First Sabbath
Watch for the Signs!
Memory Gem
“So also, when you see all these things happening, you will know that the time is near, ready to come” (Matt. 24:33).*
Readiness
Show different types of traffic signs and ask the children what they mean. Discuss why we need signs to help us with the things we do every day. Tell them that during the week they will be learning about some special kinds of signs that God has given us in the Bible.
Story
Kenesha and her family were going on a backpacking trip, and she could hardly wait. They had never gone backpacking before, but Kenesha knew she would enjoy hiking up a mountain and camping under the stars at night.
Arriving at the trailhead, everyone adjusted their backpacks and began the hike up the mountain. Kenesha looked at the flowers and trees as they hiked. She also watched for the blazes, the white markers painted on the trees as signs of where the trail led.
“Hey, Dad,” called Damien, Kenesha’s brother. “Have you been seeing the signs posted about bears? There was one at the trailhead, and we just passed another one.”
“I did,” said Dad, “but the trail books didn’t say anything about bears. I don’t think we have to worry about it.”
The family continued hiking and saw places where it looked like something had crashed through the underbrush. Once they saw some paw prints in the dirt, but no one was sure what they were.
Later that day, the family arrived at the campsite and set up their tents. Kenesha thought she heard something moving through the brush, but couldn’t see what it was.
Soon it was dark and time to crawl into the sleeping bags. “Are we going to hang our food?” asked Damien. He had read that when you are backpacking you should put your food in a cloth bag, tie a rope to the bag, and then hang it from a tree. If there were any bears in the area, they wouldn’t be able to reach the food.
During the night something was moving around in the campsite. “What is that?” Kenesha wondered. Suddenly something crashed!
Kenesha crawled out of her sleeping bag and unzipped the flap on her tent. She couldn’t believe her eyes! Standing in the middle of their campsite was a bear! It was pawing through their food that they had left out.
Someone started banging on some metal. That scared the bear, and he ran away. Kenesha jumped out of her tent and ran to her parents’ tent. “Did you see the bear?” she shouted.
It didn’t take long before everyone was huddled together. “Damien, you were right,” Dad said. “We saw many different signs that there could be bears in the area, but I didn’t pay attention. Next time we’ll follow the instructions.”
Lesson
Jesus told His disciples that He would come back and take them to heaven. They asked Him how they would know when He was coming again. Matthew 24 lists things that happen before He comes again. Jesus wants His followers to know that difficult times lie ahead. But He also wants them to know that His promise is one that they can count on.
Jesus said many things would happen as signs. And He wants us to keep watching for the signs and not lose hope. He will come again.
Application
Read Matthew 24 in an easy-to-understand Bibl e version. Using pictures from news magazines and other sources, help the children make a photo collage of world events that correspond with Bible signs of Christ’s return.
Discussion
1. What signs did Kenesha and her family see during their backpacking trip that should have warned them that there were bears in the area?
2. Whom did Jesus give signs to in Matthew 24?
3. Why did Jesus give His followers signs of what would happen before He returned?
4. How should we feel when we see these signs happening around us?
Activity
For the younger children, draw trumpets on yellow poster board and cut them out. Use them as you sing “Lift Up the Trumpet.”
*All references in these readings, unless otherwise indicated, are from the International Children’s Bible, New Century Version, copyright© 1983, 1986, 1988 by Word Publishing, Dallas, Texas 75039. Used by permission.
SUNDAY
A Long, Long Wait
Memory Gem
“Let us hold firmly to the hope that we have confessed. We can trust God to do what he promised” (Heb. 10:23).
Readiness
Show a calendar and ask several children to find their birthday. Ask how they feel about waiting for their special day. How would they feel if they had to wait longer than a year to have their birthday celebration?
Story
“How long have you known Jesus?” asked 9-year-old Kyron, as he snuggled beside Grandpa on the couch.
“I’ve known Him since I was your age,” Grandpa chuckled. “I knew that I wanted to be friends with Jesus for the rest of my life.”
“Me, too,” said Kyron. “My Sabbath school lesson this week is about the Second Coming. It’s been a long time since Jesus said He was going to come back to earth.”
“Wait here a minute,” said Grandpa. “I have something to show you.”
Grandpa came back carrying two books. “Are you going to read me a story?” asked Kyron.
“No, I’m going to tell you one instead,” said Grandpa. “This family Bible is about 150 years old and written in German. Your great-great-greatgrandpa and his wife believed Jesus was coming soon, but they wanted to have a Bible where they could write their family history down.”
