This weekend we continued preparing for the birth of our Savior, Jesus.  We taught the children how Mary and Joseph prepared for the birth of Jesus.  We also taught the children of ways they could prepare to receive God’s gift of Jesus.

We have calendars, day planners, and all types of electronic gadgets to assist us in making proper plans and preparations for our events. We have notepads and alarm clocks on our cell phones, watches, and computers to ensure that we reach our destinations on time. We plan and prepare, researching the details and logistics of our business trips, vacations, and family visits. We have timed everything perfectly, and we think we know the outcome. We are in control. Yet with all of our planning and expectations, sometimes things don’t work out exactly like we want. Something goes wrong—our watch battery dies, we lose our calendar, or there’s no room at the inn. What do we do?

Joseph and Mary probably thought they had everything planned out. They were dutifully following Emperor Augustus’s decree to return to their own hometown for the census (Luke 2:1-3). The journey was also close to the time for Jesus’ birth, so surely Mary and Joseph had that at the forefront of their minds. They probably made preparations for baby Jesus before they left home, bringing extra food and clothing and ensuring they could make the return journey with a third person, a baby!  Then they arrive in Bethlehem and cannot find a place to stay. Mary’s thoughts were probably along the lines of: “Why can’t I be home in my own bed bringing my child into this world?” But it wasn’t Mary’s child, it was God’s child; and God had a plan, just as God has a plan for us. No matter what we calculate, plan, schedule, or determine, God is in control and God knows how it will all work out. God’s plan was for Jesus to be born in Bethlehem. All it took was for Mary to affirm God’s control in the situation.

This week as you go about your daily routine, know that God’s divine plans are taking place simultaneously. What does this mean? It means that God will use you in the lives of your children to accomplish His plans.  God will use you to reach your children with God’s love. Doesn’t it feel good to know that God is in control?

Remember God will use you to serve. Make preparations to the best of your ability, plan to teach your children about God’s greatness and His love for them, and relax in the knowledge that God is at work in your life and in the lives of your children. Trust God to be with you and to divinely lead you as you help your children in preparing to receive God’s gift of Jesus.

“To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord”. Luke 2:11

“Merry Christmas, from all of us in the Kidz Alive Ministry”.

This weekend we continued teaching the kids that God is a great big God, that He loves us with a great big love, and we are part of God’s great big world.  We taught the children the biblical account of how Mary shared the good news about Jesus with her cousin Elizabeth.  We also taught the children different ways that they can share the good news of Jesus with others.  When we hear good news, we want to share it with everyone we know.  Everyone wants to hear good news and an exchange of good news is what takes place in this week’s lesson.  After hearing Gabriel’s announcement of Jesus, Mary shares this message with her cousin Elizabeth. Even though Mary did not fully understand Gabriel’s pronouncement, she knew how important it was. So she received it and went to a close relative to share the news.

Through the children’s involvement with this weekend’s lesson, they learned to share the good news of Jesus with family and friends. When we think about the good news, like Mary, we do not fully understand all that Gabriel said to Mary. To gain a better understanding, we carefully study this passage in Luke and analyze, scrutinize, and theologize it. Yet all our theorizing only takes us back to Mary’s decision to receive and accept Gabriel’s message, even without complete understanding.

This week as you interact with your children, think about any good news that you have heard within the last month about yourself, family, friends, or even someone you do not know. Take a moment to thank God for this good news. Consider prayer requests in which you are awaiting good news or a positive report. Offer a prayer for those concerns, knowing that God is a great big God and God cares about you and your loved ones. As you share with your children, remember that you are bringing good news to the children. You are providing big truths to the children news they can use forever!

“To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord”. Luke 2:11

This weekend we continued teaching the kids about the real reason for Christmas.  We taught them that God is a great big God, and that God loves us with a great big love.  We shared with the kids the biblical account of how the angel brought the good news of Jesus to Mary.  We also showed them ways to celebrate the good news about Jesus.

