Big Idea: What makes us generous? When we know how much Jesus has first given us.

Bible Passage: 2 Corinthians 8:8-15

Parent Prep: The opening line to this passage is 'I am not commanding you.' If you've ever tried to 'command' your kids to be generous, you'll already know why Paul writes this statement. 'Generous' is not something you can force someone to be. You can make kids be 'giving', but 'generous' is another thing entirely. It's a joyful attitude of the heart. Generosity is less about the amount we give, and more about the 'sincerity of our love,' as Paul says in verse 8. As all parents know, you can't command a sanctified and joyful heart attitude when giving – it has to be grown by the Holy Spirit. So, in teaching generosity, the best way to help our kids grow 'sincere in their love' is to help them know and experience the generous love of Christ by our actions and words. This way, instead of forced or grumpy giving, generosity becomes an overflowing act of worship in response to what they know they have received, and are blessed to hand on. This week we will focus on the generosity of Jesus, in order that our kids' hearts grow in response to His love for them.

Read: 2 Corinthians 8:8-15 in a children's Bible, and watch this video on Generosity, here.

Listen: Have you ever been given a gift that you loved? What was it? How did it make you feel to receive that gift? Who gave it to you? How did it make you feel towards that person when they gave you that gift?

Talk: Read together. Read James 1:17 "Everything good comes from God. Every perfect gift is from him. These good gifts come down from the Father who made all the lights in the sky. But God never changes like the shadows from those lights. He is always the same." What good gifts has God given you?

The best gift God has given us is life, through Jesus. Read 2 Corinthians 8:9 again together. "You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. You know that Christ was rich, but for you he became poor. Christ did this so that by his being poor you might become rich." Jesus gave up everything He had as the rich King of Heaven, to come and live as a man here on earth. He was born in a stinky stable, grew up in an average home, and then when He was a grown up, he didn't even have a house. He travelled around and stayed with people, giving all His time, and work to the people He loved around Him. Then He died like a poor criminal. Only the lowest people were hung on crosses. Jesus didn't even have his own tomb. It was borrowed from a rich man. But Jesus became poor like us, so that we could know the riches of heaven. The richest part of heaven is that we are called 'sons and daughters' of the King. We are with God – His princes and princesses, forever. Close to Him forever and always.

Ask Knowing that Jesus has done this for us, how does that make you feel towards Him? If He was sitting at our dinner table, what would you say to Him? It's nice to give gifts back to people who give us gifts. What would you give Jesus as a present to say thank-you for His generosity to you?

Jesus says the best gift we can give Him is our hearts. When we choose to love Him most, as King and Rescuer, that's the gift He wants most of all. He tells us that if we do love Him with our whole hearts, that we are in His family. And families take care of each other. This is why we are asked to be generous to others in our church family. Paul says it's not about giving so that we miss out and others have lots, and it's not just about giving money. In a family, we share whatever we have – time, kindness, food, jokes, stories, holidays, belongings, and money – with our family so that everyone has enough. That's why Paul says, "the goal is equality' – if we have been given lots, it's so we can share with others that they would be able to know God's love, kindness and blessing, too.

Do: Put all your family's names on pieces of paper and place them in a hat or bowl. Each family member draws out a name (making sure they haven't drawn their own). This week, each family member must make, buy or give that person a gift. At the end of the week, everyone will have received a gift. Use the opportunity to talk about how it feels to both receive, and give gifts (whether they are big or small!). 

Have a great week!

Big Idea: We can be generous because God generously gives to us.

Bible Passage: 2 Corinthians 8:1-7

Parent Prep: This week we begin our series on generosity. It can be a hard concept for kids. Especially in our consumer-driven society, where kids are consistently told: more is better. "The more I have, the better I am," is the message perpetually communicated through media platforms like Instagram, TV, movies and more. Kids start to compare how much they have in relation to their peers at a young age. (Just try giving one of your kids a bigger piece of cake than another). And yet God's word stands in direct opposition to this way of thinking as a cultural norm. We are taught time and time again through the teachings of Jesus, and God's instructions to His people, right throughout the Old Testament, "to give is better than to receive." So how do we help our kids cultivate a heart of generosity? Acknowledging that it is difficult is a start- this helps them feel okay about finding it hard to share what they have. But truly, the best way to help children be generous is to show them how generous God has been to us, and show them what an incredible difference it can make in the lives of others- and how much joy this brings to us in the process. This week we begin by assuring them that by 'giving and giving and giving', we are not in fact, missing out ourselves. We give what God has given to us, and His blessings never ever run out.

