SKYLAND
HIDDEN CIT Y
FAMILY ADVENTURE GUIDE LIFE LESSONS FROM THE PARABLES OF JESUS
AS YOU NAVIGATE THROUGH THIS ADVENTURE GUIDE, BE SURE TO LOOK FOR WAYS YOU CAN DISCOVER HOW TO:
BE A P.I.L.O.T. P I
PREPARED I WILL ALWAYS BE READY TO SERVE GOD
INVOLVED I WILL GIVE GOD MY BEST
L
LOVING
O
OPEN TO GOD
T
TEAM PLAYER
I WILL PUT GOD AND OTHERS FIRST
GOD’S WAYS ARE HIGHER THAN MY WAYS
GOD WORKS THROUGH US
SKYLAND
YOU ARE HERE FROZONE
THE BADLANDS
THE RAINFOREST
THE PLATEAUS METRO
OCEANA
THE UNDERGROUNDS
MEET TOM E. SQUIRREL As a young squirrel, Tom E. Squirrel loved to investigate the rivers and woods of his backyard, which led to his love for exploring and adventures. He’s your local Go Kids explorer who draws his strength and bravery from Jesus. The only thing that he loves more than a good adventure is spending time with Jesus. Tom E. is the head adventurer in the Go Kids Gang and spends most of his time journeying through Skyland in his many adventurous quests! From Hidden City, Outer Sphere, Mount Skylight and every spot in between, Tom E. is continually learning from God’s Word on how to grow closer and closer to Jesus. Join Tom E. Squirrel on his wild explorations through Hidden City as he learns about the many, incredible life lessons found in the parables of Jesus.
SKYLAND
HIDDEN CIT Y
LIFE LESSONS FROM THE PARABLES OF JESUS There’s just nothing like a really good story. Stories have the ability to take us on adventures and quests that teach us lessons and show us things we never knew. They can awaken curiosity in us and make us think in new ways. Jesus knew this during His time on earth. The disciples and followers that traveled and encountered Jesus had a lot of questions and a lot of things to learn about God and His Kingdom. It can be difficult to understand the ways of God and how He wants us to live, and Jesus came to show us the way. How did He do this? Many times, He used stories! Jesus talked to His followers and disciples by using parables. A parable is, in a nutshell, an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. Jesus would use normal, everyday objects or events to show us the deeper meaning of God, His Kingdom, and His great love for us. Sometimes the things of God can seem hidden or confusing to us, but God has promised to reveal His word when we ask! Through Hidden City, we are journeying on an epic exploration to discover the amazing life lessons that are found in the parables of Jesus.
GO VERSE THIS SCRIPTURE IS OUR THEME VERSE AS WE VENTURE THROUGH THE HIDDEN CITY! “Call to Me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” Jeremiah 33:3, ESV
WEEK ONE:
LOSE SOMETHING? GO ANSWER
I will be open to God because He loves me
THE PARABLES OF THE LOST SHEEP & LOST COIN (LUKE 15:1-10)
In Luke 15:1-10, we read about two parables (stories) that Jesus told His followers. These two parables teach us about God’s love for his children. People who are “lost” are those who have not committed their life to Christ – they are not part of the family of God. Family Discussion Questions Use these questions to spark family discussion time! • • • • •
What is a parable? What does it mean when something is lost? Have you ever lost something that was important to you? What happened? Why did Jesus tell His disciples and followers this parable? What did Jesus compare the lost sheep and lost coin to?
DISCOVER MORE These two parables tell us about how much God loves His children. Check out John 3:16 to read more about God’s great love for us!
WHAT’ S A PARABLE?
A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. Jesus used parables to teach His followers about God in ways that they could understand.
WORD FIND: Can you find these 10 words hidden in the puzzle below? LOST
CO IN
SKYLAND L N B L L H R W L S J N M Q D H B G P D
I K U T T H P I U E K D V N Y C I C A R
V K C E Z J X E Z R R Y S J R C V B R A
E J U P C H P T R E Y M L M S N K E A R
SHEEP
FOU ND
H Y L A G Q X S Y X C S H A T G V T B K
U L N V I J I A I O V N N Y N N V L L E
R W L F P Y R W W N H A U G H D Y S E C
A S V W R P T U Q A N M Z I F D R S A C
SEA RCH
C V G F P I K K J S O E N L O L O S T J
O Z G K G R Y E Q U G E V V B D O C F N
I X W N A X C F E Y X J V N J Q D T B O
N Z W I T M T S E A R C H C P X V V R I
PA RA BL E
LUKE
OPEN
PRAYER L F J Z I L L O G P S V U S B L U D C Y
N T O X K E U Z I S E H K Q B W C R C I
G F K S Y A X I R U G E E N Y S D Z I R
J L L Y F F T M K F I C R E F J E Q G N
L D J Y I O R Z Z Z F C A O P L V M I C
K G T Y I U Q H B A V I O F P W Z N O A
Z W S D R N U Z A S A U O L J E W A T H
D Z D L B D X D G J A D C M T Z N F B X
Oh! I th ink I found o ne wait... no
SOAP: S cripture | O bservation | A pplication | P rayer Grab your SOAP journal and follow along with this week’s Bible reading.
