you have shared the story with someone else. That is exactly how the story found its way into your home.
In our reading today, Jesus calls the 11 remaining disciples to follow his example. He gives them the Great Commission and sends them into the world to tell the Gospel. He tells them to baptize all believers and make them disciples. It is amazing to realize that what started with 11 men on a Galilean hillside has now become the worldwide church nearly 2,000 years later. Think about the time and distance the word of God has traveled to reach you and your children. Astonishing, isn't it?
To help your children visualize how the message has spread, try this experiment. Fill a bathtub with water and find a tennis ball. Drop the ball into the water and watch what happens. Ripples are created and flow outward from the ball. Now take the ball and begin to push it up and down in the water. The water will begin to churn and soon the whole tub will fill with waves. The word of God is like this. When the word is shared with someone it is like the tennis ball in the water. The waves may be big or small, but there will be waves. The story of God's love has changed the world, and all because people just like you have shared the story with someone else. That is exactly how the story found its way into your home.
