Big Idea: When Jesus returns, He will make all things new.

Bible Passage: Revelation 21-22

The last one! This week the kids heard the very last lesson of God's Big Story! We read together what will happen at the end of this age – when Jesus returns and makes all things new. Jesus says He will come back the way He left – through the clouds- and come to put all things right. No more tears, no more pain, no more death -and the best news ever – we will be with Him, face to face forever! We can look forward to the day He will wipe away all tears and make a new heaven and new earth for us to be with Him in for all eternity. This news should be shared with all people – so that they may know our hope in Jesus too, and can share eternity with Jesus with us. 

Family Activity – "Not Home Yet!"

We talked about how great it will be when we are finally 'home' with Jesus and all things are made right and perfect. We can trust Jesus because He always keeps His promises, and He has promised from the beginning of time that He will bring us back to Himself and restore our perfect relationship with Him. This week, take the opportunity to point out the brokenness of this world when you can (when your child cries, or when you are mad at one another, or when you see an ambulance, police car or fire truck) and use that moment to say, "We aren't home yet." Remind children that their true home is with Jesus, in His presence, and that while hurt and crying and pain may last here for a while, one day all things we be put right and made new – because 'Heaven is our Home'. It says in Revelation that in Jesus' presence, we won't need the sun or the moon because Jesus will be our light. Point out the sun and the moon to talk about how wonderful it will be to be in the presence of Jesus, once and for all.

Big Idea: Jesus is King over everything, and everything and everyone will worship Him.

Bible Passage: Revelation 4-5

This week the children learned what John saw when Jesus showed him a vision of 'the throne room of heaven'. Jesus is King over everything and sits on the throne and every creature and person bows in worship of Him. The creatures in the vision sing a never ending song of, "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God almighty who was and is and is to come." People lay down their crows at King Jesus' feet. John looked around to see who is worthy to open God's scroll – and no one that has ever lived is worthy. Only Jesus is worthy to open the scroll- only Jesus is worthy to be the sacrifice for the sins of the whole world – as only Jesus is perfect and holy. John concludes this description of the vision by telling us that there are people from every tribe, nation and people on earth, and that at the end of time, everyone and every creature will bow before King Jesus' throne and worship Him as Lord.

Family Activity

We asked the question of the children, Who is Jesus to you? Do you really believe He is King and Creator of all? Do you really believe He is the only Saviour who can save us from sin and put us right with God again? If the answer to those questions is 'yes', then do we really live like we believe it? The people in the story worshipped Jesus by singing. We sang a new song of worship together too. We sang 'What a Beautiful Name,' -by Hillsong Kids. Consider singing or making music and noise together in worship to Jesus this week to this song – or choose a family favourite! When we sang and prayed together on Sunday, we got down on our knees as it says in Revelation. This week, when you pray or sing together, kneel down together as an intentional and visual reminder that we serve Jesus, our King and Saviour.

Big Idea: Jesus loves the church, and wants the church to hear His words & obey them.

Bible Passage: Revelation 2-3

This week the kids heard that Jesus told John to write messages to 7 different churches. He had a different message for each church – but the warning for each church was to turn from their old, sinful ways, and follow Jesus with all their hearts. Jesus loves the church, and he desires for the church to be a light of hope in the dark brokenness of the world, to point to the glory of Jesus. He says "whoever has ears let them hear," – as the church, we need to hear the words of Jesus and obey them. 

Family activity

Read through some of the letters in the chapters, and make notes of the things Jesus warns the churches of, (slander, selfishness, greed, idolatry, lust, and saying we follow Jesus but neglecting His teachings.) Then note the things Jesus encourages (loving Jesus and others, sharing wealth, enduring patience, repentence, resisting temptations). Talk about how we, as the church, can choose these things and flee from the things Jesus warns us of. He warns us because He cares about us, and knows what is best for us.

As you drive around in your cars this week, look out for churches. Everytime you see a church building have children call out and say, "Whoever has ears let them hear!" Then pray together for that church, that they would be a light in that community and point others to Jesus.

Big Idea: When Jesus returns, He will destroy evil and make all things new.

Bible Passage: Revelation 1:9-20

This week the kids learned about what John wrote down when Jesus appeared to him in a vision. John, a close friend of Jesus', had been exiled to the island of Patmos, likely for preaching the good news of the gospel. There on the island, he has a vision of Jesus, and he writes it down into what becomes the book of Revelation.

We talked about how every other book in the Bible talks of what has happened, but Revelation is the book that tells us of what is still to come. Jesus appears to John, and although He is so fearsome-looking that John falls to the ground at Jesus' feet, Jesus' words are,  "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last, and the Living One. I was dead, but look- I am alive forever and ever."

This is great news for Jesus' followers. Even though Jesus is the Judge, the First and Last and so powerful that we should fear Him, instead He tells his followers not to be afraid, but instead to celebrate that He is alive, and that He is for us. What good news! We are called to be courageous and follow Jesus as John did, because Jesus is alive, He is Lord, and one day, He will come back and put all things right.

Family Activity

Just as Jesus told John to write down on a scroll all that he saw, have a family story night, and have children draw the stories you tell. Choose a story with a happy ending, or make one up, and tell it to your kids, and have them draw the things you describe. Then, at the end, talk about why the ending is so important. The happy ending makes all the hard or sad parts of the story worth it. Celebrate in song or prayer together how great it is that we can have hope for the future because of Jesus, the Living One. 

See you Sunday!