Big Idea: Jesus gives His followers His Holy Spirit to change us to be more like Him, and gives us the power to do God's work.

Bible Passage: Acts 2:1-4, 22-42

This week the kids learnt that just as He had promised, Jesus sent His Holy Spirit to be with His disciples. They were gathered in Jerusalem after Jesus had gone back to heaven, and all of a sudden, a sound came from heaven. Then tongues appeared like flames of fire, and they rested on each of the disciples. They were filled with the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit gave them the ability to speak in different languages!

Peter preached to the crowd that had gathered, and told them the good news of Jesus Christ. That day, about 3000 people repented and followed Jesus and were baptised.

For all those that repent and follow Jesus, He gives us His Holy Spirit to change us to be more like Him and to give us the power to do His work. He helps us share His good news with others. 

Family Activity 

DO This week, find a globe or a map. Spin the globe, or close your eyes and point to the map with them shut, and randomly choose a country that speaks another language. Search the internet for the native language of that country. Then use google translate to translate the following sentence or sentences.

• "Jesus promises His Holy Spirit to those who trust and follow him,"
• "The Holy Spirit gives us the power to do God's work." 
• "The Holy Spirit changes me to be more like Jesus."

For preschoolers: Choose another language other than English and use google translate to find out how to say "Jesus" or "Jesus loves me," in your chosen language.

Say those words together this week to one another as often as you remember them, and talk about how the Holy Spirit gave the power to the disciples to share the good news of Jesus. Remind each other that followers of Jesus have this same Holy Spirit who gives us the power to share the good news of Jesus with our friends, too.

Have a fun week! 

Big Idea: We are thankful because Jesus died on the cross and rose again to save us from our sins.

Bible Passage: Isaiah 12

This week the kids learnt that Jesus has always been the plan to save God's people. We have been travelling through the Bible since Genesis talking about God's promised Saviour – and lately we've been learning all about Jesus and how he fulfilled all of God's promises. It was good to take a look backwards to the prophet Isaiah, who spoke of Jesus long before He came, and promised hope and salvation for God's people. Today, we can look back and sing praises to God in thankfulness that He always had a plan to save the children he loves. 

Family Activity

Choose a song as a family that you all love to sing. Consider using a song that talks about God's wonderful character -but any song is fine. Every time someone plays the song this week (get creative and surprise each other with the song!) break down and have a 30 second dance party together. Use the 30 seconds to list as many things you are thankful to Jesus for as you can. 

Have a fun week! 

Big Idea: Jesus went to Heaven, but He sent His friends His Holy Spirit.

Bible Passage: Acts 1:4-14

This week the kids learnt that after Jesus was resurrected, He spent time with His friends. He had eaten with them and given them a very important mission. Jesus’ friends were back in the city of Jerusalem. Jesus told His friends not to leave the city, but to wait. God was going to send the Holy Spirit. Then something amazing happened! Jesus’ friends saw Jesus go up into the sky! A cloud took Him out of their sight. As the disciples looked into the sky, two men in white clothes stood beside them. The men said, “Why are you staring up into the sky? Jesus has been taken into heaven. One day, He will come back again in the same way.” 

We learnt that even though Jesus went back to heaven, he did not leave His friends alone to fulfill His mission. He sent His Holy Spirit to be with His friends to give them power to share the gospel. He does this for us too – for anyone who trusts Jesus as Lord and Saviour, that His Holy Spirit will dwell in us and never leave us! He gives us the power to share the good news of Jesus with our friends and family.

Family Activity

Go out in the back yard and lie down. Look at the clouds in the sky and see if you can find pictures or shapes in the clouds together. Talk about how Jesus went back to heaven on the clouds, and how even though that seems very far away, we can always be assured that for those that trust in Jesus as Lord and Saviour, His Holy Spirit is with us always, and will never leave. Talk about how great it will be when Jesus comes back, riding on the clouds (Revelation 1:7). Imagine together what it will be like, and celebrate that we can look forward together to the day that King Jesus comes back.

Big Idea: Kidzone: Jesus has given us the mission of making disciples of all nations.

               Bumblebees:  Jesus wants us to tell everyone everywhere about His love. He loves the whole world.

Bible Passage: Matthew 28:16-20

This week the kids learnt that we have a mission. A co-mission with Jesus to share the good news of Jesus with the whole world. The kids were given maps and pictures of cross-cultural missionaries and learnt stories of just how far Jesus' good news of the gospel has spread. We are called to be a part of this mission, too. To share the good news of Jesus with everyone we meet.

