The Gospel Project
This week’s lesson in StoneWater Kids.
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Peter Escaped from Prison
/in The Gospel Project /by Janelle BeatySunday, April 11, 2021
Peter had witnessed the pouring out of the Holy Spirit on Gentile believers. God made it clear: the gospel is for all because Jesus is Lord of all. Peter returned to Jerusalem and told the believers there what had happened. At this time, other believers who had scattered amid persecution were preaching the gospel. By God’s grace, people believed and the church grew.
Before long, King Herod Agrippa attacked the believers. He arrested Peter and killed James, the brother of John. Herod put Peter in prison and planned to kill him too.
While Peter was in prison, the other believers prayed earnestly for him. God answered their prayers. Guided by an angel late one night, Peter walked right out of the prison. He escaped to the house of Mary and told the believers gathered there what God had done. Then Peter left Jerusalem for a while because his life was in danger.
Consider emphasizing one or more of the following points as you talk about this Bible story. First, prayer is powerful. God answered the people’s prayers for Peter. When we pray, God hears us, and we can trust that He is good and will act according to His will. Prayer shouldn’t be a last resort for people who feel powerless about their circumstances. Prayer is powerful; we can call on the Lord of the universe at any time!
Second, God is in control. God had a plan for Peter and the church. Herod couldn’t stop God’s plan. God rescued Peter from his enemies. Even when our own plans fall apart, God is in control.
Finally, following Jesus is risky—but worth it. Peter knew he would face death because He believed in Jesus. Many believers were killed because of their faith. But Peter didn’t hide or give up. He kept going so he could share the good news of the gospel. Jesus is worth living—and dying—for.
God answered the people’s prayers for Peter. God had a plan for Peter and the church, and He rescued Peter from his enemies. Peter knew he would face death because He believed in Jesus, but he kept going so he could share the good news of the gospel.
Check this session’s Activity Page and Big Picture Card as well as the Gospel Project for Kids Family App for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
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Easter
/in The Gospel Project /by Janelle BeatySunday, April 4, 2021
Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection are essential to the Christian faith. If we teach Jesus as a respected teacher and miracle-worker who claimed to be the Messiah and who was crucified on the cross—but who was not resurrected—then we are teaching the Jesus of Judaism. If we teach Jesus as a wise teacher and prophet who ascended into heaven—but who was not crucified—then we are teaching the Jesus of Islam.
Jesus came to earth to save us from our sins. (Matt. 1:21) He died to show God’s love to us (Rom. 5:7-8) so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) Jesus died so that we would be forgiven. (Eph. 1:7) Jesus died to bring us to God. (1 Pet. 3:18)
The time between Friday afternoon and Sunday morning must have been dark hours for Jesus’ disciples. Fear, doubt, and confusion certainly overwhelmed their thoughts. Jesus, their Lord, was dead. He had been unjustly arrested, falsely accused, and severely beaten. Even worse, He had been killed in a horrible manner: by crucifixion.
The story doesn’t end there. Jesus’ body was laid in a tomb. The tomb was sealed and guards watched over it. The Jews remembered Jesus’ claim that He would rise from the dead (John 2:19-21), and they made sure no one could steal His body and insist He had risen. Imagine their surprise when Jesus did rise from the dead!
Jesus’ resurrection gives us joy and hope for our own resurrection. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead will raise our bodies to life. (Rom. 8:11)
As you share this Bible story, emphasize the gospel: the good news of who Jesus is and what He has done. We do not worship a dead Savior. Jesus is alive! Sadness turns to joy. There is hope for sinners.
Jesus’ death and resurrection is the center of the gospel. Jesus died to pay for our sins. Jesus is alive! God gives hope and true joy to everyone who trusts in Jesus.
Check this session’s Activity Page for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
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The Hall of Faith
/in The Gospel Project /by Janelle BeatySunday, March 28, 2021
It is common to think of faith as something that is just within us—trust and confidence in God. While that is surely part of it, faith doesn’t stop there. Faith starts inside of us and always leads to action.
The writer of the Book of Hebrews wanted to explain the fullness of faith to the early Jewish Christians. One of the best ways he could do this was to walk through examples of how men and women in the Old Testament had proven to be faithful. The result is Hebrews 11, often known as the Hall of Faith.
Abel had faith when he gave an offering to God, and God accepted his offering. Noah had faith. He believed God when God told him to build an ark to rescue his family.
Abraham had faith when God called him to leave his home. Abraham’s wife Sarah had faith when she trusted God to give her a family even though she was too old to have children. Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses had faith too. Rahab had faith when she hid the Israelite spies in Jericho.
All of these people trusted God, and so did many others. Having faith was not easy. Many suffered, and they died before God’s greatest promise—the arrival of Jesus—came true, but they believed that God had a wonderful plan. God was pleased with them because they trusted Him.
This week, share the examples of these heroes of faith to help your kids understand faith in action. We can and should learn from these examples; that is why God gave them to us in Hebrews 11. However, emphasize that every person in this list was a sinner in need of salvation. Each of these heroes needed a greater hero. Point your kids to Jesus, the perfect hero who rescues us from sin.
God kept His promise to send the Messiah—His own Son, Jesus—to rescue people from sin. Jesus is the true hero of the Bible. He gives us faith. We can look to Him because in Him, all of God’s promises will come true.
Check this session’s Activity Page for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
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Jesus is Better
/in The Gospel Project /by Janelle BeatySunday, March 21, 2021
Hebrews was a letter written to encourage believers to not only stand strong in their faith, but also to grow in their faith. More than anything else, though, the writer of Hebrews preached the superiority of Jesus: Jesus was present at the creation of the world. He is the heir of all things and God spoke to the people through Him.
Because the writer of Hebrews was writing to a mostly Jewish audience, he used the history and heroes of the Old Testament to show how Jesus fulfilled all of God’s promises to send a Messiah to save His people. As you introduce your kids to the Book of Hebrews, concentrate on a major theme found in chapters 1–8: Jesus is better.
Jesus is better than angels. He is the Son of God. He is better than Moses and the Mosaic covenant. Jesus completely fulfilled the covenant of the Old Testament; that made Jesus’ new covenant far better. Jesus is better than the tabernacle and the priests.
Because of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, the people no longer needed priests to speak to God for them or to offer sacrifices to take away their sins. These Old Testament figures, laws, and traditions pointed forward to someone better: Jesus.
Emphasize to your kids that Jesus is better than anyone and anything. He is the better Prophet, the better Priest, and the better King. Everyone who trusts in Jesus has salvation from sin through His perfect life, death, and resurrection. As the church, Jesus calls us to share the gospel with the world. Jesus is the superior solution to the problem of sin. He is all that is needed for salvation.
Check this session’s Activity Page and Big Picture Card as well as the Gospel Project for Kids Family App for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
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Peter and Cornelius
/in The Gospel Project /by Janelle BeatySunday, March 7, 2021
In the face of persecution, the early church saw growth as believers dispersed following Stephen’s death. (See Acts 7.) As they went, they carried the good news with them. Jesus’ disciples had cared for the church from Jerusalem, but God began to call them out as missionaries too.
In Acts 8, Philip went to Samaria and Judea. The Holy Spirit led him to share the good news with an Ethiopian official. Paul encountered Jesus in Acts 9 and began spreading the gospel. Peter performed miracles and people believed in Jesus. In Acts 10, God made it clear to Peter that the gospel was not only for the Jews but also for Gentiles. Peter gave testimony about the salvation of Gentiles to Jewish leaders in Jerusalem who thought people needed to follow Jewish law to be saved.
As the message about Jesus went out, churches were started. One of these churches was in Antioch, which was the capital of Syria. When the church at Antioch began, it was made up only of Jewish Christians. But, as Acts 11:20 reveals, some Christians from Cyprus and Cyrene went to Antioch and began sharing the gospel with Greeks (Gentiles). Many Gentiles believed.
When the church in Jerusalem heard about this, what was their response? They sent Barnabas to Antioch to encourage the believers there! Then even more people believed in Jesus. The Bible tells us that Antioch was the place where believers were first called “Christians.”
As you talk this week, emphasize the story point: Barnabas went to Antioch to encourage believers. Even though some people tried to stop it, the gospel spread throughout the earth—not only to Jews but also to Gentiles. The good news about Jesus is for everyone. God calls us to celebrate when others believe and help them know and love Jesus more.
Check this session’s Activity Page for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
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Guarding the Truth
/in The Gospel Project /by Janelle BeatySunday, February 28, 2021
In New Testament times, Corinth was an important city in ancient Greece. About eighteen years after Jesus’ death on the cross, Paul preached the gospel to the Corinthians and established the church there. (See Acts 18.) He stayed in Corinth for at least 18 months.
In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul wrote to help believers solve some problems within the church. In his second letter, written just a few weeks later, Paul wrote to encourage the church and to assure them that God loved them—even when they had troubles. Of all Paul’s letters in the New Testament, none reveals his heart as much as 2 Corinthians. In it, Paul showed his passion for Christ as he fiercely defended his ministry against false teachings.
Paul wrote of the dangers he faced as a disciple of Christ—stonings, beatings, imprisonment, hunger, and hardship. But he also wrote of the comfort and the strength to endure that Jesus gives to those who trust in Him. Nothing could keep Paul from sharing the good news of Jesus—a lesson for the believers at Corinth and for all believers everywhere.
As you talk about 2 Corinthians 11, emphasize that God gives us power to stand up for the gospel. Paul cared about the believers in Corinth, and he wanted them to be faithful to Jesus and remember the gospel. Paul may not have been an eloquent speaker like those who preached lies, but he refused to back down. Paul suffered and nearly died to share the gospel.
Second Corinthians teaches us that sharing Jesus with the world is not always easy. There will always be some who try to stop the good news from spreading. God calls believers to follow and obey Jesus no matter what. Like Paul, we guard the truth because God, the Father of the Lord Jesus, deserves to be praised.
Check this session’s Activity Page for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
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Paul Met Jesus
/in The Gospel Project /by Janelle BeatySunday, February 14, 2021
Saul was no stranger to religion. He grew up in a religious household. He was a devout Jew who was born in Tarsus (Phil. 3:5) and inherited his Roman citizenship from his father. So when people began talking about this man named Jesus and claiming that He was the promised Messiah, Saul was defensive.
Saul believed strongly in the Jewish faith of his ancestors. He violently persecuted God’s church and tried to destroy it. (Gal. 1:13-14) He dragged believers from their houses and put them in prison. He approved of the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Saul thought he was doing the right thing by defending Judaism, but God’s purposes could not be stopped. As Saul was on his way to arrest believers in Damascus, the Lord stopped him in his tracks.
Jesus revealed Himself to Saul, and Saul was never the same. He was struck blind and led into Damascus, where a believer named Ananias placed his hands on Saul. Suddenly, Saul could see again. Saul was convinced that Jesus is Lord. Saul later described the experience as being like dying and receiving a new life. (Gal. 2:20; 2 Cor. 5:17)
God had a purpose and a plan for Saul. He had set Saul apart before Saul was even born. (Gal. 1:15) God said, “This man is my chosen instrument to take my name to Gentiles, kings, and Israelites” (Acts 9:15).
