CATEGORY ARCHIVES: Just For Parents
Conversation Starters: Hospitality
Posted by Karah
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE: The best parties have little to do with food or activities. They’re about the people. Think back to your favorite celebration and you’ll likely be flooded with memories of friends and family. Maybe you received an awesome gift, but the memories have more to do with people than the stuff you received. Life is meant to be shared. Hospitality. Friendship. Fellowship. All these experiences point us to God’s kingdom. Jesus, who was constantly interacting with people over dinners and parties, teaches us we can use these moments to extend the kingdom of God to others.
Concept: Hospitality
Preschool
Acts 16:11-15
LIFE POINT: Paul was a missionary (someone who goes and tells about Jesus). He and his friends traveled by boat to a big city. They wanted to tell people in the city about Jesus. Paul and his friends left the city and walked down to the river. A group of women were seated by the river. They had gathered to pray. Paul and his friends sat with the women and told them about Jesus. One of the women, named Lydia, sold purple cloth as her job. Lydia listened to what Paul said. She believed what Paul said about Jesus.
Lydia asked Paul and his friends to come to her house, and they did.
LIVE IT OUT: If your child is old enough, tell him to invite a friend to church. The friends can have a good time learning about Jesus together.
Kids
Acts 16:11-15
LIFE POINT: Paul and his friends traveled to Philippi. On the Sabbath, they looked for a place to pray with others. They went outside the city to the river. They found a group of women praying beside the river. Paul and the men with him sat down. Paul began to tell the women about Jesus. Lydia was a believer in God, but she needed to know about Jesus. Because Lydia and her family trusted Jesus as Savior, they were baptized.
Lydia said to Paul, “If you believe I have trusted Jesus, come and stay at my house.”
Paul and his friends went to her house to stay.
LIVE IT OUT: Challenge your child to memorize Deuteronomy 5:32. Tell him that knowing this verse and calling it to mind will help him follow Jesus’ example on how to
live.
Students
Luke 14:12-24
THE POINT: Hospitality is an easy way to show people Jesus. What do you enjoy most about having friends over? Talk about ways to make entertaining friends both memorable and meaningful. Discuss this quote:
“Hospitality . . . means primarily the creation of a free space where the stranger can enter and become a friend. . . . Hospitality is not to change people, but to offer them space where change can take place..”1 — Henri Nouwen
LIVE IT OUT: Your student is encouraged to do one or both Live It Out activities. Here are some suggested ways to help your student:
If he or she plans to complete Invite the Outcast:
• Talk with your student about the people who are considered outcasts in their circles—school, church, sports.
• Pray together, asking the Lord to give your student strength and courage to reach out to someone on the fringe.
If he or she plans to complete Switch It Up:
• List some practical ways that you as a family can be hospitable to those around you. After you’ve written out your ideas, make plans to carry them out.
1. Henri J.M. Nouwen, Reaching Out (New York: Doubleday, 2013), 71.
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Conversation Starters: The Savior’s Birth
Posted by Karah
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE: People look to a variety of religious figures or leaders to give their lives meaning. Some of these religions offer a god—or gods—who is so beyond us that he is unreachable. Other religions have human leaders, yet their humanity makes them little different from us. But in Jesus, the all-powerful, transcendent God came to us. He came to earth and became one of us. That is what makes Jesus unique. He is fully God, who became fully human.
Concept: The Savior’s Birth
Preschool
Matthew 1:18-24; Luke 1:26-56; Luke 2:1-20
LIFE POINT: An angel visited Mary and said, “You will have a baby and name Him Jesus. He will be the Son of God.” Mary was surprised but said, “I will do what God says.” Mary went to visit Elizabeth, her cousin. Elizabeth was happy to see Mary. Elizabeth was going to have a baby also. Her baby jumped when she heard Mary’s greetings. Elizabeth told Mary she has received a good gift from God. Mary was so happy she sang a song of praise to God. Joseph learned Mary was to have a baby. One night an angel spoke to him in a dream. “Mary’s baby is the Son of God. You will name Him Jesus.” Joseph did what the angel told him to do. Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem to be counted. The baby was born just as the angels said. They named Him Jesus. He was the most special baby ever born!
LIVE IT OUT: Print Jesus’ name on a sheet of paper. Encourage your child to decorate the name with markers or stickers. Display the sign in your child’s room to remind her of the special name of Jesus.