We begin this quarter with some good news!  We as Christians believe that God sent hope to all people through the birth of Jesus. Prior to the scene described in today’s Bible passage, the angel Gabriel visited a priest named Zechariah during his time of temple duty and announced that Zechariah’s wife Elizabeth would have a son. Now, in the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, Gabriel visits Mary and announces that she, too, will have a child. Try to read the story forgetting that you know the ending. Imagine the thoughts and emotions that Mary must have experienced during those initial minutes with Gabriel, as she felt the first flutterings of her unborn child. Reflect on Mary telling Joseph about her experience with Gabriel. Consider how she may have told her family.  At this point in our Bible story, Joseph and Mary are engaged, or betrothed. Betrothal was a commitment as binding as marriage. Like a divorce, it could only be broken by a legal transaction made with sufficient grounds, such as adultery. Once pregnant, Mary may have been perceived as an adulteress and, as such, subject to stoning (Deuteronomy 22:23-27). Read Matthew’s account of this story in which Joseph “planned to dismiss her quietly,” but didn’t (Matthew 1:19). This shows us Joseph’s strength and faith.

This week as you interact with your children remind them that God doesn’t just use angels to send us messages, remind them that God’s messengers come to us today through various forms. They are often ordinary, everyday people and occurrences. They are often initially unrecognizable or hidden. But when they are recognized, they are extraordinary and powerful. Think of people who have appeared in your life and have helped you hear God’s voice or feel God’s touch. Share a story with your children. When we least expect it, perhaps when we most need it, we will experience God’s good news that Jesus is the Savior God promised to send to all people. That assurance brings hope. That assurance also brings faith that “nothing will be impossible with God.”

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” Luke 2:10-11

This weekend the children heard the Bible account about the birth of John who was Jesus’ cousin.  We taught the children that John was born to prepare the way for Jesus, God’s promised Messiah.  And we gave the children opportunities to give thanks for the coming Messiah as they begin to celebrate Advent.

Thanksgiving is over, and the stores and radios are surely already full of Christmas music. It can be tiring to think that Christmas is already here. Didn’t we just celebrate Labor Day? Didn’t school just begin?  For children, the yearly extension of the Christmas holiday can seem tortuous. The excitement and anticipation they feel throughout the season, usually centered on what presents they will be receiving or maybe giving, can seem to last forever. It can be a difficult lesson in patience, made more difficult by the larger community’s insistence that presents are the focus of the season.

But the truth is, the patience and anticipation is what the season is all about. The season of Advent is a time for us to prepare for the arrival of the Christ Child. In physical ways, we prepare our homes, spend time with friends, and prepare gifts for friends and family because we give gifts in honor of Jesus. But we also prepare for Jesus’ arrival in our hearts.  This week’s lesson will help your children learn about the anticipation of Advent. Our lesson is based on the account of Zechariah and Elizabeth giving thanks for the birth of their son, John. While this may seem a strange story to begin the season of Advent, we see in Zechariah the patience he had in waiting for the birth of his son without the ability to speak! And once John was born, Zechariah sings praise to God for the wonderful things that are to come in John and in God’s Son, Jesus.

This week as you interact with your children, return to the themes taught on the fourth Sunday of September rest, sabbath, and a gift from God. As we anticipate this most precious gift from God, we take time to pause and enjoy the moment, however hectic it may be. We look longingly toward the day when Jesus arrives as a tiny baby in Bethlehem. And we praise God for the gift of a Savior, one who will prepare the way for the Lord.

I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. Psalm 9:1

This weekend we helped the children recognize and give thanks for God’s miraculous goodness.

Did you do or get what you were expecting today? Or did something unexpected happen? All of us have expectations. Sometimes our expectations are not met and we are disappointed. Sometimes our expectations are met and we are satisfied. And at other times, our expectations are exceeded and we are delighted, overwhelmed.

