Kids/Family Bible Discovery-April 5, 2020 Eyes Wide Open

Opening Idea: Our idiom for this week is Eyes Wide Open. This idiom is more than the physical opening of our eyes and includes the idea of completely understanding what is happening in any given situation, even it is it confusing or scary. In our story today, we see a moment in time that was scary as well as confusing. But with eyes wide open, we can see what an amazing story it is. Read: Mark 15:21-39 Devotional Thought: In the story of the crucifixion, it can be easy to miss what happened. Sure, we see the death of Jesus, and sometimes this can be scary or make us sad, but with our eyes wide open, we can see the love of God for us in Christ. As we seek to keep our eyes on Jesus during Lent, we have focused on how we see Jesus and also how he sees us. Today we focus on the following words to help us:

Our eyes behold the Savior’s face And yet cannot perceive That His perspective held our grace Before we could believe Our focus flits and fails to see The One whose steadfast gaze Propelled Him to the darkened tree Enveloped in death’s haze Our sights train on the dreadful cross Beneath His knowing eyes Our sins are bare and set for loss He sees us as His prize Our vision blurs with anxious tears As Jesus’ eyelids fall To conquer sin and all our fears And tear in two our pall Our view scans for the coming day That evermore grows near When Jesus wipes our tears away And all is crystal clear

Table Talk: • What makes you most sad about what happened on the cross to Jesus? • What makes you most happy about what happened on the cross to Jesus? • What do you want to say to Jesus for dying on the cross? • What is one thing you can do to share this story with others?

Activity: Video- Reckless Love Supplies needed: Computer or Smart Phone; Internet connection Watch the video of the song “Reckless Love” at this link- https://youtu.be/7GGJ8cyYNzQ The story of the cross is one of reckless love. It is nothing we have deserved or earned, but God gives it to us anyway. Take some time to focus on the words of this powerful song this Holy Week. Prayer: Lord Jesus, I thank you for your reckless love that chases me down. Thank you for seeing me as your beloved child and dying in my place. Amen.

Surely this man was the Son of God! –Mark 15:39

Devotional thoughts based on selections from the book Eyes on Jesus- Daily Devotions • Copyright © 2019 Concordia Publishing House • 3558 S. Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, MO 63118-3968 • 1-800-325-3040 • cph.org