Spoken Word – You will name the son Jesus… because He will save His people from their sins. – Matt. 1:21
Parent Corner – Jesus is your Savior. What you have and desire in Him is what you want to bring to your child. The power is only available when we allow Jesus to be Savior.
Consider a time line showing the time before and after Jesus, with Jesus as a focus. He is the One who has changed the course of history. The world revolves around Christ. He’s Creator, Redeemer, the One who restores and completes, the Beginning and the End.
Jesus life is not a story. He is the risen Lord. Jesus paid the price- His life, for our sins. He paid for us as He went to the cross. We were worth it to Jesus. He was willing to give His life for us. Jesus is our Savior!
That’s Good to Know – Disobedience Brings Trouble.
Bible Lesson – Jonah and the Whale. Jonah 1:1-2:10
Spoken Word – If you follow your selfish desires, you will harvest destruction, but if you follow the spirit, you will harvest eternal life. – Galatians 6:8
Parent Corner – It doesn’t take a lot of experience to know that some kids are more prone to getting into trouble than others. Certain kids have a hard time keeping quiet when it’s time to listen-others are “professional” aggravators. Some are ready to challenge authority at every opportunity-others simply tune out when they’re supposed to be tuning in.
The factors that make some children more prone to misbehave vary from child to child. Misbehavior can stem from poor parenting, family problems, absent fathers, hyperactivity, low self-esteem, attention deficit disorder, anxiety, spiritual strongholds, poor diet and many other factors. However, the central truth in this lesson is the same, whatever the reason for misbehavior: Disobedience brings trouble.
Some kids are so used to getting into trouble that they’ve come to believe that they can’t help themselves. They seem to think that they’re automatically going to disobey and suffer consequences, so they may as well get some pleasure out of it. You have a chance to instill in your kids the truth that God has wired them for getting more pleasure out of good behavior, than bad.
That’s Good to Know – God helps me to live a clean life.
Bible Lesson – Daniel Pleases God- Daniel 1:1-21
Spoken Word – Offer your bodies to him as a living sacrifice, pure and pleasing. – Romans 12:1
Parent Corner – Have you ever gotten completely lost when you were trying to drive somewhere? When you’re lost in an unfamiliar place trying to find your way out, it can seem like you just get more and more lost!
So where do you place the blame? Do you blame the lousy directions you got off the Internet? Your outdated road map? The person who gave you directions? The road signs? Or maybe yourself? If you spend your energy looking to cast blame rather than getting the help you need, you may never find your way!
When it comes to finding the road to righteousness in this unholy world, boys and girls are often helplessly lost, just like a mixed-up driver. The world they live in is pointing them in every direction except the way of holiness. Shows on TV send the message that kids are smarter than their out-of-touch parents; popular music promotes sex without restraints; public schools promote humanism, and secular media promotes tolerance for every lifestyle people want to follow. How can a Christian kid ever hope to have a clean life? The challenge can seem impossible to some parents.
Today’s Bible lesson give us hope. Daniel became firmly grounded in the ways of the Lord through his family upbringing. That foundation enabled him to stand up for righteousness when all seemed hopeless. When Daniel was taken away to Babylon as a slave, he lost his family, his beloved homeland, and the political freedom to worship the God of Israel. Could Daniel continue serving God in a strange nation full of worthless idols? Could he stand up for what was right under extreme pressure? Daniel could -and did-by the grace of God. If Daniel could live a clean life under extreme pressure, your kids can live by the empowering work of the Holy Spirit.
Lesson Topic – Love Your Neighbor, READY, SET, GO! Missions Possible
Spoken Word –The second most important command is this: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.”- Mark 12:31
Parent Corner – Today’s Scripture verse is much easier to memorize than it is to obey. “The second most important command is this: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself’” (Mark 12:31). In fact, you should teach your children that this second commandment is impossible to keep until they obey the greatest commandment, “Love the Lord your God. Love him with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength” (Mark 12:30).
Challenge your kids to understand that through the love of God they can begin to love the “unlovable” people in their lives. He can help them to see other people the same way that Jesus sees them- through eyes of love.
That’s Good to Know – God can use hard times to help me grow.
Bible Lesson – Dreams and Nightmares, Genesis 37
Spoken Word –We know that God is always at work for the good of everyone who loves him. – Romans 8:28
Parent Corner – Cinderella is one of the most popular fairy tales of all, because it portrays a lowly girl who comes out on top at the end. Cinderella was beautiful but despised because of it. She was poor, hated and abused by her own family members who were jealous of her. Her life would have never changed had it not been for a fairy godmother who turned rags into evening gowns and pumpkins into carriages. In the Disney version, one of the songs states, “Impossible things are happening every day.”
That lyric is true and not just in fairy tales. Impossible things do happen in the lives of ordinary people who trust in the providence of God. The Bible says, “We know that God is always at work for the good of everyone who loves him. They are the ones God has chosen for his purpose” (Rom. 8:28).
Consider four key words from this verse:
Always- nothing that happens to a believer is outside of God’s control.
Everyone- this is true for every Christian.
Chosen- God chose us first, and He can keep us.
Purpose- He works through all things to accomplish His plan in His children’s lives.
Kids today hear plenty about luck, chance and good fortune but little about the providence of God. Far too many children think of life as a giant-sized Monopoly game in which they are the pawns. The roll of the dice determines whether they end up on ritzy Park Place or boring Baltic Avenue.
Today’s lesson can help your kids see that God has a distinct plan and purpose for their lives. Even if they are experiencing hard times right now, the Lord will turn those situations to their advantage if they trust Him. God can use hard time to help me grow.