Jesus changed Saul’s life. As you share with your teach, clarify that conversion happens when a person recognizes his sin, repents, believes in Jesus, and confesses Jesus as Savior and Lord. Jesus changes a person’s heart, and as a result, his life is changed too.
Jesus appeared to Paul and changed him inside and out. Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. (1 Timothy 1:15) Jesus called Paul, who was once an enemy to Christians, to spend the rest of his life telling people the gospel and leading them to trust in Jesus.
Check this session’s Activity Page and Big Picture Card as well as the Gospel Project for Kids Family App for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
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Philip and the Ethiopian
/in The Gospel Project /by Janelle BeatySunday, February 7, 2021
The believers in the early church faced intense persecution. After Stephen was killed, Jesus’ followers at the church in Jerusalem scattered; however, they did not stop talking about Jesus. They continued to share the good news. One man, Philip, took the gospel to Samaria. The crowds there listened and believed, and they had great joy.
In today’s Bible story, Philip was instructed by an angel of the Lord to go to a certain road in the desert. Philip obeyed. The Spirit led Philip to a chariot, where an Ethiopian official was reading the Scriptures from the prophet Isaiah. The Ethiopian man did not understand what he was reading, so Philip explained it to him.
The man was reading from the prophet Isaiah: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter … In his humiliation justice was denied him … For his life is taken from the earth” (Acts 8:32-33). The official wondered if Isaiah was speaking about himself or another person. Philip told the official that Isaiah’s words weren’t about Isaiah; they were about the Messiah—Jesus! The official believed in Jesus and was baptized.
Guide your kids to consider the role of the Holy Spirit in this interaction between Philip and the Ethiopian official. Who was responsible for Philip’s going to the desert? Who helped Philip explain the Scriptures? Who changed the heart of the official so he would believe?
The Ethiopian official knew what the Old Testament prophets said, but he did not understand that they spoke about Jesus. The Holy Spirit led Philip to help the official understand the good news about Jesus: Jesus died on the cross for our sins and was raised from the dead, just like the Old Testament prophets said.
After his interaction with the Ethiopian official, Philip continued sharing the gospel in all the towns on his way to the town of Caesarea.
In our mission of making disciples, believers must be willing instruments to be used in the hands of the Lord. Philip didn’t go into the desert today with a strategy for converting another man; the Holy Spirit led Philip, and he obeyed. As believers, we can be open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and willing to follow His lead. He will go with us.
Check this session’s Activity Page and Big Picture Card as well as the Gospel Project for Kids Family App for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
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Doers of the Word
/in The Gospel Project /by Janelle BeatySunday, January 31, 2021
The early church was made up mostly of Jewish believers who had grown up believing they needed to fully obey God to be accepted. Grace was a new concept for them, and many struggled with understanding how grace and obedience fit together. Some made the mistake of thinking that once they had acceptance in Jesus, obedience didn’t matter after all.
This greatly concerned James—Jesus’ half-brother and a leader in the church at Jerusalem— so he wrote a letter to the Jewish Christians scattered throughout the Roman Empire. James wanted these Christians to understand that grace and obedience do not work against each other; they work with each other.
James wrote, “Be doers of the word. If you hear the word but don’t do it, you fool yourselves. Anyone who is a hearer but not a doer is like someone who looks at himself in a mirror, goes away and forgets right away what he looked like.”
James wanted Christians to realize that true faith in Jesus—a faith that comes by grace—will always lead to action. True faith is an active faith.
James gave an example: When we look into a mirror and see something is not right—our hair is out of place or food is stuck in our teeth—we don’t just walk away; we fix it. The gospel is like that mirror. It shows us what is true about ourselves, and when we see we are not living out our true identity, we should want to address it.
Help your kids understand that true faith in Jesus always leads to living differently. When we trust in Jesus, God changes our hearts so that we will want to live a life pleasing to Him. We aren’t accepted by God because of our obedience; we obey God out of gratitude because we are accepted by Him through Jesus.
Jesus said, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word” (John 14:23). James reminded believers to be doers of the word. Jesus rescues us from sin and frees us to live a life that honors God. By doing what is good and right, people who trust Jesus can show that they really believe in Him.
Check this session’s Activity Page and Big Picture Card as well as the Gospel Project for Kids Family App for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
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The Good News
/in The Gospel Project /by Janelle BeatySunday, January 24, 2021
After Jesus returned to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to the apostles, the gospel began to spread. Those who heard the good news at Pentecost included visitors from Rome, and they were likely among the three thousand who believed. (See Acts 2:10,41.) When Paul wrote his letter to the Romans in AD 57, he had never been to Rome. But by that time, Roman believers were meeting in house churches.
Paul wrote his letter in part to explain the essentials of the Christian faith and what it means to live for Jesus. Paul’s words are helpful to Christians today. As you guide your kids through Romans 5–6, help them grasp the good news of the gospel. This is the message for which Jesus’ followers gave their lives. This good news changes everything.
First, help your kids understand the benefits of believing in Jesus. To appreciate the good news, kids need to understand the bad news: Apart from Jesus, we are dead in our sin—separated from God. We need to be rescued. God sent Jesus into the world to rescue sinners. When we trust in His death and resurrection, we are made right with God and are saved from sin and death.
Next, compare and contrast the first Adam with Jesus—”the second Adam.” Adam represented all people, but he sinned. Sin brought death into the world, and death spread to all people because all people sinned. Jesus came to bring us life. He obeyed God perfectly. All who trust in Him are forgiven and have eternal life.
Finally, introduce how believers deal with sin in view of God’s grace. Since our sin is forgiven, should we keep on sinning? Paul was emphatic that the answer is no. When we are in Christ, we are no longer slaves to sin. Sin will still be a struggle in our fallen world, but we have power through the Holy Spirit to resist sin and live a life that honors God.
Because God created everything, He is in charge of everything. Everyone sins, or disobeys God. Our sin separates us from God. The good news of the gospel is that God sent His Son, Jesus, to take the punishment we deserve. Everyone who trusts in Jesus will be saved.
Check this session’s Activity Page and Big Picture Card as well as the Gospel Project for Kids Family App for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
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Stephen’s Sermon
/in The Gospel Project /by Janelle BeatySunday, January 17, 2021
Stephen was one of the seven men chosen to serve as leaders in the early church at Jerusalem. (See Acts 6:1-7.) God blessed Stephen and gave him power to do wonders and miracles like some of the apostles.
Some of the Jews accused Stephen of blasphemy and dragged him to the Sanhedrin, a group of Jewish leaders who acted as a legal council. Stephen addressed the group. He drew from the Jewish history, which the leaders of the Sanhedrin would have known well. But Stephen taught from the Old Testament things the Jewish leaders had likely never realized.
As Stephen preached, he showed how the Old Testament pointed to a coming Savior and how that Savior was Jesus. Stephen pointed out that the Jews’ ancestors had rejected God’s prophets. And they were just like their fathers; they rejected the Messiah, the Lord Jesus. Not only did they reject Jesus, they killed Him!
The Jewish leaders rushed at Stephen. As he faced his enemies, Stephen looked into heaven and saw God’s glory. Jesus was standing at God’s right hand. The Jews forced Stephen out of the city, and they stoned him.
Remind your kids of Jesus’ words in Matthew 10:22: “You will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” Following Jesus will include difficulty and suffering. Jesus gives words of both warning and comfort: “Don’t be afraid” (Matt. 10:26).
Stephen was killed because he was a Christian. Jesus told His followers that they would be persecuted—hated, hurt, or even killed—for loving Him. Jesus also said that those who suffer for Him would be blessed. We can face suffering in this life because Jesus suffered first. He died and then rose again, and He is waiting for us in heaven.
Check this session’s Activity Page for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
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Living Like Jesus
/in The Gospel Project /by Janelle BeatySunday, January 3, 2021
Paul warned against false teachers. In the opening chapter of his letter, Paul’s exhortation to live like Jesus gives believers a measure for making sure they are following the truth. The best defense against false teachers is a dedication to a knowledge of the truth. As you prepare to teach from 2 Peter 1, consider these two questions: How do we live like Jesus? Why do we live like Jesus?
First, God’s people live like Jesus through the power of Jesus (2 Pet. 1:3-4) and through personal application (2 Pet. 1:5-7). Not only is the Christian life marked by faith in Christ, it is characterized by goodness, knowledge, self-control, endurance, godliness, brotherly affection, and love. These come from knowing Jesus, who calls us to Himself.
Second, God’s people live like Jesus to confirm their calling. (2 Pet. 1:8-11) If we claim to have faith but do not live like Jesus, we have forgotten what Jesus has done for us. Because God has credited to us Jesus’ righteousness, we strive to live in loving obedience to Him to show those around us that Jesus has truly changed our lives.
Soon after writing this letter, Peter was killed in Rome as Jesus had predicted. (John 21:18-19) Help your kids grasp that Jesus lived a perfect life and died the death we deserve for our sin. When we trust in Jesus, God forgives our sins and changes our hearts. Jesus calls and empowers His followers to live like Him.
Check this session’s Activity Page for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
FAMILY STARTING POINTS
● Babies and Toddlers
○ Peter wrote a letter to people who loved Jesus.
○ Peter told believers to remember what Jesus did for them.
○ Jesus helps His followers live like Him.
○ We live like Jesus because He died for us.
○ The Holy Spirit helps us.
● Preschool
○ Peter encouraged believers to live like Jesus.
○ WHow does the Holy Spirit help Christians? The Holy Spirit comforts us, shows us our sin, and guides us as we live for God’s glory.
● Kids
○ Peter instructed believers to live like Jesus.
○ How does the Holy Spirit help Christians? The Holy Spirit comforts us, shows us our sin, and guides us as we live for God’s glory.
UNIT KEY PASSAGE
● 2 Peter 1:3
NEXT WEEK
● “Ananias and Sapphira” (Acts 4–5)
Jesus Was Born
/in The Gospel Project /by Janelle BeatySunday, December 20, 2020
God’s plan all along was to send His Son into the world to save sinners. At just the right time, God the Son “emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity” (Phil. 2:7). The birth of Jesus was a miracle.
The Gospels of Matthew and Luke begin by giving details of the Messiah’s birth: Mary became pregnant by the Holy Spirit and gave birth to a son. The baby was God’s Son, and He had an earthly father—Joseph. As the angel had instructed, Joseph named the baby Jesus.
The apostle John began his Gospel in a different way. John 1:1 parallels the words of Genesis 1: “In the beginning … ” In the beginning, God spoke creation into existence. Everything was created through God the Son. (Col. 1:16) John names Jesus as “the Word.” (John 1:3)
John 1 provides a bigger picture to accompany the story found in Luke 2:1-20. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). As you talk with your kids about Jesus’ birth, help them realize why Jesus came. Jesus did not enter an already good world that simply needed some guidance and improvement. He came into a dark world cursed by sin to a people who were spiritually dead.