The other book was full of family pictures. “This picture is of your great-great great grandpa and grandma,” said Grandpa. “Because they chose to follow Jesus, many of their family members have chosen that too. What do you think would have happened if they had gotten discouraged and given up on Jesus coming back?”
“I guess the rest of us might not have heard the story,” said Kyron.
“That’s right,” said Grandpa. “I like to think of the signs in the Bible as a countdown. We know there are things that have to happen before Jesus will come. But we can’t just look at the signs. We have to make sure we are talking with Him every day and living our lives like He wants us to.”
“You’re right, Grandpa,” Kyron said. “If these people had lost hope, then we might not know about Jesus.”
“When I tell other people about Jesus coming back, it keeps me excited about it,” said Grandpa.
“That’s great,” said Kyron. “I’m going to try that too. I want to be excited, not discouraged! I have a friend on my street that I want to tell right now.”
Lesson
Jesus told His disciples that certain things would have to happen before He could come again. He wanted the disciples to tell as many people as they could about Him. They didn’t lose hope that He was going to come back.
Another thing Jesus said was that there would be many troubles in the world. Things like earthquakes, tsunamis, and war would happen. Grandmas and grandpas, mommies and daddies have seen these things happen, and still Jesus hasn’t come back.
Application
Jesus didn’t tell us when He would come back. But He did tell us to expect Him and not give up hope. He told us that we should always be ready, because we don’t know when He will come. [Read Matt. 24:42-44 and then explain it in your own words.]
When we see things happening around us we can read again the Bible verses about the signs Jesus talked about. [Read Matt. 24:29; Rev. 6:12, 13; and Luke 21:25-28.] You can depend on Jesus to come back. It may seem like it is taking a long time, but remember that Jesus wants to be with you just as much as you want to be with Him.
Discussion
1. We should not be afraid of Jesus’ coming back but be glad. Why? (Luke 21:28).
2. What can you as a family do every day to be ready for Jesus to come?
3. How do you think the disciples felt when Jesus didn’t come back when they were living?
Activity
Learn the song “We Have This Hope.” Sing it together as a family. Whenever you become discouraged about how long it is taking for Jesus to come back, remember we know that He is coming again. And that gives us hope.
MONDAY
Flight to Safety
Memory Gem
“The Lord is my light and the one who saves me. I fear no one. The Lord protects my life. I am afraid of no one. . . . If an army surrounds me, I will not be afraid. If war breaks out, I will trust the Lord” (Ps. 27:1-3).
Readiness
Give the children markers or crayons and paper. Ask them to draw pictures of things that sometimes scare them.
Story
“Children, come quickly!” Mother called. Justin, Ashley, and Jordan hurried to see what Mother wanted.“It’s time to get your bags,” said Mother. “We have to leave right away. It’s no longer safe to stay here.”
The Kendall family was living and working in Africa as missionaries. They were happy to be able to teach people about Jesus.
Some people in the country were unhappy with the government leaders.
Because they did many things to cause problems for the country, they were called rebels. One day the rebels went to the market and began to turn over tables. They hit people who were selling things in the market. Soon the soldiers came to try to calm things down. This only made the rebels angrier.
They began to plan a big march through the town. The rebels wanted to take over the government. Word spread all over the city that the march was happening. It was coming to where the Kendall family lived. They had to leave because of the danger.
“I’m scared,” said Ashley. “I don’t understand what is happening.”
“God sent Bernard, our neighbor, to warn us, and we are leaving in time,” Mother explained.
“We don’t know how long it will be before we can go back home,” said Father. “The rebels are taking over our part of the city, and it may be quite a while before we can return.”
“Why are they so angry?” asked Justin.
Father explained that sometimes people become so angry that they won’t listen to God speaking to their hearts. “When we allow Jesus to be our Friend we will choose not to hurt people with our words or our fists.”
Father told the children that even though they were facing a dangerous situation with angry people, they didn’t need to be afraid. He told them that Jesus promised to be with us. “Everyone who has Him has peace in their hearts, even though they may be facing danger.”
Lesson
When Jesus lived on earth He told His disciples that Jerusalem would be attacked. He told them that when they saw the attack happening that would be a signal for them to leave the city. He was giving them the signs they were to follow.
The attack on Jerusalem happened just like Jesus had said. During a lull in the fighting, the Christians left the city and were not killed. The rest of the Jews didn’t know the signs and instructions, and many were killed in the attack.
Jesus gave the signs and provided a way out for those who believed and trusted Him.