Read: 2 Corinthians 8:1-7 in a children's Bible, and watch this video on Generosity, here.

Listen: Do you feel blessed? Why or why not? Would you say we have a lot? Or a little? Do you know someone who has more than you? Can you think of someone who has less than you? Can you think of anyone who has nothing? 

What do you think God has given us? Help children by writing down or drawing together things they can easily see are blessings from God. Then suggest more abstract blessings you can think of like, a safe neighbourhood, a loving family, a car with lots of seats, family holidays together.

Why do you think He has given us these things? Why do you think He has given us so much, when other people have so little?

Talk: Read together 1 John 3:17. John is saying here that people who truly know and receive generous love and blessings from God, overflow it outwards towards others. What are some ways we can overflow our blessings onto other people? Our God's love never ever runs out, and God promises that those who give in His name will lack nothing. Take another look at your list of blessings. What are some ways you can pour these blessings out generously onto others?

Do: Place an empty cup in a mixing bowl. Fill a jug with water. Have children name a blessing that God has given your family. As they name it, have them pour water into the cup. Keep going around all members of your family and watch as the cup overflows. Remind children that God gives and gives and gives and never runs out of love and blessings for His beloved children. We can give and give to others out of the abundance God has blessed us with.

Have a great week!

Big Idea: We all need God's kindness and mercy, so we can share it with others too.

Bible Passage: Luke 10:25-37.

Parent Prep: The Jews and the Samaritans were enemies. When Jesus told this story, it was a repulsive and offensive idea that someone as despised as the Samaritan man would be more likely to 'inherit eternal life' than a highly regarded priest or Levite. Jesus told this story to demonstrate to the religious elite that God wasn't impressed with their outward displays of obedience to the law, but that true obedience and love for God meant that they would also love and serve people who were nothing like them – even people they despised. Jesus modelled this love when He died for us to save us 'while we were still sinners', who despised and rejected Him as God. (Rom 5:8). In this story as you teach it to your children, help them see themselves in the shoes of the man who needs mercy – the attacked man. This will help them understand their need for God's mercy first, and then lead them to an understanding of why we then show mercy and compassion to others, even when we don't feel like it.

Read: The Story of the Good Samaritan – Read it in a children's Bible, or watch the video from Sunday, here.

Listen: Who do you think that you are most like in this story? If you saw someone who needed help, what would you do? Why would you choose to act this way? What if the person who needed help was someone you didn't like? Would you still help them? Why or why not? 

Talk: Did you know that the Bible says that we are actually most like the man who was attacked? We have no way of saving ourselves from our own sin, and we need God's kindness to save us. Without Him, we are helpless. It was while we had our hearts turned away from God that He died for us to save us. He shows us MERCY by loving us when we don't love Him. 

Can you think of someone you would find it really, really hard to help? This is the kind of person Jesus says is your 'neighbour', and that we should love and serve and help if we are going to follow Him. Jesus knows how hard it is. That's why He has given us His Holy Spirit to be strong for us, even when we don't feel like showing love to people we don't like. We can ask for the Holy Spirit's help, and choose to love even when we don't feel like it, because we can be STRONG by His SPIRIT.

Do: Write the words: GOD'S KINDNESS on a piece of paper, and stick it high up in a place in your home where children cannot reach it – even if they stand on something. Then, ask children to try and get it down. They cannot use any help like sticks or chairs – they must try and climb or reach it themselves. Make it impossible for them. Then, on an old T-shirt, write GOD'S MERCY. Alternatively, write it on your arms, if you don't mind writing on yourself. Then offer to lift the children up so they can reach the 'God's Kindness' poster. Explain to children that none of us deserve God's kindness, we can't earn it, or reach it ourselves. We have all 'fallen short' of God's glory. (Read this in Romans 3:23). But because of God's mercy to us, we can access or 'reach' God's kindness because He chooses to give it to us. 

Likewise, many people we meet do not deserve our love and kindess either. But Jesus says that those who follow Him will be like Him, and 'lift up' others to show them God's kindness, too. When we show kindness to people who don't deserve it, we are like Jesus, because we are showing God's Mercy and helping people see God's kindess to them, too.

Pray together that you would be a family that helps 'lift up others' to show God's kindess to them.

Big Idea: We participate in God's Mission – He is at work and we join him in it. 

Bible Passage: Acts 7:1-3, 54-60; 8:1-13, 26-40; 9:1-9, 15-22.