The birth of Jesus was good news! Jesus was no ordinary baby. He was God’s Son, sent to earth from heaven. Jesus came into the world as a human to bring us life. He brought light into darkness and showed us what God is like.
Invite your kids to celebrate the birth of Jesus, which brought joy and peace to a desperate and chaotic world. Pray that God would prepare the hearts of your kids to hear and believe the truths about Jesus and welcome Him into their lives and Lord and Savior.
Check this session’s Activity Page and Big Picture Card as well as the Gospel Project for Kids Family App for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
Peter Healed a Man
/in The Gospel Project /by Janelle BeatySunday, December 13, 2020
The Holy Spirit Came
/in The Gospel Project /by Janelle BeatySunday, December 6, 2020
Before Jesus ascended to heaven, He instructed the disciples to go to Jerusalem and wait. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would come upon them. So the disciples went back to Jerusalem, where they waited and prayed for 40 days.
The time came for the Jewish festival called Pentecost, or the Feast of Weeks. As with the Passover festival, Jews from all over the Roman Empire would be at the temple in Jerusalem.
During this festival, the Holy Spirit came to the disciples in Jerusalem. They heard a sound like a violent, rushing wind. When the Holy Spirit filled Jesus’ followers, they were able to speak in foreign languages. They went out into the city and began to preach, and the Jews from all over the world were amazed. These men were from Galilee, but they were speaking in languages the visitors could understand.
Some of those who heard this thought the disciples were drunk. But Peter explained that God had kept His promise to send the Holy Spirit. He reminded them of the prophet Joel’s words: “I will pour out my Spirit on all humanity” (Joel 2:28).
The disciples told about God’s plan. The Holy Spirit convicted the crowd and they asked, “Brothers, what must we do?” Peter told them to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus. That day, three thousand people received salvation!
God kept His promise to send the Holy Spirit. With the Holy Spirit’s help, Jesus’ disciples could begin their work to share the gospel with the entire world. God gives the Holy Spirit to everyone who trusts in Jesus as Lord and Savior.
As you talk with your kids, emphasize that the Holy Spirit gives us power to do God’s work, and He changes us to be more like Jesus.
Check this session’s Activity Page and Big Picture Card as well as the Gospel Project for Kids Family App for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
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Jesus Appeared to the Disciples
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, November 22, 2020
The disciples were devastated that Jesus had died. They believed that Jesus was the Messiah, but they had abandoned Him and Jesus was killed. How could He save anyone if He was dead? But now some people were reporting that Jesus was alive! Was it true?
The disciples were talking about these things when Jesus stood among them. “Peace to you!” He said. Imagine how Jesus’ words might have calmed the disciples’ anxious hearts. Their Lord, whom they had deserted, didn’t show up to scold them for their failures or shame them for their lack of faith. He spoke peace to them.
Thomas, who was not with the disciples when Jesus came, had a hard time believing. Thomas wanted physical proof. A week later, Jesus showed Thomas His hands and His side. Thomas immediately believed, and Jesus said, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe” (John 20:29).
With His resurrection, Jesus’ mission was accomplished, but the disciples’ work was just beginning. Jesus gave His followers a job to do: “As the Father has sent me, I also send you” (John 20:21). This verse contains the Gospel of John’s version of the Great Commission.
Jesus, the One sent from the Father, sent the disciples to be His messengers and representatives. Jesus equipped the disciples with the Holy Spirit to proclaim the gospel—the good news of what Jesus has done—to the world.
Emphasize to your kids that for 40 days, Jesus presented Himself to more than 500 people and proved that He is alive. Jesus is still alive today. We have not seen Jesus, but if we believe in Him, we will be blessed. He sends out believers to tell others about Him and gives us power through the Holy Spirit.
Check this session’s Activity Page for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
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UNIT KEY PASSAGE
NEXT WEEK
The Emmaus Disciples
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, November 15, 2020
Jesus’ death and resurrection should not have surprised the disciples. Sometimes Jesus spoke metaphorically about His death and resurrection. (See Matt. 12:39; Mark 14:58; John 2:19; 3:14-15.) Other times, Jesus plainly told the disciples that He would be betrayed, crucified, buried, and resurrected on the third day. (Matt. 17:12; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22) In fact, Jesus had spoken so frequently of His death and resurrection, the chief priests and Pharisees asked Pilate to place guards at the tomb in case the disciples stole Jesus’ body. (See Matt. 27:62-66.)
On resurrection morning, the angel at Jesus’ tomb asked the women, “Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:5). Even when Peter and John ran to the empty tomb to see it for themselves, Peter was amazed but uncertain (Luke 24:12), while John believed (John 20:8).
That same day, two disciples were walking to Emmaus, arguing about recent events. Jesus began walking next to them, but God prevented them from recognizing Jesus. (Luke 24:16) Jesus simply asked them what they were arguing about. They stopped walking. How could He not have heard about what happened over the last three days?
The two disciples had hoped Jesus was the Redeemer of Israel. Their hopes were crushed when Jesus died. Now Jesus explained to them why the Messiah had to die, starting with Moses and the Prophets. Jesus showed how the Scriptures point to Him. (Luke 24:27; John 5:39)
Remind kids that the Bible is not a collection of unrelated stories. The whole Bible is about Jesus. When Adam and Eve sinned, God began working out His plan to send Jesus to rescue people from sin. All of the Old Testament points forward to Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection—the time when Jesus would bring God’s promised salvation for sinners.
Check this session’s Activity Page for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
FAMILY STARTING POINTS
UNIT KEY PASSAGE
NEXT WEEK
Jesus’ Resurrection
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, November 8, 2020
The time between Friday afternoon and Sunday morning must have been dark hours for Jesus’ disciples. Fear, doubt, and confusion certainly overwhelmed their thoughts. Jesus, their Lord, was dead. He had been unjustly arrested, falsely accused, and severely beaten. Even worse, He had been killed in a horrible manner: by crucifixion.
The story doesn’t end there. Jesus’ body was laid in a tomb. The tomb was sealed and guards watched over it. The Jews remembered Jesus’ claim that He would rise from the dead (John 2:19-21), and they made sure no one could steal His body and insist He had risen. Imagine their surprise when Jesus did rise from the dead!
John and Peter saw the empty tomb. Jesus appeared to Mary. The disciples believed Jesus had risen from the dead. Even though the guards at the tomb were bribed to lie about what happened (they said the disciples stole Jesus’ body), the truth spread. The disciples wouldn’t have dedicated their lives and died for something they knew was a lie.
If Christ had remained dead, His death would have meant nothing more than yours or mine. Humanity would still be dead in sin. But God gives us victory over sin and death through His Son, Jesus. The resurrection gives us hope that we too will one day be raised and changed. (See Rom. 6:5; 8:11.)
Paul addressed in 1 Corinthians 15:17 just how essential Jesus’ resurrection is to the gospel: “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.” The resurrection is proof that God was satisfied with Jesus’ sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins and that God’s new covenant had begun.
Emphasize to your kids that Jesus is alive! Jesus died on the cross for our sins, but He didn’t stay dead. God was pleased with Jesus’ sacrifice and raised Jesus from the dead to reign as King over all creation. Jesus provides salvation from sin and the promise of eternal life. We believe this by faith. Today, Jesus is seated at the right hand of God and reigns as King over all of creation. (Phil. 2:9-10)
Check this session’s Activity Page and Big Picture Card as well as the Gospel Project for Kids Family App for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
FAMILY STARTING POINTS
UNIT KEY PASSAGE
NEXT WEEK
Jesus’ Crucifixion
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, November 1, 2020
In the Book of Acts, Peter testified to the Israelites about Jesus’ death: “Though He was delivered up according to God’s determined plan and foreknowledge, you used lawless people to nail Him to a cross and kill Him” (Acts 2:23). Crucifixion was a horrific way to die. As you teach kids, rather than focus on the graphic details of how Jesus died, emphasize why He died. Two primary reasons stand out: God is loving, and God is just.
First, God is loving. He sent His Son to be the Savior of the world because He loves us. (See John 3:16; Rom. 5:8; 1 John 4:10.) Jesus submitted to the Father’s will; He humbled Himself and came to earth as a man, and He laid down His life because He loves us. (Eph. 5:2)
Jesus lived the perfect life we failed to live and died the guilty death we don’t want to die. Those who trust in Him receive forgiveness and eternal life.
Second, God is just. God’s law for the people was plain. (See Deuteronomy 6:5.) But God’s people, and all people, broke the law. We have loved other things more than we love God. That is sin. So why did Jesus have to die? Why couldn’t He just say, “You are forgiven”? Because God is just, He requires due payment for sin. To simply forgive sin without requiring a payment would be unjust.
Jesus was our substitute, taking our place on the cross and absorbing God’s wrath on our behalf so we can be forgiven and declared righteous. (See Rom. 3:25-26; Col. 2:13-15.) Jesus died to rescue sinners from slavery to sin, and when we trust in Him, we are free indeed.
We deserve to die because of our sins, but God loves us and kept His promise to send a Savior. Jesus never sinned, but He died in our place. He was the blood sacrifice made once and for all for the forgiveness of sin. Jesus rose from the dead on the third day, and those who trust in Him have forgiveness and eternal life.
Check this session’s Activity Page and Big Picture Card as well as the Gospel Project for Kids Family App for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
FAMILY STARTING POINTS
● Babies and Toddlers
○ Jesus never did anything wrong.
○ Jesus died on the cross to do God’s plan.
○ God made Jesus alive again.
○ We deserve to die because of sin, but Jesus died for us.
○ Jesus died to rescue us.
● Preschool
○ Jesus died on the cross for our sin.
○ What did Jesus do to save us? Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead.
● Kids
○ Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins.
○ What did Jesus do to save us? Jesus lived a sinless life, died on the cross, and rose from the dead.
UNIT KEY PASSAGE
● Philippians 2:8
NEXT WEEK
● “Jesus’ Resurrection” (Matthew 28; John 20)
The Last Supper
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, October 18, 2020
As the Passover celebration drew near, Jerusalem hummed with excitement. Everyone wondered if Jesus—teacher, miracle-worker, and prophet—would come for Passover. (John 11:56-57) The Passover meal was a permanent statute God intended for every Israelite family to observe each year. (See Ex. 12:1-28; Lev. 23:5-8.) But it was no secret the religious leaders were determined to kill Jesus. Jesus had warned His disciples what would happen this Passover. (Mark 10:33-34; Luke 18:31)
As they ate the Passover meal, Jesus broke bread and gave it to His disciples. He shared the cup with them too, explaining that the bread and cup represented His body and blood. Jesus established a new covenant.
In the Old Testament, God made a covenant, or promise, with His people. He gave them commandments to follow so they could live in right relationship with Him. But God’s people broke the covenant. They didn’t obey God, and they didn’t love Him.
What the sacrifice of the Passover lamb could not do—take away sins once and for all—the perfect Lamb of God was going to do. Jesus, the perfectly sinless Son of God, was going to take the punishment for sin upon Himself. (See Heb. 10:1-10.) As Jesus’ disciples prepared for Passover, Jesus prepared to die. By dying on the cross, Jesus brought forgiveness and made the way for people to know and love God again.
