Big Idea for Kids: Everyone is invited to the kingdom of heaven, but few will chose to come.

Big Idea for Preschoolers: Everyone is invited to the kingdom of heaven.

This week the kids studied the Parable of the Wedding Feat in Matthew 22:1-14. Read this together. Explain that salvation is a free gift. We can't earn our way into heaven. Jesus did all the work when he died on the cross. This story reminds us that we need to be clothed in Christ's righteousness. Jesus invites us to join him in heaven – the great wedding feast. When we receive His invitation, Jesus gets us ready by clothing us in righteousness.

Family Journal Activity

Invite kids to list the name of friends or family members they would like to invite to a party. Review the parable of the wedding feast in Matthew 22:1-14. Ask kids how they would feel if their guests refused to come to the party. Remind kids of the Big Idea. Pray that they, their friends, and family members would receive Jesus's invitation into the kingdom of heaven.  

This week kids studied the Parable of the Vineyard Workers in Matthew 20:1-16. 

Big Idea for Kids: We deserve the punishment of death but God gives us the free gift of grace. He sent his only Son Jesus to take our punishment.  

Big Idea for Preschoolers: Jesus is the gift. 

God is generous, and he loves. We deserve to die for our sins, but God gives us what we don't deserve – salvation through His Son, Jesus. Ephesians 2:8-9 it says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast." God freely offers His grace to all of us, regardless of what we have done and what we may or may not have. There is nothing we can do in our own strength to get rid of our sin or to become a part of the Kingdom of heaven, it is only through our Saviour and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. 

Family Journal Activity

Give kids grapes to eat as a snack. Explain that grapes grow on vines in a vineyard. Review the Bible story. The land owner hired men to work his fields. At the end of the day, the land owner paid all the workers what was fair or more than they deserved. Ask the Big Picture Question and lead kids to respond with the answer. List ways God has been generous to your family.  

Big Idea for kids: Jesus has power over death and he gives those who believe in Him eternal life.

Big Idea for Preschoolers: Jesus is stronger than death!

This week the kids studied that Jesus has power over death in John 11:1-44. Read this together. When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, He showed that He has power over death. Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life." Jesus died on the cross for our sin and rose from the dead. He gives eternal life to those who trust in Him. We learnt that for those who believe in Jesus death is just a doorway to going home to be with Jesus, and although it can be sad when people die, and while we don't know exactly what is on the other side of the door, we know who is there- Jesus- and that we will be with Him and all those who love him forever one day. 

Prepare for the Family Journal activity: Challenge everyone in the family to memorise the key passage for this week. Preschoolers can memorise a few words from John 11:25.

"I am the resurrection and the life.The one who believes in me wven if he dies, will live. Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die -ever." John 11:25-26

Family Journal Activity

Talk about how hard it can be to wait for something, just like Mary and Martha. Jesus isn't afraid of death, and so he wasn't worried about Lazarus. We can trust Jesus that he knows best. Act out the story of Lazarus being raised from the dead – wrap one child in toilet paper as his 'burial clothes' and talk about how when someone dies, if they believe in Jesus, it is not the end. Although it is sad to say goodbye for now, we can know that we will see them again one day when we are home with Jesus who loves us. 

This week, the kids learned that Jesus has power over evil in Matthew 8:28-34; Mark 5:1-20 & Luke 8:26-39. 

Big Idea for Kids: Jesus has Power over Evil

Big Idea for Preschoolers: Jesus is stronger than everyone and everything.

We talked about how only Jesus had the strength to control the man with the evil spirits. Jesus had the power to free the man. He has power over everything. Jesus came to earth to destroy the devil & sin by dying of the cross. One day, Jesus will end evil forever.

In Kidzone, we talked about how we have a choice to live as our own king, or as Jesus as King. We talked about how we don't make very good kings of ourselves, because without Jesus, we are slaves to sin. We don't know what we need, we only know what we want. And sometimes what we want isn't always best for us. Sin gets in the way and hurts us.

But when we live with Jesus as our King, it's the best ever! Not only does he know what we need, but He is a good King, and it even says in the Bible that Jesus no longer calls us servants, instead he calls us friends! (John 15:15) He knows what we need and takes care of us. Jesus wants everyone to be free of sin. Only He can break the chains of sin in our life, because only He has the power over sin and evil. He beat them when He rose from the dead.

On Sunday morning we talked about how you can talk about evil and demons with your kids. Here are some helpful blog posts for parents who want to know more about how we can talk about this topic at home with our families. https://www.gospelproject.com/2015/01/14/understanding-satan-demons/ and https://www.gospelproject.com/2014/10/15/kids-and-evil/. (The posts are written by the team who created the curriculum we use at Kidzone & Bumblebees – The Gospel Project for Kids)

Family Journal Activity

Provide strips of paper and glue sticks. Demonstrate how to make a paper chain. As kids work, review the Bible story in Luke 8:26-39. Point out that the man was controlled by the evil spirit inside him. Jesus used his power to free the man. Encourage kids to break apart their paper chain. Stick a piece of broken chain to the fridge or another prominent place in your home as a reminder that Jesus fress us from the power of sin.

See you next week for: Jesus Has Power Over Death (John 11:1-44)…