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Conversation Starters: Solomon- Unfailing Wisdom

Posted by Karah

CONNECTION POINT: God helps people know the right things to do.

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE: We do not lack knowledge; in fact, we are overwhelmed with knowledge. We may not have it stored in our heads, but we have easy access with just a click of the mouse. What we lack is understanding of the best way to use that knowledge—and that calls for wisdom. Because God is the ultimate source of everything we can know, wisdom begins by looking to Him. As Solomon wrote, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 9:10).

Bible Character:  Solomon

Preschool

1 Samuel 18:1-4, 20

LIFE POINT: David went to live in King Saul’s palace. He became best friends with King Saul’s son, Jonathan. David and Jonathan promised always to be friends. Jonathan gave David gifts to show his friendship. He gave David a robe, a belt, a sword, and a bow for shooting arrows. King Saul became angry with David and wanted to hurt him. David told Jonathan, “King Saul wants to hurt me.” Jonathan promised to help David. “I will find out what my father is planning to do,” Jonathan said. “I will tell you if it is safe.” David hid in a field. Jonathan knew King Saul did want to hurt David. Jonathan knew that David would have to leave to be safe. The next day, Jonathan said goodbye to his friend. Both friends were sad. “We have promised to be friends,” Jonathan said. Then David left, and Jonathan went home.

LIVE IT OUT: Help your child to foster friendships with other children. Invite a few children to your home for a play-date. Thank the children for playing together kindly and showing God’s love to one another.

Kids

1 Samuel 18:1-4, 20

LIFE POINT: King Saul’s son Jonathan and David were good friends. Jonathan gave his friend gifts. He gave David his robe, tunic, sword, bow, and belt to keep. King Saul was made at David and wanted to kill him. Jonathan told David he would find out what the king wanted to do. That night, when Jonathan told the king that David had gone to Bethlehem, the king was angry. He was so angry he threw a spear at Jonathan! The next day, Jonathan went to the field. David was hiding behind a rock. Jonathan shot three arrows. He yelled to the servant, “The arrows are past you!” David knew he had to leave. Before he left, David and Jonathan told each other how much they cared for each other. They cried together. Then David left and Jonathan went home.

LIVE IT OUT: Does your child understand the constancy of God’s love? Talk with your child about times your family has suffered a hardship. Help her think of ways you could sense God’s love throughout the ordeal.

Students

1 Kings 3:3-14; 4:29-34

THE POINT: Christ-centered living chooses wisdom from God, not simply knowledge.
• If you could be the leading expert in any field, what would it be?
• What’s the difference between wisdom and “book smarts”?
• How do we gain and apply wisdom in our daily lives?
• How can we effectively reflect God’s wisdom in our culture?
Discuss the following quote:

“A wise man may look ridiculous in the company of fools.” ¹ —Thomas Fuller

LIVE IT OUT: Encourage your student to take practical steps to take his or her faith and Live It Out. Here are some ways you can encourage your students to live out their faith with Christ personally, in community, and in their culture:
• CHRIST: Jesus was intent on passing His wisdom down to His followers. Read Matthew 5:3-12 with your student and point out any personal changes you can make in light of what you read.
• COMMUNITY: Living in Christian community is essential to growing in wisdom, so we want to pursue community for the sake of giving and receiving wisdom. Sit down with your student and consider the company he or she keeps. If your student needs to engage in more Christian community, consider ways you can promote this such as hosting a Bible study.
• CULTURE: Make a list of ways you and your student can live according to God’s wisdom rather than listening to the false wisdom of the world.

 

¹. Thomas Fuller, “55 Quotes About Wisdom,” Christian Quotes, [accessed 27 February 2017]. Available from the Internet: https://www.christianquotes.info/quotes-by-topic/quotes-about wisdom/?listpage=2&instance=2#participants-list-2).


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Conversation Starters: Respect Authority

Posted by Karah

CONNECTION POINT: God is the authority over everything in people’s lives.

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE: Most authority figures are good leaders whose authority we can respect. Unfortunately, we encounter other authority figures who, at best, are inept in what they do or, at worst, are self-serving or even “out to get us.” When it comes to respect, the Bible makes no distinction between the two types of leaders. In the Book of 1 Samuel, David modeled for us how we can respect even the worst kinds of authority figures.

Concept: Respect Authority

Preschool

Acts 10

LIFE POINT: Cornelius and his family loved God. One day, Cornelius was praying. An angel gave him a message from God. The angel told Cornelius to find a man named Peter. Cornelius sent some men to find Peter. When the men found Peter, they explained what the angel had told Cornelius. The next day Peter and the men went to Cornelius’s house. Cornelius was there, waiting with his family and friends. Peter began talking to them. “God wants me to tell you that He loves everyone,” Peter said. “God wants me to tell you about Jesus.” Peter told that Jesus was God’s Son, that Jesus taught people about God, and about the good things Jesus did. Cornelius and his family and friends listened to Peter. They believed everything Peter told them about Jesus. They loved
Jesus, too.