They had to watch for the signs, keep trusting and following Jesus, and follow His instructions
when the time came.
Application
Jesus has given us signs for today, too. Just before He comes back one of the signs will be more people wanting to hurt each other. They won’t be listening to God speaking to their hearts. When we see those kinds of things happening we know that Jesus is coming soon.
The good news is that Jesus has an escape plan for us. He will come to take us to heaven. We don’t have to be afraid of anyone.
Discussion
1. What was the dangerous situation that the Kendall family was facing?
2. What did Jesus tell His disciples would happen to Jerusalem?
3. Why did Jesus give the warning to the Christians?
4. What signs has Jesus given us that will tell us He’s coming soon?
Activity
Have the children role-play the two parts of the Bible lesson today. First, help them portray Jesus warning His followers about the attack on Jerusalem. Then, let them act out the Christians leaving Jerusalem. Talk about what they thought people would take with them when they had to leave quickly.
TUESDAY
We Are Earth’s Housekeepers
Memory Gem
“Then God said, ‘Let us make human beings in our image and likeness. And let them rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky. Let them rule over the tame animals, over all the earth and over all the small crawling animals on the earth’” (Gen. 1:26).
Readiness
Show pictures of endangered animals, polluted lakes and streams, and trash along a highway.
Story
Mrs. Kelson walked into the classroom and said, “Mr. Edwards is our special guest today.”
Kasey sat up straight in her seat. She liked it when special guests came to visit her school and she learned something new. Kasey wondered what Mr. Edwards was going to talk about.
“I want to tell you about a special project and how we need your help,” said Mr. Edwards. “Every day many people in our town throw away a lot of trash. Some of the things that are thrown away can be used again. Does anyone know what that is called?”
Kasey excitedly raised her hand and said, “That’s called recycling.”
“That’s right,” said Mr. Edwards “Recycling cans, bottles, and paper is an important way to help keep our community clean and not create a lot of waste. Here’s how you can help.”
He gave the students posters and flyers they could give to their neighbors and friends.
Kasey knew she could help with the project. Her family already made sure they didn’t buy more things than they could use. They also turned off lights in rooms when they weren’t in them. Now they could help by saving cans and bottles.
When Kasey told her parents about the project, they wanted to help, too. “I had heard that the town was going to start a recycling program,” said Father. “They will give us special bins to put our cans, bottles, and paper in, and then someone will pick it up once a week.”
Kasey knew that it was important as a Christian to help take care of the earth. At the library she looked for information on pollution and how it hurts animals and humans.
At school Kasey helped organize a trash pickup day when the students cleaned up a stretch of road where people had thrown out lots of trash. At the end of the day, Kasey was very
tired but happy, too. “I really feel like I helped other people see how important it is to take care of the things we have.”
Lesson
When God created humans He told Adam and Eve that they were supposed to take care of the Garden of Eden. We don’t know exactly what that means, but God helped them know. After Adam and Eve sinned, God told them that they would have dominion over the earth. They had to take care of the earth and make sure the things they did wouldn’t hurt the land where they lived.
Taking care of something responsibly is called stewardship. We can be good stewards of our money and homes. As Christians we should also be good stewards of the environment. Today many people are greedy and want more and more things. When we buy more than we need, much of it is thrown away. This causes a lot of trash, and there is nowhere to put it.
Application
Actions often speak louder than words. [Encourage the children to talk with their neighbors and plan a neighborhood cleanup day. They might weigh the trash and see how much they collected, and see what were the most common things they picked up. Talk about other ideas for keeping their neighborhood cleaner.]
Discussion
1. If Jesus is coming again, do we still need to take care of the earth? Why?
2. What did Mr. Edwards say recycling is and what it does to help communities?
3. As Christians, why should we care about the environment?
Activity
Have the children draw a poster of ways they can be good stewards of the earth. Include things such as turning off lights; recycling paper, plastics, glass, aluminum cans; not wasting water; not polluting our water with trash, human or chemical waste, etc. As a family, choose things that you can do to be good stewards.
WEDNESDAY
An Honest Man
Memory Gem
“You are to live clean, innocent lives as children of God in a dark world full of people who are crooked and stubborn” (Phil. 2:15, TLB).*
Readiness
Take opposite ends of a paper towel and twist it tightly. Have the children try to pull on it to see how tight it is. Put several drops of water on the middle of the twisted towel. This presents dishonesty. Have them pull on the towel now. It will rip apart because it has been weakened.
