ELEMENTARY KIDS & FAMILIES date
4.3
As a product of a Jewish father and Gentile mother, my children are a beautiful reminder to me that God opens up His story to include everyone. Inspire (for parents) My children are a reflection of God’s kingdom. They are a part of a history and legacy that spans three continents, five nations, and six languages. Through their veins runs the blood of their Asian, Latin, European, and Middle Eastern ancestors. As a product of a Jewish father and Gentile mother, my children are a beautiful reminder to me that God opens up His story to include everyone.
through the generations. She passed on her faith to my mother, who passed down her faith to me. It’s my greatest wish to pass on my faith to my children. God proclaims that all cultures, nations, and people are included in His story. I see His Spirit at work in my five-year-old son. My beautiful Russian-Jewish-Chilean-Korean boy. Someday, he and his sister will be Christ’s ambassadors to the world. And that is proof to me that God’s Spirit changes everything.
I take stock of our rich family backgrounds— Korean, Russian, Chilean, and I’m amazed at how God can take fragments of our identities by Jennifer Cho Salaff to build a colorful mosaic. When the Lord said He would “pour out [His] Spirit upon all people,” I feel like He is talking straight into my family. God wants nothing more than to commune with His people, His glorious creation. How Acts 1—2 24, Matthew 28, else could you explain a Korean Scripture: Luke e Holy Spirit) (Ascension and th Buddhist woman coming to faith Everything ’s Spirit Changes in Jesus (my grandmother)? Or a Main Point: God ur family to ned to allow yo Russian-Jewish-Chilean-American sig de is ce ur so This re your children rejecting agnosticism to profess his d’s Word before Go in e tim ve ha n is for parents Because God’s pla devotion to Christ (my husband)? attend church. children’s faith, l nurturers of their to be the spiritua , your children lly Through the power of the Holy u grow spiritua yo as at th ow we kn Spirit, my grandmother’s lifelly as well. will grow spiritua changing transformation echoes
Getting Started
Equip (for parents) Pentecost was the day when everything changed. On the day of Pentecost, God opened up His story to include everyone. By doing this, He showed us this was His plan all along! The day of Pentecost was the arrival of the new covenant. It was the beginning of the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant, in which God promised to bless everyone through Abraham’s seed. It sheds light on the Davidic covenant, in which God promised a king who would rule forever and be a blessing to the nations. This new covenant also brought a new heart, promised in Jeremiah 31:33: “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.” Because God put His Spirit inside of His people, the stipulations of the old Mosaic law were fulfilled. People no longer had to follow the law perfectly to be in relationship with God. Jesus provided grace and salvation, mending this relationship. The new covenant is also partial fulfillment of Joel 2:28, in which God promises to “pour out [His] Spirit on all people.” After His resurrection, Jesus gave His church the great commission to make “disciples of all nations.” Before His ascension, He also gave the gift of the Holy Spirit to empower us to fulfill that mission. This mission began on day one. On the day of Pentecost (also known as the Festival of First Fruits), over three thousand people came to faith in Christ. These new believers were the first fruits of all believers, forever. The Holy Spirit also empowered the disciples to teach the good news in many languages. This was God’s proclamation that all cultures, nations, and people were included in His story. On Pentecost, everything changed: God flung the doors to heaven wide open and poured out His Spirit on everyone who repented and believed.
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Support
(for parents & kids) Just for fun, this week look with your children for an item in the house that comes from another country. For example, a picture, a vase, a book, a piece of clothing, a packaged food item, or souvenir. Then read the biblical account of the Great Commission and Pentecost in Matthew 28:16–20 and Acts 2:1–11. After you have finished reading, explain that on the day God sent His Spirit, there were people from every nation and every language present. Today, there are lots of countries and languages in the world too, and Jesus wants people in every one of those places to hear about Him. What can you tell them about the item you found and the people it represents. Encourage your children to share what they know about other nations. Tell them what they just heard is a part of The Big God Story, and they will hear it again at church this week. Close your time in prayer for a nation and the people in it, then ask God to show each of you what part He wants you to play in helping to fulfill the Great Commission.
© 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.