PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN KIDS & FAMILIES date
3.3
What’s ‘pray’ mean?
Inspire (for parents) We moved into our current house late last summer. Three doors down from us are fiveyear-old twins, a boy and a girl. If I hadn’t run into their mom on a walk one day, I never would’ve known they were twins. Nathan is small for his age, disheveled blond hair framing a cute baby face. Taller than average and significantly overweight, Jesse towers over her brother. They’re quite the pair. I’d see them on their scooters, barefoot and sweaty and crossing the street without looking both ways—misfits in our neighborhood of cookie-cutter houses and luxury cars. Hard not to notice. Easy to ignore.
know who Jesus is?” Jesse shook her head no. Holding the Bible in hand, I read some and storytold a lot. We started with Matthew 18. Jesus’ friends argued over who was the most important in God’s kingdom. This saddened Jesus. All that time with Him and they still didn’t get it. But then there were these kids. They weren’t on their best behavior and their hair was probably messed up. But they ran to Jesus. He picked them up and giggled with them and listened to their stories. He loved them. He wanted each one to be a part of His family. And they didn’t doubt it. Not for a moment. Just like Jesse!
Jesse and Nathan ate lunch with us last week. by Sharron Jackson I asked my daughter, Jalynn, to pray before diving into turkey sandwiches and baby carrots. “What’s ‘pray’ mean?” Jesse asked. The siblings looked up ; Luke 15:1–7 thew 18:10–14 odigal Son) Scripture: Mat at me, anxious for an explanation. They ins, and the Pr p, the Lost Co Part of had never even heard the word. e (The Lost Shee B eryone to od Wants Ev ain Point: G M Later that afternoon Jesse was His Family ur family to playing with Jalynn in her room. I ed to allow yo gn si de is ce your children This resour stood at the door in time to hear Jesse Word before ’s od G nts in e have tim plan is for pare ask, “What’s this book about?” She was Because God’s . ith, ch fa ur s n’ ch re nd ild atte of their ch holding up a children’s Bible. rs re rtu nu al tu re ur child n to be the spiri ow spiritually, yo gr u yo as at th Jalynn spouted a quick “Jesus” answer we know ally as well. and moved on to making her giggling will grow spiritu baby doll giggle. I stepped in. “Do you
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Equip (for parents) “Now the tax collectors and sinners’ were all gathering around to hear him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, ‘This man welcomes sinners and eats with them’” (Luke 15:1–2). To really understand the significance of Jesus’ message in the parables of the lost sheep, coin, and son, it is helpful to take a look at the social and religious climate of the time. The Jewish leaders looked disapprovingly on tax collectors, Gentiles, and “sinners” as morally and religiously impure. They did not seek to pursue relationship with these marginalized people, nor did they attempt to introduce them to God. They were lost. This was the identity given to them. The fact that Jesus welcomed such people into His circle and shared meals with them was unheard of and quite appalling to the Pharisees and teachers. God had chosen the descendants of Abraham to take the message of who He was to the entire world. It was to be through the example of their relationship with God that other nations would be able to know the one true God. Instead, over time this message was hoarded and kept within the Jewish community—excluding all who fell outside of the law. Jesus rebukes the judgmental mutterings of the Pharisees and teachers by telling three different parables with one central point: Jesus came to seek and save the lost—Jews and Gentiles alike. Every person who is not in relationship with God is lost. Every person who is lost matters to God and is worthy of His pursuit for the restoration of relationship with Him. God wants everyone to be part of His family.
REMEMBER versE
I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13 (NLT)
Support (for parents & kids) Just for fun, try playing a game of hideand-seek with your children before reading this part of The Big God Story. After you have played, sit down and read together the parable of the lost sheep in Matthew 18:12–14. What does the man do when one of his sheep wanders off? Why does the man care about the one lost sheep when he still has 99? Explain to your children that Jesus told this parable (story) to help us understand how much God loves each and every one of us. Everyone is important in God’s eyes. Talk together about how it feels to know that God is always watching over us. Remind your children that what they just heard is a part of The Big God Story in the Bible, and they’ll hear more about how God wants everyone to be part of His family in church this week. Close your time together by praying and thanking Jesus for being willing to seek us out when we are lost, and for loving us so much.
© 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.