Games of Life Day 2

Do you all have any rules at home that are really hard to follow?

Chutes and Ladders reference

Talk about school shoes vs. play shoes

messing up and playing in school shoes

Trying to hide them from mom/but they were always still dirty. And I couldn’t hide my mistake.

Remember last night / God’s special masterpiece / Image of God

Well messing up is something that happens to all of us… Since the beginning of time

Genesis 3:1–11 NRSV

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.’ ” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die; for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves. They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” He said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”

Have you heard this story before?

It’s strange. Talking serpent. Forbidden fruit.

But the important thing is this. God made the people with a purpose — to be the image of God on earth. Spread blessing etc.

And the serpent offered the humans an opportunity to be God and decide for themselves right and wrong.

Not the woman’s fault alone.

Symptom of human frailty. We see what we want and we take it without considering the consequences sometimes. We call this sin.

What do you think sin is?

The reality is we all mess up, and when we do we label ourselves as bad or broken

That doesn’t mean we are unrepairable.

Do you want to watch a little video? This is a video by a really smart guy named Tim. Not me though. He’s way smarter than me. Let’s watch it.

BP Video

Essentially, to sin is to fall short. Miss the mark. How do we know if something is sin? Causes harm.

Intro Prodigal Son: People mad Jesus hangs with sinners

Luke 15:11–32 NRSV

Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.” ’ So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate. “Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.’ Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’ Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’ ”

I know you read this story in your small groups today.

The son was willing to take on the identity of a hired helper rather than a son.

He felt dirty, broken, unworthy

But what does the father do?

This is what we call grace.

Altar, fill out their card about what sin makes them identify themselves as.

Clean shoe.