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!

Big Idea: While we wait for Jesus to return, we GET READY for Him, and GET OTHERS READY.

Bible Passage: 2 Peter 3:1-13

This week we read from the book of 2 Peter – a letter written by one of Jesus' disciples & best friends. We heard that Peter told the church that Jesus was coming back, and that while we wait for Him, we are to become more and more like Him. We talked about how we can be like Jesus – and how we can learn more about Him by reading His word to know what He is like. We also learned that while we wait for Jesus to return, we can tell others about Him. 

Family Activity

We talked about how 'getting ready' for Jesus would be like waiting for a very special visitor to come over, and talked about how we get ready for special visitors when they come to our house. Talk with children this week as they get ready for school or other activities about how they might 'get ready' if Jesus was coming over for dinner. Talk about what clothes they might like to wear, or toys they might choose to show Him. Talk together about how the best way to 'get ready' for Jesus is to be just like Him, and how we can learn to love, act and live like Him by reading His word together. Peter gives some instructions for this in 2 Peter 1:5-8, so consider reading these together and talking about these characteristics. 

See you next week!

Big Idea:  The Holy Spirit helps us know God's word and be like Jesus

Bible Passage: Jude 1:3-4, 17-25

Jude was the half-brother of Jesus, and he wrote a letter to Christians to encourage them to stand strong in their faith. He says in his letter that other Christians were wasting the grace that Jesus has shown them – they are using it as an excuse to live however they please. 

But Jude tells us not to waste the grace! We know Jesus saved us to live differently than other people – we are called to live like Jesus. Not to be grumblers, bellyachers, boasters, or think big about ourselves -instead be full of joy, hope, and to thing big about Jesus. Jude helps us see that it  is the Holy Spirit who helps us to live like Jesus- He helps us understand God's word. 

He concludes his letter by saying it is in Jesus' strength and all because of Jesus that we can be saved and be made like him. "Now to him who keeps us from stumbling…all glory, majesty, power and authority be to him!"

Family Activity

This term we have started saying to the kids 'The Bible you use on Monday, bring on Sunday.' Help kids this week to open the Bible and read Jude 1:24 and ask them these questions: 

-What does this verse teach us about God? What does the verse teach me about myself? 

Thank Jesus together that it is Him who saves us, and Him who keeps us from stumbling into sin, and makes us like Him. 

See you Sunday!

Big Idea: We can stand firm and put our hope in Jesus in all things

Bible Passage: 1Thessalonians 4-5

This week we talked about our future hope in Jesus. Paul wrote a letter from prison to his friends in Thessalonica. Paul and his friends had visited Thessalonica and had started a church there. Since being in prison Paul had heard they were being persecuted for their faith in Jesus, so he wrote them a letter of encouragement. He told them how to live as God's people and to stand firm in their faith with the hope in Jesus. Paul talked about how his friends can look forward to the day that Jesus comes back (riding on the clouds!) and takes all those who trust Him to be with Him forever in a new, perfect world.

 We talked about how when we are struggling to follow Jesus or are suffering bad times, we can stand firm and hold on to our hope in Jesus because He never fails. He promises that one day He will come back and take us to be with him forever, and all things will be perfect- with no sadness, hurt, sickness or death! 

Family Activity

Reminders of hope: This week we talked about what it would look like for Jesus to come riding on the clouds, and what that day will be like for those that follow Jesus. Go outside and lay on the grass as a family and look up at the clouds. Talk about the shapes and sizes and which cloud  you think Jesus would choose to ride on. Ask the children to tell you what it will be like to see Jesus face to face for the first time. Remind children that when they are hurting or struggling, they can look to the clouds and be reminded of their forever hope in Jesus and His promise to make all things right.

Talk to Jesus together as you look at the clouds and tell Him things you love about Him. 

Have a great week!

Please note- as we are on school holidays now, Kidzone and Bumblebees will resume October 14th. 

Big Idea: We can forgive and welcome others into God's family just as Jesus has done for us.

Bible Passage: Philemon 1:8-22

This week the kids learnt that Paul sent another letter from prison. He wrote to his friend Philemon. While in prison, Paul had become friends with a man called Onesimus. Onesimus had been a servant to Philemon, but had run away. After meeting Paul in Rome, Onesimus because a Christian, and Paul encouraged Onesimus to go home to Philemon and put things right between them, as Jesus would have us have peace with our brothers and sisters.

Paul writes a letter encouraging Philemon to forgive Onesimus, and to welcome him, not as a slave, but as a 'brother' in Christ. He tells Philemon that if Onesimus owes him any money, that Paul will pay his debt. We talked about how Paul asked this of his friend he loved him and knew Philemon was a Christian, and so wanted him to be like Jesus.

Jesus forgives our sin, even though we don't deserve it, has paid our debt that we could not pay, and Jesus welcomes us into God's family as brothers and sisters too. Those who wish to follow Jesus should do this for others. 

We talked about how it is hard to be like Jesus. It is tough to forgive others, especically those who hurt us. It is hard to love those who are unkind, and it is difficult to welcome difficult people. But we can trust that though it is difficult, it is worth it. Jesus died for us, and He loves us, and this is what spurs us on to love even when it is hard work.

Family Activity

At family dinner, have one person serve everyone as if they are a servant. Talk about the difference in how you treat servants and those who are family. Read John 15:15 together, and thank Jesus for making it so that we can be in God's family as brothers and sisters, not as slaves.

Big Idea: Jesus is better than anyone or anything, so we can worship Him together.

Bible Passage: Colossians 1:15-2:3

On Sunday the children heard more about the letters of Paul. They learned that Paul wrote a letter from prison to the Christians living in Colossae, telling them about the joy he had in Jesus, even in prison. He told them about Jesus and said that Jesus was better than anything else or anyone else the people could give their lives to. He told them 3 things about Jesus:

1. Paul said that Jesus is the image of the invisible God. If we want to know what God is like, we can look at the life of Jesus and know Him.