Story
“José,” Mother said sadly, “you have developed a bad habit of not telling the truth. I never know whether to believe you or not.” José didn’t mean to lie. He knew that it made his parents unhappy that he didn’t always tell the truth.
For several days José tried to be honest in everything he said. At school, when the teacher asked him if he had his homework finished, he told her that he hadn’t been able to get everything done because he had chosen to ride his bike instead.
When Father asked him if he had finished his chores, José admitted that he had been too busy reading a book and had forgotten.
One day Mother complimented him on how well he was doing. “You are becoming trustworthy,” Mother said. “Do you know what that means?”
“I think it means that people can believe what I’m telling them and that means they can also trust me.”
“That’s right,” said Mother. “There was a man in ancient China named Meng Xin who was known for being trustworthy and became governor. Everyone knew he would be a good governor because he was so honest. People respected him. But one day China had a new ruler and Meng lost his job as governor. He became very poor. The only thing he owned was a
sick, old ox.
“One day Meng went to the market. When he came home he discovered his nephew was trying to sell the ox to someone and hadn’t said the ox was sick. Meng wouldn’t allow the sale.
“The ox buyer was working for the new ruler and told the ruler what had happened. The ruler was so impressed with Meng’s honesty he asked him to come and teach his son. Because Meng was honest, the king rewarded him with a very important job.”
Lesson
Peter wasn’t honest when it meant he might have to face trouble. Peter had promised Jesus he wouldn’t leave Him. Jesus told him that before the night was over, Peter would deny Jesus three times.
The soldiers came and arrested Jesus and took Him to be tried by the high priest. Peter was asked three times if he knew Jesus. Each time Peter said he didn’t know Him. Right after Peter said for the third time that he didn’t know Jesus, the rooster crowed, and Peter saw Jesus looking at him. Peter felt terrible.
The good news is that the story doesn’t end there. Jesus didn’t give up on Peter. After He was resurrected, Jesus asked Peter to go tell others all the things he had learned about God.
Peter had been dishonest, but God forgave him and he was able to go witness for God to many people.
Application
When we are willing to be dishonest, it weakens our character. If people see we aren’t honest in everyday things, they won’t believe us when we try to tell them about Jesus and that He’s coming again. We need to ask God to help us be trustworthy.
Discussion
1. What does the paper towel activity teach us about being trustworthy? Was the dry towel trustworthy? (Did it hold?) Did the wet towel? How is dishonesty like the water on the towel?
2. Why is it important for Christians to be trustworthy?
3. Name some other Bible characters that had a problem with being honest. Tell how they were or were not able to overcome their dishonesty and be trusted again.
Activity
Practice making honest decisions. Play the “What-if ” game, asking the following questions:
• What if you don’t have your homework finished: what will you tell your teacher?
• What if you see someone drop their wallet: will you tell them, or pick it up and use the
money inside?
• What if you are playing with a friend who has toys you wish you had: will you hide one in your pocket, or just be glad that your friend shares?
• What if you already took something from your friend: will you give it back and tell him you are sorry, or will you keep it and pretend it is yours?
*Verses marked TLB are taken from The Living Bible, copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, Ill. Used by permission.
THURSDAY
A Trick by Satan
Memory Gem
“Don’t let anyone try to control others with magic. Don’t let them be mediums or try to talk with the spirits of dead people. The Lord hates anyone who does these things” (Deut. 18:11,12)
Readiness
Choose one family member to whom you say, “I know what you are going to say next.” When the person replies, “What . . . ,” tell them, “I thought you would say ‘what,’ because my challenge set you up to challenge me back. Was I right? But I have no idea what you will say now because I was only pretending to be able to make predictions.” Our lesson today warns us to stay away from people who predict the future.
Story
“Hey, Kwame, wait for me,” called Carlos.
“I thought you’d already gone home,” said Kwame. “What are you doing this weekend?”
“I’ll be at church tomorrow,” said Carlos.
“Maybe we can get our families to go on a hike together in the afternoon,” suggested Kwame.
“That’s a great idea,” replied Carlos. “What are you doing Sunday?”
“I can hardly wait for Sunday!” Kwame said excitedly. “The newest book about the boy wizard is coming out then.”
“Oh, I didn’t know you were reading those books,” said Carlos.
“Sure, I’m reading them,” said Kwame. “Don’t tell me you’re not!”
Carlos shrugged his shoulders. He wasn’t sure what to do, but knew he should say something.
Finally, Carlos said, “No, I’m not reading them. I decided I didn’t want to fill my mind with that kind of stuff.”