Jesus showed His disciples with the bread and the drink that He is the true Passover Lamb. God’s people had broken the old covenant, and God promised to make a new covenant to forgive sins. The new covenant says that everyone who turns away from sin and trusts in Jesus’ death and resurrection will be forgiven of his sins and will have eternal life.
Believers take the Lord’s Supper to remember what Jesus did for us in His death and resurrection. We remember God’s faithfulness, and we look forward to the day that Jesus will return.
If your kids are not ready to take the Lord’s Supper at church, gently explain that the Lord’s Supper, like baptism, is an ordinance of the church and is a celebration for those who have repented of their sin and trusted in Jesus for salvation.
Check this session’s Activity Page and Big Picture Card as well as the Gospel Project for Kids Family App for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
FAMILY STARTING POINTS
● Babies and Toddlers
○ Jesus ate a special meal with His friends.
○ Jesus told His friends about God’s plan.
○ Jesus told His friends to remember what He did for them.
○ Jesus made a new, better promise.
○ Jesus died to rescue us.
● Preschool
○ Jesus told His disciples to remember Him.
○ What did Jesus do to save us? Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead.
● Kids
○ Jesus commanded His disciples to remember His sacrifice.
○ What did Jesus do to save us? Jesus lived a sinless life, died on the cross, and rose from the dead.
Jesus’ Triumphal Entry
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, October 4, 2020
Go to our website, stonewaterchurch.com, scroll down to the Kids’ Service button and click on “Parents” for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
Jesus’ Hard Teaching
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, September 20
On the heels of His miraculous feeding of the five thousand, Jesus encountered crowds who erroneously concluded He was worth following because He could use His power to fill their empty stomachs. But Jesus recognized their motives and challenged them to go after something greater—not to work for food, which does not last long, but to receive eternal life by believing in Him.
Over and over again, people misunderstood Jesus’ words. They asked what they could do to get the food that lasts forever. Eternal life is a gift that God gives—not to those who perform certain deeds, but to anyone who believes in Jesus. Then the crowd asked for another sign. If Moses had provided bread for 40 years, couldn’t Jesus do that too? Jesus pointed out the bread didn’t come from Moses; it came from God. The crowd was so determined to get bread to eat that they didn’t understand recognize that God had now provided true bread from heaven by sending His Son.
Jesus said, “I am the bread of life.” He wanted to give people more than food. He wanted to give them true life. Jesus continued, “If anyone eats of this bread he will live forever” (John 6:51). As you teach, emphasize to kids that God invites us to come and eat. We partake in the bread of life by believing in Him.
The Jewish leaders struggled with Jesus’ teaching. How could this man, whom they knew as the son of Joseph, be the Son of God? Furthermore, Jesus talked about giving His flesh and blood. To the Jews, this didn’t make any sense. Jesus wanted to do more than fill people’s stomachs; He wanted to give them true life. Jesus’ teachings were hard to understand. When Jesus talked about His flesh and blood, He was talking about His death and resurrection. When we trust in Jesus, He gives us the gift of eternal life.
Many people stopped following Jesus because they could not accept His teachings. Yet Peter, one of the Twelve, grasped the truth: “You have the words of eternal life. … You are the Holy One of God” (John 6:68-69). When we trust in Jesus, He gives us the gift of eternal life.
Check this session’s Activity Page and Big Picture Card as well as the Gospel Project for Kids Family App for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
FAMILY STARTING POINTS
UNIT KEY PASSAGE
NEXT WEEK
Go to our website, stonewaterchurch.com, scroll down to the Kids’ Service button and click on “Parents” for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
The Three Parables
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, September 13
In Luke 19, Jesus went after Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector. Zacchaeus was not well liked, but his interaction with Jesus led him to repent of his wrongdoing. Jesus said to him, “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).
Who is “the lost”? What does it mean to be lost? In Luke 15, Jesus told three parables to the crowd of tax collectors, sinners, Pharisees, and scribes. Jesus’ teaching brought gospel truth to the tax collectors and sinners—those whose unrighteousness separated them from God—and to the Pharisees and scribes—those whose relied on their own righteous efforts for salvation.
The first two parables are similar. In one, a man loses a sheep. He leaves his flock to find the missing sheep, and he rejoices when it is found. In the second, a woman loses a silver coin. The woman carefully searches until she finds it. Then she calls her neighbors and friends to celebrate with her. Heaven rejoices when even one sinner repents. Finally, Jesus told a parable about two sons. The younger son asked for his inheritance, wasted his money on immoral living, and decided to return to his father. Rather than rejecting his wayward son, the father embraced him. The older son, who had always been obedient to his father, reacted with anger.
As you read Luke 15, think about the crowd Jesus was speaking to. The focus is often placed on the younger son—the one with whom the tax collectors and sinners could identify—but Jesus also made a point about the older son. The older son was like the Pharisees and scribes, focused on his own morality and feeling entitled to his father’s favor.
The religious leaders complained that Jesus welcomed sinners. Jesus told these parables to teach about God’s forgiveness. God sent Jesus so sinners can be forgiven. As Savior, Jesus seeks sinners. He paid the ultimate price—His own life—to save people from sin
Jesus taught what God is like. He seeks sinners who have wandered far from Him, and He seeks sinners who try to earn salvation by their good works. As you talk with your kids, help them understand that being lost means not knowing Jesus as Lord and Savior. God loves us, and He actively seeks to bring sinners to Himself.
Check this session’s Activity Page and Big Picture Card as well as the Gospel Project for Kids Family App for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
FAMILY STARTING POINTS
● Babies and Toddlers
○ Jesus told a story about God’s love.
○ The father was happy when his son came home.
○ God is happy when sinners trust Jesus.
○ Jesus gave His life to save people from sin.
○ Jesus is our King.
● Preschool
○ Jesus came to save people who do not know Him.
○ How does God care for His creation? God loves and rules over all He made.
● Kids
○ Jesus came to seek and save the lost.
○ How does God care for His creation? God loves and rules over His creation according to His perfect plan.
UNIT KEY PASSAGE
● Colossians 1:13-14 (PS: Colossians 1:13)
NEXT WEEK
● “Jesus’ Hard Teachings” (John 6)
Go to our website, stonewaterchurch.com, scroll down to the Kids’ Service button and click on “Parents” for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
Kingdom Parables
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, September 6
In Matthew 13:31-33, Jesus tells two stories about the kingdom of God. In the first, He compares God’s kingdom to a mustard seed. In those days, the mustard seed was the smallest seed planted in the region. Despite its size, the seed yielded a tall, tree-like bush with branches for birds to nest in. Jesus was teaching that although God’s kingdom started out small—with Jesus and a few disciples—it grows and spreads. We still witness this growth today.
Then Jesus compares God’s kingdom to leaven, or yeast, that is mixed into flour. In time, yeast causes a dense ball of dough to grow and rise. God’s kingdom grows in a similar way, moving throughout the world and changing lives.
Then, in the parables of the hidden treasure and the priceless pearl, Jesus taught about the value of God’s kingdom. A man came across a treasure buried in a field and sold all he had to buy the field. A merchant, finding a priceless pearl, sold all he had to buy it. Jesus taught that the kingdom of heaven is so valuable, we would be wise to give up everything in order to have it. Jesus emphasized this truth in His encounter with the rich young ruler. (See Matt. 19:16-22.)
As you talk with your kids, help them begin to grasp the truth about God’s kingdom. The kingdom of God is growing in the world. This kingdom is valuable and worth giving everything for. While we wait for Jesus to return and fully set up His kingdom, we carry out the mission of telling others about King Jesus, who rescues sinners.
Check this session’s Activity Page and Big Picture Card as well as the Gospel Project for Kids Family App for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
FAMILY STARTING POINTS
● Babies and Toddlers
○ Jesus told people what God’s kingdom is like.
○ God’s kingdom is worth giving everything for.
○ Everyone who trusts in Jesus is part of God’s kingdom.
○ Jesus grows His kingdom when we trust in Him.
○ Jesus is our King.
● Preschool
○ Jesus taught about God’s kingdom.
○ How does God care for His creation? God loves and rules over all He made.
● Kids
○ God’s growing kingdom is more valuable than anything.
○ How does God care for His creation? God loves and rules over His creation according to His perfect plan.
UNIT KEY PASSAGE
● Colossians 1:13-14 (PS: Colossians 1:13)
NEXT WEEK
● “The Three Parables” (Luke 15)
Go to our website, stonewaterchurch.com, scroll down to the Kids’ Service button and click on “Parents” for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
Jesus Showed His Glory
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, August 29
One of the ways Jesus revealed His identity was through His miracles. Jesus performed miracles to glorify God, to show He is the Son of God, and to care for people. For three of Jesus’ disciples—Peter, James, and John—Jesus’ identity became even more clear when they witnessed His transfiguration, or change in appearance. The disciples accompanied Jesus to a mountain to pray. The location was likely Mount Hermon, which sits about 40 miles north of the Sea of Galilee.
Jesus’ appearance changed as He prayed: His face changed and His clothes became dazzling white. Moses and Elijah appeared with Him, and they talked about Jesus’ upcoming departure (His death and resurrection). Peter, James, and John had been sleeping, but they awoke to the incredible sight.
When you share with your kids, review who Moses and Elijah were. In the Old Testament, God called Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Later, Elijah was a prophet to Israel. As Moses and Elijah were leaving, a cloud covered the whole group and a voice—God the Father’s—said, “This is my Son, the Chosen One; listen to him!”
Jesus showed His glory to Peter, James, and John. Jesus said He would die, rise from the dead, and return to heaven. One day, Jesus will come back to earth in His glory to make all things new.
At the transfiguration, Peter, James, and John beheld Jesus’ glory. We look forward to the day when Jesus will return in full glory to make all things new. While we wait, God calls us to share the gospel with others so they can share in the joy of knowing Jesus, the Son of God, and seeing His glory when He returns.
Check this session’s Activity Page and Big Picture Card as well as the Gospel Project for Kids Family App for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
FAMILY STARTING POINTS
● Babies and Toddlers
○ Jesus showed His glory to Peter, James, and John.
○ God said Jesus is His beloved Son.
○ One day, everyone who loves Jesus will see His glory.
○ One day, Jesus will come again in His glory.
○ Jesus showed He is God’s Son.
● Preschool
○ Jesus showed His glory to Peter, James, and John.
○ Why did Jesus perform miracles? Jesus performed miracles to show He is the Son of God.
● Kids
○ Jesus showed His glory to Peter, James, and John.
○ Why did Jesus perform miracles? Jesus performed miracles to glorify God, to show He is the Son of God, and to care for people.
UNIT KEY PASSAGE
● Psalm 40:5
NEXT WEEK
● “Kingdom Parables” (Matthew 13)
Go to our website, stonewaterchurch.com, scroll down to the Kids’ Service button and click on “Parents” for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
Jesus Walked on Water
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, August 23
Jesus had just fed more than five thousand people on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. After sending away the people and directing His disciples to go back across the sea, Jesus went to a mountain to pray. It was late, and He sought to be alone with His Father. Jesus was preparing to fulfill His Father’s plan. Before long, He would die on the cross and rescue people from sin.