Kids
Matthew 1:18-24; Luke 1:26-56; Luke 2:1-20
LIFE POINT: The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her that she would have God’s special Son and she was to name Him Jesus. Mary was surprised. Then Gabriel told Mary that her cousin Elizabeth was pregnant. Elizabeth was old, so this was surprising. The angel told her: Nothing is impossible with God. Mary said, “Your will be done.” She was willing to do the impossible if it would bring God glory. Mary went to see Elizabeth. When Mary greeted Elizabeth, the baby in Elizabeth’s womb jumped. Mary began to praise God. She stayed with Elizabeth for three months. Joseph was also visited by an angel. Joseph heard Mary was pregnant and decided to cancel their engagement. But the angel told Joseph to take Mary as his wife. He confirmed that Mary’s child would be a son and Joseph was to name the child Jesus.
LIVE IT OUT: Help your child memorize Matthew 16:16. This verse tells who Jesus really is. His name is Jesus, but He was the Son of God.
Students
Luke 1:26-35
THE POINT: Jesus is fully God and fully human. How do you usually react when God calls you to do something you don’t feel able to do? Tell your student about a time when you stepped out in faith. Discuss the following quote:
“The mystery of the humanity of Christ, that He hath sunk Himself into our flesh, is beyond all human understanding.”1 —Martin Luther
LIVE IT OUT: Your student has been encouraged to do one or both Live It Out activities. Here are some suggested ways to help your student:
If he or she plans to complete Chosen:
•Help your student think of a situation when God equipped him or her to do what seemed impossible.
•Memorize Mary’s reply in Luke 1:38 with your student.
If he or she plans to complete Mission Possible:
•Spend time searching the Scriptures with your student for passages about God using unlikely people.
•Talk to your student about ways that God has done what seemed impossible in situations in your family.
1. Martin Luther, The Familiar Discourses of Dr. Martin Luther, trans. Henry Bell, (London: Sussex Press, 1818), 100.
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Conversation Starters: God’s Plan
Posted by Karah
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE: We can be resistant when someone else’s plans collide with ours, disrupting our own plans. But changes can also be welcome, especially if they come from God. Joseph had a plan for his life with Mary, but God stepped in and changed that plan. All of us benefit from the plan God gave to Joseph.
Concept: God’s Plan
Preschool
Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; Micah 5:2
LIFE POINT: Prophets were people who told others messages from God. Long before Jesus was born, God told prophets to tell people that Jesus would be born. One of those prophets was Isaiah. The prophet wrote, “This is a sign from God. A woman will have a Son. His name will be Immanuel. Immanuel means ‘God with us.’ He will be born for us. He will rule over us in love. He will be called the Prince of Peace.” Another prophet named Micah also wrote about Jesus. “God’s Son will be born in Bethlehem,” Micah wrote. The words written by the prophets are in our Bible today.
LIVE IT OUT: Print the name JESUS in the center of a sheet of paper. Give your child some markers and simple circle stickers to decorate Jesus’ name. Remind him that God
told people to write about Jesus before He was born.
Kids
Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; 11:1-5; Micah 5:2
LIFE POINT: One of the messages God gave Isaiah was that God would send Someone very special. Isaiah announced that God would give the people a sign: A virgin would have a son and call Him Immanuel. Isaiah continued telling God’s messages. He proclaimed that a child would be born. He told what the child would be called. The names told the people what God’s promised Messiah would be like. Isaiah explained that the child would come from the family of Jesse, the father of King David. Isaiah told how the Messiah would have wisdom, understanding, and strength. He noted that He would judge all people fairly and righteously. The prophet Micah also preached about one of God’s promises. He told where the special One would be born! Bethlehem was a small town, but God’s Son would be born there.
LIVE IT OUT: With your child, look up Isaiah 9:6 in the Bible. Write down the names of the Savior that Isaiah used. If you have a commentary or Bible dictionary, research those names and talk about how each one relates to Jesus as Savior.
Students
Matthew 1:18-25
THE POINT: Following God’s plan for Christmas will change your life. Discuss with your student a time when your plans were disrupted. Discuss the following quote:
“Put simply, if we get the Christmas story wrong, we get the Gospel wrong.”1 —Al Mohler
LIVE IT OUT: Your student has been encouraged to do one or both Live It Out activities. Here are some suggested ways to help your student:
If your student plans to complete The Christmas Story:
• Read the two Gospel accounts of Jesus’ birth in Matthew and Luke with your family.
