Listed below are three short New Testament Scripture activities that can enrich Scripture or faith synthesis courses. These activities are taken from Our Catholic Faith: Living What We Believe.Have the students look up the following places where Jesus is called "Lord":
- Matthew 8:5-9 (healing the centurion's servant)
- Matthew 8:23-27 (calming the storm)
- Matthew 9:27-29 (healing two blind men)
- Matthew 14:25-33 (walking on water)
- John 20: 11-18 (appearance of Mary of Magdala)
- John 20: 24-29 (appearance to Thomas and the others)
Ask: In each case, do you think the person addressing Jesus uses "Lord" in the sense of a person of rank or earth authority, or are they recognizing Jesus' divinity.
Have the students develop journal entries or illustrations for each station of the cross. Provide the following Scripture references:
Jesus prays in the garden. (Mt 26:36-45; Mk 14:32-41; Lk 22:39-46)
Jesus is betrayed and arrested. (Mt 26:47-56; Mk 14:43-52; Lk 22:47-53; Jn 18:1-14)
Jesus is condemned by the Sanhedrin. ( Mt 26:57-68; Mk 14:53-64; Lk 22:66-71; Jn 18:19-24)
Peter denies knowing Jesus. ( Mt 26:69-75; Mk 14:66-72; Lk 22:54-621; Jn 18:115-18, 25-27)
Jesus is condemned by Pilate ( Mt 27:11-26 Mk 15:1-15; Lk 23:1-5; Jn 18:33-40, 19:13-16
Jesus is scourged and crowed with thorns. (Mt 27:27-31; Mk 15:16-19; Jn 19:1-3)
Jesus takes up his cross. (Jn 19:16b-17)
Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus (Mt 27:32; Mk 15:21; Lk 23:26)
Jesus meets the weeping women. (Lk 23:27-31)
Jesus is crucified. (Mt 27:33-37; Mk 15:22-26; Lk 23:33; Jn 19:18-19)
Jesus promises paradise to the crucified thief. (Lk 23: 39-43)
Jesus cares for his mother. (Jn 19:25-27)
Jesus dies. (Mt 27:45-50; Mk 15:33-37; Lk 23:44-46; Jn 19:28-30)
Jesus is buried. (Mt 27:57-61; Mk 15: 42-47; Lk 23:50-53; Jn 19:38-42)
Teach the students a simple way to remember the books of the New Testament by having them memorize the following poem. To extend the activity, have them either set this poem to music or develop their own simiilar mnemonic device.
Matthew, Mark, plus Luke and John
Tell the story of our Savior,
While the Acts of the Apostles
Show our early Church behavior.
Paul wrote letters to the churches
That he founded: one to Rome,
Two were written to the folks
Who claimed Corinth as their home.
Then he wrote six more epistles;
Galatians, Ephesians were his next.
Philippians, Colassians followed after.
The Thessalonaians got two texts.
Paul had friends he loved to talk with,
Friends like Timothy and Titus.
Philemon he wrote to briefly,
Then the Hebrews begged him, "Write us!"
Others preachd of God's Kingdom
Also wrote of God above:
James wrote once, and Peter twice,
But John three times said, "God is love!"
Jude wrote also of the Kingdom
And the need to know God's Son.
Last of all John's Revelation,
And with that our list is done.
