The Kingdom of God Family Discipleship Guide: Week 8

Welcome

Welcome to the sermon series Your Kingdom Come: God’s Project for Making All Things New! Here you will find a brief overview of this week’s passage and a few ideas for going deeper into the sermon topic with Preschool, Elementary, and Middle/High Schoolers.

Recap

Have you ever been given a gift that wasn’t just for you? I don’t mean a gift that wasn’t for you; I mean a gift that wasn’t just for you—a gift that was for you and for someone else, or maybe for you and everyone else in your family. How does it make you feel to get a gift like that?

In our passage for this week, the disciples get a gift kind of like that! We’ve been hearing a lot about the Kingdom of God for the last two months, and now it’s finally time for Jesus to give his friends the gift of the Kingdom!

His friends had a question, though: “Jesus, are you going to give the kingdom back to Israel now?”

They wanted to know who the Kingdom was for. “Is this present just for us?”

No! The gift of the Kingdom is a gift for everyone who trusts in Jesus. It’s a big present! In fact, it’s so big that Jesus asks us to help him give it out: “you will tell other people about me from one end of the earth to the other.” In fact, Jesus gives us his own Spirit to help us do it!

We’re going to hear more about that this weekend from Pastor Jeff and from Anne Miller. Listen closely!

Preschool

Read your child(ren) stories about the coming of the Holy Spirit and the early church. You can find these in any of the common children’s story Bibles! Point out to your kids that the kingdom was bigger than any of the disciples expected at first.

Elementary School

Read Acts 1:1-11 from a child-friendly version of the Bible like the NIrV.

• What does this passage say about the Holy Spirit? What else do you notice?

• Look again at the question the disciples asked Jesus. Who did they think the kingdom of God is for?

• Jesus says, “You will tell people about me.” Have you ever told anyone about Jesus?

• What has the church meant to you in your life? Has it been important? Has it helped you?

Middle/High School

Read Acts 1:1-11 in the New Living Translation.

• When you read these verses, particularly verse 6, do you get the impression the disciples understood now everything about the kingdom of God?

• These verses don’t mention the church specifically, but the giving of the Spirit is the beginning or birth of the church. What role has the church played in your life? What has it meant for you?

• The angels said that Jesus will return again! What do Jesus and the Spirit call us to do while we wait? What does it mean to be a “witness”?

The Kingdom of God Family Discipleship Guide: Week 7

Welcome

Welcome to the sermon series Your Kingdom Come: God’s Project for Making All Things New! Here you will find a brief overview of this week’s passage and a few ideas for going deeper into the sermon topic with Preschool, Elementary, and Middle/High Schoolers.

Recap

Come back to God!

This is the motto of the Kingdom of God. Our passage today in 2 Corinthians talks about coming back to God five times. In fact, it says that this is what Jesus came to invite us to.

But oh, some days I am selfish and greedy. Come back to God.

But some days I want my ways more than God’s ways. Come back to God.

But some days I feel hurt and sad. Come back to God.

Some days I hurt others. Come back to God.

But how can we come back to God? Only because Jesus brings us back. The Bible says that in Jesus, we are a new kind of creature, the kind who can come back to God, because of what Jesus has done. We are the kind of people who can invite people to come back to God.

Preschool

Read your child stories this week of God finding and brining people back to himself. There are many parables like this. The parable of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son in Luke 15 are a good place to start. You can ask your child if they ever feel far from God, and teach them this breath prayer. Breath in and pray “Good shepherd,” breathe out, “you find me when I am lost.”

Elementary School

Read 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 from a child-friendly version of the Bible like the NIrV.

• How many times does this passage talk about coming back to God? What do you notice?

• How are we made right with God?

• What does this passage say about anyone who lives in Jesus?

• How do you see God making you more like Jesus?

Middle/High School

Read 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 in the New Living Translation.

• Paul says that we (those who live for Christ) “have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view.” What do you think he means by that?

• Verse 17 says that “anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new creation.” Do you feel like a new person? If you have believed in Jesus, ask him to show you and remind you of the work he has begun in your heart and life.