While Jesus prayed, the disciples struggled to cross the sea. A storm came and tossed their boat up and down. They didn’t make any progress against the waves. Then, in the early morning hours, they saw a figure walking toward them on the water. They thought it was a ghost, but it was Jesus!
Peter asked Jesus to command him to come out on the water, and Jesus called to him. Peter walked on the water too—until he remembered the storm. Peter took his eyes off of Jesus, and he began to sink. Peter cried out to Jesus, “Save me!”
Jesus took Peter by the hand, and they got into the boat. The wind and waves calmed. Though Peter had doubted, the disciples worshiped Jesus. Clearly He was no ordinary man; this was the Son of God—the promised Messiah!
Jesus proved that He can be trusted. His miracles, teaching, death, and resurrection showed that He is who He says He is. Only Jesus can save us when we look to Him in faith.
As you talk with your kids, encourage them to look to Jesus in faith every day. We can seek Him for our salvation and for help as we live in this world. Even in the midst of fear and doubt, we can hold out our empty hands and cry, “Lord, save me!” He will answer, and we can respond in worship of our Lord and Savior.
Check this session’s Activity Page and Big Picture Card as well as the Gospel Project for Kids Family App for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
FAMILY STARTING POINTS
Go to our website, stonewaterchurch.com, scroll down to the Kids’ Service button and click on “Parents” for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
Jesus Fed a Crowd
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, August 16
Jesus’ disciples had been working hard, teaching people and healing them. Jesus called them to go away with Him to a desolate place so they could rest. By now, Jesus’ popularity was so great that finding a place to be alone was difficult. When Jesus and His disciples crossed the Sea of Galilee, the crowd of people were already waiting for them on the other side.
Jesus saw the crowds, but He wasn’t frustrated or angry. He didn’t tell them to go away. Instead, He had compassion on them because they were lost—like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who seeks and saves the lost. (See Luke 19:10; John 10:14.)
The miracle Jesus performed that evening—feeding 5,000 men plus women and children—is the only miracle during Jesus’ earthly ministry that is recorded in all four Gospels. The same God who provided manna for the Israelites in the wilderness multiplied loaves and fish to satisfy the crowd.
But Jesus’ didn’t intend to only meet people’s physical needs. He came to satisfy their spiritual needs as well. In John 6:35, Jesus said, “I am the bread of life.” He said that no one who comes to Him will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in Him will ever be thirsty again.
Jesus is the bread that came down from heaven. (See John 6:41.) God provided His Son as the perfect sacrifice to take away our sins. At the first Lord’s Supper, Jesus broke bread—a symbol of His death on the cross. (See Matt. 26:26.)
By feeding the five thousand, Jesus provided for the physical needs of the crowd. The next day, Jesus called Himself the bread of life. (John 6:35) Only Jesus is able to satisfy our souls forever by providing forgiveness, peace with God, and eternal life.
As you share with your kids, help them know that God can and will provide for our needs. Kids can trust Him for their “daily bread.” (See Matt. 6:11.) God met our greatest need in giving us salvation through Jesus. Will He not graciously give us all th
FAMILY STARTING POINTS
Go to our website, stonewaterchurch.com, scroll down to the Kids’ Service button and click on “Parents” for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
Jesus Calmed a Storm
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, August 9
After a long day of teaching, Jesus and His disciples got into a boat to cross over to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. When their short sailing trip was interrupted by a violent storm, the disciples found themselves in danger with nowhere to turn—except to the One who created all things.
Several of the disciples were experienced fishermen. They had spent significant time on the Sea of Galilee, but this storm was so strong that the waves overtook the boat. The disciples were afraid they would drown. As the disciples panicked, what was Jesus doing? He was sleeping!
The disciples woke Jesus. The situation was out of their control, and perhaps they felt forsaken by God. But their reaction was full of irony: “Teacher! Don’t you care that we’re going to die?” (Mark 4:38).
The disciples obviously did not know why Jesus had come to earth. Jesus had come to rescue people from sin. In dying on the cross, Jesus would truly be forsaken by God. (See Matt. 27:46.) Jesus would die the death the disciples—and all sinners—deserve so that they could live forever with God. Did Jesus care that the disciples were going to die? Absolutely. But He was going to rescue them from something worse than drowning. Jesus would save them from spiritual death.
Jesus calmed the wind and the waves. He displayed His power over creation and demonstrated that He is truly God. God has power over the wind and the waves. (See Job 12:15; 28:25; Ps. 33:7; 107:25-30; Amos 4:13.)
Jesus’ disciples knew Jesus was a good man and a good teacher. But when Jesus calmed the wind and the waves, He showed His disciples that He is also God. God rules the sea and stills its waves. (Psalm 89:9)
As you talk with your kids, seize the opportunity to share the gospel. Help them understand the truth the disciples did not yet fully grasp. Who is this man? He is the Messiah, the Savior, and the Son of God.
Check this session’s Activity Page and Big Picture Card as well as the Gospel Project for Kids Family App for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
FAMILY STARTING POINTS
Go to our website, stonewaterchurch.com, scroll down to the Kids’ Service button and click on “Parents” for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
The Good Shepherd
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, July 26th
Dear Parents,
Jesus’ teaching caused division among the Jews. They argued about who He was and where He had come from. Had He really come from God? Was He crazy or demon-possessed? In John 10, Jesus taught about Himself by using a comparison that is found throughout the Old Testament: the Lord as the Shepherd of His people.
In Bible times, shepherding was a common occupation. Leaders of nations—even non-Israelite nations—would refer to themselves as shepherds of the people. A good shepherd would guide, provide for, and protect his people. Yet Old Testament prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel criticized Israel’s leaders for failing to shepherd God’s people well. The Israelites were like sheep—helpless and wandering—and they longed for a truly good shepherd.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd who provides abundant life for His sheep. A shepherd would gather his sheep at night and form a pen to keep the sheep in and to keep wild animals and thieves out. The shepherd would lay across the opening. Like a shepherd provides safety for his sheep, Jesus provides salvation and eternal life.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep. A shepherd protects his sheep from wolves and other wild animals, even at risk to his own life. Jesus gave up His life on the cross to rescue sinners from sin and death.
Finally, Jesus is the Good Shepherd who knows His sheep. Even when two or more flocks gathered in a pen, a shepherd could call for his sheep and they would respond to the sound of his voice. Jesus knows His sheep personally.
Jesus, the Good Shepherd, came to do His Father’s plan: to die on the cross and rise again so that we might be saved. We can live sacrificially as we point others to the sacrifice Jesus made for us.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd. God sent Him to rescue sinners. Jesus laid down His life for His sheep so they could have forgiveness and eternal life. When we trust in Jesus, we are His sheep who listen to, follow, and obey Him.
FAMILY STARTING POINTS
Go to our website, stonewaterchurch.com, scroll down to the Kids’ Service button and click on “Parents” for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
Jesus Taught About Possessions
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, July 26th
A very large crowd—thousands of people (Luke 12:1)—had gathered around Jesus as He taught His disciples. The people recognized Him as a rabbi (teacher), so it was not unusual that someone called out, asking Jesus to settle a financial dispute. But Jesus knew the man was motivated by greed, and He told a story.
In Jesus’ parable, a rich man had so many crops that he decided to tear down his barns and build bigger ones. That way, he could store everything he had and take it easy. But the man was foolish and short-sighted. He didn’t consider he could die that very night. The saying is true: “You can’t take it with you.” Rather than storing up treasures for ourselves, we should live to glorify God and live generously, using what we have on earth to make an eternal impact.
Jesus also addressed worry with His disciples. Jesus’ followers should not be anxious about their basic needs. God takes care of the birds and the flowers. People are God’s most valuable and beloved creatures; we can trust Him to provide for us!
Jesus contrasted the way the unsaved Gentiles lived with how believers should live. Unbelievers seek wealth and possessions as if that was the main goal in life. They act like God does not care about their needs. But our focus should not be on ourselves, our wealth and our possessions; we should focus on God’s kingdom. We do not need to worry. God will provide. He is glad to give us what we need!
God gives us good gifts on earth. We can steward these gifts for His glory. Earthly treasures will not last forever. Jesus is our greatest treasure. Jesus left His place in heaven to live humbly on earth. Jesus obeyed God to set up His kingdom. We can give generously and trust God to provide everything we need.
FAMILY STARTING POINTS
Go to our website, stonewaterchurch.com, scroll down to the Kids’ Service button and click on “Parents” for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
Jesus Taught About Prayer
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, July 19th
Prayer is personal communication with God. Many people aren’t sure how to pray or feel uncomfortable praying. To pray effectively, then, we must be taught how to pray. This is why Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach them to pray.
Jesus began with the Lord’s Prayer, not to establish the words we should use but to show how we should pray and what we should pray about. Through prayer, we demonstrate our dependence on and faith in the Lord. We should approach God as a Father and pray for His kingdom first and then for ourselves and others.
Then Jesus told a story about a man who went to his friend in the middle of the night to ask for food for a visitor. The friend did not want to be bothered but because the man did not give up, the friend finally gave him what he needed. God is not a sleepy neighbor. If a grumpy friend will reward persistence, how much more so will God! He cares about His children and is happy to give us what we need when we ask.
In a similar way, a human father who loves his child would not give him a snake if he asked for a fish. Will God give us everything we ask for? No, but when we are persistent with our prayers, we can trust Him to answer according to His glory and our good.
Jesus used another parable in Luke 18: A judge was unwilling to grant a widow’s plea for justice, but the woman did not give up. So the judge gave her justice. We should not give up praying if we have not received an answer from God. God is not like a wicked judge. When we pray consistently, God will give us justice and He will act quickly.
Jesus taught us to pray. Because of Jesus, we can pray to the Father and ask for what we need. We can trust that God is good and loving, and we can count on Him to do what is right.
Check this session’s Activity Page and Big Picture Card as well as the Gospel Project for Kids Family App for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
FAMILY STARTING POINTS
Go to our website, stonewaterchurch.com, scroll down to the Kids’ Service button and click on “Parents” for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
The Cost of Following Jesus
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, July 12th
The benefits of following Jesus are wonderful: justification from sin, lifelong sanctification, and adoption into the family of God. But following Jesus also comes at a price. People had waited so long for the promised Messiah to come into the world, so many were eager to follow Him. Yet as Jesus taught, He urged people to consider the cost of being His disciple.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus explained to one disciple that following Him might involve giving up worldly comforts. He told another disciple that following Him should be higher priority than anything else—even one’s commitment to his parents. (See Matt. 8:18-22.) In Matthew 16 and Luke 9, Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.”
Jesus shared two examples in Luke 14 of people who must count the cost of doing something. If a person is building a tower, he must first calculate the cost. If he begins the project and is unable to complete it, onlookers will ridicule him. In a similar way, a king counts the cost of going to war before sending out his army. If he is not able to oppose the enemy, he doesn’t foolishly send out a small group to fight a larger group. Instead, he seeks peace.