If your student plans to complete Gifted to Serve:
• Encourage your student to serve with his/her gifts during the Christmas season. Help him come up with possible service ideas.
• Use your gifts and serve
1. Al Mohler, “Where Does the Story of Christmas Begin?” AlbertMohler.com, 21 December 2009, [cited 5 May 2014]. Available from the Internet: http://www.albertmohler.com.
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Conversation Starters: Prayer and Fasting
Posted by Karah
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE: Do you ever wish you could just get away? Your schedule is slammed. You can barely keep up. And your perspective on what’s really important has become foggy. You need a break from the routine of your life. Sometimes you just need to stop and remind yourself what’s really important. Two powerful ways to regain your focus are prayer and fasting. They can revitalize you and lead you to fix your attention on the things that matter. In Acts 13, we see this principle at work in the church in Antioch. They prayed. They fasted. And God did something incredible.
Concept: Prayer and Fasting
Preschool
Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2
LIFE POINT: Jesus said to His disciples, “Tell people everywhere about Me. ” On the day of a special Jewish celebration, people from far away came to in Jerusalem to celebrate. People spoke many languages. Peter stood up to preach. God made all of the people to hear and understand what Peter said in their own languages. Peter told the people many stories about Jesus and His miracles. He told them that Jesus had died but was alive. He said that Jesus was the one to believe in or trust. Many people
believed in Jesus that day, and the first church began. Members of the first church listened to Jesus’ disciples teach about Jesus. They ate together, prayed for one another, and shared their belongings with one another. They met together often to worship and praise Jesus. They told others about Jesus. The new church continued to grow.
LIVE IT OUT: Take your child along on a ministry opportunity with your church. Help distribute flyers about a special event or do yard work for a homebound member.
Kids
Matthew 28:19-21; Acts 2
LIFE POINT: Jesus said to His followers: “Go all over the world. Tell about Me. Baptize believers. Teach them to follow Me.” On the day of a special Jewish celebration, people from far away came to in Jerusalem to celebrate. People spoke many languages. Peter stood up to preach. God made all of the people to hear and understand what Peter said in their own languages. Peter told many stories about Jesus and His miracles. He said
that Jesus had died but was alive. He said that Jesus was the Messiah. Three thousand people believed. The first church began. Members of the first church listened to Jesus’ disciples teach about Jesus. They ate together, prayed for one another, and shared their belongings with one another. They met together often to worship and praise Jesus. They told others about Jesus. The new church continued to grow.
LIVE IT OUT: The purpose of the church is to worship God and help others. Get your child involved in a church ministry. Help her live out God’s purpose for the church.
Students
Acts 13:1-3,44-52
THE POINT: An energized church tells the world about Jesus. When was the last time you felt like you needed a break? What do you do when you get tired and start losing your focus? Discuss the following quote:
“Our rest lies in looking to the Lord, not to ourselves.”1 — Watchman Nee
LIVE IT OUT: Your student has been encouraged to do one or both Live It Out activities. Here are some suggested ways to help your student:
If he or she plans to complete Just Pray:
• Talk with your student about the importance of prayer. Help him or her see that prayer is the act of turning to God and trusting Him for help.
If he or she plans to complete Do Something:
• Read 1 Timothy 4:12 together and talk about what this passage means in the life of your student.
• Pray together, asking God to show your student how he or she can share the love and hope Jesus has for the world.
1. Watchman Nee, The Spiritual Man, Volume 1 (North Chesterfield, VA: Christian Fellowship Publishers, 1968), 20.
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Conversation Starters: Unity
Posted by Karah
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE: We unite with others over the strangest things. Consider your favorite sports team. As you sit in the stands, the people surrounding you are strangers. However, rallied around your favorite team they become family. Your one common interest unites you. The church takes unity to a different level. The church is very diverse, but we come together because of our shared faith in Jesus Christ. It’s a unity grounded in who we are. In the Book of Acts, we see a group of believers who changed the world because they lived in unity.
