ELEMENTARY KIDS & FAMILIES date
3.8
Can I write my name on the line?
Inspire (for parents) Recently I had the opportunity to tell The Big God Story to a small group of elementary children. We took out butcher paper and drew a makeshift timeline. As we read through the narrative, we added each name that played a significant role. Adam, Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Esther, and so on. When we got to the end of this most magnificent story, we left a blank space before adding “Jesus returns” to the end of our timeline.
and how much He loves us and how He came to restore and redeem us. And I am a part of the story too. Now as I share The Big God Story with my grandchildren, I pray my children will also hear it in a new way. by Debbie Guinn
One little girl asked, “What is that blank space for?” I responded, “That is for you and me, because we are part of The Big God Story too!” With great enthusiasm she jumped up, grabbed a crayon, and asked, “Can I write my name on the line?” “Of course,” I replied, and soon everyone in the class was adding his or her name. They were is—Revelation all so excited to be a part of this Scripture: Genes Big God Story amazing story. Main Point: The your family to signed to allow de is ce ur so re My children were grown before This your children d’s Word before Go in e tim ve I really understood that the Bible ha n is for parents Because God’s pla ren’s faith, attend church. is not a collection of stories about rers of their child rtu nu l ua irit sp e to be th lly, your children Bible heroes or a rule book that you grow spiritua as at th ow kn we tells us how to live our lives. It is lly as well. will grow spiritua one big story with God as the main character. It tells about Who He is
Getting Started
Equip (for parents) REM This year, we have heard how God entered into EMB “Do n a covenant with Noah, Abraham, Moses, and ER v othi n ers vain g ou David; and have seen how God built these E t of conc s e e othe covenants one upon the other in a process rs be it, but in lfish am bitio tt you hum of revealing His plan of redemption. Each n or shou er than i your lity con ld lo covenant was an important precursor to inte s s o ider res elve k no s. Ea t the next, which were precursors to the othe ts, but ch o also only to rs.” P f yo new covenant begun in the life, death, to th hilip pian e int ur own s 2:3 and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God eres –4 ts o f gave Jeremiah the words for the new covenant in 31:31–34: The time is coming … when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and … Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant … This is the covenant I will make with [them] … I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. God promised to protect Israel, but Israel abandoned the covenant through her disobedience. Therefore, the only way to heal this brokenness was through divine forgiveness. The new covenant fulfilled the Abrahamic and Davidic covenant when the Messiah Himself came to earth. The new covenant also fulfilled the covenant of Moses by replacing the laws of Moses with the law of love. Throughout The Big God Story, each covenant was God’s way of extending more and more grace to His people until He brought them the ultimate grace and redemption found in the life, death, and resurrection of His Son. Christ’s life, death, and resurrection was the way God chose to reconcile mankind to himself.
Support
(for parents & kids) Just for fun, this week, pull out a bunch of books and thumb through them with your children. Encourage each one in your family to select one or two of your favorite stories. Talk about why they are your favorites—is there a fun character or an exciting setting or an interesting story line? Then share about how the Bible tells the best story of all! Afterward, read the biblical account of Jesus rising from the dead in Luke 24:1–12 and discuss how Jesus died for their sins so they can be forgiven and have a relationship with God. Take time to pray together and thank God for giving each of you a part in His big story. When you’re finished, tell your children that what they just heard is a part of The Big God Story in the Bible, and that they’ll hear The Big God Story at church this week.
© 2011 David C. Cook. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church and a national network of family and children’s ministry leaders. All rights reserved.