“It’s just a story about a boy who’s a wizard,” said Kwame. “In fact, some of the story shows how good and evil fight things out and good wins.”
Carlos shook his head. “That’s how you might see it. God was pretty clear in the Bible that we aren’t supposed to play around with witchcraft. I don’t think He would give us a warning without good reason.”
“How is reading a made-up story about a boy wizard going to be a problem?” asked Kwame.
“My dad says that Satan finds ways to break down our guard,” said Carlos. “When we read stuff about wizardry and magic, Satan can use that to numb our minds.”
“I hadn’t thought about it like that,” Kwame said. “It’s just hard when everyone is talking about it. I want my mind to be clear to make good choices. I’ll have to think about it, but I probably won’t be first in line at the bookstore on Sunday.”
Lesson
God warns His children of how the devil will use spiritualism and other forms of witchcraft to trick humans. God took it so seriously that when Saul used magic, he lost his position as king over Israel (1 Sam. 28:7-25).
Satan will use things that seem harmless at first to mislead us. When there are people who say these things are OK, we need to be careful and make sure that we aren’t going against what God teaches. If we let our minds and souls become dulled by things that the world is following, we can’t see or hear the signs God is trying to give us. Jesus promised that
there would be signs before He came back. We want our minds to be able to understand what we see happening around us so we know that Jesus is coming to rescue us.
Today there are more and more people who are choosing to try to speak to the dead. We believe that when people die, they are asleep. Satan is deceiving people into believing they can talk to people who have died. God told us that we are not to try to do this if we want to be His children (Deut. 18:10-13).
Application
Make a list of things that show how Satan is trying to dull our minds to the teachings of God. Do you need to make changes in your personal lives so you can continue to hear God’s
instructions to you?
Discussion
1. What was Kwame excited about reading?
2. How did Carlos explain to Kwame that he wasn’t making good choices in his reading? How do you think Carlos felt when he had to tell Kwame this? How might Kwame have felt?
3. What does God say about witchcraft, spiritualism, and magic?
Activity
Make a promise book with colored paper. Write promises from the Bible that help you remember to avoid activities that will numb your mind to God’s voice.
FRIDAY
A Bitter Taste
Memory Gem
“Jesus answered: ‘Be careful that no one fools you. Many people will come in my name. They will say, “I am the Christ.” And they will fool many people’” (Matt. 24:4, 5).
Readiness
Show some walnuts and let the children taste them. (But first check that no one is allergic.) Then say, “Our story today is about a boy who learned that even though walnuts may look nice, they don’t all taste the same.”
Story
Jimmy loved going to his grandfather’s farm. There was a giant black walnut tree that grew in the backyard, and Jimmy liked to pick up the nuts. He would sit with Grandpa and crack the nuts open. Later, Grandma would bake them in wonderful treats for Jimmy and Grandpa to eat.
It was important to watch for worms and make sure there were none in the nut. Sometimes they could tell by looking at the shell of the nut, but other times they had to crack it open and look at the meat.
Jimmy learned that old nuts could look OK on the outside but be very bitter tasting. Grandpa tried to make sure every year that all of the nuts were picked up. This way no old nutswould be mixed in with the new crop.
One day Grandpa had some other chores to do on the farm, so Jimmy picked up nuts all by himself. He decided that he would begin cracking them while Grandpa was still busy.
Soon he had a small pile of nuts cracked open. I think I’ll have a little snack, Jimmy thought. The nutmeats looked white and yummy. He popped one into his mouth.
“Eww-www-ww!” Jimmy exclaimed, spitting out the nut. He ran into the kitchen for a glass of water to wash the taste out of his mouth.
Grandpa came in as Jimmy took a drink and spit the water into the sink. “What’s wrong?”
“I ate a nut that was really bitter,” Jimmy replied.
“I’m sorry, Jimmy,” Grandpa said. “Sometimes I overlook one or two nuts at the end of the season. I guess you found one of them.”
“It looked like a good one,” said Jimmy. “I guess you can’t always go by looks, though.”
“That’s true for nuts and people,” said Grandpa. “Sometimes people look like they are living a good Christian life, but then you find out that their heart isn’t in it. Jesus warned us to be careful of those kinds of people because they can tell things about Him that aren’t true.”
“We talked about that in Sabbath school class,” said Jimmy. “Our teacher said that we have to study and read the Bible so we know what God really says.”
“That’s right,” agreed Grandpa. “People who say things about God that aren’t true are called false teachers and can be as bitter as an old walnut.”