Concept: Unity
Preschool
Luke 10:38-42
LIFE POINT: Jesus and His helpers (disciples) were traveling. They came to the town where two sisters, Mary and Martha, lived. Martha invited Jesus to come inside the house. Mary sat on the floor near Jesus. She listened carefully as Jesus talked. She
wanted to hear everything Jesus said. Martha did not sit down. She was busy in the house, preparing food for Jesus to eat. Soon, Martha noticed that she was doing all
the work. She said to Jesus, “Tell my sister to help me.” In a kind voice, Jesus said, “Martha, do not worry about what needs to be done. Mary is listening to Me. She has made the right choice.”
LIVE IT OUT: Make a list of people who are important to your family and your child. Pray with your child for each person on the list. Be sure your child knows that Jesus loves each of them.
Kids
John 20:19-29
LIFE POINT: After Jesus died, the disciples were afraid. They met together in a locked room. Suddenly, Jesus stood with them! Jesus greeted His disciples. He showed them his hands and side. He spoke to them with encouraging words. Thomas was not with the disciples when they saw Jesus. He did not believe what they told him. “I must see for myself!” Thomas exclaimed. Eight days later, Thomas was with the disciples in a locked room. Suddenly Jesus was with them. Jesus showed Thomas His hands and His side. Now Thomas knew that Jesus was alive.
LIVE IT OUT: Jesus is alive! Discuss with your child how he knows Jesus is alive. Pray together, thanking God for Jesus’ sacrifice for us.
Students
Acts 4:31-37
THE POINT: Our return to God pulls us together. Who do you feel connected to? What makes you feel connected to those people or groups? Discuss the following quote:
“God’s family, which comes into being by regeneration, is more central and more lasting than the human family that comes into being by procreation.”1 — John Piper
LIVE IT OUT: Your student has been encouraged to do one or both Live It Out activities. Here are some suggested ways to help your student:
If he or she plans to complete Your Church:
• Pray with your student for your church family. Pray 1 Peter 3:8 specifically. Ask God to show you your part in bringing or maintaining unity.
If he or she plans to complete Unity Through Forgiveness:
• Make yourself available to your student to talk as he or she learns to forgive people who have hurt him or her.
• Model forgiveness in your home this week by extending grace to your spouse, children, and friends.
1. John Piper, This Momentary Marriage: A Parable of Permanence (Wheaton: Crossway, 2009), 117.
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Conversation Starters: God’s Word
Posted by Karah
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE: Have you ever been backpacking? When you backpack, you
only bring the essentials you’ll need to survive for the amount of days you’re hiking. One essential is a map—a real, paper map. You’ll make wrong turns and get turned around. But a map takes you where you want to go regardless of how lost you get. God has given us a map that never fails. This map—God’s Word—gives us His directions on how to live. It puts us on the right path. The Israelites knew this during the days of Nehemiah, and it is a truth we should cling to.
Concept: God’s Word
Preschool
Luke 4:16-22
LIFE POINT: Jesus went to Nazareth. Nazareth was the town where Jesus’ family lived when He was a boy. While Jesus was there, He went to the synagogue (church). Jesus stood up to read. A church helper handed Jesus the scroll of Scriptures. Jesus carefully unrolled the scroll and read. Jesus read, “God sent Me to teach people about Him and to help people.” Jesus rolled up the scroll, gave it to the church helper, and sat down. All the people watched Jesus. Jesus looked at the people and said, “These words are about Me.” The people were surprised at what Jesus said.
LIVE IT OUT: Make sure your child has a Bible he can use. The Bible is a book for everyone. He will begin to develop love and respect for the Bible as his own. Read to him from the Bible and help him to learn familiar stories.
Kids
John 14:15-26
LIFE POINT: Jesus and His disciples were eating the Passover meal together. Jesus spoke to His followers. He explained that the way they could show love to Him was by obeying His commands. Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to help them. The Holy Spirit would be with them forever. Jesus told the followers over and over that keeping God’s commands was the way to show their love. The Holy Spirit would come to Jesus’ followers. Anyone who loved Jesus and believed in Him would receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit would teach them. He would remind them of everything Jesus said.
LIVE IT OUT: Ask your child to find something in the Bible that has been difficult for her to understand. Comment that God sends His Holy Spirit to Christians to help them. If your child is not a Christian yet, begin to talk to her about how to become a Christian.