Many who wanted to follow Jesus changed their minds. Jesus even asked the twelve disciples if they wanted to turn away as well. Peter answered, “Lord, to whom will we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68).
Jesus taught that following Him is not easy. It requires commitment and sacrifice. When we trust in Jesus, we give Him complete control of our lives. True life is found in Jesus, who gave up His life to rescue us from sin and death. He is worth it.
Paul acknowledged the difficulty of following Jesus in 2 Corinthians 4 but kept his eyes on eternity: “For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory” (v. 17). As you share with your kids, emphasize that following Jesus is not not easy, but He is worth it.
Check this session’s Activity Page and Big Picture Card as well as the Gospel Project for Kids Family App for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
FAMILY STARTING POINTS
Go to our website, stonewaterchurch.com, scroll down to the Kids’ Service button and click on “Parents” for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
The Sermon on the Mount
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, July 5th
One of Jesus’ most well-known teachings is the Sermon on the Mount. On that day, crowds of people had come to hear Jesus. Jesus went up on a mountain in Galilee, sat down, and began to teach.
Jesus’ sermon is recorded across three chapters in the Gospel of Matthew, 5–7, and it tells how believers should live. While Matthew 5:1-2 specifies that Jesus taught His disciples, Matthew 7:28 reveals that the crowds listened to His sermon as well.
First, Jesus began with the Beatitudes. The Beatitudes describe God’s great blessings for believers. God’s kingdom belongs to the spiritually needy, God will comfort those who are sad, and God will give mercy to those who show mercy to others. Jesus gives believers reason to be glad when life on earth is hard because great rewards await in heaven.
Jesus also taught how believers should live in a world that does not honor Him. Jesus called believers “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world” (Matt. 5:13-14). He said the good works of His followers should cause others to give glory to God.
God’s people had the law of Moses, but some of them—the Pharisees, in particular—were concerned mostly with the appearance of being righteous. They tried hard to look righteous on the outside, but it was all an act. Jesus warned against hypocrites, people who pretend to be something they’re not. When a person knows and loves Jesus, he or she has a changed heart that wants to honor Jesus.
Jesus taught people what it means to follow Him. He taught how people should live, how they should treat one another, and how to love God. People who trust in Jesus live to honor God and show what His kingdom is like.
As you talk with your kids, emphasize that this moral teaching was not a list of requirements for being accepted by God. Rather, Jesus described what a person’s life looks like when that person follows God and lives to honor Him. God’s standards remind us that we rely on His grace through the gift of salvation in His Son.
Check this session’s Activity Page and Big Picture Card as well as the Gospel Project for Kids Family App for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
FAMILY STARTING POINTS
Go to our website, stonewaterchurch.com, scroll down to the Kids’ Service button and click on “Parents” for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
Jesus Healed a Man Who Was Blind
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, June 28, 2020
In the Old Testament, Isaiah prophesied about the coming Messiah. Isaiah 35:5-6 tells about a time when “the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then the lame will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will sing for joy.” When God the Son came to earth, He came as a Healer—removing skin diseases, raising the dead to life, making the lame walk, and giving sight to the blind.
John 9 gives us a glimpse of the kingdom of God, where creation is redeemed, and opens our eyes to the greater purpose of suffering in our lives. The disciples asked Jesus a question that many still wrestle with today: Why is this person suffering? (In this case, why was this man born blind?) Was it because of sin?
Jesus’ answer gives hope to anyone facing suffering: “Neither this man nor his parents sinned. This came about so that God’s works might be displayed in him” (John 9:3). Because Jesus is Lord over everything, all suffering in this life has meaning and purpose.
Miraculously, Jesus gave sight to the man who was blind. The man’s neighbors noticed the change, and he told them what Jesus had done for him. But the reaction of the religious leaders—skepticism and unbelief—reveals a different kind of blindness: spiritual blindness. Sin keeps us from seeing what is true about God. Jesus came as light into a dark world. He helps us see what is true so we can know God.
Our sin makes us unable to see the truth about God. Jesus came as a light in a dark world. He came to give us sight—true understanding of God and His kingdom. Those who trust in Jesus see who He is and worship Him.
Those who trust in Jesus are freed from sin and worship Jesus as Lord. We can live fully in the light of Jesus as we seek to make Him known to others so that their eyes might be opened to the truth of the gospel as well.
FAMILY STARTING POINTS
Go to our website, stonewaterchurch.com, scroll down to the Kids’ Service button and click on “Parents” for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
Jesus Healed a Man That Was Lame
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, June 21, 2020
Located in the city of Jerusalem, the pool of Bethesda was a place many believed to possess healing powers. People who were sick or disabled went to the pool in hopes of being made whole. They believed an angel would stir up the waters, and the first person to get in would be healed. (Some translations include this detail in verse 4; but since the earliest and most accurate manuscripts do not include the detail, most contemporary translations omit it as well.)
Jesus sought out a man at the pool of Bethesda who had been disabled for 38 years. Jesus asked the man, “Do you want to get well?” The man, not recognizing who was talking to him (see John 5:13), explained his inability to get to the pool in time. Filled with compassion, Jesus commanded this man: “Get up, pick up your mat, and walk.” After decades of helplessness, the man was instantly healed. He picked up his mat and walked.
At this time, Jesus slipped away through the crowd. So when the Jewish leaders approached the man, asking questions about the healing and accusing the man of breaking the law by picking up his mat on the Sabbath, the man could not even identify who healed him. Yet Jesus sought out the man a second time. Jesus found the man in the temple and warned him, “Do not sin anymore, so that something worse doesn’t happen to you.”
Jesus cared about the man’s body; He had healed it. But Jesus also cared about the man’s soul. As you teach kids, emphasize that the man at the pool was unable to help himself. Jesus healed him, and he obeyed Jesus’ commands. In a similar way, we are unable to free ourselves from sin. Jesus calls us to trust in Him. When we trust in Jesus, He frees us from the power of sin and death so we can follow Him and obey Him.
Check this session’s Activity Page and Big Picture Card as well as the Gospel Project for Kids Family App for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
FAMILY STARTING POINTS
Go to our website, stonewaterchurch.com, scroll down to the Kids’ Service button and click on “Parents” for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
Jesus Healed a Woman and a Girl
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, June 14, 2020
Jesus had just returned from the region of the Gerasenes, where He had healed a man with an unclean spirit. He crossed the Sea of Galilee and came on shore, where He was surrounded by a large crowd of people. News of Jesus’ teachings and healings was spreading, and people wanted to see Jesus. They wanted to learn from Him and be healed.
Jairus, a leader in the synagogue, came to Jesus in crisis. His daughter was at the point of death. Without Jesus’ help, she would surely die. Jesus went with Jairus, but as He walked, a woman in the crowd came up behind Him and touched His robes. She too was desperate for healing. The woman believed that Jesus’ power was strong enough to heal her even if all she did was touch His robes. Because she had faith, Jesus healed her.
Imagine Jairus’s devastation when he heard that his daughter had died. The people suggested that Jesus was too late to help her, but Jesus proved them wrong. He went to Jairus’s house and raised the little girl from the dead.
By healing the woman and raising the little girl from the dead, Jesus showed His power as the Messiah. Jesus died on the cross and rose again to save people from sin and death. When we trust in Jesus, God forgives our sins and changes us to be more like His Son.
As you talk with your kids, point out that the woman and the father of the little girl came to Jesus in faith. They needed Jesus’ help, and they trusted in Jesus’ power to heal. After Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, He ascended to heaven. Even though Jesus is not physically on earth today, we can pray and ask God to heal people who are sick. Whether or not God grants physical healing, we can rest knowing that He brings ultimate healing through His Son, Jesus.
Check this session’s Activity Page and Big Picture Card as well as the Gospel Project for Kids Family App for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
FAMILY STARTING POINTS
Go to our website, stonewaterchurch.com, scroll down to the Kids’ Service button and click on “Parents” for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
Jesus Healed Ten Men
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, June 7, 2020
Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem when He stopped in a village. He was approached by ten men who had leprosy. The men didn’t get too close because according to Jewish law, their disease meant they were unclean. Leviticus 13–14 details the law regarding skin diseases such as leprosy. A person had to go to a priest for a diagnosis, was isolated from others, and then—after healing occurred—returned to the priest to be examined, cleansed, and restored to the community.
The men cried out to Jesus for mercy, and He commanded them to go and show themselves to the priests. As they went, Jesus miraculously healed them. This healing gave the men a new beginning. They would be able to return to their friends and family members. One of the men—a Samaritan among Jews—seeing that he was healed, returned to Jesus.
Luke tells us how this man responded: “He … gave glory to God. He fell facedown at his [Jesus’] feet, thanking him” (Luke 17:15-16). This humility and gratitude were evidences of faith. The man’s response shows an understanding of God’s mercy and goodness. Jesus declared, “Get up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you” (v. 19). This man was healed not just physically but spiritually.
Jesus healed the ten men who cried out to Him. The one who had faith was saved. When we trust in Jesus by faith, He heals us from something greater than a disease; He saves us from our sins. We can give Him thanks and worship Him for making us new.
The Bible says all of us have sinned. Our sin makes us unclean, but we can cry out to God like the men with leprosy: “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” God hears our prayers and answers. The gospel welcomes everyone who turns from their sin and trusts in Jesus.
As you talk with your kids, emphasize that when we trust in Jesus by faith, He heals us from something greater than a disease; He saves us from our sins. We can give Him thanks and worship Him for making us new.
Check this session’s Activity Page and Big Picture Card as well as the Gospel Project for Kids Family App for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
FAMILY STARTING POINTS
Go to our website, stonewaterchurch.com, scroll down to the Kids’ Service button and click on “Parents” for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
Jesus and Samaritan Woman
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, May 31, 2020
Dear Parents,
At the time Jesus was on earth, Jews and Samaritans didn’t get along. The strife between the two groups stretched back hundreds of years, to the Babylonian exile.
When the Babylonians attacked Judah, they moved a large group of God’s people away from their homes. But some of the people—the poorest, sickest, least able to work—were left behind in the region that became known as Samaria. The exile lasted 70 years. During that time, those left in Samaria began to mingle with their neighbors to the north. They intermarried and practiced foreign customs. While the Samaritans still believed in God, they adapted foreign beliefs as well.
The Jews who returned home from Babylon to rebuild God’s temple in Jerusalem rejected this new way of life. They were dedicated to obeying and worshiping God, so they didn’t agree with the Samaritans’ practices. The Samaritans opposed the Jews’ efforts to reestablish their nation. In time, the Jews’ hate for the Samaritans grew—so much so that a Jew traveling from Judea to Galilee would take a longer route to travel around Samaria rather than through it.
Jesus broke down barriers when He traveled to Galilee by way of Samaria. Even more surprising, Jesus stopped at a well around noon and asked a Samaritan woman for a drink. Jewish men did not speak to women in public.