• Paul says that God has given us “this wonderful message of reconciliation” and made us “Christ’s ambassadors.” What is an ambassador? If you really understood yourself as an ambassador for Christ, how would that change your life? Also, more fundamentally, what does it mean that the message entrusted to you is a message of “reconciliation”?

The Kingdom of God Family Discipleship Guide: Week 6

Welcome

Welcome to the sermon series Your Kingdom Come: God’s project for making all things new. Here you will find a brief overview, a few ideas for going deeper into the sermon topic with Preschool, Elementary, and Middle/High Schoolers.

Recap

Check out the story “Treasure Hunt” in the Jesus Storybook Bible, which will be the New City Kids Devotional video for this week (posted on Saturdays at 12:00).

God’s kingdom is the greatest treasure we could ever seek, and it’s worth giving away everything we have.

Preschool

One way to preach the gospel to our children is to say “Jesus is everything that you need,” or “You already have all that you need.” The tone we use when we say this is important, it is good news, let’s tell it to our children that way! This week, look for chances to share this good news of the Gospel with your children. When you find yourself struggling with discontentment or worry, model for your children turning to Jesus as the one who gives all good things.

Elementary School

Read Matthew 6:25-33 from a child-friendly version of the Bible like the NIrV.

• What are some things you worry about? Make a list or draw a picture.

• What things in creation does Jesus tell people to look at to see how God cares for his creatures?

• Are there other things you have seen in nature or in your own life that help you remember that God provides for you?

• Watch the video for this week “Treasure Hunt” or read “Treasure Hunt” in the Jesus Storybook Bible. What do you notice about this story and vs. 32-33?

Middle/High School

Read Matthew 6:25-34 in the New Living Translation.

• Jesus says not to worry about whether we will have enough (food and drink) or look good enough (clothes). Do you worry about these things? If not, what do you worry about?

• Jesus says that we don’t need to worry because God cares for you. Do you believe that? How have you seen God care for you?

• “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else,” Jesus says. What do you think that means? How do we do it? What do you think it would look like for you to seek the kingdom of God above all else in your house with your family? What about in your friendships, in your youth group, and in your school? Take some time to imagine what a life focused on the kingdom might look like.

The Kingdom of God Family Discipleship Guide: Week 5

Welcome

Welcome to the sermon series Your Kingdom Come: God’s project for making all things new. Here you will find a brief overview, a few ideas for going deeper into the sermon topic with Preschool, Elementary, and Middle/High Schoolers.

Recap

Last week, we learned that Jesus said “The kingdom of God is here—Turn away from doing wrong and believe the Good News!” But what is this good news that Jesus was talking about? This week, he shows us what that good news is. This part of the Bible is called the Beatitudes, which means “happiness.” But there are different kinds of happy, aren’t there? Think about dumping all your halloween candy out on the bed. How does that feel? Think about snuggling into your bed at night and feeling warm and safe. You might feel happy both times, but the second time is closer to what Jesus is talking about here. This is why it uses the word “Blessed.” So, Jesus starts off his kingdom by telling what happiness is like in his kingdom, and guess what? It’s kind of a surprise.

What does our world say about happiness?

• People with the money have happiness because they can buy whatever they want.

• People who are powerful have happiness because they can do whatever they want.

• People who work hard to be successful have happiness because they know what it feels like to do a good job.

Here is what Jesus said:

“Blessed are those who are spiritually needy.
    The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
4 Blessed are those who are sad.
    They will be comforted.
5 Blessed are those who are humble.
    They will be given the earth.
6 Blessed are those who are hungry and thirsty for what is right.
    They will be filled.
7 Blessed are those who show mercy.
    They will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are those whose hearts are pure.
    They will see God.
9 Blessed are those who make peace.
    They will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who suffer for doing what is right.
    The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.

11 “Blessed are you when people make fun of you and hurt you because of me. You are also blessed when they tell all kinds of evil lies about you because of me. 12 Be joyful and glad. Your reward in heaven is great. In the same way, people hurt the prophets who lived long ago.

