Romans 3:23-24

Story contributed by Kristen

Click here for the theological background of Romans 1-6

Remember, repetition helps children internalize and make connections. It might be a good idea to read the same story every day for a week. You can add different activities every day.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Romans 3:23-24

*influenced by Living Buddha Living Christ and All Things New

My dear friends in Rome,

Greetings! I write to you as a friend and brother, though I have not yet met you. But I long to meet you, and I pray for you daily. I know that you, like me, are trying to live as Jesus taught, and that you are trying to build a community fit for Jesus. I am not ashamed of Jesus Christ. I am not ashamed of the gospel. Many people do not want us to continue thinking about Jesus and his message, but I will keep trying anyway. I am not afraid, because Jesus is with me.

I wanted to write to you to share a few things I have been thinking about. I wanted to share with you why I am not afraid to keep sharing the gospel, even though I’ve been in prison, and bound, and hated. I am not afraid because now I see clearly where happiness and peace comes from. I thought before that happiness and peace comes from obedience to the law. But now I think that happiness and peace comes from having a new heart. It comes from within.

You see, some of us thought that God would only love us if we did all the right things. We thought that maybe by doing all the right things, we could earn God’s love. But now I see that none of us needs to earn God’s love! God’s love is already there, thick and strong and fast like a river.

I have been thinking about the first of us to come to this earth: Adam and Eve. When they were in the garden, they did not have any of the problems we have. But then they ate the fruit of the tree of good and evil, and they became human. Their bodies could die. They could experience pain, and sickness, and sadness. I have been wondering about this, because it seems a bit sad. But I think, actually, it isn’t sad. It is very good. Adam and Eve brought life to the world because they brought death. I see now that life and death are not so different at all. And Adam and Eve also realized that with life and death, there is much that is confusing. We all have many forces inside of us, pulling us this way and that. Some pull us to hurt ourselves and others. And some pull us toward kindness and goodness. This is the way of the living world.

I believe that Jesus has given us a great gift: himself! He gave his very own body, his very own blood, to help us see that our bodies and our blood are also beautiful and holy and good. We do not have to be trapped by the sadness and the hurt of the world. We can find peace within our own selves, and we can find joy and goodness in our own bodies.

So my friends, let us come to Jesus. Let us feast on the goodness of life, and let us remember that we are invited to the feast of God’s love.

I hope to see you soon. For now, I send my deepest love and my prayers for you always.

In peace,

Paul

Ideas for Play

Contributed by Kristen

Print the letter out and put it in an envelope. Stick it in your mailbox as though it is being delivered, and then read it as though you are the community in Rome!

What is your family definition of sin? How do you think about this concept? Spend some time considering how you want to talk to your kids about sin and Jesus’ role. Write out your thoughts (we’d love to hear them!) and share with your family! Brainstorm together!

What is grace? Discuss as a family!

Read God’s Big Grace by @forlittlesaints (To purchase this board book, DM @forlittlesaints for more info!)

Write your own letters! What do you want people to know about Jesus? Write a letter to someone you love about Jesus. Little people can also draw pictures

Poetry

Compiled by Caroline

I like to think of this prayer as a letter of praise to God. Can you write your own letter of praise? What is God the King of? What animals does He rule? What plants? What places?

Excerpt from “Praise to the King of Creation”

from Every Moment Holy Volume I

…Christ, you are the Snow King.

You are the Maker of All Weather.

You are The King of Sunlight and Storms,

The King of Grey Skies and Rain.

You are The Rain King,

The Sun King,

The Hurricane King.

You are the King of Autumn and King of Spring.

And our thoughts of you,

O Lord, have been too small, too few.

…You are the Lord of the Harvest.

The Grain King,

The Wine King,

The God of Plenty,

The God of Hearth and Home.

You are The Hill King,

The Wildflower King,

King of the Great Bears,

King of Canyons.

…You are Lord of Lords,

And King of Kings,

O Jesus Christ,

Our King of Everything.

Amen.

Art

Compiled by Caroline

Each of these paintings by Kate Lee remind me of God’s grace. As we think about grace this week, can you find other paintings that feel like God’s Grace to you?

Here are some good resources:

Visual commentary on scripture

Smithsonian

LDS art