Cross and Candle

The Fourth Commandment - God's No

In this lesson everyone in the family who's old enough should engage in some role playing or charades.  If you think of roles to play ahead of time, some simple props could be gathered but not necessary.  Pair people up and assign roles (unknown to others) such as teacher/student, doctor/patient, sales cleark/customer, etc.

1. Gather with your children at the kitchen table or a coffee table.

2. Set up your cross and light your candle and say to the children:  The Bible says that Jesus is the Light of the world.

3. Recite this litany with chldren echoing the words:

• Light takes away darkness.
• Jesus is the Light
• Because He takes away 
• The darkness of sin.

4. Introduce the concept of role playing to the children and assign (secretly) roles to two people.  Those two individuals should act out the roles and see if others can guess who they are.  The children may also partner up with someone and select roles not assigned--of their own making.

5. After the fun tell children that God also has assigned roles (vocations) to each of us and we all have more than one.  For example, mom is mom, cook, wife, teacher, or any number "hats she wears".  Have the children name all the roles they have:  son, brother, students, garbage remover, dog feeder, etc.

6. Remember that God's most important role for children is to be son or daughter and to honor their father and their mother.

7. Teach the Fourth Commandment:  Honor your father and your mother.

8. Now talk about how children honor their parents.  What does it look like?  (Remember that parents are still honoring their parents.)

9. Role play a child honoring his parents and then dishonoring them. (That could be interesting.)  What does each look like when it's acted out.  Parents also must continue to honor their elederly parents.  What does that look like?

Sing together:

   Oh, blest the house, whate'er befall,

   Where Jesus Christ is all in all

   A home that is not wholly His

   How sad and poor and dark it is!

   Oh, blest the parents who give heed

   Unto their cahildren's foremost need

   And weary not of care or cost.

   May non to them and heav'n be lost!

       --LSB, 862: 1 & 3

Prayer:  Dear Redeemer, bless our house and make it yours.  Strengthen parents and children to always love you and each other.  Amen.