Is this surprising to you? Jesus gives us a picture of what every Christian is supposed to be like in these words, but can we be this way on our own? No. We want to have power. We want to be first, to work hard to get what we want, we aren’t always hungry and thirsty for what is good and right. BUT the good news of Jesus is that we can become like this blessed person each day when we have our hearts changed by Jesus.

Preschool

At the end of each day today, read the Beatitudes. Ask your child if they remind them of anything that happened in their day. When you share highs and lows, ask if your child had a time today when they felt that deep kind of happiness we talked about. Listen to them as they share that with you, then thank God together for it.

Elementary School

Read Matthew 5:1-12 from a child-friendly version of the Bible like the NIrV.

• Make a list or draw pictures of what the world says it looks like to be blessed or deeply happy.

• After reading Matthew 5:1-12, make a list or draw pictures of what Jesus says it means to be blessed or deeply happy in God’s kingdom.

• Look at your two lists or groups of pictures. How are they different? What of the first list seems hard to let go of? Is there something there that means a lot to you? Talk to God about this.

• Look at the second list. What do you feel pulled towards? These are things that the Holy Spirit can do in the heart of all Christians. What do you want to ask God for?

Middle/High School

• Read Matthew 5:1-16 in the New Living Translation.

• What stands out to you in this passage?  What do you think Jesus wants you to notice?

• Reflect on yourself as you read through the Beatitudes: do you realize your need for God? mourn over sin? hunger and thirst for justice? show mercy? work for peace?  Do you find one particular beatitude most convicting?  Do you find one most inspiring?

• Read verses 13-16 again.  What does Jesus call you to be/do in the world?  Are you supposed to be just like the world?  Are you supposed to run away from it? 

• Think about yourself as you read these verses.  Are you salt in your family and your school and among your friends?  Do you shine with good deeds in the name of Jesus?     

The Kingdom of God Family Discipleship Guide: Week 4

Welcome

Welcome to the sermon series Your Kingdom Come: God’s project for making all things new. Here you will find a brief overview, a few ideas for going deeper into the sermon topic with Preschool, Elementary, and Middle/High Schoolers.

Recap

Last week we talked about a king—do you remember who it was? Yes, David. We talked about how God promised David that his kingdom would never end, and that one from his family would rule forever. This week, we get a look at that king. While you listen to this story, I want you to think about what kind of a king Jesus is.

One day, Jesus went into Galilee saying, “God’s kingdom is here. Turn away from being your own king, and believe God’s good news.” Jesus was walking by the lake. He saw some men out in their boats. He called out to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” Fish for people? I wonder what that means. They might have wondered, too, because they hopped out of their boat and followed Jesus. He walked a little further down the shore and saw two other men in their boat. “Follow me!” Jesus called. They left their nets, their father, and the other fisherman and followed Jesus. You probably know that there were 12 men who followed Jesus—and as they followed Jesus, they saw what it meant to be a part of God’s kingdom—God’s king, ruling over God’s people in God’s place. Do you know what they saw? Lost and confused people being found, sick people being healed, dead people coming alive again, far off people being brought near, people being set free. When the disciples looked at Jesus, the king of God’s kingdom, they saw that, in God’s kingdom, people with power use it to make things better for others.

Preschool

Give your child some Little People, Duplos, or other people characters you might have at home. Invite them to play the story they have just heard. The goal is not comprehension, it is to see what parts of the story resonated with your child. Play is prayer for children this age—they are showing God what matters to them from the story, when the words may still be out of reach. Be curious, resist the urge to correct or teach them. This is their chance to respond to God’s word. If you’d like and your child is interested, read this story a few more times this week and give your child space to interact with it. Trust that God will meet them in their play. If you’d like a song to sing this week, The Wedding Banquet by Rain for Roots is a good story/song to go with this theme.

Elementary School

Read Mark 1:21-28 from a child-friendly version of the Bible like the NIrV.

• What do you wonder about this passage? Also share what you wonder about as a parent.

• How many times do you see the word “authority” in this passage? Circle them. What does that word mean? Look it up in a dictionary if you need to!

• Whose authority is this passage talking about?

• Based on the rest of the story, what does Jesus use his authority to do?

• What do you think it means for you and me?