2. Jesus made all things and holds them together. Jesus is creator of the world and all things were made by and through and for Him – and He holds our universe together!

3. Jesus is King. Paul told how Jesus is in charge of all things, and that He is the head of the church. Paul also said that it is because of King Jesus saving us that we can have a relationship with God and that we are saved because of His death and resurrection.

Because of all these things, we can say 'thank you, I love you' to Jesus with our whole lives and our whole family. We call this worship. Living a life that says 'thank you, I love you' to Jesus is a life of worship.

Family Activity

There are three small activities this week to help us remember the three things about Jesus that Paul talked about.

1. 'The Image'. Play a version of 'pictionary' where you or another family member draw a picture of something you can see around you. The first person to guess what you are drawing is the winner. Say to children that we can see what God is like by looking at the life of Jesus in the Bible.

2. 'The Creator'. Take a walk outside, or as you are walking next time, collect some items from your walk. Choose simple items from nature, or point out things you can see -such as leaves, the lake, the clouds, stones, flowers etc and talk about how all things were made by and through and for Jesus, and He holds everything together.

3. 'The King'. Choose one child to be the 'king' and have them order the family around and do whatever actions the 'king' says. Eg – running on the spot, jumping up and down, hopping on one foot etc. Tell children that Jesus is not the kind of king who just tells us what to do and bosses us around to make him happy, but He is the king who laid is life down to pay for our sins and to save us. Jesus is a good King, and it is good to trust Him and obey Him.

See you Sunday!

Big Idea: Even while he was in prison, Paul told the Philippian church to be joyful in Jesus.

Bible Passage: Philippians 1:12-30

Paul was living as a prisoner in Rome. He was waiting to meet with the emperor of Rome. While in prison, Paul wrote a letter to the Christians in Philippi to thank them for sending a gift and to tell them about his work.

Paul wrote, “I want you to know, brothers, that even though the Jews tried to stop me, everything that has happened has actually helped me tell more people the good news about Jesus.“I hope that I will never be afraid or embarrassed about anything. I want to be bold and honor Jesus, whether I live or I die.

“For me, living is Christ and dying is gain. If I live, I live for Jesus. If I die for Jesus, I will be with Him forever…No matter what happens, live your life in a way that brings honor to the gospel of Christ. ”

Paul also urged the believers to not let anyone scare them away from doing God’s work. He said, “This is the work God has given you to do—not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him.” 

When we find ourselves in trouble, or circumstances beyond our control, we can know that Jesus is unchanging, and He promises to give us himself and our joy is found in Him. His love for us never changes, no matter our circumstances.

Family Activity

As a family, have children help you write a list of all the good times you've had together. Include some of their favourite memories, and yours, too. Then, write down some times that were hard together. Write a list of things that you know change over time. Eg. Babies grow, children change as they grow, plants grow flowers in the spring, the weather changes, our clothes change, our houses may change. Talk about these times, and remind children that during these hard times, and the good times too, and in all things, Jesus never changes, and His love for us remains the same. Even though the world around us changes – like the seasons, or day to night, and we grow and change, our God remains the same, and His promise to give His unchanging self to us in all circumstances brings us joy no matter what.

Pray together and say "Thank you God for being the same yesterday, today and forever. Thank you for loving us no matter what is going on. Please remind us of your great love in all things, no matter what is happening around us or to us. Help us find our joy in you, Jesus, not in this world and what happens to us. Amen."

Big Idea: In the storms of life, we can choose to hold on to God's promises, because He is faithful and never lets go of us.

Bible Passage: Acts 27:13-44, 28:11-16

This week the kids learned that Paul was on board a prison ship as a prisoner  headed for Rome. While he was on board, there was a great hurricane, and the sailors and prisoners were afraid they would die. An angel of the Lord appeared to Paul one night and promised he would go to Rome, and they would be saved from the hurricane. Paul told this to the crew, and they listened. They were shipwrecked on the island of Malta, but all 276 men survived. Then, after winter, they sailed on another ship to Rome, where Paul was allowed to wait out his trial in a house with a guard, rather than in prison. Many people heard Paul's testimony of Jesus, and came to know Jesus because of Paul's faith. 

We can, like Paul, trust Jesus. Jesus promises to never leave us and never forsake us. Look up Matthew 28:19-20 together as a family and read it aloud. During the storms of our life, we have a choice. We can HOLD ON to the promises of God, and trust Him to care for us, or let go and try and survive on our own. We, like Paul, can trust God because He is faithful and never ever breaks his promises. He is with us in the storm, and He will hold us fast.

Family Activity 

Stand in a circle together and hold hands. Pretend together that you are in a storm and move around, making noises of thunder and rain. Move around like you are being blown by the rough winds. Make the "storm" as rough as possible, so that it is difficult to hold on to one another's hands. Challenge the kids to hold on no matter how rough the "storm" gets.

Sit down together in your circle and talk about how sometimes, when life gets rough and we face the 'storms' or tough times, that it makes it hard to hold on to God's promises. But we can HOLD ON and not let go because God is faithful and promises to be with us, no matter what. We are promised that when we are slipping, and find it hard to trust God, that He will never ever let go of us. He is much stronger than us, or any storm we face. Ask the children if they are facing any "storms" or tough times right now, and share your own struggles with them if appropriate. Then, in your circle, hold hands and pray, taking these things to Jesus, and asking for His help to HOLD ON, and thanking Him for never letting go of us.

Here's a great song to listen to together, called He Will Hold Me Fast.

https://soundcloud.com/timbettinson/he-will-hold-me-fast