Jimmy grinned. “I’m going to study my Bible every day so I know what God says. I don’t want any of that bitterness in my life.”
Lesson
Jesus warned there would be false teachers and prophets just before He came back again. [Read Matt. 24:4, 5.] Explain that Jesus said there will be people who will try to keep us from believing in Him. Some will pretend they are Jesus. Others will come to church and act like they are Christians, when they are really doing things that Christians shouldn’t do. Others will say that their beliefs are more important than what the Bible says. Jesus called all of these people false prophets and false teachers. We must be careful to study our Bible every day and learn what God really says. That’s the only way we will know what the truth is.
Application
Help the children make a list of characteristics people have when they are true prophets and teachers.
Discussion
1. Why did Jimmy’s grandpa try to separate out the old walnuts from the new ones?
2. What did Jesus say false prophets would do just before He comes again?
3. How can we avoid being fooled by false prophets and teachers?
Activity
Have the children make a chart they can use to record their daily Bible reading. Remind the children that it’s not how much you read but how much you remember.
FINAL SABBATH
The Yellow Band and Jesus
Memory Gem
“The Good News about God’s kingdom will be preached in all the world, to every nation. Then the end will come” (Matt. 24:14).
Readiness
Show pictures of a pen and paper, typewriter, telephone, cell phone, television, computer, and satellite dish. Say, “Giving other people information is important—but what we tell them about Jesus is even more important.”
Story
Tony was excited that his family was going on vacation. They always had a good time when they could spend time together and travel to his grandpa’s home. In the car, Tony read books and played games with his brother and sister. He also looked at the bright yellow band he had on his wrist. It was a reminder that Tony supported cancer research. His grandma had died from cancer, and he wanted to let people know that he thought about her often.
“Who’s hungry?” asked Father.
Tony said, “I’m so hungry I think I could eat everything on the menu!”
Everyone laughed, and Mother said “Why don’t you start with one thing and see if that fills you up?”
Soon the family was seated in the restaurant and ready to order their food. A woman wrote down what they wanted and brought them glasses of water. She looked at Tony’s yellow band.
“Why are you wearing that band?” asked the woman.
Tony held up his arm. “My grandma died from cancer,” he said. “But other people have lived after they had it. The band shows I support cancer research.”
When they were finished, the family continued their trip. “I was thinking about what happened in the restaurant,” said Father. “We were willing to tell the woman about cancer research, but what if she didn’t know anything about Jesus? We didn’t say anything about Him at all.”
“You’re right,” Tony said. “I witnessed about something, but it wasn’t the most important thing.”
“It’s OK to tell people about things like cancer research,” said Mother, “but we can’t forget to find a way to share Jesus with them too.”
“It’s funny how easy it is to witness about some things,” said Tony. “And yet when we need to tell someone about Jesus, we think it is so hard.”
That night as Tony was saying his prayers he asked God to help him share Jesus with other people just as he told them about cancer research.
Lesson
Just before Jesus went back to heaven, He told His disciples what they were supposed to do after He was gone. [Read Matt. 28:19, 20.] He said they should tell other people about Him. The disciples went to many towns and countries and spoke with people about Jesus and how He died to save them. They made more disciples and baptized people.
God asks us to do the same thing. We eagerly tell people about things that are important to us. Isn’t that how we should talk about Jesus? We should find ways to share what Jesus means to us every day. Sometimes we can use words, and sometimes our actions can show how much Jesus loves them.
Jesus promised in Matthew 24:14 that the good news about God’s kingdom would be preached to everyone. [Take time to help the children memorize this verse.] That doesn’t mean everyone will hear it by sitting in church. God wants us to share it with friends at school and in our neighborhoods. It doesn’t matter to whom or where we tell the good news. What matters
is that we actually tell it to others.
Application
Have children make bookmarks with their favorite verse about Jesus written on them. Use stickers and markers to decorate. Tell them to give the bookmark to a neighbor. Have the children practice what they will say, such as why they love Jesus and believe that He is coming back again.
Discussion
1. What did Tony have that reminded him to talk about cancer research?
2. Why is it sometimes hard to tell other people about why we love Jesus?
3. How can we remember to share Jesus with someone else every day?
4. Where can we share Jesus and with whom? What might we say?
Activity
Have the children design a reminder poster for their bedroom. Use pictures or other things that will help them remember to tell someone else every day about Jesus.
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Deena Bartel-Wagner is owner of Verbal Oxygen Creative Services. Showing Jesus to others in relevant ways through writing and storytelling is one of her passions. She lives in Spencerport, New York.