Family Worship (June 28)

Have you ever played a game where someone won a giant trophy, but then they wouldn’t stop bragging about it? They walked around with their chin held high in the air, telling everyone how awesome they were and making everyone else feel bad. It isn't very fun to be around someone like that, is it?
In the Bible, Jesus tells a story about two men who went to the temple to pray. One of them acted just like that bragging trophy-winner. He stood up tall and told God how amazing he was because he followed all the religious rules perfectly. He even looked down on the other man in the room!
But the other man knew he wasn’t perfect. He knew he had made mistakes, and he felt really sad about it. He wouldn’t even look up to heaven. Instead, he humbly asked God for help and mercy. Let’s read what Jesus said about them!

Luke 18:9-14
9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Family Discussion Questions

• Why was the Pharisee’s prayer not pleasing to God, even though he did good things like fasting and giving away his money?
• How did the tax collector show that he had a "high view" of God (knowing God is holy and merciful) compared to how he viewed his own mistakes?
• What does it mean to be "humble" when we talk to God in prayer, and how can we practice that as a family this week?

Activity: The Sponge and the Rock
Goal: To visually show the difference between a proud heart and a humble heart.
Supplies Needed:** A dry kitchen sponge, a smooth hard rock, and a shallow bowl filled with water.
Instructions: 1. Gather the family around the bowl of water. Explain that the water represents God’s amazing love, grace, and forgiveness.
2. Hold up the rock. Explain that the rock represents the Pharisee’s proud heart. He thought he was already perfect, so his heart was hard. Place the rock in the water, then pull it out. Point out that the water stays on the outside; it doesn't soak in because the rock is closed off.
3. Hold up the sponge. Explain that the sponge represents the tax collector’s humble heart. He knew he was empty of goodness on his own and needed God's help. Place the sponge in the water and watch it instantly soak up the water until it's completely full.
4. The Lesson: Talk about how being humble means opening our hearts like a sponge to soak up Jesus’ love and forgiveness, while pride keeps us hard and closed off like the rock.

Prayer
Dear God, thank You for loving us even though we are not perfect and make mistakes. Please help our family to never be proud or boastful like the Pharisee. Give us humble hearts like the sponge, ready to soak up Your wonderful grace, mercy, and love every day. Remind us that Jesus is the one who makes us right with You, and help us to love each other well this week. Amen.

Memory Work:

New City Catechism
25. Does Christ’s death mean all our sins can be forgiven?
Yes, because Christ’s death on the cross fully paid the penalty for our sin, God will remember our sins no more.

Memory Verse
Matthew 6:9-13
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from the evil one.