LIVE IT OUT: Make a list of friends who do not go to church that your child knows. Choose a friend and invite that child to go to a special event at your church, like a  “back to school ” event. Be sure your child knows he is helping his friend to hear about Jesus.

Kids

Acts 10

LIFE POINT: Cornelius was an important officer in the Roman army. Cornelius and his family worshiped God. Cornelius always prayed to God. One day God sent an angel to tell Cornelius to send for Peter, one of Jesus’ disciples. Cornelius sent three men to get Peter who was in a town called Joppa. God spoke to Peter and told him that Cornelius’s servants were looking for him. God told Peter to go with the men. Peter obeyed. Cornelius, his family, and his friends were waiting when Peter arrived at his house. Peter preached to Cornelius and everyone at his house. Peter told them about Jesus. Peter said that Jesus was sent by God so people could be forgiven for their sins: not just Jews, but all people. Cornelius and everyone who heard Peter’s message believed in Jesus.

LIVE IT OUT: How can you involve your child in God’s work around the world? If he is old enough, encourage your child to participate in a mission trip with your church. If that is not possible, he could earn money to help support a missionary or a mission trip.

Students

1 Samuel 24:3-12

THE POINT: Respect the authorities God has placed in your life.
• What have you been taught about respecting authority?
• How do you respond to the authority figures in your life?
• What do you like best about David’s approach in these verses?
• What can we learn from David about dealing with difficult people in authority?

Discuss the following quote:

“Until the will and the affections are brought under the authority of Christ, we have not begun to understand, let alone to accept, His lordship.” ¹ —Elisabeth Elliot

LIVE IT OUT: Encourage your student to take practical steps to take his or her faith and Live It Out. Here are some suggested ways for your students to live out their faith with Christ personally, in community, and in their culture:
• CHRIST: Spend time with your student discussing what he or she can do to further cultivate his or her relationship with Jesus.
• COMMUNITY: Are there opportunities to serve alongside your student ministry or ways for you to be a better community member? Pray this week for opportunities to lead and serve students.
• CULTURE: Talk with your student about ways we can live in submission to God and share His goodness with the world.

¹. Elisabeth Elliot, Passion and Purity: Learning to Bring Your Love Life Under Christ’s Control (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Revell, 2002), 41.


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Conversation Starters: Live Productively

Posted by Karah

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE: Everyone wants income, but not everyone is willing to work—or work hard—for it. An entitlement mind-set leads some to believe that they should have all the needs and luxuries of life without necessarily working for them. The Book of Proverbs paints a different picture. Work is not a bad thing. Work is not always easy, but it is a noble—and Christ-honoring— thing to work and earn the money we need for daily living.

Concept: Live Productively

Preschool

Matthew 20:1-16

LIFE POINT: Jesus taught people about God through stories. He knew that everyone understood that people work to make money, so He told this story:
There was a man who owned much land and grew grapes on that land. He needed people to work the land. He agreed to pay workers to help him. At the beginning of one day, he agreed to pay a group of
workers a certain amount of money. Later that day, the man brought in more workers to help. He agreed to pay them the same amount of money as the workers who started at the beginning of the day. The workers who started first were not happy. However, the owner reminded them that he had kept his promise and paid each of them what he had said he would.

LIVE IT OUT: Ask your child if she knows the meaning of the word promise. Help her understand that
a promise is something someone says he will do. Guide your child to make a promise to you. Follow up
to make sure she keeps.

Kids

Matthew 20:1-16

LIFE POINT: Jesus told this story to His followers to help them understand what heaven is like:
A man had a vineyard. Early in the morning, he found men to work. “I will pay you one denarius if you work all day for me.” Later in the morning, at noon, at three o’clock, and at five o’clock the owner found more men to work for him. At the end of the day, the men got paid. Everyone received one denarius. The men who started early wanted more than the ones who started later in the day. “Didn’t you get what you agreed on?” the owner asked. “Are you jealous because I was generous to the other men?” Jesus said, “The last will be first and the first will be last.”

LIVE IT OUT: Remind your child that everything she has comes from God. Encourage her to thank
God for the generous gifts God has given her.

Students

Proverbs 6:6-11

THE POINT: Our work reflects our relationship with God. What’s the toughest job you’ve ever done What is the is the most difficult job for you to complete with excellence? How is laziness a spiritual
problem? Discuss the following quote:

“Laziness may look inviting, but only work gives you true satisfaction.”1 —Anne Frank

LIVE IT OUT: Take time to discuss your student’s scripture readings out of Matthew 20:1-16 and Proverbs 6:6-11 from this week.

1. Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl (New York: Doubleday, 1991) 325.


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