Students
Nehemiah 8:1-8
THE POINT: God’s Word is the map for a consistent life. What sources do you consult most often when you need direction? In what ways might you need to recalibrate? Discuss the following quote:
“The Holy Scriptures are our letters from home.”1 —Augustine of Hippo
LIVE IT OUT: Your student has been encouraged to do one or both Live It Out activities. Here are some suggested ways to help your student:
If he or she plans to complete Hide and Seek:
• Talk with your student about the reasons it’s important to hide God’s Word in our hearts.
• Sit down and identify one or two Scripture passages that you will work together to memorize this week.
If he or she plans to complete Have a Plan:
• Join your student in identifying a Bible reading plan. You may choose different plans, but you can hold each other accountable by talking about what you are learning.
1. “ Augustine of Hippo Quotes,” Goodreads [cited 18 November 2015]. Available from the Internet: http://www.goodreads.com.
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Conversation Starters: Prayer
Posted by Karah
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE: We can try to avoid bad news. We can pretend it’s not there. But that doesn’t change reality. We have to face up to bad news when it happens. That’s what Nehemiah was faced with in today’s Scripture: a mountain of bad news that hit him like a truck. Nehemiah’s example invites us to do as he did: Nehemiah responded by turning to God in prayer. His example can help us do the same. Whatever we’re facing, we should seek God and turn to Him in prayer. God has given us prayer as a way to have constant communication with Him.
Concept: Prayer
Preschool
Matthew 4:23-25; 5:1-2; 6:5-13
LIFE POINT: Jesus traveled, taught in the churches (synagogues, temples), preached about God, and helped people. Large crowds followed Jesus. One day, Jesus went up the mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to Him. Jesus taught everyone. He said, “When you pray, go to a special place by yourself and talk to God. God will see you and hear you. Remember, God knows what you need before you ask Him.” Jesus said, “Pray like this: ‘God, we love You. Help us do the things You want us to do. Give us the food we need. Help us remember to love those who hurt us just as You love us. Help us to make the right choices. Amen.”
LIVE IT OUT: Pray with your child and begin teaching her to pray. Help her learn, not by using memorized prayers, but by praying in simple words she can understand.
Kids
Matthew 6:5-15
LIFE POINT: Jesus taught His followers many things. One thing He taught them was how to pray. Jesus told them not to pray just so others would see them. He told them not to use lots of words that did not mean anything. Jesus said that God knows what people need even before they ask Him. Jesus told His followers to pray by talking to God their Father in heaven. He taught them to pray that God would be honored. He wanted them to pray for God’s will to be done. Jesus taught people to ask God for what they need. He taught them to ask God to forgive their sins. He taught people to pray that they would not keep sinning. Jesus also told the people that they must forgive others if they want God to forgive them.
LIVE IT OUT: Jesus modeled how we should pray. You can model prayer for your child. Give him many opportunities to pray at home. The more he prays, the more comfortable he will be with praying in public.
Students
Nehemiah 1:3-10
THE POINT: Push forward by leaning into prayer. What do you pray for? Talk about the difference in praying for what we want versus praying for what God wants. Discuss the following quote:
“There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful than that of a continual conversation with God.”1 — Brother Lawrence
LIVE IT OUT: Your student has been encouraged to do one or both Live It Out activities. Here are some suggested ways to help your student:
If he or she plans to complete Push Back:
• Talk to your student about how God wants us to come to Him with our fears, worries, and problems.
• Set an example by leading out in prayer, showing your student what it looks like to lean into God through prayer.
If he or she plans to complete Focus, Focus, Focus:
• Your student will study more about fasting in a couple of weeks, but you can begin laying the foundation by helping him or her understand how fasting from something can help us connect with God.
1. Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God as quoted in Joel Balin, The Spirit, Soul & Body of Worship (Norcross: Ampelon Publishing, 2006), 39.
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Conversation Starters: Our Love for Jesus
Posted by Karah
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE: As we go through different stages in life, we change. And as we change, our interests change. Old interests take a backseat, and we find new interests. We find new, exciting things we love to do and lose our love for the former things. It’s all a part of growing and maturing. But what if this happened in our relationship with Jesus? In Revelation 2, we get a glimpse into a church that had been busy doing many things for God but ultimately lost their “first love” for Jesus. It can happen to us too, but there is a solution.
