For the parent: Read each part aloud and work through the questions together. Your answers are printed in blue italics, so no preparation is needed. Your child uses the Student Edition.
Step 1 · Understand the Collect
A collect is a short prayer the pastor prays for the whole church. Here is today's collect:
Almighty God, You know we live in the midst of so many dangers that in our frailty we cannot stand upright. Grant strength and protection to support us in all dangers and carry us through all temptations; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Words to know. Frailty: weakness. Upright: standing up straight. Protection: keeping safe. Temptations: pulls toward sin. Swamped (in the Gospel): filling up with water. Rebuked: spoke sharply to; gave an order.
1. We live in the midst of many ______________. Answer: Dangers.
2. In our frailty we cannot stand ______________. Answer: Upright.
3. We ask God for strength and ______________. Answer: Protection.
Step 2 · Understand the Gospel
Matthew 8:23-27
23 And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. 24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. 25 And they went and woke him, saying, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing." 26 And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?" Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 And the men marveled, saying, "What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?"
1. What happened while they were out on the sea? Answer: A great storm came up, and waves swamped the boat (verse 24).
2. What was Jesus doing? Answer: Sleeping (verse 24).
3. What did the disciples cry out? Answer: "Save us, Lord; we are perishing" (verse 25).
4. What happened when Jesus rebuked the wind and the sea? Answer: There was a great calm (verse 26).
Step 3 · Find the Collect in the Gospel
Say to your child: Our prayer says we live among many dangers and are too weak to stand on our own. In the Gospel, the disciples are in real danger in a storm. Let's find our prayer in the story.
1. The collect speaks of dangers. What danger were the disciples in? Answer: Their boat was being swamped in a great storm.
2. The collect says we cannot stand upright by ourselves. What did the disciples cry to Jesus? Answer: "Save us, Lord; we are perishing."
3. The collect asks for protection. What did Jesus do? Answer: He rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
Parent note. Jesus was asleep, but He was still in the boat. He is with us even when it seems He is not paying attention. The disciples did the right thing: they called on Him.
Step 4 · The Small Catechism
The First Article. I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. What does this mean? I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still takes care of them. He also gives me clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, wife and children, land, animals, and all I have. He richly and daily provides me with all that I need to support this body and life. He defends me against all danger and guards and protects me from all evil. All this He does only out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me. For all this it is my duty to thank and praise, serve and obey Him. This is most certainly true.
1. Find the words in Luther's explanation about danger. Answer: "He defends me against all danger and guards and protects me from all evil."
2. Jesus stopped the wind and the waves. Who made the wind and the sea? Answer: God, the Maker of heaven and earth. Jesus can command them because He is God.
Step 5 · Wrap It All Up
Pray today's collect together one more time. Then ask:
1. What does Jesus do for you when you are afraid? Answer: He is with me, hears me when I call, and keeps me safe. He calms my fears with His Word.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible. Small Catechism quotation from Luther’s Small Catechism with Explanation, © Concordia Publishing House.