This past week we uncovered the letter "C" in our Fetch series and it stands for caring. Life doesn't seem fair sometimes. God is concerned with how we respond when life hands us disappointments.
When friends don't treat us well, it's natural to want to treat them badly too, but God says if we are Christians, He can help us treat people with care, even when they don't treat us well.
We can reflect God's love to others by how we care and share with them. It is especially important to be a caring example to someone who does not know Jesus yet.
Compass Point: Caring means sharing!
Memory Verse: "Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you do not demand it back." Luke 6:30
Q's for the Fam:
1. List four things that are important to you.
2. List four ways to show someone you care MORE about them than your possessions.
3. When someone hurts you, how does that make you feel?
4. List three ways you could respond to someone who is mean to you.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Fetch week 3
This week we talked about being trustworthy. The more we prove to be trustworthy, the more trust we will earn from others. When we are not trustworthy, we set a bad example for others who know that we are Christians.
We have to choose to earn trust. If we promise to do something and don't do it, we've failed to follow through. But when we follow through with our promises we show others that we are trustworthy.
Read Luke 19:12-26
Compass Point: "When you know what to do-- follow through!"
Memory Verse: "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much..." Luke 16:10a
Q's for the Fam:
1. After reading Luke 19:12-26, why do you think the servant was considered untrustworthy?
2. List some of the things that you are trusted to do...
We have to choose to earn trust. If we promise to do something and don't do it, we've failed to follow through. But when we follow through with our promises we show others that we are trustworthy.
Read Luke 19:12-26
Compass Point: "When you know what to do-- follow through!"
Memory Verse: "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much..." Luke 16:10a
Q's for the Fam:
1. After reading Luke 19:12-26, why do you think the servant was considered untrustworthy?
2. List some of the things that you are trusted to do...
Monday, February 16, 2009
Fetch week 2
We all need good examples in our lives. Jesus understood the importance of having a sample example and thats why he came to earth. Jesus lived his life as an example of God's love to people who didn't believe in him. When we fetch people for God, we do it through our friendships and through our example too.
You and I set an example to others by the way we live. There are good examples and bad examples. What kind of example do you think Jesus was?
Some of our friends have heard about Jesus, but they need to see him. They need somoene to live like Jesus, to be an example of a life lived like Jesus.
God wants you to be a sample example to your friends who don't know Jesus. You see, Jesus lived his life differently than everyone else. He was more kind, more forgiving and more caring to those who were lost. If you call yourself a christian that means you live your life differently than your friends who don't know Jesus.
Read Luke 19:1-10
Compass Point: Every friend needs a sample example
Memory Max: This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples--when they see the love you have for each other." John 13:35
[Challenge]
1. After you read the story of Zacchaeus, write down two reasons you think people didn't like him
2. What are two ways we can be a good example?
3. What are two ways we can be a bad example
You and I set an example to others by the way we live. There are good examples and bad examples. What kind of example do you think Jesus was?
Some of our friends have heard about Jesus, but they need to see him. They need somoene to live like Jesus, to be an example of a life lived like Jesus.
God wants you to be a sample example to your friends who don't know Jesus. You see, Jesus lived his life differently than everyone else. He was more kind, more forgiving and more caring to those who were lost. If you call yourself a christian that means you live your life differently than your friends who don't know Jesus.
Read Luke 19:1-10
Compass Point: Every friend needs a sample example
Memory Max: This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples--when they see the love you have for each other." John 13:35
[Challenge]
1. After you read the story of Zacchaeus, write down two reasons you think people didn't like him
2. What are two ways we can be a good example?
3. What are two ways we can be a bad example
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Fetch week 1
This week we started a brand new video series called FETCH. Fetch is all about learning how we can Fetch our friends for God.
Jesus knew how to fetch, but he didn't fetch newspapers or boomerangs, he fetched people. Jesus came to earth to find lost people and bring them back to God.
Each of us has friends. Some of our friends don't know who Jesus is. When you don't know Jesus you are lost! God chooses to use me and you to fetch lost people, just like Jesus did.