But Jesus was kind to her, and He offered her a gift: living water. The woman didn’t understand, but Jesus revealed His knowledge of her past. He even gave her a glimpse of the future. The Samaritan woman expected a Messiah to come and fix everything. Jesus said, “I am He.”
Explain to kids that the living water Jesus offers is the Holy Spirit. (See John 7:37-39.) The Holy Spirit is a gift that He is eager to give us when we ask Him. Those who receive His grace will never be thirsty again.
Jesus offers something better than physical water; He gives us Himself. Jesus gives the Holy Spirit to everyone who comes to Him by faith. We can worship Him as Lord and Savior wherever we are.
FAMILY STARTING POINTS
Go to our website, stonewaterchurch.com, scroll down to the Kids’ Service button and click on “Parents” for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
Jesus and Nicodemus
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, May 24, 2020
Jesus’ ministry had begun. His early miracles included turning water into wine, casting out demons, and healing people. John 2:23 says that “many believed in his name when they saw the signs he was doing.” Jesus likely spent a large part of His day teaching. When the day was done, He spent time alone or with His disciples. One night, a man named Nicodemus approached Jesus.
Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews; that is, he was a religious leader who taught God’s law, and he was a member of the Sanhedrin—a Jewish governing body. Nicodemus held to the belief that if a person was a law-abiding Jew, he would be accepted by God. Jesus gave Nicodemus a lesson that would turn his belief system on its head.
Jesus was a carpenter (Mark 6:3), so the religious teachers likely assumed He didn’t know theology. But they had seen Jesus’ miraculous signs in Jerusalem. Nicodemus had to conclude, “You are a teacher who has come from God” (John 3:2).
Nicodemus initiated the conversation, but Jesus chose the subject. His words perplexed Nicodemus: “Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Jesus explained that spiritual birth is not unlike physical birth in that a person cannot do it himself; it is something that happens to him.
Jesus reminded Nicodemus of an Old Testament account, the disobedient Israelites and the bronze snake. The Israelites could not help themselves, but when they trusted in God and looked to the bronze snake lifted up on the pole, they were healed. (Num. 21:4-9)
Emphasize to your kids that every person is born a sinner—spiritually dead and alienated from God. It is by God’s Spirit—not our own effort—that we are born again. We look to Jesus and His finished work on the cross for our salvation.
Nicodemus needed new life—eternal life—but he could not do anything to earn it. Eternal life is a gift that comes only from God. God showed His love in this way: He sent His one and only Son to save the world. Everyone who believes in Him will not perish but will have eternal life.
FAMILY STARTING POINTS
Go to our website, stonewaterchurch.com, scroll down to the Kids’ Service button and click on “Parents” for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
Jesus Taught in Nazareth
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, May 17, 2020
Jesus was about 30 years old when He began His earthly ministry. After John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River, Jesus was tempted in the desert. Jesus traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover. Then He headed north to Galilee. He went through the region of Samaria, stopping at Jacob’s well to talk to a Samaritan woman.
After, Jesus went to the town of Nazareth, where He had grown up. Nazareth was a small village in the hills between the Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean Sea. On the Sabbath day, Jesus went into the synagogue to teach. He read aloud the words of the prophet Isaiah. (See Isa. 61:1-2.) Jesus sat down. Everyone’s eyes were on Him as He explained, “Today as you listen, this Scripture has been fulfilled.” Jesus was saying, It’s Me. The words Jesus read were coming true. Some people remembered Jesus from His youth. They asked, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”
Jesus knew their thoughts; Jesus had performed miracles in Capernaum, and the people wanted Jesus to do miracles in His hometown too. Jesus reminded them of two Old Testament accounts. Many widows lived in Israel when the prophet Elijah was there, but God sent Elijah to help a widow in another country. And Elisha likely encountered Israelites who had leprosy, but he healed Naaman the Syrian.
Jesus wanted the people to understand that His miracles were an act of grace—a gift. No one deserves God’s grace, so God may show grace to whomever He pleases—even Gentiles. The people were angry about that last part. They drove Jesus away, intending to kill Him, but Jesus escaped through the crowd.
As you share with your kids, explain that Jesus came to give sight to the blind and to set the captives free. He came preaching good news to all the people groups. Finally, the Messiah had come! Jesus was God’s plan to save sinners.
Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah wrote about God’s plan to send a Messiah. The Messiah would bring good news and redeem people who were broken and hurting. Jesus read Isaiah’s words and announced that He is the promised Messiah.
Go to our website, stonewaterchurch.com, scroll down to the Kids’ Service button and click on “Parents” for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
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Jesus’ Early Miracles
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, May 10, 2020
Early in His ministry, Jesus and His disciples traveled to Capernaum, a town on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Capernaum became Jesus’ home and headquarters. (See Matt. 4:13.) He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, when people would gather to hear and learn from the Scriptures.
Jesus quickly set Himself apart from the scribes and other religious teachers. Unlike the scribes, who relied completely on traditional interpretations of the Torah from other teachers, Jesus spoke with authority. His teaching came from His own authority as the Author of truth, and it had a profound effect on His listeners—they were astonished!
The early miracles recorded in Mark 1 demonstrate Jesus’ power and authority as the Son of God. Jesus drove an unclean spirit from a man in the synagogue; even the demons obey His commands. Then Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law, and that evening the people in the town brought to Jesus all those who were sick or afflicted with unclean spirits. What did Jesus do? He healed them! (Mark 1:34)
Jesus’ miracles continued, and He healed a man with leprosy. Leprosy is a skin disease that would have marked a person as “unclean,” requiring him to be separated from the community. Jesus had compassion on the man and healed him immediately.
Jesus’ miracles brought many people to faith in Him. Jesus’ miracles proved that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. They strengthened people’s faith and met their needs. Through Jesus, God did what is impossible for us to do on our own. He provided forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life.
Go to our website, stonewaterchurch.com, scroll down to the Kids’ Service button and click on “Parents” for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
FAMILY STARTING POINTS
● Babies and Toddlers
○ Jesus’ miracles showed that He is God’s Son.
○ Jesus cared for people.
○ Jesus taught people about God.
○ Jesus healed people who were sick.
○ Jesus takes away our sin and heals our sickness.
● Preschool
○ Jesus’ miracles helped people.
○ What makes people special? People are special because God made us in His own image.
● Kids
○ People came to Jesus, and He healed them.
○ What makes people special? People are special because we are made in God’s image, as male and female, to know Him.
UNIT KEY PASSAGE
● John 3:16
NEXT WEEK
● “Jesus Taught in Nazareth” (Luke 4)
John Called Disciples
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, May 3, 2020
In the first century, rabbi was a title given to a respected expert in the law of Moses. A rabbi studied the Scriptures and taught through speaking and writing. Jews wanted to honor God in how they lived, and they looked to the rabbis to instruct them in their behavior.
The word rabbi translates “my master.” Jewish students would seek out a rabbi and ask to follow him. A rabbi would choose only a few highly-promising students to be his disciples. If a student was not accepted by the rabbi, he likely returned home to learn a trade. Those chosen to be a rabbi’s disciples followed him everywhere. They learned from the rabbi how to think and how to act. They trusted the rabbi, and the goal was to become just like him.
When Jesus chose His disciples, His strategy was unusual. Rather than waiting for students to come to Him, Jesus sought out His disciples among the people who followed Him. He found them working—fishing and repairing nets. Some of Jesus’ disciples were introduced to Him by their friends. He approached these ordinary men and said, “Follow Me.” Their response? “Immediately they left … and followed him” (Matt. 4:20,22).
The Twelve—Simon (Peter) and his brother Andrew; James and John; Philip; Bartholomew; Matthew; Thomas; James, son of Alphaeus; Thaddaeus; Simon; and Judas—spent time with Jesus during His ministry. Jesus taught them how to live in light of God’s coming kingdom. He commissioned them to teach others about Him. The good news about Jesus is too great not to share with the entire world.
The call to follow Jesus is not an easy one. Jesus said, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” (Matt. 16:24). Jesus calls us to do the same—to surrender our lives for His purposes and perhaps even to die. “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it” (Matt. 16:25).
Jesus came to earth to show what God is like and to save people from their sins. This is great news! Jesus told His disciples to tell others about Him, and we are Jesus’ disciples when we trust in Him. Everyone in the world needs to hear the good news about Jesus.
Go to our website, stonewaterchurch.com, scroll down to the Kids’ Service button and click on “Parents” for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
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John Pointed to Jesus
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, April 26, 2020
John’s followers were concerned when they saw Jesus and His disciples, who were baptizing people too. They came to John, who pointed out several things about himself and about Jesus. Consider these comparisons as John explained that Jesus was greater than John.
First, who were they? John was clear: “I am not the Messiah” (John 3:28). John was not the bridegroom, but the groom’s friend. Jesus is the bridegroom. (John 3:29)
Where did they come from? John was from the earth, and he belonged to the earth. Jesus comes from above and is above all. (John 3:31)
What did they do? John said, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” John was a witness to the Light. (John 1:7-8) He was a voice in the wilderness, and Jesus is the Word. (John 1:14,23) John the Baptist told people to get ready for the Messiah. He baptized with water, but Jesus baptized with the Spirit. (John 1:33)
Finally, why were they here? John went before Jesus and rejoiced with Him. (John 3:28-29) Jesus came to give eternal life. (John 3:36)
John described his joy as being complete. (John 3:29) The One for whom he had prepared the people was here. The time had come for John to step aside and let Jesus take the spotlight. John’s mission was complete.
John the Baptist told people to get ready for Jesus, the promised Messiah. Now that Jesus was on earth, John’s mission was complete. Jesus was greater than John, and John joyfully stepped aside as Jesus began His earthly ministry.
Go to our website, stonewaterchurch.com, scroll down to the Kids’ Service button and click on “Parents” for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
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Jesus’ Temptation
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, April 19, 2020
Satan wants to ruin God’s plan. In Genesis 3, he tempted Adam and Eve to disobey God. Sin entered the world, and the perfect relationship between God and man was broken. But all along, God had a plan to rescue His people through His Son. So when Jesus came to earth, Satan didn’t back down. After Jesus was baptized—beginning His ministry and effectively declaring war on Satan—Satan tempted Jesus.
If Satan could just get Jesus to stray from God’s perfect plan—if he could just get Jesus to sin—then Jesus would be disqualified to be the sinless Savior people needed. But Satan could not stop God’s plan.
Jesus’ temptation is not primarily an example to be followed but more a declaration of who Jesus is. He is the answer to God’s promise of a descendant who would crush the head of the snake. (Gen. 3:15) Jesus is the perfect sacrifice required to take away sin. Where Adam failed, Jesus succeeded. Adam brought guilt and death to the human race, but Jesus brings forgiveness and life to all who trust in Him.
Even today, the devil works hard “to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10). Teach kids that the power to resist temptation comes from Jesus. Kids may struggle to understand that following Jesus won’t mean instant eradication of temptation and sin in our lives. (Sanctification is a lifelong process!) Pray that your kids would see Jesus as their greatest treasure—more valuable than any instant gratification the world has to offer.