Concept: Our Love for Jesus
Preschool
John 4:1-30
LIFE POINT: Jesus and His disciples traveled through the land of Samaria. Jesus knew the Jewish and Samaritan people did not like each other, but He chose to rest in Samaria. Jesus was tired and thirsty. His helpers went into town to buy food. A Samaritan woman came to get water from the well. Jesus asked her for a drink. The Samaritan woman was surprised that a Jewish man would ask her for a drink. Jesus told the woman about God. The woman was interested in what Jesus said. She said, “I know that God will send someone who will explain everything about God to us.” Jesus told the woman, “I am He.” The helpers were surprised to find Jesus talking with the woman. The woman went into town and told everyone that she had spoken with Jesus. The people came to see Jesus.
LIVE IT OUT: Help your child make a book about Jesus. Fold two sheets of paper together to make a book shape. Provide markers to draw pictures of Jesus. Help him print I Love Jesus on the front of his book.
Kids
John 4:1-30
LIFE POINT: Jesus and His disciples traveled through the land of Samaria. Jesus knew the Jewish and Samaritan people did not like each other, but He chose to rest in Samaria. Jesus was tired and thirsty. His helpers went into town to buy food. A Samaritan woman came to get water from the well. Jesus asked her for a drink. The Samaritan woman was surprised that a Jewish man would ask her for a drink. Jesus told the woman about God. The woman was interested in what Jesus said. She said, “I know that God will send someone who will explain everything about God to us.” Jesus told the woman, “I am He.” The helpers were surprised to find Jesus talking with the woman. The woman went into town and told everyone that she had spoken with Jesus. The people came to see Jesus.
LIVE IT OUT: Ask your child how she can show that she loves Jesus. Take her suggestions and help her plan a few activities that show Jesus’ love through her.
Students
Revelation 2:1-7
THE POINT: Come back to a love for Jesus that fills your life. What are the things in your life that have drawn you away from your love for the Lord? Tell your student about a time when something distracted you from your passion for Christ. Discuss this quote:
“God’s gifts put man’s best dreams to shame. ”1 —Elizabeth Barrett Browning
LIVE IT OUT: Your student has been encouraged to do one or both Live It Out activities. Here are some suggested ways to help your student:
If he or she plans to complete Never Forget:
• Share with your student a memory of something great God did for you. Then ask him or her to do the same.
• Talk about how recalling these memories can help draw you back to God when you wander from Him.
If he or she plans to complete A Helping Hand:
• Spend time praying with your student for a friend who has wandered from God. Talk about how he or she hopes to reach out and help that friend.
1. “ Elizabeth Barrett Browning Quotes,” BrainyQuote [cited 18 November 2015]. Available from the Internet: https://www.brainyquote.com.
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Conversation Starters: God Calls Us to Him
Posted by Karah
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE: “Where did I go wrong?” We start out with good intentions, but we get lazy. Our guard drops. Sin creeps into our lives. Before we know it we are far from God. What would it take to get your attention and bring you back? In the Book of Jonah, we find a man who knew God well yet refused to listen to Him. But God got Jonah’s attention in an unexpected way. And just as in Jonah’s life, God acts to get our attention and draw us back to Himself.
Concept: God calls us to Him
Preschool
Luke 2:41-52
LIFE POINT: When Jesus was 12 years old, He went with a large group of family and friends to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration. When the celebration was over, Jesus’ parents started home. Jesus stayed behind, but His parents did not know it. When His parents could not find Jesus, they became worried. They found Him three days later in the temple (church), listening to the teachers and asking questions. Jesus’ mother said, “Your father and I have been worried! We have searched for You.” Jesus replied, “Did you not know that I would be here (temple)?” Jesus went home with His parents and obeyed them always. He continued to grow strong and wise.
LIVE IT OUT: What is special about your church? Talk to your child about her favorite parts of being at church. Help her know that church is a special place to learn about God.
Kids
John 3:1-17; Romans 3:23; 5:8-10; 6:23; 8:9-10; 1 John 1:8-10
LIFE POINT: Nicodemus was an important Jewish leader. One night he came to see Jesus. Nicodemus knew that God had sent Jesus because he had seen Jesus do miracles. Jesus and Nicodemus talked for a long time. Jesus told Nicodemus how important trusting Jesus was. He said, “God loved the world so much that He sent His only son. Everyone who believes in the Son will have life forever with God.” Jesus told Nicodemus that God sent Him to save people.