God cares very much about lost people. The Bible says in Luke 19:10 that Jesus came to find and save lost people. If lost people mattered so much to Jesus, don't you think they should matter to us too?
Read Luke 15:3-7
Compass Point: When you prepare with prayer, God will help you when you share!
Memory Verse: "For the Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost." Luke 19:10
[Challenge]
God has given each one of us friends or kids we know who don't know Jesus.
1. Write down how you found Jesus. It doesn't have to be long, just write out in a few sentences how you became a Christian.
2. Second, write down a few names of people you know who do not know Jesus.
3. Pray that God would give you an opportunity to share how you became a Christian with a lost friend.
Well that's all we've got for this week. Don't forget that we are having elementary services during ALL service times! Come check em out!
Jesus knew how to fetch, but he didn't fetch newspapers or boomerangs, he fetched people. Jesus came to earth to find lost people and bring them back to God.
Each of us has friends. Some of our friends don't know who Jesus is. When you don't know Jesus you are lost! God chooses to use me and you to fetch lost people, just like Jesus did.
God cares very much about lost people. The Bible says in Luke 19:10 that Jesus came to find and save lost people. If lost people mattered so much to Jesus, don't you think they should matter to us too?
Read Luke 15:3-7
Compass Point: When you prepare with prayer, God will help you when you share!
Memory Verse: "For the Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost." Luke 19:10
[Challenge]
God has given each one of us friends or kids we know who don't know Jesus.
1. Write down how you found Jesus. It doesn't have to be long, just write out in a few sentences how you became a Christian.
2. Second, write down a few names of people you know who do not know Jesus.
3. Pray that God would give you an opportunity to share how you became a Christian with a lost friend.
Well that's all we've got for this week. Don't forget that we are having elementary services during ALL service times! Come check em out!
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
In the Beginning part 5
Well, we made it to our final week of our series on creation and today we talked about the sixth day of creation! On the sixth day God said:
“'Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.' And it was so. So he made them and God saw that it was good."
"Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea, and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground…' God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning—the sixth day!"
The Bible says that we were made in God’s image, which means that he wants us to be like him!
In the bible God used a man named Saul to do some awesome things! Saul started off as a mean guy who travelled around just to find Christians so that he could kill them or put them in jail.
One time, Saul had an encounter with Jesus while he was on his way to put some Christians in jail. After he had this encounter his life was never the same. He started to tell people about Jesus and everyone that heard him speak were amazed!
You see, When Saul’s life was changed, he changed others around him. God created us in his image and he wants us to be more like him. When we strive to be more like Him He can use us to change the lives of others around you and me!
Memory Verse: "You are the light of the world." Matthew 5:14
Q's for the Fam:
1. What do you think it means that we were made in God’s image?
2. After Saul’s life was transformed by his encounter with Jesus, he went out and transformed other lives. What can you do to transform others?
3. How has your life been transformed? Do you read your Bible? Do you pray? How are you using the way that God has transformed you, to transform others?
“'Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.' And it was so. So he made them and God saw that it was good."
"Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea, and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground…' God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning—the sixth day!"
The Bible says that we were made in God’s image, which means that he wants us to be like him!
In the bible God used a man named Saul to do some awesome things! Saul started off as a mean guy who travelled around just to find Christians so that he could kill them or put them in jail.
One time, Saul had an encounter with Jesus while he was on his way to put some Christians in jail. After he had this encounter his life was never the same. He started to tell people about Jesus and everyone that heard him speak were amazed!
You see, When Saul’s life was changed, he changed others around him. God created us in his image and he wants us to be more like him. When we strive to be more like Him He can use us to change the lives of others around you and me!
Memory Verse: "You are the light of the world." Matthew 5:14
Q's for the Fam:
1. What do you think it means that we were made in God’s image?
2. After Saul’s life was transformed by his encounter with Jesus, he went out and transformed other lives. What can you do to transform others?
3. How has your life been transformed? Do you read your Bible? Do you pray? How are you using the way that God has transformed you, to transform others?
