Children and Families - Scripture Union NZ

“Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.”   -Jesus 1   At the time Jesus spoke these words, the people around him were surprised and challenged by what he said. But it’s a long time since he said them, and over the years we have got used to hearing them. They have lost the impact they had for the people who first heard them. But if we stop and hear them anew, we will find they continue to be meaningful. They contain a challenge for us too. We may not act as overtly as the disciples did when they pushed the children away, but there may be ways in which we are unintentionally keeping children from Jesus. How can we make sure we are helping children into the presence of Jesus so that they can meet with him for themselves, face to face? This question is at the heart of all we do with our children and we need to keep it in mind as we plan and carry out our programmes. It is a particularly g

J oseph kn ows what he ha s to do. He ha s stood a nd watch ed that day, as the rocks broke and the sun faded from view . He ha s watched as Jesus had di ed. And now he kn ows what he ha s to do.  Joseph , not Jesus' Dad, another Joseph, has a tomb. And he wa nts to honour Jesus by burying him in his tomb. He doesn't want Jesus to en d up like the criminals who have died th at day, cast into a heap by the Roman s. Discarded like rubbish.  Jesus is not rubbish to be tossed away. So, Joseph pushes his way through the cr owds on the road and finds his way to where Pilate is. He has a strange request to make. And he is in a hurry. It is just about time for the Sabbath, when every Jewish pe rso n stops working. He must get to Pilate be fore then.  Pilate is pretty surprised to see Joseph, and even more surprised when he hears that Joseph wants Jesus' body. "Is he dead already?" Pilate asks. He send s off some soldiers to check . When they report back