• Where do you have “authority”? How can you use it for others?

Middle/High School

Read Mark 1:14-28 in the New Living Translation.

• What do you think Jesus means when he says, "The Kingdom of God has come near"?  What is the Kingdom of God?  Is it near you?

• Simon and Andrew, and then James and John, leave their nets and follow Jesus when he calls them.  What do you imagine it was about Jesus that compelled them to follow?  Imagine Jesus calling out to you and inviting you to follow him.  How do you respond?

• If Jesus teaches with authority, what can you do to listen to him well?  The demon-possessed man was set free from his bondage.  Is there anything you want to ask Jesus to free you from?    

The Kingdom of God Family Discipleship Guide: Week 3

Welcome

Welcome to the sermon series Your Kingdom Come: God’s project for making all things new. Here you will find a brief overview, a few ideas for going deeper into the sermon topic with Preschool, Elementary, and Middle/High Schoolers.

Recap

Do you know who David is? What do you know about David? You might know that he was a shepherd. You might know that he was a little boy who killed a big giant with just a few stones and a slingshot. You might know that he danced so hard before God that his clothes fell off! You might know that he was the person God chose to be the King of Israel after Saul, Israel’s first king. There might be other things you know about David. Maybe you can tell them to someone nearby right now. Here’s something you might not know about David—Did you know that God made a big promise to David? One day, David was admiring his beautiful palace and talking with God. He told God, “I would like to make you a beautiful place to live.” But do you know what God said, I don’t need you to make me a beautiful place to live. That is someone else’s job. In fact, it will be your son’s job.” Then God made a promise to David. God promised David that he would always be with him and his family. He promised that there would be a place for God’s people, that God’s people would live in peace, that his kingdom would go on and on forever. Now, if you’ve read the Bible before, you know that these things didn’t happen right away. In fact, some of these things took a very long time to come true. I wonder what that was like for God’s people—waiting and waiting and waiting for the promises that God made to David. I wonder what it is like for you to wait for God when it feels like things are hard or sad or they don’t make sense. But we also know, if we have read the Bible, that God did keep his promise—who was the one who came from David’s family as God’s son who is always with us, who is our peace, whose kingdom will never ever end? Yes. It’s Jesus. I wonder what it is like to know that God always keeps his promises. That Jesus is always with his people, and that he is the king right now. Always and forever.

Preschool

Read the story “The Teeny Weenie True King” from the Jesus Storybook Bible, or the story of David from another children’s Bible. Give your child legos or play doh and invite them to retell the story with their own words. You are not looking for accuracy or facts, you’re looking to see and hear what resonated with your child from the story. Try to stay curious while you watch them play. Ask questions or make observations. I see David is sad. Why is he sad? It looks like there are sheep in David’s kingdom—I wonder why they are there!” wonder if God’s people will ever have another king as good as David.

Elementary School

Read 2 Samuel 8:-17 from a child-friendly version of the Bible like the NIrV.

• How many of God’s promises can you find in this passage? List them.

• Based on what you know of the story of the Bible, did these things happen right away? Talk with a parent or another adult about whether or not they did.

• Look at Acts 13:16-38. What does it help us to understand about David & about these promises?

• What is your favorite part of this good news?

Middle/High School

The Kingdom of God Family Discipleship Guide: Week 2

Welcome

Welcome to the sermon series Your Kingdom Come: God’s project for making all things new. Here you will find a brief overview, a few ideas for going deeper into the sermon topic with Preschool, Elementary, and Middle/High Schoolers.