Family Activity

If your family has a sponsor child, or know a missionary family overseas, take this week to pray for them together, and consider using this week to write them a letter together, or an email. Find a map or search on Google Earth where they are. Talk about how great it is that we can spread the good news of Jesus far and wide across the world. 

If your family doesn't have a sponsor child or know of a missionary family, check out these guys. https://omf.org/thailand/south-thailand/jeff-belinda-callow/ Our church supports, prays for and loves this family! Find their home on a map and pray this week together that Jesus' good news would spread far and wide where they are. 

Have a great week – we'll see you Sunday!

The Big Idea: The Risen Jesus meets us where we are

This week the bible passage was Luke 24:36-49 & John 20:19-29.

Famil Activity: Find a way to answer the question "where is Jesus seen in our home?" You can do this by identifying places in your home where you might worship, serve & talk about or to Jesus in your house and mark it on your house plans that they made on Sunday. Make sure you post photos of these places with the hashtag #jesusinourhome on facebook.

Bible Passage: Mark 16:12-13 and Luke 24:13-35

Big Idea: The Bibe id God's Word and everything in it is about Jesus

This week the kids studied how Jesus appeared to the Emmaus disciples after His death and resurrection. The bible is about Jesus. When Adam and Eve sinned, God began to working out His plan to send Jesus to rescue people from sin (Genesis 3:15). All of the Old Testament points foward to Jesus' life, death, and resurrection – the time when Jesus would bring God's promised salvation for sinners. 

Family Journal Activity: Give each member of the family a Bible. Call out a book of the Bible and guide each person to race to find it. Vary the difficulty of the book being found. Read Luke 24: 13-35. Remind the kids that Jesus taught that the Bible is about him. Tell them that no matter where they turn in the Bible, they can know that it all points to God's plan for Jesus to come to earth, die on the cross for our sin, and rise again three days later, as a picture of His victory over sin and death. 

Bible Passage: Matthew 28:1-15; John 20:1-18

Big Idea: God raised Jesus back to life to show we are forgiven & He has victory over sin and death. 

This week the kids learnt that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, but He didn’t stay dead. God was pleased with Jesus’ sacrifice and raised Jesus from the dead to reign as King over all creation. Jesus provides salvation from sin and the promise of eternal life. 

Family Activity

Talk about a time you needed proof to help someone believe you. Consider telling a story and challenging the kids to believe you, and provide some ‘evidence’ or ‘proof’ to consolidate your story. Ask kids why they believe that you love them. (You hug them, feed them, tuck them in at night.) Let them give you examples that mean a lot to them. Talk about how Jesus’ resurrection is the proof that Jesus is who He said He is, and that we can trust everything He said. Ask kids if they sometimes struggle to believe this big truth. Reassure them that doubt is okay, and that while it is an unbelievable fact that God raised Jesus to life, that we can trust the Bible and what it says. Pray with your kids that you would learn to trust God together, and thank Him for giving us a way to be with Him again. 

Bible Passage: Matthew 26:36-28:10

Big idea: Jesus died to pay the sacrifice for our sin so that we could be made right with God.

This week the kids learnt about Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection. The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus is the center of the gospel. We took a look back at all the ways God has shown his people that He wants themt to be with Him throughout the Bible, and why Jesus had to die. We talked about how, because God is perfectly just, that sin needs to be paid for. We deserve to die because of our sin. But because God is not only perfectly just, but also perfectly loving, He sent Jesus to die in our place. He was the blood sacrifice made once and for all for the forgiveness of sin. God was pleased with Jesus' sacrifice and raised Him from the dead to reign as King over all creation. We are forgiven and made right with God only through Jesus. When Jesus died on the cross for us, he said "IT IS FINISHED'. 

Family Activity

Look at a cross on a necklace or other item in your home, or as you see one driving around your community. Ask kids to tell you in their own words why the cross is used as a decoration today. Remind kids that the cross is a reminder of what Jesus did by dying for us on the cross and rising three days later. Pray together and thank Jesus for His sacrifice for us, and that He won victory over sin and death when He rose again. Say together "it is finished" at the end of the prayer and talk about how Jesus' sacrifice was once and for all, and how we can praise Him for our hope even in death.