Preschool
Talk Together
Do Together
Talk to your child about what it means to follow Jesus. Remind your child that following Jesus
means loving Him and obeying Him. When we choose to follow Jesus, He can change our hearts. Talk about why people didn’t like Matthew and other tax collectors. How did Matthew change after he chose to follow Jesus? What are things we might do that Jesus wants us to change? Following Jesus isn’t always easy, but He will never lead us in the wrong direction. Spend a few minutes in prayer thanking Jesus for wanting us to follow Him and asking Him to help us make right choices.
means loving Him and obeying Him. When we choose to follow Jesus, He can change our hearts. Talk about why people didn’t like Matthew and other tax collectors. How did Matthew change after he chose to follow Jesus? What are things we might do that Jesus wants us to change? Following Jesus isn’t always easy, but He will never lead us in the wrong direction. Spend a few minutes in prayer thanking Jesus for wanting us to follow Him and asking Him to help us make right choices.
Have a family game night. Play board games such as Hi Ho Cherry-o or Chutes and Ladders.
Read the instructions before beginning. Why did the game come with directions? The directions tell us how to play the game. When we follow the game’s directions, we know what to do. What if I moved more spaces than I should? That would be cheating. Before Matthew began following Jesus, he was like many of the tax collectors in his time and took more money than he was supposed to. Jesus changes hearts. He changed Matthew’s heart, and He can change ours too. We can learn to follow Jesus by reading the Bible and obeying what it says. We can be a follower of Jesus.
Read the instructions before beginning. Why did the game come with directions? The directions tell us how to play the game. When we follow the game’s directions, we know what to do. What if I moved more spaces than I should? That would be cheating. Before Matthew began following Jesus, he was like many of the tax collectors in his time and took more money than he was supposed to. Jesus changes hearts. He changed Matthew’s heart, and He can change ours too. We can learn to follow Jesus by reading the Bible and obeying what it says. We can be a follower of Jesus.
Sing Together
Pray Together
Sing this song with your child to the tune of “Mary Had a Little Lamb.”
Jesus wants me to
Follow Him,
Follow Him,
Follow Him.
Jesus wants me to
Follow Him
Each and every day.
Jesus wants me to
Follow Him,
Follow Him,
Follow Him.
Jesus wants me to
Follow Him
Each and every day.
Pray with your child thanking Jesus for changing Matthew’s heart and our hearts. The following is a rhyme your child uses in class to settle down for prayer time:
Open shut them, open shut them (open and close fingers),
Give a little clap, clap, clap (clap hands).
Open shut them, open shut them (open and close fingers),
Put them in your lap (put your hands together in your lap).
Even at this age, children can participate and learn to be still during a short prayer time.
Open shut them, open shut them (open and close fingers),
Give a little clap, clap, clap (clap hands).
Open shut them, open shut them (open and close fingers),
Put them in your lap (put your hands together in your lap).
Even at this age, children can participate and learn to be still during a short prayer time.
KIDS
Application Verse
Matthew 4:19
Thought for the Week
Hearing God’s Word is not enough. I need to apply what I read to my life and live out what I’ve learned.
Family Time
Plant some herb seeds in a planter. Read the Scripture for the week together. Discuss the different types of soil that Jesus mentions. Point out the soil you are using. Make sure you give your seeds plenty of water and nutrients and place it where it will get some sunshine. As it begins to grow, talk with your child about what would happen if you stopped watering the plant. What would happen if you moved the plant to where it didn’t get any sunshine? Remind your child that our spiritual growth needs care just like the plants. We must spend time in God’s Word, learning from older believers, and in talking to God.
PRETEENS & STUDENTS
Text
Romans 6
Apply
You sometimes hear people talk about the Christian life as if it is sacrificing joy and pleasure now for joy and pleasure later. Is this a fair characterization? Why or why not?