This weekend the Bible lesson was about a lame man whose expectation was exceeded. The lame man, who was totally at the mercy of others, had to be carried into the Temple. He also depended on others for alms. So upon the arrival of Peter and John, the lame man did nothing out of the ordinary. He simply asked them for money in hopes that they would meet his expectation: “And [the lame man] fixed his attention on them (Peter and John), expecting to receive something from them” (Acts 3:5). But the lame man’s expectation was exceeded by a long shot. The lame man was healed, which was far better than silver or gold. The man’s response was a dance of praise.

Your children may want to know exactly how Jesus and the early disciples were able to heal people. Do not feel that you must have an answer for all questions. Our purpose in teaching the miracle stories is not to explain how the miracle happened, but to help the children focus on why the miracle happened. The miracle of Jesus and his disciples occurred to show people the healing power of God. Even in our scientific world, there is still room for the mystery of God’s healing power.

Another important aspect of the lesson is that Peter and John simply gave what they had. The lame man asked for money, and Peter responded, “I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk” (Acts 3:6). In the ancient world, one’s name carried the power and authority of the person. To heal in the name of Jesus was to acknowledge that the healing power came from Jesus and, ultimately, from God.

As you interact with your children this week, you are also offering what you have. The children may not be physically ill, as the lame man, but even though they have lived only a few short years, they have expectations. How can you meet and exceed your children’s expectations? By doing what Peter and John did. Peter and John gave what they had, and so can you. What did these apostles have? They had a connection to God.  As you pray for God’s guidance as a parent, God will provide the wisdom and direction you need. Just stay connected to God, and God has a way when you least expect it to do exceedingly, abundantly beyond all you can ask or think.

I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. Psalm 9:1

This weekend the children learned the biblical account of the healing of the ten lepers.  We also helped the children recognize the need for giving thanks and we taught them to give thanks for all God’s blessings.

The lesson this weekend was about the one man who gave thanks for Jesus healing him of leprosy. Leprosy is a term for a variety of skin conditions which may or may not be serious. Persons who had leprosy were considered “unclean” because they may have been contagious. Some lepers were required to live away from other people. They often lived in groups outside populated areas where they would beg for money.

On his way to Jerusalem, Jesus encountered a group of ten lepers who asked for mercy. Jesus sent the lepers to the priests because the priests were responsible for monitoring and certifying anyone who suffered from leprosy as “clean” (Leviticus 13:45-46).  While on their way, all ten were cured. One man returned to Jesus. With enormous gratitude, the man shouted his thanks and bowed down before Jesus.  The man who returned was a Samaritan. That he alone should return is striking since Jews did not associate with Samaritans or expect pious or humanitarian behavior from them. (A similar surprise is found in Jesus’ parable of the good Samaritan—Luke 10:29-37).

The Bible lesson this weekend is as much about gratitude as it is about healing. Have you ever wondered why only one man returned to tell Jesus thank you? Perhaps the other nine were too focused on being back in the mainstream of society again. Maybe they were focused on confirming their healing with the priest. Whatever they were focused on did not leave room for them to return and say, “Thank you, Jesus.” The one who showed gratitude may have been focused on all these things too. And after focusing on them thought, I could not do any of these things, return to society; live a normal, healthy life had it not been for Jesus. Jesus is the source of my healing. And with those thoughts, this former leper was compelled to return and offer gratitude to Jesus.

As a parent you may be dealing with the fact that your child may be dealing with a family member’s serious illness and may be concerned or angry that God has not cured that person. Remind the children that God does not cause people to be sick. Nor does God withhold healing because of anything that person has done. Ask others for help if you are unsure how to answer any questions or if you are unsure of a child’s situation.

This week as you interact with your children, remember your source Jesus. Offer a prayer of gratitude to God for all the blessings that God has given you, and encourage your children to do the same.

“I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds”. Psalm 9:1

This weekend we taught the children the biblical account of the Hebrew people’s escape from Egypt and Miriam’s song of thanks.  We also gave the children opportunities to celebrate God’s power and salvation.