Recap

This week we’re talking about a very sad day. When God made this beautiful Garden, and God’s people lived in God’s place, with God as their king, God told Adam & Eve not to eat from one tree in the middle of the garden. But you know what happened, don’t you? Adam and Eve decided to eat from the tree anyway. They listened to satan’s terrible lie instead of God’s good words. They chose not to let God be king over them, and they ate the fruit. What happened then? Sin broke God’s beautiful world. And Adam & Eve had to leave the garden—but even though this was a very sad day, all was not lost, because God loved Adam & Eve too much to let them live forever without him. God loved you and me too much to let us live without him as our king. God promised that one of Eve’s very own children would crush the head of satan, that lying snake. Now, all that Adam & Eve, and all of God’s people after them, could do, was wait…

Preschool

Confession
Play is the language of children, and God knows that. God is willing and ready to talk to children in the way that he created them, and this week provides a great opportunity to enter into that practice of play in a serious way. You Forgave Me (Psalm 32:1-5) by Slugs and Bugs is my favorite confession song for children. It doesn’t heap guilt or veer into shame, but helps children to understand confession and forgiveness as the road to a restored relationship with God. Maybe you would like to listen to this song and memorize these verses this week. Maybe you would like to invite your child to sculpt something they would like to ask forgiveness for with play doh and then smash it while saying “All my guilt is gone, you forgave me.” Maybe you could join them in this practice.

Elementary School

Play is the language of children, and God knows that. God is willing and ready to talk to children in the way that he created them, and this week provides a great opportunity to enter into that practice of play in a serious way. You Forgave Me (Psalm 32:1-5) by Slugs and Bugs is my favorite confession song for children. It doesn’t heap guilt or veer into shame, but helps children to understand confession and forgiveness as the road to a restored relationship with God. Maybe you would like to listen to this song and memorize these verses this week. Maybe you would like to invite your child to sculpt something they would like to ask forgiveness for with Play Doh and then smash it while saying “All my guilt is gone, you forgave me.” Maybe you could join them in this practice.

Middle/High School

Read Genesis 3:1-24 in the New Living Translation.

• Why do you think the woman gave in to the serpent's temptation to eat of the tree?

• Reflect on the words of the serpent.  Did he tell the truth?  Did he lie?  Did he mix truth with lies?  

• Notice that Adam and Eve each blame someone else for sin: the man blames "the woman you gave me," and the woman blames the serpent who "deceived me."  Do you ever notice that in yourself?

• Read verses 14-24 carefully.  What do you notice?  What promise does the Lord make in verse 15?  Why does the Lord send Adam and Eve out of the garden?  

• Take a moment to reflect on the seriousness of sin.  It's easy to think sin isn't really that big a deal, but notice that it means Adam and Eve have to leave the presence of their God!

The Kingdom of God Family Discipleship Guide: Week 1

Welcome

This is the first week of our new sermon series on the Kingdom of God! We are so excited to be journeying through this adventure together. Here you will find a brief overview, a few ideas for going deeper into the sermon topic with Preschool, Elementary, and Middle/High Schoolers, and a guide to the week’s chapter in our Family Book Club. After this week, the book club guides will only come out in emails to those registered, so make sure you register on REALM if you’re going to read along with us!

Preschool

God made you and God made me!
Get a large piece of paper or on your sidewalk, have your child lie down and trace around their body. Invite them to decorate themselves with clothes, colors, or designs that show what they like about themselves. Talk about how God made each of us in his image, to look like him. Pray together and thank God for the way he made your child.
This is a great week to learn the catechism question, “Who made you?” The answer: God made me.

Elementary School

Invite your child to make a book. Staple 10 blank pages between two pieces of construction paper. Each week, your child can add a piece of artwork, a poem, or write about what they learned about the Kingdom of God, from the sermon or from the Book Club chapter for that week.

An idea for this week:Read Genesis 1:26-27 and 2:5-15. Imagine what the garden was like. Then use your favorite art material to make a picture of that garden on the first page of your book.

Middle/High School

Read Genesis 1:26-28 and Genesis 2:5-15 in the NLT.

Adam and Eve were made in the image of God.  What do you think that meant?

What was the calling of Adam and Eve at the beginning?  In other words, what did God want them to do?

What stands out to you in the description of Eden in Genesis 2?  

What does it mean that you are the image of God?  How does, or should, that affect the way you think about yourself?  What about the way you live?

The Biggest Story Family Book Club

This week’s chapter covers a lot of ground, from the beauty of creation to the devastation of the fall. This chapter also includes the promise God made that he would one day send someone to crush the serpent’s head—Jesus. We suggest reading the chapter from The Biggest Story after you attend worship on either Saturday night or Sunday. Then, during the week, read a couple of Scripture passages that go along with the chapter. A list is available here, but they will also be posted each week here on the website. Discussion questions can be used the first night after you read, or you can use them throughout the week.