MON
TUE
WED
THUR
FRI
Acts 4:12
Psalm 62:1
Luke 19:10
Romans 1:16
Psalm 18:35-36
WEEK TWO:
A TALE OF TWO PRAYERS GO ANSWER
I will be open to God because His ways are higher
THE PARABLE OF THE PHARISEE & THE TAX COLLECTOR (LUKE 18:9-14)
In Luke 18:9-14, we read about the parable of two very different men who went to the Temple to pray. One (the Pharisee) went with a prideful spirit and boasted about how great he was. The other (the Tax Collector) went with a spirit of humble brokenness as He asked for forgiveness. Jesus told this story to His followers to help them understand how God wants us to come to Him in prayer.
Family Discussion Questions Use these questions to spark family discussion time! •
What does it mean to pray?
•
Why is prayer so important?
•
Why is it important not just to pray, but to pray in the right way?
•
Does God like a prideful spirit?
•
What does it mean to be humble?
THINK ABOUT IT: What type of spirit should I have when I come to God in prayer?
DOUBLE PUZZLE
First, unscramble each of the clue words. Next, copy the letters in the numbered boxes to boxes below with the same number to reveal the HIDDEN PHRASE. RALPEBA
12
SEUJS
Pebalra? Apelrab? Rapelab?
4
5
SEHREAPI
Help!
9
XAT 11
2
COTRCLOEL 6
LEKU 8
3
DSCEPSILI 7
'
G 1
2
W 3
Y 4
G 5
6
7
8
9
10
9
11
12
ANSWERS: PARABLE, JESUS, PHARISEE , TAX, COLLECTOR, LUKE, DISCIPLES
SOAP: S cripture | O bservation | A pplication | P rayer Grab your SOAP journal and follow along with this week’s Bible reading.
MON
TUE
WED
THUR
FRI
Acts 2:21
2 Peter 3:9
Isaiah 55:8-9
Psalm 25:4
Luke 18:9-14
WEEK THREE:
FOUR TYPES OF SOIL GO ANSWER
I will be open to God because He has saved me
THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER & THE SEED (LUKE 8:4-15)
Luke 8:4-15 tells about a farmer planting seed in his field. In this parable, the seed falls on four different types of soil which causes four different results. Jesus used this story to show what happens when God’s Word goes out to people... “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God’s word. The seeds that fell on the footpath represent those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from believing and being saved. The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation. The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity. And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.” (Luke 8:11-15)
ed ly ne paws. l a e I r my ash w o t
Family Discussion Questions Use these questions to spark family discussion time! •
Have you ever told someone about Jesus? What happened? How did they respond?
CAN YOU PICTURE IT? In each of the boxes below, draw a picture of the four outcomes that Jesus talks about in the parable of the farmer planting his seed.
Masterp
SOAP: S cripture | O bservation | A pplication | P rayer Grab your SOAP journal and follow along with this week’s Bible reading.
MON
TUE
WED
THUR
FRI
Psalm 55:16
2 Timothy 1:9
Matthew 13:1-23
James 4:7
John 3:16-17
iece!
WEEK FOUR:
LEFT OUT IN THE COLD GO ANSWER
I will be open to God because His word is true
THE PARABLE OF THE TEN BRIDESMAIDS (MATTHEW 25:1-13)
In Matthew 25:1-13, we read about a parable Jesus told of a great wedding feast. Due to poor planning, a few of the guests were left out in the cold and could not get in. They were caught unprepared and missed out on the celebration. Jesus compared this to those who are not part of God’s family and miss out on Heaven and eternal life with God.
Family Discussion Questions Use these questions to spark family discussion time! •
In the parable of the ten bridesmaids, how many of the bridesmaids were ready for the wedding?
•
What happened to the foolish bridesmaids’ lamps?
•
How can we be ready for Jesus when He comes back to the earth?
•
Are you ready for Jesus’ return?
THINK ABOUT IT: God’s Word, the Bible, says that no one knows the day or hour that Jesus will return. We have to be ready! What are you doing to help your family and friends get ready for Jesus’ return?
FILL IN THE BLANKS Can you fill in the missing words from memory? Call to
and I will
and will
you,
you
things that
and have not known.” 33:3
SKYLAND DISTRICT The three lands of Skyland are Hidden City, Outer Sphere and Mount Skylight
PARABLES + JESUS Jesus often used parables to teach us what the Kingdom of God is LIKE. Next week, we’ll discover what the Kingdom of God is WORTH.
SOAP: S cripture | O bservation | A pplication | P rayer Grab your SOAP journal and follow along with this week’s Bible reading.
MON
TUE
WED
THUR
FRI
Matthew 25:13
Matthew 24:30-31
Matthew 16:27
Matthew 24:40-44
John 14:1-3
WEEK FIVE:
TWO TYPES OF BUILDERS GO ANSWER
I will be open to God because His wisdom is greater
THE PARABLE OF THE WISE AND FOOLISH BUILDERS (MATTHEW 7:24-29)
Matthew 7:24-29 is a well-known parable of Jesus. There are even a few songs written about it! This parable is all about the foundation of a house and it causes us to look at how we are building our life. Read about it in your Bible and then answer the questions below.