In the Beginning part 4
Four weeks into our series we've uncovered the first five days of creation. Let's recap... On the the first day God created the heavens, the earth, and the light. On the second day he separated the water below from the water above by creating the sky. The next day he caused land to appear and plants and trees started to grow on the dry ground. On the fourth day God created the Sun, moon, and stars, and set them in the sky to help govern over day and night, and the seasons of the year...Phewww!
Now that we got through all of that, let's check out what God created on the fifth day:
And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.” So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing that lives in the water, and every winged bird. And God saw that it was good.
God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day.
Our Jesus factor was the story found in Mark 6:6b-13. It says this:
Jesus went around teaching from village to village. Calling the twelve [disciples] to him, he sent them out two by two…
These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not any extra clothes. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave…”
They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many evil things and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.
We discovered how God created the sea creatures and the birds on the fifth day. Not only did he create them but he told them to spread out over all the earth. He told the creatures to fill the entire sea and he told the birds to fill the sky.
God wants his message to spread in the same way! He wants his message to spread across the earth and he wants everyone to hear it! In today’s story Jesus demonstrated how that happens. He sent out the twelve disciples to go out and spread the word! He told them to go into the villages and tell them to repent and turn their hearts back to God.
You see, God doesn’t want anyone to not know about him… so it is up to us to tell everyone about Jesus and what he did for us!
Memory Verse: "You are the light of the world." Matthew 5:14
Q's for the Fam:
1. Have you ever told someone about Jesus? What happened? Were you scared?
2. Besides telling others, what are some other ways that we can show people we believe in Jesus?
Now that we got through all of that, let's check out what God created on the fifth day:
And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.” So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing that lives in the water, and every winged bird. And God saw that it was good.
God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day.
Our Jesus factor was the story found in Mark 6:6b-13. It says this:
Jesus went around teaching from village to village. Calling the twelve [disciples] to him, he sent them out two by two…
These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not any extra clothes. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave…”
They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many evil things and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.
We discovered how God created the sea creatures and the birds on the fifth day. Not only did he create them but he told them to spread out over all the earth. He told the creatures to fill the entire sea and he told the birds to fill the sky.
God wants his message to spread in the same way! He wants his message to spread across the earth and he wants everyone to hear it! In today’s story Jesus demonstrated how that happens. He sent out the twelve disciples to go out and spread the word! He told them to go into the villages and tell them to repent and turn their hearts back to God.
You see, God doesn’t want anyone to not know about him… so it is up to us to tell everyone about Jesus and what he did for us!
Memory Verse: "You are the light of the world." Matthew 5:14
Q's for the Fam:
1. Have you ever told someone about Jesus? What happened? Were you scared?
2. Besides telling others, what are some other ways that we can show people we believe in Jesus?
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
In the Beginning part 3
This last week we talked about the fourth day of Creation. On the fourth day God created the sun moon and stars. let's check out what the Bible says about it:
And God said, “Let there be lights in the sky to separate day from night, and let them serve as signs to mark the seasons, days, and years, and let them be lights in the sky to give light to the earth.” And it was so.
God made two great lights—the sun to give light during the day and the moon to give light during the night.
God also made the stars. He set them in the sky, also to give light to the earth! And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.
Genesis 1:14-19
Read John 6:1-13
Just as God created the sun and the moon to be signs of day and night… He created us to be signs of his love! The boy was showing his love for God by being willing to give up everything he had so that Jesus could feed the crowd of people. The people saw the faith that the boy had in Jesus, and because of his act of faith, they were all fed and were able to stay and listen to Jesus teach.
God wants to use us in the same way. He wants the way we act to be a sign of light to the world. He wants the words we say to show others that we love him!
Memory Verse: "You are the light of the world." Matthew 5:14
Q's for the Fam:
1. The boy’s attitude was a sign that he loved Jesus. He was willing to give everything he had and let Jesus do something amazing with it! What do you, or can you, do to show others that you love God? Do you share with others? Do you make fun of other kids? Do you tell people about Jesus?
2. Just as God placed the sun and moon in the sky to be signs that would mark the seasons, days, and years, he placed you in this world to be a sign of his love. What is something that you can do this week to be a sign of God’s love to someone?