Scripture Passages

• The Creation of the World: Genesis 1:26-31

• The Fall: Genesis 3

Discussion Questions

• Can you imagine what the world would’ve been like when God first created it? What was it like for Adam & Eve?

• Look at the picture on page 25 while you read Genesis 3. What thoughts, feelings, or questions do you have?

• What do you think about the promise? That there would alway be a war between good and evil? Where have you seen that in the Bible? Where do you see it in the world?

• What about the other promise? That one of Eve’s children would crush the head of the snake? Who do you think that is?

Family Discipleship Guide: Matthew 7:7-11

Welcome

This Family Discipleship Guide is designed to give you ideas to keep the Sermon text in front of you each week. Each week, there will be a blog post featuring a brief recap of the sermon passage, and a few quick ideas for how your family can dive deeper into the passage together during the week.

Recap

Matthew 7:7-11

When I was younger, I liked to be with God on the swing set. As long as I can remember, I have loved to swing as high as I can, and I have felt close to God when I am swinging. I also really love to take a nature hike and talk with God about lots of different things. Sometimes I don’t talk at all, sometimes I just listen. Another thing I love to do to be with God is listen to an Audio Bible and paint with watercolors while I listen. Sometimes, I read or listen to a passage of scripture—especially stories about Jesus— and I try to imagine what it was like: the smells, the sounds, the tastes, the way Jesus’ voice might have sounded or his face might have looked. What do you like to do to be with God? If you haven’t tried one of these things before, maybe you would like to try one this week.

In this passage, Jesus teaches us about prayer. This isn’t the only time Jesus teaches us about prayer, but it is a special time, because this time Jesus tells us that we are praying to a good Heavenly Father. Did you know that God loves you very much? Did you know that he is doing good things in this world all the time? God has promised that he will never stop doing good to his people. Do you know who that means? That means you. That means me. That means everyone who belongs to God in this whole world. And do you know what? He has never stopped. He sent Jesus to show us just the kind of good gifts that God loves to give his children. The kind of good gifts that are beautiful and true, that make wrongs right and sad things come untrue. Jesus invites us to tell God everything—even the things that we feel like we can’t tell anyone else. Because God won’t ever trick us or trap us, we can’t bargain with God, and we don’t have to be afraid that he will tell our secrets to someone else. God is good, and he loves you. He is only going to do or give you whatever will make you more like Jesus. So you are free to tell him everything, with no fear.

Check this out

Nature is a very easy place for children to connect with God in prayer. If you want to do something to feed your child spiritually this week, take a nature walk or three together. Or think of a way you enjoy being with God and share this with your child.

Going Deeper With …

Preschoolers

Jesus emphasizes that the length or content of prayer is not as important as the attitude in which we pray. This is good news for all of us, and should remind us that in this sense we have a lot to learn from our small children. Securely attached children are free to pray to God and ask parents for things earnestly, expecting good from those they ask. This week, observe your child in prayer. Ask God what he would have you learn from your child. Spend some time thinking back on your earliest experiences of God. When did you feel closest to God? Ask your child when they feel close to God. Share some of these things with your child.

Elementary Kids

Read Matthew 7:7-11 in a child-friendly version of the Bible (like the NIrV).

What does this passage say about …

• what God is like?

• what people are like?

• what our response should be?

How do you see God’s goodness when you look at Jesus? Can you make something, write a story, think about it while you take a walk, talk to God, a parent, or a friend about it?

Middle & High Schoolers

Read Matthew 7:7-11 in the New Living Translation.

What do the words of Jesus in these verses tell you about

• what God is like?

• what people are like in relation to God?

• how Jesus invites us to respond to “your heavenly Father”?

Jesus was both God and man. How do you see the generosity of God in Jesus, the Son of God? How do you see perfect dependence on God in Jesus, the son of man? When you pray, do you believe that your heavenly Father hears you and wants to give you good gifts to make you more like Jesus? Take time to pray today.