Parent Prep: This week we will be looking at the plan of God to save His people, and how He calls us to be a part of that work. God is all sustaining, and doesn't need our help. Yet we are given the profound privilege of joining in with His Holy Spirit and seeing people saved to eternal life. This perspective on our role as disciple-makers is refreshing because it reminds us that God is wholly responsible for the work of saving souls, and we are called to simply partner with Him in it and witness the glory of His work. When we reframe our job as disciple-makers in this light, we can release ourselves from the pressure of being 'good enough' at telling others about Him, and instead make our focus listening to God and trusting Him, and being open to share His love wherever go and whatever we do.

Read: Read these stories together Acts 7:1-3, 54-60; 8:1-13, 26-40; 9:1-9, 15-22. from a children's Bible, or from this easy-to-read translation here. For very young children, read the story 'A New Way To See' on page 334 from the Jesus Storybook Bible, or watch it here.

Talk: In these stories, we see God using ordinary people to tell His great message of the gospel to many people. They were sharing about Jesus wherever they went, and through whatever they were doing. They may have been ordinary people, but by the Holy Spirit's help, they did some extraordinary things that made them able to share God's love and words in powerful ways. (If you did the toolbox craft together on Sunday, you can write the following things down on your tools to help kids remember what we need to help God with His plan.)

1. (PRAY)  Stephen had courage to pray for others to know Jesus. Because He loved Jesus so much, he couldn't stay quiet when people threatened to hurt him. He prayed to Jesus in front of all the crowds. Because of his courage, Saul heard the gospel, and saw how much Stephen loved Jesus. Later, Saul met Jesus and was saved, too. 

2. (PROCLAIM) Philip was brave to share the gospel of Jesus with others. Because Philip believed and trusted in Jesus so much, he was ready to share about God's power and love wherever he went. Simon the Sorcerer heard his story and became a believer in Jesus, too.

3. (PERCEPTIVE)  Philip listened to God's Holy Spirit and was ready to go where He said. Philip was 'going along the way' when the Holy Spirit gave Him instructions. He was ready and listening to share with whoever God told Him to. 

Saul (Paul) became a follower of Jesus and followed the examples of these believers too. He had courage to pray and share the gospel with many people, even though they also threatened to hurt him and throw him in prison. He also listened carefully to Jesus speak to Him. Because Paul was brave and ready to speak to people about Jesus wherever he went, many, many people became believers in Jesus.

Listen: As you ask these questions, allow children to be honest about feeling worried or anxious about sharing their faith. Reassure them that having courage to pray and share their faith does not mean that it isn't scary, but that we do it even when we are afraid, just like Stephen.Remind them again that it is God's work, and we are just helpers. We don't have to worry about getting it all right, or what people might think of us, because God really calls us to be a part of this so that we can trust Him more and more. He doesn't get mad if we try but get it wrong. He doesn't mind if we are frightened, that's why He gives us His Holy Spirit to make us brave. Consider sharing a time it has been difficult for you to share your faith, to encourage your children that they are not alone.

Ask children, "Do you have courage to pray for your friends and family to come to know Jesus?" "What if sharing about Jesus with them might mean they make fun of you?" 

Ask "Do you feel brave enough to tell the gospel of Jesus to other people in your life?" "Why or Why not?"

Ask, "Have you ever felt the Holy Spirit tell you to tell someone about Jesus?" "If yes, what happened?" "If no, what do you think we could do to be ready to listen to the Holy Spirit wherever we go?"

Talk about how wonderful it is that God asks for our help, even though He doesn't need it. Ask, "Why do you think He does that?"

Do: Together as a family, list as many places as you can that you will go this week. Perhaps consider using the map you made of your 'community' a few weeks ago. If it looks different this week because of school holidays, make a new list. Eg. At home, in the car, at the shops, at the park, at a friend or family member's house etc. Think of a particular spot at each of these places that you can stop and pray and be ready to hear from the Holy Spirit. Maybe it's as you walk through the front door or garage door. Maybe it's on the driveway of a friend's house. Maybe it's in the carpark of the shops. Wherever you identify those places, take a sticker, or a piece of paper with you when you go there. When you arrive at those places this week, place your sticker or piece of paper on the floor. Then, stand at the mark as a family, and pray together. 

"Jesus, we want to help tell others about your love. Help us be brave. Show us the people here today who you want us to tell about your love. We are ready. Amen." 

Then, encourage your children to come and tell you if they feel the Holy Spirit tell them about a particular person while you are out together. If they feel prompted, help your children to use their own words to tell that person who Jesus is, and why we love Him. Pray for bravery for yourself too, you never know what God will do with your willingness!

Have a great week!