And God said, “Let there be lights in the sky to separate day from night, and let them serve as signs to mark the seasons, days, and years, and let them be lights in the sky to give light to the earth.” And it was so.
God made two great lights—the sun to give light during the day and the moon to give light during the night.
God also made the stars. He set them in the sky, also to give light to the earth! And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.
Genesis 1:14-19
Read John 6:1-13
Just as God created the sun and the moon to be signs of day and night… He created us to be signs of his love! The boy was showing his love for God by being willing to give up everything he had so that Jesus could feed the crowd of people. The people saw the faith that the boy had in Jesus, and because of his act of faith, they were all fed and were able to stay and listen to Jesus teach.
God wants to use us in the same way. He wants the way we act to be a sign of light to the world. He wants the words we say to show others that we love him!
Memory Verse: "You are the light of the world." Matthew 5:14
Q's for the Fam:
1. The boy’s attitude was a sign that he loved Jesus. He was willing to give everything he had and let Jesus do something amazing with it! What do you, or can you, do to show others that you love God? Do you share with others? Do you make fun of other kids? Do you tell people about Jesus?
2. Just as God placed the sun and moon in the sky to be signs that would mark the seasons, days, and years, he placed you in this world to be a sign of his love. What is something that you can do this week to be a sign of God’s love to someone?
In the Beginning part 2
In week 2 of our series we talked about the third day of creation. But let's get you up to speed first:
Day 1- God created the heavens and the earth; and he created the light
Day 2- God created the sky; he separated the water from above from the water below
Now that we've got that settled let's check out day 3:
And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.
Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in It, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.
Genesis 1:9-13
How many of you have ever had something happen to you that was SOOOOO exciting that you just had to tell someone?
That is how we should treat God’s message! The story of Jesus and how he died so that we could live forever with him in heaven is the most important message….EVER! And it is really exciting!
God wants us to share that story with others. He wants us to be a light to the world and bear fruit by spreading his Word!
Bible Reference: Matthew 18:10-14; Luke 15:4-7
Memory Verse: "You are the light of the world." Matthew 5:14
Q's for the Fam:
1. What does Jesus mean when he says he does not want anyone to be lost?
2. How can we help lost people find Jesus?
[Challenge]
Share God's story with one person this week!
Day 1- God created the heavens and the earth; and he created the light
Day 2- God created the sky; he separated the water from above from the water below
Now that we've got that settled let's check out day 3:
And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.
Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in It, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.
Genesis 1:9-13
How many of you have ever had something happen to you that was SOOOOO exciting that you just had to tell someone?
That is how we should treat God’s message! The story of Jesus and how he died so that we could live forever with him in heaven is the most important message….EVER! And it is really exciting!
God wants us to share that story with others. He wants us to be a light to the world and bear fruit by spreading his Word!
Bible Reference: Matthew 18:10-14; Luke 15:4-7
Memory Verse: "You are the light of the world." Matthew 5:14
Q's for the Fam:
1. What does Jesus mean when he says he does not want anyone to be lost?
2. How can we help lost people find Jesus?
[Challenge]
Share God's story with one person this week!
Monday, January 5, 2009
In the Beginning part 1
Hey guys! Happy New Year!
With the start of a new year, we kicked off a brand new series called In the Beginning! We will be unpacking the story of creation in Genesis chapter 1.
Yesterday, we talked about the first two days of creation:
In the Beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was empty… it had no shape. Darkness covered the surface of the deep and the Spirit of God hovered over the waters.
God said, “Let there be light,” and there was! He saw that the light was good, so He separated the light from darkness. He called the light “day,” and he called the darkness “night.” There came evening… there came morning… and so it was… The first day!
On the Second day God said, “Let’s put an expanse to separate the waters. So God did… and he called it the ‘sky.’ There came evening… there came morning… and so it was… the second day!
Genesis 1:1-8 (my paraphrase)
Just as God created the light, he also created us to be a light in the world! He wants us to be different from the rest of the world so that people can see the light that we have... the message of Jesus!