This weekend’s lesson tell of the Hebrews’ escape from Egypt. Pharaoh let the people go, and God led them across the desert toward the Red Sea. Egyptian military outposts marked the land of the most direct route, and Moses avoided this for obvious reasons. God protected the Hebrews, providing a cloud by day and a column of fire by night to guide them.  When Pharaoh realized that he had let all of his slaves go, he decided to bring them back to Egypt. Pharaoh, who led the pursuit of the Hebrew people from his chariot, was followed by his entire army of horses, chariots, and soldiers. What a sight that must have been!

When the people of Israel saw Pharaoh’s army coming closer and closer to their camp at the Red Sea, they began to complain and say it would have been better to have remained as slaves in Egypt than to die in the desert. Moses reassured the people of God’s power and, doing as God told him, Moses stretched his hand and staff over the sea so that God’s people could escape.  Once they had escaped, Moses and Miriam gave thanks to God with songs of praise. Some scholars believe that the verses were first ascribed to Miriam, and that they are among the most ancient examples of Hebrew poetry that we have.  This is the same Miriam who watched her baby brother float in a basket and into the arms of Pharaoh’s daughter. Miriam is described as a prophet, which tells us that she held her own place as a leader in the spiritual lives of her people.

It is important for the children to understand that the celebration in the Bible story came from gratitude for what God has done. Celebration follows thanksgiving. As a parent, we encourage you to look for opportunities to model and teach thankfulness with your children. Show appreciation for the things they say and do and, most of all, for them as children of God.

The account of the Hebrew people’s deliverance from Pharaoh is a story of God’s care. God cared for the Hebrew people by providing the pillar of cloud by day. God cared for the Hebrew people by providing the pillar of fire by night. God cared for the Hebrew people by providing a strong east wind that turned the sea into dry ground. So Miriam’s thanks were a celebration of God’s care: “Miriam led them in singing, Sing to God—what a victory!” (Exodus 15:21, THE MESSAGE).

This week as you interact with your children, think about God’s care. How has God’s care manifested itself in your own life? What has God done for you that would cause you to burst into song and celebrate God’s power and salvation? Think on these things and give thanks to God.

I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. Psalm 9:1

This weekend we taught the kids that God is a great big God, who loves us with a great big love, and that we are part of God’s great big world.  The children heard the account of Noah and the ways Noah gave thanks.  We also taught the children ways to give thanks to God in their lives.

The account of Noah is one of the most popular accounts to be found in the Bible. It is filled with delightful images of animals and boats and rainbows. The background of the story, however, is one of wickedness, destruction, and heartbreak. After leaving the garden of Eden, people continued to grow apart from God. They began to depend more on themselves and less on God. The perfect world that God created was returning to a state of chaos. Instead of merely starting over with creation, God chose the best of creation and set it apart for a special purpose. The rest was to be destroyed. The account of God destroying the world can be frightening for children. Because we want children to know that God is a loving and caring God, this lesson focused on how Noah trusted God to take care of him, his family, and the animals, and then thanked God for this care.

The ark was a kind of houseboat. It was built of cypress wood and had three decks. It was very large, 450 feet long. That is longer than a football field! It was 75 feet wide and 45 feet tall. The Scriptures only mention one door and one window. The rainbow that appeared after the Flood is a sign of the covenant established between God and humankind. Aside from the Creation account, this is the first covenant in the Bible. Unlike later covenants made with Abraham and Israel, this covenant is universal in scope. Noah and his family, along with the animals of the ark, were the remnants of creation that would repopulate the entire world.

Flood stories are found in the literature of many ancient cultures. What makes this story stand out above the others is Noah’s faith and God’s promise to give humankind a second chance. Offering thanks to God was a priority for Noah. When Noah departed the ark after the Flood, perhaps he thought of building a home for his family and establishing himself in his new world. Everyone and everything had been destroyed, so he would have to start all over again. Yet his mind was on worship. Noah built an altar and offered thanks to God.

