Blessed are Those Who Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness

Still not managing to get any pictures these days, sigh. Our story for this beatitude was taken from the book of Acts. First, though, we have Jesus stand up and say, “Go and Preach the Gospel.” Two of those who respond to the call are Paul and Silas, whom we identify with large crosses hung around their necks. As they are going around preaching, they come to a city called Thessalonica. A man named Jason invites them into his home (serves them tea). The next morning they go to the synagogue, and present the gospel from a Jewish perspective. They remind them how the Passover commemorates the escape from Egypt (stick the word for Passover up on the board), when every household had to kill a lamb and put its blood on the lintel and doorposts. (Stick a large paper “door” on board, have a volunteer come up & brush red paint on top & sides). That now, God has sent His Son Jesus to be the eternal Passover Lamb (hold up crucifixion picture), and we are saved by his blood shed for forgiveness of sin. Most of the people laughed at them, though one or two believed (they get cross stickers). After a little while the unbelievers decide that chasing Paul & Silas out of the synagogue isn’t enough; they should find them and have them punished. But they can’t find them (they are behind the display easel), so instead they grab Jason, their host, and drag him before the judge (man in long black robe). The judge takes some money from him & lets him go. Then the believers find Paul & Silas & suggest they head to the next town, which they do. They go to Berea, and preach the same message in the synagogue, complete with paint applied to a fresh door, and the crucifixion picture. But this time, the response is different. The Bereans are truly hungering and thirsting after righteousness, so they search the Scriptures to see if it is really true. One of them finds and reads Isaiah 53:6—“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have all turned to our own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” They are excited at this wonderful truth & everyone stands up and sings “All Praise to Jesus.”

“Happy” are those who hunger and thirst…for our game we had a relay race involving each team cracking and eating its way through bowls of pistachio nuts, which are translated “happy nuts” in Cantonese because they look like little smiles.

For craft we related the beatitude to hungering after things that are good for you, such as fruit and vegetables rather than ice cream and coke. We made simple “refrigerators” from folded paper with shelves drawn in, and everyone got veggie stickers to put on their shelves.