Preschool (2yrs to PreK)

Jesus is God’s Son

Seems like such a simple truth to teach our preschoolers.  But don’t let the simplicity of the message distract you from the power of the statement.  Through the month of December we will highlight this Truth through the scripture we search with your preschooler.  Each week we will celebrate…

Jesus is God’s Son.

This week in Preschool we share a special story from Luke 1:26-33, 38, 46.  A moment in history where the Angel visits Mary to announce that she would have a special baby.  So much of God’s character is wrapped up in this moment.

His faithfulness to work through us… not just for us.

His patience to be known as a child first… before He’s known as a Savior.

His meekness in how He entered the world… born to a poor, peasant mother.

The angel tells Mary she will have a special baby.  And that baby is God’s Son.

This week, Create a Rhythm, with your child by tapping into the power of quality moments together and building a sense of purpose through your every day experiences.  When you tuck your preschooler into bed this week, review the memory verse with them.  Use these hand motions to help your preschooler remember the words.

“God (pointing up) love (hugging yourself) the world (raising your arms overhead to form a circle) 

so much (stretching your arms out as far as possible)

that He gave (placing your hands together with palms up in front of you as if you’re offering something)

His (pointing up) only (holding up one finger)

Son’ (holding your arms as if you’re cradling and rocking a baby), John 3:16 (Open your hands like a book)“

Elementary (K-3rd grade)

Compassion is caring enough to do something

about someone else’s need.

In this week’s Bible story, we see God begin His compassionate rescue by sending Gabriel to appear to Mary (Luke 1:26-38).  Gabriel tells Mary that God has seen His people’s need, and Mary gets to be a part of God meeting that need.  Immanuel – God with us – is coming to rescue us!

Our Bottom Line is God saw our greatest needs.  Whose need do you see?  When we slow down and look outside ourselves, we see the needs of those around us.  But when we stay focused on our own needs, we miss the chance to help others.

The monthly memory verse summarizes God’s example of compassion:  God loved the world so much that He gave his one and only Son.  Anyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life.  John 3:16, NIrV.  God saw the world’s greatest need and cared enough to do something about it.

This week, Imagine the End, by investing 5 minutes and imagining how you want your Christmas season to end.  What impact do you want Christmas to have one your family?  One that is centered on gifts received?  Or one that is centered on gifts given?  When we open our eyes to the needs around us we see the opportunities God gives us to demonstrate Christ to the world.  Whose need do you see?  Invite God to show you a need your family can meet this week.  Then talk to your kids about how God works through us just as He worked through Mary to meet the needs of the world.

Club 45 (4th & 5th grade)

Immanuel:  A New Kind of Christmas

Immanuel means “with us”.  In fact, a direct translation of the original text says that God is the “With Us” God!  He’s not absent.  He’s not distant.  He’s With Us.

This week we dive into the beginning of the Bible.  Genesis 1 is where it all begins:  In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  While you have likely heard this infamous opening line before, we will take a closer look at the second verse.

“The earth was formless and void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while the spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters.”

This scripture tells us that God was right there, hovering over the chaos, the formless and void water, the face of the deep.  Jesus is the ‘With Us’ God long before He entered the world as a baby.  He is the ‘With Us’ God before Creation began.  He is the ‘With Us’ God amidst the chaos.

This week we want your preteen to learn that even in the midst of the chaos in their own lives, God is With Us.  He is Immanuel… the ‘With Us’ God.

Make It Personal by allowing your kids to see how you strive to grow so they can understand how to confront their own limitations and pursue character and faith.  Take some time this week to tuck them into bed.  Share with your preteen a time when you walked through a season of chaos and how you knew (or came to realize) that God was with you.  What sense of comfort or direction did that bring?