This week as you interact with your children provide them with opportunities to give thanks to God. You as a parent, think about the ways you give thanks to God. How does giving thanks make you feel? What does giving thanks do for you? Then talk to your children about it.

“I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds”. Psalm 9:1

This weekend we taught the kids the biblical story of Jesus and the woman at the well.  We also helped them discover that Jesus loves and accepts all people, we showed them ways that they can accept persons who may appear different from themselves.

This weekend we learned from a popular story in the bible, the story of the woman at the well.  The woman at the well was an outcast from society.  As an outcast, her habit was to come to the well during the hottest part of the day rather than in the cooler morning, when most of the women went to the well. This way she was able to avoid the people of the village and the ugly way they treated her.

When Jesus spoke to the woman at the well, he was going against customary social practices of his time. Although they shared a common heritage, Samaritans and Jews differed greatly on several religious traditions and did not associate with one another.  Samaritans and Jews disagreed on the place where one could truly worship God. It was a major rift between the two sects of people. They went out of their way to avoid one another. It was considered a defilement for a Jew to enter a Samaritan’s home, to drink from the same cup, or even to speak to a Samaritan.  It was also customary for a rabbi to avoid speaking to a woman in public. As a Jew who was often called “Rabbi” by his followers, Jesus should not have spoken to the woman at the well; the woman herself was surprised that he did.

Jesus spoke to the woman about living water, the kind that comes through him and quenches spiritual thirst. The woman did not fully understand him because she could not get past the idea of the physical need for water. It was only when Jesus told her what he knew of her background that she began to realize that something was different about him. Even then, she thought he was just a prophet. Finally, she hesitantly referred to the promised Messiah. Jesus confirmed that he was the Chosen One.

Jesus brought a radical change to the religious practices of the day. Even though Jesus was the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecy of the Messiah, God did not send Jesus exclusively for the Jews. Jesus came as Savior for all people, bringing God’s message of salvation to the whole world. This story is only one of several accounts of Jesus’ disregard of established customs in favor of spreading his message to all people.

This week as you interact with your children, remind them how Jesus loves all people regardless of race, creed, or color.  Think about the power of a person having the ability to accept and love all people. With the prejudices, injustices, and discrimination that exist in the world, it seems nearly impossible to show that type of love. But Jesus commands it. He doesn’t care where we’ve been or what we’ve done. He just needs thirsty Christians.

This weekend the children discovered that they are important to Jesus and that Jesus wants to have a relationship and a friendship with them.  We also taught the children the way to build a relationship with Jesus.

As we continue to learn about who Jesus was as a person and about Jesus’ love for us, this weekend lesson was crucial in learning more about who Jesus is to us today. Our Bible account is about Jesus’ disciples turning away the children because the disciples thought Jesus didn’t have time for children. Surely they were surprised when Jesus called the children back so he could love and bless them! Jesus’ actions showed the disciples then, and us today, just how special children are.

God loves us with a great big love, and so does Jesus. It is important for your children to experience that love as much as they can. Children can learn to understand God’s unconditional love by experiencing love from the adults in their lives. Show your children you care for them by listening to them and involving them in family plans. You can help create an environment where all children feel accepted and included. Praise your children when you see them including others.

Another important aspect of this Bible account is what Jesus said to the disciples: “Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it” (Mark 10:15). A child’s faith is amazing and, as a parent of children, you know this. Allow yourself to learn from your children. You don’t have to know all of the answers. If a question is asked and you don’t know the answer, don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know, what do you think?” Show your children that you value their thoughts and opinions. Learn about God’s great big love together!

So this week take time to get involved with your children. It’s okay to get down on the floor and play games or to take a role in acting out a Bible story. At this time in their lives, children are establishing their own identities. They no longer look to adults for a lot of instruction. Instead, they look for support and encouragement. Help encourage your children to step out on their own and become unique individuals, loved and blessed by God!

“You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God”. Matthew 16:16