Lesson Plans: Proper 24 (A)
Sunday between October 16 and October 22 inclusive
Old Testament Lesson Plans: God’s Presence in Our Lives
Scripture: Exodus 33:12-23
Written by the Rev. Shannon Kelly
Today’s lesson comes after the story of the Golden Calf from last week. Following on the heels of that story, we hear and exchange between God and Moses about God’s role in their lives and in the rest of their journey. Moses continues to intercede on behalf of the people of Israel and remind God what God had told them in the past. We hear that Moses wants a better understanding of how God works so he can serve God better and have a deeper relationship with God. Moses asks God to be made clearer so he might better understand how best to follow God and therefore how to be a better leader. Finally, Moses asks to see the glory of God to deepen the relationship and be filled with God’s presence and love. As God passes by Moses, he cannot see all of God, but only where God has been. We as humans never see God at work, but only where God has been, only where God was. Those “God moments” are evidence of where God has been in our lives in order to deepen our faith and understanding in God.
New Testament Lesson Plans: Giving to God
Scripture: Matthew 22:15-22
Written by the Rev. Shannon Kelly
Once again, people who opposed Jesus and his message are trying to entrap him. This is the first of three exchanges between the Jewish leaders and Jesus. The lesson begins with them buttering Jesus up, and then asking a question that they thought would show that he was speaking out against the government so that he could get arrested. However, Jesus does not fall for it and calls them to the test instead.