Bible reference: Matthew 5:14-16
Memory Verse: "You are the light of the world." Matthew 5:14
Q's for the Family:
1. What does it mean to be a light?
2. How can we be a light?
3. Why should we be a light
4. What is one thing that you can do this week to “let your light shine?”
With the start of a new year, we kicked off a brand new series called In the Beginning! We will be unpacking the story of creation in Genesis chapter 1.
Yesterday, we talked about the first two days of creation:
In the Beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was empty… it had no shape. Darkness covered the surface of the deep and the Spirit of God hovered over the waters.
God said, “Let there be light,” and there was! He saw that the light was good, so He separated the light from darkness. He called the light “day,” and he called the darkness “night.” There came evening… there came morning… and so it was… The first day!
On the Second day God said, “Let’s put an expanse to separate the waters. So God did… and he called it the ‘sky.’ There came evening… there came morning… and so it was… the second day!
Genesis 1:1-8 (my paraphrase)
Just as God created the light, he also created us to be a light in the world! He wants us to be different from the rest of the world so that people can see the light that we have... the message of Jesus!
Bible reference: Matthew 5:14-16
Memory Verse: "You are the light of the world." Matthew 5:14
Q's for the Family:
1. What does it mean to be a light?
2. How can we be a light?
3. Why should we be a light
4. What is one thing that you can do this week to “let your light shine?”
The Grinch part 3
Last week we finished up our Grinch series as we also conlcuded 2008! We talked about "The Search" that 3 men went on to find Jesus. Here is that story:A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…. Oh wait, wrong story! Scratch that, let’s start over!
After Jesus was born, there were some wise men that lived in a far away country. They watched the stars every night to see if they noticed anything different. One night a bright, new star appeared in the sky.
They knew it had special meaning and that it was a sign that a great king had been born. They wanted to take him gifts and worship him, so they decided to follow the star until they found him.
But this wasn’t just any ordinary road trip. They lived about 500 miles away, and they didn’t have a car to just hop in and drive there. Wise men were always important people to the King of the country they lived in… so the King probably sent some of his own army to travel with the wise men and keep them safe.
They travelled for a long time and finally arrived in Jerusalem. They asked everyone, “Where is the new King of the Jews? We have been following his star, because we want to worship him.”
King Herod heard about the questions that the Wise Men were asking and it worried him. Was some new king going to take away his throne? Could these Wise Men be talking about the Savior of the world?
King Herod called for the men who knew the most about the prophets and he asked them, “Do your books tell where the Savior will be born?”
They told him, “Yes, the prophet Micah said that the Savior would be born in Bethlehem.”
King Herod called for the Wise Men to come to his royal courts. He asked them when they had first seen this star. They told him, and then he asked them to go ahead and find the baby, then come back and tell him so that he could go and worship him, too!
Do you guys really think that King Herod wanted to go worship Baby Jesus? No, he didn’t because he was afraid that Jesus would take away his royal throne. As a matter of fact, King Herod wanted to do the opposite. He wanted to get rid of baby Jesus.
Well, the star led the Wise Men right to the house where Mary, Joseph, and Jesus were staying. The men bowed down to Baby Jesus and gave him valuable gifts—of gold, frankincense, which is something that you light on fire and it smells sweet…and myrrh, which was an expensive perfume!
Then they had a dream where God warned them not to go back to King Herod. So they travelled another route home.
Can you imagine that, looking for something for two years and travelling over 500 miles on a camel’s back, to get it… talk about having a sore bottom!
God wants us to search and find Jesus! Not literally, he’s not hiding in your house somewhere and you have to go find him. But we have to know who he is, and that if we accept him into our hearts, then he can change us and be our Savior, so that we can get into heaven.
Bible reference: Matthew 2:1-12
Q's for the family:
1. Could you imagine looking for something for two years? What’s the longest you’ve ever had to look for something?
2. How can you search for Jesus?
3. Have you accepted Jesus into your heart?
If not, would like to accept him now?
If yes, how can you live your life differently from the people who don’t know Jesus yet?
[Challenge]
This week go home and read Matthew 2:1-12 with your mom or dad. Come back next week and tell me one way that you “go another route” or show others that you love Jesus by your actions.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
