Lesson Plans: Lent 1 (B)

Old Testament Lesson Plans: God’s Promises are Eternal

Scripture: Genesis 9:8-17

On this first Sunday in Lent we hear the end of Noah’s story. Most of us are familiar with the tale of Noah’s arc and the flood that covered the earth. The students in your class will have played with a toy arc and plastic animals before. This week, however, we leave out all of the destruction and fear and focus on the promise. God chose Noah and his family to survive the flood and continue the human race – but trusting a God who destroys all that has been created is a difficult prospect. In today’s passage we hear of the mercy of God and the promise of life in abundance to come. In this exert from Genesis God makes a covenant not only with Noah, but with all living creatures, that the world will not be wiped out again. And to remind them of this promise God sends the rainbow and tells Noah and his children that each time they see a rainbow it should serve as a reminder of God’s promise to them. God likes to give us signs and symbols to remind us of God’s goodness, we practice them in the Eucharist each week when we “do this in remembrance of [Christ.]” Seeing the rainbow in nature, then, becomes sacramental as we remember the goodness of God as exemplified in the colors in the sky.

New Testament Lesson Plans: Temptation and Prayer

Scripture: Mark 1:9-15
Jesus is Baptized, the Spirit descends on him “like a dove,” and he hears the affirmation: “You are my Son, loved, and pleasing to me.” It appears that he is affirmed and ready for ministry. Yet, immediately the Spirit drives Jesus into the wilderness where he must spend 40 days taming the temptations that come with power. Only then is Jesus equipped to proclaim the good news. And so we too are invited to notice the temptations that are pulling us off course, diverting our energy, and impeding our ability to proclaim the good news.

Intergenerational Lesson Plans: Believe the Good News

Scripture: Mark 1:9-15

Succinct! Mark wastes no words: Jesus’ vita as he presents himself for ministry – in 6 lines! Baptized, his call affirmed by God, ministry temptations faced, Jesus is ready to begin. Mark does not see the need to list the temptations, only that the angels were with Jesus as he did his discernment. Jesus emerges and announces his ministry: the time has come. The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe: our creed in a nutshell.