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Welcome to ROOTS at home for 26 April to 2 May

This week's resources for everyone linked to Luke 24.13-35

ROOTS is a partnership of denominations and other Christian organisations and has been publishing lectionary-based worship resources online and in print since 2002.

Go to: Resources for families; Resources for adults

(NB We have selected resources for you below before but the week beginning Sun 26 April is a showcase week so ALL the resources are freely available to all - see One whole week free)

Copyright

You are welcome to copy this material for use in your own resources e.g. printed sheets or web pages including audio/video recordings. If you do so, please include this acknowledgement to ROOTS:
© ROOTS for Churches Ltd (www.rootsontheweb.com) 2002-2020.
Reproduced with permission.

For families

Introduction

This week marks the end of the Easter ‘holidays’ and the beginning of a new month, so a good time to reflect on our journey with Jesus which continues beyond the resurrection and in our daily lives, whatever our pattern may look like at the moment.

The story of the road to Emmaus is a powerful story of recognising Jesus, we hope you might encounter him anew through your worship together this week.

Gather

Jesus of Nazareth,
we all come with our own stories to tell,
we’ve all made different journeys here,
but we all come to hear your story
and to understand how our stories and journeys fit with yours.
Walk and talk with us, Lord Jesus.
Amen.

Read

Bible story

Luke 24.13-35: Jesus takes time to explain his own story.

Our story

Bring in a few autobiographies for the children to see, explaining that people love to share their personal stories, and some people write them down. What kind of things might a person put in a book about their life. Write down the key words that the children suggest.

The Bible passage we have today helps show us that Jesus takes time to tell his own story. Read it together, and write down the key words that explain this story about Jesus.

www.geoffrey-hays.co.uk

Who was the mysterious man on the road to Emmaus? That’s what Cleopas wanted to know. Cleopas and his friend had been walking away from Jerusalem, talking about Jesus’ death, when the man suddenly appeared with them. ‘What are you talking about?’ the man asked. Everyone in Jerusalem was talking about Jesus. Where had this stranger been?

Cleopas said, ‘We’re talking about our friend, the prophet Jesus. We thought he was the Messiah, the one sent by God to save Israel, but he was killed three days ago, and now we don’t know what to think.’ There was something familiar about the stranger, but Cleopas couldn’t put his finger on it.

Cleopas’ friend said, ‘This morning some women went to Jesus’ tomb and told us the body was gone. They said they saw angels, who told them he was alive. The body’s definitely gone. The disciples checked. But what does it mean? Where’s the body?’

Then the stranger began to speak about the Old Testament prophets. He explained how the Messiah’s life and death had been predicted a long time ago. ‘You are slow and foolish not to see it,’ the stranger said. ‘The Messiah had to suffer before entering his glory.’

They all arrived in Emmaus as evening approached. ‘Come in and eat with us,’ Cleopas said. The stranger accepted, and when he broke the bread, Cleopas suddenly knew who he was. It was Jesus! Back from the dead!

Jesus disappeared and Cleopas and his friend couldn’t contain themselves. They rushed back to Jerusalem to tell the 11 disciples what had happened. When they got there, the disciples were talking about Jesus. ‘He appeared to Simon. He has risen!’ Cleopas told his story and how he had recognised Jesus when he broke bread.

Activity: Getting the picture

Experience a moment of clarity

You will need: copies of the jigsaw template, printed on thin card, pictures from a magazine (e.g. a wedding group), scissors.

Beforehand, print jigsaw templates (enough for one between two or three) on thin card. Choose pictures (or make copies of one). Each image needs some feature whose absence makes it nonsensical (e.g. a cutting-the-cake wedding photo without the bride and groom). Glue the pictures on the jigsaw templates. Leave these weighted until dry. Cut along the jigsaw lines to separate the pieces. Keep the jigsaws separate.
Divide everyone into as many groups as you have jigsaws. Remove the key piece from each jigsaw before giving one jigsaw to each group.
Let each group make up as much of the picture as they can with the jigsaw pieces they have.
Invite them to guess what (or who) is missing.
Produce the missing jigsaw pieces to complete their pictures. Explain that, when Jesus broke bread, the disciples finally ‘got the picture’.