Missions

With Jr. High leaving for their Mission Trip to SF next week and many of our High School students going on various Mission Trips (including AZ, Brazil, India, and Kenya), this would be a good time to have a "mission" discussion with your kids. Here's some questions and a passage to discuss:


Matthew 28:18-20

• If there was one place you would like to go to share Christ's love with others, where would it be? Why?
• What are some things that might keep someone from being able to go on a Mission Trip?
• Is there something we can do as a family that would be "mission trip" like here in our neighborhood?

This is also a good time to begin praying together as a family and discussing going on a Mission Trip as a family. Maybe Haiti? Brazil? Poland? Russia? Let God lead your hearts as a family, but start praying now that God would make it obvious what you and your family should do.

Illuminate: BLOOD

WEEK 3 (March 18, 2012) It's amazing when we notice how our culture is infatuated with blood. Movies, TV Shows, Video games, vampires, cartoons, even music talks about blood. So what's the big deal about blood? When we talk about Jesus' death on the cross, it's common for someone to wonder, "How does Jesus' blood cover our sins?" This takes us back to the creation story... Adam and Eve have sinned; God has dolled out the consequences of their sin; then He covers them with animal skins. We see in the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt that putting blood above their door-post saved them and their family. God seems to be infatuated with blood, too. And for most of us, when we think of blood, we think of "loss". But Jesus's blood signifies something else that we may have missed... yes it was the perfect sacrifice for our sins (I'm still not sure why God decided that, but that's what makes Him God); but do we realize that Jesus' blood also signifies "gain"? We gain the opportunity to have a relationship with God. Jesus' blood and death satisfies God's demand for a sacrifice for our sins. We gain the opportunity to represent God. We gain an inheritance. We gain a standing with God that He calls us His child! Amazing! Jesus' blood brings us restoration with God! While Jesus may have "lost" His blood for us... we have "gained" much more than we realize.

"This is My blood, given for you. Whenever you drink this,                            remember My sacrifice for you."

-Jesus (Matthew 26:27-28 my summary)

BOTTOM LINE: 

God loves us... He will restore

PARENT CUE: This is a great time to have a discussion about control and what it looks like when we let God have control... especially in the middle of chaotic times. Keep the conversation simple and ask for examples.

How do we know that God loves us? 

Illuminate: WATER

WEEK 2 (March 11, 2012) Water. For us, today, water is nothing more than an everyday "thing" that we see, drink, or use. But back in Jesus' time, water was life. It was also chaos. We see in Genesis 1 that before God created anything, He hovered over the face of the waters. I don't know what that means, but in Jesus time, it water symbolized chaos. Namely, water on oceans or lakes. But there was also water that they called "living water" that came from springs and rain and wells. That water was for drinking, cleaning, and surviving. So when Jesus calmed the storm... He was showing power over chaos. When He called Himself "Living Water"... He was showing power over death... He brought life. So isn't it interesting that in John 19, we see that during Jesus' crucifixion, that when His side is pierced, blood and WATER flow out? Now I know there are medical reason for that... but there is a distinction between blood and water... it's as if God was reminding us that out of Jesus flows life and power over the chaos. Maybe it's overthinking it... but isn't it interesting what happens when we don't just "skim" over a passage, but we really read it, what the Holy Spirit reveals to us.


BOTTOM LINE: 

God knows is in control... He will be present

PARENT CUE: This is a great time to have a discussion about control and what it looks like when we let God have control... especially in the middle of chaotic times. Keep the conversation simple and ask for examples. (BTW, it would be a good idea to sit somewhere and drink a bottle or glass of water together while talking about this week's lesson).

How do we know if God is present or not? When are some common times when life seems a little "chaotic"?

Illuminate: BREAD

WEEK 1 (March 4, 2012) We begin a new series, reviewing a story that may be, to some of our kids, an over-told story. What is sad is that because our kids may have heard this story over and over, they can easily miss the significance of it. We are walking through Matthew 26-28, leading up and through the death and resurrection of Jesus. The Bible reveals some important lessons during those last 3 chapters of Matthew, so we are focusing on 3 illustrations and taking them deeper: Bread, Water, & Blood. This week, we discussed the significance of "bread", when Jesus takes the bread and tells the disciples to eat it in remembrance of Him. For those disciples, they would have seen the significance. Bread illuminated the idea of God providing. It dated back to Moses and manna from heaven each morning.


BOTTOM LINE: 

God knows what is best for us... He will provide

PARENT CUE: This is a great time to have a discussion about what "being saved" really means. Keep the conversation simple and ask for examples. (BTW, it would be a good idea to go to Panera or  La Bou and share some bread and dill dip while talking about this week's lesson).

How has God provided for us, exactly what we needed? What is the difference between "need" and "want"?