Finally, give your kids hope for when they fail. Jesus’ perfect obedience is credited to those who trust in Him. Remind the kids that “if we confess our sins, he [God] is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). We can boldly approach God’s throne to receive both grace and mercy when we need it. (See Heb. 4:14-16.)
Jesus was tempted, but He trusted God and never sinned. Jesus is perfect and righteous. A perfect sacrifice was required to take away sin. Jesus was that perfect sacrifice. He died on the cross to free us from sin and to give us the power to say no to temptation.
Go to our website, stonewaterchurch.com, scroll down to the Kids’ Service button and click on “Parents” for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
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Jesus’ Crucifixion and Resurrection
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, April 12, 2020
Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection are essential to the Christian faith. If we teach Jesus as a respected teacher and miracle-worker who claimed to be the Messiah and who was crucified on the cross—but who was not resurrected—then we are teaching the Jesus of Judaism. If we teach Jesus as a wise teacher and prophet who ascended into heaven—but who was not crucified—then we are teaching the Jesus of Islam.
Jesus’ purpose for coming to earth was to save us from our sins. (Matt. 1:21) Jesus came to die to show God’s love to us (Rom. 5:7-8) so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) Jesus came to die so that we would be forgiven. (Eph. 1:7) Jesus came to die to bring us to God. (1 Pet. 3:18)
Jesus died on the cross to satisfy the wrath of God toward sin. His resurrection proved that God was satisfied with Jesus’ sacrifice. If Jesus had died but not been raised up, He would have been like military leaders who died without a throne. (Acts 5:33-37) But Jesus conquered death, just as He said He would. (John 2:19-21) If there was no resurrection, Paul says, our faith would be worthless. We would be dead in our sins. (1 Cor. 15:17)
But Jesus’ resurrection gives us hope for our resurrection. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead will raise our bodies to life. (Rom. 8:11)
Jesus’ death and resurrection is the center of the gospel. In Adam, we were spiritually dead in sin, but Jesus died to pay for our sins. Jesus is alive! God gives new life to everyone who trusts in Jesus. As you share with your kids, emphasize the gospel: the good news of who Jesus is and what He has done. We do not worship a dead Savior. Jesus is alive! There is hope for sinners. Jesus’ resurrection gives believers the promise of new life. “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:22).
Go to our website, stonewaterchurch.com, scroll down to the Kids’ Service button and click on “Parents” for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
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Jesus’ Baptism
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, April 5, 2020
Zechariah’s son, John, grew up in the wilderness. His ministry began when God’s word came to him, and he began preaching near the Jordan River. John worked to get people ready for the coming of Jesus, fulfilling the Old Testament prophecy, “A voice of one crying out: Prepare the way of the LORD in the wilderness” (Isa. 40:3a).
John called people to repent of their sins, and he baptized them in the Jordan River. John also instructed people on right living. (See Luke 3:10-14.) Some of the people suspected that John might be the Messiah, but John insisted, “One who is more powerful than I am is coming” (Luke 3:16).
Before His ministry began, Jesus came from Galilee to be baptized by John at the Jordan River. But John was calling people to a baptism of repentance. Jesus never sinned (see Heb. 4:15; 2 Cor. 5:21), so why did Jesus come to be baptized? John recognized this when he said, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me?” (Matt. 3:14).
Commentators’ ideas vary about why exactly Jesus was baptized. Perhaps He was affirming John’s work. Maybe He was identifying with sinners or showing them how they would be saved—through His death, burial, and resurrection. Jesus answered John, “Allow it for now, because this is the way for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matt. 3:15). Jesus completely obeyed God, and God audibly confirmed His sonship.
As you share with your kids, allow time for them to ask questions about repentance, salvation, and baptism. Emphasize that baptism is not what saves us; baptism is a way we show that we have been saved. Jesus never sinned, but He obeyed God and was baptized like sinners are baptized. Baptism reminds us of Jesus’ death and resurrection. It reminds us that when we trust in Jesus, we turn from sin and start a new life—a life lived for Jesus.
Go to our website, stonewaterchurch.com, scroll down to the Kids’ Service button and click on “Parents” for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
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John Was Dedicated
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, March 22, 2020
God had chosen Mary and Joseph to be Jesus’ earthly parents. Mary and Joseph named their baby Jesus, obeying God in faith that salvation had indeed come into the world. (See Matt. 1:21.) When the time came for Jesus to be dedicated and Mary to be purified, Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem.
According to the law given to Moses, after a woman gave birth, she was “unclean” and would observe a period of purification. Then she would bring an offering to the priest. (See Lev. 12:1-6.) Jesus was about five weeks old when Mary and Joseph dedicated Him to the Lord and offered the required sacrifice.
Simeon was also at the temple that day, not by mere coincidence but by the Holy Spirit’s leading. (Luke 2:27) Simeon spent His life serving the Lord and looked forward to the day when God would keep His promise to comfort Israel. (See Isa. 57:18.) God promised that Simeon would live long enough to see the Messiah. That day had finally come. Imagine his joy. At last, the Savior was here!
Simeon saw the baby Jesus, took Him in his arms, and praised God. Simeon expressed prophetic praise, trusting by faith that God would keep His promise through this child: “My eyes have seen your salvation” (Luke 2:30). Through Jesus, everyone would be able to see God’s plan. Jesus would be a light for all the nations. He would bring honor to Israel.
Anna, a prophetess, also praised too. At well over a hundred years old, Anna began to speak about Jesus to everyone who was looking forward to God’s bringing salvation to His people.
Throughout the Old Testament, God promised the arrival of a king who would redeem people. When Jesus arrived, Simeon and Anna knew He was the promised Messiah. Today, we have faith that Jesus is God’s Son. We can trust Jesus for our salvation, and like Simeon and Anna, we should share the good news.
Check this session’s Activity Page and stonewaterchurch.com for ways to interact with the Bible story at home!
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Jesus Was Born
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, March 15, 2020
After the angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah and predicted the birth of John—the forerunner of the Messiah—he appeared to Mary and predicted that she too would have a baby. This baby would be named Jesus, and He would be God’s Son. “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High … His kingdom will have no end,” Gabriel said. (See Luke 1:32-33.) Mary visited Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John. Inside the womb, John leaped for joy in the presence of Mary’s unborn baby.
Mary and Joseph lived in Nazareth. When Caesar Augustus called for a census, they traveled to Bethlehem—the very place the Messiah was prophesied to be born. (Micah 5:2) There, in a stable, God the Son entered the world as a baby.
Imagine the shepherds’ surprise when an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared. The Bible says that they were terrified! But the angel brought them good news: “Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord” (Luke 2:11). This Savior—the long-awaited deliverer and redeemer—had come.
Not only did Jesus come into the world as the Savior, He came as our King. Some time after Jesus’ birth, wise men came to worship Jesus. They brought Him gifts suitable for a king—gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Jesus is the King who will rule forever, just as God promised King David. (See 2 Sam. 7.)
When you share this story with your kids, remind them that Jesus came because we needed Him. The purpose of Jesus’ birth was twofold: to bring glory to God and to make peace between God and those who trust in Jesus’ death and resurrection. Celebrating the birth of Jesus is about rejoicing over the greatest gift we could ever receive. God’s own Son came to earth to be our Savior and our King.
The birth of Jesus was good news! Jesus was not an ordinary baby. He is God’s Son, sent to earth from heaven. Jesus, the promised Savior, came into the world to deliver us from sin and death.
Check this session’s Activity Page for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
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John Was Born
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, March 8, 2020
Some of the last words of the Lord recorded in the Old Testament are found in Malachi 4—“Look, I am going to send you the prophet Elijah … he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers” (vv. 5-6). The Book of Malachi was written more than 400 years before Jesus was born. For centuries, God’s people did not hear from Him. They were back in their homeland but were subject to other ruling nations. Eventually, the Romans took over.
The Roman emperor installed Herod as a leader over Judea and surrounding regions such as Samaria and Galilee. To gain the people’s favor, King Herod replaced Zerubbabel’s temple in Jerusalem with a beautiful marble temple constructed by 10,000 workers. This was the temple in which Zechariah, a priest from the family of Abijah, served the Lord. This was the temple in which God, through the angel Gabriel, broke His silence after so many years.
Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth, were both “righteous in God’s sight” (Luke 1:6), living by faith in God’s promise to send a Messiah. Like Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 18, they were getting along in years and did not have any children. Elizabeth’s barrenness was a point of disgrace for her among the community (Luke 1:25) and God graciously answered this couple’s prayers.
An angel appeared to Zechariah in the temple sanctuary and delivered good news: “Your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear a son.” Echoing Malachi’s prophecy, the angel declared this son would “turn the hearts of fathers to their children” (Luke 1:17)
For his doubting, Zechariah was rendered mute until the promise came to pass. When Zechariah believed God’s word, he praised God. John was born to prepare the way for Jesus. John would point people to Jesus, and they would praise God for keeping His promise to send the Savior.
Check this session’s Activity Page for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
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From Adam to Jesus
/in The Gospel Project /by Lauryn CarverSunday, March 1, 2020
The prophecies concerning Jesus’ birth are numerous, and many of them refer to Jesus’ lineage. Old Testament prophecies tell of the promised Messiah being born from the seed of a woman (Gen. 3:15); from the seed of Abraham (Gen. 22:18), Isaac (Gen. 21:12), and Jacob (Num. 24:17); from the tribe of Judah (Micah 5:2); from the line of Jesse (Isa. 11:1); and from the house of David (Jer. 23:5). The prophecies said He would be born of a virgin (Isa. 7:14) and would be the Son of God (1 Chron. 17:13-14; Ps. 2:7). Jesus fulfilled all of these prophecies.
In Bible times, Jews took great care to record family genealogies accurately. The family a person belonged to was directly linked to property rights. Matthew 1:1-17 and Luke 3:23-38 both chronicle the genealogy of Jesus. The account in Matthew presents Jesus as the king of the Jews—the legal heir to the throne of David. The account in Luke was written to Greek Christians and focuses on Jesus’ descent from Adam.
Jesus was born as a baby in Bethlehem. He had earthly parents—Mary and Joseph—but His true Father is God. Jesus is fully God and fully man.
As fully God, “the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ” (Col. 2:9). As fully man, Jesus has a human body, human mind, and human emotions. (See Luke 2:7,52; Matt. 26:38.) He is our sinless representative (2 Cor. 5:21), sympathetic high priest (Heb. 4:15), and substitute sacrifice (1 John 4:10).
Use this Bible story to review Jesus’ ancestors and their stories in the Old Testament. Help your kids recognize that God had been working out His plan to send Jesus over hundreds of years—through Adam, Abraham, Isaac, Rahab, Ruth, David, and others. God sent His Son to earth to save people from their sins.
Jesus came to earth as a human. Jesus had earthly parents, Mary and Joseph, but His true Father is God. Through Jesus, God kept His promises to Abraham and David. Jesus saves people from their sins and adopts them into God’s family.
Check this session’s Activity Page for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
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