Family Discussion Questions Use these questions to spark family discussion time! • • • • • • •
What did the wise man build his house upon? What did the foolish man build his house upon? In our lives, who is the rock? What happens when we build our life on the rock, Jesus? What happens when we build our life upon the sand? What is wisdom? What are some things that we can do to gain wisdom from God?
THINK ABOUT IT: When Jesus taught this parable and life lesson to His disciples and followers, many people were amazed. They understood that Jesus was right and that they needed to believe and trust in Him. What about you? Are you building your life on the rock of Jesus?
UNSCRAMBLE
Can you unscramble each of the words below? BLAEPRA
IBDUELR
CDSIIPESL
WEISE
OOLLRSWEF
HFILOSO
NOITADNUOF
MDIWOS
KRCO
NEPO
NSDA ANSWERS: PARABLES, DISCIPLES, FOLLOWERS, FOUNDATION, ROCK, SAND BUILDER, WISE, FOOLISH, WISDOM, OPEN
TOM E. SQUIRREL
Tom E. is the leader of the Go Kids Gang. Do you know who Tom E.’s best friend is? Hint: He has a red tail!
SOAP: S cripture | O bservation | A pplication | P rayer Grab your SOAP journal and follow along with this week’s Bible reading.
MON
TUE
WED
THUR
FRI
Proverbs 1:7
Proverbs 4:6-7
James 1:5
Proverbs 3:13
Proverbs 3:7
WEEK SIX:
HIDDEN TREASURE GO ANSWER
I will be open to God because His rewards are eternal
THE PARABLES OF THE HIDDEN TREASURE AND THE PEARL (MATTHEW 13:44-46)
In Matthew 13:44-46 Jesus explains to His disciples and followers what the Kingdom of Heaven is worth. The Kingdom of God is worth far more than anything else, so Jesus uses great treasure and wealth to show how much greater His Kingdom is. God’s rewards for us are eternal – there is nothing greater!
FAMILY SCAVENGER HUNT!
Take turns hiding different items around the house and give each other clues to use on the hunt. How clever can you be with your hiding spot and treasure clues?!
CAN YOU PICTURE ITth?
chest wi Fill your treasure as you can! es as many treasur
THINK ABOUT IT: What are the differences between earthly treasure and heavenly treasure?
STRAIGHT FROM GOD’ S WORD! “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” Luke 12:34
CAN YOU SPOT THE DIFFERENCES? See if you can discover all 10 differences between the two Tom E. Squirrels!
details! It’s all in the
SOAP: S cripture | O bservation | A pplication | P rayer Grab your SOAP journal and follow along with this week’s Bible reading.
MON
TUE
WED
THUR
FRI
Matthew 6:20
Luke 12:34
Matthew 6:19-21
Matthew 13:44-46
Matthew 19:21-22
WEEK SEVEN:
THE TALENTED SERVANTS GO ANSWER
I will be open to God because He has a plan just for me
THE PARABLE OF THE SERVANTS & THE TALENTS (MATTHEW 25:14-30)
The parable in Matthew 25:14-30 is all about God’s plans for us and what He has entrusted to us. Sometimes we may look at the talents that God has given to others and think that God hasn’t given us very much talent. We might even be tempted to hide our talent, but when we use our God-given talent to be all that God intended for us to be, we can do incredible things!
Family Discussion Questions Use these questions to spark family discussion time! •
How many servants were in the story?
•
Where did the master go?
•
What did the master give to each servant?
•
What do you think you would have done if you were in the same situation as the servants?
THINK ABOUT IT: What are you doing with the gifts and talents that God has given you?
Kingdom! It better be for building God’s
FILL IT IN: Can you complete this week’s Go Answer? “I
be
to God because
has a
T: DRAW IT OU
just for
.”
God has given each of us talents and abilities. Draw a picture of a few of the talents God has given you!
SOAP: S cripture | O bservation | A pplication | P rayer Grab your SOAP journal and follow along with this week’s Bible reading.
MON
TUE
WED
THUR
FRI
1 Peter 4:10
John 15:4
2 Corinthians 9:8
Psalm 139:13-14
Luke 6:38
HIDDEN CITY REVIEW Each week, we’ve discovered a new, amazing reason for us to be OPEN TO GOD. See if you can match each Go Answer correctly by drawing a line connecting each phrase.
HE LOVES
IS TRUE
HIS WAYS
IS GREATER
HE HAS
ARE HIGHER
HIS WORD
ARE ETERNAL
HIS WISDOM
ME
HIS REWARDS
JUST FOR ME
HE HAS A PLAN
SAVED ME
We are jammin’ out each weekend of HIDDEN CITY with brand new Go Kids Music!
You’re here with me You’re listening I know that
n inside To all my dreams deep dow supposed to be You’re teaching me who I’m come to life The hidden things have now O-P-E-N
for me You know what’s in store And I will be O-P-E-N Jesus, You’re all I need
follow And where You go we will are with me In the unknown, You O-P-E-N
e for me! Open, to all that You hav
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