LIVE IT OUT: If your child is not a Christian, this week would be a great time to talk to him about it. Carefully question him about what he knows and proceed if he is ready.
Students
Jonah 1:1-3; 3:1-5,10
THE POINT: God’s call to return to Him requires a response. How does God get your attention? Discuss with your student reasons people give for not responding to God. Discuss the following quote:
“Until you have given up your self to Him you will not have a real self.”1 —C.S. Lewis
LIVE IT OUT: Your student has been encouraged to do one or both Live It Out activities. Here are some suggested ways to help your student:
If he or she plans to complete Understand Repentance:
• Discuss with your student what he or she has learned about the difference between repentance and just saying “I’m sorry.”
• Pray with your student, asking God to show him or her how to truly live out repentance.
If he or she plans to complete Shhhh … Listen:
• Share with your student steps you take to make sure you can hear from God.
1. C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New York: Touchstone, 1996), 190.
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Conversation Starters: Deal with Conflict
Posted by Karah
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE: Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address was a courageous call for our nation to pull together in unity. Years later Martin Luther King, Jr. called our nation to racial equality. Dr. King stood on the legendary shoulders of a leader who called people to a higher and nobler ground. Leaders influence others, calling them to the place God desires for them to go. At the end of his life, Moses did this for Joshua. And on the shoulders of Moses, Joshua challenged the people to new heights of love and loyalty for God. Our ultimate calling is to lead others to a place of greater commitment to God.
Concept: Lead Others to Follow God
Preschool
1 Samuel 1:1-4:1
LIFE POINT: God gave Hannah a son. She named him Samuel. When he was older, Hannah took Samuel to the tabernacle to live. Samuel helped Eli, the church helper. Each year, Hannah went to the tent church to worship God, along with her husband, Elkanah. Hannah made a new robe each year to take to Samuel. Samuel grew up in the tent church and learned to worship and serve God. One night, the boy heard a voice calling, “Samuel.” He ran to Eli, but Eli had not called him. Eli said, “Go and lie down.” Three times the boy heard a voice calling, “Samuel.” Eli understood that God was calling the boy. Eli told Samuel to say that he is listening. God gave Samuel a message. Eli knew God had spoken to Samuel. God was with Samuel as he grew. Samuel became a prophet and told the people what God wanted them to hear.
LIVE IT OUT: Help your child develop an attitude of serving. Look for opportunities to include him in ministry to others. Tell him that God wants us to help others.
Kids
1 Samuel 1:1-4:1
LIFE POINT: God gave Hannah a son. She named him Samuel. When he was older, Hannah took Samuel to the tabernacle to live. Samuel helped Eli, the church helper. Each year, Hannah went to the tent church to worship God, along with her husband, Elkanah. Hannah made a new robe each year to take to Samuel. Samuel grew up in the tent church and learned to worship and serve God. One night, the boy heard a voice calling, “Samuel.” He ran to Eli, but Eli had not called him. Eli said, “Go and lie down.” Three times the boy heard a voice calling, “Samuel.” Eli understood that God was calling the boy. Eli told Samuel to say that he is listening. God gave Samuel a message. Eli knew God had spoken to Samuel. God was with Samuel as he grew. Samuel became a prophet and told the people what God wanted them to hear.
LIVE IT OUT: Help your child find opportunities to serve in his church, community, or school. Tell him that serving others with a good heart glorifies God.
Students
Joshua 24:14-18,24-26
THE POINT: Leaders encourage others to follow God. Whose example and influence pointed you to Christ? In what ways are you using your influence to point others for Christ? Discuss the following quote:
“If you are saved yourself, the work is but half done until you are employed to bring others to Christ.”1 —Charles Haddon Spurgeon
LIVE IT OUT: Your student has been encouraged to do one or both Live It Out activities. Here are some suggested ways to help your student:
If he or she plans to complete Who’s Leading You?:
• Work with your student to make a list of the people who have been leaders in his or her life up to this point.
• Help your student see the importance of needing a leader and being a leader.
If he or she plans to complete My Ebenezer:
• Read together 1 Samuel 7:12 and talk about the ways in which God is our Ebenezer.
1. Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon’s Sermons on Soulwinning (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1994), 31.
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